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2/17/2017 0 Comments Happy playlistDuring the winter months, I find it important to do everything possible to remain upbeat and happy since less time is being spent in the sun and it is easier to fall into a funk with one's mood. One of the ways I try to improve my mood is by preparing a playlist of happy songs on Spotify (my Spotify account is clairefrench3 for all my fans out there.) The playlist I use is titled "Summer" because I initially made it for summer car rides. Anyways, here are some songs I recommend listening to in order to put yourself in a good mood.
SONGS 1. Mr. Brightside by The Killers 2. Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows 3. Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson 4. Brighter Than Sunshine by Aqualung 5. Australia by The Shins 6. February Seven by The Avett Brothers 7. Junk of the Heart (Happy) by The Kooks 8. Fluorescent Adolescent by Arctic Monkeys 9. Better Than Me by The Brobecks 10. When The Day Met The Night by Panic! At The Disco 11. Don't Stop Me Now by Queen 12. Come On Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners 13. I'm Yours by Jason Mraz 14. Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield 15. Say It Ain't So by Weezer 16. The Calendar by Panic! At The Disco 17. Shiny Happy People by R.E.M. 18. Beautiful Day by U2 19. Somebody Told Me by the Killers 20. Accidentally In Love by Counting Crows 21. Gives You Hell by The All American Rejects 22. Viva La Vida by Coldplay 23. The Middle by Jimmy Eat World 24. September by Earth, Wind, & Fire 25. See The World by Gomez 26. Live and Die by The Avett Brothers 27. Redemption Song by Bob Marley 28. Friday I'm In Love by The Cure 29. Eyes Of The World by The Grateful Dead 30. Underdog by Imagine Dragons 31. Send Me On My Way by Rusted Root 32. I'm A Believer by the Monkees 33. Tongue Tied by Grouplove 34. Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind 35. Happy Together by The Turtles 36. All Star by Smashmouth 37. On Top Of The World by Imagine Dragons 38. Grace Kelly by MIKA 39. Golgi Apparatus by Phish 40. Oxford Comma by Vampire Weekend My Playlist Link: https://open.spotify.com/user/clairefrench3/playlist/7bXnCA6dsfQtDHzsMUADol
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12/5/2016 0 Comments Black MirrorBlack Mirror is a television series created by Charlie Brooker. Each episode of the show features a different cast, different setting, and different storyline. This show, which is almost like a modern day take on The Twilight Zone is completely original and thought-provoking.There are three seasons of this show available on Netflix with a total of thirteen episodes. Here is a list of the episodes from worst to best for your viewing pleasures:
13. "The Waldo Moment": This episode is weird. Don't get me wrong, most episodes of this show are strange, but none have a plot as weird as "The Waldo Moment". The plot of this episode is that a comedian voices a cartoon bear named Waldo who is featured on a John Oliver-like television show. Eventually, however, the following of the character is so large that the TV executives want Waldo to run for office. WEIRD. Though this episode is not necessarily bad, it is not good either. 12. "Fifteen Million Merits": I'm not quite sure how to explain the plot of this episode. In all honesty, I'm not quite sure I understood the plot of this episode. From what I gather, the episode is about people who live in a slave-like existence where there one job is to bike all day on exercise bikes. Doing this earns them merits, which are used to buy food, toothpaste, and, if enough merits are earned, they can be used to try out for a talent show. The idea of this episode is great, but I found it to be poorly executed, which is why it rests at number twelve. 11. "Playtest": This episode focuses on an American traveller who runs out of money and is forced to sign up for a video game trial. The trial is basically that he is sent to this weird house where he is tormented by things he is afraid of. The end of the episode is unexpected, but I also found the episode as a whole difficult to understand. It is sort of like Inception, but worse. 10. "Nosedive": The idea of this episode is amazing and twisted, but the ending is disappointing. The story takes place in a world where everyone has a rating based on their social media following, everyday converstations, and personality as a whole. People give each other a rating (up to five stars) after each encounter, and the higher one's score, the better they are. Like I said, it is a twisted idea, but something that does not seem so far from our world today. The episode stars Bryce Dallas Howard, who plays a woman desperate to booste her score in any way possible, but does just the opposite when she finds herself with bad luck on the way to a wedding. The storyline is very interesting, but the ending could use improvement. 9. "Men Against Fire": This episode is about soldiers who live in a society overrun by "roaches". The roaches are almost like zombies in that they look like people with messed up faces. The story focuses on a handsome soldier who hunts the roaches, but struggles with glitches in the technical system inserted in his brain. I'm sorry if I am doing an awful job expalining this, but it is complicated. The episode is well done, with an unexpected ending and a plot that leaves a mark, but there are many questions that are left unanswered. 8. "The Entire History of You": This episode takes place in a society where everyone has an implant that grants them access to every single memory from their life. This means that everything someone sees, hears, and does is recorded on this device and they can play it back whenever they want. The story focuses on an married couple who are having maridal problems mostly because of the man's extreme jealousy and paranoia that is encouraged by his memory implant. The story is good, not great, but I found the play enjoyable regardless. 7. "San Junipero": Ok, are you ready for this plotline? Two women meet at a nightclub and have a night of... passion. A week later, one of the women is looking for the other but cannot find her for weeks. The twist in the epidose is that *spoiler alert* the girls are actullay old women and San Junipero is a virtual world that they are allowed to travel to in order to escape reality. It is a great idea, but the ending is unrealistic based on the rest of the episodes. 6. "White Bear": This episode focuses on a woman who wakes up and cannot remember anything about her life. Every person she encounters only films her in her confusion and refuses to talk to her. Even when she is being chased by masked murderers, no one will help. Though I love a good surprise ending, I found the end of this episode to be difficult to believe. 5. "White Christmas": I have no clue how to explain this episode so I am just going to write Netflix's summary. "Three interconnected tales of technology that run amok during the Christmas season are told by two men at a remote outpost in a frozen wilderness." Thanks, Netflix. So basically there are two men, one of whom is played by Jon Hamm, in this cabin and they are explaining to each other why they are there. I like this episode because it is almost like multiple episodes in one. Also, Jon Hamm. 4. "Shut up and Dance": This episode is really messed up. It focuses on a dweeby British boy who is filmed doing... a thing while watching... videos. An anonymous person uses this compromising video to force the boy to follow orders delivered by text message. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode, but I wouldn't put it at number one. 3. "Hated in the Nation": I didn't realize how complicated this show was until I tried to explain the plots of the episodes. Okay, so this episode focuses on a police detective and her new partner who are working on a case of serial murder. People seem to be dying based on a hashtag on Twitter and the detectives are trying to find out how. There are multiple twists and, though the episode starts of relatively slow, the ending will shock you. 2. "The National Anthem": This episode, which is the first in the show, is unlike anything else on television. I am going to try to explain the plot in a classy way, even though the plot is far from classy. When a beloved member of the Royal Family of England is kidnapped, the Prime Minister receives a message that the only way for her life to be spared is if he airs a live video of him... getting with... a pig. Like I said, unique. The whole episode is amazing and twisted, and it was a very bold move to start the show with it. 1. "Be Right Back": First of all, I love Domnhall Gleeson. He is Irish and adorable and he is in this episode. The plot of this episode is that a woman stumbles across a new piece of technology that allows people to stay in touch with the deceased. The woman, played by Hayley Atwell, uses this service to connect with her husband, played by Domnhall Gleeson. The story is slightly twisted, but the idea is executed brilliantly. 10/20/2016 0 Comments Grey's Anatomy Season 1Though I have dedicated years of my life to watching television shows, there is one show that I have never seen despite the hoards of people telling me to. This show is Grey's Anatomy. Part of the reason I have never watched this program is because it has 12 seasons and 20,000 episodes currently on Netflix and I feel as though the commitment would be too great. Yet here I am, about to list all my thoughts on season one of Grey's Anatomy for the whole world (AKA my one weekly visitor) to read. Here we go.
Before the binge: Here is what I currently know about Grey's Anatomy: - It is extremely medically inaccurate - Patrick Dempsey dies - It has more seasons than Keeping up with the Kardashians - In one episode, a man eats a bomb or something Episode One: A Hard Day's Night - Ok this is the moment we've all been waiting for *presses play* - Please tell me every episode isn't narrated by this woman's annoying voice - A NUDE PATRICK DEMPSEY THESE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING - The show may be called Grey's Anatomy but I'd rather hear about Derek's anatomy ;) - Boston shoutout - Why are the interns looking at the surgical room as though they have never seen any medical tools in their lives? - Katherine Heigl! - I like how this dude is making a speech about how the interns will be pushed to their breaking point while a song called "Portions for Foxes" plays in the background - Ok Cristina, judging a woman who is training to be a doctor because she was a model...? - Katherine Heigl is the model! - "I already hate you, that's not gonna change" is what I say to every person I meet - Pagers! - So this woman is allowing her inexperienced interns to aid a girl who is having a seizure on the medical table with almost no help? Also, why did the entire medical team run to the roof of the hospital to get the girl out of the helicopter? Wouldn't the same thing have been accomplished if she had been brought to them? - Of course Meredith Grey is the voice of reason and kindness in a group of jerks - Maybe O'Malley messed up the surgery because he is being forced to work 40 hours on his first day as an intern - So this doctor is refusing to help an intern because the patient isn't dying? - The doctors at this hospital are extremely apathetic - I'm confused... are they hospitalists or surgeons? Did the writers even take the time to learn the difference between the two? - Last thoughts on episode one: Patrick Dempsey has the best head of hair in the world Episode Two: The First Cut is the Deepest - Sexual tension in an elevator= the best way to start an episode - I find Ellen Pompeo's way of speaking extremely annoying - Is this Chinese woman going to bleed to death because the hospital doesn't have a single translator? - I just witnessed the birth of the nickname "McDreamy" - Running your hands under water for two seconds does not count as washing your hands, Mr. Doctor - Why does Meredith wear her hair in a half bun, half ponytail every day? - "Somewhere Only We Know" is the best song for any situation, even performing surgery on a baby with a heart murmur - Meredith, remove that turtleneck right now - Last thoughts on episode two: less exciting than the last one Episode Three: Winning a Battle, Losing the War - Katherine Heigl, remove that pajama blouse right now - "Whoever said winning isn't everything never held a scalpel" what? - The biker with the stomach wound is the same actor who played Princess Mia's fiance in Princess Diaries 2 - O'Malley is so lovable - I love Cristina - It only took this show three episodes to make me cry - Why does Ellen Pompeo look twenty in some scenes and fifty in others? - Prince Andrew needs to stop dying so he can go back to Genovia - Yum I love watching organs being removed from bodies and placed into ziplock bags - Last thoughts on episode three: organs Episode Four: No Man's Land - Someone please research whether or not it is medically possible for a man to function with multiple nails in their brain - Ok Cristina is annoying me now - I don't think I would look good without hair... If I ever get nails stuck in my skull, please don't let the doctors shave my head - Cristina just has a face that makes me want to punch her - Why is Meredith lying about her mom? - Just buy the tampons, George! - I love Izzie - They don't actually nuder you during prostate surgery, sir - Dr. Shepherd is such a stud muffin - A real doctor would know how to pronounce "Alzheimers" - If a patient is DNR and a doctor tries to resuscitate them, they could lose their license, but whatever... - "He is such an incredibly good-looking man. Like, astoundingly so" -my dad, questioning his sexuality upon seeing Patrick Dempsey - Last thoughts on episode four: medical inaccuracy Episode Five: Shake Your Groove Thing - Five more episodes to go in season one! I am nearing the finish! - I'm waiting for someone to shake their groove thing - Is a romance sprouting between Cristina and Dr. Burke? - Ellen Pompeo is sick in this episode, so her voice is especially irritating - Cristina, remove that shoulderless shirt right now - They're shaking their groove things - Dr. Burke has a giraffe neck - "Even great doctors make mistakes, and when WE do..." is the epitome of a humble brag - I want Izzie and Alex to get married - Burke and Cristina would either have disgustingly ugly babies or the most beautiful children to ever walk the planet -Last thoughts on episode five: interracial babies Episode Six: If Tomorrow Never Comes - George, put the coffee on the table instead of letting it spill all over you - The most dramatic acting award goes to: the man learning to walk - Dr. Bailey is super short - I'm in love with Alex - Ok Alex just did a jerk thing but I still love him - Meredith is always squinting - George just took a chair from someone else's table without asking - Ok the dramatic walking man has Parkinson's and now I feel bad - I just watched Izzie massage a man's heart so I won't be eating ever again - Oh look at that, Alex has a deep and caring side. I didn't see that coming (sarcasm) - Why am I crying again? - Cristina is the worst - That is the worst fake rain I've ever seen - Last thoughts on episode six: giant tumor Episode Seven: The Self- Destruct Button - Alex, stop quoting Kelly Clarkson - HEYO THIS EPISODE HAS A GIRL NAMED CLAIRE - Claire is a nail biter and a ginger... I'm not sure which is worse - Claire had a gastric bypass in Mexico - Dr. Shepherd is so good with kids - The most realistic part about this show is how much the doctors gossip - The little girl in this is so adorable. I hope she doesn't die - Meredith just ROASTED an evil mother - Cristina's eggo is preggo! I totally called it - Last thoughts on episode seven: ehh Episode Eight: Save Me - I hate Meredith's voice - I hate George's hair - Every episode of this show is depressing - Millie from Freaks and Geeks is in this episode! - Alex Karev is a babe - Millie is an Orthodox Jew wearing a jean skirt under her hospital gown - The psychic patient was in Desperate Housewives - I've seen too many TV shows - O'Malley, you can't compete with Shep -There's an episode of Scrubs where JD has the same problem that George has in this episode -The psychic is going to know that Cristina is pregnant - I was right! - Why is Meredith so intent on sabotaging her relationship with Derek? - Millie needs a pig heart - The subplot with Izzie and her cupcakes is pointless - Cristina, fix your bedside manner - "My friends spend most of their time screwing around and getting wasted. At least I have God" is the best thing ever said - Dr. Bailey is the best - Millie is getting a cow heart - Interns have more supervision than this - Derek is perfect - Last thoughts on episode eight: pig heart Episode Nine: Who's Zoomin' Who? - George has an STD - Karev is even beautiful when he trims his nose hair -George talking to Alex about his syphilis in the locker room... is this what Trump meant by locker room talk? - Burke's friend has an ovary - Something's wrong with the chief - Cristina, don't lean up against the fire alarm - Chief has a tumor - Derek has a secret - Burke's friend is sterile but his wife is pregnant... - A real doctor would know how to pronounce "Alzheimers" - Izzie and Cristina would be kicked out of the program for performing an unauthorized autopsy - Derek has a wife and she's way prettier than Meredith - Last thoughts on episode nine: After the Binge: I'll probably keep watching the show until it gets bad, which I've heard it does. I like some of the characters, mainly Alex and Bailey, and most of the episodes are good. I recommend season one for those who need a new show to watch, but I don't recommend watching if you actually know anything about the medical field. 9/29/2016 1 Comment Schindler's List This Tuesday, when I fell ill with the plague, I decided to sit back, relax, and watch Schindler's List. First of all, I would just like to say that when I decided to watch this film, I had no clue what it was about. I found it On Demand and saw that Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 96% rating, so I decided to watch it. Little did I know that I was embarking on a three hour long journey of death. In this film, Liam Neeson plays Oskar Schindler, a factory owner and Nazi during World War II, who actually saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust. Based on this description, one would think that this is an uplifting tale. WRONG.There is death, death, and more death. The only happy part of this movie is that Miss Honey from Matilda is a major character, except instead of being a loving schoolteacher, Miss Honey is an abused Jewish maid and a major bummer. Yes, Schindler's List is an incredible film that everyone should watch, but be prepared for a lot of crying if you are to watch it. Please, don't be like me and think this is a film about a guy with an awesome last name and a hit list. It is not. Actual image of me when this movie finished
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