Fanfiction

I love writing fanfiction. It gives me a chance to escape for a while and allows me to create alternate storylines for my favourite film and TV show characters. I recently attempted to write a Downton Abbey fanfic, which happened a couple of years after a major death in the show (for anyone who hasn't heard of Downton Abbey, have you been living in a cave for the past two years?)

Anyway, here is my fanfic which I do hope you enjoy! 

Title: My Beauty, My Baby

Time Frame: Summer 1922

Synopsis: It’s a beautiful day at Downton Abbey and although a joyous occasion for Sybil’s daughter as she celebrates her second birthday, it’s also a solemn one as it’s the anniversary of her death. 

“Where’s my little birthday girl? Where is she?” 

Tom Branson wandered down the vast corridors of Downton Abbey, looking for his daughter. Today was a very special day for her and instead, she wanted to celebrate by playing her favourite game of hide-and-seek. 

“Come on Sybil, don’t hide from Daddy now!” 

He entered the drawing room and slowly tiptoed across the wooden floor. 

“Where is my little birthday girl? Where has she gone?”

He heard a mischievous giggle coming from the other side of the room. He looked across to find a pair of feet sticking out from under the curtains.

“Has she just disappeared? Vanished into thin air?”

Branson smiled as he sneakily walked down the room. 

“Oh dear, where has my little iníon* gone?” Branson smiled.  

He pulled back the curtain to reveal a brown haired, bright-eyed two-year-old grinning from ear to ear. Her mouth and cheeks were covered in jam.

“Oh no, whose been eating Mrs Patmore’s strawberry jam?” Branson grinned. “You’re a naughty girl, come here I’m going to gobble you up!”

Sybil screamed in delight and tried to run from her father, but he was too quick for her. He scooped her up and from his pocket, took out a hanker chief and wiped her face.

As Branson was taking his daughter outside, Mrs Patmore ran up to him.

“There’s the little devil!” She scolded. “Eating some of my delightful strawberry jam! I’ve a right mind to smack her!”

“I’m terribly sorry Mrs Patmore,” Branson empathised. “It won’t happen again, but if you don’t mind I’ll be the one doing the smacking.”

Mrs Patmore sighed. “Oh all right. Since it’s her birthday, I’ll let her off the hook. But only for today.”

“Thank you, Mrs Patmore,” Branson smiled. 

He walked into the grounds with his daughter while Mrs Patmore returned to the kitchen.  Branson put his daughter down and she ran over to her family sitting at an outdoor table.

“Grandma! Grandpa!” Sybil cried. 

“Hello, my little darling!” Cora beamed, as she picked her up and planted a kiss on her forehead. 

“Happy birthday sweetheart,” Robert smiled. 

He handed little Sybil a neatly wrapped silver package. She ripped off the paper as best she could, but in the end her father had to help her. Once the package was opened before her eyes was a beautiful brown Steiff teddy bear. 

“Thank you! He’s beautiful!” 

Although a little rascal at times, Sybil was intelligent and her vocabulary was impeccable for a two-year-old. 

“It’s lovely,” Branson smiled. “Thank you.”

“I shall call him Teddy,” Sybil said, hugging him close to her. “And I will love him very much.”

“Well we all love you Sybil darling,” Cora enthused, hugging her granddaughter. “Happy birthday, my sweet.”

Carson, the butler smiled as he saw the family laughing, celebrating and having a fantastic time. Mrs Hughes taking time out of her duties stood beside him and looked on.

“She’s such a sweet girl,” Mrs Hughes mused. 

“Looks more like her mother each passing day,” Carson noted.

“Aye. It’s such a shame she isn’t here to see her grow up. Two years, Mr. Carson. Two years to the day.”

“Time passes so quickly, Mrs. Hughes. When I look at that little girl, I remember her mother that way. The way she was always smiling, giggling, running around the house playing games with her family and the staff.” 

“It’s like she’s still here,” Mrs Hughes said. “Sybil is still with us and she lives in her daughter.” 

They looked on as little Sybil hugged her teddy bear and went to sit between her two Aunts Mary and Edith and her Uncle Matthew. 

Edith gave Sybil a book of fairytales, beautifully decorated in white and gold. Mary, whom Sybil was particularly fond of, gave her a porcelain doll. 

“Lucy was my doll when I was a little girl,” Mary smiled. “Will you take good care of her for me?”

“I will Aunt Mary.” 

Sybil hugged her aunt and Mary gave her niece a kiss on the cheek. The festivities continued well into the afternoon and Branson took some time out to say hello to his wife. 

“Well there you are, our Sybil, two years old today,” Branson smiled, as he stood before his wife’s gravestone.

The gravestone had marked on it:  SYBIL PATRICIA BRANSON. BORN 9TH JUNE 1896. DIED 18TH AUGUST 1920. LOVING DAUGHTER OF ROBERT AND CORA. WIFE OF TOM. MOTHER OF SYBIL. 

“She’s just like you our Sybil. She’s mischievous, but smart. She’s kind to everyone.  It’s hard to believe she’s only two. Two years ago, she was born. But two years ago, we lost you. I lost you.”

Branson thought back to that night, holding his wife’s hand as she struggled to breathe. Thought back to that moment where she slipped away and she was lost forever. How lifeless she looked as she lay in that bed, how cold her forehead felt when he leant in to kiss her. 

Branson heard footsteps coming from behind him. He turned round and saw his mother-in-law walking towards him, holding little Sybil in her arms.  Cora looked at her daughter’s grave. 

“She was so young. Only 24 years old. I still wonder, why, why did she go?” Branson frowned.

“These things are hard to understand,” Cora replied. “But Sybil did teach us, especially Mary and Edith – to love one another.”

Sybil asked to be put down as she stood in front of her mother’s grave. 

“I love you, mummy,” Sybil smiled, as she ran her hand across her mother’s name. 

Cora and Branson struggled to hold back the tears, which were by now running down their cheeks. Branson lifted his daughter into his arms and held her close as he sobbed. Cora stroked her son-in-law’s arm.

“Don’t cry, Daddy – please don’t cry,” Sybil said, as she wrapped her arms around her father’s neck.

That only made Branson cry even more and he squeezed his daughter tightly. He was never going to let her go. She was what was left of his beloved Sybil. His beautiful, kind, caring, compassionate Sybil. 

“Your mother was the most beautiful woman I have ever known. She still is.”

“She was our beauty,” Cora said. “And she was mine. She will always be. My beauty, my baby.” 

Cora stroked her granddaughter’s hair, and then put her arm round her son-in-law as they 

remembered their treasured Sybil. 

THE END

*Iníon = The Irish Gaelic word for ‘daughter’

Alfie Boe

It's been over 2 months since I saw the wonderful Alfie Boe in Aberdeen and yet I haven't posted a blog entry about it. Hmm, let's rectify the situation now shall we?

After eight months, the wait was finally over. On Tuesday 10th July, I would finally get to see the delightful Alfie Boe. And I tell you something, the wait was definitely worth it! My family and I  took our seats in Aberdeen's Music Hall and we waited patiently for the concert to start. The lights dimmed and 'Song to the Siren' started. Alfie's fantastic voice projected throughout the Music Hall, however we couldn't see him.

About halfway into the song, Alfie Boe appeared and everyone cheered and applauded. It truly was brilliant, finally getting to see this man in the flesh. The concert certainly did not disappoint. Aside from singing his signature 'Bring Him Home' from Les Miserables (he played Jean Valjean in the West End for 5 months and also at the Les Mis 25th Anniversary Concert), he also sang more 'contemporary' music which seemed to appeal to the audience. Alfie Boe is no ordinary tenor, he's very energetic and it was exhausting for me just watching him jumping around the stage! He also has a wicked sense of humour and he became very concerned about two audience members who had come back late from the break and then disappeared to the back of the concert hall, since they "couldn't see him from the front." Alfie wittingly replied to them: "Should have gone to Specsavers!"

As soon as the concert finished, it was time to head to the stage door. I heard that he met fans after the show and was hopeful that he would come out. There were about twenty people waiting by the stage door in anticipation that Alfie Boe would come and meet the fans. A few minutes passed and I was getting increasingly anxious, as people kept coming and going out of the stage door - some were only staff at the Music Hall which was quite disappointing.

Finally after fifteen minutes or so, a door opened and a staff member came out. He said "Alfie has to go, so he can only stay for a few minutes, so he can sign one item only." I thrust the concert programme into my sister's hand and clutched my CD, as people lined up to form an orderly queue. The queue kept on moving down and finally, it was my turn - months I waited for this and now I was finally meeting the man whose music I always listen to no matter how I'm feeling. I told Alfie I thought he was fantastic and told him I listened to him all the time. He replied with a thank you and asked me if I was from Aberdeen. I replied: "Yes" (Well I was born there, so technically I am from there). While we were talking, he signed my 'Bring Him Home' CD for me.

Then I got my photo taken with him and he put his arm around me. I was so delighted and went away feeling so, so happy! My sister Hannah also got her photo taken with him too, but she was so starstruck she could hardly say anything!

I really hope to see Alfie Boe again live one day and do hope that he will come back to Aberdeen, as he is fantastic and amazing to watch and has an amazing voice to listen to! If you ever get the chance to see him, then take it. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Disney/Pixar's Brave

Since I first set eyes on Toy Story at four years of age, I fell in love with Pixar films and every year I am genuinely excited for their releases. But when they release an animated film set in 10th century Scotland featuring a flame-haired female as it's protagonist? Even better!

I have to say I am immensely proud of my Scottish heritage (even though if you meet me I may grumble about living in Scotland, mainly due to the poor weather). Nevertheless, Brave does bring out the very best of Scotland, from its beautiful countryside to its exciting history and ancient folklore. It also creates a very positive impression for red-haired lassies (I am auburn, but when I was little I had a similar hair colour to that of Princess Merida). But enough about babbling on about where I'm from, the main purpose of this entry is to give a review on Brave. 

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, Brave is a fairytale set in the Highlands of Scotland in the 1100's. Of course every fairytale has a princess. Unlike all the other fairytales, Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly MacDonald) is not your average princess. She prefers to shoot arrows (her favourite hobby is archery) and ride bareback on her Clydesdale horse, Angus, much to the dismay of her mother, Queen Elinor (voiced by Emma Thompson) who tries in vain to turn her into the princess that she wants her to be. Merida's father King Fergus (Billy Connolly) lost his leg to the giant bear Mord'u and ever since then wants his revenge and "wants to find the perfect way to make this devil die". In the meantime, the three Lords of the different clans accept Elinor's invitation to present their sons for Merida's betrothal. Of  course Merida is not happy about this and quickly finds a way to change her fate... and her mother. 

Brave hosts an array of colourful characters. The three Lords, MacIntosh, Dingwall and MacGuffin (voiced by Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane and Kevin McKidd respectively) are hilarious and their sons are equally as funny. MacGuffin's son speaks in what would be to others an incomprehensible Scottish dialect. However, he is in fact speaking Doric, which is a dialect spoken where I come from (Aberdeenshire). I laughed the first time I heard it in the film, even more so at the fact that non-Doric speakers will have no clue what the character is saying. Kevin McKidd who voices him is from Elgin, which is two hours away from where I live, but it is spoken mostly in the north of Scotland. Adding cuteness to the film, Hubert, Hamish and Harris the three triplets are always up to no good and are even cuter in bear cub form. They were without a doubt my favourite characters. The film has villains in the form of The Witch (voiced by Julie Walters) and Mord'u the Bear. The Witch has a huge part in changing Merida's fate, as the Will-o'-the-wisps lead Merida to her.

What I enjoyed most about the film was the mother-daughter relationship between Elinor and Merida. Of course there are fights, turmoils and trials, however there is nothing more important than a mother's love. It also shows you shouldn't be afraid to make your own decisions and to stand up for yourself.

I would thoroughly recommend Brave whether you are Scottish or not as it is a refreshing fairytale, which shows women can stand on their own two feet without the help of a man. It also is incredibly dark for a Pixar film, however the scariest moments only occur towards the end. A great film which will encourage people to come visit Scotland and explore its natural beauty.

Titanic Super 3D

This is hilarious... 'nuff said!

'Rock of Ages' Review

Last Thursday I took a trip to the cinema to see the hotly-anticipated Rock of Ages. The film, featuring an all star cast, is based on the Tony Award nominated stage musical of the same name.

The film is set in Los Angeles, 1987 and stars Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx, a spaced-out rock star who comes back to play The Bourbon Room, a fictional club which gave him and his band 'Arsenal' their big break. The club is in a financial crisis and on the verge of closing, much to the dismay of owner Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin) and his technical assistant, Lonny (Russell Brand). Dupree must rely on Stacee's gig to save the club, all the while Stacee's band is on the verge of splitting up, much to the delight of his greedy manager (Paul Giamatti).

The film features different plotlines, the main one being about small-town innocent girl Sherrie Christian (Dancing with the Stars' Julianne Hough), falling for Bourbon Room barback Drew Boley (Diego Boneta). In true Hollywood style, it's your typical boy meets girl, boy loses girl, they go their seperate ways and then they just so happen to come back together and reconcile their love. 

If it weren't so important, the film could have done away with the love story, as it was boring and made the film drag for quite a while. The only thing delightful about the whole Sherrie/Drew storyline was Mary J. Blige who plays gentleman's club owner Justice Charlier. She acts as a mentor for Sherrie, who later works there as a stripper and tells her she can have it "any way you want it."

Catherine-Zeta Jone stars as the LA mayor's wife Patrica Whitmore, whose history with Staccee Jaxx has made her bitter and she threatens to destroy rock 'n' roll by cleaning up the city and turning the Bourbon Room into condos. As her character sums up the rock 'n' roll fiasco: "Stacee Jaxx spits out three things... sex, hateful music and..... SEX!"

Stacee Jaxx's persona attracts women and he has a dedicated possee of girl groupies following him around. However he seems intrigued by Rolling Stone reporter, Constance Sack (Malin Akerman) who confronts him over his unreliability and laziness, but eventually succumbs and falls for his roguish charm.

The cast all have surprissingly strong vocals belting out glam rock hits from the late 80's with souful Mary J. Blige outshining them all. After watching the film, there are some hits, which will never be heard in the same way again. These include Tom Cruise and Malin Akeran belting out 'I Want to Know What Love Is' while performing some *ahem* suggestive moves and Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand crooning to 'I Can't Fight this Feeling Anymore'. The odd pairing of Baldwin/Brand gives the film a more humorous approach and sometimes wishing the film was more about them than anything else.

Cruise has the definitive rock star voice, which was achieved by having five hours of rehearsals every day before and during filming.

If you're a fan of musicals, then do check out Rock of Ages. The film's storylines may seem a bit muddled, but that is overshadowed by the jukebox hits of Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, REO Speedwagon, Styx and Journey, which encourages you to don't stop believin'.

 

Mona Lisa

I have been to France five times and four out of the five have been spent visiting the romantic capital of Paris. We all know Paris is home to the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame and the monument of all monuments the Eiffel Tower.

But, Paris is also home to one of the world's famous art galleries The Louvre. The original structure of the building has been around since the late 12th century and the museum has been situated there since 1793. 

I can't remember much about The Louvre as I was only seven at the time. But what I do remember is viewing Leonardo Da Vinci's most famous paintings The Last Supper (1495-1498) and Mona Lisa (c.1503-1506). 

The Mona Lisa is one of the world's most famous paintings. The woman in the painting has captivated many a person for centuries and there have been many speculations as to who it may have been and at one point there were speculations that the "Mona Lisa" may even be a man. However, according to numerable sources the painting is thought to be of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo. Da Vinci painted Mona Lisa between 1503 and 1506. The oil painting was originally bought by King Francois I in 1518 and is now in its permanent home The Louvre. 

As the painting is so famous there have been certain measures used to protect her. Mona Lisa sits behind bulletproof glass so she won't be damaged should there be any attacks carried out. Unlike most art galleries and museums, photos are permitted to be taken of the Mona Lisa. Perhaps it's because she is protected behind the glass, but the permanent flashing of excited tourists takes away the time spent viewing how beautiful and magnificent this painting truly is.

Another part that fascinates me about the Mona Lisa are her eyes and her hands. No matter which way you go, her eyes are fixated and follow you, which gives a sense that she is always watching. Her hands are the most prominent feature of the painting, as they are delicate and Da Vinci purposely put the right hand resting over the left hand as he "chose this gesture to depict Lisa as a virtuous woman and a faithful wife"*

Of course, no one can ever forget that enigmatic smile. 

If you ever go to Paris, visit the Louvre. Although you may not get through all the exhibits in one day, make sure that you do visit the Mona Lisa and marvel at her beauty. Be sure to visit in the morning or before peak times, as the painting will be flooded with tourists from all over the world taking a portrait of a well known portrait. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG-A_qTAKEI

*Referenced from www.wikipedia.org/monalisa 

A Birthday Ode to Ms Monroe

It's almost a week late but I would like to give a birthday ode to the film star Marilyn Monroe.

Monroe was born Norma Jeanne Baker on the 1st of June 1926 in Los Angeles, California and in 2012 would be celebrating her 86th birthday. I think it's unbelievable that had she lived, she would be the same age as Queen Elizabeth II. I find it hard as she never lived past thirty-six years old and therefore will always be remembered as a young, vibrant, beautiful woman.

Marilyn Monroe died of a drug overdose on August 5th 1962. There have been many speculations as to how she died. Some have ruled it as murder, others say she committed suicide. However despite her untimely death, Ms Monroe will always be remember for her peroxide blonde hair, her glamour, her beautiful body and her sugary sweet voice.

Happy belated birthday and may you rest in peace.



Marilyn Monroe

01/06/26 - 05/08/62

Sister Act

I first saw Sister Act: The Musical at the London Palladium in July 2010. Having been a fan of Whoopi Goldberg and the film, I was ecstatic to see it. Unfortunately, the show does not contain any of the songs in the film such as 'I Will Follow Him' but the score is fantastic and many of the musical numbers are humorous and feel good. From the joyful 'Raise Your Voice' to the delightfully hilarious 'Lady in the Long Black Dress' to the toe tapping, hand-clapping 'Spread the Love Around' the songs will certainly have you up dancing off your seats!

I went to see it again on Friday at His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen with my mum, my friends Tony and Roslyn and Roslyn's nephew Samuel. It was totally unexpected, as Roslyn's mum and dad dropped out at the last minute, so instead my mum and I got their tickets. It was a fantastic night out and I would recommend it to anyone. It's a feel good musical, so if you're feeling down, Sister Act: The Musical is definitely a show to lift your spirits! Can I hear an amen!

I have covered a song from the show called 'The Life I Never Led' which is sung by the character Sister Mary Robert. The video is below:

P.S. Sister Act: The Musical runs at His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen until the 19th of May, so if you live in the area and want to see the show, then get your tickets fast!

Labyrinth

I am a huge lover of fantasy films and one of my all time favourites is the 1986 cult classic Labyrinth. 

The film starts with fifteen year old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) being forced to look after her baby brother Toby. Fed up of her life, she tells him a story and accidentally wishes him away to the goblins and their leader, the Goblin King Jareth (played by David Bowie). Sarah has thirteen hours to find her way through the labyrinth Jareth has set for her, otherwise Toby will be turned into a goblin forever.

Along the way she meets three good friends: a grumpy dwarf called Hoggle, a huge friendly monster called Ludo and a chivalrous dog called Sir Didymus, who also rides a err... sheepdog called Ambrosius. Together they solve the mystery of the Labyrinth, but will Sarah manage to get through the final hurdle of defeating Jareth to rescue Toby?

There are some memorable scenes, including the ballroom dream scene, which is the most enchanting scene I have seen from a fantasy film. Sarah looks very beautiful in her silver gown and Jareth devilishly sexy in his eye make up and sparkling royal blue jacket. People may be scarred for life after watching this film, as David Bowie wears too-tight trousers in his role as Jareth! 

I recommend watching Labyrinth as it is a thoroughly enjoyable film. It is also made by the master of puppetry Jim Henson and it proves that you don't have to use CGI in films to make it outstanding. The use of puppets is so original and so fresh. If only films nowadays were like this. 

Marvel's Avengers Assemble

Last night I went to see Marvel's Avengers Assemble with members of the university Christian Union. It was very last minute, but since it was the last CU before the summer, I figured why not. I'm so glad I went now, as the film was absolutely brilliant. In the past few years, I have enjoyed watching superhero films and Marvel's Avengers Assemble never failed to impress. 

Known in the US as The Avengers, the film is made up of six of Marvel's superheroes: Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Natasha Romanov/The Black Widow (Scarlett Johnasson) and Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). 

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, which is an international peace keeping agency. However the security of the Earth is threatened by Thor's adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) as he has unleashed The Tesseract which is an unknown energy source and has then activated and opened a portal through space. It is up to Fury and newly assembled team of superheroes to stop Loki and to save the lives of people on the planet. 

If you enjoyed watching films such as Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, then I would recommend watching Avengers Assemble, as it has bucket loads of action, a great villain, eye candy (hello Captain America and Thor!), plus everyone's favourite superheroes are together, so if you are a superhero fan, it's hard not to enjoy this film. 

Titanic

Two weeks ago it was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. At 11.40pm on the 14th of April 1912, the famous 'unsinkable' liner struck an iceberg. By 2.20am on the 15th of April 1912 the magnificent ship was at the bottom of the North Atlantic.

For the passengers and the crew it must have been an absolutely terrifying experience. When the ship sank, it actually broke in two and there were 1,514 people on that ship who did not survive the sinking. Among them was the captain of the Titanic, Edward Smith and Thomas Andrews, the naval architect who designed the Titanic. 

There have been many film and television adaptations of Titanic, the most famous one being the James Cameron epic which was made in 1997. 

The first time I saw Titanic must have been around 2001/2002 (can't remember roughly). It was on Christmas Day and my parents were recording it, but watching it at the same time. They went to see the film at the time of it's release and it's among one of their favourite films.

At first I wasn't hugely enamoured with it, but last week I went to see it in 3D at the cinema and I have to admit I really enjoyed it. I recently watched ITV 1's drama Titanic and although some of the acting was wooden, I did enjoy the whole story and now have become fascinated with the history of the Titanic.

If you haven't seen Titanic, there's no brownie points for guessing what it's about. Especially as the historical event is so well known all over the world. There is a fictional love story intertwined with the historical event and that is the love story between a poor third class passenger Jack Dawson and a rich, sophisticated first class girl Rose Dewitt Buttaker, played brilliantly by Leonard Di Caprio and Kate Winslet respectively. Other characters include the evil Caledon Hockley (played by the fantastic Billy Zane) and Molly Brown (played to perfection by Kathy Bates), who was a real passenger on the ship and history would later call her 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown' as she ordered the lifeboats to return and collect passengers who were stranded in the sea. Only one lifeboat returned to collect remaining survivors. There were only 711 people who survived.

The sinking scene is among my favourite scene in the whole film, although it is actually terrifying. In 3D it was even better. It would have been a right rollercoaster ride, except there would be no getting off and no guarantee of survival.

Titanic is famous for it's memorable quotes such as "I'm flying Jack!" or "I'll never let go, Jack, I'll never let go" (to which she does, but only physically, not emotionally).

The film is fast becoming one of my favourites and it's one of the classics that never gets old. I recommend to those who have seen it already to see it in 3D before it finishes and for those who haven't seen it, what are you waiting for? You'll love it!


A picture of the sinking Titanic in the North Atlantic.
A poster for the film 'Titanic' (1997) starring Leonard DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. 

Goldfrapp

Since Christmas 2005, I have been a huge fan of the electronic pop duo Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, effectively known as Goldfrapp. 


The duo formed in 1999 and released their first album Felt Mountain in 2000. However, it was not until I received their third album Supernature that I became a huge fan. Normally, I'm not hugely enamored with the whole electro music scene but something about Goldfrapp made it special. I found their songs were enticing and made me want to escape to another world. Alison Goldfrapp makes the music tantalizing, as her soothing, sometimes haunting vocals carry across all the songs. Also, I must note for 45 she is extremely, how should I say this, hot? There's no doubt she is the eye candy of men (and some women!) everywhere, with her flowing blonde locks and glimmering blue eyes.

I have three of their albums: the first one Supernature, released in 2005. This features the hit single 'Ooh La La' (which has featured in the Vauxhall Corsa advert), Seventh Tree, released in 2008 and their most recent album Head First, released in 2010.

Each album is different from the rest, as Supernature is heavily electro-based, Seventh Tree their fourth album takes the folk-hippie approach, with songs such as 'A&E' and 'Happiness'. I'm intrigued by the first song on that album 'Clowns', as Alison Goldfrapp's muffled vocals often make the song hard to understand, but by reading the lyrics, the song is about criticizing a woman who has breast implants and skin cancer causing fake tan. Head First has a go at recreating 80's new wave pop and it doesn't fail to impress. My favourite song on that album is 'Alive', it's a great song to wake up to in the morning and whenever you're feeling down, it will help to pick you right back up.

I hope to see Goldfrapp perform live one day, but at the moment I don't think they seem to be touring. In February 2012, they released Goldfrapp: The Singles, which featured the best tracks from each of their five albums, plus two brand new tracks 'Yellow Halo' and 'Melancholy Sky', which is fast becoming my favourite Goldfrapp track.

I'm hopeful that they will release a new album in the near future. Until then I'll just happily listen to their back catalogue.

The Mentalist

Since August 2010, I have been a huge fan of detective drama The Mentalist. 

The programme is set within the fictional California Bureau of Investigation or CBI (California's FBI) and every week a murder takes place, which the team must look into and find the killer, before it is too late.

One of the most interesting characters of this programme is Patrick Jane (played by the brilliant Simon Baker). Jane is what's known as a mentalist (hence the title of the programme). The definition of a mentalist is someone who uses mental acuity, hypnosis and or/suggestion. Formerly a conman psychic, Jane changed his ways after he came home one night to find his wife and child brutally murdered. The killer: a man who goes by the name of Red John. The reason for the killing: Patrick Jane taunted Red John on television and this was payback. He makes his presence known, as he paints a smiley face on the wall brutally in the victim's blood. 

Jane's talents often help to catch the killer, as he figures out the motivations behind people who murder. In between, he is often seen lounging on the sofa and drinking copious amounts of tea (which can be seen in every episode). Behind Jane is the team who help to investigate the murders and question the suspects. Teresa Lisbon  (Robin Tunney) is a no-nonsense senior agent of the CBI and the special agents straight-faced Kimball Cho (Tim Kang), Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) and the radiant Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti). 

I recommend watching The Mentalist if you don't already, as it is one of the most fantastic crime dramas ever produced on television, the plot is easy to follow and you don't have to watch it from Season 1, if you read up on the brief synopsis before hand. Guest stars include Missi Pyle, who starred in films such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Artist, as well as A Clockwork Orange Malcolm McDowell, who stars as a former nemesis of Patrick Jane and is the leader of the cult Vizualise. He truly is fantastic in these episodes. I take a liking to Cho, as he seems misunderstood, however in every situation he still manages to keep on a straight face and I don't know how he does it! The main star of the programme however is Patrick Jane - handsome, charismatic, wise and highly intelligent. 

The Mentalist is on Channel 5, Fridays at 9pm

I was also delighted to find most of the actors on Twitter - if you're a fan, please do follow them!

  

Left: Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney) and                  

Patrick Jane (Simon Baker)

Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman)                        Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) 

Kimball Cho (Tim Kang)                                                           Red John's trademark 'smiley face'

Noble Brothers Productions

Since October 2011, I have been involved with Aberdeen based film group Noble Brothers Productions. 
The group was formed by Peterhead brothers Graeme and John-William Noble in February 2009 and specialises in making films based around Christian morals.

Because of co-founder Graeme Noble's keen interest in Hong-Kong action films, many of their films include fight scenes and these are highlighted A Snake Move (2010) and The Shadow of Death (2011).

I have been lucky enough to work on four of their productions so far. I did lighting and played the minor role of Jazmin in their short film Inner Joy of a Broken Heart (2011) and operated sound, lighting and played the minor role of Rhiannon in one of their feature length films Losers in Love (2012). I am now working on two current projects with Noble Brothers Productions and these are Street Fight (completes filming in May 2012) and Call of Babylon (which completes filming in August 2012). I am doing behind-the-scenes duties on these projects (sound and lighting). Noble Brothers Productions are hoping to work on a Doric speaking project called Blue Toon, which will be filming in the summer and hopefully I will get to appear in front of the camera as an actor as yes, I am fluent in Doric!*

I enjoy filming. However like everyone I prefer indoor filming to outdoor filming. Two reasons: 1) I live in the north east of Scotland, so the weather isn't exactly tropical and 2) often sounds can be picked up on the microphone, which hinders the film i.e. sound of a plane flying past, traffic etc...

Cold weather, hours of standing about, ensuring the shots are right can get a bit tedious and tiring... but the end result is worth it! It's a great organisation to be involved with and anyone wanting to work in either the film, television or media industry should get involved in something similar to this... or even start up your own!

Check out their website: www.noblebrothersproductions.org

R xx

The logo of Noble Brothers Productions

So far the company have featured and won awards at these various film festivals:


Fan Favourite at HolyWood International Christian Film Festival of New York and The Official Selection of the GloryReelz Christian Film Festival (The Shadow of Death)
Official Selection at the Limelight Film and Arts Awards (Life of a Spy)
Official Selection at the UK Christian Film Festival (Inner Joy of a Broken Heart)
Official Selection at the Boomtown Film & Music Festival (My Dear Love)
Official Selection at The Action on Film International Film Festival (Boycie)
Official Selection at the UK Christian Film Festival (Unconditional Love)
Official Selection at the Phoenix International Christian Film Festival (The Hope Within)


*Doric - For those of you who are not from the North East of Scotland, Doric is a language which is spoken in this area. It is spoken (very rarely) in Aberdeen, but spoken more frequently in areas around Aberdeen (Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Huntly etc). Phrases in Doric include "fit like" (how are you?) and "nae bad, yersell?" (not bad, yourself?)

Love of My Life

My favourite all time band is Queen. Since first hearing them perform Bohemian Rhapsody on TOTP2 when I was ten years old, I have been addicted to their music.

Queen are a HUGE part in getting me through life. I listen to them when I'm feeling happy. I listen to them when I'm feeling sad. Their lyrics are so inspiring and it's not hard to see why they have a legion of dedicated fans.

Freddie Mercury was and is such a clever man. The songs he wrote could be easily adapted for different genres of music i.e. rock, pop and opera.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra have done covers of Queen and they do them absolutely brilliantly. One of my favourite orchestra covers is 'Love of my Life', which was first on the album 'A Night at the Opera' in 1975.

The first video is the Philharmonic Orchestra's version and the second is the original by Queen. 

Love of my life - you've hurt me
You've broken my heart and now you leave me
Love of my life can't you see
Bring it back, bring it back
Don't take it away from me, because you don't know -
What it means to me

Love of my life don't leave me
You've taken my heart and now desert me
Love of my life can't you see
Bring it back, bring it back
Don't take it away from me, because you don't know 
What it means to me

You will remember -
When this is blown over
And everything's all by the way -
When I get older
I will be there at your side to remind you
How I still love you - I still love you

Hurry back - hurry back
Please bring it back home to me
Because you don't know what it means to me -
Love of my life
Love of my life

Little Squeak

Hamsters have always been a favourite animal of mine. 

Although they only live for a couple of years, their gentle natures and adorable faces get me every time.

Often people have horror stories about hamsters, i.e. biting and escaping from their cages.

But my family and I were fortunate enough to have two adorable hamsters with such lovely natures, albeit very different personalities. 

Truffles was our first hamster and he died in August 2009 after two and a half years. 

He enjoyed being energetic and was always desperate to get out of his cage. Of course, the whole family were devastated when he died and it's sad we weren't there to be with him.

Our next hamster, Squeak arrived in December 2009. Our short lived sorrow was then replaced by happiness, as we now had a new hamster to love and take care of. Squeak was a very shy, quiet hamster - however he had a brilliant nature and we often had a laugh which some of the antics he got up to, such a trying to kamikazi off of the sofa or standing stock still camouflaging himself (something they do in the wild).

Unfortunately this week little Squeak passed away. I received the news from my sister on Wednesday night. I'm sad I wasn't there to see her, but in a way I'm very glad as at least I know her passing was peaceful and I still have the memories. 

Goodnight Squeak and sleep tight. 

29/12/09 - 11/04/12

Hello!

Hey there guys!

I'm Rachel, 21 years of age and I'm a third year media student from Aberdeen, Scotland.

Initially I would like to secure work in either the TV or radio industry, however I love writing and would also enjoy being a journalist.

I am involved with a local film group called Noble Brothers Productions. Check out their website: http://www.noblebrothersproductions.org/

Join me on my blog as I share some of my stories and life experiences!

"I'm not going to be a rock star. I'm going to be a LEGEND" - Freddie Mercury

"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed" - Theodore Roosevelt

"My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies, fairytales of yesterday grow old but never die, I can fly my friends!" - Queen, The Show Must Go On