my little talks: March 2012

3/31/12

More than a simple life

Ahh the first day of spring break. For the next eight days I'll be writing my script for Script Frenzy, reading, writing two essays, and writing on an radio script. As well as other stuff like dying of boredom, blogging or tumblring, or probably doing something with my family. Heck, most likely all three.

How about you? Did you already have spring break? What did you do? If not, then when is your spring break? Also what will you do?

Now I have the sudden urge to write in french now. Je lirai les livres. Je mangerai la nourriture. Etc, etc.
Now moving on to a random song called Simple Life by My Favorite Highway.

So, so, so tell me where do we go
There is a burning that's inside of my soul, and it shows
We all want something more than just a simple life
Hey, hey, so give me something to say
I had the words but then I through them away, and you know
We all want something more than just a simple life

Lyrics source: http://www.6lyrics.com/simple_life6-lyrics-my_favorite_highway.aspx

Top nine favorite Dystopian novels

- A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia

- An imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dystopia

9. Dust City by Robert Paul Weston

Read the summary on goodreads.
Why?
Fairy tales and dystopian is my two favorite genres, and when they mix together. It makes for an intresting blend of fairy tales and the future that isn't so good. Dust City makes for an interesting read. Plus, it shows the kind of grim side of fairy tales that in the end still gets a happy ending.

8. Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld

Read the summary on goodreads.
Why?
It was one of the very first dystopian novels I've ever read. It showed me that anything can be hidden in the open, that a utopia may actually be a dystopia.
Plus it has cool technology that can actually go in your skin. This is amazing because it means that you won’t have to forget anything ever again!
However, there's too much surgery in it, which thankfully doesn't describe the process. Though the MC changes a lot each time, she goes through a surgery.
Books: Uglies, Pretties, Specials [original trilogy] Extra [added novel]

7. The Roar by Emma Clayton

Read the summary on goodreads.
Why?
It has a unique plot, which deals with children that are around twelve thirteen year olds. Who plays a game which in truth is training them for war. And they never figured it out, except for maybe some kids.
Plus there are some kids that develop these cool powers but have some kind of animal feature on them somewhere, like webbed hands/feet, wings, a tail etc. Who figures out that they're being trained for war, and the reason behind the war.
That's what got me interested in the whole book (not so much the second... kind of). It doesn't deal with fifteen+ years old teenagers. The romance in it wasn't the main point. Plus the characters and a monkey are fantastic, and I like their POV in the book.

6. Dark Life by Kat Falls

Read the summary on goodreads.

Why?

Another unique plot. The MC in this book actually lives in an undersea farm. And from the way he describes it, it sounds amazing. There’s also a mystery and surprise. As well as a possibility of what may happen in the future if Earth keeps on being the way it is. Which is to say it may become overcrowded in the future and we have to resort to living underwater (and probably glowing a bit and having odd powers). The characters are great and I like Gemma (who has never lived undersea) who is determined to find her brother even though he might have died.

5. Legend by Marie Lu

Read the summary on goodreads.
Why?

It has the classic Romeo and Juliet plot in it. With only a slight twist, it's not in Europe. It's in the future. Nor are both of them rich. And the lovers don't die. Though June wants to get revenge on Day, for killing her older brother.

The characters are very well developed, all the way down to their blood types, even I don't know any of my characters' blood types. June and Day the two main characters are also very clear on what they want. Which is to help their family/ to get revenge on a dead family member. This shows that they care about their families very much. And I like that, because it doesn't show them as insane murders. Plus it's very sweet that they actually do care about their families and will do anything for them, even if it means risking their life.

4. Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Read the summary on goodreads.

Why?

This book is different from any other dystopian novel I've read. The book is grimier and harsher. Not very utopian which in truth has been dystopian all along. Which most dystopians seemed to be based on now days.

I like how the main character, Saba, despises her sister but likes her twin brother and is willing to do anything for that sibling. I also like how she starts to realize that she in truth likes her sister all along and is willing to do anything for her as well.

However, what I most liked about the book is the accent. It has thousands of grammar and spelling mistakes and it's all because that's how Saba talks. It isn't pitch perfect, which in truth, I like. It gives the book personality and makes us understand the character a bit more.

I also like how the romance isn't the main point in the book. Which after a while of seeing romance as one of the most important things in some books, it can get quite annoying by now.

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth

Read the summary on goodreads.
Why?
I love how this time the whole government isn't corrupt. It's the person from the government that is. Who then fuels her faction to anger at another faction. And they're willing to do anything to bring anther faction down, including war. It was also interesting to see how one of the toughest factions acted. Jumping off moving trains (not at fast moving speeds though, everyone knows that's suicide or at least a high risk of injury), jumping however many ft just to get there, getting tattoos, etc.
It also made me wonder which faction I would be good in. Plus the book is kind of gritty, considering that the main character, Beatrice, spent most of her time in the toughest faction, trying to get accepted. And I liked that, it brings more excitement to the book[s].

2. The Gone series by Michael Grant

Read the summary on goodreads.

Why?

Michael Grant creates an amazing series, of kids under fourteen surviving on their own. Everyone over fourteen is just suddenly gone one day. And when the kids go investigate, they find themselves trapped under a giant dome, with no way out. With limited amount of everything, they find themselves trying to survive.

Some kids develop powers, which later on in the series cause some conflict between the ones that doesn't have power and the ones that has power. They're also faced with an antagonist that feeds on nuclear rods. And it seems to have power on the people that have seen him.

I just love this series. There's conflict, between the antagonist that eats nuclear rods, the private school peeps, and each other. There are a couple of wars and decisions that rests on your very survival.

Also, I love how the books alternate views so you see everyone's side in the story.

Books: Gone, Hunger, Lies, Plague, Fear, Light (comes out in 2013)

1. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Read the summary on goodreads.
Why?
Kids being forced to kill other kids. Excitement from the Capitol people as they watch gruesome game. Horror and worry as you wonder if the tribute from your district is going to come home. This is what the Hunger Games is about.
It's number one on my list. Why you may ask, well it's because of this. There's choices, choices that you'll regret later on, but you had to do it in order to survive. It's also because of the characters. They're very well developed, and it makes you want some of them to become realistic. Wait... they're already realistic, never mind then.
Also it's a page turner, the books make you want to stay up way into the night just to see what happens next.
Also I love how it's turned into eventually turns into a rebellion/war, all because of something Katniss did to keep her and Peeta alive.
There's also a lot more I can say on it, but the rest I can't really describe into words. Other than that it's an amazing page turner, with well developed characters, and that it has become a movie. That I still haven't seen. -_-

Let's just say the Hunger Games trilogy is my favorite book/series of all time, and it deserves the first spot on my list.

Books: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay

Random post

You can be smart all your life and takes one minute to do something stupid.

- Translator from one of my parent's Vietnamese entertainment video.

[source]

Fairy tales [the originals]

[source]

No one is ever to old for fairy tales, especially if it's your own fairy tale. It doesn't matter if the fairy tale is the original kind of gory and sexual version or the fluffed up appropriate for children/Disney version either. All that matters is that you enjoy the fairy tale, and hey maybe invent one of your own through any kind of means, writing, movie making, script writing, etc.

Also did you know that many modern stories evolve around some sort of fairy tale. Like the classic story Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. That story has some if not many of themes from the story Bluebeard. It may not be obvious to those who haven't read that fairy tale (certainly not to me, since I've never heard of the story Bluebeard till now.) Or how some movies evolve around certain fairy tales. Shrek anyone? Even the movie Puss in Boots is based off of the actual fairy tale of Puss in Boots. Which should be kind of obvious considering that it's in/part of the movie Shrek and that movie has a whole bunch of fairy tales in it.

Most of the [original] fairy tales that I read so far isn't like their modern versions, well kind of. The originals has the uncensored stuff, while the modern ones will take some stuff out so it can be suitable for children. Or the original just seems a bit different from the modern versions because it has been changed a bit. An example would be the Gingerbread Man.

His original saying:

I've run away from a little old woman,

A little old man,
A barn full of threshers,
A field full of mowers,
A cow and a pig,
And I can run away from you, I can!
Updated version:
Run, run, as fast as you can!
You can't catch me!
I'm the Gingerbread Man!

Now here's a link to original fairy tales, where it has links and sources to modern adaptations of fairy tales. SurLaLune Fairy Tales.

Dying

It's harder to go onto tumblr, facebook, or anywhere else without being reminded of the Hunger Games. It doesn't help that I still have to wait one more week till I get to see the movie. But, it actually kind of does help because it means more reading and working on my outline for my script for Script Frenzy. So that's a pro and con.
Now here's some Hunger Games-ish typography.

[source]

Waiting

I'll have to wait at least one more week to see the Hunger Games. -_-
The reason, is because there will hopefully be less people going to see it, meaning that my two sisters and I will get good seats. It's something like that, but I kind of doubt that will happen. It is the Hunger Games after all, a lot of people are going to see it regardless if its their first time or their twentieth.

But let's hope, I don't pull out my hair by then. Also if you have seen the Hunger Games please be like my brother and don't post spoilers. Well moving on, the topic of today's post isn't about me wanting very badly to watch the Hunger Games, or about those of you who have already seen it. It's about something centering around the Hunger Games or more precisely the characters. I'm assuming most of you guys heard the almost age old question:

Peeta vs. Gale

Well I'm here to tell you why I prefer Peeta a bit more than Gale. And my opinion has been influenced a bit by the book The Girl Who Was On Fire by Leah Wilson. So here it goes. And please excuse my sucky drawing of Gale.

[click to enlarge]

Firecracker Gale and dandelion Peeta are so different from each other that it's easy to imagine that a girl who would choose Gale is a completely different person than one who would choose Peeta. When people sit around debating who Katniss should choose, maybe what they're really debating actually is her identity - and the romance is just a proxy for that big, hard question about the ever-changing, unaware girl on fire.

- One of authors from the book The Girl Who Was On Fire.

Katniss when in the Hunger Games can't really think that the tributes are like the animals she hunts back home. She knows that they have a family who's hoping that their son/daughter will come home. Unlike Gale, he'll probably think of them as animals, willing to do anything [not cannibalism] to come home. If he was in the arena. But maybe not, he'll probably feel some regret about killing someone. As Peeta says in Mockingjay, it costs everything about who you are, if you do kill innocent people. And the tributes that are forced to battle are in a way innocent. They're children for goodness sake, and children doesn't kill not unless forced to. And some sees it some don't.

[SPOILER] for Mockingjay

Also in the book Mockingjay, when Gale and Beetee would spend most of their time designing snares that would be used to kill people. Sure it's for a war, but a lot of people are going to get killed either way. And no one will beneifit from it. President Coin is just going to end up like President Snow, if you think about it (another Hunger Games only for the Capitol children, nudge, nudge). So it's a relief that she died, as well as Snow.

Also when Gale, Katniss, and the other people were in District 2 trying to figure out how to disable the mountain. Gale comes up with the excellent idea of using the avalanche, locking everyone inside with no survivors. Gale seems perfectly fine doing that too. And it's all because they're working for the Capitol, so it's fine to kill them off. Only it's not, because they're humans as well with family and friends, and feelings.

[/SPOILER]

So Gale hates the Capitol and anyone and everyone who works for the Capitol some way. While Peeta doesn't hate them in a way. He sees the people who's with the Capitol as humans. Plus he knows that killing people is wrong and won't really benefit anyone in the end. And Peeta knows how to bake, which is good.

So there you go

Peeta: Knows that killing people is wrong, sees people as humans, and knows how to cook, and is good with children.

Gale: Knows how to take care of people, sees people who works with the Capitol as bad people, doesn't have a problem with killing a bunch of people.

Those are my reasons, why I prefer Peeta over Gale. And please don't hate me because I pointed out some of the bad stuff about Gale. It is after all true, if you read the books a bit closer. And please no debates.

Also who do you prefer, Gale or Peeta?

Just one for day or more specifically 6 1/2 more hrs.

^.^ I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE HUNGER GAMES!!! I still haven't bought my ticket yet. :(
So I'm planning on withdrawing some money from my bank account tomorrow and hopefully see it on Saturday or Friday depending on the circumstances. Also have you heard? There's a new Taylor Swift song that's also going on the Hunger Games soundtrack, and and it really does fit in with the whole Hunger Games theme. How one moment it's childhood and you don't have to face the cruelty of the world yet. Then the next [you turn twelve] you face the cruelty of the world, and also hope to not have your name called. Because obviously, who wants to fight to the death. As Peeta says in the Hunger Games, it takes away everything about you once you do murder someone.

Oh, no. It costs a lot more than your life. To murder innocent people? It costs everything you are.
- Peeta, pg 23, Mockingjay

So without further ado, the song Eyes Open by Taylor Swift.

The tricky thing
Is yesterday we were just children
Playing soldiers
Just pretending
Dreaming dreams with happy endings
In backyards, winning battles with our wooden swords
But now we've stepped into a cruel world
Where everybody stands and keeps score

~.~.~.~.~

So here you are, two steps ahead and staying on guard
Every lesson forms a new scar
They never thought you'd make it this far
But turn around, oh they've surrounded you
It's a showdown, and nobody comes to save you now

lyrics found at azlyrics here.

Done aka I'm re-opening my blog again.

Dear everyone,
Happy one day late spring equinox day. It's finally spring! ^.^ Which means, hello sunshine and warmth. Plus everything is blooming again, the sun is warmer, there's more daylight, more stuff to do, etc. Also something with spring is spring cleaning. -_- Which I might have to do in a couple of months, or probably summer depending if the weather is going to postpone this year's planned event. Most likely not, but there's always a bit of hope, right? Right

Also, I hope you like the new blog design from btemplates.com. The templates come from all over, like wordpress themes, maybe some tumblr themes? And others, that I can't think up right now. However amazing the templates look there's always a downside to them. For example, on some you can't change the font (why?), and you have to deal with unwanted highlighted all white posts which does that for no reasons, which kind of irritated me a bit before I found one that didn't do that. However there's no navigation bar on the top (again, why?). Which doesn't help, if I wanted to write a post really quickly, or go to the next blog, or work on the blog's design. Plus three's sometimes small posting room or small spaces for your widgets, or both. There's also the matter of the layout, where you can and cannot place widgets, etc. But there's plenty that doesn't do that, I think.

Minima Elite [Elite Minima?] is the template I'm using at the moment, it has a wide posting space, which I like. But it doesn't give enough space for the pictures on the general whole of the blog. And plus instead of reading multiple posts all at once, it's just excerpts of posts. With read more buttons next to them, which is kind of a downside, but I find I kind of like it. After all would you really want to read all my posts all at once? That was just some downsides, hope you like it, and have a great spring. And good luck to those of you who has to start spring cleaning soon.

S.N
P.S. I'm sorry for lying about re-opening my blog last evening. I didn't really start to work on it yesterday evening, and I was kind of napping for a couple of hours. So I was unable to do any work at the time. Not unless I found a way to play on the computer while sleeping...
Well moving on, it's open now is it?

Closed till further notice

I'm slightly [maybe a lot?] redesigning my blog design. I'll open it open, once it's done.
The reason is because, I don't like the background even though I just changed around this month. And other stuff as well.
Well thanks for listening, I'll open it up probably around tomorrow evening.

I don't have much to say today, other than that I'm cold. Even though the weather is kind of spring-ish. Now, I'm going to stop talking about the weather. So, here's a picture of my character Beth, drawn by cloudysky from nano (the main site). I'm not sure if she's still keeps up her charrie shop, but if she is, go here. Remember, you must have an account on nanowrimo in order to go on the forums.
Au revoir.
P.S I'm changing my name back to Stacy N. Easier that way, and less confusion.

Are you wearing green?

I may not, but my blog is. So please don't pinch me. Also Happy Saint Patrick's Day. So wear green, and try not to get pinched. And if possible try to find four leaf clovers for good luck. Now onto the pictures, which I usually post if today is a holiday. And pardon the food pictures, there were a lot of them on we heart it keyword Saint Patrick's Day.