Now, if you know me in real life you might be surprised at some of the nicknames I have, some have been around for ages, others are used only occasionally and some aren't really used at all anymore. So here is my list:
1993
Porthos-Probably the fattest and most jovial out of the three Musketeers. So we have this young readers version of The Three Musketeers which has a cool cover of the three musketeers and we always said that I was Porthos. This originated from my older siblings telling the story of watching a version of the Three Musketeers at our Grandparents house (I don't remember me watching it) and Porthos was the one who was eating drum sticks or something and he was really funny. That's how it started anyway, but now if we even start talking about The Three Musketeers I'm Porthos. I've seen three different versions of Porthos being: The Three Musketeers (1993) which I got for Christmas because I really like it a lot. The Three Musketeers (2011) and The Musketeers ( T. V. series 2014-) My personal favourite, and who I think really is the best version of Porthos is the 1993 version. I would also add that probably from book to movie it is not the most faithful, but it sure makes for a great story.
I probably don't get called Porthos that much, but I've played Halo online with Rogan and Saxon and Eden (their respective characters being Aramais, Athos and D'artagnan) and my Steam profile is Porthos. :)
Legolas/The Elf- If any nickname is common out of all of mine, this is the one. The name 'The Elf' which eventually included Legolas as well started with my brother Saxon rhyming peoples names with different things. For instance, Eden was Eden of Sweden ect. So my name rhymes with Elven so Saxon began to call me Vellvin Da Elven. In fact my Instagram profile is that! :D Once I became Vellvin Da Elven it quickly became Legolas. I've gotta say I really like this nickname. I find that as a character Legolas is better int the Hobbit as he actually talks a lot. But I like LOTR better than the Hobbit, hence the reason why the picture is LOTR. :)
Flea- Okay, I know what you are thinking...What a weird name, right? Who would want a nickname like Flea? Well, really how it started is a bit of a long story.
A few years back, Mum bought this cartoon DVD series which was Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales. Now, I am honestly not an expert on Fairy Tales but there is one of the stories which we watched called 'The Professor and the Flea'. And it's about this Professor and his performing Flea. They get stranded on this island where there are cannibals and the flea manages to safe them by amusing the spoiled Princess who is in charge. Autumn and I find this very amusing indeed. And we have a habit of being a bit stupid, both of us, as sister are from time to time. :) And Autumn found that whatever I was doing was very funny. The Princess in the story says. "You amuse me, Flea!" And that is exactly what Autumn said. So in other words I'm the Flea and she's the Princess. :) I told you it was a long story. :)
Sergie- This is once again a nickname that Saxon gave me. I don't know how many of you guys ahve seen Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. I actually haven't even seen all of it. I fell asleep in it. :P But at the start of it the main guy is locked in a prison, and his team breaks him out. But he also helps one of his cell-mates out of the prison as well. This other prisoner calls him 'Sergie' even though his name is not that. So Saxon got into the habit of coming home from work and saying 'Sergie' to me. Of course this one hasn't been used in a very long time. :)
This is Balian and I the other week.
Belvie- This is my oldest nickname ever. Well, technically what it was suppose to be is 'Velvie' but the littler ones never actually said the 'V' at the start of it, but instead added a B. I think it will be really sad when they are bigger because it means that they will no longer refer to me as Belvie. Which will be really sad. :( When I'm talking to Arwen and Trahaearn I usually call myself Belvie. Trahaearn is the one who says my name like that the most.
So there you have it. Those are some of my nicknames/identities. What do you think?
So you all may be wondering why and where and how is it that I haven't been blogging. Life's busy But beside life, I also went on a pilgrimage. And it was very fun.
The characters:
Frodo (me)
Sam (Saxon)
Merry (Eden)
Pippin (Rogan)
Gandalf (Dad)
Legolas (a good friend)
'It was in the 2014 in the Shire reckoning that four hobbits and their wizard friend went on a great journey that would take them many leagues and leave them with sore feet, tired eyes and no pints of which to speak. They were going on a great quest (the pilgrimage).
The trip was very long to get to their starting point. Mind you, if they had know what was in store for them I'm sure that Frodo and Pippin wouldn't have been so keen on the idea. Sam and Merry, on the other hand were veterans and quite happy to introduce us to any and all the exciting and exhausting things that would happen to us.
The first night, that is the night before our actual journey started, we slept in a hall. There were all manner of races sleeping, snoring or even talking. Not surprisingly the ones who were most interested in talking were the elves, after all, they wouldn't really need to sleep anyway. It was hard that first night to get to sleep. I missed my soft feather bed. I imagined the Sackville-Bagginses and the soft beds which they slept in, and Gandalf went pretty much straight to sleep and his snoring was kind of annoying.
The next morning me being the extremely smart hobbit I was an eager to get up early and be ready had set the alarm for 5:00 am in the morning. It's okay, though, don't freak out. Everyone had to be up for 5: 30 anyway.
It was a very long journey, Merry was particularly exhausted and so tended to hop in one of the carts (buses) that the Rohirrim had provided. Gandalf did a couple of time, too. Pippin and Sam walked the entire way. :P Good for them. Me being the ring-bearer and all, I had to have one cart trip, right? And yes, if you're wondering Sam did pull me along a bit at the end of the first day when I needed someone to hold my hand an help me.
There was tons and I mean tons of lembas (Subway) for lunch each day and by the third day I was heartily sick of it. Apparently it is suppose to sustain you for an entire day? I'm not sure about that but maybe the cookies they had could?
Legolas joined us the first morning and mostly stayed with Pippin and I. We were right up the front so we wouldn't fall behind all of the 'big people'.
We listened and talked and prayed. Pippin and I only got one or two blisters each.
Now, you may be wondering in all of this where Sam was. You know, he's suppose to be the one who makes sure that I keep going, right? He was telling people to get off the road! And I thought that was my job. :P
He was with a group of mixed Rohirrim and Rangers (Marshalls) making sure that we kept off the road, and that no black riders (cars or trucks) came by. He did that for most of the walk.
By the time we got to Sunday morning I was so glad. We were almost there! That morning before second breakfast (morning tea) we came to the big hill which apparently people race up. There were shouts of 'Gondor' (Victoria) and 'Rohan' (New South Wales). Rohan won but a lot of people ran anyway.
A little late on, I even considered going on the cart again but soldiered on. When we first saw the spires of our destination we all knelt down and prayed. But we still had a bit to go. The mixed group of Rohirrim and Rangers had the most difficult time keeping everyone safe.
Our meeting with our King (Jesus) at his place of domain (the cathedral) was a long one. But very good nevertheless. Throughout our journey he had been present in it. But then, it was all about him anyway.
And now, it is time for second breakfast, and then elevensies, and luncheon and afternoon tea, so obviously I have to go and do that.
Frodo Baggins signing off. '
So for three days we walked, talked and prayed. I found it very exhausting adn finally decided that seeing as I wasn't seeming to get much 'spiritual' that I was just going to walk for Jesus. That worked pretty well. Each day there was Mass. On Saturday it was actually outdoors but it was really lovely. If I hadn't of been so tired, maybe I would have concentrated more instead of being interested in just sitting down. :)
This blog post might sound a bit mish-mashed, and I'm sorry for that. But really, I'm quite tired and I don't really feel like writing a longer blog post than this. I went on a pilgrimage and it was an interesting experience.
And when we got home on Sunday night it was like Sam at the end of Return of the King. 'I'm glad I'm back.'
Yeah, this is what it's like for me with Youtube videos.
So yesterday afternoon/evening to keep the little kids happy, we were watching YouTube videos which we had seen before. It was actually really nice as some of them are really funny, so this even before I hop off to bed. I'd thought I'd share with you some of my favourite YouTube videos.
I know most of this, it's very ingenious how they fit three big books/movies into 99 seconds, and it's soooo catchy!
Okay, I know word for word! :D What can I say? It's a classic! :)
Suffice to say I laugh or giggle through each one of these. They make my day!
Anyway I'd better go. :)
"My dear people. My dear Bagginses and Boffins, and my dear Tooks and Brandybucks, and Grubbs, and Chubbs, and Burrowses, and Hornblowers, and Bolgers, Bracegirdles, Goodbodies, and Proudfoots... Also my good Sackville-Bagginses that I welcome back at last to Bag End. Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday: I am eleventy-one today! I hope you are enjoying yourselves as much as I am. I shall not keep you long, I have called you all together for a purpose. Indeed, for three purposes! First of all, to tell you that I am immensely fond of you all, and that eleventy-one years is too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable Hobbits. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. Secondly, to celebrate my birthday. I should say: our birthday. For it is, of course, also the birthday of my heir and nephew, Frodo. He comes of age and into his inheritance today. Together we score one hundred and forty-four. Your numbers were chosen to fit this remarkable total: one gross, if I may use the expression. It is also, if I may be allowed to refer to ancient history, the anniversary of my arrival by barrel at Esgaroth on the Long Lake; thought the fact that it was my birthday slipped my memory on that occasion. I was fifty-one then, and birthdays did not seem so important. The banquet was very splendid, however, though I had a bad cold at the time, I remember, and could only say 'Thag you very buch'. I now repeat it more correctly: Thank you very much for coming to my little party. Thirdly and finally, I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT! I regret to announce that- though, as I said, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you- this is the END! I am going. I am leaving NOW! GOODBYE!"- The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
September 22! Something that we have celebrated every year since 2009 I believe: Bilbo's birthday party! Let's not forget Frodo while we're at. :) We'll be playing a few games, having a hobbitish dinner, and watching the introduction of the Hobbit and the party scene with the little kids as they aren't old enough to watch the whole movies. And we'll get to see Pippin and Merry stealing the firework which is always a lot of fun to watch! :)
Jamie over at Throughtwoblueyes gave me this tag. It's actually James' tag and if you would like to go to the post click here. Check out both their blogs! They are awesome! :)
Great video tribute James, I look forward to the rest!
So anyway, further up and further in!
The Rules:
1: List favorite movies (in any format that you like and the movies do not have to be in order).
2: Post my video tribute (above) somewhere in your post.
3: "Tag" other bloggers (optional)
Middle Earth: I say Middle Earth, because I don't just mean The Lord of the Rings, I also mean the Hobbit. From books to movies these have probably been the most well done. I mean, you go have a look at a lot of other movies based on books and they butchered them! Not so with these movies. Peter Jackson and all the other movie-making people knew what they were doing. These movies, the stories come under the words 'fantastic, amazing' and 'incredible'. No go and imagine if Tolkien hadn't written these books, try and imagine a world without Middle Earth, sounds horrible doesn't it? :P
The Star Wars Saga: I love Star Wars!!! Star Wars! Epicness absolutely! Yeah, and I'm also in the Prequels better than the Originals club, too. Anyone who hasn't seen Star Wars, I take pity on you. You don't know what you are missing, and by the way, it's called a light-saber, and they are pretty awesome. Oh and I Anakin Skywalker is my favourite character! I want a Jedi Starfighter, they really need to start inventing those, that and speeders....... "Luke, I am your Father!" People who haven't seen the saga have no idea why this line is so important, Star Wars fans do. :)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Who doesn't like stories of children who go into a wardrobe and on the other side find a completely different world? One full of centaurs, fauns, and one rather nice lion. Yes, I know Prince Caspian in from book to movie wasn't extremely close, but hey, its Narnia! Lucy has always been the one I'd want to be if we played Narnia games, and we have, she was the best character out of the entire thing! And I like Edmund as well. The battles in the first two are great as well, I love it when in Prince Caspian they unsuccessfully try and capture the castle, another thing with Narnia is it's music! Have you ever heard the battle? It's Epicness at its best, that battle is so cool as well. 'Are you with me?' 'To the death.'
Swords and fighting and faith and awesomeness, that's Narnia. Prince Caspian is my favourite out of the three movies. They really need to get those rights back so they can make more before the actors get too old.
The Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise:
Okay, so no kidding, I watched the first movie when I was eight, yep eight. :) POTC is funny, its a good storyline and great acting. Do not speak to me of the 4th though, that was horrible! The first is the best and I think most fans generally think so as well. but my order goes like this in descending order: one, three, two, and four. The thing with the 4th one was it wasn't very sailing, type thing. They ruined Barbossa and some of the stuff, like Jack escaping from the tree he's tied to just seems extremely realistic. Anyway, moving on. The first movie introduces us to Captain Jack Sparrow, he may not be a good guy in some respects, like his out for his own self gain and the fact that he's a pirate and that sort of thing, but he's a bucket load of fun to watch on screen. He would be one of the most irritating, annoying people in real life! Am I the only one who feels sorry for Norrington? Do we have any Norrington sympathisers? Good cos I'm one of them, too! Elizabeth was so horrible.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe:
The first Marvel movie I watched was Thor, then Captain America and then the Avengers, and then only this year, Iron man's 1,2, and 3. The thing I like about them all is that yes, I know they all save the world type thing, but its the WAYS that we want to see them save the world. They could be the most repetitive movies ever, adn sometimes that is what is seems like with me. Then I watch them and though they all have some cliche bits they are just as good as ever. Loki is the one of the best villains and the Mandarin was good as well. Red Skull was a little creepy and yeah, he had a red skull. Then we have the good guys, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor, Natasha Romanoff, Hawkeye, Dr. Banner, oh and can we put Pepper Potts in there to? Cos I love Pepper! The best Marvel girl out of the lot! One word of advice with these movies: Get used to the fact that New York city is always under attack, kay?
Boys Town: Boys Town is a very old movie, its black and white and is one of the movies that I love to bits! Its a fictional story based on a true person, Fr. Flanagan the priest in America who opened up Boys Town for all boys, no matter who they were.
This movie is beautiful, its wonderful, anyone else want to be Pee Wee and get chocolate for being good. It's a good, clean story and the things Whitey Marsh does like trying to be all cool and going to the barber shop and putting posters up for him to be mayor are amusing and funny. Boys Town is a great movie to watch anytime, anyplace, it is very, very close to my heart
The Scarlet Pimpernel: Sink me! This is a very good movie! I love this movie. It's set in the French Revolution period. An Englishmen falls in love with a French actress by the name of Marguerite, they are married and Marguerite does not understand why it is he is so distant. While this is happening the daring Scarlet Pimpernel, who always leaves his mark where the heads of the Revolution can see it, is abroad in France saving people from the Guillotine. It is based off two of the books of Baroness Orczy (pronounced or-see) El Dorado and the Scarlet Pimpernel. It has a great start the middle is a bit dull, but its climax is superb! And we don't like Armand, and Percy is the best and he awesome and we like Marguerite as well, and we hate Chuavelin and did I mention he is played by Ian McKlennan? The actor of Gandalf? The rhyme sir Percy makes up is quite catchy 'they seek him here, they seek them...'
The Princess Bride: I've had this movie my entire life! My entire life! It's a family favourite, and you can see why. It has what some people class as 'chessy' or 'stupid' things like Westley being 'only mostly dead' and stuff like that. It's good fun to watch and you can tell if someone has seen the Princess Bride and loves it when you walk up to them and say: "Hello, My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die." Humperdank is such a idiot as well. Miracle Max is funny, too. In fact in the study (the room I am typing this) we have a 2013 calendar of the Princess Bride and Miracle Max is the one featured at the moment! Oh and haven't you heard that Australia is entirely inhabited by criminals? And that you should never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line? hahahah! I'm working on building up my own Iocaine Powder immunity and I'm not left-handed! Inigo is the best!
Ever After: This is a retelling of Cinderella set in the Medieval times, its even got Leonardo Da Vinci in it. I could practically quote this movie all day! I want to be one of the gypsies! Danielle tells Henry what she thinks of him and so she speaks her mind. Her opinion of Utopia by Sir. St. Thomas More (Sir. St. kind of cool to write that) is much higher than his, he found it 'sentimental and dull' Marguerite and her mother are the most horrible step sister and step mother, ever. That part where Danielle punches her and she goes right acorss the bed is classic! And anyone who deosn't love Henry's speech at the end, is obviously 'sentimental and dull' unless of course they are a guy which in some cases is allowed.
Getting shorter now because I sort of want to finish this.
Add caption
Princess Diaries 1 and 2. I prefer 2 because its got Nicholas in it but these are funny, likeable movies which I would most certainly watch over and over again! They are enjoyable and not too hard on your head like some movies are.
Hornblower: Hornblower is a set of eight movie-length episodes based upon C. S. Foster's books. They are about a young Naval Officer by the name of Horatio Hornblower, they are good, entertaining, nice and historically accurate and Hornblower is a true gentlemen. Archie I prefer of course, but that's beside the point. There are however, one or two skip scenes I think they are both in the sixth episode, the one when Archie dies, *sobs* very heartbroken about that! And Hornblower was the thing that started off my fascination with the British Royal Navy. :)
The Young Victoria: I own this movie and love it! It's the story of Queen Victoria in the early years of her reign, her courtship with Prince Albert and all the things that happened to her. Saxon and I joke that we are Ernest, Albert's older brother who basically looks over Albert's shoulder at his friendship with Victoria and gives him advice. And Albert is awesome! Nuff' said! And we hate Lord Melbourne!
Cars 2: This has got to be one of my favourite animated movies of all time! I know a lot of Pixar fans did not like it very much but I love it, and so does my family. I do not, however, like the first movie, in one word that can be described 'BORING!' this movie is much more entertaining, secret agent cars, and Mater and a more mystery like feel to it that I love!
Kung-Fu Panda 1 & 2: You know those movies where the first one is great and the second is top-notch? That is what KFP 1 and 2 are. They have very good story lines and Po is adorable! The Kung Fu is awesome and everything in it is well done! My hat is off to you, Dreamworks!
How to Train Your Dragon: Lots of people love this movie, including me! Hiccup is funny and Toothless is so cute! The story-line is excellent and fresh and very nice to watch. Watch it twice before you make your final verdict because I remember the first time we watched it we weren't overly impressed, the second time though, we loved it! It has a great blend of funniness and character depth and I am looking forward to the second and third movies! Dreamworks don't let me down!
The Amazing Spiderman: This is a much darker movie than the other Spiderman's and it takes longer to get into but it is good anyway. Andrew Garfield is my preferred Spiderman and Gwen Stacey is soooooooo much better than Mary Jane. I'm a member of the 'I hate Mary Jane, because she is so brainless' club. :D
I've only seen it once all the way through but it was very good, and I am excited to see what the second will have!
So there is some of my favourite movies. Plus, Tangled and most likely a few more which I can't remember at the moment. :)
I would like to tag: Arda and JT you don't have to do it if you don't want to! :)
NOTE: Hornblower can be both a T.V. show and movie and so yeah anyway, its on here!
So my name is Vellvin, right? Yep glad you all knew that. But the thing is not many nice things rhyme with Vellvin, as far as I know. And sometimes the nice sounding ones get annoying anyway.
I get called 'Vellvin DA Elven' a lot. Courtesy of my brother Saxon who started all of this. It's not 'the' it's 'da'.
A little of subject but who cares?
I even have my younger brothers and sisters saying 'Vellvin Da Elven' and such stuff.
The thing is, I don't like elves very much. Shock, gasp, horror. Yep, i don't. Yes, they are elegant and nice, but in some stories, like Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle, the elves seem to act like greens. People who are obsessed with 'saving the planet' and stuff like that. Which drives me up the wall in no uncertain circumstances. The Elves of Middle Earth are more to my liking. Maybe more like who I'd want to be. But when I'm asked a question like "What race would you like to be in Middle Earth?" I say human, and than after that, hobbit. I don't know. But lets not forget the other version of elves, you know, more like fairies, with wings and stuff like that, which are clearly more fairy-ish in my opinion than elvish.
If the chopped the wings off the would look more elvish, don't you think?
So there you go, I am called Vellvin da Elven, but that doesn't mean stupid elves that I can't stand. It means cool elves. Also another thing, Elves are so solemn. Me having to be solemn all the time? You're kidding, right? Can you imagine how exhausting that would be?
Tauriel is who I'd want to be. Event hough i haven't seen TDOS I think she looks really cool and will hopefully, have good character depth. :)
So I'm called an elf, but I act probably more human, funny old world isn't it? (Oh, yeah and I just chucked two different quotes from two different movies in there, wonder if anyone noticed! :P)
So there you have it!
Listening to Rangers Apprentice: Halt's Peril and loving how cool and calm Will can be and how Halt say he's a 'wonderful conversationalist.' :D
Wanting to watch Batman Begins after Saxon told me the ENTIRE story-line. And I don't mind that he did and he loved telling it too!
Reading The Shining Company by Rosemary Sutcliff and really liking it.
Walking outside in the morning on an exercise walk
Plotting out more of my Robin Hood story titled 'Outlaw'
Being reminded of Samwise the Brave's words to Frodo Baggins: "That there's some good in this world; and its worth fighting for.
Enjoying doing some embroidery which I haven't done for a while
Missing my biggest sister at College and seeing that I need to also deepen the relationships with my Dad and Mum and siblings at home as well.
Regretting the fact that I missed wishing Pope Benedict Emeritus a happy birthday on his birthday. Happy late Birthday Emeritus, we love you!!! :)
Enjoying looking up the Battle of Trafalgar for school because I am doing a study on the British Navy for History. And just seeing how awesome the Royal British Navy was. Oh, yeah, and I want to see the Victory at Portsmouth one day. :)
Being sad because I realised that there is only going to be one more Rangers Apprentice book and thinking of a tribute post which I would like to do on October 1st when it comes out.
And the humour in them is awesome :)
Also my day dream to have John Flanagan sign my books of his which would be just awesome. Yes, and I did mention Rangers Apprentice twice in this post but hey, who's counting?
Waiting, for the Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey to be released on DVD only about two more weeks! :D
Also I love this quote. :)
Planning blog posts like the best musuicals and stuff like but also because though I mean not to be offensive,
I am so sick of people misunderstanding the Catholic Faith and what it stands for that I am going to do a blog post (or a series of blog posts) on the Catholic Faith titled "An Introduction to Catholicism'
Finding things funny. Here is a funny story about Pope Francis and the Swiss Guard that was guarding his door:
The surprising greatness of this new Pope Francis is in the small things. For example, the ability to say, “Brothers and sisters, good evening,” instead of appealing to the centuries, the Scriptures or the universe to present himself to the world. To wear an iron cross of instead of a golden one. To wash the feet of the prisoners.
Or yet, to care for the Swiss Guard who guards the door of his apartment in Casa Santa Marta every night until dawn.
A few days ago, at dawn, the time the Pope wakes up, he came out to the corridor, and he found in front of his door the sentry, a Swiss Guard standing with his halberd at attention.
He asked him: “And what are you doing here? Have you been up all night?”
"Yes," replied the guard with deference and a bit surprised.
"On your feet?"
"Your Holiness, my duty since I took over from my companion."
"And aren’t you tired?"
"It’s my duty Your Holiness; I should watch for your safety."
Pope Francis looked at him again with kindness, went back to his suite and after a minute he came out carrying a chair:
"At least sit down and rest." The guard rolled his eyes and answered: “Santo Padre, forgive me, but I cannot! The regulations do not allow that."
"The regulations?"
"Orders from my captain, Your Holiness."
The Pope smiled, "Oh, really? Well, I'm the Pope and I order you to sit down."
So, caught between the regulations and the Pope, the Swiss Guard (so much for the halberd) chose the chair.
The Pope returned to his apartment.
After a couple of minutes, the Pope came back to the Swiss Guard, still obediently seated on the chair, carrying “panino con marmellata” (Italian bread with jam) which he had prepared.
Before the soldier could say anything, the Holy Father, exhibiting his Argentinean smile, told the Swiss Guard, “With all the hours spent standing on guard you must be a bit hungry.”
The Swiss Guard had no time to object because the Pope right away wished him a good bite: "Bon appetit, brother."
