Sunday, April 20, 2014

Another Random Stream of Consciousness Post

These are just a few random things that passed through my head this weekend.  Many of them seem to be religiously influenced, but it was Easter weekend, so I'll blame it on that.

First, I was watching an episode of Macgyver and in the episode he was attending his godson's Bar Mitzvah.  This may be completely ignorant of me, but I wasn't aware that Jewish kids had godparents.  That seems like a Christian thing to me, but maybe it's not.  On a side note, I thought Macgyver would make an awesome godfather.  In the same episode one of the scenes looked like it was filmed on the Universal Studios backlot, so I decided to look up online whether any episodes of Macgyver were filmed there and sure enough they were!  I was proud of myself for recognizing that.  Although, maybe it's a little weird that I can recognize parts of the backlot.  But I used to work there so it's OK.  Plus, I love the tram tour, or at least I did when I was younger.  The last time I was there they updated it and took out all the stories I used to love as a kid.  I think I may have written a post about that a while back.  Well that was my Saturday night.  Don't judge.

Today at Easter mass I noticed all the stained glass windows.  Then I started thinking about the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where Indy sees the clues in the stained glass at the church in Venice.  I started to wonder if any of these windows had clues to an ancient treasure or artifact.  I'm not sure what that would be or why anyone would come to Tucson looking for it, but you never know.

Finally, I saw a commercial for one of those websites that buy your old cell phones, and the guy on the commercial had a really big mouth.  It was like 2/3 of his face.  It seemed really unnatural.  I started wondering if it was uncomfortable for him or if he even realizes he has an abnormally large mouth.  Seriously, if you painted him orange he could have been a jack-o-lantern.  That was mean.  I'm sorry, but it bothered me.

OK, I'll stop for now.  I could talk about my weird dream, but I'm still a little disturbed by it.  Let's just say it involved cereal, Paul Revere, Joe DiMaggio, Walgreen's, and Disneyland.  Try and top that.  Although, I have dreamed about Disneyland two nights in a row.  The first dream was awesome.  Last night's not so much.  OK, now I'm really done.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

My Top 10 Outkast Songs that You Probably Never Heard on the Radio

Yesterday I wrote about how my love of Outkast developed over the years.  And I mentioned that I wanted to share a list of my favorite lesser known Outkast songs.  So here is that list, in no particular order.

"West Savannah"
I love everything about this song.  The hook, the beat, the verses.  It's smooth and easy to listen to, and a great song to listen to while driving.

"Chonkyfire"
This song hits a little bit harder than "West Savannah" and it is very good.  I love Dre's verse in this song.

"SpottieOttieDopalicious"
A third straight song off Aquemini.  That should tell you something about that album.  It's fricken' great!  This song is easily in my top three favorite Outkast songs of all time.  It is absolutely phenomenal.  And much like the first two songs on this list, I could listen solely to the instrumental version of this song.  In fact, I could probably listen to the instrumental version of the entire Aquemini album and be in heaven.  If only listen to one song in this post, it should be this one.  You won't regret it.

"Grangsta Sh't"
This is a hyped up, angry song.  I love the pace, I love the flow, and I love to blast this in my car.  It's a good song to get me jacked up.

"We Luv Deez Hoez"
I like this song because I think it's funny.  And it has one of my favorite lines in any rap song, "I told you about taking those hoes to the Cheesecake Factory and letting them hoes order strawberry lemonade and popcorn shrimp.  They ain't gonna do nothing but try to get all your mother fuckin' cheese."

"Myintrotoletuknow"
Holy crap, what a power packed two and a half minutes!  This was quite an introduction to the world.  Two young kids announcing their presence with authority.  Twenty years later, this otherwise innocuous song on their debut album is as powerful as ever.

"Funky Ride"
This song is so smooth.  Listening to it will automatically put you in a good mood.

"Claimin' True"
Another song off their debut album.  The flow between Big Boi and Dre on this track is just great.

"Da Art of Storytellin' Part 1"
Another song featuring Outkast at their storytelling best.  And another song off Aquemini.  Be warned, there's a chance this song will absolutely mesmerize you.

"Stankonia (Stanklove)"
I can't really explain why I love this song so much, but I do.  It is absolutely bewitching.

Well, those are my ten, but let me tell you it was not easy to narrow it down to ten.  Remember, these are just songs that were not released as radio singles.  It would be too easy to put "ATLiens" and "So Fresh, So Clean" on a top ten list.  This is my way of recognizing all of Outkast's library.  And as you can see the list is dominated by songs from three albums, most notably Aquemini.  Seriously, it's an amazing album.  I did leave some songs off the list because they were more like solo tracks featured on Outkast albums.  But here's a shout out to "Tomb of the Boom", "Pink and Blue", "Morris Brown", and "Mutron Angel".  They are all great songs that I love listening to and deserve recognition.  And I also want to recognize "Int'l Players Anthem" because it features two of the best verses by Big Boi and Dre, but it isn't an official Outkast song.  Here's a little bonus video for you, though.

I hope you enjoy the list, and the music.  For those of you who are Outkast fans, feel free to share your favorite songs as well.  For those who weren't Outkast fans before, thanks for reading if you made it this far, and hopefully you're willing to give them a listen now.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

My History with Outkast

Outkast reunited this weekend to perform at Coachella.  Even though I couldn't be there to see it live, I was able to watch the set on YouTube, and I was very excited to see the return.  I've been a fan of Outkast for almost twenty years.  In my opinion they are the greatest rap duo of all time.  I own every one of their albums, and I will buy anything new they produce in a heartbeat.  Although, to be honest, I really don't think a new Outkast album is going to happen.  So it's a good thing I have their old albums to continue to listen to, because they really never get old.

I was first introduced to Outkast with ATLiens, the song.  Holy crap!  How do you not fall in love with that song?!  It has the catchiest hook and probably one of the most iconic lines in rap history.  ("I'm cooler than a polar bear's toenails.")  Needless to say, I bought the album and loved it.  Then a couple years later Rosa Parks was released and I was blown away again.  I immediately bought the Aquemini album and was not disappointed.  I listened to that album repeatedly for months.

And then Stankonia was released and my mind was blown.  This is what every rap album should aspire to be.  In my mind it was an absolute masterpiece.  My college roommate and I listened to this album on every road trip we took.  It became a ritual and a source of bonding.  We even had inside jokes based on the interludes and lines from certain songs.  My like for Outkast had officially turned into obsession.  I realized I didn't own their first album, Southerplayalisticadillacmuzik, so I bought it and fell in love with another great album.  The thing I love most about Outkast is that every album has its own unique sound.  They experiment with music and always seem to make it work.

Things took a different turn after Stankonia.  They released a greatest hits album featuring a few new songs, including The Whole World.  Then came the double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.  It was basically two solo albums packaged together, and allowed fans to see the different musical stylings of Big Boi and Dre.  It was definitely not my favorite album, but it is still really good, and, to me, plays as so much more than a rap album.  It even won the Grammy Award for Best Album.  I was glad to see Outkast win, even if it wasn't for what I thought was their best album.  Their next album, and to date their last album, was a soundtrack to their movie, Idlewild.  Upon its first release I didn't really like this album.  There were few songs where Big Boi and Dre actually performed together and it was even more musically diverse than what we were used to from Outkast.  I let this album sit for years before giving it another shot.  Once I did, though, I found that I actually liked it a lot more than I initially thought.  It's different in a good way.  And while it will never be my go to album for an Outkast fix, I'm not disappointed when I listen to it.

I still, though, held Stankonia as the gold standard of Outkast albums.  And then I stumbled across this gem of an article on the internet.
Stankoff 2011
It's an Outkast bracket.  And while I don't agree with all of the selections, I can't argue with the champion.  But more than anything else, this article forced me to relisten to my Outkast library.  What I discovered is how great the Southernplayalistic and Aquemini albums are.  (Read tomorrow's post for more specific reasons about my thoughts.)  I seriously started rethinking why I thought Stankonia was their best album.  And right now, I'm not sure it really is anymore.  In fact, I might actually lean towards Aquemini if I had to choose this instant.  Of course, I might also go with Southernplayalistic.  OK, I'm not sure I can really choose at all.

The bottom line is that Outkast has 20 years of powerhouse music, and I've enjoyed being part of the ride.  I was excited to see them reunite on stage after years of solo work.  I wish they were playing a venue closer to me so I could see them live, because I fear this might be the last we see of Outkast.  If it is, I can safely say they have left an indelible mark on the music world.  They are my favorite rap group and I will continue to include them at the top of any playlist.  I was going to include a list of lesser known Outkast songs that everyone should be made aware of, but now that I see the length of this post, I think will save that for a separate post tomorrow.

Monday, April 14, 2014

My Guilty Pleasures - Music

Well, I've covered movies and TV shows and now it's time to look at music.  Let me preface this post by saying that I have a very wide ranging taste in music.  Here is a quick look at a shuffle through my iTunes playlist:
1. Rock the Boat - Aaliyah
2. Run Tha Streetz - 2Pac
3. To Be With You - Mr. Big
4. Love You Down - Ready for the World
5. Just a Friend - Biz Markie
6. Oops... I Did it Again - Britney Spears
7. Shake Your Love - Debbie Gibson
8. Da Art of Storytellin' Part 1 - Outkast
9. Listen to Your Heart - DHT
10. Goodbye - Alicia Keys
11. Heartbreaker - Zapp and Roger
12. Caramel - City High
13. Trapped - 2Pac
14. Thought @ Work - The Roots
15. Bulworth - Method Man, KRS-One, Prodigy, and KAM
16. This Magic Moment - The Drifters
17. Troubles - Alicia Keys
18. The Ghetto - Too Short
19. One Day More - Les Mis
20. Jenifa Taught Me - De La Soul

As you can see it's a lot of hip-hop and R&B, but there's some teen pop and oldies mixed in there, and even a little Broadway.  I could have kept going so you could see more, but that's not what this post is about.  Although, I am a little surprised no Motown songs shuffled in because I have a lot of those.  But let's get to the heart of the matter.  Here are songs/artists that I enjoy that people give me funny looks about or think I shouldn't listen to.

I Want it That Way - Backstreet Boys
When this song first came out I didn't want any part of it, or any boy band song for that matter.  But secretly I thought they were all catchy.  Now that I'm older, I don't care.  I belt this song out in my car all the time.  I even performed it with a few friends.  Check out the video below.



And here's the original

MMMBop - Hanson
I don't care what you think, this song is awesome!  It's fun and catchy and one of the treasures of the 90s.  Don't deny it, you love it too.

Material Girl - Madonna
This is just a fun song to sing along to.  Madonna is generally considered OK for everyone to like, but I tend to get funny looks when I get caught singing along to this song.  Although, maybe it's my singing and not the song itself.

Hold On - Wilson Phillips
Admit it, when you hear this song you crank it up and start singing too.

Any combination of songs by Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
I decided to just combine all of these artists because, well, it makes the point.  I don't really know what to say about this, but I like these artists and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Say My Name - Destiny's Child
I actually like pretty much anything that Beyonce touches, but I chose to single this song out because it's my favorite of hers.  When Beyonce performed at the Super Bowl Halftime show a couple years ago I was actually more excited about the Destiny's Child reunion than the actual game itself.  I might have shared too much there.  Just watch the video and be awed by the awesomeness of the song, and the video.

Chattahoochee - Alan Jackson
I make fun of country music a lot, mostly because I don't like it and don't get it.  But I used to listen to this song when I was a kid and I secretly still like it.  Let's see if any of my country music loving friends call me out on this.

Anything by Mariah Carey
Seriously, she has the most amazing voice.  She's had a few albums that weren't that great, but I'm willing to let that slide due to her overall greatness.  I've never really tried to hide my love for Mariah.  Her songs are awesome, so judge me if you want.  Recently, I've been going back to her early stuff, like this.

As I look through my iTunes library I realize I could go on forever with this list.  I have a lot of weird stuff on there.  The shuffle list doesn't remotely do my library justice.  But I will stop here and let you just soak all this in.  Once again, feel free to share your own guilty pleasures.  Don't worry, I won't judge.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

My Guilty Pleasures - TV Shows

My last post was about my movie guilty pleasures.  Well, there are some TV shows that could be considered guilty pleasures of mine as well.  Once again, these are shows that society thinks shouldn't be on my favorites list.  I'm not personally ashamed of liking them.  I understand people might give me funny looks, but I don't really care.  This list isn't as long as my movie list, so here goes.

Beverly Hills, 90210
This show ran for the entire decade of the 90s.  For those who know me well, you know how much I love the 90s.  Following a group of kids from the most famous zip code in the world, we see them through high school, college, and the real world.  From first love to heartbreak, dream jobs to pitfalls, and all the way to David and Donna finally giving in to what we all knew from the beginning, that they were meant for each other.  I totally got sucked in to the lives of Brandon, Steve, Kelly, Dylan, etc.  I still find myself watching random episodes on the Soap Network when I come across them.  Plus the theme song was great.  Here's a clip of some memorable moments.

Melrose Place
This was actually a spin off of 90210.  And it was awesome!  If you like shows where everybody sleeps with each other, stuff blows up, and people are always lying, cheating, and stealing, then this was the show for you.  It was seductive and trashy and wonderfully addicting.  Even the title of this clip says guilty pleasure.

Dawson's Creek
I think most people my age got hooked on this show, but they might not admit it.  It wasn't that great, but we all wanted to know what was going to happen next with Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jen, etc.  I would actually go back and watch the entire series again if it re-aired.  Plus, I had a bit of a crush on Katie Holmes back then.

Baywatch
OK, is it any surprise that this is on my list?  It's probably on every male's list.  It's a show about lifeguards!  Running on a beach!  Genius!  And it features one of the most underrated theme songs of all time.

Once Upon a Time
I actually get a lot of grief from people for liking this show.  I'm not sure why though.  It's really good, and I'm a huge Disney freak, so it makes sense.  Personally, I don't think this show should have to be on my list, but I wanted to mention it anyway.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my list.  Feel free to share yours as well.  I will conclude my guilty pleasures series this week with music.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

My Guilty Pleasures - Movies

We all have guilty pleasures, those things we like but we know we probably shouldn't.  People have different ideas of what defines a guilty pleasure, but I look at it as something that society thinks someone shouldn't like.  So while I'm not really ashamed or embarrassed at liking these movies, society thinks I should be.  But I love them.  I own many of them and often find myself watching them when they are on TV.  It's a wide assortment of genres, and I like them all for different reasons.  So here is my list, in no particular order, of movies that I consider my guilty pleasures.

Josie and the Pussycats
This movie is hilarious.  It basically makes fun of itself for two hours, but in a way that totally works.  I know it's not a movie that many people like, but I love it.  Plus, Rachael Leigh Cook is very hot in it.  Here's the trailer.  It doesn't really do the movie justice, but if you haven't seen it, I recommend it.

Bring It On
A movie about cheerleaders should come as no surprise on a list about guilty pleasures.  But I like this movie more than just for looking at Kirsten Dunst and Eliza Dushku in skimpy outfits.  And I would be lying if I said that didn't help.  I actually like the story too, though.  It's fun and cheesy, and I find myself rooting for the characters.  This clip is a good combination of cheesy dialogue and hotness.

Clueless
This is generally considered a good movie, so I could probably get away with liking it without too many funny looks.  But it is still a movie about high school girls, so I still feel like society judges me a little.  It shouldn't, though.  This is seriously one of the best comedies of the 90s.  And it is by far Alicia Silverstone's best performance.  The movie is funny, clever, and poignant.

Fled
This is not a good movie in any way, shape, or form.  But for some reason I love it.  I remember seeing it because the name sounded so ridiculous.  And the way they use it in the film is even more ridiculous.  For some reason, though, I actually took a liking to it.  It's so bad that I just can't help watching it when it's on.  My friend and I make fun of it a lot, but I still watch it.  I can't really explain it.

Anaconda
This movie is kind of a cult classic.  It's a ridiculous movie that most people won't admit to liking, but deep down they actually enjoy it.  It has some great one liners and really cheesy moments, but it's a whole lot of fun.

Coyote Ugly
Another movie that I like for more than just hot girls dancing on a bar.  I just find myself rooting for Violet to make it big.  And John Goodman is great as the dad.  Plus, I really like the featured song in the movie.  I just like the whole thing.  Judge me if you want, but it's a good movie.

Where the Heart Is
Considering my obsession with Natalie Portman I'm not sure if this should count as a guilty pleasure, and it should definitely come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that it showed up on my list.  I love this movie!  First, Natalie looks incredibly hot in the movie.  Second, I love some of the inspirational messages in the film.  I could also include Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium for the same reasons, but this movie is just better.

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle
Anyone who knows me knows that I love cheesy jokes.  And Rocky and Bullwinkle is full of cheesy jokes.  This entire movie makes me laugh.  I'm probably the only one, but I don't care.  I think everything about it is funny.

Hot Tub Time Machine
This is another movie that isn't really good, but I love it.  It's funny because of how absolutely ludicrous it is.  You can see a theme among the movies on this list that I like cheesy movies.  It doesn't get much cheesier than this.  I'm pretty sure this movie was made to pay homage to the 80s, while also making fun of them.  I don't even know if there was an actual script or if someone just thought of the title, which is awesome, and just let the actors roll with it.  This is one of my favorite moments from the movie.

So that's my list of guilty pleasure movies.  I'm not really ashamed of any of these, but I understand why they are guilty pleasures.  I hope you enjoyed reading about them, and maybe I have inspired you to give some of them another chance.  What are some of your guilty pleasures?  Feel free to share as well.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

And the Winner is...

Well, we couldn't have had a closer championship match.  The winner was decided by one vote.  Both of these shows were pretty dominant throughout the tournament, so it makes sense that the final vote would be split almost evenly.  But enough of my commentary, let's get to the announcement!

The winner of the 2014 Greatest Sitcom Bracket Championship is...

The Cosby Show!!!!!

Congratulations to Cliff, Claire, and all the Huxtables!  I don't know that anyone can really argue with this result.  Cosby is one of the funniest shows of all time, and clearly enough people who voted felt that way from round one until the championship.  Here are a couple of my favorite clips from the show.




There's one clip that I can't find of Cliff explaining to Claire what happened when he tried to take Theo to the Army recruiter after Theo threw a party and wrecked the house.  It's really funny.  Anyway, thank you to all who voted and hopefully you all come back for next year's bracket!