"Older Folk"

So, I don't know if many of you know this, but I'm one of the older kids in the class (turning 16 this week). For me, age means a lot. I don't like being the oldest because you are sort of become the "mother" for the younger people, if you will. I know that most of the people reading this right now are  15, a small fraction are still 14, and another small fraction who are 16 like me. In my old school, people made a huge deal about oldest and youngest, and I was among the top 8 (well, there were only about 20 kids but still it meant something to me). I have always had a bunch of friends who are at least 6 months younger than me. It's not like I don't like it, it just makes me a bit uncomfortable. However, I don't mind being mistaken for, for example, a junior or a senior (and I was last year by a teacher). It's just that I don't like being recognized as being part of the "Older Folk" in the class.

Hercules, the Messed-Up Disney Movie

Well, let me tell you something: I'm a big Greek and Roman mythology nerd who believes in logic (a bit weird if you think about it), and so I don't really like the movie Hercules (the Disney version). We were forced to watch it in Latin class because the freshmen were well, on Freshman Retreat. Let me give you a long list of what I hate about the movie (if you have no interest, it won't hurt my feelings if you don't read them at all):

- Hercules
            1. he can't possibly be that strong, even as a demigod
            2. the size of his feet were the same as his stomach in the beginning/teen years
            3. blond hair/blue eyes?!?! Was that really necessary?!?!
            4. well, he did kill monsters, but not at random. They were called the 12 Labors.
            5. he wasn't stupid

- Zeus
            1. he doesn't help his son at all with the lightning bolts and the occasional conversation
            2. he does not have a pint-sized head

- Hera
            1. SHE'S SUPPOSED TO HATE HERCULES ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!
            2. she was pretty much evil, not nice and beautiful

- the Hydra
            1. this monster originally has 7 heads, not 1
            2. when you cut off a head, 2 more, not 3, come out
            3. when Hercules realized it was a bad idea to cut off head, there were 14 heads
            4. it wasn't dumb
            5. he wasn't send by Hades to kill him

- Hades
            1. HE ISN'T EVIL
            2. he is actually able to kill Hercules, so I think he's dumb
            3. he doesn't use people
            4. his head wasn't constantly on fire
            5. he didn't possess the power to burn up in flames at will

- Pain & Panic
            1. they never existed

- Meg
            1. she was a wife of Hercules, but she was murdered indirectly by Hera who made Hercules                                                
            go into a killing frenzy
            2. no one tried to pick her up
            3. she was never a "damsel in distress"
            4. she looks so anoretic, plus, she can hardly do anything

- Phil
            1. again, he never existed

- Pegasus
            1. he's in a different myth
            2. he wasn't made of clouds, instead came out of Medusa's head when Perseus slew her
            3. he never ran into Hercules

- Hermes
            1. he wasn't an 50 year old, potbellied fast-talker

- Thebes
            1. it's too modern for it's time. I know it's a kid's movie, but they didn't have to make action
            figures, sandals, workout tapes, gift shops,

- the Muses
            1. there were actually 9 muses, not 5
            2. there was only one muse for music, not all of them sang
            3. they didn't dance either, there was a muse for that
            4. there was no such thing as a fat muse



So there are some reasons why I hate the movie. :)

My Favorite Summer Memory

Well, this was in Japan were I was living with my relatives. One morning, the little one year old in the house, Shyusyo, came over and pounded on my door. Then his grandma said, "Say good morning to Aimee." But he just said "Aimee. Aimee."