Top Five Best Episodes of 'Friends' (in my humble opinon)

5. The One With Phoebe's Wedding

First of all, Phoebe looked absolutely beautiful in her wedding dress. I loved how it looked in the snow, how she just radiated next to Mike, and how all the friends were involved in the wedding. Mike himself was a good addition to the cast and fit in well with the six friends though he never tried to take away from the show being about the six of them.

4. The One With George Stephonopoulos

The first season of Friends is interesting to watch because it's so 90s and sometimes the humor is a little off. I love it when the Friends pair off by gender and this one is the best because both the ladies and the guys are funny in their own way.

3. The One With The Embryos

This is probably one of the classic Friends episodes purely because of the game of who knows who better. There were jokes about jokes in those segments, my favorite of course being who the TV Guide is addressed to (that's Ms. Chanandler Bong) and Joey's imaginary friend who was a Space Cowboy. On the flip side, we had a more serious story line with Phoebe getting artificially inseminated, but it still had the old Phoebe charm and made the line "my sister is gonna have my babies!" possible.

2. The One With The Rumor

Guest stars on Friends are hit or miss, but this guest spot by Brad Pitt was definitely a hit. He was hilarious and totally hot as Will, a friend from high school who also used to be fat. Thanksgiving episodes are a great Friends tradition and they rarely let you down. This one exceeded expectations.

1. The One Where Everybody Finds Out

This is probably my favorite episode of Friends because it's hysterically funny, and very sweet at the end. It never fails to make me laugh. I love Chandler and Monica together, and the fact that they hid it from people was pure comedy. The great 'they don't know that we know' line is from this episode, as well as the end of an era, as Ross gets Ugly Naked Guy's apartment.

Honorable Mention: TOW the Holiday Armadillo, TOW Chandler Can't Cry, TOW All The Thanksgivings

The U.S. Version of 'Skins': Do not want.

Longtime readers of this blog will know that one of my favorite guilty pleasures in life is the British show 'Skins.' I adore it. Right now the show is currently in it's fifth cycle over in the U.K., which means that we're focusing on a whole new generation of kids, the third overall for the series. The show does not feel tired or ridiculous yet. I'm still addicted to the drama and emotional intricacies of life in Bristol.

Unfortunately, here in the States we've been saturated with “controversy” over the MTV adaptation of 'Skins.' There's the claim that 'Skins' might be child pornography, and then there was the news of it losing it's advertisers because of it's racy content. While I applaud MTV for taking on a show that attempts to deal with teen issues realistically, in my opinion their biggest crime is the plain and simple truth that their incarnation of 'Skins' simply isn't good.

If any of you were to go to Netflix Instant and stream the first season of Skins (or find it lurking on the corners of the Internet), I'm sure parts of those episodes would make you feel uncomfortable. I know I was a little taken aback by the language, the nudity, and the excessive drug use, and I like to think I'm pretty open minded about those things, mostly because I started watching 'Sex and the City' when I was 17.

The American version of 'Skins' makes me uncomfortable in a different way. First of all, they have changed some of the names on the show. They've also left out certain characteristics to the characters that are essential to plot development later on. For example, Cadie, who is supposed to be based on the quirky, free-spirited Cassie, does not have an eating disorder. She also has absolutely no chemistry with the boy who plays Stanley, based on Sid, and it's almost awkward to watch their interactions. In the British series, viewers want Sid and Cassie together from the moment they first innocently hold hands on the trampoline.

I don't think it's the minor details that bug me the most though. To me, the overall tone is completely wrong. The adults on MTV's version are made to look completely asinine. In the British version, the adults make a plethora of mistakes as well, everything from affairs to outright neglect, but they also offer pearls of wisdom. Teachers and coaches provide support and some of the parents take care of their kids in the hour of need as only really good parents can do.

MTV's approach to be in your face when it comes to the drugs and sex, and it seems almost comical to watch a show with some of the language bleeped out. Perhaps 'Skins' would find a much better home on another network that wasn't into titilating and exploiting. Not all of MTV's programming is for those reason, and the creators claim they are trying to depict real teenage life, but it seems to me they've crossed over into something that doesn't quite have the spirit, soul, and emotion of the real and original 'Skins.'

10 Things I Like Right Now

This Book

The Paris Wife

I absolutely love McClain's style and her depiction of Hadley Richardson, Hemingway's first wife. The language of the book is so well-crafted, fun, serious, and everything a good book should be. I simply cannot put it down! I find this time period, and Hemingway himself, more fascinating the more I read. Plus, it's got loads of references to the famous writers and painters who were scattered in Paris at the time. The English major side of me squeals with joy when the Hemingways encounter Sherwood Anderson, James Joyce, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

This TV Show

Parks and Rec

It got off to a shaky start, but the third season of this mockumentary set around Pawnee, Indiana's parks department is absolutely hilarious. I love that these characters seems fresh and exciting. This was once Amy Poehler's show, but now it's clearly an ensemble. Aziz as Tom Haverford is surprisingly deep, but at the same time funny in a "that guy" kind of way. The man who steals the show is Nick Offerman, who plays Libretarian Ron Swanson (who has his own pyramid of greatness). This show makes me howl with laughter every time I watch.

This Singer

Robyn

Her music is dancey and her hair is weird, but there's something about this Swedish-born singer that I absolutely adore. Perhaps it's her style of defying the industry by releasing to EPs and then a full LP in the same calendar year. Or her disenchantment with paparazzi and being famous. More than anything though, it's her great lyrics and thumping beats that really get me. Very rarely does a song about heartbreak make me want to dance. The single above "Dancing on My Own" is great, but I encourage you to listen to some of her others, such as "Hang with Me" and her collaboration with Snoop Dogg, and her full length album "Body Talk."

This Movie

The King's Speech

Yes, I know it recently won the Best Picture Oscar and it's a period drama, but I promise it is anything but boring. Colin Firth, a favorite of mine, plays King George VI, a man who reluctantly became king of England during a turbulent global climate and despite a personal struggle with a stammer. Geoffrey Rush, not dressed as a pirate, plays his unconventional therapist. This is a heartwarming and truly lovely tale of class and overcoming not just personal handicaps, but the kind of baggage we all carry around. I absorbed every minute of it and loved it.

This Restaurant

The Cherry Cricket

I don't know about any of you, but I've always wanted breakfast in the form of a hamburger. Okay, I know that sounds disgusting, but in all reality you can get a combination of all kinds of crazy things on your burger at this little hangout in Cherry Creek. I love the atmosphere, the great drink specials, and the burgers really are very good. I never have a bad meal. Plus, it was featured on the Denver episode of "Man vs. Food" so you know it's good!

This Song

"Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes

The Fleet Foxes managed to make a surprising, but blissful, ear concoction in this song off their upcoming LP. The lyrics can be interpreted as completely hopeful or completely depressed. The instrumentation is what I enjoy most. It blends haunting harmonies, border on bluegrass a la Mumford and Sons, and soars in an unexpected, quiet kind of way.

This CD

21-Adele

I'm pretty much obsessed with this CD, but before I praise this epic, timeless album, I must first say that Adele's voice is truly beautiful. It's so distinct and so flawless. Having a voice like her's is rare, and what's even rarer is that there are no cans of whip cream attached to her boobs and no popping out of egg and people are still paying attention to her. That's how powerful her instrument is, and she uses it on this album to lament heartbreak. Her experience is so personal and so raw that I feel like she's understood every crumbled relationship I've been a part of. Her best tracks, besides the Johnny Cash inspired ">"Rolling in the Deep", are "Set Fire to the Rain" and the beautiful "Someone Like You." I absolutely adore Adele.

This Man

Stephen Colbert

I find Stephen Colbert to be a giant ball of amusement. His sense of humor is unlike other's on TV. He's so good at his ridiculous 'character' on 'The Colbert Report' that I sometimes think he is that way in real life (not so, or at least so I'm told). I find him charming and smart, a lot of things that Jon Stewart is as well, but for some reason, Stephen seems more ridiculous and I love him for it. Also, I hear he is a huge nerd in real life and this makes me respect him more.

This Video Game

Beatles Rock Band

There are few things I love more in life than the Beatles and pretending to be a rock star, and this game is a heavenly combination of both. The graphics are trippy, cool, and make you appreciate the growth of The Beatles. I like playing Rock Band in general (even more fun when the roommate and I make it into a drinking game), but getting to rock out on 'Day Tripper' and 'Hello, Goodbye' is as close as I'll get to a rock and roll lifestyle.

This Cookbook

Hungry Girl

If you know me at all, then you know that I have quite an appetite. This is sometimes not a good thing, but I feel like I've found my kindred spirit in Hungry Girl. The book contains loads of recipes, all of which are good for you! True, she substitutes some of the good things in life with healthier options, but I figure it's fine when it still tastes good...and it does. Check out her plethora of books or her website!

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').

American Idol Might Be an Actual Shit Show This Year

I try to remind myself that my real life is seperate from the fictional lives of others that I watch on TV. Sometimes I get sad about what happens in the shows, sometimes I love the new directions they go in, other times I wait out weird plot lines because I know good stuff is coming, and evey now and then I give up on a show completely (see Grey's Anatomy).

Today on my way home from work I was thinking about the recent death on Skins (I will refrain from saying who died, but let's just say it was not pretty) and how I had gotten over it in about a day. I look forward to the finale on Thursday. But when I got to thinking about American Idol I got angry.

You see, I've watched American Idol off and on since it first started ten years ago. I am shamelessly a Kelly Clarkson fan (and shamefully a fan of Kris Allen). But now that it's ten years on I have realized the show has made some changes, but they aren't necessarily for the better. Worse yet, America seems to think that they shouldn't vote for people who have talent and should instead vote for people who are 16 or because they feel sorry for them. Lame.

We started out with a top 24 and of those two dozen I liked Alex Lambert, Didi Benami, Crystal Bowersox, Katelyn Epperly and Lily Scott. Guess what...three of those people were sent home on Thursday. So that means there are two left. The one guy who could actually sing in key, had a nice voice, and who's personality didn't make me cringe was sent packing. GRR. ANGER. What's more is that two of the girls who were interestng and unpredictable also came in at the bottom and had to leave. It was literally painful for me to watch. I was so angry and I couldn't figure out why.

Part of me wants to get mad at the show itself, which has been irksome on it's own latey (more on that in a minute). But really I just need to get mad at America because the people who do vote, that fast-texting teens and moms on their couches with nothing else to do really want to see people murder classics such as "Landslide" and current hits such as "Breakaway" more than they want to see some wide-eyed, genuinely nice guy do a beautiful rendition of "Everybody Hurts" on his guitar. GRRR. ANGER. Alex Lambert had the best voice of the male contenders and now that he's gone we're stuck with a bunch of annoying wannabes, a guy who's there just based on looks, another guy with a neck tattoo, and someone who wants to be referred to as 'Big Mike.'

The girls are a different story. A lot of them are talented, but two that were extremely smart and had great voices went home when two that are sorta stupid and have decent voices got to stay. Other than Crystal, Didi and maybe Siobhan Magnus, the rest of the females are utterly forgettable. Where is the talent in all of this?

See, that's the question. Where is the talent? Seems to me that the idol machine has been running as a machine for far too long. It needs a major make-over. I'm actually king of glad Simon is leaving after this season. The guy is honest, and I'll miss all the funny things he says, but the guy still thinks Mariah Carey is the epitome of music and not so Simon! Things have changed since 2000! He seems to think that female contestants should always be able to belt one out or that male contestants must be Clay Aiken-like to really succeed. Well, Simon, you are wrong. He seems to be wrong a lot and it's almost like he's given up and doens't really care anymore. Well fine Simon, don't let the door hit you in the vagina on the way out.

Ellen, Kara, and Randy all need to be fired too. Let's just do a clean sweep of the judges table. Ellen started strong but she's sometimes obnoxious and sometimes a decent judge. Sometimes doesn't cut it, sweetie! Kara is infuriating because you know she could really critique people yet she flirts a lot of Simon and it's frakin awkward. Randy just sits there and spews nonsensicals.

While we're in the process of getting rid of things, let's get rid of the annoying and painful group numbers. I don't know anyone who likes them. I'm still upset that last year's cast murdered "I'm Yours." It still hurts! Let's get rid of the four judges and go back to three. Let's also get rid of stupid intro packages that show contestants making hair accessories or coloring. This isn't arts and crafts time on PBS! This is a signing competition on Fox!

The show could also use some trimming. I'm tired of the results show taking up so much time. Make it half an hour, fools. Oh, and even though he's annoying, you can keep Seacrest just because he gives lots of people something to talk about. And I liked the process of going from 24 to 12 last year better than this year. The whole elimination thing needs to be overhauled and changed.

The only thing, in my mind, that could save the show is if they throw in some twists to make it interesting. They also need to pick really good theme nights (Tuesdays is "Rolling Stones" night which is top notch I'd say) and have some great mentors. Last year, Jamie Foxx was an awesome mentor. Props to him. They need more like him. How about an evening with Miss Clarkson herself? Or Pharrell Williams? Or Bono? Or Madonna? Or Ryan Murphy from 'Glee'?How awesome would THAT be?!

Basically I'm just tired of American Idol's current set up and I get even more tired of it when it votes off people who are genuinely talented. Though, as sales of Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are proving, Idol is starting to be more and more irrelevant Hmm...we shall see.

10 Things I Like (February)

This phrase/trend

I really like the history behind the 'Keep Calm and Carry On' signs and I enjoy all the play on words with them (my favorite is 'Keep Calm there's money in the Banana Stand. I definitely want this on a shirt!

This CD

Santigold has sicker beats than Lady Gaga and she's got a fun mix of people on her CD. I like to listen to it when I run and in the car. There's something almost foreign, yet serious about her. Her sound is unique and I'm really looking forward to her new CD in April.

This food

A lot of my friends like Yagoot and now I know what the fuss is about! It's delicious yogurt with fun toppings. My favorite combo is the plain with bananas, blueberries and strawberries. You can get nuts, candies and loads of other things that aren't just yogurt.


This website

A lot of people say Netflix is on it's way out because of Redbox, but I beg to differ. Netflix has an amazing selection and they're getting better about the speed of their deliveries. There also have great things on Netflix Instant and I use it in the classroom to show clips fom movies.


This cool item
SkinIt is a really cool website that makes skins for iPods, computers, cellphones and loads more. You can get a SkinIt that's already made, or make one of your own! I have a Xaiver SkinIt and love it. It's somewhat expensive, but totally worth it.

This book

This part memoir/part information guide by Stephen King is very unique and incredibly entertaining to read. King is funny and witty and informative. His story on becoming an author is fascinating. I truly take all his writing advice to heart.


This TV show


The First Generation will always have a special place in my heart, but I am really enjoying the Series 4, which is the last series with the Second Generation. It took me some time to warm up to them, but the past few episodes have been a breath of fresh air and I'm obsessed.

This song



It's catchy and melodic and I really enjoy all the other stuff by The Dodos. It's a short song, but sweet nonetheless.

This actor


Oh goodness, Logan Lerman. Well, as I mentioned in my previous secret shame I find this young man to be incredibly attractive. His dark hair and blue eyes are just the beginning, too. He's very polite and charming and a good actor. Catch him in '3:10 to Yuma' and 'My One and Only'.

Lines from this movie

This movie is hilarious. It's funnier than 'The Hangover,' in my opinion. Please rent it!

Judy: Your swearing does not impress me. My husband works for Tower Hamlets and believe me those kids make you sound like... Angela Lansbury!
Malcolm Tucker: [to Simon] She's married? Poor bastard.

Malcolm Tucker: "Climbing the mountain of conflict"? You sounded like a Nazi Julie Andrews!

Judy: You know they're all kids in Washington? It's like Bugsy Malone, but with real guns.

Linton Barwick: I can't stand to see a woman bleed from the mouth. It reminds me of that Country & Western music which I cannot abide.

Simon Foster: It'll be easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.
Toby Wright: No, it won't. It'll be difficult-difficult-lemon-difficult.

Malcolm Tucker: You, hey, put the snifter out there that if the BBC ambushes a minister with another surprise question about the war, I'll drop a bomb on them.
Judy: I can't do that, can I? That's political.
Malcolm Tucker: Does that not fit within your purview, Marie Antoinette? Why don't you just scuttle off back to fucking Cranford and play around with your tea and your cakes and your fucking horse cocks. Let them eat cock!
[to Toby]
Malcolm Tucker: Hey, you! Ron Weasley, you do it.

10 Things I Like (January)

This TV show

"Big Love" is fantastic in a guilty pleasure kind of way. I'm currently watching season 3, so slightly behind, but loving it.

This actor

Nicholas Hoult, you are dreamy. And to think you used to be that nerdy kid in "About A Boy." Sigh.

This website

Tumblr. I hate you but I love you.

This song

"Tik Tok" may be her big hit, but "Kiss 'N Tell" is pop refreshment at it's finest.

This CD

Vampire Weekend, you got better with your second album. Well done. Now, don't let me down when I see you in Philly.

This Band


I absolutely adore Phoenix. Their CD is great and I would LOVE to see them live. "1901" is their strongest song by far, but that doesn't mean the other songs are terrible in any way.

This Musical


"Spring Awakening" may be a little depressing and slightly confusing at times, but the music is awesome worth the price of admission and then some.

This Book

"The Gathering" by Anne Enright is a beautiful Irish novel. I read it in my Modern Irish Literature class over a year ago, but I went back to it and read it from a writer's perspective and it is crafted in such a beautiful way that I'm envious of her writing skills.

This Restaurant/Fast Food Place

I love to go to Panera, find a nice booth to write and read in, eat some healthy food, and continually steal pop from their soda machine.

Lines from This Movie

"This is a story of boy meets girl. The boy, Tom Hansen of Margate, New Jersey, grew up believing that he'd never truly be happy until the day he met the one. This belief stemmed from early exposure to sad British pop music and a total mis-reading of the movie 'The Graduate'. The girl, Summer Finn of Shinnecock, Michigan, did not share this belief. Since the disintegration of her parent's marriage she'd only love two things. The first was her long dark hair. The second was how easily she could cut it off and not feel a thing. Tom meets Summer on January 8th. He knows almost immediately she is who he has been searching for. This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront, this is not a love story."

Rachel: Better that you find this out now before you come home and find her in bed with Lars from Norway

Tom: Who's Lars from Norway?

Rachel: He's some guy she met at the gym with Brad Pitt's face and Jesus' abs

"I don't know how to tell you this, but there's a Chinese family in our bathroom."

Viva La Conando!

I am pretty aware of pop culture, but I do not necessarily follow feuds, trends, or ongoing developments. I was aware of Jon and Kate, but only via headlines, and I probably didn't pay as much attention to Michael Jackson dying as the rest of America. However, I am practically stalking all the news outlets for developments on NBC's apprent mental breakdown.

In February of '09 I bid a fond farewell to one of my favorite people on television, Conan O'Brien. I started watching 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien' when I was a sophomore in high school. He was the only thing on TV when I got home late at night from my crummy job at the grocery store. I've been watching him off and on ever since. He was absolutely hilarious during the writer's strike and when he went to Finland to meet his apparent doppleganger. I've watched Conan a lot over the years and therefore I feel like I know him. I find myself genuinely caring about what happens in this situation. He made me laugh for seven years, after all.

So natually I'm a little peeved at NBC for many reasons (least of all that they didn't listen to me when I gave them some suggestions. Gosh!), but the biggest is that they seem to want Jay Leno more than any other human being on the planet...so why did they ask him to leave in the first place? And really, what's so great about Jay Leno?

Well, I think the two previous questions can be summed up by looking at the kind of audience Conan and Jay generally attract. My parents like Jay Leno. They like a guy who stands up in front of people, tells a lot of jokes, is generally a-political, and finds friends in people like Jerry Seinfeld. You have to admit, the guy is very personable. A lot of my aunt and uncles feel the same way. They tell me they don't like to watch Conan because they don't 'get' him.

Now this is something I can't really argue with. My brother, friends from high school and college, and even a few younger co-workers all generally love Conan and find him to be much more entertaining than Leno. So I think the problem here is plain and simple--Leno and Conan are a generational thing.

Eventually though, my parents generation is going to phase out. This may sound harsh, but it's ture: people my parents age are going to start dying. They are also start going to bed at a decent hour (I can no longer call their house after 11 because both my parents are asleep). They also can't seem to work some of the high tech things my generation can, like DVR and Hulu (which is how I watch 'The Tonight Show'). Eventually my generation will come into some money that those greedy little advertisers want, and my parents...well, they'll be retired and living off of their savings/Social Security (maybe).

So is NBC getting rid of Conan too quickly? I think so. I also think that Jay Leno is being rather obnoxious in this scenario. I mean, he did agree to leave in 2009 and he sort of did but now...suddenly...he's back! At 11:35! He's basically the Tonight Show, just without the title and 30 minutes shorter. His risk into prime time is admirable, but it didn't work. I personally think that Jay, who comes off as being the nice neighbor, is kind of like the guy who just won't leave. He loves to work, everyone knows that, but really Jay? This is a bit much. When you agree to leave, you leave. Conan left the city he loved, moved his family, his band, and his staff to LA where he clearly doesn't fit in.

People also argue that Conan had a chance to prove himself with ratings and so far, has not done so. I can't argue with numbers, but I can aruge with the fact that Conan has terrible lead-ins. The Jay Leno Show had poor rating, the local news had poor ratings too, and, well, that would result in even poorer ratings at 11:35. I also think that Conan is relatively new at this. Jay himself was not a ratings gold mine when he took over the Tonight Show from Johnny Carson. Conan needs time to figure out where he fits in. He also needs better support from his network. Hit shows at 10 and someone else not stealing all the A-list stars at a prime time spot are two things that NBC has not given him, but things that Leno had plenty of.

I also agree with David Carr when he asserts in his New York Times article that this shuffle not only puts Conan on the chopping block but also NBC mogul Jeff Zucker. Not only did Zucker and his henchmen construct this 'compromise' and are now the ones reshuffling their network, they are all over every single media outlet. People at Entertainment Weekly think they are idiots, CBS moguls love them because thanks to them basically having five nights of nothing at 10 o'clock has resulted in their 10 o'clock shows doing better. That's not good when the rival networks are telling you 'thank you' NBC!

It seems now that there is really no happy solution. Jay will stay at 11:35 until it's literally physically impossible for him to do a show. Conan will either always be known as the guy who follows Jay or he'll leave. In the mean time, I hope things work out for him. If I could, I would give him a hug.

(picture is curtosey of my friend Amy who put it up on FB the other day)

Secret Shame #3: Skins

As I wrote the subject of this blog, another edition of Secret Shames (though they clearly are not so secret anymore), I realized that all of my secret shames so far have been British (terrible pop music and Hugh Grant). So, with this edition I will be keeping with the theme of things that are British, but next time I'll try to be more wordly.

I should also note that I did not discover this secret shame for myself, but rather, I heard about it first from one of my roommates in college and then when I saw that the E4 British series "Skins" was on Netflix Instant I watched the first two seasons in about three days. I am addicted to that show.

A brief synopsis of "Skins" makes it sound a little trashy, but I promise it's not totally trashy so bear with me. It follows eight teenagers (16-18) who live in Bristol and it basically is a drama about their life. And there is tons of it.

These kids drink a lot, they do drugs, they have tons of sex, they steal things, they pop pills, they have severe addictions and eating disorders...the list goes on and on. What I like about the show, which is pretty dramatic, is that though their lives are terribly unrealistic in some sense, in others they are very realistic. They seem like real people.

The cast of the first series is an enjoyable group. I found myself liking almost all the main characters, which almost never happens when I watch ensemble dramas like this. It's funny and heartbreaking and raw, while being entertaining and exaggerated.

The series is directed at teens, which is partially why I am so ashamed of myself for watching it, yet, I really like it. In the show, especially the first series, it has some oddball moments, such as Sid singing Cat Stevens "Wild World." This show has full on swearing, graphic sex and nudity, and literal witnessing of things such as overdosing and lots of fighting. Plus, someone gets hits by a bus and it's not funny at all. Not even in a 'Mean Girls' kind of way.

In short, I feel like this series could be shallow, but I swear it's not. I feel like a loser getting absorbed into the lives of completely fictious people, but at the same time, I really enjoy it.

10 things I like now (December)

This store

Oh, Urban Outfitters. You will drive me into debt one day.

This actor

I know it's silly, but for some reason I find Cory Montieth of 'Glee' to be totally dreamy in a high-school-fan-girl kind of way.

This movie

Weeks after seeing "The Blind Side," I'm still thinking about it. It was a truly uplifting film and a very good sports movie!

This city

Denver, I miss you. Don't worry, I'm coming home soon.

This man

Colin Firth: Dreamy and Darcy (twice!)

This drink

I really like Great Lakes Christmas Ale, especially around the holidays. Don't tell New Belgium.

These lines from this movie


"I realize that when I met you at the turkey curry buffet, I was unforgivably rude, and wearing a reindeer jumper."

"I like you...just as you are."

"Resolution #1: uggg - will obviously lose 20 lbs. #2: always put last night's panties in the laundry basket. Equally important: will find nice sensible boyfriend and stop forming romantic attachments to any of the following: alcoholics, workoholics, sexaholics, commitment-phobics, peeping toms, megalomaniacs, emotional fuckwits, or perverts. Will especially stop fantasizing about a particular person who embodies all these things."

"I'm sorry? Outside? Should I bring my dueling pistols or my sword?"

This book

There are many, many stories written about WWII and the Nazi occupation, but "The Book Thief" is a breath of fresh air. With a twist on the setting, the characters, and the style, this thick YA novel is a page turner and truly satisfying in so many ways. It is a real artistic and literary achievement!

This TV show

"The Big Bang Theory" is funny and not campy at all. They don't follow a lot of normal sitcom conventions either and the characters are truly dynamic and funny. I LOVE Jim Parson as Sheldon, he is hilarious. Plus, these guys make me feel so less nerdy.

This CD

I know I mentioned Pixie Lott once before in this blog, but now my affinity for her has grown. Since downloading her album "Turn It Up" I have been listening to the whole thing (and genuinely enjoying it) on repeat. She reminds a little of Natasha Bedingfield, only she can sing better, and she's quirky and conventional, and just all around good pop music.


That's all for December! This feature will be back in January!