The End of An Era and Growing Up

Hello everyone!

I'm back! Yeah, it's been a while, but university sort of caught up with me and took up all my time. Oh! Did I mention I also work at Ryman Stationery (not to be mistaken for stationAry). Yeah so work and uni took up all my time and I have not had a single day to myself since the second semester started. But now I'm back! Why?

BECAUSE I'M FINALLY FREE! NO MORE ASSIGNMENTS, NO MORE LECTURES! NO MORE UNI!!!! 

Yes that's right, I'm no longer a university student, and now a fully fledged adult...I say that with no small amount of terror...

Ok, so I'm not completely independent. I still live with my parents, I don't have to pay rent or a mortgage or even bills, but I no longer have to worry about studying and education and well basically schoolwork. What I have to worry about now is finding a job that suits my level of education...which will be a feat in itself...well at least for now I have a few projects lined up, and hopefully they burst me forward in my career. Lord only knows if I succeed.

Anyway, other than that I've finally decided to learn how to cook some easy dishes to feed myself. Yes my mom still cooks meals for dinner and we a lot of leftovers because of them, but she has agreed that once I start learning dishes for myself, she'll ease up on the cooking and let me take over, when I grow a bit more confident in myself.

Now for those of you who actually know me, I've never really cooked for myself, except for breakfasts and basically smoothies and sandwiches. I've never actually had to stand at the stove and cook proper meals for myself, so it was quite daunting when I cooked yesterday my very first chicken bake. I didn't know how it would turn out or if it would taste of anything other than burnt or raw.

So here's what it looked like while I was cooking it...

And here's what it looked like when it was done...

It's a far cry from what I expected it to be...

I got the recipe on Facebook...well actually I got it from Buzzfeed. If you want to try out for yourself, the link is below.

Four Ways to Make Chicken Bake

Anyway. I had expected the cooking to go wrong somewhere, because I've never had to cook anything besides breakfast before, so it was a surreal experience to try something so new. But I managed to do it, and it was quite tasty!

Thank you Buzzfeed!

Ok, so it was easy to make, but hey! I get points for credit anyway! So when I made it, I realised, I'm actually growing up and learning how to be an adult...oh god! I'm an adult now! That is exciting and terrifying at the same time! Is this really what it's like to be an adult! Well, I can't complain, I've got a few more decades to live it through, so hopefully the fates look kindly down on me and don't give me such a hard time!

Well, let me know what you think! Have you ever had that feeling before, when was your first experience at cooking, what was it like? What are your stories? I'd actually like to know.

As always, do with this post what you will! This is FeatherCharm, signing out! God Bless!

Let's Call Him Einstein

Well, this is the very first video of our new gaming channel with a few friends of mine! Hope y'all like it!

Crazy Times And Needs For Free Time

Well, let's start with saying hi guys! It's been real crazy for me for the past few weeks, months...basically since September! I've had to do a presentation, go on several shoots for university projects, write a full 50 pages for a screenplay and then there's my part time work (which I still need to finish training for). It's been really hectic!

So basically I've not had the time for myself anymore! To say the least I actually miss last year. I had more time to myself and I could actually take my time to do my work. Now I have to make sure I have everything done in the time frame I'd set for myself! Well at least I don't need to worry about shooting for my own project, that was done last week. Honestly I am so glad I don't have to worry about my shoot anymore, it's such a relief! I mean, for the weeks leading up to my shoot I was so hell-bent to making sure everything was ready and organised and I am so grateful that my cousin was standing by! If she weren't there I don't know what I would have done.

You see, I've had to work with one particular student who doesn't have the initiative to be active on set. Now the reason I say this is because he's a transfer student and he hasn't actually worked in film proper before. So it's understandable he doesn't know. However, I noticed something that has worsened my opinion of him even more. Over the course of the semester, I've tried to make sure he has everything he needs for his own project, just so he can have something noteworthy, but every time I tried to confront him about it, he'd brush me off. Don't worry, I've let my personal tutor know, and it's not just me who thinks he's (for lack of a better word) a "slacker". Not to mention, the way he speaks to me and some of my peers is rather undermining, and does peeve me off. I mean, my peers and I have done this film course for the past two years, and he'd only just transferred because he thought it would be a good idea (he did a multimedia course before this one). Basically, this is what happened:

It was the night before his film shoot for his project, and I'd asked if he needed any documents printed off, and he simply asked for actors release forms. After that I asked if he needed any other documents printed off. Now at this point, I should tell you, we didn't need to hand in any documents for the assignment, but in any job or any project you do need to have the paperwork, just in case! So when he told me he had nothing since we didn't need to hand in any paperwork, I told him it was up to him, but that it would have been very handy, in terms of organisation. After that he told me to print off what I could, what I thought he needed, and I was rather confused. I had expected for him to have it all filled out, for himself, but he expected me to fill out his documents for him and because it wasn't my shoot, it wasn't MY responsibility. I told him so and hoped he'd actually have some way of making up the documents himself, but he didn't have his laptop with him, since he had to stay over at his location over night to secure it. (Now as an aspiring filmmaker, and one that has had some experience in filmmaking this made me roll my eyes - YOU NEVER LEAVE ANYWHERE, ESPECIALLY FOR A SHOOT WITHOUT YOUR LAPTOP! It just does not happen!) So he had no documents at all and I was trying to convince him to find a way to make them happen, but his reply, his backhanded and oh-so-not-classy reply was "just get some sleep"! EXCUSE ME! ARE YOU MY MOTHER! DO YOU HAVE ANY AUTHORITY TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO! I don't think so! If someone tells you, you were unprepared for your shoot then DON'T BLAME ME (I was his PA - Production Assistant). I warned you, I tried to tell you! IT'S NOT MY FAULT IF SOMEONE CALLS YOU OUT!

Anyway, on the day of his shoot, we arrived, with all the equipment in tow. Ok, so here's the deal, his crew and I were meant to meet at the university to pick up the equipment and travel together to the location. When I got to the uni, I discovered that he'd been there earlier, to pick up the actors, and it wasn't too far off from when I had to come in and pick up the equipment. His DoP (another female and pretty much my first mate in all this) tried to convince him to wait and stay to help with the equipment, since he was going to take a ride, but he shrugged her off and left! If I were him, I would have stayed, put the equipment in the boot and go to the location with everyone! Or if not, just take the equipment and the crew could travel light! But no, he left without any thought for his crew and we had to drag the equipment onto the train!

Now comes the shoot itself! When we got there, he was already filming, he had a camera for himself and when we set up the second camera, his DoP was made in charge of that camera. I didn't think this was fair on her. She just had to stand there, with the camera while he did everything else! I wanted to slap some sense into him. THE DIRECTOR NEVER TOUCHES THE CAMERA! It just does not happen! It's why they have a Director of Photography! He should have trusted her to do her job, but does he listen? NOPE! Instead, he takes his camera and does every shot that his DoP should have been responsible for. PLUS HE ASKED HIS ACTOR TO HOLD THE CAMERA IN HIS STEAD! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF HE'D USED A TRIPOD IN HIS CASE! 

Not only that, when our sound guy asked if there was any sound check he needed to do, he would tell him it was fine...I don't know about you, but I do know this...SOUND IS IMPORTANT FOR FILMS! If the sound is bad, then the production itself will suffer, because it means that the director nor the crew put any thought into making the actors sound good. It doesn't matter if they look good. If they don't sound good at all then what's the point in having a movie? Yeah ok, silent films, blah, blah, blah...but if the movie is not designed for silent film, then yes sound is very important.

Here comes my point. I was his PA as I said before, and his script supervisor (I make sure there is some continuity), I did my best to make sure everything is according to the script, but when I saw a few potentials for better shots or for certain movements, and suggested them to him, he did not take one single suggestion. He'd brush me off like I was a fly and I felt very much like it. I couldn't stand it. I really just wanted to up and leave. I didn't care if it looked bad, I really should have left halfway through, because there was no way I was going to take anymore of it. However, here comes my OCD. I always finish what I start. Plus it was bad manners. So there was no help for it. I stuck with it until the very end and well, I just hope he got what he wanted, although my guess is it'll be rather amateurish. Oh well it wasn't my problem.

Anyway, that's just one story, there's loads more, and I don't think I want to make such a long post just because of the grievances I have with one student. The truth of the matter is, I was going to write something or other about me not having free time, but I guess that'll wait until Christmas and this semester is over. I'm rather tired so I'll just say, thanks for putting up with this complaint. I'll see you all next time!

As always, do with this post what you will, and God Bless! (And if I don't see you soon Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!)

The Green Residence - A Sims 2 House Build

Hi guys, just testing out a new feature! Didn't think it would work...basically, it's been a while since I advertised my other website. So this is the newest addition to my YouTube channel, and will be for a while yet, since uni has taken over. But this house was a real treat to make...although it destroyed my computer...Anyway, if you want to know more, then check out my website:

Feather's Charm



I'm actually quite proud of this house, it's been a while since I did such a complicated house...but you'll learn all about that when you decide to actually read over why I made this house...you can find the link here:

The Green Residence

Well, that's it for now. See you next time when I'm on a rave again. As always, do with this post what you will! This is FeatherCharm, signing out! God Bless!

Stressing Out And Spiritual Reflections

Right well, first off, I'm currently in the middle of reviewing my fourth draft for my story, in which the first five chapters are all ready and just need a few tweaking. It'll be up soon! I promise! Second, it's October (the perfect time for mystical, magical things to happen - although it's highly impossible for things to happen to me), and the LEAGUE OF LEGENDS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP tournament is playing throughout the weekend, so get ready for LEAGUE OF LEGENDS SPAMS!!!!  Third I'll be getting a job soon! Actually it's my sister's old job, so I know what sort of things she goes through...most of the time, so expect rants on customers (*secret evil chuckle*). And finally, MY LAST YEAR AT UNIVERSITY IS ALREADY UNDERWAY!!!!!

Ok, so let's start with the story. So over the last few months, I've actually gone into detail about the background of this strange world. In this first novel (Which is taking forever to complete, thanks to both my own obsessive need for sense and the fact that I like it to be perfect) we're walking in the north of the concerned world (I've even drawn a rough map!) and I'm actually creating floor plans of the palaces and homes that my characters step into. It's going to take a while to finish, but at least I know where they're going to go. Anyway, so the main thing I want to speak about for this is that I can actually compare myself to my characters...well at least the main heroines. Basically...if you haven't already guessed, there are Seven...sort of...godlike characters. Basically think of the archangels like Michael, Gabriel, etc, but they're magical. They're not warriors but more like peacekeepers.

Of course, many people think that "peacekeepers" are passive people, they tend to want everyone to love each other, and good to reign and blah, blah, blah. The Great Seven, as they're called, aren't exactly like that. I mean sure they try to stop anyone from fighting, but they know it's never going to happen, since free will means that selfish acts have to happen. However, they will do their best to stop these selfish acts for spiralling out of control. So when their "brothers" decide to take over and force people to do the things they want, they decide to fight back. And when they do get things back on track they just watch over the people that walk their worlds. Oh and because I'm trying to keep things as "scientifically" plausible as possible (like that's not a tongue twister) their worlds, like Earth, will have their natural disasters, which these beings control, if only to test their people and their faith in them. So yeah, that's my definition of "peacekeepers". The Great Seven obviously need to keep the balance. If there is no act of selfishness or evil, then no one will really know what good is. So that's what The Great Seven do to ensure their subjects remember why they try to strive for goodness.

So yeah, that's how they are, roughly, I will be putting up the full detailed background information of the novel(s) up prior to the first novel, so that you guys get a taste of what's going on before you actually read it/them. Anyway, that's what the Great Seven are, and what they do. As for the reason why I compare myself to them, it's because I've realised that I've based them on the seven virtues. They're basically the embodiments of each virtue:

• Earth - Kindness
• Water - Diligence
• Fire - Patience
• Air - Temperance
• Light - Charity
• Night - Chastity
• Fate/Destiny - Humility

I also based their trials on the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (which are explained by the Catechism of the Catholic Church):

• Earth - Knowledge
• Water - Piety
• Fire - Courage
• Air - Counsel (Right Judgement)
• Light - Understanding
• Night - Fear of God (Wonder/Awe)
• Fate/Destiny - Wisdom

Again, I'll explain the reasons for this in the background when I upload it later. As for now, you guys can debate about it amongst yourselves. So yeah, as I was researching about all this, I started comparing my own experiences and reactions to the world to these virtues and gifts, and I've noticed, I basically dip into each one, but I don't fully associate with any of them. It's rather disturbing how little I can associate with them, and I've found myself trying to better myself so that I can actually say, I'm not a bad person. I've realised, as I ponder what I need to do to be better, that it's very easy to fall into the trap of being a "bad" person. I mean sometimes, as I've probably already said, I can literally feel how fragile my body is, like I know that if one wrong moment of exposure could easily destroy my body. It's the same here with my spirituality. I can feel the knife's edge I'm balancing on. I could easily tip one way or the other, and it's rather scary how think this ledge is. Is it just me or does anyone else feel like that too? So yeah, that's the "Spiritual Reflections" part of this post (which I realise now how long it will be).

Now on to the next parts!

Warning! LEAGUE OF LEGENDS SPAM ABOUT TO START! Warning!

As I've said, the League of Legends World Championships are currently on and were' currently into our second week of the Group Stages!!! OMG! I REALLY AM LOVING THIS! I know this championship is going to be oh so woefully one sided, but hey, these people are veterans and they are good at what they do. So what's going on so far? Basically, two groups (out of the four) have two clear winners. First off, in Group A, both Flash Wolves and KOO Tigers have qualified for the Quarterfinals (here in London!) with 4-2 each. In Group C SKT T1 are the clearcut winners with 6-0, with EDG (Edward Gaming) running up at 4-2 (So far). Of course the other two groups can be easily predicted.

Right now, my predictions are, for Group D (who'll be playing tomorrow), Origen and KT Rolster will be qualifying for the Quarterfinals, and for Group B, Cloud 9 and either Invictus Gaming or Fnatic will be their qualifiers. So those are my predictions, but they can change throughout the course of the next two days, since their matches are on during the weekend. If you want to see the progress of my mentality then follow me on Twitter: Vanessa Rocha. 

Anyway, preceding the Worlds Championship...this has been long in the making, but as you all know I play League of Legends with a few of my film production buddies. Well, over the summer we've decided to actually set up a YouTube channel of our own (yes there are many who've already established their names in gaming and whatnots) but this channel will be very different. Yes we'll have VODS of our games and gameplay, but we're not going to put our film production skills to waste. We're also going to add actual short films and series (that have been made) with our filming expertise, but that's going to be way into the future, when we have a solid idea for our channel.

So yes, I have been a busy girl over the summer. THANK YOU DEPRESSION! As you all know I've had my major ups and downs during the summer, so in my need to not get so down, I've kept myself busy! It's something to help me cope. I acknowledge how down I can get, but I don't want it to ruin my life so I keep busy!

But yes. We'll be uploading our first videos soon, so look out for the new content. I'll be posting them up on my "official" website and here soon. SO WATCH OUT!!!

Back to our regular scheduled programming...

Alright so that's done, let's talk about this new job. So basically for a long time I've been trying to get a job, albeit half-heartedly, because I'm already in university, and in my last year, so I really need to start taking responsibility. Originally I was going to try to find something related to media or film, but because most of that need experience, which I woefully lack, I've resorted into trying to find whatever  job I can get. But thankfully, my sister has helped me get my foot in the door. So, some perspective. She currently works at Ryman (a stationary store here in London) and because she's gotten tired of her work, plus she's going back to uni (and her course is a bitch!), she's quitting. But because the store she works for is woefully understaffed, she's suggested me as her replacement. So...I'VE GOT A JOB!!! Granted I have to go in for an interview early tomorrow, but it's just formality because her manager really does need people to help out, so I'm guaranteed to get the job!

And finally, for the main part of this post...I am in my last year of university, it started around three weeks ago...AND I'M ALREADY FREAKING OUT!!!! I have so many assignments to complete! Ok, so here's what I have to do:

• A Script Analysis
• A Treatment for said analysis
• A Storyboard
• A Storyboard Edit (with Voiceover, SFX and Music)
• A PowerPoint Presentation about a social issue surround film representation
• A Treatment and 15 pages for my own 50minute script

And for some of them I will need to include a critical analysis...just to show my own reflection on what I did...I CAN'T DO THIS!!!

First off, the first four are for one module...You know how when you think film production, you immediately turn to "director"...well that was me before I took up this degree. I thought that maybe, if I was ambitious enough, I'd be able to call myself a director...but I am so naive! That path is definitely not for me, and this module proves it!!! I can not be a director, because I don't like the idea of having that power and responsibility! It's too much work for me! I know there are many women out there who think "No you can do this! We are women, make us proud!"...Yeah, I'm all for that...But my own personality is not the type that will withstand that pressure!

The PowerPoint Presentation is another thing I hate! I really hate standing in front of an audience and speaking! I hate it! I hate it with a passion!!! I had hoped that I wouldn't have to do it, but no! IT'S AN ACTUAL ASSIGNMENT!!!! Just kill me now!

As for the last one, I'm good with that, I actually don't mind. I'm already almost done with the treatment, and I'll be soon starting on the 15 pages. I'm glad I chose this option of the Project module. That, I'm happy about. But still, it's a lot of pressure! I've got a lot of writing, rehearsing, and socialising I need to do. I mean I have like 3 more weeks before things start to need to be handed in and it's so stressful!!! I really need to buckle down and work soon. It's going to be a lot of work!!! I HATE THIS SEMESTER!!!! SOMEONE KILL ME! ><

Anyway, that's it (sorry for the long post) and I'll see you all next time. As always, do with this post what you will! This is FeatherCharm, signing out! God Bless!