Crazy for Swayze!

I always knew Swayze was a sexy beast who inspired miracles (see: multiple surrounding rainbows!) but I had no idea he was also secretly a mythological creature. Thank you random tattooed person, you have made it clear that Patrick really is the perfect man (sorry Bo Bice).

Want some more Swayze action in your life? Watch and enjoy:

Mood Music: "She's Like the Wind" by Patrick Swayze

If it makes you happy, it can't be that bad..

This morning, when I was in my car going to work, "If It Makes You Happy" (by Sheryl Crow) came on the radio. I've heard this song a billion times, but for some reason, today it really struck a chord (he he..music puns) with me. In the few minutes that it replaced the pre-work anxiety in my head, I realized that really, this song contains what might as well be my personal motto in life.

I will be the first to admit that I like a fair share of what some might call, "terrible" TV shows, books, magazines and movies. But just because they aren't technically well-done, doesn't mean they aren't worth something. They are worth something to you. They make you happy. And if they make you happy, they can't be that bad. Case in point: Crossroads. It's a ridic movie in theory, but it fills me with middle-school nostalgia and makes me feel totally awesome. Oh yeah, and it may feature a certain epiphany-inducing song by a former Mrs. Lance Armstrong (see: randomly Spanish YouTube vid).

P.S. - This pic and vid just scream summer road trip to me! I think it's a sign. Anyone wanna kick it air-conditioned gypsy-style with me this summer vacay?

Mood Music: "So Have I For You" by Nikka Costa

(Don't you) forget about Wayne Brady..

Finally, someone understands the utter brilliance that is Don't Forget the Lyrics!

P.S. - Can you please look at Wayne's hands in this pictoral? Where are fuck are all his fingers coming from!? I mean, I know where they're coming from, but my god, they look creepers. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to believe the man is an extraterrestrial sent to earth to invite people to join in awkward karaoke-style sing-song bliss.

Mood Music: "Spirit Of Radio" by Rush

Glee, you sure are terrific!

Tonight I experienced the televisual equivalent of complete geek euphoria.

The show is (most aptly) called Glee and it is a musically inclined breath of quirk-filled fresh air. It's the perfect mixture of Popular, Mean Girls and Freaks and Geeks (the high school is even called McKinley!) with a sprinkling of High School Musical (is that another Troy Bolton I see waiting to burst out of the locker room and into a inspirational power ballad?). And that's just the beginning.

The cast includes two original cast members from my favourite Broadway shows: Matthew Morrison (The Great White Way's original Link Larkin in Hairspray) and Lea Michele (Spring Awakening's first Wendla). Oh and the pilot episode alone features not one, but two (!) Journey classics: "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" and of course, pop rock's pièce de résistance, "Don't Stop Believin'".

My friend Melissa once claimed that I had a serious jonesin' for underdogs. I laughed it off but after watching this show, I totally see it. Like those other McKinley castoffs I love, the kids from Glee, are not the privileged kids with the perfect hair and ludicrous lack of genuine problems or social awkwardness (see: 90210, The O.C. - both of which, I can't stand). They are the under-appreciated, the misunderstood, the down-trodden, the nerds, the freaks and the geeks all wrapped up into one. And I absolutely love them for it.

P.S. - Forgive my punny title. I couldn't resist. You should be happy I didn't do something involving the phrase "Gee Whiz!". Cause I was totally thinking about it.

Mood Music: "I'm Alright" by Kenny Loggins

A flannel-licious double feature..

Over the long weekend, I watched two kickass movies: New Waterford Girl and Singles. In theory, they are both very different (first off, one is extremely Canadian) but they share one majorly mutual characteristic: a sense of pure awesomeness.

Let's start off with New Waterford Girl. I had seen parts of this quirky coming-of-age flick in the past, but nothing compares to seeing the whole thing in it's East Coast Canuck glory. The movie revolves around Moonie Pottie (played by One Week's Liane Balaban), a teenage girl who is the perfect smorgasbord of the rebellious yet introspective adolescent heroines I love and identify with. She's part Angela Chase, part Lindsay Weir and a whole lot Nomi Nickel. That is, if these girls moved to New Waterford, Nova Scotia.

Throughout the movie, Moonie attempts to make her way out of her super small town so she can see the world, most notably New York City, the home of an art high school she has been accepted to. The whole thing is very A Complicated Kindness. That is, if Nomi dropped the Mennonite thing and got a nice thick Cape Breton accent. Even the time period is the same (the 1970s). I'm sure this similarity made me love Moonie's story more, but even if it didn't have an eerie resemblance to my favourite Miriam Toews novel (if not my favourite book of all-time), I know I would love this loverly slice of Eastern Canadiana.

From the get-go The New Waterford Girl has this breezy - and almost folksy - feel that I crave in movies. It's the type of movie that makes you want to crawl under a plaid blanket, sip a cup of semi-warm tea and fall completely in love with it. I might even say that you would want some nice dark chocolate to along with it, but really, the movie already has the bittersweet thing covered. It's hopeful enough to give you that cinematic warmth in the pit of your stomach, but real enough to keep you grounded. Oh, and it features a smokin' cameo from none other than Andrew McCarthy, playing a semi-creepy yet kind of entirely endearing teacher (I'm not one for sideburns (see: my distaste for Kevin Jonas) but the man works em' so h-core here, I can't resist! Maybe that's just the thick East Coast air talking, but I seriously doubt it). In other words, it's strangely perfect.

While New Waterford Girl focuses on growing up on the East Coast, Singles looks at things from a West Coast perspective. I knew I was going to like this movie from the moment the it started. First off, it's a Cameron Crowe movie. Secondly, it's set in 90s Seattle. And finally, it features the strange hotness that is Matt Dillon. What I did not know was that I was going to fall in L-O-V-E with it.

The movie is all about a group of 20-somethings in an apartment complex trying to find love. It's pretty simple when it comes down to it, but there were just some moments, that really make it something else. Like when Matt's character talks about his band, Citizen Dick and their endearing song, "Touch Me, I'm Dick". Or when you realize that Eddie Vedder is part of his fictional band. Or when you look at Bridget Fonda's character and you realize how many people copy 90s grunge style to a flannel tee today. Or when you realize how flippin' amazing every single (he he..) song on the soundtrack is. Or when you find Campbell Scott's friend in the movie to be a 20-something coffee shop rat version of Matt Nathanson.

I could go on and on, but honestly, I don't want to. Just rent the movie and see it for yourself. If you're anything like me, you'll be floating on a 90s nostalgia high for days. Hence, why I'm wearing flannel in the midst of May. Actually, when I think about it, my sudden urge to plaid-it-out might also be because of Moonie's awesome red plaid jacket. Either way, I think it is obvious that both of these movies are most definetly worthy of a spot in your next long weekend movie marathon.

Mood Music: "You'll Accomp'ny Me" by Bob Seger

Saturday afternoon TV, you mean everything to meeee...

Okay. Major dilemna. Both Spice World and The Top 100 Best One Hit Wonders of the 80s are on right now. How in the world am I supposed to choose between those two Saturday afternoon televisual gems?!?! This is just cruel.

Hold up! Clinton Kelly (from What Not to Wear) just popped on the Top 100 and called The Waitresses' top track, "I Know What Boys Like", "sassy". My choice is made. This afternoon is going to be one hit wonder-ful.

Mood Music: "Your Love" by The Outfield

FMML: Fuck My Mom's Life!

FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!

Someone broke into my mom's car and stole her purse! It had all her cards, cash and primary info (via IDs) on it! And some other sentimental stuff (i..e stuff that she's kept from her mom who passed away 9 years ago!)

Wait - it gets worse! Her health card was also in her wallet and she needs it for her knee surgery on Tuesday. And she can't get a replacement on the weekend or on Monday, because it's a holiday!

What kind of fucking asshole would do this!!?!!!?

Mood Music: Nothing

I wanna, wanna, wanna, wanna be...KATE!

Yikes-a-bee! Kate Bosworth is a goddess!

Mood Music: "Alice Childress" by Ben Folds Five

To infinity and beyond with Charlie the wallflower...

Recently, I re-read one of my all-time favourite books (alongside A Complicated Kindness, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Color Purple), The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I cannot explain to you how beautiful this book is. You have to experience it for yourself. It is like My So-Called Life if Angela were a boy named Charlie and she listened to a lot of The Smiths.

I feel like this book was written for me and about it me. I mean, my name isn’t Charlie (but that is my all-time favourite name for a boy). And I’m not a boy And my life isn’t nearly as tragic as his is. But, Stephen Chbosky writes what I think and what I feel.

Here are a few words of Chbosky wisdom:

We accept the love we think we deserve.

Sometimes I look outside, and I think that a lot of other people have seen this snow before. Just like I think that a lot of other people have read these books before. And listened to those songs. I wonder how they feel tonight.

I walked over to the hill where we used to go and sled. There were a lot of little kids there. I watched them flying. Doing jumps and having races. And I thought that all those little kids are going to grow up someday. And all of those little kids are going to do the things that we do. And they will all kiss someone someday. But for now, sledding is enough. I think it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn’t.

I think it was the first time in my life I ever felt like I looked “good”. Do you know what I mean? That nice feeling when you look in the mirror and your hair’s right for the first time in your life? I don’t think we should base so much on weight, muscles and a good hair day, but when it happens, it’s nice. It really is.

Do you enjoy the holidays with your family? I don’t mean your mom and dad family, but your uncle and aunt and cousin family? Personally, I do. There are several reasons for this. First, I am very interested and fascinated by how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other.

Maybe these are my glory days, and I’m not even realizing it because they don’t involve a ball.

There is this one photograph of Sam that is just beautiful. It would be impossible to describe how beautiful it is, but I’ll try. If you listen to the song “Asleep” [by the Smiths] and you think about those pretty weather days that make you remember things, and you think about the prettiest eyes you’ve known, and you cry, and the person holds you back, then I think you will see the photograph.

There's something about that tunnel that leads to downtown. It's glorious at night. Just glorious. You start on one side of the mountain, and it's dark, and the radio is loud. As you enter the tunnel, the wind gets sucked away, and you squint from the lights overhead. When you adjust the lights, you see the other side in the distance just as the sound of the radio fades to nothing because the waves just can't reach. Then, you're in the middle of the tunnel, and everything becomes a calm dream. As you see the opening get closer, you just can't get there fast enough. And finally, just when you think you'll never get there, you see the opening right in front of you. And the radio comes back even louder than you remember it. And the wind is waiting. And you fly out of the tunnel onto the bridge. And there it is. The city.

Quoting from The Fountainhead: 'I would die for you. But I won't live for you." Something like that. I think the idea is that every person has to live for his or her own life and then make the choice to share it with other people. Maybe that's what makes people "participate".

Patrick started driving really fast, and just before we got to the tunnel, Sam stood up, and the wind turned her dress into ocean waves. When we hit the tunnel, all the sound got scooped up into a vacuum, and it was replaced by a song on the tape player. A beautiful song called "Landslide". When we got out the tunnel, Sam screamed this really fun scream, and there it was. Downtown. Lights on buildings and everything that makes you wonder. Sam sat down and started laughing. Patrick started laughing. I started laughing. And in that moment, I swear we were infinite

And my all time favourite: After the song finished, I said something. "I feel infinite." (NOTE: I swear to god, if I ever get a tattoo, those words will be it. I’m dead serious.) And Sam and Patrick looked at me like I said the greatest thing they ever heard. Because the song was that great and because we all really paid attention to it. Five minutes of a lifetime were truly spent, and we felt young in a good way. I have since bought the record, and I would tell you what it is, but truthfully, it's not the same unless you're driving to your first real party, and you're sitting in the middle seat of a pickup with two nice people when it starts to rain.

From one wallflower to another, Charlie, I love you.

Mood Music: “Nights in White Satin” – The Moody Blues

Happy Mother Lovers Day!

JT and Andy Samberg won't be getting their moms chocolates or flowers today. They'll be giving them each other (in bed)!

Sure, their present is a tad unconventional (and perhaps even a smidgen gross) but as they once said in lesser known song, the ladies need "something real" on their special occasions. It can be packaged up all classy with a store-bought bow and a box, but the sentiment has to come straight "from the heart". Or some other rather giving appendage.

Enjoy this tribute to MILFs this Mother's Day (but maybe without your mom). It's classic SNL (or is it Peg?).

Mood Music: "Dick in a Box" by Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg

A (Legally) Blonde moment..

(Don't worry your poofy little head Linsday Weir! I am as shocked and embarassed by this injustice to girl power comedies as you are!)

You know you've seen Legally Blonde too many times when you start mentally correcting your professor's reference to an extremely random line from a secondary character from the movie.

I couldn't help but shake my head in shame on Tuesday when my (brunette) Psych prof claimed that Elle Wood's feminist classmate Enid (he of course, didn't use her name) tells Warner Huntington III she's petioning to get Harvard to stop using seminal, which comes from "semen", to the more feminine friendly "ova-ninal". She says she wants to change semester to ovaster not seminal to ova-ninal! Sheesh! They say blondes are the dumb ones, but clearly some brunettes need to brush up on their Reese Witherspoon comedies.

Mood Music: "Another Dumb Blonde" by Hoku

Confessions of a Rock Star groupie...

You can argue with me until the end of time, but I will ALWAYS defend the awesomeness that is Rock Star. It's actually really entertaining - and often times even hilarious (Is that Marky Mark rapping again or am I daydreaming?) And the songs (oh the songs!) are way too amazing to belong to a fictional band. Oh, and Mark Wahlberg is a stone fox in it like usual.

If you're still not sold, watch this scene. It gives me goosebumps (and often times, a few tears) whenever I watch the movie. I totally lose it when Jennifer Aniston's character, Emily (You don't know how much my pre-teen self loved the fact that Marky Mark was repeatedly saying my name) starts to choke up. Perhaps I'm a cry baby but I love me a good reunion scene. Especially when it involves a very Eddie Vedder-esque character named Chris serenading a girl with my name with a particularly beautiful Verve Pipe song.

Chris sings, "I know I can be colorful. I know I can be grey. But this loser's living fortunate, cause I know you will love me either way." This line totally speaks to me. Because even though this movie isn't perfect, I will never stop loving it. (Cheesiness totally intended.)

Mood Music: "We All Die Young" by Steel Dragon

Throughly Mod-Cloth Emily..

Last week, I entered Mod Cloth's "Just for Kicks" contest. The contest asked girls to come up with some witty names for a few new pairs of their shoes (Mod Cloth always come up with the cutest and most pop-culture filled names!). The girl with the most creative name would win the shoes in their size, along with their name associated with the shoe. I entered every day, just for fun (or kicks, if you will). But today I got an e-mail, telling me that I won one of the pairs of shoes!

I dubbed my winning kicks - a pair of bright blue sneaks with an orange and grey striped lining - The Honest to Blog Hi-Tops. I thought the stripes were very Juno-esque and so, I gave them a name which referenced one of the most quoted lines from Diablo Cody's kickass script (that woman is a god). Apparently, they liked my train of thinking. Here's what they had to say about my entry:

"The bright, fun sneakers from Day 2 demanded something equally effervescent. We loved Emily’s Juno reference in her winning name, Honest to Blog Hi -Tops!"

DO YA LOVE IT!?! (I feel a Sneakernight comin' on!)

P.S. - Check out their totally boss description of the kicks here.

Mood Music: "My Wandering Days Are Over" by Belle & Sebastian

Fictional boyfriend of the week: Jack Berger...

As I was watching Office Space today (for the first time!), I realized that I am in love with Ron Livingston. His name might not ring-a-bell at first glance, but you know him. Just think Berger. Jack Berger.

Even though he dumped Miss Bradshaw via a Post-It, I still have a soft spot for Livingston's adorably awkward character (I just watched the episode where they meet again and he's trying to ride a motorcycle and doing a TERRIBLE job..).

Sure, he's not classy like Big. Or intriguingly pretentious like The Russian (I'm sorry, I just hated him). Or as sweet as Aiden. But he seems like the kind of guy I would totally be into (minus the whole lame break-up methods). I'm not sure what that says about me but whatevs, I could do worse. Remember that politician who wanted Carrie to pee on her? I'd take a Post-It over that ANY day.


I'm watching: Mystic Pizza