Blackfish: Movie review

Couldn't be bothered to do this yesterday, so here it is now!

Last week I went to Rialto cinemas (by myself!) to watch the Blackfish documentry. It premiered at the Sundance Film festival, and was brought to NZ as part of the New Zealand Film Festival. It's about orca whales in captivity - specifically Tilikum, a large bull held at Sea World in Florida. The film focuses on the killings of human trainers by whales in captivity, and the controversy (and excuses) surrounding it. It's heartbreaking, yet also acts like a slap around your face, pulls you from the cocoon of your safe little world and reminds you that humanity freakin' sucks! You can't help being mesmerised by this doco, and I can guarantee you'll walk out of the theater with new thoughts and ideas. 

Go see it! Now! It's good to fall out of your comfort zone once and a while. Here's the trailer:

Official website,

And the original article that inspired the director

CLICK!

TTFN,

M.F.S

Book reviews

I'm really bored, this is gonna be three posts in one day haha.

I have a few weeks off course, so naturally I took myself to the library to pick up some novels:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

The Maze Runner - James Dashner

Beautiful Girls - Beth Ann Bauman

Mortal Fire - Elizabeth Knox

The Dragon Keeper - Robin Hobb

Await Your Reply - Dan Chaon

Finding Alice - Melody Carlson

I've finished the first 5 in that list, and have just started Await Your Reply.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky - Young Adult Fiction - Coming-of-age

First up, I'd already seen the movie and loved it (wasn't Emma Watson gorgeous?!) so I was expecting the book to be heaps better. It was! Surprisingly the book to movie adaption was really well done, no key points were missed, however the movie did leave out some of Charlie's humor. You really got a sense of the tension and anticipation of the story as it progressed, and I really felt like I was part of it, growing up and understanding the world as Charlie did. That's a rare thing to find in a book, and not only did I feel pulled in, it was hard to separate myself when the end came. 10 million stars and a round of applause.

The Maze Runner - James Dashner - Young Adult Fiction - Sci-fi/fantasy

I was recommended to read this like 4 years ago by two of my good friends, but only picked it up now, it had always been taken out at my local library, for good reason! I'm a big fan of sci fi, I read Goosebumps a lot when I was a kid, then when I turned 14 I read a lot of Neal Shusterman (Bruiser, Unwind, Full Tilt, Everlost Trilogy) and Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking Trilogy and A Monster Calls) which I still read. The Maze Runner has a awesome plot, young teenage boys have had their memories wiped and been sent to a giant maze somewhere, which they've been trying to solve for two years. The climax of the story was excellent, I never saw it coming, and usually I'm pretty good at predicting books and movies. Awesome book. There's a sequel as well, but I feel the story would be better off as one book.

Beautiful Girls - Beth Ann Bauman - Adult Fiction - Short story collection
Yes a short story collection. All about girls and women, all beautiful heart warming (or wrenching) stories. I loved them all, and it inspired my to write my own short story, something I've never really been good at (I'm more of a poet).

Mortal Fire - Elizabeth Knox - Young Adult Fiction - Fantasy

If you've read the Dreamhunter Duet, then you'll love this! I read them a couple of years ago on recommendation from a friend, and loved them. Mortal Fire was just as good, if not better. The concept of the story is very original, I've never come across anything similar, and I consider myself pretty well read. The world of Mortal Fire is (geographically) set in New Zealand/ Pacifica region, and intermingles with the world of Dreamhunters (which no longer exists). I can't really give a summary without writing a million words, so here's the blurb on Goodreads. The only thing I had to fault is that the concept and rules of the magic is a little hard to follow, had to re read some bits to completely understand it. But then again I'm a fast reader, so it might be just me.

The Dragon Keeper - Robin Hobb - Adult Fiction - Fantasy

I found this while looking for Perks of Being a Wallflower. Stood out to me cos of the dragon, haha. I love dragons! This book is Book 1 in the Rain Wild Chronicals, and after finishing it, I know I'll definitely be reading the rest. It's in third person, and follows several different characters, and the mingling of their lives. It's about a new generation of dragons that have just emerged from their 'cases' after hibernating for half a year. They were previously sea serpents, so it's kinda like the transformation from a caterpillar to a butterfly. But something went wrong, and the dragons emerged stunted - couldn't fly and and wern't properly formed. The local city has been feeding them for 4 years, now they've decided they can't carry on doing so, so the dragons are being shepherded up a river (Rain Wild river) by the Dragon Keepers to find an ancient dragon city that they have in their memories. I enjoyed this book, but it was a little bit too predictable.

That's it for now! If you've read any of these books, I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so comment away!

TTFN

M.F.S

Calvin Klein gel eyeliner and Maybelline Dream Fresh BB cream

Hey peeps!

If you've been following my blog, you may recall that in my list of procrastination techniques, I mentioned practicing makeup application, and that I was crap at applying eyeliner.

Hopefully that will be no more! I purchased some Calvin Klein gel eyeliner in cocoa sheen, and love it after my first application. I don't claim to be a makeup expert, but here's my opinion:

• It's super smooth and creamy, and it was easy as to load up my brush
• Goes on easy, and made a pretty good line
• Colour was good on the skin, in the pot it looks like it has a bit of a sparkle to it, something you don't notice once it's on
• Easy as pie to blend.
• But, maybe not so great if you want a sharp, precise line.

For me the colour was great, I have golden blonde hair with dark green eyes, and black is a little bit harsh for my liking. The brown colour isn't that obvious, especially once you apply mascara. I will admit though, I didn't check reviews of the product until after I had bought it. From what the internet was saying, it was a crap eyeliner. Mine came new and unboxed so I didn't get the brush. All good in the hood though because I have my own set of brushes. If it had come with the brush, then I think this review would've been not that great: It's small and pathetic- click here!

So five stars for this eyeliner! Super pleased.

UPDATE: I wore the eyeliner today, all day (24/09/13) and found that it wasn't very long lasting. To be honest though, I'd been wearing from 6:00am til 4:00pm which a good 10hrs. I only noticed it had disappeared when I took it off. Not a big factor for me, purpose of my eyeliner is to cover up the blonde roots of my eyelashes. This is just mentioned if it bothers others :)

I couldn't stop with just applying the eyeliner though. I had to apply a full face of I'm-getting-drunk-tonight-and-maybe-a-little-slutty makeup, to get the full effect. I'd received a sample of the new Maybelline BB cream in the mail today so I substituted that for my usual foundation (Natio mineral liquid).

Ugh, wish I hadn't!

• Far too dark for my skin tone, I almost turned oompa loompa like. It promised to 'blend in with your natural skin tone' Whatever, Trevor. It did nothing of the sort.
• Was ridiculously thick! I used bugger all but it still looked like I'd caked it on
• Not easy to blend in (I just used my fingers)

My normal foundation is a million times better than that BB crap. And girls go out every day with this stuff on!? This is only for the Maybelline stuff, though, I can't speak for other brands.

Negative stars times infinitely for this tar like substance.

Clearly I am not affiliated with Maybelline lol, if I were they'd sack my ass or sue me or something.

TTFN

M.F.S

(Which stands for MarineFantasyStudent. I like marine things, fantasy books/movies and I am also a student. WOAH. Haha.)

100 Questions no one asks - Thanks Laura!

Hey you,


Kudos to Laura, thought I should do this because I can! :D


1:Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Closed
2:Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? Yes, free stuff :)
3:Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? Half and half
4:Have you ever stolen a street sign before? um no. My dad has though
5:Do you like to use post-it notes? Yes indeed
6:Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? Yep
7:Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees? Neither, that's an awful choice.
8:Do you have freckles? Nope
9:Do you always smile for pictures? The majority of the time
10:What is your biggest pet peeve? People who try and tell me what to do
11:Do you ever count your steps when you walk? Nope
12:Have you ever peed in the woods? Yes
13:What about pooped in the woods? No
14:Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing? I certainly do!
15:Do you chew your pens and pencils? Nope
16:How many people have you slept with this week? Big fat zero
17:What size is your bed? Double
18:What is your Song of the week? U.N.I by Ed Sheeran
19:Is it okay for guys to wear pink? If they suit it, then yes
20:Do you still watch cartoons? Of course. The ones from my childhood only
21:Whats your least favorite movie? Ugh, Eragon was pretty crap. Book was awesome though
22:Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? None of your business
23:What do you drink with dinner? Tea sometimes
24:What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Nothing, those things are nasty
25:What is your favorite food? Roast lamb and veges. Or home made chow mein.
26:What movies could you watch over and over and still love? Inception, Hot Rod, Avatar, Contagion, The Little Mermaid, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (original), Titanic, Looper.
27:Last person you kissed/kissed you? Like a proper kiss? Some drunk guy in a bar.
28:Were you ever a boy/girl scout? Yes!
29:Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? Hell no
30:When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? Last week, to my best friend in Aus
31:Can you change the oil on a car? Yep!
32:Ever gotten a speeding ticket? Not that I know of :p
33:Ever ran out of gas? No, but I've come pretty close
34:Favorite kind of sandwich? Smoked chicken and salad
35:Best thing to eat for breakfast? Porridge with yoghurt and fruit
36:What is your usual bedtime? 9:30-10pm ish, depending on work
37:Are you lazy? Not really
38:When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? Never did Halloween
39:What is your Chinese astrological sign? The Dog, apparently
40:How many languages can you speak? English, some words in Maori, Japanese and Italian
41:Do you have any magazine subscriptions? No
42:Which are better legos or lincoln logs? Lego!!
43:Are you stubborn? Sometimes I can be, depends on the situation
44:Who is better...Leno or Letterman? Neither
45:Ever watch soap operas? Not really
46:Are you afraid of heights? Nope
47:Do you sing in the car? Yes! who doesn't?
48:Do you sing in the shower? Nah
49:Do you dance in the car? How is that possible?
50:Ever used a gun? Yep
51:Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? Er ages ago? lol maybe like 5 years ago
52:Do you think musicals are cheesy? They're ok. Love Grease!
53:Is Christmas stressful? Nah
54:Ever eat a pierogi? a what? lol
55:Favorite type of fruit pie? Rhubarb & Apple
56:Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? Air Hostess, Vet, Lawyer
57:Do you believe in ghosts? Sort of
58:Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Yeah!
59:Take a vitamin daily? No
60:Wear slippers? Sometimes
61:Wear a bath robe? Yep
62:What do you wear to bed? Pyjamas
63:First concert? Green Day
64:Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? None of the above
65:Nike or Adidas? Neither
66:Cheetos Or Fritos? Doritos!
67:Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? Sunflower seeds
68:Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? No
69:Ever take dance lessons? Nope
70:Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? Marine biologist I hope. Or personal trainer, physiotherapist, that kind of thing.
71:Can you curl your tongue? No
72:Ever won a spelling bee?No
73:Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Yep
74:Own any record albums? No
75:Own a record player? No
76:Regularly burn incense? Lol no
77:Ever been in love? I think so
78:Who would you like to see in concert? GOO GOO DOLLS!!!!!!
79:What was the last concert you saw? Ronan Keating
80:Hot tea or cold tea? Hot
81:Tea or coffee? Tea
82:Sugar or snickerdoodles? Aye? I no speak Americano
83:Can you swim well? Yep
84:Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? Who can't
85:Are you patient? No way
86:DJ or band, at a wedding? Band
87:Ever won a contest? Not that I can recall
88:Ever have plastic surgery? Nah
89:Which are better black or green olives? Black ftw
90:Can you knit or crochet? Knit...sort of
.91:Best room for a fireplace? Lounge
92:Do you want to get married? Yes
93:If married, how long have you been married? Not married!
94:Who was your HS crush? Meh there were a couple of guys. Choices were limited haha
95:Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? No, I'm not retarded
96:Do you have kids? Nah
97:Do you want kids? Yes
98:Whats your favorite color? Turquoise boarding on light green
99:Do you miss anyone right now? Yes! Roxanne
BONUS JONAS QUESTION: Something that happened to you in middle school? Lots of things happened lol.


There we have it! :)

TTFN

M.F.S

Things that piss the hell out of me!

I'm not going to call them 'pet peeves' for two reasons
a) I don't like the term
b) It's so mainstream and generic...something I try not to be.

WARNING! Don't take any of this personally. If you do, don't cry about it, you're the one who chose to read the post!

Here's a picture of some piglets to make everyone happy again.
Here we go!

• People who throw rubbish on the ground! Especially when there's a bin like 2 metres away. Really annoys me, it's just so disrespectful!
• Spitting in public. Just ew.
• People who don't show up for lectures then ask for your notes. I don't mind this for people who were sick on the day or had some other legit reason, but when you 'slept in' or 'just couldn't be bothered' or 'didn't have enough money for fuel because I spent it on McDonalds' yeah...you get the drift. Here's what goes on in my head: 'I really don't want to give you my notes, but I will anyway, because otherwise I'll get the reputation of class bitch, even though it would be totally unfair to myself.'
• People who try and hold a conversation with me during a lecture/while I'm reading/listening to music...and then wonder why they're being ignored.
• Ok, so I'm a hard working person, with no student allowance with a part time job doing full time study right? I pay my taxes, and I don't mind that they go to the upkeep of roads, all the infrastucture stuff, blah de blah. What I really don't like is when my hard earned money, goes towards the dole/student allowance/sickness benefit then you hear about people on those benefits putting all that money into booze, crap stuff in general that is not essential to keep you alive. For me personally, when I had the student allowance, all my money went to rent/groceries/fuel. And quite frankly, that's how it should be. 
• People who think they're 'skux' and play music loudly from their phones in public. Most of the time it's shitty mainstream stuff. If it were the Goo Goo Dolls, I'd probably go up and kiss that person.
• 'Gangsters' who don't know what a belt is. 
• Chicks who were leggings as pants. THEY ARE NOT PANTS AND WE CAN ALL SEE YOUR UNDERWEAR SO PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD BUY SOME FRICKEN JEANS OR SOMETHING!!!!! See you've all made me really mad, I locked the caps!!!! But honestly, the only people who should be wearing something so skin tight with nothing over top, are ballet dancers and swimmers. 
• Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj and their fans. I don't think any explanation is needed here.

I'm sure I have plenty more, but that's enough rage for now. Phew.

TTFN,

M.F.S