The Hunger Games Sneak Peek

So everyone who watched the VMA's got to see a sneak peek for the Hunger Games movie. I didn't watch it (I think I would have poked my eyes off/driven a pencil into my ears) but Twitter gave me the link to watch the trailer after it aired.

What we got was 58 seconds of, what I thought, looks exactly as The Hunger Games should. I already love Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. The logo is really cool looking (I don't mind the fire effects, some people were saying they looked cheesy, but they looked fine to me. *shrug*). But...I hated, hated, whoever  was doing the voice over. Peeta? Gale? Not sure. But I hated him. My first thought was "Whoa, gangster?" and neither of them are anything close to that. When I watched it a second time, and thought about it a bit, the more I hope to hell that it's Gale, because I could at least forgive Gale sounding all harsh. He's kind of a harsh guy. But Peeta, man, do not make my Peeta Malark sound like that. Do not do it. (I really don't think it was Peeta. I think Gale was giving Katniss a pep talk before she left for The Capitol. But I'm still going to be nervous about it until I see who was talking.)

So...all in all, I liked it! I'm excited to see more, and I really hope the films can live up to the books.

No New Stuff Week 4

I totally thought I wrote up a post last week about No New Stuff. Apparently not. Ah, well, you get double the update today!

Last week the only things I bought were cold medication, and the alterations for my bridesmaid's dress, neither of which count against my NNS rules. The past week I bought Kayla's birthday present. Unfortunately I couldn't get all of what I wanted to get her at a non-chain store, but most of it was! So ha!

It has been really easy so far. I mean, I would love to buy TV seasons, and DVDs, but meh. I need to save my money for things like car insurance. Blech.

The Fears of Pottermore

I am in a state of constant roller coaster as far as Pottermore goes. I check my email religiously, waiting for my "Welcome" letter (is this what wizarding children felt like waiting for their Hogwarts letter?) to come, but at the same time dreading it. And for one reason. Just one. The Sorting.

I know I'm not the only one worried about this. In fact, I think about half of my Facebook friends are freaking. And Alex Carpenter pretty much put my concerns into song. To the tee.

Seriously...what if Pottermore sorts me into the wrong house. I have identified with Hufflepuff for so long. I think I could come to terms with Ravenclaw, or even Slytherin if I had to. But I do not know what I will do if I get sorted into Gryffindor.

....god. To anyone outside the fandom, this probably sounds completely insane.

In other news, No New Stuff is going well. I didn't buy anything at all this week (well, except for groceries and some meds to get rid of my cold/flu/sickness) because I have been sick all week. So it's been an easy one.

No New Stuff Week 2

I...can not remember what I did this week. I know I've watched a lot of Dollhouse, and I went to the mall with some friends (and bought nothing!) but other than that...my mind has gone blank. Maybe it's because I'm trying to distract myself with this blog so that maybe I'll stop feeling nauseous, but it isn't really working yet.

The only thing I can really remember is going to the mall with Emily and Elise, where Elise bought red high tops. I reaaaaaaaally wanted to get some high tops (I have never owned a pair and I have wanted a pair for probably 5 years) but I didn't. I ignored the urge. I also really wanted to go into the Body Shop, but I didn't do that either, because I just love that store too much to look and not buy.

I am having a really tough time with not going out and buying Doctor Who Series 6 or Torchwood Series 1 and 2. Because I want them so badly. But I'm not doing it. It's almost started to become a sort of obsession. Maybe not quite that serious, but like...I think about breaking my rules and going to buy them all the time. I keep saying "Oh, it's just a week, it's just one more week on No New Stuff." which makes me think I need to make my punishment adding a month instead of a week. (Oh yeah, we decided that if we break our rules, we have to write a blog post about why we broke the rules and add a week onto our plan as punishment.) Because adding another month actually scares me. So, yeah. Consider that my punishment. If I break the rules I will add one month onto the six months I originally chose.

Oh! I remember a success story! At work we have to clean out all of the lockers (ie. take all of the stuff people leave behind) so that we can rent them out again. We finally started going through all of the stuff (ie. throwing it out, putting it aside to go to value village, dibsing it) and I took a shit ton of binders, a couple of notebooks, a scale ruler (that hasn't been used!), a bag for my paint brushes, some nice, small needle nose pliers and wire cutters. So now, except for my paint brushes and any textbooks I may need, I am set for school. (I may need to find some loose leaf...but I think my parents have loads that I could take.) So...success!

Fandom Dreams: Doctor Who/Pirates of the Caribbean

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen that I tweeted about arguable the best dream I've had in ages. A lot of it has gone fuzzy now, but I want to write about it so I don't lose it completely.

Sounds like the best ever, right?

So, basically, Kayla and I were hanging out in this house. It was totally normal, and then Alex Day walked in. This was also completely normal to dream-self, and we started to just chat. The conversation turned to Doctor Who, as it does, and then we decided that we were going to go do something...I don't remember what now, but somehow Kayla and Alex ended up in a car outside. The yard looked exactly like my parents yard, but the house was not. Strange. But anywho. I volunteered to go and find Charlie. So I went downstairs (I'm assuming to the basement, but it didn't look like a basement) and there was Charlie. At first he was just hanging out in a chair, and then as I explained what Alex, Kayla and I had decided to do, we were suddenly in a kitchen. Which also didn't disturb me, I just kept on talking. He seemed intrigued (I think it had something to do with The Doctor), and then suddenly we were making out. Uhm. Whoa self. I never have dreams where I end up with someone, but apparently my subconscious really wants to make out with Charlie.

So Alex and Kayla were all "what the fuck is taking them so long?" and then Alex came in, and it was awkward, but not really because it's a dream and he didn't even notice. So we left and then somehow we ended up with the Doctor, in a Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I...don't even. But it was awesome, and I had a sword, and we were trying not to get blown up by cannons. And then Jack Sparrow ran by. The Doctor and Jack knew each other (not surprising. 11 and Jack are actually very similar, come to think of it.) and they started talking/fighting/running around trying not to get blown up. And then....I woke up. It was very sad, but very very awesome.

Wonderful Weekend

You know, from the amount I'm blogging lately, I might as well be doing BEDA. It's like a bug has infected me - I started, and now I just want to blog blog blog blog blog. Not that's a bad thing, after it's sat so empty most of the summer.

I really despise Mondays, and the wonderful weekend I had doesn't really help this Monday's plight. I mean, it's just a day of a week, it can't help it that it's right after a weekend! Poor thing gets so much hate, and Friday gets all the love. I think Kristina Horner may be the only one who actually enjoys Mondays. But I could be wrong.

Saturday I was supposed to have tea with some friends, but between my feeling like I'd been run over by a bus, and some other unfortunate circumstances, it didn't end up happening. So I ended up watching Merlin all day (akjahdafd Morganna, I HATE YOU. ....Season 4 please?) and forcing myself through about 30 pages of The Wind in the Willows. Ugh. For a 200 page book, it is taking me far too long to get through. It's just so boring! Oh, hey, lets go boating. Nope, actually, we're going to go on an "adventure" - oh wait, I want to wander through some woods instead. Arghabargle. I don't see how this is going to be an interesting play. ("Toad at Toad Hall" is one of the shows in the RDC season this year. At least the tech side should be interesting!) I was starting to feel better by the end of the day - my head no longer felt like it would explode, my lungs no longer were trying to force themselves up my windpipe - well, as much - and my throat was not nearly as scratchy. A good sign!

Sunday was a low-key morning. I intended to spend the morning and most of the afternoon in my PJs, printing off pictures and putting them in photo albums. I started doing that, but then Randy called, bored and wanting to do something. So, I braved the construction that was literally right outside my apartment, blocking off my normal route to anywhere, and we went to Chapters. I bought nothing! I nearly bought The Odyssey and a few other classics that were only $5 (ahhhhhhhhhhhhh) but I didn't! I'm so proud of myself! (Thanks, Rand, for talking me out of it.)

After that, I went to Sylvan Lake to see Maxine. I met a couple of her friends who also had cabins along the street, and because it was so darn windy and too cold to sit on the beach or anything lake-y, we decided to play board games. We played a game called "Don't Sink in the Sink!" - which is a Veggie Tales game and very...strange. We also played The Game of Life, which I hadn't played for agessssssssssssss and was very much good times. (I was a Doctor. So I decided I was the Doctor.) Max came back to Red Deer after supper (at like...8 O.o) and I showed off my apartment, and then she left.

So, all in all, a good weekend. Monday really doesn't have a chance, does it?

Torchwood vs Torchwood

(Spoilers if you haven't watched "The Category of Life" yet.)

I have been meaning to write this blog post for about a week or so now, but it hasn't happened yet. I decided earlier today, after I finished watching Merlin Season 3 (aghhhhhhh I need season 4 NOW), that I was going to watch latest installation of Miracle Day and then write what I'd wanted to write. I had planned on writing a I DO NOT LIKE THIS NEW TORCHWOOD AKDAJSH type post, which, to an extent, this will still be. But...something changed in this new episode. Vera.

RTD killed her off. Or at least, it seems that way. I mean, she has two gunshot wounds and is stuck in an oversized oven. All signs point to dead. This is nothing new - I'm used to having character's being killed off of Torchwood. What I was surprised at, was my emotional reaction. I was horrified, sad, even. I gasped out loud when that pig (can't remember his name) shot her. That is the first emotional response I've had in this entire series. (Well, except for seeing Jack the first time. I got very excited. But that's different.) I think that says something, no?

I'm not really sure what is wrong with the new series. I really like the message behind it. It's a warning of sorts. I like that. But there's just something missing. I don't feel connected to the new characters, except Vera. I think I really only remember Esther's name because of Esther Earl, but I honestly can't tell you the other guy's name. I think it starts with an R?

Part of my issue is the fact that it's so Americanized now. It's not just that it's set in America (which, no, I do not like. I miss Cardiff and the Hub.). It feels like a standard American cop show, with Jack and Gwen and Rhys thrown into it and the name "Torchwood" slapped across the front. It just doesn't feel like Torchwood. And I don't know what makes Torchwood. I have no idea. I thought it was Jack, but obviously it's not. I know that I really miss the old team. When Jack called himself Dr. Owen Harper I nearly lost it. And then when R-man started going off about the team and tearing Jack apart and blaming him for their deaths...I think that's when I started to really dislike him. I didn't really like him to begin with (he's the cliche American cop - gruff and angry.) but that did nothing to make me like him more.

I think...having new people, plus a new setting, plus nothing really to tie it back to the old series (well, except Gwen, Rhys and Jack, obviously) it just feels so new and weird. I mean, there aren't even Weevils! There hasn't been a single alien. Isn't that what Torchwood is all about? Aliens? Where are they? I suspect they're behind this whole Phicor business, but still.

This is also the first time I've watched Torchwood as it aired, so maybe that's part of it too. I haven't had to wait to see the aliens, or see the solution.

I dunno. I'm still undecided. I know that I really very much prefer Season 2 and Children of Earth. I'm still waiting for Miracle Day to win me over.