Ode to the "Glee"

Oh, Glee. How do I love Glee? Let me count the ways. There's Sue Sylvester and her scheming ways, hiding a secret softer side. There's Coach Beist and her whole chicken lunches (three chickens if she's celebrating). There's Mercedes and Sam, the cutest, most random couple to come together in McKinley high. And then there's Kurt, the poster child for class and acceptance and a role model for gay teens everywhere. This week's season finale, in which we had to say goodbye to eight of our most beloved members of the McKinley High Glee Club, prompted me to look back at some of the best moments. Here are my top ten (well, technically 12) "Glee" moments/performances of the past three seasons.

                                         10.) It's a tie!
                                                Burt Hummel gives Kurt his graduation present

Kurt and Burt- there's nothing like them. A more opposite father/son duo has never been seen to my knowledge, and yet, they have the most perfect father/son relationship ever. As Kurt's graduation present, mechanic/congressman Burt decides to reenact the moment he and Kurt started "walking towards each other instead of opposite directions"-the moment in Season 1 when he found Kurt dancing with Brittany and Tina in his basement to "Single Ladies". This is a total win.  And there's nothing better. Except for......

                      
                                              The football team dancing to "Single Ladies"

I read a comment on this video that was absolutely perfect: "Could you imagine how awkward it would be for the other team if this happened in real life?" Well, that's why it's absolutely, positively, PERFECT. There is nothing better than seeing a group of football players performing the dance to "Single Ladies" right before a play. Amazing. I cracked up.

9.) The first performance (of what is hopefully many) of Wade/Unique

The best thing Ryan Murphy could have done for the next season (as Wade's comment about "switching schools" in the "Props/Nationals" double episode hopefully foreshadows) was to hire this Glee project runner-up as a shy, gay teen who just wants to be himself-the trick is, his true self is an alter-ego he has named Unique. And boyyyyyy, is she fierce. This performance of "Boogie Shoes" is absolutely fantastic, and proves that Ryan Murphy was right in casting Alex Newell for the role. He owns it, fully. It makes me happy every time I watch this video!

8.) The first time Kurt and Blaine meet

Ah, Klaine. Le sigh. Let's be honest-the first time Kurt and Blaine met at Dalton Academy, we all knew that the only thing good that would come out of Kurt switching schools (albeit temporarily) would be his relationship with Blaine. I mean, come on. Where else are you going to find a good looking guy with awesome hair and a sweet uniform that can also pull off one of the sweetest Katy Perry songs, "Teenage Dream"? Nowhere. We all knew from day one that Kurt and Blaine had to get together, and when they finally did down the road a bit, we all cheered and then proceeded to watch this video 200 times.

7.) Brittany's dentist office fantasy

Brittany S. Pierce is my second favorite Glee member, hands down. (It's a compliment, I swear-it's pretty much a requirement to have Kurt as your favorite.) She can dance. She can sing. And best of all, in "Britney/Brittany", she went under for a dental operation and had a fantasy in which she performed "Slave 4 U" with a cameo by John Stamos as her hot doctor. Everybody wins!

6.) The senior swan song to the underclassmen



"You Get What You Give" was the perfect song for the seniors to say goodbye to the underclassmen. It's so full of hope and light and just...awesomeness. There's not much I can say about it, except that the real reward comes at the end when the seniors pull the underclassmen to their feet and we get to really see, for the first time, who will be left in New Directions next season. It's just breathtaking.

5.) Kurt's version of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"

Don't tell me your heart didn't break when Burt Hummel had a heart attack and ended up in the hospital. If you watched this episode and felt nothing, you are cold and heartless. Burt and Kurt are the best father-son duo to pop up on tv in a long time, and when Burt had his heart attack, all of us felt for Kurt. And when he walks into Glee club and sings "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" as a plea to his dad to wake up from his coma, all of us cried. Why Chris Colfer has not won an Emmy yet is absolutely beyond me.

4.) Will's proposal to Emma Pillsbury

The moment we've all been waiting for since Will left that witch Terri did not disappoint. When I'm proposed to, I can only hope that it also involves a pool, a bunch of (sort of) synchronized swimmers, white roses, and a Rihanna song.

3.) Brittany starts her Senior Class President campaign-with a Beyonce song

Finally, Heather Morris got to sing a song that not only showed off her awesome dancing skills, but finally showed off her true vocal prowess. McKinley's Brittany S. Pierce is on point with this performance of "Run the World"-and it doesn't hurt that Morris danced on tour for Beyonce before landing her role on "Glee".

2.) Rachel Berry reacts to her failed NYADA audition

Who would have thought that Barbra Streisand singing, two-dads-having, showtunes belting, Broadway-bound Rachel Berry would choke at the most important audition of her life? Her reaction is fully appropriate and completely encompasses what it feels like to lose a dream. Add to that the fact that Puck also failed his Geography exam, meaning that he couldn't graduate (again), and you have the perfect set up for Kelly Clarkson's "Cry"-which Lea Michele takes and pours her soul into, making this song one of the best performances in the past three seasons of Glee.

1.) It's another tie!

"Shake It Out"

I don't know or care if anyone else feels the same way I do about this song-it's beautiful. Absolutely perfect. Originally done by Florence + the Machine, I don't think I truly heard this song until I heard Santana, Tina, and Mercedes sing it to Coach Beist. Making it acoustic made it even more obvious that this is a song of empowerment, hope, and moving forward. The fact that they were singing it to Coach Beist, who was supposedly moving on from an abusive relationship (she did, but not in this episode) just added power to it. This song is my ringtone. This song is perfectly harmonized. This song is my number one Glee performance.

Darren Criss, "Cough Syrup"

Warning: This video contains sensitive material.

The best episode of Glee by far has been "On My Way". It brought up the sensitive subject of teen suicide in the LGBT community, and by using Carofsky no less. This is the bully that made Kurt's life at McKinley High miserable for two years, a popular kid on the football team, and for him to come out as gay afterword, and then be mocked to the point of attempting suicide, made a serious point about this subject-it can happen to anyone. And Darren Criss singing "Cough Syrup" behind the actions that led Carofsky to do what he did created the perfect start to this episode.

My List: Things I Want to Do In The Next 6 Years

I have recently come to the realization that I will be 25 next year. TWENTY-FIVE. A woman's 25th birthday is important-it's the halfway point of your twenties, signaling you're well on your way to 30. Once you hit 25, most women become more focused on becoming financially stable, starting lives, getting married, having a house, and all of the things that most people want. And once you hit 30? The same thing, if you're not already settled down. I dug up a list I created when I was about 21 called "Things To Do Before I'm Thirty". It has changed slightly over the past couple of years as I take things away from it through loss of interest or through completing something on the list. Things I've completed will have a line through them. I expect this list to change a few more times, but for right now, this is an idea of some dreams that I have for myself.

-Travel to a music festival and camp there in an RV
-Visit London
-Visit Puerto Rico
-Sell 3 songs
-Become a professional writer, perferably by publishing my first 3 novels
-Obtain a college degree
-Have at least 1 acting job
-Get 2-3 more tattoos
-Learn to play piano
-Learn Spanish fluently
-Re-learn sign language
-Buy my first house
-Go to 1 awards show
-Go to an island and learn how to scuba dive
-Meet My Chem to let them know how much they've changed my life
-Start my baking delivery service
-Save up to open my bakery/bookstore
-Learn to ride a bike (so that I can ride a morocycle)
-Be a camp counselor
-Become a certified yoga instructor
-Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity
-Spend part of a summer overseas with a charity
-Take a road trip
-Go on a snowboarding trip
-Lick the Liberty Bell
-Buy a set of samurai swords
-Learn how to hotwire a car
-Learn how to play football and hockey properly
-Buy a jetski and a surfboard
-Learn to surf
-Run/walk a marathon
-Take a trip (meditation/yoga retreat)
-Trace my family history
-Learn guitar
-Visit Thailand or Fiki
-Go to a berry farm
-Go to a pumpkin patch
-Own at least five game systems at one time
-Get married
-Take kickboxing classes
-Eat at every diner in NJ
-Own a bar
-Meet Pete Wentz

Can Men and Women Really Be Just Friends?

I was talking to someone at work the other day and mentioned something funny that my best friend had told me recently. My co worker laughed and commented on how "she" (meaning my best friend) sounded like a funny girl. And when I corrected her and told her that my best friend was a guy, she looked at me as if I had three heads.

The ultimate question has always been this: can men and women truly be best friends? Just friends,with no romantic intentions? For ages,women have always talked about the bond between women, not the possible bond between a man and a woman. "Sex and the City" was about four single women who were best friends, not two women and two men. Every TV drama has turned, or attempted to turn, any female and male cast mates into onscreen couples. This is the twenty-first century. Friendships between men and women are much more common then they were even in the 80's. But still, many people have the common belief that men and women cannot be best friends.

I do agree that not all men and women can be best friends. Many men and women can't even stand to be in the same room together. The male brain (at least these days) is ingrained with the need for sex first, questions later. Women, even those who look for one night stands, are naturally more emotional, or at the very least, feel the need for clarity, even with a brief encounter. Men are very simple. Women's brains are extremely complicated, running a mile a minute. It can be hard for men and women to be around each other, and often with friendships between men and women, one person develops feelings while the other one doesn't and someone gets their heart broken. I agree-the idea, even though modern, that men and women can be friends, is still strange-sounding when you think about how many divorces there are and how many broken hearts are walking around these days. However, there are those rare times when two people click in such a way that they can't help being friends-it just makes sense.

Personally, I believe that men and women can definitely be best friends. Most of my close friends, in the past and right now, are guys. In fact, I have only one really close girlfriend. And most importantly, my best friend, Mike, is a guy. We text all the time. We talk on the phone when we can. Our conversations consist of long back-and-forth teasing sessions about bologna sandwiches, movies, and girl and guy advice. And not once have I ever thought about us being anything more than friends. Maybe it's just me, but if all girls had at least one close guy friend, someone to give them blunt advice, someone to help them figure out the men in their life, someone to relate to without that woman-on-woman jealousy and emotionality that is often a part of female relationships, maybe us girls wouldn't be so crazy and confused and emotional.

So, while many people still think that men and women as best friends is taboo, I think it's completely do-able. Again, not all girls can just go pluck out a guy to be their best friend-you've gotta be a good-natured chick with a good sense of humor to be able to hang with the guys. My advice? Don't try too hard. Act naturally, and maybe your best friend will stumble upon you someday. If not, don't worry about it. Just know that not every male that crosses your path has to be a one-night stand or a long-term relationship. Sometimes, it's okay to be friends and meet in the middle.

My Carolina Red Velvet Cake

This weekend is my wonderful boyfriend's 22nd birthday, and every year, I make his birthday cake. His favorite cake is red velvet (which should be no shock, considering he's a Southern boy). I've made my tweaking over the past couple of years, and this year, I think I figured out the recipe perfectly. There's nothing like a nice red velvet cake with cream cheese icing to eat during the summer, or any time.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil or cooking spray for the pans
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.
Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.
Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)

Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Yield: enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake

New Movie Releases-May 18, 2012

                            New Movie of the Week: "What to Expect When You're Expecting"

Starring Cameron Diaz, Anna Kendrick, Jennifer Lopez, Brooklyn Decker, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Rock,Chace Crawford, Matthew Morrison
I admit, this was definitely not the obvious choice for movie of the week from the three wide releases that are coming out. But come on-Cameron Diaz? Jennifer Lopez? Elizabeth Banks? Not to mention Chris Rock as the leader of a group of dads who meet regularly in the park, treating fatherhood like it's some kind of funny, "Hangover"-style brotherhood? If you have seen the trailer, you know this is going to be funny. Not even that cheesy, ensemble-comedy, "Valentine's Day" funny-we're talking a well written, well casted comedy.You can see the trailer here:

Other releases this week:

Battleship-Strangely based on the board game "Battleship", this film follows a fleet of naval ships taking on a band of aliens who want to use Earth's resources to ensure their own survival. Starring Liam Neeson and Rihanna, this should be, at the very least, interesting to see.

The Dictator (released 5/16)-Sacha Baron Cohen is back as his new character, the Dictator. He travels to America, he travels back to his North African Country-honestly, I'm not sure exactly what the plot of this movie is, other than Sacha Baron Cohen's Dictator working hard to fill us with laughs like he did in Borat. Starring Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley as well, this should be an enjoyable time, and a perfect date movie-gross out Sacha Baron Cohen comedy for the guys, Anna Faris as a hippie named Zoey who finds the Dictator and takes him under her wing for the girls.

The Perfect Philadelphia Roll

I found this sushi recipe on sushilinks.com for my favorite sushi roll of all time-a Philadelphia Roll. If you like lox and cream cheese, you will love this. There's just something so satisfying about the combination of smoked salmon and cream cheese. Putting it in a roll and putting some pickled ginger, soy sauce, and a dab of wasabi on it turns it into a bite that I could eat every day for the rest of my life. I also think it's rather appropriate, considering I'm counting all sushi places as cursed at this moment in time.

Recipe For Two Large Philly Rolls
2 8" lengths of 1/4" square cream cheese
3 ounces smoked salmon
2 8" lengths of 1/4" square English cucumber
2 toasted Nori (sushi grade seaweed) sheets
1 cup Sushi rice Optional Ingredients1 ounce thinly sliced Maui onion
1/2 ounce tobiko (flying fish caviar - I prefer gold or red)
Step 1 - Prepare Nori Sheet First place one full sheet of sushi nori on your bamboo mat, shiny side down.
Step 2 - Cover Lightly With Sushi Rice Lightly cover the nori sheet with your prepared sushi rice - leaving the remaining inch and a half of nori bare lengthwise away from you.
Step 3 - Place Toppings Lengthwise Place your toppings lengthwise at center of your rice.
Step 4 - Start Rolling Fold your mat over, centering your ingredients with respect to your rice sheet to the far edge of your rice. With even pressure, tighten your roll by pressing and pulling on your mat.
Step 5 - Tighten Your Roll Finish your rolling by rolling your tightened roll over the last flap of nori. Repeat the tightening process if necessary.
Step 6 - Slice & Serve Slice your Philadelphia Roll into eight pieces. And that's it — the perfect Philly Roll! Enjoy!

Accidents Even Happen to the Invincible

Readers, I want to make this very clear: all I wanted was sushi.

I swear, that's all I wanted. Just some delicious, fresh sushi, maybe some salmon, and some crab and cream cheese wontons from Tsunami Buffet in Morehead. But apparently, God had other plans. Because he decided to put an 86 year old man and, as illustrated so wonderfully in the police report, a "Large Pine Tree" in my way.

Here's the scoop: picture it. Newport, North Carolina. April 29, 2012. I had just finished my first running session in about a year and a half. Al and I were on a weekend sushi kick, having found out that Tsunami Buffet now sells sushi to go priced by the piece and the rest of their buffet by the pound. And what's better on a lazy, spring Sunday than getting some fresh fish?

We set out on Highway 24 for our journey. I was doing exactly 55, and I remember it because I was surprised that it was the exact speed limit. And then, it happened.

A Toyota came out of nowhere. I was in the left lane. They came out of a driveway from the other side of the road, cut clear across the turning land and directly in front of me, doing about 25 mph. I swerved into the right lane to avoid rear-ending them, not thinking that they would change lanes again. Without looking, they cut in front of me again, still going 25 mph (or around that number), and forced me to swerve suddenly a second time to try and get back into the left lane. Apparently, a 2 ton Land Rover is not a good vehicle if you need to move quickly.

The rest is a blur. I remember spinning onto the other side of the road. I remember feeling dizzy. I remember the sound of the car as it crunched into the tree (which myself, my boyfriend's mother, and the girls at work now jokingly refer to as "Carly's tree"). I was never unconscious. I panicked instantly as soon as I realized what happened.

Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it sounds (or looked). Everyone who helped me out of the car and treated me at the hospital was amazing. I took two days off of work and wore a sling for a week to heal my sore shoulder. I've been recovering very quickly too-it's been almost a month, and other than some pain in my rotator cuff and some scars on my arm that I'm healing with Mederma, I'm perfectly fine. Al didn't get hurt at all. Several people who saw the accident stopped and gave statements to the police, eventually helping them find the man who cut in front of me. He's been ticketed, and, true to the nature of men, said that his wife was the one who told him he was clear to pass.

Luckily, the only thing that suffered (other than the car and the tree) was my blog and my Twitter account. But now I've got my blog back up and running, as well as my Twitter, and will have some new posts to make up for lost time. Thankfully, I'm here to write them. So, wear your seat belts, and remember-accidents are accidents, and they can happen to anyone, even the invincible.