- Saw Mamma Mia! on Saturday and loved it.  It's such a fun, upbeat, happy film, and I really wish it had opened some weekend other than opposite TDK.  I recommend it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet and might be on the fence about it.  

- Also saw Hancock yesterday finally.  Overall I liked it, but I can definitely see where people are complaining that Peter Berg couldn't figure out which film he was making.  There's a point half to two-thirds of the way through where it takes a sudden left turn and I was left going bzuh?  LOVED Jason Bateman, though!

- Speaking as a graphics artist, photographer, AND fangirl...I really don't understand the mindset of some fangirls.  Just the fact that some of them have the idea that they OWN photos and whatnot of the people they are fans of - and by own, I mean have the right to tell other people that they can't use those photos for certain things or to demand the removal of the photos if they're reposted.  And I'm not talking about photos that they have taken personally, because I myself have refused to share photos that I have taken with my camera for MY enjoyment with the world at large.  I'm talking about professional, in-studio photoshoots, red carpet photos, movie stills, promo photos, etc.

Example #1: Will the moderators of this group please delete our photos and scans that are uploaded here and tell your members to not continue. Those who have access to our site signed an agreement with us where they promised to not upload our content elsewhere on the internet. The members of this community who still does obivously lied to us and are not welcomed back to our site.

If you want to share information about new stuff we have posted on *****, why not simply TELL your friends about it, post a link to the page etc? It's not necessary to copy the photos onto this site, especially since you KNOW we don't want you to.

In order to view photos on that site, you have to "sign an agreement" stating you won't upload the content anywhere else.  Nevermind the fact that the agreement is not at all enforceable as the owners of the site don't own the copyright to a single thing they have posted.  And then the owner is basically demanding that the photos in question be removed -- and did I mention that the owner of the site regularly obtains photos from Wire Image, Getty, and other places, as well as scanning magazine and WATERMARKS every single photo with her website logo?

Example #2: The background used for this group is copyrighted me, I created if for our site *****.com.  Please remove it.

Also, our site's pictures are not to be used for making icons and avatars and whatnot on other websites, just as our user terms states and to which visitors have to agree on before getting access.

Now, this is from the same person, regarding the same site, as Example #1.  The only difference is that she's posted it in a different place.  That background she claims is copyrighted to her because she made it?  Uses a photo taken by a professional during a studio photoshoot of a famous actor.  Yet she claims copyright to it because she recolored it, slapped it on a solid background, and called it a wallpaper.  She was quickly set straight in both instances and hasn't bothered to reply to anyone who told her that she was nuts and didn't have a legal leg to stand on.

Yet...I see this a LOT in regards to fan sites for celebrities.  Photos are obtained and then watermarked and reposted, with each site claiming ownership and demanding credit.  Personally, I refuse to credit a fansite for any photo unless it's a photo that they themselves took at an event.  But then, I don't save personal photos anyway.  However, it boggles my mind how they're so ignorant of copyright that they honestly believe it's okay to do this.  Or they do, anyway, until the studios, magazines, and lawyers shut them down.

- Writing muse is still MIA.  

- First, thank you so much to everyone who wished me a happy birthday last week.  And so much love and thanks for those of you who gifted me with artwork!  You can find the links to the new gifts below.  

- The birthday itself was pretty low-key.  Dinner with the family at Outback and that was pretty much it.  My mom, bless her heart, went to the store to pick up a cake and forgot it once she was there.  Only my mom, y'all.  I did, however, get some cool cards and some DVDs that I wanted, courtesy of my awesome friends over on LiveJournal.

- Still working on a birthday list, so if you'd like to be included, just leave me a comment.

- The weekend was pretty low key here.  It's been HOT, so there's been much with staying inside.  However...

- Saw The Dark Knight at a midnight showing on Thursday night.  I liked it better than Batman Begins.  BUT...I don't think it's the best movie ever.  The editing needed some serious work because, honestly, the film was just TOO DAMN LONG and the fight scenes were chaotic and jumbled. The sound editing also needed work, as the last 5 or so minutes was awful.  There's no reason for music to be that loud when you've got a character delivering important lines.  And don't even get me started on the joke that was the Batcycle.  That said...I still don't like the character of Rachel, but I think Maggie did a MUCH better job than Kardboard Katie.  And Heath was mesmerising (though, really, people?  Oscar talk already?  It was a great performance, but I'm not sure it was an Oscar performance, especially given the Academy's refusal to give acting awards to sci-fi/comic/fantasy/blockbuster/genre films and the fact that only ONE posthumous Oscar has ever been given - also, I honestly do wonder if all this omg best portrayal ever give him the Oscar NOW is just a kneejerk backlash reaction to his death).  I loved Michael Caine (because really, what's not to love), and Gary Oldman as Gordan will always rock. I also liked Christian Bale better in this one, even if his extreme switch in voices between Batman and Bruce started to make me a little nuts by the end.  And yes, before you jump and are all OMG YOU HEATHEN TDK IS THE BEST MOVIE EVAR RECOGNIZE BIYATCH AND BOW DOWN BEFORE HEATHUS CHRIST!!!!, I know I'm in the minority, and I don't really care.  I actually thought Iron Man was a better FILM.

- For the, oh perhaps 5 of you that will care, it's not even pre-season and I'm already highly annoyed by NFL news.  Jason Taylor will be playing his last 2 years as a Washington Redskin.  WTF, Miami, way to go.  Seriously.

- Writing muse is still missing and am starting to think I should put out an APB on it.  Though, I DO have a new idea that I think is pretty good and am giving serious consideration to submitting it for publication if/when I get it written.

- I think I'm going to put together a birthday list here.  Mostly so I can actually wish people a birthday on time and possibly include small gifts.  If you'd like to be included, just drop me a comment with your birthday.  

- Today's mail included 2 gifts off my Amazon wishlist.  No clue who sent them yet or what they are (waiting until Wednesday, donchaknow), but at least I know they're things I want.  

- Still getting used to V6.  Haven't had too many problems, though last night Firefox crashed 3 times on me while trying to view new deviations.  Figured out that was due to the number of deviations in my watch list.  Once I got it below 100, the browser stopped crashing.  Now, however, every single one of my collections has vanished.  The folders are still there on the left and I can small thumbnails in them from the main favorites view, but when I click on one, it shows up as empty.  WTF, dA, gimme back my collections!  Thankfully I pulled all this week's features last night.  And now they're back.  Go figure.

- The job search is going.  I'm scraping the bottom of my bank account and things aren't looking hopeful at the moment.  The two jobs I interviewed for that I was sure I would get (one for a NPO and the other for a doctor as a personal assistant)...I ended up being one of the final 2 candidates and got edged out by a smidgeon.  Honestly, I think I'd prefer to not hear back from them than to get a call or email telling me I was one of 2 and the job went to the other person.  God only knows what I'm going to do when I actually do run out of money.  The only plus is I don't have to pay rent right now.

- Saw Hellboy 2: The Golden Army at a midnight showing on Thursday night.  It was a lot of fun and (I thought) better than the first one, which I loved.  Had some really funny parts, the villain had me entranced pretty much the whole time, and I really liked the ending.  Plus there's the whole Ron Perlman factor, and I've adored his work since Beauty & the Beast.

- Also saw Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D.  Most theaters are offering the option to see the 2D or the 3D version.  Take my word for it and drop the little bit extra to see it in 3D.  It was a good, solid remake and I was very pleased with how it differed from the original.  The special effects were really good and the 3D wasn't at all jarring.  Though one bit with the dinosaur did get a loud EW! from the entire audience.    Plus, there's the Brendan Fraser factor, and he's sleeveless in several scenes...need I say more?

- Yesterday evening was spent with a good friend having birthday cake (her daughter's, not mine), alcohol (we decided the wine was Merlot flavored gasoline), and movie watching.  Only not so much with the movie watching due to talking.    I think we may try again this weekend, though.

- Found out Friday evening that a long-time good friend (we've known each other around 20 years and she's one of my bestest friends in the world) is expecting a little girl towards the end of the year.  I'm so happy for her and her husband.  And now I get to look at baby patterns for a new cross-stitch project!

- My writing muse is still broken.  

- So the weekend was a lot of fun.  Cookout on Friday was really nice and laid back, and it was fun to see Mira with her first fireworks.  *g*  Saturday was even better because Daytona was a blast.  Even if Jr. didn't win (personally, Kyle Busch...DIAF, bastard).  The last 10 laps had everyone on their feet and the 20 minute firework show after was cool.  Didn't get home 'til 3:30 this morning, but it was worth it.  And teh nephew can, apparently, get us tickets to any of the races, including out of state.

- Sunday was spent doing a whole lot of nothing.  I think I crawled out of bed around 11:00 and finally changed out of my pajamas around 3:00 to hit the pool.  Doing my own form of hydrotherapy, which is helping the ankle a lot.  Still unemployed and broke and the shitty economy is just one more reason to despise the current administration.  Here's to hoping someone hires me in the next 2 weeks.

- Steve puts the baby to sleep.  It's the funniest thing.  I can put in Stripped Down and take her and sort of slow dance around the room while it plays, and it works every time.  She's usually asleep before we get to "Just Another Goodbye."

- As my mom pointed out earlier, my birthday is in 9 days.  Yeesh.  I'm still pretty meh about it all.  Pretty sure I know why, but I'm not going into that here.  Anyway.  Someone IM'd me the other day asking about gift ideas and I wasn't home (yeah, being in Daytona watching 43 guys make a whole bunch of left turns will do that), so here go.  My Amazon wishlist.  No biggie if I don't get anything off it.  I'm not expecting it, so any non-family gifts will be a pleasant surprise.  

- For those following along at home, I'm up to the 6th book in that vampire series.  The names just keep rolling, y'all.  Add Mhurder, Rhevenge, and Tehrror to the list.  However, I'm enjoying her style and the way her vampires talk, interact, and think is entertaining.  I mean, really.  How can you NOT enjoy a series where all the guys never use the word 'shoes'?  They refer to them as 'shitkickers'.  And don't even get me started on the tattooed pretty boy with the goatee and mojo hand.  *g*

- The last point reminds me.  That series has actually given me an idea for a vampire story.  Not Claimed related, but original.  However...

- I want to write, but fear my muse is dead.    There are so many ideas (new and old) tumbling around in my head, but every time I open Word to try to write them, I come up against a wall.  I really need to work on Endgame.  And then there's the long Faculty fic idea I've had...the Boondock Saints idea...the Marton/Orlando based original idea...  *sigh*

- The graphic inspiration just keeps coming, though.  16 new wallpapers this time of Adrien Brody, Clive Owen, Christina Ricci, and Rachel Weisz.  Same style as the last batch, but I'd still love to hear what you think.


See them all here.