Ebert expresses a lot of what I feel very well. Very well...and I'm not even Catholic (nor have I ever been).

On anti-Semitism: I realize that in some circles of the world, this is still a very real issue. Thus concerns should certianly be addressed depending on who this movie is being released to. However, in an American setting...maybe I'm just a very ignorant little evangelical girl, but I would hope...hope that the rest of the US would give me enough credit to know who really killed Jesus. Yes, I do believe it was Judas by betraying Him. I believe it was the Jews when they said, "Give us Barabas." I also believe it was the Romans who physically put him to death. Moreso than that though, this story, ABOVE ALL OTHER STORIES, transends time. Isaiah 53:5 "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." There is no one singled out in scripture. That, if I might be so bold, holds us all to Christ's death. He bore the burden of all of our sins. So yes, it was me who betrayed Jesus. It was me who denied Jesus. I was me who shouted, "Crucify him!" It was me. I'm not selfish enough to believe it was a peoplegroup...because that would defeat the damn purpose.

On the gore: The truth is, people wouldn't be so quick to give this an NC-17 rating (which there was much talk of) if all of this violence was spread over a number of people rather than just one person. This movie was as gory as Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, Last of the Mohicans and a NUMBER of other movies--including, yes, Braveheart. If people didn't walk away from any of those movies without feeling "punished for who knows what sins," as David Ansen so lovingly put it, they're sorely misguided. I sat through each of those movies with my hands over my eyes and stomach and walked away feeling sorely beat up...for the value of entertainment even! I'll be honest, this movie is not entertaining...it goes so far beyond that, which is why people are so afraid of the gore. It's like alcohol: the more concentrated the alcohol, the worse off it is for your body when you ingest it. There was a focus to one man in this movie. Focus and a clear goal is scary. It pinpoints something (especially in the case of "The Passion") that makes people shift in their seats.

On the Interpretation: If you were to sit me down and ask me what the intrinsic value of this movie is, it is to show the litteral "Passion" of Christ (Ebert explains this word further which will hopefully enlighten you if you should read all of what I say before reading his article). Of His loving sacrifice, although albeit, it's hard to understand the love in a few mere flashbacks. Jesus teachings took a back seat in this movie because this movie wasn't about Jesus teachings. It was about Jesus sacrifice, which is just the tip of the very core of Christianity. It had a moment of His ressurection (which is the core of Christianity itself) which, even though it pisses many people off that the ressurection is a mere minute of the ENTIRE movie--THAT WAS NOT Gibson's INTENTION. Although that mere moment sparked that utter faith that I have in the depths of my being...brought that "inside joke" half-smile to my face, because the truth is, the sacrifice is what brought about the ressurection. You could not have one without the other.

I will be honest, this is an interpretation. You want the truth, you read the Book, you decide for yourself what you believe. I can point out several contradictions between the book and the movie...I've read the thing five times in my life, if not more. There is freedom in knowing the truth, because it gives you a better grasp on how to take an interpretation with a grain of salt.

On Andy Rooney: This guy's about to croak any day now. I hope he really heard from God. Either way, I'll send one up for him after he croaks that God will have mercy on his soul for being such a cold-hearted jerk in this life.


PS. The baby in her arms was symbolism for family. I just got that. Guh.

So, my computer's being a putz. All of a sudden it's prone to throwing fits of the blue screen "press any key to continue" kind. Also, it's been really slow these days. Bah. I'm actually going to have to finish writing this later because, for the second time tonight, I'm going to need to reboot my computer. Bah.

(I'm totally stealing this from someone I don't even know, but she wrote this so well I thought I might hurt...I'm adding her blog to list of People I've Collected)

Monday, February 02, 2004
Ice Skates Day!

Girls in ice skates are for falling in love with. Girls who just took off their ice skates and are plodding their stockinged feet up to the counter to return them are to be chased after and begged back. Girls with ice skates hanging from a hook in the corner of a bedroom are to be broken up with. Girls who don't know how to ice skate put out. Girls who are presently ice skating should be smacked in the backside (but not so hard that they fall and scrape their faces). Drunk girls ice skating failed 7th grade. Girls who go ice skating and complain about the cold failed 7th grade and 3rd grade. Girls who hold a boy's hand while ice skating won't amount to much in life. Girls who bought some ice skates from a garage sale but never used them even though they've kept them for fourteen years and three apartments (two cities) are the most beautiful, intelligent, and attractive girls in the world and you should not be afraid to let them control your every thought, word and choice (you're stupid). Girls who lick the blade of an ice skate at the end of the night are pretty motherfucking awesome (check out Lauren ya'll). Girls who always get two left shoes when they rent ice skates are pretty cute and absolutely amazing in bed but they come off as kind of the "she'll do, I guess" variety. Girls who not only do not want to ice skate but are actually kind of phobic of it will steal your heart for several years before you realize they're only as interesting as their neuroses (terrible in bed too). Girls who buy drugs at an ice skating rink are pregnant again. All the other girls, lift up your pretty faces.

Happy Ice Skates Day!
posted by Pretty Girl 6:07 PM

[jumps on the bandwagon]

1) using band names, spell out your name:

Red Hot Chili Peppers
Eisley
Better Than Ezra
Eurythmics
Counting Crows
Coldplay
Azure Ray

2) Have you ever had a song written about you?: nope...although REM's 'Daysleeper' sounds awfully close
3) What song makes you cry?: Counting Crows, 'Colorblind'
4) What song makes you happy?: Palace, 'Send My Love To You' (hehehe...)
5) What do you like to listen to before bed?: anything female and dream-promoting-ish
6) Name a song by Coal Chamber: ?
7) Who was/were your idols when you were younger?: Rich Mullins
8) First album you ever bought?: DCTalk, 'Nu Thang'
9) Name a song that reminds you of someone and why: Thicke, 'Sugar Mama' reminds me of Jill in so many ways I can't even begin to describe


a p p e a r a n c e
HEIGHT: 5 foot 2.5.inches
HAIR COLOR: red
SKIN COLOR: freckly & white
EYE COLOR: brown
PIERCINGS: nadda
TATTOOS: nadda

r i g h t n o w
WHAT COLOR PANTS ARE YOU WEARING?: blue hawaiian print pajama pants
WHAT SONG ARE YOU LISTENING TO?: ha! my launchcast player just popped up with Hillary Duff, 'Come Clean'
WHAT TASTE IS IN YOUR MOUTH?: nadda
WHAT'S THE WEATHER LIKE?: sunny and buzzycold
HOW ARE YOU?: not ready to get ready for work...

d o y o u
GET MOTION SICKNESS?: nope
HAVE A BAD HABIT?: si
GET ALONG WITH YOUR PARENTS?: si
LIKE TO DRIVE?: si - it's my stress reliever

f a v o r i t e s
TV SHOW: ALIAS & Gilmore Girls
CONDITIONER: Matrix's .sleeklook.
BOOK: JD Salinger, 'Franny And Zooey' & Norton Juster, 'The Phantom Tollbooth'
MAGAZINE: SPIN
NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK: Jones Juice Badda Bing
ALCOHOLIC DRINK: nadda
THING TO DO ON THE WEEKEND: sleep it away
BAND OR GROUP or SINGER or RAPPER: band - Switchfoot / singer - Rosie Thomas, Gavin DeGraw / rapper - Jay-z

h a v e y o u
BROKEN THE LAW: speedin in my car, yes.
RAN AWAY FROM HOME: nope
SNUCK OUT OF THE HOUSE: nope
EVER GONE SKINNY DIPPING: nope (or at least, not while I was able to have any say in the matter)
MADE A PRANK PHONE CALL: si
EVER TIPPED OVER A PORTA POTTY: nope
USED YOUR PARENTS' CREDIT CARD BEFORE: nope

l o v e
BOYFRIEND: in my dreams...sometimes it's Paul Rudd
GIRLFRIEND: friends that are girls - Jill, Kristina, Kate
SEXUALITY: heterosexual
CHILDREN: someday
CURRENT CRUSH: the guy at the HR desk at work...yowza
BEEN IN LOVE?: si
HAD A HARD TIME GETTING OVER SOMEONE: si
BEEN HURT?: si...on several occasions - the b-tards
YOUR GREATEST REGRET: only tiny ones
GONE OUT WITH A SOMEONE YOU ONLY KNEW FOR THREE DAYS: nope

r a n d o m
DO YOU HAVE A JOB: si
YOUR CD PLAYER HAS IN IT RIGHT NOW: Seth's Valentine Mix
IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?: neon pink or tangerine
WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?: anything could at any moment...
WHO MAKES YOU THE HAPPIEST?: my niece, Leah Mae
WHAT'S THE NEXT CD YOU'RE GONNA GET?: either the new Incubus or one of the old India.Arie cds


w h e n / w h a t w a s t h e l a s t
TIME YOU CRIED?: the end of Big Fish...bawled like a baby with my mom...reminded us a lot of grandpa
YOU GOT A REAL LETTER?: couple o'months ago from Rosanna
YOU GOT E-MAIL: you mean one that wasn't spam? the one at work from Colleen
THING YOU PURCHASED: gas
TV PROGRAM YOU WATCHED: ER
MOVIE YOU SAW AT THE THEATER: Big Fish

y o u r t h o u g h t s o n
ABORTION: bah
TEENAGE SMOKING: smoking in general is awful, but teenage smoking is close to abhorable
SPICE GIRLS: hehehe...
DREAMS: I've been having a ton of these lately about the end of the world.

Chapters 5-7 have been added. Still working on the writ. I think at this point I'm going to have to beg for permission to use the title. I realize it has nothing to do with the song (although I have thought of an extra chapter that could connect the two...I should write it just in case...mwahahaha), but it keeps fitting.

Anyway, the night was beckoning tonight. She said, "Rebecca Ann, you need to go driving." I did. Oh yes, I did. I used up a half a tank driving tonight. I had a conversation God regarding my days of being a lyricist. They feel long gone, yet I have this yearning to write songs again. I haven't written one in the last year. I keep playing with this chorus and this grand tune on the piano that I can't ESCAPE. It wants to be something bigger. It's about a year and a half old now...and it just keeps wanting to growwwww. I don't know if I'm running from it or am waiting for it to come to me. Gah.

In other news, my friend Jen has dissapeared off the face of the planet! I called her number and it was disconnected. I am pissed. PISSED PISSED PISSED!!! I don't know why she quit work or where she's gone. PISSED PISSED PISSED!!!

(I'm really not this angry usually...even right now I'm more frustrated than anything...the next drastic move is to go to her house and wait for her to come home)

My parents are raising hell, talking about moving to Arizona. I need them to stick around for one more year. Bah. One more year of free living and then I can go out on my own. Damn debt. Damn it!

Okay kids, it's Valentine's day. Have at it whatever way you will...just as long as it doesn't end up with me gaining weight from od'ing on chocolate.

My sister and my niece are here in the room with me. We just looked up on the internet for bulldogs. She found a nice Zelda Wisdom print that we were able to jack. It was cute...had wings and a halo. It's fun having the sister here. She's a good kid. She's wearing the scarf I made for her. Makes me feel accomplished that way. Also, makes her look a zillion times hotter than she already is...which is pretty freakin hot. I want to go take a nap before I go to work as I've done so much already today (aka, got chapter 4 up).

I'm addicted to Masterpiece Theatre now. By the time I get home on Sundays, it's half over, so I have to wait until it comes back on at 04:00 to see it in full. Bah with this schedule. At least with the big shift change I'll be able to watch it at 01:00 instead (just as crazy, I realize...don't judge me, I know you all have your vices). I ended up buying Doctor Zhivago on vhs. I may end up suckering up a buttload of money to own both The Forsyte Saga(s) on dvd if possible. Me and my period pieces. I've become addicted, I tell you.

In other news, I was watching Carson Daily's late show last week and heard this song that honestly kinda enchanted me into spinning circles (I didn't litterally spin, but I was close...I felt like Cinderella or something). The woman singing it is Leona Naess, and if you get the chance, the song is called "Ballerina." It kicks me right in the gut. I bought her cd tonight on the way home at WalMart for $10. If you're into music that reminds you of those green summer rains, she's your girl. Of course, if you're into music that reminds of you those green summer rains, I'd also suggest either the new or old Norah Jones, of which I'm sad to say, I didn't purchase tonight. I'm a tightwad.

Added chapter 3...because the world needs more pink.

So, I think LewAgentSmith from work was going to walk me on the way to my car after work. What did I do? I walked the opposite way, trying to act as ignorant as possible. Partly because I wasn't quite sure what I would do...(probably say something regrettably stupid)...and partly because my car was on the opposite side of the building than usual. Ah well...there's always Monday. MAN that guy freaks me out.

Also, tonight, I found my personality doppelganger at work tonight. Her name is Amy, and she's me, but on a mucho larger scale. MUCHO, MUCHO! Her favorite movie is Amelie, she's in love with Jason Schwartzman, we both went to rent Lost In Translation this weekend but couldn't for one reason or another...and I get the feeling she has a crush on LewAgentSmith...he just freaks me out is all. She lived in London, wants to go to Japan, I've lived in Japan, want to go to London. Yeah, it was a little odd. Doppelganger, I tell ya.

So, I'm not well, I've got a sinus infection and all I've been doing for the last two days has been lying in my bed, surrounded by tissues. I'm a mess. I finally got enough strength up to shower (ew, after two days? I know). I feel a little better, but the house is still REALLY warm and that does nothing to make me feel "so fresh, so clean." I'm thinking I may take in a movie tonight just to get out of the house, yet not have to exhert myself by being busy. Bah. It's sad how inert I become when I don't feel too well.

It's so hot in my house. I have no idea what they've turned the temp up to, but I'm practically melting.

So kids, I've been secretly writing...but to no avail (because I can't seem to keep my mouth shut about anything). So, if you click on my link, "My Online Writ," you'll find my latest attempt at greatness. I have five chapters so far...so when I get around to typing them out onto the computer, I'll add. For now though, I'm going to concentrate on keeping up with the hand-written portion. Feel free to come back here and critique, I can take it.

Took the day off for some football and to recover from the handful of rocks I don't remember swallowing this weekend. I woke up with a big lump of pain this morning and I haven't the slightest idea what's going on...which will only make this game sad because I can't *truely* enjoy all the goodies that go along with it. Bah.

Other than that, I've been working on two stories lately. One smaller one that should be finished soon, and another that I imagine is gonna take some persevering to finish.