Top Movie Scores of All Time Ever in the World!

I'm sitting here in my new flat while the guy who came here to change the locks and broken windows is having a nice conversation on the phone. I could be here for a while. So, instead of stalking people on Facebook or reading more about the debt ceiling, I will give you a new list! A few of you have expressed "WOO!" after reading my lists, and lord knows I like making them so, here you go.

I chose film scores because I love movies. If a movie is done well, the score will add to it and be just as memorable (ala Jaws. Would that shark have been half as scary with out the famous "Da dum Da dum..." ?) In no particular order, here you go!

1. Star Wars - John Williams Duh. I know it is an obvious choice, but the music in this movie is seriously bad ass. It has seeped into our collective brain and we all know what it sounds like when Darth Vader is on the move. I walked down the aisle to the Imperial March.

2. Pather Panchali - Ravi Shankar A beautiful movie about love, family and redemption. It is highlighted by the sitar music throughout. It made me fall in love with the film. 

3. The Godfather - Nino Rota I had to do some research about Mr. Rota, and I'm glad I did. It seems he is responsible for some of my favorite movie scores! Aside from The Godfather, the Italian composer did such gems as 81/2, La Strada, and Romeo and Juliet. The Godfather score is hands down the winner, but they are all awesome. Give a listen.

4. The Mission - Ennio Morricone I saw The Mission in the theater when I was 12 years old. I didn't understand everything that was going on in the film, but the music stayed with me. The score is haunting and inspiring. The movie is pretty bad ass too. Sure I could have gone with "A Fist Full of Dollars", but I thought for once I'd be a little classy. You're welcome. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuyQQD-EAOQ] 

5. Escape From New York - Alan Howarth & John Carpenter Ok, granted - this is not one of the best film scores of all time, but it is awesome. Maybe I just have sentimental feeling for the movie, but every time I hear it I feel that time is running out! It sounds like all of Carpenter's score's - simple, keyboards, and momentum. Say what you will, I still like it. 

6.  Amélie - Yann Tiersen The music is so much a part of this film that it is hard to separate the two. Both are full of personality and life. I am a sucker for piano, and add a little accordion to it and I am sold. It's quirky and beautiful, just like the film. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp_obiTlGFM&feature=related]

7. Gone With the Wind - Max Steiner All of Max Steiner's scores are full of drama, and I love music that is full of drama! Thus my love for Meatloaf, show tunes, Barbara Streisand and films from the 1940's. Gone With the Wind is one of the most famous scores of film history and one that sweeps you away. Every time I hear it I want to watch the movie.

8. American Beauty - Thomas Newman Another haunting piano driven score. The music in this film was perfect, and it is a nice distraction to the man hammering in the next room. Newman, take me away! His music in Road to Perdition was a close second. Actually his entire catalogue is spectacular.

9. El Mariachi/Desperado - Los Lobos Just awesome. I dare you to listen to the "Mariachi Suite" and not fall in love with it. The movies are pretty bad ass as well. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu4Hnbor9rI]

10. Buckaroo Banzai - ??? This is a toughie. I have always had a soft spot for the music in this film, but it seems that you just can't find it anywhere. If you are interested in hearing "The Glory Walk" which makes me smile every time, check out this article. But here it is: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MqJ3iGBdOo]

11. Cannibal Holocaust - Riz Ortolani Have you seen this? Probably not. It is an Italian "Horror" film that is so graphic it was dubbed as a "snuff film". Either way, the music that goes with the blood and guts is so calm and beautiful it makes the EWW factor that much more icky.

12. Harold and Maude - Cat Stevens One of my favorite films of all time wth one of the best soundtracks ever. Steven's wrote two songs just for this beautiful love story. It all works. Maude is my hero. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKGze_1DWbE] 

And that's all folks. I could write about Jaws and Psycho, but what's the point? You all know that the music from ET is great, Wizard of Oz is timeless, and that the score from "Lawrence of Arabia" is legendary so I thought I'd throw you a couple you might not have heard. That's all for now. I'm going to go walk around the other room and see if dude is going to finish before I go gray.

Glenn Beck Compares Norway Massacre Victims to Hitler Youth

It's only been a month since Glenn Beck was cancelled from the FOX line up. I was only too happy soaking in the glorious bliss that was his silence. Until today. I guess he decided that the world must have forgotten what an ignorant, douche bag-tool he is.

On his radio show he said, "There was a shooting at a political camp, which sounds a little like, you know, the Hitler youth. I mean, who does a camp for kids that's all about politics? Disturbing."

Let's just break this down for Mr. Beck, shall we? (Where's my chalk board? he seems to respond well to chalk.) First, the political camp in question is a camp with a long tradition in teaching kids about DEMOCRACY. Last time I checked the Nazi's were not really big on that idea. Check out what Torbjørn Eriksen has to say, he is a former Press Secretary to Norway's Prime Minister. "Young political activists have gathered at Utoya for over 60 years to learn about and be part of democracy, the very opposite of what the Hitler Youth was about. Glenn Beck's comments are ignorant, incorrect and extremely hurtful." Amen brother.

Knowing that Beck is a blow hard and all around awful person isn't enough. When someone like this is given a public forum, and people are dumb enough to actually LISTEN to him, it becomes scary. I know a lot of people worship at the feet of The Beck and take his word as Gospel. But let me just set the record straight on this one issue, the man is DEAD WRONG. And an idiot. I am pretty sure that there are quite a few camps aimed at kids who want to learn more about the way our country is run. In fact I think Beck sponsored a similar program himself in order to make more little conservative douche bags. Does the Tampa 9/12 Project ring a bell Beck? "Kids aged 8-12 years old will have fun while learning the principles of liberty, free markets, and limited government. They will also learn the values of personal responsibility, faith, courage, hard work, reverence and thrift.” Limited government? Hard work? Hmmmm....

Hey Pot! Glenn Beck is on the phone, he say's to tell you you are black. 

The Post Where I say "Awesome" a lot

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.

- Anatole France

No matter how good you are at pretending everything is okay, at some point reality will come flying in. And probably through that window you left open in the kitchen. It will flutter about for a bit. It will squawk and squeal, and it will taunt and hide. It will basically mock you until you have had enough, slam down your fist and take action. Because once you take action reality isn't that scary.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating - Prague is a place of perpetual motion. People are always coming and going. The laws are always changing and no one knows what they are. People break up, and people fall in love. Jobs are lost, forfeited, abandoned and found. My day-to-day life here in The Golden City is different from week to week, and I find that awesome.

If you haven't figured it out by now there are some major changes in play for yours truly. I am moving out of my quiet little hobbit hole for one and into a flat with my best lady friend. I am excited about the prospect. As much as I love living alone, (and I DO!) I think living with someone again might be exactly what I need right now. It's nice to have someone to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer with, or have spontaneous whiskey laden dance parties in the living room. The move is also saving me a little bit of money in the long run. But the best part is I get to decorate a new flat, and this flat features an oven! Awesome! Brownies, baked french toast and macaroni and cheese, oh how I've missed you. It's the little things.

Another big change comes in the form of a new job. I left the pre-school where I had been working for the last two years in search of something better. I found it. My new job is still with kids but I don't have to change diapers, I get my very own class room, and I will be left to my own devices. Awesome! I am a good teacher and I am excited to work in a real school rather than a glorified day care. 

I couldn't be happier. I mean sure, some money would be cool, but I'm not going to worry about that. I think you make your own happiness. There is plenty in my life that I could complain about or blame other people for, but I'm not going to do that. Mostly because I would then have to hit myself in the face for being such a douche bag. Instead I am letting reality fly freely around me as I pack my boxes in search of bigger and better more awesome things.

And I'm excited. Because good or bad, I made the decisions that led me here. 

10 Books You Should Read

From Anagram Bookstore in Prague. I used to work there!

I like lists. I like books. Here is my list of 10 books I think everyone should read - in no particular order. You are not going to see Atlas Shrugged, Sidartha or 1984 on my list. I didn't like any of them. My list is all good baby. My criteria? My exceptional taste in all things.

1. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving - This should come as no shock to anyone who knows me. i have read and re-read this book at least a dozen times and each time I find something new. Funny, epic, strange and lovely. My favorite book of one of my favorite authors.
2. To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - What I have always loved most about this book, aside from Harper Lee's remarkable gift for story telling, was Scout - A little girl who is slowly realizing just what it means to be a woman and what a huge disadvantage that is. If only we all had dads like Atticus Finch.
3. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote - By now everyone knows the famous story behind the book. There were two films made about it, and both of them leave Capote looking like the selfish ass he really was. And I don't care. Have you read this book?! Perhaps the most well written true crime story ever published. Creepy and page turning.
4. Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut - All you Chuck Palahniuk fans take note! This is how satire is done. I could have chosen just about any of Vonnegut's books, but this one stayed with me the longest. So it goes.
5. Where are you Going, Where Have you Been? by Joyce Carol Oates - This title is actually one of JCO's short stories, and one of the reasons I decided i wanted to become a writer. Although she has written many fantastic books that I love, this remains my favorite work of hers. It is in about a billion short story anthologies. Go find it. Oh, and it is quite disturbing.
6. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood - By far my favorite Atwood novel. She tells the story of (actual) murders that happened in 1843 through a fictional voice of a doctor researching the case. I was gripped from page one, and blown away by the ending. She is a master story teller.
7. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë - Heartbreaking hatred. I LOVE this book. It shows the dark side of love in all of it's twisted glory. If you want sweet, sticky romance, try a different Brontë. Although her sister's Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time, it's Wuthering Heights that keeps me coming back.
8. Wind Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murikami - If you want to read a story that transports you somewhere, then this is the book for you. The writing is clever, the story creative and funny and the characters are memorable. One of the best living fiction writers today.
9. My Life In France by Julia Child - This book isn't just about glorious food, it's about life. I loved this book! I related to her on multiple levels - we are both from Pasadena CA, and hated it. We both moved abroad and LOVED it! Read it, it might give you some courage to live a new life! This is far and away my favorite book about life as an expat.
10. The BFG by Rold Dahl - The story of a little girl who couldn't sleep. I adore this book and all the grizzly giants, dream catchers, frobscottles, and Whizzpoppers. (That last one is farts.)

Next up? 10 books that I feel are worth skipping.

Mommie Mia!

Did you know that in the Czech Republic a woman can get up to three years off of work when she has a baby? That's right,THREE YEARS. And when those three years are up, she can go back to work. Oh, and she is getting a portion of her salary while she is away (depending on her job). At first thought the idea sounds great. How liberal! How pro woman and pro family! But on second glance?I have spent the last two years working at a pre school in this country and that has opened my eyes to a few of the flaws of this three-year off system. 

Women in this country of all ages, social standing and backgrounds take advantage of this system. Have a baby! And when those three years are up, just have another! A woman in the Czech Republic could feasibly never have to work a day in her life. After all, it isn't her responsibility to financially care for her children and provide for them - it's a man's job. Why should she have to get a job when she could be at home with her kids doing nothing? Most women don't put their kids in school until after they are three. The ones that do send their precious babies to school keep them out so many days that it hardly matters if they go or not. Little girls learn very early here how to manipulate men to get what they want. And they are learning from mommy. They are also learning that women don't need to work. (barf)

The small percentage of women who do chose to go back to work are so behind that they usually quit. I had one student who was back from baby leave after three years who had no clue what was going on in the office. She was lost. She complained about missing her toddler. I felt bad for the person who had been doing her job for the past three years and got booted. 

Women in this country are expected to be at home with their "baby" (which they call their kids well into their college years) as long as possible. Women who go back to work are looked down on and made to feel guilty; like they are lesser mothers because they are working. And to remind all of you Americans reading this, we are talking about going back to work after three years. YEARS. Not six months.

Which brings me to the biggest issue I have with the whole system - the kids. Kids in this country spend their first three years at home with mom. And I mean that almost literally. I have had more than one new kid at school who has never been in a school, or a play group or even out without his mommy and is dropped off for the first day of school terrified of being without mom. Some of them still in diapers. How is this a good thing? So many children in this country are spoiled, and anti social because of their attachment to mom. Both little boys and girls are coddled - not expected to put on their own shoes, or hats or even feed themselves. that's what women mom is for.

But I see the other side of the "let's set the women's movement back 50 years" issue. I get to see the absolute sense of triumph a kid feels when she learns to put on her own shoes without help. I get to see little kids feel confident and happy going to school and making friends. I don't care if it makes mom feel bad. Holding a kid back so YOU feel better is selfish. And so is sheltering and coddling a kid for three years.

The Czech system needs to be changed. There is no longer any need for these crazy "incentives" for procreation. Hell, just take a walk around Prague and count the babies and pregnant women and you'll see what I mean. The system is unfair to children, women, and the companies that employ these women. Not to mention it promotes the special brand of sexism that only Czechs do oh so well.

A woman's place is at home with babies. If she gets out, just knock her up again. But you'll have to take time off from that mistress you have out on the cottage in the nature.

Presidential Hopefuls

The requirements of becoming the President of the United States of America are sparse and simple. You must be a native born US Citizen. You must be at least 35 years old. And, you must have lived in the United States for at least fourteen years. One the one hand, this simple list of requirements is American to the core. When we are young our mother's say, "You can be anything you want when you grow up. Even President!" And it's true. With only three easy requirements, technically anyone CAN be president. On the other hand, is that a good thing?

In this day and age of easy information, and even easier misinformation, I don't know that it is a good thing thatanyone can be president. Sarah Palin is out there telling us that Paul Revere was out there warning the British, and Michele Bachmann wants us to remember our founding fathers like John Quincy Adams. These aren't cases of someone "misspeaking". These are cases of stupidity. I think there need to be some added requirements to becoming President of these here United States. 

1. Any candidate must pass an oral test about the history of the United States. This test will be on a fifth grade level. The test shall be given in a public forum, like "Are you smarter than a Fifth Grader." Here are some good sample questions!
2. I think the elections need more zazz. The polls are so old school! We should be able to call or text in our votes. And screw the network pundits. I think Ryan Seacrest should be the only election night commentator. He would add tension and excitement and roll "clips" of the candidates eating supper or walking the dog. Awwww.  The candidates will have to preform some sort of live talent - like juggling puppies or spelling Mississippi.
3. Each candidate will have a live, one hour, televised "chat" with Jon Stewart. He's smart, quick witted and knows what to ask. And heck, he's cute and funny!

I think with these added requirements the American people won't be so easily won over by politician double talk, bullshit and straight up stupidity.