Thankfully Entertained

(Minus The Bear performing at one of my thankful places.)

Novel November is supposed to be the month that everyone is super jazzed to simply sit and write.

The movement is all about placing words in sentences and filling up a page. The final product doesn't have to be a novel, or perfect, or genius, or even make sense for that matter. Just getting anything in your brain out in front of you as a form of expression can be a giant accomplishment.

It would seem like a vibe like this would be the easiest time to write. You could write anything!

Truth is, this month I've never felt more uninspired to write in my life.

Sometimes when you are overwhelmed being productive is difficult. I tend to get really overwhelmed in spurts. Hence, my feeling that I'm trapped in a glass box of emotion.

Why type on my computer when I could bake some pies or zone out while being baffled by a bunch of Beverly Hills Housewives and a few Bridezillas thrown in for good measure?

However, this is ending now. This instant.

The change of heart comes from the fact that I missed updating this little bloggie and it's Thanksgiving time, which has left me with a need to express some fun things I'm grateful for this season. Each one of these often inspires me to break out of my stress obsessed rut.

In the same vain as a funny man I am always appreciative of, Jimmy Fallon, I would like to send out some thank you's to some pop culture entities.  So, without further ado: 


Thank you...

Showbox (At The Market) in Seattle: 

For being the best music venue for up close and personal shows.

Nashville:

For being the best new show that continually delivers a new catchy jam that gets stuck in my head weekly y'all.

Parks and Recreation:

For being funny and awww worthy in the same instant. Also, for featuring that maniac Joe Biden.

The Nerdest & Stuff You Should Know Podcasts:

For keeping people entertained and expanding my brain while riding the bus, taking a walk, or crafting. Learning things is neat.

Andrew Bird

For releasing an utterly beautiful album recently, and reminding me that I need to get that violin bow of mine fixed so I get back to playing.

The Office U.K. and The Office U.S.A

 For being there to remind us all of this shows hilarious roots (both across the pond and from earlier seasons), and preparing me to say goodbye when the show ends this year.

 Election Season Being Over

[My Dad being cheeky. His sign on the door.]

For ridding the world of slam TV ads, mail propaganda, party e-mails, and political stress. 

Well, for at least four years anyway.

 
The Philadelphia Story

For being purchased by a secret pal at work, and providing a source of entertainment to a clan of classic film lovers over this holiday weekend. 

Giggy

Because he is basically a walking teddy bear, he has Alopecia but still looks great in a tuxedo, and he's BFFs with Honey Boo Boo. Oh, and he has a website. To be honest, I could actually go on.

Family, friends, having a roof over our heads, and food are wonderful and we are thankful for it all, but lots of gratitude can also be directed towards these little bits of ridiculous and fun. 

It's definitely great to always step back and appreciate it all. Happy Thanksgiving!

Weekly Buffet: A Culture Filled Weekend

(Pop Culture in life: A Summer trip to Twin Peaks)

As Love Actually likes to remind us, "Love is all around". This is definitely true, and, as seen by the above picture, the same could be said about pop culture. This fact is also conveniently proven in that I just made a reference to a movie in order to make a point about life.

It's really hard not to make cultural references or take nerdy pilgrimages to filming locations of television shows.

Last weekend I was inspired by The AV Club's, "Pop-Culture Weekend", where they ask readers and/or celeb's to journal their absorption of everything culture related. In a three day span; What songs did you listen to? What books did you read? How much trashy television did you catch yourself watching? All of the above is jotted down, where honesty is definitely the best policy.

Being inspired is one thing, and having the time to hit the "Publish" button is another. Several days delayed, (the weeks are going by too fast to keep up with!), but fun just the same.

Even though this past weekend did not include said Twin Peaks trips, it did include many other adventures in culture. Here it is, the Pop filled weekend of October 13th:

Friday

  John Carter 

Yes, I actually watched this, but for any FNL fans, it has its obvious reasons. Turns out the summer bomb is not as bad as people were fussing about. It is a Disney production after-all, and the historical/futuristic, actual somewhat interesting story, reflects the studios taste for adventure flicks.

Put those two semi positive notes aside, because I still didn't say it was great. It was decent, and there are two major reasons why this film is watchable at all. Both are present in the below clip, I'll let you guess what they are.

Project Runway

Taking Tim Gunn out of his natural habitat, the work room and Mood, and forcing him to visit the final designer's in their homes/work-spaces as they complete their collections, has always been the best episode in any season of the show. In the past we have even bare witness to Mr. Gunn in an apron baking. 

The universe failed us all this season, because I fell asleep as I was catching up on the previous nights episode, or should I call it this season's cast take on, "Visting With Tim". 

It was boring, Tim didn't bake, and then no one got kicked off. Anti-climactic to the core. 

Bed Time Songs

 

"Mona Lisa and Madhatters", a little Hanson mix,  and Fiona Apple's "Extraordinary Machine" album.

Louie

Then, I wasn't tired, so it was time for one episode of Louie. I'm almost through the two seasons that are available on Netflix (Season Three aired this year). Simply and thoroughly hilarious. There really is nothing else to compare this show to.

Saturday


Morning

Pulling yourself out of bed, sleepily grabbing some coffee and flipping on the tube for some Saturday morning TV, becomes an even more glorious morning when the greatest Saved By the Bell episode has just started.

Hot Sundae, a workout themed music video, caffeine pills, and the timeless, "I'm so excited...I'm so scared!" episode is a classic. Needs to be submitted to the Smithsonian, that is how important that episode of television is to society. It is a treasure. Put your mind to it, go for it.

  

Afternoon

In between all my various shopping activities, I settled in to watch Felix Baumgartner break the sound barrier. Something so triumphant could then only be followed by an episode of the addicting Storage Wars. Why do American's all have so much crap to store away? It's all good, because then there these crazies who come to bid on it.

Lifetime Movie

In the evening, before I headed out for the night, I caught the first 15 minutes of the new Lifetime version of Steel Magnolias. This little bit of an impression wasn't much. I like Queen Latifah and Alfre Woodard, but compared to Sally Field and Shirely Maclaine? Pssh, no chance! I just don't see the point.

Evening Tunes

In the mood for something fun-ish, and because they were in my mind after reading about them playing at a rad wedding, I revisited some 90's Yo La Tengo albums. Just as good as I remembered from when I was first introduced to them by a friend who was obsessed.

The Wild Buff

My town's biggest flaw is that there is only one place that brings in the majority of live music. All is forgotten as I've seen numerous notable people there in the last couple years. Most notably, Camera Obscura and William Oldham, but this night it was all about the local artists, as the Seattle band Pickwick had the packed dancefloor groovin'.

Sunday 

Morning 

I will finish Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I will! I will! Two years and I'm still only on Season 6, but I am trying to finish it before Halloween. It's really all about the big goals in life. 

Afternoon

All about mucho Football watching while crafting (and getting frustrated at my knitting pattern. Argh!)

The Seahawks pulled off a big win against New England. It was needed after the national headline making game, that we'll remember as the, "Bad Call Heard Round The World".

After my night of Pacific Northwest music, I was in the mood for more local tunes. Jamming to the likes of Seattle artists Allen Stone, and re-watching the video for "Same Love" by Ryan Lewis & Macklemore.

Seems like everyone is rightfully giving this song some praise (even Ellen), and their album even debuted at Number One on iTunes. Great song, beautiful video. Proud to be from Washington this election season.

Evening

Watching people race around the world on The Amazing Race becomes my favorite reality show whenever it's on! I sort of feel like I'm the only one watching it.

The biggest news of the night is that The Walking Dead is back and better than ever! I love this show, but I often get frustrated with the choices in story telling. Thankfully, they moved forward in time and seemed to just forget about many of the plot points that were driving me cuckoo last season. Here's hoping that the show continues on from this strong start.

There it is, and with another weekend upon us, get to charting your own weekend of pop culture.

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A Bumbershoot Is An Umbrella

Legends from across the music spectrum converged at the annual Bumbershoot music festival in Seattle this past weekend. In its 40th year, a vast amount of talent came to celebrate; popular acts like Weezer, The Decemberists, and Drake, local  Northwest talent David Bazan and Hey Marseilles, and even legend Bob Dylan (and legend in her own right, Courtney Love) all spent the Labor Day weekend rockin' out underneath the Space Needle.

Being a poor recent graduate, I really couldn't afford to even attend one day, but with the lineup being especially interesting this year, I just had to be there. It was actually a struggle to decide which day to attend. Having already seen most of the people for the Saturday line up (the lovely Neko Case, and the Decemberists) I decided to skip out on seeing Dylan in order to fulfill a dream from the days of yore; that dream is, of course, to see Rivers Cuomo in the flesh. How can you ever say no to seeing Courtney Love in real life as well?

Sunday at Bumbershoot turned into "Countdown to Courtney". Hole has never been one of my favorite bands, and I will admit that most of the songs I know are strictly because of their stints on TRL. However, Courtney is an icon, and I can always be found diving head first into any situation which puts me in the front row of any supposed train wrecks.

With my only expectation being that Love would come crashing onto the stage in ripped fishnets and pass out five minutes into her set, it was to my great surprise when a nearly regal woman proudly walked onto the stage in a wrap and covered in diamonds, including a tiara. There was no falling over, and as the show progressed the layers were removed, the tiara fell off, and the hilarious stories started to flow.

Love had something to prove to the crowd in Seattle (judging by the gasp inducing fact that people in the crowd quickly held up "Courtney Killed Kurt" signs at one point early in the show) and she definitely delivered one hell of a concert. In what many will recall as a highlight in true Seattle moments, Love looked up at the Space Needle towering over the stadium and began strumming the Pearl Jam classic "Jeremy".

Not a stellar cover, but it sure was ballsy.

Weezer, after over ten years, completely lived up to the wait. The fact that I am not a fan of Weezer's recent popular hits on the radio made being in a crowd of crazed "Beverly Hills" fans horrendous.

The rest of the show recovered by mostly focusing on their hits from the Blue Album ("Say It Ain't So") and Maladroit, with others from Pinkerton thrown in for good measure. In a showstopping highlight, the band began a cover of MGMT's Kids/ Lady Gaga's Poker Face. The band was later joined by Rivers who, to entirely fit the part, came out in a blond wig.





Potential rainstorms didn't stop the crowds this weekend, and as always, it felt good to be a fan of music in the great Pacific Northwest.