Ancient Roman Road Reopened

An ancient footpath that was said to be used in Ancient Rome 2000 years ago has recently been reopened. Brecon Beacon National Park has been working with the community to restore this road. They have worked together to solve drainage problems, and to make it accessible to cyclists and joggers. After four months of work, the road at Y Gaer bridleway has finally been reopened. The main purpose of this new road is to act as a pathway for horseback riders. For the past few years, resident officials have been trying to get the many horseback riders in the area of the main roads. They are excited to give the horses their own road while preserving and bringing ancient history back to life. This road winds in a circular path that makes a four day route of the scenery in Mid Wales.

Listen to this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcslPIE0ysE

She is a goddess.

If You're Bored...

If you're bored, and have by some chance come across my blog, here are some things that I love that you should seriously check out.

Go and listen to My Chemical Romance's new cover of Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row" that they produced for the new Watchmen movie. The link goes to MCR's blog. If you like MCR, I highly recommend favoriting their blog because it is HILARIOUS and keeps you updated on the band. Plus, Gerard's posts are so entertaining, I'm always checking the blog to see if he's posted anything. Go for it!

http://www.mychemicalromance.com/

Also, would you please head on over to Youtube and support my dear little Mitchell Davis. If somehow you have never heard of this wonderful soul, Mitchell Davis is a random teenager from Ohio who spends most of his time making awesome videos of his random thoughts and ideas. I could watch this guy for hours, and he's also my soul mate (which is weird and sketchy for me to say). Anyway, he already has thousands of subscribers, but he loves his fans so become one of them. His whole little network thing is called LiveLavaLive, which is a sick name for anything.

http://www.youtube.com/user/livelavalive

And one last thing. This is mostly for the really nerdy people. While flipping through the channels a few weeks ago, I the final performance of Cyrano DeBergerac, which closed in New York a few week ago, being broadcast on BBC. The revival of this wonderful play features Kevin Kline (God), and Jennifer Garner, who pleasantly surprised me with a kick ass performance. If you don't know this play, I suggest you go to amazon.com right now and order the DVD because you will absolutely adore it! I fell in love with this production of Cyrano right away, ordered it, and awaited its arrival with anticipation for almost a friggin week (stupid amazon). But anyway, this play will make you laugh and cry and feel all those good things we love to feel (unlike Revolutionary Road). So order it. Support the arts!

http://www.amazon.com/Cyrano-Bergerac-Kevin-Kline/dp/B001HB1JZQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1233028156&sr=8-3

Revolutionary Road

BE WARNED: If you ever have the opportunity to see the new film Revolutionary Road, DON'T! Get out of there as fast as you can, unless of course you would like to be haunted for the rest of your life by the horrible emotions that you will experience while watching this film.

My friend Bridget and I decided to go see this movie last Saturday, thinking that it would just be a happy little Jack and Rose reunion. FALSE. This movie made me want to kill myself. Now please, don't get me wrong, the movie was incredible by all technical aspects. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet were captivating and I never took my eyes off the screen for a second. It was the ending that killed me. I was sure that such a wonderful film would have to close with an equally wonderful and fulfilling ending. Yet again, FALSE. The ending to Revolutionary Road is quite possibly the worst ending ever formulated by any writer's mind in the history of the world.

Now I know it's an adaptation of the original novel, but why make the movie if the story ends so horribly? Why write the book? Did the author get gratification from dreaming up such a terrible ending?

I won't give away what happens, just in case any of you masochists out there want to torture yourselves. I'll just tell you that if so choose to see this film, you will leave the theater with the most unexplainable emotion. It is a terrible emotion, one that makes you think, in short, that life sucks and then you die. No one can be trusted, people are horrible to one another, and there is no hope for any of us. It was awful! Bridget and I sat there sobbing for ten minutes after the movie ended, and then we started laughing hysterically for another ten minutes because we didn't have any other way to express such a terrible emotion. I mean, maybe I missed something crucial about the ending. Was it symbolic? Maybe there was some message of hope embedded in that pile of misery somewhere. But I sure as hell didn't see it.

Blonde Alien…

So apparantly, all the rumors I've been hearing around my institution of academics are actually true, and my worst fear has become a friggin' reality: the terrifying Dakota Fanning has been offered the role of Jane is the upcoming sequel to the Twilight movie, New Moon. To those who aren't in on the whole Twilight phenom (which is pretty much like five whole people in the world, and they can't read or get the books on CD so you can't really blame them), Jane is a crazy Italian vampire who doesn't practice vegetarianism like the Cullens (I'm sure you've heard of Edward Cullen) do. She's part of a clan of ancient vampies called the Volturi, who sort of rule over the vampire world. Jane is this creepy girl – like Dakota Fanning – who is really little – again, like Dakota Fanning – but can screw with people's minds and make them think they're in pain when they're actually not.

Now, I can see why they would offer Dakota Fanning this role. Technically, she's perfect. She's young, but she has those eyes that are way beyond her years and have the power to really freak you out. Which is why I ABSOLUTELY DETEST Dakota Fanning. No that's terrible, I can't say that, she's just a little girl…..nevermind, she's not a little girl, she's an alien. I don't feel bad anymore. As you can see, I went out of my way to find the creepiest picture on the Internet of her just to prove my point. Aaagh I don't know what it is, but whenever I see her on screen I just want to run away because she freaking horrifies me!

Another thing about this impending casting decision that bothers me is that Dakota Fanning is such a big name. The casting directors did such a wonderful job in Twilight finding adequate actors that weren't huge celebrities or anything like that. I think this decision gave the film a realistic feel that was needed to bring the book to the screen. But putting names like Dakota Fanning into the sequel is going to throw off the dynamics of the movie. I'm sure they can easily find another actress who is more than able to play the role. There are hundreds of creepy blonde alien girls out there. Nevertheless, I am thoroughly confused about this casting decision. I hope she doesn't accept the role, the film will be better off.

Oh! One more thing on Twilight before I go. I've also heard that they are considering Vannessa Hudgens for the role of Leah, the werewolf girl. Mind you, this is only a rumor, so don't go jump off a bridge just yet. But if this particular rumor is true I might have to do just that…

In all seriousness...

In all seriousness, this past week's inauguration of Barack Obama was truly an incredible event. It's so exciting to watch history being made and America taking such a huge step. During President Obama's speech, he spoke about how his father couldn't get served in a restaurant only a few years ago, and now his son is the 44th President of the United States. This is a prime example of the power of the American dream. The election of a black man as our new president shows how far we've come and how every man really is equal in the United States of America. The passing on of power and office doesn't happen as peacefully as it did this week anywhere else in the world. I love being part of the country that is leading the world in change and progress. The entire world was watching as our new president was sworn in, and hopefully they will all be able to mirror or actions in the future.

I'm young. I know that. I know I don't understand the policies and the changes that are going to take place during Obama's Presidency, and that because he's so popular, he also has a lot of enemies working against him. All I do know is that whenever he speaks, and when I saw millions of people gathered together to celebrate this man, I felt like a real American. I mean, that just doesn't happen anymore. We live in this world where people are selfish and violent and willing to go to crazy extremes to get what they want. There is war everywhere, death everywhere, hate everywhere. But seeing everyone in the National Mall, and knowing that there were millions more watching at home, it made me feel hope. I felt like I wasn't just an American, I was united with the human race.

I really think the election of Barack Obama is taking all of us one step closer to creating a lasting world peace. I hope he's ready to work, because these next few years aren't going to be easy, but I think they'll be worth it. The Boston Globe has some pictures of people around the world watching the inauguration. I think it's really important that people see them. I don't think anyone really understands the gravity and responsibility the country has to be an example to the rest of the world until they see these pictures. My personal favorite is here, the rest can be found at http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/01/the_inauguration_of_president.html

YES, INDEED

Yes indeed, there is finally a legitimately good Presidential action figure. I have no idea who came out with this new action figure, I really didn't look into the details because I was so in awe of the greatness that is the new Barack Obama action figure. 

This thing comes with katanas, and a freaking LIGHTSABER. Any and all future problems Barack may face during his presidency have obviously been solved by his newly acquired assets. Now he completely kicks ass. 

Barack is portrayed in incredible detail with this action figure. His hands and face have interchangeable facial expressions and gestures.

Hopefully everyone in the world will have one of these things soon. I really hope that Obama gets one for himself. I can only imagine how cool it would be to look at a plastic recreation of myself being mass produced around the world.

Maybe they'll make a Michelle Obama next and she could be a sort of companion to the Barack action figure. Then he would kick even more ass, because Michelle Obama is super fierce. 

ANYWAY, google this. Buy this. Take pictures with this. Love this.