Friday 30 July 2010

Why Inception was amazing

This is my first review on here, so I'll do my best writing it, but I would love your comments to see how I can improve my writing and make it appealing to everyone.



Inception has had rave reviews and, to be honest, I agree with these whole heartedly. The whole idea of going into a subconcious has been around in a while, notably in The Matrix. However, this is so much more, well, human.

The concept in the movie is one that I have always found fascinating, as you have seen in a previus blog of mine: Dreams. And it's not just about what people dream, it's about using their dream state to extract information or give them ideas in their waking state.

It is so difficult to put into words the intricate detail that this film goes into without sounding too gushy, so I will simply say that to fully understand, you NEED to see this film.

The plot is fairly unpredicatable and interesting, and the concepts inside the dream world are very thoroughly thought out. For example, that there can be dreams within dreams, and that they can be affected by what is on the 'next level'. This is shown beautifully in the scene where the gorgeous (not to mention talented) Joseph Gordon Levitt battles with a 'projection' whilst the gravity shifts (this is when the level below is actually a car tumbling down a hill).

As you can tell from that explanation, the film can sometimes be hard to get your head around, so you have to really concentrate. And try not to miss any or you may get left behind!

The visual effects are really something to rave about. The one scene that sticks in my head to when Ariadne (Ellen Page) is able to change the dream and folds it on itsself. The very idea of being able to change the dream consciously is one I have been fascinated with and so it was interesting to see this happen on the big screen.

Leonado Dicaprio was, as always, a brilliant choice for the lead. His acting was wonderful and he displayed his conflicting emotions realistically. Ellen Page, who I don't normally like in films, was surprisingly good as well, though not as touching, simply because we do not get to know her in much depth.

The plot itsself has so many layers and hidden depths that it keeps you thoroughly entertained and thoughtful for long time after it has finished. I know I spent a long time simply thinking about the layers of dreams and what happened in each one.

So if you want to see a visually stunning, thought provoking film that is full of action and good acting, I think you know where to look.

Thursday 29 July 2010

Theft (written by Ashley)

Stacey tried to steal my bookmark!!! This was the number one thing in my day that made me angrier than I felt for the rest of the day. And this was a day that included me having three shouting matches with my manager, threatening to beat up my best mate and accusing a member of the office staff in no uncertain way that we were overworked. Anyway back to Stakey, as i am now calling her. She tried to steal my bookmark!!! For those who don't know my bookmark is a wooden leaf that was given to me as an easter present from my mum! So obviously a lot of sentimental value. I had been reading her book 'Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief' and had finished it the night before. Once I was done a placed the bookmark inside the front page of the book and placed it tenderly on the coffee table before i retired to the bedroom for a good nights sleep. My sleep was interupted on three occasions, which was probably the start of that days bad mood. First my girlfriend whacked me on the nose as she climbed in, then my best mate edward practically trod on me as he attempted to reach his bed, and finally that menace of a girl stacey decided to spend five minutes rustling a plastic bag next to my head! The next morning I wake up early to go to work and the book has vanished! Stolen by it rightful owner in the depths of the night...and my bookmark along with it!!! This was the beginning of the days bad mood as I had to use my mates birthday invite as a bookmark for the day whilst I forced stakey to leave the bookmark behind on my pillow for me to collect later after I had to work late and missed my oseopathy appointment that would have sorted my bad back out. But do not worry people there was one good thing the brightened my day for a couple of brief moments. One of the managers in the office brought his dog in for the day and since I am a dog fan I loved brief time I got to feel like life wasn't against me just yet!

Why the pirates would win

This is a very serious issue that I feel needs a bit of scrutiny.

It is commonly believed that if ever there was an epic battle between ninjas and pirates, the ninjas would win. But, I think I have come up with fairly conclusive evidence to the contrary, using some good, old fashioned, common sense.

Ninja skills consist of good fighting technique, agility and fast reflexes. They will probably have trained for combat on level ground and streets. Can they swim? Probably not, why would they be fighting in water, after all?

Pirates, on the other hand, have no such fighting technique. However, they do have guns, swords and a ship that can do a lot of damage to big things.

Pirates hardly ever go on land except to collect buried treasure. They much prefer the sea and therefore like to spend the least amount of time on a deserted island as possible.

Since ninjas come at you from the shadows, they will not be found waiting to ambush the pirates at the desert island, if indeed they knew there would be treasure there in the first place, given that the pirates would have a map. Therefore we can assume that the Ninjas would be forced to stow away on board the pirate ship when they dock near enough to their training camp (probably near a city, as they have lots of dark spaces).

The pirates naturally have the advantage in their boat, but would not win in combat. They would have to sink their beloved ship to drown the ninjas and then commandeer another one, thus leaving them to set off into the sunset on their heroic quest for gold once again.

However, if the pirates are not so quick to do this, they will still win in the long run as the ninjas will not have had the training required to work the ship. They will probably either run it aground or sink it by steering into rocks (please see previous paragraph for details on ninjas drowning and sunsets for pirates).

So you see, ninjas are really nothing compared to a hook, a wooden leg and bloodthirsty parrot or two.

Tuesday 27 July 2010

Why photography is no longer my hidden talent

A small post?! I must be out of my mind, having not many words to write and all. But I do have exciting news. I'm branching out:

Ever since I got my camera a few years ago, I've been trying to build up some sort of portfolio of really nice pictures to put up on display somewhere.

I have had a few compliments on my photography skills so I thought I had better show everybody.

And now, after much deliberating I have finally decided to put them on the internet for all to see, on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kyraoreilly/

I really hopethat this link works, as I havn't had much luck with it so far. Thankfully I have a very nice friend that decided to help me.

Some of the photos I have uploaded are really, really old and some are very recent, so try not to laugh at some of the wobblier ones, they're on there because I like the effect.

Feel free to have a good look at them and tell me what you think. The more comments I get, the happier I am!

Monday 26 July 2010

Why all the gender hostility?.. I'll tell you why..

My dear friend recently wrote a blog highlighting how men are better than women. Unfortunately he forgot that women can retaliate better and, with lethal, cutting comments that could rip him to shreds.

I don't actually think that women are any better or worse than men, I tend to think that we are equal. Women are better at some things and men are better at others.

I will freely admit that women are not as good at driving than men (I myself have pretty bad spatial awareness), but we are more careful, which is why we cause less crashes. It is probably the knowledge that we are bad at driving which causes us to be careful in the first place. Men don't really tend to acknowledge their flaws so easily, let alone do much about them.

Multitasking is one thing he mentioned along with driving. I know that it is a common truth that women are better at multitasking than men. However, I am probably the worst person ever to talk to about women's proficiency in multitasking, because I am useless at it. Really, it's that bad. I am thoroughly ashamed of myself.

My boyfriend is a prime example of not being able to multitask. He reads but can't hear at the same time, he watches TV and isn't able to chat. But, he IS very good at driving, and being nice.

I hate to be all conventional and stuff, but women are also better at cleaning. It's like we have microscope eyes sometimes. My boyfriend can hardly see the clumps of dust and dog hair that I can see hiding in the deep, dark recesses of his room. I think his version of cleaning is actually giving the floor a quick hoover and shoving a few of his clothes in his wardrobe.

We're also rather good at cooking, though I daresay that any man who takes an interest might decide to get better than us. There are so many TV cooks out there who are men, I think this might actually be right.

So, are men really better than women? Are men missing the obvious that women are actually better than them? I mean, we do have the ability to give life, something that men can only contribute to. Or are we equal, as God intended? I think I'll agree with God.


PS: Sorry wonderful boyfriend for highlighting your terribleness at tidying, I love you anyway!

Sunday 25 July 2010

Why it pays to stop and think

Sometimes, when I'm on my own, just thinking, I listen to the clocks ticking. Their constant counting of seconds reminds me that we all have a certain amount of time in this world, and that it's worth making the most of.

It makes me think of the years I have already spent and what I have done with them. Admittedly there were no world altering changes in there, but I am proud of how I have grown as a person and what I have achieved for myself so far.

For example, I (and my twin along with me) am the first in my family to get through the first year of university, and the second to actually get in to uni. I know this doesn't seem like a big achievement, but I am proud knowing that those before me have failed where I have succeeded, and therefore my hard work and determination this year paid off.

When I lie back and watch those little clock arms go ceaselessly clockwise, I also think about what else I have to offer, and this time not just myself, but everyone else. I have so much time ahead of me to be able to make a difference. I don't quite know what that difference will be yet; Maybe to help people going through a difficult time with a heartfelt and helpful blog entry?

My advice, to those of you who want it, is to fill your life with happiness and fun. If you find yourself snapping at people, ask yourself if you would rather spend your precious time being happy instead. Chances are, you do.

Try not to spend to much of your time doing nothing; sleeping or on the internet, for example. Instead, why not get out and do something? It could be something small, like going for a walk in the park, or taking a jog to kick start that exercise plan you drew up but never actually did. Or something big, like starting up your own business. What do you have to lose?

Thursday 22 July 2010

Why my year just got a loads better

My sister is always talking about America and how much she wants to go there when she finished university. Life is really not fair sometimes.

This year, I am going to New York on a trip with my Magazine Journalism course. We're staying in Manhattan, which is perfect for what I wanted to do and see. The main reason we're going is to take a look at possibly one of the best Publishing Houses in the English language. However, I think a few of us are finding it hard not to be excited about christmas shopping there. My sister practically begged for me to take lots of photos and get her a 'I Heart NY' t-shirt.

I've been looking it up, and New York has so many things I want to go and see. Nothing appeals to me more than seeing all the sights. Times Square, Central Park, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Brooklyn Bridge.. you name it, I want to see it.

I'm not sure if i'll have enough hours in the day to do all this, but I figured that I should do as much as possible, having never been to America before. In fact, the only place out of Europe that I've been to is Africa, and that just wasn't as glamourous. It was a humbling experience, but it didn't have the sights that a good tourist craves.

I didn't think that I would be able to afford this trip, so it came as a nice surprise for me when I realised I could. My boyfriend is totally wonderful and offered to help me pay, but due to my new found fierce independance I won't accept his money lightly, if at all. The best thing is, I thought it would be really expensive, but the whole thing costs in the region of £500, which is far less than I thought it would be.

So, I am in a rather happy place right now. And I can't wait to get all those American gifts for my friends and family.

Monday 19 July 2010

Why that computer virus might not be what you think it is

I know, a very long winded title, but very much to the point, as you will see.

Did you know that clicking the 'X' button on the pop up from and internet site could cost you £50? Well, you'll sure know about it when you get scammed that way.

I was sitting at my laptop when a Windows bubble popped up on the bottom, right of my screen saying that my computer was infected.

There were two things that I noted during my complete shock at having a virus:
1. That I already had an antivirus that was working fine, which should have stopped it from contaminating the computer.
2. That I didn't recognise the antivirus software that had discovered this virus (or these many viruses, as I later found out).

I did what any sane person would do. I tried to scan my computer with the antivirus that I knew I had installed. Nothing. According the 'windows' it could not be opened as it was infected.

The scan from the unknown antivirus kicked in and I was forced to watch as it found several files that were at risk or critical. I even saw a couple of trojan's. I couldn't believe it. My other software must have been rubbish. The unknown antivirus prompted me to buy their full version, as their trial version did not get rid of the viruses.

I tried the internet next, to see if there was any way to get a free antivirus that would actually work. No such luck. Apparently a file that was meant to open it was infected. Funny though, that the website of the full mystery antivirus program was the only website I could get to. I deigned not to give any money to them.

So, my mum and I took it to a professional, and he took one look at it and told us that my laptop didn't have a virus.

In fact, what it was, was a very clever scam; a fake antivirus that you unwittingly download onto your computer. For example, you are on Facebook and you click on a link to something (a video maybe) that is meant to be hilarious. But there's a catch. To see the video, you have to downlaod something. You click 'X'/ Cancel.

But clever Mr programmer has other ideas. He's programmed both 'X' and 'Cancel' to actually mean yes and you download your unwanted file anyway. But it's not what you thought it was. It's an evil fake antivirus. In a few minutes, hours, or maybe the next time you turn on your computer, it will kick in a nd tel lyou that your computer is infected.

Unfortunately for you, if you believe it, chances are that the offer of buying the full, virus beating version of the one that may have saved your precious documents from being wiped, is a very welcome one.

The probelm is, the software you download for your hard earned cash doesn't actually do what it is supposed to. Some people will go back and pay more money, some people will take their computer to a professional at this point. But it's too late. They already have your bank details, your identity, and a bit of your money. Bummer.

My top tips to prevent this freom happening to you are partially what our professional said, and some common sense thrown in for good measure:

1. Get Firefox. It doesn't allow those kind of sites to get to your screen as it doesn't use ActiveX controls.

2. Instead of pressing 'X' or 'Cancel' to get rid of your risky pop up, press ctrl, Alt and Del at the same time and close the browser from there.

3. If you don't recognise the program, don't give it money. Especially if you alread yahve one that is supposed to do exactly the same thing.

4. Talk to a professional if you're not sure about anything, you may not completely know what's going on.

And before I go, a bit more advice: If anyone calls to tell you that your computer has a virus and that they can sort it out (yes, even microsoft), ask yourself 'how do they know'? Chances are, they're trying to scam you.

Saturday 17 July 2010

Why Master of Olympus is awesome

Master of Olympus is probably one of the best games I have ever played.

I first played it a few years ago, in my own home. But sadly it was lost and in some inexplicable way, we have never seen it again. Recently, I was talking about it's awesomeness to my boyfriend and he decided to buy it for me. Now we play it a lot, and we still can't get over how addictive it is.

Master of Olypus is basically a simulation game of ancient greek society. It is a lot like Sim City in that respect, only you are in charge of literally everything. You can conquer other anceint greek cities, make huge sanctuaries to the Gods and even host the Olympian games (otherwise known as the olympics).

I know it doesn't have the best graphics (as it was originally made for Windows 97, I think, but don't quote me on that) and it doesn't have the gameplay that we are used to. However, what it lacks in general aethetics, it makes up for in style.

The whole thing is very carefully thought through. You have tabs on which you control housing, work, food, supplies, hygiene, taxes, culture, mythology and your army. You build your entire city, sometimes from scratch. You make colonies for your main city so they aquire more goods and have a better army.

I think the best part of the game is the mythology, as you can build sanctuaries to all of the 12 olympians and have both gods and monters attack your city. Having built your sanctuary to a god, you can pray to them and they will give you gifts, for example, Dionysus will give you wine and Ares will fight in your army. Both Zeus and Apollo's sanctuaries also have the added bonus of an oracle so you can see into the future.

You can be attacked by various monsters, mostly beset on your city by unfriendly gods. I have so far encountered cyclops, hydra, maenads and talos. To get rid of these monsters, you have to have a hero in the city (Jason, Hercules or Odysseus, in these situations).

Another good thing about the game is that it allows you to play in different modes, like sandbox mode (where you can do anything), but that it also offers you the chance to complete several episodes, like Zeus and Europa or The Trojan War. This means that you have set goals to complete, ranging from easy to hard.

So, as the catchy slogan on the cover says:

Build a city, Challenge the gods, Spawn a Myth.

And maybe have fun in the process.

Thursday 15 July 2010

Why you shouldn't blog about dreams with your sister

One of the most confusing and interesting areas in the human mind is the part we have no control over. It is our unconscious state. Our dreams, in fact.

Dreams are one of the few things we have little knowledge of. All we really know is that they exist, and that they may be trying to tell us something. They are widely thought of as part of our minds' problem solving process when we sleep, so normally we can work out what they could mean. In some rare cases, people can manipulate their dreams, this is called lucid dreaming, for all you fact fans.

Some people believe that dreams tell you the future, others have whole books on the meanings of dreams. My sister and I believe that only the dreamer will understand what their dream is truly about, as it originated from their own mind. Some peoples dreams are only ever in black and white, whereas others' are in colour. Some people dream in both. Some people never remember their dreams, though everyone has them.

Nightmares, I think, are a whole other kettle of fish. I remember having a nightmare when I was about 7 or 8 of being chased by the dog from Tom and Jerry, and Casper the friendly ghost was trying to save me. To this day I still don't know what it means. Nightmares are most often associated with women. It is either that most men simply don't have nightmares, or that they don't remember them.

We can sometimes get some sort of meaning from a nightmare, though it is mostly mosre confusing than dreams, probably due to the scary aspect. Sometimes you simply don't know what scared you. It can be something that wouldn't scare you in reality. but in dreamworld, it's the scariest thing since the boogeyman.

My sister and I have collaborated to tell you about our dreams, and I think we'll start with our top 5 nightmares:

(WARNING, GROSS/ SCARY CONTENT)

1. I think that my scariest nightmares have been film like. In one, I was in a house in the middle of a huge marshland, with a group of friends. Each one of us was dying one by one by traps set in the house. When we tried to escape the land outside was foggy and our car sank into the marshland. The worst death was when a friend was against the wall and suddenly spikes came out of it. My dreams are quite graphic.

2. In another quite similar to this one, I was gain in a house with lots of people in it, only this time there was a murderer on the loose. We tried to group together to be safer, as the killer only killed people who were alone. The people around me went crazy and started to turn on eachother. When one turned on me, my friend killed them by plunging a spoon into their chest (weird, I know).

3. (This is my sister's dream). I was running away from a bunch of criminals who had invaded my nan's house (which wasn't actually my nans house, if you get my jist.) They chased me all over town. I did manage to trick one into the river, just about. I think the scariest part was when a woman came up to me, with massive rusty blades in each hand and swiped at me. Needless to say she did manage to hurt me pretty badly in the dream. I could still vaguely feel a pain in my leg when I woke up.

4. We both had nightmares involving black panthers when we were younger. In my one, it came through the window and prowled around my sister's bed. In my sister's one it came through the garden, into the kitchen and bit of her leg. Afterwards our dad chased it away with a gun.

5. In another of my nightmares, I was being chased by a vampire girl who was also a werewolf. She was trying to either kill me or turn me into a vampire/werewolf. This time, unlike my Casper dream, there was nobody to help me or save me. I still managed to fend her off by the time I woke up.

It seems that most of these mightmares are about other people or animals trying to kill or hurt us in some way. However, my sister's scariest dream was nothing like that. Her dream should have been a good one, but instead she had been scared of something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Since I can't really remember any weird dreams, I shall hand it over to my sister to tell you about her's:

I can only remember a few. But I do remember that most of my dreams are pretty weird. I'll just tell you the few that I can remember. (They may not be particularly odd, but I shall explain.)

1. My pregnant dream.
This one was mostly weird because I was wandering around being pregnant yet thinking:'how can I possibly be pregnant? I haven't even had sex yet!' and other such things. Yet I could feel the baby and my bump. Weird.

2. My man dream.
Yes. I've been a man a few times in my dreams. They were really very weird. In one I was gay. And in the other one I was more of a woman in a man's body. (Although, I have to say, I was a pretty good looking man).

3. Befriending celebrity dream.
I've had my fair share of them. Mostly about the Jonas Brothers. (Yes, I know. But so what? I like their music, and they're hot.)So one time I was at a concert (it wasn't even theirs) and they came and sat next to me and we all got on like a house on fire. I'm not even sure whose concert we were at. I vaguely remember giving Joe Jonas a Nuggie (you know.. one of those things where you grab someone under your arm and rub their head..?) Also rather odd.

Back over to the other twin. (With a salute).

And before I sign off I would like to add my very own Jonas dream (which was obviously courtesy of my sister's fanaticalness).

I was in my primary school (which was actually a secondary school in my dream), and the Jonas brothers were coming as exchange students. Joe Jonas didn't actually have a face, but I knew it was him, as you do. Nick Jonas got talking to me and I said he played guitar really well, and we were instantly friends. Because I was now 'best friends' with a Jonas brother, I suddenly got really popular, started wearing high heels and shorter skirts which made it impossible to sit down for assembly (the detail is incredible). At the end of my dream I went a bit mad and screamed down the hall that I didn't want to be popular any more. Of course, this didn't work.

So, there you have it. A blog all about dreams, just for you guys. Feel free to comment about weird, scary or interesting dreams that you have had and tell us your thoughts on dreaming in general. We would love to hear anything you have to say.

Happy dreaming

Wednesday 14 July 2010

Why I won't be wearing the Tribal, Gothic or Western trends this Autumn/Winter

You know what kind of fashion trend I am loving right now?
The only one that I think suits me: lace.

It's not because lace is expensive looking or anything like that. Why I like it is because it is associated with being refined and posh, and yet it is now customised so that it looks young and new. Lace is such a classic look, especially in the colours that fashion is liking at the moment. Black, nude and white lace and netting are my favourite

And when I get into a trend that I think suits me, I just can't help myself. I end up scouting through shops, looking for the things that will make me look the best. I particularly like the types of tops/dresses that are close fitting with a lace or netting panel at the top, so it looks girlie without looking, well, tarty.

This following dress is a gorgeous example from very.co.uk:



I also have a few other pictures of things that are lace orientated, those being my gorgeous New Look shoes that I have previously chattered about (these also come as heels):



This top is also from New Look. I just LOVE the detail in this, so if you have a spare moment, go in for a close up of this one:



And just to top it all off, I saw the most gorgeous leggings at ASOS (please look at the detail too, I like this one because of the length and the pattern):



Please don't wear all of these together, they probably won't look quite as amazing as they would if they were with a few other, less showy, pieces of clothing.

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Why being crafty is a good thing

I recently went into a charity shop searching for a book, and instead of a book, I came out with ten little plastic envelopes. Inside the shop, I had found a box full of cards that had been hand made and given in to sell for the charity. Some of these were beautiful, but I decided I could do better.

So armed with only my creativity and a couple of card making kits from poundland, I set about making my cards. It was hard going, but in the end my sister and I made 12 cards.

I only got pictures of the two that we didn't give to the charity, but I promise that I shall make more and post them up here.

Unfortunately I can't tell you exactly how to make them, all I know is that you need some card, a lot of card making accessories, some ribbon,some tissue paper, some glue and a bit of practise. And maybe an artistic flair.

Monday 12 July 2010

Why you should never tell a student that their exams were/are easier than their predecessor's exams

Ahh, another age old debate. But this time, I have a real knowledge, and not just my (also slightly biased)opinion: Are kids getting cleverer or is school/ college/ uni getting easier?

I read a news article today asking just that. But it didn't end up answering it's own question, so I decided to have a go at answering it for them.

I would lOVE to say that my generation is simply cleverer than my parent's generation, but I don't think that's strictly true. I would also like to point out that my mum truly thinks that if she had done any of the work she's seen me doing, she wouldn't have done as well as me. This may not be true for all adults in her generation, but I've heard plenty of adults who are completely bemused over things I find quite simple.

And no way are the exams getting easier. Believe me, I have always found the work I've done to be quite hard. But I've worked hard and therefore gotten the grades that I think I deserve. In fact, my first year at uni has been very difficult, and I think it's amazing that so many people going have gotten firsts and upper seconds. Especially when I think myself lucky for even passing something. So well done to them for their hard work and determination to suceed, which is one thing their parents probably don't take into account.

But no, I don't think that generation are stupid either. I think that since they went to school, there have been way better teaching methods developed. More has gone into education and so we have gotten more out of it. That's why more of us are getting into college and uni and getting degrees. Forget cleverness, all humans have that same ability to learn. We have just learnt in a more effective way than our parents did.

I bet if they were taught the same way I have been, they would give me a run for my money come exam time.

So really, it's not a case of young people being cleverer or exams being easier (because they're not, they're REALLY hard as far as I'm concerned), it's about being taught well enough to ace the said exam and remember all those facts, or write the right things.

Wednesday 7 July 2010

Why going to London is always a good plan

Yesterday I went on a day trip to London with my sister and my mum. It was awesome, if a little on the confusing side thanks to the underground and the buses.

First we went to London Zoo, which we found after traipsing around Camden and Regent's Park for a good ten minutes. I think I liked the butterflies the most, simply because it was truly a hands on experience, as the butterflies were continually fluttering around and landing on me and my sister.



Then we got back on the bus to go to Madame Tussauds, on Baker street (where we found a rather HUGE statue of Sherlock Holmes, and decided to pose with him). We didn't have too much time to get through it, but somehow we managed to do it in an hour or so.



I think the best waxwork was Johnny Depp - he's rather gorgeous. I didn't realise that celebrities were so tall though! Being only 5 ft 2, I was dwarfed by nearly all of the waxworks. Only Christina Aguilera was the same size as me.



I think I now have a little bit of a crush on Nick Jonas, who performed really well in Les Miserables as Marius. So not only did I get to see a damn good show, but I got a bit of celebrity spotting too!

Oh, and talking of celebrity spotting, mum saw an actor on Baker Street. We're not quite sure what his name was, but apparently he's famous (Angus Deayton or something). I saw Lucy Beale off Eastenders in the West end.. Ahahaha.

Anyway.

The best part about the show is that I didn't expect to like it, but did. Appreciate it, yes, but liking it is slightly different. The songs that I knew were sang beautifully. The comedy was just right and the love scenes wern't overly soppy so I didn't mind them.



I thought the war bits would be boring but in fact they were full of emotion that I could relate to, or sympathise with. The best part of the performance was of course the singing. The main characters all sang very well, and some of the scenes were so touching (the death of a character, for example).

All in all, I had a very fulfilling day, and took several pictures while I was at it. I think I will always remember the theatre as the best part, purely because I enjoyed every moment, despite thinking I wouldn't.

Saturday 3 July 2010

Why books should never be subjected to the horror that is film adaptations

I know, I know. It's that age old debate. Film Vs Book. For me, books win hands down. And I'll tell you why. But first, a bit of bio for you (and a bit of a bias warning):

I am a self confessed book worm. I like fantasy the best, therefore I shall chattering away about fantasy books in particular. If you would rather gouge your eyes out with the claws of your favourite cat than read about such things, I suggest you quickly click 'next blog' (just like you would on chatroulette when you see something you'd rather not).

If you love the thought of me criticising terrible fantasy film adaptations, you've come to the right blog. Grab some popcorn, put your feet up, and read away.

Warning over, now for the fun part.

I can think of so many good books that are ruined by the greed of their own authors. I can also think of a few that havn't been almost assaulted, but don't do the plot the justice it deserves. But instead of listing off books and their various faults, I shall just list the worst offending faults, and give you super good examples of films that do exactly that.

First off the casting can be an utter disaster. And in 'The Golden Compass' (book otherwise known as 'Northern Lights' in the UK) the casting is terrible. My Lyra was much more feisty. My Mrs Coulter was scarier and (as in the book, may I add) had dark hair. My Lord Asriel was no Daniel Craig, he was an austere looking man with a thin, elegant figure and a lashing tongue, again, more frightening. And they got the plot all wrong. It doesn't even end in the same place as the book.

Plot twisting annoys me a lot actually. Here I think the phrase 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' comes to my mind. The latest Prince Caspian wins the prize for this one. Not only is Prince Caspian a good few years older than he's meant to be, but he also has a thing for Susan. I understand the appeal of an older character but please, we don't need any love interests unless they're focal to the plot.

The same goes for missing bits out. Because if you miss bits out that you don't happen to think are important in the first film, you end up having to go back on yourself in the next. Take Eragon. Not only were the one liners atrocious but they missed out a character which, in the other books, turns out to shape the entire plot. Good One, people who cut out THAT scene (and they did cut it out, I've checked).

Missing bits out. Oh I could go on all day about that one. My imagination creates these wonderful scenes of battles and places, but when I think I'll be seeing what other people have dreamt up, the whole part is cut. Harry Potter is the best target I could have with this complaint. Fifth film; the hospital (St Mungo's), or the amazing fight scenes I thought would come up in the Ministry of Magic. Who else wanted to see Ron being attacked by a brain? I rest my case.

Bad acting positively kills a book stone dead. Unfortunately the only book to film that I can think of here is Twilight, so it didn't take that much to kill it anyway. Let me get this straight, I am not and will never be a twihard. Yes I have read all the books like a good little sheep. And yes I quite enjoyed them. My excuse is that they had a fairly good plot and the characters were interesting. The writing was descriptive, although lacking an actual style.

Now, the film obviously expects you to have read these books, or else you are in danger of wondering why you are watching it in the first place. The humour in the books is almost completely lost and the long pauses and stares make you want to time how long it takes Bella to get through a sentence, or the film to the point for that matter. And the point? Edward = vampire and they love eachother. Er... yay?

And here I think I will come to a close. I will simply say that books are far superior to their film counterparts. To anyone who would rather watch the film than read the book; you are utterly missing out, and you should be ashamed of yourself.

Friday 2 July 2010

Why guilty pleasures should probably be left unsaid

I know that it is quite conventional for a female to love her shoes, and to have many many pairs. I am one such female. I am also thoroughly ashamed of my willingness to conform to society in this way, and yet, (and here I think I may be chanelling Shania Twain) I feel like a woman.

I also know how very boring it may be to talk about shoes day in, day out. I therefore promise that I shall try not to bore you with any more shoe related blogs after this one (unless I happen to come across, and buy, an even more wonderful shoe.

Unfortunately for you, I have just bought the mother of all beautiful shoes from New Look, and so I feel the need to write about it.

In fact, I bought two mothers of beautiful shoes; the mother of flats and the mother of heels. 'Why are you so obsessed with these particular ones?' I hear you cry in contempt. Because they have lace, black lace. In a floral design that I just love. And they have silver under the lace. And a black trim. And a black heel.

And the heels are high enough to allow me to look a normal height. And the flats make my feet look even smaller than they already are.

Most of all I love them because they will go with anything. You name it, any colour, any outfit (except a gopping one that you shouldn't be wearing anyway, like an orange jumpsuit.. but they would at least make it look better than without them).

They particularly go with my clubbing style. I normally wear fairly classic clothing with silver accessories. For example, a long, fairly clingy plain black top with a black netting starting where a sweetheart neckline would be and ending fairly high. This would either be paired with plain black tights or black leggings/ jeggings (cropped or otherwise).

Now tell me those beautiful pairs of shoes wouldn't go well with an outfit like that?

In fact, I bought these shoes with a short, slinky black number also from new look, that has a plunging neckline with a twist under the boob area (which REALLY enhances those all important assets). It has black lace on it too, which is the main reason I bought those beautiful, beautiful shoes.

Team that dress with those heels and I think I'll be set.

Why cosmetic surgery isn't a good thing

Ah, the world of the female celebrity. Their shiny, happy, botoxed up faces and their huuge bra sizes. They all look beautiful, right?

Wrong.

Have you actually seen these people recently? Half of them look like wax works that have been left out in the sun for too long and the other half look like they have millions of tiny balloons inside their faces. Beautiful they definately are not.

I don't even think celebrities are made out of skin and bone any more. Most likely they've replaced it all with implants and botox. I devised a poem to articulate this, but I'm not so sure this hasnt been done before:

Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are...
Gives it a whole new meaning doesnt it?

It would be quite rude of me not to mention the queen of fake in this here blog, so Jordan, this ones for you. Stop while you're ahead, please, for the sake of humanity. We do not want the aliens coming and thinking that you're what a normal human looks like.

And for anyone thinking about playing around with their face, take a good look at all the fish lips and the stretchy faces and think again. There are worse things out there than ageing gracefully.

Thursday 1 July 2010

Why doing tiny things makes a big difference

I went shopping today.

And as I was waiting for my sister to come out of Primark, I saw a man selling 'The Big Issue'. I had seen him before as I walked through the town centre. Once I bought a copy of 'The Big Issue' off of him.

But as I sat there I did something I didn't do before. I thought about his life. I wondered what had happened to him for him to be out on the streets, selling a magazine for income to live on. I wondered where he was sleeping, who he had to look out for him and whether he was eating enough. I wondered how the clothes he was wearing were, and how warm they could be come winter.

I bought a magazine from him.

Inside the magazine there was a story about a vendor who saved up £75 of his earnings to visit his daughter. He decided to sleep on the streets to have an early start in the morning and was mugged.

It really opened my eyes to the fact that these homeless people are vunerable, that they are still people, and the way they are treated by most people is with ignorance. I know too many people who would avoid eye contact with them and ignore them. I am one of those people. But after reading that magazine, I truly want to help.

I started with buying that magazine. In doing that small thing I felt a certain sense of pride in myself, for caring. I would like to encourage anyone reading this to also care, to do their bit for others. Even if it is simply a compliment to make someone feel good, or buying your books from a charity shop instead of Waterstones.

My sister currently volunteers for charity, working in a shop, and I think that I will do the same. Iwant to make a difference to other people's lives, for the better.

I hope that I carry this new thought with me from now on, as I think it has made me a better person for thinking it. I hope this has made you a better person for reading it.