Just one. I'm a few, no family, too. Who am I?

So let's talk Orphan Black.

If you're a regular reader than you know I watch a lot of television. You also know that every once in awhile I absolutely fall head over heels in love with a show. You also know that most of the shows I love are over. So with Warehouse 13 heading into it's final six episodes in 2014 I needed something to soften the blow. I found that something in Orphan Black.

Now I admired Warehouse 13 for several reasons, and one of those reasons is the phenomenal cast. What you say if I told you two thirds of Orphan Black's own phenomenal cast is one Tatiana Maslany?

I got 99 problems and they are all Tatiana Maslany. No really. You don't understand...

Orphan Black is a show about clones. Yes clones. The show follows Sarah Manning (Played by Tatiana Maslany), a small time con woman who is trying to ditch her old life to run off with her foster brother Felix and her daughter Kira. One fateful night Sarah runs into to a woman who looks exactly like her, before she can question it, the woman jumps in front of a train. Sarah sees this as an opportunity to pull off the last job she needs to get away.

She learns the woman's name, Elizabeth Childs (Played by Tatiana Maslany), and though on the outside it looks as if Beth had the perfect life Sarah learns the rabbit hole goes way deeper than she could ever imagine. As she digs deeper she meets Katja Obinger (Played by Tatiana Maslany) but she gets shot like right after she shows so who cares, Allison Hendrix (Played by Tatiana Maslany), and Cosima Niehaus (Just guess).

I haven't even listed all the clones yet but I think you get my point right?

So why should you be watching this show?

Well is the storyline about clones isn't cool enough for you then feel free to marvel how Tatiana can pour a glass of wine for Tatiana while Tatiana watches.

Maybe for some reason you don't think Tatiana is the most adorable little Canadian ever (Maybe Ellen Page is more your speed which I completely get so go read my last post)

Well there is Felix sass. A lot of it.

And if for some ungodly reason you still don't feel like giving this show your time well...WHY NOT?

ACTION MYSTERY HUMOR CLONES?????

WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME???

The title of this post is extremely long just because I am curious to see just how long I can actually make it. Also, I talk...erm rant, about sunscreen.

Sunscreen.

If anyone needs it, I do.

Being a redhead, I of all people know how vampires must feel every time they step into the sun. I'm talking Being Human vamps here, though I might as well just burst into flames considering how easily I burn.

Seriously. I have two color settings. Ghost and Cooked Lobster.

And Ghost is much less painful.

Anyways, I combat the lobsteryness with the wondrous thing we call sunscreen, spf 100.

Yes.

100.

I go for as high of spf as there is available.

But I must say, I really hate sunscreen. In all forms.

The lotion is horrible to lather on and ends up making me seem even MORE like a ghost because the stuff is practically impossible to rub in.

Those little sticks for your face feel like they do nothing.

And the spray...oh the spray

Smells awful and leaves you as shiny as a new car.

And then after your fun in the sun, you just feel gross.

Sunscreen. As necessary as it is, I hate it.

Sunscreen

In which I somehow rant about a story for longer than intended

Claudia sat alone at her table. Par usual, no one had sat next to her. Her lunch already gone so she pulled out her history book and started to read the chapter. After the first two sentences she slammed her head into her book.  Claudia glanced up to see Trina Heatsom and her gang of adoring followers coming her way.

“Great. I have company.” Claudia said, slamming her head back into the textbook.

“Claudia, I saw you got sent to the principal’s office. That’s rough. Hey, I have a pillow in my locker if you need it next block.” She laughed and so did her followers.

“You’re hilarious.” Claudia said to the book.

“Excuse me?" Trina asked. Claudia lifted her head out of the American Revolution.

I've always liked this part of the story. Just the way I wrote it, something about it, I like it.

That by the way, is an excerpt from a short story I wrote that is currently being re-written. (I'm currently writing about seven billion stories)

Anyways, this excerpt isn't done. The sentence flow still needs altering, but the basic idea is complete. I just like it.

The story itself is about a werewolf, Claudia, struggling to fit in.

WAIT! Don't call the over-used-plotline police! I swear I'm not finished!

Claudia has, I feel, almost a different look on it.

All those other characters just want to be normal, but by the end of the story they either realize

1. Everyone is special, and so they're good.
or
2. It's cool being different.

But that's not the case. Claudia KNOWS that.

Yeah, everyone is special in their own way, yada yada, but for the most part, in the grand scheme of things not everyone is special.

Those struggling to fit in, feel good specials, always say that special is good.

But Claudia knows that's not true.

People hate different. People shy away from the odd. Punish those who question the status quo.

She will never be, in any sense, normal.

Here is a excerpt from a scene earlier than the other one.

Across the hall were some short stories from the English classes. She skimmed over a few stories. Most were corny romances or stupid action stories. One line happened to catch her eye.

“Everyone wants to be special!” Claudia snorted. Wrong. What she wouldn’t give to be normal, to be one of the anonymous masses. To have people look at her and think, ‘Oh look! It’s an average teenage girl, how boring!’ Without thinking she ripped the story off the wall.

See?

Okay maybe I'm not making sense, in my head (and by extension Claudia's) it makes sense.

And as for "It's cool being different"

I do go there a little in the story. But then Claudia is yanked back into reality.

She can't control herself.

This is no "aw man, sometimes I turn into a dog"

Claudia is a legitimate werewolf. When she turns, it takes all of her energy to even know what's happening, and a ridiculous amount of strength to stop herself.

But that's not her only issue, because as the full moon nears it starts getting harder and harder to act like she's just a girl. She's angry and tired and alone and all she really wants is to be able to walk into  room and not have to think about the fastest way to get out if some animal instinct takes over.

Yeah. So that's Moonlight.

Pine Trees*

Today was the first day of Improv camp. And I can tell you right off the bat that I learned one very important thing.

But first, let me chat Improv club.

Mondays 3 to 4 is my school's improv club. It's lead by the fearless Mr. Snodgrass, an English teacher and a player over at my town's local improv joint. The club's members are scraggly** group of about 8 or so teens. Most from my own circle of friends and those that weren't were quickly added.

For that hour each week, we played a vast range of games from Freeze to Montage to Spotlight. I always looked forward to it, even on the days I felt crummy. Especially on the days I felt crummy.

Our rag-tag group excelled at all the games. Sure, some of us were better than others***, but for the most part, we rocked the stage (erm...hallway...)

We all had our favorite games of course, but it never really mattered to me if we played Park Bench or Scenes From a Hat because I knew I would be able to go up there with anyone of these punks and have a decent scene.

Now I can go back to camp.

The group is larger this year, some familiar faces, a ridiculous amount of dyed hair...

They're a rowdy bunch and just like my club, some are better than others.

This I had expected. Larger groups tend to be noisy and hard to handle, there are always a few that shouldn't really quit their day-jobs.

But here is what I learned.

I'm extremely fortunate to have Improv Club.

I had no idea how much they had my back until I came to this camp.

The first game on the list for camp was Name and Action.

Okay.
It's not a game. It's an icebreaker.

You say your name and put it with an action starting with the same letter.
Trampling Thunderbird
Napping Nicole
Elbows-crossed Eli
That sort of thing.

We didn't finish that game.

Nobody was listening, the people didn't care, the instructor (poor guy) sat out. Chaos.

We played some other things before break too.
Human Knot- Everyone gave up
Machine- People weren't accepting ideas
Ninja- They wouldn't shut up about it so our instructor gave in

After break we moved to stage games.

Mr. Know-it-all - Questions all about murder. Answers that made little sense.
Directed Story- Stories were short and often changed topic.

At the end he asked which one they liked better.

Not surprisingly, I was the only one who said Directed Story.

Back at Improv Club, we had some good times with both. We followed the rules of the game and as a result had a good time. Mr. Know-it-all was good, yeah, but for a performance you only get what the audience asks. Sometimes they aren't very creative.... "My dog can't go inside the store, what should I do?" Directed Story is great because of how it's played. A great big adventure told by a group of people.

It's not really that the people here at camp suck, they just are new. They don't know the difference between looking like an idiot, being an idiot, and acting like an idiot.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: I'm really lucky to have worked with the people I did at Improv Club. They were all super talented in their own ways.







*Get it? I was being a little...sappy!

**Okay...we aren't really 'scraggly' whatever.

***No, this is NOT a subtle way of saying I'm better than everyone. You guys should know me better...

New Phone

This, as you may or may not of guessed, is a rant.

Okay, I got my new phone. The LG Xpression, or whatever.

Before I can talk about that though, I must go back.

Back to my old phone.

Here is what I use the phone for:
Contacting people when needed
Texting friends when bored
Using texts to send to twitter.

That's it. Sometimes I take pictures, not often, sometimes.

What are my requirements in a phone?
Full Keyboard
Unlimited Messaging

That's it. I just want to send my freaking tweets/texts.

I was horrified to see my options when I set about getting a new phone.

First off, all touch screen. This isn't the kind of phone you can drop all the time. It WILL crack and you WILL have to live with that.

Second, all web browsing. Great! I don't have a data plan!

Third, all trying to be a smartphone without being a smartphone.

As previously stated, I don't care what the hell it does. As long as I can contact people when I need to and tweet.

So I get my Xpression.

Touch screen, web features I can't use, fancy camera options...all that jazz.

The big feature of this phone is supposed to be texting.

The keyboard is fine I guess, conversations option is something new for me, super easy to add media to the text.

It passes with flying colors then right?

Wrong.

I send a tweet from my phone.

The biggest thing I use my phone for.

Later I look at the tweet online and it's been spilt in two.

I recommend skipping the next paragraph.

WHAT THE FREAK? WHY DID YOU DO THAT CAN I NOT SEND TWEETS? THAT IS WHY I'M OKAY WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO GET ONLINE! IF I CAN SEND MY TWEETS IN ONE MESSAGE THEN I CAN USE THIS PHONE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I FRIKKEN USE MY PHONE FOR. I TWEET I TWEET OFTEN AND I TWEET WHEN I AM AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER. I DON'T GIVE A DAMN IF I CAN RECEIVE TWEETS IF I CAN'T SEND THEM. I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OTHER PRO IF I CAN NOT SEND A TWEET IN ONE MESSAGE.

Essentially it splits the message if it is over 67 characters.

Dude, 140 is limit enough. I don't need my phone holding my back as well.

I'm dead serious when I say if I don't find a way to fix this it's going straight back to the store.

Summer Hating

Ah Spring, the flowers are blooming, the birds are hatching, the sun is shining, summer is on it's way!

There are however a few things I hate about these warmer months, problems that I don't hate with winter or fall...

In no particular order

1. Allergies
I don't have them, but my friends do. And it really sucks when they have to go to the hospital because they can't breath.
2. Bugs
I'm sorry, as much as I love you nature insects are very low on my favorites list. And they show up EVERYWHERE during Spring and Summer
3. It's soooo hot!
I hate it when it's hot. I love jeans and t-shirts, I can't wear jeans in summer. Also I love layers. Nope.
Then there is the issue of my room, which like to be a million degrees. Then I have to open my window and turn on the fan! I HATE HAVING MY WINDOW OPEN! Some may find it soothing to listen to the crickets chirping, because well...it is... But I hear cars too, and one time I heard somebody else and I thought I was getting freaking robbed. So yes, window opening sucks.


Those are my main warm weather peeves. Hope you agree with my rant...or something

Book/Movie

I just saw The Hunger Games. Not to worry, I'm not the ruining type so you can untwist your panties. I will say however that I enjoyed it and if I could go see it again I would.

The point of this post was not that however. My point comes from the idea of book to movie.

I love it.

I know people always say, "The book will always be better then the movie." but here's the the thing; You aren't looking at the big picture.

Maybe I'm just hopelessly biased, but I think I enjoyed the movie as much as I did the book. When done correctly (And I'll get back to that) the movie does something the book can not. A movie gives life to a book.

Yeah I know, some books are written so wonderfully that you get a lovely image and whatnot but hang on. An actors job is to bring a roll to life. I don't care how much you describe them, in my opinion they are simple wisps of imagination untill someone casts an actor.

Let me explain, if you were to ask me how I pictured Katniss before the movie, I wouldn't have an answer. Because when I'm reading, I picture the scene, yes, but the moment I stop it's like trying to recall a face in a dream.

Maybe that's just me though.

Now I said when it is done correctly. Which I suppose there can never truely be a CORRECT way because it's the director's own vision but really, when you kill off a important character that is in ALL THREE BOOKS, what the hell kind of vision is that? You call THAT making the book into a movie? (I'm looking at you My Side of The Mountain)
What I mean to say is, if your going to make a book into a movie, then stick to the book. I understand things will have to be tweaked and that's fine, just don't change the story.
If you are going to base a movie off a book you can be more liberal, just be sure everyone knows that it is not the book, it's BASED off of a book.

I said that you weren't looking at the big picture. I probably am just hopelessly biased, but what I was trying to say was this; If you think the book will forever be better then the movie then you are being unfair to the director.

The book came out first. The book was good and spawned a movie. You read the book. You like the book. You go see the movie.

So here you are, already having accepted the EXACT plot of the book, about to see the movie. Poor director. He had to change a few things for time reasons and budget and whatever. You Mr. Book's Better, see these tweaks as invaders in your beloved story and attack them.

I know. I'm guilty of it.

But when I watched The Hunger Games, I didn't judge the soundtrack, or the director's choice in how to film, I didn't mind the tweaks (Well except one but that was actually more of just a matter of opinion) I didn't care how the actors chose to say their lines.

I simply sat back and watched a world I'd only ever imagined come to life.

If you go into a movie thinking only of the book, there is no way you will enjoy it as much as you could.

If you go into a movie with all of this stuff I said considered (And I said a lot in a sorta weird train of thought) I do believe you'll enjoy it to the fullest.

Every. Fraking. Year.

WARNING! I AM ABOUT TO RANT.

First off, you need to know I like to build things with Lego. And giving my liking to writing sometimes building a fantasy world in Lego with mini figures helps get the creative juices flowing.

Now I can tell you that I have two younger cousins that come over for thanksgiving, and every single year my Lego world is destroyed.

It's gotten to the point were I have to choose what's most valuable, box it up, and stick it on the top shelf.

Yet somehow, no matter what measures I take, destroyed.

I think the only way at least SOME of my things can be saved is for me to hide it in my closet on the very top shelf in the back.

As much as I'd like to see the damage I really don't want to know.

Now let me add another layer to my anger. I have another pair of cousins that build things too.

It's one thing for me to rebuild my stuff, quite another to rebuild someone else's.

I see these other cousins about twice a year and thanks to those destructive little boys the majority of Lego time is spent rebuilding.

I think I'm going to post the next chapter of Sad, Tortured, and British on FictionPress now, get my mind off Lego

*UPDATE*

It got worse. My heart breaks a little more everytime I look at it. I want to stop but I can't, it's like a bad car wreck I can't stop looking.

Part of me wants to rip apart their creations to see their reactions. Tell them that what they are feeling, the anger and sadness is what I'm feeling, only worse because they just wanted something to do. Ask them if they even considered what they were doing.

But I can't. I can stand up to people and tell them off about just about anything. But every year when this happens to my legos, I can't.

I suppose it's because I know they won't get it. Curse me and this knowledge because I'd probably feel alot better.

Then again I also hate conflict and would rather keep the peace, in that way I'm such a pushover.

To top it off I don't have a bed tonight. So yeah...today was fun.

Oh I also have to clean the mess up, not because they won't (Their parents will make them), I just know that...

Who am I kidding? It's over.

I just heard someone tell the kid their broken...thing...was an easy fix and it just sunk in. I really wish you could see this guys because you would know what I mean.

Well in conclusion to my sad and angry rant:

My(and my other cousins's) entire lego universe is destroyed

I really liked said lego universe


Silver Lining?
1. I have so many pent up feelings left, so I am going to be really productive in terms of writing tonight.
2. Lack of a quiet place to sleep will force me to stay awake meaning I can finish Fringe
3. I can also pick up the remains of my shattered universe.

More Then You Realize

I asked for my computer back. I had done what she asked, went a week straight without missing homework. Granted my week started last TUESDAY instead of Monday but I waited out an extra day just for that.

Apparently that doesn't work. I have to start on Monday. I'm not allowed to 'pick and choose'. I must be held accountable for late work that wasn't turned in BEFORE the deal had been made.

It really pisses me off.

Not because I can't go online, or tweet, or get on Facebook, or blog. No my iPod does all that.

It bugs me more then I let on.

I. Can't. Write.

Sure there's paper and pencil but I've said it before, I need to star typing it up. Once I have typed it I can whisk it away to my editors(friends) edit a bit myself.

Only then will I feel comfortable with sharing it.

I did what they asked, and I really am trying.

Sheesh it's arguments like my parent's though that are the reasons the carrot and the stick don't work.

Maybe it's just the fact that I've been stumbling psychology a lot more lately but here's how I see it; they set me a goal 'Go a week without missing any homework' my reward was I get back my computer. So I go and do just that. My reward is that I am told I didn't do what they ask and need to try again.

Though I'd like to think I get what they are saying, my pride and psychology articles tell me otherwise.

What this is teaching my mind is, in the simplest way of putting it, it does you no good to do as you're told.
Yeah, that thinking will fix my grades.

Maybe they were expecting overnight miracles. They wanted me to pop out of bed, sing a song, do my chores, all while preaching the word of the lord! (Okay probably not that last part, maybe the song though...xD)

Here's the thing about that. Surprise surprise, that's not how it works.

See another thing my articles taught me is this; One of the worst things you can do is force yourself to do something. Why? If you don't want to do something you tend to get distracted which leads to boredom which leads to sloppy rushed work. (Yes I said distraction leads to boredom, it's not the other way around) In order for this homework habit to work I need to get why this is important. I already know the obvious, no homework no A's. But years of getting by with it have taught my brain otherwise.

Right now, it's baby steps. Understand the importance of the material, get that there is and will continue to be homework. Then I can work on a habit of doing the work. I already know the second part and I'm working on the second. Old habits die hard so they say.

What I hope you got from my rant-like post was this A person can't change overnight, so don't expect them to. Change takes time.

Also, I really want my computer back.

Ranterview

I just posted a 4000+ character ranterview (rant/review) on somebody's fanfic...

Dear me I must seem crazy to them.

Ah well. It was like me posting on here actually.

Speaking my mind freely, but most likely talking to myself...


Now I'm thoughtfull...Deep the 3rd coming soon?

Insomniac

Tonight was the season 3 finale of Warehouse 13. And it was amazing. So now here I am, supposed to be going to sleep. How the HELL do you sleep after that, knowing you won't be able to see it again till next year. I'll tell you, you DON'T. You get inspired and you express the pent up feelings that are now bubbling inside if you.

But first, the performance I just witnessed from the cast of Warehouse 13 was Emmy worthy. So how come no Emmy's this year? How come the world can get Japanese Toilets to trend on twitter because some high pitched teenager tweeted something about it, yet an amazingly well written, directed, and preformed piece gets NOTHING. How come Syfy's cutesy show that's on it's last leg gets a mention in Entertainment Weekly but the show that's pulling in all the ratings gets NOTHING. Before I apologize for my rant, I leave you this, Warehouse 13 is an amazing show. The seasons keep getting better as they go on. Please watch it. Please.

So sorry for going ranty on you but that's how I feel. Also warning I don't feel like I'm done ranting. Expect a new post at 3am

GetGlue

Okay so today I FINALLY got my elite fan sticker on getglue (even though it was my 130 somethingth check in not my 100th) And as I sat there being proud it occured to me, THE CURRENT GURU ISN'T EVEN A FAN!  I mean I am probably, the ONLY elite fan and could quote the episodes WORD FOR WORD and I'm not guru! I mean WHAT THE FROG?! The guru hasn't even checked in FIVE times and I have checked in 132!!! (I checked)*

That would be like me being the guru of Carebears even though I have never seen it!

Anyways tonight I am doing an interview for the Fandom Planet wish me luck!