Sesame Street Is Now Diamonds!

If Sesame Street continues clever parodies like the one below, I can't wait to watch it with my kid! That is all.

My Latest Fashion Accessory

Yes. That's me, Mandybomb and my daughter, Baby G. She's my latest fashion accessory cause she goes everywhere I go. I got her in the late summer and she's trending into the fall and the rest of my life. :)

What's that magazine where they're all like "Celebrities are just like us! They go to the grocery store! They don't wear makeup to the gym!" Now I'm all, "I'm just like a celebrity! I can have a baby! I can tell the paparazzi that follow me wherever I go to leave me and my child alone!" Oh, that last part not so much.

I heart her so much I just had to share.

Vampires Are Not As Scary As Twihards

I'm going to see Eclipse with my husband this weekend and I'm kinda nervous.  No, Taylor's abs and Rob's sexy stare do not make my heart pound and go all mushy. What scares me are the crazed fans. I think they're called Twihards. I saw some of these crazies on Oprah yesterday and, um, it's quite freaky. And I don't even think Oprah showed the really sketchy ones.

The wackiest bunch were the TwiMoms who had life-sized cutouts of Edward so they could take pictures with him and were having a Twilight party in the basement. Yoohoo! Ladies! Your kids think you like fictitious characters more than them. Hmmm, they won't need therapy when they grow up or anything.

Back to me and my Twihard fears. Like, are we gonna have to show up to the theater 3 hours early just to get good seats? Will we be beaten to death for not declaring Team Jacob or Team Edward on our clothing? Will I be able to enjoy my popcorn without shrieks and giggles from teenage girls and menopausal ladies? These are valid fears, peeps! There's no turning back now as tickets have already been purchased. Wish me luck!

Star Trek + Ke$ha May Be The Final Frontier

Do you love random YouTube videos? Star Trek? Ke$ha? Not so much Ke$ha? You may change your mind after seeing this video. I don't have any real love for Ke$ha, her ridiculous songs or the stupid way she spells her name but these Star Trek clips set to Tik Tok just work. Seriously, I've watched this video about a dozen times and there's no end in sight. Props to MissSheenie on YouTube for compiling the awesome Star Trek clips and perfectly timing them to this song.

What kind of Star Trek geek am I that I recognize almost all the clips from the video but can only name one title, The Trouble With Tribbles? What would Mr. Spock say? Also, I never noticed how cheesy Star Trek episodes could be. Maybe that's because I was like 8 years old when I was watching them hardcore.

MissSheenie, I don't know who you are but you totally made my day. Live long and prosper! 

Britney's New Clothes

I just wish I could fit into any of these clothes right now. I'm glad Britney looks cute though!

Who Watches Toddlers and Tiaras? Me!

This week was a great start to TLC's summer of reality TV that centers on families with dozens of children, child beauty queens and little people that make chocolate. I think they could just roll all the shows into one and no one would notice.

Anyhoo, Toddlers and Tiaras had it's divalicious Season 3 debut and the standout this week was Mackenzie, as confirmed by numerous internet sources. I watched the entire episode and I don't remember any of the other little girls because Mackenzie is such as superstar. (By superstar I mean horror show.) Just think when Mackenzie grows up and gets to see her "performance" on Toddlers and Tiaras. By that point, she'll probably have sued her parents for her earned pageant money and will have molded all her crowns into one ginormous crown fit for a universal beauty queen pageant.

It's times like this when I wish my parents had "talkie" home movies of me at age 4 cause I would love to compare myself with Miss Mackenzie. Oh, I wasn't in pageants, I just would just like to see if I threw over-the-top temper tantrums.

Now, I have a few questions for Mackenzie's mom and dad (although the dad is more muted than a blade of grass in a Monet painting).

Question 1: Why is Mackenzie so mad at her parents? She's great on stage and that seems to be when she's happiest. Maybe mom and dad should let the pageant circus (is there such a thing?) adopt her and then the performance will never end, thus Mackenzie will be happy!

Question 2: Why is she 4 and still using a pacifier? For saying this I'm probably now going to be cursed with a kid who won't give up the paci until she's ten but still I have to ask. Btw, I love that Mackenzie has her pacifier in her mouth while simultaneously shaking her finger at her mom and telling her "no way!!" about her dress or hair or something. Ha,ha! When she's older, she'll just replace that paci with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth while she rants to her assistant, aka her mother. Speaking of which...

Question 3: Is there tobacco in that pacifier because Mackenzie has the raspy voice of a woman who's smoked for about 50 years. Again, I'm sure I'm dooming myself to a life with a raspy voiced kid but I had to say it.

Final Question: Why does Mackenzie's mom blink so much? Is she trying to blink away her daughter's bad attitude? Sorry Mackenzie's mom, you're not Jeannie or Samantha. Try again.

I'm sure some of you are thinking I'm being way harsh on a four-year-old so I've got some clips to back me up. First up is Mackenzie's introduction and then you get to see her in full diva mode moments before going on stage. Just watch and I'm sure you'll see what I mean.

Thanks From Lost

What I'll Miss About Lost

With the Lost journey coming to a close tonight, it seems only appropriate to pay homage to a show that I believe made TV drama great. My husband and I began watching Lost the day it first aired, September 22, 2004. I remember seeing previews for it and my husband said "That looks like a pretty cool show. We should watch." And so we did! This has been the only TV show I've watched from beginning to end and I have many fond memories of watching it with my husband. With that said, here are the things I took from the show and that I'll miss.

Sense of Discovery:  Before Lost, I'd never heard of the Casimir Effect, thought about the effects of electromagnetism, wondered about the physics of time travel, paid attention to ancient mythology or legitimately considered the many dichotomies that make up life as we know it.

Music: I don't know of another show that has a soundtrack like Lost. For me, a soundtrack is as important as the writing and the acting in a show. Michael Giacchino's compositions for Lost give add to the mystery, suspense, sense of doom but have a heartwarming effect at times as well. Giacchino's scores are brilliant and the show wouldn't have been as good without his compositions.

Unique Story Line: The Lost story formula began with flashbacks, evolved to flashforwards (genius) and now to flash sideways. Each episode is a piece of the puzzle and it makes the viewer think and try to regurgitate previously learned information in later episodes. It's a lot of work for a TV show but well worth it.

Rich Character Development: Each main character on the show has a back-story and uniqueness that I think the actors really embodied. Each has their own secrets flaws but each has potential for redemption. Some of the characters I love and some I hate but most evoked a strong emotion one way or another and that's what great character writing and acting is all about.

Mystery and Suspense: A lot of what kept me watching this show was constantly wondering, "What's gonna happen next!?" You never knew who was going to die or what mind boggling twist would happen on the show. Since Lost began, people have been trying to figure out the mysterious island and its properties and what it all means for the characters. We've gotten answers to some of those questions over the years but I've enjoyed all the speculation and tense episodes that have been a hallmark of Lost.

Perhaps one day another show will come along to spark my interest in the same way as Lost. But for now, if there was one show I could take to a deserted island to watch forever, it would be this one.

Below is a clip from the Season 1 episode "Walkabout" which I think is one of the best episodes in the entire series. To me, this one clip contains everything that makes Lost worth watching. If you watch Lost, you'll know what I mean. Enjoy reminiscing and enjoy the series finale!

Totally Lost on Season 6

SPOILER ALERT! Do NOT read if you have not watched episodes from Season 6!

I haven't posted my opinions on Lost since Season 6 began, mainly because I've actually felt lost this season. For me, this has been the most random season of Lost. The alternate timeline was a strange formula, (although brilliant) the characters on-island were behaving differently and there just seemed to be a general lag and malaise to the show. Even the enduring mysteries that were finally solved wasn't enough for me. I felt like the show was giving some answers simply for appeasement's sake and the revelations weren't organic and intrinsic to the nature of said mysteries.

I haven't experienced the spine-tingling, heart pounding, take-your-breath-away moments I did in Seasons 1-5 and  I think that's one thing that's really bothered me.  Let me try to hash it out. The whole season, until about 3 episodes ago, I couldn't see where the writers were going with this. I understood the alternate timeline and there were some connections here and there but it was more like watching a re-do or what if scenario. Big deal. I play out "what if" scenarios about my life in my head all the time. Meanwhile on the island, things kept going back and forth and no one could seem to agree on the best course of action to set things right.

Also, Zoe was a terrible character. But she's dead now and hopefully will stay dead. I will say that Illana's death was a highlight for me, as I couldn't stand her character since Season 5. She drove me crazy with her know-it-all, "I'm on a mission for Jacob" attitude and  I thought it was great when she accidentally blew herself up with the dynamite.

The worst episode of the season for me was "What Kate Does." I know Lost has done quite a bit of mirror imaging this season and this episode was supposed to mirror "What Kate Did" all the way back in Season 2. However, the Season 6 version was terrible in my opinion. I know it was supposed to connect Kate and Claire but I wasn't buying it. What kind of lunatic accepts a lift from a criminal that had just held them at gun point!? That story line was pretty thin. I'm not going to suggest another way to do it because I don't feel like putting in the time and effort to come up with a decent plot when I'm not on the Lost payroll.

I also hate the fact that until this past Tuesday's episode, Ben seemed to have been castrated. There was foreshadowing of this at the end of Season 5 but this season his character's been way off base.  I like Ben when he's manipulative and conniving. What happened to "How many times do I have to tell you John? I always have a plan." I just hope that for good or evil, Ben does have an end-game plan that puts him back on top. I want to see the old Ben before the series is over. I mean, he's the guy you love to hate, right?

I'm also pretty bummed that Jin, Sun and Sayid died in the sub.  I'm especially ticked that Sayid spent the entire season as a zombie and then he got blown to bits. I get why he died because it was his redemption but I just hated seeing him mope about the island all season. Now Jin and Sun have never been my favorite characters but there have been some really touching moments between the two of them. Their death scene was one of those moments. RIP island Jin, Sun and Sayid!!

Anyway, those are the things I hated about this season and I may have an entirely different opinion when Lost is over for good.  I'm sure when I watch this season again one day, I'll develop a whole new appreciation for it. Now on to some stuff I like and expectations for "The End."

"The Candidate" has been the best episode so far this season, in my opinion. I loved the on-island conflict between Locke and Jack while in the flash sideways, they finally agreed about the spinal operation. I've been waiting for the moment when Jack fixes Locke's back all season and I think we're going to see it in the finale. My brother thinks that if Jack fixes Locke in the sideways timeline, he may resurrect on the island and that will either kill or contain the Smoke Monster/MIB. (I think that's what my brother said anyway.) He can comment on this post if I'm wrong. I also thought it was great that Desmond and Hurley are totally "aware" in the flash sideways world and now it appears to be their job to ensure all the candidates meet at the concert which is obviously being held by Charles Widmore and Eloise Hawking.

I figure that once all of them are together, they will become fully aware of their on-island existence and then some kind of choice will have to be made that will perhaps converge the timelines as well as the separate existences of the characters. This all goes back to my hypothesis about Jacob and his copy of "Everything that Rises Must Converge." I'm not saying I got the ending exactly right and I'm sure Lost will throw in some serious twists (here's hoping anyway) but I do think the show is ultimately about a higher consciousness that aspires to redemption. The biggest themes in the show are faith v science and fate v free will and I think these will be resolved in a way that will allow them to coexist.

Lost finales have never disappointed me and I expect this one to be spectacular and bittersweet. I'm sad to see the show end but hopeful that I'll be pleased with the ending.

Lost Cast Says Goodbye

Lost Top Ten on David Letterman

I'll Watch The Hills Final Season Only to See Heidi 3.0 and Spencer Spaz Out

MTV recently released the trailer for the finale season of The Hills, set to premiere April 27th. I didn't watch Season 5 at all but I don't feel the need to watch those episodes to catch up. I'm pretty sure the same things that were going on from Season 1 will still happen in Season 6. The Hills is like a teen soap opera but with frequent awkward silences and a better soundtrack. A few faces change (specifically Heidi's) but the antics remain the same.

Still, I'm gonna watch. I'm not interested in Kristen Cavallari, her scripted fling with Justin Bobby or her alleged drug/alcohol problem. I just want to see Heidi try to put some expression in her new plastic-sealed face and watch Spencer over-dramatize all his scenes. Can TV get any better than that?

The Hills - MTV Shows - The Hills (Season 5) - MTV Shows

Lost Hypothesis: Flannery O’Conner is the Biggest Clue to Lost’s Ending

In the Season 5 finale, we meet Jacob for the first time and he goes around to 5 of the Oceanic 6 survivors and Locke. He touches them at various points in their lives. I think the biggest clue as to how the series will end lies in his literary pick as Locke fell out the window. Jacob was reading Flannery O’Connor’s “Everything that Rises Must Converge.” 

I have not read this collection of short stories but when I saw it, I knew it had to be something important. I did some research and discovered that O’Connor selected the title based on a phrase from the work of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

Teilhard developed a theory called the Law of Complexity/Consciousness which essentially states that the universe is constantly developing toward higher levels of material complexity and consciousness. Teilhard’s idea of the Omega Point is that this is the supreme point of Consciousness and what the universe is drawn to and aspires to attain.

It should be noted that Teilhard was a Jesuit priest who also trained as a paleontologist and geologist.  His scientific pursuits came in conflict with the Catholic Church. To me, this falls in line with the Science v Faith/Religion theme in Lost.

So how will this work into the ending of Lost? The Science v Faith theme has been especially important to Lost with examples as blatant as the episode Man of Science, Man of Faith. I believe Lost will incorporate the Teilhard’s Law of Complexity/Consciousness and the Omega Point to allow the numerous dichotomies (Science v Faith, Fate v Free Will, Life v Death) to converge.  

I think that Jacob and the Man In Black (MIB) are the physical embodiments of Free Will and Fate, respectively. Is Jacob also Life and Science and MIB Faith and Death? I’m not sure but it does appear that they are playing a cosmic game (see Locke’s backgammon explanation to Walt) which influences the lives of certain people and brings them to the island for some purpose. Jacob would say that purpose is progress while MIB doesn’t believe people change at all.  

In the opening scene in The Incident, I did notice Jacob weaving a tapestry and I wonder if this was a metaphor for weaving lives together. He touched certain survivors of Oceanic 815 but it was their own free will that placed them on that plane.

In any case, I think the dichotomies will have to be resolved and Teilhard’s Law of Complexity/Consciousness seems a likely way to do that. I think Science and Faith, Fate and Free Will, Life and Death must coexist in a balanced way.

In the end, I think there will be some type of awakening or enlightenment that will allow the Losties to resolve their conflicts and choose their eternal fate. 

Send me your thoughts, please!

5 Seasons of Lost in 8 Minutes

A great way to refresh your memory for tonight's big event!!

Lost Sneak Peak

Warning!!! Spoiler Alert!!! This is the first four minutes of "LA X" the first episode of Lost Season 6. Do not watch if you don't want to know how the show begins!!!

Addicted to Lost

Only two weeks to go before the Season 6 premiere!  The video below is just a little something fun with clips from Seasons 1 and 2. It originally aired during the Superbowl in 2006. I'm addicted and my last fix was May 13, 2009.

Please Place My Blog and Me In This Category:"Final Season of Lost Promises To Make Fans More Annoying Than Ever"

Final Season Of 'Lost' Promises To Make Fans More Annoying Than Ever

The Onion

United States of Pop

DJ Earworm mashes up the top 25 Billboard hits of 2009 to create one awesomely danceable song. I've listened to his mashups from 2008 and 2007 and this one is the best in my opinion. I think the music was peppier and just seemed to flow together quite nicely. The Black Eyed Peas must really love it because I Gotta Feeling is the underlying beat for the entire song.

Songs mashed:

• The Black Eyed Peas - BOOM BOOM POW
• Lady Gaga - POKER FACE
• Lady Gaga Featuring Colby O’Donis - JUST DANCE
• The Black Eyed Peas - I GOTTA FEELING
• Taylor Swift - LOVE STORY
• Flo Rida - RIGHT ROUND
• Jason Mraz - I’M YOURS
• Beyonce - SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING ON IT)
• Kanye West - HEARTLESS
• The All-American Rejects - GIVES YOU HELL
• Taylor Swift - YOU BELONG WITH ME
• T.I. Featuring Justin Timberlake - DEAD AND GONE
• The Fray - YOU FOUND ME
• Kings Of Leon - USE SOMEBODY
• Keri Hilson Featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo - KNOCK YOU DOWN
• Jamie Foxx Featuring T-Pain - BLAME IT
• Pitbull - I KNOW YOU WANT ME (CALLE OCHO)
• T.I. Featuring Rihanna - LIVE YOUR LIFE
• Soulja Boy Tell ‘em Featuring Sammie - KISS ME THRU THE PHONE
• Jay Sean Featuring Lil Wayne - DOWN
• Miley Cyrus - THE CLIMB
• Drake - BEST I EVER HAD
• Kelly Clarkson - MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU
• Beyonce - HALO
• Katy Perry - HOT N COLD

Just Blame It On The Pop...

Avatar Smashes Box Office Records and Feelings Simultaneously

Titanic was the very first movie my husband and I saw together when we met. Does that seem hokey? It might but Titanic was a fantastic movie (I don't care what anybody says) and it holds a sentimental place in my heart. Naturally, we went to see Avatar opening weekend. (I know, I'm way behind in posting this review.) You can link to the trailer from my Twitter account.

James Cameron knows what movie making is all about. An experience. He's all about details that create a whole, living world within the movie and giving the audience a catharsis. His newest movie, Avatar is no different.

I'm fortunate enough to live in a city that has an IMAX so we got to see the movie in IMAX 3D. 3D!! It was phenomenal. If you live anywhere in the vicinity of an IMAX theater, go see this movie there.

What did I love about this movie? Just about everything! I love just about anything that has to do with fantasy and/or science fiction and Avatar fits the bill. Sigourney Weaver (always a treat) played one of the lead scientists and Michelle Rodriguez (aka Ana Lucia from Lost) popped up as military support.

I won't give Avatar any props for original plot, as I felt it drew on numerous classic themes (think Romeo and Juliet) and obtained ideas from other movies. There was kind of a watered down version of the Force from Star Wars and a native people who were similar in culture to what you saw in Dances with Wolves. Hey, I'm not dissing because I'm sure I couldn't come up with anything better, I'm just informing.

It was still a good story and the cinematography and graphics were beyond stunning. Cameron's imagination shines and the time and effort of the creators comes through in a vivid spectacle. I loved the rich colors and brilliant landscape of planet Pandora.

Avatar does have a prominent political message. Cameron shows zero love for profiteering corporations and promotes a nature-centric lifestyle. That's fine but maybe he should've issued a viewer warning. Why? Oh, don't you know that people have become depressed after watching this movie? I'm not a lawyer or a gambler but I bet that someone out there is working on a deal to sue Cameron for creating an on-screen utopia.  Check out this news video:



Fortunately, I did not suffer from depression after seeing Avatar. I'm one of those rare people able to distinguish between reality and fantasy and realize that life is what you make it. (It's a gift.) I would totally go see it again (IMAX 3D only) because I loved the special effects that much. Also, I love movie popcorn. Go see it if you're into exceptional special effects too! (Movie popcorn is optional.)

When Simon Leaves American Idol Does That Mean He's No Longer "Heaven's Chosen?"

Renaldo ("We're Brothers Forever") said it best in Season 7, "Simon, you are heaven's chosen to give chance to any talent for free of charge." I can't speak for heaven but I would think that the successful contestants on American Idol must consider Simon Cowell and the show a God-send for providing a venue for their voices to be heard and and career jump start that many never experience.

Simon has now stated that Season 9 will be his last on American Idol. Which means I'll have to soak up every precious, disdainful, and hilarious comment from Simon this season because I just don't think I can watch AI without him next year. It's bad enough that Paula is gone but this is just too much for me.

I personally don't think American Idol will continue without Simon at the reigns and in the judge's seat. I'm sure Fox will give it a try but I think it will only squeak through with one season before it's yanked.  People will most likely tune into Simon's other show The X Factor. Is he gonna get Paula to be a judge with him on that show? And if so, can they just pretend all this never happened and call The X Factor American Idol? I'm just sayin'.

Here's Renaldo with a memorable audition and high praise for Simon.



Source

Britney's "Baby" turns 11

If you would like to feel old like me this week, please note that Britney Spears' album, Baby One More Time celebrated its 11th anniversary this week. Since this is one of my favorite pop albums of all time, I had to note the occasion.

Just so you know, Baby One More Time: 

• reached #1 in fifteen countries

• was the biggest selling album worldwide by a teenage artist

• was the highest selling album by a female pop artist

• was the highest selling debut album in the US

• sold more than 25 million copies

• was available on cassette tape- iTunes didn't exist

(Facts via britneyspears.com)

I don't care how old this album gets, its got so many good memories for me, I'll be singing it in my car when I'm a grandma. I can hear myself now, "That was real music kids. Ah, the good old 90's!"

My blog post wouldn't be complete without the title track and music video that made Britney a pop icon so here you go. Enjoy!