M.A.N.T.I.S

I guess it must be at least a year since I picked up the M.A.N.T.I.S complete series DVD boxed set but I've only just this week started to watch it, as far as I can recall the series was never broadcast in my area however the TV movie pilot was released on VHS to rent so I did get to see the pilot but that was some time ago, at least 10 years ago and I suspect it was more like 15.

I could only remember a little of the pilot movie but I do remember really enjoying it at the time, the pilot was included in the DVD set but it hasn't aged well, either that or I've gotten fussy in my old age.

I did remember that the show featured a black superhero who was in a wheelchair when he wasn't fighting crime but when he donned his exoskeleton he became M.A.N.T.I.S and he stalked the streets of Ocean City fighting crime.

There were elements in the pilot that struck me as a little odd, now this film was made and set during the 90's and in this movie the various gangs seem to be ( mainly ) a black problem, in fact the pilot seems fixated on the fact most of it's cast was black and it clumsily tries to address what I guess were issues at the time, even the hero weighs in with an opinion on affirmative action ( it doesn't mean anything unless you earn it ), maybe the writers were trying to be sensitive to race issues but that just didn't work for me.

The pilot was written by Sam Hamm and Sam Raimi but after the pilot was aired they had a disagreement with the network about the direction the show should go in so they left the project and the show went into production without them, apart from the central character the show was a reboot with it's first episode serving as a new ( and inferior ) pilot with an altered origin story, new supporting cast, redesigned costume and based on the few episodes I've watched so far worse writing.

The movie's preaching about social issues was slightly annoying but when Bruce Zabel took over as show runner the show apparently became much more of a light-hearted romp that limped on until it's cancellation at the end of it's first season.

While the pilot movie was far from perfect I felt there was a lot of potential there for a good series and I just don't understand why the producers decided to change virtually everything for the TV series, I've really enjoyed some of Bruce Zabel's other work but so far his work on M.A.N.T.I.S leaves a lot to be desired, I truly hope the show improves over the course of it's first and only season, I've read a lot of mixed things about the show online but I live in hope that things will get better before the end.

The Philadelphia Experiment

I hadn't seen the movie in at least 10 years ( probably longer ) and I'd only ever seen it on VHS so it was somewhat of a revelation to see it in widescreen on DVD, I really enjoyed seeing it again even with the leading couple's terrible acting and dodgy special effects.

Annnnnnnnd the light vanishes, to be replaced with darkness...

Metaphorical title?

Literal title?


If you said both, congratulations. You're correct.


I don't know if you read yesterday's post, if you did, You'll know that I was in an insanely great mood...


And if you didn't read it, now you know.


Anyways, the happy mood was short lived.


Woke up today, saw how dark the world was, how void of warmth the world was, felt in dire need of a cuddle.


Snuggie does not suffice in times like these....


So metaphorical darkness is depression...


Literal darkness is my light, just went clean out. Blogging in darkness.


Boo-yah. All is alright, light is back on and I'm chilling with an IRN BRU bottle. I love you Barr.


Ch'yeaaaah... walked to the bus stop this morning, it was FREEZING. 


Linzie missed the bus. Tsk tsk.


I apologized in advance for my bad mood.


Nothing really happened before 1st period, the day had not yet begun, not really, the sun had a lie in today.

P.S.E

Started the Y.P.I thing today... Or, for those not in the know, the Youth Philanthropy initiative. 

Basically, Sir Ian Wood's family is offering £3,000 to be given to a group of 5th year students to donate to their chosen charity, but it has to be local.

Listen, I am all up for giving to charity. I love charities, but this isn't a voluntary project, no, we're are required to do it, and in 5th year?

No offence, but us 5th year's have a lot on our plate. Some have to balance 5 highers at school, a part-time job and a social life.

Adding this unnecessary burden to our plates isn't helping anyone...

I mean, ONE group will take away £3,000, a local charity could do a lot with that amount of money.

But what about the other thirty teams? What about the other thirty charities?

They receive nothing, they have wasted time and effort to achieve nothing.

That's quite sad really... I'm all up for choosing charities and fundraising for them... or splitting up the £3,000 and giving it to worthy causes!

But this... ahhh....

I'm in a group with Claire, Greg and Jamie.

It's funny, but we do no work... hahaaa... oh god I feel sorry for our charity...

Jamie is quite well known for being an incredibly laid back guy in our class.

If you catch my drift.

GREG: Oh it's okay... Jamie has been researching charities for the whole holidays, haven't you?

 Oh how we laughed.

JAMIE: You know it.

GREG: Go name a charity then.

JAMIE: Oxford.

GREG: Oxford?

JAMIE: Yes.

GREG: Don't you mean Oxfam?

JAMIE: No... no... the whole of Oxford...

ME: Yeah. I heard that their really struggling to cope this year.

The rest of the period was spent talking about our cookie crisp preference: Dry or served with milk?


I'm a dry cookie girl myself. 


Poor Stephanie. Still can't tie her tie.


Mrs Anderson decided to help her. Poor Stephanie (again).


In front of the whole class, Mrs Anderson tied her tie for her, with everybody watching.


Poor Stephanie (again again).


The room was actually Baltic too so that didn't help. 

HUMAN BIOLOGY

Had Ms Duncan today.

It's weird, we have Dr Robertson for 3 periods and Ms Duncan for 2.

Ms Duncan is a good teacher though, so no complaints.

Was learning something about... Uhhh... ATP and ADP...

Anyways.... sat next to Abie today, that kid is such a laugh!

So glad we have Biology together, hardly have had a chance to speak to her properly after Primary seven.

We were all just reminising to days gone by...

Like the Time Jenny came in three hours late to school, holding a pick and mix bag, and when the teacher asked her where she had been, she innocently replied:

JENNY: I got the wrong bus so I went to get a pick and mix.

Or the time that I winded myself (Long story involving a hill, wet grass and a teacher stupid enough not to realise that you cannot ask children to play rounders in these conditions)


Or even the time when we made miniture rockets out of old photo containers, coke and mentos <3... and Abie wanted to hold one to her face to see what would happen.


Gooooood times. 


That was that.

Then it was break.

Sun was still not up. Ridiculous act of laziness.

Megan got her Grease jumper today, suited her!! But anytime she walks to the toilet, all you see is "FRENCHY" screaming at you from her ass... badly positioned writing?

Feel bad for the guy that's playing "Doody".

ASHLEIGH: Doody on your bum!!

You can't help but laugh. My friends people.

DOUBLE ART 

Brilliant double period.

Spent all the time at the computers, sitting next to Kristina and (CHING!) Lauren.

We were meant to be choosing the artists to write about for our Expressive essays (I've kinda done that) and choosing what to do for our Design folio (Going with a perfume bottle... kaching)

HOWEVER

We spent the double period looking up flower babies...

Babies don't grow on trees you know

No. They grow on flowers. 

Idiot.

Kristina looked up awesome photography (NOT artists)...

I hear incidents like these are on the increase.

And de-motivational posters...

The caption speaks for itself

And, if you are Kelly...

Functional AND Beautiful.

Haha, When Lauren was searching for her flower babies, she came across something that stirred her interest.

LAUREN: Westie cupcakes!!!!

US: WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?! Oh... cupcakes shaped like Westies

Gotcha.


Double period went by quite quick. Yay.


Haha, we tried to do a "hands in"... Kelly wouldn't join in. Spoil sport.


Missed my art buds, love em!


Lunch was weird. I forgot to eat.


What a weirdo I am.


Ashleigh gave me one of those shaped elastic band bracelets, shaped like Goofy! Love!!

Do you see Goofy? No? Me neither.

I lie. I kind of see Goofy.

Thanks Ash!

DOUBLE MATHS

The worst double of the week.

If I didn't sit at a table with Dougal, Sophie and Calum, I don't know what I would do!

They are so funny!

They made me hum the tune to "Coco Cabana".

Which was really weird... cause they all leant into me as they were requesting me to do it...

I was like "Uhhh, guys, It's kind of freaking me out that you's are all leaning in to me just now."

So Sophie leans over so far that her stomach is now flat out on the table and her legs are in the air.

Never should have said anything.

Dougal should not have that Cineworld Unlimited card, hasn't been using it lately! Naughty boy! I use mine all the time!! He better get a crack on, only two more months left on it.

Sophie needs to get out early from Maths to get to work, It's sweet, she's always trying to convince him to let her go. 

Today she went down to Guidance and begged for a note.

So she got a note.

Mr Hughes still didn't believe her, and felt quite hurt that she begged guidance and not him.

People are so needy these days.

Day was over after that. Just went home and watched Jaws...

CONFESSION OF A MOVIE GEEK:

 I watch a lot of movies.

Okay. That's me for today. 

Still quite annoyed at myself for relapsing on the great mood. I actually slapped myself to try reverting back to yesterday...

Did not help.

Depression cures:

Friends? GOOD.

Slapping? BAD.

Lauren xxx

It's a Monday morning and it's freezing! Yet inside, I'm warm and cuddly.

Gooooooood evening.

I'll admit, I underestimated the severity of this good mood that I am in at the moment.

First day back at school and I'm still chirpy!!

Anyways... ever wake up, look outside your window and think to yourself;

"Today's gonna be a good day" ?

Well... Today was one of those days.

Was it because I was back at school.

No.

Was it because of my subjects.

No.

Was it because of the view outside my window?

Yes.

That's what you want to wake up to on a Monday morning...

Sunday boozers take note!!

Also, my new tune was playing on my iPod, couldn't complain, can't beat a bit of a dance track to get you up and raving on a Monday morning!!

Moon always gets confused in winter... IT'S MORNING!

No doubt that it's almost Winter!

But Autumn is going out in Style.

So got on the bus (Thank god, Was absolutely freezing!) and chatted to Linzie, haven't spoken to her since last term, had a little catch up, She went to Alten Towers, so I was hearing about the ride that was too big for her to go on and how she went onto this other terror-inducing ride to make up for it... it went from 0 to 100 mph in two seconds...

Two seconds.

So no wonder the picture taken was of her screaming with her hair absolutely horizontal behind her!

Her Gran's in Hospital though, wish her a speedy recovery!

Got to redgy, Ms Talboys and Linzie had a strange conversation...

LINZIE: Can't wait till Halloween!!

MS TALBOYS: Why? Is there something I should know about?

LINZIE: Ummmm no... why?

MS TALBOYS: No reason, just sounded quite sinister... not joining a Covent are you? 

LINZIE: *freaked out* No!! 

MS TALBOYS: Shouldn't have watched that horror last night...

Yeah. Our redgy teacher is that sweet. She'll butt into your convos and then call you a witch!!


She rocks though, no doubt about that!

DOUBLE ENGLISH

Ahhhh the joys.

Walked towards the classroom, look behind me to see this little ninja running up behind me.

It was Lee, to be honest, she's the only reason I haven't comitted suicide because of this class. 

So Lee hug was muchly needed/appreciated.

Walk through the door and our whole class was there, and Miss Alba was at the board...

Never a good sign.

You see, Miss Alba has been off for roughly... hmmm... a month?

A month where we have had no teacher.... For Higher English.

This is where the problem arises... You see... Our English class doesn't seem to grasp the art of communication and organisation.

Common phrases used by Alba students:

"Wait... we had homework?"

"Let's see what you've written."

"I don't know what to do."

"..."

As you can see, our class can't really afford NOT to have a teacher... we haven't done anything of real value in the past 12 weeks of class time...

She decided to make up for that today.

First thing on the first day back, she gives us an essay to write in one period.

"Why did Harper Lee choose the title "To Kill a Mockingbird?""

Queue Alba Student number one!

"I don't know what to do."

"Just write about why she chose the title, why "To Kill a Mockingbird" over something like "The Growing up of Scout Finch?"

The one obvious reason that sprung to my mind? That title sucked.

So an hour and 200 words later, I felt sorry for her...

You felt sorry for her? You felt sorry for her?!

If you've ever read "To Kill a mockingbird", you may understand that quote.

Anyways, I felt sorry for her because NO-ONE has a clue what we're doing and she may try to paper cut herself to death with our measly excuses for essays.

TO MS SHAW'S ROOM!

I quite like Ms Shaw. She's blunt. Very blunt.

Every week we go into her class...

Every week our intelligence and communicative skills are put under the microscope.

Then again... can you blame her?

MS SHAW: Go on, what comes to your mind when you hear the word "Splendour"

MEGAN: Sugar...

MS SHAW: Sugar?

MEGAN: Yeaaah... I thought it was that type of sugar...

MS SHAW: *exasperated but trying to work with this* Okay... thinking of the sugar, what ideas do you get about the word "Splendour" in relation to the table?

STEWART: Sweet?

MS SHAW: You don't lick a table though do you!

Yaaaaaay. We're passing Higher English!


Break was funny, came down from English, walk into the hot bar and WOAH!!


Jaye had just gone about 5 skin tones darker.


Egypt. If you want a killer tan, go to Egypt.


Patty was back from Egypt too, but he had to go home at break cause he wasn't feeling too good. Get better sweetie!


Jaye was trying to get me to do her papers... I'm already doing Halle's... And I can't even manage that!! Soooo... nae chance sweet cheeks ;)


And back to the brilliant mood I'm in at the moment, I'm literally high on life.


I look up to the sky and see a lot of fluffly race car track clouds and I say:

"Woooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh... Look at the cloud...."


Linzie and Claire just look at me and I merely shrug and say:


"Wow.... I'm not high!!!"

DOUBLE HUMAN BIOLOGY

Dr Robertson.

Now HE is a nice guy!

Yabbles on a little bitty, trails off quite a lot, but when you have patience with him, he is a very good teacher.

However, as much as I like the guy, Double Biology stretches into eternity.

Especially when your ass goes numb for sitting on an unpadded stool with no back for two hours.

Bleh.

BUT, I sit next to Claire, Linzie and Abie, so it's a good laugh.

Usually I spend my time in this class talking to Abie and Linzie about One Tree Hill, comparing the diagrams to food and popular 80's games icons (e.g. Pacman) and generally just trying to pay attention.

We were learning about infections and how the body tries to battle them.

Haha, talking about chicken pox.

To understand the joke, we'll need to quickly rewind to three years ago.

Second year:

Linzie, Laura, Claire and a few other of my close friends are talking about Chicken Pox.

LINZIE: I've NEVER had chicken pox!

Literally, one week later:


"Did you hear? Linzie has chicken pox"

Definition of fail.

So it's kind of an inside joke thing, anytime Chicken Pox is mentioned, Linzie looks really uncomfortable.


Then Dr Robertson says that you can contract them again if you are around little kids (i.e. you have children, become a teacher) unless you pop the kids in a plastic bubble... or you live in the plastic bubble.... something about a plastic bubble.


So Linzie isn't having kids and is going into quarantine is she comes into contact with Little children.


Claire also told me she's getting a Lipsy jumper. They are hot! She still asks me if I ever got that GORGEOUS Lipsy trench I wanted so badly.


Bless. Claire is one of the sweetest girlies I've ever met.


Then it was Lunch, I decided I was going home, had last two off and couldn't be bothered sticking around.


BUT had to wait for Laura to come to the table and look after Claire and Linzie's bags....


Speaking of Laura, like her new glasses? Join the debate: 

Man with mohican or sparta?


Then I had to wait till Jennifer came over and kept her company....


THEN I had to wait till the conversation we were having was finished...



Megan and Ashleigh then arrived, had to chat to them...


Majourly LOL'd at Megan's shopping list.....

Jamaican Accent....


Doubt she's going to find that at Tesco.


Finally, had to wait until Megan was finished talking to Sam so Ashleigh wasn't left lonered....


And then, after all that... Sophie called me over.


Ahhhh my life people!!


Also was informed that Torry people got the day off today because their school was too cold!! (!!!)

If the temperature in school is below 13 degrees celsius, we all get to go home... Which brought me to say....


"Bring your thermometers girls.... we're going measuring..."


Went home (Finally) after that though. Decided to have a walk up to a later bus stop.

I admit, I laughed. This Graffiti-er clearly has some hidden anger at First.

Possibly sexually abused?

Get licky with it. 

Was very sunny (SHOCK!)

Nice city view from the Gramps.

Gorgeous Autumn coulours.

Decided to get Holy.

Anyway. Never been happier to sit down, watch a few films and eat some toast.

Four slices. Cause I'm a greedy pig (and that was my Lunch in all it's entirety)

Watched:

A Serious man...

What was that about? Didn't get the ending at all?

Didn't really get the movie at all to be honest... Decided it must have been a good movie though cause it seemed to make too little sense to be badly made....

In a weird way.

Also watched:

Sin City.

Wow. Now that's a good film.

Very brutal though. Just averted my eyes at some scenes.

But so stylish!! Love Graphic Novel adaptations!

Last few sentances (Thank god eh?)

Got a phone call from Chloe, kept mis-hearing her....

Thought she said Hindu Sausages.... clearly, she just said someting about making Lunch...

Need to break oot the cotton buds lads.

Love yah all, thanks for being patient! 

xxx 

Last day of Holidays blues.

Don't worry, I'm not blue, no smurf syndrome for me today.

I woke up early today...

Okay. I woke up at 11 o clock in the morning, isn't that the same thing?

Was meant to be going to the cinema to see Easy A with Halle, she couldn't make it today though, so we're going on Wednesday instead.

My Mum made me hoover today. I found out that I am a terrible hoover-er. 

Knocked off EVERYTHING from one of my shelves. Damn nozzle-head...

Woah. Nozzle-head sounds like an epic name for a Mexican wrestler, dontcha think?

The workings of my inner mind people. I'd like to see a psychologist analyze that.

Anyways. After my super successful hoovering session, I was rewarded with an icecream cone.

Mmmm. Mr Whippy rules.

Then I went to go see this car my Dad has been eyeing up. He hates our Audi. Keeps stalling on him and it vibrates like a...

Phone on vibrate...

Yeah.

ANYWAYS, it's a grey BMW 5 series. It's manual and it runs on petrol. 

That's all I know about it... technically speaking.

Yes. I consider the colour of the car to be technical.

He had a test drive of it. Wowza.

My Dad really loved the wood.

It was like driving a cloud.

A cloud that smelled good and was cosy.

Brilliant.

Something rattled... Dad thinks it was the Dash. The man said he'd sort that our though, so no worries!

Sorry.... this is taking forever to write, watching the X factor results too!

Handed in my application form to paperchase today... eeek! First one handed in, all grown up huh? 

Honest opinion needed: Is the writing "Application form" on the envelope big enough?

Yeah? Thought so.

Then just came home and had a bath. Perfect lazy Sunday... minus the long lie... Boo.

Back to school tomorrow. Ahhhhh I'm not looking forward to that.

After two weeks off, I get used to going to bed at two every morning, getting up and watching two or three movies and chilling with my Buds in town.

Now I have to go back and do NAB's, unwillingly go out at half past seven every morning and wait for a bus and have to put up with a lot of drama...

I say drama... I really mean people taking things out of preportion.

Ahhh well. If you were never young and crazy, you can never be old and wise.

I'll post how school went tomorrow night.

Hope you all have a good week!

Lauren xxx