Valentine Love Boats
Valentine day is coming near to us. It is a best day for lovers. They celebrate it with their lovers and enjoy a lot. People wish their lovers through different ways. Some are like to sit in love boats and enjoy in boats. Now through us you can get best valentine love boats ideas.
Looking Back...Then Forward!
The world did not come to an end on the 21st of December as many predicted (and some hoped). With three days left of the year, I thought it would be a good time to look back. No, not at movies, music and news headlines of 2012, I would like you to look back at your life. Okay, I know that sounds creepy and super cheesy, but lets give it a try.
1. Were You Kind To Others? I was- somewhat. I helped people out in little ways and although I'll admit I was a bit self-centered, I tried! What about you? Did you show random people kindness?
2. Did You Make New Friends? I made several new friends this year. In fact, a major lesson I learned in 2012 is that friends don't come to you, you have to go out of your way to make them. This year, I tried hard to immerse myself into as many activities as I could. I joined the gym, returned to church choir and didn't object to staying overtime at college to work on group projects. That way, I was able to welcome many new and wonderful people into my life.
3. Did You Spend Time With Your Family? I believe the family is the center of our existence. Many of us live away from our families and are too busy in our own little lives to devote enough time to the ones who made us who we are. Even though as a student, I live with my family, this year I drifted apart for a while. There came times when I simply wanted to be left alone. Of course, I realized how important my family is to me. You need family, no matter how independent you are.
4. Were You Thankful? 2012 took materialism to all new heights. The technology released this year put 2011 to shame. In the midst of it all, were us poor humans. Some of us succumbed to greed, while the lucky few were able to restrain themselves. Me? Um, a Nintendo 3DS and a Nikon camera. Judge me.
But to get to the point, were you thankful for everything you have? Sometimes in life, you have to stop and be grateful for all the blessings you are fortunate enough to have. I am thankful for every moment of my life, so I'm cool.
5. Did You Follow My Blog? I just HAD to ask. 2012 was a great year for another reason- I started this amazing blog! I cannot believe the amount of support and encouragement I have received over the past few months. I am very blessed and thankful. I would love to expand it, have conversations with like minded people and keep pushing myself forward. So once again, thanks for reading, and make sure you Follow my blog (look for the "Join This Site" button on the right column), Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe on Facebook!
Here's wishing you the very best that 2013 has to offer!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
1. Were You Kind To Others? I was- somewhat. I helped people out in little ways and although I'll admit I was a bit self-centered, I tried! What about you? Did you show random people kindness?
2. Did You Make New Friends? I made several new friends this year. In fact, a major lesson I learned in 2012 is that friends don't come to you, you have to go out of your way to make them. This year, I tried hard to immerse myself into as many activities as I could. I joined the gym, returned to church choir and didn't object to staying overtime at college to work on group projects. That way, I was able to welcome many new and wonderful people into my life.
3. Did You Spend Time With Your Family? I believe the family is the center of our existence. Many of us live away from our families and are too busy in our own little lives to devote enough time to the ones who made us who we are. Even though as a student, I live with my family, this year I drifted apart for a while. There came times when I simply wanted to be left alone. Of course, I realized how important my family is to me. You need family, no matter how independent you are.
4. Were You Thankful? 2012 took materialism to all new heights. The technology released this year put 2011 to shame. In the midst of it all, were us poor humans. Some of us succumbed to greed, while the lucky few were able to restrain themselves. Me? Um, a Nintendo 3DS and a Nikon camera. Judge me.
But to get to the point, were you thankful for everything you have? Sometimes in life, you have to stop and be grateful for all the blessings you are fortunate enough to have. I am thankful for every moment of my life, so I'm cool.
5. Did You Follow My Blog? I just HAD to ask. 2012 was a great year for another reason- I started this amazing blog! I cannot believe the amount of support and encouragement I have received over the past few months. I am very blessed and thankful. I would love to expand it, have conversations with like minded people and keep pushing myself forward. So once again, thanks for reading, and make sure you Follow my blog (look for the "Join This Site" button on the right column), Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe on Facebook!
Here's wishing you the very best that 2013 has to offer!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A Very Merry Christmas for American Idol Winners Album Sales!
Christmas 2012 is now over and it was another very strong week of sales for all the American Idol winners, from the very first one to the last two. Leading the pack was Phillip Phillips' "World from the Side of the Moon" which stayed solid at #7 on the Billboard chart with another 98K in sales to put his total at 475K and an obvious gold certification. His sales trend for his debut album is now trending faster than Scotty McCreery's "Clear As Day" from last year, but I do not think Scotty is complaining this week. He again has two albums on the BillBoard Top 200, with "Christmas With Scotty McCreery" at #32 on the BillBoard chart with another good sales week of 48K to put its total at 337K, and "Clear As Day" selling another 8K to puts its total at #183 with total sales now of 1.145M.
Those are good numbers for everybody and great final numbers for American Idol winners for 2012.
Christmas
Christmas was a nice casual day here. We had brunch and turkey dinner but it really felt like I ate my way through the whole day! No snow which was very disappointing for me, rain and high winds!
My husband got me the most amazing tool box ever! Custom painted and pin stripped it's a work of art in itself. It'll hold all my metal tools and then some!
The pin stripping on the side has a horse head in detail, something I've never seen before. Very very cool. I really love it, can't wait to get all my tools into it!
Merry Christmas 2012!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
And here's hoping you have the best Christmas ever with your family, friends and loved ones.
It's Christmas morning as I type this. Last night was incredible. I was part of my church's choir and had a great time! Not only that, but I was *ahem* entrusted with the responsibility of saying the "Thank You" message at the end of the Midnight Mass. It was the first time I ever read at a Christmas service (which is attended by the who's who of the city). I was so nervous, but I did it! People even complimented me, it was surreal.
Well, Christmas day has just begun and I know it's going to be a great day! And you know what? So will yours.
Thanks so much for reading my blog! It means a lot to me!
And here's hoping you have the best Christmas ever with your family, friends and loved ones.
It's Christmas morning as I type this. Last night was incredible. I was part of my church's choir and had a great time! Not only that, but I was *ahem* entrusted with the responsibility of saying the "Thank You" message at the end of the Midnight Mass. It was the first time I ever read at a Christmas service (which is attended by the who's who of the city). I was so nervous, but I did it! People even complimented me, it was surreal.
Well, Christmas day has just begun and I know it's going to be a great day! And you know what? So will yours.
Thanks so much for reading my blog! It means a lot to me!
Valentines Chocolate
Chocolates are such a very beautiful gift that likes everyone. Girls are mostly like it then boys. On the day of valentine boys are mostly prefer to give chocolates to their sweethearts. Valentine chocolates are very sweet gift and it always close to relationship.
Still dreaming
I'm still dreaming of a cabin in the snow. As we fixed Christmas lights in the pouring rain last night I couldn't help but think "if this was snow it would be pretty", if course the strand that didn't work was the tallest hardest to reach strand possible. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't dream of my cabin in the snow, at the back corner of our property in Stettler, up on a small hill looking down on what I hope to be a watering hole some day. Maybe a tiny dock out on the watering hole and a small studio. A small fireplace burning, and snow falling.
Here's me still dreaming.
Valentine Hot Air Balloon Ride
Valentine day is very marvelous time of the year. People celebrate this occasion with their lovers. Some people plan to take air balloon ride. These moments are always beautiful when you are with your lover on air balloon ride.
Another Good December Sales Week for American Idol Album Sales
Phillip Phillips and the 3 platinum former winners continue to represent American Idol well in the Top 50 listing on Hits Daily Double. All four of them saw some increase, although Phillip's was pretty much a solid steady pace. "World From the Side of the Moon" is estimated to sell 66K-67K this week, just up a notch from the 65K he sold last week. He should also remain in the BillBoard Top 10 for the week with total sales around 380K. "Christmas with Scotty McCreery" had a better week than last week, when the HDD estimate was higher than the actual sales number by a bit. Why is it we felt bad for him when he did not hit some "estimate" guessed by some online publication? The truth was he sold 41K albums which was actually a great number last week, and this week he sold an even better 48K albums to bring his total to about 300K. It is hard to feel sorry for someone whose first album went platinum and whose first Christmas album has already shipped gold with 300K confirmed sales and has been among the Top 25 best selling albums in the nation for the past 9 consecutive weeks!
And nobody feels sorry for Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson, the two perennial American Idol superstars who continue to remain on the BillBoard Top 50. Carrie's "Blown Away" has been out for 33 weeks and has remained among the Top 40 selling albums that entire time. Right now it sits at #24 on the HDD list with over 40K in sales for the week which should bring its total sales to over 1.1M. Kelly Clarkson's "Greatest Hits" album actually saw a sales increase as well, but with so many albums out her position on the chart will fall to the mid 40's. She sold another 23K-24K to bring her total sales to about 143K-144K. At least now her line is easier to see on my chart. Phillip's sales trend has just about caught up to Scotty McCreery's "Clear As Day" sales line too, but that will all end in a couple weeks after Christmas sales are over. "Clear As Day" benefited from that early October release which gave it a ton of sales between October and the end of December.
My Top 20 Favorite Songs of 2012
As 2012 winds down, I thought it would be neat to look back at some of the songs this year that made a splash. Here's a countdown of twenty of my personal favorite popular songs this year (also includes a few songs released in 2011 but which rose to success in 2012).
20. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
I've been harsh with Nicki Minaj recently (which may have had something to do with the fact that she's judging American Idol next month, but let's face it: this song is super catchy, plus she's one of the most talented female rappers I've heard. Credit where it is due.
19. "Blown Away" - Carrie Underwood
Country cutie Carrie Underwood unleashes her dark side in this thrilling song about wishing that everything that hurt you would just...blow away. (You can read my review of Carrie's album "Blown Away" here.)
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18. "Beauty and a Beat" - Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj
Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber and rap diva Nicki Minaj team up for a fun song with a great chorus. And some Selena Gomez name-dropping.
17. "Whistle" - Flo Rida
The catchy whistle hook makes this song a great one to listen to on a sunny day with the car windows down and wind blowing in your face.
16. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
Oh Taylor Swift, 2012 would have been incomplete without you and your country-crossover attempts. You're playing with trouble. (You can read my review of Taylor's new album "Red" here.)
15. "Payphone" - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
This uptempo pop ballad about a fading relationship helped Maroon 5 rule much of 2012.
14. "Catch My Breath" - Kelly Clarkson
The "Stronger" diva gives us an inspirational song about taking a deep breath every once in a way. (You can read my review of Kelly's new Greatest Hits album here)
13. "We Are Young" - Fun.
It was a great year for alternative music, with songs like "We Are Young" showing us that being different can also be cool.
12. "Somebody That I Used to Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra
Another big alternative song, I'd almost call this one weird. But we all know how great it is!
11. "Skyfall" - Adele
James Bond made a huge comeback this year, and Adele reminded us just why she's such a legend. Her sultry vocals on this might help this song be a good contender for the Best Original Song Oscar.
10. "Lights" - Ellie Goulding
This year we were introduced to Brit songstress Ellie Goulding, whose breathy, airy vocals made this song a great addition to everyone's pop playlists. The urban-influenced sound makes this one a shoo-in for the Top 10.
9. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" - Pink
Pink made a phenomenal comeback this year, with her album "The Truth About Love". With her signature "I don't care" tongue-in-cheek style, this bass heavy song turned out to be one of her very best.
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8. "Part of Me" - Katy Perry
Katy Perry gets the award for pop princess of the year. This song from her album "Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection" is perfect for radio. The empowering lyrics and Mulan-style music video made sure this got the attention it deserves.
7. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" - Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift gained a lot of attention for her less country, more pop sound. I'm not complaining, this song is fun, catchy and a great sing-along. (Again, you can read my review of her album "Red" here)
6. "Live While We're Young" - One Direction
One Direction continued their teen-pop dominance with this incredibly indulgent song. The exuberant chorus is a winner.
5. "One More Night" - Maroon 5
Band of the Year. Adam Levine's soulful, acrobatic vocals make this song pop gold.
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4. Wide Awake" - Katy Perry
Katy Perry has two songs in the Top 10. This was really an incredible year for her. The last single from her "Teenage Dream" album is about knowing yourself first and others second. Possibly Katy's most introspective song ever. Impressive writing!
3. "Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen
Teen pop for the win! Canadian export Carly Rae Jepsen has had a phenomenal year, which I would dare to liken to the Britney Spears phenomenon in 1998. This super catchy, playful and bouncy song made girls- and guys- all over the world want to hand out their phone numbers to random people.
2. "Some Nights" - Fun.
With a marching band vibe and powerful vocals, this song is easily one of the biggest, most original and most well delivered songs of the year. I liked it the first time I heard it, but when this song was used in the trailer for Wreck-It Ralph (review here) I instantly declared it as one of the very best of the year.
1. "Home" - Phillip Phillips
I said it before and I'm saying it again, Phillip Phillips is one of the most relevant American Idol winners in history. The way he has revolutionized the music scene is remarkable. His song Home and new album The World From the Side of the Moon (read my review of it here) represent the new Americana movement that's sweeping America- and the world at large.
Original, heartfelt and just plain good. My favorite song of the year.
And...that's it for this year! It was hard to pick songs and leave out so many amazing ones (Gangnam Style!?) What incredible new tunes await our iPods in 2013? Which songs will we be humming a year from now? Stick around because I'll be reviewing many, many awesome albums! Make sure to follow!
20. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
I've been harsh with Nicki Minaj recently (which may have had something to do with the fact that she's judging American Idol next month, but let's face it: this song is super catchy, plus she's one of the most talented female rappers I've heard. Credit where it is due.
19. "Blown Away" - Carrie Underwood
Country cutie Carrie Underwood unleashes her dark side in this thrilling song about wishing that everything that hurt you would just...blow away. (You can read my review of Carrie's album "Blown Away" here.)
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18. "Beauty and a Beat" - Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj
Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber and rap diva Nicki Minaj team up for a fun song with a great chorus. And some Selena Gomez name-dropping.
17. "Whistle" - Flo Rida
The catchy whistle hook makes this song a great one to listen to on a sunny day with the car windows down and wind blowing in your face.
16. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
Oh Taylor Swift, 2012 would have been incomplete without you and your country-crossover attempts. You're playing with trouble. (You can read my review of Taylor's new album "Red" here.)
15. "Payphone" - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
This uptempo pop ballad about a fading relationship helped Maroon 5 rule much of 2012.
14. "Catch My Breath" - Kelly Clarkson
The "Stronger" diva gives us an inspirational song about taking a deep breath every once in a way. (You can read my review of Kelly's new Greatest Hits album here)
13. "We Are Young" - Fun.
It was a great year for alternative music, with songs like "We Are Young" showing us that being different can also be cool.
12. "Somebody That I Used to Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra
Another big alternative song, I'd almost call this one weird. But we all know how great it is!
11. "Skyfall" - Adele
James Bond made a huge comeback this year, and Adele reminded us just why she's such a legend. Her sultry vocals on this might help this song be a good contender for the Best Original Song Oscar.
10. "Lights" - Ellie Goulding
This year we were introduced to Brit songstress Ellie Goulding, whose breathy, airy vocals made this song a great addition to everyone's pop playlists. The urban-influenced sound makes this one a shoo-in for the Top 10.
9. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" - Pink
Pink made a phenomenal comeback this year, with her album "The Truth About Love". With her signature "I don't care" tongue-in-cheek style, this bass heavy song turned out to be one of her very best.
.jpg)
8. "Part of Me" - Katy Perry
Katy Perry gets the award for pop princess of the year. This song from her album "Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection" is perfect for radio. The empowering lyrics and Mulan-style music video made sure this got the attention it deserves.
7. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" - Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift gained a lot of attention for her less country, more pop sound. I'm not complaining, this song is fun, catchy and a great sing-along. (Again, you can read my review of her album "Red" here)
6. "Live While We're Young" - One Direction
One Direction continued their teen-pop dominance with this incredibly indulgent song. The exuberant chorus is a winner.
5. "One More Night" - Maroon 5
Band of the Year. Adam Levine's soulful, acrobatic vocals make this song pop gold.
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4. Wide Awake" - Katy Perry
Katy Perry has two songs in the Top 10. This was really an incredible year for her. The last single from her "Teenage Dream" album is about knowing yourself first and others second. Possibly Katy's most introspective song ever. Impressive writing!
3. "Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen
Teen pop for the win! Canadian export Carly Rae Jepsen has had a phenomenal year, which I would dare to liken to the Britney Spears phenomenon in 1998. This super catchy, playful and bouncy song made girls- and guys- all over the world want to hand out their phone numbers to random people.
2. "Some Nights" - Fun.
With a marching band vibe and powerful vocals, this song is easily one of the biggest, most original and most well delivered songs of the year. I liked it the first time I heard it, but when this song was used in the trailer for Wreck-It Ralph (review here) I instantly declared it as one of the very best of the year.
1. "Home" - Phillip Phillips
I said it before and I'm saying it again, Phillip Phillips is one of the most relevant American Idol winners in history. The way he has revolutionized the music scene is remarkable. His song Home and new album The World From the Side of the Moon (read my review of it here) represent the new Americana movement that's sweeping America- and the world at large.
Original, heartfelt and just plain good. My favorite song of the year.
And...that's it for this year! It was hard to pick songs and leave out so many amazing ones (Gangnam Style!?) What incredible new tunes await our iPods in 2013? Which songs will we be humming a year from now? Stick around because I'll be reviewing many, many awesome albums! Make sure to follow!
Book Review: Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen, 1813)
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| The 2005 movie tie-in cover |
Now, eight years later, as a college senior, I once again find myself in a situation where I have this famous book as part of my course. Being nine years older and having read this classic once again (with a much more mature point of view) I must say, this book is an immortal classic for a reason- it still holds up nearly 200 years after its publication.
Pride and Prejudice tells the tale of the Bennet family, whose five (very eligible) daughters are at the "proper" age to get married. The Bennet estate is entailed to the closest male heir, in this case, an obnoxious cousin of the girls named Mr. Collins, and thus, their mother Mrs. Bennet is anxious to see her daughters well settled. Each of the Bennet girls has their individual characteristics. The eldest, Jane, is sweet and caring, the third, Mary, is shy and aloof, the fourth and fifth, Kitty and Lydia, are fun-loving and flirtatious, and the second eldest, Elizabeth, the heroine of the story, has a mind of her own. Elizabeth is sharp, quick and witty, and has her head upon her shoulders.
At a ball, Jane attracts the attention of a wealthy and handsome gentleman named Mr. Bingley and she herself falls head over heels for him. Despite the connection, the two refrain from expressing their love for each other. Elizabeth meets the handsome and even wealthier My. Darcy, but she considers him proud and self-centered- even to the point of rejecting his proposal. Elizabeth's attention is caught by the dashing Mr. Wickham, a young soldier whose personality enchants her. Mrs. Bennet's only goal in life is to have her daughters married off well, while Mr. Bennet honestly couldn't care less about the women's affairs.
The entire novel is indeed a story of the five sisters' search for love and happiness- but all in all, it tells us mostly about things from Elizabeth's perspective. Her opinion of issues, her relationships, and the decisions she makes, all make up the core of the book. The other four Bennet girls as well as their parents are reduced to supporting roles- but remain important enough for the story to revolve around them as well.
Elizabeth Bennet turns out to be one of the strongest female characters I have ever encountered in a book (yes, even more than Hermione Granger). She is confident, determined, headstrong and gifted with virtues of beauty and brain in the perfect balance. Although she makes a few mistakes, she is mindful enough to acknowlege them and correct herself for the better. I'm sure many female readers (and even a lot of male ones) will identify with Elizabeth. She goes through much the same problems as we do today. She falls in and out of love, jumps to conclusions, is occasionally socially awkward and has to deal with barbs from several directions (like the Bingley sisters and Lady Catherine de Bourgh).
Elizabeth's love interest, Darcy, is portrayed with a certain finesse, you think along with Elizabeth that he is not a pleasant character, but the tables turn in the latter part of the novel. Pride and Prejudice is indeed an apt title, Elizabeth is partly blinded by her prejudice towards Darcy and Darcy's pride prevents him from coming across as likeable. But this in itself is the beauty of the story- two characters with major flaws overcome their individual issues and come together in the end. It's something that has been emulated in innumerable books, movies and TV series over the past two centuries.
Although the book is set in late 1700's England, that does not allow the freshness of the story to fade. So much of the book is applicable to modern day settings. Universal themes like love, marriage, pride, vanity, selfishness and the desire to meet expectations, shine brightly than ever. In fact, I am at a loss to think of another book where so many domestic issues are balanced as effectively as in this one.
As far as negatives are concerned, I would say the major drawback of the novel is the inaccessibility of the language. Jane Austen's use of proper but outdated English may be difficult for younger readers (like me when I was twelve). The English language has evolved a lot since the 18th Century, and modern day novels are a world apart from this one. Some parts of the novel also tend to lag and the pacing isn't fluid throughout, with long dialogues and lengthy letters thrown in, but the book wraps up reasonably well. The ending is satisfying, albeit predictable, and to use modern terms, sappy.
Despite the innumerable situations and events in the book, Pride and Prejudice is what it is- a romance. And to that end, it serves its purpose very well. We cross paths with characters we could relate to in our everyday life; from the scatterbrained Mrs. Bennet to the pompous Mr. Collins, we all have encountered characters like these in our life (or at least I have). That is probably the most charming part of the novel- we can relate to it. Elizabeth is more than just a heroine, she is the driving force of the story. Her trials, emotions and impressions are the ones we face as well. Following her journey through the course of the book is an experience in itself.
For what it's worth, Pride and Prejudice is a brilliant book. Jane Austen's meticulous portrayal of domestic life in the 18th Century is a marvel of English Literature. The endearing, relatable characters, the sweeping romance and the fascinating visuals all make for a delightful read. This is one classic for the ages.
RATING: ★★★★★
Stars in Heaven
This week,the entire world has been gripped by terrible news. That so many little, innocent lives can so easily be taken away from us is beyond belief. We are in shock, we shed tears, and we think life isn't worth it anymore. It's easy to get lost in our grief, but the thing is, if we allow our grief to overcome us, evil will get the better of us.
You see, guns can take away our loved ones in a flash. A weapon can cause us heartrending pain. But one thing even the most powerful gun can't take away is our faith. The sheer power of the human spirit is beyond what weapons can achieve. Right now, people the world over are grieving this terrible loss, but the human spirit will never be defeated. Peace, happiness and innocence will always win, no matter how hopeless it may seem. It may be hard to believe in the current climate, but you'll see. It has always been that way and will always be that way.
The Lord works in strange ways. Sometimes He takes things away from you to remind you how much you mean to Him. Often it's our fault. We tend to forget everything He has done for us and our family, and we carry on in our own selfish little world, working to make our own selves happy first. We seldom stop and consider that everything we have is through His abundance.
Human nature.
Although this loss is great, we must not let our spirits down. These things are God's reminders that after all, He decides. Who is to know why? We just have to believe that His work is for the best. We just have to stop being selfish and materialistic and appreciate every little blessing we have.
To the families of Newtown that suffer, stay strong. Don't let your faith waver in the face of such a tragedy. The Lord has a plan and His word is the last. Justice may not be served on this earth in our lifetime, but the final judgement will bring all to a close. For now, the ones we lost are stars in heaven.
Maybe God just wanted some more angels.
You see, guns can take away our loved ones in a flash. A weapon can cause us heartrending pain. But one thing even the most powerful gun can't take away is our faith. The sheer power of the human spirit is beyond what weapons can achieve. Right now, people the world over are grieving this terrible loss, but the human spirit will never be defeated. Peace, happiness and innocence will always win, no matter how hopeless it may seem. It may be hard to believe in the current climate, but you'll see. It has always been that way and will always be that way.
The Lord works in strange ways. Sometimes He takes things away from you to remind you how much you mean to Him. Often it's our fault. We tend to forget everything He has done for us and our family, and we carry on in our own selfish little world, working to make our own selves happy first. We seldom stop and consider that everything we have is through His abundance.
Human nature.
Although this loss is great, we must not let our spirits down. These things are God's reminders that after all, He decides. Who is to know why? We just have to believe that His work is for the best. We just have to stop being selfish and materialistic and appreciate every little blessing we have.
To the families of Newtown that suffer, stay strong. Don't let your faith waver in the face of such a tragedy. The Lord has a plan and His word is the last. Justice may not be served on this earth in our lifetime, but the final judgement will bring all to a close. For now, the ones we lost are stars in heaven.
Maybe God just wanted some more angels.
Hits Daily Double Rumor Mill Has Deja Vu on American Idol Winners Numbers
Official Number for all American Idol Winner Album Sales!
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| BillBoard album rank: dark blue = CU, orange = SM, lt blue = KC, green = PP |
Movie Review: Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. The Sword of Justice (2012)
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This month, the newest Pokémon movie (fifteenth to be exact) premiered on Cartoon Network on December 8. With the unwieldy title, Pokémon The Movie: Kyurem vs. The Sword of Justice continues the journey of Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum (who, fifteen years later, is still ten years old), his beloved (and ever popular franchise mascot) Pikachu, and their friends Iris and Cilan through the vast Unova region. While traveling in a train, our heroes come across an injured Pokémon named Keldeo. The young, unicorn-like Pokémon, on a quest to prove his worth to his mentors (the legendary Pokémon Cobalion, Terrakion and Virizion, aka The Swords of Justice), challenges the legendary Pokémon Kyurem ("The strongest Dragon-type Pokémon ever!") to a battle, and in the process, seriously hurts itself. Keldeo escapes the battle before Kyurem can finish it off, but Kyurem is determined to end the battle- and possibly Keldeo itself! On the run from the wrath of Kyurem, our heroes must help Keldeo regain his courage and prove that he too, is a true Sword of Justice.
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| Ash and Pikachu aren't the focus of the film- Keldeo is. |
As someone who has watched all but two of the fifteen Pokémon movies, I am pleased to say, this one turned out to be one of the stronger ones. There was an unexpected level of emotion and I actually found myself rooting for Keldeo, the star of the movie. The movie makes impressive use of CGI effects, and in scenes involving ice, this is very evident. At times, I found myself going, "Wow" at the visuals. There sadly isn't much to say with regard to the generic dialogue and bland music, but suffice to say, it's good enough. Another factor that worked in the film's favor is the fact that the main character Keldeo is voiced. Most Pokémon never talk, but Keldeo's voice gave it an extra dimension of emotion and you actually kind of like the little guy. Other supporting characters like Kyurem, Cobalion, Virizion and Terrakion are voiced as well, and it works to a fair extent.
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| Kyurem can morph into two forms- blatant video game promotion. |
The short runtime is something of a blessing. At just one hour and five minutes, the movie doesn't feel heavy and does not suffer from padding of any kind. Messages like friendship, courage and finding one's true worth are driven home in rather obvious ways, but that's a good thing, since in recent years I've struggled to make out the meaning of Pokémon movies.
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| Kyurem vs. the Sword-in-training |
All Pokémon movies are designed to serve one purpose: promotion. This one is no different. Something that has always irked me in recent times is the fact that Pokémon movies are less focused on story and character development and are more concerned with big (impressive but often meaningless) set pieces and the emphasis on "powerful" legendary Pokémon. Sure, it's not like anyone's expecting a Pokémon movie to be up there with the likes of Disney or Pixar, but would it kill them to at least try? Japanese brother Studio Ghibli could show them a thing or two.
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| There's a nice reference to The Three Musketeers in here. |
That said, Pokémon The Movie: Kyurem vs. The Sword of Justice is a surprisingly watchable film with enough fluff and substantial depth that will keep your energetic ten year old still for an hour. Nothing much here for devoted animation fans, but long time Pokémon fans are in for a great time.
RATING: ★★1/2
Related Review: Pokémon: The First Movie
Phillip Phillips Hangs in Top 10, Scotty McCreery in Top 15
Album Review: "Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 3" (2012)
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| Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Vol. 3 (c) 2012 Columbia Records |
I've never been the biggest Glee fan, although I do like some of their music. I am however, a fan of all things Christmas, and I couldn't let this album pass.
Glee: Christmas Volume 3 follows 2010's Volume 1 and 2011's Volume 2, and delivers a mere ten Christmas songs performed by the cast.
I had mixed reactions to this album. After a great Volume one and a less-than-impressive Volume two, this third volume kind of does manage to capture the Christmas spirit- but sadly it does so without putting much heart into it.
Let's do a track-by-track review:
1. Jingle Bell Rock (featuring Sam): Probably not as good an album opener as compared to the previous two volumes ("We Need A Little Christmas" and "All I Want For Christmas Is You") but still effective. You can't mess too much with this song and therein lies the problem. There's nothing to make you love this version over the dozens already out there (I'll be saying this a lot).
2. White Christmas (featuring Blaine and Kurt): Here they take on Michael Buble and Shania Twain's fantastic duet. Literally a carbon copy-down to the arrangement. The result is listenable but forgettable. I hate when artists try to sound too much like the original singers because the song loses its identity. As in this case.
3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (featuring Puck, Jake, Sam, Brittany, Blaine, Kurt & New Directions): Again, it's hard to make this song your own and the singers fail to make anything out of this one too. It's a good version nonetheless, with good vocals and a fine arrangement, but again, forgettable.
4. Silent Night (featuring Santana): There's something about Naya Rivera's vocals that make this a memorable version. Her slinky, gritty tone and sincerity add up to a well done, albeit snoozy version.
5. Joy to the World (featuring Unique): "Why on earth they put all the slow songs in the first half of the album?" you wonder. Then the song turns into a mid-tempo, gospel romp. A worthy version of the song we all know. There's a lot of originality in this version.
6. The First Noel (featuring Marley): Newbie Melissa Benoist delivers a fully a capella rendition of the song. I thought this was one of the highlights of the album. It's not over the top or pretentious, and is what Christmas songs should be like.
7. I'll Be Home For Christmas (featuring Rachel): Oh Lea Michele, we've missed you. She delivers. A fine version of this classic song, with all of Rachel's theatrics thrown in for good measure.
8. Feliz Navidad (featuring Artie): Okay, my favorite song on the album. Guitar and trumpet heavy, this upbeat and fun version lifts the album up and how. One of the best versions of the song I've ever heard. You can blast this in your house and nobody will mind, it's so irresistible.
9. Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah (featuring Jake and Puck): I've never heard this song before, but I liked it! I don't know how far this counts as a Christmas song, per se, but it represents Glee's secularity and universal appeal. Fun!
10. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (featuring Finn): A great version of the well-known song. I enjoyed it, but again, there was nothing unique about it. A great way to wrap up the album.
I found this to be a very different album for Glee to do. The first half was painfully slow and the album only picked up momentum around the middle. Weird decisions, since Glee is known for its big group numbers and foot-tapping covers. Another problem I had with this album is the sheer lack of original songs! Not one of the ten songs is an original and so I couldn't but suspect that they rushed the album (and corresponding episode) out just to cash in on the season. I felt that the Glee identity and what it represents was lacking in the album.
The presence of some new voices is interesting and is a step forward for the show, but I missed some, like Diana Aggron's Quinn and Matthew Morrison's Will Schuester, both present in the first two Christmas albums. Most of the song arrangements are just blatant rip-offs of well known versions, and although there a few good versions, on the whole the album feels forced, emotionless and lacks the necessary Christmas warmth.
In a year where so many great Christmas albums have released, Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 3 fails to stand out. It's sadly one of the weaker Christmas albums of the year. Pick it up if you're a Glee fan, but if you're looking for a rich Christmas musical experience, you might want to look somewhere else.
RATING: ★★★
Check out some of my other Christmas album reviews!
*Christmas With Scotty McCreery
*Blake Shelton: Cheers, It's Christmas
*Lady Antebellum: On This Winter's Night
*Colbie Caillat: Christmas In The Sand
My Christmas List
Are you done with your Christmas list yet? Well, there's less than three weeks to go and I hope you're getting on it- it takes time to reach the North Pole.
But while you work on yours, why don't I share with you some items from my out-of-this-world Christmas list?
1. A T-shirt printer...so I can print out any design I like! (Also: about a thousand plain white tees):
2. A lifetime supply of Oreo's:
3. Free advance-screening passes to every single Disney or Pixar animated film that releases from now on:
4. A trip to the moon:
5. Health, peace, love and happiness for me and everyone around me:
So what outlandishly crazy items are on your list? I'd love to know. Comment!
But while you work on yours, why don't I share with you some items from my out-of-this-world Christmas list?
1. A T-shirt printer...so I can print out any design I like! (Also: about a thousand plain white tees):
2. A lifetime supply of Oreo's:
3. Free advance-screening passes to every single Disney or Pixar animated film that releases from now on:
4. A trip to the moon:
5. Health, peace, love and happiness for me and everyone around me:
So what outlandishly crazy items are on your list? I'd love to know. Comment!
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