Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: caffeinated rambles, Desire of the Endless, friends, graphic novels, linkage
Everyone likes Neil Gaiman. Everyone, at least, who has read Neil Gaiman, and who tries mantaining a (pseudo-)literate blog and lifestyle in this day and age. It is a fact of life, leading to much speculation about the fact that, circa 1899, Neil sold his soul in exchange for fantastic ideas [citation needed].
Everyone also likes Sandman. Everyone likes Death, who looks fantastically Goth in her Ankh and kohl, everyone likes Morpheus, who looks like a taller Robert Pattison — and who, incidentally, I always imagine as having Bowie-as-Jareth voice. Everyone likes Delirium, too, because she sounds like the lovechild of Charles Manson and Luna Lovegood. Even Despair.
But my favourite character Desire is utterly underrated. Fanfiction systematically overlooks him/her, Cosplayers seem to turn away from such a whimsical display of androgyny. Lo and behold, I express my admiration for him/her. But why?
First, Desire has an amazing power. Shifting between sexes at will to enhance seductiveness is something which sometimes would come in handy in my life, at least if one takes into account the number of times I have nearly asked completely gay boys for their phone number.
Then, Desire is pretty much great. Sure, I love Dream, and Death, and Delirium (in fact, these are some of my favourite Endless). But is it even possible to deny how essential such a character is to human existence? Would empires have crumbled and lives snapped like stretched chords of a guitar without Desire?
See?
And of course, Desire is sexy. Much as I love the Gothiness of his/her siblings, Desire can not only change sexes at will, but also has the best fashion sense in the whole series, fullfills my androgyny-geek, and, as if that weren’t enough — I spontaneously picture him/her with a Brian Molko voice, which will provide important insight into my psyche 25 years from now.
And with this, I am off to bed, as the WordPress editor hates me but all-nighters have a fondness for me — and while we’re on the subject of fantastically good writers, check out Nadia Trousdale, at Sporadic Panic, because her writings will likely blow your msind or, at the very least, impress you deeply.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Hello lovelies! I have been slightly AWOL, I realize, but my life for the beginning of this year was a bit like a months-long version of Meds, by Placebo (except I am definitely not as stylish as Brian, alas). I did not even recall having made that April post! I am, however, back, and with updates, such as:
1. I will post about my fantastic obsession with 1920s lesbian porn.
2. I will discuss here what androgyny means to me.
3. I will geek over Neil Gaiman a bit, because what is a pseudo-literate blog without Gaiman?
4. I will discuss insects.
5. I will discuss my current literary endeavours.
6. I will explain why my current hair resembles a crossover between Natalie Portman and, hum, someone else.
That said… let the fun commence!
Filed under: Uncategorized
“So wise so young, they say do never live long.”
If you wondered how my life has been over the past few months — do not. I have indeed drafted a few posts, on subjects as odd as “weird porn”, but have not gotten around to posting them just yet. As such, here is a brief summary:
1. University, enough said.
2. Somehow, me and a-many acquaintance ended up bundled together running for Students Council. Seeing as most of us are first year students, it was quite the prowess — even more so, seeing as we won! I am not, however, very active in it anymore, and do not want to discuss that.
3. Partying. The latest developments may or may not include a bottle of Sloe’s and strawberry cake.
4. A very happy birthday (wished on the day, but here’s the late wish blogged) to the lovely K., whose birthday was on the 4th. She’s one of the loveliest people I have met so far <3
5. Collecting pockewatches. I’m definitely also collecting some that are replicas or at least inspired on those of well-known personalities, such as Napoleon and Voltaire. It’s an interesting collection.
6. Reading — currently, The Cruise of The Rolling Junk by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
7. Complaining some as usual.
8. Brideshead is amazing, and the film adaptation almost does it justice! I love Ben Whishaw. I still need to watch Bright Star sooooooooon (when?!) and definitely a film adaptation of The Tempest, where he’s going to star as Ariel. Yes, he always does get the best roles. I just don’t get the “Prospera” part in that film, but I certainly am not one to complain about anything that bends gender in any form.
As a side note, mental hospitals are particularly unpleasant when the staff seems to have it in them to make fun of patients and treat everyone as pre-school children.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: awesome, friends, Lord Sexy, take caffeine, we are not vandals
No, I’m not talking about the great Thomas Love Peacock here. I’m talking about celebrating the fact that I am now an official English and French major (switched courses) by posting some screen caps of Wiki vandalism that took place a few months ago and might or might not have been schemed by me and a friend of mine (we also edited the spanking page to read “art” instead of “act”).
Read this one carefully.
Here’s a treat.
And the totally new page that we did.
Also, Lord Byron if you are reading this somehow please know that we did not do this harmfully but rather as a harmless trick and we know you were better looking than that chap whose photo we used, but it is not our fault portraits always have an excess of clothes on the abdominal area.
Hugs,
E.B.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chinese, good fights, karaoke, scenes from surreal life, university
So, what has been going on in the life of Ms. Scissors, besides nearly being torn apart by a pack of angry wolves, nearly getting robbed, being harassed by a foot fetishist, and falling into a stream?*
Many, many things. To begin with — university has started. Even though my major is a major canker in my life (no pun intended), I am enjoying it. The times when I have been pushed around, picked on or insulted is rather diminute, especially when compared to the rest of my school career. In fact, I haven’t been intentionally pushed or picked on (I might have been insulted, but that might have been due to the fact that I was in a crowd showing their support for same-sex marriage rights, and thus the usual homophobic and ignorant comments were heard). I have met many people, and the number of smart conversations has increased.
Scissors has also been having some personal issues, you might hear, but in all truth it’s just the usual bumping around in the road of life (ah!). Parents do not seem to be very happy, eh. Regardless, the last I heard of her she was trying to save up enough money for a foreign trip next Summer. Might or might not happen.
In any case, I’ll try to keep this updated more often. It was not lack of matter to update on, but rather lack of time/mood to do so. Let’s just say that 5 AM breakfasts after a night of karaoke, academic issues, studying Chinese and boating have been distracting enough.
Many spoonfuls of sugar,
E.S.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: books, dread, fear, Goethe, history, Orlando, terror, Virginia Woolf, Werther
Lately, I have been having quite a lot of time to read, and re-read, books; this is especially true since travelling around means visiting certain bookshops where I can find a variety of works and for good prices. Here are a few I have either picked up now, been reading now, or just plain re-reading old favourites.
My copy had "The Nightmare" on the cover, I think the one pictured above may be the USA version.
A History Of Terror: Fear & Dread Through The Ages by Paul Newman
Wonderfully interesting book. Paul Newman’s witty sense of humour keeps the reading captivating, and everybody can learn something from this book — from well-known facts for those not so initiated in this field, to obscure facts that not even the Devil (excuse the pun) would have dreamt of. The way things have been feared and faced through the centuries is a pattern-prone subject, but this book never gets repetitive when emphasising the similarities between fear in the XXI century and fear 500 years ago, for instance. Recommended read! My favourite chapter is, of course, the one pertaining to the Romantics.
The cover of my copy is *also* different.
Orlando by Virginia Woolf
Though I have been acquainted with Orlando for a while and Virginia Woolf for longer, I could not help but recommend the book. Orlando’s thousand adventures and ways of thinking are wonderful, and like my friend Maira points out, it is easy to picture a very hot good-looking Orlando. Or, at least, picture Tilda Swinton as Or - lan – do (which in my dictionary means ‘good-looking’ anyways). And by the way, the coloured pieces over there are links, click them for awesomeness.
Wertheeeeer
The Sorrows of Young Werther by J.W. Goethe
Though I have also been aware of Goethe for quite a while, I would also like to seize this opportunity to spam my readers with shameless promotion of this book. It is Goethe! It is pretty boys doing tragic things! It is a book which sparked a fever among youths of the time!
If that does not convince you, I do not know what will.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: daily life, holidays, misc, politics, random, the girl
For so long, I may update more than once today, just to compensate. After all, spending about a week in the same house as your slightly creepy family does make you think quite a lot and puts things into perspective. After the aforementioned week, I spent a few days worrying about university, having lunch with my father and just generally being too lazy to update this.
* 10 Things About Me You Probably Did Not Know
1. I collect scissors
2. I don’t have only one favourite movie, but if I had to choose it would be Bride Of Frankenstein.
3. I collect insects. I do not kill them, I only pick them up after they have died.
4. Sugar with some tea on it is my beverage of choice.
5. My favourite writer is possibly Mary Shelley
6. I love Virginia Woolf
7. I am slightly obsessed with vintage erotic images
8. I want a monocle
9. I am fluent in two languages, and know others to different degrees.
10. My favourite band is T.Rex.
* On Russia and Georgia
I think the media is doing a lousy job. Two sides, two versions, but do not try to convince me that in the middle of all this mess there was not one impartial observer (a Swiss?). Until I have facts I’ll remain Switzerland-like, honestly. The Internet is being flooded by posts from people on the two sides, each blaming each other. What I think about all this is: a debate would be so much more helpful, and less harmful to children who have no clue what is going on.
* On house-hunting
House-hunting is the biggest woe in the history of mankind, after bee stings. I literally spent HOURS browsing for houses online to visit in person, and out of the [insert ludicruous amount here] I found only a handful, if that many. Not that I am picky, but honestly — well located houses with bathrooms that look acceptable are terribly hard to come across.
This post was inspired by a conversation with one of my bestest friends (for obvious reasons, let’s call her L. Simpson. Or Lisa S.), when we discussed this last night. She is one of the prettiest girls I have met and she is a wonderful person — yet she manages to hate herself, just because she does not fit with a stereotype. Needless to say, I was extremely proud of her when she told me that for two minutes last week, she did not hate herself, but rather loved and appreciated the way she is. This post is dedicated to her.
Like Lisa, you may feel like you are not pretty, or fat or skinny or tall or short enough. You may think you are the only person whose hair sticks up in awkward directions or who gets black spots. You are not. For example, I used to have certain issues with certain aspects of my body — but I realized I can play them up for my own benefit. I may not be tall like a supermodel, but would I really want to be? I do not have gigantic breasts*, but then that would not be compatible with my personal style anyways (and of course, “quality over quantity”).
(*Readers who have imagined me with luscious breasts: please do continue if you would like)
Also, boys (or girls — this is not a heteronormative blog) will like you regardless. Trust me. The most popular jock in school may think his huge breasted girlfriend is cuter, but he also probably walks like he has hemorroids and is probably incapable of finding other viewpoints, or when said jock is older… well. This does not mean you should date the complete opposite of this boy! Date whoever you feel comfortable with dating, but remember that there are appreciators of most kinds of beauty. While this does not mean you should fall into the arms of the first suitor you get just because he likes you, it means you should think that most boys are not into Barbie anyhow, and your attitude matters immensely.
Here are a few things you could do, whenever you are feeling down:
* Think about pornography. Love it or leave it, there are porn stars in all shapes and sizes (literally). Ever wondered why this is? Because different things are liked by different people. So odds are, you are found attractive by someone! And no, I am not telling you to become a porn star, just to think that there are all sorts of tastes.
* Do not try to fit in with a stereotype. Just because you want desperately to join the “prep” clique at your school, you do not have to die your hair blond if you cannot pull it off.
* Look at yourself in the mirror. Establish an hour or so to look at yourself and love yourself every day. Look at yourself and see the good, not the bad — easier said than done, I know. Start off with small things. Perhaps you have a very unusual eye colour, or maybe your teeth are very cute. Ignore the zits, or the blackheads, or anything else you dislike. Then started looking at the small imperfections, and think how you can solve them. Are your eyebrows really bushy? Well, then maybe plucking or waxing them could help. Overlook things you cannot solve now, leave the bigger ones for later. And if there is something you cannot fix, remember that someone else out there probably has the same and it is fine — cellulie, for instance. Most girls have it. You cannot get rid of it too easily, but you can try to ignore it or disguise it and try to prevent more.
* Eat healthy. ‘Nuff said.
* Be confident. Even if you are the least self-confident person, there is a small trick you can try. Put up that mask, that you are confident. Pretend you are someone you find beautiful. Try to have attitude (do not be mean to others to mask your insecurities, however). Soon that facade will grow to be actual self-confidence!
* Remind yourself that everybody is different. Someone out there also probably would kill to be you, believe it or not. What you despise in yourself (for example, being short and skinny) some other girls would kill for (some feel like they are too tall, or too fat and hate themselves for it).
* Think of the advantages! I personally am fine with being short. I am cutesie like a mouse and many famous people were not-exactly-tall, like John Keats or Edith Piaf. Likewise, if you are tall, blond, short haired, long haired, or have any other issues with your looks, try telling yourself there are good things about it — dress the part to bring out the best of it, think of famous people like you.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: computer, rambles, rants, summer, university
No matter how much I enjoy posting about soap, I must really say I have a strong desire to ramble about:
1. University. The fact that I cannot make up my mind between Asian Studies and English Literature is bothering me, because I love the latter but… university may dissect it endlessly, and I do not want to stop liking it. Ever. Of course, not attending classes is not an option, because I need a degree. So, out of wanting to keep my favourite works of literature intact — Medicine College is for dissecting, not Literature! — I might choose Asian Studies. Also, it gives me the chance to travel. But on the other hand, Literature is LOVE.
2. My attic-like bedroom & the hottest summer in 25 years. ‘Nuff said.
3. The fact that my anti-virus pop up windows are showing up black with the word ‘warning’ on them, instead of actual text, because my computer has half a dozen windows open and refuses to open more.
Expect part 2 soon.
Hand Soap.
Elle from NSW (pray add an F to that) kindly inquired me pertaining to the importance of soap. Thus, I decided to compile information to be accessed by the general public, on so important a topic.
Soap in action.
Soap is, in this day and age, one of the greatest treasures of mankind. It allows us to disinfect our skin, in the knowledge that our dog’s drool or the grease of those crisps will not leave their mark with us for the rest of the day. This is significantly one of its most important usages. Many of them also convey this feeling by being perfumed, thus inducing in its user a most pleasant feeling of apparent cleanliness.
It can truly transport you into different situations.
This is thought to be the reason why bubbles exist. The chemical reactions leading to the formation of bubbles is probably exploited by soap producers in order to make the user see something actually being washed away from their hands; this is most helpful in cases where something not as seeable (like dog drool) is involved, as opposed to very visible things (e.g. ketchup).
This poor child being subject to soap.
In our society, soap also helps our construction as citizens by helping us understand that certain words are not to be uttered in social settings. This is the reason why adults (also known as ‘grown-ups’) peruse soap when trying to inculcate the unnaceptability of certain expressions in young children. These children, when they grow up, will often feel a slight tinge of lillies or pine fragrance or freesia when about to utter an expletive. It is to be expected that future generations will already have a mechanism that shall replace such foul, soiling words with the pleasant fragrance of pout-pourri.
Remove bear stains from your fingernails.
Not only this, but soap plays a rather important role in terms of fingernail keeping among young children. Not uncommonly, these are coherced by their parents to keep their fingernails as tidy as humanly possible, which may seem like an oxymoron as children’s fingernails tend to humanly attract dirt, dust bunnies, plasticine, chips of paint and dinnosaurs. Nevertheless, these children often peruse soap in their endeavour, and in spite of its precious aid, scratch it in an act of revenge towards their tormentors.
A gravitational spot, ehe.
Yet another use of soap (perhaps the final one in this analysis, as not to bore you, kind reader) is the creation of pro-gravity spots. With the research conducted in certain facilities which tries to defy gravity, it is in need of much appreciation — or we risk one of these fine days waking up floating against the ceiling, or worse still, literally dropping off the face of Earth. Ergo, it is of uttermost importance to demonstrate our appreciation for gravity by creating spots that will acts as shrines where its influence will be felt very hard. Such an effect can be achieved by rubbing soap against floor boards, steps, tiles, sidewalks, or anywhere where people (preferably ‘grown-ups’, as these tend to have a larger gravitational interest) will be affected by it.
Hand Soap.
It is, therefore, dear reader, possible to conclude that soap is one of the biggest pillars of our society, along with gravity, particles, cats and bloody murder hair dye.
