My Favorite 4 Minutes of Music: Week of December 16th

Sorry that it has been a while since I've blogged.  Once again life has gotten the best of me lately... but the last few days I've connected to a song that has inspired me to pull up the blog again and write about it.

So, I'm pretty comfortable being me.  I wouldn't say that I wish too often to be someone else.  But... if there has ever been a song that has made me wish I was a super sexy, scantily-clad, take-no-prisoners, boot-wearing, hair-flailing, shot-pouring female bartender, a`la Coyote Ugly, then it is this song:

"Paris (Ooh La La)" by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. 

I have to admit, I hadn't even heard of this band until the recent VH1 Divas special where they performed for the troops.  I only turned in because I love Kathy Griffin (who was hosting), but the show also opened my eyes to this group.  They hadn't even finished performing the song and I had already taken out my iPhone to download the song.  Since then, I've had the opportunity to listen to it several times and it always makes me want to lip sync and dance... like Coyote Ugly dance.  Even tonight, alone in my car, I got caught at a stop light dancing to this song.  Hahaha.  It happens people! 

Hope you enjoy!

Today I become an official resident of Los Angeles!!!

This week I celebrated my two year anniversary of living in California... But according to my standards I was still not an official resident. Let me explain:

Ever since I moved here I have said the following: "I won't be an official resident of California until I see Zac Efron or Lauren Conrad live in person". It might sound silly... But I've said this plenty of times.

Right now... I am in Laguna Beach (where LC's fame began) waiting in line for a book signing with Ms. Conrad!!! I'm so totally stoked. I'll get to meet her in just about an hour! I'm posting a pic of the book and my ticket now... And I'll be sure to post a pic of me with her once I get inside!!!






Although this isn't officially on my Life To- Do List, it still feels like I'm checking something off that I've been looking forward to for a while! I love it!!!!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Pacific Coast Hwy,Laguna Beach,United States

Very touching video

This is a lengthy video... but one of the most touching I've seen surrounding the gay suicides lately.  As homophobic as Texas is... let alone an official government meeting in Texas, I applaud this courageous councilman for his message: 

Pink Honored at the HRC Benefit

As I mentioned in a previous post, Pink was honored by the Human Rights Campaign with their "Ally for Equality" award.  I am ecstatic for her and so happy she is being recognized for her contributions to the the LGBT community. 

Here's a clip of her acceptance speech at the Benefit this weekend.  She claims that she isn't a public speaker, but she sure does have a way at crafting words skillfully and presenting them with her I-Don't-Give-A-F attitude... and I LOVE it. 

(The beginning is her introduction by Bette Midler.  You can listen, or just fast forward to the 5-minute mark for Pink's actual speech)

Fantastic Apps: Nike+ GPS!

So starting this morning, Rich and I decided to wake up at 5:00am and go to the gym before work.  We both want to get healthier, and with 10/10/10 yesterday, it seemed like it was a good time to start.  Hopefully I'll start to see 10lbs fall off... and another 10.... and another 10.  :-)

Just this weekend I downloaded the new Nike+ GPS app.  For those of you unfamiliar, you can get these special Nike running shoes that you put a little sensor in the sole of them... then it hooks up to your iPod and tracks your time and distance as you walk, jog, run.  You can choose any playlist on your ipod and listen to your favorite tunes while you workout.  If you run outside, it can track where you run using the GPS function on your phone!  It's pretty sweet technology.  I already had the Nike shoes for it (thanks to a Christmas present from Rich last year), and just a few weeks ago I purchased a new sensor for the shoes... so its seemed like a logical purchase to upgrade to the new app and try it out.  Rich and I got up to work out this morning, and even though I was on the treadmill, and it couldn't track where I was going with the GPS, I still decided to give it a whirl...

...and it was SO awesome!

So with the new app, you can update your facebook directly through the app to let people know that you started a workout.  Then... for each person who "likes" or comments on your status, it gets sent directly to your phone and you literally hear like 10-15 seconds of cheering!  It's so cool that your friends and family can cheer you on.  Luckily for me, living in California, when I work out at 5:30am... its really 8:30am in Michigan, and I've got lots of dear friends back home who (were awake! and) commented on my status.  It was such fantastic motivation!!!!  Between those cheers and the Glee sountrack blaring in my ears, I was so pumped to be at the gym and work out... even at 5am!

So... I have to share... this might seem like nothing to some of you, but to me, it was a big deal.  During this workout, I ran constantly for 10 minutes for the first time that I can EVER remember!  Usually when I'm on the treadmill, I'll do 2 minutes of running, 2 minutes of walking, running, walking, and so on.  I'm a big guy, and thats all I can really do.  But this morning... I said to myself, "I'm gonna run for 4 minutes today".  I got to 4 minutes and I felt like I could go for more... so I stopped looking at the time and just watched the TV's in the gym (thankfully, that early in the morning they were playing TBS reruns of Saved By The Bell!  lol)...  Next thing I looked down and I was at 7 and a half minutes of running... so at that point I said, "you can make it to 10 minutes!"... a couple Nike+ Facebook cheers later, and I made it all the way to 10 minutes.  I haven't been that proud of myself in a very long time. 

So to Bonnie, Brian, Sue, Aaron, Lisa, Cassie, and my Sister... THANK YOU for cheering me on this morning... even from thousands of miles away!  It really helped me!

It Gets Worse

So.... I don't want to make light of the situation regarding all the teen suicides lately... but I found this video and I thought it was very witty.  It is a reply to all the "It Gets Better" videos circulating the internet these days... and although this guy is clearly joking, I think the point is made very well.  Enjoy!


IT GETS WORSE
Uploaded by FirstLastName. - Discover more webcam videos and video blogs.

My Favorite 4 Minutes of Music This Week- October 8th

So it should come to no surprise for people close to me that Pink is my #1 favorite musical artist.  It's hard for this talented woman to release a song that I don't like.... but recently she just released a song that I LOVE!  It's going to be a new single that will a part of her Greatest Hits album (which even though I already own ALL of her songs, I will HAVE to get it!)

According to Twitter she's been filming the video for the last few days, and she's including a wedding ceremony of a gay couple in the video!  I think that's awesome.  She's always been an advocate for the gay community, and I think its great that she is showcasing the issue of gay marriage in her video.  Just a few days ago she was presented the "Ally for Equality" award at the Human Rights Campaign annual dinner and fundraiser.  She rocks!

Enjoy this song... its got a great party beat and is fun to rock out to in the car with the windows down!

Friday Funnies!

So Huffington Post had this video on their site today, and it gave me a pretty good laugh, so I thought I'd repost it for everyone out there who might need a laugh today!

Hope you have a weekend full of THIS much excitement!

Leave it to Sarah Silverman...

I think this says it best: 

Parents: WTF is wrong with you?

So I know that my blog usually contains light-hearted commentary about pop culture related things... so I hate to get heavy with content like this... but I'm seriously infuriated.


I posted something on my facebook yesterday about an 8th grader in Texas who took his life because he was ashamed of being gay and was continually bullied at school. Now today I read that there have been two other similar instances at different school across the country within the last week or so. SERIOUSLY!??!

Look at these faces:

 Asher Brown - 13 years old - Houston, TX

Billy Lucas - 15 - Greensburg, IN 

Seth Walsh - 13 years old - Tehachapi, CA

These three young boys, all of which are said to have been been happy, high-acheiving students in school, thought that the best way out to escape the torture they were recieveing was to take their own lives.  This is all because they were bullied and called "gay", "faggot" and every other homophobic slur known to man.  Middle school and high school was a tough time for most everyone... but can you imagine being at the point where you feel that the only way you can escape the torment is to remove your soul from this planet???  I am so incredibly saddened to even comprehend having a feeling that deep and dark. 

Each of these boys had their own story.  Their own set of parents... different school districts... different sets of friends and enemies.  But no matter what their situation, each story revolves around the same issue: homophobic bullying. 

Now we can water it down, by just using the umbrella term of "bullying"... but essentially it comes down to homophobic bullying.  Kids who for some reason feel that they have enough power and popularity over another kid that they can antagonize him over something so petty as sexual orientation if he happens to act or say things that may be interpreted as less masculine than other boys.  If we overshadow that issue by just calling it "bullying", then people interpret that as simply some sort of give-me-your-lunch-money, I'm-gonna-stuff-you-in-a-locker mentality.  It's more than that.  It's deeper than that.  It's rooted in discrimination and hatred, laced with an I'm-better-than-you-because-of-your-sexuality mentality.  It's causing other kids to take thier lives.  And... its disgusting. 

Who are the parents of these kids doing the bullying?  What sorry excuse for a human are you to raise a child with such a low level of tolerance that they would feel empowered to make boys like Asher, Billy and Seth feel this intense pain?  Wake the hell up parents!  It is 2010 and we need to be teaching our children about love, tolerance and acceptance.  The sadness of this, is that the parents of these students doing the bullying are either a) perpetuating the acceptance of homophobia in thier homes by setting such ridiculous standards and stereotypes of gender and sexuality... or b) just completely absent from their child's life and not teaching them important lessons that will make them compassionate citizens of our world. 

Not to stray away from the main topic... but it makes me even more upset to think that law will not let gay couples get married and have kids... when they would raise children who would be overflowing with love, kindness and tolerance.  We've been through this shit in middle school and high school, and we would do our best to raise children who would not inflict this sort of pain on others.  YET... the law allows any straight person to raise a child and put them in our public schools... even though there are obviously those people out there who are incapable of teaching thier own kin the most important lesson of all: love. 

The world needs a campaign against this issue.  Not just bullying... but homophobic bullying.  Let's treat it as it is, instead of putting money into anti-bullying campaigns which only mask the true issue.  AND... let's hold our students in public schools accountable for thier actions when they are antagonizing other students for stupid reasons. 

Thankfully, someone recently started a campaign on YouTube called the "It Gets Better" project.  It is meant for adult members of the LGBT community to post videos for our younger coutnerparts to tell them that: yes, dealing with your sexuality when you are young sucks, and bullying sucks... but it DOES get better.  This is the sort of thing that the world needs to grab a hold of and teach our kids of tomorrow that there is hope, and that there are millions of people in the world that you can reach out to for love and support.  (Check out the "It Gets Better" project: http://www.youtube.com/user/itgetsbetterproject )

So as I conclude with this rant... I ask you to share the stories of Asher, Billy and Seth.  Don't keep this taboo topic "in the closet" any longer.  It needs to be discussed.  Parents need to have these discussions with their kids and teach them tolerance.  The only way to elminate the problem is to eliminate the cause of it... and right now the problem is caused by parents who are either teaching their children intolerance or not teaching thier children at all.  DO YOUR PART PARENTS!  You only get one chance at raising a child correctly.  Don't screw it up. 

Gender controversy in Michigan

It was crazy for me to hear on the news out here in California about a gender controversy involving a high school student back in my home state of Michigan.  After doing some further research, I found this video online.. and I have to say, that I'm glad that issues like this are being brought to the forefront in such a conservative area as west Michigan.  I give mad props to Oak... and hope that the school finds an appropriate way to recognize HIM in the way HE deserves.

Dancing With The Stars: Season 11

OK... so let me make this clear upfront.  I do not follow Dancing with the Stars regularly.  Back in the day, I was a fan.  Back in the Drew-Lachey-Cheryl-Burke-SaveAHorseRideACowboy days.  But I've given up in the last couple of years and stopped watching.  I've sort of kept up to date online... seeing who was participating and who was eliminated, but I stopped watching the actual episodes.  Not DVR'ed.  Nothing.

But... for some reason, I decided that for Season 11, it was time to check it out again.  After trying to determine why I tuned it, I developed this graph:

So I watched the premiere last night... and I was actually entertained (as embarassing as it is to admit).  There were some surprisingly great performances (Jennifer Grey: WOW!) but also some hardcore trainwrecks (Bristol... I don't care what the judges said, you were a hot mess!)

The Situation was exactly what I expected: entertaining.  I just need him to not be so super cheesy.  Margaret Cho was hilarious... and although she was making fun of herself and tripped on purpose, she was WAY better than Bristol and deserved higher scores.

I was a bit saddened to see Margaret and the Situation in last place after the results... because they were my two main reasons for watching in the first place.  I didn't want them to get eliminated so early.

So then... I tuned into the results show tonight.  I admit I fast forwarded through most of it... (with the exception of the Santana/India.Arie performance... she is one of my faves!).  I really just wanted to see who got eliminated.  In all honestly, I really thought Audrina would go.  She didn't have the lowest score, but I think she is SO boring and vanilla, and I cannot possibly figure out who on earth would be such a "fan" of Audrina that they would call in and vote for her.  So.... I was quite surprised when she was declared safe early on in the show.  Margaret was safe early on too!  That made me happy! 

It came down to the final three: The Situation, the Hoff, and that black kid from that Disney show (is he really a star?  I honestly have never seen him before in my entire life).  I figured it had to be the Situation because of his low score... or the Disney kid because of his low popularity.  But.... to my complete and utter surprise... the first eliminated was The Hoff!  REALLY?  I thought he was one of the biggest stars that this season had.  And... he had "the pimp spot" as they call it on American Idol, by performing last.  He was the easiest one to remember to vote for, with him being fresh in everyone's minds.  So.... all in all, it was quite shocking.  I think he would have been pretty fun to watch, with his high cheese factor. :-)

So after tonight, I changed my DVR from "Record this Show" to "Record this Series".  I need more Situation.  One hour on Thursdays is not enough.  Plus I can't wait to see Bristol Palin fall flat on her face.  It's going to happen America.  It's going to happen.

Betty White Hoodies!

I know what else is going on my Christmas List for this year!  :-)

Catfish? What's the secret? I'm dying to find out....

Have you guys seen the trailer for this movie "Catfish"?  Ever since the first time I saw it, I've been hooked.  (two drums and a cymbal crash)

According to imdb.com, here's the plot:  In late 2007, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost sensed a story unfolding as they began to film the life of Ariel's brother, Nev. They had no idea that their project would lead to the most exhilarating and unsettling months of their lives. A reality thriller that is a shocking product of our times, Catfish is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue.

So maybe its because I'm a reality show fan... and I have always loved documentary movies... but I'm trying to figure out if this is another Blair Witch where they promote it as being real and then it ends up being fake... or not.  I just saw another trailer tonight that says "Not based on true events.... just true".  Another tag line I've seen in the trailer is "The best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never directed".  With both lines, I'm in.  I have to see it.

I have two worries.  1: It's gonna scare the bajeesus out of me.  The tension leading up to the end of the trailer already gives me butterflies.  I'm worried I may be scarred for days (and nights of nightmares).  And, 2: It's gonna be a HUGE letdown.  This movie is all about the building tension.  If it gets to the end and is a big flop, then all this promotion was worth nothing.  I guess I will have to see to know.

Several things I've read have said "Don't let anyone tell you what it is".  I'm sure I could poke around online and figure out what its about.  But I don't want to.  And if any of you do.... don't you dare tell me... because at this point, the marketing team has done such a great job that I want to reward them with my ticket fee... not matter how horrible or horror-filled it may be. 

Here's the trailer.  Let me know what you think:

My Favorite 4 Minutes of Music: Week of September 16th

I'm SOOO happy that iTunes has finally released Rihanna's new single! I just downloaded it, and intend to do that "first-day-play-continuously-on-repeat" ritual that I tend to do. I've been listening to it from this link on Ryan Seacrest's page... so I thought I would share it with you all too.

I'm thankful for this single because I think it takes us back to old school Rihanna, while somehow still sounding current. The Rated R record (for the most part) was too dark for me. I like light, poppy, dancey Rihanna and this single really brings it back. Have a listen... and go download it on iTunes if you're interested!

Click Here: Listen to Rihanna's New Single

My Plea for Fighting Gravity

So... I don't know who I'm pleaing to considering that the voting is already closed... but still.  I beg.  I plead.  PLEASE NBC... Fighting Gravity has GOT win America's Got Talent. 

I posted a while back at the beginning of this season about how much I disliked America's Got Talent (but I couldn't stop watching).  Well... I continued to watch every week... and now we are at the finale.  My argument at the beginning of the season is the same as it is now, when we are less than 24 hours away from seeing who gets the million dollars.

With only four acts remaining, THREE of them are singing acts.  Seriously???  Aren't there enough singing competitions out there?  I mean, for real.  Sure, I know that the three singers left don't fit into American Idol demographics (Jackie: too young... Michael, too old... Poppycock, well... too odd?), but still, pop culture has been innundated with singing competitions for quite a while now. 

What makes (or SHOULD make) America's Got Talent different is that they let in variety acts that you can't see on any other program.  These acts NEED this show for the exposure... and stand no chance of becoming famous without it.   If it was up to me... the final four would have been Fighting Gravity, Prince Poppycock. Michael Grasso (magician) and Michael Lipari & Ashleigh Dejon (the aerialists).  Now THAT would have been a good finale filled with variety. 

Fighting Gravity are a group of college guys who probably stumbled upon this popularity and fame.  Are they blessed with "god-given talent" to do what they do?  No.  But they are innovative, exciting, and they make me want to spend $50 on a ticket to see them in Vegas.  Do I want to see an hour of Michael Grimm?  No.  An hour of Jackie singing opera that I don't understand the words to?  No.  Or even an hour of Poppycock?  I'm more likely to buy a ticket for him... but can you imagine the 5 minutes between songs we'll have to wait for his costume changes?  No thanks. 

Each week, Fighting Gravity brought something new.  They stepped up their game.  Their bi-level finale performance was pretty mesmerizing!  Sure... one of the guys in black clothing stepped too far to one side and you could see him.  I agree that that spoils a little bit of the magic.  But still.... is it worth them losing the finale over it?  I certainly don't think so.  Not sure which guy it was... but I'm sure he feels HORRIBLE for making that mistake and feels tons of guilt.  Unfortunately... America is filled with a bunch of sheep who will do whatever the shepherd says... and so when Peirs slammed them for that mistake, they will lose votes.  I hate that.  Still... Fighting Gravity is a group that I would definitely pay $50 to see in Vegas... and I certainly hope they get a show there no matter whether they win or not, because I want to go see it. 

If yet ANOTHER boring singer wins AGT, the show might as well go into obscurity.  After all, the only previous winner to become any sort of popular was ventriloquist Terry Fador.  They should know by now that America appreciates novelty/variety acts. 

Anyway, I'll stop ranting... but I just had to get that out.  Fighting Gravity should win... and I certainly hope they do.  Here's a clip of their performance so you can see what I'm talking about:

Too funny not to share!

I thought this was super cute, so I wanted to share!  :-)

My Favorite 4 Minutes of Music: Week of August 24th

Nothing like having a three week break from blogging, eh?  Sorry to those of you who were becoming loyal readers and then I just fell off the face of the planet.  I had a huge event at work... and a huge event in my personal life that I was getting prepared for.  Both are now complete and I hope to get back to blogging in my spare time!

I figured I'd start with my recurring "Favorite 4 Minutes of Music".... the funny thing is that this song isn't even four minutes long!  It's just over two minutes.  But for some reason, in those two minutes, this song makes me feel like I am 20 again and wanting to go out to a dance club and seriously shake it.  During some of the more stressful times of hte last two weeks, this song has gotten me through just by putting it on in my car or in the shower and just dancing like there's no tomorrow.  :-)

The song is "I Like That" by Static Revenger & Richard Vission featuring Luciana.  One quick fun tidbit I just learned: Richard Vission was raised in the San Fernando Valley of LA.... which is right where I live!  :-)

A step in the correct direction!

I'm super stoked to be able to blog at this moment... as less than a half hour ago, the California Supreme Court ruled on the Proposition 8 Trial.  The verdict?  Prop 8 is unconstitutional! 

What does this mean?  Well the immediate implications are yet to be seen.  I'm not sure if tomorrow same-sex couples will be able to go to the courthouse and get a license.  What I do know is that thankfully for this judges wise and kind verdict, there will be progress when it comes to gay marriage in California (and hopefully the US).

News reports are already saying that right-wingers are planning an appeal (not surprising).... and it may take it all the way to the US Supreme Court.  That kind of exposure and bringing the issue to the forefront could be just what we need.  And hopefully the US Supreme Court will do what is right... just as the CA Supreme Court did today. 

Can I get a big HELL YEAH!  :-)

Hilarious!

Here's a hilarious clip... merging two summer movie hits together!  If you've seen both of these movies, you will find it particularly funny.  Enjoy

I'm taking the blog on vacation!

So I'm going on vacation starting tonight.... and the blog is coming with me!  :-)  A group of friends and I are going to the hap-hap-happiest place on earth... Walt Disney World in Orlando!  I'm excited to give you recaps and post pics and maybe even video thanks to my new iPhone!  :-) 

Be on the lookout for some fun posts!!! 

Why I Hate "America's Got Talent"... (but still can't stop watching)

You know by now that I'm a sucker for reality TV.  I love the thought of having an afternoon with nothing to do but catch up on hours of DVR'ed unscripted goodness.

One show that I have watched on and off since its first season is "America's Got Talent".  Over the past several summers there have been MANY great, unique acts that have been featured on the show.  BUT.... I have just been catching up on this week's episodes and I felt the burning need to express how much I really HATE this show.  Well maybe not the whole show, but just certain aspects of it.  Let me break those aspects down for you:

1. GET RID OF THE STANDARD SINGERS!  We've got a very popular singing talent show already called American Idol... and although Idol is only for ages 15-29, I still feel that the singing performers have an unfair advantage over other groups.  Of the 4 acts that made it through on this weeks results show, 2 of them were singers (that don't do anything else besides sing).  Unless you are adding something unique to the singing performance, then I don't think they should be allowed to participate.  I mean, after all... what makes this show cool and unique is that it is a "catch-all" for so many other unique talents... and just regular singing takes away the opportunity of other people who this is their only venue to gain fame and have their shot on a reality TV show. 
2. IS THIS SHOW CALLED "AMERICA'S GOT TALENT"? OR "WHO WILL MAKE THE BEST VEGAS STAGE SHOW"???!!  I hate that the winning prize has become so focused on the Vegas stage show.  This is a talent show. Not a casting call for Vegas shows.  If the point of the show is to find the best, most unique talent in America, there are good chances that maybe that talent isn't appropriate for a Vegas audience.  I mean, are you really going to put through a dance group of five 8-12 year old girls to dance every night in Sin City?  But... if those girls are talented, they should be rewarded! 
3. STOP PICKING CONTESTANTS BECAUSE THEY ARE ATTRACTIVE!  So maybe the hand-whistling Granny isn't attractive... but it seems like some of the contestants this are banking on their looks more than their talent.  Let's be real... that 18 year old guy that made it through week one... Nathaniel Kenyon... there is NO WAY that voice would get him through on American Idol (and that says a lot considering Tim Young made it to the top 8 this past season).  I just think that with the cross-section of America that probably tries out for the show, we should pick people based on talent... and not a combination of looks and talent.  If the person's talent can stand alone without the looks, and they happen to be attractive, then cool.  Otherwise... let someone else have a chance. 

Any other people out there in the blogosphere watch this show?  Please tell me I'm not the only one that has these same feelings about the show....

With those things said... let me leave you with a video of my favorite act to ever be on America's Got Talent.  This act I think epitomizes what America's Got Talent SHOULD be all about.... uniqueness... originality.... entertaining... and a captivating talent.  Check out the Quick Change Artists:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Axi58IkRkvk

First blog post from iPhone!

So far this birthday week has been covered in awesome sauce! First of all... after thinking I was going to have to wait three weeks to get my new iPhone... I got email notification that it was in on Monday! Needless to say... I've been attached to it ever since!

It has an awesome frontward facing camera... Which Rich and I have already tested out with Apple's "FaceTime" video chat. Very fun. Here's a pic from the camera:




I love this phone so much that I may just have to add a new recurring blog column about my favorite new apps. :-). We'll see. I'm posting this from a blogging app I just downloaded. If you are reading this, then it was a success!

Thanks Rich for the AWESOME birthday present!!! I LOVE it!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My Favorite 4 Minutes of Music This Week- July 23rd

For this weeks Favorite 4 Minutes, I'm sharing a group that I've been jamming to all week.  This song isn't a new, breaking song that is fresh on the charts... in fact, I don't think they have ever been on the charts here in the US.  They are a UK-based Danish pop that I am in love with: Alphabeat!

To me, Alphabeat is a little slice of Europop heaven.  There ain't no shame in my game... I will openly admit that I love Ace of Base and other poppy groups that came out of the Europe in the 90's.  To me, Alphabeat is a throwback to those days, with a new, current spin on it.  I was able to get my hands on their most recent CD "The Beat Is..." and I am in LOVE with it.  The lead singer, Stine, is so damn cute... and she is joined by a group of equally adorable guys.  They are just fun, fun, FUN!

I first found out about Alphabeat when Perez Hilton posted a song by them on his blog... and he later had them perform at his showcase at SXSW this year.  It was their first US appearance... and I was SO wanting to be there.  I guess I'll have to wait for them to come back to the states and hopefully they will do a show in the LA area.

The song Perez posted months ago is the song that I am posting for you today... it's my favorite of their songs and makes me feel like dancing.  It's great while driving with the windows down in the summertime!

Check it out and if you like it, you should look up their other songs and videos on YouTube.  Enjoy "The Spell" by ALPHABEAT!  :-)

As I turn 30...

It's my birthday!  YAY! 

As I turn 30, I'd like to take this opportunity to focus not on myself... but on the woman who gave birth to me 30 years ago today: Connie Eickhoff! 

It's hard to be so far away from my mom on a day like today... not only because I am totally missing her famous Rice Krispy Ice Cream Dessert that I love and that she has made for me every year on my birthday :-) ... but because I know that she must be having some mixed feelings about today.  I mean, I can just hear here up at the Bluebird Cafe having breakfast saying "My baby turns thirty today!  Can you believe it?  THIRTY!".  Yes mom.  Your baby is 30. 

This is the amazing woman who told me it was OK to be me.  I was perfect just the way I am.  And if other people didn't think so... they could go f--- themselves!  (and she would tell them exactly where they could shove it!).  It was so OK to be me, in fact, that she would cut, sew, and hot glue gun any costume needed in order to get on stage and make a fool of myself at the Riverfest Lip Sync for the last 19 (soon to be 20) years.  She didn't care... she would be front row and be incredibly proud. 

This is the amazing woman who gave me the love and kindness I needed growing up so that I could become a loving and kind adult.  Today this was made apparent by all the love and kindness I've been shown on facebook by people all across the country.  I am lucky to have all these people in my life... and I wouldn't if it wasn't for my mother. 

This is the amazing woman who has been there to support me through all the difficult times.  I am grateful to know that my life has been easier than most, and that is due to the unwavering support she has given me.  Even the most difficult times were bearable because of her.  I do not take this for granted.  There are so many people out there without this support that I know I am truly blessed to have her in my life. 

This is the amazing woman who gave me my ability to be crafty and creative.  She never strayed me away from doing fun arts and crafts projects and always allowed me to express myself creatively.  For this, I thank her... because being creative is something I thrive on now, and something that makes me so happy.  For every holiday decoration that I display... for every lip sync background I paint... for every homemade gift or card I create... I thank her for giving me this talent and passion. 

This is the amazing woman showed me what true love is by being in a loving, committed relationship for 40 years.  She has proven that love can be strong if you are strong as an individual and do what it takes to make it work.  The lessons I learned in this area alone have helped to make me successful in my current relationship which is going on two years strong.  And trust me... I wouldn't be where I am today without her advice during the many phone calls I've made crying out for help.  He insight is invaluable. 

This is the amazing woman who gave birth to a big baby boy 30 years ago today.  I LOVE YOU Mom, and wish nothing more than to hug you on my birthday.  Thanks for all you've given to me in the last 10,950 days. 

Yes mom, your baby is 30.... but whether I'm turning 3 or 30 or 93... I'll always be your baby. 

Things I Love About California: Arclight Cinemas

After my last post about Inception, I'd like to follow it up with my latest installment of: "Things I Love About California."  This week, I love Arclight Cinemas.... or put more simply: movie theatres with reservable seats!

Now... I'm pretty sure this isn't just in California anymore... but considering the movie-going experience that I had growing up in Michigan, having this option out here is pretty amazing. 

For those of you still back in the Midwest that don't understand what I'm talking about... consider this:  You know how when you buy tickets on Ticketmaster for a concert and they tell you what the best available seats are and you can see where you are sitting before you buy the tickets? ?  Imagine being able to do that for a movie!!!

You can log in to the Arclight website, check the various movie times, and then look at a layout of the theatre to see if its packed.  Then you can click on whatever available seats you like best and buy your tickets online.  So if you're one of those people who always like to sit in the back... or in the front... you've got that option.  You can buy your tickets days in advance and make plans around that movie for the night.  Just print the tickets from home, and you are good to go.  It's pretty awesome.  Best part... is if you are going to see a movie on opening night or opening weekend, before you would have to show up at least an hour ahead of time to buy your tickets and then wait in line to get a good seat.  Not anymore.  You can show up 10 minutes before the movie (or 15 in order to make sure you can get snacks!) and get right in. 

Another awesome thing about Arclight: you can't get into the movie once the movie begins... so you better be on time!  Its nice because it cuts down on people coming in late and crawling over you in the dark to find a seat.  Although this rule did bite us in the butt once when were late and had to forfeit our tickets... we learned our lesson and haven't done it since. 

OK... OK... so things aren't perfect with Arclight.  Of course the tickets are more expensive... but for the headache that it relieves, its pretty quick to get over the ticket price.  At most "regular" theatres out here in California, you are going to spend $12 to see a movie anyway... so whats the different to spend an extra $3.  For me, the convenience is worth it. 

Inception... pretty much = badass.

Sorry its been a few days since an update.  I feel like I've got so much to say!  First, I'll start with a post about the movie "Inception".  Its a flick I've been waiting for a while to see.  The previews were done pretty well... and definitely sold me on going opening weekend. 

Let's break it down in parts:

Visually: The movie is beautiful.  From the costumes to the set design to the special effects.  A visually pleasing movie that I am certain will get at least a few technical nominations at the Oscars this year.  What you see in the preview?  Yeah... you get that and a whole lot more.

Sound:  You know how the previews give you this sense of urgency and suspense with that low-toned, almost vuvuzela sound?  Well, take that and add 100% more urgency and suspense.  The music and sound effects are done really well.  The soundtrack (and its use) is pretty fantastic.

Acting:  Of course we know Leo is a pro... and I wouldn't have expected any less from him.  But... can I just say that there were some other stellar performances in this movie?  First of all: Marion Cotillard.  Best Supporting Actress nomination if you ask me.  She wasn't in the movie much, but when she was, I was fixated on her.  Between her flawless classic beauty and her captivating performance, I was ready to hand her an award myself.  And can I just say that Joseph Gordon Levitt has come a LONG way since "Angels In The Outfield".  I thought he was awesome.  Those two were the standouts for me, but they were among a stellar cast.  Oh... and can I just add that I need to check out some more flicks with this Tom Hardy guy (plays Eames in the movie)???  Between his cute smile and accent I was smitten!  :-)

Plot:  I mean... what can you really say about the screenwriting and plot about this movie???  Sure it stars Leo and all... but really, the storyline is the star of the movie.  Some movies rest on big name actors... some rest on stunning visual effects... but with Inception, you could take that all away and you still have a complex and intriguing story. 

All in all... as I'm sure you've gathered... I reccommend seeing Inception if you haven't yet.  If you are one of those people that tends to rent movies... I would say this is one you definitely want to take the time and money to see in the actual theatre.

Well.... that was fast.

BIG BROTHER SPOILER ALERT:  If you have Big Brother 12 tivo'ed or dvr'ed from last night and haven't watched yet... then read no further!  :-)

(I always appreciate a warning, because I hate when my reality TV gets spoiled!)

So Thursday night was the first (of I'm sure many to come) dramatic night of the Big Brother 12 season.  Not only did we find out who the Saboteur was, but we had our first eviction and live HOH competition.  Here are some of my thoughts:

• First of all, I'm totally bummed that Annie was the Saboteur and now she's out the game!  I guess that big twist backfired on you, huh CBS?  Once I found out that it was actually Annie, I was happy with her as the choice, and wished that she would have stayed a bit longer.  I do give her credit for trying her best to stay... and the point she made about Brendon and Rachel was a good one (which made itself even more apparent LATER...).  For it being the first eviction of the season, that was a pretty good speech that Annie gave!  Usually the first few weeks of pre-eviction speeches are filled with nothing but marshmallows and cotton candy.  She went right for the meaty-ness... and I liked it. 
• I really thought that Britney was the Saboteur... but now that she's not, I really hope she stays for a while.  She is too damn funny!  I love the comments that she makes in the diary room.  To put this in SAT verbal format: Britney is to season 12 as Kevin was to season 11. 
• Kristen.... she was another one that I felt could possibly be the saboteur... but it turns out she's just completely invisible in this entire game so far!  They haven't featured her at all.  In fact, on Thursday's episode I think the first time we even saw her face was when Julie called her into the diary room to vote.  At first, I thought this may be her "stealthness" as the saboteur.... but now I'm thinking:  Is she really just that boring? 
• The HOH competition:  Can I tell you how much I LOVED that during the second question that ALL three remaining "Brigade" members were eliminated.  All at the same time.  It was like poetry.  Complete awesomeness.  The Brigade is such a dumb alliance name... and they are stupid to think they are going to make it to the final four. 
• I LOVE that Rachel won the HOH competition.  Not that I particularly love Rachel.... but I just love drama in the BB house... and you know when someone goes from being on the block to being HOH that there will be some vengence and drama.  I can't wait to see what happens. 

Another reason I love Kathy Griffin

For those of you that don't follow Kathy Griffin closely, you may not know that she used her comedic genius last summer by bringing a very special date with her to the Teen Choice Awards.  Who better to accompany her to this teen awards show than the most famous teen baby-daddy, Levi Johnston (Sarah Palin's daughter's baby-daddy).  Personally, I thought this was hilarious!  Since that event, she's hung out with Levi on several occasions, and last week she even had an episode of her show "My Life on the D List" filmed in Wasila, Alaska with Levi.  I'm not sure how much she pays him to get him to go along with whatever she says... but Levi is pretty well trained to say things like "what Kathy and I have is real" and "I'm in love with Kathy".  It's hilarious.  This extra publicity even attracted Playgirl magazine to do a photo shoot with Levi (thus the copy of the magazine in the video below). 

Well... you can imagine Kathy's surprise when Levi is back in the news this week.  This time, its because he is back with Bristol Palin... and news reports are that they are engaged! 

Kathy posted a video depicting her response to this tragic news.  Be sure to watch until the end...  :-)

Things I Love about California: Agua Frescas

So I had this idea for a new "column" here on my blog: Things I Love about California.  It's been almost two years since I've moved out here, and it still surprises me to this day about how different life is here compared to my first 28 years of life in Michigan (and that one year in between that I lived in Nashville, TN... shout out to my friends there!).  To chronicle these new things... I'll be talking about them periodically (or as they present themselves) right here on my blog.

For the first installment, I'd like to share my love for: Aguas Frescas

Aguas Frescas is the spanish term for "fresh waters"... and boy are they refreshing especially on a hot day here in Southern Cali.  This delicious drink is most likely found where mexican food is served... and it comes in a variety of flavors.  Many of the flavors are fruit based and include chunks of fresh fruit in them.  My personal favorite is pineapple... but they come in lots of other flavors like mango, watermelon, canteloupe, guava, lime, strawberry lemonade and more.  There are also non fruit-based flavors like horchata and hibiscus. 

Just think: cold water, fruit, ice and sugar all mixed into one!  Can it get any better?  I mean... why is this a regional thing?  I don't understand why Michigan can't get some fruity-watery love!  I'm sure its because its a traditional drink from the Mexican culture... and well... let's face it, California is a lot more diverse than Michigan.  Still.... I think if I ever moved back to Michigan, one of the things I would miss most is Aguas Frescas.

One funny story to share that will describe my love for this drink:  I was at a fair with a group of friends, and its almost guaranteed that there will be Aguas Frescas at carnivals/fairs here in the LA area.  We luckily found a tent and got the largest one I could get.  Another friend asked to try it... and the first thing he said was: "it just tastes like watered-down fruit".  To which I promptly replied, "NO!  This is fruited-up water!".  You don't want to argue with me about Aguas Frescas.  :-)

My Favorite 4 Minutes of Music This Week- July 13th

Summer is a time for a good, poppy, windows-down, speakers-blaring, wind-in-your-hair kinda jam... and there is one song that I think fits this bill, and I can't stop listening to it.  That's why its my favorite 4 minutes of music this week: Dance Forever by Allstar Weekend. 

I first heard this song simply by seeing it in the iTunes top 100 downloads and listening to the 30 second sample.  It sounded fun so I downloaded the whole track.  Since then, its been on my "Current Hits" playlist on my iPod... and I seem to always go to this song first.  It's got the same vibe as Metro Station... and the lead singer totally has a Fall Out Boy vocal thing going on.  I'm not sure if its the pop/rocky guitar and keyboards, or the simple easy to sing along with lyrics... but its infectious... and I've got the virus.

I decided before I posted this I may want to look the band up and get a bit more information about them.  They all went to high school together in San Diego... and got thier start in early 2009.  Not surprisingly, this band was part of a talent competition on Radio Disney (I'm a sucker for teeny-bopper pop folks... no shocker here).  They didn't win... but they did get signed by Hollywood Records following the competition.  Also... not to play the race card here (but I'm gonna...) its nice to see a diverse group of guys in this band! 

I've already put my shields up for the amount of crap that is going to get hurled at me for being almost 30 and enjoying a band that is liked by girls who are literally half my age.  But no shame in my game!  I love this song... so turn it up and enjoy!

Some moments are just... magic :-)

So last night I had the chance to see the Steve Miller Band at the Greek Theatre here in LA.  The tickets were cheap, it was a beautiful Sunday evening... why not go see a a band responsible for some of the biggest iconic rock hits, right?  Of course!

Well... going into the show, I never thought I'd be writing a blog about it from the sentimental angle... but sometimes moments just pop up when you least expect them and give you a great memory.

In my head, I remember Steve Miller Band for songs like "The Joker", "Keep On Rockin' Me", and "Jungle Love"... and it was awesome to hear all of those songs live.  The crowd was made up of mostly 45+ aged adults... but it was cool to also see that some of those parents brought along thier kids to enjoy the tunes with.  Surprisingly, Steve's voice still sounded great after all the years of performing live... and the musicians in the band were just awesome.  All in all.... a great show.

BUT... three quarters of the way through the show... a starting riff to a song began, and I had a complete and total flashback.  For some reason on this night, I completely forgot that Steve Miller Band was also responsible for the song "Abracadabra".  Just hearing the first few bars of the song immediately brought me back to memories of my family.  I remember being very young (I think like 2 or 3) and this was my FAVORITE song on the planet.  My parents would play it and I would sing along... but my version sounded more like "abba abba cadabba... I wanna reach out and grabbya"... and I would reach out and grab the person I was singing to...  :-)   I remembered my dad retelling this story of me on many accounts through my teen years and college years.  It was a story that always made him laugh and smile.

As I stood at the concert, singing along again with tears streaming down my face, as I am just days away from turning 30... it was almost as if I could see my dad looking down on me, laughing and smiling again. 

This one's for you dad:

Sue Sylvester in wax!

It was announced that a new statue will be added to Madame Tussaud's Hollywood Wax Museum... and it will be none other than Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester from Glee! Holy Gleeballs! This is amazing!

My first LIP DUB VIDEO!

I am very proud to present a project that I had the pleasure of working on at my current job.  For a staff development activity, we decided to create a lip dub video.  For those of you that are unfamiliar with lip dubs, basically it is a video recorded in one continuous shot moving through a building or area while performers lip sync to a song.  If you've never watched one...here are some YouTube links to a few of my favorites (that are much more elaborate than the one I directed):

Probably the most famous one: "I Gotta Feeling"
"We Are Golden"
"Don't Stop Believin'"
The backwards lip dub:  "You Make My Dreams Come True"

So I'm a little obsessed with these lip dubs and have always wanted to be a part of one... so I was so happy when my supervisor agreed to let me plan one for our staff.  Here is the one that I directed (and I make an appearance in!).  I'm super proud of how it turned out... and I hope you enjoy:

Starting my Christmas List early!

Check out this story!  Who ever has this idea is my new best friend... :-)

Betty White turns another page as calendar girl

Betty White is catapulting to true "it girl" status with her own calendar.

It's true. The 88-year-old actress is posing for her own 2011 calendar. Some of the photos are archival, others are Betty with animals, and more than one month features Betty posing with shirtless, beefcake-type men.

The 2011 Betty White Calendar costs $12.99 and will go on sale in September.

Royalties will go to the Morris Animal Foundation, where White serves as a trustee.

In May, White became the oldest person to host "Saturday Night Live." She's co-starring in the new TV Land original sitcom "Hot in Cleveland," which airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

Go See: Despicable Me

So about a week ago I was given the opportunity to go to the world premiere of Despicable Me here in Los Angeles.  It was a movie that I have wanted to see for a while and was so happy to see an advanced screening. 

They've been promo'ing the crap out of this movie.  I can't even remember the first time I saw one of the little yellow minions on my TV to promote this movie... but it was a while ago.  I really just hope that all the early promotion hasn't worn off and that people still go see it.

So... from my perspective, definitely check it out.  If you've got kids, bring them.  If you don't have kids, find someone else's kids and bring them.  :-)  I think the lesson that kids can take from this movie is one that would stick with them for a while.

The movie is funny.  Steve Carell does an excellent job as main guy Gru.  He's got the voice down so much that you don't even know its Steve Carell.  Quite the opposite, Russell Brand as the voice of the old scientist guy makes me bust up laughing every time he's on the screen because you can totally tell that it is Russell Brand.  It's so funny.  Besides these characters, you will fall in love with the yellow minions and with the youngest of the three girls.  They take cuteness to the next level.

Here's a clip from Yahoo of one of my favorite moments.  It's not spoiling too much because most of you have probably already seen this in the trailers... but still, I wanted to get you pumped up to go see it.  And then come back and comment on my blog!  :-)

"I Lost My Dignity On A Slippery Wiener"

Being a hardcore reality TV fan... I have been anxiously awaiting the premiere of summer's guiltiest of guilty pleasures: BIG BROTHER!  Last night was finally the first episode of the 12th season.  TWELVE!  It's hard to believe that for that many summers (oh... and that one weird winter season...) Big Brother has been bringing scandal, backstabbing and hilarity to our TV screens.

I have to admit... when I first saw the cast announced on CBS.com and had a chance to peruse their bios, I was very underwhelmed.  The cast was very... ummm... vanilla?!  The entire cast are all caucasians except for one African-American girl who is so white she makes some of the other girls look black.  I was worried that this season would be just like vanilla ice cream is... lacking flavor.

I was also worried about this season's twist: "the Saboteur".  One contestant isn't in the house to win the game and the actual prize money... instead they are there to complete missions and sabotage the other players in hopes of making it past the first five weeks of eliminations.  At that point, the Saboteur will win $50,000.  I was worried because in my head this sounded like another fantastic show from reality TV history: The Mole. 

After watching last night's first episode... I admit that I am 100% sucked back in again.  The cast didn't seem as boring and vanilla as I originally expected... and the Saboteur thing was actually presented in a way that it was much different than the Mole.  I think it will actually be a great twist.  The videos of the Saboteur that are all jumbled with the contrived deep voice are a little scary at times.  I'm sure if I was living in the house I would probably have nightmares of that image/sound combination.

So... as a loyal BB fan, I was doing my best to attempt to figure out who the Saboteur is (it will actually be revealed on next Thursday's episode).  Here are my pics for "Most Likely to be the Saboteur":

My first prediction is blonde Britney.  I think she's a good choice because people may not expect her to be the Saboteur and as Big Brother's signature trademark says: Expect the Unexpected.  I think there is a lot more to this girl that meets the eye.  And following in the footsteps of previous blonde vixens in the house like Janelle and Jordan, I think that Britney knows the game well and would be able to play the part of the Saboteur.  When she fell off the hot dog and hurt her knee last night, I really thought she was faking it... but watching it back a couple times it really did look like it was hurt, so that part confuses me.  BUT... if she really was playing up that injury to sabotage her team... it backfired because they ended up winning anyway!  I do have to say... Saboteur or not, I hope Britney stays around for a while... because with lines like "I lost my dignity on a slippery wiener" and "the gays are my people"... I can't help but love her and want to see more. 

My second prediction is Kristen.  Something about this girl shouts SABOTEUR to me.  I think she's smart... I think shes got good history of the Big Brother game... and she's got that take-no-prisoners, no-bullshit attitude that would be perfect for a saboteur.  Also... notice how she was the first one across in the hot dog game, winning $10,000.  If I was in the house as the Saboteur and knew that my end goal prize was $50,000, I would be jumping at the chance to get as much more money along the way as possible.  Also... did you hear after the lights came back on that Kristen was VERY vocal with trying to ensure everyone knew she was sitting right next to Hayden on the couch.  Very suspicious.

My last prediction for the Saboteur is Ragan.  The reason I pick him is because he seems like such a character and able to act really well... then combine that with the fact that he is already from Los Angeles... and it makes me think that maybe someone affiliated with the casting might have already known Ragan and been like "I have this GREAT guy to play the Saboteur!".  He seems sweet enough, but yet very cunning.  I feel like people would underestimate him, and not consider him as the Saboteur.  Plus... he has already lied to them about what he does and what his background is... she we know he's already working on putting up a front.  We'll see!

I could go on about so many of the other cast mates (ummm crazy Enzo... hot Brendon)... but I leave those comments for a future post.  We'll keep this one based on Saboteur speculation.  Who do you think it may be?

Emmy Nominations Announced!

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the nominees for this year's Emmy Awards this morning... and boy am I excited!  Some very fun nominees included in this group.  Here are some of my personal favorites, and who I will be rooting for this year:

 OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

My two favorite non-reality shows on television!  Its actually a tough choice to pick which one that I would rather have win.  Glee is so entertaining each week... but Modern Family makes me laugh harder than any show on television.  Honestly, a win by either would make me full of glee!

 OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Lea Michele is pretty much brilliant as Rachel Berry on Glee.  Not only does she bring the pipes, but she brings the laughs.  The real winner should be the casting agent that picked Lea up for this role because it is pitch-perfect. 

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

If there was a category for Outstanding Lead Hot Teacher You Wish You Had In High School, then Matthew Morrison would be a Schu in (pardon the bad pun).  As Mr. Schu, he really is the driving force behind this show and it would be awesome to have him recognized for his talent (and ability to shake the booty). 

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

The cast of Modern Family decided that, to be fair, they would enter themselves all in the "supporting" categories.  I do agree with this decision... as they truly are an emsemble cast... but it really makes these supporting awards in the comedy category difficult.  Although I like both Julie Bown and Sophia Vergara from Modern Family, this category is trumped by Jane Lynche as the all-powerful Sue Sylvester.  I mean... she sang "Vogue" and "Physical".  Can that be topped?

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES 

Like I said with the actresses, the actor category is filled with Modern Family castmates.  Three to be exact, which is pretty impressive.  I was quite shocked and pleased to see that Chris Colfer from Glee was nominated for his portrayal of Kurt.  Although I think he's a great character, I believe that Kurt's part of the show is almost more drama than comedy... his story is more heart-felt than gut-busting.  But... for being a young actor who was virtually unknown before Glee, major props for the nomination!  I'm so happy that both Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet were nominated for their portrayals of Mitchell and Cam from Modern Family.  When you consider Jesse, Eric and Chris together, there are three male gay characters that make up the six nomiantions in this category.  That is awesome!  And although I like to support my "family"... my favorite in this category is Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy.  He brings so much awkward humor to the Phil character that you can't help but laugh.  Ty has got the whole thing down... from the comedic timing to the physicality of his glances at the camera.  Plus... he gave me one of my favorite quotes from the past year: "WTF... Why the face?".  :-)

 

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES 

 YAY!!!  Can I just say how incredibly AWESOME it is that Betty White was nominated for her hosting duties on Saturday Night Live???  Easily the most talked about SNL episode since Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impressions, Betty really did a kick ass job.  And she's flippin' 89 years old people!  BUT... then the Emmy's had to make life difficult by throwing in Kristen Chenoweth for her performances as April Rhodes on Glee.  I can honestly say that the two episodes she was in were probably my two favorite of the whole season.  She is perfection.  The humor with the voice make her a simply perfect guest star for a show like Glee.  Honestly, this may be the toughest award for me to call because we know the Academy loves Kristen, as they awarded her for her work on Pushing Daisies even after the show was cancelled.  But Betty White is a national treasure.  Everyone loves Betty White (but not as much as I do!).  Tough, tough choice. 

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

This is another tough category.  Glee grabs another two nominations with Mike O'Malley (as Kurt's dad) and last year's Emmy host Neil Patrick Harris (as Bryan Ryan).  I LOVE that Mike O'Malley is recognized with this nomination because his role is one of the most touching of the whole season... but its more touching than comedic.  Plus... does anyone else remember Mike as the host of that Nickelodeon game show "Get the Picture"?  Awesome to see how far he's come.  NPH was indeed comedic with his take on Bryan Ryan.... I mean the "Dream On" number with him and Mr. Schu is incredible.  But... my gut tells me to go with Fred Willard for his portrayal of Phil's dad on Modern Family.  Fred was the PERFECT casting choice for Phil's dad... and having his guest appearance really brought Phil's character fll circle.  It gave us some insight into why Phil is like he is.  I laughed heartily at Fred's guest appearance on the show and I would love to see him get recognized. 

OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY COMPETITION SERIES

It's no surprise that I loves me some reality TV.  And I really do like many of the shows and hosts also nominated in this category (Ryan for Idol... Heidi for Project Runway...), but for me it comes down to a mono-a-mono matchup between Jeff Probst from Survivor and Phil Keoghan from the Amazing Race.  In the two years that this award has been in existence, Jeff has been the sole survivor... but The Amazing Race is the perrennial favorite Reality Compeition Series (I think its won like 6 or 7 years in a row now!).  The last two seasons of The Amazing Race have spotlighted Phil more... so I could see him pulling out a win.  We'll see what happens once the tribe has spoken!

 OUTSTANDING REALITY COMPETITION SERIES

Now... in the race for this year's Reality Competition Series... there was a clear snub of Survivor!  Especially considering the Heroes Vs. Villians season that just finished.  That was EASILY in the top 3 seasons of Survivor ever... and we are on 20 seasons now!  Yet... Project Runway, which has a pretty tattered and torn season (especially since changing networks to Lifetime) got a nomination.  I'm really confused over that.  Can I just say... I wish one of these years that "The Biggest Loser" would get a Reality Competition Series nod.  That show changes lives not only in the contestants but the people that watch the show.  It deserves some recognition, and has never been nominated.  Nonetheless, the rest of the nominees in the category include American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Amazing Race and Top Chef.  I smell an Amazing Race win yet again. 

 OUTSTANDING REALITY SERIES

Now also... another one of my favorite shows is "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List".  She is just so funny and her show is genius.  Kathy recieved yet another nomination for this show in the Outstanding Reality Show category. BUT... the surprise here is that two other previous winners and favorites in this category were not nominated!  Both "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and "Intervention" (last year's winner) were snubbed.  Hopefully this means that Kathy is primed and ready to move up to the Emmy A-List and grab another trophy!  And if not... suck it Emmy's! 

In other Emmy news... critic favorite Friday Night Lights got nominations in both the Lead Actor and Lead Actress Drama category.  I haven't watched the show since the first season, but it has never really been recognized over the years with the exception of a small fan base and several critics who say what a great show it is.  Cool that even this late in its run that it could pull nominations in thos two big categories.  ALSO... the "oooooh... BURN!" moment of the Emmy noms was the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien being nominated for Outstanding Varient, Music or Comedy Series.  Not with Jay Leno... but with Conan.  Mind you, the Tonight Show with any host has been nominated in this category for the last bazillions years.  But still... for Jay, that's gotta sting a bit. 

So there's my take.  Any of your faves that you want to share?