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

Oh the “Endless Love”

My favorite song from Glee in awhile! Finally, a singer who can keep up with Lea Michele; Matthew Morrison is adorable and can really really sing! This song was great for him, not that I didn’t love him singing the thong song. Other than a great episode of Glee, this week was very draggy. I think everyone is feeling the end of the semester crunch. But I make great excuses not to do work, like “I should really start that final project but I think I am going to watch New Moon instead”. The dread of finals approaches. But at least we have Thanksgiving to look forward to. I have one word for why Thanksgiving is amazing: stuffing! Hell yes. Oh, and being thankful for everything. That sounds really hollow when I say it like that. But think about it..how many times do you bitch about every stupid thing in your life, and how many times do you just stop and marvel at the fact that you are living? Being alive is awesome. I always forget that. I am getting really sick of hearing myself complain. Suck it up. I can do anything and I should be grateful for it. So what if I have a shit ton of tests? Just study and do it! Thanksgiving is a time to thank the universe you are alive and for those of us in college, to be thankful we are in college. Here, in college, we are living much of the world’s dream. I command myself to be thankful. Be thankful for a family. Be thankful for music. Be thankful for Adam Lambert. Be thankful for stuffing. Amen.

p.s. New favorite song of the week: James Morrison, “Pieces Don’t Fit Anymore”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9UZ6Qb7mBg

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!