Pimpage 2

I am dead tired and dealing with annoyances, so I am going to wait to post the review, again. In the meantime, please check out this amazing photography blog that I found!

She takes mostly fashion photography, but you can see her various History of Photography assignments. She's incredibly talented.

Coming Up and DADT

Right now, I am practically dead. I have not a second to spare and no time to right good posts. Coming up is a movie review on Devil.

In other news, quickly, the U.S. Senate is supposed to be voting on a military bill that includes a provision to end the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy that prohibits soldiers from exposing their sexual orientation with the condition that no one will ask it. So far, Republicans have managed to stall debate, let alone voting. It has already been approved in the House. According to the New York Times article, the bill will likely be easier to pass once the Pentagon study on the effects of the bill is due on Dec. 1.

Personally, I think that when this policy was enacted, it was a good idea, the times have changed. At this point, if you, as a soldier, find yourself incapable of fighting alongside a woman who likes women or a man who likes men, in the 21st century, then you don't deserve to be a soldier. These men and women who are only fighting for their country are forced to keep who they are a total secret in fear of being discharged dishonorably if anyone finds out. And sometimes, their personal belongings and emails and phone histories and families are searched and interrogated until their sexual orientation is found out.

If you have an interest (and you should), you should check out this article about also about the speech Lady Gaga made (wearing normal clothing!) at the rally in support of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. If you have an interest in this, make it known! Not only are people being discriminated against, but people who want to do their duty to our country and join the military are being discriminated against for something that is beyond their control. WHEN WILL THE PREJUDICE STOP, AMERICA?

New Glee

I'm extremely excited about the new season Glee coming up this week. Unfortunately, I have SAT class on the days that Glee shows, but I will definitely keep up with it. There will be a Britney Spears episode, a Rocky Horror Picture Show episode, Kurt's getting a boyfriend, there are four new characters. I'm extremely excited.

As a little sneak peak, here's a video of one of the songs they sing in the first episode. Let's hear it for Empire State of Mind as performed by Glee!

Review: Mockingjay and Dramarama

So, finally, I will review these. I would talk about the VMA's, but I don't feel like it. So, first, Mockingjay.

Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins is the third in the Games trilogy. It was quite a powerful and dark conclusion to a wonderful series. It was considerably darker than the other two books, with much more action. And, as a result of this increased darkness, certain characters we know and love are corrupted. But all in all, it is a wonderful book.

Set in a post-apocalyptic North America, now called Panem, in this third and final installment, Katniss Everdeen must come to terms with the fact that she is the face of the new revolution. Katniss agrees initially, but with time must battle how to be the symbol of a rebellion she doesn't entirely trust or believe in. What follows is a complex and imaginative read that is, like I said, dark and powerful. Not only is it a great plot, it also delves into political statement, dealing with the horrors of war and the effects it can have on people's characters.

Personally, ending aside, I found this book wonderful. Some of the characters were developed in a direction I don't particularly adore, and all my favorite characters either died or turned into jerks, but all in all, it was a fantastic conclusion.

And now, for Dramarama. This book is by E. Lockhart, and it isn't officially published yet. So, as such, don't look for it. My local library (and second home) got an advanced, uncorrected proof of the book and because they couldn't put it on the shelves (since it hadn't been published yet) the young adult librarian gave it to me. It was a considerably lighter read the Mockingjay, and concerns a very different premise.

In this one, two best friends who live in a boring old small town in Ohio are blessed by fate when they both get accepted to a prestigious summer theater camp. For one, Demi, it is the moment he has been waiting for, a chance to finally bloom and be his flamboyantly gay self without worry of homophobia. For another, Sarah "Sadye" Paulson, it is a test of friendship and the strength of her dreams as she is forced to question how much talent she actually has for what she loves.

This book, although very light reading and, in the long run, inconsequential, made me bawl like a little baby. This is probably because the main character goes through everything I fear, she seems to be forgotten and forced to face a growing sense of mediocrity while everyone around her shines. I read this in less than a day and for the entire second half, I just bawled. It was a really emotional book for me...All in all another great read. I recommend it when it comes out.

Oh My God!

I'm so sorry for not updating sooner than this. On a day when I have more time, possibly Monday, I will update with the two book reviews I promised. Until then, hold tight with the Susan Boyle-Lou Reed controversy. What do you think? Do you think Lou Reed should just give her permission already? I know other people have covered that song before (Perfect Day) and I think he's being petty and mean. I mean, he made her cry.

Review: Weezer Concert

So, last Thursday, I went to a Weezer concert. The opening band was Coheed and Cambria, which I am actually familiar with. Which was a pleasant change, as usually I'm not familiar with the opening acts of the concerts I attend. Unfortunately, I was with a rather talkative friend, and we chatted through a lot of that part of the concert. What I heard was spectacular, though. I wasn't there to see them, so I wasn't that excited.

Weezer, though. Man. I hadn't heard a bunch of their music, but the concert was amazing. Even though the music is a bit hard, it was quite easy to catch onto the lyrics and begin to sing along with the band and the rest of audience. The lead singer was so totally into it, as well. The whole concert had the feel of a party. Beach balls were bounced around above the audience's heads, toilet paper was thrown around. It was quite amazing. It was a ton of fun, and the rowdiest concert I've ever been to at that venue in particular. They don't even let you move from your seat most of the time, there.

But it got even better when the lead singer came out into the audience, going so far as the Grand Stands only to be mauled by adoring fans. And he then started singing on a cart that was behind the ground seats. It was intense. He was so into the performance, so interesting in connecting with all of the fans that were there, no matter what seats they had. I went because my mother got two free tickets, but I was surprised by how much of their music I had actually heard. And I am definitely planning on buying their newest album, Hurley.

Next post will probably be two book reviews in one.

Carrie Underwood Snubbed and Justin Bieber a Snob

So, this came to my attention as I was browsing one of the music news sites I follow. The nominations for the CMA's have come out, and again, Carrie didn't get nominated for Entertainer of the Year. There are a great many people who are upset about that. She hasn't gotten nominated for it ever, and definitely deserves it, whereas new acts like Lady Antebellum and more-pop-than-country acts like Taylor Swift do get nominated. In fact, Taylor Swift won last year. And Carrie Underwood has hosted them countless times and never gotten nominated.

I don't know, what do you think? The author in the article poses some possibilities for reasons, but most of them seem pretty flimsy. Then he comes to the conclusion that the CMA nominators can only have too many female nominations. And Miranda Lambert tops it off. According to this article, the last time the CMA's had more than one female nomination was in 1979, and neither of them one. So because Miranda Lambert got nominated, the more-deserving Underwood couldn't be.

If this is the true reason, the the South isn't as accepting and tolerant of women as we thought it was. This disgusts me.

In other news, Justin Bieber came to my hometown this week for a concert at our county fair. Weezer also came, and I will review that concert tomorrow or the next day, along with Mockingjay (a book). But this dirt cannot wait.

You see, apparently, Justin Bieber visited the movie theater I work at and was extremely rude. He kept trying to pay people (especially the MANAGER, who has better things to do) to carry his food to the theater for him because he didn't want to and he threw a hissy fit when we wouldn't give him special service. He told one of the employees to shut up when she told him that just because he was famous doesn't mean he could pay his way through everything.

Apparently, he also got kicked out of IHOP and Hannafords because he was rude and Walmart for throwing shit around. This gives me so much fuel for hating him. I'm so sick of hearing about bitchy celebrities. Because Katy Perry is too. She insults Tokio Hotel every time she performs "Ur So Gay" live by dedicating it them and she wrote a really insulting song about Travie McCoy in which she says "you fall asleep during foreplay / cuz the pills you take are more your forte."

Seriously, you celebrities are going to lose all of your fans if you don't treat people who are "beneath" you with respect. And that includes your peers. God!