Fastidious & Precise

Mollie Sugden

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:21:30 GMT

It's always a sad thing when one of your favorite celebs passes away, but learning of Mollie Sugden's death really made my heart sink. I've watched and loved Are You Being Served? since I was quite young; my mom and I joke that the cast of AYBS? is like my "second family." Mollie Sugden's hilarious portrayal of my favorite character on the show, Mrs Slocombe, not only makes me laugh to this day, but also makes me think what a talented, skilled comedienne she was. It's so good to read in the BBC article that she had a lovely, full life. Mollie will be very sadly missed.

Not so cheery bye, Scarlett

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:36:12 GMT

It's time for our annual Wildwood, NJ vacation! :) See y'all when we get back! :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

It's always something!

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:06:49 GMT

So I woke up on Tuesday morning, put my glasses on, and noticed that I couldn't see correctly out of my left eye. I thought maybe I just had gunk in my eyes from sleeping - you know how you do - so I rubbed my eyes. Then I thought maybe my glasses needed to be washed, so I cleaned them off. No luck - things were still a bit blurry and bright out of my left eye.

I get scared (anxious) about medical stuff, so this was getting me worried. I told my mom about my eye and we talked for awhile about whether or not I should get it checked out. Now, we were sort of on a time table here - we go to the beach on June 22 so if something was wrong with my eye, it needed to be seen to quickly. I just bit the bullet and said "yeah, I wanna get it checked out." We were toying with just letting it be for a day but I just wanted to get it looked at and get any unpleasant medical stuff out of the way before our trip!

We got an appointment (I say "we" because I'll be totes honest here, I needed my momma with me!) with a doctor in the eye doctor's office we go to for a little later in the day. The doctor was really nice (I hadn't met him before) and low-key, which sat well with me because I was a bundle of nerves. He looked in my eyes, put all sorts of drops in them, and though my eyes were apparently normal, at the end of the visit he thought it might be something but couldn't really be sure without an MRI. At which point I got super-anxious. This development made me really worried about what was wrong with my eye; I thought, if it needs an MRI to determine what was wrong, something really bad must be going on with it.

We got an appointment for an MRI for the next day, and an appointment later that next day for a follow-up with the eye doctor.

That night I was, like, useless to be around - I was all quiet and nervous. My nerves get so bad when something is a little "off" with me. I just have such trouble with my anxiety - but strangely enough, my OCD wasn't heightened (it sometimes does get worse with extra anxiety), which was a nice thing. But anyways, on to the next day.

So the next day, we went to the doctor's office with the MRI. I took something like Valium before the visit (my fab psychiatrist called in a prescription for it the night before for me). The neurologist was really kind and the technicians were too. They put me at ease (which is no small feat!) - I have such respect for people in the medical field. :) The MRI itself was not too bad. It was loud and very close quarters, but I kept my eyes closed the whole time and thought of the lyrics to songs I like to pass the time. The only uncomfortable bit was when my left arm fell asleep from holding it funny! It was cramped in that machine, I can tell ya.

After the MRI, the neurologist looked at my scan (it was so weird seeing the inside of my head!) and said that he couldn't find anything wrong. Which you'd think would calm me down, but that just got me worrying about what could be wrong - like what if it were something in my brain? (The MRI was only of my orbits.) See how nuts I can get? Argh.

But the follow-up with the eye doctor set my mind at rest. He called the neurologist during our visit and it sounded like both of them were saying they couldn't find anything wrong, and thought we should just keep an eye (lol) on it for awhile. So the eye doctor confirmed that we will just keep tabs on my eye, and I should come back in two weeks. He said that whatever is wrong with my eye is very mild and he just wants to follow up on it - it'll probably get better on its own.

So things are back to normal now, but it was a pretty intense couple of days!! You know, I get so scared of medical stuff, but the medical pros are always so kind and don't want to do stuff to scare you. I guess I'm just afraid of and anxious about the unknown. :/ We're back on track for the beach, and I was even able to reschedule my hair appointment that I had to miss on Wednesday. That was the funny part of all this - my mom had planned to get her hair done on Tuesday, and I was going to get mine done Wednesday, but I went and messed all that up with my wonky eye! You've gotta find the funny side of things. :)

Hopefully the rest of summer won't be as exciting! ;)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

What doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:57:14 GMT

Ooh, The Dark Knight is on right now on HBO (we don't usually get HBO, but this weekend is one of Verizon FiOS' special "all-channel" weekends or something so we've got it - plus a dozen other channels - until Monday!). Last summer's TDK blitz was so much fun. It was such a big deal! If I'm being honest, the movie really isn't the greatest movie ever made - it was the characters that made it so awesome - but the hype that surrounded it made it into something ~epic~. The ONTD party posts with .gifs and macros were great, especially when they happened in the middle of the night and everyone was, like, giddy-tired but stayed awake to participate in the lulz.

I wonder if there will be a big, hyped-up, everyone-loves-it movie this summer? The buzz would have started already, I think, so there likely won't be anything this summer on the scale of TDK. But, there are a couple movies coming out over the summer that I'm looking forward to - like the long-awaited Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince! Public Enemies, starring the fab Johnny Depp, is another that looks cool. I know I'm forgetting one or two others, but all in all, it looks like a pretty good summer at the movies. :)

Anyways, that was just a bit of a ~nostalgic~ moment (although it was only last summer!). I don't think I've posted about how the rest of my semester went - I took a British history course and a science course about global warming - so now's a good a time as any to note that I got an A in both! :O Well, an A- in the global warming class, but on the transcript I think it registers as an A, so it's all good. The history class was packed full of info - it covered British history from 1688 to about the 90s. Some of my classmates thought there was too much information, but - and I'm probably not the best judge because I was only taking two courses last semester, so it was easier to spend time on studying for the class! - I thoroughly enjoyed what was taught and I truly feel like I learned some neat stuff. The professor focused mainly on what was going on socially, what was happening to the people of Britain, throughout history and not just dates and battles and things. That was probably why I enjoyed it so much - dates and battles are very important, but to me, what makes the past so interesting is what the people who lived it were doing. Plus, during the lecture on the 1960s we watched a clip from A Hard Day's Night! So you really can't find fault with a class like that.

I'm having a pretty cool summer so far! :) We'll be having our annual Wildwood, NJ vacation a week from Monday and I'm betting it will be a lot better than last year's trip. We're going to a different hotel and from what we know of it, it'll be a refreshing change!

And finally (this is such a long post) - back around April my mom and I officially began to follow the Weight Watchers points system and we've been eating so much healthier. We'll be adding exercise in after we get back from the beach. I really feel tons better now knowing that I'm doing something good and healthy for myself, and once I start exercising I'll be even more pleased. The goal is not to become tiny-skinny, but to be a healthy size and to just be more healthy in general. I would have loved to do this sooner, but the last few years of troubling times made it hard to be serious about eating right and exercising. It's finally the right time to concentrate on weight loss, and I'm really hopeful about getting some good results!

Cheery bye, Scarlett

My summer classics!

Thu, 28 May 2009 02:08:42 GMT

I'm a member of several music-sharing communities here on LJ, and there was a recent request post asking for your favorite summertime songs. This prompted me to put together a playlist of my summertime favorites - songs that have heated up my summers through the years. Quite a few of the songs are those from recent years, but all in all it's a playlist that is sure to make the heat rise! :)

Scarlett's Summer Classics!

01 Destination Calabria (Original Radio Edit) - Alex Gaudino feat. Crystal Waters
I first heard this in 2007 and it has become my favorite summer song. This is like my summer anthem! It makes me think of going to the beach. :)

02 Delius (Song Of Summer) - Kate Bush
I think I must have first listened to this song a few years ago. It's got a wonderfully hazy, sleepy feeling, like you might feel on a summer evening.

03 Money To Burn - Richard Ashcroft
A feel-good sing-along kind of track! I love those horns that pop up every so often!

04 Summer Calling (Radio Edit) - Andain
This one makes me think of summer nights, full of fireflies and yummy smells from cookouts!

05 Anyway You Choose To Give It - The Black Ghosts
This is from last year, but it really made an impression on me! I remember listening to it at the beach last year and loving the fast-paced beats.

06 How Bizarre (Radio Mix) - OMC
A classic one-hit wonder! I loved this song back during a summer in the mid-90s and I always make sure to give it a spin during the summer to bring back memories of being young(er) (I was probably around 10 or 11!) and stupid(er)!

07 Chariots Of Fire (Credheadz Remix Radio Edit) - BWO
A couple of years ago I found myself listening to this at the beach on repeat. This remix takes the original pure pop track and beefs it up, making it into a rather epic kinda thing.

08 Everytime We Touch (Radio Mix) - Cascada
Cheesy old song it may be - but it makes me smile! :)

09 Closer to Your Heart - Clannad
A lot of Clannad songs remind of the summer, because I started listening to them many summers back. I chose this one because it's fun and bouncy!

10 Makat Hom [i la dirla da da] - Dana International
I started listening to Dana a few summers back too, and this one is a lot of fun and very summery!

11 Sunrise - Dannii Minogue
I loved this track from The Hits & Beyond, and it reminds me of the summer it came out!

12 Hot Summer Night (Radio Edit) - David Tavare (Feat. 2 Eivissa)
A relatively new track with a great hook and breezy production.

13 Jesus Doesn't Love Me - Dragonette
Not really summery, technically, but I always associate it with summer because that's when I first heard it! A fun electro-pop ditty with sinfully good lyrics! ;)

14 Crickets Sing for Anamaria - Emma Bunton
A perfect song for "summertime, when all the crickets sing"!

15 Thnks Fr Th Mmrs (Lenny B Short Term Memory) - Fall Out Boy
I listened to this and the BWO track a lot during that summer, despite not being a Fall Out Boy fan. I am a big fan of remixes, though, and this mix really has a lot of attitude!

16 Trippin' Me Up (1st Demo Version) - Kylie Minogue
It's not an officially released song, but it easily could have been - it's fantastic!

17 Summertime - Geri Halliwell
Rather sexy, actually, and beautifully put together. I really like the guitars.

18 The Way - Fastball
If you listen to the lyrics, it's a sad song. But if you just focus on the cool chorus, you'll turn that frown upside down!

19 Long Hot Summer - Girls Aloud
Not my favorite Girls Aloud song, but it specifically mentions summer and I just had to include the Girls in this playlist!

20 From Paris to Berlin - Infernal
Oh man, what a scorcher! I absolutely LOVED and still adore this track. Memory time: I was shocked a few summers ago to hear this song on the boardwalk as my family and I left the nut house in Cape May - Morrow's Nut House, that is! :D I had no idea the Nut House was that hip!

21 Ray of Light - Madonna
A really great, hyperactive song!

22 Faster Kill Pussycat - Paul Oakenfold ft. Brittany Murphy
Listened to this a few years back and loved it. I can't believe Brittany Murphy, who voices Luanne on King Of The Hill (great show, btw!), did the vocals on this!

23 Umbrella (The Lindbergh Palace Radio Edit) - Rihanna
You couldn't get away from this song a few summers ago, and why would you want to? This remix brings the song fully into the pop realm.

24 Cry For You (Radio Mix) - September
Ah, what a cool song. That cry of "you'll never see me again!" is positively anthemic!

25 Kayitz (summer) - Ofra Haza
Hebrew for "summer," "Kayitz" is a cute little ditty that you'll love, even if, like me, you don't speak Hebrew!

26 Tattva - Kula Shaker
Have yourself a psychedelic summer with this hippy-dippy tune!

27 Saturday Night Forever - Pet Shop Boys
An ode to the carefree joys of Saturday nights! Saturday nights in the summer are always worthy of celebration.

28 Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer - Nat King Cole
A absolute classic. It's just not summer if I don't listen to this! :D

Enjoy! Cheery bye, Scarlett

Another meme!

Mon, 25 May 2009 00:15:46 GMT

Meme time!

01. How has LJ changed your life?
I've internet-met a bunch of cool peeps, and there's so much to read and see and listen to on all the communities here. I think LJ has enriched my internet experience. ;)

02. What do you do before bedtime?
Watch some TV, usually music videos on VH1 or MTV or mtvU.

03. What would be your last dinner?
The Quesadilla Burger at Applebee's. Oh my goodness. It's just beautiful.

04. What is the ONE place you want to go before you die if you had the money and the time?
I'd like to visit England. I used to want to live in England, but that was when I was young and full of crazy ideas.

05. What scares you?
Classic horror movies - in particular, Frankenstein (the 1930s version) and the 1920s version of Nosferatu. Like, if one of these is on TV and I pass it by accident while flipping through the channels (this happens during Halloween season, generally), I will yelp and jump a little in my seat. And then change the channel right quick.

06. What do you do in your free time?
Internets and websites and graphics, often all at the same time.

07. If you could speak another language (meaning one you currently don't know), what would it be?
I used to want to learn to speak Irish Gaelic, because I was mad into Clannad and Enya music at the time, but I think I'd like to speak French. I took French class for 5 dang years, yet can't remember much at all!

08. What personal belonging do you have with you everywhere you go?
My iPod! I love that little thing. <3

09. What was your favorite song or musical group when you were young?
The Beatles! I remember loving "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at a weirdly young age. What can I say, I've always had good music taste. ;)

10. Are you a risk taker?
In some cases, I guess. It depends on the situation.

11. How do you want to be remembered?
I'd like to be remembered as someone who was kind, intelligent (or something!), and just generally a good person.

12. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Hopefully graduated from college and in graduate school, working toward becoming a history professor.

13. If you could spend one day with any celebrity, who would it be?
I'd like to spend a day with Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt because I bet it would be a zany kind of day.

~~14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?~~

15. Would you rather be single & rich or married but poor?
Married but poor.

16. How many children do you want to have, if any?
I really can't see myself having children. I love kids, especially babies (awww!), but I don't think I want to actually have any.

17. What's better - to give or to receive?
To give, but sometimes it's good to receive, too. :)

18. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, who would you pick?
It would depend on who they were! What a weird question.

19. Would you have 100% safe sex with a stranger for $10,000,000?
Oh my. Probably not, actually.

20. What are you looking forward to most in the next six months?
Summertime! :D

I do love me some memes. :) Cheery bye, Scarlett

Will the real Peter Cook please stand up?

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:20:52 GMT

I'm in McKeldin Library's computer lab right now and I found the urge to post rising! ;)

I have Google email alerts for "peter cook" (and "freddie mercury," "kylie minogue," "sarah brightman,"and "madonna," for anyone interested! :) ) and often I get alerts that have nothing to do with the only Peter Cook that matters, like news stories about Christie Brinkley's ex or various people who happen to be named Peter Cook. Add another non-Peter Cook Peter Cook to the list - this time, drug developer Biota's chief executive.

I dunno, it just amuses me how often I get a "peter cook" alert that isn't about the Peter Cook I actually care about. :)

Also, in Peter Cook-related news - arthur2dudley , I'll change the links to your site when I get home from school today! :) Check out arthur2dudley 's Dudley Moore site if you're a fan of Dudley, peeps! :D

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Memes and such

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 02:29:13 GMT

I'm on a meme kick right now!

LJ Meme

1. My username is ____ because ____.
2. My journal name is ____ because ____.
3. My journal is titled ____ because ____.
4. My subtitle is ____ because ____.
5. My friends page is called ____ because ____.
6. My default userpic is ____ because ____.

1. My username is scarlett_h because I've used "Scarlett Hartley" as my ~online pseudonym~~ since I was, like, 12 or 13. Scarlett comes from Gone With The Wind, and Hartley was Vivien Leigh's maiden name. (I was really into Gone With The Wind at the time!) Why do I use an alias? Well, at 12 or 13 or whatever I just really took to heart the notion that you shouldn't put many real-life details online. ;) By the time I realized that I could, in fact, just use my first name, I had already established myself as Scarlett H on lunaestas.com and elsewhere on the internets so I just decided to keep on going online as Scarlett H. (For what it's worth, my real name is Deanna!)

2. My journal name is Scarlett because... well, look above!

3. My journal title is Fastidious & Precise because for some reason I really love the way Freddie Mercury sings that line in "Killer Queen." When I registered my LJ in 2004 I was big into Queen so using a Queen lyric was just the thing to do! :)

4. My subtitle is Happiness is an option because it is my life philosophy (as well as a Pet Shop Boys tune!). My journal subtitle used to be GEEZ! I need some drugs!, which was something Bob Fossil said in a Mighty Boosh radio show that made me laugh. I actually changed my journal subtitle today to "Happiness..." because I just felt that it was time to change it. I had chosen "GEEZ!" back during some bad times and I'd just rather have a more upbeat line as my subtitle now. :)

5. My friends page is called Friends will be friends... because of the same reason I titled my journal Fastidious & Precise! :)

6. My default userpic is of Polly Scattergood at the moment because I'm really into her debut album. :)

And here's a music meme!

Five Current Faves

List five songs that you currently love. It doesn't matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they're any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions, the artists, and the songs in your blog. Then tag five other Livejournal friends to see what they're listening to.

I tag anyone who wants to do this meme! :)

1. "Slide Away" by The Verve: I've had their "best of" for years now but have only now been really loving it. The chorus is just beautiful.
2. "Please Don't Touch" by Polly Scattergood: Probably the most accessible song on Polly Scattergood and easily the most upbeat. The hand-clappy beats are great!
3. "Big Time Sensuality" by Bjork: I have no idea why I'm listening to Bjork right now. I've never liked her voice and I have to admit that put me off from ever trying to listen to her stuff. But, knowing that she wrote Madonna's "Bedtime Story" and also knowing that there must be some reason why other people like her ;) made me want to try her songs out. Right now I'm loving "Big Time Sensuality," but I'm not sure if I'm totally sold on her yet. We'll see...!
4. "Raspberry Swirl" by Tori Amos: I've liked this song for awhile but I just felt like listening to it again recently. I find that I either really like or really get bored by Tori's music, but this song is one that I adore.
5. "Promiscuity (Radio Edit)" by Antigone: This cool track has got me eagerly anticipating the release of her album this year!

If you're in need of icons, check out my three recent posts. :D

And that's about it! Cheery bye, Scarlett

Picspam of a Doctor Who: The Android Invasion scene

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:31:24 GMT

Picspam time! The current prompt at picspammy: "focus your spam on one scene or sequence." For me, this one was a no-brainer. I saw that prompt and my mind immediately went to this one bit in the 1975 Doctor Who story The Android Invasion. It marked the moment I fell in lurve with the mighty Tom Baker, and of course Doctor Who!

Strange as it might sound, this one scene - more of a moment, really - was one of those things that has stuck with me forever. I first saw it when I was 15 and now, at 22, I still go a bit gooey when I see it. But the great thing about this scene is that it transcends just being a hot Tom Baker moment. After I had gotten into the show and had a good sense of what it was all about, it struck me that this scene from The Android Invasion summed up, for me, the character of the Doctor. And I'm not even limiting it to the character of the Fourth Doctor. You could make a case that this scene could have happened in any of the Doctors' eras, though I'd also argue that only Tom Baker could have pulled it off so subtly and with such panache. ;)

So what exactly is this scene, and why does it provide a succinct explanation of why the Doctor is awesome? Well, at the end of the story, good ol' Sarah Jane thinks the Doctor has been killed, but as she soon finds out it was really just his android double. The camera cuts to the Doctor standing in the doorway, and he says something like "Don't waste any tears over him, Sarah." Sarah Jane looks up, surprised to see the real Doc there, then looks back to see the android Doctor "decompose" back to its metal framework (through the use of just amazing special effects, lol). Relieved, she says emphatically, "Don't ever do anything like that again!"

The Doctor stands silently for a second, then breaks into a grin. He fiddles with his hat and beams "Come on," beckons with his head towards the door, and turns and walks out.

This is what the Doctor is all about. He just grins and heads out, on to the next adventure.

Here is photo evidence (well, screen captured evidence!) of this most terrific of Doctor Who moments.

Sarah Jane: "Don't ever do anything like that again!"

The Doctor: "Come on."

The End

For your viewing pleasure: the scene in question in .avi format (mirror link) and iPod-ready format (mirror link).

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Yet more memes!

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:12:12 GMT

More meme-ness. :) Wasting time is an art, and I think I've perfected it. ;)

Handwriting meme!
1. Your name and username.
2. Left-handed or right-handed?
3. Favorite letters to write?
4. Least favorite letters to write?
5. Write "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
6. Tag 5 people.
(For some reason the paper scanned in funny, so it's all ~colorized~~)

*****

5 Favorite Things Meme
I've crossed out three of the categories because I don't really watch a lot of TV series right now, except for American Idol, lol.

5 favorite men currently on television:

5 favorite women currently on television:

5 favorite television shows of all time:
1. Are You Being Served? and Doctor Who
2. Blackadder
3. The Mighty Boosh
4. King of the Hill
5. The Simpsons
Runner Up: n/a

~~5 favorite television shows of right now:~~

5 favorite bands or artists:
1. Kate Bush
2. Clannad
3. Kylie Minogue
4. Sarah Brightman
5. Madonna
Runner Up: Queen

5 favorite songs by 5 favourite artists: (except I can't choose just 1 for each!)
1. "Them Heavy People" and "Sat In Your Lap" by Kate Bush
2. "Buaireadh an Phósta" and "Coinleach Ghlas an Fhómhair" (both Clannad 2 and Magical Ring versions) by Clannad
3. "Take Me With You" and "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" by Kylie Minogue
4. "Who Wants To Live Forever" and "Only An Ocean Away" ... and also "Anytime, Anywhere" (can't choose just 2!) by Sarah Brightman
5. "Frozen" and "Has To Be" by Madonna
Runner Up: "Seven Seas of Rhye" and "Killer Queen" by Queen

5 favorite books:
1. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5. Harry Potter series
Runner Up: n/a

5 favorite movies:
1. Gone With The Wind (1939)
2. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
3. Withnail and I (1987)
4. Bedazzled (1967)
5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Runner Up: Help! (1965)

*****

Word association
1. Beer:
No thanks

2. McDonalds
Tasty

3. Relationships:
Would love one ;)

4. Purple:
Nurple

5. Power Rangers:
The Yellow Ranger died. :(

6. Weed:
That TV show called "Weeds"

7. Steroids:
Some are good, right? For medical purposes?

8. Cartoons:
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack was the first thing to come to mind!

9. The President:
Yay, Obama!

10. Tupperware:
This old creepy episode of Eerie, Indiana, I think it was called, where people lived in giant Tupperware things

11. Florida:
Jeb Bush D:

12. Santa Claus:
Is real! :D ;)

13. Halloween:
"...Jack is a real cool cat." From David Bowie's "Diamond Dogs," I believe.

14. Alice:
In wonderland!

15. Grammar:
Useful! ;)

16: Myspace:
Not so useful

17. Clowns:
Kinda creepy

18. Marriage:
Mawwage

19. Paris
Je t'aime. Never actually seen that movie, though.

20. Pat:
It's Pat!

21. Redheads:
Nicola from Girls Aloud!

22. Blondes:
That stupid stereotype about "dumb blondes"

23. Pass the:
Cheese? I have no idea why that popped into my head. :/

24. One night stand:
I had this artsy Barbie doll book when I was younger and there was a Barbie done up to look like a bedside table, and was titled "One Night Stand." It's weird the things that stick with you!

25. Donald Trump:
Hair is a bird.

26. Neverland:
Peter Pan

27. Pixie:
Haircut

28. Vanilla ice cream:
Better with chocolate sauce!

29. Hooters:
Oh my.

30. High school musical:
Not a fan of the movies!

31. Pajamas:
I is wearing them. :)

32. Woody:
Allen

33. Wet Socks:
Not cool

34. Love:
Is good :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Meme!

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:50:42 GMT

Icon meme! :)

1. How do you feel right now?

(Just chillin' and listening to music!)

2. What's your favourite pastime?

(Listening to and contemplating music)

3. Do you consider yourself a strange person?

(Yeah, somewhat!)

4. What's your favourite fandom?
and
(classic Doctor Who and The Mighty Boosh)

5. OTP?

(Scarlett and Rhett)

6. How do you describe yourself?

(Thoughtful and kind)

7. How do others describe you?

(Kind and just very slightly mad, probably!)

8. Do you have an icon of your future husband/wife?
I have icons of several of my ~future husbands~, lol, but here's my fave:

(Julian Barratt)

9. Do you have an LOLWHUT icon?
Several! :D
and and
(Howard Moon and Kate Bush and Dannii Minogue)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Writer's Block: First Things First & Stuff

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:23:25 GMT

Who (or what) do you consider to be your first love?

View other answers

The internets, obviously. ;)

School is going well, and I've chosen and registered for my fall classes - this time, I'll be taking three. Yeah, it's not a full load - but hey, baby steps, right? :) I mean, even though I'm doing well OCD-wise now - occasional troubles, but nothing unmanageable - in my case it's just wise not to push too hard yet. :)

HIST266 - The United States in World Affairs - A study of the United States as an emerging world power and the American response to changing status in world affairs. Emphasis on the relationship between internal and external development of the nation.
HIST212 - Women in Western Europe, 1750-Present - An analysis of the economic, family, and political roles of European women from 1750 to the present. The effects of industrialization on women's work and status, the demographic parameters of women's lives, and women's participation in political events from market riots to suffrage struggles.
HIST157 - History of the United States Since 1865 - The United States from the end of the Civil War to the present. Economic, social, intellectual, and political developments. Rise of industry and emergence of the United States as a world power.

So yeah. :) I had a good, restful spring break, and on Monday I got my exam grade from my History midterm - I was very pleased to get an A! :O It's all good right now, really. :D It's just so good to be doing "normal" things now - just going to school, doing the coursework, making friends in class, and stuff like that - instead of being troubled all the time. I like it when life is good. :D

In the last few days I've been listening to Ofra Haza more than I have in a few years for some reason. I've rediscovered why I started listening to her in the first place. Her voice was just phenomenal. In her voice was something ancient but timeless. Listen to "Love Song" - there will never be another voice like hers. I'll probably write more in my music blog soon about her. :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Haters GTFO, this was awesome

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:04:07 GMT

Not gonna lie - I really liked Adam Lambert's performance of "Ring of Fire" last night on American Idol. I think most people thought it was weird, which is fine - it wasn't your typical AI song style. I just really like how he took a risk and played around with the notes and stuff. It was good. The way he writhed about was a little creepy, but whatevs. He has a good voice. I think I'll be rooting for him (and Allison Iraheta, and Megan Joy, and Anoop Desai) from now on. :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Deep(ish) thoughts. And icons. :)

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:59:20 GMT

Been updating my websites - I rounded up some news and photos on my Dana International page, and did the same for my Peter Cook site. I missed the release of a new Peter Cook-related book, his second wife Judy Cook's Loving Peter: My Life With Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. (That's Judy and Peter in the pic at left.) It came out in August 2008, but this totally passed me by. I don't think I'll be ordering it; I never did finish reading Wendy Cook's memoir because it just got depressing. Fascinating, but sad - apparently he actually hit her and even pushed her down the stairs.

To say the least, this development had threatened to diminish or totally get rid of my adoration for the Cook. I sort of felt like, I don't care how funny he was - it's hard to be a fan of someone who was (allegedly, I guess) abusive. But then it occurred to me that, well, I'm a fan of his work (and his looks, yeah - I'm shallow like that!), and it's totally possible to be a fan of someone's work (and looks, lol) and not the actual person. You know? I'm a fan of Peter Cook the hot comedian, but not real-life Peter Cook. I dunno, it makes sense in my head. :)

So anyways, what brought these deep thoughts about Peter Cook on was finding out about that Judy Cook book. (From a thing Judy Cook wrote here, it looks like Wendy wasn't kidding - Peter Cook was probably not the greatest guy in real life.)

I think I've found my favorite album of the year so far. Bat For Lashes will be releasing Two Suns in April, but it leaked so I had a sneaky listen. I absolutely love it. I wasn't big on her first album - I only liked a few tracks - but Two Suns is wonderful. The music is that perfect blend of uninhibited creativity and oddness that is right up my alley. So Google the album or wait until April, but make sure you do listen to it sometime - you won't be disappointed! :)

I'm on Spring Break right now - my activities consist of sleeping and goofing off on the internets (and in real life, of course). :) Hope everyone is doing well! :D

Also - if you're in need of new icons, I made Bat For Lashes and Peter Cook icons (here), and Madonna, Mylene Farmer, and Lady GaGa icons (here). :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

O hay

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:12:35 GMT

All righty! Time for another LJ post! Life is going along pretty nicely. My grandfather is doing well and things with him seem to be more stable now. :)

School is fine too. I'm taking a class about global warming and a British history class, and I'm really enjoying both of them. The global warming class (as I call it; it has a more official sounding name but it's slipped my mind at the moment!) is a cool class because it not only is relevant to current issues, but it also knocks out my last CORE requirement. Yay! :D I'm enjoying the history class too. I seem, though, to be able to relate pretty much each big block of time we're studying to a season of Blackadder - at least from the third series on. I don't know if this is a good thing or not! :D

I was searching Google Images for pics of Pop Levi (he's awesome, so check his tunes out) to make some icons with, and what should pop up in the results but something totally unrelated to him - a candid of Noel Fielding! He weasels his way into everything! ;) :D

I need to write more music reviews. It seems like as soon as school started, things kept coming up that kept me from getting into the mood to write about my fave tunes. Several cool albums and singles have come out recently that I must talk about so perhaps my poor music blog will get some new entries soon. :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Writer's Block: Words to Live By

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 03:11:04 GMT

What is your personal motto or favorite quotation?

View other answers

1. "Cheery bye!" - stolen from Blackadder's Christmas Carol. I actually had this engraved on my high school class ring. Seriously. :O
2. "Happiness is an option" - from the Pet Shop Boys song of the same name. It's my personal philosophy. :)
3. "One good, solid hope is worth a cartload of certainties." - from the Doctor Who story, Warrior's Gate. (For the longest time I could've sworn I heard this while watching The Keeper of Traken, but a quick Google search corrected me!) I've loved this quote for years, and for one simple reason - it's true! Sometimes hope is essential.

My grandfather is doing all right and is in good spirits, but still rather fragile. Hopefully things will continue to settle down now! :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

O hay guys

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:16:58 GMT

Hey! I haven't posted for awhile, but I'll get back to rambling soon enough. ;) I'm taking a long time getting back to comments and emails, and I just wanted to give anyone who was wondering a heads-up about what's going on with moi.

My grandfather - he's 88 - has been in and out of the hospital for the past two weeks (first due to a mini-stroke, and currently for pneumonia; this week he's being released back to the nursing-home-like part of the retirement community where he and my grandmother live). I've never seen him this ill, and it's been affecting me pretty hard. Between that and school stuff, I've not had much normal downtime to get back to emails and such. (I've somehow found time to make icons, which is weird - but I think it's mainly because they're a good distraction.)

So, if you've emailed me or something, I haven't forgotten you! There's just a lot of stuff going on right now. Hopefully things will settle down in a couple of weeks or so. Hope everyone is doing well. :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Picspam, oh yeah!

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:54:19 GMT

I recently found this great community (picspammy ) that gives a picspam prompt/challenge every month or so, and so I thought I'd take part in it! :D

The current challenge is Characters: "This challenge will focus on your favorite character[s]. Whether your reasons are superficial or substantial is up to you." And my list has a little of both. ;) Mostly substantial, but some shallowness can't help but creep in. :)

I decided to do a spam of 10 of my favorite film/TV/book characters. Well, I mention "book" because two characters on the list were book characters before they hit the silver screen. The rest are just TV and film characters. :)

All righty - on with the picspam! Here are my 10 favorite characters!

10 Severus Snape;
Harry Potter series

Why? It's really hard to pick just one favorite character from the Harry Potter series, but in the end I just really like how Snape is kind of an a-hole. Seriously! In addition, and most importantly, unlike quite a few of the characters in Harry Potter, his actions are not based on clear-cut, good-versus-evil reasoning. That makes him that little bit more interesting to me. And he's weirdly loyal and stuff, too, I guess. A neat character all around.

Quote: "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

***

9 SpongeBob SquarePants;
SpongeBob SquarePants

Why? He lives in a pineapple. Under the sea. How can you not love SpongeBob?! Here's a character who is just totally good-natured and willing to see the good in everyone and everything. He's a sponge who's got his priorities in order. :)

Quote: "[Singing] F is for friends who do stuff together, U is for you and me! N is for anywhere, any time at all - [Chorus:] - down here in the deep blue sea! "

***

8 George Spiggott (the Devil);
Bedazzled

Why? Well, he's played by Peter Cook, so yeah. ;) But from a more objective point-of-view: George Spiggott is wickedly witty and classy to a fault. He's charming but devious, and even though he aims to get back into Heaven, he's still a rotter when it comes right down to it.

Quote: "Release your doo-dahs! " [as he tosses a bird off a roof to let it do its business on a priest]

***

7 Howard Moon;
The Mighty Boosh

Why? I had to think a bit to decide between Howard and Vince Noir. I think Howard is really the more interesting of the two (well, as interesting as you can get on The Mighty Boosh!). As silly as it is to say, there's more to Howard's character than Vince's simpleton ways - he's a sad sack who thinks he's cool beans but is really more like leftover noodles. He wants to do big things in life, but more often than not, he's reduced to doing things as tiny as his eyes. ;)

Quote: "I'm going to Jazzercise. Working out to hot be-bop. Circuit training to John Coltrane."

***

6 Withnail;
Withnail and I

Why? He's really quite a pathetic character, isn't he? He's either boozed off his head, searching for antifreeze, or suffering delusions of grandeur ("I'm going to be a STAR!"). And that's why I love Withnail. He's tinged with a sadness; it's possible, if you read into the end of the film, that he's never going to lift himself out of the hole he's in. Withnail's a depressing, fascinating character.

Quote: "Look at that. 'Accident Blackspot'? These aren't accidents. They're throwing themselves into the road gladly. Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness."

***

5 Blackadder;
Blackadder II

Why? I love all the Blackadders, but Blackadder II is where the Blackadder we've come to know and love really showed his true colors. Whereas the first Blackadder was an idiot, the second Blackadder is intelligent, witty, and snarky. He verbally beats up on Baldrick, mercilessly points out Percy's buffoonery, and kisses up to the Queen when he's not mocking her behind her back. What's not to love?

Quote: "The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the devil's own satanic herd."

***

4 The Fourth Doctor;
Doctor Who

Why? Each Doctor is great in their own way. But the Fourth Doctor is the Fourth Doctor - his awesome greatness needs no real explanation. Clever, charismatic, and weirdly cooler than any Doctor had been, and possibly will ever be. There was just something you couldn't quite put your finger on about the Fourth Doctor - you could never be quite sure what he was up to. He was as likely to be moody as he was to be wacky. Each story he appeared in is compelling viewing - because of his characterization. Even if the story is not up to snuff, a simple grin, nudge of the hat, or toss of the scarf saves it from mediocrity.

Quote: "One good, solid hope is worth a cartload of certainties."

***

3 Mrs Slocombe;
Are You Being Served?

Why? I think, out of all the characters on AYBS?, I love Mrs Slocombe the most because underneath the day-glo bouffant and behind all the talk about her pussy(cat), she's a normal person working in a normal workplace doing normal things - as "normal" as a sitcom allows, of course! But she makes them look hilarious. The other characters do pretty much the same thing, but Mrs Slocombe for some reason cracks me up the most. :)

Quote: "...and I am unanimous in that!"

***

2 George Bailey;
It's A Wonderful Life

Why? George Bailey is the everyman whose life, while definitely not bad, didn't go exactly the way he had thought it would. He loses heart and contemplates suicide, but after he gets a glimpse of what life would have been like had he never been born, he realizes that his life is actually rather wonderful indeed. I cry many times throughout It's A Wonderful Life (I'm a wuss), but never harder than at the end where his brother declares George to be the "richest man in town" and they all sing "Auld Lang Syne." (I'm tearing up just thinking about it!!)

Quote: "I'm shakin' the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I'm gonna see the world. Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Colosseum. Then, I'm comin' back here to go to college and see what they know."

***

1 Scarlett O'Hara;
Gone With The Wind

Why? She's the head bitch in charge, as they might say on ohnotheydidnt! I've loved Scarlett since I was little. When I was taking an algebra class in middle school, I would tell myself when I got discouraged that "if Scarlett could survive the Civil War, I can survive algebra!" (I hate math, you see.) Scarlett isn't perfect, and that's just one of the many reasons why she's such a fantastic character. She shamelessly uses what's available to her to get ahead, whether it's men, a business, or curtain material. Scarlett is fiercely determined in whatever it is that she's doing and that's probably the #1 reason why I admire her. No, she's probably not the best role model in the world - but her indomitable spirit is definitely worth emulating.

Quote: "She wasn't going to sit down and patiently wait for a miracle to help her. She was going to rush into life and wrest from it what she could."

***
And that's the end! :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Icon stuff!

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:27:39 GMT

I posted some Third and Fourth Doctor era icons over at the iconpile , so take a gander if you'd like! :)

Speaking of icons... :) An icon meme!

Icon Meme

Default	Oldest	Newest


Saddest We still miss ya, Freddie!	Happiest	Angriest (well, he is outraged!)


Cutest	Sexiest	Funniest


Fave Ship	Fave Fandom	Fave Animated
		none!

Best Quote	Best Textless I dunno why this one, I just like it a lot. :)	Best Stolen Idea (everyone and their grandma has a Joker icon!)


Use The Most	Favourite

HOW MANY ICONS DO YOU HAVE: 109
HOW MANY AVAILABLE ICONS SPACES: 119
IF YOU COULD BUY SPACE FOR MORE, WOULD YOU: Nah, 100+ is enough for me! :)
DO YOUR ICONS MAKE A STATEMENT: I guess. Maybe?
WHAT FANDOM DO YOU HAVE THE MOST ICONS OF: The Mighty Boosh and Doctor Who
AND THE SECOND MOST: Musicians
WHAT SHIP DO YOU HAVE THE MOST ICONS OF: I only have one of each ship, I think... Gone With The Wind, 4/Sarah Jane, and Jo/Prof. Sexypants
ARE YOUR ICONS MADE MOSTLY BY OTHER PEOPLE: No, I'm terribly vain and use my own (except for the awesome one created by syphilis_jane !!). :)
DO YOU MAKE ICONS: Indeedy! :D
ARE THEY ANY GOOD: I hope so! :)
ANIMATED ICONS ARE: OK if used sparingly. Strangely enough, my favorite animated icons are the ones that are obviously meant to be dumb, like the ultra-fast ones you see in ohnotheydidnt sometimes.

I love icons. :D

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Writer's Block: Doctor Who?

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:52:08 GMT

26-year-old actor Matt Smith was anointed as the eleventh Doctor Who this week. If you were in charge of casting, who would you cast as your ideal Doctor and why?

Submitted By norikoandshuya

View other answers

If I were in charge of casting, I'd offer Tom Baker (speaking of unique!) a bazillion dollars and cabbages or whatever he wanted and get him to sign on as the Doctor again. Sure it would mess up continuity, but the writers already did that kind of damage with UNIT's timeline years ago, so whatev. :)

ETA: Forgot the "why" of the question, although the reason why Tom Baker should be cast again should be obvious to everyone - because he's awesome.

By the way, I think Matt Smith is an interesting bit of casting. He certainly looks the part - rather unique looking (like a foot if a foot had a face, as someone on ONTD noted) - but I'll have to wait to see him ~in action~~ before I make any further judgments! :)

I'll be honest - I haven't been following the details of New Who for awhile now. I keep up with the big stuff - Kylie, for example (and no, that isn't a joke - that's big stuff!) - but I just can't get into the series as it is now. I don't object to it or anything (although I'm not keen on the flowery lovey stuff with Rose, or the Doctor kissing everybody), I just haven't gotten into it. Nevertheless, I'm so glad it's back on TV and that more people have found and love the show.

I'm a weird fan now, I guess. I really only like the first four Doctors' eras, and even then I only tend to watch Third or Fourth stories, and even then it's not that often. (Though I did get "The Brain of Morbius" for Christmas!) I suppose I got the rabid fannishness out of my system when I first got into the series back in 2002 (!!!). I tend to be a little more sedate about my interests now, for some reason (age, I think).

That said, I am in the process of making more Doctor Who icons... Third and Fourth eras, natch. ;)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

2008

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:28:40 GMT

A year-end survey, complete with a few animations! ;)

What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Got through (and rather successfully, I might add!) a UMD math course! :)

Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm not really a New Year's-resolutions kinda gal. I sort of make goals for myself throughout the year.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope

Did anyone close to you die?
Nope, thank goodness!

What countries did you visit?
None, sadly!

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
I'd like to be able to be consistent with dieting stuff.

What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 4th, when Obama was elected!

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting an A in that math class!

What was your biggest failure?
Nothing, I guess!

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, thankfully!

What was the best thing you bought?
Any of the albums/singles/whatever I bought this year. I need music like I need air. ;)

Whose behavior merited celebration?
My math professor, honestly, because she made my least favorite subject tolerable!

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
That Palin idiot.

Where did most of your money go?
Music!

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Madonna's Hard Candy release, Britney's CIrcus release, and I really got into the The Dark Knight frenzy

What song will always remind you of 2008?
"4 Minutes" by Madonna!

Compared to this time last year (2007), are you:
Still as happy, if not more!

What do you wish you'd done more of?
Diet stuff.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Nothing, really.

How did you spend Christmas?
With the fam, enjoying each other's company, and having fun. Plus, eating Christmas ham.

What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2008?
Luckily, I didn't embarrass myself this year!

How many one-night stands?
Good heavens, none!

What was your favorite TV program?
"Pushing Daisies"... until ABC canceled it. :(

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Classy with trendy touches ;)

What kept you sane?
Music, again!

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate!

What was the best book you read in 2008?
Re-reading The Awakening in my Women's Lit class this past spring was eye-opening - we explored it from several perspectives that I hadn't even thought of when I first read it in high school. I got a lot out of that course!

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Monica Naranjo!

What did you want and get?
Material things, of course, but more importantly I continued to be stable OCD-wise, and that's what I really wanted. :)

What did you want and not get?
Nothing! I'm very fortunate. :)

What was your favorite film of this year?
The Dark Knight!

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went to the Cheesecake Factory and Ellicott City! :) I turned 22.

What three things would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I wouldn't change anything. :)

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Lee Pace, from Pushing Daisies!

What political issue stirred you the most?
The presidential election!!

Who did you miss?
Family peeps I haven't seen in awhile.

What is a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008?
I really can do anything if I work at it.

What quote can be used to sum up your year?
I like to say that "happiness continues to be an option," so that's my quote of the year! Well, that or "I can see Russia from my house!"

Happy New Year, peeps! Cheery bye, Scarlett

Merry Christmas!

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 06:15:20 GMT

I've posted this mp3 every year since 2006! :) Here's a classic account of Jesus' birth by one Arthur Shepherd (Peter Cook), as told to a reporter (Dudley Moore) from the Bethlehem Star. :)

Hugs, love, and cheery bye, Scarlett

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:59:00 GMT

Hey everybody! Hope the holiday season is treating everyone well. To further enhance your Christmas experience, I give you my annual Christmas compilation! It's largely unchanged from last year's edition - I removed a South Park tune ("Oh Holy Night," as sung by Cartman!) and added in two others by Sarah Brightman (a cover of "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)") and Britney Spears ("My Only Wish (This Year)"). I also made a new cover. :)

Check it out under the cut!

And So This Is Christmas [2008 Edition] (m4a)

1. Jingle Bells (Bing Crosby)
2. Happy Xmas [War Is Over] (John Lennon)
3. Wonderful Christmas Time (Paul McCartney & Wings)
4. Christmas Angels (Clannad)
5. December Will Be Magic Again [Bongo Version] (Kate Bush)
6. I'm Gonna Spend My Christmas With A Dalek (The Go-Gos)
7. Oíche Chiún [Silent Night] (Enya)
8. All I Want For Christmas Is You (Mariah Carey)
9. Santa Baby (Kylie Minogue)
10. Silent Night [Ghost of Oxford Street Version] (Sinéad O'Connor)
11. Christmas Day (Dido)
12. Carol of the Bells (Moya Brennan)
13. Jingle Bells / Jingle Bell Rock (The Muppets)
14. Last Christmas (Wham)
15. Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord (Boney M)
16. I Wonder As I Wander (Jewel)
17. I'll Be Home For Christmas (Dannii Minogue)
18. Thank God It's Christmas (Queen)
19. Christmas Don't Be Late (Alvin & The Chipmunks)
20. Christmas Eve / Sarajevo 12/24 (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
21. Sleigh Ride (Spice Girls)
22. Christmas Time Is Here Again (Ringo Starr)
23. Merry Xmas Everybody (Girls Aloud)
24. Wonderful Dreams (Holidays Are Coming) [Radio Version] (Melanie Thornton)
25. The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole)
26. White Christmas (Bing Crosby)

BONUS TRACKS ("Bonus" because they aren't hugely essential tracks to me, but they're pretty darn spiffy anyway!)
27. Christmas Time Is Here [Vocal Version] (Vince Guaraldi Trio)
28. Happy Christmas [War Is Over] (Sarah Brightman)
29. December Will Be Magic Again [Single Version] (Kate Bush)
30. A Dream In The Night (Clannad)
31. Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth (Bing Crosby & David Bowie
32. My Only Wish [This Year] (Britney Spears)

I finished my math class - with an utterly shocking A! I must admit that I am a bit proud of the fact that I didn't fail the class but in fact did well! *toots own horn*

I'm thoroughly enjoying the Christmas season - we've got our tree and decorations up, and I've got the Christmas music going often. No snow in our neck of the woods yet, but I hope we get a good snowfall before the winter is over!!

I made a holiday wallpaper a few weeks ago, so if you'd like to sparkle up your desktop, head on over to the iconpile. :)

Take care peeps! :) Cheery bye, Scarlett

Thanksgiving stuff!

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:13:01 GMT

Hope everybody had a very happy Thanksgiving! Last year I did a list of the things I'm most thankful for, so I thought I'd do one for 2008. :)

The 5 serious things I'm thankful for...

1. My fabulous family and friends!
2. My physical and mental health :)
3. I've had a great semester and have done better than I ever expected in my math class!
4. I continue to know and understand that happiness is most definitely an option
5. The little things in life!

The 5 not so serious things I'm thankful for...

6. The last few months of 2008 have resulted in quite a few cool album releases!
7. We have Verizon Fios, which is absolutely awesome
8. It's finally the time to load my iPod up with my fave Christmas songs!
9. Though Pushing Daisies has been canceled, the rest of the season's episodes will still be aired
10. Obama was elected!

Take care, peeps! Cheery bye, Scarlett

Sarah Brightman in concert!

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:35:43 GMT

I went to see the amazing Sarah Brightman in concert on Wednesday night! :) Here are some photos and a short review of the show.

The first concert and only (until now!) concert I ever attended was Sarah Brightman's 2004 Harem tour. My mom and I went and it was absolutely sensational. I was thrilled to be able to see her again (in really decent seats, not very close but not way too far away!) on her Symphony World Tour on November 19 2008 (again with my mom!).

And what a show! First and foremost, Sarah's voice was just breathtaking. She truly could just sit on the stage in overalls or something and sing - she just has that fantastic stage presence, charm, and of course that voice! There was not an overall in sight, though, as Sarah had a fabulous wardrobe that included a dramatic red corsetted gown, red flamenco-inspired skirt, and even a crystal-encrusted tutu ensemble! :)

The opening of the show was epic. She came out on the stage to an instrumental in a black cape and veils covering her face, lit by a single spotlight, and as the song built in intensity her dancer girls removed the cape and veils to reveal the diva herself! Then it was as if the stage exploded in lights and ultra-dramatic sound as Sarah belted out "Fleurs du Mal." Absolutely stunning! I got chills when the whole thing began, it was so exciting.

The set of songs she performed were all so beautiful. I have to admit, I was rather disappointed with the excessive schmalz of Symphony (except for a few great songs, like "Fleurs du Mal" and "Let It Rain"), but in performing them live she breathed new life into even the songs that I didn't really like on my first listen to the album. And anyways, even a not-so-great Sarah Brightman song is always better than any Top 40 hit! ;)

I was particularly happy that she performed "Hijo De La Luna," "La Luna," "Anytime, Anywhere," "Deliver Me," and "You Take My Breath Away" - a song I don't believe she has ever performed live before, and which happens to be one of my favorites! I cried a bit during the lovely "First Of May," a Christmas song originally by The Bee Gees (yeah, seriously!), as it reminded me of time gone by. I'm too young to get nostalgic! ;) Although those songs were extra special to hear, because they're some of my absolute favorites, every song she sang sounded just gorgeous. Perhaps the strangest highlight of the evening, because it was such an out-there, creative risk for Sarah to take, was the "Red Riding Hood Rap"! Sporting a red jacket and "riding" a stationary bike, Sarah sang a niftily bizarre tune about how "it's all in my mind," and sang some "la la la"s to the tune of that song from The Nutcracker that I just can't remember the title of. ;) It was really weird. And I loved it! (I do love me some music that isn't afraid to be a little crazy!)

When Sarah addressed the audience, she was so gracious and thanked us for coming, saying she was happy to be back in D.C. :) She noted that she has enjoyed her wonderful 30-year career and that it wouldn't have been possible without us, the audience, so the show was created as a sort of celebration. She's just so sweet!

Now, as much as I loved seeing Sarah and hearing her beautiful voice, I'm afraid I was a little underwhelmed by the staging... The projections on the backdrop, while probably very impressive up close, were unfortunately sort of washed out by the bright spotlights. The projections at some points appeared to be a little bit cockeyed - like, they weren't centered or whatever. And the actual images in the projections... well, they reminded me of PowerPoint graphics and special effects! The 3-D environments were ambitious but fell flat. I think the curtains and lighting effects at the Harem concert were far more effective.

But as I said, Sarah could sing in any sort of setting and be phenomenal. My criticisms didn't take away from the experience - they were just afterthoughts. I wish the night could have gone on forever! :)

My mom took pictures during quite a few of the songs - we didn't get the opening of the show, as neither of us realized we could take pictures until we saw flashes of light coming from the audience during the second song! Here are the pics!

Click to see the bigger version!


Before the show!

An interlude



	During intermission!





The end!	My tour goodies! :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett