green/purple, red/red/red...amber?!?

Yeah, i saw the second episode...it was a little better.

SPOILERS! / theories

The first thing that everyone sees (in the "Previously on Fringe" bit) is Walter telling us that there is an infinite number of universes out there.  So it hits me:  This season of the show isn't either of the universes that the last three seasons were about.  Well, it might be the red universe is still the alternate universe, but "our" universe just doesn't exist anymore.  We're stuck in an amber universe now (which is disheartening, to say the least, as we now associate this color with Amber and being frozen alive indefinitely).  But this is abundantly obvious through Anna Torv's brilliant acting.  Fauxlivia is vastly different from Olivia who is vastly different from who we now have...let's call her Frostlivia.

Where is Charlie?

Proof (re: step-father's fate):  child Peter changed child Olivia's life (and therefore future).  Is he even capable of reaching Frostlivia?  Is anything of Olivia even left?!?

Incidentally, about last week... I like Lincoln, but whose bright idea was it to try to transfer the audience's primary interest onto him and away from Olivia?  What, she's not interesting and empathetic-evoking enough without Peter all of a sudden?

the man in the mirror

I finally had the chance to watch the premiere of Fringe's fourth season...  There were several things that i noticed, one of which was that Lee's dead partner believed that "everything happened for a reason."  Just one of those weird moments where it connects to me but i know that it's really only because this is an Abrams show and that was something they used to say on Lost.  It's not like anyone really reads my blog, my title came from them, not the other way around.

So, observations:

Fringe is still fantastic

Well i finally caught up on the last four episodes of Fringe, and i'm still loving it. i don't even know where to begin, because Olivia, Water, and Peter are all just lovely to watch as they try to figure out whatever weird mystery TPTB throw at them each week. We finally got a couple of questions answered (or out in the open at least) as to Olivia's childhood experiences (as Olive) and the fact that Peter is from the other side. As a tentative Olivia/Peter shipper, this bothers me, though, as they have already said that it would be disastrous for people from separate dimensions to procreate together (do they seem like they want to have kids? still...). i think that eventually Peter is going to find out, and that he might not be too happy about it.

oh yeah...

i meant to say this a couple of weeks ago, but forgot.

i would really like to see, just for once, anything where John Savage does not play a drunk and/or mentally deranged individual.

And now, back to this week's Fringe.

geeky pleasures and let downs

i have been watching Fringe, Heroes, and Grey's online mostly, with some Doctor Who thrown in (and disc one of season one of Ugly Betty yesterday, ty Netflix). i have been too mentally consumed with school to really overanalyze much (midterms last week and this week, such a relief to get them finished). Fringe is going slowly, Sylar returns, Grey's is merely meh (not horrible... but not great either).

The latest emotional upheaval (such as what i would usually discuss on Spontaneous Overflow, rather than here) has been WoW. After weeks of every 25 Ulduar raid being a wipe 20 times to maybe down one boss fest, i lost it in /g, to put things mildly. i have gently advised that it is ridiculous to expect the guild to be able to down anything in 25 Uld when there are guildees that never got fully geared in 25 Naxx and 10 Uld (i am one of them, this despite the fact that i have faithfully attended raids for months). As if that weren't bad enough, TPTB keep recruiting people who are incredibly undergeared, so they cannot even begin to pull their weight. i'm not exactly sure what happened, but Levi (the guild master) apparently got mad at me for being "negative" all the time (this was my first emotional outburst of any sort since Daymann and Fearhavok ganged up on me). He /g kicked me, without warning, without explanation, and put me on ignore. i have heard from a couple of people that this decision was frowned upon and it was requested but last time i was on i had yet to receive a reinvite or explanation and most of the time i'm rather disinclined to want one.

i really liked Levi when he became guild master, but since then he's been rather two faced, and seems to have the tendency to play favorites. He'll say that i'm his "go-to" hunter, but neglect to invite me to raids. My gear speaks for itself, i have one piece of 25 Uld gear (a one hand sword, ironically enough: all of our rogues use daggers, warriors and dks two-handers, so i lucked out). i have gotten a couple of pieces of 10 Uld gear, despite the fact that i have only been inside three times, and only once as part of a guild progression run, and that was because someone had to leave early and was after the newly-promoted to Co-GM Daymann had gotten Avalanche (a bow for a rogue, i kid you not). Similarly, i have only been inside 10 TOC (ToCr to some of you) three times, and never gotten any drops, just badges (which i will admit enabled me to get my one piece of T9 sooner, my shoulders). The one time we went to 25 TOC no bosses were downed.

So, just to be clear, my gear is comprised of:
T8 head (vendor)
vendor neck
T9 shoulders (vendor)
vendor cloak
T8 chest (vendor)
Naxx 25 wrists
T8.5 hands (VOA meh replacement to Hands of Taut Grip from 10 Uld)
vendor belt
T7.5 pants (VOA)
Naxx 25 leather boots
Gundrak ring
vendor ring
vendor trink
Brewfest trink (that replaced a blue heroic trink)
Malice (that 25 Uld sword)
Kinetic Ripper (10 Uld fists)
Arrowsong (Naxx 25 bow off PATCHWERK)

Okay, so, my gear could be a lot worse. i have really good vendor gear, the best available, the only available, and got the majority of those emblems doing heroics in pugs, because for some odd reason everyone in my guild doesn't want to do heroics with me. Now, the core seems to get on around noon (1 p.m server) and get saved to everything while i'm still in school. The rest just ignore me. Eggy says that people say i'm mean, i don't know what that is supposed to mean because i'm always going out of my way to be nice to people and get messed over as a result. This is truly just indicative of the fact that there is too much dps on Hakkar so it is incredibly hard to get any group, let alone one at my level (my last few pugged heroics i was doing twice as much dps as anyone else). Needless to say, i am absolutely thrilled that in the next patch Triumphs will be the new emblem because i rarely get to do the heroic of the day and everything else i don't need. All my upgrades are in Triumphs (please can i have some new pants???).

Now, i am thrilled about my two new one-handers, because i was previously swinging the staff off 25 KT (consolation prize that i got after the then-GM passed me over on the gun, which i still need): this was the first time i had ever not dual wielded. But as you can see, i'm a hunter, when i get one handers, they're cast offs: no one else wants them, no one rolled against me. The bow i have was an upgrade from the UtP bow, and i almost didn't get it because a warrior out rolled me, and he g-quit when they gave it to me. i never aimed for this bow, i wanted the gun off KT since Wrath went live, and i'm never going to get it (it's my bow off Prince, the only time it will ever drop for me again is once i get another char to 80 lol), once we started downing KT we moved on to Uld 10 runs that i was never invited to. The night before my emotional vomit, the guild ran Ony 25 (on the night i have my night class): a hunter that rarely shows up for raids and always leaves early got the gun. So i got very upset learning that. Ranged weapons have an extremely low drop rate, you can't buy them off vendors anymore, i was feeling just royally screwed.

So, i know i was qqing that night, and i'm not proud of it, but it took me over six months of simmering for it to happen. What is the point in being in a guild that doesn't down bosses for two months (except the nights i can't get on, and thus no emblems), won't do heroics with me (no emblems), won't let me into progression runs (except 25 man, we don't have enough as it is, and again big whoop we don't down anything, so just repair bills), i'm not invited to 10 man progression runs (well, 3 times in over 3 months), and the one guild puggish 10 man i only got into once, which was fun. i even go to Naxx to help others, even though i don't need emblems anymore. So, the only thing i can figure that Levi would have to go on for my "complaining" was the advice i gave when he asked for it 95% of the time. i bit my tongue on the rest. Is it really complaining to say "good job everyone" for pulling more than once every half hour (got to understand, the co-GM usually takes about 2 hours to explain fights that we all know or should know already)? Because he would do it, but yell at me when i did it. Is it complaining to say "we need to get people geared so we wipe less in 25 Uld" when i haven't gotten geared, let alone the new recruits? There is nothing else that i can do myself without Triumphs, i have everything enchanted, i have to raid to get gear to drop to get upgrades.

i loved hanging out with everyone, and generally felt more appreciated than ever before, i am completely grateful to the people who would do groups with me as much as they did, and joked around with me in raids (note: my sarcastic/ironic jokes are also not complaining, and if Elfogods can do it, so can i). i have discovered that 10 mans are the most fun, and in 25 mans everyone feels like a stranger. Some nights i just get disconnected constantly in 25 mans, and that also stinks because i'm dying, i feel like i'm letting everyone down, and there's nothing i can do about it! i already upgraded my computer, i can't afford new internet. What is most ironic about this is that the GM and co-GMs complain all the time, no exaggeration, and if they are allowed to bring down morale every single day, why is it such a big deal for me to lose it once every six months? i was online five nights a week, putting in all the effort that i could, and to get kicked was heartbreaking. i was depressed for three days, perplexed, and i still don't understand why he would kick me. Now, i feel relieved because i was constantly under so much pressure. Between work and school and WoW i was at my breaking point (thus the reason i broke). i love Who Pulled, but i don't want to be in a guild that doesn't support me, that isn't fun, that isn't going anywhere.

You have to look out for your guildees. i don't expect new gear to drop every week, but once in over six months? That's a really dry spell. If you are going to recruit undergeared people, you must gear them. Similarly, faithful members of the guild should not be ignored, put down, berated, or disrespected, period. If one puts in the work, he or she should get rewarded, and respected, not be left wondering why the GM is lying to one's face. i have to put up with that enough at work and school, i don't want to do it during my fun time, too.

So, i didn't want to leave the guild, i wasn't looking for a new one, or to return to Predestined even, but now i have to wonder... do i even want back in to Who Pulled? Forget the fact that all my "friends" are in the guild now, do they even respect me or appreciate how much i am sacrificing? i have been raiding for three years now, for a GM to just ignore my experience is short sighted. i don't have to be an officer, not everyone has to salute by any stretch, but how about a little common decency? What is the point in rewarding people who are habitually rude and/or obnoxious (well, that was a given, as they are Levi's best friends, of course he isn't going to kick them)? i don't hold up the raid, i come with my A game, doing the best that i can to perform. i have invested real money, precious time... i don't ask for much in return. Maybe i should find a new guild, but i don't even know where to start. Truth be told, i don't know what to do.

Mortal Instruments and TV viewing

So i just finished reading City of Glass. The ending was a bit strange (her request of the angel was rather selfish, after all), but overall i liked the trilogy (though i must admit that i somewhat expect a sequel, what with Sebastian/Jonathan's disappearance... ETA: this was already confirmed by the author in August). Which leads me to question who is on the third cover of the trilogy: i had seen the thumbnail or it on the back of City of Ashes, so i just "knew" Simon couldn't be dead and assumed it was him with a quiver on his back. But since i have held Glass and discovered that it is a sword... i'm not so certain. It seems to me that they must mean it to be Sebastian, but he had the sword as Jonathan, and then his hair was the same color as his father's... and his hair was curly. So is it Simon then as i originally believed? (ETA: Simon & Schuster seem to think it's Sebastian) Incidentally, i LOVE Clary's hair on the cover of Ashes, and Jace's body on Bones just seems to me to be overbuilt, not to mention too old (he's 17 for crying out loud).

But on to TV land: i saw part of FlashForward this week, but was doing dailies in Storm Peaks trying to get enough gold together to gem my T9 shoulders. i was so not expecting Sulu to be so tough and bad cop, nor was i expecting Penny to be married to Shakespeare. i don't know, the show didn't really capture my interest, but then, i was distracted. i missed Fringe this week, i'll probably watch it today (last week i felt bad about Walter and the released seatbelt situation, and cannot believe where they're going with Charlie). i watched Heroes last night, not exactly what i was expecting. i found Matt's situation to be absolutely hilarious (i wouldn't mind hallucinating Sylar, but of course it's not exactly the same from his perspective!), though i was a bit thrown off by the "20 pounds overweight" bit. Do people still consider him to be overweight? i think his weight is perfect.

woot, it's fall!

The weather outside is lovely, cool and drizzly. i am so excited for fall to begin! Fringe starts on Thursday, other shows will be close behind, and i have no idea where i'll find the time to watch them. At least Lost will still be on hiatus until January (is that a good thing?). There are also several new shows to try out, V being chief among them. Meh, i'll probably just stick with Fringe, Heroes, and V, but you never know... there's that one with Charlie, Penny, Sulu, and Shakespeare (/gag, he's fine, but i hated that movie).

observations on finales

Re: Fringe
~ Somehow, i knew as soon as we saw Walter at the cemetery. Interestingly enough, this means that if Peter gets anyone pregnant, the results could be catastrophic. This is rather like Lyra and Will in His Dark Materials, and frustrating because i'm kind of a Olivia/Peter shipper.

Re: Lost
~ Is Ilana related to Ana Lucia? Didn't she have a sister that was mentioned, but never shown?
~ What plans does pseudo-John have for the Others exactly (as referenced when he told them to rest at the Beach Camp)?
~ Richard said: "...only our leader can request an audience with Jacob and there can only be one leader on the Island at a time..." Katie asks, "Does that mean that Ben is the leader?" This is kind of a blatant giveaway that Locke isn't the leader, which i did not see coming at all. For some reason i was blindfolded regarding "Locke" the entire season, despite the fact that in the past i was fully aware of the menacing music sometimes focused on him during the earlier seasons (causing the viewer to question whether Locke has good intentions).
ETA: Of course this also begs the question: who was the leader of the Hostiles? Richard said it was Ellie, but Ben acted like it was Widmore. Was Ellie the leader first and if so, does she get kicked off the Island, making Widmore the leader?

i knew i recognized that voice!!!!

Still thinking about the Fringe preview, i decided to look up who is playing William Bell: slight spoiler rofl. So yes, i am very familiar with that voice.

Fringe finale next week!

i finally got to watch this week's Fringe last night and i was really surprised on what the Watcher did. i expected to see him in the opening scene when the camera was turning around chaotically, just as she was about to combust. i also didn't expect the firey death at the end! i think next week we finally bet to meet Belly (or is that Bellie?) if the preview is any indication. The deja vu insights were amazing. It's going to be hard to wait all summer for season 2; i wonder when the dvds are gonna come out.

hectic finals preparation

i've only been watching Lost, Fringe, and two eps of Inu-Yasha lately. Every once in a while i'll catch an episode of Alias with my mom and sister (they're my dvds, but my sister is watching them for the first time, and some of them are new to my mom, too). i haven't been overly excited about Lost this season, it's been kind of interesting, but not enthralling. i'm hoping for a Daniel episode next week.

Fringe, on the other hand, is always interesting. i loved seeing the mini-Observer! And finding out about Olive... wow. Was it just me, or was her blanket starting to get bleached white when she woke up the first time (just like in the video at the end)??? It is going to be very interesting to see where this show is going. i think the woman in video is probably Nina Sharp and that next week we might finally get to meet the elusive CEO of Massive Dynamic (it's almost sweeps).

i am taking a break from WoW at least until finals are over: i don't have time to commit with it when i have work and school and am training for a triathlon. i have been reading a little bit of Twilight fanfic again and spoilers about New Moon. Mostly i am focused on RL though.

Saw the original Day the Earth Stood Still last week, was not impressed. It had pretty good special effects but the character development was thin while the director seemed to have an obsession with filming confused soldiers driving around in circles in the dark. i hope to see the new version with Keanu soon.

As far as reading, i'm slowly working on the War of the Rose trilogy (have the Last Paladin, can hardly wait to read it!) i should be focusing on Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, the Commitments, and other school related fare, but am sooo ready for summer break. i really, really, REALLY hate finals.

recent viewing

Wow, i really need to change the header.

So... i need to watch last week's Grey's in order to catch up. As you can see, it's not high on my list of shows to watch (though it is on the list): i'd much rather be watching Heroes, Fringe, or the Sarah Connor Chronicles.

There is, however, Lost. i think that Ms. Hawking is Daniel's mum (from the jewelry store). i'll go with the idea that Dr. Halliwax (or whatever you want to call him) is Miles' dad. But i can't for the life of me figure out who Charlotte's parents are.

As far as dvd viewing, the family has reached the end of Star Trek the Next Generation. i missed a couple of episodes here and there, but i have probably seen every episode of the series now. At the moment, Mom and Katie are watching Alias, and i sit in from time to time. Last night we watched the season one finale and season two premiere. i still drool over Mr. Sark. The weird thing is that Katie doesn't think he's attractive. i wish they wouldn't have killed Adam off on Heroes, i was really trying to hold to the hope that he would come back somehow.

Speaking of Heroes, whatever happened to Caitlin? Isn't she still stuck in the future? They just totally abandoned her there. i keep thinking Peter will get his powers back, too, and was thinking about just how powerful his father's powers became once he absorbed Peter's abilities. Their power is very similar really, to make another's power their own, though Peter is more powerful in a way because he doesn't have to touch anyone to do it. i just feel like they've majorly mucked up the storyline on Heroes and really wanted Sylar to go good and become a daddy.

Truth be told, i haven't really had a lot of time for viewing. Lui just became revered with Argent Crusade and still needs some gear to raise her dps for raids. i've been trying to level my priest Eviengeline because the guild needs a holy priest. i originally intended to take her shadow, but having the dual specs to switch between will be nice with her, and i don't mind healing. Perhaps i should say yet, because i haven't done much of it yet, mostly on my shaman in RFK and SM.

i recently bought a couple of dvds, one of them being Run Fatboy Run, which i figured how could i not like it with Shaun (Simon Pegg). Which reminds me, i need to watch the new Star Trek movie's preview (as seen during the Super Bowl) but forgot my headphones of course.

Hmmm... better get ready for my next class, can't think of anything else to write.

Mondays and Tuesdays this week

Well they're certainly trying to make Miss Connor appear to be more motherly. That kid was cute, more worried about his book report than his parents being worried, mentioning that she wasn't very good at being a mom. i was excited to see Mr. Patrick Kilpatrick as a terminator, but of course they killed him off immediately. ): i liked seeing him on Dark Angel and in Minority Report.

In other news, NCIS just isn't cutting it for me this season, and i wish that Fox would have shown Fringe after the debates but nooo.

this week on Fox

TSCC keeps me guessing as always. i love Summer Glau, so i don't mind her being featured, but i wasn't expecting this backstory. i also am not so sure that Agent Ellison knows what he's getting himself into. i also think that it's weird that the newest Terminatrix' "daughter" basically ignored him and did not utter a single word.

On Fringe they are, of course, keeping us guessing. i wasn't sure at first if i should trust the Observer, but he seems to be all right. i am rather surprised that he put so much spicy stuff on his sandwich if his trouble is that he cannot taste: too much spice can burn your tastebuds as well a leave a slightly bitter bland taste behind. i was sure that it was Scott that had called Dunham, but is he really alive? It seems highly dubious. There is a chance that she's hallucinating, or that his mind is trying to contact hers again (what with all the probing that seems to be going on with his brain), but all of that seems to be a pretty far stretch. i guess that only time will tell.

on the edge of my seat (for "the Ghost Network")

Fringe was excellent this week, more answers and more questions (wait, were there more answers?). i cannot decide who to trust: Broyles? Sharp? Are they working for the good guys or the bad guys? Is this like an SD-6 thing going on, or are they actually working for the federal government? Was Scott actually working for the good guys or spying on the bad guys, it's all twisted up. (i feel bad for Mark Valley, all he gets to do is lie around on tables acting like he's sick or dead.)

i really liked Roy, i kind of hope they keep him around. Was that terrorist actually talking on his cell or over the network (was his cell just to cover up that he seemed to be talking to himself lol)? Was the DEA agent a good guy or her handler?

i'm wondering what is actually going on with Peter... i hope they keep introducing parts of his background the way they have been. i guess you have to wonder if he's a good guy or a bad guy, too.

What's the truth here, everything is so grey, should i just go with my gut? If so...

Broyles and Sharp = bad
terrorist = bad
handler = bad
DEA agent = good
Peter = good
Scott... = good (i think he had figured out that he was working for the bad guys)

Only time will tell.

Heroes premieres tonight...

i am excited, i was upset that last season was so short (give me more David Anders, please! (: ). i'll watch John and Cameron on the net tomorrow night per usual.

On Tuesdays, i think i saw that Fringe isn't going to have a new episode every week, more like every month... Why would they do that??? According to FringeWiki there is a new episode tomorrow, however. NCIS will also be having the premiere for it's sixth season (hard to believe it's been on that long!).

And on Thursday, of course, is the two hour premiere of Grey's... i'm hoping that the pregnancy of that nurse was indeed a false alarm and/or dropped concept that wasn't meant to be released as TPTB claimed.

Anyways, have to get ready for my interview! i might be working at KREX soon.

the Fringe Pilot

i just got finished watching the Pilot for Fringe, and all i can say is wow, just wow. The beginning was kind of gory and gross out, and i had to admit that i was thinking not another plane, but the show is very good. It's darker than Lost, and the entire time i wasn't sure who to trust really (i'm still not sure), but i wasn't expecting the twist at the end. The humor was extremely well done and the FBI bits seemed fair and balanced (lol): i'm looking forward to seeing more.