"You Should Know I've Had My License Revoked" "For What? "Speeding."

This is unrelated to game shows (well, it's kind of related, but I'll get to that later). I'm currently watching the movie Speed. I saw a thing on Mythbusters about it, and though the myth was busted, it made me want to see the movie. I remember when my Mom watched it for the first time (she loves action movies). We were at my Grandma's house. She and my aunts and uncles were watching it while Grandma and I were playing cards at the dining room table. All we heard from our perspective was a lot of screaming. I distinctly remember my Grandma Judy saying that we could be extras in this movie- all we had to be able to do was scream! LOL So, I started watching the movie at about 1:10 this morning, (it's 1:47 now, so I better get back to it) and I've already discovered several things I love.

1. I'm not annoyed by Keanu Reeves (a pleasant surprise).

2. The beginning exposition/setup scene was fantastic. It got me ready for the story to come by showing, not telling (classic grade school writing advice, no?) with a non-bus scene I totally didn't expect.

3. Keanu Reeves uses the phrase “Will the Mystery Guest please sign in?” LOL Indirectly related to game shows, as I noted above.

4. Patrick Fischler (!) is in the beginning scene, playing a man named Bob...I'm almost sure of it! That man is everywhere!

5. Alan Ruck as the tourist relaying what Keanu Reeves is saying. Upon Keanu's revelation that's there's a whole mess of C4 strapped to the bus, he utters an extreme expletive, which causes Alan to pause and relay “Oh, darn!” LOL

17 Again

The facts are these...
1. I saw the movie "17 Again" tonight.
2. I was hoping to drift peacefully to sleep and dream about Zac Efron.
3. I cannot sleep. I stay up late frequently, but not this late...er, early.
4. I'm not going to get back in bed until I know I'm exhausted enough to actually sleep.
5. As usual, it has been far too long since I blogged.
6. I've seen too many negative reviews of "17 Again" and would like to offer a different perspective... (What else am I going to do?)

"17 Again" is not an original premise; let's just get that out of the way. At least one article I read insinuated the story was a rip-off of "Big" (though, of course, it was actually the reverse). Another whined that Zac Efron didn't have the husky "old soul" voice of Lindsay Lohan to pull off the adult-in-a-teenage-body illusion in Freaky Friday. I think a lot of things have aged Lindsay Lohan's soul and Zac Efron is lucky his is still young.

I will also start by saying that I went into this movie heavily biased in its favor. I swooned over Matthew Perry on "Friends" and Zac Efron in "Hairspray". I absolutely LOVE body switching movies, and I could watch all of them, from the classic "Big " to the obscure early Katherine Hiegl flick "Wish Upon A Star", a dozen times. This is partly because I enjoy the predictable (but always just a little bit different!) hilarity that will ensue, but also because I'm interested to see how well actors will embody the person they swapped with. (I've never seen "Face Off", but I'm fairly certain I'd be thrilled with it for this reason.)

With that, I give you a list of questions to determine if, like me, you'd enjoy "17 Again". If you answer yes to at least 3 of them, you should rent it. If you answer yes to more than half, get thee to a theater.

1. Do you enjoy looking at Zac Efron?
2. Would you like to see the comedic stylings of Mrs. Judd Apatow (Leslie Mann)?
3. Have you missed Matthew Perry? (Half a point for this one, since he's in only a few scenes).
4. Do you like "Freaky Friday(s)", "Big", etc. but not hold them in untouchable reverence?
5. Do you enjoy seeing high school bullies get their comeuppance?
5a. Are you okay with this and other high school cliches?
6. Were you beginning to wonder if Brian Doyle Murray was still alive?
7. Do you appreciate heartwarming family stories?
8. Does the masterpiece "Bust A Move" by Young MC make you want to sing/dance/smile?
9. Are you curious how this movie manages to incorporate Elvish subtitles?

If none of the above reasons do anything for you, I've saved my strongest argument for last:

Thomas Lennon, who plays Perry/Efron's best friend, is positively hilarious. He steals just about every scene he's in. I personally think his character alone would be worth the price of admission.

"17 Again": Cliche? Sure. Sweet and funny? Definitely. Thomas Lennon? Awesome.

What's Going On

I don't want this blog to turn into my soapbox for American Idol, but I think that's somewhat inevitable this time of year. First, some general notes:

1. I miss Alexis Grace. She was definitely not due to go home last week.
2. I'm sick of Kara DioGuardi. She should have gone home last week.

I didn't see the whole show. (I had to watch clips on YouTube after the fact.) But, I got to see the important stuff. I'll try to keep this short, but we all know what happens when I try to do that.

People I'm Not At All Pleased With:

Scott: He's a sweet guy, and I think he plays the piano brilliantly. His slow start to "You Can't Hury Love" was very nicely done. But when he started singing, I could hardly keep watching. I feel bad, because it's a tremendous accomplishment for him to be here, and no one wants to diss someone with a disability. But, he deserves to be held to the same standard as others, and I don't think his voice is up to par.

Michael: Also a likable guy. Once my friend burned a washcloth in the microwave and called herself an idiot. I responded, "A burnt washcloth does not an idiot make." Well, neither does likability make an Idol. It's certainly a big part of the equation, but vocals must account for at least half. I'm also a little bitter because I feel he stole Alexis' place on the tour this season. Also, I think "Ain't To Proud To Beg" is waaaaay overplayed, and by greater artists than Mr. Sarver.

Megan: Her voice is kinda cool and different, but also kinda...not good. I'm sure she'd rock 1940's week (and you know how I love anything retro), but it seems that she can't sing many later songs very well. I'll pull a Paula: I loved her dress tonight, though.

People I'm Underwelmed By

Lil: I think Lil can do better than she's been doing. But I'd also be less critical of her if she weren't such a judges' favorite. I don't think "Heatwave" showcases what she could really do.

Danny: He also suffers from the "Judges" Favorite" syndrome. And I don't think "Get Ready" was in anyway the right song. I didn't see Simon's comments, but I hope he said that to both Lil and Danny even though he really likes them. He's still got a cool, raspy quality to his voice that I like, but I want to see him wow me, especially with all the judge praise he receives.

People I've Always Liked And Still Do

Kris: What a cutie. He seems genuinely nice. Just the type of normal guy that needs a show like American Idol to give him a platform for his talent. He didn't knock my socks off tonight, but I loved his slow start and that he played guitar. Simon, please don't tell him to be conceited.

Alison: LOVED her performance. They must have known how good it would be and let her close the show because of it. I saw one review that said they couldn't understand her. I did notice that in the rapid-fire lyrics at the end, but it's not a big deal. That was a sensational song for her rough, rocky voice. During so many performanes (see some of the above categories) I was just waiting for them to be over. This one was so enjoyable, I could hear it again...but I hope I don't, because that would mean she was in the singing-for-her-life position, and she definitely shouldn't be this week.

Anoop: When I saw he was singing "Ooh Baby Baby", I think I expected a little bit more. I'm not sure what. He did a very nice version, and I still want to see what else he can do.

Matt: I've liked him ever since "Georgia" during Hollywood Week. I still wanted him to get another chance after he butchered "Viva La Vida". No one can beat Marvin, but Matt performed "Let's Get It On" beautifully.

And finally...
People I Kind Of Hated Before But Have Gradually Warmed Up To And Genuinely Enjoyed Tonight

Adam: Well, with a category that specific, there can really only be one. My only negative critique is that I thought he stayed up in his falsetto a little too much. Peaks and valleys of high and low notes might have added interest to the performance, I think. Other than that, I loved it. His pitch is so perfect. It's hard to hold those soft, high notes without falling or cracking. I also loved his coversation with Smokey, how he seemed truly interested in what inspired the song. And I loved his look tonight. The suit was so sharp and I loved the retro pompadour... He really does look like Elvis. However, while his look suited me, I know that' snot his thing. Even though I don't like whatever Emo style he did before, I know that's him, and he should honor that.

But for tonight...gosh, he looked like Elvis, and I liked it.

Wow, That Was A Long Break

Fittingly, this post will also focus on American Idol. I decided to publish my song choices for the Idol contestants. I wish I'd done it last week too, but none of them were right anyway...except my prediction that, against all wisdom, someone might sing "Rockin' Robin". This week celebrates the Grand Old Opry, and I think there's some good potential as long as the contestants play fast and loose with the arrangements. Note: I've specifically not picked any Carrie Underwood songs. I don't believe songs recorded by any former Idol should be performed by current hopefuls... Remember how LaKeisha Jones took on BOTH Carrie and Fantasia in Season 6? It's just a bad idea.

Alison Iraheta- "Wild Angels" by Martina McBride. This seems like one that could be given some rocker chick flair.

Megan Corkery- "Crazy" by Patsy Cline. This is my favorite song pick. I genuinely hope Megan picks this song. Patsy's song-stylings would really suit Season 8's quirkiest performer. I would also be delighted if Megan sang "Here You Come Again" by Dolly Parton, but that's just because I love that song.

Lil Rounds- "If Lovin' You Is Wrong, I Don't Wanna Be Right" by Barbara Mandrell. The first time I heard this song was during an awkward scene between Greg and Marcia in The Brady Bunch Movie, and it was the Luther Ingram sexy soul version. I think performing the song version of this song would serve her very well. I think she could also succeed with McBride's "Broken Wing", but that's my second choice.

Alexis Grace- "Fancy" by Reba McEntire. This was the first pick I made. I think it would really suit the kind of style she's been showing so far. Perhaps Reba is just a good fit for Alexis, becuase after listening to the other Reba song on this list ("Why Haven't I Heard From You?") I think it would also work for Miss Grace.

Danny Gokey- "How Do I Live" by Trisha Yearwood or "Anyway" by Martina McBride. Both of these are the soaring types of ballads that I think Danny likes to do.

Adam Lambert- I feel like Adam is good at singing songs with the kind of fast cadence that would vex other singers. So, I've got three choices for him: "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" by Travis Tritt, "Summertime Blues" by Alan Jackson, and "9-5" by Dolly Parton.

Matt Giraud- I wanted to find something for Matt that he could change up completely. So I went with "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams. This might be a bit of an odd choice, but it could be really cool if it worked. I'd also enjoy seeing him sing/play "Baby Now That I've Found You" by Alison Krauss. The original version of the song is by the 60's group The Foundations (of "Build Me Up Buttercup" fame), so de-countrifying the tune would be easy.

Scott MacIntire- I'm going to be a bit stereotypical here and go with "It Was Almost Like A Song" by Ronnie Milsap. I also think it suits Scott's mellow style. "I Still Believe In You" by Vince Gill would be a nice choice, too.

Anoop Desai- I hope he does a good job this week. He needs something with a litte oomph to it, so I'll go with "Honkytonk Badonkadonk" by Trace Adkins. I can't think of a second song idea.

Michael Sarver- You'd think he'd be the easiest to pick for on country week, but not so. So many songs would sound karaoke in their original style. I think this problem might be unavoidable, but I'll go with "You're Gonna Miss This", also by Trace Adkins.

Kris Allen- I really love the song "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss. I also love Kris Allen LOL I think it would be a lovely song choice for just about anyone, but I'd love to see him play his guitar with it.

Well, I've finished just in time to watch the show! We'll see what happens...

I'll Post More...After the Break

American Idol has been off to a somewhat slow start for me this season, but I absolutely LOVE to watch people sing, and a good theme night makes Tuesday a highlight of my week. I found this through an ad on Facebook: It's an American Idol fantasy-football-esque game. You pick your three favorite singers for the week. It would be nice if they found a way to make it a little more complicated, but it could be a nice diversion.

Caf-Pow!

I haven't posted a quiz result in a while, and this one is perfect:



It's from one of my favorite television shows; It has a nice pictorial result; I got the result I wanted without trying to rig it ;-) (Always a good thing.)

Diet Coke

While watching American Idol tonight I noticed Diet Coke's new slogan: Just for the taste of it. Anyone alive in the late 80's/early 90's remembers that this is a retro slogan they've repurposed. I personally love the recall of old taglines...especially when accompanied by old jingles (no guarantee of that happening in Diet Coke's case). But, an interesting American Idol, old-Diet-Coke-campaign connection is none other than Miss Paula Abdul. According to YouTube, she did this ad in 1991. Besides being fun and random, it's also a really cool advertisement. I don't know if it was originally a Super Bowl commercial, but if not, it's almost worthy of it.

Tasty Memories

They say that scent is the sense most closely linked to memory, and I definitely believe it. I once found some candles at Pier 1 that smelled exactly like my great-grandma's house. It was very surreal, especially since it had been more than a decade since she died. Anyway, lately I've been thinking about how closely taste can link to memory as well. I specifically began thinking about this because I've just started watching the TV show "NCIS". At the same time I started watching "NCIS", I also made a habit of snacking on microwave popcorn with white cheddar popcorn salt. (It's delicious!)Now, this food is forever linked with this TV show in my mind, and it isn't the first time this has happened. Laughing Cow cheese and Wheat Thins? "Quantum Leap" and "Arrested Development"; Early Summer 2008. Swanson TV Dinners? "Golden Girls"; 2001-2002ish. And, in an extremely ironic way (I'm not sure if it's the true since of irony or just the Alannis Morrisette version), those little chocolate-frosted donuts while watching the Beijing Olympics. Does this blog entry indicate I spend too much time enjoying both food and television? Perhaps.

Portland

Goodness gracious, am I ever slacking in the blogging department! I barely got in one post for December, and now it's nearly the end of January! But my Portland trip is definitely worth blogging about. Sara, Margaret, Paul and I made the long road trip southwest, fueled on Subway, "Mix Tapes" (or their 2009 equivalent), and pondering things you don't want to hear a surgeon or a truck driver say. We arrived in Vancouver (where our accommodations were) at about 1:25 a.m., then stopped at Shari's. I had some delicious stuffed hashbrowns (the only redeeming feature of Shari's as a non-Coca-Cola establishment) that surely had a calorie content meant for people on the Michael Phelps diet. We arrived at our hotel (aka Margaret's house) at about 2:30 a.m.

Saturday morning we met our great friends Sean and KB Sullivan at Lloyd's Center Mall in Portland. But this was only a means to get our cars parked in the same place. Our real destination was Voodoo Donut. Mmm. I'd never been to any donut shop like it. I especially loved the Bacon Maple Bar. I enjoy the occasional donut, but they always lack protein. Plus, maple and bacon are an excellent flavor combination.

Other highlights included the Trailblazer (cinnamon pastry with orange sprinkles) and a donut I tactfully refer to as the Old Dirty Fellow (it's original name indicated that it was of illegitimate birth, if you know what I mean). This fellow was chocolate frosted, drizzled with peanut butter, and liberally sprinkled with Oreos. Again, I say: Mmm.

After this tasty excursion, and a brief stop at Starbucks, we returned to Lloyd's Center so I could get a Coke and we could meet our friend Christene for lunch. Once Chris arrived, we walked to the famous Powell's City of Books (Did I mention that it was dazzlingly sunny outside? It was absolutely gorgeous, albeit cold). Powell's is the Smithsonian of bookstores. Spending nearly two hours there was about as good as spending an afternoon at the Smithsonian: Every moment was delightful, but time constraints reduced me to rushing from room to room gawking...and I'd even been there once before! I'd like to plan another trip to Portland where one entire day is devoted to the bookstore...and perhaps a donut break.

Sean's twin brother, Patrick, lives nearby, so he joined us at Powell's. The eight of us then went to Winco (another novelty to me... like across between a Safeway and a Costco!) to purchase ingredients for tacos. After a wonderful dinner (which was so much fun to cook because we all did it together! And also because of a peppering of "That's What She Said" jokes) we played two of my games: Boxers or Briefs and Partini. Then we played a game at Patrick's suggestion called "Pictionary in the Round", basically a visual version of telephone. We couldn't stop laughing at our bungled stories, and I don't think any of us will look at Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower the same way again :-)

Even after the Sullivans left and most of the house was asleep, I was still on a tremendous "people high"... that feeling I get when surrounded by great friends and/or when I make new ones, both of which were the case that evening. If I was a Sim, my "social bar" would be off-the-charts green.

Wow, this post is getting really long... I'll try to boil Sunday down to the essentials:

Tried Burgerville in Vancouver. The food was really great, especially the freshness of the fries. Not as good as In-And-Out, but then, nothing is.

Met Sean and KB for lunch at Gustav's, a German restaurant. Our waitress was not very nice, but we played more Pictionary in the Round and celebrated Sara and Margaret's upcoming birthdays with free dessert.

After saying goodbye to Sean and KB, the remaining five of us shopped at Trader Joe's... a place sorely missed in eastern Washington. We also window shopped at Whole Foods.

We finished our evening watching "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" at Cinetopia in Vancouver. My favorite feature was the machine that dispensed garlic butter to go with my white cheddar popcorn salt. Definitely some of the best popcorn I've ever had, anywhere. The movie was good, too.

Martin Luther King Day found us driving back home bright and early, stopping in Kennewick for breakfast at Denny's and a visit to the Rite Aid with extremely large center aisles. Paul has a picture of Margaret and I standing in the middle of it. It was fun and less out of the way than going to see the Biggest Ball of Yarn :-)