Monday, August 31, 2009

Bye MetalAZNWarrior...

The end of August is finally here, and so is popular blogging icon MetalAZNWarrior's retirement date. After 3 years of entertaining TVB fans with his witty and original writing, the 'journey' has come to an end. By midnight tonight, MetalAZNWarrior will be permanently saying his goodbyes to TVB blogging. By tonight, we'll lose our #1 blogger.

In the weeks before, webmiss' Nhi and Annisa of TkN/TVB Guide and Everstar decided to make a virtual 'scrapbook' of messages from readers for our dearest blogger. It has been posted on Everstar's blog. The scrapbook can be found here: http://virtuesofharmony.net/everstar/byemetal/

The hours of today will mean a lot. Be sure to keep a look out on TVB Musings for Metal's touching, last post!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

'The Threshold of a Persona' Review




Before the release of Threshold, I didn't hold any anticipation or special expectations. It wasn't that I thought it would be bad and wouldn't watch it, but it just didn't attract me beforehand. I watch practically any series that comes out now since it's summer, and I need a past time/relaxing time when the day's almost done.

For me, I had three reasons to looked forward to watching: Roger Kwok, and his second collaboration with Yoyo Mung after Last One Standing. I wanted to see their relationship unfold in comparison to Last One Standing as Roger would once again return as the good guy. As for the plot, I figured I would just watch and see. Not having seen a modern action series since E.U., I thought it'd be nice to watch something that might actually keep me in suspense.

The three reasons that had been why I would watch the series turned out to all be disappointed...

Roger Kwok

I never thought I'd say this, but I was disappointed by Roger's performance here. He was sometimes stiff. His speech doesn't demand attention, but makes you rather tired. He just didn't bring his character to life. However, there wasn't really anything to bring to life in his character, except his two crying scenes. In the end though, it is still a solid performance. It is just not a special, memorable, or special performance for someone as versatile and talented like Roger Kwok.


Roger Kwok and Yoyo Mung's Relationship

Even though Roger and Yoyo's relationship in Last One Standing was not 'pure' with the fact that Roger was evil in his doings, their relationship still shines in compariso
n to Threshold. I could feel the emotions between Ah Yin and Carmen in Standing. I could feel that although Roger was evil and cunning, he cared and loved for Carmen endlessly and didn't want her to leave him. I could feel the pain Carmen felt when she learned of Roger's true character and bad deeds. In Threshold though, it was just way too quick and things were just said instead of shown for us to see. There was no room for their relationship to develop. It is only said in the last few episodes that Angel (Yoyo Mung) had a crush on Ah Kit (Roger Kwok) and they got together in the last episode after Roger Kwok's wife Ah Man (Claire Yiu) died. I do not doubt the two's acting or chemistry, but the fact that the two simply weren't given enough time to develop. They spent too much time on Roger and Claire's relationship that the quick get together of Roger and Yoyo felt so 'empty.'


The 'Action'

Although this series is classified as 'Modern Action' it really can't be classified into any genre. Threshold lacks its own genre too much. It is anti-climatic and stays that way with the exception of the last two episodes. I wasn't expecting constant fighting, violence, or blood but I was at least expecting ACTION. I was expecting people to move around the world. Meanwhile, a majority of the time has characters worrying over their relationships. It is a laughing stock in terms of 'action' compared to TVB's previous action series E.U., which is one of 2009's finest.

Enough of my complaining about the disappointments of the series though, and let's move onto the performances and characters...

Excuse this part for being extra long, as this has quite a big cast to take note of..

Roger Kwok as Fong Tsun-Kit
Thoughts about his performance and character already stated above.


Yoyo Mung as Ah Jo "Angel"

Ah Jo/Angel is a very sweet and caring person who wants to prove that a woman can take care of herself by herself. You will easily like her and her name (I find the nam Ah Jo so cute). However, it is nothing special for Yoyo. The problem doesn't lie in her acting, it lies in the role. Yes, these roles are great and likable, but they can't show the versatility of Yoyo. Is Yoyo a versatile actress? We'll probably never know, because this is the type of character she always has. But wait, isn't she playing the villian in the new lawyer series with Fala Chen and Steven Ma that's filming right now?


Claire Yiu as "Ah Man"

Initially, I didn't like her, nor did I feel much for her. As her past was slowly revealed and one by one bad things started to happen to her, I couldn't help but pity her. Before meeting Ah Kit and moving to Hong Kong, she worked as a prostitute to make money to pay for her father's surgery. For how long? A week. However, that week scarred her for life. All she wanted was to start over and live a new and happy life. And yet, heaven just couldn't give her that. Everywhere she went, her past haunted her. When she finally met her demise, I was in tears. The sight of her being pushed off the roof to her death by Ah Yue and falling on her husband who she just reunited with was haunting.

Without Claire, there wouldn't be a plot for 'Threshold.' Her character "Ah Man" is what makes the plot go forward. She is the most important female character. You pity her so much. Claire did a good job portraying the pitable Ah Man.


Raymond Cho as Cheng Pak-Yue

It's impossible NOT to hate his character towards the middle and end. In fact, I never liked Ah Yue to begin with. Even before all the things he done wrong, I already didn't like him. He was selfish, conceited, and powerhungry. He wanted to climb up to the top of the ladder to getting a promotion, no matter what dirty little thing he had to do. Whose ever life came in danger, he didn't care, as long as he could save his own skin. It's one thing though to be selfish, it's another thing to be cold blooded. I couldn't believe that just to save himself from getting into trouble, he murdered Ah Man, who was perfectly innocent, by pushing her off the building. I hated him so much for this and wish I could just punch him, but decided to spare my computer. Watching him is so aggravating you wish he'd just die. It's mean, but it's true.

On the other hand though, this role proves how good of an actor Raymond really is. His performance is absolutely convincing, and you realize that when you start getting the urge to smack him.


John Chiang as Mak Sir


Good solid performance, but not much to say about it. Honestly, I didn't pay much attention to him. However, I did like how he gradually start caring more about his wife and son. At first, all he cared about was his job. After getting divorced (and getting back together) with his wife, he learned to become a better husband. His character had a good amount of growth. Truthfully though, I didn't care much for him.

Patrick Tang as Au Shun-Fung

"Au Shun-Fung" is a different type of character for Patrick and my favorite character in this series. He is no longer playing some 'little boy who needs to grow up" like he did in King of Snooker. Quite frankly, it's refreshing. Ah Fung is a hard working and devoted mature young adult. He has a passion for his job and overprotective of his mother and daughter. He's too good for his own good. You can't help but fall in love with him and how he just cares about everything and everyone.

I loved his relationship with his mom. He is overprotective of his mom, and bans her from doing many things like traveling to China by herself as well as drinking. Their scenes were so funny and sweet. I loved it when they bicker because you can tell they really love and care for each other and yet having them argue can't help but make you chuckle. It's too bad that after the first few episodes, scenes between Ah Fung and his mom went from limited to none. I would've loved to see more between them, especially since 'Threshold' was dragged on a bit too long anyway.

Patrick has improved a lot. It is probably the first time we've seen him in such a serious and mature role, and he pulled it off nicely. He gives his character charm and is what makes him so likable. This series is most likely to make you a Patrick fan, or make you at least not hate him anymore if you did so before. I don't see why people hate him. 


Ruco Chan as "Kelvin"

"Kelvin" is one of those 'in the middle' characters. You don't hate him, yet you don't really like him either. I actually liked him, and found his character to be very interesting.
Formerly of ATV, this is Benny/Ruco's first series after returning to TVB. Out of the four younger actors/actresses in this series (Patrick, Natalie and Toby), he gave the best performance, just not the most likable character. He outshined the other three in terms of acting. He was constantly under the shadow of his dad who was the 'heroric immigration officier' whom pratically everyone know. He wanted to prove to everyone, most of all his dad, that he has ability and talent too. This led to him making a mistake however, and that led to even more mistakes, including ones that he did not intentionally do. Most of the mistakes he made leading up to his arrest were with good intention. Ruco's portrayal is very convincing and makes Kelvin come to life. Although he made so many mistakes, you pity him and feel what he's feeling through his 'dark' time. I am very impressed by Ruco and seeing him in A Great Way to Care and Burning Flame 3, two characters whom are very different from Kelvin, proves his versatility and talent. I definitely want to see more of him and think that he has a bright future ahead of him.

Natalie Tong as Yip On-Yee

On-Yee is a single and unmarried mother who became pregnant with her daughter "Sze-Sze" when she was in high school. However, she becomes much more smarter and cautious after making this mistake. Her personality is strong and independent. Unlike other young mothers, she cares for and loves her daughter very much. To her, Sze-Sze was the most important person to her. This makes her iffy towards new relationships though, such as a failed relationship with Kelvin. Unlike with other characters in series who ended up alone though, I didn't pity her. Not because I was against her character, I already stated that I absolutely loved her. I thought that her ending up alone was fitting. There is no one more important to her than her daughter, and she is the only one she needs. On-Yee is a strong, independent person, the type of person who doesn't need a man to make her happy. All she needs is Sze-Sze.

Natalie does a great job and is very charming as On-Yee. She is the one that brightens up the screen with her charm and smile. Her portrayal as On-Yee proves that she can play more than the 'innocent one' or the younger sister. Natalie improves more and more with each series she is in, and is on the way to becoming a fine young actress. She has so much potential, and this is her best character and performance so far.

Toby Leung as "Yan-Yan"
I didn't like Yan-Yan that much. I didn't hate her, I found her likable, but not as special or interesting as Kelvin, Shun-Fung, or On-Yee.

Toby delivers the worst performance of the younger four. She was not 'atrocious' or 'terrible' but she was mediocre at best. I don't like the way she talks and her emotional scenes need much improvement.


Other Notable Performances/Characters

Kenny Wong as Wu Sum

I was neutral towards Kenny. I didn't love him as much as other people did. One thing I did like him for, was his love for Ah Man. He cared for and was always there for her. If it weren't for him, Ah Man would've totally fallen apart and died much earlier. He did more for Ah Man than Ah Kit ever did. Then again, he is still a triad leader involved in criminal and illegal activities. At the end of the day, he is still 'bad.' He's just not coldhearted though. Even so, Kenny Wong pulled my heart string when he cried over the death of Ah Man, whom he loved so much.
Iris Wong as Lai-Man
I absolutely loved Iris Wong. At first, I did dislike her for taking advantage of Ah Man, but I grew to love her. She was such a funny character. I loved how she was just always talking away, or how she would always be the first one to talk in the middle of silence. It was so cute and nice of her to stand up to that 'fei jai' for Hei-Hei. Iris brings 'Wing So' to life. Without her, 'Threshold' would be completly dead. I applaud her performance.
Power Chan as Ah Lun
Ah Lun was such a good friend with a good heart. I loved how he cared for Ah Kit and Angel. The scenes where he was 'nagging' Angel to take care of herself were so sweet. It was also funny to see how in a situation he would always be the first to speak up and say something (usually something rude to the wrong party). Watching him getting hit in the head by that brick made my heart beat really fast (as well as make me hate Ah Yue even more for leaving him there). I was so afraid he'd die (as at the time I didn't know what happened to his character at the end). Power is always a strong and entertaining supporting actor underrated and underpromoted by TVB. Congrats to his upcoming marriage by the way.

Additional Thoughts

-Even after watching, I still fail to see the main plot of this series. I know the theme was immigration, but what was the plot?
-I felt sorry for the illegal immigrants a lot of the time. I especially felt sorry for the man who came to work illegally in order to earn money for his ill wife. Unfortunately, he died before he could set foot in Hong Kong.
-I liked Queenie Chu here. For once, she didn't play a third party or mistress. She looked very pretty and sophisticated. She has potential, I hope she gets more roles in the future (that aren't her playing a third party of mistress).
-The Kelvin/Ah Fung/On-Yee & Ah Fung/On-Yee/Yan-Yan love triangles (or love quadrangle) is much more bearable to watch than past love triangles. Watching love triangles usually make me nuts and make me want to throw something, but this was not bad. It was actually interesting at times too, because you somewhat cared who ended up with who.

Recommended? No. It is a forgettable and unintriguing series. If you're looking for something action-packed, definitely pass as well. If you do though, it should be for Patrick, Natalie, and Iris' wonderful characters and performances.
Rating: 2 1/2 stars. The script is weak and fails to lure in the viewer. However, the supporting cast (Patrick, Natalie, Chan Chin Pang, Iris Wong, and Power Chan) are a joy to watch. I also loved watching the 'four' (Ah Fung, On-Yee, Kelvin, and Yan-Yan) before their complicated relationship issues days. Something about four friends having a bbq on the roof and talking and laughing is so relaxing to watch.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

TVB Interaction on hold?

Sad to say...

I'm sad to say that not long after TVB Interaction has started to take off, I will not be able to post as often. I am not giving up this blog, nor am I going on hiatus. I just won't be able to update often. Whenever I have inspiration and I can post, I will. However, don't expect too many updates after the beginning of September.

Why...

If you haven't figured out by now, I'm much younger than the average blogger. I'm not in college, and I don't have a job. I'd prefer to say nothing direct, such as my age though. Let's just say, there's one more year until I go to high school. It's my last year of middle school, and this is the year where I'll be deciding what school I'll be going to next school year, the high school closest to my area, or test to see if I can get into Thomas Jefferson High School which is supposedly a very good school which is VERY hard to get into. (Maybe more about that later) Most likely though, this year will still be typical up until I make my decision. It will just be me going back to school. In that case though, I will need a couple weeks to just get back into the routine of going to school. I'll need to do all the things that come with the first day and month of school. That means I won't have time to be updating this blog as much. I promise I will still update unless I say otherwise, but it won't be a regular thing.


The weird thing...

The weird thing is though, is I feel like I never had time to update this blog in the first place. Actually, I do, but it goes to many other activities. It's hard to explain. I have freetime, yet I can't use it for blogging. Maybe it's the priorities in my life. Between being with my family, practicing the piano, making sure I'm exercising and staying fit by swimming, or getting ready for school, blogging somehow always ends up on the bottom of my list, whether I like it or not. Maybe the way my life is, is just not fit for running a blog. Even if this is oddly enough true, I'll STILL UPDATE.

Also, I have said many times in different posts all the things I plan on writing about. Yet, I haven't even finished writing an actually review or article. Not one. I have all these ideas, and yet I don't have time to pen (or type) them down. I have time to do these random posts, but I don't have time to write more longer and detailed thoughts, like I wished for when first opening TVB Interaction. Time is really an issue. There are only so many hours in the day, and it's hard figuring out how to use it.

I'll try my best to post in these last few weeks before school starts, and then after school starts. I hope you guys will still check back!

~Iris

Monday, August 17, 2009

D.I.E. Again Early Anticipation and Disappointments/Theme Video

After watching D.I.E. last year, I was happy to hear that there would be a sequel, one which had Roger alive. It's finally time for the sequel to release, so I should be happy, right?

My anticipation slowly decreases...

From the costume fitting to the articles, I read anything about the upcoming sequel when it was still in pre-production/filming. What disappointed and confused me was the cast: Margie Tsang and Kenneth Ma weren't part of it. It is understandable that Kenneth wouldn't be part of it. Considering that he is the 'ex-boyfriend,' there is no need for him to return, though it'd be nice. Margie Tsang however plays a big part to D.I.E. She is Roger's older sister as well as Derek's girlfriend! I was even more shocked that Derek would be paired up with Nancy Wu. I loved the original cast, and to see that Margie and Kenneth would not return made me seriously think that D.I.E Again would be another disappointing sequel.

Excited for the new additions...

I was very happy to hear though that Macy Chan would join the cast of the sequel as the daughter of the D.I.E. lead investigator. She pulled off a great performance as "Kelly" in Last One Standing and I think she is very talented and has an immense amount of potential. To see her again in the sequel for one of my favorites of 2008 made me very excited.

Him Law, whom I saw last in Your Class or Mine would be joining the cast too. I think he is playing Macy's love interest. It'll be great to see him again too. I think he's good looking and he gave a good performance for someone still relatively new.


Appalled by the Theme Video... (Watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCidZzG_FZU)

Anticipating for the release of the theme video, I finally was able to watch it on YouTube just a while ago. I was horrified. It was so cheesy! The animated versions of Roger and Sonija were extremely cute though. The theme video is terrible. As for the sequel itself also looks extremely cheesy and goofy. Either they just choosed bad scenes for the theme video or the whole thing is bad. As usual though, it seems as the theme video has once again spoiled too much. Judging from the theme video...

-Sonija is once again trying to catch the triad leader she failed to catch in the original amusingly enough
-Nancy Wu will be POLE DANCING?! THIS IS THE BIGGEST SHOCKER OF THEM ALL!
-Roger will be hit by a car AGAIN?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
-Siu Yee (the ghost) will be back! :) That'll be cute.
-Sonija and Roger are being hanged? What?!
-Derek will suffer a gun shot
-Macy and Him will be playing love interests

I'll watch the sequel, because I've been waiting so long for it. I'll watch the sequel because it can't possibly be worse than Burning Flame 3. I'll watch the sequel to see if it is as bad as it looks, or will turn out to be decent. I know that this will definitely not be as good as the original, but it may surprise me. TVB, please don't let me down.

Monday, August 10, 2009

[Message From Iris] Thank You! :)

Looking back...

TVB Interaction first opened it's doors back in June. During that time, there was practically no web traffic at all on my site, and the only ones who were visiting were me, and MetalAZNWarrior. (If you're a TVB blogger yourself and read other blogs, he does not need any introduction.) My blog was absolutely empty and plain, with the exception of my few posts. I had 'blogger's block' and was too lazy to do update. However, in the last week, I've gained back the interest and free time that allowed me to work on my blog. Having already been blogging on and off again since July 2007, and moving from the "Free Webs" host to "Blogger," I dare to say that I do know a thing or two about blogging. As for customizing my blog's layout? Not so much. In the last month, TVB Interaction has gone under a complete makeover. Gone with that dreadful default layout and in with the new and improved, customized site. Slowly, my blog 'upgraded' itself. Bye bye went the default banner that I been so scared would be there forever, as a wonderful Stephen Wong & Elaine Yiu banner that I created myself took it's place. From observing other people's blogs, I decided what I wanted to add to my layout and learned how to add it. Since then, I've added a C-Box which I'm pleased to see visitors leaving me messages on, a poll, and a hit counter which I can keep track of my page hits and visitors.


Why bother making a pretty blog if there's no one to see it?

Something was still missing though: Readers. Ok, I didn't mind (at all) that my blog wouldn't become one of the top TVB blogs. My blog will most likely never achieve that kind of accomplishment. However, I still wanted people to SEE my blog. After all, wouldn't it be a waste to spend all that time customizing and posting on my blog if no one but myself read it? Of course I would be reading it, but how about some showing off? Haha, just kidding. I started linking many other sites (and if you'd like me to link you, just ask! :D). This is where a majority of my readers come from. Notifying that particular blog admin on their C-Box that I've linked them helped even more. Curious readers of that particular blog have been sneaking onto mine when seeing the message I've left there. That was my idea of 'promoting' my site, and getting some web traffic that was hopefully past single digits.


Web Traffic Booms...

I started using the Bravenet hit counter to keep track of my page views. That hit counter was added not long after starting to link others and notifying them. I started learning my way around Bravenet and taking advantage of the little gadgets it came with. I was pleased to see all the ways I could look at my web traffic. What I didn't expect? To actually have web traffic to examine. In just five days after adding my hit counter (last Wednesday), I reached over 100 views. I checked my web traffic this morning, and saw that TVB Interaction had about 170 page views. I figured that by Wednesday, it would reach 200. However, after coming home to my computer and checking my page views again, I was shocked to find out that I had already reached over 200 views! I've created around 3 blogs/websites before this, and never had I've had so many viewers in all those blogs put together. My first website had taken probably 4 months to reach 100 views. Which is why these days, checking my web traffic is like getting high for me these days! To see my hit counts after a long day just makes me hyper! Whee!


I owe it all to you guys!

I am not the one who got me all these hit counts. If it weren't for everyone who has exchanged links with me, TVB Interaction would just be another one of my blogs who nobody reads. That's why, I can't thank you guys enough. THANK YOU! Thank you K for TVB, hyn5, Annisa, TkN, and everyone else who has exchanged links with me! Without all of you, I would be nothing but a bunch of words unread!


Most of all, Thank you, MetalAZNWarrior!

Shortly after gaining a love for TVB, I started reading TVB blogs. I loved reading other people's thoughts. The first blog I ever read was TVB Musings, which has been the blog I visit the most ever since. After being a silent reader for over half a year, I finally spoke my first words on his comments page. I shared my thoughts of TVB to him, as well as expressed to him I was planning on maybe creating a TVB blog myself. In the end I decided to do so, and Metal was the first one to visit it. He was the first one to view it, comment on it, and exchange links with me. To this day, his blog attracts the most readers for me. MetalAZNWarrior has earned the title of the most popular TVB blogger ever, and he most definitely deserves it. He has a unique writing style that I love reading. The end of August is nearing though, and when it does, it will be Metal's turn to say goodbye, and to retire from his TVB blogging 'legacy.' When the time comes, I will certainly miss him, along with his amusing writing, and the comments that he leaves me and others that bring a smile to my face. Metal, if you're reading this ( which I hope you will soon because you promised you'd visit my blog every once in a while..*brings out a whip* Hehe, just kidding. :D), thank you. Thanks for entertaining all of us in the time you've spent blogging, thank you for helping me and guiding me with my own blog, and thank you for bringing a smile to my face with everything you have written.


Still can't believe it...

I think I'm becoming too cheesy in this post, but that's me, cheesy and silly. :D I still can't believe though, that in just one week, my blog has become a moderately visited TVB blog. I can't believe how I'm having all the most popular TVB bloggers leave me messages, as well as compliments too. In just one week, I have upgraded my blog, gained readers, as well as realizing I want to secure my position in the TVB online world. I want to blog, post, and communicate with all of you guys. The 'high' I feel after posting or customizing something and having someone compliment me about it is just awesome. Once again, thanks everyone! :)

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Burning Flame 3: Favorite Character Poll

The first poll is up, so come cast your vote! Who's your favorite character in Burning Flame 3? My vote here goes to Ah Nam (Stephen Wong). Not because of his relationship with Ah Man (Elaine Yiu), but because I liked his character growth. At first I hated his Ah Nam. He was a lazy, slack and impolite bum with a bad attitude. Later though, he matured after witnessing (and thinking he was to blame for) his grandma's death. I thought it was smart of him to clear out the sidewalk for the ambulance carrying Ah Shing to pass through. Since then he's become an ambitious person and has learned the importance of saving a life. It's too bad that as of now Elaine is only in love with Benny/Ruco Chan, because I'm falling in love with him!

On a side note, I think Stephen has improved on his acting. He's not as wooden as he was before.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Banner #1: Stephen Wong & Elaine Yiu - Love Can't Always Be Simple



TVB Interaction presents our first banner ever! Yay! :)
Click on the picture to see it in its full size, it looks best that way.

If you've been reading my updates on Twitter, you probably know that I have become a fan of the Stephen Wong and Elaine Yiu pairing. They're the only reason I'm not dropping Burning Flame 3. They are a new and fresh couple. I've heard Elaine was Stephen's love interest in A Journey Called Life, which I've yet to watch. However, their love line ended sadly with Elaine dying, and the two never got together. That's why I still consider them a 'new and fresh' couple. They share sweet chemistry, and is the first on-screen couple I've liked in a while. These days the on-screen pairs are either overused (Rayda and Boscolie are great, but it's time for other people to make 'sparks' together) or they just don't have chemistry.

In Burning Flame 3, the two get themselves in a love triangle with Ruco Chan. Stephen has a crush on Elaine, who is interested in Benny/Ruco. It turns out, that Ruco is married.

Out of habit, I check AsianEU frequently to see entertainment news (not that I always believe them), ratings reports, and etc. I look through the site for a couple minutes and leave. An article about Stephen Wong and Elaine Yiu was posted on July 31st, but I never read it until yesterday. I don't know how it slipped my eye.

The article, in summary, tells how both Stephen and Elaine have been previously hurt by two timers, just like in Burning Flame 3. Elaine had a boyfriend who she didn't know was already married, and she broke up with him because she did not want to be a third person that ruins someone's family. Stephen had his girlfriend cheat on him, and even had her say that he did not meet her requirements. I feel sorry for both of them, but I can tell the experience has made them both more mature and stronger. On the other hand...who were the two stupid people who cheated on these great two? Anyway..

The story behind the banner....
When I saw the pictures in the article, I started liking Stephen+Elaine even more. The pictures are beautiful. Elaine is prettier than ever, and Stephen looks pretty good. What I loved about these pictures was how it made them really look like an actual couple, especially the first picture. They look very cute and compatiable together. After looking at these pictures, I finally had an inspiration for a banner. I thought these pictures would look very nice in a banner. I used the line 'Love can't always be simple" in it, because I think it matches perfectly with their situation in Burning Flame 3 and the personal experiences they had. Stephen quoted in the article that "In the past I thought love was something very simple."

It's not very special or complex banner. Unlike love, it's 'simple.' I did not use Photshop or any other premium photo editing program. I created the banner entirely in Paint and added the text in Picnik. (Boy, those are a lot of P's...xD) However, I really like it. I think the quote was the perfect touch, too. It's not very impressive, but it's my first banner. Also, I think it's pretty good for a banner that was made entirely in a free program that has been around since Windows XP. What do you think of the banner? Of Stephen and Elaine? Constructive criticsim, compliments, and tips on how to make better banners will be great!