Tuesday, December 31, 2002
------------------------------------------------  

Got voted as Head Girl at Pinoy Harry Potter (thanks to some last minute votes from Paolo and Loise). :)

 

I was hanging out in TheForce.Net's Jedi Council Forums when I came across a thread discussing the merits of Anakin Skywalker's "I wish I could just... wish away my feelings." line in "Attack of the Clones". I actually loved that line. To me, it was the best of the "romantic" lines in the movie. And I liked Hayden's delivery. He had this little pause before the second "wish", as if he was trying to think of a better word to use, it was so human, and to me, biased fan that i am, endearing.

"I wish I could just... wish away my feelings." That's exactly how I feel. Another reason why I relate to AOTC a lot. Seems like my thoughts revolve around him too much....





 

Took those tests from Loryces' blog again. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Lord of the Rings: Which Ringbearer are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Oh, yeah, and the other test says I'm completely obsessed with LOTR. But I must say, some people are more obsessed than I am! LOL.



Sunday, December 29, 2002
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I finally found the time to add the two new filks to the archives:

https://ginnyskywalker.tripod.com/filks

You know, I only call it "Ginny's Filk Archives". Anyone care to suggest a good title for that site? Please? *grin*

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Star Wars Racer Update: Played again. Almost won, too! Was v. close to overtaking Sebulba (who's in first), but got bumped by another racer and got pinned to canyon wall. Stupid alien. At least got to 5th lap before retiring. But retired around a foot from finish line when time expired. Stupid alien!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

No one seems to want to take up writing The Secret Diaries of the Rebel Alliance. Anyhoo, I've written two entries, reminiscent of Cassandra Claire's The Very Secret Diaries of the Fellowship of the Ring. Posting here!

===

The Very Secret Diary of C3PO: Protocol Droid

DAY ONE:

The Senator's diplomatic ship was ambushed by the Imperials! Big man in sexy black outfit came and kidnapped the Senator. Hrmmm... Man in sexy black outfit seems to have a breathing problem. Or is it? Searching language databanks... *gasp!* Naughty naughty man in sexy black outfit! Oh, my circuits!

Later:

Artoo strongly urging me to follow him to one of the escape pods. Wonder what he has in mind? Them astromechs are really queer....


Later on Tatooine:

Artoo is too aggressive for my tastes. He always seems to want to boss me around. Walked in the opposite direction but missed him terribly after a few hours. Damn.

Got picked up by silly little creatures in brown robes. They insist if I don't shut up, they will do something terrible to me. Debated whether to shut up or not, just to find out what they'll do. Ended up shutting up. (I can be a coward sometimes... okay, not just sometimes....) At least now I've found Artoo. Bless the Maker!


Still later on:

Silly little creatures in brown robes turned out to be Jawas. They plan on selling us too! Hope our new masters are nice....

We were sold to a family called the Lars. My new master, Luke, should really get a haircut. He won't be getting girls looking like that. Should I tell him that? No. At least if he doesn't get girls, me and Artoo will have him all to ourselves....

Ah, my new master wants to give me an oil bath. Dreamy...... I think he likes me already. Hope Artoo doesn't get jealous....

Hey! Master is looking at Artoo queerly! He's trying to.... *gasp!* No, Master! Don't! Oh! Whew! He was only trying to clean Artoo. Seems there's something jammed in Artoo's circuitry. If I ever get out of this oil bath, I swear, I will kill him if he tries anything!

Master Luke got that jammed disk to play and it showed the pretty Senator. Master seems enamoured. Will shut up and not tell about what I know.

Yes, I think Master fancies the Senator. Wonder if he fancies droids....

===

DAY TWO (Part 1):

Dawn. Powered up. Artoo missing. Going to go wake the Master. Damn astromech. I don't think he liked me getting an oil bath and he didn't. He's so cute when he's all jealous. But why did he have to leave?

Later:

Master Luke and I went to look for Artoo. Heat of desert planet of Tatooine threatening to melt down my circuitry. Dust and sand diminishes my lovely gold plating. Darn. Why can't these landspeeders have a roof? Or airconditioning?

Still later:

Been searching for hours but still no sign of Artoo. Beginning to really miss the cute little thing. Why did he have to go off searching for that Obi-Wan whatshisname? Had to tell Master Luke that he's owned by that Obi man too. Who is that guy anyway? And what does he have that I or Master hasn't? A shinier gold covering? A better haircut? Hope Master understands and doesn't get mad... or jealous. I'm jealous enough for the two of us.

Damn the pretty Senator. Now everyone either has the hots for her or runs to her rescue. Don't know what they see in her. She doesn't have gold coverings! Aside from flimsy white outfit, hairdo is v. turn-offish. What was her hairstylist thinking? Oh well, at least there's the Master. He's starting to get v. grumpy though... and whiny....

And later still:

Sand people attacked us! Oh my goodness!

And later:

What happened to me? Woke up with Master v. concerned about me. Seems I got shut down. Old man in plain robes looking at me all concerned too. Did my lovely gold covering suffer a dent?!?!? Oh, I hope not!

At Old Ben Kenobi's home:

Asked Master if I could power down while I recharge. Really need a power boost. Dunno what happened to me back in desert. Will keep some of my sensors on secretly though. Gotta make sure Old Man and Master leave Artoo alone. I will really kill them if they try anything.

Oh, look. They're playing the pretty Senator's message again. Darn. Now all their attention is on her. Wonder what I would look like in that flimsy white outfit?

Ooh, my! Is that a lightsaber? Oh, it's pretty. A nice shade of blue. Turns out Master Luke's father was a Jedi. Oh, wait! The Old Man is too? Wow! Ooh, teach me a Jedi Mind Trick, teach me to use the Force! Can droids become Jedi?

Hey! Old Man is inviting Master to train with him. Hmmm... wonder if the Old Man fancies my Master.

Master refused Old Man's offer. Old Man looks v. disappointed. I would be too if Master refused me....

===

To be continued....


Saturday, December 28, 2002
------------------------------------------------  

I just received confirmation that TORN did post my review! It's under the Ringer Reviewer name: Almeldiel (my Elven name, of course. ).

Aaah. Feels nice to be a published reviewer....

Will go and stop yakking about that now. *sheepish grin*







Friday, December 27, 2002
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Submitted my Two Towers review to TheOneRing.Net. Let's hope it gets published!


 

Seems it's still possible for me to write two consecutive filks in two consecutive days. Heheheh. I didn't believe I could do that again! And just when my world almost came crashing down on me again too... Like Ian said, I guess writing always helps.... (I love smileys. Don't you? LOL.)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



ONWARD TO ISENGARD
Sung to the tune of "The Little Drummer Boy"

Setting: Treebeard meets the Hobbits, Merry and Pippin, in Fangorn Forest and after hearing their tale, calls all the Ents to a Moot and declares war on Isengard....

Author's Note: This is my first crack at an LOTR-themed parody. And since I've been reading Christmas song lyrics, I thought my filks for this season should be Christmas-themed too. :) When I heard "The Little Drummer Boy" again, I thought the "pa rum pum pum pum" was somehow like the sound the Ents made according to the book, and I couldn't forget Treebeard in the movie.... thus, my first-ever LOTR parody was written. :) I found it fitting that it is about Ents too, since they are one of my favorite characters in the Trilogy. :)

This filk is dedicated to all the folks at The Philippine Tolkien Society who love to have some LOTR fun. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Treebeard:

Come, I called the Ents
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
To the Moot they all went
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
I told the Hobbits' tale
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Saruman's plans unveiled
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Hrum hoom hmm hmm
Hrum hoom hmm hmm
On to Isengard!
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Here we come.

Poor, bored Hobbits
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Quickbeam will babysit
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
In Entmoot we remained
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Took three days to explain
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Hrum hoom hmm hmm
Hrum hoom hmm hmm
On to Isengard!
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Here we come.

So we go to war
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
We'll break down walls and doors
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
We'll crumble every stone
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Let the Ents' Might be known
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Hrum hoom hmm hmm
Hrum hoom hmm hmm
On to Isengard!
Hoo hrum hoom hmm hmm
Here we come!

ginnyskywalker
-- december 26, 2002





Thursday, December 26, 2002
------------------------------------------------  

Uh-oh. Because of my boredom, I think I just opened a can of worms.... Started "The Very Secret Diaries of the Rebel Alliance" in the SWP Fanforce Forums! *gasp!*



Wednesday, December 25, 2002
------------------------------------------------  

Did a Google search and found some nice Christmas song lyrics... and after reading through them, somehow, I came up with this rather... Christmasy, warm but somehow icy filk. (Did that even make sense? LOL.). This entry will appear in my Filk archive site in a few days. :)



LOVE ON THIS ICY WONDERLAND
Sung to the tune of "Winter Wonderland". Original lyrics may be found here.

Setting: Han Solo gets tired of icy Princess Leia and his equally icy new environment.

Author's Note: This parody is dedicated to my friend, Owl, who I immediately remembered when I wrote this song about her Harry's Star Wars character.

Han Solo:

It's deathly cold, we're all shivering,
Everywhere, snow is glistening.
It's a terrible sight
That I see tonight,
Here in Hoth, this icy wonderland.

Oh so cold, is the Princess,
But she's cool, that I confess,
She is so headstrong,
We don't get along,
Here in Hoth, this icy wonderland.

Here the Rebels built their new headquarters,
Far from the Empire's prying eyes,
It sure is secluded, I'll need my furs,
It's cold and dreary, and there's too much ice.

How I hate my attire,
Wanna lounge by the fire,
I hope to persuade
her, end this charade,
Here in Hoth, this icy wonderland.

Here the Rebels built their new headquarters,
Far from the Empire's prying eyes,
It sure is secluded, I'll need my furs,
It's cold and dreary, and there's too much ice.

When she smiles, ain't it thrilling?
When she speaks, ain't it stinging?
She loves me, I say,
Soon I'll have my day,
Here in Hoth, this icy wonderland.

Here in Hoth, this icy wonderland.
Found love in this icy wonderland....


 

Dropped by the mall for a short while to pick up a few things... and ended up playing Star Wars Racer before going home! It's only my third time on the seat of Anakin's radon-ulzer powered podracer. I got as far as 2nd place before running out of booster power in the fourth lap, about a few meters from the finish line. Darn. I could've won. At least I've gotten the hang of the controls and the brakes and the Tatooine course. Just a few more games and I might finally rule the Boonta Eve Classic!.... Oh, wait. Pride is not a part of the Jedi ways.... Okay, then. I need a lot of practice before I win that race. Heehee.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



...Yesterday, I was feeling safe,
All I do today, is try to be brave.
And no melody can seem to soothe my mind,
And now I curse you for being so sweet and so kind.
And I can't get you out of my dreams.
Now I know that you're the dangerous kind.
And your smile is tatooed on my mind.
And I can't get you out of my dreams....
-- "Tatooed On My Mind" by D'Sound

 

The site is up! After debating whether or not to take down Star Wars Fan Base, Jamie finally did, and put up a new site with a new concept.

The Divine Secrets of the Yo-da Sisterhood is a website for the ladies, geared towards science fiction and fantasy books, movies, and TV shows. It includes forums, a place to display your fan fiction, fan art, and filks, news, reviews, polls, and more. Basically, it's just a cozy and comfy place for girls to hang-out. Interested? Click on the link above to visit the site.



A Happy and Blessed Christmas to everyone! I hope Santa dropped some wonderful presents under your tree, and inside your hearts. May the Light of the Child Jesus who was born this day, bring you closer to Him and illuminate your way.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dang, I need a concept for a Christmas filk. I hate filker's block!

I think my brain took a holiday vacation....

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/25/2002 02:34:09 PM   #
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Monday, December 23, 2002
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Thoughts on "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"

If you promised to Speak No Spoilers, Hear No Spoilers, and See No Spoilers, then please, don't read on! This review is NOT spoiler free! And I also did not bother to hide them like I did for "Chamber of Secrets", sorry.

If there's anything that I expected even before seeing the movie, it is that, unlike "Fellowship of the Ring", this movie would not be as faithful to Tolkien's version. But then, as level-headed and logical people would say, it is, after all, a film adaptation, and isn't expected to truly stick to the details of the books. The two Harry Potter movies are probably the closest thing to a truly faithful adaptation I've seen so far. Aside from the deviations from the books, though, "The Two Towers" still ranks as one of the very best movies ever made. And for that, I bow to the dedication and artistry of Peter Jackson and his cast and crew.

The opening shots of breathtaking snow-capped New Zealand mountains and the faint voices, as well as finally seeing what happened to Gandalf, was a good way to start the movie. It takes us back to familiar scenes from the first film, and answers that question of what happened to Gandalf when he "fell into shadow", and takes us right into the story with no introductions, giving us the illusion of continuity with FOTR. As usual, the scenery is wonderful, the sets were fabulous, and the costumes and props were truly magical and artistic.

As for the new characters... Eomer was great, and so was Eowyn. Miranda Otto has got the role down pat, she truly looked like a shieldmaiden of Rohan, mixing femininity and strength, and conveying a certain fascination and attraction for Aragorn. Great sword-wielding there too. Wormtongue was truly the treacherous being that he is, and King Theoden was the very image of a king. There was more focus on the friendship between Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn, which I truly appreciated, it being one aspect of the book that I really liked. Peter Jackson captured Gimli's humor and the unlikely camaraderie between him and Legolas. Gimli's voice carrying over the war noises when he was counting how many orcs he has slain was a nice touch. The Ents were great great great! They sounded and looked like how I pictured them. Also, amazingly, Arwen's extended scenes went well and were justified, although PJ kind of went ahead of the story, but he incorporated the scenes at the right time, so it was all good. :) Gandalf was wonderful too! He looked powerful and.... stunning! :)

The battle scenes were amazing. The sight of thousands of marching orcs and riders of Rohan really gave me goosebumps, as well as the sight of several hundred elves carrying bows. The scenes manage to convey war without being too bloody or violent. They also manage to focus on the members of the Fellowship, highlighting their differing fighting styles. Aragorn was a joy to watch with the sword, and Gimli does his best, combining some humor with his prowess with the axe. Legolas has become a cool fighting elf, at one point even performing "The Matrix"-like stunts, and another reminiscent of "Back to the Future" with Marty McFly on a hoverboard. The March of the Ents and the subsequent assault on Isengard, although not quite as... action-packed as the other battle scenes, was truly wonderful to behold. :)

Over-all, "The Two Towers" is cinematically brilliant.

But if I had 300 million dollars to spend on a movie there are some things I would have changed.

First, something about the Ents. In the book, the Ents have decided to go to war after the Entmoot, but in the movie, there seemed a degree of hesitation among the Ents, and somehow, it looked like they didn't care about the rest of Middle Earth, and only decided to go to war upon seeing Isengard and the destruction of the forests near it, which shouldn't be the case. I feel that part will change how the audience would view Ents. Their decision to go to war was a direct result of their "unhasty" Entmoot, and I felt that the Moot became rather insignificant in the movie because of their portrayed decision to not go to war.

Second, regarding Eomer. I felt that Eomer should have been with Theoden and the rest of the people in Helm's Deep, as in the book. He played a significant part in the battle there. But I do understand that this deviation enabled the production people to forego of the other characters that Gandalf supposedly brought as reinforcements to Helm's Deep at dawn. And Eomer coming to the rescue was more... dramatic, I admit. And there was something not quite right about Theoden. In the book, Theoden was very decisive, and his mind was set to go to war. But in the movie, he was a little hesitant. Is that another shot at the weaknesses of Men?

Third, regarding Haldir and the fighting Elves. "The Two Towers" was about the war fought by Men. I was rather surprised at the appearance of Haldir and the Elves at Helm's Deep. I would have liked that they portrayed the Men of Rohan battling their enemies themselves, Men against Orcs, with no help from Elves. After all, in the movie, they've already established that the Elves' time is over, and they were sailing to the Grey Havens. Why meddle in Men's affairs in this way then? And they killed off Haldir too! Awwww....

Fourth, Faramir. I thought Faramir resisted the lure of the Ring? That was what made him so different from Boromir, and what his character is all about. I can think of many reasons why PJ decided to change this aspect of Faramir's character, but I would have to disagree with him on this one. "I would not use the ring even if I found it lying on the wayside." That line was Faramir to me, so I was not happy with how his character turned out in the movie. Hrmmm... did the Ring really reach Gondor in the book? I forgot. Yikes.

Oh, and why did Arwen go to the Grey Havens? Or did she? And one other thing I was surprised about is Aragorn's seeming... err... well, it was implied that there was something between him and Eowyn, which shouldn't be. Or did that happen because they portrayed Arwen leaving Middle Earth? Or did I totally understand this aspect of the movie differently?

There were other little things that only made way for more questions in my mind actually, but I'd rather not nitpick since they weren't significant details anyway.

Oh, and the lines! The controversial lines! There were lines that can make people raise their eyebrows. Or was it just because these people all read "The Secret Diaries of the Fellowship of the Ring"? "It's me, Master Frodo! It's YOUR SAM!" "You're late!" "You look terrible!" "Do you want me to describe it to you, or shall I get you a box?" ROTFL.

One last question though. They ended "The Two Towers" with the Battle of Helm's Deep and the Assault on Isengard. Which only comes up to about half of the book. This has got me wondering just how much detail they would need to squeeze into "Return of the King" OR just how much they are going to cut. That would be interesting to see, although I'm sure that the Tolkien purists are going to scream murder.

Oh, and one other thing of note. Gollum. Smeagol. Andy Serkis did a fantabulous, award winning performance. He was exactly as I imagined, and then some. They were able to convey his schizophrenia so effectively, and his lust for the ring, and his confusion, and his pain... Masster looks after usss... He is tricksssy!... Good Smeagol... Come, hobbitssess.... Masster.... About that nomination for Best Digital Acting Performance? Let me hand it to Gollum with a handshake and a bow. He was probably the best actor in the movie. (where's the two-thumbs-up-smiley when you need it?!?!). Sorry, Master Yoda and Dobby. :D

I truly enjoyed the movie. Sure, it didn't quite meet all my expectations, but nothing ever does. It seems that will only happen if I had the money and produced the movie myself. ;) I wouldn't be surprised if it dominates the awards ceremonies again. It should win Best Picture this time though. Sheesh. :)

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/23/2002 10:36:15 PM   #
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Sunday, December 22, 2002
------------------------------------------------  

Finally opened the Chocolate Frogs that Tita Mylen sent over! But I don't think I have the heart to eat it 'cause it looks so cute!!! Am sending it back to hibernate in the fridge. Heheh.



The card I got was entitled "Diagon Alley" and showed Hagrid giving Harry Hedwig as a gift. :) Now I can add that to my "Centaur", "Invisibility Cloak", "Rubeus Hagrid", and "Scabbers".

The frog inside was very detailed:



I could've sworn this one was a bullfrog! Hahahah! The ones that Gissy kindly got for me from Australia before were smaller and more like the frog in the movie. But the cards are the same. :) Wonder if there are any other versions of Chocolate Frogs....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The camera is a nice toy to play with. :D Got crazy and took about ten pictures of my dog, Yoda. Here's one:



Weird though, I don't think my doggie is photogenic. LOL. Somehow she looks cuter up close and personal. ;)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Going to see The Two Towers tonight!!!! I already did my review of FOTR last night and watched it for the nth time. Heheh. :)

Speaking of the book... I got to the part where the Riders of the Mark, Gandalf, and the Three Companions finally arrived at Isengard. They were met at the gate by Merry and Pippin. :) Gimli, ever the dignified but gruff dwarf, didn't know if he would jump for joy at seeing the two Hobbits alive, or would be mad that they are lounging around at the gates of Isengard, smoking and eating. Heheh. Gimli reminds me of another dwarf in a fantasy series, Flint Fireforge, a hill dwarf who appears in the Dragonlance stories. It seems that both dwarves were gruff, and were sometimes a little impatient with the younger generation. And they both, at the beginning of the stories, disliked Elves, but changed their minds after journeying with one.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



If I told you how I feel about you
Would you say the same?
And if I wrote it in a letter,
Would you keep it or throw it away?
I never thought I'd feel the way I'm feeling lately
When everything you seem to do just drives me crazy.
Every waking day, you take my breath away,
With every word you say, you take my breath away,
When you look at me that way, baby come what may,
I hope that you'll always know
How to take my breath away....
-- "Take My Breath Away" by Emma Bunton

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/22/2002 12:47:48 PM   #
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Friday, December 20, 2002
------------------------------------------------  

Had an interesting discussion with Oneal last night regarding the Geonosian Arena battles. He is of the opinion that all the killings were justified. He answered two of my disturbing questions. One: Obi-Wan finished off the Acklay after cutting off its legs to put it out of its misery. Hadn't quite thought of it that way. Second: Jango Fett was a big threat, a dangerous adversary that is a threat to all the Jedi in the Arena. Thus, Mace Windu's killing of him was justified. But my question regarding that one remains. Why decapitate Jango when he could have killed the bounty hunter off in another manner? Guess I'd better start rereading that magazine article again to try and figure out what the rules really are. But in my understanding, it is still a highly avoided move, decapitation. At least the lightsaber cuts through the head cleanly. For sure, Jango won't be haunting the Geonosian Arena as Nearly Headless Fett. LOL.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Cool! Adrian is constructing a Star Wars-themed belen. Awwww.... I hope he gets a Shmi Skywalker soon so it'll be complete! :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Artoo was in a slumber party last night! Gasp! Hrmmm... Maybe I should have a slumber party too. Invite him over. Heheh. He will surely liven up the party! LOL. And no, Artoo's master, ditch the recording devices! ;)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Will be trying to watch the Star Wars fanfilms this weekend (seven CDs, films all in alphabetical order! LOL. I appreciate that, obsessive-compulsive Star Wars fan that I am. Heheh. Thanks, Oneal. :) ). But I think I'm missing "George Lucas In Love". Hrmmm....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Master Yoda has been nominated for Best Digital Acting Performance by the Broadcast Film Critics' Association. Hahah! He has some pretty stiff competition though: Dobby and Gollum. LOL. I think the true battle though, is between Yoda and Gollum. But come to think of it, Gollum has a better chance. See, his movements and expressions were based on the actor who plays him. They digitized Gollum using the actor's movements. Yoda on the other hand, was probably just programmed, with not much real life basis. It's okay though. Yoda kicked butt with that lightsaber duel. Heheh.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

What a breathtaking sight from Saruman's point of view! Wow!




Ah. The Two Towers.... sends shivers up and down my spine....



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



Seems like ever since, the first day we met
There is no one else I think of more than you
Can't seem to forget, can't get you out my head
Cause the verdicts in I'm crazy over you
How can one be down, tell me where to start
Cause everytime you smile, I feel tremors in my heart
I have but one concern, how can I get with you
Til my day comes, here's what I'm gonna do.
Be sittin up in my room
Back here thinkin bout you
I must confess, I'm a mess for you
Be sittin up in my room
Back here thinkin bout you
I must confess, I'm a mess for you.
-- "Sitting Up In My Room" by Brandy

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/20/2002 11:20:24 PM   #
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Thursday, December 19, 2002
------------------------------------------------  

Finally got to my favorite part of The Two Towers again... The Ents! Yippeeee!!! I love the Ents. They radiate both a magical and earthly aura which is kinda unique. :) I like Treebeard and Quickbeam. They're like Master Yoda and Anakin, actually. LOL.

One fascinating aspect of Ents to me is their "unhastiness". Even their true names are so long, they tell the whole story of the Ent:

"...my name is growing all the time, and I've lived a very long long time; so my name is like a story. Real names tell you the story of the things they belong to in my language, in the Old Entish, you might say. It is a lovely language, but it takes a very long time to say anything in it, because we do not say anything in it unless it is worth taking a long time to say and to listen to."

In today's fast-moving world, it seems one will get left behind really fast if one was "unhasty". But sometimes, we all have to withdraw into a place where we can take our time and be alone with our own thoughts, a place where we can go and make time fly at our own leisure. Give me a map to Fangorn anytime, and my heart will be gladdened by the sight of the trees... and eyes that flicker green with the light....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Night lies over Isengard." And so the Ents marched with a purpose, not knowing whether this will be the last March of the Ents... boy, that must be quite a sight.... *cue "Duel of the Fates" here*

"Of course, it is likely enough, my friends, likely enough that we are going to our doom; the last March of the Ents. But if we stayed home and did nothing, doom would find us anyway, sooner or later. That thought has been growing in our hearts; and that is why we are marching now. It was not a hasty resolve. Now at least the last march of the Ents may be worth a song. Aye, we may help the other peoples before we pass away.... But there, my friends, songs like trees bear fruit only in their own time and in their own way; and sometimes they are withered untimely."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Took the "Which Classic Star Wars Hero Are You" test at Emode, and this is what I got:

Ginny, you are Luke Skywalker.

"I want to learn the ways of the force and become a Jedi like my father." You must be a dreamer brimming with ambition, that's why your Star Wars type is Luke Skywalker. Like the farm boy-turned-Jedi Knight, you have the potential for greatness.

No matter what others may tell you, it's an inner voice that keeps you on the straight and narrow path to success. Just because you're the chosen one, doesn't mean you have to be a goody-goody. There's plenty of fire in your belly, especially when it comes to defending your family tree (even if you're not exactly sure who's who). But rest assured with your ability to see through to the truth, your answers will never be far behind.

Interesting. So I am a Skywalker after all.... as whiny as a Skywalker too, probably. LOL.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I don't know what it is that makes me love you so,
I only know I never wanna let you go.
'Cause you started something, can't you see?
That ever since we met you've had a hold on me....
It happens to be true, I only wanna be with you....
-- "Only Wanna Be With You" by Vonda Shepard

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/19/2002 10:03:02 AM   #
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Tuesday, December 17, 2002
------------------------------------------------  

I just had an image of the Dreamcatcher hanging on our car's rearview mirror flash quickly through my thoughts, so I looked up more info on it at about.com.

According to Native American legends,
...good dreams slip through the web and into the sleeper during the night...bad dreams become caught in the web and are perished by morning light.

Dreamcatchers were originally crafted for children, the article said, to protect them from nightmares. The feathers attached to the hoop were also meant to assist the flight of good dreams.

Funny. I always thought it would catch good dreams and let the bad ones pass through the web. Apparently, that's the Lakota legend, which is opposite to the regular belief about dreamcatchers. It is an interesting legend though.... this is how it goes according to one website:

Long ago when the world was young, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and teacher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider. Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language. As he spoke, Iktomi the spider picked up the elder's willow hoop which had feathers, horsehair, beads and offerings on it, and began to spin a web.

He spoke to the elder about the cycles of life; how we begin our lives as infants, move on through childhood and on to adulthood. Finally we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle. "But", Iktomi said as he continued to spin his web, "in each time of life there are many forces; some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But, if you listen to the bad forces, they'll steer you in the wrong direction and may hurt you. So these forces can help, or can interfere with the harmony of Nature." While the spider spoke, he continued to weave his web.

When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the elder the web and said, "The web is a perfect circle with a hole in the center. Use the web to help your people reach their goals, making good use of their ideas, dreams and visions. If you believe in the great spirit, the web will catch your good ideas and the bad ones will go through the hole." The elder passed on his vision to the people and now many Indian people hang a dream catcher above their bed to sift their dreams and visions. The good is captured in the web of life and carried with the people, but the evil in their dreams drops through the hole in the center of the web and is no longer a part of their lives. It's said that the dream catcher holds the destiny of the future.

Intriguing. I don't think I'll take that object hanging from our car's rearview mirror for granted again. :)

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/17/2002 02:11:14 PM   #
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We talked about Istari colors at TPTS before. While I was bored and surfing in the Official LOTR Movie Site, I came across some cool wizard facts.
- Five wizards were sent to Middle Earth as advisors to oppose evil.
- A wizard's appearance resembles that of an old man, although they age slowly and are actually physically vigorous.
- Wizards possess great powers of body and mind.
- They use staffs as a means to conduct their power and will.
- Each Wizard has his own color and grade. White being the highest in their order and Grey the next level in power and wisdom.
- Wizards are forbidden to dominate those in Middle-earth and match Sauron's power. However, Saruman disobeys this rule and joined forces with evil.

Saruman, being "The White", then means he IS powerful and probably more so than Gandalf.... until Gandalf became White too. :) But what happens when he becomes "Saruman of Many Colors"? Hrmmmm.... And would he wear an Amazing Technicolor Robe? LOL. (oopsie. crossover. :p). And is there some sort of implied meaning there, since white is the combination of all colors? *falls into another thinking spell*....

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/17/2002 01:43:51 PM   #
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I just remembered an interesting scene in The Two Towers. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli were taking a rest from trying to chase the Orcs and Merry and Pippin. They built a fire and decided to take watches and sleep. Legolas was described as sleeping, yet his eyes were open. Intriguing. Seems like the Elves can rest their minds separately from their bodies. A useful ability, if you ask me. LOL. I think I need to do that. ;)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This is a way that I say I need You
This is a way that I say I love You
This is a way that I say I'm Yours
This is a way... This is a way
That I'm learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that you and you alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies.
-- "Learning To Breathe" by Switchfoot

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/17/2002 10:52:01 AM   #
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Monday, December 16, 2002
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Hey, Ginny! Do you remember? Artoo!
Ginny:

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/16/2002 05:03:32 PM   #
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Ulan tells me Paolo D. was actually able to get responses from Artoo. Good job! :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I swear, Christmas shopping absolutely drives me nuts.

I know, I know, I'm not even supposed to have a Christmas list, I'm not even supposed to be doing any shopping! But somehow, the Christmas spirit has become inescapable... I just have this urge to give something to some people. It's like the Force is telling me to do so....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I'm back to rereading The Two Towers again. I have roughly a week to do it before I see the movie this Sunday. Hopefully I'll get to finish it. To heck with plot spoilers, mostly, I want to see the deviations from the book. I already know about Arwen. Geez. Besides, it will serve to get me Tolkien-acclimatized. The first step was the FOTR DVD Disc 2. LOL.

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/16/2002 01:41:16 PM   #
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* This entry was written on December 15, and was uploaded on December 16*

Had loads of fun at Star Wars Philippines' Christmas Assembly last night at Brash Young Cinema. :) Even though I was still sick at the time and couldn't quite eat anything, at least I've forgotten I was tired and haven't really had a good sleep for a few days. :) I lasted until 3AM, and that's saying something! *grin*

The place was cozy and comfy, and the equipment was great. Plus our newbies at SWP (Paolo D, Paolo J, Emil, and MC) who also happened to be Trek boys from the Via Astris group, played the part of host superbly, we didn't even notice we were in Trek territory much. ;)

Funny how they all warmed up to Artoo. :) You could swear they badly wanted to assimilate the poor droid. :D But well, Artoo is a Jedi, and thus, those assimilation techniques won't work on him. Want proof? The boys couldn't get Artoo to do anything! ROTFL. They must've tried to make him notice them for about, oh, two hours? Heheh. :) With all those antics, we could start shooting our own version of R2-D2 Beneath the Dome! LOL. Come to think of it, Artoo was a little temperamental last night. Hrmmm.... At least he let me hold him, since he couldn't go down the stairs by himself. :D And I got to hold him during the ride home too (couldn't quite let go of him since Oneal handed him to me, my preciousssssssss. *sheepish grin* and I had a difficult time giving him back when we finally got to my house too! :D ). *casts triumphant smirk at the Trek boys. I got to hold Artoo! Heeh! :p *

Oh, sheep. I'm still enthralled by Artoo. Couldn't quite break away from his spell.... :D

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

We finally got to watch the Attack of the Clones DVD together. Interesting how much detail you start noticing when you're watching the digital version of the film. For one, there were certain scenes where you start to actually notice which elements of the film were digitized, and which were live action shots. Those weren't as noticeable in the regular film release because some quality was lost when you do not use digital format. But to me it worked better, because the digital and live elements melded seamlessly.

I was right about the "I am a Jedi, I should be better than this!" line. It was one of the differences between the digital release, and the regular release, along with Padme holding Anakin's robotic hand in the wedding scene. I still think it's a pivotal part and should have been integrated in the regular version.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The "Films Are Not Released, They Escape" feature was fantastic! One will begin to appreciate the filmmaking process after watching it. :) And seeing the deleted scenes was cool. Sad that the part where Padme addresses the Senate was deleted. In my opinion, it was Natalie Portman's best scene! *shields up against the Natalie admirers!* The others though, were not very important scenes, and the movie could have done without those. But the issue is still film editing. With good editing, Clones would have been smashing! But I love it nonetheless. :D

One intriguing scene though, was the Jedi Landing Platform. They replaced that whole sequence with the scene where Master Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Mace were walking along the halls of the Temple and talking about Anakin and arrogant Jedi. :) After watching both sequences, I think it was a good call that GL decided to replace that part. Somehow, the whole exchange had more impact with Master Yoda there. Seeing the Jedi Starfighters was rather cool, though. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Adrian made an observation during the Geonosian Arena battle sequence (a.k.a. Part 12, Reel 6). He commented that Obi-Wan was rather brutal when killing the Acklay. Good observation. In that Star Wars Insider article about Lightsaber Techniques, it was pointed out that Jedi were always more careful when they are battling living enemies. As we see in the arena, they didn't hold back much when disposing of the battle droids. But the acklay was a living enemy, and thus, should be fought with respect. Jedi tend to use dismemberment and decapitation sparingly, but Obi-Wan cut off all the acklay's legs, and as if the acklay could still move and get him without legs, he finished the creature off with one last lightsaber thrust. Rather ah... violent... and not very Jedi. Come to think of it, Mace Windu was the same way, decapitating Jango Fett. Intriguing. Very intriguing indeed....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After some time, they all finally found the blooper reel (If I'm not mistaken, this is triggered by the infamous 1138). And it was hilarious! LOL. Jango Fett was soooo cool! Heheheh. And Hayden seems to have a penchant for... errr... tripping. :D But he's still fine. :D

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After the AOTC DVD, we all got around to watching Disc 2 of the Fellowship of the Ring DVD, courtesy of Admiral Rachel. :) Some of the documentaries were rather redundant, although one of them was truly exceptional. Now I can't wait to watch The Two Towers! :) I finally got my ticket for the 22nd. Weeeeeeee!!! Looking forward to seeing Ents, seeing Eowyn, seeing orcs killed ("They were like animals! And I slaughtered them like animals!") *eek! crossover! LOL.*, seeing Frodo, seeing Gollum, seeing Legolas and Gimli, and seeing Aragorn, of course! :D Who says the middle part of a Trilogy is always the boring part? Not in this case, although to me, it is the gloomiest part.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I know it sounds weird, but every book I've ever read is classified into "bright", "light", "gray", and "dark", inside my head. Every story leaves me with a certain feeling related to light. The Harry Potter books, for example, are all under "gray". The Hobbit is under "light". Fellowship of the Ring is "light", while the last 2 parts of the LOTR trilogy are "gray". The Magician's Nephew is "light", and so on. The two Jurassic Park books were "dark".... Gee. I have to remember which book I read was "bright". I don't think even the fairy tales were ever "bright" in my thoughts. Oh, wait! I remember one "bright" book now! Yes! "Winnie the Pooh"! :D

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I wish you'd look at me that way,
Your beautiful eyes looking deep into mine,
Telling me more than any words can say.
But you don't even know I'm alive.
Baby, to you, all I am, is the invisible man.
-- "Invisible Man" by 98 Degrees

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/16/2002 12:42:28 AM   #
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Sunday, December 15, 2002
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Friday the 13th is lucky, after all. :) Now I can stop being confuddled and befused... Or maybe not entirely....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Because of all this work in the Muggle world, I haven't been able to update my blog. Oh, sheep.

Well, I finally finished reading "The Magician's Nephew" some days ago (the final chapter got held up in favor of parts of Goblet of Fire), and I can't wait to start on "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe".

As I was reading, though, I came across some very interesting passages, thought of some interesting parallels, and found some interesting lessons to be learned. :D

====

After having been awakened by Polly and Digory in the chapter entitled "The Deplorable Word", Queen Jadis told Digory: "I had forgotten that you are only a common boy. How should you understand reasons of State? You must learn, child, that what would be wrong for you or for any of the common people is not wrong in a great Queen such as I. The weight of the world is on our shoulders. We must be freed from all rules. Ours is a high and lonely destiny."

This is what I like about C.S. Lewis' style of writing. There's something very intriguing about the way he chooses his words. It's very striking, really. :)

That's an interesting passage, though. For some weird reason, I'm thinking most of the rulers of the modern world are saying that. They are so enamored of the thought that they are superior to the common people, and thus, exempt from the rules. Rulers tend to forget that they are actually, in effect, servants to all. And how many Rulers have committed crimes in the name of "reasons of State"? Being a ruler or a leader is indeed, a high and lonely destiny... but only if one distances himself or herself from the people he/she rules. This is one destiny that a person can actually reshape. :) Although in the end, the Ruler is still alone, mostly directly responsible for the fate of the Ruled, an affinity for the people can lessen the loneliness and greatly reduce the heights.

====

In "The End of This Story and The Beginning of A New One", after Digory gave the apple to his Mother, it was said that "For the rest of that day, whenever he looked at the things about him and saw how ordinary and unmagical they were, he hardly dared to hope; but when he remembered the face of Aslan, he did hope."

Sometimes I need to slap myself awake when I start thinking that my world is ordinary and unmagical. When things get dreary and sad, the world seems totally unremarkable. Look at the faces of the people, and they seem to have the same expression. Look around, and things seem uninteresting. But it takes very little effort for everything to suddenly become wondrous and magical. A good deed, encouraging words from a good friend, a smile, a hug, a moment shared with someone important to you.... none of them quite as grand as Aslan, but equally effective and equally moving.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Another intriguing aspect of the Narnia saga is related to creation and destruction. Queen Jadis destroyed all the living beings in Charn by just one Deplorable Word. It's as easy as that. Say the word correctly with the accompanying actions or spells, and everyone but the Speaker dies. But we see Aslan take very great care in creating Narnia, weaving his music with the land and breathing life into it with his song. It's a vicious cycle, even in our world. We destroy things so easily that we don't even think of all the work that goes into its creation. Maybe knowing just how something was created would help us appreciate it more....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

How can I make you see me?
Won't you let me into your heart?
All that I do seems unnoticed,
And I knew that from the start.
But how much longer will I fall,
descending from this height?
Only if you stop being you....
If your light fades into the night.
-- :o) 12132002

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/15/2002 01:02:22 PM   #
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Saturday, December 14, 2002
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Death Star Inspection is finally finished! We passed the trials! My division is now finally ISO 9001:2000 certified! Yipppeeeee!!!

Now in my haste to leave this morning, I forgot the diskette i saved my blog entry to. So I'll upload it later.....

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/14/2002 12:06:13 PM   #
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Sunday, December 08, 2002
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Aha! Finally got my filk archive page up and running! Click on the link at the Portkey panel or click here. Don't forget to sign the guestbook, and please help me out by reporting any broken links or missing images. Thanks. Enjoy! :)

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/8/2002 08:55:16 PM   #
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Saturday, December 07, 2002
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Like bears and birds do at this time of the year, my blog has migrated to Tripod so that I'll be able to insert more images in here. So to those who are linking here through the http://ginnyskywalker.blogspot.com addy, it probably won't work anymore. Better set the links to: http://www.ginnyskywalker.tk. Tripod may be a little temperamental these days, though, so please be patient. :)

Also, I'm working on my Harry Potter and Star Wars-themed filk archives. It'll probably be up by next week. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Took that little quiz from Loryces' blog... turns out that I'm like my favorite Marauder!


Which Harry Potter Marauder Are You?

"Behind that calm, composed outer exterior lies mystery or secrecy. You have trouble at times opening up to others, but once you do, you have friends for life. You are very intelligent and enjoy casual pasttimes such as reading, writing or drawing."

Hrmmm... really? :)

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/7/2002 09:37:09 AM   #
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Thursday, December 05, 2002
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Awaiting the night so I could gaze at the stars,
Seeing you through them as they look down from afar.
Wondering what my fate will be
When even in the smallest things, you are what I see.
Missing you every single day,
Wishing some Force will guide you my way.
Looking forward to every conversation,
Craving for your slightest attention.
Thinking of you whatever I may do,
My mind remains here but my heart is with you.
Wondering why I stay enthralled...
When you made me fall but you feel nothing at all.
-- :o) 12032002

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/5/2002 12:35:34 PM   #
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Tuesday, December 03, 2002
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Having some difficulty creating my Version 2 template, so it might take a while. Somehow, I can't decide on how I want it to look....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Just a few more days until The Two Towers opens. I've been scouting for some advance screening tickets. The local film festival is going to get in the way of its supposed showing, so the movie opens officially in January. But that's too far away! :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thought of an interesting new game for SWP's Fanforce Forum... heheheh. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I still can't figure out why I didn't remember that particular line in AOTC. After Anakin confesses to slaughtering the whole Tusken village after he found his mother, Padme tells him that it is only human to feel angry. And he replied: "I am a Jedi. I should be better than this." To me, it is an important line for his character because it reveals several things about him: he felt guilty killing the Tuskens; he is aware that he gave in to his anger; and the Jedi teachings have been engrained in him after all. These are some observations that may help me to understand the paradox of The Chosen One.

However... I repeat... I still have not been able to find the Shaak in the asteroid field. If anyone has seen a screenshot of this anywhere on the World Wide Web, please put me out of my misery. :D

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Today, I started to ask people some questions regarding the local DVD/VHS release of AOTC. I still cannot understand why the local release VHS does not have the "Star Wars Connections" feature, or the 6 deleted scenes. Am so frustrated....

:: padméskywalker told this story at 12/3/2002 12:52:24 PM   #
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