Clips That Bring Me Joy, Vol X

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

 We could always use some more joy. I love these clips, and I hope you do, too.

The Movie Musical is Back Baby!

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

I finally saw the new adaptation of West Side Story, and this really caps off a great year for the movie musical. I mean, In the Heights, Tick Tick... Boom!, and West Side Story were tremendous. Even the, shall we say, less well received movies give me hope, like Cinderella, with Camila Cabello, and Dear Evan Hansen, which I have many thoughts about. After they were released there were no think pieces about the death of the movie musical. Everyone just moved onto the next movie musical.


Now there has been hate against movie musicals, that people just can't believe that people will break into song and dance. But people can suspend their disbelief for superheroes, and all the impossible things that happen in those movies, you can suspend your disbelief for a musical number. It's fun!


Also, you just can't get the emotional highs that you get in musicals that you can't get from other kinds of movies. From "96,000" to "Somewhere", and everything in between. And you don't get much better moments like Stephen Sondheim's voicemail to Jonathan Larson in Tick Tick... Boom! anywhere else.


Hopefully after the reception to both the good and the bad, studios will realize there is a market for the movie musical and greenlight more. Because I. Want. Them. All.






Can't. Compute. Narrative.

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Thanks to work and its long hours, when it came to watching television or movies, I needed things I didn't have to pay attention to, so my brain could wind down from the day and could get me to sleep. Attempting to process and follow a narrative would have sent my brain into overload. Which means I'm behind on Succession, Sex Lives of College Girls, and so many others that I'm forgetting because I'm just not plugged into what was on tv. Forget movies.


Now that job has ended, and I still can't process narrative. I'm assuming it's cause my brain hasn't adjusted back just yet. And I don't want to start a show or movie I'm looking forward to in fear of getting halfway through and turning it off, never going back and finishing it. Just letting it languish in my continue watching queue. 


I just need to find a low stakes piece of entertainment to get me back into the groove of paying attention to a story. Maybe it could lend to me picking up a book, too.

Earworm: An Evening With Silk Sonic by Silk Sonic

Monday, December 6, 2021
Just some good funky music. I love this lane Bruno Mars has carved out for himself. And I hate to admit that I'm not familiar with Anderson .Paak's music, but I know that he has the most popular Tiny Desk Concert, so he might just be my next deep dive on an artist.


The song I'm digging the most off the album at the moment is "Fly As Me" and I loved their performance at the Soul Train Awards. It's what a Soul Train performance looks like and it's awesome.




Little Mix are Taking a Break and I'm Fine (No I'm Not)

Sunday, December 5, 2021

It's taken me a few days to process this since they made their announcement.


I love Little Mix, and I genuinely think they are one of the best girl groups of all time. They have earned that distinction over the last ten years, starting with being the first group to win X Factor UK, and breaking the girl group curse while they were at it, and ending with becoming the first girl group to win Best Group at the BRIT Awards in its 43 year history.


They were an act in the British Invasion of the 2010s that, along with their fellow X Factor UK contestants to try to break the US, lived in the shadow of One Direction. But, while they never truly broke America, they do have a strong fan base here.


So now I’m sad, but they’re still touring next year so we’ll get to see them perform. And I’d like to hear the new arrangements now that that fourth member has left the group.


I am looking forward to what Perrie, Jade, and Leigh-Anne do next. They’re all expected to do solo music. Perrie and Leigh-Anne have their babies and fashion lines. Leigh-Anne just made her acting debut in Boxing Day, a new holiday rom-com. But the girl I’m most interested in following is Jade, for many reasons. The first one is the obvious one, she’s my favorite and has my favorite voice in the group. The second reason is that she is the member that has been making more moves as a songwriter during her time in Little Mix. She signed a publishing deal and has sold songs to other artists, including one to K-Pop girl group TWICE.


I will be mourning the group, but I have hope that we'll see them together again. And until we do, I can't wait to see what each member does next. 

Musicals That Should Get the Live Broadcast Treatment

Friday, December 3, 2021
With Annie Live! airing on NBC, the live musical broadcast is back! And it’s got me thinking about the next musicals I’d like to see get this sort of treatment.

Clips That Bring Me Joy, Vol. IX Stephen Sondheim Edition

Monday, November 29, 2021

 I love these clips. I hope you love these clips. And I thought since there is now a giant in the sky, I'd find some of my favorite performances of his work. May your memory be a blessing, Stephen Sondheim.

Stephen Sondheim, What Will We Do Without You?

Saturday, November 27, 2021

There is a giant in the sky. The greatest to ever do it, Stephen Sondheim. I don't have the words myself to describe what a loss he is. I look forward to reading pieces about the impact of his work, and his influence on and support of new artists, something that is beautifully illustrated in a scene from Tick, Tick... Boom!, in a voicemail left by Sondheim himself.




Since Sondheim has passed, I'm going to do a deeper dive into his work than I've ever done before, because while I know pretty about much his whole career, I haven't listened to everything. That's going to be a great time of discovery for me and I can't wait for it.


I think there's a reason that when writers pass away, no matter the medium, is because they are the ones who make us laugh, and cry, and put words to our feelings that we didn’t have before. And the way his lyrics have been making the rounds in tweets and statements about his passing, that seems to be true. I mean, I did it in the title and first sentence of this post. 


There is one lyric that has been making the rounds that from Anyone Can Whistle that I've just learned, that I think will sum up the legacy of Stephen Sondheim and his work.


None of it was wasted, all of it will last.

I Saw My First Broadway Show Since February 2020

Sunday, November 21, 2021

I finally made it back to Broadway! The last show I saw before the world ended was Moulin Rouge. And now, 21 months later, my first show in this new world order is Six. And it was a blast! I'm glad the first show I saw back was such a fun jolt of energy. And it has me super excited for what other shows I can get tickets to.


The production I was looking forward to seeing before everything shut down was the Katrina Lenk led revival of Company. The original cast album is one of my favorites, but I've never seen a production of it before, and to see one that's taking the material in a new direction will be a cool thing to see. And I loved Katrina Lenk when I saw her in The Band's Visit, so to get to see her again will be a treat. 


Other than that, I'll have to look to see what's opening. I hope to see some straight plays, too, broaden my Broadway horizons a bit because usually when picking shows when growing up and it'd be a once a year thing, we'd try to see the big musical. But now that I'm in New York and not Florida and can go whenever I want/get a good deal on a ticket, I can see more plays and musicals.

Autumn in New York

Saturday, November 20, 2021

There really is nothing like autumn in New York. The gorgeous orange the city seems to turn when the leaves change and fall. It just looks magical. The kind of magic that makes me want to dig out my polaroid camera and bowler hat. 

Chillin’, Literally and Figuratively

Friday, November 19, 2021

The job I'm on now has finished filming, so we're just wrapping thing everything out and chilling, looking for that next gig. That's not chill, but I'm staying in the mindset of the chillness or wrap out. It's a vibe that I don't usually possess, but this job has also affected my vibes in a way previous jobs haven't. The last few days before IATSE's near strike, the weird vibe if that time got to me, too, of just like, I don't know if we have work on Monday or not but we're still carrying on even though the strike felt like a near certainty. And then it didn't happen and it was back to normal, and now it's chill. Except for the looking for the next job thing, that's kind of harshing the chill, but I'm trying not to let it.


It's also so cold. Like, wore socks over my tights so my feet don't freeze but I can still look cute, cold. Yesterday it was 68 degree day, and today it feels like the gods were teasing us before sending us to our frozen hell for the next few months. So I need to do all the fall things before it gets unbearably cold and dressing 95% for warmth instead of where I'm at right now, which is at about 60%.


I'm planning on doing a walk in Central Park to see all the fall colors and you'll probably see a post inspired by that, hopefully with pictures. Maybe I'll stop and get a hot french vanilla for my walk and put on a podcast. 


Just trying to keep the chill going for as long as I can. 



200th Post Mile Marker

Saturday, November 6, 2021

 Woohoo!


And that's about all the celebration I could muster this milestone, but I wanted to mark it because it's a big deal. I've been keeping up with this little blog and trying to put out good stuff. 


So I would like to acknowledge this miler marker and keep on keeping on.

Cozy Season is the Best Season

Thursday, November 4, 2021

And it is the season for me. 


The only time I don't really like the cold is when I'm in the cold so long and get the shakes and it settles into my bones


But I do love the fall season. It's not unreasonably hot anymore, I can wear my cute and/or big jackets. I can drink hot chocolates or hot french vanillas (which how is that drink not more widespread?). 




And it’s also the season of fluffy socks and sweaters and sitting curled up under piles of blankets. Of feel good movies and shows we watch year after year or discover for the first time. 

Just typing this makes me want to curl up in bed.

Can People Chill a Bit About Spoilers?

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Apparently a spoiler got out about Eternals and fans are starting to get into it about the media spoiling the movie when they write their reviews. And one stupid tweet about non-disclosure agreements for journalists and critics that they pay a million dollar fine if they break. Seriously, that is a thing someone tweeted


And, like, relax. Everyone has a different bar for what constitutes a spoiler. My deal with spoilers is that if you find it in the plot description or the first thirty minutes, it is not a spoiler. How else would you be interested in the movie if you didn't have some idea of what you were getting?


Now, specifically for comic book movies and the people that love them: check yourself. I know you want to go in as fresh as you can, but just because you found a spoiler does not mean you get to vilify someone or an outlet for publishing it. It's a plot detail.


Of course there are exceptions to this. There are some movies that thrive on the secrecy of a big twist, like Psycho or The Sixth Sense. And there are some movies, like Karyn Kusama's The Invitation, that you should be as clean as you possibly can. That's when I listen to the critics I trust when they say go in as clean as you can and put my trust in that. But that is not true of every movie that gets made, especially for all of these franchises. Sometimes you find things out before you see it and it's not a big deal. Sometimes finding a thing out increases your interest in a project. I've definitely had experiences of finding out a plot detail and thinking "oh I need to see that play out". 


And for television these days, we wall watch shows at our own pace now, so just don't be an asshole about something. If you know someone doesn't know a big piece of information that comes later in a show's run, don't tell them, unless they are the kind of person where spoilers don't matter to them. But if it's a big zeitgeist show like Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones were, where people are watching and freaking out about developments as it airs each week, give time to catch up but don't stop yourself from joining in on the water cooler talk. Again, just don't be an asshole.



The Beatles Get Back into Doc Form, Again

Thursday, October 14, 2021

 There is never a shortage of documentaries about The Beatles. But this one might seem to be the definitive one on why the split was inevitable.




But first: how is this footage only being released now? Was there some sort of deal that it wouldn't be shown for fifty years or what? (Also the quality of the footage is beautiful.)

I haven't watched any of the other Beatles docs out there. Not because I heard they were bad, but because what else can you say about them. But with this, I don't know. I feel like because you have all this footage, it's more than stringing tour and performance footage over talking heads. 

And after this, I think we'll be good on Beatles docs for a while. Find other bands and musicians to do documentaries about.


I'm in Such a Music Rut

Sunday, October 10, 2021

 Does anyone have good music suggestions, because I'm in such a bad loop of what I'm listening to. 


Usually when I make playlists, there's a certain theme to them or they're just one big long playlist for travel or work and I can't be shuffling through different lists. So I decided to start a playlist that would be more fluid. I would add and remove songs at my pleasure. And that was true at the beginning of its creation. Now a few months later, it has become a solid. 


There has been very little movement and I don't know what to do about it. I'm trying to find new stuff but I just want to listen to the old stuff. 


I always break out of a rut like this at some point, it's only a matter of time. But it's been a really long time and I have a feeling it's gonna go on for a bit longer. 

I Need New Clothes

Monday, October 4, 2021

I haven't been clothes shopping in so long. Well before the pandemic, that's how long. I don't even know what I would buy if I were to go shopping. I've been living in jeans and t-shirts and sweaters at work because it's the most comfortable. And it's about to be winter so who cares what you're wearing as long as you're warm.


Don't even know what's trendy right now, that's how out of the loop on fashion I am. I don't change my wardrobe with every trend, but I like to see what's in fashion and what I can take and adapt to my own personal style. 


I just don't know what my style is right now. I haven't dressed to look stylish regularly for a while. I like the 70s inspired look. I love ringer tees and high waisted bottoms. Love a pair of combat boots. I actually need a new pair of green boots because my first pair have been worn out. My favorite color is purple, but I don't have a lot of purple pieces in my wardrobe right now. I also need real winter boots, but that's not a fashion problem. Yeah. That's kind of where I'm at right now.


Because I need such a big overhaul, this is something I actually need to plan out and do some online window shopping before I start buying. So that's gonna be fun (she says sarcastically but hopes it would actually be fun).

Next Year, Mets. Next Year.

Sunday, October 3, 2021

So the regular season is officially over and so is the Mets'. Well, their season ended a week ago when they were mathematically eliminated from both the division and the wild card spot, but I digress.

Clips That Bring Me Joy, Vol. VIII

Saturday, October 2, 2021

 These make me happy. I hope they make you happy, too.

Since Seinfeld is Now on Netflix, Should I Watch It?

Friday, October 1, 2021

Should I watch Seinfeld?


I've never seen an episode of Seinfeld, and I'm not ashamed to admit that. It ended its run two years after I was born. And even though it was on Hulu for a while, they're making a bid deal of the fact that it's going to be streaming on Netflix so now I have to ask myself that question when a big show goes to a streaming service.


Just existing in the world you know a fair amount of Seinfeld bits. I know "The Bet", the Soup Nazi, Elaine's dance, "yada yada yada". But it would be interesting to see them in the full context of the episodes and the show. 


I don't know if I would like it because what little I've seen of Jerry Seinfeld's comedy, I'm not the biggest fan. But I love Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus so maybe I should watch, especially the George and Elaine episodes. 


But it's a sitcom before sitcoms really started serialized storytelling like they do now so maybe I can just watch what are considered the best episodes and not have to start from the beginning. So I may just find a best episodes of Seinfeld list and go from there. That seems like a good game plan.

My Favorite Showtunes

Sunday, September 26, 2021
Broadway is back baby! If my work schedule wasn't insane for the next couple months I would be getting tickets to as many shows as I could (afford to) see. I love musicals. So, I decided to list every showtune I love to celebrate.

Some of these I've actually seen performed. Others are from the movies. And then there are those I've never seen but found through following Broadway.

Because there are a multitude of productions of some of these musicals, and a lot of been made into great movies, I'm going to get as specific as possible about the performances that I love because I'm a nerd.

(Yes I know it's a long list, there's been a lot of great show tunes. And I'm pretty sure I'm missing a bunch.)

Earworm: "Have Mercy" by Chloe

Sunday, September 12, 2021

 I like this song. I don't love it, but I am definitely counting down to when here solo album comes out. I do love the second verse, though.


I Never Know the Date Anymore

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

 Apparently it's September now. 


I honestly don't I've truly known the date without checking my phone since I was in high school. Not even in college did I know the date. Sometimes I'm lucky if I remember the day of the week the amount of times I wake up thinking it's Thursday on a Wednesday.


It's even worse because I've literally been staring at a calendar and schedule every single day for all of August and it was still weird to see September pop up on my phone.


Maybe those "time is a construct" people have a point.

The Mets Doing The Thumbs Down at Their Fans Is Great

Sunday, August 29, 2021

 So, a lot of celebration in the form of hand signals have been happening and a new one has caught some attention. 



The Mets have been struggling lately, and the fans are making their frustrations known. And the players have something to say about those boos. And I for one love it. 


Fans think that because they pay for the games that they have immunity for their behavior. And yes, you can boo. Booing is fair game, but that doesn’t mean the players can’t respond. It is not a one way relationship. And I think the players responding during their successes with the thumbs down is a good gesture. It builds morale to a team having a tough time and trying to stay in the playoff race and it’s a fuck you to fans that turn on a team they root for. Javy Báez said that "If we win together, then we got to lose together, and the fans are a really big part of it,". And honestly, it’s a harmless gesture and it’s fun. Fans dish it to the players, they should be able to take it when the players respond.


I also just watched the new Malice at the Palace doc on Netflix and people should watch it to see how an unfair standard is applied to players versus those in the stands. And for some reason this year we’ve seen fans actually punished when their actions cross the line, from the person who dumped popcorn on Russell Westbrook’s head and the one who spit at Trae Young (in the middle of a pandemic). And I know those are big jumps from being booed, but players are finally empowered enough to say that they don’t like fan behavior. 


And instead of attacking fans, the Mets are doing this to bring themselves together and showing people what it’s like to get booed by those that support you. It sucks, doesn’t it?

Damn It, Mets, You Suckered Me Back In

Thursday, August 19, 2021

Just when I thought I was out the Mets suckered me back in. 

Knots on Knots on Knots

Wednesday, August 18, 2021
I can feel when a new one is being formed. It grows like a scale that then gets formed onto my back and builds and builds. It feels like I'm growing a hunchback, so just send me to Notre Dame so I can start my new career as the attic dwelling bell ringer.

Now it doesn't even take that much to add another scale to my collection. Just walking around and moving my shoulders can do the wrong trick. 

The almighty combination of heavy lifting and plain old stress and anxiety. How I would normally fix this would be to go get a massage, but I don't know how safe it is. I'm fully vaxxed, but I don't know the safety protocols of the masseuse. And I especially don't feel comfortable with the Delta Variant going around. 

So I'm gonna have to keep up with the heating pads and stretching it out. But I really want a massage, it's been so long and even without the knots I love getting them. 

Ugh.

I Loved The Field of Dreams Game and I Want More

Friday, August 13, 2021

 So, even though I've never seen Field of Dreams, I tuned into the Field of Dreams game. One, because it was a huge deal event, and two, the field itself looked so cool.


And even though I've never seen the movie, I still know the magic of this.



Come on! That was an all-time moment. 

I Have Never Seen Field of Dreams So Apparently I Have None

Thursday, August 12, 2021

 Tonight is the Field of Dreams game. Apparently this is a thing that has been hoped for for years and is finally happening. The uniforms look great. The field looks great. And I'm excited for the game, because I've actually been watching baseball this year. I just have one problem: I've never seen Field of Dreams


I mean, sure, I hear it's a great baseball movie. But, I've already seen the best baseball movie ever made and that's A League of Their Own. I've also never seen The Rookie or The Natural or Major League. Actually, it's not just baseball, I haven't seen most sports movies. Huh. I should probably examine that. 


Anyway, back to Field of Dreams. I think I'd like it. It's probably streaming somewhere so I am able to watch it. Maybe one day.


Excited for the game, though. It looks like it's going to be a neat experience.

Clips That Bring Me Joy, Vol. VII

Sunday, August 8, 2021

 I love these clips. I hope you love these clips.

Earworm: "When I Get You Alone" by Darren Criss from Glee

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

There are days when you need to listen to Darren Criss and The Warblers from Glee


I watched Glee, but I wasn't a religious watcher so I missed episodes here and there. Because that has to be the only reason I didn't find out about this cover until a couple weeks ago. Also surprised to find out it's a Robin Thicke song from the early 00s that samples Walter Murphy's "A Fifth of Beethoven", a previous earworm of mine, which has since returned to my regular rotation thanks to this. 




I do find myself listening to various Glee songs. Say what you want about the show, but I love a lot of the cast members' voices and the different spins on popular songs. With the Warblers, they really did the a capella version and every track is a great showcase for Darren Criss' voice, who really was one of the best performers on the series. But that was obvious from his very first episode with "Teenage Dream" becoming Glee's first Billboard Hot 100 hit.


I really just wrote this to say I love Darren Criss.

Fresh Cut Who's This?

Sunday, August 1, 2021

 There really is nothing like a fresh haircut. Especially for me and how thick my hair can get. I joke every time that I lose ten pounds, and sometimes it doesn’t feel like that gross an exaggeration. 

I Am Not One Of the Ted Lasso Faithful

Saturday, July 24, 2021

 I still like it, it's not that I don't think it's a good show. It must not have hit me like it did everyone else. Maybe it's the earnestness, because I don't handle that well. Maybe because it's a comedy that goes a while without a joke or funny conversation between characters.


It just didn't it me the way it did others. When it dropped in quarantine, I wasn't at a point where I needed a show about optimism and good people. I had also just finished watching Halt and Catch Fire, which is a pretty optimistic show, so maybe I had had my fill on that. 


I'm probably still gonna watch it. Just not binging or losing my mind over it. But I'm happy if you are, I love that for you.

What Do I Want For Dinner Tonight?

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

 The question I ask myself virtually everyday. "What do I want for dinner?" 


I'm never in the mood for specific meals most of the time. Like, I never get hankerings. My sister get hankerings for food all the time and she won't stop thinking about it until she has it. Me, nothing. Unless it's a dessert, but a nutritious meal that does not make.


So then I find myself in food ruts. Eating the same meals all the time, my grocery list looking virtually the same, my delivery orders looking the same.


I'm also not the most accomplished cook. Notice the use of "cook" and not "chef". That is my bar. There are not many meals in my repertoire, admittedly partially out of impatience. I should look for fast and easy recipes to cook, but I think I find one and then it says "prep time 40 minutes", and I say "nope".


Whatever, I'm just gonna heat up some frozen chicken nuggets.

I Don't Think I'm Gonna Make My Reading Goal This Year

Sunday, July 18, 2021

 We're past the halfway point of the year, and it's safe to say I'm probably not gonna make my reading goal of 10 books. I am currently at 3 read, with no intention of picking up another book anytime soon. 


I promised myself two years ago that I would read more, and you'd think with all that time during the pandemic I would've knocked out a lot of books. I did not. Last year, before the pandemic even started, I stupidly set my reading goal at 20 books. And one quarantine started in March, I thought I'd be reading a lot to pass the time. I only completed 8. I just could not get in the headspace to read that much. But this year, I figured 10 would be reasonable. 2 more than I read the year before, but still doable for me. And yet, I'm back in that headspace. And there are books that I want to read. Before this headspace set in I picked up The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. Taylor Jenkins Reid just came out with a new book in the beginning of June and I loved her last two.


I'm just gonna have to force myself to read a chapter or two a day, and get back into the habit of reading. Wish me luck.

Movies I Probably Should Have Seen Already

Friday, July 16, 2021
There are movies that are classics. Classics that everyone should see at some point in their lives. But, sometimes you just don't get to them. Here are some I haven't gotten to yet, and I should probably do something about it.

Now these are all specific to me and my tastes, where if you knew me, you'd be surprised I hadn't watched these films yet. Remember, I'm the person who loves classic rock that didn't see Almost Famous until this year. That's the bar.

The First Batch of Marvel Disney+ Shows Have Wrapped So It's a Good Time to Evaluate

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

 I would call this Phase one of the Marvel TV Redux (RIP Marvel Netflix shows), and now that it's ended, I'd say it's time to evaluate.

Earworm: "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John

Monday, July 12, 2021
Have you ever just wanted to have your own private singalong? That’s what happens for me whenever this song comes on because you just can’t not reenact Almost Famous, even by myself. I don't even realize I start sometimes until I get to the chorus.




What is with Billionaires’ Fascination in Going to Space?

Sunday, July 11, 2021

 Like, I get it kind of. I had a space phase as a kid. I had a telescope and the planetarium was one of my favorite places as a kid. But do we really need to go to space now? Right now?


But, seriously this is what you're spending your untaxed wealth on? This planet could use that money instead of wasting on these vanity competitions between billionaires to see who can build the best rocket. How about spending it on ways to save the planet the rest of us have to call home once you colonize the moon and Mars?


Also, pay your workers fair wages.


UPDATE: 7/13 Really? with Seth And Amy




They did it better.

Gossip Girl is Back and I’m Intrigued(?)

Friday, July 9, 2021

Hello Upper East Siders. Oh how I've missed Kristen Bell's narration. 


It's been almost nine full years and Gossip Girl is back on our screens. Especially since are lives are fully ensconced in social media, it feels like this is a thing that could happen in a high school. (I do love the characters making fun of the OG Gossip Girl page for being a blog, as I sit here writing my own blog.) My love for the original series is complicated. But with time I hope that the reasons I have problems with the original won't continue into this reboot. (*cough* Chuck *cough*)


I do love the twist of the teachers at Constance Dillard being the new Gossip Girl, and they acknowledge that it's a skeevy thing to do. But it takes out the mystery of Gossip Girl's identity that the original obviously didn't have the answer to until the final season when they decided it would be Dan, which still makes no sense. And, it gives them room to play and do a social media equivalent of the cat and mouse game.


There are some things early on that I notice are lacking. First off, only a few of the teen characters feel like real people right now, mainly just Zoya and Obie. The rest feel like types. Hopefully that will come with time, especially for Monet and Luna, who were pretty much only Julien's lackeys. I'm especially intrigued by Savannah Smith, who plays Monet, because she has a presence about her and I hope she has a storyline to dig her teeth into.


The second issue in the first episode is that there wasn't much humor. Hopefully that's just because they needed to set up the dramatic stakes of the show, because I don't remember the original's pilot having much of that show's signature humor. 


But I'll keep watching with hope. Now that everything is set up for these new characters, maybe the action will really kick it up.

Clips That Bring Me Joy, Vol. VI

Thursday, July 8, 2021

 These make me smile, and maybe they can do the same for you.

I Just Wanted Some Baseball Magic. The Rain Had Other Ideas.

Friday, July 2, 2021
You're planning for July 4th weekend with your family. Your team, the Mets, are in town playing the Yankees for a good old fashioned subway series, and you pick the first game of the series on Friday. It's also a night game so less of a chance of getting sunburned. Perfect seats in the 300s with a great view of home plate. Sounds like an excellent night for baseball.

We got there as soon as the gates opened, found our seats, and about fifteen minutes later the rain hit. We waited and waited and waited for it to clear. Then at 8:30 they finally called it and sent the crowd home.


I hadn't seen a baseball game live in years. And especially after the last year and the quarantine, I was so excited to see a game in person again. It was also my first time ever seeing a game at Yankee Stadium. 

Hopefully we'll be able to see a game later in the season thanks to the rain check we got served today, and my baseball magic is only postponed and not totally ruined.

Bookshelf: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

I watched the HBO miniseries well before I finally picked up this book. And it’s usually weird reading the book a movie or tv show you like is based on second. You notice the changes, the side stuff that was taken out. But I didn’t feel that with Sharp Objects. It felt like it’s own distinct entity from the show in a way I haven’t felt with a book I had already watched.


Reading it helped me appreciate the show much more, and having watched the show already made me appreciate the book. Because I knew the ending going in, I could really spend time with Camille as a character and not consumed with sussing out the whodunnit of the case.


As more novels are being adapted into miniseries, like Normal People and Little Fires Everywhere, it’d be interesting to experience the source material and see what changes were made for television and how it’d shaped my experience with both tellings of the story.

Reasons I Wish I Were Taller

Sunday, June 20, 2021

 I stand 4'10", so I am very small. While I am okay with being a shortie, there are benefits to being a tall person I very much want.


  • take stairs two at a time
  • "where are your parents, sweetheart?"
  • won't get trapped in the subway crush
  • won't be bumped into and run over in crowds
  • more leg power when lifting boxes
  • more wingspan when carrying boxes
  • won't drag long things on the ground when carrying them
  • no more scampering to catch up to others
  • "yes, i'm tall enough to ride the rides" (barely)

Television Shows I've Never Seen an Episode Of, At All

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

 These shows are considered the best of the best the medium of television has to offer. I have not seen an episode. I may have seen clips, but I haven't sat down and watched even the first episode of these series.


There are shows that, especially before DVR and streaming, you just miss it. Maybe you could catch a rerun eventually, or if you’re willing to invest your money into it, buy the season box set and catch up before the next season. Or, like, some of these you were just too young to watch.


The case with some of the more current shows is that there’s just so much television now that you have to pick how many shows you take on. Or they are more niche shows that gain cultural cache but you are so far behind the run that it seems too daunting to catch up. Or you just see a show that’s totally up your alley, say you’ll catch up over its offseason, and then just never do.


Some of these shows I will probably never watch, some I just haven't gotten to yet. Some of these are a point of pride that I haven't watched them and will never watch it, so suck it. (And there are shows I wish were on this list, but unfortunately do not qualify.) 


Just Bought Sunscreen and Aloe, So It's Officially the Start of Summer

Saturday, June 12, 2021
I have that Irish skin. So sunscreen and aloe are must haves just for me to survive these horrible summer months. 

Most sunscreens are awful for my skin, aside (but not always) from burns. It dries it out and that is not a helpful feeling in an already dry and hot climate. So this time, I decided to upgrade to the Neutrogena SPF 100 sunscreen. It's the highest SPF I've ever used so I'm hoping that helps with the whole not burning thing. And it's my first sunscreen from a skincare brand, so I'm hoping that also means that my skin is taken care in multiple ways.

I'm still gonna be a hot tomato at some points, because that is my life, so I got aloe. Just the Target store brand as that was all that's available, but that doesn't matter because aloe is aloe, and it is in my fridge as I type and will be ready when I inevitably need it.

Here's to summer fun ad taking care of your skin!

It's Been So Long Since I've Watched a Movie

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

 I think the last movie I saw was when I was able to go see Almost Famous, in January, and that was after an even longer stretch without a movie night. I for some reason cannot concentrate on a thing for two hours.


This really started during the early days of lockdown and quarantine for the pandemic. For some reason sitting for a movie seemed daunting. But tv, because you could chunk it. If you want to watch an episode of a drama, and then watch a second bringing your total to two hours, it's not as big of a deal since there is that break between episodes. You can go to the bathroom, get a snack, fart around on your phone and not feel like you're interrupting the story that's being told. 


And I would love to watch a movie. Every month when new movies show up on streaming services, I go through and add all the movies I've wanted to watch to all my different watchlists. There are so many that have been on my personal "why haven't you seen this yet" list. 


(Another factor is that my hours at work were ridiculously early and long, so I also barely add the time or energy to watch tv during the week, and weekend were for catching up on sleep.)


I just need to pick a movie, lay down, and watch it. But, what do I watch?

Has Spongebob Left My Brain?

Friday, June 4, 2021

 Spongebob quotes and references have been popular at work lately, and with the trailer for The Patrick Star Show, and I've been missing a lot of them. 


Is all that knowledge gone? All those hours spent watching that cartoon just erased from by brain? I was wracking my brain and I could only come up with the obvious stuff. My leg. Chocolate. Krusty Krab Pizza. And that's really all I can come up with as I write this.


I haven't watched in episode in about ten years, so that would make sense. Especially as the newer episodes were going down in quality. But still, makes me sad that that knowledge is going away. So many opportunities for jokes I could make, just gone.

Clips That Bring Me Joy, Vol. V

Sunday, May 30, 2021

 I like them, hopefully you will too.

We Don't Need a Friends Reunion

Thursday, May 27, 2021

 Why are we having a Friends reunion? Reunions are for marking big milestones and celebrating great shows that we miss. This is not a milestone year for the show. 27 since its debut, 17 since it ended, those are odd years to be celebrating something. But the biggest problem with this reunion: how can we miss Friends if it never went away?


It's been in syndication since before the show ended. It was obviously a big deal on Netflix when they spent $100 million for the rights to the show for a single year before it left and went to HBO Max. I get that it is people's comfort show, but uproar over it leaving when all you have to do is turn on TBS and just wait for the next marathon to start. 


For all of this hoopla over the show, no one's really talking about the quality of the show. I mean, it's fine. There are definitely way better comedy series, past and present, about friend groups that are miles above this one. I just don't get it.

Songs I Can't Wait to Hear (Taylor's Version) Of

Sunday, May 23, 2021

 Now that we've had the first (Taylor's Version) album, it's got me thinking of the songs I'm most looking forward to listening to again.

Earworm: Olivia Rodrigo's SOUR

Friday, May 21, 2021

I was not expecting to like her music. I watched High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and she's great on it, but the original songs that she performed in that show were very much in line with a Disney produced artist. But, this is not the music of a Disney girl in the best possible way.

Bookshelf: The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan

 This book is about the life of a pop star in the early 2000s, and how that life broke her down. I started reading this book around the time Framing Britney Spears was aired on FX and Hulu, and it really does give you insight into what it's like being in the storm of fame. How things are just happening around you and you're trying to keep up. People who have their own agendas and trying and failing not to fall for their bullshit. Your personal life being picked apart. The pressure to look perfect. How a young girl was not protected by the people who were supposed to protect her. Sound familiar?

Earworm: Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia

Monday, May 17, 2021

 How have I not written about an album that has gotten me through a lot of the last year of life on this planet? It came out a couple weeks into quarantine and it has been in constant rotation ever since. Truly, 11 tracks, no skips.

Finally Got Curly Hair Shampoo and it's a Game Changer For Me

Friday, May 14, 2021

 So, I have been in a battle with how to take care of my hair since it's been growing on my head. My hair likes to poof. When I brush it with a flat brush it would poof. Tried a wet brush, it would poof as soon as my hair would dry. Brush while it was still wet, still poof. My hair is super thick, like I shed so much but I don't have bald spots thick. Got the shampoo and conditioner for thick hair. Marginal improvements.


But, my hair has natural waves in them and when I was born my parents thought I would get the Irish curls. Such a blessing because I barely have the patience to brush my hair out now, and just imagining Irish curls is making me frustrated. I digress. My sister suggested getting shampoo and conditioner for curly hair because of the waves and thickness it would be better to just go all in on curly. 


So, last week was finally the time to get new bottles and thank god I listened to her. It's only been couple of washes (I can't wash my hair everyday otherwise it will dry out), and there's already a major difference. My waves are more prominent and my hair doesn't poof. I also got a round brush and that is also an improvement. I don't feel like I'm fighting my hair anymore. 


Most importantly, my hair looks fucking great.

Earworm: "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding

Monday, May 10, 2021

 This is one of those songs that I put on when I need to chill, and if I could whistle I would whistle along.




COVID Can't Catch Me Now

Saturday, May 1, 2021

 I got my second dose of the vaccine today! So in two weeks once the juices settle, I'm fully protected.


I'm sure it'd feel better if I was a party girl, but I'm not a party girl. I'm a stay home and watch television and movies girl. Or a book girl. I do need to get back to back to reading, I've got a couple chapters left and I actually want to meet by reading challenge this year because I actually have a reasonable goal to hit and I'm falling behind. 


Anyways, woo-hoo!

I Miss My Music Box

Monday, April 26, 2021

My record player is amazing, because it's not just a record player. There's a CD player, a cassette deck, the radio, and bluetooth to play music from. All right there in that beautiful box.




I love playing my record collection on it. I've got Carole King's Tapestry, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, Paramore's After Laughter, Little Mix's Glory Days, Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix Vol. I. And many more. The albums that have no skips, can listen straight through and not having to constantly find the next track. 

When I play music from my music box, that is the only thing that I'm doing. I'm not reading a book or farting around on my phone. I am comfy and cozy, just listening to the music. To be able to just shut down like that, I can't do that when I'm playing music from my phone. It only happens with my record player, even if it's not a record and I'm just using the bluetooth to play from my phone. The music needs to be coming from my music box. 


Clips That Bring Me Joy, Vol. IV

Friday, April 16, 2021
These clips bring me joy, and maybe they can bring you some joy, too.

Earworm: Taylor Swift's Fearless (Taylor's Version)

Saturday, April 10, 2021

 So the first of Taylor Swift's re-recorded albums has arrived, and I've got to say I'm excited about it. Fearless was a great album to begin with, so whatever the results of this experiment/getting back what's hers wouldn't be bad. But I was surprised at the result of Taylor's Version

Got My First Vaccine Dose!

 I got my first dose of the COVID vaccine this morning! (I got Pfizer.)


As soon as New York City lowered the age restriction from 30 to 16 on Tuesday, I was on the vaccine finder, trying to find an appointment for my first dose. And none were available. Every day I would check the vaccine finder and the Walgreen's app to find somewhere to get the shot. And then yesterday afternoon, a miracle happened. An appointment opened up at 9:35 the next morning. Victory! Now I'm not the only person in my immediate family to not get their first shot.




Should I Root for the Mets This Year?

Thursday, April 1, 2021

 Baseball is back, baby! But the Mets' game was postponed thanks to the Washington Nationals having COVID issues, so boo.


My question is, should I root for them? Last year when I started getting back into baseball during the postseason, I needed a team to root for and I chose the Dodgers. That turned out well for me. I like that team and they're fun to watch. I also like watching the Cubs play, they're another fun team to watch. I've heard there's hope this year for the Mets. We finally have an owner willing to spend money and make stuff happen. But I don't know. 


I'm gonna try to pay attention to the regular season this year and watch some games. We'll see where I land for my Mets or Dodgers or Cubs fandom.

I Have Found My Spice Level and it's Popeye's Spicy Chicken

Monday, March 15, 2021

My spice and heat tolerance is about as low as can be. Just the hint of spice and heat, and it can turn my mouth into a fire pit. But, I've finally found a spicy food where I can actually enjoy the spice without experiencing pain and it is Popeye's spicy chicken.


Usually, I get mild. And then one day I was given spicy by mistake and did not notice until my first bite.  That was a surprise to my taste buds. But my mouth didn't turn to fire and tears weren't streaming down my face, so I carried on eating. And I liked it. When I was finished eating, I didn't feel the need to nearly drown myself with water or soda. I could just calmly carry on sipping my Coke and enjoy the flavor of the spice. 


I will not be going any higher on the Scoville scale, because that would surely end in the loss of my tongue.

The Cold is in My Bones

Sunday, March 7, 2021
It is still freezing in New York and I can't seem to get warm. Once the chill sets in, it is there. I feel it in my bones, constant and shaking. No matter how many layers I wear, the cold still seeps in. 

Hopefully this cold front will end soon, and the cold will be comfortable and not unbearable. Until then, I will be loading up on hot chocolates.

Waiting Brain

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

You know when you have to be somewhere at a specific time, your brain knows and leaves you thinking about it? If that happened a half an hour before, then that's fine. Good internal warning system. 


My waiting system starts hours in advance. 


If I have an appointment at noon, my brain starts getting ready for it as soon as I wake up. If I'm going out to dinner with the family, I need ample warning because my brain just can't process the spontaneity of a simple meal at a restaurant. 


I had to start getting up for my new job at 4:30 in the morning. My waiting brain started at nine the night before, and it wasn't just anxiety of starting a new job, I was waiting for 4:30 so I could get ready to leave. It keeps happening, too. It's not as bad as the first night, but the waiting for my alarm to go off starts when I'm getting ready to go to sleep, and then, once midnight passes, I wake up every hour on the hour until my alarm sounds. It's a real joy to get up in the morning.


If anyone else suffers from this condition, I need tips. 

I'm an Aquarius With a Rising This is Bullshit

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Astrology is one of those things that I just don't understand how people believe in it. The human experience is so different for everybody that everybody born in the same month has the exact same character traits. I can disprove that notion real quick: I'm a twin, and we are very different people. And then with all the added rising and moon and whatever, it's just a caveat to explain why two people born in the month of February might be different.


(I do believe in jinxes. Because that is something that happens specifically to you. It is not prescribed, you are the one that tempted fate and she is coming for you. )

Earworm: "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift

Saturday, February 13, 2021

So the first track from Taylor Swift's mission to re-record all of her music that she doesn't own has been released. I was a bit surprised she started with Fearless, thinking she'd go in chronological order with her debut, but it makes sense. Taylor Swift may have been her first album, but Fearless was her introduction to superstardom.



I think people were expecting radically different versions of these songs, but when this dropped I think people realized what this undertaking actually was. There will be some differences, because playing these songs night after night on tour, you'll find new ways to play them and that can be worked into the arrangement and not be a drastic change. I will say, I can't wait to hear how time has affected the rest of the album. One of my favorite Taylor deep cuts is "The Way I Loved You", so that is high on my list, and I don't have to wait that much longer for it. 


I am on the record about not liking Reputation and Lover. While folklore and evermore were better than those two works, my hope for what she gets out of revisiting her older albums, and specifically her country albums, is a better sense of who she is as an artist. It's felt like the last few years she was trying so hard to be this mega pop star, that she lost a lot of her power as a songwriter. When she gets around to Red, that's the album that I think will reawaken what's been hiding from her the last few years. And "State of Grace" is at the top of my wait list because it's my favorite song of hers and it deserves more love and attention.

If All the Ads Are Online, What's the Point of Watching the Super Bowl?

Sunday, February 7, 2021

One of the joys of the Super Bowl is watching the ads. It's one of the few water cooler events we have left. The ads, the halftime show, the show that's on afterwards, and sure, the game too. But now that all the companies that paid hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars for ad space during the game are releasing the commercials ahead of time, what's the point of sitting through the whole game if you don't actually like the game? Just wait for the halftime show and maybe check back in for the tv show premiering?


The ads build anticipation for the game, because more often than not the actual game is average at best. We need the spectacle to keep watching and not turn off as if it were a lackluster regular season match. I'm still gonna watch the halftime show and watch Queen Latifah kick ass in The Equalizer

Today Is a Good Day

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

 Just emotional all around. I got emotional seeing the Obamas enter. (Also, Michelle won Best Dressed.) I got emotional seeing Officer Eugene Goodman announced, as he was escorting Kamala Harris as she entered. I got emotional seeing Joe and Dr. Jill. And then once they were sworn in the tears started coming.


I hope this is the dawn of a better time in this country, after the last four years under a wannabe authoritarian. I hope the Democrats can do the big stuff while they have the control of the House, the Senate, and the Executive branch. 


But for today, I'll leave with National Youth Poet Laureate of 2017, Amanda Gorman.






Thanks to Batwoman, We Finally Get to See a Handing Off of the Mantle

Sunday, January 17, 2021

 Today is the day that Javicia Leslie dons the cowl as Batwoman. 





There have been episodes or short arcs of someone becoming the Green Arrow and the Flash, but this is the first time in superhero television that there is going to be a full on handing off of the mantle. This happens regularly for a lot of comic book characters, especially in DC that are not the trinity of Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, barring one of those small arcs in Batman's case. So, to finally see it happen in television is great. Normally when we get someone new to play a hero, it's a full on reboot years later. We did have Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but it didn't feel like a handing off of a mantle because of all the alternate universe spider people like Peter B. Parker and Spider-Gwen alongside Miles. And it's a movie, so it's not a long-term relationship that we have with Miles that we had with Kate Kane and that we will have with Ryan Wilder, the new Batwoman.


And it'll be interesting to see the new relationships that form with all of the returning characters to Ryan Wilder, especially because all but one of the characters were Kate's family and her first love. So to see who they react to losing her and having someone new put on the cowl and become the figurehead of this operation. 


But I'm optimistic that the show can handle it. When Batwoman is on its game, it's amazing. And with Alice as the main antagonist, it has one of the most interesting villains on superhero television. And they really know and understand the relationships characters have with each other, so I'm certain they'll know how to position Ryan into this motley crew of people, and I can't wait to see how it all shakes out.

I Don't Eat Breakfast So I Have It For Dinner Sometimes

Saturday, January 16, 2021

I'm not typically a breakfast eater, so I don't have breakfast foods a lot. And I love breakfast foods. Pancakes. Belgian Waffles. Scrambled eggs that aren't burnt. Cereal. The rare fancy brunch at Bonefish where I get surf n' turf eggs benedict that is *chef's kiss*. 


So I decided to have breakfast for dinner.


A week ago I had pancakes. Tonight, I decided to make myself some scrambled eggs for dinner, and that was a great decision. I don't have these foods often, and on top of that, it's fun to have breakfast for dinner! It feels like you're breaking a rule but you're not, because who cares what you eat for dinner? It makes me happy. And I got a waffle maker for Christmas so I'm definitely gonna be breaking that out more often. 



How Did It Take Me This Long to See Almost Famous?

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

So my sister came over yesterday for food and good vibes, and a movie, and we settled on Almost Famous, because somehow I was the only one in my family who had never seen it. The one who is obsessed and in love with the music of the '70s, especially rock music of the 70s, had never seen Almost Famous. I don't know how that happened. It was always one of those movies that I just never got around to, always on the list of older films to check off. 


I'm so glad I finally watched it. It was just amazing, I don't know what else to say. 


Because I love the '70s so much, I've often wondered what it would have been like and what I would have been like if I had been in my teens and early 20s during that decade. To be able to see some of these artists live. To remember the first time I listened to their albums, to go to the record store to buy the first printing of Tapestry or Rumours. Not to mention the fashion. Oh my god, the shoes. I want all of it. 


I want to be there.

My New Year's Resolutions for 2021

Monday, January 4, 2021

 I know people usually announce their New Year's Resolutions on New Year's Day, but I wanted to think deeply about mine. Read: I forgot people do this until I started writing this yesterday and thought it would make a great journal entry on my blog. But also, I think after the hell of 2020, we should really think about what we can reasonably do to make 2021 a better year.


  1. Read more books
    1. Last year I set what seemed to be an achievable goal of 20 books. At the rate of reading I was doing at the time, I felt I could feasibly do it. Then in August I stopped reading. So this year I set a goal of 10 books, with the hope I'll go above and beyond. And I've got my goodreads to keep track of my progress. 
  2. Eat more fruits & vegetables
    1. I have texture issues with foods, which mainly comes into play with fruits and veggies. I know in order to be healthy you have to have your three servings a day, so I'm going to try to find fruits and veggies that I won't get tired of to get my servings in.
  3. Exercise
    1. Once it gets to walking weather this will be easier to accomplish, but I do like to walk to places and not take any kind of transportation so we'll see if I do any other forms of exercising. I am also purposely not setting an exercise goal, because unlike books, there is no endpoint, so I'm just going to take it day by day.

Yeah, basic resolutions. But they're pretty reasonable things for me to accomplish that I also need to do. And also blog more, because I have this site, might as well do things with it.

The Best Movies I Saw in 2020

Sunday, January 3, 2021
2020 in movies is always gonna be remembered as a weird year. The coronavirus shut everything down for a bit, so a good chuck of movies that were coming out in the winter and spring were postponed. And I don’t have the money to get every movie I wanted to see on VOD, so this is what I could watch.

Here are the best movies I saw in 2020.

The Best TV I Watched in 2020

Saturday, January 2, 2021

What a year it has been. I spent a lot of it watching new and new-to-me television to get through it. It's a mix of prestige dramatic television, genre fare, and the best laughs you can find, and, in some cases, all of the above.


Here's the best of what I watched, in alphabetical order.


2021 Can Only Go Up From Here

Friday, January 1, 2021
And thus ends one of the worst years of all time. I don't even know what else there is to say. I know every year lately we've been saying "20xx was the absolute worst", but it's true of 2020. 

I hope with our new President, Veep, and administration, we'll actually be able to get out of the whole we've been in as a country this last year and get back to our regularly scheduled lives. 

A toast to 2021, may you bring an end to this horrid year and bring us into the Roaring 20's Redux we were hoping for this time last year.




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