My Favorite Christmas Movies/Specials/TV Episodes...Finally

The Movies.

Die Hard
Why? Because it's awesome. You get to see Bruce Willis running around in a wife beater saying "Yippee ki-yay,..." and "Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho."Plus you have Alan Rickman as the German thief, which is just a recipe for greatness. And other funny lines like "Pearl Harbor didn't work out so we got you with tape decks." Love it.


Love Actually
Okay, let me just take a moment to say that I am NOT excluding cheesy, girly movies from this list. Nor am I excluding, as you'll see later, the corny made for TV movies that seem to take over the airwaves every Christmas. Because the truth is, I love them all. I love the cheesiness. I love not having to put a lot of thought into what I'm watching...sometimes.
So my reasons for actually loving Love Actually? Well, Alan Rickman of course, and Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Laura Linney, and Hugh Grant make an all-star cast. Plus seeing Billy Bob Thornton as the United States President...yeah, enough said. Plus, they threw in Claudia Schiffer, Denise Richards, and Shannon Elizabeth. Favorite scene? Obv its the Carol Singers scene.

The Holiday
Again cheesy, but I love it. Half of it at least. I'm not much for the whole Cameron Diaz/Jude Law storyline (except for his little girls with their adorable accents, I'm a sucker for that). But I love the Kate Winslet/Jack Black storyline. I love Arthur the famous screenwriter and his stories of the glory days of Hollywood. And I love the score. I'm pretty sure Hans Zimmer is a genius. In fact, I know he's a genius.

Miracle on 34th Street
Whether it's the 1847 original or the 1994 remake, it's heart-breakingly sweet. And Kris Kringle is really Santa. I don't care what you say.

Nightmare before Christmas
Because it wouldn't be Christmas without creepy little monsters trying to take over. And you can't been Danny Elfman himself singing the voice of Jack Skellington.

Home Alone
This is one of my all-time favs. I have watched this every year since it came out. In fact, I had such a crush on Macaulay Culkin when I was a little girl.
I was thinking about how unrealistic it is, I mean, if you hit someone with a crowbar you're sure to break a rib or something. But oh well, it's a movie. And I love the pizza delivery scene, "Keep the change ya filthy animal!"

Elf
Well, who wouldn't love Will Ferrel as a giant elf, and Zooey Deschanel singing the best version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" that I've ever heard?

The Grinch
The one with Jim Carrey. I actually could never sit through the cartoon one. I don't know if that makes me a terrible person or what. But I love the Grinch. And the little Cindy-Lou "Who singing Where Are You Christmas?" with her little squeaky voice makes my heart melt.

Jack Frost
Okay, this is a dumb movie. I'll admit it. But I've always had a little thing for Michael Keaton, ever since Batman: The Movie. And it's sweet, a kid being reunited with his dead father (in the form of the snow man)...but whatever.

White Christmas
It's just a classic. That's all I need to say. You haven't had Christmas until you've seen White Christmas.

It's A Wonderful Life
Okay, confession time. I actually didn't see this wonderful, classic, delight of a movie until last Christmas. I know. Where have I been? Probably watching the wrong channel (like Disney or ABC Family). But it is so good and it really has the true meaning of Christmas spirit. If you haven't seen it (like me a year ago) or you just haven't watched it in a long time be sure to turn it on this Christmas. It's a gem.

Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas

It's a must. It just is. Just watch it, okay? Especially if you have kids. But even if you don't. Watch it anyway.

The Made-for-TV Movies/Specials.

ABC Family: Picking Up and Dropping Off
Aw. A single mom and a single dad keep bumping into each other at the airport as the send and receive their children to/from their exes. How could you resist?

Disney Channel: The Ultimate Christmas Present
This has all the makings of a Christmas movie: snow in California, a dad stranded at the airport, a determined kid saving Christmas, and a machine that controls the weather...wait, what?

The TV Episodes.

Bones: Santa in the Slush
This has got to be one of my favorite episodes ever. Misteletoe and a lawyer feeling puckish, a dad in jail wanting to spend time with his kids, another dad in jail not wanting his kids to know, a FBI agent and his son who doesn't want to spend Christmas without him, not to mention a dead Santa. It's the best.

Bones: The Man in the Fallout Shelter
This is the Season One Christmas episode. The team get quarantined because Hodgins drinks Egg Nog when he's supposed to have a mask on. Bad Hodgins. So we get to see Booth's son Parker for the first time, and Angela's dad is none other than ZZ Top. So good.

The Office: Christmas Party
Michael spends too much, and doesn't get back what he gives. So he turns the gift swapping into a white elephant. He also lets the staff drink alcohol at the office party. = uh oh. Funny quote: "Happy birthday, Jesus. Sorry your party's so lame."

Friends: The One With the Holiday Armadillo
Ross tries to get is son interested in Chanukah and Phoebe tries to seperate Joey and Rachel. It's love. (Me and the episode, I mean.)

Veronica Mars: An Echolls Family Christmas
 Awww, it's one big dysfunctional family Christmas. There's nothing better.

Scrubs: My Own Personal Jesus
It's Christmas and nobody has the holiday spirit except Turk, but even that can come crashing down. Who's going to save Christmas this year? The Janitor? Well...maybe.

A Very Supernatural Christmas
My friend has started me watching Supernatural. I can't watch it by myself, so I only get to see it when I'm at her house. So a couple weeks ago we watched this episode and it was great. There was an anti-Santa. And Dean and Sammy are the hottest brothers ever.

That 70's Show: The Best Christmas Ever
The boys decide to cut down a tree off the side of the Interstate and instead keep the money Red gave them for beer. Hilarity ensues.

Yesterday's News...and maybe today's too.

So. I know it's probably old news by now...but I just didn't have time/energy to post yesterday. And actually, right now I'm supposed to be working on my script...but, eh, whatever. No one's looking.

Okay, so the most bizarre headline that caught my eye yesterday was this:

"Boy George Found Guilty of Imprisoning Male Escort"

Really, George? Really? You're 46, and you're still wearing your makeup like that? I mean...I know it was cool back in the 80s (well probably not, but who am I to say? I was barely alive), but come on! When are you going to learn that pink cowboy hats do NOT look good on men, or anyone for that matter?

Also, the actress Minnie Driver is all geared up for Christmas. What's she giving her friends? Camels? Okay, then.

And did everybody hear about Mark Ruffalo's brother? This is just so sad. Mark is so cute. And his brother didn't deserve to be shot. Well, actually, I don't know that, but whatever. Does anyone ever deserve to be shot? Anyway, I hope he pulls through, because I don't want Mark to lose his brother.

I know. That last one was a major downer. But you have to watch this. I am laughing so hard. I mean, honestly, could something be anymore superficial and shallow and stupid? It makes me actually want to watch the show. Because we could all use a little more laughter in life.

Another thing to laugh at: Facebook deleted the real Lindsay Lohan thinking she was a fake. Priceless.

My school's newspaper had an article yesterday about the economy and the decrease in spending. A freshman (ah typical) made a comment along the lines of "it's so bad. My friends and I can't make weekend trips to the beach anymore. I have to spend all my money on groceries and toiletries." I laughed. Welcome to life, child.

Finally, I know this means nothing to anyone else, and I don't normally share things about my personal life, so I'm going to try to keep this minimal. But yesterday a friend of mine told me she had a run in with a certain ex-boyfriend of mine. And not only that, but she didn't realize he was my ex-boyfriend, and she had described him as a creeper who gave her really bad vibes. Now, on the one hand, I don't really remember him as being creepy at all. He was typically a nice, gentlemanly guy when I dated him, but on the other hand, hahahahahaha. I'm sorry. But hearing things like that about your exes, no matter how good/bad the breakup was, just makes you feel kind of good about the fact that you're not in a relationship with them anymore.

So now, I have to say au revoir (see, I'm incorporating French back into my everyday life to prepare me for my class next semester), and go back to writing my screenplay. Wish me luck!

Oh! And stay tuned! Coming up next (maybe tomorrow, maybe not) I'll be providing a list of my favorite Christmas movies! Yay!

It's December!

Time to dive in to my advent calendar!

Yes. I bought one. They were my favorite part of Christmas when I was little (you know, aside from presents and Santa and what not).

My grandma used to have a handmade advent calendar that she would hang in her hallway and my cousin and I would fight over who got to open that day's candy. I usually won. I was older. And stronger. Although now he towers over me. Don't you hate when that happens?

Anyways, I only have about two weeks left of the semester and this month is going to be the absolute worst. I have three journals, two essays, and one screenplay due. And I have to send short stories out to publications to be rejected. And I have four finals to take in two days.

Don't you wish you were me right now?

But who cares? It's DECEMBER!!! (And I got to listen to Christmas music this morning!)

And it starts...

As you can see, I have changed my layout, again.

But for a good cause. Christmas season has arrived!!! Yay!!!

And after this hopefully I will find/create/purchase a permanent layout. Because trying to edit my html and salvage my widgets (whoever invented that word was a genius) is not an enjoyable task.

Anyways, Thanksgiving is over. I'm heading back to school. I'm terrified of the month ahead.

And even when it's over I'm going to have to try and re-learn three years worth of French before fulfilling my foreign language requirement to graduate. Luckily, (since I can't afford Rosetta Stone - sob) I found this website that lets you download a free program, which should at least help me make a dent in my crash refresher course.

I'm also getting more and more excited about my almost-niece. I went into about five baby stores today, and the little tiny socks are just about the cutest things ever.

I'm sleepy. And I need to repack my suitcase.

Black Friday Kicks Butt! Or it just kicked mine...too soon to tell.

I got 99% of my Christmas shopping done.

I also got suckered into spending $30 on an exfoliating peel by a very persuasive salesgirl at UTC.

But I don't feel too bad. Because I haggled. And after I got home I googled (isn't that funny how that's actually a word? Seriously. Cracks me up.) It was actually supposed to cost $100. And it makes my skin milky white.

And I got something for Enid! I'm so excited. I was in Janie and Jack and there was a baby in a stroller waving his hands around, so I cooed at him and clapped my hands together, and he threw me a great big smile and started clapping, he repeated everything I did. I was in love. I adore happy babies. Maybe that's why I love this guy so much.

My neighbor, Blake. (Blakers)

When I have children someday, I want them to be just like him. Always smiley and happy and easy to please. And just the sweetest little thing in the entire universe. Seriously. If I ask him for a kiss he just closes his eyes, purses his lips, and lifts his head up for me. So cute. I don't want him to grow up. You hear that Blakers? Stay little. Forever.

Anyways. I'm completely shopped out. And I don't even want to THINK about what my credit card statement is going to look like. I know I didn't spend more than I have. And I know it's Christmas. But still. Scary.

Speaking of Christmas, I totally understood today why we start to celebrate the day after Thanksgiving. And that is because Christmas really IS the most wonderful time of the year. People are just generally happier during the holidays. So why wouldn't we want to get a head start on the good cheer?

I watched Wall-E tonight for the first time. Have you seen it? You need to. I'm serious. It made me cry. It was so sweet. What could be more endearing than a helpful little robot trying to save the earth and win the love of a fancy, clean, pretty female robot? He's like the little engine that could, only not an engine. And of course an homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Good stuff.

And Hello, Dolly...

can I just say, WHOA Michael Crawford? He's like a little baby! So weird. And yet, so good. So good. I want to go watch Hello, Dolly in it's entirety now.

Or just go to bed. Because I woke up early to hit the online sales. God bless the internet. Especially amazon.

Goodnight dear readers.

A Linktastic - What I'm Thankful For: besides the obvious, of course

• people wiping out when trying to make it through the turnstiles at work (I have to explain this one. We have turnstiles to let people into my school's library, and they have to swipe their ID cards to let them pass. People often just try to walk right through and will get rejected. It's pretty hilarious. I've seen people flip, and I've seen some guys hurt their you know whats. Basically I've seen it all. Though it can sometimes get really hard to maintain a professional manner and hold my laughter. Ah schadenfreude.)

• the holiday cups at Starbucks

• pumpkin seed granola cereal

• Apple Store for Education

• Meg Cabot books

• the new Half Blood Prince trailer (have you seen it, it looks like it has the best cinematography of all of them! And Daniel and Rupert are so funny!)

Ok, so I could watch it over and over again. The music is amazing. So I'm thankful for Nicholas Hooper as well I guess. If the movie is as good as the trailer looks I think I will cry with happiness.

(I should take a moment here to note that I consider myself a connessoir of movie trailers. I study them. For a while I wanted to make them - yeah, kind of like Cameron Diaz's character in The Holiday, but whatevs).

My favorite trailer is one for Atonement, but this new Half Blood Prince trailer is challenging it. I think the only thing keeping it in second is the narrator. Because I don't like narration in trailers. Usually.

• Blogger (duh!) - though, I wish I could learn to format my posts better because this one does not look the way I intended it to. (I couldn't figure out how to indent the above paragraphs.)

• Ray LaMontagne, Rufus Wainwright, and David Cook (thanks CGGB for opening my eyes)

• a nice little break from classes

• Monks and Nuns falling in love/goofy monks

• an empty canvas and a variety of paints

• the amount of rain Southern California has received in the past few months (I love rain)

• tea! (btw, I cheated on my tea over the weekend and had two coffees - peppermint mocha frappuccinos with the red sprinkles, yay Holidays! - because we were shooting the film and I needed the extra caffeine. Let me tell you, my tea was not appreciative, nor was my stomach.)

• Scrubs, Bones, The Office, and basically any other show that takes me out of my own world for a half-hour to an hour at a time. And for that matter, Hulu, for letting me watch them whenever, wherever. Oh, and TV on DVD.

• Borders' pre-Thanksgiving sale. It's today, yo! So get yourself out there.

• Black Friday sales

• The drive down the 5 from LA to San Diego. (we didn't have oceans back in the mid-west ::shrug::)

• Dean and Sam Winchester (sigh).

• Failblog, distracting me from my everyday duties.

• Purple

• Carbs (or maybe I'm not. I dont know. I have a love/hate relationship with them.)

• Stickynotes, they make my life so much easier.

Finally, I just wanted to share this quote that my friend shared with me. It correlates with rant on chick-lit and chick flicks.

"It's about time we confessed: we might love the great and the good, but we can also adore the cute and ridiculously bad, as long as the leading man is handsome or the story - no matter how cheesy - makes us laugh, makes us cry, or makes us hot."
- Jo Berry and Angie Errigo, taken from Romantic Comedy: Boy Meets Girl Meets Genre by Tamar Jeffers McDonald

True Beauty in College

is this.













Today I purchased my first Mac. And I love it. I have named him Cooper, after one of my favorite Meg Cabot characters. I know. I'm a freak. I don't care. Leave me alone.