Well, if you go and take a look over here: http://quizzingnerd.blogspot.com/2007/03/faramir.html - then you will understand what this blog post is going to be about. I decided that my rebuttal of our resident Quizzing Nerd's critique of the movie version of Faramir needed to be slightly more public than email. So here it is. I am addressing each point detailed individually - and Josh, I know you're not trying to antagonize me...but you asked for it!
First objection: Faramir as a character is inconsistent in the movie. I disagree (aren't you surprised). Faramir, like all humans, is not perfect. Yes, he sees the warning signs in Frodo and Smeagol and learns that Boromir was corrupted by the Ring. But Denethor's instructions to Boromir were to bring Isildur's Bane at all costs, and Faramir desperately wants to be valued in his father's eyes. Also, like Boromir and
Denethor, Faramir is only human and thus has human weaknesses - even then the Ring could have conceivably been working on him, just like it did on Boromir. In fact, I would be surprised if it hadn't. He has to weigh the choice in his mind. Take the Ring to Minas Tirith and to Denethor, and finally gain his father's approval - something he's longed for practically since birth - or do what he knows is right and forever lose any hope of gaining respect from his father, and risk his fury once he finds out Isildur's Bane has slipped through his fingers. In Denethor's eyes this would be another failure of a useless second son, and Faramir knows it. So is it really any surprise that he chooses to take the hobbits to Minas Tirith? He too believes that there is strength left in the race of Men, and that the Ring can be used for good.
Another thing you pointed out, oh Quizzing Nerd (:D) is that others have resisted the power of the Ring and so it's not ridiculous to expect Faramir to do the same. You use Galadriel and Gandalf as examples. However, Galadriel is an immortal elf, wiser by far than any man living and wary of the lures of Sauron. She has seen what destruction he can wreak. And Gandalf is practically divine, an emissary of the Valar from the Undying Lands. He's basically the Middle-Earth equivalent of an angel. Is it any surprise that he can resist the Ring's power? Sauron himself is of the same race as Gandalf. Had Frodo remained with the Fellowship, even his other loyal companions could have turned on him. He knows this. That's why he runs away. Aragorn also resists the power of the Ring, but his ancestors died under its power and he knows better than any what it can do.
Faramir doesn't. This is the first he's heard of the Ring's powers, and from two hobbits and a slimy creature he's never met before. What with the Ring's powers combined with his desire to please his father, is it really any surprise he initially decides to take them to Minas Tirith?
I quote: "One last thing I must touch on is that, in the movie, one of the main tempations for Faramir is that his dad might start to value him if he brings the ring back. But Faramir should know from what he's seen of his father that giving the ring to him would be idiocy; he would misuse it and Sauron would eventually gain victory."
How should he know this? Faramir has been posted in Ithilien and Osgiliath for quite some time, and does not often return to Minas Tirith. Denethor closets himself for long periods of time, and it's entirely plausible that father and son very rarely see each other. Faramir may not be aware of the extent to which his father's mind has been twisted. Faramir is not all-knowing, and as I point out above, this is the first time he's seen or heard of the Ring.
Again: "He should also know that his father is becoming so twisted that Faramir giving him the ring wouldn't alter his view of Faramir in the least. Faramir values the fate of Middle-Earth more then he values the chance of respect from his father, and, if the moviemakers made him consistent to his character, he wouldn't have been tempted for a moment by that."
He does value the fate of Middle-Earth more. But initially he's convinced himself that this is for the good of the fate of Middle-Earth, not to destroy the Ring but to use it against Sauron. As you no doubt remember, this thought obsessed Boromir for much of FotR. Faramir is not an elf like Galadriel or a Maia like Gandalf. He's human, and as such has human weaknesses. Even the fact that he eventually chooses the right way sets him apart. Boromir would not have done that.
And my last point: What PJ does with Faramir's character in the movie is vastly more developmentally useful in a short time than what it would have been if he'd followed the book. If he'd followed the book, the hobbits would have met a nice guy who gives them food and directions and sends them off with a wave and a smile. Whoop-de-doo. Wheras in the movie (TTT) we get an intriguing prequel to the father/son angst in RotK, and are far more interested than we otherwise would have been.
I'm done. I know several people who will have skimmed all that. You know who you are. Anyway, I hope you found it interesting, Josh (aka Quizzing Nerd).
59 days!
~Sil
[After Sarah and Everett were sitting due to errors]
Josh: "Aw, c'mon, let 'em jump. I need some competition."
Amy/Erin: "OHHHHHH!"
26 March 2007
22 March 2007
Spring break
...is coming up for everyone but me. It's next week for all public schools here and all my siblings, but I have the power to switch mine around, so I have. Because Calminaiel (www.bassonfreak.blogspot.com) is coming to visit over HER spring break, which is the first week of April, so since I'd rather not do school when she's here I've juggled things a bit. W00t for me.
My uncle's coming home today! He's been in Toronto for the last six weeks (or so) and we're picking him up today at the airport, around 3. And next week he's coming to the Telus World of Science (formerly known as the Odysseum) with us, which should be fun.
Call me indecisive...but I still can't decide which second study I want to do for my piano exam in June. Everything is decided except that. List A - Solfeggietto. List B - Sonata in G by Beethoven. List C - Puck by Edvard Grieg. List D - To the Rising Sun by Trygve Torjussen (and no, I don't know how to say Trygve). Studies - Capriccio by Handel...or is it Haydn? I think it's Haydn. always get those two mixed up. Anyway, for a second study I could choose from Gypsies (who I forget the composer of) or In Dreams from FotR, or Rohan from TTT. We (my teacher and I) determined that I'm doing a LotR one, but I'm quite torn between the two. I love them both. So I'll work on both of them and see which one grows on me.
63 days!
~Sil
"Okay, so a normal note is a 'dah', alittle upside-down V accent is a 'dat', and a staccato is a 'dit'. So that passage should go 'dah-dah-dit dah-dat-dah dit'. I know I sound like I'm speaking alien, bear with me."
My uncle's coming home today! He's been in Toronto for the last six weeks (or so) and we're picking him up today at the airport, around 3. And next week he's coming to the Telus World of Science (formerly known as the Odysseum) with us, which should be fun.
Call me indecisive...but I still can't decide which second study I want to do for my piano exam in June. Everything is decided except that. List A - Solfeggietto. List B - Sonata in G by Beethoven. List C - Puck by Edvard Grieg. List D - To the Rising Sun by Trygve Torjussen (and no, I don't know how to say Trygve). Studies - Capriccio by Handel...or is it Haydn? I think it's Haydn. always get those two mixed up. Anyway, for a second study I could choose from Gypsies (who I forget the composer of) or In Dreams from FotR, or Rohan from TTT. We (my teacher and I) determined that I'm doing a LotR one, but I'm quite torn between the two. I love them both. So I'll work on both of them and see which one grows on me.
63 days!
~Sil
"Okay, so a normal note is a 'dah', alittle upside-down V accent is a 'dat', and a staccato is a 'dit'. So that passage should go 'dah-dah-dit dah-dat-dah dit'. I know I sound like I'm speaking alien, bear with me."
20 March 2007
TRAILER!
Get ready, all of you, for possibly the fourth best trailer you will ever see (for the other three, search Lord of the Rings on Google). If this doesn't start you counting the days, you're deprived.
[Thank you to Haldir o' Lorien]
I've already watched it multiple times. It's got EVERYTHING. Jack lines, Barbossa lines, mystical Tia Dalma voiceover, an amazing awesome epic swordfight in the rigging of a ship in a whirlpool with an undead pirate to the beat of the music, and indubitably best - a W/E kiss! DIE J/E SHIPPERS! Best lines:
[In the midst of said epic battle]Will: Will you marry me?
Elizabeth: I don't think now is the best time!
Barbossa: There's not been a gathering like this in our lifetime -
Jack: And I owe them all money.
Elizabeth: It would never have worked out between us.
Jack: Keep telling yourself that, darling.
[DIE YOU J/E SHIPPERS!]
Beckett: You're mad!
Jack: If I wasn't, this'd probably never work.
It just goes to show how obsessed I am that that's pretty much all the dialogue in the entire thing. Heh. I think it's all amazing. Wheee!
~Sil
Jack: Why should I sail with you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past. One of you succeeded.
[Thank you to Haldir o' Lorien]
I've already watched it multiple times. It's got EVERYTHING. Jack lines, Barbossa lines, mystical Tia Dalma voiceover, an amazing awesome epic swordfight in the rigging of a ship in a whirlpool with an undead pirate to the beat of the music, and indubitably best - a W/E kiss! DIE J/E SHIPPERS! Best lines:
[In the midst of said epic battle]Will: Will you marry me?
Elizabeth: I don't think now is the best time!
Barbossa: There's not been a gathering like this in our lifetime -
Jack: And I owe them all money.
Elizabeth: It would never have worked out between us.
Jack: Keep telling yourself that, darling.
[DIE YOU J/E SHIPPERS!]
Beckett: You're mad!
Jack: If I wasn't, this'd probably never work.
It just goes to show how obsessed I am that that's pretty much all the dialogue in the entire thing. Heh. I think it's all amazing. Wheee!
~Sil
Jack: Why should I sail with you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past. One of you succeeded.
19 March 2007
New school routine
Ah, the joys of being homeschooled. I've discovered lately how much I really do like it.
On Saturday I went out with my parents to discuss school...stuff...and we determined a couple of things that will hopefully make what's left of my school year more enjoyable. 1) NO MORE SCIENCE TESTS! This deserves all capitals because I detest those and studying for them with a passion. Now I have to read the modules and do the experiments and question, and write a summary when I'm done. I like writing. 2) This has its pros and cons, but I have to get up earlier. And I KNOW I'm a wimp compared to all you people who get up at ungodly hours, but 8 seems early. Did you hear that? I know I'm a wimp. So no snide comments, please, about getting up at 5:30 am. Or whatever it is. And 3) I should only be spending about four hours on school. School being math, social studies, science, and english. Piano and quizzing are extracurricular. So that made me feel better about life in general.
I'm going CRAZY with all the AWE stuff that's out! Linky: http://www.usatoday.com/life/gallery/l070316-pirates/flash.htm
Those are some awesome pictures, the best of which is Will in a pretty dark red shirt which I quite like. There's also an incredibly sweet W/E one. I'm convinced that AWE is a W/E movie. I would link to an incredible Russian version of the trailer, but the English version is out officially tonight (!) with Dancing With the Stars and it's worth waiting for. Besides, the Russian version is leaked and not entirely legal. I'm so excited! 66 days!
~Sil
"Hey, did you hear that Missy killed Everett and I on Friday?"
"No, somehow I must have missed it."
On Saturday I went out with my parents to discuss school...stuff...and we determined a couple of things that will hopefully make what's left of my school year more enjoyable. 1) NO MORE SCIENCE TESTS! This deserves all capitals because I detest those and studying for them with a passion. Now I have to read the modules and do the experiments and question, and write a summary when I'm done. I like writing. 2) This has its pros and cons, but I have to get up earlier. And I KNOW I'm a wimp compared to all you people who get up at ungodly hours, but 8 seems early. Did you hear that? I know I'm a wimp. So no snide comments, please, about getting up at 5:30 am. Or whatever it is. And 3) I should only be spending about four hours on school. School being math, social studies, science, and english. Piano and quizzing are extracurricular. So that made me feel better about life in general.
I'm going CRAZY with all the AWE stuff that's out! Linky: http://www.usatoday.com/life/gallery/l070316-pirates/flash.htm
Those are some awesome pictures, the best of which is Will in a pretty dark red shirt which I quite like. There's also an incredibly sweet W/E one. I'm convinced that AWE is a W/E movie. I would link to an incredible Russian version of the trailer, but the English version is out officially tonight (!) with Dancing With the Stars and it's worth waiting for. Besides, the Russian version is leaked and not entirely legal. I'm so excited! 66 days!
~Sil
"Hey, did you hear that Missy killed Everett and I on Friday?"
"No, somehow I must have missed it."
14 March 2007
Living Light News
I got newsprint all over my hands last night. It was fun. I totally forgot that instead of Tuesday night Bible study, we were doing a missions trip fundraiser and helping Living Light News with their paper labeling and folding, and we were supposed to be at church at 5:45. I remembered this at precisely 5:37, and pretty much totally freaked out, but it all turned out okay. So we spent the evening talking about various things while Erin labeled and I folded and bundled and Josh (this is Josh Loeppky. I know quite a few Joshes) did the same as me only at breakneck speed and we all admired the alacrity with which he did it. Eventually our hands turned black, and everybody ended up with newsprint on their faces as well, but we got pizza and snacks. The pizzas were so huge, it wasn't even funny. Hopefully we raised a good amount of money, I don't know how much yet.
Also, I've discovered that the image links in my previous post don't work. Apologies. If you really wanted to see them, email me (friend.of.frodo@hotmail.com) and I'll send them to you.
And here is a quiz meet picture! Thank you Josh! (Josh Stauffer this time.)
This is me and Erin goofing off before a quiz and lying on the floor to click our seats. Normally you sit on them.
Clicky
An amusing exchange took place at this point, between Erin and a kid from the other team:
Kid: If you always jump that slowly, you're gonna be easy.
Erin: Hey, we're not easy - we're the top team in A! And we three are the top three quizzers!
Kid: [slightly bemused look]
Erin: [cont.] We've all quizzed out in the first twelve questions of every quiz.
Josh: One time they did it in eleven, and still nobody knows how they managed it.
[General laughter]
See, you need four questions to quiz out, which is why that was funny. For the uninitiated.
FIVE days until the trailer, SEVENTY-ONE days until AWE, NINETY-FOUR days until school's over, and SIXTY more days of school.
~Sil
Erin (to Tyler): "Well, there are lots of other ways you could die. You could fall in the shower and hit your head, get hit by a car, be the victim of a hit 'n' run, not see the open cover of a manhole in the street - "
Amy: "And fall down it."
Tyler: "Amy, you're not helping."
Also, I've discovered that the image links in my previous post don't work. Apologies. If you really wanted to see them, email me (friend.of.frodo@hotmail.com) and I'll send them to you.
And here is a quiz meet picture! Thank you Josh! (Josh Stauffer this time.)
This is me and Erin goofing off before a quiz and lying on the floor to click our seats. Normally you sit on them.
An amusing exchange took place at this point, between Erin and a kid from the other team:
Kid: If you always jump that slowly, you're gonna be easy.
Erin: Hey, we're not easy - we're the top team in A! And we three are the top three quizzers!
Kid: [slightly bemused look]
Erin: [cont.] We've all quizzed out in the first twelve questions of every quiz.
Josh: One time they did it in eleven, and still nobody knows how they managed it.
[General laughter]
See, you need four questions to quiz out, which is why that was funny. For the uninitiated.
FIVE days until the trailer, SEVENTY-ONE days until AWE, NINETY-FOUR days until school's over, and SIXTY more days of school.
~Sil
Erin (to Tyler): "Well, there are lots of other ways you could die. You could fall in the shower and hit your head, get hit by a car, be the victim of a hit 'n' run, not see the open cover of a manhole in the street - "
Amy: "And fall down it."
Tyler: "Amy, you're not helping."
13 March 2007
Better than yesterday?
Shall my blog critiquers judge this post better than yesterday's? Hmmm? They'll have to read it first!
Corner Gas finale last night, and we all totally thought Lacey was moving and Brent had sold the gas station and then....Hank woke up and discovered a bunch of people staring at him and wondering why instead of thinking about his idea he'd been staring off into space humming a Blue Rodeo song. It was pretty funny. And the PM was in there, which I and my dad appreciated. He was elaborating on how prairie dogs and gophers didn't receive the respect they deserved under the previous Liberal government. I like Corner Gas...I think it was the episode where Wanda considered writing the Extended Extended Edition of LotR that got me hooked. If you mention LotR, I will be your fan forever.
And after that was 24, in which there was more Denethor (squee!) and Jack didn't quite get liberated from the Russian Consulate. But it's a work in progress. And they're blaming Assad for the attempted assassination of President Palmer! The best character practically ON that show, and they not only kill him off but make him out to be a plotting terrorist. Hmph. Charles Logan's ex-wife also attempted to stab him with a fruit-cutting knife, but at least CTU got permission from the Russian government to move in on the Consulate. She was supposed to phone the President's wife and convince her to convince her husband to convince Markov to let Jack go, but the Russians ended up supporting the US anyway.
Six days until the trailer, seventy-two days until AWE, and I have pictures. Get ready.
Will, Elizabeth and Barbossa
Jack and Barbossa
Will held prisoner
A bunch of Singaporeans dressed in not much
Sao Feng
Pirate Queen Elizabeth
Jack and Cotton (and the parrot)
Interesting mid-slap shot of Jack and strumpets
Bootstrap and Elizabeth
Various crew members (and the monkey!)
I have pictures GALORE. None indicate a particular leaning W/E or J/E, though I suppose one could operate on the saying 'no news is good news'. My favorite is the first one, Will looks very nice even though Elizabeth's hat is...odd.
Ninety-five days until school's over, and sixty-one more days of school.
~Sil
"'Quote to self'. As opposed to 'note to self'."
Corner Gas finale last night, and we all totally thought Lacey was moving and Brent had sold the gas station and then....Hank woke up and discovered a bunch of people staring at him and wondering why instead of thinking about his idea he'd been staring off into space humming a Blue Rodeo song. It was pretty funny. And the PM was in there, which I and my dad appreciated. He was elaborating on how prairie dogs and gophers didn't receive the respect they deserved under the previous Liberal government. I like Corner Gas...I think it was the episode where Wanda considered writing the Extended Extended Edition of LotR that got me hooked. If you mention LotR, I will be your fan forever.
And after that was 24, in which there was more Denethor (squee!) and Jack didn't quite get liberated from the Russian Consulate. But it's a work in progress. And they're blaming Assad for the attempted assassination of President Palmer! The best character practically ON that show, and they not only kill him off but make him out to be a plotting terrorist. Hmph. Charles Logan's ex-wife also attempted to stab him with a fruit-cutting knife, but at least CTU got permission from the Russian government to move in on the Consulate. She was supposed to phone the President's wife and convince her to convince her husband to convince Markov to let Jack go, but the Russians ended up supporting the US anyway.
Six days until the trailer, seventy-two days until AWE, and I have pictures. Get ready.
I have pictures GALORE. None indicate a particular leaning W/E or J/E, though I suppose one could operate on the saying 'no news is good news'. My favorite is the first one, Will looks very nice even though Elizabeth's hat is...odd.
Ninety-five days until school's over, and sixty-one more days of school.
~Sil
"'Quote to self'. As opposed to 'note to self'."
12 March 2007
Quiz meet
Quiz meet was awesome, as always, and even though I didn't make it to Great West it was still fun. Sarah and Josh and Everett all made it, so I was happy for them, and our church did pretty well overall. I kept 35th place, which was sort of amusing. Not much to report other than that.
Seven days till the trailer! And seventy-three days until AWE! And I'm tempted to start counting the days until school's over, but I might find that more depressing than not. It's ninety-six, if anyone's interested. With some breaks in there too, so really if you only count weekdays there's sixty-two more days of school. Yes, I am a nerd.
Had a really good time chatting to Elegost Eruaphadion and Lady Dark Moon and Aerandir and pirateoftherings on Sunday morning. All in the same convo. That's what weekends are for. I pity you people who can't have a nice MSN chat to make you feel better about life in general. I'm so jealous of potr, though - she has spring break this week.
~Sil
"I have a photographic memory too, but someone always goes in and photoshops it."
Seven days till the trailer! And seventy-three days until AWE! And I'm tempted to start counting the days until school's over, but I might find that more depressing than not. It's ninety-six, if anyone's interested. With some breaks in there too, so really if you only count weekdays there's sixty-two more days of school. Yes, I am a nerd.
Had a really good time chatting to Elegost Eruaphadion and Lady Dark Moon and Aerandir and pirateoftherings on Sunday morning. All in the same convo. That's what weekends are for. I pity you people who can't have a nice MSN chat to make you feel better about life in general. I'm so jealous of potr, though - she has spring break this week.
~Sil
"I have a photographic memory too, but someone always goes in and photoshops it."
09 March 2007
Political awesomeness and TRAILER NEWS!
Seeing Stephen Harper was pretty amazing last night. Unfortunately all I got to do was see him, various efforts to shake his hand notwithstanding, which was sort of disappointing.
I lie. It was really disappointing. Especially listening to my sister in the van on the way home rave about how he asked what her name was and stuff. I mean, not that that's not cool, but - ! Sort of being consumed with jealousy over here...
Anyway, besides that, it was awesome. Rona Ambrose (MP for Edmonton - Spruce Grove and the former Environment Minister) introduced Laurie Hawn (MP for Edmonton Centre) who introduced the PM, who delivered a speech whose only bad point was that it was too short. Just before this my little brother got his hand shaken, but I think this was overshadowed by the fact that he lost his toonie at the same time. I forget who concluded the event but I think it was James Rajotte (MP for Edmonton Southwest)? Maybe? I know it wasn't Rahim Jaffer (MP for Edmonton - Strathcona) because Rahim Jaffer is WAY cooler than pretty much any of the others. Besides Mike, who is indubitably the coolest of them all.
And all in all, it resulted in a resolution by me that I don't care HOW big the crowds are, next time I'm going to get to shake his hand. So there.
Quiz meet starts today. The major quiz review that needed to happen this week frankly didn't, but I'm hoping I'll do okay anyway. I anticipate lots of errors but I can live with those.
Now. Everybody take a deep breath. The At World's End trailer will be here in -
TEN DAYS! I think I'm going to die. It's going to premiere with Dancing With the Stars, which I shall have to watch that night if only to see it, and I'm INSANELY excited.
~Sil
Joke of the day, meant to be used when the Liberals are in power: The Prime Minister gets up in the morning and the sun says to him, "Mr Prime Minister, you're the best Prime Minister ever, we love you." He goes to bed in the evening and the sun says, "Mr Prime Minister, you're the worst Prime Minister ever, we hate you." So he asks, "This morning you told me I was the best and now you're telling me I'm the worst. What gives?"
And the sun says, "Well, this morning I was the East, and now I'm the West."
I lie. It was really disappointing. Especially listening to my sister in the van on the way home rave about how he asked what her name was and stuff. I mean, not that that's not cool, but - ! Sort of being consumed with jealousy over here...
Anyway, besides that, it was awesome. Rona Ambrose (MP for Edmonton - Spruce Grove and the former Environment Minister) introduced Laurie Hawn (MP for Edmonton Centre) who introduced the PM, who delivered a speech whose only bad point was that it was too short. Just before this my little brother got his hand shaken, but I think this was overshadowed by the fact that he lost his toonie at the same time. I forget who concluded the event but I think it was James Rajotte (MP for Edmonton Southwest)? Maybe? I know it wasn't Rahim Jaffer (MP for Edmonton - Strathcona) because Rahim Jaffer is WAY cooler than pretty much any of the others. Besides Mike, who is indubitably the coolest of them all.
And all in all, it resulted in a resolution by me that I don't care HOW big the crowds are, next time I'm going to get to shake his hand. So there.
Quiz meet starts today. The major quiz review that needed to happen this week frankly didn't, but I'm hoping I'll do okay anyway. I anticipate lots of errors but I can live with those.
Now. Everybody take a deep breath. The At World's End trailer will be here in -
TEN DAYS! I think I'm going to die. It's going to premiere with Dancing With the Stars, which I shall have to watch that night if only to see it, and I'm INSANELY excited.
~Sil
Joke of the day, meant to be used when the Liberals are in power: The Prime Minister gets up in the morning and the sun says to him, "Mr Prime Minister, you're the best Prime Minister ever, we love you." He goes to bed in the evening and the sun says, "Mr Prime Minister, you're the worst Prime Minister ever, we hate you." So he asks, "This morning you told me I was the best and now you're telling me I'm the worst. What gives?"
And the sun says, "Well, this morning I was the East, and now I'm the West."
08 March 2007
Bus misadventure
The Edmonton transit buses had a bit of an off day yesterday. See, I'm supposed to get on a bus at 3 in the afternoon, and then transfer once to a different one about half an hour later. But the one bus didn't come until 3:15 and didn't leave until 3:20 because the bus driver had some stupid thing with his boss. Personally, I think he wanted an excuse to smoke his cigarette, but that's me. Anyway, by the time I got to the bus stop downtown where I transfer, it had been and gone, and I waited for about a half hour to see if it would come again. But it didn't. Luckily Dad works downtown, so I phoned him on Mom's cell (which I had borrowed) and he came over and met me and then we walked to his car. Funny thing, there was a time when I would have been thoroughly freaked out by this but now it really doesn't seem like that big a deal. I did miss band, though, which kinda sucked. Especially since Bill brings the keyboard and bells for me and then when I can't make it he sets them up and takes them down for really no purpose at all.
We're deciding on a new school curriculum for next year, because Mom says (and I agree) that besides reading David Copperfield this year has been our most boring school year yet. Anyway, it's 530 English Literature and it looks awesome. My only criticism is that Lord of the Rings isn't in there, and it definetely qualifies as English literature. Mom says it's because it's too dense and Dad said it was because it was too recent until Mom pointed out that if C.S. Lewis is in there (and he is) then it couldn't be. So now they both say it's too dense, and I could probably spend an entire school year studying LotR in its various manifestations. Of course the thought of an entire school year spent on LotR made me pretty excited, but it won't happen.
We're going to see the Prime Minister tonight! He's speaking at the Shaw Conference Center. And Mike! I know Mike reads this periodically, or he did last time it came up in general conversation, so if he still does then Hi Mike and I'll see you tonight. Ha. My MP reads my blog. Take that.
Oh, and as an aside, I've added another link to the sidebar. It's our family in hansard, the government record of everything said in the House of Commons. So if you click that and scroll a little ways down, it's maybe a fifth of the way, you'll see Mike Lake and his maiden speech, in which we appear in the last three or four paragraphs. I happen to appear by name. Go me.
~Sil
"Ah, fortunately I know how to counter it. The man did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking."
We're deciding on a new school curriculum for next year, because Mom says (and I agree) that besides reading David Copperfield this year has been our most boring school year yet. Anyway, it's 530 English Literature and it looks awesome. My only criticism is that Lord of the Rings isn't in there, and it definetely qualifies as English literature. Mom says it's because it's too dense and Dad said it was because it was too recent until Mom pointed out that if C.S. Lewis is in there (and he is) then it couldn't be. So now they both say it's too dense, and I could probably spend an entire school year studying LotR in its various manifestations. Of course the thought of an entire school year spent on LotR made me pretty excited, but it won't happen.
We're going to see the Prime Minister tonight! He's speaking at the Shaw Conference Center. And Mike! I know Mike reads this periodically, or he did last time it came up in general conversation, so if he still does then Hi Mike and I'll see you tonight. Ha. My MP reads my blog. Take that.
Oh, and as an aside, I've added another link to the sidebar. It's our family in hansard, the government record of everything said in the House of Commons. So if you click that and scroll a little ways down, it's maybe a fifth of the way, you'll see Mike Lake and his maiden speech, in which we appear in the last three or four paragraphs. I happen to appear by name. Go me.
~Sil
"Ah, fortunately I know how to counter it. The man did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking."
06 March 2007
24 - Denethor!
DENETHOR was on 24 last night! Denethor! Son of Ecthelion! Okay, so that wasn't his name, it was some Russian thing that I forget. Markov, that was it. But I was pretty thrilled that it was him. As soon as Jack walked into the Russian Consulate I'm going, "Hang on a second, I know that guy," and then a minute later - "It's Denethor!!" Which of course I called him throughout the show. They will all be forever LotR to me. I saw Dominic Monaghan on Lost once and said "Hey! It's Merry!"; saw Sean Astin on some random football movie and said, "Hey, it's Sam!"; saw Elijah Wood on the cover of Flipper - "Hey, it's Frodo!" Really, Orlando Bloom's the only one I don't do that with, because I wouldn't know whether to call him Legolas or Will Turner.
And speaking of Will Turner, I watched Curse of the Black Pearl bloopers last night, which was pretty funny. There's this whole improv scene with Jack and the undead pirates. It goes:
Jack: Par...parsnip, partner, parsley...par...
Ragetti: Parley?
Jack: That's the one! Parley!
Pintel: [GLARE at Ragetti] Damn to da depths whatever muttonhead thought up parley!
Jack: The French. Latin-based, of course. Inventors of mayonnaise.
Pintel: [Aside to miscellaneous pirate] I like mayonnaise.
Jack: That's the thing about the French, really. Obsessed with raisins. Humiliated grapes, really. Think about it.
Pintel: [Alarmed look] Don't know!
Jack: Terrific singers, the French. Eunuchs, all of 'em.
Miscellaneous Pirate: That's not right.
Pintel: I used to date a eunuch...
Jack: I'll get me coat.
Giggled quite a bit during that scene. It's making me giggle just writing it out.
But back to 24 - Assad died! He died! I LOVED Assad! Poor guy, he saved the President's life and now they're trying to pin the bomb on him. Instead of those rotten traitors Reed and Carson.
And lastly - tonight on some little-known TV channel there's a special about the, cough *snicker* cough, 'Lost Tomb of Jesus'. The ad in the paper I saw said, "You be the judge." Oh, believe me, I've seen enough to judge aplenty without watching some stupid TV special. So note to anyone who might see that, it's pretty much all blatant fabrication. To quote Warren Kinsella, National Post: "Who would've thought that the man who gave us The Terminator would now be an expert on the last resting place of Jesus? Life's full of surprises, I suppose." Or something like that, I don't remember it word-for-word. Michael Coren and Warren Kinsella have my deepest respect for giving that theory what it highly deserved - a response basically boiling down to, "Hah, you expect us to believe that? Go look up 'theologist'. Should take you a while, as the word DOESN'T EXIST." (No, I'm not still highly amused by that.)
~Sil
"And yes, I do feel stalked, but I'm always watching you all.... so... are we stalking our stalkers or is it really just you guys stalking vs. my stalking?" ~Kitoky, A-U Forums
And speaking of Will Turner, I watched Curse of the Black Pearl bloopers last night, which was pretty funny. There's this whole improv scene with Jack and the undead pirates. It goes:
Jack: Par...parsnip, partner, parsley...par...
Ragetti: Parley?
Jack: That's the one! Parley!
Pintel: [GLARE at Ragetti] Damn to da depths whatever muttonhead thought up parley!
Jack: The French. Latin-based, of course. Inventors of mayonnaise.
Pintel: [Aside to miscellaneous pirate] I like mayonnaise.
Jack: That's the thing about the French, really. Obsessed with raisins. Humiliated grapes, really. Think about it.
Pintel: [Alarmed look] Don't know!
Jack: Terrific singers, the French. Eunuchs, all of 'em.
Miscellaneous Pirate: That's not right.
Pintel: I used to date a eunuch...
Jack: I'll get me coat.
Giggled quite a bit during that scene. It's making me giggle just writing it out.
But back to 24 - Assad died! He died! I LOVED Assad! Poor guy, he saved the President's life and now they're trying to pin the bomb on him. Instead of those rotten traitors Reed and Carson.
And lastly - tonight on some little-known TV channel there's a special about the, cough *snicker* cough, 'Lost Tomb of Jesus'. The ad in the paper I saw said, "You be the judge." Oh, believe me, I've seen enough to judge aplenty without watching some stupid TV special. So note to anyone who might see that, it's pretty much all blatant fabrication. To quote Warren Kinsella, National Post: "Who would've thought that the man who gave us The Terminator would now be an expert on the last resting place of Jesus? Life's full of surprises, I suppose." Or something like that, I don't remember it word-for-word. Michael Coren and Warren Kinsella have my deepest respect for giving that theory what it highly deserved - a response basically boiling down to, "Hah, you expect us to believe that? Go look up 'theologist'. Should take you a while, as the word DOESN'T EXIST." (No, I'm not still highly amused by that.)
~Sil
"And yes, I do feel stalked, but I'm always watching you all.... so... are we stalking our stalkers or is it really just you guys stalking vs. my stalking?" ~Kitoky, A-U Forums
05 March 2007
Some serious quiz review...
...is what needs to happen this week. Quiz meet on Friday, and though it likely won't happen, if I can move up ten places I will be absolutely thrilled. Because, you see, I'm currently in 35th place in Division A province-wide and you need to be in the top 25 in Div A to go to Great West. Great West involves the top 25 from Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Pacific Northwest and one other region of the US. That's my dream for this quiz meet. So I won't be devastated if I don't make it, but it would be amazing if I did.
Anyway...I feel a lot more motivated this week than I did last week. Just for school, piano, quizzing, that sort of thing. I bet it's because February's over. And quiz meets always motivate me, both before and afterwards. Plus, I always feel good after I've had a weekend to chat to various people on MSN.
I know this is short, but my brother's going to ask me review questions for Acts chapters 1-16. So I'm going to go do that.
~Sil
"If a prison and a jail are basically the same thing, why are the meanings of 'prisoner' and 'jailer' so different?"
Anyway...I feel a lot more motivated this week than I did last week. Just for school, piano, quizzing, that sort of thing. I bet it's because February's over. And quiz meets always motivate me, both before and afterwards. Plus, I always feel good after I've had a weekend to chat to various people on MSN.
I know this is short, but my brother's going to ask me review questions for Acts chapters 1-16. So I'm going to go do that.
~Sil
"If a prison and a jail are basically the same thing, why are the meanings of 'prisoner' and 'jailer' so different?"
01 March 2007
Music-y day
Wednesday is my music day. I'm always tired by the end of it, but I like it, especially since we did the two band pieces today that have actual piano parts. I love them. And I evaded ear training at my lesson yet again, which always makes me happy because I detest ear training with a passion. Sight reading too, for that matter. Which reminds me, I need to register for my grade 8 exam this June. The thought makes me think of my grade 7 exam, in which...well....if you know me, you've heard the grade 7 exam rant. It had a happy ending though.
I get to play a Wii tomorrow! Should be amazing, I can't wait. Daniel (little Daniel, not big Daniel who Erin and Everett and I went to see Bridge to Terabithia with) got one a while back and he's been wanting me to come over and play it with him for ages, but somehow I never could. Anyway, I'm going over there and then we're going to youth Survivor night, which promises to be the funnest event yet this year, bar none except the upcoming PIRATE event. Upon hearing about it this tuesday I have a feeling several people found my enthusiasm amusing. Heh.
~Sil
"How would you breed men and orcs? To do that you'd have to take a man...and an orc....and I'm just gonna stop right there."
I get to play a Wii tomorrow! Should be amazing, I can't wait. Daniel (little Daniel, not big Daniel who Erin and Everett and I went to see Bridge to Terabithia with) got one a while back and he's been wanting me to come over and play it with him for ages, but somehow I never could. Anyway, I'm going over there and then we're going to youth Survivor night, which promises to be the funnest event yet this year, bar none except the upcoming PIRATE event. Upon hearing about it this tuesday I have a feeling several people found my enthusiasm amusing. Heh.
~Sil
"How would you breed men and orcs? To do that you'd have to take a man...and an orc....and I'm just gonna stop right there."
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