Update on life and such
So... I'm still studying for my A-levels, mainly biology. I haven't started on any of the other subjects yet, mainly because with English, I'm banking on my prior knowledge and language skills and in educational science, which will be tested like two weeks later, I'm hoping that I still know enough from revisions and that I'll be able to learn very fast, since this kind of stuff comes very easily to me. You know, theories describing how and why people become criminal or how children develop, in which stages and such. So far, I think I'm doing okay, I don't think I'm behind or anything.
The biggest problem is that the guidelines concerning what we will be tested on in the exams are extremely unspecific, so I'm stuck looking at things we did in class and have to decide if I should learn them or not. So on the one hand I'm afraid of not learning something really important that I will definitely need in my exams while on the other hand I try to keep the amount of information that I'm stuffing into my lethargic brain somewhat managable.
Concerning my life after the A-levels, I signed myself up for an acting class :) I have no idea how that will turn out, if I will like it or not, but I really really hope so. I'm still not sure though. If I realize I do love acting and want to continue, then I'll take more courses, maybe find some other, better place or school (I don't know yet if the one I'll be attending to is any good, since I've never been there before, but one of my friends who is very much into dancing and musicals tells me it's good so I'll just hope for the best). Also, singing lessons would be appropriate. I would do that until the next application period starts and then see what I can find. It would be absolutely amazing if I could go for an acting school in Britain. I looked up some of them, my favourite one is The Royal Scottish Academy for Music and Dancing which has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that David Tennant went there.
My sister advised me to sigh up for some other courses of universities, anyway, even if I want to get into acting, so if the whole thing goes wrong, I will at least have one term of waiting banked or, if I'm lucky, I will already be attending to the lessons. Right now I'm still going for medicine in that scenario. What I am kinda afraid of, though, is that I will really like acting, but then start studying medicine and get all hooked up on that instead. I wish my life were longer so I could simply do both.
I know acting is a risky business and I am also aware of the fact that the probability that I will ever be really successful are rather slim. Most probably, I will end up in some middle-sized theater or in some actors studio playing some bit part. I know that the majority of actors doesn't earn much money and that it takes a lot of hard work and endurance if you want to get anywhere. I can deal with that.
What bugs me is the thought that acting still seems kind of empty to me, compared with being a doctor or a teacher for example. I mean, one day, when I'm fifty or so, I'll be looking back at what I have achieved so far and I guess I'll ask myself what I have done in the world. If I choose being a doctor, I will look back and see things that matter, people I have helped or saved, people I have seen dying, important things. If I choose the path of being an actor, what will I look back at? My success or failure, yes, but nothing more. Most probably, the world wouldn't have been a worse place without me. And that bothers me. I want my life to mean something, I want to be able to say that even if I'm not the nicest or cleverest person on this planet, I have achieved something that matters, something good that changed the world for the better.
I'm also going to take part in the upcoming Kung Fu tournament, the federal state championship. Sounds grander than it actually is. I'm really quite nervous 'cause this is my first tournament and I'm usually not much of a fighter, I prefer the non-combat topics that we practice. Still, I think I would regret not having tried at least once. And my chances are not all that bad; my greatest weaknesses are my lack of endurance (one fight lasts the whole of three minutes, and let me tell you, three minutes of non-stop fighting wear you out til you're ready to collapse) and my lack of physical strength, though I hope that won't be much of a problem. The thing is, I was the only girl in our club for a few years and in my part of the group, I still am. Ergo, I'm used to sparring with boys. Boys my age, meaning strong, muscular guys twice my weight around 18 who are used to being hit and could probably plaster me all over the wall with one hand. And to top it all they actually like fighting and are often much faster and stronger than I am.
Anyway, what I am trying to say is that I'm used to fighting against people who outrank me. That might be an advantage since I doubt there'll be any female fighter that can top what I face in every training session. Maybe I'll stand a better chance because I'm used to that kind of thing. Well, I'll find out soon enough. Of course, this means I have to start working on my endurance, so I'll be going out for a morning run every day from now on (or that's the plan, at least).
I re-watched the newest DW episode this evening. I found myself getting used to Matt's Doctor, but I think I found my Doctor with Ten. I can't be sure, I only know the new series, I don't know the other eight Doctors (I've heard Tom Baker is supposed to be the best ever!) but I will, as soon as the exams are over.
There are quite a lot of things that bothered me, actually. For starters, the theme song: Season 4 themesong was awesome, come on, what's that new thing supposed to be? Don't mind the new animation or the logo, but the music is crappy compared to the former version.
The whole way of showing the scenes, the CSI-ish camera work, the funny lighting- that got on my nerves, I preferred the less intricate style, just plain camera work without any fancy ticking in the background or speed-zooming or slow-mo or anything... The show didn't need that before, did it? Got along just fine without it.
Then we come to the Doctor himself: Really, there are discussions going on if the new new new Doctor is too sexy. … Matt Smith sexy? Really? Well, … Let's just say he's REALLY not my type. I mean, Christopher Eccleston got me to be attracted to him, and he really isn't the classical beauty, but he had enough charisma and character to make up for his lack of sex-appeal (mind, I've only seen him in DW so bear with me), Tennant is so my type (except for the eyes, usually I go for blue or green, but in his case...), not to mention that he is so adorable with his smile and his quirky-ness and the way he talks...
Long story short, Matt doesn't seem to be an attractive man to me. In contrast to that, he seems to be quite- I don't know how to put it, but I wouldn't put it past him to find a mate for actual mating purposes (which, as we all know, he does, in the form of River Song). And that bothers me. I like that the show is all Sci-Fi, saving the world and friendship and NOT about the main character's romances and love stories. To me, the Doctor is an asexual character (yes I know it's absurd considering I just criticized Matt not being attractive enough! But that's not the point, I like it when I've got something nice to look at, but it's far more important for the character to stay in character, if you know what I mean.).
Also, I don't know if it's because this whole episode was about him still regenerating, but I missed some emotional depth with the Doctor. Of course the want a contrast now, since Ten was easily and often sad, especially in the Grand Finale, but I felt like there was too much wit and jokes- I mean, Ten's somewhere in there, right? But I guess there wasn't much to debate about in this episode, we'll see what Eleven is like in some other emotionally-loaded episode.
Apart from that, I think I can grow to like him, he's witty, sarcastic (which is a great new plus!) and absolutely insane, which is also great.
Aaaand now the new companion, Amy: I really liked her as a child, she was such a great and witty and nice character. Too bad he had to be 12 years late (how the hell did that happen, anyway? I mean, he's traveled through time for the last 900 years, why hell is he being late now? And then twice?). The older Amy is strange, and I'm not sure if in a good way. She's so- serious. Did she laugh once in that whole episode? I can't remember her even smiling properly at the Doctor. Or at all. What the hell is a kissogram, anyway? Some kind of soft-core stripper? She gives the Doctor attitude, which is good, but she is a mystery to me. Or flat. But I guess we'll get to know her a lot better, as she will be traveling with the Doctor, so I'll know then. What kind of girl leaves town the night before her wedding with another man? Strange.
The storyline and the aliens were alright, I guess... Nothing special, really. Though the Big Eyeball was slightly exaggerated. The multiform was good, though.
Enough of the criticism, here are some things I liked:
Love the Tardis' new design, if really is beautiful. Also, I've heard we'll get to see more rooms, which I can hardly wait for. And the pool in the library? Brilliant.
Fish-custard? Makes me shudder, but is made of WIN.
And AT LAST one episode that is not based in London or Cardiff (and takes place in town, I mean, the middle of nowhere in Scotland doesn't count!). Maybe, just maybe, this season the Doctor will notice that there is more to the world than London, the UK and New (New) York.
Btw, I finally got my DW mood-theme working and I love it to pieces. My next task will be installing a sidebar full of DW goodness. And maybe True Blood goodness. And of course Torchwood goodness. Depends on what I can find on the net.
All right, this post kind of got away from me, it's way too long.... I'll put it into separate cuts so that you don't have to read it all if you don't want to. It's late, I'm tired and now I'm off to bed, Goodnight!