I thought I published this post.

I found this post in my drafts and I was like,

How???

Last week I found out that Alan Rickman died. I was so shocked. I loved Alan Rickman as an actor. He was so incredibly good at what he did and there was something to him that you don't see in many people. He certainly made characters his own. He is the reason, "By Grabthar's Hammer..." Has so much meaning. He is the reason that I actually like Severus Snape. Yep. He is the reason. No one could have portrayed that dark, brooding teacher better than him. He did an amazing job with him. When I heard that he died, I sat down and just stared for a while. Then I got the sudden urge to watch Galaxy Quest and all of the Harry Potter movies. Then I curled up and felt sad all over.

And it’s a human need to be told stories. The more we’re governed by idiots and have no control over our destinies, the more we need to tell stories to each other about who we are, why we are, where we come from, and what might be possible.

Rest in peace Alan Rickman. You taught me it's never too late to live your dream, and your dreams are never too impossible to go after. You were amazing and you will be missed.

Here's to you, Alan Rickman. You did good.

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

A little of this and a whole lot of that.

I'm back, peasants.

It's the first of October! *flails* How have all of you been? Autumn has finally blown in here; our leaves are changing and the air smells like snow and ice and crushed leaves. We this brisk, sharp wind during the day and this glorious blue sky in the afternoon and you just feel like *doing* things. So what have I been doing?

Well, first things first. Last week I read Jane Eyre and I loved it. I thought it was really good, a lot better than I expected it to be. I cried at the end, and I probably would have cried harder if certain people hadn't kept interrupting me during the last chapters. *wiggles eyebrows at young sisters.* I will probably do a post on Mr. Rochester sometime in the near future because I quite like the man and I feel like I want to dedicate a post to him. Because he is fabulous! BOOM!

Sometimes I worry about  my taste in fictional men. Mr. Thorton, Sydney Carton, Edward Rochester, Dean Winchester, The Doctor, Eugenides, Severus Snape, Dragon, Dustfinger, Tony Stark....

I like brats. There, I said it. I like character who are kind of rude and bratty and a little rough around the edges. I also like cowards, apparently. (see; Dustfinger.) and that isn't really a good thing. In my defense I will say that usually if I like said brat, they have a character ark and they get better. They don't stay horrible. I think that is what it comes down to. I like stories where the Beast is saved. I like it when you meet the Beast and grow to love him and see all the good in him, and you just know he can be better because you see the man he really is, and then at the end the man inside wins through and the curse of the Beast gets lifted. This is applicable even with Dustfinger. He doesn't stay a coward. He has a fabulous character ark and he gets better and braver and at the end of the story he is a good and noble man.

I also like it when someone has a little more attitude. I don't like jerks, but I do like people who are kind of bratty and sassy. They put me at ease and make me feel more free to be myself.

*I think this is why I like British people.

*I say that word too much, I need to create a new word that is like Anyway but different.

Anyshmackin! I had a thought. As you all know, I really like musicals. A lot. A lot a lot. I don't know how many people would be interested, but what do you think of doing a Musicals Blog Party? It would last about five days and we'd cover a bunch of fun Musical-ish things. It would be brilliant. If anyone thinks they'd enjoy a Party like this, go ahead and comment and I'll think about dates. If not, I might just do a "Musical Theme" on my blog, where I'll just post about my different musicals for a while. My blogging pattern is weird, so if I do this, the "Musical Theme" might last a month, but only be like, four posts. I'd have to see how it worked out.  What do you think? 

I have a few reasons for this idea actually. See, I want to start tilting my blog more toward Musical Theatre. (hence changing the name.) and if I did a Blog Party/Theme Week it would help me jump start that plan. Theatre is where my heart really lies and it is what I get the most excited about. I'll still post about other things of course, but I feel like I should have some sort of "And Theatre!" day at least once a month. That is why I want to start Web-isodes. I want to start my Channel next month. My first myth will be directed toward Halloween because that has become a pretty big holiday and I think it would be good to start with. I might also show off lyrics and scenes. I might write music for my myths, I might perform scenes from my favorite musicals. It just depends on what works and what feels right. I will have to play around with it and figure stuff out.

One last thing. I finally got around to watching The Phantom of the Opera the movie. It is a lot better in context as opposed to just watching clips on youtube. I liked it, but there was stuff that I wish hadn't been in there.

The costumes should have been more modest, especially Christine's.  There was also some random crude//off color stuff that didn't need to be there. (Like the very annoying and random midget who had no point but to be a perve.) They also cut a lot of the songs short. Sometimes they cut out harmony, and I am sure that the whole musical was sung a note or two lower than it really is, which was a little odd. And they took out Raoul's epic sequence in "Wandering Child" and that made me sad cause I love that scene. He did ride in on a horse and yell "No, Christine wait!" But that isn't half so cool as, "ANGEL OF DARKNESS CEASE THIS TORMENT!" I just really love that confrontation and I wish it had been in the movie. But I think, despite it's faults, the movie was still pretty good. The actors all did a nice job with their roles. I really like Madam Giry - In fact I think she is my favorite Madam Giry. Christine was cute and sweet. Raoul was still fabulous. Gerard Butler was a good Phantom. Yes, he should have been more disfigured, but otherwise he played the part well. He was sympathetic, but still really creepy. (Especially in The Point of No Return. That part made me *really* uncomfortable.) And I appreciate that he was more gentle and mesmerizing with his voice and less powerful, scream-y and all-ruling. I'd rather have a Phantom whose voice isn't as good but who sings and acts more like the Phantom should, than a Phantom who has an amazing voice but portrays the character too vicious, angry and loud.  I hate loud Phantoms.* They drive me insane.

source

And actually, I don't mind a powerful Phantom. (For instance, James Barbour.) I don't like the shouting and overwhelming aggression that so many actors bring to the role. It just isn't. 

This being said, the vocals in the movie weren't anything special. I am very picky when it comes to musicals and I know what to look for in quality and in tone and everything, and it wasn't quite there. Christine had a sweet voice, but she sounded tight a lot, like she was trying too hard or something. She didn't open up very well. Raoul was good, but he needed more support and depth. The Phantom was good but he was obviously not a professional singer and his voice wasn't really a "Phantom." voice. It was good enough, but it wasn't great. You know? And that is how all the vocals were. I might say more about this in my Musical Week. We'll see. For now I must go. (They'll wonder where I am. Wait for me Raoul!)

Peace out y'all!!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage.*

Bella

I get to chat about fictional characters.

Well. Once again it's been over a week since I've blogged. I feel terrible. I'm not even that busy. I had a birthday gift I was working on for my sister Amy and that took up a lot of my time - and it's still late. Which sucks. It should have been done - it would have been done if the stupid freakin colors would work out right.

(On that note you guys, I really hate coloring videos. I can never get mine to look like I want them to and it ticks me off.)

ANYHOOSEL. I was tagged by Ivy Miranda. It seemed like a good tag, and I knew I'd forget if I didn't do it soon, so here it is!

FIVE MALE CHARACTERS TAG

Rules: 

1.) List 5 of you favorite male characters (book or screen)

2.) Tagging other people is optional

3.) If you are tagged link back to the person that tagged you

4.) Link back to Revealed In Time (preferably using the link to this post)

Choose one from each category.

1.) Hero

2.) Villain

3.) Anti-hero

4.) Best book-to-screen adaption

5.) Best character perception 

yes, let's keep that in mind.

I have lots of male characters I like.... this is going to be really hard. I'm going to feel guilty when I do this. I hate picking favorites. 

1.) Hero. 

Holy crap. There are so many heroes that I love! How can I narrow this down?? *grinds teeth.*

Okay. I think one of the most heroic characters ever is Sam Winchester. He always tries to do the right thing, even when it's hard. When he screws up he blames no one but himself and does anything and everything he can to fix the mistake. He lay down his life and surrendered himself horrible torture forever to save the world. He didn't know there was any way out. He didn't think he'd ever be saved. He did it anyway. He will sacrifice everything for his brother. He would die for his brother. He would rip the world apart for his brother. When it comes to family and friends (and almost everyone) Sam Winchester is unceasingly generous, kind, gentle and forgiving. Like he literally forgave his 'friend' for breaking open his mind, causing all sorts of hallucinations that drove him almost to insanity and practically killed him because the nightmares and visions made it so he could barely eat or sleep for weeks. He didn't just forgive him either - he stayed his friend and tried to help him! The guy is incredible!

"... and if you come with me, I can take you to it."

If Sam is selfish, its when he thinks of others - his family, his friends, or even strangers. He hardly ever thinks of himself. Like, the one time he was selfish for himself that sticks out in my mind was when he went to college. But I don't think that was really selfish. He was getting out of a toxic situation and finding some freedom. He just wanted to get a job, get married and be happy. I don't think that should be considered selfish.  Sure, he has his bad days. (And sometimes those are very bad days,) but at his core he is a good, strong man who is incredibly optimistic and always tries to see the best in people and in the world. He is very brave, very kind and very gentle. He protects people. He never gives up and he does what's right.

"I kind of know what I'm dealing with. A lot of people got it worse."

*other heroes that I love are Dean Winchester, Sydney Carton, Steve Rogers, all the Avengers, Michael Scofield, Matt Murdock, Fred and George Weasley, Rory Williams....the list goes on.

2.) Villain. 

Hmmm... Villains. I don't think Loki qualifies as a Villain. He's more like an Anti-hero/Anti-Villain, Sooo... Let me think. *cracks knuckles*

I like the Master from Doctor Who. He is clever and funny and he acts a lot like the Doctor but evil. He's a really good villain and I hate what they did to him in Season Eight. I also really like Saruman from Lord of the Rings, chiefly because I like the parallel Tolkien drew between Lucifer and Saruman and Michael the Archangel and Gandalf. I think it was cool how he showed that Saruman, this incredible, powerful, beautiful wizard with all this potential, got corrupted and fell into darkness; just like the devil did. He wanted too much and he thought himself better than all the other creatures of Middle Earth. He wanted to be a god and was willing to do anything to make that happen. Another villain that I think is really good is Julian Verrers from The Masterful Monk. He is a rabid Atheist who hates God and His Church, and he is super creepy and crazy and I hates him. He has a ton of charisma and this unnerving ability to gain the trust of others. He is like one of those horrible politicians with the hidden agendas, but way, way worse. He is a very good villain. He's the kind of villain you wish you could drop kick down a cliff. 

Okay. I don't think I have a favorite villain. Julian Verrers is horrible and evil so let's go with him.

3.) Anti-Hero. 

I'm guessing the Anti-Hero is the hero who works for good but has serious flaws and isn't completely 'pure' in his intention.

"These darker heroes can be jerks, pathetic, hard, jaded, or mean..." - source.

Severus Snape. Snape is one of the biggest fictional 'heroes' ever. Almost everyone knows about him. Whether you are a Potterhead or not, you will hear about Snape. 

I'm going to be frank here. I didn't care much for Snape in the books. I liked him in the movies. I watched them before I read the books and I thought he was a good character. He was a jerk, but that wasn't all he was. When I read the books though, I didn't connect with him the same way. I felt bad for him but I didn't really like him. Yes, his death was sad. Yes, he had a hard back story. No, I didn't hate him - how could I? But I do think J.K. Rowling wrote him way too dark. Alan Rickman did a good job with the character because he brought out a very sympathetic, human side to him. He's the reason I like Snape.

Too fabulous for you.

Snape is a very complex character. He isn't the type of person you could get close to easily, if at all. He is cold and distant, spiteful and sharp. He isn't very nice to the students at Hogwarts and he picked on most of them, especially the popular ones, like Harry. But Snape was dealt a bad hand in his life. He grew up in an abusive home. He didn't have friends because he was so quiet and odd. Even at Hogwarts he didn't find the safety that it brought most children. He was a Slytherin, so he was instantly hated and bullied. James Potter and his friends made his life miserable. He had one real friend, Lily. She was a girl at school that he eventually fell in love with, but he lost her after an especially bad day when he called her a dirty name. Lily never forgave him and terminated their friendship. Then she married James, the very man who had tormented him his whole childhood.

Snape was with Voldemort for a short time, but turned on him and joined Dumbledore. He tried to protect Lily and her family from the Dark Lord and even asked Dumbledore for help, but he lost her all the same. He then dedicated the rest of his life to protecting Harry (who, by the way, looked just like his dad.) And he didn't stop there either. He played spy for Dumbledore and took the fall for Hogwarts over and over again. He allowed himself to be framed as a traitor to protect the school, the students and Harry. He gave up his reputation, his home, and the few teachers whom he counted as friends, all in the name of love and loyalty. He never defended himself against the lies or the hate. He stayed on the outskirts, watching over the students and teachers from afar, and he defended them against all the attacks he could. And he took care of the children, even when it seemed like he hated them. (I actually think some of the reason he acted like a jerk was because he had to play the role of the traitor, and kids like Draco reported back to Voldemort.) Severus Snape was an angry, bitter man, but he loved and sacrificed himself for love, and ultimately lay down his life to protect others. And that is pretty heroic.

"Look at me."

4.) Best book-to-screen adaptation.

One of the best book-to-screen adaptations I've ever seen is Aragorn, from Lord of the Rings. I think Peter Jackson did a really good job writing his character for the movie. No one else could have been Strider. No one could have done Strider better. He was Strider. He wasn't quite as ridiculous as he was in the book, but who could be? Tolkien was ridiculous, and sometimes that kind of ridiculous can only be read, not acted. (Could we really have Aragorn pulling out his sword every two seconds to say "this is the blade that was broken! Rawr!!") He made him a little more serious, but otherwise he was shockingly accurate to the book. I absolutely LOVE Aragorn in the movies. He was so perfect. From the minute he appeared in the Prancing Pony, he was perfect. He was noble and strong, but hesitant to take his rightful place on the throne. He was brave and kind, with a wry sense of humor and a cranky sort of attitude, but a soft, kind gentle side. And Peter Jackson didn't do anything in the movies to blemish his character.

Because Aragorn is FAbuLous.

5.) Best Character Perception.

I'm not sure... I'm guessing this means a character who has the best (or most accurate) idea of himself? Like, a character who doesn't really change but is simply revealed as who he really is.

Alright. Sydney Carton. (you knew that was coming didn't you?)

"I am at less than my best on a fairly regular basis."

Sydney Carton is one of the best characters that has ever been written. When he is first introduced, (especially if you don't know the story) he comes off as a very careless and rude character. He has a lazy sort of attitude and he seems like the type of man who doesn't bother about anything. He seems to have no respect for anyone, including himself, and he appears to take way too much liberty with pleasure. You wouldn't think Sydney was a good man at first. You might think he was kind of a lowlife. Pathetic, yes, but still a lowlife. This is, in fact, how Carton views himself. He thinks he's pathetic, rude and a failure at everything he does. He's a filthy drunk with no worth and no friends. This attitude and rough idea that he has of himself projects very loudly and it is what the audience sees; A lost man who really needs to sober up and get his act together. But as the story goes on, the audience starts to see more of who Sydney actually is. They see how he is treated. They see how he is abused by his boss and his 'friends.' They see how much he wants to be better but that he thinks change is impossible for a man like him. As the story continues, the audience realizes that their first idea of Carton was wrong, and slowly their view of him starts to change. They see a kind man, a gentle man. They see a man full of courage and love who has so much to give, so much to share. They see a man who cares deeply and viciously and who wishes to be better if only he wasn't a failure, if only he was 'stronger.' They realize he is flawed, but behind his flaws there is a man who would sacrifice anything in the name of love and friendship, a man who is strong and brave, a man who will fight on when everyone else gives up.

Sydney does go through a character ark, but it's more like character fulfillment. We see him make friends with Lucy and her family. We see him drink less and less - and he never drinks when he is at Lucie's home. We see his flaws start to pull away and the man inside become more and more clear. At the end of the story, when he gives his life to save Charles Darnay, it isn't really a shock or a change for his character. You realize that this is who Sydney was all along. He always had the potential to be stronger and better than he was.He always had the goodness in his heart, he always had the courage in his character, it was just hidden behind his anger and self-hate. His sacrifice for Charles, Lucy and their child was just a fulfillment of who he was. You guessed what he was going to do before it even happened; Oh. Sydney Carton is going to die for Charles. Of course he is. He's Sydney. Ack!!!

Yes, Carton does change, but I think all characters do. He tried to be better for Lucy, he tried not to drink so often, he tried to see the world as it could be, not as it was. He never saw the goodness in himself, but the audience saw it very well. He was always a bit of a brat, but when he was sober and himself he was also very kind (and he had an obvious soft spot for children.) And he took care of others. When he went to Paris to help Charles, he spent the last days of his life comforting everyone else, all of Lucie's friends and family that had somehow become his too. He never asked for any comfort himself. He never told anyone about his plans. He never boasted or showed himself as the heroic martyr. He was quiet about his sacrifice. And up until his death, he still thought he was rather worthless and ridiculous, and he actually believed that no one would miss him when he was gone. It wasn't until he was walking up to the Guillotine that he finally saw the good he was doing, and the man he had finally become; the man the audience had seen all along.

perhaps in death I receive something I never had in life
- I hold a sanctuary in the hearts of those I care for."

ALL IS FINISHED!!! I tag;

Kat

Amy

Hannah

Mahri

Treskie

You are under no obligation to do the tag, of course. I know you are all busy. But if you do, I bet it would be lots and lots of fun. And of course, if anyone else wants to do this tag, feel free! You won't regret it. Now I have cookies to make, so I bid you all a very fond farewell. PEACE OUT Y'ALL!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella