A Quick Update & an Obsession Out of Control

Well, it's been a long time since I've posted last. Part of the reason is because I haven't run since my last race...almost literally. I took a week off to rest then tried a few times to do some short runs of < 5K only to be sidelined by some nasty shin splints bilaterally within the first quarter mile of each run. Dejected by this failure, I decided to rest for awhile and just haven't gotten up the gumption to get back out there again. I skipped a double that I had scheduled in Louisiana and Arkansas as well. Of course, next Thursday I leave for my next half marathon in Mississippi...the Mississippi Blues Half Marathon. Again this will be a race with virtually no training and I expect to walk a good portion of the course. Then to follow that up, I have a double in California in mid-January at the Temecula Valley HM and the 2nd TinkerBell HM...again, likely to be walking much of the course. What a way to start 2013!! Meh.

As far as the end of 2012 goes, I hope everyone had a great holiday whether it was Christmas, Hanukka or Kwanza. We had a great time here with the son and his fiance coming to visit for 5 days and staying with us. We ate, met the future in-laws, they visited other family and friends, I did some massive cooking preparing a bunch of crock pot soup/chili plus multiple loaves of quick bread, celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary by sitting in bed all day catching up on a semester's worth of DVRd shows and it was an overall good time.

And then there is my newest obsession...On the 11th I was up in Amarillo for an appointment and before I drove home I stopped to catch Pitch Perfect at the theater. I had been waiting to watch this since it came out and finally had the chance so I was surely not going to miss it. I knew that I was in a potentially obsessive mode when I walked out of this movie. The songs, the dancing, the quirky characters, the sweet ups and downs of romance and a cute hottie in the male lead young enough to (literally) be my son. Ah yes, Skylar Astin. Yum. I think I'm either bordering on pedophilia or cougar mode since he's literally 11 days older than my own son!! LOL!

The movie came out on DVD and VOD on the 18th and wouldn't you know it I purchased my first rental of the movie just after midnight. Within the first 24 hours I had literally watched the movie at least 10x, sleeping only 2-3 hours and repeating the cycle again for 2 more days. To date, some 10 days later, I have by m best estimate watched this movie (as I am doing while typing this) at least 50 times!! I've watched it enough that I've got the most of the dialogue and choreography down cold. It's not unusual that I obsess over a movie or male lead, but it is unusual that I've watched the movie so many times and am fangirling over such a young actor. In the past movies like Bridget Jones and Titanic were my obsessions, then came Ryan Reynolds and I watch Green Lantern (best imagery of his hot bod) at least 20x after it came out as well as building a pretty massive Facebook album of Ryan Reynolds photos...excuse me while I wipe up the drool...OK, I'm back.

Ummm...yeah. this is currently the wallpaper on my cell!  *sigh*

Anyway, two days after first watching the VOD movie I went out and bought the soundtrack which took me 2 hours to figure out how to import it onto my phone so I could go grocery shopping and driving while listening to the music wherever I go. It was kind of funny to be jammin' out to the soundtrack while doing my grocery shopping at Walmart and Albertson's. I've been living Pitch Perfect for over a week now watching it whenever a have a spare couple of hours, listening to the CD when I'm at home or anywhere that I can listen to my phone and just today I spent a few hours to build a Pintrest page dedicated to the movie (featuring a lot of Skylar Astin). For Christmas my son gave me a Visa gift card that was to be used for running gear ONLY, but I snuck in the Blue Ray/DVD mega combo pack which I had to order online and am eagerly awaiting to arrive so that I can watch all the extra content. I'm pretty sure my constant scanning for new online pics of Skylar, watching numerous YouTube videos of the movie and Skylar plus following Skylar on Twitter may border on stalking. I jest, I jest!! lol!

There are additional new tracks on the just released extended
soundtrack that  I will be downloading from iTunes.

I'm not certain why the movie resonates with me so much. I know a new hottie and the music are certainly a draw, but whatever it is I do love this flick! At least it's a healthy obsession...for now. I'm not going out and blowing money, doing drugs or other stupid things...so it's OK, right?

My favorite parts of the movie in chronological order (SPOILER alert!):

• Right at the beginning when Jesse sings to Beca from the car before they even meet...too funny when his parents take off  at high speed during Freshman move in day.
• A capella tryouts, especially when Jesse sings.
• When Jesse messes around with the album covers to make Beca smile.
• When Jesse meets up with Beca on the quad arriving with a candle, Snyder's of Hanover Hard Pretzels, movies including The Breakfast Club and a juice packet. Why would you need a candle in the daylight, on the campus quad?? IDK.
• The riff-off especially when Jesse sings Feels Like the First Time and you know that he's singing it to Beca.
• The dorm scene right after the riff-off where Jesse puts the move on Beca.
• The Trebles performance of Right Round at the first competition. Swoon!
• The Bellas breaking out with Party in the USA in the bus.
• The Footnotes performance of Blame it on the Boogie.
• Beca yelling at Jesse after Aubrey lays into her after the Bellas performance at semi-finals. So sad...I feel so bad for Jesse! :(
• Beca finally watching The Breakfast Club.
• Beca trying to make up with Jesse after spring break and he basically breaks up their relationship ("whatever this is") even though he cares for her still. Another sad section of the movie. :(
• Aubrey's major projectile vomiting episode and the ensuing girl fight.
• The Bellas mashup in the swimming pool.
• The Trebles final performance of Bright Lights, Bigger City/Magic. Easily my very favorite musical number. Not only do you hear the smooth voice of Jesse but Benji also lets loose and the boys in general dance great. Huge swoon for Jesse!! (Excuse me, I have to go wipe off the drool again!)
• Beca's section of the Bella's final performance when Jesse realizes that she's singing/making up to him. The look on his face is priceless...which leads to more swooning!
• OK, being the romantic that I can be at times, when they finally kiss. Oh, to be 25 year younger, 25 pounds lighter and in the place of Beca! ROTFLMAO!

Yes, this is a very lighthearted movie which gives me a fuzzy, warm feeling inside...in a PG sense. The acting is great and entertaining. The music, dancing and singing is great...especially Skylar Astin as Jesse. His voice just hits the right spot every time whether he's singing or rapping. Rebel Wilson throws out her irreverent humor and brings on a lot of laughs. Anna Kendrick is well cast as the rebel finding out that college life can be fun. The cast overall is just awesome. Oh, and then there's Elizabeth Banks as one of the competition commentators...she is hilarious in the 10 or 15 minutes she has on screen!

So, I've just finished watching the movie and singing and dancing (quietly) to the last two performances as the old man slept...good thing he's deaf! My VOD rental is expired so now I just need to wait and see if I can manage to hold off on ordering it again until my mega combo BluRay/DVD arrives sometime between now and January 2nd. If it doesn't get here by Saturday, I'll probably be going through withdrawal symptoms and have to order it yet again! Oh my!

Here are a few of my favorite videos off of YouTube with regards to Pitch Perfect. Enjoy!

Mike Tompkins, the cast of Pitch Perfect and fans sing "Starships."

Again...Skylar Astin's voice...ahhhhhhh!

This video has most of my favorite non-musical scenes 

from the movie between Beca and Jesse. It's set to 

"Without You" as done by Lea Michelle from Glee...

Skylar's former cast mate on the Broadway hit 

"Spring Awakenings."

The Trebles perform "Right Round." Damn, Jesse and Donald are good!

I can't be the only one loving what happens at 0:51 in the clip...

Second half of the riff off...songs about sex. 

Jesse sings "Feels Like the First Time". 

OMG. I can't get enough of his voice!