Archive for September 2012

Well, I'm humanly...but during the night as well...

It's currently at #11 on the Billboard chart, the dance is infectious, the song is painfully catchy, you've probably heard it, I'm probably WAAAY behind, but here it is...GANGNAM STYLE


So, now that you have it stuck in your head, how would you like to know what it's all about...that's right folks provided here for the first time I've seen (though, to be honest, I haven't looked anywhere else) is the translation to accompany the video.


Oppa is Gangnam style
Gangnam style
A girl who is warm and humanly during the day
A classy girl who know how to enjoy the freedom of a cup of coffee
A girl whose heart gets hotter when night comes
A girl with that kind of twist
I’m a guy
A guy who is as warm as you during the day
A guy who one-shots his coffee before it even cools down
A guy whose heart bursts when night comes
That kind of guy
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Now let’s go until the end
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh
A girl who looks quiet but plays when she plays
A girl who puts her hair down when the right time comes
A girl who covers herself but is more sexy than a girl who bares it all
A sensable girl like that
I’m a guy
A guy who seems calm but plays when he plays
A guy who goes completely crazy when the right time comes
A guy who has bulging ideas rather than muscles
That kind of guy
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Now let’s go until the end
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh
On top of the running man is the flying man, baby baby
I’m a man who knows a thing or two
On top of the running man is the flying man, baby baby
I’m a man who knows a thing or two
You know what I’m saying
Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh

"He's Codfish Joe..."

They've done it again, the folks at Bad Lip Reading. I LOVED the Twilight one so much that when I saw they had released a Hunger Games Bad Lip Reading I was thrilled and excited to share it with the world (because I'm that popular, I reach those kinds of audiences).

So here it is...to be honest it doesn't start too strong (I'm not a huge fan of bathroom comedy, just don't find it that funny) but it gets better.


If the iPhone was Derek Zoolander or a surf dude with attitude


I am self-righteous, kinda, well not really but I'm definitely a hypocrite. I talk an excellent game about the importance of face-to-face social interaction and dependence on technology but honestly I'm just as much a sucker as the next guy.

Do I need the iPhone 5? Is is different in any significant way from my iPhone 4s? No, not at all. But, do I want one? Yes, I want to accommodate an extra row of apps and shoot marginally better photos dammit!

I however, understand my financial limitations and count myself lucky that I escaped a £600 cancellation fee when I left the UK so I will not splurge and buy myself an iPhone 5...not until my contract expires at least. But by then the iPhone 7 should be out; then days after I get my shiny iPhone 7 the 7S will be released and I'll have tech-envy for another 2 weeks.

Uh oh, I feel a tangent coming on...

Now, if I could find this amazing iPhone, I would totally buy it because honestly who doesn't want to be a modern day Zack Morris? As a side note, did anyone else want Zack to cross over and join California Dreams so he could rock out in California with the band?


Seriously, he was so dreamy...

 

Land of Occasionally Wrong?

It's official, to my great embarrassment I have been wrong on my blog. In yesterdays post I stated that the moose was on the Canadian quarter and I was oh so wrong. If it makes things any better, I actually DID know that the animal on the Canadian quarter was a caribou but apparently that information has lapsed and was replaced with more useless information such as the fact that as part of his divorte settlement, David Hasselhoff kept possession of the nickname "Hoff" and the catchphrase "don't Hassle the Hoff".

Caribou...not a moose.
David Hasselhoff, also not a moose; more like a stone cold FOX  (gross)
So apologies for my error - it only serves to strengthen my argument about moose not existing. Also, thank you to Carrie for catching my error as it is incredibly inappropriate for a blog titled "The Land of Knotwrong" to include such a glaring error.




Moosicorn: My reasons to believe Moose do not exist.

Is it a unicorn? Is it a moose? It doesn't matter they both do not exist.

Here are the facts:

FACT: I grew up on Vancouver Island where there are no moose, they aren't allowed on the ferry, even as walk on passengers.

FACT: Moose are native to Canada, they're on the quarter so they most be important, and real.

FACT: Moose are aggressive and HUGE, a very dangerous combination especially when you get in their way on the highway

                       (as a side note, if one has you stopped on the road, do NOT honk - see "aggressive" above.                  
                        My aunt honked at a moose once, it took the grill off the front of her car)

FACT: The Saskatchewan city of Moose Jaw (where my Mom was raised) has a brown elephant-like representation of a moose. It gets awkward when you compare it's legs and shape to that of a "real" moose.


FACT: The further north you go in Canada the more prevalent Moose become. Encounters in populated areas become more likely in hunting season (the fall)
_______________________________________________________________________________

Now that you have the facts, I shall tell you my story...

I have never seen a moose. Since birth I have taken nearly 7 road trips between BC and Ontario (through many moose-rich areas), no moose encounters ever (always a good thing when driving).  While completing my education degree I spent a total of 15 weeks in Northern BC (Prince George) 13 of those weeks during Moose season. In Prince George I heard the following repeatedly, "go up to the University, there are always TONS of moose up there" - I did as I was told, still no moose. In the summer of 2011 I travelled to Nova Scotia and went to the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park which usually has a Moose on display for all people to see. I read this information on the park map upon entrance and said to myself "FINALLY, I shall see the famed moose" - the moose is the last animal on the map and I spent the afternoon in eager anticipation of seeing said moose. We round the corner, my heart racing and eyes filling with tears when I see the sign "unfortunately Mildred* the moose has recently passed..."

Here we sit, 1 year past that fateful day in Shubie and I have still not seen a moose. What other conclusion could I come to than the conclusion that the moose, much like the unicorn, does not exist.



(*names changed because I don't remember the dead moose's name)

"Ahoy, and other nautical expressions!"

I know you're all dying to know what my favourite Disney movie is and this is where you find out...ready?

Alice in Wonderland. The cartoon, not the Tim Burton one. I love the humour, I love how dark it is, I love the music and I love the Queen of Hearts.

You perhaps had noticed (if you're a fan as fanatical as me) that the title of this post is a quote from the film...the Dodo says it (watch later for a weak connection from the title to the end of the post).

In grade 2 I was in the school production of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" in which I skilfully portrayed the doormouse, spent my part of the play popping out of a tea pot and saying, "Twinkle, twinkle little bat, how I wonder where you're at... etc."

OK, let's take a serious second (or even TWO) to appreciate everything this brilliantly dark Disney film has to offer: tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee, the white rabbit, Alice herself, the Mad Hatter and March Hare, the Cheshire Cat, the Caterpillar (totally stoned), the vicious flowers, the momewraths, the walrus and the carpenter and The Queen of Hearts - its just full of amazing parts which are just as good viewed separately as they are all strung together.

For those of you who do not remember, the momewraths are these things... (I'd choose a longer clip but I know for a fact that this part of the film scares at least one member of my audience, and lets face it, I need to hold on to all of you)


(By the way, while finding video of the momewraths I found this...and if anyone has crochet skill or wants to spend money on ETSY, feel free to provide me with one of these....
http://www.etsy.com/listing/34326722/mome-rath-alice-in-wonderland
Use the comments section and tell me what your favourite Disney movie is or if you're an anti-Disney person, just tell me your favourite movie is, I'm open to that sort of thing too.)
                                                                                                                                                                   

As a bonus if you haven't heard of POGO, he is an electronic musician who takes sounds from movies and turns them into infectious music that you'll probably love, even if you don't love electronic music, like me.

One of my favourites is from Alice in Wonderland and is cleverly titles "Alice"...


As ANOTHER bonus here is a link for links to download every Disney movie ever (I totally don't condone piracy. Aye matey. - get it, nautical expressions...thanks for hanging on for that)
http://twodigits.tumblr.com/post/5639358748/z-deschanel-iangarner-walt-disney-movie


Ain't going back to Barton Hollow

Another music recommendation; you may have heard Poison & Wine by this band, The Civil Wars, but if you haven't listened further than that, now is the time.

The Civil Wars opened for Adele on her last tour and have quickly been gaining recognition since. They're folk, they're rock, they awesome. 

Aside from some of their own spectacular music, they've also covered "Dance Me to the End of Love" by Leonard Cohen, a personal favourite of mine.

I've posted The Civil Wars NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert video (if you haven't seen of the Tiny Desk Concerts I suggest checking them all out - especially Glen Hansard's and Adele's)

The second video is their cover of "Dance Me to the End of Love"



Fridge?

Here is a quandary for you, well not so much a quandary but more of a question...

Why, if the full word is "REFRIGERATOR" do we shorten it to "FRIDGE" and not "FRIGE"?

Where does the D come from?

That's not really what this whole post is about, well, it is about fridges but not about the spelling of the word.

I saw this online the other day and it blew my mind!


As far as I know, it doesn't exist yet, but seriously how friggin cool is that!

The future is now people. Ok, side note...how come we aren't wearing tinfoil. When my Dad was a kid and he imagined the future everyone was wearing silver all the time and cars were flying...neither of those things are true and apart from Lady Gaga no one is fashioning outfits from old aluminium cans.

Actually, I think I've answered my own question on that one...THIS is why we aren't wearing suits of metal


That wasn't about fridges at all...

Happy Little PBS

I know you've all watched hours of PBS - you may think you haven't but here is a list:


Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers Neighbourhood, Reading Rainbow, The Big Comfy Couch, Theodore Tugboat, Ghost Writer,  The Magic School Bus, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Polka Dot Door, Antiques Roadshow, Austin City Limits, Downton Abbey (this one's new), Mr. Bean, Arthur, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, and most importantly The Joy of Painting.

Bob Ross, the happiest (or most stoned) man alive. He's become a HUGH celebrity of PBS - LOOK, he has T-Shirts (and I know you'll all want one)...


So lets take a minute to appreciate the joy that is Bob Ross, The Happy Painter while we simultaneously see what PBS has resorted to in an attempt to gain a younger auidence.

The Happy Painter, REMIXED!!!


                                       

"Love actually is all around..."

Today I miss my university room-mates, the 769. So today, I'm going to show you 2 videos one made me think of the other.


The first is the opening scene from one of my favourite movies (and FAVOURITE Christmas movie) Love Actually (As today is the 11th anniversary of the September 11 attacks it is especially poignant) 


What brought me to think of this video in September was stumbling upon this second video. If this doesn't make you smile a little you're probably made of stone...maybe. Yes, I realize it's an ad, but it's still sweet...


Take a minute today to think of someone you haven't thought about in a while. They probably miss you too!

Sorry Voldemort, you probably won't be interested...

Eyebrows, we've all got 'em (some of us have brow ridges too). Recently I saw a thing that was celebrities without their eyebrows and they all looked ridiculous, then I saw a photo of Anthony Davis, the NBA player with his eyebrows and I was inspired.

I shall start at one end of the brow spectrum and work my way to the other.

I begin with Voldemort (this is officially the first of MANY Harry Potter references to come). He has no eyebrows; more seriously he has no nose, but this is about brows, not noses.


A nice, smiling photo of Voldy, that's rare. See, no eyebrows.  She looks just like Volemort; just add some earrings, eyeliner, and hair and they're twins....I'll show you.


So we've established the importance of eyebrows: If a lack of eyebrows can turn Angelina Jolie into Voldemort, we all need eyebrows.

Now lets discuss location. Where the eyebrows naturally exist is a good start. I'll just let these photos make my point for me...






Now, there are some girls that have taken the habit of completely removing their natural eyebrows (take the lovely lady above for example) but a more natural alternative is to fill them in a bit. I have naturally light eyebrows so sometimes I may darken then a touch so they're actually visible when I have makeup on.

An alternative to filling them in gently is this...


The Scouse Brow. People who live in Liverpool are referred to as "scouse" in England. There is a reality show called "Desperate Scousewives" in the UK. This woman is one of those Scouswives and she has popularized this look (if you want to call it that) for eyebrows. Now, I've never been to Liverpool so I'm not entirely sure just HOW popular it is there. That said, when I was teaching in Kent the teenage girls seemed to cling to this eyebrow look almost as much as they were clinging to their Essex-orange skin (Google Amy from The Only Way Is Essex, a spray tanner who gives her clients advice on acceptable levels of orange)

Out of dedication to this blog and my pursuit of knowledge I thought it would be beneficial to give this look a try. I shouldn't "knock it 'til I try it" they say...


Personally I think it's a nice change for me...I just may make this a permanent part of my make up routine...

Luckily for some, this look is natural and should be embraced...take for example the previously mentioned Anthony Davis, who has become more famous for his eyebrows than he is for his basketball career.



Drink Beer, Forget Couch Filling.

If you've yet to discover Pinterest I envy your level of either productivity or disconnect with the online world. I, like many, am addicted to Pinterest. Sometimes I even attempt the things I've seen on Pinterest.

For example, a couple days ago I made this single serving mug cake...


It turned out gorgeously and totally looked like a cake and not at all like a pile of crumbs on a plate with some Nutella on top (which is 100% a lie, because THIS is an actual photo of the cake I made...)

Lets pretend I DIDN'T complete photography school and that this photo is the expected quality of a person who does not hold a diploma in professional photography






Regardless of it's wretched appearance it did taste good and definitely conquered my chocolate craving so I can't complain too much. 

Anyway, I didn't come here to tell you about my chocolate disaster or my quickly deteriorating photography skills, I came to talk about washing your hair with beer. 

According to beauty blogs and Seventeen magazine, if you wash your hair with beer it'll make it soft and give it volume.  So this is my natural hair (apologies for the quality, it's like trying to photograph the Sasquatch). Due to it's contradictory frizzy-flatness I decided to give the beer washing a try. 

T'was not a success; not only was the room temperature beer surprisingly cold in the shower, I ended up smelling of beer despite rinsing thoroughly and still having the conundrum that is my hair (seriously, it has an internal struggle between being stuck to my head and being so fine and frizzy it looks like couch stuffing).

So, here is my beauty tip. Drink the beer until you don't care about your couch filling hairdo.

Hippolas Cage

Discuss.

Bahamas, Canada

Although I do have a weak sense of direction and I slept through Canadian Geography 106 in University I do know that The Bahamas are not in Canada and vice-a-verse.

Today's post is another music recommendation. This time via my friend Tracy and her excursion to the Edmonton Folk Fest.

Tracy is very proud that I've grown to love Bahamas because it is rare that it is her recommending music to me and not the other way around. So, I pass this knowledge onto you with a stern reminder that this was Tracy's find and boy what a good one it was.

As this discovery belongs to Tracy I will give you the sample she would recommend, a song called "Lost in the Light". (I have it on good authority that she has been "OBSESSED with "Lost in the Light" since I heard them")

Check out Bahamas on their VERY cool website: bahamasmusic.net


*As a quick side note, this friend I've mentioned, Tracy, is a nurse and a fantastic person. She currently works at Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, so kudos to her for her noble work! (I clearly don't tell her I'm proud of her often enough)

From "Motorcycle Enthusiasts" to Music Fans


Time for a good ol'fashioned music recomendation! But first, there shall be a brief interlude filled with intrigue and suspense.

For those of you who do not know, I've recently(ish) returned from a brief tenure of living in a small town called Gravesend which is in Kent, United Kingdom. Now, before you ask: yes, the town was about as dreadful as it's morbid name; however, Pocahontas supposedly died there (That's intriguing, right?) 


While I was there my super awesome friend Katie was also in England in the much more "happenin'" city of Birmingham. It was her who ultimately brought me to the discovery I will share with you today, but NOT YET!! (See, there's suspense too!)

Katie convinced me to begin watching the FX show Sons of Anarchy, which is HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend, it's so fantastic and...AND...you get to look at this...


But seriously, check out the show (even if he isn't your taste - but really how could he not be?) you will not be disappointed. In addition to superb scripts and wonderful acting this show also has a plethora of amazing music to be discovered which is what gathers us here today.

On an episode of this show I heard a fantastic piece of music and said, "self, that's a FANTASTIC piece of music, you must hasten to discover what it is!" (Yes, that is how I talk to myself, I'm an English teacher, would you expect any less?) So I pulled out my phone and used the handy-dandy app (Shazam) and found out it was "Family" by Noah Gundersen! 

So, long story short I've fallen in love with the music of Mr. Gundersen and I wish you would as well.  I've included a YouTube video of him singing the aforementioned song. Give it a listen, fall in love, watch Sons of Anarchy and thank me later (but really, sooner rather than later.)




Snooki's Family Circus?

Of all the comic strips in the Sunday funnies none are less funny than the Family Circus. Take this one for example...


Do all the Keane children spend time trying to eat their own clothing? If you learn anything here is should be the value of a good education.

I was going to actually write about this but I found another blog while I was researching that sums it up...Comics I Don't Understand

These children aren't funny, the upset me and make me worry about the future nearly as much as Snooki's child. Stay in school kids.

Go away Lloyd Dobler.

Imagine, if you will, you've had a crap day. Work sucked, there's nothing good to eat in the fridge, it's a bad night for TV, the weather sucked and other not so great things. You just feel "meh." So, you browse the internet, maybe go on Pinterest and stumble across something like this...




Suddenly your mood lifts and you feel chipper and happy and can drop the bad mood like it's hot. HA!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

One of my favorite movie quotes is from "Say Anything" (see photo if you're drawing a blank) John Cusack's character, Lloyd Dobler (best name ever) looks at his sister (real life and movie) and says, 


"Why can't you be in a good mood? How hard is it to decide to be in a good mood and be in a good mood once in a while?" 

Those motivational posters / sayings / quotes etc. are the Lloyd Dobler of this situation. 


If I'm in a bad mood I want to be in a bad mood and therefore your weak efforts to motivate me into a good mood are pointless and ultimately unwelcome. Sometimes a bad mood is necessary, it's cathartic. 


I wish now to compare motivational slogans to another item I despise  - "baby on board" signs in the back of a car. WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH! The only use I can see for these is making me check your back seat when you leave your car parked in the Walmart parking lot when it's hot (I actually do this on occasion).  That said, I do drive around with the intent to rear-end, t-bone and side swipe every car I see (I've played Grand Theft Auto) so it's best if you warn me about precious cargo before I get to you.


Now, I attempt to motivate you to buy me this sweater...






Beginning with Keeeeviiiiin

I know I may sound pretentious or bitchy or stupid when I say I'm never wrong but I figured the more inflammatory the title and description of my blog are, the more likely I am to draw in angry internet types who will read voraciously and cause a stir in the comments which will end in ridiculous statements about Hitler and the Nazi's. The point here is that I'm going to write stuff and hopefully you'll read it, love it and force all your loved ones to read it as well.

I'm currently on my 8th month as an unemployed high school teacher and the cabin fever and desperation have driven me to a point where I think others will care what I have to say about important issues. These important issues will include news items, celebrity gossip, new bands I've discovered, movie reviews, random rants about random stuff and basically anything that makes me laugh, cry, or say "hmmmm"

To begin, I will include a YouTube video that's quickly gaining popularity. I've watched this upwards of 10 times and it still manages to make me chuckle.  "Keeeeviiiin"


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