Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

I, like millions of other people across the globe, went to see this movie at midnight.  The girls on my floor in David John decided to go see it together, and we bought tickets a month in advance.  On November 18th, in preparation for the big event, a couple of the girls headed over to the movie theater at NOON to stake out the very first spot in the line.  We wanted the first choice of seats in our theater.

I went over around seven that evening.  All day I had been dressed as Hermione, complete with wild hair, red and gold striped tie, and a time-turner!  I think there were more people dressed up in costumes than in normal clothes, come to think of it.

All in all, I was extremely pleased with the movie.  More than pleased - I thought it was the best one in the series and very well done.  In most of the previous movies (excluding the first two), I hated Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe.  I did not think they had any acting skills and did not understand their characters at all.  But my opinion of both of them turned around almost completely with this movie.  Rupert Grint still outshone them both, but not by nearly as much as before.

The mood of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was very effectively captured onscreen.  Every actor seemed to be giving their best, and I could just sort of feel that this was, indeed, the beginning of the end.  There was an urgent, frantic, tense feeling to every line said and every scene.

I reread the seventh Harry Potter book a couple of months ago.  As the movie progressed, I ran through everything I remembered about the plot and the scenes in the book, checking them off in my head and trying to remember if anything had been left out.  To my great surprise and satisfaction, relatively little was left out.  Of course not every little detail was kept in, but all the vital information from the books stayed in the movie and even much of the dialogue was modeled after that of the book.  Even the chronology and sequence was the same as far as I could tell.  This was probably the very best part of the movie, was knowing that it was faithful to the book.

I also enjoyed some of the symbolism infused into the movie.  Many elements of the costumes and scenery of the Death Eaters and Ministry workers resembled those of Nazis, with red armbands and pamphlets about Muggles being menaces to society.  I enjoyed this because I have always associated Voldemort with Adolf Hitler.  Harry Potter as a whole contains many similarities to the struggles of the Allies against Nazi Germany.

There was one controversial scene which I am still unsure about.  SPOILER ALERT (don't read past this point unless you've seen the movie already or read the book).  Harry and Hermione briefly appear topless.  This, of course, is not exactly found in the book.  However, I can say I can see how it was sort of justified.  It happens when Ron is about to destroy the locket and he sees an apparition of Harry and Hermione telling him he's worthless, that Harry's far better.  Of course he is jealous and has had his doubts before of Hermione's feelings for him, so I suppose it made some sense to the screenwriter to let Harry and Hermione be topless and engage in some kissing.  I don't condone it, but I understand it.  You do NOT actually see any straight-on nudity; there is mist rising from the ground, too, so really all the important parts are covered.  But you do get the idea that they Hermione is definitely not wearing a shirt.  This lasts for a few seconds, then Ron destroys the Horcrux and all is well again.

I think something like this is not easily dismissed as okay, but it was also one of those scenes where I knew it would be over within a matter of seconds and we didn't see anything really bad.  I would have felt silly to walk out of the theater.  So I stayed, and personally I do not regret that at all.  But this is certainly a personal decision and not a definitive line.

Once again, I loved this movie and thought it was well worth the money spent and the anticipation.  I want to see it plenty more times and I've been telling anyone who hasn't seen it yet to go and buy a ticket.

Kelsey at That Mormon Girl.

Scarves, Scarves, and More Scarves

Okay, I admit, I probably have too many scarves.  I have thirteen, to be exact.  And yes, that's probably overkill.  But scarves are some of my favorite winter accessories.  They are simple, warm ways of making statements.

You can go solid, or sparkly, or knitted, or sequined, or striped, or patterned, or floral, or abstract.  They are as varied as girls' shirt styles.  Plus they keep you nice and warm!

Pair one with a white V-neck shirt and jeans, or add a nice touch to a pretty dress.

Scarves are totally underrated!  Don't take them for granted!

Kelsey at That Mormon Girl

Catching Up to the RMs

In Relief Society yesterday we had a talk about developing ourselves and our abilities, and working to keep up with the experiences that guys our age will be having over the next couple of years while they embark on missions.

I had never thought about it that way - but it's so true.  These guys are about to go out into different parts of the world and mature SO MUCH.  They will experience different cultures and will have many chances to strengthen their testimonies and spirituality.  Meanwhile, most of us girls will remain here at BYU and will be going about our normal lives.  So how can we keep up with the guys?

Here are some ideas we came up with:

• Share the Gospel when you have the chance.  This is harder on the BYU campus, but it's important to remember that sharing the Gospel is more than telling people about the Book of Mormon.  It's also just being an example to others, even other members of the Church.  It's helping others on their way when you can see they need/want help with certain principles and commandments.
• Prepare to be a good mother/homemaker.  You can bet a mission prepares young men for fatherhood and for marriage - so you should prepare yourself for your own future roles as a mother/wife/homemaker.  Do this by practicing skills like cooking, laundry, sewing, etc.  Also, though, take every chance you get to be more nurturing, more loving.
• Be active in the Gospel.  The boys are devoting two full years of their life (24-7, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year) to Christ and His Gospel.  You can do your part by magnifying your calling, attending meetings (especially Sacrament but not forgetting the other meetings), and studying the scriptures and praying regularly.  Develop your testimony.
• Pursue your education.  While they're out there getting an education of a different sort, you can focus on bettering your grades, expanding your knowledge through challenging classes, and looking for unique opportunities to learn all about the world around you and the people who inhabit it.

Just some ideas!

>>Kelsey at That Mormon Girl

Ugly Sweater Day

Just a few days ago National Ugly Sweater day happened.

Here on the BYU campus, not a ton of people participated, but there were definitely some ugly sweaters.

The great thing about ugly sweaters is that some of them are somehow really adorable in their ugliness!  And some of them are just so monstrous that it's funny.  I personally have a favorite ugly sweater - it's from a marketplace in Lima, Peru.  That's part of why I love it, I guess.  But I also have to admit that I find it kind of cute, even with its bright, clashing stripes.  It makes me look and feel like a nerd; in fact, I wore it as a key component of my Halloween "Nerd" ensemble.

A couple of pictures of my beautifully ugly sweater:

Moral of the story:  throw on a solid-colored T-shirt under an ugly sweat like mine, and voila!  You've got a whole "stylish nerd" vibe going.  If it's sort of frumpy, just be sure to wear skinny jeans or a belt with it to distract from the shapelessness.

Love you all,
Kelsey at That Mormon Girl

Makes Me Mad

Okay, so here's my problem:

As freshman girls at BYU, we're warned to stay away from RMs - at least until we're ready for some super serious relationships.  Because a lot of them are looking for someone to marry.  As soon as possible.  And that's kind of scary.  And dating an RM is sort of like...a taboo, I guess.  It's got a stigma attached.

But the guys our age are getting ready for their missions.  Which is fine and dandy and I fully support it.  I do NOT, however, support their ideas that a full six months before leaving or even getting their calls they have to cease all forms of dating.

Where does that leave us???

There IS such a thing as having fun.  Casual dating.  Starting a relationship with an end in mind.  I don't think there's anything wrong with that.  At all.

How To Capture His Heart

Certainly this is not an all-inclusive guide to getting the perfect guy.  These are simply what I've found in my life to be effective methods in getting the right kinds of guys to become more interested in you.

1. Smile genuinely.  Don't be shy!  For most people (with very few exceptions), a smile is an automatic improvement of appearance.  It can take your attractiveness up like ten notches sometimes.
2. Know how to be happy without a boy.  Don't base your entire life on him; learn how to live for yourself and not work your schedule around his.
3. Take care of yourself.  You don't have to dress up every single day of the week.  You don't have to have perfect skin.  Just do the basics - wash your hair regularly, shower, wear deodorant so you don't smell, eat healthy, and get some exercise.  Wear clean clothes.  People who take basic care of themselves are much more attractive.
4. Show interest in him.  Don't talk about yourself all the time, even if it is one of your favorite subjects.  Remember the things he tells you and ask about the different things going on in his life.
5. Be an all-around good person.  You should do this even if you're not trying to get a guy to fall for you, really.  But treat others with respect.  Be kind.  Even when he's not watching.  Word will get around.
6. Stop flirting with everyone you see.  It's okay to flirt a little with a couple of different guys, but don't go overboard or you'll give THE guy the wrong idea.  He might think you are just leading him on, or that you're covering your bases so if one falls through you'll have a fall-back option.  He might start to back off!  Show him that although you may like to have fun with boys in general, HE'S the one you're most interested in.
7. Be yourself.  You want him to fall for YOU.  And maybe being yourself might end up driving him away, but that will be best in the end because who wants her boy to fall in love with some fake personality?  Be yourself, and the ones who care about you will remain while the ones who are wrong for you will be weeded out.

Good luck with the guys!

Kelsey at TMG

Sense and Sensibility

Looking for a chick-flick?  Looking for a clean romantic comedy?  Looking for a happy ending?

Look no further!!

Sense and Sensibility is a fantastic movie based on the novel by Jane Austen.  I have never read the book, to be honest, but I imagine if it's anything like and Pride and Prejudice it's just great.  Jane Austen's stories are timeless - though they take place long, long ago.  The women are easy to relate to.

In this movie, two sisters have been left with nothing after their father dies because their half-brother has inherited it all.  They have no hopes for marriage, as they have no money, and they must leave their home to make room for their half-brother's family.

But soon love interests enter into each sister's life, and they embark on roller-coaster romances.

I won't give anything away, but I will say that this movie is worth watching.  Have a girls' night in, paint your nails, eat some chocolate, and pop in Sense and Sensibility.

>>Kelsey at TMG