Yesterday I went to see Terry Pratchett interviewed by Garth Nix at the Sydney Opera House and good gravy what an experience.
The astonishing thing about my organisational skills is that I am only capable of organising things in an extremely condensed amount of time. When I discovered that my local cinema was doing a midnight screening of Harry Potter I messaged all my friends, got definite numbers and bought the tickets within forty-five minutes of the discovery. When I read in the paper, on the train home from uni, that Terry Pratchett was going to be at the Opera House I messaged everyone and organised who was and was not interested before I stepped in my front door. I bought the tickets the next day.
Ask me to organise something over a couple of weeks? I'll put it off until the day before. One hour? I can halve that time. I'm a contradiction.
Anyway, I started reading Terry Pratchett when I was approximately 12 years old and I think I'll be reading and re-reading them for the rest of my life. His books have probably been a primary influence in the way I view the world and my ambition to be a writer. Yes, I love Harry Potter and all that it's adoration entails, but the Discworld is my childhood happy place. When I learnt that Terry Pratchett had Alzheimer's I was deeply upset. Here is one of this centuries most brilliant minds, slowly deteriorating. I kind of understand why he's an advocate for assisted suicide (a topic which I'm largely undecided on). The destruction of such an imagination, such quick wit and astonishing thought, is truly a tragedy.
I don't know why I was surprised to find him so funny. He spoke how he wrote, with eloquent phrasing and a dazzling sense of humour that caused the audience to hang on his every word and spontaneously burst into applause. He was shorter, smaller, than I imagined him being - I suppose he's rather old now - but his personality more than made up for it.
The interview went half an hour over time but I don't think anybody wanted it to end. When they finished they threw plastic teeth into the front few rows (from the tooth-fairys castle of course) and Garth Nix got everybody to sing Happy Birthday because it was Mr Pratchett's birthday next week and it was amazing.
I think the most wonderful part of the experience, besides 'oh my gosh I just heard Terry Pratchett speak) was the complete and total adoration of the audience for this small, skinny man with a lisp and a big hat. You could feel the love and the awe that every single person sitting there had bursting from their hearts. I know that the Discworld series gave me so much as I was growing up and if everyone else felt even a fraction of that gratitude then it was possibly the most affectionate and loving crowd I have ever been a part of.
If anything ever happened to him now I would be so distressed. But I definitely know that I would not be the only one.
Positive Memory of the Day: That one time I saw Terry Pratchett and then walked across the city with friends and it was a near-perfect night.
Monday, 18 April 2011
Saturday, 16 April 2011
With my tail between my legs
So hey, y'know how you keep learning new things about me each day? I'll bet you were beginning to get weighed down by all that extra knowledge. You were, weren't you imaginary-reader?
Well because I'm such a kind and gracious blogger I decided to give you a break from all that information. A whole week's break. Aren't I just the most giving person you've ever met in your whole entire life?
I guess you don't really learn anything new in this blog post, rather it reiterates the fact that I'm not good at committing to things.
So what have I been up to in the past few weeks that has distracted my attention so? Honestly? Not a whole lot. There has been quite a bit of assignmenting or, as I like to call it, 'wait, you mean I actually have to make an effort in university?' I've also powered through an awful lot of drama which luckily was the kind of drama that happens for a reason so you sort of cry into your skim mochas and then realise it's all for the best and things get sunshiny again, or at least you can see the sunshine on the horizon so if you squint it kind of looks sunshiny and thats okay.
I've also forced myself to jump back into reading which was much much harder than it should have been. But once I actually spent money on books (precious, precious money) rather than just picking them up half-heartedly from a library and lamely promising myself that I could finish them before they were due (I couldn't) I actually had a little more motivation.
I read Plague, the fourth book in the Michael Grant Gone series and I screamed and cried and I was on the train and people judged me. Honestly, I am the kind of writer (who is not a writer at all) who enjoys putting her characters through a bit of pain and I'm not afraid of killing a protagonist off if necessary. But my goodness, I just want this series to end and for everything to be okay and for terrible, horrific things to stop happening to these kids and there's TWO MORE BOOKS AND I HAVE TO WAIT LIKE TWO YEARS AND I CAN'T HANDLE IT.
I also FINALLY read Looking For Alaska by John Green. John Green is one of my favourite authors and he writes how I wish I thought so I was so excited to get a hold of it. I enjoyed it but personally I preferred Paper Towns and Abundance of Katherines. My next challange is to find a copy of Will Grayson, Will Grayson and, also, some money to purchase it with.
Will I blog tomorrow? Who knows. But on the off chance that someone reads this who isn't from Tumblr, HERE is a link to my youtube page. I'm relatively new, be gentle.
Positive Memory of the Day: I was in study with four friends and a young male teacher was supervising. Approximately 20 minutes before the period ended our conversation turned to, ahem, risque topics. After a few minutes we heard a thud of a laptop closing and the teacher was hurrying out of the classroom, red-faced, muttering that we knew how to lock up.
Well because I'm such a kind and gracious blogger I decided to give you a break from all that information. A whole week's break. Aren't I just the most giving person you've ever met in your whole entire life?
I guess you don't really learn anything new in this blog post, rather it reiterates the fact that I'm not good at committing to things.
So what have I been up to in the past few weeks that has distracted my attention so? Honestly? Not a whole lot. There has been quite a bit of assignmenting or, as I like to call it, 'wait, you mean I actually have to make an effort in university?' I've also powered through an awful lot of drama which luckily was the kind of drama that happens for a reason so you sort of cry into your skim mochas and then realise it's all for the best and things get sunshiny again, or at least you can see the sunshine on the horizon so if you squint it kind of looks sunshiny and thats okay.
I've also forced myself to jump back into reading which was much much harder than it should have been. But once I actually spent money on books (precious, precious money) rather than just picking them up half-heartedly from a library and lamely promising myself that I could finish them before they were due (I couldn't) I actually had a little more motivation.
I read Plague, the fourth book in the Michael Grant Gone series and I screamed and cried and I was on the train and people judged me. Honestly, I am the kind of writer (who is not a writer at all) who enjoys putting her characters through a bit of pain and I'm not afraid of killing a protagonist off if necessary. But my goodness, I just want this series to end and for everything to be okay and for terrible, horrific things to stop happening to these kids and there's TWO MORE BOOKS AND I HAVE TO WAIT LIKE TWO YEARS AND I CAN'T HANDLE IT.
I also FINALLY read Looking For Alaska by John Green. John Green is one of my favourite authors and he writes how I wish I thought so I was so excited to get a hold of it. I enjoyed it but personally I preferred Paper Towns and Abundance of Katherines. My next challange is to find a copy of Will Grayson, Will Grayson and, also, some money to purchase it with.
Will I blog tomorrow? Who knows. But on the off chance that someone reads this who isn't from Tumblr, HERE is a link to my youtube page. I'm relatively new, be gentle.
Positive Memory of the Day: I was in study with four friends and a young male teacher was supervising. Approximately 20 minutes before the period ended our conversation turned to, ahem, risque topics. After a few minutes we heard a thud of a laptop closing and the teacher was hurrying out of the classroom, red-faced, muttering that we knew how to lock up.
Friday, 8 April 2011
Sucker Punch - SPOILERS
I caught up with my family this evening to pick at quesidilas (good LORD spelling) and see Sucker Punch.
What, I'm sure you are asking, did I think of this controversial film?
Well I'll tell you.
Sucker Punch was visually stunning, was brilliant technically, beautifully scored and, oh whats the word I'm looking for?
Annoying.
Just, annoying.
I didn't go into this movie with many prejudices. I was curious because the concept of the imaginary mirroring reality appealed to me and I love a dark story. I had a friend who practically hissed every time the title was mentioned but besides that I had relatively adequate hopes. Not high hopes. Adequate.
I think my thoughts can be summed up best in list form.
- The beginning was cool. No dialogue, strong images, craaaazy dark close-ups. It was cool. For the first ten minutes. Once it was dragged into 20 and 30 minutes, not so cool. Kind of annoying.
- I wished we'd seen more of the mental hospital side of the characters, it might have helped us to sympathise with the characters. As it was it was a bit blink-and-miss. Like 'Oh yeah, they were in a mental hospital.' So, annoying.
- Okay so she thinks of the brothel as less traumatising than a mental institution. Really? Forced imprisonment is forced imprisonment. Annoying.
- Now I don't really have a fundamental problem with women characters in scanty clothing. Power Girl is one of my favourite super-heros and girl is defying gravity in her costume. But good gravy not one pair of pants? Not one? I've never seen so much thigh in my life. And don't be acting all like fishnets are comfortable to run in, I have run in fishnets. Fishnets are not comfortable. NONE of that looked comfortable. And weren't you cold? It was snowing, I saw your breath you ARE cold. I wish that in at least one scene they were dressed semi-practically. Just one. Again, not a fundamentally biased person against a corset. I love me some corsets and I'm sure there's gonna be a heap of girls in Baby Doll costumes. But it is not necessary in Every. Single. Scene. Annoying.
- I didn't care about any of them. Any of them. Maybe towards the end I MIGHT have cared about Sweet Pea, I really actually wanted to. I get it, it was her story. I didn't mind that aspect. But gosh I had to at least have some kind of emotional or psychological attachment to her. Or Baby Doll for her sacrifice. Annoying.
- Speaking of Baby Doll, funny how in the fantasy world SHE did all the tough stuff whereas in the brothel world she just danced whilst the others risked their lives. Super annoying. But okay, she did have a tragic ending.
I would like to mention a few positives. It was very very pretty, the actresses did their best, probably the most convincing performance from Rocket and I was a little surprised by Vanessa Hudgens in the few seconds she was allowed some semi-decent writing. Blue was a moderately well supported villain in that he established himself as a real threat; he was smart, cruel and selfish which is a far more frightening combination than stupid and evil. The problem was the story and the characters did not grab me until the last 20 minutes or so, losing me again for another 10 minutes where they were all 'Zomigosh-Look-It's-Jon-Hamm-Isn't-He-Handsome' (which he is) and then getting me again for the last two minutes.
But the last two minutes do not a movie make.
It was annoying. The story was sloppy, the characters were unsympathetic and you do not pitch yourself as a female-empowering movie unless you can empower ALL females. Not just the ones who wear sailor costumes and thigh-highs. They essentially dug their own grave on that one.
If they'd put on some pants in at least two scenes, given the main character some inkling of sympathetic traits, given the supporting cast some credit and rationalised their setting choices then maybe they'd have a half-decent gurl-action film. Otherwise, just frankly obnoxious and, yep, annoying.
What, I'm sure you are asking, did I think of this controversial film?
Well I'll tell you.
Sucker Punch was visually stunning, was brilliant technically, beautifully scored and, oh whats the word I'm looking for?
Annoying.
Just, annoying.
I didn't go into this movie with many prejudices. I was curious because the concept of the imaginary mirroring reality appealed to me and I love a dark story. I had a friend who practically hissed every time the title was mentioned but besides that I had relatively adequate hopes. Not high hopes. Adequate.
I think my thoughts can be summed up best in list form.
- The beginning was cool. No dialogue, strong images, craaaazy dark close-ups. It was cool. For the first ten minutes. Once it was dragged into 20 and 30 minutes, not so cool. Kind of annoying.
- I wished we'd seen more of the mental hospital side of the characters, it might have helped us to sympathise with the characters. As it was it was a bit blink-and-miss. Like 'Oh yeah, they were in a mental hospital.' So, annoying.
- Okay so she thinks of the brothel as less traumatising than a mental institution. Really? Forced imprisonment is forced imprisonment. Annoying.
- Now I don't really have a fundamental problem with women characters in scanty clothing. Power Girl is one of my favourite super-heros and girl is defying gravity in her costume. But good gravy not one pair of pants? Not one? I've never seen so much thigh in my life. And don't be acting all like fishnets are comfortable to run in, I have run in fishnets. Fishnets are not comfortable. NONE of that looked comfortable. And weren't you cold? It was snowing, I saw your breath you ARE cold. I wish that in at least one scene they were dressed semi-practically. Just one. Again, not a fundamentally biased person against a corset. I love me some corsets and I'm sure there's gonna be a heap of girls in Baby Doll costumes. But it is not necessary in Every. Single. Scene. Annoying.
- I didn't care about any of them. Any of them. Maybe towards the end I MIGHT have cared about Sweet Pea, I really actually wanted to. I get it, it was her story. I didn't mind that aspect. But gosh I had to at least have some kind of emotional or psychological attachment to her. Or Baby Doll for her sacrifice. Annoying.
- Speaking of Baby Doll, funny how in the fantasy world SHE did all the tough stuff whereas in the brothel world she just danced whilst the others risked their lives. Super annoying. But okay, she did have a tragic ending.
I would like to mention a few positives. It was very very pretty, the actresses did their best, probably the most convincing performance from Rocket and I was a little surprised by Vanessa Hudgens in the few seconds she was allowed some semi-decent writing. Blue was a moderately well supported villain in that he established himself as a real threat; he was smart, cruel and selfish which is a far more frightening combination than stupid and evil. The problem was the story and the characters did not grab me until the last 20 minutes or so, losing me again for another 10 minutes where they were all 'Zomigosh-Look-It's-Jon-Hamm-Isn't-He-Handsome' (which he is) and then getting me again for the last two minutes.
But the last two minutes do not a movie make.
It was annoying. The story was sloppy, the characters were unsympathetic and you do not pitch yourself as a female-empowering movie unless you can empower ALL females. Not just the ones who wear sailor costumes and thigh-highs. They essentially dug their own grave on that one.
If they'd put on some pants in at least two scenes, given the main character some inkling of sympathetic traits, given the supporting cast some credit and rationalised their setting choices then maybe they'd have a half-decent gurl-action film. Otherwise, just frankly obnoxious and, yep, annoying.
Cop-out
You know what blog?
No.
Today was too full, too complicated, too rich with emotional changes and dramatic twists and turns that I could not even begin to describe it to you.
Here is an emotional map of the day
- Sleepy
- Anxious
- Flustered
- Chirpy
- Apathetic
- Comfortable
- Satisfied
- Guilty (for a split second)
- Mollified
- Uncomfortable
- Empathetic
- Energetic/excited/creative
- Anxious
- Anxious anxious anxious anxious
- Relieved
- Totally out of my mind revived
So, totes not making a blog today.
Yep.
No.
Today was too full, too complicated, too rich with emotional changes and dramatic twists and turns that I could not even begin to describe it to you.
Here is an emotional map of the day
- Sleepy
- Anxious
- Flustered
- Chirpy
- Apathetic
- Comfortable
- Satisfied
- Guilty (for a split second)
- Mollified
- Uncomfortable
- Empathetic
- Energetic/excited/creative
- Anxious
- Anxious anxious anxious anxious
- Relieved
- Totally out of my mind revived
So, totes not making a blog today.
Yep.
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Pumpkin and Moments in the Woods
The good thing about having a blog that nobody reads is that nobody will judge you for missing a day of BEDA.
And what a day - in fact, almost two days - it was. I'm both simultaneously proud and ashamed of taking two mental health days from uni. One to hug pillows on my boyfriend's couch and force him to watch Into The Woods because it makes my insides happy and the second, today, to try on a costume for a friends party and roast pumpkin for lunch.
But, as lovely and simple and freeing as these two days have been, I still know that when I wake up tomorrow morning I will have to leave the house and take care of responsibilities and as painful and unappetising as it sounds I will have to face the world and that seems a little unfair. The whole point of a Mental Health Day should be to forget that tomorrow and yesterday even exist and live in that single suspended moment. It should not be overshadowed by that little voice telling you that tomorrow is coming.
And tomorrow has to come. It's dangerous to live in the moment of a day for too long, two moments are far too long.
And soon there will be a day where I will have something else to cry over and thats okay. Thats great. It's possible that that thing will make me long to have this thing back in comparison and thats okay too. As long as I keep moving forward, escaping from the moments, and moving beyond into the consequence of tomorrow.
The best thing about being human is the ability to learn.
Positive Memory of the Day:
At a friend's 18th birthday party I challenged three guys to a chilli eating competition. I won with 6 chillies to 3. And then my mouth hurt forever.
And what a day - in fact, almost two days - it was. I'm both simultaneously proud and ashamed of taking two mental health days from uni. One to hug pillows on my boyfriend's couch and force him to watch Into The Woods because it makes my insides happy and the second, today, to try on a costume for a friends party and roast pumpkin for lunch.
But, as lovely and simple and freeing as these two days have been, I still know that when I wake up tomorrow morning I will have to leave the house and take care of responsibilities and as painful and unappetising as it sounds I will have to face the world and that seems a little unfair. The whole point of a Mental Health Day should be to forget that tomorrow and yesterday even exist and live in that single suspended moment. It should not be overshadowed by that little voice telling you that tomorrow is coming.
And tomorrow has to come. It's dangerous to live in the moment of a day for too long, two moments are far too long.
And soon there will be a day where I will have something else to cry over and thats okay. Thats great. It's possible that that thing will make me long to have this thing back in comparison and thats okay too. As long as I keep moving forward, escaping from the moments, and moving beyond into the consequence of tomorrow.
The best thing about being human is the ability to learn.
Positive Memory of the Day:
At a friend's 18th birthday party I challenged three guys to a chilli eating competition. I won with 6 chillies to 3. And then my mouth hurt forever.
Monday, 4 April 2011
This is how we do it
I feel like every day I should tell this blog something new about me, even though I'm 90% sure nobody is reading them but maybe if I get more subscribers or something, idk.
Anyway, I just contracted an idea from a vlogger I follow. And yes, I contract ideas like diseases. I'm not even trying to be pretentious, I genuinely mean that when I catch an idea it consumes my life for a set amount of time, leaving me unable to function without it affecting my every move, thought and decision. Ideas are diseases for me and, to extend the metaphor, my idea immune system is not particularly strong.
Keeping track? Undedicated, starts traditions, catches ideas like diseases.
Anyway, the latest idea that has me metaphorically wheezing my way up stairs and reaching for the hypothetical tissue box is the idea to accumulate videos of events in my life and make a documentary at the end of the year, possibly even making it a yearly tradition.
(I would like to stress that this was not my idea, a vlogger on youtube is also doing it and inspired me.)
I like having photo albums and I used to keep quote books of my friend's hilarious and often baffling moments but now I'm becoming more into the video format of memory-keeping and story-telling. After all, who doesn't love watching home movies? And I would love to be able to SHOW my future children how I lived and the beautiful friendships and experiences that I had rather than just telling them. Stories fascinate me and, as I learn that memory can be altered by how the individual wishes to remember it, I want to get every story right.
So let's see how long I stay dedicated to that one. My temperature is pretty high though. Metaphorically.
Positive Memory of the Day:
Boot-scooting to Sexy Back at several birthday parties, more lately an old friend's 18th. You can actually boot-scoot to just about anything with a good beat.
Anyway, I just contracted an idea from a vlogger I follow. And yes, I contract ideas like diseases. I'm not even trying to be pretentious, I genuinely mean that when I catch an idea it consumes my life for a set amount of time, leaving me unable to function without it affecting my every move, thought and decision. Ideas are diseases for me and, to extend the metaphor, my idea immune system is not particularly strong.
Keeping track? Undedicated, starts traditions, catches ideas like diseases.
Anyway, the latest idea that has me metaphorically wheezing my way up stairs and reaching for the hypothetical tissue box is the idea to accumulate videos of events in my life and make a documentary at the end of the year, possibly even making it a yearly tradition.
(I would like to stress that this was not my idea, a vlogger on youtube is also doing it and inspired me.)
I like having photo albums and I used to keep quote books of my friend's hilarious and often baffling moments but now I'm becoming more into the video format of memory-keeping and story-telling. After all, who doesn't love watching home movies? And I would love to be able to SHOW my future children how I lived and the beautiful friendships and experiences that I had rather than just telling them. Stories fascinate me and, as I learn that memory can be altered by how the individual wishes to remember it, I want to get every story right.
So let's see how long I stay dedicated to that one. My temperature is pretty high though. Metaphorically.
Positive Memory of the Day:
Boot-scooting to Sexy Back at several birthday parties, more lately an old friend's 18th. You can actually boot-scoot to just about anything with a good beat.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Tradition
Remember how I said that I was an undedicated person?
I'm also the kind of person who likes starting traditions.
An undedicated person who likes starting traditions is the worst possible combination ever. But there you are, I'm a mix of awful combinations.
Because of private personal circumstances in my life at the moment I want to start blogging Positive Memories every day in order to keep me balanced and sane at this time.
Example!
Positive Memory of the Day: Around Christmas my optometry store's lease was bought out by a competing franchise. My friends went into the Competing Franchise after it opened and scribbled on pamphlets and popped out the plastic lens inserts. They presented me with one of the inserts inside my Christmas Card that year and it was to this day one of the nicest things anyone has done for me.
In other news there is next to no other news other than the fact that I am preparing for a luscious costume party. I think my silk corset is possibly the greatest purchase I ever made thanks to the amount of wear I'm getting out of it.
Today I went to a friends house, by which I mean I was driving past her house with another friend and we decided to invite ourselves over, and she had just received HER corset so all three of us spent about 20 minutes attempting to wrangle her into it.
At one point it was upside down.
And then she fell over a lot and I told them that the longest I had worn my corset unloosened was for seven hours and when you take it off you can feel your lungs expand and you realise that there is far too much air in the world.
It was good times.
I'm also the kind of person who likes starting traditions.
An undedicated person who likes starting traditions is the worst possible combination ever. But there you are, I'm a mix of awful combinations.
Because of private personal circumstances in my life at the moment I want to start blogging Positive Memories every day in order to keep me balanced and sane at this time.
Example!
Positive Memory of the Day: Around Christmas my optometry store's lease was bought out by a competing franchise. My friends went into the Competing Franchise after it opened and scribbled on pamphlets and popped out the plastic lens inserts. They presented me with one of the inserts inside my Christmas Card that year and it was to this day one of the nicest things anyone has done for me.
In other news there is next to no other news other than the fact that I am preparing for a luscious costume party. I think my silk corset is possibly the greatest purchase I ever made thanks to the amount of wear I'm getting out of it.
Today I went to a friends house, by which I mean I was driving past her house with another friend and we decided to invite ourselves over, and she had just received HER corset so all three of us spent about 20 minutes attempting to wrangle her into it.
At one point it was upside down.
And then she fell over a lot and I told them that the longest I had worn my corset unloosened was for seven hours and when you take it off you can feel your lungs expand and you realise that there is far too much air in the world.
It was good times.
Saturday, 2 April 2011
BEDA - And the beginning of a beautiful friendship?
I am very aware that I'm an undedicated person. I tend to jump on and off bandwagons at will.
I was one of the early few to jump ship from Myspace, although instead of going straight to le Facebook I detoured via Livejournal. Now I dabble on the Book of the Face whilst spending 90.8889% of my time on Tumblr.
But THIS is my first foray onto Blogspot and I am intrigued by it's possibilities.
I'm at a point in my life where important lessons are learned in the matter of a few days. In the past few days, for example, I've learnt that I need to consider how words can be taken out of context and have begun to understand that not everyone thinks exactly the same. And I'm actually thankful for those lessons, although the vehicle used to deliver them was not particularly attractive or expectant.
So it's BEDA and I'm slightly late on Australian time but, in case you haven't been paying attention, undedicated.
So I'll be brief for this intro post:
Name: Amy
Age: 19
Likes: Sci-fi/Fantasy, youtube, pokemon, musical theatre, writing
Blog Every Day in April - TCHYAAAA
I was one of the early few to jump ship from Myspace, although instead of going straight to le Facebook I detoured via Livejournal. Now I dabble on the Book of the Face whilst spending 90.8889% of my time on Tumblr.
But THIS is my first foray onto Blogspot and I am intrigued by it's possibilities.
I'm at a point in my life where important lessons are learned in the matter of a few days. In the past few days, for example, I've learnt that I need to consider how words can be taken out of context and have begun to understand that not everyone thinks exactly the same. And I'm actually thankful for those lessons, although the vehicle used to deliver them was not particularly attractive or expectant.
So it's BEDA and I'm slightly late on Australian time but, in case you haven't been paying attention, undedicated.
So I'll be brief for this intro post:
Name: Amy
Age: 19
Likes: Sci-fi/Fantasy, youtube, pokemon, musical theatre, writing
Blog Every Day in April - TCHYAAAA
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