Currently Reading: Tenth of December

image source: Goodreads

I'd read George Saunders' short stories in The New Yorker, but to have an entire collection of such excellent writing is a real treat. I'm only halfway through but thoroughly enjoying it.

What I also thoroughly enjoy is listening to George Saunders interviews. He is a thoroughly thoughtful, insightful, interesting, intelligent, and inspiring writer and man. I highly recommend you become more familiar with him.

Mirrors, Mirrors

I gotta say, when I saw the video JT made a little while back in anticipation of his new album I was kind of skeptical. It all seemed like it was being made out to be way too epic.

But you know what?

I am HOOKED on this song. While I totally gravitate toward shoegazer and French electro-pop music (think M83) along with classic 80s (such as The Cure) I really do love a good pop song. And this man surely knows how to deliver.

Plus those dance moves! I mean, come on.

Your daily fix of Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks & coffee, what better combination is there than that?!?!

Amanda Palmer's TED talk

I LOVED this. So inspiring. And such an awesome woman.

10 reasons John Hughes is the bestest

image source: IMDB

I completely and unabashedly love John Hughes. I mean LOVE him. I love that his movies are smart, and funny, and silly, and sappy. I love that he loves teenagers. I love that he gets teenagers. I love that watching one of his movies instantly transports you back to your own teenage years and to all of the mixed up, confusing, melodramatic, twitterpated feelings you had surging through you at the time. And I love that at the end of the day, he is such a lovely, sentimental, human guy. Do I know this for a fact? No. But as my wonderful UCLA documentary professor, Marina Goldovskaya, always told us, every film is a portrait of the artist. I happen to believe this is true. In fact, I believe that art is always a portrait of the artist - either intentional or unintentional. Does this mean that every story in a book or film is autobiographical? Heck no. But it does mean that we all view the world through our own filter, and that  that view is translated into the art we create.

Anyway, I digress. John Hughes. Now I could give you a little essay here about why I think his films are so great (actually, I realize that in a way I kinda just did) but what's way more fun is showing you why I think his films are so great. So, without further ado, 10 reasons why John Hughes is the bestest (and please note, I'm only including films he wrote and directed):

1.) The museum scene in "Ferris Bueller's Day" Off

2) The pancakes in "Uncle Buck"

3) The dance scene in "The Breakfast Club" (and basically everything else about this movie. I mean, hello?)

4) The opening of "Sixteen Candles"

5) Duckie's Otis Redding impersonation in "Pretty in Pink" (and, again, basically everything about this movie).

6) The car scene in "Sixteen Candles"

7) This monologue by John Candy in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles"

8) Uncle Buck scaring sleazy boyfriend, Bug, with his hatchet in "Uncle Buck"

9) Ferris singing in the parade (and Cam & Sloane's conversation) in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"

10) The ending of The Breakfast Club

Songs I'm listening to: Swimming Youth

I swear, swear, swear to god that I'm going to do an actual for reals entry one day veeeerrrry soon. I promise. It's just...I'm lazy, what can I say? Too much weekend napping. I wish I was joking. Wait, no I don't. Sleeping is awesome.

Anyway, in the mean time thought I'd share my latest "put that on repeat" song. Well, mash up. But whatevs, same deal. Enjoy!