13 Years in 13 Days!

Since it's been such a popular topic, on-air, off-air, and here: this is my offical Q101 13 Years in 13 Days post. Seems we've created a little bit of a buzz with our countdowns! I've had the privilege of hosting a big chunk of them, and it's been really fun reliving each year. There are a lot of memories those forgotten songs have stirred up. Concerts, old flames, road trips, old friends. Of course, there's also been Fred Durst. It couldn't all be good times.

My favorite year so far has been 1995. I heard my favorite band, Ben Folds Five, for the first time. I saw my first concert without my dad (who first took me to see Jimmy Buffett oh-so-long ago): Dave Matthews Band, with some friends from high school. I started to really get into Pearl Jam, Radiohead and the Pumpkins. I learned how awesome Kevin Spacey is, thanks to Se7en and The Usual Suspects, two movies which remain favorites to this day. I became obsessed with Chrono Trigger and Earthbound, two fanastic video games. And since I was only 15, I was still an idealistic and innocent girl, not the cynical, sarcastic creature I am today. (I like the 2005 version of me better, but only because I get to drink now. Kidding.)

Now, I have the benefit of looking at the 1995 countdown right now (you can get all of them by signing up to be a 101 Club member), so here are some of the songs that cemented 1995 as my favorite year: "Fake Plastic Trees," Radiohead; "Here and Now," Letters to Cleo; "Can't Cry Anymore," Sheryl Crow; "Immortality," "Nothingman" and "Whipping" by Pearl Jam; "Starseed," Our Lady Peace; "Don't Stay Home," 311; "Queer," Garbage; "Sick of Myself," Matthew Sweet; "Stars," Hum; "White, Discussion," Live; "I'll Stick Around," Foo Fighters; "Connection," Elastica; "I Got a Girl," Tripping Daisy - and that's not including the top 10 songs, which all retain solid rotation in the Electra-Pod.

It's your turn now. Have you voted? Have you listened? What did you love? What did you hate? Give me some comment-love!!

A Delicious Turn of Events

For as long as I can remember, my favorite fast food item has been the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger from Wendy's. There's something so perfect about its construction, when done right: crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, chewy bacon, a little mayo, soft bun... all creating the ideal compliment to the succulent meat and melted cheese. I'm drooling a little just thinking about it. And for as long as I can remember, the JBC has been 99 cents - until earlier this year, when the price jumped to $1.39 without any warning.

I felt betrayed. Sure, other purveyors of burgers and fries have jacked up the cost of a fast food meal over the years. But we're talking about the Super Value Menu here! A bastion of economy! A beacon of hope for the frugal! It hasn't stopped me from hitting up my usual order of two Jr. Bacons and a medium fry every once in a while, but I sure have been angry about spending close to a buck more to do it.

So imagine my delight when, while watching a rerun of the last Lost episode tonight ("What Kate Did," and I can't wait for the next new ep in two weeks), I saw a commercial for Wendy's that declared my beloved Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger to again be just 99 cents! I would have leapt off the couch, but I probably would have freaked Alan out. This is great news! Tomorrow night I go to investigate!

(...okay, so it's not a top 10 list for 2005 or anything, but aren't you tired of reading those? And doesn't that burger look better than another picture of Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch? Thought so.)

Bad blogger

Sorry for no posts for the past week and a half. My computer (Sam) has been at the Apple store (hopefully) getting brought back to life, and the computer I've been using in the interim doesn't seem to like Blogger. Plus: friends in town, friends moving away, my first weekend of Twisted shows, holiday parties and shopping, Q101's 13 Years in 13 Days... yeah, it's been busy. But, as Alice in Chains would say, "no excuses." I'll try to do better in the new year.

Not that I'll be gone until then. I'm hopping on a plane in a few hours for Rhode Island, and I return Monday night. Not a long enough break, but it'll do. I'm excited to see my dad, stepmom, brother and stepsister, and all the extended family. Oh yeah - and to drink. Merry Christmas, Happy Channukah, have a good weekend, and all that jazz. Be good, y'all!

The Big Cat, the Evil Lady and the Closet

Oh, my rock star lifestyle. I've been exhausted these past few days, thanks to a whirlwind trip to NYC to see a friend be in his first play as a professional actor. After the performance (which Alan and I nearly missed thanks to bullshit flight cancellations by an awful airline which I'll never fly on again), there were many, many drinks and very little sleep. And an incident where I poured water on the drummer from The King Left. I'm just crazy when I'm drunk.

We meant to be quiet last night, but when Ravey invited us to dinner/drinks/The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, there was just no saying no. Maybe my exhaustion made me more emotional than usual, but I got very close to teary-eyed watching the movie. I reread all seven Chronicles of Narnia a few years ago, but I first encountered Aslan and company as a very young Electra. The movie made me feel envious of children: how innocent their imaginations are, and how many possibilities their futures hold. Sure, it was a little violent and scary to be rated PG, and the battle sequence felt almost like a sunnier Braveheart, with centaurs and gryphons instead of Scots. But that didn't keep me from beaming proudly as good overcame evil... though evil, in the form of Tilda Swinton, was pretty bad-ass. As a fan of the books - and C.S. Lewis in general - I give it high marks.

I don't think it's my favorite movie of the year, though. I'm nowhere close to making a list, but off the top of my head, the top three might be Sin City, Good Night, and Good Luck, and March of the Penguins. Of course, King Kong comes out tomorrow, and I never did catch 40-Year-Old Virgin in theatres. Oh, and I did really enjoy Walk the Line... and Wedding Crashers made me laugh harder than I have in a while. Dammit. Maybe I finalize this list some other time.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Paris

My hometown of Cranston, Rhode Island, is a fine place to grow up. It's pretty suburban, and it has approximately 1500 Dunkin' Donuts, and there's a great library system where I worked before becoming the radio snarkstress I am today. Cranston has two public high schools (go East!), a delightfully sprawling outdoor shopping center, and this year: a gaudy ode to Paris Hilton that celebrates the holiday season. This guy, Joe Moretti, does elaborate displays on his lawn every year that clog up traffic and rarely have anything to do with Christmas or Hanukkah. I remember driving by to see them a couple times; the Madonna one stands out in my mind as being fairly decadent. Nicky (not Hilton), my best friend since I was 6, lives in Hawaii now, the lucky duck. I e-mailed her to tell her about this year's spectacle. She said: "Wow. I miss driving by to view those displays. But really... PARIS HILTON?!?" I think that sums it up. PARIS HILTON?!? I'm not offended by her scanty outfits, or her sexual escapades. I'm mildly annoyed by her frequent use of animals as props, with little regard for their well-being. What really bothers me about her presence on Mr. Moretti's lawn? She doesn't have any talent to speak of (although her jaw got a workout in the Carl's Jr. ad pictured here), and yet she's famous. I HATE that. I guess I'll eat my words if her forthcoming album proves to be a smash hit, but I'm not holding my breath.

Aristotle, Socrates, Homer (Simpson)

The RedEye article today about the Simpsons class at Columbia College got me thinking about learning. Deb Foote, a Columbia lecturer, teaches "The Simpsons as Satirical Authors," wherein the cultural issues spoofed by the show get the collegiate treatment. I'm sure there are plenty of people who scoff at the idea of using a cartoon in the classroom. They'll say it's another piece of evidence pointing towards the dumbing down of our culture; kids don't want to learn, they want to be entertained. Then those people will take their glasses of warm milk out of the microwave and settle down for their afternoon nap.

I say there's education hiding in all forms of modern entertainment, and kudos to Ms. Foote for coaxing it out and using it. A popular example: surveys have shown that the "much-sought after 18-34 demographic" gets more of their news from satirical programs like the Daily Show than the standard network programs. I don't think this means we have to be spoonfed the events of the day with a splash of comedy. It's just that we prefer to laugh a little when thinking about Saddam's trial or the latest killer virus. Video games, a frequent political target, have been shown not only to improve hand-eye coordination and motor skills, but can also teach about multi-tasking and logical thinking. I finished a great book a few months ago called Everything Bad Is Good For You which basically says that pop culture has gotten more complex to digest - multiple narratives and main characters in a single film, elements of social and political structure buried in television shows - and so it's training us to handle and process more information than ever before.

I'm totally ecstatic about an institution recognizing the educational value of today's pop culture. So what if shows like the Simpsons and South Park don't present their satire with as much gravitas or eloquence as writers of the past? They tackle modern issues with modern flair, and do it with witty one-liners besides. The writers don't just aim for laughs with sex jokes or bathroom humor - even if that brand of comedy makes a more-than-occasional appearance. They're multifaceted, and they're smart. Can't exactly say that about Two and a Half Men, can you?

Dirty Words and the Lack Thereof

This weekend was a quiet one, except for massive amounts of beer and food during yesterday's football marathon. (Oh, which reminds me... GO BEARS EIGHT WINS IN A ROW BEARS NATHAN VASHER BEARS BEARS BEARS!!! Ahem.) Saturday night I happened to catch one of my FAVORITE movies of all time on TV: The Usual Suspects. I've watched that movie dozens of times. I quote it with frequency. At one point in college, when I would shut down my computer, you would hear, "and like that... he's gone." I even have an autographed Kevin Spacey head shot which I was inspired to get my hands on after falling in love with his performance as Verbal Kint. The Usual Suspects is the bomb, yo.

So... I should have known better than to watch it on television. Not only was it edited to pieces, but WHOLE CHUNKS OF DIALOGUE WERE CUT OUT!!! An f-bomb filled tirade from Stephen Baldwin just vanished into thin air, leaving behind a ghostly silence and the image of him flailing his arms in anguish on a darkened beach. Thank god one of my favorite S-Bald quotes remained intact: "Old McDonald had a farm... E-I-E-I-O... and on that farm, he... shot some guys." Totally awesome. I tuned in about 2/3rds of the way through, long after the classic lineup scene, so I can only imagine what sort of trave-sham-mockery that became. "Hand me the keys, you f---ing c---sucker" probably doesn't sit too well with the censors. I don't think the dirty language is integral to the enjoyment of the film, but it feels wrong without it.

(As an aside, I always hated that they messed up the lineup order in the above promotional picture. It should be Fenster in the middle and THEN Keaton. Motherf---ers.)

Perhaps it was my fury over the overzealous edits that inspired today's Way to Waste Time at Work (an Electra exclusive): How Swearing Works. Find out how ordinary words become swear words, what happens to your brain when you swear, and the subtle difference between swearing and cursing. You can also find office-friendly alternatives to some of your favorite naughty phrases, like "sweet cheeses!" I've always liked "two-faced son of a jackal" myself. Enjoy!

Must... Eat... Tinsel

Last night I had the honor and privilege of co-hosting the Malibu Rum "Light Up Your Holidays" party at Duffy's... with Kathy Griffin, self-proclaimed D-List celebrity and, coincidentally, a very snarky lady. People decorated themselves in holiday trimmings to win money. "A picture says a thousand words," the saying goes...


So what does that one say? Captions in the comments section, please.

Eeek! Bedbugs!

I'm a bit of a hypochondriac, I'll admit it - and a champion worrier, besides. So newspaper articles about bedbug attacks make me want to stay awake for the rest of my life. Two unfortunate Swiss women were "eaten alive" by bedbugs at Manhattan's Hotel Pennsylvania in September. Naturally, the physical and emotional scarring has left them seeking monetary compensation. I think that many people have become lawsuit-happy in this day and age, but I can support this one. BUGS IN MY BED? You could get diseases! Or worse, it could be like that one story from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark where the spider lays its eggs in the girl's face and then they hatch!!! I need to go do some laundry.