My Parents = Awesomeness

My parents are cool. I'm talking ice-ice-baby cool.

The first time I realized this was when my Mom and Dad went to see BonJovi live - I must have been in my early teens. I was in awe, total awe, of how 'cool' they were. And darn proud too.


You see, I've always grown up in a home filled with music, and good music at that. It's one of the things I have always been grateful for, and I can credit my passionate love for music to the home that I was brought up in.


 My mom has always had her rock music belting it out, and then in the next moment, she'd be playing a tricky classical piece on the piano. The diversity of music in our home was always astounding. So the BonJovi thing shouldn't have been such a surprise, but at that moment, in my mind, my fogeys went from being "Oh my gosh, parents are lame" to being "Oh my gosh, my parents totally rock, they're friggin wicked, my mom is a rock-queen, they're my hero, oh I could just die from the awesomeness!"

Something like that. 

It occurred to me recently that after all these years things haven't changed much. Unlike so many older generations, my parents aren't stuck on The Carpenters or Meatloaf or even BonJovi- and I wouldn't fault them this, as they are all amazing bands. But my fogeys are still with the times. Ok, so they're not quite into Lil Wayne or Black Eyed Peas, but who, in their right mind, would be anyway?

You see, the other day, my Mom excitedly told me that she has bought an album by Christina Perri. Christina Perri is mostly known for her track "A Thousand Years", played on Twilight's latest album from the Breaking Dawn movie. It's no rock song, but it's modern... and it's on Breaking Dawn. How much more 'with-it' can you get?

My Mom. 

Likes a Vampire song.

From Breaking Dawn. 

Have I mentioned how cool my parents are? 

Haunted: Breaking Dawn

As was mentioned in last week's post, we went to watch Breaking Dawn Part 1 on Sunday night. After sufficiently building up to the movie by watching the three previous movies last week, hubby and I sat in the cinema, in anticipation...

So, it's taken me four days to adequately form an opinion. Four days of chewing on the storyline, mulling over how the characters have developed. Four days to consider the way that they interpreted Bella's attitude toward her circumstances. Four days to decide that the only thing I didn't like about the movie was the corny background music in the first ten minutes of the film, which made me feel like I was watching a badly contrived episode of Seventh Heaven. Which is only fine, if you are watching a badly contrived episode of Seventh Heaven. But mostly, it's taken me four days to digest the soundtrack, which for me, is just as important as the movie, if not more so. 

I've been listening to the soundtrack since Sunday, trying to take it in. It is so drastically different from the previous 3 soundtracks, that it was somewhat of a shock to the system. This soundtrack is mellow. No, you don't get it, it is m-e-l-l-o-w. Like... Super. Duper. Mellow. 


Of course, it has the hit-track by Bruno Mars, "It Will Rain", which is just exquisite, but my current favourite is something a little more different. A little bit abstract even. Something I didn't like at first, until I heard it at a million decibels in the solitary confines of my car, at a moment when I was feeling more than a tad vulnerable. 


This track, "Cold", by Aqualung and Lucy Schwartz, is possibly the most haunting song I have heard yet. I'm still trying figure out what it is about, and probably never will, but I encourage you to put on your ear-phones and really listen to this. Turn it up, until it is resonating in your soul. Listen to it when you are alone, and can let your guard down. Close your eyes. This song gives me such shivers, that it feels as though my hair follicles are turning inside out.


If you find that you are not at first impressed, turn it up and just wait a little longer. When the track reaches 2 minutes and 30 seconds, brace yourself for a crescendo of intertwining harmonies, so gloriously breath-taking that your whole body will be overcome with chills. Ironic, for a song called "Cold".





Wow. 


And for the record, I loved the movie. Just loved it!


"No measurement of time will ever be long enough with you... So let's start with forever." ~ Edward Cullin

Twilight: What a Girl Wants

A colleague of mine went to see the Breaking Dawn movie last night, and has assured me of it's sheer awesomeness. So I decided to have a Twilight build-up, starting today. Hubby and I just finished watching Twilight; tomorrow we shall watch New Moon, Saturday we'll watch Eclipse, and Sunday night we shall watch Breaking Dawn.

Before I go any further, allow me to just redeem hubby's reputation by saying that he is in no way, shape or form, interested in or remotely intrigued by Twilight, and he is merely humouring his slightly Twilight-crazed wife. I should add that his absolute eagerness to indulge in these movies is only a front - do not be fooled: deep down he... erm.... really hates these movies. ;-) (just smile and nod)

So back to what I was saying... we just finished watching Twilight, and as far as movies go, it's far from the best quality movie out there, right? And if you've read the book, you'll know how many *amazing* scenes had to be cut out for the sake of time, and how much more to this story there really is. So what is it about this whole saga that has captured people, mostly girls, the way it has?

I have done some inner speculation on this matter, and I've decided that I've got it figured out. It all boils down to one word. One. Incredible. Word. 

Obsession. 

There is a void on this planet. A huge void in the romance department. I don't know if I'm the only one who notices, but people just aren't romantic anymore. I don't define romance as flowers on the verandah, or a goodnight kiss. Or chocolates on Valentines Day, a white wedding, or even a candlelit dinner. It's not a weekend getaway, or expensive jewelry or a spa package. 

I define romance as Obsession. 

And that is what makes Twilight so absolutely irresistible to girls - it is Edward's absolute obsession with Bella. 

He cannot take his eyes off her. 
He follows her.
He breathes her in. (just forget that he's a vampire for a second)
He would die for her. 
He watches her sleep.
He thinks her faults are adorable.
He touches her face continually, as though he can absorb her essence through his finger-tips. (again, forget the vampire part, just for a second!)

Robert Pattinson certainly seems to have a talent in conveying tender obsession - in those searching eyes and, surprisingly enough, in his vocal ability too. Somehow, he even manages to sound desperately in love in his song Never Think, which can be found on the Twilight soundtrack.

Obsession. That is romance. The stuff that fairy tales are made of. Every girl wants to feel obsessed over. Call us vain if you will, but it's how we were created. When she is with a man, she wants to feel as though she is the only person in the room, that nothing else exists to him at that moment. 

That is how I want to feel. 










Ok, so some of you may be feeling nauseous right about now, a bit too much mush for one evening. So here is a favourite blog of mine which looks at this obsession from another angle :-) Some light humour that even I, as a Twilight fan, can appreciate. 

Good night, fellow inhabitants of this planet. Be passionate. Give of yourself freely to the one you love. Be obsessed. 

Everybody *dance* now! Part 2

I had the pleasure of going out on Friday night with some colleagues. We went to a place called Molly Malone's in Fourways, which is your typical Irish pub. They had a DJ there that sent a notebook around and had people write their favourite songs - now that's my kind of DJ, there were some hot tracks played that night, both old and new. 


Anyways, after a few hours of lazing in the setting sun, letting our core temperatures drop from a hot day, we decided that we had the itch to go dancing. *Ntsi-ntsi-ntsi-ntsi* (sound of dance music) 


Now let me tell you a little something about myself: I am a professional nerd. And as a long-standing nerd, I haven't done the whole clubbing thing. Maybe once. Ever. As a young adult, I did not see the fun in staying out late in a crowded room, making an idiot of myself, and spending the next two days recovering. I am not a friendly person without sleep. And so while my generation was out living it up, I was curled up in bed trying to keep my eyes open long enough to reach the end of a chapter in a murder mystery. 


But now I've hit 27 and it's as though something in my psyche has gone "What the... Wait a minute.... Wait, wait, did I miss something....???" I actually feel like dancing. That's not to say I'm a very good dancer - I actually suck on a whole new level - but it's fun, right?


So back to Friday night, we went to a nearby place called Billy the Bums... you may know it. It's hard to play it cool in a place where so many new exciting things cross your path. Like, for instance, the bar-tender who juggles with bottles and flicks them and throws them up then spins them behind his back then, oh my, he's doing it with two at once and.... I'm like a kitten chasing the red light of a laser-pen, I just can't play it cool. Ok, deep breath, so what, he's chucking a bottle around. So what? Puh-lease. Impress me if you can. 


We stood around for an hour, which brings me to my next problem with clubbing... Why can't you start dancing whenever you want? Why must you wait until 11PM? Who decided that it's only nerds who dance before 11PM?? Whoever they are, they stink. They really, really do stink.


So yes, we stood around for a hour, during which time, my gracious companions warned me about Billy the Bums. It's a rough crowd, apparently. Lots of people picking people up, lots of guys getting too close to girls they don't know (I think 'grinding' was the word used, gross) and lots of girls getting in your space... kind-of like a battle for territory. So, considering myself duly warned, we eventually hit the dance floor, which was populated by people who did not look like nerds. 


First song, cool, no issues. Second song, short fat old man bops his way across dance floor. Short fat old man gives nerdy-girl (me) cheesy grin. *shudder* Short fat old man utters the line that has failed so many of his kind before him: "So can I buy you a drink?" 
Why!? Why do you do it, short fat old man??? You could be at home, reading the paper, ageing with grace. People would think you're adorable. Why??????
Short fat old man bops away, and goes to play it cool by the juggling bar-tender. 


Which brings me to my next irritation... why must it always be a sad old man picking me up? It's not my first pick-up, and it's always some old fool who's disillusioned with life, grasping on desperately to his youth. Why can't it be a virile young stallion of a man with straight teeth and perfect hair? Look, I'm utterly happily married, so the answer would always be a big fat no-thank-you, but for once, it would be far more flattering to be picked up by Robert Pattinson or someone equally acceptable-looking. 


*SIGH*


I danced a little longer, but soon realized that perhaps Billy the Bums is not for me, and excused myself shortly after 11PM. 


Man, I'm a nerd. 

Ramblings of the sick and bored

I just feel like writing something, but I have nothing in particular to say. So I'll write a little something about a few nothings, just to get the feeling off my chest. 


I am home with flu, but lying in my bed facing the window, so that I can see the garden outside. The grass has begun to turn green and already one of our bushes has burst into pink blossoms. I just love Spring!

I've already gone through a full box of tissues - in one day - and so, in the name of being economical, have moved onto a roll of loo paper. Have you ever wondered how they print the flowers and butterflies on loo paper? Is it actually ink? And what's with the people who print puppies on their loo rolls? If you really think about it, it's a bit strange.

I read a whole book this weekend, started it on Saturday morning, and finished it on Sunday night. It's called Nightshade, and it's about werewolves. Oh sorry, "Guardians".... but really, they're just werewolves. Ever since reading the Twilight saga, I have acquired a taste for 'supernatural' type novels, but have yet to find anything in this genre that is not somewhat juvenile. I enjoyed Nightshade, but it lacked a certain substance that Twilight possesses. I know that some fools who have only watched the Twilight movies would try to tell me that Twilight in itself is juvenile. But anyone who has read the books will know what I'm talking about. 


So, having gobbled up Nightshade in a weekend, I'm due to start on my next somewhat-juvenile supernatural novel, Beautiful Darkness, which is a sequel to a book I've already read, called Beautiful Creatures. If I start acting like a teenager, you should all know why. 

I baked bran muffins this weekend. :) Mm. 


I told someone today that they look like the singer Pink. Someone else then made a remark, insinuating that this is not really a compliment... What?! How can you say that??? Pink's personality may be a bit rough around the edges, but she is a beautiful lady. This is a picture of Pink that looks exactly like the person I was talking to...

Pretty right? 
Exactly.


Guess that's all I have to say right now. Best get some rest, so I can get back to the office tomorrow.

Peace out dudes.