Favorite 31 Things of 2010

I have to make something clear about the many thoughts I have shared on this blog…none of them are really that original. Surprise! But this post in particular is directly inspired by the recent “50 Favorite Things of 2010″ list featured on NPR. At the end of the day, aren’t all of my thoughts inspired by NPR? So, here are 31 things that gave me unadulterated, unconditional joy in this strange and wonderful year. The only way to live is to love things and people obscenely and without reason, so here is my unfiltered list! (considering my last post was also a list, I admit I like them)

1) “Silver Lining”, Rilo Kiley.

You know when you listen to a song and everything falls away for a few minutes? Like, halfway through, you already want the song to start over again? That would be this amazing Rilo Kiley song I somehow managed never to hear before. Hip and elegant and earthly and heavenly. I can’t stop listening to this song even though I might get sick of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVtSSCzASR0&feature=feedlik

2) Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

I already talked about this movie in another post, but again: it is a pop-art visual fun endearing edgy adventure! And Kieran Culkin is in it (Igby Goes Down!)

3) Giovanni’s Room, by James Baldwin

This book is seriously devastating. Okay, not a great recommendation, but no matter how depressing it is it is still haunting to read. Beautiful and short novel that is a must-read. One of my favorite lines: “this was but one tiny aspect of the dreadful human tangle occurring everywhere, without end, forever.”

4) Amy Kuney’s music

I don’t know who this chick is, but she writes damn good original music. Hopefully the next star to emerge from YouTube? I love it when amateurs are better than the professionals. Below is one of her many good songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy3tyqEA4Cc&feature=feedlik

5) Running Wilde

Sadly this show is going to/ is already canceled. Lots of people did not like it but I thought it was totally charming and irreverent. I like to think this gem of a comedy will be appreciated in ten years.

6) Easy A

The return of the hilarious & kind of subversive teen comedy! What have we had in recent memory is Mean Girls and She’s The Man. And neither of them had the hilarious Emma Stone.

7) The Rotten Tomatoes Show clips on Hulu

Okay, never watched the show all the way through, but watched tons of hilarious clips of the Rotten Tomatoes take on the movie universe. Cue example!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/170516/the-rotten-tomatoes-show-julia-roberts-in-three-minutes-or-less#s-p1-sr-i2

8) Rediscovering Joan of Arcadia

An underachieving slacker with a heart played by the witty Amber Tamblyn and her many conversations with God; great concept? YES. LOVED this show in high school (as in never did anything else but watch it on friday nights), and fell in love with it again. Second time around is sometimes better; never really appreciated the tenderness of the relationship between Joan’s mom and Kevin, Joan’s paraplegic brother (Jason Ritter, in a snarky and soulful performance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeVrXGOt5ig&feature=related

9) Speaking of, anything Jason Ritter is in!

This guy is amazing. Seriously, there is something about him. Every role he inhabits has this earnest energy that makes him totally magnetic. In everything I have seen him in he has shined through as the most memorable character; the scandalously named but sweet “Good Dick”, a total heartthrob teacher in “Parenthood”, a wildly uncontrollable & manipulative & charismatic criminal in “The Education of Charlie Banks”…he has a lot in his future!

10) The Social Network

All hail Jesse Eisenberg. And everyone else in this movie. And Aaron Sorkin. This movie is on the path the a possible Best Picture, but I think its strength lies in its youthful and fiercely intelligent depiction of our age’s entrepreneurs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PrLjaS9SRY&feature=related

11) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

My favorite Harry Potter movie. Daniel Radcliffe & Emma Watson are finally growing on me.

12) Prep School Blues

Maybe the age of youtube, twitter, and facebook has made putting yourself out there too easy and too much. But it has also allowed creative, brilliant, and unknown people to come together and make art, and share it with the world. Prep School Blues is an online series that surprised, no, shocked me with its level of sophistication and acting. Despite a few melodramatic hiccups, not unexpected, this show is plain cool.

http://www.youtube.com/prepschoolblues

13) Big sweaters

Not much to explain here. My roommate says I am going through a “grandma” phase.

14) The “It Gets Better” campaign.

Out of uncomprehending tragedy, humanity can sometimes surprise you and build something rare; hope. Cheesy, I know, but if clips like this don’t make you cry a little then why are you reading my blog!? Life can be awful and life can be amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IcVyvg2Qlo

15) Glee…mostly

Glee has had an interesting season. When Glee is great it is really great, but when its not it is really disappointing. But Glee has two things really going it. First, Kurt, played with praise worthy dignity, vulnerability, and umph by Chris Colfer, is consistently one of the best characters on the show. Second, the bee-stung lips, surfer boy hair, and rock-hard abs of the charming Chord Overstreet. OFFICIALLY the hottest guy on Glee. Oh yeah, third…Darren Criss!!!!!

16) U.K. Version of The Office

Like the American Office but with more delicious awkwardness and Britishisms. And Tim and Dawn are almost cuter than Jim and Pam.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/130652/the-office-uk-downsize#s-p3-so-i0

17) “Ghost”, Fefe Dobson

Unnaturally catchy. Rock on Fefe! With a new album and a new(ish) sound, Fefe is hotter than ever a vengeful rocker chick in this hilarious/scary video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXrFBsYKrgE

18) Tyler + Caroline on Vampire Diaries

I seriously heart Matt, and am hoping for Matt and Caroline to reunite. But in the meantime, I am loving the surprising chemistry between the new werewolf and whiny vampire.

19) Jase + Mani in the British miniseries “Sinchronicity”

Okay, I am going to admit I only watched the “gay storyline” scenes available on YouTube, but these uploads are enough. Watch two hot British guys with unbelievable chemistry fall in love. And the character who plays Mani has more intense hazel-eyed exotic allure than most people can handle. And Jase is tall, dark, handsome, and totally cuddly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWnTLMD_t1w&feature=&p=364FBC22DDFEA608&index=0&playnext=1

20) Robyn

Not my type of music but actually love some of her songs; “Dancing On My Own”, “Who’s That Girl”, “FemBot”. This is music to dance to.

21) Rediscovery of U.K. Version of Queer as Folk

Brilliant (said in British accent). Watching series over again and its even better the second time! Great acting and a defiant spirit make this allegory of gay men who frequent a special street in England extremely watchable. And has to have the best declaration of self ever made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uomwSbZRzU

22) Googling Space Nebulas.

It’s cool. Try it.

23) The return of Kirsten Dunst!

I have loved Kirsten since Jumanji, and I am glad she has come back with her unique brand of boho chic, talent, and twinkly-eyed charm. Looking forward to  her upcoming films “All The Good Things” with Ryan Gosling, and “Upside Down” with Jim Sturgess. Great costars!

24) The Station Agent

A folksy charming heartbreaking movie about a dwarf who grudgingly makes friends in his new town. Peter Dinklage is an f-ing great actor, and this is a film with subtle meaning. Patricia Clarkson is simply beautiful.

25) Oscar Wilde

I would so love to talk to this guy. Not often you find writing that is still funny over 100 years after it was written. And what a fascinating life.

26) Adam Goldberg

Hot in a bearded tattoed way. And in two of the most clever, hilarious movies I’ve seen this year; “(Untitled)” and “Two Days in Paris”.

27) Remembering why I love Patrick Fugit after watching Bickford Shmeckler’s Cool Ideas

I hope this guy comes back with some good movies. I had to watch this movie after seeing it on Comedy Central/Showtime for the tenth time. He has been in much better, but this odd, kinda silly, funny movie shows Patrick at his boyish best. I want my own Patrick Fugit.

28) Any episode of the second season of Community

This show is brilliance. Just watch the Christmas episode.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/199579/community-abeds-uncontrollable-christmas

29) Edith Piaf

Her song “Je Ne Regrette Rien” was the dramatic warning to escape dreams in Inception. Her life is an interesting one, showcased by the intriguing and kind of long film La Vie En Rose. I somehow never heard of her, though she is one of the most famous singers of the 20th century. Check her out; she is classic.

30) Overturning of Prop 8/ Don’t As Don’t Tell

We are moving in the right direction. Even though we are moving WAY too slowly.

31) ”The purpose of art is not a rarified, intellectual distillate – it is life, intensified, brilliant life.” Alain Arias-Misson

The Wonderful Things in My Universe

So of course I have not written in my poor neglected blog for far too long. Many times I have thought of something I desperately wanted to write about, but realized I NEED TO STUDY. So, life this semester has been very strange. I have never had to THINK this much in my life! It is not just medical school interviews, or hard-as-crap classes, it is the future and the now. I keep envisioning the scope of my life, and also trying to just live in the moment. I think this year has been my most formative yet. Along this train of thought, I have also been thinking about the things in my life I love and how my interests distinguish me as a person. And I realized, I am passionate about some things no one else gives a shit about. Really. I like to talk about my disturbing dreams, debate the relative hotness of random actors and actresses, talk about how I love accents, etc. I recently read an article on cracked.com about the top five things you think are interesting that no one cares about. I think I’ll make my own amusing list of THINGS I LIKE TO DO/THINGS I OBSESS ABOUT THAT NO ONE ELSE CARES ABOUT !!

1) How awesomely cute, funny, charming, talented, and underapppreciated Chris Lowell is!

Literally, no one I know has any idea who this guy is, other than “the cute guy from Private Practice”. I was obsessed with Veronica Mars, but I thought the third season kind of sucked it hard. People might disagree with me, but I think Chris Lowell’s character Piz was the sweetest, funniest part of the third season. Sorry to Logan+Veronica fans, I am a diehard Piz+Veronica fan. Anyone remember the short-lived, original dramedy “Life As We Know It”? Kelly Osbourne before she lost weight and became blond? Chris Lowell was the cutest guy in that show, hands down! The only dilemma is whether he looks cuter with long or short hair…I am so torn.

2) Annoying my roommates by OBSESSIVELY playing these amazing songs which they think are kind of mediocre.

-”I L U” & “Windstorm”, School of Seven Bells

-Anything by Vanessa Carlton.

-”Sitting Down Here” & “Playing My Game”, Lene Marlin.

-Anything by Hilary Duff.

-”Dream of Me”, Kirsten Dunst.

3) Heights is STILL one of my favorite movies ever. Seriously! Why can’t I convince any of my friends to watch it?

- This movie is a complex, thrilling yet urban and subtle human drama. Literally, you could watch it for the opening scene alone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pma2fEkFO-M

Jesse Bradford is actually cute AND talented in this movie. I really gained a new appreciation for him. Glenn Close is brilliant and dignified and broken. This is the only movie in which Elizabeth Banks does not annoy me. The camera work, the visuals of New York, and the story itself all add up to make a really unique movie unlike most others I have seen (and yeah, I watch a lot of movies).

4) Memorizing poetry is fun! Listen to me recite it! LISTEN.

-Okay, obnoxious and posery as it is, I love to memorize random poetry so I can feel cool and educated as I recite it perfectly from memory. Also, poetry is all about the beauty of language, and the only thing more fun than reading poetry is reciting it. Unfortunately, my friends don’t think it is especially fun to hear my recite random poetry with multiple errors. I recently mastered the wonderful ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”. That is such a lyrical poem to memorize, and literally love acting like a mad person and muttering this poem to myself.

http://www.bigeye.com/donotgo.htm

5) Gay/interracial romantic movies can be way way more interesting than straight ones.

-Okay, this may be due to my recite obsession with anything gay-themed (Shelter, Watercolors, the absolutely wonderful My Beautiful Laundrette), but I am going through a phase where heterosexual white love stories are just boring. I am SO not saying that the million amazing love stories out there are not worth watching over and over and over again (Um, ever heard of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth? ‘nuf said. Wait no, how about Brief Encounter!?). It is just that the standard, rom-com, white boy meets white girl and cutesy antics ensue plotline has been done to death. LIKE REALLY. Oh my god, does the world not have enough of self-obsessed mainstream unimaginative unsincere love stories out there? The thing about interracial/gay love stories is that they are something different. Maybe Something New does not have the most wildly original storyline, but the movie explores the complications of interracial attraction and relationships in a way you don’t usually see. This movie actually pushed some buttons! Also why I love gay movies to death. The dynamic of two men or two women is so refreshingly different. (And there is just something about two men kissing…:)

This summer I dream of next summer

Salute to the always epic Scottish band The Twilight Sad for my subtle little spoof. Sadly enough, this summer is already a bummer. How disappointing…this is what happens when you have work to do all the time when you should be relaxing. And forget medical school applications…who knows how those will get done! At least I have movies to make life a bit more bearable. At least I can start obsessively planning my trip to London and more next summer. It IS happening! Money, check (sort of), extreme motivation, check, determination, check! I have had an unhealthy obsession with all things United Kingdom, and basically European, since I first went to london when I was 8. I only stayed a night, and then a week when I was 14. But I’ve always known England was just one of those places I was meant to be. The current plan is to hit up London, Scotland(castles, green hills, the accent, oh my!), Paris, maybe Rome…and the rest I plan on deciding when I get there! Anyway, for CURRENT enjoyment needs to be met, I have a list of some interesting movies I have seen, and ones I want to see:

There Will Be Blood

This is one of those movies you watch in perplexed and disturbed bewilderment. Don’t worry folks, that is a good thing. This movie can really be described in one word; masterful. It feels like Paul Thomas Anderson, director, shaped this movie from iron, giving each shot unrelenting strength, making each scene haunt the viewer. Daniel Day-Lewis plays an oilman in the early 20th century, who uses his cunning and fight to get rich on oil. I knew this movie was brilliant, but its aims are not intentionally clear. I actually read several reviews of this movie after I watched, because it fascinated me that much. The only fault I could find was the last half hour dragged a bit for me. Daniel Day-Lewis performance is shattering and frightening. He has an amazing way of speaking, the deliberate yet natural way of a man destined for madness. Through the  brutality of the oil business, we see Daniel Plainview (what a great name) turn psychotic, particularly when faced with the insidious preacher played by Paul Dano, yet at other times desperate when, covered in oil, he clutches his “adopted” son after a fiery explosion. I fail miserably at doing this movie justice, so all I can say is watch it.

Up

Okay, I wasn’t to keen on watching this movie, but I realized I was extremely lame after watching it. This movie is awesome! By far the best and most joyful Pixar movie of recent memory, Up is a beautiful and fun film. The first half hour is the most affecting. I did not expect the moving story of a young adventurous who meets his soulmate, and after they grow older, get married, and have a wonderful life, she dies! What?! And the old man decides to live out their dream to go to Paradise Falls in her memory! Their life is played out in various, wordless scenes; their wedding, building their house, and all the memories of their life beautifully rendered in detailed computer animation. What amazed me was the way light was used in this movie; everything shined and glowed. When the old man escapes in house by releasing a million or so balloons, it will leave you breathless. This movie is beautiful to watch and full of heart and adventure.

Gabriel/Legion

I love any movie that attempts to deal with biblical versions of heaven, hell, angels, and demons. That is why I have seen Constantine 20 times. That and Keanu Reeves. That is why I plan on watching Legion and the little known Australian film Gabriel. Not much to say on these since I haven’t seen them, but hopefully Paul Bettany’s adorableness can overcome a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 0%. Seriously Rotten Tomatoes? Update soon!

I see your red hat.

I could quote Elizabethtown forever. And a day. My love for the genius of Cameron Crowe is a love of a lifetime. I think that Cameron Crowe, just like Kirsten Dunst or “Claire”, may not know a lot about everything, but what he knows he knows really well. People. We’re a lot less mysterious then we’d like to think. So much for the show. So much for how we all try to fool each other. Instead, we should listen to the music of soulful rivers and take a solitary road trip across the country. I can’t stop quoting that movie! For instance, after another grueling semester, I have to agree with Orlando Bloom a.k.a. “Drew” (looking as gorgy as ever); the only god people really worship is success. Making it to the top of the ladder. Being better. I for one have found the whole process of climbing to success tiresome. I want to succeed, but I also want to be like Drew and Claire. Take a step back, and see the world for what it is. And try to find all those dumbfoundingly deep moments. Like staying up all night on the phone and driving to middle of some Southern highway in Kentucky to watch the sun rise over a long river. I mean taking that roadtrip. I mean dancing to that music. You know…that music that shaped generations. I just loved it when Claire smiles cheerfully at Drew and says “You keep trying to break up with me, and we’re not even together!”. He replies, after a pause, “We’re not”. She shakes her head, “No. Not even close”. What does it mean? Something! This movie wasn’t just talking about love. It was life. Life, realists and phonies, acceptors of fate. And I quote another here when I say life is seeing the madness of the cosmos, and dancing with that madness. So, here, I take a step. I’ll start by making the soundtrack to my soon-to-happen road trip. Actually, that’ll take some time. Save it for my next post.

Long time no see!

I feel I owe my blog an apology…I have abandoned you for an unprecedented amount of time. My level of happiness is directly correlated to how much I write in this blog. Directly. So, the last few weeks without you have been a meaningless collection of hours. Finals approach, and since drinking large amounts of alcohol is not a productive way to get rid of stress, or a good thing to do in general, I am writing in my blog. Writing that isn’t assigned is the best. I have a 12-15 page paper due, in a class I really need to improve in, but I consider writing in my blog right now as more important. I really didn’t see the importance of a creative outlet until recently. When all you do is study and hang out and study and watch movies and sleep, life get’s pretty pointless. You study to get better grades to feel better about your self-worth, you party to “release” stress, you go through all the motions, but do you still feel unfulfilled? I am not saying what we learn here in college is meaningless. However, I have come to realize  that it really takes effort on our part to bring meaning into our lives. You have to create meaning for your life. That can be through painting, writing bad poetry,  reading good poetry, really listening to an amazing song, or standing in your room as the sun disappears. Or maybe through writing some brilliant math proof, or learning all the constellations. To find meaning, we have to take part in creation or at least revel in it. Maybe take some breaks during your studying in the next two weeks to do these things, and when you get back to your history and theories, it will actually mean something.

Things I am Excited For!

Things I am not excited for: My Biochemistry exam, all my other midterms, the monotony of my daily routine and the struggle for meaning in my life.

Things I am excited for: Movies and Music, duh!

An Education – I don’t know if this movie is actually playing in any local movie theaters, but I would gladly sacrifice a night of studying to see this movie about a girl becoming a “women” in 1960′s England. I always thought Peter Sarsgaard was a charmer. And the apparently fabulous performance Carey Mulligan couldn’t hurt. As a young women entering adulthood,  it will be interesting to see a story about a real girl trying to find herself. And anyone who has seen Olivia Williams act, especially in her latest work Dollhouse, knows she is magnificent.

The New Swell Season Album – I always feel guilty loving Swell Season because I just think about how great Glen Hansard is with the Frames and how underappreciated that band is. But anything with Glen Hansard should be loved and adored. That man is a musical genius, and works even more magic with Marketa Irglova. NPR makes life worth living with its exclusive first listens. Check out their new album, Strict Joy, in its entirety on NPR.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113630469

Precious – Yes. A movie about real black women. Very gritty, but real. I am excited to see this movie about an obese, black teenage girl stuck with an abusive mother just because someone dared to make a movie like this and did it well. I really want to see Monique doing some real acting. And Mariah Carey not being a diva!?

Finally, this maybe lame, but I have finally decided what my Halloween costume should be. Uhura from Star Trek. BAM.

Blog>Sleep

I need sleep but I would rather write a bit on my blog. And it’s hard to sleep without destressing a little. I never thought I would like outdoors stuff, like trees and dirt and creepy spiders and camping. When I went on a retreat for a service club’s training this weekend, at first all the rocks and bugs and lack of cell service really freaked me out. But, then I was walking around the lodge with some friends of mine. We decided to stop by a bonfire pit near this huge, dark lake near the woods. We lay outside in the middle of the night and watched the sky, pointing out shapes in the clouds and watching shooting stars and talking about our lives.  We were many miles away from college in the middle of nowhere. It was awesome. The lake was even better in the daylight. We laid out on dock while the sun blinded us from its reflection on the water. We fed this puny looking fishes and saw a black bear run across the far edge of the water. We kept trying to sneak back to the edge of the lake whenever we had breaks between workshops. That lake is officially one of my favorite places in the world. The retreat was only one night, and we eventually left the lake and the lodge to drive back to school. After two days I already feel removed from that lost place in the Virginian woods. Nature is so cool. At least I can listen to Glee songs to remind me of that great weekend, considering how many we listened to on the way there and back.

Pink Curtains, Blue Pillows, and So you think You Can Dance!!

I don’t need to convince most people that So You Think You Can Dance is the only talent show out there with real talent. This show takes dancing to the masses, and left us breathless every week this summer. Did you vote for Jeanine? Did you want both her and Brandon to win? Were you pissed as hell when Janette was voted off? Did you live to see Jason take his shirt off? Did that Jason Mraz acoustic verson os “If It Kills Me” break your heart? EVEN IF you have never watched this show, ever, you still have a chance! This fall, a new season premieres. Fox has brilliant stuff in spite of itself. Watch this great show premiere Sept 9th. AND if that was not good enough, GLEE returns that same night. Do not get me started on how much Glee makes me happy in my soul. I have watched theat Journey song cover ten times. Yes, Glee qualifies as a new obsession. It is hard for TV shows to touch us sad and jaded youth, but Glee brings the most unexpected joy to its viewers. Get excited! I will be enjoying these two shows in my newly decorated apartment. It doesn’t even look like a college place anymore…thanks roommates!