I admit that I have an addictive personality. When I like something, I spend a lot of time talking about it, reading about, etc. You would not believe the unnecessary stuff that I know about The Lord of the Rings movies, David Justice, the Atlanta Braves, Stephen King, David Morse, The Great Gatsby, Denzel Washington, Orlando Bloom, Tony Gonzalez, but I digress. I'm not a stalker, because that would actually require work, and I am too vain to actually do that, because...lazy...
Anyway, I have this really bad habit of listening to songs on a loop. Most people will listen to a song a couple of times and then move on. Not me. I can literally listen to the same song for an hour, and it will not bother me in the least. Students who have had the misfortune of spending detention with me will testify to listening to "O, Fortuna" and "Danse Macbre" over and over. I love the songs; them not so much.
Tonight's post is about 10 songs that I have often listened to on a repetitive loop, much to the chagrin of my family and friends. Yeah, these are also songs you have probably seen me singing at the top of my lungs in my car, too.
#1-"We Belong" by Pat Benatar. There is barely a day that goes by that I don't listen to this song. I don't have a favorite song, per se, but if I did this one would be right at the top of the list. I can and do listen to the song ad nauseam. It's in my car, on my MP3, on my computer, my iPad, my iPhone, my work computer. Any time I want to hear it, it's there to bring me joy. Besides, Pat Benetar has a great voice, and damn, Will Ferrell for putting it in that scene from Ricky Bobby.
#2-"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. I love, love, love, love this song!! I played it so much in high school that my grandmother put a ban on it in her house. Every other day, I play it during my off period at work, because it just speeds up tasks.
#3-"River of Dreams" by Billy Joel. I fell in love with the song in college, and it is on my work computer. When ever I hit my rock playlist, it is always the first song I play.
#4-"Oh, No" by the Commodores. The Commodores have always been one of my favorite groups. This Lionel Richie led song found its way on practically every mixtape I made from 1990-now. One, because it so short, it always fit in that extra space at the end of the tape, and two, it's just a simple but beautiful song. FYI, it was on the end of a cd I was listening to this morning going to work. I played it about 4 times before I made it to work.
#5-"Sail On" by the Commodores. Told you they were one of my favorites. Even though this is a break-up song, it just has this positive beat, as the narrator tells the former flame he's looking for a good time.
#6-"Shake it Out" by Florence and the Machine. I first heard this song by accident channeling the tv one morning and landing on VH1. Whenever I find myself in a bad mood, I crank this song up to the top of the volume and shake the devil off with my loudest voice.
#7-"By Your Side" by Sade. This is probably one of my favorite love songs. I listen to this song to mellow out. I just listen to her, sing a little too loud, and sway.
#8-"Take me to Church" by Hozier. You like it; you hate it. I don't care, because I absolutely love this song. From the background instrumentals to the singer's voice. I could listen to this song all day.
#9-"Keep the Faith" by Michael Jackson. This is my favorite Michael Jackson song. It's from the Dangerous album. This is really one of those stand up and sing praise songs. It's an inspirational piece that makes you believe that you can get through any problem big or small.
#10-"No Rain" by Blind Melon. I pretty certain Shannon Hoon was referring to himself when writing these lyrics, but no song describes me better than "No Rain." If life had a theme song, this would be mine. Playing in the background as I walk the halls, teach my class, brush my teeth...I find myself humming the song often. Sure, my life is pretty plain, but always interesting...
Until next time, "All I can say is that my life is pretty plain, You don't like my point of view,
You think I'm insane, It's not sane, it's not sane."-Blind Melon
Showing posts with label Michael Jackson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Jackson. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Why I will be called a Hater for this Post...
Welcome back, everybody! Well, football season...is over...there are 208 days until there will be another meaningful game will be played. Sigh...Congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens. Enjoy your reign...Kansas City Chiefs...You are now on the clock!
After the game, my students had two questions for me, "Who did I want to win?" (49ers) and "What did I think about Beyoncé?" (Good show) They asked me why I hated Beyoncé. How do you get that from "good show"? They weren't around to see Michael Jackson's and half are too young to appreciate Prince. Here is a fact Beyoncé is a tremendous entertainer. She is a great dancer, a talented singer, and a beautiful woman. That said. I'm not a Beyoncé stan/fan/whatever. It has nothing to do with the performance. Nothing to do with the fact that she named her daughter after a plant. Nothing to do with the fact that I will never look as good as she does, but then again who can?
After the game, my students had two questions for me, "Who did I want to win?" (49ers) and "What did I think about Beyoncé?" (Good show) They asked me why I hated Beyoncé. How do you get that from "good show"? They weren't around to see Michael Jackson's and half are too young to appreciate Prince. Here is a fact Beyoncé is a tremendous entertainer. She is a great dancer, a talented singer, and a beautiful woman. That said. I'm not a Beyoncé stan/fan/whatever. It has nothing to do with the performance. Nothing to do with the fact that she named her daughter after a plant. Nothing to do with the fact that I will never look as good as she does, but then again who can?
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Michael Jackson Tribute, Part 2
Let's be real. Michael Jackson didn't create the music video, but like Tony Gonzalez at tight end, he revolutionized the video and made it what it is today. (yeah,I went there. My blog...LOL) Sorry, Beyonce, Gaga, Katy, Justin, Rihanna, and Kanye..."Often imitated but never duplicated." Y'all will never be Michael. I don't even watch music videos any more. I always liked the cameos, too. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Iman, Joe Pesci, Marlon Brando, Naomi Campbell, Macaulay Culkin, he could get anybody to do his video. Not to mention people who received instant boosts in the business by appearing in them like Wesley Snipes, Stoney Jackson, Michael Delorenzo. These may not be the best MJ videos, but these are my favorite. By the way, there is little overlap between my favorite songs and favorite videos.
Michael Jackson Tribute, Part 1
Michael Jackson passed away 2 years ago today, and whether you liked him personally or not, I don't know how you could seeing as though very few people all actually had an opportunity to know him. Regardless, the man left us a vast catalog of music that will inspire generations of musicians to come. Pundits will debate forever and a day about what are his best works. I leave that to them. These are not his best works or even his biggest hits. These are my favorites. The ones I listen to over and over again...Enjoy...
Thursday, June 16, 2011
My Top Ten Celebrity Crushes...
Since I'm celebrating my blogs 2nd birthday, I've decided that I don't want to be serious this week. I want to have a little fun. So, here's the first of my two top tens this week. My top ten crushes. We've all had crushes on celebrities, and if you say that you didn't you sir or miss are a liar. We've all had them, and often, we have come to regret them with that inevitable, what the hell was I thinking. Some are drop dead gorgeous; others are just plain weird. They are actors, athletes, and singers. Some of these guys I still kinda hold a torch for; others have been voted off the island. Without further ado here are my top ten crushes, how they won my little black heart....Feel free to openly mock me...
Monday, July 6, 2009
Two More Fallen Heroes
I know that recently I had stated that I would not write articles that were too serious because I need a place that I could just write about the fun things. Not today. In two weeks time, two men that I admired have fallen, and I feel the need to say a little something about both.
The first was Michael Jackson. My cousin Ann was the first person to introduce me to Michael Jackson. She literally had an entire wall of her room from the ceiling to the floor covered with Michael Jackson posters, photos, and other memorabilia. At first, I wasn't that impressed. Mostly because I was 5. In March 1983, I can remember sitting with my cousin, grandmother and aunts, waiting anxiously to see the Jacksons. I can remember the exact moment I fell in love with Michael Jackson. When he Moonwalked across the stage, my heart belonged to Michael. I would tell anyone who would listen that I was going to be Mrs. Michael Jackson. My sister and I had matching Michael Jackson t-shirts, buttons, belts, gloves-I even had a Michael Jackson trapper keeper. I didn't have to by "Thriller" my cousin actually gave me her cassette. We would anxiously gather the tv to see the premeire of each new Michael Jackson video.
The first album I bought with my own money was Bad. It wasn't as good as Thriller, nor Off the Wall, but I didn't care. It was Michael Jackson, and after the "Smooth Criminal" video, I loved him even more. It was around the time of the "Leave me alone" video, that I began to find new crushes (Jr. High-go figure). George Michael (I was in Jr. High, and I did not know that gay did not just mean "happy."), Jon Bon Jovi, Denzel Washington, Phillip Michael Thomas (I was a weird child), Rod Woodson, Derrick Thomas (not so much a crush, as I liked to watch him crush people), Barry Word, you get the picture. To be honest with you, the Michael Jackson I was "in love" with disappeared with the Bad Album. He was starting to change dramatically.
The first time I saw the video to "Black or White," I'll admit that was my first thought about Michael himself. Then, came the allegations of child molestation, and I felt like a part of my childhood was ripped away from me. I am not at all embarrassed to say that I was very naive about a lot of things. Even today, like many of his fans, I find them hard to believe. Why you say? He paid the kid off. As a teacher, I have read many articles and watched many documentaries about pedophiles to try to see signs of abuse. I find it difficult to believe that a guy who was constantly surrounded by children would abuse one child for the first time when he is in his 30's, and then is able to control the tendencies for another 12 years before he touches another. Did he or didn't he? I don't know. I wasn't there, and with so many lies on both sides, no one but he and his victims will ever know the truth. About 5 years ago, around the 20th anniversary of Thriller, I bought updated versions of all of Michael's albums. All except Invinsible. I can't make myself like that album. The crush was long gone, but I still loved the music.
I am absolutely in love now with Twitter, so as usual, I was perusing my page when I saw the first Tweet about the death of Michael Jackson. It felt as if my heart had jumped into my throat. I couldn't believe it. I started googling, yahooing, and binging trying to find more information. I told my aunt, the same one who watched that special with me all those years ago, and she was devastated. He was only a year older than she. We watched hoping he was just sick, then slowly accepting that he was gone. I don't know how other people will remember Michael Jackson, and quite frankly, I don't care. Here was a kid who only wanted to make people happy who grew into a man who really didn't love himself. Many people blame his father, his mother, his handlers. I blame us. We the public built him up, and we the public tried to knock him down. He was never the same. If you ask me, I think he died a long time ago, and his body just finally gave out. If you hate him, that's fine you are entitled to your opinion, but don't poo-poo those of us who chose to admire the musician, the entertainer, and humanitarian and sympathize for a lost genius.
A little over a week later, my sister is checking her Facebook page and reads that Steve McNair was dead. The very idea was unbelievable. He was so young, I thought. Then, came the news of how he died. "Crazy, just crazy" was all I could say. I first heard about Steve "Air" McNair from my uncle who is a sports fanatic. The only crazier fan in the family is me. My uncle would travel to Lorman for every Alcorn State University home game. At the time, I like another purple and gold team-LSU (big Shaq fan). I wasn't that impressed with McNair the first time I saw him. It wasn't until he was drafted into the NFL that I became impressed with McNair. My uncle instantly became an Oilers fan, later a Titans fan actually travelling to see them play. I liked McNair because like Jerry Rice, he was ours. Let's be realistic here for a moment, I am from Mississippi. Most white football fans in Mississippi are diehard Farve fans, while the Black fans, are McNairs. I went to college in Hattiesburg (Farveland), and I never truly liked Farve, not because he was white, but because he went to USM and played for Green Bay.
I would watch Steve McNair play on Sundays many times astonished at this guy who was being held together by tape and rubber bands. I cannot say I was a diehard fan, but I did admire him. The only bad thing I can remember saying about him is that "The only fault I find in Steve McNair is that when he gives an interview, you can tell he is from Mount Olive, Mississippi." Don't worry I have the same problem with Favre. Even though not call myself a McNair fan (I love the Chiefs, and I was just starting to get over Joe Montana's retirement.), I still liked to watch and would root for McNair, because he always seemed to be the local game in our market. He was talented athlete and a descent person, especially during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and with the young children with his camps here in Mississippi and Nashville.
When we heard of his death, I was shocked. My uncle looked like he had lost his best friend. He seemed to walk in slow motion as we all gathered around the tv to "say it isn't so." But, it was, and the circumstances were worse than we could imagine. Shot dead with a woman who was not his wife. I felt sick to my stomach the rest of the night. My Fourth of July essentially ended when, the confirmation came from CNN. Each day since the news seems to be worse. Worse still are reading some of the comments written about him. What he did was morally wrong, and I do not agree with it. But, no one deserves to die for cheating on his wife. No one.
Here's my final word. No one in this world is perfect. No one. Not you, not me. Today, millions of people are going to gather in LA and in front of televisions around the world to say goodbye to Michael Jackson-the amazing thing is seeing children in war torn countries dancing to Jackson's music-united in music. A few days later, thousands will pay their respects to Steve McNair. I'm using my blog today to say thanks to both. Michael Jackson was the soundtrack to my childhood; Steve McNair was a fellow Mississippian who made good. I choose to remember all the good they have brought into this world, not just on the stage or the field, but to those who could not help themselves-the meek, the weak, the sick, and the displaced. I won't forget the negatives, the media will not let us. I choose not to judge these men on their flaws, which we all have. Both became lost somewhere along the way; they both played until their bodies gave out. Both died tragically, albeit one more violently. Both leave behind children and family members who will never truly understand the circumstances into which they have now been placed. May God Bless them all. Rest in peace, Michael and Steve from a grateful fan, Diana.
The first was Michael Jackson. My cousin Ann was the first person to introduce me to Michael Jackson. She literally had an entire wall of her room from the ceiling to the floor covered with Michael Jackson posters, photos, and other memorabilia. At first, I wasn't that impressed. Mostly because I was 5. In March 1983, I can remember sitting with my cousin, grandmother and aunts, waiting anxiously to see the Jacksons. I can remember the exact moment I fell in love with Michael Jackson. When he Moonwalked across the stage, my heart belonged to Michael. I would tell anyone who would listen that I was going to be Mrs. Michael Jackson. My sister and I had matching Michael Jackson t-shirts, buttons, belts, gloves-I even had a Michael Jackson trapper keeper. I didn't have to by "Thriller" my cousin actually gave me her cassette. We would anxiously gather the tv to see the premeire of each new Michael Jackson video.
The first album I bought with my own money was Bad. It wasn't as good as Thriller, nor Off the Wall, but I didn't care. It was Michael Jackson, and after the "Smooth Criminal" video, I loved him even more. It was around the time of the "Leave me alone" video, that I began to find new crushes (Jr. High-go figure). George Michael (I was in Jr. High, and I did not know that gay did not just mean "happy."), Jon Bon Jovi, Denzel Washington, Phillip Michael Thomas (I was a weird child), Rod Woodson, Derrick Thomas (not so much a crush, as I liked to watch him crush people), Barry Word, you get the picture. To be honest with you, the Michael Jackson I was "in love" with disappeared with the Bad Album. He was starting to change dramatically.
The first time I saw the video to "Black or White," I'll admit that was my first thought about Michael himself. Then, came the allegations of child molestation, and I felt like a part of my childhood was ripped away from me. I am not at all embarrassed to say that I was very naive about a lot of things. Even today, like many of his fans, I find them hard to believe. Why you say? He paid the kid off. As a teacher, I have read many articles and watched many documentaries about pedophiles to try to see signs of abuse. I find it difficult to believe that a guy who was constantly surrounded by children would abuse one child for the first time when he is in his 30's, and then is able to control the tendencies for another 12 years before he touches another. Did he or didn't he? I don't know. I wasn't there, and with so many lies on both sides, no one but he and his victims will ever know the truth. About 5 years ago, around the 20th anniversary of Thriller, I bought updated versions of all of Michael's albums. All except Invinsible. I can't make myself like that album. The crush was long gone, but I still loved the music.
I am absolutely in love now with Twitter, so as usual, I was perusing my page when I saw the first Tweet about the death of Michael Jackson. It felt as if my heart had jumped into my throat. I couldn't believe it. I started googling, yahooing, and binging trying to find more information. I told my aunt, the same one who watched that special with me all those years ago, and she was devastated. He was only a year older than she. We watched hoping he was just sick, then slowly accepting that he was gone. I don't know how other people will remember Michael Jackson, and quite frankly, I don't care. Here was a kid who only wanted to make people happy who grew into a man who really didn't love himself. Many people blame his father, his mother, his handlers. I blame us. We the public built him up, and we the public tried to knock him down. He was never the same. If you ask me, I think he died a long time ago, and his body just finally gave out. If you hate him, that's fine you are entitled to your opinion, but don't poo-poo those of us who chose to admire the musician, the entertainer, and humanitarian and sympathize for a lost genius.
A little over a week later, my sister is checking her Facebook page and reads that Steve McNair was dead. The very idea was unbelievable. He was so young, I thought. Then, came the news of how he died. "Crazy, just crazy" was all I could say. I first heard about Steve "Air" McNair from my uncle who is a sports fanatic. The only crazier fan in the family is me. My uncle would travel to Lorman for every Alcorn State University home game. At the time, I like another purple and gold team-LSU (big Shaq fan). I wasn't that impressed with McNair the first time I saw him. It wasn't until he was drafted into the NFL that I became impressed with McNair. My uncle instantly became an Oilers fan, later a Titans fan actually travelling to see them play. I liked McNair because like Jerry Rice, he was ours. Let's be realistic here for a moment, I am from Mississippi. Most white football fans in Mississippi are diehard Farve fans, while the Black fans, are McNairs. I went to college in Hattiesburg (Farveland), and I never truly liked Farve, not because he was white, but because he went to USM and played for Green Bay.
I would watch Steve McNair play on Sundays many times astonished at this guy who was being held together by tape and rubber bands. I cannot say I was a diehard fan, but I did admire him. The only bad thing I can remember saying about him is that "The only fault I find in Steve McNair is that when he gives an interview, you can tell he is from Mount Olive, Mississippi." Don't worry I have the same problem with Favre. Even though not call myself a McNair fan (I love the Chiefs, and I was just starting to get over Joe Montana's retirement.), I still liked to watch and would root for McNair, because he always seemed to be the local game in our market. He was talented athlete and a descent person, especially during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and with the young children with his camps here in Mississippi and Nashville.
When we heard of his death, I was shocked. My uncle looked like he had lost his best friend. He seemed to walk in slow motion as we all gathered around the tv to "say it isn't so." But, it was, and the circumstances were worse than we could imagine. Shot dead with a woman who was not his wife. I felt sick to my stomach the rest of the night. My Fourth of July essentially ended when, the confirmation came from CNN. Each day since the news seems to be worse. Worse still are reading some of the comments written about him. What he did was morally wrong, and I do not agree with it. But, no one deserves to die for cheating on his wife. No one.
Here's my final word. No one in this world is perfect. No one. Not you, not me. Today, millions of people are going to gather in LA and in front of televisions around the world to say goodbye to Michael Jackson-the amazing thing is seeing children in war torn countries dancing to Jackson's music-united in music. A few days later, thousands will pay their respects to Steve McNair. I'm using my blog today to say thanks to both. Michael Jackson was the soundtrack to my childhood; Steve McNair was a fellow Mississippian who made good. I choose to remember all the good they have brought into this world, not just on the stage or the field, but to those who could not help themselves-the meek, the weak, the sick, and the displaced. I won't forget the negatives, the media will not let us. I choose not to judge these men on their flaws, which we all have. Both became lost somewhere along the way; they both played until their bodies gave out. Both died tragically, albeit one more violently. Both leave behind children and family members who will never truly understand the circumstances into which they have now been placed. May God Bless them all. Rest in peace, Michael and Steve from a grateful fan, Diana.
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