Thursday, March 27, 2008

The Unfortunate Politics of Politics

So much for my promise to refrain from writing about politics. Sorry, Dad.

I may not have been a holy terror, but I, like most, didn't exactly exhibit model behavior while in my teens. How Friday night at the pool hall in 1995 might affect what Frank Magazine might say about me in 20 years if I ran for office, wasn't exactly a consideration for me at the time. I'd be hard pressed to find a person who doesn't have something in their past they'd rather forget, let alone someone who had been groomed since birth to successfully withstand the scrutiny that comes with a position in public office.

Even though I am not American, I can appreciate the importance of the person calling the shots for our closest neighbor, largest trading partner, strongest ally, and biggest influence. I watch American news on a regular basis, and from the outside looking in, as a person with no Democratic or Republican affiliation, I like to absorb as much of the election coverage as I can. I may not be eligible to vote there, nor does my input affect any particular campaign, but I fully support, in an idealistic sense, Senator Obama's candidacy.

Looking at the three active campaigns, Obama's is being presented in a completely different way than the others', perhaps differently than any other campaign has been in the past quarter century. While he takes a distinctive Democratic position on most issues, the tone of his message sets him apart from the other, more traditional politicians. He has an air of hope, and of possibility. When he speaks, he doesn't come off as a phony vote-hunter, spewing typical rhetoric through over-bleached teeth. Rather, his vision of bipartisan unification appears to be sincere and enthusiastic, in an attempt to inspire the people he hopes to serve. I truly believe his foremost priority is to fix what is broken within a country he loves, not to promote an agenda and run a self-serving administration, which is the usual motivation behind a campaign for the Presidency. In my eleven years as a registered voter in Canada, I've participated in elections out of a sense of obligation. Barack Obama is the first politician whose rise to power is exciting to me, and if I were a U.S. citizen, not only would I be the first in line when the polls open, but I'd be out campaigning for him as well.

Yet, even with such revered intelligence, foresight, and leadership capabilities, Obama still has to endure the petty nit-picking and media manhandling notorious in the American political arena. Recently, controversial internet video clips of his former long-time pastor surfaced, and the controversy is hurting the Obama campaign. This pastor, Reverend Wright, made critical and uncomplimentary remarks about U.S. domestic and foreign policy, and the state of racism in America, among other things. Because Obama has attended Rev. Wright's church for decades and didn't storm out in defiance after finding out the pastor held different views, Obama is being accused of holding the same beliefs as Wright, and supporters and critics alike are demanding apologies, resignations, and everything in between. Obama gave a speech last week in an effort to address the situation, but the issue doesn't seem to want to go away.

Senator Obama never publicly supported the views of Rev. Wright, nor has he made any remarks of the same nature. But because CNN and MSNBC and the Clinton camp don't have any actual scandal to throw at him, Obama now has to defend himself against allegations of racism and un-patriotism, based solely on the opinions and statements of a third party. What if the pastor had screamed from the pulpit that the sky is green? Should Obama have been expected to run out of mass, knowing that Rev. Wright's view of sky color in 1994 would raise accusations of Obama's colorblindness and negatively affect his Presidential image in 2008?

The politics of politics is unreasonable at times. Rational thought tells us that Obama, or any other politician, will possess the same knowledge and capabilities regardless of long-past opinions of their friends and associates. Pastor Wright's controversial sermons should no sooner come back to haunt Obama than a freshman sip of peach schnapps should haunt Hillary Clinton.

It seems a terrible shame that someone with the potential to make great leadership strides, might very well be brought down by Hollywood-type scandal and have his talents go to waste.

When it comes to politics, the motto seems to be, "if you can't beat 'em, spin irrelevant drama into national controversy to make 'em look bad and get ahead of 'em."

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Top 10

I won't bother recapping Big Brother b/c the show is boring and I'm only watching it b/c I started it and feel obligated to finish until the season is over. Every now and then, I have the urge to jump through the screen and punch Chelsia in the face, but usually I don't care enough to even think about making the effort. Hopefully she'll be going home tonight, but my luck she'll win the whole thing.

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Girlicious quote of the week: "Beauty is a talent. I happen to have been born beautiful, but the talent part is in me remaining beautiful, which takes a bit of work. Not everyone can be as pretty as me, even if they try, so I consider beauty to be a talent for me." Or something to that effect. Whatever Natalie's exact words were, trust me, they were equally obnoxious and delusional. If you can believe it, I'm still watching "Girlicious". I know, no one is more shocked than me. Don't waste your time.

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I skipped my recap about last week's AI, mostly b/c I was bored of them milking the Lennon/MacCartney songbook, but also b/c last week was complete chaos in my house. At least that awful rocker chick went home, leaving a much more relevant top 10, who last night sang songs of the 80s.

A few short notes before I go on......first of all, whoever told Paula to wear those gloves should be fired. She looked like an extra from "Desperately Seeking Susan", and I was completely distracted. Not only that, but her incoherence is out of control lately. It was all funny ha-ha when she'd ramble for a second and not make any sense, but these days she isn't even able to string words into sentences, nor does she have any fluidity to her speech. It's all broken and choppy..."you know Ramiele...you just have...I'm not sure....your ability to leap...maybe not completely but...the colors of your voice...it's.....I don't know...keep....I think you're fantastic." Huh? Sit down, Paula. The grown ups are talking.

Also, I was thrilled that the music had such potential to be awesome, seeing as most of the contestants were born in the 80s (and since the theme was "Hit from the Year You Were Born"). I was SOOOOOOO disappointed that nobody took on anything by Debbie Gibson or Tiffany, or someone like that. It's the 80s people! There is so much to choose from, why settle on boring songs that nobody has ever heard of? Grrr, so frustrating.

One last thing....one contestant was born the same year as my husband graduated from high school, which he was horrified by, and which I found to be hilarious.

Ramiele - Awesome song, but silly girl, thinking she could sing it as well as Carrie Underwood (who did it on 80s night a few seasons ago). This girl has a fantastic voice, but she always picks the wrong song and doesn't appeal to as many viewers as she needs to. I'm sure she'll get through this week b/c she played the "I'm sick" card, but she doesn't have many more weeks left. And also, she was dressed like Olivia Newton John, which didn't earn her any points with me. My God this girl has no taste in fashion. Her singing position combined with her performance might land her in the bottom 3 tonight.

Brooke - I'm still not as big a fan of this girl as everyone else seems to be. Props to her for being pretty awesome on the piano, and for starting over when she found her pitch was off, and also for straightening her hair (HUGE improvement). I think she's the weakest vocalist (next to Kristy), but I know I'm in the minority. I'm just surprised Simon likes her so much.

Jason - His charm is wearing off, and fast. I think the screaming legions of girlie-girls will keep him there awhile, but his performances are getting stale, and his interviews are becoming painful. Needless to say, it seems as though he indulges in plenty of "feel-good herb" before he takes the stage. Nobody THAT socially incompetent would ever win American Idol, sorry girlie-girls.

Syesha - Even though this girl has a great voice, if she doesn't start picking better songs, she's going to be kicked off soon. Not that the songs she picks aren't great for her voice, but they're not familiar to anyone. And as we all know, since the American viewing public have the attention span of mosquitoes, they're not going to vote for some old, obscure 1987 sleeper tribute to motown just b/c she sang it well. Not going to happen.

Chikezie - Same deal. Nobody wants to hear old soul music. Move it along. Possibly bottom 3 tonight.

Michael Johns - Oh. My. God. Loved it. Love him. Great performance. He's very Michael Hutchence, mixed with Jim Morrison, mixed with a full 2 cups of sexy beast. Love him. He won't win, and I probably won't buy his album, but I'd probably go to his concert.

Carly - Every time I hear the song "Total Eclipse of the Heart" I think of Warren Fougere and how much he hates it. I'm not a fan either, and I wish Carly would have picked something else. That being said, have you ever tried to SING that song? I can tell you, it's not easy to sing it period, let alone to sing it well. She sang it well (with the exception of those few bum notes at the end), but she needs to step it up in order to win. I'm not impressed with her recent lack of progress.

David Archuleta - I actually knew that song he did last night, but Simon was right when he said David didn't pick it. David's DAD, the crazy pressure-demon who's now barred from going backstage at AI, I have a feeling he picked it. David sang it well-ish, but unless he pulls another "Imagine" out of his hat, he won't win, especially with the herd thinning and the competition getting more stiff all the time.

Kristy - She's not even relevant. I'm not sure if she'll go home tonight, but she'll certainly be in the bottom 3 again, and if not leaving tonight, within the next 2 weeks.

David Cook - I can already envision myself driving to WalMart and buying this guy's album. He's fantastic and talented and so intuitive in terms of what works and what doesn't, and he's moving ahead of Carly in my books. He might already be above her. Ya, he officially is, espeically after last night. I mean really, who else could have turned Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean" into a rock ballad, and done such an amazing job? Uh, hello! Nobody! I'm changing my vote from Carly to David Cook as the winner. Sorry Carly, your voice is better, but you're falling behind. Atta boy, David.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Serenity Now

George Costanza said it best when he bellowed, "Serenity Now!" That is a mantra, almost a prayer, for when things get to be too much. When a situation is so overwhelming and stressful that you throw your hands up and want to scream. And never could it be more appropriate than when you're in the throes of home renovation.


Tearing your house apart in an effort to beautify seems like a good idea at the time, but it's a lot like baking a cheesecake; the visions of the end result override common sense and practicality, and before you know it you're covered in flour (or drywall residue) and wondering what ever possessed you to get started with this nonsense in the first place. Especially when you want Oreo cheesecake and your husband wants pina colada. Or in my case, when I want "Martha Stewart Living" and my husband's taste gravitates more toward "set of Miami Vice".

Luckily, many of the big things were already done when we moved in. The kitchen was complete (with the exception of a Polmolive-green tile backsplash which I'm currently negotiating. Trust me, it will be spectacular.), as was the dining room, and the flooring in the living room and hallway. The kids' rooms were a snap decision-wise, since Lightning McQueen reigns supreme in our lives, and army decor was the obvious choice for our older boy. But even though we didn't spend much time pondering the theme for each room, that didn't make the work any easier.

It was decided that I would take the kids out for the day while he completed room number one. God knows, I didn't want little three year old fingers to find their way around a tile cutting saw, and with a kid who constantly wants to be with his daddy, leaving the house altogether made the whole thing easier on all of us. Room number two required the same evacuation, only this time my husband came to find the carpet had been nailed to the floor, thanks to the infinite genius of previous contractors. Over three hundred nails, two nights of a wormy toddler sleeping in our bed, and plenty of colorful language later, the kids rooms were done. Now we were onto our main battlegrounds, which were the living room and master bedroom.

Round 1: The living room. Flooring excluded, the entire space had to be changed cosmetically. There is nothing more frustrating than explaining the subtle differences between burnt almond and chocolate milkshake taupe to someone who really and truly only sees beige. At the same time, I'm about as qualified to roam unsupervised around a hardware store as he would be at a makeup counter. So somewhere between my need for symmetry, clean lines, and faux-suede drapes with grommets, and his leaning toward vertical blinds, curio cabinets, and "I don't care, just hurry up and decide", we reached a compromise including dark brown panels with valances for the windows, baseboards and crown moldings, some well placed accessories, and a few plants, without a bit of scalloped lace to be found. Don't get me wrong, it looks absolutely beautiful and I love it, but the process wasn't without it's many outbursts of "Serenity Now."

Round 2: The master bedroom. This project was not a priority for me, not only because we're the only people who see it, but also because it was so far gone, I didn't quite know where to start. But apparently my complaining about how much I loathed our out-of-date room wore him down, and a bedroom makeover was my husband's wonderful birthday surprise. And by wonderful, I mean appreciated yet tedious and painful for him. I should mention, our entire room was covered with layer after layer of 75 thousand year old wallpaper. You may shudder and gasp, because I know he did. From 8:00 Saturday morning, he and the kids (and me, sporadically) ripped and soaked and scrubbed and scraped and wished death upon the people who put up the wallpaper, and all wallpaper makers in general. Of course considering the mess we were making, our massive Victorian style wooden headboard, along with the boxspring and mattress from our queen sized bed, had to be moved into the hallway, where it sat for two days obstructing traffic, while the smaller contents of our room bled into every other room in the house, making the MacDonald residence look alarmingly like Ground Zero. By Sunday night, the wallpaper was but a distant and horrible memory, and I had a brand new bedroom. My husband chose expressions other than "Serenity Now", and I can't say I blame him.

I'll leave you with this advice: don't renovate unless and until you absolutely have to. I say this as I prepare to tackle our biggest project, the bathroom.

Serenity now.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Enough Already

As I write this, it's storming like crazy, and the slippery roads have deprived me of the daily "pick up milk, get some gas" solo excursion that I have come to rely on. I have firmly decided that I have had it up to here (envision my hand a foot above my head) with winter.

Go ahead, I dare you to call me a sooky baby. I double dare you to give me the "it's Cape Breton, deal with it" speech. Because in my 29 short years on this planet, it may surprise you how much winter I've actually experienced.

I remember being a kid in River Bourgeois and jumping off our roof into the snow, since the only things taller than the snowbanks were houses and utility poles. And I remember walking through four feet of snow, standing at the bus stop while my face was lambasted with ice pellets, and the drive to school was like a scene from "Tokyo Drift." It may not be equal to our grandparents' "walking to school uphill both ways in a blizzard", but some mornings it was close.

But beyond any childhood flashback, or any Nova Scotian winter lament, is the horrible memory of "the North". As many of you know, I spent a few years living and working in the Arctic.

Have you ever seen the movie "The Day After Tomorrow" with Dennis Quaid? That movie showed the earth moving into another Ice Age at -75 degrees, and the planet froze over. Well, I can tell you with absolute certainty that something like that couldn't happen, because the day I left Qikiqtarjuaq (have fun pronouncing that), it was -72 degrees with the windchill. That is not a tall tale or an exaggeration. Absorb that for a moment. Think about people's reaction to -25 degrees, and then imagine having to deal with -72. I can tell you, it's not comfortable. And it's not even the same kind of cold we get in Cape Breton, it's a mind-numbing, bitter, bone-marrow-covered-in-icicles kind of cold that you have to feel to believe.

Here's an example: you know how you go outside in December with wet hair and it freezes and gets hard? Well that happens in Nunavut, too. Only it happens when your hair is DRY, and it also freezes your eyelashes and nose hairs. Word to the wise: never underestimate a 30 second frostbite warning.

In Qikiqtarjuaq, winter was almost year round. There were a few months that weren't AS cold, but even in August, I woke up to a huge, Titanic-calibre iceberg floating in the water near my house. When the "warm" weather came, we were all sporting tshirts and panting and sweating, and it was only about 12 degrees. The day it hit 19 was almost more than we could handle.

Then you have to consider the darkness. At a latitude that high, winter is almost 24 hour a day darkness. There is an hour or so in the afternoon when the sun rises slightly enough to give the horizon the appearance of dusk, but that's it, and for months. I don't know about you, but no amount of Vitamin D capsules can replace a day of sunlight for me. It was depressing. And I didn't just see this once, I was there for a few years.

So now, can we safely say that I've endured more than my fair share of winter? Haven't I made my case for the right to complain a little?

There are others living in the Strait area who have also dealt with many Nunavut winters, and these people, myself included, are the first to scoff at Nova Scotian complainers. Normally, I'm the first one to say "suck it up, it's not that bad", and in comparison, it's not. But still, that doesn't mean I don't get sick of it, especially at this time of year. It's the tease of spring that kills me. One day, it's 15 degrees and the sun is splitting the rocks outside. The next day, like today, my heat is cranked, and I can't even see across the road for the blowing snow. Make up your mind, Mother Nature! Is it over, or isn't it? Can we break out the bicycles or do we need mittens at the ready? I need some consistency here! Haven't I done enough winter already?

My luck, the day this goes to print it will be a balmy 20 degrees and every reader will be wondering why I'm ranting and raving at such nice weather. But don't say I didn't warn you. Cindy Day, with her Shirley Temple ringlets, red lipstick & "I love snow" attitude, is sure to curse us once more before the season is over. And when that happens, you'll all be echoing my sentiments, trust me.

NOTE*** I wrote this last Wednesday when it was storming in Port Hawkesbury...just so you all know, it was bad out a few days after that, again yesterday, and we're supposed to get up to 40cm of snow again in the next few days. It's Cindy Day, I'm telling you. She's a witch.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Top 12 & Bits n' Bites

Before I start, I want to bring everyone's attention to the greatest band of all time....silverchair. You're free to disagree, but if you're not familiar with them, please google them before you chalk my ramblings up to complete B.S. I recommend "Too Much of Not Enough", "After All These Years", "Across the Night", "The Greatest View", "Miss You Love"......well, I recommend all of them, but start with those. They're so fab it's almost hard to believe, and it's inexplicable that they haven't caught on in North America. And for all you ladies, even if you don't like the music (which you better, b/c it's awesome), drink in the sweet and beautiful face of Daniel Johns. God help me, I'd still have his babies.

Ahem, anyway, I digress.


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Big Brother would be nothing without Matt and his nutjob ex-partner, so I'm glad Ryan didn't backdoor him. I mean really, is Natalie the person you're going to let in on a secret plan to get rid of "Matty"? You know she's going to sing like a canary at her first opportunity, in hopes that sharing a secret will make him want to make out with her.

Anyway, I think Sheila is rockin' that red unitard, nevermind that she's 45 friggin years old.

Ryan is the cutest, but he's not very swift.

I can't wait to see who they bring back, as long as it's not Jen. That would be annoying, but it's also the most likely scenario.

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I'm still tuning into that "Girlicious" show, I can't help it. It's like a car accident, so grotesque that you just can't look away. I won't bother giving you analysis, since I know I'm probably the only human being in Canada who watches it. Yes, I realize how sad and pathetic that is.

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So, down to business. Finally we're at the top 12.

Syesha - Who? Pretty boring. She got the worst spot (having to go first), so she should have done a recognizable song instead of that snoozer she performed. And by performed, I mean stood like a rock in the middle of the stage, with the exception of hopping around a few times to make it look like she was comfortable up there, which she clearly was not. I think she'll be in the bottom 3. Is it a bottom 3 or a bottom 2? Whatever, she's very expendable.

Chikezie - WHAT!!! Chikezie did a bang up job last night, I thought he was awesome! And this is coming from someone who IS NOT a Chikezie fan. I still don't think he's got the goods to make it very far, but last night he stole the show.

Ramiele - Boring. Great voice, but boring song, boring performance, and hideous dress. Note to Ramiele: when PAULA FRICKIN ABDUL compliments your dress, steer away from anything that looks remotely like it. I think she'll stay, as she should, but she better start making better song choices.

Jason - Awesome voice, clearest skin I've ever seen, disgusting hair, total lack of social grace. Will he win? Not likely, but I bet he'll make a great indie album. He's an awesome singer.

David H. - An old "Tiffany" track? How camp. This guy is too "wedding reception" and not enough "MTV video music awards". I put him in the bottom 3 tonight.

Amanda - I can't even say anything else about her, she sickens me. She looks like Elvira and sings like a trucker with laryngitis. GO HOME! YOU DON'T BELONG!

Brooke - Meh. Her voice is inferior to the other contestants, but she keeps picking the perfect song. Good for her, I suppose, but I'm not a fan. And as a side note, she looks like the chick from "Three Men & a Baby", especially when she smiles.

Carly - Not my favorite song for her, but the judges seemed to like it, and her voice is beyond incredible. LOVE her. I think she'll win.

David C. - Again, not my favorite song wise, but man that guy can sing. Love him too, but I predict a 3rd place finish for him (possibly 2nd if Archuleta's charm wears off).

Kristy - Goodbye and good luck. She'll be going home tonight.

Michael - This guy is too sexy for words and I have a huge crush on him, so I might be a little biased. Still, I thought his performance was good, and he's got a great voice.

David A. - Archuleta gets the pimp spot and mucks up the words? What? That sucks! He's so cute and has a great voice, but he's a social mongrel. He can't even string together a sentence in interviews, so while he might be a good vocalist, he's not polished or mature enough to be a star. Since AI is part singing competition and part high school calibre popularity contest having little to go with vocal talent, I'm sure he'll continue to do well, possibly coming in as high as 2nd place.

Until tomorrow!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

The Ladies & The Twist

Again I missed Big Brother because the info on the TV guide was wrong. We watched American Idol at 9pm, expecting BB to be on at 10pm on NTV, but no dice, we were pissed. Instead, we watched "The Moment of Truth", which might be the greatest show on television. Those people ARE NOT messing around and asking pussyfoot questions. Last night's show was actually a bit milder than usual, but just to give you an idea, this is the type of stuff you can expect. (Keep in mind that the person's husband/wife/mother/siblings/friends are usually right there listening to all this)
"Do you think you're more attractive than your sister?"
"Do you think you're a better mother to your kids than your mother was to you?"
"Does the thought of being spanked by an attractive man excite you?"
"Do you have a secret you think could ruin your marriage?"
"Have you ever fantasized about your brother in law while having sex with your husband?"
"Have you ever stolen money from work?"
"Do you think your ex boyfriend Seamus would be a better provider than your husband?"
"Do you think you'll be married to your wife forever?"
"Would you cheat on your wife if you knew you'd never get caught?"

I swear to god, these are the questions people take strapped to a lie detector test, and then they get on national tv in the company of their friends and family and ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS? And most of them actually tell the truth!! Can you imagine? People are willing to ruin their relationships for $100,000. It's pretty sad, but it makes for awesome TV.

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Anyway, even thought I didn't watch BB, based on the recap I just read at CBS.com, it looks like it might be getting good.

At the eviction ceremony, Ryan & Allison were voted out, but just as they were about to leave the house, that big siren sounded and the announcement was made: the game was no longer a couples game, each person was now playing individually. Because of this, all the houseguests now had to vote off only one person, either Ryan OR Allison. Gee, I wonder who was going to get the boot....and there you have it, Allison was evicted, and Ryan became the new HOH. To make matters even more interesting, America is now going to vote on which evicted houseguest they want to RETURN to the BB house. You know it's going to be that poison-hearted Jen, who I loathe and who gets on my very last nerve. Good for BB...they must have realized this season was crap and decided to switch things up a bit.

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As for American Idol, I have to say I'm pretty impressed with the talent pool this year, especially on the guys side. A few things before I run down the girls: Pictures surfaced yesterday of David Hernandez, who's boss sold him out and revealved that he's a male stripper in a "mostly men" club back home. So much for wholesome. And the other, very important item to be discussed: Paula Abdul's drug-induced ramblings. I'm sorry, this is getting out of hand. She can't even put together a sentence! A few years ago she LOOKED really strung out and drugged up, but (even though her appearance doesn't reflect it as much as in the past), I think she's more incoherent this season than she ever was. Just listen to her talk tonight...there are big gaps between words and points that she makes, almost as if she's a kitten being distracted by a flashlight on the wall. Creepy. I would chalk it up to Vicodin & Percocet, moreso than coke or something like that. Definitely prescription meds. And what the hell is she doing to Simon under that table? Weird. I don't think she even knows where she is half the time.

Aaaaaaaanyway, last night was 80s night for the girls too, and wouldn't that just be my crowning glory....I'd never be able to decide on one song, I'd have a montage.

Amanda - She did so much better than I wanted her to do. But really, even though she did ok last night, is that reason enough to keep her in this competition? EVERY SONG SHE SINGS SOUNDS THE SAME, AMERICANS. There is no reason for "Happy Birthday" to sound like a Janis Joplin screamfest. SHE NEEDS TO GO HOME. Wishful thinking, I think she'll probably stay after the judges blew sunshine up her ass for 20 minutes.

Asia - Again, I refuse to put the "...'h...." at the end of her name, so get used to it. She went first, which is automatically a disadvantage. She sang Whitney, which is predictable. By rights, she should be eliminated, if not exacuted, just for those pants she was wearing. And even though she has a great voice, it's too breathy and crackly to pull off Whitney friggin Houston, and she should know that. I think there's a chance she'll leave us tonight.

Brooke - As much as I'd like to see her skipping, stoned, through a field of daisies far away from any American Idol stage, she picks great songs for her mediocre voice. I'm not a big fan of "Love is a Battlefield", but this not-great singer managed to make it sound pretty good. I think she's probably safe, but hopefully we'll only have to put up with her for another week or two.

Carly - She picked a bad song, but man she sang the crap out of it. This girl has some serious pipes! LOVE her. (but, just for the record, those high-waisted jeans were not doing her any favors). She's not going anywhere, so get used to seeing her.

Kady - I think she better sharpen her Britney skills, because she picked a bad song, sang it pretty badly, and sucked performance-wise too. I really like this girl, but unfortunately her Spears impression is much better quality than her actual singing talent. I think she might go home.

Kristy - How very "Shania" of her to constantly stand like she's straddling a horse. I haven't liked this girl from the beginning, and it's only getting worse week by week. She's my choice to go home, but I'm not sure if that's going to happen. I'm hoping she's as forgettable as Simon claims.

Ramiele - This girl is a REALLY good singer, but she looks like Walt Disney threw up on her and she got hit with the Revlon truck at the same time. Maybe I'm just not stylish, but this otherwise beautiful girl insists on dying her hair and dressing like a circus clown as far as I'm concerned. Whatever, she's an awesome singer. I hope she stays.

Syesha - Well look who got the pimp spot, and she did a pretty good job too. She's got a great voice, but I equate her to the female Chikezie, with the old soul singer schtick that ages her years beyond what she's trying to appeal to. She could not have picked a worse Whitney song, my god what a snoozer. Still, with a solid performance and the pimp position, I think she'll stay put.

My prediction: Asia & Kady

Th-th-th-th-that's all folks!

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

A Busy TV Night

First of all, I have to say I'm extremely disappointed that Barack Obama didn't win Texas and Ohio. Not that I really expected him to, but it would have been nice to have Clinton drop out and end this nomination race. Anyway, it's a long way from over, but I remain optimistic that Barack will come out on top.
But onto things that have little or nothing to do with politics.

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I didn't write about Sunday's Big Brother episode because I was in bed sick and didn't see it. I'm told by my husband that I didn't really miss much. In any event, the Co-HOH's nominated Allison & Ryan, and Matt & Natalie.
On last night's show, the highlight was watching Natalie hit on Matt with no reciprocation whatsoever. "Matty, can I have a massage?" "No, shut up." We thought it was pretty funny.
Joshuah is the biggest queen I've ever seen, drama and otherwise. He bugs me.
Matt always makes me laugh because he makes out with every single chick on the show and doesn't even make excuses for it. Hilarious.
However, the show is rather boring. In past years I could have written pages and pages about each episode, and it was all I could do just to write this paragraph about season 9. Hopefully that big evacuation siren will make things a bit more interesting.

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Now, to American Idol.
The guys this year are sooooooo much better than the girls.Just my opinion, but I think even the judges will agree.

Luke - It takes a very secure man to get up in front of 30 million people and sing "Wham". He would have been much more impactful had he wore neon running shorts and a bandana and skipped around the stage like George & Andrew did, that would have made for a memorable performance. But it wasn't very good, and he's not nearly as good as the majority of other guys, so he needs to go home. I'm talking now.

David A. - His Phil Collins cover wasn't as good as some of his other performances, but he still has one of the nicest, purest voices I've ever heard. He needs to gain a bit of confidence in his interviewing skills, though. It's difficult to watch him giggle and stutter through his 30 seconds with Seacrest.

Michael - Could this guy be any hotter? I tried to explain to Joey last night that, of all the contestants, he's the most believable. Joey asked me if I was deaf. Whatever.
This guy is mature, he's authentic, he's got a great voice, and he'll have an album regardless of how far he goes in the competition.

David H. - He has such a great voice, why would he choose a Celine Dion song?? It's 80s night!!! The best night ever!! Do Celine on Canadian Divas night (?), not on 80s night! He did an acceptable job, but I thought the song choice was poor.

Chikezie - Go home, Chikezie. I can't take it anymore. Barry White and Marvin Gaye haven't been on the charts in a very long time. I don't think their musical style is about to make a comeback.

Danny - This guy can sing, but he's waaaaaay too feminine. Every performance is an homage to Mariah Carey or Kelly Clarkson. Even if he is gay, he could still at least pretend to be a male, and not try desperately to be a female. Don't get me wrong, I'm lovin' my gay men; but Danny is not your average gay man. He's about one package of false eyelashes and a sequined dress away from being a full-fledged drag queen. He'd be great in cabaret shows or something, b/c his voice is great.
Funny note, though: he totally thinks Ryan Seacrest is gay, which is interesting.

Jason - The story about his dreadlock coming off at the dinner table almost had me hugging the toilet. But he is pretty good voice wise, and geez, his skin is incredible. He needs more in the confidence department.

David Cooke - I saved the best for last. This guy is probably my favorite as far as being someone who;s album I'd actually buy. His version of Lionel Ritchie's "Hello" was AWESOME. Best performance of the night by far. Is it mean for me to say that I wish he was just a tiny bit cuter? Like Daughtry cute, that would be great. Oh well.


Going home: Luke & either Chikezie or Danny Noreaga.

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More tomorrow!