One day I was musing to myself about my TV addiction and generally bad taste (when I really should be thinking about solutions to world problems), and I discovered that could not remember which cheesy shows I was addicted to in high school. I know I must have watched some, but I can't really remember what the shows were.
Then again, during high school, I was busy being a crazy overacheiver and demonstrating that I was "well rounded", so I could get into an excellent out-of-state college and get out of Ferndale. Getting out of Ferndale was my main goal during my high school years. So in high school I took seven A.P. classes my senior year (they were just introduced that year, so I couldn't really space them out, and I had to show colleges that I was a serious smarty pants), wrote scathing editorials for the high school newspaper -The Eagle Eye, participated in team sports even though my atheletic skills are laughable, acted in three high school musicals (I sometimes even got lines and solos!), acted in community murder mystery dinner theater productions (I played Rosie the dance-hall girl and possible murderess and I wore a heinous aqua dress), showed goats in 4-H, and I was a member of Knowledge Bowl, Model UN (I got a speaker award for being a very mouthy representative from Honduras on the UNDP), FBLA (1st place at regionals for Business Law and Economics), Human Relations Council, and heck I even participated in two Math Team Competitions for the extra credit (my poor showing at those demonstrated that after Calculus I, I had no future in math). Anyway, in high school I was Tracey Flick, so I probably did not have that much time for fickle entertainment. Looking back, I wonder why more people did not find me to be a tedious, goody-goody, know-it-all. Well...I'm sure many did, but I was pretty caught up in my goal of getting out of Ferndale, so I did not notice.
Despite this, I know I did watch Caitlin's Way on Nickelodeon whenever I could catch it on a Sunday night. Now, in this show Caitlin, a girl with issues, moves to Montana to live with distant relatives and tries to leave behind her bad-girl past and learn to trust again, and of course to do this she must move to the country and get a horse of her own. Of course, I was already too old for the show when it first aired, but I could not help myself. I remembered that I enjoyed this show, so of course I was overjoyed when I discovered that The-N was reairing episodes at 5 am. Thanks to DVR, I got addicted all over again.
Oh I love this show so! I cannot help but get sucked in to Caitlin's and her second season love interest Will's drama - where he encourages her to skip summer school, but then tutors her in math and they dance in the town diner. Edgy! A definite sign that Caitlin is reverting to her old ways. But then she feels he is "pulling her into his darkness" after they make a crop circle in Eric's (Caitlin's nemesis with whom she also feels chemistry!) dad's cornfield. Oh those crazy kids! Also many of residents of Fall River, Montana have Canadian accents. This must be a special part of Montana that I've never visited. Then there's the characters that randomly appear and disappear without explanation, Caitlin frequently running away, Griffin's (Caitlin's cousin) inane subplots, and Caitlin's really lame insults (she called snobby Taylor, Pinkahontas, yes Caitlin, I'm sure Taylor was so wounded by that one). But, still I'm genuinely touched when Caitlin begins to bond with and love her new family who does genuinely care about her, giddy when Caitlin and Will finally get beyond the crop circle of darkness and are get together in the finale, and feel the love-hate chemistry between Caitlin and Eric. Sadly the Caitlin-Eric-Will triangle is one of the few love triangles on TV where I have been genuinely conflicted about what the resolution should be, and it wasn't even that well developed. Though Caitlin's Way uses every single troubled teen moves to the country cliche; I am giddy when my DVR records a new episode.
Since I have been watching so much late night TV on The-N, I've also been catching the music videos that the channel airs during commercial breaks. Sadly, this means I've discovered Miranda Cosgrove's About You Now, and I actually like it, and when it pops up at the end of a Caitlin's Way episode, I'm actually happy to see it. Some of the lyrics of this masterpiece are "I was wrong, I was dumb, I let you down." Deep! Also, I really like Miranda's outfit during the mall frolicking and reminscing scenes. That pink and black checker print dress is adorable. I would not wear the knee socks, though, those are way too youthful. If I could find the dress though - I think I would consider buying it and wearing it. It turns out that Miranda is also the star of the latest Nickelodeon tween show sensation ICarly, but I at least have some standards and only watch older, more classic, tween shows.
Now, I must go and rewatch the episode where Caitlin faces her fears and goes to the eighth grade dance and makes new friends (who disappear in the next episode).
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Los Veinticinco, well...Veintiseis
The current craze on Facebook has been writing a list of 25 things about oneself and posting it as a note and tagging people. So of course, I posted it there and tagged people like I was supposed to. However, then I started thinking of my dear readers who don't have Facebook accounts, who will not get the opportunity to read these delightful facts about me, so I've posted them here as well. I'm such a giving person.
1. I had a horrifically traumatic and awful experience learning to drive and getting my driver's license. The first time I ever drove, I crashed through the fence in my front yard. I was told I was one of the top five worst drivers ever by my driver's ed teacher on my first class drive sophomore year. I had a heck of a time getting my drivers license. My driver's ed teacher loved telling following classes about my driving ineptitude. (He was an ass!) Because of this earlier humiliation, I still really don't like driving others around because I feel like they are judging me. I also never learned how to drive a stick shift because I never wanted to have to go through learning to drive again. I swear, though, that I am a decent driver.
2. I loved working at Camp Killoqua, and I worked there for four years and a few weeks during other summers. My favorite position there was working as the Unit Coordinator for Salishan, the unit of 9 - 11 year old girls. That age group is so much fun because they loved to do activities, and I always thought it was adorable that the girls loved singing their unit songs all around camp. That said, even though I never had a problem singing the Salishan songs, and of course I taught the girls the songs on the first day, my favorite camp unit songs were from Gypsy, the 9 - 11 year old boys. However, I could never be a counselor for Gypsy because my inner ten year old would always think - "OMG those boys are so immature!"
3. Speaking of camp, although I enjoy the work that I do as a lawyer now, I do sometimes wish I had deferred a year before I started law school to work the outdoor education season at camp (even though besides fire building, my outdoor living skills are slightly lacking), and then worked that summer as the UC of Salishan again. Also then I would have finally received my five year patch!
4. I HATED Twilight. HATED. I made it to page 70 before I slammed the book down in disgust. Bella was a smug, unlikeable wish-fulfillment device of the author, and Edward was a creepy, passive agressive stalker. Ugh! However, I'm sure I would have loved the book and thought it was so romantic when I was sixteen. I actually did enjoy the movie, though, since the director made Bella much more likeable, and Edward much less creepy. That said, I don't think that this book will utterly destroy the lives of the people that read it, and make them utterly incapable of having healthy relationships, like some other hyperbolic Twilight haters think.
5. I am disgusted by the fact that Chuck Bass, the two-time attempted rapist, is someone we are supposed to root for on Gossip Girl. Once the writers decided to make him more of a protaganist, which they decided before the pilot even aired, they should have just edited out the attempted rape scenes. After the episode where Blair slept with him, knowing that he did that, I was done with the show for good. As I've said before - it's offensive and it rips off daytime soap opera plot lines.
6. One day I hope to own a bulldog or bullmastiff. I want to name him Rufus.
7. I have the titles and teasers to a "cozy" mystery series saved on my computer. Someday I will actually start writing the books. However, when I was younger, I started writing many novels, but I never finished one. So we'll see how this goes.
8. Speaking of my writing career, when I was in sixth grade, I went on an RL Stein reading binge one weekend. Not Goosebumps, but the more "mature" young adult horror novels. This then inspired me to write horror stories for my sixth grade class newsletter - complete with gushing blood. When the teachers pulled the stories from the newsletter because of parent complaints, I cried about the cruel censorship of the newsletter. Then my teachers referred me to the school psychologist - who lied to me and told me she was meeting with everyone - which was so not true! But once I told the psychologist about my reading binge, she realized that I was just emulating a writing style and not actually deranged, so she never insisted on seeing me again.
9. I am still very close with my best friends from high school - Joooan! and RToo. And they always let me drag them to cheesy romantic comedies, though Joooan! always publically complains. I am so glad that we are still such close friends although we lead very different lives now. (Aww cheesy -- anyone want some crackers?)
10. I was cut from three high school sports teams - tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch. Luckily the swim team and the track team thought there was power in numbers, so I was never cut from those teams. Also, although I was cut from fastpitch, I went on to play on my law school slowpitch softball team (and I played second base, not right field!).
11. I have a very large head. During my year on the C-Team Fastpitch team, they had to special order me an XXL batting helmet.
12. I was the tallest person in my class until the fifth grade.
13. I was in 4-H throughout high school. I showed pygmy and dairy goats, and I was not very good. Yet for some reason, I figured this would be an interesting thing to talk about when I met people on my WOA trip at CMC. Of course then all my WOA tripmates thought I was quite urbane and sophisticated.
14. I twirl my hair when I get nervous.
15. I used to love to read, and I still love going to bookstores and libraries, but I find I am not reading as many books as I used to. This worries me.
16. When I go out and drink, I also want to do some activity -- compete in bar trivia, dance, play drinking games, play pool (though I'm embarrassingly terrible), or shoot darts.
17. I have wanted to be a lawyer ever since I was nine. However, I was not inspired by any great historical lawyers, I was inspired by Jessi Spano on "Saved By The Bell."
18. Sometimes I still dream about being a star of Broadway musicals.
19. When I was younger I wanted to be an Olympic Gymnast or Figure Skater. I even imagined how all the sports commentators would talk about my amazing rise to elite status even though I started training when I was nine or eleven respectively. Also, I was already 4'10" by the time I was nine, so sometimes my dreams could be a tad bit delusional.
20. I wrote my senior thesis in Spanish.
21. I never liked P.E., since I was never a great athelete. The only thing I excelled at was the sit and reach. 51 cm! Beat that jocks! (Sorry that I stole your idea Lucky!)
22. I tried out for cheerleading twice in high school. The first time I tried out, at the end of my individual cheer - my kicks were out of rhythm, so I yelled "oh crap." I was so shocked that I was mute during my closing rally. Needless to say, I did not make the team. I didn't make the team the next year either, probably for "whooping" during the rally, which is not the cheerleader way!
23. I was nominated for Prom Queen my senior year of college. Yes, my college had a prom themed party. But then I skipped that prom to go to Coachella. And Jeff Simonetti beat me for the Prom Queen title anyway.
24. I have been sunburned every summer of my life that I can remember.
25. I've studied Spanish since the eighth grade, but I still can't roll my Rs, unless I'm speaking very, very quickly.
26. I still have a stuffed rabbit named Bosley that I've had since my first Easter.
1. I had a horrifically traumatic and awful experience learning to drive and getting my driver's license. The first time I ever drove, I crashed through the fence in my front yard. I was told I was one of the top five worst drivers ever by my driver's ed teacher on my first class drive sophomore year. I had a heck of a time getting my drivers license. My driver's ed teacher loved telling following classes about my driving ineptitude. (He was an ass!) Because of this earlier humiliation, I still really don't like driving others around because I feel like they are judging me. I also never learned how to drive a stick shift because I never wanted to have to go through learning to drive again. I swear, though, that I am a decent driver.
2. I loved working at Camp Killoqua, and I worked there for four years and a few weeks during other summers. My favorite position there was working as the Unit Coordinator for Salishan, the unit of 9 - 11 year old girls. That age group is so much fun because they loved to do activities, and I always thought it was adorable that the girls loved singing their unit songs all around camp. That said, even though I never had a problem singing the Salishan songs, and of course I taught the girls the songs on the first day, my favorite camp unit songs were from Gypsy, the 9 - 11 year old boys. However, I could never be a counselor for Gypsy because my inner ten year old would always think - "OMG those boys are so immature!"
3. Speaking of camp, although I enjoy the work that I do as a lawyer now, I do sometimes wish I had deferred a year before I started law school to work the outdoor education season at camp (even though besides fire building, my outdoor living skills are slightly lacking), and then worked that summer as the UC of Salishan again. Also then I would have finally received my five year patch!
4. I HATED Twilight. HATED. I made it to page 70 before I slammed the book down in disgust. Bella was a smug, unlikeable wish-fulfillment device of the author, and Edward was a creepy, passive agressive stalker. Ugh! However, I'm sure I would have loved the book and thought it was so romantic when I was sixteen. I actually did enjoy the movie, though, since the director made Bella much more likeable, and Edward much less creepy. That said, I don't think that this book will utterly destroy the lives of the people that read it, and make them utterly incapable of having healthy relationships, like some other hyperbolic Twilight haters think.
5. I am disgusted by the fact that Chuck Bass, the two-time attempted rapist, is someone we are supposed to root for on Gossip Girl. Once the writers decided to make him more of a protaganist, which they decided before the pilot even aired, they should have just edited out the attempted rape scenes. After the episode where Blair slept with him, knowing that he did that, I was done with the show for good. As I've said before - it's offensive and it rips off daytime soap opera plot lines.
6. One day I hope to own a bulldog or bullmastiff. I want to name him Rufus.
7. I have the titles and teasers to a "cozy" mystery series saved on my computer. Someday I will actually start writing the books. However, when I was younger, I started writing many novels, but I never finished one. So we'll see how this goes.
8. Speaking of my writing career, when I was in sixth grade, I went on an RL Stein reading binge one weekend. Not Goosebumps, but the more "mature" young adult horror novels. This then inspired me to write horror stories for my sixth grade class newsletter - complete with gushing blood. When the teachers pulled the stories from the newsletter because of parent complaints, I cried about the cruel censorship of the newsletter. Then my teachers referred me to the school psychologist - who lied to me and told me she was meeting with everyone - which was so not true! But once I told the psychologist about my reading binge, she realized that I was just emulating a writing style and not actually deranged, so she never insisted on seeing me again.
9. I am still very close with my best friends from high school - Joooan! and RToo. And they always let me drag them to cheesy romantic comedies, though Joooan! always publically complains. I am so glad that we are still such close friends although we lead very different lives now. (Aww cheesy -- anyone want some crackers?)
10. I was cut from three high school sports teams - tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch. Luckily the swim team and the track team thought there was power in numbers, so I was never cut from those teams. Also, although I was cut from fastpitch, I went on to play on my law school slowpitch softball team (and I played second base, not right field!).
11. I have a very large head. During my year on the C-Team Fastpitch team, they had to special order me an XXL batting helmet.
12. I was the tallest person in my class until the fifth grade.
13. I was in 4-H throughout high school. I showed pygmy and dairy goats, and I was not very good. Yet for some reason, I figured this would be an interesting thing to talk about when I met people on my WOA trip at CMC. Of course then all my WOA tripmates thought I was quite urbane and sophisticated.
14. I twirl my hair when I get nervous.
15. I used to love to read, and I still love going to bookstores and libraries, but I find I am not reading as many books as I used to. This worries me.
16. When I go out and drink, I also want to do some activity -- compete in bar trivia, dance, play drinking games, play pool (though I'm embarrassingly terrible), or shoot darts.
17. I have wanted to be a lawyer ever since I was nine. However, I was not inspired by any great historical lawyers, I was inspired by Jessi Spano on "Saved By The Bell."
18. Sometimes I still dream about being a star of Broadway musicals.
19. When I was younger I wanted to be an Olympic Gymnast or Figure Skater. I even imagined how all the sports commentators would talk about my amazing rise to elite status even though I started training when I was nine or eleven respectively. Also, I was already 4'10" by the time I was nine, so sometimes my dreams could be a tad bit delusional.
20. I wrote my senior thesis in Spanish.
21. I never liked P.E., since I was never a great athelete. The only thing I excelled at was the sit and reach. 51 cm! Beat that jocks! (Sorry that I stole your idea Lucky!)
22. I tried out for cheerleading twice in high school. The first time I tried out, at the end of my individual cheer - my kicks were out of rhythm, so I yelled "oh crap." I was so shocked that I was mute during my closing rally. Needless to say, I did not make the team. I didn't make the team the next year either, probably for "whooping" during the rally, which is not the cheerleader way!
23. I was nominated for Prom Queen my senior year of college. Yes, my college had a prom themed party. But then I skipped that prom to go to Coachella. And Jeff Simonetti beat me for the Prom Queen title anyway.
24. I have been sunburned every summer of my life that I can remember.
25. I've studied Spanish since the eighth grade, but I still can't roll my Rs, unless I'm speaking very, very quickly.
26. I still have a stuffed rabbit named Bosley that I've had since my first Easter.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The Gauche and Unsophisticated List: The Early Years
Sadly I had a deprived childhood. Despite my warm loving family, inspirational speeches, stylish back to school wardrobe, and lack of curfew during my teenage years (however I was the perennial good girl, I stayed out late because I was hanging out with Joooan!, RToo, and Weather Girl and playing Trivial Pursuit), I always felt that something was missing. That something was a subscription to the Disney Channel.
When I was very young, and my family still lived in the booming metropolis of Concord, California; we did have the Disney Channel Subscription, and I lived for Kids Incorporated. So when we finally moved to Washington state, I was heartbroken when my cruel, cruel parents refused to subscribe again. So that means I lived, lived for the Winter and Spring Preview weekends, where I would watch all the great shows that I could not watch normally. And I was addicted to both Kids Incorporated and The New Mickey Mouse Club (or MMC).
Some of my earliest TV memories are watching Kids Incorporated, and when I was three and four Martika (she later went on to sing Toy Soldiers) was my favorite. Here's the intro: behold the fabulous Martika applying blush and Fergie (yes, the little blonde Stacy Ferguson playing jacks grew up to be the infamous Fergie) before she had any street cred. Also for more interesting, and probably well known by now, trivia -- Renee and Stacy were in the short lived group Wild Orchid together. Ahh the bonds of Kids Incorporated.
I'm not going to lie - the theme song is still damn catchy. And I still maintain that the seasons from 1985 - 1989 were the best (they rerunned those seasons all the time). Jennifer Love Hewitt and Eric Balfour could not compare. See what I mean?
Amazingly Eric's character, named Eric, did not die, and Kids Incorporated went on for two more seasons.
Anyway, during preview weekends, I also discovered the wonders of the MMC. Now the media made a big ole hoopla about J.C., Britney, Christina, Justin, Keri Russell, and Ryan Gosling being Musketeers, but I was there from the beginning when Tiffini was the coolest and when they formed the rockin band The Party. Jennifer and Lindsey were my favorites from the show, and they were on all seven seasons, so whenever preview weekend came it was always comforting to know they were still there.
However, I had totally forgotten about Video Jam! If you had thought that early 1990s power ballad videos were too gritty, edgy, and inappropriate - no worries, the MMC was there for you with the cheesiest, most sanitized videos ever - safe for even the most sheltered of youth. Here are my favorites!
Watch a bunch of MMC hotties frolicking in open fields covering Toad the Wet Sprocket.
There's frolicking, twirling and rainbows! Draw your own conclusions.
And Disney even thought Amy Grant was too edgy for its audience and needed to be more innocent. And what's more innocent than flirting on bicycles?
I would have coveted Terra's purple leggings when I was ten.
So thank you You Tube for allowing me to relive my childhood. And I don't even need a Disney Channel subscription (though now it is included on extended basic cable on Comcast). However, Disney Channel does not show these gems anymore. Hannah Montana does not compare.
When I was very young, and my family still lived in the booming metropolis of Concord, California; we did have the Disney Channel Subscription, and I lived for Kids Incorporated. So when we finally moved to Washington state, I was heartbroken when my cruel, cruel parents refused to subscribe again. So that means I lived, lived for the Winter and Spring Preview weekends, where I would watch all the great shows that I could not watch normally. And I was addicted to both Kids Incorporated and The New Mickey Mouse Club (or MMC).
Some of my earliest TV memories are watching Kids Incorporated, and when I was three and four Martika (she later went on to sing Toy Soldiers) was my favorite. Here's the intro: behold the fabulous Martika applying blush and Fergie (yes, the little blonde Stacy Ferguson playing jacks grew up to be the infamous Fergie) before she had any street cred. Also for more interesting, and probably well known by now, trivia -- Renee and Stacy were in the short lived group Wild Orchid together. Ahh the bonds of Kids Incorporated.
I'm not going to lie - the theme song is still damn catchy. And I still maintain that the seasons from 1985 - 1989 were the best (they rerunned those seasons all the time). Jennifer Love Hewitt and Eric Balfour could not compare. See what I mean?
Amazingly Eric's character, named Eric, did not die, and Kids Incorporated went on for two more seasons.
Anyway, during preview weekends, I also discovered the wonders of the MMC. Now the media made a big ole hoopla about J.C., Britney, Christina, Justin, Keri Russell, and Ryan Gosling being Musketeers, but I was there from the beginning when Tiffini was the coolest and when they formed the rockin band The Party. Jennifer and Lindsey were my favorites from the show, and they were on all seven seasons, so whenever preview weekend came it was always comforting to know they were still there.
However, I had totally forgotten about Video Jam! If you had thought that early 1990s power ballad videos were too gritty, edgy, and inappropriate - no worries, the MMC was there for you with the cheesiest, most sanitized videos ever - safe for even the most sheltered of youth. Here are my favorites!
Watch a bunch of MMC hotties frolicking in open fields covering Toad the Wet Sprocket.
There's frolicking, twirling and rainbows! Draw your own conclusions.
And Disney even thought Amy Grant was too edgy for its audience and needed to be more innocent. And what's more innocent than flirting on bicycles?
I would have coveted Terra's purple leggings when I was ten.
So thank you You Tube for allowing me to relive my childhood. And I don't even need a Disney Channel subscription (though now it is included on extended basic cable on Comcast). However, Disney Channel does not show these gems anymore. Hannah Montana does not compare.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Gauche and Unsophisticated Potpurri
Oh, I have sunk to new lows during the past few weeks. Let's just get to it, shall we?
Good Thing I'm Not a Celebrity:
Otherwise my picture would be posted on Go Fug Yourself....
After lamenting the rise of the leggings since 2006, I finally succumbed and bought two pairs (brown and black, depending on what I want my outfit's neutral to be). I'm so ashamed!
Back when I was in elementary school I lived in leggings. I had a fun lace trimmed pair in second grade. In third grade I was all about the paisley and floral prints. In the fifth grade I discovered the wonderful plaid. Finally in sixth grade, I discovered the wonders of solids. In fact I was sad when the middle school dress code stated no spandex, and my mom told me, I would not be wearing leggings. Thanks Mom for saving me from middle school fashion humiliation. (Instead I started wearing overalls, and I had the hottest red Mickey Mouse sweatshirt - I was the envy of all of Vista Middle School). However after sixth grade, I realized that leggings were such a bad idea.
When leggings returned to the scene, I was appalled. I did not want to relive my horrible fashion moments. However then I found three very cute sweater dresses and one cute sundress, with very flattering necklines, but they were a wee bit short. Hence the leggings. However, I will only wear them with said dresses, and not with tunic tops, oversized t-shirts, or even regular sized t-shirts like a BU undergrad, and brown and black will be the only two colors I ever own. There will be no paisley, plaid, lace trim or flowers. I mean it! Nope!
Hopefully Heather and Jessica will forgive me!
Helen Hunt's Best Movie Role Ever:
I wish I could be Lynn Stone...
When I was at Target about two weeks ago, I found the dance epic Girls Just Wanna Have Fun on sale for $5. This 80's movie starred Sarah Jessica Parker, as a Catholic school girl who loves to dance and just wants to star on Dance TV; Lee Montgomery, as her 5'5" "rebel" dance partner in the dance contest (though he is slightly more threatening that Adrien Zmed); Shannen Doherty, as his little sister who tries to be more grown up by dressing "punk," and Jonathan Silverman, as "the rebel's" dorky best friend with a budding career in selling knock-off goods. But the best character was Helen Hunt as Lynn Stone, who created awesome fashion creations out of her Catholic School uniform, sang Calypso music in choir so SJP could sneak out to dance practice with Pocket Rebel, and had the brilliant idea of inviting a bunch of punks and outcasts to evil, rich girl's debutante party. I haven't like Helen Hunt as much in any other roles she's ever played. Lynn Stone is the best, and honestly if the movie was about her and her exploits, the movie would have been much more entertaining, though I do love the movie so.
Seriously, though, this movie was so low budget that they did not even use Cyndi Lauper's "Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun" for the soundtrack, instead it's a terrible cover with shouting "hey, hey!" and clapping. The plotline is so incredibly cliched with good girl discovers herself through dance and brings around her strict parents, while falling in love with a not-very-threatening rebel. Then this team of opposites wins the dance competition with their tumbling passes and backflips (that's where Neil from So You Think You Can Dance got his solo strategy!) and find love. However, I must say that SJP's character here in this movie is much, much, MUCH more tolerable than Carrie from Sex and the City.
One Tree Hill is influencing my music choices
Like many of my favorites songs during the summer months, I always enjoy the exit song from So You Think You Can Dance. This past season it was, "It's Only Life" by Kate Vogele. This song also was frequently used in numerous movie trailers (and I also enjoy the pop music used in movie trailers as well - what can I say? I'm plebian). Anyway, so I finally bought her CD. Then I learned that she played a character on One Tree Hill. It was a small point of pride for me that I never watched OTH (hey let me cling to small claims to having decent taste in very few situations), yet here I am indirectly supporting one of their stars. Sigh...
Tis the Season...
One of my favorite things about December is the great number of cheesy Christmas movies. If the movie is a Christmas Carol remake/modernization/retelling, the main character discovers the importance of family/small towns, the main character finds true love with the small town boy she loved many years ago, or the son or daughter of Santa Claus discovers the true meaning of Christmas, then I will be sitting in front of the TV on my couch with my feet on the coffee table, with a cup of hot chocolate.
Speaking of Cheesy Movies....
Many people watch Lifetime Women In Peril movies as guilty pleasures. But I take those movies way too seriously and cannot deal. However, I do love their romantic comedies. I cheered on Tara from BTVS when she decided to do the 7 things on her list (that she wrote when she was 12) before she turned 30, and of course this led to self-discovery, true love, a fulfilling job, and a wedding. I quite enjoyed Janeane Garafolo's road trip with her mom's dog which led her to figure out all her commitment issues. Of course, by watching these movies I keep Canadian movie production companies in business, and since I grew up in Whatcom County which is right on the border with Canada, I'm really indirecing supporting the Whatcom County economy. Plus, Degrassi guest stars always seem to be in them, so it always exciting to see pervy Mr. Oleander as a romantic lead who loves Tara just the way she is, or Tracker, Sean's responsible, yet troubled brother, as Janeane's one true love. (Yes, I realize I need to let Degrassi go already, but I did love that show once!)
Until next time...
Good Thing I'm Not a Celebrity:
Otherwise my picture would be posted on Go Fug Yourself....
After lamenting the rise of the leggings since 2006, I finally succumbed and bought two pairs (brown and black, depending on what I want my outfit's neutral to be). I'm so ashamed!
Back when I was in elementary school I lived in leggings. I had a fun lace trimmed pair in second grade. In third grade I was all about the paisley and floral prints. In the fifth grade I discovered the wonderful plaid. Finally in sixth grade, I discovered the wonders of solids. In fact I was sad when the middle school dress code stated no spandex, and my mom told me, I would not be wearing leggings. Thanks Mom for saving me from middle school fashion humiliation. (Instead I started wearing overalls, and I had the hottest red Mickey Mouse sweatshirt - I was the envy of all of Vista Middle School). However after sixth grade, I realized that leggings were such a bad idea.
When leggings returned to the scene, I was appalled. I did not want to relive my horrible fashion moments. However then I found three very cute sweater dresses and one cute sundress, with very flattering necklines, but they were a wee bit short. Hence the leggings. However, I will only wear them with said dresses, and not with tunic tops, oversized t-shirts, or even regular sized t-shirts like a BU undergrad, and brown and black will be the only two colors I ever own. There will be no paisley, plaid, lace trim or flowers. I mean it! Nope!
Hopefully Heather and Jessica will forgive me!
Helen Hunt's Best Movie Role Ever:
I wish I could be Lynn Stone...
When I was at Target about two weeks ago, I found the dance epic Girls Just Wanna Have Fun on sale for $5. This 80's movie starred Sarah Jessica Parker, as a Catholic school girl who loves to dance and just wants to star on Dance TV; Lee Montgomery, as her 5'5" "rebel" dance partner in the dance contest (though he is slightly more threatening that Adrien Zmed); Shannen Doherty, as his little sister who tries to be more grown up by dressing "punk," and Jonathan Silverman, as "the rebel's" dorky best friend with a budding career in selling knock-off goods. But the best character was Helen Hunt as Lynn Stone, who created awesome fashion creations out of her Catholic School uniform, sang Calypso music in choir so SJP could sneak out to dance practice with Pocket Rebel, and had the brilliant idea of inviting a bunch of punks and outcasts to evil, rich girl's debutante party. I haven't like Helen Hunt as much in any other roles she's ever played. Lynn Stone is the best, and honestly if the movie was about her and her exploits, the movie would have been much more entertaining, though I do love the movie so.
Seriously, though, this movie was so low budget that they did not even use Cyndi Lauper's "Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun" for the soundtrack, instead it's a terrible cover with shouting "hey, hey!" and clapping. The plotline is so incredibly cliched with good girl discovers herself through dance and brings around her strict parents, while falling in love with a not-very-threatening rebel. Then this team of opposites wins the dance competition with their tumbling passes and backflips (that's where Neil from So You Think You Can Dance got his solo strategy!) and find love. However, I must say that SJP's character here in this movie is much, much, MUCH more tolerable than Carrie from Sex and the City.
One Tree Hill is influencing my music choices
Like many of my favorites songs during the summer months, I always enjoy the exit song from So You Think You Can Dance. This past season it was, "It's Only Life" by Kate Vogele. This song also was frequently used in numerous movie trailers (and I also enjoy the pop music used in movie trailers as well - what can I say? I'm plebian). Anyway, so I finally bought her CD. Then I learned that she played a character on One Tree Hill. It was a small point of pride for me that I never watched OTH (hey let me cling to small claims to having decent taste in very few situations), yet here I am indirectly supporting one of their stars. Sigh...
Tis the Season...
One of my favorite things about December is the great number of cheesy Christmas movies. If the movie is a Christmas Carol remake/modernization/retelling, the main character discovers the importance of family/small towns, the main character finds true love with the small town boy she loved many years ago, or the son or daughter of Santa Claus discovers the true meaning of Christmas, then I will be sitting in front of the TV on my couch with my feet on the coffee table, with a cup of hot chocolate.
Speaking of Cheesy Movies....
Many people watch Lifetime Women In Peril movies as guilty pleasures. But I take those movies way too seriously and cannot deal. However, I do love their romantic comedies. I cheered on Tara from BTVS when she decided to do the 7 things on her list (that she wrote when she was 12) before she turned 30, and of course this led to self-discovery, true love, a fulfilling job, and a wedding. I quite enjoyed Janeane Garafolo's road trip with her mom's dog which led her to figure out all her commitment issues. Of course, by watching these movies I keep Canadian movie production companies in business, and since I grew up in Whatcom County which is right on the border with Canada, I'm really indirecing supporting the Whatcom County economy. Plus, Degrassi guest stars always seem to be in them, so it always exciting to see pervy Mr. Oleander as a romantic lead who loves Tara just the way she is, or Tracker, Sean's responsible, yet troubled brother, as Janeane's one true love. (Yes, I realize I need to let Degrassi go already, but I did love that show once!)
Until next time...
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Blog Personality Test
My friend Patti, with whom I spent my middle school and high school years debating about many social issues of the day - including a rolicking debate about school vouchers at KeeleyMarie's 17th's birthday party (however we both hate novels about tedious suburban angst), has linked to the Typealyzer on her blog. Supposedly, this program reads your blog and tells you what Myers-Briggs Personality Type you are. Since, I'm such a woman of mystery, and all you dear readers have NO IDEA what I'm like, I sure you'll find the results fascinating.
They often prefer working quietly, behind the scene as a part of a team. They tend to value their friends and family above what they do for a living.
One would think that with all my whining about college hippies and Barbara Kingsolver novels, the computer would have found me to be more judging rather than perceiving, and I don't think I'm particularly quiet. Also who knew that overuse of the word totally, blatant reference to the reading audience, and comma splices would be signals for gentility and compassion?
ISFP - The Artists
The gentle and compassionate type. They are especially attuned their inner values and what other people need. They are not friends of many words and tend to take the worries of the world on their shoulders. They tend to follow the path of least resistance and have to look out not to be taken advantage of.They often prefer working quietly, behind the scene as a part of a team. They tend to value their friends and family above what they do for a living.
One would think that with all my whining about college hippies and Barbara Kingsolver novels, the computer would have found me to be more judging rather than perceiving, and I don't think I'm particularly quiet. Also who knew that overuse of the word totally, blatant reference to the reading audience, and comma splices would be signals for gentility and compassion?
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Maybe not so apathetic after all...
I may have been apathetic all election season, but when I watched the election coverage on Tuesday and found out that Obama won Ohio, I did herky jumps in my living room that totally would have put me on the FHS cheerleading squad back in high school. And I cheered obnoxiously. My poor downstairs neighbors.
However, boo California, boo! Unfortunately, I think many of my family members in California (the ones that called me a Communist when they found I was a Democrat and the ones that think I'm a heathen for swearing during the annual Thanksgiving Poker Game - I really should never play poker against my relatives - they're ruthless) may have contributed to the success of Proposition 8. And since I'm no longer in California, I can't lecture them about it during Thanksgiving at Grandma's.
However, boo California, boo! Unfortunately, I think many of my family members in California (the ones that called me a Communist when they found I was a Democrat and the ones that think I'm a heathen for swearing during the annual Thanksgiving Poker Game - I really should never play poker against my relatives - they're ruthless) may have contributed to the success of Proposition 8. And since I'm no longer in California, I can't lecture them about it during Thanksgiving at Grandma's.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Gauche and Unsophisticated List: More Bad TV!
After the three week hiatus, 90210 is now losing its luster. When will the showrunners realize that Annie, Ethan, and Naomi are not that interesting, and stop writing episodes that focus on their tedious love triangle? Argh...even bad TV should at least focus on the more interesting characters!
That said...I am addicted to two more reality TV shows. These shows appeal to my love of "try-out" competition shows.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team: This show really should offend everything I stand for. "Young ladies" try out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders squad where they have the honor of being paid $50 per game and wearing heinous puffy sleeved blouses. The director Kelli McGonigall Finglass pokes at the auditionee's non-existent fat and very seriously says that if they don't look right in the uniform they will be cut. The fitness director lectures the girls that their body fat percentage must be between 11-15%, which is about the equivelent BF % of marathon runners. These poor women have to do ridiculous fitness challenges, get make overs with big Texas hair, get humiliated during "etiquette training," get publicly lectured by the sanctimonious Kelli and choreographer Judy, and go through all this agony while smiling, except when they are hysterically crying when they get cut. Yet, I have watched every season, and I am even happy for the poor girls when they finally do make the squad.
Scream Queens: In this VH-1 show, 10 struggling actresses are all vying for a "break out role" in Saw 6. So far they have had to seductively eat fruit, get attacked by a snake while in the bath-tub, get chased by a doll, and pose for ridiculously titled movie posters. Of course along with the ridiculous challenges that are supposed to show that they are prepared to be leading ladies, there is the requiste sniping, crying, and bitchy confessionals. Of course I have my favorites! I am rooting for either Lindsay, the former child star (she was Caitlin on "Caitlin's Way" and I loved that show), Tanedra, who has had no formal training, or Sarah, the talented yet "ugly" one. Of course my favorites never win. I am still bitter that stealth bitch Bailey beat awesome Autumn on Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods, so now I am incredibly happy that the show did nothing for the musical's sagging ticket sales and it wound up closing. But I sincerely hope that Lindsay, Tanedra, and Sarah will at least get some exposure from this show and be cast as characters with actual names in either movies or TV .
Why do I get so invested in stupid TV? Why?
That said...I am addicted to two more reality TV shows. These shows appeal to my love of "try-out" competition shows.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team: This show really should offend everything I stand for. "Young ladies" try out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders squad where they have the honor of being paid $50 per game and wearing heinous puffy sleeved blouses. The director Kelli McGonigall Finglass pokes at the auditionee's non-existent fat and very seriously says that if they don't look right in the uniform they will be cut. The fitness director lectures the girls that their body fat percentage must be between 11-15%, which is about the equivelent BF % of marathon runners. These poor women have to do ridiculous fitness challenges, get make overs with big Texas hair, get humiliated during "etiquette training," get publicly lectured by the sanctimonious Kelli and choreographer Judy, and go through all this agony while smiling, except when they are hysterically crying when they get cut. Yet, I have watched every season, and I am even happy for the poor girls when they finally do make the squad.
Scream Queens: In this VH-1 show, 10 struggling actresses are all vying for a "break out role" in Saw 6. So far they have had to seductively eat fruit, get attacked by a snake while in the bath-tub, get chased by a doll, and pose for ridiculously titled movie posters. Of course along with the ridiculous challenges that are supposed to show that they are prepared to be leading ladies, there is the requiste sniping, crying, and bitchy confessionals. Of course I have my favorites! I am rooting for either Lindsay, the former child star (she was Caitlin on "Caitlin's Way" and I loved that show), Tanedra, who has had no formal training, or Sarah, the talented yet "ugly" one. Of course my favorites never win. I am still bitter that stealth bitch Bailey beat awesome Autumn on Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods, so now I am incredibly happy that the show did nothing for the musical's sagging ticket sales and it wound up closing. But I sincerely hope that Lindsay, Tanedra, and Sarah will at least get some exposure from this show and be cast as characters with actual names in either movies or TV .
Why do I get so invested in stupid TV? Why?
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