Haters Gonna Hate

Yup, they are. Obviously, I knew this. But I came across this article today that listed a bunch of bands that had supposedly terrible hair. Some of them were pretty terrible, but most of them weren't that bad! And some of my favorite bands were on there. Like The Maine and Tokio Hotel. They don't have terrible hair. What really gets to me is that the author of the article also claims that they lack talent as well. And this, in my opinion, is woefully untrue. Then again, I'm biased because I adore Tokio Hotel, but whatever. That's not the point. I get so tired of people making fun of bands like this. I know it's ridiculous, and they don't even notice, but still. There are people who like them, whether or not they are teenagers. Who are you to judge whether or not they have talent. Musical talent is in the eye of the beholder. Your screamo Metal music (for that is what they were fans of, sad to say) is disgusting and talentless to a lot of people, and not just

over made up tween girls at the shows wearing concert safe studded belts and wristbands.

School is Approaching + Taylor Swift

Yup, that's right. It is. Next Wednesday, I go back to school. This means a variety of things. It means there will be more writing that I will be posting here, rather than just news and stuff. It also means (hopefully), more book reviews. And there are also times where I could be so busy that I just cannot post something, not that this at all qualifies as "something." And not that anyone cares.

Anyway, Taylor Swift's video to Mine, her new single off her new album Speak Now, came out out a few days ago. I tried to embed a video, but I couldn't figure out how, so you should look it up. It's quite a cute video, but it's another love story fantasy, if you pay attention to the end, and I think she should give those up.

A Closer Look at Frustration

Yes, we all get frustrated. Everyone does it. We get angry, we think everyone's out to get us, blah blah blah. But this is getting ridiculous. Every single time you do anything to clean in this house, you end up screaming at me. Or, in this case, screaming at me and flinging water all over the kitchen because you're angry you fucked up.

When you're home all day doing nothing, it's expected that you do something. Sure, we maybe should help more, BUT WE DO THINGS ALL DAY! We work, we visit friends, we do homework, we have a life. You don't. So, naturally, you should be the one doing the things that need doing. But if makes you angry every single time, then make someone else do it. Don't take it out on everyone else. It's not fair.

And try to think about words before they leave your mouth. Everyone always says "sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me." It's a lie. They do hurt. A lot. And I'm sick of being told to "buck up" and "don't take it personally." It is personal. And it hurts. And no number of shields will stop that.

That was all very random and not at all eloquent. Full of nonsequitors, but I needed to get it out. I'm also sorry it took my so long to update. It was a combination of being busy, tired, and not having anything to say.

AMA Performance

I'm a bit late to be blogging on this (considering the performance was at the 2009 AMA's), but to be fair, I just found out about it a few days ago and just got around to looking up tonight. Super late at night, to be exact. Or early. Either way, I should be sleeping. But that's besides the point.

To anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about (which is probably all of you), Adam Lambert performed at the American Music Awards (AMA's), which aired on ABC. He was performing For Your Entertainment, as it was (I believe) a day or two before the release of his album, and he hadn't released any other singles. But again, so far off topic. It was the content of the performance that mattered.

You see, the performance was incredibly controversial, considering it aired on ABC, a family television network. The theme was obviously S&M, with the start of the choreography involving Adam holding two men on a leash and shoving one of their faces into his crotch in an act of fake fellatio. And while that did get a few raised eyebrows, it was something else entirely that got the outcry. You see, somewhere towards the end of his performance, Adam shares one scorching kiss with his keyboardist, Tommy Ratcliff. On live television.

You want to see it? So did I. Here's the link. That is the link to the entire performance. Pay attention if you want to see the make-out. I missed it the first time I watched it. And the bleeped out words are ABC censoring him.

Anyway, the outcry. I think this is where Adam Lambert is building his niche, and it's believable, whether there is feeling behind that kiss or not. He's not the first musician to give a fan-service like that and make-out with a member of his band on stage. In fact, the band Cinema Bizarre did it on many occasions. And because of the nature of the song, you have to expect a risque performance. If Lady Gaga grabbed on of her band members and gave them a kiss like that, people probably wouldn't blink. They didn't blink when she had faux-sex in her Alejandro video. Because it's expected.

It's expected from Adam too. Or at least it should be. He is just as wild, just as risque, and just as into the theatrical performances as she is. He has a strong background in theater (as can be seen from his clips on youtube as Fiyero from Wicked), and anyone who expects him to perform has to expect a bad ass stage presence. I genuinely believe that thousands of teenage girls (possibly including me) cream their pants when they watch any performance from Adam Lambert, but that's besides the point. From his first music video (For Your Entertainment) he did the leather, glam, glitter, and whips type of performances, and that's just who he is. If you want a subdued performer, someone with a gentler stage presence, hire Taylor Swift. But don't expect Adam Lambert, or Glambert as people like to call him, to tone it down.

Pimpage

Okay, for today's post, I am pimping out a blog that I recently discovered. It's a photoblog, and it documents pictures taken of Brooklyn.

Here is the linkety

I urge you all to check it out. The photos are absolutely gorgeous, breathtaking. And it is definitely not the image anyone has of Brooklyn.

Arguing With Idiots

Oh. My. God.

In the first, like, paragraph, this person mixes up the terms libertarian and liberal, and when I called him out on it, he claimed they were interchangeable. He also stated a bunch of claims about how horrible illegal immigrants are for the country (common complaints), but that's not the worst of it. If you really want to see him display his idiocy, try reading the resulting discussion.

In his later comments, he claims (among other things) that America was planning on getting rid of the 4th amendment (they are not, of course; they are thinking about changing the 14th amendment), that America had one of the strictest immigration policies in the world (don't make me laugh; try immigrating to Iceland or Bermuda), and that anyone who doesn't have health insurance is probably "an illegal and shouldn't be there anyway."

The person claims to have a "rags to riches" story, saying he is under thirty, owns two businesses, has a good house in a yuppie neighborhood and a sports car. I wonder who bought all of that? It's not really making me angry or anything, it just boggles my mind and sends me reeling to know exactly how oblivious this person is.

lyk OMG

So, I work at a movie theater. Tonight, there was a problem with some texters in one of our busiest shows, The Expendables. They were talked to multiple times before the manager had to go in and ask them to leave. It boggles my mind what people will do in a theater.

You spent money to see this movie, you took time out of your day to come to the theater, purchase a ticket, and watch a movie. But instead of watching the movie you spent nine dollars to watch, you choose to text throughout the whole thing? I don't get it. Not only is common courtesy because there are people around you who you are distracting with your phone light, it is also against the rules and can get you kicked out of the theater all together. Why bother? Why not just enjoy the movie? And if you hate it that much, then leave and go do something you are actually going to enjoy rather than wasting everyone's time (your's, the people around you, the employees who have to go warn you multiple times.)

And then there's making out. I know it's a cliche that, to an extent, everyone wants to partake in, but it's distracting and gross and pointless. Again, you paid money to watch this movie, the people around paid money to watch the movie, instead of enjoying it, you are just indulging in PDA. You could have spent no money and done that at home. It's distracting (I should know, I watched Alice in Wonderland with two people next to me making out) and disgusting and a waste of your time.

But mostly, the texting bugs me. Not just in a movie theater, but everywhere. At the dinner table, in the movie theater, in the middle of a conversation with someone, at work. I mean, really. Can't you unplug yourself for five minutes? I have seen people sitting right next to each other in the living room, texting EACH OTHER. Does that make any sense to anyone?

No, me either.

On the Bridge of Adulthood

GAH!

I'm dealing with the last three weeks of summer and I have so much homework. I'm worried and stressed and concerned about how I'm going to handle everything I have to do in my senior year. I want to write more, but there really isn't much else to say.

Sometimes, I think crossing the bridge of adolescence (high school) to adulthood (college and a job) is harder than actually living an adolescent or adult life.

Guinness Record

Breaking a world record in order to make a political point. What an idea. My sister and her girlfriend brought this to my attention today, and I immediately had to go look up the interview and their website to check it out.

Bobby and Matty, two college students from New Jersey, both of them GLBTQ rights activists, are planning on breaking the Guinness World Record for longest kiss. Together, in an effort of youth and student activism (something important these days) and "in support of equal rights for every individual regardless of sexual orientation or gender," according to their website. They claim that, when it comes to prejudice and discrimination, "it's time to put down our words and demonstrate otherwise."

I have to say, I support this all the way. I just wish I could be there, watching them, for at least part of it. I hope to got they succeed. I think it's such a great idea to use something like breaking a world record to make a political point. It's a great way to demonstrate activism. And just in time for Prop 8 to be finished.

If you want to check out their website, follow this link. There is also an interview with them about everything from the application and approval process of the Guinness World Record people to how Bobby's boyfriend feels about him kissing someone else for 33 hours. The link is here.

Review: Secondhand Serenade Concert

I went to a Secondhand Serenade concert last night, and let me tell you, it was pretty damn awesome. Beyond the aching feet (I went there straight from work) and the fact that I hadn't seen my house since that morning, and the fact that I was exhausted and penniless, it was one of the best concerts I've ever been at.

The best part was, I have to say, the fact that every band came out and signed things. They were obviously so grateful to the fans for being there, and everyone was totally willing to interact with the people who'd bought a ticket to their concert. One of the people from the second band that played actually insisted on taking a picture of everyone who asked him for one. The guy wanted a picture of every fan who cared enough to talk to him. That's gratitude. The first band came out and peddled their albums for five dollars apiece. One of the guitarists from Secondhand Serenade talked to me about which part of Boston the band had gotten attacked in (more on that later), and none of them made us wait an hour for them to come out. I got a signature from everyone from all of the bands except the keyboardist from Secondhand Serenade.

It was also nice when the title band (Secondhand Serenade) came out and started singing some of the songs off their old album. They're so easy to learn, everyone in the audience knew the words. I felt like the bands interacted with the audience far more than at any other concert I've been to. It was far less planned and rehearsed. The energy was definitely still there, but because of the nature of the music, there wasn't so much pushing and shoving that those towards the front felt uncomfortable and squashed. In fact, those towards the front offered to take pictures for those who weren't as close.

Of course, the title band did suffer obstacle to getting there. In Boston, the last city they stopped in before Burlington, they were attacked in the theater district of all places, and spent the better part of the night in the ER. It was heartbreaking to see their injuries, especially after they assured us that they could not skip their concert, regardless of how broken their faces were.

All in all, a combination of awesome music, awesome bands full of awesome people, and an awesome audience that awesome interaction made for a really unforgettable night.

Gaming Rights

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Schwarzenegger vs. EMA case this year. This case deals with video games and how they relate to the rights ensured in the First Amendment.

If they agree with what the lower courts have decreed, video games would continue to be considered protected under the first amendment rights of free speech and protected speech, just like books, movies and music. If they disagreed, they would be considered special. This would open the door to laws and bills curtailing access to certain video games in certain states. [source]

Apparently, the case is based on an argument deciding whether a particular law passed in California violates the First Amendment. The law decreed that certain video games depicted particularly brutal, cruel, or heinous violence would be restricted to those over the age of eighteen. The California Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional. [source]

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this. I mean, admittedly, it is restricting distribution of these video games to my friends, who are the people who play them most. Young people. But on the other hand, if your under seventeen, you can't watch that sort of violence in a movie theater without parental consent, it is restricted to you. Sex in the media is restricted until you are eighteen. Why should the same standards not be held for video games? My sister was exposed to extreme video game violence in Grand Theft Auto at the age of ten. Is this sort of thing healthy for kids? Then again, I despise most forms of censorship.

Give me your thoughts.

Prop 8...

...has been called unconstitutional by the California federal courts on the basis of the Fourteenth Amendment, the due process and equal protection clauses. The plaintiffs claimed that Prop 8 "unconstitutionally burdens the exercise of the fundamental right to marry and creates an irrational classification on the basis of sexual orientation," according the judge. In the end, the judge decided that Prop 8 "fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license," and was therefore unconstitutional.

Apparently, both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa agreed with the judge and praised him for having the courage to stand up for the Constitution.

Of course, they are going to be appealing this decision. Hopefully, it goes to the United States Supreme Court and they are forced to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (which is, as I have said before, unconstitutional.) This is a huge success for gay couples in California and rest of the country and it is long overdue.

By the way, I got all my information from this article.

MTV VMA Nomination Outrage

By this point, I know for a fact that any award show hosted by MTV is a complete joke. Just look at their move awards? We all know that MTV loves a sweep, as can be seen from the way the Twilight Saga movies always take all of the MTV Movie Awards they are nominated for, even when they most definitely don't deserve it. But the nominations for the MTV VMA awards are ridiculous. Folks, get ready for the Lady Gaga Awards!

Here are the list of nominees.

Now, call me biased, as I am a fan of Adam Lambert, but I've never even heard of Nicki Minaj or the Broken Bells, and Adam Lambert had more than one top 10 hit video this year. Doesn't at least one of them deserve a nomination for Best New Artist? And Owl City as well gets no nod at all in favor of artists like Justin Bieber who so clearly deserve nothing? No Mike Posner? No Taio Cruz? No Travie McCoy (who isn't a new artist, but deserved something somewhere.) Miley Cyrus gets nothing the year she finally breaks away from Disney, and yet Taylor Swift gets nominated for Best Female Video for Fifteen, which is probably the worst of her videos?

Eminem gets nominated for eight nominations for Not Afraid, which is, admittedly, a good video. Apparently, MTV also loves a comeback kid. I liked this song, and it deserved most of the recognition it got. No complaints.

But the nominations for Best Choreography are what really get to me. Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce, Beyonce ft. Lady Gaga and only then does anyone else get any recognition? It's official, these things are a joke.

A Stroke of Inspiration

a wave is crashing over me. it is covering me, enveloping me, soothing me. it is becoming me. it is comfort, it is warmth, it is everything good in the world:

it is
thunderstorms from windowsills and screen doors in the summertime, heavy droplets hitting my face and arms and getting goosebumps from the chilly, wet wind as i wonder at the dangerous beauty of weather.
sunlight streaming as heat onto my back while at the same time, a cool breeze ruffles my hair and i twirl in the shine and refuse to go inside, instead choosing to revel in the perfect weather.
the sound of a book cover cracking the first time i open it to inhale the smell of paper and ink, promising to myself that no matter how i change, this smell will always remain my favorite.
my cat pressed up against my leg, a comforting weight that never feels oppressive, even when it is sitting on my chest; a presence that, no matter how old, will always be there when i wake up or go to sleep or cry or have to say goodbye.

the wave holds me, reminding me of why life is beautiful and for an instant i am filled with regret that my list of wonderful experiences is so short.

because the wave is death.