Pride

So, for the first time I went to Minneapolis's Pride a couple of weekends ago. I have one thing to implore the city of Minneapolis: Why can't you be this warm and welcoming all the time?

http://images.stuffofawesome.com/minneapolis-pride-1309122003-1014.jpg

Really, people were so happy and delighted to be out in the bright summer weather, walking up and down Hennipen and talking to one another when most of the time walking down Hennipen results in people ignoring you or walking into whilst talking on their cell phones. Also, the mayor of Minneapolis rode down the street on a motorcycle. I think this should definitely happen more often. 

http://metromag.com

I was also at the Saloon's block party that evening (after getting terribly sunburned watching Italy win in the quarter finals of soccer/football/calcio on the rooftop of a pub in Minneapolis called the Brit) and was reminded of how short I am after being surrounded by guys all over six feet tall. I also met a guy from Canada who remarked on our voting situation this fall. Come November, Minnesotans are voting as to whether marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman or not. The "not" refers to supporting gay marriage. So, basically, in order to support GLBT rights, one has to vote "no" which feels very, very bizarre. However, the man from Canada I was talking to found the whole idea of voting on human rights more bizarre. "They kept asking me to fill out these pledge cards," he said, "and I just couldn't understand the idea of voting on human rights. I mean," he turned to me, "that's like voting to allow women to vote."

This just in: Canadians are freaking brilliant.

Overall, it was a marvelous weekend. I also saw the movie Brave, which was fantastic (you can read a review of it on my sister blog, Martin Freeman is not a Hedgehog. Yep, that's actually the name of my blog. Weird, I know).

Henri

[Львица] just discovered these videos and, as we were just discussing existentialism in one of my classes today, I felt the need to share them. Brilliant... they are brilliant.

First Class

To end my adventures in Florida, somehow, inexplicably, I ended up in first class on the first leg of my life. It was a dream come true.

http://travelbestway.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/air-travel.jpg

Here's how it went down: after getting up at four in the morning (eastern time) to catch our flights, I said goodbye to [Львица] as we were in separate parts of the massive Orlando Airport and made my way through security line, where I was taken aside, had my bag rustled through and my hat complemented on by the nicest TSA agent I have ever met (seriously, he told me to put my sandals on because the floor was a bit cold. SIR, I SALUTE YOU). I then took the wrong tram to the wrong terminal but quickly realized my mistake and easily got on the right one. I then went to the wrong gate, which was directly across from the one I was supposed to be at, moved over, and watched CNN talk about Kate Middleton giving out shamrocks for Saint Patrick's Day and then decided Kate Middleton is amazing. Not long after this, a woman working at the gate called my name and I went up to the desk. She asked me if it would be okay if they changed my seat and I said sure. She offered me a seat near an emergency exit and I said it would be fine. Then she printed out a new boarding pass and said something along the lines of, "You'll really like this one."

I sat back down, looked at it and realized it said "priority boarding." Seat 3D - FIRST CLASS. HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN?! I couldn't decide if it had something to do withe my delay on the way to Orlando (getting stuck in Boston for three hours), or it was because of some seating issue and I was traveling alone and easy to move, or if it was just pure luck. Regardless, Delta - kudos. You have regained my trust. I got food and real glassware and real silverware and a hot towel and leg room and I WANT TO FLY THIS WAY ALL OF THE TIME.

Not gonna happen. But I can dream. Life tile made - and I didn't even expect it :D

Of Surf and Sunburn

I am back from Florida, slightly sunburned, slightly sick (caught a cold while there or while in the airport; yay), and already longing to go back to the ocean. OH MY GOD WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME IT'S JUST AS ROMANTICALLY SPECTACULAR AS I'D ALWAYS DREAMED?! If you can't tell, I am very happy to have finally been IN the ocean. Not seeing it in the lagoon in Venice; not touching the North Sea in St. Andrews, Scotland. But being TOTALLY SUBMERGED in salty, powerful waves in the Atlantic. If you live in Florida, and don't go to the beach, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?

Oh, wait, that's [uber gay]. Sorry about that, mate. (Really, when he went with us to the beach while he was there, it was only the third time he'd done for something that didn't involve gathering meteorological data).

Other than frolicking on the beach, collecting shells and having the most relaxing vacation of my life, I learned four very interesting things about the Sunshine State:

1) There are lizards everywhere. Seriously. They are more abundant than pigeons in Venice. These little geckos skitter across the concrete aimlessly and reside in every palm grove (and every time they rustle in the foliage, I was certain that a velociraptor was going to tear through the trees - because I've never seen forests like what Florida has except in Jurassic Park. Thus the fear of dinosaurs).

2) Sand gets fucking everywhere. Enough said.

3) One cannot buy alcohol while in the presence of under-aged people in a Walmart in Melbourne, FL (because they immediately assume that you are buying it for them, even when they say they are not going to drink it and that the ARE under-aged and are not trying to buy it illegally). I found this the hard way and then went on a diatribe about the stupidity of liquor laws in the United States and vowed to move to Britain in the parking lot of said Walmart (but you know, it's not really a trip to Walmart if I don't have a bitchfest in the parking lot afterwards). This is like the third time I've had trouble buying alcohol legally in my own country; what's with this?

4) Florida is fucking weird. Seriously, if the strange animals and plants and jellyfish suicides (we saw tiny dead jellies on the beach. It was unsettling) weren't enough, Florida people are... different. They are insane drivers. They have an accent that sounds like a blend of surfer and Southern. And they're... well, they're kind of racist. When students openly complain about the "stupid Saudis" that are terrible drivers that knock down light poles... well, I can tell I'm not in Minnesota anymore. Guess I take for granted that racism isn't as blatant up north. Florida is a totally different world.

[Львица] and me at the beach

But I finally saw the sea! I swam in it! I drank mead at an Irish restaurant! Great success and finally a college spring break trip. Brilliant. Life tiles made :D

Spring Breaking

http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/02/saturday-night-live-im-on-a-boat-digital-short-video-snl/

I cannot believe it is finally Spring Break. I meant to write a post about my spring break plans (because I actually have some, for the first time ever) but I didn't get around to it until now. Considering I leave tomorrow, better late than never.

I am, somehow, going to Florida. Yes, Florida. My friend [uber gay] goes to school down there and, because I had frequent flyer miles left over (because, although I was supposed to have used them to fly to Scotland over the summer, I couldn't and thus still have had them lingering around) I'm able to fly to Florida mostly for free.

Probably why I didn't bring this up sooner is that I can't quite comprehend that I'm actually going. I mean, most people I know are, for once, not going anywhere on break. And I am. And I'm going somewhere tropical. Yes, I'll be staying in Melbourne, not Miami. And no, I don't think I'll be having crazy nights clubbing and drinking myself senseless (or will I?! No, seriously, I won't. I drink one beer and it's like I just ate a whole loaf of bread. I'm not much for wild drinking).

However, in honor of my trip, I would like to highlight a song for which I have deemed is the theme for the trip. So here it is:

Exactly. SPRING BREAK 2012!!!! WOOOOOT!!!

And just in case you think I truly am descending into a Bacchanalian revelry, I'd like to remind you who this blogger is. And that I've packed Frankenstein, Sherlock Holmes, a John Barrowman autobiography, and The Hobbit to read on the beach. The typical college student, I am not (or at least the stereotypical).

Byronic Heroes, Fandoms, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Benedict Cumberbatch.

I love this name. I could say it all day.

I first saw this actor in a film called Creation, which features Paul Bettany as scientist Charles Darwin. I had no idea what Cumberbatch looked like, who he was or really anything about anything and so I don't remember what part he played; I just saw his name in the credits and I was like, "Sweet ass name! I wish I could use that in a book. But probs can't; 'cause he's famous."

Seriously, I am so cute and dumb sometimes in my cluelessness. Actually just dumb.

And then I got a Tumblr and then I realized Benedict Cumberbatch is in fact very, very famous and plays Sherlock Holmes on the BBC show Sherlock. And then I realized that I cannot believe that a TV show, portraying Sherlock Holmes in the modern age, has been on for two seasons and I was just now realizing it existed (in my defense, it's a BBC show. And I don't have cable. Or live in the UK). So I of course had to watch it. Which I did, very luckily finding the first episode, "A Study in Pink" on PBS (for free! You go, PBS).

OH. MY. GOD. I know people on Tumblr obsess of this show like there's no tomorrow. And now I see why. IT IS INCREDIBLE. Seriously, I feel like someone reached into my head, dug around for how I envisioned Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, put them in the 21st century and made it all PERFECT.

I know, I know. I'm being a total fan girl after seeing only one episode. I'd apologize but I'm not sorry. However, I would like to explain that this all has a perfectly understandable source. His name is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And created the first fandom.

You see, back when Doyle (WHO WAS SCOTTISH!!!)'s stories first came out in the late 1800s via serial magazine, people got pretty attached. I mean, I think it's perfectly understandable: Holmes is logical, able to solve any case, eccentric, and totally BAMF. Also, he's not so perfect - he's got a bit of a drug habit, is arrogant, not so tact, and admits himself that if things were different, he'd probably be a serial killer. Clearly, the public then agrees with me - Byronic heroes are FUCKING AWESOME.

But the Doyle got tired of writing about Sherlock Holmes. So, trying to write himself out of this quandary, he decided to pen a story in which Holmes is killed by his nemesis, Moriarty. If your favorite character has ever died in any TV show/movie/novel, you can imagine how people reacted.

They, of course, flipped a bitch.

So Doyle had no choice but to resurrect the brilliant Holmes and cleverly find a way he could have survived. And there you have it - the first fandom.

You can probably see why I like Holmes, what with my penchant for Byronic heroes. He's tied with Edward Rochester on my list of hottest fictional characters ever (but I didn't just admit that). Add that to murder mysteries meets science and logic pre-CSI and it is pretty much the most fantastic thing ever. I have read every one of these stories/books twice (except for "A Study in Scarlet," which I just reread a week or so ago, so that makes that one three times read). I've been a total Sherlock Holmes geek since I was 15 or so, and I love how popular Holmes has become (again) in the last few years. I mean, there's a Holmes museum here at the U! (why in Minnesota, I've no idea, but I really have got to check it out some time). Plus there's the Robert Downy Jr/Jude Law Sherlock films, which are pretty good, and a Masterpiece Theater movie with Rupert Everett I saw ages ago which was good too. But I think Sherlock hits the mark best: yes, it's modern, but something about the dynamics between Holmes and Watson, the way the mysteries unfold, the vibe of the tale - it just works. And the way it reflects the original stories is very, very clever.

Also, I feel I am being slowly sucked into the legions of fan girls swooning over Benedict Cumberbatch, obsessing over his eyes, his cheekbones, and declaring that they will marry him (because, somehow, unlike most celebrities fan girls pine after, he is not married). I'm sorry you have crazy fan girls, sir, but you're gorgeous, you're talented, and your voice... Your voice... Here is how Urban Dictionary describes it:

he...has a gorgeous voice 'like a jaguar hiding in a cello'

This is not a lie. Seriously. He's got the same sort of vocal timbre that Alan Rickman has. Which is pretty much amazing.

So there you go: between Doctor Who, Torchwood, and Sherlock, I think I should have enough Byrnoic heroes to obsess over for quite some time. And another British actor to add to my list of favorites - seriously, like 85% of that list contains British or Irish actors. That should tell you something, Hollywood :P (Am I still passively-aggressively upset that Michael Fassbender didn't get nominated for an Oscar and this year is Gary Oldman's first EVER nomination? Oh yeah). But I digress.

Moral of the story: Watch Sherlock. And help me come up with ways in which to say Benedict Cumberbatch in everyday conversation. Because I really freaking love his name.

Florence

I want to be this woman. Seriously. If I were a vocalist and I wrote music, this is what would be like. This is BRILLIANT.

A Christmas Carol (and money murmurings)

Ah, feeling much less zombie-like today. I'm refusing to take pain killers, because I'm a freak, so I can feel the dull ache of where my wisdom teeth should be. And somehow that makes me feel better. Or maybe because I'm refusing to let myself sit on the couch and watch bad TV and feel sorry for myself. I am rather shocked by the fact that Vicodin does absolutely nothing to me. Seriously, I took some last night, hoping to knock myself into a pain-free state of unconsciousness. And nothing happened. I felt relaxed but my jaw still ached and I felt... well, as crummy as I had before. So I've no idea why people find Vicodin so addicting - it certainly does nothing to me.

That being said, I'm going to write an obligatory Christmas post. Because I had a totally rockin' Christmas. It was just with my parents, as it always is now - the drive back to Indiana during winter is a bad idea, considering that snow storms like to spring up out of no where (even if we did have a brown Christmas this year, Indiana still gets some crazy weather). But honestly, it's better with just my parents. No awkward "I don't know what to get you since I don't know you" instances. No feelings of injustice when relatives are not wowed by my academic prowess or year of accomplishments and would rather chat about small-town gossip. No pissed-off Mom and Dad spending the next few weeks being upset with their relatives or in-laws for being socially awkward and self-centered. So, really, staying home is much more in the spirit of the holidays.

http://freethoughtblogs.com

This year, for I think the first time in my entire life, I got everything I asked for on my Christmas list. Which is crazy - I mean, I asked for some crazy stuff - TV seasons, a bunch of books. No fancy electronics, but fairly expensive things. It's not like my parents have failed to fulfill my Christmas lists before. It's just that this one had lost of "optional" things on it - and I got those things too. I am now in possession of the entire released seasons of Torchwood (no Miracle Day because it's not out in the US yet) and Season 1 of Doctor Who (which I am forcing my parents to watch and they actually LIKE it. And I no longer have to keep trying and failing to describe what a Dalek is). I also am now in possession of enough John Barrowman CDs and books to officially be considered nuts. And my parents surprised me with nice pair of Celtic-style earrings. They know me too well :D It's sort of strange for me to get all of this stuff. I mean, I am an only child and thus may be on the verge of being spoiled. But, in a shitty economy, it's weird to see that money - at least for my parents - isn't a problem (my own expenses, of course, is another story). My dad admits to denying things for years because they don't want to buy on credit, but rather be able to buy with the money they have in the bank. And now that they are growing older, they aren't as worried about splurging and going all out for Christmas. I don't have a new iPod or a new phone or anything like that (mainly because I don't WANT one). But I do have a lot of nice things my parents didn't have to get me that I could have lived without - but got anyway. I feel like our gifts have gotten more expensive, more refined... and I don't know what that means. Yes, my parents have a lot more money now than they did when we first moved to Minnesota. They have a lot more money this year than they did five years ago. And it's a weird sort of situation I'm not used to. I mean, I spent two years of my life in a mobile home while my dad was in grad school. We weren't poor; we just didn't want to spend money we didn't need to when we had a place to stay (the lake home which belonged to my grandmother) while my dad was in school. I guess money has been on my mind a lot this year because of different expenses associated with apartment living and learning what my family's income is and with the OWSers screaming for the 1% to share their assets. And I don't know where I fit in this picture anymore. As an independent student with a very low income, well-off parents and a simultaneous desirous yet tight-fisted nature, it's hard for me to know where I stand. But I'm totally digressing right now...

Of course, Christmas isn't all about the getting but also about the giving. Which, despite my stress about getting something fabulous for my parents, worked out easier than I thought it would. I got my dad a nice tie and a set of whisky glasses. And I got my mom some decorative throw pillows and a nice purse (from Macy's - I actually found an affordable, nice purse at Macy's. It made my life).

But overall, things just felt... Christmas-y this year. This time of year brings out the Anglophile in me (I blame being in London for New Years in my sophomore year of high school. And J.K Rowling. And the British just being epic when it comes to celebrating Christmas) and, considering my absorption of British culture, there was plenty of that around me this year. But even going to Christmas Eve mass stimulated it - they had a Renaissance choir that sang throughout the mass. And yet... it's more than just feeling like things are more picturesque for Christmas (despite the lack of snow). My attitude is better in general. I feel more forgiving, more hopeful. More me. And it's a great way to end the year. Yes, I've been grumpy and blue for the last few days because I've had four teeth ripped out of my head. But overall, I'm feeling good. A fantastic way to end a rather exciting but tumultuous year. Which reminds me, I should start making my list of New Year's resolutions - and this year, they are going to ROCK.

Inked

Well, I did it. After two years of flip-flopping. I finally got a tattoo.

HELL YES.

That is on my back. PERMANENTLY. And I couldn't be happier about it.

Somewhere, in between the madness that was the Christmas party drama and the beginning of finals, I thought about getting a tattoo again. I'd wanted to for my birthday, but I'd been doubting about what I wanted (a ship? something Celtic themed? something to remind me Scotland?). But I was doubtful of getting something Scottish, because I had the desire to actually get it done IN Scotland. But considering I won't be going back there any time soon and because I don't want to cause a conflict, being the odd American who wants something Scottish and seem like a dumb tourist, I just decided I should get what I want now. I'd been toying with a design like this, with the Celtic knots/ trinity theme (I wanted to get the Celtic trinity on it's own but couldn't decide on a style - there's like twenty different ways of drawing it). And I liked the English Tudor rose and thistle intertwined (the rose is a symbol of England, the thistle of Scotland, and they were combined together to represent the marriage of Margaret Tudor and James IV, I believe). However, when I saw this design, I knew it was it. It's not the Tudor rose, just a traditional rose - and also the national flower of the United States. Two birds with one stone there. Plus it's got the Celtic Trinity knot there. And it really represents a lot of things to me personally - the rugged, bristly, strong and confident attitude of the thistle and the sweet, elegant but thorny nature of the rose. And it's super cute.

The tattooing process itself wasn't as bad as I expected. It felt rather like a cat scratching a really bad sunburn. I didn't cry, surprisingly, and according to [Львица], I didn't even flinch. Although managing to fall on the ice and scraping/bruising my knee on the way to the parlor hurt far worse and distracted me somewhat from the tattooing pain.

Another major win was the price.[Львица] was telling me that a parlor on campus told her the tattoo she wanted would be around $300-$400 so I braced myself for a steep cost. But since the process took only about an hour and Uptown Tattoo only charges $150 per hour, it was only $150. One of [Львица]'s friends spent that much just to get one word tattooed on her. Did I get a hell of a deal from the best tattoo parlor in Minneapolis? I THINK YES :D

Despite the fact that [wolf woman] described my tattoo as  "cool how you combined the plants with the celtic knot" (plants? PLANTS?! THEY NATIONAL FLOWERS! R-E-S-P-E-C-T!) (and I also didn't actually "combine them" - I didn't make the design; that's giving me far too much credit) the reception has been really good. Even my dad likes the design and the placement of it. Although both my parents were totally cool with me getting a tattoo. Surprisingly cool. Though I suppose if I was getting it on my face it'd be a different story.


And I'm already thinking about getting another tattoo... some day. I had an offer from a friend in my Italian class to design something for me. And she does really cute cartoon-y type stuff so I'll have to take her up on that. I'm thinking something with teacups... or chipmunks. I think a chipmunk might be my spirit animal...

Haters Gonna Hate

You know that post where I come back after all that negative stuff I said about myself and say I don't believe a word of it? Yeah, this is it :D

http://the-slow-show.tumblr.com/post/13844847302

More to follow.

The Captain Jacks

So I just found this photo while looking online at Master and Commander stuff with my mother. The Captain Jack club? YES, FOR THE WIN! This is the BEST THING EVER!!!!