My Top 5 Albums of 2009

Following Vanilla Bear's lead I am posting my personal favorite albums of 2009. Pretty self explanatory, so here I go:

5- Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Simply put, this album is crazy good. It is well crafted and full of catchy pop-songs. It reminds me of the summer. This is the fourth album from this band and it is hands down their best.
Favorite Tracks: 1901, Listzomania, Lasso and Girlfriend

4- Sufjan Stevens- The BQE
I am aware that this music isn't officially "new," but it was officially released in 2009, thus qualifying it for this list. This definitely wasn't what I was expecting for a follow-up from Illinois, but it is uniquely Sufjan sounding. It is a collection of wonderful instrumentals and more importantly, it is a departure from Enjoy Your Rabbit, which had a heavy synth-techno sound. This is clearly more orchestral and it's amazing. I never thought an album about an old expressway could make me so happy.
Favorite Tracks: Movement II: Sleeping Invader, Interlude I: Dream Sequence In Subi Circumnavigation and Interlude II: Subi Power Waltz

3- Chris Garneau- El Radio
Chris Garneau is clearly a very sensitive guy because this album is a masterpiece of sensitivity portrayed. It is just a beautiful album with haunting lyrics backed by simple piano arrangements.
Favorite Tracks: Dirty Night Clowns, Fireflies, No More Pirates and Les Lucioles en Re Mineur

2- M. Ward- Hold Time
This album is wonderful for many reasons. On my first listen it seemed as if it was over before it began. I listened again and realized that was because of how magically his songs flow and connect. Every song is a nice introduction into the next phase of the album leaving this as a gigantic masterpiece. It's great because it's pretty retro sounding, and yet you can tell how innovative his guitar work is. I also just love M's graveled voice.
Favorite Tracks: Epistemology, Stars of Leo, Jailbird and Rave On

1- Monsters of Folk- Monsters of Folk
I don't even know how to start to describe how much I love this band and this album. For those who are unaware, it is composed of M. Ward (in my top 5 singer/songwriters), Conor Oberst (the genius behind Bright Eyes and my all-time favorite singer/songwriter), Mike Mogis (produces albums for some of my favorite bands and also an integral part of Bright Eyes) and Jim James (the brains behind My Morning Jacket). This album had a lot of expectations and it lived up to them all. This album is great because it is so diverse that it is very easy to pick out which songs were mostly conceptualized by which musician and yet thanks to the brilliance of Mogis as acting producer, it flows. This album has an intricacy to it that only four minds this great could really make it work. 'Monsters of Folk' is an apt title for this band and this album because it personifies Folk perfection.
Favorite Tracks: Temazcal, Map of the World, Baby Boomer and Ahead of the Curve

Honorable Mention: Death Cab for Cutie- The Open Door EP
This gets an honorable mention because it's not actually a full-length album, but it is amazing for what it is. The lyrics on it are memorably poetic, but that's what exactly what I would expect from a Death Cab album. This album is a great stepping stone between Plans and Narrow Stairs. These songs were not left off of Narrow Stairs because they weren't good, they just simply did not fit into the album as a whole. I think released seperately, however, they work really well together. I also had to include this because it's the only ever EP to inspire me to write an entire blog post about its brilliance.

My Inglorious Return

I am back! I have missed my blog, but I have decided to revamp my relationship with it and show it the love and care that it really deserves. You are probably asking yourself, what could be so important that would make me return after 4 months of inaction and my answer to you is two words: Inglorious Basterds!

I decided to have a movie night last night and I went specifically to rent that movie and yet could not find it anywhere. I was purchasing The Hangover (another amazingly awesome film by the way) and decided to purchase Inglorious Basterds as well.

For those who are unaware- It is a Quentin Tarantino movie which means it is super twisted, uber bloody, extremely violent and out of control amazing. I'm not good at analyzing movies, but this is definitely going to be one of my favorites. It's about two and a half hours long and yet I found myself wanting it to go on.

Anyways, there is also another point to this post, and that is an excuse for me to post the following video:

A message to Esteban Granero

Hai there Esteban Granero. I am perving over you hardcore lately. You aren't my normal cowffy type so knock it off.
Anyways, I love you all. It's true. I will do a blog post though when I feel more so inclined. It shall be good though. I am going to try and complete it on Friday though so that I can do posts on Serie A, La Liga and FF and not have just a flood of footie posts. Don't hold me to this, but I will try.

Until then, I spy a lot of tents and I'm going camping!

127

So, Cannavaro is legend (not that he wasn't before!) He officially broke Paolo Maldini's record of 126 appearances to become the most ever capped Italian player of all time. He just just keeps giving me reasons to love him!

Things That Will Always Crack Me Up!

There are lots of things I find funny, but there are very few things that are always guaranteed to actually make me actually laugh out loud, no matter how many times I've seen/heard/read/listened to it. I decided to make a list of 5 of the things I find most hilarious. They are in no particular order, but I absolutely love them all

1- This picture- I can look at it and not laugh, but then my head starts reading the script in a singing style and that's when I lose it and just crack up.
2-Texts From Last Night- Seriously, one of the best websites ever. I can't ever stop reading it because it's just too funny.

"(443): I'm a gentlemen, chivalry is what i do, i'll open the door, pull out your chair, buy your drinks, i'll even go down first, but when it comes to mario kart, i draw the line. I'm sorry but i just can't let you beat me at mario kart"

"(563): The sex was great until she started shouting, "Succeed!, Succeed!" Then it was like I was fucking a motivational speaker. Awkward."

"(781): i'm surrounded by gay midgets. not sure if i'm bragging or asking you to come rescue me. wait for follow up. "

"(503): the young, male pastor of my church has a jesus fish tramp-stamp. I made him show me."

"(914): I have a very awkward question for you. Could you possibly take my black dildo. My mom wants to clean my room."

3- Choccobear's Twitter account- She has some of the greatest tweets ever and even her short ones crack me up like none other.

4- Nosferatu Vogueing-

I just don't even know

5-Balloon Fail-
Again, I just don't even know

6- LOLcats- Probably because I have cats and they really are hilarious in real life. This site just is sweet and hilarious. I don't know anyone who doesn't love LOLcats
7- The Gay Referee- I don't know if this is real or fake, but it's completely hilarious.

8- Zoran Tosic's Voice Over Guy-
There is nothing more I can say that has not already been said in the comments. This is just so good always. You begin to watch it and it seems like your everyday average player interview, until the voice starts- then it's just pure hilarity.

9- Quiero Que Me Queiras- Oh Gael, I do want you like you want me too! That's not at all the issue. He's hands down my favorite actor and I LOVE this video. He's a horrible singer and a horrible dancer, but he still is awesome and I laugh everytime I watch it.


I know I left a lot of things out and I'll wake up tomorrow and wonder about things I didn't add, but it's late and I can't be bothered to think anymore.

My Life According To... Phantom Planet!

Using only song titles from ONE ARTIST, answer these questions. Pass it on to some people and include me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. Repost as "My Life According To (band name)"

Pick your Artist:
Phantom Planet

Are you a male or female?
Hey Now Girl

Describe yourself:
Knowitall

What is your occupation?
Badd Business

How do you feel?
Something Is Wrong

Describe where you currently live:
Empty House (damnit, it would have been perfect if I lived in California!)

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
The Happy Ending

Your favourite form of transportation is:
Ship Lost At Sea

Your best friend is:
Jabberjaw

You and your best friends are:
Big Brat

What is the weather like?
One Ray of Sunlight

Your favourite time of day is:
After Hours

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called?
1st Things 1st

What is life to you?
Wishing Well

Describe your last relationship:
Fine On My Own

Your fear is:
Too Much Too Often

What is the best advice you have to give?
Don't Get Down

Thought for the Day:
What Are You Waiting For

How would you like to die?
I don't Mind

Your perfect partner is:
Always On My Mind

Your soul's present condition is:
Quarantine

Your motto:
From This Day On

Disney: Making Me the Woman I Am Today!

I have made the startling discovery that everything about my tastes in men has been molded and shaped by none other than Disney. Now I'm not one of those psycho conspiracy theorists that thinks that Disney controls everything or is trying to brainwash people, but it became very evident to me today that they were the ones behind my current choice of guys.

I was chit chatting it up and harassing Sarah (as I normally do) and I had a moment of sheer brilliance. Sarah likes guys with black hair and blue or green eyes. It hit me that Prince Eric, from the Little Mermaid, also had these features. Sarah's favorite Disney movie happens to be the Little Mermaid- coincidence? NO. That is because this theory also holds true for others. Examples:

Sarah and Prince Eric-
Sarah is ginger and so growing up with such a crippling physical appearance (:P) she took solitude in clinging to her only female ginger heroin since Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Sarah loves Ariel and the Little Mermaid has been her favorite. The guy in that movie is none other than Prince Eric. Prince Eric is totally Sarah's type. He's charming, charismatic, athletic and knows a thing or two about chivalry. Sarah has never moved past him and it's made apparent even today in the type of guys she likes- both in physical and personality attributes.Vanilla Bear and Aladdin-
"Because of Aladdin, I have unrealistic expectations of men," says Vanilla Bear to me. Vanilla Bear is totally enamored with Aladdin. Everything about the film she loves, including our street urchin hero. I see Aladdin and he could easily fit right into VB's own Sex Collage. Also, the naughty Aladdin pic further reveals in which ways he is totally a VB guy- he's got the ASS. Vanilla Bears mortal enemy is the flatt butt and it makes sense that Aladdin would have bestowed upon him an ASS that would put all of Arabia to shame.Callie and Prince Phillip-
Callie loved Sleeping Beauty. She also loves Prince Phillip. Prince Phillip also has a resemblance to the guys she would go for. Prince Phillip in his underwear pic also looks oddly similar to a certain guy she is dating now, however, for full affect, I had to slap some glasses on him. Callie knows that she would ;) (also, side note- Callie told us that the guy she is seeing has a cute butt and that was also the first comment she made about Prince Phillip- you see where I'm going with this...)

(glasses added for full effect)

Caramel Bear and The Beast/Prince Adam-
Beauty and the Beast is hands down my favorite Disney film ever. I grew up being Belle. I was her for Halloween and I totally identified her- I loved to read and had brown hair and brown eyes and people always (and still) thought I was a bit odd. The Beast isn't all that hot as a guy, but that doesn't matter, he's still totally my type- in both forms! As a beast he had the fringe hair and expressive eyebrows. He's all brooding and shy as well. As a human, he was pretty and sweet. Also, he was French throughout the entire film. If that's not my type, then I don't know what is.Venice and Mufasa-

Venice's favorite movie was The Lion King and her favorite from that film was Mufasa*- Enough Said!

*Pic of Mufasa in underwear currently unavailable

Sexy Guys with Sexy Eyes

I'm not sure exactly how it came up, but Vanilla Bear decided to compile her top hotties into one glorious Sex Collage. Being bored, I decided to also do so. It came out better than I expected and I couldn't stop staring at it. Then Vanilla Bear pointed out that they all have the same jaw and then Callie pointed out that they all have the same eyes. I was shocked, I know I have a type, but it had never been so apparent to me. Then I decided to do a 'Sexy Guys with Sexy Eyes' version and focus more on the eyes since they are my favorite part of a man. Anyways, here are my collages. I decided that I put so much hard work into them that I shouldn't just let them go to waste and share them with the world!

The Original
Sexy Eyes version

Sex, Drugs & Sausage Rolls

I will probably regret posting this at some point in time. I don't fully know why, that is just what my gut is telling me, but anyway-I was perusing through forums, trying to entertain myself when I came across this Spanish actor (born in Madrid), Maxi Iglesias. I was oddly attracted to him. He has a unique look and at first, I didn't quite know if I liked him or not. He looks kind of evil, but his eyes are so gorgeous that I gave in and tried to find out more. Apparently he's an up and coming actor in Spain and stars in the TV show "Physics or Chemistry." He's also in the very risque movie "Mentiras y Gordas" or "Sex, Party and Lies" where he is partially nude. Basically, all you need to know is that he's super talented and super hot and he is only 18 :O (but that's okay because it's still legal)

Anyways, I google translated some of his interviews, most of which weren't very intersting, that is until they asked him to name one movie and he said Gladiator!!! Coincidence? Probably I think not! Enough babbling though, I now present to you the visual proof so hot that it inspired a new, appropriate tag:

He was born in February of 1991- He is only 18 years old! :O

His expression is funny, but my God- those Eyes!

His super super hot body
Total HQP
Eww, go away ugly girl
Unf Unf Unf
Seriously, holy hell those eyes

Tragedy Strikes!

:O I was on the Juventus site this morning and decided to cheer myself up by reading the players bios which are just amazing. They include their fashion sense, what wine they like and just interesting facts about their life. They were written so well and comical- by far the best player bios I had ever read. However, I am saddened- deeply, deeply saddened to find that they have been replaced with a short paragraph explaining the players playing prowess. :( This is the most tragic thing to happen all summer. I hope once the new season starts the new bios will be put up and all will be back to good.

The 'not so good anymore' bios

Death Smiles at us All

So, as you can tell, I have returned from my blogging break and I am going to do it in glorious fashion.

Vanilla Bear made me watch Gladiator. I told her I had seen it once (when I was about 10ish) and had a very traumatic experience with it (mostly because I was 10ish). She was trying to convince me that her thing for Russell Crowe in movies was justified and that I just didn't get it because I hadn't watched Gladiator "as a woman." Today, I decided to change that and watch the movie in all my feminine glory and see if it changed my opinion about Russell Crowe being an excusable crush. Well, long story short- it didn't! However, I did come up with a list as to why Vanilla Bear loves this movie so much as and then a list of why I really liked it as well:

Why Vanilla Bear loved Gladiator (in no particular order):
1- It had men in practically nothing but a cloth. Their bulges are also highly visible.
2-It had a nice closeup of ASS and Vanilla Bear, as we know now, is like Larry David and has an ASS fetish.3-It showed giraffes that really served no purpose. It was only a few seconds long, but VB can't get enough of giraffes.4-There are lots of old guys in this movie and VB could really use some of her old man skillz to flatter them.5-There are lots of penis shaped structures through-out the colloseum and we all know that VB is all fond of the peen.6-Russell Crowe is all dramatic. Vanilla Bear loves her heroes (thus the constant disney references) and we all know she can't resist a good hero!

Reasons why I like Gladiator:

1-Commodus- He was my absolute favorite. It's kind of common knowledge that I like my characters weird and twisted and he is about as psycho as they come. My favorite scene is when he is laughing during the gladiator fight. You can see how nutters he is and it's really great. He also dressed well throughout the film- I'm a sucker for a good dresser.

Out of his mind^

Dressed well ^

I also absolutely loved it when he died at the end. Even being killed you could see how mental he was. His facial expression was ace. Joaquin Phoenix in this is so good.2-The aesthetics. I love the visuals. The costumes, the granduer- everything about it was so good.
3-This helmet is Badass!

I am here, but not really

Due to my current hectic schedule, my blog is temporarily in hiatus. It is not dead, I promise. It's just going to appear that way for the next few weeks or so. I will probably be back around the second week in July if I'm not too busy fiesta-ing it up in Mexico!

OMG IT'S KAKA!

I don't get why everyone else isn't more excited about this? Kaka! has come to Real Madrid and I couldn't be more excited! We not only have Kaka! in our midfield now, but we have Jesus on our side. Kaka! also follows the Real Madrid tradition of being really good looking. Kaka! has the skillz and the looks and will fit right in. This really is too perfect. Anyways, Ya for Kaka! at Real Madrid. I believe in him like he believes in Jesus. Hala Madrid!

I have nothing better to blog about

and I'm super busy, but apparently today is international donut day, so grab a donut, think of Cesc and enjoy the holiday!

Oh man, his face!

So tennis was kind of fail today, with the Spanish "hotties" ( I don't consider Fernando Verdasco or Rafa Nadal hot, but it's kind of a general consensus that they are...) going out. But, out of every tragedy comes something great and out of this sad story came the below pic and in my opinion- it was well worth it. Just too good! The more I see it, the funnier it gets :D

An Angel Kitty!

A cat in China has grown wings! :O
According to MSNBC.com:

"A kitty in Chongqing, China, is getting some extra-special attention these days: The furry feline has developed wings! Though born looking completely normal, once the cat hit the age of 1, he began growing wing-shaped appendages on either side of his spine, the U.K.'s Daily Mail reports.

While some think the bony limbs may be a mutation of some kind — or even a Siamese twin growing inside the cat — others speculate it's a genetic change perhaps caused by chemicals ingested by the kitty's mother while she was pregnant."

OMG!

Full Story here