Ocean City Sweet Life

I don't make it to the beach too often. I sometimes consider going to Coney Island, but the idea of even putting my pinky toe in that water erks me to no end. That's why when our friends offered my boyfriend and I some space in their car for a trip to Ocean City Beach, we couldn't turn it down.

Growing up nerdy, I LOVED pinball machines. Along the boardwalk we found what I imagine to be the last standing arcade in the universe. It was packed with back to back pinball machines, skee-ball and hoop shooter games. I was in heaven.

The boardwalk was great. Not too crowded and not boring. I've been to some boardwalks that didn't offer much to do or see, so I was glad to see that we had options to play with.

Boardwalk food, YUM! Crabby patties and butterfly chips (which we watched to cook make with a power drill) gave us the energy to move on after spending almost 5 hours playing in the ocean and lounging on the beach.

Here I am, all smiles and burnt to a crisp.

A Great Big Pile of Leaves-In My Head

Not too often do I share music on my little blog here, but this band has something I couldn't resist talking about.

I saw A Great Big Pile of Leaves (doesn't that name just make you wanna smile) about 2 or 3 months ago when they were opening for another band called, Happy Body Slow Brain (doesn't make me smile but it is indeed a thinker).

GBPL only played for some 30 minutes but I had never seen such a small crowd of people (whom I presume were all strangers) so pumped off this little nobody band from Brooklyn. There was fist pumping, jumping and general excitement. I felt myself bopping around to their brand of indie whatever.

I would recommend checking them out both live and on disc. If their video for "Alligator Bop" doesn't quite fit your taste (it is bizarre, I know but aren't all music videos these days), then check out their more toned down SXSW performance vid for "Vampires In Love".

Check out touring info for A Great Big Pile of Leaves here.

Fainting Goat Kittens

When I was a kid, I got the lucky fortune of going to a special farm in the middle of nowhere, Tennessee. At this special farm were deer, that we could pet and feed. There were pigs and horses and most awesomely were goats! But these weren't just any old goats, these were Fainting Goats.

While showing us around, the farmer got into the pin with the goats and then took out running at them. We had thought the farmer had lost his mind. But before our tiny little eyes, an act of hilarity was about to happen. Before we knew it nearly 2/3 of the goats in the pin had passed out. To a 10 year old, nothing could be funnier than watching an animal just lock up and pass out. Within seconds they would wiggle back on to all fours and go about their business, but who can contain themselves when seeing such a hilarious act of nature. Before we knew we were all yelling for the goats to pass out again. And of course, there they went. It was like they were being zapped by invisible lasers! It was SO FREAKIN' FUNNY!

Either way, I was recently listening to one of my favorite podcast, Stuff You Should Know, and they had done a podcast on the science and history behind Fainting Goats. After explaining this phenom they suggested some great YouTube videos to supplement our visual interest and one was the Fainting Goat Kittens. I personally don't care much for ridiculous YouTube mischief, but this video had me in tears. It somehow gets funnier, despite the fact that the same thing keeps happening over and over again.

Watch it for yourself. You won't be sorry. I promise.

8 Reasons True Blood is Addictive

Popular culture is fascinating. The way one little spark can ignite a flame of something as small as your curiosity, is something worth thinking about. I tend to push against popular culture at times. In some ways it's like being brainwashed by a cult. On the outside it looks super crazy, but on the inside you are having a fab time. That's if your cult allows fun. It all depends, I suppose.

Either way, I resisted True Blood. Not in the aggressive way that I have other things, but I did ignore it for some time. I really didn't want to get sucked into it, but it seemed that everyone was drinking the True Blood cult Kool-Aid, and I couldn't help but to find myself curious as to what all the hype was about.

That's when it started.

The first 3 or 4 episodes was by far the most ridiculous 4 hours of my life wasted on television...or at least that's what it felt like. I started out thinking that anyone who could diss Twilight but call this the greatest show ever, was probably the people mixing the Kool-Aid for the cult members. But, then something happened. I don't know when or how, but I found myself moving the True Blood disc up in my Netflix queue and I was thrilled to see one waiting for me when I got home.

How did this phenom happen? This is 8 reasons I think I became addicted to True Blood.

1. This show made history. It created an entire cast of characters, none of which are likable. They are super over the top. Strange to look at, and their accents tend to grate on my nerves (this coming from a southerner). Yet, the culmination of these traits were intriguing because they are somehow outside the realm of every other sitcom, doc/law hour and reality show out there.



Eric and his fangtastic posse aren't against sharing meals.

2. Sitcoms are great. I love them, but they leave little to be desired. Thers' usually nothing keeping you hanging on. True Blood leaves you hanging off a cliff. You can't wait to find out what's going to happen next.

3. Vampires are the business right now, whether you like it or not. Mystery, fangs, bad eating habits. It's all so exciting.

4. Sookie is probably the worst name ever spoken in the English language, yet every time Vampire Bill says it, I want to fall into stitches.

Vampire Bill is so old school. He probably thinks he is "courting" Sookie.

5, I'm not a huge fan of campy stuff but when taken in small doses, you can appreciate the effort put into things that are so hokie that you are sure a team of uncles and a 7 year-old got together and made it up.

6. Who doesn't miss a good old fashion love triangle. The Joey, Dawson and Pacey's of the world are long gone and now dressing their children in high heels. Bon Temps has more love triangles than a John Hughes movie, so you can't help but to get caught up in the juicy love affairs of swamp folk.

Love triangles and quadrangles are fun...for TV, not real life.

7. I love supernatural stuff (not ghost, cause they are mega creepy). Following the tales of things like shifters, vamps, and werewolves is exciting. True Blood is overstocked in the supercrazy, superstrange and superhairy.

8. One of the fun things about True Blood is that it gives you something interesting to talk about at work the next day. I would be bored with an American Idol, Two and a Half Men, or football recap but True Blood is crazy enough to have multiple points to hit on while chatting with your register or cube buddy.

Tara and Sookie get their chat on while they should be working.

If you can get past the occasional sex (duh, it's HBO. I haven't watched The Big C yet but I'm sure Laura Linney is all sorts of naked in it) and the ultra campy first 4 episodes, there is a big chance that you will get attached to this show. Whether you want to or not.

Ladies' Night Movies

If there is any one thing I miss from my teenage years, it was the fun I had at sleepovers. My BFFs, girlfriends and whomevers had a blast eating our weight in pizza, soda and candy, then watching whatever movie was on network television or siting in a cabinet of VHSs.

Well, lady pals and friends. I think tis the time to have some good old fashion fun. Going out, dancing and drinking so much that you can't remember how you got home, can be expensize and mentally taxing.  Pizza, soda and movies with friends is the real food for the soul. That's why I've put together some fun sleepover/ ladies night movies selections for every pal type. Because, not all friendships are created equal. The friends that push to see the Lion King for the billionth time aren't always the ones that can't wait to see The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. But sometimes those are the same friends. It all the depends.

Nostaligic Friends: These are the friends that won't shut the hell up about 11th grade and how awesome it was back in the day. Movies like EverAfter (1998) and Clueless (1995) will maybe get you in the mood for a walk down memory lane too.

Older/Sophisticated Friends: Some of us have friends that are older and more sophisticated and they don't care much for the action and horror movies of such popular demand these days. That's why Julie & Julia (2009) and Ghost (1990) are great picks to luring your older pals away from the Food Network and their kids. Also, one movie has Meryl Streep and everyone over the age of 30 wants to be her BFF, and the other movie will get you out of having to watch Dirty Dancing, which is always a good thing.

Intellectual Friends: Some friends are just brainy. They are the ones that will be in school for the rest of their lives. You don't hate them for it, but you can't just watch any old movie with them. They'll accuse you of taking their IQ down 2 points for watching No Strings Attached (2011). Inception (2010) is great because it usually takes more than one person to figure out what just happened in that movie anyways (no matter how many times you've teen it). Plus, if you don't feel like paying attention, 2/3 of the cast is super hot. So, there ya go. It is a win for everyone.

Nerdy Friends: These are usually my pals at heart. I love someone to geek with. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) are for geeky friends who love old school video games and cult classics in the making. Back to the Future (1985) is for that Nerdy girl pal that just happens to be a guy...instead of a girl.

Romantical Friends: Some of you may have a girl pal who is the ultra girly, stylish, romantical type who you think is somehow cute as cupcake 97. 2% of the time. 500 Days of Summer (2009) is a great pick because Zooey Deschanel is also cute as a cupcake and Joseph Gordon Levitt is a hot cake. Not to mention, the story is good and follows the trappings of love through the eyes of a guy. Which is insightful...I guess.

Horror Fiend Friend: Some friends are obsessed with horror movies, which is creepy. But you may be obsessed with Star Wars...and they probably think that's wierd. So, you gotta make some middle ground at some point. I saw Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers (1988) a zillion years ago and I remember it being gross, but funny. Which is sometimes good enough when having to watch something that could potentially keep you up for the rest of the week.

10 Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

I know I'm forever late on this recap/review, but I wanted to make sure that everyone on the planet had seen the movie by now, so I'm guessing since it has hit a billion, I can rest assure that this will not be a spoiler for anyone. NOTE: If your current address is 111 Boulder Underside, then this may actually be a spoiler for you. Sorry but I can't help it if you suck.

1.Yaaayyy! All hail the return of Seamus, Dean Thomas and Neville! These guys are the ones that were kicking butt, taking names and starting their own Hogwarts Underground Railroad. They also provided some good laughes. Good job boys!

2. Snapes death has always been controversial, and it seemed even more so when details were given that the scene in the movie would be different from the book. The movie version seemed a lot more painful and sad. I think they did the scene justice but they didn't do Snape justice in the series. They didn't build it better in the previous movies. This scene would have meant much more if the previous movies better built Snape's past with Lily. I think they tried to make up for it in the flashback (which was really good) but it seemed too little, too late.

3. Where the hell was KREACHER?!?! He's my FAVORITE and he was nowhere to be seen. They give that wierdo Jar Jar Binks Dobby all this prior pointless screen time, yet when it comes to a character that really makes plot moves in the book, he gets cut out of the movie. Shame on you, WB!

4. One of the more disappointing parts of the movie was Neville's big scene, when he kills Nagini (the last horcrux). In the book, it was by far my favorite part of Deathly Hallows, yet it seemed too rushed in the movie. They took Neville's shinning moment away from him. At the end of reading Deathly Hallows, I liked Neville more than I liked Harry Potter. That's how awesome it was in the book!!!!

5. When Harry "dies" and goes to "Platform 9 3/4 Heaven" we finally get to see Voldi roadkill baby grossing it up under a bench, and I must say that Voldi roadkill baby is10 times uglier than what I imagined he/it would look like. I think by then I was referencing what the goo sperm baby looked like in Goblet of Fire, but no, this was...just...birthed by a cow.

6. I miss Billy Nighy.

7. What about that kiss, eh?

8. There was a lot of death in this movie but you didn't really notice it.  The deaths of Lupin, Tonks and one of the twins (hardly matters which one) seemed like a bit of an afterthought. Nearly forgettable, yet it seemed like something that stuck with people more after reading DH. I'm not sure how it could have been better but I definitely wasn't steaming up my glasses with those scenes.

9. The ending (last 2 minutes) was sort of awful. The trio standing alone on a pile of rubble once called Hogwarts, was a bit cheesy. Emma Watson made it even more awkward. It looked posed, like they were waiting for a school bus or something.

10. The epilogue was cute. I wish Ginny didn't look so boring and Draco didn't look bloated, but either than that I thought everybody looked fair to age. Nice ending to the series.

Side Note: Although I hate 3D movies and I feel that they are enormously predudice against 4-eyed folk like myself (who still wear glasses because contacts are scary), I thought the Potter 3D glasses was BRILLANT! I kept my pair and my boyfriends. Too cool.