Once a Rake - Rona Sharon

Heh heh heh, I can't seem to let these reviews be. (Sorry Stien! I'm sure you'll forgive me...)

So,... I finished Rona Sharon's Once a Rake.
Okay, so this story was a bit too long. And at the same time, I liked the book being so thick. I don't know why I contradict myself here, but this is how I feel about it.

The main characters, Izzy and Paris (hehehe,... sorry, but I just kept reading Paris Hilton all the time... sorry!), well, they kept pushing each other away constantely! Ok, so I understand the need of a bit of conflict, but this just went on and on...

And normally, I don't like that so much in a book. (Here, it sometimes got on my nerves too. I wanted to say: "Come on, people! Just say you love each other and get over it, don't be so silly! I know you love each other... just. say. it. Sheesh!")

And at the other hand, I didn't want this book to end. I liked the descriptions of the battle of Waterloo very much! In my opinion, it was here that Mrs. Sharon showed a most remarkable talent. She played me like a violin when Will, Izzy's brother, died. (God, Will... Although he was dead, he was a very strong character!). I cried like a baby...

I guess that's why I kept on reading. Because of Will, and the social issues mentioned in this book. I enjoyed the descriptions of Brussels (for very obvious reasons, heh) and I appreciated that the author did a great job on the research. There was even a mention of Ninove. So, yeah, I loved that part of the book. (My, am I not being patriotic here? :P ).

I don't think this book is a true keeper for me, though. Even if there were bits I liked very, very much (Like the charity, the war, Wellington...).
I blame it on the Paris-Izzy antics. They just had TOO much going on in their personal lives.

I also had the impression there was too much information tried to put into the story. Like, for example, that scene with the highwaymen. That could have been left out of the book easily, without changing the story. It was a bit pointless to me, especially since the highwaymen just appeared for 2 pages or so, but then no more. (Plot devices!!!)
Or the ending, with the dressing up part...

Perhaps in this case, 'less' would have been 'more', if you know what I mean.

I give this book a 7 out of 10.


Love,
*Andi* ;-)

creepy matchmaking

Hi galls,

We need a little boy talk on this blog, to get the attention away from book reviews and such :D
So here goes:

Did any of your friends ever try to set you up with some guy?! Well, I've been a matchmaker myself a couple of times but guess what!? It is NOT funny when people try to do it to you!
Last year one of my friends was convinced I was the right girl for a guy who she worked with on her paper. At the beginning of this school year, my classmate Hanna wanted to set me up with someone as well.......hehe....guess what.....same guy! uhuh!
At first I thought it was a little creepy that she picked the some boy, but I ignored her when she started talking about him.
Yesterday, during social philosophy, me and my friend Funda were grading the guys in our classroom. When suddenly she pointed out the guy that my two other friends had picked out for me earlier. I might have mumbled something that sounded like "he cool". After that Funda's enthousiasm was unstoppable. She has been trying to make the two of us run in to eachother ever since, she succeeded a few times as well and that ended in him walking me to my dorm. Personally I think it is a little scary that three of my friends want to see me dating the same guy.
I don't even want to be dating at all :p (thank you fear of commitment :D)

Anyway it is good to be back in leuven after a weeks vacation, I've really missed it here. Tonight me and Funda are going to a party, hope it will be fun :)

see you guys soon

x Stien x

TT time (#16!)

Hi there!

Back again ;-) ... and... Happy Valentine's Day!

Two weeks ago, I posted a TT on words in Dutch and English that look pretty much the same. That got me thinking, why don't make a list with verbs as well? Gna gna gna... I must begin to resemble my English teacher in high school...
Plus, Since I don't feel like doing something 'romantic'...

1. to work (work) = werken (werk)
2. to dance (dance) = dansen (dans)
3. to sing (sing) = zingen (zing)
4. to go (go) = gaan (ga)
5. to do (do) = doen (doe)
6. to cook (cook) = koken (kook)
7. to eat (eat) = eten (eet)
8. to sleep (sleep) = slapen (slaap)
9. to come (come) = komen (kom) --> because I'm pervy that way *g*
10. to break (break) = breken (breek)
11. to bring (bring) = brengen (breng)
12. to miss (miss) = missen (mis)
13. to wrestle (wrestle) = worstelen (worstel)

See? Dutch is easy ;-)
Perhaps now you can write a very mysterious love letter to your Valentine, in Dutch, hee hee hee...

I wonder what that would give...

-XxX-
Andi ;-)

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Simpsonize me

Okay, I think my sad mood is over now ;-)

By the way, it's my sister's birthday today. Yay :D
So that contributed to my good mood, too.

Stien and I found something on the Internet a while ago, and oh my, it's so much fun!!! (Oh, alright, alright, Stien found it, and then she showed me).

I didn't know something like this existed, but yeah, you can turn yourself into..... a Simpsons character!!! How cool is that, huh? :D

Wanna see the results?

Here we go ;-)

Whatcha think? Cool, huh?!

He he he he :D

So, what do you look like as a Simpson? Find out here.

And don't forget to show us!

Love,
Andi

A bit sad

Hi there,

I didn't feel so good, this week. Emotionally, I mean. We had a funeral of a close family friend and that took a lot of emotional energy from me, I guess.

I have homework to do for school, but I don't feel like doing something... Perhaps I'm too lazy, eh? ;-)
But no, seriously, I really don't want to do a thing right now. Except reading or lying on the couch in front of the TV.

Yesterday, we (my aunt, cousin, my mom, sister and me) went out for a game of bowling and dinner afterwards, to celebrate my sister's birthday. She turns 2O tomorrow.
My mom and I gave her a Lumix, Panasonic, digital camera. She was so thrilled ;-)
I actually told her we got her a Nitendo DS and she totally believed it, he he heh :D
But she seems very, very pleased with her digital camera, so that's ok.

Oh, and totally off topic: I think my cat hates me. Don't know why, though. But she totally ignores me, when a while ago she was around me almost constantly. Now, it's my sister she goes to, and me? I don't even exist right now. Strange cat-beast...

Oh yay! A classmate just informed me there are no classes tomorrow, whoohoo!!! :D Now that's some news that makes me happy...

Ah well,... there's still stuff to do, so I'll be busy anyway, eh.

Love ;-)
Andi

I'm spoiled...

Oh yeah, I'm spoiled already! These past few days, I've been reading like a madwoman, just to get through my pile of books (freshly bought in January).
The best thing of all is that I've had 3 keepers in a row! So I take it I'm a bit spoiled in that section ;-)

I've read:

- She's No Princess, by Laura Lee Guhrke (I read this one in Dutch, with the title De Perfecte Kandidaat, which means: The Perfect Candidate)
- Passion, by Lisa Valdez (in English)
- Untouched, by Anna Campbell (also in English)


She's No Princess 9/10:
This book has the best heroine ever! Hahaha, probably because she is so very much like me. I really could relate to her. And she was just so, well yeah, ME.
I've never had that with a book before, really.
She, Lucia, is the daughter of an Italian prince. Well, see, my father was Italian too, though not a prince, heh. And so Lucia and I share that Italian temperament ;-)
She loves getting what she wants (I sure do too), and she makes sure she lives her life her way. I understood her completely. *Way to go, girl!!!*

The hero then, Ian. At first, I didn't like him at all. (Yeah, Lucia shared my feelings). But then 'we' got to know him better, and well, it got from 'irritating guy' to 'wow-guy'. I loved the way how he supported Lucia and stood up for her.
And I loved the fact it was Lucia who seduced him, instead of Ian seducing her ;-)

I also loved the relationship between Lucia and her mother. It was just so... true. I wouldn't be able to give my mom up either.

Passion : 9/10
This book has the most beautiful, heartbreaking declaration of love EVER. I mean it, I was crying along with the characters at that point. God, I could cry again now, just by remembering it.
The first few chapters are all about sex, though. I found myself blushing my ears off my head! I mean, uhm, WOW, how far can you take it, huh? *tomato red right now*
But after these few chapters, the characters, Mark and Passion, get to know each other, erm,... better. Their personalities are fleshed out and you see them grow.
This is done in a really great way. And then you get that declaration... and the tears are unstopable, *sigh*.

Untouched: 9/10
I finished this one this night. Here, it is the hero who is absolutely UNforgettable!!! Omg, *super-sigh*!
I want a Matthew for myself! I do, I do, I do!
I also read Claiming the Courtesan from this author. There, I had a few problems with the ending (heroine who acted a bit silly at the end, ugh :-s ).
But this second book, my, my, my.
Okay, at the end, the heroine showed a bit the same tendency as the previous one, but in a way, it was understandable this time.
But overall, that's just a minor, teeny-weeny, problem I had. (Yeah, call me demanding :P)
The rest was just, gosh, mindblowing, I guess ;-)
The hero, Matthew, is being kept captured by his uncle, who says Matthew is mad, but is actually out for Matthew's money. Greedy bastard.
Still, Matthew is a great guy, and soooooo sweet! I think he must be the perfect boyfriend, and if only he were real. (Although that torture/capture bussiness shouldn't be part of the package then, poor boy)
But yeah, if I have to picture my dream guy, it would be Matthew.
*rave, rave, rave*
Can you tell I'm in love? ;-)

I have to stop now, since I could go on and on about him...

Rrrrrrr, I want a Matthew!

Okay, I promise that was the last thing about Rrrrrrrrr-Hmmmmatthew.

By the way, I learned quite a bit 'dirty language' from this book. Hee hee hee, like that sentence: "Shut your gob".
Never knew something like that existed, but I quite like the sound of it.

Edit:
And oeh, oeh, I almost forgot! There is something else that I have to say. It's about the last chapter. And the dog, Wolfram.
Matthew has this dog, Wolfram (I couldn't stop picturing Wolfram halogen lamps, every time I read that name). And Grace, the heroine takes the dog with her to safety.
That's the last thing you get to know about him.
So, my question is: What happened to the dog??? Especially since Matthew loved Wolfram so much, why don't they get back together at the end? Huh? Huh?
And that got me thinking about the last chapter. Now, you have a scene where Grace and Matthew make love in the summerhouse. Wouldn't it have been better if Grace had just been, let's say, reading with Wolfram by her side? And Matthew walked in, and he and Wolfram had got reunited? And Grace could have been like: "Oh, how adorable! Of course I want to marry you! Come in my arms, you, yummie Matthew!"
Or, thinking on it now,... why didn't she just give him the dog back once Matthew got free?

It's just, when you have a 'set up', there has to be a 'pay off'. (Ask my teachers, they taught me that)

And I know I would've want my dog back, you know.

Oh well, I'll just mail Mrs. Campbell to ask her ;-)



If you can (or want to), check these books out! They're really good.
Now, there are still a few books awaiting my greedy hands, so I'll try to put on some reviews in the following days. If I can, of course ;-)

Have a nice evening!
Love,
Andi

Thursday Thirteen # 15

Hi there!

It's been a couple of weeks since the last TT here on Pervy... Well, I'll make things right today ;-)
I've wanted to post something about the similarities between the Dutch and English language for a long time. So here are a few simple words that look surprisingly the same ;-)

1. Bread = Brood
   
2. Door = Deur
   
3. Cat = Kat
   
4. Mother = Moeder
   
5. Fish = Vis
   
6. Book = Boek
   
7. House = Huis
   
8. Moon = Maan
   
9. Bath = Bad
   
10. Kiss = Kus
    
11. Hand = Hand
    
12. Bed = Bed
    
13. Ring = Ring

See?! Pretty cool, huh? ;-)

Happy TT to you all!

-xxx-
Andi

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The solo report...

Hello there ;-)

You wanna know how it went? The mean-ass jury's comment? :-D

Well... Let's start with the beginning. There were about 70 solo's to be viewed. Yeah, that's a lot! Normally, mine would be showed on Monday, but when they put my dvd in the dvd player, it didn't work. So I had to wait 'till Wednesday.
The jury wasn't that mean. Actually, they were very friendly. They told you what was good, and what was bad about your work, so that calmed my nerves a bit ;-)

They told me they liked my work! (Big YAY!!!!!)
They liked the 'photography', my images, the colors,...
But, they had a few problems with the story; it was not very credible that a man would give everything up, they said, for just a fight with his girlfriend. I should have given him more depth. They also said my solo was a bit like a video/music clip, but that there weren't enough images, or scenes, for making it a real video clip.
But, overall, they liked this first try ;-)


Then they told us that they wouldn't give us high grades. At the end, there was only one guy (of the +/- 70 students) who got an A. One girl who got a B, 14 who got a C, 17 who got a D and 36 with an E.

Those grades actually mean here:
* A= 14 ore more
* B= 12 or 13
* C= 10 or 11
* D= 8 or 9
* E= 7 or less

D or E means you've failed.



I got a C, whoohoo!


That's encouraging. But they expect you improve really hard too. For our second solo, which is planned for May, they want us to improve a lot! They told us that in the end, the ones who want to become a really good director all should earn an A. The ones who get less, usally don't get the chance (ever) to make a real movie, or find a job in this branche.

And so, now I'm already working on my next solo. The theme here should be 'Passion'. The jury also told us that, for the next solo, they want us to show something about ourselves, reflected in our work. Our opinions about something, our visions.

And I'll do just that. A few years ago, I wrote a script. One of the best I've ever written, I guess. The story itself isn't about 'Passion', so that could be a problem, but it has a message, a problem you could say, which passionates me very much.

It's about a dog, who lives a great life with her owner. But then he gets married, the wife hates the dog, and he gives the dog less and less attention. Then the couple gets a child, and there's even less time for the dog. The man gets a promotion at work, they have to move. So does the dog.
He takes her to a pet shelter, but the dog is so sad, she dies of grief.

The title is 'Goldie' and I'm going to work on it together with a friend. She'll do the production, I'll do the directing ;-)

Now to find a dog who can act, eh ;-)

Anyway, when it's finished, I'll put it up here at Pervy's. If everything works out as we planned, we're shooting this film somewhere in March. So watch out then.


-XXX-
Love,
Andi

I'm baaa-haaaack!!!

It's been long, sooo very long, but finaly! The exams are O.V.E.R.

(By the way, my computer died, and now I'm using my sister's laptop.)

So sorry, sorry, sorry about being away for so long. Stien won't be back 'till February, since her exams are spread about more weeks than mine. Hereby, good luck Stien! I'm thinking about you girl!

I also wanted to thank you all for your friendly words about my Solo! Thanks guys! This Monday, it's D-day, and my Solo'll be judged in front of the whole class. Yaiks... Wish me luck!

To relax, I'm going shopping with my mom tomorrow ;-)
I need new shoes (badly), and a few new clothes would be welcome too. Then we're going to look for a birthday present for my sister... So lovely there are sales this month ;-)

Ooooooh, I'm really hoping I can catch up with all of you. There's much reading to do, I'm sure :-D
I'll be at it in the next few days... so watch me ;-)

Now, I'm off. I feel a killer headache coming up. Ouch.

-xxx-
Andi

Finished!!!

Oh. My. Word.

I'm done! Finished! Yaaaaaayyyy!!!!!

Oh my, I'm so happy! My first Solo is done :D
Yesterday was the shooting, in the afternoon. I edited everything afterwards. So it was finished in less than a few hours time!

The best thing about it, though, is that I have now a week to fully concentrate on my exams. No more stressing about the Solo, no siree... Just quietly studying... *sigh*

Now, I'm going to try if I can get the Solo up for you guys to see... Please let me know what you think about it :-)

(I could use a little critique to prepare myself for that *mean-ass* jury at school)

Oh yeah, almost forgot, that song is from Regina Spektor. *She's a great singer*

So, let me know ;-)

Love,
Andi
-X-