I loved "Idlewild"........the first time I saw it.

I have waited nearly two years for "Idlewild" to come out. I have had many a conversation about how great this movie is going to be. I was mad when "ATL" got the big financing and backing and came out first. I mean c'mon people. America likes rappers in movies that may lack the artistic beauty and focus more on thug life undertones. Maybe i am the only one who sees this as an accepted racial stereotype, maybe every rapper is cool with it, but I can't watch each rapper in the same either autobiography or coming of age melodrama without wondering if there is not perhaps a more diverse role out there. Sorry.
But "Idlewild" was the first time I thought that a musical/period piece had the innovation I was seeking. At this point, if you haven't seen it and are anxiously awaiting to, do not read on. I am going to give it away. Disclaimer done.
Now my day sucked Friday. The bar is in the middle of backstabbing, shady bullshit that all seems to trickle back to me directly or indirectly. Bleh. I started at this place for the fact that it was low on drama and shadiness. Oh well, everything has its moments. But, Titz had cancelled and I was down to drunk hillstreet as my partner in crime. Don't ask her for a review though, as she yelled at the screen for the first twenty minutes or so and then passed out on my shoulder. (Don't worry girl, I got ya.) But i truly was pumped. The dancing alone had me excited. And the cinematography.....wow. And the music was very Andre. My favorite. Even remixed one of the best tracks from "The Love Below". And no, it wasn't "Hey Ya".
So, there I was. ready. And I loved it. It was a beautiful movie. It had some weakpoints, but as a visionary masterpiece in terms of film....mission accomplished. One problem....I have seen it before. It was officially "Moulin Rouge" of the Black Renaissance. I mean, same plot, same camera angles and tricks, same lead in to musical numbers, same characters. Now, Moulin Rouge might be my favorite movie of all time, thus, so is Idlewild, but didn't anyone notice this in reviewing it? I don't know if that is good or bad, like I said, as I love MR so much, but it made it so predictable that I couldn't be as entranced by it as I planned. Still, go see it. make Hollywood give us something a little more artistic for once.

No, I am not a bad friend.......

Ok guys, why haven't I called or hung out? I am officially in the homestretch for "Destination NYU". Yep. This semester is crucial. And, after this European vacation I am broke. So, I have two things on my mind. Getting an acceptance letter and being able to pay for the move. Work, school. Yes, the Jager shots are slowin down. I can't party all week anymore. I took this partial summer break off strictly to have one last Texas summer to remember, but now.........well, my heart has already started this move. Will we still have our times? yes. Should Syd and Jesi get their asses here for Thanksgiving.....yes. But now is the time that 25 years of whistful dreaming are about to come into fruition. I have no choice but to go, and yes, that entails much preparation. So, here we go. The mother ship is calling.

I Heart Beyonce

I remember where I was the first time I saw her. Yeah, so there was the Wyclef produced song with the four girls in the window of the house, but I had tuned it out. Then came "Bugaboo". She was shot walking down the street and I remember hearing her voice and looking at the television entranced. As a vocalist, i was spellbound. You could tell even on a rather weak song, that chick had pipes. I said to my boyfriend at the time that that chick was gonna be huge. Not the group, the girl. Yes, Beyonce. She can do no wrong in my eyes. She has an eloquence in every interview, an elegance to every frame shot, she writes, produces, acts. (ok, the acting isn't my favorite, but I LOVED "Carmen--a hip hopera") I bought her first solo album. Yep....Bought It. I will do the same this album as I am amazed at her new direction. And "Ring the alarm" is the finest song this year. The rawness of her vocals and the emotion of the song, damn she's become a force to be reckoned with. So, BUY IT. Support a female who is making one good track after another, can be sexy while writhing on a beach OR in a ballgown singing "Phantom" tracks for the Oscars. A woman who can make an album with or without the direction of prepackaged producers. And for everyone who wants to be Destiny's Child PC, yes, all the ladies were/are talented (way to claim the charts outta nowhere there Toya!), they are all beautiful, but B, you have the mojo. You can't practice that in the basement for 8 years under dad's supervision. it's somethin you just have. It better be number one people or i will have lost all faith in the remains of the pop charts. And please steer clear of Paris' album or I will vomit.

A tad bit disturbing.......

Alright, I like America for many reasons, but she is kind of like my boyfriend..........Though the love is there for some key elements, I have to ask, "What the fuck are you doing?!?" every once in a while. Ok, alot actually. So yes, I am back from Europe. And it was quite interesting to be over there whilst America went on lockdown with the new wave of terror enforcement. Yep, seven security checkpoints to get home. So, I did what dejenerate is famous for, I tested this new safety program. And, after those safety screenings, I made it home.........lipstick and mascara in the purse still. Awesome.
But, this is not my rant. I noticed, excluding some guys who were fascinated with my hair and accent, that people weren't feeling Americans so much. I am not talking about shopkeepers being rude, I am talking about friends who live there and their circle. For instance, telling a girl who had just fled Israel with her family after living there for the past ten years that I was from Texas didn't sit too well with her, or anyone else for that matter. I had to explain with each formal introduction that I do not own a gun nor heart Dubya. That's ok. Allow me to open your eyes that Texas doesn't make you into a conservative, NRA joining, Bush lovin patriot, it just tries to. (Keep up the fight my Texas Liberals......Kinky is gonna save us all)
So I started to notice things that they have that seem like hmmmmmm, maybe we should be taking note over here.
A.) People have hybrid cars. Alot of hybrid cars. And they aren't $25,000 more than a Honda Civic for some reason.
B.) People have healthcare. And I mean, good healthcare. Not " I'll take my chances rather than hit the HMO" scene, but good, NATIONAL healthcare. And, being that the countries I was in are more Socialist, I checked the taxes on paystubs. Funny, not really any different from here. Maybe if Switzerland wasn't so damn neutral they would be bleeding themselves dry beefin up their military and headin into war. It's like they value their citizens. What's up with that?
C.) Every man gets a gun at fourteen or so upon joining the army. They use it each following summer to train until age 34. Yet, somehow, there hasn't been a murder in St. Gallen in 10 years. This is simply a fact, but we will look more into that in the close of this.
D.)Each doorway has an inch or so raised piece at the bottom that holds the air temp inside steady. not to mention the energy based upon geothermal and hydrolic systems. Somehow, oil is not their lifeblood. Somehow this one inch panel is magical. I know, with science like that, how can we possibly keep up.
E.) You can be a whore. A real, live whore. And then guess what comes at the end of that.....no rape cases. People, we have em here. Make it legal and prevent your sister, girlfriend, mom from being the victim of some sex crazed lunatic. (And don't comment me on Rape being a control issue. Got it. But there is also alot to be said for those dudes who aren't gonna get laid ever. Give em a healthy outlet)
F.) The homeless don't exist for the most part....as if you file, you get money and an apartment. No, not packed shelter, apartment. nice.

So my mom asked me why I thought that people were so much better off there. And here it is. America is famous for dangling that elusive carrot in front of us, yet making the reach for it impossible. Turn on the TV and see all the excess. Then go drive a five mile radius and tell me what you see. Is Paris Hilton feeding the hungry people on your block. Is the doctor's office accepting any and all people that need medical attention? I could go on and on......but as Americans, we are trained to be aggressive. thus, if you are at the bottom of the food chain....you see my point. I watched Tupac's "Resurrection" the other day and was reminded of why i love him. As he explained why his music is hard, he talked about going up to a gate asking for food. As he continually gets turned down and blown off, his return asking goes to yelling and cussing and gets harder. so, until our citizens have what they need and security.....be ready for angry hard America. Odd how other places have figured it out, don't they know who we are? We are the world's leader dammit!!!! Or, perhaps a country that could learn something if we stopped and listened for awhile.

I took the path less traveled............

I wanted to curl up in a time and place and just stay still. Every time I fell for peace, only a rude awakening was there to help me up. And so I smiled. alot. More than the workers at Disneyworld and an Up With People parade with tiny pink teddy bears iceskating with cupcakes on frozen rock candy rivers. i smiled more than that. I filled holes left like bullet wounds in my heart with whatever might stop the bleeding, ...........but I still smiled. I made a family out of fragments and cried myself to sleep each night alone, but I still smiled. My soul was a refrigerator, cold as the doors opened.........with all that was good spoiled now or already thrown out. Searching for leftovers just to sustain and maintain that smile. No pills could fill me up. I was starving.
And then there was this. Churches that stood brightly illuminated in the night, telling me a tale of 500 years past. A ferris wheel lit as fireworks cascaded down in the sky. And the music echoed through the streets. Warm sounds of bass tweeked to the point of either making your ears bleed or your soul quake. Everything I am supposed to hate or outgrow, there she was. my moment. and i smiled. I sat there quietly. Yes I'm ok, no I'm not cold. And I went to find her.

I was quiet most of the evening. taking it all in. But, by the end of the night, I danced with the abandon that was there for so long. The free spirit that made you all love me before hating me. The smiling, shining freedom of laughter and love........that left me one Sunday morning nearly two years ago.. Yes, I crumbled and stumbled down a dark path to go retrieve the woman who got stuck down there. to find her and forgive her. And with every breath in a swirl of lights at 5am, I told her it's gonna be ok. and i smiled.

VACATION

Well guys, it is that time. After two years that have damn near crippled me from emotional and physical exhaustion, I am riding off into the sunset. That's right. I am off to Europe, more specifically Switzerland and Austria. I will miss you, cyberspace. Time for some serious enlightenment and reflection and who knows.....maybe a little fun. I will say it one more time whilst I can since people have been asking how i got so friggin dark in two days......."I had to go down to the Island this weekend to catch some sun before I head to Europe for a while." That statement rocks to say. very puchaca.

I Seriously hate Brooke Hogan

I love me some good pop music. I have willfully bought in to Nick Lachey and I want what's left of him. I am glad that Mariah is back full force. I am glad for XXXtina too. i even watched the new Cheetah Girls movie on the Disney Channel. (Now I have said too much) But, I truly hate Brooke Hogan. We were all at the beach this weekend (which I have to say was awesome! And, I loved our room. Ram, Costa Rican Princess, and Mexilocks are my favorite people in the SA area, thus, there is no other hotel sleeping arrangement that I would have prefered.......well, unless Nomen were to magically show up. but that is beside the point. Every other room......drama. our room was a happy place. I love my friends.) But, back to the point. Late on Sunday night/Monday morning we are watching TV and Brooke's new video comes on. I flipped and refused to let anyone watch this trainwreck of a career. I hate her.......and this is why:

1.) Yes brooke, you are hot. I enjoy staring at you, but you can't sing. Thanks to technology, anyone can cut a good track. If there is enough reverb or if you whisper seductively, yes the untrained ear will say "wow, you don't suck", but I know the truth Brooke. Just like I know that Paris doesn't really sound like Gwen Stefani....So just because you kids can swizzle the hizzle a little, I am not fooled.

2.) Notice how if you know me 'swizzle the hizzle" seems weird to come out of my wording? There is a reason. Some things just don't come naturally to some people, it appears odd and contrived. I won't venture as far as TAN and make it a racial thing, because maybe you are some ghetto ass white rapper, maybe you are some snotty, yuppy black dude...it's cool. it's you. But Brooke, whoever said that wearing a diamond grill was a great concept was high. just because Paul Wall is in your video, it doesn't make it ok. You are here to be a puppet barbie doll. Do that. Wear the sparkles on your eyelashes or fingers. bend over in hot pants and have your vagina peeking out and encrusted in them, but leave them off your teeth.

3.) Stemming off that last one......why is someone working so hard to give this princess street cred? Paul Wall? Really? A dance off with some chicks who look a tad more tough than our little Brookie? (Which she doesn't even really dance more than some weak ass undulations. I think I could take her in a dance off. Actually, I will wager that. Brooke, if you are out there, I challenge you to a dance off. Come by the bar. anytime.) She does however do some tough moves such as the "whatchu got bitch?" shoulder shrug. And Paul, i realize there is alot of bling to pay for, but just because a god of the industry produces it, there are some times you just say no. Sellout.

4.) Finally, your lyrics are the same as Lindsey Lohans. (Yes, I realize I am losing all my musical credibilty in this blog.) I think she has the right to be sick of the press following her, but last I checked, you were being pimped by your parents. NO ONE EVEN KNEW YOU AND YOU WERE ON "CRIBS". YOU ARE ON A REALITY SHOW ON VH1. YOU ARE EVERYWHERE, FAMILY IN TOW, WHERE MAYBE JUST MAYBE, SOMEONE WILL WANT TO SHOW SOME INTEREST. Brooke, if you want some privacy, quit signing deals. We will leave you alone. You can retreat into that purple Rapunzel tower of a room and we will let you go. You are free.