Things That I Am Thankful For...

Anyone who knows me, knows that I really dislike Thanksgiving. First, I thought it was pointless. Then a few years ago, my memories of Thanksgiving got sad. But so not the point. The point is that we're supposed to be 'thankful' on this day...and here, dear friends, is what I'm thankful for.

-My Family (Really. Enough said.)
-My Friends -- From the Ladies of 1615 to my Londoners to my Warrenites to everyone else...thanks for the amusing times and all the laughs and loves. I'd be seriously lost without you guys.

Serious thanks aside...here are some random things that I'm thankful for:
-Season 4 of 'Dexter.' One was fantastic. Two sucked. Three started to get better...but four? Oh boy. The fourth season is just FANTASTIC. Michael C. Hall acting perfectly as my favorite serial killer? Check. John Lithgow in one of the creepiest, most fantastically written roles ever? Check. HUGE cliffhanger at the end of Episode 9? Serious check. LOVE this show.
-Wendy's Diet Coke. I swear, this stuff is part syrup, part fizzy stuff and part magiccccc.
-It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's "A Very Sunny Christmas." I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful it is when the censors are gone. It went from being super funny to whatever is past that. That but still wonderful.
-My Ford Focus. My car is wonderful. The Sync in it is wonderful (if only Apple and Microsoft would work out that stupid kink that makes Sync hate my iPod Touch). The crazy ambient lighting is wonderful. It's just a wonderful car.
-London. And the fact that I'm seriously considering grad school there...
-My iPod touch. For keeping me sane at work.
-Smirnoff Lemonade. Not the ones you get at the bar, but the pre-mixed vodka/lemoncello that my favorite vodka company has started mass producing. Fantastic with Sprite.
-Sleeping in. As I've done so little of it lately.
-Ryan Murphy. Um. Hello? Glee? The rejuvination of Nip/Tuck?
-Mmm...Jason Segel. :)

And now...on the flip side, here are some things that I am NOT thankful for:
-MTV thinking that "The Hills" really can continue without Lauren Conrad. Hello. I wasted enough time with that show. Do you really think I'm going to want to continue wasting time with it AFTER the character I hated the least left?
-Hype. Over certain music and pop stars. Over it. Peace out, Miley. But don't worry. You aren't alone.
-Getting that stupid "Single Ladies" stuck in my head. Repeatedly.
-The fact that once shows stop in the middle of December...half my favorite shows won't be back on till April. Thanks a lot, American Idol. Way to fuck things up.
-My cell phone at the moment. And Verizon...who promised my new phone battery would be here Tuesday. Way to make my phone useless even more.
-Working overtime and having no time to recuperate so I keep getting more and more burnt out.

Um...

Sorry Popeater. You're about 9 months too late.

Current Playlist as of November 8, 2009

Non-Stop Play Action, Mind You
-Rihanna - "Russian Roulette" (Love, love, love, love, love this song. Usually the slower songs don't catch my attention...but I love this)
-Taking Back Sunday - "Liar (It Takes One to Know One)" / "MakeDamnSure" / "Cute Without the E (Cut from the Team)" / "Sink Into Me" ~ Live from Bamboozle 2009
-Glee - "Sweet Caroline" / Mash-Ups
-Kris Allen - "Live Like We're Dying"
-Little Boots - "Remedy (Kaskade Radio Edit)"
-30 Seconds to Mars - "This is War"
-La Roux - "Bulletproof" ~ Damn you, Neff.
-Halifax - "Straight Up (cover)"

For some reason, I'm really into what I'm calling Euro-Trash...AKA Euro Pop music. Going to be time to have a rave reaaaaaaaaal soon.

And the songs I'm hanging my head in shame over:
-Kanye West - "Love Lockdown"
-Beyonce - "Ring the Alarm"

Also...really not getting why artists are releasing "Extended" versions of their albums. Rihanna did it a few years ago with "Good Girl Gone Bad" and granted, it did give "Take a Bow" (which I didn't fall in love with till "Glee" but now can't get enough of) and "Disturbia" the chance to see the light of day. And granted, those two songs were fantastic. But now there's a whole slew of artists doing it. Taylor Swift. Lady Gaga. And to me...in order to do that, the songs you're releasing with them better be absolutely kickass (the way "Disturbia" was). And I'm really just not digging the new tracks. Not enough to see why they don't just quit releasing these tracks and go into the studio to record NEW full-length records. I mean, Brit, I love you...but did your team have to release "The Singles Collection" so soon after "My Prerogative"? We've only had two albums since then. Don't get me wrong, I'll buy the SC because I'm such a fan...but as for the other above releases...get over the album you're trying to promote so hardcore. I'm sick of it. Sick of radio airplay. Sick of what the radio thinks I should like. I don't want to hear the same Kings of Leon song over and over. I'm sick of crappy R&B tracks that all sound the very same. I don't want to hear someone attempting to sound all European. I'd rather have the real thing.

Going to sink into my hard-to-find Eurotrash obscurities and dream of having a rave in my head.

Oh God. I'm becoming a music bitch again. Fantastic.

A Revival!

I absolutely love when bands/singers/groups/etc. that were popular in the 90's-early 00's make new albums years later (like now) that are just so incredibly fucking amazing that it makes me question a.) where the hell they've been, b.) why the hell the music they created years ago wasn't more like their new stuff, and/or c.) if they HAD been culturally relevant whether or not this amazing new ear candy would still be as wonderful.

Case in point: Natalie Imbruglia's "Come to Life."

Where the HELL did this album come from? Imbruglia, who's only real "hit" in the United States was "Torn" (love that song) seemingly fell off the radar when the afterglow of the song left radio play.

And eleven years later, this totally incredible album comes out.

My eardrums get so happy just listening to this new music because it's just different from everything else out there.

Now I know Imbruglia's had other albums out since "Left of Middle," but they haven't hit it big here (I'll probably try to find them anyway...just to check them out)...so if it took an eleven year lapse in my life only to be treated with this new music...I'm for it.

I haven't been this excite about one of these "revival" artists since All Saint's "Studio 1" -- which I still maintain is their best album to date. Love that CD.

What a nice surprise for a totally mundane day.

Currents as of Late September-Early October

Current Listening
Britney Spears -- "3"
Other people may not like it, but damn, is "3" catchy or what? I'll admit it...there's something somewhat terrifying about a mother of two singing about threesomes...but hey...with the catchy "one, two, three" throughout the song...it cold also be a jump start to teach your kids how to count.

Various Artists -- Jennifer's Body OST
A lot of critics hated this movie...but I thought it was pretty fantastic. It just couldn't be taken too seriously. But whatever...the soundtrack is pretty fantastic. Florence and the Machine...Little Boots...love, love, love it and can't stop playing it.

Madonna -- Celebration
Love old school Madonna. Love hearing it remastered.

The Sounds -- Dying to Say This to You
Three words: Front, row, bitches.

Currently Reading
Jeff Lindsay -- "Dexter By Design"
While I love "Dexter" the TV Show...I LOVE Dexter as written by Jeff Lindsay a few hundred times more. The writers of the show have found a way to give Dexter a heart (love Michael C. Hall), but Lindsay has managed to keep him as this shell of a being...who always borders upon feeling an actual emotion, but never quite managing to pull it off. It's creepy, it's beautifully written, and it's unlike anything else in the over-saturated genre where it resides.

Currently Watching

No. Not another season of The X-Files. I watched 8...it took me forever...and decided to watch the Series Finale and skip the rest of the final season. So that ship has sailed (until I feel like going back through and watching with all the extended scenes and such).

Fall TV's picked up again...so right now, I'm soaking up new episodes of House, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, So You Think You Can Dance, Glee, Project Runway, Bones, Dexter, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Fringe.

New episodes of Nip/Tuck start soon too.

Also bought the latest seasons of Philly and HIMYM. Good things to pass out to.

Damn You Ryan Murphy

I am officially obsessed with "Glee."

First Nip/Tuck...and now...this???

God, I love you.

Currents as of August 2009

Current Listening

The Sounds -- Entire Discography

I am completely, thoroughly obsessed again. I know it's all because I'm getting to see a whole show LIVE after being teased so much when they opened for No Doubt.

I can safely say that The Sounds are not one of my favorite bands...they ARE my favorite band.

Discuss.

Suggest Listening: All of it...unless I hate you and don't want you to like my band. Then none of it. I'm very protective of them...

Cobra Starship -- Hot Mess

There's a reason I've given up on Fall Out Boy...but stuck with Cobra Starship. The band's never strayed from what it originally set out to do...fun punk/dance/electro pop music meant to entertain...not re-define a genre. The music isn't something that's going to change my life...but I don't expect it to. It's fun to listen to and a much needed distraction at work.

Suggested Listening: "Hot Mess" - "Living in the Sky with Diamonds" - "The World Will Never Do"

Various Mashups

The current "winners" of the moment are Muse vs. Some Other Pop Artist (usually Brit). I found a great Muse/Brit mash up with "Unusual You" and a great "Break the Ice" vs. "Supermassive Black Hole." The only thing better than a great mashup...a great title for a great mashup. "Break the Supermassive Black Ice" and "Dirrty Black Hole" win the prize.

Also found another great Linkin Park/Britney mashup ("What I've Done to Circus"). Something about Brit and Linkin Park just seems to go together ("Faint/Toxic" anyone??).

Current Reading
Sloppy Firsts -- Megan McCafferty

Re-reading them only makes me fall more and more in love with McCafferty's novels.

They also make feel feel better...especially when I read things like...

L.A. Candy -- Lauren Conrad

Yes. I read it. Yes. I loved "The Hills" and watched it every week when Lauren was on. Yes. I watched "Laguna Beach."

No, I will not watch it without Lauren in it this fall.

Yes. I will never speak of this book ever, ever again.

Current Watching
The X-Files -- Season 7

And only a few eps of 7 left. I bought 8 and 9, but let's face it. The X-Files is NOT the same without Duchovny. I am not looking forward to shoving through them...but know I have to watch the whole she-bang now that I've started.

I Love You Man

For real, Jason Segel. Would you just marry me already?