The Divine Secrets of a Southern Diva

Do y’all even know what that bitch did? She bought me a plane ticket to LA, fed me tons of yummy food, got me liquored up, let me hang out with Megs AND let me decorate her new office AND her new apartment.

That girl is the devil. Just the absolute fucking epitome of evil.

It all started when she asked for my input on her new office. I picked out some colors and gave her some suggestions and she was all “OMG YOU HAVE TO COME HERE. I’M BUYING YOUR TICKET NOW, BIATCH.”

And I’m all, “Sure that sounds fun.” I was at work and slammed. I couldn’t freak out too much.

Inside I’m quietly screaming “OMG I GET TO GO TO LA. AND SEE NANCY. AND EAT. AND DECORATE. AND DRINK. OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!”

Like, my three most favorite things in the world to do and I get to see Nancy to boot.

Uh. Fuck yeah!

So, off I went for a 38 hour whirl-wind weekend with Nancy in beautiful LA.

It was go-go-go from the time I landed. Momma picked me up and off we went to Amalfi’s for a late dinner. Hello, foodgasm #1. I ordered a mushroom risotto that was so fucking fabulous I could have died right there totally happy.

Meg and her friend Natalie came to meet us. Hi. Megs is gorgeous. Nat’s a cutie, too, but Meg? Scroll down a bit and you’ll see. We were too busy to take any pics that night but we got some on Saturday.

Next, we head to The Comedy Store. We drink. We heckle and join in the show. We keep it open past closing. It was FABOO. I finally went to sleep around 5 am which is 7 am Houston time. I was officially up for over 24 hours. Total college flashbacks.

So, around 11:oo we finally drag our fabulous asses out of bed. And we are hungry. There is a place in LA called The Griddle that I’ve heard all about. Incredible food and possible celeb watching. Sadly, no celebs. But OMG THE FOOD. Totally worth the wait, y’all. Aren’t we cute waiting?

We had a fatgirl feast. I got some sort of mexican scramble and she got a scramble with shrimp and pesto or something. Delish. But that’s not the best part. We got “dessert” to share.

Butterscotch chip caramel walnut pancakes. SON! Foodgasm #2.

We couldn’t even eat a third of them. OH and they had the best coffee served in a french press. Really, stupidly, crazy outstanding.

After that it was decorating time! Her office is great, especially for a new company. The paint colors I picked out were PHEEEENOMINAL. We re-arranged her furniture and picked out some accessories. We didn’t take pics because we didn’t go back after shopping, but when she’s done I’ll make her take some and I’ll post them.

Then it was off to her new place. Adorable. Granite countertops, hard wood and tile with a view of the hills, a pool and an elevator. We picked out some great colors for the walls and figured out where to place her furniture. And we really wanted to go lay by her pool, but there was some shopping and In and Out burgers and drinking to be had.

We then got all cute and went to pick up Megs. We went to Boa so I could meet Nancy’s roomie Caleb (or soon-to-be-ex roomie since she’s now got her own place) and basically got tanked and people watched. Honestly, what the fuck do people think when they leave the house? I actually got a picture of one chick. The outfit was so tight that the fabric was pulling so much you could see through it- including the crack of her ass. And the shoes where awful. She couldn’t even walk in the stupid things. The picture doesn’t really do it justice.

And here’s us: Me and two gorgeous ladies!

Now, let me please tell you. These two chicas have been telling me the entire time about bacon wrapped hotdogs. We went searching for them the night before but had stayed at the comedy club too long. Apparently, just between the hours of 1 and 2 am, these little vendors set up with a hotplate skillet thingy and all the fixins for some seriously DELICIOUS snacks. They take hotdogs, wrap them in bacon and grill them. You can add onions and peppers, mayo, mustard and ketchup. I had mine sans ketchup and let me tell you what, my friends. It was RIDICULOUS. So good. Especially to a bacon and hotdog lovin’ girl like me. Honestly one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. And they didn’t skimp on those dogs. They were the big fat meaty ones.

We drove around a bit more, through the hills seeing the sites. Ended up having to stop in the COLDEST grocery store ever to pee and get Tums. Got waited on by an old man who I swear has to be in the witness protection program. He was all “Ay, you got some heartburn? That’s the woist. This stuff right here will fix you right up.” I forget what all he was saying but I’m fairly sure the Sopranos was based on his life.

We made it in about 4 and passed out.

I had to catch my plane home around 1230, so we were rushing like fools. I left a bra and my bath stuff there. Which is awesome considering I was going out of town the following weekend and had nothing to take with me. We were starving so we ate leftover butterscotch chip caramel walnut pancakes in the car. Cold. But still rockin’ awesome. I’m sure we were cute shoving it in our faces at red lights.

And that was that. I got on a plane and came home, exhausted but so happy that I went.

Nancy, thank you for your hospitality and generosity. You sure know how to woo a chick. I HEART YOU SO HARD! MWAH!

And this concludes how I ate my way through Los Angeles.

Next blog will be all about Easter, camping, Madeline and Mike eating fried alligator.

I HEART LA.
-Ali

4 MAGICAL years.

Today is me and Mikey’s (and Dianne’s!) anniversary. 4 years ago, the 3 of us descended upon Red Bank, New Jersey and the rest is history.

Life is good for me and Mikey. We live downtown in big brick duplex that we’ve decorated all cute. I love my job (busy as it can be) and Mikey is really taking off with his video and graphics contract work. He’s also trying his hand at some photography. Being in the city makes for a great backdrop. You should check out his work on his site.

We eat at awesome places (hi fatkids) and enjoy watching hours of DVDs and just doing nothing together. We did take in a cat this year- my brothers, actually. It was great until she decided to be a little ho and pee and shit all over the place. That needs to get sorted real quick before Mike kicks her to the curb.

WHY I AM THE LUCKIEST CHICK ON EARTH:

(Ladies- get ready to be jealous.)

1. He does little dances that make me laugh. It’s hilarious. You just have to be there in the moment to see how awesome they are.

2. He cleans. MUY IMPORTANTE!

3. He think all the crazy shit I do is just more reasons to love me. And I do some seriously weird and/or crazy shit. He often says he wishes he could see what goes on inside my head when I do those things. Sometimes I let him in on my thought process to which I usually get an extreme belly laugh coupled with an eye-roll or several.

4. He encourages me to follow my dreams of taking over the internet and becoming the master of all the things media to the extent that he scolds me for not working on it more. (Pod casts, anyone? More Dishing with the Diva?)

5. He thinks my dramatics are cute (unless he feels that it will get his ass kicked at which time he tries to reign me in. HA.)

6. He waits on me hand and foot when I’m tired or cranky or just being lazy. (So, regularly.)

7. He wants me to have as much clothes/shoes/accessories that we can afford. What man does that?!

8. He doesn’t make TOO much fun of all of my TV obsessions.

9. Morning ritual: He gets up and brews me coffee (he doesn’t drink it). Then he showers. Then he wakes me up to shower. He then listens for the shower to go off and makes me a cup of coffee and some sort of breakfast something- toast with peanut butter or pop tarts (nutrition at its finest)- then brings it to my vanity so I can eat while I get ready. He then finishes getting ready, makes BOTH of our lunches, cleans the litter box and takes out the trash. I finish getting dressed and then he drives me to work.

And most importantly…

10. He loves me. And for exactly the way I am. No matter what, he’s proud of me and proud to be with me. That just makes all the above icing.

Totally happy-
Ali

Andy Hallet, “The Host” (Lorne) from Angel died today. If his name doesn’t ring a bell, I’m sure the picture below will if you’ve ever seen the series.

His death was confirmed on both E! Online and Whedonesque, Joss Whedon’s website.  I figured I’d post about it because I know a lot of my readers love the series, too.

He ws 33 years old and had a heart condition.

He was my age.

And so talented! I loved that he drank seabreezes and called people  pet names– especially Anglecakes. He could sing so well and his character was such a great addition to that show.

Poor guy. RIP.

I won’t be able to watch the show he same way again.

-Ali

Every so often I feel the need to share the fun places I haunt on the web with the rest of the world.

Well. The ones who read this blog anyway.

Lords of The Loop

These dudes are totally anonymous. They live the Houston innerloop badassery lifestyle of twenty-something dudes with nothing more to do than hang out in pubs, watch sports and make fun of everything.  You know how much I loves me some makin’ fun of shit.

AND Y’ALL! They have an enemies list. HOW AWESOME IS THAT? I’d make one myself but lets face it: that’d be one long-ass list.

I so totally want to go to Cahill’s and find the Ewok.

D-Listed

Celebrity blogging at its finest. I may have already mentioned this site in a previous blog, but I don’t care. It deserves another mention. This dude is so crass and vulgar that it makes more awesome than all other celebrity blogs, ever. Here’s a list of nicknames he’s given celebrities:

Roided up Vadge- Madonna
Mophead- Cheryl Burke from Dancing With The Has Beens
Our Lady Of Cheetos- Britney Spears
Cheetolings- Brit Brit’s kids
Stepford Katie- Katie Holmes
Ty Ty “Smile wit yo eyes” Banks- Tyra Banks
Crackie of Camden- Amy Winehouse
Basement Baby- Solange Knowles
Blohan- Lindsey Lohan
Papa Joe- Joe Simpson, father of Jessica and Ashley
Asshole Simpson- Ashley Simpson
Wonkey McValtrex- Paris Hilton
Alien Princess RiRi of the Universe- Rihana

Those are just a few of my favorites. I now refer to some of these people as those nicknames.  Seriously, check him out if you like celeb gossip with a side of sarcasm, disdane and assholishness.

Houstonist

If you live in Houston, you should read it. Everyday. The amount of goodness I’ve found in this city because of that blog is ridiculous.

Dangerblog

Because my man writes it and, really, a lot of times it’s about me and I’m a total attention whore.

Ask Dr. Ding

The Dinger is a crazy Houstonian with a passion for bling and sass. She doesn’t blog as often as she used to but check her out nonetheless.

Visit them. Read them. Let’s discuss.

Spending the day watching Battlestar Gallactica…
-Ali

My co-worker Kevin’s job is to find awesome stuff on the internet. And when he finds truly superbly awesome stuff, he passes it out.   I’m fairly certain he hit the jackpot with this one (even if he actually saw it on TV first).

This is an infomercial. Someone took all the good parts and chopped it down to a little over 5 minutes of fantabulousness. It has it all! Door breaking down! Hollerin’! Neat-o food appliances! Hip terminology like “jibba jabba”! And some BLING!

But most of all, it has THE man.

Yes, I’m talking about that hip cat from Rocky 3 and the A Team: The Great Mr. T.

I present to you, Flavorwave:

Also, Mike was in Seattle last night for business. Today at the airport he saw this:

In case you can’t make it out, this bitch and her man both have a perfectly ironed crease in their pants. AND she’s wearing stirups. STIRUPS.  I wore those in high school and even then it was pushing the fashion limits for 1992. I just want to know what goes through people’s heads when they get dressed in the morning. And those fuckers where flying to Houston. Y’all know they live in Cleveland or Willis or some shit. They’s goin’ to the big city so they had to put on their good clothes.

Man, I’m such a bitch.

Sunday night Me, Mike and Kristen are going to see Chris Cornell at Warehouse Live. That’s a very intimate venue. I think capacity is like 1500. Y’all jealous? You should be. I get to go re-live high school and college when he kicks it old-school Soundgarden style.  If he pulls out some Temple of the Dog (even without Eddie OMG Vedder) I might have to pee a little.

But I’ll tell y’all one thing. I won’t be wearing no fuckin’ stirups. That’s for DAMN sure.

Since my Buffy marathon, I’ve had a hankerin’ for some good old grungy 90′s alternative rock so I wiped my iPod and filled it the sounds of Nirvana, Candlebox, Counting Crows, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots,  Sarah McLachlin and Goo Goo Dolls.  Seriously, the best era of music in my book.

Diggin’ out the docs and flannels…
-Ali

OH PS! Mikey got to ride first class the other day. He was all sorts of pumped. Check out his blog. Y’all should be reading it regularly anyway, bitches.

Sunday morning Mike and I got up at 5AM. Yes, 5. A. M.  Anyone who knows us knows that we aren’t morning people, so it had to be something good, right?

We wanted to see a building go boom. Granted it was a small one, but still. BOOM!

As per usual here in the city of we-keep-nothing-sacred-and-preserve-nothing-for-historical-value of Houston, someone was tired of the 1960′s era Compass Bank building on Post Oak so it got blown to bits so they can build something new and shiny.  Not that the bank building was any sort of remarkable architecture or had any historical relevance, but its just typical Houston fashion to tear down the old for something new and improved. It’s one of the few things that really bothers me about the city.

Anyhoo, in true Ali and Mike fashion, we filmed the whole thing. I must say, it was pretty cool. We waited for 2 1/2 hours for it be over in seconds, but it was way awesome.

Also, I’m all caught up with Bones and it is officially my favorite show on TV right now. I’ve got my DVR set so I can watch it weekly in glorious high-def. Plus I own season 3. I’ll be getting the first two eventually. (Hello? Birthday gift ideas. )

Dancing with the Stars blows except for Lil Kim providing me and Mike with the greatest TV line ever- “I first saw this show when I was in prison.” That says a lot about our culture and why the world hates us, I think.

American Idol- my niece loves that show. Sarah needs to upload some video of her watching it. She gets down with her bad self just like her Nanny. Also, GO DANNY!

Concerts! Concert season is beginning to shape up nicely. So far, we have tickets to see Bruce Springsteen at Toyota Center. Which, of course, makes Mike giddy.

We also have tickets to see Chris Cornell at Warehouse Live. So awesome! It’s a small venue only holding about 1500 so it should be a great show.

House of Blues is also turning out some great little intimate shows. We are planning to see Live and Gavin Rossdale there. Eeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I love Live. That’s gonna be a dope show because that venue is SUPER small. It’s like having a stage in your house.

Also, congrats to miss Nancy Jundi. She just took a position as VP of Sales and Marketing for a new company. Way to go, momma!

Mike is gone on business for most of this week so I’m going to eat crappy take out and absorb as much trash tv as possible… which isn’t all that different than when he’s here! I just don’t get the quality commentary from the Mike Peanut Gallery (consisiting of Mike and Shea. Yes, he speaks as though the cat is speaking. Our home is special.)

Singing the lyrics to “Runaway” by Live/Shelby Lynne all day…
-Ali

So I’m on Facebook, right? It’s a cool little website. I find it to be an amusing little time-suck. BUT. What the fuck with the crazy application shit?

Last night, someone threw a hamster in a water balloon at me.  I don’t know what to do with that.

Did they kill a hamster, fill a water balloon then stuff him in it?

Oh, god.

Did they put him in alive!?! What kind of person does this?

And flare. Why are you giving me flare? Am I lost? Do I need to stop traffic for some reason? Do I have a flare gun in my locker that needs going off so I can spend Saturday in detention with Molly Ringwald?

Why are people mowing my little green patch? That sounds so dirty and I really don’t think Mike would appreciate that.

And cupcakes. Y’all ain’t giving me cupcakes. I’m a fat girl. I know what a cupcake is. There is no cupcake in my belly so quit teasing me, haters.

This is seriously out of control, people.

I think Facebook is neat. I’ve reconnected with people I hadn’t seen in years. I get to pimp my blog. I upload adorable pictures of me and Mike. It’s a hoot.

But all these random applications? People. Close the browser, walk away from the computer and make me some fuckin’ cupcakes for real.

Heart,
Ali

WANG.

OMG WTF with that big. blue. WANG?!?!?

Wha? Did you think I’d post it? NO. I just wanted to give y’all an idea. IT’S NOT THAT KINDA BLOG, PEOPLE. Just lots of cursing.

So, OBVIOUSLY, I saw The Watchmen this weekend. And I’ll admit, I called it the Big Blue Wang movie all weekend. But I don’t think I was fully prepared for The Wang.

3 hours of giant nekkid blue man and his colossal Wang. Plus some half nekkid dominatrix-hooker looking “superhero” chicks. Who is gonna believe that in the 40′s some chicks were running around in bustiers, fishnets, and thigh-high-platform stilettos? Tits and ass hanging out ALL OVER the damn place. For real? Even if it were acceptable, how the hell would anyone be able to fight in that get up?

And then they go and modernize her for 1984. Silk Spectre II, the original’s daughter, with some extra ho added in for good measure.

And on top of the costuming on the chicks, there are some wicked sex scenes. Was it truly necessary to get an extreme closeup of Night Owl banging Silk Spectre inside of Archie (the flying blimp thing they got around in)? EW. You could practically see his little hairs. That’s gross, y’all. Gross. I nearly barfed my Goobers.

It was total soft-core porn aimed at greasing up the geeky comic book fanboys. I’m not just talking about the film, either. It was accurate to the original graphic novel. It just cheapened everything about how cool the story is.The  plot was intriguing. I actually really liked the story- but all that ridiculous, over-the-top gratuitousness kills it. The fight scenes were sub par- I saw better shit on Buffy and Angel.

It was pretty.The cinematography was great- especially in the 1940′s era scenes. The glowey blue dude was neat-o when he wasn’t waving The Wang in my face. It was a lot to cram into one film and if you didn’t know the story prior to, you will probably have a hard time following it.

Also, we had some fucking fanboy goons behind us. Like OLD fanboy goons. Easily in their 50′s. They were loud with these super dumb  laughs. All through the movie they chuckling like everything was some super awesome nod to the book they masturbated to in their 20′s. It was all I could do to not get straight ghetto on them. SO annoying and much creepier than the Batgirl incident at The Dark Knight. I love comic book movies, but fuck. They sure bring out the wackjobs. Literally.

And now, the Daily Show summons me. Hello, Jon Stewart. I wanna be your bff so bad.

-LMAO
Ali

PS- MONICA. Hey, girl! I blogged for you! FOR YOU… *victory stance*

I love TV. Like, really really love TV. Like, possibly to an unhealthy level. I think I enjoy watching television almost as much as I like eating.

Almost.

So I figured I’d catch you all up on my current TV obsessions. I know some of y’all watch what I watch and I wanna know what y’all think.

American Idol

OMGWTF TATIANA-HO GETS ANOTHER CHANCE? This bitch is out of this world crazy, y’all. Like, if we were to discover a whole ‘nother galaxy out there in space and it was packed full of crazy it would be named Tatiana Del Toro. What the hell was she even wearing last night? It was like she sewed a bunch of her gran-mommas tablecloths together in the form of a badly fitting dress.

Also, y’all know Danny Gokey is gonna win, right? I have spoken and it shall be. BUT, if for some absurd reason that isn’t the case I will take it out on Randy. His new “What?!” phrase is on my nerves already. Someone needs to remind him he had a triangle flat-top and wore rubber outfits in the 80′s while jammin’ with Journey. He’s ain’t street.

ER
Ok, I’ve been watching this show for years. I’ll admit that I stopped for a while because it kinda got bad BUT it’s the last season and everyone is coming back and CARTER is back and not for just a little blip episode! Plus it’s all the rumor that Clooney agreed to come back WITH Julianne Margalise so that they could tie up their storyline about where they ended up together.

It’s like a hug from an old friend. I will truly be sad when this season is over. They done good on ending it.

House

What is with Cuddy? I’ve always thought Lisa Edelstein was hot in that sultry, non-traditional way. But homegirl needs to eat a cheeseburger or five and find a hair-do that isn’t better suited for an old lady back in the 70′s. She looks BAD, y’all. And I’m tried of the 13 “I have a disease and mother issues” drama. Move on. I want to see more of Kutner aka Kal Penn aka Kumar. He’s funny and we don’t know that much about him.

Heroes
Hayden Pantenawhatsername looks like a wax figure from Madam Tussauds. What did they do to her? She was always so adorable. Her hair looks like a wig and she’s all shiny and weird.

I love Sylar. He’s fuckin’ with that kid so hard. It’s like he’s found a little mini-me pet.

I still don’t get how Nathan is running this whole operation to kidnap and contain the heroes when that fucker can FLY. AND NO ONE EVER TELLS ANYONE HE CAN. Hello? I’d be all up telling that military dude that his boss is a freak, too.

Plus Angela being all good- you know she ain’t. And this flip-floppin’ between Bennet being good or bad. Pick a side, man.

Also, Hiro needs his powers back. I think it’s just mean that he doesn’t. Ando having powers is stupid.

90210

Nah nah nah nah-Nah nah nah nah- CH CH.

Is it wrong that I want Silver’s style? I love her hair and her clothes but there is this little thing about me being 33 and chubby not being able to pull it off. I think if I rock the converse and leggings to work people might talk. Whatever.

The show is bad. I know it’s bad but I can’t stop watching. I heart Kelly. She hasn’t changed a bit. Brenda is still a royal bitch. And Donna is coming back! And Diablo Cody will be on! That’s gonna be dope.

Dancing with the WTF… I mean Stars

This will start next week and I’ll be watching like a fool. Have y’all seen the mess of celebs on there? RIDICULOUS. And not in that hip-lingo way. But I’ll watch. Jewel AND her rodeo bull ridin’ husband are both supposed to be contestants but rumor has it that she hurt her knee and can’t participate. So, they are adding one of Hugh Hefner’s old ho’s instead. We got sluts, thugs and who are you?’s this season. Awesome. Or awesomely sad. Either way I’m tunin’ in.

Rock of Love Bus

Skanks galore. I can’t even root for anyone because they are all skanktastic. The only girl I liked was Beverly and next episode is about how she’s gone all psycho. AWESOME.

He’s gonna end up picking that hot tranny mess Farrahwith the gigantic fake tits. I know they ALL have fake tits, but this chick looks like any minute those things are going to explode and escape. She’s so busy being a drunk ho and effin’ around with the Amy Winehouse/Sandra Bernhard wanna be that she wouldn’t know if Brett was coming on to her or slapp-a-ho’in her.

Also, Brett is just gross. Like, grody to the max.

Confessions of a Teen Idol

Well, its over now, but I was watching it. What a bizarre show. First of all, I wouldn’t classify these dudes as Idols. Second of all, it was so bad it was uncomfortable. I wrote this blog way back when about Billy Hufsey and people thought I was serious. His “Street Team” was all over my comments. Hello? Has no one heard of sarcasm? I stopped giving him shit in his blogs and what not because it became so easy. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.

We shouldn’t be watching these dudes scrape the bottom like this. It was just… not ok. But, of course, I couldn’t stop watching. Its over now and apparently VH1 is making it so that they get chances for a comeback. We shall see.

Bones

Ok, I’ll admit I’m only watching this show because of dreamy David Boreanaz. I finally finished all my Buffy and Angel but I didn’t want Angel to end. So I’m considering this Angel season 6 rather than Bones season 1. I borrowed the dvd’s from Kristy (who also lent me Buffy- she’s awesome) so that I can catch up then I’ll start watching it regularly on tv. And yes, David Boreanez is delicious. He’s thinner and ya know, not dead and drinking blood in this show. Which is a nice change. Except for the thinner part. I mean, he’s still smokin’ but I really like a little meat on my men.

BUT even though it’s really NOT Angel season 6 I’m really lovin’ the show. So is Mike- and he hated Angel. We had many discussions on which is more awesome vampires or superheros. But what he could never realize is that Angel was both a vampire AND superhero so he ruled them all. FACE.

Shit. I think I just let you guys way too deep into my geekery. Oh well.

So, tell me. What are your thoughts on my shows? What are y’all watching that I’m not and should maybe start? And I dont’ want to hear about the jackass bachelor. What a douche.

-Snuggling my remote
Ali

PS- With AT&T U-verse, I can totally set my DVR from the web. HOW COOL IS THAT SHIT! Kristy laughed when she so my list but I DON’T CARE. Step off.

My darling Misty did this on Facebook and I thought it was too cool to just put it there. The description: Think of 15 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world.

Well, for me, music is a powerful memory trigger. A song can bring so much back, ya know? I love doing blogs like this. I know I’ve done several about songs specifically but not albums.

So, here you are: a little glimpse into my soul to see what makes me tick via pop music in chronological order.

Thriller- Micheal Jackson At 7 years old, I entered the world of fangirl. I had shirts, posters, stickers, books… I don’t know what else. I would listen to this album on my little silver panasonic hand-held tape-recorder over and over again.

I’d try to watch any and every appearance he made on tv… which in 1983 was kinda hard. No cable and no VCR. I don’t think we got one until the following year.

This was the year he won 8 grammies, too. This was also back when they’d let that telecast run as long as it wanted. OMG did I throw a fit because I wanted to stay up and watch it but my mom made me go to bed. I was so PISSED.

He was so bad ass back then. Who would have thought he’d have turned out to be a total freak.

Dirty Dancing Soundtrack- I was 12 and GOD did I love this movie. My CCD (that’s code for Catechism) teacher loved it too and they had 2 VCRs. Now, that was big shit back then. She rented the movie and taped it for me so that I could watch it over and over again. Sounds so weird now that you can buy any movie you want on dvd, but then you couldn’t.

The soundtrack had such great music- original stuff plus some oldies. I listened to it night and day. I also had some big-ass Patrick Swayze poster in my room.

Right next to Kirk Cameron. Weird, I know.

Ropin’ the Wind- Garth Brooks This was one of my country phases. Back when country was good and not a bunch of glamazon pop stars with slight twangs. Garth was my favorite by far.

This album, in particular, had the song Shameless. Yes, I know Billy Joel wrote it. But Garth Brooks gave it voice with a lot of emotion. And, I don’t know… I think I was about 16 at the time and boys hadn’t really started noticing me and all my friends had boyfriends… blah blah. I just wanted some dude to love me like the dude in that song loved his woman.

I found that, btw. His name is Mike. FACE.

Ten- Pear Jam I was introduced to Pearl Jam by my first real boyfriend summer before my senior year- Mark Ponter. He was older and way more into music than me and this was before this album broke big.

I was also in some sort of total depression then, too. Probably because he was an ass, but whatever. I would listen to this album constantly in my room. I felt, for the first time, that it was real music. Not bubble-gum pop (which I still love, btw) but soul-moving and meaningful. I still feel that way. They’ve never really had another album that is as good, in my opinion. Black is my favorite song which probably tells you where my head was at that time.

Journey’s Greatest Hits- I got into Journey because of the same boyfriend listed above. My uncle always liked them, but I never paid much attention to them before then. He would listen to it constantly. And as a result became hooked.

It was the first CD I ever bought. And since then I think I’ve owned about 3 copies of it. I listen to it on my iPod all the time. I love Steve Perry’s voice and lets be frank: the man can rock a mullet like no other.

I ended up listening to this cd for most of my senior year- specifically on Spring Break in New Braunfels at Julia’s parent’s house.

Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits- Yes, another greatest hits compilation. But it’s Steve Miller Band, man! That is summer chillin’ music. It just reminds me of staying up to the wee hours in the morning, just hanging. Not doing much of anything else.

Every summer for about 5 years we’d sit outside under the stars and see a Steve Miller concert. In between that, we’d just hang and listen to it. It was our road-trippin’ music. Our doing stupid-shit music. Our being-18-and-about-to-go-off-to-college music. It was the last time that I felt care-free and happy. I mean, I’m happy now, but growing up comes wiht a price. No more care-free for this chick.

August and Everything After- Counting Crows College and freedom. And with those things came worries. Worrying about money, grades, what I was going to do with my life. It was a fun time, but had I not had to worry about money so much and getting through it, I might have appreciated it more.

Everytime I hear this album I think back to frat parties, parties at the Rugby house, my first apartment, and watching Reality Bites and hoping to god I didn’t graduate and end up living like that.

It’s another one of those “real” albums. Like the music really means something and is emotional… not just music. And again, they’ve never made anything even close to as good as that one.

Fumbling Towards Ecstasy- Sarah McLachlin Now, Sarah’s voice is just so relaxing. And this album is so emotional. Me and Traci, my collage roommate would listen to this over and over again.

There is something very haunting about it. Her ethereal voice with strong synthesized drums and classic piano. I’ve never heard anything like it. It mellows me. I tend to put it on when I’m working and tuning out the world. It is probably my very favorite album, ever.

Every song is perfection.

Dizzy Up The Girl- Goo Goo Dolls Ah, the Goo Goo Dolls. I heart them so. This was their really big break out album, but not their first. I think, as of now, it was the pique of their success.

Its the album that was out when I became a geeky fangirl. I can’t even tell you how many times I watched their behind the music. I would keep up with them via their website so I knew every appearance they had on tv and I’d tape it. I made it a mission to meet them since I’d missed out back in ’96 (that’s a story for another blog, though). I finally met them in 2002 at a private show. Super nice and totally worthy of my fangirlness.

My Own Prison- Creed So, I know a lot of people hate this band. Do I care? No. From the moment I first heard this CD I was hooked.

I love Scott Stapp’s voice. I love that every song on this album is some sort of struggle with religion and morallity and understanding who you are and where you came from. It often boggles my mind when other people can’t listen and hear that, too.

I think they get dismissed because its cool to do so without taking the time to listen to them first. But for me, the music means something. What can I say? I’m a rebel.

So that’s my ten. I hope you liked my little peak into my soul. I hope some of you do the same thing- but I’m not tagging anyone.

Also, Mike knew I’d include 8 of the ones I chose. He knows me pretty well. I don’t know if I could pick out the ones he’d include, but he’s got some crazy music collection. I don’t think he could actually do a blog like this because his head might explode.

Now, I think I’m going to go listen to some music…

Boppin’ to the beat-
Ali