Super Whatever Wednesday!!

Lately there has been all this talk about Superheros. As you know Superman is back on the big screen this summer, followed by Spidey and Batman returning in 2007. Sure they all wear tights and run around big cities, but that doesn't lessen their masculinity or effectiveness.

SUPERMAN
Personally I think Superman is fairly lame when it come to Superheros. I mean really people! The guy wears glasses and civilian clothes during the day and when crisis calls he puts on leotards, a cape and ditches the glasses. That's just ridiculous. Sure I agree with his motto of Truth , Justice and The American Way, but couldn't he be a little cooler? Superman does deliver and saves the day, but the character is not interesting enough to keep my attention. That's when my attention turns to the evil Lex Luthor b/c he is so much more interesting! I think the newer comic book and animated versions of Superman are decent but the movies just don't do him justice. Maybe this latest Superman movie will prove me wrong. Lex Luthor will always be the ubercool character of that story tho.


SPIDERMAN
Spiderman is definately a favorite of mine despite my irrational arachnophobia I deal with everyday. He's an average Joe who one day gets bitten by a radioactive spider and becomes Spiderman. If you are going to be a freak, this guy has the best abilities: Climbing walls, webslinging/swinging and spidey sense. Speaking of Spidey Sense,I have that too. I can spot a spider within seconds in any room I am in. I think because of my phobia, by senses are heightened to their presence. Weird, I know, but I digress...Spiderman knows what it is like to be normal and he also knows what it is like to be "super". This gives him a perspective on crime fighting that Superman doesn't have. The movies have been really great. I am hoping the next installment will be as addicting!

BATMAN
Of course there is one superhero that has been my favorite ever since I was little. Maybe it was because I watched The Adventures of Zorro (the original black and white eps) when I was younger and somehow it made me appreciate a man dressed in black wearing a mask...hahaha. Yes, I am talking about Batman. How much cooler can you get than a man who sought out and trained for years to return to his beloved Gotham City and fight the villans who pray on it's citizens? Sure he's a billionaire playboy as Bruce Wayne, so he has the money to fund all sorts of things like Batmobiles and awesome gadgets etc., but he is also a man with no special powers. He has skills people. Martial Arts skills... Stealthy Attack skills...Intimidating skills...The Batman relys on himself and his strength to defeat the evil. He is by far the most noble of Superheros in my book! You've got to love the villians of Batman too. They are creepy and demented, which makes you root for the Dark Knight even more.

Here are some little bits from interviews with Christian Bale and for the upcoming Batman movies. There are some very interesting comments here which makes me even more psyched for future Batman flicks!

Christian Bale (Batman) was the first to sign, followed by Michael Caine (Alfred), and Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox).A source also tells PageSix.com, "Everyone is in agreement that the movie's strength is with Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman." Then adding of Katie Holmes, "She won't be in the sequel... the next romantic interest will be a much stronger actress." "Warner is happy that people are now focusing on who'll be playing the JOKER rather than Katie and Tom."

Actor Christian Bale spoke to MTV about the Joker possibly being included in a sequel to the successful Batman Begins movie and how he feels about the infamous character."I want to see the Joker, because I think it will be a very different kind of Joker than people have seen before," he said. "I think even the card that you see at the end of the movie shows that it is a darker, more sinister-looking Joker than anything I have seen depicted before. I think it would be a good adversary."Bale also talked to the Chicago Sun-Times where he expressed his thoughts on Robin, the character whom plays Batman's teenage sidekick in the comics and previous Batman films."Thank God, there was no Robin," Bale says. "You really don't need him because Robin makes it campy and not dark.

The joker will not be killed in the sequel, that is a mistake they made in the frist film by Burton… it will spill into the 3rd installment where the Joker scars DA Harvey Dent in court with the acid….etc

According to BoF, the only names bandied about by Warners right now are British thesp Paul Bettany and the relatively unknown Aussie actor Lachy Hulme.


No Katie, the return of the Joker and we're in total agreement over the Robin factor!! They must have read my mind! Oh and BTW, noone was caring about Katie and Tom, I think most Bat fans were annoyed that she was even cast in the movie in the first place! Hmmm...I wonder who will be the next love interest? Angelina Jolie would make a fabulous Catwoman, yeah? If she is not available, I think I could clear my schedule to help Christian Bale out:)

Batman Sequel Ruined!!???

Here is the scoop from last week's announcement for casting the next Batman movie: The sequel to Batman Begins. I wanted to post earlier but had to finish up the MB Vacation!


Heath Ledger to Play Joker in Next 'Batman'
Aug 1, 2:56 PM EST


The Associated Press

Heath Ledger will play The Joker in the sequel to last year's "Batman Begins," Warner Bros. studio announced. "The Dark Knight" is set to begin production next year.

Christian Bale again will play Batman. Christopher Nolan will repeat as director.

Ledger was nominated for a best-actor Oscar for his role as an anguished gay ranch hand in last year's "Brokeback Mountain."

"Our challenge in casting The Joker was to find an actor who is not just extraordinarily talented but fearless," Nolan said in the Warner Bros. statement issued Monday. "Watching Heath Ledger's interpretation of this iconic character taking on Christian Bale's Batman is going to be incredible."

I don't know about anyone else, but I am disappointed by this news. Hey, maybe they will prove me wrong, but until I see something once they start filming, I will remain skeptical. The Joker is a menacing, evil, crazy nut-house criminal. Does Heath Ledger have the chops? Christopher Nolan has proven that he understand the darkness that is Batman, so does he know something about Heath Ledger we don't? Let's hope so!

I have seen a handful of Heath Ledger's films but I don't find his range so far to be convincing to play the role of the Joker. He must have had an incredible screen test to have gotten the role over Paul Bettany who was my top choice and who was rumored to be up for the part as well. I also thought John Malkavich would have been great although he is too old for the part. Next best thing to him? Peter Sarsgaard. Arrg!! He's a creepy one!(SNL Skit tee-hee) Another great actor would have been Robert Downey Jr. but apparently the choice has been made. :(

My hope is that I will be presently surprised by Heath Ledger. From the looks of it, Christopher Nolan has a way of creating the Batman Universe with one foot firmly placed in reality, which makes the characters eerily believeable. I doubt that The Joker will be the paint encrusted criminal that Jack Nicholson was. I have a feeling that he will be more real, earthy and sinister. I am interested to see what the makeup and costuming will be.

I am not counting Ledger out, but he will have to be amazing to win me over! No word on who the female love interest will be. If it is Scarlet Johanssen I will boycott! HAHA, not really! I mean anyone is better than Katie Holmes I guess! I just hope they pick a good female lead so I don't have to fret about 2 characters!!!

What do you think?

"Here's My Card"

After the sightings of mail and bat pillows over the last week I figured it was time that I had a run-in with something Joker-ish. I thought it would really be funny if I found a Joker card laying on the ground someplace (kinda like the summer when I found 2 "Jacks" at different points! Pirates was big, "Jack" Sparrow...haha)

I must be psychic because after thinking this whilst getting ready for work this morning, I walked in to work and Cyndi the receptionist handed me a Joker mini comic that her kids found in a cereal box! What was on the cover? A Joker card of course! I tried to find a pic online of the promo comic, but alas, I could not find one, so I used a pic from the viral marketing campagn The card pictured above was the card found inside the Joker Cake along with cell phone and number to call in one of the first scavenger hunts.

A little sidenote about cereals and marketing ploys: I chose my last box of cereal based on the fact that it included a light up Indiana Jones SPOON!!! Thanks to my friend Nate, I now can enjoy that late night bowl of cereal in style!!!

Batman 3: What will follow The Dark Knight?

With the huge success of the Dark Knight, there has been a lot of speculation out there about whether or not there will be a 3rd installment to the current Batman movies starring Christian Bale. I have my own theories and while it is premature to discuss since the sweat on Batman's brow is not even wiped away from this last adventure, I thought I would get myself on record. In the end it is really up to Christopher Nolan's creative team, and I am sure they already have stories cooked up. Take your time fellas, I will wait another 3 years if I have to (like we did for The Dark Knight) if it will be that good!

Look, of course they are being coy about storyline and if indeed Nolan will do a third movie, but with an opening weekend of kick ass box office returns you know it would be a dumb move to NOT do it. Nolan better get a grip on it, because if he doesn't want to do another one Warner Brother's will have someone else come in and it will ruin it...Even tho they have contracts for a thrid movie I would hope Bale will bow out, along with most of that cast, and then we would be stuck with another Jerry Bruckheimer catastrophe...just sayin'.

Nightmarish thoughts aside, here are my thoughts/predictions: (Oh, and sorry about the **Spoiler** . I marked it with a ** so you can highlight with your mouse to read it if you want. )

• Theme: Batman Begins centered around "FEAR", The Dark Knight around "ESCALATION" and I agree with the idea that "REDEMPTION" will be the theme for the third movie. Batman, now on the run from everyone in Gotham, especially the police, will need to save the day and redeem himself so that bat signal will once again shine in the night sky over the city.
• **Villian #1: Two-Face. Lots of good character groundwork was laid here to build upon for a third movie, of course there are varying thoughts on this. People who say that Harvey Dent Died in the movie are right, but Two-Face didn't die. Did anyone listen to the exchange between Gordon and Batman? Nolan is smart enough to not kill his villains (sorry Tim Burton).
• Villian #2: Ra's Al Ghul disappeared in Begins, maybe he will come back to cash in on Batman's fall from grace with the people of Gotham? There are TONS of villians, but the first one that popped into my head that might work would be The Mad Hatter as long as they separate him from Jokerish tendencies: Mind control is his specialty... fitting in well with controlling the masses to continue to hate and hunt Batman. AND He would have interesting scenes with Two-Face because which mind would he control? HAHAH! Who would play him? Even tho Johnny Depp loves to wear hats he is not on my list, so how about my top three? Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Bettany or perhaps Jonathan Rys Meyers???
• Who should NOT be Included? No Riddler because that character is too close to the Joker in many ways. I cannot see the Penguin being bad enough to warrent a storyline, Mr. Freeze is too far fetched. I love Catwoman, but I highly doubt it because Catwoman has already been done...twice. I would be upset if Bane made it in and they followed the storyline of the comics: he breaks Batman's back paralyzing him in a fight and some hack has to take over as Batman...um NO! Poison Ivy is annoying, Egghead? I don't think so, but there are many other villains to chose from!
• Peripheral Villians: The Joker is out. Unfortunately noone can come close to Heath Ledger's performance, AND Nolan wouldn't rather let the Joker hang out in Arkham Asylum than reprise the role and ruin it. My idea is that there would be a glimpse of Arkham's dark hallways, and you hear that maniacal Joker laugh coming from a cell (which could be edited in from Heath Ledger's actual past performance)....Scarecrow would stick his head to the bars across the hall and yell something crazy back at him ... That would be a decent tribute I think, and about the only thing I would agree to them doing with Heath's Joker...
• NO ROBIN! I will not stand for that crap! Christian Bale says there will be no Robin, and I am with him on that. Just say NO to the bird boy!
• Love Interest: In my opinion the story doesn't necessarily need one, altho we all enjoy a good damsel in distress. I think he would be too scarred to get into another relationship after Dark Knight. Whatever happens I hope they don't throw in a "Chase Meridian" style character who happens to be dating Bruce at the time and gets caught in the crossfire! That would SUCK. If anything, an introduction of Selina Kyle would be the most doable, but let's do something different. What about Talia Al Ghul? Especially if Ra's comes back...
• I hope they revisit Wayne Manor and the Batcave! It's about time that place was rebuilt and utilized again!

OK, so I have gone on record finally, since I had thoughts of this before The Dark Knight came out. I was right on with the premise for Indiana Jones (except for the alien shit and the fact that it SUCKED monkey brains), SO let's see how I do with this!!

Thanks for sticking with me through Batman Week #2!!!

What do you think the 3rd Batman will entail?

And Here We...GO!

The Dark Knight. What can I say? The midnight showing Thursday night was entirely worth sitting in a theater for almost 2 1/2 hours waiting for the 2 hour and 35 minute movie to start! 5 screens were sold out by noon Thursday afternoon, they added 3 more screens and over 1900 tickets had been sold in our Theater! The audience was pumped but as soon as the movie started you could hear a pin drop. It was AMAZING, I have NEVER sat with such a respectful audience before! For ONCE, a movie has met my high expectations! Lets run through what I thought, and don't worry, I will be nice and leave out any spoilers.


The Story:
The Main story and sub plots were well crafted and easy to follow considering their complexity and the mythology behind them. We follow Bruce/Batman as he struggles with duality, the rise of the villainous Joker, and the newly elected DA Harvey Dent and how they all fit together in Gotham's puzzled population. The Dark Knight is fast paced, and full of surprises, no joke...

There is a lot going on in this film, so much that I am now hoping to see it more than the two times I originally thought it would warrant. Batman fans will love references to comics, the viral marketing campaign and the previous movie. I would not recommend this movie for children under 13 because of the violence and the overall idea that they will not comprehend the motivation behind the actions of some of the characters.


Filming:
On location in Chicago, using real stunts in place of CGI in places you never thought possible and beautiful building top shots of the city, these guys packed it all in. The action shots were much more polished than in Batman Begins and once again the story really lent itself to grand camera angels.


Acting:
Christian Bale was great as usual, but I must say that his "Batman Voice" was a bit much sometimes. Batman had more screen time and more lines this time around tho, lending to my observation. I think they have positioned the Bruce Wayne character as the Main Identity, so that would make sense that Bruce is more finely tuned than Batman.

Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent was excellent. He brought a depth to the character that many might overlook because of other outstanding performances in this film. I was really impressed by Aaron's take on this character, and in my opinion, he was right on.


Maggie Gyllenhaal was fine, but her part was not very well developed, possibly because the development of Rachel Dawes was on the shoulders of Katie Holmes originally in Batman Begins, which was never fully realized. Maggie had some back peddling to do, but she was a fine addition to the talented cast. She grew on me.

Gary Oldman is still the man. It is cool to see him as the good guy, adding to the range of roles he can play. Oldman remains so even with his characterization of Jim Gordon that he is very endearing. The development of Gordon in this installment was well thought out and played.

Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman were wonderful in their supporting roles as usual. Michael Caine, still embodied what Alfred Pennyworth is: The voice of reason, the guidance, the father figure and the protector of Gotham's Protector. Lucius showed us again that he is a man of principle, strong values and a great ally to Bruce.

Did I miss someone, you ask? Why NO! I Was Saving the BEST for LAST!

Heath Ledger ROCKED. The Joker was such a complex and meaty role, and he took full advantage of it without being over the top. He was funny, he was scary and he was downright demented. You couldn't take your eyes off of him and waited in anticipation until he was next on screen. The Joker drew you into his psyche like a moth to a flame, which made him more believable as an anarchistic agent of chaos. Heath was SO AMAZING and SO CONSISTENT that I feel The Joker was the defining role of his career and it breaks my heart.

The Music:
A Score from Hans Zimmer again. A rehash of Batman Begins themes, and not much new, the movie utilized a lack of music in a few scenes to create feelings of anxiety and suspense. I distinctly remember a chase scene where there was no music. It literally made me stop and think, "What is missing here? Oh, No Music? That's weird...hmmmm... Actually this fits really well here, and is doing it's job to make me stay on the edge of my seat!" (Yes, I actually was thinking all of that!)Anywho, it actually worked for me, and I appreciated it. Sometimes movies can overuse music, so this was noticeable but well done.

Conclusion:
I am looking forward to seeing this movie again (a few more times) so that I can concentrate on some of the subtle parts that I felt I couldn't pay as much attention to because of the sheer charisma that Heath Ledge brought to the screen. The audience clapped when it was done. Whistles and shouts of "AWESOME!" and "THAT ROCKED!" filled the air. All I could say was "WOW" because it's been a long time since I saw a movie this good, and watched it with an audience this well behaved! This movie blew my mind and blew away the opening weekend sales records as well. (stick that up your ass George Lucas!)

Thank you Christopher Nolan (and cast) for bringing Batman back to life on the big screen in a HUGE way!!

It's Batman Week!

Let's start off with a little quiz on the Caped Crusader!

1. What is Bruce Wayne's butler's name?
2. How many people have played Batman on the Big screen (movies only)? Can you name them?
3. What is the name of the Batmobile in Batman Begins?
4. Name at least 6 Villians from the Batman Universe.
5. Who played Vicki Vale in the 1989 Batman movie?
6. What is the name of Bruce's childhood friend, the Assistant D.A., in the latest movies?
7. Name two composers of Batman movie music.
8. To Whom did the Riddler say "Patience, O Bifurcated One!" in Batman Forever?
9. What is the name of the place where Gotham's mental patients and Villians are held?
10. What is a common nickname for "The Joker"?\

11. BONUS: What do Barbastella, Vespertilio and Nycteris all have in common?

And did I mention that I got a phone call from THE JOKER on Friday? Click here to read the July 11th transcript of the call I received...Viral Marketing ROCKS!!!

Thursday Thoughts!

Oh boy! Where do I start! This is like, one of the BEST WEEKS EVER!:)

1. Went to the Post Office and applied for my passport last night. Passport pics are fun! I kid, but Roni the postlady was really friendly and it was actually an enjoyable experience.
2. Joker for President? He's got my vote! Ahee-ahaa-ahaa... I did one of those campaign videos for Harvey Dent too, but I thought Joker was funnier actually.:) Lamby! You have created a monster!!!
3. My eating habits are paying off (Low carb, smaller portions). I feel better, AND I am losing some poundage. Now to add some exercise to the mix!
4. I know someone who is like a dog chasing cars...and yea, he wouldn't know what to do with one if he caught one. Unfortunately, I get that because I am the same way.
5. It's official. I have a new celebrity crush...Aaron Eckhart. I can't help it, there is something about him, even tho he has butt chin and is sorta blonde. Sorry Bruce Wayne, but Rachel was right, I would have chosen Harvey Dent too. ( I can't believe I just admitted that) Ok, maybe I would have kept the love triangle, I mean, Why should a girl choose after all? Anywho, Aaron Eckhart. LOVE HIM!!!!!
   
   Aaron as Harvey Dent in Dark Knight.

Thank you for Smoking! (Smokin' HOT)

The Good, The Redonk and the Are You Kidding Me??

THE GOOD: I had my first Marketing Strategy meeting yesterday and I must say that I totally kicked some ass. I have ben in this position for a year now, and since last year was a huge rush to keep the status quo and keep up in general, I had the opportunity and time to plan my attack this time around.

Let's just say that there were many jaws on the floor, because I am convinced that they still view me as the "young work horse" only and not a creative or marketing mind. Obviously they saw me that way because I came to this company in the position of Admin Assistant and then moved to Executive Assistant to the President, where I didn't have opportunity to showcase more than my organizational skills and friendly disposition. In that time I did however coin the name for a new product, later of which I found out the previous Marketing Manager passed off as his own of course. But they have since realized the truth of the creation lies with me.

Me with my agenda and handouts to back up my ideas for Catalog theme-tie ins and opportunities for higher exposure for the brand definitely shocked my audience. They were, to put it lightly, extremely happy and impressed with what I presented to them. The GM of the division remarked "We've come a long way from Bryan (the previous MM)!" to which I replied "Well, I've been doing this for over a year now, so watch out boys!" which was well received with luaghter throughout the room. That was definitely the GOOD out of my week.

THE REDONK. The Blood Drive was definitely a bust. I gave a 1/2 pint and ended because I had been bruised by the Nurse. The funny part of this is the nurse who signed me in and hooked me up had a scar on her face that ran from the corner of her mouth out across her cheek...yea, just like the JOKER. I felt bad, since I am sure it was a terrible accident that gave her that scar. I couldn't help it because all I could think of was Heath Ledger dressed in his JOKER nurses uniform, which made my fits of nervous laughter more apparent. I did however win a $25 gift card at the luncheon after the blood drive, so I guess that made up for my failing the blood donation portion of the test!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? How exciting that I get to go to VEGAS again this year for a tradeshow... right? Well, not really considering the current schedule. The group that is going is old and boring, and it's just not right that I have to go to VEGAS with a group this inept at having ANY fun at all. Not only that but now I have to set up and tear down the booth with Texas Asshole, putting me there a day earlier than anticiapted and having to hang out with him for an extra day. I could SCREAM. Exploring Vegas by yourself is fun for a day but 5 days? Seriously. This must be a cruel joke. I will be in Vegas with people who are the antithesis of fun... SO. NOT. FAIR.

Friday is here, and my weektho busy was not so bad. I have to admit that I am 1 month from LONDON and sooo looking forward to it. Alysa has so many great ideas of things to do and see and it will be so great to get there and sit in a pub and have a Guiness with my niece to start our adventures together!

Batman Quiz Answers Revealed!

1. What is Bruce Wayne's butler's name? ALFRED PENNYWORTH
2. How many people have played Batman on the Big screen (movies only)? 4 Can you name them? MICHAEL KEATON, VAL KILMER, GEORGE CLOONEY AND CHRISTIAN BALE
3. What is the name of the Batmobile in Batman Begins? THE TUMBLER
4. Name at least 6 Villians from the Batman Universe. JOKER, RIDDLER, PENGUIN, CATWOMAN, POISON IVY, KING TUT, MAD HATTER, SCARECROW, RA'S AL GHUL, TWO-FACE, MR. FREEZE, EGGHEAD, BANE, CLAY FACE, KILLER CROC...I could go on, but I won't!
5. Who played Vicki Vale in the 1989 Batman movie? KIM BASINGER
6. What is the name of Bruce's childhood friend, the Assistant D.A., in the latest movies? RACHEL DAWES
7. Name two composers of Batman movie music. DANNY ELFMAN, HANS ZIMMER, ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL
8. To Whom did the Riddler say "Patience, O Bifurcated One!" in Batman Forever? TWO-FACE
9. What is the name of the place where Gotham's mental patients and Villians are held? ARKHAM ASYLUM
10. What is a common nickname for "The Joker"? THE CLOWN PRINCE OF CRIME

11. BONUS: What do Barbastella, Vespertilio and Nycteris all have in common? THEY ARE ALL GENUS OF BATS

Stupid text:

Which Batman villian are you? Catwoman You're not really all that bad, when it comes down to it. You're Catwoman, and you're fiercly protective of your friends and all those around you... I wouldn't want to cross your path! Quizzes

Dark Knight Teaser Trailer & Sneak Peek at The Joker!!!!

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!

THIS IS SOOOOOOOOOO AWESOME!!!! A trailer and a pic!!!

Check out the first teaser trailer for the next installment of Batman: The Dark Knight! I know I said I was nervous about Heath Ledger...but when I heard his voice as the Joker, it gave me chills!!! Sounds a bit like Jack Nicholson, tho I would rather he emulate him than screw it up!



and a pic....hmmmm. I am so glad Katie Holmes is out! I really like Maggie Gyllenhal!!!



This made my day!!!!!!

Batman Continues

Making dinner last night and I look out my kitchen window. Something catches my eye through an open sliding glass door across the courtyard... it's yellow and black, and a better view shows me that it is a Bat Signal pillow on someone's bed!!! CRAZY!!!!

Newest trailer for the Dark Knight available at whysoserious with another great ad (click on download now to view trailer):
"Either you die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villan"

OH MY GOD!!!!! This movie is so gonna ROCK!!!! I am sorry I ever doubted Heath Ledger in the beginning...too bad he won't be around to be the Joker in any other Batman films.

Say What?

I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger.

If you're good at something, never do it for free.

You'll see, I'll show you, that when the chips are down, these uh... civilized people, they'll eat each other.

See, I'm a man of simple tastes. I like gunpowder...and dynamite...and gasoline!

Why don't we cut you up into little pieces and feed you to your pooches? Hmm? Then we'll see, how loyal, a hungry dog really is. It's not about the money... it's about... sending a message. Everything burns.

You know what I am, Harvey? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one.

Schemers trying to control their worlds. I am not a schemer. I show schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things really are.

Upset the established order, and everything turns to chaos. I'm an agent of chaos. Oh, and you know the thing about chaos? It's fair."

This is what happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object.

Y'see, madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little...push.

~Joker



You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming.

You thought we could be decent men in an indecent world. But you were wrong; the world is cruel, and the only morality in a cruel world is chance.

~Dent/Two-Face



Sometimes, truth isn't good enough, sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded.

~Batman



Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now...and so we'll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector...a dark knight.

~Gordon

The Joke's On Me!

Talk about weird. I opened my email this morning when I got to work and I had TWO emails from TWO people about the SAME THING! My Niece Erin and my friend Chantal had both sent me the newest picture of Heath Ledger as the Joker! Obviously, I make no secret of my love affair with all things BATMAN. (still!)

You may recall that I had posted the first trailer (where you can hear his voice) and first pic of him a while back in this post. Thanks you guys!!! I have been so busy, I haven't had time to check up on my Most Favorite Super Hero and the next installment: "The Dark Knight"

The amazing core cast returns with Christian Bale (BEST Batman EVER! Sorry Michael Keaton!), Morgan Freeman (You ALWAYS rock), Gary Oldman (You are my HERO!), and Michael Caine (The PERFECT Alfred!).

Lookin' Creepy!! I LOVE IT!!!

Check out this article from the Chicago Sun Times which discusses filming in the city with IMAX camera! Sounds pretty cool! Excuse me while I freak out here: NATE!!! WE ARE GOING TO SEE THIS AT AN IMAX NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!!!

Stop me if you've heard this one before...

You are having a bad day...well, that's an understatement. It's like the walls are crashing in around you and you think you are having an emotional breakdown...yes, you think this might actually be the psychotic break that you knew would always come.

Unhappy with my current living situation and the noisey neighbors I am looking for another apartment. Not only one that won't be lined with such paper-thin walls/floors, but one that is closer to work and more accessible for visitors. Save gas. Save your social life. You know, kinda like "Heroes" only without the cheerleader.

Work is overwhelming me at the moment. 2 Major projects and a few minor ones that think they are major, plus the knowledge of a few more major projects coming down the pike have made me completely flip my lid. Oh and add into it a few coworkers that I would love to play target practice with and you have a volcanic episode.

Oh and my love life? The wrong guys are always interested, I can never seem to meet any decent guys, and the guys that everyone seems to think I am perfect for are ridiculously immature and completely clueless.

Take these three main parts of my life, throw them in a pot and stir it up and that was my confusion of this week. You would think that by now, I would be used to the Scorpio death and rebirth cycle, but this one just hit me pretty hard. Add in the New Moon yesterday and you might as well hide in your bunker, cause the nuclear bomb is on it's way!

As usual, my sister Lamby is my voice of reason. I know when I have a freak out she will calm me, put things in perspective and prescribe the best remedies. One was "Drink a Manhattan or two!" and the next was "Retail Therapy!" I took her advice on the second remedy and went out and replaced my PS2. Going home and rocking out on GH for an hour mindlessly was wonderful.

Jimi Hendrix has been stalking me via the radio airways for the last two months...so I also (finally)bought a disc of greatest hits. Many songs and lyrics hit me as the perfect rememdy for my emotional turmoil yesterday such as the lyrics to "All Along the Watchtower" ("There must be some kind of way out of here" said the Joker to the thief. "There's too much confusion. I can't get no relief.") and "Manic Depression" ("Manic depression is touching my soul. I know what I want but I just don't know, how to go about getting it" and "Manic depression's a frustrating mess!"). Somehow, Jimi is doing his part to ease the pain and put things into prespective.

THANK YOU LAMBY!!(AS USUAL)

It is curious though, as I sit here I do feel different today. I feel as though something has changed. I hope it is for the better, and that this means a time of growth, change and focus is ahead for me. My horoscope is definitly on today:

Today's Scorpio Horoscope: Jun 04, 2008
Don't worry about not being on the right path, dear Scorpio, because you are. You seem to be always in the right place at the right time and there is no need to feel regret or shame about things that have happened in the past. Turn negative experiences into lessons for a better future. Even though you may not be able to change a certain situation, you can at least change your reaction to the situation.

It's Time to Come Clean...

OK. I admit it. I am obsessed. Obsessed enough to hide the truth.

I need to be honest about my activities this summer.

The first incident was shortly after my second time seeing the Dark Knight. I searched for a book that was recommended and found that my local B & N had it in stock in paperback. I went in but could not find it, so I had to ask the reference desk to help. I couldn't even stomach that I was an adult female looking for a Batman Novel called "Batman: Inferno" so I told the reference lady it was for my nephew. The dishonesty didn't stop there because once we found the book I told the lady at the checkout that I needed a gift receipt, because obviously that book was not for me.
I know. I am a sad, sad girl. Why couldn't I fess up that I love Batman stuff and I wanted to purchase this novel for light summer reading? Well Now I am! I can't help it and the first step is admitting it. Do they have a BA? Batman Anonymous? (ahee, Aha aha)

Hey, this book was entertaining and a quick read. It was a perfect summer read for me, since I am not like most women who enjoy a tawdry romance novel. The chapters about the Joker made me laugh out loud especially the parts where he had stolen a batsuit and the batmobile and was running around Gotham as a deranged poser. It was just fun.

My obsession didn't stop there. The Dark Knight had taken many hints from a 13 issue Comic book series called "The Long Halloween" which follows the mystery of the Holiday killer and the creation of Two-Face. This was later put into book form and I found a copy in my library system so I put a hold on it.

When it came in I was excited because I have not read many comics, tho I admit the few I have read have been Batman Comics. Some of the art I thought was amazing, the story was interesting and the story board rip-offs (I mean that in a good way) that were used in the Dark Knight movie were great to find as I read. It was like these little gems popped off the page and I was even more impressed with Nolan's film than I already was. The guy did his homework and paid homage to the mythology of Batman in so many ways.


It doesn't stop there my friends...I have three more graphic novels I want to read: "Dark Victory", "The Killing Joke" and "Hush". I hope my library has all three.

WTF?

Obviously from the title of this post, you realize you are in for a hella rant right?

Good. Here goes:

My company is having a 35th anniversary party at this great clam bake place with a band etc next month. How nice, right? On the top of the invite it says that (unlike most company things lately) spouses and significant others are invited. OK. That's nice for those who have spouses or significant others, for those of us that don't, well tough shit. I get that, no big deal, my issue became apparent when I was joking around that I should bring a random hottie and the tongues would wag. Tongues wag when nothing is happening at my company, so that was the joke.

So then my friend Cyndi says: "Tongues would really wag if you brought a girl" which we laughed about because people's heads would probably explode. I went upstairs and proceeded to tell my friend Beth (big geek) who laughed as well and then I told my friend Sam, who looked at me and says "Well, I have heard rumors about you". Seeing as tho he is joker, I laughed and then said "Wait! You're kidding right?" and he began to tell me that "someone" he would not name, jokingly said that maybe I was gay because I hang out with this one girl Tammy, (who apparently there have been rumors about). Firstly, Tammy is a good friend of mine, and she can do whatever the hell she wants, althought my experience of hanging out with her has not shown me anything other than she is hetero, but I don't care! She is wild and crazy BUT that is not the point of the story.

MY POINT IS: I HATE MISINFORMATION!

Especially when it is about me!

Sam said that this person who said this to him is someone who if he hits on you and you don't respond, will assume you are not interested because you are gay, not because you are not interested in him!! Nice. I have rejected a lot of those assholes since I have been working there, and the rule is I don't date anyone at work (especially because of the tongue wagging, even tho apparently if you try to remain a mystery they make shit up about you anyway.)AND! Hello I never asked Sam if he came to my rescue and said "um, no, CC is not gay!" I will be asking him tomorrow. I don't thing I let on to Sam how much it bothered me...

Whether the piece of shit who said that was mad because I rejected him at some point or because he was joking, I am not laughing. What a short sighted stupid ass reject! Does he know ANYTHING about my personal life? Um no. All they see is what I want them to see and I guess they have to talk about something so they might as well make something up. A joke, turns into a rumor and rumors are BAD.

WTF????

Look, there is nothing wrong with being gay, It's just wrong if someone is misrepresenting me as a person. I hate it when people judge you when they don't know you, or think you are something that you are not. Reputation is important to me, and reputation is identity. I work hard to present myself in a certain way and when one stupid FUCK can jeopardize that it just makes me so ANGRY!

I realize I am dealing with uneducated, narrow-minded people, but it still really bothers me. The rumor mill is like the telephone game we played when we were younger. By next week I could be a Vampire because I like to wear black, I wear sunglasses a lot and my nails are long. I mean seriously!

WTF!???

Yes, I came home did some housework and had a few beers and then blogged. I am sure in the morning I will have chilled out and figured WHO GIVES A SHIT WHAT THOSE ASSHOLES THINK? But for now I needed to rant!

SO ANYWAY, I need a really hot guy to come to this party with me. Game on.

And I WILL find out who was "joking' about that...

Whatever Wednesday

It's been a while since I did a Whatever Wednesday post of random thoughts, so here...we...go!

I have been playing a lot of Tomb Raider lately. "Legend" is my game of choice this week. I have been going back and playing levels over so that I can find all the artifacts and open up new outfits etc. Escapism is my favorite hobby!

My calendar at work says yesterday was the full moon, but my calendar at home says today is the full moon. If the skies stay clear tonight, I will have to see which one is right. My bet is on the home calendar.

I do everything a supervisor does but I am not technically considered the sample lady's supervisor. HR calls me to see if she can use help, TAP calls me to check on her performance etc, I answer all of her questions and troubleshoot any issues she is having etc but when they cut her hours, does anyone tell me? NOPE. Of course not. I mean, why should I be told about that important piece of information?

Headaches. I have them more often than usual lately. I think they are stress induced. I have many of them while at work. Hmmm...curious.

Lots of people getting shot or shooting other people lately. Alabama and Germany are two headliners today on MSN. I guess things are getting worse before they get better.

Not to downplay the previous random thing, but I have this fantasy that when anyone (especially the college kids) in my complex comes in with bass blasting so loud I can feel the rumble in my apartment (and then they leave their car running and blasting for 15 minutes while they run inside) that I will rip open my window, stick a rocket launcher out the window and shoot it at the car. Big explosion. Cheers from the neighbors. No more "bass boost"!

Finally some sun today. I was all excited that the Spring ahead clocks would allow me almost an hour of light now when I get home from work, enabling me to start walking. The last few days have been rainy and yucky, but today it is sunny (though a bit colder)so I can walk when I get home. :)

Chantal, if you are reading this, you need to check out my answer to your comment on the last post. A jokerized letter made only of Joker Quotes...you will LOVE IT!:)

Friday!!!!

Um, some quickies:

Had dinner with my friend Chantal last night. She is a riot. I love hanging out with her. We are famous for 3-4 hour dinners because we talk incessantly! :)

Tomorrow is the first of 3 graduation parties I have to attend this summer. My Niece Erin is having a Hawaiian themed party. Looks like it will be sunny and 81 so far in the forecast, so that is good. I am sure it will be fun.

Borrowed the movie "Jumper" from a friend this week. It was OK. I am sure the book was better. There were some really cool parts and I have to admit I have a little crush on Hayden Christensen. He was a bit distracting at times 'cause he's a bit of a smoldering mix of Brad Pitt and Justin Timberlake...at least that's who came to my mind at the time. News has it that he might return to Jumper for a second and third installment...I could watch him for a few hours regardless of the movie.

Today is Friday!!! Try a little game from our friend
The JOKER:
CLICK HERE (there is music so turn up the volume clowns!)

HA HA HA HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!

To Vote or Note To Vote?

This Presidential race has me frustrated. I don't support either candidate, I don't want to vote based on the VP candidates and tho I know one of them will win whether I vote or not, I hate the feeling of helplessness I have when I discuss the election.

I am registered to vote, and I vote in every election, national or local. (tho I have missed a few minor local ones here and there) Voting is a RIGHT and a PRIVELEDGE, and I feel that if I don't vote I am slapping every woman who fought for my right to vote in the face. Sadly, I only feel obligated to vote in this election because those women fought so hard to be heard, not because I am backing a candidate I believe in.

Unfortunately in this current race, I feel that voting is at best choosing the lesser of two evils, or as Lamby said the other day : "It's like choosing which public bathroom stall is cleanest"

So What's a Girl To Do?

I have sent in for an absentee ballot since I will be in London for Election day. I guess I could just vote for the local races and skip the presidential. Should I write someone in? I joke that I would write in Harvey Dent or The JOKER, but what would that prove? Only that the joke is on me.

The problem is that noone has taken the leadership of our country seriously, it's all been a big joke and now where are we? Without leadership, without options and without a CHOICE. We are limited to the billionaires who have the money to run and those who may have something real to offer the country in it's time of need are swept to the side because of financial short-comings. The system is corrupt and broken. How did this happen? Maybe it always has been this way and just now my romantic patriotism is fading to show me the truth of the matter.

I know I am not the only person who is struggling with the questions of Do I vote? Who do I vote for? Why Should I vote? I have spoken to many people who seem to be in the same place I am. I don't want to just throw my hands up and wave the white flag of surrender. There MUST be a way to rememdy the political disease that has overcome this great country of ours.

I guess we will have to wait another 4 years to see what happens.

ABC Meme

I found this ABC meme on a random blog I came across. I thought it would be fun to do it as each letter is the start of a movie line. Let's see how I do and if you can name any of the movies from the lines.

Are you kidding me? I love crab cakes! They're phenomenal!
Baby, you couldn't find the button with both hands and a map.
Clearly you've never been to Singapore
Does that make me Faust or the Devil?
Evil spawn of Satan!!!!
Follow them size five's!
Grab that net and catch that beautiful butterfly, pal!
Honest. We went over to Mikey's dads place and we found this map that said that underneath this place there's buried treasure.
If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. You have my sword...
Jack is dead, my friend. You can call me Joker and as you can see I'm a lot happier
Katanga, I got a feeling I'm not the first woman to travel with these pirates.
Life is like a box of chocolates.
Mikey! The screen door!
Nanuk Nanuk! What did you do to my dog you asshole?
Oh, he's very popular Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude.
Po-tay-toes. Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish.
Quiet! You'll miss the humorous conclusion.
Relax. I'm the map. It's all up here!
Stop blowing holes in my ship!!!
Take her, forget me, forget all of this. Leave me alone, forget all you've seen. Go now, don't let them find you. Take the boat, swear to me never to tell. The secrets you know, of the Angel in Hell.
Uh, I remember we went to the Grand Canyon one time. We were flying there and I'd never been there before and Linda had, so you would think that she would give me the window seat but she didn't and... not that that's a big deal, you know. It's just there were a lot of little things like that. I know that sounds stupid...
Victims; aren't we all?
We are on high alert right now!! You do not even realize!!
X never, ever marks the spot.
You can't really dust for vomit.
Zoinks, yo!



ARGH!!! I did it!! It took me all freaking day but I found quotes starting with every letterof the alphabet! Man that was more of a challenge than I thought! I did about 1/2 myself and used IMDB for the rest. So I cheated...no big whoop. Oh, and oneof them is a TV show quote. Toodles I am exhausted!