24 May 2007
22 May 2007
13 May 2007
Happy Mother's Day
It's kind of a funny day, isn't it? You're obligated to do something nice for your mother today. I think I'd prefer that sort of thing came naturally. Maybe it's just me, but even now that I am a mom myself, I still don't really get Mother's Day. I tend to think it is just a big ploy designed by the phone company and the florists. I'm not much for flowers or chats on the phone, I guess. Guilt does amazing things for capitalism.
Seriously, however, I do now appreciate what a difficult job it is to be a mother and I do feel that mothers everywhere deserve recognition and appreciation. Its just that I feel they deserve it on a daily basis rather than annually. And curmudgeon that I pretend I am, I must admit that it was nice to be together with my family today and enjoy time with my nieces and nephews especially. :-)
Seriously, however, I do now appreciate what a difficult job it is to be a mother and I do feel that mothers everywhere deserve recognition and appreciation. Its just that I feel they deserve it on a daily basis rather than annually. And curmudgeon that I pretend I am, I must admit that it was nice to be together with my family today and enjoy time with my nieces and nephews especially. :-)
10 May 2007
I don't want to go/I don't want to leave
Every weekday morning I drop Zoë off at school and she almost never wants to go. Her behavior ranges from putting on a brave face to the rare, but never-the-less traumatic mini-tantrum as I try to leave and go to work.
Every afternoon after work when I get to school to pick Zoë up she doesn't want to leave. Her reaction at seeing me ranges from excited, but distracted to out and out disappointment.
Bath time is the same routine. She will do nearly anything to get out of taking a bath, but then once she's in the nice warm bath and splashing around with all her toys, she doesn't want to get out.
What is that? Seriously.
My theory is that it is a kind of training for having a teenager, but then again maybe it is just a special torture that only 5 year olds know how to inflict.
Every afternoon after work when I get to school to pick Zoë up she doesn't want to leave. Her reaction at seeing me ranges from excited, but distracted to out and out disappointment.
Bath time is the same routine. She will do nearly anything to get out of taking a bath, but then once she's in the nice warm bath and splashing around with all her toys, she doesn't want to get out.
What is that? Seriously.
My theory is that it is a kind of training for having a teenager, but then again maybe it is just a special torture that only 5 year olds know how to inflict.
01 May 2007
The Bookish Meme
I am finally getting around to responding to my official "tagging" from my friend "Musing from the sofa."
What's more diverting than a little survey of sorts about books!?
Hb, trade pb, or mass market pb?
Frankly, I prefer mas market pb because I like the way they stack up on my book shelves. It is an edition that is harder and harder to come by in books I want to read, however.
Amazon or brick and mortar?
I am all about Amazon. My cart is my running list of books I want to buy. It makes for a very handy log. I also love buying used books through the "marketplace" for $1.00. It amuses me to pay more for shipping than I do for the actual book. I love being able go book shopping or browsing at any time of the day or night. That being said, I do enjoy a leisurely trip to Barnes and Noble -- especially the one in Union Square and most especially when I am there with my husband.
Barnes & Noble or Borders?
Barnes & Noble. When they built that massive 4-story B&N in Union Square and I was living walking distance from the place it was the beginning of a long love affair. I actually met one serious boyfriend there. (Keith, that's you if you're reading this.) I tend to think of all other B&N stores are good, but miniature imitations of that store and it brings back good memories. Even though I can currently walk to a Borders I find their organization a little confusing, but Zoë does love their children's section. That has saved many a rainy Saturday afternoon.
Bookmark or dogear?
Dogear?! Who would do such a thing? Please.
Alphabetize by author, title or random?
Random by general category (fiction, poetry, etc.) and then size. I alphabetized once, but then Zoë got to be about 14 months and started to enjoy pulling the books from the shelf and throwing them. It got too hard to always put them back in order. I've learned to live with a little more disorder in my life since having a child.
Keep, throw away, or sell?
Keep by default, but I have sold a few disappointments on the Amazon marketplace. Occasionally, I just give away when I am starting to run out of shelf space.
Keep dustjacket or toss it?
Keep, but remove while reading.
Short story or novel?
Both. I love short stories and in a way a good collection of short stories can feel like the experience of reading a novel. I'll take either.
Collection of short stories or anthology?
Collection, for sure. Especially for the reason expressed above -- I love a cohesive collection.
Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Neither. I haven't read either and I have no plans to do so. Unless, of course, Zoë discovers one or both which I suppose is inevitable. Ask me again in 3 to 5 years.
Stop reading when tired or chapter breaks?
When tired. I usually give up when the book falls on my face because I have fallen asleep reading it. That is usually after several re-reads of the same two sentences. I have never been able to force my way through the tiredness no matter how much I wanted to keep reading.
"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"
"Once upon a time." I'm not a big mystery fan. I find I either figure them out early on or miss the mystery all together because I wasn't paying enough attention while reading.
Buy or borrow?
Buy. I love to own the book. I don't mind lending, but I prefer to read my own copy of something. I am not a good library patron either.
New or used?
Either. I love buying new books, but there is something romantic and ecological feeling about getting a used book. I often wonder about who else read the same book.
Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
Book reviews or browse. I don't know what it is about recommendations that frequently turn me off. It is a strange character flaw.
Morning, afternoon, or nighttime reading?
Anytime I get the chance, but my newest favorite time is in the morning when I just wake up and it isn't time to get out of bed yet. That is a very relaxing way to start the day.
Favourite series?
I can't say I really have one. I am not a big series reader. I can't even think of one that I liked right now besides the "Little House on the Prairie" books I read as a kid.
Favourite children's book?
As stated above the "Little House on the Prairie" books, "Bridge to Teribithia", "Madeline", "Click Clack Moo" and "The Giant Jam Sandwich."
Favourite books read last year?
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Jane Eyre (re-read)
Pride and Prejudice (re-read)
Wicked
Least favourite book finished last year?
My Name Is Red
What are you reading now?
All the King's Men. I cannot wait for it to be over. I would give up, but it is for book club. Talk about verbose!
What are you reading next?
Not sure. Probably some chick lit as antidote to the above selection.
What's more diverting than a little survey of sorts about books!?
Hb, trade pb, or mass market pb?
Frankly, I prefer mas market pb because I like the way they stack up on my book shelves. It is an edition that is harder and harder to come by in books I want to read, however.
Amazon or brick and mortar?
I am all about Amazon. My cart is my running list of books I want to buy. It makes for a very handy log. I also love buying used books through the "marketplace" for $1.00. It amuses me to pay more for shipping than I do for the actual book. I love being able go book shopping or browsing at any time of the day or night. That being said, I do enjoy a leisurely trip to Barnes and Noble -- especially the one in Union Square and most especially when I am there with my husband.
Barnes & Noble or Borders?
Barnes & Noble. When they built that massive 4-story B&N in Union Square and I was living walking distance from the place it was the beginning of a long love affair. I actually met one serious boyfriend there. (Keith, that's you if you're reading this.) I tend to think of all other B&N stores are good, but miniature imitations of that store and it brings back good memories. Even though I can currently walk to a Borders I find their organization a little confusing, but Zoë does love their children's section. That has saved many a rainy Saturday afternoon.
Bookmark or dogear?
Dogear?! Who would do such a thing? Please.
Alphabetize by author, title or random?
Random by general category (fiction, poetry, etc.) and then size. I alphabetized once, but then Zoë got to be about 14 months and started to enjoy pulling the books from the shelf and throwing them. It got too hard to always put them back in order. I've learned to live with a little more disorder in my life since having a child.
Keep, throw away, or sell?
Keep by default, but I have sold a few disappointments on the Amazon marketplace. Occasionally, I just give away when I am starting to run out of shelf space.
Keep dustjacket or toss it?
Keep, but remove while reading.
Short story or novel?
Both. I love short stories and in a way a good collection of short stories can feel like the experience of reading a novel. I'll take either.
Collection of short stories or anthology?
Collection, for sure. Especially for the reason expressed above -- I love a cohesive collection.
Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Neither. I haven't read either and I have no plans to do so. Unless, of course, Zoë discovers one or both which I suppose is inevitable. Ask me again in 3 to 5 years.
Stop reading when tired or chapter breaks?
When tired. I usually give up when the book falls on my face because I have fallen asleep reading it. That is usually after several re-reads of the same two sentences. I have never been able to force my way through the tiredness no matter how much I wanted to keep reading.
"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"
"Once upon a time." I'm not a big mystery fan. I find I either figure them out early on or miss the mystery all together because I wasn't paying enough attention while reading.
Buy or borrow?
Buy. I love to own the book. I don't mind lending, but I prefer to read my own copy of something. I am not a good library patron either.
New or used?
Either. I love buying new books, but there is something romantic and ecological feeling about getting a used book. I often wonder about who else read the same book.
Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
Book reviews or browse. I don't know what it is about recommendations that frequently turn me off. It is a strange character flaw.
Morning, afternoon, or nighttime reading?
Anytime I get the chance, but my newest favorite time is in the morning when I just wake up and it isn't time to get out of bed yet. That is a very relaxing way to start the day.
Favourite series?
I can't say I really have one. I am not a big series reader. I can't even think of one that I liked right now besides the "Little House on the Prairie" books I read as a kid.
Favourite children's book?
As stated above the "Little House on the Prairie" books, "Bridge to Teribithia", "Madeline", "Click Clack Moo" and "The Giant Jam Sandwich."
Favourite books read last year?
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Jane Eyre (re-read)
Pride and Prejudice (re-read)
Wicked
Least favourite book finished last year?
My Name Is Red
What are you reading now?
All the King's Men. I cannot wait for it to be over. I would give up, but it is for book club. Talk about verbose!
What are you reading next?
Not sure. Probably some chick lit as antidote to the above selection.
18 April 2007
My Little Pony vs. Superman
The other night we were at the supermarket which happens to have a toy/kid's books and movies aisle. (How come our local Grand Union didn't have that when I was a kid???) Zoë asked if she could get "something" -- her desired "something" being a book. Pleeeease.
She's been into those $3.95 "My Little Pony" books lately and they had a few that she was looking at until she saw the Spiderman book.
She clutched the book to herself, she turned to me, "Mom, can I please, please, please get this Spiderman book?" she begged. Of course, I said yes. It's an incredibly watered down version of the plot of the new Spiderman 3 movie that is coming out.
Looks like Spidey trumps Rarity and the gang in Zoë's book and it's just one of the many, many things I love about her.
She's been into those $3.95 "My Little Pony" books lately and they had a few that she was looking at until she saw the Spiderman book.
She clutched the book to herself, she turned to me, "Mom, can I please, please, please get this Spiderman book?" she begged. Of course, I said yes. It's an incredibly watered down version of the plot of the new Spiderman 3 movie that is coming out.
Looks like Spidey trumps Rarity and the gang in Zoë's book and it's just one of the many, many things I love about her.
17 April 2007
Website of the Week (or there abouts): True Mom Confessions
True Mom Confessions
It's like a real life version of taxi-cab confessions. Some of them are hilarious, some of them I can click the "me too" button for and some are kind of sad, but they're all interesting to read.
What's your confession?
It's like a real life version of taxi-cab confessions. Some of them are hilarious, some of them I can click the "me too" button for and some are kind of sad, but they're all interesting to read.
What's your confession?
15 April 2007
M.O.
M.O. also known as Mommy Only.
Seems like most kids go through it a few times at different ages. M.O. is when the only person in the world who can do whatever is required, who can possibly soothe or feed or read to is, of course, Mommy. M.O. means lots of crying, clinging, separation anxiety and "no Daddy." It can truly be exhausting.
But secretly, deep down (really, way down) most Moms will admit that M.O. is also the ultimate confirmation that Mom really does know best.
Seems like most kids go through it a few times at different ages. M.O. is when the only person in the world who can do whatever is required, who can possibly soothe or feed or read to is, of course, Mommy. M.O. means lots of crying, clinging, separation anxiety and "no Daddy." It can truly be exhausting.
But secretly, deep down (really, way down) most Moms will admit that M.O. is also the ultimate confirmation that Mom really does know best.
03 April 2007
5 years/50,000 miles
Zoë had her 5 year-old check up today. She is, as expected, the picture of health. Not short, not tall; not skinny, not fat; can hear and see, no curvature of the spine -- all that good stuff.
I actually came to the appointment prepared with a list of questions:
Q - Are the night time leg pains growing pains? Is there such a thing?
A - Yes, they are growing pains.
Q - She writes some letters backwards, but inconsistently. Should I be concerned?
A - No. That's normal -- especially for letters like "S."
Q - Should she take vitamins?
A - Only if you think so because she doesn't eat enough fruits and vegetables. (Can someone introduce me to the kid who does?)
Q - Is she ready for kindergarten?
A - She's so ready she will be the mayor of the school.
Gotta love that last answer -- especially coming from Zoë's doctor. He's more than a doctor and its hard to explain what I mean unless you've brought your very sick baby to someone and they have both helped you and her feel better.
O.K. I promise to move on to acceptance, but let me just say one last time that I can't believe Zoë is 5 already.
I actually came to the appointment prepared with a list of questions:
Q - Are the night time leg pains growing pains? Is there such a thing?
A - Yes, they are growing pains.
Q - She writes some letters backwards, but inconsistently. Should I be concerned?
A - No. That's normal -- especially for letters like "S."
Q - Should she take vitamins?
A - Only if you think so because she doesn't eat enough fruits and vegetables. (Can someone introduce me to the kid who does?)
Q - Is she ready for kindergarten?
A - She's so ready she will be the mayor of the school.
Gotta love that last answer -- especially coming from Zoë's doctor. He's more than a doctor and its hard to explain what I mean unless you've brought your very sick baby to someone and they have both helped you and her feel better.
O.K. I promise to move on to acceptance, but let me just say one last time that I can't believe Zoë is 5 already.
27 March 2007
26 March 2007
The effect was slight
Certainly the spin on this story in today's NY Times will not be using this quote from the second paragraph:
I find it infuriating that the rest of the article goes on in a very biased manner to say that children who go to daycare are simply poorly behaved. The level of that misbehavior is barely described and the actual affect on the classroom is not even mentioned.
Daycare is a fact of life. And as far as I am concerned, some amount of preschool should be mandatory. My reaction to this is that teachers need to develop modern strategies to deal with the behaviors instead of relying on 60 year-old concepts where kids were largely coming from no previous experience with a school setting.
The effect was slight, and well within the normal range for healthy children, the researchers found. And as expected, parents’ guidance and their genes had by far the strongest influence on how children behaved.
I find it infuriating that the rest of the article goes on in a very biased manner to say that children who go to daycare are simply poorly behaved. The level of that misbehavior is barely described and the actual affect on the classroom is not even mentioned.
Daycare is a fact of life. And as far as I am concerned, some amount of preschool should be mandatory. My reaction to this is that teachers need to develop modern strategies to deal with the behaviors instead of relying on 60 year-old concepts where kids were largely coming from no previous experience with a school setting.
22 March 2007
What were you doing five years ago?
Zoë's birthday was yesterday. She's five years old now. Five! Damn time flies.
I got a well-timed email from a friend yesterday who said, "Trivia question: What were you doing five years ago today?"
Ouch! Did that ever bring back some painful memories. Zoë was born at 3:42 PM and the time stamp on the email was 12: 37 PM. That meant that five years ago at that moment I was just about to start 3 hours of pushing. Yes, 3 hours. That was definitely not the fun part -- especially when they turned off the magic epidural.
On a lighter note...I am getting great amusement out of Zoë's list of birthday presents. They are:
I got a well-timed email from a friend yesterday who said, "Trivia question: What were you doing five years ago today?"
Ouch! Did that ever bring back some painful memories. Zoë was born at 3:42 PM and the time stamp on the email was 12: 37 PM. That meant that five years ago at that moment I was just about to start 3 hours of pushing. Yes, 3 hours. That was definitely not the fun part -- especially when they turned off the magic epidural.
On a lighter note...I am getting great amusement out of Zoë's list of birthday presents. They are:
- Fisher Price Mega T-Rex
(this was a specific request) - Make-up (for kids)
- An electric pencil sharpener
- A flashlight that you have to shake (no batteries)
- Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera
- A book on reptiles
- A compass
- A purse with butterflies embroidered on it
- Rubber snakes (which promptly found a home in the above purse)
15 March 2007
Does it suck?
Wondering if that new cell phone you're thinking about is cool or not? Thinking about going to a movie, but aren't sure if its any good? Well, then this new site is for you! It is sucks/rocks.
When you enter a search term, sucks/rocks searches the web for several positive and negative phrases using that term. The score is the fraction of positive results to the sum of positive and negative results, normalized to 10. You can stack up results next to each other so if you wanted to decide what movie to see you can enter the titles of 4 or 5 movies and see which one got more positive ratings.
I'm not sure how scientific it really is, but it is cool none-the-less.
When you enter a search term, sucks/rocks searches the web for several positive and negative phrases using that term. The score is the fraction of positive results to the sum of positive and negative results, normalized to 10. You can stack up results next to each other so if you wanted to decide what movie to see you can enter the titles of 4 or 5 movies and see which one got more positive ratings.
I'm not sure how scientific it really is, but it is cool none-the-less.
12 March 2007
Congratulations R.E.M.
Anyone who knew me in th 80's and early 90's knows what a huge R.E.M. fan I am. I own every CD they have ever issued. That is why I am happy to say congratulations to them tonight as they are being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Also included in this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class are:
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five -- tell me you don't remember dancing to "White Lines"???)
The Ronettes
Patti Smith
Van Halen (with Sammy or David, I wonder?).
And if you're ever in Cleveland be sure to check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum. It is a great time.
Also included in this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class are:
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five -- tell me you don't remember dancing to "White Lines"???)
The Ronettes
Patti Smith
Van Halen (with Sammy or David, I wonder?).
And if you're ever in Cleveland be sure to check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum. It is a great time.
09 March 2007
Disney Dreams
The other day at school Zoë had to create a little book about her dream. Her teacher showed me her book and told me what an amazing job she had done. I was proud before I even saw the book, but after I saw it I felt a little like Mom of the year.
Zoë's dream book was about Disney World. The first page of the book had Mickey Mouse standing on top of a rainbow, the next page was a drawing of an airplane and the last page was some kind of ride.
Do you think Zoë is excited about our upcoming trip to Disney, or what?
Questions: Anyone out there have suggestions or hints about what we should be sure to do for Zoe's first visit?
Zoë's dream book was about Disney World. The first page of the book had Mickey Mouse standing on top of a rainbow, the next page was a drawing of an airplane and the last page was some kind of ride.
Do you think Zoë is excited about our upcoming trip to Disney, or what?
Questions: Anyone out there have suggestions or hints about what we should be sure to do for Zoe's first visit?
08 March 2007
American Idol Review 2
It's definitely going to be a woman idol this year. They are soooo much stronger than the men! A league above! I also feel that I could be the 4th judge on the show. I take notes while watching ( I know a little obsessive) & as the contestants sing, I write down my thoughts on the song choice, the actual performance, etc. On most, I could read the judges words almost verbatim. Funny. I'll keep waiting for the fourth judge position to become available.
OK, down to business. The men were in a word, boring, last night. The 3 that I liked were the following: Blake, Sundance, & Chris S. Not all perfect performances, but somewhat memorable. Blake chose the correct song for his style, despite some of the off-key parts. I still thought he was true to himself & showed a younger style. (I was also proud of myself when Randy said he didn't know who or what that song was & I shouted to the TV, "It's 3-11!" It made me feel just a little more with it.)
I think Sundance chose a good song, but it wasn't perfect. I hope he'll be in the top 12. I'm sure with a little direction he will really shine. Chris Sligh was the best of the night. He just did a great job with his song. I didn't know what song it was, but I really liked it.
The rest were OK. Sanjaya...I'm going to die of boredom watching him. Don't even get me started on the fact he should not be here this week.... Jared is good, but it's so hard to pick a Stevie Wonder song. Leave Stevie out of it!
I think that Sanjaya and Brandon will go home tomorrow.
A lot more to say about the women. My favorites, and not necessarily in this order, are Stephanie, LaKisha, Gina, and Melinda. Stephanie picked a great song. That is absolutely one of my favorites, whether Chaka Khan or Mary J. sings it. It's just such a great song. Stephanie did a great job putting some of her own touches into it, so I didn't totally agree with the judges on that. I keep forgetting that she is so young with her great stage presence. What do I need to say about LaKisha? She brought tears to my eyes. She has permission to take on Whitney!! Gina was great tonight, I thought. She's very powerful and I really just like her personality. I think she chose a great song tonight. Melinda was truly the best of the night. She has an amazing voice & when she gets on stage, it's like she's playing a role. I just think she's wonderful. I predict her to be one of the top 2, if not the winner.
The rest of the women were pretty good. I just felt that most of them were nothing special, as Randy said, they didn't have the "Yo!" Admittedly, Antonella did better tonight; she definitely picked a better song than previous weeks. Again, how is she still here? She cannot compare to the other strong perfomers. Haley's song was cheesy & not a stand out at all. She strikes me as a Disney World singer or something. Can't you just see her performing as Cinderella or Snow White? She has a good voice, but she is not the American Idol. That will be due to poor song choice. I think that Antonella & Haley will go home tomorrow.
At this point, I'm looking ahead to the top 12 so I can see who will be singing on tour this summer. Hopefully, all my favorites. Until tomorrow night, Samantha's Mom....out. :)
OK, down to business. The men were in a word, boring, last night. The 3 that I liked were the following: Blake, Sundance, & Chris S. Not all perfect performances, but somewhat memorable. Blake chose the correct song for his style, despite some of the off-key parts. I still thought he was true to himself & showed a younger style. (I was also proud of myself when Randy said he didn't know who or what that song was & I shouted to the TV, "It's 3-11!" It made me feel just a little more with it.)
I think Sundance chose a good song, but it wasn't perfect. I hope he'll be in the top 12. I'm sure with a little direction he will really shine. Chris Sligh was the best of the night. He just did a great job with his song. I didn't know what song it was, but I really liked it.
The rest were OK. Sanjaya...I'm going to die of boredom watching him. Don't even get me started on the fact he should not be here this week.... Jared is good, but it's so hard to pick a Stevie Wonder song. Leave Stevie out of it!
I think that Sanjaya and Brandon will go home tomorrow.
A lot more to say about the women. My favorites, and not necessarily in this order, are Stephanie, LaKisha, Gina, and Melinda. Stephanie picked a great song. That is absolutely one of my favorites, whether Chaka Khan or Mary J. sings it. It's just such a great song. Stephanie did a great job putting some of her own touches into it, so I didn't totally agree with the judges on that. I keep forgetting that she is so young with her great stage presence. What do I need to say about LaKisha? She brought tears to my eyes. She has permission to take on Whitney!! Gina was great tonight, I thought. She's very powerful and I really just like her personality. I think she chose a great song tonight. Melinda was truly the best of the night. She has an amazing voice & when she gets on stage, it's like she's playing a role. I just think she's wonderful. I predict her to be one of the top 2, if not the winner.
The rest of the women were pretty good. I just felt that most of them were nothing special, as Randy said, they didn't have the "Yo!" Admittedly, Antonella did better tonight; she definitely picked a better song than previous weeks. Again, how is she still here? She cannot compare to the other strong perfomers. Haley's song was cheesy & not a stand out at all. She strikes me as a Disney World singer or something. Can't you just see her performing as Cinderella or Snow White? She has a good voice, but she is not the American Idol. That will be due to poor song choice. I think that Antonella & Haley will go home tomorrow.
At this point, I'm looking ahead to the top 12 so I can see who will be singing on tour this summer. Hopefully, all my favorites. Until tomorrow night, Samantha's Mom....out. :)
01 March 2007
The Care Crisis
Having just lived through the Plague of 2007, this article "The Care Crisis", really hit home. I highly recommend reading the entire piece.
The thing I find so frustrating is that this is not just a women's issue -- it is an issue for everyone and yet it seems to fall on the shoulders of women alone. Once in awhile when my defences are way down I allow myself to wonder...What would I do if Zoe were really sick? How would I be able to take care of her without it affecting my job or income? There are no easy answers and that is the part that scares me.
The thing I find so frustrating is that this is not just a women's issue -- it is an issue for everyone and yet it seems to fall on the shoulders of women alone. Once in awhile when my defences are way down I allow myself to wonder...What would I do if Zoe were really sick? How would I be able to take care of her without it affecting my job or income? There are no easy answers and that is the part that scares me.
28 February 2007
American Idol Review
OK, I thought I would wait until both the boys & girls competed before I had any comments. So, let's start with the boys.
This week, the front runners in my opinion are Chris Sligh, Blake, & Sundance. I thought Chris Sligh did an awesome job. He just really showed his voice off well. I thought Blake chose the perfect song. Jamiroqui is perfect for his personality & voice (and yes, I know who he is, Randy!!!) Finally Sundance!!!! Strong voice, good song choice. It's about time that he showed his true colors.
Speaking of "True Colors", I was disappointed with Brandon because he is really good. That song was so wimpy sounding. He either should have really belted it out or chose a different song. I really want to like Phil, but there is just something cheesy about him. I can't quite put my finger on it. I also really want to like Nick, but he didn't "wow" me. Sanjaya, Sanjaya, Sanjaya....where to begin. I think I will just say, YOU'RE 17!!!! Enough said.
For the girls, I love Gina, Melinda, Jordan, Stephanie, LaKisha, & Sabrina. I think it's fair to say this could be a girl-heavy top 12. Gina chose the right song & I've liked her from the start. I think Simon is a little too hard on her. Melinda was absolutely the best tonight. She is exactly what Simon says, humble & sweet, but super talented. (OK, so he didn't say it quite like that.) Jordan is incredible for 17 or any age for that matter. Her voice reminds me a little of Lisa Tucker from last season. Stephanie was really great, but I'm not familiar with that Beyonce song, so I wasn't catching the similarity to the original. (I guess I'm getting old.) LaKisha did a great job this week. I thought that she made the "Midnight Train to Georgia" her own without going too far. It's pretty hard to not copy a song as well known and to take on Gladys Knight. LaKisha is about the only one that can do it. I think it was hard to top her performance last week. Sabrina definitely has a voice. It will be interesting to see how far she goes.
OK, along with the good must come the bad....Need I say anything about Antonella??? She is going home this week. In her little chat with Ryan before her performance she said this song fit her better. Was she kidding??? A young girl should never sing Celine Dion. Never! Not to mention how off it was. To quote Randy, "It was a little pitchy."
Another thought, white girls should never scat sing. Let's leave that to jazz singers...real jazz singers, like from the 1940's or so. Next, comes poor Alaina. She was just all over the place. She just can't hold her own with Melinda & LaKisha. I feel a little sorry for her. I can't even remember what she sang tonight. It just wasn't that great. I can remember that it was all off key.
Last but not least, Haley. What happened to her saying last week, "I'm going to stick with songs that I think fit me."? She totally took Simon's advice of changing that image & went off the deep end. I think her arrogance last week just put a sour taste in my mouth. She doesn't have a bad voice, just bad song choice.
Advice to the girls: DON'T CHOOSE ANY SONGS BY WHITNEY, CELINE, OR CHRISTINA! I'm sure there are others, but they are escaping me. So, the women I think are going to go home this week are Antonella & Alaina. We'll see. I thought Antonella was going last week & was wrong. Samantha's Mom...out.
This week, the front runners in my opinion are Chris Sligh, Blake, & Sundance. I thought Chris Sligh did an awesome job. He just really showed his voice off well. I thought Blake chose the perfect song. Jamiroqui is perfect for his personality & voice (and yes, I know who he is, Randy!!!) Finally Sundance!!!! Strong voice, good song choice. It's about time that he showed his true colors.
Speaking of "True Colors", I was disappointed with Brandon because he is really good. That song was so wimpy sounding. He either should have really belted it out or chose a different song. I really want to like Phil, but there is just something cheesy about him. I can't quite put my finger on it. I also really want to like Nick, but he didn't "wow" me. Sanjaya, Sanjaya, Sanjaya....where to begin. I think I will just say, YOU'RE 17!!!! Enough said.
For the girls, I love Gina, Melinda, Jordan, Stephanie, LaKisha, & Sabrina. I think it's fair to say this could be a girl-heavy top 12. Gina chose the right song & I've liked her from the start. I think Simon is a little too hard on her. Melinda was absolutely the best tonight. She is exactly what Simon says, humble & sweet, but super talented. (OK, so he didn't say it quite like that.) Jordan is incredible for 17 or any age for that matter. Her voice reminds me a little of Lisa Tucker from last season. Stephanie was really great, but I'm not familiar with that Beyonce song, so I wasn't catching the similarity to the original. (I guess I'm getting old.) LaKisha did a great job this week. I thought that she made the "Midnight Train to Georgia" her own without going too far. It's pretty hard to not copy a song as well known and to take on Gladys Knight. LaKisha is about the only one that can do it. I think it was hard to top her performance last week. Sabrina definitely has a voice. It will be interesting to see how far she goes.
OK, along with the good must come the bad....Need I say anything about Antonella??? She is going home this week. In her little chat with Ryan before her performance she said this song fit her better. Was she kidding??? A young girl should never sing Celine Dion. Never! Not to mention how off it was. To quote Randy, "It was a little pitchy."
Another thought, white girls should never scat sing. Let's leave that to jazz singers...real jazz singers, like from the 1940's or so. Next, comes poor Alaina. She was just all over the place. She just can't hold her own with Melinda & LaKisha. I feel a little sorry for her. I can't even remember what she sang tonight. It just wasn't that great. I can remember that it was all off key.
Last but not least, Haley. What happened to her saying last week, "I'm going to stick with songs that I think fit me."? She totally took Simon's advice of changing that image & went off the deep end. I think her arrogance last week just put a sour taste in my mouth. She doesn't have a bad voice, just bad song choice.
Advice to the girls: DON'T CHOOSE ANY SONGS BY WHITNEY, CELINE, OR CHRISTINA! I'm sure there are others, but they are escaping me. So, the women I think are going to go home this week are Antonella & Alaina. We'll see. I thought Antonella was going last week & was wrong. Samantha's Mom...out.
23 February 2007
American Idol Update
AI Update contributed by SamanthasMom:
Do not read if you have not watched the 2/22 results show.
Who doesn't like LaKisha? She is just awesome.
I really like Gina & have from the start.
Just so everyone knows, Celine Dion did not sing that song "All by Myself" first. I believe it was Melissa Manchester or someone like that. Gina definitely sang it better than her.
Do not read if you have not watched the 2/22 results show.
Who doesn't like LaKisha? She is just awesome.
I really like Gina & have from the start.
Just so everyone knows, Celine Dion did not sing that song "All by Myself" first. I believe it was Melissa Manchester or someone like that. Gina definitely sang it better than her.
Antonella should have gone home. Her performance was awful.
I thought Alaina (the girl who sang "Brass in My Pocket") I think that was her name, should go. Basically, all the scrawny white girls need to go. Amy & Nicole were interchangeable with how they looked. Nicole's choice of song was what made her go home. I think she actually has a good voice. You know what they say..."song choice, song choice, song choice"!
I thought Alaina (the girl who sang "Brass in My Pocket") I think that was her name, should go. Basically, all the scrawny white girls need to go. Amy & Nicole were interchangeable with how they looked. Nicole's choice of song was what made her go home. I think she actually has a good voice. You know what they say..."song choice, song choice, song choice"!
I really don't love the girl from San Antonio, Haley. I hate that Celine song that she sang. It's so over the top & oversung. (If that's a word.) What put me over the edge was how snotty she was to the constructive criticism. I thought Simon was right on target. The song made her seem too old.
For the guys, I thought that Paul Kim shouldn't have gone. He, I think, would have done well in the coming weeks.
Chris R. (bald, not curly hair) was pretty non-descript & should have gone.
Jared sounded so nasally.
I really want Sundance to do well, since he did well in the beginning. He needs to shed the beard, though.
I really like Blake (beat box guy). I thought he had a little "Sting" sound going.
I also like Brandon, the back up singer.
Chris R. (bald, not curly hair) was pretty non-descript & should have gone.
Jared sounded so nasally.
I really want Sundance to do well, since he did well in the beginning. He needs to shed the beard, though.
I really like Blake (beat box guy). I thought he had a little "Sting" sound going.
I also like Brandon, the back up singer.
MomsRising
There is a great article in the NYTimes about MomsRising.org.
From the website:
From the website:
MomsRising has a goal of bringing millions of people, who all share a common concern about the need to build a more family-friendly America, together as a non-partisan force for 2008 and beyond. This grassroots, online effort is mobilizing mothers, and all who have mothers, across America as a cohesive force for change. Started this May 2006, MomsRising already has over 50,000 citizen members, as well as more than fifty (and growing) aligned national organizations, working together to create positive solutions for the future.
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