Time to Switch…
It has been some time since my last entry and that is because the class I was writing this blog for has ended. I’ve learned that I enjoy letting my thoughts known, whether they are accepted or ignored by the reader. And so, I have decided to continue blogging in an entirely new venue. It is true that a blogger should stick to a theme when composing a blog as I have with this one. You will find irony in this statement when you read my new blog as my entries are not themed. I have chosen to write on a personal level, relating portions of my life and thoughts on various subjects. Until I select a new themed blog, you are welcome to follow me on my new blog: http://loquacious1389.wordpress.com/
Thanks for following me, and as always I appreciate feedback.
Cake: My Frenemy
Cake is a moist, delicious, mouth watering treat for some, but not for me. Most people have abrasive comments when they find this fact out about me. “HOW CAN YOU NOT LIKE CAKE?! EVERYONE LOVES CAKE!” Sometimes I wish I could say, “Just kidding! I love cake! Now slap on a huge slice of cake for me.” But I can’t.
Ironically, I love the way it looks. My mouth waters by just looking at a cake. I can watch “Ace of Cakes” for hours and pretend that it will taste delicious. I’m not too sure what my taste buds are thinking. They know they don’t like the way it tastes, yet they crave it. I suppose they just have high expectations, and with constant disappointment, you’d think they would just give up.
As Hayley and I worked on our iMovie about cake, I was able to appreciate the design aspect possibly more than any viewer because I was thinking about the artistic creativity more than how good the cake underneath would taste. My taste preferences didn’t interfere with my ability to complete the project.
Cake can be a piece of art. Perhaps there should be a cake museum. Who wouldn’t want to look at fantastic, artistically designed cakes?
Opinions differ about this design factor, however. Many Lewis University students confirmed that they could care less about how pretty a cake looks because to them, cake is cake. At more formal events like weddings, people appreciate the beauty more because the extravagance exudes a feeling of perfection.
As Carol David, a Lockport cake decorator demonstrated, a lot of skill goes into creating a beautiful yet entirely edible cake. The popularity of extravagantly designed cakes is increasing, perhaps because our society loves the notion of having everything bigger and better.
If this fascination with cake design were carried over into the genre of cookies, I would be a much happier person. I love cookies and would be able to benefit from the taste much more than a designed cake. However, I would appreciate the artistry either way.
If you get a chance to eat a piece of art, take it. Make those calories worth it and eat the most appealing piece of cake that you can find. Be thankful your taste buds love cake!
Cake’s the name, frosting’s my game
“Who wants some cake?”
These are the words you usually hear during celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations among others. It seems to be a traditional staple that most people mark a celebration with.
Some people scarf down their cake like there’s no tomorrow, while others have a greater appreciation for the presentation and design of the dessert. It takes a lot of skill and imagination to make such beautiful, edible pieces of art. Hayley and I are tackling the iMovie project with gusto as we hope to display that cake is more than just a taste bud pleaser; it is an art form.
Hayley’s mom designs cakes at home for celebrations like weddings, birthdays, baby showers, and any event requiring this talented artist to design a personalized cake. Not only do we wish to showcase her finished products, we hope to provide the viewer with an understanding of what goes into creating such beautiful cakes.
Many people will immediately compare these cakes to cakes seen on such TV shows as, “Cake Boss” and “Ace of Cakes.” This comparison will most definitely be highlighted within the iMovie as we discuss that such extravagant cake design as the show’s is done on a local level.
We will visualize the future of cake design. In a world where things are constantly changing, being updated, and advancing, possibly beyond our imaginations, we question how cake design can possibly be reinvented or made more acceptable as an edible art piece.
Lewis students will sound off on their views about cake as a way to make the video more relatable to people of our age. This insertion shines light on the opinions of students who possibly love the taste of cake more than the design, a contradiction to the more sophisticated adult with an interest in the presentation of a cake.
Our iMovie will be an informative, insightful, and mouth watering look into the artistic creativity that goes into the creation of a designed cake.
The Vampire Diaries steps up
I don’t like to jump on the bandwagon for anything, but I’m a hypocrite for following the TV series, “Vampire Diaries.”
Books, TV shows, and movies have latched onto the vampire theme. I won’t lie when I say that I’m intrigued by the new age take on vampires. They have much more depth to them than old time tales had about vampires with no real character traits besides bloodsucking creatures. For some reason, I like finding out that vampires can move really fast, have mind control powers, and are freakishly strong. Until all these recent stories surfaced, who knew vampires could be so interesting?
I’m not an addict, though. I haven’t read any of the “Twilight” books or watched “True Blood.” I ashamedly have seen the “Twilight” movie adaptations and think they are absolutely horrible. But the saving grace of the vampire theme is the CW series, “Vampire Diaries.” It has much better acting and a better storyline than “Twilight.”
This show is one of two shows that I have consistently and purposely followed during the season. As the show has progressed, the strength of the storyline has followed suit.
Paul Wesley does a good job portraying a 162 man trapped inside a 17 year olds body. He is a believable vampire and plays off the air of mystery very well. The lead actress, Nina Dobrev, is fitting for the role and plays it well except when it comes to a romantic connection. In the show, Stefan and Elena are hardly romantically captivating for the audience. As a viewer, I want to believe they are a desirable couple but the portrayal doesn’t convince me. It’s disappointing.
Elena’s best friend, Bonnie, is a witch and it’s an interesting twist in the storyline. It also helps set the TV show apart from the “Twilight” movie, where the vampires are competing against werewolves. The witchcraft taking place in the show is exciting to watch and it helps make the storyline more intricate, as the writers have woven the lives of the vampire and witchery worlds together.
The only remaining criticism I have for the show is when the vampires actually make an attack on a human. The bloodsucking sound effect is ridiculously, yet unintentionally funny. It catches me off guard. When biting a human, the vampires look like dogs hurriedly chomping down their food. This visual makes the vampires appear very savage, which I suppose is an accurate interpretation, but it is also a little bit funny.
I reviewed this show in its beginnings, and as its 11th episode arrives, the original four points I awarded the show in my brownie point system still stands. Congratulations, “Vampire Diaries.” You have served your purpose in satisfying a viewer.
Brownie points I award this show: ••••
•Lame ••Slightly better than lame •••I’ll watch it if nothing better is on
••••I really like this show and so should you! •••••I love it! Possibly more than I love brownies?
Cast: Nina Dobrev (as Elena Gilbert); Ian Somerhalder (as Damon Salvatore); Paul Wesley (as Stefan Salvatore); Steven R McQueen (as Jeremy Gilbert); Sara Canning (as Jenna Sommers); Katerina Graham (as Bonnie Bennett); Candice Accola (as Caroline Forbes); Zach Roerig (as Matt Donovan); and Michael Trevino (as Tyler Lockwood)
Must See TV: Glee
The cast of "Glee" is diverse, yet they share a common bond. Photo by poptext.
I want to update you on my views of the FOX show “Glee.” If it’s possible to fall in love with a TV show, then “Glee” and I are inseparable lovebirds. Expect us to get hitched in the near future.
Since its premier, no episode has fallen flat. It has been great from the start and continues to exude great entertainment and hilarity each week. My absolute favorite quality of the show is its crude dialogue.
“Those are what I call lazy makers. They discourage our able bodied students from getting their proper exercise by using the stairs.”
–Sue Sylvester
Sue (as played by Jane Lynch) is referring to handicap accessible ramps in a recent episode. To those easily offended by joking remarks like this, “Glee” will probably not be enjoyable for them. However, dialogue like this is purposely over the top for the audience that is paying close attention to the words being said. This show doesn’t just pick on one particular group when making fun; it makes jabs at all sorts of people.
The show has a solid realistic storyline foundation, but the quirks thrown in are what make the show enjoyable. When writers can make a show relatable but also add in hilarious, exaggerated, and ridiculous dialogue to make the show entertaining, it screams success.
I’m becoming attached to the characters, and when a character isn’t scripted for an episode or has few lines, I am disappointed. I am particularly fond of Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale), the wheelchair bound vocal powerhouse, as well as Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays), the germaphobic teacher at McKinley. Artie is a precious character that has some really funny comments that often go unheard. As a viewer, pay attention to his lines because they are sometimes off the wall funny.
Emma is also a favorite because of her addictive quirky behavior as a germ-fearing, awkward loveable personality. At the start of the season, I thought she was going to be the annoying clingy character you wish the writers canned, but the more camera time she gets, the funnier she is.
There are twelve episodes left in the season and I plan to sit down and watch every last one of them.
Brownie points I award this show: •••••
•Lame ••Slightly better than lame •••I’ll watch it if nothing better is on
••••I really like this show and so should you! •••••I love it! Possibly more than I love brownies?
Cast: Lea Michele (as Rachel Berry); Matthew Morrison (as Will Schuester); Jane Lynch (as Sue Sylvester); Dianna Agron (as Quinn Fabray); Cory Montelth (as Finn Hudson); Jayma Mays (as Emma Pillsbury); Chris Colfer (as Kurt Hummel); Kevin McHale (as Artie Abrams); Mark Salling (as Puck); Amber Riley (as Mercedes Jones); Jessalyn Gilsig (as Terri Schuester); and Jenna Ushkowitz (as Tina)
Cougar Town, would be better if Courtney left town
Courtney Cox is back at it again. An actress that believes her niche is in sitcom television is surely wrong. After her successful run on “Friends,” Courtney thought lightening could strike twice with her return to television in “Dirt.” Oh, how wrong she was. The show was canned after a season and a half.
For some reason, Courtney must have found that show’s cancellation to be a fluke, since she has taken another stab at breaking back into TV, starring in “Cougar Town.” The name alone foreshadows the demise of the show. The name doesn’t scream classy, nor does it exude success.
It is only a matter of time before “Cougar Town” is cancelled.
This show premiered on ABC back on September 23, and airs Wednesdays at 8:30. Courtney’s character, Jules, is a forty something divorced mother of a teenager. She is a successful businesswoman, living in a cul-de-sac next to her best friend. She talks non-stop, always has to be in the company of others, speaks her mind, and tries to be nice to everyone. Courtney struggles to deliver her comedic lines with a comfortable ease. She is somewhat shrill and tries too hard to be funny. She puts herself out there but becomes uncomfortable to watch.
The remaining cast are decent actors/actresses, most of which I have never seen before. My complaint is not necessarily with the acting but with the writing. Most of the spoken lines are unrealistic. Some of the things they say would never be said in real life. I find it uncomfortable to watch.
The show falls flat. I can see how a skeletal idea of the story was a good one, but the end result has poor quality. The humor is forced. A natural comic might be able to pull off some of the lines said, but Courtney and the remainder of the cast just make it feel uneasy.
I don’t see any potential in a show where Jules schools her young dates on how to treat a woman of her age. The fact that she hardly has a problem with talking about nasty business around her son or dressing inappropriately doesn’t exactly make this show a suitable one to watch. Did I mention that she allows her son to flirt with her forty something friend, without the slightest amount of discouragement?
I’m not sold on the show. If you find some positives in it, let me know.
Brownie points I award this show: •
•Lame ••Slightly better than lame •••I’ll watch it if nothing better is on
••••I really like this show and so should you! •••••I love it! Possibly more than I love brownies?
Cast: Courtney Cox (as Jules Cobb); Busy Philipps (as Laurie Keller); Christa Miller (as Ellie Torres); Dan Byrd (as Travis Cobb); Josh Hopkins (as Grayson Ellis); Brian Van Holt (as Bobby Cobb); Ian Gomez (as Andy Torres)
V, they’re not just visitors
I read a lot of chatter online about the new show, “V,” and following the positive predictions, I tuned in last week to the premiering pilot episode. Right off the bat, it is better than I anticipated. I don’t always agree with everything I read online, so seeing the show firsthand was the only way to find out for certain if the claims were right.
The ABC show opens with massive spaceships hovering over the major cities in the world. Anna (Morena Baccarin), the alien leader, speaks to the human population claiming they are happy to have found another living race within the universe. They say they have come to our planet to exchange technology for supplies they need for their survival. They seem innocent and very genuine, but are they just putting on a front?
Within the pilot episode, the viewers learn that the Visitors, or the Vs, may be here for another reason. They also learn that many of the Vs, that physically appear human on the surface, have been roaming around on earth for quite some time now. In other words, the Vs have lied about just discovering planet Earth. Only a select few humans know this truth and are banding together to take down the Vs, who are very dangerous.
This show highlights how easy it is for humans to be swayed. Humans think these Visitors are harmless and are only on Earth to help, so they begin to feel gratitude towards them. However, gratitude turns into worship, and worship turns into devotion. Many humans become devoted to the Vs, and are thus, falling into their trap.
This show is a thriller, with action and creepiness all combined in one. The actors and storyline are excellent and incredibly believable. This show is very in depth and missing an episode will be costly. Every minute counts.
Part of the believability is due in part to the graphics. There are many special effects, such as the spaceships, holograms, and floating weaponry. For a TV series, the graphics are impressive.
The show now has two episodes already aired, and the next one will take place on Tuesday at 7:00 central. I will, without a doubt, tune in and follow the remainder of the season. It is exciting and intriguing and is not just a show about aliens infiltrating the earth. It is about so much more, and the only way to understand this is to watch it yourself.
Brownie points I award this show: •••••
•Lame ••Slightly better than lame •••I’ll watch it if nothing better is on
••••I really like this show and so should you! •••••I love it! Possibly more than I love brownies?
Cast: Morena Baccarin (as Anna); Scott Wolf (as Chad Decker); Elizabeth Mitchell (as Erica Evans); Joel Gretsch (as Father Jack Landry); Laura Vandervoort (as Lisa); Morris Chestnut (as Ryan Nichols); Logan Huffman (as Tyler Evans); Lourdes Benedicto (as Valerie Stevens)
Melrose woes
The first time I watched and reviewed “Melrose Place” I did not have high expectations. After watching, the show did not exceed my expectations but it didn’t fall short either. The pilot episode was fairly entertaining and is enough to amuse if nothing else is on TV.
As the season progresses, the show is not improving. A testament to this is the release of Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Colin Egglesfield from the show. Executive producer Todd Slavkin says “the original plan going into the development of the show” was the possibility that these two characters would be cut out of the show at some point.
I wonder if their fate was solely based on the storylines provided by the writers or if their acting played a role. If it were based on acting, it’s not surprising Simpson-Wentz is a goner.
Replacing these two actors is Heather Locklear, an original “Melrose” cast member. Apparently, the show can’t hold its own with fresh actors, because the old stinkers have to be brought in to run the show. Or maybe that was the plan all along; restart the series with new members and then wipe them out with the return of the original cast!
Whatever their plan is, it’s hardly working. It is doubtful the series will make it through to a second season, likely getting axed after this season’s close. If that happens, I won’t cry, as I’m sure plenty of other folks would agree.
The story is pitiful at times, purely laughable. However, credit goes out to Katie Cassidy (as Ella Simms) who steals the spotlight in the show. She has great comedic timing as a high maintenance publicist, delivering sarcasm and dialogue in awkward moments. She’s the reason to watch the show.
After watching these recent episodes, I’ve decided to throw in the towel on completing the season. It is nearly hopeless and it hardly hurts me to downgrade the brownie points to “Slighty better than lame.”
Brownie points I award this show: ••
•Lame ••Slightly better than lame •••I’ll watch it if nothing better is on
••••I really like this show and so should you! •••••I love it! Possibly more than I love brownies?
Cast: Katie Cassidy (as Ella Simms); Colin Egglesfield (as Auggie Kirkpatrick); Stephanie Jacobsen (as Lauren Yung); Jessica Lucas (as Riley Richmond); Michael Rady (as Jonah Miller); Shaun Sipos (as David Breck); and Ashlee Simpson-Wentz (as Violet Foster).
An update for the Community
As the NBC “Community” season has progressed, I want to take note of how my opinion has changed since the pilot episode. I was originally very excited about the show because of its wit, clever dialogue, and hilarious premise for the show. Fans share this opinion on the “Community” message board, such as one fan who wrote, “ the premise looks fresh. The cast looks to have great chemistry…the writing looks top notch.” I still agree and I am not entirely disappointed with the series but it is lacking in some areas that I had predicted to be excellent.
The pilot introduced some eccentric characters. Many of the characters are exaggerated representations of community college students. I still love the premise of the show as well as the characters, but I’m not in love with the storyline. Some episodes lack comedic content as well as a funny storyline. This show is inconsistent in this matter because some episodes are lacking while others can be incredibly funny. It is a hit or miss show in terms of comedy.
I like all of the actors except Gillian Jacobs who plays Britta. She isn’t very believable as an actress and her character lacks zest. I haven’t seen her act in anything else and I assume the reason for this is because of her lackluster talent.
I have really enjoyed watching the interpretation the show has of community college students. Some students are incredibly eager and think they are going to gain in depth knowledge and conduct researches like “real” colleges do. However, the teachers are usually hardly qualified but make themselves out to be experienced professors. There are also students that are incredibly lazy and hardly do any work because they think the community colleges are blow off schools. When “Community” highlights these types of students that exist at community schools, it is not only believable but funny to imagine attending the school alongside them.
For the most part, the school is like high school all over again because of constant gossip and drama. This representation demonstrates a huge reason why I chose not to attend a community college myself.
In my first review of the show I noted that Abed (Danny Pudi) was a favorite character that would draw me into continuing to watch the show. My opinion stands since Abed remains an odd character, funny because of his countless quirks and also because of his delivery. For example, Abed often talks about the other characters like they’re characters in an episode in his head. With other characters present, he speaks about them in third person and the other characters call him out on it. Hardly self conscious, he continues to speak like this. He’s the funniest character to watch on the show.
At the end of every show, Abed and Troy (Donald Glover) have a 30 second segment where they talk about or do something incredibly silly and if the rest of the episode was a bust, this segment makes up for it entirely. It is that funny and reason enough to tune it to the show.
If it weren’t a show, I’d say the students spend an oddly large amount of time on campus. As a community college you’d think it’d be the other way around. It works for the show though, and despite the guarantee of a good story line in every episode, I will continue to tune into this show every week. It may not score within the top 20 prime time programs in the Nielsen ratings, but it is still worthwhile watching.
Brownie points I award this show: ••••
•Lame ••Slightly better than lame •••I’ll watch it if nothing better is on
••••I really like this show and so should you! •••••I love it! Possibly more than I love brownies?
Cast: Joel McHale (as Jeff Winger); Chevy Chase (as Pierce); Danny Pudi (as Abed); Gillian Jacobs (as Britta); Ken Jeong (as Senor Chang); Donald Glover (as Troy); Yvette Nicole Brown (as Shirley); and Alison Brie (as Annie)
Vampire Diaries, you’ll be smitten with this show once bitten
Two brother vampires battle over good and evil, while one girl gets pulled into the middle of their turmoil. Photo by weblogs.
The novel-turned-movie series “Twilight” has caused such a successful uproar that TV executives have jumped on the vampire bandwagon. One such example is the new series, “The Vampire Diaries.” This show aired its pilot back on September 10th of this year. It continues to air every Thursday 8/7 central on the CW.
Now six episodes into the series, I really like “Vampire Diaries.” The story line is progressing more quickly than other shows that keep you guessing an entire season. I like the story being told along with the way it’s unraveling. Basically, the show has thrown out a line and has reeled me in, because I’m hooked.
The acting is very believable and I am connected with the characters. These feelings are drastically different from those I had with the “Twilight” movie, where the acting was poor and characters were difficult to relate with. I don’t see much of a similarity between the two, mainly because of the quality of execution. “Vampire Diaries,” even as a series has a better quality than the feature length film.
So far in the show, it is apparent that the main character Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) has been stuck in the body of a 17 year old since 1864. He is a good vampire because he no longer feeds on human blood, unlike his evil brother Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder). Damon happens to drop in on the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia to thwart Stefan’s plan of becoming acquainted with a girl in town, Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), who is identical to a woman both Stefan and Damon were in love with years ago. Damon has bitten and killed plenty of people so far and Stefan has been trying to clean up his mess while hiding his vampire secret from Elena. But now that she knows what he is, the show is bound to get much more interesting as Stefan has to protect her from Damon.
The cool thing about these vampires is that they heal instantaneously from any injury. For example, Stefan’s hand was sliced but it healed right away. It’s eerily similar to Wolverine from the “X-Men” series who heals in the exact same way. Other than a stake to the heart, these vampires won’t die. With the new adaptations of these vampires compared to the urban legends, at least one thing has remained stationary, that being that a stake will kill a vampire.
Another neat things these vampires can do is “mind compulsion,” where they can force someone not to remember an event or to make them believe what they want them to believe. They are able to telepathically change the thoughts of another character. I like this because it adds a new dimension to the vampire schema.
Another interesting twist to this show is the addition of a witch. Elena’s best friend, Bonnie Bennett (Katerina Graham), has psychic powers and is just beginning to get a stronger connection with them. She is becoming more powerful. I really like her character in this show because her powers may come as great help at some point, or may become a great disadvantage. Whatever the case, her powers will add a whole additional dimension to the show.
On a more critical note, I’m not a huge fan of monotony. In some of these episodes, the director uses a lot of dream sequences where the viewer believes an event is occurring until the character wakes up. This is probably the most annoying part of the show (besides the fact that the actors are too old to play such young characters), but the reason for these dreams is that Damon is haunting the thoughts of the characters. It makes sense for the storyline, but the repetition gets old.
“Vampire Diaries” is not boring to watch and has a definite intrigue. As the show progresses, I expect to be entertained and not let down. I suggest you tune in, if you haven’t already.
Points I award this show: ••••
•Lame ••Slightly better than lame •••I’ll watch it if nothing better is on
••••I really like this show and so should you! •••••I love it! Possibly more than I love brownies?
Cast: Nina Dobrev (as Elena Gilbert); Ian Somerhalder (as Damon Salvatore); Paul Wesley (as Stefan Salvatore); Steven R. McQueen (as Jeremy Gilbert): Sara Canning (as Jenna Sommers): Katerina Graham (as Bonnie Bennett): Candice Accola (as Caroline Forbes); Zach Roerig (as Matt Donovan); Kayla Ewell (as Vicki Donovan); and Michael Trevino (as Tyler Lockwood).
