This was shamelessly taken from my facebook note called 25 Things That You May Or May Not Know About Me.
1. I don't really exercise because I suffer from this severe medical condition known as "laziness."
2. I hate the snow. Haaaaaaate.
3. I quote The Office like it's my job.
4. My mom wouldn't let us play video games as kids, so I'm really lousy at them. It's probably for the best because if I were any good at them, I'd be a hardcore gamer.
5. When I was little, I wanted to be an astronaut. I had a costume with NASA patches and everything.
6. My parents raised be to be extremely confident, so I can be kinda vain. I really believe I'm going to be famous someday.
7. Havarti is my favorite kind of cheese.
8. After my mission, I'm going to get my MLIS. (Master of Library and Information Science)
9. I hate the movie Neverending Story.
10. Cats are better than dogs, no battle.
11. I know the lyrics to most ABBA songs.
12. I own 25 seasons of television on DVD. (At the moment, my wish list is about 80 seasons long.)
13. I believe in true love and fairy tale endings.
14. I feel extremely fortunate to have such a good relationship with my parents and brother.
15. I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.
16. I own an insane amount of t-shirts, most of them purchased online.
17. For all of my internet-love, I don't really like instant messaging. Email is my preferred method of communication.
18. I didn't get my license until I was almost 17.
19. I wish I could sing well enough to make it on Broadway. But I don't and this fact makes me super sad.
20. If I were rich, I'd move to Southern France and learn how to cook.
21. John Cusack is one of my favorite movie stars.
22. The longest I've ever lived in one place is 5 years. The shortest is 4 months.
23. The first movie I remember seeing in theaters was Beauty and the Beast. I went with my godmother, LuDawn.
24. It was surprisingly easy for me to come up with 25 things. I like talking about myself. This is why I blog.
25. When I'm on my mission in Vancouver, my goal is to convert Michael Buble.
(Also, I changed my tumblr address to http://gretchenalice.tumblr.com/ so if you were subscribed to it via RSS, you'll want to update your feed. If you were already following me on tumblr, you won't have to change anything.)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
PoP, Edition 13
Invisible Hand by Fictionist
Formerly titled Good Morning Maxfield, this 6-piece band from Utah made the switch to Fictionist in 2008. But that's not really important; I just think it's interesting. I saw these guys in Idaho a couple summers ago and was blown away by their live performance, which is saying something. Rarely do I actually discover a band and Fictionist is on the brink of something big. Invisible Hand brings to mind John Lennon's solo work and the quiet side of Radiohead. Stuart Maxfield, the lead, plays a guitar full of 70s-style licks and classic melodies. The album is a good mix of introspective ballads and shining rock songs. The two instrumental numbers are also stellar--they sandwich the Travis-esque "Uptight" near the end of the album. Check out their myspace page or their homepage to listen/buy. I recommend "Ashes" (definitely listen to this song) and "Tightrope Hill."
Call And Response: The Remix Album by Maroon 5
Why bother taking an already beat-heavy and flashy band like Maroon 5 and remixing the best songs from their two albums? Um, why not? You either love or hate Maroon 5 and I LOVE them. Call And Response hosts a very respectable line-up of artists such as Mary J. Blige, Of Montreal, Tiesto, and Cut Copy, among others. The variety of artists means that the each of the 18 tracks are very unique, ranging from hip-hop to indie dance to techno. It's a blast, plain and simple, which is precisely the reason I listen to Maroon 5.
Books
Crafty TV Writing by Alex Epstein
At some point in my TV-watching over the past few years, I had the thought, "Man, being a TV writer would be, like, the greatest job." Which then turned to, "Huh, I should pay more attention to how my favorite TV shows are written," which then turned to me reading Jane Espenson's blog and checking out this book, and then finally admitting to myself, "Maybe TV writing is something I'd REALLY like to do someday." (The whole thing was pretty much like that If You Give A Mouse A Cookie book.) And I don't know how much of that's a pipe dream and how much of it is even the slightest bit realistic. I feel sort of lame for even admitting it. That story doesn't tell you a whole lot about the book, but I just had to get it off my chest.
So....Crafty TV Writing is a necessary read if you want to know more about the television industry. Alex Epstein, a seasoned writer himself, covers every plausible topic. He's blunt about the ups and downs and he understands why people love TV because he loves it, too. One of my favorite parts is in the glossary where the entry for Joss reads: The dark god of writers. Black lambs are slaughtered in his name at the new moon. Since the book was published in 2006, the "current" references are growing outdated. A revision would be swell.
Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers
Parker Fadley, sick of being the popular girl, begins a dangerous spiral of destruction so she can escape from the one thing holding her back. Dark and depressing, this book is a spot-on look at the pressures that teens have to deal with on a daily basis. Definitely not for everyone, but I think I loved it. I think. I dunno, I'm still mulling it over.
What I Saw And How I Lied by Judy Blundell
Winner of the Nation Book Award for Young Adult Fiction, 2008
Now this book I know I loved. Post-WWII, mystery, legal issues, first love...I'm so there. It reminded me of To Kill A Mockingbird because the prose and themes are very much alike. Evie's step-father just got back from the war and whisks her and her mother down to Palm Beach for vacation, but he's hiding something. Evie's naivete and sharp mind get her in more trouble than she deserves. What I like most about her is that she's the kind of girl who won't let others get in her way, which can make her narration bratty at times, but for the most part it serves her well.
Television
The Big Bang Theory, Season One
I just really love this show, okay? I think what's so appealing about it is that it never loses its traditional sitcom format yet keeps the geek bits coming faster than the Millenium Falcon at hyperspeed. The jokes can be hit or miss, but every episode has at least two or three really stand-out moments. Oh yeah, and I can relate to it a little. Seriously, in the Pilot, there's a scene that goes like this:
Leonard: Do you think we should invite her over for lunch?
Sheldon: But we were going to watch Battlestar Galactica Season Two on DVD!
Leonard: Didn't we already watch that on DVD?
Sheldon: ...Not with commentary, we haven't.
TBBT's greatest strength is the quality and chemistry (pun) of its ensemble. Jim Parsons rocks the house at Sheldon, the neurotic genius (while it's never mentioned, his behavior is probably related to Asperger's Syndrome and you rarely see autism portrayed on tv) and Jim Galecki plays the sweet and reluctant nerd, Leonard. Not to mention Rajesh and Wolowitz, who are fantastically funny on screen. Kaley Cuoco as Penny, their hot neighbor, is great when her character has a purpose. Oftentimes she's thrown aside as the dumb blonde or a means of exposition when the guys have to explain a joke. From what I've seen of it, the second season is when the writers really figure out what to do with her. I believe everybody's just a little bit geeky, so even if you don't get all the references (for me, the physics stuff goes over my head), you'll love watching how the Big Bang boys interact in both their natural habitat and the wild.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Office Recap, "Prince Family Paper"
I think one of my favorite things in the world is when The Office cold-opens with a Jim/Dwight prank. Heaven! This time, Jim found some red wire at a flea market and strung it all through the office and up a telephone poll. Dwight chases it all the way up to the top. He'll be safe, though, 'cause Jim made it up, right?
Michael's on the phone with the C.F.O. (not his initials) David Wallace and he uses a line that I always knew would somehow make it on the show. "Whatchutalkin'bout, Wallace?" he asks, but I pictured him using the reference with Phyllis instead of Willis. Wallace is gonna fax over the details for Michael's latest assignment. It involves espionage, so we know we're in trouble. (And to be entirely honest, I've always felt that fax machines seem extremely outdated.) Anyhoo, "Prince Family Paper" was written by B.J. Novak and awesomely (or sadly) enough, if I hadn't known that beforehand, I still would have been able to tell it was written by him. He writes these awesome throw-away lines and has a way with callbacks.
Putting Michael and Dwight together is a car is a sure-fire formula for greatness. They ponder about what they'll do if they have to seduce the owner's daughter and code names (Michael Scarn!!!) and IHOP or Denny's? IHOP is socialist, so says Dwight. (Seriously, eight bucks for a plate of french toast? Over-freakin-rated.) He'll get pancakes and he'll like them, dangit! The signal to bolt is licking your lips and their rehearsal is somewhat disturbing. They will go in there and be sharks. cue theme from Jaws While scoping out Prince Family Paper, they notice the Princes aren't taking anyone out for a business lunch (valid) and that the clouds mean that it might storm. Michael never could get his cloud types right.
Business is like when the big sharks eat the smaller sharks and it goes down the food chain until the single-cell sharks are being consumed. In the scheme of business operations, Michael's always been something of a tiny shark, so what does he to eat a fellow tiny shark? The Prince Family Paper company is your average mom'n'pop paper store. It's exactly how Michael would run a business if he, y'know, had a family. Mr. Prince serves 80 clients...not too shabby. He also served in Vietnam and lets his grand-daughter do her math homework in the office. As his improv disguise, Michael pretends to be a lawyer. A lawyer who's also a paper genius! Laughter is his job, pain is his game, and law is his profession.
Dwight stumbles into the office exactly ten minutes later inquiring about a job. Mr. Prince's son already works for him, but Dwight's perfectly happy to take his place. He nearly ruins their cover and annihilates Michael during his interview. Michael takes advantage of the situation to take a picture of Mrs. Prince right by their map of clients. Sneakiness is not one of his main traits, which makes it all the more hilarious. One of my favorite scenes of the episode is when Michael helps the little girl with math assigment. "Why is that two so little?" Just times 4 by 2, that's right. Exponentials pretty much suck, so good thing Grandma was there for the save.While pulling out of the parking lot, the bumper falls off of the car annnnnnnd the boys are stuck. Oops.
Our B-plot this week is actually exponentially more hilarious (see what I did there?) than the A-plot even though the A-plot was very good. The office crew decides to settle that age-old debate: Is Hilary Swank hot? For what it's worth, I fall on the Not side of the argument. Great actress, just not attractive or hot or bangable like a painting. The debate is split between Stanley, Creed, Pam, Jim, and Kelly on the Hot side, with Kevin, Andy, Phyllis, Oscar, and Meredith for Not. Once parameters are set ("respect the game!"), they set forth their various sides.
Hilary Swank is a celebrity who we have built up in our minds and she looks like a female Boris Becker. (Who I guess is a semi-attractive tennis player?) On the other hand, she has a symmetrical face and Kevin would make out with her, however, neither of those things add up to hot. Swoon moment! Jim leans down and whispers the scenario about her coming into the office and offering to make out with Kevin. When a man can make that sound sexy to a girl, you know he's mighty talented. Gah. I'm going weak at the knees just thinking about it. Angela almost settles the debate (yes), but then Toby (definitely not) swoops in and ruins everything, AS PER USUAL. Kelly can't handle that Toby doesn't like her, because if Toby doesn't think she's hot then Kelly has no chance, EVER. Well-played, Mr. Novak. It's fun to see the office arguing over something so trivial and it's times like this that you wish you actually worked for Dunder Mifflin.
Also, Kevin has restricted internet access. Hee!
The Prince Family helps Michael patch up his bumber (with duct tape, no less) and brings them coffee. Small displays of affection will always win Michael over and these people literally handed him the list of their largest clients. Heart-breaking, really. Dwight tells him to be the bigger shark and Michael concedes, making a last-minute break for his car. The Cruiser is locked, so he runs back to get his keys and hurries back down to the parking lot. It's not a great chase scene, but what makes it is the instant cut to Wallace praising Michael on the phone for his efforts. For all his flaws, Michael Scott is a good person and this is going to tear him up inside. I sincerely hope they don't drop this plotline because there's room for some very interesting development.
Tag: Michael, walking into his office, notices a picture of Hilary Swank on the wall and casually remarks, "Oh, she's hot." Game, set, and match to Team Hotties!
The next episode will be shown at a special time and date. We got the time-slot following the Super Bowl on February 1st and the ep will run for an hour. This could be a good or bad thing, so I'm feeling rather apprehensive about it all. (Dear Paul Lieberstein, Don't screw the pooch! Hugs, Gretchen.)
Michael's on the phone with the C.F.O. (not his initials) David Wallace and he uses a line that I always knew would somehow make it on the show. "Whatchutalkin'bout, Wallace?" he asks, but I pictured him using the reference with Phyllis instead of Willis. Wallace is gonna fax over the details for Michael's latest assignment. It involves espionage, so we know we're in trouble. (And to be entirely honest, I've always felt that fax machines seem extremely outdated.) Anyhoo, "Prince Family Paper" was written by B.J. Novak and awesomely (or sadly) enough, if I hadn't known that beforehand, I still would have been able to tell it was written by him. He writes these awesome throw-away lines and has a way with callbacks.
Putting Michael and Dwight together is a car is a sure-fire formula for greatness. They ponder about what they'll do if they have to seduce the owner's daughter and code names (Michael Scarn!!!) and IHOP or Denny's? IHOP is socialist, so says Dwight. (Seriously, eight bucks for a plate of french toast? Over-freakin-rated.) He'll get pancakes and he'll like them, dangit! The signal to bolt is licking your lips and their rehearsal is somewhat disturbing. They will go in there and be sharks. cue theme from Jaws While scoping out Prince Family Paper, they notice the Princes aren't taking anyone out for a business lunch (valid) and that the clouds mean that it might storm. Michael never could get his cloud types right.
Business is like when the big sharks eat the smaller sharks and it goes down the food chain until the single-cell sharks are being consumed. In the scheme of business operations, Michael's always been something of a tiny shark, so what does he to eat a fellow tiny shark? The Prince Family Paper company is your average mom'n'pop paper store. It's exactly how Michael would run a business if he, y'know, had a family. Mr. Prince serves 80 clients...not too shabby. He also served in Vietnam and lets his grand-daughter do her math homework in the office. As his improv disguise, Michael pretends to be a lawyer. A lawyer who's also a paper genius! Laughter is his job, pain is his game, and law is his profession.
Dwight stumbles into the office exactly ten minutes later inquiring about a job. Mr. Prince's son already works for him, but Dwight's perfectly happy to take his place. He nearly ruins their cover and annihilates Michael during his interview. Michael takes advantage of the situation to take a picture of Mrs. Prince right by their map of clients. Sneakiness is not one of his main traits, which makes it all the more hilarious. One of my favorite scenes of the episode is when Michael helps the little girl with math assigment. "Why is that two so little?" Just times 4 by 2, that's right. Exponentials pretty much suck, so good thing Grandma was there for the save.While pulling out of the parking lot, the bumper falls off of the car annnnnnnd the boys are stuck. Oops.
Our B-plot this week is actually exponentially more hilarious (see what I did there?) than the A-plot even though the A-plot was very good. The office crew decides to settle that age-old debate: Is Hilary Swank hot? For what it's worth, I fall on the Not side of the argument. Great actress, just not attractive or hot or bangable like a painting. The debate is split between Stanley, Creed, Pam, Jim, and Kelly on the Hot side, with Kevin, Andy, Phyllis, Oscar, and Meredith for Not. Once parameters are set ("respect the game!"), they set forth their various sides.
Hilary Swank is a celebrity who we have built up in our minds and she looks like a female Boris Becker. (Who I guess is a semi-attractive tennis player?) On the other hand, she has a symmetrical face and Kevin would make out with her, however, neither of those things add up to hot. Swoon moment! Jim leans down and whispers the scenario about her coming into the office and offering to make out with Kevin. When a man can make that sound sexy to a girl, you know he's mighty talented. Gah. I'm going weak at the knees just thinking about it. Angela almost settles the debate (yes), but then Toby (definitely not) swoops in and ruins everything, AS PER USUAL. Kelly can't handle that Toby doesn't like her, because if Toby doesn't think she's hot then Kelly has no chance, EVER. Well-played, Mr. Novak. It's fun to see the office arguing over something so trivial and it's times like this that you wish you actually worked for Dunder Mifflin.
Also, Kevin has restricted internet access. Hee!
The Prince Family helps Michael patch up his bumber (with duct tape, no less) and brings them coffee. Small displays of affection will always win Michael over and these people literally handed him the list of their largest clients. Heart-breaking, really. Dwight tells him to be the bigger shark and Michael concedes, making a last-minute break for his car. The Cruiser is locked, so he runs back to get his keys and hurries back down to the parking lot. It's not a great chase scene, but what makes it is the instant cut to Wallace praising Michael on the phone for his efforts. For all his flaws, Michael Scott is a good person and this is going to tear him up inside. I sincerely hope they don't drop this plotline because there's room for some very interesting development.
Tag: Michael, walking into his office, notices a picture of Hilary Swank on the wall and casually remarks, "Oh, she's hot." Game, set, and match to Team Hotties!
The next episode will be shown at a special time and date. We got the time-slot following the Super Bowl on February 1st and the ep will run for an hour. This could be a good or bad thing, so I'm feeling rather apprehensive about it all. (Dear Paul Lieberstein, Don't screw the pooch! Hugs, Gretchen.)
The One Where I Make My REALLY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
I sure hope that got your attention. Although I broke the news last night on twitter, here's the official announcement.
On March 25th, I'm going to be leaving on an 18-month proselyting mission for my church. I will be serving in the Canada Vancouver Mission, which includes most of British Columbia. It may very well be the hardest thing I ever do and I am so freaking excited.
In other words, I am giving up a year and a half of my life in service to my Lord. I don't often talk about religion--as for right now, I'm going to break that silence. I know some of you don't agree with my beliefs, but I want you to know that I respect whatever your beliefs are (truly, I do) and I hope you can respect mine.
Here's the backstory. I've planned on serving a mission my entire life. When I turned 21, I spent a good deal of time deciding whether or not it was something I should do. The idea scared me to death and I couldn't deny that I'd probably miss out on some good opportunities. Ever get the feeling that you need to be doing something? I knew a mission was what I needed to be doing. Once I graduated from college and found a job, I started my "papers" (a.k.a. the application process) and went through another crisis of "Wait, is this really what I want to be doing?" It took about three months of hemming and hawing 'til I finally pulled myself together. Again, I knew this was what I was supposed to be working towards. Through November and December, I took the steps to turn in my papers and I've anxiously waited for the last three weeks to receive my assignment.
And here we are now. The call arrived at 2:30 this afternoon, but I had to wait until tonight to open it. (Brief explanation: Mission calls are assigned by a member of the Quorom of the Twelve Apostles based on inspiration and the needs of the missionary. Therefore, you have no idea where you're going to go and it's quite a big deal.) Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to hold that white envelope in my hands and not rip it open the minute I got home? So difficult, but worth it. At 7 P.M., we had friends and family gather in our living room and it was a tad overwhelming to realize that all those people where there for me. If you were there, thank you so much. That meant the world to me. I read the letter out loud, through a mess of tears and my voice faltered more than once. Here's part of the letter...
Going on a mission will be a huge sacrifice for me--I know that. I won't be able to use the internet, I can't read the books I want or watch the TV I so dearly love. There's no contact with males except in the context of mission work. I have to put off grad school for another couple of years. I have to be with a companion 24/7 and socialize with people I'm not comfortable with. I have to wear a skirt and nylons for 550 days in a row. Heck, I have to live in CANADA. Yet in the grand manner of sacrifice, I'm giving up something important to get something even bigger in return....
While I'm of course going to preach the gospel, I'm also going to learn more about myself. I need to learn to become less self-serving and more humble. I'd like to figure out what my goals are in life and I want to learn to be more obedient and faithful. Part of me is terrified that I'll lose my sense of humor, but deep down I think I'll learn to sharpen that sense as I'm placed in new situations. In short, this mission is something I need to do for myself and for my God.
Now, I know what you're all thinking. What about the future of this blog? (Okay, maybe you're not thinking that. But I've been thinking about it. A lot.) Right now, the plan is to have my parents update it once a week with portions of my letters. I'm also trying to get an email system set up if you'd like to receive the full e-mail. I'll keep you updated. And I'll for sure be around until the 25th. And after my mission? You couldn't keep me away from blogging. (Confession: I seriously hope twitter's still around.) But I really couldn't be more thrilled to be going, so thanks for letting me share this with you.
If you have any questions about my mission or about the LDS religion in general, let me know in the comments or by email and I'll do a whole FAQ post.
On March 25th, I'm going to be leaving on an 18-month proselyting mission for my church. I will be serving in the Canada Vancouver Mission, which includes most of British Columbia. It may very well be the hardest thing I ever do and I am so freaking excited.
In other words, I am giving up a year and a half of my life in service to my Lord. I don't often talk about religion--as for right now, I'm going to break that silence. I know some of you don't agree with my beliefs, but I want you to know that I respect whatever your beliefs are (truly, I do) and I hope you can respect mine.
Here's the backstory. I've planned on serving a mission my entire life. When I turned 21, I spent a good deal of time deciding whether or not it was something I should do. The idea scared me to death and I couldn't deny that I'd probably miss out on some good opportunities. Ever get the feeling that you need to be doing something? I knew a mission was what I needed to be doing. Once I graduated from college and found a job, I started my "papers" (a.k.a. the application process) and went through another crisis of "Wait, is this really what I want to be doing?" It took about three months of hemming and hawing 'til I finally pulled myself together. Again, I knew this was what I was supposed to be working towards. Through November and December, I took the steps to turn in my papers and I've anxiously waited for the last three weeks to receive my assignment.
And here we are now. The call arrived at 2:30 this afternoon, but I had to wait until tonight to open it. (Brief explanation: Mission calls are assigned by a member of the Quorom of the Twelve Apostles based on inspiration and the needs of the missionary. Therefore, you have no idea where you're going to go and it's quite a big deal.) Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to hold that white envelope in my hands and not rip it open the minute I got home? So difficult, but worth it. At 7 P.M., we had friends and family gather in our living room and it was a tad overwhelming to realize that all those people where there for me. If you were there, thank you so much. That meant the world to me. I read the letter out loud, through a mess of tears and my voice faltered more than once. Here's part of the letter...
Dear Sister [Last Name],My dad took video of me reading it, but I'm a complete wreck, so that'll never see the Internet. I'll spend three weeks in the Missionary Training Center and around mid-April, I'll leave for British Columbia. While I longed to be assigned to Paris or New York or Spain, I can't even begin to say how right Vancouver feels. I've been to British Columbia once before and it left a definite impression on me. The beauty, the coast, the climate. It's perfect. The 2010 Winter Olympics are being held in Whistler, BC and the temple is being dedicated around that same time. How exciting is that? Vancouver is metropolitan, yet outdoorsy; foreign, yet comfortable. The town has an awesome history of science-fiction. Even the motto of BC is wonderful: "Splendor Without Diminishment." I have no doubt that this is where I was meant to go.
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Canada Vancouver Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months. ... Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in this labor of love among His children.We place in you our confidence and pray that the Lord will help you become an effective missionary.
Going on a mission will be a huge sacrifice for me--I know that. I won't be able to use the internet, I can't read the books I want or watch the TV I so dearly love. There's no contact with males except in the context of mission work. I have to put off grad school for another couple of years. I have to be with a companion 24/7 and socialize with people I'm not comfortable with. I have to wear a skirt and nylons for 550 days in a row. Heck, I have to live in CANADA. Yet in the grand manner of sacrifice, I'm giving up something important to get something even bigger in return....
While I'm of course going to preach the gospel, I'm also going to learn more about myself. I need to learn to become less self-serving and more humble. I'd like to figure out what my goals are in life and I want to learn to be more obedient and faithful. Part of me is terrified that I'll lose my sense of humor, but deep down I think I'll learn to sharpen that sense as I'm placed in new situations. In short, this mission is something I need to do for myself and for my God.
Now, I know what you're all thinking. What about the future of this blog? (Okay, maybe you're not thinking that. But I've been thinking about it. A lot.) Right now, the plan is to have my parents update it once a week with portions of my letters. I'm also trying to get an email system set up if you'd like to receive the full e-mail. I'll keep you updated. And I'll for sure be around until the 25th. And after my mission? You couldn't keep me away from blogging. (Confession: I seriously hope twitter's still around.) But I really couldn't be more thrilled to be going, so thanks for letting me share this with you.
If you have any questions about my mission or about the LDS religion in general, let me know in the comments or by email and I'll do a whole FAQ post.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
PoP, Sundance Edition
Or That Time When I Went To Sundance And Didn't See Any Movies Or Anyone Famous
But you know what? I'm okay with that. It was a calculated risk and even though the experience didn't turn out quite like I planned, I had a good time.
Here's the important stuff...
-Going to Park City required two of my least favorite things. 1) Driving on the freeway. 2) Driving somewhere I've never been before. And I survived! Yay!
-They have a free bus system that loops around the city during the festival and while it's a great idea, there's so much traffic that it takes forever to go from one place to another. I seriously spent about an hour going around the loop.
-I just barely missed seeing Ewan MacGregor. I heard people mentioning his name, so I joined the throng of Sundancers huddled around a closed shop. When they opened the shop back up again, he had slipped out the back door. Argh! (Even still, just knowing he was right there was pretty awesome.)
-Even at the quickest deli, a simple gyro will take 25 minutes to prepare. Really, guys? Not only was I starving, but I was running late. Not cool.
-I thought I saw Ryan Gosling, but I don't think he was at Sundance this year. In my defense, about 90% of the males in attendance looked like Ryan Gosling. (Scruff + sunglasses + a nice coat = Ryan)
-I wish I had a nicer camera. SO MANY people had these awesome, big-a cameras around their necks and I couldn't help but be jealous.
-This is shallow, but I was extremely pleased by the fact that I picked an outfit that made me look like I belonged. I wore black boots, skinny jeans, a screen tee & cardigan, my black pea coat, and a yellow scarf. Toss in a hobo bag or a man-tote, and that's the Official Outfit of Sundance. I should have worn my hair straight instead of curly, but one girl told me she liked my LC braid.
-Next time, I'm bringing a paperback instead of a hardcover.
-Since I didn't have tickets, I was trying for the Brief Interviews With Hideous Men wait-list. I'll spare you the pain of my afternoon and say that I did not get in and I did not meet John Krasinski. Guys, I was so bummed out by this. I knew it wasn't a sure deal, so I tried not to get my hopes up, but...I did.
-At the very least, I met some interesting people. There was this one lady from L.A. who told me that she used to write for a bunch of TV shows in the 80's and 90's, including MacGyver and China Beach. When I got home, I checked her out on google and IMDB and nothing came up. I can't for the life of me figure out why you'd lie about something like that. Maybe I'll just start telling people that I worked on the crew for Back To You in 2007 and see who notices.
-I met another girl who once got to sit next to Kate Flannery and Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration at the Emmys.
-I wanted to get in the wait-list line for Adventureland, but by the time I left the BIWHM line, it was super long and I was all, "Nuh-uh, no way am I going through that again."
-I liked being able to travel by myself, even if I was only 30 miles away from home. Someday I'd like to go all by my lonesome for an extended period of time and see how it goes.
-But in the future I'd probably find a travel companion for Sundance.
-Since the festival isn't over until Sunday, I'm hoping to catch at least one film before then.
-Pictures tomorrow!
P.S. Happy Inauguration Day! Things are so very exciting right now and I can barely even handle it.
But you know what? I'm okay with that. It was a calculated risk and even though the experience didn't turn out quite like I planned, I had a good time.
Here's the important stuff...
-Going to Park City required two of my least favorite things. 1) Driving on the freeway. 2) Driving somewhere I've never been before. And I survived! Yay!
-They have a free bus system that loops around the city during the festival and while it's a great idea, there's so much traffic that it takes forever to go from one place to another. I seriously spent about an hour going around the loop.
-I just barely missed seeing Ewan MacGregor. I heard people mentioning his name, so I joined the throng of Sundancers huddled around a closed shop. When they opened the shop back up again, he had slipped out the back door. Argh! (Even still, just knowing he was right there was pretty awesome.)
-Even at the quickest deli, a simple gyro will take 25 minutes to prepare. Really, guys? Not only was I starving, but I was running late. Not cool.
-I thought I saw Ryan Gosling, but I don't think he was at Sundance this year. In my defense, about 90% of the males in attendance looked like Ryan Gosling. (Scruff + sunglasses + a nice coat = Ryan)
-I wish I had a nicer camera. SO MANY people had these awesome, big-a cameras around their necks and I couldn't help but be jealous.
-This is shallow, but I was extremely pleased by the fact that I picked an outfit that made me look like I belonged. I wore black boots, skinny jeans, a screen tee & cardigan, my black pea coat, and a yellow scarf. Toss in a hobo bag or a man-tote, and that's the Official Outfit of Sundance. I should have worn my hair straight instead of curly, but one girl told me she liked my LC braid.
-Next time, I'm bringing a paperback instead of a hardcover.
-Since I didn't have tickets, I was trying for the Brief Interviews With Hideous Men wait-list. I'll spare you the pain of my afternoon and say that I did not get in and I did not meet John Krasinski. Guys, I was so bummed out by this. I knew it wasn't a sure deal, so I tried not to get my hopes up, but...I did.
-At the very least, I met some interesting people. There was this one lady from L.A. who told me that she used to write for a bunch of TV shows in the 80's and 90's, including MacGyver and China Beach. When I got home, I checked her out on google and IMDB and nothing came up. I can't for the life of me figure out why you'd lie about something like that. Maybe I'll just start telling people that I worked on the crew for Back To You in 2007 and see who notices.
-I met another girl who once got to sit next to Kate Flannery and Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration at the Emmys.
-I wanted to get in the wait-list line for Adventureland, but by the time I left the BIWHM line, it was super long and I was all, "Nuh-uh, no way am I going through that again."
-I liked being able to travel by myself, even if I was only 30 miles away from home. Someday I'd like to go all by my lonesome for an extended period of time and see how it goes.
-But in the future I'd probably find a travel companion for Sundance.
-Since the festival isn't over until Sunday, I'm hoping to catch at least one film before then.
-Pictures tomorrow!
P.S. Happy Inauguration Day! Things are so very exciting right now and I can barely even handle it.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Office Recap, "The Duel"
Was the month-long wait worth it? I'd say it was.
Classic cold-open, with the crew of Dunder Mifflin testing out the new speed limit radar. Dwight gets 13 miles per hour, but Michael runs an impossible 31 mph. The new Usain Bolt? Hardly, given that he reached the record with the help of a passing automobile.
*theme song*
Kevin goes for the new candy. Pam tells him to take it slow, since they're hot tamales. All in a rage, Andy enters the office because no one has responded to the wedding RSVP! What an outrage, considering the RSVP date was yesterday! And I'm positive that every one of their co-workers would have replied with their excuse for not attending were it not for the fact that it's been 17 days since the big reveal of Dwight and Angela's affair. Michael thinks that someone needs to tell Andy. Jim reasons he'd find out soon enough since their kids would have giant heads and beet-stained teeth. While discussing it in the breakroom, everyone decides that Angela should be the one to do that. Really, she should. If she didn't do such a whorish job of filling out forms, then we wouldn't even have this problem in the first place. P.S. Oscar, you didn't need to ask to know where they were doing it.
A confession of "I'm not very articulate today" gets Michael in his car with the windows justbarely rolled down. (Michael, what days are you articulate, hmm?) Since we all know the man can't keep a secret to save his life, he accidentally lets slip that Dwight and Angela are sleeping together. And oh, the heartbreak, the confusion, the pacing! I felt so bad for my little Nard Dog. He honestly thought Angela loved him and only him.
Saint Bernard forces the terrible truth from his fiancee. Yeah, she was sleeping with Dwight just "a little bit." Dwight struts out of the kitchen looking for all the world like the volunteer sheriff's deputy he once was. In the back, you can faintly hear a western flute theme and see the tumbleweeds scatter past. Pistols at dawn? Try the parking lot at 4 P.M. High-five!
Routinely, Jim struggles with being the boss. He sticks around and collects all of Dwight's weaponry and really, that's all he can do. (I wonder if he found Mr. A. Knife from the filing cabinet?)
At the NYC office, David Wallace has a few questions for Michael. It's just tense enough to make you nervous because Michael's current track record with DM is on the rocks. Miracle of miracles, Scranton is doing the best of all the branches. You can tell from the expression on David's face that it's just as much of a shock to him as to us. So what's he doing right? "Don't ever do anything to anyone ever...." and he does the rest as an improversation. (Improv + Conversation) Bottom line, Scranton is a good branch because they have fun. It's crazy and dysfunctional, but it works for them. Wallace knows there's something to Michael's technique, but it's not something you can apply to the other branches. The subtle reference to the economy was very nicely done, by the way. (Did you catch how Michael's "need for tweed" joke was in reference to a question about self-assessment?)
Everyone watches from the window as Dwight and Andy have their show-down. Meredith likes having guys fight over her and Kelly knows that you have less options as you get older, so Ang shouldn't feel too special.
A note? What kind of duel is this? The kind where you can get run over by a silent Prius, apparently. Feeling rather foolish about it, Jim intervenes when Andy pulls out his real weapon. You see, Angela has slept with Andy twice. The pain and disbelief written across Dwight's face kind of breaks my heart all over again. Yeah, she was going to marry Andy, but she loved Dwight and that's all he wanted. He felt just as cheated as Andy which says everything about both of their characters. Angela spurned both of them and now neither of them wants her. One sailboat wedding cake is canceled and one personalized bobblehead is thrown in the trash. I get the feeling it's not entirely over yet, but it's nice to get some closure.
Other things we learned from this episode:
Michael won't be fired just yet.
Dwight keeps a cross-bow under that hideous couch in the foyer.
It is possible to have a great episode without much Jim/Pam interaction.
Interspersing introspective moments with great quotes makes for a good scene.
It's Hail Mary time.
Minor Spoiler Alert
Oh, and Amy Ryan is coming back! Maybe for the finale! WOOOOO!
End Spoiler
Classic cold-open, with the crew of Dunder Mifflin testing out the new speed limit radar. Dwight gets 13 miles per hour, but Michael runs an impossible 31 mph. The new Usain Bolt? Hardly, given that he reached the record with the help of a passing automobile.
*theme song*
Kevin goes for the new candy. Pam tells him to take it slow, since they're hot tamales. All in a rage, Andy enters the office because no one has responded to the wedding RSVP! What an outrage, considering the RSVP date was yesterday! And I'm positive that every one of their co-workers would have replied with their excuse for not attending were it not for the fact that it's been 17 days since the big reveal of Dwight and Angela's affair. Michael thinks that someone needs to tell Andy. Jim reasons he'd find out soon enough since their kids would have giant heads and beet-stained teeth. While discussing it in the breakroom, everyone decides that Angela should be the one to do that. Really, she should. If she didn't do such a whorish job of filling out forms, then we wouldn't even have this problem in the first place. P.S. Oscar, you didn't need to ask to know where they were doing it.
(Obligatory tux shot of the boys during the Golden Globes. No wins for The Office this year, but no hard feelings about it.)
A confession of "I'm not very articulate today" gets Michael in his car with the windows justbarely rolled down. (Michael, what days are you articulate, hmm?) Since we all know the man can't keep a secret to save his life, he accidentally lets slip that Dwight and Angela are sleeping together. And oh, the heartbreak, the confusion, the pacing! I felt so bad for my little Nard Dog. He honestly thought Angela loved him and only him.
Saint Bernard forces the terrible truth from his fiancee. Yeah, she was sleeping with Dwight just "a little bit." Dwight struts out of the kitchen looking for all the world like the volunteer sheriff's deputy he once was. In the back, you can faintly hear a western flute theme and see the tumbleweeds scatter past. Pistols at dawn? Try the parking lot at 4 P.M. High-five!
Routinely, Jim struggles with being the boss. He sticks around and collects all of Dwight's weaponry and really, that's all he can do. (I wonder if he found Mr. A. Knife from the filing cabinet?)
At the NYC office, David Wallace has a few questions for Michael. It's just tense enough to make you nervous because Michael's current track record with DM is on the rocks. Miracle of miracles, Scranton is doing the best of all the branches. You can tell from the expression on David's face that it's just as much of a shock to him as to us. So what's he doing right? "Don't ever do anything to anyone ever...." and he does the rest as an improversation. (Improv + Conversation) Bottom line, Scranton is a good branch because they have fun. It's crazy and dysfunctional, but it works for them. Wallace knows there's something to Michael's technique, but it's not something you can apply to the other branches. The subtle reference to the economy was very nicely done, by the way. (Did you catch how Michael's "need for tweed" joke was in reference to a question about self-assessment?)
Everyone watches from the window as Dwight and Andy have their show-down. Meredith likes having guys fight over her and Kelly knows that you have less options as you get older, so Ang shouldn't feel too special.
A note? What kind of duel is this? The kind where you can get run over by a silent Prius, apparently. Feeling rather foolish about it, Jim intervenes when Andy pulls out his real weapon. You see, Angela has slept with Andy twice. The pain and disbelief written across Dwight's face kind of breaks my heart all over again. Yeah, she was going to marry Andy, but she loved Dwight and that's all he wanted. He felt just as cheated as Andy which says everything about both of their characters. Angela spurned both of them and now neither of them wants her. One sailboat wedding cake is canceled and one personalized bobblehead is thrown in the trash. I get the feeling it's not entirely over yet, but it's nice to get some closure.
Other things we learned from this episode:
Michael won't be fired just yet.
Dwight keeps a cross-bow under that hideous couch in the foyer.
It is possible to have a great episode without much Jim/Pam interaction.
Interspersing introspective moments with great quotes makes for a good scene.
It's Hail Mary time.
Minor Spoiler Alert
Oh, and Amy Ryan is coming back! Maybe for the finale! WOOOOO!
End Spoiler
Thursday, January 15, 2009
So Say We All: One Girl's Journey With Battlestar Galactica
(Note: This is me hitting my geeky maximum. If you aren't into BSG and want to skip right past this, I completely understand. But before you do, just know that Battlestar Galactica is as good as television gets. And if you have any interest whatsoever in good television, you should watch the premiere of the final season this Friday at 10/9 C on the Sci-Fi Channel. ETA: And Matt would also like to remind me that you should watch the rest of series first, preferably.)
Frankly, I'm a bit unsure as to how to go about this post. It's been something of a whirlwind obsession for me, spanning roughly six weeks. I could've done it in less, but you know, life had to get in the way. Stupid life.
I wish I had the time to write about the role of humanity in BSG or take a closer look at Bear McCreary's score in comparison to classical composers or discuss feminism in the fleet or examine their storytelling techniques. (ETA: Ooh, I also want to write one on the connections between Mormonism and Cylon Theology because there are a TON of similarities. It freaks me out a little.) But I don't have that time. Any of those would make for great thesis topics, though, don't you think? I know what I'm doing in grad school.
So instead you get a non-comprehensive list of things I love about the show. Spoilers through 4.0!
Things I Love About Battlestar Galactica
1. Adama and Roslin. The connection and chemistry between those two is astonishing.
2. These propaganda posters
3. This Los Angeles Magazine article says everything I want to say about the show except they have a bigger vocabulary than I do.
4. D'Anna and Natalie. Best. Cylons. EVER.
5. I love BSG for making me do that thing I do where I get too wrapped up in the lives of fictional characters.
6. I love that Anders is a Cylon. Heck, I love Anders no matter what. When he first came on, I was like, "Has there ever been a hotter guest star in the history of television?"
7. The Producer's Cut of "Unfinished Business" is some mighty fine work by RDM.
8. I love being able to use "frak!" as an acceptable substitute for other words.
9. All of the edges are cut off on everything. That kind of set devotion is quite the accomplishment.
10. "No more Mr. Nice Gaius!" Maybe the greatest line on the show.
11. Things I Am Not Allowed To Do Aboard The Galactica
12. I adore it for bringing up heavy topics like abortion, suicide bombings, infidelity, racism, capital punishment, and martial law. It feels weird to say that I adore it for those things, but I really do.
13. And by the same token, I love how the central themes of the show are equality, understanding, love, duty, family, and home.
14. Lee Adama is a gorgeous man. He's not my favorite character, but he's sure nice to look at. Unless he's overweight. Fat Lee for the fail! His love for Kara (and her subsequent love for him) and their tumultuous relationship is played out beautifully.
15. I love how Season Two jumps ahead a frakking year and completely changes everyone's character with the new setting. I like to refer to them as Hobo Tigh, Mommy Kara, and Hot Gaeta.
16. I think it's great how they make webisodes.
17. Katee Sackhoff. I just want to be her best friend so badly. (Fun fact: Her IRL best friend is Tricia Helfer, who plays Six.)
18. In the span of 65 or so episodes, I can think of three that I didn't really like. Three! And even those were better than most other shows! (In case you were wondering, those episodes are "Black Market," "The Passage," and "The Woman King.")
19. The divine Jane Espenson works for them. I have a great deal of respect for that woman.
20. There is nothing writers want more than a devoted fanbase and BSG has an amazing group on the internet. Everyone who watches automatically gets everyone else. It's awesome.
21. The show offers constant surprise. The plot twists never feel contrived and have a tendency to punch you in the gut.
22. The characters you love to hate are really, truly hate-able. Admiral Cain is awesome because I love her character and I can't stand it when she's on screen. (There was a point when my dislike for Tigh reached a Dolores Umbridge level of intensity, but he's cool now.)
23. Mary frakking McDonnell is so incredibly underappreciated by the critics. Stunning actress, not to mention the fact that she's freaking hot for her age.
24. It's caused me to think a great deal about the purposes of humanity and what makes us human. BSG is an interesting way to tell our Post-9/11 story and it needed to be told.
25. I love how Battlestar Galactica is not only deep and dark, but it's a heck of a lot of fun. I'm so excited for tomorrow night and I can't wait to see where they take us during these last ten episodes.
What do you guys love about BSG? Anyone got any guesses on the Fifth Cylon?
Frankly, I'm a bit unsure as to how to go about this post. It's been something of a whirlwind obsession for me, spanning roughly six weeks. I could've done it in less, but you know, life had to get in the way. Stupid life.
I wish I had the time to write about the role of humanity in BSG or take a closer look at Bear McCreary's score in comparison to classical composers or discuss feminism in the fleet or examine their storytelling techniques. (ETA: Ooh, I also want to write one on the connections between Mormonism and Cylon Theology because there are a TON of similarities. It freaks me out a little.) But I don't have that time. Any of those would make for great thesis topics, though, don't you think? I know what I'm doing in grad school.
So instead you get a non-comprehensive list of things I love about the show. Spoilers through 4.0!
Things I Love About Battlestar Galactica
1. Adama and Roslin. The connection and chemistry between those two is astonishing.
2. These propaganda posters
3. This Los Angeles Magazine article says everything I want to say about the show except they have a bigger vocabulary than I do.
4. D'Anna and Natalie. Best. Cylons. EVER.
5. I love BSG for making me do that thing I do where I get too wrapped up in the lives of fictional characters.
6. I love that Anders is a Cylon. Heck, I love Anders no matter what. When he first came on, I was like, "Has there ever been a hotter guest star in the history of television?"
7. The Producer's Cut of "Unfinished Business" is some mighty fine work by RDM.
8. I love being able to use "frak!" as an acceptable substitute for other words.
9. All of the edges are cut off on everything. That kind of set devotion is quite the accomplishment.
10. "No more Mr. Nice Gaius!" Maybe the greatest line on the show.
11. Things I Am Not Allowed To Do Aboard The Galactica
12. I adore it for bringing up heavy topics like abortion, suicide bombings, infidelity, racism, capital punishment, and martial law. It feels weird to say that I adore it for those things, but I really do.
13. And by the same token, I love how the central themes of the show are equality, understanding, love, duty, family, and home.
14. Lee Adama is a gorgeous man. He's not my favorite character, but he's sure nice to look at. Unless he's overweight. Fat Lee for the fail! His love for Kara (and her subsequent love for him) and their tumultuous relationship is played out beautifully.
15. I love how Season Two jumps ahead a frakking year and completely changes everyone's character with the new setting. I like to refer to them as Hobo Tigh, Mommy Kara, and Hot Gaeta.
16. I think it's great how they make webisodes.
17. Katee Sackhoff. I just want to be her best friend so badly. (Fun fact: Her IRL best friend is Tricia Helfer, who plays Six.)
18. In the span of 65 or so episodes, I can think of three that I didn't really like. Three! And even those were better than most other shows! (In case you were wondering, those episodes are "Black Market," "The Passage," and "The Woman King.")
19. The divine Jane Espenson works for them. I have a great deal of respect for that woman.
20. There is nothing writers want more than a devoted fanbase and BSG has an amazing group on the internet. Everyone who watches automatically gets everyone else. It's awesome.
21. The show offers constant surprise. The plot twists never feel contrived and have a tendency to punch you in the gut.
22. The characters you love to hate are really, truly hate-able. Admiral Cain is awesome because I love her character and I can't stand it when she's on screen. (There was a point when my dislike for Tigh reached a Dolores Umbridge level of intensity, but he's cool now.)
23. Mary frakking McDonnell is so incredibly underappreciated by the critics. Stunning actress, not to mention the fact that she's freaking hot for her age.
24. It's caused me to think a great deal about the purposes of humanity and what makes us human. BSG is an interesting way to tell our Post-9/11 story and it needed to be told.
25. I love how Battlestar Galactica is not only deep and dark, but it's a heck of a lot of fun. I'm so excited for tomorrow night and I can't wait to see where they take us during these last ten episodes.
What do you guys love about BSG? Anyone got any guesses on the Fifth Cylon?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
"You cannot say "I was raped" and expect all of your problems to go away, Kelly. Not again. Don't keep doing that."
Remember when Kelly made mugs for her "America's Got Talent" party and everyone got one except for Dwight and Jim?
Seriously? Seriously. She got her graphic designer roommate to help with the layout and somehow found a place that makes personalized mugs. (The back of the mug totally has the Dunder Mifflin logo.)
And maybeonce twice I've lost count now I've pretended to have my mug and the little Halpert face in my "I <3 Jim" mug make-out. TMI? Oops.
Anyhow, it's the little things like this that make me infinitely grateful that she's my best friend.
You guys, I'm totally a part of the cool club now. The BFF dropped off my Christmas gift last week and I was able to get over the fact that it was late because check this.
I have my very own star mug now! SCORE!
Seriously? Seriously. She got her graphic designer roommate to help with the layout and somehow found a place that makes personalized mugs. (The back of the mug totally has the Dunder Mifflin logo.)
And maybe
Anyhow, it's the little things like this that make me infinitely grateful that she's my best friend.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
PoP, Edition 11
Music
Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
Greg Gillis spins bits and pieces from every genre of music, creating mash-up CDs that sample hundreds of artists. The result is danceable and rock-worthy--the best part is picking out recognizable oldies and seeing how they fit in with other songs. Where else can you find Tears for Fears, Cheap Trick, and Missy Elliot mixed together? The experience can be messy and confusing and I mean that in the best way possible.
For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
This album is something of a direct contrast to Girl Talk. Bon Iver's music is rich with softly layered harmonies. If you don't like his voice at first, listen to it a few more times. It'll grow on you. Skinny Love, Creature Fear, and Re: Stacks stand out for me.
A.M. by Wilco
For all my Wilco love, up until a few weeks ago I wasn't very familiar with this album. A.M. is Wilco's debut contribution, post-breakup of Uncle Tupelo. As a whole, the cd much more strictly alt-country than their later experimental stuff. And while I love it when Wilco grows as a band, it's nice to go back and hear their roots, quite literally. A.M. is reminiscent of the good old days of Neil Young and The Steve Miller Band. "Casino Queen" could have very easily been written by Don Henley during The Eagles' prime. Early Wilco is country music for rockers and rock for cowboys.
Fearless by Taylor Swift
So a bunch of you have listed Miss Swift as your guilty pleasure music and I'm definitely a member of that club. If they made cards, I'd carry one. I bought this cd for the Lil' Bro for Christmas and I think he mostly just wanted it for the poster. While I'm not a fan of her live performance (SNL like whoa!), Taylor reminds me of a young Shania Twain, in that it's some of the better pop-country I've heard in years. I've been known to sing "Love Story" at the top of my lungs in my car. Her lyrics are surprising wise, although still a tad simplistic and syrupy. She's, what, 17? Give her time for real heartbreak and she'll be unstoppable.
Books
Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle
During a wild snowstorm in Gracetown, Virginia, three couples come together through unlikely-yet-fated occurances in this hilarious and sweet colloboration. Each story showcases that author's talent, but all three have a feel for the pangs and joys of teenage romance. I found the book to be more memorable than I expected. If Let It Snow was a food, it'd be the marshmallows in your hot chocolate. More substantial than cotton candy, but in the end, it's still sugar.
My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park by Steve Kruger
I read this in one sitting, staying up far too late to finish it. This epistolary novel follows the lives of three high-schoolers through their personal journals, IMs, email, with the occasional correspondance between the adults in their lives. Ale is an ambassador's daughter, Augie is a Broadway diva struggling with his newfound sexuality, and T.C. is in love with Ale and smarter than he lets on. Some common YA themes are present, like the dead mother, unrequited crushes, and the young kid who helps a character figure things out. (The young kid in this case being Hucky, an utterly charming deaf 6yo who believes Mary Poppins really exists.) I felt like all of those themes were freshly interpreted. I remember laughing and crying during many of the scenes and I loved how the parents and teachers played an important role.
Such A Pretty Fat, by Jen Lancaster
I got a kick out of Bitter Is The New Black, Jen's first novel about her struggle with unemployment. I didn't read this book looking for diet advice; I read it for a good laugh. And as I expected, Jen's trademark superficial commentary and snark served its purpose. Jen's funniest when she's struggling with her desire to get thinner--it gets a tad boring near the end when she actually starts losing weight. But good for her, I say! One of the best parts was the part when Arielle got a shout-out for never having seen Footloose. I was like, "I know her!" Jen Lancaster's mixture of self-pity, pop culture, and a personal trainer named Barbie plays out quite nicely in her (third) memoir.
Movies
Bedtime Stories
Ughhhhhh I hate Adam Sandler. That is all.
(Okay, that's not all. There is no magic to this movie. The only thing that kept me from stabbing myself in the face was Keri Russell's beauty.)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Benjamin Button clocks in (pun) at just under three hours. I don't think a minute could have been cut. The bizarre concept of living backwards is a great foundation, but at its core, this movie is a timeless (pun again) love story. Also notable: This was the first time I ever felt truly attracted to Brad Pitt. Dang, that man can wear a white t-shirt.
HSM 3: Senior Year
Maybe I like Zac Efron, OKAY? Don't be judgin'. I love the HSM franchise because you know exactly what you're going to get. You know Sharpay will be a straight-up witch, you know Troy is going to sing a super angsty song about his future, you know that Darbus will be her crazy Darbus self! One actor that surprised me was Lucas Gabreel (Ryan Evans). He has some impressive comedic chops-I hope he goes far. The script is squeaky-clean and the dance numbers are seriously good, not to mention the ultra-catchy music. HSM captures the heart of the old-time musical, which is something that not many shows have been able to do lately. (That's part of the reason why we need to Save Broadway.)
Marley & Me
I haven't read John Grogan's book yet, but I intend to after seeing the movie. Marley's outrageous behavior is a good foil to the relationship of John and Jen, the young journalistic couple. The movie isn't solid all the way through. The beginninng was much better than the middle or end and when it was over, SPOILER ALERT, I sobbed my eyes out. (It's a freaking dog movie, people, what do you expect?)
Television
The 66th Annuel Golden Globe Awards
The Globes are the lowest common demoninator of network award shows, but that doesn't stop me from watching each year. There were some unexpected wins (Kate Winslet!) and some confirmations of what I already knew (30 Rock is awesome; Drew Barrymore's crazy). Ricky Gervais provided some great humor--"I told you, do a Holocaust movie and the awards will come" and Tina Fey's internet tirade was fantastic. Sally Hawkin's genuine gratitude at winning was a real high point for me. She captured the spirit of why we even honor celebrities in the first place.
Battlestar Galactica, Seasons 2, 3, & 4
You expect me to condense that into a paragraph or two? Psh. My BSG geek-out post is coming on Thursday.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Coming Out Of The Lurker Closet, So To Speak
This week is awesome because of two things. 1. Battlestar Galactica returns on Friday. 2. It's National Delurking Week.
You know, it's that special time of year where I get to make you feel guilty for not commenting. I think there's even scripture written about it.
"Delurk, oh ye delurkers and lurk no more, lest Ceiling Cat smite you with his curse."
The Book of Blogger: Chapter 4, Verse 26
Seriously, it would mean oh-so-much to me if you'd let me know who you are and how you got here. I believe there are a few basic questions that say everything about a person. (But nothing creepy like "What's your blood type and do you still have both of your kidneys?")
Let's start there, shall we?
1. What's on your perfect burger?
2. Which of the Star Wars movies is your favorite?
3. What's the last book you enjoyed?
4. Chocolate: Dark, milk, or white?
5. What is some of your guilty pleasure music?
Answer however many of those that you feel like and then we can be friends. Yay!
(Bonus friend points if you like dark chocolate and The Empire Strikes Back.)
You know, it's that special time of year where I get to make you feel guilty for not commenting. I think there's even scripture written about it.
"Delurk, oh ye delurkers and lurk no more, lest Ceiling Cat smite you with his curse."
The Book of Blogger: Chapter 4, Verse 26
Seriously, it would mean oh-so-much to me if you'd let me know who you are and how you got here. I believe there are a few basic questions that say everything about a person. (But nothing creepy like "What's your blood type and do you still have both of your kidneys?")
Let's start there, shall we?
1. What's on your perfect burger?
2. Which of the Star Wars movies is your favorite?
3. What's the last book you enjoyed?
4. Chocolate: Dark, milk, or white?
5. What is some of your guilty pleasure music?
Answer however many of those that you feel like and then we can be friends. Yay!
(Bonus friend points if you like dark chocolate and The Empire Strikes Back.)
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
(This was originally guest-posted at Tea and Cake Time, repeated here for the 20SB January Carnival: First Kisses. And also for your hilarity.)
It was October of my senior year of high school. (Back story: Six months earlier, I met a boy we’ll call Denny. We met at a…you guessed it…Denny’s in SoCal during band tour. I was an orch dork, he was 100% band geek.) I asked him to the Dogpatch Dance (my school’s version of Sadie Hawkins) and had a decent enough time. It was a reaaaaaalllly long date, so by the end of the night I was pretty much sick of him and ready to go home. Naturally, we went out again three weeks later and held hands.
There was a whole lot of convoluted high school drama for the next few months. I won’t bore you with the details, we’ve all been there. ANYHOW, exactly six months to the day after the dance, we were hanging out with some friends. It included a movie and Jamba Juice. At Jamba, Denny and I split a Raspberry Lime Sublime and shared the same straw.
Holy cow, this was a big deal to me at the time. You see, we’d been side-stepping around the kissing issue for a good two months or so. We were both chicken, so nothing transpired. I thought for sure he’d take the initiative during Band Tour Musical: Senior Year, but NO.
But this night, I knew for sure something was going to happen. There was a long walk around the park and a longer walk up to the doorstep (at least, it felt like it). I’d be make this clear right away—the doorstep scene? Was about thirty minutes long. About ninety-nine point seven percent of that was spent either a) talking about the fact that we should just get the kissing thing over with already or b) in silence, awkwardly hugging. Add this to the facts that the whole neighborhood could watch if they felt so inclined and that my parents could possibly hear the whole thing from the bedroom window equals one very surreal experience.
Basically, our conversation went something like this:
G: Thanks! I had a great time tonight.
D: Hey, me too! So…uh, you know that thing I’ve been wanting to do for a while? Do you think we should? [The word “kiss” was never said the entire night.]
G: I dunno…do you?
D: Yeah, but I mean, how…um…how do we go about this?
G: I don’t know! You’re the guy in this relationship.
D: Well, you’re the brains!
G: sighs Okay, well, um, maybe we just…I don’t know, are you sure you want to?
D: sighs Yes, I’m sure.
G: Okay then.
This is where I nervously lick my lips and pull away from the hug to face him. Then I freak out and go back into the hug stage. We repeat this about twenty times, which is NOT an overestimatation.
Finally, it gets to the point where I know I have to just get it over with or I’d go inside and nothing would ever happen. So, I face him and begin to slo-o-o-o-wly lean in. (The whole 90-10 Hitch rule wouldn’t come out for another year or so. This was definitely a 50-50 effort.) Once our mouths met, there was a slight attacking on my part, because I want a good first kiss, dangit! However, I think his train of thought went, “Choo-choo! All aboard for the Awkward Express! Your conductor would also like to note that apparently just touching lips is enough to count for a first kiss." Holy miscommunication, Batman! I stop, because he isn’t kissing me back. Not good. There’s a fair amount of tense laughter and then he has the gall to suggest we try it again! Oh yeah, he also adds, “My way or your way?”
Me: what the huh? Your way, I guess.
This time goes slightly better, but it’s still just a peck.
Repeat AGAIN.
Curfew rolls around and I start to go in to my house. He stops me and asks me if he can kiss me goodnight. It’s short, but really quite sweet. I step inside, check in with my mom, and get ready for bed. I look in the mirror and I believe my exact thought was, “Wow. That was weird and not really very fun. What’s the big fuss?”
The kissing definitely improved, although things didn’t work out with Denny in the long run. And there you have it, internet. I’ve told that story a million times over to roomies and friends, but never seen it all written out like that. Feel free to cringe, since I know I did.
It was October of my senior year of high school. (Back story: Six months earlier, I met a boy we’ll call Denny. We met at a…you guessed it…Denny’s in SoCal during band tour. I was an orch dork, he was 100% band geek.) I asked him to the Dogpatch Dance (my school’s version of Sadie Hawkins) and had a decent enough time. It was a reaaaaaalllly long date, so by the end of the night I was pretty much sick of him and ready to go home. Naturally, we went out again three weeks later and held hands.
There was a whole lot of convoluted high school drama for the next few months. I won’t bore you with the details, we’ve all been there. ANYHOW, exactly six months to the day after the dance, we were hanging out with some friends. It included a movie and Jamba Juice. At Jamba, Denny and I split a Raspberry Lime Sublime and shared the same straw.
Holy cow, this was a big deal to me at the time. You see, we’d been side-stepping around the kissing issue for a good two months or so. We were both chicken, so nothing transpired. I thought for sure he’d take the initiative during Band Tour Musical: Senior Year, but NO.
But this night, I knew for sure something was going to happen. There was a long walk around the park and a longer walk up to the doorstep (at least, it felt like it). I’d be make this clear right away—the doorstep scene? Was about thirty minutes long. About ninety-nine point seven percent of that was spent either a) talking about the fact that we should just get the kissing thing over with already or b) in silence, awkwardly hugging. Add this to the facts that the whole neighborhood could watch if they felt so inclined and that my parents could possibly hear the whole thing from the bedroom window equals one very surreal experience.
Basically, our conversation went something like this:
G: Thanks! I had a great time tonight.
D: Hey, me too! So…uh, you know that thing I’ve been wanting to do for a while? Do you think we should? [The word “kiss” was never said the entire night.]
G: I dunno…do you?
D: Yeah, but I mean, how…um…how do we go about this?
G: I don’t know! You’re the guy in this relationship.
D: Well, you’re the brains!
G: sighs Okay, well, um, maybe we just…I don’t know, are you sure you want to?
D: sighs Yes, I’m sure.
G: Okay then.
This is where I nervously lick my lips and pull away from the hug to face him. Then I freak out and go back into the hug stage. We repeat this about twenty times, which is NOT an overestimatation.
Finally, it gets to the point where I know I have to just get it over with or I’d go inside and nothing would ever happen. So, I face him and begin to slo-o-o-o-wly lean in. (The whole 90-10 Hitch rule wouldn’t come out for another year or so. This was definitely a 50-50 effort.) Once our mouths met, there was a slight attacking on my part, because I want a good first kiss, dangit! However, I think his train of thought went, “Choo-choo! All aboard for the Awkward Express! Your conductor would also like to note that apparently just touching lips is enough to count for a first kiss." Holy miscommunication, Batman! I stop, because he isn’t kissing me back. Not good. There’s a fair amount of tense laughter and then he has the gall to suggest we try it again! Oh yeah, he also adds, “My way or your way?”
Me: what the huh? Your way, I guess.
This time goes slightly better, but it’s still just a peck.
Repeat AGAIN.
Curfew rolls around and I start to go in to my house. He stops me and asks me if he can kiss me goodnight. It’s short, but really quite sweet. I step inside, check in with my mom, and get ready for bed. I look in the mirror and I believe my exact thought was, “Wow. That was weird and not really very fun. What’s the big fuss?”
The kissing definitely improved, although things didn’t work out with Denny in the long run. And there you have it, internet. I’ve told that story a million times over to roomies and friends, but never seen it all written out like that. Feel free to cringe, since I know I did.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
This Is Good Practice For When I'm Famous
Sorry I've been AWOL this week! I've been knee-deep in computer repair, BSG, and going to Body Worlds with Carla & Matt. (P.S. You really owe it to yourself to click through to their blog and see the new banner that Matt designed. It's truly fab.)
You know the interview meme that's going around? All The Wine posted hers yesterday and I couldn't pass up a chance to be interviewed by my favorite anonymous blogger/Liz Lemon twin.
The Rules of the Interview
1. Leave me a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I'll email you five questions, of my determination not yours!
3. You update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
I guess I can issue a guarantee that Gretch-a-sketch is always safe for work--AFSW. I realize that I might not get as many readers because of that, but I also hope it attracts people.
You know the interview meme that's going around? All The Wine posted hers yesterday and I couldn't pass up a chance to be interviewed by my favorite anonymous blogger/Liz Lemon twin.
The Rules of the Interview
1. Leave me a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I'll email you five questions, of my determination not yours!
3. You update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
1. What's the ultimate goal of your blog - what direction do you see it going?
Fame and riches. Why are you looking at me like that?
Although I wouldn't complain about those...I would ultimately like to be able to reach as many people as I can through my writing. (And pictures. Blogging unexpectedly re-sparked my love of photography. I feel limited by my camera and knowledge, but getting more involved in the photo blog world is very high on my list of goals.) The blog started as a way to get me writing more and it has certainly served its purpose. I love the blogging community and I'd like to stay active in that, possibly reaching out through more in-person interaction like local meet-ups and larger conferences.
I'm pretty young as far as bloggers go. I see my age as a way for me to gain experience now and apply it to a larger scale later in life. I would like to start a media review/news blog with multiple contributors and also keep a style blog on the side. I don't know when I'm going to find time for this, but I'm gonna make it happen, cap'n!
Although I wouldn't complain about those...I would ultimately like to be able to reach as many people as I can through my writing. (And pictures. Blogging unexpectedly re-sparked my love of photography. I feel limited by my camera and knowledge, but getting more involved in the photo blog world is very high on my list of goals.) The blog started as a way to get me writing more and it has certainly served its purpose. I love the blogging community and I'd like to stay active in that, possibly reaching out through more in-person interaction like local meet-ups and larger conferences.
I'm pretty young as far as bloggers go. I see my age as a way for me to gain experience now and apply it to a larger scale later in life. I would like to start a media review/news blog with multiple contributors and also keep a style blog on the side. I don't know when I'm going to find time for this, but I'm gonna make it happen, cap'n!
2. What about your Mormon faith makes you a different blogger than others?
Great question. I obviously don't try to hide my faith. I mean, it's one of the first things you read when you visit my site. However, it's not something I talk about very much in any depth, because I've got other things to discuss like entertainment and my crazy family. But I'd say that my Mormon-ness (Mormonosity?) definitely affects how I approach those things. My family means a great deal to me because family is the center of our faith. With media, I am careful about the things I read and watch and say. And sometimes that is dang hard for me. See what I did there? I said dang instead of damn. Most of the time that takes some major restaint. I do feel like I have to work harder for my jokes (especially on twitter) because I try and keep it clean. While that rarely limits me, it does eliminate a lot of material that I know would be popular. (I'm not perfect at this. I heart making "that's what she said!" jokes and #4 below is the teensiest bit inappropriate.)
I guess I can issue a guarantee that Gretch-a-sketch is always safe for work--AFSW. I realize that I might not get as many readers because of that, but I also hope it attracts people.
3. If you could live anywhere else outside of Utah, where would you go and what appeals to you about that city?
I've recently become enamored with Los Angeles. Part of that may have to do with comparing their warm, sandy beaches to my icy, snowy front porch, yet I've always held a place in my heart for Hollywood. I love how you get the glitz and glamour mixed with the seedy underbelly. New York is the hip, starving artist of cities, but Los Angeles is the up-and-coming, beautiful actor with a rumored coke addiction. Who can resist?
I've recently become enamored with Los Angeles. Part of that may have to do with comparing their warm, sandy beaches to my icy, snowy front porch, yet I've always held a place in my heart for Hollywood. I love how you get the glitz and glamour mixed with the seedy underbelly. New York is the hip, starving artist of cities, but Los Angeles is the up-and-coming, beautiful actor with a rumored coke addiction. Who can resist?
4. Imagine you're walking in a relatively populated downtown area on a chilly day, and you see Lee Pace walking towards you in all black with a smoothie in his hand. He seems to be bopping around to a tune in his head. What do you do? (ATW's note: Replace "Lee Pace" with "Jack White" and you have me, btw)
Short Answer: Jump his bones. That was an easy question.
Long Answer: I'd walk up to him and say something like, "You're Lee Pace!" I'd mention how much I love his work and ask him what kind of smoothie he's drinking, making a lame joke about trading pies for fruit beverages. He'd ask me what my favorite was and I'd tell him that I was partial to Jamba's Orange Dream Machine. Lee (because we're on a first-name basis by this point) would casually-but-nervously say that he makes a really good homemade version of that smoothie and maybe I'd like to stop by sometime to try it? I coyly smile and hand him my card. Turns out he makes a great smoothie and we have the same taste in music.
Oh, and then I'd jump his bones.
Short Answer: Jump his bones. That was an easy question.
Long Answer: I'd walk up to him and say something like, "You're Lee Pace!" I'd mention how much I love his work and ask him what kind of smoothie he's drinking, making a lame joke about trading pies for fruit beverages. He'd ask me what my favorite was and I'd tell him that I was partial to Jamba's Orange Dream Machine. Lee (because we're on a first-name basis by this point) would casually-but-nervously say that he makes a really good homemade version of that smoothie and maybe I'd like to stop by sometime to try it? I coyly smile and hand him my card. Turns out he makes a great smoothie and we have the same taste in music.
Oh, and then I'd jump his bones.
5. You've won a walk-on role on your favorite television show and you get to suggest the new character you play. Which show and what type of character?
I can only pick one? Not fair. As far as life experiences go, I have to say 30 Rock. We're just going to say that it starts out as a walk-on role but they liked me so much they expanded my plot. I'd be a guest star on TGS with Tracy Jordan playing a young, talented, red-headed actress. (Essentially I'd be Amy Adams.) My character would steal all the attention away from Jenna and Liz is helpless because she tells Liz that she genuinely likes her writing. They gush about comedy and geek stuff and Rosemary Howard. It's the kind of interaction that Jenna never gives Liz, so Jenna's pleas for attention go unnoticed. It ends with my character going back to L.A. and Jenna making an effort to understand Liz's world because after all, they're best friends. Also, I get a scene with Kenneth.
P.S. I was nominated for Best Cross-Platform Experience in the 20-Something Blogger Bootleg Awards. This award is for bloggers who use multiple sites for their internet identity. (Twitter, tumblr, flickr, etc.) Vote here if you're a member of the 20SB community. I love being a part of so many social sites--I blog, I twitter, and I tumblr. I pour a lot into making my posts insightful, inspiring, and/or humorous. Make sure you answer all of the q's as the cross-platform question is at the very end. Gretch-a-sketch '09!
I can only pick one? Not fair. As far as life experiences go, I have to say 30 Rock. We're just going to say that it starts out as a walk-on role but they liked me so much they expanded my plot. I'd be a guest star on TGS with Tracy Jordan playing a young, talented, red-headed actress. (Essentially I'd be Amy Adams.) My character would steal all the attention away from Jenna and Liz is helpless because she tells Liz that she genuinely likes her writing. They gush about comedy and geek stuff and Rosemary Howard. It's the kind of interaction that Jenna never gives Liz, so Jenna's pleas for attention go unnoticed. It ends with my character going back to L.A. and Jenna making an effort to understand Liz's world because after all, they're best friends. Also, I get a scene with Kenneth.
P.S. I was nominated for Best Cross-Platform Experience in the 20-Something Blogger Bootleg Awards. This award is for bloggers who use multiple sites for their internet identity. (Twitter, tumblr, flickr, etc.) Vote here if you're a member of the 20SB community. I love being a part of so many social sites--I blog, I twitter, and I tumblr. I pour a lot into making my posts insightful, inspiring, and/or humorous. Make sure you answer all of the q's as the cross-platform question is at the very end. Gretch-a-sketch '09!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Excuses For My Current Mood
-Because I am firmly entrenched in the world of Battlestar Galactica and I may not resurface until I'm done with Season 4.0.
-Because my laptop got a nasty virus and it's in the shop.
-Because I'm not ready for the holidays to be over yet.
-Because January's a freaking depressing month, y'know?
-Because there's something big going on in my life and I can't tell you about it yet. (Don't you hate it when bloggers get all vague? I know I do.)
-Because Pushing Daisies is *still* canceled.
-Because I've already got plans that night. (Plans being a date with Lee Adama and company.)
-Because I can't figure out exactly when Brief Interviews With Hideous Men premieres at Sundance.
-Because I've procrastinated going to the post office for long enough.
-Because I don't believe in resolutions.
-Because I would give anything for a vacation to someplace exotic right now.
-Because none of my new music is holding my interest like it should.
-Because sometimes I don't do a very good job of being hopeful.
-Because I crave more time to read.
-Because I wish I could just skip to the part where I get paid to be a TV reviewer.
-Because the last two pairs of pants I bought were sweatpants.
-Because my laptop got a nasty virus and it's in the shop.
-Because I'm not ready for the holidays to be over yet.
-Because January's a freaking depressing month, y'know?
-Because there's something big going on in my life and I can't tell you about it yet. (Don't you hate it when bloggers get all vague? I know I do.)
-Because Pushing Daisies is *still* canceled.
-Because I've already got plans that night. (Plans being a date with Lee Adama and company.)
-Because I can't figure out exactly when Brief Interviews With Hideous Men premieres at Sundance.
-Because I've procrastinated going to the post office for long enough.
-Because I don't believe in resolutions.
-Because I would give anything for a vacation to someplace exotic right now.
-Because none of my new music is holding my interest like it should.
-Because sometimes I don't do a very good job of being hopeful.
-Because I crave more time to read.
-Because I wish I could just skip to the part where I get paid to be a TV reviewer.
-Because the last two pairs of pants I bought were sweatpants.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
