Rocky Horror Picture Show: recast

I've put A LOT of thought into this post.

As most of you know, I recently attended a Rocky Horror Picture Show performance for the first time. It was mind blowing and hilarious. "The Voice" made some of the funniest comments... including (when Frank Furter is dead in the pool) "Look! It's Steve Jobs! I guess that's what happens when you bob for apples..." Okay, you might think it's too soon, but I nearly pissed myself laughing.

So here's the deal: all this Halloween and RHPS talk made me think to a rumor I heard a in 2008 about a remake. MTV was planning its release around Halloween 2009, but I guess that never worked out. There was talk (mostly unfounded, I think) of it starring Zac Effron. That, in my opinion, is just plain wrong.

I bet I've got you all thinking about who would be the perfect actor to star in a RHPS remake... and that's what's been stuck in my head too! Let me tell you, this was tough. For some characters, I had maybe half a dozen possible choices. For others, there was only one clear image in my mind. I should also point out that imagining the new possible actors in the original costumes help sway my decision. And picturing certain actors as Dr Frank Furter was surprisingly *hot*.

So here's my dream cast:

Brad (Asshole) Majors: The original Brad was played by Barry Bostwick. He's your typical all American type, who ends up being a little slutty. Bostwick had a clean-cut look about him which worked nicely, as Asshole Majors was a little bit of a helpless geek. Who could do this character justice? Matt Damon? Neil Patrick Harris? All valid choices. All under consideration. All not quite right, in my opinion... So who is? None other than Justin Timberlake. Just look at him! The little nerd already has the glasses! Can you picture him in tighty-whities for most of the film? Or in the corset/heels/fishnets towards the end? Timberlake has made quite a name for himself as an actor in recent years, appearing in films like The Social Network, Bad Teacher and, most recently In Time (which looks really good, by the way). His many appearances on Saturday Night Live have shown the world that he can be funny. And a major plus is that he can sing.

Janet (Slut) Weiss: Dammit, Janet! Susan Sarandon portrayed this innocent, repressed good girl... that is, until she portrayed the sexy, sex obsessed naughty girl. The female half of the "poor, innocent, easily corruptible" couple, Weiss recognizes the benefits of a little sexual experimentation before marriage. I want the new actress to be more than just sexy. She needs to have talent, both in acting and singing (as this is a musical after all). Again, a lot of names went through my mind: Claire Danes, Kiera Knightly, Kirsten Dunst... but I settled on Zooey Deschanel. She can sing, she can act, she's adorable and sexy all at the same time. 

Dr Frank-N-Furter: Possibly Tim Cury's most recognizable role, Frank is just a sweet transvestite, a mad scientist who preaches the delights of carnal pleasure. He also is the one to sing my life motto... Don't dream it. Be it. It's a great way to lead life. So who, in my hours of imagining actors in lingerie, would be the perfect, modern Transexual Transylvanian? Many, MANY men crossed my mind. Let me list a few: Hugh Jackman, Paul Rudd, Nathan Fillion, Tom Hanks, James Franco, Ben Affleck, David Boreanaz... All these gentlemen would look EXCEPTIONAL in a black bustier and matching panties. Let's all take a moment to think about it. Still thinking. Still thinking. Now, wipe the drool off your face! Yeah, so I'm picking this one for pure pleasure and "yum" factor. Mr David Duchovny, why won't you love me? Well, I love you. And I'd *love* you as that hot-dog, Frank Furter.

Rocky Horror: Rocky is Frank's hot creation, his sex toy, someone he created just for the pleasure of it. Peter Hinwood's replacement has to be a knock out, a perfect 10. It may not be a big speaking part, but I think it takes a lot of talent to grunt efficiently! Ryan Reynolds may not just be a pretty face, but in my ideal RHPS remake, he would be. And he would look so damn good in gold short-shorts. Once again, lets all picture it. *drool*

Riff Raff: Honestly, no moral earthling can play this role as well as Richard O'Brien. What's he up to now, you may be wondering? Well, he's the voice of the dad on Disney's Phineas and Ferb. How cool is that? Anyway, back to the character. Riff Raff was a creepy, quiet alien who only showed his true colours at the end. I think this character might have given me the most trouble. There was only one name for a long time, but it wasn't the right one. Seth Rogen. I know, I know, not the perfect Riff Raff. I'm not arguing with you! And then, as I was looking over my list of possible Brads, I fell upon the perfect guy. Now he's usually the comedic lead, known for his timing and delivery, but I think Jason Segel could pull off a quiet, creepy, freakishly tall supporting role.

Magenta: As Riff Raff's alien sister, Patricia Quinn as Magenta (and the famous RHPS lips) put on her French maid's outfit and wowed us all with a sexual, seductive, accented voice and a penchant for letting her brother make out with her. There were two names that were strong front runners here. Both are incredibly talented, both are incredibly sexy, both would look fantastic in both a French maid's outfit and a silver space suit. In the end, I went with Sara Ramirez with Mila Kunis as the understudy. 

Columbia: The groupie, lover of Eddie, Frank and Magenta (or maybe that was just a fooling around thing?), Columbia is full of energy and comedic genius. In my eyes, only Emma Caulfield can fill this role. Have you seen the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? In it, she sings a song (with Xander (Brendon Nicholas)) and I think that's the energy needed for Columbia. Plus, Emma would look really good in rainbow shorts and a gold sequin tailcoat.

Eddie: Ahh, Meatloaf. It's what's for dinner! This ex-delivery boy, who lent half his brain to Rocky Horror, makes one hell of an entrance on a motorcycle. James Martsers would make a great Eddie. Even though it's only a tiny, one song role, he would bring a certain rock'n'roll/badassness to the part. And let's be honest, who wouldn't mind eating him (if you know what I mean)?

Dr Scott: Cue the toilet paper! Dr Scott, a rival scientist, is Eddie's uncle. he comes to the castle looking for answers concerning Eddie's disappearance. He's also the professor who introduces Brad and Janet to one another. I would need a distinguished and well versed actor for this role: one who isn't afraid of singing and is capable of doing so in an accent. Though he's stuck in a wheelchair for most of the film, he does show off his fishnet clad gams at the end. Who's gams would I like to see instead? Patrick Stewart's, I think. Did I mention that picturing these new actors in the RHPS costume was my favourite part of trying to find the perfect player for each part of the process?

The Criminologist: The expert who retells Brad and Janet's story with helpful visual aids and dictionary definitions. He's a minor character, but he plays an integral role in the film. William Shatner would bring authority and a little mockery tot he role.

Well, that's my ideal cast. Let me know, in the comments, if you agree or disagree.

Costumes

Halloween is fast approaching and, and this is my first year actually working in an elementary school as a real teacher (I don't count all my years tutoring because in 4 years I was only there on Halloween once). This is also the first year my friends and I are going to a performance of Rocky Horror Picture Show. I'm super excited about both things, but there is a downside. I need two costumes this year! What might be appropriate for one situation may not be for the other.

I had so many ideas for my school costume. I was really excited about each of them but I think I'm more excited about the final product (probably because I spent very little money on it haha). At school, I am going to be a cowgirl. I have black cowboy boots (a hand-me-down from my uncle, I'd call 'em vintage, even); a jean skirt; a black short sleeve button down blouse and all I'm missing is the hat. I have a friend who may lend me one, if we can figure out when and where to meet. If not, I think I trip to Walmart is in order... or even back downtown to one of the three costume shops I visited today.

Speaking of school, we're having a few events in honour of Halloween on Monday. The 5th graders organized a type of haunted house for grades one through four. They're really excited by it and, honestly, so am I. It means that's one class I don't have to prepare. At first, I was upset that I was losing English time... but the more I think about it the more I realize that all it means is less preparation for me.

After the haunted house, grades five and six are putting on a little show: they learned the Thriller dance. They've been practicing since mid September and are really anxious about the performance. Knowing this, I've been allowing students who finish their work early to practice the dance for the last five or ten minutes of class. To tie in the dance to English class, and to guarantee their interest and motivation, I've decided that their Halloween activity will be ordering the lyrics to the song.

At lunch, we're having a potluck. I'm making macaroni and cheese cupcakes, which I've made once before last year's TESL potluck. I liked them a lot and I was able to modify the recipe to make it lactose free. Their bite size and pretty good at room temperature. I'm looking forward to the other dishes!

After lunch, we're having a fundraiser: a dessert auction amongst the teachers. I'm most excited about this. I'm making an apple, chocolate and walnut cake. My sister started making this cake about 15 years ago. My grandmother liked it so much she started making it regularly. I absolutely adore it and I think it'll rake in big bucks (like, maybe 20$).

In the afternoon, there's a school wide bingo thing going on. I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to be doing for that...

Finally, Monday night, I'm going to a Rocky Horror Picture Show presentation at the Imperial theater. I'm going dressed as Magenta, The Domestic. I have the same black button as my cowboy outfit; a black skirt; an apron and a little head band/hat thing. I'm just wondering how much effort I want to put on my makeup. I've read some tips, seen some tutorial videos and everything seems to point to this being an expensive endeavor. I think the only thing I'll actually invest in a set of false lashes. They're reusable and, unlike makeup in colours I'll never wear again, I might actually find use for these for another event.

Happy Halloween!

Carisolo/Madonna di Campiglio

Oh. My. God. I'm living IN the mountains these next two weeks. Not on, not near, not at the base of, but IN. THE. MOUNTAINS. It's beautiful. Everywhere I look: mountains. And it's like 10-15 C here. There are just no words....

Also, I'm living in a hotel. Hotel Europa, to be exact. It's in a village called Madonna di Campiglio, which is essentially just hotels.

You know, I started this post 2 weeks ago. I'm finishing it now. I'm exhausted. The Dolomites are beautiful. It was cold. Somehow "I don't agree" turned into "I don't like green" and we're still not sure why. My kids did Phineas and Ferb as their final show and it worked out okay (or as okay as it can be when you give an orange group the script on Thursday).

ACLE has no more work for me, so I'm "stuck" here for 17 days. I'm going to Baiardo until at least August 6th with the plan being that I'll bus it to the beach in San Remo every day. After that, I'm either doing a Contiki type tour in London for 5 days. Or I might go to Munich to stay with a BNL friend. Or I might make different plans with someone I meet in Baiardo. Who knows? I sure don't! Isn't it exciting (and kinda terrifying)?

I miss my friends, I miss my family, I miss my dog, I miss my bed.

Ciao!

Switzerland for a day

Yesterday, we had a "tutor outing" and went to Switzerland. It was only a hour away. It was BEAUTIFUL!!!

We woke up early to catch the 7:50am train... but that didn't work. Two tutors got there late and we missed the train by, like, 20 seconds. But that was okay, because as we were walking, looking for a cafe for breakfast, we found a store we need to go back to that had ADORABLE flats for 15€. We will go back on Monday.

We had espresso and "toast" (ham and cheese sandwich) at this great little cafe and then walked back to the train station in time to catch our train at 8:50am. The ride from a Milan suburb to Chiaso, Switzerland only took about an hour! It was so beautiful and the train was nice and air conditioned... Have I mentioned yet how hot it is here? And we're getting a heatwave from Africa next week? Tempurature is supposed to be in the 40s all week. Eww. But I digress.

Once in Chiaso, we bought our tickets to go to the lake (Lugano, Switzerland). We had some time to kill so we went to the train station's mini grocery store and stocked up on lunchables for a picnic. And so we were off to Lugano!

What a beautiful place. The train ride alone was breathtaking! We really outed ourselves as tourists, but that's okay. Once in Lugano, we were completely blown away by its beauty. We couldn't stop taking pictures. It took us a good 20 mins to get from the train station to (what I'm going to refer to as) the center of town (which would have taken normal people about 5 minutes). Everything was just so photographable.

So we walked to "the center of town" where we bought postcards and stamps so that we could mail out some stuff ASAP. I think it'll be fun for whoever I sent my postcards to. They'll receive some proof of my being there for the day. Oh and guess what was happening there? Some sort of Harley Davidson motorcycle show! There were some gorgeous bikes on display. I'm sorry, I still can't get over how beautiful it was! And the group I was with really made it a lot of fun. We had a lovely picnic by the water and then wandered around for a while, taking in the sites. We finally ended up taking a nap, in a park, under a tree. We were there for 40 mins, and I'm sure I could hear people laughing at us, but I don't care. It was so hot and our feet hurt and we were tired... and we were nice a refreshed afterward! Then we did something that you really can't do anywhere else in the world, especially not Montreal... We went shopping at H&M, hahaha. I bought a cute top. It's a little snug, but I think I'll fit in it perfectly by the end of the summer.

After Lugano, we went to this outlet mall in Mendrisio, Switzerland called Foxtown. There are outlets for Puma, Guess, Pepe Jeans, Versace, Valentino, Fendi and a ton of others that I just can't afford, outlet prices or not. It was nice to look at! And I had awesome gelato (chocolate and raspberry).

On our way home, I bought THE CUTEST cow mug... it made me so happy. I also bought a little bag of Toblerone for my host family. All in all, it was a good day!

Today, the tutors and I met the two new tutors coming to our camp. They seem super nice and we're all on the same page about just about everything. I'm so glad we're all getting along so well! Through an ACLE (or just our camp director) misunderstanding, the two new tutors have a private apartment (since everyone here was informed that they are a couple). This works out nicely, though, as we are planning a movie night at their place. We planned all our songs for the week today (warm-up and cool down) as well as all our Olympic activities and any other games we want to plan.

After the meeting, my host family took me to Milan to shop. And guess what? I bought a new bag! It's a good size, it's a nice colour and, best of all, it's not something I'd find in Montreal. The camp assistant (who's super cool, by the way) has one in red and I commented on it yesterday, saying I was looking for something similar. When I saw it in pink in a store today, I didn't even hesitate to buy it. And it was on sale! Woo! So, she should be flattered that I'm copying her good taste.

Anyway, I need to be at the camp tomorrow at 8am, so I should probably go to sleep now...

Good night!

Third time's the Charm

I'm now with my third host family and my second camp. My first camp director was fantastic: she knew how to choose sides (between parents and tutors) when needed and she knew that a camp like this needs to go with the flow. You can't plan every minute of everyday.

This new camp director is the exact opposite of the last one. This new one, let's call her S, wants us to not only plan who sings what song in the morning (a reasonable request), but how long each song will last. Our end-of-the-day meeting (which usually takes 15-20 mins) took ALMOST AN HOUR. 20 mins for S to talk to parents and then 25-30 mins of her talking but never really answering our questions. And when we'd answer hers, she'd ask again... and again... I think it was either to make sure we answered the same way each time or to try to change our minds to her way of thinking. The meeting only ended when two tutors told her their host mom had been waiting for them all this time. Tomorrow, I'm leaving after 20 mins max: I have a 20 min walk home.

S was upset that I won't be getting there early tomorrow. I think she wanted me to ask my host mom to either drive the kids to camp at 8am (camp starts at 8:30am) or to make two trips: one for me and one for the kids. Uhh, no. I'm not going to ask that. It's ridiculous! I don't need to be there 30mins early EVERYDAY. You'd think it's her first time as a camp director, but no. She's been there all 4 years the camp has been going on. WTF, mate?

Other than that, my new host family is awesome. The daughter (a camper) is 14, the son (a helper) is 16. The mother is an architect and the father is an engineer. Yesterday, they took me to Lake Como where I totally..... didn't see George Clooney. But I'm pretending I did, in my mind. Yep, I close my eyes and there he was, in front of the lake. It was love at first sight and I'm going to the Oscars in 2012! Hahaha, I wish.

So, a fellow tutor turned me onto Contiki tours. I want to take one for my last week or so in Europe, but I just can't find one that interests me, fits in my budget and in my time frame. I'm a little bummed because I found the PERFECT one and all the trips leaving around when I'd be free are full. Boo. Maybe next year, I'll plan for one ahead of time. With a friend. Maybe.

I'm still reluctant about long-term traveling with friends, after the whole Ships and Dip III fiasco. And considering I get annoyed with people sometimes after a 3 day trip... I don't know how I'd be.

MY host mom and I are going for a walk soon: I get to explore a bit of this suburb. Hopefully soon, I'll get some information concerning the relatives my family found in the area: maybe I'll go out for supper with them!

It's exciting, this life I lead. I wouldn't trade it for anything. The travel periods, although few and far between, are what keep me sane during my sedentary moments. I've never lived healthier as I have when I'm on "vacation" if only because I'm always moving.

Ouf, I'm tired

Being a day camp tutor is HARD. Long days, lots of physical activity, hot sun, annoying kids... But it's also rewarding. I've learned to find the good in the bad. Long days: more experience for my job. Lots of physical activity: I'll get in shape. Hot sun: maybe a tan. Annoying kids: they're using the correct verb tense to mouth off to me.

I have two particularly difficult students for two very different reasons. One is a 13 year old boy with the maturity of a 5 year old. He's very smart but refuses to do any work. The other is 12 and I'm convinced he's got undiagnosed... something. He freaks out of what seems to us to be no reason, he shows ODC tendencies, he eats his glue and pencil shavings.... I really don't know what to do with him. He's okay during actual lessons, but refuses to socialize at breaks or at lunch time... So I just let him be. I include him (in what I hope to be a non-aggressive/non-scary way) during the lessons and simply make sure he isn't doing anything dangerous during the breaks. So yeah.

Today was a lot of fun. This morning, we played a version of tag. What was great was that the tutors were "it" and I had a chance to go after some of my students. Sadly (and hilariously) this backfired on me. A kid sidestepped me, out -maneuvered me and I ended up face-planting into a wall. I was a huge (but not deep) scrape on my right arm that'll bruise up nicely. War scar, I think lol.

Tonight was my last night with this host family. They had never hosted a tutor before and requested to only have one week with me. The host mother assures me that the next host family is fantastic, so I'm optimistic. My host family had guests for dinner and it was so much fun. The mother spent almost 5 years living in England and relished the idea of practicing her English. I was also treated to stories about how the fathers met, gossip about other host families and the families of other students and a plethora (well, 2) of suggestions of where to go out tonight. They were so understanding of my desire to spend for English adult time (as they called it) with some fellow tutors, minus host families and students. We ended up at this sketchy bar called Area 51. It was sketch going in, but once out back it was great. There were BBQ pits going where people were cooking food (smelled AWESOME), a great patio type getup and a good 10€ bottle of red wime for the three of us. My host mom didn't even think twice about "letting" me go out: she gave me the house keys, walked me out and showed me exactly where to go. Fantastic!

Well, it's 1:33am and, guess what? I'M EXHAUSTED! I barely slept last night and I seem to have allergies.

Good night.

I do miss you <3

Boone St-Jean!!

What a day

Today, I:

• helped my students write a really random story about Casper the ghost, his dog Jimmy and their trip to the Manchester United stadium. *SPOILER ALERT* Jimmy got robbed and casper screamed "BANANA!!"
• finally started to get some colour on my arms... and perhaps even a slight sun burn: sunscreen tomorrow!
• pretended to be a platypus, worth 4 points
• was chased around the school grounds by 65 kids, or so, trying to get said 4 points for their team
• was a penguin who drank tea
• helped a 15 year old by correcting her pronunciation for her English oral exam: a report on the book Out of Africa
• was entertained by 5 Italian kids at supper
• babysat said Italian kids for an hour
• ate freshly made gelato: strawberry, chocolate, straciatella, vanilla and pistachio
• watched Disney's Tarzan in Italian
• sang along to the songs in English
• tried to convince myself I'd only be online for 30 mins (90 mins ago).

Good night!

And then the morning comes...

One thing I somehow managed to forget about last year: there are not enough hours in the night to wake up feeling rested. I stayed up until 1am last night and woke up at 8:30am this morning. That's still 7.5 hours of sleep, but I'm exhausted.

The family is going to a birthday party in an other town today. I'm staying home because they might not be back in time for the Camp Meeting (which I feel is important since we divide the groups and plan out two weeks worth of activities). The meeting is a 6:20pm... maybe I'll catch a nap after the family leaves.

I've been reading my book (Barney's Version) for the last hour or so. It's very funny and I can't wait to rent the movie.

Yeah... Maybe a nap now isn't such a bad idea...

In Italia!

Hey y'all! I'm in Bella Italia! My plane landed in Nice (France) yesterday at 6:30am my time (12:30am Montreal time). I ate an "American breakfast" (3 eggs sunny side up cooked on ham) at a cafe at hopped on the 9:30am train to Ventimiglia (Italy). From there, I got on the 10:30ish am train to Milan. I was on the train a good 4.5hrs: my ass hurt by the end of my ride! From Milan Central Station, I bought a 48hrs Urban Metro pass and took the underground to my hotel for the night. What a nice placed! It was 3 stars, small but very comfortable and clean. Cleaner than some 3.5 or 4 star hotels I've stayed in. The woman at the reception was very nice in answering my 7000000000000 questions about where to find certain things: a phone shop, a supermarket, a good and cheap restaurant (I ended up at McDonald's because I couldn't find it and was mega hungry)... I tried really hard to stay up so that I wouldn't be too jet-lagged today: it didn't really work. I conked out at 9:30ish... and woke up at 5am.

After tossing and turning and drifting in and out of sleep until 9am, I got up, showered, shoved everything from my carry-on into my suitcase and checked out for 11:30am. I hopped back on the underground, back to Milan Central Station to store my luggage... and had to divide my luggage and my carry-on once more (because everything together was more than 20kg which was the storing luggage max weight). I was meeting my camp director at the train station at 2:50pm, so back on the underground I went to kill some time.

Last year, I spent a weekend in Milan with some fellow tutors. One of the tutors' host moms told us about Luini, a hole in the wall restaurant near the Duomo in Milan. We went, we ate, we were happy. I decided to go back this year: why not? It was just as good this time around! I also got some postcards (despite the Post Canada strike (I meant lockout. My dad asked me to correct this.), haha) and some lemon granite (like an Italian slushy). Effing yum, by the way.

At 2:30, I headed back to the train station, picked up my luggage, shoved my carry-on back in my suitcase and headed up to meet my camp director. After a minor miscommunication, she found me and I met the 5 other tutors (3 camp from a camp last week and 2 are straight out of orientation) and my host mom. She's so nice.

I'm staying in a gated community 10mins south of Milan. She works in HR for a telecommunications company. Her husband is a physiotherapist. Both speak English very well. They have 2 kids: and 8 year old girl (who is going to the camp) and a 13 year old boy (who went to camp last year but is not going this year). The little girl is really shy and is always whispering, asking her mom what we're saying. The boy asked me to correct his English homework (yep, they have summer homework) and was very proud of himself when I said it looked good. He's trying to practice his English with me.

Alright, so it's almost 1am here. We just finished watching a movie as a family (Apocalypto!!) and I'm exhausted. Good night!

What a Day!

Yesterday was just about as perfect as a day can get. The only thing that could have made it better was actually seeing Bradley Cooper.

My bff PM came over Monday night and we chilled a bit before going to bed. Tuesday, we got up pretty early and went for an AWESOME breakfast. Then she helped me move some boxes around and we were finally off for our official "Stalking Bradley Cooper" day.

We went straight to the Old Port, seeing as how BC was spotted there this weekend. We walked around a bit and decided to stop at a terrasse for some drinks. The terrasse made me think I was in LA or Miami or something. Wicker furniture, by the water, blue skies, people conducting business meetings... By the way can I say YUM about the drinks? I was a little disappointed that the bar didn't have a blender (no margaritas!) but I decided to have an apple martini. PM had a litchi martini. They were fantastic! So freaking good. As we were sitting there, basking in the beautiful, warm sunlight, we had a great conversation. We talked about EVERYTHING. I've come to realize that I may have only known PM for 2 or 3 years but she's one of my best and closest friends. Lord knows what I'd do without her now.

After the awesome martinis, we spotted geese along the water. I swear to God, I spent a good 20 minutes laughing my ass off about the geese. I don't know why: they were relatively normal. It was just too funny! And these geese were HUGE. I was sad that none of them honked, but they did flap their wings. And stood all in a row. What's up with that? Why were they in a row, just looking at the water. Just staring at it as if trying to decide if they wanted to swim or not. So what was our natural reaction? DO THE CREEP! BEST DANCE MOVE EVER! Yeah, we creeped a bit... and then we got bored and kept walking.

Since we were out and had a camera, we decided to do the tourist thing a bit. You know, pose in front of the scenery. A couple asked us to take a picture of them and then took one of us together. They asked us where we were from and were surprised to here us answer "Uhh, we're from Montreal." You want to know where they were from? CALIFORNIA! They were a really nice couple. So, PM and I kept wandering, taking pictures in front of random scenery. I also snapped a shot of my future condo at Habitat 67. Multi-million dollar condos, but I hope to live in one, one day. When I was little, my dad took me to one of them once. He was installing the tiles for the owner and I had a day off from school. I fell in love with the view at 7 years old.

So we kept walking, hoping to run into BC, but we had no luck. Finally, we were hot and tired so we tried driving by his rumoured hotel, the St-James. We drove by twice and didn't see him, so we decided to head home. In the evening, we went to see the 4th installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean films: it was good! Yesterday was just about the perfect day.

Thanks, P!

It is done.

HOLY MOFO I FINALLY FINISHED CLEANING MY ROOM. Everything is either in my upstairs, in boxes to be sorted when I come back in August or in bags to be dropped off at the Salvation Army. And it only took... what 4 years? Holy shit. Whatever will I do with my spare time? Oh yeah, a TON of laundry before I leave...

But not tomorrow. Tomorrow, my bff PM and I will be spending the day together. Our plan is to stalk Bradley Cooper. He's in town shooting a film and PM's mom saw him (she thinks) in the film crew that set up outside her work, so we're starting there. Holy effing 8 pound baby Jesus is this boy ever HOT. Like, really hot. Like, he speaks perfect fucking French, hot. Yeah. That hot.

Star of The Hangover, Limitless and The Hangover 2, he's been the subject of my most creative fantasies since 2009. His character in The Hangover, Phil, is also who I think I'd be if the situation ever presented itself. Phil is calm, Phil is cool, Phil is sexy, Phil is the voice of reason (or something like it). He's a school teacher who knows how to separate his career from his "down time" (by ignoring kids after school ends or making sure every one understands that a drunken night of debauchery mus remain secret). He's the guy every one wants to be. He's the one who keeps his head in the game and tries to solve the problem before admitting defeat. Yeah. I'm totally Phil and not at all full of myself (haha).

30 Day Movie Challenge, part 2

Day 2 - Favorite Death Scene

A death scene is someone dying, right? So here it is. By far the funniest accidental on screen death!

30 Day Movie Challenge, part 2

I LOVED the first 30 day movie challenge and, lo! there's a second one out now! I'll try to do it every day, but I'll be in Europe so I might not be able to.

Day 1 - A movie by your favorite director

Baz Lurhmann is one of my favourite directors. I loved Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, and Strictly Ballroom. The clip I chose is the trailer for Romeo + Juliet. Such a fantastic adaptation.

Random Thoughts This Morning.

I'm leaving in 10 days and I've yet to buy my plane tickets.

I'm scared of traveling alone for a long time after camp, so I'm opting for a Monday flight home: I can either finish camp on the Friday immediately before or the previous one and use the week to travel if I'm not too chicken.

I think with another good 6 hours, my room will be clean and everything will be packed away, ready to be relocated or unpacked.

Some people who have known me many, many, many years have yet to figure out that my name isn't Michelle.


I saw Bridesmaids yesterday. It was good! Not quite as good as it was made out to be, in my opinion, but good none the less.

I think I'll be able to pack everything into my carry on sized suitcase.

I miss Jody. Her visit here was GREAT and we reconnected and rebonded and she bonded with of my best friends and I'm happy they got along.

I miss Ana, even though I text her all the time and she only lives in Laval which isn't really that far... But we're both busy a lot. And I miss her. And I'm proud of her!

I miss my grandmother. People kept coming up to me at the viewings and asking how I was because they knew we were close. I didn't think we were that close until I barely made it through the eulogy. And now I miss her more than before.

I miss Cara. There's no excuse for my laziness in doing things with her.

Jimmy Kimmel has A LOT of great clips on YouTube

I'm craving St-Hubert ribs and poutine.

I've realized in the last 10 days or so that one of my newest friends is also one of the best friends I've ever had.

I think I'll go make myself bacon and eggs....

Finding Stuff

Designer jeans (too small), an evening gown (gorgeous and it fits), 3 different kinds of jackets (to be offered to a friend), ice skates (still fit), shoe boxes (empty), pictures (from a grade 8 music field trip)... All from my closet.

Changes

You know what? That 30 day YouTube challenge is LAME. Some of the "days" didn't even make sense. So, screw it.

My Nonna passed away on Thursday. She had been battling ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) for a long time, although it was only diagnosed in 2009. She was a strong stubborn woman and, whether you believe in an afterlife or not, she is no longer suffering and finally at peace. Her funeral is next Saturday (June 4th). We're hoping to get donations for the Lou Gehrig Foundation in her name (Rosaria Passarelli).

My friend Jody is coming to Montreal on Tuesday, for my graduation on Wednesday. I'm so looking forward to seeing her: I haven't seen her in over a year! I've missed her so much. Sometimes, keeping in touch online just isn't enough.

Apparently, she's never really been to Montreal. Boy do I have plans for her! I want to show her downtown and Old Montreal and have her eat a poutine and point out Habitat 67. I also want to take her to Porto Mar, the restaurant where I had my 25th birthday party. She was supposed to come, but couldn't make it due to a scheduling misunderstanding. I hope she likes Portuguese food.

I'm also taking her to Zyng and La Distillerie with some of my (former) classmates on Tuesday to celebrate the official end of our degree. I sincerely hope it stops raining by then.

I'm excited for this week, despite my Nonna's death. It'll be good to see Jody, to celebrate my degree and to play tourist in my own city.

Day 2

Day 2 of the 30 day YouTube challenge is a video you dont like.

I hate videos of kids laughing or crying to parents generally exploiting them. I cringe when this video is even mentioned... Eww.

30 Day YouTube Challenge

I got a few people (aka JODY) complaining about the 30 day challenges on Facebook, so I figured I'll do this next one on my blog!

30 Day YouTube Challenge - Day 01: The best video you have ever seen.

I saw this video YEARS ago and I still quote it. It's the greatest thing ever. AND it annoys the BEJEZUS out of so many people, which is always a plus.

Memories...

And no, I don't mean the song from Cats.

I've been cleaning my room (yep, still doing that) and, obviously, I've been finding old photographs. From music competitions in high school to concerts and random fun in CEGEP to the printed digital photos of my cruises... And a very entertaining one of my friends at my "surprise" 17th birthday party. I say "surprise" because my boyfriend and best friend (at the time) did a horrible job of keeping it a secret. I remember C calling my house, talking to me for a few minutes and then asking to speak to my sister. And A taking me out for the day and asking what my favourite cake is and then disappearing to use the payphone. And telling me we couldn't go back to my house yet because he had to make a phone call first... to my parents. I mean, it was a good effort! Just, you know, a failed one. It was a great party, though.

So, I want to take some time and go through all these old photos and categorize them, organize them, stick them in scrapbooks and tell all my friends the stories behind each moment. I want to be the annoying older person (cause, you know, I'm soooo old at 25) who tells all the youngsters (you know, my 23 year old friends who are soooo young) how it was in the "good old days." Thing is, it's starting to sink in that the "good old days" weren't the best times of my life, as I previously believed. I'm starting to think that I actually can have way more adventures in the future.

It's 100% official, by the way. I am going back to Europe. I've been having some issues with the Spain people, what with them not being sure they have a place for me. I've now decided that I'll just pay for my own damn ticket to Milan and just work in Italy is Spain doesn't have the camps. You know, it's a little silly for them to STILL be waiting on the Spanish government for answers about how many tutors they need. So, I'm going. No matter what.

And here's Memory:

You want to know why I haven't been blogging? I just haven't been in a blogging mood. What with me finishing my university degree and having to start a new chapter of my life... I've been feeling very introspective and, dare I say it, emo. Every little thing makes me ponder, think and sometimes brood (and we all know that brooding should be reserved for tall, dark haired and part-time evil vampires). Even simple questions like "What are your plans today?" fill me with dread, let alone being asked what I'm planning now that I've finished my B.Ed. Sure, I have a plan. But how will that plan work out? Believe me, I have no idea.

Anyway, I feel like I'm cheating you all out of a good blog. Cause all I do now-a-days is whine like a petulant teenager. And really, that's no fun for anyone.

It's been a while...

Yeah, it's been a while. I wasn't really i a blogging mood. I was sad for a while. Then I was busy. I'm still busy, but no long as sad, I think. University is just about finished (I have 4 days of field experience, one assignment and one exam left). The Grad Ball is coming up in 2 weeks and then there's my Convocation on June first (my friend should be coming from Calgary for that!). I'm really excited/nervous/anxious about going out into the real world, as a real adult, with an actual degree and a supposed purpose in life.

When I went to school, I did just that. Everyday (or so). It was my purpose, my goal, I had a clear idea of what I was meant to do everyday (or so). But now, I'm done with (formal) education. I'm a responsible adult who needs a job and eventually an apartment... and isn't THAT a scary thought?

I know, my posts are sooo emo. Bear with me...

I'm really new at this responsible adult thing. I still don't consider myself an adult and I'm somewhat startled when I'm told that I am one. I mean, really.

Well, enough whining, I suppose. Would you like to know what I've been up to? Let's see. My last post was in November... Since then, I've:

• I moved into my own apartment, kind of, upstairs from my parents
  
• Celebrated Christmas. It was nice.
• Celebrated my 25th birthday. It was super nice. I had my family and friends (some from California!) help me celebrate at a fantastic Portuguese restaurant called Porto Mar. You should go.
• Started my last semester EVER at McGill for my B.Ed. I was missing three credits, so I had to pile on an extra class. I'm managing it well, so far.
• I went to the Big Apple, NYC for the first time for a friend's birthday.
  
• Learned to hate something called a SPEAQ Quest. Hate it SO MUCH. FUCK THE SPEAQ QUEST was our motto and I stand by it.
  
• I learned to hate group work. As well meaning as everyone is, work is never divided equally. It's no one's fault, really, but ultimately there's one person who does more work.
• I started my final field experience (and only have four days left).
• I've learned to enjoy reading my favourite novels for the second, third, fourth time.
• I've learned that a little slash fanfic isn't a bad thing.
• I've rediscovered the joys of Stars Hollow.
• I'm still cleaning my room.
  

I think we're all caught up.

Oh, and I'm sick.

Good night!