50 Shades Of Grey Review [Film]

Before you start, I'm not 'one of those women' who bashed the book and the film, without even bloody reading and watching it. These women just kept judging it so stuff them.

I LOVE THE BOOK. Even though a lot of it is grammatically wrong. I am too, so that's okay. 

I love it because of the storyline, not because of the sex scenes and BDSM. The sex bit is meh. I'm a romantic at heart and how their love story develops is sweet.

So I have watched the film now aaaaaannnnnddd...... yeah, I prefer the book. SHOCK.

The film does show most of the book but I'm disappointed with it because it doesn't show the little bits that would have made sense in the film and to those who have not read the book. It was also quite slow moving. I didn't watch it with my parents because I'm in a different city but apparently my dad was falling asleep in it. 

SPOILERS ALERT!!! If you have not seen the film but want to, gooooo awwwwaaaay. 

Little Bits That Sam Taylor-Johnson (director) missed out (not in order either):

• Obviously one (not little) is the actors. Okay acting, but they looked nothing like how I or others imagined them to be. I fancied the pants off Christian Grey in the book. Copper hair that dangled on his face. Chiseled jaw. Straight nose. Very, very buff. The actor that plays him is Jamie Dornan. Yeah, I find him good looking in some angles. When I watched him in the film, I just didn't fancy him. I wanted to but it never happened. He looked nothing like Mr. Grey. As for the girl, she did look like Anastasia Steele but not who I had in my head of course. Also she's meant to have long, curly hair - not straight, greasy hair. Their chemistry was awkward. Actually, there wasn't any chemistry. It didn't feel convincing, it needs to feel real on and off screen (like Mr and Mrs Smith for example, you could feel the lust and bond).

• In the film, Ana drunk calls Christian and he asks her where she is and she hangs up. He calls again seconds later and tells her to stay where she was because he was coming for her. It shows the actress confused, leaves the club and Jose tries to kiss her and Christian suddenly turns up. The film doesn't show how Christian knows where Ana is at all times. In the book, he hires someone called Welch, who investigates in people's background for Christian, which is how he knows where she works, her number, her mother's address in Georgia. He also tracks her down on her phone (GPS) and installs tracking devices in his cars. She can never escape. 

• After Christian and Ana has had sex (using a condom), in the book she gets on the Contraceptive Pill by Christian's doctor, Dr. Greene. When he said it in the film, it was very quiet and I only knew what he just said because of the book. Also, the scene was done differently. In the book when she's on the Pill, she has to wait weeks until they can have sex otherwise she'll get pregnant and that the idea of waiting is what made it good in the book. I guess in the film, they didn't have much time for waiting since the sex scenes is what makes the film sell. 

• Ana's bloody flip phone in the film! In the book, Christian gives her a Blackberry to use but for some reason, Christian has an iPhone and Ana has a flip phone from the year 2005. Seriously? Why couldn't she get an iPhone too, if he can get her a Macbook? The phone is important because they contact each other through email regularly and also using the computer to contact Christian during work gets her into trouble so phone all the way. Hopefully, she'll get one in the second film. Hope it gets better altogether tbh.

• In the film, when Ana and Christian are breaking up (it came so suddenly as well), it just shows them talking in a heated discussion, he takes her to Red Room to show her how bad it can get, he slaps her with the belt, she cries, tells him she loves him, he doesn't say it back, then she packs her things, brings the gifts he bought for her and gives it back, then she gets to the lift, he follows her, she tells him to stop and then gets into the lift and they say, "Christian", "Anastasia". The end. It was such a poor ending. In the book, before he spanks her hard with what is described as a really thick, brown belt (which it wasn't in the film), he plays the piano like usual, and they start playing with each other like children. She runs around a table, like catch me if you can game, he says he'll catch her and punish her for running away. They do show the bit in the film where she says how much she hates being punished, like how he hates being touched. Then when she does say she loves him and he couldn't believe it, she tells him to leave so she can have a shower. The book says that while they were in Georgia visiting Ana's mother, she bought Christian a toy plane as a gift. Before she leaves Christian's apartment, she places the gift on the pillow and walks to the lift. Christian shows more emotion in the book and tells her not to leave. Then there's a scene where she's in the car, with Taylor driving her home, he hands her a handkerchief and she cries into that. And then I think, after, a shot of Christian looking out of the window and over Seattle. The film's ending seemed too abrupt and didn't convey Christian's emotions enough. Also that hanky appears again in the second book. Now, I mention that toy plane because Christian actually treasures Ana's gift to him and displays it as her iPad background (shown in book two), because I think, unless it's in the book, that no other sub or anyone has even given him a gift. Well, because he has everything. 

• When Ana gets spanked by the brown belt near the end (in the film), she cries but she doesn't cry as much as it shows in the book. But I guess if the actress was really balling it out in the film, don't think she would have been able to get her words out properly.

• Also, I'm sure Ana gets a job in the first book and that's where we meet Jack Hyde, because in the beginning of the second book - Ana doesn't eat and only drinks Diet Coke because she's heartbroken. Plus Jack keeps being creepy at work. Also, Jack plays an important factor in piecing Christian Grey together - which is why WELCH is also important because he does some digging on Jack. 

• We also haven't met Elena Lincoln yet. WHERE IS MRS ROBINSON?!

• Also, where is the lovely housekeeper?! UM, CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME THOUGH.

• Near the beginning when Christian and Ana go for coffee, she says she doesn't like coffee and prefers tea with no milk and sugar. I feel this is important because he cares about her and her likes and dislikes. He remembers everything about her. But then again, he is a control freak. BUT, that symbolism of tea represents Britishness because her major was English Literature, therefore she's a romantic because of the British novels she studied. Sooooo, Christian knows she's a romantic and he learns to be more romantic for her because she likes flowers and stuff. Even though that not his style, mate. 

• Another thing about Ana's character, Christian likes brunettes but he doesn't like girls who are naturally blonde and dyes their hair brunette. For the actress who plays Ana, she's naturally blonde but dyes her hair for a character that's supposed to be naturally brunette. Confusing. I know it's a film so I'll let that one go.

• Christian's little sister, Mia. In the book, she is very tall, hair goes from black to blonde, skinny, white and girly. In the film, they casted Rita Ora. Definitely wrong casting. Mia is meant to be quite young as well, and Rita looks late 20s, early 30s. Some people said she looked like a 'drag queen' when pictures were shown of her as Mia.

• We don't see any willies. Just saying. 

• No mention of our beloved 'Inner Goddess' - then again it would be strange if Ana said she listens to a voice in her head.

• In the film, Christian keeps saying that he doesn't sleep with his 'subs', even though Ana was never one and they only showed him sleeping beside her once. It's a shame they didn't show him sleeping next to her more often because in the book, he doesn't sleep with the subs because he doesn't want that vanilla relationship. But when he accidentally slept next to Ana at her house, the next morning she asks him whether he had slept well, he replied that he did strangely. It's because when he sleeps alone, he has nightmares from his bad childhood but they don't stress this in the film. It just shows Ana complaining that he doesn't sleep in the same bed as her. Grrr. 

• The beginning when he tracks her down and randomly appears in an aisle Ana is about to walk past. Don't like. In the book, he walks into Claytons store and sees Ana at the checkout till, sat down eating a cream cheese bagel. He watches her intently and her movement. It shows him like a predator, tracking her down and going after the prey. She then wipes the cream cheese from the corner of her mouth and sucks her thumb. It then says Christian's er, willy, tingles like a teenager. Basically, it shows how much he fancies her and how much he wants her.

• Obvs, they took out the Tampon scene. That's okay. We can leave that in the book.

• Not enough sex. 

Learning Mandarin So Far...

So I've been learning Mandarin since September 2014 and it's been going alright.

I've picked up more than I thought and it has helped me understand my language better.

I have been speaking Hakka ever since I was a baby. I'm not brilliant at it but I'm conversant. When you grow up speaking it, you don't really question it - mainly because all I ever did was speak it, I never learned to write in Chinese.

Since I've been learning Mandarin, a lot of words makes sense now. It now clicks because some of the words in Hakka and Mandarin are similar. 

I've also noticed that because some of the words are similar, I get confused more. I say it wrong by accident or I can't distinguish between the dialects.

Some say probably easier because I already speak a Chinese dialect but it really isn't. 

I'm enjoying it though. Once this course is finished, I need to start taking an intermediate class somewhere else because I'm in my final year. 

Plans For After University?

I DON'T KNOW!

I don't really believe how quickly it has come around. When I was a first year, I thought, 'Mate, we've got ages yet." WRONG!

I'm going to be graduating this year and I get asked this every single time by a different person.

So, what are your plans for after your degree?

Gulp. *run away*

In all honesty, I don't know. Internships? Jobs? Work abroad? So many choices. My approach is usually see what happens or what comes my way but I know it will not work that way. 

I've been applying but it's still scary. 

My worry is that my degree won't be useful or I won't be in an area that I studied for. It does happen so I'm prepared for it. 

I do wish I was more organised and had something planned out. We're all so concentrated with essays and making the most out of university that we forget about the life after. Or we're in denial. Could be all of it.

Can I just take a nap instead? Plez. 

University Friends vs Friends Back At Home

It's a difficult situation to be in because one half of your friends are working full-time and the other half is trying to get a degree. And some don't even want to mix with each other because they're in different areas of their lives.

I'm the degree part but doesn't mean I'm not friends with people who work. I don't want to isolate people because at the end of the day, we all have the same goal - have a job and earn money.

The difficulty I mentioned is balance. 

Balancing the time to see each other when we're home. Balancing out topics during conversations - everyone won't be sharing the same experience's and may get jealous or bored. This is one problem one of my friend's had, and I just felt angry. Well, not angry. Annoyed mainly because the situation that occurred was rude. 

I stopped being friends with one girl (Girl1) for various reasons but me and this girl are mutual friends with another girl that I'm good friends with, and regularly meet for coffee when I'm back from Southampton. (Sorry for the very long sentence)

Anyway, my friend started her degree at a college for the first two years and then completed her last year at a university. I was happy for her what ever she did but quite happy that she went to university because I think she has always wanted the "university experience". 

She went to university and would come back for holidays. When I met up with her, she said that she had met up with Girl1 and Girl2. Each time they had met up, they never asked about her about how university was. They didn't go you see, so I don't know whether they felt no common ground if they asked or that they felt other things. No idea. It's out of politeness to ask because that was her life at the time and I'm sure they were a little bit curious. 

When I met up with her, I would ask her so many questions about how university was going, who were flatmates were, what the course was like and everything. But maybe because I know about the subject more than the other girls because I went. 

I guess it seemed like the best of both worlds but it wasn't.

Apparently they would usually talk about themselves, how much money they were making and how many boys they had kissed. I can see that. When I was still friends with one of them back then, she kept saying how much money she was making, how many discounts she was given and the amount of clothes she bought, only for her to give it to charity straight after. I got bored of the conversations. Only because it was bragging and I thought with all of that money, she'd start saving it for a house or something for the future, but she just kept spending it. It's not my place to tell something how to live or advise how they should spend their money. They're old enough to know.  

One thing that bugged me was that whenever my friend would again meet up with these girls, they would (I guess) talk about work and then turn to my friend and say, "Oh, you 'university people' wouldn't understand." THE FUCK?

Huh? Am I not getting something here? Do you think we are a different kinds of species or something? Do you think we are thick? Why you trying to alienate us?

We 'university people' will be part of your group one day, it's just delayed because well, of a degree and debt. 

We are not above you if you are thinking that. We also don't think you're below us either because you have not experienced the university life. Heck, I don't even know how to do tax or even got the hang of bill money so that's going to come as a surprise for me.

Back to the point, I could tell my friend was annoyed at the fact that they kept separating full-time workers to people who went on to higher education. It's not nice. My friend is only one person and these two girls kept saying shit. I would feel pretty miffed and isolated. Two girls against one. I felt annoyed for her because of the way they were treating her as something different. Is that what friendship is? How can friendship be like this over education? 

My friend is now working full-time so hopefully their stupid talk has stopped.

Anyway, with my university friends [people I've met here and friends from home who have gone to university], I guess it was inevitable that we would get on. We're all going through the same experience and so we could natter about everything that we encountered so far. 

I feel for the people who never went. If I didn't go and had plenty of friends who went and came back with all these new stories and experiences, I would feel left out and feel that we have nothing in common. 

But good friendship won't let that get in the way. Everyone will be going through experiences at different parts of their lives. Whether you're traveling, working abroad, having a family, doing a PhD or taking care of 30 cats - as long as you are open in sharing experiences and listening. 

If you don't have the ability to listen to your friends or ask how they are then mate, you're rude.

PS I still like some of my friends back at home. I just feel sad when they leave out people who went to university and vice versa. It's not fair and not nice. 

Tips When Out In Public.

There are some things we do at home, that we tend to avoid out in public but sometimes it cannot be helped. Or we get caught in situations in public that needs rescuing subtly. 
Here are tips if it ever happens.

1) Toilet
Let's face it, we don't like any bathrooms that isn't ours. When a poop needs to come out and you do not have time to run home, go to the cubicle in the deepest end of the toilets (because who walks that far to poop?) or a cubicle near a hand dryer. For those who worry about being "heard", the hand dryer would mask the sound of the plopping. A bonus would be both! Also, would be a good idea to have some perfume on you too. If you don't have any, don't worry - the girls probably saw you walk in and told everyone to evacuate the building. 

2) Pulling A Push Door And Vice Versa
Just walk in like it didn't happen. If anything, they probably never noticed you coming through that door. You're that special. 

3) Opinions
Everyone has one and sometimes they're not useful. It's best to keep the opinions to yourself when out in public if case you end up offending someone. If your friend is being opinionated, get some duct tape and tape that bitch down to the ground and then walk away. They must look like they've been mummified, in order for their punishment to be acceptable. 

4) Farting
It's the 'Who Done It?" game. If you can walk and "talk", let it out slowly and walk away from the fart. 

If you're a lift which is the worst/best place to do it. To do this, let it out slowly and if it smells (trust me it will), give it a second and then cover your hand over your nose - it'll seem like you're blaming it on whoever is in the lift. 

Pull some facial expressions at the same time if you want. They won't suspect it's you. Unless you have a child right next to your bum - then fart on him until they pass out. 

When the lift journey is over, your acting skills would be Oscar worthy. 

5) Dropping Cutlery In A Restaurant
Clumsy moments will happen and when it does, it's dropping a knife or fork and it doesn't happen quietly. When it occurs, blame it on the kid on the next table. 

6) Feeling So Full You Want To Burst
Why does being fancy-pancy restrict us from being who we are? Unbutton that bitch and let that belly flow. 

7) Food In Your Teeth
Do it Asian style, get a toothpick and rummage for the tasty treats lurking in your mouth in front of everybody. Yayyyy. 

Hair Dilemma.

My hair is long. It is long and a lot of effort. I love having long hair but maintaining is a pain. It gets trapped everywhere. I see long strands of hair everywhere. My boyfriend finds it up his butt. I find it up my butt. 

In the end, I just tie it up in a ponytail. It's hassle but it's beautiful hassle.

Many times I have considered getting a bob just to make life easier, but family members and friends say it wouldn't suit me. I'm a long hair kind-of-girl. Shame. It would be nice to have change. 

Maybe when I'm a mother, I'll decide to have really short hair. Don't want the baby eating my precious long locks. 

May end up looking like everyone else in China though....

Do I Want A Baby Now?

I did a video on this a while ago about why I didn't want a baby right now. I thought it wasn't controversial because I am 22 after all and I thought I had explained myself clearly as to why it would not be convenient. Turns out some people took it the wrong way. Typically, it was the pregnant ones that kicked off or the ones that were already young mothers. 

I'm not too sure why they kicked off to be honest. I was stating why I didn't want one now. Like I said, I'm 22 and nearly finished university - imagine if I decided I want a baby now after completing a degree and not making use of it? I'm in a job mindset, not baby mindset. I want to travel, leave my small town, enjoy a career and myself. That has been my mother's goal and I can see why she encouraged me to go to university and not have a baby yet. My mother had me when she was 22 or 23 (can't remember) and even though I brought light into her life, she admits she was very young and wouldn't want me to repeat history.

Since I'm still a student, I have no moneys. I can't even buy milk sometimes so how can I afford to feed a babby? Money will always be an issue when it comes to children (unless you're super rich). If I became pregnant now? Sorry to say (but not sorry), I would have to abort it. It wouldn't be fair on the child, on my parents who would be helping me or even the father of the child who isn't ready. I can't understand young parents who are expecting a child through accidental pregnancy to be happy. I think I would be shocked. Some accidents can be happy if this is what you want. Don't get me wrong, children are wonderful. But my mother struggled as a single parent with me for a long time. It was lucky my mother had the help she did. But babies are for life, not for just Instagram or Facebook. 

I see young parents on Facebook and Instagram presenting to the world what they had made. I'm happy for them because they finally look happy within themselves, but I can see what's going to happen in 20 years time. The child will turn 18, have a job/go to university/leave home/have a family of their own, and then the parents think it's now their time to shine and party - because they couldn't do it during their 20s and 30s. They think they're free because their child is now an "adult" but they will always be worrying about them 24/7. You're not free once you have a child. 

Another thing I see is that when mothers come to another mothers or pregnant woman's defense, they always say "Having a baby is the best thing that's ever happened to me." I mentioned this to my friend and he got really annoyed and made an interesting point, "How do they know it's the best thing ever when they've never left this town? They haven't travelled, seen the world, or done anything." 

It put me at ease. When I heard about the complaint about the video, it made me feel guilty for mentioning anything. But this was their choice to have a baby. Of course it's the best thing that ever happened - not much has happened in your life before then. I feel bad now for saying that because what if having a baby really saved them, what if this baby is what they needed all along. And to be honest, I don't feel I have done much with my life either apart from going to university. These women have made a human being! 

I don't know.

I guess they chose this path. Everyone has an opinion and obviously they didn't like mine because they are in a situation I am not ready for - doesn't mean I hate it. These mothers can kick off all they like. They chose this path, they can deal with what's coming. There are worse people than me in this world. And it's the same for me too - I don't want a baby right now and some will disagree with that. Seriously, who cares? They'll see me as a hater and have their whole army of people backing them up. Who cares? Ignore me if you do not like it. I wasn't thinking of you when I did the video blog. Plenty of mothers in Southampton and on my friend's News Feed (who had a pregnant friend who kept putting status' about her poo and sickness problems - ew). My world does not revolve around you. What will putting a Facebook status do? Get 600 likes? With people agreeing with you, making you feel validated? It won't stop me from writing things like this. I have to write articles and blogs like this because this will end up being my job one day. I am trained in writing. I have to make money from this. This isn't even controversial. 

Shall I carry on with my points? Went off there. 

I also love my sleep. At this moment, I would not give up my sleep for a baby. If I had one, then yes, taking care of my baby would be priority number one over my bed, but if someone asks me if I would willingly sacrifice my sleep to have a baby now, I would say you're crazy. 

Which leads on to the next point: I am selfish. Not many admit that. I love sleep. I love eating my own food and taking my time. I can be as spontaneous as I like. I like buying things for myself. What single lady who has no responsibilities wouldn't? 

I do admit, it does sound like I'm bashing all the women that are preggers. I'm not. I just don't like the pregnant women who force the idea of getting up the duff on someone who doesn't want one or isn't ready e.g. just finished uni. I wouldn't force someone to go to university because I did. They can go if they want or perhaps decide to do something else. I would have my input and say I enjoyed it thoroughly and the benefits and they can decide from everyone's experience after. 

But then again, that's how I've been brought up. Everyone in my family have said to go to university to earn more money. People can get jobs and earn money but (apparently) with a degree, you can earn more money. We'll see. Need a job first. 

It's funny, when it was December 31st 2014 - I kept seeing memes on Facebook saying, "Like if you made it through 2014 without a baby!". Of course I found it funny because having no bun in the oven is seen as an achievement. I ended up tagging my friend in it. Hehe. Then I saw the comments and it was mothers stating that the women who are happy that they made it without a baby are the ones getting drunk all the time, having one-night stands and do not know the true meaning of happiness because they do not have a baby. 

ERRRRRM.... What? I don't get drunk (even though I should at this age) and I don't have one-night stands (I'm in a long term relationship with a loving boyfriend) so actually ladies, I'm responsible and I am trying to get education together (waaa), thank you. Not all women who don't get pregnant are not like how you described. And I still don't want a baby now - however you make it sound like raindrops and unicorn poop.  

I'm not hating on young mothers, by the way (eek some convincing is needed). My mother was one, and without her, I wouldn't be here but she was ready for a family. It was all she ever wanted: to be married and have kids. If I ever had a baby now, I think I would end up resenting myself for not fulfilling my 20s and 30s with experiences and stories. Basically, I want to get everything out of my system and live life to the fullest and then settle. Because when I settle, I want to have all of my attention on my children and taking care of my husband, because I would be (hopefully) sorted out financially, have a home, a good job and have so many stories to tell people one day. I watch AprilAthena7 on YouTube and a fan queried her about starting a family and April had the perfect answer - it was diplomatic and it made sense. If you want my answer just watch that video.

Also, here is the last reason: I want to avoid the Asian mother feeling disappointed. It would dishonour my family and my cow. 

PS If you see spelling mistakes, it's intended. 

10 Things I Actually Want.

As I have gotten older, all I want now is everything that will make my life a little easier. Practical things. Something useful. Worth the money or not that much at all. Birthdays and Christmas is a difficult time of year because I do know what I want. But if it were to be anything, I would want these.

1) Good Quality Sick Bags
Odd request I know but I mean the aeroplane kind. Small bags with a good lining so it doesn't leak. I suffer from travel sickness and sick bags come in very handy if I suddenly feel queasy in a car, plane, train, coach, ferry or any vehicle that moves. Plastic bags have holes and the amount of tissues you have to use to line it is a waste of money. 

2) Wet Wipes
I love these. I collect the free ones from KFC and they smell like lemon. Mmmm. I don't like dirty surfaces or my hands feeling sticky. Buying them can cost £1 and I can go through them quite quickly. 

3) Money
Need to feed myself and pay off student debt... Waaaaa.

4) Pet Vacuum
If you know me, I malt everywhere! And it's a bugger to remove from carpets or any surface my hair attaches itself to. A vacuum with a really good suction or one that's made for pet hair. 

5) Good Eye Sight
This one isn't possible but one can dream. My eyesight isn't great but I can see without glasses until it comes to being long sighted. I'm short sighted. I enjoy wearing glasses but when I sweat, it can slide off my face and sometimes leave red marks if worn for too long. I would like contact lenses but I nap too much and rub my eyes too often. Laser eye surgery has crossed my mind but it's expensive, there are risks and I would probably miss wearing glasses. Dilemma. 

6) Tissues
I have a constant cold now. Or some sort of dribbly nose. I've come to accept it now. I never have enough. Please, may I have some more?

7) Candles
Anything that smells like lavender, rose, lemon or something that smells like you're having a facial or speak treatment. 

8) Treatment For My Skin
Seen a dermatologist and apparently I have mild psoriasis and pompholyx. Apparently you can't cure it but only control it. No idea how. I wish some tablets would do the job and the creams don't work. Help.

9) Grandma's Recipes
Everybody wants these. I want her Chinese recipes but she doesn't tell people how to make things. No one makes traditional Chinese food like Paw Paw (Hakka for Grandma). 

10) A Manual On Life
You know - social, work, family, risks I should and shouldn't take, money, travel - anything! But then life would be too easy I guess. I just want to know that I'm on the right track and doing okay. 

I haven't asked for much.