When the Cheshire emerges...

There are good days, and there are bad days.

Yesterday I had a just about perfect day, surrounded by great people, great sun and great food as well as getting through almost half of The Great Gatsby. Simply put, I was the most content I'd felt in life for some time.

What a perfect afternoon... loving my slice of paradise #dubbo #thiscantbeautumn #kindle twitter.com/Katiinkaa/stat…
— Katina V (@Katiinkaa) April 28, 2013

Then today was a case of back to work... and I'd done alright in my break by finding a Hunger Games mockingjay pin on clearance at Target. Went to put a photo on Twitter all excited, and then I found out the news Taylor Walker's gone for the season.

This is absolutely devastating.

And I found all this out without even watching it.

Then today I was sent a link.

Helping somebody else achieve a sense of purpose is a part of the mission of what it means to be a parent.

I find this quote interesting because I believe in it, but it's nowhere close to where I am in life.

Funny story (forgive me if I've mentioned this before, but don't think so): when I returned to Adelaide last to see my family and friends, it was decided by my aunty that I would likely marry at 35.

35.

I was, and still am, extremely daunted by that number on thinking about it. I'm still in a complete mind-space where I don't know what the next few months will hold, let alone knowing what my life will be like then. Luckily for me, it's still a little while away. For now.

Which is why my aunty predicted that age... on me asking her the reasoning behind it, she simply said she thought I had too much I want to do.

Well that's a fair point. I do have a lot I want to do, namely in the way of travel and possible job options.

What concerns me though is if I get married at 35 (which I have now accepted is completely plausible), where do kids fit in?

And that was my segue back to the quote. If I ever do become a parent helping my child feel they have purpose would be a massive priority.

Not that anything of the sort is in the pipeline in any way whatsoever... just saying. I need to find my own purpose first. Understand my meaning of life.

***
Everything in life is a paradox. The less you care whether you get approval, the more you get.

There's a big difference between not liking someone's behaviour and not liking someone.

Try to learn from the past, rather than repeating it and making references to it all the time.

You can never please everyone. In fact, if you please 50 per cent of the people, you're doing quite well.

I hope everyone had a lovely Anzac Day and remembered the fallen. Lest we forget.

I'm bringing this to you especially early because I'm happy that we got it before the US, and I'm really anxious to know what others think - so voice your view!

Iron Man 3 (M)

SINCE the resurgence of the superhero genre with the powerful rebirths of Spider-Man and Batman, audiences have become accustomed to a slew of films crafted with a smarter interior, expecting fans' prior knowledge and specifically playing to it.

It's a dangerous game, alienating those who may decide to jump in halfway. But the masterminds of comic adaptations in Hollywood know there are enough fans (and revenue to be made) to make the risk worth taking.

As such, the return of Tony Stark to cinemas is the first in Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Two. The first film to follow events of The Avengers, it takes place in a world aware of a superhero force.

But that has close to no influence as Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey jnr) faces the threat of bomb terrorist the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). His relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) also becomes problematic when Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) wants to share his body regeneration treatment Extremis with Stark Industries.

Stark is in a muddled place. He's an insomniac, haunted by the Avengers' battle in New York and channeling energy into making more Iron Man suits. Fed up with another villain trying to enter the scene, he is brash in his approach. That's not unlike his character, but there is a sense of desperation as his world looks to be crumbling in all its facets.

The strong, slick story by director Shane Black and Drew Pearce centres on that idea of desperation as Stark enlists in the help of Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and little friend Harley (Ty Simpkins) in trying to figure out the Mandarin's next attack.

As Stark returns to the realities of the real world he finds his shield can't always be his safeguard. He is more often than not exposed, which frightens him as he faces a threat that becomes much bigger than he anticipated.

Black, writer of Lethal Weapon, finds himself very much at ease in the Marvel world, keeping the Iron Man humour of previous films intact while upping the action to a menacing degree. Working with Downey jnr again after Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Black gives him more to deal with emotionally.

The leading man still portrays Stark/Iron Man with a near-effortless flamboyance true to the characters. Kingsley is particularly good though as a villain with a difference, while Cheadle gets the fun straw, with an alter ego of his own a chance for him to ham things up.

Like any Marvel film within the Avengers thread, questions linger over the future of the characters and the direction the series will take. The post-credits scene won't give you any idea, but it does wrap up the film nicely.

Rating: 4/5

MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEW? See what I thought of Olympus Has Fallen.

'Jump/jumping the shark' has to be one of the best common phrases to come from pop culture. It symbolises so much more than the beginning of the end; it makes or breaks perceptions and helps to distinguish the good and bad of many situations.



Photo: ITV

So we have finally caught up to the rest of the world with the ongoing events of Downton Abbey. Not having read the spoilers was a godsend in not anticipating this. At all.



thelineofbestfit.com

Following on from my minor rediscovery of pop music, I realise this is old news - but the last two weeks have been hectic and I still want to mention the Daft Punk Wee Waa revelation. Wee Waa is about three-and-a-quarter hours' drive north from Dubbo, and I was pretty shocked and unsure if it was a joke - but intrigued. It's so close I could do it!

I even made the Narrabri Courier's coverage with my expression of interest to hear Random Access Memories on Twitter (top right of the diagram).

However, to my dismay tickets were put on sale and sold out too quickly for anyone to really realise. So it's a no go. They were about $35, and now they're selling for hundreds of dollars. Fail. Oh well.

What I really must point out is that wanting to go was, in a way, a pretty big deal.

I had a rather traumatic experience as a child where I rang to request a song on the Hot 30 Countdown (with Ugly Phil and Jackie O, that's how long ago we're talking) and was randomly asked to record an introduction to Daft Punk's One More Time for when it entered the countdown.

On hearing the broadcast and hearing someone else's name, I was distraught and confused, rang up and was put on hold to talk to producers but ended up hanging up. That particular song still gets to me sometimes.

I don't think I've ever told anyone that story. Wow.

***
It's not what's available or unavailable that determines your level of success and happiness; it's what you convince yourself is true.

If things aren't working, ask yourself, "In what way am I creating this? In what way can I change? What is the lesson?"

This film has brought out REALLY divided views. In Australia, Marc Fennell from triple j gave it 0.5/5, Margaret and David each gave it 2.5/5, Leigh Paatsch of News Limited 3.5/5. Crazy.

For the record, I really didn't mind it. With everything that's happened recently in world politics it's most definitely timely. And contrary to some thinking it's totally implausible, I sadly think nothing's impossible from terrorists these days.

Olympus Has Fallen (MA 15+)

GLOBAL politics, although never without problems, currently stands unsteady and unsure of what is to come. Some, like the Eurozone crisis, prove to be extra influential. But as the world has focused on monetary issues, decades-old political tension on the Korean peninsula has once again come to the surface to remind the world that wounds cut deep.

To feature the problems of North and South Korea in a US presidential-themed film is most fitting at a time when a new Communist leader is finding his feet - but still making a statement with nuclear testing to worry Western governments and peacekeeping organisations.

Nuclear weapons, while not utilised for 70 years, still hold a horrible fear over governments threatened by their possible detonations. The United States of America, valiant leaders of the Western free, is arguably the most inclined to take these threats seriously.

President Asher (Aaron Eckhart) suffered a family tragedy 18 months before a day that tests the country’s, and his, resolve. While meeting with the South Korean Prime Minister at the White House to discuss looming threats from the north, they come under attack by armed militants and are forced into lockdown in the presidential bunker.

Rating: 3/5


MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEW? See what I thought of The Sessions on DVD.

The landscape of today's ARIA charts (for those outside Australia our national music charts) has changed dramatically from the dominance of the Spice Girls and Britney Spears.

More and more potential one-hit wonders are bursting onto the scene, and those with seeming longevity are either churning out hits to an inconceivable extreme or waning in terms of quality content.

The pop scene has well and truly changed since I was seriously in the loop.

Last week I decided to look up the ARIA charts and see how many songs I knew. The list has since changed but I'm sticking with what I researched.

For all the accolades and countries its topped, I'd never heard this song before in my life. Honestly. But it's quite beautiful, catchy in a good melodic way. Like.

2(1) Can't Hold Us - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton (MACK)
I HAD heard this before and knew who actually sung it. And I like this song too, very up-tempo and my style.
I'd never heard this before, and I've never heard of MKTO. And I don't want to again. Couldn't last a minute of the song.

4(3) Just Give Me A Reason - P!nk feat. Nate Ruess (RCA/SME)
I'd only heard bits and pieces of this song, but to hear it in full was nice. I do like it - but I hate the fact it's the Fun. lead singer that comprises the male half. His voice does suit the song but I reeeeally don't like the few songs of theirs I've heard. Anyway, I thought the film clip was pretty good too.

Oh I can't believe I've left this until now! Sorry folks, a much belated review of the week.

I actually have a new to DVD review in lieu of a new release because I was required at a special event last Thursday night - but glad for it because I liked this film...

The Sessions (MA 15+)

UNDERSTANDING disabilities is a task that greatly varies, depending on the person in question and what it is that is preventing them from regular functionality. But while doctors and scientists are quick to research explanations for physical ailments, there are many patients whose emotional needs have been forgotten or not regarded as they should be.

Mark O'Brien knew a thing or two about frustration. Quick-witted and intelligent, he lived most of his life in an iron lung after contracting polio as a six-year-old. But it wasn't until his late 30s that he decided to do something for himself. He fell in love.

For the poet and journalist (here played by John Hawkes) it initially doesn't work out so well, as he finds out about unrequited love the hard way when carer and friend Amanda (Annika Marks) rejects his advances. Mark becomes fixed on the idea that happiness with a woman is out there for him and decides to explore his options after some freelance work leads to sex surrogate Cheryl (Helen Hunt).

With some hesitancy Mark begins to discover some of the human body's most sensual feelings. He's a man haunted by his past and the life he's been forced to live and feels unworthy of being appreciated in a romantic way.

Cheryl, who as a therapist deals with numerous clients, sees Mark's need to be nurtured. But she's a professional, not wanting to mix her work and private lives. There are times when she appears almost cold in her tough love approach as they get started, but it's a reflection of the fear we have within of raw emotion.

Director/writer/producer Ben Lewin, taking material from O'Brien's article On Seeing a Sex Surrogate, has crafted a lovely tale of tender relationships juxtaposed with the harshest of realities. Sex for the disabled is an oft-unacknowledged subject, but Lewin blends lighter moments with the black and white dilemmas of Mark's condition.

Hawkes puts in a caring performance while Hunt, Oscar-nominated for the role, encapsulates the confusion their situation brings the pair in her kind but wary nature. William H Macy's inclusion as a smoking and drinking priest/advice giver suggestively pokes fun at religion, but there's plenty of that underlining Mark's questions and decisions.

A winner at Sundance 2012, Lewin's depiction of a man trying to find his manhood is both heart-rending and celebratory. It's a reminder of our own awkward, emotional selves and how we forget that in some ways everyone really is the same.

Rating: 4/5

*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 13/4/2013

MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEW? See what I thought of Identity Thief.

I've been a fan of The Diary of Anne Frank since I was young. There's something about Anne's innocence that I connected with, but her curiosity to write and to learn made her so much more mature. I idolised her and her strong beliefs.

Excuse the laundry/bedroom mix...

This poster of Anne, bought during my visit to Amsterdam's Anne Frank House, hangs in my bedroom and reminds me of her empowered soul every day.

So it was with a cringe, facepalm and slight disbelief that I greeted this week's news of Justin Bieber putting his foot in it when writing in Anne Frank House's guestbook.



I get how a 19-year-old at the top of his game would write something along the lines of what he did. He's clearly in tune with the persona of his 'beliebers' and tried to 'get' her - because hey, she was a teenager too, right?

It probably was a bit crass for him to write that in the guestbook. It's still a bit OTT even if it were to have only gone on social media - but looking at the other side, the furore over it really does have a positive.

Outlined by the Guardian among others, there is hope a whole generation will be opened to her story and what it represents within the darkest part of modern history. It saddens me that many don't know who she is at all, but I hope that drastically changes. Even if it's a performer pointing them in the right direction.

***
Every obstacle that comes along on this planet is either an opportunity to grow and think differently... or to use as an excuse to believe that we're stuck.

The past is over for all of us. The future is promised to none of us. All we get is this one. That's all we get.

St Mark said, "With God, all things are possible." Now what does that leave out?

Everyone deserves our love, and until we start thinking that way, we're always going to have us versus them thinking.

You are in a partnership with all other human beings, not a contest to be judged better than some and worse than others.

What started as a horrible day finding out about the Boston bombings has turned into a great night with a good feed and some very welcome news which I will perhaps divulge at a later date.

I feel like good things are happening right now. And I know it's not just a coincidence.

The April 10 new moon is said to have one of the most powerful planetary combinations, where the next four weeks are going to be dynamic for most of us. Now, I don't rely on astrology to tell me when to cut my hair or anything, but I believe the moon and stars influence things to some degree.

I found this passage online from an astrologer named Kelly Rosano:

The New Moon is action packed. Uranus, Sun, Moon, Mars and Venus are in Aries. The fire power of this planetary combination is unstoppable. We put our passion, heart and mind into our dreams, desires and goals.

Success will be experienced by those who do not allow their fear to eclipse them…

This energy is positive, uplifting and fearless. The universe wants us to leave the past behind. We are to give birth to the new life, the new paradigm and the New Earth. This is a wonderful energy to start a new life.

Now doesn't that sound inspiring?

The biggest news of the day (in Australia): Days of our Lives is being canned by Nine. Yeah, Adam Scott won the US Masters and that's pretty awesome, but Days is leaving free-to-air television after 45 years. WOAH.

Daytime TV will never be the same again.

On free-to-air anyway... this is a real game-changer.


My history with Days stems back to countless holidays watching it with my yiayia at her house, getting caught up in what I thought were daring (and scary) storylines of how Marlena was possessed by the Devil and Stefano DiMera was wreaking havoc across all of Salem.

There was Kristen DiMera, who suffered a miscarriage in secret and pretended to still be pregnant with John's child to keep John away from Marlena. Oh, and Hope being brainwashed into thinking she was a princess.

After losing touch, I rejoined the storyline in  high school/uni years with mum - Bo and Hope's endless dramas were still ongoing with new kids popping up on the scene, and then there was the mega episode fast-forwarding about three-and-a-half years as Nine decided to get us closer than the four-year gap we'd always had from the US airings. Can you believe it, for the longest time we were FOUR years behind.

I kept up with it for a while, but eventually I let it go once again.

Now the days are coming to an end after 45 years. 45 YEARS. With any luck a Foxtel channel will pick it up like with The Young and the Restless - and what a furore that caused. My yiayia is yet to find out, and I know when my mum tells her she will be devastated (keep in mind that she wouldn't understand about 95 per cent of the dialogue because of her minimal English).

As will many mothers and (apparently) uni students. What will Nine's daytime programming become? What will free-to-air daytime TV in Australia become?

What will fill the void that was once our security blanket, there whenever we needed it?

For those who watch it: what's been your favourite Days of our Lives storyline?
(There are so many good ones *sniff*)

I think I might have to watch on April 26 when it apparently has its last day...

So unless you were living under a rock, any social media friend of mine at least would know my current residence was home to triple j's One Night Stand yesterday.

I had a great time.

There are some things I would like to point out:

Right now I still have 3G because of higher ground. Don't expect to get #triplejONS updates though, reception's already gone once #fail
— Katina V (@Katiinkaa) April 13, 2013

That was before I left for the showground. Phone reception was atrocious. I'm surprised this wasn't countered considering we're a bigger location for this event and probably have the capacity to open the tower(s?) for stronger coverage. Why do social media and mobile phones exist if we can't handle an extra 10,000 people wanting to communicate?


I usually wear earplugs to concerts and festivals these days (yes, I'm old) - and I forgot them. I was kicking myself a little bit, but the acoustics were some of the best I've ever experienced at an event. Even as I gradually got closer to the stage throughout the night I could still hear the performers well and it wasn't terribly loud. My ears now aren't even that bad.

For the record, they all did a great job. I'd done well during the week to look up the other artists' songs, and really enjoyed all of their sets (a nicely diverse mix within the 'alternative' music world). To hear Seth Sentry's The Waitress Song live and know Ball Park Music are as boppy as they sound on radio was pretty awesome.


I was really looking forward to Flume though, and eventually made my way into the thick of it by the halfway mark of his set. Which was pretty epic I must say - he just about blew my mind. I miss going out and hearing that sort of music all the time.

Then I found out this afternoon where Flume had been where he went for breakfast this morning... five or so hours later. Fail.


On a sidenote, I'm not sure whether we were in any sort of camera view on TV during the Flume set. Oh well. But at least I have something to show for it - the tee has elephants because of Dubbo's zoo :D

Watch If You Are The One on SBS2 at 8.30 tonight (so now if on Eastern time) if you have any interest in dating shows.

This one has 50 million viewers across China each week - and for good reason, it's pretty interesting. I discovered it last week and have actually gone back to it.

One guy has 24 potential dates and either has the choice of choosing or gets rejected by all of them.

I'd put a photo up but none of them are working. Trying to figure out if that's because of China's internet controls...

Anyway, watch.

***
Looking into the mirror and disliking the self that you take with you everywhere you go is one of the most self-defeating things you can do.

No-limit people are so in charge that they can trust their instincts, be childlike, be creative, and do anything that makes sense to them.

Your miracles are an inside job. Go there to create the magic that you seek in your life.

When you think positive, happy, loving thoughts there's a different chemistry that goes into your body than wen you think depressing, negative, anguished thoughts. The way you decide to think has a dramatic effect on your chemistry and on your physiology.

Your right to swing your fist stops with my right to have my nose shaped the way I want it.

A flabby lifestyle is inexcusable. All of your reasons for being out of shape are nothing but excuses you make to yourself.

There's not one cell in your body today that was there seven years ago. Yet you can remember being alive seven years ago. How do you account for that?

***
Why?

German supermarket chain ALDI has taken plenty of cities in its own country and beyond by storm. Their outlet rival the best of the best in the grocery price war.

Supposedly.

Their expansion to Australia's east coast has been met with good feedback by the majority of shoppers. In both metropolitan and regional areas it is always a relevant point of discussion around the water cooler.

Adelaide and South Australia are yet to join in the conversation. The recent announcement that the state has been earmarked as part of ALDI's further expansion is interesting, and to be completely honest probably more of an 'about time' thing than anything else (uh yeah, so we finally have an Apple store after Androids are outselling iPhones...). As is the case with Dubbo.

Now, I've visited ALDI stores in Europe, and particularly remember the store by my Salzburg hostel for finding some bread and that as my breakfast (and possibly lunch) that day. I remember seeing them everywhere and likened it to the UK's Tesco (oh how I miss those - they are good value). However, I'm yet to visit one in Australia.

I would never have thought the obsession of getting a supermarket would be so strong as it is in Dubbo. I can't speak for Adelaide, but on today's announcement that ALDI have put in a development application to Dubbo City Council, it really came out.

It's been years in the making, and people are now glad they won't have to drive an hour to Mudgee, or longer down the Mitchell Highway, to get some good deals. I was rather impressed at the sheer excitement by residents as I fulfilled my social media duties with success for the afternoon.
(*link Facebook-friendly only).

Bottom line: I'm not going to knock (or approve) it until I go in and suss it for myself. Anywhere too, not just Dubbo.

What do you think? Are you on the ALDI bandwagon - am I out of the loop or is there nothing to be fussed about?

***

In other social media news, I made it onto the Crows' latest Storify thread!

Not bad for my first week on it! Storify has shown itself to be a slight pain though. It should be simple enough, but trying to find things both for feeds and within a general profile has proven rather difficult. I WILL get the hang of it.

A belated review of the week, my apologies. Although in my defence, this isn't one worth hanging out for... avoid.

Identity Thief (MA 15+)

Rating: 1.5/5

*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 6/4/2013

I was a bit late in finding out about the death of Roger Ebert yesterday... I went to bed last night in a really sad state.

The influence of Roger Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, wasn't felt in Australia in the same way as him homeland of the United States or elsewhere (the wonderful Margaret and David of At The Movies fill that spot).

But that didn't matter. His name was enough. His name was synonymous with greatness. Anyone who knows film knows Roger Ebert. Anyone wanting to be a critic held his view with in the highest regard. And it is the world that will rightfully mourn him.

Read the Sun-Times obituary. And see the reactions from the public below. I was that intrigued by the reactions that I created a Storify account to collate some of them:

We can never become awakened or enlightened until we can move beyond form. Every philosopher who ever lived has taught that.

People generally stop having hurt feelings when they realise that those feelings can no longer be used to manipulate you.

You must come in contact with the empty space that lies within, not the form that encapsulates it.

Yesterday I was scared to go in front of my laptop and do anything. Tonight still a little bit.

But I'm writing this blog anyway, as a show of defiance for anyone who might be RATting me.

RATting me?

Yeah, that's right, people using Remote Administration Tools. If you didn't see the article on the Sydney Morning Herald website or elsewhere, read it. It explains how one Aussie teenager discovered that anyone anywhere using a laptop can be hacked to the point where everything you write can be read.

And steal your virtual currency. Booooo.

While that has no relevance to many people (cough, most of the world), it's worse if you have a webcam - and you don't even have to have it on. Literally all you need is the screen to be pointing at something. As this RATter found out...

Not a great look.

I jumped in front of the computer after soccer training, popped the internet on... and then realised I wasn't wearing as much as I'd like knowing I could be watched. To say I rushed to rug up would not be an understatement.

I feel violated... in cyberspace.

Lesson learned. From now on the most I'll be doing to embarrass myself is speak some Greek aloud while listening to the audio CDs.

***
The "un" in unconditional means not judging. (I guess you can't judge this woman. She had no idea her face would be a potential online sensation.)

Making a conscious effort to make the most of a #roadtrip from now on... #language #Greek twitter.com/Katiinkaa/stat…
— Katina V (@Katiinkaa) March 31, 2013