Movies I love (Musical)

As stated in my non-musical movies blog, I had a hard time choosing just 10 of my favorite movies, so I cheated and made a list for musicals and non-musical movies I love. Be warned: this will not be your typical list of musicals. I definitely have a different taste when it comes to movies. These are in no particular order, just alphabetical. Enjoy!

Burlesque

Rated PG-13

Contrary to almost everyone I know, I am a big fan of Cher movies and I like her voice. I am also a Christina fan. With those two in this movie, of course I was bound to love it. The music is amazing, and it gets stuck in my head every time I think about the movie (I'm putting on the soundtrack right now). The storyline is good, and it's just a very entertaining movie.

Grease

Rated PG-13

I would assume that most people my age had their first musical experience with Grease, just as I did. I watched this quite a bit as a child, and it just brings back good memories. I have always wanted to live in the 1950s, so I love watching the movie and admiring the costumes and set designs.

Hairspray (2007)

Rated PG

This is one of those movies that I watched every day when I first got it. I should probably get a new DVD because it skips sometimes, but it's good for now. One of the things that made me instantly love the movie is the fact that a bigger girl was the main character - and it was a positive role! I have been big my entire life, and I had never seen a bigger girl in a positive role until this movie. It made me feel better about myself and made me realize that my weight wasn't holding me back - I was. This movie was definitely an eye-opener for me and it makes me feel good every time I watch it.

Happy Feet

Rated PG

This was another movie that I watched every day when I first got it. I actually like to watch this movie when I'm feeling sad because it's just so cute and uplifting. I never had an opinion about penguins before, but now I think they're super cute and I kinda want one....haha. Anyway, the message in this movie is like the message in Hairspray, and it's so positive and happy :)

High School Musical (all of them)

Rated G

I'm not even ashamed these are on the list (I have loved Disney Channel movies my entire life). I also love Zac Efron and I'm not afraid to admit it. One of my best friends from college loves these movies too, and we actually performed a duet of one of the songs for an event at school. These 3 movies are my go-to movies when I'm sick. Now that I've typed that sentence out, I've realized that unless I'm watching movies with someone else and that person requests one of these movies, I don't watch them unless I'm sick. For some reason they just make me feel better and make me happy.

The King and I

Rated G

This is my favorite musical. I honestly don't know why, but I just love this movie so much! My freshman year of high school, my choir teacher decided that we would watch this movie, so we did just that. I instantly loved everything about it and have loved it ever since. The story is amazing, and it gets me every time. The costumes are fantastic, and it just makes me think I am in Siam in the 1860s. It is a long movie, but it is worth the watch.

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Rated PG-13

I think the reason I know this movie is because we performed some of the songs for a choir concert. I had never read the book (until 2011) or seen the Broadway Musical. I instantly fell in love with the music and had to see the movie. I remember being obsessed with the soundtrack and I watched the movie as often as I could. To this day, I try and push myself to hit all of Christine's notes, but I just can't. One day I will come to terms with my alto voice and not make a fool of myself trying to sing super high notes (especially when I haven't warmed up at all haha).

Pitch Perfect

Rated PG-13

A capella music has always entranced me, so I was excited to see a movie all about a capella music. I had just really gotten into Pentatonix before this movie came out, so I was even more excited about it! The music is so catchy and fun, and the movie is hilarious. It can get a bit inappropriate in a couple spots, but it really is just a fantastic movie and I couldn't be more excited for the second one to come out in May!

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

Rated PG

So. When I went to PCHS, we didn't have a set choir teacher. My freshman year it was the band teacher, my sophomore year it was the middle school teacher for the first half of the year and then the band teacher again, and my junior year we got a new teacher who stayed for a few years. ANYWAY. My sophomore year, the teacher we had first semester tried telling us how the choir used to be super amazing and great and had all these trophies - just like what happened in Sister Act 2.  The entire class knew he was lying just to get us motivated, but he ended up motivating me to watch this movie.

This movie is really inspiring and it fills me with so much joy whenever I watch it. I clap and sing along like I'm actually at the concert in the movie haha. I love stories about a bad class that gets a really good teacher and everything is better. I also wouldn't mind having Lauryn Hill's voice for just one day...

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Rated R

At first I didn't like this movie because it looked SO fake...but then someone told me that was the point. After that, I watched this movie all the time! I never got nauseous by any of the gore except one time when I was eating while watching the movie. Other than that, it doesn't phase me (which is good because I'm the biggest baby when it comes to that stuff). This definitely isn't a movie for the family, but it is a good one to watch with friends who can appreciate what went in to making this great film!


Have you seen any of these musicals? Which is your favorite off this list? What is your favorite musical of all time? I would love to read about it!

XOXO

Jen

#DearMe

I've seen a lot of YouTube content creators make videos talking to their younger selves. I think they're really interesting, so I want to do one too (except a blog because I don't make videos)! To fill you in, I'm writing to my 8th grade, 13 1/2 (hey, half ages were still important back then) year-old self. I had just found out that my dad's job was moving us to Florida at the end of my school year (well, he moved a couple months before my ma and I did).

Dear Jenny,

First thing, you will go back to 'Jennifer' once you hit college and then 'Jen Harris' because you just have one of those names. Anyway, you just found out that you are moving to Florida this summer. As if starting high school wasn't scary enough, you have to start high school 1,200 miles away from everyone and everything you know and love. You've thought about running away, but know that will never work. Let me give you some hints about why Florida will be one of the best things to happen in your life:

• You will meet some of the best people in your entire life
• You still talk to quite a few at the age of 26
• Your best friend, Amanda, will invite you to church with her
• You will go and LOVE it
• You will join the worship team and commit your life to God
• You will travel with your choir to Epcot and perform at their Candlelight service
• TWICE
• You will have the opportunity to learn a wonderful foreign language that isn't offered at LPHS
• You won't actually LEARN anything (except 'Ich habe Hausaufgaben') until college
• You will have the best birthday (slash going away) party ever
• People really do care

Now I'm going to talk about some of the things that will upset you, but you will make it through:

• *9th grade bully* and his friends won't be teasing you after 9th grade
• You don't see them (except in passing) for the rest of your time at PCHS
• You actually don't get teased much at all after 9th grade
• One of your closest friends will turn out to not be who she says she is
• You will lose the friendship, but it's for the best
• There will be A LOT of drama with an online friend and real life friends
• Everything turns out just fine

You are anxious and nervous for nothing, honestly. You will be kicking and screaming just the same at the end of junior year when you have to move back to Michigan. Yes, you will move back to Michigan. You finish high school with (most of) the people who went to elementary and middle school with you and you will go to college! I won't write any more about college right now, though...maybe later.

Overall, Florida was amazing and not a day goes by that you don't think about it (when you're older). You actually can't wait to get your life together so you can move back and stay there forever.

Embrace it. You will definitely miss it when it's gone. Live it up and make intentional friends. Don't sweat the small stuff because it won't matter in 10 years (why do you think the negative part is shorter?).

You are worthy of so much, so don't settle for anything less.

-Jennifer

If you could write a letter to your younger self, which age would you choose and what would you say? I would love to read about it! :)

XOXO

Jen

Movies I Love (Non-Musical)

It can be hard for me to sit and focus and watch something for long periods at a time, but the right movie can do just that. Here is my list of the top 10 (non-musical) movies I love.

I am not putting these in an order because that is impossible (it was hard enough getting it down to 10, which is why there is a separate list for musicals), so I will just have these in alphabetical order.

The Fast and the Furious (all movies)

Rated PG-13

I know this is more than one movie, but they're all so good. I am not into action movies AT ALL, but these ones keep me interested the entire time they're on. The first movie was actually the first movie I saw in the theatre and I didn't get up once during the movie because I was bored. 

Finding Nemo

Rated G

I don't remember if it was this movie or Monsters Inc., but one of the two was the first DVD I ever had. All I remember is having them at the same time, and I would watch them on my dad's XBOX because we didn't have a DVD player yet.

I've always liked family movies because I'm not into a lot of stuff that other people are (violence, sex, horror, etc.). This movie is super fun and silly and makes me feel good after I watch it.

 
Mean Girls

Rated PG-13

This was a movie that I received as an Easter gift...before I even saw the movie. I loved it the first time I watched it, and I love it now. This is a movie that has so many great quotes, and my friends and I have had conversations with just Mean Girls quotes before. It's so great, and such a funny movie!

Mermaids

Rated PG-13

This is my favorite movie of all time. I grew up watching this movie, and I could watch it every day and never get sick of it. I don't know exactly why I love this movie so much, but I just remember watching the VHS over and over and just being a child. This is one of those movies that no one has heard of, and that excites me because I get to tell them about it. Not that it's the best movie of all time, but it really is just a good movie.

Monsters Inc.

Rated G

As I stated in Finding Nemo, one of these movies was my first DVD ever. I remember playing with the menus (they had games and special things the menu would do) on the XBOX and really enjoying the movies. They made me happy and were a good way to pass time (this was when we had dial-up, no smart phones, and I wasn't allowed on the internet every day).

Mooz-lum

Rated PG-13

I only heard about this movie because the offical twitter page followed me. On my personal twitter, I hate when people I don't know follow me, so I almost blocked them before checking them out. I'm so glad I checked them out.

Every American can remember where he or she was on September 11th, 2001. This movie is about am African American Muslim family during that time. It is such a fantastic movie, and it sheds some light about what happened to some people during that time. It definitely isn't a feel-good movie, but it is so amazing and eye-opening.

The Parent Trap (1998)

Rated PG

I'm just going to say it: I'm a Lindsay Lohan movie fan. I own a few of her movies, and they always entertain me.

I have always thought it would be super awesome to have a twin, and this movie did not help keep those thoughts away haha. I have always wanted to switch places with my non-existent twin and see what happens. I'll never know, but I can live vicariously through this movie.

The Shawshank Redemption

Rated R

I can't remember the first time I saw this movie. I know I was an adult, but I don't remember anything else. Man oh man...this movie is just so good! It definitely is not the movie for everyone, but the story is so amazing, and it definitely pulls you in once you start the movie.

Sky High

Rated PG

I used to babysit my cousin's children, and they had this movie. When I babysat, the boys would always want to watch a movie. They chose this one a few times, and I'm pretty sure I objected, but I ended up really liking this movie. It has a totally predictable ending, but it's still super entertaining.

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Rated PG-13

This is another movie that I watched a lot growing up. I will argue that this is Leonardo DiCaprio's best role. He played his part so wonderfully, and he is so convincing. I believe I read online somewhere that when he went to his first awards show after this movie, people were expecting a mentally handicapped boy to show up (I know, I know, everything on the internet is always true). This is an absolutely fantastic movie, and it gets your emotions going.

Have you seen any of the movies on my list? What's your favorite on this list? What's your favorite movie ever? I would love to read about it! :)

XOXO

Jen

Apps I Love

I got my first smart phone back in 2011 and it was a Blackberry. I am able to upgrade my phone every 2 years with my phone company, so I got an Android in 2013. I loved my Blackberry and would still have one if they had better apps. Anyway, I have compiled a list of 10 apps that I absolutely love. I specifically left out social media apps, which means these aren't the 10 apps I use the most, but I do use these a lot. There is no specific order, so I'm going to just list them alphabetically:

Duolingo

Android, Apple, Windows

I started studying the German language my sophomore year of high school. You would think that I would be pretty fluent by now, but I most certainly am not. At the top of my game I probably BARELY had an Elementary proficiency haha. Anyway, Duolingo is such a fun way to learn languages! You can complete as many lessons as you want a day, and the app will send you a notification each day so you don't forget. The sentences you have to translate are priceless, so it's also funny to use :)

Handcent

Android, Apple

When I first got my Android, I was talking to a friend who works for Verizon and also has an Android (she helps me out so much with everything phone related haha). She told me so much about my phone and which apps to download. Handcent SMS was one of them. It's an app that takes over for the texting app that comes on your phone. You can customize it however you want. I thought the messages that came on my phone were boring and not pretty, so I downloaded this app and made everything beautiful!

This app is SUPER confusing when you first download it. It took me a lot of exploring and asking questions to someone who knew the app well to work it out. If you have questions, feel free to ask!

iHeart Radio

Amazon, Android, Apple,
Blackberry, Windows

Music makes me incredibly happy. The only times I'm not listening to music are when I'm sleeping, showering (weird, right?), and watching TV (sometimes the TV is on a music channel). I actually never used iHeart Radio before getting this phone, and I can't remember why I downloaded the app. I'm so glad I did, though. Whether I'm shoveling show, power washing the deck, working out, or doing the dishes, I have this app going.

I love the different stations you can create (using a song or an artist) and the different artists it plays accordingly. I have discovered quite a few new artists because of this app :)

LEO 

Android, Apple

This is a website that I learned about while in my community college German class. It is one of the best German / English dictionaries out there, and it is very helpful when I am stuck on a word or short phrase. The website also allows you to translate from German to many other languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Polish).

The website also has a training section that I haven't used, but it looks interesting!!

 



Lucktastic

Android, Apple

I honestly don't remember how I heard about Lucktastic, but I am so glad that I did! This app is like a game. Every day the app loads scratch tickets and you "scratch" them. You can win tokens or actual cash! So far, I have gotten a check for $12.50, and I have $10.50 on my account now that I'm hoping to rack up and get more before I claim it. With the tokens, you can claim instant prizes, which I have used to get two $50 Amazon gift cards. I didn't believe it at first, but it really works. I have gotten it two different times, and I am amazed it works each time haha. There are other gift card options (Applebees, Nike, Dominos, etc.), but I like the Amazon gift cards the most.

If you want to download the app and start getting free stuff, click here! :)

Malwarebytes Antivirus

Android

I am super thankful that I have never gotten a virus or malware on my phone, but I have gotten both on my laptop. My dad used to be an IT, and he was able to always save my computer when I messed it up. One of the things he had me download on my laptop was Malwarebytes Antivirus. It scans for malware and can get rid of it. Since it works so well on my laptop, I searched for an app and was lucky enough to find it!

The app scans my phone every day, and I can also schedule it to scan whenever I want. It lets me know if anything harmful is on my phone (text messages, apps, emails, etc.), and does a really good job of making sure I don't mess up every electronic thing I own ;)

Nextrack

Android, Apple

This is a wonderful workout app, also called Nexercise or Challenges. I think with the new updates it's only called Nextrack, but if you see Nexercise or Challenges anywhere, it's the same app. I track all my workouts on this app. I turn it on when I start and let it run in the background, or I can log a workout after I do it. It's connected to mPOINTS* and I love using that with it. It's a good way to stay accountable and it's fun to challenge your friends and try to stay at the top of the list for the week!

 
Photo Grid

Android, Apple

I don't usually like to edit my pictures, but I do love putting them into a collage. This app is really easy to use and it allows up to 15 photos per collage. I can get a little camera crazy, so that's a nice option. I also think the background options are adorable AND it doesn't put a watermark on the collage when you're done. :)

SWORKIT Pro

Android, Apple

I just stared using this app, but I love it so much! I will say that I paid the $.99 for the app because I knew I would love it. There are over 170 different exercises on this app and you can choose a pre-made workout, or you can create your own! You can choose interval time, how long of a rest between exercises, how many exercises you want to do, anything. It's really easy for a super beginner (like me) all the way to an expert (future me...hahaha). This app is also connected to mPOINTS*

The same people are behind this app and Nextrack (Challenges). They are really great people and are super easy to talk to. If you have any problems at all, they are eager to help you and make sure your problem gets fixed ASAP.

Timehop

Android, Apple

As stated in my past and future life blog, I get nostalgic easily. I am super sentimental and love looking back on my life. I am one to post...more frequently than most...on social media (I'm really working on posting less), so I get really excited to look at my Timehop timeline every day to see what happened in past years. I also REALLY miss college, so it makes me happy to see how much fun I had while I was there. It's really great to see where I was then to where I am now!

*mPOINTS is a loyalty program used by hundreds of leading mobile apps to reward you - the user - as a 'thank you' for staying active with their content. You do not have to use mPOINTS to use the apps listed above. mPOINTS has a lot of physical rewards (yoga mat, kindle fire, t shirt, amazon fire tv, etc.), along with plenty of gift card choices (amazon, dominos, wal mart, home depot, etc.). You can also enter contests to win bigger prizes ($100 gamestop, groupon, starbucks gift cards, etc.). Lastly, you can choose to donate your points to different charities (make-a-wish, american heart association, ASPCA, american cancer society, etc.). You can collect mPOINTS easily, so it may not take too long to save up for what you want!



What are your favorite apps? I love using new apps and seeing the amazing things people actually come up with! Are any of these apps new to you? Did I convince you to download a new app? I would love to hear about it all!

XOXO

Jen