Drawn Together, a "reality" cartoon series. Not recommended for people with any sort of weak constitutions (physical or ethical). Preferably keep away from small animals.
This is the most offensive show I've ever seen (offensive in a good way, that is) where no barrier is taboo, no PCness survives and no punches are pulled. I'm surprised it even made it to air, when relatively harmless shows like Invader Zim get canned. Well, this is one of those cartoons that don't show before 10pm. It's also probably one of the funniest satires out there - although it parodies itself more often than not. And it's pretty much the strangest show ever at times. Bizarre. There is no end to hyperbola when it comes to describing it.
The one with the retarded cousin was funny. The clum babies were gross though.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Another week bites the dust
Wow, so much for posting every day. Being an orientation leader really takes it out of you (it being any real desire for proactivity and engagement with the world) , but it's alot of fun and at the end of the day I'll get a nice fat lump sum in my account, a nice fat block on my CV and the satisfaction of another bunch of impressionable kids idolising me. So, a normal month. ;)
Actually got to role-play this afternoon, and had a very wild and wacky session, with people getting shot in the back and held to ransom, amongst other adventures. One player was mostly asleep (no names mentioned), one was lacking a voice and two argued intently about the pros and cons of swearing oaths. Aside for that, some actual gaming also happened. A character died a noble death, and another was suspected of being an evil henchman - come on, the only reason was his glowing black eyes! Discrimination, I say! A large scuffle ensued at one point, when a thoroughly insulted lord asked his soldiers to remove the characters, by force if necessary. And - of course - force was necessary. But Farador, Hallas, Deorgar and Idrael (AKA Fifi) emerged largely unscathed and successful. But the mystery is starting to deepen (mwahaha) and soon it's going to get messy.
Oh, and I don't recommend Blood Diamond to casual movie-goers, small kids, mall-rats, pregnant women or anyone who likes their evening naps. It's very horrible and stark and excellently portrayed, but I'd be hard-pressed to call it enjoyable. Maybe poignant is a better word. Leo diCap makes a good attempt at saying 'lekker' and 'ya' a lot, and Djimon Hounsou - yet again - plays the role of the lead African (his ethnicity never seems to be a barrier) but he's great to watch so no complaints. And it's always fun to see CT on screen. Think twice about this being a first date flick though.
Actually got to role-play this afternoon, and had a very wild and wacky session, with people getting shot in the back and held to ransom, amongst other adventures. One player was mostly asleep (no names mentioned), one was lacking a voice and two argued intently about the pros and cons of swearing oaths. Aside for that, some actual gaming also happened. A character died a noble death, and another was suspected of being an evil henchman - come on, the only reason was his glowing black eyes! Discrimination, I say! A large scuffle ensued at one point, when a thoroughly insulted lord asked his soldiers to remove the characters, by force if necessary. And - of course - force was necessary. But Farador, Hallas, Deorgar and Idrael (AKA Fifi) emerged largely unscathed and successful. But the mystery is starting to deepen (mwahaha) and soon it's going to get messy.
Oh, and I don't recommend Blood Diamond to casual movie-goers, small kids, mall-rats, pregnant women or anyone who likes their evening naps. It's very horrible and stark and excellently portrayed, but I'd be hard-pressed to call it enjoyable. Maybe poignant is a better word. Leo diCap makes a good attempt at saying 'lekker' and 'ya' a lot, and Djimon Hounsou - yet again - plays the role of the lead African (his ethnicity never seems to be a barrier) but he's great to watch so no complaints. And it's always fun to see CT on screen. Think twice about this being a first date flick though.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
And this is the library...
After a eek and a half of training, me and my fellow Orientation Leaders are about to embark on a voyage of discovery... in other words, we're actually getting some students in tomorrow! Now, this is all very exciting. We've worked very hard coming up with random skits about 'diversity' (OL code for discrimination) and 'safety' (code for - well, saftey). Plus we dance a lot, and go 'YAAAaaaAAAaAaY!!!' a lot. It's fun, in an 'inner child' kind of way.
So I'm going to be up at 6am tomorrow, rounding up first-years and generally making asses of them while remaining cool myself. Can't wait for all the idolising! ;) I'll keep the blog posted (sleep permitting) on all the fun trivia. For now, everything's practiced, the folders are packed, the music's ready and everyone's nerves are firing. Good times.
So I'm going to be up at 6am tomorrow, rounding up first-years and generally making asses of them while remaining cool myself. Can't wait for all the idolising! ;) I'll keep the blog posted (sleep permitting) on all the fun trivia. For now, everything's practiced, the folders are packed, the music's ready and everyone's nerves are firing. Good times.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Yawn
Hi again, faithful readers!
Still trying to recover the extra hours I stayed awake for on New Year's. I'll write something about that when the inspiration strikes, and about the seriously depressing but very awesome Flags of our Fathers. And I just found out that the movie Paris, Je t'aime is finally coming to SA! Also, more on that when i jumpstart my brain again. See? Lots to look forward to! ;)
Still trying to recover the extra hours I stayed awake for on New Year's. I'll write something about that when the inspiration strikes, and about the seriously depressing but very awesome Flags of our Fathers. And I just found out that the movie Paris, Je t'aime is finally coming to SA! Also, more on that when i jumpstart my brain again. See? Lots to look forward to! ;)
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Stephan!
Steph is a cool guy. He is my friend. He has red hair. He is funny. He really wanted to be blogged about. As this is the season of getting your wishes fulfilled...
Here he is! Stephan, Stephan, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can! :D
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Success!
Yes! Finally! I did it! :D I beat BG2: Throne of Bhaal.
This is a big deal. It's taken me at least four abortive attempts to kill one annoying mage who with his dying breath becomes a dragon and pwns my party. But I killed him, and all the other 'big bosses' were a breeze. Ariandre finally laid eyes on that warm and fuzzy part of Hell where the throne of Bhaal (Lord of Murder aka dad) is located! And she wiped the molten gravelly floor with the arse of an annoying pretender to power, upon which she was given a choice: become the god of death and killing things (but in a good way) OR go back to being a mortal with your pansy boyfriend and the hamster guy. Well, what's love compared to an immortality of governing the underworld, I ask! See ya Anomen, don't trip on the lava boulders on your way out!
What a sad feeling somehow, I think as eternities pass by, to have finally finished Baldur's Gate in all its incarnations (for PC). Well, there's high replay value. And there's Elder Scrolls. And NWN2 is out! Maybe not such a problem actually? ;)
Now I just need a PC upgrade. Hasten, 21st birthday! I implore!
This is a big deal. It's taken me at least four abortive attempts to kill one annoying mage who with his dying breath becomes a dragon and pwns my party. But I killed him, and all the other 'big bosses' were a breeze. Ariandre finally laid eyes on that warm and fuzzy part of Hell where the throne of Bhaal (Lord of Murder aka dad) is located! And she wiped the molten gravelly floor with the arse of an annoying pretender to power, upon which she was given a choice: become the god of death and killing things (but in a good way) OR go back to being a mortal with your pansy boyfriend and the hamster guy. Well, what's love compared to an immortality of governing the underworld, I ask! See ya Anomen, don't trip on the lava boulders on your way out!
What a sad feeling somehow, I think as eternities pass by, to have finally finished Baldur's Gate in all its incarnations (for PC). Well, there's high replay value. And there's Elder Scrolls. And NWN2 is out! Maybe not such a problem actually? ;)
Now I just need a PC upgrade. Hasten, 21st birthday! I implore!
T minus three days...
All the shopping is done, the tree is up, the food's been cooked, the presents wrapped, the plans made, the decorations sorted... Everything's completely ready for Christmas. What's going on? That's not supposed to happen! What about early 24th last minute prez-shopping? What about botched menus? What about having to wait another hour coz the gifts haven't all been wrapped and tagged? Where's the excitement??? Will I have to while away the time watching Christmas flick reruns? This is too many questions to be asking.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Reise, reise...
Whew, back from camping! After last years 'couples trip from hell', this time was surprisingly tame. The only debaucherous occurrence was some skinny-dipping and general nakedness, but only once and only in the deep darkness of the African bush (well, maybe a few torches). No serious sunburns, no huge arguments (except the food issue, but that was before we left), no strangers making out (tho Frase and I were keeping an eye out), no insane drunkenness, no special herbs... In fact, the only uncouth element was the heinous state of our camping spot, which I blame entirely on other people. :P
Beaverlac is a beautiful place to camp, and really close to town, as these things go. Except, the roads are awful at some points (many complaints were heard) so it takes a while to get there. The camping spot was nice, with enough shade to go round and a little shop that sold booze and wood and other edibles. The scenery was great when it wasn't too hot out, and the swimming lakes were awesome. It was a special treat to sit out on the rocks in the near-pitch darkness and watch the stars twinkle overhead (when people weren't shining torches in your face...). In all a fun trip with nothing eventful at all happening. Maybe a good thing?
Beaverlac is a beautiful place to camp, and really close to town, as these things go. Except, the roads are awful at some points (many complaints were heard) so it takes a while to get there. The camping spot was nice, with enough shade to go round and a little shop that sold booze and wood and other edibles. The scenery was great when it wasn't too hot out, and the swimming lakes were awesome. It was a special treat to sit out on the rocks in the near-pitch darkness and watch the stars twinkle overhead (when people weren't shining torches in your face...). In all a fun trip with nothing eventful at all happening. Maybe a good thing?
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Celandine
Lying in bed all day does luckily have some benefits, one of which is virtually unlimited reading time!
In two days I raced through Celandine by Steve Augarde. Technically it's a children's book, but like all good kids' literature, it's enjoyable for everyone. It centers around a young girl, Celandine, who runs away from an evil boarding school to live with faeries that inhabit the wild forest on her parents' farm. These aren't tinkerbell faeries though; they're strange, dark, suspicious and completely foreign. In fact, the whole book is very dark and filled with sombre themes like death, loneliness, fear and betrayal. There are very few jolly moments, but a few sentimental ones
The plot is pretty straightforward, if a bit slow-paced, the characters remain steady and the writing flows effortlessly from page to page. While most readers will be a step ahead of the protagonist (she's 12, after all), this doesn't interfere with the general enjoyableness of the story. The world draws you in through it's uniqueness, consistency and depth. It's the kind of book that makes you want to read just one more chapter before putting it down.
Celandine is the second book in the Various trilogy, but it's virtually a stand-alone book. While there is the obligatory running mystery that's left unsolved, it isn't one that'll cost you much sleep at night. The main story is resolved quite nicely, in fact. But of course you want to know what happens to your favourite characters, and I for one am eagerly awaiting book three.
If you like your faeries dark and ambiguous, your protagonists miserable and your story and setting imaginative, you'll probably like Celandine. It's quick, easy reading that pulls you along, and the occasional illustrations bring a touch of elegance to the text. It's a great entertaining book, even if your mom doesn't read it to you! ;)
In two days I raced through Celandine by Steve Augarde. Technically it's a children's book, but like all good kids' literature, it's enjoyable for everyone. It centers around a young girl, Celandine, who runs away from an evil boarding school to live with faeries that inhabit the wild forest on her parents' farm. These aren't tinkerbell faeries though; they're strange, dark, suspicious and completely foreign. In fact, the whole book is very dark and filled with sombre themes like death, loneliness, fear and betrayal. There are very few jolly moments, but a few sentimental ones
The plot is pretty straightforward, if a bit slow-paced, the characters remain steady and the writing flows effortlessly from page to page. While most readers will be a step ahead of the protagonist (she's 12, after all), this doesn't interfere with the general enjoyableness of the story. The world draws you in through it's uniqueness, consistency and depth. It's the kind of book that makes you want to read just one more chapter before putting it down.
Celandine is the second book in the Various trilogy, but it's virtually a stand-alone book. While there is the obligatory running mystery that's left unsolved, it isn't one that'll cost you much sleep at night. The main story is resolved quite nicely, in fact. But of course you want to know what happens to your favourite characters, and I for one am eagerly awaiting book three.
If you like your faeries dark and ambiguous, your protagonists miserable and your story and setting imaginative, you'll probably like Celandine. It's quick, easy reading that pulls you along, and the occasional illustrations bring a touch of elegance to the text. It's a great entertaining book, even if your mom doesn't read it to you! ;)
Monday, December 11, 2006
Do you trust your doctor...
to do what's best for you, or what's best for them?
I'm currently labouring under one hell of a throat infection, and when I went to see my doctor she pulled out the dreaded prescription notepad and promptly signed me up for some antibiotics. Every single time I've been to the doctor, I've been told to take antibiotics. Granted, I don't see her for every flu and ache - maybe a sum total of twice or thrice a year. But every time it's the same story. So I got to thinking, do we really need these antibiotics for every illness imaginable, or is it simply the easiest and most reassuring medication to give?
A brief googling told me that my concerns were well founded. Every medical website I consulted on the subject said that, in no uncertain terms, that there were very few 'common illnesses' that could be cured with antibiotics. Mostly because flus, infections and such come from viruses rather than bacteria. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses whatsoever. They won't cure your cold, no matter how much you're made to believe the contrary. In fact, if overused for every little ailment, antibiotics do much more harm than good: they make your cells resistant to their effects, making any subsequent bacterial illness much harder to cure and requiring stronger doses to get the job done; eventually a vicious cycle comes to being, and bacteria mutate and become immune to the effects of these drugs. The version I'm taking (for what I think is legitimately a bacterial infection ;) ) combats a whole list of 'resistant' bacteria strains.
I wonder, now, if it's simply become common practice for doctors to prescribe antibiotics for everything because that's what people expect, and because it's become habit. Thanks, Mr Flemming, because after all your discovery was a huge leap in medicine. Now, could someone go out and find a cure for viruses; like, to start off with, the common cold? Doesn't seem like too much to ask. ;)
I'm currently labouring under one hell of a throat infection, and when I went to see my doctor she pulled out the dreaded prescription notepad and promptly signed me up for some antibiotics. Every single time I've been to the doctor, I've been told to take antibiotics. Granted, I don't see her for every flu and ache - maybe a sum total of twice or thrice a year. But every time it's the same story. So I got to thinking, do we really need these antibiotics for every illness imaginable, or is it simply the easiest and most reassuring medication to give?
A brief googling told me that my concerns were well founded. Every medical website I consulted on the subject said that, in no uncertain terms, that there were very few 'common illnesses' that could be cured with antibiotics. Mostly because flus, infections and such come from viruses rather than bacteria. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses whatsoever. They won't cure your cold, no matter how much you're made to believe the contrary. In fact, if overused for every little ailment, antibiotics do much more harm than good: they make your cells resistant to their effects, making any subsequent bacterial illness much harder to cure and requiring stronger doses to get the job done; eventually a vicious cycle comes to being, and bacteria mutate and become immune to the effects of these drugs. The version I'm taking (for what I think is legitimately a bacterial infection ;) ) combats a whole list of 'resistant' bacteria strains.
I wonder, now, if it's simply become common practice for doctors to prescribe antibiotics for everything because that's what people expect, and because it's become habit. Thanks, Mr Flemming, because after all your discovery was a huge leap in medicine. Now, could someone go out and find a cure for viruses; like, to start off with, the common cold? Doesn't seem like too much to ask. ;)
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