Tim Riggins is John Carter...

So yes, this movie got mixed reviews and pretty much bombed at the box office...but to be fair, it was poorly marketed and I for one am really excited to watch it!

Some key ingredients that should make the film worthwhile: 

1. Tim Riggins! My favourite Friday Night Lights character in a movie of his very own :-)

2. Beautiful visuals...like the scenery, yep

3. Touches of humour and overall sense of fun

The sun is shining, summer's around the corner, so why not grab an icy drink and enjoy?

Cheeky penguin steals stones for his nest...

It's super sweet that male penguins work so hard to create the most beautiful nest. Female penguins can then choose their favourite nest and the male penguin that comes with it. I wonder what a human version of this would look like...men building a house from scratch? I would like a house made of chocolate, please ;-)

It's quite funny and adorable, but also terribly naughty, how this little penguin keeps stealing stones from his neighbour's nest! Oh, how I love cute animal videos! :-)

Books and Reading in Korea

Gosh, I miss books! I miss walking into a bookstore or library and being surrounded by endless shelves of them. I get a similar feeling walking into a big bookish space as I do when going into nature - relaxed, uplifted, energized, whole. Yes, I am weird. 

In Korea, I can't exactly go to English libraries and bookstores so I really really miss that feeling. I miss exploring the world of books, taking them off the shelf and reading the back, opening up the pages, catching a few words or phrases that resonate with me, deciding whether to leave the book behind or take it home and explore a new world.

I also miss seeing people reading. When I do go to the bookstore here, it's always bustling and lots of people appear to be buying books. However, I almost NEVER see people reading in public. Usually they're playing with their smart phones. And I think a lot of the books people buy are for studying rather than for fun reading. There are entire giant rooms dedicated to books for learning English and math. 

I still have a couple of new books to read, sitting on my desk. There's an Edith Wharton waiting patiently for me. At the moment I'm in the midst of reading Lady Chatterley's Lover, which is a lot racier than I expected, oh my. 

Thank goodness for books. May they live on forever ;-)

Most Adorable and Funny Baby!

Seriously, I cannot stop laughing!

How are babies soooo incredibly cute?

Snow White and the Huntsman - Behind the Scenes

I love watching behind the scenes clips like this one. I used to do lots of theatre back in the day and dreamed that I would become an actress. Instead, I became a teacher - but luckily acting is very useful when teaching English as a second language. I perform pretty much every day ;-)

Anywho - this looks both intriguing and funny. It would be amazing to feel the energy and excitement of this kind of movie shoot. It's always amusing though, seeing behind the scenes footage that looks a bit silly even though it will end up seeming all slick when we finally watch the film.

I also like this take on the story - a powerful Snow White with agency and real bite. I hope the film develops the characters well rather than focusing only on action and explosives.

Activities for a dark and cloudy day...

It doesn't look quite like this, but it's certainly a lot warmer these days. Woohoo! Now walking outside feels pleasant rather than unbearably cold...at long last!

I just spent half an hour watching videos of cute animals. Specifically, baby pandas and also puppies with babies. So much adorableness! I love it! 

For more cuteness, here is a ridiculously cute web site called Pusheen the cat.

Today is cloudy and dark so here is a list of awesome cloudy and dark day things:

- butternut squash soup

- a fantasy/adventure novel

- a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon

- a walk in the woods...pretend you're a lady in a Victorian novel...perhaps the moors are nearby

- writing a poem

- watching cute videos filled with puppies and other baby animals

- snuggling

- baking something delicious and enjoying the aroma of freshly baked goods all day!

- going bowling! 

- a classic mystery novel...Agatha Christie, anyone?

- watching old movies, preferably black and white

- doing the laundry!

I hope a delightful time will be had by all ;-)

Watching: The Artist

I finally watched The Artist and I have to say, I enjoyed it wholeheartedly! It felt like watching a good old classic film - heartwarming, textural, classy, smart, and completely absorbing.

There's something about black and white films...they are sort of comforting and I really feel like I've gone back in time when I watch them. 

Berenice Bejo is such a gorgeous lady! I loved her flapper clothes and wish I could wear them myself! She was very charming and magnetic in her role. Both of the lead actors were incredibly expressive and I felt for them. The sweetness of their romance is light and pure.

The music was also lovely. It's an orchestral score that makes the film feel more dynamic and alive. It also give extra weight to the moments of complete silence.

What a pleasure! I think I'll be watching this one again.