Play that Music Loud: PS22 Chorus

I might have mentioned a few times on here that I love music. Whether I'm attempting to play some songs on my guitar, singing loud in my car or listening to people with actual talent on the radio or my iPod - not a day goes by that music is not involved in my life some way. At church this morning, our choir was singing some classic Rev. James Cleveland songs and this older man was throwing down! I seriously couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear because his voice was amazing and it moved me. Music does that sometimes.

I was hit with musical inspiration for the second time today when I was trying to find a version of a song on YouTube and I stumbled across this group called "PS22 Chorus" and their YouTube page.

PS22 Chorus is a group of fifth-graders in a New York public school's music group that sing and perform. Led by the talented, Mr. B, the fifth grade class of PS22 has quite a following. The chorus has been around for 10 years and recently started gaining celebrity acclaim from musicians, actors and whatever category Perez Hilton falls under.

It is commendable what Mr. B and his colleagues are doing. Not only are they keeping art in school, but he's not just getting these kids to sing stuff from the radio. He's introducing them to artists and musicians they might not discover on their own like Tori Amos, The Doors and even Björk.

I think it is a shame how school's feel that cutting the arts programs are a way to save money that won't be detrimental to a child's growth, education and development. I would've been devastated if I didn't have music and art classes in school. They are what led me down the path that I took for my life. I remember how my elementary school music teacher, Mr. Witherspoon (yup, I still remember his name to this day), used to treat our class like we were some major chorus or symphony. Our musical performances were always a shade or two over the top for what I feel we were capable of, but the man instilled his passion for music in me and I love him for that. If I didn't have art enrichment, I never would have discovered how much I liked to draw. If there wasn't Odyssey of the Mind, I never would've realized what art and music could bring into my life. You take away classes like that and you take away an opportunity for a kid. Not every parent has the money or resources to put their child in programs like that outside of school and I feel it is just as important to learn about photosynthesis as it is to give a child an opportunity to realize what they can create through art, song, performance and dance.

Okay, okay - I will step off of my soapbox now. PS22 has a lot of young talent that I believe we will see and hear from in the next few years. Justin was one of the most talented fifth-graders in the program. He is now quite a bit older with his voice a lot deeper; but he is still singing beautifully. I do hope to see where his voice takes him in the near future.

I instantly fell in love with these kids and I love this program. It was hard for me to figure out which video to post, because there are several amazing ones to choose from. However, I have considerable appreciation for singer, Sade, and with her new album out, I thought why not post this video cover of her song "Pearls." The song (from her album Love Deluxe) is absolutely beautiful and I think PS22 did Sade proud.

"Pearls" by PS22 Chorus (w/ a solo by Brielle <-- amazing):

Don't you just love how into it the kids are? They are really feeling the pain and sadness of this song. Music...it moves you, no matter your age.

Hope you enjoy!

Flashback Friday: Cassette Tapes

This morning, on my drive into work - I was rummaging through my glove compartment for my phone charger and pulled out an old cassette tape!

Do you remember cassette tapes? The tiny little audio tapes were classic! It was always difficult trying to read the lyrics in the small booklets that came with them so you could sing along to the new Michael Jackson album, but I loved cassette tapes! I used to have 3 blank tapes that I would constantly update with music from the radio - making my own mixtapes! Dubbing was so easy with cassettes.

When it comes to portable music, cassette tapes were definitely a step forward. I mean, I love the authentic sound of vinyl like the next person (and I don't really want to talk about 8-track) - but I like my music to go. I remember when I got my Sony Walkman! That thing became my life! I would take it everywhere (i.e. to and from school or around the neighborhood because I was in elementary school and it wasn't like I was "going" lots of places at at that age).

I used to have this cheap pair of headphones that always broke and I had to tape the sides of them in order to keep it together (similar to the photograph I found on Flickr below). But I didn't care, because I loved my walkman and my cassette tapes.

After the walkman, we transitioned into portable CD players, mp3 players and of course the iPod - but I will always remember playing my walkman and listening to my cassette tapes.

Now, I just need to figure out what was actually on that tape inside of my car...

Recipe Idea: Glazed Pork Loin

Lately, I've been cooking a lot more. I will only briefly mention that my last few "endeavors" were not worthy of blogging about, but I finally got my groove back! My latest new favorite is a recipe from a cookbook that I received as a gift from Loverly #2 for Christmas. The book is loaded with amazing recipes for entertaining groups (which I love) and I had to share this one.

For those of you who do eat pork, let me just say that this is one extremely versatile cooking medium. You can make pork taste so many different ways and it's fairly easy to do. Who knew that red onions and pears would taste so good together? The recipe is very easy to follow, the preparation is easy and cooking takes no time - but the flavor of this pork is amazing!

Glazed Pork Loin with Pear and Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb, trimmed of excess fat)
• salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion (cut into 1/8-inch wedges)
• 4 Forelle or Bosc pears (cored and cut into 8 wedges each)
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• fresh thyme leaves from 12 sprigs
• 
  
Directions 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Season pork well with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat, warm olive oil until shimmering. Sear pork, turning occasionally, until well browned, 6-8 minutes total. 

Transfer pork to a plate. Add onion and pears to pan and saute for 1 minute. Return pork to pan and drizzle honey and vinegar. Scatter thyme leaves in pan. Place in oven and roast until juices run clear when pork is pierced with a knife, 15-20 minutes. 

Remove pork from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into slices 1/2 inch thick. Divide pork and pears among 4 serving plates, drizzle with glaze from saute pan and serve.

 

Why Guys?: Part II

I'm not even sure how I should begin this post. I guess by informing you that I am far from an expert on fashion. I only know what I like and what I don't like. So perhaps this is something that is popular now and I am just behind the times (much like those mangagement rings I discussed previously). You be the judge.

How do you feel about galoshes...for men?

Yesterday on my way to the Metro, I noticed this man with his khaki pants tucked into a pair of galoshes. (I snuck a photo of them for the post!):

It makes total sense in the grand scheme of things. We are still dealing with the remains of the snow-pocolypse that happened here earlier this month and the ground is wet and soggy everywhere - regardless of whether it rains or not. Since I'm short, I often have to deal with the bottoms of my pants getting muddy if I don't wear heels, because I still haven't invested in a pair of galoshes - which I'm severely regretting these days.

Looking at it from that point of view, I'm sure men don't want their dress pants all dirty - which is understandable. But...

I don't know. Something about it just looked wrong to me. Am I being too hard on you fellas? I'm not saying the metrosexual type of guy is wrong at all. That works for some girls. I just have to say it doesn't work for me. I like a man. A callous-handed, stubble-on-the-chin, not afraid to get a little dirty kind of guy. If the guy I'm dating were to walk around with his pants tucked into galoshes and he wasn't going fishing or something, I would be uncomfortable.

What's the verdict? Am I way off-base in my thinking here?

Shutter Island :: Film Review

I tend to despise hearing reviews on a movie before I see it. For me, it skews my point of view before I see the movie. I've been in a situation before where a lot of negative feedback from people around me has actually deterred me from seeing a movie all together. I hate that. The whole point of a movie is to be viewed, and I love viewing them - so I don't want any tainted viewpoints, poor reviews or spoilers beforehand. Let me watch it from beginning to end without interruption and then we can discuss it. You may think I am a little nit-picky about this, but it's just my preference when seeing a movie.

I'm telling you all of this because I'm about to give my brief review about the film Shutter Island that I just saw and if you're like me - you don't want to read a review until after you've seen the movie, then you might want to stop reading now. Unfortunately, I had a few reviews and opinions hit me before I saw the film. Therefore, I was expecting quite a bit already.

Shutter Island takes you on a hunt with lead character, Teddy Daniels, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and his partner, Chuck Aule, played by Marc Ruffalo. The two are U.S. Marshalls sent to a remote island occupied by a large hospital for the criminally insane in search of a missing patient who seems to have disappeared into thin air. The movie unfolds at a deliberate pace shedding information piece by piece until the real truth is finally revealed.

The movie was ok. The movie's plot wasn't bad. From the first 10 minutes with the luminous and chaotic score, curiousity is peaked. As you are lead down the land of the loopy, you begin to back track and try to figure out details you didn't pay too much attention to in the beginning. Visually, Martin Scorsese really outdid himself. There were some very promising scenes created in the movie and you only want the storyline to develop into something that will give you satisfaction and understanding. In my opinion, that never comes.

DiCaprio does a pretty good job carrying viewers through this heavy, complicated journey. The score is loud and menacing throughout the film in a distracting way that I believe was supposed to add to the films depth, but just failed. However, Michelle Williams does an excellent job in her role as DiCaprio's wife. She should definitely be commended because she has amazing screen presence and the scenes with her were the most captivating.

There was too much hype behind this movie and I only wish it had been better or that the critics had downplayed it a little. It wasn't very complex or necessarily fascinating. One of the main plot twists was predictable. The ending fizzled and there weren't a lot of memorable parts throughout the film.

If I were to give this film a grade, it would be a B- at best.

My opinion? Rent it when it comes out on DVD. Or see it in theaters and let me know what you think.

Kerli + Burton = Weird Genius

As I mentioned, I'm highly anticipating the new Alice in Wonderland hitting theaters on March 5. It is definitely going to be a different kind of film and the movie's soundtrack had to feature some unique artists that would tie in with the Burton-esque theme.

Fortunately for Burton, there is one artist that fits the bill perfectly. I first found out about Kerli a few years ago in a "new artist" article somewhere. She's not actually too new to the music world, as she's well-known in her home of Estonia. But she is gaining worldwide fame with her album releases on Island Def Jam Records these past couple of years.

The Burton of the music industry, Kerli marches to a dark, twisted beat all her own. From her creative fashion to her unique sound, she is imaginative and definitely a different type of artist. I am interested in her music. I tend to like female vocalists who look like they are innocent enough, yet also like they could turn around and kick your butt (like Sandra Nasić, Amy Lee, Pink). Kerli falls under that category.

Kerli's first album is contemplative and measured with several addictive tracks including "Beautiful Day," "Bulletproof," and "Walking on Air." I'd like to see how she develops as an artist, as most of her songs were written when she was a teenager.

She will be contributing to the Alice in Wonderland soundtrack twice with her song "Tea Party" and a collaboration with Bill Kaulitz from Tokio Hotel on a song entitled "Strange."

See how perfect she is for a Tim Burton movie's soundtrack - check out her video for "Walking on Air" below:

Child's Play on the Big Screen

Every year brings a slew of new movies to look forward to seeing. Since I love movies and actually going to the theater, I tend to get excited once the Spring/Summer approaches and new films debut.

Last year's anticipated hits were pretty disappointing overall (with a few exceptions at the very end of 2009). I'm hoping this year is much better.

Typically, I'm all about the more pensive, intelligently funny and drama-filled films, but something about 2010 has me looking forward to more kid-friendly movies. There are three in particular that I can hardly wait to see:

Alice and Wonderland

Johnny Depp in another Tim Burton creation IN 3-D? This movie looks twisted and weird in the Burton-esque way that I absolutely love. This is going to be crazy and I can hardly wait the 2 1/2 weeks until it comes out!

Avatar: The Last Airbender

This is by far one of the best cartoons to come out of the new millenium. When the show ended, I was so sad to not be able to watch it anymore. Thankfully, M. Night Shyamalan decided to make a live-action adaptation of it...and it looks amazing! I hope these kids can act because I need this to be good!

Toy Story 3

You don't understand! I LOVE Toy Story! Disney and Pixar did an awesome job with the first one. Then, the second one was even better! The Toy Story concept is one of the most strategically genius ideas for marketing purposes and the films are always so funny and visually amazing. Can't wait to see this one in 3-D!

I Agree with Jay-Z

I never thought those words would flow through my fingers! However, as the rap world gets more and more disappointing Jay-Z is surprisingly making more sense.

Let me begin this by saying first that I love hip hop...of old. The origins of hip hop with emcees and breakdancers. I listen to most rap music from the birth of hip hop up until the early '90s. Jay-Z came into the game right when I was growing weary of the rap talent available. While I wouldn't consider him a favorite rapper of mine, I do think he's talented. I like some of his songs and even have a few of his albums.

So when I recently read his take on the 2010 remake of "We are the World" I was shocked that he was saying the exact same things that I'd said and thought about it.

In a nutshell? Disappointing.

I know how everyone who is defending it says stuff like "it's great seeing so many musicians united for one cause" and "it is so nice to have a song like this for newer generations." I completely agree with the basis behind these arguments but why couldn't all these talented people get together and make a new song?

Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with the artists that were a part of this, or the cause itself. I think there was a talented bunch of people in the group. The main issue I have with the remake is it just seemed like a lazy decision that shouldn't have been made. The original was a classic and it stood for a different time and a different cause. The world has changed a lot sense then and there could've been a new song created that would have captured all of the newer elements for Haiti.

I hate when music tries too hard. I'm an easy girl to please. The simple pluck of a guitar string can get a crowd to go wild. Music in it's purest form is the sweetest to my ear. Unfortunately, the idea of even coming up with a remake and the finished product sound like another example of the 21st century's musical talent trying way too hard.

Listen for yourself and let me know what you think:

The original



The remake



By the way, Jamie Foxx coming in toward the end with his impersonation of Ray Charles???

I'm completely done with this.

Creativity, Cre-A-Tivity...

I love how creative people are. I think the "subtle" jabbing form of advertising (i.e. Apple's Mac vs. PC commercials or the constant battle between Verizon and AT&T) is becoming less and less effective. People aren't as interested in how you offer the same exact service as another company but supposedly better. People are loyal to brands. If you're a Coca-Cola drinker, you won't all of a sudden switch over to Pepsi because they have a new logo.

So trying to convince consumers that your service/product is better by bashing another company in your advertising is almost fruitless. Instead, it makes a lot more sense to show how your company can offer the service in a different, more effective way.

Focusing the advertisement on exactly what a company's product/service does is the simplest and most effective form of advertising out there, in my opinion. The younger generation gets that. Check out these creative advertising ideas from some college students:

Oh and did you get that the title of this post was supposed to come across like Schoolhouse Rock's song "Electricity, Electricity"?

All images courtesy of Gencay's Blog

Tea-versary

This month marks my one year anniversary of quitting drinking coffee. I've slipped up a few times, but for the most part I've been coffee-free and let me tell you, it was hard! And after drinking coffee virtually my entire life (I'm not kidding, I started drinking it when I was either 10 or 11), kicking the caffeine habit left me irritable and sluggish majority of Spring 2009 (I do apologize if you caught me on one of those "caffeine free" mornings).

When I quit coffee, I needed something warm and comforting to sip on in the mornings, so I started drinking more tea (not just because I'm convinced I'm moving to the motherland for tea lovers - England - in the near future either).

Tea is amazing. The variety of flavors and types keep me happy. Although I am obsessed with Starbuck's Chai Tea Latte, I actually brew and steep my own tea every once in a while. Especially after I discovered this tea site (www.adagio.com). I have been buying all sorts of tea related items including mugs and infusers. It has very helpful information on what kind of tea to buy, a great selection of loose leaf tea and some of the best gift ideas for tea lovers. There are also user reviews on every flavor and teaware item, so you can get an honest opinion about the product before you purchase it.

Although I still love the smell and taste of coffee (and miss it every once in a while), I am completely content with drinking tea for now. Something warm, fragrant and slightly spicy with a teaspoon of honey makes my morning just right.



Image by Wonsik Chae for the Lighting Tea Bag

Vitamin B: Fair-weathered Fever

I've seen this going around much more these days, and feel it necessary to address this particular "ailment." If you know someone who has caught the fever, please let me know and I will do my best to assist you with treatment.

Symptoms:

Typically, the impaired individual is a very close friend that is in a new relationship or hanging out with new friends. They begin to spend all of their time with their significant other/new friends and start to distance themselves from long-time friends and relatives. The new relationship engulfs their lives and you start to see less and less of your close friend. Phone calls are unanswered and invitations to hang out are turned down. When you do see your friend, they are either with their new friend/significant other or talking about them the entire time. Before you know it, you never see your friend at all and you start to consider how severing the relationship will affect you personally because they aren't putting forth any effort to keep your friendship from dying all together. However, right when you're ready to pull the plug, your friend attempts to revive the relationship by calling and becoming available to you like nothing ever changed.

Do note that the reason behind the sudden interest in your friendship usually falls under one of two categories

     1) The significant other/friend is no longer in the picture (i.e. they are upset with the new friend/significan other, alone due to the temporary absence of the new friend/significant other or the new relationship is over all together) and they need a shoulder to cry on or someone to hang out with for a while

     2) Your friend's new relationship has escalated (for instance, if this is a significant other, then the relationship has developed into an engagement, marriage or pregnancy) and they want as many people as possible to dote and fuss over them and buy them presents, so they try to hold on to whatever is left of your relationship until the event that revived your friendship is over. Then, you can pretty much kiss that thing good-bye.

Causes:

There are many reasons your friend might be behaving this way. Perhaps they are head over heels about their significant other/new friends and don't know how to keep a healthy balance of emotions in order to maintain all relationships. One reason could be that they do not know how to incorporate their new relationship into their current lifestyle, so they are distancing themselves from what they know in order to create a life that will work for their new situation. This would mean leaving you behind - many times, unknowingly. Another cause could be that the significant other/new friend is causing your friend to change into someone they weren't before. If this is the case, please await further instruction on insecurity and ductile behavior.

Treatment: 

Identifying the problem is the easy part, actually treating it is hard. You must take into account how important the friendship is to you. Unhealthy advice recommends that a "good friend" (meaning you) will stay around for the fair-weathered friend, even if it's only when they need something. I do not suggest you take this advice. A "good friend" (meaning them), in my opinion, is not fair-weathered and you do not deserve to be treated as a back-up plan.

However, if this is someone you love and trust and hope to be friends with for a very long time, you should try to salvage the relationship before it gets too far gone. One way to do this is to try speaking to your friend alone (if you can peel them away from the significant other). Be warned - people become very defensive when confronted with constructive criticism, so it is best to stay in public places that lessen the chances of embarrassingly loud arguments and/or fights. I'd suggest meeting for lunch or dinner at a favorite restaurant. Address your concerns very lightly, emphasizing that you want to maintain the relationship and that you care very much for your friend. Do not blame, point fingers or accuse your friend - as this will only agitate them and your efforts will be pointless. If after discussing it, you do not see any changed behavior - it would be best to consider how your life would be without that friend in it. Nothing hurts like cutting a friend out of your life, but sometimes it is necessary to keep you both happy and well. I will offer further advice on how to make this cut later.

Final Instructions: If you find yourself with fair-weathered fever, do consider how important other relationships are to you. If your new friend or significant other was gone - who would you turn to? That person or group of people should remain an important part of your life, no matter what. They won't hang around forever and you might wake up one day, feverish and all alone. 




Currently listening to "Why Do I Feel So Sad" by Alicia Keys