Embracing English Roots

In the last week, I watched 2 indie films (which I believe were pretty mainstream in the UK), and zero blockbusters. (I have absolutely no interest in seeing 2012, for some reason. Oh, probably because I think that John Cusak and Amanda Peet are the most irrelevant has beens to cast as romantic leads in any film after 2004. Don't get me wrong... I loved John Cusak... when I was 10).

The Boat That Rocked (Or, to American Audiences: Pirate Radio)

I have been anxiously awaiting this one since I saw the trailer when I took my 15 year old brother to see the Hangover as an attempt to buy his love back after not picking him up at the airport.

Anyhoo, what's not to love? The peeps from Love Actually (which I made NB watch in prep for both this and Christmas), with particular hearts to Bill Nighy. Jack Davenport, aka Steve from Coupling, who is showing up everywhere these days, most notably Flash Forward...

...And that hottie mc hot hot, Tom Sturridge, who you might remember from previous posts as being the hottie son from Being Julia, Robert Pattinson's bff (apparently he was sleeping on his couch in NY?) and also from briefly dating Camilla Belle. (Side note: on LaineyGossip, she had a hilarious posts about "why is?" and one of them was Camilla Belle which I thought was dead on). Except Holy Mutha I thought he had a monobrow when he first came on. But it's ok, it was just his greasyEnglishboy mop of hair.

Thoughts on Talulah Riley? I just can't decide on her. She was in St Trinians, which I loved, but I didn't love her. She was in Pride and Prejudice (the Kiera one) as the sister that no one remembers. She was in a little movie with RPattz (there's that cinema incest...) which I didn't see but she looked annoying in. She was the love interest in this. IDK. She's ok. She's pretty. I feel like she's one to look out for, if anyone is interested. Bet you she makes it big.

Oh. Right. The film.

The plot: A bunch of dudes operate an illegal rock and roll radio station from a boat in the English Channel and have to thwart the government peeps who try to shut them down.

I liked it, it was hilarious. The dialogue was super snappy, and it was really fun and campy. I had some issues with the story... it was just kind of like... whaa? The whole bad guys trying to shut down the radio thing felt like it was just thrown in to give some kind of structure to the happenings on board. Most of the attempts by the bad guys were shut down by a line from Bill Nighy ("Well, I hired this awesome DJ, so our sponsors will give u

s money from abroad since it's illegal in the UK..."). But whatever, who really cares about a little thing like emotional investment in the plot? I'm just rooting for the boy to get laid.

Although I did cry in the end. NB hinted that he might have gotten misty-eyed also. Here's a hint: they might have borrowed some shots from Titanic and The Perfect Storm. Yeaaaa.

~

An Education

LaineyGossip told me to watch this, and apparently I take whatever gossip blogs say to their millions of readers as personal messages à moi. Oh, also I saw the trailer on iTunes and it looked trés bien.

At first I was hesitant about Carey Mulligan, because I think she looks slightly lesbionic with her new haircut for Wall Street 2, but now that I've seen the film I'm thinking she is way too awesome for Shia. Not that I don't love him. But... I love her more.

Jenny, a swotty 16 year old trying to get into Oxford, decides that school isn't that awesome when you can just marry a rich, exciting older man.

I loved this movie because Jenny was so so so real. At the beginning of the film, I was like ugh, she is so much cooler than I was because she's clever and witty, and drops little bits of french into her speech, which I remember being the thing to do at that age but my accent was always dreadful. Hers is perfect.

Then she goes out with Peter Sarsgaard's friends, and meets Helen who is all sophisticated and chic and does her hair and wears jewels and in real life was a Bond girl one time... and Helen says she got her fur from King's road, and Jenny says something like "c'est trop cher pour moi." Very subtle, I like it. But Helen looks at her like she is a complete alien and goes "What did you say?" and Jenny says "I said it's too expensive for me." and Helen says "No you didn't." and Jenny says "I said it in French." And Helen says...

... Why?

And it is like whooosh you are a little embarrassed girl, and it's not like Helen is being rude, she is just genuinely perplexed. I was right thurr with Jenny.

Also later at dinner, Jenny gets all excited about the art and has a burst of enthusiasm and gives her very adult, flippant view on art, and they indulge her and make it so so clear that she is such a child playing grown up. And her man would tease her about being so bourgeois while doing ironically bourgeois things like drinking champagne at dinner and going to auctions.

Anyway, those were my two favorite moments. And also this white and red dress that she wears.

Also love: Olivia Williams as her teacher, and Emma Thompson as the head mistress. This was set in the 60s, by the way, which was interesting because the only thing women could do with a degree was go into public service or teach, and it was pretty normal to be insanely racist...

One thing I did not love: again, the plot was a little weak, or rather the overall lesson was. It was basically one big PSA to stay in school and not have sex. Um, that might clue you in on how it ends.

Hmm. It seems Emma Thompson shows up in both of these. Also bangs, which made me very analytical of my own. More to come on that topic. I also found myself sounding more English for a good half hour after... then I lost it again.

Reasons for Being Broke

Have just discovered that every overdraft coverage transfer from my savings account to my checking account has cost me $10. And apparently that happened 13 times since the beginning of the school year. I never noticed, because I never check the 'savings' account, just 'checking'. $130. OMG. That is a reasonable amount of money that I didn't need to have wasted. I could have bought like 13 cocktails at the 9-0.

Too Close Is Gross!

I had a brush with nature today that I did not appreciate.

I was sitting on the floor packing, when I saw this thing moving next to me. A centipede!

An effing centipede!!!

And those little #$%^s move fast, I tell you. To stop it from moving, I stomped it with my moisturizer bottle. Then I ran to my brother's room screaming and made him come save me. But he's a chicken backside so I had to lift the bottle up myself. It was dead! It was also the size of a bobby pin. That's effing huge for a bug.

So I decided I had to take a pic before Dom heroically disposed of it, but I guess the flash had some sort of Grey's Anatomy effect because the bloody thing jumped up and started running! So I thomped it with the bottle again. Dom was mad because he hadn't gotten his picture yet.

I ran to the kitchen to get some bug spray, but when I opened the cupboard to get it, something moved in there too! Hopefully a lizard not a cockroach. So I slammed it and ran back to Dom to beg him to do it but then he didn't want to so I just used to Mr Muscle that was already out on the dining table. Around the survivor a perimeter I did create. A ring of cleaning solution. Then I lifted up the bottle and drowned that sucka. And after I cleaned it up, I flushed it ... just to be sure.

Shizz like this never happens in LA.

Dramatic Bag Checkatics

Really, what is so hard to understand about a check-your-bag-at-the-door policy? You go in, you pay money, bag does not go in.

Why? They ask.

People steal things, we explain.

I'll have it with me, it'll be safer what. They protest.

Um, this is actually to stop YOU from stealing shit, we don't say.

We aren't going to take your stuff, we say.

I kid you not, about 5 different people implied that we would steal their shit.

As if, my cousin scoffs, so ugly, why would we take it? But not to them, obviously.

What if I come back, and my handphone and money is missing? One woman asked. Gutsy. Also rude.

Well, you'll know it was one of us and you can tell our boss, I replied. Rather calmly.

Is it really that terrible to give up $2 and not have to carry these massive bags around?



Then, the bag return part. More drama ensues.


One can't find her tag. My cousin finds it on the dance floor, or something.


Where's my bag? Another girl half shrieks to her boyfriend.

It's there. Don't worry.

What happens if I can't find my tag? She asks me, lip trembling.

There's a $20 fine.

Oh, okay. If someone tries to get it, and it's not me, don't give it to them!

Which bag is it?

The Coach one.

Okay.


A woman gives me her tag. Not a woman. THE woman.

I give her her bag.

Are you sure you don't want to check that everything is there? I don't think she heard me.

My cousin did. She jabs me with her elbow.

Ouch.

Martha O'Connor

So, it seems that The Bitch Posse (the orig American title...) has a whole lot of the author's life in it, which is pretty interesting. (She's mostly Rennie, the fallen-from-grace valedictorian, I think. But probably lots of her in the other characters too. Also doubt her friends killed her ex lover.)

She also has a nice blog.

The Bitch Goddess Notebook

So, home for the holidays means I get to read again. Haven't done that in a while, other than some crappy romances from Ralphs. And by crappy I mean really amazing.


Anyway, the book is basically about 3 BFFs in 1988 and also them after 15 years of not speaking to each other because of some big bad that they did. (I bet you thought it was going to be one of those hilarious how-to books, like how to be a bitch goddess. I wish it was too.)

It has an interesting style, the chapters are POV of the 3 girls in turn, and every other chapter is 15 years ago... so there's alot of time travel going on.

Lots of sex, which was pretty excellent. I liked that it didn't glamourise it at all, and that the girls were always bitching about it after. Er, it was pretty graphic though. That might be a good or bad thing, depending.

Didn't like the blatant forboding 'hints' at the terrible terrible thing which they did.

Also, was not entirely sure that I believed that they all had such fucked up lives and parents.

One girls parents were alcoholics because their first daughter was perfect except that she was mentally retarded and had to live in a home. This same girl used to be a cheerleader but ditched the bitches to hang out with these 2 freaks so they could have a really cool lesbian sex death cult, or so the rumours at school said. Then she grows up and has a really predictable melodramatic story line that I felt no sympathy for whatsoever.

The second girl was the 'tough' one but she was in an abusive relationship and her (single) mother was shooting up all the time. And she was obsessed with cutting and Princess Diana. She ends up in a mental institution for the 15 years later part.

The last girl is the valedictorian, who has an affair with her married teacher and 15 years later is a published author slash teacher that sleeps with her TAs and likes to be cut during sex.

Drama, huh?

I did like the frequent references to Degrassi (the original), it was nice to know that people cared about Spike and Joey when they were young.

(SPOILERSSSSSSS) Other than that... the whole Bitch Posse thing was cute because it's something I think that all girls go through, having a gang (somehow usually of 3...) that you can go to for anything. I mean, they were a little drastic, I'm not sure that I would take the blame for killing a man alone so that Adelle and Su could run free. On the other hand, I'm almost certain that Adelle and I wouldn't decide that it was a great idea for the 3 of us to get revenge on Su's teacher lover by pretending that he would get an awesome night with 3 underaged chicks and then carve his wife's name into his chest and then accidentally kill him. But if we did accidentally kill him, I think we'd still talk afterwards.

Speaking of, it's nice to have Su around. Now where is Adelle? I miss you my own Bitch Goddess!

Wrong Solar System

It sucks being an alien, especially during finals week.

Having done my time in the prison known as the Asian school system, I know how to cram. So really, half a semester in one night? No probs. But then I find a million zillion formula for different useless things I'll never use in my life. And everyone knows, if there's one question that'll come out, it'll be an 'apply the formula' question. The one where you sit there going "oh eff oh eff, was it one over MPC or one over 1-MPC? Or MPS?" So really, it took all night. I was effing exhausted before I even started the final.

And guess what? Not one single 'apply the formula' question.

Math

So, I know calorie counting is disgusting and horrendous, but sometimes I can't ignore the math...

1 chocolate orange = 230 * 4 = 920

1 jar of pickles = 5*8 = 40

therefore, 1 chocolate orange = 23 jars of pickles.

OMGZORZZZZZz o_O

Strange Snacks

What's on my desk/in the fridge/ cupboard that I'm eating at the mo:

(I dont mean I eat them all at once. Except I totz do.)

1) Terry's Chocolate Orange

2) Jack Link's Sweet and Hot beef jerky

3) Crab stick salad

4) Maille Cornichons (little pickles)



I know, I know, little pickles, weird right? But listen to this: One serving = 8 little pickes = 5 calories. 5!! That's amazing. That's like the perfect snack.

Uh except I've learnt that if you eat too much salt, you can put on 2-3 lbs of water weight (thanks cosmo). Bad times. Even my perfect snack is making me a fatty.

A real college education

Watching reruns of Gilmore Girls...

Rory and Logan are an amazing couple.

They're right up there with Max and Liz, Joey and Pacey, Derek and Meredith, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston...

Anyway, here is what I took away:

-Logan's family didn't like Rory because she wasn't of good breeding, and wanted to be a career woman, and wasn't bred for it.

-Therefore, in order to catch a Logan, (or be what the fam wants I guess) don't you have to catch a man by like soph. year so that by senior year you can be engaged so you never have to work?

-Which means you probably need to be in a sorority so you can be exposed to all these eligible bachelors. This is probs a generalization but ...

-Which means I fail.

But what I did appreciate:

-Even Rory gets ignored.

-Her hair is really cute.

So here is the real life lesson:

How to use Rona's straightening iron in the bathroom instead of going to Math in order to tame my hair into Rory's season 6 hair.

Tada!

Thoughts on the Paella Party

I'm meant to be doing an essay, but Rona wants me to update, so I shall. (I was really hard to convince.)

On the Paella itself:

-Why was it so sour? Next time (or for anyone who might want to make it in the future), must make sure my tinned tomatoes are sweeter. (These ones were Ralph's generic brand, possibly stewed in Italian herbs but it's hard to remember.)

-The pans were way to full even before rice went in. Must learn about proportions.

-The rice on top was 'crispy' the rice underneath too mushy. Must make sure all of rice is covered (should be easier when there are less ingredients) and not cook for so long. Also make sure there is enough long grain rice so one does not have to resort to large random bag of japanese rice.

-The rice was not nice coloured -- must find sugar daddy to buy me saffron. Alternatively, must locate my yellow food colouring.

-At one point, tomato paste was just smeared over top of rice. Should stir the tomatoes in before putting the rice in.

-Chicken was tasteless. Must marinate properly.

-Catfish has annoying spines even in fillet, made it hard to cut. Next time may splash out and spend an extra 50c to get Talapia. Also, catfish a little fishy.

-Half a pound of unpeeled prawns were not a good idea. Next time, 1/4 of a pound will do.

-Tinned greenbeans are brown. Vile.


On the Sangria:

-The merlot (yes, it turns out Franzia does have different grapes) was too heavy, but the 'chillable' wine (aka mystery grapes?) was good.

-Added rum as it was the only available liquor in the house.

-OJ was a little sour especially with the merlot so added minute maid lemonade also. But didn't really need it for chillable wine. Maybe was just too drunk to notice taste by 2nd box?

The Bridget Jones Moment

I had my Bridget moment.

(See Largest Pants On Earth, below...)

I'm awks. Roundish. I don't smoke too much, but I have the drinking too much down.

Here's a question: why don't my frugging Hugh Grant and Colin Firth do their jobs and become obsessed with me/at least have the decency to make an appearance in my life?