INCEPTION

This movie was A-MAZ-ING.

I don't want to spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it, although I'm sure most people know what it's about anyway, I will give a brief overview.

Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) Arthur (Joseph Gordon Levitt) Ariadne (Ellen Page) and Eames (Tom Hardy) master in the art of Dream invasion. They each have different roles to play in this highly complicated and risky process.

Inception is the most difficult, as it involves planting an idea in someones mind whilst they are in dream state, yet they must believe they thought of the idea themselves.

This movie is VERY interesting, not least because it actually seems highly possible that this will happen in the not too distant future!

I don't want too say anymore, really you just need to see it.

Leonardo is at his finest but let's face it, when isn't he? I've had a crush on Leo since Romeo & Juliet ;)

The storyline, the plot, the choice of actors/actresses, everything about this movie was A+.

Ms Extralicious and Body Image

I entered myself into the Ms Extralicous competition that a NZ radio station is running! It's for women of the "plus size" variety hence the "Extralicous" term!

I'm 5'4 and a size 16, so I just qualify!

This is a BIG thing for me (excuse the pun) as I was always very insecure about my body. I actually used to be ridiculously skinny, so skinny that everyone thought I was anorexic. I wasn't anorexic. I just couldn't put on weight. I was seeing a pediatrician until I was 16 years old and they wanted to put me on growth hormones as I just wasn't developing the way I should be. Thank Goodness my parents refused, they knew I would grow in my own time.

I had ALOT of tests done, sometimes I had to be in hosptial for these. I remember one time I had to be in Hospital for these and just sitting there for hours while they did tests on me.

I used to wear long pants and sweatshirts in the middle of summer as I got teased heaps about my skinny arms and legs.

To give an idea of how underweight I was, it was a big celebration when I hit 30kgs. An even bigger celebration when I hit 40kgs.

So this is why entering this competition is quite important to me.

I don't look like a model, I have a tummy and I'm definitly not toned.

I've never been Happier in my body.


And here's the pic I entered...

My Top 5 ... TV SHOWS

So, my Top 5 TV Shows! Remember these are my favourite 5 but I love them in different ways for different reasons so even though they are labeled 1-5, they are all as important and special as each other!


TRUE BLOOD




I love this show so much. Too much. It's sexy, haunting, edgy and raw.
The Vampires are real, they don't sparkle.

The Vampires on this show are out in the open Vampires. A society where you can buy a blood subsitute in glass bottles called "Tru Blood" funnily enough.

The characters are sexy and flawed and can also be a little bit stupid. It's set in a small town in the south, so there are a few god fearing characters added to the mix as well.

It's genius. If you haven't watched it yet, I strongly suggest you do!


THE MISFITS




This is a new found show I love! It's only been on NZ screens for 2 weeks but already I adore it! It's British for a start so the humour is deliciously different.

It's about a bunch of young offenders sentenced to community work, one day while working out their time a big lightening storm hits and they end up getting some pretty unique abilities..

The characters are wicked (I mean that in a good way, sometimes) The loudmouth, The Chav, The Bad Girl, The Weirdo and a fallen from grace future olympian.


DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES




I wasn't sure if I should put this in here, considering the last season has disappointed me.

But, I loved it for the first few series.


GO GIRLS




I adore this Kiwi show.

A bunch of girls (and one guy) live on the North Shore and had goals they wanted to achieve in one year. These goals have changed each season, so far there have been 2 seasons and a 3rd is on it's way, YES!

The characters are loveable but can be quite infuriating at the same time. Just like normal life.


SHORTLAND STREET



I freakin' love Shortland Street. It's been a part of my life for 18 years. It's classic Kiwiana now.

I remember when it first started, with bad hair and bad dialogue. I can hear you, you're saying "What's Changed?" I can tell you ALOT. If you don't believe me watch the first year episodes!

That's the thing with Shorty, Some Kiwis like to pretend they don't like it, when really they love it.

Me? I stand proud and call myself a Shorty Lover for life.

Thieves in our midst

Admittedly, I don't live in the greatest area of town but in saying that I don't live in the WORST part of town either.

Ever since we moved in here, we have had trouble with theft. It doesn't seem to matter what it is, if it's there, they'll take it.

It started with a cute pen on the back porch, the neighbours kids jumped the fence and took it. I know it's only a pen, but it's the principle right?

My stepsons bike got pinched a month or so ago, we got it back (luckily).

Today my stepsons bike got pinched AGAIN from inside the garage in daylight and someone was home all day. WTF? It makes us sound very unobservant but I actually pride myself on being reasonably observant! After all, it was my ears that noticed someone taking the bike the first time!

Also, today 2 pairs of shoes have gone missing. The crim obviously needed some shoes to decorate his new ride.

I know that doesn't sound like much, but we haven't even lived here that long!

I feel like I'm in the Bronx.

Things That Weird Me Out #1 : Hugs

Hugs.

The word can actually make me nervous.

It's not that I dislike hugs, I just feel there is a time and a place for them. I allow very few people to hug me. People allowed to hug me are: My Partner, My Daughter and occasionally family.

It is typically Aspergers of me. But I don't think that is all I could put it down too.

Hugs just scare me. Someone moving in with their arms outstretched wanting to wrap their arms around you. It's awkward. I'm standing there thinking "Oh shit, please don't hug me" "oh shit, they're moving in, fuccccck I guess I have to attempt this otherwise they will be offended..., just do it quickly and get it over with!" A hug is simply not worth all that angst and thought for me!

So If I haven't seen you in a long time, please don't hug me. A simple "Hello" will suffice perfectly. I feel no need to hug you, you are my friend, not my partner or lover or child. Physical affection is just not neccesary in a friendship. Well, not for me.

This may be another feel sorry for myself post.

ARGHHH, this business with my "friend" is driving me crazy!

I thought we were tight, I hate being wrong.

I will try and give you a brief overview of what went down...


Ok, so I had this friend. We met on the Britney forums about 5 years back. We connected as we were both living in NZ and a shared love of Queen Britney. Our humour was exclusive, who else on the mostly american Britney boards was going to get Kiwi Humour?

We talked online heaps, he became a friend to me and I to him. He was shy and eventually confided in me why. He was in a wheelchair and could feel pretty insecure at times about this.

It was only last year in November that we actually met for the first time. We were going to go see Britney together! You can't beat a first meeting like that! It was all expenses paid, for me by him. He made one of my dreams come true. To see Britney in concert, I never thought I would be so lucky!

We had a blast in Australia, it was one of the best times I have ever had.
I felt that out friendship was now officially solidified.

So I couldn't quite understand when about a week ago things went sour.

It was something silly, ridiculous. Nothing to lose a friendship over!

He got angry at me, I told him to Grow Up. Probably not the greatest thing for me to have said, but I said it. He made me cry, I emailed him trying to make things better and sent him text messages. All to no reply.
I don't even know if he got the e-mail as he probably blocked me on MSN just like he did on Twitter.

Maybe I was a shitty friend? Maybe I expected too much from him?

All I can say is, I TRIED to be there for him. Looking back now, he never really let me in anyway.

I will miss him and will probably be trying to figure this out for a long while yet.

I guess I should just let him go.

Another one bites the dust...,

Friends that is.

Perhaps I just expect too much.

I know we had a great holiday together, one of the best times I have ever ever had. After that, it kept dwindling, it got harder and harder to make contact, harder and harder to make sense of it.

Yeah, I was jealous. How could I not be? You showered devotion on the one person who could never return it. Someone who you paid for their time. You never would have had to pay for my time. I would have been a friend, a real friend.

You forgot my birthday, even though I reminded you a few days earlier. Yes, I know when yours is. 10th december. Even now it looks like we aren't friends I will still remember it.

I cared about you. I worried about you getting hurt. I listened to you. When I decided to do something about something you had told me, you got mad. It made no sense and I was sick of all the bullshit. I told you our friendship was over. Because it seemed like it ended a long time ago. I couldn't understand you, you were more emotional than myself.

All the times I needed you, I needed you as a friend, just someone to talk too. Shit you could have just texted me back, at least then I would know you cared a little bit.

So, it looks like that's it. Thank you for the good time we did have. I'm sad to see it go but it looks like the end of the road for us.

seeya, Michaela

Friends & Growing up Aspergers

Good Friends are hard to find

They are even harder to keep.


Growing up Aspergers was hard, not just on me, but on my whole family.
(I need to acknowledge them so they know I AM aware of what I put them through, and even though I could not control it, I am sorry.)

Back to the topic at hand, Friends.

I remember having a couple of friends at primary school when things were innocent and kids didn't care about the fact you were a bit odd.
The important things were deciding who was going to be the pink power ranger and who had the newest my little pony.

As I got older, probably about 8 years old and up it got gradually harder. People noticed I was weird, that I didn't act like other kids, that some things I just didn't understand.
The art of social interaction being one of them. I tried to fit in, but I failed.
Mum even bought me a cabbage doll so the other kids would let me play with them. Apparantly it was the wrong kind of cabbage patch doll and I was outcast even more.
I am pleased to say though, that my daughter now owns the doll and loves it! (just like I did.)

At 12, I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, something my parents already knew but in the 80's Autistic Spectrum disorders were nowhere near talked about or in the media as much.

I had a couple of friends at intermediate but often said the wrong thing and put myself in the dog box with them. This continued throughout school, eventually I left school at age 15. The bullying was too much to bear and my parents were very concerned for my safety.

Being Aspergers has made it very hard for me to connect with people and have friendships that last. A problem several others like myself find also.

One day, I will have friends and they will get me.

Well, I sure hope so.