My Trip!

Well- London was amazing.  I'm already counting down until summer.

Paris was... an experience.

The second we got off the train we were bombarded by gypsies begging for money.  I didn't feel as safe or comfortable as I did in London.  The hotel we were at was on a shady street, but luckily we found the nicer areas surrounding it.

We stayed in Montparnasse, Paris.  The first night we went to dinner in the area.  I fell in love with every waiter we had there.  They were adorable.  The second day we did a bunch of touristy things.  We started with Musee D'orsay to see a bunch of the famous impressionist paintings.  Then we went to the Eiffel Tower, Arch De Triumph, Champs-Elysees, etc.  We ended the day at Sacre-Coeur, which is a church in Montmarte (the highest point in Paris).  The last day was dedicated to shopping.

Overall Paris was pretty okay, but I still liked London better.

I'd go into more detail about it but we did and saw so much that it would be impossible to cover all of the bases.

I will say that my brother's roommate is the most adorable Jewish English boy I've ever met- plus his family is in the diamond business- can you say catch?!

It was a good time.  I'm not looking forward to getting back into the whole school thing :(

Cultural Differences?

Something really interesting in London.  On the streets, no one really makes eye contact with you.  When they do, it's  very rare and usually they aren't British or from the area.

I'm so used to walking down the streets in the U.S. and locking eyes with hundreds of people everyday.  Even if I don't acknowledge them, I still look at them.

It's just strange to me, that's all.

Day 1

London.

Amazing.

Got on the plane, slept, read, slept some more.  Arrived, ate, slept, ate.

Walked through Angel- lovely.  Saw the canals.

Tonight is dinner with the parents and brother, then pre-gaming in Angel.  Clubs in Camden.

I feel like I'm a  character in The Rules Of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis.

London and Paris

My spring break has started and it's a good thing, too.  Tomorrow will consist of packing and spending the day going through customs at the airport.

Our flight to London departs at 6 PM and arrives, MI time, at 2 AM, London time that is 8AM.

Good thing I work shitty hours because I won't get jet lag too horribly.

Wednesday and Thursday will be spent in Paris.

We depart London on Saturday to head back to the states.

I. Am. So. Excited!!!!

Obligatory V-Day Post

I guess it is time for the obligatory Valentine's Day post, huh?

Here's what I got:

I've never had an SO for Valentine's Day.  I've never even had a date for Valentine's Day.  Last year I was dating 'Ex Boy'.  He didn't even talk to me on V-Day.  Not a phone call, not even a text.

Needless to say I'm pretty pessimistic when it comes to this Hallmark Card Holiday.  This year, however, I've decided to treat myself to some goodies.

Goodie Numero Uno:  I bought new shoes.  They are adorable.  Rocket Dog, Converse-style shoes, that have colorful splatter paint on them.

Goodie Numero Dos:  I'm getting my hair done.  I had gotten it dyed dark and then red highlights throughout it a little over a month ago, and it has faded quite a  bit.  Therefore I'm getting the red redone :)  Perfect for this sad day we call a Holiday.

Also, I plan on hanging out with all of my single friends tonight (tomorrow night).  There will be drinks involved.  Lets just hope there's someone to make out with sloppily.

That's the plan.

A New Year

New Years Eve/ New Years...

A film club friend, we'll call him BJ-M, decided, after much applied pressure from me, to throw a New Years party.

The whole day of NYE was spent drinking.  My friend, Beth, came over and we drank Mimosas, cranberry and vodka, bacardi and lemonade, and more.  We maintained a constant buzz all day as we prepared for the night.  Another friend, SM, came up from home.

We went over to BJ-M's place around 6:30.  I was pretty drunk by 8.  We left for an hour to attend another party, and returned by 9:30.  We all drunkenly watched the ball drop and then danced and sang (read: screamed) to music blaring from BJ-M's Bose speakers.

Next thing I know, I'm full on making out with FA (remember him?).  We are standing, making out in the center of all of these people dancing and singing to random music.  We make our way to a not-so-private chair in the corner of the room.  Lets just put it this way- things got heated, perhaps a little too heated for public.  Can't say I didn't enjoy it- but it is now the new year.

New years brings new resolutions.  I've thought this over.  I have some good ones.  I feel as if I say them out loud, though, I'll never actually succeed.  So for now, I'm leaving them to myself.  Lets just say, though, they don't involve random make outs in public- nor do they involve going over to NNBoy's to "watch a movie".

Time to clean up my act.

With that said, New Years this year, was probably the best party I've ever been to.

Not to mention both of my friends were total vixens, both bringing in the new year with new men.

Way to go girls.

Some Reviews

Yesterday my family and I fulfilled our yearly Christmas tradition of seeing a movie and eating Chinese food- if you know of my hometown, you'd know this is what every single Jewish family does on Christmas Eve/ Christmas.  Not only did I see a movie with my family, but I also went to my best friend's to exchange gifts and then a group of us went to a different movie.

That's right- two movies in one day.  So, here are my reviews- I'll try not to spoil anything from either film.

Gran Torino

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Screenplay: Nick Schenk

Story by: Nick Schenk and Dave Johannson

Let me just start by saying that Clint Eastwood is bad ass.  Not only is he an amazing actor- but he also directs, produces, writes, composes, and does still photography.  He is a triple threat times two.

I'm shocked and surprised that this film doesn't have more hype around it. I went in expecting something great, and what I got was nothing short of fantastically spectacular.  Films can go two different ways- they can move with dialogue, or they can move with action.  This film- did both, keeping the audience completely intact on the way.  The dialogue in this movie was brilliant.  I was not disappointed with one line of the film.  In addition, you can tell that Nick Schenk really knew these characters he was writing- they leapt out of the actors and took over the film.  There was so much conviction and motivation behind almost every single one of them (however, there was one part where the young boy that played Tao was extremely unconvincing, but we'll let it slide).  Not only was the dialogue, and characters amazing, but the plot and story was well thought out, and easily conveyed through the other elements of the film.

Most of the movie had me in fits of laughter- dark comedy like.  The end of the film had me in a puddle of tears- and kept me thinking about the film the rest of the day.

I'm giving it a 9.5/10- It's now on my favorite movie list.

Doubt

Directed by: John Patrick Shanley

Play by: John Patrick Shanley

Adapted Screenplay by: John Patrick Shanley

As you can see from above, John Patrick Shanley wrote Doubt as a one act play.  He then adapted it for screen, in which he directed his own movie.  In my opinion, very few writers can get away with this, and he is not one of them.  This being because when you write something for entertainment either on screen or stage, you have to completely throw yourself in the work.  It is very difficult to see something you've completed in a new light, and try to change it for screen.

This film was really disappointing.  The content and the idea for the film are both great.  However, the film seriously lacked...something.  For one, it dragged on.  This would be expected though when adapting a ONE ACT (shorter version of a play) to a feature length film.  For two, the plot was very muffled, probably because of the slowness of the film.  Nothing really builds in the film, yet all of the sudden you're at the climax, wondering- when did this happen? Did I fall asleep?

I will say, the acting was impeccable.  Meryl Streep really did scare me.  Amy Adams, although she seems to always play a similar character, did a great job of being frightened of Streep, and conveying her emotions.  The children in the film also did well.  I also really liked the content of the film, because it was good for dinner table discussions.

The ending of the movie, didn't bother me, per say, but I felt like I wasn't watching a film, but rather an over the top play.  It actually reminded me of when I was in a play, Quiet in the Land, my freshman year of high school- if that says anything for it.

As for the nitty gritty stuff- they used some really great camera angles- however, in areas of the film where they didn't go with what was happening in the movie.  The lighting was dramatic where it needed to be, and the weather worked right with the character's emotions.

There's a scene where Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman are in a screaming fight- you hear a loud storm in the  background.  However, as soon as they calm down, the storm is suddenly gone.  It reminded me too much crappy high school theatrical effects, almost.

I think John Patrick Shanley could have done so much more with it had he had someone else adapt it for screen, and someone else direct it.  He should just stick to theatre.

I'm giving it a 5.8/10- probably wouldn't see it again.

When The Brother is in Town, Shit Will go Down

If you didn't know, I have an older Brother. We'll call him BPhil (no his name is not Phil, it just works as a nickname). Well my brother lives year round in London, working for a marketing company, and completing his masters at the London School of Economics. The last time BPhil was home was over a year ago.

Needless to say, a lot has happened over the year. For one, apparently our relationship went from a passionate hatred of sibling rivalry to a friendly brother/sister type...thing, I guess.

Normally we would never exchange gifts, so when I did my holiday shopping I only bought for my parents and Penny.

Well, BPhil arrived last night with gifts in tow for everyone, including me. I received a lovely LSE T-Shirt in which he guessed my size impeccably.

Today I was talking with my mother and told her I needed a gift idea for him, in which I'd go get on Friday, and give to him at the family Hanukkah party that evening.

My mother was quick to tell me that he is in desperate need of cologne, for he has been using his roommates for the past month. Perfect! I thought. I decided to go scope out his things and see if I could find even an empty bottle he might have brought with him in hopes of getting the last drop of cologne.

First I checked the bathroom- no luck, only his tooth brush and his deodorant resided there.

In a brave step, I decided to check BPhil's bedroom, I mean, he hasn't even unpacked yet, right? (Of course he wasn't home when I was doing this, I'm not that sneaky)

I walk into his room and first check the desk- nothing.

His suitcase was lying out open on the floor- I went to go stand over it and take a peak when something screamed out at me.

A lovely little travel box of Trojan Condoms was staring straight at me.

In a quick moment I ran out of his room, down the stairs and confronted my mother.

"Mom, maybe it's best if you just ask BPhil what he wears, and I'll get him whatever cologne he says."


Now, BPhil is almost 25 years old. It's kind of expected, and I'm pleased that he's safe about it...but come on- right on top in his suitcase?!


Merry Christmas Eve to me.

What Happens After High School

It's so weird how people change after high school. Yet, around Christmas, we all act as if it never happened- as if we never just up and left our lives in our hometowns and went away to university- this will be the second year of that for me.

For me, college couldn't have come soon enough. The friends I have that went to my high school I didn't really become friendly with until I was in college. I mean of course there's the select 3 that are my best friends, whom I've known the longest. Other than that though, I was never real close with anyone.

Being home what else is there to do than see those people. Than learn about their new lives and see how much they've really changed. Not everyone changes in a mental or emotional way though- some changes are more physical.

Me for example- most don't know about 'the surgery' I had after graduation, before college.

A good friend of mine just had a 'surgery' of her own. I must say she looks amazing. It's weird how her life is going to change so much now, not just because of the surgery itself, but mostly just from the extreme amount of confidence that accompanies it.

I'm not condoning plastic surgery (although I pretty much am) but those are the kinds of things that happen after high school, after all those awkward stages, and all.


Change- sometimes it's just strange to think about.

Home is Where the Crazy Is

It would seem I can't get through even one day of being home without fighting with my mother. I love her to death but we both have our resentments.

My relationship with my mother is that of a middle school style friendship. We fight all of the time, but we're best friends.

However, when I come home, a lot of the times I feel like her slave. She sees it as I'm being lazy, but I don't think it's really necessary for me to have to go into a different room just to change the channel for her. She's very well capable.

She's already pretty much told me to go back to MSU. Yeah. Ridiculous.

Lets just hope I get through this week without us killing each other.

It's about that time

It's December 20th.  Christmas is only days away, and the other holidays will come up quite quickly.

In leu of this, I believe it is about that time for this post.  You know, the one about being alone at the holidays.

You see, this is nothing new for me.  I've never been in a relationship during the holidays.  I've never had a boyfriend at Valentine's day (aside from ex-boy who didn't even wish me a happy v-day, let alone take me out).

I'm used to being alone for this.  Usually they are just very festive days of sitting around, bored, watching crappy holiday movies.  Christmas is especially boring considering I'm not christian.

As much as I'm used to this, I have to admit- it still bothers me.  I hate waking up, knowing I will have nothing to do, no one to wrap their arms around me and wish me a happy holidays.

I've learned to depend entirely on blockbuster, chinese food, and my parents.

Lucky for me, this year I have an addition- Penny.  I wonder if dogs really do make good SO* substitutes?

I guess we'll find out.