Not a Hipster, But an O.F.

I hate hipsters.

Guy you suck!

Guys you suck!

Every hipster I have ever met have been these horrible elitist who think they are better than everyone.

MeanGirls I know right!

Ugh. They drive me crazy. They take all the stuff I have loved for years and jack up the prices. Oh, and don’t get me started on their fake glasses wearing. Wearing glasses can be a hard life and the people who do face all kinds of challenges and it bugs me to no end to see these people wear them for “fashion.” It’s like people walking around with hearing-aids for “fashion”. It’s so rude.

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I just can’t stand them, and to make things even worse everyone thinks I’m one.

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You see I have always loved older things. I love classic literature (and actually have read them, not just pretended).

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I love records, especially the art of the album cover!

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I only like music from the past as that is what I grew up listening and I just cannot connect to modern music.

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I love classic cinema as that is what my mom used to show us when we were growing up. I remember being the only kid who liked “black and white” films.

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Or the only one who knew Alfred Hitchcock, William Powell, Errol Flynn, Laurence Oliver, Gregory Peck, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, etc were.

I can only pick 5?

I also only shopped at thrift stores as it was cheap and my family stressed the idea of using something until it was broken and unfixable. For instance I carried a CD player around with me into high school. Yes about 6 years ago when everyone had an iPod or something, I was still carrying my CD player to school and CDs to change them out.

So people think I’m a hipster, but I was doing far before the “hipster” movement came out.

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Like Ginger said, I was raised old fashioned. And that’s how I like it.

It is the truth.

It is the truth.

That’s how I was raised. Vintage, old, historic, traditional; these were a way of life for us, and especially me.

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That’s right. I don’t follow the current trends, even if they are “new-old” ones. I do what I like and enjoy the things I love. Sometimes the books, clothing, film, or even dating styles I like aren’t popular:

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But I don’t care if it goes against the crowd or isn’t what “everyone else is doing”. I enjoy the things I enjoy and I’m going to keep living my life the way it is.

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For more on being old-fashioned, go to It’s Not Old…It’s Vintage

For more on hipsters, go to We’re in the Future: Good-bye 2015

For more in Italo Calvino, go to Baby Jane Austen

For more Ginger Rogers, go to Food, Food, Food!

We’re in the Future: Good-bye 2015

So you all know what I think of 2015

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I decided that as I started my year with:

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it was only fitting that after I ended my year with Back to the Future as well.

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So in ending 2015, I decided that I’m going to list everything that Back to the Future II (BTTF II) got right about 2015

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Other Fuel

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So while we don’t fly in our cars or through space yet, (Yet I say, yet) there is another method of fuel that has there is another method of fuel besides gas that is gaining popularity, electric cars. Not popular you say? Do you remember when I wrote a post on my car breaking down in San Francisco and we couldn’t find a single parking spot as all were reserved for electric cars? I’m telling you, they are really pushing those things.

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Weather Watch

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While in BTTF II future, we actually control the weather, which of course is not happening now, there are two things that BTTD II was spot on about. First, that we would be able to get weather information instantaneous (which we do on the internet/phones) and that we could actually get that information from our watches.

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Laserdisc Losers

Record not a laserdisc, I know.

Record not a laserdisc, I know.

When Marty and Doc first settle down the alley in the future you can see a bunch of laserdiscs wrapped up and ready to picked up by the trash men. Back in the ’80s, laserdisc weren’t super popular, but still seen as the way of the future. However, BTTF II knew they wouldn’t go far and now most of the people alive today have no clue what they are.

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Self-Lacing Nike Shoes

One of those self-fulling prophecy’s. Nike saw it and decided to make it.

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2015 Fashion

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I was going to make these all separate, but decided it would be easier to put them all together.

*One Size Fits All*

While we don’t have the awesomeness of buying clothes and pulling just one tab to make it fit us perfecctly, BTTF II did get one thing right; the one-size-fits all craze. Now I don’t know how popular this was in the ’80s, but in today’s world it has become a thing.

*Caps Lock*

Now what is it called when you do something before it was cool, in a future before it happened? I don’t know, but that rainbow dipped cap Marty wears in 2015, it is something you see in stores today, that the hipsters would be wearing all over. If you took that and added a triangle or a quote, someone would even use it as their phone’s wallpaper

*Workout Wear as Regular Clothes*

Everywhere you look in this film people are wearing workout wear as they do their regular thing. This was happening in the ’80s, but not by people of all ages like today. Yep, from older men and women; to middle aged mothers, teens, preteens, and kids; wearing workout wear when you have intention of actually working out has become a thing. It is acceptable and BTTF II caught onto it way before we thought it was okay.

*Eye Makeup*

BTTF II really tried to go spacey on their mkeup, but they actually hit the nail on the head. For some reason I am signed up for Teen Vogue, and what they keep perpetuating is crazy makeup.

*Two Tone **

One of Griff’s gang sports a highlighted pompadour, something all the guys are doing these days.

*Studded Out Shoes*

Biff wears them in BTTF II, and today you go anywhere and it is like studzilla. 

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Endless Remakes/Sequels

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While remakes and sequels were happening in the ’80s it was nothing like it is today. I mean look at the Spider-man series; made in the 2000s, remade in 2010s, going to be remade again?

Or what about the Halloween series? There is like 9 already! Or Friday the 13th

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Annoying Ads & Persevering Pop Ups

So as Marty is walking along, everywhere he goes ads appear; Jaws 19, Vote For Mayor, etc. Sound familiar? It seems like today we are being constantly hit by them; going beyond TV and radio, to the internet, youtube, and even Amazon.

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I Love the ’80s

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When Marty steps into the Cafe ’80s he sees a palozza of ’80s love, which has defintely been going on today. Part of it has to do with the fact that 1985 turned 30 this year, but the 2015 has had some serious ’80s love in film; fashion, & more; it is clear we are just as gaga as they thought we would be. Although no Cafe ’80s yet, sadly.

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“You Have To Use Your Hands”

BTTF II called it when they said 2015 would be  world in which you didn’t have to use your hands to play video games. While some still require it, BTTF II dreamed up the Wii and Kinect long before those companies did.

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Hoverboards

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While they aren’t really like the ones in the film, more along the lines of a skateboard, we still technically have them. For me, https://www.youtube.com/embed/vbOWr7y0cT4” target=”_blank”>I’m waiting until we actually levitate.

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News in a Nanosecond

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When Griff & Gang crash into the clock tower, you see a flying computer with the words USA Today on the side that captures the event. Boy was that prophetic! First today most newspapers aren’t run as they used to. They don’t have as many reporters, choosing to pay for the associated press and get their stories that way, outmoding people. Also news is now instantaneous. Things happen, and they are posted on the web, pics and videos. Also computers are the way most get their news, a lot of papers don’t hand out physical copies as much as they used to.

Not to mention that with vlogging and blogging, the news is taking a very different form.

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Books No Longer Paper

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So when Marty purchases the almanac in order to place all those bets, the saeslady mentions “back when books were printed on paper.” Now it is true that in almost every science fiction book or film you read/see, they get rid of paper books, it still is eerily to see them talk about it, knowing that in 2015 books will be available in another format.

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A Delorean? Haven’t Seen One of Those In…

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Sadly the Delorean went out of business in the early ’80s, before this film was made. And because of that, you didn’t see them anywhere. However, in the ’90s the DeLorean company was made to bring it back, but it still is a rare sight.

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Check Out the Telly

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Let’s talk about the TV they show in BTTF II. First did you notice they have large flat screen TVs that you in today’s stores? Yep, back in the day of the bulky square TVs, BTTF II saw a thiner, wider, version coming along the horizon.

They have the ability to watch relaxing scenes of scenery, just like you can today. Think of Netflix’s Christmas log/fireplace.

They also have the ability to watch six different channels/screen at once. Just like Direct TV is always showing in their ads.

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Google Glasses

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At the table eating, you’ll see that both Marty Jr. and Marlene both have glasses that give them the ability to search the web, receive phone calls, and they have to do voice commands. Sound like anything you’ve heard of? Like Google Glasses.

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Phone More Interesting Than People

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When you watch the film you’ll see that as the McFly clan gathers around to eat their rehydrated pizza, the kids are all focused on their google glasses not caring about actually conversing with anyone. The only ones who are talking, are those that were young in the ’50s and ’80s, the older generation. Sound familiar? I see that everyday.

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Skype You Later

While it is true that most future films, books, and TV shows tend to have these kind of communication; BTTF II was spot on when it said we would have the technology to communicate with people face to face when we call. Whether you use Skype, Facetime, Snapchat, etc.; BTTF II knew what was what.

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For me 2015 was a great year as I was finally able to live one of my dreams, see all three Back to the Futures on the big screen. But whether it was all that you wished or not exactly a dream year, I wish you all a happy new year, and may this one be a great new start!

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Back to the Future

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For more on Back to the Future, go to Back to the Supernatural

For more on 2015, go to Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Roads

The Future is NOW!: Happy Back to the Future Day!

Hey everyone. I know I have been terribly behind in my Horrorfest posting. The problem is that lately I have had a LOT going on, and trying to juggle means something usually falls behind. I promise that I WILL catch up and have those 31 posts completed!

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I also decided that instead of working on Horrorfest or things for work, I would instead go to the Back to the Future trilogy showing at my local theater.

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Well, not just decided. I had my tickets purchased months ago. It’s my absolute favorite movie so I had to see it!

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For as long as I can remember, one of my dreams has been to see Back to the Future on the big screen. I am incandescently happy that I have achieved this and I am telling you, I will be riding this happiness high for a long time. It’s like I don’t even care what the rest of the year holds, my day was completely made this night.

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So Back to the Future was as awesome as always. Michel J. Fox was utter perfection, perfection that was beautifully magnified on the big screen.

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And then to only increase the awesomeness, before they showed Back to the Future: Part II they had a fake ad for Hoverboards, and a teaser trailer for Jaws 19.

I have to say too, that when watching Back to the Future: Part II, there was actually quite a lot that is similar to our times today. Not everything, but quite a lot. The architecture of the new courthouse had the classic columns, but if you look at it closely it has a lot of glass, being similar to architecture made today.

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The clothes, while not being able to scrunch and fit you, dry off, etc; were not too far off. Definitely an ’80s vibe, and we all know the ’80s are totally back. And the short, peroxide blonde hair of the girl in the ’80s Cafe was the Miley Cyrus hairdo, before she was born. And look closely at those clothes again, aren’t there pieces that make you think of hipsters and Lady Gaga?

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Just not the stuff these guys are wearing.

Not to mention they had glasses that could watch TV and use to talk. Sound like anything we have today? Or the ability to take calls on their TV, video chatting? Pretty cool! And look at those giant flat screen TVs everywhere in the house.

No hoverboards, but someday.

No hoverboards like this, but someday.

And of course, the third film rounding it out quite nicely!

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It was an amazing film series, and an even more magical experience getting to see the films and have a lifelong dream fulfilled.

Now I got back from seeing this at 11pm. But as Marty, Jennifer, and Doc all go to October 21, 2015 4:29pm, I’m posting at that time.

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Back to the Future

Happy Back to the Future Day!

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For more on Back to the Future, go to Back in Time: Happy 30th Anniversary Back to the Future

For more Holiday posts, go to Na Na Na Na Batman!

You Look Beautiful Just the Way You Are: How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

Romantic Moment #7
HowtomarryaMillionaireHow to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

This is a silly romantic film from the 1950s, and one of Marilyn Monroe’s most known films. So we have three department store models create a scheme in order to land rich millionaires. Schatze Page (Lauren Bacall) heads up the group. Schatze had been married to a gas pump attendent who used her for money and kept running out on her.

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After she was granted her divorce, she decided instead of marrying for love, she would marry for stability. She gets Pola Debevoise (Marilyn Monroe) to join her in her scheme. Pola’s issue is that she is extremely near-sighted, but doesn’t like to wear glasses as “Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses.” To fill out their group, they ask ditzy Loca Dempsey (Betty Grable) to join them.

The three rent a furnished penthouse apartment from an IRS fugitive Freddy Denmark (David Wayne), in hopes to appear wealthy to rich men. Loca immediately brings home a man she met in the grocery store, Tom Brookman (Cameron Mitchell). He becomes very interested in Schatze, but Schatze takes one look at him and judges him as too poor for her. In reality, Tom is extremely wealthy.

Schatze sets her sights on the wealthy, older, Texan, J.D. Hanley played by the handsome William Powell. She tries to convince him that she loves him and wants to marry him, but J.D. thinks they are too far apart in age. Hey, for William Powell I wouldn’t care how far in ages we were.

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Tom continues to pursue Schatze, but she says no again and again.

Meanwhile Loca has met a wealthy married businessman. He invites her to his lodge in Maine for the weekend (wanting a mistress). Loca thinks it is a meeting with Elk’s Lodge members. Schatze tells her not to go, but Loca goes down and discovers that all the guy was interested in was an affair, not marriage. She intends to return home to New York, but the two contract the measles. She and him have to stay on extra time, with Loca recovering much sooner. She finds herself spending time with her nurse, and the area’s forest ranger, Eben (Rory Calhoun). She starts falling for him, and he proposes, but Loca unsure of whether to marry him as he is poor.

Then we have Pola who is getting into scrape after scrape as she trips over this, mistakes that, etc. She meets a phony Arab Tycoon who wears an eye patch and invites her to come with him to Atlantic City to “meet his mother.” Schatze warns Pola not to go as “no mothers live in Atlantic City”. Pola doesn’t listen, but finds herself on a plane to Kansas City as she misread the sign. Her seatmate happens to be Freddy Denmark, who is on his way to get his crooked accountant and make him pay. The two spend the whole flight talking.

Back in New York, J.D. returns as he realizes that he wants Schatze in his life. They get ready for the wedding, when the girls show up. Loca decides that she’d rather have her hunky mountain man than a millionaire. Pola chooses the now penniless fugitive rather than any tycoon. Schatze laughs at them for being chumps, but finds herself unable to marry J.D. as she loves Tom. Her and Tom talk it out and the two marry. That evening the six are eating at a diner celebrating and goofing around how much money they have when Tom reveals his net worth. The girls are in shock and faint at it.

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*******Most Romantic Moment*******

So the part that I think is just so romantic is when Pola is on the plane with Freddy Denmark. So before I get into that, let’s discuss Pola a bit more. So every scene we have Pola crashing into something and everyone asking her why don’t you just wear your glasses if you can’t see? Pola tells them she can’t as men don’t like girls with glasses. Now I know this may be hard for many of you to understand with the whole hipster glasses being a cool thing, but growing up with glasses is difficult.

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It’s hard being picked on by being called four eyes, having to wake up every morning and being unable to see, having to deal with the glasses vs. sunglasses problem, the expense of contacts, etc…and of course being told time and time again that glasses will make you impossible to catch a date ever.

Now as Pola is waiting on the plane flying to Kansas City, Freddy Denmark, her seatmate notices that she is doing some odd things. He realizes that she isn’t wearing her glasses and asks her why. When she tells him that guys don’t like girls with glasses, Freddy tells her to put them on and test it out. She does and Freddy tells her that she is crazy as she was beautiful before but even better with them on.

Perfect!

Perfect!

Unless you grew up being bullied for wearing glasses you won’t understand how truly romantic that is to hear. Oh Freddy! I’d marry you too.

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In fact this was so romantic they reprised this scene in Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and hit on what it’s like really well.

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And don’t forget: beYourself Beauty

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To start Romance is in the Air: Part III from the beginning, go to I Can See Your Beauty: The Breakfast Club (1985)

For the previous post, go to I’m Here For You: The Italian Job (2003)

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For more on Coco Chanel, go to Sisterly Roles

For more quotes, go to Shall We Dance?: What Happens in Vegas (2008)