Well, it's been a weird week so far... i'm currently watching/burning to DVD the last game of the NBA Finals to free up what is apparently unneeded space on my DVR since there's nothing on television anymore... i can't wait for the return of Psych, Monk, The Closer and Burn Notice... maybe even more, but those four come to mind right now... until then, we'll have to settle for whatever we can scrape up from good old netflix... dang, another three-pointer from Ray Allen...

I've also been reliving the days when i watched the NBA regularly by moving my old video tapes of the 1996 NBA Finals onto DVD as well... how great would it be to see Jordan, Pippen, Harper, Rodman and Longley square up against Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, and Perkins... oooooh... that's the ticket... i can't hardly BELIEVE that it was TWELVE YEARS AGO... crazy...

Of course, i've also been doing a lot of reading as well and my updates are below... it looks i'll be able to go in for the kill and finish at least one of those books this week... possibly two, but at least one... and as they get checked off, you can expect brief little reviews in keeping with my agreement with the reading club thingamabob...

Okay, let's move on shall we... this game is wrapped up and i'm ready to get this blog party started...

CHEATER CHEATER CHEATER
to the tune of Still Suspicion Hold You Tight - Black Rebel Motocycle Club

Okay, so i've mentioned before, probably several times that i enjoy playing the games online... particularly word games, but i've been known to delve off into puzzle games and other nonsensical flash-based games as well... and when it comes to word games, i like to win... and i do win a lot, but not always... i'm okay with losing and whenever it happens, i try my best to take it with grace...

And so it was that after handily defeating someone at a particular word game and then losing the rematch as they improved their score significantly it was a logical next step for me rematch again and dig in for the "rubber match"... Well, my scores remained pretty consistent, but their score, again, improved significantly on the back of a string of perfect rounds... chalking it up to good luck on their part and still wanting to win, i opted for another rematch...

However, as i watched them kick off the opening rounds with more perfect scores, my suspicions got the better of me... i researched the possibility of cheating in such a game as this... previously it hadn't even occurred to me, but the suspicion holds me tight as they say and as it turns out, it is possible and there is no doubt in my mind that this individual was juicing up their scores... that last game - and it's the last i'll ever engage in with this particular person - unfolded with perfect round after perfect round... not only was the fun evacuated from the situation, but my concern for this individual grew as well... i mean, come on, how messed up and insecure do you have to be to cheat in a friendly game to make yourself look better?.... man, that's insecurity at it's apex... what a shame...

UNO DOS TRES CATORCE
to the tune of Like Spinning Plates - Radiohead

So i woke up Tuesday morning after an interrupted night of sleep and the room is spinning... it seems that i got up during a bad sleep cycle or something, but my equillibrium was all messed up... i tried my darndest to fight through it as if it were a passing feeling, but this vertigo had set in for the day... i ended up calling in sick and going back to bed... by the afternoon, i was able to be on the couch, eat lunch and do a little bit on the computer and such, but every time i turned my head, the images seemed to be proccessing in slow motion... i felt like i was in the matrix...

Little boy made my day by coming over, wrapping his arms around me and informing me that he had prayed for me three times and then, for good measure, prayed again right then and there... such a sweetie... clearly, i'm back on my feet again, but that was a wild day and i didn't particularly like the way i felt...

SHORE ENOUGH
to the tune of Stronger - Seabird

New on the music front this week is a band called Seabird... i know what you're probably thinking... you're thinking that if it came out this week, i should be writing a regular full-on album review for it instead of putzing around here in this blog with just a brief mention, right?... well, it's here or nowhere for this week... i'm backed up beyond belief and as hard as i try, it's gonna be a while before i'm back on track... besides, you wouldn't have the enjoyment of this handy little album player here to my left if this were an actual review...

Anyway, Seabird hit the scen a little bit ago with an EP that turned some heads and with the pedigree of being on Credential Recordings, you know it's gotta at least be interesting music, right?... indeed it is chock full of pleasant melodies and artsy hooks... the sound may not be entirely unique anymore with the recent insurgence of indie rockers on the mainstream scene, but Seabird seems to hold their own on that front and i think that songs like "Rescue" and "Stronger" are certainly worth giving ear to...

TWITTERFIED!
to the tune of Lead Me On - Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn

So, i finally caved and signed up to join Twitter... it's nothing all that special, but see, what sold me is that there's a growing number of artists using it and if you follow them, you can find out about upcoming projects and tour stuff... that's what i was convinced of when i peeked in and saw the Bart Millard was recording for Hymned Vol 2...

other spectacular things i've learned since signing up? Vicky Beeching doesn't own a vaccuum cleaner, but she borrows one from her neighbor... Cindy Morgan has fed a camel... Brock Gill likes chocolate.... Aaron Shust likes to make bad puns about his friend's names... the guys from downhere like to run... someone from Dizmas doesn't watch where they're walking...

clearly this is an invaluable tool... though, i'll admit, it is how i discovered Mark Lee's book club...

RIVER ADVENTURE
to the tune of Veggie Doodle Dandy - Veggietales

So, despite Tuesday being all but a complete loss... i was able to give the boys a treat since they were pretty well-behaved... after they had gotten into their jammies and were ready for bed, i gathered them up, one on each side, and we planted ourselves on the couch to screen the upcoming Veggietales release, Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry's Big River Rescue...

My first thought was how daring it was to choose Huck Finn as the inspiration for a Veggietales film simply because i remember clearly that it's been the subject of banishment, censorship and whatnot throughout the years, but of course, it is a classic and it's a very memorable story of two pals and their adventures... and it translates very well to the capers of Bob and Larry... The sink scene was clever and really set the tone for the rest of the film...

It's a hair-raising tale of friendship, sacrifice, and doing what you know is right... it's also a fun tale of bluegrass, babies with signal flares and fried chicken... the boys enjoyed it, i liked it and it's a winner... due out July 12th... check it out...

THE READING ROOM
to the tune of Word of Mouth - John Reuben

Updated list for Mark Lee's Summer Reading Club... i keep adding more titles, but hopefully i'll get to cross some off...

- It All Goes Back in the Box (Ortberg)
- Deadly Viper Character Assassins (Foster & Wilhite) [audiobook]
- The Word of Mouth Manual (Balter) [about 15 pages left]
- Character Makes a Difference (Huckabee) [about 50 pages left]
- Simplicity (Salomon) [about 75 pages left]
- The Parent You Want to Be (Parrott) [about 150 pages left]
- New Way to Be Human (Peacock) [about 200 pages left]
- Boys Should Be Boys (Meeker)
- Wide Awake (McManus)
- At the Crossroads (Peacock)
- Deliver Us from Evelyn (Wells)
- The Two Towers (Tolkien)
- Quiet Strength (Dungy)
- UnChristian (Kinnaman & Lyons)
- Prince Caspian (Lewis)
- Searching for God Knows What (Miller)

FULL LIST HERE...

peace... love... bdg....

i'm getting so bad at this... it's like i never know what's happening because i'm too busy doing stuff all the time... sometimes i don't even know what i'm doing... that's when it gets nice and crazy... anyway... had a nice little breather at work, but things have kind of swollen back up and i'm far more than knee deep again... it's going to be a trying time the next few months at least and i'm sure it'll be a while before everything is aright... and i'm sure that i'm gonna be extremely tired when it's all said and done... i'm already at least halfway there...

Anyway, how about some TV talk, music chatter, and a little bit of other stuff...

CLEAR EYES... FULL HEARTS... CAN'T LOSE....
to the tune of Game On -Disciple

we've been going back through and watching FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS on DVD... we had watched Season One while it was happening, but by the time Season Two came on, i'm not sure what happened... i guess our DVR was overbooked or on the fritz or something and we ended up missing a bunch of the episodes and that coupled with the far-reaching murder subplot really turned me off to the show... Now that season two is out on DVD, i thought it was a good time to give it a second chance... and, thanks to good old netflix... it's pretty much risk free...

Anyway, i'm very glad we did because the writing (other than the whole murder thing) is just phenomenal... and it's reminded me of the most fascinating character on television... Tim Riggins... yeah that's right... and by fascinating, i mean that whenever he's on the screen, it's worth watching... he's easily the most complex character... and his reactions to life's problems, which tend to be numerous in his case, are always memorable... as easy as it would've been to make him a stock character with stereotypical reactions, i'm so glad they put more thought into him than that...

FASCINATION
to the tune of Fascination - Lester Lanin

Yeah, that's right.... Big Band... that's good stuff...

Anyway, since i've gone and declared Riggs as the most fascinating character on television, i thought i'd go ahead and list a few others that always grab my attention when they're on screen... Despite being numbered, this is my official, unordered list of last year's most fascinating characters on television...

• Jack Donaghy (30 Rock)
• Michael Westen (Burn Notice)
• Chuck Bartowski (Chuck)
• Brenda Johnson (The Closer)
• Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)
• Robert Hawkins (Jericho)
• Peter Petrelli (Heroes)
• Sylar (Heroes)
• Robert Goren (Law & Order: Criminal Intent)
• Adrian Monk (Monk)
• Benjamin Linus (Lost)
• Daniel Faraday (Lost)
• Michael Scofield (Prison Break)

I'm sure that i've missed plenty... i don't watch every show obviously and, in some instances, i don't even watch the cool ones... You may also notice that there's no one from The Office on the list... trust me, that's still my favorite comedy by far, but i think as far as characters go, each character draws far too much strengh from how the entire ensemble acts and reacts... though, if forced into a corner, i'd probably be deciding between Toby and Creed since they have two of the smaller roles, but can, with a single line completely define the scene that they're in...

WIDE-EYED AND DIGITIZED
to the tune of The Invitation - downhere

Downhere has partnered with MusiChristian.com (who i used to use as my primary affiliate partnership) and they're giving away Wide Eyed and Mystified for the price of an email address... the album has amazingly been out for two years and the group has apparently mined it completely of all it's monetary value (what with a B-Sides and an acostic remix version among other things) and they really want you to remember their name when the release their next album, reportedly titled Ending is Beginning and may be released in late September... (currently, they're planning for the 23rd)...

So, you go to the page, enter your email address, and download a nice zip file with the full album in mp3 format complete with a 10-page that contains the liner notes and a cutout to make your CD insert and pretend that you bought a real copy of the album... and i jest, but it's really a good album and i think the vocal work on the album is some of the best that the past few years has to offer...

ANOTHER DEATH IN THE FAMILY
to the tune of Part the Waters Lord / I Need the Every Hour - Selah

And, now on a more serious note... actually, an extremely serious note... Nicol Sponberg (Selah) and her husband, Greg, recently had their life tragically interrupted with the death of their son, Luke who was, i beleve about three months old... It's my understanding that they also lost a nephew recently in the third hour of his life... clearly this is a difficult time for the family and prayers will be greatly appreciated... I'm told that they'll be establishing a Luke Sponberg Foundation and I'm sure that more details about that will be available in the near future...

AND WITH THAT...

Well, i had some other things to talk about, but it hardly seems like the best time to do that, so i'll close this out right now with a few links and a fond farewell for now...

- Third Day Walk TRu
- Phil Stacey Album Review

peace... love... bdg...

So, it's another Idol night already and that means i've not updated in a week... what a jerk... anyway... i've been trying to readjust to life and a bunch of other excuses that you don't care about, i'm sure... and man, have my allergies been driving me nuts lately... my eye has been twitching for about a month and my nose has been twitching on and off as well... the littles are starting to struggle with the pollen counts, too, which really makes like fun... anyway... lots to get to, so let's get getting...

MOVIE MONDAY

i meant to go post this yesterday, but i didn't post anything so, here it is now... i finally, (read: FINALLY), saw Oceans Thirteen... and for me, it was goooood... i really like the series and i thought this one fit very nicely into the mix... you gotta love crooks who steal to make other people happy... and they're all just the epitome of cool... a couple odds and ends notes... as expected there were a number of twists and turns in the plot line... i say expected because it seems like every movie now has to have these crazy twists at the end nowadays... i think that eventually, we'll get to the point where a straightforward movie - one where what you expect to happen actually happens - is going to be the new suspense thriller... just a thought... Also, and i'm not one to force spiritual meanings into things, but at the end of the movie, all i could think about was that verse in the Bible about man making all the plans that he wants, but it's only God's plans that actually matter in the long run... yeah... i should figure out where that's from exactly... i'm guessing Proverbs...

FOUR MORE (A.K.A. THE AI COMMENTARY)
to the tune of Roll over Beethoven -Chuck Berry

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night... i... wanna rock and roll all night.... and party every day... okay... so i'm not going to guess the songs this week, but anyone wanna bet that Brooke tries to crash the stage and sing Piano Man or something... anyone? anyone?... okay... the show's underway after Ryan specifies when the judges are allowed to speak...

David (Daughtry the 2nd) Cook: Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran... i remember the video for this song more than anything else about it... i think some dude was wandering around the woods trying to catch a girl dressed up like Little Red Riding Hood and he's wearing a wolf skin... i remember that video more then i expect to remember this performance actually... Randy says it was just okay... Paula says she's hungry for some David Cook and then she rambles on about something odd... Simon says it's probably good enough, but nothing special...

Syesha (a.k.a. Cry-esha): Syesha's dress has been designed by Kristy Lee Cook... or something... oh, i like the hat... Tina... i thought she might sing some Tina or Aretha, but i don't know who's in the HOF... wow... she's trying to look like Tina... she's definitely working it... she has the clear advantage of being the only official girl left in the competition... and this song is alright... her vocal isn't that great, but the performance is very strong indeed... she knows how to use the stage... Randy says she was in the zone... (no, i didn't just copy that from last week)... Paula says she looks like a star... Simon says he has to put a slight damper on it... shrieky, bad impersonation of Tina Turner... the song was Proud Mary, by the way...

Jason (Castor Oil) Castro: i think Carley's drunk... so, go figure, Jason Castro is singing a Bob Marley tune... I Shot the Sheriff... props right off the bat to the band... they're fantastic... he's alright... well... i mean, this really... well... um... he looks the part at least... he needs to take into account the dynamics and meaning of the song... Randy plays the karaoke card... Paula says he played to the crowd... Simon says it was utterly atrocious and he has no idea what Jason was thinking...

{Little) David Archuleta: singing Stand By Me... and he actually looks like the kids walking on the train tracks during this movie... i remember singing this song in like fifth grade or something... i think i sounded about the same... well, i didn't sing it solo or anything... but come on... if anyone deserves the karoake card, it's him right here... that's just... bah... Randy says he broght the hot man vocals... or hot mad vocals... or something like that... Paula says she admires that he kept his eyes open... Simon says whistling would've been better than Jason's song, that he struggled a little bit, but it was the best performance so far...

REALLY? YOU WANT MORE?
to the tune of A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

So far i'm not really impressed with any of them (surprise), but as of halfway through, Archy and Jason seem to be battling for the boot...

David (Daughtry the 2nd) Cook: singing something from The Who... Baba O'Riley?... i never listened much to The Who... it seemed really short, which isn't a baad thing... i've decided that he sounds like Todd Agnew... slow build and now he's screaming up the end of the tune... whatever... it's alright... Randy says it was really good, the David Cook they like... Paula says she wants a happy meal with a David Cook toy to hug and squeeze and hang from her rear view mirror... Simon says welcome back...

Syesha (a.k.a. Cry-esha): oh no she isn't... she's singing my boy Sam Cooke... Change is Gonna Come... look, if you can't mess with a Bob Marley song, i'm not sure you can mess with Sam... well, this is an entirely new arrangement... and she's belting out the words here and there... that's a strong finish, but i'm not sure that the whole thing was that great... not as much soul to it as the original... Randy says he didn't like the arrangement and you shouldn't mess with Sam... Paula says she did a great thing with her vocals... Cry-esha is still reeling from Randy's harsh comments... Simon takes pity and sides with Paula, noting that Randy got it entirely wrong...

Jason (Castor Oil) Castro: oh gosh... Jason didn't shoot the sheriff, he shot himself in the foot, head and heart... BOB DYLAN???? and we don't know the lyrics... somebody call Wayne Brady up on stage... i don't even know what to say... sort of like Jason... wah wah waaaah wah wah waaaaah.... well, needless to say, it was terrible and he's going to get trashed... he might not get voted off though... Randy just kind of giggles... Paula is smelling her feet... Simon tells him to pack his suitcase...

{Little) David Archuleta: oh... good grief... he really IS trying to beat Jason for the lamest performance... Love Me Tender by Elvis Presley... and he's, well, he's saving himself quite nicely actually... the vocal is pretty solid... why does the dude who can sing really well have to be so annoying?... Randy says he was carressing the lyrics... Paula says he's so sweet... Simon says he CRUSHED all those who oppose...

Well, i'll say that the Davids are safe and Jason will go home despite the possibility of pretending to forget the lyrics for the sake of getting sympathy... Syesha will probably be left on stage with Jason, but should be safe...

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

So, lots of new stuff to peep over on the main page... first up, a Walk TRu of the Jars of Clay Greatest Hits project... part one of my GMA Reflections and Responses... an interview with Poems (formerly Sharlok Poems, Sharlok P, etc from LA Symphony)... and an album review of Salvador's latest, Aware... and there's plenty more to come...

peace... love... bdg...

and it's Tuesday... and that means that i should talk about television... so here's a quick rundown of my comments... Barney? NO, he's the best character... at 31 she DID live there?... "It's not happening if you don't look at it" "Kind of like Poverty?"... okay, i'm out of thoughts... everything is kind of jumbled together right now... anyway... it's time for American Idol...

FIVE ALIVE
to the tune of Cracklin' Rosie - Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond night... TODAY... we comin' to America... i'm sure someone will sing that tonight... Kristy Lee would've definitely done it, but i'd bet on Archy... anyway, here we go...

Jason (Castor Oil) Castro: don't forget the lyrics, dude... off we go... singing Forever in Blue Jeans... with the guitar... and he's doing alright... Simon is entirely disinterested... why is that violinist wearing shades?... why does this sound like a really sleepy tune... that's right, it's the slacker singing it... you think that eye color is fake or what?... i didn't mind it too much... Iron Man looks pretty good... Bret Michaels, not so much...

David (Daughtry the 2nd) Cook: goofing off with Ryan, goosing Neil... man, this guy is just too comfortable... i've never heard a Neal Diamond song sung in monotone before... what's up with that jacket?... is he the DC that completes the AC that's on his jacket and guitar?... is that his mom's gear? is he peddling her line of wares illegally on the show?... he sang I'm Alive and it was alright, i suppose... i thought it was kind of boring myself, but i'm probably alone in that...

Brooke White (The Piano Whisperer): singing I'm a Believer by the Monkees... or, by Neal Diamond... well, she's playing the guitar, but the real band is playing loud enough to drown her out... now, if only they could do something about her vocal... it's not that good... i've totally flipped on her since the beginning of this competition... she's... oh, greay leather pants... no thanks...

{Little) David Archuleta: HA!... he IS gonna sing it... anyway... he's such a dork in Neil's presence... own a piece of Archuleta... no thanks... first son is Sweet Caroline... it seems like he forgot the words there... maybe it was just a dramatic pause... well, this just isn't working for me... he's just too drama queen for this song... and it's too Brady Bunch for me... the crowd goes wild and i go to get something to munch on...

Syesha (a.k.a. Cry-esha): singing Hello Again... she's doing the Kat McPhee sit on the steps routine... and well... i like her voice, i've always thought it was good when she stays in her range... this song is pretty slow and some people may think it's boring... but she's doing a nice job... she just wanted to show off her vocal control probably... i hope the next one is more memorable...

Randy says, Jason: OK, Cook: Solid, Brooke: Karaoke, Archy: DaBOMB, Syesha: in the zone
Paula says: Jason: lower register, David: something about his second song... what? he only sang once? what? oh he's fabulous
Simon (amen) says: forgettable, just above average, nightmare, amateurish, old fashioned

ENCORE, ENCORE?
to the tune of Song Sung Blue - Neil Diamond

Jason (Castor Oil) Castro: singing September Mourn... i think this is the Frank Sinatra version... you know how Frank pretty much just says, "screw your arrangement, I'm singing it Myyyyyy waaaaaay..." this is a really slow version and i'm falling asleep... sorry castro... it's just not cutting it... Randy says, dude, it was just okay, whatever... Paula says it was the same liberty, too safe... Jason says, guh-huh, guh-huh, i was choking.... SImon says no one will remember him or something to that effect...

David (Daughtry the 2nd) Cook: "the rocker's second outing"... with something... the bag of chips was crinkling too loudly for me to hear... i'll tell you one thing though... it's not a rock song... All I Really Need Is You... and now he's trying to rock out like he's Jeremy Camp or something... he's really shouting... and really, he's reminding me that i will not buy any of the season seven albums... seriously... for reals... Randy says... you know what, i'm a huge fan, you rocked the house... Paula is proud of him because he pulled off the lesser known songs... Simon says, to be honest, one was okay, that was brilliant... BAH!

Brooke White (The Piano Whisperer): like totally, that wasn't a nightmare, giggle giggle... singing I Am, I Said with the lyrics on her hand facing the piano keys... silly... i actually like this song... this one fits her pretty well... much better than the apparently debatable nightmare that was her first performance... she's much more comfy behind the piano... Randy says... nice job... Paula says she is vulnerable and everyone loves her... it worked... Simon says he really hated the first one, but this was the one we like...

{Little) David Archuleta: back again with the money, "how can you vote against AMERICA" song... David Archy with his voice cracking and everything... they better hope that he doesn't hit puberty during this competition... i think even the background singers are boring on this one... let freeedom riiiiiiiiiiiiing.... bah, that was a very campy version of the song... blah... Randy says he was in the zone, Paula says he was on point and she loves him... Simon points out the contrived choice of song...

Syesha (a.k.a. Cry-esha): ooh, i could go for some arby's... singing Thank the Lord for the Night time and... aw, Syesha, why'd you take it this direction?... maybe she's going for the Motown, Shirelles type of vibe, but it's coming across as very High School Musical... i think she lost her shoes too... i didn't mind it, but it could've been much better... and that's the one they'll remember... Randy says it could've been on Broadway... Paula fumbles through some random words about magic and theatrics... Simon asks Paula if she liked it or not... then he says she's more of an actress than a singer and she might be in trouble...

Bottom Three: Brooke, Jason, Syesha (going home)

AND THEN...

So, i did some stuff on the old site today... tidied up a few things... redesigned the reviews page, added two reviews... (After Edmund and Leeland), added in a bit under the AbouTRu section and added a way to sign up for a newsletter that i'll explain more about later... more coming soon...

peace... love... bdg...

i used to start off most of my entries with... "it's been a while..." or something to that extent... back then, i barely blogged more than once a week... i remember it clearly... i was always so caught up in between the pressure of writing something that was worth reading, something well written and writing something that was just something... a visceral expression of what was going on in my head, whether good, bad, or completely random...

i craved comments... those comments were like pats on the back for a job well blogged... and i remember being utterly frustrated and confused as to how i could pour my heart out and get nothing in response, but a foolish expression of how i wanted to throw someone throw the window for being annoying would earn me endless feedback...

i'm not sure why i'm reminiscing so much... perhaps because i've been away from the blog routine for about a week... perhaps because i'm doing that thing again where i sit around and wonder why i blog at all... why i write at all... how i should be spending my time... perhaps it's because i'm sitting here feeling like i'm half asleep... maybe two-thirds, actually... and i'm staring at the screen... and i'm rambling... and... i'm moving on...

WEEKEND OF MADNESS
to the tune of Stop and Stare - OneRepublic

i didn't watch any of the three college baskeball games this weekend... my Saturday was spent driving up to Staten Island to celebrate the marriage of my college roommate... we got to try out the GPS on Ka-BLUE-ey and the littles always love getting to watch television on the tiny screens when we drive for a while... we made good time, avoided getting any speeding tickets and had a great time catching up with friends and meeting some new additions to the group...

apparently Saturday's games weren't much to watch, anyway, but last night was pretty suspensful... congrats to Kansas, now good luck keeping your coach... I was hoping to watch the replay of the game online, but it seems like the videos are all down... well, i did watch the highlights, but that only tells so much of the story...

THE RIGHT STUFF
to the tune of Hangin' Tough - New Kids on the Block

in keeping with the retro is in theme of the day... the New Kids on the Block are apparently reuniting for a tour and possibly more... they made the official announcement this week on the Today Show which probably reaches their target market of 25-35 year old women... anyway, man, i remember these guys from back in the day... i did actually dance along with their choreography on occasion... i'm not ashamed to say that... i was young...

i think it was last week that i said boy bands were out... this tour, if nothing else, will probably be the cement boots to officially sink the trend...

THE GREAT EIGHT
to the tune of Dream On - Aerosmith

Michael Johns (JacobsJingle...): so it's inspirational week... lots of sad songs this week probably... Michael starts off with a doozie... Aerosmith's Dream On... one of my favorite songs of all time... and he'll probably do really well with it since he can handle Queen... oh that falsetto at the end was a bit scary, but overall, it was pretty much on point... Randy says it was pitchy and he's not Steven Tyler... Paula says it was perfect and her dogs probably want to be with him... Simon says he shouldn't impersonate Steven Tyler... i agree with that...

Sayesha (a.k.a. Cry-esha): you should know that i'm eating ice cream during this show, so my comments may be a bit sparse... ugh... the kiss of death... a former AI song... and Fantasia no less... however, she did survive a few Whitney songs... maybe... just maybe... if nothing else... this is WAY more bearable than if Fantasia was sneering it, i mean, singing it... it's actually - oh that's flat - it's actually not too bad a very boring song though... someone is going to say that it wasn't memorable... ooooow.... Paula's dogs are probably going crazy now... Randy says it was another tiger and she didn't connect with it, but it was okay... Paula says it was one of her most shining nights... Simon says, to be fair, she sang it fairly well, but it lacked emotion...

Jason (Castor Oil) Castro: and now we're dreaming with Jason... he's singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow accompanying himself on the ukulele... it looks like the crowd is shrouded in rainbow lighting... i actually liked that falsetto... and this version further perpetuates his identity as a decent singer/songwriter style performer... i dug it... Randy says it was a hot one... Paula calls the ukulele a guitar and says that it was great... Simon says it was fantastic...

Kristy (Leave) Cook: oh, Yanks vs. SAWX later this week... can't go wrong there... i missed the title of the song... see if i can figure it out... she must have a thousand sequined shirts... okay, i think this is Martina McBride's Anyway.... and so, anyway... she's gonna be the next Kellie Pickler... she's got a great country sound... no rhythm, but it worked really well... Randy says it was a little pitchy, but really good... Paula says she outdid herself today... Simon says she was very, very good indeed... i think she'll be out of the bottom three tonight...

to the tune of The Show Must Go On - Queen

David (Daughtry the 2nd) Cook: he kind of looks like Donnie Walberg, actually... singing Innocent by Our Lady Peace... oh that's just an absolutely terrible beginning... hopefully, he doesn't make his heart go crazy tonight... yeah, i don't like the outfit... his voice kind of came into the right range eventually, but the finale with the writing on the hand was cheesy... Randy says he didn't like it that much... Paula says he's the whole package... Simon says it was pompous and not nearly as good as the last few weeks... he also said that they're hoping for something you'll remember in 2-3 days... 2-3 days? that's lowering the bar, isn't it...

Carly (Harley) Smithson: ooh baby... another hit... The Show Must Go On by Queen... i wonder if she had to arm wrestle Michael for the rights to sing this one... she hasn't really fixed her look, has she?... continuing with the tank tops... and i'm sorry, but the vocals just don't have the punch that they should... it's just there, it's not really powerful... it just is... Randy says that it started out good, got pitchy and was just okay... Paula says there wasn't a connection... Simon says that she looks good, but she oversang it...

{Little) David Archuleta: i'm guessing Whitney's Greatest Love of All... are you with me?... let's see... it's called Angels and it's, um, Robbie Williams?... he's at the piano and the vocal is alright... i don't really like the song, personally, but he did a good job... nice moment there... okay, now he looks like a robot standing up there on stage... Randy says that it was the David that they love, Paula says he's just plain awesome and Simon nit picks but says it was great...

Brooke White (The Piano Whisperer): they're running out of time and i bet they put her at the end so she can't talk forever with the judges... You've Got a Friend, by Carol King... no guitar... kind of weird lighting... she's slowed it down a bit and it's kind of a nice ballad... though, it's bordering on boring... that's a huge ring on that finger... is it flowers?... yeah... it's a good to great vocal, but it wore on me because it was such a dull arrangement... Randy says he liked it, but it wasn't her best... Paula says she grew up to that song... what does THAT mean?... Paula says she loves her... Brooke says "I love you, too"... Simon says it was pleasant but unoriginal...

and now we have to pick the bottom three... i must say that it's pretty tough... but i'm closing my eyes and shooting... number three: Michael Johns... number two: Carly Smithson... number one (the boot pick): Sayesha... in reality though, i'd guess that no one goes home this week because it's Idol Gives Back week...

more fun stuff tomorrow...

peace... love... bdg...

And we're back... today is a television day and that means American Idol and few other nuggets... on the writing front, i was utterly unproductive for the day which is a bit disheartening, but such is life... i am ridiculously hot though... sweating all day in my office and now, in my own home... i feel somewhat betrayed by the weather... it's like a cosmic April Fool's Prank... right... today's April Fool's Day... fun...

Anyway, on with the show...

NINE (TO FIVE?)
to the tune of 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

So, Dolly Parton really IS the theme this week... it wasn't an elaborate prank... should be interesting... kind of unfair to the guys, but we'll see how it plays out...

Brooke White (The Piano Whisperer): leading things off this week is Brooke, who immediately seems more centered and focused behind her guitar... she's singing Jolene and it's a pretty basic, but nice rendition... nice vocal and that's all i have time to say... Randy says it wasn't stellar, but it was alright... she says thank you... Paula says she is who she is and she's emotional and she's Brooke White... then they exchange pleasantries about each other's hair... Simon says it lacked emotion and she says, "really?"... Simon says the violin wasn't that great, she says that he was... Simon says that it was just alright.... he should've said that she talks way too much...

David (Daughtry the 2nd) Cook: yeah, he should do real well with a Dolly Parton song... he's singing Little Sparrow and it's his own arrangement apparently... google let him down this week... Dolly says he's confident and the song's not too bad so far, but i'm not sold on his falsetto... it's alright... i guess the best part is that he'd never make and album with this kind of song on it... Randy says he liked the falsetto and that it was hot... Paula says she likes his haircut and she's talking like a redneck for some reason... she also says that he's well-rounded... Simon says it wasn't as good as last week, but songs about sparrow are pretty much worthless...

Ramiele (ratatouille): America, get your barf bags ready, it's gonna be a bumpy ride... i didn't hear what song it was that she chose, but it sounds like a gospelly tune... oh, Do I Ever Cross Your Mind... i'm going to say this much, kids, Sanjaya actually IS a girl this year... she's way out of her league here... at least she didn't look like she had a peg leg this week... Randy says he wasn't jumping or mad, but it was about 6.5 out of 10... Paula says she's proud.... Simon brings the hammer of truth, reminding us that it's nothing worth remembering and he playedt the cruise ship card...

to the tune of Islands in the Stream - Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers

Jason (Castor Oil) Castro: well, kids, the bottom line here is that Jason may not have the talent to be a star, but he's got the looks to have his own stalker fan base... word... okay... he's got his guitar and he's not doing all that badly... he's not skulking around the stage making eyes at everyone and the mosh pit gals are in check... singing Travelin' Thru and i think he's travelin thru to the next round... Randy says that it started slow, but worked out well... Paula says he is strong and rich and confident... and Simon says that he didn't like it at all...

Carly (Harley) Smithson: Dolly said that Carly killed the song... aw... poor song... what song? Here You Come Again... and it's a ballad that's tender and she really is killing it... she's got a great texture to her voice that makes the song interesting... ending on a big note, (again), but it's a very nice job... Randy says... nice job, probably the best of the night... Paula gushes like a fanboy... Paula and Randy argue about last week... Simon says it was good, not great and she needs a new fashion coordinator... which makes everyone jump on Simon because he always wears a tee shirt and jeans...

{Little) David Archuleta: i think that Dolly was making faces at him to see if his eyes were really shut... singing Smokey Mountain Memories... i tend to go back and forth on this kid, but he does have a great tone to his voice and thehe's got the mosh pit swaying for him... he just strikes me as a boy band kid who's finally old enough to be in a boy band but realizes that pop-punk rockers are the new boy bands... Randy says it was hot... Paula says it was great or something... Simon says it was on the money...

to the tune of Jesus & Gravity - Dolly Parton

Kristy (Leave) Cook: they try to out-compliment each other... that was what they call a hard ending... "that's hopefully what i did (silence)"... okay... Coat of Many Colors... and yeah... an actual country song... this is her wheelhouse... this is what she should be singing... and she's doing great... oh... she forgot her shoes... and she's not wearing a coat... shouldn't you wear a coat if you're singing a song about a coat?.... oh, that ending was a little wild - she doesn't do endings well... Randy rips his comments out of my text and says wheelhouse two or three times... Paula says it was her best... Simon says, pleasant, but forgettable... Ryan points out how nice her toenails are... what?

Sayesha (a.k.a. Cry-esha): oh GOSH... this is a Dolly song?... crud... oh well... Sayesha probably has the pipes for it... I Will Always Love You a la Dolly via Whitney... she's sitting on the piano and goodness... she's made it even slower.... and then she's rushed the chorus... aw... i really like her voice, but her tempo is kind of odd... that's what happens when you chop a song down and now for the big finale and, survey says, no, she doesn't really have the pipes for it... sorry... Randy says it was a big tiger and it was alright... Paula says yellow equals pretty and her voice is velvety... Simon says it was good, but not fantastic... hello? it's the bottom three calling, you're in...

Michael Johns (JacobsJingle...): Dolly wants him to be a star so she can write for him... this is, um, It's All Wrong, But It's All Right... i'm not sure what he's going for... i guess some sort of sexy, soulful, lounge singer... i don't know that he quite got there... maybe he's trying for a Jeff Buckley type vibe... and actually, i can see that... Randy says that he took it up a notch... Paula says he IS a star and... my recording cut off... but it's okay, he's probably safe...

and so we're left with this... seems like every week, i have to look at the three performances that i didn't like the most and then pick the ones that are slightly better, but were from a less popular performer... so, the bottom three should be... Jason, Ramielle, and Sayesha... i'd like to think that Ramiele will go, because she should, but i think it's bye bye to the cry cry...

WHAT'S HAPPENING?
to the tune of Theme from ESPN Sportcenter - Bobby Mortganstein

So, despite the writer's strike being over, the weekly television lineup still seems kind of slow... not too much to tune into each night... as such, i've worked through some DVD sets that i've got and that i've rented from, you guessesd it, Netflix... of course, THE OFFICE was involved, but i also just worked through the entire series of SPORTS NIGHT...

Brilliant show, fast-paced diologue, compelling topics and only a half hour per episode which surprises me every time i watch it... anyway, this six-disc set is apparently hard to come by, but i think it's worth it... bear in mind, i like sports, i like writing, and i like banter so i'm kind of pre-conditioned to liking this show...

HAPPY HAPPY DAY...
to the tune of Presents - Randy Newman

well, some sites out there will tell you that my birthday is today... it's not, but it is around the corner and with that in mind, here's a list of some TV Shows that i'd be more than happy to accept as presents...

- Get Smart (Complete Series)
-Columbo (Seasons 3, 4, 5, and 6-7)
-How I Met Your Mother (Seasons 1 & 2)
-Seinfeld (Complete Series)
-Everybody Loves Raymond (Complete Series)
-Studio 60 (Complete Series)
-The West Wing (Complete Series)
-Joey (Season 2)
-I-Spy (Complete Series)
-Prison Break (Season 2 & 3)
-Heroes

there's actually more, but i'm feeling a little greedy right now... good night and good luck...

peace... love... bdg...

i'm back and i'm without bandaid today, which will hopefully allow me to keep up with the live blogging of tonight's top ten performances of American Idol... i'm running behind now and they're already introducing Remy, so off we go...

AND THEN THERE WERE TEN
to the tune of Alone - Heart

Ramiele (ratatouille): you're darn right you're lucky to have made it this far... singing Alone by Heart... i think someone sings this every year... Carrie did it, right?... well, she's starting off pretty well, but it's a safe beginning... here comes the tough part... and... oh... she's flat... and she's not as good as her background singers... and she's not moving at all... why would you just stand there... oh well... Randy says that it was too big for her... Paula says that she's brave for singing sick... Paula sounds sick actually.... Simon says it wasn't so bad...

Jason (Castor Oil) Castro: oh, it's songs from the year of their birth... and slow jason talks about how cute his eyes have always been... he's singing Fragile by Sting and playing guitar... i guess that means he won't be slithering across the stage during the song... i bet he makes eyes at everyone again though... go Jason, it's your birthday... whatever... he's not terrible... his vocal is actually pretty good, not spectacular, but pretty decent... solid performance i'd say... extremely safe, but solid... and Randy says it was alright... Paula says he's true to himself and he played it safe... Simon says he needs to take this competition seriously and stop trying to get free subway fare... the ladies shriek...

Sayesha (a.k.a. Cry-esha): she did the baby cry again... she seems like a fun person... these intros seem like a waste of time... she's singing If I Was Your Woman by... Gladys Knight? she can't be that old, can she?... someone must've covered it... anyway... she's belting out some nice notes here and her presence on stace, though not captivating is alright, because her voice keeps her there... solid, solid chorus there... i actually have to say that i loved it... Randy says she's a new competitor... Paula, after the echo, says that it was fantastic... and Simon says welp, it was the best so far, but what of it... he thinks that she stretched her limits vocally...

Chikezie (like Sunday morning): talking about song selection... how fun... okay, he's singing a ballad despite warnings against it... did they say love monkey?... If Only for One Night by Luther Vandross... certainly no surprise that he went for a Luther song... and he's doing his best to sound exactly like Luther and he's doing alright with it... this song reminds me of Hello, by Lionel Richie... i guess it's alright, but it feels kind of sleepy and too much like the original... he's much better with the upbeat, creative songs... Randy says it was old fashioned... Paula says it was fabulous or something to that effect... Simon says that it was sung well, but it was cheesy... Chickezie argues and that's never good... Simon continues to say that it wasn't original and you shouldn't just be copying the original...

Brooke White (The Piano Whisperer): okay so at least the intro gave me a nickname for her... i hope that she's not high tonight like last week... she's back behind the piano to avoid the painfully awkward exposure of the stage, singing Every Breathe You Take by The Police and she's off to a rough start, but after the fault, she's out of the gates nicely... she's taken some liberties with the arrangement and i'm not sure it's really working... it's kind of interesting and she's done alright with it, but i'm really starting to lose my confidence in her... she was so good before... and now she's just alright... Randy says it was just alright and the arrangement was a little odd... Paula says it was much better than last week, which doesn't say much at all... i think Paula has a cage fight scheduled following the show... Simon says that it was fantastic, but fell apart and even still, better than last week...

And we're back with another shameless plug for coca-cola... starting off with two of the contestants that initially looked like the best bets, but haven't completely panned out that way...
to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Michael Johns (JacobsJingle...): singing Queen again... he did a great job with Bohemian Rhapsody in the early rounds, but this time he's doing, what? a medley... oh... i see... interesting... i didn't realize that was on the table... i guess they might have released this as a song... well, i'm going to say it again... Michael can't sing upbeat songs all that well... he's done alright, but mostly on the We Are the Champions section... the We Will Rock You portion of the song was pretty rough... Randy says it was his best yet... Paula says it was his shining moment... and Simion says that he's finally seen star potential...

Carly (Harley) Smithson: always knew she was going to be an entertainer, eh?... okay... Singing Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler... this is a pretty cool song, but i'm not sure it will translate well in a shorter format... the big strength of the song is that it builds up to a climax... without enough time to grow, it might not work... she's pretty solid vocally and i like the arrangement overall... terrible ending though... what the heck was that... Randy says it was the wrong song choice and the last note was bad... Paula says that she would buy it and that she could do no wrong... Simon says it didn't quite work and he didn't enjoy it as much as he thought he would...

{Little) David Archuleta: he almost looks like he can pick a song from last year... oh, the truth comes out... his parents have been pushing him into this career for his whole life... he's missing prom so that he can sing You're the Voice by Johnny Farnham... another kind of activist song from him and he's really singing it alright... he's a bit quiet, and i don't really enjoy this song... i rememberthis song vaguely and i remember not really liking it too much... he's simply just doing fine... i'm not too impressed and i think that it's a forgettable enough performance... Randy says it was an odd song choice, but he can sing anything... Paula says he can sing the phonebook... and Simon breaks the lovefest with a dose of reality, calling it a theme park performance...

Kristy (Leave) Cook: she may not annoy her family, but now she annoys millions of viewers each week... oh dear... Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA... at least it's a country song which is within her grasp, but ugh... it's just been covered to death... i remember when it came out and it was quite a powerful tune... Oh, that run was terrible and the key change left her in the dust... the pitch is all over the place... and i don't think it's going to go well for her... she may finally be done here... Randy says it was pitchy in spots, but it was good... Paula says it wasn't the best performance, but her voice is stronger... Simon says it was her best performance by a mile... i guess they love some Kristy Lee, eh?

David (Daughtry the 2nd) Cook: oh how fun... he did not look like a very pleasant baby... David is singing Chris Cornell's version of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean... Chris Cornell's version because he can't sing anything out of that style... he's got no soul, he's got no rhythm, but daaaaaaang... he knocked that mark through the roof... i liked that performance... even though i'm still not sold on him as a whole... he's winning me over... Randy says he's the most original contestant EVAR!!!! LIKE 4 SURE or something... Paula says he's very smart... Simon says it was amazing...

so this is a tough week to pick i think... hmm... i think the bottom three will consist of Remielle, Brooke and Jason with Jason going home... i wouldn't be surprised to see Chickezie in the bottom three either though, but he should be safe...

MOTHER
to the tune of If I Was Your Mother - Bon Jovi

How I Met Your Mother was fantastic this week... hilarious... key moment... "Ted: You sabotaged my second to last chance with this woman for ten bucks? Barney: Yes! I totally would've done it for free!... You owe me ten bucks by the way."

i also like how this comedy has become somewhat of a mystery as we try to figure out who the actual mother is... the writers have certainly restored the show back to its first season hilarity and added the intrigue of knowing? that we're close to discovering the real identity of the mother... one interesting thought i had the other week was that Ted might actually be "Uncle Ted" or something like that and we may not be looking for someone that he's romantically involved with... that would be a neat little twist, but i'm not sure if they've already said that he's their dad... i don't always pay the closest attention to the introductions when they're on the couch...

Anyway, 'twas a good show this week and last... and, despite the red flags waving with the desperate guest appearance of Britney Spears, i think they've righted the ship...

JERI.... OHHHHHHH.... NOOOOOOOO!
to the tune of End of the World - Blake Lewis

so, this week, we learned that CBS cancelled Jericho again and that this time they mean it... apparently the ratings just weren't strong enough to keep it going any longer... i'm not sure that nuts will save the show this time, but it really should serve as a notice to the television industry that times have indeed changed... they need to adjust their expectations, revise their business models and move on...

As for the show, it took me a while to get into it last season, but when i did, i thought it really picked up and was one of the better shows on... not exactly an upbeat show as it takes place in the wake of nuclear destruction, but it's very compelling and i enjoyed it each week... i was glad to see it revived and i'll be sad to see it disappear this week... i'm watching the finale right now actually and i don't see how they're tie this all up effectively in the next few minutes... oh well... it was a good run...

TELEVISION TUESDAY
to the tune of Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles

in case you missed it, as per my new schedule, i talk about TV on Tuesdays... no time or much else for now... so i must get this all posted and hope for a more productive tomorrow... good night and good luck...

peace... love... bdg...

... ouch!... yeah, that was the joke of the weekend because i actually did walk into a bar or, more accurately a pole... hard.... which is what happens when you go to bed too late on Friday, get up too early on Saturday and care more about keeping your little boy out of the road than where you are walking... and, of course if you don't look where you're going... so i plowed face first into a signpost that was very well cemented into the ground and very solid... my head's still pretty sore and i have bruises on my elbow and knee both of which also managed to hit the post directly, but i'm recovering pretty well... laughter is the best medicine and trust me, i've laughed at myself a lot over the past few days...

DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN?

so things look kind of dark for my boy Mike and his chances after the Wisconsin primary the other night... but that's nothing... all you need is a candle, right?... that candle, that spark may be Texas... i just finished watching a video of Mike addressing a crowd in Plano Texas and he was very serious about continuing in the race, knowing that Texas is a big big deal and reminding everyone that they shouldn't let the media or the other states tell them how it's going to be, for example, who's going to be their Republican candidate for president...

It does seem pretty silly the way these nominations are set up... and it's clear to me that i've never paid much attention to the process in the past because it's just complete nonsense... primaries, caucuses (caucii?), different ways of dividing them up based on state, county, party, etc... i mean, who thought of this anyway?... and it's true, some states who haven't held a vote yet really end up disenfranchised because their choices are pretty much taken away from them before they get to cast their ballots... there's gotta be a better way...

Anyway, i t