Thursday, March 10, 2011

Why So Blue???

W Magazine
For my 27th birthday, my friends planned a big night o' celebration. We met at a fab dim sum restaurant, Ping Pong, in Chinatown for drinks and dinner (definitely recommend the Lemongrass and Lime cocktail!) and then headed to the E Street Theater to catch an indie flick. I had mentioned once to one of my girls the new Ryan Gosling film, Blue Valentine. I had heard about the NC-17 vs. R rating controversy and wanted to see what it was all about, but I didn't think this was the movie they would choose for my birthday fĂȘte.

It was a decent love story, but far from a feel-good movie. Ryan Gosling is rather easy on the eyes, so it made the movie easy to watch. At times, it felt like you were sitting in the living room of a couple who was arguing and was a little uncomfortable. My friends had a lot more trouble with the film than I did. I could see the controversial areas of the movie that the MPAA had issues with. There were several very graphic sex scenes, but were more "animalistic" than sexy. As if that wasn't enough to make the audience tense up, the movie came very close to hitting on one of the most controversial topics ever, abortion. You could see and hear people in the theater begin to squirm in their seats. But, all in all I still loved the movie. I thought it was a much more "real" story of two people's lives together, as opposed to a typical "Dirty Dancing" style love story.

In the end, Ryan Goslings bedroom eyes were enough to get through the 90 minutes of the film. As what usually happens at indie theaters, the previews get you pumped for your next visit to the theater. We made plans for the animated shorts festival in a few weeks.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Adele...Rolling in the Deep

Adele.tv

I am a sucker for the British soul singer. I believe Amy Winehouse's Back to Black is one of the top 10 albums of all time. The retro-feel is "timeless" and that sultry voice gets me every time. I have a very wide attraction to music. But I listened to Amy's album on repeat for about 6 months straight. It was by far the most played album on my iPod since I bought my iPod 5 years ago. The only thing that has come close to it since, is Jay-Z's Blueprint 3, which was mostly because I was doing a lot of traveling at the time.

UNTIL...the release of Adele's 21. There was so much hype leading up to the release mostly because it was released in Europe weeks earlier and was killing. But it more than met expectations in the U.S. and on my iPod. I fall in love with music, the same way girls fall for men, there is a spark. Adele lit up my world with her amazing song writing, or what someone I met on Fat Tuesday called, depressing songs. I guess it depends on where you meet the music. Adele's amazing lyrics and smooth tones, if heard as you are scraping yourself off the "pavement" from a bad breakup, could be bad news. But, if you are looking at that last heartache from a distance, damn does she hit the spot.

At first glance, you think "Someone like You" is as good as it will get, until the beat of "Rolling in the Deep" hits your chest. The strong, hypnotizing beat gives me a down south, almost bluesy feel until it grows into the "singing at the top of your lungs" chorus and then you know, Adele now owns your soul. The beat is so strong and encompassing, I felt like that scene in "Beetlejuice" at the dining table and everybody is dancing uncontrollably to the "Banana Boat" song, Adele just takes over. And then the album progressed to, "He Won't Go" and it was official, Adele would be on repeat until further notice. This song has such a strong R&B feel. It is unfortunate that I can't quite understand what the song is about. Not sure if I am supposed to support my new friend in "sticking it out" with this guy or if it is NOT quite worth her time.


Only thing better than Adele's amazing music is her fabulous British wit. I admittedly LOVE a British accent. So I am slightly biased, but she gives good interview! Her Chelsea Handler interview was one of the funniest I've ever seen.

So far in 2011, I am dying for Bruno Mars, Marsha Ambrosius, and Rihanna (for pop fun!), but Adele is ruling my world.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Four Women



One of the most inspirational things I have seen on TV in years.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Wow, Major Fail...

I was clearly still tired from New Year's Eve when I wrote that last post or I have just been so preoccupied with life that I dropped the ball on this blog and several other things on the list below. Anyways...I will do better at making this a priority.

I love this song and it rings oh-so true for my life right now. Isn't that funny, when your iPod "randomly" chooses the EXACT song you need to hear at the moment you need to hear it. John Legend, you speak to my heart. Especially that second verse. It is amazing how you experience pain, but once it is over you realize how strong you are and the difference between "real", hurtful, unacceptable pain and the pain of growth. And just like John says, "Don't be afraid of a little bit of pain, Pleasure is just on the other side".

Save Room
John Legend

Say that you’ll stay a little
Don't say bye bye tonight
Say you'll be mine
Just a little of bit of love Is worth a moment of your time

Knocking on your door just a little
So cold outside tonight
Let's get the fire burning
I know, I keep it burning right

If you stay, won't you stay - stay

Save room for my love
Save room for a moment to be with me
Save room for my love save a little
Save a little for me
Won't you save a little
Save a little for me - ohh

This just might hurt a little
Love hurts sometimes when you do it right

Don't be afraid of a little bit of pain

Pleasure is just on the other side

Let down your guard just a little
I keep you safe in these arms of mine
Hold on to me - pretty baby
You will see I can be all you need

If you stay, won't you stay - stay

Save room for my love
Save room for a moment to be with me
Save room for my love save a little
Save a little for me
Won't you save a little
Save a little for me - ohh

[pa-ya-pa-pa] - [pa-ya-pa-pa] - [pa-ya-pa-pa] - [da-da-da]

Ohhh come on

Make time to live a little
Don't let this moment slip by tonight
You never know what you are missing until you try
I keep you satisfied
If you stay, won't you stay - stay

Save room for my love
Save room for a moment to be with me
Save room for my love save a little
Save a little for me
Won't you save a little
Save a little for me - ohh

Save room for love
Save room for a moment to be with me
Save a little, save a little for me
Won't you save a little
Save a little for me

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

New Year, New You


I am not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions. I don't think people take them seriously and stick to them (honestly, I am one of them). But this year is different for me, I am in the middle of a HUGE transition in my life. Everything is different than it was before. My list isn't so much about making changes, as it is about focusing on living life with a purpose. I certainly won't be perfect, but I am really focusing on it.
  • Blog at least twice a week
  • Find my "creative"
  • Only buy things I really want/need
  • Actually decorate our apartment
  • Do more yoga
  • Be a better daughter, sister, and aunt (maybe by 2011, WIFE)
  • Stop the unnecessary stress
  • Call my friends/family more
  • Love more, pray more, smile more
Really looking forward to a good year.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Shared Google Reader


I am a blog reading fanatic. My Google Reader is jam-packed with blogs I read religiously every day. There is a new feature that allows you to share your fav posts from your Google Reader. Please click here to view my fav posts.

Busy Anyone???

I can't even remember the last time I wrote a "real" post and not just some video on YouTube that caught my eye. Since my last real effort on my blog, I have started a new job. The job search journal was a loooong one, but it is finally over. I travelled to San Francisco for the first time and got almost 2 weeks off from work paid, so we are off to a good start here.

The one thing I did learn from my down time at home was there are things more important than just my career. As a woman, I know that now is the time for me to be a bit selfish and focus on me and the things I want to accomplish, because inevitably, I will become a wife and mother and my priorities will need to be adjusted. So my career has been my main focus for the last 4 years. But there is more to life.

This doesn't mean I have to put less focus into my career, but it does mean I have to learn to balance my life. You hear people talking about a balanced life and how difficult it is and for some they spend their entire lives searching for this mysterious "balance" that no one can seem to spot. But, I feel I can find the balance I need to be able to be the best employee, girlfriend, daughter, sister, me I can be.

2010 can't be any worse than 2009, so LET'S GO!!!