Ramblings of a quoteaholic

I'm MOVING!

2010-12-13T18:08:00.000+01:00

Ok y'all. The time has come. I'm not making much use of the blogger anymore, and I've been looking for quite some time now for an easier way to blog to all you lovely people. So, I've decided to relocate. You can now find Ramblings of a quoteaholic 2.0 at this address: finediversions.tumblr.com.

Hope to see you all there for a housewarming party. There'll be cake!

Emmy the Great

2010-07-18T21:48:00.000+02:00

Just a note on what I CANNOT stop listening to at the moment. This woman's music is damn hypnotic. So worth a listen.

Much love. x

Perhaps the best cover of anything... ever.

2010-05-22T01:04:00.000+02:00

Just give it a listen, you'll thank me.

Why so blue panda bear?

2010-05-13T03:46:00.000+02:00

My little brother called me out of the blue the other day. I say 'out of the blue' because, as close as I am to my brother and as much as it sucks us being away from each other 9 months out of the year, he sticks to younger brother tradition and is RUBBISH at keeping in touch. Anyway, he's been having a hard time of it lately and needed something(s) to distract him. "Soph," he said to me over Skype, "do you know of any videos I should watch [on YouTube]?" He realized pretty soon afterwards that this was a silly question– it was me he was talking to. I told him to find me on the yoooootooob, because I 'favourite' stuff pretty much every day. The majority of it with the Soph guarantee of being able to lift you up when you're down. Let me list some of them for you now.

1. A Daily Show classic that has Stephen Colbert breaking character:

2. A great joke from a great only-famous-in-England-but-American comedian.

3. Reginald D Hunter should rule the world. And I would kill for this little factoid to be true.

4. An audio clip from the AMAZING radio show Comedy Death Ray. How could you not feel better after knowing that you don't have all these illnesses?

5. Surely if someone told you you were a buffet of manliness you'd feel better, right?

6. Ronni Ancona does the best Audrey Hepburn impression EVER.

7. Absolute gem. If this doesn't make you smile there's something wrong with you.

8. Watch Tina Fey's muppet impression.

9. I would really like to be in this movie.

10. A little nugget of Adam Buxton gold

11. Sean Hayes singing anything is pretty great, but a Streisand song just makes it perrrfect.

Dontcha feel cheerier? I knew it.

Much love. x

Frack me.

2010-05-10T04:14:00.000+02:00

I think I'm turning into a sci-fi nerd. I've always said that Doctor Who was my one guilty pleasure when it came to that genre. Then I included Torchwood. Then some Joss Whedon stuff (currently rekindling my love for Buffy, and, more specifically, Spike). Then Battlestar Galactica. Now I'm about to catch up on BSG's spin-off Caprica. I think I'm going to use the excuse of it all being hilariously funny. Yeah. That's the ticket.

Anyway, I FINALLY got through to the end of Battlestar Galactica last week. I was so sad when it came to an end. But, to celebrate the completion of the series, here's a little vid for BSG fans.

Much love. x

Matt Smith

2010-04-18T13:51:00.000+02:00

Three episodes of the new series of Doctor Who have aired now, and I now feel able to pass judgment on Matt Smith, the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor.

Here with the new companion Amy Pond (played by Karen Gillian– I like her). Definitely a fan of the Doctor's new get-up.

I was SUCH a huge fan of David Tennant as the Doctor, and so I seriously skeptical when Matt Smith appeared on the screens at the end of the last special. After three episodes, I can say that, ultimately, I'm a fan. Having said that, however, I have some reservations. Firstly, Matt Smith is six years older than me. Only six. He is on record the youngest actor ever to play the Doctor. I've been watching Doctor Who ever since I was a wee nipper, and now that I'm 22, I still want the Doctor to be a slightly older (at least in his early 30s) protective figure. I'm used to looking at him as a peer or contemporary

I do also feel that Matt Smith and the producers of the show are playing it a little safe in the Doctor's new character. It's similar to David Tennant's in his quirkiness and eccentricities. When Christopher Eccleston turned into David Tennant, his character completely morphed as well (I could compare it to other Doctors, such as Tom Baker turning into Peter Davison, but seeing as this is more current it seems more appropriate). Because Tennant was such a success, it seems like the show is trying to retain viewers by having the Doctor be relatively unchanged personality-wise.

I really hope that throughout the series Matt Smith is able to come out a bit more and step out of his predecessor's shadow. You know, now that I've gotten over losing my favourite Doctor.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

2010-03-26T00:07:00.001+01:00

EVERYONE! Please go here and watch the teaser trailer for Edgar Wright's new wonder of a film, Scott Pilgrim vs the World. It's just the ticket for fans of Edgar, Michael Cera, comic books, comic book geeks, and general epicness.

I have spoken.

Much love. x

"The street vendors peddling their BOILED GOOSE"

2010-03-14T12:54:00.000+01:00

I've written about my love for The Lonely Island on this blog before, and since then it has not wavered. Not in the least. That is why I was so excited when I found out that they had FINALLY made a video for my favourite song on their album, Incredibad (just download it on iTunes, it is seriously so worth it). Here is Boombox, feat. Julian Casablancas.

Much love. x

"I said hold me close you tiny little dancer! And that is where Elton John got the idea for the song 'Benny and the Jets'"

2010-02-27T23:52:00.000+01:00

Oh. Hello.

Thought I should share with you all the wonderful sissy man that is Fabrice Fabrice– "the name is so nice you have to say it AGAIN." He has been the craft services coordinator on many shows, and has many wonderful anecdotes to tell you, about stars as varied as David Caruso, Renee Zellweger and Joe Jackson. That's why he sometimes steps out from behind the craft services table to regale us all with his adventures in showbiz. Check it.

Jokes.com

Fabrice Fabrice - Renee Zellweger

comedians.comedycentral.com

Fabrice Fabrice - Craft Services

comedians.comedycentral.com

Fabrice Fabrice - Joe Jackson

comedians.comedycentral.com

Joke of the Day

Stand-Up Comedy

Free Online Games

In all seriousness, Nick Kroll is a RIDICULOUSLY funny comic and you should check out his standup.

Much love. x

SO FREAKIN' EXCITED

2010-02-26T19:44:00.000+01:00

A Film With Me In It has been on my 'films to watch' list for about a year and a half, ever since I heard about it from stalking up Dylan Moran on IMDB. The trailer has FINALLY been released on Apple Trailers, meaning it'll be out soon/it's already out, meaning I'll be able to get to see it some time in the near future!

Click here to watch the trailer

Not only does it have Dylan Moran in it, by David O'Doherty too! It could potentially be the greatest film ever.

Much love. x

"So Madame! You are returned at last!"

2010-02-22T02:24:00.000+01:00

I have to apologise for my absence over the past few months. I wish I could come up with a reason, other than the simple-but-true fact that I was tired and uninspired. I've not been watching much other than Battlestar Galactica, a show I'm just becoming addicted to, the reasons for which I can't really explain. I've never been a massive sci-fi fan, with the exception of the amazingly wonderful Doctor Who, so my new-found love can be blamed on the fact that when I was at home a couple of weeks ago, all my friend Adam wanted to do was watch BSG. And I got sucked in, primarily by the fact that Tom from Bridget Jones' Diary is in it, except he is straight. And hot.

Another excuse for my absence: I was in three different countries in the space of three weeks. I am now no longer in France, but in Spain, and I had a quick trip home to Chicago in between. I arrived almost two weeks ago and am having a whale of a time. My Spanish ain't so good but there's time for that to improve. Being in a new country, I'm naturally in a new flat which– drumroll please– has a kitchen! Having spent the past five months without one at all, I intend to use this one to the fullest extent, and have even started up a food blog, something I've wanted to do for a while, to document my adventures in the kitchen. I have a feeling that this may take up more of my time than Ramblings, but you must believe me that when I find something worth posting on here, I will do so. In the meantime, if you're looking for some fun recipes to occupy your time, you can look here: The Ever-Changing Kitchen.

I shall leave you with a couple of videos from a fun series my new flatmate introduced me to: for those who "love everything about porn except for the sex."

Much love. x

RIP Jean Simmons

2010-01-24T11:37:00.000+01:00

As a tribute to the beautiful British actress Jean Simmons, who died this past week of lung cancer.

how stunning was she?!

Much love. x

music for mercredi: songs to get inside your CABEZAS!!

2010-01-20T15:57:00.000+01:00

I decided this week to do a 'music for mercredi' based on one of my favourite new shows, Community. This was a weird decision to make, because no one in England, or in fact Europe really knows about Community yet (except for a very small selection of people who read this blog (smiley face!)) and Skype isn't permitted the one place where it is widely known: the United States.

So, let this be an opportunity for all of you ignorant of the wonder that is Community to become inspired to watch it. It is a great new comedy with some amazing talent (Ken Jeong, am I right?), and they pick good music.

music for mercredi 20.01.2010

tracklist:

1. Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare- Matt & Kim (from Community trailer featured on NBC)

2. Don't You (Forget About Me)- Simple Minds (covered by the 88 in the Pilot episode)

3. Wise Up- Aimee Mann (as featured in episode 102: Spanish 101)

4. Daylight- Matt & Kim (as featured in episode 102: Spanish 101)

5. The Way It Is- Bruce Hornsby (as ripped off by Pierce in episode 105: Advanced Criminal Law)

6. Please Do Not Go- Violent Femmes (as featured in episode 106: Football, Feminism, and Law)

7. Home- Edward Sharp & the Magnetic Zeros (as featured in episode 109: Debate 109)

8. Somewhere Out There (from An American Tail)- John Bayless (as featured in episode 110: Environmental Science)

9. Whistle for the Choir- The Fratellis (as featured in episode 111: Politics of Human Sexuality)

10. Kiss With a Fist- Florence + the Machine (as featured in episode 112: Comparative Religion)

Some of the cast's musical moments:

Much love. x

music for mercredi: "winter is nature's way of saying 'up yours'"- Robert Byrne

2010-01-13T15:31:00.001+01:00

It's friggin cold outside, guys. And the snow is being a bitch. How about a free playlist to cheer y'all up?

music for mercredi 13.01.2010

1. 10/10- Paolo Nutini

2. The Reeling- Passion Pit

3. Changes- David Bowie

4. Winter- Joshua Radin

5. Foolin'- Devendra Banhart

6. Murder in the Streets- Mark Minelli

7. Before You Were Young- Travis

8. White Winter Hymnal- Fleet Foxes

9. Drumming Song- Florence + The Machine

10. Don't Phunk With My Heart- Black Eyed Peas

Much love. x

I'm saving this for my memoirs...

2010-01-09T22:36:00.000+01:00

So folks, I'm back in Lyon. A town where the snow is currently falling in a very determined fashion, and shows no signs of backing down. As a gal from the Chi, a city that is (un)lucky enough to experience both extreme winters and extreme summers, I'm OH so used to the idea of snow, and in a big way. I forget sometimes that most of Western Europe generally isn't. This is why I have found it so surprising and infuriating to have the streets so slippy, I mean, do these people not have salt?! The fact of the matter is they do, but in limited quantities, far too limited for the amount of snow that has attacked the region.

This whole 'being ill equipped to deal with the weather' thing became evident to me on my connecting flight from London to Lyon, where I spent 5 hours in a plane, not moving, because we were waiting to be de-iced. Not that the process of de-icing took longer than 30 minutes, but the amount of planes that had to undergo this procedure meant that there was a long wait. Because of this unforeseen delay, I arrived back in Lyon seven hours late, and there was no way to get back into the city. The best idea seemed just to hang out in the airport overnight until I could catch a bus into town, so that's what I did.

Doing as many 'long-haul flights' as I do (as I calculate it I do 6 transatlantic flights a year) one of the questions I get after arriving back home from the airport is "were you able to sleep on the plane?" My response is always the same: "No, I can't sleep on planes." While not strictly true– I would say on an 8 hour flight I average about 45 minutes of kip– nothing shows how little sleep I got on this particular journey back than the spontaneous writing sesh I did while hanging around in the airport at 3 in the morning. Allow me to present you with an excerpt.

There's nothing like a gin and tonic at 27,000 feet to make you forget your troubles...

I feel like the stench from my foot sweat is seeping through my leather boots. I daren't raise my arms above the normal height for fear that my BO might cause passersby to faint. Maybe I'll go to the bathroom in a minute and take what Adam adorably calls a 'whore shower'. It's 2.41 am in Lyon, hour 22 of travel.

This is by no means unfamiliar to me. I do a lot of transatlantic travelling; a lot of waiting around. I'm used to getting NO sleep over 24 hours, having makeup smeared all over my face, smelling a bit, and having people look at me and debating whether or not I just fell out of a tree. I've never spent the night in an airport though, this one's new.

"Don't go anywhere too quiet!" Shouted my dad down the phone when I explained the situation. To be honest, when you're in a tiny French airport at 2 in the morning, everywhere's quiet. My positioning of myself and all my crap was based purely on convenience: I sat myself in the only place where I could find an available electricity socket. It also happened to be between the two lavvys, so people are always coming and going. I was joined not too shortly after by a man in an orange fleece, clearly on a similar quest as I was. He's quiet for the most part, except for the little bit of singing he does along to his music before remembering he's out in public.

I'm finding it hard to concentrate on anything. The announcements here are beyond ridiculous. Well, in English, anyway. "CuhztUmeRRRs are wemahnded not to leave their luhgehj unAHtenDED." Oh, how I love stereotypes.

A Chinese man just ran through the hallway with the utmost urgency. I don't know why– there are no flights right now, and the fact that the bus isn't running is the whole reason I'm still here.

I wasn't able to write too much more before it became nonsensical. Don't worry, y'all, I've gotten a lot more sleep and am now almost back on track.

Much love. x

My Year in Quotes

2010-01-03T04:21:00.002+01:00

Goodbye 2009. I'd love to say I'll miss you, but you were kind of a pill.

It's the second day of 2010 and I already have a good feeling about this year. Two thousand and nine got off to a bad start and it set a tone for the rest of my year. This year began in a great fashion, surrounded by copious amounts of booze, music, and friends– old and new.

So, a new year with new experiences, new challenges, and new adventures. But still, one can't help looking back. As I said, 2009 wasn't the best year, so rather than dwell on the negative, let us think about all we've watched, all we've heard, and all we've learned in a year in quotes from ramblings:

january/janvier/enero 2009: from comedian Michael Mcintyre

"Don't get drunk. If you get drunk that's bad. If you're posh, of course, you have a variety of options: you can be trousered, or trollied, or wellied, or rat-arsed! You can actually use any word in the English language and substitute it to mean drunk as a posh person, and it still sounds acceptable. 'Did you have a drink last night?' 'Are you joking, I got utterly gazeboed.' It fits! 'Angus! You're driving– I'm car parked.' 'Slow down chaps, I'm pyjamaed!'"

february/février/febrero 2009: from comedian Dylan Moran

(about Sylvio Berlusconi) "He is fucking crooked he sleeps on a spiral staircase! So thoroughly corrupt everytime he smiles an angel gets gonorrhea!"

march/mars/marzo 2009: from comedian Jason Manford

"The only people wasting water are the ones taking it into space. Where it don't come back. Damn you Aldrin!"

april/avril/abril 2009: from greatest fake MCs on earth, The Lonely Island

"Like a Boss!"

may/mai/mayo 2009: from the film Pride and Prejudice

"I take no leave of you! I send no compliments to your mother you deserve no such attention!"

june/juin/junio 2009: from the film Forrest Gump

"But you ain't got no legs Lieutenant Dan!!"

july/juillet/julio 2009: from comedian Mike Birbiglia

"I'm always embarrassed to tell people I have a blog because everybody has a blog, about anything. People will just be like 'Today I went to JC Penney!' And like, there's one comment: 'JC Penney, eh?' and I'm like, 'that's not a blog, that's a text message.'"

august/août/agosto 2009: Paul Rudd and Jason Segel

"No Gideon! NOOOOOO!"

september/septembre/septiembre 2009: from a comic relief sketch with Armstrong and Miller and Mitchell and Webb

(said in a WWII fighter pilot voice) "Look, this is me being them: 'Ooh, ooh! Look at me, I'm flying a hurricaine. It's a shit plane, I'm rubbish, and my mum goes chippy in her slippers!' That was me being them."

october/octobre/ocotobre 2009: from the TV series Black Books

"Manny I don't feel that well. I feel like I've been beaten up... underwater. I can feel bits of my brain falling away like a wet cake."

november/novembre/noviembre 2009: from the movie Hamlet 2

"I have so much anger. I feel like I've been raped... in the FACE!"

december/décembre/deciembre 2009: from the TV series Community

"Every so often someone will come up to me and say 'Señor Chang, why do you teach Spanish?' They say it just like that, 'why do you teach Spanish? Why you? Why not math, why not photography?' I mean, surely it must be in my nature to teach you something ancient and mysterious, like building a wall that you can see from outer space. Well, I'll tell you why I teach Spanish: it is none of your business. I don't want to have any conversations about what a mysterious, inscrutable man I am. I AM A SPANISH GENIUS! In español my nickname is El Tigre Chino! Because my knowledge will bite her face off! So don't question Señor Chang, or you'll get bit. You're bit. YA BIT!"

Much love. x

music for mercredi: with apologies to those in the United States

2009-12-30T16:42:00.000+01:00

It's the last music for mercredi for 2009!

Last music for mercredi it was brought to my attention that Spotify is not currently available in the United States, unless you originally downloaded it in another country as I did. So I have to apologise to all my US readers who will not be granted access to the playlist. HOWEVER, I am at least putting the tracklist up so you can get a sense of the thing, and if you feel inspired enough you can look up the songs. Anyway, off we go:

music for mercredi 30.12.2009

1. Please Don't Stop the Music- Jamie Cullum

2. L'Incendie- Vanessa Paradis

3. When I Go- Slow Club

4. Elenore- The Turtles

5. Underdog- Kasabian

6. No Other Way- Paolo Nutini

7. Eet- Regina Spektor

8. Chasing Pirates- Norah Jones

9. Fables- The Dodos

10. With a Song in my Heart- Ella Fitzgerald

Happy New Year. Much love. x

Soph's A-Z of Great Stand-ups

2009-12-24T05:17:00.000+01:00

You guys have no idea how hard this was to do, hence why a few letters have more than one name. I know a lot of them are quite well known, but check out the ones you aren't familiar with. I hope you'll be pleasantly surprised. And, as always, let me know in the comments if I've missed anyone out.

A is for adam guerino
B is for mike birbiglia and bill bailey
C is for dana carvey
D is for david o'doherty and demetri martin
E is for ed byrne
F is for christian finnegan
G is for jim gaffigan
H is for reginald d hunter
I is for eddie izzard
J is for jason manford and john mulaney
K is for shappi khorsandi
L is for lee mack
M is for dylan moran and michael mcintyre
N is for nick swardson
O is for dara o'briain and omid djalili
P is for russell peters and patton oswalt
Q is for colin quinn
R is for rob brydon and ross noble
S is for sean lock and sean cullen
T is for tim minchin
U is for the upright citizen's brigade
V is for victoria wood
W is for robin williams
X is for x-tremely funny comedian rhod gilbert
Y is for gina yashere
Z is for ze wonderful comedian jo brand

Much love. x

music for mercredi: "HO HO HO! Merry Happy!"

2009-12-23T16:55:00.000+01:00

Hey y'all.

Here is the music for mercredi for this week. Hopefully it'll get you through that mid-week slump and maybe even make Christmas come a little faster? Hey, a gal can dream. There's some good'uns in this one, although I think I may have failed a bit structure-wise, which is something I normally pride myself on. You'll have to forgive me... go on, just this once.

music for mercredi 23.12.2009

Bonnes fêtes to you all. Much love. x

"I'm off for a game of CONKERS!"

2009-12-17T17:06:00.000+01:00

I'm not sure whether to laugh hysterically at this or being really creeped out. Right now I'm going for laughing hysterically.

Much love. x

Presenting the first EVER Music for Mercredi: A Special Hump Day Gift

2009-12-16T15:51:00.001+01:00

Oh, come on now! Get those minds out of the gutter!

Announcing a brand new feature of ramblings: A weekly playlist!! This is an attempt to a) stick to posting on this blog, and b) reward its small but devoted group of readers (well, those with spotify anyway). It's also actually a lot more efficient than posting lots of links to YouTube or embedding music video after music video. Every Wednesday you'll be able to find a brand new playlist of 10 songs that I deem worthy to appear on the site. All you have to do is click on the link, which will make the playlist magically appear in your spotify account. Simples!

music for mercredi 16.12.2009

tracklist:
1. folding chair- regina spektor
2. laura- girls
3. relator- pete yorn & scarlett johannson
4. the happiest christmas tree- nat king cole
5. drugs in my body- thieves like us
6. kiss of life- friendly fires
7. slow, slow (run, run)- ayo
8. did i make you cry on christmas? (well, you deserved it!)- sufjan stevens
9. little secrets- passion pit
10. first train home- imogen heap

à mercredi prochain!

Much love. x

"It's like forgetting the words to your favourite song."

2009-12-14T14:20:00.001+01:00

I'd like to share a song with you all that has been completely squeezing my mind grapes for the past 48 hours, i.e. I can't get it out of my head, which is kind of funny considering the opening lyrics are the title of this post.

Oh Regina, you've done it again.

Much love. x

Merry Christmahannakwanzaakah!

2009-12-12T18:24:00.002+01:00

It's Ludacristmas time!

It's coming up to Christmas time, something we're all feeling particularly heavily over here in Lyon. The Christmas market (the third most visited in all of France, thank you very much) is in full swing right down the road from my hotel, and there is vin chaud aplenty to be swigged. All of the Christmas lights are up, and after Lyon's annual Fête des Lumières last week everyone's particularly anxious for Christmas to arrive.

Jouons avec le temps, the light installation at Place des Terraux, as stolen off Kat's camera!

For me, as soon as it hit December 1 I was starting to get into the seasonal mood. While there is of course taking part in all the activities above (particularly the vin chaud), no holiday season is complete in my eyes without the right movies and music to help the month of December along. Here is a list, complete with links of course, of some of the best ones.

As always, I encourage anyone and everyone to leave messages about your favourite holiday movies/songs, even (or especially) if you're just echoing my choices and praising my brilliance.

My Top Ten Holiday Movies (in no particular order):

Elf: I don't know how this movie could not make you smile. "SANTTAAAAA!!! OH MY GOOOOOOOODDDD! I know him! I KNOW him!!!"

It's a Wonderful Life
A Christmas Story
Love Actually: Just one quote... "There was more than lobster present at the birth of Jesus?!"
Scrooge: Albert Finney and Alec Guinness. Amazing.

Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street
Home Alone
Meet Me in St. Louis: Classic Judy Garland
Trading Places: Not necessarily about Christmas, but watching a drunk Dan Ackroyd in a santa suit makes it Christmassy enough for me

My Top Ten Holiday Songs (in no particular order):

If I'm allowed to have 11...

Last Christmas- Wham

Much love and happy holidays. x

"Well, this isn't going to be your mother's sexually transmitted disease awareness fair!"

2009-12-06T11:27:00.000+01:00

This is something I've been meaning to write about for ages, but for some reason haven't.

Not sexually transmitted disease awareness fairs, you understand.

Community, in my opinion, is the best show that started this fall. For those of you unfamiliar, it stars The Soup's Joel McHale as a lawyer's whose college degree is found out to be less than legitimate and is forced to go to a community college in order to obtain a degree so he may practice law again. While McHale is fantastic (my favourite line of his: "Move on with my life? Schmove schmon schmith schmy schmife!"), so much of the comedy is brought by the ensemble cast, and even the minor recurring characters. My favourites are:

Abed: I think we are kindred spirits. The entire first episode practically all he did was quote lines from the Breakfast Club. Plus he does an AMAZING Batman impression.
Troy: His high school's politically conservative shamefully outdated fight rap is one of the funniest things I've ever heard: "Bing bong, sing along. Your team's Al Gore cos you're views are wrong!"
Pierce: These people were so lucky to get Chevy Chase. The man makes eating a slice of pizza look hysterical
Senor Chang: "I am a Spanish genius! In Español my nickname is El Tigre Chino! Because my knowledge will BITE her face off!"
Vaughn: "You're toxic, Britta. You know, you're like the exact opposite of an anti-oxidant. Psh, yah!"
Professor Duncan: And not just because he's British and played by John Oliver

Brought to you by Joe and Anthony Russo (they directed Arrested Development, so you know they're good), this show is filled with people that are so zany yet so real, they may just remind you of your friends or yourself. If you haven't yet, watch it.

Much love. x

"On second thought let's not go to Camelot. It is a silly place."

2009-12-03T01:10:00.001+01:00

Gosh, I've not posted anything in a while, have I? I'm terribly sorry.

One of my new favourite things to do in my soon-to-be-old city is to visit the Institut Lumière, a museum and independent theatre on the property of the father of the Lumière brothers, who invented the first cinématographe, and therefore the first moving picture in 1895. The house and gardens are gorgeous, and the museum itself is fascinating. One often forgets how much science is involved in cinema, and the beautiful way in which science and art intertwine to make film.

The attached cinema has one theatre, and devotes its screenings to some of the most worthwhile films in history. The Institut Lumière chooses to honour particular filmmakers every now and again, those who have made, in their opinion, a particularly interesting contribution to cinema. From October until the end of this month, they are honouring Terry Gilliam, who just released his new film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. This meant that the cinema would be showing all the Monty Python movies, and being my father's daughter, I jumped at the chance to go and see them on the big screen, starting with The Holy Grail.

Obviously I had seen the films before. But seeing them in a movie theatre totally changed the experience. Jokes that were familiar and even too old to be funny were rejuvenated and therefore hilarious, and there were several times where I was embarrassing myself and Kat quite severely, giggling hysterically with tears rolling down my face (never so much as the scenes with the French soldiers, which the almost completely French audience didn't seem to appreciate as much... see below for clips).

It's odd that these screenings should come at such a time, because it feels like Monty Python and similar creations (I'm thinking Fawlty Towers) have had a little bit of a revival. Thanks to YouTube and the free section on iTunes (best idea ever?) I've been catching up on lots of my favourite old clips and, well, laughing my ass off. It's brill-o pads.

Much love. x

"Wow, I've never played in a cloud before!"

2009-11-12T16:41:00.007+01:00

- Michael Angelakos, Passion Pit

Two things to share with you all. I was going to put them in separate posts, but to be honest that takes up far too much time, and I could be spending that time sleeping, something I don't seem to do that much of these days. You guys don't mind, right?

Good, I thought not.

My dearest darlingest friend Colleen sent me this link the other day, and it pretty much sums up what this blog is about. I warn you, DON'T start going onto this site until you have some time to spare, and a decent internet connection that puts up with YouTube.

www.youshouldhaveseenthis.com - Greg Rutter's definitive list of the 99 things you should have seen on the internet unless you're a loser or old or something.

Yesterday I went with Kat to see Passion Pit live for the second time. I had seen them last summer at a Lollapalooza afterparty that I had managed to get into (thanks to my dearest bud, Adam). I was a lot more familiar with their music this time around, and had been looking forward to seeing them for some weeks. We spent some time arsing around in the bar next to the venue, having some cocktails and not quite realising we were in the wrong place. After a free shot from the barman ("Do you like vodka?") we hauled ass over to the teeny tiny concert space with just enough time to catch the end of The Kissaway Trail's set. I'd never heard of them before, but they were awesome. They were all sufficiently hipster looking, to the point where you would just like to take them home and feed them, and warmed up the crowd for the PP, who took forever to set up and eventually come on stage.

The Kissaway Trail

It was such an amazing show. The energy that was pulsing through the crowd was insane. Everyone danced practically the entire set, and those who knew the words sang along with great enthusiasm. You could tell Passion Pit were a little peeved at first that the venue insisted on putting loads of dry ice on so they couldn't see what they were doing (hence the quote that is the title for this post) but the vibe from the crowd seemed to chill them out. The lead singer, Michael Angelakos, looked as good as he always does, and his wonderfully high-pitched voice was on top form (little note about Angelakos for those unfamiliar: the first songs he wrote for Passion Pit were actually a Valentine's gift for his college girlfriend, which they both started passing around campus, making them rather popular). Their incredibly infectious melodies have been squeezing my mind grapes ever since the show, in other words I can't get them out of my head, but I like it. If you haven't heard them already, check 'em out. They are absolutely brill-o pads.

A rather shaky picture of Michael Angelakos

Much love. x

Urban Outfitters, you've done it again.

2009-11-09T22:37:00.003+01:00

A few items from my Urban Outfitters wishlist, should anyone be feeling generous...

I think I can safely say that UO is responsible for at least 70% of my new music over the past year. I've written previously about LSTN, their awesome playlists of 20-25 that they release every so often, for free. Now, they're going one step further. UO Music Mondays started last week, and it consists of five new songs released every Monday, for readers of the Urban Outfitters blog to listen and enjoy or even to download should they so wish. This is how I find out about the bands that get me the very small amount of indie cred I possess, so you're mighty lucky I'm sharing this little secret with you.

MUSIC MONDAYS FOR THIS WEEK, THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 9TH, 2009.

Much love. x

just a little quote...

2009-11-02T23:39:00.001+01:00

This quite aptly describes a certain soirée spent with some colleagues, and my opinion of them. Where better place to find such a quote than Pride and Prejudice (I'm taking it from the miniseries rather than the book, because of course that is easier to memorize)?

Elizabeth Bennet: I believe Mr Darcy improves on closer acquaintance.

Mr Wickham: Oh, indeed? In what respect? Has he acquired a touch of civility in his address, for I dare not hope he has improved in essentials

Elizabeth Bennet: No, I believe in essentials he is as much as he ever was.

Mr Wickham: Ah.

Elizabeth Bennet: I don't mean to imply that either his mind or his manners are changed for the better. Rather, my knowing him better improved my opinion of him.

Much love. x

"Today was supposed to be opposite day."

2009-11-01T16:43:00.003+01:00

A day spent in bed online shopping and listening to Andrew Bird sounds like a pretty good way to spend a Sunday afternoon to me.

Much love. x

"Smooth move, metamucil"

2009-11-01T01:21:00.003+01:00

I would really like to say that this week has been a good week. It has been full of great happenings: the now weekly ritual of cooking dinner chez Laura or chez Kat (soy sauce and honey pork went down a treat), the confirmation of weekend trip to Paris, a letter and photo from my little sister, and, as usual, some very worthwhile impulse purchases. But it is hard to focus on such things. Work has been driving me mad, and by the end of this coming week I will have worked twelve days in a row without a day off. As a result I have not been able to go out in the evenings, and have missed out on some pretty good nights out, and am beginning to feel like a bedridden invalid.

I spent a lovely evening with some great people in Lyon, some of the best, I believe. But now I am at home and in bed and it is hard to focus on anything else than the fun that they must be having, the work I have to do at 8 am tomorrow, the fact that Logan got kicked off Project Runway, and the blisters on my feet.

Look how pretty!!

So, what does one do upon finding oneself in such a funk? Impulse shopping? Done that. Excessive eating of comfort food? Done that, too. Then what else?

1. Community is the best new show out there

2.

3.

4.

5. As above.

6. My Parents Were Awesome

7.

8.

Hope these lift your spirits, however high they may already be, as much as they lifted mine.

Much love. x

Kasabian!!!

2009-10-26T00:24:00.003+01:00

I know what you're all asking yourselves, "what was Sophie's highlight of the weekend?" Would you like me to tell you? Who am I kidding, of course you would.

This past Saturday night Kat and I ventured out to outer Lyon to see the brilliant Kasabian perform. It was a bit of a mission to get there, especially because Kat and I had been particularly hungover that day and had failed to be productive in any way, shape, or form. Needless to say we found ourselves running as late as usual and having no idea where we were going, quite typical for me. We got there almost bang on eight and manage to enjoy a set by a rather humorous-looking DJ in yellow sunglasses. We were supposed to meet up with a friend there, but there was already a large group of people and squeezing through crowds wasn't something that either of us wanted to do at that moment. The crowd got progressively larger, and the number of English voices around me multiplied by a hundred. I don't think I've seen such a large collection of English people since I've been here. We even saw the owner and one of the patrons of one of our favourite 'English pubs', where we take part in the pub quiz every so often.

Kasabian came on soon before nine and they rocked it. It was a great show. I was very glad to see that the lead singer was without his long hair, he was looking rather dashing with a short cut, although he had made what I felt was the unfortunate decision to wear a long brown leather coat, buttoned up throughout the whole show. I have to confess I knew a little about the band when I decided to go to the show, but it wasn't until I was there that I realised how many of their songs I knew, and liked. They got quite a good reception from the crowd and they seemed genuinely happy to be there, which was good. There's nothing worse than grumpy musicians.

Next up on the concert list is Passion Pit, who I'll be seeing for the second time, this time in a rather more intimate venue. Very excited.

Much love. x

194 Movies You Have to See Before You Die (And 78 Movies I Have to See Before I Die)

2009-10-25T16:53:00.001+01:00

"You know what your problem is? You haven't seen enough movies– all of life's riddles are answered in the movies."
-Steve Martin

There's one conversation I have with all of my friends, and many members of my family. The particulars change from person to person, but the skeleton of the conversation is essentially the same:

Me: [Insert line of movie dialogue]. *chuckle to myself* That's from [insert movie here]

Friend/Family member: Oh, I've never seen that.

Me: What?! *slams hands down on the table* You've never seen [insert movie here]?!

Friend/Family member: Uh, no.

Me: Oh, you must see it, it's sooooooo good!

I quite like the fact that I've seen so many films, and one of my favourite things to do is scope out new films that I 'have to see'. I avoided going onto the Apple Trailers website for six weeks because my list of films to see was too long, now that I've updated it's at 238 films. That's going to take me a verrry long time. One thing I've always found rather irritating though is those lists of films that critics assemble with a title along the lines of '10 films you have to see before you die'. It's not that I take issue with the principle of the thing, anyone who knows me knows that lists make my world go round, and I depend on them for most things. Really, what I tend to be opposed to is the fact that the lists are often so short, limited to, mostly, 10, 50, or 100 films that are supposed to define the whole medium of film throughout its 100-odd years of existence. These films, while undoubtedly good films, often don't do it, not on their own anyway.

After having emphatically and excitedly told a large amount of people that they "have to see" this, that and the other, I have decided to compile my own list of films that you 'have to see before you die', which is based off of The Guardian's list of 1000 (I say based off, because The Guardian neglected to mention some of the best films ever made, I have marked them with **). It includes really good films that display the talents of the best filmmakers to ever have lived, but also films that are just really nice to watch. Most people don't go to the cinema to see a 'good' film, they to go to see something they will enjoy; if it happens to also be of filmic quality, well, so much the better.

This list, I will warn you, is long. It is also in two parts. Part I is a list of films that I have seen and believe the rest of the world should see as well. Part II is a list of films I haven't seen but have been told I must as they are supposed to be essential viewing. I'm not going to pretend I've seen all these films when in my short 21 years on this planet I have watched a hell of a lot of films already (a lot of them bad) and have spent the rest of my time doing other more worthwhile things, like being outside.

If you think there's a film that ought to be included on this list, leave a comment. Do the same if you see something on there that you find absolutely ridiculous and has made your opinion of me drop several notches.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, here's the list.

Part I

Airplane! (1980)

All About Eve (1950)**

All About My Mother (Todo Sobre mi Madre) (1999)

Amadeus (1984)

Amelie (2001)

Annie Hall (1977)

Au Revoir, Les Enfants (1987)

Back to the Future (1985)

Bambi (1942)

Batman (1989)

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Belleville Rendez-vous/The Triplets of Belleville (2003)

Big (1988) **

The Birds (1963)

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Bowling for Columbine (2002)

Brazil (1985)

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Cabaret (1972)

La Cage au Folles (1978)

Casablanca (1942)

Chariots of Fire (1981)

La Ciénaga (2001)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1971)

Clueless (1995)

Les Diaboliques (1955)

Dr Strangelove or : How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Farenheit 9/11 (2004)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Fight Club (1999)

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Forrest Gump (1994)**

The Four Hundred Blows (Les 400 Coups) (1959)

Ghostbusters (1984)

Goldfinger (1964)

Gone With the Wind (1939)

Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)

Gosford Park (2001)

The Graduate (1968)

Grease (1978)

Groundhog Day (1993)

Guys and Dolls (1955)

La Haine (1995)

Heavenly Creatures (1994)

History of the World, Pt 1 (1981)**

Hope and Glory (1987)

Hot Fuzz (2007)

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

The Italian Job (1969)

Jaws (1975)

Jean de Florette/Manon des Sources (1986) **

The Jerk (1979)

Jerry Maguire (1996)

The Jungle Book (1967)

Labyrinth (1986)**

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Lost in Translation (2003)

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Marathon Man (1976)

Meet Me in St Louis (1944)

Monsoon Wedding (2001)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939)**

Muriel's Wedding (1994)

My Fair Lady (1964)

The Naked Gun (1988)

Office Space (1999)

Oliver! (1968)**

The Outsiders (1983)

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Philadelphia (1993)**

Poltergeist (1982)

Pretty in Pink (1986)

The Princess Bride (1987)

The Producers (1968)

Psycho (1960)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Rebecca (1940)

La Règle du Jeu (1939)**

Roman Holiday (1953)

Rushmore (1998)

The Science of Sleep (2006)

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Sideways (2004)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Some Like it Hot (1959)

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

St Elmo's Fire (1985)

Star Wars (1977)

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Toy Story (1995)

Trainspotting (1996)

Triumph of the Will (1935)

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Les Parapluies de Cherbourg) (1964)

Wayne's World (1992)

West Side Story (1961)

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

Working Girl (1988)

Y Tu Mama Tambíen (2001)

Young Frankenstein (1974)

Part II

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Alfie (1966)

American Beauty (1999)

American Graffiti (1973)

An American in Paris (1951)

American Splendor (2003)

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Casino (1995)

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Citizen Kane (1941)

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Coolhand Luke (1967)

The Crying Game (1992)

Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Dirty Harry (1971)

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

La Dolce Vita (1960)

Donnie Darko (2001)

Downfall (2004)

Dracula (1958)

Duck Soup (1933)

Election (1999)

The Endless Summer (1966)

The English Patient (1996)

The Exorcist (1973)

The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)

Fargo (1996)

Ghost World (2001)

The Godfather (1972)

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

Goodfellas (1990)

La Grande Illusion (1937)

Harold & Maude (1971)

His Girl Friday (1940)

Howard's End (1992)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Jacquot De Nantes (1991)

The Karate Kid (1984)

King Kong (1933)

LA Confidential (1997)

The Ladykillers (1955)

Last Tango in Paris (1972)

The Lives of Others (2006)

Logan's Run (1972)

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

MASH (1970)

Memento (2000)

Mulholland Drive (2001)

My Left Foot (1989)

Nikita (1990)

On the Waterfront (1954)

Once Upon a Time in the West/ Once Upon a Time in America (1984/1986)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Osama (2003)

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

The Piano (1993)

Raging Bull (1980)

Rear Window (1954)

Room With a View (1985)

Sabrina Fair (1954)

The Shining (1980)

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Spartacus (1960)

Spirited Away (2001)

Taxi Driver (1976)

Top Gun (1986)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Vertigo (1958)

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

The Wicker Man (1973)

The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Yellow Submarine (1968)

Much love. x

Stephen!!

2009-10-21T19:24:00.003+02:00

... just coming!

I just had the oddest experience in my hotel room. Thought I'd share it with you all.

So, I just got back from Carrefour and was looking forward to sitting in my room and doing a bit of facebook stuff before heading out to meet some friends for sushi. It was a rare moment where it was silent in my room– no music, no telly, no me talking to myself. I heard a familiar sound coming from outside... I began to sing along to it. It couldn't be, could it? It was only bloody ADAM AND JOE!! The English clients who I had put in the room next to mine were listening to Adam Buxton's Quantum of Solace!! I pressed my ear against the wall, and listened to the song finish.

I was really tempted to yell out 'Stephen!' to see I would get the response of 'Just coming! (the way to identify other listeners of the Adam and Joe radio show) but I was too embarrassed. Instead, I just played Joe Cornish's Saltum of Quolace as loud as I possibly could.

Great times.

By the way, if I haven't said it enough, subscribe to the Adam and Joe podcast, it's a right laugh, and it's a great way to kill some boredom.

Much love. x

"I feel like I've been beaten up underwater. I can feel bits of my brain falling away like a wet cake."

2009-10-12T23:01:00.002+02:00

Ugh. Over the past 24 hours I have learned more illness-related french vocabulary than I care to list. As someone who gets colds a lot, I can officially say that they bite monkeys. big baboon-like monkeys. My head feels so congested and heavy, ewwww.

Anyhoodles, obviously today I've been having illness quotes running through my brain all day, and seeing as I'm bored and in bed, I thought I'd share some with you.
The title of this post comes from Black Books, an ever-present influence on this site. It's from Series 3 Episode 1, which features Simon Pegg. For those of you not familiar with the episode, Fran returns from holiday in Cornwall to find that Manny has left Bernard to go work at the bookshop next door, and Bernard is falling apart without him. I've managed to find the episode for you (on Youtube, in 3 parts of course). Watch it if you can, it's got some of the best bits in series. Below is one of the more bizarre deleted scenes from that episode:

One of the other things that I've been thinking of is Adam Buxton's Flu song. I think this man just gets me. This song and Holiday Blues are soooooo spot on it's insane. Anyway, the Flu Song is available to be listened to HERE!

I don't actually have anything else to offer you at the moment. I'm too tired and I need to drink a 2 litre bottle of OJ.

Much love. x

"Maybe this weekend we cou- I'M CRRAAAAAAZZZZZAAAAAYYYY!"

2009-10-08T16:12:00.005+02:00

When I was little, my parents often requested that I perform a sort of party trick for them and whomever else they wished to witness it. We had had The Addams Family Values on tape, and, me being me, I had been able to, without much difficulty, memorise a short monologue that Joan Cusack performs towards the end of the film. I used to recite it, accent and all. I can still remember it to this day.

DEBBIE: All I ever wanted was a Ballerina Barbie, in her pretty pink tutu. [puts slide onto the projector] My birthday, I was ten, and do you know what they got me? MALIBU BARBIE!

MORTICIA: Malibu Barbie! The nightmare! The nerve!

DEBBIE: That's not what I wanted. That wasn't who I was! I was a ballerina. Graceful, and delicate! They had to go.

Over the past few days, I have begun to question the appropriateness of the title of this blog. Don't get me wrong, 'Ramblings of a quoteaholic' is at least partially accurate for what this site is all about. Ramblings, definitely. My verbose nature means that there is no way that I can ever be concise and limited in my word count, and even when explaining the simplest of concepts, rambling ensues. But that's not the part that bothers me. It's the 'quoteaholic' part that I'm starting to have a problem with.
Because of being abroad and away from people who know me all too well, I am in a situation, yet again, where I am making new friends, and becoming closer with people that I have been acquainted with, which has been wonderful and fantastic and every good thing. Well, not completely wonderful and fantastic, but that is all my own fault. The same problem that I have dealt with for most of my life has reared its ugly head yet again.
I think a lot of the time I forget that most people don't have the same kind of memory that I have and that most people don't have quotes running through their head most of the day. So, when I let my guard down and stop censoring myself, at any time all manner of "quote refuse" will come spilling from my trap. This is where I think the word 'quoteaholic' falls short, as it's not an addiction to quoting. The whole quoting thing goes beyond even compulsion. The reflex to do it is so normal and natural to me that most of the time I barely notice that I'm doing it. This tends to alarm people, because:

They have no clue what I'm talking about
They tend to think I'm a little insane (which I am, but you don't like to let people know that right away*)
They then think I spend waaay too much time watching TV, movies etc., and have no friends and no life

So yeah, I think in this situation (one that I have faced before), self-censorship is the name of the game. Either limiting oneself to not quoting at all or quoting only things that they are very familiar with. But even that leads me to go a little loopy. I think I need to have an outlet for all of this stuff in my head or else said head will explode. An example: yesterday we were in the park, and we for some reason got into a conversation about people standing waiting for us at the gate. I said something that sounded vaguely like a line from The Slipper and the Rose, and I continued to quote it in my head for about ten minutes ("SO Madam you are returned at last! You wicked girl, how dare you disobey me! Where have you been?" I'll stop there...**)

I think it would all be fine if there was some sort of database hooked up to my brain that was able to monitor and trace all the quotes that float around my cranium, and then everyone could log on to it and see what the fuck I was going on about at all times. See, me quoting these things is kind of like me making a joke, except I'm citing another source.

WOW, this is where the rambling bit comes in. Bet you were expecting this sort of post, were you? Don't worry, there's some clips at the end, just to keep you all happy. But I'll end on this: Please don't be alarmed if I go off on a ten minute tangent that has very little to do with what we were talking about, especially if I do it in a funny voice, because I promise, I'm just quoting And I can't help myself.

Much love. x

--For those who are interested (I SWEAR I've not looked up any of this dialogue):

* MIKE BIRBIGLIA: "I used to think I was unstable, and then I met every girl I've ever dated. They keep it under wraps at first, but then one day it's just like 'Maybe this weekend we cou- I'M CRAAAAAAZZZZAAAAAYYYY!' and then they blow away like a tumbleweed."

**Stepmother: SO Madam, you are returned at last! You wicked girl, how dare you disobey me! Where have you been?

Cinderella: I only went--

Stepmother: Yes?!

Cinderella: -- to my parents' grave, Stepmother, to put some flowers there.

Stepmother: How touching. With flowers from my garden, stolen flowers!

Cinderella: No!

Stepmother: I say yes. I say you stole them. You are not only a liar but a thief, and thieves we know must be punished. Come! [Drags Cinderella over to the table, covered in vegetables] Here is your place, and there is your task. We are expecting guests for dinner tonight, important guests. And for repaying my kindness with cunning and deceit, henceforth you will not dare to venture from this room without my saying, is that understood?

Cinderella: Yes, Stepmother.

Stepmother: Then make a start. And make amends.

Back to the videos...

I could TOTALLY go crazy to this in a club

Pot... kettle... racist?

My favourite bit from the premiere of a very promising new series

Everyone needs to hear this song, it's amazing

FINALLY... The song/video that I was production assistant for while I was still in Chicago. You have NO idea how many times I had to top up my silly pay as you go phone to get so much of this thing organised!

"and we is better at war and flying and shit than they is!"

2009-09-29T19:09:00.002+02:00

I actually am in love with this sketch. It reminds me of the sort of thing my dad would lovvvve. Plus I think generally anything sounds funny in that British World War II style voice.

And it was all for Red Nose Day, so for a good cause, hooray!

Much love. x

"Wood, cheese, and children. They make your life so sweet."

2009-09-28T20:23:00.001+02:00

I've FINALLY found Sean Cullen's Comedy Central Presents episode online.

Reasons why I love him:
1) He's Canadian
2) He can do accents... well
3) He's one of the best musical comedians around (up there with Tim Minchin and Bill Bailey)
4) Apart from being funny, he can really sing
5) His voice is rich as molasses
6) I've had the chimp and the woman song stuck in my head for about 2 years

I'm putting up part 1 of 3. Watch and enjoy. And watch out for the James Bond bit. Wonderful.

Much love. x

Who's the best at coughing and swearing?

2009-09-12T23:04:00.002+02:00

Why, Dylan Moran is of course!

The man who inspired my mother's belief that I'm going to run off with an Irishman is making another appearance on the blog. This time in a short film from 2006, Tell It to the Fishes. Dylan plays Finn, a 'low rent hood' who has just been dropped on the shore, with his feet set in cement. The 10 minute- and some short beautifully displays the thin line between comedy and tragedy, and Dylan Moran just waltzes all around that motherfucking line. He's said it himself "I'm a dancer, it can't be contained."

In other words: Dylan Moran's portrayal of a bum who is going to die within a matter of hours–and knows it– is sooo hysterically tragic. Well done, sir.

Watch it. It's only ten minutes and you'll enjoy it, I promise.

Much love. x

My Life According to Travis

2009-09-12T01:38:00.001+02:00

I originally got wind of this through a Facebook note I was tagged in. It's been saved on my computer for ages, and I've been meaning to do something with it. I suppose the most logical thing would be to just follow suit, and create my own note on facebook, but I have an inexplicable moral objection to Facebook notes, and try to avoid writing them whenever possible. Again, this is totally inexplicable; I have no idea why in my strange effed up mind a blog is more acceptable.

Anyhoodles, I present to you, dear reader, My Life According to Travis, one of the most consistently wonderful bands, ever.

-----

Using only song names from ONE artist, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to some people you like and include me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "my life according to (band name)."

Here we go...

Pick your Artist:

Travis

Are you male or female:

Sarah

Describe yourself:

She's So Strange

How do you feel:

Safe

Describe where you currently live:

Out in Space

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:

Happy to Hang Around

Your favourite form of transportation:

Battleships

Your best friend is:

Selfish Jean

You and your best friends are:

Friends

What's the weather like:

Why does it Always Rain on Me?

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:

Song to Self

What is life to you:

The Last Laugh of the Laughter

Your last/current relationship:

Love Will Come Through

Your fear:

3 Times and You Lose

What is the best advice you have to give:

Follow the Light

Thought for the Day:

No Cigar

How I would like to die:

Under the Moonlight

My soul's present condition:

Eyes Wide Open

My motto:

Peace the Fuck Out

Much love. x

P.S. I'm trying to think of some more– actually interesting– things to write about, which could take several days. I'll be back soon with more quotables, I promise.

NO GIDEON NO!!!!

2009-08-20T01:04:00.002+02:00

Found a funny clip of a clearly delirious Jason Segel and Paul Rudd doing an interview for their film I Love You, Man (which, by the way, is a great flick). It's like anytime your friends start laughing hysterically and you're not really sure why but you find it very funny. Love it.

What makes it even better is how awkward the reporter is.

Much love. x

Blogging, eh?

2009-07-21T23:47:00.002+02:00

I'm such a bad blogger. Really bad. It got me thinking of this Mike Birbiglia quote about his blog, My Secret Public Journal. The blog's pretty amazing, but that's not the point:

'I'm always embarrassed to tell people I have a blog because everybody has a blog, about anything. People will just be like, 'Today I went to JC Penney!' And, like, there's one comment: 'JC Penney, eh?' And I'm like, that's not a blog, that's a text message.'

Also, apparently I'm my own follower now. I don't think I chose this, I think blogger just decided that I liked reading my own writing, which I don't, really.

Couple notes just to keep you updated:

If you're a Doctor Who fan (how could you not be?) And you haven't seen the new series of Torchwood: Children of Earth yet, go look it up right now! It's soo good. And funny. And sexy. And sad. And wonderful. Everything a science fiction series should be, really.

Adam and Joe are releasing all of their Song Wars songs as downloadable mp3s on their blog. They are very funny. If you're unfamiliar Song Wars is a feature on the Adam and Joe radio show on BBC 6 Music in which both Adam and Joe write songs about certain topics (think The 80s, or The Apprentice) and listeners vote for their favourite ones. My favourites so far are Adam's Dirty Robots (for 'Sexy Songs') and Joe's reworking of the Antiques Roadshow theme tune (for 'TV Themes').

Finally, this might be one of the funniest things I've seen in a while:

Much love. x

"I send no compliments to your mother, you deserve no such attention."

2009-06-22T13:52:00.003+02:00

I am SUCH an irresponsible blogger!! Almost a month since my last post! Shameful.

A little note to fellow Pride and Prej fanatics: I was in Somerset last week visiting my godfather (who, by the way gave me a rather exceptional set of Jane Austen which I have not been able to stop reading) and I got a chance to go to Stourhead in Wiltshire, one of the National Trust's more beautiful gardens. The garden is the location of the Temple of Apollo, or as Stephen more aptly calls it, the Temple of Keira, as it is where the first proposal scene in the Keira Knightley P&P was filmed. It is absolutely beautiful, and I can say the film doesn't really do it justice.

Anyway, I came back to the blog with a similar thought in my mind. The title of this particular post is a quote that has been running through my mind all morning, and I wanted to know if I had been clever enough to list it in the last P&P competition. I wasn't. Oh well.

Anyway, I thought it was time to launch a new quote-off, and this one may be a bit more widely acceptable, because it's a film I know a lot of people absolutely love and could quote until the end of time. Ladies and gents, the film for the quote-off for this week is....

FORREST GUMP!!!!

I know how amazingly quotable this film is, so I expect a lot of 'em.

Usual rules apply, no looking stuff up, and no quoting what someone else has already put down.

Let's say the quote-off ends Friday.

HAVE FUN!!

Much love. x

"Chicken tikka, tell me what's wroooong!"

2009-05-29T00:13:00.003+02:00

Today was a very good day. Went into town in the morning, made red velvet cupcakes for the first time ever in the afternoon, with amazingly delicious results, watched Britain's Got Talent in the evening, and rounded off the night with some amazing French and Saunders.

You're probably familiar with Britain's Got Talent– or at least with Susan Boyle (overrated)– but if not, here is one of my favourite semi-finalists, who unfortunately didn't make it through to the final. SAD FACE!!

So, the French & Saunders sketch I watched might be one of the best ones they've done in ages. And I'm really embarrassed I didn't discover it earlier. It's a pisstake of Mamma Mia! with Sienna Miller and Joanna Lumley, doing a Patsy of Ab Fab sort of role. Sienna Miller is, meh, ok, but the rest of them are amazing, with Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley especially picking up some of the funniest parts of the movie. It's soooo well worth a watch.

Part 1

Part 2

Until next time. Much love. x

SYD ROO WINSSSS!!

2009-05-11T20:59:00.004+02:00

Sydney won the first quote-off! Congrats m'lady.

You both did very well. Here's a few you missed (and ones that I would have LOVED to see):

Bingley: (about Netherfield) It's nothing to Pemberley I grant you.

Darcy: You'll find the society something savage.

Bingley: Country manners? I think they're charming!

Darcy: Well you'd better take it then

Bingley: Thank you! I shall! I shall close with the attorney directly!

Mrs Bennett: You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves!

Mr. Bennett: You mistake me, Madam, I have great compassion for your nerves, they have been my good friends these twenty years at least!

Bingley: Honestly, Darcy. I wouldn't be as fastidious and you are for a kingdom!

Darcy: I am in no humour to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. Go back to your partner, enjoy her smiles. You are wasting your time with me.

Darcy: She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.

Darcy: I shall conquer this. I shall!

William Lucas: Capital! Capital!

Darcy: You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.

Mr. Bennett: (to Mary): That will do extremely well, child. You have delighted us long enough.

Mr. Bennett: For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?

Much love. x

Jet lag bites many, many monkeys

2009-05-07T06:26:00.003+02:00

So, first things first. Sorry I've not updated in like, you know, forever. I've been running out of stuff to talk about these days. Plus, I've been busy, doing.... stuff.

also, I have a follower! How exciting is that?!?! thanks gemma!!

Now, this is what I really wanted to talk about:

Firstly, in my time of jet lag I was facebook stalking myself (have you ever done that? it's fun) and I looked through my old profile pics and I found this picture. I was in my 'I love photobooth and every ridiculous narcissistic thing it brings out in me' phase when I took it. I am without photobooth now, it died with Vera, the old laptop. I have to say I kind of miss it. But, the question is, is this picture totally lame or kind of awesome? I really can't decide. I think it's going as my profile pic again anyway. If you think its ridiculous for god's sake tell me and I'll change it again.

Secondly, and more importantly, I want to give you all a bit of a challenge. I want you to have a quote-off. Mainly just as an experiment to see who reads this damn thing. I am going to name a movie/book and you are going to leave comments with as many quotes as you can think of on there. Whoever puts down the most quotes after, let's say.... four days will win something. It might be my undying love, or it may be a car. who knows.

RULES:

1) PLEASE don't cheat and look up the quotes, these have to come of the top of your head. I know the subject matter pretty well and I suspect I shall be able to tell if your quotes are too perfectly worded and that you have cheated. You dirty cheater.

2) If you write a quote that someone has already written before you, it'll not be counted.

3) You should be able to identify who said the quote. It need not be the character's name, the actor will do as well.

4) You MAY earn bonus points for quoting whole dialog (i.e. conversations between two or more people), but only if I think you worthy.

Oh, this is going to be exciting! Now, I am going to name the title of the piece. Ready?......... Here goes.................

Pride and Prejudice (1995!!)

Just a warning: IF I SEE ANY QUOTES THAT WERE CLEARLY NOT USED IN THIS VERSION AND ARE NOT JANE AUSTEN'S WORDS BUT WERE IN FACT MANGLED AND SPAT OUT BY KEIRA KNIGHTLEY THEN SO HELP ME GOD I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ACTIONS!

Disclaimer: I'm sure that Keira Knightley is in fact a lovely girl and a wonderful human being but you could not have gotten a worse person to play the part even if you'd dressed Boris Johnson in drag and gotten him to speak in a high-pitched lady man voice.

Anyway, have fun with this guys! and if it goes ok this time we can do more in the future.

Much love. x

LIKE A BOSS!

2009-04-05T21:17:00.001+02:00

The Lonely Island has a new video!! AND john mulaney's in it!!

Much love. x

MUSIC?!?!?!

2009-03-30T00:41:00.002+02:00

I'm usually much more inclined to listen to standup or watch a movie than I am to listen to music. That tends to be why I'm so behind in all of the latest bands and what have you. But my two latest obsessions have involved music in some way: there's the Adam and Joe show on BBC 6 Music– something, I've found, that makes my week seem complete– and The Lonely Island, the greatest fake MCs on earth (by the way, as if I haven't said it enough times already, buy their album!!). With these two I've found a lot more music that I really like, and want to share with you all. I can't guarantee that you haven't heard it already, or indeed, that you haven't known about it for months and I am ridiculously behind the times, as usual.

Every so often Urban Outfitters (ie Sophie's Outfitters) sends me a free playlist of songs that I can download. Past gems from this collection have been 'I'm not going to teach your boyfriend how to dance' by Black Kids, and 'Evident Utensil' by Chairlift (the ones who did 'Bruises', you know, that song about handstands). Here are the ones I'm liking from the latest list:

I'm sure everyone knows about Kings of Leon by now. They're pretty awesome. They're rumored to be headlining at Lolla this year, but that'll be confirmed this Tuesday. This is the first year I'm actually tempted to go. This is one of my favourite songs of theirs:

Apparently the 80s are back. Musically speaking, that is. Not in a sort of cyclical pattern of time thing... that would be weird. Two such artists who are proof of this are Empire of the Sun and La Roux, both of whom have pretty amazing tracks, check 'em:

La Roux won't let me embed her video, so you'll have to click here...

Anyone who has ever received a mix from me knows about my love of Travis. A couple of weeks ago I finally bought their latest album, after about 6 months after saying I was going to do so. 'Ode to J Smith' is quite different from the rest of their stuff, but it still has the distinct Travis-ness and it's made up of good tracks:

And finally (god this was a long one, wasn't it? thanks for staying till the end), here's a few that I wanna share with y'all but are all a bit random, in that they don't have much to do with the others. Mind you, that seems to be the pattern for this whole blog.

this one's directed by Richard Ayoade (MOSS FROM IT CROWD!!!)

Much love. x

Jasoooon Manfoooooord!

2009-03-25T10:38:00.001+01:00

So... last night went to see Jason Manford perform at the Gulb. I can't help but feel a little bad for performers who come to the Gulb. Most of the time the place is pretty packed, and those who are in the audience are certainly glad to be there, but you can often see a look of disappointment on their faces as it is by no means a big theatre. But we definitely love them being there, and if there happens to be, in some crazy random happenstance, some awesome comedian thinking about coming to the Gulbenkian reading this, please come! we'd love to have you!

Anyway, so Jason Manford... (if you don't know who I'm talking about see the video in the post below).

First thing's first. The man is ADORABLE. He's the kind of guy you just wanna hug. His comedy seems to be observational, and not at all angry (and if you know anything about me you know my dislike for 'angry' comedy). They seem to be laced with childhood stories and 'weeing' anecdotes– including one about a coke bottle whilst driving, and a survey about urinal usage– which reinforce his childlike demeanour and makes you wanna follow him on his little story trajectory.

Urgh. I don't know that I should write reviews, I'm pretty rubbish at them. But I had a lot of fun last night. And I should say that his voice that he did when he was impersonating someone stupid made me die from laughing. DIE.

Music suggestions later in the week.

Much love. x

Coming soon...

2009-03-22T10:44:00.002+01:00

I don't know what its like where you are, but over by 'yer we've had the most gorgeous weather over the past few days. And it has put me in the best mood ever. Ever. EVER. I think partly because good weather does affect my mood generally, but also because everything else going on in the world is all gloom and doom and it's nice to have nice weather as a distraction.

Anyway, here's a snippet of what's to come over the next week...

On TUESDAY, I'm going to see comedian Jason Manford, from 8 out of 10 cats, and from comedy in general. Should be a good gig, I'm going with Lara and Nat, who are swiftly becoming my partners in standup appreciation. Here's a clip of him if you've never seen him before:

So yeah, I'll "review" that show.

And then, on SOMETIME LATER IN THE WEEK, I'm gonna do a bit of blogging about some of the new music that I like, although most of y'all are probably so far ahead of me in terms of 'new music' that you'll have heard it all before. But you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't want my advice and input, now would you?

K, I'm gonna leave you with an 'Incredible Song'.

Much love. x

Friday the 13th

2009-03-13T14:41:00.002+01:00

You guyssssss!

It's friday the 13th today. I don't have a great past with this day. I have found that for me it is true that bad things happen on this day, especially in three's. Highlights include falling down the stairs and losing $30 (which, when I was 14 and needing to buy xmas presents, was quite a lot of cash). I've been willing today to be a good one, but only time will tell.

I haven't posted in over a week, so I thought I'd just add a few random things.

By the way, have I told you all that I'm obsessed with The Lonely Island? Well, I am. and their album Incredibad is amazing. Get it off iTunes.

Is it bad for me to plug friends on here? I'm thinking no. My friend Adam is a great stand up performing in Chicago and if you ever have an opportunity you should go see him. He's very funny.

And a couple more random clips for you:

yes, this is a dude. His name is Robert Webb and I've actually written about him before. He's an amazing comedian and a pretty good dancer

If you've never seen the film Oscar starring Sylvester Stallone, Marisa Tomei, and Tim Curry, you should. really should. It's not great quality wise but it's just such a great watch! Tim Curry is pretty much amazing in it.

Til next time. Much love. x

2009-03-03T11:36:00.001+01:00

I've been unusually nostalgic lately. I've been going through old photos, facebook stalking old classmates, and thinking about the days before I had a sister 14 years my junior and had a green card and spent my days just thinking about going to lectures, but not actually going. I've always said I was so ready to grow up, and that I can't wait to be 21, especially with so many friends stateside who are older than me and yell at me for not being able to drink. However, I too suffer from the cliché of pining for the days when life was 'simple', when the things you pondered most over in your life were when you were next allowed to have someone over to your house or what you were going to have for supper that night or what you wanted for your birthday.

TV is a good way to be nostalgic. 80s cartoons in particular. There are so many on this side of the pond that are so infamous so many people from multiple generations know about them. Watching these I find myself remembering all those times on Saturday mornings when you would be up absurdly early (I know most children do this as I am reminded of it constantly– there are kids who live next door and like to use this time in the day to scream their heads off as loud as possible) and watch telly with a blanket until one of my parents would come in and tell me I had to get dressed. I found this website, Retrojunk.com, which has got so much of these shows, plus commercials and movie info. It's pretty sweet if you're looking for a way to waste time. Which I am. always.

Anyway, these are the ones I wanted to share (just the intros) because they happen to be absolutely classic, and the kind of stuff that one just doesn't see anymore (sad times!)

Much love. x

I've got a nautical-themed pashmina afghan!

2009-02-15T18:03:00.001+01:00

K, so over the past 18 hours or so I've pretty much become obsessed with this. It's a pretty awesome tune which makes it even better.

Everyone should by the Lonely Island album Incredibad. In stores now. Because I say so.

Much love. x

I've just woken up and am hungover, but really quick...

2009-02-15T08:35:00.001+01:00

My buddy Chris showed me this, and it's an awesome mashup of the past two posts!

Christian Bale takes David to the dentist

I know I still haven't reviewed David O' Doherty, and you're all on the edge of your seats, but I shall in a bit.

Much love. x

Adam and Joe!

2009-02-12T13:44:00.001+01:00

One of my favourite things to listen to every week at the moment is the Adam and Joe show podcast. The show's on BBC Radio 6 on Saturday morning, but I am a student, and by definition too lazy to ever get up for anything ever, so I subscribe to the podcast through iTunes, which is pretty much the whole thing minus music.

I don't know if any of the international readers (I just made it sound like I have tons of readers, ha!) would know who these two gents are. I immediately recognised Adam (Buxton) as he was in Hot Fuzz, but I had to do a little research on Joe (Cornish). They're funny guys, and they pretty much just talk about random stuff the whole show, which I love, plus a thing called 'song wars' where they write songs about any given topic... which are terriff.

Anyway, so my story.....

I guess this is kind of old news... I'm not as up to date as I used to be. But anyway, this audio track has leaked of Christian Bale going on this MASSIVE tyrade while on the set of the new Terminator movie. It's pretty funny to listen to on it's own.

On last week's show Adam and Joe recreated this whole thing on air. But because the BBC has to make sure they don't make any swears and general bad words (like ass, ooooh), they decided to use 'replacement words' instead, and for some reason Adam (playing Bale) elected to employ a west country accent. It may be the funniest thing I've heard all week.

I seriously suggest you subscribe to this podcast, it's pretty 100% wonderful.

Much love. x

P.S. Sorry, I'm becoming a bit of a podcast freak. If you wanna check out another one find 'I Love Movies' by Doug Benson

P.P.S. I'll write tomorrow with reviews of David O Doherty.

P.P.P.S. Sorry, I won't do any more P.S.'s

YouTube WHEEEEEEEE!(kly)

2009-02-12T13:37:00.001+01:00

Alright. So YouTube clips. Odds are if you like drugs, the Beatles, and/or androgynous Korean toddlers, you'll like these couple clips... enjoy.

Is this real life?!
Then you can start to make it beh-rer!

Much love. x

"I would love to be able to be a woman. I would love to be able to remember which one of my 12,000 best friends I wasn't speaking to at any one time."

2009-02-09T18:19:00.001+01:00

In my room at my uni house, I now have what I've named an "irish wall." There's not much to it at the moment, but it's going to be building fairly rapidly I think. On it so far is the tour poster for Ed Byrne (see previous post) and the tour poster for DYLAN MORAN (in which he looks f-ing gorgeous, by the way).

Seeing him perform last night made me love him even more than I already did, which, to be honest, I didn't think was possible. Seeing his standup on DVD or on YouTube is lovely n' all, but seeing it live is an incredible experience. He's one of the best comedians in the world around today. No joke. AND he looked at me. AND then I fainted (not really, but it was touch and go for a minute).

Next on the live standup list is David O Doherty (another irishman), not amazingly well-known, but very funny nonetheless. I shall have updates on Friday.

Much love. x

"German sounds like typewriters eating tin foil being kicked down a stairs."

2009-02-06T10:33:00.001+01:00

I'm going to Oxford this weekend. I'm going to have lovely shopping trips and drinks and fun times. And then on Sunday I'm going to see Dylan Moran perform. Are you jealous? I think you are. I know I would be.
If you refer back to like, my second or third post (ok, I just looked it up, it's the third one I ever did and it's called "What? You exercise in glitter?" from 12 july, 2008) when I wrote about Irish comedians I mentioned that my mother said she was convinced I was going to marry an Irishman. Well, that pretty much all started because of my love and appreciation for this man. If you haven't seen his sitcom Black Books, find it on YouTube now! It'll just make you wanna smoke and drink red wine, allll day long.
His stand up is pretty much amazing as well (hence why I'm going to see him I suppose). I would put up links to that too like I normally do but for some reason YouTube is being a dick. And, why should I always have to do all the work for you? You lazy so-and-so's!! Just kidding, I love you all. But, seriously though, find 'em yourself.

Much love. x

"Isn't that sad? Don't we just hate that? Don't we wish they would just DIE?!"

2009-02-05T14:47:00.004+01:00

I think if I created an award (let's call them the sophies), I think I would hand out lifetime achievement awards a lot more frequently than these oscars and golden globes. And it would be for other stuff, too, not just for great directors and great leading actors. Actors who consistently have amazing supporting roles should be honoured too. I think the honoree for the lifetime achievement award in supporting roles at the first annual sophie awards would definitely be Christine Baranski (round of applause, please).
Ever since I saw Mamma Mia! last summer, I have found her randomly hiding out in a lot other interesting films. She's in Chicago, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), The Birdcage, and, of course, Addams Family Values (plus good guest appearances in 3rd Rock from the Sun and Frasier) . It is the last film in which she shines! SHINES I TELL YOU! I love her as the overly-chipper camp counselor who tries to convert Wednesday and Pugsley. See for yourself.

Let me know if you have any suggestions for other amazing supporting actors (I'm thinking Leslie Jordan, just for being Beverley Leslie on Will and Grace).

Much love. x

more ramblings!

2009-02-04T14:44:00.002+01:00

K, so the blog is back. I need something to distract myself from my studies. Psh, studies...
Plus, I'm putting the URL on facebook now, so that a few more people might actually read the damn thing.

So, today I'm only gonna put up some random YouTube vids, which I'm gonna make a weekly thing... basically just what I've watched a lot of/favourited over the past week.

Michael Jackson owns a tea shop... in Devon?
Bill Haverchuck is my hero.
Kelly as a sex therapist.
You must be the monopoly guy! (I know this is old, and not amazingly funny, but I love it).
Oh noooooooh!
Good old classic.

Til next time (which will be soon!). Much love. x

"I was utterly gazeboed"

2009-01-08T01:58:00.001+01:00

When I went to go see Ed Byrne way back in October (so good!) he made a joke about his poor dvd sales despite being named something along the lines of the hottest comedians in the UK. He then followed this up with "Good luck, Michael McIntyre!"

EVERYONE in England has been talking about this guy for the past few months. He's been around for a while, but he's now just started to get some recognition. His stuff is, well, hysterically funny. I showed his standup from the Graham Norton show to my family, and they all enjoyed it, because, to quote them, what he says is "SO true!"

So, yeah, see what you think.

Much love. x

Dr Who News

2009-01-08T01:47:00.001+01:00

Soooo... who saw the Xmas special??? What did you think? I thought it was good (but they're always good) and I kind of enjoyed the absence of a one-off female sidekick (think Kylie Minogue) but I don't know... it was missing something. I'd be curious to get your thoughts.

And, I'm sure you all know about Matt Smith?! The next Dr Who is 26. And skinny. And pale. I've never seen him in anything though, so that's not to say he's no good. But he will be replacing my dearly loved David Tennant, so it will be a little sad at first.

I found this interview on YouTube and he seems like quite a sweet chap.

Much love. x

"I'm Crrraaaaazzzzy Eddie. I put babies on spikes. You wanna rack a babies?"

2008-12-12T13:23:00.002+01:00

I'm excited coz I'm going to see Eddie Izzard tonight with the little bro. It's gonna be pretty awesome, even with our restricted viewing seats. I'll give you updates after.

So I thought I'd write, seeing as I haven't in a while...

My friend Kate from here told me today she'd never seen or even heard of the Fast Show. For an English person of my age that's kind of unacceptable. I think some of you know it, some of you probably don't. You should watch it though, because it's the kind of comedy that just isn't around anymore. And there's a sketch with Johnny Depp. If that's not an incentive I don't know what is. I don't have time to find and post clips (why should I always have to do that anyway you lazy buggers?!) but just go on to youtube and search 'fast show'. There'll be plenty of stuff.

Oh, and have you all been watching the IT crowd? Last week's ep was quite good, and there's a new one on tonight. Start looking for it Saturday morning!

Much love. xx

SAD TIMES!!

2008-11-26T00:23:00.001+01:00

So, ABC was really Stuh-yup-id a few days ago and cancelled "Pushing Daisies," along with a couple of other shows that I'm not really so fussed about. I don't know if any of you saw it, but it was a pretty good show, and I really liked it. If you've never seen it, it's about a man called Ned, known as "the pie maker," who has the ability to bring dead things back to life, which comes in handy when he finds out that his childhood sweetheart has been murdered. It was a) NOT reality b) quirky c) a innovative show with interesting plotlines and a great cast. It's a shame that they couldn't see through the less than average ratings to the critical acclaim and numerous emmy nods. Anyway, I think we should go all Arrested Development on their ass, and by that I mean that we should try and get as many people into it now that it's been cancelled so that it can achieve a cult following and ABC can see what eeeejits they were for stopping it so prematurely. So, if you've never seen it before, or you want to catch up on some episodes go here.

Much love. x

NOTE: I just noticed that the above link didn't work, so I (think I) have now fixed it.

To me, he has never been sexier...

2008-11-23T15:51:00.002+01:00

watch this, please.

Much love. x

"You sound like you're from LONDON!"

2008-11-19T18:45:00.001+01:00

Just a couple of Paul Rudd clips because I love him so:

The art of seduction

Gahndi and Yoda

Much love. x

P.S. PEOPLE magazine named Hugh Jackman sexiest man of the year!!! good job guys, good job.

In honor of Syd-roo's birthday

2008-11-13T18:34:00.001+01:00

I think it's time we visited an old amigo, dont' you?

0118999881999119725....... 3

Surely, if you know me, or you know either Sydney Schoof or Petra Kelly (I'm assuming if you're reading this blog you know at least one of us... these are the only people that would listen to me-- or rather read me-- rant and rave) you know about the IT Crowd. From the awesome Irish mind of Graham Linehan, the man who has previously worked on such amazing shows as Big Train, Black Books, Father Ted, and the grossly underappreciated Hippies, is the show about a "dynamic go-getter, a genius, and a man from Ireland" who head up the IT department of a company that does.... something.
Anyhoodles, the 3rd season of this show will be airing over here on November 21, 2008 (get your youtube's ready!) and in honor of this and the fact that my dearest syd-roo has turned 21 I have listed some awesome clips below, AND I've listed links to the full episodes (in 3 parts). "Wow Sophie!" I hear you say, "You're pretty awesome, aren't you?" Why yes, yes I am.

Oh, and if you're looking for recommendations, my favourite eps of series 1 are 2, 4, and 5, and my favourite ep of series 2 is 2.

Clips: Fire!; Anti-Piracy Ad; New Emergency Number; Stress Class; "I need a F***ING ambulance!"
Series 1: Yesterday's Jam; Calamity Jen; Fifty-Fifty; The Red Door; The Haunting of Bill Crouse; Aunt Irma Visits
Series 2: The Work Outing; Return of the Golden Child; Moss and the German; The Dinner Party; Smoke and Mirrors; Men Without Women

Until next time. Much love. x

2008-10-30T23:38:00.002+01:00

It's Halloween tomorrow. I'm sitting in my costume with my housemates Carmen and Natalie. Carmen's a sexy pumpkin (orange tutu, tights etc. all topped off with a green hat) and Natalie is an evil butterfly. I am sitting in a petticoat with wings and antennae. We're watching a tv show about zombies on big brother. i do love the halloween time.

Anyway... all i want to do in this post is implore all my american friends to vote next tuesday. I don't care (that much) who you vote for– though, if I know you I'm fairly sure I know who it'd be. Mainly because I have to (sort of) live in that country for an undisclosed amount of time, and seeing how I can't vote, it'd be great if I could say I have people looking out for me who can.

None of this really has much to do with anything. oh well...

"You're fat.... with a p-h, as in elephant!"

2008-10-26T15:59:00.002+01:00

I love being the first person to stand up in a standing ovation.

So, yesterday was one helluva great day. It was my little brother James' 18th birthday, so I went up to London to see him and Robin and Donald, some friends of my parents who are fantastic. Needless to say, we had quite a bit to drink. But none of this is really relevant. What is is that I had to run to get the train back to Canterbury so that I could go see Mr. Ed Byrne perform. Not a word of a lie– it was AMAZING!! I thought I loved him before...

If ever you have a chance to see him perform live, I urge– nay, command– you to do so. He is a wonderful gorgeous piece of Irish love. I have spoken.

Next up on the standup list is Eddie Izzard on the 12 December. V excited.

Much love. x

Ha ha ha... trumpets!

2008-10-24T12:00:00.001+02:00

Just to get thoughts on this ad:

This is the ad that everyone seems to love over here at the moment. Watch it, and imagine having it blasted into your brain however many times a day. You become obsessed.

BRING ON THE TRUMPETS!

Much love. x

"Ah, but you do not have a feather in your hat!"

2008-10-23T01:19:00.001+02:00

Today I watched: The Orinoco Flow from the Secret Policeman's Ball 2008

Just because I like to brag:

Starting on saturday, october 25 (incidentally, my brother's 18th birthday– yay James!) I will be beginning one of the best 4 month-long stages of my life, for I will be seeing 3 of my most favourite comedians from then until February. They are: Ed Byrne, Eddie Izzard, and Dylan Moran. I may just die from excitement... but I won't really because then I wouldn't get to see them.

That is all. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. x

"Who would like a banger in the mouth?"

2008-10-18T14:12:00.002+02:00

Today I watched (and listened to): Tim Minchin (he might be my new obsession); Arrested Development (all the episodes with Tobias as Mrs Featherbottom)

So, as you may have noticed... the site's had a little work done. Like most other sites like this have done now, it seems blogger is encouraging its users to clunk up their blogs with what they like to call 'gadgets.' I promise to fight all temptation and keep said gadgets to a minimum– so far all I've added is a list of all topics that have been written about (it's over there... thatta way –––>)

Alright, I suppose I should write about something else now, eh?

I'm gonna speak to my American readers for a minute (I doubt I have any readers from anywhere else, 'cept for good old Peshy of course, but just in case: skim past this next sentence, ok? cheers). Do you remember that Comedy Central show Crank Yankers, with all the puppets? I don't know what y'all thought of it, I didn't think it was allll that funny (except for maybe Special Ed). K, non-American readers, you can start reading again here... Over here we have a relatively new programme on Channel 4 called Fonejacker. It's the same concept (prank phone calls) but it's one man doing many many many characters. And it's funny as hell.

Jimmy Jon

Jafool!

George

Much love. x

Musical Comedy

2008-10-06T16:50:00.001+02:00

It's much easier to write on this blog when you know you have stuff that you should be doing, but just can't be arsed to do.

From what I can tell, music and comedy go hand in hand. Whether it's standup, sketch comedy, or more convential sitcoms, music features in all of it. A lot of people think that being a comedian is like being a 21st century rockstar. I don't know if that's true. Listed below are some of my favourites (and of course what I could find on YouTube) comedy.... things with music featured.

Much love. x

Obama AND Doctor Who?!

2008-10-05T17:16:00.002+02:00

Who could ask for more?!

While getting my fill of presidential coverage this morning (quote from Dylan Moran: "nothing else will make you that angry and that bored at the same time") I stumbled across this on the Indecision 2008 website. It essentially lists which presidential hopefuls (it's a bit old so it includes Clinton and excludes Palin– though I think she'd side with the Daleks) would be a good companion for each Doctor of the most amazing sci-fi show ever, Doctor Who. It actually combines two of my most favourite things of the moment, and indulges the massive geek that I am.

So that's how one gets to meet David Tennant: become a US presidental candidate. I'm on it!

Alright kids, I'm working on finding some new stuff to watch, but I only just finished The Forsyte Saga, so it may take some time. Until then. Much love. x

oh my god oh my god oh my god

2008-09-29T18:56:00.002+02:00

So, I can't seem to stop writing on this blog today.

So this post is kind of for Sydney, but I want you all to see it anyway. When I was looking at videos of Damian Lewis (see previous post) who I first came to love in the miniseries The Forsyte Saga, I actually FOUND it! THE FORSYTE SAGA (albeit in many, many parts). Sydney and I became obsessed with this in our sophomore year of high school, and those of you who know either Syd-roo or I know that this is no overstatement. If you've not seen this version of John Galsworthy's masterpiece you really should find the time to watch it... it is phenomenal, and addictive.

I promise I won't write anymore today. Much love. x

A Haaaaaaaaaaaaaandbag?!?!

2008-09-29T18:31:00.003+02:00

Today I watched: too many things to watch (mostly becuase I'm putting off doing ACTUAL work), but namely, A Handbag?!– a remix feat. Dame Edith Evans

I'm pumped up for another post, here goes.

So, when I was on the Entertainment Weekly website finding out how much awsomer I am than them (DISCLAIMER: I really, truly, 100% am not) I saw a picture of Damian Lewis. For those of you, Damian Lewis is officially hot. H-O-T-T hot. He is also, officially, ginger. I don't know if it's a British thing, but people over here are weird about Gingers... although I think it's somewhat of a thing stateside as well, because of dear old South Park... and the fact that I was forever amused when I had to create some artwork advertising the Green Tea Ginger Twist at work. Anyway, here's two awesome clips on the subject of gingers, because I'm bored, and writing on this blog means I don't have to do any work on my resume.

Until next time. Much love. x

Whoa there...

2008-09-29T18:23:00.001+02:00

I would just like to point out that the video off of YouTube of NPH and Jason Segel singing Les Miserables that I posted on 22 july, 2008 has been put in Entertainment Weekly's Must List for this week. How awesome and ahead of the times am I?

That is all.

"But you forget, I have a green clarinet that makes you tell embarrassing truths."

2008-09-24T12:26:00.001+02:00

"Ah, yes, but now I have a red tuba which makes you shit yourself."

Today I watched: That Mitchell and Webb Look; That Mitchell and Webb Situation; Peep Show

Ok, yes, it does look like I've watched a heeeelll of a lot of stuff today, but that's because these three shows are created by and star the same two people: David Mitchell and Robert Webb. They started showing That Mitchell and Webb Look on BBC America so you may be slightly familiar with them (or you may randomly have seen them as the mac and PC on the UK Get a mac ads), but they are one of the best comedy double acts around. They both do stuff on their own obviously, David Mitchell is a regular on comedy panel shows and Robert Webb was one of the stars of the film Confetti (which you should watch, if you can find it). But, in my opinion, they are at their best in sketches like this, about two German SS officers who suddenly ask themselves, "are we the baddies?" And Peep Show is pretty brilliant; not only is it hilarious, but it's shot all in POV. pretty awesome stuff.

Until next time. Much love. x

"Nuts on the Road, nim nim nim"

2008-09-19T14:28:00.002+02:00

Jetlag officially bites monkeys. I've felt like rubbish for the past two days, which I think does have to do with the fact that I spent roughly 17 hours in transit– as opposed to the fact that I really didn't want to leave, which was the reason a year ago. That doesn't change the fact that I've been in a horrible mood, though, and resorted to listening to the Mamma Mia! soundtrack to keep myself vaguely cheerful (although listening to "The Winner Takes It All" makes me sad, but it's too beautiful to ignore).

I don't really have anything to post about... yet. I've only just gotten the password to the internet in my house, and have been catching up on my priorities (House, M.D. and Project Runway.... God I'm so sad). But, if you're dying without my suggestions (haha, yeah right) go onto YouTube and look up some clips of Mock The Week; you may even be able to find some episodes (the most recent is season 6 episode 10 (oh, here, i've just found it for you)). It's like Who's Line is it Anyway? but with current affairs. I guess you could say it's a more entertaining version of the news. Us Brits are good at that (see Have I Got News for You).

When I'm feeling slightly more myself I'll post some more.

Much love. x

"Mommy had too much happy juice and that turned Mommy into a whore."

2008-09-11T01:40:00.001+02:00

Today I watched: Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies

"I was on my way to my bikram yoga class and I was eating my tofurkey and I had on my spiralina sandals– the bio-degradable kind! And I looked at my hash watch and I realized I couldn't find my healing crystals! And then I remembered they're made out of pure love– there was nothing to find!"

Not much to say about Dana Carvey. Most people know about him from SNL/Wayne's World etc.... which is why I quoted one of my favourite bits from this special above. He's an amazing impressionist, and quite a funny guy. This is worth watching just for his Al Gore impression. It's kind of the best thing ever.

Much love. x

She's Alive!

2008-09-07T02:44:00.001+02:00

Yayyy! I have a laptop again. The feeling is sooo wonderful, I was having serious withdrawl without her. Oh, and, although she was previously known as Vera, she has undergone a rebirth and will hence be known as Miriam (I really just like the name better). Yay Miriam!

So, back to blogging.

Something I've been wanting to discuss on this blog (and get comments on, of course) is the amount of videos on YouTube containing babies and/or toddlers. It feels as though YouTube has just become an online version of Kids Say the Darndest Things (or, for all English readers- the Funniest Things). I'm somewhat ashamed to say that I've watched most of these videos and come out with all the giggles and 'ooohs' and 'aaaahs' that they were created for. But I want to know what happens in 10-15 years when these babies are all grumpy adolescents and have to deal with the fact that there's a video of them on YouTube crying because they still want Tony Blair to be Prime Minister. Oh well, they are so fun to watch. Here are some of my faves:

Good to be back. Much love. x

I've been drunk-publicising this blog, so i'd better post...

2008-08-14T21:31:00.001+02:00

Sorry peoples du monde. Since the death of my beloved laptop Vera I've not been able to keep up with this blog that much. Trust me, I'm working on reviving her, and when that's done I will get this back up and running again. Til then, keep yourself entertained with this assortment of youtube clips.

Til next time. Much love. x

RIP Vera, we hardly knew thee.

2008-08-07T16:27:00.002+02:00

I'm afraid that I'm not in the best of moods today. Upon returning from a "Girls -comma- Monday thru Wednesday" with some friends in Wisconsin, I tried to start up Vera, my beloved two year old macbook to check emails and such, when I found she was dead, or at the very least, dying. This makes me very sad as I suspect the hard drive is fried and that means all my music/photos/apps have gone bye bye. I am taking her to the mac doctors today in the hopes that she can be revived.

To take my mind off of this tragedy I have been rewatching Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, a musical internet miniseries starring the beautiful Neil Patrick Harris. It's written by Joss Whedon, which means its got a sort of comic book feel to it, and it's also one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I think y'all should watch it, now, that is if you have 45 minutes on your hands.

I'll try to update you soon, both with fun links and on Vera's condition.

Much love. x

"I am the only Iranian comedian... in the world. Which is technically three more than Germany"

2008-07-29T22:25:00.001+02:00

Today I watched: Omid Djalili, No Agenda

I haven't much to say today. I felt I should update because there weren't many posts last week, and I have a day off and not much else to do. BUT, I do realllly want everyone to watch this comedian. He has a similar attitude in his standup to Russell Peters, except he's British-Iranian (and in my opinion, funnier).

Another note: Please validate my existence and leave comments; go on, tell me if you think all these things are shit or if they're brilliant.

Much love. x

"I live in your eyes!"

2008-07-28T23:32:00.003+02:00

Today I watched: Bill Bailey, Part Troll

Goodness I have been ignoring my blog-ly duties! My most sincere apologies.

If you've seen the cinematic gem that is Hot Fuzz (and I know you have, Syd-roo and Peshy), you will be familiar with the west country accent, and, you may even perhaps be familiar with Bill Bailey. If you've seen the television.... gem that is Black Books, then you will definitely be familiar with Bill Bailey (pssst... he plays Manny). If for some reason these have passed you by, let me describe the man to you: he looks like an egg with his hair hanging off him like a shower curtain.

Although a good actor and all-round cool dude, I feel he shines most in his standup. It combines his unique twist on... everything, his hippy attitude, and his incredible musical talent. All other musical comedians pale in comparison to this man.

Much love. x

YouTube Weekly

2008-07-23T02:37:00.002+02:00

So, I decided that an efficient way to tell all about the weird little things I've seen on YouTube and other sites that are good but don't warrant their own post would be to put them all in one place. This is it. YouTube Weekly for 22 July, 2008.

~This week will be filled with videos not necessarily seen in the past week, but just in the past, because there are many~

Much love. x

It's the one week blog-iversary!!!

2008-07-17T18:20:00.001+02:00

Today I watched: The Imp

Still on a Green Wing high (I'm currently on episode 7 of the first series) I YouTubed Stephen Mangan and Julian Rhind-Tutt to see if I could find any good interviews/outtakes etc.. What I did find was the imp, this surreal and kind of awesome cartoon in which the two voice the main characters, the Imp and Bob, his sidekick. It's ridiculous in a Home Star Runner/Teen Girl Squad kind of way, but it's very funny (an example being a clip about eeevil lasagna). It's supposed to be on/coming to Cartoon Network, but I have looked for it and cannot seem to find it as of yet. I'll keep a look out.

Much love. x

Wake up or the kitty gets it!!

2008-07-15T00:56:00.002+02:00

Today I watched: Green Wing

This is my favourite show that I had never heard about (that doesn't really work, as a sentence... never mind). By that I mean I had heard nothing about it until I was looking up Black Books on YouTube and stumbled upon Tamsin Greig and the ginger-haired god that is Julian Rhind-Tutt. Finding out about this show was a complete accident, even though I knew three of the main characters (the two mentioned above and Mark Heap of Big Train and Spaced). I had never heard of the other star of the show before though. Stephen Mangan is probably one of the main reasons this show is so amazing. He and the other actors combine awesome dialogue with hysterical physical comedy, and it works so well. loves it.

Until next time. Much love, x

"What? You exercise in glitter?"

2008-07-13T02:02:00.002+02:00

About a year or so ago, my mum announced that she was certain I was going to marry an irishman. I have no qualms with this theory at all. I love the irish men. But since then, I've kind of developed an obsession with Irish comedians. Not Irish-American, like Conan, although I do love him. Proper Irish, accent and all. Their material is quite specific, but it's all brill. Here are my faves. Watch.

Much love, x.

"You know what you are you're a beard with an idiot hanging off it"

2008-07-11T05:58:00.003+02:00

Today I watched: Black Books, Series 1 (with commentary); Dead Ringer's pisstake of Torchwood (and John Barrowman)

-----

A few days ago I found a programme called '100 greatest standups' which had been broadcast on channel 4 about a year ago. It's on YouTube, in 19 parts, but that didn't stop me from watching alllll of it. I revelled in the fact that most of my top UK comedians were not only on the list, but in the top 20. I also discovered new comedians and material of comedians that I had heard of but not necessarily paid much attention to. I've not had a chance to look up all this new material yet, but I have a list which I will be starting tomorrow (probably). Go to youtube.com/100greatest to watch.

Much love. x

Intro

2008-07-10T22:25:00.001+02:00

"So I better introduce myself, cos a few of you are thinking 'this roadie's a bit up himself isn't he?'"

-Bill Bailey

So, at the suggestion/request of my dear friends Petra and Syd-roo, I have decided to create a blog documenting all the random little things I happen to see on TV/internet that I find humorous. Also, it'll be a nice outlet for my "quoting tourette's."

I'll try and post links if I can, and hopefully this'll mean when I say something half of you will actually get what I'm talking about!

much love. x