I hear nothing

My favorite movie of all time is You've Got Mail. It's not a masterpiece but it's perfectly comforting and light. AND the music is as awesome as the dialogue. It played twice this week and made me want to watch it again in the comfort of my kitchen. I've always wanted to order a Tall Decaf Cappuccino although I hate anything tall, decaf or cap. I find it has the most interesting lines and mini stories - like Frank's love for his typewriters. I also learned about Jane Austen, Foucault, the joys of capitalism as well as a bit of NYC's geography.

I know that this whole story is completely impossible. Just searching for the type of chat room Joe and Kathleen met in has led me to a succession of "Rated A for adult" content. Sure, it's possible that a Kathleen Kelly type exists somewhere but Joe Fox : impossible. He's rich, funny, smart, charismatic, sarcastic, good looking and nefew of a 12 year old girl. Maybe incredible characters like this one make us unrealistic when in search for love but it doesn't change the fact that for the 118 minutes it lasts, I'm happy.

I also love how Parker Posey played Patricia. Her paragraph in the first Tom Hanks sceane is wonderfully acted and hilariously true.

But when you think about it, the central theme of the movie (other than love) is capitalism, this case, in the "book business". The destruction of small businesses and the survival of the fittest are realities that are even more rellevant today than they were ten years ago.

I could go on for a while, even write a thesis but instead I will give you the list of my favorite song included in the movie.

• Dreams - The Cranberries
• I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City - Sinead O'Connor
• The Puppy Song - Harry Nilsson
  
• Dummy Song - Louis Armstrong
• Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
• Lonely at the Top - Randy Newman

(Kathleen also speaks of River by Joni Mitchell, although I love Sarah McLachlan's version)

Christmas Fettuccines

I read somewhere that when you're single and you feel lonely during the holidays, you should create your own traditions. Enters Christmas Fettuccines. I first saw The Holiday when things were rocky with my last serious boyfriend in 2006. I went out with a girlfriend and we cried our eyes out at an overpriced cineplex. But one of the things I remembered were the Christmas Fettuccines. Jack Black and Kate Winslet talk about it and we see Cameron Diaz eating some by herself, and it just stuck. A year later, single me invited a friend to hang out, and we watched The Holiday on DVD and ate Christmas Fettucines. This year, with the same friend, we watched The Holiday again and I remebered that article about the traditions. So here is my first personal tradition: Christmas Fettucines.

Playlist : The Holiday on DVD

Exams - bus strikes - wooptidoo: motivation

The days are becoming shorter, it's getting colder, exams are in session and to top that, the buses will go on strike tomorrow until who knows when. Don't forget all the political shakeups... We all need motivation until the holiday season actually starts so here are a few songs with some form of motivation:

• Spaceman - The Killers
• Beautiful Day - U2
• Saints & Sinners - Paddy Casey
• Luscious Life - Patrick Watson
  
• Overkill - Colin Hay
• Y'a d'la joie - Charles Trénet
  
• Ray of Light - Madonna
• What You Waiting For? - Gwen Stefani
  
• Perfect Day - Hoku
• Relax (Take it Easy) - Mika
  
• Snakes on a Plane - Cobra Starship yes, really. it pumps you up
• Wake Up - Hilary Duff so kill me, i'm a fan of pop
• Live Your Life - T. I. Feat. Rihanna
• Lollipop - Mika
  
• It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas - Dean Martin just for the season

Getting over someone is hard playlist

For those with mixed feelings:

• I Like it Rough - Lady Gaga
  
• We Went for a Ride - Fefe Dobson
• Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
• Heartless - Kanye West
  
• Reasons to Love You - Meiko
• Hate That I Love You - Rihanna Ft. Ne-Yo
• Au bord du vide - Amylie
  
• Shattered Glass - Britney Spears
• Tearing Up My Heart - NSYNC
• Said and Done - Meiko
• You Please Me - Dragonette
• You in my Nightmares - Kanye West Ft. Lil Wayne
  
• You Gotta Be - Des'ree
• Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
• Oh My God - Lily Allen
• Single - Natasha Beddingfield

My Holiday Mix

In the spirit of Christmas, I give you my Holiday music playlist. It's made of one part joy, one part nostalgia and one part heartache:

• There Are Much Worse Things To Believe In - Elvis Costello & Stephen Colbert
  
• Maybe this Christmas - Ron Sexsmith
  
• Happy Christmas (War is Over) - Sense Field
  
• Carol of the Bells - The Bird and the Bee
  
• Mistletoe - Colbie Caillat
  
• What a Year For a New Year - Dan Wilson
  
• Baby It's Cold Outside - Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel
  
• Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
  
• Can I Interest You in Hannukah? - Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart
  
• The Christmas Song - Catherine Feeny
  
• Winter Wonderland - Phantom Planet
• All I Want for Christmas Is You - Whitney Duncan
  
• Vive le vent - Divers
• Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald
  
• What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? - Diana Krall
  
• Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan
  
• Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song) - Meiko
  
• Colder - Travis
  
• Winter Song - Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson
  
• River - Sarah McLachlan
  
• All My Bells Are Ringing - Lenka
  
• Christmas in the City - Alan Merrill
  
• Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
  
• Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer - Jack Johnson
  
• Nutmeg - John Legend and Stephen Colbert
  
• Noël Blanc - Divers
  
• Winter Wonderland - Diana Krall totally different from phantom planet but just as good
  
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan
  
• 12/23/95 - Jimmy Eat World
  
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Coldplay

Happy minty hot coco and fireside reading!