Why does everyone assume...

...that if you're a teenager and your family has left you alone in the house for three nights, that you're going to have loads of parties? Heck, I didn't even have a single person over. I was a nerd and stayed in watching Lord of the Rings (extended editions) because I hadn't watched them in around three years and they needed watching again, especially after I had re-read the books last year. I forgot how good they were and also how pretty. The landscapes are gorgeous - even Mordor is pretty in it's own way. Do not get me started on Minas Tirith (I was watching one of the documentaries that came with the DVD and the Minas Tirith set was built on top of the Helm's Deep set, seeing as they weren't using it anymore). I also finished off the stitching part of my artwork. It's pretty nice to have the whole house to oneself just because it is so QUIET.

Oh, I've also done a drawing of a mechanical dragon:














It was probably subconciously inspired by the Nazgûl's armour (specifically their gauntlets. I want those gauntlets).

100th post!

Tomorrow I have to give a short talk about a piece of artwork I saw at the V & A museum that I really liked from the Medieval and Renaissance section. Except I didn't like anything, I'm much more of a fan of modern art. So I'm going to do my speech on "Persistence of Memory" (which I have actually seen in real life at the MOMA in New York. It's a lot smaller than I thought it was), seeing as Dalí is one of my favourite artists. I've also just decided that I love M. C. Escher as much as I love Dalí, so I don't really have one favourite artist any more. I think it's probably due to the fact that in the movie "Labyrinth" there is a room inspired by Escher's "Relativity" with stairs everywhere and it is one of my favourite scenes in the movie. I just love the set design.

One of my favourite pieces by Escher is "Reptiles"

I love the weird tall elephants Dalí paints. When I went to his wife's castle back in 2005 he had lots of these statues, unfortunately I did not know who Dalí was at the time and so did not appreciate it as much as I could have.

I also thought that this was just awesome

Movie time!

In the past week I have watched a few movies (only four, but that is quite a lot for me).

- Die Hard (oh yes I have finally seen it. Life just feels weird now that I no longer have a movie at the very top of my "to see" list). It is awesome, I watched it last Saturday and then continued to think about it for Sunday and most of Monday, except I'm beginning to forget it now (hmm, time for a rewatch methinks? Nah, I can wait). I'll get round to seeing the other Die Hards some day.
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - Yes, I have seen this movie before. I absolutely hate the scene where Judge Doom dips that shoe into The Dip. It's just that it's so cute looking and friendly before getting Dipped.
- Neco z Alenky (Alice) - Remember that surrealist Czech version of Alice in Wonderland I was talking about on my blog a couple of months ago (with the sock puppet catepillar)? I finally got around to watching it. It's a very different take on the story, and it is set in a dilapidated old house (adding to the creepiness). Lots of stop-motion (which is a good think, I adore stop-motion). Yes it is mildly disturbing, especially the White Rabbit. There he is chopping the head off of one of the card people, by order of the Queen of Hearts.



















Everyone should see it though. It's just so wildly different.

- Nikita - Seeing as I like some of the other films Luc Besson has done, I figured I'd like this (the DVD has been lying around in our house unopened for ages). It was good, but I think I still prefer Léon (which is due a rewatch, I can't remember it that well). Oh, and Fifth Element is on next Friday. I'll probably be watching it (it's just such an insane movie, it shouldn't work at all, but it does).

Blue Monday.

Apparently yesterday was "blue Monday", most depressing day of the year. I guess I was feeling a little depressed. But it gives me an excuse to post this (to cure you of that post blue Monday depression:

It's a new year and a new layout.

I was getting bored of my blog's layout and so decided to change it. This one is much brighter and happier feeling, don't you think? and it's GREEEEN.

Anyway I have been spending the past couple of weeks playing on Lego Star Wars and Indiana Jones. The Lego characters are so so cute (especially the Star Wars ones) and I love the little cutscenes they have (spoofing the actual movies). I have just realised I have not seen any Indiana Jones for at least five years (saw Temple of Doom last (just realised that IS the only one I've seen all the way through. I think I have a thing for tuning into Raiders of the Lost Ark at the end when the people's heads explode/melt)) so I hope that the movies will be shown again on television soon.

We also now have pet fish! Two goldfish and four of those tiny fish. Still not entirely sure what to call my fish.

I started writing this blog post on the 1st of Jan... now it is the 17th. Oh dear.

The last post of 2009 (and the noughties)...

Seeing as it's nearing the end of the year (and of a decade! It's gone so fast! I remember back to 2000 when everyone was wishing everyone a happy millennium. It's quite scary having been through a whole decade, this is my first time that I've experienced the first year of the decade, the last year of the decade and all the years inbetween. I guess older people like my parents are somewhat more used to it, but still, it's sad and a tad scary at the same time! I've had so many good memories this decade... *must end brackets now or I will ramble on and on*) I have decided to make a list of um, things (I can't think of a better word) that have happened this year. I'm sure I will forget quite a few things, then have to update my blog later on. Here goes (also, there is no chronological order to this, that would make things too confusing ('tis the holidays)).

- Became a little bit more nerdy seeing as I have now seen Star Wars and become a fan of it (I love it! I want chopsabers!) and also become a fan of Discworld (I love it! I've started reading my tenth book). Also reread Lord of the Rings and become a little bit obsessed with it (I love it!). Tried to get into Star Trek and completely failed (I don't love it. :( Hey, too much nerdiness would not be good!).
- Seen some movies at the cinema, none of which have managed to make it onto my favourite movies list. These movies would be: Let the Right One In, Star Trek, Harry Potter 6, District 9 and St. Trinians 2. Although I'm pretty sure I've left one off. I'll add it on if I remember.
- Alternatively, seen some movies not at the cinema and quite a few have been added to my favourite movies list. Blade Runner and The Fifth Element are two of the main ones. and I re-saw Labyrinth! and then I bought the soundtrack.
- Which reminds me, music this year, I bought a load of CDs at the start of the year and almost none at the end. I've been getting into stuff that isn't classic rock, thanks to last.fm, mainly 80s pop and old-school goth. and I reallllly want to buy some Blue Öyster Cult.
- Been to the Japanese restaurant with the conveyor belts that I have been meaning to go to for so long. Bought some Pockys! ("Men's Pockys". Which are just dark chocolate versions of the original things).
- Discovered some very addictive websites, namely darkroastedblend (link in the sidebar) and cracked.com (link NOT in the sidebar). I'm pretty sure I discovered listverse last year, however this year I have learnt a lot of stuff off of that website.
- Discovered a love for lumberjack shirts. They're just so warm and baggy and comfortable.
- Received a dinosaur ice cube mould from Zoë for Christmas. It is a T-Rex skeleton and it is awesome (I've already used it once, even though it is winter). I am going to use it a lot in the summer. (on a side note, discovered the song "Godzilla" by Blue Öyster Cult, much love!)
- Had some really really odd late night conversations, thank goodness I don't have them anymore. :D (and now have random in jokes... gahhh).
- We ♥ Katamari! Awesome game, except when I last tried to play on it it didn't load, though I have a feeling this is to do with the laser within the Playstation because the disc isn't scratched... and the laser can be cleaned easily... please let it be the laser...
- Drunken shenanigans at Zoë's house (let's forget about those now shall we...)
- Table tennis rage. Ahh I do miss our table tennis sessions.
- The New York art trip.
- Going into charity shops and going through all the old records and looking for funny covers.
- Meeting new people and making new friends.
- Getting good grades in my GCSEs. and being happy that they were over.

That's the main stuff I can think of for now.

Oh, I guess I should mention what I got for Christmas:

- The Silmarillion (yays!) but no Discworld. :(
- One of those foil things you scratch to make a picture (it's black and you scratch it to get to the shiny foil part... you know what I mean).
- A scarf
- Professor Layton and Pandora's Box
- A Topshop voucher
- Pens
- Some Revels
- and the obligatory socks

and a whole load of stationary in my stocking. Also watched The Nightmare Before Christmas on Christmas Eve since I hadn't seen it in ages; it's so fun.

I am going to miss the noughties (that's such a silly name for a decade, but I guess there's not much else) and I have too many memories to list here for all ten years of it. I wish you could hug years goodbye, it's a bit of an abstract thought but hey. That's not really odd though for me, I usually want to hug something.

Anyway, bring on 2010! and the next decade! (whatever it ends up being called).

(Next decade: Totally looking forward to The Hobbit movie! Although that's two years away yet (part 1 anyway). Plenty of time to re-read the book.)

(Totally random but have found out that there are "light swords" for the Wii that you can use with the Wii Lego Star Wars game... I know what game I want next.)

It's that time of year again!

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!