"What got me excited to do Grima Wormtongue is when I was young I went through a period in boarding school were I was picked on alot. And there is something about Grima, he has been picked on when he was a kid, he (Grima) is so distrustful, he is so easily corrupted, He is so ugly, and he wants somebody, he wants to love somebody, and he can't, because nobody will have him." - Brad Dourif, ICON 20, March 31st 2001

Two things:

1. See? I'm not the only one who finds him to be vaguely sympathetic in a "I want to take him home and feed him sandwiches, ye gods, Eowyn and Eomer are mean people" sort of way. Really.
   
2. Brad Dourif is officially The Man.
   

Bwa haha.

There are exactly 78 days til Two Towers opens in theaters! Bwa haha. Because this has been an afternoon of LotRness, what with new trailer on lordoftherings.net and interview with Brad Dourif and Christopher Lee that will not play on my computer. But that's ok, because I have found this. Is he not pretty?...in a way that is not really pretty at all, because he's Grima and rather slimy and looks as if he doesn't get to bathe quite as often as would be preferred or get out into the sunlight ever at all. So very wonderful. (And now the picture is on my bulletin board...hehe...I am frighteningly pathetic.)

You see, there are some actors in these movies that I saw and learned who they were playing and said, "Ok, we'll give them a chance." Like Sean Astin and Hugo Weaving and Viggo Mortenson...who all did a lovely job, so my faith was well founded. And then there were those that I took one look at and said, "Damn, they've got a genius casting this film!" Like Ian McKellan, Christopher Lee (Eee!), Elijah Wood...and Brad Dourif. (Whom I really had heard of before this film. Because along with being the world's only Grima fan, I'm also mildly obsessed with Piter deVries.) Now, the only thing I'm a bit cautious about is his voice, because I don't remember what Mr. Dourif's voice sounds like (it's been a long time since I subjected myself to the movie of Dune) and I have a voice in my mind for Grima that I rather like. But I will have faith in Peter Jackson and his casting department that have so far not failed me. (Of course, if the rumors are true and Eowyn gets to kill Grima, some of the faith will be lost. We will hope that this will not come to pass. Or I will have to hurt someone. hehe.) 78 days...I can't wait.

(And just so that I can get this to be clear to everyone, I really don't hate Arwen. I don't mind that she's in the movies. I understand that we need a strong female character and a romance and we can't wait for Eowyn. It's ok. She's pretty, she speaks Elven, she allows us to potentially mention Beren and Luthien...these things make me happy. It's just the scene at the ford. See, I think that it's a bit of an important character moment for Frodo in that it's his first real and vehement rejection of Mordor and the evil power of the ring. He chooses not to give in to the Nazgul and the forces of darkness. Now, in the film, the choice is stolen from him. Arwen does Frodo's thinking for him, chooses the light for him. Frodo becomes completely passive and ineffective just so that Arwen can look kickass. And this bothers me. Also, she really shouldn't have magic powers over the river. Elves don't practice magic like that. Several times, Elves look askance at people asking them about magic, as if they've no idea what magic is. Therefore, it just makes more sense for Gandalf, who certainly does have magical powers, to cause the flood. But that's really not as annoying as Arwen stealing Frodo's choices. Nowhere else does Arwen bother me. Let her be all kickass Elfchick. I'm cool with that. Just don't let her make important moral decisions for other people.)

("Circumlocution," said Mr. Croup to Mr. Vandemar. "It's a way of speaking around something. A digression. Verbosity." Mr. Vandemar nodded. "I wondered," he said.)

Did I mention that I bought a Giger poster? I didn't? Well, I bought a Giger poster. What do you mean, you don't know who Giger is?

H. R. Giger is a Swedish artist who does really creepy, yet strangely alluring stuff. For instance, he designed all of the creatures for Alien. And, although he didn't design her, the Borg Queen from First Contact always makes me think of Giger. His work is creepy because it combines the organic with the mechanical and imbues all of it with a sense of decay. And, strangely, a lot of it ends up being incredibly beautiful in a really disturbing way. Or, at least, I think it's beautiful. Anyway, I don't know the title of my poster because it had no title on it and I can't find it on his website but it's the head of a woman (at least, she looks female to me...actually, she's pretty androgynous) connected to all sorts of tubes and wires and contraptions and snakes. She has beautiful, angelic eyes that stare tranquily while she's being violated. And, like most of Giger's work, she done all in blacks and whites and greys. And she gorgeous. Gods, but I'm morbid.

Just go here, ok?

Fear me, for I have today watched far too much BtVS. Bwa haha. And I saw Hyena!Xander, which was exciting because Xander is cool when he's evil. Yea! See, we dcided that, since Sarah (wow, that's hard to type) had all the episodes on tape, we should watch from the beginning. So that's basically all that I've done today...which was ok, since I had no homework. It was fun, if a bit obsessive. hehe.

Also, you should be afraid because Viking Underground works again and I am once again able to find song files. Yea! And I have found much cool stuff, including Cowboy Bebop music and Cat Stevens and weird semi-pop and David Bowie and it is fun. However, it will not give me the theme from X, which I really like, or the theme from The Lost Boys. Yet. Someday, I shall triumph. Really. (I should see if they have Wicker Man music...they won't, of course, but I can look, right?) Maybe I will watch Lost Boys this evening...hmmm...

And, in case anyone is concerned for my health and mental wellbeing, yesterday I actually participated in physical social activity. I went to the mall with Monie and Ann and Rhiannon to inspect ear piercing places for Rhiannon and buy a lamp at target and do other things. And I went to a dance where I was social and danced and things. So there. hehe.

So...first day of classes. It went well and I think that this bodes well for the quarter, if not the year. I really like my logic teacher. He asked us if we knew the consequences of cheating and told us, completely deadpan, "You go to Hell, of course. So, cheat on a larger scale than a logic test. Make it worth something." He is cool.

And Star Trek tonight! Hurrah! We made signs and Rhiannon is bringing Oreos (well, generic sandwich cookies), so hopefully we'll get some new blood. Yea, geeky freshmen who have no friends so that we may mold them! What could be better? (Finding Rhiannon a boyfriends, perhaps...well, we won't go there.)

Buffy premiere yesterday. Was fun. We got Crazy!Spike and Giles on a horse in a nifty coat. hehe. I like Crazy!Spike. But then I always like the damaged ones. hehe.

Was playing Sims today and have run out acceptable horror film names and so named my Sims Daniel Schreber and John Murdoch. Geeky, slashy Sim matchmaker, me. Truly, I am disturbed. And am scaring the readership. Must watch Dark City again now. Bwa haha.

My archives are silly...

You are most like Rhoda, consumed by fire! Created by Thren. Which Gashlycrumb Tiny are you?

Your clan is a dysfunctional one. That is because you are a Malkavian. Something is poisonous about this clan's blood that drives all those embraced to madness. However, in this madness, you tend to have great insight. Unfortunately, people just take it as senseless ramblings. In every family there is an insane one. You're it.

What Vampire Clan Do You Belong To?

Test Created By

See? Told ya.


What Egyptian Deity are you? go to:the quiz!

Yea! Back at school! And I like my room. All of my stuff fits perfectly and it already looks like a room that belongs to be. It's quite lovely. And I get to reserve things at the library now, which is very exciting. (They won't let me reserve DVDs, however, and I don't know why. Blargh...) All I have to do now is figure out where to put the giant spider and find pictures of my beautiful dead men. And I have poster space. Hurrah!

Further disadvantages to going back to school (or, at very least, being between home and school, sort of):

• Inability to visit the library without feeling incredibly silly for getting books.
  

Because it means that I can't go get books on Oscar Wilde or by Oscar Wilde or films starring Jonathan Pryce. And it's too early to reserve things at the Bellingham library. (Must...get...Brazil...) Blargh. Life is hard.

Take the High Yield Killing Method Test Now!!

Saw Wilde today. Well, at least, I saw most of it. Very cool. Stephen Fry is strangely cute and Jude Law is very pretty, even if he is a spoiled brat in the film. (And Clarice is in it - from Gormenghast. For all of about 10 minutes. But I was sitting there thinking, "Look! It's the Lady Clarice. And Professor Bellgrove. Where's Prunesquallor?" hehe.) I think that Stephen Fry is probably going to be my mental image of Oscar Wilde for the rest of my life and I can't decide whether or not I'm happy about this. And my speech patterns have become decidedly British this evening. 8)

(Also caught part of Something Wicked This Way Comes. Very cheesy movie and most of it not effective at all. But Jonathan Pryce is a lovely, lovely Mr. Dark. Especially in the book-ripping scene. And the parade. You should see the movie just for that.)

Advantages to going back to school:

• The bathroom will be clean. At least reasonably so. And I won't be sharing it with Megan.
  
• I can watch my movies in private.
  
• I can watch DVDs on my computer.
  
• No one in my building will be waking up and making noise at 5 AM.
  
• There will be no country music. If I never hear another Kenny Chesney song for as long as I live, I will be a happy camper.
  
• When I spend time in excess of two hours on the computer, no one will tell me that my eyes are going to fall out.
  
• No psuedo-opera in the morning.
  
• I'll get to put my beautiful dead men all over the walls.
  
• I'll be back with all of my friends.
  

Disadvantages to going back to school:

• School food.
  
• A library that apparently doesn't believe in stocking even semi-popular movies.
  
• All my bloody science classes.
  
• Being away from my family and Chris.
  

I think, at this point, that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. I'm going to miss people at home, but I'll visit and they'll visit. I'm looking forward to going back to school, I think.

My dead computer ate all the pictures of my beautiful dead men, so I will have to find them again. The Peter Lorre one won't be hard but I've no idea where the others are. Ah, well. I think that I'll have to put other pictures up...pictures of guys who are actually alive! Like Alan Cumming...he needs to go on my wall. I mean, just look at him. (No, really. I mean it. Click on the link. I'll wait.)







Ok, you're back. Is he not just one of the most attractive men on earth? And that's not even the Emcee. (I'll have to see that movie - new addition to The List.)

I think that Tim Roth will have to go on my wall as well. He is quite pretty also. See?

It has now been determined that, in my opinion at very least, Dr. Gogol is greatly in need of a hug. And a first name. And, quite probably, hair. But mostly the hug.

You are Cornelius Leyden ("The Mask of Dimitrios") You're a curious and charming mystery writer, researching the life of a supposedly deceased criminal. Unfortunately, your intellectual pursuits lead you to trouble -- and Sydney Greenstreet, of course. His character, Mr. Peters, however, doesn't frighten you -- you never really take him seriously. You don't mind going to sleep in the same train car as him, and his uninvited presence in your hotel room makes you more irritated than anything else. Fearless little Cornelius! You love cats, and you're quite friendly and sociable. Even after Mr. Peters menaced/annoyed you through the whole movie, you still describe him as "my friend -- well, he wasn't my friend, but he was a nice man!" Class. Take the "What Peter Lorre character are YOU?" quiz by Lydia

Sadly, I haven't seen this one. Yet. Someday, I will. Because Peter Lorre rocks. (I almost cheated and put Joel Cairo here...maybe I'll watch that today...)

Aw, heck...Joel should get to be here too. He's too cute to exclude, right? hehe. (Not that all of Peter Lorre's better characters aren't cute..)

You are Joel Cairo ("The Maltese Falcon") A polite, cultured, and effeminate jewel thief, you're quite confident and determined. That tough-guy Sam Spade can't discourage you. You're a sharp dresser, and wear gardenia scented perfume. You're very handy with the gentlemen. You're emotional and temper-tantrum prone. Sydney Greenstreet does not scare you, for you are not afraid to have a big screaming hissy fit in his face -- the bloated idiot. You'd probably be a sociable and friendly person if you weren't hanging out with disreputable characters like Gutman and Wilmer all the time, and could go five minutes without pulling that cute little handgun out -- is that bird statue really worth having to follow the obseqious Fat Man around and being roughed up by macho detective and femme fatale types all the time? Take the "What Peter Lorre character are YOU?" quiz by Lydia

These really don't fit properly, do they? There once were pictures...

And, on a completely different note...




Which Peanuts Character Are You Quiz




So bloody pretty...hehe...Why does this show up everywhere but actually on my blog page? Because you can't see it, I'll just tell that it's Tim Roth and he is very, very pretty. Bwa haha.





Take the What High School
Stereotype Are You? quiz, by Angel.
Today is...quiz day!

I am muchly pissed about fanfiction.net. Have you seen this? They're not allowing NC-17 fic on their site anymore. As well as a lot of other stuff, like RP fic, which doesn't really affect me, but still. They're getting really into the whole censorship thing. Which I'm not terribly cool with at all, really. Of late, every week or so, there's an announcement saying that some category or other is not being allowed anymore. Now, the RP stuff I sort of understand - it's a really controversial thing in the fanfic community just in general, so I can see why fanfic.net doesn't really want to allow it. (Even though, actually, it's less illegal than fanfic in general. Real people don't get copywrited.) But the banning of NC-17 fic is really quite annoying.

I understand that we don't want children reading stuff that's innappropriate for their age and I know that there are a lot of people under the age of 17 on fanfic.net. (Good God, do I know that! Legolas/Mary Sue fic, anyone? Yeesh.) But there has to be a better way to deal with this than total banning. I mean, the fic is marked. Usually several times. And you already have to go to special menu for anything rated above PG-13. So it's not as if people come across this stuff accidentally. They have to go looking for it. So the way I see it, the site has done what they ought to be doing. Certainly, it could be made harder to find and if they did that, I wouldn't be complaining. But by this point, it's really not the site's fault if kids are reading things they shouldn't. It's the kids' fault. If there are parental complaints, shouldn't the parents be doing something about this?

Some of the NC-17 fic is the best stuff on the site...especially since it's being taken over by those teenage, Mary Sue/self-insertion writing girls whom we don't want scarred by things they shouldn't be reading. Obviously, not all of the NC-17 stuff is any good. Some of it is exactly what you'd be afraid it would be - outright smut. But a lot of it is well written, well plotted fic. And I am a slasher. A lot of the time, and of fanfic.net especially, slash is rated especially high simply because of the nature of the genre. So a great deal of the slash on fanfic.net is NC-17. And all of that - much of it reasonably well written, as I've said - will soon be removed because the site managers have decreed that it shall no longer exist on their webspace. It makes me angry.

It's almost enough to make me want to stop visiting the site. But, unfortunately, there's a lot of stuff that will still be there that's still good and that I can't find anywhere else. (Dark City fic and Discworld to present only two examples.) In general, the site is a good idea - a place for anyone's fanfic, regardless of experience, talent, age or fandom preference. At least, that's what it was when I first found it. I mean, the website's slogan is "Unleash your imagination and free your soul." But apparently, one's imagination is to be unleashed only in certain proscribed directions. And, you know, that's a bad thing. Yeah, there's bad fic out there. And some of it is bad because it's poorly written and some of it's bad because it's got things in it that a lot of people don't want to see. But fanfic.net used to be a place where you could post anything and, every so often, you got really good fic out of all that badness. And if we can't go back to that, at least we can try to stop where we are now, before the whole site degenerates into a haven for Mary Sue writing adolescent girls who don't believe in beta readers or proper punctuation. So, if you're reading this and you care, go here and sign the petition. I don't know if it will do any good (and it probably won't - we had a petition for the List section, too) but, hey, at least we can say we've tried. And that's something. Right?

(Mr. Croup - And she's writing fanfic about us.
Mr. Vandemar - Is it NC-17?
::Messrs C&V look at each other and nadiai eyes them both, thoughtfully. All three shudder in uttermost squick::
Mr. Croup - No. Most definately, no.)

So...Florida-ness. When I travel, I realize how much I really love my home. I mean, Florida is nice enough. It's warm, the beaches are nice, they have thunderstorms, etc. But it's full of palm trees. I don't like palm trees. Palm trees, while somewhat interesting and novel in appearance, are really quite ugly after a while. They're just big sticks with a little tuft of weird looking leaves on the top. I guess they just don't do it for me. I like evergreen trees and deciduous trees like oaks and maples and birches. They simply appeal to me more. Also, Florida is quite flat. I've gotten so used to hilly, mountainous regions that flat places just seem weird. When we first got here, I kept unconciously looking for the mountains that I'm used to being able to see. And they weren't there. It was strange.

Now, it's kind of odd. I mean, I grew up on the East Coast, in a relatively flat area. I've only had mountains for 3 years. But I miss them. And, certainly, there are things that I miss quite a lot about Delaware. I miss Old Bay being a intregal part of steamed shrimp. I miss the tax free shopping (though not the income tax). I miss the cheese steaks and being able to get decent eggrolls. I miss school districts where the schools make sense - they go K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Sophomores are upperclassmen, dammit. And I'm sad that my sisters have to spend their high school years in a school with block scheduling. (Gods, I hate block scheduling. Stupid, stupid, stupid.) But these are all really small things. I love the Pacific Northwest. I love the mountains and the water. I love all the trees everywhere. I love my school - Western rocks. I love the greeness and the moderate weather and the friendly people. I love downtown Bellingham and downtown Poulsbo. I just really like the whole feel of the region. I don't think that I ever want to leave. But it's strange to me that it's happened so fast. I was so resistant to moving - I don't really deal well with change. But now I wouldn't have it any other way. I've found a place that I love and people that I love. So I'm glad that it happened. And I don't want to move to Florida.

("Circumlocution," said Mr. Croup to Mr. Vandemar. "It's a way of speaking around something. A digression. Verbosity." Mr. Vandemar nodded. "I wondered," he said.
There. Happy?
Messrs. Croup and Vandermar - Yes.)

Stupid school bureaucracy. So they tell me that these classes I've taken are an acceptable substitute for others in my major. Yet they forget to tell other people this vitally important fact. So I have problems registering. And I have to phone two seperate departments. I hate calling people. People should check their email more. It would make my life so much easier.

(Mr. Croup - Where have all the circumlocutions gone? I never get to talk anymore.
Mr. Vandemar - She's writing fanfiction about us, though.
Mr. Croup - Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Mr. Vandemar - Dunno.
Mr. Croup - Succinct as ever, Mr. Vandemar. We shall have to wait and see. Can't kill her yet.
Mr. Vandermar - ::fingers his knife lovingly::
Mr. Croup - Do you realize that our conversation is longer than the actual entry?)

Which Hellsing character are you?
Yeeha! I'm not Seras Victoria! I think I'd happily accept anything but that. And this guy was actually kind of cool...completely fanatical, but cool. hehe.

Au clair de la lune, mon ami Pierrot
Prete-moi ta plume pour ecrire un mot.
Ma chandelle est morte, je n'ai plus de feu
Ouvre-moi la porte, pour l'amour de Dieu...

Yup. Definate obsession. Did I mention that I don't actually speak French at all? Yet this stuck in my head and won't leave, even the lyrics. And it's not even the movie I got it from entirely, any more. I think that I'm mildly obsessed with the song. Scary.

Au clair de la lune, Pierrot respondit...

I watched Quills again last night. And I know, at very least, the first verse to "Clair de Lune." In French. Which I don't speak. Everyone should probably be very frightened.

I think I shall have to bring this one to school with me. 8)

Go here. Because you love me and you want to see my silly little webpage. Of course you do.

I bought Quills. Just so that everyone knows. And thus can prepare and be afraid. Bwa haha.

Find out which Discworld guy you are.
Dude, I rock! Completely!


Find out which Discworld girl you are.
Well, not quite so cool...but strangely appropriate.


Find out which Discworld novelty you are.
That's cool at least. 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

So...anybody out there who enjoys weirdly dark and somewhat bloody movies about madness and perversity? (Albeit gorgeously filmed and written weirdly dark and somewhat bloody movies about madness and perversity.) Anyone?

Now that the majority of my audience has left (all 3 of them), the rest of you should go find yourself a copy of Quills. Because this movie is good. I knew Geoffrey Rush was cool before but now...he blew me away. Completely. His Marquis de Sade (and if I have to explain who the Marquis de Sade was to one more person, I shall severely hurt someone) is phenomenal - clever, magnetic, scary and strangely beautiful. He has such flair, even locked up in a madhouse, even wearing the same rags that were once fine clothes day after day. (I have to say that his clothes looked best after he'd written all over them.) It's strange how one comes almost to admire this man whose name has become synonymous with cruelty and pervasion. And even pity him. (He seems to be under the same curse Morpheus put on Richard Murdoch. They both are driven to write with blood and on their walls when denied paper and ink.)

Now I have no idea whether or not this movie is historically accurate - in fact, I greatly doubt that it is. And, frankly, I don't care. One has to judge a movie on what it is on its own, not what outside influences make it. And, on its own, this movie this movie is like black espresso or the darkest chocolate. It's an acquired taste, but for those who like this sort of thing, there's nothing better.

And I would recommend that you watch this one alone. With others, there's always that danger that someone will laugh inapproprietly or talk at exactly the wrong moment. And just imagine how terrible it would be, trying to savour your dark and bitter treasure with someone who turns out to be a milk chocolate/cafe au lait kind of person. No, some things are better experienced alone - like a guilty secret, devoured with relish in the dark. (God, I need to buy this movie.) If you must watch it with others, try to find people who didn't laugh at The Shadow of the Vampire. Not that the two movies are really at all similar. But it seems to work to me.

(Oh, by the way...if you do see this movie, be prepared to have "Clair de Lune" stuck in your head for hours afterward. And I hope that you know more of it than I do.)

("Circumlocution," said Mr. Croup to Mr. Vandemar. "It's a way of speaking around something. A digression. Verbosity." Mr. Vandemar nodded. "I wondered," he said.)

Strangely enough, I really wish it would rain. And I don't know why. But I'd really like it to rain all day tomorrow...it just seems a little humid and oppressive around here and the air needs to clear. I'd really go for some thunder and lightning too, but that's a bit much to ask in western Washington, I suppose. Ah, well. But day-long rain tomorrow...just a little drizzle all day. It'd be great if it started tonight, too. Just in a grey mood, I imagine.

Yea! It worked! Now people can put comments on my blog entries...if they want. If anyone ever visits my blog. But still, is exciting, yes?

Ok. I think I'm putting a comment system on here. So let's see if it works.

Bwa haha! Now I've seen all of The Godfather II, so we can cross that off The List. And it was very cool, though the Spanish in the bits set in Havana really threw me off for a minute or two. Now I need to learn Italian. About all I can say is "thank you," "you're welcome," and "I have great respect for your father." hehe.

My sisters are going back to school soon and my parents (of course) are going to work, so I will have the house to myself completely for a few days each week. Until I go to school and then I will almost always have my room to myself. hehe. So both of those will be exciting. And I will get to watch creepy movies all by myself. Also, soon my parents will get all of their stuff off of the computer that once was theirs and is now mine so that I can put whatever I want on it. I really can't wait. I'll have to rip some of my dad's CDs before I go back to school so that I can have Bruce Springsteen-ness while I'm there. hehe.

I have spent far too long today working on the webpage-that-someday-may-be and now my neck hurts. But The List is on there and the language I'm making up now has the slightest bit of a grammar guide (though not much of one) and other pages have stuff on them that says that there's nothing on them, rather than big blank white nothingness. Which is good. Grumpy black nothingness is a much better thing, right? Someday, the whole thing will work and be full of Sara-rific goodness and weird fanfic and odd linguistic tendencies and then I will actually put it on the Internet so that people who are not members of my family can see it. And my parents have a scanner now, which is a good thing. Yea.