Show us the best look you've seen on the red carpet lately.
I love classic Hollywood glamour looks, and I loved what Christina Aguilera wore at the recent Emmy ceremony. Her simple, classic earrings and makeup completed the look beautifully.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Game Bits
I enjoyed Kingdom Hearts and its sequel on the PS2, Kingdom Hearts II. So, I was wondering just what SquareEnix would announce at this year's Tokyo Game Show. Promises of something unlike a direct sequel, something else in the franchise were rampant before the announcement.
Just like with the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII, the new Kingdom Hearts installments come in triplicate. The PSP installment sounds a bit like Knights of the Old Republic, in the KH universe. Called Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, it takes place many years before the events of Kingdom Hearts, and features gameplay like the PS2 titles we know. The story seems to have something to do with Keyblade users in search of a master. 1UP's preview suggested the main character looks like Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core's Zack. I haven't seen the video yet myself.
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days is a 3D game for the Nintendo DS that features Roxas from KHII, apparently in his Organization XIII days. This game apparently ties into the secret ending video attained at the end of the Japan-only Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix.
The last title, is a cellphone game called Kingdom Hearts: Coded, that seems to run parallel to events in Chain of Memories.
Nothing on a PS3 KH3, which was what many had hoped for for a while. However, since that possibility was sort of put to rest, the question remains whether any of these new titles will serve as a sort of bridge to KH3 like Chain of Memories did between the first two games.
Popular Science has a nice feature on the tech side of game creation. A look at processors and more here.
Team Fortress 2 is making me laugh with its oddball, cartoony sense of humor. Anyone know the voice cast? I'm just curious if I've heard any of these guys before because some sound slightly familiar.
You’re Doing it Wrong
I've been reading some articles by other bloggers and on several more formal websites regarding blogging the "right" way. In order for a blogger to be successful, attract readers (and that all-important meter of worth, traffic), and turn his or her blog into something, there are several rules that I keep seeing pop up.
The main rule is that your blog must be about one topic only. Find a niche. Be the expert in that niche. Don't deviate. Obviously, this blog covers all sorts of topics, though there are definite common threads among many of the posts. I have a private journal elsewhere in case I feel like writing about having a bad day or something more personal, but this space is still reserved for musings on various things of importance to me, articles, and general talk in a more professional tone. It's my little space on the internet where I can showcase my ideas, interests, writing ability, and various facets of just what makes me tick.
My niche is "Christina".
Fall is coming
Putting my new mug from Mom to good use already:
Game Bits
An Oklahoma court has overturned the law in that state criminalizing certain video game sales to minors. A victory for parents and for gamers. I hope that other states, including New York, my home, will follow suit. To criminilize the sale of games undermines parental rights, and separates games unfairly from other media such as movies, music, or even books, that are either available to all freely or have self-regulated industry policies.
I'm also trying to pick my next game. Though I haven't finished Final Fantasy VII yet, I'm thinking perhaps Grim Fandango will be next.
An interesting debate about the new “Game Fuel” ad
I meant to write about this earlier, but someone opened up an interesting debate over at the girl_gamers community over at LiveJournal. She asked a few questions about the ad currently running for Pepsi's Halo 3 marketing tie-in soda, Mountain Dew Game Fuel. I have tried the soda. It tastes like liquid gummy bears. I will also
be getting to Halo 3 at some point. Obviously, I'm within the customer
base for both products.
Personally, I think the ad would have been great if there were a female at the end, but I think it works just fine with a male there. Hey, at least it's sort of ethnically and racially diverse. Admittedly, many people would have found the ad gimmicky if the end showed a female beating all those other male players. I don't think that's deserved, but it would have been how many people would have perceived it.
I do think that the agency really made a mistake in not including any portrayals of any female gamers, however. I'm aware that the console market is overwhelmingly male, but we're far from nonexistent, and it would have been a nice nod. Instead, we're treated to stereotypes like a guy playing while his apparent girlfriend reads on the bed in the background and a guy playing while what looks like his mom is in the background putting something on the kitchen table.
In other words, we're in the background, uninterested, and definitely not active players, as portrayed in this ad. It's sad that putting a female in that role in the end would have been seen as gimmicky and as a potential joke, but I doubt the bottom line would have been hurt had a female been included amongst the frustrated gamers in the ad. In other words, if we'd been shown as involved and not as merely background set pieces.
Post-vacation Tidbits
Got back from my vacation a couple of days ago. And I think I'm getting sick again, for the second time in about a month. I'm not sure yet, but my throat has been feeling scratchy since I was still in Florida. Just my luck. Settled back into real life, but I've been pretty tired. As the cliché goes, I need a vacation.
Have been reading a few books lately, one is a series of essays and interviews on various aspects of women's images. Women from filmmakers to actresses are included, and the book (entitled Damage Control) gives a look at several aspects of image issues, even some that are fairly universal. My boyfriend hates the texture of his hair. One chapter in the book, in which actress Minnie Driver talks about how she grew to appreciate her dark, thick, curly hair, reminded me of him.
The other book I'm reading is I, Jedi, by Michael Stackpole. It is what it sounds like, part of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. A very good book so far, I'm about halfway through. I should hurry up, as I have book one of the Thrawn trilogy awaiting pickup at the library this week. I'm reading these books in reverse of what I should have, given that the events of Thrawn are discussed and mentioned various times in I, Jedi, but that won't ruin the experience for me.
I have the His Dark Materials trilogy coming my way as well soon. I'd better get cracking on the Star Wars books.
On my trip, I made a lightsaber toy for my boyfriend. I've joked multiple times that I'm keeping it. It has been fun to play with, swinging it around in places, but I'll be bringing it to him soon, provided I'm not super sick in a few days' time.
Oh, and before I forget, my piece was published in this week's issue of The Escapist. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. It evolved from a few different directions over time, but it's nice to finally have it out there.
Diversity in Dolls
I'm sick. Have been for days. So just a brief update based on a press release I just read.
When the rollout is completed next week, Kmart stores will sell nearly
four dozen types of ethnic dolls — a nearly fourfold increase from
what's currently available. The dolls are flanked by an advertising
campaign in the store's circulars and designed to appeal to black,
Hispanic and Asian parents.
Personally, I wonder if by "Hispanic" doll, they mean one that tries to copy Dora the Explorer and be a stereotypical brown/dark brown/dark brown representation of us, or if there will be variety in what is represented. We're a very diverse group, and it would be nice to see that reflected in the types of dolls sold. Little Latina dolls with green eyes or light skin, blue eyes, or really dark skin, blonde hair, as well as dark brown or black eyes and hair would be a progressive step in truly representing us. I have dark brown eyes and hair, but there are still lots of Latinos with different color combinations, and those who don't fit the brown/brown/brown mold often feel on the fringe or are looked at askance. I recall going to join a Latino organization in college, and being told I "didn't have to be Latina to join". We're a mixed population, and unique in that we can pretty much have any color combination.
Hopefully, Kmart and other manufacturers don't forget that in their vision.
Four Cover Songs to Check Out
I was reading up on Morcheeba earlier, and was feeling inspired to write about music. I heard the first song here on my list earlier and the idea for this blog popped into my head. So here goes:
Skye Edwards – Feel Good Inc
http://myspace.com/myskyesite
Skye Edwards is the former lead singer of the British band Morcheeba. I don't remember where I discovered Morcheeba. It may have been through one of their songs being played in a movie. Skye left in 2003 to pursue a solo career. One of the songs she's recorded is this soulful, breathy version of the Gorillaz hit. Her take on the song is fresh and she definitely makes it her own.
Dame Shirley Bassey – Get This Party Started
http://www.dameshirleybassey.com
Dame Shirley Bassey, the Welsh singer most notable for her soulful belting and having recorded two James bond theme songs, decided to cover a pop song by Pink. However odd that sounds, she pulls it off marvelously. Her rendition is fun, airy, and she even gets to show off her lovely, strong voice. She looks gorgeous in the video as well as like she's having a really good time. An unexpected cover, but definitely one to seek out.
El Lele de Los Van Van featuring Radiohead – High and Dry
http://www.rhythmsdelmundo.com
This cover is also partly a reinterpretation, as often happens when translating lyrics into another language. Radiohead is sampled here in this Spanish version of their song "High and Dry" by El Lele of the group Los Van Van. In crafting this version, the orchestrated rhythms capture the melancholy of the original song, while the lyrics and vocal performance make it almost even more heartwrenching and moody. You don't even have to speak Spanish to appreciate the beauty of this cover.
The Corrs – Everybody Hurts
This one is several years old, but it's still one of my favorites. I'm a big fan of The Corrs, and I was able to pick up their MTV Unplugged album when I was studying abroad (it was never released in the US). This is one of the tracks featured in the performance, and one of two covers (the other being Little Wing). I think that Andrea Corr's voice is perfect for this fluid, emotional song, and it's one of my favorite cover songs. Since it never got a US release, I've decided to feature it in the hopes more people hear this version of the REM hit.
A few thoughts before bed
Real life has intervened again. My boyfriend has been pretty sick and my paternal grandparents have been up to visit along with other family I haven't seen in several years. I've been very stressed out lately.
I'm also suffering from writer's block right before a deadline. I know I have it in me to finish writing this article, but for some reason, the ability isn't translating to type on the page. I still have a few days, but I really wanted to have a workable draft by this past Wednesday. It's not procrastination; it's a sense of emptiness, as if I didn't have something substantial when I know that I do. I think it's just the combination of anxiety over this project and general life stress of late.
I did manage to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows between Tuesday and Wednesday. I tried to read it a bit more slowly, but I couldn't help myself. A very satisfying conclusion, with a couple of loose ends, but overall, nicely done. It's simply over, and that feels a bit funny. I had the same experience with another seven-book series: The Dark Tower by Stephen King. I read the first four books in both series very quickly and pretty much all at once, then read each of the final three pretty much immediately after release.
Now, I just need a book recommendation.
To anyone that's left me a comment or a message in the last 6 weeks: I haven't forgotten you. It's been sort of oddly stressful and one of those moments when the things one intends to do far outnumber actual things accomplished within a decent timeframe.