These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

It's the end of the year and I'm a sucker for compilation lists. I mean, really, if I could just be a commentator on one of Vh1's "I Love the ..." series, my life would be complete.

So, here goes a rundown of some of my fav. things from the year 2010:

Movies




1. Black Swan - Long have I loathed the site of Natalie Portman in a film. This was the first time since maybe the Professional that I was able to separate the actress from her role and really enjoy her portrayal. And the cinematography was amazing; the visuals haunted me days later. Also, I'm a sucker for dance (especially ballet) films.

2. Inception - Ok, so, it probably wasn't the best movie of the year. But, it kept me on the edge of my seat. For the first time in years, I honestly could not guess where the plot was going to take me. Christopher Nolan proved to be a truly talented and thought-provoking writer/director. I suppose you could say Inception was the Avatar of 2010. I saw it on opening weekend with my fam, watched it for a second time with my friends, and each of them saw it for a second time with one of their friends. For the men in the movie alone, (seriously, Joseph Gordon-Levitt might be our generation's Paul Rudd) Inception was worth it. That it urged audiences to question reality at least until they talked to another viewer about it was the seasoning on the popcorn.

3. The Fighter - I just saw this movie a few days ago, and can I just say, I now firmly believe Christian Bale is the best actor of our time. He murders his role. Somehow he managed a more believable local accent than Mark Wahlberg, a Boston native. Wahlberg was not that great in the film, but everyone else delivered powerful performances.



4. Toy Story 3 - If this third installment in the Toy Story series doesn't move you in some way, your heart might be made of concrete.

Two Shockingly Good Movies

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - Saw a lot of previews for it when it was in theaters and didn't understand what the hype was all about. And then I saw the movie on DVD last week. Absolutely hilarious. And full of memorable lines. Sure, Michael Cera plays Michael Cera in the movie, but that's what he does best, isn't it?



The (New) Karate Kid I'll admit it, I was suspicious. Anyone born in the '80s knows nothing can top the original Karate Kid, right? Here's the thing though, the new movie does not attempt to replicate the old. Sure, it's a disturbing display of nepotism given that Will and Jada basically just developed the film as a star vehicle for their son. But, you can't deny Jaden Smith's talent. And you've got to love Jackie Chan as the new Mr. Miyagi. I know he's one of the world's biggest superstars, but I feel as though this is the first time in American cinema he's really been given a part to chew on.

Favorite Books



1. Little Bee - I know some people think New York Times bestsellers are fluff pieces. Chris Cleave's novel couldn't be further from fluff. The engaging story alternates between the perspectives of two women from different ends of the earth who share one life-altering experience. I broke down crying quite a few times while reading this book. I would recommend buying it before it loses its integrity as a major motion film starring Nicole Kidman.

2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Just read this non-fiction book over break. My brother brought it home as UW Madison gifted each student a copy (hey, BU, where's my free book?!), and I stole it from him. Essentially, it is the story of Henrietta Lacks, a black women whose cells were stolen and harvested without her knowledge in the 1950s. Her HeLa cells went on to become the most famous cells in history, creating bioengineering industries and curing diseases like polio. This is a tale of injustice, of race in America, of medical ethics, and so much more. It's a MUST read for med students.



3. Push - Alright, this novel was released in the mid-90s. But since the movie Precious was based on Saphire's text, I read it last year. I was so moved by this short novel I had to stop reading it on my lunch breaks because I ate at my desk last year and I didn't want to embarrass myself crying in front of everyone. So glad I read it before I saw the movie. Honestly, books are so much more vivid and get away with so much more than one can ever demonstrate on film. (Sorry, film friends... it's just, the book is so much more graphic than people could ever stomach to watch.)

TV Shows

1. Parenthood - The best way to describe this movie is functioning-family porn. I don't mean that in a dirty way. I just mean that this show projects an image of a model family and I'm absolutely taken by its fantasy. The great thing is that each member of the family is flawed, but they all balance each other out. Yes, it's a corny drama, but it has so much heart. The actors - Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls, Peter Krause from Six Feet Under and Erika Christensen are phenomenal.



2. Parks and Recreation - I think this show got off to a rocky start in 2009. But, all the elements of the show really gelled for me in its second season. I hate that NBC programmed it as some sort of mid-series replacement because I would like my weekly Aziz Ansari fix back. Like the Office, its cousin series, this show only works because of its fantastic ensemble cast.

3. Speaking on ensemble casts, I enjoyed those post-American Idol viewings of Glee last spring. This season, I haven't watched many episodes, and the ones I have seen were infrequent, so I don't really know what's going on. Those kids (well, twentysomethings in real life) are annoying. But they can SING. So, I have to respect them.



4. Ok, I must really have a thing for ensembles because Modern Family is another new favorite show. As non-traditional as the Pritchett clan is, they uphold traditional family values. It's all about the L-O-V-E. The Phil and Cameron characters, while slightly buffoonish, are just so damn likable.

Artists who impressed me this year

1. Nicki Minaj - I read somewhere that before dropping her debut album in November, the female rapper was featured on 11 Top-10 songs of 2010. When you hear her delivery, you know why. She elevated each and every one of those songs.



2. Drake - Before 2010, Aubrey (Drake) Graham was just wheelchair kid from Degrassi to me. And then "Over" and "Find Your Love" launched a double assault on me and I was a believer.



3. Lady Gaga - I know she's over-hyped sometimes, but not only does Gaga pen memorable songs, she's also a music video visionary and a fashion provocateur. (I am obsessed with her heel-less Alexander McQueen shoes.) Though I wasn't feeling the "Alejandro" video so much, I probably watched "Telephone" at least 100 times last year, no joke. Unlike Katy Perry (whose music I just don't get), Gaga stands for something. We may not always understand her intentions (as with the meat dress fiasco), but she's not afraid to be more than your average sex kitten songstress.

Fashion Trends

1. Military-inspired garb - Love those embellished jackets and lace-up combat boots. My M.J.-obsessed friends and I like to imagine this trend was revived as an homage to the King of Pop. I don't know if all that's true, but it happened. And I wish I could pull off the look.



2. Sequins not just for Golden Girls anymore - When you live in the Midwest, last year's coastal fashions are stocked in stores for longer than the trends last. And that's fine with me because I will never outgrow mirror-ball shiny sequin pieces. The gaudier, the more eye-catching the better I say.




3. Red lips - long have I bowed to the power of the ego-boost in a twist tube that is red lipstick. Last year, every magazine I saw told me it was the "now" look. Red is my little black dress of lip color, so for me, it will never go out of style. If only I could find the right lipliner to keep it from sliding off my lips, so I could sport red lipstick whenever I am out!

Well, I could ramble on for hours discussing my favorites and not-so-favorites in pop culture. So, I shall stop here.

I will just add that I am grateful for the last year. It was a year of great changes as I embarked upon a grad school journey in Boston. I have made some lifelong friends and grown to further cherish the ones I already have. Happy New Year all!

When Less Is Just Less

Listen up, sassy undergraduate with flashy fashion sense, you are not Lady Gaga. Nor are you Beyonce. You might have runway dreams, but for now, you are living a dorm-room-mirror lifestyle. My time in Boston has been short – one month to be exact – but in that period, I’ve observed many a wardrobe malfunction.

Why, just the other day, a girl sauntered past me without any bottoms on. That’s right, no real article of clothing from her midsection on down. Her ensemble was as follows: a shirt that hit her at the waist and a pair of opaque tights.

It must have been embarrassing when she discovered she had forgotten to grab a skirt out of the closet when she got dressed in the dark. Or perhaps she was so proud of the underwear she had purchased that weekend, she just had to show her professor and classmates. Either way, the tights-as-pants look was beyond inappropriate for school. And confusing. Pants are not frivolous.

On another occasion, I witnessed a student hurrying to get to class. The girl was not wearing a shirt. Well, I take that back. Technically, her blouse could be categorized as a top. But since it was completely sheer and I could make out every detail of her bra, I don’t think it counts. A see-through top with just a bra underneath is just a tad bit overexposed for your 9 a.m. lecture. Just because Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City attempted the look doesn’t mean you should too. Remember that bird hat from the SATC movie? Exactly.

After 8 seasons of Project Runway, I understand that fashion is about taking risks and making a statement. Just make sure your statement is appropriate for your setting. When in doubt, consider this: What would Michael Kors say?

I’m not advocating collars that are buttoned up to the chin or floor-length skirts. I just want to let you know, what you wear reflects on you. Think about the message you are broadcasting to the world.

Shopping Misadventures and Other Fiascos

In honor of Kelly's impending wedding, I've been dress hunting. A few months ago, as I made plans to attend Kelitos' nuptials, I imagined my self slimming down, toning up, donning a fabulous gown, and just all-around looking hot.

In these two months, I got around to accomplishing none of these goals. I did not get a gym membership, as I had planned to do. Hence, no slimming or toning. With the perfect dress/hair/accessory combo, I feel like the looking hot part will be easy.

Only problem is, dress shopping is a pain in the ass. I've been scouring the Net and window-shopping since Jan. Originally, I was on the lookout for a smoking red dress but, now I'm down for anything that fits me well and is well made. I went out to the burbs but was repelled by the $200+ price tags. In Rockford, all I've found at the department stores are mother-of-the-bride gowns and prom dresses. I know it is that time of the year but being surrounded by scrawny 18-year-olds in dressing room is not amusing.

Saturday after work I trekked over to some wedding shops. Seeing as we lack boutiques in this area, I thought that was my best bet. Well, the Wedding Shop was worthless. All their "special occasion" dresses are crammed into one small basement room. The people who worked there were largely unhelpful and the dresses were just not right. Maybe if I wanted to be in a pageant...

I journeyed across town to David's Bridal, which was just a fiasco. The dresses there are not categorized in a useful way. It's logical, I suppose, to organize dresses by style and color. But this makes finding your size a rather large undertaking. I found a clearance dress and a sale dress (that I really had to dig for) that were cocktail-y (that's the other thing, I want a knee-length dress, not a bridesmaid dress). The first one was atrocious. The unexpected-find sale dress was surprisingly lovely. It was bronze, which is a color that can be blah but, with well with my skin tone. Unfortunately, the dress was a lil bit too small. And being that it was on clearance, the zipper got stuck halfway up and with the fraying, refused to budge.

So they had to cut me out! And the saleswoman kept insisting that it was a very common problem. That it was probably because the item was on sale. She insisted so many times that it was not me but the dress. I started to get a complex about it. I mean, the dress was too small. Clearly, I know I'm not fat. But I felt like she was judging me as when of those big girls who tries to squeeze into clothes that are obviously too small. Stupidly, I had not shaved. Anywhere. My legs and underarms were hairy. And I had to walk across the sales floor. Past the bride-to-bes and prom queens. I know they were all wondering who had let the gorilla into the dressing area. The opening in the dress was too small, seeing as I have an actual butt and she underestimated that. So I had to completely rip the dress off of me. I didn't even feel bad. Serves em right for being so snooty. The only good thing that came out of David's was me finding out what size I wear.

Sunday, I visited Madison. There I tried out the cutest little boutique. The dresses were mainly cocktail, which was perfect. Of course, because these were designer duds, prices were $100 and upwards. I found some gorgeous clearance items, however, that were reasonable. Unfortunately, I got stuck in the last dress I tried on. The zipper went haywire. It had fit me. Perfectly. It was a red strapless with pockets. Pockets! I had it mostly zipped up when all of a sudden, it the zipper tracks split. And I couldn't pull it up or down. The girl who had formerly been so nice turned nasty. She accused me of ruining the dress. How could you put on a dress that was already broken, she asked me. She asked me where I got it from, which I awkwardly had no answer for since my mother had picked it out. She told me I was too big for the dress, which was actually inaccurate. And unlike the girls at David's, she made no motion to help me out of it. Take it off the way you put it on, she said before she stormed off. Impossible because I have hips, thighs, and an arse. Well, I ended up ruining that dress too.

I pulled on the zip til it separated from the dress. I pulled it down to look like the garment was unzipped, hung it on the rehang rack, and dashed before they could realize what happened. Sadly, I had really wanted to purchase another one of their dresses. But I just couldn't deal with the charge for two, or with fighting with the saleslady.

So now I'm back at square one. More awkward dress shopping.