And the Oscar goes to...

Well, the Oscars aired last night, and I swear there is more hype before and after the event than the show itself. From some awkward red carpet interviews to Elton John’s pink leisure suits at his after party…it really seemed like a top night. I’d like to share some of my likes and dislikes of this year’s show…and how it almost seems to be losing its luster in some ways.
First of all, I like awards shows in general because there is always room for error. As scripted as they try to make them, people still can’t read the tele-prompter, acceptance speeches are dragged out to no end, and at least one celebrity is left standing dumbfounded at the podium. It was a little awkward when Clint Eastwood presented an Oscar for a lifetime achievement in musical scoring and the guy spoke in Italian…but even better when Eastwood translated!! I was impressed, but I’m sure he had some help from those backstage. I have to say I thought Ellen was very entertaining as a host. She kept the mood light and is a master at ad-libbing. I was also a fan of Will Ferrell and friends’ musical number about not being nominated for any Oscars. Also, the people rolling around behind the screen and making themselves into scenes from certain movies were pretty unique.
Let’s not lie to ourselves…there were some parts of the show I could’ve done without. One being, Al Gore’s ongoing (…and going) joke about announcing candidacy for President. It was funny the first time, let it go. I was also happy to see Jennifer Hudson lost the space cadet jacket by the time she accepted the Oscar for best supporting actress in Dreamgirls. As much as I love some of her jams (I still cry when I hear the theme from Titanic) I wasn’t the biggest fan of Celine Dion’s little concert. And what was with the hair this year? Apparently I’ve been at the height of fashion for quite a few years by simply straightening my hair and wearing it down. I was disappointed with the fashion trends this year. They were sort of boring and predictable…nothing gorgeous, nothing hideous.
Which brings me to my picks for best dressed of the evening. For the gals, I have to go with Naomi Watts. Maybe it’s just because yellow is my favorite color, but I thought the dress/hair combination went very well on her. As for the guys, you can never go wrong with Leonardo DiCaprio or Ryan Gosling. They tied for first. I’m not sure I could really pick a worst since none of the outfits seemed too daring. Oh wait, yes I can. Jessica Beil. Her dress had no shape…and even less support. Not a fan…no wonder Justin went with Scarlett.
It must be so fun (and equally stressful) to be involved in such a prestigious event. However, even though the ratings suggested otherwise (up from last year), The Oscars seem to be losing their shine. Besides Jennifer Hudson, there seemed to be a lack of emotion. Is Hollywood getting bored with it? Are people even watching for the awards (I didn’t recognize half of the movies) or just for the fashion blunders? Sometimes I wonder if anyone would notice if they kept up the pre-show and post-show hype (interviews, fashion, dates, parties) but just got rid of the middle man (the actual show) altogether.

Time flies when you're having fun...or when you're in college

It's been a long time since I've thought about what I wanted to be when I was little...probably because it's kind of been a long time since I was little. It's funny how things have changed, but also how I still feel like a little kid. This is why I really like this week's blog...compliments of Mr. DJ (Tator-Tot) Yokley.

I recently found an old school project in my attic at home where I had to write about what I wanted to be someday. It was from elementary school, and I had completely forgotten about it. I was convinced for years that I was going to be an interior decorator. Then there was a fuzzy period when I wasn't sure if I wanted to be a decorator or designer...or what the difference was. Well, I kinda went the other direction on that one. Don't get me wrong, you will still find me re-arranging furniture/accessories/pictures, etc. in my room pretty often...and the rooms of others, whether they like it or not :) My roommates have always been pretty good about my spontaneous re-decorating ideas, though.

This blog prompt also made me think about the characteristics I had when I was little and how they are affecting my life now. I like everything to be a certain way, and I've always been good at staying organized. You would think, then, that I would like a pretty steady routine. This is where I'm weird, I guess. I cannot stand when things stay the same too long. I'm very spontaneous, and can deal well with the unexpected. Sometimes this can get me into trouble because I tend to act before I think things through logically. Let's just say there have been a lot of times in my life where I've had the opportunity to say "Well, we can just chalk that up to experience."

Answer Is...

For those of you who have seen Office Space you should know where I'm going with this, for those of you who haven't - shame on you. The purpose of this blog is to focus on your dreams and ambitions. Answer the question "What would you do if you had a million dollars and didn't have to work?"

Well, my initial answer to this question was similar to the movie…I would do nothing. But then I got to thinking, and realized this is a really hard question. I think the first thing on my list would be travel. I would go back to Florence, visit my family who I’ve never met in Norway, and probably hit up a few other places like Austria, France, and Greece. Maybe I would even buy a villa on the coast of Italy or the Greek Islands and chill out there for a year or two. I love the idea of living abroad and experiencing a completely different lifestyle than the United States.
I also wouldn’t mind working at an island resort somewhere in exchange for room and board. I can picture myself living further south and having lots of little jobs instead of just one career. I am the master of meaningless things…decorating cakes, wrapping gifts, tearing apart movies and TV shows, telling funny stories, re-arranging furniture, coming up with new recipes, etc. Sometimes I think about just starting to write a book about all the funny things I think about and how life constantly surprises me.
I want to travel, and I want to see things, and I want to take risks and be spontaneous while I still can.
As an after-thought, I want to be on a reality show…or Jeopardy.