My personal website, www.RMPTK.webs.com , has been fully updated and is now public. =) Take a minute to check it out!
On the website I am featuring two of my original short stories, including one of my newer ones, “Love is Blind”, which has never been uploaded to any of my other sites.
I am going to start featuring a few stories here on the blog, too, along with some more personal features like behind the scenes of how I came up with them/what inspired the characters.
Keep an eye out for them!
So many young women and teenybopper girls walk around carrying all their stuff in those pink striped Victoria’s Secret bags instead of backpacks, as if they want to be something special. As if they want you to look at them and think, “she shops at VS, she must wear some fancy undies” and then proceed to try to not think about what lacy itchy crap they are doubtlessly wearing.
But what if Victoria’s Secret is really trying to get all those girls to carry their school papers around in underwear bags on purpose? What if VS is secretly owned by an interdimensional alien who is planning a great attack on this earth, during which his minions will swoop down and take away each and every teen girl who was ditzy enough to carry their everyday stuff in the pink striped bags, which therefore means that they will not be smart enough to think of ways to escape his ships? What if you’re putting a target on yourself by carrying those shopping bags everywhere?
Don’t carry your crap in VS shopping bags. They’re meant to transport your undies home, not bear your pencils and school supplies through college halls. Be smart. Be safe. Protect yourself and your undies from the VS alien overlord.
We all love Youtube. Just admit it. It makes our favorite shows easier to watch, connects us to otherwise unknown talent around the globe, and is free to use. There are so many great Youtube hosts out there who have their own original shows that it can make your head spin. Everyone has their own favorites, I’m sure, and it’s hard to narrow them down to just a top five. But nonetheless, here’s mine.
NUMBER 5: KevJumba
Kevin is one of the few people on the internet who not only routinely makes funny videos, but also includes his dad in them and manages to make THAT funny, too. A win/win situation… a kid who is smart enough to see the everyday things around him and make those into funny youtube situations, and a dad who is cool enough to roll with it.
Click to see KevJumba’s video “Drugs”
NUMBER 4: Julian Smith
Maybe I’m biased to Julian Smith because he, like myself, was homeschooled. But either way, his skits are hilarious. I love the way that he has slight “dark” twists (such as his uses of violence, death, and putting cats into ovens) but still manages to make it into a funny mini film. He’s also a fantastic actor, being able to take on many different personalities convincingly (one of my favorites being the random Mr. Timn. Look him up. Because I said so).
Click to see Julian Smith’s video “Granny Games” (filmed with his 95 year old grandmother)
NUMBER 3: Jenna Marbles
What can be said about Jenna Marbles that you probably don’t already know? She’s funny, she’s crass, she’s smart, and she manages to be all three of those things in one without being annoying. Kiddies ye be warned… her videos include language bombs/adult situations galore. The following video is no exception. (This was the video that made me get hooked on her channel.)
Click to see Jenna Marbles’ video “What bitches wear to the airport”
NUMBER 2: Blimey Cow
Blimey Cow is a youtube group that definitely deserves more attention than they get. I love that they are Christian based but aren’t afraid to poke fun at the clichés and ironies in Christian life, too. Their commentaries on life in general and their skits and original characters never cease to make me laugh.
Click to see Blimey Cow’s video “15 ways movies think you are stupid”
NUMBER 1: Nigahiga
Well, he’s just about the top subscribed-to youtuber on the internet, and there’s a reason for that. Ryan Higa is just plain awesome. Each one of his videos is sarcastically witty and is always worth the anticipation. If you don’t watch Nigahiga, you should. Now would be a good time to start.
Click to see Nigahiga’s video “The Worst Boyfriend Ever”
Any other awesome youtubers I should be aware of? Let me know! =D
Stop it, DC Comics people. You are out of your minds.
Raven = the Mouth of Sauron?
WHAT THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY’RE DOING??
Just stop, DC. Stop before you look like even bigger basket cases than you do now.
I MEAN IT.
So I work a retail job now. Cashier, to be specific. You know what’s one of the worst things about it?
The uniforms.
Whoever decided that colored polo shirts should be tucked into black dress pants and then firmly belted was off their rockers. That looks good on NO ONE. Maybe that was the reason they did it? So no one would stand out…?
Whatever the reason, it’s not flattering. That much is for sure. But apparently I’m not the only retail worker who suffers from this, because the basic polo shirt/dress pants uniform seems to be standard wherever you go.
Which brings me to the point I want to talk about.
Ever since I got my cashier job, everywhere I go people think that I work there. It’s the weirdest thing. Trust me, this NEVER happened before I got my job. Do I have some sort of retail vibe? A secret cashier symbol that I am unaware of? Why else would people ask me constantly “Do you work here?” when there are tons of other potential workers wandering the store?
The worst place for it is Michaels. I love Michaels, and I often stop there after work. The first time the question was posed to me, I almost can understand it because I was in the red shirt and all. That “retail look”. But still, the shirt DID say another store’s name and logo on it. I thought that would be enough to deter people from asking.
Apparently not.
There I was, minding my own business, walking through the store just like anyone else. A young woman was walking the opposite way in the same hallway, her arms filled with stuff. She stops suddenly and holds something out towards me. I think it was a birdhouse or something.
“This is broken. Do you have another one?”
I blinked at her. No “Could you help me?” or even a “Do you work here?” No, she just wanted that birdhouse, baby! Obviously I didn’t take the house that she was holding out to me. I simply told her that I don’t work at the store.
“Oh,” she said, mumbling “sorry” as she quickly walked past me.
Not five minutes later… “Hey, do you know if you have any more of these?”
This time it was a totally different girl. I had to tell her, too, that I did not work there. I left the store feeling confused about whether or not my shirt had switched to saying “Michaels” when I wasn’t looking.
The next time I was in that same store, it happened again. This time, a middle aged woman yelled across the store, pointing at me.
“HEY! DO YOU WORK HERE?”
…Well, at least this one asked rather than just demanding that I help her.
Not too much later it was the glorious celebration of shopping, Black Friday. I went into one of my favorite stores, Rue 21, and started looking at their selection of shoes. Bear in mind, this time I was dressed in jeans and a hoodie. No way the retail vibe can get out this time, right?
Haha… WRONG!
“Hey, are ALL of these shoes included in the clearance sale, or just this one pair by the sign?”
Amazingly, I knew the answer to this lady’s question even though I was just an innocent shopper like she was. Wanna know how? I actually READ THE SIGN that was sitting right in front of her face, and which clearly said: “SHOES: HALF OFF.” Not “This shoe” or “Those shoes”. All shoes. So I told her that.
“Well, the sign says shoes half off, so I’m sure the sale extends to all of them. And by the way, I don’t work here.”
Another mumbling and walking away. I didn’t understand it because honestly, I had no name tag or retail uniform or anything. In all fairness, the employees there just wear nice, usually very stylish street clothes to work (lucky!) so maybe she thought I looked like one of them. In that case… thanks, I guess?
Next round! Barnes and Noble. Was wearing a Nightmare before Christmas hoodie over my work uniform and had my lanyard of keys around my neck. In the middle of browsing the Harry Potter section…
“Excuse me, do you work here?”
I just gave her a simple shake of the head. She stammered:
“Oh. Oh, okay. I just saw the… (gestures around her neck) …and I thought you… sorry.”
That night I complained to my friends about the retail curse, and they did point out that mostly retail people or workers of some sort are the ones who wear lanyards (Although I can’t see my “Brony” lanyard being a part of any uniform). But it was a true point.
So yesterday I had to go to Michaels again. And once again, it was after work. Before I went into the store, I checked myself to make sure that I had no tell-tale retail signs.
Abbey Dawn hoodie on and zipped all the way up to hide the polo? CHECK.
Lanyard placed into the pocket and not around the neck? CHECK.
I was feeling pretty confident in the ability to have a shopping trip as just that… a shopper. There was no way that anyone would be able to get me confused with a worker there, and ask me-
“Uhh, do you work here??”
Dammit.
This time it was a rather huffy looking young mother with her complaining daughter in tow. When I told her no, she sped off through the store, dragging her kid behind her.
Despite all my best efforts, the retail vibe had still pulled me into view once again.
The theory that I’m going with now is that I guess I’m just cursed.
I woke up this morning and randomly decided to check my blog. I looked in the corner by the email follow list and that was when I saw the unbelievable.
“Join 37 other followers”.
Wait, what? 37? 37 people are seriously following my blog now? Is that the glorious truth, or is that just somehow a mistake of my wordpress site? Do other people see it too? Does this 37 really exist?? The last time I logged in I had only 12 followers. Just one simple dozen.
Where did the rest of this glorious 37 come from? O_O
If I do really have this many followers now, then WOW thank you for following!!! If not… then I think we can all agree that wordpress just hit its head this morning or something.
Wow, I had forgotten that this blog existed. Shameful, I know! DX If anyone out there still actually follows me, HI! How are you? What’s been up in the past…. five months or so since I’ve been on?
Here’s my updates… just in case you were wondering.
1) I got a job. It’s not an amazing one, but it’s something. I’m now a Cashier at Staples.
2) I believe it was the last post before my big hiatus that I said I like MLP:FiM but I don’t watch the show. Well, that’s now outdated, and I have seen every single episode of My Little Pony at least once or twice. Some of them even more, like…. five times. Pinkie Pie has allowed for Rainbow Dash to come up the ranks and join her as my favorite pony. I can’t choose between the two of them. They’re amazing.
3) I’ve written and illustrated my first ever children’s book! I’m currently attempting to get a publisher interested in it. More information on that as it comes. =)
4) On that note, I also have two new novels in the planning stages. Yay for writing!
5) I am also working on another cosplay, and that is none other than the radical Mz. RAINBOW DASH for 2013 comicon! Pic of that will be going up as soon as I can get them taken. This is one of the fastest cosplays I’ve ever been able to pull together. It was just meant to be, I guess. =3
Anyways. Enough about me. What has the rest of the internet been up to while I was gone? =D
Excuse the title. My mind is on the random MLP figurines I bought today. I don’t even WATCH that show; the storylines kinda annoy me from what I’ve seen of it. But I LOVE the characters! Pinkie Pie for the WIN!
Anyways.
Last year towards the end of August, I started my first semester of college. Okay, so it’s a community college, but still. I randomly decided to keep track of how many books I finished after starting school. Partly because I love making lists, and partly because I think it would be cool to challenge myself to read more books each year than I had the previous. So since it is again the end of August, and the fall semester has started back up again, I consider my first year of read tracking officially CLOSED. *dramatic music plays*
These are all the books I read from last August to now.
Personally, I don’t think 28 is bad at all! Hopefully this upcoming year I can top it. =D
What have YOU been reading? Have we read any books in common? …Or do you just love Pinkie Pie? =D
Long time no see!
I’ve been busy working and getting ready for the upcoming school year, and also nerding out over the biggest Superhero movie release of my life: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES! I assume you all have seen it. If not, I assume you all are going to see it SOON!!!
(Moment to point out- sympathy and prayers for those lost in the Colorado shooting, and their families! This is the sickest shootout there has ever been and I hope it will never be repeated.)
Well, now that I’ve seen the movie (don’t worry, no spoilers ahead for those of you who haven’t yet!) I decided to complete my list of all the Batmen that I have seen/heard in cartoons and live action films, pass judgement on them, and let you know the results just in case you’re feeling nerdy today.
Starting with the best and ending with the worst, here are the eleven actors who have represented the amazing character of Batman! There are more, of course, particularly the many voice actors who have stepped in for a moment here or there to become the voice behind the cowl, but I think these eleven are sufficient to represent the best and the worst of the Bat.
Click the names for a link to a sampling of their work.
1) KEVIN CONROY
5 of 5 stars.
Voice Actor; Batman the Animated Series, Justice League (animated series), Batman/Superman: Apocalypse (animated film), Justice League: Doom (animated film), Batman: Arkham Asylum (video game), Batman: Arkham City (video game), various other Bat-things.
Conroy is undisputedly the most well-recognized voice of Batman, and there’s a reason for that. As Batman, he provides a perfect amount of roughness to his voice, but is equally believable as the serious but kind Bruce Wayne. No matter which of the two roles he fills, his voice commands respect, and it is mainly for this reason that no one can top him. Versatile and yet consistent in his performances, no matter what he does he IS Batman.
Featured clip is from his latest work as Batman: the game Arkham City. In this clip you can hear both his Batman voice, when he speaks to Hugo Strange, and also his Bruce Wayne voice when he speaks to the crowd.
5 of 5 stars.
Live Action Actor; Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises.
Of all the live action performances, Bale is definitely a step ahead of the pack. His onscreen performances as Batman are breathtaking, being both terrifying and electrifying. With Bale, we never lose Bruce Wayne, the tortured soul, under the cowl of the Bat: they join and become one. When he is Bruce alone, he can be fun as well as serious as it is needed, and as Batman he brings a very raw, real, deep animalistic presence to the screen.
Links to a trailer for The Dark Knight Rises. From here you can get a sense for both the powerful Batman as well as the suave Bruce Wayne that Bale presents so well.
3) RINO ROMANO
5 of 5 stars.
Voice Actor; The Batman (animated series).
Rino’s performance focused on something a little different: enjoyment. His Bruce Wane seems friendly, approachable, and all around likeable. At the same time his Batman seemed to be content in what he does as well as being believable as a serious detective. Rino, as with Conroy and Bale, did equally wonderful performances as both Bruce Wayne AND Batman.
In the video I’ve linked, you get to see a lot of Batman right at the beginning. The Bruce Wayne voice comes in at about 5:11.
4) ADAM WEST
4 of 5 stars.
Live Action and Voice Actor; 1960′s Batman TV series, Batman: The Movie, The New Adventures of Batman (animated series).
West’s best quality: BELIEVABLE. Especially as Batman but also as Bruce Wayne, he completely convinced the audience that whatever he was doing was of the utmost importance, whether it was trying to get rid of a massive bomb or the importance of fastening the Safety Bat-Belt before driving the Batmobile. Those who discredit West’s performance as being too “campy” completely miss the fact that everything he did, he did with the determination and dedication of Batman as presented in comics of the times.
Link: Batman/Bruce’s best moments from the 1966 movie.
3 of 5 stars.
Voice Actor; Young Justice (animated series), Batman: Under the Red Hood (animated film).
As the voice of Batman, Greenwood does a terrific job but somehow always manages to sound like a tamer version of Kevin Conroy. Nonetheless, he still completes both roles well and is a very believable Batman.
Links to: a rare moment where he voices Bruce Wayne.
3 of 5 stars.
Live Action Actor; Batman, Batman Returns.
Keaton’s strongest point was his wonderful performance as Bruce Wayne. He brought a darkness and a depth to the character which had never before been presented on-screen and which definitely set the bar. However, his Batman was hollow. He lacked any presence on the screen and was easily pushed around by the villains. Keaton managed to bring half the character to life, but the title half was left woefully lacking.
This scene I’ve linked is one of the final ones from Batman Returns. I think this demonstartes well how much better the character performance becomes as soon as he starts being Bruce Wayne verses Batman. As the Bat, he’s never anything really special.
7) VAL KILMER
2 of 5 stars.
Live Action Actor; Batman Forever.
Kilmer is not exactly a bad performance, but he is not necessarily a good performance, either. Both his Batman and his Bruce Wayne were acceptable, but basic and lukewarm. Nothing exactly awful, but just plain unmemorable.
This video is actually the Riddler’s best moments, but in the first scene presented you can see Val’s Bruce Wayne.
2 of 5 stars.
Live Action Actor; Batman (movie serials, 1949)
As Batman, Lowery was believable as a serious detective. As Bruce Wayne, however, he took the concept of “bored rich boy” to astonishingly stupid levels. Granted, at the time Bruce’s playboy act was presented in the comics as being a lot of yawning and “ho-hum”ing in people’s faces, but a straight interpretation of this did NOT work on the screen. The disinterest was so thick that it was obviously fake and very annoying.
Links to chapter 1 of the movie serials. Start watching at about 2 minutes; you’ll quickly see Batman in the cave being serious, and then it’ll switch to snobby Bruce.
9) LEWIS WILSON
1 of 5 stars.
Live Action Actor; Batman and Robin (movie serials, 1943)
He had obvious enthusiasm for the role, but lacked ANY depth. This Batman was obviously a bored rich boy who dressed up in a costume for the fun of it.
Movie Serials part 1. Watch up to about 2:40
10) GEORGE CLOONEY
1 of 5 stars.
Live Action Actor; Batman and Robin.
It wasn’t just the awful story of the “Batman and Robin” movie that made the film so hard to watch. Both as Bruce and Batman, Clooney was stiff and unconvincing. He did not seem to believe that he was Batman, or even Bruce Wayne, so why should we believe it either?
Is it telling that the only video I could find where you get to see both Bruce and Batman in this film is a “worst of” vid? Nonetheless, just to be fair, I’ve included one where everyone in the cast is picked on, not just Clooney. Pay attention to him whenever you see him, though, and you’ll see what I was talking about.
11) JEREMY SISTO
1 of 5 stars.
Voice Actor; Justice League: New Frontier (animated film).
The gravelly, flat performance in this film was like nails on a chalkboard both literally and figuratively. Sisto did nothing for the already pathetic interpretation of Batman presented here. He obviously played up the “aloof” side of the character, but instead of coming off succesfully he just seemed as flat as cardboard. Where is Kevin Conroy when you need him?
One of the better scenes of Batman is linked here… but the voice ruins it.
Agree? Disagree? Want to rearrange the names into your own list? Comment and let me know! ^_^
The title of this post is true. It is a realization that I have accepted and love.
My room, where I spend the majority of my time, can only be described as a crazy toybox of random stuff. My mom calls it a “museum” and a “tourist attraction”, but I think toybox is closer to the actual truth. It’s an organized but still crazy collection of Religious articles, Lord of the Rings stuff, books, toys, and Batman. Personally, I love it. Obviously that is why I keep it the way it is!
But other people coming into my room always have varied reactions. Most of the time it’s a wide eyed stare as the overwhelmingness of the contents smacks them dead in the face. Sometimes people kind of chuckle. Overall, not many people can believe that this is the bedroom of a young woman, not a 14 year old.
Why is that?
Why is it that because I am in my twenties, I am expected to not want my toys anymore? Was there supposed to be some age I reached where I would automatically grow out of them? Because if that’s the case, I think I missed the magic maturity memo.
I am trying to understand why adults are expected to not like toys once they are grown. Sure, we won’t have the same imaginative connection with them that we had when we were younger, but why does that mean it’s weird if we like to have them still?
I think sometimes people get too focused on forward. Everyone always wants to be acting older, looking older, being a perfect adult. What’s wrong with letting that go every now and then? What’s wrong with hugging a big stuffed animal to let out your stress after a long day?
I am thankful for those who do understand, and who aren’t afraid to admit that they are still close to their childhood. Like those of my friends who will go into the Disney store with me to look at the dolls just because they want to, not because they’re window shopping for their future children. Or those of us who aren’t ashamed to hug a fluffy stuffed animal that we love.
Those sorts of people, the people who get it, seem to think my room is cool the way that I do. They see it like I do: not a hodge-podge pile of random crap, but a walk in toybox that sparks my imagination and helps me feel like I can be myself.
As one person stated after looking around: “Wow. You have Jesus, Batman, and Elijah Wood. What more could a girl want?”
Agreed.
