Sir Court House, Defender of Seats

I'm reading the newspaper on the metro when all of a sudden I feel a soft warm feeling against my left arm. Comforting at first I ignored it until that originally soothing warmth becomes irritatingly hot and starts to make my left arm sweat but my right arm is freezing. Like seriously WTF is that heat coming from? Oh. The guy sitting next to me. Who is now asleep. Who is my size and weight but has somehow managed to take over not only his seat but mine as well. Now I am literally pushed up against the window because he has taken over my seat. I've tried everything to regain my territory. I glared. I made loads of throat clearing noises. I did a quick strike to his right arm. I awkwardly put my left arm all over his right one. I kicked his foot. I've tried everything. This man is determined and my stop is coming up so I am now sitting in a third of my seat, up against the window. Rosslyn you cannot come fast enough. Half of my body is burning and half is freezing. Also a guy behind me saw me and offered to help me. Sir, you are amazing. You are my knight of the metro. I knight thee Sir Court House, Defender of Seats.

Oh and to the guy sitting behind me next to Sir Court House, Defender of Seats. I saw you taking a picture of my hair. Did not appreciate you sticking your phone in the back of my head. Although turning around and seeing you freak out because I caught you made my metro ride. So thank you hair fetish paparazzi guy. You made my day.

All Magic Comes With A Price

Less than a week until Once Upon A Time returns to ABC!  I absolutely cannot wait!  All of the teasers that the producers have been releasing over the past few weeks have been driving me CRAZY!!!  So for all of you OUAT fans out there, check out another great sneak peek from TV Guide.  In this article you get 4 clips from the next season and, I'm gonna take a wild guess here, but they seem to be from the first episode which is RIDICULOUSLY EXCITING!  So without further ado here is my unnecessary analysis of the 4 clips and what they could possible mean for the rest of Season 2.

Dr Whale Getting Feisty- www.aceshowbiz.com

Clip 1: It seems as if Regina has lost her powers, but as you learn in another clip (clip #3) that magic does not work the same in Storybrooke as it did in the fairy-tale land.  Well no shit, we figured that out too.  With that said though, I still believe that Regina's enactment of the curse may have had an even larger price than she had anticipated.  It may have seriously diminished her powers.  Thats a little far-fetched but it could possibly be part of the problem.  The most interesting part of this clip however is the interaction between Regina and Dr Whale.  Was Dr Whale Team Regina in fairy-tale land or a victim of Regina's.  Is he mad because Regina betrayed him somehow or is he mad because he remembers the awful things that Regina did to him?  I don't know because I honestly am having the hardest time figuring out his character.  Was he one of Regina's guards?  He seems too important to be someone that insignificant but now I'm not so sure.  I just can't think of any fairy-tale characters that are doctors or medical staff in any way shape or form.  I still hold that he might be part of Pinocchio's story but my belief in that theory is fading fast.

Clip 2: Snow White/Mary Margaret/Mrs Charming/Emma's mom/Henry's grandmother, Prince Charming/David/Shepard/Emma's father/Abigail's husband/Snow White's husband/Henry's grandfather, and Emma are walking down the street with the "good guys" of Storybrooke and basically Mr and Mrs Charming want to speak with their daughter about everything thats going on and Emma expectedly is like, um hell to tha nah.  I mean when you think about, how effed up is that?  If you're an orphan and all you dream about is finding your parents, I think that its pretty normal to assume that your parents are going to be, oh I don't know, OLDER THAN YOU?  Yeah, thats just effed up.  Totally understand Emma's concern in this issue.  Totally messed up.

Clip 3: Regina's in jail and can't use magic.  She tells Prince Charming that the land that they left is gone, that is has been destroyed.  Somehow I have a hard time believing that because where would the magic have come from.  Where would Jefferson have gone to get the apple if it wasn't from their land?  Also, I don't ever remember Rumpelstiltskin saying that the curse would destroy fairy-tale land, only that it would transport them to a place where they would not achieve their happy endings.  Also, Regina makes this claim because Prince Charming seems to think that by breaking the curse, they would somehow be transported back.  Last time I checked they never stated what breaking the curse meant exactly.  If they want their happy endings, then finding each other with their memories in tact would be breaking the curse, not transporting them back.  Also, they've already mentioned that magic does not work the same in Storybrooke.  Does that also mean that even though the "curse is broken," it could have originally meant that they would be transported back but because magic doesn't work the same, they weren't?  Also, I'm not sure if the curse has been broken.  Isn't Emma supposed to fight Regina a bunch of times?  Pretty positive that came into play in one of the episodes that she is actually supposed to fight Regina a few times.  Last time I checked, Emma has definitely not attacked Regina enough times to make that happen.

Colin O'Donoghue as OUAT's Captain Hook- msnbc.com

Clip 4: Belle and Rumpelstiltskin.  Enough said.  That relationship is gonna be weird.  The end.

Can't wait for the addition of Captain Hook!!! Thats going to be FANTASTIC!!!!

Magic Is Back!

The hit ABC show Once Upon a Time (sometimes known as Once to fans) finished Season 1 in May with a bang!  MAGIC IS BACK AND STORYBROOKE, MAINE IS THE PLACE TO BE!!!!  Once comes back to us on September 30th and I gotta say that it can't come fast enough.  I've been obsessively reading about all of the new characters that will be added this season, who will be playing them, and most importantly, what the return of magic means to the characters.  I won't go too much into it right now but I have quite a few theories, but right now my big question for everyone is: Who is Dr. Whale?  What is his character???  Its been driving me CRAZY!!!!  I think he's a character from Pinocchio but a part of me thinks that that is too simple.  Plus, he didn't recognize August/Pinocchio.  Also, do you think Sheriff Graham/the Huntsman will be making a come back???  I seriously hope so, but howwww?!?  I mean his heart is technically gone so will he be a zombie?  I didn't think that magic could bring people back from the dead...things to ponder.

I'm not entirely sure who made this poster, but it is giving me hope.  I'm just hoping that it won't turn out to be false and devastate my heart.  Ha.  Ha.  I'm so sorry for the puns.  I really hate puns and this is seriously not being done on purpose.

Check out these photos of Season 2 from TV Guide!!!  Dr. Whale seems to be having a pretty heated conversation with Prince Charming/David/Emma's dad/Katherine's husband/Snow White's husband/Henry's grandfather.  The highlighted could potentially get ugly.  Or awkward.  Or both.  Unless Frederick magically appears.  Ha ha.  Even though David/Prince James/Shepard left Katherine/Abigail I don't think they were divorced.  Does that even matter?  It might?  We know Frederick exists in Storybrooke but lets be honest, its still kind of awkward seeing as they will now have memories of both lives and will have to reconcile them.  Also, rumor has it (ooooo rumor has it ooooo- Adele :) ) that apparently at one point Snow White/Mary Margaret and Emma are somehow out of the picture?  Are they hiding in the woods?  WHAT IS GOING ON?!?

Anyways, I'll hopefully be updating more on other tidbits that I've found during the offseason to get people excited for the new season.  Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Book Review: Wolf Hall

I just finished reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel and I've gotta say that Im giving it 4 1/2 to 5 stars. Here's my review:

I've gotta say that I absolutely loved this book.  For the first 80 pages or so, I truly wasn't impressed and I almost stopped reading.  I had a really hard time understanding the voice that Hlary Mantel was using.  Even though I become engrossed with the book and I loved the plot and the characterization, I can't truly say that I ever became wholly comfortable with the voice that she was using.  I had to keep reminding myself that "he" at all time means Cromwell, a nice usage considering one of the major historical points in this novel is the "Reformation" of England under Henry VIII. I liked that touch.  I'm not entirely sure if that's why she did it, but I'm going to pretend that's why.  I almost gave it 4 stars just because the beginning was so difficult to read and there was a nonexistent flow of the plot, but I ended up giving it 5 stars because once I had figured out the voice and I accepted how unusual and at times confusing it was, I was obsessed with the characterization of Thomas Cromwell.  I enjoyed how she broke up the chapters of the books into smaller sections that made you want to keep going.  Just one more little section...just one more little section....just one more little section....and then all of the sudden you check the clock and you've been reading for three hours.  In other words, get through the first 80 pages and I doubt that youll be disappointed.  Happy reading!

Major Crimes Major Disappointment

!!!!!SPOILERS ALERT!!!!!

Just finished watching the first episode of TNTs new drama, Major Crimes, a spin-off from the highly successful and critically acclaimed drama The Closer which ended last Monday, August 13.  During the last six episodes of The Closer, TNT prepared its audience for the coming of Major Crimes by laying the foundations for the majority of the characters' backgrounds.  It also seemed as if the show was purposefully making the parting from the wonderful Brenda Leigh Johnson less painful by making it seem as if she was starting to loose a grip on what her real function as the Chief of Major Crimes was.  TNT also attempted to warm the audience up to Mary McDonnell's character, Captain Rayder.  During the last few episodes of The Closer, I gotta say that I was starting to root for Rayder.  You actually became upset (and not because of Rayder's seemingly huge, horrific hairstyle) because Brenda didn't seem to really be giving Rayder a chance and it seemed as if Rayder was really trying to help Brenda out.  It seemed as if she really agreed with what Brenda was doing and understood and wanted to continue her work.  Well, let me just tell you all something people.  SHENANIGANS.  The entire plot of the first episode of Major Crimes was basically to undo everything that Brenda had done which, in my opinion, is actually kind of a dick thing to do.  I also don't understand why they had to have Rayder take over as the head of Major Crimes.  I really don't understand why it wouldn't have been possible to have Provenza, played by G.W. Bailey, take over the division.  The tension between the two and the division seems completely unnecessary to the plot of the show.  I personally believe that the transition from The Closer to Major Crimes could have been handled by making Provenza the lead and bringing in one or two more characters to work in the division in order to provide the necessary conflict thats needed for a show to survive.  The entire last season of The Closer it seemed as if Flynn and Provenza were somehow going to be almost like a duo comic act.  I saw none of that in this first episode.  To be honest, I didn't even attempt to laugh once and I basically laugh at everything.  Actually, Flynn seemed almost constipated and the only speaking that Provenza did was to whine to Assistant Chief Taylor about the indignity of putting Rayder ahead of him.  And what in the world is up with the plea-bargaining?  Why in the world would you make that the focus of the show?!?  You could just sense the tension in the room when that was going on and to be honest, I don't want to watch another Law and Order type show which is really what this seems to be turning into.  Why would I want to watch the police officers run around for about half the show to solve it and then watch all of their hard work be whittled away because the city doesn't have the money to pay for trials?  I personally don't want to watch week after week a different attorney coming in to plea-bargain so that we don't gain any back story on the crime or the criminals or victims and for the majority of the Major Crimes Division to be out of the picture.  I understand that they didn't want Rayder to attempt to be getting confessions as freakingly amazingly as Brenda but seriously there has got to be another way then making us watch plea-bargaining.  Also, not a huge fan of this new detective, Sykes.  She seems like a brown-noser, which is the last thing this show needs is for everything to be divided along gender lines.  And Rusty?  WTF?  I am just not feeling that dynamic.  Also, how is he going to be under adult supervision 24/7 if he's living at Rayder's house?  What, is Rayder going to bring him to work because, not gonna lie, I'm not a huge fan of Rusty's character.  He's wicked annoying.  If this show doesn't really start showcasing the other characters of the Major Crimes Division and doesn't stop this plea-bargaining shenanigans this show is going to get cancelled quickly.  I'm going to watch for another episode, but I seriously hope that I get to watch the Major Crimes Division actually have dialogue and interact with one another rather than watch Rayder with her horrible skin and ridiculous amount of hair.  Seriously, who is the hairstylist on the show and why in the world do you allow her hair which has obviously been treated before and is starting to get fried wear her hair down for all the world to see?  And why is it SO BIG?!?  Its very distracting.

Bottom Line: Major Crimes better change its act soon otherwise it will be a cancelled.  Fast.

Musical Serenity

I just made a splurge purchase yesterday for a pair of Bose headphones from Costco.  When I was making the purchase, I didn't even think twice about it, but once I brought them home I was a little freaked out over what I had done and I was seriously considering taking them back today.  Then I opened the box and there was no going back.  First off, I was wicked confused over the little itty bitty plug coming out of the left ear and I was kind of irritated as to why the hell Bose would make the cord about an inch long.  So I decided that they couldn't be that stupid and I almost busted the headset trying to "expand" the audio cord.  Just FYI if you ever get these headphones: they don't expand.  So don't waste your time to push every little inch of the headphones.  Don't pull at the headphones and think that somehow pulling the headphones apart is going to make the audio cord expand because they won't.  But for real, if you ever buy these headphones, just open up the holding case.  Then you'll realize that the rest of the audio cords are in the case...yeah.

Alright so I finally got it plugged into my laptop and I start listening to my iTunes.  I put on Adele.  Holy shit.  Serenity now.

EPICLY
AMAZING
SOUND

BUY
THEM
NOW

BEST
PURCHASE
IN
A
LONG
TIME.

I really wish that I had had these headphones when I was taking AP Music Theory in high school because I can hear just about every thing in these headphones.  I haven't heard music have this much depth and richness since I was sitting in a recording studio editing my audition tapes.  And the BASS!  HOLY CRAPOLA BATMAN!  I have no idea if anyone can hear the music from my headset but I feel like I'm at a live concert the bass on some of my music is rockin so hard.  LOVE IT!

Bottom Line:  No regrets.  These headphones are FANTASTIC!

Tres nouveau

Sorry I haven't updated in the past week.  Life has been kind of crazy.  Good but crazy.

So here are three new things I learned today:

1) The X-Men franchise is also making an alternate reality film.  It would have been cool if Star Trek hadn't rebooted their franchise the same way.  Btw, who knows when the new Star Trek film is coming out?  I need me some Chris Pine.

2) People really do associate Middle East archaeology with Indiana Jones and Nazis.

3) I have found the living manifestation of the "Old Guys" from the Muppets.

Not as cool as last time but I'll try to update more often.  Hope you all have a happy Friday!