So, I've noticed a little idiosyncrasy in the Blogger system, I'm going to have to investigate. My dashboard says that I have 16 posts (before this one), but my page says that I have a total of 13. Perhaps they counted the few times that I responded to people's comments as individual posts.
I'll figure it out later, for now, cheers!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Disney Character Update!
So, I have a new Disney character to add to the list: Robin Hood!
A follow-up on the Aladdin comment, I have long thought that the Disney version Aladdin somewhat destroys the original. There are supposed to be two genies, and several characters were renamed--Jasmine's name was supposed to be Badroulbadour. The story took place in China, and Jafar was a servant of the sorcerer??? Something to that effect. It has been a long time since I read the original, but I remember thinking that Disney really messed things up.
About Jasmine being hot, I think she's pretty much the same as any other Disney "princess" character. She also has scary huge eyes, by the way. I would prefer a girl like Mulan because of her adventurous attitude, she just seems like the type of girl who has more fun, and isn't lame.
I must admit, my perception of Aladdin comes somewhat from the 1992 computer game, "Prince of Persia", which I still have on my laptop! The story line there is reduced to a guy thrown into the dungeons trying to escape so he can save the girl from an evil sorcerer. Not too creative, I know, but it's a great game that everyone should at least try.
One thing preserved in all three versions of Aladdin (Arabian Nights, Disney Aladdin, and Prince of Persia) is that he's basically lower-class scum, somewhat of a criminal, fighting against an even worse power--the sorcerer. Peter Pan and Robin Hood have much of the same appeal, each being both far from perfect, and a major underdog.
As a college student (read: able to afford college) I couldn't reasonably be considered "lower-class" like Aladdin, but I strongly prefer his type of role to the perfect "knight in shining armor" portrayal seen so often.
The sort of stories preserved in our folklore largely consist of heroic types sweeping girls off their feet, now where's the suspense or interest in a story like that? Some would say that our folk stories are chauvinistic, and to an extent they are, but from a literary standpoint, the hero "getting the girl" is simply a tool used to illustrate success or virtue of a character. When a story (like Robin Hood, Aladdin, or Peter Pan) illustrates an unlikely character finding success, I empathize much better with the story.
I often paint myself as an inherently flawed character--I'm not looking for pity, that's just how I see myself--but I have confidence and a strong drive to succeed at the unlikely. That is where I relate to Aladdin, Peter Pan, and Robin Hood.
A follow-up on the Aladdin comment, I have long thought that the Disney version Aladdin somewhat destroys the original. There are supposed to be two genies, and several characters were renamed--Jasmine's name was supposed to be Badroulbadour. The story took place in China, and Jafar was a servant of the sorcerer??? Something to that effect. It has been a long time since I read the original, but I remember thinking that Disney really messed things up.
About Jasmine being hot, I think she's pretty much the same as any other Disney "princess" character. She also has scary huge eyes, by the way. I would prefer a girl like Mulan because of her adventurous attitude, she just seems like the type of girl who has more fun, and isn't lame.
I must admit, my perception of Aladdin comes somewhat from the 1992 computer game, "Prince of Persia", which I still have on my laptop! The story line there is reduced to a guy thrown into the dungeons trying to escape so he can save the girl from an evil sorcerer. Not too creative, I know, but it's a great game that everyone should at least try.
One thing preserved in all three versions of Aladdin (Arabian Nights, Disney Aladdin, and Prince of Persia) is that he's basically lower-class scum, somewhat of a criminal, fighting against an even worse power--the sorcerer. Peter Pan and Robin Hood have much of the same appeal, each being both far from perfect, and a major underdog.
As a college student (read: able to afford college) I couldn't reasonably be considered "lower-class" like Aladdin, but I strongly prefer his type of role to the perfect "knight in shining armor" portrayal seen so often.
The sort of stories preserved in our folklore largely consist of heroic types sweeping girls off their feet, now where's the suspense or interest in a story like that? Some would say that our folk stories are chauvinistic, and to an extent they are, but from a literary standpoint, the hero "getting the girl" is simply a tool used to illustrate success or virtue of a character. When a story (like Robin Hood, Aladdin, or Peter Pan) illustrates an unlikely character finding success, I empathize much better with the story.
I often paint myself as an inherently flawed character--I'm not looking for pity, that's just how I see myself--but I have confidence and a strong drive to succeed at the unlikely. That is where I relate to Aladdin, Peter Pan, and Robin Hood.
Friday, April 4, 2008
When it comes to Disney Characters. . .
If I were a Disney character, I would either be Peter Pan or Aladdin. I am adventurous, spontaneous, and slightly rebellious, so I could be either. And whether it's pixie dust or a magic carpet, I sure would love to fly! I would be an unlikely hero, but a hero nonetheless. The only problem is I'm not such a fan of Wendy or Jasmine, I'd have to end up with a girl more like Mulan! She's cool.
Monday, March 31, 2008
A winning combination!
So, have you ever gone all-out and made the best meal you possibly could? A few days ago I did, and the presentation was definitely well-received!
Here's the menu:
Bacon-wrapped, peppered filet mignon. Yup, this is off to a good start, I know!
Steamed asparagus with bleu cheese and balsamic vinegar
Tender white potatoes, mashed with heavy cream and a dash of salt mixed-in
One bottle of Martinelli's orange-cranberry sparkling cider
Follow that wit about an hour to let the food settle, then finish it off with a desert of fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate and chilled.
Wow! That's the response you'll get, guaranteed. My fiancée was gone all day shopping and planning wedding-related things with her best friend and my mom. I had my mom call me when she finished so I could start the meal in time. To say the least, things went well and I felt great! Try it for yourself sometime. If anyone wants to know my filet mignon recipe, which I invented, just ask!
Here's the menu:
Bacon-wrapped, peppered filet mignon. Yup, this is off to a good start, I know!
Steamed asparagus with bleu cheese and balsamic vinegar
Tender white potatoes, mashed with heavy cream and a dash of salt mixed-in
One bottle of Martinelli's orange-cranberry sparkling cider
Follow that wit about an hour to let the food settle, then finish it off with a desert of fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate and chilled.
Wow! That's the response you'll get, guaranteed. My fiancée was gone all day shopping and planning wedding-related things with her best friend and my mom. I had my mom call me when she finished so I could start the meal in time. To say the least, things went well and I felt great! Try it for yourself sometime. If anyone wants to know my filet mignon recipe, which I invented, just ask!
Engaged = too busy!!!
So, if you can't tell, I've fallen behind in my blog writing. I wonder why? I am working really hard to keep up in all of my classes, but I've been so busy! Even though my fiancée is taking the brunt of the planning, there's more to it that I ever imagined. Wish me luck, everyone, just so I'll survive.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
"Pop!" goes the question!
Yes, you read it right, I am engaged.
Last night, I had been studying calculus at my girlfriend's house all day, and she had been doing homework as well. When she got to a good stopping point, I asked her if she wanted to go take a break at the park. She agreed, and I drove her over to the park where we had our first kiss (more than ten months ago).
When we got to the park, we walked up the hill and found a park bench where we could sit. We cuddled for a while, because it was cold, and I waited for an opportune moment - I already had the ring box in my pocket.
After what felt like an hour but was probably less than five minutes, she made a comment that it was a pretty night, but she really wished she could see the stars (it was a cloudy night.) I took that as my cue, and told her, "You can see the stars any night, but I know something that doesn't happen just any night."
"What?", she asked me. I took the ring box out of my pocket, got down on one knee, and simply asked her to marry me. She was ecstatic, to say the least. "Yes!", she exclaimed, and I'm pretty sure she started kissing me before she even looked at the ring! Her reaction was both exciting and entertaining; I'm glad it was in the affirmative.
After cherishing the moment for a while, we realized how cold it was outside, and walked back down to my car. Before getting her door, I told her I had heard (and really it was just an excuse) that a formal wedding request ought to involve three dozen roses. Her eyes got really big for the second time of the night, and I took three dozen red roses, all in one bouquet, out of my trunk. The bouquet must have weighed nearly five pounds!
When we discussed marriage before, I found out that she likes simple rings that don't stand too high off the finger. She's a hard worker and very outdoorsy, so I knew gold would be too soft for her ring. I also found out that she doesn't like large diamonds, which is a relief, because I can't afford large diamonds!
I managed to find an antique platinum ring from the early 1900s, probably about 1920, that is graceful and understated. It's a perfect match for the girl, in my opinion. The ring has nine perfect little diamonds in a segmented channel setting, and is definitely unique. I bought the ring, had it resized and completely refurbished, and now it looks like new. I definitely got a better ring than I ever thought I could afford!
I don't want to dwell on the specifics of the ring, what I'm most excited about is the girl! She's a perfect match for my adventurous nature, she's well educated (a graduate student!), she's funny, and she's very supportive of my goals. I'm excited to see how the next few days/weeks, months/years, decades/centuries, millennia/etc. will go. I better sign off before I get too sappy... Oh yeah, too late already! We plan to be married on June 20th.
Last night, I had been studying calculus at my girlfriend's house all day, and she had been doing homework as well. When she got to a good stopping point, I asked her if she wanted to go take a break at the park. She agreed, and I drove her over to the park where we had our first kiss (more than ten months ago).
When we got to the park, we walked up the hill and found a park bench where we could sit. We cuddled for a while, because it was cold, and I waited for an opportune moment - I already had the ring box in my pocket.
After what felt like an hour but was probably less than five minutes, she made a comment that it was a pretty night, but she really wished she could see the stars (it was a cloudy night.) I took that as my cue, and told her, "You can see the stars any night, but I know something that doesn't happen just any night."
"What?", she asked me. I took the ring box out of my pocket, got down on one knee, and simply asked her to marry me. She was ecstatic, to say the least. "Yes!", she exclaimed, and I'm pretty sure she started kissing me before she even looked at the ring! Her reaction was both exciting and entertaining; I'm glad it was in the affirmative.
After cherishing the moment for a while, we realized how cold it was outside, and walked back down to my car. Before getting her door, I told her I had heard (and really it was just an excuse) that a formal wedding request ought to involve three dozen roses. Her eyes got really big for the second time of the night, and I took three dozen red roses, all in one bouquet, out of my trunk. The bouquet must have weighed nearly five pounds!
When we discussed marriage before, I found out that she likes simple rings that don't stand too high off the finger. She's a hard worker and very outdoorsy, so I knew gold would be too soft for her ring. I also found out that she doesn't like large diamonds, which is a relief, because I can't afford large diamonds!
I managed to find an antique platinum ring from the early 1900s, probably about 1920, that is graceful and understated. It's a perfect match for the girl, in my opinion. The ring has nine perfect little diamonds in a segmented channel setting, and is definitely unique. I bought the ring, had it resized and completely refurbished, and now it looks like new. I definitely got a better ring than I ever thought I could afford!
I don't want to dwell on the specifics of the ring, what I'm most excited about is the girl! She's a perfect match for my adventurous nature, she's well educated (a graduate student!), she's funny, and she's very supportive of my goals. I'm excited to see how the next few days/weeks, months/years, decades/centuries, millennia/etc. will go. I better sign off before I get too sappy... Oh yeah, too late already! We plan to be married on June 20th.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Delorean
I want a Delorean. There are kinda cool cars, and then there's the Delorean. You know, the Back-to-the-Future car? They are made of stainless steel, so they will basically last forever, unless you get in a wreck. Yes, unpainted, brushed stainless steel. They have gull-wing doors that open up from the 
sides, instead of out like a normal car. They were made in the early 80s, maybe a few in the very late 70s. Anyw
ay, I just realized that I really want one. Does 
anyone want to trade their Delorean, preferrably with low miles, for my 1989 Nissan Sentra? My car is red, that'll win you some prestige points! Note: the two vertical pics are my car, the others two are Deloreans, if you can't tell.
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