The Crimes of Grindelwald: A Review

If you've seen the Fantastic Beasts movies (or even just one), I can charge you with a task that you'll understand to be impossible: try not to love Newt Scamander. Try for a moment ... I'll wait here. See? Impossible! If you have not yet seen Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (in case you didn't know, there are many), I would advise you to see it immediately if I weren't just now experiencing great depression from finishing it. Yes, as critics say, the movie really did feel like a transition, but it's a brilliant one; and although it does have its faults, so does every other movie ever filmed. Although it's much darker than its predecessor, it still contains quite a few funny parts. It has the great lines, the captivating storytelling (which resulted in me ignoring the need to use the restroom and hardly even glancing away from the screen until the end credits), and the magic of the first Fantastic Beasts, and the Harry Potter series. Eddie Redmayne, returning as our protagonist (and best friend in the realms of our imagination) Newt Scamander, Jude Law as Dumbledore (and he plays the role spot-on), Johny Depp as Grindelwald (who, as the title of the film suggests, doesn't exactly sit around twiddling his thumbs in a high-security MACUSA jail cell for the duration of the movie), and Zoe Kravitts as Leta Lestrange (who is frankly quite complicated, and I won't go into her character to avoid spoiling anything) are all, well, fantastic (for lack of a better word), in their roles, and so is literally everyone else, which is why I don't mention more actors and actresses by name. I can't say in good faith that you won't be disappointed, because I am disappointed myself, but really just because of the two-year wait ahead of us - thank goodness for Star Wars: Episode IX and an X-Men movie that may prove promising to tide me over!

Vote, America!

Tomorrow, if you're eligible, get out there and vote. Vote because you want positive change. Vote because your vote really does matter. Vote because it's your civic duty, too. Vote because you can (and some of us can't). Vote because there's some social issue you care about, an issue that you feel is being ignored. Just vote. 

A Plea to West Virginians

Please refrain from voting for Joe Manchin. Period.

Fun Fact

Did you know that no species of bat is blind? At least, according to Wikipedia, many have poor vision, but none are completely blind. Toss that simile out the window, then (and make up your own).

Fun Fact

Did you know that one particular star cluster, the Eagle Nebula, is known as M16? That could be a code: "Agent Bond, report to Eagle Nebula HQ." Maybe not, huh?

The Psychological Reasons Why People Are Still Going to See Mission: Impossible Movies

A great slogan for the current state of the Mission: Impossible franchise: "We keep hoping they'll get better." The thing is, people are drawn to pulse-pounding action films, even if the plots are empty. I can't make that judgement call in this case, because I've only seen the original Mission: Impossible movie (and liked it), but it's a truth. We love eye-popping special effects, even if there's not really a compelling story accompanying them. Even though at this point, it should be called Mission: It Seems Impossible That Ethan Hunt Hasn't Retired Yet, the movies still get mostly good reviews overall and earn decent money in the box office. The filmmakers spend so much on the special effects, though, I'm not even sure if they've been breaking even with the latest M:I movies. Arguably, though, another psychological reason why people are still going to see Mission: Impossible movies is Tom Cruise. Still, though, when I think Tom Cruise, I don't really think hanging onto speeding jets or maneuvering through laser mazes. Nope - for me, "Danger Zone" just starts playing in my head. 

End of Summer

Summer's ending ... "And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong / After the boys of summer have gone." By the way, the Eagles are on tour (RIP, Glenn Frey). If you like the Don Henley song "The Boys of Summer" (the one I just quoted), be ready to hear it on the radio several dozen times in the next few weeks, especially if you're a Californian (it's a favorite of California DJs in mid-to-late August). Also, if you haven't gone back-to-school shopping yet, be ready to maneuver crowded stores. I know, I know, nobody wants to go back-to-school shopping right when they just got off school for the summer, but shopping for school clothes and supplies is generally an easier experience then (back-to-school sales often have started then). Tip: If you have kids who might hit a growth spurt, buy clothes a couple sizes bigger than their current size if you follow the June shopping suggestion above. Anyway .... "I can see you / your brown skin shining in the sun..." By the way, I went to Arizona on vacation last month, and actually saw a guy standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona (I'll bet you can guess the relevance, based on my earlier mentions of The Eagles: "Take It Easy," right?). 

When the newest season of a TV show is supposed to be coming to Netflix in August, but then it turns out the date is August 24th, you've got a pretty frustrated little brother.

Fake Headline of the Day: Ryan Zinke Improves Economy

Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Department of the Interior, when asked about his position on wildlife conservation, said: "Sure, we're endangering the environment by opening up half the ocean [needlessly] for drilling for oil, and, among other things, greatly increasing the risk for oil spills in the process, but hey, at least we're improving the [already stable] economy."

NOTE: This is a fake headline (created by me and [partially] untrue), not the news. Zinke was not really quoted as saying this, and "opening up half the ocean for drilling for oil" is an exaggeration (although recently, the Department of the Interior announced that millions of acres, as of August 15th, are being opened for oil drilling).

Apparently, now that Trump's saying he believes US intelligence, everything's okay now. #willtherealpresidentpleasestand

Will the real president please stand? The one who won't just go along with everything Putin says, and even believe him over the FBI about meddling? #willtherealpresidentpleasestand #makeamericanotembarrassingagain 

More Embarrassment (Only Worse Than Ever)

When even a Fox News opinion article expresses disappointment with something (or, in this case, many things) that Trump says, you know it's bad (see "Putin eats Trump's lunch in Helsinki -- This is no way to win against Russia"). I won't even go into it - look it up and see for yourself. If you're American, this will probably depress/shock you. If you're not, you'll probably just end up feeling bad for us Americans.

What's Wrong with the "Zero Tolerance" Immigration Policy

Everything. Thousands of children are being detained, separated from their parents because they crossed the US-Mexico border illegally. Does that sit right? Laura Bush even compared it to the Japanese-American internment during World War II. A CNN article describes one story of how one family from Guatemala was constantly threatened by gangs because they had a lot of money (for Guatemala, at least). The mother in the family and her 10-month-old son crossed the border on May 1st, before the "zero tolerance" immigration policy was passed. They were detained for a week, but then released. When her husband and 7-year-old daughter left on May 8th, both were detained. The 7-year-old soon began complaining of tooth pain, but the workers at the detainment center in Michigan only spoke English. Her mother, a nurse, tried to explain that she could help her daughter, but nobody would listen. When they were reunited, days later, her mother said, "The laws here are harsh. And people don't have hearts ... People dream of coming here, to save their lives, but I don't what[sic] them to experience what I've gone through" (CNN). If you're American, vote for those who defend families separated at the border in your elections, and then maybe we can actually get somewhere in changing things. 

Hummingbird Observance

Outside the window of my church building a few weeks ago, there was a cup-shaped nest on a bush with two eggs and a hummingbird who regularly sat on them. The next Sunday, the eggs were hatched, and there were two tiny baby hummingbirds inside. Me and my two Sunday school classmates named the mother Holly, and the babies Sally and Ruby (assuming they were female).  We observed them in the classroom for maybe two or three weeks, but then last Sunday, the nest looked like it'd been ripped open! From what I've read, hummingbirds leave the nest after about three weeks, but I didn't think they burst it open. I hope no animals got at the hummingbirds.

Stress Relief for Everyone

1. Just breathe slowly. Relax.

2. Learn meditation and yoga techniques. There are lots of places to find them.

3. Get quiet time. Even if you're busy, try to take at least 5 minutes to meditate, do yoga, just breathe, or maybe read a book or something.

4. Figure out the source of your stress. Is it your job? Your family? School?

5. Whatever is stressing you out, just try to figure out ways to make it less stressful. If you're struggling with completing school assignments, for example, try to start on them as soon as possible after they're assigned so you can start working on them long before the due date. 

How to Lose Weight

My answer: Don't worry about it! It can be very unhealthy to stress too much over your weight. But on the other hand, if you want to lose just a few pounds and be healthier overall, you can cut back a little bit on junk food. Now, I'm not saying to start a strictly salads-only diet (that might not be healthy for your happiness, especially if you don't like salad), but if McDonalds is your lunch every single day, that probably isn't good for your health. But don't get too crazy about a diet: everybody needs their junk! 

Solo - A Review

Anyway, as I mentioned in my last post, I saw Solo this morning! It was great. Alden Ehrenreich pulled off an excellent Han Solo, and all the other actors alongside him were also excellent (we're looking at you, Woody Harrelson [as Tobias Beckett] and whoever played Qi'ra): there wasn't any character or poor performance that made me think "Wow, that character is annoying/completely unnecessary." The storyline was compelling, and it was full of surprises. Lawrence Kasdan's screenwriting awesomeness has not dulled overtime! In fact, Solo is so good that I'm on the fence as to whether it or Rogue One is better (and I loved Rogue One). I guess you learn something new about yourself every day: I learned that my liking of Han Solo wasn't 100% Harrison Ford (although it partially is). I'll give a rundown (spoiler-free) of what happens, but you can stop reading now if you want to see it without knowing anything about it. Solo follows Han's adventures before he ever meets Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker (and finishes off with room for a sequel), cataloguing a young Han, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian and his closest companion (the droid L3-37, who's got attitude), Han's friend-maybe-more-than-a-friend from his home planet of Corellia, Qi'ra, and Tobias Beckett, on a mission to obtain valuable coaxium. A definite must-see!

Angels vs Yankees (today at 4:15!) - and Solo

I don't follow baseball, but my money is on the Yankees. But if I followed baseball, I'd support the Angels, even if I thought they wouldn't win. I don't even know which team has a better record, honestly, so I guess I'm just rambling on now. There are a bunch of other games today, too. The Cubs vs some team or other, and the Indians vs the whatever-their-name-is. If you like watching baseball, this is a great day to do it. Me, though, I like watching Star Wars better. I saw Solo this morning. I'll post my thoughts in the next post!

Weird Weather

What is up with the weather over the past week or so in SoCal? It's crazy cold for May! I mean, I actually smelled somebody having a fire in their fireplace the other day (and on most Memorial Day weekends, you're way more likely to smell a barbecue). Well, I guess most people from colder climates would find it even weirder that it usually gets so hot over the summer here. I kind of like this weather, though (it is interesting, given that it's May). 

On My Previous Post

My previous post shows the time (in the Pacific Time Zone, uses Daylight Savings). I hope you appreciate it.

This and my previous post are part of my new blog series answering some of the most frequently asked questions on Google.

What is My IP? How to Learn Your IP Address: All You Need is Google

Fun fact: If you'd like to know your IP address, just searching "what is my ip" or "what is my IP address" on Google will make it show up at the top of your search results. I'm not sure if it's completely accurate, but it's probably close! And just in case you don't know, an IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique combination of numbers that signifies your location (Wikipedia) on the Internet, and that's how computers get messages to the right place.

This is the first post in a new series of posts answering some of the most commonly searched questions on Google.

Yanny or Laurel

Okay, so there's this audio recording where some people hear. the word "laurel" and other people hear "yanny." My mom and my little brother hear "laurel," but my dad, my older brother, and me hear "yanny." How crazy is that? #yannyorlaurel #whichdoyouhear #mindblown 

Great Restaurants with Vegan Options in SoCal

This is different from my best vegan restaurants list in that this one focuses on Southern California and doesn't include all-vegan restaurants: it only features places with vegan options. All right, here's my list:

MOD Pizza

Nice place to stop by for vegans and non-vegans. It's basically a Pieology (no fee for toppings and they make it quickly) that offers vegan cheese (on request, though - they keep it in a different place, so you have to ask). Try the marionberry lemonade. It's sugary (so maybe half it with water), but it's really good and it seems that they only have it at MOD.

Tacos Cancun

This place is down in Huntington Beach, and it's honestly way overpriced. However, it makes this list for a few reasons: it offers fried ice cream (with cinnamon-y fried tortilla) and horchata (an excellent traditional Mexican drink derived from rice), and they do offer vegan chicken on their nachos (but I think it's extra money).

The Donuttery

OK, not exactly a restaurant, but the Donuttery (also in Huntington Beach) offers several different flavors of vegan donuts. Notice: the vegan apple fritters are extra money and don't come in the dozen, but they are definitely worth it. Also, the Donuttery has great cake donuts with chocolate frosting and peanuts, blueberry, and seasonal pumpkin donuts (they're great). 

The Best Vegan Restaurants in the U.S.

Next Level Burger

This is a small chain found across the West Coast (mostly in Oregon and Washington, though, there's only 1 in California), and in Brooklyn, that is pretty much a McDonalds for vegans. They've got burgers, fries, and milkshakes (try the PB cup one, it's amazing). I just wish I lived near one...

Cornbread Cafe

This joint is not a chain - it's only in Eugene, Oregon - but it's more than worth a stop if you're driving up the West Coast! It serves Southern comfort food (in Oregon? Who knew?) like mashed potatoes and gravy, and cornbread (naturally). Also, they've got a signature sandwich, titled "The Eugenewich."

DJ's Vinyl Vegan

This is a food truck up in Astoria (also Oregon). It makes this list mostly because they have AMAZING "Phish and Chips" with tartar sauce.

Ethos

This is a great restaurant in Orlando (finally, we're out of the West Coast!) that serves personal ice cream sundaes - and that's just one of the many, many items on their menu! If you're hitting up Orlando, see my suggestions of how to spend your time there.

***UPDATE: Since creating this list, I've taken a big trip around the country and can now include several more places not on the West Coast. Here they are.***

The Chicago Diner

So glorious... Chicago might be a big city, but it's probably not where the average vegan would expect to find the best food. Nevertheless, here it is. My family of five ate well and shared a few enormous, magnificent milkshakes for under $100 (not counting the tip, though, because we had to tip well for food that good). For those of you who aren't longtime vegans, who think this is a bit of a steep price, know that all vegan places cost a lot and often charge more than this for food that isn't nearly as good. If you're there, I'd recommend the seitan steak - it's really good and a huge portion size.

Fare Well

My strongest memory of our time in D.C. is that it was over 100 degrees and horridly humid. The time we spent outside walking between museums made me wonder if anyone would be able to carry me if I collapsed right there in the street, and my mom and brothers ended up really sick from the heat. However, this restaurant was so good that we ate there twice and ordered the same thing both times. The "breakfast special" was a great deal and also happened to taste awesome: tofu scramble, sausage, and pancakes. We cut up the sausage and mixed it in with the tofu, and upon tasting it we knew we'd never look at the world the same way again.

Veggie Galaxy

This little gem in Cambridge made me want to go to Harvard or MIT. Okay, not really, but I liked Harvard anyway and this clinched it. I had the stuffed French toast (which was great), but I wanted to come back and sample the whole menu. They were out of fried mozzarella sticks when we went, but the fried mac and cheese balls (I think that's what they were) we got as a replacement were so, so good. And the little clipping on the wall when you walk in that shows it was referenced in an X-Men comic had my not-so-dormant inner geek jumping for joy.

Honorable Mentions:

There's a nice food truck with decent vegan sausage up in Eugene (although for the life of me I can't remember its name), and there are some nice places in SoCal like Veggie Grill. And while I couldn't give this a full position on the list because it's mostly NOT vegan, The American Dream in Huntington Beach has THE best Impossible Burger around. It's expensive (somewhere in the ballpark of $16 per burger, if I remember correctly), but so good and so worth it as a rare treat. Also, when traveling and desperate for real food beyond the French fries you keep grabbing ever so often, few things beat a bowl piled with veggies and guac at the nearest Mexican restaurant. Just check for lard, won't you?

5 Things to Do in Orlando, Florida

1. Go to Universal Studios Orlando.

I've been to Orlando twice, but never to Disney World (maybe because I'm a Californian, and we've got Disneyland?). Both times, though, I hit up Universal Studios Orlando. It's way bigger and has got way more rides than Universal Hollywood (although it hasn't got the backlot tour), and if you're a Harry Potter fan, you could spend a full day just exploring Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, and riding the Hogwarts Express.

2. Eat at Ethos.

It's not exactly cheap, but it is amazing. Ethos is a vegan restaurant, but even steadfast carnivores might enjoy it. See my list of top vegan restaurants.

3. Go canoeing - if you're not afraid of alligators :).

My family did this, and we actually saw an alligator!!! Unfortunately, we are afraid of alligators, and so our trip got a little bogged down (pun intended) by that experience.

4. Stop at Panama City on your way to Orlando.

Not Panama City, Panama - Panama City, Florida. It's the beach! Again, definitely not cheap, but great. The sand is so white there! I'd highly recommend the Holiday Inn at Panama City Beach. The first floor leads right out to the beach, and there's a great pool with dive-in movies, and a neat splash pad. The rooms are nice, too, and with a great view.

5. Go to Disney World.

Especially if you're not from Southern California. If you are and have been to Disneyland, maybe try Epcot? I've never been there, but it's probably less like Disneyland than the Magic Kingdom.

Hope you enjoyed these tips (NOTE: #3 is partially a joke - our canoe ride was actually quite fun, despite the alligator, and it didn't hurt us - you should try canoeing in Florida, but I'd get out if I were you if you see an alligator)! 

What's Wrong With the Federal Budget

The budget cuts billions of dollars from many government agencies, especially the Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. That's a problem because the EPA helps create legislation involving cleaner air, cleaner water (there are even water contamination problems in the U.S: see this county in Kentucky), and wilderness conservation. Also, 18 billion dollars have been allotted for Trump's wall. Is that where all the EPA money went? 

Do you know how tired I am of hearing that the student activists from Parkland are being manipulated and used by the "liberal media"? I consider this an insult to youth everywhere. They wouldn't be saying that about adults! Also, the legal term "minor" ought to be switched as it has negative connotations ("minor" also means "insignificant"). 

Kemp for Governor! Yeah, Right...

This is a real campaign commercial for the midterms in Georgia! I'm not kidding you, this guy is running for governor - my aunt saw the commercial on TV! Look and see for yourself if you don't believe me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q1cfjh6VfE

X-Men

I just finished watching the X-Men movies (well, the ones part of the main plot: the first one, X2, Last Stand, First Class, Days of Future Past, and Apocalypse), and now word is that another one's slated to come out next February! Now I've got (at least) four movies to look forward to over the next two years: Solo in May, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in November, X-Men: Dark Phoenix next February, and Star Wars: Episode IX! I don't think the "Golden Age" of film has ended, to be honest, but I'm a total geek (maybe this is the Nerd Age of film).

The Worst Movies Based on Books

This list might end up being longer...Anyway, here are some that, well, leave something to be desired. A lot, in many cases. Note: not necessarily in this order, either ...

A Cry in the Wild

It's just boring. Period. The book (Hatchet) is much better. If the movie were to win an award, it should be for the least human actors in a movie: it's pretty much only the main kid (who's stranded in a plane crash), his parents, and the pilot of the plane.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

This one was boring, too. The book was pretty good, though. It just goes to show that some books should be left in their wonderful, book form...

A Wrinkle in Time (2003 TV version)

This one honestly wasn't so bad, but it really bugged me that Meg (the main character) seemed pretty ordinary. It was hard to see why she didn't fit in. In the book, she's got glasses, braces, awkwardness, intelligence...the whole deal. This movie Meg is smart, but not really smart. There's a part where she corrects her science teacher when he's talking about the brain, but from that you'd probably just assume that she was or had once been interested in the subject and looked it up. If you want an excellent cinematic Meg, look to Storm Reid in the new Wrinkle in Time movie. It's a real shame that Madeleine L'Engle (author of A Wrinkle in Time) didn't live to see that one, instead having to settle with the TV version. I was confused when reading IMDB reviews for the 2003 one, because people were saying things like "WHY, Disney?" and I didn't think it was Disney. But, lo and behold, it was. It's a good thing they made up for it with the new one.

The Lightning Thief

Why do they always take books with preteen characters and age them up 4 years or so? Is it just to add a love story? I mean, I really wish there were more characters that age in cinema.

The Giver

Big departure from the book - and same problem as The Lightning Thief.

Holes

I don't remember the movie very well, but it has the same problem as The Lightning Thief and The Giver.

Just to let you know, I'm not saying to not watch these movies. I'm just saying to not expect too much. If you set your expectations low, then you might actually end up somewhat satisfied with how you spent your two hours or so.

The Best Movies Based on Books

Movies based on books can rarely compare with their literary counterparts, but this is a list of some that are actually really good. These are ones that manage to capture the essence of the novels they're based on and follow them relatively well. Note: not necessarily in this order.

Bridge to Terabithia

I haven't seen this one in a while, but it's a very good movie that utilizes visual capabilities to really bring the book to life. 

Harry Potter movies

They took way too much out, and aren't nearly as good as the books, but the books are so good that it's really not fair to judge. They captured the most important themes in the novels (which are amazing), so they make the list (also, they've got a great cast). 

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

Notice the 2018: I'm talking about the newer one, not the TV movie from 2003. This movie honestly has much more merit than its mixed reviews imply. It's visually stunning and heartwarming. Again, there were some parts taken out, but the movie works out extremely well nonetheless.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The first one is a family classic. It brings to life all the characters in a charming way and creatively converts the novel into a sort of musical. I could go on, but you've probably seen it. The second is good in its own right, answering the question that must have kept people up at night before it hit theaters: what would Tim Burton's take on a Roald Dahl book be like? Well, here's your answer. 

The Wizard of Oz

Arguably, this one is better than the book. You've probably seen it, too, though, so I won't go on for too long about it. Interesting tidbit of information: the director was also the director of Gone with the Wind, which came out the same year! He even had to take some time off for exhaustion. And you thought you had a busy/exciting year...

Tell me some more in the comments! I'd put some superhero movies in, but I haven't read the comics and I'm sort of only counting novels here. See my list The Worst Movies Based on Books, to be published soon.

What's Wrong With the Wall

The wall between U.S. and Mexico - one of Donald Trump's most infamous campaign promises. But is it even really possible? The border is 1,954 miles (that's 3,145 km): a wall that long would only be rivaled in length by the Great Wall of China, which was built over hundreds of years. A price projection by the Department of Homeland Security estimated Trump's wall to end up costing roughly $21.6 billion dollars - and that's not even including maintenance, which would add astronomically to the price. The current federal budget only included $18 billion from the wall ... where would the other $3.6 billion (and more for maintenance) come from? Trump's bank account? Sure, that's a small cost in comparison to how much the federal budget amounted to in total (trillions), but Congress Democrats will doubtfully approve a cent more than they have. Reuters also says that it could take 3.5 years to build the wall, and Trump could be out of office by then. Sure, it would create thousands of jobs, but it's too much government dollars to be practical.

So, what's all this talk about splitting up California into three states? I may sound like some crazy conspiracy theorist here, but we're SURE it's not really a scheme to decrease the amount of sway Democrats hold in federal elections? California holds more electoral votes than any other state due to its population, and has also gone Democratic in every presidential election since 1992. The states would be divided in such a way that much of rural California, the Inland Empire, and Orange County would constitute its own state and be the 4th most populous state in the U.S: larger than the other two proposed states. A quick glance at a California political map by county would reveal that rural California, the Inland Empire, and Orange County generally lean Republican. Possibly an attempt to give those areas more sway? I know, I sound a little crazy. Tim Draper (a billionaire who claims to have collected over 600,000 signatures for getting this proposal on the 2018 ballot) has been trying to get California divided into several states for several years now...

New Blog

I will now be posting book and writing-related things on my new blog, Inkling! However, I will continue to post here about non-literary topics. You can check out my new blog at wannabeinkling.blogspot.com!

We Need Change Now

Another school shooting has happened in Parkland, Florida. 17 people were killed (and the numbers are only going up) and over 30 more injured, but sitting and doing nothing won't change anything. When will this senseless violence end if we don't act? We need change now, and that means doing more than we're doing now. It means doing more than our government is doing now. It means doing more to prevent someone from being able to walk into a school with a gun. It means that more people need to stand up and speak their minds, like Emma Gonzalez did the other day. No matter how young or old you are, the call for change is one that anyone can shout, even though many refuse to hear it. You may not agree with me about gun control, but this isn't only about gun control. It's about speaking out, to "be the change you wish to see in the world," as Gandhi said. Another wise person said, "The pen is mightier than the sword." You could also say that words are mightier than the gun, and you would be right as well. For those of you who have already started doing something, I congratulate you. For those of you who haven't, please do now. A million small shouts can make a deafening noise. #neveragain