Sorting Myself

http://86bb71d19d3bcb79effc-d9e6924a0395cb1b5b9f03b7640d26eb.r91.cf1.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lego-harry-potter-house-crest-locations-guide.jpg

I decided to finally take a quiz to see which house I’d be sorted into at Hogwarts… Well, I went a little overboard and took a total of 4 quizzes to see if I was consistently placed in the same house. I assumed I would be placed into Hufflepuff…remembering my life from high school where I was a bit of a lovable outcast and pretty average overall.

I took my 1st test at www.TheAlmightyGuru.com and got Gryffindor! I wasn’t expecting this…I’m not particularly brave or adventurous. But hey, maybe I would be in the right situation…

I then took my 2^nd sorting quiz at www.BuzzFeed.com and got Slytherin. I am totally ok with this. I do feel I am ambitious, but I am fairly morally centered. I do look out for me and my needs first and foremost and I think it is perfectly fine to behave this way.

I figured the 3^rd test would be the deciding factor…I’d find out if I’m a true Gryffindor or Slytherin… but after taking a quiz at http://quizzes.familyeducation.com/ I was placed into Ravenclaw. Now, I do mean to toot my own horn, and I very much like to think I am an intelligent person. I love learning and deciding to go back to school to finish my degree was the best decision I ever made. I love school. I love knowing things. I love knowing things other people don’t even more. I’m known at my office as a “know-it-all” and I’ve been told I occasionally lord my intelligence over people…but it’s not my fault if other people are stupid or feel stupid after talking with me.

Now obligated to take a 4^th (and decidedly last quiz) I went to http://www.allthetests.com/. I finally got a placed in the same house as one of the other quizzes… as it turns out I am in fact a Ravenclaw. 

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/259/0/c/mug_black_ravenclaw_by_lost_in_hogwarts-d4a0528.png

Harry Potter Time!!

I am so VERY excited we will finally discuss Harry Potter in class. This is one of my most favorite series. I love the books as well as the movies. I haven’t delved any deeper than that however. I haven’t played any Harry Potter video games, read or interacted with Potter fandoms, or anything else. Most of my friends are Potter fans, with few finding a reason to dislike it.

My friends who do not like Harry Potter usually fall into one of two groups: those who do not like the fantasy genre and those who do not popular fiction. The majority of people I encounter who do not like Harry Potter are those that do not like popular fiction. By this I mean that they do not like it because it is popular. I feel these people thirst for individuality, a want to be different from the mindless masses. I understand this need. I purposefully wanted to dislike the BBC Sherlock show because it is so popular—especially with fangirls. Personally, I don’t want to be identified as a fangirl. It is cataloged in my brain as petty and superficial, two things I never want to be associated with.

Yet, with this class I have looked at fandom very differently. Yes, there are still stupid, petty, superficial fans, but the majority of fans (I’ve come across) are extremely intelligent and offer well thought out ideas and criticisms. However, the stigma against fangirls still exists in my head. Picturing fangirls I see crowds of crying, screaming girls with signs that say things like “I want to have your baby!” and “have sex with me!”

 

http://cdn.filmschoolrejects.com/images/fangirls.jpg

I find this sad…but intriguing. I mean if you look, I mean really look at the main characters Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) they aren’t the greatest looking. (Though Emma Watson is a super-hot-hottie) But hordes of girls want them simply because of the characters they portray. Why is this a common occurrence? Within any popular fiction?

Daniel Radcliffe http://www.walpapershddownload.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/daniel-radcliffe-wallpapers-9.jpg

Rupert Grint http://wallalay.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Rupert-Grint-15.jpg

Emma Watson http://www.ladswishlist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Emma-Watson-Sexy.jpg

I feel Harry Potter is popular for solid reasons. It is first and foremost well written. It is easy to read as well—making is accessible for more types of readers. The language is simple, but it relies heavily on Latin, mythologies, and logic. It is a simple story with smart under currents. The less educated audience is stimulated by the story and the educated audience is stimulated by the attention to detail. J.K. Rowling upholds the rules of magic and power words and stays true to the historical Greek, Nordic, and Roman myths (and other’s I’m sure I’m unaware of).

The story itself is nothing new. But that is a benefit as well. It is a known story of an underdog that saves the world. We’ve all heard it before. But this is different enough to be new enough to the audience. Again the detail is the key. It is an entire other world existing right under our muggle noses. A world of magic and wonder that if only it were real we’d live there in a heartbeat. (I know I would). Which is another reason for its popularity. So many of us are dissatisfied with real life—fantasy is so much more. Harry Potter’s world is popular because it seems so real to the fans.

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090509160456/harrypotter/images/e/ed/Hogwarts_boats_1.jpg

Since the story starts off with an eleven-year-old boy it makes it welcoming to children of both sexes. If it had been Harriet Potter would boys have read it? I don’t think so. Because it is a boy, both girls and boys read it. And the parent’s read it to their children too—another audience readily made.

Another reason why I find it so popular is the mini problems that arise in the novels. Underneath the main plot of trying to kill Voldemort, we also have Harry Potter’s struggles growing up—making friends, asking a girl out, losing friends, dealing with bullies, homework etc. These are problems that the audience can understand and relate to. We’ve all had an impossible teacher that makes us feel stupid and we think hates us. We’ve all lost close friends in a silly fight. We need the big fight of good and evil for the novel, but the little everyday struggles make Harry Potter’s world real, it makes it exist. 

Am I the Only One???

I’ve watched the Lizzie Bennet Diaries and I watched them with an open mind…well more than open mind since I actually enjoy the novel it is parodying…and I do find it as a parody… and the OED defines parody as: A literary composition modeled on and imitating another work, especially a composition in which the characteristic style and themes of a particular author or genre are satirized by being applied to inappropriate or unlikely subjects, or are otherwise exaggerated for comic effect. In later use extended to similar imitations in other artistic fields, as music, painting, film, etc.

This vlog seems to be a very exaggerated and comic intended adaptation of P&P… BUT I DON’T LIKE IT!!!

I just don’t find it funny and how Lizzie talks just makes my skin CRAWL! Why does she insist on talking with clenched jaw through just one side of her mouth and doing fake funny voices (and I don’t mean when she is imitating people). It completely distracts me.

I know what some may think… I just don’t “get” it. But I assure you I do; I just don’t like how they’ve modernized it. It takes a trivial and trifle-filled Austen satire novel and turns it into plain drivel…utterly pointless…in my opinion.

Now it does have some good qualities, it’s not all bad…I guess…

I enjoy Lydia’s character so much more in The Diaries. She’s cute and sometimes sweet. She’s a total funny party girl, but has endearing qualities that redeem her in ways that the book didn’t.

And I loved the shirtless Wickham ;)

I did not care for Jane…yes, she’s sweet… yes, she’s caring… yes, she works herself to death for the betterment of others… yes, she’s too good to be true…which screams FAKE! FAKE! FAKE! to me.

I can’t help it—I AM BITTER AND JADED! But I’m trying to work on it.

Oh well.

“Different strokes for different folks” I guess.

For those of you who like it, great. I just do not.

(sorry for straight text and no pics or gifs…)

What I Remember About King Arthur

I am very sorry to have missed class last Tuesday, but I wanted to add my King Arthur story.

My knowledge regarding King Arthur began when I was very young. While not my favorite Disney movie, I have watched the film The Sword and the Stone several times in my youth. I think the last time I watched it I was in elementary school, or there about. My favorite scenes, as I have come to find out, have absolutely nothing to do with the actual story of King Arthur. My favorite parts were when Merlin turned Wart (young Arthur) into animals to teach him life lessons and help him become a better man and a just ruler…or maybe just because Merlin was a crazy kook.

The saddest part for me was when Wart turned into a squirrel and that poor love-struck girl squirrel falls madly in love with him. Once he turns back into a human, the pain and sadness captured artistically is just beautiful.  

http://bplusmovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-sword-in-the-stone-48.png

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs42/f/2009/114/8/3/sword_in_the_stone_squirrel_by_dex_drako.jpg

I, of course, enjoyed the magic fight scene between Madam Mim and Merlin...I now assume Madam Mim is in someway supposed to represent Morgana...

http://bplusmovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-sword-in-the-stone-63.png

http://animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SwrdStne-09.jpg

Only a very few aspects of The Sword and the Stone are in any way accurate. The Disney movie has King Arthur, Sir Kay (though the wrong personality), Sir Ector (though wrong personality), and Merlin...which in some ways can be accurate, if abstractly. Oh, yeah, the sword in the stone that only Arthur can free is accurate.

Another movie, closer to the rendition we read for class, is the movie Excalibur that debuted in 1981. This version includes King Uther, how Arthur was conceived by deceit and magic (provided by Merlin). Merlin is slightly more sinister and tricky. This movie includes Morgana (as Arthur’s sister, not aunt) and Mordred…an extremely odd character no matter the version. Again, I feel this version did do more justice to the original King Arthur story, but for cinematic effect and time restraints, several things were still left out.

Perhaps one of my favorite parodies of King Arthur is a clip from the comedy group The Upright Citizens Brigade. They did a new age Lady of the Lake meets Frat boy that is so funny, odd, and so completely strange.

UCB Lady of the Lake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGFTCMHakR4

Finally! It Works!!

I was able to get it to download and I’ve watched about 30 minutes (+-). I guess the “break” my computer and I took from each other was enough to teach him a lesson about who wears the pants around here.

Star Wars Uncut was really cute at times…and really, really bad at others. I loved the stop action with the Star Wars action figures, they were my favorite. The sound quality during some of the scenes was so bad I could barely understand what they were saying. The scenes with people were 50/50 whether I liked them or not. Some of the costumes and invented droids were really cleaver; however the others were so bad it was just sad. Others didn’t even seem to try.

The mini version near the beginning, when C-3PO was getting his hot-oil bath was hilarious. There was raw sexual tension happening, C-3PO with his pink robo thong trying to seduce Luke was just great. I would have enjoyed a few other scenes depicted with this obtuse sexual innuendo. Maybe I just have a warped mind…

I watched the video with my boyfriend who stated that we needed to make our own mini Star Wars clips…I do love that nerdy man of mine ;)

Computer Rage

So this weekend I’ve tried again and again to watch Star Wars Uncut and it has yet to work for me, resulting in an insane amount of computer rage on my part. Computer rage is essentially like road rage for some people—just…so… much…anger!!

For whatever reason, I do not get road rage, I can sit in traffic and not care…I figure I’ll eventually get where I’m going. On the other hand, computer rage is the bane of my existence. When I know my computer or technical device is capable of completing a simple function and it fails to do so—so much anger happens! I am typically a very passive person, but computers not doing what they are supposed to in a timely manner, well that makes me aggressive, very aggressive, wookie aggressive.

At this point, I am taking a break from trying to download the video. I assume my computer has issues because it is a long video. The saying “a watched pot never boils” apparently does not apply to computers…they are much needier. My computer wants me to watch it SLOWLY download the content and if I turn away for the slightest of moments any downloaded material disappears and it wants to restart the entire process. That little buffering symbol has caused me so much rage!

 

http://static.raymond.cc/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/buffering-icon.png

After this blog post my computer and I are taking a break from each other…I think it is important for our relationship to step back for the time being. During this time I hope my computer thinks about what it wants from our relationship…he needs to consider his role and keep up his end of the bargain…if he likes us together, likes how I gently press his keys, likes how I spend so much time with him, well he needs to stop being such a slacker or else he’ll find himself crashing through a window or ripped in half.

He needs to decide if he wants this...

 

http://www.geenalee.com/thelovezone/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/computerlove_jpg.jpg

or this...

http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/562748-10326-49.jpg

I called the cable company and they state that Point of Rocks is basically “no man’s land” when it comes to the internet. The representative stated that Point of Rocks is on the edge of the internet flow (or whatever) and the only way to improve connection is to build another tower closer to Point of Rocks…yeah like that’s going to happen anytime soon…I’ll be sure to get right on that. Sheesh, some people are so helpful.

I was able to watch maybe 3-5 minutes, I made it past the opening credits and saw a few 15 second snippets, but alas no more than that when Mr. Computer wanted to re-buffer and start the download process over. Ughhhh!!

For now it’s time for a couple deep breaths and a relaxing shower, then I’ll try again…hopefully with a better response from my computer.

Why Is Star wars Popular?

While watching Star Wars for the zillionth time I asked myself, why was Star Wars so popular and why is it STILL so popular? It follows the typical hero archetype, the good vs. evil, light vs. dark, small business vs. corporations. Even with special effects that are becoming very outdated (even the added scenes look pretty cheesy) it has stood the test of considerable time. Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope premiered in 1977, which was 37 years ago. I personally do not think Star Wars is popular because of the filmography but because of the story it tells. George Lucas paid special and spectacular attention to detail. Due to the lack of techniques of special effects, he had to rely on the characters to propel the story further…something which obviously lacks in the newer episodes I-III. I hope Disney does a better job, but I am not going to hold my breath.

 

http://img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2012/10/31/316585-disney-star-wars-and-lucasfilm-memes-you-knew-they-were-coming.jpg

Watching episode IV I tried to recall how old I was when I first watched it. My father is an avid sci-fi nerd and had me watching all kinds of dorky things when I was younger. My older brother wasn’t as intrigued, he was more sports minded. I, however, loved the daddy-daughter time and would watch anything he put on. While most people are Star Wars or Star Trek fans, my father allowed both a place in our home. My favorite Star Wars movie was always episode VI…I LOVED Jabba’s Palace and the Ewoks.

But why is it popular??

I think it is the perfect mixture of the typical hero story, with an added dash of unpredictable complications (Darth Vader as Luke’s father…Luke and Leia and siblings…the second Death Star is fully operational), and a dollop of cuteness and oddities (Yoda, R2D2 and C3PO, Jawas, aliens, Ewoks, Ton Tons, and so many others). The story was well crafted and a mix of predictable and new to keep the audience on their toes. It also had a clear cut message of good that even developed into a religion for those hardcore fans.

 

http://rack.3.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEyLzA1LzA0LzE4XzAwXzMyXzg2NV9maWxlCnAJdGh1bWIJODUweDU5MD4KZQlqcGc/97d88204.jpg

http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEyLzA1LzA0LzE4XzAwXzMyXzk1M19maWxlCnAJdGh1bWIJODUweDU5MD4KZQlqcGc/90c72c0f.jpg

http://cdn.smosh.com/sites/default/files/bloguploads/star-wars-meme-vader-call-me.jpg

My boyfriend’s daughter is 5 years old and personally, I think it is time for her to be introduced to the wonderful world of Star Wars!