Thursday, December 31, 2009

Last day of the year! :o

Whoa...anyone else want time to go by slower?

Today is December 31st, 2009. Tomorrow it will be the first day of the new year, 2010! And what did I accomplish this year? Well...let me think.

I discovered the meaning of friendship.
I got through my first semester of college with a 4.0 grade average.
I've kept my room noticeably cleaner than last year :D
My clumsiness level went down by about 30%.
I've been more outspoken about things when they bother me.
I've begun to get my hair under control :D
I've learned to take pills.
I've narrowed down the list of college majors I'm interested in.
^^^ Keeping with that, I've made some college decisions for the better of my relationship with Christ, and my family.
I started something I never thought I would, because I was too afraid.
I'm starting to look at things on the positive side rather than the negative side.
I sang in front of my family. (and I DIDN'T sound like a cat in a trash compacter!)

There are the biggest things I've accomplished this year. Now, I suppose I should list off things I did not accomplish, so I can remember them and work on them. But thing is, I'm trying to be more positive. So instead of listing off things I didn't do, now I will list off the little, everyday accomplishments in my life.

I woke up every morning this year.
I quit some things that I really felt weren't worth it for me. (talking activities here, not drugs or anything vile like that)
I went up and down stairs and probably only tripped three times in the whole year.
I've become more thankful for the things I have. (I'm even thankful for my teachers!)
I've learned to give material things up more easily. (Want my pencil? You can have it!)
I started drinking more water (something I barely did at all last year).
I've started liking myself for who I am, and showing that to others.
I got my braces off.
I got my driver's license.
^^^on that note, I haven't been in any accidents!
I'm getting better at apologizing and admitting when I'm wrong. (I still struggle)
I'm learning to be a better friend instead of expecting others to be better to me.
I've learned what kind of people I want to spend more time with.
I've been more diligent in my Bible time.

Well, there's my list of little accomplishments. Whats yours? Anything you're pleased with goes. One thing I learned this year is that if something makes you proud, even if others don't notice, you should hold your head up high.
So what is it for you? Did you learn to skateboard? Make dinner without burning it all? Make your bed two mornings in a row? Clean the bathroom? Whatever it is, write it in a comment below. If there's a little accomplishment that makes you happy, write it down and share it! And don't forget to be encouraging for other people's accomplishments, whether its important to you or not. That's it for this post. Here's to a great year of wonderful accomplishments and to a great new one coming up!

Oh, I almost forgot...random picture!

"Mon Ami...pour toujours." French, and it translates to "My friend...for all the days."

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Disney Movies 2010

Aloha, people, mermaids, fairies, pirates, royalty, maids, ragamuffins, surfers, adventurers, or whatever else you may be!

- Alice in Wonderland ~ March 5, 2010
- Toy Story 3 ~ June 18, 2010
- Rapunzel ~ November 24, 2010
- Sorcerer's Apprentice ~ July 16, 2010
- Prince of Persia ~ May 28, 2010
- Voyage of the Dawn Treader ~ December 10, 2010

Which ones are you most excited to see? Any I haven't listed here?

Random picture time is here... and its Tink and Terence (and Blaze!) from Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure! Cute movie.

Have you seen Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure?

A really neat quote and a few other things...

I was searching random things on the internet...and I came across this page - How do I get to Neverland? Well on that page someone posted a really interesting quote. Here it is:

"Always do your best. Help others. Never be mean. Smile when you are happy. Cry when you are sad. Don't worry. Believe in yourself. Live to live, not to avoid death. Never give in. Learn to ask for help when you need it. Admit it when you are wrong -- right away, and with a smile. Be right without being righteous. Never regret what you have done but always try to do better. Don't live for the moment but let the moment live for you. Appreciate what you have without pining for what you don't have.

If you can do all of this, you will find that you need to do more. Do it. And then you will find you have always lived in Neverland."

I thought it was very sweet, hbu?

I also came across a funny page - How do I get to Narnia? - that had some funny answers. Here are a few of the best answers to the question "how do I get to Narnia?":

- "Try putting the DVD of The Chronicles of Narnia into your television, and whenever the wardrobe shows up, try to literally jump into your television and enter the wardrobe. Good luck, my friend!"

- "Get a magical wardrobe. It works really well, I actually made an appearance in the movie, because I got there. I got to hug Caspian!! :)"

Good for laughs, but I really don't recommend jumping into your television. Eat a brownie instead :).

And....as always...Random pic time!!!!! A pretty pic for you of a hot air balloon.



So...have you ever tried to get to Neverland, or Narnia? Or maybe Middle-Earth? What did you try? Were you successful? :)

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Disney Headgear and Baking!

You know how when you go to a Disney park, there are always tons of people, especially little kids, running around with those mickey mouse ears or princess tiaras on their heads? Well...the truth is...*sniff*...I've never done that. I've been to Disneyland at least 6 times and I've never worn an official piece of Disney headwear at the park. (Isn't that extremely sad? Maybe not to you, but I'm having a pity party to absolutely no reason so bear with me! lol I'm really just kidding. I'm kinda hyper.) Anyways, I'm going to buy a Disney princess crown for this trip and wear it ALL day long, unless I'm going on a water ride. Ariel is my favorite princess by far, so if I can find a crown of her, I'll get that. If not, I'll go with Belle. You can't go wrong with Belle. Yeah, so I'm going to have a little crown, and my camera, and if I can, get some vids of Disneyland park characters that are worth watching, I'll post them on Youtube and provide a link.

Lately I've been feeling very much like baking. Here are some photos of yummy things I wish I could make!








There you have an Ariel cake, Peter Pan cake, cup cake, and pink lemonade cupcake, which looks as though a Disney princess exploded onto it!


Random pic at the bottom too! Raven and Chelsea from "That's so Raven"! One of the best Disney Channel shows ever. If you haven't seen it, watch an episode or two!

Disney Ladies & Heroines Ratings!

I recently read a post/blog that rated the manliness of the male Disney main characters (here is the link to the manliness rating http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/2397/ ) . So I thought it would be kind of fun to rate the womanliness of the Disney leading ladies. Here goes!

Snow White

On the one hand:
Snow White knows how to catch a man. She doesn't even need to say a word to him and he's gone. Head over heels. Snow can keep a tidy house and get seven guys to sing while they wash off before dinner.

On the other hand:
Alright, so let's face it. No matter how much you like Snow White, there is absolutely no possible way she gets any heroine points. Nada. She runs away from her stepmother and gets completely FREAKED out of her mind on account of a few trees. So, zip for Snow on that. And what kind of idiot takes a suspicious apple from an ugly old hag? No smartness points for Snow White either.

Overall:
Snow can clean up pretty well but apart from that, she's really not the least bit the heroine. D.
Tip for Snow White: Don't take food from strangers!
Let's hope the next few get some better scores!


Cinderella

On the one hand:
Cinderella, despite her terrible stepmother and living conditions, never takes anything out on Lady Trem, Ana, and Driz. Major maturity points for that! She's also really good with animals, and isn't afraid of mice, unlike most girls. Cindy also scores a prince before she even sees him. Her friends will do anything for her which gives you an idea what kind of a friend she is.

On the other hand:
Cinderella should have noticed that the prince really didn't care enough for her. He should've gone after her himself if he wanted her so bad. She also should have done something other than cry when she was locked up in her room, and when her stepsisters ripped up her dress. Cinderella loses points here.

Overall:
Cinderella is very mature, but she misses some serious stuff. B+.
Tip for Cinderella: Make sure you at least know a guy's name before getting serious.

Sleeping Beauty

On the one hand:
Aurora is majorly beautiful, and has a killer voice. She charms the prince before she's even seem him (much like Cinderella). One of my favorite things about Aurora is that when she finds out she's marrying a prince, she is heartbroken because it means she can't be with the guy she loves. So she's faithful, and not a gold digger like some of the other princesses come across to be.

On the other hand:
Aurora isn't actually beautiful, or a good singer because she was born that way. She was given those gifts by magic fairies. Maybe she would have been the same without the,, maybe not. If not, Prince Philip might not have noticed her because she doesn't seem to have the most noticeable personality. And she sleeps throughout half the movie.

Overall:
Aurora might not have done as well if it wasn't for her fairy godmothers. Who knows though? A-. Tip for Aurora: Stay away from the green light.


Ariel

On the one hand:
Ariel is determined enough to get what she wants that she'll give up her voice, which is one of her most beautiful things. Eric falls in love with her for her personality, not her figure or her voice. She also gets her voice back in the end, and her dad gives her a set of legs. Ariel is one cool friend, as well. All of her friends will do anything for her. She truly loves Eric, so much that up until she finds out that Vanessa is really Ursula, she doesn't try to mess up their wedding. That's pretty sweet.

On the other hand:
Ariel is disobedient. She doesn't listen to her father when what he was saying could really help her out.

Overall:
Ariel is my favorite princess/heroine/leading lady. A+.
Tip for Ariel: Consider a lawyer before signing any contracts.


Belle


On the one hand:
Belle is the only girl in town who isn't obsessed with Gaston (the Edward Cullen/Zac Efron of this generation). She's also smart, and loves to read. Belle really cares for her father, who frankly, would get on my nerves quite a bit. She's willing to give up her life to save his. Belle sees people for who they are on the inside.

On the other hand:
I'm having trouble of thinking of an other hand.

Overall:
Belle is one awesome girl. A+++.

Tip for Belle: You shoulda slapped Gaston!

Jasmine

On the one hand: Jasmine is really smart and quite mature for her age. I'd even venture to say that she's the smartest one in the movie. I think so, actually. She isn't obsessed with guys and is fine to wait until the right one comes along. She is also very caring towards her father, which I love! And Jasmine goes above and beyond what most girls would do in order to save the ones she loves (I'm talking the - Jafar "your beard is so twisted..." - scene)

On the other hand: Jasmine isn't quite forceful enough (for me at least) with her father. I'd tell him what's what - I'm not marrying anyone by any certain time! Well... I guess she does kinda say that to him but it's worded differently.

Overall: Jasmine is quite possibly the smartest character in the whole film, and she is completely independent. But she gets major, major points for intelligence. A+.

Tip for Jasmine: Never run away without money in your pocket!


Jane

On the one hand:
Jane has spunk, and she's not afraid of a little adventure. She's very patient and even though Tarzan never takes her to see the gorillas, she's not angry with him. Jane is very caring towards her father, a bit of a crazy little old British guy. She's got a wicked awesome accent.

On the other hand:
This girl could really use some self-defense lessons.

Overall:
Jane is great but will take some time adjusting to her new world. B-
Tip for Jane: Make sure you know what you're saying before you proclaim it to the world (ooh ooh ee ah ooh, anyone?)

Wendy

On the one hand: Wendy gets to go to NEVERLAND. You can't beat that. Edward Cullen isn't even that cool. She's sweet, and caring and takes good care of her brothers while she is very young herself. And she can fly.

On the other hand: Wendy leaves Neverland. Excuse me for a moment Wendy, but who do you think you are? IT'S NEVERLAND!!!!!!

Overall: Wendy is the youngest of the heroines on this page, and scores better than quite a few. Her kindness and imagination combined with her poor choice to leave Neverland give her a B+.
Tip for Wendy: IT'S NEVERLAND.

Random picture!

Aren't these cute? If they were a necklace, I'd wear

Disney-ness!!!

So I'm a huge Disney fan. I love most of their stuff; movies, music, etc. I'm trying to get all of my favorite Disney dvds before they go into the vault and the prices get insanely expensive. Here is a list of the ones I am trying to get:

The Little Mermaid

I didn't see this one until I was 14! I know, I'm behind! My favorite song from the movie is "Under the Sea". Ariel is the only nonhuman princess! She changes back and forth between being a mermaid and a human three times. EDIT: I got this on DVD for my last b'day! YAY!!!!! It's just about worn out now because I've watched it so much.

Beauty and the Beast

This is pretty much the BEST animated Disney movie there is. Problem is that it went into the vault a few years ago so it costs a LOT. I have an Australian copy of the DVD but I can only play it on one DVD player here. Belle is the oldest Disney Princess; she is 17 years old. EDIT: I have this one now too! Found it on eBay for about $20.






Cinderella


Ah, Cinderella. The one I grew up with. I haven't watched this movie in over 5 years and I could still quote the whole thing! Cinderella is actually the most popular Disney princess. EDIT: Bought this on eBay as well!

Sleeping Beauty


For the longest time, Sleeping Beauty was my favorite princess. I love the medieval time period of this movie. I found it on Amazon for about $6 two weeks after Christmas and snatched it up right away. Aurora/Briar Rose is the tallest Disney princess at 5'7".


Anyway, those are the movies at the top of my list.

Random picture time!
This is from the Broadway production "The Little Mermaid". Doesn't it look cute? I have a few of the mp3's from the Broadway CD and they are made of AWESOME! I really like Sierra Boggess(Ariel)'s voice. So I need to go see TLM on Bway. Yep, so that's about it for this post.

Disney Casts - From Animated to Real

I was thinking about what actors would be good choices to star in real life versions of classic Disney movies. Note that some of the actors are too old for their roles but if they were younger I think would be great. Ignore the ages!


The Little Mermaid:
Ariel - Rachel McAdams.
Eric - Orlando Bloom without an accent

Beauty and the Beast:
Belle - Natalie Portman
Beast - Jonathan Rhys Meyers. He's got the right face for Prince Adam.

Cinderella:
Cinderella - Brittany Snow

Aladdin:
Jasmine - Freida Pinto, if she could pull off the attitude.

Sleeping Beauty:
Aurora - Hilary Duff (if she would stay blonde!)
Philip - Chace Crawford

Pocahontas:
Pocahontas - Mizuo Peck.
John Smith - Philip Winchester

Photo comparisons below.































































































































What are your animated-to-reality cast picks?

Sierra Boggess, and upcoming Disney films!

Sierra Boggess, who plays Ariel in Broadway's TLM is quitting and her last show is May 31st. Dangit, Sierra! Couldn't you just wait a year until I can afford to go? How selfish can you be? lol I know I'm being quite harsh, but I am very disappointed about this. I just bought the entire TLM on B'way album last night.

Here is a photo of Sierra as Ariel.
I think she has tremendous talent and potential and I completely love the sound of her voice. Listen to "Beyond My Wildest Dreams" and hear her squeal! It's so cute!

I'm getting psyched for The Princess and the Frog! Out on December 11th! Photo to the left. It's set in New Orleans, which I am kind of bummed about since I so love fantasy places. And since it's animated I can't go find the filming sites!

Here is the official Princess and the Frog Disney site:
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessandthefrog/
Go there for a gallery and trailers!

Next is Rapunzel, out in 2010. I must admit I am quite disappointed that it will not be 2D. It looks too Barbie for me. And I'm not crazy about the look of Rapunzel herself either.

Also, following this theme of up-and-coming Disney films, Tinkerbell the movie is going to have a sequel. I can't remember exactly when it's out but I believe it is called Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure. I might be wrong.

(Not so) Random picture!:

This is a figurine of Adella, one of Ariel's older sisters. I think it's super cute, and I love the flip of the tail. I'm glad that Adella is skinny here, since in the movie she's the chunkier sister, and it doesn't look right next to the other six.

The Princess and the Frog movie review

I went to see The Princess and the Frog the day it came out. WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!

Wow. There was so much hype for this movie - Disney's return to hand-drawn animation, Disney's first black princess...What you should know is: This is NOT your typical princess movie. It is more of an adventure film than a princessy romance. After seeing the movie, Tiana did not come across as a princess to me because many of the elements that are usually in a Disney Princess movie were not there with this one. Yes, there is romance, a happy ending, and a prince, but... I don't know. Perhaps it was the fact that most of the movie shows our prince and princess in frog form, or that there was more hopping that wistful glances going on. Granted, of course, it is called The Princess and the Frog. For me, it was kind of a disappointment because I was expecting a romance princess movie...instead I got an animal adventure movie.

All in all though, the movie was cute and enjoyable, but I'm still a little puzzled since I had so many expectations - ones that were replaced with different themes in the movie. The only big disappointment with this movie is the score - not the musical singing numbers, but the instrumental. Randy Newman makes the whole movie feel like Toy Story because of the lack of creative influence he put into it. "Almost There" is a great song that Tiana sings before turning into a frog, about how hard she has worked for her dream and how she is "almost there". Other than that, no other songs stick out to me - I wish Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz (Enchanted) had taken this one.

Princess Tiana is a very self-confident woman who will be a great example to younger girls because she works for what she wants; her wants are not given to her. Prince Naveen shows her how to let loose some and she in return helps him to learn things he never had the oppurtunity to learn how to do.

Overall: 6.5 / 10

Random pic! A beyond-adorable puppy!!!!! *Awwwwwwww*
















So what is your take on Princess and the Frog?