There's Always That One Person You Don't Like

I am proudly on the Glee bandwagon. I really enjoy the show and it's like a breath of fresh air on television, not only because of the music, but the writing is great. I think the cast is so wonderful. Everyone is very talented in many ways and even supporting characters, like the parents, are good.

I really enjoyed last night's episode. True, it wasn't the bombastic in-your-face type of episode like 'The Power of Madonna,' but a nicer, quieter, more emotional Glee was pleasant to watch. There's another reason why I enjoyed last night's episode; no Rachel Berry.

I like almost every character on Glee except Terri and Rachel. I can't stand Rachel. I have a lot of problems with her, starting from her character-type on 'Glee' and I even harbor a little dislike for Lea Michele.

Now, before everyone goes flying off the handle at me criticizing her, I will admit that she is insanely talented. I agreed with Ryan Murphy when he said on Oprah that Lea has a 'once in a generation' voice. I got chills when she first sang 'Don't Rain on My Parade' and I've listened to it no less than 36 times on my iPod. I like her voice. I also appreciate that she, like me, is tattooed (she has seven and if you look closely sometimes you can see the poor job they do of covering up the one on her wrist and the one on her shoulder). But I've read about how she can be a real bitch and the epitome of a diva. I know she's got a good sized ego because she was on Broadway and everything, but I get a sort of weird vibe from her when I watch her interviews.

The other thing about the character Rachel is I have a hard time sympathizing for her. I really cannot stand her type-A bossy personality. It turns me off to her. Plus, when compared to the other characters, Rachel's story line is hard for me to accept and it's not nearly as compelling. A girl raised by two gay dads (side note: WHERE ARE THE GAY DADS?!) is struggling with the pains of growing up and fitting in. This is a simple story line, but I do not feel any sort of emotional connection to her at all and I should! She has the every-girl story line and it should work, but for me it doesn't. I can' quite pinpoint why this is. Maybe it's because she uber-talented to the point of it being unbelievable. Maybe it's because Lea is an attractive girl and I can't understand her problems with boys because boys like attractive girls. I also find her character to be too much of a Tracy Flick imitation and that probably factors in there somewhere.

Now Jonathan Groff was brought in to to play the male equivalent of her and it turns out that I find him obnoxious as well! His voice is fantastic. I would love to listen to him sing for hours and hours. I just don't feel any connection to his character and it's hard for me to feel connected to Rachel.

My three favorite characters on Glee are Finn, Kurt, and Mercedes. Last night's episode had great scenes with all three of them, especially Kurt, who really is the emotional core of the show. Plus, I feel connected to Finn and Mercedes. Finn is essentially a man-child, but he's not a hallow man-child and he's one of those characters that is changing some. Plus, I feel bad for him that he doesn't have a father. I love Mercedes because she loves herself and that's great to see on screen. And Kurt is wonderful because he's so real and so hilarious. He truly is the emotional soul of the show and they give him great lines!

Compared to these three, Rachel does not really do much, except for dwell on the men in her life. Relationships are very important, but they aren't everything. I find no enjoyment in watching her and Jesse St. James together. I do not care about whether or not he breaks her heart. I don't even want her and Finn to get together just yet (though I think they should). Does Rachel even have any friends? Usually I feel sorry for friendless people, but I don't feel sorry for her because even I wouldn't want to be her friend! In the back nine, so far, I haven't seen Rachel grow as a person. During the first half, she had some remarkable things to say to Quinn and to Mr. Schuester, but now those remarkable things have gone out the window. In fact, I enjoy Quinn more than Rachel now and I used to HATE Quinn.

I guess this is the nature of television. Some characters step back so other ones can develop. So far I find that I can't appreciate, love, and connect with Rachel as much as Kurt, Mercedes, Finn, Tina, Artie, Emma... the list goes on. This could very well change because you never know what the Glee gurus have up their sleeves (and I don't read spoilers).

Dream Themes on American Idol

My mounting frustration with the ratings-juggernaut that is American Idol seem to grow exponentially week after week. When I found out that this week's theme is the Shania Twain songbook, I was positive that it was a sign of the apocolypse.

This theme week comes after Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Elvis weeks, all which seem super-legit (Rolling Stones was cool), but at the same time it seems that American Idol is way behind the times. They're known for having old themes like Rat Pack week, Grand Ol' Opry Week, etc, etc and a lot of these theme nights have been repeated. How about something new and refreshing? Below I have listed some awesome themes that I think American Idol should tackle that would be challening but workable for all styles of the contests. Now, I just wait for my phone call from Fox...

-Tom Petty (with or without Heartbreakers): Seriously, how has his catalogue been almost completely ignored for so long?

-Foo Fighters week: They have been around for almost 20 years and have quite a collection of nice rock tunes (Hero, Times Like These, Best of You) and ballads that everyone enjoys (Everlong...I love that song!).

-Songs chosen by your parents: How cool would this be?!

-Foreigners Appreciation Week: The list of songs would be from people not born in the United States

Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac Night: I put this on the list with some trepidation, just because no one has done 'Landslide' justice on that show. But I'm always open to the idea of redemption.

Break-up songs: A chance to show vulnerability for the contestants because they can either go the hurt route or the angry route. Both would be great.

90s week: Sure, some people say the decade was a bum one as far as music was concerned, but every dark cloud has a silver lining. After all, isn't this when Madonna did 'Ray of Light'?

(Speaking of Madonna, I will not put on this list a Madonna theme week because I don't think American Idol can top Glee when it comes to the Queen of Pop. )

Super-group week: There are bands and then there are super-groups. This week would offer contestants a variety of songs from The Eagles, Dave Matthews Band, U2, and many other groups that sell out arenas and light up music charts.

Music-critics choice: I'm sure that any music critic with an ounce of pride would steer clear of this show, but maybe if they came in and chose songs for the contestants it would open up a whole new avenue for them and the show. People like Rob Sheffield would maybe be open to doing it.

Woodstock Week: Songs by bands that rocked Woodstock way-back when

Protest songs: Nothing like a little political and social drama to make Idol relevant and interesting

Any others?

*Editor's note: It seems that Sir Michael Slezak at EW has done something similar and I agree on a few of these themes. P.S. He is awesome.

Hollywood Careers I Follow with New Interest

Emily Blunt

What she's done: The Young Victoria, Sunshine Cleaning, The Devil Wears Prada

What she's about to do: Wild Target, The Adjustment Bureau (with Matt Damon), Gulliver's Travels

Other than her kick-ass name, Emily is a fantastic character actress but beautiful enough to be the lead in anything. I've loved a lot of her movies, including 'The Young Victoria.'

Carey Mulligan

What she's done: Pride and Prejudice, An Education

What she's about to do: Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps, Never Let Me Go (with Keira Knightly), rumored to be the next Eliza Dolittle and the lead in the English-speaking version of 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.'

Have you seen 'An Education' yet? If not, go rent it. If you have, than you understand where I'm coming from when you see how wonderful of an actress she is. Watching her on talk shows isn't painful either because she's so effortless and real.

Jeremy Renner

What he's done: S.W.A.T., The Hurt Locker

What he's about to do: The Town (with Affleck bros and Blake Lively), The Raven

Okay, anyone who is about to be in a movie dealing with Edgar Allen Poe is a badass. Also, he was super intense in 'The Hurt Locker' and he just looks like a nice guy.

Garrett Hedlund

What he's done: Friday Night Lights, Four Brothers

What he's about to do: Love Don't Let Me Down (with Gwenyth Paltrow), TRON Legacy, rumored to be in movie adaptation of Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road'

I may be the only one willing to admit this, but the shower scene in 'Four Brothers; where he's all wet and tattooed was the best part of the movie. Other than being something nice to stare at, he's getting a lot of internet buzz for more thespian like chops. We shall see.

Mindy Kaling

What she's done: The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Office

What she's about to do: Lending her voice to 'Despicable Me,' developing her own NBC sitcom, writing 'The Low Self-Esteem of Lizzie Gillespie'

I put Mindy on this list because of all of her comparisons to Tina Fey, who I adore. Though I can see the similarities (Fey and Kaling are both women in their 30s who are funny and work on their own sitcoms), I see Mindy as being the next Nora Ephron or Nany Meyers. She seems to focus on romance more than Fey (she wrote the episode of Jim and Pam's wedding on 'The Office').

Probably My New Favorite Internet Video

Okay, favorite behind Rizzo and his 'Miracle' speech.

Emily's East Coast Extravaganza!

It's been a while since I went on my 10-day excursion to the East Coast and life has been hectic since returning, so I'm just now writing about it. I went to Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, D.C. My first two destinations were places I have never been before and D.C. is a familiar city that I grow to love every time I go. So now for some photographs of my fun travels!

My trip started in Philadelphia where my former roommate from college, Kristina, lives. She took me on a nice little tour of the city. We went to see the front of Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and all the cool public sculpture in her city. We also went to Edgar Allen Poe's house, so the English major in me was happy.

We also ate a lot of amazing food and drank some interesting beer. We tried this thing at the City Tavern (apparently it was a former hang out for the likes of George, T.J and others) that was beer brewed or enjoyed by America's founding fathers. Thomas Jefferson's was the best. Yum!

The highlight of the trip was seeing Vampire Weekend at the Electric Factory. Oh Ezra Koenig, you make it possible for academic rock stars everywhere to be adored by loads of girls. Have my babies? Please and thank you.

After this, Kristina and I ventured to the concrete jungle where dreams are made from, the home of Carrie & Co., and the new home of my high school friend Angela. New York City has lots of adventures, and we embarked on our own on Saturday. This included day drinking at NYC's oldest bar McSorely's. Needless to say, we had lots of fun.

Sunday was not my favorite day, as I got sick :( (Stupid fish allergies!) Monday I was feeling much better so I ventured to Rockefeller Center, the Museum of Modern Art, the Empire State Building, SoHo and the WTC site. I saw cool paintings like the one above. The MoMA was probably my favorite thing on that first day. The Empire State Building had a cool view, but it was like waiting in a line to wait in a line. Talk about annoying.

Day Four in NYC saw me riding the subway a lot. I went to Times Square and Union Square both of which are really cool. I had never seen so many people in one place. Times Square was simply bursting with people. There were loads of tourists from around the globe. I ate at PRET which made me happy because it made me think of London. I also stopped by the Met and went to see "Promises, Promises" starring Sean Hayes and Kristin Chennoweth, which had terrible music but an excellent script. Sean Hayes was hilarious.

In NYC I had pizza and Indian food, but did not eat out very much. It's all really expensive. In fact, New York City in general costs an arm and a leg. I could never live there, but it's awesome to visit. Oh, I went to one of the stoops they used for Carrie's apartment in Sex and the City. It's been repainted since.

After that, I headed for D.C! D.C. is loads of fun and I definitely ate a lot of food and drank a lot of beer in this city as well. I had Cherry Blossom beer at a happy hour. D.C. is big on happy hours. I also had lots of wine, courtesy of my friend Kelley, who's apartment I stayed at. I went to art museums in D.C. as well as the Pentagon memorial the Smithsonian Musuem (the one on American History which was overcrowded with middle schoolers. I stayed an hour). I also ate lunch on the White House lawn and felt cooler than I actually am.

Some of my favorite things in D.C. included eating dinner at Lauriel Plaza. They have amazing swirl margaritas and really cool rooftop seating. Too bad it rained. I also went to the Newseum which was definitely my favorite thing on the D.C. portion of my trip. The museum is so well done. I was there for over three hours. They have all sorts of things, like newspapers dating back to the 15th century, an exhibit with Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs and a very moving 9/11 memorial. There's a part of the Berlin Wall, Tim Russert's office and SO MUCH MORE.

So I saw lots of great things in these cities but the greatest was seeing my friends. I guess it's telling of the fact that I'm getting older that my friends are now going in opposite directions, having real jobs, spreading their wings. It was great to see my friends, who I've missed a lot. Now it's their turn to come to Denver!

10 Things: The Music Version

So I just now noticed that I did not do one of my '10 Things' entries for the month of March. As I hastily tried to put something together, I realized that I am sort of tired of that format and I need to change it up. So instead I decided that I'll do four '10 Things' installments about music, movies, television, and books over the next few weeks. So here we have my 10 songs that I am really enjoying at the moment.

Mumford & Sons "Little Lion Man"

This British band is probably my current favorites. They sound familiar, yet so different at the same time. 'The Cave' is a fantastic song, as is this one. I recommend the CD that both of these singles are from, called "Sigh No More."

Marina and the Diamonds "I Am Not A Robot"

Another British singer! Marina has a very unique voice, sometimes I like it and sometimes I don't. This song in particular is very catchy. I think she will find some success when she comes stateside. Check out their other song "Hollywood" which is also really good.

Jay-Z "A Star is Born"

I say this as the whitest of white girls, but I am really enjoying Jay-Z lately. I appreciate how great of a performer he is, how he appreciates music of all types, and how his songs can be anthems but also speak to current topics. Jay is the best!

B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams "Airplanes"

This is kinda an emotastic teen anthem, but it's catchy as hell. I think Hayley Williams has a truly fantastic voice (see her band's cover of 'Use Somebody' and her singing 'Bad Romance' if you aren't convinced). B.o.B. is certainly making a name for himself in making songs that don't involve rapping about stupid shit. Me gusta.

Bob Dylan "The Times They Are A-Changing"

A lot of people claim that Bob is a "prophet" which is a tall order, but he sure is perceptive. Written in the advent of the 1960s, the general themes of this song are still relevant in modern times. Bob Dylan proves why he is one of the best.

James Morrison "Please Don't Stop the Rain"

Not to be confused with the dead Doors frontman, James Morrison has a unique and really beautiful voice. I absolutely love his tone and this little song makes me smile every time I hear it.

Local Natives "Wide Eyes"

The vocals on this song, which sound either like two guys are singing the lead or there is a slight echo, are very haunting and I really find it to be easy to listen to and engaging. I think Local Natives will enjoy some nice indie success that will put them in similar categories as other former indie bands.

The Killers "All These Things I've Done"

This is probably not only my favorite Killers song, but also one of my favorite songs ever, which is not easy for me to say. I once read that "All These Things I've Done" is like U2's "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" in that it's a song about looking back on life and trying to go forward. I completely agree.

The Shins "New Slang"

I first discovered The Shins on the Garden State soundtrack and I really liked them. There's something in their music that reminds me of the early Beatles. They have catchy hooks and I find myself going back to this song constantly.

Regina Spektor "Us"

I love Regina's writing style and her voice is very elegant and distinct. I liked this song before it was perfectly featured in the opening credits of '500 Days of Summer,' which only made me like it more. Her songs have novel-like imagery and it's fantastic.

Taking A Moment to Be Serious

I don't know what's wrong with the world sometimes. I really don't. After checking the news this afternoon, which is usually a moment in my day when I question the existance of a God and if there can ever be world peace, I found myself particularly angered about two stories.

No, angered is not a strong enough word. Pissed, upset...livid. There. Livid.

The Catholic Church has received a lot of press lately about the molestation scandal and the fact that people are not dealing with it correctly. Another issue grabbing headlines is that Russia has now suspended U.S. adoptions from their country because some dipshit in Tennessee sent the child she adopted back to Russia.

This makes me hang my head in shame and really question the state of our world. Sure, there are lots of other depressing things in the world happening, but what really stands out in these two stories is the fact that they involve children getting hurt and adults handling it poorly.

I remember when I learned about prison justice my junior year of college and we learned that even within a prison, inmates judge a person based on their crimes. Any crimes involving children, such as rape or molestation, results in the inmate being ostracized by his/her fellow inmates. A convicted serial killer will refuse to interact with someone who molested a little boy. That should be a big metaphor to a lot of people that harming a child in any way, shape, or form is the one of the worst things a human being can do. It is the lowest of the low.

In my 8th grade class we are reading the classic "To Kill A Mockingbird" (please read it if you haven't) and the book discusses how the greatest sin is to kill a mockingbird because they only sing for the pleasure of humans. In another word, they are innocent. When I asked the class if this metaphor applies to anything else in life, almost all of them said it applied to children. They said it was one of the greatest sins to harm a child because they are innocent.

As a educator I know children are less innocent now than they were back in the 1920s, when TKAM takes place, but I do know and fully believe that the essentials of this are still true. People who hurt children should be severely punished. I do not care that the Catholic Church preaches forgiveness, any priest who touches a child in a sexual way should immediately be de-frocked and never allowed to preach from the pulpit again. I do not care how sorry they are, how good of a priest they are, that is all meaningless when a man of God hurts a child. The Catholic Church is doing a terrible job of handling this situation. I know there is a shortage of priests, and that defrocking more means less priests, but a institution that claims to be extremely holy does not need bastards like child molesters in it's robes, acting the part of Jesus, shepherding the flock and all that jazz. The Catholic Church did something wrong. Let's face it, everyone. This issue wasn't handled well and I for one am angry and I want to see something happen as a result of this.

(As a side note, the New York Times columnists have been doing a bang up job of writing some awesome editorials on the issue, especially one Maureen Dowd. My friend Katie posted one of her awesome pieces on Facebook and I suggested all your ladies who read this blog go read that.I And guys too, of course. It's not directly about the scandal, but interesting nonetheless.)

Now about this mother from Tennessee who is a fucking idiot. True, the circumstances of her case have not been fully explored. Her mother claimed the little boy she adopted, who is seven-years-old, threatened to burn down this house. As a person who spends significant time with children Monday through Friday I find this laughable. He's seven. When I was seven I threatened to throw a jar of peanut butter at my dad's head. When you're seven, you say things you don't mean, or understand. It's part of growing up.

Now this woman, Torry Ann Hensen, said he was psychologically disturbed. I mean, spending the majority of your early developmental years in a Russian orphanage was probably no picnic for Justin/Artyom, so I could see where there would be challenges. But, when you adopt a child, you become a parent. I hear time and time again that when you become a parent, your life is not your own. You have to make choices, sacrifices, have to learn things and deal with challenges not for your own good, but for the good of your child. It seems to me that this woman was having a hard time with the kid and didn't know how to deal with it and finally she got fed up and sent him back to Russia, alone, with a note. It seems like a cowardly act to me, an easy way out for her. Did it ever cross her mind the media firestorm and international problem she would create? Probably not. She was probably only thinking of herself.

Plus, the kid was apparently with her for a while. Since January at least. This is like the equivalent of ordering a dress, wearing it a few times, deciding it doesn't fit right and sending it back, but in this metaphor the item in question is a living, breathing human being and not a mass produced clothing item.

Boy, if this kid wasn't messed up already, he certainly is now. I am anxious to read about this investigation to see what kind of steps she took to try and make things better. She really has not done herself or anyone else any favors by doing this. Her life is in no way easier. Plus, now she's put a stopper on other couples getting kids they actually want. When you adopt a child, you accept the challenges that come along with it. If you grow to love them, you will work at making them healthier, happier, and a better person.

Being around kids is a challenge and a blessing and it seems to me like many adults in the world have not learned how to handle challenges that are faced when interacting with children. It makes me fear for humanity.

5 Kick-Ass Websites

Ten Word Wiki

Ever wanted a nice, simple definition for things in pop culture? Well these quirky and clever residents of England put together a Ten Word Wiki. Check out the hilarious definitions for Twilight, the Jonas Brothers and, of course, Tiger Woods all in exactly ten words.

Sporcle

This is probably the best website for trivia enthusiasts, who are asked to fill out entire lists of things in a number of categories. You can fill out all 38 Shakespeare plays or all 44 presidents or, if you are more geographically inclined, all the countries on every continent, which would be beyond impressive.

Cracked.com

History is great but sometimes reading historical articles can be...dry. Not at Cracked.com though. Their historical, informative or just silly articles are filled with facts, hilarious commentary and pictures that truly illustrate the topic and their sense of humor. My favorite posts include the people who were hard to kill and the most common myths about WWII.

Shakespearean Insulter

This is just plain, silly, enormously nerdy fun. So go try it you lumpish clapper-clawed horn-beast!

Truth or Fail

This YouTube game show sometimes borders or weird, but I find their trivia videos to be a lot of fun. The host, which is usually the gesticulating machine known as Hank Green, gives you a set of facts and you pick which one is true or false by clicking on it's box. He then tells you whether or not you were right. My favorite ones include drugs, St. Patrick's Day, and fast food.