Things I Get Made Fun of for Liking

I had so much fun with my other list I decided to do another one :)

So now I have to decide, should I ease you into this, waiting until the end to throw the really crazy stuff at you, or shock you in the first moment so everything else seems less weird. Of course, depending on who you are the shock value may increase or decrease. So I think I'll just do them randomly.

1. Taylor Swift - along with a lot of other country music that I randomly started liking in the last year or so. I like the new "pop" country, not the old twangy country, but I like a variety of artists. The only country artist I don't get made fun of for liking is Rascal Flatts because they are all kinds of awesomesauce. But I love Taylor Swift's music and her music videos are wonderful.

2. The Twilight Saga - Yes, I like the Twilight books. I actually discovered them before they became a national phenomenon. They are great for what they are: brain candy. I am not saying Stephenie Meyer is the next Charlotte Bronte or something, but she is a good writer. I like her adult novel The Host a little bit better, but I've read them all, watched the movies and even have a "team". (That would be Team Jacob, by the way) I was one of the people in charge of the Breaking Dawn release party at the bookstore I work at and it was loads of fun. I learned way too much trivia, had fun dressing up and got earplugs to block out the teeny bopper screaming, but it was a blast.

3. Shia LaBeouf -

I liked him back when he was in Even Stevens, but it was the movie "Tru Confessions" that made me absolutely love him.

His acting in that was heartbreaking and I watch it whenever I am in the need for a good cry, which brings me to ...

4. Crying - yes, I love a good cry. There are times when you are just all overwhelmed by life and you are upset, but you don't know why or you feel emotional for no reason whatsoever (really. No reason at all) and you just need a good cry. I have a couple of movies and a couple of books that I can always turn to to give me a "reason" to have that cry. It makes me feel better.

5. Musicals - I love most musicals. I own a ton of soundtracks and I know tons of songs by heart. Some of my favorites include Thoroughly Modern Millie, Once Upon a Mattress, A Year With Frog and Toad, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, Beauty and the Beast - I could go on and on. But my favorite of all time that my sister and I got to see live in London was the musical version of The Lord of the Rings. It was the most amazing thing. The music was spectacular, the sets were mind-blowing, the costuming beyond imagination. Here are a couple of pictures from it.

I am DYING for them to bring it to Broadway. I would sell my first born child to go see it again. Okay, maybe not. But I would ..... do something .... drastic.

6/7. Hannah Montana/ High School Musical - I figured I'd lump these two together. I like the Hannah Montana show. I find it funny and I love Billy Ray Cyrus. I have seen all 3 High School Musicals and own 2 of them (though I do admit I only own them because they were mad cheap on sale) and actually just watched the 3rd one for the first time today. I'm just a giant kid at heart, what can I say?

8. Brendan Fraser - I know he is not everyone's favorite actor and somehow I always manage to like the ones everyone ridicules. Mainly I loved him in the Mummy movies, but I am just a big fan. I am dying to go see "Extraordinary Measures." I mean, come on! Brendan Fraser AND Harrison Ford in the same movie?! How can it not be good!? (Don't answer that question.)

9. Writing Research Papers - Yes, I love writing papers. I cannot stand reading non-fiction, normally. If you saw my list of books for the year, that was abundantly clear. But if I am doing research, that is another matter all together. Then it's exciting and interesting and fascinating and I'm actually getting really excited about grad school because I'll be able to write papers again!

10. Lost - Shocking, I know. Actually, for this one most people just ignore me, but I have been surprised by the anti-Lost sentiment that I've seen heading into this season. Of course, that has nothing to do with the fact that I've spent the last 8 months rewatching every single episode, talking about theories, Facebooking, Twittering and Blogging about it as well as indoctrinating several co-workers. Pshhh. That can't be it. Come on people! This is the best television out there right now and those of you who don't get it are the ones missing out! :)

I'm sure there are other things people make fun of me for liking. After all I am a self-proclaimed and proud geek. But these are the ones that came most readily to mind.