Lonely Nights on the Town - Episode One

Okay, technically this should be episode two, but since the first solo excursion wasn't actually planned, I'm not going to count it. Also, I'm not entirely sure I would actually advise going out by oneself unless you're fairly certain that you're going to run into friends or people who you kinda sorta get along with.
The main reason for this is that I don't find these solo outings to be all that fun. I can handle going to the movies by myself because I'm there to watch a movie, and hence not really there to meet anyone or socialize. But even in that scenario, I'm usually the only single dumbass in the theater, so yay me. And I'm not writing this for the pity ("Awww...that's sooo sad... You poor lonely f***. Don't you have any friends? A boyfriend? A girlfriend? We won't judge...lol...j/k..."), or to be applauded for my "bravery" ("Brava! I could never do what you do, you brave, brave soul. You must be super confident! You went out and willingly surrounded yourself with hot, skinny chicks and happy couples who just can't keep their hands and lips off of each other. Sooo brave!"). Yeah, I get it. I'm a friggin' role model and saint over here. Real groundbreaking stuff I'm doing. Changing the world by planting my derriere in a different club or bar once every two weeks and downing one cocktail after another. No, this is just mainly a way for me to process these types of experiences, maybe someone else out there can identify with this (and of course, one/some/all of the other entries), and who knows, it might be somewhat entertaining to some of you (even though this really isn't a super funny story...sorry...I was going to go to a sex convention last month, and as entertaining and interesting as that potentially could have been, I just couldn't find the motivation to do it). And if you wind up pitying or admiring me, that's fine (I guess), but that's not really the main goal of this entry.
Anyways, this was actually supposed to be posted last weekend, but then I just didn't get around to it. Or maybe I was just too lazy...I don't really remember anymore. So, what exactly does a lone wolf do on a Friday night? Well, for starters, she goes to a street food event that is being held right outside of a night club. This part was fairly easy because there weren't really any people out there that night. As it turns out, very few enjoy eating street food outside in late November when it's cold and raining. Obviously, I do. Unfortunately, I wasn't too thrilled with the selection available and I had other plans and I wasn't even really hungry, but if you're planning on boozing it up later on, even if you're more voluptuous like I am, you still need something to help delay the absorption of all that alcohol that you're planning on consuming. Sooo, tacos and fried ice cream it was for me. While both were good, the tacos weren't necessarily the wisest choice since they served them with red onions and I could smell those on my fingers for hours and multiple hand washes after the fact. In addition to that, I had my first cocktail of the night, which was good, but clearly not strong enough because I pretty much downed it in five minutes at the most. In fact, I had to pace myself...which is probably one of the reasons why I should always go out with at least one other person. If I have a distraction, I won't drink as quickly, which is somewhat weird because people usually complain that I eat and drink way too slowly. It's true. Ask anyone who has had the pleasure of eating/drinking in my presence. And don't say, "Well, that's a good thing. You'll eat less because your body will realize it's full before you overeat, so you'll gain less weight." Soooo, my slow eating is preventing me from being fat? Oh wait... But the drink was delicious and as tempted as I was to try another one called "69," which just has my name all over it...what?! I'm a Cancer, 69 is the sign of the crab! How believable is that excuse?...I did want to make it to the downtown area in time for ladies' night. Unfortunately, it dawned on me that standing in the dark...by myself...next to the abandoned brothel...while waiting for the bus was both kind of funny and not very smart. Oh well, life is risk, right? hehehe... (I'm kidding...I would not advise for a single female to be standing alone in the dark next to a brothel, abandoned or not. I do it because it's me. And I realize that that's an unsatisfactory explanation.)
As for ladies' night, I was expecting there to be a line standing out the door waiting to be let in at that particular bar/restaurant/club, only to discover that I was one of the few schmucks to show up on time (on time = 10 p.m.). Okay, now what?! Was that a rookie move on my part?! I don't get out much, okay?! Nobody teaches you this shit! *ahem* Where was I? Oh yeah...a singleton at ladies' night. (I'm not sure I can use that word quite like that, but it is still very appropriate...and some of you will get why.) I was a bit surprised and intrigued by this fairly sizeable group of goths in front of me, and was kind of hoping that they were all going to the club to drink and dance too, but they really only wanted to sit down and eat burgers, which was disappointing... It also seemed that not only did people not want to party when the event started, but that the club itself wasn't even ready for potential partiers at 10. Because it's just not cool or sexy to be on time, I guess. Befitting the theme of ladies' night, they had pink lights that threw images of pink kitties (do I really have to explain the choice of cats?) up on the wall and a disco ball and last year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show playing on a big screen. Of course, seeing a group of the most attractive and svelte women in the universe on repeat several times throughout the night did wonders for my self-esteem... *tugs on sweater* I mean, I do kinda sorta like the show, but I also don't at the same time. I'm a very confused individual, I know. Since I was one of the first women to show up (who are we kidding? I was THE first one there...loser...), I got a free welcome drink...which was so sugary, it actually gave me cramps. Super sexy... Now, I'm guessing that that's because the considerate organizers were doing us chicks a favor by mixing in some type of super artificially sweet diet soda so that we could control the amount of empty calories that we would wind up inhaling over the course of the night. I don't know why because I ordered a vodka and coke before I was even done with that cocktail. As for the music, it was pretty good (at least in the beginning) and it certainly helped that the DJ was fairly easy on the eyes, not that you could really see that much of him. And no, I wasn't interested in him. Knowing my luck he would've wound up being only 21 or something like that, which is adorable, but most people that age still have quite a bit of maturing to do. But it was smart to hire a fairly attractive male DJ for a ladies' night, even though one could also argue the point of hiring a female one as well.
Even though I wasn't on the verge of tears (like I had been during a previous lonesome night out on the town), I was hyperaware of my outsider status. There was one other person who was alone - a middle-aged guy who was drinking a beer - but I think he really just wanted to be by himself and promptly left after more people showed up. Other than that, I was the only person who was stupid enough to be out by herself. There were a lot of women who showed up in pairs of two, some in groups of three and more, there were of course the friends/groupies of the DJ, the couples, and female-male-female threesomes (don't get too excited, the guys in those types of groupings weren't really digging the whole "ladies" part of the ladies' night). The most noteworthy and bizarre group I saw was one that I'll just call the patchwork gang. This was probably the biggest gathering of people, but they were also very random. What makes me say this? Well, because there was no more or less uniform dress code. If you hadn't seen them slowly assemble bit by bit, you wouldn't have been able to tell that they all knew each other. They all seemed to surround this one young woman who was dressed like she just got back from a friggin' movie premiere and wasn't able to change out of her evening gown. Or maybe she simply thought she was attending the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty. And I know that the Oscars aren't until the beginning of next year, I'm just trying to paint a picture, okay? She was there with two other women and one man who appeared to have just returned from an insurance convention since they were all dressed in black office attire. Maybe they were Miss Hayworth's assistants? (I'm kidding...I like Rita Hayworth, but her styling was vaguely reminiscent of that era.) In addition to that, there was a guy who initially looked like he was one of the servers because he was dressed in a simple black sweater and pants, but considering how much time he spent with that group, I wound up thinking that he was a personal bodyguard...until he kissed the chick in the eveningwear. Granted, he could still be the bodyguard or driver or both (or maybe even a gigolo, I don't know), and maybe she was fulfilling a sexual fantasy of being Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard. I'm not judging, I'm just guessing and trying to make sense out of the whole situation. More than likely, he's probably just the boyfriend (/bodyguard/driver/bouncer/etc.). And as if that weren't bizarre enough, they were all later joined by a group of frat boys. I don't know how they all know each other or if they just wound up being stuck to each other on the way to da club like a bunch of magnets, but it was really one of the most bizarre groupings I have ever seen in my life.
Of course, the other people there would probably say the same about me. Yes, that I'm one of the most bizarre groupings (of atoms) they have ever seen in their lives... It does seem that at least in a university town like Heidelberg, you just don't see a woman (or anyone for that matter, unless you're a middle-aged guy heading to the bar after work) going out by themselves. Therefore, I was stared at a lot...and not in an "Oh my gosh...I'm super intrigued, let me get to know you"-way either. It was more in a "Did you get lost?/Dafuq are you doing here?/Didn't we kill all of your kind?"-way. I mean, look people. Not all of us are so lucky that we have friends who are always available, some of them have families of their own, some of them have partners to sleep with, others live too far away. Not all of us are lucky enough to have someone in our lives who's so willing to f*** us that he'll let us schlepp him to friggin' ladies' night. Not all of us have been blessed with hot bods and gorgeous faces that have men falling all over themselves to wife us up before someone else does, but we still want to be able to have a tiny bit of fun and be able to say that for once we didn't get wasted in the privacy of our own homes because that suddenly makes everyone think you're a budding alcoholic. (It's a joke...I can't afford to get wasted all the time, not even in the privacy of my own apartment. It's too expensive and too many calories. I don't need to wake up and walk around with bloated hamster face every single day. Only hamsters look cute with hamster face. Fine...some people look cute with hamster face too.) So, if everyone could do people like me a kindness and not stare and then whisper and giggle about us with your friends or partners/bed buddies, that would be great. You can give me a quick once-over, but unless you're planning on striking up a conversation with me, just don't stare. Not only is it rude and potentially hurtful and threatening, I'm doing my darndest to not make you feel uncomfortable or judge you either, so you could easily extend me the same courtesy, especially since you're actually out with other people and in a far less vulnerable position.
All in all, it wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't fun. For me. Who knows...maybe if I repeatedly expose myself to these types of situations, I'll become more comfortable and actually learn to find them enjoyable, but I'm not sure if and when I'll do something like this again. I'm also not entirely certain that the energy that I have to put into these excursions is actually worth the exhaustion, anxiety and discomfort that I feel before/during/afterward. There are better uses of my time than throwing myself at the mercy of wolves.    

Return to the surface

Light at the end of the tunnel
Emerging from this dark hole
Body sore and exhausted from the strain
Trouble breathing
And yet moving forward
No time to relax
The flames of passion burning more intensely than ever before
Ready to live
Ready to fight
Ready to survive
Anger, determination, love, compassion, sorrow
All flowing into one
Life and willpower returning

Unsure about the future
Will the darkness return?
No choice
Need to live
Need to fight
Need to survive
Can't stop this fire from burning
Taking slow, but steady steps
Pushing through the crowds
Never willing to give up
Never one to be messed with
Prepared to knock all the traitors back

Should the darkness still catch up
I will fight
and thrive
and even survive
Live to see a new day
And refuse to accept anything less

What's Your Sign?

Those who know me a bit better, know that I love astrology. It's not that I blindly trust and believe what I read, but it's entertaining and astrology can be pretty accurate.
Most people know about the basic zodiac (Aries-Pisces). Quite a few know about the Chinese zodiac, which isn't set up on a monthly, but on a yearly, basis. Of course, there are other types of zodiac systems, one of them being the Egyptian zodiac. Unfortunately, I haven't found much information on Egyptian astrology (I might just be looking in all the wrong places). However, I recently found a sight that seems to work fine...for now.
If you're interested in Egyptian astrology set up in the format of, I guess, the basic western zodiac, then go to Tour Egypt's "Pharaoh's Signs of the Zodiac" section. However, unlike the basic zodiac, which starts with Aries (around the last week of March), this is listed as starting with Thoth (at the end of August). I'm not a big fan of the way it is set up, but it's still interesting to look through.
According to this, I was born in the sign of the Phoenix. My strengths are supposedly being optimistic (yeah right), flexible (it depends), and promoting optimism in others (okay, I actually do like to do this).
My weaknesses are being solitary (I'm sorry, I don't think that this is a legitimate weakness), stubborn (okay, if you're too stubborn or constantly being stubborn, I can see this as a weakness), dreamy (okay, too much daydreaming can be bad...), and unrealistic (I don't know...I'm actually more realistic than some people might think about me...). Then this site also has potential jobs listed. Mine are risky jobs, self-employment, and most probably great engineers. Umm, I'm not one for anything dealing with high risk, and I'm not really interested in engineering. So, that leaves me with self-employment... I do like being my own boss, but self-employment can be quite risky depending on the actual work.
Well, that was fun. Now on to the next website.
Someone set up this website that lists each of the Egyptian signs closer to what they are actually meant to be. However, there are a number of typos and parts of the text don't make much sense, which could be the result of a direct translation...or a poor translation.
This is why I am going to include a third website. soFeminine.co.uk might be geared more towards women, but looking at my sign at least, I don't see anything that would be exclusive to women. So, it should be mostly the same for men as well.
Once you've selected the day and month on which you were born, you will directed to your Egyptian sign. Here I am listed as having been born under the sign of Anubis, which I've read more often than not (Tour Egypt is actually the only place where I've read anything different). As with all signs, you get a brief history lesson, and then a paragraph on the character associated with the god or figure (most or all of the signs are based on the Egyptian gods, I think).
Being born under the sign of Anubis (God of the dead and afterlife), I am a bit of a paradox, like to be alone, in the shade, and anonymous. I am idealist, highly sensitive, honest, and loyal. I have a fatalistic side. I am drawn to the fields of human resources, medicine and teaching. Old wounds never really heal...the slightest upset can make me indecisive...I am very careful when choosing a partner...and so on.
So far, soFeminine.co.uk is the best site I've found for Egyptian astrology, but I'm still looking. Hopefully, I'll find a book or website or something that is more extensive in this area.
Have fun looking up your Egyptian sign and I'll talk to everyone later.

Take care!

The things I find...

Well, I've found something new to entertain myself with. This time it's the Danish music group Infernal. So yeah, I've been dancing to and singing their songs now.
As much as I would like to type up more, my mind has been dreadfully blank all of today. So, sorry about that people.
Anyway, I need to take Benadryl, so I will leave you some videos to watch and hopefully enjoy.

Take care mina san!

Decisions

Yes, I am still having odd dreams. Recently, I had a dream about me feeling faint and wanting to buy food, but I ended up giving so much money to others on the way, I didn't have enough money to buy food for myself. Hmm...omoshiroi da ne...
Okay, I will agree with Shaun...Porky Pig raping Elmer Fudd would be hilarious...visually at least. However, since I'm not just a visual person, I think it would be funnier listening to Elmer Fudd raping Porky Pig...
Now, enough with talk about rape...for now. This post is not about rape. Or sex. Or anything like that.
This post is about trends I've been noticing. 2007 is the year of people getting engaged/married and people writing books. I know of three couples who are getting married this year (well, one of these couples is already legally married) and, from what I've read, of at least two people who are writing books. Of course, those two people are excluded from the people I know who will be participating in NaNoWriMo this November.
Since I am feeling kind of left out from all the fun and I am in the mood to step onto the beaten path, for once, I figure I should do at least one of the two: Get engaged or write a book (or at least start writing a book). Chances of me getting engaged this year are nil, and to be completely honest, I am more interested in writing a book anyway. Sooo, I think I'm going to do some major brainstorming while I still have the energy and time, and then slowly but surely get started on my first book. Who knows...I just might write a book on getting married... I'm kidding.
Of course, there's always a chance that I won't be doing anything special this year...other than crocheting massive afghans...
Okay, that's all from me. I'm off to crochet some more, maybe send some of my dear friends messages, do some more reading, watch DVDs, and run some errands.
I also just wanted to apologize to everyone I've been neglecting. My mind isn't in the best place right now (well, it hasn't been for the past 13 years, truth be told)...actually, it would be more accurate to say that not even I'm sure where my mind is...
Anyway, I will do my best to keep in touch with everyone more.

Take care mina san!

Weird...

Yesterday's sleep was filled with dreams of me driving through stop signs and traffic lights, traveling around Europe, going to a Swiss prison that locked its guards inside past a certain time,...and women raping men. I mean, rape isn't a funny topic, regardless of who is raping who, but somehow it looked somewhat amusing in my dream. The screws in this prison were also chocolate truffles...huh???
Okay, this sequence of dreams has been the most light-hearted I've ever encountered. It was also filled with the most random images... I expect dreams to be highly random...but, uhh, not this random!!!
Something else: When I woke up this morning, it felt like someone had thrown a piano on me. My left wrist was in pain...my eyes were completely sore (and I don't mean the regular "Oh gosh, I just woke up, and the light is hurting my eyes"-soreness)...my right shoulder hurt...everything hurt.
However, I think the thing that confuses me most is...why do I feel like I spent all night kissing women? Hmmmm...
Aaahhh...who knows... I need to get to bed. Maybe my dreams will be less random this time around...and maybe I won't wake up feeling like I just spent eight hours making out with people. Wait...I actually wouldn't mind that too much... *hehe*

Oyasumi nasai minasan!

Well, what a surprise...

Since we all know by now how much I love quizzes, and I just saw this on Trifthen's website...well, need I say more?

Your Score: Temperance

You scored 52 change, 27 wellbeing, 80 wisdom, and 51 truth

The angel in the picture above is perfectly balancing and combining the two qualities of male and female, or positive and negative. The angel stands with one foot on the earth and one within the water at foot. This is also a perfect balance of the conscious and the subconscious mind. The red wings are symbolic of the fiery desires of the spirit to learn on a higher level of consciousness and the mountains in the background represent wisdom. The triangle is the higher knowledge that is acquired through introspection as the will to learn and understand can cause within us great doubt, but by following truth, we can select a path that leads us to the wisdom we so desire.

some extra words:

being temperate
finding the middle ground
showing moderation
avoiding excess
mitigating a harsh position
looking for the golden mean
reaching a compromise
offsetting an extreme

maintaining balance
experiencing harmony
achieving equilibrium
bringing together opposites
recognizing all sides
fostering cooperation
feeling centered and secure

experiencing health
renewing energy and vigor
healing
enjoying well-being
recovering
flourishing

combining forces
gathering together what is needed
joining with others
consolidating
finding the right mix
creating synthesis
getting it all together

Link: The What tarot card resembles you Test written by KamikazeParrot on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Raving to keep sane

A lot has been going on. I am preparing to move again, which will hopefully be the last time I have to do this for the next two years. I don't mind moving, and I usually get jumpy after having lived in one place or gone to one school for about two years, but this is enough.
I also need to have my left jaw joint looked at since I feel like shooting myself a lot of times because of the level of pain. Then, of course, I need to ask a gynecologist about my ovaries and uterus because I can't believe that the amount of pain that I've been in for about a decade can be anything close to normal.
What else? I am, as always, overly concerned with humanity, the world, and the universe. Is there anything I can do about it? Well, it's like I told my mother recently, I could do something about it, but then my hands would smart from the amount of people I'd be smacking around. Okay, Spass beiseite, I know that there's something I should be able to do, even if it is just expressing these worries of mine for the time being. However, that is only a short-term solution. Bitching has never gotten us anywhere useful. So, I guess it's on to constructive complaining. Sorry, I probably shouldn't be typing while I'm this tired...
Anyway, eventually, hopefully in the near future, I will think of something useful and compassionate to do for everyone.
Okay, I'm starting to draw blanks, so I guess I'll type a longer post later.
As for me raving to keep sane (or as sane as I can be), this video is of one of the many songs that I've been dancing and listening to. It's from Scooter's album Stadium Techno (if I'm not mistaken) and it's called Maria (I like it loud). It also has a guest appearance from Ralf Moeller, who has played in movies and series, such as Conan The Adventurer (1997-1998), Gladiator (2000), Die Nibelungen (Ring of the Nibelungs) (2004), Beerfest (2006), Pathfinder and Seed (2007), and has finished work on Postal (2007). Even though he is funny in the video, I still shudder slightly at the thought of Ralf in this video and am trying to forget about it.
By the way, before you watch the video, here are a few more things I'd like to say:
1) Don't forget to read Trifthen's webfiction. He's already on the 10th chapter, I believe. So far, there are updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
2) Personal message to Adrienne: I love you too! *mwah*

Watashi ga taizen da to omoimasu.

Well, Anime Central is over and all of my boys are at home again. Because I didn't/couldn't go this year, I was, of course, very curious of what went on. Naturally, the one person I didn't need to hear from, I, well, inadvertently heard from (mainly because the living room TV doesn't work). I got to hear him say things about friends of mine. Things that I didn't really appreciate...especially since they were coming from him. He also took a stab at trying to figure out why my friend/roommate (as opposed to my boyfriend/roommate...or as opposed to him, the prick/roommate) attended conventions. However, he doesn't know jack about anything or anyone, so he should shut up!
Anyway, I've slept on it and decided that it would be completely against my usual personality to curse him out. It's hard. Really hard, but I know what types of people my friends are (or at the very least, I have a much better clue than he does) and if I let him get to me, it will just go to show that he is of some significance in my life. If I've learned anything in the past 21 years, it's that ignoring someone/something is more damaging than any physical or verbal attacks that I could hand out.
I think that's all I have to say for now. And yes, I actually do feel quite calm/self-possessed.

Take care mina san!

Es ist wieder Zeit fuer einen deutschen Eintrag

Tja, es ist schon ziemlich lange her seit meinem letzten deutschen Eintrag, nicht wahr?
Heute ist Muttertag, also "Alles Gute!" an alle Muetter, Grossmuetter, und an die Leute, die sich liebend um andere kuemmern.
Was geht bei mir heute ab? Nichts...ueberhaupt nichts! Ich bin gestern ins Kino gegangen und hab "Hot Fuzz" angeguckt...alleine!...und dann bin ich etwas spaeter ins Bett.
Unglaublicherweise bin ich nach nur drei Stunden oder so aufgewacht! Ich hab schon gedacht, dass es mittags ist, aber nein...es ist erst 8 Uhr morgens gewesen.
Schon seltsam, oder?
Hmmm...ich bin gerade dabei drei Buecher zu lesen und ich schaue mir "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" und "Excel Saga" an. Also, sehr viel geht bei mir momentan nicht vor...
Na ja, hoffentlich melde ich mich bald wieder!

Passt gut auf euch auf!

Babbling Benedetta

Well, May is finally here and a potent combination of excitement, anxiety, and sorrow are leaving me with the same bittersweet aftertaste that blood usually does. I want to feel some relief, but all the scratching in the world couldn't get rid of this itch...at least not until about a month after finals.

I met quite a few interesting people this semester, which doesn't happen a lot. Of course, being in a Japanese class with only about 12 students kind of forces you to get to know everyone else. So, now I'm quite sad thinking about all of the laughs and conversations we shared in and out of class. But who knows, we might be able to stay in touch and see each other again in other classes.

Yesterday I took my Japanese final, so now I have three more to go. I know I won't get 100% on the final, but I think that I did quite well.

What else has been going on? Well, the remnants of a cold that just don't seem to want to go away, a right knee that has been bugging me (which is odd since that's supposed to be my good knee), a sudden increase in dizzy spells again (which might be caused by the combination of a cold and anti-depressants), overwhelming nausea (that is probably also caused by anti-depressants and/or thyroid medication), and experiencing the oh-so-familiar pain that accompanies my ovulation (only this time, it seems I am dealing with two eggs instead of one, since both ovaries are causing me pain).
I know that things could be far worse, so I'm glad to have been given this relatively minor burden.

Other news: I was planning on going to Anime Central this year, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be...*sob, sob* I'll be fine as soon as the convention's over...and I guess I'm already over the fact that I'm not going...at least I'm not feeling anything at the moment. Sure, it would have been great, but oh well.

Next topic... My dad and my younger sister had their birthdays this week...and my younger brother's will this upcoming week, so yay...I guess. Three Taureans in one family...that's at least two Taureans too many. At least.

Umm...well, I can't really think of anything else to babble on about. Not now, at least.

So, have a nice evening mina san, don't fall on your faces, but if you must...do it with flair.

Shameless Plugs and 100th Post (yay!)

Well, I have two sites for everyone to visit. If you check my Links section, you will see one listed as Fulltang. Click on this and it will lead you to the Livejournal of one of my dear friends. Just read his posts and show hime your love. Maybe he'll update more often if more than one or two people read and comment on his posts.
The second site was set up by one of my closest and dearest friends. Again, check the Links section, click on Trifthen's Webfiction (it's listed directly underneath the link listed as Trifthen), and read his entries. He has been superbusy writing chapter outlines and typing up these entries. Yet again, show him your love by reading these entries and sending him comments on his main site. So far, I like what I've been reading and no, this is not me "buttering him up".
As you can see in the title, this is also my 100th post, which really isn't that impressive, considering how long I've had this blog. I'm still happy about it though.
Well, I guess I'm done for today. I'll try and update soon. As soon as I possibly can, at least.

Take care mina san!

300

Well, I said I would post more about 300, so this is exactly what I'm doing now. This is such a pretty movie, even with the violent nature of this movie. It's funny because yes, the movie is violent, but the violence isn't overpowering. 99% of this movie is filled with men, which I'm perfectly fine with. I mean, this movie does deal with Spartans, so that means loads of testosterone. Of course, there were women in the movie, but most of them were extras. This made it relatively easy for Lena Headey to stand out as the only main female in 300. Not that she has any problems standing out in a crowd of females... Lena Headey played the beautiful and strong Spartan Queen Gorgo, in case "the only main female" wasn't a dead giveaway. I am always surprised with Lena Headey because she almost always looks kind of tough and edgy at conventions and other public appearances, but she's always so soft and feminine onscreen (she never loses her toughness though).
This sort of leads into my next point: the love scene between King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo. It was quite interesting to watch, especially because the audience either started giggling, talking about something completely unrelated, or everyone just shut up. I had read somewhere that this love scene was described as "Skinamax", which for those of you who don't know, Skinamax is a reference to the softcore porn movies shown on the Cinemax channels. I don't know how true that is since I've only seen one of those movies and I was listening to two gay guys pretty much discuss and question the appeal of heterosexual sex. So...yeah. Anyway, with how male-centric this movie was overall, I thought it was quite fascinating that the love scene was female-centric. You barely saw anything of King Leonidas and that Queen Gorgo was quite clearly enjoying herself. I don't know if this was on purpose or what was going on, but I just thought I'd point it out.
Now onto Xerxes... He is tall!!! (Yes, I realize that the actor isn't actually that tall, but I can still be impressed.) Okay, while I was watching 300, I kept on thinking "You know who would make good-looking Spartan? Rodrigo Santoro." Then I found out he played Xerxes! What?! That was a surprise... Rodrigo Santoro can play the really sweet good guy and the hot bad guy, but I was surprised that I couldn't recognize him. I don't know why I was because he was covered in chains, gold paint and make-up, he was bald and they decided to record another voice over his.
Another person who stood out was David Wenham, who played Dilios. Dilios was pretty much the narrator and was also the guy, who had his eye covered up with cloth. I never would have guessed that David could bulk up the way he did for this movie because he just didn't seem like that kind of a person. In addition to that, he was already attractive without showing off so much of his body. There's not much else that I could say about him. He's just amazing. I love his voice, his face, and his overall personality.
The last person I would like to talk about is my favorite actor and someone I consider to be one of the most attractive people ever. Gerard Butler was, in my opinion, the perfect choice for King Leonidas. He has a very strong voice and presence, and he doesn't lack any emotions. I've been a fan of Gerard's for about 5 or 6 years now and he never ceases to amaze me. I was kind of expecting his career to take off after "The Phantom of the Opera", which didn't really happen, so maybe he will gain the success he deserves after this.
So, 300 is definitely worth watching, at least once. And...if there's anything I've missed, or anything you would like my opinion on (yeah right), just let me know.
That's all from me for today. I am now off to enjoy my first day of spring break, or at least I will attempt to. I also can't wait for 300 to be released on DVD. Yes, I'm a horrible person.
Okay, I'm done. Let's hope that this won't be my last post.

Take care people

Alive...barely

Well, I'm going to keep this short, sweet, and simple...maybe. All you need to know is that I'm still alive (kind of), and I am doing my best to keep my world intact.
I went to the midnight showing of 300 on Friday morning. 300 is such a pretty movie...
I won't be writing much about it in this post, but I will say that I adore Lena Headey, David Wenham, and Gerard Butler. They are great actors and seem like people you could just hang out and be friends with.
Okay, that's all from me.

Take care

Happy Valentine's/ National Condom/ Single Awareness Day

Yes people, pick your day. We have Valentine's Day for the romantically-inclined couples among you; Single Awareness Day for the mildly depressed, lonely and longing, or the independent; and of course my pick and personal favorite: National Condom Day (whoo!).
Well, that's all I really have to about (insert your day).
UIUC actually showed that they had some common sense and not only cancelled all of their classes yesterday, but also all of today's classes, which made me quite happy. Of course, one of my room mates/friends still drove to work yesterday and ended up getting stuck on his way back, which was quite annoying because he got stuck unbelievably close to home.
So, my boyfriend, this friend, and I wandered through what could be called snow deserts to try to free his car from the snow and get it home safely, but alas, no such luck. There were about 6 other cars stuck in the same area and we wouldn't have been able to get the car very far anyway. I almost sprained my ankle at least a few dozen times on the way there and back, which almost caused me to just lay on the snow and call it a day, but I'm not the type of person to give up and in. Unfortunately, I thought my body was going to completely shut down on me after we got back last night, I might get a cold (I had quite the cough last night and my voice is still raspy), and my ankles and calves are making me pay for last night. Oh well, this is a small price to pay if it means that I can be of at least some help to the people I hold near and dear to my heart.
The good news is: He managed to get his car back today and it is now parked safely in the carport.
I do regret though that I forgot to take pictures of the mess outside, but there's not much I can do about that now.
Hmm, what else is there to write...
We had quite the relaxing day today. We watched the unrated extended director's cut of "The Grudge" along with a track produced by the guy, who I guess produced the Mystery Science Theater 3000 show. However, that track was recorded for the theater version of "The Grudge", so we ended up getting commentary that didn't make much or any sense at certain spots of the movie. Then we got food and attempted to get the car out of the snow, but in the end, a tow truck had to get the car out.
Anyway, I need to finish up, so I can get my school stuff ready, read another chapter from "Monkey", and relax while watching "The Grudge 2". Didn't I say that I was sick and insane? Who knows if I'll even make it to the movie-watching part...

Talk to everyone later.

This week's score: Bettina: 1...Death: 0

Yes! I have managed to survive yet another week.
Sooo, let's see what I have to report...
Monday went over pretty normal. Tuesday did quite a number on me because I thought I knew where I had put my meds, but I just couldn't find them until after I had managed to make it home relatively safely and slightly shaking. Damn anxiety disorder... All I have to say is: NO MORE SNOW! Note that I am writing this after having checked weather.gov and finding out that there is a forecast for even more snow early next week. Ummm...Wednesday I was 15 minutes late for my Japanese class, which really got to me because I had a chapter quiz that day. Oddly enough, I still managed to be the first to finish the quiz. Nothing much happened yesterday...wait...oh yeah, I nearly killed myself yesterday! On campus, several of the buildings have very smooth steps, which become dangerously slippery with only a few drops of water on them (okay, it takes a bit more than a few drops...). Anyway, I managed to nearly break my neck walking down one of them and almost bust my knee open walking up another set of those stairs. Then I nearly sprained my ankle because I am completely incapable of walking...on grounds covered with unevenly pressed-down snow. Well, as for today, I woke up with a sore arm, which was caused by me sleeping on the tube of my sleep mask. Unfortunately, I also woke up ten minutes later than usual, but oh well... What else... I had my first midterm exam (Japanese) today, which is kind of early in the semester, but since I have two midterm exams for Japanese, I guess it works.
Well, I think that pretty much covers my week. I am also quite happy to be watching "Dirt" again. "Dirt" is a show with Courtney Cox Arquette that deals with the world of gossip and tabloids and well...dirt. It's actually pretty good. It has interesting characters, storylines, and like FX's other series "Nip/Tuck", it manages to push the boundaries of what "regular" television has to offer. In addition to that, it reintroduces us to Paul Reubens, who has a recurring role as the main character's former mentor.
Huh...I think I'm done. For now at least...

Talk to you later,
Bettina

Poll (Part One)

Hey everybody,

As some of you might remember (most or all of you probably won't though), I had been planning on setting up a list of the most attractive people in the world. Well, I ended up with a long list of names, but now I can't put them in any kind of order. To help me do this, so I can at least attempt to introduce various types of beauty to...well, everyone reading this blog, I would like for you to send me a list of the names of people you consider to be the most attractive.
This way, I hope that my list will become even more diverse and interesting.
Male, female, athletes, scientists, authors, actors/actresses, models, French, American, African, Russian, etc. It doesn't matter. Just send me some info or links to websites pertaining to these people and I will be able to (hopefully) bring some order to my list, expand it, and put it up on this blog.
I am not setting up a deadline for this yet because I want to see if anyone will respond to this first.
If you don't know how to get ahold of me, you can either include the list as a comment to this post (I would only suggest this if your list is really really short) or if you are part of the Myspace universe, you can always send me a message that way (check my Links section...it should be listed as "Bettina on Myspace"), or if you know my email address, you can always send it there.
Ummm...I think that's all I needed to say. I hope to hear from at least some of you soon.

Have a good night everyone,
Bettina