Julia Ebert (or should I be Julia Siskel?)

Since I started out the week off sick, we rented several movies to pass the time at the house. Here are my thoughts on them-
The Hurt Locker-Very suspenseful. It was a war movie, but it was different than other war movies I've seen. I would definitely recommend it. We both enjoyed it alot. (Funny side note-one of the main characters was played by the same actor who played Papa Doc in 8 Mile, and Tupac Shakur in Notorious, so I kept waiting for him to start rapping, haha!!)
Law Abiding Citizen-I remembered twenty minutes into the movie why I didn't see it in the theater...I didn't want to! This movie was a bit disturbing and unsettling.

Love Happens-I am not the biggest Jennifer Aniston fan on the block, but I really really liked this movie. I do like Aaron Eckhart a lot, and from the side, he kindof reminds me of my cousin Matt! Zac loved that it took place in Seattle, and pointed out every time they showed something we'd seen or visited last spring break. I wouldn't even call this a romantic comedy, because the funny parts were very subtle and rare. I'd probably call it a drama, but it was neat. Touching. And awesome soundtrack. I loved every song that played throughout the film!
Precious-I didn't know if I could make it through the movie. This felt very "close to home" because of my own students' experiences, but I am glad I watched it. Like The Blind Side, this movie shows how ONE person can make a huge impact and difference in the outcome of a person's life. Very powerful movie. And Monique deserved that Oscar...wow!
We went to the theater last night to see:
Brooklyn's Finest-Ugh...where do I begin? This movie was long and a little slow at the beginning (Zac threatened to go into "Jules at Shutter Island" mode, haha) but when it picked up, MAN I WAS HOOKED! Actually I was always hooked, it's the people I was with who thought it was long and slow. I guess I have to say that it was an amazing movie since it provoked SO...MUCH...EMOTION from me. Whether that be happy emotion or upset emotion, I won't say. I don't want to give anything away, but put it this way...I felt VERY strongly when I left the movie, and I've not been able to quit thinking about the film since. I might or might not have agreed with the ending, but either way it was a powerful movie, and cleverly made. Ramsi said it was "like The Departed, but in Brooklyn, in the projects, without Jack Nicholson." **If any of you have seen this movie, or go to see it, please let me know so I can talk openly with you about it. Uhhh...so much to say!!!!!!!

Grammy Picks

Y'all! It's the Grammy tonight! HOLLA!!!!!!!!! I love music and award shows, so hip hip hooray for my evening! I am getting so excited that I feel like I need to go put on a party dress! I can't wait to watch the performances, and I love getting all giddy and my chest gets shaky when people go up to accept awards. If they cry (and I like them) it's a safe bet I'll cry. My entire childhood I wanted to be a pop star, and on nights like this, I get to live my life through them. Haha, so cheesy, but I used to always wonder what I'd wear and say if ever I was to go to the Grammys! Silly, I know, but that's me.
For the complete list of Grammy Nominees, click here. My picks are listed below, but I'm not really sure if this is who I WANT to win, or who I think WILL win. Oh well, here they are, but only the categories I care about, hehe...

Record of The Year
Pokerface by Lady Gaga

Album of The Year
The Fame by Lady Gaga
or Fearless by Taylor Swift

Song of The Year
You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift

Best Female Pop Vocal
Halo by Beyonce

Best Male Pop Vocal
This Time by John Legend

Best Pop Vocal by Group/Duo
I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas
(although I'd rather The Fray win!)

Best Pop Callabo
Taylor Swift and Colbie Calliat "Breathe"
OMG, I love this song so much!!

Best Pop Vocal Album
I want Funhouse by Pink, but I bet it's The E.N.D. by Black Eyed Peas

Best Dance Recording
Pokerface DUH!!!

Best Electronic/Dance Album
Lady Gaga

Best Female R&B Vocal
Single Ladies by Beyonce

Best Group/Duo R&B Performance
Jamie Foxx and T-Pain "Blame It"

Best Contemporary Record
I Am...Sasha Fierce by Beyonce

Best Rap Solo
D.O.A. (Death of Autotune) by Jay-Z, but I love Drake too.

Best Rap by Dup/Group
Amazing by Kanye and Jeezy

Best Rap/Sung Callabo
Run This Town or Knock You Down, I love them both too much!

Best Rap Song
Run This Town by Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West

I don't do much country, but I want Taylor Swift to win every time she's nominated, and if she doesn't win, then I hope it's Carrie Underwood. Basically I like the pretty blondes. :)

Jai Ho already won for best song composed for a movie/tv, and I am happy with that. I love that song.

Sometimes, no plans are the BEST plans!

Yesterday was pretty much the perfect day. I had absolutely no plans when I went to bed Friday night, but here is how Saturday unfolded. I slept late, and then woke up to a bouquet of flowers from Zac. For now reason at all...wasn't that sweet? We relaxed around the house a bit and then decided to go to lunch. I had been given a card for a free meal at Chick-Fil-A (which I LOVE), so we went there. Yum! After lunch we went shopping to kill some time before a movie. We didn't buy anything, but it was fun to walk around and look. Our local outdoor shopping center put up their Christmas decorations, and it was a gorgeous day, so all this combined made me so very happy. Everyone we passed was in a great mood, and everything just felt right with the world. Plus, we got to go inside Barnes and Noble and if I could bottle the smell of that place, I would! I love it! I have talked about it before, but Zac and I can spend hours in a bookstore, some of it together, and some on are own, but we are both completely content. Next thing we knew, it was time to head to the theater for one of the greatest movies I have seen in ages...The Blind Side! I posted a trailer for it awhile back and have been anxiously awaiting to see it, so I had pretty high hopes, but it surpassed even how amazing I thought it would be! Zac even loved it, and he is quite the movie critic! If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend it! I can not say enough good things about it! (Liz, you and Andy should go on at least one more date before Owen comes and see this! You will both love it! I promise!) Another cool thing about the movie is that the little boy in it (who pretty much makes the movie!) is the nephew of one of our close friends. He was also in Hancock, and even played in Friday Night Lights! He was great!
When we came home we took a little nap and watched some tv. Awesome right? The day couldn't get any better, but then Ramsi texted and asked if we wanted to hang out tonight. Yay!
They came and picked us up around 7, and we took a few pics before leaving the house. I LOVED Ramsi's hair that night! Isn't it gorgeous? I wish mine was long again...and I knew how to do that!


We decided to eat at Papasito's which we LOVE but rarely go to. It is Zac's number one favorite Mexican food restaurant! We were pretty excited to be there...


They have the best chicken fajitas, and it comes with this garlic butter sauce. Yum...it's truly heavenly! After dinner we weren't sure what we were going to do. As we were driving, we saw the new Cowboys Stadium and decided to drive closer to look around. Zac knew there was a high school playoff game going on there, but it had already started and we didn't really wanna pay a million dollars just to watch a game we didn't care about. (Our waiter told us at dinner that parking on game day is $60-70 bucks! Isn't that insane?) Anyways, so we start getting closer, and then we see an entrance with no parking attendant taking money. Huh. We pulled in and were just driving a bit, looking up at the massiveness, when "LOOK! There's a FRONT ROW parking spot!...FREE!" So we pulled in to walk around a bit and see the Tom Landry statue. Then Zac remembers that he has a "Texas High School Coaches Association" pass that might get us into the game free. What the heck, we'll try it. So we all walk in, and VOILA! We are in the fancy-schmancy stadium COMPLETELY FREE! In fact, we were kinda/sorta treated like VIP when we walked in, or else the people there are just the friendliest in the world. One of the two. :) Anyways, we walk in and jeeze...this place is incredible! We had to take a pic immediately.

The JUMBO-tron is literally the biggest thing you've ever seen! Well, I don't know, but it's HUGE! It is the biggest in the world! (Click here for more interesting trivia about it, like the fact it took over a year to build, Oh...and guess how much it cost?!) It is so high-def that it almost hurts your eyes to look at it, because it's so crystal-clear!
Some guys that coach with Zac were there, so we went and sat with them for awhile. (Yeah, they paid to park...far away, but we didn't rub it in or anything!)

Since we didn't really plan to sit at a football game all night, we decided to leave after just a bit. We had already gotten the experience of the stadium (free). Did I mention that parts of it felt more like a 5-Star hotel than a sports venue? Check out this lighting and marble flooring and leather lounges. It really was gorgeous. The building itself is like a piece of art!

When we left the stadium, the party was not even over yet. I mean, look at how much fun I had on the way back to Midlo!! :) Yep...I do know that I'm a complete dork! But My best friend Ramsi always says that it's fun to be a nerd, and I have to agree! Also, it's way more fun to be a teenager than an adult! See below for proof...

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Pa-pa-pa-Pokerface

Remember how I love when people cover songs I like? Remember how I told you I saw Lady Gaga in concert and LOVED it? I know she is weird and all, but I can't get enough of her. She thrives on being different and thinking outside the box. Anyways, I think Poker Face is one of the greatest pop songs of all time. It's classic! Well, recently I keep seeing it all over the place, being covered by different people and whatnot. The funny thing is...I enjoy it every time I hear it, every way! Here is Daughtry singing an acoustic version of it. (This version is the one that gave me the idea for this post...if you only listen to one of these alternative versions, check out this one!)


This is a huge orchestra playing it. I love it! LOVE IT! I am a nerd and I love orchestra music (on occasion) but orchestral arrangements of pop songs are EVEN BETTER! Ya know how they say pregnant women should listen to orchestra music for the baby's brain development? I won't have a problem doing that, but it will be even more fun with songs like this! :)

There is also this heavy rock version, which is also pretty fun. One guy did all the different parts, in his house, and it's pretty impressive. Gosh...what a great song! It translates SO well, in so many different styles! :) Weezer even covered it at one of their concerts! (go to 2:35) And don't forget when Justin Timberlake went on SNL and sang "My Mediocre Face-my mediocre face!"

Sigh...the possibilities are limitless, when you have a song that's made of GOLD! ;)

My Sister's Keeper: The Complete Review

In the past week, I have read the book My Sister's Keeper, seen the movie, and purchased and (almost) memorized the soundtrack. Can you tell that I'm a fan? :) I will now review all three, but don't worry...I won't give anything away!
THE BOOK
It was amazing! I have never read a Jodi Picoult book, but I loved i,t and look forward to reading more. She has a very unique writing style, as each chapter is from a different character's point of view, and they all collaboratively tell the story. You can't really take sides this way, because you get to hear each character's ideas and reasoning and get inside their head. It is very unbiased. The chapters also jump around from past to present, which makes for a page turner. I read it in just a few days, and actually finished it on Friday night (technically early Saturday morning). I could not put it down and stayed up until 3am, reading it all the way until the last page. I woke up Saturday morning thinking about the book and dying to see the film (which had just come out the day before) so I convinced Zac, Ramsi and Bez to go with me at 11:30am. (I didn't wanna waste any time!)
THE MOVIE
Wow! I cried way harder at the movie than I did reading the book. (I have never cried harder in a movie. Ever! Not Seven Pounds, not PS-I Love You, not Marley in Me. Not ever! This was my record setter for amount cried in a movie!) In fact, everyone cried. Leaving the theater, you could tell who had seen MSK because they all had red swollen blotchy faces. I felt like I swallowed a metal plate at the beginning of the movie and could not get it out of my throat until hours after the movie. (I had a lump in my throat...a big one.) We made the mistake of forgetting Kleenex, so we had to use buttery, salty, leftover popcorn napkins, which needless to say didn't feel too good on the eyes. The movie was very different from the book, but I still LOVED it. Maybe even a bit more? I wondered if they were going to be able to jump around from character to character, but I think they did so pretty well. Yes, they left out several key parts of the book, but I wouldn't wanna change anything about the movie. It was SO POWERFUL! As sad as the movie was, I still HIGHLY recommend you see it. There are also light and funny parts, and the storyline is so touching. The music was AH-MAY-ZING, which leads me to my last review...
THE SOUNDTRACK
(Actually it's called "Music from the Motion Picture" because they are other artist's songs...not original tracks.) I don't know if you are familiar, but I would kinda compare this soundtrack to the Hope Floats soundtrack. Very soulful songs, beautiful, deep, and maybe a tiny bit dark. I obviously love it, because I bought it! I have listened to it quite a bit and I already know which song comes next, at the end of one song. The music definitely helped make the movie, and now when I listen to the songs, they remind me of the specific part in the movie that they were used. Just see it...you'll know what I mean. (You can click on the link "music from..." to hear the songs for free on Amazon. I bet you are familiar with at least a few of them! Wow!

So have any of you read the book? Seen the movie? Listened to any of the songs? Thoughts???

Try Not to be Green...with ENVY!

Happy Earth Day!! :) Please be "green" as in Earth Friendly EVERY day, not just today.

Now let's get to the real reason for the post. Eli, Ryan and I just got tickets to go see Beyonce in Dallas this summer! We got really great tickets too! Ryan joined the fan club just so we could get the best possible tickets!! I can't wait! Here is a sneak peak she gave Ellen...



If you weren't jealous before, aren't you now? Oh my gosh! So exciting!! She is so, like totally amazing! I saw her live once with my cousin Robin, but it was at the Austin Rodeo when we were seniors in high school, and it was with Destiny's Child. I have been loving B a long time. How could you not? She is fabulous!

PS- If you watched the video, you heard that Thierry Mugler designed her clothes for the tour. What a co-inky-dink!! I was just googling him yesterday! Why? Well, one of the ladies I teach with smelled DELICIOUS all day long yesterday and I finally asked her what it was. (I AM A PERFUME JUNKY!!!) She told me it was a perfume by Thierry Mugler. I got super pumped, because I already have one of his perfumes, called Angel. I even bought Zac the male version of it. It is so scrumptious. His fragrance line is cool because they come in these gorgeous glass bottles, and they are refillable!! Well, the one she was wearing, that I want is called Alien. That is a really weird name for a fabulous perfume, but it is the first official item on my birthday wishlist! (hint, hint! haha)

Here Comes Goodbye

So I told y'all earlier that this is my first season following Dancing With The Stars, but I am totally hooked, 100%. Tonight was a results show, which means they have guest performers. Tonight Rascal Flatts sang, and Julianne and Tony danced to the song. It was seriously the most impressive dance I have ever seen, and I have been exposed to ALOT of dance in my life! Granted, it was two professionals (as compared to one professional and one "celebrity" like it is on Monday night), but still...it was so awesome. Even if you don't watch the show, or know who the people are, and even if you don't like Rascal Flatts (I'm not their biggest fan, trust me) just watch the video. The tricks are amazing, and there is so much emotion in their choreography. Sigh...I will get off my soapbox now, but I wish I could move like that!



PS-It's not fair that Julianne Hough can dance like that AND have a an amazing singing voice! She won best Top New Artist and Top New Female Vocalist at the Academy of Country Music Awards! Maybe you recognize this song? I really like this one. I wish I had just ONE of those skills! :)

The Circus is My Destiny

Yes! I am FINALLY blogging about the Britney concert! :) It was so so much fun, and a real treat for both the eyes and the ears! I could go on and on talking about all the amazing aspects of it, but instead I will keep it brief. Stacy and I met for dinner at Gloria's and then headed to the show. Our seats were in the third balcony, one row away from the very tip top, but it was still AH-MAY-ZING!!! I loved the Pussycat Dolls SO much too! They sang live and were very high energy! I've always liked them, but I am a huge fan of them now! Check out this song Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny) from the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack! The crowd went crazy when they performed it! I am also MADLY in love with this song by PCD...they are seriously talented!
Here is a view from our seats, and this is even zoomed in...



The costumes for both Brit and the dancers were awesome. I could see them better than my camera captured them, so I didn't get many great pics, but here are a few of her amazing outfits. The Circus one...

At one point she slowed things down and sang on this floating umbrella. It was very pretty and made me think she has come a long way since that awful picture of her with an umbrella which was taken just over a year ago. She is wearing a Bollywood type outfit at that point...

And of course for Womanizer she got to play a cop. A sexy cop, I might add.

I took a alot of video at the show, but some of them didn't turn out that great. I liked this one though...look how over-the-top everything is!! It made me feel that it was worth every penny of the ticket price! :)

Also, you won't be surprised that I am admitting to the world my nerdiness by posting the following videos. Yes, I put on my reporter hat again (not literally, just figuratively) and recorded my thoughts before and after the concert, and also interviewed Stacy at the concert. Enjoy (Enjoy at my expense, haha, it's all cool. I'm secure. Or stupid. One of the two)...
(excuse the horrible angle and the gum chewing)

(excuse the huge cough drop stored in the side of my cheek)

(excuse the raspy voice)

And just in case you are wandering what songs she sang, here is the set list...

CIRCUS
Perez/Parade Intro
Circus (Funky Remix)
Piece of Me
Thunderstorm Segue
Radar

HOUSE OF FUN (Anything Goes)
Martial Arts Segue
Ooh Ooh Baby/Hot as Ice
Boys
If U Seek Amy
Me Against the Music (Bollywood)

FREAKSHOW/PEEPSHOW
Everybody's Looking for Something (Sweet Dreams) Segue
Freakshow
Get Naked
Britney's Hotline
Breathe on Me/Touch of My Hand

ELECTRO CIRC
Break the Ice Segue
Do Something
Slave
Dancer Solo Segue/Heartbeat Segue
Toxic
Baby One More Time (Remix)

ENCORE
Womanizer (Extended Remix)
Circus Reprise: The Bow

Drip Drop

Tuesday I got to school and received several compliments about my hair from the ladies in the office. I thought the kids would think it was cool Icut my hair too, but when I got to the classroom, they all just kind of looked at me funny. One little boy finally said "Mrs. Oldham, you were way much better with long hair." Haha, I just laughed, it did not bother me in the least. Then several of the other boys chimed in "yeah, it was best long" but thank goodness for sweet little girls..."you look pretty ALL the time Mrs. Oldham" (or some variation of that name, depending on who was the one speaking).

Kelly Clarkson's new CD is AWESOME! It is like her Breakaway album...very fun and catchy. Even the slower songs are amazing! I love when an artist I like releases a new CD, because you get to see them everywhere! (Ellen, Jay Leno, David Letterman, etc) Well, Kelly was on American Idol last night and she was great. I will say she has gained weight, but who cares? She is a great singer, and I have heard she is pretty down to earth. She has a house in Mansfield, which is like 20 minutes from us, so lots of people around here know her.

Speaking of American Idol...YES! I like the top 11 remaining contestants. I still have not decided who is my absolute favorite, but I like Alexis and Megan alot. I like girls with a little punk edge to them...haha, maybe it's because I always wanted to have one, but was too scared to not be mainstream? Shame on me! I also love Lil Rounds because she reminds me of Mary J. Blige. My two favorite guys are Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert, but part of me wants Anoop to go far too. As you can see...I like ALOT of them! :) I'm going to pick one video a week to post though, and it's hard to decide which, but this week my favorite performance award goes out to ALEXIS GRACE! (even though I have never heard the song "Dirty Diana")


I already devoted an entire post to Dancing With The Stars, but I will just say again...I'm a fan! Go Melissa!

Eli sent me a link to this amazing video. It is a fun little pop song, but the video is a treat for the eyes. :) Definitely worth watching!!! "I wanna see you drip drop, drip drop, drip drop!" Also, some of the dance mixes to it are really fun too...makes me wanna go dancing with Eli! :)

Post about my last day of Kindergarten coming soon! :)

DWTS

I have never watched the show "Dancing With The Stars" before, but I love this season's cast of stars! After one night...I am hooked! :) The hard part is that there are so many people I like, I don't know who to root for, so for now I am rooting for several of them...Shawn Johnson, Holly Madison, Ty Murray, Steve-O (who is sober now) and probably my favorite (if I was forced to pick one) would be MELISSA from The Bachelor! I love her, and y'all...she can dance! Good job ABC for putting her on the show! :)

Happy Friday!

Grr! I can't sleep and I wish it was morning already!! I lay in bed wishing the clock would go faster (which I know is opposite of what most people do in bed!) because I hate not being able to sleep, and I just wish it was morning so I could do something better than sitting on the couch in the internet. This happens to me alot...maybe I have a disorder. Oh well. Here is one of the things I did tonight to pass the time (and out of sheer boredom). Using picnik.com, I turned this picture...

into THIS...

which will be my new header image after Valentine's day. (I thought I would leave up the wedding pic until after V-day.) I miss having photoshop, and my old computer (that needs to go to the shop, because its not quite functioning) has it, but my new one doesn't. Picnik is free and fun and easy. I adjusted the saturation, temperature, and contrast, then cropped it, added text and stickers, and I should not admit this, but I whitened my teeth. :)

LINKS (I told you...I'm bored!)
This is one of my fave cheer dances on all of YouTube. I love the music, the choreography, and the girls are so sharp. Ramsi and I made a mix of music (similar to this) to teach our girls a dance to perform at a basketball game, but we decided not to torture ourselves by taking on another project. I kindof wish we had, but then again, I know it would have been a huge (ongoing) headache!
This video about Boston Terriers has enough cuteness to last you at least a week! It is also kindof funny, starting around 2:30. It is so true too, haha! If you love me, you will watch this quick video...it explains everything I love about Molly! ;) It's just too bad they didn't use her, she really is cuter than all the BT's in their video! And I am not just being biased, she really does have perfect markings! Just look at her...

My friend Katie blogged about this website she found, and I loved it! A woman found a baby coyote and decided to raise it...sounds rediculous and crazy, but if you just see the pictures, it is SO sweet!

Okay, I think I am finally starting to get sleepy. I guess I will go lay down and try again. Enjoy my 3am madness, Happy Friday, and in case I don't post again until after Saturday...

Glitter Graphics Maker & MySpace Layouts

Super Bowl Commercials

I forgot to ask what y'all thought of the Super Bowl commercials!? Which were your faves? I liked a few of them, like the Doritos one, and a Pedigree one, but for the most part I was not too impressed. But then again, I don't blame these companies for not wanting to spend 3 million for air time in this economy. But remember when they used to be really big productions? I never liked Pepsi (Coca-Cola all the way baby! or Dr. Pepper!) but the following ads always made me want to switch to Pepsi because they were so memorable and fun...




Did y'all like any certain commercials from this SuperBowl? What about in the past? Any that stand out in your mind? (Who could forget the Budweiser frogs, haha!)

UPDATE!!! I can not believe when I made this post that I forgot that I did have a commercial I loved!! Funny enough, it was actually a Pepsi commercial. I just saw it (while watching the Grammy's) and remembered that it was my fave. Enjoy!

Rin On The Rox

I first saw these two amazing, gorgeous, talented Filipino girls Erin and Roxanne (hence their name "Rin on the Rox") singing in their bathroom a few weeks ago on Ellen when she showed a quick clip of them. I checked out their YouTube page and was completely blown away by how awesome they are. It is addicting to watch them. (It probably helps that I love all the songs they cover, but I think even if you didn't know the songs you will still be so impressed!) I could not narrow it down to just one video, so I put a few of my faves on my page. If you want more (I'm pretty sure you will), click on their page. I honestly believe they are every bit as talented as Destiny's Child and I can not believe I am saying this, but they are way better than Danity Kane, and I am a HUGE DK fan. (R.I.P. Danity Kane!) I really am obsessed! I think they should be huge stars...if I could buy stock in them, I would, because I truly think they could and should be famous/successful/real singers! They are gorgeous, talented, and we need some more Asian-Americans in the music biz! See for yourself, and as they say before each video...
"Like it. Love it. Hate it. Whatever. Just enjoy it."
Beyonce- "If I Were A Boy"

Danity Kane- "Poetry" acapella...beautiful! This might be my fave!

Leona Lewis- "Better In Time" (this is the song that made them famous on YouTube)

Pussycat Dolls (who I get to see in concert in a month!) I Hate This Part

Rihanna- "Take A Bow"

Okay, sorry there are so many. I think I would have posted every one of their videos on my page if I had time. Instead, I just spent like over an hour (literally) on their page watching all the different videos. It might be my new obsession, haha. They pick awesome songs to sing too...it's like they have a list of all my favorite songs and those are the ones they do. I LOVE them, and the simplicity of two normal college student, waitress girls just singing in the bathroom. :) What'd you think? Which was your fave? I mean am I crazy for thinking they are so awesome, or do you agree? Please give me feedback. Here was their interview with Ellen...

Nothing Else I Can Say...Independent Women

Okay, since I am a faithful Lady Gaga fan, (and have been for quite some time now) I have to share her newest video with y'all! The name of the song is "Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)." It is quite a pleasant song. You should listen to it! :)

Oh, and for all you R&B and rap lovers out there...have you noticed lately how much the male artists are loving "independent" women who have their own things? Here are some examples...

1. Ne-Yo "Miss Independent" I LOVE this song. It is one of my ringtones! :)
Ooh there's something about kinda woman that can do it for herself
I look at her and it makes me proud, there's something about her
there something ooh so sexy about the kinda women that dont even need my help
She says she got it, she got it, no doubt, theres something about her
Cuz she work like the boss, play like the boss
Car and a crib, she about to pay em both off
And her bills are paid on time
She made for a boss, Soley a boss,
Anything less, shes telling em to get lost
Thats the girl that on my mind

2. Jaime Foxx (Ne-Yo and Fabolous) "She Got Her Own" If you have not heard this song yet, you should check it out...I love it so much.
I love her cause she got her own
She don't need mine, so she leave mine alone
There ain't nothing that's more sexy
Than a girl that want but don't need me
Knowin she can do for herself
Makes me wanna give her my wealth
Only kinda girl I want
Independent queen workin for her throne
I love her cause she got her own

3. Of course we can't forget the older song "Independent" by Webbie.
(spell this out!) I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T
Do you know what that means?
She Got Her Own House
She Got Her Own Car
Two Jobs Work Hard
You A Bad Broad

4. And I would be an idiot if I didn't include the song that gave all these other people the idea to sing about this subject! Destiny's Child "Independent Women." Haha, this is not new, by any means! I was a senior in high school when this came out. It was on the Charlie's Angels soundtrack. You better believe I used to jam out to it in my silver Isuzu Rodeo, hehe.
The shoes on my feet
I've bought it
The clothes I'm wearing
I've bought it
The rock I'm rockin'
I've bought it
'Cause I depend on me
If I wanted the watch you're wearin'
I'll buy it
The house I live in
I've bought it
The car I'm driving
I've bought it
I depend on me
(I depend on me)

All the women who are independent
Throw your hands up at me
All the honeys who makin' money
Throw your hands up at me
All the mommas who profit dollas
Throw your hands up at me
All the ladies who truly feel me
Throw your hands up at me

There is no point or moral to this story. I just love the new Jaime Foxx song, and it reminded me of the Ne-Yo song, and then I started thinking about all the singers/rappers who appreciate independent women. I feel like I do not (even hardly) qualify for this description, since I went straight from my parents helping me out, to Zac helping me out. But at least one day I will have a degree and a job (hopefully not a job...I'm still hoping we will stumble into a few million, but hey, just in case we dont) and maybe I can at least be halfway independent! :)

"If you ain't getting money, you ain't got nothing fo' me."

Na Na Na...Diva is a female version of a hustler! Just ask Beyonce. Or SEE for yourself. Man, check out those fierce shoes! Can she see out of those glasses? WARNING: You might just fall in love with this song, and um, you will definitely get it stuck in your head, whether you like it or not. :) "This is a stick up, stick up!" Tell me that video doesn't make you want to stand in your room when noone is home and dance like her! Haha, Zac is asleep and I just had to stand up and try out the neck move. (1:13) Her neck can look up really high, can't it? haha, I guess my neck is not that flexible. Or maybe I just don't have as much hair to fling, so it doesn't look as dramatic! haha!

Also, I guess since The Ting Ting's are getting more popular in the US, they remade their video for "That's Not My Name." I like this one much better than the original. It's worth watching. (You might notice it's like a football game on speed...neon band, twirlers, and even cheer stunting too! Double bonus!)

I am so looking forward to Britney's CIRCUS concert, March 31st! I know it is still far away, but I am so anxious! The Pussycat Dolls (PCD) are opening for her, and I love their new slow song "I Hate This Part Right Here." I can't wait to see them either! But, of course, my love for Brit completely eclipses my like for PCD!

Introducing Jayma Simpson

I was going to name this post "more random ramblings" but then I decided that if I keep posting once a week about random and various entertainment things, I would quickly get tired of having stupid titles. So, I decided to make a new persona. Does anyone recognize the name Mario Lavandeira? Nope? tWell, that is because he goes by Perez Hilton. He is a celebrity/entertainment blogger. Well, since I have been blogging about the entertainment world so much lately, I decided I needed my own cool blogger name. "Perez Hilton" is obviously a knock-off of one of Mario's favorite celebs Paris Hilton. I don't have just one favorite celebrity, but I guess the person I have been the most obsessed with in my life would be Ashlee Simpson, so I guess (lame as it may be) my celeb blogger name will be Jayma Simpson. (Jayma just sounds sassy, don't you think?) This is not set in stone, and I am open for ideas, so please...feel free to comment! :) In fact, one of the reasons I am doing this is because last time I wrote about random stuff I got LOTS of comments and it made me super happy, so hopefully yall will let the comments flow, haha.

Reporting from the desk of Jayma Simpson...

1. Have you heard Kelly Clarkson's new song "My Life Would Suck Without You?" I don't like the title, but the song is very fun. Her last album was tragic, and this is more on track with the "Since You Been Gone" days, so I am excited! :) I saw her in concert in The Woodlands, and she is absolutely phenomenal. Plus, she is a 'down-to-Earth' Texas girl, and was the first American Idol EVER, so you pretty much have to love her!

2. Speaking of American Idol, it started tonight! I usually do not enjoy at all the first few weeks of Idol. There are really bad singers and sometimes the judges are mean, which is not very fun for me to watch. My kind husband ONLY likes the first few weeks (the bad singers) and quits liking it when it actually gets competitive. I tuned in tonight with excitement about the new season, but for the most part, very low expectations for the first few weeks. Well, I have to say that I loved it. I laughed so hard, my abs got a workout! I also like the new judge, Kara.

3. I missed the Golden Globes. :( If you know me, you know that for me, this is like missing the end of year trip to Six Flags in elementary school. I so look forward to it, I love award shows. I am so sad that I just completely forgot all about it, and Devon, my DVR didn't remember either. (Okay, so I forgot to tell Devon to record it, but still.) Don't worry, I watched the red carpet on E! twice, so I did get to see what everyone wore. Whose dress was y'alls favorite? I LOVED Kate Winslet's and Eva Longoria's! (I usually hate the color red, but I loved Eva's dress so much!) Eva Mendes took a risk, but I liked her too! To see pics (in case you don't have their dresses memorized, haha) click HERE.

4. Oh, The Bachelor. Girls, put away the claws. Are you here to meet a great guy, or did you come to fight with other girls that you will probably never see again (except at the awkward reunion at the end of the season)? I mean, I get so annoyed at some of these girls. And call me old fashioned, but I like watching the guys courting the girl (ahem, the Bachelorette) better than these girls throwing themselves at him. I understand that it is risky to say that, but it's just my opinion. Some of these girls look so pathetic. Also, if it bugs you that he is kissing another girl, um, ya probly shouldn'ta come on the show, honey!

5. Okay, have any of you seen Burn After Reading? I would like to say it might be the worst movie I have ever seen! I was mad when it was over, and felt like I had just wasted two hours of my life. I really want to meet someone who liked it, so if you did, please speak up. Maybe I missed something.

6. I can't wait to see what the beautiful Obama's wear to the Inauguration! I have Devon set to record the whole day...it's like ten hours or something like that. (Yes, I plan on fast forwarding through alot of it.) What an exciting day next tuesday will be in our nation, and how fitting that it falls the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. day!!! :)

7. I have a new obsession, which deserves its own post, but I will just give you a hint... 30 ROCK! Oh my gosh...I LOVE IT!

blah blah blah...just me rambling

These are topics that probably no one cares about, but I'm just gonna go ahead and throw them out there...
1. This week I confirmed the fact that I like The Bachelorette seasons much better than The Bachelor. In case you dont know the diff, The Bachelorette is one girl and 25 guys. When they guys are not with the girl, the play sports, workout, eat, whatever, but there is minimal drama. It is fun to watch. On The Bachelor, however, it is one guy and 25 girls. The girls in the house are catty and LOVE drama. It is hard for me to enjoy. Reminds me of high school cheerleading, haha. Too many girls and too many personalities equals TOO MUCH DRAMA!
2. I saw the first episode of the new Real World tonight and I am very intrigued! Zac and I both enjoy the show and we both think we are good at judging a person well, so it is interesting for us to compare what we think about each cast member. Do any of yall watch The Real World? What did you think? DJ is our fave so far.
3. Did you hear..."If You Seek Amy" is going to be the next single off of Britney's Circus album! I am surprised by the choice (can they really play that on the radio?) but I do love the song.
4. Zac and I just renewed our membership to Netflix. We subscribed for over three years (I like to brag that I was the first person of ANYONE I knew who had it. When I would try to describe it to people they were like "what...you can't mail dvd's! haha), but we cancelled it when we moved to Austin because we were so super busy. Anyways, we are back now and just watched our first movie tonight. Shooter. I forgot how amazing this movie is. Obvs we had seen it before, but if you have not seen it...RENT IT! It is awesome! :)
5. If you appreciate pop music, you MUST check out Comeback by Kelly Rowland. It isn't that new or anything, but I just recently discovered it and downloaded it. I also have the Karmatronic Club Mix, which is a delight if you are in the mood to dance or clean, or just feel happy! :)
6. I LOVE this purse. The brand is Pastry, which is Angela and Vanessa Simmons' (Rev Run's daughters) company. I got some Pastry shoes for Christmas last year and then ended up returning them because I needed a pair of Nike Shox. Anyways, they make really fun and colorful stuff, and I have always wanted to buy something from their line. I really love that specific purse and lots of their bags, but be honest...is it too "young" for me? I mean is a 25 year old supposed to carry a more sophisticated purse? I say no, but what do you think?

I told you that this was all useless stuff, that you prob don't care much about! :)
Haha, lots of stuff to comment about though...if you want.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This was a good movie, but I didn't leave it gushing like I have with other movies. I do think that you should see it though. It was a long movie, but I thought it was worth it. It reminded me of the movie Big Fish, because it felt like a folk tale and had to do with age, and also flashed back and forth from past to present. It sortof had a Forrest Gump element to it too, since it covered so much time, the main character experienced alot of American history. Also, starting around the two hour mark, Bradly Pitt starts looking mighty fine. :) hehe!

That's Not My Name!

Zac and I went out to eat tonight at a new restaurant in Cedar Hill. It is in this shopping center called Uptown Village that we love to go to. (For all my Austin readers, its alot like The Domain, and even has a Matt's El Rancho!) The new restaurant is called Patrizio's and it has some scrumptious Italian food!! It has a great ambiance (we sat right next to a big fireplace) and is very beauutifully decorated. I want the dramatic black and white chairs they have for my house! :) After dinner we walked over to Barnes and Noble. Zac and I LOVE going to bookstores. (Well mostly we just go to this particular B&N, but I am sure if there were other bookstores around, we would visit them too!) We usually just walk around or pick up a book and read and meet back up later. Today though, I found something I HAD to buy. It is a book by the author of The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini!! We all know (from THIS post) that I loved The Kite Runner, so I can not wait to start this book! It is about two women from Afghanistan who are from very different backgrounds but are going through the same things. Doesn't it sound good?! I will let y'all know what I think! :) Now that I am finished with school for a month and we are about to have alot of leisure time with Christmas break, I am pleased to have a good book to curl up to!
Oh, and the new song I am obsessed with (besides the entire Circus album, of course!) is by The Ting Tings, and it's called "That's Not My Name!" I like the clip from the Victoria's Secret runway show better than the actual music video, so that is what I have provided for your viewing and listening pleasure. Enjoy! :)

There's only 2 types of people in the world...

the ones that entertain, and the ones that observe.
Well baby, I'm a put-on-a-show kind of girl.
Don't like the backseat, gotta be first.
I'm a like the ringleader, I call the shots.
I'm like a firecracker, I make it hot.
When I put on a show...
I feel the adrenaline moving through my veins.
Spotlight on me and I'm ready to break.
I'm like a performer, the dancefloor is my stage.
Better be ready, I bet you feel the same.
All eyes on me, in the center of the ring.
When I crack that whip, everybody gonna trip.
Don't stand there watching me,follow me, show me what u can do.
Everybody let go, we can make a dancefloor. Just like a Circus!