Ye Olde Irishman…

“It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.”
–Oscar Wilde

Have you read his book, The Picture of Dorian Gray? Because it is fantastic.

Finally!

Welcome back to The Show, Matt Garza!

Current Temperature

Minneapolis: 69 degrees Fahrenheit

Can we all get a collective sigh of relief? Is this not the perfect temperature? I am such the happy camper right now.

Plus, the Twins are currently two outs away from beating the Jays to split the series at two apiece. That’s WITH Frank Thomas’ 500th homer that scored three!

High School Musical is NOT how a high school musical truly runs.

“No opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible.”
–W.H. Auden

I certainly do not break into a melodic tune when I am feeling commonsensical. (Real word, look it up!) In high school, I was a choir person. Choir nerd, specifically. All four years: freshman choir, concert choir, chamber choir, show choir, jazz choir, madrigal dinner, musicals…the works. I went to NYC with our chamber choir junior year (April 2004) to perform in Carnegie Hall. Yes, the Carnegie Hall. How cool am I? Well, that remains to be seen. See, I did perform there. With my high school choir. And 5 other choirs from around the country. For the second act. Of a Sunday afternoon performance. That they do 26 weekends out of the year. So was it a big deal? Kind of…not really. Still cool to say, however. Here was our view:

Yep.

Things I want to accomplish while home next week

1. Swim in the bay
2. Clean my closet (for real this time! I’ve only been saying this the last 3 times i went home…)
3. Visit my friends
4. Eat at Mickey Lu’s
5. Go see Pippin at TOB
6. Strawberry picking
7. Fish fry
8. Bike around town
9. Read War and Peace a lot
10. Actually write stuff for my novel and/or expose on education deficiencies
11. Go to Green Bay
12. Find shoes
13. Wreak havoc all around town
14. Fourth of July festivities (parade…fireworks…grilling…sunscreen/avoid burns…cause craziness)
15. Rummaging for furniture for new place
16. Sleep

I will never do it all.
Well. Maybe…

AFI Countdown, Part One

Back in the day, in the wonderful year of 2002, I came across a television program one warm June evening. The American Film Institute and their 100 Movie countdown. That year it was, “100 Years, 100 Passions: The Greatest Love Stories of All Time.” While watching this, I realized how many classic movies I have not seen up until that point. (Noting I was only 15 at the time.) So, that summer I was glued to Turner Classic Movies and American Movie Classics, trying to catch up on all I missed. That is when I discovered The Philadelphia Story. And my life changed forever. (No…I kid. A bit.) Well, just last week they had another countdown on CBS as they do every June. It is the 10th Anniversary of the infamous countdowns, so they re-worked the 100 Greatest Films of All Time, with the movies from the last 10 years in consideration as well. I decided that it would be a good blog series to discuss the films I have seen (currently 32) from the list and what my views of them are.

99. Toy Story
This movie is one from my childhood. I was around nine years old at the time of its release, so of course, it was geared directly towards young ones such as me. Remember when it was a new and crazy thing for a movie like Pixar? Now it is just a given that computers are used for more “realistic” animation. What child can’t relate to the loss of a precious favorite toy? I wish they talked like that in real life behind our backs. But then again…they probably do. We just fail to see what’s in front of us. Especially as cynical adults.

89. The Sixth Sense
I did not see this movie in the theater, I actually was at my best friend’s house watching it during a sleepover. Right before the end and the big reveal of a surprise ending, her brother came into the living room and asked, “Does Bruce Willis know he’s dead yet?” And the movie was ruined. No, he DIDN’T know it yet and neither did I! But I figured it would have taken me awhile anyway. So, I was a little peeved, but got over it pretty quickly. How crazy was it when it first came out though? No one really heard of M. Night Shyamalan before, and his film work was innovative. I liked it. But it did creep me out, of course. I was 13 at the time.

83. Titanic
What girl/woman wasn’t in love with Leonardo DiCaprio in 1997? (And the subsequent years following.) It was my first celebrity crush. We were destined to be married. (It has changed at least ten times in the ten years since…) What a movie. Seriously! It was three hours long, yet people couldn’t get enough of it! I saw it at least twice in the theater. I know everyone took pride in saying how many times they saw the movie. I now own it on DVD, and it is strange to watch now because the spectacular special effects are not so showy anymore. It definitely looks a little fake. But back then, my goodness! (I am sure my heart will have a little room for Leo for all time.)

77. All The President’s Men
This movie is the sole thing that keeps me thinking that maybe I could end up as a journalist. There are very few people who are a part of “the media” that I respect, and these two men are certainly on that list. Brian Williams and Ann Curry are also members of the exclusive club. I think the first time I saw this movie was during my Government class Senior year of high school in Mr. Hanson’s class. My professor for my Journalism intro course, of course, showed a clip during one lecture. It epitomizes all that is good in the journalism profession. Without Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who knows if the Watergate scandal would have been made known so publicly. They shaped the country and our history forever. And who doesn’t love Robert Redford?

I will do four at a time, I think. It would be highly unrealistic for me to write one looooooong entry with all 32 movies I have seen. Plus, I bet that number will grow before I finish this, thanks to Netflix. I am sure after I finish this list, I will move on to the other nine plus lists they have, including love stories, thrillers, comedies, songs, quotes, and heroes/villains. If you have never caught this countdown before, write it on your 2008 calendar. June, CBS, AFI. It is well worth it. Plus, as an added benefit, it will get you hooked on the beauty and wonder of classic movies. The ones that were made when Hollywood was truly golden.

Oh, Ms. Rivers…

The first time I see a jogger smiling, I’ll consider it.
–Joan Rivers

The Brewers can’t act, but it’s okay, they’re doing just fine.

This is my seventieth post.
The Twins won another series.
I go home for a week, in a week.
It isn’t a miserable ninety degrees. Yet.
War and Peace is turning out to be an easy, albeit slow, read.
I bought a baseball book last week and feel smarter already.
The first of my friends turns 21 on Friday.
I have about seven different ideas for a more exciting post, but can’t muster up the energy to do the research for them.
Our ace starting pitcher, Johan Santana hit a TRIPLE in today’s game.
Some of our regulars in the lineup can’t do that.
He hit a double last week.
I have recently fallen in love with Broadway and musical theater. Again.
Jersey Boys and Spring Awakening specifically.
I can’t listen to anything else right now.
I’m serious.
I may have a problem.
I am getting very excited to move to Dinkytown in just over a month.
Our house we’re living in is quaint, and full of charm.
I love it.
But I am a bit creeped out by the random staircase in the closet.
But I can deal.
Unless I am alone, then I will scare myself with every creak of the floorboards.
I will deal with that when the time comes.
The Twins all got haircuts this weekend.
Why do I know that?
Is it weird that I can tell because I watch them everyday?
I worry our star first baseman, Justin Morneau (MVP anyone?) may be hurt more seriously than we originally thought.
Dumb catcher’s ridiculously efficient backstop.
Even though we tied it up, we lost the game, and a 20 homer (thus far) player.
Even if he makes it in, will he actually get to play in San Fran July 9th?
Is it just me or is Kevin Costner in every baseball movie?
When are the Twins going to bring up Matt Garza, the love of my life?
Is it really going to be 95 degrees tomorrow?
Will this post ever end?

Happy Anniversary Grandpa and Grandma!

Today is the 54th(!) wedding anniversary of my grandparents; the folks who raised my mother. I can’t believe it has been four years already since we all celebrated their 50th in Marinette. Patrick had only graduated from high school, I was going to be an upperclassman (finally!), and it was one of the last summers of my youth in which I could run free (or not) and not be tied down with employment. I think my Grandma was either 18 or 19 when they were married. Times have certainly changed in fifty-plus years. I am nowhere near ready to be married, but lately I have been thinking about it. It would be amazing to have a 50th wedding anniversary. Next year, we’ll certainly have to do something for the 55th! That’s another wonderful milestone. Maybe return to Menominee for another dinner at the Landing? (I have only been there twice in my entire existence. The other was right before we all moved there and our family had dinner with my Dad’s first boss at Anchor. He’s on his third now, they keep moving up the Caterpillar ladder. But I digress.) I will see them in a few weeks at our annual get-together at the lake. Here’s to a wonderful family, and many more years together Grandpa and Grandma! I love you two!

Happy Birthday…

Prince William! The big 2-5!