tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85803410234765001692024-03-19T00:05:26.356-04:00Full Circle CrazyMadhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.comBlogger190125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-12827201971206503132013-08-10T18:17:00.001-04:002013-08-10T18:17:40.153-04:00Camp is Over!As much fun as this job was, I am exhausted. I was sleeping in the car on my way home. Many of the things I tried to say to my parents were slightly incoherent because I was too tired to care. Tonight...I get to sleep!<br />
<br />
Also, I'm aware I missed posting yesterday. I had to pack during my free period, and the camp dance went late so lights out was later than usual. I just didn't have the time. I promise to do an extra post one day before the end of the month. For now though...sleep.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-53601796904472033092013-08-08T23:54:00.000-04:002013-08-09T00:14:41.566-04:00TV I've Been WatchingLately I started watching two new (to me) series. I started watching <i>Roswell</i> and <i>Parks and Recreation</i>. I'm about midway through the first season of <i>Roswell</i>. I like it, but I don't love it. It's fun but I haven't clicked with it in that "I have to see what happens next/I need to have watched so I'm in on all the jokes" kind of way.<br />
<br />
<i>Parks and Recreation</i> on the other hand...I'm midway through season 4. I started season 1 forever ago, and didn't like it. Then I heard season 2 was better, so I powered through season 1 to get to it. Now I love this show.<br />
<br />
So yeah, that's wat I've been watching lately.<br />
<br />
Oh and <i>Cupcake Wars</i> but I mean, c'mon. Cupcakes.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-83132795756050584122013-08-07T23:51:00.000-04:002013-08-07T23:51:03.759-04:00Quidditch PicturesSo about two weeks after I joined the Quidditch team at my school, we played a tournament against other local schools. Here are some pictures from that weekend. In case you were wondering, we were seeded 6th out of 8 teams, and came in second.<br />
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<br />Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-34879466872809067632013-08-06T22:48:00.000-04:002013-08-06T22:49:08.139-04:00Common Questions People Ask When They Learn You Play QuidditchI joined my school's Quidditch team in April. Since then I've learned that there are some questions you just get used to answering.<br />
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1. How do you play Quidditch?<br />
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It's basically the same as wizard Quidditch.<br />
The chaser and keeper play are basically the same, except they use a partially deflated volleyball as a quaffle.<br />
For beaters, obviously the bludgers don't fly around, we use dodgeballs. If we hit someone on the other team, they have to run back to their hoops.<br />
The snitch is a person, rather than a tiny flying ball. They have a sock with a tennis ball in it tucked into their pants and the seeker has to grab the sock. The snitch is also worth 30 points, not 150. For the first 20 minutes the snitch doesn't have to be on the field. He or she can climb a tree, grab a drink at a nearby drink stand, sit in a parked car, you name it, they can do it. After 20 minutes the snitch has to return to the field.<br />
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2. But you don't actually fly around, do you?<br />
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Well obviously not. You have to keep a broom (or PVC pipe, or bamboo stick) between your legs the whole time. If you dismount, you have to run back to your hoops.<br />
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3. What position do you play?<br />
<br />
I am a subbing beater. I'm new to the team, so I only go in if one of the starting beaters gets tired and needs a break. Sometimes I start if we don't have enough girls though.<br />
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4. What does the number of girls have to do with it?<br />
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Not counting the seeker, Muggle Quidditch requires there to be at least two boys and two girls on the field at all times as players. Equality! (The actual rule is a little different, but in most cases this is what it ends up meaning)<br />
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5. Have you seen <i>The Internship</i>? They play Quidditch in that movie.<br />
<br />
No I have not seen it. Nor do I plan to.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-845728346064392092013-08-05T21:05:00.000-04:002013-08-05T21:05:07.891-04:00The Twelfth DoctorSo yesterday the actor playing the twelfth doctor was announced, Peter Capaldi. I don't know much about him, but going by his interview, I'm excited to see what's to come.<br />
<br />
Personally, I'm excited that they're going back to an older Doctor. I think it will change up the dynamic beteween him and the companion from what it's been since Rose and Nine. I'm hoping we can go back to some of what we had with Donna and Ten honestly.<br />
<br />
So yeah, I'm excited, though I won't really know how I feel until I see him in action.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-80324853675877041512013-08-04T23:30:00.000-04:002013-08-05T20:59:12.863-04:00Sleep SchedulesI don't know how it happened but somehow I got on a nice regular sleep schedule during spring quarter at school. I went to sleep around midnight and woke up around 7:30. This kept happening until I finally learned to accept it. Once I accepted it, it was fabulous. I woke up refreshed, not cranky. Although I set an alarm, I never needed it, so the alarm ended up being a "okay, you should start thinking about leaving for class in about 15 minutes" alarm, rather than a "wake-up" alarm.<br />
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I kept it up for a while after I got home for the summer, but after about a week I left for my current job as a camp counselor. My sleep schedule has been ruined. I have no consistant sleep time, or wake up time. It's all dependant on when I want to shower, or if I have a staff meeting, or how much sugar I had before bed.<br />
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That being said, when the other counselors and I hang out after lights out, I'm the one who falls asleep on the couch in the lounge. Regularly.<br />
<br />
Hopefully this means I'll be able to readjust back to my sleep schedule once I finish this job.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-79032199326874980722013-08-03T23:13:00.002-04:002013-08-03T23:13:57.149-04:00Six Flags, more flags more exhaustionI'm already regretting making myself do this.<br />
<br />
Let's see...<br />
<br />
I went to Six Flags New England today with the camp I'm working at. I got to go on Bizarro (formerly Superman) pretty much right away, becaue the weather was sort of icky, so there was no line.<br />
<br />
I fell asleep on the bus ride back to camp. That part was nice. The part where I had to be awake after that was less nice. But once I post this I can go to sleep so yay!Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-41015748211629750392013-08-02T23:50:00.001-04:002013-08-02T23:50:28.471-04:00First Line ChallengeSo there's this writing magazine called "<a href="http://www.thefirstline.com/" target="_blank">The First Line</a>" and they hold a competition where they provide the first line of a story and you write the rest. They do one for each season. I wrote a story for their Fall competition. The deadline to submit was August first. Guess who forgot to submit it? So I'm going to post it here instead.<br />
<br />
First Line Challenge (There must have been thousands standing in the rain that day.)"<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
There must have been thousands standing in the rain that
day. Of course, it started as a nice day. A few clouds in the sky, then,
gradually, as more and more clouds began to gather strange things started to
occur.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mary Lockwood, the pastor's wife, was in the library,
scanning the shelves for the latest AJ Tennent novel when she straightened up
and went outside. Robbie Brown was biking to the baseball diamond when he
dismounted and walked the opposite direction towards town hall, leaving his
shiny, blue bicycle lying on the sidewalk. Drew Edwards, the mayor's assistant
stood up in the middle of a budget meeting and walked outside.<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you'd been standing just past the town border, say on
Williams Hill, looking through a pair of binoculars you would have thought the
whole town was affected. Up close it was easy to tell the difference between
those who were compelled to go and those who were just following along, out of
concern or curiosity. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those in the first group were walking slowly but
purposefully towards town hall, not stopping for anything including oncoming
traffic, reacting only to obstacles like doors or stairs. Their eyes were dull
and once outside they traveled like salmon swimming upstream, relying on
instinct to get them to town hall.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those in the second group were noisy, some people calling
out to their loved ones with fear, others asking each other what they thought
was happening. They moved in starts and fits, attempting to stop those who
walked on. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They stopped trying after what happened to Becky Lurna. At
first she tried to stop him by blocking his path, but he walked around her with
no reaction. She became more determined, stepping into his path once more. When
he started to move to the right, slowly and deliberately, she shifted to her
left, blocking his path. He paused, then started moving left. Again, she
mirrored him. It was when he tried going right again only to be blocked by her
once more, that he picked her up and threw her to the side.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Word spread quickly through the crowd, the rumbling voices
mimicking the thunder in the distance. People made a point to stop trying to
physically block the walkers. Instead they walked alongside, making passionate
pleas to their families and friends.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gradually the crowd flowed onto the lawn in front of town
hall, arriving as the last of the clouds gathered, filling any gaps the sun had
tried to peek through. Horace Spector, the mayor, had his staff direct
onlookers off to the side, separating them from the mob.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everyone was holding their breath, some eager, some nervous,
wondering what would happen next.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That was when the skies opened, drenching the crowd in an
ongoing sheet of rain. The bystanders huddled togther, some shrieking, others
swearing while the others simply looked up to the sky.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dottie Marsh was the first to notice the blood. At first it
merely trickled out the noses of those who stood still as a statue. As it began
to gush more heavily the townspeople began to approach their loved ones,
pressing clothes to their faces to staunch the bleeding.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Their hands were pushed away. Lightning flashed and thunder
boomed as they began to bleed more heavily, blood gushing out of not only their
noses, but also their ears and eyes. Mothers continued to try and push through
to their children, but were held back by the other onlookers, who ignored their
wails and protests, muttering things like "you can't help them" and
"you'll only make it worse". <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The dark sky lit up as a bolt of lightning hit town hall,
followed immediately by a deafening boom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of the bloodied townspeople fell to the ground, along
with several of the onlookers. Only the onlookers stood back up a few moments
later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All told, the town's population went down by about three percent, just a
few hundred people. Yet there must have been thousands standing in the rain that day.</span></span>Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-11003354906721646482013-08-01T11:11:00.001-04:002013-08-01T11:11:32.610-04:00BEDA's Back!So it's been a while, huh? The weird thing is I did have posts planned, I just never got around to writing them. So, I'm going to do BEDA again to get back in the habit of writing blog posts about things. Yeah. This is happening. I'm working 16 hour days until August 10, but yeah, I'm doing BEDA again. This is insanity.<br />
<br />
In case you were wondering what you can expect this month I will be writing:<br />
-Reviews of the remaining Doctor Who episodes from this last season<br />
-What it's like being on crutches for a week<br />
-What it's like being a sleepaway camp counselor<br />
-Knitting Updates<br />
-Cross Stitch updates<br />
-And More!Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-6621433305681105672013-04-15T00:49:00.001-04:002013-04-15T00:49:08.793-04:00Cold WarOf the three episodes that have aired so far in this back half of the season I think this has been my favorite. It was a nice return to a classic monster of the week episode. Last week may have technically been monster of the week, but it was very arc heavy, what with Clara's back story and the Doctor questioning who she was. This week on the other hand was a great stand alone.<div>
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Spoilers from here on in.<a name='more'></a>So we start off on a Russian submarine in 1983. They are preparing for nuclear war until the scientist enters, singing. Twist, it was just a drill. We are then introduced to the stupidest character ever. Also, the character who should get blamed for everyone else's near demise. Some dumb sailor decides that he can't wait until they get to Moscow, he wants to melt the giant ice block that has a mysterious creature in it NOW. I bet this guy always peeked at his birthday presents ahead of time. Anyway an Ice Warrior pops out and immediately makes this guy regret melting him out. Also the sub starts sinking.</div>
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The Doctor chooses this moment to prove that he reall?y has no right to make promises to get people back to a certain place by a certain time by appearing on the sub shouting "Viva Las Vegas". He manages to stop the sub from sinking by getting it to land on an underwater shelf. During all this the TARDIS disappears. I liked how the Doctor basically ignored any attempt Clara made to ask what happened to it. Also, I actually really liked how the used Clara hitting her head as a way to move the story forward to a point where the Doctor and Clara can talk with the crew. I also liked when they got frisked and the Doctor asked for a receipt.</div>
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Anywho, the Ice Warrior pops up, and it turns out the Doctor knows him. This is not good news. Proving that IQ tests aren't given to the members of the sub's crew someone shocks the Ice Warrior (named Skaldak), who up until that point hadn't hurt anyone who didn't deserve it, and who was being nice and chatting with them. He goes down. Clara tricks the Doctor into explaining that the Ice Warriors are from Mars and that the armor doesn't adjust well to temperature changes. </div>
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Someone needs to go beg for forgiveness and since Clara is the only non-warrior, she volunteers. Unfortunately, Skaldak a) knows that she's being told what to say and b) isn't in the armor that Clara was talking to. This is very, very bad. There was a very good moment when Skaladak sent out an unanswered signal to his people, and another where he mourned the loss of his daughter, who presumably died in the 5,000 years he was in the ice. Skaldak kills some people and Clara asks the Doctor to grade her on her performance. During this sequence while everyone is running around, Clara proves how different she is from every other companion (except Brian). When the Doctor tells her to stay, she does without argument. She does not wander off. Also, she learns about the TARDIS translation matrix when she finds out that she is somehow speaking Russian. Did she just assume that everyone but the barking alien was speaking English, despite being another planet and in the future last week?</div>
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Anyway, there's some nice metaphorical stuff about the Cold War and Mutually Assured Destruction. The Doctor gets Skaldak to stand down a little by asking him to show mercy. Also, he threatens to blow up the submarine they are all on. </div>
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<div>
In what was certainly not a deus ex machina, it turns out that Skaldak isn't the last of his kind. The sub is lifted up by a tractor beam from an Ice Warrior ship. Skaladak goes with his people, and disarms the submarine. Happy ending. Except for one minor detail. Where's the TARDIS?</div>
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Turns out there's a system called HADS (Hostile Action Displacement System) that moved it to safety. Specifically, the pole. The South one. He asks for a lift from the submarine crew. If they end up turning him down, I'm sure he can just ask UNIT though. </div>
Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-90075728226340283292013-04-12T17:29:00.001-04:002013-04-12T17:29:28.034-04:00The Rings of AkhatenRight. So. I don't know guys. This wasn't a bad episode. It just wasn't great. Honestly I think the main issue was the pacing. This episode felt very slow. It was a very different format from normal episodes, which normally I like when shows do. This episode though, not so much. I liked the story we got at the beginning, and the number of aliens was cool to see. There was just a lot that I feel like didn't make sense, even for Doctor Who.<br />
<br />
Like the who "objects of sentiment" as currency. Say I pay for something with a necklace that means a lot to me. The person I gave it to won't have any emotional attachment to it. Can they still use it as currency? I just didn't get it.<br />
<br />
Also, I realize that Clara said the TARDIS didn't like her. At first I thought this explained why at first, the song wasn't being translated, but later was made up of words, it took a while for the translation matrix to kick in. But Clara had a conversation with the little girl before the song started making sense so I don't know what was going on there.<br />
<br />
Maybe on rewatch I'll like it more because I'll know what to expect from the episode.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-12713699300648623432013-04-08T22:44:00.000-04:002013-04-08T22:44:12.515-04:00A Technical SuccessOn Saturday, a group of my friends and I set out to visit Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. We hopped on the "L" (El?) and went went south, departing the El ("L"?) at the Roosevelt Red Line stop around noon, all of us hungry for lunch. We walked around a little and finally came across "The Artist's Cafe".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0I_d4w35U9H_KDsNvel-RRWEV-f3jBaAVj16HDFiqvmkUuwUMaUsc8POc8EBF7iIAWmQPkFTc7MowmegDhdtyJ2b9XHRKc44XpMOpoapiVooIyoNLNBXf1NIlIHLPSIulaTLf2uCYh27/s1600/2013-04-06+13.10.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0I_d4w35U9H_KDsNvel-RRWEV-f3jBaAVj16HDFiqvmkUuwUMaUsc8POc8EBF7iIAWmQPkFTc7MowmegDhdtyJ2b9XHRKc44XpMOpoapiVooIyoNLNBXf1NIlIHLPSIulaTLf2uCYh27/s320/2013-04-06+13.10.03.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
This was an awesome choice for lunch. First of all, as soon as we walked in, the hostess thanked us for choosing to eat with them. Sincerely thanked us. Over the 30-45 minutes we were there, she thanked us four times. They happily rearranged some tables to accommodate our group of six, and to food was amazing. I got a grilled cheese that came with three different kinds of cheeses.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKz5X47n0N31wTNGJSDDkNyy27nt5SBSLYuZUPQKkrGT5_OXGEREwycu0HzaMc5SwiMf42s4w1gbGxr-qyy-PNkwxOHYkYNKiqPmrnusMOayo857Ol6H30023EOZMHS54z8GZjYz3BuJN/s1600/2013-04-06+12.46.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKz5X47n0N31wTNGJSDDkNyy27nt5SBSLYuZUPQKkrGT5_OXGEREwycu0HzaMc5SwiMf42s4w1gbGxr-qyy-PNkwxOHYkYNKiqPmrnusMOayo857Ol6H30023EOZMHS54z8GZjYz3BuJN/s320/2013-04-06+12.46.09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnD4rWet8TVme2ue0-IxRiD_EJ3NV7fxcOue6BCi40ELSz91k1ADI0R1L2asEbpf0wO0P9c_x42dZQzn3D_Birh9uqD1QZl2pQZuhGOzVQKTc5zTh791slDyMjSrQO6_PyEIkoK1LEgHRn/s1600/2013-04-06+12.46.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnD4rWet8TVme2ue0-IxRiD_EJ3NV7fxcOue6BCi40ELSz91k1ADI0R1L2asEbpf0wO0P9c_x42dZQzn3D_Birh9uqD1QZl2pQZuhGOzVQKTc5zTh791slDyMjSrQO6_PyEIkoK1LEgHRn/s320/2013-04-06+12.46.17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Goat Cheese, with Pesto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you are in the area, I highly recommend it!<br />
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So, happily full of food, we struck off towards the Shedd. After a short(ish) walk we spotted it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_P3bzDmx3dFrkKHyLtQ-iLMzM0nuLszqFAwTSpiAnS0XM-0cG1rDPyoV6mRZfkG-5FGB6XK-l8jS8j_XnN5WDQOd6Llh6ke6C9u9m_mEEwtSMWUkzl0j8aDFqvELun-X67mQ9WE7Y7WT-/s1600/2013-04-06+13.21.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_P3bzDmx3dFrkKHyLtQ-iLMzM0nuLszqFAwTSpiAnS0XM-0cG1rDPyoV6mRZfkG-5FGB6XK-l8jS8j_XnN5WDQOd6Llh6ke6C9u9m_mEEwtSMWUkzl0j8aDFqvELun-X67mQ9WE7Y7WT-/s320/2013-04-06+13.21.01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shedd!</td></tr>
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Then we spotted the line.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MBt0KGmRHidI7-xNehxOStmk469h7blQRTjIUFDI7J8Np2WfXxyTrYwws6QmN2zPFQILP9NUsriI359tkBik-5O_PuaHhd3DGoU5xba_gd76GI658UE8fd7fSxQANzOTrFoXFMJff3Rl/s1600/2013-04-06+13.23.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MBt0KGmRHidI7-xNehxOStmk469h7blQRTjIUFDI7J8Np2WfXxyTrYwws6QmN2zPFQILP9NUsriI359tkBik-5O_PuaHhd3DGoU5xba_gd76GI658UE8fd7fSxQANzOTrFoXFMJff3Rl/s320/2013-04-06+13.23.00.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This wasn't even half the line. It went on, and on and on.</td></tr>
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So we decided not to go to the Shedd. We considered the Field museum, but even though the line was short, their ticket price was three times more than that of the Shedd.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUeJEBNnsiku2t3oCUtpP87lc5FkStvzPa9kioN6vz0MRWSxnvoPVEmi5il5B0F7o24G1fXWVtNUZ1kxDgcODdB0klFvkiMyVYwWN6kgnG_WGrtuNjXQG5CUxVQGCP9giMP9vm3yjJX5h/s1600/2013-04-06+13.26.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUeJEBNnsiku2t3oCUtpP87lc5FkStvzPa9kioN6vz0MRWSxnvoPVEmi5il5B0F7o24G1fXWVtNUZ1kxDgcODdB0klFvkiMyVYwWN6kgnG_WGrtuNjXQG5CUxVQGCP9giMP9vm3yjJX5h/s320/2013-04-06+13.26.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Field Museum</td></tr>
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Instead we went for a very windy walk around the Shedd, and the Adler Planetarium to a nearby beach, as it was a warm(ish) day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPHINFVSNP0fVAw6Ai0wVpSK8c_bKCb1OFu8DqT-7N2MOR-Zjj9wNQYL6yLXyPb_53RQtdEA9zTV0KgrOC-XiadbGNF59p0K4JoTxrCDBh6EP3fWbCGvY6oThIoyQLqV6dCatzqCA8m-2/s1600/2013-04-06+13.38.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPHINFVSNP0fVAw6Ai0wVpSK8c_bKCb1OFu8DqT-7N2MOR-Zjj9wNQYL6yLXyPb_53RQtdEA9zTV0KgrOC-XiadbGNF59p0K4JoTxrCDBh6EP3fWbCGvY6oThIoyQLqV6dCatzqCA8m-2/s320/2013-04-06+13.38.58.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicago skyline with a bit of the Shedd</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSCG1w87fC0wT8-guuBc8M61cFJNPGHop81eefadNADhC05mLOkoe3tJOhvHyPr5pLHH4BwCixYeu00MEEgmyBUhqIrrfielCN0NJhGt7oq5tQdIctXE8q1R4E9GZWJUC8PFqKd9Djpg-/s1600/2013-04-06+13.42.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSCG1w87fC0wT8-guuBc8M61cFJNPGHop81eefadNADhC05mLOkoe3tJOhvHyPr5pLHH4BwCixYeu00MEEgmyBUhqIrrfielCN0NJhGt7oq5tQdIctXE8q1R4E9GZWJUC8PFqKd9Djpg-/s320/2013-04-06+13.42.34.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adler Planetarium</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPALO8DnI1SXhhnS8jnfGtIHRZVuN7YxDNhT1IUjWyEiSsQvspBuWvS3R9Aw_HfnQOPYJ4ele2fL_sD-u7qINTh2kiWPWPXvabMCpeLmtERvNaE_HeX8LPKhZ2EdUFlSZ1VCLIqn4CHhQc/s1600/2013-04-06+13.51.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPALO8DnI1SXhhnS8jnfGtIHRZVuN7YxDNhT1IUjWyEiSsQvspBuWvS3R9Aw_HfnQOPYJ4ele2fL_sD-u7qINTh2kiWPWPXvabMCpeLmtERvNaE_HeX8LPKhZ2EdUFlSZ1VCLIqn4CHhQc/s320/2013-04-06+13.51.45.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach. </td></tr>
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In a not-so-shocking turn of events, despite the nice weather the beach was very empty. In an actually shocking turn of events, I cut my foot on a stick in the sand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEXwfX_zDkD5QBrF4gxlNiJf16CTh14vdXb3GhX_qmo4NqRv4CwWceAGoPXoBd3zkM_96Q146uKwZEs0g6ozUN4ylX1ybxFOFjZznTxwWZqpGvh8PTpsVaZLEjptxg8SkmXKAlOJfUCb3/s1600/2013-04-06+14.01.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEXwfX_zDkD5QBrF4gxlNiJf16CTh14vdXb3GhX_qmo4NqRv4CwWceAGoPXoBd3zkM_96Q146uKwZEs0g6ozUN4ylX1ybxFOFjZznTxwWZqpGvh8PTpsVaZLEjptxg8SkmXKAlOJfUCb3/s320/2013-04-06+14.01.36.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't say I cut it a lot. </td></tr>
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After a while at the beach we headed off. The line to Shedd had diminished, so we had hopes of being able to enter after all. These hopes were dashed when an aquarium worker told us they had lost power and closed the aquarium. Some of us stopped to take a picture with the horse statues nearby before heading off to our next location.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIltHyOIku29Sijii-HN_AZgeat0FvhZVI5FYRdgSRZJwPykkEecggXb5viBS_EHKWK1vKXVUWd6V-W1Bve-khwgVpTlMaRTadJ4SyRV54kFfHLNF88__5Qhut_qBBCM18iICa-_ghus4/s1600/2013-04-06+14.51.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIltHyOIku29Sijii-HN_AZgeat0FvhZVI5FYRdgSRZJwPykkEecggXb5viBS_EHKWK1vKXVUWd6V-W1Bve-khwgVpTlMaRTadJ4SyRV54kFfHLNF88__5Qhut_qBBCM18iICa-_ghus4/s320/2013-04-06+14.51.01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm the one in yellow.</td></tr>
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Our next stop was *drumroll*<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg237xZlnx6GiHlWvuyYao1xzWdmgeHiUKzAJHiLC7thFCRwyxGHdqLM0_ZVR2OsUvTqLsjLV18Y_kA1fNAyyjOy0wJ6oQX8vh3fIP6gDSoWhylF5QcWfapaWQ-aAgnerc9m1DyZSeWaR1/s1600/2013-04-06+15.28.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg237xZlnx6GiHlWvuyYao1xzWdmgeHiUKzAJHiLC7thFCRwyxGHdqLM0_ZVR2OsUvTqLsjLV18Y_kA1fNAyyjOy0wJ6oQX8vh3fIP6gDSoWhylF5QcWfapaWQ-aAgnerc9m1DyZSeWaR1/s320/2013-04-06+15.28.58.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Bean! Okay, technically it's called "Cloud Gate" but come on, it's a giant bean. I'd wanted to visit the Bean since I got to Chicago and I finally did.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnfrDjx-JcfANAFfnLVuxsirSR37cJ7-yc1J0gJ6YI2IjNff4viS15EaECkugW_yGNFhJGcoGaTolDlx0gaVOmUV2FlrSA8__LiItoz4ti7prt7iw1SP3WGuXH7gwH3rC5EwYUI3Htltl/s1600/2013-04-06+15.23.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnfrDjx-JcfANAFfnLVuxsirSR37cJ7-yc1J0gJ6YI2IjNff4viS15EaECkugW_yGNFhJGcoGaTolDlx0gaVOmUV2FlrSA8__LiItoz4ti7prt7iw1SP3WGuXH7gwH3rC5EwYUI3Htltl/s320/2013-04-06+15.23.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof!</td></tr>
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After a little while chilling in the park with the Bean we headed off to our final destination, the Lincoln Park Zoo!<br />
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We saw a jaguar.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3L33a3Z37v6VA_5tgFdTu52CeiN6pnBXXv_ts9DeiPUqvE_pLYYABC-zYh73cYpCgbkf12VPph1jevCcEiQVlSJLABLqpTuzTTTlSNI2sAWolDd1DrFtRWnFzga-4MB2krDBc3QK90YJ/s1600/2013-04-06+16.46.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3L33a3Z37v6VA_5tgFdTu52CeiN6pnBXXv_ts9DeiPUqvE_pLYYABC-zYh73cYpCgbkf12VPph1jevCcEiQVlSJLABLqpTuzTTTlSNI2sAWolDd1DrFtRWnFzga-4MB2krDBc3QK90YJ/s320/2013-04-06+16.46.11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And we saw swans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAAVQk2A0w82JmNl05BfQXMAFZQbiTECDE9dywWtc4r5g3eD1ujtKl6e5vQfsl4O0NqHcMISiSs4ZSprq8RFhvsPb2EX8P87J7_NstQ1ZaGgawf0osv_RgmLm0CPaw7gvtz3gSUquig7v/s1600/2013-04-06+17.09.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAAVQk2A0w82JmNl05BfQXMAFZQbiTECDE9dywWtc4r5g3eD1ujtKl6e5vQfsl4O0NqHcMISiSs4ZSprq8RFhvsPb2EX8P87J7_NstQ1ZaGgawf0osv_RgmLm0CPaw7gvtz3gSUquig7v/s320/2013-04-06+17.09.59.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And a beaver.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacefqqk_hIxJZ8gHnUDu8cD4GmvJtbTLp3iCj2C2MU11WuJ_AmDJtGYqdbM4HoCqLkNx3TJlFWxbLIJvmofCwCK2xcpjMLFdjlflaTHWczTbTGM6eViV4m0L_CPekiKa0nV9kofORrhGm/s1600/2013-04-06+17.18.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacefqqk_hIxJZ8gHnUDu8cD4GmvJtbTLp3iCj2C2MU11WuJ_AmDJtGYqdbM4HoCqLkNx3TJlFWxbLIJvmofCwCK2xcpjMLFdjlflaTHWczTbTGM6eViV4m0L_CPekiKa0nV9kofORrhGm/s320/2013-04-06+17.18.17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And a sloth.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpVPPa-XNZz_A2waUpTtPIIvkgv1N20E9Ir5CO1LU9E66kYJkgH9yhWBBnpwtoXpyiM91AzlNvZlshdCuDHxWLzVRQ-4o3i4YH53yc-T-l7GQr2uV-oox5wfP14glLTencivmOI6cXiT4/s1600/2013-04-06+17.01.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpVPPa-XNZz_A2waUpTtPIIvkgv1N20E9Ir5CO1LU9E66kYJkgH9yhWBBnpwtoXpyiM91AzlNvZlshdCuDHxWLzVRQ-4o3i4YH53yc-T-l7GQr2uV-oox5wfP14glLTencivmOI6cXiT4/s320/2013-04-06+17.01.30.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And finally, making our trip to the aquarium a technical success</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKsFcULh61eWX2CJBGHwKLoaxg4L0B_crM_kbrvwduuC_E_yW_lHkHwVsUPLKpEnW_yb6-gyBeXT5_71cKSYNJ9dcH9h3uBoQm-U0UzKJKuWLxjPjRdGY4_prREp3PNEnHPLZBeX-2Hu6/s1600/2013-04-06+17.00.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKsFcULh61eWX2CJBGHwKLoaxg4L0B_crM_kbrvwduuC_E_yW_lHkHwVsUPLKpEnW_yb6-gyBeXT5_71cKSYNJ9dcH9h3uBoQm-U0UzKJKuWLxjPjRdGY4_prREp3PNEnHPLZBeX-2Hu6/s320/2013-04-06+17.00.25.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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we saw fish.</div>
Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-59356433473336608052013-04-05T21:18:00.001-04:002013-04-05T21:18:58.008-04:00The Bells of St. JohnDOCTOR WHO IS BACK!!!!! That needs to be emphasized.<br />
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As always, SPOILERS are below.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>So we start off with a very ominous warning about the wi-fi and see people being downloaded and not knowing where they are. Very creepy, nice opening. I liked the mini-twist that answered the question I had about how the guy giving the warning knew to warn people.<br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> ┓┏ 凵 =╱⊿┌┬┐ </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><- don't click on this wifi name!</span></span></span><br />
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Then we get to see the new titles again. I like the new titles. I know a lot of people don't, but I do. Maybe it's because my first Doctor Who experiences were with the original series and the titles are reminiscent of that, I don't know.<br />
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Anyway, we are now in 1207 at some random monastery After some talk of a "mad monk" it's reveal that *shocker* the monk was the Doctor. Because no one saw that coming. Also, it took me way longer than it should have to figure out what "Bells of St. John" meant.<br />
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Then <i>zoom</i> we're in the present where Clara is trying to get on the wifi, after discussing it with kids who she isn't the mother too. The Dad says something about giving her the night off so she's probably the nanny. Dun dun dun. Oh and there's a book called "Summer Falls" by Amelia Williams in which chapter 11 is the best and the boys on the cover look like Sherlock and John. Subtle Moffat, <i>really</i> subtle.<br />
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Anyway, she's on the phone to a help line, trying to get connected to the wifi, which has weird red spots in it. As she calls waiting for someone to pick up, the TARDIS phone rings. The one on the outside, that 9 called a dummy phone. This by the way, was when I figured out what "Bells of St. John" meant. There's a funny communication about calling a different time zone. Also, Clara mentions that she got the number from a women in a shop. At first I thought it was River but given <a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/03/30/david-tennant-and-billie-piper-to-return-for-doctor-who-50th-anniversary/" target="_blank">this</a> I think it may be someone else. Someone who we know used to work in a shop.<br />
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The Doctor provides exasperated tech support. That is until Clara says her dying words to remember the wifi password. Except Clara is an idiot because she can't figure out how to type the password correctly. Then she clicks the bad wifi. But she leaves to answer the door where the Doctor has appeared still dressed as a monk. She doesn't know who he is, or have the middle name Oswin. Dun dun dun. They say Doctor Who a lot, and she does the smart thing and shuts the door in his face. As you do when a mad man shows up at your door.<br />
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We see the bad guys, who have the best exchange ever.<br />
Boss: I'm ever so fond of Alexi but I feel we should probably kill him.<br />
Flunkie: I'll alert HR.<br />
Boss: He's about to go on holiday. Wait until he gets back. Let's not be unreasonable.<br />
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Anyway, they plan on uploading Clara. Boss fiddles with Lacky's emotions on a tablet (I want that app) and we're back to the Doctor and Clara for another great exchange.<br />
Doctor: I was on my mobile phone.<br />
Clara: When you say mobile phone, why do you point at that blue box?<br />
Doctor: Because it's a surprisingly accurate description.<br />
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She hear and ominous noise and gets attacked by the girl from the cover of the book from earlier. Except she's actually a spoonhead and zaps Clara. Meanwhile, the Doctor is changing into <strike>normal</strike> non-monk clothes, so he has to run in and save her just in the nick of time by computer hacking. The bad guys are very surprised he can do this. He sends them a little note. "Under my protection" -The Doctor. The Boss contacts the anonymous big bad *coughGreatIntelligencecough* who has warned her about the Doctor.<br />
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The Doctor then goes on the be the best caregiver ever. Next time I'm sick/injured/unconscious after attempted alien abduction, I want him to take care of me. He also rummages through her stuff including a book of places to see that she's apparently owned since she was nine, but didn't own at ages 16 or 23. There is a leaf in the book. He licks it. It's okay that he does these things because cookies. She wakes up and they have a nice chat mentioning, among other things a person named Nina. Dun dun dun. She figures out that he's guarding her and comes down for a chat with some tea. We confirm that she's a governess/nanny. The Doctor talks about how people are getting trapped in the wifi. Because Clara makes a joke about Twitter, the Doctor realizes she's been hacked to know about computers. I know I'm going to get some criticism here, but that's the most unrealistic part of the episode.<br />
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Anyway, the Doctor tries to get Clara to go in the TARDIS, she makes some innuendo, then they realize that there are Spoonheads about. Also a plane in going to crash into them, because that's the most effective way to stop your enemies. They run into the TARDIS, land on the plane and run down the plane to the cockpit. At no point does Clara spill her tea. She needs special mention for this because it was very bumpy. They stop the plane from crashing, and block the plane's wifi so the pilots can fly it.<br />
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The bad guys meanwhile are confused about where the box went. The Doctor explains to Clara that the TARDIS also travels in time, so they can get breakfast. I liked that he passed off the teleportation as a magic trick. I also like how he rides the bike out of the TARDIS leaving the doors open, yet one shot later, the doors are closed again. The bad guys use cell phone pictures to track the Doctor and Clara.<br />
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Over breakfast the Doctor tries to track where the bad guys are. Clara asks if he's an alien. This would be an intelligent question if it wasn't for the fact that he told her this while they were on the plane. He asks why she's <strike>just</strike> a nanny. She changes the subject by fighting with him for the laptop so she can track the bad guys. He goes to get coffee. Oh and he calls being a nanny Victorian <strike>dun dun dun</strike> and there's more flirting/innuendo. The barista gets taken over by the wifi, as does the waitress and the rest of the cafe. Basically they tell the Doctor that he won't win. He runs out to check on Clara who is fine. In fact it's Oswald for the win. Oswin! Dun dun dun.<br />
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Anyway, bad guy boss lady shows off. Again, all she basically says is "I'm awesome and you can't stop me". Meanwhile, Clara hacks the webcams to take pictures of the minions. Then she looks at their Facebooks because they all put down where they work because they are dumb. Oh and the bad guy has a cool line about how her employer loves humanity because "No one loves cattle like Burger King". Boss lady learns there's a problem. The Doctor comes out to Clara who has tracked them down. BUT TWIST! It's a Spoonhead. She gets downloaded.<br />
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The real Doctor shows up. He is upset when he realizes what's happened. He starts riding on his awesome bike to the pointy building where the bad guys work. The bad guy is overconfident and thus doesn't even really try to stop the Doctor. He then uses his anti-gravity motorbike to ride up the building and break in to boss lady's office. "Excuse me, I believe there's someone to see me...Sorry about the draft." The Doctor wants Clara back. They can't free her without freeing everyone. This means that all the people without bodies will be dead. She refuses until the Doctor motivates her by revealing that he stayed with Clara in the cafe and sent the Spoonhead!Doctor to her. Boss lady get's uploaded and the Doctor hacks the Lackey so he obeys the order to download the cloud. The wifi turn blue and the Doctor ditches Clara in the cafe for no clear reason.<br />
<br />
Unit has taken over the bad guys. Lackey fights with them. The bad guy is revealed to be the Great Intelligence *coughCalledItcough*. He orders boss lady to put everyone to their factory settings. They no longer remember being evil. Some even have totally different jobs. Lackey turns out to be a plumber. This brings into question how they had Facebooks with their jobs. Also, boss lady reverts to a childlike state.<br />
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An indeterminate amount of time later, but probably not very long later, the Doctor shows up at Clara's door and asks her to travel with him. She doesn't want to leave the kids she's nannying but you know, time machine, he can bring her back like no time passed. hahahaha. He is only good at controlling the TARDIS with accuracy when the plot demands it. She laughs and innuendos his offer to travel but tells him to ask again the next day. He asks about the leaf in here "101 places to see" book. She says it's page 1. Then the Doctor gets excited and says it's time to find out who she is.<br />
<br />
Overall, I liked the episode but I didn't love it. I think the beginning was very strong, but everything else was just weak in comparison. I will say the pacing was very good. There was a lot crammed in, but for the most part it didn't seem that rushed. Other than the scene on the plane which was a lot rushed. So yeah. I'm excited for what's to come.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-3722443925792497282013-03-28T14:22:00.000-04:002013-03-28T14:22:32.537-04:00Job Hunters Season 2 KickstarterHey everyone!<br />
<br />
So there's this great web series called Job Hunters. It takes place in a dystopian future where graduate have to go into an arena to fight and kill in order to get jobs. It also serves as a form of population control. The show is very funny. Season 1 aired on youtube about a year ago. There are 6 episodes of about 10 minutes each, so it only takes about an hour to watch. Here, I'll put in the first episode for you.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/shhPwitFW2g" width="560"></iframe><br />
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So, as you can see, it's really good. And they did the whole thing on a budget of $14,000, donated through a kickstarter campaign. The main reason they could do it so cheaply? Lot's of people donated their time and resources. So a lot of people worked for no money, and the creators feel bad about that.<br />
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So, in order to make a season 2, they've created another kickstarter asking for $50,000 this time. They have a chart showing where the money will be going, but a plurality of it will be going to paying the crew.<br />
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Right now they have about $17,200 pledged and 9 days to go. If they don't get the rest of their funding, no one pays anything, and the show goes unmade.<br />
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If you like what you see, please consider giving even a small amount to help get season 2 made. I chipped in $21 but there are rewards for amounts as low as $3 (though if you want to be the first person to pledge/donate $5,000 that's your business).<br />
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Oh and if anyone was wondering, I'm not affiliated with Job Hunters in any way. I'm just a fan, trying to get the word out, so this great series can continue. And so that I can found out the result of that cliffhanger. Because seriously, the way the final episode ended is not okay. I need to know what happens.<br />
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Thanks!Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-8922775886738970442013-03-13T22:22:00.000-04:002013-03-13T22:31:27.964-04:00What "The Veronica Mars Movie Project" could mean for your favorite TV showEarlier today Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell, the creator and star of <i>Veronica Mars</i>, announced that there will be a Veronica Mars movie next year...if the fans helped pay for it. Enter the <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/559914737/the-veronica-mars-movie-project" target="_blank">kickstarter</a> asking for $2 million by April 12. Basically, the deal with Warner Brothers, who owned the right was that if they could get the money to make the movie, WB would pay for distribution and marketing.<br />
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As you can see if you go to the campaign, The <i>Veronica Mars</i> Movie Project met its goal, in one day, and still has people making pledges. </div>
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All this has sparked a lot of discussion about what this means for the future of TV movies. Some people have expressed concern that this will become how all future movies are made. Mostly people are just excited about what it means for their favorite cult shows that got canceled. Everyone is throwing around names of shows that could get made into TV movies now, so I thought I'd share my opinion of some of them. </div>
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<i>Firefly</i>: The Movie</div>
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One of the most commonly suggested shows to get this treatment, given that the first movie got made on the strength of the series' DVD sales, it isn't that much of a stretch to imagine it would try a kickstarter campaign. The stars have also expressed interest in coming back and continuing their roles. Unfortunately, it also has a lot of things working against it. The first movie didn't do very well at the box office, so the studio might be wary to make it, even if the fans chip in. Also, given that the show is science fiction and takes place in space, it's going to need a MUCH bigger budget than $2 million, so any realistic amount asked for might just end up being too much to actually get. Also a problem (though a good one), Joss Whedon is pretty busy right now with <i>Avengers</i> and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so even if it does happen, it'd be a while. Besides, like with<i> Buffy</i> and <i>Angel</i> the story has already been continued in comic book form.</div>
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<i>Gilmore Girls</i>: The Movie</div>
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In honor of Rory Gilmore, a Pro/Con list.</div>
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Pros: No real dangling plot threads means they can write a real stand alone movie, Can be done on a low budget since there were never really any massive special effects, Also owned by Warner Brothers the success of VM means they might be more willing than other studios to try, Fans clearly want it to happen.</div>
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Cons: Do the creators and actors <i>want</i> to make a movie? While they've expressed interest when asked, they haven't gone out of their way to say it's something they want to do, the way Thomas and Bell have.</div>
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<i>Chuck</i>: The Movie</div>
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While special effects cost would drive up the price to make this a reality, the fans have shown in the past that they are willing to put their money where their mouths are. Chuck fans went to Subway restaurants (a main sponsor of the show) and bought sandwiches, leaving suggestion box notes to "Save Chuck". It worked, the show was renewed and got five seasons in total. Given the open ended nature of the finale, a movie would be a great way to show just how things finally ended up. Also going for it? Earlier today Zachary Levi, who played the titular Chuck, tweeted that the <i>Veronica Mars</i> news "bolstered [his] faith that [he] can bring you a Chuck Movie". </div>
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<i>Leverage</i>: The Movie</div>
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One thing that kept repeating in the back of my mind today while waiting to see <i>Veronica Mars</i> reach $2 million was that $2 million is also what John Rodgers has said is the budget for an episode of <i>Leverage</i>, so I imagine a full on movie would cost more, but not a lot more. The show was only just canceled, but Rodgers says TNT has been letting them shop it around to try and find a new home, so why not let the fans, who stole a People's Choice Award to try and get the show renewed, pay for a movie?</div>
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<i>Arrested Development</i>: The Movie</div>
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Years after the show was canceled, Netflix got the rights to the show, and has now made a season 4, to be released in May. Ron Howard, the creator has said that the episodes will stand on their own, but also as a lead-in to a movie which, as of this writing, hasn't been ordered by any studio. The hope was that if the soon-to-be-released season 4 was successful enough, a movie deal would come through. And that may still happen. But maybe instead, the movie studio will ask them to do a kickstarter. Luckily, an <i>Arrested Development</i> movie could probably be done on a fairly low budget, and the fans have been very clear in their desire to see it happen. </div>
Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-34156627185237985302013-02-27T12:48:00.001-05:002013-02-27T12:48:43.097-05:00My Essay Writing ProcessI recently changed majors, from one where there were no essays required from me, to one where there are lots of essays required from me. As such, I've become very aware of the process I go through to write an essay.<br />
Note: This is just a general format, obviously each essay is different.<br />
<br />
Step 1: Read the prompt.<br />
Step 2: Look at the number of pages expected from me.<br />
Step 3: Panic.<br />
Step 4: Read the prompt again, hoping desperately that I think of something to say on the topic.<br />
Step 5: Go off and do other things, occasionally thinking about the essay and worrying.<br />
Step 6: Out of nowhere, think of an argument or fact that can be used for the essay.<br />
Step 6 1/2: Go back through my readings/do research to find facts I can use.<br />
Step 7: Write down the fact(s) in my outline.<br />
Repeat steps 6-7 until I have an outline that is at least half as long as my paper needs to be, because the outline is single spaced, doesn't use full sentences, and doesn't include anything regarding the introduction or conclusion.<br />
Step 8: Go over my outline, rearranging things until I feel like there's at least some transition between main points.<br />
Step 9: Try to start writing an introduction.<br />
Step 10: Get annoyed because every attempt to start the paper is garbage.<br />
Step 11: Skip straight to writing the first body paragraph because I have an outline for it so I at least have some idea of what I want to write.<br />
Step 12: Get inspiration for my introduction in the middle of writing a body paragraph.<br />
Step 13: Go back and write my introduction.<br />
Step 14: Finish my body paragraphs.<br />
Step 14 1/2: Every so often write a sentence that I just hate so much that I delete it, then rewrite it only to delete it again until I just give up and decide to let future me deal with the problem of the terrible sentence in editing.<br />
Step 15: Try to write a conclusion.<br />
Step 16: Get frustrated because conclusions are hard.<br />
Step 17: Just write something as a conclusion, mostly by reiterating my main points.<br />
Step 18: Wait 8-24 hours before rereading the essay.<br />
Step 19: Reread the essay, expecting it to be terrible.<br />
Step 20: Become pleasantly surprised that it isn't a steaming pile of turd after all.<br />
Step 21: Fix the terrible sentences that annoyed me earlier, because for some reason I can now figure out how to phrase them so that they aren't terrible.<br />
Step 22: Reread the essay, fixing spelling and grammar mistakes as I go.<br />
Step 23: Turn the essay in.<br />
Step 24: Panic that it's actually a horrible essay and that I should have spent more time fixing it. At no point reread the essay to reassure myself that it isn't bad.<br />
Step 25: Listen to the person who graded the essay explain in general terms what we as a group did wrong and should improve on for the future.<br />
Step 26: Assume that every single one of these errors applies to me, even if the part of my brain that remembers the essay knows that they can't all apply.<br />
Step 27: Get the graded essay back.<br />
Step 28: Congratulate myself on having tricked the TA/professor/grader into thinking I'm a good writer.<br />
Step 29: Briefly consider that maybe, just maybe, I have unrealistically high standards for myself as a writer.<br />
Step 30: Disregard that thought. It's clearly stupid.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-55534142161116334452013-02-21T16:17:00.000-05:002013-02-21T16:17:00.270-05:00Why Rory Williams is the Best CompanionNote: Most of this was written before <i>The Snowmen</i>, so Clara isn't in the running here. Also, spoilers.<br />
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 8px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-line; word-wrap: break-word;">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">“…you are always going to have the same sort of person, just because it’s the same man choosing them, and it’s the same person being chosen.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think the function of a companion is pretty simple. I don’t think that’s very difficult. It’s just a question of who credibly is going to agree to go in the TARDIS? Who’s going to do it? Is it going to be a mother of 15 children? No. Is it going to be someone in their 60s? No. Is there going to be a particular age range? I mean … who’s going to have a crush on the Doctor? You know, come on! It’s more than a format. It’s evolved from good, dramatic reasons.”</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Steven Moffat in Doctor Who Magazine</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-line;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moffat makes an excellent point about what makes a companion. It's true that the different companions add their own flavor, but ultimately they have basic common traits. It's worth noting that Rose, who is unemployed and Donna, who is a temp, plan to travel forever, only checking in on occasion, while Martha, who is on her way to being a doctor, and Amy who is getting married the next morning, travel only after confirming that they can return to their lives as though they never left. They all want to escape their "boring" lives, either forever or just to see what else is out there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-line;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then there's Rory. Rory has no desire to leave the little town he lives in. We see that his dream is to be settled down with Amy, having a family and a career as a doctor (<i>Amy's Choice</i>). He craves responsibility and stability, essentially the opposite of the Doctor's life. Rory travels with the Doctor, not to fulfill his own dreams, but to be with the love of his life. However, while traveling with the Doctor isn't the life he would choose for himself, he still participates fully. He is ready for the next adventure, but would always be fine with a stop and rest at home. </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-line;">In </span><i style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-line;">The Power of Three</i><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-line;">, we see a slight shift to Rory. This Rory is more excited and willing to travel with the Doctor, but he stays true to himself and enjoys his stability. He is the one to bring up the option of choosing not to travel to Amy, though ultimately he does happily join in on the adventure.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-line;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of Rory's greatest moments come from the fact that unlike these other companions he doesn't idolize the Doctor. The Doctor does not represent all his greatest hopes and dreams, and as such he can see the flaws much more clearly. He chastises the Doctor for putting other people in danger (<i>Vampires in Venice</i>). In <i>The God Complex</i> he reminds the Doctor that "everyone is important" not by quoting that belief back to the Doctor, but by simply mentioning that the dead boy in front of them had gotten over his stutter. </span></span><br />
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Like many of the female companions who've traveled with the Doctor, Rory is able to gain more confidence in himself and his abilities through knowing the Doctor. And yet, Rory really was amazing before he met the Doctor. He was the one to notice that the coma patients were up and about and he <i>took video footage</i> of it (<i>The Eleventh Hour</i>). After meeting the Doctor, rather than just go along with things, he started doing research and thus was<i> completely unimpressed by the TARDIS </i>(<i>Vampires in Venice</i>). He is an incredibly self aware character from start ("Did he just save the world from aliens, and then bring all the aliens back again?"-<i>The Eleventh Hour</i>), to middle ("Can you ride a motorbike?" "I expect so it's that sort of day."-<i>Let's Kill Hitler</i>), to end ("You think you'll just come back to life." "When don't I?" -<i>Angels Take Manhattan</i>).<br />
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Just as TV shows' best episodes tend to be the ones where they break from the format (Buffy has "<i>Hush</i>" and "<i>The Body</i>", and <i>Blink</i> is considered one of the stronger episodes of Doctor Who), Rory is the best companion because he is different. He doesn't thirst for adventure and he isn't in love with the Doctor. Donna, the first companion of the new series not to be in love with the Doctor is also considered one of the better companions. But he does it anyway. He makes the best of a not ideal situation.<br />
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This isn't to say that the other companions haven't been good. They have. But Rory is the best. Of the new series at least. </div>
Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-67910732249800025482013-02-08T18:30:00.000-05:002013-02-08T18:33:56.431-05:00Childhood Book Tag<div>
1. What were your favorite books read to you as a child? Why?</div>
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Both my parents read to me, but some books stand out a little more than others. Both my parents read me various <i>Magic Treehouse</i> books. I think I stopped right before the book <i>Christmas in Camelot</i> because I remember asking for a copy for Hannukah and being told that it would be better to get some other time. And then I never got around to reading it. My Dad also read me <i>The Chronicles of Narnia </i>series, as well as <i>The Hobbit</i>. My Mom read me the first few chapters of <i>Harry Potter and Sorcerer's Stone</i> to get me interested and now that's one of my favorite series. </div>
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2. Do you have any special memories or traditions associated with these books?</div>
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There was a period of time where I would get up to three bedtime stories. My babysitter would read me a bedtime story, then my Mom would come in a read me a story and then my Dad would come in and read me a story (or something along those lines, the exact line-up is a little fuzzy). I don't remember how aware each of them were that I was getting three bedtime stories, but I loved it.<br />
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With my Dad, when he read me <i>Narnia</i> and <i>Hobbit </i>every so often he'd give the book to me and make me read for a while.<br />
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Also with Harry Potter, the reason my Mom stopped reading them to me was because I got so into the books that I just started reading them on my own because I wanted to know what happened next. I didn't want to wait for the next night to find out. I also came into the series late (book four had just come out when I started reading them) so I had a lot of catching up to do.</div>
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3. What were your favorite books or series when you were old enough to read? Why?</div>
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I really loved <i>The Frog Princess</i> series by E.D. Baker. I think this was the start of my love for alternate takes on fairy tales. Similarly, I loved (and still love) <i>The Enchanted Forest Chronicles</i> by Patricia C. Wrede. I also really liked the book <i>What is the Teacher's Toupee Doing in the Fishtank?</i> by Jerry Piasecki. It was just a really funny book with pranks and heist like actions. I also loved the <i>T*Witches</i> book series. It was about twin witches who were separated at birth. The series starts with them meeting as teens and learning to use their powers. Also Harry Potter 1-5 came out while I was in elementary school, so those count too, right? Ohh! <i>A Series of Unfortunate Events</i>! That's a great series. It's just really funny in weird ways.</div>
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4. What was your favorite book character in these?</div>
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<i>The Frog Princess </i>- It's been so long since I read the original books (there's a prequel and sequel series now). I guess Emma. Grassina's also great. I think I like her in the latter books a little more. </div>
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<i>The Enchanted Forest Chronicles</i> - Cimorene. Or Kazul. Maybe Trouble. Can I just love all of them?</div>
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<i>What is the Teacher's Toupee Doing in the Fishtank? </i>- Mr. Finelli. He was the teacher. This guy was awesome. "[Written on the blackboard]'I've left you all a package on each desk. Can you guess what it is?' [Frankie] 'A TV dinner?' [Blackboard] 'No Frankie, it isn't a TV dinner.'"</div>
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<i>T*Witches </i>- Alex. She was awesome.</div>
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<i>Harry Potter </i>- Confirming that no one's favorite character from <i>Harry Potter</i> is Harry Potter, Professor McGonagall is my favorite.</div>
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<i>A Series of Unfortunate Events</i> - I think the narrator/Lemony Snicket was my favorite honestly.</div>
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5. What was your favorite book in a childhood series?</div>
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<i>Chamber of Secrets</i> has always been up there for me. <i>Prisoner of Azkaban</i> is pretty high up as well. I guess <i>Calling on Dragons</i> is my favorite in the <i>Enchanted Forest Chronicles</i>, but that's only because of the cats. And Killer. All the others are tied for a very close second. <i>The Ersatz Elevator</i> was my favorite for <i>A Series of Unfortunate Event</i>s.</div>
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6. Did you ever dress up like one from your favorite books?</div>
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I'm sure I dressed as Hermione at some point. And if not, I've worn Hogwarts uniform stuff to Wizard Rock concerts, so close enough.</div>
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7. Was there a movie adaptation of any of your childhood favorites? If so, did you like it?</div>
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<i>Chronicles of Narnia </i>- I only saw the first 2 movies they did but I remember being really impressed by how well they stuck to the book and made a good movie.</div>
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<i>The Hobbit </i>- I want the next two parts out now, so I can see them and love them, that's how much I loved the first part.</div>
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<i>The Frog Princess </i>- Apparently Disney's <i>The Princess and the Frog</i> was based off of <i>The Frog Princess</i>. I mean, it's mentioned in the credits. Honestly the only thing the two movies have in common is that the girl turns into a frog after kissing the prince, and a swamp is involved. There is literally nothing else the same. I like <i>The Princess and the Frog</i> as a movie, but as a movie adaptation ... I don't know how they can call it an adaptation, honestly. </div>
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<i>T*Witches </i>- Disney made it into a Disney Channel Original movie. It...wasn't great. As a movie OR an adaptation.</div>
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<i>Harry Potter </i>- For the most part I've liked the <i>Harry Potter</i> movies. Though I will sometimes rant a little about the stuff that got left out.</div>
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8. Have you read any children's series as an adult/teen that you loved? If so, what were they?</div>
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I guess the <i>Percy Jackson</i> books count. As do the later <i>Harry Potter</i> books. I think I read <i>Peter and the Starcatchers</i> too, though I don't think I finished that series. Umm, I only this summer read the most recent books in the <i>Princess and the Frog</i> series, so those count too I guess.</div>
Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-6607878182807180382013-01-23T19:45:00.001-05:002013-01-23T19:45:23.083-05:00The SnowmenBetween today's (light) snow, and the BBC's announcement that Doctor Who return Saturday March 30 (YAY) I think the signs are clear that the universe wants me to actually write my recap/review of The Snowmen. Here's the thing. It's been weeks since I last saw the episode, so I may get some details wrong. I would rewatch it, but with homework and whatnot, I probably don't have the time. That's also why this will be (relatively) short.<br />
SPOILERS AHEAD<br />
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<a name='more'></a>So we start off with a creepy kid and a creepier snowman. That talks. And parrots back the kid's statement that they other children are silly and to be ignored. Right, not to worry then. Suddenly we zoom forward 50 years. Creepy kid is now a creepier adult who feeds people to snowmen. The Doctor is being down right grumpy to Madam Vastra, Jenny and (somehow alive, they explain it but not really, just go with it, it's Doctor Who) Commander Strax. He meets a nice barmaid (Clara) who looks exactly like that girl from Asylum of the Daleks (except he never saw her then). They also meet a creeptastic snowman. The Doctor stops the snowman and wanders away to a carriage which Strax is driving. Clara then breaks into the carriage.The Doctor decides to wipe her memory with a special worm (coughforeshadowingcouch). Strax keeps forgetting to use gloves and thus keeps getting wiped. His forgetting that he climbed under the carriage and the subsequent belief that he was run over was great. Anyway, Clara manages to convince the Doctor that he can't wipe her memory, or she'll forget how to fight the snowmen. The Doctor then saunters off and climbs into the cloud that the TARDIS is parked on. Clara is somehow able to follow him without his noticing, but she doesn't go in the TARDIS.<br />
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The Doctor sits in his newly redecorated TARDIS (though the outside could use a fresh coat of paint). He is sad. Clara goes to her other job as a governess where she uses a fake posh voice and entertains the children by using her real *secret* voice. We learn that the former nanny, a real meany died a year ago by drowning in a pond that then froze over. *Shockingly* the girl is having nightmares about this.<br />
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Clara tries to get the Doctor, but is too short to reach the ladder. Luckily Jenny gets her and brings her to her wife, Madam Vastra (yay, they confirmed it!). Vastra asks her lots of questions and lets her only answer with one word each. Clara says pond and gets the Doctor to actually come and help. The Doctor, dressed as Sherlock Homes (Wholock!), who the creepy guy (real name: Dr. Simeon) claims to be based off Madam Vastra/Jenny, visits the creepy guy. He makes lots of really funny, but really inaccurate deductions, before narrowing in on the snow, or Great Intelligence. He also throws a folder on the ground and figures out that they want to use the pond that the governess drowned in because her DNA will help them build new snow creatures.<br />
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The Doctor shows up at the house where Clara works and saves her and the children from the governess who has risen anew entirely made of ice. There's a sweet moment where he realizes he's wearing a bowtie, but utterly fails to realize that it's the temperature that's cool, not his bowtie. Aside, Strax mentioning that he brought grenades was great. Anyway, ice lady is still attacking, Jenny and Vastra show up to help. Ice lady gets trapped in the house and new snowmen show up to try and get her. The Doctor grabs Clara and gives her an umbrella. They run to the roof, chased by the ice governess. Clara decides the the umbrella was given to her because she is short, it's her only way to reach the sky ladder (the Doctor doesn't control the cloud to move it, merely the wind). They race into the TARDIS which she declares to be...smaller on the outside. "That's new." Also new? Her desire to make souffles in the TARDIS kitchen. Alas, just as Clara gets a key to the TARDIS she's yanked outside by the ice lady who throws them both off the <strike>roof</strike> cloud. The Doctor goes to creepy guy's house and unleashes the<strike> Chekov's gun</strike> memory worm. This should stop the Great Intelligence, which is afterall controlled by Simeon's thoughts. Except, not so much. The GI is now it's own entity. Luckily? Clara dies, and the tears of the family she worked for melt the snowmen and save the day. Don't ask questions, it's Doctor Who. The Doctor goes to her grave and realizes that not only does she have the same interests and last words of "Souffle girl" she has the same name. Clara Oswin Oswald. Off he rushes, finally happy again, to try and track her down. Years later, Clara walks through that same graveyard, boldly declaring that she doesn't believe in ghosts.<br />
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I'm interested to see where this story with Clara ends up going. I have a feeling that my favorite theory that I've seen will prove to be incorrect (She's the daughter of Jack and a weeping angel. Every time she dies she gets sent somewhere new in space and time).<br />
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Also, new opening titles. I liked them.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-65078724284916749102013-01-02T15:22:00.000-05:002013-01-02T15:22:05.799-05:00The Disney Tag!<br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;">So there's this thing where people make lists of questions and ask people to make youtube videos responding to them. And they're usually themed. But not always.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc;">An<span style="font-family: inherit;">yway, I don't make videos, but I saw someone who did a Disney themed one and I like the questions so here we go.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">1. A scene in any Disney movie you wish you could experience. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Being in the flying house from Up would be cool. I think the "Be a Man" sequence from Mulan would actually be pretty cool.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">2. An unforgettable experience/moment you've had at the Parks. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">When I was like, six (three? I have no idea, I'll ask my parents) we went to Disney World (the one in Florida) and I saw Mickey Mouse walking down the path. And I decided that I wanted to try and follow him without him noticing me. I was not a very good ninja. As I was following him, he stuck out his hand for me to hold, so instead of following him sneakily, I held his hand and walked down the path with him. There's no picture of this (I think. Something else to check with my parents) but according to my parents it looked like the commercials.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">3. What non-Disney song(s) reminds you or brings back memories of Disney and/or the Parks? </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">"<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WNvHALbRDc" target="_blank">Dashing Knigh</a>t" by All Caps. A lot of Christmas/Winter songs. Like "Winter Wonderland", or "Jingle Bells".</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">4.When was the first time you went to a Disney Park? </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">I was a baby. My sister is a few years older than me, so she had more fun than I did. I don't remember this, as I was a baby at the time, but apparently Mickey Mouse came over and stuck his nose in my face. According to my Mom I screamed bloody murder and punched him in the nose. Mickey and I have a complicated relationship.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">5.If you could choose any of the characters to be your best friend, who would you choose?</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Rapunzel. I think we have a lot of shared interests. Mushu would also be fun to hang with.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">6.Who are your favorite Disney princesses?</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rapunzel. Nala. Mulan (I don't care what you say, I think she counts).</span> Merida. They are all strong independent women. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">7.Name a scene/moment in any Disney movie that never fails to make you cry.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc;">The end of Toy Story 3.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">8.What is the first Disney movie you remember seeing? </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc;">Uhhh...no idea. Lion King? Cinderella? Beauty and the Beast? Snow White? I have no idea. Probably one of those.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">9.What is your favorite Disney movie?</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">Counting Pixar movies, The Incredibles. Not counting Pixar movies, Lion King.</span></span><br />
<br />Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-16447380540328281392012-12-22T16:35:00.001-05:002012-12-22T16:35:28.162-05:00First Pair of Socks!So I've been knitting for a while, but until this last week had never made a sock. It's not that it's so challenging to make a sock, it's more that I didn't have the right equipment. Then this summer I got some more double pointed needles and suddenly, socks were within my grasp. I made some attempts at making a sock while at school, but I kept putting it aside and pulling it out to discover that the stitches had all slipped off while I was neglecting it. So I decided to wait until I was home for winter break.<br />
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I got home and then I did it. I made a sock!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusJAzrbdsSCQmLnQoGBTGQnamtzR20UehjC2TvWWftbm4oyGZgE8jtW7Ly4yvA8Lna4aa2U5DnqLvKD-y9P8uGoJU-5-j6F2f_LjVsBfClAHZc8W3h7J3RmKVrXk0bxC4F_K1V_qYsSX6/s1600/DSCN0567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusJAzrbdsSCQmLnQoGBTGQnamtzR20UehjC2TvWWftbm4oyGZgE8jtW7Ly4yvA8Lna4aa2U5DnqLvKD-y9P8uGoJU-5-j6F2f_LjVsBfClAHZc8W3h7J3RmKVrXk0bxC4F_K1V_qYsSX6/s320/DSCN0567.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The aforementioned sock.</td></tr>
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Then I started to make a mate for this sock.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiTsoRZBxVDfMghBpZpvG7VsSmWlvpzzv4jKZ1aegS8tDnA-sYOjNx3EeGT7AJiveP_xXec5XMu2jia3TuUCk4mipM63UNvjPkfIHB4EDd5EUT5rF9o6T680GxePs4F8njgznyR3R-V7J/s1600/DSCN0569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiTsoRZBxVDfMghBpZpvG7VsSmWlvpzzv4jKZ1aegS8tDnA-sYOjNx3EeGT7AJiveP_xXec5XMu2jia3TuUCk4mipM63UNvjPkfIHB4EDd5EUT5rF9o6T680GxePs4F8njgznyR3R-V7J/s320/DSCN0569.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The progress of sock number 2.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sHhAqRMgfNuIiMqJfKVdwNcOM9Un6sFCCe13ViXUXGo0jQFacgQwJkot56wZQBkuAIZ_X47JHwgJpxlHMqGSXC2K7fx01VlXU05sVSaaJOxmJNX6wddm504Z1Yp3OB7nDmq_VHMsNcxI/s1600/DSCN0570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sHhAqRMgfNuIiMqJfKVdwNcOM9Un6sFCCe13ViXUXGo0jQFacgQwJkot56wZQBkuAIZ_X47JHwgJpxlHMqGSXC2K7fx01VlXU05sVSaaJOxmJNX6wddm504Z1Yp3OB7nDmq_VHMsNcxI/s320/DSCN0570.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For comparison.</td></tr>
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This particular yarn is very thin and I got a little bored. I decided that I wanted to knit some socks that wouldn't take as long. I looked through my stash and found I had some wool yarn I could use. Long story short, I now have a pair of knitted woolen socks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BjibDzZ_v07Qxmk8Acnxxyj-iEZtLqrunvl4-oYSkkyN9_H226UWXTzRpQlx1XfIQ0_JNAkUWqcJFyVrPAMFTYMXf2HJ5jqtGqW0lvQpPcmWIUUuHodbcUiYEMK9coTbEKamZ3CXCPAD/s1600/DSCN0566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BjibDzZ_v07Qxmk8Acnxxyj-iEZtLqrunvl4-oYSkkyN9_H226UWXTzRpQlx1XfIQ0_JNAkUWqcJFyVrPAMFTYMXf2HJ5jqtGqW0lvQpPcmWIUUuHodbcUiYEMK9coTbEKamZ3CXCPAD/s320/DSCN0566.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pair on their own.</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26ZJ-J5BVry-8JsPVBk2fsXniFjopA5ITpbTaSGZqzRpZW4LTHDjy9PvoCMAi_nNmUltejvGfEdF560dvAfiouYZDwu4T6KSaaFpt-bZEu0-JM4_W4JUXMWbYdk1N5-JfkG4OC0I48Euu/s1600/DSCN0571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26ZJ-J5BVry-8JsPVBk2fsXniFjopA5ITpbTaSGZqzRpZW4LTHDjy9PvoCMAi_nNmUltejvGfEdF560dvAfiouYZDwu4T6KSaaFpt-bZEu0-JM4_W4JUXMWbYdk1N5-JfkG4OC0I48Euu/s320/DSCN0571.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And on my feet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc60Ix7O_ZBP6Vz9UL7uvcttdjmi9xQRaMrq8tJqhlmDri_y9jfeW8rJpEjOX3TUYUzZHwvhA4mEPCscD3PdLVZ1CpalfsGd1YP3UPlIXoO0esoSNOqOV8lFgsHZPCjnrdLsSLgmTMX43n/s1600/DSCN0575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc60Ix7O_ZBP6Vz9UL7uvcttdjmi9xQRaMrq8tJqhlmDri_y9jfeW8rJpEjOX3TUYUzZHwvhA4mEPCscD3PdLVZ1CpalfsGd1YP3UPlIXoO0esoSNOqOV8lFgsHZPCjnrdLsSLgmTMX43n/s320/DSCN0575.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another angle of them on my feet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So yeah, socks. I can make those now.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-91983406031067186122012-12-05T14:18:00.002-05:002012-12-05T14:18:41.070-05:00Worst Hot Chocolate EverI don't drink coffee, and I don't like most teas. My hot beverage of choice is hot chocolate, which is why I get sad when I drink bad hot chocolate. Normally it's just a disappointment. Then there are nights like last night.<br />
<br />
I ordered my hot chocolate in a to go cup.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Ts2pl0pzc6INpSkw5DqOgfGs_jylvwqnYxyt51_Aq0Lp2b5LMPT2g1Qc3Eg_i_8ZyQB7STd1fV7-xGHEwT0RqiuNAbu7RU2RIuFFJl-ItveeIdc4qunjzx0I1N5KkIC1Sew665nylgUR/s1600/DSCN0554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Ts2pl0pzc6INpSkw5DqOgfGs_jylvwqnYxyt51_Aq0Lp2b5LMPT2g1Qc3Eg_i_8ZyQB7STd1fV7-xGHEwT0RqiuNAbu7RU2RIuFFJl-ItveeIdc4qunjzx0I1N5KkIC1Sew665nylgUR/s320/DSCN0554.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The evil cup.</td></tr>
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I left the cafe and took a sip. BLAM! The lid popped off and spilled onto my shirt.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaF_ZnM2N_Ykq2kdLnyI8195fxg7y9YYaj0H2RqL1239MOY7O39p8dqDjqQdYWCKTMxjnKZLxdqR5WN2qyicq2vSN7go2Q9dF15pzmPx3iF1IiI6CIC56ycAQkhyReB7Pjl29dCE0vw0lz/s1600/stain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaF_ZnM2N_Ykq2kdLnyI8195fxg7y9YYaj0H2RqL1239MOY7O39p8dqDjqQdYWCKTMxjnKZLxdqR5WN2qyicq2vSN7go2Q9dF15pzmPx3iF1IiI6CIC56ycAQkhyReB7Pjl29dCE0vw0lz/s320/stain.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's the stain. It didn't actually photograph well, but it was noticeable to people who saw me.</td></tr>
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The only saving grace about spilling my hot chocolate on myself? It was less "hot chocolate" and more "warm milk that vaguely tastes like chocolate if you really taste carefully". So I didn't get burned, and the stain could have been worse.<br />
<br />
I think the anger at spilling it on myself is what made me take a while to realize that it didn't taste, well, like hot chocolate.<br />
<br />
I'm still looking for an explanation as to why I ended up drinking the whole thing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJdvCYy7loJdCgubEM_hg3Uha1-EoCu8mIrNYf_49_LXpGn-yLkqfSA-iNUKpQ5Wy2j0FCnxWvGkmpIx76vJ9q3qPiI9Pf92TfrNPmjtGKlnH7tgKo-a9hkqoqrTvsGFF912rs22-0Yst/s1600/DSCN0564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJdvCYy7loJdCgubEM_hg3Uha1-EoCu8mIrNYf_49_LXpGn-yLkqfSA-iNUKpQ5Wy2j0FCnxWvGkmpIx76vJ9q3qPiI9Pf92TfrNPmjtGKlnH7tgKo-a9hkqoqrTvsGFF912rs22-0Yst/s320/DSCN0564.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can actually see the lack of chocolate-y ness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-16071854271581963022012-12-03T21:14:00.000-05:002012-12-03T21:14:25.507-05:00Keeping the Weirdness Close<br />
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My standard answer when someone asks "where's <i>so-and-so</i>?" is to very casually say "Oh, I killed him and threw him in a ditch". </div>
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<br /></div>
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This happened at dinner and my friends proved why they're my friends. They responded like this:</div>
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Friend 1: *nods approvingly*</div>
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<br /></div>
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Friend 2: "Approved."</div>
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<br /></div>
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Friend 3: "Sounds reasonable."</div>
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<br /></div>
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Later I was walking down the hall and heard someone I didn't know say "Where's my roommate?" I came so close to saying, "I killed her and threw her in a ditch" BUT I DIDN'T! I stopped myself from confusing some poor girl.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I feel I deserve a cookie. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_n05-gZ-hyQgczDFNsAYNtBD6IIAC-LDmsAgySj-YroxJIcawS71KO8mMw15NUNjgax4PKZBhJr7bPO3k94Bk-9CV2uonb1Dt-fVBsmaOKHuhSn7Y6wzWiJgn6EDCobERUSDxKIRMTykA/s1600/DSCN0551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_n05-gZ-hyQgczDFNsAYNtBD6IIAC-LDmsAgySj-YroxJIcawS71KO8mMw15NUNjgax4PKZBhJr7bPO3k94Bk-9CV2uonb1Dt-fVBsmaOKHuhSn7Y6wzWiJgn6EDCobERUSDxKIRMTykA/s320/DSCN0551.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tried to take a picture of myself eating the cookie but it turned out...less than flattering.</td></tr>
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It was a yummy cookie. </div>
Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-90671620483998427082012-11-26T17:30:00.000-05:002012-11-26T17:30:08.553-05:002 Nice People and a CrazyI flew back to school yesterday, which meant spending time in the airport. I like airports. They're like magical inbetween places. Still, you don't always want to spend all your time there. Which is why, when I saw that there was a flight that left 2 hours before the one I was scheduled to be on, I wanted on.<br />
<br />
I started at the check-in desk, where I met the first nice person. One of the airline employees offered to help me by showing me how to try and switch on the self-check in machine. Unfortunately the earlier flight didn't show up. She explained it was probably full, but maybe I could talk to someone at the gate and get on stand-by. I said good-bye and went through security.<br />
<br />
There wasn't anyone at the gate, so I went to the airline lounge thing to talk to an employee. He looked up the flight but unfortunately I wasn't able to switch onto it. Then he did something that made him into nice person number 2. Without me even asking, he started looking to see if he could switch me into a better seat on my plane (he couldn't, my flight was over booked, but still very nice of him).<br />
<br />
I went off, wondering what I would do (other than homework) for the next 3 hours in the airport. Then I saw the bookstore. In I went. And that's where I heard the crazy lady. A girl in the bookstore was there with her mother. She asked the mom to get her a particular book and the mom turned her down, claiming the book looked "too mature" for her child. They then left. I looked over at the abandoned book. It was titled "Middle School: Worst Years of my Life". The girl was 9 at the youngest. Yeah, a book about middle school is <i>way</i> too mature for your fourth grader. As I said, crazy lady.Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580341023476500169.post-18320538185793915042012-11-18T01:14:00.002-05:002012-11-18T01:20:33.076-05:00Impromptu Broadway MelodyThere are people in the hallway who've been singing random Broadways songs (with varying quality and accuracy) for about 10 minutes now. They started with "Omigod You Guys" from Legally Blonde, but have since focused mainly on songs from Rent, "One Song Glory" "Season of Love" and they just finished "Take Me or Leave Me". I strongly suspect alcohol is involved.<br />
<br />
I've also been really strongly tempted to join in on the singing. Seriously, the only reason I'm not annoyed by this group of people is that I like/somewhat know the songs they're singing.<br />
<br />
Okay they're singing something new now and I don't recognize it. A google search of the lyrics I can make out strongly implies that it's "Out Tonight" also from Rent.<br />
<br />
Okay, they're singing something else now, but I don't know what it is. Other people are also being loud, so I can't make out enough of the lyrics to google it.<br />
<br />
Ooh, someone just asked them to be quiet because it's after quiet hours. Fun fact, it's not. Quiet hours start an hour later on Friday and Saturday nights, so they could still be loud for another 48 minutes if they wanted to.<br />
<br />
And that seems to be the end of this little variety show.<br />
<br />Madhatter360http://www.blogger.com/profile/01553258884759233293noreply@blogger.com0