School's out for summer!! "We can't salute you, can't find a flag, that don't suite you, that's a drag!" -Alice Cooper

The lovely Alice Cooper

School's Out album cover, pretty awesome.

SCHOOL IS OUT!!!!! Ok, well I don't know about you guys, but I am so excited school is finally out! Summer is here and life is good. I apologize in advance for not blogging sooner, but seriously, like one person follows this blog so I am talking to almost no one..so I highly doubt anyone has missed my posts, but even so. Just thought I would do this one because it's the start to my glorious summer, a time in which I will be blogging a lot! So...be ready.

"That's what I love about these high school girls, I get older, they stay the same age! Yes they do." -Wooderson

A few things you should know about me before I write anything else: Dazed and Confused is seriously one of my favorite movies, and also, I LOVE THE SEVENTIES!!!! Now that that's out of the way (Believe me, the post will make so much more sense if you know those two facts), we can get along with my tribute to Dazed and Confused. The movie is about high school students from Robert E. Lee High School on the last day of school and the wild night that proceeds it, all the while flawlessly capturing the essence of the 70's with every scene. It is honestly one of the best movies about the seventies that I have ever seen in my life and no matter how many times I see it, and believe me I 've seen it a lot, I still laugh. Words just cannot explain how I feel about this movie. But the reason I am even talking about it is becasue it happens on the last day of school and has the school is out-summer is finally here feel. I'll be getting out of school this week and that taste of freedom that the movie has appropriately describes what I am longing for right now. In the movie, Randal "Pink" Floyd, or Randy, is trying to forget controlling coaches who want him to sign a document stating he won't drink or do drugs. Mr. Floyd, however, is not willing to give up his care free life style for football or his coaches. While the upcoming seniors enjoy their time in the sun, the freshmen enter the world of high school and are quite terrified. They get hazed and harrassed as a welcome to high school from the ever obliging seniors but it is all in good fun and the freshmen soon learn to party with the older kids and have a good time. The night ends with some people in hot water, others finding new love, and some, with a black eye. But I won't give any more details, you have to watch for yourself to find out! I highly recommend this movie to any lover of the 70's or of high school movies that entail all the things you never told you're parents..

Jesus of Suburbia:Sid and Nancy Edition

I am a fan of Green Day and I watched their video for "Jesus of Suburbia" the other day and when I watched it the first people who came to mind were Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen. Because the guy who is the main character in the video looks a lot like Sid Vicious! He resembles him I suppose becasue he is skinny and just has that whole grunge-punk rocker-out of control thing going on. The video shows a sad spiral of events of a youth who has come from a broken home and trying to deal with a broken heart. His life is out of control and so is he, acting out to deal with the pent up agression he has within him. The relationship he shares with an equally out of control blonde that involves sex, drugs, and alcohol only drives him closer to the edge. I find this video extremely interesting however, because when the youth is rebelling this much it is always a sight to see. The song is very relateable though due to the fact that he feels screwed by his paents and society in general. I think that the volatile relationship between the guy in the video, Jimmy, and his girlfriend is very similar and even representative of that of Sid and Nancy's. I don't know if they did this on purpose but when I first saw the video they were the first two people I thought of. It just describes them very well, so maybe I'm just crazily ranting. But maybe I'm on to something..I don't know, email me and tell me what you think! Because they seriously do look and act like Sid and Nancy. But the Sid and Nancy theme suits the video well, my favorite lines from the song are, "To fall in love and fall in debt, to alcohol and cigarettes, and mary jane to keep me insane doing someone else's cocaine". I especially love the scene in the video when Jimmy goes in the freshly painted white bathroom and writes Saint Jimmy and cuts his hand and leaves a bloody handprint. It's actually my favorite scene and is so rock n roll!! I think it is saying something to, it's trying to get across the point of the pain he feels through the bloody handprint. The Saint Jimmy part I'm really not sure about except that he is making a departure from who he was before and becoming someone new. It is a very intense video/song. But I think that it is a really great one to! Because it doesn't sugar coat anything and tells an honest and chilling story that doesn't take anything out just because people might think it is to bad. So hope you guys enjoy the song and please, let me know you're opinion on it and my Nancy and Sid take on it!

The Girls of Summer

Summer is here!!! It makes me so happy I can say that, but I can finally say it's here! And I have recently become completely obsessed and in love with the Aerosmith song, "The Girls of Summer". It is one Hell of a song! I would like to be a girl of summer, and in this song it kind of gives vibes or hints of a summer fling but that is not what I mean at all. My interpretation of the song is a gorgeous, care free, fun, spit fire, raise Hell, great sense of humour, kind of girl you will always want. But also a unique girl, who has flaws to. It is sort of hard to explain but, an example would be Lux Lisbon from the Virgin Suicides. (Which by the way is one of my favorite movies ever!) Really just that 'it' girl who doesn't know she's the 'it' girl. Again, it is not an easy thing to explain but maybe seeing the video will help...and if you've watched it, watch it again! Because it's awesome! Disclaimer: The video is a little edgy! But being a girl of summer means being hot and funny, a bit like Jenny McCarthy now that I think about it! And a little wild...so be a little wild this summer! Only a LITTLE bit though! ;) And hope you all have a wonderful summer, who knows? Maybe you'll meet a girl of summer... or even be one!

"We might even run into Fred and Daphne inside....mmmm...Daphne. I love her." -Dean Winchester

Supernatural. One of my most favorite shows in the world. It's like everything that is awesome or intriguing about the supernatural is in this show...hints the title. But aside from the serious, we must save people and kill the monsters thing, the show is actually quite witty and funny and a real joy to watch. Plus, I'm exactly like Dean, and I have the theory he is my soul mate. But he is fictional so I have to let that dream go. Back to the point however, the show chronicles two brothers taking a hunting road trip, although they don't hunt your everyday average bears and deer. They hunt evil supernatural creatures, and try to save people from their wrath. Sam and Dean travel the country posing as various men with various fake names, ids, and uniforms to accompnay so they can appropriatelty get the scoop on what's going down at a crime scene or get information easily. They also use credit card scams as a way of supporting the good work they do, so adding to the suspense that they could die at any moment is the suspense of them having to stay out of trouble. And as you might have guessed, for Sam and Dean staying out of trouble is no easy task. Are you interested yet? If not, you probably have no taste whatsoever. Just kidding, kind of. Sam and Dean just have this wonderful appeal and charm and the funniest thing on the show is to watch them mess with each other. Hope you enjoyed the pics =D

Book Review Time for Dreaming Anastasia!!

This is my first book review! I'm excited about this, so let's get started! The book I will be reviewing is called Dreaming Anastasia and it's quiet amazing might I say! But I'll give a recap of the book so you can get the full overview.

Sixteen year old Anne thinks her life is pretty ordinary – until she smacks into handsome, mysterious, and okay, annoying Ethan on her way to chemistry class. Now Anne has powers she doesn’t understand, a history altering mission she may not want, and a growing attraction to this blue-eyed stranger. And Ethan- who at eighteen made some choices he’s starting to regret – realizes that Anne is the girl for whom he’s been searching – for a very, very long time. Stir in doomed Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia – who is definitely not quite as dead as the history books say – and Baba Yaga, the legendary witch from Russian folklore, and you’ve got DREAMING ANASTASIA, a contemporary fantasy that alternates between the voices of Anne, Ethan, and Anastasia as Anne and Ethan join forces to battle the bad guys and save Anastasia. Only problem is – no one’s quite sure who’s really bad and who’s good. And everyone has some secrets...

So if that doesnt sound riveting then I don't know what does!! Let me give a bit of background on the book and the Romanovs for those of you who don't know. The book is centered around Anne, who keeps dreaming about Anastasia Romanov. And I know most of you probably know who that is, but for those who don't she was the last Czar (king) of Russia's daughter. Czar Nicholas was a very poor leader and the people of Russia were unhappy with him, World War 1, and the hunger and poverty their country was plagued with. Revolution was stirring, and in 1917 Nicholas abdicated the throne and was put under house arrest along with his family. In 1918 the bolsheviks killed the entire Romanov family in the basement of a building they had been taken to. Their bodies were then taken to the now famous burial site where they were uceremoniously thrown in their graves where they would lay rotting until many many years later. But there have always been many rumours that Anastasia or Alexei, or some of their other daughters escaped and managed to survive. Dreaming Anastasia brings a lot of Russian folklore into the mix of the story and it gives a lot of good and interesting information on Anastasia and her family. It is a pretty amazing book that puts a new spin on the old but great story of the Romanovs. I highly recommend reading this if you like history, fiction, action mysteries, or all three! I'll conclude with some pictures of Anastasia, her father, mother, brother, and four sisters (Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia. That is the order of their ages as well, with Alexei being the youngest child.)

Romanov girls during childhood. (And were they not adorable?) From left to right, Maria, Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia.

Olga Romanov

The Romanov daughters with mother Alexandra. Back row, Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia. Sitting in front from left to right is Alexandra and Maria.

The Romanov girls, standing up in back from left to right: Maria, Anastasia, Olga. Sitting down, Tatiana.

Czar Nicholas II

Alexandra Romanov 

An early image of Nicholas and Alexandra

Alexei Romanov

Anastasia Romanov

Maria Romanov

Entire Romanov family

"Without rules, we all might as well be up in a tree flinging our crap at each other." -Red Forman

I was browsing through pictures trying to find one worthy, that appropriately showcased That 70's Show's amazing-ness. Well, BINGO!! I found it, I read this and it just made me laugh maniacally for a few minutes. And some of you might be asking why this made me laugh so hard. Well, for one, I am a That 70's Show fanatic, and I remembered the scene fondly. But I could just hear Hyde's rye and cynical serious voice saying this and after a long and stressful day it gave me a well needed laugh. It feels weird to be ranting on about everything I love on here, but like I even have any one who follows this blog! So I suppose I'm just out here, talking to myself. That's ok though because I'm good with that! Anyway, Hyde is funny and smooth and in a tribute to him (or the amazing writers from the show) I am going to include some of his best quotes and some of my personal favorites. Although Hyde's quotes are like Lays potato chips... You can never have just one! I added some Hyde-Red, Hyde-Laurie quotes too because it makes them make a lot more sense...

Hyde: "I am going to explain my feelings for you in a very advanced form of Japanese poetry called haiku. My hearts aches with pain. When I see you  I vomit. Die away from me."

Hyde: "So there's this car that runs on water man! It's got a fiber glass air-cooled engine and it runs on water man!! (Breaks down in hysterical laughing)

(from TV on weather station) "..barometric pressure from a cold front in Canada..."
Red: "Look at all that that hail in Buffalo!"
TV: ...freezing rain..
Hyde: : "How can you watch this??"
Red: "It comforts me to know there are people out there more miserable than me. Like those people in Buffalo! And you!"

Hyde: "Man would you look at this place? It's kind of girlie.."
Laurie: "It's a girl's room Hyde!"
Hyde: "O, so all those guys, they were just passing through? Well...that's over! Welcome to Hydeville baby!"

Hyde: "Oh, sure, when things get ugly suddenly I'm family!"
Laurie: "Not to me, freak!"
Hyde: "You are so going to end up in porno!"

Hyde: "Boy, Laurie, you really liked that hotdog, you didn't even chew it."
Laurie: "Oh, hey, Hyde, father's day is coming up. Shouldn't you practice saying, Hi are you my daddy?"
Hyde: "Oh, by the way, Laurie, the surgeon general called. He wanted you to stop hoarding all the penicillin."
Laurie: "You know, when you're in prison, you're bad table manners will probably just be a turn on for some guy named Tank."
Hyde: "Oh, well maybe when you're there for a conjugal visit you can ask him to take it easy on me!"
Laurie: "Oh yea, well...nice hair!"
Hyde: "Ah, what's the matter Laurie? Are you all out of put downs?"

Ok, so I only a put few. Sorry if you expected that list to be better. I'll go back later and add some awesome ones I left out. And just for the record I will be doing so so so many posts on the burns of That 70's Show, and for lovers of Kelso's character it will be in a word: epic!

"James Dean, James Dean, you bought it sight unseen. You were too fast to live, to young to die, bye-bye!"

James Dean. What can you say about this wonderful rebel without a cause? Well, let me just say ahead of time-I love Mr. James Dean, he's one of my biggest idols of all time ever. He had this quality to him that was unmistakably charming and you can't help but love the way he was that tortured soul in all of his movies. He played the part so well, to well some might say. He grew up in Indiana and lived with his aunt and uncle for the majority of his childhood. He pursued acting in California and eventually did the only three movies he had the chance to in his short life, East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant. But his legacy lives on in his movies and the many articles, books, and tv specials based on his complicated life. Rebel Wiithout a Cause undoubtedly changed my life. Although I'd like to think I understand it now a bit better than I did the first time I saw it becuase I can now watch it with the knowledge of the intense undertones the director and producers were trying to convey. So go forth, and remember the original rebel to which we all owe much thanks for paving the way for the rebels to come after him. I truly love Mr. Dean, so, expect more posts on him in the future!

-Title from The Eagles, "James Dean"