A couple of months back, my good friend Bonnie convinced me that I should make some bear videos of my parents.  You know, those videos featuring animated bears that went viral in the last year or so.  You can create them using a website called Xtranormal.  My favorite bear video is the one about the iPhone 4 vs the HTC Evo. Classic!

I often call Bonnie and tell her the latest drama going on at home.  Living with my parents is sorta like being on “The Real World.”  I’m a child of the 90s, so I made that reference.  I realize that someone younger would have referenced “Jersey Shore” instead, but my parents hate the Italians – kidding!  After several calls revolving around conversations with my parents, we decided I should put all that good material to use.  Hence, The Bear Videos.

But before I introduce my first bear video, a couple of notes:

1. My parents are frugal, especially my Dad.  He doesn’t go out to eat – he doesn’t go out at all – he never buys new things (especially cars), he’s never carried a balance on his credit card.  He pretty much just sits on the couch all day watching non-cable Hulu and Netflix on TV.  This was somewhat necessary, since he was supporting three kids and a wife on a very modest salary.  And although we were financially stable, this lifestyle (or lack of) resulted in a lot less fun.  I can honestly say we NEVER went out as a family growing up.  Like, not even once.  Not out to Olive Garden, not out to the movies, not out at all.  [A post for another time:  we don’t celebrate things as a family].  We didn’t get a lot of “things” – compared to my friends, I had far fewer Christmas/Birthday gifts, not as many clothes/shoes, etc.  We lived a bare bones kinda life.  Ok, now I’m digressing.

This frugality spilled over into the house itself.  They never renovated the place.  If it ain’t broke (and I mean BROKE), don’t fix it!

It was built in 1976 and still contains the original following items:

a.  Carpet in the master bedroom, spare bedroom, and Florida room.  At one point the bedroom carpets were plush, even if  puke brown and creme, and now they are as flat and hard as a rock.

They did replace the living room carpet in the early 90s, at my mother’s insistence.  What color did she choose?  PINK.  Thank god it’s been 20 years and the color has faded to a nice….dirty-pink.

b.  Curtains in the living room.  When we moved into the place in 1984, the last folks left their curtains.  So my parents kept them.  They look like a fishing net.  They are currently hanging 10 feet from me.  They’ve never ever been washed, I’m pretty sure.  Take a look.

c.  Wallpaper/Fake Wood paneling in the dining room.  There are no words.  I’ll just show you –

This brings us to the video.  This conversation took place back in October.  My Mom and Dad were having a conversation that is not unusual in our house – Mom complaining to my Dad that she wants to replace “X” in the house.  Recently, it’s been the ugly-as-sin carpets.  This is how it normally plays out:

You sorta have to imagine this with a STRONG Asian accent.  My father’s voice on the other hand, pretty much monotone like that 🙂

So there you have it, the first Bear Video.  There will be more, many more, but I can’t reveal them all at once (I’m like your drug dealer).  Gotta let each one soak in.

FINALLY, the post title comes from Season 1’s “Blind Date.”  Liz and Frank are having a argument over how many bears he can use in his Bears vs. Robots skit.

Liz:  Frank!   How many bears did I say you could have?
Frank:  One.
Liz:  And how many do you see here?
Frank:  Um, four?
Liz:  Save a little money for the rest of us, Frank. You can’t spend a bunch of money on bear suits that are only gonna be seen for like 25 seconds.
Frank:  Liz, nobody’s gonna believe that a killer robot can get his ass kicked by one bear. It doesn’t make any sense.
Liz:  You’re trying to bring logic to the robot bear sketch? You can’t have four bears!
Frank: Well, how many can I keep?
Liz: One!

I’m really hopeful about a couple of this season’s new shows.  I mean, they’ve already axed several of them – Charlie’s Angels anyone? – but thankfully the ones I’ve been tuning in to are still safe.

Revenge (ABC, Wednesdays)

This show stars Emily VanCamp, an actress that I’ve been watching since Everwood was on the WB.  She was also on Brothers & Sisters, which I was slightly obsessed with last year (through NetFlix); and while I really loved the first two seasons, I lost interest around the third.  However, I didn’t realize that the show was no longer airing – in fact, when I first flipped onto Revenge, I thought it was a new episode of Brothers & Sisters.  Emily acts basically the same in every show she’s in – coy, charming, sweet – so it took me a a few minutes to realize these rich people weren’t the Walkers.

This show is right up my alley, as it’s targeted towards high school/college-age students.  That’s just about my TV mentality level – I’m partial to the Glee‘s and Gossip Girl‘s of the world 🙂  I was actually surprised ABC is airing this, as it seems much more suited for the CW or Fox.  I love the drama on this show – the acting is solid, there’s a good storyline, and a (mostly) non-cheesy script.  It centers around VanCamp’s character, also named Emily, who is seeking to avenge her father’s death.  He was framed for a crime he didn’t commit and, as a result, is left to rot in federal prison while his daughter is sent to a juvenile detention center.  I mean it’s no LOST, but still an entertaining way to pass through hump day.

Still not convinced?  It couldn’t hurt you to watch a few episodes – there’s plenty of eye candy 😉

Once Upon a Time (ABC, Sundays)

ABC is on a roll!  Once Upon a Time has actually become one of my favorite series that’s on.  And yes, it’s probably geared towards a younger (than me) crowd, but I’ll take it.  This ridiculous-sounding premise actually translates into a very entertaining show, complete with great acting, great storylines, and a compelling cast.

Jennifer Morrison stars as Emma Swan, who is brought to the city of  Storybrooke by her son, Henry, whom she gave away for adoption at birth.  Henry is under the impression that everyone in town is actual a character from one of the classic fairytales in his book.   They are all living in Storybrooke because of a curse cast by the Evil Queen (his adopted mother!), and currently have no memory of their former lives.

Yes, I know what I just told you, let it sink in.  Sounds crazy, and it is, but we’ve been given stranger plots and gone with it (again, LOST).  The key to breaking the curse is Emma, who is actually the grown-up child of Snow White and Prince Charming (stop laughing).  Henry convinces her to stay in Storybrooke and help him, even though she is more than a bit skeptical about the whole thing (READ: she doesn’t believe him at all).

Each episode focuses on a different character, and their lives in Storybrooke and the fairytale world.  We see how their past lives seeps into their current, influencing them even though they are unaware.  And it is this storytelling, quite like a fairytale, that captured my interest.  While the basic elements of each fairytale matches what we’ve grown up reading, it is the writers’ adds-on that really make the show.  The spin they place on certain classic tales, the layers and dimensions they give the characters, that’s what holds my interest.

And yeah, and there are some hot people starring in it:

So yes, there you have it, a couple of new shows that you would do well to watch; stress-free, entertaining, and full  of good-looking people.  What more do you want?

Oh, I know…
http://cdn.hark.com/swfs/player.swf?pid=qqhzrzzbjw
I Watch Boston Legal Before Realizing It Wasnt Star Trek ***

A classic line from Tracy Jordan, featured in Season 3’s Premiere, “Do-Over.”

***Still trying to figure out how to get the audio clip to embed in the post.

Sunday night I sat down for one of my favorite times of the year – Award Show Season!  The Golden Globes were on and I was prepared, laptop in lap, to record and publish my thoughts to the world….the world being my Facebook friends.  Hey, gotta start somewhere.  I have done this before – write about my opinion on the Best and Worst dressed, as well as comments during the awards ceremony about presenters, winners, hosts, etc.  And I’ve had a lot of fun doing it.  People have commented in the past that they enjoyed the commentary – I’m sure just as many people looked at their Facebook feed in horror, I’m thinking of my good friend Jeff right now 🙂

At any rate, the positive response I received on Sunday really prompted me to start this blog.  At first, I was afraid that I wouldn’t have a focus for the blog – I mean, there are only so many award shows each year.  However, I soon discovered that people loved hearing what my Mom has to say.  I would say it’s like “Shit My ___ Says,” but I don’t want to get trapped in that stereotype…especially since people have grown sick of it recently.  So, I figure I can mix things up; a little quoting from Mom, a little celebrity style, and a lot of WTF moments.  But I digress – back to the show!

During the Red Carpet pre-show, Madonna showed up and started chatting with one of the interviewers.  Here’s the scene that played out at my house:

Me: Wow, look at Madonna, she looks good.
Mom: Who is that?
Me: Madonna.
Mom: No, that’s not Madonna.
Me: Yes it is. I know Madonna, and it even says MADONNA on the screen.
Mom: No, I saw Madonna a few days ago. That’s not what she looks like.
Me: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??
Mom: I saw Madonna before you were even born.
Me: Mom, she didn’t start her career until AFTER I was born.
Mom: Wait. No. Not Madonna. I’m talking about Dolly Parton.
Me: *!?@%$#!

Yes, that Dolly.  Let me put it side-by-side for you.

Separated at birth?

I mean, I guess they look alike –  you know, in the same way all Asians look alike to white people.  I’ll let that one slide.

By far, my favorite part of any awards is judging the dresses.  Red Carpet, how you steal my heart (and crush it, many many times).  This year started off poor; I mean, there were some serious offenders out there.

1.  Train Wrecks 

 Zoey’s green number reminds me of dance outfit I wore in 1992, for Marky Mark’s “Good Vibrations” – it was wrong then, and it’s wrong now.  Piper P.’s dress is just plain ugly.  The sheer material around her breasts make it look like she has none.  And the color washes her out (more on nude dresses in a minute).  Meryl looks like she’s on the way to a rodeo.  I guess at this point she’s won so many awards she really doesn’t give a damn.

2.  Poor Fit

I love these women, but their dresses did nothing for them.  Natalie’s dress reminded me of Marilyn’s dress from “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend,” but it was too loose.  It made her look like a child.  I thought Tina’s dress was beautiful, but the cut made her look short and without a waist.  Emily’s dress, besides looking like she’s on Dynasty, was swimming on her – and I don’t care for the long sleeve/no sleeve look.

3.  Nude is NOT the New Black

Don’t get me wrong, I really like a couple of these (Julie and Charlize), but the problem is the color.  You have to be a certain complexion to wear nude, and you have to pick the right nude for your skin tone.  I feel like all of these dresses wash them out.  And perhaps they do look much better in person, but that majority of us are going to be looking at them from our TVs or PCs.  Fail.

3.  Let’s Get Married!

Bride, Mother of the Bride, and the Wedding Cake.  There, you’re all invited to the FUGLIEST wedding of the century.

5.  The Activist

I don’t hate it, but I don’t really care for it. I guess my biggest concern is that she looks like she has a giant AIDS ribbon on. Perhaps fitting, as she is basically the poster child for all causes. Always be an Activist.

There.  I got it all out.  Let’s move on to some great dresses.

I thought all of these gowns were excellent.  Even though Selma Hayek’s dress has 80s elements (metallic/geometric), it’s been modernized in just the right way.  Sofia V. seemed to be the favorite online; of course, she would look like a million bucks in a paper bag.  I loved the fact that Amber was able to find a sexy plus-size gown; something I know to be challenge.  Emma Stone ALWAYS looks good, I’m jealous of her style, it seems effortless.  On the flip side, Lea Michele looks like she put a lot of time into her look; I love this gown, even if it is a bit Vegas; it ages her, but perhaps that’s not a bad thing?  Finally, Ariel’s gown is unusually age-appropriate; it’s so fun, I would have worn something like that as a teenager. (LIE: I wore a black velvet spaghetti strap A-line dress with a WHITE MESH undershirt to my 9th Grade Homecoming Dance.  The horror.)

Finally, some random thoughts I had during the awards show itself:

• 8:50pm – Brad Pitt shouldn’t wear his hair long, unless he’s planning to make another Legends of the Fall.  Now THAT was some awesome hair.
• 9:03pm – From a distance, Michelle Williams’ dress looks like purple leopard print.  This is not a good thing.

• 9:20pm – OMG, can we just give a round of applause to Jonah Hill’s weight loss? Just saw footage from Moneyball…he looks so good now. I need to star in a movie with Brad Pitt. Instant motivation to work out.
• 9:28pm – George Clooney is funny, borrowing Brad’s walking stick. I wish he would do a throw back to his Roseanne hair…that shit was hot.
• 9:30pm – Why do women insist upon SQUISHING their breasts into gowns? I’m looking at you, Madonna. Also, the top of the dress is GREAT, the bottom, not so much.
• 9:35pm – Good lord, Jessica Alba. You look fantastic, it’s almost not fair. (and so tan and glittery looking, almost like a stripper).

Jessica’s Marchesa (love her dresses!) gown was actually my favorite of the night.  This could have looked like a bridesmaid/prom number on someone else, but she pulled it off flawlessly.

• 9:41pm – I’ve got myself a crush on Mr. Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He is adorably handsome.
• 9:46pm – What would it take for Leo DiCap to get a chiseled face? I’m always suprised how he went from Titanic to this weird baby-fat face that never goes away, no matter how tan and greasy and hairy he gets.
• 9:50pm – The back of Claire Dane’s dress = 100 times better than the front.
• 9:53pm – The fact that Matt LeBlanc is almost completely grey, makes me feel OLD. Also, shout out to Liz Lemon and Sue Sylvester on their penis joke! High Five!
• 10:03pm – I love the way Evan Rachel Wood carries herself. It almost makes me forget that the Loch Ness Monster is attached to her. Kidding, sorta. I do like this dress!

• 10:12pm – I want to brush Reese’s hair and dye her roots. She’s really letting herself go as a newlywed 😉

• 10:17pm – Martin S. looks like the Old Man from Up! Crazy big eyebrows.
• 10:28pm – Come on, Marky Mark. Give me SOME enthusiasm. “andherearethenominees.” (WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE TOP OF BEAL’S DRESS??)
• 10:35pm – Oh Colin Firth, you are still hot. How old is he?
• 10:50pm – Why is there a dog on stage? I need to see The Artist, obviously.

Such a good time – those three hours went by like that!  As my friend Ashley reminded me, only 42 days until the Oscars!

Finally, this post’s title comes from a Season 2 episode of 30 Rock, “Believe in the Stars.”  In it, Tracy and Jenna are arguing over whether it’s harder to be a white woman or a black man in America.  Liz sets them straight –

Lemon: “No one has it harder in this country today than women. It turns out we can’t be President. We can’t be network news anchors. Madonna’s arms look crazy.”

Well, hello there!

“Everything Sunny All the Time, Always” is here to bring a little bit of sunshine into your world.  And a little bit of funny.  And crazy.  And absurd.  Don’t worry, you’re safe here.  The title of this blog is a nod to my favorite television show, 30 Rock.  Since I believe it to be one of the funniest series, well ever, I knew it would be inspiration in helping me write.

Who am I?  A 30-something single gal, who recently moved back in with her parents.  Yes, that’s right, my parents.  In my childhood home, in my (still) purple bedroom, with a cork board proudly displaying high school photos and magazines clipping from the 90s.  I moved back to help out my aging parents – well, aging in the fact that they’re (only) in their early 60s and recently stopped working and therefore have nothing to do and are bored and depressed.  More on that later.

You’ll get to hear a lot of my parents in this blog, especially my mom.  She’s Asian and although she moved here almost 40 years ago, has a very thick accent that most have trouble understanding.  That’s right, it’s exactly the stereotype that you’re thinking – she’s not a Tiger Mom, she’s her own kind of crazy.  You’re gonna love it.

Besides my current living situation, I intend to discuss other parts of my life (working, dating), as well as various current events being shown by the media.  So yes, be prepared for anything.  Especially since I live in Florida, and ALL THINGS CRAZY start here.  Don’t believe me?  Listen to the news tonight, or in the weeks ago, you’ll see what I’m talking about.  All the nuttiest stories come out of here – teachers dating students, radical churches burning Korans, our inability to vote properly…yeah, that one hurt.  There are sites dedicated to the “wacky” news of Florida; we’re just that good.

Which is sorta how I came upon the title of this blog.  I never realized how literal the nickname was, “The Sunshine State,” until I moved away for a decade and experienced the real weather of the North (think: cloudy for days).  It certainly made me appreciate the insane bright sunshine when I visited, and when I returned.

In the 30 Rock episode featuring this line (and the title of the episode), it’s Margaret Cho playing Kim Jong-il, who gives the weather forecast for North Korea:

So, while life is not always sunny, we can certainly try to make them believe it is (blatantly lie to?).