Oh, Hello, the Olympics is happening. (why this is important)

 There are many varying attitudes towards the currently going Olympics. Some individuals are quite indifferent... however there are a few completely immersed towards the whole thing. I am slightly ashamed to say that I belong on the latter. But before you judge me with your scrutinising eyes which burn holes right through my computer monitor I PLEAD you listen to my defence.


My Defence (why The Olympics is awesome from my point of view which really gives no validity):

1) Although the first half of the ceremony was reminiscent to history lessons and just grass everywhere, the second half met all of my crazy expectations. Some which ticked boxes from the list of Expectations were a giant fucking Voldemort and the Queen of England parachuting off a helicopter with James Bond.

(though one that was sadly not met was JK Rowling flying through the arena with a broomstick and announcing quidditch as an official olympic sport...)

2) It's such an AWESOME excuse to get out of anything. Somehow, "I can't, the Olympics is on."/ "I have to watch this match." works as an excuse around 70% of the time. Seriously, try it.

3) You get to just sit down in front of your tv and SHOUT random things and no one will think you crazy.

4) It will break awkward silences.

Imagine, you are sitting down and a person who you kind of know but do not speak much to is there also. Even though you have some similar friends, you've never spoken to each other one on one and the tension increases by the second. Suddenly, like a flash of lightbulb these words exit your mouth, "Did you catch the Olympics?". Yes, ofcourse they 'caught' the Olympics; they did not spend the whole summer hiding behind a cave in a fetal position. Awkwardness avoided.

5) I don't know how this is related, but somehow the amount of food in my house INCREASED. I opened my fridge and food just leapt out and attacked me (not literally). The Olympics give you more food!

DON'T make it a task. (or do.)

A few days ago, I was so pumped to do the one-film-per-day thing. Seriously, I could have watched 7 films in a day. But I realised this morning I don't like waking up with the thought of having to do something because I've committed to it. It's an awful feeling.

 So, now my eyes have been opened to a revelation that may change my way of living as I know it (it probably won't). If you as a human being love doing something, don't make it a task. I'm not saying don't do it. Just don't make it a task.

This is the definition of the word 'task' according to the dictionary in my laptop (which means it's 100% accurate)

task |task|nouna piece of work to be done or undertaken.verb [ trans. ] (usu. be tasked)assign such a piece of work to : NATO troops are tasked with separating the warring parties.• make great demands on (someone's resources or abilities) : it tasked his diplomatic skill to effect his departure in safety.

The idea of making something a task pairs with the idea of meeting expectations. And I often have these weird self destructive tendencies. Not in a dangerous jumping-off-tall-trees-way but more like if I was playing chess with my brother and he says "Oh, wow, you're winning.." I will somehow panic and be all like "Holy crap I am? I must keep doing what I've been doing so I'll win. But what was I doing? Where does this piece move? What is this board made of? I need to pee."and lose the game.

 It's a personal thing, though. I admire people who work well under pressure. Like the ones with little sticky notes on their desks and checklists and glide on rainbows gracefully as they go through those checklists. I've tried to hard to be organised but I just don't do well (or anything).

If you are a human being who personally goes through things in life by viewing them as tasks, I would like you to take me under your wing and teach me your Jedi ways because I'm struggling here.

3/7. The Ugly Truth.

OH GOOOODDD. I did it. I'm sorry. I tried to hard to deviate from the whole genre of romantic comedies but this was the only film I watched today so here it goes.

Okay, so this successful woman is beautiful and intelligent but she's busy all the time and she has a quirk that most guys do not like. BUT this man comes along and he totally likes her quirks but she doesn't like him first because he's a jerk but then she sees his gentle side and that deep down he's just a broken puppy in a litter waiting for a stranger to pick him. Then they kiss. The end.

I just described the plot to 90% of romantic comedies. This film falls within this category. But, you know, once you kind of let go of the criticism of the technical aspects of the film the dialogue and certain situations are quite entertaining. So it wasn't that bad. Just not something I would start a fandom on. Also, I like Katherine Heigl's neurotic rambles because it reminded me of the character she played in Grey's Anatomy.

 I'm not saying it's completely terrible, I'm just not a romantic comedy person. If you are (we can't be friends), I recommend it.

2/7. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

I must admit, the predominant reason for me watching this film was my ever growing love for Steve Carell. I kind of liked that it was set in a time where news anchors were only men and they found it ridiculous that a woman *gasp* would even dare get in there. Most of the characters (esp. Ron Burgundy and his gang) were quite sexist and chauvinistic against this woman who DREAMS to be a news anchor.

 There were so many things I enjoyed... I liked their snazzy suits, Ron Burgundy's moustache, Steve Carell, girl power (!), Steve Carell. I cannot seem to eloquently describe my feelings because it's very late at night and it feels slightly like my brain disconnected from my body so bye I will stop my typing now.

But great film.

1/7. Shrek the Third.

Okay. So in the past couple of years, Shrek was always around. As in, I see an advert on the bus and think "Didn't they just make one?" (ironically, it is also then that I realised no one would answer my internal rhetorical questions).

So I decided to watch it.

There are a lot of elements I like. One of them being the fact that this whole thing is set in the land of 'Fairytales' but they add a modern, relatable twist to it. If you look really, really closely you see that this is not just about an ogre and his companions (the talking donkey and spanish assassin cat) it's SO MUCH MORE than that (oh my god, I sound sarcastic. I swear I'm trying not to be).

 In this one, Shrek goes to Worcestershire (like the sauce) to get Arthur (because Shrek doesn't want to rule Far, Far Away) who is kind of in the 'outsider' part of the teenagers. Then they relate to each other with their similar internal conflicts; Shrek not feeling ready to be a father and Arthur not feeling ready to rule a whole kingdom.

 Then there's the unusual antagonist in the form of the metrosexual, rose biting Prince Charming. Best. Villain. Ever. I don't know if they intentionally wanted to parody the 'golden people' who people expect great things from and sob at themselves in front of the mirror... it is either genius or an even more hilarious irony.

 And at some point, Damien Rice started playing.

7 days of Film.

 I've been trying hard to post things more, but there isn't much to talk about so I have decided to set myself a challenge (which I WILL complete): from Monday 23rd of July to that Sunday (29th) I will watch one film a day and write my thoughts about them in this very blog.

 This isn't much of a challenge, because I just genuinely love watching films. But if you are reading this and you have any suggestions, let me know. If you are reading this and you'd like to join, you should!

Autobiographies.

I am reading random autobiographies (a higher dose than some may read in their lifetime) written by interesting people, there have been some by people suffering from deep insecurities which lead to dangerous disorders. But some are quite light hearted :)

So far, Sarah Silverman gets an A* for making me laugh out loud and admire her hilarious writing style. Four for you, Sarah Silverman.

*Obligatory Summer Post (2012)

*in which I list down a number of things I aim to do over this period of Summer (although we all know I will do none of them)

1. Do ALL schoolwork set by evil teachers.

2.Try to do some studying before the beginning of the term (I will NOT be behind)

3. Clean room.

4. Do more extracurriculars to put in my (currently empty) Personal Statement (preferable if said extracurricular activities would pay money)

5. Go out and find some wildlife to shoot-- not shoot literally, more like capturing their beauty. (in London, really?)

6. Find a part-time job (if said extracurricular plan fails)

7. Do something EPIC and AWESOME with friends (not just sitting around and crying in a circle after watching a sad film... which never happened before...)

8. Write more blog posts (since I'll have a shit load of spare time)

9. Read forgotten books/ stop impulsively buying more books to be forgotten.

10. Not kill anyone. (/maintain current status of my non-killing spree/ spreading joy and rainbows around people... is it ironic this morbid part of the list ends with the thought of spreading joy and rainbows?)

11. Find more things to do that will make me feel like I didn't waste this summer.

 (use less brackets in my blog)

(The earth shattering realisation that things will never stay as they are forever)

Today was one of those end of school things again. I hate those things because I've been subjected to a variety of the same motion for the past 5 years in the same school. It was filled with the same chorus of 'Have a nice summer' from both students and teachers alike. The same hour-long mass in the church a few minutes from the school in which everyone in the year is obligated to attend because we are in a Catholic School (and teachers check attendances).

 As the priest said his parting words, where I am selfishly exhaling in relief that I no longer have to do the stand-up-sit-down-oh-wait-let's-kneel thing the teacher from behind the piano stood up and spoke. He doesn't usually speak in these things, that's weird but he's nice. He announces that he's no longer joining us next year. I don't remember how the crowd of hypnotised students responded, however my memory chooses to play it back with a collective gasp and screams of extreme pain and agony.

It takes a while so sink in that I will no longer see this teacher daily walking with his mug of coffee and politely opening doors for people. I will no longer be able to compliment his bizarre choices of ties and experimental growth of facial hair. I'm filled with this weird sentimental feeling which swelled slowly as we walked back to school.

 But I'm not the one who's affected the most. I can still function in my normal everyday school without the teacher and his mug of coffee and polite door-opening manners. I could sit here and write about how I will cry in the corner of my room each night clutching a picture of him but I will be lying. And as I read back this last paragraph, I realise how cold it sounds but what I'm saying is that there are other students who he actually teaches and other people who are his friends in that school who will constantly miss his presence.

And what makes me most sad is that the teacher leaving the school signifies that nothing is going to be stable forever. There is a fact that things will change and move on even though it may leave a crowd of crying students behind.