Kelly: Maybe it's because it's Christmas. Or maybe it's the fact that I'm graduating college in almost four months. I'm not entirely sure why, but Holly and I have been thinking a lot about our marching band years. We strapped on ridiculously hideous and hot uniforms, piled onto a small school bus and traveled all across the state to football games and/or competitions. And we did this willingly. Every Friday and/or Saturday from the end of August until the beginning of November for 6 years. And we LOVED it.
I remember when I was a little girl, getting dragged to high school football games. I would only go to see the band play. "Mom, I want to be in the band!" I remember seeing the local college at their homecoming parade. "Mom, I want to be in the 110 someday." In 7th grade, Holly and I both had a choice to make. Prior to 7th grade, we had both done gymnastics for a few years. The choice was ours; either continue with gymnastics or quit and pursue marching band. When I look back on it now, I realize that the choice was obvious...since I didn't think I was that good at gymnastics. I was not meant to be a gymnast; I was meant to be a band geek! So many fond and wonderful memories of high school were usually associated with the time I did marching band. The places we traveled to, the conversations we had, the sometimes drama that occurred, the friends I made and the experiences I gathered. Nothing can even hold a candle to what I experienced for those number of years. It's sad to say though, now that I'm in college I don't think about band as often as I used to; I haven't picked up my clarinet in almost four years. I'm not even sure I'd remember how to play it. As I look it's still sitting in its case behind my bed. It's not that I've forgotten about band, but I'm sad to say that that part of my life is over and has been for quite some time now. But I have not nor will not forget all that I did and the wonderful fun times I had. When I graduate in May, I'm writing something very special on my hat that I have carried with me.
"DO IT!"
Holly: We managed to summarize six years of insanity into a navy blue three-inch binder, packed with programs from competitions, our show music, pictures, random fliers, etc. We call it our band book. It's in our pile of stuff that's going back with us to Berea.
We endured horrendously hot uniforms, unflattering polos that were at least two sizes too large, uncomfortable shoes that were at least a size too small; shoes that felt every crack, crevice, stone, and grass. We waited on "the band guy" whenever there was a ding, scratch, or missing key in our instruments (I particularly relied on him after I literally fell on my flute.....THAT'S another story! lol). We heard the Mountain Dew story about 15 times. The crazy weeks at band camp, staying up way too late and doing stuff that need not leave the walls of the dorms. Blistering sun, pouring rain, snow, hail, freezing cold...sometimes all in the same day (Riverview, anybody???). A concession was deemed good if it had something other than hot dogs and burgers (Cowtails, large dill pickles, and Sour Skittles were our favorites). If your throat wasn't sore and raw by the end of a competition night, be it from screaming or laughing, you weren't doing it right. We bagged on Waterford all the time. Our leadership meeting senior year wasn't much of a meeting...it was comprehending how in the world we were going to carry on our Fed Hock band legacy without our "Big Papa" and his tent. It was at a football game in Belpre my junior year when I found out that one of my best guy friends liked me back. We met our best friend through band; almost 10 years later, we're still friends. The small door of the RCA Dome in Indianapolis opened for the first time as we stepped onto the field for our pre-show at Bands of America Grand Nationals, and all of us wondered how we ended up there. That dang dog whistle will forever be the bane of my existence.
I don't really know how to close all of this, other than the fact that the stories we could tell would go on for years on end, and the memories will last even longer.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Newly beloved Ringers review The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Holly: DISCLAIMER: IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE YET, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS. WE DO NOT WANT TO RUIN THE MOVIE FOR YOU! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Sorry...typing this in between segments and commercials of Return of the King. Bear with me.
Like Kelly mentioned, we viewed The Hobbit for the second time today. The old cliche really is true: stuff is better the second time around. In its second week I was still surprised to see a decent amount of people in the theater. Then again, perhaps not. In an earlier post of ours we mentioned that we completely missed the LoTR theater fandemonium, so we didn't really know what to expect. I will say that I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would, moreso the second time. So...
WHAT I LIKED/LOVED:
*The pace/overall feel. Yes, it is long (almost 3 hours), but for me it goes quickly but doesn't feel rushed. It's much lighter than LoTR; I laughed so much in this movie! I'm still exhilarated and excited, thrilled, given chills, the entire time. It's absolutely beautiful. The scenery/imagery is breathtaking as well; literally there are moments where I hold my breath. It's just beautifully shot. I don't know how they do it.
*The "Princess Bride"-esque bookend of older Bilbo and Frodo telling the story in the beginning. I LOVE that. LOVE it. I think I loved it more than the average person. When I read that Elijah Wood and Ian Holm were reprising their roles for the movie I was hoping they would be woven in like that.
*The casting of Martin Freeman as Bilbo. OH MY GOD. OH. MY. GOD. Seriously!!!! You know how everyone fell in love with Elijah Wood as Frodo?! Yeah...I foresee these movies going a lot like that. Now, perhaps I am a bit biased because I have seen the majority of his works and find him a really good actor, but I think that he makes the PERFECT Bilbo! I mean, Peter Jackson halted production for HIM just so he could have him as Bilbo; that's how bad he wanted him. I honestly think it's one of the best decisions Peter Jackson made for this movie. Martin's performance is spectacular; it delights me to no end. It's wonderful...truly wonderful. I hope to meet him someday and tell him myself.
*The individuality of the dwarves. MAJOR, MAJOR kudos to the production team. I've seen a lot of behind-the-scenes footage and they did not have an easy task: creating 13 individual, unique dwarves. But each one is portrayed perfectly. Bofur and Balin are my favorites. :)
MEH/DIDN'T FLY WITH ME TOO WELL (but still not enough to ruin the movie for me):
*The introduction is a bit long-winded. But I do love the story.
*The storyline of Azog the pale orc versus Thorin thing. I don't think Azog needs to be in the film; I think he's in it just so there's a "bad guy". But oh well. Bilbo does kick some serious tail in the end there.
*There was mention of Beorn/the barrel scene in the trailers but not in the movie. That kind of frustrated me! Guess we'll just have to wait until Smaug, I reckon.
Bottom line: If you are a die-hard Tolkiener that takes the books as gospel, proceed with caution. Otherwise, it really does live up to the hype. I simply cannot recommend it enough. Fans of the LoTR movies and Peter Jackson will not be disappointed. Go see it. As soon as possible! :)
Kelly: Hey, Return of the King is on! Pippin is about to sing his beloved song.
This afternoon, Holly and I watched the first installment of The Hobbit movies for a second time. We first laid our eyes on it last week in Lexington for the midnight premiere. We were seated in front of our theater for over an hour waiting for it to open, but not before enjoying some Denny's and feasting on some milkshakes from The Hobbit menu. The theater was PACKED!!! Such a wonderful experience though and one I will surely not forget anytime soon. Today's experience was much different. We were in a smaller theater and it was just the two of us who went and saw it; post-coffee and chatting came afterwards as we met up with a good friend we have known since high school. Twas a lovely afternoon. I will now get onto the good and the bad, in my opinion:
THE GOOD:
* Martin Freeman's breakthrough role. Seriously. I have seen a lot of his work and his role as Bilbo Baggins is on the top of my list! These performances in the next three installments are going to make his career HUGE!!!!
* The Christian themes that are intertwined into the film. Love, grace, discipleship and compassion are a few that I observed many times. Especially loving your enemies; Bilbo spares Gollum's life as he is over run with compassion for the pitiful creature. It is a lovely reminder of how we should treat those who wrong us, and again, Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis both perform so well!
* Unlikely friends joining together for a common theme. A rag-tag of 13 dwarves, a wizard and a hobbit, all on a quest to seek the lost kingdom of Erebor. Not a likely company by any means, but it works well. Quite well actually; though there is doubt and uncertainty in the beginning, it disappears as many of the characters deem themselves worthy companions for the company.
* The humor. Though it is a very action-filled movie for the most part, the humor that is involved really lightens the rather gruesome fights that are involved in different parts of the movie. In the Lord of the Rings franchise, the humor comes from Merry and Pippin. In The Hobbit, it's a bit of everyone.
*There are many more good qualities that I enjoy and I overall enjoyed the movie quite well. I cannot wait to see it again!
THE BAD:
* The beginning sequence seemed a bit dragged on to me. Part of me enjoyed it, but part of me was wondering "ok....just get on with it." Ian Holm's soliloquy explaining it though was good, just a bit long in my opinion.
* I hate to play annoying Tolkien lover, but man I really wish the elements in the movie were somewhat linear with the book. Riddles in the Dark is the 5th chapter in the book but doesn't appear till near the end of the movie. Hey, I'm not a director by any means but it works out. I just wonder what it would have been like if it was like that. More linear with the book. Ok I'm done now. There you have it; my novice review of the movie. My opinion now? Go see it!!!
Sorry...typing this in between segments and commercials of Return of the King. Bear with me.
Like Kelly mentioned, we viewed The Hobbit for the second time today. The old cliche really is true: stuff is better the second time around. In its second week I was still surprised to see a decent amount of people in the theater. Then again, perhaps not. In an earlier post of ours we mentioned that we completely missed the LoTR theater fandemonium, so we didn't really know what to expect. I will say that I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would, moreso the second time. So...
WHAT I LIKED/LOVED:
*The pace/overall feel. Yes, it is long (almost 3 hours), but for me it goes quickly but doesn't feel rushed. It's much lighter than LoTR; I laughed so much in this movie! I'm still exhilarated and excited, thrilled, given chills, the entire time. It's absolutely beautiful. The scenery/imagery is breathtaking as well; literally there are moments where I hold my breath. It's just beautifully shot. I don't know how they do it.
*The "Princess Bride"-esque bookend of older Bilbo and Frodo telling the story in the beginning. I LOVE that. LOVE it. I think I loved it more than the average person. When I read that Elijah Wood and Ian Holm were reprising their roles for the movie I was hoping they would be woven in like that.
*The casting of Martin Freeman as Bilbo. OH MY GOD. OH. MY. GOD. Seriously!!!! You know how everyone fell in love with Elijah Wood as Frodo?! Yeah...I foresee these movies going a lot like that. Now, perhaps I am a bit biased because I have seen the majority of his works and find him a really good actor, but I think that he makes the PERFECT Bilbo! I mean, Peter Jackson halted production for HIM just so he could have him as Bilbo; that's how bad he wanted him. I honestly think it's one of the best decisions Peter Jackson made for this movie. Martin's performance is spectacular; it delights me to no end. It's wonderful...truly wonderful. I hope to meet him someday and tell him myself.
*The individuality of the dwarves. MAJOR, MAJOR kudos to the production team. I've seen a lot of behind-the-scenes footage and they did not have an easy task: creating 13 individual, unique dwarves. But each one is portrayed perfectly. Bofur and Balin are my favorites. :)
MEH/DIDN'T FLY WITH ME TOO WELL (but still not enough to ruin the movie for me):
*The introduction is a bit long-winded. But I do love the story.
*The storyline of Azog the pale orc versus Thorin thing. I don't think Azog needs to be in the film; I think he's in it just so there's a "bad guy". But oh well. Bilbo does kick some serious tail in the end there.
*There was mention of Beorn/the barrel scene in the trailers but not in the movie. That kind of frustrated me! Guess we'll just have to wait until Smaug, I reckon.
Bottom line: If you are a die-hard Tolkiener that takes the books as gospel, proceed with caution. Otherwise, it really does live up to the hype. I simply cannot recommend it enough. Fans of the LoTR movies and Peter Jackson will not be disappointed. Go see it. As soon as possible! :)
Kelly: Hey, Return of the King is on! Pippin is about to sing his beloved song.
This afternoon, Holly and I watched the first installment of The Hobbit movies for a second time. We first laid our eyes on it last week in Lexington for the midnight premiere. We were seated in front of our theater for over an hour waiting for it to open, but not before enjoying some Denny's and feasting on some milkshakes from The Hobbit menu. The theater was PACKED!!! Such a wonderful experience though and one I will surely not forget anytime soon. Today's experience was much different. We were in a smaller theater and it was just the two of us who went and saw it; post-coffee and chatting came afterwards as we met up with a good friend we have known since high school. Twas a lovely afternoon. I will now get onto the good and the bad, in my opinion:
THE GOOD:
* Martin Freeman's breakthrough role. Seriously. I have seen a lot of his work and his role as Bilbo Baggins is on the top of my list! These performances in the next three installments are going to make his career HUGE!!!!
* The Christian themes that are intertwined into the film. Love, grace, discipleship and compassion are a few that I observed many times. Especially loving your enemies; Bilbo spares Gollum's life as he is over run with compassion for the pitiful creature. It is a lovely reminder of how we should treat those who wrong us, and again, Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis both perform so well!
* Unlikely friends joining together for a common theme. A rag-tag of 13 dwarves, a wizard and a hobbit, all on a quest to seek the lost kingdom of Erebor. Not a likely company by any means, but it works well. Quite well actually; though there is doubt and uncertainty in the beginning, it disappears as many of the characters deem themselves worthy companions for the company.
* The humor. Though it is a very action-filled movie for the most part, the humor that is involved really lightens the rather gruesome fights that are involved in different parts of the movie. In the Lord of the Rings franchise, the humor comes from Merry and Pippin. In The Hobbit, it's a bit of everyone.
*There are many more good qualities that I enjoy and I overall enjoyed the movie quite well. I cannot wait to see it again!
THE BAD:
* The beginning sequence seemed a bit dragged on to me. Part of me enjoyed it, but part of me was wondering "ok....just get on with it." Ian Holm's soliloquy explaining it though was good, just a bit long in my opinion.
* I hate to play annoying Tolkien lover, but man I really wish the elements in the movie were somewhat linear with the book. Riddles in the Dark is the 5th chapter in the book but doesn't appear till near the end of the movie. Hey, I'm not a director by any means but it works out. I just wonder what it would have been like if it was like that. More linear with the book. Ok I'm done now. There you have it; my novice review of the movie. My opinion now? Go see it!!!
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Potpurri post #6
Kelly: To start this post, I would like to point out that it is 11:30 and I am still in my PJ's! Goodness I love Christmas break already. Also, I would like to mention that today is my parents 31st Anniversary!!! :] <3 I hope that one day I can find somebody who can put up with me for that long. But yeah; even after 31 years it is so evident that my parents are still crazy about each other. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! I got my final grades on Tuesday; not bad...didn't fail anything but still got one C. The rest were A's and B's. At first I was rather upset because I always think I can do better, but hey, I actually did try. I utilized excellent work/study habits and for my nursing classes it paid off! I scored the highest on my two nursing finals than I ever had before! Must have done something right! So yay me. Ok now I'm done bragging about myself.
The world didn't end yesterday as it was said to. Obviously. If we all went back to the simple truths from Scripture, then there wouldn't be this problem in the first place (for reference please refer to Matthew 24:36). It just irritates me that so many people bought into this whole world ending thing. I mean really? Ok, suit yourself; I'm going to stick with the truth and what I actually know is true, which is God's word. Enough about that. I find it hard to believe that 2012 is almost over!!!!! Is it just me or did this year go by really fast? Like...REALLY fast! If this is any indication on how fast 2013 is going to go then shoot! Graduation will be here in no time! I have so many goals for this upcoming year that I want to accomplish; something sis and I are going to do is keep a jar and write down good things that happen throughout the year. When the year is over we're going to re-visit it and see what happened! :] That's enough for me now; time to shower and actually become a decent individual in the world again. Cheers! Hope everyone has a good Christmas!
Holly: It's now 11:36. Still in my pj's. lol.
I really don't have much to say. I know that may come as a surprise to many of you. haha. But no, really. Like Kelly I too am surprised that 2012 is coming to an end so quickly. It's been kind of a big year for me. It's hard to believe that when this year started I was still in school. In that same span of a year I've been in school, graduated from school, been done with school, moved out on my own, and am now on my second "real" job. And gotten hopelessly hooked on several entertainment franchises that now consume the majority of my free time. lol.
I am eager to see what 2013 awaits for me. For many people that I'm close to it's going to be a big year for them. But for me, it's kind of a question mark. All I know is I don't want to fold clothes at Old Navy for the rest of my life (NO. OFFENSE!) My dream is to work for my alma mater. It gave so much to me and I would love to give just a little bit of myself back to it. That's all. Maybe 2013 will open a door for me there. I pray it does. But other than that....question mark.
Tomorrow we meet up with an old and dear friend and return to Middle Earth again. Christmas is three days away. And we're with family. Life is good. I hope all of you have a magic-filled, wondrous Christmas. Hold close those who are closest to you, and ALWAYS count your blessings, because you have more than you could possibly realize.
Hugs from Ohio. <3
The world didn't end yesterday as it was said to. Obviously. If we all went back to the simple truths from Scripture, then there wouldn't be this problem in the first place (for reference please refer to Matthew 24:36). It just irritates me that so many people bought into this whole world ending thing. I mean really? Ok, suit yourself; I'm going to stick with the truth and what I actually know is true, which is God's word. Enough about that. I find it hard to believe that 2012 is almost over!!!!! Is it just me or did this year go by really fast? Like...REALLY fast! If this is any indication on how fast 2013 is going to go then shoot! Graduation will be here in no time! I have so many goals for this upcoming year that I want to accomplish; something sis and I are going to do is keep a jar and write down good things that happen throughout the year. When the year is over we're going to re-visit it and see what happened! :] That's enough for me now; time to shower and actually become a decent individual in the world again. Cheers! Hope everyone has a good Christmas!
Holly: It's now 11:36. Still in my pj's. lol.
I really don't have much to say. I know that may come as a surprise to many of you. haha. But no, really. Like Kelly I too am surprised that 2012 is coming to an end so quickly. It's been kind of a big year for me. It's hard to believe that when this year started I was still in school. In that same span of a year I've been in school, graduated from school, been done with school, moved out on my own, and am now on my second "real" job. And gotten hopelessly hooked on several entertainment franchises that now consume the majority of my free time. lol.
I am eager to see what 2013 awaits for me. For many people that I'm close to it's going to be a big year for them. But for me, it's kind of a question mark. All I know is I don't want to fold clothes at Old Navy for the rest of my life (NO. OFFENSE!) My dream is to work for my alma mater. It gave so much to me and I would love to give just a little bit of myself back to it. That's all. Maybe 2013 will open a door for me there. I pray it does. But other than that....question mark.
Tomorrow we meet up with an old and dear friend and return to Middle Earth again. Christmas is three days away. And we're with family. Life is good. I hope all of you have a magic-filled, wondrous Christmas. Hold close those who are closest to you, and ALWAYS count your blessings, because you have more than you could possibly realize.
Hugs from Ohio. <3
Friday, December 14, 2012
In the wake of The Hobbit: Remembering Connecticut
Holly and Kelly: Our hearts are heavy this afternoon. Despite the amazing motion picture event we witnessed last night/early this morning, we were hoping to be blogging about The Hobbit and providing a bit of a review. But that is not the case.
We got home today and were shocked, saddened, by the news of yet another school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. 26 people are dead, and at least 18 of them are children, all between the ages of 5-10. There really are no words to describe this type of tragic loss. It's simply deplorable and unimaginable. Besides the words that we are typing today, we are simply speechless.
We're just saddened by this. Literally, our hearts are hurting. Why would somebody do something like this?
The President just finished speaking. Today, I didn't see our country's leader. I saw someone just like us: wondering how in the world someone can do this. He spoke as a father.
In the midst of all of this, it is imperative that we speak messages of love over hate, compassion over ignorance, tolerance over intolerance. We need to pray for those who are hurting, those who are lost. We need to be lights in this world that is growing increasingly dark.
If any of you reading this have children, hug them tonight, and hug them often. Tell them you love them, and tell them often. Be a friend. Be a shoulder. Be a light. Our country simply cannot go on like this. It just can't.
To speak lightly of The Hobbit, Bilbo sacrifices everything to join a company of dwarves. Towards the end of the movie, Thorin asks Bilbo why he returned. Bilbo notes that yes, they do doubt him, but he has a home. He has a life that he often thinks of. The dwarves don't have any of that. But, in probably one of the most beautifully written scenes, Bilbo swears that he will help the dwarves reclaim their home.
Today, many people have lost everything. We should all have a little bit of Bilbo in us; reaching out and helping to those in need. We will be praying for those affected and we pray that any who read this will do the same. <3
We got home today and were shocked, saddened, by the news of yet another school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. 26 people are dead, and at least 18 of them are children, all between the ages of 5-10. There really are no words to describe this type of tragic loss. It's simply deplorable and unimaginable. Besides the words that we are typing today, we are simply speechless.
We're just saddened by this. Literally, our hearts are hurting. Why would somebody do something like this?
The President just finished speaking. Today, I didn't see our country's leader. I saw someone just like us: wondering how in the world someone can do this. He spoke as a father.
In the midst of all of this, it is imperative that we speak messages of love over hate, compassion over ignorance, tolerance over intolerance. We need to pray for those who are hurting, those who are lost. We need to be lights in this world that is growing increasingly dark.
If any of you reading this have children, hug them tonight, and hug them often. Tell them you love them, and tell them often. Be a friend. Be a shoulder. Be a light. Our country simply cannot go on like this. It just can't.
To speak lightly of The Hobbit, Bilbo sacrifices everything to join a company of dwarves. Towards the end of the movie, Thorin asks Bilbo why he returned. Bilbo notes that yes, they do doubt him, but he has a home. He has a life that he often thinks of. The dwarves don't have any of that. But, in probably one of the most beautifully written scenes, Bilbo swears that he will help the dwarves reclaim their home.
Today, many people have lost everything. We should all have a little bit of Bilbo in us; reaching out and helping to those in need. We will be praying for those affected and we pray that any who read this will do the same. <3
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Why we are so excited about The Hobbit (AKA Tomorrow night!!)
Kelly: As you all know, Holly and I entered the Tolkien fandom rather late in life...as in this summer to be exact. This time tomorrow, we will be in Lexington awaiting to see The Hobbit movie at midnight!!! We are SO EXCITED! Now, here's a bit of news as to why we are excited.
*I am in love with the story line. If you haven't yet, PLEASE read the book! I've read it twice! P.S. If you want to borrow it from us let us know as we have a copy. It is such a terrific tail of an unlikely hero who gathers with unlikely friends and goes on an unlikely journey in his life. He doesn't know it at the time, but this journey is pivotal in the life of Bilbo Baggins. I cannot wait to see this pivotal journey on the bigscreen.
* Martin Freeman!!!!!!! Need I say more? I have really enjoyed learning about him more as an actor and from reading interviews he got into the storyline late too, just like us. I encourage you, all of you, to see some of his other work. We particularly like his work in Sherlock, but there are others of his we like too :] (Um...that's a lie. We pretty much like everything he's in. Hi Martin, we're not psycho, we swear. Let's have tea sometime. ~Holly)
* Since we started into the Middle Earth journey so late, we missed out on seeing LOTR on the big screens. In fact, we saw the extended edition DVD's before we even read the books! Never saw them in theaters; we were 13 when Return of the King came out into the theaters. So yeah. This is our first Tolkien trilogy we are seeing on the big screen! And yes we are going to go all out!!! Better late than never, eh?
* If you really pay attention to some common themes, there are some Christian themes. I know!! It's not just about kicking butt, killing orcs and being invaded by dwarves. There's love, friendship, compassion and grace intertwined into the souls of the pages and the lives of the characters! To me it reflects Tolkien's character as well. So yes. This is why I'm excited about it. I hope you all get to enjoy it as much as we will! :]
Holly: FAR OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVER, THE MISTY MOUNTAINS COOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDD!!!!!
Sorry. I'm a bit slap-happy. I'm sure you can figure out why. :D
And I completely agree with all of what Kelly said. Mostly I'm excited because of the experience of Middle Earth in the form of theatrical premieres. We entered this fandom recently and later in life. We weren't the fans who grew up with the books and movies, or had parents who did the same. We didn't even watch the movies and read the books until a few months ago. And we completely missed the Lord of the Rings trilogy and all the hype surrounding it. Now we're going to be getting a little taste of what that's about, and it's pretty exciting. And we get to enjoy it with two of our rockin' awesome friends. And Martin Freeman, of course. He's lovely.
We watched the live stream of the London premiere this afternoon, and during an interview the guy asked Martin Freeman to give a message to all the fans who were watching from all over the world. He said "I dare you to be disappointed." I know I won't be. So many people have waited months, even years, heck, some probably even their whole lives, to see Bilbo Baggins on his grand adventure with the baker's dozen of dwarves come to life on the big screen. For me, the anticipation has been unreal. I'm looking forward to a return trip to Middle Earth. The anticipation is insane, the fandom is going crazy. I'm so ready!
Below are a few pictures I've collected over the last few months. Enjoy.
*I am in love with the story line. If you haven't yet, PLEASE read the book! I've read it twice! P.S. If you want to borrow it from us let us know as we have a copy. It is such a terrific tail of an unlikely hero who gathers with unlikely friends and goes on an unlikely journey in his life. He doesn't know it at the time, but this journey is pivotal in the life of Bilbo Baggins. I cannot wait to see this pivotal journey on the bigscreen.
* Martin Freeman!!!!!!! Need I say more? I have really enjoyed learning about him more as an actor and from reading interviews he got into the storyline late too, just like us. I encourage you, all of you, to see some of his other work. We particularly like his work in Sherlock, but there are others of his we like too :] (Um...that's a lie. We pretty much like everything he's in. Hi Martin, we're not psycho, we swear. Let's have tea sometime. ~Holly)
* Since we started into the Middle Earth journey so late, we missed out on seeing LOTR on the big screens. In fact, we saw the extended edition DVD's before we even read the books! Never saw them in theaters; we were 13 when Return of the King came out into the theaters. So yeah. This is our first Tolkien trilogy we are seeing on the big screen! And yes we are going to go all out!!! Better late than never, eh?
* If you really pay attention to some common themes, there are some Christian themes. I know!! It's not just about kicking butt, killing orcs and being invaded by dwarves. There's love, friendship, compassion and grace intertwined into the souls of the pages and the lives of the characters! To me it reflects Tolkien's character as well. So yes. This is why I'm excited about it. I hope you all get to enjoy it as much as we will! :]
Holly: FAR OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVER, THE MISTY MOUNTAINS COOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDD!!!!!
Sorry. I'm a bit slap-happy. I'm sure you can figure out why. :D
And I completely agree with all of what Kelly said. Mostly I'm excited because of the experience of Middle Earth in the form of theatrical premieres. We entered this fandom recently and later in life. We weren't the fans who grew up with the books and movies, or had parents who did the same. We didn't even watch the movies and read the books until a few months ago. And we completely missed the Lord of the Rings trilogy and all the hype surrounding it. Now we're going to be getting a little taste of what that's about, and it's pretty exciting. And we get to enjoy it with two of our rockin' awesome friends. And Martin Freeman, of course. He's lovely.
We watched the live stream of the London premiere this afternoon, and during an interview the guy asked Martin Freeman to give a message to all the fans who were watching from all over the world. He said "I dare you to be disappointed." I know I won't be. So many people have waited months, even years, heck, some probably even their whole lives, to see Bilbo Baggins on his grand adventure with the baker's dozen of dwarves come to life on the big screen. For me, the anticipation has been unreal. I'm looking forward to a return trip to Middle Earth. The anticipation is insane, the fandom is going crazy. I'm so ready!
Below are a few pictures I've collected over the last few months. Enjoy.
Monday, December 10, 2012
AND...in the spirit of all things Christmas, our favorite Christmas flick is...............
Holly: This one!
So the IMDB is a little weak in terms of a plot, description, what have you, but the basic gist of it is a Scroogy failed-actor-turned-primary-school-teacher, Mr. Maddens, who gets suckered in to directing the school's nativity play. In the midst of all of that he gets bombarded by his childish, highly immature (but hilarious) teaching assistant, Mr. Poppy. It's basically doomed to fail on all accounts, especially when Mr. Maddens begins this intricate web of lies (in order to impress his fellow teacher rival, Gordon Shakespeare, who's absurdly full of himself) circling around his ex-girlfriend Hollywood producer flying herself and her crew out to watch their nativity play. The blowing up of the lies begetting lies and lies growing and growing and Mr. Maddens getting himself into deeper and deeper hot water is what makes most of the humor.
So you're reading this and probably thinking, Gee, Holly, well that sounds all fine and dandy, but why is it your FAVORITE Christmas movie? I mean, there's so many other good ones out there!!!!
Yes. That is true. But I....well, we....have a couple reasons. The main one for me is because in the beginning of the movie, Mr. Maddens has absolutely no hope: in Christmas, in his students, in himself for doing a good job of directing, in Mr. Poppy. As the movie progresses we learn he's still in love with his ex-girlfriend, even traveling great lengths to put his heart and the hearts of his students on the line. As the movie progresses the students go from not believing in themselves, not thinking they can do anything, to "sparkling and shining" and redeeming the lost cause that their school once was. And wishing the absolute BEST for their teacher that they love so dearly and admire. My recommendation is this: watch the movie. It will make you cry. And it will definitely make you laugh and warm your heart.
Kelly: On top of what was already said, I have nothing really to add. What I get from this movie is quite simple. There's one part where Mr. Maddens has just spoken to an unsure student about wanting to participate in the play because she didn't want to wear "a stupid costume." After he sends her off to lunch, he stumbles upon "Christmas post" in which the students write letters to Santa asking what they want for Christmas. A few of them are traditional things like this and that. As he continues to read them, more and more of them say along the lines of "I just want Mr. Maddens to be happy." He gets quite emotional by the end and once he walks back into the auditorium the passion just lights up. These same students that he called "useless" in the beginning of the movie still want nothing but the absolute best for him. And that's just awesome. I feel we should always feel that same way towards all people, even those who have wronged us any way or have said we're useless. Even if that person is ourselves.
Then there's Mr. Poppy. Despite receiving constant criticism for his over-the-top behavior and enthusiasm, he continues to do that and then some. I consider myself to be like Mr. Poppy at times. Here's what I mean; today I received a comment from one of my clinical instructors that said "I wish that everyone was as cheerful and enthusiastic as you are." It just goes to show you that when you carry that sort of attitude, like me, like Mr. Poppy, though it doesn't seem like it at times people do notice. And they appreciate it. Lastly, what else I get from this movie is of course the fact that Martin Freeman is in it! He has easily become one of my favorite actors and to me is more than just Tim from the Office or soon-to-be none other than Bilbo Baggins himself. I think we so often forget that actors, despite their various roles, are regular people too and live regular lives just like you and I. Since Martin has become one of my faves, I've brought it upon myself to see him in more of his work. I really do appreciate him more as an actor and as a person! So yes, I will close by saying, definitely watch this movie. It really is gold as far as Christmas movies go!
***Holly adds her actor/actress worship pet peeve/rant: Because I've read interviews, etc, and they don't like that. For example, Kelly and I like Martin Freeman, and we've seen a lot of his work, and I've read interviews with him and he said at one point he got really tired of hearing "Tim!!" being shouted in the streets. While I love the character Tim from The Office, that's not who they are. Actors and actresses aren't defined by their characters; they're defined by THEIR character. They're ordinary people, just like you and me, who just happen to be spectacularly good at their jobs and also...they love what they do. I challenge you: if you have a favorite actor/actress, watch their other works (besides the one work that made you fall in love with him/her). Your opinion will change. //end rant***
So the IMDB is a little weak in terms of a plot, description, what have you, but the basic gist of it is a Scroogy failed-actor-turned-primary-school-teacher, Mr. Maddens, who gets suckered in to directing the school's nativity play. In the midst of all of that he gets bombarded by his childish, highly immature (but hilarious) teaching assistant, Mr. Poppy. It's basically doomed to fail on all accounts, especially when Mr. Maddens begins this intricate web of lies (in order to impress his fellow teacher rival, Gordon Shakespeare, who's absurdly full of himself) circling around his ex-girlfriend Hollywood producer flying herself and her crew out to watch their nativity play. The blowing up of the lies begetting lies and lies growing and growing and Mr. Maddens getting himself into deeper and deeper hot water is what makes most of the humor.
So you're reading this and probably thinking, Gee, Holly, well that sounds all fine and dandy, but why is it your FAVORITE Christmas movie? I mean, there's so many other good ones out there!!!!
Yes. That is true. But I....well, we....have a couple reasons. The main one for me is because in the beginning of the movie, Mr. Maddens has absolutely no hope: in Christmas, in his students, in himself for doing a good job of directing, in Mr. Poppy. As the movie progresses we learn he's still in love with his ex-girlfriend, even traveling great lengths to put his heart and the hearts of his students on the line. As the movie progresses the students go from not believing in themselves, not thinking they can do anything, to "sparkling and shining" and redeeming the lost cause that their school once was. And wishing the absolute BEST for their teacher that they love so dearly and admire. My recommendation is this: watch the movie. It will make you cry. And it will definitely make you laugh and warm your heart.
Kelly: On top of what was already said, I have nothing really to add. What I get from this movie is quite simple. There's one part where Mr. Maddens has just spoken to an unsure student about wanting to participate in the play because she didn't want to wear "a stupid costume." After he sends her off to lunch, he stumbles upon "Christmas post" in which the students write letters to Santa asking what they want for Christmas. A few of them are traditional things like this and that. As he continues to read them, more and more of them say along the lines of "I just want Mr. Maddens to be happy." He gets quite emotional by the end and once he walks back into the auditorium the passion just lights up. These same students that he called "useless" in the beginning of the movie still want nothing but the absolute best for him. And that's just awesome. I feel we should always feel that same way towards all people, even those who have wronged us any way or have said we're useless. Even if that person is ourselves.
Then there's Mr. Poppy. Despite receiving constant criticism for his over-the-top behavior and enthusiasm, he continues to do that and then some. I consider myself to be like Mr. Poppy at times. Here's what I mean; today I received a comment from one of my clinical instructors that said "I wish that everyone was as cheerful and enthusiastic as you are." It just goes to show you that when you carry that sort of attitude, like me, like Mr. Poppy, though it doesn't seem like it at times people do notice. And they appreciate it. Lastly, what else I get from this movie is of course the fact that Martin Freeman is in it! He has easily become one of my favorite actors and to me is more than just Tim from the Office or soon-to-be none other than Bilbo Baggins himself. I think we so often forget that actors, despite their various roles, are regular people too and live regular lives just like you and I. Since Martin has become one of my faves, I've brought it upon myself to see him in more of his work. I really do appreciate him more as an actor and as a person! So yes, I will close by saying, definitely watch this movie. It really is gold as far as Christmas movies go!
***Holly adds her actor/actress worship pet peeve/rant: Because I've read interviews, etc, and they don't like that. For example, Kelly and I like Martin Freeman, and we've seen a lot of his work, and I've read interviews with him and he said at one point he got really tired of hearing "Tim!!" being shouted in the streets. While I love the character Tim from The Office, that's not who they are. Actors and actresses aren't defined by their characters; they're defined by THEIR character. They're ordinary people, just like you and me, who just happen to be spectacularly good at their jobs and also...they love what they do. I challenge you: if you have a favorite actor/actress, watch their other works (besides the one work that made you fall in love with him/her). Your opinion will change. //end rant***
Sunday, December 2, 2012
You see, but you do not observe
Kelly: This phrase has been a topic of discussion for quite some time now between Holly and I. I first heard this phrase for the first time in an episode of Sherlock in which many question how he reaches his many conclusions based on his deductions. His reply: "I observe. You see but you do not observe." The more I think about this phrase the more I try to go throughout my day observing rather than just seeing.
Now what do I mean by that? Today in church the topic of discussion was focused on seeing God's plan as a big picture. We may not see the whole picture rather maybe just a piece of the puzzle. We cry out for God to change one small part of our life but completely disregard what else is going on in our lives. Then we miss it. We've missed the bigger picture right there. We focused on one part (seeing) but like I said just forgot what else He has in store for us (observing). So my mini challenge for a while is this; observe. Observe what goes on around us. Yes, we have eyes that see wonders anew. But it's not our role as Christians to simply watch the world go by and be passive. It's not our role to assume that others will "pick up the slack" so to speak while once again we stand on the sidelines and "pray for the will to be done." Observing takes time, effort and patience. It's not a light switch; it won't happen overnight. But in order to observe what is going on around us one has to make a conscious effort to do so. I like what I see on a daily basis; imagine where God could take us if we LET Him open our eyes wider for observations!
Holly: I narrow down "seeing and observing" into two simple words: pay attention! I think seeing is just a conceptual thing...something you do with your eyes. "I see you" is a classic example. Observations go beyond what our eyes see: making a note to do something and then actually following through with it, remembering tasks that go on in your daily lives, being outside and taking in not just the sights but the sounds, smells, textures. If you just "see" one thing, then I think you completely miss the big picture. You miss it.
An example from my life: My last semester of college (and I'm certain many of you up-and-coming grads can also attest to this), my mantra was "I cannot WAIT to graduate! I cannot WAIT to be done!!!" Yes, college was challenging. But it was my last semester, and I greatly treasured my memories of my time at Berea and I vowed to do my best to make every moment count. I did more, saw more, laughed more, made more memories, all because I chose to go beyond the scope of the small of it all. **I would also like to point out that now that I'm almost 7 months out from graduation, I terribly miss Berea. All of it. So be careful what you wish for.**
Observe. Take in everything, not just what you can immediately see.
Now what do I mean by that? Today in church the topic of discussion was focused on seeing God's plan as a big picture. We may not see the whole picture rather maybe just a piece of the puzzle. We cry out for God to change one small part of our life but completely disregard what else is going on in our lives. Then we miss it. We've missed the bigger picture right there. We focused on one part (seeing) but like I said just forgot what else He has in store for us (observing). So my mini challenge for a while is this; observe. Observe what goes on around us. Yes, we have eyes that see wonders anew. But it's not our role as Christians to simply watch the world go by and be passive. It's not our role to assume that others will "pick up the slack" so to speak while once again we stand on the sidelines and "pray for the will to be done." Observing takes time, effort and patience. It's not a light switch; it won't happen overnight. But in order to observe what is going on around us one has to make a conscious effort to do so. I like what I see on a daily basis; imagine where God could take us if we LET Him open our eyes wider for observations!
Holly: I narrow down "seeing and observing" into two simple words: pay attention! I think seeing is just a conceptual thing...something you do with your eyes. "I see you" is a classic example. Observations go beyond what our eyes see: making a note to do something and then actually following through with it, remembering tasks that go on in your daily lives, being outside and taking in not just the sights but the sounds, smells, textures. If you just "see" one thing, then I think you completely miss the big picture. You miss it.
An example from my life: My last semester of college (and I'm certain many of you up-and-coming grads can also attest to this), my mantra was "I cannot WAIT to graduate! I cannot WAIT to be done!!!" Yes, college was challenging. But it was my last semester, and I greatly treasured my memories of my time at Berea and I vowed to do my best to make every moment count. I did more, saw more, laughed more, made more memories, all because I chose to go beyond the scope of the small of it all. **I would also like to point out that now that I'm almost 7 months out from graduation, I terribly miss Berea. All of it. So be careful what you wish for.**
Observe. Take in everything, not just what you can immediately see.
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