#8: J-E-T-S!

Sports are a huge part of today's media. And the NFL is one of the largest franchises in the world. Everyone who watches football has their favorite team, but I am lucky enough to have a father who is such a die-hard fan that he buys our family season tickets for our favorite team every year. Yes, I know that the New York Jets may not be the best team in the NFL, or in the north east even, but they are sure fun to watch! The excitement in a football stadium is beyond overwhelming. If you can look past the overweight men who are shirtless and painted an assortment of colors, it really is a beautiful experience.

Even though I love all of the action of football and the excitement of seeing the ball fly through the air, my favorite part of any game is the opening. This is the part when somebody comes onto the field and sings the national anthem. This part is my favorite because you have thousands of people in one place, of course it is going to be noisy. People scream their lungs out when the players arrive on the field and are warming up and being introduced. But, then it comes time for our nation's anthem and everything is silent. It's like you could hear a pin-drop in a place where just seconds before your eardrums were being blown out.

Football is quite interesting if you think about it. Why do we like to watch large sweaty mean run at each other and collide? Why do we spend nights gathered around a television watching this heart pounding, bone cracking game? I think it is because of the togetherness everybody feels. Everyone is a part of this football family, even if you are a Patriots fan. It may be expensive and out of your way to attend a football game, but I think it is necessary. I believe that everyone should feel the rush of energy and passion that flows through that big stadium every Sunday.

#7: A Dream Come True

Not everyone can say that their one true dream has come true. But, I am one of the lucky people who can say they have. July 21, 2009 was the absolute best night of my life. At Northern Lights, a bar in Clifton Park, NY, my one true dream came true. I was in the same room as the love of my life, Kevin Costner. I have been in love with this actor turned singer ever since I was a small child. For my whole life Kevin has been the theme of my parties, the posters on my wall, the subject of my conversations, and pretty much the center of my life. I have not only been in love with his acting and singing career, but his person in general.

When I found out that his band was coming to a bar only 20 minutes away from my house I almost hit the floor. I would finally be in the same room as Kevin! Months turned into weeks and weeks turned into days, and finally I was in line outside of the bar, counting the seconds until I could be in the same room as this perfect man. I ended up standing right up against the stage and even though his warm up act was good, I was fidgeting the entire time, just waiting to hear Kevin's footsteps toward me. And then it happened. I have never felt so happy in my entire life. The moment I saw his smile and his 6'5" strong body I thought I would faint. I sobbed the entire time he was on stage and he even looked at me a few times and made a "sad face" trying to tell me not to cry, which of course made me cry harder, knowing that he noticed me. Here's a video from the very concert I was at that I found on YouTube:

The concert was over and my make-up was no where to be found. I had cried and cried and I was so incredibly happy. We started walking away until I felt a tap on my shoulder, it was Kevin's manager, telling me that Kevin had a surprise for me and to wait a few minutes until people cleared out so I could...are you ready for this...GO BACK AROUND OUTSIDE TO HIS TOUR BUS!! I didn't think this night could get any better, but then I proved myself wrong. My knees felt like jello and everything around me was spinning. We walked through the back door and there he was, standing outside of his bus, smiling at me. Of course, the waterworks started again and I found myself sobbing into my hands. Kevin said, "So THIS is Casey Greene."...the five most beautiful words I'd ever heard. He signed T-shirts, took pictures and held onto me for the entire half hour we were with him. I kept repeating "I love you, do you love me? I love you, do you love me?" to him under my breath and he just kept saying "Yes, yes, yes.", and kissing me on the forehead, top of the head, and both cheeks.

It is hard to put into words how perfect that night was. I may have looked like a giant red, ball of tears in all of the pictures, but I have never, and I don't think ever will be happier than at that night. After getting all of Kevin's signatures I decided that it would be best to figure out a way to remember this night forever. And that's when I decided to get a tattoo of his signature that he gave me on the best night of my life. I thank him everyday for being as kind, and welcoming as he was. I even have a plaque that he handed me, thanking me for my life long support and love for him. He is the nicest, sweetest, most beautiful person I have ever met, and he made my dream come true.

#6: Brainwashed By Media

Being a girl, I have a lot of interaction with media in the form of advertisement. Women and young girls are posted everywhere. Magazines, television, movies, billboards, and the internet are overflowing with beautiful women, with perfect bodies, skin, hair, and make-up. Seeing these all the time every day, young girls start to believe that they need to look like these women. They believe that this look is "real" and not photo-shopped or airbrushed like they really are. This has become a problem, many girls are trying to act older and changing themselves to transform into these 90 pound models.

Censorship should be put into effect on many television stations as well. On VH1 there are numerous shows where women are practically naked. The producers and writers of these shows should think about how this is affecting young girls. Would they want their daughters walking around, talking the way these ladies do, or dressing the way they dress. All of these forms of media are just looking for money, and this needs to stop. Here is a video that I found on Dove's website that shows the extent to which the media world goes to make you think that you need to buy products to be beautiful.

Some girls are smart enough to know that this is not real life, women do not just look like this. But, the majority of young women strive to be skinnier, tanner, and prettier than the girl next to them. We need to show these girls that they are beautiful just being themselves. They need to know that it is healthy to eat and have a normal diet and life. Every single person is beautiful and the media needs to figure out a new way to advertise their products. No more discrimination, and no more risking lives.

#5: Those Were The Best Days Of My Life

Mr. Bryan Adams was born on November 5, 1959, in Kingston, Ontario. And I'm so glad he was, because without him my entire life would be completely different. If you have read my earlier entries, you'll know that I wasn't a "normal" child. I've been watching R-rated movies ever since I was a little girl, and I have also been listening to more "grown-up" music. On the drive to pre-school I would be rocking out to "Summer Of '69" and "Heaven". Bryan Adams was my absolute favorite artist consistantly since I was two or three.

Bryan Adams has worked hand-in-hand with Kevin Costner a few times over the years. He wrote and performed his hit song "Everything I Do, I Do It For You" for Costner's 1991 movie Robin Hood. Also, Bryan allowed clips of the movie to be in his music video for that song. Adams also was involved with Costner while writing and performing another hit song "Never Let Go", which was featured at the end of Kevin Costner's 2006 movie The Guardian. These two talented men have created many masterpieces together, and maybe some where in the future (fingers crossed) will perform together!!

If you haven't got enough of Bryan Adams, visit his website (hyper-linked above), or click here to BUY TICKETS for Bryan's stop in BURLINGTON, VERMONT to the Flynn Theatre on March 21st. His tour this year is completely acoustic. I've been lucky enough to see two of his shows so far in my life. And you'll see me there, at both shows! Is it luck that one of Bryan's few United States tour dates is in my college town?? Or do you think we are meant to be...HA!

#4: Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves

Everyone has that one movie that they can watch over and over again, anytime, anywhere. For me that movie is Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. If you have read some of my other entries you have already come the the realization that I am in love with the handsome Kevin Costner. I believe that he is an incredible actor and the most gorgeous person on the face of the earth. Robin Hood was released in June of 1991, and was the last movie my mother saw before she gave birth to me. When I was a little girl all I ever wanted to do was watch Robin Hood over and over when I came home from day care, preschool, then kindergarten, and elementary school. Our VHS tapes used to get ruined because I watched them so many times. Before DVD's came out, we were on our 8th copy. Here is the trailer of the most amazing movie in the world.

Directed by Kevin Reynolds, this film won many awards in '92. With 19 nominations and 13 wins, this film won awards such as Best Song from Motion Picture, MTV Movie Award, and Young Artist Award. And Bryan Adams also won a Grammy for the theme song "Everything I Do, I Do It For You". Many people also like to take the music throughout the movie and make it their own, like this concert band. Here is the music video for Bryan Adam's famous theme song for Robin Hood.

With a cast like Costner, Morgan Freeman, Sean Connery, Christian Slater, and Alan Rickman....where can you go wrong? Obviously no where. This film covers everything people crave in movies. There is action, romance, rebellion, and humor. It follows the original fairy tale of Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. But by the end of this film, you too will fall in love with Kevin Costner.

#3 SNOOD!!!

Snood, Snood, Snood...what can I say about Snood. Well I could start with the fact that I am completely obsessed with this magnificent game!! Being in college, I have a lot of free time on my hands, but this game solves all of my problems. Snood is an addictive puzzle game for anyone who can move a computer mouse. Some may think it is like the common game, Bubble Breaker, but it's far better. The colors and sounds to this game give it life and will entertain you for hours. There are so many levels and so many different difficulties that you will never get bored. All of my friends know about my addiction and one sent me this video.

Snood has become a problem in my Residence House at Champlain College. Mostly everybody in the building has some sort of Snood addiction...everybody except Emma Crockett, her game is Majan, but we forgive her for that. I love Snood so much that I was in tears when I had to get a new hard drive on my Mac, not because of my picture files I would lose, not because of all of my saved school work that I would lose, but because all of my Snood scores will be erased. Snood can either "make you or break you". I feel bad for the unfortunate people whom are not Snood-y. I can't remember my life before Snood, just like this man paying tribute to Dave, the creator of Snood, on Dave's birthday.

My dorm-mates and I know all 8 Snoods and their names. We were even thinking about being the Snood characters for Halloween, but we couldn't find enough time to sit down and coordinate it (everybody was probably busy playing Snood). I insist, if you haven't tried out this wonderful game, then you should really get on it and download Snood free HERE. We love snood and you should too!!

#2: Beer In Hell? YES PLEASE!

FINALLY!!!! Someone wrote a book that tells the god honest truth. Tucker Max is an incredible man. I bought this book last week and have not been able to put it down. This morning I finished it, and I think that I am going to open it up and start again in a few hours. The back of the book reads: "My name is Tucker Max and I am an asshole."...and that he is. He is the biggest jerk I have ever met, seen, or read about. He is always drunk, he's incredibly rude, and has slept with so many woman that he has lost count of his track record. I recommend this book if you have any sense of humor at all, and are not easily offended. It's a quick read that is hard to put down. The chapters are short and the stories are hilarious.

I was unaware of this book until I entered Borders and saw it on the shelf. I read the back and immediately was interested. It was hard not to laugh out loud as I was turning the pages, reading bits and pieces of each chapter. It was expensive, but I knew I had to get it right then and there. Max's personality is colorful and his expressive language draws a perfect picture in readers' brains. While on tuckermax.com I came across the fact that this book is now a motion picture movie. At first I was so excited I almost ran out to the closest Blockbuster and rented it. But then I thought, what if it isn't funny. What if this movie ruins my image of Tucker Max? I thought about it for a while and decided that I will rent that movie and watch it. Here's a trailer for the movie...hopefully it's as entertaining as the book.

My mother picked up this book the other day off of the kitchen table and started to read parts of it. I thought she was going to scold me for reading something "too raunchy" or I thought she would just slap it down on the table and not mention it again. But to my dismay she laughed OUT LOUD. She was absolutely hysterical. She made me promise that I would bring it back on Christmas break so that she could read it after I am done re-reading it. Clearly, Tucker Max's masterpiece is a good fit for anybody who wants to have a good time and be entertained. Tucker Max is incredibly humorous and though he may be socially awkward, he still is extremely intelligent.

To find out more about the book, or to purchase it click here.

#1: Twi-like? Or Twi-not?

The book and movie series of the famous Twilight is a very touchy subject. Either you LOVE it or you LOATH it. Myself, I am stuck in the middle. The books, which started being released over three years ago, have never touched my hands. And I had not seen the feature film until I was home for Thanksgiving break this past week, the first being over a year old. My sister, being a "TOTF" (totally obsessed twilight fan), made me sit down with her, my mother and father, and watch this film. My dad, as you can imagine, was not excited one bit. He was moaning and groaning and wouldn't sit down without a couple of beers to get him through these 122 minutes of sparkly pain.

So after we got my dad seated and a little "buzzed" we turned on the movie. I watched, met the characters, and followed the story line. Like most movies there was the boy and the girl, the other boy who wants the girl, the single parent, the antagonist, and the "secret" between the couple that eventually surfaces itself and causes the problem 'should we stay together, or break up'. The movie was alright. I wouldn't say it was amazing, but it was entertaining while it lasted. Though, I don't think I'd watch it again. The coloring was very different, everything had a green-ish tint and it was not a happy-go-lucky type of movie. Even though it was a tad bit depressing, there were many interesting camera shots. I went on YouTube afterwards and found this clip of a film project that discussed the exact shots that I thought were done well.

All in all I was satisfied with my experience of Twilight. It wasn't an award winning movie to me by any means, but I am glad that I finally sat down and watched this movie in which people told me was "life changing". Stephanie Meyer is definitely getting a lot more money than she thought she would, and I think that is something to think about. If the author is inexperienced, as Meyer was, the end result usually reflects this. I do agree that the movie was a little bit premature, and could have been improved in many ways. Here is a clip of Stephanie talking about her experience with writing Twilight.

For more information on the book Twilight you should click here. And for fun facts about the movie click here.