Come on, get happy!

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Well, this is a picture of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. It was taken in the 1963 during a rehearsal of the first episode her television show. From what I've read, Judy was really nervous about doing a live television show, and so she wanted Mickey to be her first guest to make her feel a little more comfortable and at ease. I've recently seen this on youtube, and I have to say I think Judy made the right decision. I didn't sense any nervousness from her at all. It was great watching Mickey and Judy get together again and "play" the way they used to when they were kids. 

See, Mickey and Judy went way, way back. They met when she came to MGM when she was eleven or twelve years old and instantly became the best of friends. Mickey remained Judy's most loyal friend up until the day she died. At her funeral, he was originally to deliver her eulogy, but he had to back out at the last minute, afraid that he would just go to pieces. Even today, when he talks about her, he lights up and his eyes get a little shiny- it's obvious that he is still so in love with her in the most beautiful, sublime, platonic way. I've always loved the two of them together. They make me smile.

Top 10 Tarantino Characters

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Wow, where have I been? It's been a while, huh? Anyhow, let's get down to business...

Quentin Tarantino. When you hear his name you immediately think of amazing films, superb characters, and incredible dialogue. I have two favorite film directors- one "classic" director, and one "modern". My favorite classic director is Frank Capra. Without a doubt, Quentin Tarantino is my favorite modern director. I also think that he is by far the best filmmaker of today, and I don't say that just because he happens to be my favorite director. I think that he just brings something else to the table. He's so unique, and no two films are the same.  I think he's so brilliant, and so talented, and I love to listen to him talk. I love how excited he gets when he talks about films. He's just like a little boy. You can see how passionate he is about movies, and I see myself in that. I would love to interview him. 

He's known primarily  for his incredible dialogue. He's so good at making his characters talk like normal everyday people. A prime example is in Pulp Fiction when two hit men are driving to "work". They're not talking about taking people out. They're talking about McDonald's. Or in Reservoir Dogs, when the bank robbers are sitting at the table eating breakfast in a diner. They're not talking about robbing banks. They're talking about Madonna! Madonna, and what her songs mean. See, normal people don't talk shop all day long. They talk about stupid, mundane everyday things. Tarantino is brilliant at making his characters talk like real people. 

I think his best quality though is the characters he writes. Every character is so dynamic and interesting. I don't think he's ever written a boring character, or someone that you don't really care about.  Be they good guys, bad guys, or totally despicable guys, or just straight-up bad asses, one things for sure - they are all amazing characters. So without further ado, here's my pick of the top ten Tarantino characters. 

 10. Vincent Vega, Pulp Fiction.  Vincent Vega isn't your average run-of-the-mill hit-man. Sure, he wears a cool suit and carries a gun, but he also shoots heroin and can twist like nobody's business. Oh yeah, he's also pretty good at giving adrenaline shots too. 

9. Stuntman Mike, Death Proof.  Stuntman Mike fits the category of total bad ass. He drives the sickest cars ever- a Chevy Nova and a Dodge Charger respectively- and they're totally safe. Matter of fact, they're death proof. But let Stuntman Mike tell you about that: "This car is 100 percent death proof. Only to get the benefits of it honey, you really need to be sittin' in my seat."

8. Cl. Hans Landa, Inglourious Basterds. Hans Landa: Totally vile, yet oddly charming. Known as The Jew Hunter, he prides himself on his ability to "think like a Jew" and find them by searching places "only a Jew would think to hide". However awful a person you know he is, you can't help but be drawn to him. It's sort of a strange feeling, but makes for a great character. As Hans would say, "That's a bingo!"

 7. Winston Wolf, Pulp Fiction. The house is thirty minutes away. He'll be there in ten. He solves problems. "Get it straight, Buster. I'm not here to say please. I'm here to tell you what to do. And if self-preservation is an instinct you possess, you better do it and do it quick. I'm here to help. If my help's not appreciated, lots of luck gentlemen. If I'm curt with you it's because time is a factor. I think fast, I talk fast, and I need you guys to act fast if you wanna get out of this. So, pretty please, with sugar on top, clean the fucking car."

 6. Sgt. Donnie Donowitz AKA The Bear Jew, Inglourious Basterds. Can you think of anybody much cooler than a guy who busts Nazi soldier's heads open with a baseball bat? Yeah, I had a hard time too.

 5. Shoshanna Dreyfus, Inglourious Basterds. She's got a bit of a bone to pick with the Germans. See, she watched them murder her family. So she trapped hundreds of Nazis in a movie theater and burned it to the ground. "My name is Shoshanna Dreyfus and this is the face of Jewish vengance." Yes.

4. Mr. Blonde, Reservoir Dogs. Vic Vega, brother of Vincent Vega, is better known by his codename, Mr. Blonde.  He's a bit impulsive and tends to shoot at will.  After a failed bank robbery he kidnaps a cop and stops at Big Kahuna Burger for lunch before returning to the warehouse, cool as a cucumber. "Are you gonna bark all day little doggie? Or are you gonna bite?"

 3. Lt. Aldo Raine, Inglourious Basterds. He does one thing, and one thing only. Killin' Nazis. 'Nuff said.

2. The Bride, Kill Bill. During a wedding rehearsal, she was attacked by her former boss and boyfriend Bill and his other 'employees'. Her last words to Bill before he put a bullet in her head are "It's your baby". Four years later, she awakes from a coma induced by Bill's bullet. Her baby is stolen and she is totally pissed. She then goes on "What the movie advertisements refer to as a roaring rampage of revenge." 

 1. Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction. "Say what again! I dare you! I double dare you motherfucker! Say what one more goddamn time!"

So there you have it. My pick of the coolest Tarantino characters. How's my list compared to yours? Did I leave someone out? Or do you feel like someone is on this list that shouldn't be? Let me know, I love debating this kind of stuff!

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Again, as with many of my previous posts, I'm going to start out by saying I don't necessarily have a favorite...

Today's theme is favorite quote. I have many favorite quotes; many of them tacked onto my bedroom wall in between my light switch and  a photo of Vivien Leigh and a Rorschach type canvas of Audrey Hepburn.  

There's one quote that I've really liked a lot for a while though. Well, it's not really a  quote- it's a couple of lines from a poem by Wordsworth. The poem: Odes on Intimations of Immortality. 

Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass,

Of glory in the flower, we will grieve not. 

Rather find strength in what remains behind.

If you're a fan of classic films, or of Natalie Wood, I'm sure you recognize these lines. They are heavily featured in the 1961 film Splendor in the Grass (which is where the movie got its title) and are spoken by Natalie Wood at the end of the movie. (And by the way, if you haven't seen Splendor in the Grass, please do. It's a great film and Natalie Wood is so amazing in it) 

Anyhow, back to the post topic. I've been posting this quote everywhere, from my facebook page to scribbling it down in a margin of paper. I posted it when me and an ex broke up. I like it a lot because I like the idea of forgetting the past and moving forward. It's over, it's done, and it's not coming back, so deal with it and move on.   

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

I'm not sure I have just one favorite book. I have a list of books that I love and could read over and over again, but I don't think that I could pick just one favorite. One book that has been at the top of that list for a few years is I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Its protagonist is 19 year old cab driver Ed Kennedy who hasn't got much going for him. He lives in a shack with his dog, The Doorman, a coffee drinking Rottweiler-German Shepard who stinks something awful. He is hopelessly in love with his best friend Audrey, and his other two friends, Marv and Ritchie, are just as hopeless as Ed. Not even Ed's own mother thinks he's got a chance in life. After inadvertently foiling a bank robbery one day, Ed becomes somewhat of a local hero. Soon after, a playing card arrives in the mail. It's the Ace of Diamonds, and it's got three addresses and times written on it. Ed realizes that these are clues. They're missions. He must complete them. And with every suit, the mission gets more personal. 

I Am the Messenger is brilliantly written. The characters and the dialogue is so simple and realistic that you have no trouble believing it. The book is screamingly funny at times, unbelievably sad at others. There are moments of sheer beauty and goodness. others of primitive evil. Moments of light and dark, black and white. (Or red, to keep with the theme of playing cards). It's quite simply written, but that doesn't take anything away from the sheer perfection of the novel. And with a great twist of an ending, it's a book you're not going to forget anytime soon.

Lucy, you gotta lotta splainin ta do!

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

My favorite television show is the classic sitcom I Love Lucy. It ran from 1951 to 1957 with six seasons and has never been taken off the air. It's probably safe to say that it's the most famous television show of all time and  it influenced literally every other sitcom to ever exist since.   

As I'm sure most people know, it revolved around Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball), her bandleader husband Ricky (Desi Arnaz), and their friends  Fred and Ethel Mertz (William Frawley and Vivian Vance).  Lucy is desperate for her chance to get into show business, but Ricky, who knows the difficulties of the business wants nothing more than for Lucy to stay home and be a normal housewife. Lucy is convinced that she can be a great star, but her only talent seems to be getting herself into loads of trouble. Somehow though, she always gets her way out of it.

What was  amazing about I Love Lucy was how the writers could take a normal everyday problem and somehow manage to have it lead to some outrageous adventure. For example, in the most famous episode, Ricky and Fred are convinced that if a woman knew how difficult it was to make money, they would be more careful about spending it so quickly. This leads to a place-switching bet. Lucy and Ethel go to work and Fred and Ricky stay home and clean the house. As it turns out, the only job the girls can get is at a candy factory, wrapping the candy as it goes past on a conveyor belt. In true I Love Lucy fashion, the conveyor belt moves too fast and Lucy and Ethel can't keep up. So they literally stuff themselves with candy- down their shirts, up in their hats, and in their mouths. The supervisor is pleased and famously shouts to the belt operator to "Speed it up!"

Lucille Ball produced the show and had a big hand in the Lucy character.  She wanted Lucy to be somebody that people could relate to. So Lucy's problems (an overdrawn bank account for example) and the things she wanted (a new hat or a new dress) weren't too far from the things that most American women in the 1950s wanted. That's why Ricky Ricardo wasn't all that famous- people could believe that the Ricardos just didn't have enough money for that new electric washing machine. 

Pretty much any celebrity who was anyone was on an episode of I Love Lucy. Lucy nagged John Wayne for his footprints, threw a pie in William Holden's face at the Brown Derby, danced with Van Johnson, and played Harpo Marx's mirror image. 

Of course what really made the show work was the cast itself. They worked together perfectly, and  although there was quite a large amount of backstage drama, they always managed to pull it together and give a great show every week. They always stayed professional and never let any personal demons get in the way of what they knew was really important- the show. Although they may not have liked each other sometimes, there was always professional admiration and respect between the four principles. It's as if they knew that they were all a part of something much bigger than they were and their problems didn't matter as much as the show. 

I'm quite sure I've seen every episode of I Love Lucy and it's never failed to make me laugh. No matter how many times I've seen my favorite episodes, it's still funny to me every time. I must have seen Lucy advertise Vitameatavegamin at least fifteen times, and I still laugh like I've never seen it before. 

 I can't think of any show that has lasted as long as I Love Lucy. Everyone recognizes it, no matter how old they are, no matter if they have ever even watched it. It's been spoofed and has been straight-up ripped off on other shows. I don't think that it's an exaggeration to say that it's the most famous, recognizable and important television show in the history of television shows.  

Toto, that's not polite! We haven't been asked yet!

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

So this should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows the first thing about me. My favorite movie of all time is The Wizard of Oz. Always has been.  I honestly can't remember ever not loving this film.One of my earliest memories if of watching The Wizard of Oz every single time I went to my grandparent's house. I would lie on my grandmother's bed and for two hours be completely lost in the film. .

 Even today, I never fail to be completely captivated by this film. No matter how many times I've watched it before, I'm always up for watching it yet again. I must have seen it about a thousand times. 

Even though the film is seventy years old, it still feels fresh and new and exciting every time you see it. It's not dated, it hasn't gone out of style, and it never will.  

It's kind of hard for me to be objective about The Wizard of Oz and not base my opinions solely on sentiment. It just has always had the most special place in my heart and no matter how many other films I've fallen in love with, nothing has ever managed to take Oz's place. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I was pretty much raised on it but there are other things that I've always loved about this film. Namely, Judy Garland.

The second thing people should know about me is that I absolutely adore Judy Garland. I have since I found out who she was when I was in fifth grade. I think that learning about who she was as a person and all her struggles at such a young age sort of helped influence who I am today. I can remember having anti-drug classes in school and not really caring about the science of addiction and all that. Instead, Judy Garland was my motivation to stay away from drugs. She still sort of is- I am especially terrified of sleep aids because of what happened to her. 

And I've always loved her in this film. It's one of my favorite performances by an actress ever. It's just so honest and pure. You believed every word she said. You can feel her desperation and longing when she sings Over the Rainbow. You can see the wonder and amazement in her eyes when she first enters Oz. You feel her heart break when she thinks that she's not going to get home. You forget that she's Judy Garland. She actually makes you believe that she's just a little girl from Kansas that wants to get home to her aunt and uncle. It's one of the most beautiful performances ever captured on film.

I credit George Cukor for the feel of this film. He was initially hired to direct Gone With the Wind around the same time as The Wizard of Oz was scheduled to start shooting. Before reporting to the Gone With the Wind set, he had a few days to drop by the Oz set and was absolutely appalled at what he saw. The studio had attempted to make Judy Garland into a kind of Shirley Temple look alike, with a curly blonde wig and lots of make up. Cukor immediately had Judy's wig and make up removed and had her hair put into pigtails. Before leaving, he told her to remember that she's "Just a little girl from Kansas." 

I've always loved this movie because sometimes I like to feel five years old again. I love the beauty and innocence of it. I think it's nice that you can escape for two hours into a film in today's world where there's not a lot of beauty to be found.

 

There's something groovy and good 'bout whatever we got

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie
Day 03 — Your favorite television program
Day 04 — Your favorite book
Day 05 — Your favorite quote
Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Well, here we go. This is a blog post theme thing that I found circulating around other blogs, so I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon with it as well.

I actually don't really have a favorite song. If I claim something is my favorite song, by the next day, it will be something totally different. Sometimes it will change in a matter of hours. So for me, this was kind of difficult. It was tough deciding on just one song, but I finally decided on one that I've been listening to a lot lately. And I mean a lot. I'll listen to this song on loop a few times in a row and not get sick of hearing it.

It's the song "It's Getting Better" and it's by Mama Cass. You'll recognize her from the Mamas and the Papas I'm sure. She had one of the most amazing voices in history, and was definitely one of the best singers to come out of the 60s pop scene. After the Mamas and the Papas disbanded in 1968, Cass embarked on a solo career, somewhat desperate to be recognized as Cass Elliot, and not Mama Cass. In 1969, she recorded and had a great hit with It's Getting Better. Unfortunately, she would only enjoy five years of success. She died in 1974 of a heart attack

I discovered Cass through my discovery of the Mamas and the Papas just last year. I was amazed at their harmonies and voices (Cass's in particular) and I was always convinced that they could have been an a Capella group. I was surprised that I liked Cass's solo stuff as much as her work with the Mamas and the Papas. I think the only person who've I liked solo as much as with 'their group' is John Lennon.

I like that Cass's voice is so crisp and clean and clear. She's also a very honest singer in the way that Judy Garland and Edith Piaf were. I also really appreciate that she was never ashamed about herself. She knew that she wasn't especially sexy, or even a standard pretty girl. She was overweight, but she didn't let it get her down. She knew she was a hell of a singer and that's all that mattered. And people responded to her. People have said that when they saw her on stage singing, they felt a warmth wash over them, as if they were sinking into a hot bath. Cass's voice had that effect on people. They loved her and she loved them back. And they were devastated when she died.

Here's to you, Cass!

Mama Cass- It's Getting Better

Wilkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome!

So after some inspiration from my friend I've made myself a blog to post up my writings and whatnot. I'm not sure how many people are going to be seeing this, let alone how many people will actually care enough to read through whatever I post. But since I kind of want to do a bit of writing as a career, I guess maybe I'm hoping that someone will see this and possibly be interested in what I have to say, and possibly maybe hook me up with someone else. But I'm also well aware that that is very wishful thinking. Whatever happens, this is my new outlet for any writings that I do and would like to share.

Now, for a little about me. I'm twenty years old and I have been absolutely, head-over-heels, obsessively in love with classic films and Hollywood since I was sixteen years old. It all started in the spring of my sophomore year of high school when I took a class called Film Appreciation. In this class, I was introduced to some really amazing films: Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Double Indemnity, Some Like it Hot, Vertigo and The Boondock Saints. I also remember watching some favorite films of mine as well- Jaws, Silence of the Lambs, and a few Little Rascals and Three Stooges shorts.   That summer, I watched TCM nearly every day and discovered a whole ton of amazing actors and actresses. Since then, I've become quite a film snob, but I'm not above the occasional plain old silly film (Napoleon Dynamite, Jay and Silent Bob, Dogma) and, contrary to what people think, I'm not above the films of today if they are well made.

Outside of the whole film thing, I also am real big on cooking. I'm a total food person, and actually, before I discovered film, I wanted to be a professional chef and open up my own restaurant. I also love reading I also love books themselves. I also like photography although I wouldn't consider myself one of those artistic photographers. I'd love to be,  but it was something I was never real outstanding at. I love music and I'm not sure I have gone a day without listening to it, even if the only time I get to listen to it is in my car driving to work. I love literally all types of music, some more than others, but my tastes are very eclectic. I listen  to everything from ABBA, Tupac, and Beethoven, to Judy Garland, Edith Piaf, and The Misfits. I'm quite sure my iPod has at least one artist of every genre on it. I can play the piano and a little guitar as well.

As I've said before and as you've noticed from looking at the photos on this thing, I am a total film buff/snob. My favorite film ever is The Wizard of Oz followed closely by Gone With the Wind. I'm very passionate about films and actors and actresses, so when I like them, I love them. And if I don't really dig them, I loathe them. My favorite actress is Vivien Leigh and my favorite actor is Laurence Olivier. I was born about 60 years too late and I love old fashion, especially those of the twenties and forties.

And now, I'm quite sure that I've rambled on about myself too much. So if you're still reading this, well, 1: I'm surprised, and 2: Thanks, and I hope you check this out every so often to see what else I've got to say.