Hey everyone! How is everyone’s summer going? Mine is going pretty well. I just got back from my vacation to Newfoundland. Why Newfoundland, you ask. Well, for those of you who don’t know, I’m half Newfie. I went there to visit my family, and my sister got married there this summer.
I wish I had pictures of her wedding to show you, but I don’t have very many. I wanted to take lots of pictures, but everyone kept giving me THEIR cameras to take pictures. So, I got screwed out of taking some with mine. But, I will tell you, my sister did look very beautiful. I guess I looked okay too. Lol.
I love going to Newfoundland sooo much! I remember driving there with my family when I younger. It would take us about 2 and a half days to get there, and we would get to see the greatness of East Coast Canada. Then we would get to spend 2 glorious weeks with my grandparents, the sea, the salt, and the accents.
I love Newfoundland accents! I don’t even know how to describe it, but it’s just the friendliest accent I’ve ever heard. The people there are so nice and so genuine. I’d easily go live there for the rest of my life.
This year my trip was spectacular. There were no icebergs in this time, but that’s okay, I’ve seen tons before. However, I wanted the people who travelled there for my sister’s wedding to see them. I did get to see some whales! They were big whales too. Probably some of the biggest I’ve ever seen, and they were only about 30-40 feet from the boat!
I’ll have some pictures posted at the bottom if you want to see some things from my trip.
If you all get the chance to travel this summer or some time soon (preferably do it in the summer), you should go to Newfoundland. It’s beautiful and well worth seeing. It’s the first place in Canada that was discovered by the Vikings. It’s gorgeous.
It was nice to be able with family and friends for such a beautiful occasion (wedding). The only member missing from my dad’s family was my uncle Freeman. My uncle Eugene was the MC for the reception, and he headed everyone getting screeched in. I think about 36 people had to get screeched. Getting screeched in means that the people who have never been to island before have to go through a certain ritual. They have to kiss a cod fish (no tongue required) and take a shot of Newfoundland Screech (type of horrible alcohol). Trust me when I say this: you would rather kiss the cod than drink the Screech. Screech is DISGUSTING! I think they all had a good time regardless. Most were probably drunk to begin with. Lol. It was a nice way to merge one family with another.
There are so many great things I could tell you about my trip, but it would this entry would be WAY too long. I’ll post pictures for you, and you can tell me if you want to hear more. I’ll probably write about more of it anyways.
I’m sad that my trip is over, but it had to end some time… It just went by too fast that’s all. I can’t wait to get back and visit my nanny, but that probably won’t be until next summer.
Yesterday I told you all my top 10 favourite movies of all time, and today I would like to tell you my top 10 favourite songs of all time. I love music almost as much as I love film. When important things happen in my life, happy or sad, I like to think about what song would be playing on my life’s playlist. I love a lot of different types of music, and nothing completes my day more that listening to some incredible music. I can remember the first time I heard certain bands or certain albums. I have to thank my mom and dad for their musical influence on me. Not that they play instruments or anything, but they both have really good taste in music, and it has totally rubbed off on me and my sister. So, here are the songs for you. They are not in order, except for the number one song because that is my number one song.
1. In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel (1986)
Oh my goodness! I love this song! I’ve heard this song a lot and it never fails to give me butterflies when that beat starts. It makes me cry, it makes me smile, it’s just beautiful. Peter Gabriel is just an amazing, talented singer. His voice is soooo beautiful, and there aren’t too many singers with his talent.
2. Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds (1985)
The first time I heard this song was the first time I ever saw the movie The Breakfast Club. This song is such a staple in 80′s history, but it’s also a staple in mine. Whenever I hear it I get this feeling like I can do anything. I really like Simple Minds. New Wave music is my favourite kind of music, and they fall into that new wave category so perfectly.
3. Bette Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes (1981)
“Her hair is Harlow gold, her lips a sweet surprise…” Ah, I love this song. I remember the first time I ever heard this song was in my parent’s car listening to a mix tape they made in early 1980′s. This mixed tape pretty much defined mine and my sister’s childhoods. I love to dance to this song. I love to sing it at the top of my lungs. Plus, it mixes my love for movies and my love for music.
4. Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen (1975)
There is a reason why they call Bruce Springsteen ‘The Boss,’ and it’s because he IS the boss. He is the working class hero. He’s just so talented, and this song is so powerful. I could have picked a number of Springsteen songs, but this one tells a heartfelt story about a couple trying to make it in this harsh world. This is just a great song from a man who can really sing.
5. Purple Rain – Prince (1984)
Oh the pint sized, powerhouse that is Prince. He has unmatchable talent that goes beyond his singing abilities. He can play the guitar like a god, and his song writing abilities are incredible. When he performed this song in the film Purple Rain, I had goosebumps and i cried. His emotions in this song are just so raw and beautiful. The song really just speaks for itself. The video I posted for this song is long, but it’s unreal. I really recommend for you to watch it.
6. American Girl – Tom Petty (1977)
This song is just a ton of fun. It makes me smile. I love singing along to it. I love to dance to it. Tom Petty is a great musician and he knows how to write great songs. I also love that it tells a story; the best songs do. It’s just a great song from a great artist.
7. Seven Year Ache – Rosanne Cash (1981)
Remember that mix tape I was talking about earlier? Well, this song was a part of that mix tape, and I’ve loved it since the first time I’ve heard it. I love the sound of Rosanne Cash’s voice. The song takes on a heavy subject, but with it’s pop/country beat, it makes it a little more accessible for people to listen to. It’s a song that I grew up with, and it’s awesome.
8. Is There Something I Should Know – Duran Duran (1981 U.K.; 1983 USA)
What can I say, I’m a total 80′s girl. Duran Duran is my favourite band of ALL time. And, this song is Simon Le Bon, vocally, at his best. He sings with such conviction and power, and he’s got a great voice. Sure, the song may be a little weird to some, and not make sense, but I think it’s brilliant. If you haven’t heard the song I encourage to watch the video. (The quality isn’t that great, so I’m going to post another link)
9. Sittin’ On The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding (1967)
Otis Redding has one of the most soulful sounding voices I’ve ever heard, and vocals on this song are outstanding. It’s not a long song that drags on. It’s just a perfect song to put a smile on your face and to sway to the music. I just feel it in every part of me when I listen to it. Gorgeous.
10. Break It To Them Gently – Burton Cummings (1978)
This is one of the first songs I remember my dad playing for me. He has this song/album on all formats: 8 track, vinyl, cassette, and CD. This song from our Canadian boy is a beautiful piece. It’s a complete story that truly has an impact on the listener, and especially me. I love how his voice sounds in this movie. It just reminds me of my dad and I listening to it all the time and him singing along to it.
I’d like to know what you think of my songs, and list any songs that you really like. I like to know what kind of music people like.
Last summer, while at my friend Lindsay’s house for the weekend with some of our other friends, we decided to do our own top ten famous men/women that we found sexy and hot. After we compiled the lists with someone disagreeing with some people on my list, it go me thinking about other top ten lists I’d like to make about things I like. So, I did. And, I would like to share some of them with you. I’ll start with my top ten favourite movies. These are in no particular order, except for the top 3.
1. Rocky (1976)
Rocky is my favourite movie of all time. I’m a sucker for sports movies, but this isn’t any ordinary sports movie. This movie changed my life. It’s an incredible story about an underdog trying to be somebody. Rocky’s a boxer down on his luck when the heavyweight champion decides to challenge him, which like in the tagline, is a million to one shot. Everything about it is beautiful to me, the acting, the writing, the style. And, when you look back on the time when it was released in regards to other movies that were out at the time, Rocky stands out like a true hero to everyone.
2. Halloween (1978)
I know people have certain movies in their lives that encouraged them to seek a career in the film industry, and Halloween was that movie for me. It made me want to direct, write, produce something that would continue to scare the bejesus out people 32 years after it’s release. Rob Zombie’s remake or re-imagining for the younger generation to appreciate John Carpenter’s film, but this is a film that cannot be remade. However, you can learn from it, and learn what it takes to make a truly frightening film. This film will consider to inspire me.
3. The Breakfast Club (1985)
I love the 80′s. Some may say that I’m stuck in the 80′s, but I don’t care. There were a lot of good things besides me that came out the 80′s, and that is The Breakfast Club. Teen movies hit its peak in the 80′s and there are a lot of hits and misses. John Hughes was the quintessential 80′s teen movie icon. The Breakfast Club is my favourite of his work because he is so spot on with his analysis on teenagers, which can be said about all the movies he has written. But, what I love about the Breakfast Club in particular is the simple setting and the amazing characters, which can be applied to teens of this generation too.
4. The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)
This is a great film that came out after World War II about soldiers coming home after the war and trying to get back to their real lives that they left behind for 6 years. It is a very touching film following three G.I.’s about their struggles to get back to their loved ones and pick up where they left off. The acting is superb, the script is incredible, and it will leave you weepy. This movie may have been released in 1946, but it could have been made in 2010 with the same reactions and critical appraisal.
5. Detroit Rock City (1999)
Alright, I will tell you right now I am a HUGE Kiss fan! I love Kiss, I think they are amazing! (They are going be on another list later) So, there is nothing I would like more than to see them in concert, which I still have yet to do. This is one main reason why I love this movie so much: 4 guys trying to find their way to a Kiss concert in Detroit and all the hilarity that surrounds them to try to reach their dream. It also helps that this movie has a kick ass soundtrack that puts me in a really good mood whenever I watch it, and I watch it a lot. I love singing along while watching the movie. Plus, I have a secret crush on the 4 leads, which I guess is not a secret now, but whatever.
6. Empire Records (1995)
Another movie with another KILLER soundtrack. I love a movie with a good soundtrack, and Empire Records is a great example of it. The soundtrack has a great mix of classic rock with bands popular in 1995. The story revolves around a group of young adults who work at a record store called Empire Records. The movies basically takes place all in one day, which I find very cool. It’s a cool location with cool young actors in the leading roles. The characters are fun and are relatable. The movie is just cool. It has a huge cult following now, and I know a lot of people who were around 17 at that time still love it.
7. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Wizard of Oz was the first movie I ever remember watching. I know that I used to watch it 2 to 3 times a day everyday for a couple of years. I would put on my mom’s shoes and pretend that I was Dorothy. I’d click my heels together all the time and mimick Judy Garland’s every move. It is the perfect fantasy film. I love everything about it. I love the transition from black and white to colour, I love the songs, I love the friends Dorothy made along the way, and I cried when she left them all. Dorothy is just such an amazing character and I idolized her as a kid, and my love for the movie has not diminished at all over the years.
8. All The President’s Men (1976)
I’m a big history buff, and I really enjoy 20th century American history. There is so much depth to it from the Southern Freedom Rides to the assassination of John F. Kennedy to my personal favourite: The Watergate scandal. Watergate was such a mysterious thing when it happened, and it all unfolded before our very eyes. Well, not my eyes. I wasn’t even born yet, but you know what I mean. All The President’s Men captured that era so well, all the deceit all the paranoia, all the drama. Two young reporters for the Washington Post cracking one of the greatest mysteries of American 20th century history. It gives me chills just thinking about it. It’s fanstatic. Everything about it is great, the acting, the story, the editing, all of it.
9. Jerry Maguire (1996)
Jerry Maguire, the sports agent who grew a conscious. It’s a beautiful movie. Cameron Crowe wrote an incredible script, and you can totally empathize with Jerry’s character. It made me feel a whole range of emotions that made me cry one moment and laugh the next. The supporting players in the film make it so enjoyable. It is my favourite Tom Cruise movie. I think he was the best person to play the title role. And, again, I love sports movies. But this movie, like Rocky, goes much deeper than sports itself. If you haven’t watched it yet, do it. Do it now!
10. The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
This movie isn’t usually people’s first choice for their favourite acted or directed Clint Eastwood movie, but it’s mine. Never has Mr. Eastwood looked so sexy than he does as Robert Kincaid. Yes, I know some of you are thinking ‘ewww, gross,’ but it’s not in the way that you think. Eastwood is just so sensual in this movie, so moving, so incredible. He definitely hold his own with the powerful Meryl Streep, who can master any accent thrown at her. The two of them together just have amazing chemistry on screen, and it’s just such a beautiful love story. I’ve read the book, and I think the movie is better than the book. When does that ever happen? Usually never! I don’t know what else to say other than it’s a work of art.
If you’ve seen some of these movies, or all of them, leave me a comment about what you think. And, give me a list of some of your favourite movies.
Someone said to me the other day, “I can’t remember a time when there hasn’t been a baseball scandal.” And, I have to say that I agree. The most recent, of course, being the Alex Rodriguez bombshell. I am a huge baseball fan and a huge fan A-Rod fan, and it hurts me to know that he did infact use steroids.
However, I did not lose any respect for Mr. Rodriguez because he, unlike many of his contemporaries, came clean about his steroid use. He only did steroids from 2001-2003 when he was playing for the Texas Rangers. He didn’t take any before that while playing for the Seattle Mariners or with his current team the New York Yankees. During the time of this steroid abuse his salary was $252 million. At this point, he was the highest paid athlete in history, and I know that doesn’t excuse his use of steroids, but imagine the pressure he was under to perform well with that kind of pay. I know I would be!
I really hope that this act of honesty does not ruin A-Rod’s chances of getting into the Hall of Fame. I feel like he is more deserving because he has been man enough to own up to his mistakes, and he only did it for those two years. I know, I know, he shouldn’t have been taking them at all, but he’s not going to be on trial for perjury about it like Barry Bonds.
It hurts me when people talk about him like he is a constant drug abuser and are going to start making all these crazy statements about him. He’s going to be under such a harsh microscope for a good portion of the season, or until someone else in the league screws up. He is a strong man, and I think he will get through it because I believe in him wholeheartedly. A-Rod is someone that I look up to and his drive and passion for the sport is still inspiring to me. I still believe that he will break all of baseball’s records and hope that this little instance will not tarnish his career.
You see, I hold athletes on a pretty high pedestal. I’m hugely into film, but most of my heroes are athletes. Hell, my biggest hero is a fictional athlete. The way I see it is that athletes work their whole lives to make it to the professional level of their sport or what have you, and it’s their drive and passion that inspires me to be a better filmmaker. They do everything they can to make it to the top, and I want to put that same passion into my filmmaking career.
So, to all you A-Rod nay-sayers, just think of him as a still sensational athlete, who admitted when he was wrong, and didn’t lie about it after it was exposed. He could have easily denied the allegations and could have been another day to “mis-remember,” but no, he manned up and came clean. He just got in over his head because of the stress he puts on himself and his need to succeed.
No matter what, I will be on his side through this, and I think he will come out on the winning end of this scandal.
This is my first blog entry. I’m a little nervous about what to write. You see, I didn’t sign myself up for this. A very good friend did it for me because he thinks that he has the power of persuasion over me, which he does a little, but I was planning on starting a blog anyways.
Lately I’ve been stuck in this rut, where everything and everyone has been making me upset and angry. Could it be the winter blahs? No, as it has been getting warmer here in Thunder Bay. It’s so hard to pin point what the problem is because it’s a whole lot of things that have been making me mad. There have been things happening at home, which is 13 hours away, that I cannot control. A very dear friend of mine is going through a pretty hard time right now, and there is not a whole lot I can do to help her out right now being that I am so far away from her. I hate not being able to be there for my friends in their times of need.
I also feel like I’ve been taken advantage of lately by my classmates, not sexually, but the events of this past weekend could possibly prove otherwise. However, that can be an entirely different entry. So, let’s not get off track here. I like to help people in my class with whatever they need, usually. If they need help shooting something, using a piece of software, or a piece of equipment, if I’m asked, I’ll help. But, right now it feels like I’m letting everyone walk all over me because I’m helping people out, but I’m not getting anything back for it. Like, if I need help, these certain people won’t offer or they will say no when asked. This frustrates the hell out of me! I mean, there are some people who are very appreciative of the help, and you know who you are, but right now it just feels like the negative stuff is overpowering the positive stuff. But, I won’t stop helping my classmates in hopes that people will return the courtesy. I don’t just do this to be rewarded for my kindness. I want everyone to realize that being a helpful person will get you further in achieving your goals whether it is film related or not.
However, I realize that I really can’t control these things that are bugging me, so I’m trying really hard to get over it all. So, these last few days I’ve been feeling a lot happier with everything because I know I have a great, tight knit group of friends that I know will constantly be there for me whenever I need them, and they know I would do anything for them. I’m just going to enjoy my last couple of months of school with these friends and try not to let the little things get to me because I don’t want to go back into the rut that I’ve been in for the last little while.
I will hopefully post a couple of times a week, and follow me @ twitter.com/CSharpies
