Beards.

Beards are strange creations, aren't they? Some men can pull them off superbly, others can't. Some men need them to look older than a teenager, others don't. Some men grow them because their loved ones likes it, others wouldn't even dare.
This is the same with celebrities as with non-celebrities.

For instance,
Gerard Butler can pull off a beard (just not that ridiculous pointed one from '300')
He doesn't need it to look older.He looks better though with stubble.

Just type his name in google and look for yourself...he can suit anything...apart from,

(Sorry Gerry...but a pointy beard?)

Brad Pitt cannot pull of a beard.
He doesn't need it to look older, he looks about 60 when he has one.
He looks better without any facial hair.

Brad cannot pull off this look.

But he can pull off short beards, stubble, clean shaven, even goatees (as long as they are short.)

Joaquin Phoenix cannot pull of a beard...at all.It's not a good look, at all.
He also looks better without any facial hair.

(Yes to Joaquin here.................................................just not here. Just stick to the clean shaven look.)

My celebrity winner?

Who can sport every type of beard or just not have one and still look good?

HUGH JACKMAN.

He looks good without one....

He looks good with stubble...

and he suits...well, everything else!

(Above in Australia...a more natural beard. But flattering to his face shape)

(And in Wolverine...a shaped beard, not commonly worn by many. But yet, he can pull it off.)

Hugh isn't the only guy who can do this:

Notable mentions:

Ryan Gosling

Ryan Reynolds

Jake Gyllenhaal

Gerard Butler (give him credit, no one can pull off a pointy beard)

Stick to clean mentions:

Matt Damon

Tobey Maguire

Daniel Radcliffe

George Clooney (slight stubble only is allowed...just no longer!)

To conclude?

I prefer stubble. Stubble is easier to pull off - and if kept well, can make a guy look appropriately aged. Not too young, but not too old. Loads of celebs can pull this off - they are clearly on the same wavelength as me. For the record, this is my opinion. Some people love big bushy beards...but they're just not my thing particularly.

I'm done now.

Personal Space

I was thinking about this at work the other day. I was in the coffee break area observing the other workers, just looking at how close they were sat next to each other. You can see whether the two people:

a. Know of each other
b. Have spoken a couple of times, and know their names, but nothing more.
c. Are strangers to each other
d. Are friends (and this section could be sub-divided further...but that's too much hassle!)

You can tell by how much space there is between them.

Imagine - a bench, with one guy sat there.

Another guy comes over...where does he sit? On the complete other side of the bench. They're strangers - they don't know each other, they don't have any need to talk to each other.

A second guy comes over...where does he sit? About 3-4 feet away, not on the other side of the bench, but not right next to the person. Clearly, they know of each other - they may recognise each other facially...but not sitting close enough for any conversation to begin.

A third guy comes over...where does he sit? The bench is getting a little bit more crowded now, but still enough room to decide. He sits about 2 feet away. They know each other's names, they might be on the same team, they may have had the odd conversation here or there - not at length, but they do know each others basics pretty well.

The last guy turns up, and the bench is quite full. If he falls in sections A or B...he will not take up that space next to the original man. He will begin a new bench. If he falls in sections C or D, then he will fill it. If in section C, he will awkwardly walk over to the gap and sit there...and thinks to himself that he is clearly breaching the original person's personal space...but thankfully, they do know each other, so it's ok. If he's in section D, no problem - he can sit next to his friend without a care in the world. He sits next to his friend, he doesn't care who is sat on his other side, nor should he. He's not feeling awkward. Then the original man gets up to go back to work, and immediately the last man feels very awkward. They are both strangers to each other, and yet sitting as close to each other as good friends would be. One of them will get up...to cover up to getting up, they'll go and get another drink or pick up the paper, and stay.

It's quite funny to watch. Next time you see a bench...see the awkwardness. But it doesn't work on undergrounds, because they have dividers between the seats. This doesn't count. The bench must be a normal, non divided, bench. Enjoy observing!

Mystery Bloggers

I love getting replies to my blogs, it gives me a brief ego-boost and my little heart leaps a little as my mind says "Yes! Someone appreciates my blogs!".

Then I click on read comments, or words to that effect...and I find this strange comment written in, I can only guess, Chinese. No translation. I'm always fairly confused by them. Who are these people who are, hopefully, reading my blog? Why would they comment in their mother tongue when clearly they can see I am only fluent in English. I have made no claims to have gone to China, have Chinese relatives or speak the faintest bit of Chinese. I have made claims that I enjoy playing Perudo, which originated in Peru...so where are all the Peruvians not commenting on my blog, hey? Or the Romanians? I understand a very very minimal amount of Romanian...which is more I can say for Chinese.

Sometimes I'll receive a translation with my message, but the messages tend to be more like what I'd find in a fortune cookie. It's a free fortune cookie...although, they have no relevance to anything.

If you can explain the origins of these mystery bloggers, please let me know.

Romania 2010

Romania 2009 came and went so fast...10 days. Vvrrooooooommmm. Drive by - just like that.

The year between camp last year and camp this year has been long...but this time next week, I shall be in Romania for 14 DAYS. Can't wait!

After I get back, I shall blog about it...and I'll have much more to say! Right now, I can say that the dramas are almost nearly done, songs have been decided, crafts are coming along well...and please pray that the final preps come together quickly and stress-free.

I am looking forward to SO much...seriously, I can barely contain myself. I may seem calm on this blog...but trust me, I am buzzing! Oh maybe not, that's just my phone vibrating. Well, I'm not buzzing...but I am really really really excited about going!! Woooo!

6 day countdown starts.... now.

Short and Sweet

'The Phantom of the Opera' is an incredible film.

WATCH IT.

The Shortness of Life

Watching films late at night always make me draw poignant thoughts, hence the reasoning of this post compared to my last few.

As I work until midnight Monday to Friday, I only have the weekend evenings to watch films. And tonight has been quite an interesting night.

Coyote Ugly:
no real touching stuff in this for me to talk about. But did start my TV film watching.

Walk the Line:
we learn that it's about Johnny Cash. He's waiting in the workshop at Folsom Prison waiting to come on stage. He's sat looking intently at this circular saw. Why? We go back to a flashback, and see a young Johnny and his older brother Jack. Jack is 14, Johnny must be around 11/12ish. They are best friends, and Jack always has Johnny's back. Jack is a Christian, wanting to become a preacher when he's older, and wants to please his family. Jack agrees to go down to the saw mill to cut some wood, and agrees to Johnny that he'll go fishing afterwards. At the saw mill, Johnny gets bored and Jack tells him to go fishing without him. Johnny leaves and goes fishing, and when he walks home, his father drives by quickly and picks him up, 'Where you been??' Johnny returns home to find his older brother, Jack, on his bed close to the brink of dying - he had a horrific accident on the saw. Jack is pale, his torso wrapped in bloody bandages, and asking if Johnny can hear the angels. Jack passes away moments later. How short can life be? Jack had a huge life in front of him, wanting to glorify and serve God. Yet he died. We'll ask why, but Jack's death caused Johnny so much grief, that he managed to get caught up in drugs, sex, and a lifestyle that nearly caused him his own death. From this, his friend, June Carter, also a Christian, helped him through his drug addiction. Johnny recovered and became a Christian himself. In the grand scheme of things, Jack's death was significant in Johnny's life. I cannot say for sure because I have no idea about God's plan, but certainly seemed like God was there in Johnny's life - God reaching out his hand, and eventually, Johnny finding it.

Current film, Ladder 49:
This film does not have a Christian message in it. But, certainly shows the fragility of life. The film follows Jack Morrison (following a theme here), a Baltimore firefighter. Over the course of the film, we follow his personal life along with his worklife. We see his love life going from meeting a girl in a supermarket, to dating, to marrying her, to having their first baby, to having two children...and in his workplace, we see his first day at the firehouse, his first fire, his best friend dying, his first injury, his friend badly burnt. These men risk their lives to save strangers, and die for us, and we barely pay them the blindest bit of notice. This film really shows you what they go through day to day - the sacrifices they make. We should seek to be thanking these men and women for their services, and thinking, do we have our lives sorted? Lives are fragile. Life is short, do we know what's coming next? Are we prepared? Think, and pray over this - it's the most important decision we'll ever make.

Pop Music - aka "Popular Music"

My first single? - 'Ooh Aah Just a Little Bit' by Gina G

My first concert? - Steps.

My first album? - Steps.

Favourite Friday evening programme? - Top of the Pops


Ok, from this, you can probably tell that I've grown up with pop music.

So between being born up until around 2001...I was very much into pop music - I always checked the charts, and knew the dances that were essential to gain you respect at the school disco.

Then, December 2001 came around. I was so excited. My mum and I had tickets to see my favourite band 'Steps'...the Gold tour (all the best hits!). We had a great time! Then on Christmas Day, I was so happy to find the Steps Gold CD inside some wrapping paper. I was on Cloud Nine.

Then horror struck on Boxing Day. I was sat on the sofa...pretty stoked about my Christmas. My mum came down, and she came over to me and said 'I have some bad news...' - immediately I could sense what it was (I'm 11 years old, what else was it going to be), Steps had announced their split.

From that moment on...I continued to listen to Steps in the hope they would reunite - in the hope that is was only a misunderstanding. I stopped watching the charts - Steps weren't on there - what was the point? And decided no other pop music could ever be as great as Steps.

Then in 2004, I discovered country music. Tim McGraw to be specific.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xSGLZd9Vg4

I got his CD for my birthday, and began to get into some more country artists. LeAnn Rimes, Brad Paisley, Josh Turner, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood.

I still love country music - still at the top of my most liked genres. But now, pop music is making a comeback into my iTunes. I never could think it was possible. KeSha, Katy Perry, and Miley Cyrus have recently made it in. I think this change has been because of 'Glee' - it has various genres of music in it - but does tend to give it a pop spin to the covers. And I love 'Glee'. This show opened the doors again...to show me that pop music has become strong again - and I am more than happy with accepting it.

Although, I would love to see Steps reunite. I still hope for a reunion - even 9 years after that fateful day.