So for my re-return to blogging, let’s talk about a legend.

ROBIN HOOD

While my mother was here helping get my roommate’s and my house a little more organized/cleaner, we took the evening to go see the newly released move, Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett and company. And let me just tell you this….

IT WAS AWESOME

Now, for those who are unsure why we needed another Robin Hood movie after Kevin Costner and Alan Rickman in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves back in ’91, the following will explain.

Alan Rickman in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

This tale of Robin Hood is actually the prequel to the legend that most households are familiar with. It tells the story of Robin, an archer in King Richard the Lionheart’s Crusades.

When King Richard and his army are headed home toward England, they are poor and so they ram-sack all of the castles along the way back home to help compensate for their financial woes. While traveling, Richard asks for an honest man to tell him if he thought his Crusades were pleasing to God, Robin speaks up and tells him no (in a much more meaningful and intelligent way) and is put in shackles along with his friends. Eventually, they escape and are fleeing convicts who discover a plot that could destroy the kingdom. And that’s all I’ll tell you because you should go see it!

Anyways, for anyone doubting Russell as Robin Hood or the plot in general, doubt no longer. It has all the great mystery, adventure, battle scenes and romance to make it a sitting-at-the-edge-of-your-seat film. Plus, Russell Crowe looks mighty fine kicking ass. Check out the trailer below!

Until I feel like blogging again (which will maybe be this weekend or next week sometime), happy hunting!

Mary Jane

This book was published in August of 2009, so I doubt that many of you will have read it yet.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

The back of the book reads,

And then I opened my eyes and it was just Grace and me – nothing anywhere but Grace and me – she pressing her lips together as though she were keeping my kiss inside her, and me holding this moment that was as fragile as a bird in my hands.

If you’re anything like me, you actually judge a book by its cover and by what it says on the back of it. I must say that it was really the back of the book that caught my attention. It doesn’t give a clue to what the story is really about. So if you like good surprises and want to read a good one, pick up this book and stop reading this blog RIGHT NOW. Because I’m going to go on about a little bit of the story (Don’t worry! No big spoilers here).

So what is this book all about and why has it put Miss Mary Jane in a sort of tizzy? Well, my sweet ladies and gallant gents, its because it’s a captivating story about magic, loyalty, and love. Let me tell you also what the inside cover of the book states.

the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house.
One yellow-eyed wolf – her wolf – watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn’t know why

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves.
And then for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace… until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it’s spoken, it cannot be denied.
Sam must fight to stay human – and Grace must fight to keep him – even if it means taking on the scars of the past,
the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

See why I would like it?! It’s very intriguing. The basis (duh points) of the story is about a girl named Grace has fallen in love with a wolf with spectacular yellow eyes. What she doesn’t realize is that this wolf is really a boy named Sam who has also fallen in love with her. The book follows the two as they discover each other and become inseparable. However, as with any good story, complications arise. It gets harder and harder for Sam to stay human, while others of his kind are beginning to wreak haovic on the school friends of Grace. Grace and her new-found “frienimy”, Isabel race to find a way to save their loved ones, but will it be too late?!

FIND OUT by going out there, buying a copy and READING IT. As lame as the plot may sound, don’t let it fool you. It’s well written and will catch you by the eyes and not let you go. Maggie has incorporated the feelings of young love better than Stephanie Meyer could and writes it with wittiness, poetry, and lyrics. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a book/story like Shiver written so fluidly. It’s definitely worth at least a check out from the library.

Love and literature,

Mary Jane

]]> http://unwrappingmaryjane.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/fear-not-oh-faithful-ones-for-i-have-returned/feed/ 1 xmjemx shiver-final-cover http://unwrappingmaryjane.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/mashed-potatoes-and-green-bean-casserole/ http://unwrappingmaryjane.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/mashed-potatoes-and-green-bean-casserole/#comments Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:50:15 +0000 xmjemx http://unwrappingmaryjane.wordpress.com/?p=131 Continue reading →]]> Thanksgiving is tomorrow and since I probably won’t blog, I supposed I should talk about the food holiday now.

Food and store sales are the big topic all around during this part of the year and lots of people complain about having to hang out with all the other family members that are weird or obnoxious, hug too tight or give big sloppy kisses. And I know the feeling; sometimes you just want to have a feast to yourself and not be troubled by your Aunt Marge’s urinary problems that she makes all too public.

But seriously, what are you thankful for?
It’s not a question many people think about very often. We take a lot for granted in this world and I think that if we all took minute or two each day to just think of one or two things that we are thankful for, we would all be a lot happier and enjoy life more.

Here’s a small list of all the million things I’m thankful for and am very blessed to have in my life (yes, now would be the appropriate “awww” moment) which is NOT in any particular order.

My mom, Melanie
My dad, Jon
My older brother, Will
My younger brother, Sam
My grandmother, June
My grandfather, Gary
My other grandfather, Jim
My pets: (cats) Bella, Squeak and Xena, (dogs) Remington and Indigo, (horse) Joe, (ferret) Charlotte, and (turtle) Red
My best friends: Joy R, Melinda M, Kristin W, Leah R, Joe B, Bryan F, Lindsay S, Danielle A, Gabe E*
My other very close friends: Katie V, Tamra N, Brooke F, Maureen M, Alex Z, Sarah B, Kelly K, Sarah J, Anna G, Anna S, JT C, Jeff J, Elizabeth D, Ruth A, Rebecca R, Molly L, Juliana B, and so many more that I cannot even list*
Every single person that I count as a friend (so many!)*
My house
That I have always had food to eat
All my material items
Jesus Christ and God
My SAI family
All the privileges and opportunities I’ve been given
My intelligence
My talent
My drive to work hard
My imagination
Books!!!
Harry Potter
Music
So many more!

Really when it comes down to it, I’m so thankful for everything/person that has made a positive influence on my life. Thank you all so much and I love and cherish every single one of you, mentioned or not mentioned! You are wonderful to me beyond measure and most of the time when I truly don’t deserve it. Thank you thank you thank you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Luckiest girl alive,

Mary Jane

*If you are not listed here, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not take offense! It’s impossible for me to name all the many people that are important in my life, because all of you truly are important to me. Otherwise I would not take the time to talk to you. Promise! Thanks and love!

Um... kinda crazy examples. I'm not sure what designer these are from.

Patterned Tights

Tights with all sorts of patterns on them, from roses to paisley and zebra to leopard, are hitting the scene in tidal waves. I think this is a very romantic/kid flashback trend. I feel like back in the 90′s lots of little girls wore patterned tights – at least I did!

Although I like the idea of this new fashion statement, it has to be done right… and you have to be so thin to pull off some of the patterns, otherwise it will make your legs look huge! So, don’t clash your tights with your clothing and don’t pick patterns that will not compliment your legs. Luckily, tights without patterns are still in, so if you don’t want to risk fattening yourself up, stick to a solid color.

Good way

Bad way

Drape Vests

Okay. These are the vests that hang loose and that don’t have buttons and are cut so that the front is longer so they sort of drape (well, obviously) by your side. I cannot tell you how many of these I have seen on campus and especially at the Kelly Clarkson concert. If I had a nickel for every one I saw…. holy cow!

I want one.. and I don’t. You have to be kind of tall and lanky to pull it off. Also, HAIR UP. Because if your hair is covering the top of it, people are just left wondering if it’s a scarf or rags.

Snoods

Burberry snood for men

Cute woman's snood

If you’re not really up to date with what’s going on in fashion, you might think I’m on crack. What the heck is a “snood” ? Well, it’s a scarf and a hood. How does this work? Really, it’s like a scarf that has no end, tube-esque, so that you can wear it just around your neck or you can wear it around the neck and over the head. And, it’s a unisex style. Both men and women have been seen sporting these.

I love it. I want one sooooo bad! I always liked the way scarves looked when you couldn’t see the ends, and now I don’t have to worry about tucking them in and such. Perfect!

Layers of love,

Mary Jane

So we’re going to talk about something that I’m sure will drive some people crazy and others will be way too excited about.

The Twilight Saga

In the case of the novels by Stephenie Meyer, I must say that I’m a fan. You may have read my blog earlier last month where I said a few words about Twilight. Well, I’m going to say it again, just so that we are all clear on the subject – I may not have been among the very first to read Twilight, but I was close.

I was in Barnes and Nobles with my parents in either Omaha or Lincoln Nebraska, browsing through the young adult fantasy/fiction. I saw the cover for Twilight and New Moon and read the back and inside cover. I decided it looked good enough and asked my parents for both in case I liked the first one. (By the way, this is when the second book had just been released.) Anyways, I read both and was stoked. Then I forgot about them after a while until I saw an advertisement for Eclipse at Hastings Book Store in Kearney, Nebraska and told my mom that I had read the first two of the series and was excited for it. In fact, I had to re-read the first two so that I could remember the story. Then after I got and had read the third one, people started freaking out all over the nation and it was Twilight explosion.
My point in telling you all this is to show that I wasn’t just caught up in the hype, I was way into vampires long before that, and that even though I’m a fan, I’m not obsessed over it and can realize that it really isn’t good literature, at all. I mean, Stephanie Meyer IS NO J.K. Rowling or Tolkien. It’s a guilty pleasure series. It’s not difficult to understand, there are no intricate sub-plots or details that make you wonder. It’s fairly predictable and very cheesy. I still like it, but it’s just really not the best thing on paper. The only reason I’m glad it blew up is to show that everyone can like fantasy novels, that vampires aren’t just for goths and emos, and it gets people who don’t read to read – because EVERYONE should read. Seriously.

Now…on to the newest movie installment.

New Moon

Yes, I went to see New Moon at the 12:10am showing with two of my roommates and needless to say, I was excited because Robert Pattinson is hot. I wasn’t expecting it to be good at all considering the first movie was HORRIBLE. Don’t even get me started as to why (the list would take forever). However, I was pleasantly surprised. Kristen Stewart’s acting was better (which honestly, I don’t know how it could have gotten worse) as was Pattinson’s and Lautners. The special effects are very good and the vampire running was done more smoothly. Veronica and Alice’s hair styles/colors are more accurate, too.

Taylor Lautner definitely makes this movie because he is HOT. Don’t get me wrong, I’m officially on “Team Edward” when it comes to the books, but in this movie, you’ll be rooting for “Team Jacob” because Taylor does such a good job.

There is a lot more humor in this one, too. Which is nice considering the last one was all about falling in love and had lots of almost revolting cheesy qualities to it.

Overall, New Moon is still a kinda blah movie, but for fans of the books and for those hoping it would be better than Twilight will be fairly pleased with it.

Fangs and ego trips,

Mary Jane Morgan

This comedy is based on a non-fiction novel written by Jon Ronson about a reporter who stumbles upon a secret branch of the military that employs paranormal powers in their missions.

It stars George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and several other big names. However, with the reviews I have read, you either think it’s a blah movie, or you think it’s awesome. Honestly, anytime that Ewan is in something, I AM DOWN!!

Check out the trailer here.

The Blind Side

A touching story starring Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron that depicts another true story about a teenager who is living on his own in the streets. He befriends a woman and her family and comes to stay a night which ends up with him living with the family and becoming a part of it. As they live and support each other, not only does the teen grow into his potential as a football player and in school, but the family members learn more about themselves.

It looks super sweet and cute and I know that some of my friends almost cry every time they see the commercial. Here’s the trailer.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Heath Ledger’s final film is about a traveling theatre company that offers more than one expects. Dr. Parnassus gives his audience a choice between light and joy and darkness and gloom. However, he himself has a very dark secret.

Because filming was still going on when the tragedy of Ledger’s passing occurred, his character, Tony, goes through “transformations” where he is played by actors such as Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law.

It looks rather promising and OF COURSE I want to see it! C’mon, Heath Ledger was awesome, and so is Johnny Depp and co. Total hotties, too! Here’s the trailer below. Check it out =]

Sticky floors and tears,

Mary Jane

I’m a big fan of charities, as you will find as you continue to read my future blogs (in fact this is the first charity of the month blog). So let me give you a small over view of this wonderful charity and how you can help support it.

To Write Love On Her Arms, according the the official website, “is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.  TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.”
The main site then continues with it’s vision, the reason it was started, and the letter/story that started it all.
It’s a truly sad, beautiful and touching story. To get the full grasp of this charity. Go to http://www.twloha.com/vision/ and read all of it. You won’t regret it.

Now how can you support this organization? If you’re all into donating money, click here to pay online via PayPal (which is verified and safe).
You can also follow them on twitter at http://twitter.com/twloha, become a fan on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/towriteloveonherarms, friend them on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/towriteloveonherarms, and/or on the designated day (THIS FRIDAY), write “Love” or “TWLOHA” or something symbolic of the organization on your inner forearm and post a picture of it online and make sure everyone can see it during the day, for the whole day.

So please please please, this charity is LEGITIMATE and you should support it anyway that you can. It’s such a good thing that’s going and there are a lot of celebrities and musicians who support it. All of the information can be found here at their main site.

Hope and Love for All,

Mary Jane

WEB COMICS

I personally find this to be a rather pleasant change of scene from the ‘Sittin on tha toilet’ videos floating around on YouTube. If you find a good web comic, you get to read it (which means you can do this whenever you happen to have internet and a laptop, silently) and they are usually full of intelligent humor and witty comebacks.

There are two web comics that I keep up with regularly. Both are kinda nerdy (as most web comics are) and both are very different in artistic style.

xkcd

xkcd is geared more towards the scientific, computer savvy and overall nerd crowd. It’s in a minimalistic setting and you definitely need to have a taste for smart humor. You don’t actually have to read the comics in order (most of the time) but there are some comic series, so it might be better to start at the beginning.

But for now, here’s an example below of one from a few days before..

I highly recommend this comic by Randall Munroe. It’s updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Here’s the link! http://xkcd.com/1/

And now for the second one.

Questionable Content

This comic by Jeph Jacques is a hilarious and witty story about Marty, his anthropod Pintsize, and other friends and their eventful lives. For this series you HAVE TO start at the beginning of the whole thing, and trust me, once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop until you’ve reached the latest one. This comic is definitely for the music/indie snobs and overall smart-ass people.

A plus with this comic is that you get to see the progression of Jeph’s drawing abilities over time. His art and comics just get better and better. His characters are lovable and quirky, content always unexpected and you are almost always guaranteed a laugh.

I don’t have a picture of an actual comic of his, but here is one of the characters.

Here’s the link to QC http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1 It’s updated every day, Monday through Friday.

I hope you guys enjoy these as much as I do.

Laughing ’til your cheeks hurt,

Mary Jane

Welcome to the rules of college fashion, Drake U style. Let me fill you in on some of the basics of cold weather dressing.

UGGS AND SWEATPANTS ARE A MUST!
Not! This looks absolutely horrible. Do not tuck your baggy sweatpants into your Ugg boots and think that it looks cute, relaxed or even practical. Really, it makes your legs look huge when your sweats are billowing out like bad imitations of MC Hammer’s pants. Not only that, it looks really sloppy. Now, if you wear your pant legs OVER your Uggs, this is fine. Because then it just looks like shoes and sweats. No big deal.

FREAK OUT AS SOON AS THE TEMPERATURE DECIDES TO DROP 10 DEGREES!
Also, a no. You look ridiculous with your scarf, beanie, mittens, Uggs, and down-feather puffy coat. Pick ONE of these things or lighter versions of these and then you will look practical and like you know how to dress for the weather.

OPAQUE LEGGINGS AND ALMOST LONG SHIRTS THAT DON’T QUITE COVER YOUR BUTT ARE FINE!!

Thank you Paris for demonstrating why these are NOT PANTS

Once again, no, it’s not fine. Don’t get me wrong, the leggings and long shirt thing going on is cute but only if you do it right! I see so many girls walking around campus with long-ish shirts and leggings, thinking that you can’t see their bright pink underwear. Oh honey, you definitely CAN see them. So please, be absolutely sure when you wear this look that your shirt doesn’t ride up when you walk and if it does, that you are wearing something that covers your bits and doesn’t clash with your leggings. Be sensible and classy, girls!!! Is that so hard?

I know that was a bit harsh, but that is my fashion advice to Drake girls at the moment. Next week’s fashion blog will be more about what’s new on the market and my thoughts. Once in a while I’ll throw in another one of these telling the lovely people out there the DO NOT’s of fashion. =]

Lace underwear and holey sweats,

Mary Jane Morgan

This weeks movies are pretty exciting, so let’s get the film rolling!

Dare

Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford and Ashley Springer star with Ana Gasteyer, Rooney Mara, Sandra Bernhard and Alan Cumming in a story of high school seniors that is full of love, jealousy, and quite a good twist. When a pompous actor tells good girl Alexa (Rossum) that she hasn’t lived, she embarks on a bold journey that takes her to mysterious bad boy Johnny (Gilford). Envious, her shy best friend Ben (Springer) also dares to pursue Johnny, complicating Alexa’s romance and pushing the boundaries among the three friends.*

Overall this looks way better than most teen movies. It seems to have a depth behind it that is lacking in today’s young adult world. I’ve been a big fan of Emmy since I saw her in Phantom of the Opera and she looks very promising in this film.

Here’s the link for the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf9se-dHBjE

Zombieland

Zombieland is a horror/comedy flick starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a zombie apocolapse. Together they take an extended road trip in an attempt to find a sanctuary free from zombies, following a set of “rules” designed to keep them alive where others have failed, all the while trying to “enjoy the little things” in a post-apocalyptic world, killing zombies.*

This movie is pretty funny. I saw it a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed it. BUT be prepared, the zombies are pretty gory. This isn’t your kinda fake looking Shaun of the Dead style of zombie, they are definitely gross. So if that freaks you out and you’re not into a lot of gore, wait and watch it with a group of friends at home. But I recommend it. Super good.

Here’s the link for it’s trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8faZ9LRors

Precious

This is the movie I’m OBSESSING over right now. It looks soooooo good. Here’s the synopsis.

Clareece “Precious” Jones is an overweight, illiterate African-American teen in Harlem. Just as she’s about to give birth to her second child, Jones is accepted into an alternative school where a teacher helps her find a new path in her life.*

So this is going to be amazing. I am looking forward to this movie so much. I can’t even express. Just see for yourself, the trailer is below.

See you at the movies,

Mary Jane

*Derived from the synopsis on the official movie website or other site