Coffee & Muffins

(Illustration found here)

Getting off class at 12PM, hopping on the train for some hot coffee and a delicious muffin while meeting with friends.

Fabulous.

- Lo

Cinematic Crisis

I'm a bit preoccupied with the world of motion pictures. I've been paying attention to numerous situations which motivate my concern:

• On October 2007 portuguese magazine Premiere shut down. No more magazines dedicated exclusively to cinema. The problem? There wasn't enough profit. Although one year later the magazine started publicizing the magazine once again, it's still something to be worried about.
• In my whole life, I've only seen four Blockbuster video renting shops here in Portugal. One will close down next month.

And I understand why the second problem is happening. People don't want to rent DVDs anymore. The Internet is right there: in libraries, at your friends' house, you probably have it in your own home. Downloading high quality movies is very easily done nowadays.

Even so, companies such as Meo or Zon (I think it would qualify as America's TiVo) offer a big list of movies that can be rented for a short amount of money. Obviously, movie lovers will go for that as well.

Even huge multinationals such as french Fnac are noticing a breakdown on their DVD profits (and CDs and books, etc.). If this continues, I'm sure that in a few years this industry won't know what to do. But what's the key to this problem? Downloading movies will never stop, especially now that the Internet is big stamp in our lives. You can easily get your movie informations on professional websites instead of magazines dedicated to the same matter.

As a big fan of motion pictures and possibly even a cinema student, I'm curious to see the consequences of all these problems, and what will be the future of the movie industry. What are your thoughts?

- Lo

A Vow of Blogging

I miss blogging. The point is I don't really know what to blog about and if people actually read what I write and if they actually like it.

Anyway, I'm going to try and write interesting stuff, at least every other day. So let's start, shall we?

I would love to just post this link up on Facebook or something and people would read freely what I write. The problem is, if they find my blog they find my Twitter, Dailybooth and YouTube account as well. Not that it's actually a problem, but some people just don't get it. These things are important to me. Blogging and vlogging are important to me. Knowing people from all over the world (such as Kim from Michigan, Ari from Italy and Nicola from Scotland) is important to me, because I think it's not really enough to just know the people around you. You can actually make great friends and have actual trust with "e-friends", but other people who aren't involved in these sort of communities really don't understand it.

For some, vlogging is ridiculous and a waste of time, and even more if you don't have thousands of views. Posting pictures every day is also considered a poor way to spend your time, and they don't understand the other person. All in all, these people think that making friends on the Internet and taking part in Internet communities is dangerous and that the friendships don't last long. I really disagree with that.

I feel so, so good and thankful that I stumbled upon the Nerdfighter community. It was a wonderful way to meet people with similar interests and from all over the world. I thank Mr. and Mrs. Green for giving birth to such awesome men: John and Hank. They really make our nerdy lives made of awesome.

Now, should I expose this website to everyone I know? I love writing, and not that I reveal any of my deepest secrets here, nothing like that at all but... I feel like this blog is a dear treasure. What do you think?

- Lo

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I've been waiting forever to see this movie. In this past week I've been so excited I can't even explain it. I just got back from watching it (it premiered on the 16th over here) and I have to say that I'm honestly disappointed.

(There are some spoilers from now on.)

The movie was very anti-climatic, there wasn't action at all if we compare it to the Goblet of Fire, for example. The last two movies were really disappointing.

First of all, although it was expected there was no scene with the Fudge and the British PM or Rufus Scrimgeour. Not even the scene where Dumbledore supposedly meets Harry at the Dursleys'. All the scenes went by very quickly and I really didn't like that. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was awesome but it's sad we didn't get to see more. All the romantic parts of the movie were quite funny, that moment with Harry and Hermione was very touching, but I didn't like that kiss with Ginny. It was even more... uncomfortable than the kiss with Cho Chang. And it didn't even happen that way, there was no detention with Snape, no Quidditch. The way the kiss between Harry and Ginny happened in the books was much funnier and much more romantic, I'd say.

I loved Draco in this movie. He acted so, so very well, I really wasn't expecting that. Tom Felton really put a lot of effort in his character in the HBP and it came out spectacularly. Daniel Radcliffe's acting has notably improved as well, I was very surprised with him too. As for Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, I'd say they're the same, they haven't evolved that much. I also loved Horace Slughorn, he gave the movie that touch of comedy I felt it had to have.

Now, for that Burrow scene, when the Death Eaters destroy it? That doesn't even happen in the book, I have no idea why that was added, it really confused me. In the Burrow, though, the scene in the beginning where Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Hermione look down at Ginny from the different floors of the house was so funny and very heartwarming. I'd have loved it if Tonks was in the scenes she should have been. And I loved my favorite character, Luna Lovegood. She's so peculiar and like no other character I've ever seen or read.

The "battle" in Hogwarts was laughable, really. I understand how they would insert Bellatrix Lestrange in it, while the Death Eater in the book wasn't that... known. Even Dumbledore's death was laughable, I didn't even have the will to cry. That slow motion deal when someone dies (like what happened with Sirius Black) really doesn't work in my favor. Bill Weasley wasn't attacked by Greyback, and we only saw one scene with him, that was a pity. And, most of all, there was no funeral and no Hogsmeade. Rather, no Hogsmeade with Madame Rosmerta bewitched, etc, etc. And there was nothing with Professor Trelawney, she appeared before Harry and Dumbledore went to the Cave to collect the locket, but nothing involving her was seen.

I think I feel disappointed because I finished re-reading the book just last night, and the real version of the story is very fresh in my mind. I'd have loved to walk out of that theatre with a smile on my face, but the truth is I'm disappointed. I know the movies can't be the same as the books, but I have to say all this. I'm crossing my fingers and wishing that doesn't happen in the next two movies, which supposedly will include everything.

- Lo

Smells I Love

Sometimes you're just hanging around, walking down the street and an irresistable smell enters your nostrils. Here are some of the smells I love when they come up mine:

1. Coffee. There's a little shop in Lisbon where they only sell coffee, and everytime I walk it's coffee-smelling heaven. Even when I'm recharging my coffee machine with coffee beans, I don't want to share them with it, I feel hypnotized by the fresh, africanlike ambience.
2. New books. New school books in the mail? After all the wasted plastic ripped off, here it comes - fresh and never before used pages. Hmmmmm...
3. The beach. You get off the train and you can already smell that fishy, watery smell. When you finally get there, strech your beach towel and smell that pure and relaxing odor.
4. BBQ. Your dad cooking those stakes in the back yard, you smell a glimpse of what's coming your way in a few minutes.
5. Indian food. All those spices running about your nasal cavity like crazy. You're not used to these exotic smells, but they sure smell great. One Tikka Massala, please?

What are your favorite smells?

- Lo

Things I Love Thursday

I like these things:

1. Although unfortunetly this doesn't happen in public, I love wearing clothes with no bra. It's just so liberating. Don't you think so, ladies?

2. Going to the hairdresser and getting the occasional head massage. She's just there, washing your hair and suddenly her fingers burst into a satisfying mechanism of relaxation.

3. I love coming home and wearing all the clothes I bought at the mall just to try them out once again and wear them the next day.

4. Finishing projects you planned three months ago. "3... 2... 1... Project saved." That feels lovely.

5. Realizing that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince premieres in 7 days.

- Lo