My Favorite Valentines - Fictitious & Non

Happy celebration of love day, friends!
Hopefully this day brings you more happiness than sadness, however if you're single, don't fret. Being single is not bad - I'm single and I'm ok with it. Yes, I would love to be woo'ed today, but I could be woo'ed any random day of the year; it doesn't have to be on Valentine's Day. So let's pop in our favorite romcom's, pour our single selves (or in a relationship; you're invited too!) a glass of champagne and oogle these couples that make us sick - yet still make us love's #1 cheerleader.

George Takei and Brad Altman: Non-Fictitious

George Takei (or as you probably know him, Captain Sulu) and his husband, Brad Altman make me lovesick. Recently tying the knot (though, in a relationship for over 18 years), these two are examples of how we should all conduct relationships. Almost every picture that I see of them together, they're either embracing or laughing. To still be that in love with each other after 18 years, a standing ovation to you.

Christian and Satine: Fictitious (yet, in my head, non-fictitious)

So my favorite movie about love is Moulin Rouge! and every time I watch it, Christian and Satine re-ignite my belief that love can really exist (especially when the world proves otherwise). If you've never seen this movie, rent it tonight. Not only is this another cinematic masterpiece by Baz Luhrmann, but such a meaty love story, that your heart will thank you for it. Moulin Rouge! takes us into the life of Christian (Ewan McGregor) and Satine (Nicole Kidman). Christian, who is obsessed with true love, hopes to write one of the greatest love stories ever made, but ends up finding himself in the middle it. Satine, who values money over love, finds herself in love with a penniless playwright. The ending of this movie will make you cry like the biggest baby in town (I tried to find a clip, but at no avail). This movie is the band-aid for any wounded heart - rent one and call me in the morning (doctor's orders!). 

 Drew Barrymore and Justin Long: Non-Fictitious and Fictitious

What a perfect indie romance. I'm not completely sure if they're still together and I haven't seen that movie, "Going The Distance" - however, this is probably one of my favorite celebrity couples ever. Drew and Justin go to concerts together, seem very similar in their personalities and have a such a cutesy relationship that it kind of makes me want to puke - and want it at the same time. I guess I love their relationship because I would like my relationship to look like this. Drew and Justin, I am jealous.

Anywho, I hope you enjoy your day - single or taken! I'm going to go buy myself a chocolate heart, pop in Annie Hall and celebrate the beauty of the single life.

xo

Sitcom Love and How It Relates To Your Life

In honor of Valentines Day coming up, I thought I'd post a little blog about Amour.

If you're like me (a hopeless romantic, emphasis on hopeless) than you wish for real love, like sitcom love. However, do not be fooled. Sitcom love is a myth; they are romances that ruin our perception of real life, and what real men are actually like.

Most recently, exhibit A:

 Zoey and Ted (How I Met Your Mother - Relationship Life: Oct. 18th, 10 - Present)

Zoey and Ted's relationship began with Zoey protesting a historic building being torn down, where (in typical sitcom style) Ted's architecture firm is planning on building a new building. Ted lies and acts like he's with Zoey, however the truth comes to the surface, and after a few ups and downs, Zoey, Ted and all of their friends become close. Ted, hopelessly single, starts to have feelings for Zoey, but Zoey is married to a creepy, older, captain dude. However, when Ted tries to pretend that he no longer has feelings for Zoey and asks her to hook him up with her cousin (Katy Perry - puke), Zoey gets jealous. When Zoey runs into Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and discovers that Ted gave Honey (Katy Perry) to him, she's overwhelmed with happiness. After a whole bunch of confusing explanations, Zoey learns that Ted loves her, and she confesses her love for Ted. Viola! A beautiful kiss is shared and love blooms. If you're like me, you sit - eyes glued to the television, and swoon over how heartwarming this new romance is and maybe, someday, it will happen to you.

Exhibit B:

 Jim and Pam (The Office - Relationship Life: May 17th, 07 - Present)

Oh, Jim and Pam. I've always felt so like Pam. Pam and I are quiet, yet outgoing when we feel comfortable.We both are artists in our own respects (she draws, I'm a graphic artist), we both drive Yaris's, and we both felt a connection with a boy in our office. For a while, I felt like watching Jim and Pam on The Office was a mirror of what my life was actually like at the time. If you're not familiar with The Office, Jim and Pam work in the same office together. They form such a close friendship that they start to have feelings for each other. Whenever Pam would be really into Jim, Jim would be in a relationship and vice-versa. For months, we pained to see Jim and Pam finally get together - when they did, I felt like my heart was going to bust. To this day, whenever I watch the clip below (see it - sorry about the advertisement at the beginning) it makes me snivel like a little babe.

See what I mean? Whenever Jim busts in the door and Pam starts to cry a bit, holy cow. I always thought that my Jim and Pam situation would end up like this - unfortunately no.

I am the perfect example of a lost cause. I still hold on to the hope that love like this can really, actually happen. I've seen glimpses of it and usually yes, my glimpses were actually dreams in disguise - however, feeling that hope that goes along with these glimpses and how deep it made my body react, sitcom love has to exist. I started this post, in hopes of trying to convince you not to keep your hopes up high for love like sitcom love. I think I need to convince myself first.

xo

Don't hide your love away.

This weekend was so nice. I got to spend a lot of time with my family and it felt so good to be surrounded by people that I love. As I get older, I cherish the time that we get to spend together. I was watching The Trouble With Angels the other day and it made me cry so hard. The movie is supposed to be a comedy about two trouble making girls who are sent to a convent-school. In the end, they grow to become well-rounded ladies, leaving their mischievous ways behind. This movie reminds me so much of my Grandma Kurtz and my Grammie. Usually on Saturdays, my sister and I would stay the night at my Grandma Kurtz's place and watch old movies like By The Light of the Silvery Moon, With Six You Get Eggroll, Good News, The Trouble With Angels - classic June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Doris Day, Hayley Mills films (just to name only a few). It reminded me of my Grammie because my Grammie loved Hayley Mills.

Watching this movie made me realize that time goes by so quickly. You live in these moments of spending Saturday nights watching black and whites, thinking they'll last forever. Before you know it, both of your grandma's are gone, and time is still ticking. Losing my grandmothers so close together has really effected me deeply. 2009 till now have been some of the hardest years of my lives. I lost my Grandma Kurtz on the Christmas before 09' (literally on the 25th), I lost my Grammie that June, I lost my Job in June of 2010 and I lost my Guinea Pig, Sire Boo Pig Mallion, just when the weather started to get cold in 2010 (I know you're thinking that he's just a guinea pig, but I really, really, really loved him). I've been having a hard time keeping my anxiety and sadness in check, and that's why I say family is so important. They love you even when you're a blubbering, stressed-out mess. They don't get fed up with you and they help ease your sad feelings. Family = the ultra in awesome.

In other news, I have noticed that I have started to develop a weird obsession. I cannot stop taking pictures of cats. Here's a few recent obsessive shots I've taken:

(Ashley's Cat, Ginger)

 (Ashley's Cat, Woody)

 (Mom's Cat, Figaro)

(Our Kitty (Nick and I), Harriet Tubman)

Cats are excellent. I guess you could call me the "cat-tographer".

xo

I should blog more.

Sorry for the absence in blogging, but I've been busy doing:

this:

 and this:

and a little bit of this:

A dash of this:

A pinch of that:

One of these:

A whole bunch of this:

 Some of this:

Some of this:

And one of these:

 So in the future, I'll try to stay current and update more frequently. That way, I don't have to shove three months in one post.

xo