You are here: Home / Archives for pop culture
Dec 19, 2009

Lady Gaga for Kids?

December 19, 2009 By

I think I’m ready to submit my application to the Bad Moms Club.

I can only take so much kid music while driving before I have to switch my iPod to something that isn’t aimed at the preschool set. Which means Cordy is occasionally forced to listen to songs I like in the car. However, she’s never really shown any signs that she’s paying attention to my music. Or at least I thought she wasn’t listening – there’s one song in particular that she’s obsessed with now. A song that she probably shouldn’t like so much.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, she’s indoctrinated her sister, and Mira begs to hear the “Rah-ah-ah” song anytime we get into the car:

Yep, they both love Lady Gaga. And not just that song. Paparazzi, Poker Face, Just Dance – all songs they love to hear. It seems we skipped the Miley Cyrus, slightly-inappropriate-for-preschoolers craze and went straight for the totally inappropriate. They only get to hear it in the car, and neither of them have watched the video, although Cordy has seen photos of Lady Gaga.

The good news is that Mira totally doesn’t understand the lyrics, and Cordy tends to make up her own words to the tune rather than sing what she’s hearing. (Other than constantly singing the “Rah-rah, rah-ah-ah” part, which she does all the time.) I actually think she isn’t listening to the words, but instead likes the beat of the music and the repetition of the rah-ah-ah part.

(There is one pop song she’s learning the words to, but it’s far more G-rated and a song that I’d consider safe for all ages. Also, a great song.)

I guess I can’t be too hard on myself. I remember being a little kid and singing along to Madonna’s Like a Virgin. I didn’t even know what it meant at the time, but hey, it was a catchy song and she was pretty and dressed so cool with 100 jelly bracelets on her arms. And I turned out OK, right? Right?

Note to Lady Gaga – please make a children’s album that’s just as good as your current one. My five year old thinks you’re awesome. And pretty. And she loves how you dress.

Filed Under: clearly insane, Cordy, daily life, Mira, pop culture


Sep 22, 2009

They Tried To Make Me Go To TV Rehab…

September 22, 2009 By

…and I said, “No, now pass the remote!”

Here’s how my Monday evening played out:

8:00 pm – Make sure Heroes and House are recording on the Tivo, then Aaron and I rush upstairs to the other TV to turn on How I Met Your Mother.

8:30 pm – Run back downstairs and boot up Aaron’s computer to watch the True Blood finale that we haven’t had a chance to watch until now.

9:30 pm – Back to the upstairs TV again. House and Heroes are two hour premieres tonight, so the Tivo is still tied up downstairs. Watch Big Bang Theory premiere.

10:00 pm – Return to the downstairs again to watch the season opener of Castle.

11:00 pm – Aaron and I have a brief discussion over whether to watch House or Heroes tonight. House wins this time. Fire up the Tivo and watch House. Heroes will have to wait until tomorrow night.

The sad part is, that’s only Monday. You don’t want to know what my Tivo’s schedule looks like for the rest of the week. Let’s just say it’s a good thing we have a dual-tuner. And weekends to catch up.

Filed Under: pop culture


May 19, 2009

Reply Hazy, Shuffle Again

May 19, 2009 By

Am I the only person who uses her iPod as a Magic 8 Ball far too often?

Think about it: thousands of songs with meaningful titles loaded onto that little device. And a great shuffle feature.

How often have you pressed shuffle and had a song come on that you really, really needed to hear? Or one that so perfectly fit your mood, it’s like it was hand selected for you? Same principle, just applied a little more directly.

More than once I’ve had it with me while on my way to some important function, or been driving while anxious about some topic or another. Think about a question, hit the Shuffle button, and all is revealed:

Will Aaron get over this fight?

Shuffle – Won’t Go Home Without You (Maroon 5)

Whew.
—

Will these kids stop fighting with each other today, or should I abandon them in a cornfield? (Hush, you know I’d never do something like that!)

Shuffle – Keep Holding On (Avril Lavigne)

They should be happy it didn’t play Thnks Fr Th Mmrs (Fall Out Boy).
—

How should I spend the evening?

Shuffle – Drink the Night Away (Gaelic Storm)

I knew I loved you, iPod!
—

Will I get this job?

Shuffle – Pray (Once On This Island, musical)

Hmmm…is that good or bad?
—

Please, please, please let me pass this exam!

Shuffle – Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day)

Oh shit.
—

It doesn’t always work out so smoothly. Today I asked if the car would keep running, and it replied with Legal Assassin from the movie Repo! The Genetic Opera. Um…is someone going to assassinate my car? WTF does that mean?

These are the times when interpretation must come into play. No simple “Reply hazy, try again” answers here. That means I often skip to the next song until I get something that matches up with the question at hand a little better. In the question of my car, I got to Daughtry’s Breakdown, then decided that I probably shouldn’t have asked to begin with.

OK, maybe I am a little crazy to look to my iPod for advice. Like a Magic 8 Ball, it’s all random chance, even if my old Magic 8 Ball did have a scary-high percentage of accuracy.
—
iPod, will my readers flee after reading this?

Shuffle – The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room – WHA? Hmmm, try again?

Shuffle again – Sympathy-Tenderness (Jekyll & Hyde the musical)

Oh, I hope you’re right…

Filed Under: clearly insane, me me me, pop culture, random


May 7, 2009

Things You Hear At A Star Trek Screening

May 7, 2009 By

When anyone can pick up a pass to a free premiere, you get to overhear some odd conversations. Especially from younger girls who have a limited knowledge of Star Trek based only on The Next Generation:

“This is the early history of the bald guy, right?”
“Bald guy?”
“Yeah, the bald guy on Star Trek. That’s the only one I know.”
*laughing* “The bald guy Star Trek? No, it’s about the old one!”

“Are you sure? I thought this was about the bald guy Star Trek. You know, the one where they’re on Earth in the desert fighting some guy…”
“The movie or the TV show?”
“I don’t know! But it’s when he becomes human and they’re celebrating Christmas.”
“What are you talking about? He IS human!”
“No, on Earth he becomes human again! Like he becomes more human or something.”
“Are you talking about Data?”
“Which one is he?”
“He’s the computer who does become human in one of the movies.”
“Look, all I know is the guy in the wheelchair in X-Men is the bald guy in the Star Trek I know! And he’s the one fighting the guy in the desert.”

“What about the guy with the weird forehead?”
“Weird forehead? What kind of weird forehead?”
“Like, a huge forehead.”
“Worf”
“Yes, it’s a Worf.”
“No, that’s his name. He’s a Klingon.”
“Oh. Well, is he in this?”
“He’s not in this movie.”

“So do any of the guys in this grow up to be the bald guy?”
“No, the main guy becomes Captain Kirk from the old Star Trek.”
“Which one is he?”
“He was the first one.”
“Do I know what he looks like? Which actor is he?”
“You know,” *singing* “Price-line Ne-go-ti-a-tor!”
“OH! OK!”

“Wait, have I seen the guy who plays Spock?”
“Yeah, he’s on Heroes.”
“Which one?”
“He cuts people’s heads open.”
“Spock cuts people’s heads open?!?”
“No! The guy on Heroes does that! But it’s the same actor.”

And those were just the ones I remembered. If only we had been allowed to bring electronics into the theatre. This pre-show should have been recorded. And the Star Trek geek that I am, I nearly bit through my tongue to keep quiet and let these conversations flourish in their natural habitat.

(Also, the movie? Excellent. Mighty excellent.)

PS – Looking for last minute Mother’s Day gifts? I’m featuring two that support the March of Dimes – help others while getting a great gift!

Filed Under: pop culture, random


Mar 2, 2009

Pushing My Spanx to the Limit

March 2, 2009 By

I stepped on the scale for the first time in months, and the number made me wonder if gnomes were secretly feeding me lard while I slept. How did I gain ten pounds?

As you know, in January I tried the Jillian Michaels: 30-Day Shred DVD, and the first attempt left me so crumpled and sore that I couldn’t even roll over in bed without wincing for nearly a week. I seriously wondered if only insane people did this workout, because me? I’m no good at it.

It took over a week before I attempted the DVD again. But I did eventually dig out the disc from behind the TV (where I threw it while cursing Jillian Michaels’ name) and gave it another go. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel so bad afterward. I was sore the next day, but it wasn’t the same kind of crippling soreness I had before. Maybe I can do this after all?

Seeing the number on the scale now motivates me even more to jump back on that water- and vegetable-filled wagon. After all, I don’t want to pop a seam in my Spanx at BlogHer this year.

(Oh yeah, if you didn’t already know – I’m now registered for BlogHer 09!)

To aid in motivation, I’m bringing back Hot by BlogHer, but it’s going to be BIGGER! and BETTER! with group challenges and its own blog and maybe giveaways. Expect to see more info on it by next week, and start thinking of what you want to look like by July.

Also, since I’m already doing “the shred” once a week, it makes sense for me to join in with Kristen’s Shredheads group. They’re doing the 30 Day Shred for all of March. While I’m only going to be a part-timer, I’m still all about sharing in the support and motivation.

Here is the data that I need to provide to be a shredhead:

Code Name: Spanx Mama

Before pictures: I value my readers too much to post my before photos here. Springing that visual on you without proper warning would surely lead to mass unsubscribing. But if you really want to see, look here and here. (Remember, I warned you!)

Tag Line: Hot by Blogher, baby!

Weight: Here’s what the scale said last night.


Remember the camera adds a few pounds. In this case, it really does add two – I was holding the camera while weighing in.

Goal: Increase my endurance, have more muscle definition, lose weight, and look great in a cocktail dress at BlogHer.

Diet Plan: Less intake, better intake. I’m already eating between 1600-2000 calories a day, and trying to cut back on high fat and high sugar foods and substitute more veggies and lean proteins.

Personal Rules: No freaking out if I eat a big meal, no defeatest attitude, substitute more water in place of diet soda.

Shred Plan: I’m a part-timer, doing it once a week on Level 1 at the moment. I might bump it up to twice a week soon. I’m already doing a different 30 min. workout four times a week also.

You can join up at Kristen’s site, I’ll Stop the World and Shred With You. And if you’re interested in Hot by BlogHer, check back here next week!

Filed Under: clearly insane, me me me, pop culture Tagged With: