10 Lessons About Love That I Learned from the Film "High Fidelity"

From the moment I saw the nerdy, awkward teenaged John Cusack in 1984’s Sixteen Candles, I instantly liked him. As an awkward kid myself, I have connected with  many of Cusack’s characters, including the heartbroken sap in Better Off Dead and the obsessive teenager in Say Anything.

However, my favorite John Cusack character is Rob Gordon from the 2000 film High Fidelity. Not only did Cusack bring justice to Nicky Hornby's 1995 novel, but he did it in a way that was both passionate and humorous. In one word he was: human. 

Rob didn't claim to be the perfect boyfriend. He was obsessive, he slept with other people, he was often selfish and over-the-top with his reactions. But what I liked about him was that he knew he was flawed and tried to understand why. That, and he had great taste in music and was obsessed with making mixtapes, something that I continue to do to this day.

I learned a lot of things from Cusack's portrayal of Rob in High Fidelity, like not to stand outside of an ex's window in the pouring rain, but most importantly, I learned a lot about love.

A Few Reasons Why You Should Homebrew Beer

Who doesn't like drinking a nice cold beer after a long day at work? I don't know about you, but I do, and I do it on a daily basis. As I've gotten older my affinity for beer has grown, and I realized that I love all different types of beer, from Hoegaarden Belgium White to New Belgium's Fat Tire.

According to Beer Serves America, a site sponsored by The Beer Institute and the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA), the beer brewing industry is an important part of the American economy, employing about 1.8 million Americans and paying them over $71 billion in wages and benefits. And because many of its ingredients include barley, malt, rice, corn, wheat, sorghum, and other grains, beer makers purchase more than $850 million in raw materials from farmers across the country.

If You're Obsessed with Sneakers Like I Am, Then Watch "Just for Kicks"

My Air Force Ones

I've been obsessed with sneakers ever since I was a little kid. Now this may seem weird coming from a soft spoken half Korean girl, but it's true. I grew up in Newport News, Virginia, the hometown of Michael Vick, in a diverse and urban area that was saturated with R&B and hip hop music and baggy pants.

Check Out This Documentary - Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

I've been listening to rap and hip hop ever since elementary school. I'd hang out with my older brother in his room as he listened to Das EFX, Black Sheep and Cypress Hill, or I'd watch Run DMC and A Tribe Called Quest on MTV, desperately trying to imitate their carefree attitudes and wacky sense of style.

Rap and hip hop music made me feel less nerdy and shy and more like a confident, commanding someone with something to say. I loved to write rhymes that expressed how I felt or told a story, and it was an added bonus to put them to beats that made you feel the rhythm throughout your entire body.

Everyone has a different motive and process for writing lyrics, which is exactly what Ice-T explores in his 2012 documentary Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap. Shot on location in Detroit, New York City and L.A., the film interviews dozens of rap legends and delves into their passion for rap and hip hop. Throughout the film you discover that the most universal reason they live and breathe this genre of music is because of a personal and soulful connection.

Rap-Themed Video Games That Should Exist

I’m a big fan of listening to rap music and playing video games. Luckily, there have been a few games where you can enjoy a good Biggie or Tupac tune, such as DJ Hero and Def Jam Rapstar. But that’s not enough! We need more rap-themed video games to keep our booty shaking as we shoot and blow stuff up.

In my fantasy world, the following rap-themed games would exist to fulfill my love/obsession of the two hobbies:

My Top 20 Favorite Horror Movies

I've seen a LOT of horror movies in my life. In fact, I saw a lot early in my life. I've been watching them since I was about 5 or 6 years old. While some parents were strict and didn't allow their kids to watch MTV or other cable shows, my parents let me stay up on the weekend and watch Tales from the Crypt and rent Halloweens 1-27 (or however many there are).

Cute Pug Quotes Memorable '80s Movies

My pug Isabella, a.k.a. Issie, a.k.a. turd head, is one of a kind. Okay, she's probably just as gassy and stinky as any other pug, but I guarantee that she snores louder and barks softer than any other pug you know. Plus, she has a special place in her heart for the '80s, just like I do.

15 Indie Rock Bands with Animal Names That You Should Listen To

Indie rock music, which is often compared to alternative rock music, is supposedly the kind of music that hipsters and self-proclaimed "music snobs" listen to. Although I am neither, I like to think that I listen to indie rock because a) the music is original and good; b) most of these bands started with humble beginnings and worked their way up the college radio scene; and c) the bands give great live performances.

20 Best Love Songs of the '80s

If there's one thing that I love about the '80s (besides the banana clips, oversized sweaters, high tops, hair spray and acid wash jeans), it's the music. With the launch of MTV in 1981, the music of the Buggles, Run DMC, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Bon Jovi and countless others could be blasted into your living room on a daily basis. Or, you could listen to you favorite hair sprayed or mini-skirt wearing musicians from your boombox or Sony Walkman.

5 Best Rap Scenes from '80s Movies

Everything about the 1980's was bigger and better: the bangs, the earrings, the belts, the sweaters and most importantly, the music. Okay, maybe not all of the synthesized cheesy pop music was better, but the rap music definitely was.