Pick ups...

So I've had my fair share of weird pick-up-like experiences...

My first memory of a man's sexual interest in me was when I was 12 and walking to the shops after school in my uniform polo shirt and netball skirt. While crossing at the lights a man stuck his head out of his window and wolf-whistled at me. I was mortified.

Being in a brass band I used to get heaps of lecherous old men telling me how pretty I was over their Carlton Draughts. I was always mortified.

I remember once at a bar a guy bounced a tennis ball at me. I was mortified.

Having a slight disability makes you a target, I guess: Once on a dance floor a guy lifted his pants leg, showed me a giant scar and said "I was in a car accident. I nearly died." And then pointed at my abnormality I was mortified.

Once at the wake of my dad's friend a young man was reintroduced to me after many years (I couldn't remember him) and he said to my dad, in front of me, "You didn't tell me your daughter was so beautiful." We were at a wake. I was mortified.

Last year, the boy I ended up adoring said to me in a drunken stupor that we should bathe together, right there and then. We had barely shook hands at that point. I was mortified!

And then this morning, at the train station as I was quickly running to my next train, I was stopped by a young man who told me he had seen me on the train every day and wanted to ask me out, but didn't know how. So he handed me a book, and said his phone number was in it. I could see my train arriving. He handed me the book. I said thank you and ran to my train.

Yep, you guessed it.

I mean, who does that? The guy left the receipt in the book. He spent $21 on a perfect stranger. Now I feel totally obliged to contact him, just out of courtesy to thank him for the book. I'm not interested in dating anyone right now. I'm taking a break. It tires me just thinking about it. Maybe I'll send him a message and say that I'm happy to chat with him on the train, but a date would be a little full on right now. I found him on MySpace (I hate it but I love it too). He's not my type at all, but he doesn't seem freakish. I guess I'll talk to him.

Just the other day my friend and I were saying how unreal sitcoms were, that strangers do not ask each other out after bumping into each other at the cafe. But I guess they do...



I don't think I have a normal pick-up story. Come to think of it, the whole pick-up thing is pretty weird. Do tell, readers. Do tell.



*********UPDATE***********


So I texted him something along the lines of "Hey ****, its Stef from the train. Thank you very much for the book, I'm flattered. I think going out might be too full-on for me right now, but I'm happy to chat on the train. See ya!" I also started reading the book. He didn't reply. (What's with that? He buys me a book but doesn't reply?)

This morning I saw him get on the train, the look on his face when he saw me was of a kind of embarrassed sadness. I smiled. We shook hands and introduced ourselves. He was shaking, obviously nervous. I smiled again, I wanted to put him at ease, but at the same time didn't want to be flirty. I thanked him for the book and said I'd started reading it and I was enjoying it, I said it reminded me of Bret Easton Ellis (it's actually a deliberate p/m reference to him, with a nice healthy dose of sex-and-the-city commercialism thrown in for good measure. Kind of like Chuck Palahniuk writing chick-lit). Anyway, he told me about himself. I told him very little, and reiterated that I was not interested in dating because I was just out of a really intense year/relationship and was quite enjoying my time alone. This was 100% true. I told him it was very nice to meet him though, and that it took a lot of guts to do what he did, which was great. I had to run to my train. Maybe I'll see him again next week. I'll probably try to avoid it. Its weird, I feel I should talk to him, as he gave me a book. But we didn't click, and I don't want to lead him on, nor do I want an early morning train friend: I quite like dozing.

Yes, he was harmless and sweet. I feel bad because it was all kinda wasted on this old cynic.

The End.

Emo angst time has begun...

"Hellllllo?"
"Hi. Where are you? Are you at home?"
"No, I'm at work."
"Oh..."
"I thought you weren't speaking to me?"
"I...I think I'm having an anxiety attack."
"What?"
"Yeah. Yeah...I think..."
"Where are you?"
"Umm...Brunswick St."
"How are you getting home? Are you driving?"
"No."
"Tram?"
"Uhh, yeah. It doesn't matter..."
"Why don't you call your brother and get him to come get you?"
"No no no no....I'm alright. Don't worry about it, I'm sorry. I'm sorry to have rung you at work..."
"No don't go. What did you do today?"
"I was at Uni. I was at Uni all day. I was at Uni."
"Oh good. Did you get lots of work done?"
"....ahhh yeah. Look, it doesn't matter. Don't worry about it, don't worry about it...I'm sorry to ring you at work....Bye."
"...Bye."

I feel I'm constantly resisting cliche, and constantly failing and then rearranging the situation so it all looks intentional.

Booked!

On Thursday I made the spur of the moment decision (the only way to properly decide something) to accompany one of my dearest friends on the first leg of her Asia trek - 3 weeks on Koh Phangan!!!!!! That's a backpacker paradise island in Thailand!!!!! My friend and I are very excited, as we will be there for New Years and their famous Full Moon Party.

I can't remember the last time I had a proper holiday, and seeing how this year is turning out super stressful, I will really have a relaxing, fun time. Culture, parties, beach...Yay!

Nothing much else to report: thesis still crap. Went out for drinks with a friend I haven't seen for a while last night, and that was lovely. Then caught up with my ex, he wanted to see me, who is really stuffing me around. You don't want the story...yes you do! what else are blogs for??!! Shut up!
******You know, I posted it all, what happened and how I felt, and then felt instantly bad. So I deleated it. It wasn't that it was really defamatory or anything. Just...nah, it's not right to post. I never wanted this blog to be that. Sorry everyone. I must have some Libra in my charts or something. I change my mind a lot.*********

In movie news:

The much anticipated Halo movie being produced by the hobbit from Down Unda, Peter Jackson, has been given a director. He's untested, but the geeks are still excited.

An early (I don't think it's the first, but one of) test screening review of The Departed has been released. Its a remake of Infernal Affairs, directed by Scorsese and starring Leo and Matt. I'm really looking forward to it. Props also to Harry for the "foaming out the ass" comment. Nice. Pics.

Finally, this is kinda old (like from the comic con), but its fun. I'm linking to a Glorious Quicktime file because its better, but its also at YouTube if you want.
Do Snake on a Plane deserve to die? Anything Sam Jackson has ever said becomes a catch phrase. I love it. (The link wasn't working, so I linked to the JoBlo page, scroll to the bottom.)

Peace out bitches. Yay Thailand!!!!! New bikini!!!!

Cheer up

These past few weeks have been so up and down, I'm feeling so incredibly tired and rotten half the time. I got my arse royally kicked yesterday by my supervisor and really need to get back into my life.

To cheer myself up I've been watching Arrested Development clips on YouTube.

Here's one that should keep us all happy. Everyone's favorite illusionist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyyIVzX4l1w

"I will become my dead father's body!"

More here. Go nuts.

Be My Ex...But I don't wanna be an EX!

There's a new movie coming out called My Super Ex-Girlfriend, starring Luke Wilson as a "regular guy" who dumps his clingy girlfriend (Uma Thurman, man, she would have to be PRETTY BLOODY CLINGY to dump) only to find out that she is in fact a superhero. She ends up making his life hell. It seems this film is part of the emerging canon of "original" comic superhero films being produced by Hollywood as a response to all the real ones. I'm talking about The Incredibles, Sky High, the upcoming Zoom, and the new drama on NBC this coming fall: Heroes.

Anyway, Fox has launched a sister mock-help site as part of the whole conglomorate advertising, interactive marketing deal, Be My Ex:

http://www.bemyex.com/

Now, if you read my last post you would have gathered that I am kinda going through what seems to be a break-up. I'm not enjoying it, and while the whole incident is still kinda occuring and (I guess) there was no official instigator, I certainly feel more like the dumpee than the dumper. Bemyex.com is parading as a break-up school. A how-to of breaking up with your partner. I read this site with interest, obviously, and I have to say it hasn't helped me. Firstly, according to the site's quiz, my relationship was in a pretty positive place, it says there's no chance of a break-up. Which is what I thought, which is why I'm so upset, which is what HE BLOODY WELL AGREED WITH! He said, after he told me he "thinks we're better as friends" that (this is not in order, but he did say all these things at some point) "we would've been great for each other", "I love you" and "I had a great time with you last night." WTF!???!!! I KNOW! THAT'S WHY I DON'T WANT TO END IT!!!!! Ahem. Excuse me. Secondly, in lesson 1 of the video lessons it outlines the normal relationship cycle. By this cycle I should've been in the "honeymoon period". The break-up was not due until the "twilight period" of the relationship.

Bemyex.com assumes a certain type of relationship, and I'm starting to think my relationship was never that normal. Therefore it is of no use to me in dealing with this most unpleasent experience. But it does have a few laughs, and is a fun way to advertise for a movie.

OK, bye bye now.

P.S. Uma Thurman is one hot mumma. I loves her, precious.

All Kinds of Mental Pain...and SPIDER-MAN 3

I'm in all kinds of mental pain. It's romantically inclined pain, so I'll spare you all the sob story. I'm already dangling way too close to blog cliche to get into break-up stories. But I will say this: angry, pain-filled argument, bickering break-ups are better than weird loving-but-angst-issue-filled discussions about feelings. I wish we had fought, because then I might actually be able to understand what happened and I would want to get over it. As it stands now I don't know what to feel or what to do, all I feel is this weird loss. Its pretty bad. Not what I need right now.

Nevermind. Sigh.

Anyway, the Spider-Man 3 teaser has been released at Apple.com

http://www.apple.com/trailers/Sony_pictures/spider-man_3/ Ohhh! BLACK Spider-Man!

The Spider-Man Franchise has never been my favorite. I'm more of an X-Men girl (RIP quality X-Men films). The character of Spider-Man/Peter Parker is important in the history of superheroes as he was the first major hero that readers of comic books could directly identify with: a geek. Up until then heroes, like Superman and Batman, were these mythic visions of unattainable stature. The best a teenage boy could do was be a sidekick, like Jimmy Olsen or Robin. Spider-Man was a teenage boy. With teen angst issues and superpowers. This factor had a lot to do with that character's popularity and longevity. He's a classic for Marvel, so a film adaptation was inevitable. The films were widely well-received by fans, but not so much by me.

Sony played it safe, hiring an adept and popular filmmaker, Sam Raimi (mostly known for his Evil Dead horror/comedy series of films), which lead to comparisons to Peter Jackson, but I don't think he is anywhere near the quality of other big blockbuster directors like Jackson, Spielberg, or Cameron (shudder). Hired a predictable and uninspired cast, led by the wildly uncharismatic Tobey Maguire (and don't even get me started on the insipid Kirsten Dunst, whose publicist should be given a Nobel Prize for...Achievement in... publicising. OK, that joke bombed, my heart was never in it). Sure, they looked good on paper, but they're not that good at acting, and let the script dictate their enthusiasm. See Depp in Pirates for an A-List actor taking responsibility for entertaining a wide audience, or Jackman in X-Men, or Kilmer (he'll always be A-list to me) in Tombstone, or Pfeiffer in Batman Returns. Anyway, my point is Maguire phoned it in, should stick to support/occasional leads in indies, and Dunst should stop fooling herself in general.

The first film was OK, it got the job done. I thought the series might improve but I was supremely disappointed in Spider-Man 2. Honestly, why did Dunst and Maguire sign on if it makes them so miserable? They looked like they were delivering lines with guns to their heads. And the effects never really sold it for me.

So we come to the first glimpse of Spider-Man 3. The geeks are happy with it. The inclusion of Venom, Sandman, Gwen Stacy, and a new Green Goblin should make for an exciting (if cramped) drama. Looks like Sandman (Thomas Hayden Church) will be the main villain for Spider-man, with the Venom/Black Suit/Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), Peter/Mary-Jane/Harry Osbourne (James Franco)/Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) love-square, and the emergence of Harry as the Goblin are the sub-plots. I could probably guess the plot right now, but you don't care. Church, Grace and Howard are all good actors (although, again, safe) and Franco was always ok, hopefully I can just watch them and ignore the boring twins.


Topher looking very Anakin Skywalker with his Eddie Brock blonde locks


The redhead playing the blonde who steals Peter's heart away from the blonde playing the redhead. Confused? Yes, why did they cast Dunst? Why?


Church as Sandman. Talk about comeback.

So yeah, bottom line: it looks ok because of the new bigger cast and interesting storyline with Venom, but I'm not holding my breath.

Saw Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, last night (after "honours drinks" which ended up being Amy and I bitching about various things, but it was cool to catch up) Very, very funny. Steve Coogan. He takes the piss out of himself often for being a brilliant-comic asshole, and so you think, "he must be pretty cool". But then you look at him and read some stuff and then you think, actually, maybe he is an asshole. He does kinda give off that vibe. But Rob Brydon was also super-funny. It cheered me up a lot.

I then went to see my bro play at the Paris Cat jazz club. It had a pretty old vibe. Not overly impressive. But bro played well.

Better get back to the thesis. Man, life sucks for me right now. I just wrote a whole post about pretty much nothing.