The Howling

I think I'm starting to get a cabin fever from all this extra free time in my hands this week. So I obsess over things at random, latest obsession being Band of Brothers (HBO 2001).
I haven't watched it as I sadly do not have it in my possession (as soon as I have money again I'll order it from Play.com as a belated birthday present for myself, I swear), but somebody posted a BoB picspam on fandom_picspams a couple of days back and there I went again.
I've seen it two or three times now, but it's one of those films/series that actually benefits from multiple viewings as it has such a huge ensemble cast it's a bit difficult to keep track on who's who among the skinny, dark-haired white guys in nearly identical combat gear.
So when you watch it again and start to connect the names with the faces, you'll probably also find yourself going: "Wait a minute, is that...?" Yeah, it probably is.

Yup, the terrifying Speirs is none other than Matthew Settle from Gossip Girl (guess getting to play one of the baddest badasses of the 20th century is a once in a lifetime opportunity and after it you have to take what you get...). Yeah, that's Michael Fassbender hanging out in the background, smoking cigarettes and cracking jokes with his friends as Burton 'Pat' Christenson. Yes, it's Andrew-Lee Potts who gets brutally and unnecessarily killed in The Last Patrol. Jamie Bamber is the hapless German-American POW who gets offered some very fatal cigarettes (EDIT: Oops, sorry, no he isn't. He played Captain Jack Foley and that POW just looks way too much like him), and Tom Hardy is Janovec who is found humping some German floozy by Speirs. Marc Warren, Simon Pegg and James McAvoy also appear, as well as Jimmy Fallon. It's sick. :D

But anyway, I didn't even plan to babble about anything, I was just supposed to post this, because... well, it's amazing and Roe is ♥.



Oh, btw: I'm feeling a bit better now although I'm apparently anemic. Nothing some extra iron won't fix, though.
I still need to have an ultrasound scan and maybe some other examinations done, but I think I should be okay and can go back to work tomorrow.

ETA: Now that I think of it, maybe my little brother becoming the third reserve officer of my immediate family (this is the fourth generation) has something to do with this obsession. Only a little, though, probably. *shrug*

Hiya guys. I'm alive.
Sorry I've been so AWOL lately, been busy/stressed/generally lethargic for these past few weeks for reasons I shall get to soon.

But first... During these past few weeks I've also been finally catching up with True Blood, but while addictive and entertaining, it didn't manage to really impress me until the last Sunday's episode I Will Rise Up. More about that under the cut. (Note: spoilers only up to 2x09, waiting for 2x10 to download while I sleep)

( 'Are you very afraid?' 'No, no! I'm full of joy!' )

Okay, onto the second post then...
I have some pretty serious (no, no, no one's died or anything, don't worry) recent stuff to write about, but since I still need to mull over it inside my head for a while and I'm really bursting to get this off my chest, first I have some advertising for you.

Being Human. I mean, wow.

I don't suppose very many of you (in addition to you new people on my flist <3) have heard of this little gem of a TV show, so allow me to tell you about it...

Meet Mitchell (first name John but no one really calls him that), a laid-back porter in a Bristol hospital. He appears to be in his mid-twenties; a tall, handsome young man with wavy dark hair, wiry build and a soft Irish brogue. He's quick to smile and laugh, very caring toward his friends and great with kids. Oh, and also manages to look great in yellow.

His best mate is George Sands. He also works as a porter in the hospital despite his high level of education (he speaks six languages fluently) and IQ of 156. George is... well, a bit geeky. He wears glasses, is quite pedantic and socially awkward, and has a habit of starting to stutter when he gets nervous. He's also Jewish, though he has lately started to doubt his faith.

The boys share their flat with Annie, a sweet-natured and sort of innocently childlike former student of design with some self-confidence issues and an obsessive-compulsive habit of making tea. She's a bit agoraphobic and still hung up on her ex.

So, what's the catch, you ask?

Well... Mitchell has been a vampire since 1916 (hee!) when he was "recruited" during the First World War (he went through with it so save his squadron), but has recently been struggling to keep on the wagon and not kill anyone. Against all odds he teamed up with George, another outcast from humanity for having had the bad luck to get scratched by a werewolf on a holiday trip to Scotland (never go walking on the Scottish moors alone on a night of full moon!) two years ago. By some coincidence they happened to move in to the very house where one Anna Sawyer had fallen down the stairs to her untimely death, also two years ago...

Together they form an adorable, hilarious trio of friends and flatmates, trying to live normal life the best they can despite their respective supernatural states and the problems they bring. It's... absolutely awesome.
It's dark, it's funny, it's brilliant, it's strangely realistic. It has well-rounded characters (for once a TV vampire isn't defined by his vampiredom, Mitchell feels every bit like a real person), some great music choices (most of which are sadly missing on the DVD version, boo), awesome dialogue and some stellar acting.
I can only highly recommend it, it's the best thing I've watched since Life on Mars probably (if we don't count DW, that is). Too bad there's only six 56-minute episodes so far, in addition to the pilot with different actors for Mitchell (a bit more enigmatic and emo) and Annie (a bit more frail). Eight more are to come in next January, though, and I already can't bloody wait.

There's just something about British productions that I'm drawn to. I mean, I can't basically even watch American tv anymore after being spoiled with the likes of Doctor Who, Life on Mars, Hex, all those stunning period dramas (the latest in line being the gorgeous The Devil's Whore) and now this. No offense meant to any Americans, but British tv just somehow feels so much more real even if it was about witches, vampires or time-travel.
Of course there are exceptions, but one good example are IMHO relationships. In British tv there are often some delightfully subtle love stories in the good old "will they-won't they" vein, or simply some amazing, realistically layered friendships. [MINOR SPOILER]For example, on Being Human there's a cute moment when two of the main characters accidentally kiss. Okay, it's certainly there on purpose, but while in some American show it would have most likely lead to a loaded moment of UST and heaving bosoms, here they just simply laugh it off with genuine affection and carry on with their (un-)lives. Awesome. :)[/MINOR SPOILER]

But anyway, here's a bit upbeat (even though the show itself certainly isn't that all the time) taste of what it's like:



Now I'll bid you goodnight, I must go make sure Saoirse (my eight-month-old kitty who underwent sterilization today) doesn't rip open her stitches or do anything else stupid as she's still a bit wobbly.

Alright, I was going to write a big epic review-sort of post about tv shows I've been catching up with or rewatching lately -- and I probably still will because I have lot to say about them -- but I really need to get this off my chest, like, right now:

Doctor Who has taken over my brain.

Yeah. I know. Another fandom for Darna to obsess about.
But seriously. I wonder why I never thought to check it out before because it's wicked awesome.
Ab-so-lute-ly brilliant, in that distinctly British sort of way. I mean, it's probably not for everyone, obviously. But I daresay those unwilling to give it a chance are missing a lot.
Acting? Impeccable. Yes, including Billie Piper. You simply can't not love her as Rose. So perfectly well-rounded and human is her portrayal. As Jacob at Television Without Pity said, she's probably the only singer-turned-actor ever that turned out to be fucking brilliant at it.
Dialogue? Perfect. The one-liners are killer and the dialogue overall is very witty and natural and British. Of course it's sometimes over-the-top, but this is after all a cheesy -- albeit brilliant -- sci-fi show, and usually it's over-the-top only when the situation calls for it. Even with all the occasional darkness and deadly-serious undertones, it's still an old-fashioned fairytale at heart.

I could go on forever, but perhaps I'll spare you and let you discover the magic yourself if you are so inclined (and Ella, I'll get the first season on DVD and we'll watch it, okay?).
And those of you who already have discovered it, please do not spoil me beyond the first 2 episodes of the second season (I mean, there's no way I'd have been able to avoid some big, general spoilers because I'm three seasons behind everyone else, but no details if you please).

But it's like a drug, for real. I don't think any series/fandom has ever made me so positively giddy. I bought one of the tie-in books yesterday (it was on sale :p) and sat in the bus on my way back home and sniggered to myself like a madwoman while reading it. Seriously (and I'm paraphrasing):

The Doctor: Quick! We need to distract them somehow! Jack?
Captain Jack: Yes, sir! *takes off with a huge grin*
A moment passes. Then, accompanied by some surprised exclamations, they can see...
Captain Jack: Whoohoo! *runs naked through the crowd*
The Doctor and Rose: ...
Jack runs back to them with a shit-eating grin, still buck-naked.
Captain Jack: That distracting enough?
The Doctor and Rose: *facepalm*

But of course they secretly love it. And I love them. :D
And what's slightly scary in the drug metaphor is that it's also addictive. After each episode I watch I want more, but I also know that the more I watch now, the less I have left to watch. And I don't want it to ever be over. *clings to show and everything she loves about it, Nine and Ten and Rose and Jack and everything*

Alright, here's what we do. By the leave of my beloved future flatmate if she'll grant it, I extend the invitation to everyone reading this: when me and Ella have moved (yes, we got the apartment, but I'd rather not think about it much at the moment because my brain's a mess and there's still so much to work out) and we have a DVD player and a decent TV, you're all welcome to watch Doctor Who with me. I promise to not be too annoying, or at least try. ;p

I think I'm gonna go watch The Christmas Invasion now. David Tennant! <3

Bleuh, I'm ill again. Fuckin' fantastic.

Remember when I told you about the pickpocketing incident in Dublin? Well, today when I got home I found a small brown envelope bearing the harp of Ireland and Dublin stamps (they'd written my address wrong, though :p). Inside was an official letter signed by the Superintendent of the Pearse Street Garda Station concerning said incident. I guess it was just a routine thing, letting me know that "progress has been made in this investigation and a person has been made amenable" etc. But it also said that I "may be required to attend court, if this happens you will be contacted and given the appropriate information and support". Now that would be an interesting excuse to go back to Ireland. :D
Got to give those guys respect again, they seem to be doing pretty effective work. \,,/

---

Anyways, I did some town-hopping over the weekend, main destination being Jyväskylä in order to offer some support and solace to one of the recent victims of this so-called "Breakup Season". We also bonded a bit more, which was lovely. :)
Because the public traffic between Turku and Tampere is fucked-up, I had to hang around in Tampere for two hours waiting for the train to leave. But it was okay, I just padded (I was forced to walk barefoot because my Docs are killing my feet) over to O'Connell's (my second Irish pub within three hours and 150 kms :D) where I predictably found Perttu and Sandi. So I hung out with the boys for two hours, drinking my second lonkero within three hours and 150 kms (I'm such a drunkard nowadays :D) and feeling very much at home. I'm so peeved that there are no decent Irish pubs in Turku. There's The Castle alright, but a) the age limit is bloody 24 b) no self-respecting Irishman/-woman would name their pub "The Castle" anyway. :p

---

On a completely unrelated note, I've just rediscovered my love for Farscape. Frell, it was some awesome dren. ;p
And when I earlier said how I rarely root for the canon OTP? Well, I apparently had forgotten that Aeryn and John pretty much blow every other pairing in the history (of television, at least) out of water.
Main part of it must be the absolutely amazing chemistry between Ben Browder and Claudia Black, how completely natural they are around each other and how well they play together. Whenever they share a frame, the screen all but melts. They could be sitting there crocheting or something and it would be exciting simply because they'd be there together.
But homage must also be paid to the writers of the show for their unusual romance that never in the course of four seasons and a mini-series became boring. And they didn't even have to add any love triangles (well, not in the traditional sense anyway...) there to spice things up.

One of the things that made the Farscape romances and friendships feel so realistic was the fact that the characters touched each other regularly, the casual way couples and friends and family members normally do. I guess it also tells something about the comfort level the cast had amongst themselves, because usually it shows on screen if the actors aren't entirely comfortable around each other.
And Ben and Claudia, they're entirely in a league of their own, they can't keep their paws off each other even off-screen! Not in particularly sexual way, mind, both are happily married to other people, but a good example was this Q&A session in some sci-fi convention where they first greeted each other with a funny little friend-kiss as a homage to their characters' passionate relationship after which Ben proceeded to drag his chair and microphone right next to Claudia's, and during the whole session you didn't even need to hear them say that, you could see from their body language (leaning towards each other in their chairs, Ben -upon noticing it kept falling on her eyes- pausing mid-sentence to affectionately brush Claudia's hair off her face etc.) they are close.
They acted like really close siblings or childhood friends or old marrieds. It was such a blessing to watch. :) Here's the first part in case someone's interested.

But as a conclusion: go watch Farscape, it's frelling awesome. \,,/

To celebrate the International Women's Day, I wanted to share this with all of you ladies (and well, why not gentlemen too) out there. Go ahead and check it out, it's awesome. <3

EDIT: For those who can't be bothered to download it (which I would recommend, as the quality is infinitely better), here's the youtube version:


(Hmm, that reminded me: I really should get around to making that master list of fanfic, fanart and fanvid recs.)

From the darling jupedog:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next three sentences in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.

"Hänen ajatuksensa olivat suuntautuneet sisäänpäin, yrittivät ratkaista Trieliltä keskustelun kuluessa saamiaan hienovaraisia viestejä. Suunnitelma Mithrilsalin valloittamiseksi vaikutti varsin lupaavalta. Jarlaxle oli ollut kääpiölinnoituksen lähettyvillä ja tutustunut sen puolustukseen. Vaikka puolustus olikin ihailtavan luja, ei se kestäisi drow-armeijaa vastaan."
-R. A. Salvatore: Tähdetön yö (Starless Night)

Damn, why did it have to be the only FR book I've been reading in Finnish lately?
Ah well, just for the heck of it, the same from the second nearest book:

"Though Pippin had regretfully to destroy his hopeful tale, he could not be rid of his new rank, only fitting, men thought, to one befriended by Boromir and honoured by the Lord Denethor; and they thanked him for coming among them, and hung on his words and stories of the outlands, and gave him as much food and ale as he could wish. Indeed his only trouble was to be 'wary' according to the counsel of Gandalf, and not to let his tongue wag freely after the manner of a hobbit among friends.
At length Beregond rose. 'Farewell for this time!' he said."
-J.R.R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King

I admit I had to bend the rules a little, though, because my copy is one of them illustrated ones by Alan Lee and the page 23 was actually an illustration of the city of Minas Tirith. So I used page 22. :p

Aaanyways... I had a pretty good time today.
Even though I'm once again in a totally weird sleeping pattern and spent the whole day sleeping yesterday and took only a little nap today after staying up all night, I actually managed to be one of the first ones in the history class for once. But well, it was the last class in this course and I didn't want to miss it. Wasn't exactly the most exciting class, though, because it was mostly about industrialism and the birth of modern political ideologies in the 19th century. But well, guess I have to learn about that stuff as well.
After school I went to buy myself the history textbook and also pick up the book I had ordered (the new The Legend of Drizzt edition of Salvatore's Sojourn with cover art by Todd Lockwood <3) while I was at it. Then I went to get Ella from work and we went to buy ourselves the tickets to a Kotiteollisuus gig on Saturday (yeah, the second time we see them live in two weeks :p) and grab some food.

After dining and hearing some sad news we met my mom briefly so she could give me some official documents and then proceeded to Cosmic Comic Café.
Thursday nights are Larp-kahvila nights so people from the Turku larp scene like Dare and Susanna and co. were about. Not a too big crowd, though, and I really enjoyed being all geeky and rambling about the X-Men with them. You don't get a chance to make good-natured fun of the soap-operatic shenanigans of the Summers clan or debate about whether Wolvie should have smelled it was Mystique entering his tent instead of Jean in X2 or not with like-minded people too often. I might have to make a habit of hanging out in Cosmic after school on Thursday nights, even though when people start talking about the city-larp campaign stuff, it all flies right over my head.
Another subject was for some reason (might have had something to do with Magneto) natural catastrophes, mainly the possibility of the über-volcano beneath the Yellowstone National Park erupting and promptly destroying a great deal of life on the North American continent (and probably also causing some nice little nuclear winters in Europe and Asia). I'll now take the risk of sounding like that git Pekka-Eric Auvinen and say that I probably wouldn't be too sorry if that happened. Of course I would want Steph and Chris and everyone to get away safely in time, but this world and mankind especially is in dire need of a bit of bitch-slapping, a reminder that we're not almighty, that not everything is in our control. This planet would also only benefit if there were a couple of billion people less.
So if you're asking me? Whoo yeah, bring on the Ragnarök/Harmageddon/what you have! \,,/

Gaah. I'm sure I had something else to write about, but of course I forgot what it was.
Ah well, better go and try to catch some Z's. G'night, kittens.

EDIT: I just noticed that both of my Pirates fics in FF.net have been nominated for an award. O_O
"Most Creative" for The Seven Names of Elizabeth Swann and "Best Jack POV" for In Her Eyes of Gold. Didn't win the first one, but it's only completely natural as I was up against the likes of bravenewcentury . I don't expect to win the other one either, but it sure felt good to be even nominated considering how brilliant writers this fandom has.

Thank goodness for Mervi.

Sometimes I really think I understand what my older brother must often feel like.
He's a Mensa level genius, you see, so his mind naturally works on a whole different level compared to so-called normal people. It makes him pretty lonely because there aren't very many people who are able to really understand him and it frustrates him to no end.

I'm no genius on any level, but when people don't understand me no matter how many times I try to explain myself to them, it makes me want to bang my head against a stone wall. Which, I guess, is pretty normal.
Most frustrating thing about this is that often those nearest and dearest to me, like my mother and my sister, misunderstand me. If the people who are supposed to know me best don't understand me, what are the chances that someone else would?

But well, I guess the thing that bothers me most right now is that I feel like me and Ella have started to grow apart somehow. Maybe one of us has changed or maybe we've always been so different from each other and it has just lately started to really show.
Of course I've always known she's the type who wants to settle down and have a nice, safe and stable relationship and a whole bunch of kids, but... it's like her "nestbuilder mode" has lately activated and she's become... I don't know, domesticated somehow? She just wants to belong to someone and live peaceful and content life with her family without having to worry about anything else.
And me, I'm still the wild child with commitment issues who loves her freedom above all and to whom the whole idea of domestication is pretty much a horror that can be compared to a cage. And those worlds clash. Boom.

Very good example about this is that whenever the subject of Pirates of the Caribbean comes up, our views about it are totally different.
Mention At World's End to me and I'll start a rant about sexism and character regression and wasted opportunities and lack of logical continuity and whatnot. She didn't mind those things.
And she thinks I prefer Elizabeth with Jack because I identify with Elizabeth and want to be with Jack.
(Le sigh. I don't 'ship like that. Besides, gimme a Scruffington any time, baby.)

As I said, our worlds collide. In a way it's like she's on a wavelength I can hear but can't tune in to while I'm on a wavelength she can occasionally hear through interference noise and can't tune in to at all.
It's really sad because I love her dearly and I feel really guilty about being occasionally arrogant and snappish around her. Thank goodness we are "only" sisters, not lovers, because as nice as the idea of "true love conquering all obstacles" is, it's highly unrealistic. Maybe there are couples that can have a happy relationship without understanding each other, but I just can't even imagine how can that work.
But well, maybe I'm just too demanding. *dry chuckle*

Ah, anyway. As I said, I'm really glad that there is someone like Mervi in this group because as a fellow empath/people-reader she can understand me better than most of the others.
I'm also really humbled that such a strong and amazing person as she is sees herself as my second-in-command as the alpha female of this "pack". *shakes her head* Alpha female? Me?

Gah. It's 6.17 AM again and I once again failed to express my thoughts the way I wanted. Oh well, maybe the reason why people misunderstand me so often is because I can't express myself understandably. *chuckle*

Good morning, kittens.

Bloody buggering hell. I'm a snivelling mess who just can't get over the soddin' film.
But I think this is what I needed to do so. The Name Game
If it left you wondering, read that one. Really. It's bloody beautiful.

"You’ve been waiting for him since before you met him. Stop waiting. He always comes to you eventually." Oh James.

Right. I'll shut up now and go somewhere to curl up as a ball and bawl out all the crap I've bottled up and absorbed inside of me recently for whatever reason.