May the odds be ever in your favor.

Spoilers from all 3 books AND the movie lie ahead.

I finished The Hunger Games in April 2011 before I even knew a movie was coming about. It was December when I read the second and third books. Once the movie was getting closer to release, I decided I wanted to re-read the first book because it had been so long and the three were all mingled in my head. I started the book last Monday and finished it on Wednesday. Tonight I went and saw the movie.

A friend of mine had reported that she really enjoyed the movie but recommended that those of who us who had read the books should NOT re-read them before seeing. It was too late for me but now I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment. I saw it with a friend who was a few months removed from reading and she didn't see as many holes or "wrong" things as I did because of that. Here are my thoughts after watching...

What I didn't like/understand:
- The way the mockingjay pin came about. It's lacking meaning. Does this mean the mayor and his daughter will play no role later? Also, it was fairly glossed over but has a pretty HUGE significance so that's weird...
- I'm not a fan of the casting for Peeta. He's nothing like I imagined and I am not convinced by him at any point during the movie. It makes connecting to the Peeta/Katniss story line really difficult. There was even one point in the movie that SHOULD be pivotal but both my friend and I were snickering because of how unbelievable the acting was.
- I don't dislike the casting of Katniss but I do agree with my friend's statement that she's too glamorous/sexy for the part. We both expected someone much more "plain" for this role, especially given the life she should be coming from in District 12.
- Another friend of mine had commented on a lack of the desolation and bleakness from both Katniss and Peeta. I couldn't agree more. The film lacked a lot of that and you would EXPECT it from a story as tragic as this one.
- I'm almost 100% certain that Haymitch does NOT talk to Katniss about faking the love angle IN FRONT of Peeta. The fact that it was fabricated is supposed to be hidden from him because for him it's real. This went double with the delivery of the soup. It's not supposed to be delivered after a peck on the cheek with a note asking for more. This is all supposed to be Katniss picking up the subtle hints from Haymitch with the delivery of the parachute. Perhaps they had to do that because you can't get Katniss' inner monologue but it frustrated me. At no point is Peeta supposed to know this is an angle being played.
- I felt like the development of the relationship between Katniss and Rue was too rushed. We didn't get to see that trust building of the leaves and the hunting. They just kind of happened, without that build up I loved in the books. That said, I still sobbed like a baby when Rue died and still felt their connection, even without seeing the development I was looking forward to.
- I was disappointed that the muttations being the dead tributes was not shared.
- I'm not sure what the point of Cato's big declaration at the end before he died was. It felt out of place and unnecessary.
- We don't get to see Cinna dressing Katniss for the interview after the games. Hell, her dress wasn't as simple and girlish as it was meant to be to show her being innocent and acting out of the desperation of love. During the interview, we miss that cuddling up together on the sofa, Haymitch telling her to keep the act going, etc. All of that is gone.
- My biggest frustration is probably in the ending. They took out everything about the horrors of coming out of the games, the savage ways both of them would have been, the dawning of what they just went through, Katniss not knowing if Peeta was dead or alive after the games, that desperation and need, his fake leg, her horror at discovering that during the interview, the confusion about going home to Gale, the part when the train stops and Katniss tells Peeta that she isn't sure what will happen, his anger at realizing it was an act, Haymitch's demanding that they keep it up or horrible things will happen. Katniss' conflict just simply wasn't there in the movie. I didn't see it. And if they tried to pass off what she was doing as conflict, I wasn't convinced. It's all so confusing because those elements are key to the next book, in my opinion.
- Seneca and the berries. He can't be dead, can he? He's kind of got a huge role in the third book...

NOW... with all of that said, I DID like the movie. I enjoyed it. I just wish I got to experience it a bit more removed from having just read it.

What I enjoyed:
- The casting of Lenny Kravtiz as Cinna. He was perfect.
- Gale was 100% what I pictured in my head, it's almost eerie.
- It was really interesting to get to see how the filmmakers decided to show us what was happening outside the games. Because the book is in Katniss' voice, we don't get those other elements. It was fun to see this whole other part that could very well have been happening while they were in the arena.
- To go with that previous statement, my two favorite moments outside the arena are: 1) The uprising in District 11 after Rue dies. Now this did detract from the book in that District 11 should have sent Katniss the bread as a "thank you" for protecting Rue but the way they played it in the film is an amazing foreshadowing for the revolution coming in the third film. 2) Haymitch talking to Seneca about allowing two tributes to win. This just happens in the book but the idea that this was done behind the scenes is an interesting one and I have been thinking about it a lot.
- Oh, the tears!! Both of us were sobbing like babies when Katniss volunteers in Prim's place AND when Prim, their mother and Gale come to say goodbye. The book did not get me crying in either place.

All in all, it was good. I did enjoy it. I will see it again (and again and again). As with any book made into a film, there are time constraints and plain confusing omissions or changes. I now wholly understand how Harry Potter book fans must have felt when the films started rolling out. It's kind of fun to be in that little club, though. It only makes me appreciate the rich experience of the books that much more.

That said, it's time to go start my re-read of Catching Fire...

Due to the continuing spam I receive, I have disabled all ability to reply to my posts. If you are not an asshole spammer, feel free to contact me via my tumblr page.

To you spammers? You must realize how rude you've been to continually comment on my personal posts with your crap. You are not appreciated and I hope one day you understand exactly what you've done here.

So long, farewell...

Due to the copious amounts of spam this account continues to get hit with, I'm opting to (sadly) abandon this blogspace.

However, I'll be taking up permanent residence here:

http://polaraoidsatsunset.tumblr.com

Come along. Stand with me. Smile with me. Keep riding this crazy rollercoaster with me.

Whale Wars: the way my heart wrenches

Via LA Times: At the heart of the show, of course, is Watson, who was raised in a fishing village in eastern Canada. After becoming one of the youngest founding members of Greenpeace at 18, he left the environmental organization to found Sea Shepherd at age 26.

But it was in 1975, when he was fighting a Soviet whaling fleet off the coast of California, that he really first felt a connection to a whale. Sitting in a small boat, Watson positioned himself between a whale pod and the larger vessel.

"We were able to block them for about 25 minutes, and then this harpoon flew over our heads and hit one of the whales and she screamed and rolled over in a fountain of blood," he recalled while sipping a cup of mushroom soup. "The largest whale in the pod then struck the water with his tail, and they harpooned him at point-blank range. And he screamed — a whale screams just like a person does, it's amazing."

As the whale was flailing about, Watson caught the animal's eye as it was coming out of the water.

"I looked into his eye and what I saw there really had a significant impact on me, because I saw understanding," he recalled. "That the whale understood what we were trying to do. He could have killed me that day and he chose not to. It was a realization — when I looked into that eye, I saw pity for us, not for him. That we could kill so thoughtlessly and ruthlessly, and for what?"

Creating possibility.

I've opened myself up to the possibility that anything can happen. If I put my wishes and my intentions out, doors will open. I've been inspired by a Love community that doesn't even realize that I'm so drawn to them. I've learned so much through the transformation of strangers and I find myself completely proud of their accomplishments and the things they're doing in their lives.

Tricia is taking part in the Aids/LifeCycle beginning on June 6th and my heart was compelled to support her on this journey. I'm fortunate enough to work for a company that matched her dollar for dollar so I made my donation count! Today she put out into the world that she needed sponsorship in obtaining medical coverage for the ride. As someone who has seen firsthand the impact of not having insurance and the devastation that this can blow to a family, my heart was once again being called to action. I am so grateful to this woman for giving me the opportunity to show her love. I am so inspired by the example she provides of asking for the things you need and watching the universe deliver those things.

My heart is being called to San Diego. Typically I would make this an obsession or just get up and go without being prepared. I was that way at first. But I was taught that when you put it out there, you can't really control it. So, rather than pressure this new dream I have declared my intentions and I find that the job search became more of an adventure than a stress. Already I've been contacted to interview with THE company I wanted to hear from. I have applied for more than 20 jobs and THE company I declared as "the only place I want to work for!" contacted me because they're interested. How incredible is that?

I worried that I won't be able to afford the month-to-month. Then I remembered that I was forgetting about money that I have gotten used to not seeing in my bank account. Now there's no doubt that we can afford this. Life won't be "buy whatever" as it has been but now we will learn the lesson of getting what you need and appreciating what you have. I'm so stoked for this time in my life, for the people who inspire me and for the potentiality of becoming part of this AMAZING love bubble that I am already so deeply influenced by.

What a life. I'm so happy to be part of it.

I often hear, "What can I do?" I know so many people who want to contribute to preserving the planet but don't really know where to begin. I think it's become pretty common to fall into a pattern of thinking that as one person you can't do much difference. I know that I believed that same thing not long ago. But then I realize that a bunch of ones add up to a pretty hefty number. Change starts at home and I'm proud to be able to say that I am now part of that. And really, it's SO easy to do things to help make a difference. We've all been raised to recycle and I'm sure most of us do. Throw your paper, cans and bottles in the bin and call it a day. But you can go even further without much effort.

8 THINGS YOU CAN DO

1. Fuck plastic. If you can make just one change in your life, it's this. Ask for paper, not plastic at the grocery store. Better yet, get some totes and rock your groceries in a cute bag. Buy a reusable water bottle. (I'm a fan of the hot pink one from Klean Kanteen.) Check out the many, many reasons why to stop drinking bottled water that you might not have even considered before now. The number one most common litter found on our beaches right now are bottle caps from bottled water. It's so easy for animals to scoop these up and swallow them. Our wildlife are not garbage bins.

2. Get a bike! Nothing is sexier to me than seeing a cute boy riding around town on two (unmotorized) wheels. Most of us live close enough to most things we need. The grocery store, yoga class, the bank, the dentist or doctor's office, etc. Load up some road bags and start discovering exactly what you can access without your car. Then convince your friends! The benefit to the planet will be astounding and you'll love the savings in your wallet. I'm totally planning to get myself a bike and see what I can do with it this summer.

3. Practice Meatless Mondays. If you're already a veggie/vegan, this is something you do routinely. But if you're a meat-loving person, that's okay, too! Keep loving that meat... six days a week. (Stolen stat: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed.) If you need some help with some killer recipes for those Monday dinners, I have some great resources to toss your way.

4. Consider your water usage. We all waste so much water without even meaning to. Some ideas on how to help: Brush your teeth without running the water. Make a game out of seeing how quick you can get in and out of the shower. Shower with your partner! Switch to the warm-cold or cold-cold cycle in your washing machine.

5. BUY LOCAL. Meat, veggies, eggs. It doesn't matter. Support your local farmers. Every time you go to the store, you're voting with your dollar. By purchasing items that are grown locally or by hitting up your farmer's market instead of the chain supermarket, you're saying that you support family owned farms and are helping boost the demand to stop letting corporate farms run our lives. You're also helping decrease the demand for food flown and driven all over the planet. Plus, I think it tastes better. Must be all that LOVE it was grown with.

6. Reduce your mail. Take a day-of-hassle and figure out where your junk mail is coming from. Call those places and tell them to stop delivering to you. Call your bank and cancel your statements - get them online! Stop mailing checks out when you pay your bills - do it online. Not only are checks totally outdated with your account number right there on the face of it, you don't need all of that paper or that demand for transportation. The internet is an amazing place. Use it for more than blogging and facebook!

7. Give it away. When you're doing your spring cleaning, don't just toss out the items you don't need anymore. Donate them. Go to Goodwill or shelters. Ask your friends if they have any need for any of it. Make a habit of going through what you've got and letting go of anything you need. Not only does it promote the community of sharing but it also helps you stop from being attached to items that you no longer need.

8. Share. Pass along your best practices. Share the things you do. Encourage the people in your life to try out some of these things and more. The only way we're going to make a difference is to do it together. I'm open to all of the possibilities. Are you?

It's all happening!

May 7-10: San Diego for Muse-ic
May 26: Cobra Starship show
May 28-Jun 5: San Antonio to see Thom and Jess
Sometime June: Forks with Mia
August 28: John Mayer/Keith Urban at the Gorge