In Part 2 of our ongoing blog segment, He Said – She Said, I’m going to talk about some of my biggest pet peeves. Call me crazy (Michael does all the time) but some of these things just make me want to pull my hair out.

Now this may come as a surprise to some of you, but I’m not perfect. Far from it actually. I’m sure there are plenty of things I do that annoy the bejesus out of people (Michael, no comments, please) but no one can deny that there are many stupidly obnoxious people in the world. Here are a few of my favorites. And by favorites, I mean most hated. As always, Michael will be adding his thoughts in bold.

1. Bad Drivers — No, I’m not talking about the people that swerve in and out of lanes and drive fast (because most of the time, that’s me). I’m talking about the slow people that stay in the left lane, or worse, keep pace with the car next to them so that you can’t get around either car. Or the people that have been sitting at a stop light for several minutes but then aren’t paying attention when the light turns green, leaving just enough time for them to get through the yellow light but leaving me to sit through another red light. Or the person that starts braking 9843980934 yards before the stop light or better yet, leaves 18 car lengths between them and the car in front of them. You get the idea. Basically, everyone is a bad driver but me.

I have a serious issue with people not using their turn signals and with the genius who waits until the last minute to merge in traffic, which is actually the cause of the traffic. But most of all, you gotta drive the speed limit. I’m not Speedy Gonzales or anything, but at least go the speed limit.

2. Bad Customer Service — I could go on and on about this one. It’s a sad realization to make that friendly customer service just can’t be expected anymore. Grocery store clerks don’t smile or even look up to say “hello,” waiters slam drinks down on the table and walk away, never to refill again, and retail store workers openly discuss how much they hate their jobs and can’t wait to get off work so they don’t have to deal with “stupid customers” anymore. I know that some people just aren’t “people-persons,” but if you can’t practice the bare minimum customer service etiquette, maybe you shouldn’t take a job in that industry. Just saying. The question is, how difficult is it to put a smile on your face for two seconds, or just wait until the customer walks away to talk smack about your job? The answer is none. None difficult.

Agreed. Just be polite. Is that so much to ask? No, it is not.

3. Their, There, They’re — People who still misspell “they’re, their, and there” as well as “to, too and two” and even “you’re and your.” It’s cute when a 5-year-old does it, not a 25-year-old. I think The Oatmeal sums it up nicely.

Seriously, these are the first words you learn to spell as a child. How are people still getting this wrong?

Below, I’ve listed some of my top pet peeves. If you’re a Reda, you’ll definitely agree with these.

4. Being Late — When someone is expecting you to be somewhere at a specific time, you can’t just show up whenever you want. To quote Stephanie Tanner: “How rude.”

For those of you who don’t know/haven’t yet experienced it, I suffer from a crippling disease known as “The Huebner Half-Hour.” Basically, it’s just not in my genes to be on time for anything. I know it’s a serious character flaw and, because it’s one of Michael’s top pet peeves, I know that he’s attempting to get me in check. At least we always get to make an entrance, right? Wrong.

5. Sunglasses Etiquette — Sunglasses are meant to be worn on your face, more specifically, over your eyes. If you still can’t quite figure it out, my friend Pete will demonstrate the proper way to wear sunglasses.

You’re doing it wrong. Put them on your face, where glasses go.

I agree; either on top of the head or on the eyes, people. Even tucking them into the front of your shirt is stretching it a bit.

Laurie’s BONUS Pet Peeve: Adult Radio Jingle Singers — Specifically the ones from the “Great Wolf Lodge” commercials. You can just tell those people are washed-up wannabes and it kind of grosses me out. Too much vibrato and just too much trying in general. Yuck.

I know there are a lot of annoying people and things out there, so what did we miss? What really grinds your gears? We love talking trash, so let’s get this conversation started.

I highly recommend checking out the whole album. There are a few weird songs in there, but for the most part it’s a solid soundtrack. If you’re anything like me (you are — I only associate with cool people) you’ll like what you hear.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Cool Tunes Volume 4

The first group on the list: The Temper Trap. I really dig this song. It just makes you want to get up and do something. For example, it makes me want to go to IKEA and pretend to live in one of the display rooms.
The Temper Trap — Sweet Disposition

Next is Regina Spektor. This lady has a great big voice and writes some beautifully intricate melodies. She actually had two songs featured on the soundtrack but this one is much happier sounding.
Regina Spektor — Us

Next up is Feist. This is the perfect song for a Summer afternoon. It’s so cute. You might remember Feist from 2007 when another one of her songs was featured in an iPod Nano commercial.
Feist — Mushaboom

And finally we have Doves. I love this band because they make great chill music. This is the kind of music I want to have playing all day long.
Doves — There Goes The Fear

So what do you think? Did we miss anything? Who are you listening to this month? Keep suggesting new tunes for us to download and we’ll try to feature them in an upcoming Cool Tunes post. Thanks for reading & listening!

Christopher Nolan is one of this generation’s finest directors. With movies like Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige and The Dark Knight, he brings a level of creativity and passion to the art of movie-making that not many other directors share. It took him close to 10 years to write the screenplay for Inception and every frame shows his total dedication to the craft.

From the trailers to the mind-bending posters (see above) I knew Inception was going to be right up my alley. A thriller that takes place within the architecture of someone’s dreams. If that doesn’t sound awesome to you, we can’t be friends.

This post is full of spoilers. I highly recommend watching the movie before reading any further. The less you know, the better. Seriously, you’ll be much happier if you don’t read this article (or any of the comments) until after you’ve seen the movie.

What if we lived in a world where we could share dreams? Leonardo DiCaprio plays a character who can break into someone’s dreams and steal their secrets. However, his newest client offers him a challenge: Inception – to plant a thought into someone’s mind so when they wake up they think it was their own idea.

Of course, it’s not that simple.

“Here’s me planting an idea in your head: I say to you, don’t think about elephants. What are you thinking about? Elephants. But it’s not your idea because you know I gave it to you. The subject’s mind can always trace the genesis of the idea. True inspiration is impossible to fake.”
– Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)

This is easily one of the most creative and sophisticated movies I’ve ever seen. It is a truly original work of art that will have you talking (and thinking) for weeks. I especially love the multiple layers of Inception. Both the dream-world layers (dreams within dreams) as well as the different ways you could interpret the story. Laurie thinks that not only were the characters trying to perform Inception on Fischer (Cillian Murphy) but they were also performing Inception on Leo’s character, Cobb. While Eames (Tom Hardy) is impersonating Browning, Ariadne (Ellen Page) makes an interesting comment to Cobb:

“As we go deeper into Fischer, we’re also going deeper into you.”

Cobb tells his team that the subconscious is motivated by emotion, not by reason, and that a positive emotion trumps a negative one. Maybe that’s why Cobb is only able to forgive himself when he reveals to Mal (Marion Cotillard) that they actually did grow old together. He fulfilled the promise he made to her when he proposed. A truth that he had once known, but chose to forget.

Other theories suggest that the entire movie was a dream. Some bloggers claim that we are never actually shown reality because the audience is never given a totem. The movie begins with a dream sequence and is then followed by two more dreams. How can we tell if we’re in someone else’s dream without a totem? This would help explain some of the events that occur during reality. Eames just happens to know a Chemist who creates his own compounds with extra-strength sedatives. Saito (Ken Watanabe) shows up in Mombasa after an impossible chase and a very tight squeeze. Even the old man in the Chemist’s basement makes a revealing statement:

“They come to be woken up. Their dream has become their reality. Who are you to say otherwise?”

Of course the biggest question is, does the top keep spinning? The film cuts to black just as Cobb’s totem starts to wobble. Obviously Nolan did this to get people talking, and it worked. Big time. Personally, I think it was all real. If you look closely, you can see that Cobb is shown wearing his wedding ring during all of the dream sequences but not during any reality sequences. At the end of the movie he is not wearing his ring.

I believe that Nolan is trying to perform Inception on the audience. But did he plant the idea deep enough into your subconscious? Were his clues subtle enough for you to think they were your own? Or will you reject them because your mind can always trace the genesis of the idea? To me, that is what makes Inception such a brilliantly crafted work of art.

“What’s the most resilient parasite? An idea.” – Cobb

Finally I need to mention the music. The score by Hans Zimmer is chilling and memorable. It evokes so much emotion from just a few notes. Zimmer said he was inspired by the very same Édith Piaf song (Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien) which is used to kick the dreamers from one dream level to the next. You can see the inspiration for yourself by heading over to YouTube or by clicking here.

Inception is a smart and imaginative thriller that demands a second viewing. Probably a third viewing, too. What did you think of Inception? Here are some initial reactions from Jorge, Pete, my Mom and Heather.

UPDATE: Cinemablend created a really helpful infographic that visualizes each dream layer, the dreamers and the kicks. Sweet.

This month we have four new artists and they were all recommended by you. We read your comments and suggestions from Cool Tunes Volume 2 and picked a few of our favorites. It was hard to choose just one track to share from each artist, but here are a few that have been stuck in our heads all month.

And now, the main event: Cool Tunes Volume 3

The first group on the list: Mumford & Sons. They come very highly recommended by our friend Heather. We love the lead singer’s voice and the solid lyrics, but mostly I dig the rockin’ banjo. Who doesn’t love a banjo?
Mumford & Sons — The Cave

Next is Portugal. The Man. Courtney recommended this group and I have to give her some credit; Her usual suggestions are Justin Timberlake, NSYNC and more Justin Timberlake. The lead singer has a very unique voice. It took some getting used to, but now I love it. This is a beautiful song.
Portugal. The Man — Created

Next up: The 88. This band was suggested by my sister, Erin. They have a really fun sound that reminds me of Jet and The Strokes.
The 88 — All ‘Cause Of You

And finally, Ray LaMontagne. Laurie is taking credit for recommending him, but I’ve heard several people say nothing but great things about him. His voice and his lyrics are very genuine and sincere.
Ray LaMontagne — Hold You In My Arms

So, what do you think? Did we miss anyone? Who are some of your favorite artists? So far, all of our Cool Tunes have featured men. What female singers are you listening to these days? Leave some suggestions and we’ll be sure to check them out! Thanks for reading and listening!

So, without further ado: Cool Tunes Volume 2

The first group on the list: The Black Keys. I really dig the heavy guitars and heavy beats. It’s hard to tell but this band consists of two white guys.
The Black Keys — Everlasting Light

Next is Gary Go. My sister told me about him a few months ago and he’s been on repeat ever since. Great voice, great lyrics, great compositions.
Gary Go — Life Gets In The Way

Next up: Skint & Demoralised. I have no idea what this guy is talking about but his accent makes me laugh and the music is a lot of fun.
Skint & Demoralised — The Thrill of Thirty Seconds

Some of you might already be familiar with MGMT but for the rest of you: this is a great song. They just released a new album so be sure to check it out.
MGMT — Time to Pretend

Finally, this might be the best song ever recorded in human history.
Eduard Khil — Trololo

Even better, the Trololo music video.

Those are just a few of the artists that we’ve been listening to lately. What do you think? Who are some of your favorite new artists? Feel free to leave some suggestions and we’ll be sure to check them out!

“It only ends once… Anything that happens before that is just progress.”

I wanted to write this article immediately following the LOST Series Finale but quickly realized I needed more time. I couldn’t find a way to articulate exactly what I was feeling. Maybe that’s because I wasn’t ready for LOST to end.
I wasn’t ready to let go.

We have spent the better part of six years getting to know these characters, sharing their emotional struggles as well as their triumphs, experiencing their ups and downs (or perhaps more accurately, their forwards, backwards and sideways). Maybe this all seems overly dramatic, but it’s almost like saying “goodbye” to an old friend that you know you’ll never see again.

WARNING: I am (obviously) going to be discussing the LOST Series Finale so if you don’t want to be spoiled: Turn back now!

My favorite television show of all time came to an end Sunday night in a fiery blaze of emotional glory. Some LOST fans were upset with the ending. Some were even angry and felt they had been cheated. I feel sorry for these people and I hope the finale didn’t ruin the whole series for them. Personally I thought the ending was both beautiful and satisfying on many levels. It gave me a sense of closure and now I can move on.

Below, I’m going to share some of the things I noticed in the last few hours of LOST as well as my overall thoughts about the show. Please feel free to leave a comment and tell us what you thought of The End.

It turns out the “Alternate Reality” wasn’t an alternate reality after all. It was actually a Flash-Way-Forward to a point long after everyone had already died. The Jughead bomb had nothing to do with it. My guess is that Jughead merely caused them to jump from 1977 to 2007 again, and then life on the island happened exactly the way it always happened. Dharma built the Swan hatch over the pocket of energy and created the computer program to be executed every 108 minutes (by Desmond) just like they always did.

The first episode of this season gave us a huge clue and an equally huge red herring. The red herring was Juliet’s line to Sawyer down in the old imploded Swan hatch. Right before she dies, she tells him that it worked. We’re meant to think she’s talking about the bomb. We know now that Juliet was having a consciousness-shift to the point in time where she and Sawyer find each other again in the afterlife. In the Sideways World, Christian tells Jack that there is no “now” and that time is meaningless. Juliet’s entire “Alternate Reality” may have lasted a lifetime to her, but was only a few seconds to Sawyer.

What Christian is telling Jack is that everything on the island really happened. “Yeah, I’m real. You’re real, everything that’s ever happened to you is real. All those people in the church, they’re all real too.” Jack sacrificed himself to save the island (and possibly the world), Hurley and Ben took over as the new island protectors, Kate, Claire, Sawyer, Richard, Miles and Frank all left the island on the Ajira plane and presumably lived out their lives. “Everyone dies sometime, kiddo… Some of them before you, some long after you.”

The “Alternate Reality” is a place, subconsciously created by all of them, where they could be together after they died. They were the most important part of each others’ lives and couldn’t move on (wherever that might be) until they were together again. Live together, die together, move on together. Some people are calling this place Purgatory but that is not technically correct. The “Alternate Reality” is not Purgatory because the show isn’t about one religion. Take a closer look at the stained glass window behind Jack and Christian at the church. The “Alternate Reality” is whatever you want it to be. The point is, it was created by the castaways so that they could find each other.

The big clue in the first episode is actually the very first line spoken this season. “You can let go now.” – Rose (to Jack) We’re meant to think she’s talking about the Kung-Fu grip Jack has on his arm rest, but she’s actually talking about something deeper. In the Sideways World, Rose and Bernard were “aware” the whole time. That’s why we never see their awakening, because they are already at peace. In order to move on, each character needed to let go of whatever emotional baggage they carried in their previous life. Jack created David as a way to deal with his own father/son issues, but Jack was only able to fully let go when he told his father he loved him and received the same love in return.

I thought the final episode of LOST was perfect. I thought it was a beautiful way to end the show, right where it started. Yes, there are still plenty of unanswered questions, but they could never answer all of them. We will never see Hurley’s journey as island protector (maybe) or Frank and Richard picking up chicks in their New York City apartment. We will never see Claire taking Aaron to soccer practice or see Sawyer and Miles in their own version of Starsky & Hutch.

We will probably never get answers to some of the island’s greatest mysteries. But at it’s heart, LOST is about humanity. It’s about these characters developing deep emotional and spiritual connections with each other. I’m not sure where our castaways go from here, but I do know that whatever happens, they will all be together again some day. “See you in another life, brother.”

I’m a huge fan of LOST. Ever since Jorge and I watched the entire first season in one day/night, I’ve been hooked. However, lately it has been difficult to remain a faithful fan. Why is that? I’m going to discuss some of my thoughts on why the last few seasons have been so different and why I think it’s actually our fault.

Warning: I will be discussing things that aired in the most recent episodes. If you want to remain unspoiled, turn back now!

Think back to Season 1 for a minute. The show was about the characters. The fact that they were stranded on an island was secondary to the interaction and development of the characters. Each of them had a flashback to their off-island life and each episode showed one of our heroes learning from past mistakes and making different choices this time around. Seasons 1 & 2 were also overflowing with mysteries, and people love mysteries. What is the Black Smoke? Why can Locke suddenly walk again? How can Jack see his dead father wandering around the jungle? What happens if they don’t push the button? These questions led to some wild theories: The island is a snow-globe, they’re all in Hurley’s dream, they’re all in Purgatory, etc.

After Season 3 the producers made an announcement: LOST would end after 6 seasons. Part of me was upset because I could watch this show every week for the rest of my life. But another part of me was relieved. Eventually they might Jump the Shark and I don’t want to ever be disappointed by LOST. With this announcement also came the realization that they were going to have to start answering some of the questions addressed in earlier seasons. However, in true LOST fashion, they waited until the last season to answer anything.

The problem is that the fans already had the answers. They had spent the past 5+ years crafting elaborate theories to explain the show’s greatest mysteries. For example: Season 1 — House of the Rising Sun — As soon as I saw the “Adam & Eve” skeletons in the caves, I was convinced that it was going to be Jack and Kate. My theory was all but confirmed this season when Jack and Hurley rediscover the caves in Lighthouse.

“Wait a sec… What if we time traveled again to, like, dinosaur times? And then we died and then we got buried here. What if these skeletons are us?” — Hurley

In the most recent episode, Across The Sea, we find out those old bones actually belonged to the Man in Black and his crazy Mother. Is that a bad answer? No, it’s just not the answer I had expected.

I firmly believe that the writers of LOST have known from the beginning (more or less) how the show would end. Remember, the concept of the Smoke Monster isn’t new, he’s been around since the very first episode. Even the Glowing Cavern of Life (which was pretty corny) isn’t new. We’ve seen that type of energy before: Desmond turning the fail-safe key, Ben (and Locke) turning the frozen donkey wheel and even this season when Widmore zapped Desmond with massive amounts of electromagnetism.

If you’ve never watched LOST, I can imagine how stupid that last paragraph must sound. The reason it works is because all of these concepts were introduced gradually. This season, however, we were given 5 years worth of island mythology and pseudo-answers in just a few episodes. Absorbing all of that information at once is just too overwhelming.

Yes, this entire season has been hard to wrap our minds around. This type of story has never been told before, certainly not like this. I honestly have no idea how the show will end, but I am confident that it will be an ending that die-hard LOST fans will love. What do you think?

First up is Julian Casablancas. If his voice sounds familiar to you it’s because he’s the lead singer of The Strokes. I didn’t know he had a solo album until I saw him in a Saturday Night Live digital short called Boombox.
Julian Casablancas — 11th Dimension

Next is Matt Costa. His most popular song, Mr. Pitiful, is featured in the iPhone 3GS commercials but this is my favorite of his songs. Check it out.
Matt Costa — Cold December

You might remember the band OK Go from their innovative music videos, more specifically their dancing-on-treadmills Here It Goes Again video.
OK Go — Before The Earth Was Round

I might be late to the party, but Miike Snow is one of my new favorite bands. I dig the style of the music mixed with the lead singer’s unique voice. I can totally vibe on this song all day. That’s not a real phrase.
Miike Snow — Silvia

So those are just a few of the new artists that we’ve been listening to. We’d love to hear what you think so feel free to leave a comment below. Who are some of your favorite new artists?

I just thought I’d post a quick video clip from back in the day. When we lived in the townhouse I taught Kelsey how to get me a Coke from the fridge. It took a lot of time, patience and treats but here is the end result. If only I could teach her to feed herself and let herself out in the morning.

Don’t forget to check out the Videos page for more of our little home movies.

Today we’re starting a new segment on the website called He Said – She Said. One of us will post a blog, and the other will add their own thoughts/comments in bold. Volume 1 is going to be about my favorite topic: movies. I’m going to post a few upcoming Summer movies that I’m looking forward to, and then Laurie will weigh in on whether or not she wants to see them or if she just thinks I’m crazy.

First up: Clash of the Titans. I’m looking forward to this movie mostly because of some sweet CGI, but I’m prepared for bad acting and a bad story. It’s already doing quite poorly with a whopping 30% on Rotten Tomatoes. I’m not expecting much, but it should be a decent popcorn flick and a good way to start the Summer Blockbuster Season.

I’m actually pretty stoked about this one. I’m down for an action/adventure flick and can look past bad acting to the ancient Greek physiques that I’m sure there will be no shortage of. Additional bonuses? Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes. Yes.

Update: Jorge saw the movie last night and told me what I pretty much expected. It’s a fun movie, but not Shakespeare. Oh, and don’t see this in 3D. The movie was made in 2D and converted to 3D in post production, and from what I hear, you can tell. Save $5 bucks and stick to the normal format.

Next: Date Night with Steve Carell and Tina Fey. I think Steve Carell is great on The Office but that same routine doesn’t translate well to movies. With that being said, I will still watch this movie and enjoy every second of it because of Tina Fey. I’ve been watching old seasons of 30Rock lately, and I’m on a real Liz Lemon kick. Plus, she wrote Mean Girls. 

Yes, Steve Carell’s “shtick” is getting to be a bit Will Ferrell-ish, but I can’t help but keep loving him. I think the dynamic between him and Tina Fey is going to be perfect.

Wall Street, Money Never Sleeps. Is that true? Does money really never sleep? How does that even make sense? Anyway, I have no connection to the first Wall Street movie, I just have a man-crush on Shia LaBeouf. Ditto.

Next up: Iron Man 2. As a self-proclaimed geek and lover of comic book heroes, I don’t think there’s any way this movie can fail. The first Iron Man movie was so good, and with 99% of the cast returning for the sequel (Terrence Howard was replaced by Don Cheadle), and with Jon Favreau in the Director’s chair, this is sure to be another huge success.

Ever since Bob Downey Jr. got clean and did IM1, he can just do no wrong. Sure, Sherlock Holmes wasn’t the best, but I blame that on Jude Law (I still loved it – Mike). This is probably the only movie on the list I would actually fork over money to see. All the rest, I’ll let be Michael’s treat.

Robin Hood. There is nothing manlier than a movie starring Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott. Crowe is a definite upgrade from Kevin Costner (even though I love Prince of Thieves) and I’m looking forward to seeing his portrayal of a classic character. I’m expecting Gladiator with bows and arrows.

I’m just expecting Gladiator. Meh…

Sex and the City 2. I blame Jean Hill for my secret obsession with Sex and the City. She forced me to watch an entire season in one night. Even though I didn’t think the first movie was great, as long as they keep making movies, I’ll keep watching.

The only reason I’ll probably see this in theaters is for a girl’s night out (it’ll still be Michael’s treat). Otherwise, I think I’d be okay waiting for it to come out on DVD. I like SATC but the first movie just wasn’t all that.

Get Him to the Greek. This movie is a spin-off of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. For me, some of the best parts of Sarah Marshall were with Russell Brand’s character Aldus Snow, and his biggest fan played by Jonah Hill. These guys are consistently funny, so I think this will be a pretty funny flick.

Now that they’re the main characters in a movie, I think they’re just going to try too hard. Next.

The A-Team. Yet another dose of manliness, fool. For more opinion, see my  thoughts about Clash of the Titans.

I feel like this is going to be pretty hyped up, maybe even to the point of over-hyping? But it’s got my boy Neeson in it, and Sharlto Copley from District 9 — hopefully they’ll hold it down.

Next on the list, Toy Story 3. I will see anything that Pixar creates. I’m not entirely sure Buzz and Woody needed a third story, but I trust Pixar and love these characters, so I’m game.

Click here to see why Pixar is better than Dreamworks.

Pixar will forever be my favorite, but I’m a bit nervous the “3″ is going to be lame. There, I said it.

And finally, the movie I’m looking forward to the most this Summer is Christopher Nolan’s Inception. So far, Nolan is batting .1000 and with DiCaprio as his leading man, I’m sure this will be another cinematic masterpiece.  

I got goosebumps the first time I saw this preview. DiCaprio, aka real world Richard Alpert, is on a winning streak and, while I’ll probably have nightmares after this movie (I know, “it’s not a scary movie” but just trust me, I’ll be scared) I can’t wait to see it and probably blog about it afterward.

So there you have it: our predictions for the upcoming Summer Blockbuster Season. Please feel free to leave your own thoughts or opinions. What movie are you most excited about this Summer?

Special shout-out to Jorge. I totally stole your idea and I make no apologies.