I had this great plan for my xanga with lots of cool stuff on daily things that goes through my head that would help everyday people like you. Of course, my dumb ass forgot about most of the things I wanted to say and now I'm stuck with a bastardized version with really only one thing in head that I remember clearly, which is this.
NEVER GO TO TARGET WEARING A RED SHIRT AND KHAKI PANTS!
I once made this mistake one day and what was suppose to be a 10 min trip to Target to pick up some batteries and bathroom cleaning stuff turned to 30 mins cuz everyone and their mother thought I worked there. I didn't know until then that the official uniform of Target employees. Plus, Target doesn't have a Target shirt or an apron like Albertsons people, it's any bloody red shirt. So, every two mins I was stopped with someone asking where the Bug Zappers were or where she could find a size 4 shirt or where's the bathroom. Everytime I answered, "I don't know", they give me the dirtiest look like i'm the most useless mother f'er on the planet...then they shift their eyes up and down and realize either A) They've made a mistake and get embarassed or B) They've made a mistake and it's my fault that I wearing the same colors as the Target employees. Now anyone who knows me knows how much I hate uncomfortable situations...well, there were a ton of them that day. I even got stares from the Target employees wondering who's this newbie is. Anyways, point is, becareful what you wear when you enter a store.
NEW MUSIC - ASIAN STYLE!
I've recently went on a mp3 craze and listend to about 6 new albums in 1 day. My most prized illegal download is Thao Nguyen - We Brave Bee Stings. She is Vietnamese from Virginia but you could never figure that out listening to her. Very Kimya Dawson mixed with Bjork. Anyways, what I love about her album is that it's just a simple, folky happy-go-lucky album that does nothing but bring a smile on your face while thinking about the simple pleasures of childhood.
Another find was Playradioplay! It's actually only one dude with a computer but he's basically the second coming of the Postal Service...and I know everyone is hankering for a new Postal Service album. Being with the times, he does get a little emo but does it well. Lyrics are smart, simple, yet metaphorical. None of that "Close that God Damn Door so I can be alone with my pain" shit.
Lastly, this one I act ually had for awhile (like last summer) but I still want to spread the word on them. They're called MISHA and they're actually two chinese/taiwanese americans. Verysimple bubble gum electronica and in the same vein as Thao Nguyen, very happy-go-lucky feel...except there's a lot of song about heartbreak. Still, the perfect spring/summer album to listen to while you're riding in your car or laying down on your bed trying to beat the heat.
BOOK BOOKS BOOKEND
I've been on an biography/non-fiction rage lately. I think after all the hype from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I needed to read something real. Here's 3 books I recently read and recommend.
It's a really in-depth biography of Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts ( you know, Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Christmas, etc). Super interesting on how he was raise and all the scarring that happend along the way to make him the most beloved comic strip writer ever. Hint: it's always the mom's fault for emotional scarring.
This is about how the "American Radiohead" band Wilco was formed and survived through the years. As always, the most creative people on earth has lots and lots of anxiety issues (which give me some hope).
Lastly, my other coveted possession is a book by the lead singer of EELS...Mr. Mark Oliver Everett. It's no secret that EELS is probably my second favorite band of all time behind Radiohead. I had to order his auto-biography in the UK and have it shipped here since they won't sell this book until late fall! Anyways, just to know how crazy his life is...His Dad is Hugh Everett III, the one that created the Multiple Worlds Theory or quantum phsyics theory of parallel universes. So all those Star Trek, Donny Darko stuff..yeah, credit this guy. So, imagine having him as your dad. Imagine him dying when you're 18. Imagine finally acheiving your lifetime goal (in this case, being signed to a major record label and making a CD) to then have to be informed that your sister committed suicide. Then after making another critically acclaimed CD, having your mom die from cancer. And just to throw a cherry on top, your cousin and her husband was on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon during 9/11. The same place where your genius dad worked many years ago. Yah, that's the life of Mark Oliver Everett, except that while you expect him to be the most emotionally f-ed up man alive, he's actually doing pretty well and writes a very conversational book with an upbeat view on life.
I need a new book to read now but in the mean time, I guess I'll just have to write more xanga's.
Until I write a book about the history of toothpaste,
Other than the Superbowl, Oscars are my favorite time of the year. I won't do an overall review of this year show (I didn't take any notes and due to my horrible memory, I wouldn't even dare to try this on the top of my head) but I will say a couple of things.
This might be the first time I have the opportunity to watch all 5 of the Best Picture Category.
Juno - already watched, Michael Clayton - on cable, There Will Be Blood - watched 90% of it, No Country for Old Men and Attonement - Already downloaded.
I have no qualms over this years winners which makes it infinetely better than the Grammys.
Jon Stewart rules.
The one thing that I'm taking from this show is the absolutely brilliant performance by Glen Hassard and Marketa Irglova. They were up for best original song and sang "Falling Slowly" for the movie Once. Now I never heard of the movie or the song but when I saw them perform, I just fell in love with the song.
And guess what, IT WON! Which is nice cuz those Enchanted songs are just sooo corny and out of place. They seem like great movie song, just not Best Original Song.
It's everything I want for a song, and especially for a song for a movie. Right there I can identify how heartfelt, intimate, and sincere the movie is just based on the song. BTW, they are also the leading characters for the film. How do I know this? I actually downloaded and watched the entire movie right now. It's a great movie about the song writing process and how emotional music and the music process is. I rarely recommend movies but I will for this one. It's a simple, sweet movie with an authenticity about it. It's no Norbit.
For your listening enjoyment. If you like this song, I would recommend getting the album.
Once OST - Falling Slowly
Until I win the Oscar for Best Hair and Makeup I'm,
I'm a very simple man who just need simple things to keep me entertained. This video clip from the 2008 Brit Awards just reeks of awesomeness. What is it you ask? Well, it's Rihanna singing Umbrella.
But Bernie, it's the most overplayed song in Pluto and Rihanna looks like an African transvestite granny, why should I care?
Well, it's the Brit Awards, the band playing behind her is the current Mercury Award Winner The Klaxons, and it has LASERS UP THE WAZOOOO!LASERS!!!!!!!!
LASERS!!!!!
You're welcome. If I ever become super rich and famous, I'm going to make my entrance to every public gathering like this video. LASERS RULE! and yes, the song mash-up was pretty good too. I did download the version of this song and had to say, it wasn't as good since it didn't have LASERS!
And yes.........
it's Super fantastical number one hit mega ultra to the MAX..................................POWER!
I was about to go to sleep when I channel surfed onto KOCE-HD. On air has to be the greatest documentary ever, The History of Game Shows. Now, this has total nostalgia for me since I was totally fanatical about game shows and random trivia when I was little. I use to re-enact all the game shows, used playing cards as the reading cards game show hosts always read of, and making annoying buzzard sounds when someone gets it wrong. I use to piss off soo many family members when I spout out the question to someone and if they get the question wrong, I make an "EHHHHHH" sound. God, if someone like that did that to me, i would smack the kid.
Here's some awesome tidbits I learned/enjoyed from the documentary.
Dick Van Dyke auditioned and was the first choice to be the host of the Price Is Right.
Merv Griffin, creator of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, also composed the theme to Jeoparody, which made him tons and tons of money.
It was awesome seeing Wink Martindale, Chuck Woolery, Monty Hall, Bob Barker, and Merv Griffin being interviews and talk about the science of the game show.
I was going to do a live blog on the Grammy's, usually an unmissable event to show how messed up the music industry is, however, I just found out from latimes.com who won the Best Album of the Year award. Let me just say that there has been lots and lots of "fuck ups" with this award and this did not disappoint for the cynical. I'm just going to blog some notes here and there until my mind explodes at this shear abusurdness.
8:20 pm - Some dudes called Time came in and sang a song that sounded like "Oreo's". Sorry if I don't know them but I do recognize some of their music. They were basically an excuse to do what the Grammys always do and taht was to place a budding star with old school folk. In this case, the budding star is Rhianna, complete with a giant logo of herself and sparklets. I will admit, I cannot change the station if either Umbrella or Please Don't Stop the Music is playing. She pleases me by playing both, she also can't dance. Then Time pleases me by doing that side step dance thingy. Yup, that same dance at the end of Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back.
8:30 pm - Tom Hanks celebrates The Band and The Beatles. Then L.O.V.E from the Cirque du Solei did some Beatles songs and peeps from Across the Universe. Boy LOVE looks bad. I know the Beatles are the shit and all but really, how many times do we have to celebrate them. They're already the F'n Beatles!
Speaking of The Band
8:43 pm - Kanye is the Shiet. Daft Punk is the Shiet. Too bloody awesome so I'll just watch and listen. Boy I love glow in the dark stuff!
8:52 pm - Fergie and John Legend singing a ballad. This isn't a big of a trainwreck that I thought could happen and Fergie actually impresses me singing "Finally". However, Fergie doesn't look too impressive on HDTV. They then proceed to award The Best Soundtrack to LOVE, beating out Hairspray, Once, and Dreamgirls. More Beatle love. Ringo is here to accept and I really don't give a crap since they're already known as The F'n Beatles. How much more praise can they get!
9:05 pm - Tina and Beyonce....I don't care, unless Ike Turner comes back from the dead. Nevermind, Tina made it insteresting. I think she would be an interesting American Idol guest coach.
9:13 pm - Burt Bacharat (sp) is honored for a grammy lifetime award which is cool. He has lots of songs that many people didn't know he wrote (I Don't Know What to do With Myself that the White Stripes sang is one of them). Anyways, Song of the Year goes to...Amy Winehouse. I'll take that.
9:20 - An Asian Violinist (repetitive?) won some schitck to play "The Pretenders" with Foo Fighters. Yah, like you can hear a violin for this song?!? What the heck are the Grammy's thinking. She might as well play a kazoo. Alright, I'll say it....Dave Gohl has nice hair.
9:39 - Kanye Time! He's a winner for Best Rap Album. HAHAHAH! Kanye just told the cut off music people to STFU so he can say a little tribute to him Mom.
9:42 - That's Ludacris! Aretha Franklin on HD!!! OH MY...and with that, I'm offically bored. Listening to Derek Fisher on the Dan Patrick show on CnnSi.com and it's more interesting that this. Go Lakers!!
9:57 - Feist is on (or atleast the lady from Feist). I need to download their album. Totally digging the brass accoustic thing. I also dig how they put in a carpet rug for her so she can walk in her heals without falling.
10:03 - Best Rock Album...Not Wilco but Foos. Big surprise there....I think I'm going to call it quits once Amy Winehouse performs. Not that I'm a huge fan of hers, just curious.
10:11 - Alright, who wants to see 100457 points of awesomeness? Alicia Keys and The Mayer of John. Another 3487 points for the camera angles that I know will make Vince appreciate her thighs. The only thing the Grammys get right ever year is "Grammy's heart John Mayer and Alicia Keys". My only gripe is that they keep on plugging the performance but The Mayer of John didn't really do much, except make us ponder if Alicia Keys' thighs could squish his big head.
10:26 - An Asian Pianist (repetitive eh?). Who wudda thunk it? Apparently, he played piano cuz of Tom from Tom & Jerry which I call Bullshit. I smell over bearing asian parenting all over that!
10:41 - Finally! Amy Winehouse is performing. I looks like she's going through the shakes just singing the song and with the power of HD, her eyes are dilated. Not bad performance, not worth all the hype.
10:50 - Amy Winehouse won for Best Record of the Year and her reaction was PRICELESS. She finally gets to make an acceptence speech which was kinda weird since her eyes couldn't focus on anything. I think the person known as Ray Ray is her drug dealer.
10:51 - Alright, I'm out of here before I go off on a full blown rage over Album of the Year.
