trick or treat

Some random things I've enjoyed recently:

Misfits. U.K. series that I just sat and watched the two seasons on Hulu. I have seen constant fandom for this show and I didn't have a clue what it was about but I wanted to see what the fascination of it was so I went to IMDB and looked up the summary. Five juvies having to work at their community center as part of their sentencing and end up in the middle of a freak storm that zaps them with superpowers. The show could have been very bad, but from the first episode it's good. They have these powers and none of them want them - each episode something disastrous happens and the team uses their powers in some way to fix it. Kelly can hear people's thoughts, Curtis can go backwards through time, Simon can turn invisible, Alisha can make people really horny from touching her, and Nathan cannot die along with seeing ghosts.

What keeps the show from becoming horribly cliche (like it very well could have been) is the kids deal with the powers probably how I might if I ever got zapped in a lightning/hail storm. They don't take advantage of them and more or less look down on them because of the trouble they cause. Sort of similar to Skins, it depicts young adults as they really are and it's a character study show. I've noticed both shows never really overshadowed other characters but keeps them all separately important. Most shows I have watched tend to start out with every character equal and then some characters/couples/story lines get "front and center" while others turn into background noise. I really never see this with U.K. shows I've watched and I like that aspect.

Longview. A British band that had one album, Mercury, but a really good one. I first heard some of their tracks on the short-lived WB series, Tarzan but looked them up on Rhapsody later on and heard their entire album. They have an alternative pop/rock sound if I could label it anyway. There are upbeat songs and sweet ballads equally on the album. My favorite tracks are Further, Can't Explain, and If You Asked but the whole album is pretty golden. Usually use it as ambient music for when I am busy doing things. I was surprised they did not have follow-up and I'm not sure if they are even a band anymore. I did stumble upon a few of their videos. I assume they had little success in the U.K. because I never heard anything about them here in the U.S. except they were in an American television show.

Joe Jonas. I will admit I have Jonas Brothers albums and I do enjoy some of their tracks. I've also harbored a crush on Joe ever since I've heard of them though he did have some bad hair-dos (or is it hair-don'ts?) back then. So when he ventured to do a solo project I wondered what it would be and it ain't too shabby. His album, Fastlife, is some nice, upbeat dance music and his singles "See No More" and "Just in Love" are enjoyable but my favorite track is "Love Slayer", just love the idea behind it. I would love to see him act more, I saw the episode of Hot in Cleveland he appeared in. Besides, he seems to be comfortable as he is and willing to make fun of his self, I could see him in a comedy or an ensemble piece and fitting right in. Actually, it doesn't really matter what he was in, I just think he'd be good in it.


That's it really...oh, Happy Halloween since it is the day. I almost forgot! Wow, I should have talked about some scary movies or Halloween songs I like. I heard "The Blob" by the Five Blobs yesterday and it made me laugh. I like the movie but I don't remember there being some theme song for it. "Monster Mash" is another classic along with "Thriller", "House of a Thousand Corpses" by Rob Zombie is great. I love his music...I can never get enough of him or Alice Cooper. They know how to do spooky tunes really well.

Unpleasant dreams, everyone!

What the hell am I doing?

Hmm...things I have been doing lately.

Reading a story a friend wrote. I love reading stories that friends have written, I feel like I'm getting to know them better. I enjoy it much more than trying to write a story on my own. Right now, I'm in the process of editing some of my stories and re-writing some of it. Been working on outlines mostly, I come up with many ideas that I never fully divulge into an actual story. I should become an editor, but I much rather be a special effects make-up artist or costume design. I have to learn about it first, I think I would enjoy it better than anything else I have done in my life.

I'm thinking of a blog entry where I comparethe first and second seasons of "The Vampire Diaries" because after watching the second season again, it just reminds me how flippin' different they are and I would actually mind pushing into the deeper canals of the character lines on the show. Oh and for everyone that thinks Matt Donovan should be killed off the show, a big F and U for you. I've heard a few times he should have been killed instead of Jenna. Well, ya know, at least Jenna had some kind of story arc on the show, but she's more a supportive player and parents don't last long on the show. (Watch out, Alaric!) He's like Elena's quasi-stepfather which is weird when I think about it.


I love Matt, he's one of my favorite characters and I've passionately stated this before. I love him in the book and I feel like throttling the writers for not giving him more of a storyline. For goodness sake's he's still in love with Elena and they don't think to use that ever? I mean, first season they used that a little against Stefan but Matt seems harmless against a vampire. Of course, now that he knows all about what's really going on, how long is going to stay out of it? Strangely, I can imagine Katherine using him for a chew toy, but I hope it never comes to that!

Zach Roerig is great as Matt and cute as hell. Supposedly he's played a bad guy in other work and I'd like to see that. In "Masquerade" when he was being a jerk to Tyler you could see that there, but he was under compulsion. LOVE HIM! Gah, I go fangirl...ugh I'm good.

Been reading horribly strange and rude comments on my youtube videos. People arguing in the comments of videos bothers me because it has nothing to do with the video or it's about how hot someone is in it. Stupid as hell. Really, only leave a comment if it means something people, otherwise you'll get my famous eye rolling.

That's it I'm done for now.

buffy, how I remember thee...

I was just sitting here listening to Four Star Mary which got me thinking about the bronze which ultimately got me thinking about the television series, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

My love affair started back when FX would show re-runs of the show, first during their evening spot (5:00-6:00 p.m.) and later in the morning (6:00 & 7:00 a.m.). The first episode I ever watched was "Who Are You?" which was an awful one for me. I remember thinking Buffy was such a slut while she was grinding up against Spike in the one scene. Little did I know that wasn't Buffy, but Faith, her evil counterpart. I disliked the show after seeing just a little and all I thought to myself was "Buffy sure is sleazy..." Probably a month goes by and I'm flipping channels when what do you know? "Buffy" is on again but this time was tuned it. She was strong, opinionated, and way better than I had last seen her. The second time I watched an episode, it was "The Gift" and that's probably one of the best episodes of the entire series. Period. That episode made me look at the show as something much deeper than I gave it credit for.


So every afternoon I came home from school and watched "Buffy" in my parent's room because I didn't have a TV in my room as a kid. Besides, the first TV I did have was black and white and only got about seven or eight channels you had to turn with a dial. I loved that little TV set, but back to my story here. I came home every day and while my Mom was cooking dinner I would sit and watch the slayer kick ass. Sometimes I was even late to dinner and my family could see I was becoming obsessed. I saw the later seasons first: five, six, and seven before seeing the earlier ones. That's probably why I've always been a Spike fan and not an Angel one, but I'll take about that later on. Once I had a newer TV (color and cable!) and a VCR I would record whatever episodes I could. I figured out how many seasons and episodes they were and went so far to buy a guide, unfortunately one without season seven included. I always love reading about extras!

I started buying the seasons when I was 14 or so and season four was the first one I purchased (though not the best season) followed by the fifth, sixth, seventh. The first was a Christmas present one year and finally I purchased season two and three together. As much as I love the show, I've never shared my thoughts about it because I rarely had many people I could talk about it with. I started writing fan fiction in school when I should have been paying attention to my work. That's when I actually talked to people who knew about it. Nikki, a girl who sat in front of me in my English class, was a fan because her older sisters grew up watching it. We used to always joke about Oz's "I mock you with my monkey pants!" line. I think she even wrote it in one of my yearbooks. The other person was a girl named Jessica in my math class who saw me writing my stories. I told her what they were about one day when she asked me and she read some of what I wrote. I don't know if she was being kind or what but she said she liked it. I assume she just watched the show sporadically. I'm sure there are more fans out there than I know and I'm starting to see that since I joined a forum and chatted up a few people about it. Oh, and a turned a former best friend of mine onto Buffy too, long time ago when we were good friends. We both drooled over Spike's hotness (I'm so lame!)...strangely enough she's a big fan of "Supernatural" now and that was my next big obsession after "Buffy".

I obsessed for four years and did move on to other shows...but that will always stick out as my first obsession. There were shows I liked before but never as adamantly. Sarah Michelle Gellar is a role model to me and a great actress. I'm happy to see her return to television since it has been many years since her role as Buffy Summers. I guess my issue of Spike versus Angel has to do with the fact I think Angel is a boring character. He's too sad and dull for me. At least Spike embodies more of how I see a vampire: ravenous, cocky, and tough. I never watched the spin-off "Angel" for that simple reason albeit I did watch season five for Spike. And it was something to watch after "Buffy" ended.

Maybe I'll do some character profiles and talk about why I like (or don't like) certain parts of their personality/choices/progression.

There is a quick walk down my Buffy history....leave me comments about your first experiences with the show or if you'd like to argue some points with me, go ahead, I like a challenge.

-K

pictures

This was on the way to Mall of America in Minnesota. I love scenic pictures and I took many of them. The sky was gorgeous that day and built-in cliff foliage made it better.

Hockey is a great sport to watch live. I've only been to one game, but it was insanely loud and the crowd has such an energy. That's one sport I'd go see all the time if I could.

These are the Gossip Girl books I'm trying to plow through at the moment. I'm second to last, "Only In My Dreams", but after I'm done with this stack there are 3 more books in the series! I've enjoyed this series more than expected, but I do hate the rich, stuck-up Blair Waldorf. She's awful. I'm thinking about checking the show out and seeing if it's worth watching but I'll stick with the books for right now.

books, bromance, and broken coffee cups

I looked down at my coffee cup the other day and there was a huge chip in it. I've never seen a chipped last before, shattered - yes, and brand new - yes. I think the chipping has to be me banging the edge of the cup against the glass rotating plate in the newer (smaller) microwave because I'm not used to the height difference (or size difference). I think it would have been cooler if it actually made the cup leak but I guess I'm not that lucky to wish for a really broken coffee mug. Now you all think I'm strange, don't you?

There are some new Supernatural fiction out (coming out) that I need to read. I have the first three books they released years ago. I had no idea if they bothered making any more and I certainly enjoyed the ones I've read so I am ready for some new ones. Borders is going out of business, maybe I can get a deal on one of the books there? They never carry what I'm looking for in store and then I have difficulty finding it in store. I could just be stupid and not have any sense of direction but I think the system is whack there! I ain't too sad about them closing...obviously.


I've been watching the Glee Project even though I don't watch Glee (don't know how that figures...) and I love both Cameron and Damian. They have a fantastic bromance that I joke about every time I watch a new episode. I both love their voices too. They both share that old crooner voice like Michael Buble or Frank Sinatra but Cameron's a little lighter while Damian a bit deeper and rockier with his voice. If they don't win, they should definitely find a place in the entertainment industry because they have talent and a slice of humble pie. But mostly, they got that killer bromance!!! It's funny me using that word since I dislike it very much, but it just is what the duo is. They are that great I'm willing to use that word.

I was sitting down looking through one of many books I have laying about and I was so relieved that I was reading something I really fucking felt like reading. I always dreaded being assigned books to read whether it's several chapters or one passage. The only time I have passion for reading is when I am fully involved and/or invested in what I'm reading. I like when I get suggestions or books to borrow from friends/family. My aunt gave me a box of Alex Cross novels by James Patterson I would like to take a stab at reading all the way through to the last one. I think borrowed books let me know what kind of books people I know like and I think it speaks volumes of what they like because it's all about interests. I read lots of YA books but mostly fantasy/science fiction/horror because that's what I obsess over. But, I'm not trendy about it. I'll be roped into reading some books that way (Need to look into the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, they sound reasonably interesting, doesn't mean I will be seeing the movie they won't shut up about...) but I just mostly go by cover then summary before reading it. And not to be pretentious but 9 out of 10 times I like the book better than screen adaptation. Sometimes the movie tells the story better by expanding or contracting some of the details or side plots. It's been hard to find books to get attached to and I'm always looking for new ones.

Reminds me I need to buy the last Vampire Diaries book, Midnight because Damon is human in it! I was a surprised with that happening at the end of Shadow Souls. Boy, that book was long, as in it took me forever to read. It felt like it could have been summarized in like twenty chapters but it went way past that. I just need a satisfying conclusion so maybe that's what I get. Cross ma fingers, hopin' for the best!

I'm carrying on too long, good night.

i'm taking a bite out of Teen Wolf & Stiles!

As much as I am an 80s whore, I still haven't seen the 1985 classic Teen Wolf starring Michael J. Fox (though it is cued up in on Netflix for future viewing). I've seen bits of it on television and wasn't too impressed, if I want to enjoy Fox I'd cue up Back to the Future instead. I do like Supernatural premises if you couldn't guess by looking around on my blog so it's probably just the cheese I very well expect it to be. It will be viewed all in good time (I've got Camelot to finish watching first!). Oh, I have seen Teen Wolf Too with Jason Bateman and that's bad so I have to believe that the first film is just a slightly better film. On to the segue - I have been watching the MTV series which I thought at first was just a movie for the network until I noticed it said "new series" and then I just said "OK, fine, I'll give that a chance".

This show has been getting rather wide receipted reviews which not only surprised me but pushed my interest further to check out the series. The plot lines are OK, somewhat weak but perceptive to the tween/young adult audience. Scott is your basic main character whom I've yet to see break out of his wolf-bound secret, but will probably be more diverse after the lush drama is dispensed about his hairy side. Allison is perhaps too perfect in her slight build and who is accosted by every boy on the show like the only pretty girl magnet in the school (never sure why they tend to do that to every nice girl on a show anyway...) but she's a tier above Lydia since she's just annoying. I do understand that's her character , the Queen Bee, the uptight fashionista that desperately seeks to be on the highest pedestal in the high school hierarchy. I like Jackson so far, I suppose he's the mean jock, but he comes across as a troubled teen and I connect to his plight stronger than Scott's own. Besides he's getting bullied worse than anyone else on the show, poor guy needs to be cut a break! Derek Hale is interesting as a mentor wolf and I wish they would play up on that side of Scott instead of the romance one.


Hands down, my favorite character on the show is Stiles (played by Dylan O'Brien), Scott's best friend and the werewolf aficionado of the group. Not only is he played brilliantly with deadpan and over-the-top humor but a strong, helpful hand in his friend's recent misfortunes. To me, they could have wrote his character off as being the best friend that says something stupid before running off, but he's the only one logically devising ideas and plans to protect not only himself but everyone around him (case in point, hitting Jackson in the face for suggesting bringing his father, the sheriff, to his death by giant, alpha wolf). When Scott explained he was bit by a wolf, Stiles read up and prepared himself with the reality. He didn't blindly think it was awesome, and that would have bothered me to bits, but he took the smarter approach. He reminds me a tad of Randy Meeks from the Scream series, the guy who knows everything and is using his knowledge the best way for the situation. Stiles keeps me tuned in every Monday otherwise I may have left off after the second episode. I can't stand the "what if" romance crap, he's turning into a freaking wolf, falling in love not an option.

I love the adult supporting cast as well. JR Bourne (Ginger Snaps Back. 13 Ghosts, Selling Innocence) plays Allison's father who is also a werewolf hunter along with his sister werewolf hunter played by Jill Wagner (Blade: The Series, Wipeout!) and Stiles father, the Sheriff, is played by none other than Linden Ashby (Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil: Extinction). The cast does a good job all around and the special effects make-up isn't dreadfully corny and the Alpha wolf is somewhat intimidating and ferocious. I do hope Jackson becomes a werewolf hunter too, looks like he's headed in that direction though the scratches on his neck say other wise. Could he possibly be a wolf from a scratch and not a bite? I thought those went hand-in-hand...I'll guess I'll just wait and see.

If you haven't seen Teen Wolf, it's worth a look compared to the crap on MTV nowadays. It's Monday nights at 8/9c but they tend to repeat the aired episodes throughout the week, usually late.

Talk soon & take care all!

times do fly

Gaw! It's been almost a month since I've posted! How can this be so? Sorry, I've been busy the last month watching the non-stop Spike Star Wars saga marathons. And, guess what? There's another one this Fourth of July weekend! Another reason to find creepy meanings behind Yoda's senility!

Harry Potter's great legacy completes itself in 15 days and it's starting to sink in for me. The series of books and films have been a wonderful staple in my friendships for the past ten years. Every book launch and midnight show my group of friends and I would trek out and stay up all night for. We'd play games, tell jokes, and eat Bernie Bott's Every Flavor Beans (and I have gotten my share of booger flavored ones, but grass is worse IMO, oh wait, sardine is just disgusting). It'll be a shock if I don't tear up a bit at the final show, but I'm not positive if I''m even going. I usually not the one buying the tickets so I'll probably need to be looking into that soon... It has been a long ride and half my life so I can accompany much happy times to the bespectacled wizard. I'm not sure what group outings we'll do instead...maybe a book club? Always wanted to try one of those.

I want MTV to play more video blocks and less "16 and Pregnant". I don't think it's great that my generation gets bad pregnancy shows instead hours and hours of streaming music videos. Hell, I'd like VH1 Classic to play more video blocks. Only time they do is when no one is awake unless you are me who sleeps little because I'm an insomniac most days. I've become obsessed with this British band "Breathe" who became popular during the late 80s-early 90s era. They have these gorgeous ballads, some songs I've seen on VH1 Classic Totally 80s video blocks. I'm surprised they had minor success considering how powerful some of their songs are, they could have been hard hitters with the best. I've only heard a few songs but I'm going to check out their albums when I get a chance.

Here's their "Hands to Heaven" music video which I have the song repeat lately.

They truly embody the music I love from the 80s besides arena rock. A very talented group and I'm glad I came across them too.

I felt like I may have wanted to rant more but I think that's all folks!