The Sing-Off 2.2

My house is never going to get cleaned with this "The Sing-Off" business.  Let's hear that second show!  I'm excited to see what the groups have in store for us tonight.


BTW, while waiting for today's show to start, I watched some of Monday's show again, and liked "Pitch Slapped" better upon the second viewing.  I still agree with last week's judge's decision, though.  I also got irritated again by the non-Rockapella Folger's commercial.  


It's showtime!


Group Performance:  "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon
OK,  I think they all sound better than the original, because the soloists are on pitch, and not flat.  Ooh, I liked that solo by the girl from The Backbeats that sang with absolutely no background.  Can you say "naked"?  Wow.  


I like that "Hold that note" phrase, Nick!  I'm stealing that.  I don't know where I'll use it, but I will.


Tonight's challenge:  Monster Hits (I don't think that they mean stuff like "Monster Mash", but that would have been fun).


On The Rocks -- "Live Your Life" by T.I. and Rihanna
That was fun, and the rap was fine.  I don't know what they were so worried about with that.  I enjoy hearing people sing those vocals in harmony well.  Heh, Ben:  "Can you do that again, but with more energy?"  I would also like to know what "Spittin' on the low time" means.  Yeah, I just Googled it.  No, nothing.


The promo for special guest is last year's winner, Nota.  Color me Unexcited.  What color would that be?  Discuss.


Street Corner Symphony -- "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train
OK, I just heard this again on "Glee" and loved it, so I'm scared.  OK, that is really high for the lead, even for Pat Monahan sometimes, but I liked the breakdown beat.  I don't love Jeremy's voice as much as Shawn does.  Ben's usage of "percolation" makes me think of the non-Pella Folger's again because he pronounces it like "perk-u-lation".  I'm not obsessed or anything.  


Eleventh Hour -- "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars
Is this like an "all-songs-done-on-Glee-already" episode?  Weird.  A couple of the soprano notes are a little off, as well as the lead vocalist's pitch.  Maybe the others are throwing her off?  They don't sound as full as they did earlier this week.  Must be the arrangement.  OK, so "Monster Hits" are just whatever is current?  Or stuff from the "Monster Hits" compilations?  I like when Shawn and Ben speak with musical terms, because I actually know what they're talking about (except for "percolation"), unlike when I watch other competitions.  I'm such a music geek.


Banana!!!!  I heart those minions.


Ahem....back to the show.


Jerry Lawson and Talk of the Town -- "Mercy" by Duffy
Make it funky, Douglas!  ;)  I like their classy outfits.  They remind me of The Temptations.  What a pretty boutineer, Jerry!  Oh, I like this arrangement!  Do it up old style!  Like the "Please release me" bit.  Nicole is cracking me up with the dancing.  Love it, guys!  Jerry, er Mr. Lawson IS cool!  I'm not excited a BIT about this group, am I? ;)


Results:
Moving forward to the next show:  Talk of the Town, Street Corner Symphony and On The Rocks.


Aw, the young 'uns are going home, but I agree with this decision. 
Eleventh Hour's Swan Song:  "Leaving" by Jesse McCartney
I like this song, and I like the way they sing it.  I've never heard it before.


I'm glad that Nota is doing well. Yes, I am.  Shut up!  
Guest star performance by Nota: "I've Got a Feelin'!" by The Black-Eyed Peas
OK, maybe I'm not that glad.  I still don't really like their sound.  I tried, people.


The Backbeats -- "Breakeven" by The Script
I like this song, even though it's depressing.  Why is the title not two words?  That's not a real word.  Oh, there I go with the grammar.  Hmmm...a little bit flat on the high note.  I like the "breathing" chords.  Go, Courtney, with that VP!  I join NIcole in applauding you.


Committed -- "Apologize" by One Republic
They sing this song WAY better than O.R.  I love how Shawn is just LOSING it over those chords!    NICE!  Is it just me, or were the green outfits a little Trekkish?  The color, not the styles.  Back to Shawn: "Come on, man, stop it."  Ooh, they give Nicole a musical climax, too.  She's not the only one that had that.  I just yelled at the TV when Nick said that we'd soon find out if that's enough to go to the next round.  "YEAH!"  Stupid writers.


Groove For Thought  -- "Cooler Than Me" by Mike Posner
I think that this is a good song for their jazz style, like most of the songs that the groups picked for themselves today.  The lead singer's voice is nice and smooth.  I like it.  I agree with Shawn about them doing the song justice.  Shawn about lead Peter's coolness: "Your hat is to the side, like, Bro."  Nicole, find something to say that's your own and not just wacko!  


The Whiffenpoofs -- "Haven't Met You Yet" by Michael Buble
Oh, OK: "Monster Hits from the last 5 years".  There have GOT to be some zombie songs, right?  Ooh, I'd want to sing "Zombie Jamboree".   On to reality.  I can totally tell that they've been classically trained, from their vibrato.  I love that about them.  I also love that they spread out the lead parts, instead of just relying on one singer's melody.  I enjoyed this arrangement.  Who does the arranging for everyone, anyway?  


Results:
Moving forward to the next show: Committed, Groove For Thought and The Backbeats


I'm not surprised, but I'm sorry to see The Whiffenpoofs go home, because I did like them more than the Backbeats tonight.
Swan Song:  "I'm On My Way" by Motley Crue
I really liked that.  I want to hear more of their stuff (Whiffenpoofs, not MC).


Next week will have Guilty Pleasure songs.  


My posts will be delayed as I cannot watch Monday's show live.  Have a great rest of the week, everyone, and Rockapella Fans: See you on Saturday!!!

The Sing-Off, Season 2 Episode 1

What am I supposed to be doing?  Decorating my house.  What am I doing instead?  Watching "The Sing-Off".  Here we go, folks!


Opening number:  all of the groups singing snippets of "I've Got The Music In Me".
I applauded when I saw Jerry Lawson.  Great voices all around!  What a great start to the new season.  I'm looking forward to this, because the audition pool was a lot bigger this year, so the quality should be better this time around.


Nick introduces the judges as I roll my eyes at the first two.  Nicole's hair is very high.   


We then meet the singers of Eleventh Hour, from Fairmont High School in Kettering, Ohio.  They're so cute!  Are they supposed to be singing in the library like that?  Don't they get in trouble?  I like the cute "The Breakfast Club" references.  I love how they're fearless.  I wonder if they even know the name Jerry Lawson, not to mention that he and The Persuasions heavily influenced the founders of Rockapella.  


"Baby" by Justin Bieber
How cute that the teenyboppers are singing a teenybopper song!  I don't think that Jerry should sing that. ;)  They did a great job.  I like Kirk's hat.  OMG, Nicole, please stop talking.  


What?!  A Folger's commercial during an a cappella show, and it's not Rockapella?  Augh!


Next group: On The Rocks, from Eugene, OR (University of Oregon)
(Oh, I get it -- their assignment is to sing a signature song that captures their own style).  APPARENTLY, they became popular on YouTube singing "Bad Romance".  I'm out of it.  So, of course, this is their signature song.  


"Bad Romance" -- Lady Gaga
I like their choreography, because it makes me giggle.  The others kind of overwhelm their soloists, though.  Well, Ben, I disagree with you: if you are not on pitch, that cannot be overlooked by everyone.  Do you know what happens when one person is off pitch?  It can make the chord sound totally wrong and make the group sound bad.  I didn't totally notice it this time, probably because I was giggling.  But now I'm going to be listen more for the basses.


Groove For Thought -- Seattle, Washington
A lot of them are music teachers, so I'm having high hopes for them.


"I Wish" -- Stevie Wonder
I like that lead singer's voice.  That bass part sounds difficult, but he does it quite well.  I agree with Shawn about their likeness to Take 6.  Hey, that's one of my favorite groups, too, Shawn!  


Pitch Slapped -- Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA
Guess who went to school there?  Besides Steve Tyler.  Yup!  Jeff Thacher of Rockapella!  They have won 1st runner up in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.


"Good Girls Go Bad" -- Cobra Starship
Pitch was a  little bit off, especially in the beginning.  Nicole thinks the girls are hot.  Shawn thinks they need more middle, and Ben is looking forward to their ensemble work.  So, umm.....they weren't an ensemble tonight?  I saw and heard many voices up there.  I just didn't think that they were cohesive enough to have a Wall of Sound quality.


Jerry Lawson and Talk of the Town -- Oakland, CA
I love that they're showing Jerry's old group, The Persuasions!  Yay, a comeback!  Take it, Godfather!  


"Save The Last Dance" by Doc Pomus, recorded by Ben E King and The Drifters
I just love Jerry's voice.  I wonder if the other guys will ever sing lead, even though they're not in the group's name.  Shawn, showing some love!  Ben, showing some hidden goosebumps and love!  Nicole only knows how to show love.  Seriously, though, I almost cried while hearing Shawn talk about how Jerry's such an inspiration to everyone there.  I love that the producers didn't just pick young groups for this show.  I didn't know about the story behind the song, and that almost made me cry, too.  Thanks for the history lesson, Ben.


Results:
Moving forward to the next show:  Talk of the Town, Eleventh Hour, On The Rocks, and Groove for Thought.


Sorry, Pitch Slapped, but I agree with this decision.


Swan Song:  "Na Na Hey Hey, Kiss (us) Goodbye" by Gary DeCarlo
OK, they sang this one a lot better than their competition song.  I guess they just needed to relax.


On to the next 5 groups.


The Whiffenpoofs  -- Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
They've been featured on lots of TV shows, including "The West Wing".  I like all of the tradition, including the tuxes.  


"Grace Kelly"  by Mika
LIKE!  Their balance is beautiful, the harmonies are great, the song is fun, and they're clearly enjoying this.  I agree with Ben: the arrangement is fantastic.  Shawn is funny.  


Men of Note -- Cherry Hill, New Jersey
OK, I would love it if an a cappella group of guys followed me around the mall and serenaded me.  Can someone please arrange that for me?  They've won the International Championship of High School A Cappella.


"For the Longest Time" by Billy Joel
Well done, guys.  Their voices are quite strong though a little bit off-pitch at the beginning, so I disagree with Nicole on her comment about them sounding thin.  I'm wondering what a certain someone would do if Boyz II Men would have followed her around the mall in high school. ;)  I'd swoon.  


Street Corner Symphony -- Nashville, Tennessee
Ooh, I want to hear some southern music a cappella!  I like that word: "Unpractice".  I don't think they use it correctly, because that would be practicing then forgetting everything you practiced.  At least that's what it would mean to me.  Oh, that's right: I'm supposed to be reviewing the groups, not their grammar.


"Everybody Wants to Rule The World" by Tears for Fears
Uh-oh, the lead singer couldn't get down to the lowest note in the title phrase.  It's also not a southern song.  Dude, I wanted to hear some bluegrass.  Why is their signature song not something southern?  Why is it British?  


The Backbeats -- Los Angeles, California
I like that they're made up of people from competitive collegiate ensembles, and am curious as to their blend since they don't usually sing together.


"If I Were A Boy" by Beyonce
Go, girl!  Way to put the emotion into it, and sing it strong!  Now Nicole has goosebumps, but she's not wearing a sweater.  Shawn's a sucker for altos.  I'm now a sucker for Shawn. (Oh, wait. That doesn't sound right.)  Shawn's love for Altos makes me love him even more.  (Better?)


Committed -- Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama
Hmmm...I'm already enjoying the background vocals as they do the bio.  


"This Love" by Maroon 5
Ooh, they have a Take 6 sound.  Nicole is rocking out!  A couple of chords were off, but not jarringly so.  I think Shawn likes them, what do you think? ;)  I agree with him about the raw talent that you get to hear on the a cappella stage.  A cappella music is just the ultimate display of musical talent to my ears, so anyone that can sing it well brings a smile to my face, and yes, sometimes, a musical orgasm. ;)  I wonder who would do that for me?  FIVE DAYS!!!


Results:


Moving forward to the next show:  Committed, The Backbeats, The Whiffenpoofs, Street Corner Symphony


Men of Note goes home.  I would have been fine with either them or SCS leaving, but I do want to hear some country.


Swan Song: "Take A Bow" by Rihanna
That was pretty. 


Ooh, previews from the boxes!  Wait.  If these songs are what they're singing next week, SCS is still not singing southern music.  Whatevs.


For CASA's bios of the groups, go here:  http://www.casa.org/content/sing-season-2-group-profiles.


Oh my gosh, they're already going to be back on Wednesday.  I'm not going to get anything done!  

Gearing Up for The Sing-Off

So here I am, back on the 'net, reading an article posted by the New York Times about The Sing-Off, and I'm taken aback.  


Just to prove to you that the producers really didn't know how to choose talent, I bring you this new factoid:  Rockapella Founder Sean Altman auditioned for the show in the first season with his current group The GrooveBarbers, and they were NOT chosen.  Idiots.  I know I'm biased, but still...


I'm happy that they mentioned Rockapella, though.  :)


Here is the article for your reading pleasure.  I found Sean's statements quite interesting, and agreed with all of them, not because he's Sean, but because I'm Sherry. :)  Seriously, though, it would be cool to see him as a judge, or at least in a guest spot on the show.  Any of Pella (former, current, all of them) on that show would make me ecstatic.


Here's some GrooveBarbers for you, as I go pick up my jaw from the floor.

HP7.1 X 2 = No 3D, Thankyouverymuch!

Linda and I saw "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" on opening night last Friday, and again this Thanksgiving Friday to accompany Bro and V.  I guess we liked it. :)

• We were really glad that we didn't see this movie in 3D.  I'm OK with snakes, and I deliberately didn't watch a couple of parts in regular D.
• I want Hermione's bag.  It's like Mary Poppins' carpet bag. Or a clown car, except it's not a car, and I didn't see any clowns.
• People have been raving about Hermione's red dress.  I shall join them in my rave.  It's gorgeous, and I want it.  It was custom-made, though.
• Having read the books, I'm trying to refrain from naming all of the 7 horcruxes for those that don't know.  But then I can't remember if the movies are going to show all of them, since I thought I had read that they weren't going to show all of them.  I'm all confused.
• That polyjuice potion is some fun stuff.  I'm thinking that if I could make some of that for myself, I'd probably abuse it to satisfy my curiosity.  Note to self:  beware of people who don't talk when you try to converse with them.  They might have taken some polyjuice potion and don't want you to hear their real voice.  
• I liked hearing the fans in the audience whisper with affection, "DOBBY!"
• Harry and Hermione have great chemistry.  It's no wonder that Ron was jealous.
• "Keep saying that thing with the ball of light.  She'll come around."
• "I'm always mad at him."
• I really liked the animation while Hermione told the story of the Deathly Hallows.    
• I like the end of the credits where it shows the Deathly Hallows symbol and the Elder Wand.

I am eagerly awaiting Part 2 of this movie, albeit with a bit of hesitancy.  I wept when I finished the HP series, partly from the story, and partly because such a great series was over.  I know that the next movie, being the last, will give me the same fulfilled yet empty feeling.

If you haven't seen the other movies, I recommend that you see them before this one.  The series really does build on the prior books anyway, but this one, more than the others, relies on you knowing a couple of things that have happened in prior installments.

One of my friends will be doing a marathon prior to the viewing of the last film.  I'm seriously thinking of doing the same.  

HT 2010

Ah, Thanksgiving: a time-honored tradition of family gathering around a table, eating lots of turkey, and falling asleep earlier than usual on a holiday so that they can get to those crazy Black Friday sales.  I love this holiday, not because of the sales, but because of the family and friends.  


Things I'm thankful for today:

• Being able to still sing at my church.
• Having even just a few months of my regular salary so that I could raise the money needed for the awesome vacation I have planned for next year.
• Bananaman has been found!  (Seriously, this made my day).
• The craziness in Starbuck's today, which enabled me to somehow get a free pumpkin spiced latte.
• My friends, especially Linda, whom has joined our family today for our turkey feast.
• FINALLY, a new Rockapella CD!  We listened to it today on our drive to my parents' house, and were happily bopping in the car.
• June's prolific and yummy pie-making abilities, saving me from spending about $35.00 at Marie Callendar's. 
• My family: the aunt whom is leaving right now to hit the sales; the dad whom decorated the house in Christmas stuff so that his grandchildren could enjoy it; the mom whom cooked so much that we had wayyyy to much food, the brother whom makes me laugh on a regular basis; the sister-in-law whom I just plain adore for her ability to keep her husband and children happy and comfortable; the dogs whom can somehow deal with long trips and crazy households; the nephew whom just absolutely l-o-v-e-s his new state quarters collectors book; and the niece whom gives us all the great pleasure of watching her dance.  "Momma says I was a dancer before I could walk."  (Name that ABBA song.  Hint: it's my favorite).
• Moments like this one:

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

DLR LotD 11/19/10

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Friday, November 19, 2010


"Can you bring me a bucket of limes?" -- Linda, to Albert, at Catal

Teenage Dream by ... the Beelzebubs!

I found this article tonight, and wanted to share it.  


Yup, it's the Beelzebubs singing "Teenage Dream" on Glee!  I thought I recognized a couple of those guys.  If you recall my posts about the a cappella competition "The Sing-Off", you may remember that I liked the 'Bubs.  It turns out that they'll be doing a few more songs as the Warblers on Glee, so I'm excited about that.


Guess what will be back in December?  That's right, folks:  "The Sing-Off" returns on December 6.  Are you looking forward to my Simon/Nigel-ness?  Oh, wait.  Simon isn't there anymore.  I wonder who will be the new mean person on AI.  Someone tell me when it happens, because I don't watch that show.  I do plan on blogging about it as I watch again, because that was fun, even when I hated whatever was happening at times.


Until then, lets watch that video again, because I like it. 

Pella on WITWICS

I had forgotten that Scott gave many of the clues on "Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego". It now makes sense to me that he's always telling us about the town in which they're performing.

So, for your viewing pleasure, some old school Rockapella on "Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego?"

Enjoy!

DLR LotD 10/31/10

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Sunday, October 31, 2010


"But then you can't lift it up to see his thing." -- Sherry, at DCA

DLR LotD 10/29/10

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Friday, October 29, 2010


"Awww....[coo]" -- Albert, to Vamplet Lily Rose Shadowlyn, at Catal

Oldies But Goodies

Linda and I spent a Friday evening at the Monrovia Family Festival, which occurs every Friday night, except for during the winter.  I bought a Plumeria tree, which I had been wanting for quite some time, and we also discovered a new, fun store, Friends of Dorothy.


After our shopping was done, we saw RED.

• John Malkovich, 2 for 2 for me in the month of October!  
• Hee hee!  PIG!
• Is there any role that Helen Mirren can't do well?  She kicked some serious butt in this movie.  
• While we're on the subject of kicking butt, I do like seeing Bruce Willis kick ass in his movies.
• Usually I don't think of Morgan Freeman's Electric Company role, but for some reason during this movie, I did.  Weird.  
• I want Helen Mirren's white dress.  I also want to be able to fit into it.
• Linda and I both laughed at the plush dog in Marvin's home, which was wearing a foil pyramid hat.
• When I retire, I'd also like to be known as Extremely Dangerous, but in a good way, like these folks.

That was a fun movie.  You see?  You don't have to be only 25 to do a good action movie. :)

Giddyup!

Several weeks ago,  I saw "Secretariat" with a few friends at the AMC Santa Anita.  What better place to watch a horse racing movie than at a mall adjacent to a famous racetrack?  OK, so AT the racetrack would have been better, but this is the closest I could get.

• I want a racehorse.
• I loved the way Miss Ham would give Lucien's clothing a look because he was always uniquely dressed.
• John Malkovich cracked me up as Lucien in pretty much every scene in which he appeared.
• It was interesting to see Scott Glenn so vulnerable.  I'm used to seeing him as a tough guy.
• I half-expected James Cromwell to trade Secretariat for a shepherding pig.
• OK, so I didn't really get why I was not really liking Dylan Walsh's character until I checked IMDB for his previous roles.  He played the other guy in "The Lake House". I didn't like his character in that movie.
• I loved how Red would pose for the cameras.  He's a star, and he knows it!  I mean, look!  He has his own website!  http://www.secretariat.com/
• I loved Diane Lane's outfits, especially the navy blue one that she wore to the Belmont Stakes.  They had that on display at the El Capitan.
• Nobody stands still in the wind like Diane Lane.  She's as beautiful as she was when she played Cherry Valance in "The Outsiders".
• That's an amazing record that Secretariat has:  his record at the Belmont, which won him the Triple Crown, has not yet been beat, and it's been 37 years since then.

Great, emotional movie, even when you know how well he's going to do.  I definitely recommend it to anyone that likes horses or drama or horse dramas or watching Diane Lane stand still in the wind

.

DLR LotD 09/26/10

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Sunday, September 26, 2010


"You don't want to be a waffle, or you'll get stabbed in the eye." -- Sherry, to Meeko, at Storyteller's Cafe


Thank you to everyone who donated to CHOCWalk!

DLR LotD 09/17/10

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Friday, September 17, 2010


"Can I interest anyone in dessert this evening?" -- Sherry, at Catal, to her table mates and server

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a Teacher!

Last weekend, I went to the Arclight in Pasadena to watch "Waiting for 'Superman'".  I had been looking forward to the movie ever since one of the schools in the film was featured in a "60 Minutes" piece.  I had been advised that to watch the piece because I have a friend who has a business association with the school, which is the first urban public boarding school.  The movie, though, focuses primarily on public education itself.  


In order that you know where I'm coming from, I'm mostly a product of public schools, albeit a highly regarded school district in California.  My first elementary school was a parochial school, but I went into the public schools starting in 4th grade.  As a child, I grew up protesting Prop 13 and rightfully so, as I saw many extra-curricular programs get cut by a lot of districts.  My own district, however, still hasn't given up its music and sports programs.  Of course, as a taxpayer, there are positive traits from Prop 13, but as a kid, I didn't care about that.  I wanted to still be able to play my music, which I did.  My grandparents were both teachers back in the Philippines.  I feel like I have their teaching blood inside me whenever I train people at work, and I did consider being a teacher when I was growing up.  I went to a University of California school, which draws from public funds.  My Master's Degree, however, was obtained at a private university.  


My thoughts on the film:

• The theater was full.  One of the ladies wondered how many teachers were in the audience, and about two-thirds of the attendees raised their hands.  Then her friend asked how many of them were good teachers, and the same people raised their hands, then applauded.  Hooray for the good teachers of the world!
• The film's focus is on the plight of the public schools, and the families that attempt to get their kids into better schools, ones that give their children a better chance at getting into college.  The parents look to the lottery system for the better charter schools to achieve that goal.  It also focuses on the reasons that the filmmakers believe are to blame for the failing public school system.
• Anthony had me from his first word to his last scene in the film.  I loved hearing what that kid had to say, and I rooted for him to win the lottery the most.
• I learned a lot about charter schools, since I didn't really understand what those were until now.  The film is really good at explaining how the schools systems have evolved (or dissolved), mixing animated explanations with film of different people involved in the education system (and Bill Gates).
• I was astounded to learn about the high dropout right here in the County of Los Angeles, and the chances that a child has of staying in school.  I really, really hope that little Daisy gets to her goal of becoming a doctor or veterinarian.  She seems to have a lot of promise, and she loves school.
• Oh, those blasted teachers' unions.  The film explains why the unions were formed, and also talks about how the unions have influenced not only the teachers and the schools, but the shape of our nation. 
• I think that unions are important to keep teachers' rights protected, but I do think that they go way too far in keeping teachers around when they're not really helping kids.  For instance, when Washington, DC Superintendent Michelle Rhee tried to make a deal with the union, they wouldn't even let their members vote before turning it down.  The deal?  Get rid of tenure, but each teacher makes a 6-figure salary.  Are you frickin' kidding me?  One of the reasons I didn't become a teacher is that they are woefully underpaid for the importance of their jobs.  My friends that are teachers are heroes to me.  They love the kids that they teach, and they're dedicated to them to the point of exhaustion.  But they keep going.  Every one of them deserves that six-figure salary, and just because they'd rather have tenure and never be fired for being incompetent, they don't let them vote?  So y'all would rather keep the incompetent teachers around and have a lower salary for everyone?  WHAT?!?  Ergo my using the word "blasted" above.  I remember talking to one of my co-workers, who was raised in Taiwan.  He said that the teachers there were the highest-paid people in the nation, because education was such an important focus for them.  This conversation was over a decade ago, but it still amazes me.  (I actually don't think that people who become teachers start off by thinking "I'll just make it to tenure and I'm free!" I think that they started off with the best intentions and something jaded them.  But those same people should then just leave education and do something else).
• I didn't know about the "tracking" system in public schools, but when I think about it, I realize that I was tracked for the advanced classes.  Perhaps that's why I thought that my education was so successful: I wasn't one of the people that fell through the cracks by being in the middle.  I consider myself lucky.  One of the charter schools, located in Northern California, has a no-tracking philosophy: all of the students attend the same classes, and their success rate is amazing (I can't remember the exact figures, but I think that it's at 96%).  
• My education was also successful because my parents were focused on it being the most important part of my life.  They immigrated to the USA to give their kids a better life, and we have made the most of it by getting our educations and still getting the time to practice our music and spend time with our friends.  But school ALWAYS came first.  It's difficult for me to relate to the people that don't emphasize school to their kids, but they are in different life situations, where many of them need their kids to help them support the family with jobs, so there is no time for school.  In the long run, though, those same kids could support the family with the better jobs they can obtain after college graduation.  I understand, though: necessities are immediate.  My heart goes out to the mother who was behind on her daughter's tuition payments, so her daughter couldn't go to her own graduation ceremony (even though she qualified to graduate).  That mother was willing to work as many jobs as she humanly could in order that her daughter could get the education she needed.
• A great point of those innovative educators that were featured: they all have high expectations for all of their students.  Our nation has become so complacent about everyone just having high self-esteem by giving awards for just showing up that we forget to expect the best out of everyone.  No, we can't all be the best, but we can expect our kids to do their best, and try everything we can to help them achieve it.  Falling on excuses like learning disabilities is not the answer: working with those disabilities is the answer.  Sure, I'm as guilty as the next person for thinking that training certain people is hopeless at times, but deep down, I want to teach them because I don't like to see anyone fail.  Remember the movie "Stand and Deliver"?  Jaime Escalante's students excelled because he expected them to do so.
• The final scenes were snippets of George Reeves as Superman.  If only someone could save the day just like my favorite superhero.

My final soapbox here:

The public education system needs major reform, and that change needs to be embraced instead of stifled by selfish interests.  Education not only involves book smarts, but life skills (like those taught at the Seed School), and a way to express creativity like with music or visual arts, as well as giving time to develop kids' growing bodies in a healthy way.  It wasn't too much to ask for when I was a kid, so it shouldn't be too much to ask for now, when those kids from back then now have the power to make a difference.  

A Week of Auditory Bliss

Two weeks ago, my ears were treated to several days of Auditory Bliss.  

First, "Glee" premiered its 2nd season with guest star Charice Pempengo singing her butt off, making Pinays and Pinoys around the world rejoice.  "Listen", indeed!  Here she is, singing the song live.

And then, to top off the episode, Lea Michele sings "What I Did For Love" just beautifully.  I love this show!


Onward to later that evening, when I got to download the new Rockapella CD, "Bang!"  I'm looking forward to actually having a CD in my hand later this month, so that they can sign it.  Yes, I wish that "California Sad-Eyed Girl" was with Kevin in the lead, but I'm happy to have the other songs like "Tonight", "Tell Me What You Want" and "4U4Now4Life" recorded, and I love, love, love the title song.  If you haven't seen them sing it live yet, you NEED to do so.  It's nice that all of the guys have a hand in writing a song or two, but, of course, my favorites are Mr. Leonard's.  I just love the way he writes lyrics and arranges music.  Order yours today.  


Two nights later, Aura and I went to the L A County Fair to attend a concert of En Vogue and Boyz II Men.  I was irritated by a couple of people that clearly didn't belong in our section (they were holding a big USC sign and were not sitting with all of the other people wearing USC paraphernalia in what was clearly their group section).  They finally got kicked out of our section after 2 ushers told them to move and they didn't actually do so.  


En Vogue, fully intact with all 4 lovely women, have still got the vocal chops that they had back when they were #1 on the Billboard chart.  I was just loving Dawn's hair, and kept telling Aura that she needed to get her hair done that way.  They did a tribute to old school Funky Divas like Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner by doing their songs and even doing some of the old choreography.  My favorite part, though, was when they sang their intro to "Hold On", which is a cover of The Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You", a cappella.


Boyz II Men, still without a bass (Hey, Geo, do you want to do some moonlighting for your old group?), was amazing as well.  I realized that I've missed out on two CDs: "Love" and "Motown" that are filled with covers of other people's songs.  Where the heck have I been?  I realized this as they sang some songs from these CDs, and, like En Vogue, did some old school choreography for the songs by the Four Tops and the Temptations.  My favorite moment of the night was singing the "Dm Dm Dm Dada" with the rest of the crowd during "Motown Phillly".  Then Aura told me about the time that Shawn was going to throw her a rose at a show, and some  woman snatched it from over her head.  Augh!  I'd be traumatized, too.


Not Auditory Bliss-related, but still noteworthy: this was Aura's first trip to the county fair.  So, of course, we had to try some not-good-for-us yumminess.  We dug on the bag of churros that she bought, and each had a bacon wrapped chocolate dipped Oreo.  Yeah, that's right.  Then I bought some baklava for my co-workers, and the guy gave us free cookies to go with it.  Because we didn't already have enough crap to eat.  We had a great time, though.


I just love the fact that all of the music that I enjoyed that week was primarily made by the vocal chords of various humans.  VOICES RULE!!!


Excuse me while I go listen to that Rockapella CD again. :)

DLR LotD 09/26/10

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day
Sunday, September 26, 2010


"Where is that page?!" --  Members of Team Quatchi, many times during the day

Happy Birthday, Apple of My Eye!

Today, my dad called so that the nephew could thank me for his birthday gift.  It arrived on the right day!  Thank goodness, because for some reason, I kept blanking out on which day this week was the actual date.  Lame.

Anyway, so Brady sang "Happy Birthday" about 5 times to *me*, probably in order to get it into my head that I should be singing to him.  When I finally did, though, he would have none of that, and didn't want to hear the rest of the song.  Whatevs, Birthday Boy.

Happy 5th Birthday, Brady!  

BananaMan Loves You...and so does Tita

Nom Nommilicious

Los Angeles Times Celebration of Food and Wine

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Paramount Pictures Studio Lot

It's nice to have beautiful weather on Labor Day weekend, especially when you're going to be outside all day.  Glenn and Cindy, my fellow Wine And Dine Enthusiasts (WADEs for the rest of this post and beyond) picked me up so that I could partake in more of the day's festivities.  Thanks, Glenn! 

Technically, Cindy doesn't really like wine, so she said that she'd give away her drink tickets if we wanted more.  We were given 8 each, but not everyone asked for a ticket in exchange for their samples, so I ended up having 4 left at the end of the day.  Not that I didn't drink anything.  Oh, heavens, no: it was quite the opposite.

So here's a list of what I can remember that we had, and maybe I'll have a thing or two to say about stuff. 

• 
  
  Deluxe Dumplings food truck: I had the scallop and crab dumpling, which was quite tasty, especially with the sweet pea vinaigrette  Glenn was unhappy that it had cilantro inside, but at least he finally got to try the duck taco, which he enjoyed.  Cindy had already had both of these, so she was nice enough to tell us what she liked and we followed suit.  All of the food trucks that we went to seemed to want cash only.
• 
  
  Sinatra Family Estates: this was the first wine tasting of the day for Glenn and me.  I thought the "Nothing But the Best" Cabernet was OK, and Glenn was OK with the "La Voce" Tuscan blend.  I wonder what the "Come Fly  With Me" Cabernet tastes like.
• 
  
  Melissa's: Our first free food of the day.  They served Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes with Roasted Hatch Chile Vinaigrette.  No, I did not memorize the name.  The recipe is on their website.
• 
  
  Voskos Greek Yogurt::  They had free samples with ingenious folding-paper spoons.  I enjoyed the blueberry flavor so much that I bought some today when I went grocery shopping.  Darnit!  I forgot to use my coupon!
• 
  
  Marche Noir Foods and Black Market Bakery:  We had their Pasta Caberneti, which is made with wine flour.  Yum!  They use the skins of the grapes in their flour, and I could actually taste some cabernet in there.  They also had Cabernet Brownies, which were quite tasty.  OMG, they have a recipe on their site: Cabernet Penne and Manchego (Mac n Cheese). WANT.  Later in the day, we returned for more Caberniti, but they didn't have anymore of that.  So I had Black Market's Black Widow Tart.  Mmmm....non-spidery.  They had bags of cookies with a sign that read "These are your cookies", so I told Cindy to put them in her bag.  She did not.
• 
  
  Starr African Rum:  We were watching a little presentation about some kind of special ice that doesn't melt quickly.  Then the guy gave us samples with the ice.  Samples of the Starr African Rum with the ice, that is.  I didn't realize this until after I gulped it down.  Yikes!  This was Cindy's first alcoholic drink of the day, and she had done the same thing, so ... whoa.  I would have rather had some kind of mixed drink with the rum, but didn't want to stay to wait for him to make more.  They had the prettiest bottles of the day.  It took a lot of waiting for me just to get this picture.

• 
  
  Fancifull Fine Food & Baskets:  They had some little samples of cheese and salami and other little things.  Our favorite was the Western Sage Cheddar from Bravo Farms, which is a place I visited on the way home from a meeting in Fresno.  
• 
  
  Stephen & Walker Trust Winery:  Their Sauvignon Blanc Green Valley of Russian River Valley was so fruity that it tasted non-alcoholic after that African rum.  Glenn had their port wine.
• 
  
  Lunazul 100% Blue Agave:  All 3 of us had shots of the Reposado.  Oh my goodness, it was smooth and yummy.  I would have loved to have taken the whole shot at once, but since it was so tasty, I savored it a little bit.  I need to get some of this on my next trip to BevMo.
• 
  
  Evan Williams Honey Reserve Bourbon: Perhaps it's good that this isn't available at BevMo, or I'd be there right now instead of writing this.  Seriously, I want, like, 3 bottles of it.  Honey-y, not bourbon-y, although bourbon-y is good, especially with BBQ. :)

Sherry with empty glasses on Party Street

• 
  
  Blackheart Premium Spiced Rum: OK, I thought that I didn't want anymore rum, then I saw that the guy was giving Cindy a whole bunch of it with some Coke.  So I had some, hoping that the Coke would dilute some of the alcohol in my system.  It did not.  I was dizzy.  Glenn had gone for some SmartWater at the Sweets Truck, but he didn't see my text asking him for Red Velvet Cake Balls.  Cindy was busy taking pictures of the dancing bottle from the Korean Cultural Center.  Glenn wondered why I was drinking again if I was already dizzy before he left.  Well, I was thirsty, and this was refreshing and yummy.  Besides, the lady gave me a pirate wench tattoo.  I couldn't help it.  We all decided that we needed real food.  I also decided that I was done drinking.
• 
  
  But first, Cindy wanted a bag.  So we went to Don Francisco's to sober up a little with some coffee.  I had the Hawaiian Hazelnut flavor.  Mmmm...coffee.
• 
  
  Ragin Cajun food truck: The nom nom truck had a realllllly long line, so we had some Cajun food.  I had the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo which was quite tasty, and not too spicy, but with good, tasty spiciness.  APPARENTLY, we were sitting in what Paramount uses for a pool when shooting water scenes.  It did not feel refreshing to sit there, though, except for the nice shade.
• 
  
  The other WADEs had Gekkeikan Sake while I stood in line for free Fiji Water.  In the same little building, they were giving out Bacon-Wrapped Matzoh Balls from Gorbals.  At first I thought, "bacon-wrapped matzoh?  Isn't this wrong somehow?"  Then I remembered that I shouldn't care because I'm Catholic.  I very much enjoyed my tasty treat, and I'm sorry that they ran out of bacon before Glenn and Cindy got there.  
• 
  
  Delicious Wishes of Beverly Hills:  Clearly, Cindy had too much to drink today.  She asked them where they were located.  The gal responded nicely, "Beverly Hills".  ;)  I tried to give Cindy the benefit of the doubt, thinking that she meant their exact location, but that's not what she meant.  Oh, wow, I had a really yummy Peanut Butter Ball, and I want more of those.  This totally made up for not getting anything at the Sweets Truck.
• 
  
  We went back down to Party Street (in the Brooklyn portion of the lot), which was the street where I got really drunk on the tequila, bourbon and rum.  I thought that I was done drinking.  I really did.  But I did try whatever was in the same bottle that looked like the dancing bottle.  It was ok, but I threw it out and decided later that it was yucky.
• 
  
  Izze:  I had the Sprakling Pomegranate flavor.  It was very good.
• 
  
  Glenn came back from wherever he went, and showed us that he got a pen from there when he tried their tequila.  I wanted a pen.  Cindy wanted a pen.  We went there.  There = Don Cardona Tequila.  I don't know which kind I had (probably the Silver, even though I'm not a gentleman), but it came with cranberry juice, so I had some.  It was really good.  APPARENTLY, I wasn't quite done with the drinking.
• 
  
  We visited the LA Times Wine Club and got free corkscrews.
• 
  
  Cindy then decided to sample whatever drink they were offering at a show.  I don't know what it was, but Glenn went to get some, too.  I was still enjoying my cranberry juice and tequila.  I like this combination.
• 
  
  We completed forms with Buick so that we could get free water bottles.  My bag was now full of things out of which I could drink stuff.
• 
  
  They went for some curry chicken at SedThee Thai, and I waited for them.  (I am not a fan of curry). 

We decided that we were finally done drinking, and it was time for dinner.  The nom nom truck line wasn't long anymore, so Cindy and I shared a combo of Pork Banh Mi with Pork Tacos.  We would have had the lemongrass chicken in one of the items, but they had run out.  This was the first time that the two of us had eaten banh mi. We are now fans.  NOM NOM!!! 

Glenn had sliders from a different truck, but I can't remember which one.  As we ate in the pool, we listened to She and Him, Zooey Deschanel's band.  I like Zooey, but I could hardly hear her, and we decided that there was something wrong with the mixing board, or there was a problem with the sound operator.  Whatever.  I swear that the first five songs all had the same chord progression.  We left just as they were playing different chords.

• 
  
  Cindy reminded Glenn that he wanted dessert, so he got some Coffee Toffee Banana Pudding from Nana Queen's Puddin' & Wings.  I had a taste.  It was yum.  You know I can't resist a nicely dressed banana.  So here she is.

• 
  
  Cindy saw that they still had egg tarts at Deluxe Dumplings, so she and I each had one.  Mmmm...egg tart.
• 
  
  It's too bad that we couldn't walk around the premises, but I made sure to take a picture of the famous gates as we left.

We had a great time, and didn't even need to go ViP since we didn't even get to every single booth.  I don't think I could have physically done every booth without getting really sick, so that's probably a good thing.  Thanks for the fun, my WADEs, and LA Times!

Made it! Top of the World!

Oscar Noir: Week Fifteen

White Heat

Monday, August 30, 2010

Well, here we are.  Week Fifteen.  I made it!  I had perfect attendance for the series!  Yay, me!  Unfortunately, Liz was unable to attend due to a family issue, but Linda was able to join me for a movie that she loves.  We were given surveys to complete, and no, I was not snarky like I am here.  I very genuinely heaped praise on the series, and hoped that they would offer series passes again next year.  I did not mention the crazy, mean, or fascist people.  I joined with others in giving Randy a nice standing ovation when he got to the stage.  He did put together quite a nice series.  Thank you, Randy.

Short:  "Dedication of Academy Headquarters Footage, Dec. 8, 1975"

It's always fun to look at the fashion of yesteryear.  The footage didn't have any sound, so Randy pointed out celebrities, and so did some of the audience, including Linda.  We laughed about the hors d'oeuvres: remember cocktail weenies were just the tops?  Nowadays, we'd expect much, much more than that at an Academy celebration.

Cartoon:  "Golden Yeggs"

Daffy's back!  I'm telling you, there's something about the ducks and the Noir.  Someone in Porky Pig's hen house laid a golden egg, and the culprit, knowing that there'd be trouble, pointed to Daffy as the egg-layer.  Gangsters offered Porky a deal that he couldn't refuse, and they took Daffy and demanded that he lay an egg for them.  Dudes, Daffy's a BOY DUCK.  Dummies.  But, you know, the real egg-layer kinda looked like a boy duck to me, too.  I asked Linda why Daffy didn't just fly away from the gangster's place.  She said that it was because we were watching a cartoon.  Whatevs.

Feature: "White Heat" (1949), screenplay by Ben Roberts, story by Virginia Kellogg, directed by Raoul Walsh, music by Max Steiner, and starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, and Edmond O'Brien.

• The film was introduced by Paul Thomas Anderson, screenwriter for "There Will Be Blood", "Magnolia" and "Boogie Nights".  Academy President Tom Sherak introduced Anderson by telling the story of pitching a family-friendly script to Anderson, involving a grandfather and a grandson.  He said that he knew that Anderson was influenced by Film Noir by Anderson's only reaction at the end of the pitch, saying, "OK, but in the third act, the grandson kills the grandfather."  
• Anderson advised us to keep an eye on the extras in the jail scene when they are all eating their meals.  Cody receives news and reacts to it.  The extras were not told what Cody was going to find out or what he was going to do, so their reaction to Cody was a first-take. 
• Cagney is a genius.  His portrayal of Cody Jarrett was spot on, and I loved every moment that he was on screen.
• This is the third film in this series in which Edmond O'Brien plays a role,and this is the biggest one.  He wins in the Oscar Noir series.  I mean, listen.  He's the one that Cagney calls " A Copper!"  How awesome is that?!
• Ma Jarrett, I'm so glad you weren't my mother, or I'd be leading a life of crime.
• "You couldn't get me out of here if I was pardoned."  
• I loved the whole police chase, based on their using a radio signal to triangulate the whereabouts of Cody and his gang.  So old-fashioned for us now, yet so new for them at the time.  The best part of the chase for me, though, was that they were showing a map of Los Angeles County and naming real-life intersections.
• Virginia Mayo sure did have a lot of fur, even though, as Jarrett told her, "You'd look good in a shower curtain."
• "It's always 'somebody tipped them'.  Never 'the cops are smart'."
• The special guests for the evening were Pauline Wagner, who worked with Cagney in "LadyKiller", and a writer working on the biography of Raoul Walsh.
• Ms. Wagner, who had just turned 100 years old on August 18, was a bundle of funny anecdotes.  The audience giggled so much that at one point, Randy stated that he felt like he was on the wrong show.  She said that during an audition for Cecil B. DeMille, he yelled at her because she couldn't sing.  When she told him that it was he who asked her to screen test, and not her asking to be tested, he laughed and kept her as a credit on every show, no matter if she worked on it or not.  

I've really enjoyed this series, and learned a lot about the Film Noir genre.  Many thanks to the Academy for this great series, which I treated as sort of a film class by making sure that I attended every week and wrote up a little review on my blog.  Although I didn't always stay for the guest commentary, I still hope that my report card says that I passed, with flying black-and-white.