Ellen Blanchard, Queen of the North Campus Apartments, is guest authoring this 10 o’clock List.

Though my family is from the Midwest, I consider them more socially conscious, aware and engaged than their geographical origin might suggest. I know we Midwesterners tend to be labeled  “country bumpkins,” sought out for political schoolin’ by urban liberalites, but my parents are active in local government and community organization boards and my sister is an activist for food justice campaigns. If you’re not convinced yet, they’re all avid readers of The New York Times in addition to being diligent watchers of The Daily Show.

While my family members are as equally politically engaged as their costal counterparts, I’m afraid their engagement with pop culture might not be as equitable. Granted, while my dad does get Gwen Stefani hits stuck in his head, my mom can identify a Fleet Foxes song and my grandma knows enough to swoon over George Clooney, occasionally I doubt their exposure to the cultural world-at-large.

Over break, the people I’m related to uttered some fantastically hilarious pop-culture statements. The highlights in list form after the jump.

1. While watching Good Morning America’s “Featured Musical Artist” segment:

Mom: Who is this artist?

Me: LMFAO.

Mom: Alpha Mayo?

Me: Yes.

2. While listening to Beyonce’s “Countdown” for the 47th time:

Beyonce: Me and my boo in my boo coupe ridin’…

Sister: What does that even mean? Me and my poof and poof poof riding?

3. On Christmas, while listening to Beyonce’s “Countdown” for the 256th time and after introducing my grandma to Marcel the Shell:

Grandma: Is this Marcel?

4.  After finding  Robyn’s music video “Call Your Girlfriend” and watching it repeatedly in order to learn all the dance moves and obsess over her leggings:

[Sister and I jointly singing lyrics out loud]

Mom: So, is she telling this guy to break up with his girlfriend because she hooked up with him?

My sister: [no response]

Me: [no response]

Mom: That is so mean!

5. While making an 11-hour drive with family friends:

[Britney Spears remix playing]

Family Friend’s Daughter: This is a mash-up!

Family Friend: Who is ‘mash-up?’

6. Later on the same car trip,  listening to “Wagon Wheel”:

Dad: I thought this was “Hey, Colorado.”

(Shoutout to David Vance for making the greatest mix CD and providing the songs that made my break so much fun.)