Phil Dunphy

Ok, so as you all know I am an avid Modern Family viewer.  I love the show!  And I especially love Phil Dunphy, the dad of one of the families.  However, I have never really thought of him as an inspiration in fashion.


The other day I was at Target and I saw a cute hoodie that I just had to have.  I love getting deals, especially at Target, and it was on sale.  So I purchased the hoodie (see below left) and brought it home to show Casey.  Guess what the first thing out of her mouth was?  That looks just like the sweater Phil wears in that one episode of Modern Family.  I gasped when I realized that what she was saying was indeed true.  See below:

 It's not an exact replica but it is pretty dang close.  I of course laughed about Casey's joke, put the sweater away and forgot about it.  Well, I wore the sweater this past weekend and we had friends over at our apartment for dinner.  Unfortunately they all watch Modern Family.  I walk in the door and they all asked me about why I had a sweater that looked like Phil's.  It was pretty hilarious.  And then I had to admit that I had bought the sweater AFTER watching the episode.  But I have a strong defense for me wearing a Phil-esque hoodie.


You see, in this particular episode Phil takes his daughter's boyfriend to get ice cream because they had gotten in a fight and he was trying to console him.  He gets up to go to the bathroom and leaves his sweater at the table.  His daughter walks by to see her ex-boyfriend at the table with the sweater and thinks he is cheating on her because "there was a girl's sweater on the table".  


So while I cannot believe that I unknowingly took fashion advice from Phil Dunphy, I am not ashamed.  I hope this little story brightened your day, as I have been laughing about it all week.  After our friends left, I re-watched the episode immediately, still wearing the sweater of course.


Happy almost weekend everyone!

2010 - Movie Recap

Hello all!  Let me start off by saying Merry Christmas!  I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  Mine was a wonderful time spent with my family back in Oklahoma.  It consisted of lots of food, lots of presents, lots of family time, and one very difficult 1,000 piece puzzle that my grandmother, aunt, and myself worked in a span of 3 days.  Too addicting, I will not get sucked into an activity like that again!  I also want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!  Hopefully everyone has big plans tonight.  I myself am going to see an 80's cover band with a group of friends; it should be a great time.  


However, I have definitely had some New Year's Eve's that consisted of only junk food and movies (with a little Carson Daly beginning at about 11:30 pm).  If you fall in this category, let me assist you with my top movies of the year you could watch tonight.  Now if you know me, you know that I am a big movie junkie.... I always try to see all of the movies nominated for Best Picture each year.  Seeing as the Oscar's are still a couple of months away I still have some time to get caught up.  Until then, I will give you my opinion on the top movies of 2010.  Ready, set, and go!  (These are in no particular order, likely because if they were Toy Story would possibly be at the top of the list....and that is slightly embarrassing).


#1 - Inception

I really don't know where to begin in describing this movie.  Actually, I do....  I saw this movie on opening day with a friend at the mall.  The 7pm was sold out so we had to go to the late movie, which started at 9pm.  Well, we decided to get dinner and drinks during the two hour wait that we had.  Big mistake.  We walk into the movie right on time and the only seats left were on the second row.  Second row, action movie, after 2 mojitos....all I have to say is whoah!  There was a lot going on.  Needless to say, thankfully after the previews I was pretty adjusted to our seating arrangement and my buzz was wearing off so I was good to go for all of the craziness that is Inception.  Now, let's discuss why Inception was awesome, because let's face it there are no other words to describe this movie:
1.  Leonardo DiCaprio.  (No further explanation is necessary.  I have loved this guy since before Titanic when he had a recurring role on Growing Pains.  I think he is a phenomenal actor and have loved seeing him in all of the different roles he has played).
2.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  (Again, no further explanation is necessary.  I have loved him since his days on 3rd Rock.  He was also amazing in the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate About You, and how could you not love him in 500 Days of Summer?  It was great to see him in Inception because it was a different kind of role for him.  Normally he is kind of the cute nerdy guy, but did he not look so buff and hot in this movie??  I gladly welcome his grown up look).
3.  Ellen Page.  Love her....Juno was an amazing film and I am happy to see this great actress again.
4.  The Story.  I LOVED the story going on in Inception.  While it was a highly action filled movie about people that get into your dreams, the ultimate story was about Leonardo's character (Cobb) dealing with his wife's death and trying to get back home to see his children.  Centered around all of that of course is the big heist where Cobb and his team are getting into the subconscious  of a businessman and his empire.  Leo's emotion was very raw, Marion Cotilliard played his dead wife perfectly, and as an audience member you felt strong compassion towards his character and the confusion he was going through as he kept seeing his dead wife within all of the dream sequences.  
5.  The Special Effects.  I know I am an easy one to please here, but I think even the most high tech people would admit that the special effects were so good in this movie.  From the explosion scene in Paris, to the dream where Cobb goes through his whole life, to all of the things that happen when the van is flipped upside down, Christopher Nolan got everything down perfectly.  
6.  The Ending.  Now most people will say that the ending was frustrating, but I LOVED it.  In the theater when the top continues to spin and it goes to black everyone gasped and I could tell most were annoyed.  However, I like that it leaves it open to the viewer to decide if it is a Dream or Reality.  Now I have thought about it over and over, and I came to the conclusion that there is evidence to support both him being in a Dream and in Reality at the end.  I personally think he is in Reality as he is not wearing his wedding ring.  I believe the wedding ring is his true totem, while the spinning top is his wife's.  Therefore the fact that it doesn't stop spinning is irrelevant.  However, no one knows who is right....which makes the movie that much more awesome.  I suggest you pick a stance and be prepared to defend it in conversations with friends!


#2 - The Social Network

I think what made the Social Network so great was the fact that the movie was incredibly intriguing and relatable.  Most of my friends and I remember life before Facebook (gasp!).  Yes I know it is hard to conceive of a time before 2004 when Facebook first came out and you had to find out about who people were through friends or real social interaction.  I was a sophomore in college when FB came out and I am not going to lie,  I was a quick a FB junkie.  I do see it as a great way to keep up with college and high school friends, share pictures, see people's interests, (and of course look up people you meet out and about.  I mean you do need to verify that the guy you met at that party isn't really a murderer or rapist, right?).  Anyway, I digress.....back to the movie.


I liked the way the movie was set up.  It went back and forth from present day to the 2003 - 2004 time period when Mark Zuckerberg was at Harvard and asked to help with the social networking project that later would become Facebook.  It was great to see the process it took to get the site up and running.


I also enjoyed the performance by Jesse Eisenberg.  Now I had never heard of this guy before.  But he did a good job playing Mark Zuckerberg.  Not that anyone really knows anything about Mark.  But most of us know that he is allegedly not that social and kind of an outcast.  Oh the irony.  Anyway, Jesse delivered his lines very quick and precise.  He came off as a jerk really, but at the same time you kind of understood why he thought the things he did.  Bravo to the casting director here.


Finally, let's give it up for Justin Timberlake.  I LOVE him.  And I actually think he is talented.  I mean besides singing, he acts, is athletic, has a clothing line, I mean the guy succeeds in everything he does.  And I really think he is a pretty good actor, and he is always hilarious on SNL.  Anyway, I thought he did an amazing job as the Napster guy.  I am not totally sure how fabricated his part in the story was, but I enjoyed seeing JT regardless.


Overall the movie left you with lots of questions about what was true and what was not, but I also left wondering more and more about Mark Zuckerberg and what he would think about the movie.  I am sure he isn't pleased with his portrayal, but regardless the movie was entertaining.  The ending was brilliant as well:  the fact that he asked his ex-girlfriend to be friends and at the end is awaiting her response was genius.  Overall, job well-done.


#3 - The Town

While not quite as good as the Departed, the Town is definitely my favorite mob movie since.  I must give a disclaimer here.  While I am a young 20s something girl and I love a good cheesy chick flick, I have a thing for mob action movies.  I love them.  They are fast paced, keep my attention, and normally have pretty good acting, and a surprise at the end. Now on to the movie....bravo to Ben Affleck.  I mean we all know that Ben Affleck is talented (for all Gigli's out there, we all know that he started with the genius screenplay for Good Will Hunting).  I for one have an affection for both of the Affleck boys, and I now think they are both fine directors.  I loved Casey Affleck's directing of Gone Baby Gone, and now I can add Ben to the list for The Town.  


Best things about this movie:  definitely the acting.  From Ben Affleck, to Jon Hamm and Jeremy Renner, the acting was superb.  Although Ben and Jeremy's characters were bad guys, you still wanted to like them.  Ben's character was a good guy at heart while Jeremy's had a reason to be the way he was, and they both portrayed their characters flawlessly.  In the end Jeremy's character was just looking out for "the family" and Ben's was just looking for a way out of bank robbing, period.  And Jon Hamm....if you have read my Emmy blog you know I love Jon Hamm as Don Draper.  Well, I also like him as the lead FBI detetive that is in charge of the mob case in this story.  His frustration with knowing that these guys were responsible for the bank robberies but lacking the evidence needed to convict really made him relatable.


Other notable things about the movie were the awesome car chasing scenes and the whole scene that was filmed at Fenway Park.  How can you not fall in love with Fenway?  I mean I have never been to Boston and and am not a Red Sox fan, yet I was incredibly intrigued with their planned robbery of the cash at Fenway after a weekend game.  That whole concept was really good.  


I also really enjoyed the ending.  Yes lots of people died, and yes Ben's character and the girl don't end up together....but the fact that he hides the money where she will find it and knows that she will do good things with it prove that his character was sincere at heart.  Again, here I was having sympathy for the "bad" guy.  Well played Ben, well played.


#4 - Toy Story 3

OMG... I loved this movie so much.  I have only one thing to say here.....the people at Pixar are pure geniuses....this movie was appealing to everyone.  Little kids liked it because they are young and it is a story geared towards kids with fantastic animation.  Parents like it because it was a good wholesome movie to take the family to.  The age group though that probably helped make this movie one of the biggest movies of the year....I would say that it would have to be people in the 18-30 year old category.  Since I fall right in the middle of this category and watched the movie not in the presence of children I can honestly say that I think our age group was the key for this movie's success.  Let me explain why.


Most of the people my age were in grade school in 1995 when the original movie came out. We fell in love with Woody and Buzz and thought the movie was great.  And yes, we did go see the second one a few years later too, and while I thought it was ok, I didn't really relate to it anymore.  However, over 15 years later here I am at 25 crying during Toy Story 3.  It was so relatable to people our age because Andy has grown up and has to go through his toys.  We all remember doing that and having to get rid of toys that we loved just because we were simply too old to be holding on to them.  It left me feeling nostalgic and remembering some of my favorite toys and how sad I was to give them up when the time came.


And since the story consisted of the toys accidentally being thrown away and them ending up at the day care it was very interesting.  Our old characters were all still there, but then there were tons of new characters, conflicts, and issues arising due to toys that want to rule the day care.  Nothing in Toy Story 3 seemed repetitive of the first two movies.  It was very new and refreshing.


One of my favorite new characters were Barbie and Ken.  So cute!  I for one loved Barbie, so it was fun to see the way they did those two characters.  Very innovative.


And again, I loved the ending with this movie too.  It was sweet that Andy gave his toys to a little girl who would appreciate them, love them, and play with them.  And the fact that he gave her Woody even though he didn't want to was so sweet.  Let's just say by the end of the movie I was ok with the fact that I stayed in on a Friday night and watched it alone.  I also came to the realization that I wouldn't lie and say I watched it while baby-sitting or hanging out with my friends that have kids.  I rented it alone and I am proud of it!  Fantastic movie.


#5 - Ok, I have to admit that I couldn't come up with a number five.  I am assuming that if I was a Harry Potter fan that I would put it here, but since I am not I can't do that.  However, I can concur that Casey loved it and said that it was good, as did most movie critics, so that will be the placeholder for now.  


I also want to disclaim the fact that there are several movies I haven't seen yet that were largely critically acclaimed, including Black Swan, Blue Valentine, The Fighter, and 127 Hours.  I have heard from friends that all of these are good, so their lack of being on my top movie list is only due to the fact that I haven't made the time to see them (I know you are extremely worried...haha!).  Hopefully I will get to see them and by Oscar time can give you my opinion.


If you have taken the time to read of all my random thoughts, I want to wish you a Happy New Year!  And check the blog this weekend, my parents are all moved into their house and we did some craft projects.  If you want to know how to easily recover chairs, you are in for a treat!  Until then, Ciao for now!

Movie Review - Charlie St. Cloud

Okay, before I even get started I am going to admit that I should have waited for this one to come to video before I spent $10 (the matinee price, geez movie prices are getting expensive!) at AMC.  But overall, I didn't hate the movie.  The story was a little strange, but it had a good message and a little hottie named Zac Efron.  Now I must digress:  I have had a little thing for Zac since his High School Musical days (thanks to my sister, Sarah, and Emily Lester)!  Exhibit A:

First of all, love that movie!  It is so cheesy and good, I could watch it anytime, anywhere.  But back then I was 21 and he was more like 16 and I felt like a perv for thinking he was cute.  Fast forward 5 years and all of a sudden, I don't feel like such a puma (i.e - a younger cougar).  Exhibits B and C:

  

Now do you see why I had no problem handing over the 10 bucks.  I knew that even if the movie was bad that I got to look at the above for approximately 1 hr and 47 minutes.  


Moving on, now I had seen the commercials for this movie, unlike Casey.  So I knew the plot of the movie was that he plays baseball with his dead little brother after he dies in a tragic car accident.  Casey had no idea and leaned over to me during the movie and said "This is really weird....".  So, note to self:  the movie is a little Sixth Sensey... Zac's character Charlie sees not only his dead little brother, but a dead friend of his, and others as well. 


The plot is pretty simple:  Charlie and his brother are real tight.  Their dad isn't around and Charlie takes care of his brother a lot because their mother works late night shifts at the hospital.  Charlie likes to sail, and graduates high school with a full sailing scholarship to college.  Before he is set to leave, Charlie promises his little brother to play baseball every night until he goes.  Then disaster hits:  Charlie and his brother get hit by a drunk driver; the brother dies and Charlie  has to be shocked back to life.  Fast forward 5 years and Charlie is a lost soul, working in the graveyard in the local town and playing baseball every day at sunset (as promised) with his little brother.


Charlie then meets and runs into Tess, a former high schoolmate and fellow sailor, asleep in the cemetery at her father's grave.  She said she had had a rough sail the day before.  They spend time together and develop feelings for each other.  So much that Charlie is late to meet his brother.  He tells Tess that he can't be in both her and his brother's world.


The next day he finds out that Tess has actually been missing for several days; and he realizes that he can see Tess like he can see his little brother.  Apparently this is a gift since he came close to dying himself.  However, he realizes she isn't dead....yet.  Her ship has been wrecked and he must find her and save her.  He does, and during doing so he completely misses a sunset meeting with his brother.  He sees a shooting star (from his brother) that leads him to where Tess's shipwreck occurred.  He finds and saves her.  Then they end up falling in love and sailing away together.


Sounds weird right??  Trust me, it was.  The story didn't flow as smooth as it should and some parts of the plot didn't really make sense.  But, I must admit that it was good to see Zac Efron in a dramatic role.  He actually is a pretty good actor, and so easy on the eyes.  But, while the movie was weird and you didn't know if people were dead or alive, the message was good.  Charlie was holding on to his little brother's memory because he felt guilty about moving on.  It took him saving Tess to realize that he had to move on and doing so wouldn't make him forget his brother, but remember him with love and respect.


I have never lost anyone important in my life, but if it were to happen I hope that I could find comfort knowing that they were in a better place and that I will see them again.  You can't miss the rest of your life blaming yourself or feeling guilty for the loved ones you have lost.  You need to remember and love them, but ultimately (after enough grieving time) transition must occur in order to move on and live life.


Overall grade:  B-  (it would have gotten a C or a C- without Zac, but like I said before I could have watched almost anything with Zac Efron for 2 hours and been content!)


Stay Tuned, the Emmys were tonight and I will have a full recap tomorrow....winners, losers, and my personal opinions on best and worst dressed!


Until then, Ciao for Now!

Congrats to the Newest Design Star!!

Congratulations to Emily Henderson the newest HGTV Design Star!  While there were several great designers, Emily beat Michael in the show finale.  


If you know me, you know that I really love this show.  It's a show where designers compete to win a job hosting their own design show on HGTV.  PS- I really think that HGTV has more of a cult following than people let on.  Seriously, there is some really good stuff on this channel.  Emily's show idea is Style to Lifestyle, she is looking to help people make their homes reflect their own personal style, which I think is a pretty brilliant idea for a show.  It got me to begin thinking about how I would help people I know decorate with their own personal style and improve my own.  Now I am no designer, but I must mention that a friend that was recently over at my apartment made the statement "this is exactly what I pictured your place to be like".  So I guess my personal style is reflected in my place, which would obviously mean that I would not be a good candidate for the show.  But, maybe I should look into working on the style crew or something....

 Here are some of my favorite pics from Emily's designs.  Let them inspire you if you are in a need of expressing yourself in your living space.

   

Love these green chairs and chandelier.

I also loved what she did with this glass house challenge.  Love the wallpaper here.

I also love the drapes in this dining room.

And this chandelier in the kitchen challenge.

Now go be inspired and see what you come up with!  If only I didn't have things like a full-time job and limited funds.

Movie Review - Eat, Pray, Love

Hello all followers (which is 10 based on my last count....haha....).  First off, I want to address that I am aware that I said that I would talk about my love for a Mr. Will Ferrell and the sport of running.  That will come soon, I promise (I know you are just dying waiting for it).  And I am not going to talk about Bachelor Pad this week (although I did watch and it was fabulously awful....it was like being in high school all over again...there were cool kids, dorky kids, people getting it on, people calling each other sluts, absolutely priceless!)  Since I am not going to talk about that this week, please refer to the I Hate Green Beans blog for updates as Miss Lincee Ray has a fabulous recap ready for readers.  I will say one thing and one thing only about B-Pad.....who in their right mind would ever vote hot-ass Kiptyn off the island?  Luckily he charmed his way into next week...keep your fingers crossed as I would love for him to win!  Still haven't gotten to see enough of his abs though....


Moving on with the point of this week's post.  My first movie review on my blog!  Seeing how this is my number one dream job I hope you take what I say to heart.


Movie:  Eat, Pray, Love 
Starring:  Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, James Franco, Bill Crudup
Movie Rating (per Emily) :  B-

Now before I get started, I must admit that I have not read the book (it is on my to-do list, but I haven't gotten that far yet....).  So, my review is purely on the movie alone.  Now while I did not hate the movie, I didn't love it.  I thoroughly enjoyed Elizabeth Gilbert's journey across the world and the people she met along the way.  What I didn't care for was why it took a journey around the world for her to figure out how to be a happy person.  Especially since her journey was one that most people would not be able to afford (she apparently paid for the trip with a book advance).  I found her character at times to be selfish to those very dear to her, yet very giving to the people she meets on her journey (Can you tell how conflicted I am with her decisions?).  While I was happy with the ending, I felt like it didn't have to take her that long to get there.  


The movie starts out with her being married and unhappy.  Outwardly she has it all:  cute husband, good friends, successful career.  But, she isn't sure if she wants kids, has an itch to travel, is unhappy in her marriage, and spends many nights crying on the floor.  She divorces her husband, and starts dating a so-so actor half of her age (played by James Franco).  Shockingly, 6 months later she is unhappy in her relationship and again crying on the floor.  So she decides to leave and "find herself".  She will spend a year away from the states:  4 months in each Italy, India, and Bali.


Eat - Italy


Before it even started I knew Italy would be my favorite part of the movie.  Who doesn't love Italy?  She meets some wonderful friends here:  mainly a Swedish woman and her boyfriend translator who helps her learn Italian.  Note to self:  eat before you go see the movie.  In Italy it is all about food, food, food, and it all looks delicious.  Anyway, the Swedish woman and her become great friends who must go shopping for new jeans together after about a month of living there.  Seeing Julia Roberts squeeze into a pair of jeans on the dressing room floor was priceless!  Italy is a happy place for Elizabeth.  The people are nice, the food is great, and the views are remarkable.  However, as soon as you get attached to her new friends, it is time for her to move on to India.  No major developments happen for her in Italy; she leaves in a happy place missing her new friends.


Pray - India


Again, before it even started I knew that India would be my least favorite part of the movie.  Mainly because I was aware that this portion of the book was not Christian based, I therefore had issues with her trying to find her spirituality while meditating to a picture of a woman that people call the "Guru".  (I think that was my problem with the whole story, she tried to find her spirituality within herself instead of through God, and I don't think that is the right way to approach spirituality).  Regardless, in India you see her go from a happy place to rock-bottom.  She can't focus in meditation, there is no good air conditioning, and she gets bug bites the size of quarters (where is the Off! when you need it?!).  She meets a fellow American man from Texas who she ends up be-friending.  He teaches her to listen to herself and tells her to forgive herself for the past.  She also becomes close to a young Indian girl who must become a bride in an arranged marriage.     Her and the Indian girl share the same feelings about feeling trapped in their relationships.  However, the Indian girl did not get to choose her arranged marriage and she has hopes for her and her new husband's future; Elizabeth had the right to choose and was still unhappy.  Definitely puts things in perspective for the viewer.  She leaves India having risen from rock bottom, but she still doesn't have the balance she was hoping for.


Love - Bali


Oh Bali.  Now I loved this part of the movie.  Bali looks beautiful, and I have never thought it would be at the top of my list for worldly travels, but it is definitely rising after seeing this movie.  Elizabeth rents a hut right off the water, and there don't appear to be quite as many bugs!  She chooses to go to Bali to find her balance.  A medicine man she interviewed for a previous magazine article said that she would come back to Bali in the future, thus being the reason she decides to end her journey there.  


Two major things happen in Bali:  she becomes friends with a divorced woman and her daughter.  This woman doesn't have enough money for a home, but Elizabeth raises it from all of her friends back in the states.  That is the part of her character that is so giving, you really begin to love her.  She also falls in love in Bali, although she doesn't want to admit it.  Javier Bardem's character is a divorced business owner from Brazil who has moved his business to Bali.  He is kind-hearted, sweet, and incredibly good looking.  And he wants nothing but Elizabeth.  Sadly, when he expresses to her how he feels she freaks out and runs away.  She feels as if he has thrown her off of her balance.  She doesn't know if loving him will cause her to love herself.  However, when she goes back to the medicine man, he gives her a  wonderful piece of advice (which is my favorite part of the movie):  He says "Sometimes you have to lose your balance in love to find your balance in life."  And all of a sudden she's got it:  you don't have to lose yourself in a relationship, you can find yourself by being in a relationship and growing with that other person.  The movie ends with her and Javier setting sail to a romantic getaway.  She has indeed found her balance.


Takeaways:  First of all, before she comes back to him, she leaves Javier on the beach....who in their right mind would do that?  (Not me!)  Anyway, I am happy that Elizabeth finally let down her guard in the end.  I know in real life that she did marry the Brazilian man.  I think she could have gotten there a lot faster if she could have just let herself be happy in her surroundings (where ever she was).  Not all of us can run across the globe trying to get away from our problems, we must instead face them head on.  


My advice to Elizabeth (not that I have ever been married, but from an outsider's perspective):  do what makes you happy and learn that you can't solve all problems on your own, you have to talk to the big Guy upstairs and lean on Him in times of need.  We are all weak and cannot fix everything ourselves.  Do not be afraid of admitting that you need help in life.  That's what friends, family, and God are for (when you can't escape away to Italy, India, and Bali).


Look for new posts within the next week about the promised topics.  And if you did see Eat, Pray, Love, let me know what you thought as well. 


Until then, Ciao for now!


  

Bachelor Pad...or should I say the B Pad??

Ok, before I even get started....let me tell you that the I Hate Green Beans blog will have much more details and play by plays than my recap here....but here are my thoughts on the B Pad.....which happened to be full of tons of D Bags....shocker?  I think not....


It started out innocently enough with Tenley being the first person to walk out of the limo and talk with Chris Harrison.  As Disney-like as she is, I definitely love Tenley....a part of me secretly wishes that I could have seen her as Ariel in the Tokyo version of the "Little Mermaid".  After Tenley's introduction it started to go downhill.  Basically we have a group of 8 guys and 11 girls for a total of 19 people competing for $250,000.  Now I really cannot believe that ABC is giving away that much money for the winner.  I honestly think that these people would have come and competed for free beer and a ride on a Mardi Gras float.  Regardless, the winner of this Real World/Road Rules type of competition orgy will be 1/4 a millionaire....scary thought.


The rest of the people who come out to play consist of a variety of crazy people including Nikki and Juan (who are now ex-lovers...watch out....), Elizabeth and Jesse Kovacs (Elizabeth sporting some really bad blonde hair and professing her love for Jesse), Natalie and Jesse Beck, anger management David Goode, crazy Michelle (who looks like someone I know who is also crazy), Gwen from season 2 (who should have been the girl Aaron chose that season), bad boy Wes, the Weatherman and his best friend Craig M., swimsuit model Gia, and a few others, including hot ass Kiptyn (cannot wait to see him with his shirt off!).


After all the introductions a few things become clear:  people are going to hook up, make out, make alliances, fight, and cry their eyes out.  So it is a recipe for both great disasters and great TV (now when I say great I mean really bad, but so bad that is good...much like a train wreck).  Moving on....hottie Chris Harrison will cohost with fellow Dallas girl Melissa Rycroft-Strickland.  There will be several challenges where people can win roses and each week one girl and one guy will be voted off by the members of the opposite sex.  This is where Juan realized he was screwed for using and abusing Nikki.


The first challenge was a giant twister game where people thought Tenley would be the clear winner because of her great flexibility.  However she was the first one out when she couldn't tell her left from her right foot.  Sadly, she wasn't the only one to get out for this reason.  I counted and there were 4 other people that also got out for not knowing their right limb from their left.  Now we shouldn't be too harsh on these people.  I have gotten out from twister before because I didn't know my left foot from my right.  However, the last time this happened to me I was 7 years old and at a slumber party.  And you know what I did?  I had my mom write a big "R" and a big "L" on each of my hands so that would never happen again.  Maybe a few of the contestants will learn this little trick for their next twister competition.


Craig M. wins and decides to take girl Jessie, Elizabeth, and Gwen on his date.  Surprisingly, he does not invite Michelle even though he made out with her in the bunk bed the night before.  Oh yes, I said bunk bed.  All contestants sleep in a camp-like style room and Craig and Michelle were allegedly the first two to hook up.  Michelle needs to learn that guys don't like girls who give it up on the first night..... Craig's date with the three women who didn't give it up was your usual bachelor date....it included the beach with all 3 girls and a concert just for Craig and Jessie, who he gave the date rose to.


Back at the B Pad you see a couple of things go down.  Elizabeth is manipulating all of the girls to think that Jesse K. is being cruel to her and she is just so heart broken because she is so in love with him.  I couldn't really listen to any of this because her hair color was blinding me so much.  She was a much prettier brunette.  Other than that Tenley got locked in the bathroom with Michelle and Michelle made her cry because apparently it was Tenley who told everyone about Michelle and Craig M and Michelle was PISSED.  Now I do feel bad for Tenley because Michelle is crazy, but the last person I know who got locked in the bathroom and cried was a kid under the age of two.


At the first rose ceremony we learn that both Michelle and Juan are going home.  So the lessons learned on how to stay in this competition are don't be an easy girl or a guy who hooks up with someone prior to learning who all is ending up on the B Pad casting list.

I left the episode with only one thought.....I did not see enough of Kiptyn's abs.  Hopefully that will change next week.  Until then this pic will have to do.


And that my friends was B Pad with some D Bags thrown in.  Make sure to check out the Green Beans blog for further humor.


Until next time, Ciao for now!

Favorites

Okay, now that I have basically told you everything about myself since the womb, I thought that I would tell you a little bit more about some of my favorite things.

Favorite Movie: “When Harry Met Sally…”
I just don’t see how there can be an argument here. You have Meg Ryan (who doesn’t love her?) and Billy Crystal’s comedic timing is perfection. It’s a romantic comedy but a classic all at the same time…and I don’t know why but I have always loved movies that took place in the 80s….I don’t know if it is because that is the first time period that I actually remember or what….but there is something about the big hair and bad clothes with scrunchy socks that I just love. And I think Sally Albright reminds me so much of myself….she is a little too driven and high strung and she thinks that every thought she has is reasonable and logical. And then Harry just totally rips all of her arguments apart and you realize that their personalities complement each other perfectly. One of my favorite scenes is the beginning car scene on their drive from Chicago to New York….Harry asks her to tell him the story of her life and she says that nothing has happened to her yet, which is why she is moving to New York. He says, what are you going to do in New York? and she says that she was going to be a writer at a paper….he follows up with “So you can a write about things that happen to other people….” Absolutely hilarious. And then there is everyone’s favorite scene: the diner scene where the infamous “I’ll have what she’s having” line was born. I love it….and just a little side note….everyone knows that Meg Ryan is much more attractive than Billy Crystal. But I am really glad the movie was made in the 80s because Billy plays that character perfectly; if the movie was made now there is no way he would ever have been cast in that role. And who doesn’t love the thought of falling in love with their best friend? (this might also be why I love Chandler and Monica together so much….)

And the only movie that I have enjoyed almost as much as “When Harry Met Sally” was the most recent “500 Days of Summer”….if you haven’t seen it, you must. I mean I went and rented the movie and as I returned it to Blockbuster I walked over to the shelf where it was for sale and purchased it, took it home, and watched it again. Since this movie is runner up, I won’t go into grave details other than to say that Jenny Beckman is in fact a bitch. (Carolyn – tell Andrew that quote is for him!)

Favorite TV show: This one is hard because I have my classics that I watch on reruns every single night and then my current shows. Of course my two classics are Friends and Sex and the City. They both come on between the hours of 11pm and 12:30am so I normally fall asleep to episodes I have seen plenty of times. I don’t know why but I never get sick of seeing Ross in hilariously weird situations, Chandler’s jokes, and Carrie running around New York City constantly searching for her Mr. Right, who ends up being Mr. Big, who we all know she meets in the first episode anyway…it only took six seasons and two movies for us to know for sure that they are going to end up together.

On a side note, I know that most girls have had the conversation about if they are a Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, or Samantha. I have done some thinking about it and most people I think want to be a mix of Carrie and Charlotte. No one wants to be Samantha because they don’t want to be labeled a slut, and no one wants to be Miranda because she is….well Miranda. Of course who does everyone tell me that I remind them of….freaking Miranda (As my friend Holly put it….a much prettier version….thanks Hollus….but that still means I am Miranda none-the-less….). Ok seeing how neither of these shows are on the air anymore I guess I should move on…..

So the current winner of the favorite TV show category goes to……..Modern Family. This show just did it for me this year. And I think it is due to the character development. I am absolutely in love with Phil and Cameron; they are my favorite two characters. But who also doesn’t love Manny, Gloria, and Claire? And, Claire and Phil’s son Luke….he is so funny….I was trying to describe this character to Casey and all I could come up with was the following: he is the kid who eats glue….come on, we all know there was the one kid in your elementary school class who fit this category. And, who doesn’t love the resurgence of Ed O’Neil (aka Al Bundy). The show is phenomenal and I hope it has a steller second season; however, if not all of season one is still saved on my DVR.

Favorite Reality TV show: this one is not hard as it is anything that is put together by the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise….now I could go on and on and on about the Bachelor, but I will just say this: if you really want to hear funny commentary about all things Bachelor/Bachelorette then go explore the blog by Lincee (I don’t know her but her blog is hilarious….it is www.ihategreenbeans.com, see to the left). But let’s face it, the show does not get old…well actually it does, but I really enjoy mindless entertainment on Monday nights. And we all know Chris Harrison has got to get sick of having the same interviews with different people. But at the same time he gets to go all over the world with the contestants and all he has to do is talk to them for half an hour. So I really don’t feel all that bad for him. And in all honesty the show is fun to watch because of all the beautiful places they go and chiseled abs I get to look at. For all other commentary, see I hate green beans….you will love it.  And I will always love Chris Harrison.


Favorite Music: I love so many kinds of music. If you know me, you know that concerts are my number one thing I like to do. I don’t care if the concert is big, small, pop, country, rock, whatever. I love watching people play music. But, if you know me, you also know that I am OBSESSED with country music. This includes watching CMT most mornings (in conjunction with the Today show, which is my favorite morning news broadcast), reading country weekly, and going to as many country music venues as possible (The most fabulous concert I went to was with Heidi, Chapman, and Holly in College Station Texas. It was called Big State Festival and was a two day concert event with everyone from Lyle Lovett to Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley….loved it).

Favorite Band: Right now it is hands down Lady Antebellum, and I have been way on to them since before the Need You Now phenomenon. I caught on to them in early 2008 and have been following them ever since. Their talented writing and Charles and Hilary’s voices together are absolutely amazing. It is hard for me to pick a favorite song, but I want to highly recommend one song from each of their albums that were not singles for you to try: “All We’d Ever Need” from their first album and “Love this Pain” from the Need You Now album. They also have a fantastic acoustic version of “Need You Now” from the CMA music festival that gets played on Sirius….I highly recommend that as well.

Favorite Store: Besides Cloverleaf (see previous blog entry) this award goes to Anthropologie…I could live in this store….literally, they have bedding and home décor along with jewelry and clothing. And, as long as I could order in there are also kitchen supplies so I would be good to go! What I love about Anthro is how unique all of the items are….I can shop there and not feel like I am going to see myself when I go out that night.

Favorite Thing to Read:  People Magazine.  Now let me tell you, this is not and can not be considered a tabloid....all of the stories in People are legitimate, nothing is printed that hasn't already been confirmed!  I blame this addiction on my mother....I remember the first weekly edition of People that I read, my mom had gotten it in the mail and asked if I wanted to read it.  It was 1999 and Carnie Wilson was on the cover.  She had just had her first bypass surgery.  Over ten years later I am still reading it weekly.  It comes in the mail on Friday.  I normally have it read cover to cover by Saturday afternoon at the latest.  I will be a subscriber until the day I die.  Although, I am not a fan of their movie reviewer.  Her name is Leah Rozen and she hates a lot of movies.  She will say things like..."Valentine's Day was  silly romantic comedy.  I wouldn't recommend it."  My response:  Duh!  Of course it is a silly romantic comedy.  If I wanted to watch something thoughtful and insightful I would have gone to see "Inception" (which was captivating by the way).  Sorry to get off track...I have always secretly wanted to be a movie reviewer...think about it....I could get paid to watch movies and then write about them?  Man am I in the wrong field.  But, my advice to Leah...don't go into a cheaply made funny movie and expect it to be as moving or deep as "Crash"....it won't happen!  Take each movie for what it is worth and try to enjoy it.  Sorry, soapbox....moving on....

Favorite Quote: This will be a shout-out to my co-workers. We keep a list of funny quotes at work and read the list out loud at various times. And the best so far was me and my co-worker trying to fix a paper jam in the rear door of the copier. Another co-worker of ours was out for the day and I said that we needed to make sure to tell him that he missed “some real good rear door action”. As soon as I said it I knew that it didn’t sound all that appropriate, but that is what makes it so funny. Needless to say we laughed for a good ten minutes about it.

One final shout out to my co-workers, if any of you are reading this. First off I must say that one reason I had time to start this blog is because I am in the middle of training for work….which means I have a lot of down time. Anyway, let’s just say that someone from work saw the time of my last post and I had a very good prank pulled on me. All I have to say to you guys is bravo, best prank of the year. (PS- don't look at the time of this blog, as I am once again in training.....)

And per request from Holly, my next post will be dedicated to my own little version of the movie “27 Dresses”….until then, Ciao for now!