Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Guilty Pleasures

This morning at work (post-hug), I wanted to tell Nate the idea for my next blogpost. I had thought of it just a few minutes earlier, but racked my brain and couldn't remember. Turns out I had email stacking up in my inbox, so I stopped worrying about it.

But I quickly remembered in the parking garage. Because when I turned the ignition, my sound system kicked in, and the new Matchbox 20 CD was playing (Track 2).

Ouch.

I know. And I'm one of those guys who prides himself on knowing obscure bands. I also still buy CDs. In related news, I love to tell stories about how I know bands before they get popular, including:
- Vertical Horizon: found the original release of their CD (years ago) in a random bin at Barnes & Noble years before their lead singer shaved his head and their CD was re-released. I have the CD as proof.
- The Fray: I got set up on this "blind" date and we went and saw them open for Kyle Riabko back when they were recording their first album in Bloomington, IN .
- Train: okay, Doug--one of my college roommates--gets credit for finding them somewhere online in pre-Napster-gets-busted days.
- I'm sure there are others; I just don't want to bore you.

Note: I don't know that I'm helping my blog-cred or music-cred by mentioning the above bands (or by using the slang, 'cred,' for that matter).

Cut back to me, driving home from work, Matchbox 20 is playing. And yes, I'm singing along. Come on, this post is about guilty pleasures, and I couldn't remember about the blog idea when I was talking to Nate. I think it's because I completely block out some of these guilty pleasures until I experience them again.

To be fair, the idea of 'guilty pleasures' is not remotely original; in fact, some Indy natives recently wrote The Encyclopedia of Guilty Pleasures detailing their list of 1001 of them. But it's times like this morning when you suddenly realize that you love something that's socially unacceptable. Here's a short list of the ones I'm willing to admit to:

1. Matchbox 20: as mentiond before. Rob Thomas is a good songwriter. I own his solo album and those of Matchbox 20. There, I said it.

2. Fudge Rounds and Oatmeal Cream Pies. I used to eat these things in middle school when I was waiting for my mom to pick me up from 7th grade. You know, back before PTOs took the vending machines out of schools. I know that the "little" in Little Debbie is a lie and that she's probably huge or dead by now. But if I'm alone on a road trip, you can be sure that I'm picking up at least one of her soft, sugary mushpies.

3. MTV: I don't have cable, but I go to my sister and brother-in-law's house frequently, and they do.

4. Taco Bell: I'm pretty sure I'm not alone here. I think Taco Bell generates at least 40% of revenues on the loyal 'guilty pleasure' following that does drive-thru only. I used to love the Crunch Wrap Supreme, but I'm back to being a three soft tacos guy; sometimes I go for a burrito. Damn, I miss those twisty cinnamon things.

And now it's your turn, so start posting your comment(s). Use a code name or a handle so we don't know it's you.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can't even lie, it's the new Miley Cyrus song "See you again". My friends make fun of me for it, but thankfully I have other endearing qualities.

Anonymous said...

Flavor of Love. It's god-awfully amusing, but I feel dirty after watching. But I also feel assured that my life will never quite be that way.

Nate said...

Hugh Grant movies, The Insider, and Kid Rock.

Anonymous said...

I don't think any of us actually feel guilty when we enjoy our 'guilty pleasures.' Does anonymous #1 feel guilty when listening to Miley Cyrus (me likey). When RJ and Nate are watching Hugh Grant fumble over Julia Roberts while eating little Debbie Snack Bites, are they really feeling guilty, or, are they enjoying yourselves?

Smiles, laughs, kick backs, and a little extra around the mid-section are all side effects of guilty pleasures.

I found a new 'guilty pleasure' on Tuesday night while I tried to find 'House Wives of NYC' (guilty pleasure #1). I was shocked to see that America's Funniest Home Videos was on television. Did you know that Bob Saget doesn't host anymore? Well, I stopped to watch a clip titled '35 hits in 30 seconds', where 35 people got hit by a baseball bat in 30 seconds. I'm telling the guilty pleasure truth when I say I haven't laughed that hard in months. Belly laughs, tears, gasps, and a snort.
People getting hit on tape is really funny! I watched the rest of the show to see Kung-fu baby win the 10,000$ prize.

Did I mention that I was home alone? Alone = guilty pleasure enjoyment.

Anonymous said...

Can't lie - I am obsessed with the TLC (the tv network). But I only flip it on when no one is home, and I would never bring the shows up in a daily conversation.

However - I can't miss an episode of "Jon and Kate plus 8" or "Little People, Big World." I mean, lots of kids and little people are funny....

Nate said...

To the last poster, (Anonymous #4?) - if you ever want to go public with your affinity for John and Kate Plus 8, then you are welcome at the Romance household. We have followed the Gosselin family for years. We were there on their trip to Yosimite, the recarpeting of their house, and their recent skiing adventure. TLC shows are brilliant, it's just people with abnormal circumstances doing regular stuff. If the plot for every episode is just normal people stuff, you'll never run out of ideas. See how annoying it is to go grocery shopping when you have eight kids with you, or how difficult it is to shovel the driveway when you're a little person.

Anonymous said...

I love writing down random words in a notebook given to me during my New Employee Orientation in 2005. I also love Jon & Kate Plus 8, the Roloff's from Little People, Big World and cheesy personalized art from Chinatown.

Anonymous said...

not wearing pants on Sundays

Anonymous said...

I had no idea that so many people like Jon and Kate plus 8. Did you see their new family photo taken at their rich friend's estate (Bob and his wife)? I'm amazed at how many paper plates that family uses. I hope that TLC is helping with the college fund...

Anonymous said...

blog stalking...i just can't help myself.

Anonymous said...

I miss New York from the first installment of Flavor of Love. I don't really feel that guilty so I should come up with another one.

I love to eat entire pints of ice cream from Ben and Jerry's. (Linda from WW didn't seem to have much sympathy at weigh-in...perhaps I was post-partem)

I love fresh cut flowers and the new Bobbie Brown scent, Beaches. I also love Penny Preville earrings.

I kind of like the smell of my son's tinkly diaper. That's border line gross but since RJ is succumbing to his Little Debbie crush and Nate has Hugh Grant fantasies, I figure I can readily admit to a few too.

Oh, I really like Keeping Up With The Kardashians; the way they talk is so like totally over the top. I love their inflections - the guy who's doing the rock opera on Anna Nicole should consider the same for the Kardashian kiddies.

Anonymous said...

I will admit who I am because I am proud of my guilty pleasures! I am Suzannah, RJ's oldest sister.

1. Girls Next Door - Seen every episode. I am obsessed with those big boobed ditzy blonde girls!

2. Chocolate covered yeast donuts - I eat two of them on my way home from the grocery.

3. When I was pregnant Traders Point Creamery Chocolate milk - I could drink an entire bottle!

4. People magazine - read it like the bible every week!

Anonymous said...

I think Kate from Jon and Kate plus 8 needs to get over herself. She just bugs me. I kind of like to watch the show because I just sit back and judge her. So that would be my guilty pleasure.

You're going to tell me that that chic hasn't sold out and made life a bit easier...what's up with all that product placement (Juicy Juice all the time among others) And you can't tell me that people aren't in line to babysit those kiddies? So when she loses it and gets huffy with Jon...I just sit back on my dog haired infested couch and nod my head back and forth and judge her. That chic has oodles of help (yeah, I saw the behind-the-scenes special where all the crew are doing stuff for her kiddies.)

So, I've determined in my guilty pleasures of judging Kate and her manage mothering 8 children that she's a drama queen and it's all for TV. The chic needs to lighten up and have fun and lose some of the intensity. She's money in the bank with the TLC gig, is practically reality star hall of fame and you know they're going to start a litany of commercials in just a matter of time.

I know I'm going to get some pushback from some of you softies for the 'mom with 8 kids' but I got to tell you: Kate don't have it that bad.

I know my reality television so I know what these producers can cook up to make a story. So maybe we need Kate's drama to make things interesting in reality TV-land.

Anonymous said...

Rock of Love II... see post #2 above.

Anonymous said...

i love sandwiches