In Real Life... News, and other updates

[Gornwen]

On the movie front - I went to go see Jumper the other day with my friend only to discover it was partially set in Ann Arbor, which I found to be rather amusing. Alas I think they filmed in summer so I didn't see any of the craziness.

Earthquakes in the UK? Strange strange world we live in.
And, yeah, that middle of the continent fault line, slightly disconcerting. Especially seeing as it has in the past produced a nasty earthquake or two, like the New Madrid one in 1812.  

[Hod Odinson]

I've never been anywhere there was an earthquake while it was happening, but I heard a really COOL ghost story once. A woman named Mary was living in a San Francisco row house when one of their fairly frequent quakes hit; she had been told the house was haunted but dissed it because she didn't believe in ghosts. When the quake hit she freaked and didn't know what to do--until what she described as a low, deep, rather pleasant male voice spoke right next to her ear and said "Don't be afraid, Mary, it will pass--get into the doorway, the door frame will protect you if the house fails." She thought she'd gone nuts... but she went and stood in the doorframe until the quake stopped. There wasn't a lot of damage, just broken crockery and spilled books... when all was quiet again she looked around and said, "Umm, thanks..." and the voice replied "you're quite welcome."

I've heard there are a lot of neat ghost stories in San Francisco... smile I keep thinking it would be cool to see or meet a nice ghost, but then when I'm alone at night and the house creaks I'm... not so sure...  

[Fauxlorne]

I hope if I ever become a ghost... I'm a nice ghost... 3nodding

So - did I mention that last Satuday I actually got to meet John Leguizamo ~ he was really nice... If the picture comes out I'll post it...

And, ss most of you know, last week I was in the Arena. I placed in the top 100 (out of at least 2000 submissions...) Thanks for all the great comments and voting for me!!! I think I did amazingly well for only my second submission ever! 4laugh  

[Berzerker_prime]

So, me and my boyfriend went to see The Other Boleyn Girl yesterday.

The costumes were oh-so-pretty. I especially liked the stuff they put on Natalie Portman, in all the blues and greens. They really just made me drool. And they actually made costumes based on the portraits of Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Fantastic! Seriously, costuming Oscar material, here!

However... the last 45 minutes or so of the movie made me squirm. They decided to include the least-supported theories about what happened to Anne Boleyn, which also happen to be the dumbest ones. Then, they gloss over the issue of Henry VIII's succession and make it look like Elizabeth I was his immediate successor, and not Edward VI, the son of Jane Seymour. And Anne Boleyn comes across as a total b***h while her sister, Mary, comes across as a complete saint.

Why must everything in Hollywood be so dumbed down!?!? evil

Berz.  

[hypnocrown]

I've never heard about that ghost story Hod mentioned till now. It IS pretty good and it makes me think back to one I read on a Ripley's magazine a while back. It was about the ghost of a woman that haunted a house so the owners put it up for sale. A lady and her husband went to the house to look at it and as soon as the owners saw the man's wife, they freaked cuz it was supposed to be her ghost, the one that haunted the house. It turned out that when she slept, she visited the house in her astral form. Cool, huh?

I think Fauxlorne might end up a ghost like Casper cuz she's soo nice. mrgreen
And congrats on ending up on the first 100! I thought you were gonna win it and the one that actually won, wasn't very appealing to me (I saw the winner's circle).

Gee Berz, that's weird. I guess since Hollywood is more money grubbing than anything else, they want their movies to appeal to everyone. That's why John Travolta's character in (forgot the name of the movie) said that Hollywood only makes $#it. Ha-ha! rofl  

[Gornwen]

oO! I want to see The Other Boleyn Gir, if just for the costumes! I should definitely make note to do that sometime soon... even if the last 45 minutes are thoroughly disappointing. I will just be thankful that because I am completely ignorant of most of the Tudor history I can just sit back and enjoy the movie like you're average under-educated American until they get to the succession bit.

Congrats on making it into the top 100 Fauxlorne!
 

[Berzerker_prime]

Hey, guys! Sorry I haven't been around much this past week. Life has gone stark-raving mad on me. But I'm still around.

Berz.  

[Hod Odinson]

Me too... been nuts at work.

I had a feeling about that movie--my sis loves the Tudor stuff and was foaming at the mouth on the phone about just the inaccuracies in the trailer on TV. *grins and waves at Jasta* The critics have panned it too.  

[JastaElf]

Oh God don't get me started. *makes face* If I had more money than brains, I'd write Hollywood a proper Anne Boleyn script... heck, they could use my novels! *grins*

But yeah, the movie flat-out stank. I'd use stronger language but that would be rude. At least they made an effort to get the costumes correct... but what's with all these dark-haired, rock-star Henry impressions?? The man had golden blond hair that tended to RED, doggone it, and he was a ruthless, clever man who was mad, bad, and deadly to know. I believe he truly loved Anne, and she him--but if that's what he does to his true love, keep him the heck away from me!

I predict a lot more Tudor costume interest in the SCA tho... *grins* And I'm ready with a closet-full.  

[Berzerker_prime]

Ooh, yeah. I've wanted a good set or two fo Tudor garb for some time, now. But, alas, I has not the budget to do it right. And lord knows, if I'm going to put that much work into sewing garb, I'm going to do it right.

Mmmmm... silk velvet...

Berz.  

[hypnocrown]

Hey Berz! Don't sweat it! We understand that people have stuff to do outside Gaia so, come when you can, ok? wink

As for me, I've been fine. I'm gonna post a report of my activity at the crew's diary after this. 3nodding  

[JastaElf]

My real life has sucked lemons in a bad way for the last couple of weeks. I've been backed up to the wall at work, living for the day I get my review and learn if I'm getting a bonus... well, I got the review yesterday, and no bonus. sad The creep I worked for most of last year dinged me badly over something that wasn't even my fault--and I've lodged a protest but they say there's nothing they can do. Very upsetting... so I'm dusting off the old resume and starting a job search again. *sighs*

Ah well. What a world, eh??  

[DM_Melkhar]

I've had the same kind of thing when it comes to work Jasta.
It's been a year since I last had a proper job, and I'm starting to go nuts because I can't do everything I want to be able to do.

The jobcentre are making me do a training course that lasts for 13 weeks when I get back from the Caribbean (unless I find a job beforehand), and I'm not allowed to go to appointments for other means of finding work if it's within the hours given. That helps doesn't it? Trying to find a job and you get restricted like that.

On the plus side, I'm going to the Caribbean for another tall ship adventure, but after that, money will be exceedingly tight and I won't really be able to afford to go again for some time unless I can find a job or somehow scrape more money together later on. I really want to do the tall ship races in Norway this year, but if I can't find £1000 for that soon, it'll be impossible and I'd have to wait another year. Grr!

And another thing! Quote Palmer from Final Fantasy VII - "Rate hike rate hike tra-la-la!"
The British government has just raised the Budget AGAIN. Household bills are becoming so high now that a fair amount of the country is in debt.  

[Berzerker_prime]

Yeah, things pretty well suck on my end, too. I've been out of work for a year, now, and I'm completely out of money. It really sucks because convention season is coming up and there are a number that I'd like to go to, along with my costuming clubs. Plus, SCA camping season is coming.

Blah. Real life sucks.

Berz.  

[DM_Melkhar]

I've been out of work for a year (well, had a temp job over Christmas but that was only 5-6 weeks). I've been on Jobseeker's Allowance pretty much since then. That's basically being "on the dole" as was the old British terminology for it.

I've still managed to scrape together the money for sailing somehow though.
Maybe because I'm so obsessed with it and considered digging into my savings in order to do it. That's what I've had to do in order to afford it to be honest. I didn't want to touch my savings much really, but if it means I get out into the world, get life experience, inspiration for my writing and am actually enjoying myself (which is what my parents wanted me to use the money for - it was an endowment they took out for me when I was a child) then that's all that really matters.

Does the US have any kind of benefits system for those who are out of work? If people who couldn't find jobs over here had no way of getting money, then the country would end up in chaos. There's absolutely no way anyone such as myself could ever do a damn thing.