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Some Top Tens

Andy said I had to make some top ten lists, but he didn't say exactly what. bwahaha. What a dumb ass.

Top Ten Movies
1. Gone With the Wind- It may be cliché, but those are ALWAYS the best 4 hours of my month.

2. Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken- A horse movie with a kickass message and gorgeous people. I approve. There are three separate points in this movie that I ALWAYS cry during, no matter what.

3. Dumb and Dumber- WE LANDED ON THE MOON!!!!

4. Philadelphia Story-Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart with the best script that was EVER written. EVER.

5. Forrest Gump- The paradox of the simple and the epic in this movie is something that continues to speak to me every time I see it. And I think Jenny is one of the most beautiful characters ever designed.

6. Lonesome Dove- the best western movie that was ever made. No question. “A man who wouldn’t cheat for a poke don’t want it bad enough.”

7. When Harry Met Sally- the epic chick flick, the ultimate cinematic discussion of why people stay together, why they break up, why it takes us so damn long to figure it all out.

8. Encounters at the End of the World- A documentary about people living in Antarctica on a temporary basis. Why they’re there, what it’s like, how to survive, and why it’s such a freaking amazing thing to do.

9. Black Stallion- As if there weren’t going to be 2 horse movies on this list. Dan can attest to how much I love this movie. We only watched the very beginning

10. Apollo 13- I love this soundtrack, and I love this story. The characters are done great justice by all (except that fugly Kevin Bacon, UGH.) But it’s always such a satisfying watch. The miracle of what humans can do under extremes, and the lengths we go through for the greater abstract of exploration and advancement.



Top Ten Horses (that’s right, this is my list)

1. Poco’s Brass- My own first real horse, a chocolate bay stocky mare who loved twizzlers, paydays, and flirting/doing it with every gelding or stallion that came within a mile of her. She started it all, and gave her whole heart.

2. Meadow Prince- My mother’s relationship with her grey Arabian gelding was possibly my greatest inspiration for my own deep love of horses. Her description of winning the Utah Endurance Championships with him, crying as he trotted up the last mile of exhausting sand dunes, was EPIC in my childhood.

3. Gem Twist- One of the greatest Show Jumpers who ever lived. Pure white, enormous, and breathtaking. Olympic medals left and right, and also the inspiration for my favorite childhood Breyer Horse Model.

4. Thunder Gulch- Winner of the 1994 Kentucky Derby and Belmont, he lost the Preakness by a NOSE to his own stablemate. He was a long shot, and at the age of 8 I was the only one to pick him to win the derby, which he did, by 4 lengths. I was the family champion for a day. He was a big red beautiful horse, and I had it bad for him.

5. Theodore O’Connor- one of the greatest Three Day Eventers of the millennium, and one of the shortest too, literally shorter than some of the jumps he jumped. He was ridden by my all time favorite equestrian, Karen O’Connor before his tragic death this past year. The sport just isn’t the same without him.

6. Gigolo- Ridden by bzillion time Gold Medalist Isabel Werth of Germany, Gigolo was in my opinion her finest mount. He was totally not what you would expect for a dressage horse, and here he was winning championships left and right. I love a horse that can defy the odds J

7. Ralphy- A horse we still own, Ralphy is a mustang from Nevada who I rode at Nationals. He was a really fun mount, but also scary. Some of my worst falls I took on him, but I love him so because every once in awhile, he becomes this DESPERATE romantic on the ground. He’ll just be all over you, and he’s so handsome it sort of makes me feel like I’m on a date with the captain of the high school football team. Just makes you feel special. Love that horse.

8. Native Starr- She and I had our ups and downs, which is why she’s maybe not as high on the list, but BOY OH BOY, could that girl jump. Jumping her was like flying a helicopter. She was the single most athletic horse I’ve ever ridden, and I will NEVER forget that feeling until the day I die.

9. Nariadni- Nariadni was one of the stallions at Taylor Ranch in Payson, and when my Mom took me to see him, I nearly died on the spot. He’s exactly the sort of horse that inspires people to buy horses that are way too high strung for them. He was hot and wicked and full of life, and you so desperately wanted to just be around him. Mmm.

10. Penny’s Worth- Penny was my best friend Kesty’s horse. Penny could outrun or outjump any horse in Sanpete County, and then still be perfectly calm enough to win absolutely every pleasure and halter class. She was a perfect golden palomino, and I loved her like she was my own. (and certainly wished she was!)

(honorable mentions- Man O'War, Ruffian, Black Stallion, Calvaro, John Henry, Ready Teddy, Secretariat, Jurnisa, Vindicator, Titan, and El Hombre.)




Top Ten Music Artists

1. Coldplay- I don’t care how popular they get or how “accessible” their music is. Coldplay is something completely honest and true to me. And they were BY FAR the friendliest, most gracious, and most enjoyable performers I’ve ever seen live.

2. The Postal Service- One of the few albums that has never left my regular rotation since I bought the album my senior year of high school. The lyrics speak to me, the sound is sweeeeet.

3. Missy Higgins- A singer songwriter who broke into my soul and wrote stuff about it and put it on two of the most underrated albums ever made. This is what a woman sounds like on the inside. Soft and tragic but enjoying life thoroughly, consequences be damned.

4. Beirut- My sister Aimee introduced me to these guys a couple years ago, and I now love and cherish virtually everything by them. They have an insanely unique sound, and can write the most tender thoughts.

5. The Infamous Stringdusters- My favorite bluegrass group, they’re basically a compilation band of all the hottest young figures in bluegrass today. And they KICK ASS live. Must listens are “Fork in the Road”, “Poor Boy’s Delight” and “Get it While You Can.”

6. Tim O’Brien- Another bluegrasser, his whole album of Bob Dylan covers is one of my most listened to albums in this life.

7. Mary Chapin Carpenter- A CLASSIC bad ass artist, Mary has written anthems that me, my mom, and my sisters have all sung our hearts out to for years.

8. Simon and Garfunkel- How can I not mention these guys, and claim to be anything like a liberal peace loving hippie?

9. Jimi Hendrix- The Jimi Hendrix Experience. What else do I really need to say? The intro
to All Along the Watchtower is one of the best first 10 seconds of any song ever.

10. Spice Girls- Say what you want, these girls made three albums that instantly bump my mood 8 notches when I put it on. I’m never turning my back on the originators of pop girl power.



Top Ten Websites
1. Facebook- Yup. With a subcategory for Café World. I am shameless.

2. Dooce.com- an exmormon Utah mommy blogger who can bring down whole companies in a single tweet. I respect that.

3. Wonderfulblunderfulme – A single mother successfully venturing into many forms of artistic expression and living to tell the tale. Love this woman.

4. Murf- won’t give out the whole addy, since it’s a private blog, but it’s unceasingly entertaining.

5. Modern Love- in the style section of the New York Times, a weekly guest column on something to do with love. Familial love, romantic love, pet love, hobby love, all of the above, as long as it’s about love. The best part of my Sunday morning.

6. Postsecret- The other best part of my Sunday morning, a collection of secrets sent in to a random dude on postcards.

7. People.com- I just like to see what gorgeous and hideous things people are wearing on the red carpet once in awhile.

8. Lissaraeofsunshine- never has a mommy blog been more HILARIOUS or entertaining or worthwhile than when my sociable riotous middle sister Alissa decided to document the insanity of her children. And Russell the typhoon of a 4 year old makes for some pretty good material.

9. www.boston.com/bigpicture- from the Boston Globe, really interesting photography subjects from around the world. Usually it’s something that ‘s big in the news, brought to you exclusively in pictures. I love it. Often extremely raw mixed with the beautiful.

10. Failblog.org- Sometimes you just need to know you’re NOT the dumbest person in the world. Here is a collection of people way dumber than you.

Happy Now?

Comments

Andy said…
Yes. I am happy

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