XMas Wishlist 2024

Wow, Santa: it’s been like one whole YEAR since I last contacted you; have you had a good rest during 2024 and are you ready for another epic present delivery this year? I sure hope so, since you’ve actually been ignoring me pretty badly these past several years and I’m feeling rather unloved! I’ve tried my best to be good this year (whether/not I’ve actually succeeded’s another story entirely XD) so you’d better get your act together and bring me lotsa presents! Here’s what I’m after:

(1)               Books – I’ve been a massive bookworm since learning how to read when I was four; it matters not how shamefully slowly I read now post brain injury since I’ve always loved reading and I’ll be damned before I let the cruel and unfaithful God take away my love of reading too because in His infinite cruelty, hasn’t He taken away enough already??!! >< My favourite genres are fantasy, science fiction (I’m a Trekkie! ^^) and historical fiction (currently I’m loving Philippa Gregory books), but I’m willing to give anything bar Mills and Boon a try. XD Oh, no Stephen King either, thanks. I’m a wimp, sorry… ><” XD

(2)               Teddy – all my teddies are named (although I’ll sheepishly confess to having one bear named John Doe and another named John Doe2 XD) and yes, all are loved. I’m particularly interested in getting different/exotic teddies; I’ve heard of DRAGON plushies and during the recent Black Friday sales I wanted to buy a CARTON OF MILK plushie, only he was way too expensive! Always after additions to my teddy family~

(3)               Pet – yes, poor Silver and Bronze passed away halfway through 2008 because I was unaware that goldfish are so pathetic they need a heater in their fishtank to keep them warm during Winter lest they freeze to death and I will forever be horribly guilty of their manslaughter but since they’ve been gone for more than 1.5 DECADES might I please be trusted with a live pet again?? If not, then Luke Mac Court, I’m still waiting for my pet rock from you! When you first told me about them many years ago I thought you were just pulling my leg but when I got home and Googled  ‘pet rocks’ I discovered webpages worth describing them; like, you can’t give them food/water like live pets but you can give them things like different textures to rest on! Luke, your dad did inform me that you’d at least made a start on my pet rock and painted it yellow (Minion themed; <3 the Minions!) and I understand you’re busy being a dad and all but will I EVER receive my pet rock??!! XD

(4)               Kit Kat Breakfast Cereal – my favourite unhealthy breakfast cereal’s Frosties and usually I’ll ask for a box whenever I’m composing a wishlist since I believe that every wishlist requires at least one food item but when I was grocery shopping earlier this year I saw a box of KIT KAT BREAKFAST CEREAL so somebody please get me a box; CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST surely can’t be wrong!! :D XD

(5)               Outdoors Electric Wheelchair – I need one before I can return to Hong Kong to visit all my beloved family and awesome friends since mother and I lived with her younger sister when I was last in HK and my poor dad hurt his back pushing me uphill because she lives at the top of a very steep hill but I’m not physically strong enough to wheel myself uphill with only one functioning arm.  (Such a long sentence must mean incorrect sentence structure somewhere, I’m guessing? XD) My former year eleven high school maths teacher did offer me the one his wife used to use but apparently even with that mother still claims that it’s too much for her back to haveta bend down and help me with the shoelaces … *sigh* What I’d give to return to Hong Kong … *wistful* Someone/somebodies please help; nearly more than *anything* I wanna be with all my beloved family and awesome friends again …

(6)               Boxing Day Sales – for a Christmas wishlist, may I ask please ask for a ride and not a thing? See, I’m hoping someone will stick Sparkless3 (my manual wheelchair) into their car boot and take me to the Boxing Day sales somewhere! I really miss getting to window-shop nowadays …

(7)               Minions – Ever since the Despicable Me franchise started in like 2012, I’ve been totally besotted with the yellow, jellybean-shaped, totally inept and oh-so-stupid Minions; even the youngest littlelies attending BCAC knows that Aunty Em loves the Minions! Am always after more, regardless of size, shape or form. BA-NA-NA!! XD Since Despicable Me4 premiered this year, I’m hoping that it’ll not be the end of the franchise and will be followed by Minions3 next … fingers crossed!

Hmm, only seven things I’m after but I already can’t think of anymore! Suppose I’m not overly-materialistic, then? Guess I prefer catching up with people over a meal more than getting an actual object. The only problem with that being I’ve got parents (especially mother) who tries so *desperately* to keep me socially isolated, even though she’ll say it’s dad who said I’m not allowed to ask anyone are they free to catchup over a meal. The only way I can see around this is if you ask me first. Like, after I send out my Xmas Greetings on the 11^th (haven’t penned them yet XD), how about you contact me and say sth like, haven’t seen you all year; let’s do breakfast/lunch/arvo tea/whatever together!

Oh, and as always, I reserve the right to add to this wishlist should I come across any other items that catch my fancy … XD

Next post here: well, if I’m organised, hopefully I’ll get my review of Gladiator2 up, but if I’m not, you’ll not here from me again until I compose my Xmas Greetings; it’s due out come the 11^th!

But for now: go and secure me Christmas presents! XD

Until then~

Cheers,

Em. ^^ 

Despicable Me 4

 Only after watching Gladiator 2 last Friday (or the Friday before that XD) and saying I’d haveta write a movie review blog post about it did I realise I’d not even penned (well, typed XD) one for Despicable Me 4 yet!

Seeing as the franchise premiered back in 2012 with Despicable Me, I honestly thought that it’d ended with Minions 2 after Despicable Me 3, because all good things must come to an end. You can imagine my total excitement when I was alerted to the fact that there’d be a Despicable Me 4 and the friend who’d taken me to see Minions and Minions2 in GOLD CLASS immediately contacted me to alert me of the release and also that she’d be taking me to see this 4^th instalment in gold class, too!! :D We saw the movie @ Westfield Garbo; I’m unsure where else offers Gold Class (I’m guessing Westfield Carindale?) but I know Sunnybank Hoyts doesn’t.

Here are all my favourite quotes, trivia and bloopers courtesy of IMDB: Beware: SPOILER ALERT:

Trivia first!

·         The name of Gru's alma mater is Lycee Pas Bon. Translating from French to English, the name is High School- No Good. (A/N: I just attended my 20^TH year high school graduation @ the beginning of the month! Canterbury College has a much nicer name than Gru’s school. XD)

·         When Gru and his family break into the castle, the plaque on the desk reads Principal Übel Schlecht. This translates literally as "Principal Bad Bad". (The principle at Canterbury College still remembers my name, even though I’d only met him once! At the school reunion, sheets were printed with every attendee’s name and which year they graduated but mine was missing; Mr. Walker just got a marker and immediately wrote Emily Chan Class Of 2004 for me! ^^ I’m surprised he even remembered my name, since I’ve only met him once briefly before and he wasn’t the head back when I was attending Canterbury!)

·         Costing $100 million, this is the most expensive film in the franchise. It is also the most expensive Illumination film, tied with The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023). (A/N: I saw the Super Mario Brothers movie with my dearest dad; we’d owned a SNES and I grew up playing Super Mario!)

Goofs come next! XD

·         When Gru is taking the girls to school for the first time after moving house, the Minions attach the baby capsule to the center rear seat of the van. Then after they arrive at the school the baby seat appears on the rear right seat. (A/N: Seriously, who even notices nitpicky things like this?? XD)

·          One of the Alumni villain's wearing a luchador mask, is seen on the dance floor facing the doors when they first open, but is then standing facing the stage, off the dance floor, when the doors close. (A/N: Including this coz it’s the first time I’ve ever heard of luchador masks before!)

·         The vending machine that Ralph gets stuck in contains snack food and soft drinks, but soft drinks are never in snack food vending machines because they aren't refrigerated. (A/N: Since when did soft drinks need refrigeration? They won’t go off like milk does, would they? I wouldn’t know, since I really WAS dropped on my head as a baby, am strange and don’t like fizzy drinks! XD)

·         While she does not speak, Gru's mother has a cameo at the end of the film. (A/N: Does Grus’s mum get named for the movie?

·         Gru's car number plate is the release date of the first Despicable Me (2010) movie, 09/07/10. The DM probably stands for Despicable Me.

·         Characters from the film appeared in a commercial for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas. (A/N: I found the clip over YouTube; <3 the Minions!)

·         At the end of the 3rd movie, Agnes referred to Lucy as Mom. In this movie, she was still referring to her as Mom. (A/N: Why can’t kids call their stepmum mum?)

·         Near the end of the movie, all the villains from Despicable Me (2010), Despicable Me 2 (2013) and Despicable Me 3 (2017), as well as Minions (2015) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) can be seen as inmates in the AVL prison.

·         Elastic Minion saves a train just like Tobey Maguire did in Spider-Man 2 (2004), with some comedic effects. (A/N: See? Minions rock; <3 the Minions!!

·         Gru's brother Dru makes a cameo at the ending of the movie. (A/N: Wasn’t that was Despicable Me3 was about?)

·         The Mega Minions are Dave (super strength), Gus (flying minion with blue cape and banana-head), Tim (taller of the group with ability to stretch), Mel (laser eye), and Jerry (rock stone body with ability to eat everything) (A/N: Pity that the Mega Minions are as completely useless as the original Minions! XD)
Goofs next!:

• Gru: Don't think of it as lying. Think of it as high stakes pretending.
• Agnes: Well, I'm not going to.
• Gru: Ah, just a little white lie.
• Agnes: Nope!
• Gru: Agnes! As your father, I command you to lie.
• Agnes: No!
• Gru: Yes! Lie!
• Agnes: Mm-mm.
• Gru: You are walking on thin ice, little lady.
• [Agnes groans as she bangs her fork and spoon on the table. Gru Jr. grabs the piece of bacon from the fork and eats it.]
• Gru: Why can't you be more like your sister, Edith? She lies all the time.
• Edith: No I don't.
• Gru: See? See? She's lying right now. Beautifully, I might add. (A/N: High-stakes pretending; I love it! Tempted to give that a go … XD)

 

• Gru: They got so many different kinds of milk. Almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, goat milk, chocolate milk, half and half, powdered, and of magnesia.
• Lucy: What about regular milk?
• Gru: Oh no, they don't make it anymore. (A/N: Since I like live on milk, must find out: what’s half and half milk? What’s milk of magnesia?
• When Poppy is flying away from Maxime's ship, the noise that Principal Übelschlecht's cart makes is that of a propeller aircraft, although the cart is powered by a jet engine. (A/N:  Since I’m not an engineer, I wouldn’t have a clue what engines make what noise. XD)
• The vending machine that Ralph gets stuck in contains snack food and soft drinks, but soft drinks are never in snack food vending machines because they aren't refrigerated. (A/N: I learnt sth new today! I never knew soft drinks are never inside snack food vending machines since I really WAS dropped on my head as a baby and don’t like soft drinks! XD)
• In the 3rd movie, Gru started to get along with Dru when he met him. But in this movie, Silas Ramsbottom said that his family can't find out about his whereabouts. When that happened, Gru was happy about it because he wasn't going to see Dru for a while. But since he was getting along with Dru in the 3rd movie, he should've been disappointed that he wasn't going to see him.
  And finally, quotes!

·      Gru: Don't think of it as lying. Think of it as high stakes pretending.

·      Agnes: Well, I'm not going to.

·      Gru: Ah, just a little white lie.

·      Agnes: Nope!

·      Gru: Agnes! As your father, I command you to lie.

·      Agnes: No!

·      Gru: Yes! Lie!

·      Agnes: Mm-mm.

·      Gru: You are walking on thin ice, little lady.

·      [Agnes groans as she bangs her fork and spoon on the table. Gru Jr. grabs the piece of bacon from the fork and eats it.]

·      Gru: Why can't you be more like your sister, Edith? She lies all the time.

·      Edith: No I don't.

·      Gru: See? See? She's lying right now. Beautifully, I might add. (A/N: I love it! High-stakes pretending; I’ve gotta try that!  XD)

• Agnes: Lucky, sit!
• [Lucky poops.]
• Agnes: I said sit! (A/N: Err, don’t you sit to poop? XD)

Throughout the movie, you can see that Junior doesn’t really like his dad Gru. Whenever Gru tries to interact with his baby boy, Junior either cries/pees/yells/poos/whatever. But, at the climax of the movie, when Gru’s having some epic fight with the baddie, Junior’s strapped into a baby carrier attached to Gru’s back. Can’t believe he didn’t fall out, considering how Gru was getting pummelled and vaulting everywhere in this fight. At some point, Gru’s holding on with both hands to some pole; once the baddie comes down and tears his hands off, Gru’s gonna fall to his death, with Junior still buckled in with him. At this point, Gru turns to Junior and says soothingly, “It’s gonna be okay. Dada loves you.” I go aww!  But Junior goes APESH*T and saves the day! When I enthusiastically recounted this in  an impromptu speech at the next  Toastmasters meeting I attended, I immediately apologise afterwards for using profanity during a speech, but afterwards I had a good laugh when Neil (our President at the time) evaluated my speech and said that Emily ‘swore appropriately’! Taking that as permission to continue saying naughty words, I cheekily dropped another swearword during my next impromptu speech but this time, got told off for using inappropriate language. XD

Mostly, I’m just hoping that the release of Despicable Me4 will be followed with Minions3, meaning that my obsession with those adorable yellow, jellybean-shaped little idiots needn’t die! XD

Next post here … since December begins this Sunday, I’ll haveta create my Xmas wishlist for Santa but I really need to write a movie review for Gladiator2 first!

Cheers~