Goodbye gym....hello, Johnny Castle!

What little girl who grew up in the 80s wouldn't want this in their stocking? It better have "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" on it or I'll be really mad.

Best. Christmas. Candy. Ever.

For all of you who have not tried the Candy Cane Tootsie Pops...they are awesome! They've been around for a few years and I'm a big fan, but I'm surprised how many people don't know about this taste treat delight. Candy cane? Good. Tootsie Roll center? Good. What's not to like? The bags of pops are in the holiday aisle at your local supermarket. You won't be disappointed (unless you don't like candy canes and/or Tootsie Rolls, then you'll be very disappointed.) Merry Christmas!!

(Cadbury now makes Christmas Mini-Eggs...they're not just for Easter anymore, kids. Mini-Eggs are the second-best Christmas candy ever.)

The Glove

Michael Jackson's famous glittery glove is going up for sale. It's going up for auction with several more of his prize possessions in April 2009. That gives me four months to save my pennies...

The Sweet Smell of Christmas

One of my all time favorite Christmas books is The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia M. Scarry. It is a scratch-n-sniff Christmas book. You can small the tree, candy canes, hot cocoa and other holiday delights. If you don't know what to get your nieces/nephews/godchildren, I highly recommend this book. I mean what kid doesn't like scratch-n-sniff (or adult for that matter)?

Elf Yourself is back!

If you guys haven't tried this online Christmas treat yet, get on it! The Elf Yourself website is back this year and better than last year! This year you can upload up to five pictures and there are new dances/backgrounds you can choose (I'm partial to the disco). So upload up to five pictures of friends, family members, co-workers, or just you with four pictures of Hugh Jackman and be transported back to Christmas circa 1974. Thanks to Danny for elfing Grandma and Grandpa T., it's awesome! If any Theurers would like to see Grandma and Grandpa dancing and haven't had the pleasure yet, let me know and I'll forward it on to you. Merry Christmas!

The Hills According To Me -- Sneak Peek

My brother introduced me to this new gem from MTV. MTV is now parodying The Hills, with a new show called The Hills According to Me, with one actor taking on the role of every Hills castmember. The Stephanie Pratt impression is the best! If you like The Hills or like to make fun of The Hills, this is pretty hilarious. There are lots more clips on You Tube and I think you can watch them online at mtv.com. If you can find the clip with Lauren and Stephanie in the computer class, it's awesome. Enjoy!

Random Celebrity Siting

Last night as we arrived home from San Francisco, we were walking through the Southwest lounge and saw Ian Ziering (Steve from the original 90210) and Scott Wolf (Bailey from Party of Five) sitting there waiting for their flight. Random pairing. We were trying to figure out what they were doing in SLC. Since the skiing is pretty bad right now, we figured it was probably to film a crappy made-for-TV movie (probably for Lifetime or ABC Family).

Holiday Sweaters

Well, it's the holidays again, which can only mean a plethora of holiday parties. The age old question is always, "What should I wear to a holiday party?" Velvet? Silk? That vintage beaded Valentino? A tuxedo? Here's an easy solution -- an ugly Christmas/Holiday sweater. You can't go wrong. It's warm, festive and a great conversation starter. Many of you will be/ have been invited to an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party and will be making a trip to the nearest thrift store or your grandmother's closet. Some clever folks in Chicago have come up with a solution for all of you too busy to make it to the D.I. Shop online! By going to uglysweaterstore.com you can purchase that tacky holiday sweater online and have it delivered to you in time for your work/family/neighborhood parties. Check it out. They have some real gems! Happy Holidays!

P.S. - Mom, I love your Christmas sweater. Your sweater isn't ugly.

P.P.S. - Jon, remember that time you wore Mom's Christmas sweater and she got mad? Classic.

Mormon Musical?

Oh man, as if LDS Church members aren't taking enough heat over the Prop. 8 drama, now we have to deal with this? Click here to read the article. I guess the creators of South Park are writing/creating and possibly starring in a new Broadway musical called Mormon Musical. I don't think I'll reserve my tickets yet.

I Want My Two Dollars

Does anyone else feel like screaming, "I want my two dollars!" at people when they owe you money? I am waiting to be reimbursed for a couple things at work and I kinda want to scream it at my boss, but I don't think it would be very professional; in this economy I'd like to hang on to my job as long as possible.

What to get for the person that has everything...

Every year we do White Elephants at our family Christmas party. All year long I try and keep my eyes and ears open for things that would make a great "gifts". I recently found out about this Fish n' Flush toilet, and I really wish I had enough money to buy one and take it to the party. It would be an awesome White Elephant! If any cousins want to pitch in maybe we could have a group White Elephant or just give it to Grandma and Grandpa T. for Christmas.

'Stache is the new black?

Are mustaches making a comeback? I hope not.

My archenemy

This is my nemesis, the evil gray cat that lives in the parking lot at work. We have a mutual dislike for one another. He sits on the hood of my car on cold mornings and leaves dusty paw prints all over it and I don't make an effort to not run over him when I'm leaving work. We also engage in epic staring contests at least twice a week. I will not miss him when we move to our new office, however, I do feel bad that he is homeless (just not enough to do anything about it.)

You know it's Fall when...

My neighbor was out with his Shop-Vac, cleaning up leaf bits from his lawn, so it must be Fall. I have never been able to catch him in action before, so I was ecstatic to finally capture his compulsiveness for posterity. Unfortunately, he did not vacuum his tree yesterday, as he is apt to do. It's his way of launching a preemptive strike on the leaves--get them before they reach the lawn. I hope to capture that one day.

On an unrelated note: Will someone please tell Walgreen's that it's a bit too early for Christmas decorations/candy? Jeez.

Princess Leia '08

Who knew Tina Fey could get any cooler? The "Princess Leia '08" shirt she wore on SNL on Saturday earned her some major cool points. Hmm, Princess Leia '08...that's the kind of woman I want to see in the White House. Talk about executive experience and intergalactic (foreign) policy experience. Yup, she's getting my vote. My second choice is Admiral Akbar '08--he's got the military experience and a level head.

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin

I gotta say, I think Tina Fey may be a better Sarah Palin than, well, Sarah Palin.

Choppin' Broccoli

One of my favorite SNL skits of all time.

Soon at your local Barnes & Noble...

What is this world coming to? LC just signed a three-book deal with Harper-Collins to write L.A. Candy, a young adult series based on her life. Really? Really? Why? So, her fashion line is flailing and now she's going to be an author? I guess she's a triple-threat? Not really acting, not really designing and not really writing? I don't know, there's something just so wrong about the whole thing. I won't be reading them and I can't see them burning their way up the NY Times Bestseller List. I am holding out for the Heidi and Spencer Holiday Cookbook, though.

Tooth Fairy?

I love Julie Andrews. The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins and The Americanization of Emily are three of my very favorite movies. Julie's got a new project in the works and it sounds, uh, hmm...interesting. In the movie Tooth Fairy Julie Andrews plays boss to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, a minor-league hockey player who, after spoiling a kid's dreams, is sentenced to one week as a real-life tooth fairy replete with wand and tutu. Andrews is an administrator at the Tooth Fairy Dept. Ashley Judd also stars. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'll probably see it but I just don't know if this is worthy material for a Dame.

Bad Habit #57

I am an eye roller. I roll my eyes. A lot. It's a problem. I'm not a high five-er. I'm not a winker. I'm an eye roller. I'm trying to break myself of the habit; it's quite rude, and obnoxious. I find myself rolling my eyes and shaking my head several times a day. Granted, this may be a reflection on some of the people I deal with at work (not you co-workers), but still I need to stop doing it. Any advice on how to break this bad habit would be greatly appreciated.

Shrek the Musical

Shrek the Muscial officially opens on Broadway December 14. It has been previewing in Seattle for a few weeks. There haven't been any official reviews, which is odd, but the posts on message boards, blogs, etc. seem to be quite positive. Here' s a little preview of one song I found on You Tube by the lovely and talented Sutton Foster aka Princess Fiona. It's not a great video, it's choppy and weird but it's the best I could find. I was never a huge fan of the movies so I was kind of skeptical when I heard they were making a musical, but since Sutton is in it, I'll probably go see it. See what you think.

I'm just the teensiest bit tired of vampires...

Anybody else having vampire fatigue? I just...they're everywhere. I went to Barnes & Noble the other day and there were no less than three tables full of books about vampires: fiction, non-fiction, romance, horror, etc. Then the new show True Blood premieres with that girl from X-Men and the ads and posters for that are in every magazine and on every bus, I still have a couple friends complaining that Moonlight was canceled and everywhere I go people are talking about the Stephanie Meyer books and movie...I'm just on overload right now. There's even been a a lot of talk about vampires on NPR! It's just too much! It's the same thing that happened with pirates. I used to love pirates and pirate things (particularly my pirate pajama pants) but then they were everywhere all the time and now, well, the urge to buy things with skull and crossbones is just a distant memory. I'm sure Halloween's going to be a real treat this year...

I'm done.

I think I've finally kicked The Hills habit. I have been threatening to stop watching The Hills for over a year now, but I really mean it this time. It's gotten to the point where I can literally feel myself getting stupider when I watch it. I can't do it anymore. I liked LC when she was on Laguna Beach, I really did, but now I hardly recognize her. Lo was nutty and funny on Laguna Beach and now she's just mean, manipulative and annoying. Audrina, well, I just don't care about her. Whitney is probably my favorite character (she seems semi-normal) or at least she was until it was brought to my attention that she puts "guh" at the end of all -ing words. Such as, "Where are you going-guh?" It drives me absolutely crazy, and now it will bother you...sorry. Heidi is beyond stupid to stay with Spencer and she really needs to stop with the plastic surgery and the singing and Spencer is just the WORST (the worst human, the worst boyfriend, the worst brother, etc.) and the only thing good about him is he finally got rid of that nasty facial hair. The first couple seasons were so fun to watch but now...ugh. Thanks MTV for making this season unbearable to watch. Whew, that's one less show to make time for. I'm pretty sure I'm cured. Going cold turkey. I'm done. Finis.

Separated at birth?

Wow. I always knew Posh looked like somebody, I just never put it together until I saw this. Falcor, wow, I should have put two and two together. Check out TotallyLooksLike.com for a good laugh. Some of the comparisons are spot on.

Let this be a passing fancy...

I'm sad summer is over but one thing I'm not going to miss is the recent popularity of manpris (capri pants for men). I hate 'em. I can't help it. I thought they were just a European thing, I expect this from European men, but no, no, they've made their way to the flyover states. Please, let's go back to a simpler time when men were men, and they all wore pants (or shorts).

Hmmm....

I find it a little creepy how much Sarah Palin, McCain's VP candidate, looks like an older version of Tina Fey. There are several other things about Gov. Palin that I find disturbing, but this is the one that's bothering me today...

Farewell summer...

It's Labor Day weekend which can only mean *sigh* summer is over. Rats, it's time to wear socks again. I dread the day I have to put away my sandals. It breaks my heart. I like Fall, I really do; I like the changing leaves, I like haunted houses, I like the cool evenings, I like being able to drink hot chocolate again, but going back to wearing shoes is just so very, very sad. Goodbye flip flops...I'll miss you most of all.

A couple of things I'm digging right now...

1. Twisted Four Layer Protein Bars - Normally I'm kind of eh about protein bars but these are so tasty. I take them for my breakfast when I'm in a hurry. They combine pretzel, caramel, chocolate, peanuts, nougat and chocolate, peanut butter or vanilla coating--and they have 15 grams of protein! I like the peanut butter and chocolate ones best. Kind of a salty/sweet snack plus all that protein to keep you going. You can buy them in a big box at Costco.

2. The Irish band The Script. They are all over the singles charts in Britain and I've fallen in love with them. Their songs "Breakeven" and especially "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" are completely awesome. You can download "We Cry" on iTunes, but it's not my favorite. It's much more R&B than the other songs, which are totally chill. You can check out their live Abbey Road 2008 performance of "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" here:





3. Limited Edition Snickers "Rockin' Nut Road Bar" (Rocky Road) - I heart Rocky Road ice cream, it's probably my favorite so when I saw this at Sev the other day, I had to give it a whirl. Dark chocolate--good. Almonds--good. Marshmallow--good. Caramel--good. What's not to like? The dark chocolate just makes it that much better. If you like Rocky Road stuff, I suggest you try it.

Same Zip code. New Drama.

I'm ashamed to admit I'm kind of looking forward to 90210 v2.0. Mostly because Jessica Walters/Lucille Bluth is making her return to network TV as a boozy grandmother. Welcome back, Lucille! I love her. Also Aunt Becky from Full House is on it (she'll always be Christian from RAD to me). I have no clue who any of the "kids" are. Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth are reprising their roles as Brenda and Kelly. Can Dylan be far behind? Ah, how I've missed those awesome sideburns...see ya at the Peach Pit, y'all.

Gilmore v. Bluth

Just something to think about: In a fight between Emily Gilmore and Lucille Bluth, who would win?

Back in time...

I found a new ridiculous website. It's called Yearbook Yourself. You upload a photo of yourself and then you get to see what your yearbook photo would have looked like had you gone to high school in 1952 or 1966 or 1974 or 1988. It is a real treat. Boy I'm glad I wasn't in high school in the 80s or in the 50s--my photos from those decades were brutal. Anyway, enjoy!

Things that break my heart a little...

I hate it when people mess with the classics. There are some things you just don't touch. Don't get me started on the remastered Star Wars Trilogy and the new song at the end instead of the far superior Ewok jam...grrr. Moving on, I read something yesterday and it greatly disturbed me. The geniuses at Hasbro have decided to update the beloved board game Clue. There is now a spa and a theater in the mansion(I can't tell if they got rid of the conservatory or not), Colonel Mustard is now a football star and they got rid of the lead pipe! Gah! How dare they! They have added (as weapons) a trophy, a baseball bat and an ax. Needless to say, I will be keeping my version circa 1985. This is Emily, in the office, with the Diet Coke...

...don't waste my time.

One of the best movie clips ever.

JEM -- Jealousy Music Video

One of my favorite Jem songs. They should bring back Jem. Care Bears and My Little Pony are fine and all but Jem rocked! Plus the clothes she wears are back in style.

The American Mall

I'm intrigued by this new show on MTV called The American Mall. Supposedly it's MTV's answer to the HSM phenomenon. It's High School Musical for a slightly older audience. Seeing how it's done by some of the same producers, choreographers, writers, etc. of HSM, I'm sure it's got some similarities. It premieres tonight on MTV. Please have a classic ballad like "Gotta Go My Own Way" (I love to sing along to that in my car), that's all ask. Plus, it stars Taylor from The O.C., so that's a good sign, right?

9 to 5: The Musical

Nine to five, what a way to make a livin' barely gettin' by... If you've never seen the movie 9 to 5, it is an 80s classic. If you've ever had a nightmare boss, you'll enjoy this flick. Plus, it has one of the best theme songs--EVER! Anyway, it's been adapted into a musical and starting in September they are going to premiere it in LA. It stars Megan Hilty, Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block and Marc Kudisch. That is one killer cast. I'm hoping to make my way down to LA this fall to see it, otherwise I'll have to wait until 2009 to see it on Broadway. Dolly Parton has written the music and lyrics for the production. Dolly doesn't get enough credit for songwriting. She really is stellar. I mean the woman wrote I Will Always Love You! For Dolly's sake, here's hoping it's a smash hit. Go here for more info and fun little video clip.

Loser of the week

I've always been kind of on the fence about Carlos Boozer. He'll do something lame, then redeem himself. That seems to be his MO. I was disappointed to see that he and Dwight Howard thought they were too cool to wear their hats in the Opening Ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. I understand it was hot outside and the hats were nerdy but everyone else had the decency to wear theirs. For pete's sake even Kobe Bryant was wearing his hat and he thinks he's too cool for anything and everything. I just think there's a time and a place for things and when you're representing your country on a world stage, you conform. You represent. You act classy. So anyway, Carlos will have to have some good games to earn his way back into my good graces. Okay, rant finished.

..and I don't have to take it!

A co-worker of mine has been getting inappropriate text messages from a former intern of ours. I think he needs to show her this powerful public service announcement from the 1980s.

Straight up now tell me...

Today at work we were talking about the first cassette tapes we ever owned. I received Whitney Houston for Christmas in third grade. It was the first. Here's the list:

1. Whitney Houston Whitney Houston-- Greatest Love of All will always hold a special place in my heart (49th Street Galleria? Matt took the high notes.)
2. Paula Abdul Forever Your Girl -- I was sure I knew exactly who "Cold Hearted Snake" was written about.
3. Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation -- "Black Cat", anyone? Still a classic. "Escapade"?
4. Roxette Look Sharp -- Too many good songs on this, but "The Look", "Half a Woman, Half a Shadow" and "Dressed for Success" are still favorites.
5. Martika Toy Soldiers -- ...we all fall down...like toy soldiers.
6. A mixtape by Becca R. -- it had the Cocktail soundtrack, "Hungry Eyes" and "Lose Control" by Eric Carmen, and some Belinda Carlisle, "Circles in the Sand" (I think).

What were the first tapes you owned?

Lone Star Taqueria

I always like to try new places, so when a friend recommended the tamales at Lone Star Taqueria (2265 Fort Union Blvd. just east of Dan's), I knew I had to check it out. It's got great tamales and really good fish tacos. Make sure to get a Lime Jarritos with your meal. The food seems more suited to a shack by the beach in Cabo or something. Everything is fresh, quite inexpensive and it's always crowded. Try it out, let me know what you think.

Sur la Plage...

I'd so much rather be in Laguna today instead of here at this desk, with this ringing phone, and this pile of stuff. It's been one of those weeks so excuse me while I dream of Orange Inn orange juice, Bandera ribs, sand in my toes, watching an indie movie at the little theater, hanging out in the hot tub, Nana's drawer of goodies...if I still had a summer break, I'd be in Laguna Beach right now. Sometimes being an adult just isn't worth it.

Awesome cards

You already know I love etsy.com. It's such a fun site. There are so many amazingly creative people out there. I loved these pop culture-themed greeting cards one girl was making . They are classic. Go here for Betty Turbo's store. Her inventory is a little sparse right now but it sounds like she's got some things in the works. 

Hu$tle

I always try to catch up on my British TV during the summer. I should really be more like my friend, The Divine Miss M, and pony up for BBC America. I really like con-artist, thief-ish, Ocean's Eleven-y type shows so I fell in love with the BBC series Hu$tle. You can get it from Netflix, I think there are four or five seasons available. It's pretty crazy the cons they pull. Just if your looking for a little light summer entertainment...

Something nerdy...

One summer when I was nine or ten, my dad decided I should learn how to type. He bought the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing CD-ROM and I had to spend 1/2 hour each day practicing my typing. I hated it at time, but now I'm glad he did it. Not that I'm the greatest typist in the world, but I can hold my own. This brings me to the real reason for this post. I found a new ridiculous way to waste time at work. There is a site called Typeracer where you race against other strangers/friends to type lines from movies, song lyrics, etc., the fastest. It's so nerdy and lame but I can't stop myself. Thanks Dad for making me learn how to type, it's paying off big time!

Thank you for being a friend...

R.I.P. Golden Girls alum, Estelle Getty aka Sophia. She was 84. I enjoyed her on Golden Girls as well as in the classic films Mannequin and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot. It's weird, I thought she was so old back in the 80's, seems like she should be at least 110 by now. Hmm, I'm not sure Sophia was my favorite Girl (B. has been trying to convince me Blanche is the best), but she sure was funny. 

Creepy Baby Shower Cake

If I EVER go to a baby shower and they have this cake, I will die. This creepy baby cake seriously freaks me out. It reminds me of those "lifelike" dolls. *shudder* If you're throwing a party of any kind please, please don't have a cake this like.

Flash of Genius Trailer

Greg Kinnear and Lauren Graham. That can't be bad.

*EXCLUSIVE* Ghost Town Trailer!

Ricky Gervais and Greg Kinnear? I'm there.

WHAT is THIS? Seriously.

Lindsay Lohan is the latest celebrity to attempt her own fashion line. Her love of leggings inspired her to start her own line called 6126 (Marilyn Monroe's b-day, I guess she's a fan). I strongly feel that leggings should have never made a comeback. They were a bad idea in 1983, still a bad idea 15 years later. Really though, what are these? She calls them, "Leopard Ankle Gloves", and they can by yours for $42. Not quite socks, not quite leg warmers, not quite leggings = completely uneccessary. Remember how good you were in Mean Girls? Time to get back to your day job, kiddo.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

I'm a Broadway musical nerd. I just am. Case in point: I'd rather see Mamma Mia! on opening night than The Dark Knight. So when I heard about an internet musical I was intrigued. It's called Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog and you can find it here. It is being released in 15 minute "acts" on Thursdays throughout July. It's the story of a "low-rent super villain, the hero who keeps beating him up and the cute girl from the laundromat he's too shy to talk to". Dr. Horrible is played by Neil Patrick Harris (that's Doogie Howser, M.D. to all you 80's babies). I don't have a review yet, I haven't watched the whole thing, but it's getting rave reviews. It was so popular on "opening night" that the website crashed. That has to mean something.

Just Can't Get Enough...80's Music Covers

I love 80's music. It's one of those guilty pleasures--things you're not supposed to like but you just can't help yourself. *sigh* Music site BuffetLibre.net is showcasing "Rewind: The 80's Cover Project". Bands from all over the world have covered classic 80's tunes and you can download the mp3s for free. Some of them are awful, but many are quite good. Several of them are covered by Swedish bands so they have electro-pop background and breathy vocals. I happen to like Europop and 80's music so this was just up my alley, if it's not your bag at least it's just something interesting to check out. It has to be better than Celine's cover of AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" (recently voted worst cover song EVER), right?

Another new find (for me) is the website Cassette from my Ex . This is a website where people can share the stories behind mixtapes from past loves. Posts include thoughts and stories, cover art and playlists. Some have even uploaded the audio files from the tape so that you can enjoy them while you read the stories 'behind the music'. They run the gamut from romantic to awkward to sad to funny. V. v. entertaining to say the least and a lot of the music is really pretty great.

Laugh it up Furball...

I am the owner of 1/10 of a Chewbacca Limited Edition Star Wars backpack. Back in 2000 I purchased this backpack with nine other friends from a bookstore in, hmm, some British city. This particular backpack has been MIA for several years and I'm just trying to locate it...anyone, anyone? If you have any information on the whereabouts of this bag, please contact me.

It's Summer... break out the Big League Chew

I've been feeling nostalgic this summer. I saw Big League Chew at 7-11 the other day. I haven't seen it in years. It reminded me of taking my weekly allowance (all $1 of it) over to Emo buying candy. I would buy small boxes of Lemonheads, Cherry Clan, Jawbreakers, Mr. Melons, Boston Baked Beans, etc. for 11 cents each. I would buy those and Big League Chew and Topps Baseball Cards (I have a Roger Clemens rookie card--boo!) and Garbage Pail Kids. If I had any left over I'd try and buy a sticky hand (you know the ones that came in the little plastic bubble) from the machine. I'm still buying junk today but now it's slightly more sophisticated: lipgloss, magazines and Slurpees.