Then, Lady Gaga came out with “Poker Face,” which I didn’t really pay attention to because I was (and still am) in this phase where I really only listen to my iPod, because who can pick music that I like better than I can? Somehow, I did manage to catch “LoveGame,” though, and was put off by “I wanna take a ride on your disco stick.” Vommmmiiiiitttt.

Around this time, I started to receive harassment from Josh. He is a crazy Lady Gaga fan. So, I gave her a listen for him and… I still didn’t like her!

Then, something weird happened, and I saw her perform “Paparazzi” on the MTV Video Music Awards, and I thought “Ohhh, cool!” She is a pretty sweet performer, and I can respect that, considering my dance and drama background. Plus, “Paparazzi” is a good song. Much better than the “I’m an irresponsible drunk girl, (“Just Dance”) who wants to ride your disco stick,” songs ( I don’t know about everyone else, but when I think “disco” I think sequins and mirrored disco balls…).

Then, I fell in love with Bad Romance, and then she performed at the Grammys with Elton John, and it pretty much sealed the deal in my books. Also, I’m quite sure I saw some of her private parts during that performance. The whole world is slowing rounding the bases with Gaga, and I must say, I’m not one for that sort of relationship without some sort of emotional attachment. So, I love her.

She seems to be one of those “love her or hate her”-type performers, so… do you love her, or hate her?

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The ones I did see were Adventureland, 17 Again, The Proposal, Year One, My Sister’s Keeper, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, (500) Days of Summer, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Inglorious Basterds, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Lovely Bones.

So, yeah, I feel pretty sad right now. Not to say that the movies weren’t good. Obviously, I LOVE Harry Potter, and I also enjoy Zac Efron (17 Again). You may have already read my take on The Lovely Bones. And we all know about (and have had our share fare of mocking over) the pleasure I receive from Twilight.

My Sister’s Keeper was good, but nowhere as near as good as the book (although I do try to see books and films as separate entities to avoid disappointment). Adventureland and Year One were wastes of my time. (500) Days of Summer may have hit JUST A BIT too close to my real life, auuugh.

Inglorious Basterds was obviously really amazing, except I almost threw up a few times. Which is why nobody should eat while watching Tarantino.

I mean, I know I was distracted last year, but this is rather disgraceful. Usually I try to see as many Oscar-nominated films as I can.

Okay, okay, I did not see Avatar. The reasons for that being 1) it is in 3D and I hate 3D and 2) there’s lots of Papyrus, and Papyrus induces vomiting in my kind. But I would like very much to see Up in the Air, Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire, A Single Man, and A Serious Man. I also have a tendency to pass up films such as The Hurt Locker, until my mother forces me to watch them.

So, I should get on seeing those, which means that you guys should petition for my life to postponed– please feel free to call my school instructors, work supervisors and parents and tell them everything must stop so I can indulge in good cinema!

What have you guys seen this year? Anything good? Anything Oscar-worthy~?

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How easy is it to find information about yourself online? I stuck my name into Google the other day, and came up with about 10 pages worth of results, all of which relate to me in some way. I wasn’t too put off by this. I thought “So what? I’m sure Google has info on everyone!” So, I searched for a bunch of my friends. Mainly, their Facebook pages would come up, along with maybe one or two abandoned social networking profiles. It wasn’t anything at all like my results, which included a LOT of crap, including a list of a bunch of stuff that I ate (grabbed from Twitter or something).

It could boil down to the bit where I have a rather uncommon name. And, that I’ve been around for a while. Still, while there isn’t anything even remotely incriminating, it is a little bit weird.

Then there’s this blog. On Google.ca I come up #1 for my full name (obviously), and #5 for just my first. I’m not ashamed of my blog, and as I’ve mentioned I love my blog. Other than Lissa, it is my longest relationship with anyone who isn’t part of my family. The problem with it is that it does span from when I was a rather idiotic 18 year old girl (and even 16 in some parts), and it does include emo rants and angst that still hasn’t completely gone away to this day. I like to think that it’s taken more of an interesting and grown-up turn, but in reality, I still get into stupid fights with family, I still spend days behaving like a child and colouring with my brother,  and let’s not even get into the gong-show of inappropriateness that is The Ling Show.

I’m not saying it will be changing in the slightest (at least not this week), I’m just sort of thinking  aloud (in writing… which is silent… except for click click click keyboard click… but whatever).

Stick your name into Google, and tell me if anything interesting comes up. Do you think there’s anything that would make an employer perhaps choose someone else, or that would get you dooced from your current job? Does it influence the way you blog?

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My blog is like… a part of me. I’ve been rambling about the stupid stuff in my life for over TEN YEARS. Since I am 21, that is like HALF OF MY LIFE. In no way could Twitter ever match that, even though as of writing this I have tweeted 9 883 times (and counting…), whereas this blog, which dates from May 2006, with several 2004 entries thrown in for laughs, only has 539 (once this is posted it will be 540) entries.

It’s just… different. Twitter is often very superficial. It lacks depth. In many cases, I use it more as an instant messaging system or a way to post emo song lyrics without having to log into Livejournal.

And yet, with the Formspring question, I’ve seen quite a few people say they would keep their Twitter, because it’s more social, etc. BUT! So is a chat room, and it was designed for that sort of interaction, whereas Twitter wasn’t.

On the other hand, we all know how as time progresses we want information quicker than the speed of light and blog entries are not always concise (ramble, ramble, I’m home sick today by the way, I watched Atonement, how depressing, I feel as though I am having a mid-life crisis and I’m not even 22 until April 8th, oh wait, what was I talking about?).

It’s a question I’ve seen around the Internet these last few weeks (NOT on Formspring), and I want to regurgitate it now– are personal blogs becoming a thing of the past? So many of them are turning into niche blogs, but what about those of us that simply do not have a niche? What about those of us who are just creepy voyeurs who don’t comment?

So, my bloggy friends, go ahead and answer the questions! Would you give up Twitter or your blog? Are personal blogs dying? Do we let them die, or do we lead the revolution of the new and improved non-niche weblog?

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Stress does strange things to people. My eating habits are completely thrown off. I can recall 3 times in the last week when I’ve sat down to eat something. I’m a vegetarian again, but it’s really more like I’m a carbitarian, or a sugaritarian since I haven’t actually had any veggies lately.

Even worse (somehow) are my sleeping patterns. I usually enjoy sleeping from about 9pm until 6:30am. That’s pretty much the sleep range I need to be well-rested, and I enjoy waking up early, otherwise I feel as if I have wasted my day.

Being this stressed changes this, however. I am now not getting to bed until about 11-ish. Then, I lay there and cannot get comfortable. My bed, although it is a newish mattress with a memory foam cover that is only about 6 months old, feels like a plywood board. My joints are so stiff that they hurt, and sometimes I feel like crying from the mild pain. Once the tears start, and I throw a pity party in my head, there’s not much to keep me from crying a little while longer. The upside of this is that it eventually tires me out and I fall asleep.

But then, there are the nightmares. After a the first few, Jenny suggested sleeping with a stuffed animal. So, I took my bear, G.G, whom I have had for my whole life, down from the shelf where he has sat since I re-did my room over the summer, and curled up with him. I’m the type of person that will cuddle anything (my former roomies once got me to cuddle Gwobs’ gross socks– I held them for dear life even though I was fast asleep). So, I cuddled up with my bear, and it worked! Well… for a few days.

Now, I’m back to the nightmares, even when clinging to my stuffed friend. The nightmares usually revolve around death. In high school I used to dream of my guy friends going off to fight in World War 2, and I’d watch them die while helpless in Canada. Last semester, I had a dream where my friend, Shawn, was in the hospital and died of heart failure. This last week and a bit, it’s been all over the board, from deaths of former friends to one of my instructors. I wake up terrified, and I do not sleep well for the rest of the night, and I am exhausted.

I am trying to chill. I downloaded a whole lot of instrumental pieces from some of my favourite composers, so I can just relax and zone out and feel something other than the choking fear that I am failing at everything.

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Mine looks something like:

Today I MUST:

• match up background art and character art for ~20 animation frames.
• start and complete a 11 x 17″ typography poster project.
• sketch 20-30 potential web interfaces (I have 3 projects on the go at the moment, only one is for school).
• pick one and start to mock it up in Photoshop (for the school project).

Today I REALLY SHOULD:

• take 12 sequential photos, live trace them, import them into Flash and make a rotoscope.
• ink and start to colour my drawing for my Editorial illustration project.
• come up with 3 objects to make in 3D that “tell a story.”
• record audio for the animation mentioned under list 1, bullet point 1.

And then, some 5 or 6 tiers down you would find:

OPTIONAL:

• Eating.
• Showering.
• Socializing.
• Cleaning nuclear disaster zone that is my bedroom.

There really just isn’t enough time! Of course, you all should ignore the fact that I have taken time to blog about this, and to post on a forum. I need some relaxation time, really. I will get back to my many projects in a minute… or maybe I’ll go watch a movie.

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I’ve never been one for alcohol, cigarettes made me gag that one time I tried them, and I don’t have money for gambling so it’s never really been an issue. I have, however, fallen into the typical young adult trap of energy drinks. I admit, when I become tired, the first thing I crave is a Red Bull. Between classes I can often be found drinking a Monster (there’s no Red Bull on campus– CONSPIRACY!).

After work today (ugh, by the way, UGH!), I grabbed a Red Bull, as per usual. Not as per usual, my parents picked me up (usually they are much too busy~ to do this). The first thing my mom says to me is “Don’t bring that into the car. Drugs are not allowed in this car or in my house.”

I stood there for a second, hurt. How dare she insult Red Bully that way! He was my friend! He was helping me be a better person and achieve my dreams! What had she done for my dreams lately? Nothing. Had she sat up with me through the night before my Flash project was due? No. Who did? Red Bull. I considered turning around and storming off in the opposite direction. I hoped that I could stand at the bus stop and it would rain and then they’d feel bad for being mean to me and Red Bull. Instead, I looked her straight in the eye, threw back my head and chugged the Red Bull. Then we both got into the car and Dad gave me some socks.

Ho hum.

Uhhh… where was I? Oh!

So, am I addicted to Red Bull? Well, you tell me. If “addiction” means loving something so much you’re willing to give up your family and friends and other hobbies for it, then colour me “addicted.” SEE IF I CARE.

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Did Brock win the Next Star?
No, but he’s still doing great! He now has two singles under his belt and is recording more, as well as getting further into acting. For more information on Brock, check out his Official Site.

How big is Alberta compared to England?
Alberta has an area of 661,848 km². England has an area of 130,395 km². I think that means you can fit about 5 Englands inside of one Alberta.

What was the website Bella visits to research vampires?
Twilight is fictional. The website that Bella used was created by one or some members of the Twilight film crew. I get TONNES of hits per day of people looking for the real site, or the real Port Angeles bookstore– they’re not real.

How to you tell Tegan and Sara apart?
Mainly by the way they talk, and their personalities. They also have different tattoos and a slightly different face shape and I feel like a stalker.

What is the song from the Olympic Molson Beer Commercial?
The song is called “Lux Aeterna” but is popularly known as “the Requiem for a Dream song.” It was composed by Clint Mansell. Since “Requiem” it has been featured in a number of movie trailers and TV shows, and has been skated to several times during the 2010 Olympic Games. It’s an amazing piece of music, I’d suggest you listen to the full version.

Can you live in a small town in Quebec and not know English?
Yup, in fact, in most of the small Quebec towns I visited nearly nobody spoke English. English is fairly popular in Montreal, but as you get deeper into Quebec becomes quite scarce. Even towns right outside of Montreal are completely francophone.

What are some dirty things I could do in my bedroom?
Sigh. I knew that entry about me cleaning my room would lead to stuff like this, I just didn’t expect the massive volume of it all. Anyway, you could try, when Googling, to not click on something as cutesy sounding as Dreamling. I expect you will find better results.

So those are just a few of the questions from the last 3 months! I hope you find the answers to be helpful. If you have a site, have you ever received any hits from a strange question or two?

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MS PAINT DESIGN CHALLENGE… 2!

For those of you who remember the Challenge from last year, you should probably still read this to find out what’s new. For those of you who are new, trust me this is more fun than it looks!

The Rules:

• Your layout should not exceed 800 x 600. I recently had to design an interface in 800 x 600, and it is harder than it looks. BUT IT CAN BE DONE. So, I am limiting height this year as more of a challenge.
• All graphics must be made in Paint, except from a maximum of ONE image from this horrible clip art site.
• You may design for any site that you wish.
• You only need to supply a graphical mock up. We have had coded sites in the past, though, which were very nice!
• Design will be judged on how NICE it is. Just because you have limited space and resources is not an excuse for an ugly site!
• In the event that the winner not claim their prize, the prize will be awarded to the runner-up.
• Although GIMP is lovely and open source, it may not be used for this.
• Past winners are not eligible to win again, but may still enter for fun, if they are crazy. Sorry, Diana!

Suitable replacements for MS Paint include: : Canvas Paint, Canvas Painter,  KolourPaint. And of course, Paintbrush, for all the fancy Mac people.

Deadline for entries is March 7, 2010, and should be emailed to me at aislingbrock@gmail.com

Entries will be posted sometime that week, and put to a vote (yay democracy!).

The prize is similar to last year (I am poor and unimaginative!):

• 1 year domain registration
• free hosting on my reseller (if you need it)

So, GET CRACK-A-LACKIN, everyone! I hope the entries are as cool as last year’s!

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I agree that the majority of the books lack no plot until the very end, and then it shows up under developed. I agree that Breaking Dawn was a waste of a book because… I can’t actually recall anything happening apart from the gruesome bit where Edward eats the mutant baby out of Bella’s stomach.

I think I am in the small percentage of the world that probably prefers the movies to the books, as well. I’m not a KStew fan, although she is growing on me. I am, admittedly, an RPattz fan, mainly left over from his Harry Potter days. I do love how he plays Edward as this manic depressive guy who hates himself. I love how KStew seems like she couldn’t give a damn about Twilight half the time. And I love how Taylor Lautner just loves every minute he spends around his fans, to provide contrast.

Obviously, there’s a dark side to my Guilty Pleasure, which leaves me torn. Since Twilight author Stephenie Meyer is Mormon, she in all likeliness pays 10% of her income to the LDS Church. In 2009, she was ranked as the 26th most powerful celebrity, earning over $50 million. That is a lot of money going right to the people who very much supported Proposition 8. That’s the part that makes me feel sick and uneasy. I can remember when I found out that Prop 8 had passed and bursting into tears, although I live in a completely different country, so it doesn’t really affect me. The thought of me contributing to that, although I am well aware that my donation is minuscule, kind of makes me hate myself.

So! Feel free to judge me, go go go! Also, share your guilty pleasures! (And then give them up for the next 40 days if you are Catholic!)

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