Amusing Musings

What's Your Flavor? Nathan Fillion Edition

2011-12-16T17:39:00.004-07:00

I recently went on a Firefly binge and this one was a doozy. It was one of those situations where I re-watched the entire series and movie with my brother and then a few days later I was reflecting upon how good a particular episode is and then ended up watching the whole series and movie again. That happens, right? Just to me? Okay, moving on. In the midst of this relapse, I watched that week’s episode of Castle and a big part of me was thrown. Even though, I have seen all of Castle and watch it every week, I was so immersed in Captain Reynolds and the crew of Serenity that it was hard for me to separate the two characters.

This slide into fanaticism got me thinking of a blog post I had written a couple years ago about my preference of Edward Norton characters, and I thought Nathan Fillion deserved the same attention. For this match-up, I give you the best-selling author, restless bachelor, and devoted father with a streak of danger, Richard Castle; the broody rebel who is hiding his soft side, Captain Malcolm Reynolds; and our wildcard option for those of you who prefer brawn over brains, Captain Hammer.

I am going to rule out Captain Hammer right away. I just don’t know that I am willing to “do the weird stuff” with him, even if the "hammer" is his... never mind. This leaves me with Castle and Mal. The romantic in me wants to pick Mal. I would become a part of his crew and wear him down until he realized that I was the person he wanted to explore the ‘verse with and we would sail away on Serenity all the way to the outer limits, out of the Alliance’s watchful eye. Sigh. However, in reality, I know my choice would be Castle. He’s handsome, funny, debonair, family-oriented, and, let’s not forget or act like I’m above it, loaded. I would still get the satisfaction of making him a reformed bachelor without as much drama as I would get from Mal.

What is your choice, reader who is as familiar with these Nathan Fillion characters as I am?

Note: Also, in case the description of my decline into lunacy isn’t enough, I am going to use this post as an opportunity to stress the importance of watching Firefly. Even though it is a heartbreaking bandwagon to jump on, it is so worth it. I don’t know what it is about that show, but it creates fanatical fans. Exhibit A: Me. My heart breaks every time I watch the last episode or movie. Exhibit B: Troy and Abed from Community. They have a pact to make each other’s deaths look like a suicide over the unjust cancellation of the Joss Whedon vehicle. Yeah, it produces that kind of devotion. (The whole series and follow-up movie are available on Netflix Instant Streaming)

My Top 5 New TV Shows

2011-11-11T18:06:00.004-07:00

As some shows, much to my chagrin, are now entering their mid-season hiatus, it is safe to say that we are well into the TV season. The crop of new shows is being pruned of the bad (goodbye, Playboy Club and Charlie’s Angels) and we’re reaping in the good. While some shows’ fates have yet to be determined, it’s fairly clear who is going to get to stay around. With that in mind, I thought I would give some recommendations on what I think are the top 5 new shows of the season.

5. Hart of Dixie (CW) – Okay, bear with me here. If you go into this show knowing that it is schlock and suspend your disbelief to allow for the possibility that we live in a world where Rachel Bilson could be a cardiothoracic surgeon, then I think you, too, could enjoy this show. It’s nothing groundbreaking, sure. But if after two episodes, you DON’T want to live in Bluebell, Alabama with Wade Kinsella, well, then hells bells, I don’t know what to think. Best episode so far: “In Havoc and In Heat”

4. Once Upon a Time (ABC) – With the first couple episodes of this one, I didn’t see how they were going to make an interesting show out of stories we have all heard/seen a million times, but this latest episode restored my faith. If they continue giving our beloved storybook characters a different back story than the ones we are familiar with, I’m all in. Best episode so far: “Snow Falls”

3. Up All Night (NBC) – Before this show premiered, I was crossing my fingers so hard for it to be good. I mean, Will Arnett, Christina Applegate, and Maya Rudolph? It needed to be good. I was so pleased when it was. Best episode so far: “Working Late and Working It” (for Jorma’s presence alone)

2. New Girl (Fox) – Considering that I am in love with her band, obsessed with her website, and already a fan of another TV show starring a Deschanel, it was pretty much a given that I was going to love Zooey’s new show. Yes, she’s a little over the top in her dorkiness, but us girls love to see our lesser qualities amplified in the media to make ourselves feel better about them. Since the premiere of Jess on New Girl, I’ve been wearing my dork badge with a little more pride. Best episode so far: “Wedding” (“He’s so soft like a towel” and Slo-Mo Chicken Dance, y’all!)

1. Revenge (ABC)- Yes, Revenge is my favorite new show. Before you start with the judgemental looks, have you seen this show? It’s nuts burgers! But get past all the pandering to our basic need as a society to see rich people dress pretty and ruin their lives or, at the very least, each other’s lives, and you have a show that actually has a lot to say about morality and, what do you know it, revenge. I also give it major props for having what is possibly the most morally ambiguous lead character on TV. As Emily Thorne seeks revenge for her father’s life, she consistently resides in the grey area. The most empathetic characters on the show are the two guys that she is stringing along as part of her ruse. It’s so good, you guys! Trust me. Best episode so far: “Pilot” (Because you really need to start there.)

So there you have it. What are you liking this season? Anything I missed? I am (sadly) always open to new shows.

The Last Movie I Saw: Like Crazy

2011-10-29T16:47:00.006-06:00

Like Crazy opened yesterday and as it is a smaller movie, I felt like I needed to tell some of you about it, because as you are about to read, I really liked it.

The film begins with an American boy, Jacob (Anton Yelchin), and a British girl, Anna (Felicity Jones, who I have watched and re-watched several times in the most recent adaptation of Northanger Abbey), falling in love. Anybody who has ever seen a movie knows that if we start with people falling in love, they are bound to run into some bumps in the road. Like Crazy is no different. Anna overstays her student visa to remain with Jacob in Los Angeles after they graduate, but is eventually found out and forced to return to London. Now they must learn how to handle being constantly drawn to each other while being thousands of miles apart, and as the film progresses that distance becomes more than just physical.

In interviews, director Drake Doremus has said that much of the dialogue in the film is improvised. The actors were simply given an outline of what needed to happen in the given scene. The result of this was me cringing throughout a good chunk of the movie because everything feels agonizingly real. Recently, I wrote a post on wanting to live in a Nora Ephron movie because I was amazed at how she was able to make her characters seem so naturally eloquent and witty. As I was watching the new film Like Crazy last night, I came to the realization that as much as I want to be in a Nora Ephron movie, it is the world of Like Crazy in which we actually live. And I am intending that as praise. When Anna and Jacob argue, it is a real argument of sputtering and not knowing how to state your case. When they go on their first date, it is awkward but sweet. This is no Hollywood romance, but a real, honest-to-goodness romance, with all the red-faced crying that usually comes with it.

Felicity Jones is getting a lot of praise for her performance in this film, but I will extend my praise to Yelchin, as well. As both characters go through this hurricane of emotions, you can see every single one written all over their faces as clear as day.

With all that said, I suppose this long-winded review could be summed up like this: Like Crazy is one of the most honest movies I have ever seen and I think you should see it, too.

An Ode to Nora Ephron

2011-10-25T19:23:00.002-06:00

I wish my life were a Nora Ephron movie.

If Nora Ephron wrote my life, the human race would only include people who are smart and speak in the most eloquent and well executed of sentences. Even the most menial of conversations would be witty and urbane. Best of all, we would find ways to relate the plots of films and books to all of life’s problems. When I would try to argue a point, I would know exactly what to say and how to say it. Every barb would be cutting and to the point. Accompanying every stroll through the park or lunchtime in the flower market would be a tune by Ella Fitzgerald or Louis Armstrong. You know, something classy and sophisticated. Like what you would hear in a Starbucks or bookstore.

Every season would be romantic.

But the best part of all would be falling in love. Falling in love in my new Nora Ephron world would be the best falling in love ever. Love conquers distance, awkward hook-ups, and dreadful first impressions. Men aspire to be Cary Grant. Yeah, the straight ones, too! When they cite reasons for why they fell in love with you, they list things like the crinkle on your forehead or how you peel apples. They usually cite these reasons in a sweet, comical, and perfectly executed speech given when you are least expecting it.

In Sleepless in Seattle, Meg Ryan’s character gets accused of wanting to be in love in a movie. But who wouldn’t? As long as it is written by Nora Ephron.

(Can you tell I had a day in watching When Harry Met Sally…, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail?)

Don't watch the video below unless you have already seen When Harry Met Sally... And if you haven't, I suggest watching it pronto.

Get Your BBC Period Drama On! BONUS!

2011-06-18T19:22:00.001-06:00

In my, ehem, research for my post about the BBC period dramas, I stumbled across this little gem.

My first reaction is, “What is wrong with these Australian women?” I am totally on board with Darcy being their number one fantasy, but even if you know nothing about Pride and Prejudice, wouldn’t you stop and talk to this guy simply out of morbid curiousity? My favorite part has to be when he resorts to getting wet.

Get Your BBC Period Drama On!

2011-06-18T18:32:00.004-06:00

Ah, summertime. When the living is easy, the sun is shining, and movies in the theaters are better. Of course, for me, there are still those summer days when I prefer to cool off by being magically whisked away to jolly old England. Granted, I will watch a BBC period drama anytime of year, but just work with me here.

Over my countless years of experience and numerous viewings of these miniseries or TV movies, I have noticed something. If I am ever having a bad day or I’m feeling low, I’ll just pop one of these in or go to YouTube and just watch a particular scene, skipping over Lydia and Wickham in Pride & Prejudice or all the people dying in North & South. I know that those among you who I count as my faithful readers also have an affinity for these shows, so I decided to countdown my top ten favorite moments in a BBC period drama.

Just a few things before we start: 1) I had to restrict myself to the shows that originally aired on TV, so if you are wondering where Becoming Jane is or why I pick certain versions of a scene over the perhaps better version that is on film, now you know. 2) No comments from the peanut gallery on how I am only representing four authors with this list. I know what I like. I won’t apologize for that. 3) A lot of my choices for scenes are highly spoilery, but I give my full endorsement to all of the options referenced in this list, so just find the whole thing and watch it.

Honorable mention: Lost in Austen (2008) “Lake scene” – While I have to respect this series as an Austen-phile, I never particularly warmed to it. I blame it on the Darcy, who never seemed to embody the role for me. That being said, I loved the meta-ness of this scene. If you haven’t seen the series, all you need to know is that a modern girl gets placed in the middle of Pride & Prejudice. Best line: “Will you do something for me?”

10. Persuasion (2007) “Run-in at the Shop” – This version would almost be perfect if it hadn’t so royally screwed up the ending (KISS HIM ALREADY!) with the exception of that tacked on last scene. Persuasion is my favorite of Austen’s novels and the ending is, of course, my favorite part, so you can imagine that this was quite the blow. What this version has working for it, though, besides the scrum-diddly-umptuous Rupert Penry-Jones, is that it nails the awkward longing from Anne and Wentworth. This is nowhere better exemplified than this shop scene. Best line: “A man cannot recover from such a passion. With such a woman. He ought not. He does not.” And if it can count for a line, Rupert’s smile.
9. Cranford (2007) “Lace” – Yes, it’s my only choice that does not have explicit romantic connotations. While there is romance in Cranford, I had to include this scene on my list. Correct me if I am wrong, but this is the only period drama that gets away with a fart joke. Juvenile though it may be, it’s still dang funny. Best line: “We are in the throes of an exceptional emergency.”
8. Emma (2009) “Proposal” – In my opinion, Johnny Lee Miller is no Paul Rudd. Nor a Jeremy Northam for that matter. However, this has always been my second favorite Austen proposal scene (see number 5 for my favorite). I love that the crazy mix-ups almost spoil the whole thing, but then… he tells her. Way to man up, Knightley! Also, this version of Emma gets bonus points for the inclusion of possibly my favorite Austen line ever. Best line: “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”
7. Jane Eyre (2006) “Proposal” – Oh, poor Jane Eyre, to think that if you had been in a Jane Austen novel, this scene would mark the end of your story and we could get to assume that you married Mr. Rochester in that little church without any worries about his loco wife. Alas, this is Bronte and sister does not mess around. What I really like about this scene is that if it was given modern language, Jane would be saying, “Screw you! You don’t know me!” (Note: If you are a fan of close-talking and loud kissing, you might prefer this scene.) Best line: “If God had given me some beauty and wealth, I would make it as hard for you to leave me as it is now for me to leave you.”
6. North & South (2004) “Train Station” – I once did a scene analysis of this for a Literature and Film class where I had to transcribe the scene and describe each shot. Best. Paper. Ever. Words cannot express how much I love this series, but especially this ending, so instead I will give you a topic of discussion: This scene is made much more effective by Richard Armitage not wearing the cravat. Discuss. Best line: “You’re coming home with me?” Anytime, day or night.
5. Sense & Sensibility (2008) “He’s Not Married!” – Ms. Austen certainly had a thing for the romantic entanglements, huh? Let’s get something straight. Nothing tops the moment when Emma Thompson’s Elinor breaks into tears, but there is something to be said for this new version, as well. First of all, I am not the biggest Hugh Grant fan, so I fell much harder for Mr. Dan Stevens’ Edward. Also, this version plays the awkwardness pretty well. Best line: “So now you can marry Elinor.”
4. Northanger Abbey (2007) “Kiss” – Northanger Abbey was my first Austen novel and after I had been let down by the atrocious 1986 version, you can imagine how utterly pleased I was by this latest interpretation. Felicity Jones and JJ Feild are perfection and their kiss at the end is so adorkably perfect that I feel I can go out on a limb and say it is my favorite Austen kiss ever. Haters to the left. Best line: “But you can see their house from the window.”
3. Little Dorrit (2008) “John’s Speech” – Everything about this scene is heartbreaking. The look on Arthur’s face when he realizes what a fool he has been, John’s befuddlement at Arthur’s blindness, John offering his hand at the end, everything. John Chivery certainly gets the award for being the most heartbreaking character in a BBC period drama and you naysayers can talk to me in the comments. Best line: “All the time I was breaking my heart over her, she was breaking hers over you.”
2. North & South (2004) “Look back at me” – Some of you may be surprised that I am ranking this scene over the train station scene, but you shouldn’t be. This scene has equally as much passion but it is all crammed into four little words. (Topic #2: Richard Armitage has the sexiest voice in the world. Discuss.) Best line: Um, duh.
1. Pride & Prejudice (1995) “Pemberley” – Okay, I am going to cheat here and deem any and all scenes taking place at Pemberley as the best scene from a period drama. I have seen this scene hundreds (Yes, literally hundreds) of times, yet I still get twitterpated when Darcy comes around that tree or when he gets that little smile on his face when they longingly gazing at each other over the piano. While I have no qualms with the whole wet Darcy thing, I mainly love this scene because he is trying so hard to impress her and she is so confused that it all results in this perfect little awkward situation, which you may have noticed that I am a fan of. Best line: “And your parents are in good health and all your sisters?”

So there you have it. What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Is there one that you haven’t seen that you now realize you need to watch? Let me know!

And check out the pretty entertaining bonus post!

I Don't Care What You Think, I Like Katy Perry!

2011-06-16T02:44:00.003-06:00

It is time that I go on record and say that I love Katy Perry. I am totally on board with her geeky-cool-retro schtick and anyone who puts out a video like her latest for “Last Friday Night”, which I have linked below, is A-OK in my book. You have Kenny G, Corey Feldman, Debbie Gibson, Kevin McHale, Darren Criss, and Hanson (who look so much hotter in the 2000s, by the way) in one video. Even the inclusion of Rebecca Black kind of rocks my socks because I respect that Katy is giving the girl a chance to shred her “national joke” image and I felt like she (very nearly) delivered.

Mainly, I love the video because it feels like every teen movie or TGIF TV show plot from the 90s. My parents found out that I went to that party?! Wah-wah. I was waiting for Danny Tanner to walk in at the end, cue the sentimental music, and have a heart-to-heart with Katy’s alter-ego Kathy Beth Terry about the dangers of teenage partying. Also, I am pretty sure that my childhood Malibu Barbie wore the same outfit that the sexified Kathy Beth wore to the party. What can I say? Barbie had to look smokin’ when she drove around my bedroom in her pink Jeep with the top down.

Watch the video and let me know what you think? Were you also getting a Step by Step vibe? Does this make you like Katy Perry more? Less? The same amount?

Favorite details: the guy with the drawn on tuxedo, bobbled hair-ties, Artie walks (!), “Why is there some lost boy in your bed?”, and the font of the credits.

Guys, The Pressure’s On.

2011-06-11T17:22:00.002-06:00

Those of you who know me, know that if I am any two things, those things would have to be a cinephile and a hopeless romantic. So when those two things collide? Watch out. AND THEN, when that lethal combination is overlain with a soundtrack of Florence + The Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over”? Game over.

Such is the case with the video that I have attached below. Watch it, then report back for my commentary.

LUCK - NYC Wedding Proposal from Aria Melody DJ on Vimeo.

First of all, there is no way that any woman ever in the history of womanhood could turn down a man that would make this video. Am I right? It’s practically science. We are hard-wired to be suckers for this kind of stuff. Or is that just me?

Second, this is just good filmmaking. I know that he had help, but whoever is responsible for the concept, editing, and direction, gets some serious kudos.

How do you we feel about this, ladies? I feel like I am ready to declare it the best proposal that I have seen posted on the internet, possibly even the best proposal that I have seen. Period. I know, it’s a strong statement, but that is how much I love this. Agree? Disagree? And be honest, did the tears come?

Season Finale Week: A Little Lesson in Grammar

2011-05-20T12:41:00.005-06:00

In order to fully express my feelings about last night’s television, let’s first learn a little bit about grammar. For today’s lesson, we will be learning about interjections. Now, interjections show excitement or emotion and they’re generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point or by a comma when the feeling’s not as strong. However, there were no commas to be seen when I was watching the Bones and Parks and Recreation season finales. Interjections like Hurray! Hallelujah! Finally! Awww! And then ones like Noooo! Why?!?!?! Agh! (I know that not all of those are technically interjections, but just roll with it).

First let’s talk about the show that inspired all the happy elations from me: Bones. As much as I loved seeing Booth and Brennan go into their old undercover aliases of Buck and Wanda, as much as I teared up when Angela and Hodgins were waiting to see if their baby was blind, and as much as I was amused by all the humor in this episode, it really all boiled down to the last minute. SPOILER! BRENNAN IS PREGNANT! And with freaking Booth’s baby! This was the first Bones finale ever where I left completely satisfied and excited for next season. Why? Because even if it is not completely smooth sailing next season, they’re obviously going to try and make this work for the baby and because they are in deep smit with each other. I would also like to note, that my mother and I totally called that they had sex in the last episode and that the “Change in the Game” was going to be that she is pregnant. Pony up, all you naysayers!

Now, let’s move onto the show that had me whimpering and shouting expletives at the television, Parks and Recreation. Don’t get me wrong, this was still my favorite hour of TV this week, or should I say my favorite 55 minutes of TV because the it was the last five minutes that broke my heart.

First, I’ll talk about the good. (Obviously, not all the good, because there is simply too much to cover). It would seem that the Knope ladies have a thing for political savvy nerds who get adorably flustered in their presence. The look on Ben’s face after Marlene Knope made a pass at him was priceless, but then I also have a thing for political savvy nerds who get adorably flustered. Also, being a Ben and Leslie fan, I loved all their sneaking around and their politically charged make-out sessions. There was a lot of good stuff that wasn’t Ben and Leslie related (Ron’s singed mustache, Andy’s “5000 Candles in the Wind”, Ron trapped in the Swedish desk, Tom and Andy’s fourth floor adventures, Cube butt, Jean-Ralphio, and the promise of Tammy 1!), but in the interest of time, we’ll move on.

I always knew that public office was in our plucky heroine’s future, but I certainly don’t want it to come at the of this adorkable couple’s happiness! We just got them together! What I am hoping will happen is that Chris will act on his suddenly rekindled admiration of Ann Perkins and have to change the office-dating policy thus making it possible for Ben and Leslie to date scandal free. Problem solved! But nothing is ever that simple in TV Land, is it? All I can say is that the look of uncertainty on the faces of Ben Wyatt and Leslie Knope will haunt me all summer.

Ok, friends and family, I need you to talk me down from this. Tell me everything is going to be okay. Also, how did you feel about our Thursday night programming? Did anybody else watch The Office and get as bored as I did? Are you excited about a Booth and Bones baby? Did you also feel that the real mourning in “Li’l Sebastian” was not over the famed mini-horse, but over our two nerds’ upcoming rocky road to blissful happiness? Leave your comments below!

And here are my favorite quotes from last night's two part season finale:

‎Leslie: "The best part of any relationship is the beginning. No problems, no fights, just white wine, cuddling, and crazy amounts of... History Channel documentaries."

Andy: ‎"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I read that once on a can of lemonade, but I like to think that it applies to life."

Tom: ‎"I did recently sell my Chronicles of Riddick DVD on eBay for $10. Use the profits to buy the blu-ray."

Leslie: ‎"Absotootley I am! Very sorry that I just used that word."

Leslie: ‎"Somebody made somebody a mix and I definitely heard your feedback from last time so I only put five Sarah McClachlan on this one."

Leslie:‎"That's disgusting and wrong. I don't even get... Why would... I've never had sex with anyone anywhere. It's none of your... You have... Have the nerve, the audacity. Ben is my boss, technically. And he is terrible face-wise and how... How do I know, frankly, that you're not sleeping with him? Maybe you are. Maybe you're trying to throw me off. Hmm. Check and mate. This is an outrage! Who do I call?!"

Season Finale Week: Glee-bles Wobble But They Don’t Fall Down

2011-05-18T12:20:00.003-06:00

I must tell you that I had every intention of writing about the decline of Glee in my post-Tuesday post for this week. In my opinion, this season has been very lackluster and has spent too much time focusing on certain storylines. While I can respect the show for making a statement on bullying and gay rights, I don’t need this shoved down my throat week after week and I certainly don’t need it to be taking precedence over every other storyline. Am I alone in this?

Beginning of Spoilerly mentions

However, after last night’s episode, I was unable to sit down and write the Glee bashing I had intended. In last night’s episode we got some good relationship drama, some awesome vocal performances (I’m looking at you Mercedes and Rachel), and I cried more than thrice throughout the episode.

Let’s take a look at the board, shall we!

1) I cried when Sue, Frankenteen, and Porcelain were cleaning out Jean’s room
2) I bawled during Sue’s eulogy, the “Pure Imagination” number, and the accompanying video (I am counting this as one since it was just one long and good cry)
3) I cried when Sue pulled it in for a hug after she told Becky that she was going to be the Cheer captain
4) Finally, I got teary-eyed during Rachel’s song. I’m sorry, but girl had all sorts of emotional power behind that vocal. Also, I loved that she got all Barbara-faced.

While I am not ready to say I want to see a de-snarkified Sue Sylvester it was nice to see her relent for the kids who had arranged such a sweet and touching funeral service for her sister.

Also, being a Finchel and Wemma fan, I was grateful for their progress in this episode, even if neither ended on a particularly good note. Finn, don’t you know that when Rachel sings those treacley love ballads that it’s all for you? Will, she’s crying! Run after her! And just what do we think Quinn is going to get up to in New York, hmm?

I guess all this means that “Funeral” was a win for me and that I’ll have to keep watching Glee. Just when I think I am free, it pulls me back in. Curse you, television!

I have read mixed reviews online of the episode, so what did all of you think? Do you share my feelings about Glee this season, or have you been completely on board? Are we excited for New York next week?

Season Finale Week: Let’s Talk Cliffhangers!

2011-05-17T14:38:00.003-06:00

In honor of the bittersweet week that is the week of season finale week, I am going to (try and) post something everyday talking about the insanity that happened the night before. For today, I am going to talk about Castle and boy did it ever deliver on the insanity. I am going to issue a huge SPOILER ALERT if you are following the show, but if you aren’t just know this: For three seasons, Castle and Beckett have been doing the classic “will they/won’t they” game (which I am a total sucker for) and last night as Beckett lay dying from a gunshot wound, Castle held her in his arms and told her not to leave because he loves her. Game changer! They wouldn’t kill off Beckett, right? And if she stays alive this is a huge elephant in the room for them to try and ignore, as they have done with other tender moments in the past. END OF SPOILER ALERT!

This climatic ending got me thinking about my feelings regarding the classic ploy of the cliffhanger used by those crafty show runners to drive me crazy for three months. If the mission is to leave me so utterly flummoxed that I am rendered speechless when I call my mom for our post-TV roundup, than mission accomplished, job well done.

However, seeing as how I can’t remember a finale that hasn’t ended with a finale, I can’t help but wonder if I would be equally, if not more, satisfied with some resolution. Isn’t that the foundation of story telling? You build and build and build until you reach that precipice and bring the audience back down by tying up all those loose ends. Imagine, if you will, that you are a child hearing Cinderella for the first and your mother ends the story with her running from the ball and losing her slipper? What? What about the prince? Will they ever see each other? What about her shoe? Hey, stay cool daddy-o, we still have 10 pages left. Your mother wouldn’t have shut the book and made you wait three months to find out that they lived happily ever after.

Now, I am fully aware that television is a business and that they need viewers to come back, but if I am left happy, I’ll come back anyway. You can count me in.

I’ll leave it open to you guys now. What was your worst cliffhanger? Do you need a cliffhanger to feel satisfied with your finales? Did you watch Castle? If so, what did you think about the ending?

A Pop Culture Ode to My Mom

2011-05-08T15:07:00.005-06:00

In keeping with the theme of this blog and also because much of my relationship with my mother is based on our similar affinity for all things movies and TV things anyway, I decided to write a post about my favorite pop culture related activities to do with my mom. After all, this is the woman who had me quoting movies and TV almost from the moment I could talk (and we have the home videos to prove it), so it should come as no surprise that she played a huge role in making me the walking imdb that I am today. In fact, most of my memories with my mom also include a movie or a TV show, which some might see as sad and pathetic. To a certain degree, it is, but if you know my mom and I at all, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.

With that in mind, I give you my top ten favorite things to do with my mom. I decided to take out the caveat that they be pop-culture related, as these are pretty much just my favorite things to do with my mom.

10. Lazy Saturday Mornings (that sometimes last all day) – Yeah, it usually starts out with us just watching last night’s The Soup, but it usually evolves into us re-watching other episodes from the week or watching some movie that is on TBS that we have seen a hundred times and own.
9. Educating Each Other – When I entered this realm, I was naïve and had no understanding of what passed as good entertainment, but like every good mother should, Mom took me under her wing and showed me the light. Yes, she got me a lot of crap (I’m looking at you 3 Ninjas), but that’s expected with kids movies. And what other four-year-old was watching Saturday Night Live Goes Commercial, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, or what I later discovered was an edited copy of Grease (the real lyrics of “Greased Lightening” came as a huge shock to me later in life)? Not any that I knew. Now, I think both my mom and I can agree that I have taken the reigns in educating her in what qualifies as good entertainment, much to her annoyance, I’m sure.
8. Award Shows – I remember the first Academy Awards that I actually sat down and watched with my mom. The year was 1995 and I hadn’t seen a single movie that won. I remember this because I was grossly disappointed when Babe didn’t win Best Picture. But at that tender age of 7, I got caught up in the pomp and circumstance of it all and we have watched every year since. Even when we ended up in a hotel room in Seattle one year, we still found a way to have our own little Oscars party complete with IBCs icing in the bathroom sink.
7. TV Show Marathons – Bones, Vampire Diaries, Veronica Mars, and others that are escaping me. What do these shows have in common besides being awesome? Well, my mom and I have watched them in their entirety in far too short a span of time. Like when we stayed up until 4 o’clock in the morning after watching 11 hours of Bones with our dear friend Hailey when on a three day binge of watching the first four seasons. Yeah, we’re awesome.
6. Discussion of the hotness of male celebrities – My friends often make the comment that I will only watch a TV show if I have a crush on one of the male characters (I have no idea where they got this crazy idea), but I probably get this from the woman who used to play computer Hearts with Denzel, Antonio, and Mel. This was before Mel went off the rails, though. She would probably change it to Mark, David, and Matt now, or something like that. (Ryan, Hugh, and George were my other considerations). How’d I do, Mom?
5. Comic Con – Granted we have only gone one year (and tickets for this year!), but it was pure awesomeness and the perfect excursion for us. Four days of sitting in a packed room listening to celebrities and showrunners talk about their TV shows while being surrounded by our fellow nerds. Not to mention all the free swag and the swooning that took place during this moment.
4. British Women Getting Married Movies – This is the title that my brother has given to our BBC period pieces/ any Jane Austen adaptation. When I was home sick one day from school, my mom introduced me to the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and I can literally say it changed my life. Since then, Masterpiece Theatre fare has sort of become our thing and we have expanded to include Dickens, Gaskell, and other fare where… well, British women get married.
3. Entertainment games that no one ever wants to play with us – To this day, my mom is the only worthy adversary I have found to battle me in Scene It and no road trip is complete without some variation of a movie-themed game. Our iPhones have now only made it more possible for us to bone up on our useless entertainment trivia.
2. Our Special Movie Theatre Routine – No one understands the proper way to do movie theatres like my mom, perhaps because she is the one who trained me in the art. It is essential that you show up to the theatre 20 minutes before the movie starts, earlier if it is the movie’s opening weekend. This guarantees you enough time to go to the bathroom, get concessions, check out the new movie posters lining the hallways, and get the perfect seats (the ones right behind that bar so you can put your feet up). But most important of all, you never, EVER miss trailers. This is just blasphemy in the Lloyd household.
1. Post-Thursday night TV phone/text conversations – Thank goodness for TV or my mom and I would have nothing to talk about. If we talk no other day of the week, you can pretty much count on the fact that we will call each other on Friday afternoon to talk about all the insanity that took place during our Thursday night lineup.

Wow, if you are anyone but my mom and you have made it this far, I am impressed and you must really like myself, my mom, or both of us.

Mom, I love you and I hope you have the bestest Mother’s Day!

My Latest Obsession (That Should Also Be Yours): Parks and Recreation

2011-04-16T19:24:00.003-06:00

I hate to say this because everyone is going to start treating me like the boy who cried wolf, but I found another “funniest show on television” and this week’s episode was so epic that I felt I needed to publicly announce my obsession with it. I know I have already forced some of you to sit down and watch or have left messages and sent emails until you did start watching, but there are bound to be some of you that I have missed. That is why you need to take me seriously when I say this: drop whatever you are doing and go watch Parks & Recreation. You have to believe me when I tell you that you won’t regret it.

The show follows the employees of the Parks & Recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana, which is for the most part led by the intrepid Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). While Poehler alone should be enough to sell you, everyone on the show is hilarious. Everyone from Ron Swanson, the government employee who doesn’t believe in government, to Jerry Gergich, the office “schlamiel” and “schlimazel”, is brilliant. In fact, the ensemble here is very similar to my other love, Arrested Development, in that it is nigh impossible to pick a favorite character.

Parks & Recreation is like a fine wine that just seems to be getting better with age (in fact, Entertainment Weekly recently declared it “TV’s Smartest Comedy”). I didn’t know if it was possible but the third season, which the show is currently in, has been even better than the second, especially with the additions of Rob Lowe and my new gentleman lover, Adam Scott. That being said, season one is a bit of a slow start so I usually recommend starting with season two because it will more effectively and quickly give you an idea of the fun that is to be had with this show. And you are all in luck because the first two seasons are available for instant streaming on Netflix!

For my closing argument, I am going to let the show speak for itself and leave you with these delectable delights.

April: I passed up a gay Halloween party to be here. Do you know how much fun gay Halloween parties are? Last year I saw three Jonas Brothers make out with three Robert Pattinsons. It was amazing.

Ron: I've been developing the Swanson Pyramid of Greatness for years. It's a perfectly calibrated recipe for maximum personal achievement. Categories include Capitalism: God's way of determining who is smart and who is poor. Crying: acceptable at funerals and the Grand Canyon. Rage. Poise. Property rights. Fish: for sport only, not for meat. Fish meat is practically a vegetable.

Tom: On a scale from one to Chris Brown, how pissed off is he?

Leslie: One time when I was in high school, a guy's mom called me and broke up with me for him. There was another time where I was on a date, and I tripped and broke my kneecap, and the guy said he wasn't "feeling it," so he left and I waited for an ambulance. One time I was dating this guy for a while, and then he got down on one knee and he begged me never to call him again. One guy broke up with me while we were in the shower together. Skywriting isn't always positive. Another time a guy invited me to a beautiful picnic with wine and flowers, and then when I tried to sit down, he said, "Don't eat anything. Rebecca's coming." And then he broke up with me.
Ann Who's Rebecca?
Leslie: Exactly.

Elphaba as a Disney Princess?

2011-02-07T13:35:00.004-07:00

UPDATE: I changed the link to the video to the animator's blog, so you should be able to see the video now.

While surfing the web today I came across this video. It is from animator Heidi Jo Gilbert who created animated storyboards for the song "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked and appeals to Wicked creator Stephen Schwartz to allow her to make his creation into an animated movie. Gilbert also assures viewers of her video that while she has worked for Disney, she created these on her own time. However, there is no denying that this is Elphaba and Galinda Disney-fied with their watery doe-eyes and tiny waists.
At first, I couldn't wrap my head around an animated Wicked. I suppose it makes sense. The story does lend itself to the whimsy of animation and a musical being made into an animated film would be new, but it still irked me at first consideration.
That being said, when Elphaba belts out to find her in the "western sky" I still got teary eyed and by the end of the video I was behind the idea. Whether this derives from my long-held desire to be able to pop in a Wicked DVD or whether I really think it is the way they should be brought to the big screen, I cannot tell you.
So watch the video and tell me what you think! Do want little girls to be playing with Elphaba Barbies? Also keep in mind that if they did this, Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth wouldn't be "too old" to play the voices of these college freshmen...

Christmas Time is Here: The Best Christmas Movies

2010-12-24T12:01:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas, blog-readers! Or Happy Holidays to any varying denominational readers (but I am really not aware of any)! I figured what better way to spend my Christmas Eve morning than to conclude my holiday series and detail my favorite Christmas movies for you. So let’s get into the countdown, shall we?

10. The Santa Clause (1994) – Ah, the 90s. Where Tim Allen was king and Judge Reinhold had a little more going for him other than Mock Trial with J. Reinhold. This one was definitely a childhood fav, but I had to relegate it to the tenth place because I was too young to understand the double meaning of the title so it will forever make me hesitate when I go to write Santa Claus’ name. Curses be upon you, Disney and your clever wordplay!
9. Miracle on 34th Street (1994) – Before you look higher on the list, no, the black and white version is not there. And before you go on iMDb, yes, this is the Dylan McDermott version with the girl from Matilda and the grandpa from Jurassic Park. I’m just going to say it. I like this one, I will not apologize for that. If you want an apology talk to my mom who bought me the VHS of this version and not the 1947 version when I was at the tender age of 7.
8. While You Were Sleeping (1995) – Ok, so not specifically marketed as a Christmas movie, but I still like watching during this time of year and it has all the attributes. Set during Christmas, check. Message about being around loved ones, check. Bill Pullman slipping on ice and ripping pants, check. Finding a new family in the least likely of places, check. Crazy coma hijinx, check. So not all of those are necessary to a Christmas movie, but they don’t hurt.
7. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) – Basically, I just love the Muppets. The only thing that could have possibly made this better: Muppet…wait for it…Babies. Nah, we’ll just leave it as is. And really I owe a lot to this movie. Michael Cain and Scrooge McDuck really introduced me to the concept of being a Scrooge.
6. Home Alone (1990) – Oddly enough, I like this movie more with age. I cry a lot more, too. I’m sorry but you would have to be a robot to not tear up when after hours in airports and on a van with John Candy, Kevin’s mom is finally able to see her son on Christmas morning. Then, you know, there’s the whole bad-guy-booby-trap thing that is going on in the rest of the movie. Awesome.
5. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – I know, you’re shocked. A movie that is usually number one on Christmas lists and I have it at number five. This is another one that I was introduced to later in life. It gets on the list because even if I only see the last five minutes, I will still weep openly and thoroughly.
4. Scrooged (1988) – Another one during which I cry (Wow, I have a problem). Nobody does curmedgeon-who-needs-to-change-his-ways-on-a-nationally-recognized-holiday better than Bill Murray. He has more funny lines than I have room to quote them, so just go watch the movie if you want a laugh (or a cry, look into that little boy’s eyes as he says “God bless us, everyone” and try to keep it in).
3. Elf (2003) – Easily one of my most quoted movies, and that’s 365 days out of the year, my friends. “Francisco, that’s fun to say”, “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?”, “I like to whisper, too?”, “You sit on a throne of lies”, “Bye Buddy, hope you find your dad”, “You smell like beef and cheese.” I suppose I could keep going, but you get the gist and it’s really Will Ferrell’s delivery that makes the movie so funny. Bonus: This movie introduced me to Zooey Deschanel’s singing voice leading me to discover She & Him. Thanks, Elf!
2. Love Actually (2003) – Disclaimer: This movie only gets demoted to number two because it doesn’t quite ring “Christmas movie” like my number one choice does. Those of you who know me know that I love love love this movie, actually. I could go on for a whole blog post about how much I love this movie (hmmm….), but I’ll just say this: I cry every time during the airport footage at the very end, I love everyone in this movie, and I just love the accurate portrayal of …love. Sometimes it’s happy, sometimes it sucks, sometimes it’s romantic, sometimes it’s with family and friends. Just delightful. Never ceases to literally warm my heart. Yes, literally.
1. A Christmas Story (1983) – In my opinion, THE seminal Christmas classic. I could quote the whole thing, but so could most of you, I’m sure. This movie is forever a part of my concept of Christmas. Some families have decking the halls or caroling, my family has A Christmas Story.

So there you have it. Now you have a complete understanding of my preferences in Christmas fare. Well, you know the drill. Did I miss anything? Would you have put one movie over the other? Oh and MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

Christmas Time is Here: The Best Holiday Episodes. EVER!

2010-12-17T12:03:00.003-07:00

As further evidence of how much time I have on my hands, I give you the following scenario: In the past few days, I have gone through and watched all the holiday episodes of shows I have on DVD. Why would I do this? To rank them, of course! It was actually quite fun. Some of these, I haven’t watched in a long time and some are brand new additions to the Holiday Episode list. Keep in mind that I don’t own every show and I am very biased in my selection of the “best holiday episodes ever”, but I think you can enjoy my list regardless.

10. “Comparative Religion” Community: Season 1 – I have been on a bit of a Community kick since watching this episode because I proceeded to watch the rest of season 1 again. Personally, the hotness that is Joel McHale aside, I think this is one of the funniest shows on TV right now and I am glad to see that the critics and viewers are starting to come around (and for you AD fans out there, it has a real Bluthy vibe to it, so go watch it). This episode is the perfect blend of touching and high-larious. Shirley being tested by her multi-faith group is gold, the fight against Farmer Ted and the cast of Breakin' is epic, but the best is the group scorning Jeff for being agnostic. “To me religion is like Paul Rudd, I see the appeal and, I would never take it away from anyone, but I would also never stand in line for it.” Agree to disagree.
9. “Christmas Joy” Psych: Season 3 – This one almost gets a mention solely for the Charlie Brown dance after they save Santa, but I like the rest of the episode, too. Shawn trying to avoid the advances of Gus’ sister in front of Gus is very funny and I love Henry and Shawn’s guessing game.
8. “Christmas Special” 30 Rock: Season 3 – In my book, it doesn’t get much better than Liz Lemon ruining Christmas for some kids and Jack finding out that his mom took F.A.O. Schwartz as her gentlemen lover (“Uhh that word bums me out unless it's between the words meat and pizza”) to make Christmas for him as a kid.
7. “Afternoon Delight” Arrested Development: Season 2 – Ah, Christmas. The time of year when you have parties on Bethlehem time, sing about daytime lovin’ with your niece, and let kids get their grubby little hands all over a $3000 dollar suit. Come on!
6. “The Polarizing Express” Psych: Season 5 – I waited to post this until after this episode aired on Wednesday because I knew I would want to add it. It is exactly what you would want out of an It’s a Wonderful Life episode from Psych written and directed by James Roday: bizarre, hilarious, and Gus in a UPN sitcom in the 90s. This episode only further solidifies my love for Roday.
5. “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” Community: Season 2 – This is another late entry, but I had to add this stop-motion, musical spectacular. Um, Abed finding out that the meaning of Christmas is the first season of Lost on DVD because Christmas can mean whatever we want it to mean? Brilliant, uproarious, and kind of sweet. Also, this episode gave me my new favorite Christmas mascot. Christmas Pterodactyl!
4. “Christmas Party” The Office: Season 2 – This one made me all sorts of nostalgic for the (now fulfilled) sexual tension of Jim and Pam. It also had some other great stuff, too. Michael’s impromptu Yankee Swap to get rid of the homemade oven mitt, Creed's equally impromptu Secret Santa gift, Angela’s babies-playing-saxes poster, and Meredith flashing Michael. “Happy birthday, Jesus. Sorry your party's so lame.”
3. “Bath Item Gift Hypothesis” The Big Bang Theory: Season 2 – Sheldon really struggles with what to reciprocate Penny’s Christmas gift with so he buys up every gift basket in Bath and Body Works with plans to pick the present that best fits her gift to him in terms of price. And while I enjoy this whole episode, I adore the last five minutes. When Sheldon receives Penny’s … you know what, just go watch this.
2. “Santa in the Slush” Bones: Season 3 – Ah, the good old days when the only person getting into the Bones-Booth mix was Caroline bribing them into kissing under the mistletoe. I love Caroline. While the whole first-kiss aspect really helped it get up to the number 2 spot I also just think this is a perfect Christmas episode. You have the gore and mystery with a dead Santa in a sewer, you have the funny with Booth having to sniff Santas, you have the whimsy with Santa’s apartment above a toy store, and you have the touching with Booth giving Brennan her Christmas tree. Le sigh. These two really need to work out their stuff, pronto!
1. “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” Mystery Science Theater 3000: Season 3 – In answer to your question, yes, this movie is as ridiculous as it sounds. In fact, probably more so. But that is what makes Joel and the bots making fun of it so great. Then you couple their commentary with their performance of “A Patrick Swayze Christmas”, a seminal Christmas carol classic, and you get pure holiday magic.

Phew! That's a lot of linking for your viewing pleasure, there you have it! Do you have any shows you like with great Christmas episodes that I should check out? Do you disagree with my order? Not that I am going to change my mind, but I would love to at least pretend to listen to your feedback. Check out my favorite Christmas specials and stay tuned for my favorite holiday movies!

Christmas Time is Here: My Top 10 Favorite Christmas Specials

2010-12-14T13:15:00.002-07:00

“Christmas! I looooove Christmas!” As you can tell from this blog, I love movies and TV. Combine that with my love for this time of year and you come to the conclusion that I love Christmas entertainment. While every family has their traditions, one of my family’s favorite traditions is to watch our favorite Christmas programming in the days leading up to the 25th. In this first of three part Christmas-themed blog post series, I am going to countdown my top 10 favorite Christmas TV specials.

10. Frosty the Snowman – I chose this one partly because it’s a classic and partly because I love how doofy Frosty is. Although I suppose a day-old snowman can only be expected to have so much intelligence. I still love his “Happy Birthday!” And is it just me or is there some liberal propaganda in this children’s special? Death by greenhouse…effect?
9. Mr. Krueger’s Christmas – I gained my love for this one just last year while at the MTC because it was the closest thing we could get to secular Christmas viewing: an old man conducting the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
8. Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale – Apparently, Ricky Gervais like to end his shows with epic Christmas specials, which made it very difficult for me to NOT put both of them on this list. First of all, if you have not seen this show and like your celebrity cameos with some bite (Kate Winslet giving advice on how to talk dirty, Orlando Bloom refusing to believe he is less attractive than Johnny Depp, and Daniel Radcliffe trying to seduce every woman he meets to name a few), then I recommend this show. The Christmas special is perfect holiday fare as the main character, Andy, struggles to maintain his dignity and relationships with the onslaught of fame. The ending is a perfect blend of touching and funny with just the right amount of things left unsaid.
7. A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! – Colbert trapped in bear country! The horrors! This one gets a spot on the list solely for John Legend’s “Nutmeg” slow- jam and Colbert’s “Operation Humble Kanye” campaign to get the soundtrack higher on the iTunes charts than the self-proclaimed “voice of this generation of this decade”. Pay close attention to the following over-exaggerated eye roll. Oh brother.
6. A Disney Christmas Gift – I actually haven’t watched this one since we made the move from VHS to DVD because it got lost in the transition, but I have always been a sucker for nostalgia. I will always loved Chip n’ Dale messing with Pluto while decking the halls.
5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Classic Christmas, but still awesome. I mean, you have an elf who wants to be a dentist, a Charlie-in-the-box, and Yukon Cornelius. There’s nowhere to go wrong. Also, one of the most quoted lines in the Lloyd house: “She thinks I’m cute!”
4. The Office Christmas Specials – I’m sorry but I had to. If you know me at all and if you know what happens in the last ten minutes, then you know why.
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas – I’ll have the Roast Beast and Who-hash platter, but hold the Jim Carrey. Blegh. That’s just wrong.
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas – File this one under “A-duh!” This is pure Christmas perfection with the best dance sequence ever. I could list all of my favorite bits, but how about you just take the 30 minutes to watch it yourself. Added Christmas bonus message: If you are patient enough with kids who are really crappy to you, they’ll magically decorate your twig to become a Christmas tree.
1. Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special – This one gets billing over Charlie Brown mainly because I saw it on a list the worst Christmas specials today. I know you are but what am I? Say what you will about Pee-Wee’s “extra-curricular activities” outside the playhouse, but I laugh harder at this every year. Get into the Christmas spirit as Magic Screen reunites with his cousin Magic Johnson, as Chairy meets Cher, and as Pee-Wee comes up with a solution to his fruitcake problem.

Did I miss your favorite? Stay tuned for my top 10 favorite holidays episodes and holiday movies!

Okay, just hear me out...

2010-12-07T21:29:00.003-07:00

I am now going to try and convince you to give another show a try. But before you all launch into me about how ridiculous it is that I like it, nay, love it, just hear me out. I confessed to liking The Vampire Diaries in my previous post about guilty pleasures, but now I am just going to take that off, because I am not embarrassed. I, Ellen Lloyd, along with tweens across the nation, love The Vampire Diaries. Yes, hiss and boo at me if you must but I am not ashamed! (Continues after picture...)

My journey to finding The Vampire Diaries began like most of my pop culture forays do, with a mention from Entertainment Weekly. A lot of you know that I am obsessed with this magazine and its accompanying website. It is responsible for getting me into Comic Con, Buffy, Firefly, Spaced, and Bones, to name a very few. When they had their Sexiest Beast Alive bracket game, I found it quite amusing. I followed the results and voted when I had a favorite in the running (e.g. David Borenanaz, Doctor Who, Hugh Jackman). Imagine my shock and surprise when someone from THE VAMPIRE DIARIES took out my beloved Booth in a head to head match-up. “Who does this show from the frickin’ CW think it is?” I wondered. David had had the whole Whedon fandom behind him and that is a force to be reckoned with. How did this happen? I began to lose interest when all my favorites were out of the running and when it got to the finals with Damon (Ian Somerhalder) from The Vampire Diaries and Edward from Twilight, I figured it was a done deal because Team Edward would rally and make Twilight be victorious. Boo. Then came my issue of Entertainment Weekly announcing that the winner was…Damon from The Vampire Diaries?!?!? What the what? After reading a rather amusing acceptance article and more about the show in the magazine, I decided to see why my beloved magazine loved this show so much.

I first watched the premiere of second season, and while I wasn’t completely sold, I decided to give it a chance and watched the first season. After about three episodes, I was hooked. Not only are all the men (mystical and human) in the town of Mystic Falls b-e-a-utiful and thus extremely easy and delightful to watch, but it is the only show that continues to surprise me. After every episode, I am exclaiming, “I can’t believe that just happened” and wiping brain matter off the wall because my mind was just blown. Now don’t get the wrong idea, I am not talking crazy theories like Lost or separate realities like Fringe, but they kill people off, have couples you thought would never get together hook up, and make you go from hating someone to loving them all the time.

Most of you are probably like I was and don’t want to bow down to the vampire craze, but this is where, in my opinion, you should make an exception. If you like your vampires with less hardcore sex scenes than True Blood or if you prefer them to be played by better actors than Twilight, look no further than The Vampire Diaries, my friends. And then when you have started watching and gotten sucked in, come find me and tell me the answer to this: Team Damon of Team Stefan? But don’t expect us to still be friends if you are Team Stefan.

In Case I Haven't Already Tried to Convince You: Psych

2010-12-03T14:41:00.003-07:00

(NOTE: I had written an even longer post and then realized I had one basically identical that I had written a couple years ago, so I edited this one down a little and tried to pick more recent quotes. I am including a link to the old post if you want to know more about the plot and such.)

Recently, my obsession for a certain pineapple-flavored bromance has re-ignited. Maybe it’s because a certain show with a certain new whorish character is infuriating me so I am having to shift my obsessive focus onto another show or maybe it’s because with USA’s crazy summer season/winter season schedule I had briefly forgotten how much I love it. But I digress. Psych is back, my friends and in a big, big way. First of all, if you don’t watch Psych, shame on you. In my opinion, it is one of the most underrated comedies on TV. Some say it is TOO goofy or TOO light or has TOO many pop culture references, but these are the reasons I love it.

After the winter season premiere and getting a little high-pitched squealy about of the developments that took place, I got on one of my Psych kicks and watched all five seasons again (including audio commentaries), because I have THAT kind of time on my hands and because that episode reminded me how much I love this show. I have been bombarding my mother with factoids I gleaned from special features and my friends with quotes via text messaging (but you truly know you are obsessesed when you quote their Comic Con panel). It is totes one of my most quoted TV shows, on a short list with 30 Rock and Arrested Development. That being said, I thought I would leave with some of my favorite quotes, but bear in mind that they are even better when you can hear James Roday’s delivery of them in your head. (This is a shortened version of a very long list).

JT Waring: Do you understand about honor, Mr. Spencer?
Shawn: Of course I do. I have a bootleg copy of Saving Private Ryan at home.

Lassiter: What do you two know about street racing anyway?
Shawn:Only what we learned from The Fast and The Furious. So... everything.

Gus: You've never read the Bible, have you?
Shawn: Sure. There's Genesis. Exorcist. Leviathan. Do... the right thing.

Major General Felts: I assume you realize this kind of idiocy will not be tolerated on my base!
Shawn:Is there another type of idiocy you would be more comfortable with?

Juliet O'Hara: Well, Lassiter's really got your goat, huh?
Shawn: Yeah, he does, and I want it back. God knows what he's doing to that poor thing.

Shawn: I don't lose things. I place things in locations which later elude me.

Gus: Do you think it could be PTSD?
Shawn: I think it's slightly more serious than a mere menstrual issue.

Have I sold you? (If you are actually interested, the first four seasons are on Netflix instant streaming, making it even easier for you to become as fanatical as me!)

My Top Ten Guiltiest Pleasures

2010-10-08T16:11:00.003-06:00

Recently, I realized that there are more than a few things that I enjoy with shame. You know what I am talking about. The shows that you watch with your hand over the channel change button in case someone comes in or the music you listen to only with headphones. But why is this? Obviously, if these things are still being produced then I can’t be alone. So I decided to come clean about the things I am embarrassed about to the two of you who read this blog. You can let me know in the comments if I am alone in these pleasures or you can even use this as a sort of confessional about your own shameful methods of entertainment. This is a judge-free zone.

10. Chick Lit – Anyone who has been to a bookstore with me can tell you that my method of browsing is shameful. I keep my eye open for pink covers and curly fonts. I feel that with a BA in English I should find more enjoyment in highbrow literature, but I still revert to my rosy bookshelf when I have free time. I constantly thanked heaven for Jane Austen being considered an appropriate subject for theses.
9. Bollywood Dance Workout- Look it up. I dare you not to enjoy working out to these.
8. Say Yes to the Dress- I am not ashamed of watching this show. I AM ashamed of the four hour marathons, though. And I’m ashamed of the realization that I will be one of those brides who cries in the showroom because I can’t make a decision.
7. Time Life commercials- If I am flipping through the channels late at night and one of these infomercials for a compilation CD is on, I will always stop. What can I say? I love having Malt Shoppe Memories one line of a song at time.
6. Taylor Swift- My shame here lies in the fact that I am not a fifteen-year-old girl and that I already own the two singles from her yet unreleased album. And I like them.
5. Dance movies- No matter how bad the movie is, I will watch any dance movie for the last fifteen minutes. (See: the rain scene in Step Up 2: The Streets, the onstage-sex-ballet in Center Stage, the ménage à tango in Take the Lead)
4. Vampire Diaries- This one has a lot of things working against it: Vampires, primetime soap, audience mainly comprising of tween girls, CW. But it’s like Pringles, once you pop, the fun don’t stop. I watched one episode and got hooked. And no, it wasn’t just because of this.
3. Kesha- The very definition of “dirty pirate hooker”. I am well aware that she cannot sing to save her life, that her lyrics include dental hygiene by whiskey, and that she lusts after Mick Jagger (shudder), but I can’t help myself. I too want to party ‘til the po-po shut us down.
2. This song- Call it nostalgia, call it a weird affinity for really kitschy stuff from the 80s, call it bad taste in music, call it whatever you want, but I love this song. The truly embarrassing factor is the lengths I took to track down a downloadable version of the song and album artwork.
1. Bones fanfiction – Disgrace numero uno. I am too ashamed to even explain what it is. Just look it up. (Hangs head in shame). But also remember that people have to write it in order for me to read it.

So there you have it. Can we still be friends?

My Very Own Sophie's Choice

2010-09-02T14:24:00.002-06:00

Ok, everyone, I know there has been a lot of speculation and tittle tattle out there, so I am just going to come out and officially release my statement on this controversial topic. After countless hours spent doing research to officially come to this decision, I can safely say that I am firm in my conclusion: TV is better than movies. Let’s take a look at my findings on the matter:
1. Where have all the new plots gone? I am becoming increasingly disappointed in the level of creativity being exhibited in movies. My heart literally bled when I heard they were remaking Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. (I swear if anyone who has ever been on the Disney Channel is in this someone is going to get fork stabbed. That goes doubly if said twit is wearing a large cricket in her hair. Some things are sacred.) Why can’t they lay off the classics? Footloose? Romancing the Stone? MY FAIR LADY? For shame. And the thing that really gets my goat is that I will probably go see all of them. I’m weak. Now I realize that television is starting to follow suit (Hawaii 5-O, Rockford Files, and Nikita, I’m talking to you!), but I still don’t see them to be quite as guilty in this respect.
2. TV is the Everlasting Gobstopper of entertainment. With this statement, I am referring to the hypothetical candy in the 1971 classic film that is actually everlasting. Layer upon layer of sugary goodness until you reach the center years later or you accidentally swallow it (cancellation). Movies are like the Gobstopper that you can buy at your local grocery store: finished in two bites.
3. I believe the children are our future, and we are insulting their intelligence by making every movie for them in 3D. In my day, we watched our cartoons in 2D and we paid a lot less to watch them! TV shows aren’t resorting to these gimmicks… yet. And I wish they would stop trying.
4. Step it Up 2: The Streets, Movies! I speak here in generalities, but I have been more impressed with the quality of TV being produced than that being exhibited in movies. Granted the trash on TV is much more disheartening than that in theatres, but I would hope that movies would try harder to match some of the greatness that is on TV right now.
5. Now I ain’t sayin’ she’s a gold digger… I really have nothing to say here except that TV has affordability strongly in its favor, and movies are getting pretty greedy.
Movies were my first love. I could never forget the good times that we have shared. They will always be a huge part of my life and as per the divorce settlement, I will still be spending way too much on them every month. Maybe you will say that I am siding with TV because my feelings are fresh and new, but say what you will. All I know is I feel young again when I am with TV, and it gives me what I need in a relationship…with an entertainment medium. You can look forward to our Christmas letter.

I See Fake People.

2010-09-01T22:03:00.002-06:00

I had a rough night last night. After watching “Fashion Police: Primetime Emmys Edition” like I did, you would have, too. First, let’s move past the part where we judge me for watching anything on E! besides The Soup. And no, the fashion was not SO horrible that it caused night terrors. No, it was this:

Yes, my night was filled with Gangy – esque hauntings. Why are we still letting Joan Rivers on the air? Why are we as a society encouraging this kind of behavior? And I am not only talking about the dozens of face lifts. She is mean! She said that Anna Paquin must have bought her teeth at the Gap. Really, Joan? We’re going to go there? Where did you buy your face? A Tupperware party? Oh, snap!!

My Latest Obsession: White Collar

2010-07-19T14:32:00.004-06:00

Don't worry, I am still a vigilant Bones, Psych, etc. -fan, but what is a girl supposed to do during these summer hiatuses except find a new show? With my mom scheduling us for the panel at Comic Con (more on that to come), everyone telling me I should watch it, and then this picture, White Collar just seemed like a natural choice to cure the Summertime Blues that only TV watchers suffer from.
If you are not one of the people that hounded me about watching this show and you are not watching, I suggest you change that ASAP. It is good fun. I love watching Neal and Peter develop their "besties" relationship.
I will be honest, I was at first reticent because I thought the star, Matt Bomer, was too pretty for my next TV crush. I mean look at the picture above! But once I watched the show and realized that he is not naturally airbrushed, he's devastatingly charming, and, in some episodes, shirtless, I was sold. I think you will be, too.

Just because I like it...

2009-09-02T12:45:00.000-06:00

Famous
by Naomi Shihab Nye

The river is famous to the fish.

The loud voice is famous to silence,
which knew it would inherit the earth
before anybody said so.

The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds
watching him from the birdhouse.

The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek.

The idea you carry close your bosom
is famous to your bosom.

The boot is famous to the earth,
more famous than the dress shoe,
which is famous only to floors.

The bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it
and is not at all famous to the one who is pictured.

I want to be famous to shuffling men
who smile while crossing streets,
sticky children in grocery lines,
famous as the one who smiled back.

I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous,
or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular,
but because it never forgot what it could do.

All I Need Now is to Move to Florida: Day 1

2009-09-02T09:54:00.002-06:00

Due to the fact that I have nothing better to do for the next four months, I will be doing a little experiment. For the next four months, I plan to live the lifestyle of a retiree. Perhaps a blog about living the life of an old person is in itself counter-productive, given the fact that I had to spend an hour explaining the concept of a blog to my grandpa not too long ago, but I had to publish my findings in some manner and the Pulitzer committee rejected my application.
A potential warning about this experiment is that the blog may get a little monotonous at times because my days will consist of such things as going to the bank or the public library (more to come on that later), but I plan on making it as enjoyable as possible.
Day 1 of the experiment was more planning than anything. The night before, I mapped out my day with the following activities: workout at health club, go deposit checks, go to public library to get library card renewed, laundry, and go to the temple. Now you may be saying to yourself, "Wow, that sounds really exciting, Ellen." I can assure you that it was. Not in the fast-paced mode that people my age may be after, but it was exciting to putter around town doing whatever the heck I wanted to do.
When I was at the gym, I asked about classes that they have and after carefully dissecting the list of options, I have decided on three to do throughout the week. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I will participate in BodyVive which is a "Low impact class integrating cardio and resistance intervals with stretching and mobility work, all set to the songs of the 60's and 70's." What I glean from this is Jazzercise. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I will be participating in a yoga class geared towards senior citizens, which will probably be more my level anyways. I think I may also attend the fencing class that they hold on Wednesday nights (even though it is way past 9:00 bedtime). Last, but certainly not least, on Fridays, I signed up for a water aerobics class called "Noodle Mania". I think I can just leave it at that. Whether you want it or not, I will be reporting back with a description on all of them. Until then...

My Latest Obsession: Bones

2009-07-30T13:11:00.003-06:00

When I use the word obsession here, it is being used in the most potent way possible. I don't even know where to begin in describing my love for this show. Instead let me tell you about how Bones and I had a difficult journey in finding each other. Those of you who know me know that I am hooked on way too many shows as it is. My Season Pass list on Tivo is far, far too lengthy. I have had to stop myself from watching shows like Lost, House, and 24 because from what I have heard about those, I simply don't have the energy and time to commit in wrapping my head around them.
When I had heard about Bones when it first came out, I thought while I love a mystery show that is rife with sexual tension as much as the next girl, I just can't do it. I already have too many shows. This is the part in the story that is very telling about what will get me interested in a show: On my favorite website ever, ew.com (read it, study it, love it), they released a spoiler stating that the two main characters of Bones, Booth and Brennan, would FINALLY be hitting the sheets...so I decided to give it a go. I had just finished finals and had about a week of nothing to do. I spent that week watching seasons 1, 2, 3, and 4 online with Japanese subtitles. I was hooked, plain and simple. You grow so attached to all of the characters and I became addicted to those sexual-tension moments of the show. Like a junkie, I got the shakes until I got my next fix. It also didn't help matters that Booth is now my numero uno fictional crush.
While the spoiled moment about Booth and Brennan knocking boots was a bit of a letdown, I don't even care because it was the catalyst for my discovery of this show. While I definitely need to quell my obsession for this show (I have watched all four seasons, all the way through, at least three times now), that will be for another day, because for now, I am happy living in my fangirl bubble.

Anybody have a thousand dollars they want to loan me?

2009-04-10T13:54:00.004-06:00

Today, I stumbled upon a charity auction on eBay that got me thinking. The auction is for The Adrienne Shelly Foundation, which supports women filmmakers, and they are offering lunch with some of your favorite celebrities! Among the list is Jeremy Sisto (Clueless, Law & Order), Keri Russell (The Waitress, Felicity), Paul Rudd (any Judd Apatow movie, Anchorman, Role Models), Nathan Fillion (Castle, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog), David Schwimmer (Friends, Band of Brothers), Ally Sheedy (Breakfast Club), Jon Hamm (Mad Men, 30 Rock), Rachel Dratch (Saturday Night Live), and Kevin Smith (Catch and Release, Jay and Silent Bob). Strangely enough, the current top bid with $3,050 (subject to change) is going to Kevin Smith, who I am sure would make for a very entertaining lunch guest but he would not be my first choice. I mean, have you seen Paul Rudd? Adorable, right? And, for my sense of humor, I think Paul Rudd would be equally if not more entertaining (See any movie he has ever been in). Second place, would go to Jon Hamm, who is pretty dreamy on Mad Men and, I recently found out, is good friends with Paul Rudd. He could come, too!
However, if I were to pick my optimal lunch guest outside the list, it would definitely be Tina Fey. Mainly, because she is my hero.

How about you, readers? Who would your ideal lunch be with? Don't go cheesy on me and say your family or something? Be honset!

SUNDANCE!

2009-01-26T13:28:00.003-07:00

Most of you will know that I am huge fan of The Office, and more specifically, Jim. Well, would you be jealous if I told you I saw him in the flesh at Sundance? And that it was at the worldwide premiere of the movie that he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in? Yes? I thought so. Megan, Jillian, and I had quite the glitzy weekend. We went to a few concerts, saw some celebrities, went to a movie premiere. You know, the typical weekend. Some other celebs that we saw besides Mr. John Krasinski were Maeby from Arrested Development (Alia Shawkat), most of the cast from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the Italian guy from Love Actually, Millie from Freaks and Geeks, Denise Richards,Robin Williams, Zooey Deschanel, Shooter McGavin, Peter Gallagher, and others for whom I will have to consult the girls to refresh my memory. A lot of them were only people that we would get excited about, but that only made it better.

Guilty Pleasure 103: Pretty Much Anything Period Or in Any Way Related to Jane Austen

2009-01-26T13:20:00.004-07:00

Most people know my penchant for things Jane Austen already. So let me tell about a really good period drama that my good friend and fellow-period-drama aficianado, Morgan, told me about. I give you Richard Armitage in all his glory as Mr. Thornton in North and Shouth. I watched it twice in a week and have watched the ending more times than I am willing to fess up to on this blog. I have also downloaded the soundtrack and several clips to my iPod. I know. I need to get a life.

Last Movie I Saw: Slumdog Millionaire

2009-01-26T11:19:00.004-07:00

Ok everyone, run (don't walk) and go see Slumdog Millionaire. It is without a doubt the best movie that I have seen in a long time. You at least need to see it before the Oscars so that you can be as disappointed as I will be if it does not win (but I am really thinking that it wil).
It is about a young man who had grown up in the slums of India and goes on India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? only in the hope that the love of his life will notice him. But surprising even to himself, he does extremely well. He is charged with fraud because they don't see how a kid with no education could know the answers to these questions. The film takes you through flashbacks on his life as he recounts how he knew the answers to the questions simply through life experience.
It is such a beautiful movie and (surprise, surprise) I was emotional through the whole thing. We’re talking from the opening scene to the end credits and even after I left the theatre and was on the phone with my mom telling her that she needed to see it. The children that play Jamal (the main character), his brother, and his friend are the cutest kids you will ever see. I loved this movie all the more when I found out these kids were found in the actual slums of India. They asked to be in the movie and then rather than pay them, they are putting them in school and the rest of the money is in a trust fund for them when they are older. My friends and I are also now determined to learn the Bollywood dance number that they perform at the end, especially since I now have the soundtrack. The music in this is awesome, compiled of Indian music, it is really fun. As you can see, I cannot recommend this movie enough, so go see it!

Best Show That You Are Not Watching: Pushing Daisies

2008-11-05T13:24:00.006-07:00

I am begging you. Please watch Pushing Daisies. Wednesday nights at 8pm (7pm Central). This show is utterly delightful (not a phrase I use seriously very often, but there are no other words to describe it). It has mystery, humor, enviable costumes (I want Chuck's clothes), and heart-achingly adorable romance. It centers around Ned, a guy with an unusual power of being able to touch dead things and bring them back to life. There is a catch, however. Once he touches them he cannot touch them again or they will go back to being dead and if he keeps them alive for longer than a minute, something else dies in their place. He and a private investigator team up to bring back murder victims for a minute to ask them who killed them. This is all fine and dandy until they come across a murder victim who happens to be Ned's childhood crush. Ned decides on impulse to keep her alive but they can now never touch.
This show is in danger of being cancelled and it will literally break my heart. I honestly don't understand why it is not getting any viewers it is so charming and delightful that I would think hordes of people would love it. It was nominated for several Emmys, including a nod for dreamy Lee Pace as the "aww-shucksy" Ned. Yet despite critical acclaim and being all-around incredible, it seems like no one has even heard of this show. Well, now you have. So go watch it and save Pushing Daisies.

My Latest Obsession: 30 Rock

2008-10-14T20:08:00.002-06:00

So there is this show that maybe you have seen. It’s called 30 Rock? It had more 17 Emmy nominations this year? It took the top three awards that night in Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Comedy? You haven’t seen it?! Shame on you. But a lot of people haven’t so I am willing to forgive.
This show is awesomely funny. I will admit that I, myself, did not become fully invested until this summer when I decided to buy the first season on a whim. I finished that in a day so I decided to preorder season 2. This has pretty much taken up my apartment’s past week. This show is great, right up there with some of my other loves like Arrested Development and The Office.
The best part of the show is without a doubt the main character, Liz Lemon, who is played to perfection by Tina Fey. My friend Megan and I decided that she is a girl after our own hearts. She gets caught wearing a one piece swimsuit instead of underwear on laundry day, she gapes when a guy asks her out on a date starting at ten, she high-fives herself after particularly good jokes, and, our favorite, she tells her ex-boyfriend that he will have to be more specific after he asks to take her to the BBQ place she threw up at. Awesome.
The show has some other really great characters (see Kenneth the Page, Alec Baldwin’s Jack Donaghy, and a amazingly hilarious Tracy Morgan as, surprise, Tracy Jordan). Also, more celebrities stop by this show than Late Night. Last season had Steve Buscemi, Will Arnett, Matthew Broderick, Carrie Fisher, David Schwimmer, and Jerry Seinfeld. I cannot express how funny this show is, so just go watch it already.

Guilty Pleasure 102: Breaking Dawn

2008-08-05T20:46:00.001-06:00

Did I preorder this book so that I could receive it the day of release? Yes. Did I read the book within 24 hours? Yes. Did I vocalize my shock over some plot twists while reading it in a room by myself? Yes. Did I think this was the best book of the series since the first? Yes. And did I love this book? YES!

Guilty Pleasure 101: Step Up 2: The Streets

2008-08-05T20:41:00.002-06:00

I am a total sucker for dancing movies, but, as I was telling my friends, with dancing movies it typically necessary that you ignore story lines and acting abilities and only pay attention to the numerous dancing sequences. The climatic “street” dance is awesome (I mean, come on, it is in the RAIN). So, if like me, you can overlook all aspects that make a movie good, then you will probably like this movie, too.

My Newest DVD: Spaced

2008-08-05T20:32:00.004-06:00

I am noticing that the DVDs I have bought lately have all been British. Hmm, interesting. Anyways, my latest purchase is the BBC series, Spaced. Spaced is about Tim and Daisy who are faking to be a couple so that they can rent a couples-only-apartment. Their crazy neighbors and friends join them in random plotlines that are rife with pop culture references. I think the moment that fully fell in love with this show was when they paid homage to the most unknown movie that I know of, but have loved since I was 4-year-old, Bugsy Malone. The show is one of the first collaborations of the same guys that made Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. So, if that same type of humor appeals to you, I highly recommend this show.

My Image-Changing, Mysterious, Therapeutic, Swedish-Furniture Filled, Delicious, Dark, ABBA Weekend!

2008-07-29T13:05:00.004-06:00

As you can tell from the title of this blog, I had a very eventful and AWESOME weekend! I am a little late in posting about it, but that is only because it took me forever to finsih writing it. Now, a large portion of this weekend has been covered by Jillian, and in her words “it will never be as cool as mine”, but hopefully I can add new insight and perspective. So here we go:

Friday:
6:00 pm- Having just gotten home from work, I am now hunting to find a salon that is open on a Friday night. I do this a lot where I make a decision and I have an overwhelming desire to have it fulfilled immediately. If I decide to cut my hair, it is cut by the end of the day. If I decide to change my major, it is changed by the end of the day. If I decide to by RockBand, it is ordered by the end of the day. This may seem like a rash way of operating to some, but I like to think of it more as following through.
7:00 pm- Bon Losse was open! My dear friend Kimberly was kind enough to drive me over and sit with me while they cut my hair.
8:00 pm- I exit Bon Losse $10 poorer, but free from the drudgery that was my long hair. I love the feeling after you cut your hair off, it’s so liberating.
8:15-11:00 pm- These hours are probably the most unimportant I spent all weekend. They mainly constituted of watching America’s Best Dance Crew (ABDC to the cool kids. GO FANNYPACK!) and waiting for the Psych season premiere to start.

11:00- Ok, couple of things. First, 11:00? Really, SLC’s Comcast’s USA network? You are really going to make me stay up that late to watch my show? Fine. Second, I love this show so much. Hilarious. Best moment: “Dude, that dog is kind of an a-hole. “ And, yes, he said a-hole. It was amazing.
12:00- Upon the conclusion, I decided I needed to go to bed because we had to start early for our awesome Saturday.

Saturday:
7:15 am- What am I doing awake on Saturday morning at 7:15, you ask yourselves? I was asking myself the same exact thing. I mean, it goes against everything I believe in. But for this day I was willing to sacrifice.
8:30 am- Jillian, Kimberly, Megan, Megan’s friend, Brandon, and myself all arrive at the Utah Massage Therapy School in Lindon and sign up on the waiting list. They were having a special of two for one, so it was only $12.50 to get a 50 minute massage! Awesome.
8:45 am- To occupy ourselves while we wait, we go to Kneaders and buy delicious pastries. I go for the cinnamon roll (not exactly a pastry, but delicious nonetheless) and a Strawberry Swing smoothie, mainly for the name (where you at, Coldplay fans?).
9:20 am- Massage time. If I am going to complain about anything it would be the elevator music and the fact that it was really cold. I mean, if they are going to have people undress, you would think they would keep it a little warmer. But this was my first massage experience, and besides all of that, it was fan-tas-tic. I felt so fresh after it, it was strange. The other thing that I enjoyed was listening to Megan in the stall next door as she kept laughing and then proceed to apologize and explain that she was really ticklish.
10:20 am- We leave the massage school and head for one of my favorite stores, in the world (up there with Target and H&M), IKEA. I don’t know what it is about this place that just sets my heart aflutter. I just go weak in the knees for cheap self-assembly furniture. I walked out with an eco-friendly grocery bag and a large pot because somebody stole my other one. (Rhymes with Regan Stain).
11:35 am- We want to get a lunch to bring into the theatre, because that is the coolest thing about Jordan Commons. We were so excited to find a little slice of home and heaven on the way to the theatre called Chipotle. So we stopped to buy some of their delicious burritos but got distracted by the grand opening celebrations of it’s neighbor, Nothing Bundt Cakes. So I am now officially in love with this store. It is the cutest thing you will ever see and the cakes (all bundt) are divine. We each bought a “bundtlet” and then went next door to get a burrito where they gave free drinks. I mean, how awesome was this day? Answer: Awesome.
11:50 am- Thanks to the glory that is Jordan Commons we were able to get the theatre only 10 minutes before the show because they have reserved seats. Amazing. Do you want to know what else was amazing? The Dark Knight. I have now seen this movie three times and it remains amazing every time. The thing that makes this movie so amazing is that it is not only the best superhero movie ever made (and that is no contest), but it is a really good movie. The acting is amazing with Heath Ledger giving one of the most disturbing performances ever and Aaron Eckhart giving an equally amazing performance but is being overshadowed. We were all talking about the movie in the car driving home and we agreed that the coolest and scariest thing about the new Batman movies is that they are technically probable plotlines: a rich guy uses his money to fund lots of cool gadgets and roam the streets warding off bad guys who are not bad due to a defect in their DNA, but are simply crazy, because that is all the Joker is. This is why rumors about there not being a third movie are so disconcerting. It would be an utter shame. (Side note: Baby that I am, I cried three time in this movie. I know, A BATMAN MOVIE! This is not good.)
3:30 pm-6:30 pm- This time span is not that exciting, but it is a nice break from the rest of the excitement.
6:30- My mom arrives! Yay! She takes Kimberly, Jillian and I out to dinner while Megan is on a date (go figure).
9:00- We all go to see Mamma Mia! This was a far cry from our earlier movie, but in that sense it was somewhat refreshing. All of you know that I love me some ABBA. I was raised on it, so I was pretty easy to please when it came to this movie. When all is said and done, was the best movie ever? No. Was it entertaining? Yes, very. Did Meryl Streep do a really good job? Yes, that’s a given. Can Pierce Brosnon sing? No. Did I really care? No. Did we blast ABBA on the way home from the movie? Yes, of course.

So that was my amazing weekend. It was just one of those days where everything goes right and makes you happy. I love those.

My Latest Obsession: PSYCH

2008-07-14T15:00:00.003-06:00

This is not so much a new obsession, but one that I have recently rekindled. Anyone who I have not made watch this show must start immediately. The plot is basically this: a guy who was grew up with his police detective dad learned all the trade tricks and has a knack for being hyper-observant. When he calls in anonymous tips from watching the Channel 8 news reports, the police bring him in because they surmise that the only way he could know all of this is by being involved in the crimes. He instead tells them that he knows all this because he is "psychic". And thus, the hilarity ensues. He forces his best friend into opening a psychic detective agency with him and together they solve crime with the occasional help from the local police detectives and Shawn's dad. This buddy comedy/mystery is highly entertaining with it's running gags (pineapples and nicknames), pop culture references galore, and great comedic chemistry between the two leads Dule Hill (Gus) and James Roday (Shawn). In honor of the DVD for Season 2 having come out on Tueday of last week and the third season starting on Friday, I thought I would include a couple of my favorite quotes, so enjoy!

Shawn Spencer: Oh, you mean my pilot's license? That's out back in the Cessna. Or perhaps you're referring to my license to kill. Revoked. Trouble at the Kazakhstan border. I could give you the details but then I'd have to kill you, which I can't do because my license to kill has been revoked.

Carlton Lassiter: Hey, we found prints.
Shawn Spencer: Was he in a little red corvette?
Burton 'Gus' Guster: Under the cherry moon?
Carlton Lassiter: FINGER prints!

Bird the Bounty Hunter: (referring to his arm band): By the way, these don't come in tiny.
Shawn: That's fine, we'll just get a woman's large.

Shawn: (After Gus confronts him about making up his childhood nickname, Big Head Burton) Gus, I have a knack for alliteration. I'm a slave to it.

Curse You, Food Network!

2008-07-09T16:51:00.003-06:00

A few days ago, I tuned into the show Food Network Challenge on … the Food Network. I am not going to lie, it was highly entertaining. It is amazing what people can do with fondant and cake batter. Since then, it has become a drug. I cannot get enough! Now, just because I have become physically reliant on Food Network’s programming doesn’t mean I still don’t have standards. Clarification: I will never watch Rachel Ray. She is annoying. But give me a little Next Food Network Star, Unwrapped, Food Network Challenge, or Iron Chef, and I am set. But, I just don’t get it, what is so fascinating to me about people making food? Even when I am stuffed to the brim I find it entrancing. But am I alone it finding being entranced by those "cupcakes"?

Last Movie I Saw: Wall-E

2008-07-08T23:08:00.002-06:00

Three words: Cutest Movie Ever.

My Newest DVD: Cranford

2008-07-08T22:24:00.004-06:00

So I have a bit of a confession to make, I am slightly addicted to Amazon.com. Especially now that I have Amazon Prime which gives me free two-day shipping. It only makes my bad habit of excessive DVD buying more easy. With that said, please do not think that I regret this purchase in any way. The new DVD is Cranford starring Dame Judi Dench and some other more mature in age British ladies. It is adorable. Produced by the same lady that made the superior five hour Pride and Prejudice, it has much of the same feel. It is about this little town and all of the people in it, so there is a lot going on. Apparently this means a lot of deaths and a lot of weddings. But even with all the deaths, this miniseries is a new favorite, totally worth the five hours.

What's your flavor? Edward Norton Edition

2008-07-08T20:20:00.005-06:00

On Sunday, some friends and I partook of the splendor that is The Painted Veil starring Naomi Watts and ... Edward Norton. This viewing made it necessary to re-see The Incredible Hulk under the pretense the "my friends hadn't seen it yet" and it is so "entertaining" (it really is, though). Edward and I have had an interesting relationship, in as much that, in the past, I have not been sure if I have been fully ready to commit. This is probably due to his always being bad (e.g. The Italian Job) or weird in some way (e.g. Fight Club). Let me assure you, not in the case in The Painted Veil or The Incredible Hulk. So this is the first edition of my first feature, "What's your flavor?". Edition 1: Edward Norton. The nominees being the slightly younger, slightly crazy Edward in Fight Club, the distressed and jilted, yet virtuously beautiful Edward in The Painted Veil, and last, but certainly not least in my opinion, the troubled, caring, scientist-turned-anger-management-student, Bruce Banner aka "The Incredible Hulk". In case you cannot tell, I am all about the Bruce Banner. His slight character flaw only makes him more in need of some companionship. So what do you say readers (or Jillian), what's your flavor?

Karlsplatz

2007-11-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

There is an U-Bahn (the subway system) stop that has become a landmark for us here in Vienna. Karlsplatz station is that "downward slope" hotspot of Vienna. Every city has one. The one area of town that when you start hanging out there, you know you have hit rock bottom. There is enough drugs, alcohol, and more illegal substances than I want to know about going through just this one strech of this underground. You would be able to tell what area I am talking about when you see without knowing where it is because as soon as you get there your lungs cry in despair. Walking through this one area that only takes about two minutes to walk through will make your clothes and hair smell for the rest of the day.
I have many fond memories which I will always remember from Karlsplatz, but we had a choice incident yesterday. As we boarded the UBahn there was a man you was obviously drunk with a bottle in one hand and a glazed look on his face. When we sat down Kimberlee was telling some story from earlier in the night to Kim and I. The man is staring at Kim and nodding along to her story and showing expressions that infer that he too is part of the conversation. We are beginning to feel uncomfortable when we hear that beautiful melody by Mr. William Joel. "It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday. The regular crowd shuffles in. There's an old man sitting next to me, making love to his tonic and gin." Our Karlsplatz friend broke into song and when I say broke I mean that something had to have broken because it was awful and very loud. He is basically serenading us in the middle of this jammed metro car. Some are looking at us as if it is our fault, some are blank faced in true Austrian fashion, and some are smiling in sympathy. After he finishes the chorus he yells, "Nevada!" To which Kim responds, "Nein, California." After some drunken German murmurings we had to get off the train, but I will never forget the night I was serenaded by the the old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin.

Concentration Camp

2007-11-03T15:40:00.000-06:00

The bus ride to Salzburg was a fairly typical one. As usual, my friend Megan and discussed all of the "drama" that we get wrapped up in.
"Why doesn't he get it? Is he blind?"
"He is so hard to read! What do you think he meant when he said that?"
"Are you worried about Jim and Pam getting together so soon? Because I am!"
"I just don't know if I should get her something from Vienna or Italy."
"Is McDreamy really going to leave Meredith?"
These are the kinds of problems that were occupying our thoughts on that bus ride, until we got to Mathausen. Mathausen is a labor camp is located about an hour outside of Salzburg. We heard stories about men who had been forced to leave their homes to come to the camp without any knowledge of what became of their families. We saw the gate they entered after being crammed into trains and trucks. Later, we walked through the gas chambers and execution rooms which was the most creepy thing I have ever done. I am not using creepy in the "The Sixth Sense is so creepy" way but in the sense that human beings killed other human beings by the roomful there. The last leg of the tour at Mathausen takes you to this gorgeous cliff that overlooks a little river. The cliff has a set of stairs cut out of it that has more steps than I have ever seen. This is where the prisoners were forced to carry the large boulders up to the camp and if they were too weak by the time they got to the top of the stairs they were unburdened from the rock and then thrown off the cliff into that sweet, little river. As Megan and I walked down the stairs, we talked about how stupid we are. My main thought as I walked through that camp was how lucky I am to have my big concerns be about tv shows and guys. This whole trip has taught me a lot about myself and that expereince was definitely one that helped.

And now, blog thoughts...

2007-11-03T15:30:00.000-06:00

It has been quite a while since I have written anything here which has recently made me very sad. The reason it has made me sad is because I am coming to the halting relization that my days here in Europe are numbered and the numbers are getting ever so close to zero. I have never been very good at keeping a journal, so this blog is acting as my journal. Pathetic, isn't it? Three months in Europe and I all have to show for it is some boring travel log entries. I have had a lot of blog-worthy moments as of late so I am going to try and recount some of these over the next week or so. Please keep in mind that my thoughts are not anything grand but just things that I want to write down for my own benefit. Sorry, if I am being selfish, dear readers, but you'll get over it...

America the Beautiful

2007-09-24T08:38:00.000-06:00

Do not get me wrong. I love Europe. I am having the time of life and am loving absolutely every second. I am not trying to brag, but I am. Just to bring me down from cloud nine, let's list the things that I miss about America:

1. Free water. I don't think we appreciate this the way we should. They charge you for tap water here! Crazy.
2. In direct correlation with number 1, free refills. Oh how I miss my endless supply of Diet Coke.
3. A good salad or Jamba Juice. This is probably because I am eating cheap which means a lot of schnitz and brauts, but I feel like I am not getting a lot of fresh food. I would kill for a good salad bar.
4. Bathrooms. Free ones, mind you. They have them here but you are expected to pay for most of them.
5. Having to schedule everything. I miss being able just bring friends home and have it be ok.
6. The "y" key. On German keyboards, the "z" key and the "y" key are switched and you never realize how much you use the "y" key until you keep typing "Ellen Llozd" or "zours trulz". It is quite annozing.
7. Prices. Stuff is expensive here, especially when you factor in conversion. I long for my good old Target.
8. Smiling. I miss smiling. I am a smiler. When you smile here, people think that you have mental problems.
9. People minding their own business and not telling you to cover your mouth when you yawn. Yes, this happened to me.
10. English. I miss English.

So, there they are. Again, I am not complaining, just documenting the things that I miss.

Vienna So Far- A Readers Digest Version

2007-09-06T18:18:00.002-06:00

Vienna is awesome so far! I live with a Kimberlee and a Kimberly, and oddly enough I am the only one with a nickname. Here I am known as Ayon, the Spanish pronunciation of my name. I love living with the Kims because we have so much fun together. Even when we are lost in Vienna, we are having a blast cracking ourselves up and looking like obvious outsiders. Our couple that we live with are the sweetest people ever. Helmut and Edit. Helmut was described to us as a teddy bear and that is Helmut to a tee. He is this big teddy bear who is always cracking jokes and trying to make sure that we don’t get lost again. Edit is his cute little wife who is always rushing around us to make sure we have enough Nutella (God’s greatest creation) and yogurt to keep us happy at breakfast. We get breakfast every morning and it is always this awesome spread of meat, cheese, toast, yogurt with muselee (sp?), toast with Nutella, juices, and fruit teas for my sore throat. Food here is basically amazing. Edit took us on a walk through the Vienna Woods and we ended up at this restaurant that had every meat you can imagine schnitzeled. It was awesome. School is going really good and I can already feel my German improving. The city is gorgeous and the people are very helpful. We just got back from our day trip to Bratislava, Slovakia where it downpoured all day long, but we still had a really good time. I will try to be more consistent with my blog entries now that I am caught up, so until next time, Schuss!

Day 13 - Vienna! At Last!

2007-09-06T18:18:00.001-06:00

On this day, I awoke to Vienna. From the train station we made our way to the Institute where we would be going to school and waited for the rest of our group. At this point, nothing was more welcome to me than the thought of unloading my luggage, seeing other people besides the three I had spent the last two weeks with, and showering. We were to stay in a hotel in our first night in Vienna. Before, checking into our hotel, we all had to go on a walk around Vienna. This was all fine and dandy except Kimberlee and I had not showered in 65 hours! We know, we counted. So, after our walk we got to our hotel and showered. I can’t remember feeling so refreshed. That night we ate at this really good pizza place, paid for by the institute. I had this really strange pizza, but it was awesome. It had shrimp, some sort of leafy lettuce, and a more biting cheese than your normal mozzarella. That night, the girls in my room and I stayed up and chatted for a while.

Day 12 - Switzerland

2007-09-06T18:17:00.001-06:00

I awoke in Switzerland and having to lug my bags off the train. We had to settle some things in Geneva, but after that was all done we got on the train to Zurich. This train ride only made me sad that we were not spending more time in Switzerland, because the countryside there is beautiful. We drove past some of the cutest little towns I have ever seen. Most of our time in Zurich was spent in the train station with our stuff but we did take turns getting out and seeing some of the city. It was really fun and I had my first brutal wake up call that I was going to be speaking German for the next 3-4 months. We eventually got on our night train to Vienna.

Day 11 - Barcelona

2007-09-06T18:15:00.002-06:00

For this day, there is not a whole lot to say because we had a bit of drama, which I dread like the plague, and I do not really feel like delving into that again. Highlights, without going into a ton of details would be:

1) I got to see the Barcelona Football Club and I bought a jersey. It was basically awesome and I was muy triste that I didn’t
get to see a game.
2) We went to a park that Gaudi designed some pieces in and that was pretty cool.
3) I got to eat some delicious fruit in a market.

That was pretty much my last day in Barcelona. I was a tad disappointed that we did not get more in, but such is life. Unfortunately, this did carry onto the next day a bit. We took the night train to Geneva, Switzerland that night. So for the record the night before was the last time I got to shower until Vienna. The train was fun because Kimberlee and I were sharing our car with the cutest little Catalan lady. She sat and peeled her apple with her little pocket knife and laid out all of her clothes for the next day.

Day 10 - Barcelona

2007-09-06T18:15:00.001-06:00

Barcelona started with finding our hostel. (Are you noticing theme here?) After another disastrous search that ends with us eventually getting settled we went to lunch at this really good place that Rick Steves recommends. (Rick Steves has the best travel books, in my opinion, for future travelers) After lunch we headed towards La Pedrera which is an apartment complex designed by Antoni Gaudi. He definitely has a different style which I don’t really like all that much but it is definitely something that you have to see because it is quite a sight. We rounded off the Gaudi tour by going to La Sagrada Familia, which is a church that Gaudi designed and has been in the works since the 20s. It is still not supposed to be finished for another 50 years. After the Gaudi bonanza we got some food and wandered along Las Ramblas, which is the shopping area of Barcelona, until we reached the Mediterranean. After sitting there for a while we headed back to our hostel to close another day.

Day 9 - Cordoba

2007-09-06T18:14:00.002-06:00

I awoke the next day feeling un-flu-like but very cold-like. I toughed it out though to see the beautiful gardens of the Alcazar palace. It was worth it, even if it was sweltering hot and I sounded like a hoarse man. There is not much else to be said for this day other than we got on another train and headed to Barcelona. We had hoped that getting into the Barcelona train station at midnight, we could just chill there all night and not have to get another night at a hostel because we had to cancel our plans to be in Sevilla that night. When we found out that we were going to get kicked out at 1, we rushed to find a hotel and the closest we found was a pretty swanky place off of the station. We were not used to places with lobbies. Lobbies with chandeliers, nonetheless. The place was pretty nice but it had this really gross, weird, almost pornographic painting in our room right over the bed. If you want to see a picture let me know. So we got a pretty decent night sleep on that night.

Day 8 - Cordoba

2007-09-06T18:14:00.001-06:00

Cordoba was next on the agenda and this meant another train ride. We got into town at about 8:30 am and started the search for yet another hostel. This one was as cute as the last and had the most amazing air conditioning ever. I actually don’t know how amazing it was but it sure was a relief in this city, because it was hot. In fact, with all this heat I was feeling not so hot. As we headed for the Mesquita (another Muslim palace) I could feel something was not right. To put it delicately, I became well acquainted with what the inside of the toilet at the palace looked like, which was not part of the tour. The coolest part was that I met a family who was picking up there twin sons who both served their missions in different parts of Spain and oddly enough grew up with my buddy, Starr. I was so glad that I was meeting people looking as hot as I am sure I did. I decided to sit out on wandering the street of Cordoba for a while and went back to the hostel. I awoke to my group telling me that we would be going to a Flamenco show that night. The Flamenco was fun and a given when in Spain. I went to bed that night hoping that I would feel better the next morning.

Day 7- Granada

2007-09-06T18:13:00.000-06:00

Next stop was Granada, so we got up very early to catch the train and made the journey without too much hassle. After scavenge through the city to find our hostel, we arrived at the cutest little place you have ever seen. After lackluster chain hotels, this place had all the charm that a little 4-story complex could contain. When we had all settled we headed to the Alhambra, which was the palace, the Muslims had when they were in control of southern Spain. We made the long journey only to find out that the tickets to get in were sold out so we were only able to walk around the outside. I had been here on my previous trip to Spain, so I did not entirely mind but I felt bad for the others. We ended the day just right, though by having an amazing dinner where we were seated outside the restaurant along this quaint little street. Throughout dinner we were entertained by the cutest little boy who apparently could only say “Hola, Que tal?” But, in the cutest way possible. It was quite funny. We wandered a bit after dinner and got some gelato. I got Chocolate Orange and then banana. So good. We came across this street show where this group of drummers were playing and everyone was in the streets dancing. It was way fun. All together, we had an awesome day in Granada, even if we didn’t get into the Alhambra.

Day 6 - Madrid

2007-09-06T18:12:00.000-06:00

So, on the next day in Madrid we went to the Prado and saw some awesome art, which I had already seen in my last trip to Spain, but it was still cool. Don’t get me wrong, I love art, but I would never call myself an aficionado and I was getting a little tired of the museum scene. After the Prado, we found some lunch, which ended up being a mistake because we mistook the cheap prices for a great deal as opposed to what it really was, gross, cheap, crap. We wandered a little bit after lunch and saw some cool stuff and then made our way to the Palacio Real. It was amazing. The craziest thing about these palaces is that people actually lived in these places and didn’t wander through them with velvet ropes keeping you from going through the entire room, as I was. After much time in the Palacio, we made our way to a park so that Eric could take a load off, seeing as how he was still very sick (I don’t remember if I mentioned, but Eric was sick throughout most of Paris). It was pretty fun to just chill for a while as opposed to rushing from one place to the next. Then, we did the only shopping that Kimberlee and I asked to do on the whole trip, which is not bad for two girls in Europe. I mean, we didn’t even ask to go into one store in Paris! So, the guys waited for an hour while Kimberlee and I went to H&M. Best store ever. And they are all over the place here. For dinner, we just got some snacks at a store and then headed back to the hotel.

Day 5 - Madrid

2007-09-06T02:38:00.001-06:00

Day 5 does not have much to report. After sleeping for a grand total of about two hours and reading pretty much all of my book for the other ten hours of our train ride, we arrived in Madrid. When we got through the train station, to the Metro station, we found out that our hotel was out in the boondocks of Madrid and that it was going to take a bit of a trip to get there. We set off and after about an hour of changing metro lines and changing buses a few times and taking an overpriced taxi, we reached our glamorous hotel. We were all so tired, though, that we didn’t take any notice. After we unloaded our stuff we decided to power through the rest of the evening and then just get to bed earlier. We took our journey back to the city now more seasoned professionals and we eliminated the taxi. We found and internet café and each sent off our one email that cost 2 Euro. Then we found some random place to eat. We all got mediocre paella with mediocre drinks, mediocre table, and even worse service. This lady did not like us for some reason. Maybe some American early-twenty-somethings committed some heinous crime against her and she now takes it out on all of us, I don’t know. We walked around Madrid a bit and then started the epic journey back to our hotel in no man’s land. After a long day of lugging my bags around, I cannot think of bliss much greater than that of climbing into bed.

Day 4 - Paris

2007-09-04T23:10:00.000-06:00

Today started off with a surprise. We were going to let ourselves sleep in and wake up at 8:30 rather than our normal 5 or 6. I am the only one in our group with an alarm clock and am in charge of waking everyone. This morning I learned that my travel alarm has to be open to make the alarm go off because I awoke to the cleaning people coming. I thought it was strange for someone to just be walking into our room and then leave, then I looked at the clock and realized it was 11:30!! Meaning we were supposed to check out an hour ago, so we basically rushed out of there and set off for the Rodin Museum. We did the obligatory poses with “The Thinker” and saw some amazing sculptures. For lunch, we bought some sandwiches at the café that was in the gardens of the museum. I found that 80% of my diet here in Europe has consisted of baguette usually with ham and chesse. The French put butter with this combination and it is awesome, I highly recommend. After lunch we headed over to the Monet museum but it was closed so we went to the Modern Art Museum but that was also closed. Word to the wise, when in Paris don’t plan on going to museums on a Tuesday because apparently they all take their day of rest on Tuesdays. Seeing as how we were not aware of this, we just walked around some more. This always ends up being my favorite thing to do in other countries because you get more of a feel for what the culture is like as opposed to what the tourism market makes it. We ended up doing our favorite thing in Europe and found somewhere to eat. Kimberlee and I went for gelato. We have both found that when food is very expensive and you have no money, apparently your stomach shrinks from lack of food. This has been pretty beneficial to us in the money department, which was root of this in the first place. Funny how things come full circle like that. This gelato shop was awesome! First of all, beautiful, beyond delicious gelato and second of all, an awesome Italian gelato shop in a gorgeous area of Paris and it is playing “Born in the USA” over the speakers. The irony was too much for Kimberlee and I so we filmed it. After we all finished our meals of sorts we started heading back to our hotel to get our bags and head back to the train station to catch our night train to Madrid. Note for future European travelers: When taking a night train just splurge for a sleeping car. It is really not worth it to try and sleep with all of the lights on and legroom that is not even adequate when sitting up. This day did end in as much bliss, but it had been pretty blissful.

Day 3 - Paris

2007-08-25T03:51:00.000-06:00

Today we woke up at 5 am to get to our Chunnel to Paris at 7 am. This meant getting to carry all of my stuff all over London and Paris again. I slept on the train for pretty much the entire thing. When we got to Paris, we got our museum passes and then tried to figure out the Metro system. To make a very long, painful, tiring, experience short, we got to our hotel by 1 pm. This one is much better than the last. I can actually stand up straight in it. We started our sightseeing by going to the Louvre, as any sightseeing in Paris should start. We saw everything one should see in the Louvre, namely Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, etc. We walked around outside the Louvre. The amazing thing about the Louvre is that not only is it full of beautiful paintings but the museum itself and the grounds are gorgeous. After strolling for a while we found a café and got some sandwiches but decided we still wanted more, so we took the metro over to an area with a lot of markets. Kimberlee and I went a bakery to get a baguette. When we got to the front of line they had just gotten out loaves from the oven so our baguette was hot, fresh and delicious. We went down the street to another market and got drinks and these great ice cream bars. After this we walked down the Champs Elysees (sp?) and to the Arc. We started heading to the Eiffel Tower. By the time we got there, they were just starting to light it up. It was beautiful. We all just sat in a little park and talked while looking up at the Eiffel Tower. These have been my favorite kinds of moments in Europe so far, the kind where we are just sitting and chillaxing in front of amazing architecture, history, or sights. After this we headed home, and here I am writing this blog while eating my leftover baguette. I am in bliss.

Day 2 - London

2007-08-25T03:49:00.000-06:00

Do not let these titles scare you faithful reader, I am not planning on writing a novel for everyday over the course of the next four months. I just have so much sightseeing within the next two weeks that I have to document it. Day 2 was supposed to start at 8 am but Kimberlee and I later realized that I had actually set my travel alarm clock too late so we actually started at 7 am. We started by buying some breakfast snacks to eat on the tube on the way to Parliament and Westminster. We took some pics around Big Ben and Parliament but could not go in because it was Sunday. This fact did end up helping us in another regard, though, because we ended up doing a service at Westminster Abbey. This was very cool, because as you sit and listen to their awesome choir you also get to look around at all the cool architecture. Also, the sermon, which was on love, was very good. We walked around the abbey some more after the service and then across the Thames. We saw the London Eye and lots more from this bridge. After this we bought passes on one of those tour-guide-double-decker buses. Cheesy, I know, but we actually got to see a lot of the city that we would not have seen otherwise this way. We were able to get off and get back on wherever and whenever we wanted. Our first stop was at London Tower where we walked around, but did not go in because it was too busy and long. Our second stop was in Covent Garden to find me a bookstore. I told my group that I only had one request in London. I wanted to find a bookstore so that I could get all of my books that I can’t get in the US. This ended up being much more of hassle than I intended, but I did end up seeing a lot of cool bookshops on the way. In the end, we found a Borders (I know I am in London and I go to Borders). This ended being an ultra success, because a) I found three books (I would have gotten more but I barely had enough room in my bags for one) and b) the cashier was super cute. After that we went to a pub to get fish and chips. While we were waiting we watched a Man-U game at the bar. It was awesome. Kimberlee and I got fish and chips and Eric got a dish called toad in a hole. We felt these were pretty British. For dessert, we got this really good apple crisp and a toffee sponge cake. So good! After dinner/lunch we got on the bus again and just drove around and chatted until they kicked us off. We wandered around a little bit longer and then headed back to Chiswick. We started our quest of searching for an Internet café. We found one that was closing so I got ten minutes to email. We stopped at a café on the way home and got some ice cream. For those of you who have not experienced European ice cream, you are missing out. It is amazing. We walked back to our hotel and I got ready for bed. I fell asleep reading one of my new books. I am in bliss.

Day 1 - London

2007-08-25T03:48:00.000-06:00

And what a day it has been! My flight started off in San Francisco where I flew to Cincinnati. In Cinci I met up with Kimberlee and Eric where we boarded the flight into London Gatwick Airport. There is not much to say for the flight because, honestly, I took Tylenol PM after a half an hour into it and I don’t remember much after that. It was fabulous. I woke up over Glasgow and eagerly awaited my London experience. Those of you who know mw know that I have always wanted to come here. It could not have been better. Our flight arrived early and customs was a breeze. (Anecdote: I get off the plane impressing my fellow travelers with my knowledge of all the slang and shops and such. Needless, to say I am feeling pretty cool… until the customs agent smiled when I said the name of my hostel, The Chiswick Hotel. Apparently the w is silent.) Anyways, we get done with customs but we still have to wait for our fourth member of our group, Andrew, who was supposed to get in ten minutes after us. Three and half hours later we met up with him. It was horrible! My first hours in London, let alone England, and I have to sit in an airport. Although, it was fun to listen to all fun accents. We took the Gatwick Express to London Victoria and it was insane. It was so busy and then none of our cards were working in the ticket teller machines. We finally got on the tube and headed for our hostel. By the way did I mention that I am doing all of this waiting and walking and maneuvering through the Underground with a very heavy backpack (or as they say here, “rucksack”) on my front and another very heavy and large backpack on my back? I am carrying at least 80 pounds. We get off at the Turnham Green station and have a bit of a walk to the hostel, so that by the time we finally get there, I am about to keel over. By the time we checked in it was six hours after we landed and then we went to our rooms. Funniest thing I have ever seen. I could have gotten just a queen for Kimberlee and I because that is how close our two twins have to be in our tiny room. I have some pics here. We got ourselves settled and then set out again. Andrew and his friend we met up with wanted to go to the Imperial War Museum, but Eric, Kimberlee and I wanted to go to the British Library. After a somewhat stressful day, this was perfect. I saw the Magna Carta, the Guttenberg Bible, Davinci’s notebook, Handel’s original composition of The Messiah and then, my Mecca. I feel like this is the crowning moment of my trip so far because it is like I have made a pilgrimage. They had Jane Austen’s letters and short stories all written by hand on top of her writing desk. THE desk upon which she most likely wrote my favorite books. It was awe-inspiring. After I had reached my Zen we went and met the others at the Imperial War Museum and then headed for Piccadilly Circus. I love this place it is like Times Square with all of the lights and shops and restaurants but set into these old buildings. It is somewhat surreal. We decided to buy discount tickets to see Spamalot and then we went in search of food. None of us had eaten anything since the mediocre bagel on the plane so this was a welcome quest. We wanted a pub for fish and chips but apparently everyone else in London did too so we went to this Italian Café instead. It was good and I probably would have enjoyed it even more if I weren’t scarfing down my food because a) we had to make it to the show and b) I was starving. Spamalot was really funny, but I probably would have enjoyed it more if I weren’t so exhausted. So after a well-deserved shower I lay in my dodgy bed, listening to football highlights on BBC 1. I am in bliss.

Passport Drama

2007-08-12T22:35:00.000-06:00

Since this blog is being kept to document my wonderous European adventures, I figured I should record the stress I had to go through to get there. On Friday, I left work around 11 because I had to take care of some things to get ready for my trip. I feel this some good intuitive on my part considering what proceeded to happen. My passport was supposed to arrive on Tuesday so I was hoping it would be waiting for me in my mailbox so that I could mail it off with my visa application. When my passport wasn't there my mom and I were furious because I had already put three rushes on it and still needed to apply for my visa. Seeing as how I avoid confrontaion like the plauge, my mom called the passport people and boy, did she give them a piece or as Dylan later said, "she opened a can of whoop ass." Mom and I went down to San Francisco and after waiting an hour to get up to the counter to request them to pull up my file we had to wait another half hour to find out that they had not even touched my application. They told us that my passport would be ready by six. At this point it was four and I had everyone coming over to my house to go out to dinner for my birthday at 6:30 and I still had to drive from San Francisco during rush hour on a Friday. Mom ended up staying in SF to get my passport while Dad drove to meet her there and I rushed home as fast as was possible in rush hour traffic. In the end it all worked out, but as you can probably imagine it was very stressful at the time.

In birthday celebration news, my dinner was super fun and I got some awesome presents (thanks girls!). On Saturday I went and dropped off my visa application at the post office and then I got my new birthday running shoes. That night, Starr, Mom and I went and saw Stardust. It was so good and everyone must see it. I loved it!

Now, I must go because Flight of the Conchords is on!

One of life's greater joys

2007-08-08T12:39:00.000-06:00

On occasion, while driving home from work I will have a moment of unabashed happiness. This moment is found when I am in a lively mood and for some reason, when I am in rush hour traffic. My car is stopped behind a large suburban with that stick figure family smiling back at me. Why a family with two kids needs an eight passenger vehicle is beyond me. To my right, an angst ridden teen is obviously getting off of some job he hates and feels that listening to his loud screaming music makes him much tougher than his turquoise Geo would ever convey. To my left, a woman in her 60s, who is wearing bright pink lipstick closer to her nose than nature ever intended her to, looks like she just arrived from Palm Beach where big hair, fake gold and polyester still run wild. I sit in my car with the AC running fiercely to cool my blazing hot steering wheel, taking slight notice of my comrades on the battlefield that is the freeway as some song ends. Then that moment comes. It is almost as if my iPod knows how vulnerable I am in this very moment and it plays the song. You know The Song. It is the one song that, in that moment in time, will make you want to dance no matter what the circumstances are. The Song is never the same, it will morph itself into another song entirely by tomorrow, but in that day and moment it knows exactly what it is doing. Then in front of God, the stick family, the moody Metallica fan, and the fake-tanned grandma, I dance. It is as if I have been possessed. I can’t help myself, I am dancing with no shame and singing as if I were trying to reach the ears of the people in the back of the theatre. Everyone is staring at me or at least trying to act like they are not. Situations such as this usually conjure embarrassment and dread, but not this time. I only feel vivacity and a brazen sense of disregard. My fellow commuters slowly inch past me, some laugh or smile, some give looks of pity. The Song ends. Songs that follow inspire bobbing of the head and maybe singing along with the chorus, but nothing compared to that moment. So, until tomorrow, The Song.

This may not be news to anyone, but...

2007-08-05T23:34:00.000-06:00

I love Jane Austen. My cousins and I have been having a bit of a fest as of late, considering I have every Jane Austen adaptation known to man. I just introduced them to the ITV adaptations that were done this year (anyone who I have not made watch these, you must) and they were fabulous. Chel and I decided that I am a cross between Catherine Morland and Elizabeth Bennet. We decided that Chelsea is probably the same, but then we took a quiz which said she is Mary Crawford from Mansfield Park (this is hysterical because Mary is super promiscuous). I took a quiz that said Henry Tilney is my Austen hero which is completely fine with me. The lesser known of the Austen heroes, Tilney is a perfect blend of wit and charm.

On the European Excursion front, I have only 11 more days until I leave, which I would be completely and utterly overjoyed about if only I had my passport and visa within my possession. Seeing as how I have neither, I am stressing out a tad. Having to call the passport customer service line and be on hold for a half an hour each does not help with this mounting stress. So until that day comes when I am the proud owner of a passport and visa courtesy of the Austrian Consulate.

I went and saw Bourne Ultimatum this weekend and anytime he was in a new location running from various government officials I got to lean over with pride and tell my mom "I get to go there!" Also, I will add that the exotic locations were not the only splendor my eyes beheld in that movie, if you follow me.

I created a photo sharing site that I will be using for all of my pics on the trip, so feel free to check it out although it is not very exciting at the moment.

Ellen: Music from the Motion Picture by Various Artists

2007-08-02T23:38:00.000-06:00

here's how it works:
1. open your music library
2. put it on shuffle
3. press play
4. for every question, type the song that's playing
5. when you go to a new question, press the next button
6. don't lie and try to pretend you're cool.
Ok, here goes my soundtrack:

opening credits: "That Time" by Regina Spektor (This is an awesome song for the opening credits! I love tangerines!)

waking up: "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman" by Carole King (Appropriate seeing as how I look very natural in the morning.)

first day at school: "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses (Hmm...Interesting)

in love: "Come Away With Me" by Norah Jones (I would love to be in love to this song)

fight song: "Over My Head" by The Fray (I would be over my head in a fight)

breaking up: "I'm the Man Who Loves You" by Wilco (Oooh, I left him for another man! Scandalous!)

prom: "Start the Commotion" by The Wiseguys (I am starting the commotion at every party)

life's ok: "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from Spamalot (This needs to be my anthem when life is just ok)

mental breakdown: “The Mess Inside" by The Mountain Goats (Ha)

driving: "Jump in the Line" by Harry Belafonte (This is perfect! One time I was driving and anytime this song comes on I have to dance to it because I have done so since I could walk. A carful of guys were mocking me, but I didn't care. They were just jealous that I was having more fun than them in rush hour traffic.)

flashback: "Chiquitita" by ABBA (This does conjure flashbacks...)

getting back together: "Any Way You Want It" by Journey (That's right. I would have to have it my way to get back together)

wedding: "Eight Days A Week" by The Beatles (Interesting selection)

birth of child: "My Girl" by The Temptations (Aww, that is perfect)

final battle: "Super Trouper" by ABBA (The fact that I have so much ABBA on my soundtrack does not help its coolness level)

death scene: "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes (Interesting selection again)

funeral song: "It's the End of the World as We Know It" by REM (Thats right, the world will end when I die)

end credits: "One Sweet Love" by Sara Bareilles (I like that)

Overall, I feel that this is a pretty good soundtrack. Very eclectic, which works for my soundtrack.

Ok Jillian...

2007-08-02T00:40:00.001-06:00

I was tagged as number one, so I have to fill it out:

places I've worked
1-PGP Valuation
2-NorCal Appraisals
3-Legends Grille as part of the DW Mafia and then graduated to sandwich/ pizza maker
4-Tower Books for a total of five days when I was then offered more money to go back to PGP

movies I can watch over and over
1-Pride and Prejudice
2-Much Ado About Nothing (Damian Lewis edition)
3-Tommy Boy
4-You've Got Mail (By the way, all of the above movies have been watched over and over again)

places I've lived
1-Lubbock, Texas
2-Limestone, Maine
3-Spokane, Washington
4-Sacramento, CA and Provo, UT

favorite tv shows
1-Office (comprising of both editions)
2-Arrested Development
3-Psych
4-Currently I am going to have to go with Flight of the Conchords

places I've been
1-Hawaii
2-New York City
3-Spain
4-Seattle

favorite foods
1-Pasta
2-Mint Milanos
3-My BBQ chicken pizza with olives
4-popsicles

majors I've considered
1-Elementary Education
2-Journalism
3-English
4- Marriage, Family, Human Development

places I'd rather be
1-England
2-New York
3-Anywhere in Europe
4-In Good-Dream Land

friends i would like to tag (meaning: it's your turn to fill in the blanks)
1-Seeing as how
2-Jillian is probably my only current reader
3-I don't have anyone to pressure into
4-doing this survey

Well, I am going to go to sleep now to the dulcet tones of my mom's snoring and her blaring Ghost Hunters. Good night, reader.

First Blog

2007-07-15T18:21:00.000-06:00

Hi there! I am starting this blog to document my trip to Vienna which I leave for in 28 days. Needless to say, I am super stoked. In celebration of my first blog, I will take a page from Jillian's book and do the 100 facts about me. So, here goes:

1.I am a movie buff. My mom has basically raised to be a prodigy of the movie trivia variety. Let me tell you, that skill comes in handy.
2.I was born in Lubbock, Texas home of Jimmy Dean the Sausage King.
3.I moved to Limestone, Maine when I was about one year old. Look it up on a map and you will see how I basically lived on the Canadian border. In fact, we used to have to go to Canada to go to church.
4.I moved to Spokane, Washington when I was 5 years old.
5.I moved to Sacramento, California when I was 8 years old. I had been visiting Sacramento since I was little to visit Grandma and Grandpa McCoy.
6.My immediate family consists of my mom and dad and my two brothers, Ryan and Dylan. Ryan is 18 and Dylan is 15.
7.I have never broken a bone in my body or anyone else's for that matter.
8.I attended three different schools during my year in kindergarten and four different classes.
9.When I was five my aspiration for when I grew up was to be a bus driver. Most kids want to be a princess or a cowboy, but I wanted to be a bus driver. In all fairness to myself, my bus driver was really nice.
10.I prefer to eat my vegatables frozen. No, not frozen as opposed to canned, I mean actually frozen. It is like a healthy popscicle. I prefer broccoli and corn.
11.My friend, Danny, and I once made a bet as to who could memorize the words to "Baby Got Back". I won, of course, but must now bear the burden of knowing all the words to "Baby Got Back".
12.I have read Pride and Prejudice 11 times.
13.I love to wear skirts and dresses and DressBarn is my secret weapon.
14.I have music ADD, where I will listen to a song or artist for a week or two and wear it out and then move on to something that is usually completely different.
15.I love the show "The Office" and that covers both the US and the UK version.
16.I was in 8(?) plays in high school, but my first experience with the stage was in 3rd grade when I starred as the Head (that is right, I said Head) Cherry Blossom Dancer in the China segment of our Children Across the World assembly.
17.Whereas Jillian is a fan of the elipses...I find that use parentheses a lot (yes, these parentheses).
18.I am a rambler. No, not the car. I get talking or even writing an email and I cannot stop. I am sure most of you have experienced this with me. My dad says that I would sit in the car and have conversations with him, but in all honesty have no use for him.
19.I bit my nails until I was 10 and now in place of that I click my nails in between my nails. Jillian and Adrienne love this.
20.In high school, our fantastic foursome was Jillian, Adrienne, Krystal, and myself.
21.When Krystal and Adrienne got boyfriends, Jillian and I became BFF. (Jillian and I are totally the type of girls to use the term BFF. Ha.)
22.Jillian and I have known each other since we were 6 or something, but didn’t start hanging a lot until high school.
23.We have never fought about anything, which I base solely on my ability to put up with Jillian. (Apparently, it is truly a talent. JKing, Jill.)
24.I realize that this next fact is going to make me sound like a crazy person, but it is a fact. After reading all of my British books, which I would read with a British accent in my head, I realized that the voice in my head speaks with a British accent. Like I said, I am not crazy.
25.My favorite vacation I have taken was when I went to New York City with my mom, Jillian, her mom and her sister, Morgan. It was super fun.
26.When I was little, I hated having loose teeth and would not let my parents anywhere near them. My mom always said that if I didn’t just pull them out, I was going to swallow them and then the tooth fairy wasn’t going to be able to visit. I swallowed one when I was eating a cob of corn and didn’t tell her about it for a few days. When she noticed it was gone, I broke down crying because the tooth fairy wasn’t going to visit.
27.I have a birthmark on my left eye.
28.I hate any kind of beans except for green beans. That grainy, mushy texture. Egh.
29.I was traumatized as a child at a zoo by a hippo and to this day, they creep me out. Besides, more people die from hippo attacks than lion attacks. They are just mean and useless. Anytime you see them at the zoo, they are just sitting there.
30.I have a beginner’s level in Spanish, ASL, and German, but hope to be better at German after Vienna (!).
31.My iBook is named “The Cracka” and it’s friend is Jillian’s computer, “The Brotha”.
32.My dog’s name is Buck. He is an overweight arthritic golden lab, but I love him anyways.
33.I cry all the time in movies, which I blame entirely on my mother.
34.First movie I can remember crying in was Bambi. I was wrecked for a week.
35.I have been told many times that I am very mothering. My mom would have to remind me who the mom in the family was and Starr and Jillian are always saying “Thanks, Mom” to me.
36.Starr is my other roommate besides Jillian in Apartment 130. Starr is living with my family and I this summer. (I am told my family is lot different than other people’s families. Hmm…)
37.I had a favorite backpack in kindergarten, it was pink with glitter hearts all over. Then, one day Ryan was sick in the car and my mom gave him my backpack to throw up in. I still haven’t forgotten that, Mom and Ryan.
38.My favorite candy is either Bottlecaps or Violet Crumbles. The fact that practically the only place in the country that carries Violet Crumbles is the BYU Bookstore is not a good thing for me.
39.My first crush that I can remember was on some kid named Colin in 3rd grade.
40.My first celebrity crush was Jonathan Taylor Thomas, but what eight year old girl didn’t love him?
41.I have many nicknames in my family and friends circle. First one is Ellen Melon Head. My parents have been calling me this since I was born, because I have a huge head. There are some variations on this name. I get Melon, Mels, Ellen Melon, etc.
42.Second name is Ells Bells or Ells, not sure where this originated, though. Apparently that extra syllable is a real drag.
43.My dad has called my Peanut since I was a baby or occasionally Neaput.
44.I was hit 73 times in the head with a ball (on separate occasions) throughout the course of my sixth grade year. One of the yard duties made me a helmet that I was supposed to wear, but it was way more embarrassing than getting hit in the head.
45.I am LDS.
46.Fact: I am a Mormon girl, but I cannot scrapbook. It is not as if it is physically impossible for me, it just never looks as good as it should.
47.I can suck my upper lip into my nose.
48.I am probably the least coordinated person you will ever meet.
49.I am a hopeless romantic. Jillian makes fun of me because I can be reading a gruesome mystery novel and it is the sexual tension between the detective and the victim’s sister that really gets me.
50.I would pick to live in the city over a small town any day.
51.My favorite colors are green and yellow.
52.My guilty pleasures include Disney Channel stuff (dang you, Jillian), ABBA, and Anne of Green Gables.
53.I have recently been told that I inhale a lot when I laugh.
54.I grew up in a different environment than I would think most LDS people did. I am not saying that it was evil or anything, but whereas a lot of kids watch Disney movies and sing-alongs (which I did watch), I was watching Saturday Night Live and Young Frankenstein at age 4.
55.My first concert was the Beach Boys on the Fourth of July when I was 4.
56.I like pretty much any genre of music except for hardcore gangsta rap, most country, and my brother’s screaming music.
57.I love bookstores. There is something about them that just brings me a sense of serenity.
58.I currently own approximately 280 movies. (Movies are my weakness).
59.This weekend will mark my second time being a bridesmaid.
60.I am a Leo.
61.I share my birthday with Alfred Hitchcock.
62.Ever since I watched Stephen King’s It when I was about 9, clowns have creeped me out.
63.When I am really pissed off about something I do one or all of the following: listen to Alanis Morrisette’s “You Oughta Know”, box, or do archery.
64.I love to go camping. My family has gone to Santa Cruz on Memorial Day weekend every year since we moved to Sacramento.
65.Jillian and I both got stuffed penguins when we were at Sea World for part of our senior trip extravaganza. My penguins name is Earl, as in Duke of.
66.If I could improve on any one trait it would be to have more confidence.
67.My favorite food is pasta and popsicles. No, not together.
68.I have a fish named Mozart. Jillian and I each bought a fish last summer at WalMart. Her fish was named Butch Cassidy (we came up with the names from the Office), but he unfortunately passed away which I think really annoyed Jillian because I do not take car of Mozart at all.
69.I can safely bet that my embarrassing story is more embarrassing than yours. For those of you that know, it involves a chain link fence. If you are really curious, ask me and I may tell you.
70.My porno name would be Skye Andrews. (Dylan’s is the best: Ace Dickman)
71.My first CD I bought was the Spice Girls. Yeah, I know I was cool.
72.I have been to Disneyland six times.
73.I was arrested outside of an Olive Garden when I was 11. I know, I am so hardcore.
74.My Jamba Juice of choice is Orange-A-Peel.
75.My first roller-coaster was the Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
76.My number one quality that I am attracted to is sense of humor.
77.The movies Kindergarten Cop and Mary Poppins will always make me think of my Grandma’s house.
78.The most I have ever cried was when she died.
79.So far, the only countries beside the US that I have been to are Spain and Canada. Plus, I could see Africa from the Rock of Gibralter.
80.Besides Utah, I have never lived in a non-coastal state.
81.At the moment, I am thinking my major will be Print Journalism. That is subject to change, however.
82.I have seen three shows on Broadway.
83.I have never been very good at making decisions. When I do make a decision, I usually stick by it, but it is the actual deciding process that throws me through a loop.
84.My mom says that I would actually break down in the middle of the cereal aisle when faced with the choice between Lucky Charms or Fruity Pebbles.
85.I can suck in my nose (I am not sure how best to describe it, but I end up looking like Michael Jackson when I do it).
86.I lost my retainer three times (at the bottom of the garbage can at Woody’s, at the beach, and at the bottom of Folsom Lake), but I still have it.
87.When I told my mom that I thought I needed glasses, she didn’t believe me. Thanks a lot, Mom.
88.I am good at baking but need to improve in my cooking skills, because I basically just eat Pasta-A-Roni at school.
89.My favorite flower is the daisy.
90.I have been told many times, that I was born in the wrong decade or wrong country.
91.Very little known fact: I write stories in my spare time.
92.I ski but have never been snowboarding.
93.I have worked in the food industry once and hope to never again. (I do make a mean pizza and sandwich, though)
94.I don’t like Red Vines and for some reason I always forget this.
95.I could probably quote the movies Tommy Boy, The Sandlot, Empire Records, That Thing You Do, The Little Mermaid, and Happy Gilmore word for word.
96.The only videogames that I am any good at are Guitar Hero and DDR. Although, I can kick some serious trash at Guitar Hero. (Not as much as Jillian, though.)
97.Favorite TV shows include The Office, Coupling, Da Ali G Show, Scrubs, Stella, Arrested Development, Veronica Mars, Mystery Science Theatre 300, Psych, Extras, and The Soup.
98.I can pretty much kill at Scene-it. Challengers welcome.
99.For some reason, I usually give DVDs as presents. I can’t think of why that is, though.
100.Ice cream flavor of choice is English Toffee.

I wanted to end on a bang. Well, there it is, 100 facts about me. Compelling stuff, right?