“Adjectives on the typewriter, He moves his words like a prize fighter”
-Shadow Stabbing, Cake

Yay! I’m leaving for Paris tomorrow and I’m meeting Coldplay on Tuesday! And Entertainment Weekly has a “guess the mustache” quiz online. I don’t know what I’m more excited for…I got 9/10.


“Outside, outside the world, Out there you don't hear the echoes and calls”


Nothing all that thrilling happened yesterday. I watched Shaun of the Dead again and that was about it. Sigh, I love British humour. Maybe I will do the whole SWAP in London after all (as if my decision solely rests on my level of enjoyment from Shaun of the Dead).

And I know I have already alerted Mairin and Shane to this, but we can all share a laugh at what is now my favourite music video of all time: David Hasselhoff and his cover of “Hooked on a Feeling.”

The other thing that I realized today was that Clint Eastwood is old. I mean really old. 75 years old. And Phil saw INXS today at lunch as they walked by him after finishing a press conference. I had lunch at Arby’s and saw a kid almost fall off of Santa’s lap at the Eaton’s Centre. There are at least two Santa’s. The one I saw earlier in the week was very surly and un-Santa like. Today’s is jollier.

Nayeli is in Ottawa, Leanne has been out with her bf, and I haven’t seen Sharifa in a few days so it’s just been me and the cat at home, watching movies, throwing things at the TV, and eating dried mangoes (Don’t ask. They came from Costco and are cheap and delicious and are helping me from getting scurvy as I am down to the bare minimum in groceries- crackers, mushroom soup, and I still have that bag of frozen mangoes, too).

“I'm so nervous, I'm so tense, My heart can't forget about this self defense”

I also no longer have a nemesis. I know, it’s sad. Everyone should have a nemesis but I am getting along with mine and we actually have a lot in common: we like movies and will often go to the theatre twice in one day, our favourite Harry Potter is the Prisoner of Azkaban, we both have film degrees, and are the two youngest people in the office. And we both love french fries. I shall be on the lookout for a new nemesis, but that might be hard until I find another job, they hire someone new, or I embark on some new endeavor that will put me in contact with new people.

So that’s it for now. I made this post as random and rambling as possible since I will be gone for a week to practice my French skillz.

“The frenzied pace of the mind inside the cell”

OVERRATED: Croissants filled with chocolate. I ate one during our morning meeting at work and discovered it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It’s definitely no apricot filled croissants that I had in Pacentro, Italy.
UNDERRATED: Airplane food. Especially Air Canada. I am looking forward to my in-flight meals this week. Sometimes you get ice cream. God knows I don’t eat that well at home on a regular basis.

“I thumb the cool blade but I know this can't last”

“So tell me that's fantastic, And promise me, you'll always sigh”
-Who Let You Go, The Killers

Today is a cold and slow day. I made boxes and held a discussion about Con Air, which I am not afraid to admit to owning. On VHS. It’s all for the Cusack, Buscemi, and Malkovich. And to a lesser extent, “Sweet Home Alabama.”

Because I have nothing better to do, here is one of my favourite pictures that was in Dose today:


I love Bills. Then again, my Dad’s name is Bill so I guess I am biased.

“You're missing what I'm trying to say, Ain't nothing getting in my way”

Shane decided that everyone he knows who has an iPod should make a list of their top 20, most played songs, by playcount. Because my defenses are useless against a list challenge, I had to comply. But because I don’t really know anyone else who has an iPod, I’ll just post my list online. SURPRISE! U2 isn’t number one. And the “rules” were that you can only have one song per band/artist/musician therefore there is only 1 U2 entry as opposed to multiple ones or songs featuring Bono which is a category in itself. From number 20 to number 1 we have:

20. Hard to Beat- Hard-Fi
19. Ooh La La- Goldfrapp
18. Take Me Out (live cover)- Scissor Sisters
17. Wake Up- The Arcade Fire
16. You Can’t Always Get What You Want- The Rolling Stones
15. Stutter- Andy Stochansky
14. Rip it Up- Raorlight
13. Who Let You Go- The Killers
12. Save Me- Jem
11. Bedshaped- Keane *funny thing is that I really don't ever listen to this song*
10. So New- Cillian Murphy
9. Inside and Out- Feist
8. Lost in the Plot- The Dears
7. Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl- Broken Social Scene
6. Your Ex-Lover is Dead- Stars
5. Everyday I Love You Less and Less- Kaiser Chiefs
4. Do You Want To- Franz Ferdinand
3. Running to Stand Still (live)- U2
2. Square One- Coldplay
1. Banquet- Bloc Party

And they actually all sound pretty nice when you play them in that order. I'm not surprised that Bloc Party dominated because Banquet is my "get up and go" song in the morning or when we go out dancing. So try making a list and tell me what it is. Lists are more fun when you share.

“I don't know what it means, But I've been wondering”

I built a fort out of boxes today in my office. Just because I have so many cardboard boxes lying around and I am too lazy to start moving them. I just keep stacking things and it turned into a little fort. I make people knock on my box door when they want to come in. I should make a crown of cardboard and wear it. Hmmm…something to think about for this afternoon.

“We could be friends, And I promise that it won't get bad”

And I’ve been studying my post-it note of the members of Coldplay and what they play so I will know who does what when I meet them on Tuesday. All in my plan not to make an ass of myself. I had a basic grasp of the band before, but they’re not U2 and for anyone other than U2, I don’t really care who does what. Except for The Rolling Stones because I love Charlie Watts. Much More Music had the "U2: All Access" on again for the 4th time this week. I caught a glimpse of Adam “The Handsome One” Clayton while I was sewing buttons on a shirt in order to create a "button shirt." I told you I lead a fascinating life.

“But you ain't got nothing I never had, So let's take it slow”

OVERRATED: President’s Choice “Marshmallow Squares.” They’re no Rice Krispie Squares. Which, if I weren’t so lazy I would actually make.
UNDERRATED: My comprehensive list of DVDs that I own, sorted into categories and also available alphabetically, so I can pass it around the office for people to borrow films from me. It’s what we do. And I get to see movies that I never would have watched like You Can Count on Me which I’ll borrow from Phil, or the time I borrowed Van Helsing from Mariane…

“And I just can't hide things that I know”

“You call this bacon?”
-Bonjour, Beauty and the Beast soundtrack

I’m mildly amused by things I find online today. Especially since I have nothing else exciting to report on.

I like to look at the Rotten Tomatoes website to read movie reviews for movies I have seen, will see, and never want to see. I don’t always agree but sometimes they saw things that are funny. Such as:
“Jonathan Jackson is about as Irish as a taco”- in the review for On the Edge.
Then I looked him up on IMDb. I never knew he was married to an older woman and they had a baby 2 years ago. Then again, I never really cared. I just find it bizarre when people who are younger than I am have children. Then again, I find it bizarre that people choose to have children in the first place.

“The baguettes!”

I also love spending time on IMDb just clicking on links and seeing where it takes me. For example: I forgot that Jonathan Jackson’s brother Richard was on "Saved by the Bell: The New Class" as the “new” Zack Morris. I vaguely remember thinking he had a lazy eye. Like Paris Hilton. Or Katie Holmes. I’m glad she plans on giving up acting after the birth of her alien spawn of Tom Cruise.

“I need six eggs!"

Other exciting things I had forgot about until now include Japander.com which brings us the world of exciting Japanese commercials. I used to waste my time here years ago when I “worked” at the cemetery. So Eve, is Japanese TV really this fun? Like in Lost in Translation? Here are my personal favourites from the website:

The Ewan McGregor “Oh My God” ad for an English school (It's the 3rd one). Also good but not as fun are the ones for “I Love You” and “Thank You.” I remember there being a “Sorry” one a few years ago, but it’s not on the website now. And there’s some weird coffee in a can ones.

Dennis Hopper selling me something from a bubble bath. I don’t know about you but when I think of Dennis Hopper, I think of warm bubble baths.

I just love the fact that in Japan Bruce Willis will sell me coffee, Jean Reno sells a variety of oddities to me, Brad Pitt will sell me pants, and people who aren’t even real celebrities like Estella Warren can try to sell me some strange supermodel drink. Ewan McGregor could sell me anything he wants. And I’ll buy it. Even English lessons. Ewan McGregor could sell me his children if he wants. Ones he already has or furute unborn children. I'm not picky.

“What lovely grapes!”

OVERRATED: Being nice.
UNDERRATED: Being a jerk.

“I'll get the knife”
Who says Disney songwriters don't write good lyrics?

“She blinded me with science! And failed me in biology”
-She Blinded Me with Science, Thomas Dolby

This post is dedicated to Eve all the way in Japan because my blog amuses her (especially as of late).

So, important question: Do crazy people on the street yell at you in Japan the way they do here? More importantly, do crazy people only yell and interact with me because I look like an inviting target or just because of the area I frequent at work? Although Sharifa wins for best all-time out of the blue crazy person remark.

The scene: Roncesvalles at an outdoor café on the patio.
The incident: While drinking a coffee, Sharfia has a crazy “gentleman” approach her and say “Take off your shoes! I want to see your feet!”
I laugh every time I hear that story because she tells it with a funny accent.

“I can smell the chemicals”

Now I’m not saying that all street people and hobos are crazy, just the ones that gravitate towards me are. And I am mildly amused by it. Because it’s cold out our encounters are less frequent. But last week on the corner of Yonge and Queen, where the best seem to congregate, I was witness to a delusional crazy guy street fight where two guys were trading verbal insults across the street at eachother about something to do with “them” and “abductions” and having to “watch your back before they get you.” I then saw Crazy Guy #2 about 30 minutes later going down the escalator at the subway station, still yelling incoherent things, but this time he was yelling them at no one in particular.

“I can hear machinery”

A guy, whom I don’t think was actually crazy, once offered to buy me as a wife from my parents when I was 12 in exchange for 20 or 40 (? I don’t remember the number) camels when we were in Turkey. I think he may have said I could be his second wife. My parents said no. If you ask my dad, he says it was a hard decision. He likes camels.

“The elements in harmony”

Nayeli, Dan and Sharifa and I saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on Friday. The movie was funny but that could have been just because I was with Dan and we usually end up laughing at all movies (See Red Eye, Mona Lisa Smile, etc.). There was this one odd and slightly disturbing scene involving Daniel Radcliffe in the bathtub, which is all fun and games until you realize that you’re watching a 15 year old boy in a bathtub with a dead girl’s ghost…Someone has created a countdown clock until he turns 18.



I’m not sure about that bandwagon yet. It could go either way. He could become hotter (assuming it’s appropriate for a 23 year old to discuss the hotness of a 15 year old) or he could start to look more like an owl. Those are the options as far as I can see. Hottie vs. Owl. Time will tell.
Oooh and Ralph Fiennes is so scary in the movie. Especially when he’s in his hybrid “baby” stage. I’ll eventually go see it again I assume.

“All my tubes and wires, and careful notes, and antiquated notions”

That about wraps that up. This has been a nice distraction from my special photocopying assignment for the week. It’s Monday and I’m lazy.

4 days until I’m off to Paris….

OVERRATED: The photocopier. I’ve broken two separate machines today.
UNDERRATED: 60 Minutes. Especially when Bono is on. Like last night.

“Science!”

A Mole, digging in a hole, digging on my soul...

Remember how I said I was bored like 3 hours ago? Well it's just getting worse. And I have to tough it out here for another 2 hours+ and I've already gone around and talked to/bothered all of my friends here. I even hung out in reception and read the new Variety which included a bad review of a bad movie that I saw at the Toronto Film Fest: Neverwas. Shudder. I hope I don't have to watch it again. And then after a little surfing online, I found these pictures from the Breakfast on Pluto premiere which:

(a) proves the fact that everyone Irish is connected
(b) shows why September 10th was my favourite day of the film festival (possibly of all time??) and why that week in September was possibly the Best. Week. Ever. thanks to the U2 concerts
(c) show my 3 favourite Irish people (sorry, Adam Clayton) + Neil Jordan (whom I also enjoy to a great extent).
(d) came out soooo much better than my pictures of the talented Irish men (including that blurry picture of the lights when I panicked when I saw Bono and just pressed all the buttons on my camera at once)

Sigh. Be still my heart. Liam Neeson is looking old, but I loves him for his skillz. He kinda looks like a vampire. An old vampire. With skillz.

My brain can hardly function anymore. I should walk by the Ryerson theatre and reminisce about this day.

I can't believe I was in the presence of these men for the movie. How many people (other than everyone else at the screening) can say they watched a movie with Bono, Liam, Neil and Cillian in the room? In close proximity?

Really, the only Irishman who is missing is Colin Farrell, a former fleeting crush of mine until he became, well, greasy Colin Farrell, meaning anything he did after Phone Booth/The Recruit.

One big sigh for the memories.

Caro and I had the discussion (again) earlier when I was on my tour of the office, trying to waste people's time, about how Bono is looking old. And it's sad. It makes me feel old. I have to agree although I don't want ot admit it. I've been in denial. But dude is looking old(er). Especially in the hairline-area. But then again, you can't really compete when Cillian Murphy is in the shot. Ah the luck o' the Irish.

This is how I'm feeling.

Loves it.

I should probably stop downloading pictures at work....

"I said in that case I'll have a rum and coca-cola"
-Common People, Pulp

Bored at work.
Spending far too much time on the internet.
Debating Peter Sarsgaard with my nemesis this morning. Nemesis says Peter Sarsgaard ain't all he's cracked up to be. I then told the nemesis not to talk to me until he had something intelligent to say. Then we changed the subject and discussed Harry Potter, which was fine by me. I'm excited to see Ralph Fiennes in the movie tonight, at least. And I look forward to the trailers.

Santa Claus parade this weekend in the city: I dunno about it. I hate the cold and small children and it's bound to have both this Sunday. And lots of Christmas cheer, which, quite frankly, I don't think I'm reday for yet. I'll be ready for Xmas once I come back from Paris and get to watch Muppets Family Christmas and Home Alone, which are my holiday standards (screw It's a Wonderful Life).

"You want to see whatever common people see"

And I get to go home to the lovely Niagara region this weekend where my parents will lavish affection on me and feed me because I havne't been to see them since Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to the food part since I don't have anything but a can of soup, some toaster pretzels, and a bag of frozen mangoes at the apartment. And a few overly ripe bananas which will stay on the counter until Monday, at the earliest.

Meh. I feel like watching The English Patient because my favourite "Seinfeld" was on TV last night. The one where Elaine hates The English Patient and Lloyd Bridges guest stars. That and it's cold out and I usually save epic films when it's cold out or I'm sick.

"She came from Greece she had a thirst for knowledge"

Still bored. I think I'll go chat up my nemesis for a good debate. It's like poking a dead thing with a stick: it's just something to do when you know that there are more creative and worthy things you could be doing.

"I don't know why but I had to start it somewhere, so it started there"

One highlight from this morning was sliding around on a file cabinet/bench with wheels ont eh wooden floors. It's all fun and games until Patricia slides into the wall.

OVERRATED: Indigo (and not so much Chapters). They never have any magazines that I want but yet, I always go back and look. Case in point: my Bono Rolling Stone. I eventually did buy it. In a subway station.
UNDERRATED: An office environemt wher eyou don't look out of place sliding around on wheeled furniture, while wearing a Harry Potter t-shirt.

"Sing along with the common people"

"It's alright, it's alright, it's alright...."
-Mysterious Ways, U2

Sweet...I didn't even make this up...I'm not the only one who is nuts around here.
I love finding bizarre things online.

And I dunno about you guys who know me, but that sure does sound like me...



You scored as Jackson Rippner. Congratulations,
you are Jackson Rippner. Driven, smart, devoted, and
cold-hearted, you will stop at nothing to get the job
done. Professionalism is your number one priority. You
are generally very calm, but when someone pisses you off,
you can get very, very angry. You are also very mysterious,
and very intelligent. Remember, not everyone is as idiotic
as you think they are. Someone just might surprise you
one of these days.

Oh, and thanks for the quickie.

Jackson Rippner

80%

Jim

65%

Pig

60%

Dr. Crane

55%

Jonathan

30%
Which Cillian Murphy Character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

Obviously, you don't understand:

Jackson Rippner= Red Eye

Jim= 28 Days Later

Pig= Disco Pigs

Dr. Crane= Batman Begins

Johnathan= On the Edge

all good movies worth watching...

"If you want to kiss the sky, Better learn how to kneel"

Tomorrow is Harry Potter Friday! I'm excited.

In other less exciting news, I got First Aid and CPR certified today. If there's crisis, call me. I may help.

"You've been running away, From what you don't understand"

OVERRATED: Soduku puzzles. I hate them. I fear numbers.

UNDERRATED: How much fun it is to over-act and be all dramatic when role-plying for your CPR/First Aid certification. i.e. Making up backstories about your injury that needs to be treated: "I was in a massive bar fight and I just smashed this broken bottle on a guy's head before he stabbed me with a knife..."

"She moves in mysterious ways"

“I was of a feeling it was out of control, I had the opinion it was out of control”
-Out of Control, U2

This has been a very good week for the following reasons (minus the fact that I’m still battling a cold):

I purchased my advance Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire tickets for Friday so Dirk, Dan, and Nayeli and I can see the movie without the risk of it being sold out.

I bought tickets for Coldplay at the ACC in March with the help of the American Express presale.

I got not one, not two, but three, DVD purchases in the mail this week: Intermission, On the Edge (no, not the one with Ice-T, but the Irish movie), and the new U2 2 disc deluxe concert DVD. As you can tell, my night was planned.

From my Zip.ca membership I got Girl with a Pearl Earring (don’t judge. I like art. And Colin Firth and Cillian Murphy are in it.) and the Amityville Horror.

Entertainment Weekly has their holiday preview edition this week with early Oscar picks, including a picture of Peter Sarsgaard.

"Lost" and "America’s Next Top Model" are on TV tonight.

There were free muffins at work today.

And only 9 days until I leave for Paris.

And I found this dancing pig:


“I fought fate, There's blood on the garden gate”

OVERRATED: Disabled streetcars. Sure I’m late for work, but not late enough for it to seem like an extended and well-deserved break. It just feels like I could have slept in 25 minutes longer and still arrived at work at the same time.
UNDERRATED: How easily I am pleased by the arrival of the mail, TV shows, and free muffins. And dancing pigs.

“Will it be too late? You can't fight it”

“Well I'd a danced like the queen of the eyesores , And the rest of our lives would have fared well”
-New Slang, The Shins

WTF? I’m still sick and I’ve had this cold for a week now…winte ris encroaching upon us and I hate it.

“I was happier then with no mind-set”

Leanne brought her cat Vita to live with us in TO, and I love her. The feeling is mutual because I cam home and she was in my bed (the cat, not Leanne) and then followed me around the house and sat next to me on the couch while we watched the movie Intermission, just one in my Irish/Colin Farrell/Cillian Murphy/U2 soundtrack film collection (and those seriously are categories of movies that I own). It also happens to be my favourite new old movie of the week, having rediscovered it from a year ago by finding in on eBay for $6. And that about sums up why I love eBay.

“I'm looking in on the good life I might be doomed never to find., Without a trust or flaming fields am i too dumb to refine?”

I also stumbled upon the production blog for the new Danny Boyle film, Sunshine. AS previously discussed, I love Danny Boyle films. A lot. But not A Life Less Ordinary. Reading the blog just confirms that I correctly chose to pursue a career in film/television (even though my current job is pretty basic, it’s still in my field and I love it!). So now I have added one more link to my favourites and will check on it daily, like my other celeb gossip sites. And it’s soooo much better than Zack Braff’s stupid Garden State blog where all he did was complain about being in Montreal filming something. Ingrate. Let’s not forget he “discovered” The Shins…(he once made a remark about this re: the GS soundtrack, at which I scoffed. Although it is a good soundtrack, the bands and songs were not immaculately conceived out of Zack Braff’s head and placed into his film as a way to enlighten the masses to new bands and music we had never heard before, like The Shins and Simon and Garfunkel. ANd I will also blame him for the horrible cover of "Such Great Heights" by Iron and Wine because everyone knows the Postal Service's version is superior).

“New slang when you notice the stripes, the dirt in your fries”

I leave for Paris on my Coldplay odyssey in 10 days. But this Friday is also an occasion to celebrate: New Harry Potter movie!!! Dirk has his Griffyndor scarf ready and I’ve ironed the wrinkles out of my HP t-shirt. We’re ready for it.

“Gold teeth and a curse for this town were all in my mouth”

OVERRATED: Zack Braff. I just can’t jump on that bandwagon.
UNDERRATED: "Scrubs", Season 1. Before everyone jumped on that bandwagon.

“God speed all the bakers at dawn may they all cut their thumbs, And bleed into their buns 'till they melt away”
Thank Zack Braff for those lyrics…

“I was on my break, you had time to spare, and so we tried to talk. Or maybe just sit.”
-So New, Cillian Murphy

Today has been a day of lists at work in while I recover from this never-ending cold that I’m not able to shake.

Started by looking at Premiere magazine’s “50 Greatest Movie Stars of All-Time.” I usually trust Premiere. They know what’s going on. It’s not like they’re People or US Weekly. But I have a few bones ot pick with their list, which you can find here.

“I turned to wave to you, and then you started to smile, but it was stolen away by some devil inside of you.”

First up, what spell were the editors under to place Tom “I love couch jumping and impregnating fertile virgins with future Scientologists” Cruise at number 3? And Julia Roberts at number 7? WTF? I can’t even name a Julia Roberts movie that I’ve (a) enjoyed (b) sat through without making smug comments about her giant mouth or poor acting skillz (see Mona Lisa Smile which Dan and I tore apart, but for real, not in a fun way like we did for Red Eye) and (c) seen of my own free will. The only good movie that she’s in is possibly The Player, but she has a 30 second cameo, not quite long enough to ruin it.

“'Cause things look beautiful when they're away from you, things look beautiful when it's so new. And things look beautiful when they're away from you.They seem to stay away from you”

And as Shane was so kind to point out, because I had missed it, Charlie Chaplin isn’t even on the list. Instead, Denzel Washington weaseled his way on instead of Morgan Freeman, Kevin freakin’ Spacey and a slew of others like Ralph Fiennes. Not to mention that Marlon Brando places damn high on the list. Even Doris Day made the list. Premiere has reached a new low. They might as well have added Hillary Duff. Chewbacca has more range.

And then I once again glanced over the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list and crossed off Captain Blood which I watched last night. And then I updated my list of DVDs I own. It’s what I do. I know it’s bizarre, but I need my lists.

“The island boat's so slow, We heard the Monkees on the radio, the only song you know”

I also watched Disco Pigs which may be one of my new favourite movies. It’s weird and I love it. I’m going to force everyone to watch it this weekend and then find a copy to purchase myself until I find something else to obsess upon. It’s where my song of the day comes from. Random obsessions are also why I end up woith movies like Kuffs and October Sky in my collection. But I have the feeling that I'll still like Disco Pigs when the dust settles.

“Am I lying to you still? I can't move I miss you so much..I miss you so much”

And I’m angry about last night’s episode of “Lost.” And the lack of pie at home. But on a good note, the song that Nayeli and I could never remember because we were always drunk when we heard it is Reptilia by The Strokes (I had guessed it was by The Strokes in the first place). We’ll be back out tomorrow night so hopefully I’ll remember the song for then. And we’re going to see the horrible Body Works display on Saturday at the Science Centre. I hope I don’t pass out like Dirk or throw up if I’m hung over. I do hate plasticized bodies and all…working in cemetery is all fun and games but the plastic bodies will give me nightmares like the puppet wolves…

“Stretched beside a pond, you look long and lovely, like I remember you.”

OVERRATED: Premiere magazine. 1000 monkeys typing on 1000 typewriters would make a better list. Although I have a feeling there’d be a lot of chimp references on it, like King Kong and Bonzo, Mark Walhberg, and the like.
UNDERRATED: Entertainment Weekly. They love lists and they’re good at it.

“I was tryin’ to fix this loss, I've given up.”

"Sleep comes like a drug, in God's country"
-In God's Country, U2

I'm sick today so you get nothing but pictures... Random pictures.

Here's a picture of Dan in front of the scary clock at Honest Ed's.

The frightening close-up

Nayeli loves the Fall leaves

Here I am with the ugly cat umbrella I found in the closet before subsequently ditching it in an HMV.

Neil Jordan and Cillian Murphy at the Breakfast on Pluto premiere during the Toronto Film Festival.

Self-explanatory drunk picture of myself and Nayeli at the Mod Club for Leanne's birthday which I was coincidently late for because of the Cillian Murphy/Liam Neeson/Neil Jordan/Bono sightings at the Breakfast on Pluto premiere.

"We need new dreams tonight"

“Leave the boredom behind, Wanna see those bright lights, Get this thing in gear”
-Tied Up Too Tight, Hard-Fi

I’m very tired.

So much going on this weekend. Friday was “Let’s get drunk and go dancing” night. So we did that. Nayeli and I met up with Dirk and Shane at Dirk’s house. Drank lots of beer, a little bit o’ Boone’s Sangria (just me), and then more beer. We also ate a plate of pastrami. On it’s own. With the beer. We then headed out to Dance Cave on foot, the best way to get there since it allows you to drink more beer in Christie Pits. Nayeli’s asthma was bothering her so the Mexican left early. Musical highlights included that clapping song that Nayeli and I can never remember because we’re always drunk when we hear it, “Do You Want To?” and I vaguely remember falling on the floor with Dirk after some dancing went awry. Shane and I parted ways from Dirk and his lady friend and made it to the bus. It was like walking into an open casting call for Top Gun: The Musical. 3 dudes were singing “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling” circa 2:45am. The then took requests and sang “Bohemian Rhapsody”…much to everyone’s delight. I’ve been told I’m somewhat more mean when I’m drunk but I don’t remember shoving too many people or telling anyone off. I do remember giving the “Tim Robbins” to the DJ but I can’t remember why…oh yeah…He played Prodigy. Shudder. Horrible memories of my grade 10 boyfriend…

“Oh where I come from, I just don't conform, Get me out of here!”

Saturday: Rudely awakened by the vacuum at 12:30pm. Stumble into living room with Nayeli. Watch Entrapment on TBS. Half-assed clean my room and chat with Mairin and Eve. Decided to go see Jarhead with Nayeli for some post-drinking recovery with Peter Sarsgaard, a cure-all for all life’s ills. We liked the movie. Irrelevant highlight: The Sars dancing. Even Jerk Gyllenhaal gave a good performance. Really different for both of them. I don’t think I’d buy it or even see it again, but good nonetheless. And here’s a picture of 2 Gyllenhaals and a Sarsgaard from here. I actually think the heart is meant to be about the puppy, but we can pretend it’s for Peter and his beard. And I like how Peter is the only one who doesn't look impressed by the dog.



We then went to Swiss Chalet, walked all the way up Yonge St, stopping at HMV, Sunrise, and Sam the Record Man. We then went up to Bloor to the Sunrise and HMV there but they had just closed. It’s what we do. I was good. I didn’t buy anything. Nayeli however…
We then came home and declared it Franz Ferdinand Day which has since overlapped into Franz Week. It all started innocently enough with the viewing of the “Do You Want To” video and progressed to all of their videos plus live performances. Then I remembered that I had their performance taped from the 2005 Grammys (THIS is why I tape everything!), then the 2004 MTV Europe Awards. All this while discussing the rampant hotness of lead singer Alex Kapranos. Gave that up for a while until I remembered that I also taped them on "SNL" 2 weeks earlier. More Alex Kapranos discussion followed. And then we capped off the night with 28 Days Later because it’s always good to end the night with Cillian Murphy and some British zombies.

“Tell me can you feel it, Feel the city breathing, Feel its beating heart”

Sunday: Nayeli and I woke up early to go to IKEA for the delicious $1 breakfast. We took this shuttle made out of wood from the Subway station. One of my favourite hobbies is making up IKEA names for things. I would have called this wooden bus Flöorg. After our tour of Swedish design, we headed downtown to the other HMV. Then we went to Sunrise. Then we went to the mall and went to the other HMV. Then we went to Music World. Then I bought Batman Begins. We technically weren’t looking for anything. I was looking for the Hard-Fi CD Stars of CCTV, but no one had it. It’s my new favourite. I was carrying this ridiculous umbrella with kittens all over it because it was pouring rain in the a.m. I discretely ditched it in the anime DVD section of one of the HMVs. We went home and we watched Batman (perfect except for Katie Holmes), went out for Greek food with my mom, came back and watched more TV. A good weekend.

I have pictures so maybe I’ll upload them tomorrow.

“No superstition, Just cold ambition”

OVERRATED: The 2 disc Batman Begins DVD> I didn’t buy it because I really don’t need to spend and extra $8 on the making of the batmobile.
UNDERRATED: $1 IKEA breakfasts. So cheap and so tasty. And you didn’t have to put it together yourself, unlike my lamp which I tried to put together using a knife as a screwdriver to no avail.

“It's time to make a mark, You get your boots on”

“But everything looks perfect from far away,
'come down now,' but we'll stay...”
-Such Great Heights, The Postal Service

Going out tonight for some long awaited and much needed boozing and dancing. Also looking forward to the possibility of not 1 but 2 Peter Sarsgaard movies this weekend: Jarhead and The Dying Gaul (which I don’t think is actually playing anywhere in Toronto until later). November is a good month for movies for me. In addition to the Sarsgaard movies, we have the new Harry Potter, Breakfast on Pluto (which I will see again, even if Cillian Murphy is dressed like a woman 90% of the time and Liam Neeson really doesn't so anything with his time), and Walk the Line.

“True, it may seem like a stretch, but Its thoughts like this that catch my troubled head when you're away”

I also need to get to Ikea because my office is dark and I need a cheap desk lamp. Nayeli and I will try to navigate our way via the TTC. If it’s anything like Ottawa, it will take us an hour and a half to get there whereas if we had a car we could be there in 5 minutes. Maybe I can bribe someone… Although once I bought a giant painting at Ikea in Ottawa and lugged it all the way back on the bus and walked down Bronson avenue with it with Natalie.

“I tried my best to leave this all on your Machine but the persistent beat, it sounded thin upon listening”

And I’m eating yogurt with a fork because we’re out of spoons in the kitchen closest to me and I don’t feel like walking to the other one on the other side of the office.

Go here to see the video of Ashlee Simpson obnoxiously drunk in a Toronto McDonalds last week after her stop at Much Music. All that money can’t buy class, talent, or apparently, a decent meal. I did see some killer “Go Home Ashlee” posters last week calling for people to protest her at Much. I laughed, but then, I always do.

“When you scan the radio, I hope this song will guide you home”

OVERRATED: “You had me at hello”
UNDERRATED: “I caught you a delicious bass”

“You will hear the shrillest highs, and lowest lows, with the windows down when this is guiding you home”

“First the thunder, Then the storm”
-In a Lifetime, Bono & Clannad

Thanks to Kate, here’s my recommended website of the day for wasting time: Eric Conveys an Emotion. Personal faves: Running with Scissors, Soylent Green is People!, Thinking Outside the Box, and Apathetic Voter didn’t turn in his Florida Absentee Ballot for the Presdiential Election.

Also of note: Fametracker’s poll of the day is which is your favourite star of Jarhead with recurring “A”s in their name. It’s Gyllenhaal vs. Sarsgaard in a battle to the death. They’re neck and neck with the Sars having narrowly inched out Jerk in the last check.

“Satisfied, If the past it will not lie, The future, you and I, Get blown away”

I’ve been hauling boxes around at work all week as if I actually worked in a box factory. And I’ve been listening to Franz Ferdinand. Maybe you can’t do that in a box factory. I’ve never tried. Although I love a job where I can listen to Franz on my iPod all day, drink unlimited cups of free tea, eat unlimited amounts of free candy in our lobby, have a desktop wallpaper of Red Eye (yeah I’m real professional…Caro has Bono and Eddie Vedder, so there..before Red Eye it was Bono anyway...) and have time to write this.

“Hard to tell or recognize a sign, To see me through, A warning sign”

I’ve also realized that I’ve been unconsciously watching movies in a cyclical, recurring cast-type of way. Observe:

28 Days Later- Watched this because I just bought it…directed by Danny Boyle (he is one of my faves…but not for A Life Less Ordinary because on the plus side we have Ewan McGregor, a musical number, and Danny Boyle. On the minus we have Cameron Diaz, a stupid plot, Holly Hunter, and generally all around poor acting by all those involved. I’m on the fence about Delroy Lindo) I digress…And Christohper Eccleston is also in 28 Days later, as is the very talented and very Irish Cillian Murphy.

The Long Way Round- motorcycle documentary starring Ewan McGregor…which prompted me to watch….

Shallow Grave- directed by Danny Boyle, featuring Christopher Eccleston…and Ewan McGregor

eXistenZ- rented this one and put off watching it. Surprised to see Christopher Eccleston in it. Watched most of it in fast forward in under 30 minutes, including the time I left the room to make spaghetti. And with Jude Law.

While thinking about other movies I had put off watching (and own) I decided to watch Cold Mountain, spurred on by a conversation with Natalie on how we both bought this movie (I bought it like back in the winter) and never watched it (I saw it in theatres). Lots more of Jude Law. So I watched it in quasi-fast forward mode, skipping chapters here and there, when lo and behold, I found Cillian Murphy whom I completely forgot was in this movie because he’s in it for about 1 minute. Weird. Even weirder when my cyclical viewing habits continued.

Then went to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Got so disturbed by Johnny Depp, channeling Michael Jackson, that I decided to skip to the end of the movie. But part 2 of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which is in no way as good as or as funny as the Gene Wilder version. I’m sorry but Oompa Loompa’s are orange with green hair and sing funny songs, and Willy Wonka is more of an ass than a freak. So anyway, part 2 ended up being part 1 of Red Eye, bringing us back to Cillian Murphy. I also thought I had Batman Begins which would have been another unintentional tie to Cillian Murphy but instead was House of Wax which benefits no one. How you can confuse Batman with a movie starring Paris Hilton is indeed a head scratcher.

At final count:
2 movies starring Ewan McGregor
3 movies starring Christopher Eccleston
2 movies directed by Danny Boyle
2 movies with Jude "I love nannies" Law
3 movies starring Cillian Murphy, either half watched or fast forwarded thru and a 4th one if you count what was supposed to be Batman
1 movie starring a creeped out Johnny Depp

And enough free time to accomplish all of this in 4 days, and then write about it. That’s what happens when "America’s Next Top Model" and "Lost" are reruns. But my virtual Hollywood Stock Exchange stocks are up. Tonight= "Survivor" and "CSI." Life is good.

“As the storm breaks through, So the light shines in you”

OVERRATED: Gloves.
UNDERRATED: Hats.

“Unless the sound has faded from your soul, Unless it disappears”

“I've done no harm, I keep to myself, There's nothing wrong with my state of mental health”
-Who Can it be Now? Men at Work


Casa Loma- Just like you thought, it’s not that scary.

I went on the Ghost Tour of Casa Loma last night with Nayeli, Topher, and the Mexican’s old roommate Thea. Having never been to Casa Loma due to extreme lack of interest on my part, I thought, sure, what the Hell, why not? Creepy organ music was playing throughout the mostly dark castle. The tour itself was all right and the guide was good although it’s hard to have a haunted tour when there really isn’t anything haunting Casa Loma. Like me, the ghosts have better palces to be. The biggest problem I had with it was that the tour guide, although very knowledgeable, would tell us some haunted or bizarre story of the castle and then proceed to tell us how it possibly can’t be anything supernatural because he’s a skeptic and it was probably this that caused it, blah blah blah. He sets up the mood, and then ruins it by discounting it. And he didn’t take us to the best part of the castle- we went on our own to the towers and found this Halloween passage corridor complete with animatronic ghosts and skeleton things, and a very small man statue that creeped me out more than anything. Creepy small people…And then we went to Harvey’s and had dinner at 930pm. Very spooky.

“I like it here with my childhood friend, Here they come, those feelings again!”

And the scariest part: our tour guide looked like RRC!!!! Or in old speak, that’s Ryan Robyn Chris. And let us reflect that “Jimmy” was born 4 years ago on Halloween night…and then rightfully dismembered and stuff in a box/garbage chute 5 days later (compliments of myself and Shane). What havoc ensued. If you don’t know about Jimmy, consider yourself lucky. Angus liked to think that Jimmy was really the ghost of Jimmy Stewart, whom I will never view in the same night without comparing it to our Jimmy of 3rd Lanark. Next year for Halloween, I’m going as Jimmy.
Jimmy was this weird red baby’s jumper that RRC found in a park…

“Who can it be knocking at my door?”

I didn’t see any kids in costume, which is fine I guess, since I really don’t like them anyway. And there’s enough candy left over to keep us for a few days hours…

“Don't come in - I'll only run and hide. Who can it be now?”

Bad news: I am no longer going to Belgium when I am in Paris. The company changed the tour date and it no longer fits well into our plans. We might either go on our own, to London, Amsterdam, or just hang out another day in Paris.
Good news: Our in-flight movie will be Batman Begins. And I do love Batman. And Cillian Murphy. And I pretty much figured that they wouldn’t be playing Red Eye…

“Can't you see that it's late at night? I'm very tired, and I'm not feeling right.”

OVERRATED: The ghosts of Casa Loma. What ghosts? The only scary thing was RRC.
UNDERRATED: It’s not really underrated, but I just want to pay homage to leftover Halloween candy everywhere.

Just for fun, click HERE. Do it!

“Is it the man come to take me away?”