i’m asking santa for…

THIS:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080812/ap_en_mu/people_beatles_contract

C’mon Santa, Hook a sister up.

burfday weekend: day 1.

So yesterday, my real birthday, started off the “weekend” pretty well.  work went by as quickly as one could expect, and my mom’s plane got here in one piece, so that was totally boss.

We headed home, got freshened up and headed to the Rusty Rudder…a fun, chill place up on Lake Norman.  We ordered some crab dip and a load of coronas and chatted it up.  Some fish tacos and a good buzz later, we headed back home only to realize how totally exhausted we all were.  But before we could crash, the SM gave me my presents.  He was torn between a few things for my big gift, so he said we’d get it together and that is totally fine with me.  But I got a rashguard for surfing, a few DVDs; John From Cincinnati (the show on HBO), PS I Love You and the whole Beatles Anthology. All totally awesome and much appreciated.  now I can just hope for some more fun times, good conversations and some nookie later on.  I can’t be going my whole birthday without wearing my birthday suit.

We watched a little Ghost Hunters on Sci-Fi and by that time, it was time to go to sleep.  Nice, chill….but pretty mundane first day of what may turn out to be a pretty epic weekend.  I guess we were just saving up all of our energy for the rest of my mom’s stay and the karaoke shenanigans tomorrow night.

happy birthday.

Happy birthday to the luckiest man in music and my favorite Beatle, Ringo Starr. Born Richard Starkey in the Dingle neighborhood of Liverpool just a mere 68 years ago today (1940), he somehow managed to become the drummer of arguably the best band to ever grace a rock and roll stage. Formerly of a little-known band (outside of the Mersey River area, anyways) Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, Ringo made the transition to the Beatles when their usual drummer, Pete Best, couldn’t make it to a gig. John and Paul asked Ringo to sit in for the evening. He was such a cool MFer that they asked him to stay on full time. Besides, Pete Best was a whiney douche and wanted to be the “cute Beatle” when Paul McCartney obviously already had that on lock-down.

Ever since my obsession with the Beatles started in 1995 (I bought my first album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band), Ringo has been my confident, quirky, adorable old-man crush. He was the oldest Beatle and the only one with blue eyes. So today, we at the AOT wish Ringo a happy happy birthday. In honor of the man himself, today - - choose love.

american idol: then there were eleven.

We all had a pretty good idea last night of the bottom three last night.  Though I thought Syesha shouldn’t have been there and should have been replaced with Ramiele, Kristy and David H. were definitely the lowlights of the show.  I can’t help but think the rumors (are they still rumors if they are true?) about his previous life did not help his situation.  But alas, the top 12 are down to 11 now.  And did I hear right that they are going to do Beatles again next week?  Well, I guess I was pleasantly surprised this week…maybe it’ll be worthwhile again. 

Do you think America picked it right this week? 

review: american idol recap - top 12

Last night, our American Idol top 12 took the stage with the Lennon and McCartney songbook and actually surprised me some.  If you know me, I am a Beatles freak and have a problem sometimes when people other than John, Paul, George and Ringo cover (read: ass-rape) the songs of the most influential, brilliant band of all time.  I thinkt he best way to do this is to just go through the 12 - jot down a comment or two and what I think they should have sang.  Then I’ll move on.  Then, I’d love to hear your comments on the show.

Syesha Mercado:  OK, of course this chick has a great voice and is a total front-runner on the female side, but srsly.  She could have picked anything except “Got To Get You Into My Life.”  The problem with picking just one artist as a theme is if there are people who were never really into that artist, they choose to cover a version of the song that already was covered. 

Earth Wind and Fire supposedly did this song in a jazzed-up, funk kind of way…I just don’t think there is any way that anyone, talented or not, can do justice to a cover of a cover.  To me, I liken it to a tragic game of Telephone.  The original does it the way it was intended, then it’s passed through another creative opinion filter…then another?  What I would hve preferred:  Blackbird.  Happiness is a Warm Gun might have been hot too.  I’m pissed no one did it.

Chickezie:  His version of ‘She’s a Woman”, no matter how you cut it, or if you like bluegrass or not, was hotter than a two dollar pistol.  Really I am happy without it went.  He was entertaining, and he had a blast.  If he didn’t do that song, I guess I’d pick And I Love Her…..pretty and slow.  But this was hot.

Ramiele Malubay:  Honestly, I have never heard anyone cover “In My Life” and do it any justice.  For whatever reason, this song just doensn’t translate for anyone.  It was kind of pretty, kind of vulnverable and sweet…but just didn’t strike the chord I think she was expecting to with the audience.  For some reason, she just doesn’t pull the audience in.  Its like that “fourth wall” they talk about in theatre is really there, made of bricks.  Like she is performing in a room alone with no one to engage.  I might have given her Sexy Sadie.  I think even The Long and Winding Road would have done her voice more justice.

Jason Castro:  One of my favorite Beatles songs, of all time, hands-down, is If I Fell.  Seeing it in Across the universe done by Evan Rachel Wood almost ruined it for me because hers was the only cover I ever heard that ever did it justice.  While Jason is safe and he did a fine job, I wish he could have done something a little more with it.  It seemed like he rushed through the lyrics when he could have done more with it if he had slowed it down.  It didn’t help to juxtapose last week’s “Hallelujah” with this week’s performance either, because I felt that was probably his best to date.  If he should have done anything else, he has the engaging qualities that would have fit Yesterday to a tee and made it believable.

Carly Smithson:  Carly could sing just about anything and I’d be on my knees at her beck and call.  She did something she was comfortable with (which can sometimes backfire for being too safe) and tore the roof off the place.  If she did anything else, I’d have to give her Oh! Darling.  But she worked her magic on Come Together just fine. 

David Hernandez:  This dude just made me sad this week.  To have the rumors coming out about you that he has and to do I Saw Her Standing there - a song that is so, innocent, poppy and…straight…just didn’t jive with me and his new tainted reputation.  I lost him.  I dug his voice for a while…it has almost a Gary LeVox (Rascal Flatts) quality and ease to it.  But after this week, I just didn’t get it.  The SM and I joked that instead of that song he should have sung just about anything else….or the old standard and one of my favorites, “Butt Sex With Dudes.”  Ok, that’s not a real song.  So what.  You’re feelin’ me.

Brooke White:  Now HERE is a song that fit voice and talent-wise.  My favorite Beatles song is Let It Be and when I heard Brooke would be doing it, I wasn’t totally sold.  By the end, however, I was almost in tears myself.  Vulnerable, sweet, genuine…authentic…barefoot.  That’s how I’d want to do it if I was in the Top 12.  If she didn’t do that, we thought she might have tackled Yesterday, acoustic style - Like I saw (finally was SO blessed to have seen - and cried through) Paul McCartney do it in concert in 2001…like he did on Ed Sullivan back in the day.  Just one man and the guitar under one big spotlight. 

David Cook:  OMG, I totally forgot about Eleanor Rigby.  We were thinking he might have done something like Strawberry Fields and I would have been good with him doing anything like Youve Got To Hide Your Love Away, or Girl.  But Jesus H.  David Cook, given the unfortunately demise of David Archuleta (yet to be critiqued) has definitely moved into the top spot in my book.  I think people like Michael Johns and Carly and Archuleta have the talent and presence in certain situations to win the whole thing….but just by pure performance and the fact that we haven’t had to wait for him to pull out the big guns, David Cook WAS the dark horse, and now IS the thoroughbred of the competition.  Brilliant.  The only thing he MIGHT have done even better on was While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Amanda Overmyer:  I never thought of “You Can’t Do That” this way but it actually worked really well.  Her voice is so powerful, yet so effortless.  I really thought she’d do Oh Darling or Get Back…ven Helter Skelter (though I didn’t want to her to do the latter).  But this worked just fine for me.

Michael Johns:  Across the Uniuverse definitely fit him personality wise, but I guess I am still waiting for him to really kick it up a notch, make something his own and blow us out of the water.  I know he has it.  I keep feeling like each week, he gets to like a 92%; he’s on the brink of something really brilliant but he just can’t quite get there.  Again, I think something like You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away or Girl would have been good for him.  Even Happiness is a Warm Gun would have fit perfectly here too.

Kristy Lee Cook:  You gotta give this girl credit for taking her country roots literally.  Eight Days a Week had an…interesting arrangement.  But even if she sang it the best she could, it was still too backwoods and she was still too uncomfortable.  I don’t know what she could have done really.  I think it’s probably the end of the road for her this week. 

Shhhhhhhhhhhh-it.

David Archuleta:  Ohhh…..David, David, David.  Falling victim to the cover-of-a-cover disease.  I would have been delighted if he would have done Here, There and Everywhere…even And I Love Her - Even Something…something soft and pretty and simply innocent.  But We Can Work It Out is really no one’s favorite Beatles song…forget Stevie Wonder’s version.  Besides…if you don’t know the words to a song…why not just do whatever one best fits your voice instead of doing some cover and butchering that? 

I hate it because while he wasn’t my personal favorite, I have kind of put my neck out on the line, saying he’s my favorite to win the whole thing.  I’m thinking he’ll fit perfect into that whole tween, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers niche that is so popular right now.  He didn’t do bad enough to be kicked off tonight but he has definitely shown some chinks in his armor that won’t be so easy to buff out in the coming weeks.  It’s only going to get more stressful and difficult to really come with it each week - from here on out.  Maybe he’s just a little too green to go all the way?

As for tonight’s result show, I can’t help but think that either David Hernandez or Kristy Lee Cook are going home.  David with his performance and the escalating rumors (with photographic evidence) are just not helping.  And Kristy Lee Cook, while she is the sole country-tinged finalist, just doesn’t stack up.  David Archuleta was the worst of the night, but there is no way he is going home.  Let’s tune in and see!

the best of 2007

In an effort to focus on the good things in life (one of my New Years Resolutions), I am going to make a counter to my previous post and give you a shot of what I thought were the best of the best in 2007.  The awesome-est most legendary shit to go down this year.  What are your thoughts?

Awesome Female:  Heidi Klum.  I don’t care what she did towards world peace or saving sick babies - I love Project Runway and she, previously nicknamed “The Body” returned to the runway for the first time in years after having 3 kids - and is still, easily, 10 to 15 times hotter than me.  I admit; I have a girl crush.  Runner-Up:  Angelina Jolie.  Because of what she did towards world peace and saving babies.  And because I look up to her for her being OK without a rock from Brad.

Awesome Male:  David Beckham for purely superficial reasons.  The way I would like to make love with him would, in fact, redefine for the world, what love making even IS.  (Who am I kidding?  I’d end up standing at the foot of the bed, naked, shaking and crying in awe.)  Runner Up:  Barack Obama.  Even if he doesn’t win the democratic nomination or the presidency, if you like him or not, I think he’s made Americans look at politics, the presidency, etc differently than we have before.  And that’s essential to improving the country and keeping America about what America is supposed to be about.  Bucking the norm, challenging the status-quo of stodgy, stagnant thinking…and openly admitting to smokin’ the ganj. 

Legalize it!

Awesome Government Organization:  The NC DMV for making the process to get your tags renewed so quick and painless.  Runner-Up:  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police for a) not arresting my boyfriend for anything randomly and b) being unusually absent from roads in general.

Awesome Phrase/Quote/Word:  “Legend….wait for it….dary.”  How I Met Your Mother is a hands-down favorite in our house and Barney Stinson is the effin’ man.  Runner-Up:  Anything from Katt Williams.  Money Mike from the Friday movies is finally coming into his own and becoming more mainstream.  If you haven’t seen “Pimp Chronicles, Pt. 1″ on HBO on Demand or something, do yourself a favor.  “Bitches need to stop blaming all your problems on us. Stop tellin’ a n****,”You fucked up my self-esteem”. Bitch, it’s called SELF-ESTEEM! It’s esteem of your mothafuckin’ self. How am I gonna fuck up how you feel about you simple bitch?”

Awesome Gadget:  The New iPod Nano.  The Soulmate got one from Santa and even Santa agrees, 8 gigs, video capabilities and photo album functionality - it’s off the chain!  And now the Soulmate is a virtual P-I-M-P and the G-Y-M.  Runner-Up: Blackberry Curve 8310.  A smartphone that is actually still user-friendly?   Easy email, full QWERTY keyboard and sleek look in gunmetal gray?  Two megapixel camera for lascivious, naughty photo shoots?  You had me at hello.

*You have 1 New Porn Mail*

Most Surprisingly Awesome Movie:  Across the Universe.  Being a Beatles purist, I was very concerned about other people singing Beatles songs and tragically trying to make them their own.  Blasphemes!  But the movie was absolutely brilliant, beautiful and left me in awe.  They made the songs sound like they were brand new.  and Jim sturgess is hot.  Runner-Up:  Shoot ‘Em Up.  A completely over the top, dark crime comedy, that had nearly the look of a graphic novel (think “Sin City” with a sense of humor).  Clive Owen, Monica Belluci and Paul Giamatti were perfect.

Most Surprisingly Awesome TV Show:    This was very hard because there are a lot of shows I started watching this year, but didn’t start this year.  I’d still have to say Brotherhood on Showtime.  Drugs, dysfunctional family action, scandal, sex and drama - and Irish people?  There isn’t anything more to ask for.  Runner-Up:  Dexter.  The likeable serial killer who works as a forensics cop…..whose real personality is about to get figured out by Internal Affairs.  (Honorable mentions: Burn Notice on USA and Big Bang Theory on CBS.  Ooh.  And Bones.)

 
They don’t call me “bones” for nothing, big daddy.

Awesome Crime:  Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, “making it rain” at the strip club.  I just like saying, “making it rain.”  Runner-Up:  Music Piracy.  My old reliable favorite.   Bless you, Limewire!

Best Computer Program/Software:  iTunes.  Without you, I’d have no jams to strut all sexy-like to at the gym, like everyone else can hear them like I can.  My graditude is bottomless.  Runner-Up: Photoshop. Without you, I’d have no job. 

Best Ailment: MRSA.  Don’t get me wrong, MRSA is a terrible and potentially fatal virus.  But it’s new and and getting tons of press even though it’s a hot mess (Think microscopic Britneys).  Plus, the vacuums we make kill it.  And that’s money in the bizz-ank when we can play to people’s irrational fears.  Word?  I ain’t mad-atcha.  Runner-Up:  Tie between Polio and Small Pox.  Because they don’t exist anymore.  Down with catastrophic illness! 

Best Animal:  Pumpkin Josephine Finola Astrid.  The best puppy ever, though she has more hair and less politeness than you can shake a stick at.  Runner-Up:  Rudy.  Jane’s puff ball of magic.

Well, that is the round-up from here.  I am just about list-ed out today.  Here’s to having this much to write about in 2008.