The Kevin Wilson Starter Pack

So in the interest of giving credit where credit is due, I start my first ever blog by telling you how I lifted the premise directly from another blog. And really, if you are reading my delusional, rambling writing, you should also be reading this one: Bricks Explode, by fellow Penn State alum Josh Sorokach (http://bricksexplode.blogspot.com/2007/08/josh-sorokach-starter-pack.html). Some of his other posts, "Love Actually", and "Top 10 Unintentionally Funny TV Intros" are two of my favorites.

In case you don't feel like perusing Josh's post, the premise is simple. While dating dual hotties Summer and Anna on The OC, Seth Cohen decided to give them both the Seth Cohen Starter Pack for Chrismukkah, to help them both understand more about the man in their fledgling relationships. Since I have oft been accused of not being so open, perhaps, I thought, I could give out my own version of this. So if you want to understand this wannabe member of the new misunderstood slacker generation, feel free to peruse my post.

Without further ado, I present to you the Kevin Wilson Starter Pack

Criteria:
3 TV Show DVD'S
4 DVD's
5 Songs
3 Books

TV Shows on DVD
1. Felicity, Season One: While this may seem like an incredibly emasculating first choice, if you know me, you know that I really don't care. Everything from the photography of this show to the complex character development and great acting made this a top choice for me. Even though the protag was a femme, she somewhat transcended the purely female issues into what most college students were thinking. Season one had the best story arc in my humble opinionation, and culminated with the great Ben or Noel decision. Also one of the most quotable shows of all time.


2. Dawson's Creek, Season One: Noticing a pattern here? No show defined my defining years more than this one. I even dressed and styled my hair like Fivehead Hall of Famer James Van Der Beek. Everything from the far too eloquent for high school witty banter to the ultimate, Dawson or Pacey? decision, it really summed up my teen angst, which is really the best word to describe any suburban high school male. For all of its detractors, DC actually took on real topics, everything from the discussion of "walking the dog" and adultery in the pilot, to teen sex, coming out, and even whatever strange disease duck-faced Jen Lindley died of in the 5-years later series finale. Don't you hate when series have the finale set in the future? Feels so disjointed. I thought The OC did the best job of it with its montage finale, but even that was a little questionable.


3. How I Met Your Mother, Season One: I think I'm just going to stop watching TV shows after season one. This show really seemed to rekindle the lost art of the American sitcom. Everything from the style in which the story was told (usually in reverse) to the dramatic and amazing rebirth of Neil Patrick Harris (forevermore referred to in this blog simply as NPH), the show really caught me by storm. Ted was a lot like me, a goofy, caring guy that his friends adored but could never seem to land his leading lady. Late in the season when he met Victoria (played by my old favorite and Good Morning, Miami alum Ashley Williams), which they followed up with some excellent musical selections from Death Cab and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, I was even able to cast aside the predetermined love interest, Canadian Robin Scherbatsky. From the Slutty Pumpkin to the Pineapple Incident, to the unexpected Victoria arc, the show was at its best in its freshman campaign.

Honorable Mention: The Wonder Years. Screw all of you, I still like Winnie.

DVDs
1. Tin Cup. This one had it all. A slacker main character with boyish good looks and a heart of gold, sports, and Gus Johnson. Even 80's superstar Don Johnson was superb. And with the non-traditional, non-cliche, not-so-happy ending yet we all learn a great lesson, I was finally left with the great movie feeling that Bend it Like Beckham just missed. "When a defining moment comes along, either you define the moment or the moment defines you". There is nothing like the philosophy of the slacker.

2. Garden State. I always figured everyone loved this movie, or at least every 20-something male trying to figure himself out and find his own hot, funny, cute and adorable yet somehow attainable Natalie Portman-type. However, upon a group viewing down the shore this year, I got the vibe that a lot of people found the movie horribly depressing and the ending a little forced. Personally, I thought it was about realizing that all your bullshit that you have to figure out because you spent your whole life so far trying to figure it out and you can't possibly be complete until you figure it out can get pretty easily thrown out the window once you meet the person you know you can't live without. At that moment, nothing else matters.


3. Anchorman. This movie just so perfectly defines my type of comedy. That completely irreverant, off-the-wall, Brick you killed a guy type humor, that much like me, the first time you saw it, you weren't so sure about but after the 8th viewing you realize it is the funniest thing you've ever seen. OK, so maybe you don't think that about my comedy, but usually people take a little while to warm up to me too. LOUUUUUUD NOISES!


4. Chasing Amy. No Kevin Smith movie is bad (ok, sorry, forgot about Jersey Girl), but this one is my favorite. It's no coincidence Affeck's character is named Holden, and it did a good job of showing male friendship relationship, with some excellent Genesis NHL scenes, as well as a next to impossible love story that improbably works out in one of the greatest movie speeches of all time. "I am forever changed, by who you are and what you've meant to me."


Honorable Mentions: Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky Balboa.
Dishonorable Mention: Rocky V

Songs
1. Stealing directly from Josh here, but in fairness, I would have picked this anyway: "The Wallflowers: One Headlight. 'There's got to be something better than in the middle'. The genius lies in its simplicity."
2. Dashboard Confessional: Stolen. Originally I heard it during a great sequence of Scrubs.

3. Coldplay: Warning Sign. Heard it first during the penultimate sequence of The Last Kiss (Zach Braff theme much?). "You were an island and I passed you by. You were an island to discover."

4. Van Morrison: Into the Mystic: This is the song I want to hear as I float off in a sailboat with my Winnie Cooper.
5. Third Eye Blind: Semi-Charmed Life. Long since my favorite song, despite the fact that I have never tripped out on anything.

Books
1. Old Yeller. I remember balling like a little girl at my desk reading this one.
2. Catcher in the Rye: The quintessential coming of age book for any guy in high school.
3. Moneyball: Competely redefined how I looked at sports.

Truth is, I know I watch too much TV and movies, and take far too much meaning from song lyrics, but that's me, and I'm okay with that. I do have my moments, and my flair for the dramatic has made some memorable times for some people. So I'm not some ridiculously hard worker and I'm not always an incredibly goal driven person, but I know what I want in life, and even if much of it is inspired by fictional characters, happily ever after is still what you make of it, so why not go for what I want. Even if it seems ridiculous to others. So maybe I will stand on top of a coffee stand and declare my love for Summer Roberts. Or maybe I even have a few of my own tricks up my sleeve. And that's me, for better or worse.