vampires and dissing crocs

I finished watching Van Helsing not too long ago before I went to CP to pass Han Hui DVDs.

This post might not sound coherent as my thoughts are everywhere and may seem to lack a point, a purpose (:

A pretty old movie by the current standards. Today would be the first time I actually finished watching (the previous times I couldn't make it past the first part because it was all in green, and I couldn't stop laughing despite the seriousness of the scenes ).

I managed to sit through it and it got me thinking: Vampires. One word, but so many interpretations of it, so many different characteristics one can put to it, yet one characteristic which any vampire would have, would be the blood-drinking, regardless of whether from humans or from animals, and of course, immortality.

The media portrays all sorts of vampires, so many characteristics. The list is exhaustible, yes, but then, someone else decides that vampires should be able to do this and that too.

I have always been fascinated by vampires, even wishing that I could be one as well (that's a bit macabre, but whatever xD). Imagine all the things you can accomplish as a vampire. Time-travel, teleportation, dark magics and the list goes on.

A book I've read portrays vampires as unable to withstand sunlight (most books do, its one of the more.. common characteristics of today's media vamp), needing to feed on human blood to sustain their weird yet fascinating powers. The author also fathoms the vampires to think with their entire brains, thus unlocking marvelous powers.

Another book I've read portrays vampires as day-walkers, even. That they don't sleep in coffins, they have relfections in the mirrors and their image comes up on photographs as so many other media vamps lack, they sparkle in sunlight and they also have powers, but not all of them have the same powers, unlike other.. clans of vampires which have generic powers.

Vamps in TV shows and movies and also in books.. Another common trait would be their beauty, striking looks. A weapon to lure their sadly uninformed victims to some dark corner or a deserted alley to suck them dry of their blood, this miraculous life-giving substance that humans, animals, vampires and the like require to survive, no matter what kind of existence their lives mean.

I quote from a book, "Mortals are like livestock to us[vampires], just like cattle and sheep are like livestock to them[humans/mortals]!"

But my point is this: Vampires - one subject, so many different perceptions, so many different point-of-views.

And to relate this to life, you are what you want to be, and much more, and don't conform.

If every single author or film-maker follow a certain rule, that all vampires will have the same characteristics, wouldn't things get a bit dry? With every vampire being able to turn into a bat, all vampires are bad/evil blood-sucking beings that are forever damned, that all vampires can only be killed by driving a stake through their unbeating hearts, there wouldn't be much to look forward to, right?

I applaud Stephenie Meyer, author of the series that I so love(and many other people too xD), for giving a fresh new set of characteristics to vampires, and Linda Lael Miller as well. Of course, Anne Rice, who wrote The Vampire Armand and Queen of the Damned.

Back to my point, what life would you be leading if you were merely following what other people deem to be cool, to be fashionable, or to do something just because your friends are doing it?

If one day, wrist-slitting became the "in-thing", would you vandalise your body and go to compare the number of lsits each of you have on your wrists?

Hmm. This sounds a little like ranting xD

I don't deny that I sometimes am a victim of the current rage etc. But really, lets say you buy a pair of Crocs just cuz everyone's buying it, though it doesn't really have much aesthetic appeal and the originals are so friggin' expensive and to you they're just a pair of fugly shoes (no offence to anyone who likes Crocs) but hey, everyone's wearing it so I gotta have a pair too! Then the craze dies down like every other craze, and then you're just left with a pair of fugly shoes that people don't wear anymore, and you stop wearing them because-

a. you don't want people to laugh at you and your shoes
b. you wore them just because of the craze
c. you didn't really like them but bought them anyway cuz your friend bought a pair too

Ridiculous, isn't it?

Be original. But I'll admit its a little hard to do that nowadays, unless you've got really thick skin and aren't afraid of people laughing at you because "they laugh at you cuz you're different, but you laugh at them cuz they're all the same".

I really like that quote.

In this day and age, to be original would be tough, but who said you can't do it? At least don't conform. You'll end up spending even more money and find out its a waste when the craze dies. And probably wouldn't flare up again for another ten, twenty years and by then, you-

a. wouldn't be able to fit into the clothes/shoes you bought
b. burnt them long ago cuz they were hard on the eyes
c. are too old to wear or use them.

In conclusion(I feel like I'm writing an essay for SS =.=), I don't want to conform, I still want to be a vampire (or have one as a lover anyway, then he can change me xD), and I will never wear Crocs.

We were all made special, we were all made unique. Would you want to be a parrot admist so many others that look the same, or be the dove among the parrots?

Stand out.

Think about it (: