Let Us Begin with "A"

 Totally stole this idea from someone else's blog. I'm admitting that up front. You base the topic of the blog around a letter of the alphabet. I figure, this will be a good way to get into the habit of blogging, and by the time I get to "Z", I'll be so used to it, I want need it anymore as a way of getting started.

So I've been kicking around the letter "A" and thinking what I could talk about. And there are 2 things. Apples and All About Eve. Not that the two really go together but I'll discuss the 2 anyways.

1st- Me and apples. When I was 18 I got my first tattoo of a small green apple on my right foot. It is a testament to the first band that ever stole my heart. The Beatles. They are really the first and only band I have ever fallen head over heels for. I remember the first poster my mom ever allowed me to have (besides the kittens and horses and such....) was of the Beatles. I put up next to my bed. I cannot tell you how much I probably spent on batteries, because I constantly was playing their CDs on my portable CD player. But it did become I full fledged obsession. My room was COMPLETELY wall papered in their posters, and I was constantly on the hunt for a new t-shirt. The prize of my collection I found at the Pickens flea market of a Paul McCartney bubble bath bottle. It would probably be worth a pretty penny if it didn't have a HUGE crack running down the back of his head. 

I think of all the phases a pre-teen could go through, The Beatles was probably the safest bet for my parents, and I sometimes wonder if they were heaving a major sigh of relief. My Dad always let me know that the 60s were just a time of dirty hippies, and he hated out I liked to wear the bell bottoms and light incense. But you have to think, the music I was listening to was overwhelmingly positive, so I was pretty pleasant (until I was like 15, but hey- no one's perfect). 

Since getting my green apple tattoo, people have decided that I must LOVE green apples and all things included. Which now I kinda do, and it's fun trying to find stuff. Gum, perfume, necklaces etc...so that's interesting and I love collecting things, so I don't really mind that so much. (And yes, I am typing this from my Apple Computer...do I love the Apple logo? Yes I do. And lately I have been craving apples to eat a lot, so there's my apple rant...

So now on to my other "A", it's probably a bit much to go on. I could just end at apple, but Saturday is the 100th Birthday Celebration of the fabulous Ms. BETTE DAVIS, and I know I will be celebrating by watching All About Eve (and probably Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?). I will say that I was captivated by Bette Davis, from the first class viewing we had of A Marked Woman. She is absolutely a treat to watch on a big screen, but NOTHING compares to her performance as Margo Channing in All About Eve. 

All About Eve is one of those rare movies, where everything is so perfect, as an avid film watcher, I want to just scream it is so brilliant. The performances (not only Ms. Davis, but also those from Anne Baxter and George Sanders) are amazing. And while Marilyn Monroe has only a short appearance in the film, it does prove how her mere presence made the camera pay attention, because the scenes she is in, she does steal. The direction could be easily overlooked, but when you realize how perfectly in sync it is with the action, the pacing and movement, the choice of close ups....brilliant. And the screenplay is practically flawless. I recently was able to attend a showing at the BFI, and I have said it many times, but there is so much more to hear and take in when you see something on a big screen. And back to Bette Davis, it is THE defining role for her as an actress. If you see only ONE Davis movie in your lifetime...make it this one. You won't be disappointed. And o my God, before I forget, her dress in the dinner party sequence, makes me wish I could have that dress designed and tailored for myself. I would wear it everywhere and is the reason I have such an affection now for dresses that have pockets. It is one classy piece of work. 

A quick side note: that was really not the best writing about All About Eve and I assure you that my essays for class are much more thorough. It's just so late and I'm sleepy and I knew that if I didn't start this today I never would. 

Updates and such

It's been awhile since my last blog...I would say it's a failure, but I'm trying again. I've been reading other people's and it's making me want to try. Again.

So updates, I am working in the school shop. Not the best job in the world, but I've definitely had worst and it brings us in a little extra income. This semester is not my favorite. I'm really just getting through it so I can enjoy the summer, read lots of books and look forward to our holiday.

Griff on the other hand is on fire! I am so proud of him! He recently was promoted to Microsoft Licensing Expert, and this is within 6 months of working for the company. He worked really hard, really wanted the position and is now so happy. He really takes pride in his work (I think more than he would like to admit), and I'm just over the moon for him. So now we're talking a bit more seriously about finding a house.

I am so ready to nest! I love the flat we are in now, but we are definitely outgrowing it, and rapidly. I think we might literally spill out into the streets in another 6 months. But I really love it, it has the beautiful huge windows, and high ceilings and a proper sized kitchen. I'll be really sad to leave. We found a a great place for sale, literally, down the road for us. It's going for about 250,000, which is a bit over our budget but it is so perfect! Two double bedrooms, fireplace, kitchen with decent cabinet space and a back garden. So we'll probably be looking at places outside the immediate Kingston area, which makes me really sad. I love it here. But it's not like I'll be the first person to ever make a commute tho :) There will be so many advantages to us having 2 bedrooms tho. Mom will be able to stay a LOT longer and Mimi will be able to come more often. I know for a lot of my friends who haven't visited yet, the cost of staying somewhere is more of a burden than the actual plane ticket, so it would be very beneficial. Also I would like to host more parties and this place is just too itty bitty. 

What else has been going on? My knitting is coming along really well and I definitely want to post some of my work up soon. I cannot describe how satisfying it is to a finish a project and know that I made it.  It can make me want to tear my hair out, but I love it. So that will be coming soon....

New York, New York

Today we watched Martin Scorsese's New York New York. It was absolutely terrible, start to finish. It opens on VJ Day in New York, and usually I can at least be captivated by set design and costumes, but even this movie was bland on imagination as far as these were concerned. I watched Scorsese's opening introduction to the movie, and even knowing what he was trying to achieve, I think he fell short of the mark.

DeNiro and Minnelli give very wooden performances, and the characters are such cliches (and not even in a kind of nostalgic way) that I didn't care about them at all or what happened to them. And what happened to them was also, every cliche in the book. I could literally predict the next thing that was going go happen in the story, and it didn't make me appreciate the movie, it made me want to claw my eyeballs out.

If my film history is correct, it was during this production that Scorsese was heavy into blow and having an affair with Minnelli. So I'll guess that his priorities weren't exactly straight, because when it comes to directors, I am a fan. Scorsese I like because I know he is a fan of movies themselves. You can tell by the way he talks about them and the effort he puts in into creating them. But this I thought was horrible and was a huge disappointment.

Nights in London

The past two evenings we spent at Film Fours outdoor movies at Somerset House. First off, it was incredibly romantic to be out picnic-ing at night watching great movies. The first night we saw Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window. It was so amazing to watch such a perfect movie on a big screen. There are so many things you notice, simple things, that you overlook on a smaller screen. Also it was nice to hear the parts I find funny, an audience does as well. There weren't many stars out that night, but enough.

Then last night we watched Spielburg's E.T. I've always said it's not one of my favorites, and that I really just thought this would be a unique circumstances to watch the movie under. I lied though. I really do love E.T and and I bawled like a baby though the ending. It rained and we were all bundled up under blankets. Like I said, it was incredibly special and romantic.

Walking back to the station, we walked over Waterloo bridge and the site of London at night is breathtaking. The lights on Big Ben and (as tacky as it can be) The London Eye are such a sight. It makes me eternally grateful for where my life has lead me.

So yesterday, Saturday, we went shopping in Kingston. As usual we made our Charity shop rounds and I FINALLY found a kitchen table (and it was only £25!!!). As we were walking, this girl was walking by. She was extremely tan, wearing a short denim dress that was strapless, black heels, and a pony tail stuck on the side of her head with huge bug-eyed glasses on. Tacky, but trying to look trendy. And then immediately behind her was her spitting image. Two grown adult women, that were twins, but actually styled themselves exactly the same. I thought it was hilarious, but Griff just thought their hair style was funny.

A few minutes later we're walking down the street and we hear that song that goes, "What is love? Baby, don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more". You know the one, it's the one from the SNL skit with Will Ferrell and Chris Cataan in those horrible suits (Night at the Roxbury). I start doing the neck jerk and having a giggle, but decide to turn and see where the music is coming from. I kid you not, those to twin girls were blasting it from their convertible Audi, and if it's not coming across as funny here, I assure you it was funny as hell to watch. And a little surreal.

Otherwise it's been a little quiet. My back is killing me, and I'm not sleeping well. It's the stupid bed, I can't wait till our new one arrives. Movie wise, we went and saw Transformers and it was absolutely amazing. I really thought it was going to be a cheesy special effects spectacular, but they actually had a decent script and it was hilarious. Great cast! And yeah, that's about it. I'm just taking a quick break from reading and wanting to relate my tacky twins story briefly.

O Days...long long Days....

We watched Camelot the other night. The musical one starring Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave. I'm still kinda out on that one. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I'm going to be buying it. As for being a musical....it didn't have a lot of music. I absolutely loved Richard Harris in it though. He was brilliant. It's funny though, because it's the standard Camelot tale, you know: King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. But the whole romance between Lancelot and Guenevere I just don't buy. I don't understand why she would fall in love with Lancelot and I don't feel at all sorry for her when things start to go sour for her. Maybe if Arthur wasn't such a wonderful character and was mean or something, but no, I just felt sorry for Arthur. So I'm not going to be recommending this one to other people. But I'm glad I saw it because I have wanted to watch more movies starring both of these actors.

Otherwise, I finished reading If There Be Thorns by V.C. Andrews. Never in a billion years would I believe that I would be reading a V.C. Andrews series. But they are so wonderfully cheesy, better than any soap opera really. I would suggest it to anyone wanting a somewhat smutty (Not really, but hey---we are talking incest here) but entertaining read that doesn't really involve a lot of thinking. Which is sometimes what you need during the summer. Lord knows I have.

And then I have been trying to clean our flat. REALLY clean. But let me tell you, this floor just insists on staying dirty. I could sweep it every hour and it wouldn't do any good. It's constantly dirty. I'm starting to wish I had a carpet so I could just suck it all up. But whatever. I'm trying to throw a lot of stuff out. We put a down payment on a bed but we won't get it for like....4-6 weeks! Our current bed is the most UNCOMFORTABLE thing ever. There are springs poking you and lumpy all over. It's a terrible bed. But our coming bed is going to be heaven and we're really excited about it. Amazing the things you get excited about as an adult, isn't it? Never would I think I would be excited about getting a new bed....crazy.

I can't believe how boring this blog is. I'm just kinda enjoying watching the words come up as I type them. It's somewhat captivating and I just want to go and go and go and watch more come up but I have no real thoughts at the moment. I need to go work on my CV and clean some more. Maybe I'll have this place tidy before school starts. I still need to find a kitchen table. *FINGERS CROSSED*

Why am I Doing this?

Well....

1. It's apparently something that a lot of people do. I usually don't care about this kinda stuff (lie), but I don't read other people's blogs and maybe if I have my own blog, I'll start caring about other people's. Why does this matter? I suppose it doesn't, but it gives me something to do, doesn't it?

2. I'm kinda bored today. I'm running short of lists to write and I need a break between working my CV and reading and half-watching/listening to the news.

3. I'm just curious how this will go.

Is anything happening at the moment? Well I was just watching the news and apparently some reports been released about astronauts and whether or not it's okay for drunkards to be flying spaceships. Personally, I think that for how much money the whole space project(s) cost, those guys should be stone cold sober as soon as they look at an aircraft....but hey, maybe I'm old fashioned (maybe not....). But the guy on the news that was being interviewed was absolutely hilarious. He was so defensive and just refusing to answer questions. Eventually it looked like the news anchor was just trying not to laugh at how ridiculous this guy was (albeit, the guy was from Texas so that kinda goes without saying....).

Let's see what else????

I got my grades back from my first year, all A's and B's for me. I know some people think film studies isn't really a course, but it's a LOT of writing and interpretation and so I think it's a real course and that's all that matters to me. I worked hard and earned good grades so I'm happy for myself. I haven't had these kind of grades in years....

Tomorrow Griff and I are hitting the streets and going on a job hunt. I PRAY PRAY PRAY I find something in either a) a bookstore or b) a bookstore. I have no interest in working in clothes anymore. Or getting a job through the student's union would be nice.

Did this first blog go ok? Yeah maybe....I have a blog on Myspace, but I don't really like it that much. I mainly just like to post videos and songs lyrics or poetry up (not mine, others). In addition too I'm probably the only 24 (almost 25) year old to still keep a journal also. So in addition to my private writing I'll be doing this "public" writing. Maybe this will be a good space to write about books and movies as I come across them. Lord knows I need to write as much as can to work my arguments into being a little bit clearer. It's so much easier to talk about why I like or dislike something. It's much harder to put those arguments into writing. How does that quote go?

"The role a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." ~Anais Nin

So yeah...maybe that's how I'll utilize this new little blog. We're going to be watching Camelot tonight, so maybe tomorrow I'll have something to write about.