GURLS

So, recently I've been watching a new show that premiered this spring on HBO called "Girls". The season is over at this point, after a ten episode run, and I literally just finished the finale two minutes ago. I didn't get a chance to watch it when it first aired because, well, Mad Men was on at the same time. Priorities, yo. So, whilst on couch-cation (vacation, only staying on your couch) I decided I would give it a try.

Turns out, it's pretty good.

The show is the result of collaboration between uber-talented Lena Dunham and Judd Apatow. Until the show I never heard of Lena, but apparently she's been around the independent film circuit as actor, writer and director. In addition to writing and directing the show, Lena plays Hannah Horvath, an awkward aspiring writer who's basically cut off by her parents, who have been supporting her financially since her graduation from college. She's got three friends, Marnie (Allison Williams) her slightly prissy, very pretty roommate; Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) the sheltered, extremely awkward, friend and finally, Jessa (Jemima Kirke) the worldly, elegant British cousin to Shoshanna. Aaaaand of course, there's the "boyfriend" Adam.

So, reminds us of another HBO show about for gals in the city making their own way, having sex their own way and dressing in their own way, right? Exactly. The very first episode makes note of this fact. The producers know their audience is not stupid and can see the similarities between Sex and The City and Girls. The young women in the show have come of age watching Sex and The City and thus inspired, they do the same thing Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte do - go to the city and try to make it. Which is why I like to call it "Hipster Sex and The City" - yeah, lets be honest here - the show takes place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This caused me to look at the show with more than a pinch of derision at first.

Thankfully, the producers were careful to make clear that this is not just another SATC clone. Careful attention is paid to who these girls are and how they live what would be appropriate for someone in their situations. This make the characters far, far more relatable than the SATC ladies.They are closer to me in age, career and hell, even finances. It's nice to see Hannah broke because she's struggling, not be because

she's got $40,000 in designer shoes. I do think her apartment is a little too nicely decorated though. Another thing about the show that gives it so much strength is that each character is intensely, gloriously and painfully flawed. And those flaws are displayed for the world to see. Granted for all these great flaws, all the characters can come off as petty, bitchy and whiny and pretty much unlikeable. I have read more and than one review that has pointed this and other aspects of the show. Get over it. This is what makes the show good and interesting. I like the fact that Jessa is a bit of a bitchy whore, and Marnie has a 10 foot pole up her ass. This makes me want to watch the show to see how the characters will or will not grow and develop.

Of course, this warts and all approach to young life and love in an urban setting is not complete with out copious amounts of good humor. Sometimes, we can't help but watch as Hannah muddles about her job, or Shoshanna is stressing out about the proper "Rules" for dating. I think my favorite character is Adam, for all his bizarre mannerisms, he is quite hilarious. Which gives the show it's charm, I think. Some of the things the characters do and go through are downright odd, but it's so quirky and charming you cannot help but laugh and enjoy. This is all thanks to the amazing writing on the show. The quips and one liners that get bandied about are funny and intelligent and make the show interesting. Does anyone truly speak like this? Of course not, but this is TV not real life and that is why we watch TV. 
::

The season finale left me in a good place with this show. It's nice to end a season and not end up hating a bunch of characters for the numbskull shit they do. Once scene in particular helped endear me a little more towards Ray, the cynical, kind-of-a-jerk guy who works in a coffee shop and came dangerously close to becoming hipster cliche. Truthfully, this show helped me a bit in coming to terms with my own position in life, if not made me feel a little bit better that at my age not everyone has it completely together. This production, to me, embodies the idea that we're still seeking who we are after college. The myth that after graduation a magical switch doesn't get flipped and you suddenly get your shit together. Doesn't work that way, especially in this current economic climate. And that's okay. You do the best you can. I see Hannah struggling with everything and everyone and all the problems she's fallen into and created herself and yet, you're given a sense that everything is going to be okay. It probably won't happen soon, but, at some point it will.

To me, watching a TV show like this gives me hope for more quality programming. I just hope this gets picked up for a second season. Oh, Mighty TV Gods, make it happen!

Until The Next Time I Remember I Have A Blog,
-GG

P.S. First season trailer for you viewing pleasure:

The saddest accessory of them all.

So, keeping in vein with my original idea of this blog to mix girly and geeky I bring you a post on jewelry.

Not just any jewelry - brooches!

And I am hearing the crickets. Regardless, brooches and pins are probably my favorite accessory of all time and probably one of the most over looked. Yes ladies, brooches are not just for Grandma and Ladies Who Lunch anymore.

I tend to wear a ton of swears and cardigans, all year round, summer included. I work in an office, so sometimes it gets pretty chilly in there and I don't know how to work the thermostat. Truthfully, even if I did I wouldn't touch it because I would get my arm ripped off and beaten with it if I even entertained the notion. So, sweaters it is! My general "uniform" consists of work pants, plain nice tee and a cardigan. Blaaaaaaaah. So I dress it up a bit. A nice necklace and earrings and a brooch pinned to the lapel of my blouse or on the cardigan itself.

I tend to normally choose items of clothing and adornment that are different and not your usual. Same goes for my choices in brooches. I like to have a few rules for myself, to keep it in line with who I am and what I like to wear. My criteria:

• Keep it funny, interesting and whimsical
• No over-the-top fake bling
• Nothing too crafty looking
• No badges or button pins

So, that being said, lets take a look at my own personal collection:

This is part of the whole collection. You can see I like a variety of things to stick on myself. The green flower to the left tends to get a lot of compliments. One of my favorites is the owl one, it's actually a vintage puzzle piece I got from Etsy.

The other side of the picture above. And yes that is a Mockingjay Pin from The Hunger Games. I love this one because it's nice enough to wear at work, but still really cool and shows of my fandom.

This one I got recently, on Mill St. in Bristol, PA at the Mill Street Marketplace, in a basket full of vintage jewelry for a DOLLAR. Anyway, I just really love that it's a DUCK (reminds me of Dooney and Burke's duck), and is pretty unique. Here, I am rocking it on a collar of one of my most loved dresses from my vast shirt dress collection. He looks so nice with the green and blue.

This one is one of my very favorite brooches, for it's "expect the unexpected" feel. Most people who look at it are not expecting an octopus on such a pretty cameo. I got this one at the 2012 Philadelphia Tattoo Convention (side bar: It fucking rocked.) from Mechanique Steampunk (aka Mizz Mechanique).

This one is really special to me because it's vintage costume jewelry from my Great Aunt Andy who set it aside specifically for me before she died. It's so pretty and feminine, I always have to wear it with pastels and embellished cardigans. And of course, I love to wear it because it makes me think of my Andy.

Last but not least of this sampling, RED SPARKLY butterfly. This one looks really nice on prints and really most about everything. I was looking specifically for something in red since I lack that color in my jewelry in general. I found it at Rosebush Antiques in Langhorne, PA a HUGANTIC antique store with a tea room! I also really like to pin this one to the knot on the scarf thing attacked to the blouse in the picture. The black and white makes it pop well.







There you have it, some of my fave pieces of jewelry. I tend to find my most liked peices at vintage stores, second hand shops and antique stores, but I don't limit myself to just those places. I also don't wear them all the time, because truthfully, sometimes it doesn't work the outfit or I am over accessorized already. However, I still find brooches to be timeless and perfect for work, casual or formal outfits. Just remember, choose pieces that speak to you and fit to your style and personality.

Untill Next Time I Remember I Have A Blog
-GG

blogs are sooooo....last year.

lol. What Blog? Haven't posted in about a year. Get over it. I'm listening to Queen and all is well in the world.
 :::

Well, really, it's better than just well. This year has been pretty bombastic for me, thus far; my fiancee lost his job back in November, so that was alllll kinds of fun. He's got a new one, so we're getting through. My own career has been moving right along - no promotions or anything, but the usual "here's more responsibilities with no extra pay". But, truthfully, the opportunities that were presented to me can only help me rather than hinder. So, sally forth, I say! Sadly, my geeky nuptials have been postponed, which is fiiiine by me as I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to planning a wedding and flat out refuse to waste money on a Bridal Magazine or time reading froofy wedding blogs and web sites.
::

In the realm of geek, this year has been FANDIDDLYTASTIC. Firstly and foremost, we've got THE AVENGERS. I saw it twice and each time was as good as the first. My fiancee and I basically popped out of our seats when we saw the end (you know what I am talking about). And of course, the very tail end of the movie has given birth to such hilarity as this:

                                                                                                 via::Meme Generator

Personally, I don't know what the hell Shawarma is, but the pictures of it I found on Google don't look too appetizing. Of course, this is coming from someone who believes heart attack bacon cheeseburger rolls are an epicurean delight. 

Anyway, we also had Hunger Games in March, which was pretty amazeballs and Game of Thrones in April. THEN came Diablo III, which I refuse to play because Blizzard trapped me into one vicious addition cycle and I won't fall for it again. NO, I WON'T. Well, that and my computer can't handle it, so tra la la la.

Speaking of video games, I have been playing lots of Skyrim. Nupe, still haven't beaten it, and I am still at like...level 25. Why? Because I keep 'sploring things. Lots of things. I won't do a review on it, since it's already been beaten into the dust. I will comment on this though:  MOUNTED COMBAT. Finally? Yes, I think so.

I haven't tried it yet, but it's about fucking time. For me, the length of time to get off the damn horse to go beat on things was too long. Then, for whatever asinine reason, my horse starts getting in on the action (truthfully, it's kinda funny when your horse gets the kill shot in on a dragon.). And then usually dies. Which is doubly enraging because I have Frost, the named horse you get from this quest. Riften makes me do bad things. I hate when my Frost dies. Because that means reloading, and since I have lost brain cells from copious alcohol consumption, I don't remember to save. 

Anyway, I am looking forward to firing up my Sexy Box to try this bitch out. And Oh, Yes, I have a very Sexy Box indeed:  

My Fiancee actually built this beast from spare parts, and bought a Ruby Red Crystal case from Llamma's and also put in a red LED Whisper Fan and Red LED Kit from Ghost Case. Sweet, huh? Most girls want ruby rings or bracelets. I get Ruby XBox 360 Mods. THAT GLOW. Dalek not included. :P

So, there you have it. My Blog has been resurrected for the third time. Lets see if I made another post.

Week End Round Up!

Awesome shit I found on the internet this week!

1.


::Do not deny a pug food. You will pay for it.





2.


:: This Article about a woman's 127 year old wedding dress from The Daily Mail.


3.

:: NYAN CAT Necklace, courtesy of ShanaLogic.com
(Yes, I did buy it, and it is FABULOUS)


4.

The Story of Bob the Dinosaur

::It's awesome.


And that's all I got! :D

Room in a Box.

I thought this to be fairly interesting. The furniture looks slightly flimsy and bed seriously uncomfortable, but I LOVE the idea! It's like a merging of worlds for people who love IKEA and moving. A lot.

I have Ascended.

Yesterday morning I woke up with the old World of Warcraft loading screen theme in my head, you know, the totally awesome one with the Dark Portal? I thought about reactivating my account, thinking about re-rolling all over again, and playing. The more and more I thought about it, the more and more it seemed like a chore. I would have remember my password for starters, since I can barely remember my own name on a daily basis. Then I would have to go through the agonizing process of patching, patching, patching, as I know I have missed a lot. Then, of course the leveling and the scramble to get on top, or at least as close I could be.

I pushed those thoughts aside and did some yoga, had some coffee, but as I went through out my day, I could not help but think about reactivating my account. Today, I was bored - Ed had control of the TV for some old tymey video gaming, and I put my laptop away. So, with the "awesome gaming computer" waiting for me, I downloaded the trial for Rift. So far, I have played through a minor portion of the starter area, only about maybe an hour or two. My impressions of it are, well, good!

To start, my first complaint is the fact that the trial period is only 7 days. I remember the WoW trial being longer. Ahem. Anyway. So, in Rift, the world Telara is under siege and you as an Ascendant are one of the chosen ones to fight for the world. I liked the opening movie, as I am impressed by flashy lights and pretty colors. So, your first stop is a lot of choices, from which shard to play on (server), to faction (Guardians or Defiant), then race and class. It's pretty standard fare. Having absolutely no knowledge of this game or the story lines, I pretty much closed my eyes and clicked. I ended up choosing a Bahmi Rogue. So, once you get that out of the way, you're dropped into the world. Or, rather, into the world as apparently you find out you were once dead. Like any MMO, you're given tasks, you do them, and you get rewards. Some of the tasks reward you with choices, and these choices are your Soul Attunement, the leveling and class system in the game.

This system is magnificent. The amount of customization is incredible. World of Warcraft's three talent trees and duel class system is a child's toy compared to what this system can do. Even from the beginning you get two "souls" to choose from, and even some helpful suggestions as to which ones could be used together. Altogether you get three souls, along with their branch options and roots. The branches are the points you place yourself and the roots are the standard skills and spells that come along with your levels. So, not only can you build a custom class, you can THEN customize the class to how you want it. For a full listing of all the options, go here.

The graphics are great, and less flashy pants than World of Warcraft, but it's appropriate. You've just been ressurected into a world of turmoil, and your purpose to go fix it. I enjoy the realism and darkness, after almost 5 years of cartoon characters carrying around swords the size of small children. I haven't kicked the graphics up, opting to stay at a lower rate, but even on the low side of things, it still looks pretty. The menu and toolbar are fairly basic, easy to understand for the novice and pro-raider alike.

I haven't played a whole lot of it, but I plan on for the next week as I pay my trial. I have taken advantage of the built in video cap system (also: auto posting to YouTube, posting to Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter of pictures) to post some videos:


I fite with arrows! And a boar-thing!



screwing around in the first main quest area.


and yes, I did recycle my old WoW Mage's name. I am sooooo original. Anyway. I think this has the potential to become the antidote to World of Warcraft burn out. The game is extremely sophisticated from graphics, character customization, and the wide range of class options. The story line and world is engrossing as the game throws you into the action from the very start. It's different though, and coming from WoW, I might be inhibiting myself a little bit as I keep comparing the two, but I can't help it. In two hours, I had a lot of fun playing, but I know I have barely just scratched the surface.

Captain, My Captain.

Shh! Possible spoilers. Don't say I didn't warn you. See, I am being good and channeling River Song!





So, the lovely fiancee and I went to go see Captain America: First Avenger tonight. Now, I am an Iron Man fan. He's the Captain America fan. If you know anything about the Civil War story line in Marvel Comics, you can understand the amount of contention in my household. Fact still remains that I got my movie first, so....nyah.

However, unlike Ed, I am more receptive to other rival superheros. Plus, how can anyone pass up a Marvel movie? I wasn't as super excited, but I ended up feeling quite pleased with the overall effect of the movie and how it fit within the huge overarching ultimate goal that Marvel Studios seems to be working towards: The Avengers. That was the first worry of Captain America - that it would end up feeling like Marvel's first summer offering, Thor. My second worry was how was everything going to tie itself up into one neat little knot within the Avengers? Lastly, would it stand up to the beloved image of Cap in the comics?

Imagine, if you will, one of those friendship bracelets that girls made in the proverbial "back in the day". Think about how they were made, each strand getting knotted around another strand, another and another. Think about how the bracelet would look without one row of knots, with the floss just hanging there, all limp and pathetic. That was the Marvel Movie continuity before Captain America. This movie ties up the knots and makes the friendship bracelet look pretty, and now can be given to Cap's BFF Iron Man. Truly, after quite a few years, Captain America finally bridges the gap between, the highly anticipated Avengers flick and does so without feeling like this effort was tacked on (like Thor).

As a stand alone superhero movie, it was pretty damn awesome. The overall look did quite an excellent job of meshing sci-fi technology with a World War II 1940's style without camp overload. The costumes and running nods to the comics, like Cap's chevron shield, were done in a creative manner that worked fit into the story line. Speaking of which, the story was done so very well. Even though the entrance of the Cosmic Cube was set up at the very tail end of Thor, the writers took something that could have been crap but made into the movie's own possession. Plus, not only does it run with it, but sets up for what I think is going to be the main event of The Avengers Movie (Hi, who did NOT see Loki prancing around with the shiny shiny, then appearing for a split second in the Avengers trailer?). Of course, the movie was peppered with Marvel's cheeky wit and quick jibes between characters.

Also, HYDRA. (Cut off one head, two more shall take it's place.) Who cannot simply LOVE Hugo Weaving as Red Skull? I think he stole the show, with his sweeping long leather coat and sinister looming presence. As a villain, Red Skull is Cap's nemesis, and I really hope he's going to be back in all his evil glory. The final fight scene was done beautifully, with amazing fight coordination and camera angles. The very end of the movie was satisfying, with the right touch of sadness, as now we are painfully aware, Cap is a man 70 years out of his own world.

Lastly, as the Iron Man fangirl, I could not help but just love Howard Stark. Dominic Cooper brought the right amount of RDJ's Tony Stark, but without whacking you over the head with "YES, THIS IS IRON MAN'S DAD". I very much enjoyed Howard and Stark Industries' inclusion, giving a sense history to the Stark family's involvement in important events. Now, I am just wondering who I like better as Tony's dad - Dominic or John Slattery, who was in the Stark Expo short in the Iron Man 2.

In short, my worries were really for nothing. I hate to make comparisons (never mind, I can, it's my own damn blog) but between Captain America and Thor, I get the impression that more thought went into making Captain America into its own movie, not just merely a vehicle to introduce a new Marvel hero and story device for two other movies. Captain America: First Avenger was amazing, well done and thoughtful. It was a joy to watch, the acting spot on, the special effects with enough "wow factor", and action that kept my ADD riddled attention. The best Marvel movie in my opinion? That honor is reserved for Iron Man, but this ranks pretty high. I might change that opinion when The Avengers comes out, so now I wait with anticipation and bated breath.


P.S. There was some outcry over my attire by my friend Mike. He claimed I was not nerding it up enough. I wore my retro style polka dot dress (featured below), with 40's red nails and a red belt. My personal feelings on the matter are that I stayed true to the WWII theme of the movie and got my Andrews Sisters on. Wish I kinda had something with peplum though. Oh well.

P.P.S. I really don't hate Thor. I love Thor. I just think the movie was...lacking.