Hooray! 500 Pageviews...And You Made It Possible!!!

Happy Friday Everyone!

My blog site, It's Just A Thought...has now received 500 pageviews!!! 

A big THANK YOU to all who have stopped by my site within the past month, read a blog or two, and made this possible. 

Here's to another 500 - I'll keep on posting if you keep on reading!;)

Stay tuned...more original ramblings to come!!!


-Trijan Maddux

I'm Feeling a Bit Nostalgic--Here are Some of my Favorite 1980s Fantasy Films!

Salve Omni!

The weekend is nigh...got any fun plans?  Money is a bit tight for us this week, so I think we'll just take it easy and watch some movies; not a bad way to spend the weekend at all!  It has been one tough week!  I really just want a day or two to unwind with some great entertainment that I can really enjoy without having to over-analyze anything.  Lately, I have been feeling a bit nostalgic.  I've really been wanting to watch some old-school Fantasy films from my younger days.  For those of you who grew up in the '80s and early '90s...you know what I mean! 

The 1980s and early '90s were jam-packed with tons of Fantasy films - ranging from the great to the not-so-great, the animated to live-action, and from cheesy to cheesier.  These were the films that either created fond memories of our childhoods, or simply terrified us.  As a child, I had a very active imagination; often dreaming of fantasy worlds full of magic and adventure, with beings and creatures far beyond the imagination could comprehend.  I welcomed the escapism into the worlds of fairies, goblins, kings, queens, knights, emperors, warriors, empresses, sorcerers, and adventurers, that these films provided.

I thought I would list some of my favorite Fantasy films from yesteryear, that I enjoyed watching (and still often do).  And here they are (in no particular order):

v Labyrinth - David Bowie not only sings, but also stars as the Goblin King - 'nuff said!  Danny John-Jules (Cat from the Red Dwarf series) also provides the voice for one of the Fiery creatures.

 

v The Princess and the Goblin - For you fans of Britcom, two of the characters in this animated gem are voiced by Mollie Sugden (Mrs. Slocombe from Are You Being Served?), and Rik Mayall (Rik from The Young Ones and Lord Flashheart in the Blackadder series).   

v The Dark Crystal - If you haven't see it - you must...NOW!  Absolutely amazing film!

v Legend - Tim Curry plays the role of the Devil, or, Lord of Darkness...it really doesn't get any better than this!  A young Tom Cruise also stars in the film. 

v Excalibur - A retelling of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable.  Excellent! 

v Time Bandits 

v The Princess Bride 

v The Neverending Story - The first movie, of course!  I think every girl I knew had a crush on Atreyu. 

v Ladyhawke - Very interesting film, starring a very young Matthew Broderick and Michelle Pfeiffer. 

v Willow 

v The Chronicles of Narnia, the BBC Television Series - This series was one of my favorites growing up!  No CGI'd Aslan here! 

v The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - Starring a very young Sarah Polley. 

v Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller - I think I first saw this on the Disney Channel long, long ago...a boy and his sister learn they can travel the world by riding within postage stamps.  I saw this film about three times, and then it disappeared...or so I thought...I will have to revisit this one! 

v Beastmaster 

v Masters of the Universe - He-Man and Skeletor! 

v The Secret of NIMH - A film adaptation of, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH...such a great novel! 

v The Conan Movies:  Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer, Red Sonja. 

v The Hobbit 

v Krull

v My Neighbor Totoro - Cat bus is kind of weird, but overall, a real charming animated film. 

v Highlander - "He is immortal"!

So there you have it, a list of some of my favorite things!  I know there are tons more "classics" out there that didn't make it to the list.  What were some of your favorite Fantasy films growing up?  I know you want to share, so don't be shy...send me a list of your favorites!

Well, I hope this post has reminded you of happier and simpler times - times of magic and adventure, of romance, and well, pure creativity and imagination.  If you have time to spare this weekend, plop down on the old sofa, and watch a few goodies from the list; with a big bowl of popcorn and tons of candy, soda, and beer, of course!  Happy viewing!

 

 

And Now...Here's a Britcom for the Misfit in all of Us!

Salve Omni!

So I thought I would start out the week by posting something a little more light-hearted today, and talk comedy. To be exact, some comedy from across the pond. I am fortunate that my local PBS station broadcasts some truly great and diverse Britcoms each weekend, which is great, because it makes my looking forward to the start of the week a little easier to bear...especially on Sunday nights. I do love my Britcoms, and there is one thing I have found to be true...the British seem to have their comedy down to an art form. I own a lot of Britcom series on VHS and DVD, and love to watch them, when time allows. No matter what, when I start watching, I feel better. I laugh, and am able to forget about this crappy world for just a bit.

As a thirty year-old female, I have found that my TV viewing tastes have changed. I don't know about you, but I tire of all of the cutesy little TV shows with the "perfect" girl who always looks great, dresses impeccably, and has to deal with the misfits and misunderstood and unpopular individuals who turn her seemingly "perfect" world upside down. BORING! Where is the reality in that? I, myself, like to see things shaken up a bit...I like my leading ladies flawed, with the unapologetic ability to poke fun at themselves because, hey - they're human! It seems that the British do it best when it comes to really bringing these sort of characters to life. I am immediately reminded of one of my absolute favorite Britcoms, Miranda.

Oh Miranda, where do I begin? Written by and starring Comedian, Miranda Hart, the semi-autobiographical show is comedic gold, with a dose of reality and an extra helping of ridiculousness all rolled into one bundle of goodness. The main character, Miranda, (don't worry, I won't include too many spoilers for those who haven't seen the show) is a thirty-something woman living in England, and trying to do what most thirty-something women seek to do - find "Mr. Right", and have a successful career. We see her trying to sort herself out, and believe me, she is one hot mess!

We find out in the very beginning of the show that Miranda has used the inheritance given to her by an uncle, to buy a joke/gift shop, in which she lives in a little flat upstairs. She hires her childhood friend, Stevie, to manage the store, which makes for hilarious viewing as they often clash on priorities and ideas regarding how to run the shop, but mostly on how Miranda should approach and handle various day-to-day situations. I know this might not sound too funny, but I'm getting there! Patience, Dear Reader!

The character, Miranda, is 6 foot-something, not considered very graceful or feminine, likes to eat, and just downright clashes with the norms of her upper middle-class upbringing and friends and family. She is rather childlike and awkward, often annoying those around her with her constant joking and laughing. She is constantly reminded by her mother and closest friends and acquaintances of her lack of success in dating, and always seems to embarrass herself during social gatherings, especially around men. Miranda lives partially in a dream world, (well she does own a joke shop) where her preference for fun and frolicking hinder her from capably managing her own business. Her friend, Stevie, concerns herself with the shop, while Miranda tends to direct her energy towards evading her mother, Penny's, unceasing attempts to marry her off to anyone willing, and the constant chiding and uncomfortable boarding school reminiscing from Tilly, the annoying school friend. Everyone else is seemingly successful and mature and content with their lives, however, we find Miranda still trying to break free from the control of her disapproving mother and find her own voice.

In other words...when you add an upper middle-class and disapproving mother, a goal-oriented and organized to the point of annoyance childhood friend, a successful upper middle-class school friend who has more in common with your mother than you, and the obvious pining for the handsome chef who works in the restaurant down the street, hilarity ensues! However, Miranda always steals the show; not intentionally, but through her increasing social awkwardness and often inappropriate antics.

Miranda personally greets the viewer at the start of each "a day in the life" - type episode, giving them a brief indication of what's in store. Constantly breaking the fourth wall, Miranda will frequently address her audience throughout an episode, inviting them to witness day-to-day life and events from her own perspective. Often a victim of verbal diarrhea, she constantly speaks her mind without fully thinking about the consequences. And her actions -- well, here, they definitely speak louder than words can express! Miranda will often burst into un-encouraged singing at random and inappropriate moments; such as job interviews and funerals. She will often behave in a childlike manner, hanging out in her apartment and conversing with "fruit friends", created from drawing eyes on whatever fruit she has at the moment. She gets stuck in chairs, falls off of bar stools, farts, gets caught in her underwear, gets chucked out of many social events, and has many other misadventures that, well, make her seem downright human and flawed, or just plain odd (depending on your perception). But, Miranda remains true to herself; not apologizing for who she is. And I find it refreshing.

This social misfit is in no way "perfect". She doesn't fit in, but yet she remains positive and hopeful that her life will improve for the better. The show, through the clever blend of female character-types presented, becomes relatable to every woman, but the show is also enjoyed by male viewers (my husband enjoys watching the show just as much as I do). Miranda never comes across as being too condescending or preachy; offering its viewers just the right amount of insanity to keep it fun. Comedian, Miranda Hart, truly follows in the footsteps of female comedians like Lucille Ball, through her use of physical comedy mixed with everyday situations and interactions; reminding us that we can't always take life so seriously.

Watching Miranda will make you forget your troubles, well, at least until you get to the end of season 3.

Okay, BBC...we need the filming of season 4 to commence...stat!

In the words of Miranda's mother, Penny, "Such fun!"


Click on the link below to see a clip from Miranda (uploaded to YouTube from the BBC):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ5Dpx_YUWw

Eat, Sleep and Play Nintendo...Now, Skyrim, It's Your Turn!

Salve Omni!

I fear the worst!!! Well, it's not that bad, but bad in the sense that I bet it will become a brand-new distraction in my geek world. Last night, my husband, who is most often found playing Skyrim on one of our PCs, convinced me to give the game a try. And so, I did. I didn't mind, at all. I will often watch my husband play Skyrim, while I sit, marveling at the beauty of the landscapes and music. Despite my usual affinity for first person shooter video games and games that don't take me a series of days to conquer (very short attention span), I'll admit that I like the fact that Skyrim allows you to run around and explore its worlds, with a vast majority of options and adventures available.

I spent about forty minutes solely working on my character's facial features. I know, I know, forty minutes may be quite a long time to spend on this, but there are two things one must understand about me: 1) I work on things obsessively until I feel they are as perfect as possible (in other words, everything gets my 150%), 2) I like to look good! I admit it, I rarely leave the house without wearing makeup, and I get my hair professionally done at least monthly, so it's only natural that my Skyrim character is going to look good too! Does this make me any less of a geek girl? Heck No! If I am going to invest many hours of adventures in the lands of Skyrim, you bet I am going to create a character that I won't tire of quickly!

So, after forty minutes of "serious deliberation", and countless robotic, "that looks fine!", responses from my husband regarding what he thought of my eyeshadow and eyeliner choices for my character, my character was finally finished! I made her a Redguard (all my Redguards represent!), and yes, she is a badass warrior! Didn't get too far with the game play last night (okay, really it was 3 am), but tonight should be fun! I can see this game becoming really addictive, real soon!

For some strange reason, while scrolling through the many facial feature options and hairstyle and color choices, I kept humming a familiar, and extremely-unrelated tune:

"Da-da, da-da, da-da...da-da, da-da, da-da"

You are probably wondering what in the world I am referring to. No, I haven't been drinking! I am humming, my friends, the beginning of the underground music from the beloved Super Mario Bros. video games. Now, you can argue with me all you like, but this is intended to be my visual interpretation of the song! Not convinced? Let me provide you with some more visuals to set the scene: There is Mario, he jumps up on a pipe. There he goes, down the pipe, and goes underground! And then, the music starts:

"Da-da, da-da, da-da...da-da, da-da, da-da..."

Ah, it all becomes clearer now...doesn't it? I don't know why I started humming this very tune, as I haven't played any Super Mario Bros. video games in months...but I do know one thing - I was hungry...and I wanted cereal...and then, I started humming...and thinking...of a time long ago. (Harp music plays to indicate time travel)

Does anyone remember the Nintendo Cereal System? I do! I remember seeing the commercial for the breakfast cereal, which began with that familiar 8-bit tune I was just humming, and then running into the other room to make sure that my mom had that box of geeky goodness added to her next grocery list. One half of the cereal box contained shapes and characters from Super Mario Bros., while the other half of the box contained shapes and characters from The Legend of Zelda. Both video games were created for the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). So awesome!!! Here I was, an avid NES gamer, and now, here was this cereal for fans of this gaming system! As a young girl, growing up, I was not considered very "cool" at all by my peers (although I thought I was). All of the gamers I knew at the time were boys. If a girl did play a little, it was because her brother owned a gaming system. Boys that I would play against often had the perception that I could and would easily lose because I was a girl and therefore could not be taken seriously. I just knew that I would be beyond "cool" and taken seriously if I ate that cereal!




I went with my mom to the store, and picked up a box. Now, back at home, I couldn't wait for breakfast the next morning...I just had to eat it!!! So, I did what any other 7-8 year-old would do...I opened the box and ate some anyway. The anticipation was like unwrapping a great Christmas present; you unwrap part of the wrapping paper to see the shape and can roughly guess what is inside, knowing that it is going to be incredibly awesome. And that is how I felt...by merely possessing that box, I felt as if I had truly validated my position as a NES gamer, and by eating the cereal, I would be associated with the other "cool" kids who enjoyed this very thing too.

From the time I unwrapped my NES one Christmas morning, I lived, breathed, and even dreamed Nintendo. I played every waking hour that I could, and even slept on Super Mario Bros. bedsheets! And there I was, holding the inaugural pieces of my new breakfast identity, in-hand. I lifted the cereal to my mouth, and, crunch! Okay, I can now admit that the Super Mario Bros. cereal didn't taste that great, but I will never forget this moment in the history of Trijan Maddux, either. My mom made me eat the rest of the cereal, despite my protests, before she would buy me something different, but by then, Dear Reader, I had learned a valuable lesson.

No matter how cool you think you are, you are nothing until your geeky passion has been immortalized in a breakfast cereal...and you can truly say that you eat it gladly...no matter how bad it tastes!!!

Now, if only they would develop a Skyrim cereal...which should only be eaten from a cast-iron pot!


　

　

 

Hey! These Vigilante Bikini Bottoms Are Really Giving Me A Wedgie!!!

Salve Omni!

The San Diego Comic Con has come yet again, and sadly, my husband and I were unable to go. Instead, I have been keeping informed of the con goings-on via the Internet. I especially like to see the photos of cosplayers in attendance - dressing the part is always cool! It is especially interesting and awesome to see the varying costumes worn by the female cosplayers, and I must say, it is very refreshing to see so many women attending this event. See fellas, women can geek out just as hard!

There is one thing I have noticed however, regarding the art of female cosplay...the choices tend to get shorter and skimpier! No, I am not referring to the choices available, but I am referring to the costumes worn. Yes, it is great to totally geek out while representing your favorites through cosplay, but Ladies...does everything have to be short, tight, skimpy and damn-near non-existent? Often, there is nothing left to the imagination! I get it, there's the famous gold bikini worn by Princess Leia, and many other iconic skimpy and sexy outfits worn by famous female Science Fiction and Fantasy characters, but it makes you wonder - is this all there is to our female super heroines, vigilantes, and video game and TV/movie characters? True, those who fight crime and evildoers for a living don't need to be hindered with layers and layers of clothing and loose-fitting garments that could be easily grabbed or get in the way of an awesome karate kick, but...really?

Not everything should leave little to the imagination. Just imagine...you're a vigilante or super heroine, fighting your nemesis in a battle to the death, wearing bikini bottoms (I don't mean the boy shorts) and a tight corset top. You go to deliver a life-saving death kick, and the next thing you know, your "panties" are riding up, or, worse, they are giving you quite the wedgie! Your mind is now focused on discomfort, which will make the remainder of your battle an interesting one. I don't think your opponent will want to stop and wait for you to shift things...he or she will be counting on any sort of distraction to throw you off your game. I am a woman, and I understand completely the desire for women to want to look and feel sexy and awesome as well as being badasses in battle, but, in my opinion, we can't be expected to dress this way at all times.

I am reminded of one of my favorite video games, Mortal Kombat, 2011 edition. Though I love playing this game with my husband, I always get to thinking about the female fighters. Most of them have Barbie doll-like proportions - huge boobs and tiny waist. Most also wear very little clothing. Even Sonya Blade, who is supposed to be part of the military, and who does wears pants, can barely keep her bosom from popping out as she fights in some sort of skimpy black vest with no bra. Now, if you're a woman, you know that unless you are wearing an extremely-restrictive bra, the moment you do so much as a cartwheel, the girls are coming out to say hello. Especially in a low-cut top. So when Ms. Sonya Blade does that famous upside-down leg grab kick move, well, I am amazed how well "the girls" defy gravity and stay in place! It's amazing, by the end of a bloody match, just about any of the lovely ladies of Mortal Kombat will barely have a strip of cloth left to cover their "girls" at all. Because women fight mostly from the chest...right? Eye candy? Yes! Practical? Not in any way, shape or form! If you don't believe me, play the game.

For female characters such as Mileena, Wonder Woman, Miss Marvel, Power Girl, and many, many others, I often wonder, where do they get all this time to "spruce up"? Ladies, you know that wearing a swimsuit alone requires a good deal of personal maintenance. It is just unrealistic and unbelievable to me to think that these women choose to wear this revealing crap all of the time. When do they schedule time for a bikini/underarm wax? When do they have time to shave their legs? And when it's "that time-of-the-month", well, I know I wouldn't be very comfortable fighting, flying (and doing super-high kicks) constantly in super high-cut bottoms with little coverage. And come on - have we forgotten about the bloating??? Spandex or no, who wants to wear such body-skimming garments during this "special time"? Suppose they eat and drink a bit too much at Thanksgiving dinner - well, I bet you it won't be as much fun trying to squeeze back into that costume! Midriff or stomach-baring garments - not unless they want the dreaded after-a-heavy-meal pudge to show!

I'm waiting for the adventures of the moderately-comfy badass! A more true to life woman, she'd still be sexy...hey, there's nothing wrong with bearing a little cleavage, but her outfit of choice would be form-fitting workout pants or leggings and tank top or fitted T-shirt when she's kicking butt. And on those "special days", sweatpants and a hoodie. And why not sport some wedge-heeled boots or sneakers rather than stilettos? Still awesome, and she won't be hobbling around in agony after a couple of hours of fighting on a rooftop or patrolling the "mean" streets. She'll be outfitted in comfort, which means she can spend more time out protecting the city, than in some salon, getting her bikini area waxed before making an appearance. Oh no!!! An evil villain is destroying the city, and she hasn't had time to shave her legs! Never fear - she'll simply throw on some cute pants and a T-shirt and she'll save the day anyway!

I like to get my geek on just as much as the next girl, but when it comes to cosplay, I think, sometimes, that more is more. No wonder men think that if a woman is blessed with super powers or roams around with superior fighting abilities, that her first outfit of choice must be body-hugging and suggestive, and that she has to have the perfect tiny body of a goddess. What about her skills? Well, I guess no one is looking at that! Just another observation further confirming my theory that we are way too focused on the visual. Sure Ladies, let's look good at what we do because we are good at what we do. But there is much more to the life of a super heroine, warrior and vigilante than running around wearing next to nothing!

　

Check It Out...I Am Now On Facebook!!!

Salve Omni!

Dear Readers...Wonderful News!  I now have a Facebook page!!!  

If you are on Facebook, be sure to follow me to receive notifications of new (and awesome) blog posts to trijanmaddux.blogspot.com, and be the first to know when new jewelry pieces are added to my Designs by EHL online shops.  Just look for the Facebook badge here on the site.

New blog coming very soon!

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

-Trijan

A Thought on How to Properly Reboot Star Trek The Original Series

Salve Omni!

The fact that it has been raining cats, dogs, frogs and tribbles over the past few days, has left my husband and I mainly stranded indoors. So, we've been writing a lot (I, myself, on some ideas for future blogs and working a bit on my new Steam punk novel, while my husband has been writing away on his awesome new novel). I typically associate rainy days and nights with being "good sleeping weather"; however, for a couple of nights this week, we found ourselves wide awake and unable to fall asleep. Well...you guessed it! Or maybe you didn't -- so maybe I should just tell you already before you realize that I'm really referring to the fact that we have almost finished piecing together that monster from old body parts in our garage/secret laboratory. Hah! I wish we had a secret laboratory! I think, then, the correct response would be, "so, that's why all of the stray neighborhood cats have gone missing!" Anywhoo, fully-embracing the vampire hours, we decided to break out the DVDs and watch, Star Trek The Original Series!!!

As a Trekkie, I am ashamed to admit that it has been a while. Not since I've watched Star Trek, but since I have watched The Original Series episodes. Usually, my husband and I will watch one of the movies - not that new-fangled reboot, but I'm talking classics like, The Voyage Home and, my favorite, The Undiscovered Country. Halfway through watching our third episode of the early AM, my husband said something that really got me thinking. He said, "You know, instead of focusing on the new movies to re-introduce the Original Series and its characters, why not redo all of the old episodes?"

Now before anyone takes to my comments page in protest, kindly let me clarify. You first must understand that my husband is in no way saying that the old episodes need to be altered and re-written in someone else's vision. He is merely suggesting a visual update of the scenery, alien species, creatures, etc., as well as bringing in the younger versions of Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and the rest of the Enterprise crew from the JJ Abrams films. And I agree. As far as the script, CHANGE NOTHING, EVER!!! Sure, even I will agree that William Shatner's Captain Kirk can be a bit over dramatic at times in the series, but if you look past all of that and actually sit down and take the time to listen to the dialogue, you will notice that the writing is brilliant! The stories are unique, exceptional, adaptive and timeless. JJ Abrams gave us a shiny new Enterprise (complete with lens flares, but I'll save this for another blog), so why not use our modern-day advances in cinematic techniques to "update" the sets and planets and lifeforms and alien species to their visual glory? With a bit of believable CGI and special effects, the series of old could be as visually stunning as it is moving. A feast for the senses - brilliant writing already set in place as imagined by the original writers, and beautiful landscapes and sets to compliment it all.

Think about it, Dear Readers - Star Trek The Original Series has already been digitally-remastered; what if they went a step further and gave it a "visual face lift"? I have spoken with many newbies who either grew up watching The Next Generation, or one of the later series, or none. They saw the first of the new movie reboots, and loved it. This further intrigued them to watch some of The Original Series episodes, only to find it difficult or boring to watch because "it was too cheesy and outdated". True stories, I'm afraid!

Despite the brilliantly-written episodes, it is clearly not enough to peak the interest of a large majority of this generation. Sadly, we as a culture, have become dependent on the visual - if it is not updated or visually-appealing, something can easily lose the interest of its audience. A clever dialogue must be accompanied with pretty images, awesome sets and landscapes, and sound effects and music so extraordinary, it would make the angels weep. So why not; let's re-introduce The Original Series to the awaiting world the proper way - just as it was written, but with a brand shiny new updated look!

Create a guaranteed formula - original script, a new, younger cast to play The Original Series characters, and a visual face lift. The result, a hybrid gem of the old and the new that will bring Gene Roddenberry's vision not only to our present generation, but will branch out through future generations as a series that will continue to serve as a source of inspiration and growth as we look to the future.

And then I dare someone to tell me that this TV series wasn't years ahead of its time!