Tattoo Thursday

I’ve decided that today is “Tattoo Thursday”. Why? Because yesterday I got my fourth tattoo! But also because it’s my birthday and I’ll do what I want!

I’m actually 25, but this is close enough.

August 2012

My first tattoo – Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I often talk about how much I love Jack, so it made perfect sense to get his face permanently inked on me.

April 2014

Last year on my birthday, I finally convinced my sister Ro to get matching tattoos with me (I’m Reckless, she’s Brave). There are two layers to these tattoos:

1) The “VI” symbolizes one of our favourite bands, You Me At Six, and “Reckless” is my favourite YMAS song.

2) “The Reckless and the Brave” is a song by another fave band, All Time Low, and it was the perfect way to combine our love for two bands.

August 2014

I wrote an entire post about the album behind this tattoo when I got it last summer, but it’s a Panic! at the Disco reference (“Nine in the Afternoon”), plus I’ve always liked pocket watches.

April 2015

I’m referring to this as my “quarter sleeve” (not quite a half sleeve, but still more than just a single tattoo). I got this yesterday and it’s gorgeous (though it was gruesomely bloody before I took the bandage off). It’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland–themed (“we’re all mad here” is one of my favourite quotes) plus it went really well with my pocket watch and I also love drinking tea, so it has multiple meanings!

And there you have it! Those are my four tattoos, but trust me when I say I have a thousand other ideas (which include, but are not limited to: the Deathly Hallows symbol, Calvin & Hobbes, Adventure Time, the VFD/eye symbol from A Series of Unfortunate Events, song lyrics, and a Neil Gaiman quote).

How about you, readers? Do you have any tattoos? Do you want any? Let me know in the comments!

Top 10 Movies

Once more, I’ve decided to tackle a “top ten” list, and this time, I’m going with favourite movies.

For previous top ten lists, please see books, albums, and songs.

Thus, in no particular order:

1) The Nightmare Before Christmas

I’m pretty sure I’ve explained my love for Jack Skellington before.

2) 10 Things I Hate About You

Forget that time he played the Joker – Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona is one of the best things to ever exist. I should also note that the first time I watched this, I was going through a  3rd Rock from the Sun phase, and I loved seeing Tommy and Alissa (aka Cameron and Bianca) together again.

3) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Of course I have to put a Harry Potter movie on this list. I chose Prisoner of Azkaban because it was my favourite book for the longest time (it’s slowly being replaced by Deathly Hallows, but still holds a special place in my heart). Plus I think this is the one where my love for Daniel Radcliffe reached a whole new level.

4) The Sandlot

Ro and I (and, on occasion, our brother Kevin) quote this movie all the time. It was a summertime staple, and everything I know about baseball, I learned from Benny “the Jet” Rodriguez. Base up, you blockheads!

5) School of Rock

This movie made me want to start a band when I was 13 (it still does). Jack Black is hilarious and I only wish we had had cool substitute teachers like him in school.

6) The Jungle Book

My favourite Disney movie in general. I watched this a million times as a child. My nieces have all, at some point, been obsessed with it, I, for one, never complain about watching it with them.

7) Tangled

My favourite “classic” Disney princess is Belle (because I relate to her on so many levels), but Rapunzel is one of the best recent princesses. I would argue that Tangled is more enjoyable than Frozen (yeah, I said it!).

8) She’s the Man

Remember when Amanda Bynes was a promising young actress? It makes me a little sad to re-watch this, knowing that she has all sorts of problems now, but this was probably the peak of her popularity, and she was so talented.

9) Easy A

Emma Stone is one of my girl crushes. I want to be her (or at least be friends with her). The only unbelievable thing about this movie is trying to convince me that someone who looks like Emma Stone could be invisible in high school. No es posible. Otherwise, it’s flawless (like Emma Stone!).

10) The Princess Bride

Three words: as you wish. Enough said. (Also, I can’t truly hate Prince Humperdinck – even though he’s a tool – because Chris Sarandon was the voice of Jack Skellington – see #1).

This is Halloween

Happy Halloween!!

If you’ve ever met me, it should come as no surprise to learn that I am a huge Tim Burton fan.

My obsession started with The Nightmare Before Christmas (which is celebrating its 20th anniversary!!!!)

The eternal question.

Personally, I like watching it all year, but if I had to choose, I’d watch it in November (Ro recently said that most Tim Burton movies are perfect for “American Thanksgiving” – right between Halloween and Christmas!).

I don’t remember how old I was the first time I saw it. To be honest, I don’t think it really stuck with me until I re-watched it when I was about 12 or 13. And I can’t quite explain why it means so much to me.

For one, it’s absolutely beautiful and took an absurdly long time to make (approximately one minute of the movie took almost an entire week to film!).

Plus, I just love the story. The idea that Jack, tired of being the “Pumpkin King”, discovers Christmas and decides he has to experience it in his own way (Christmas is my favourite holiday). Maybe it’s the whole identity quest thing – is Jack better suited as a Pumpkin King or a Sandy Claws? What lesson will he learn at the end of this experiment? etc etc

I don’t know. I try not to over-analyze it because I don’t want to ruin it.

Then there are the songs, which I sing all year ’round (thanks, Danny Elfman):

Not only is this one of the best songs of the movie, but this particular version is a cover by one of my favourite bands, Panic! at the Disco!!

Of course, my favourite character is Jack Skellington himself:

Jack’s first scene. I squeal every time.

He’s tall and lanky and has musical tendencies. If he was real (i.e. not a skeleton), he would be my ideal man (he still kinda is…).

He’s also ambitious and intelligent and optimistic and generally a fantastic hero.

And now it just sounds like I’m fangirling over an animated character, so I’m going to stop before I make things weird.

Long story short: this is my most favourite movie of all time. If you haven’t seen it, I urge you to give it a chance. Even if you think it’s cheesy or lame or whatever, I think everyone can appreciate the amount of effort that went into making this beautiful film.