The Rosie O'Donnell Show

In the 90s, I had a favorite TV show, which came on after school, so I had to rush home to catch it every day.  I was completely hooked on The Rosie O'Donnell Show and I never missed it if I could help it. I loved the opening theme song (which had a different line at the end each day), I loved all the guests that she had on and I loved her Koosh Ball shooter!  I even loved her complete obsession with Tom Cruise, even though it was way too much and I've never even liked Tom Cruise.  I loved it because I can DEFINITELY relate to being 'too much' when it comes to fangirling.  'Too much' is like my natural state. 

When I was a senior in high school (1999 this was), my drama club went on a field trip to New York to watch plays on Broadway.  While I was there I started my coffee cup collection, and I came home with close to a dozen souvenir mugs.  It's strange, but somehow I've ended up with around 100 coffee cups (I would've guessed 50 but I just counted them and... WOW.) but the only one left from that trip is my Rosie Show mug.

Here it is!

The reason that show occurs to me now is because my favorite episode ever was the one where Kerri Strug, who basically won the Olympics that year, came on.  My sister and I were watching the Olympics the night Kerri Strug won our country the gold by totally nailing her second vault... after she'd BROKEN HER ANKLE on the first try.  I watched the medal ceremony bawling that night.  I watched Kerri Strug on Rosie bawling later on.  I watched her on a lot of shows and interviews and documentaries, bawling every time.  And now that there's YouTube, I watch that vault over and over again and cry every time.  It's what ridiculous old ladies do, right? Seriously though, I cry over everything.  I really do.  And every time I think of the Olympics, Rosie O'Donnell, gymnastics or anyone named Kerri, Carrie or Cary I push back an urge to tear up.  Because that is easily the best feel-good story I've ever heard, and I watched it unfold in real time.  Then the heroine went on my favorite show and talked about it.  That was a good year.

Nikki Bazan (Major Superstar)

It's my sister's birthday.  She's obviously a major superstar and I can hear what you're all thinking: "What kind of movies does Nikki like?  You know her, you've GOT to tell us!"  Alright, calm down, I'll tell you.  Books and TV shows, too.  But you've got to be patient.  First, here she is relaxing at home. 

Wait, I think that's a TMZ photo...

As you can see, she likes to joke around, but please don't testify in court that I posted this picture or the judge will let her off scot free.

Anyway, back to what you wanted to know.  What does she read?  What does she watch?  Basically... not the same things as me.  She likes to read Nicholas Sparks, which is NOT my style, but I can't really say much.  I've never actually read one of his books and they might be wonderful.  I have seen The Notebook, although I never thought I'd ever mention it on this blog.  I like to keep this blog only to things that I like, and The Notebook is my #1 least favorite movie of all time.  I've given it a lot of thought, and that's what it is.  The Notebook.  So... yeah.

Nikki likes some TV shows that I dig, though.  Like, she recommended Supernatural to me and I'm totally loving it!  I actually started Merlin, then got distracted by Supernatural... then got distracted by Haven.  But someday I'll finish one of them.  Probably.

When I asked her what her favorite movie was, she said October Sky but listen, I grew up with her.  I can tell you her exact progression of favorite movies.  You know how kids get obsessed with one movie at a time and just watch that every day, as many times as you'll let them?  Here's the evolution of my sister's childhood:

101 Dalmatians (She wanted a Dalmatian Plantation)

The Jungle Book (She scaled back to just the Bear Necessities)

Drop Dead Fred (That's not how the pigeons do it!)

And finally... Andre.

Oh, holy crap.  Would you like to know how many times she watched Andre?  So many times that eventually it wouldn't come out of the VCR... and we barely noticed!  We just kept watching it over and over again until the tape inside the cassette finally snapped.  This is all true.  As is the fact that when she was in first grade she wrote 'I love Ryan Beeson' on a bathroom wall.  Also, if I ever go missing, she definitely did it.  But seriously, Nikki.  Don't be mad, I didn't even mention the bean! 

Love ya, Nik.  Don't kill me.

An actual non-Snapchat picture of her.  She's hilarious and gorgeous and I lover her!

Happy Birthday!