Merry Christmas!

The Christmas story as told by kids with Australian accents is my new favorite thing ever.

[Video via Wit & Whistle]

Around the Web

Color, as defined by the sexes. [Via]

How to tell if your cat is plotting to kill you.  As it turns out, there is an 89% chance that my cat, Bubbles, is out to get me.  Good to know.

Are you wearing pants?  A self-check guide for hipsters. [Via]

Animal cruelty, brought to you by a crying German Shepherd.  [Via]

Back to the Future: A website dedicated to recreations of old photos.  The best is the one of the brothers in the bathtub! [Via]

Check out Moby's bangin' new digs. [Via]

Life inspired by art. [via]

Donald Glover's blog is dope.  You know, Donald Glover the actor.  The comedian.  The rapper.  All of the above.  [Thanks, B.]

Pigeons: More than just sky rats!

Animation Inspiration

This short animated film is incredible, I couldn't tear my eyes away.

Thought of You from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.

[Via Rockstar Diaries]

Jacques Cousteau! Baguette!

I dedicate the following video to my good friend, Mark.  His mom was our high school French teacher and Mark is the only person I know who speaks French.*  Mark: Feel free to translate in the comments section.

* Sorry Katie, but 4 years of high school French (under the

tutelage of Mark's mom, no less!) 13 YEARS AGO doesn't count.

Revamped Classics

I love how a little creative editing can completely change a film's tone and storyline.

If these don't cause you question the validity of Michael Moore's work, we can't be friends.

[When Harry Met Sally clip from Her Name was Lola]

Oscar Worthy

While searching the Web recently, I was reminded of how hilarious Jim Carrey was in the role of Ace Ventura.*  Reminisce with me, won't you?

* Please don't ask me how I came to Google "Ace Ventura" in my limited spare time.  I'm sure you think I'm weird enough as is.

For My Peeps

My married friends, Dave and Rachel, are like my siblings.  I take care of their dog, Laurel, when they're out of town.  Ray is my workout buddy.  Dave is the guy I call when my car breaks down.  I've known Dave since our first days of nursing school at UNC in 2006.  Since then, we've worked in neighboring ICUs and reunited for graduate school in Winston-Salem.  Rachel is finishing up the last leg of her physical therapy doctorate work.    Needless to say, we have a lot in common.

One thing the three of us love is a good documentary.  I found this list of great "docu's" on A Cup of Jo and had to pass it along.  I've seen Surf Wise, Food Inc., and Man on Wire, and all are great films.  My favorite documentary, The Business of Being Born, while not on the following list, is also a must see.  (As is The Cove, my second favorite documentary.)  I'm looking forward to adding the rest of these suckers to my Netflix queue!  A list which, by the way, also includes the following: The Fog of War, Earth, The Botany of Desire, Picture Me, Waiting for Superman, Inside Job, Frontline: Sick Around America, and Frontline: Sick Around the World.  In case you were wondering.

As avid cyclists and triathletes, I thought Dave and Ray would also appreciate the following video of a street in the Netherlands, a country where 1/3 of residents bike to work.  I wonder if people driving cars there yell at the cyclists to share the road?

[Bike rush hour from A Cup of Jo]

No wonder real life will never be like the movies.

You know how corn byproducts are used in roughly all American food and textiles these days, even the stuff that you would never in a million years expect to find it?  (I'm looking at you, toothpaste and carpet!)  Well the following video is just like that, but with "CGI" substituted for "corn byproducts" and "media" in place of "American food and textiles".

Wow, that was confusing.  Anyhoo, check this out:

[Via Unruly Things]

Crime and Punishment

Behold, the best Pixar film since Toy Story.

I'll never look at my bedside lamp the same way again.

[Via my love, Brain]

All the movies who are independent, throw your hands up at me...

I caught wind of this video awhile ago and at first it made me laugh.  Then it made me sad.  Because I thought to myself how difficult it is to create something new and different and wonderful these days.  It turns out that even Independent films are, well, quite dependent on each other when it comes to generating plot lines and character specifics.

I just finished reading a recent posting from author Seth Godin's blog.  (Which is really great and insightful, by the way.  A must read for anyone who owns or operates a business... or anyone who wants to do more with and be better at life, really.)  It reminded me of the Indie film issue highlighted above.

People are drawn to existing competitions like moths to a flame.

It's precisely the wrong way to succeed.

Lots of journalists take significant detours in their careers and their writing in order to win a Pulitzer. Maybe not to actually win one, but to be in that class, to have peers that have won one. Mystery novelists stick to the center of the road, because that's where the road is. Movies are written and released in order to win an Oscar. Once there's a category, a ranking, a place to battle for supremacy, we run for it. 

Do you go to trade shows or enter markets or submit RFPs or push for a GPA or even gross ratings points because there's a list of winners or because it's what you actually want to do? Most bestseller lists and prizes measure popularity, not effectiveness.

I wonder if real art comes when you build the thing that they don't have a prize for yet.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the movie Juno.  Nevertheless, Diablo Cody and her Oscar did nothing to preserve the integrity of the independent film industry.  Now excuse me, while I climb down from my soap box...

P.S. In an effort to prove my point/beat a dead horse, here is an Indie version of Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time", complete with Zooey Dechanel (an Indie fixture, though I love her along with the rest of the world).  God, I love being right.

How much is that Oscar in the window?

I hope everyone enjoyed the Acadamy Awards last night!  I didn't have the opportunity to watch the telecast as I was stuck preparing for today's clinical cases.  It's no biggie though since I only really like to tune in to see all of the starlets modeling the latest couture gowns for the photographers on the red carpet.  Thanks to People.com, I'll get to see all those gowns AND avoid Joan Rivers and her scary botoxed mug in the process... It's a win-win!

But enough of the small talk.  I saw this online yesterday and thought it interesting.  What can I say?  I'm a sucker for statistics.


Source: Business Pundit

Eda... Mommy!!

Thank you, Mameshiba, for taking the one healthy food I actually enjoyed consuming and ruining it. Eating edamame will be, from here on out, like eating the cute little kid with the lisp from Jerry Macguire.

You did NOT have me at hello, Mameshiba!

Mad Cat Disease

This is disturbing on a multitude of levels.



Does owning ONE cat make me inherently crazy?  What if said cat is crazy?

On a related note, I once had a fellow customer approach me in Petsmart after she noticed my location in the pooper-scooper aisle.  Seriously, she was so in love with the scooper she owned that she simply couldn't pass me by without describing the benefits and drawbacks of each available model in stock and encourage me to purchase her preferred brand.  It was creepy.

A Heartfelt Thank You and Goodbye

I sat through a hospital orientation today and anyone who's ever worked at a hospital and attended such an event knows this is a full day dedicated to propagating complete and utter BS. You are then required to swallow said BS and, let me tell you, it is not tasty.

Every orientation is led by the same lady. You know, the one who loves her job, loves the hospital, loves the organization's mission statement and core values, loves to show pictures of the CEO and describe him as though they are BFFs and summer together in Nantucket, and who "just knows that you're going to love it here as much as she does!" In other words, a person who drank the Kool-Aid.

Well, my orientation today was no different. I was just about to mentally drift off to sleep when the lady who loves things displayed a quote that - now I'm just taking a wild guess here - she loves.

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

This widely recognizable quote reminded me of a story I recently read regarding the late John Hughes. I always knew that Mr. Hughes was a brilliant screenwriter, but until now I didn't realize that he was such an amazing human being. He will be missed.

Down the Rabbit Hole

While stalking researching Johnny Depp the other day I came across some photographs taken of Tim Burton's upcoming remake of Alice in Wonderland, a film in which Depp stars as the Mad Hatter.* Helena Bonham Carter, Burton's wife, will also appear in the movie as the notorious Queen of Hearts, proving once again that nepotism is alive and well.



Anne Hathaway looks stunning as the White Queen while 19-year-old Australian Mia Wasikowska** beat out the likes of Lindsay Lohan*** and Amanda Seyfried to nab the highly coveted role of Alice.



I can't wait to find out who plays the Cheshire Cat, though if it's someone annoying like Jack Black, I'll do this. That scenario aside, this film, which will also be available in 3-D, is going to be mind-blowingly fantastic. The only thing I'm not looking forward to is being forced to hang out with a bunch of teenagers, loaded up on LSD or other such hallucinogens, at the movie theater on opening weekend.

* Fun fact: this is Burton and Depp's seventh collaboration!

** Do Aussies have something against short, easily-pronounceable words? (Yeah, I'm talking to you, Mamungkukumpurangkuntjunya Hill.)

*** Really? Did Lilo honestly think that someone would consider entrusting her with a role of this magnitude? I'm beginning to think that her agent sends her on these auditions just to mess with her mind and possibly provide a little comic relief for his otherwise-boring work week.

**** I don't really have anything to say here. I just wanted to include a fourth footnote to see if you would actually stick with me this long. I win!

[Click on images for more information]

Because what this world needs is another Michael Jackson blog posting.

I'm sorry, but I had to. You see, I've spent the past 2 or so weeks watching all the coverage on Michael Jackson's life and death and throughout that time, try as I might, I couldn't pinpoint my favorite MJ song. But just as I was about to give up and go with Man In The Mirror, I went for a run and - wouldn't you know it - the absolute best Michael Jackson song ever recorded made it's way to my earphones:

The MJ song is featured near the beginning, but if you would like to watch the dance sequence in it's entirety, you have both my permission and utmost respect.

Paige and I agree that this song, especially when combined with a riveting ballet performance, is The Best. It reminds me of that time in junior high when my ballet company forced me and a group of impressionable young girls to pirouette to the instrumental number featured in those old "where's the beef?" commercials. That wasn't embarrassing in the least!

Continuing on in Michael Jackson news, People.com was kind enough to throw together this montage of his ever-changing face over the years. Watching this video begs the question: was Jackson's death the result of a secret assassination orchestrated by the plastic surgeons of the world? Because, lord knows, MJ's appearance as of late could not have been helping business.

Which brings me to my next point:

[From A Picture Is Worth 1000 LOLz]

All The World's A Stage

Brain's younger brother, Mark, graduated from college, traveled the world for 5 months, and worked as an associate lighting designer for Barry Mannilow's latest Las Vegas show - all within the past year. Mark currently applies his talents as a lighting designer at The Little Theater on the Square, which just wrapped a stage production of Singin' in the Rain. Though I didn't get the opportunity to see it myself, I'll now think of him whenever I watch the film version. And, between my desire to gaze at the suit and my love for this smile-inducing song and dance number, that may happen more than I'd care to admit.

They just don't make 'em like they used to.

Mark is now spending his time designing for the theater's upcoming production of Funny Girl. Which means that I'd better update my Netflix queue.

Great Minds Think Alike

For some reason, when I first heard the song "Lisztomania" by Phoenix...



...it immediately reminded me of the dance scene from The Breakfast Club. Well, it turns out that I'm not the only one who made the connection, as a perfect pairing of the two had already been uploaded on YouTube.



So much for formulating an original thought.

[Lisztomania video ganked from black*eiffel]

Suit up!

Brain purchased a beautiful wool overcoat this past winter and we went back and forth on the degree of tailoring it required to best fit his athletic build. We both love the impeccably tailored suits seen on gentlemen throughout Europe and the UK, but Brain contests that he doesn't have the lanky figure needed to pull off such garments. (Take a quick tour through his thought process here.) He's right in that a slim-cut suit would not be the most flattering choice for his "Goldilocks" figure (read: not too big, not too small... just right). However, I wholeheartedly agree with Scott Schuman in that a sharply tailored suit and coat is always in style.

Fast forward a few months... There I was, just sitting on the couch a la Al Bundy, watching Singin' In The Rain when it happened. I discovered my star witness.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, may I present to you Mr. Gene Kelly:


As if that's not enough, this man - err, frock - looks just as good on the way out:


Athletic build? Check. Tailored garment? Check. Looking good enough to eat? Check, check.

The prosecution rests.