Soundtracks of My Life

I'm not a big soundtrack person. I am very picky about buying music in general. It has to be something I really love. I have to love at least 3 or 4 songs on the album before I would want to purchase it. But, there are a few soundtracks in my life that I really love and when I think of them, I remember times when I listened to them. Music does that. It helps you to remember. That's not something I'm just saying, it's actually something that happens in the brain.

Here is a list of soundtracks that I have listened to a lot at certain times in my life.

1. Footloose-

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Artist	Length
1.	"Footloose"	Kenny Loggins, Dean Pitchford	Kenny Loggins	3:47
2.	"Let's Hear It for the Boy"	Tom Snow, Dean Pitchford	Deniece Williams	4:22
3.	"Almost Paradise" (Love Theme from Footloose)	Eric Carmen, Dean Pitchford	Mike Reno and Ann Wilson	3:49
4.	"Holding Out for a Hero"	Jim Steinman, Dean Pitchford	Bonnie Tyler	5:50
5.	"Dancing In The Sheets"	Bill Wolfer, Dean Pitchford	Shalamar	4:05
6.	"I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)"	Kenny Loggins, Dean Pitchford	Kenny Loggins	3:46
7.	"Somebody's Eyes"	Tom Snow, Dean Pitchford	Karla Bonoff	3:29
8.	"The Girl Gets Around"	Sammy Hagar, Dean Pitchford	Sammy Hagar	3:23
9.	"Never"	Michael Gore, Dean Pitchford	Moving Pictures	3:47

Being a child of the 80's, I think every kid owned this album. I had a tape cassette that I played all the time. I favored side A, of course. Oh, Kenny Loggins, you won the 80's, even if no one wants to admit it. I distinctly remember sitting in the tree in my backyard with a boombox blasting, 'Holding Out for a Hero' while my sister and our friend sang it at the top of our lungs. As did many kids, we made a dance video with many songs from this album (and Cocktail and Thriller and the Mickey Mouse Club album). Maybe I will show it to you one day. 

Btw-I don't even know if I've even seen this movie.

2. Cocktail-

Title	Music	Length
1.	"Wild Again"	Starship	4:43
2.	"Powerful Stuff"	The Fabulous Thunderbirds	4:48
3.	"Since When"	Robbie Nevil	4:02
4.	"Don't Worry, Be Happy"	Bobby McFerrin	4:48
5.	"Hippy Hippy Shake"	The Georgia Satellites	1:45
6.	"Kokomo"	The Beach Boys	3:34
7.	"Rave On!"	John Cougar Mellencamp	3:13
8.	"All Shook Up"	Ry Cooder	3:29
9.	"Oh, I Love You So"	Preston Smith	2:42
10.	"Tutti Frutti"	Little Richard	2:23

Another soundtrack that EVERYONE in the 80's had. It was like, required. I also had this on cassette and also made many dance numbers with my sister (some of which are on tape). I think we loved Cocktail better than Footloose. 'Oh, I Love You So' was my favorite song for a while when I was a kid. We pretty much loved every song on this album though.
I tried to watch this movie for the first time a couple of years ago. It. Was. Terrible.

3. MallRats

No.	Title	Contributing artist	Length
1.	"Love and Sharks" (Dialogue)	Jason Lee and Jeremy London	0:22
2.	"Bubbles"	Bush	3:03
3.	"Susanne"	Weezer	2:44
4.	"Freeing One's Mind" (Dialogue)	Priscilla Barnes, Jason Lee, Jeremy London	0:10
5.	"Seventeen"	Sponge	2:42
6.	"Kryptonite Condoms" (Dialogue)	Jason Lee and Jeremy London	0:37
7.	"Line Up"	Elastica	3:15
8.	"Mission Impossible #1" (Dialogue)	Jason Mewes	0:19
9.	"Mallrats"	Wax	2:39
10.	"Taken with a Grain of Salt" (Dialogue)	Shannen Doherty	0:30
11.	"Broken"	Belly	4:02
12.	"Cruise Your New Baby Fly Self"	Girls Against Boys	3:11
13.	"A Very Uncomfortable Place" (Dialogue)	Jason Mewes, Jason Lee, Jeremy London, Joey Lauren Adams	0:53
14.	"Guilty"	All	3:19
15.	"That Ski Trip" (Dialogue)	Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Lee, Jeremy London	0:16
16.	"Web in Front"	Archers of Loaf	2:03
17.	"Hated It"	Thrush Hermit	3:49
18.	"Post Coital Techno Boogie" (Dialogue)	Jason Lee, Shannen Doherty	0:34
19.	"Build Me Up Buttercup"	The Goops	2:38
20.	"Cousin Walter" (Dialogue)	Jason Lee, Brian O'Halloran	0:45
21.	"Social"	Squirtgun	3:35
22.	"Mission Impossible #2" (Dialogue)	Jason Mewes	0:19
23.	"Smoke Two Joints"	Sublime	2:38
24.	"Stoned"	Silverchair	2:46
25.	"Last Words" (Dialogue)	Jason Mewes	0:09

 This is such a good soundtrack and an even better movie! Definitely one of the definitive movies of my generation. Also, I was personally quite the mall rat myself as a teenager, so I could really relate to hanging out doing a whole lot of nothing at the mall for hours. Haha
I never cared for the band 'Bush', but they have the only song I like of theirs on this album. Also, 'Build Me Up Buttercup' by The Goops is a kickass cover!

4. Empire Records-

1. "Til I Hear It from You" by Gin Blossoms
2. "Liar" by The Cranberries
3. "A Girl Like You" by Edwyn Collins
4. "Free" by The Martinis
5. "Crazy Life" by Toad the Wet Sprocket
6. "Bright As Yellow" by The Innocence Mission
7. "Circle of Friends" by Better Than Ezra
8. "I Don't Want to Live Today" by Ape Hangers
9. "Whole Lotta Trouble" by Cracker
10. "Ready, Steady, Go" by The Meices
11. "What You Are" by Drill
12. "Nice Overalls" by Lustre
13. "Here It Comes Again" by Please
14. "The Ballad of El Goodo" by Evan Dando
15. "Sugarhigh" by Coyote Shivers
16. "The Honeymoon Is Over" by The Cruel Sea (Australian and German edition)

Yet, another great film that captures my generation and some awesome sounds of the time. The song 'Free' by The Martinis brings me back and makes my heart glow with happiness!
Great movie too. Everyone in this movie is hot. Period.

5. Angus-

1. "J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)" - Green Day - 2:52
2. "Jack Names the Planets" - Ash - 3:13
3. "Enough" - Dance Hall Crashers - 3:01
4. "Kung Fu" - Ash - 2:17
5. "Back to You" - Riverdales - 3:33
6. "Mrs. You and Me" - Smoking Popes - 3:34
7. "You Gave Your Love to Me Softly" - Weezer - 1:59
8. "Ain't That Unusual" - Goo Goo Dolls - 3:18
9. "Funny Face" - The Muffs - 3:21
10. "White Homes" - Tilt - 2:09
11. "Deep Water" - Pansy Division - 2:10
12. "Am I Wrong" - Love Spit Love (Marching band version, similar to its appearance in the film - not labeled as such) - 3:34

This is another example of a GREAT soundtrack coming from an ok movie. This movie came out the same year as Mallrats and Empire Records, but most people do not remember it like they do the other two. It was about a nerdy boy who liked a popular girl...blah blah blah.. This album, however, is AMAZING. If you are open to poppy-punk, that is. I'm pretty diverse in the genres of punk that I like, so I'm good with it. I own albums from many of the artists on this album (some I already had and some that I discovered because of this album) and I am not disappointed with a one.

I've seen these guys in concert. :)

6. Go-

Title	Artist(s)	Length
1.	"New"	No Doubt[5]	4:13
2.	"Steal My Sunshine"	Len	4:08
3.	"Magic Carpet Ride" (Steir's mix)	Philip Steir featuring Steppenwolf	3:25
4.	"Troubled by the Way We Came Together"	Natalie Imbruglia	3:50
5.	"Gangster Trippin'"	Fatboy Slim	5:19
6.	"Cha Cha Cha" (Go remix)	Jimmy Luxury & The Tommy Rome Orchestra	3:27
7.	"Song for Holly"	Esthero with Danny Saber	4:06
8.	"Fire Up the Shoesaw" (LP version)	Lionrock	5:43
9.	"To All the Lovely Ladies" (radio mix)	Goldo	3:14
10.	"Good to Be Alive"	DJ Rap	4:15
11.	"Believer"	BT	5:11
12.	"Shooting Up in Vain" (T-Ray remix)	Eagle-Eye Cherry	4:51
13.	"Talisman"	Air	4:16
14.	"Swords"	Leftfield featuring Nicole Willis

I really did not care for this movie. I was a party kid/raver/club kid, whatever you wanna call it, at the time this movie came out. We were super excited about it and then it was all about drugs. Bummer. My friends and I, however, absolutely loved this soundtrack and I remember many, many times blasting this album on the way to a party. Good stuff. 

7. Groove

	1	No Obstacles, Only Challenges
	2	Girls Like Us
	3	Champagne Beat Boogie
Additional Track Information Groove Soundtrack buy CD music
	4	You're the Lucky Ones
	5	Dukes Up Joshua's Dubwise Mix
	6	Twenty Minutes of Disco Glory Simon's Come-Unity mix
Additional Track Information Groove Soundtrack songs
	7	Perpetual	3:01	$0.99
	8	Halcyon + On + On
	9	Anaomaly-Calling Your Name Ferry Coasten remix
Additional Track Information Groove Soundtrack album for sale
	10	Heaven Scent
	11	Beachcoma
	12	Protocol
Additional Track Information Groove Soundtrack CD music
	13	Wanna Go to the Endup?
	14	Infinitely Gentle Blows Scott Hardkiss Aural Hallucination mix, Ring

This movie came out in 2000, a year after Go. It was not as popular, but it was way better (in my opinion) and a way more accurate depiction of the party scene. I remember that my friends and I went to see this movie on opening night at an independent movie cinema and they gave us blow pops as we walked in. There was such good energy going in the place, it was like we were at a party. After the theater let out, everyone kind of just hung out in the parking lot, playing their tunes from the vehicles.  I absolutely love this album. It is one of the albums that almost always puts me in a better mood. Definitely something I used to listen to while getting ready to go out. 

Remember, no obstacles, only challenges.

Honorable mention-

Lost Highway-

1. "I'm Deranged" (edit) – David Bowie – 2:37
2. "Videodrones; Questions" – Trent Reznor – 0:44
3. "The Perfect Drug" – Nine Inch Nails – 5:15
4. "Red Bats with Teeth" – Angelo Badalamenti – 2:57
5. "Haunting & Heartbreaking" – Angelo Badalamenti – 2:09
6. "Eye" – The Smashing Pumpkins – 4:51
7. "Dub Driving" – Angelo Badalamenti – 3:43
8. "Mr. Eddy's Theme 1" – Barry Adamson – 3:31
9. "This Magic Moment" – Lou Reed – 3:23
10. "Mr. Eddy's Theme 2" – Barry Adamson – 2:13
11. "Fred & Renee Make Love" – Angelo Badalamenti – 2:04
12. "Apple of Sodom" – Marilyn Manson – 4:26
13. "Insensatez" – Antonio Carlos Jobim – 2:53
14. "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (edit) – Barry Adamson – 2:54
15. "I Put a Spell on You" – Marilyn Manson – 3:30
16. "Fats Revisited" – Angelo Badalamenti – 2:31
17. "Fred's World" – Angelo Badalamenti – 3:01
18. "Rammstein" (edit) – Rammstein – 3:26
19. "Hollywood Sunset" – Barry Adamson – 2:01
20. "Heirate Mich" (edit) – Rammstein – 3:02
21. "Police" – Angelo Badalamenti – 1:40
22. "Driver Down" – Trent Reznor – 5:18
23. "I'm Deranged" (Reprise) – David Bowie – 3:48

The year was 1997 and David Lynch was (and is) still weird. This movie had cult interest like many of his movies. I think maybe my sister owned this cd. I can't really get into most of the songs on this...just not my style...but ohhhhh that David Bowie song. Wow! Love

Working Towards the Goal of the Ultimate Halloween Costume (or My Own Criterion Collection)

Halloween is coming up and I've been thinking long and hard about what I will dress up as this year. You may think that adults shouldn't dress up for Halloween, to which I say, "I do what I want!". Being an artistic person, that is not an option. More and more each year, I've discovered that I have a love for meeting two criteria in my costumes:

Criteria 1: not very many people will recognize me

Criteria 2: not many people will even get who/what I'm trying to be

Bonus criteria: the costume represents a person/idea that is feminist in that it is a person/idea that is bold, strong, a role model

I haven't always hit these criteria, but that is usually the ultimate goal. Below are some examples of a few of my adult Halloween costumes over the years.

1. Jessica Rabbit-probably only hitting Criteria 2 because some younger folk did not know who I was

This was quite some time ago...

I actually had my hair dyed for this costume and I ordered the dress in the mail which was much more skimpy than I thought it would be, but I went with it. I was pretty fit at the time, so I think I pulled it off decently.

2. A Beatnik/60's Modster- I could do this in so many ways and feel like I'd like to revisit this and do it better next time. Criteria 2- for having to explain to people what a beatnik was--smh. Bonus criteria for female beatniks that didn't go along with social norms of the times.

I wore my mother's old girl scout uniform over a black tank top. I used the same girl scout uniform to actually dress up as a girl scout years earlier. 

3. April O'Neil (from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)- so one year I was at the Melody Inn with my friend, Mike and we were both thrilled when we saw a dude with an awesome Shredder costume. He was happy that we didn't think he was Darth Vader like everyone else did. I knew then that I would be April O'Neil the next year. Criteria 2 (for having to explain who I was) and Bonus(for April O'Neil being a badass). Easy.

Yellow jumpsuit? check. Microphone? check. Toy Raphael in my front pocket? check.

4. Jem (from Jem and the Holograms)-80's kids (especially girls) knew this one. A very small age range. Definitely hitting Criteria 1 and 2. A lot of people didn't recognize me at first! Definitely one of my funnest costumes! I would say Jem gets the bonus criteria for being bold and following her dream to be a rockstar!

It was really fun to do this makeup! I don't know about you, but I still have my Jem dolls AND my Jem cassette tape and I would like to point out that it still rocks....and that they actually sing a bizzare song called, 'Friend or Stranger' which talks about turning a stranger into a friend?! Great job at protecting children, 1980's.

5. Hipster-this one was a low-key, didn't want to think about it year. Criteria--none? 

So many scarves. 

6. Courtney Love- Criteria 2 and Bonus- There were definitely only a select few that got this one right away.

The smeared lipstick and 90's babydress with lingerie sticking out helped.

7. A Roy Lichtenstein Painting- Criteria 1 (even some of my best friends didn't recognize me until I GOT IN THEIR FACE) and Criteria 2-unless you know anything about Art History, you probably had no idea that I represented a painting by 60's Pop Artist, Roy Lichtenstein. If people still didn't get it, I just told them I was a comic character---see? The pixles?

I definitely had fun doing the makeup on this one. I created my thought balloon by attaching it to my headband. (not sure why this is blurry, but I don't feel like fixing it right now)

BONUS COSTUME-This one wasn't on Halloween, but last year, when teaching about Pop Art, I got a wild hair to show up to class as Andy Warhol. Many of my students jumped when they saw me, or they thought they had a sub. Others took one look at me and said, "Hello, Mr. Warhol, are you going to be our teacher today?" It was a super fun day. And they paid attention that day!

My adult Halloween costumes that aren't pictured (because I can't find the pictures)-

Flamenco dancer

1920's Flapper (that I actually wore to vote in with a sash that said, 'Votes for Women')

I don't remember......

So what am I going to be this year? Aha! You wish! I shall not divulge my secret just yet.

The Most Consistently Funny Movies That Exist (in My Very Honest and Smugly Righteousrom Opinion)

Years ago I had a blog on Myspace. Yes. It was actually quite popular (with my friends). I also had a blogger and a livejournal blog. The blog on Myspace was my most public blog and was much like this blog, but most likely more whiny and complainy. I had met a friend online that I now call Plaintain (it's a long story that includes drunken high-jinx and a plaintain). So, Plaintain and I would email each other all the time over very deep philosophical matters.....like which movies were the most consistently funny that I should put on my blog. Our email stream about the subject became so in depth that we never really finished the list because we couldn't stop arguing over what to keep and what to not keep. For example, he wanted Leslie Neilson movies included. Um, no. I wanted 'Sideways'. He thought it was too morose. I agree now. In my old age.
I probably eventually wrote a blog consisting of the continuously funny movies that we finally agreed upon but I have a bad memory and I want to write it again....except this time, I'm not consulting Plaintain. Take that, Plaintain. Take that.

What would I define as a 'consistently' funny movie?
It has to make me laugh pretty consistently throughout the entire movie. There are many movies that are funny, but there aren't many that keep you laughing like every other minute. THAT is what I'm talking about here, yo.

Why FUNNY movies?
Comedies are my very favorite. I actually got really pissy at a dude a couple years ago when a group of us were looking for a movie to watch and he kept trying to pick these serious, artsy dramas and I kept trying to pick stupid comedies. That part is fine. Everyone has their different tastes. But, then he started ridiculing my taste. Here's the thing. I love artsy, indie films, I just prefer to watch them on my own so I can give them my full attention and reflect. I was in a bad mood that night and I think I said something along the lines of; "I think all day long because I'm so intellectual and I'm definitely more cultured than your little pinky so I don't need to prove myself with indie films...I just need to relax my brain with a stupid comedy - and blah blah some other very bratty stuff. "Yeah....don't worry. I have since apologized for my brat out moment. But, darn it--don't judge my comedy watching!


Now that you all hate me. I will be more pompous by pretending to say I have final say on THE MOST CONSISTENTLY FUNNY MOVIES OF ALL TIME! Enjoy! (in no particular order excepting that The Jerk DOES belong at the top)

1. The Jerk

"This guy hates these cans! There's cans in there too! Stay away from the cans!"

"Naven R. Johnson. Sounds like a typical run of the mill bastard. Die, Naven R. Johnson!"

The Jerk is my very favorite movie of all time. Everything about it is amazing. Almost every single line is hilarious. I die every time I watch it. Die. You probably don't want to watch this movie (or many of the others for that matter) with me, because I know every line and will say them along with the movie....but, I've tried to chill on that.

2. Coming to America

"What kind of music you like?"

"Whatever kind of music you likkkkee"

"Just let your soul glo"

3. Idiocracy

"Welcome to Costco, I love you."

"I supersize with you"

"What I'd do, is just like....like..you know, like, you know what I mean, like..."

This movie is so amazing. It is hilariously true to the way our society is going. Sad if you think about it, but funny if you just go with it. This is not a movie for a stupid person. I've found that they get offended by it/don't understand what is funny."Huh, huh, huh"

4. Half Baked

"I love Butterstuff."

"Yo, I think I'm gonna make a run for it, B"

"I'm not gonna do...what everyone thinks I'm gonna do....which is FLIP OUT!"

"The doctor says I need a backiotomy!"

So many good one liners!

5. Planes, Trains and Automobiles

"Those aren't pillows!"

"You're going the wrong way!!"

It is a tradition in my family that we always watch this movie on Thanksgiving (that and watch the dog show...no sportsball for us). I used to get really stressed out during this movie (and Back to the Future) because I was worried that they were NEVER going to make it home.

6. Bridesmaids

"You read my diary?" "At first I did not know it was your diary, I thought it was a very sad handwritten book."

"Stove. What kind of name is that?" "That's not a name. My name is Steve"

"Female fight club. We grease up, we pull in. Lillian doesn't know so it's 'Surprise, we're going to fight!' We beat the sh*t outta her"

Omg, the scene where Maya Rudolph poops in the street. Gafaawww!!

7. Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion

"Do you have some sort of business woman special?"

"You look so good with blond hair and black roots it's like not even funny"

8. Hot Tub Time Machine

"Must be some sort of.....Hot tub time machine"

"Great White Buffalo"

I saw this movie in the theater on a whim with my sister and a couple of her friends. I had never seen a preview. It was one of those times where you are so FREAKING pleasantly surprised that you just found a new favorite movie. Ugh. I love this.

9. Team America

"You are worthress, Arec Barrwin!"

"I promise. I will never die."

"Matt Damon."

How did the North Koreans not come after us when this came out? I am actually kind of scared to write this.

10. Clue

"He was always a rather stupidly optimistic man. I mean, I'm afraid it came as a great shock to him when he died, but he was found dead at home. His head had been cut off, and so had his, uh....you know"

"Oh my, this soup's delicious!"

This was one of my favorite movies as a kid and I definitely know EVERY SINGLE LINE. Beware watching this with me. Lines from this movie pop into my head on a regular basis. The other day, someone had wronged me and I kept thinking, in the voice of Wadsworth to Mrs. Peacock, "Don't you remember your fatal mistake.....You told us at dinner that we were eating one of your favorite recipes, and monkey's brains, though popular in Cantonese cuisine, are not often to be found in Washington, DC!!"

Didn't quite make the 'consistent' cut, but still notable:

Mean Girls
Easy A
Meet the Parents
Mrs. Doubtfire
Liar, Liar
Can't Hardly Wait
Road Trip
This is 40
We Are the Millers
But, I'm a Cheerleader
The Simpson's Movie
Wayne's World
Austin Powers
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
My Man Godfrey
This is the End


I'm sure I'm going to come back and be mad at myself for missing something really good.