Wednesday, May 21, 2008

America Sucks A Lot


So, as most of you know I have been a very avid David Archuleta fan on this season of American Idol. To be honest, I haven't really liked American Idol in the past. I liked Blake Lewis a little bit, but he's such a douche bag I kind of gave up on him. Carrie Underwood was awesome when she won. Other than that, I haven't been emotionally invested in the show at all. That is until this season.

Tonight, David Cook was named the new American Idol. Cool. Did you know that he already has been signed to a record company and has an album you can buy? Go to Amazon.com and buy it! You can also buy Brooke White's 2006 album here, as well as Kristy Lee Cook's 2005 album that Ren-Hen Records put millions of dollars in to and sold like 900 copies -- here. Not cool. I had a big problem with the show letting formerly signed artists on the show. It's not fair to the people that are trying to be discovered...like my good friend David Archuleta.

Further annoying me was that Simon was doing a media tour promoting David Cook. He didn't do this until Carrie Underwood's season, and it's paid off for the winning contestant. Let America decide on talent not what Simon says.

Anyway, I am not MAJORLY upset about tonight's results. I was in a bit of a shock because all three judges (to whom America listens) said Archuleta won all 3 rounds of singing last night. David Cook gets on stage and says, "Why would I do something I've already done?" and then start crying. BOOM you've got the sympathy votes.

Further adding to my frustration with David Cook...all of his "original renditions" of his songs were actually covers. Remember "Billie Jean?" Look up Chris Cornell's version of it on iTunes. I believe it's actually in the same key as well! HOW ORIGINAL!

I know Archuleta lacked some pizazz, but what he lacked in pizazz, he made up for in raw talent. His voice in unmatched, and no matter who you are (including the haters that love to play devil's advocate with me..aka Mason DeWitt), you can't deny that Archuleta has a phenomenal voice, and tore it up last night during the singing show.

At the end of the day, Archuleta is going to have a record deal, if he doesn't already. We'll hear from him again. I just wanted to see this kid's face light up because he is such an amazing talent, and I'm pissed that I didn't get to see it.

Tell me what you think.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Back To Italy 2008!














Guess what bbs????

I'm going back to Italy! I was waiting for the final confirmations before I started telling people, so now that I know for sure, here it is!

As most of you know, I taught in Milano in 2006. Well, this year I am going to be in ROMA! ! ! !

I am so ecstatic! So here are the deets of my schedule:

June 2: Pittsburgh to JFK; JFK to Nice, France
June 3: Nice, France to San Remo, Italy for a 4 day training. (Keep in mind the 4 day training is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, CHECK IT OUT HERE!!!!)

June 8: Leave from San Remo to Rome, Italy!
June 9 - 21: Teaching as a tutor at a as yet to be determined school in Rome.

Now, I am going to be traveling June 21 - 27 but am still figuring out the details.

What I do know is that my return flight is June 27...OUT OF MILAN! This means that I am going to be able to visit Rachel who will also be teaching in Milan the same time I am, but I will also get to meet up with the people with whom I worked in 2006! Luca, Edoardo, and Flavia...here I come!

I am so excited and will finish my details later! YAY!

Monday, May 12, 2008

Listen to Hard Candy

Okay so now that I have had time to fully experience Madonna's 11th studio album Hard Candy, I have to say that it is a great dance/hip-hop album. I have a lot of friends that have been hard core Madonna fans. One of them hates it, and the rest love it.

At first I didn't really like the album. I thought it sounded REALLY weird for a Madonna album. But, after I listened to it a few more times I really got in to it. This happens to me with a lot of pop records for some reason. The same thing happened with Danity Kane and Mariah Carey's latest stuff.

Some of the songs that stand out are "Miles Away," "Give It 2 Me" and "She's Not Me." The song "Spanish Lesson" is really out of place and sounds nothing like the rest of the album. "Dance 2night" reminds me of the Beegees which is not a good thing.

At first, I thought the album sounded like a mix of Nelly Furtado and Gwen Stefani. Not realizing that both Nelly and Gwen worked with Pharell who worked on this album. Rolling Stone got it right when they said that Pharell and Timbaland were once the people to work with, but they aren't growing as artists. People can spot a Pharell or Timbaland song now without even thinking about it. What was once new and fresh is now getting old and repetitive.

Anyway, it is what it is. Turns out I love the record, though it is nothing like her previous albums in any way. Confessions remains my favorite Madonna album of all time.