267: What Oscars?

Last night I caught "Jimmy Kimmel Live" after some award show that preceded it. Some film entitled "No Country for Old Men" won something or whatever. As an aside by the way, I did catch that movie tonight; it was interesting... Anyways, back to Jimmy Kimmel... OMG, What you are about to see is hilarious! Watch this:



That was in response to this that aired some time ago. Again, hilarious!

266: The Girls

I didn't get to live blog yesterday. But I did get to see some of the girls perform last night on American Idol. I'm was underwhelmed. No girl really stood out. Maybe the 60's was a difficult decade, I don't know.

Underwhelmed.

Notice a trend with me?

265: Live Blogging "American Idol"

It's the first day of competition, the guys are up. Let's see who'll win my heart. The first commercial break of the evening... By the way, I'm sick as a dog, and I've been holed up in my room for the past few days, and I'm angst-y, so I'm going to blog about "American Idol."

We're back and Ryan should die. It's just a thought. Anyways...

David Hernandez

Single mom, blah, blah, blah... ZZZ... Simon didn't like him during the audition round. Big surprise. He's got a good tone. But I don't think his voice is unique. And he's a bit too stiff. The end was not good. He crashed at the end. Randy agrees. Simon sez... and I agree. Good beginning, okay middle, bad ending. Stiff. I give him a 6.

Chikezie

I like him. I don't know why. Yikes, the lower register is a bit shaky. It's a rough start. He's not recovering well. His high register is good. I don't know... It didn't blow me away. Randy? Old fashion? I would have to agree. What's Paula saying? Something about losing weight? Gah. She just called him fat! Simon sez... and he hated the entire performance. You're gonna critique him on his suit? Chikezie is fighting back! That's hot. It's a 6. Only because he fought back. I didn't like the performance.

David Cook

A rocker is up. Let's see... I love this song. He looks really confident. Good tonality to his voice. I would listen to him. "Happy to Together," He's rockin' it! I loved it. Solid performance. 8. He's going to be back next week. Simon sez... "Almost made it believable"??? Whatever Simon, it's was good.

Jason Yeagar

He's a dad. He's doing it for his son. Yawn. "Moon River." Ooo... It's a good song, but... He's got a good look, though. I know exactly what Simon is going to say... Some Vegas Lounge Act! It so is. It's a 6. Simon sez... "Cruise ship!" It's very close to what I thought he would say.

I'm a bit underwhelmed thus far. Someone has to blow me away. Who's next?

Robbie Carrico

Another rocker, who used to be in a boy/girl band. He toured with Britney Spears. That's not going to win you points. "One." Another good song, but... No. I don't like it. A bit screechy. 5. Randy liked it. Really? Paula liked him. Did they really hear him? Simon likes him too? What? I guess I'm alone here.

David Archuleta

He stood out during the audition week for me. He's a bit breathy. The boy has soul. I'm going to give him an 8. Simon sez... "Best performance of the night." He'll be back next week. He's so goofy. He does the "Oh Shucks" shtick well. I likes him.

Danny Noriega

He's soooooo gay! He stood out too. He's got attitude. I can't believe he's doing an Elvis song. He's no King, and he'll be reminded of that by the judges. He stands out though, so he'll be back next week. I'm going to give him a barely 7. He performed it well, and the American judges say the same thing. Simon sez... Grotesque. Hideous. Destroying Elvis's song. LOL. That was brutal. He needs to bring the vocal. That's the consensus among the judges. So G.A.Y.!!! He's going to be back.

Luke Menard

He's hot. 'Nuff said. Bring him back next week. There are some sour notes. Did I mention he's hot? Hmm... I don't know. Randy said it was pitchy. It's going to be a 5 for me. Simon sez... and I agree, it wasn't memorable. I think he's in the weakest spot now.

Colton Berry

Gay! Hmm... Interesting; where is that voice coming from? It's very mature. Wow. I like his voice. He's a bit too theatrical, though. I like it. I'm going to give him a 7. Simon sez... OUCH. "A complete waste of time," he said. I guess we disagree.

Garrett Haley

He needs to shave; that fuzz of a mustache needs to go. He's not memorable for me. I don't like the tone of his voice. But he performed his song well. I have to give him a 5. Simon's cruelty continues.

By the way, CNN projects that Senator Obama wins Wisconsin!

Jason Castro

Dreadlocks? Really? He's going to play the guitar. Wow. That's an interesting voice. Simon, there's your recording artist. I don't like his look. But he has a good voice. Yet, he needs to bring up his confidence. It's an 8. Simon gushed. Ewww. He'll be back. I like him.

We're almost near the end. I have to repeat, I'm underwhelmed.

Michael Johns

I remember this guy! The "Bohemian Rhapsody" guy. He was awesome. The Doors! I don't know. That's ambitious. But he's rockin' it. It wasn't as great as what he did during the audition week. But still... 8!

The two guys going home for me are Luke Menard and Garrett Haley.

I hope next week will be better. Maybe I'll return tomorrow to critique the girls.

264: "Tommy" and "The Giving Tree"

See me, feel me, touch me, heal me.
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me.

The naturalness in the progression of this refrain appeals to me a lot.

There's the physical aspect: The light that bounces off of the object, the me, stimulates the photoreceptor cells, thus activating the vision center of the brain of the you to see the me. Then perhaps taking the visual cues, the you activates the other senses, maybe with a gentle kiss or with soft caresses; the me feels all this. It gets hot and heavy at this point. The hands rub and knead, the body wraps and embraces; the me is simply... tactilely stimulated. Touched. Does it not sound therapeutic for the me? The me is healed; "Thank you," the me whispers...

(Okay people, stop snickering. It's very unbecoming.)

But I think, it's the other meanings behind the refrain that capture my imagination. For instance, I posit, within the refrain lies the nature of man:

"See me," the speaker implores—it's an imperative that demands everyone around his vicinity to "see" him; it's an expression of his need for acknowledgment and recognition. Here he makes a stand. Present is he in time and in space; he eats and sh*ts—he lives... He is. This man, this insignificant speck among many specks, on this tiny Earth, hurling around this vast, enormous Universe, demands the whole of creation and its Creator to "see" him.

Revealed in the second imperative a deeper longing of humankind rings out. It's not enough to be seen, the humankind needs to be felt. "Feel me." Being acknowledged is just a start; the next step is for them to be understood. They cry out, "Understand me." They demand their inner world to be given shape and form, and perhaps be measured deep and precious. That's why art is created and that's why wars are waged.

Probing and inquisitive was she, the loquacious and gregarious one, who interrogated the perfect stranger for any juicy details of his life. Reticent and guarded was he, the introspective stranger, who later saw within her a desire to be touched, a desire to empathize with him. "Touch me," her heart calls out. And without fail, her eyes turn misty when she hears stories of struggles, of conquered adversities, or of happily-ever-afters.

We seek to be seen, to be felt, and to be touched, because perhaps we suffer from loneliness. And so we cry out, "Heal me." It's some sort of connection that we seek. With others or with our own selves. Let's face it, maybe it's not only me who defines who I am. It is you, too, who gives me form.

Listening to you I get the music.
Gazing at you I get the heat.
Following you I climb the mountain.
I get excitement at your feet!
Right behind you I see the millions.
On you I see the glory.
From you I get opinions.
From you I get the story.
Listening to you I get the music.
Gazing at you I get the heat.
Following you I climb the mountain.
I get excitement at your feet!

Now I have sufficiently bored you with my obtuse musing of something a bit abstract. Nah! I'm sure, because of my pedestrian and trifle rumination, you were beyond agonized. Therefore, either way, I offer my heartfelt apology. I mean it. Accept it!

Thank you.

Now, if you may, please see me, feel me, touch me, and heal me.

The true intent of why I began my post with a few lines from "Tommy" is because lately I've been thinking a lot about a book I've read as a child. It's called "The Giving Tree." And ever since February 14th has come and gone, I've been thinking about the book more so.

If you don't know anything about the story, it's about a Boy and a Tree. The Tree loves the Boy so much that she gives the Boy anything he wants, like a branch to swing from and some fruit to eat. But as the Boy grows older, the things he requests of the Tree become sinister. He wants the branches to build a house and he wants to cut the Tree down to make a boat. The story comes to an end with the Tree now reduced to a stump and the Boy ravaged by old age and arthritis: They meet again. The Tree apologizes saying that she doesn't have anything to offer him anymore. But the Boy says that's all right, all he needs is to sit down and wait for death. And to the Tree's delight, she has something more to give to the Boy and lets him sit.

Strange as it may seem, but I remember identifying myself more with the Tree than with the Boy. Don't get me wrong, it's not because I found myself to be very loving or very giving. It was more aspirational; I wanted to be more like the Tree. Maybe, I still want to be more like the Tree. What's more noble than unconditional love? I'll gladly sacrifice myself, if that means they'll see and feel me... Then they can touch me... And, and, and eventually they can heal me; Yes, they'll find me so invaluable that they can't afford to part with me. They'll make me whole. But in the meantime, I'll wait and wail until they'll realize it. And in the meantime, I'll do anything for them, even though it may cause me bodily harm. Hey, if the Tree can allow the Boy to cut her down, I can, I can, I can die for them.

I know... It's truly f*cked up.

Look, I've made mistakes. Maybe I'll pay. I don't know. But I know I can't be the Tree. I don't need to be the Tree to find love. I don't need to die to prove my love. But I expect the Boy to value me. He can ask for my fruits and my branches. He can even ask for my trunk. But he won't necessarily get them all. Hell, he might not get anything. Nothing. But he'd better be fine with it. And he'd better not judge my love based on what he gets or doesn't get from me.

See me, feel me, touch me, and heal me.

"Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, I like me."