I Heart Kristen

"Garth & Kat": Fred Armisen & Kristen Wiig's holiday singing duo during SNL's Weekend Update is one of the best new sketches the show brought out last year. While its the show's tendency to overkill everything with potential, "Garth & Kat" has inherent staying power since its 100% improvisation. It also helps that Wiig and Armisen have tremendous chemistry.
Why I like it: Jimmy Fallon's inability to keep a straight face during sketches: irritating. Wiig and Armisen laughing unapologetically at themselves: adorable. And Kristen, if you ever see this, marry me.

Watch the video here:

Bro Names: My personal favorites, in no particular order: Broseidon, god of the sea; Mario Bropez, Brover Cleveland, Dan MarinBro, Bronan O'Brian, and his nemesis, Jay LenBro. Just to name a few.

Asian Food Court Workers: The effort they take to advertise is admirable. Not only are they pleasant in accosting passersby but their tactics usually work. After one of their samples of orange chicken, I'm usually always sold and they laugh at The Great Steak and Potato Company all the way to the bank.

"How We Are Hungry" by Dave Eggers: A book of new and previously published short stories by the screenwriter of  "Where the Wild Things Are" and the memoir "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius". My favorites: "Notes for a Story of a Man Who Will Not Die Alone", "She Waits, Seething, Blooming" and the acclaimed "After I Was Thrown in the River and Before I Drowned"   Published in 2004 (ISBN: 1-932416-13-7)  The title says it all.

Yay Everyday: Check it out here.

 
Seriously Miss Wiig, marry me?

Movies, Videos, Books, and Beer

RedBox Movie Rentals: Drive up. Pick a movie. Pay a dollar. While the movie selection isn't that great (Lindsay Lohan's "Labor Pains" is somehow always an option,) you really can't beat the price. Only $1.00 and no nasty rental store employees judging you for wanting to see "When In Rome" again.
Why I like it: It's completely idiot proof. Unlike a rental store, the omniscient machine keeps its record on your bank statement, tacking on a dollar a day for 25 days. And for the record, paying $25 for "Valentine's Day" isn't worth it unless you're an idiot. For the fools thinking to replace the DVD with some other disc to cheat the system, the code on the redbox DVD's won't let you. It's a full proof system RedBox has going on. Unless someone tried to copy the barcode on the original... then its like, "Free DVD!"

 Jake & Amir: Webisode series from collegehumor.com - I can't tell if Jake really hates Amir in real life or if he's just a really bad actor. Either way, the two comedy writers recently won the Webby People's Voice Voice Award for Best Comedy Series on the Internet, and deservedly so. Check them out here:

Actual books: I was wary of books-on-tape but enough is enough.. this new fad of digital books is equivalent to replacing music on CD's. I'm still waiting for the iPod fad to pass. Regardless, technology like Kindle or the nook takes away all the grandeur of reading an actual book No library smell, no pretentious book store employees, and obviously no color pictures*. Fact: the kindle is destroying Johannes Gutenberg's legacy.

*If Kindle updated to a color version, I'm totally in.

Magic Hat's Summer Sampler: I'm not a beer snob by any stretch of the imagination. I keep to Budweiser and maybe opt for the Great Lakes Elliot Ness every blue moon or so (see what I did?) However, I do declare myself an avid fan of the Magic Hat Brewing Co. I recently bought their Summer Sampler Pack and was instantly smitten, and consequently inebriated. Featuring the classic No. 9, Blind Faith, Odd Notion, and (my personal favorite) Wacko - the sampler pack is delicious at a barbecue, around a camp fire, or just drinking yourself to sleep on a balmy summer night. The only one I warn you against is Blind Faith, an I.P.A. boasting a 6.2 ABV and a bitterness factor of 60. Opt for the Wacko instead, a summer beer with 4.5 ABV and bitterness registered at 14.5. It's really crisp, not too hoppy, and just really refreshing. The other two are also really good but I'm not kidding - Blind Faith is disgusting.

The Angus Third Pounder (especially the Mushroom and Swiss)

McDonald's Angus Third Pounders: Their first new sandwich since the Big N' Tasty (also a personal favorite), the Third Pounders weigh in at  770 calories and only 360 of those are from fat! Naysayers may scoff at the succulent heart-clogging half-cow burger but I say let them eat cake!  It offers 88% of your daily protein and if you're feeling like a fatty, opt for the side salad instead of the fries. It totally makes a difference.

Note: I don't recommend it for the summer as the hot weather coupled with the sandwich will probably make you want to kill yourself.

Why I like it: You can tell that McDonald's cares about this sandwich because you have to wait extra long every time you order it. Also, I always feel like I'm getting the best of both worlds (Miley Cyrus). You get the convenience and efficiency of a fast-food restaurant with the class and quality of an Applebee's.

(http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/mcdonalds-angus-mushroom-swiss-third-pounder-100percen62069.htm)

Other things I like:
EpiPens - What's more badass than having an allergic reaction and then stabbing yourself Daniel Craig style?
The baby from "Toy Story 3" - Just seems like a tortured soul.

Ellie Kemper's writing: She plays crazy secretary Erin on "The Office" and writes hilarious essays for McSweeney's.

Introduction

Like all post graduate students, I've decided a blog will help give me some sort of purpose.
So instead of commenting on the socio-economic effects of the World Cup in South Africa or the burgeoning career of Ke$ha, I'm just going to let you know about the shit I like.

First up: McDonald's Third Pounders - especially, the Mushroom and Swiss.