Dear Diary

As I spend my final days holed up in Fondren Library, I think about everything I've learned and done this semester. I actually have a major, who would have thought it! I also have expanded my horizons and declared an art history and cinema television minor. But where will this all really take me? Can I be the next Nancy Rice or Lee Clow? It's tough to say. Sometimes, (well really most times) I just want to stay this age forever. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to be 21, but I want to stay where I am in school and with friends. It's strange to think that we will all move away in two short years.. where we go, it's hard to say, but I'm sure it'll be fantastic. Hopefully I'll be overseas for a while, if my French still suits me well. I think advertising will take me all over the world and I'm glad to fill space on my passport. Wait, why am I thinking about this future business, I should be studying for my FIVE FINALS!! Yea, thanks SMU. Anyways, this blog, although it has been painful to complete at times, has allowed me to write down my thoughts, rather than let them pass me by. So thanks Dr. G making us do this silly things. Will I continue to blog? Probably not, but I will definitely still keep my travel journal which is a bit more private. This is it. I'm finished.Peace.

Evolution

I am a believer in evolution. I am also a believer in Global Warming. So I got to thinking, can animals that are losing their homes to Global Warming evolve and adapt to this new environment? Like the polar bears, who I am most heartbroken about losing their homes, can they adapt to their new melting environment? I mean, technically, (very, technically) apes evolved into Neanderthals and we derivative of them (sorry, its been a while since my BIO days) Maybe this is just wishful thinking for the polar bears, but if some of them survive and get used to their new climate maybe then they can pass on those traits to their offspring. I hope I'm right because if they go extinct its our fault!

What If..

I am currently reading a biography on Marilyn Monroe and was thinking the other day, "what if she was still alive today?" Although she did live a pretty tragic life, she had more perseverance and motivation than most people I know. Then I was thinking, what if JFK and Bobby Kennedy were still alive? How different our nation would be. Such great leaders with great plans for our country, and taken so suddenly away from us. It's strange to think what our lives would be like with these people still in it. Hopefully our nation will continue to breed great minds who have an even greater ambition to use them..

OMG

Tonight was the premiere of Gossip Girl aka the best day of my life!! (kidding, just) Although we discussed in class how bad and vulgar the advertising was for GG it sooooo does NOT matter. The show was amazing. I'm once again in love with Dan Humphrey and envious of Serena. Who would think that one show could control so many emotions I have! Ha! Also, I asked my friends out of curiosity what they thought of the GG advertisements and they thought they were really sexy and amazing, so there you have it! Looks like the cheap advertisement works! Either way, the show is a total hit and I can't wait to hear how high the ratings were! Do I sound like a a pre-teen or what? Time to go, you know you love me...

xoxo gossip gurl

Jesus Camp

Today I watched Jesus Camp with a friend who needs to write a paper over a documentary. WHAT THE %^&%? If any of yall have had a chance to see it.. I really don't even know what to say about it. The entire time my eyes were just bugged out and mouth open. It's incredulous that a 9 year old can talk about how Global Warming isn't real and how Evolution is a joke. I understand everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but when your only 9 your opinions are coming from your parents. These kids all talked about being saved again and would talk in tongues whenever the Holy Spirit would "speak through them." The kids were shipped off to camp in North Dakota and would just cry and pray for a week and repent for their "sins" What damage can a 9 year old God fearing child do? Apparently a lot because the children would just bawl the entire time at camp and talk about redemption and faith. Pretty big words for a kid. And I thought going to Catholic School for 9 years was brainwashing...I wish they would do a follow up on these kids once they it puberty and see if they still feel the same way about their Evangelical religion then...Check out the Trailer for the movie..
(Yes, they are pretty much training kids to be an army of God's messengers..)

ITunes Gift Cards= Greatest Gift Ever

As I try to sit down and write an 8 page paper due for Tuesday I can't help but get on my ITunes are browse for new songs. You see, I received ITune gift cards for some birthday or christmas occasion and I just activated them. This way I can download music (legally) and not feel guilty for charging 99 cents on my parents' credit card for every song! Today I downloaded Music of My Heart by NSync and Gloria Estefan. Chances are I probably would not have bought it if I weren't buying it for free. Why do some people do that? It really just leads to excess and greed. Downloading music is a gluttonous hobby yet I can't seem to break away from it. At least I'm doing it legally? Yea, too bad my parents don't really see it that way.

This is NOT Reality

Why is it that in the movies, people never break up? It's always la la la happy ending, yadda yadda, have a baby, etc. Although I am a sucker for those kinds of movies, I was thinking that that is NOT how real life works. I just saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which I blogged about, and it was an alright movie (saw it for Free in Hughs-Trigg) and they broke up, but he ends up with an even hotter new girlfriend! Technically, the only movie I can think of when they break up is The Break-Up with Jen Aniston and Vince Vaughn, but that doesn't count because that's what the movie is about...Why does Hollywood have to portray all these happy marriages and relationships? Maybe couples look to the movies to judge their relationship and when they realize their relationhip isn't movie-worthy, they break up. THIS is the demise of real-life love! Do I sound scorned? Damn. I'm just sayin' it's BS that movies don't have a more equal representation of real-life relationships.. it's always totally in love or totally in angst. Oh the drama...

Pimping out your kids

As I am enjoying a lazy sunday afternoon, watching The Soup with Joel McHale, he is playing back clips of kids being cute and singing on national TV. Cute right? WRONG! Little Bindi Irwin, daughter of legend Steve Irwin, will probably look back and cry when she reviews the tape of her singing about grizzly bears on national TV. However, it does make great TV as my friends and I are dying laughing right now. Why do parents pimp out their kids? It really is embarassing..can they not make their own money? Especially in Bindi's case, her father just died in a freak accident and then she is all over TV, the Martha Stewart show.. what's worse is the father and daughter dance show... isn't that a little incestuous?! There are a bunch of wackos out there and they love being on tv and recognized for it! Here's a clip of Bindi's rap.. try not to laugh too hard..

On a side note, how embarassing would you feel if you were one of the male dancers in her entourage?! HAHA Add that to your resumé!

So I was thinking...

I was at Central Market today picking up lunch and it got me thinking.. How in the world do they keep all of that food fresh?! There are oodles upon oodles of olives and cheeses and breads and ANYTHING you can possibly think of! Where do they put the food away at night? Especially the food that is ready to cook? Even the flowers are fresh and beautiful! Maybe they have workers in the back like the Coca-Cola commercial we watched the other day in class! Besides keeping the food so fresh and yummy, it really makes me feel guilty for how much food we have at our fingertips and other countries are literally starving themselves to death. And if they really do just throw away the food then it shows how wasteful we really are!

I can't make these kinds of things up!

Yes, believe the rumors if you have heard them. The first baby to be born from a MALE will happen this summer!!! Thomas Beatie, a legal transgendered man and his wife Nancy are expecting their first child July 3, 2008. They are legally married and if you didn't know he was transgendered, you most likely wouldn't think he was ever a female. However, when the couple decided to have a baby, Nancy, who had a hysterectomy, couldn't have children and so I'm assuming they took the next logical step- HE would have the baby!! What a role reversal! All he had to do was stop taking his testosterone injections and wham, got knocked up. Yes, it is VERY VERY strange to see a pregnant male, but wow, what if this was really possibly and men and women could pick and choose who would carry the baby? Although Beatie is a legal male, he did not change his sex organs, making the delivery possible..Yes, this story will raise eyebrows but you have to remember than an innocent baby is about to be born with no clue what kind of history she is going to make. (Yes, it's a girl). Though the couple denies thinking this situation is weird, COME ON! They must have known this would be national news when they decided this! Also, I'm assuming they used a sperm donation so I wonder what the medical office that administered this said when he walked in and asked for sperm... SO many questions, which I'm such will be answered very soon. I will be very interested to see the follow up of this family after the birth, for I'm assuming they will receive much media coverage..

I really love Sarah Marshall

Have you seen this advertisements? They are everywhere and not to mention are hilarious! When I first saw the billboard above J.D.'s Chippery, I thought, dannngg someoneone just got their heart broken. Don't know what I'm talking about? The billboard says, in huge letters, "I am SO over you Sarah Marshall!" Then, if you look in the right corner, there is a website: www.IhateSarahMarshall.com. Turns out, it's a movie promotion but I thought it was a real-life ad about a girl in this area and her ex-lover put up a huge billboard to spite her. Great advertising skills! I don't know anything about the movie or who is in it, but I am dying to know more!

Here's a YouTube of the movie, but if I didn't know any better, it's just a crazy ex-bf trying to get revenge on his ex- girlfriend. So funny!!! The website it made to look like an actual blog too! Check it out if you get a chance!

Here's a thought..

Today I went to Moody Coliseum to support one of my best friends who is on the SMU Cheerleading squad. Today was their chance to showcase their routine before they head to Nationals. Other schools also showed up to compete too. It was great to watch but I realized how critical I was of their perfomances! I mean, I WAS a cheerleader. Once. In Junior High. Does that even really count? How dare I critique these athletes, (cheerleading is a sport after all), there's no way in hell I could still do what they do. Then I started to think about other things I really have no right to critique. Movies, (I'm no producer) Clothing, (Not a fashion designer either) Choices (God can judge that). I understand that I have an opinion, but should I really exercise it that liberally? Who really wants to hear what I say.. cough, blog, cough. So from now on, I am going to watch my tongue and think before I speak. This should be interesting...

What do YOU think?!

I was reading on the Internet that Jack Kevorkian, aka Dr. Death is thinking of running for a congressional seat in Michigan. "I have never been a political person. I have only voted once in my life," he said. He is 79 and was just released from jail for "helping" a patient with Lou Gerig's disease die. He was convicted of second degree murder. Is it helping or just plain murder? What would you do if you were the patient? More importantly, if you were Kevorkian, would you think you were really helping or would you think something more satanical than that? Pretty messy stuff, but Jack got away with it because he had the patient's "permission." But if you're that ill, do you really know wahat you are signing your name to? I'm sure the jury was presented with plenty of different arguments but it sounds like they made the right decision. Now we watch and see if the people will actually vote him into the House!

What happened to just drinking water?

Very interesting comparative advertising going on recently. The new Propel vitamin water has just put up an amazing new spot comparing it to Vitamin Water. The spot shows body-conscious Vitamin Water consumers at the gym, and all of a sudden they realize that they have to do 492 sit ups to burn the calories of one bottle of Vitamin Water! THAT'S CRAZY! It's supposed to be good for you, I mean, it's water and it has vitamins, it's a win-win right? If you look closely on the back label though, you will say it is 50 calories per serving, and with 2.5 servings that's oh, the same amount as a coca-cola!! I have to admit I'm pretty sad about this finding. Vitamin Water is SO alluring. With it's funny labeling anecdotes and pretty colors, I am very attracted to their bottling, AND it tastes great. I guess this taste comes for a price though--Propel's vitamin water is the same size and is only 25 calories..makes you wonder.. I'm sure Vitamin Water's advertising agency is freaking out right now.. It's a fairly new product so it may not have that strong of a brand loyalty. Especially if people are drinking it to be "healthier" and propel offers the same thing, but better. It'll be interesting to see what Vitamin Water comes back in response to this!

Maybe people should just stick to good ole' plain water?

Sunny Side of Truth

I think these new Truth commercials about tobacco use are great. They are really pointing out how big tobacco companies have been lying to consumers for years! Also, they point out advertising to kids and how damaging it can be. These spots remind me of everything I am learning in my advertising classes, so I feel kinda smart like I know what's going on and how they are really effectively using advertising to communicate to the masses. Hope you like it! You can tell the audience in the spot sure don't know how to take it!


UPDATE: Okay, so today in my Advertising Ethics class we learned about Tobacco Advertising. It really made me think about this blog that I did. My friends who smoke really don't seem to care what smoking can do to themselves or those around them. They get that it's gross but they treat it like a dirty habit that they can't possibly break. Hello?! We are only 20 here!! The point is, I feel like the Truth campaign doesn't do much for people my age who do smoke. I suppose it is important to younger people (not that we aren't young) to see but I never hear my friends comment too much on it. Just a thought...

Do they have no shame?

Last week I spent my long awaited for Spring Break with my best friends in Mexico. It was clear of SMU folk (kind of) and full of relaxation and fruity drinks. HOWEVER, can I just give a little word from the wise : PLEASE, if you are a local, do not yell degrading things in spanish or ask if we are Barbie's sister. It won't get you anywhere nor will you get any gratitude from me. It is just plain rude and degrading. I found myself walking with my head down as I would walk through the market each day. They really have no shame. They would stare, whistle, sometimes even grab. I hope their mamas didn't teach them those manners. If I was a Mexican woman, would I find that attractive in a mate? I would hope not. I would be embarrassed if any guy I knew acted like that to complete strangers. It is very uncomfortable and I would just like to say, (for all of my readers in Mexico ;) ) STOP. Thank you for your time, but ew and NO!

Things you can learn at the library

As I am dutifully studying in the library, enjoying my green tea Enviga (advertisment) I realize that I needed to take a break and use the restroom (no , this isn't going to be one of THOSE stories people). SO anyways, I went into the restroom, in which there is a couch in the girl's restroom! (jealous guys?) Getting to the story, I read that the toilet paper dispenser said "Never-Out." That's the company or name of the paper dispenser? It's like magic! How is it never out? Is this puffery? Or a lie? How can the company substantiate this claim!? (Can you tell I'm studying for my Advertising Ethics class?) But really, someone in the toilet paper industry should counter this claim. However, maybe the company is right? I haven't seen one of those dispensers that IS out. HMM.. Interesting...I'll be on the lookout.. okay, back to the REAL reason for being at the library..

UPDATE: So I'm at Club Fondren again tonight and I went to the restroom and low and behold, there is an abundance of toilet paper! I think there is a black hole behind the dispenser that keeps on refilling it! Kudos to the cleaning staff here. They are keeping the Never-Out brand true to their word!

Definitely, Maybe or No?

The other day I went to go see the movie Definitely, Maybe with come girlfriends. I didn't realize that a major backbone of the movie was based on the Clinton campaign in 1992. With Super Tuesday happening as I speak, I was wondering how the presence of this in the movie would affect voters. Sure, it was pro-Clinton in the movie, but it also brought up the Gennifer Flowers and Monica Lewinsky scandals, and the "did he or didn't he inhale" (Good thing Barack just admitted he did, saved him some trouble.) With Hillary making appearances from Saturday Night Live to Jon Stewart, I get that she's trying to tap into mainstream media in a positive light but I think the movie didn't do her campaign any good. It will be interesting to see how the polls turn out, although some republicans are "strategizing" and voting for Hillary (thanks Rush Limbaugh, idiot) to beat out Obama time will tell my friends...

Did I mention that i LOVE this time of year? It gets my juices flowin'!

THIS is really inappropriate

So I know that no one really wants to hear my two-cents but since I have this blog I'm just gonna let 'er rip. Breast-feeding in public?! AT A RESTAURANT!!! Yes yes yes people this happened to me today at one of my beloved little eateries in Dallas. The family ordered in front of me so I got to see the little culprit with her parents. I thought she was cute, adorable fam..this is why I was so shocked to see this happen! Isn't she on a feeding schedule? Couldn't they have done this before going out in public for a nice sunday afternoon brunch? I get that this bakery is family dining but DAMN GURL some things need to be left at home. That's my two-cents and I'm stickin' to it. I understand, maybe, breastfeeding on like a park bench, central park, on a play-date but NOT a Highland Park Cafe. OR anywhere with food present at that matter. Can't she pump out her own milk? So many things could have been done to prevent this trainwreck that turned out to be my lunch.. Now I'm on the lookout for people who do this at restaurants. Okay, so there it is. Done. I said it and I hope no one thinks I'm a bad person for it.

PS: This photo is from a highly controversial United Colors of Benneton ad. We discussed it in my Advertising Ethics class.

Janet's Makin' a Comeback

Maybe talent isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I speak of Janet Jackson-you probably think about her crazy family but maybe you should reconsider. Janet has been in showbiz since a tot and regardless of her family issues, this girl's got talent. Remember Velvet Rope? Yea, you should. Despite the weight gain, and constant media scrutiny I think that this album has definitely got potential! Although, this song that I have the link to sounds like a cricket is in the background (listen closely)

Will Ferrel Can Sell Anything!

The other day in class we discussed how beer commercials are funny but maybe not so much effective because they are all so similar. Today I was watching TV and a Bud Light commercial comes on and Will Ferrel is dressed in character for his new movie Semi-Pro. I laughed so hard when I saw this! He cracks me up! I think this commercial is effective because it promotes his new movie and he really does talk about the beer and how it's made (kind of) Ch-Ch-Ch-Check it out!


UPDATE: I saw another commercial today with Will Ferrel in the same character selling Old Spice deodarant. Interesting. I wonder who thought of it first?

America's Next Top Model ^1000000 degree

America's Next Top Model is probably on MTV or VH1 as I type this entry right now. Overkill!! How many times do I have to see Tyra get all ghetto on the same girls from like 4 years ago?! I'm over it and I would like to think everyone else is too! This show is always, I mean ALWAYS on TV. It's really just aggravating. It just proves the age old adage that nothing is good on TV, ergo, America's Next Top Model is the solution. At least ANTM is better than Next or Parental Control but still, enough is enough! I can't handle watching the same dramz over and over and over. I wonder how high the ratings actually are for the repeated shows? Hmm..At least it's not Tyra's talk show that's on repeat! That's even worse--and yea, we get it Tyra, your boobs are real girlfriend, thanks for letting us know all the time!

Penelope aka WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!

What do you get when you get big name celebrities and a pig? I'm going to go out on a limb and say the worst movie ever! Penelope has yet to be released yet but this movie looks horrendous. Really Reese Witherspoon?! REALLY?! I wonder what they were thinking when they read the script--"Well I have nothing better to do" The movie is about gorgeous Christina Ricci and she has a pig nose and overcomes societies' beauty standards and grows to love herself. No Extreme Makeover could help Ricci in this movie. And Reese Witherspoon is the punk friend and comic relief?! I'm so confused!! If anyone makes a poor judgement call and actually sees this movie please let me know how it goes because I will not be seeing this one..

Wellness

So, I am a sophomore and in Wellness 1. It's a joke, I know, but this class is starting to feel like group therapy! People really do not censor what they say to the class. I know more about these people's lives and I don't even know their names! I feel like I'm in AA or some anonymous, court administered meeting. In the beginning I liked wellness; we talked about wellness of yourself and la di da-it was what I expected. Now when I go to class I leave feeling awful for these people in my class and question my own behavior. Today I learned that more than 5 people had alcoholics in their family and how badly is affects their life. WTF?! Downer. I know that that is bad to say but I'd rather just not know about these things about people I do not know at all. And my teacher eats it all up. He LOVES how my class is so open, just added fuel to the fire. Maybe this class is overwhelming for me because I am so non-confrontational and it irks me that some people can just chat all damn day about their cocaine-addicted brother..Yea, you sit in this class and try not to feel awkward...

I even bet La Lohan didn't have to do this shiz in Rehab!

I'm just sayin'

So we've been talking a lot about bad advertising in both of my advertising classes, creative and ethics and this commercial I want to rant about is, in my opinion, BAD! Do they have a category for just BAD? I learned today about "teenage boy humor" and "sexual inuendos" but is there a type of commercial for just disgusting. Okay, well here it is: the new Wendy's commercial for their fish sandwich. YUCK! When I see that commercial I literally gag! First, they bring the sandwich to the table, which looks like a chicken sandwich. Then she actually looks at the sandwich, which some of us really do to check for spit or stray hairs but she is remarking at how fresh and tasty the sandwich is going to be (I'm sure.) Then they pull a piece of the sandwich, it's some kind of "arctic" fish, and then they talk about how wendy's doesn't use questionable foods. If they have to defend themselves, then they probably have something to hide. Like really eating a Wendy's sandwich makes you think of glaciers and icebergs, which is what the commercial shows. Anyway, we all know fast food isn't fresh no matter how they slice it. I have come to grips with these terms about the legitimacy of fast food but this commercial reaffirms how SICK the food really is. Anyway, check it out and tell me what you think!

Brown Baggin' It

Today I brown bagged it in the meadows lobby. No, not THAT kind of brown bag you alcoholics, but the dance program that the meadows students put on each semester. This is why Brown Bag rocks : 1. It's free. 2. We got out of my advertising ethics class to support our fellow students 3. And most importantly, the dancers are incredible! The dances were unbelievable! I have some friends in the programs and it's so cool to see what their niche really is. Some students choreograph the dances and others just dance their little tootsies off! The only problem with brown bag is that it is not advertised enough! Since Temerlin is in Meadows, maybe a project for the advertising kids would be to promote Brown Bag, or any event that Meadows hosts. Also, if my teacher had not been kind enough to let us out, I would not have been able to go see the program at all. It was so cute to see a class of young kids, literally eating their brown bagged lunches and enjoy the show. My friends came up to me after the show and were so grateful that I came and supported them! Some people might say that dancing or theatre is not a real major but they work their butts off and take it very seriously!! So if anyone has free time around noon this week go to the Meadows lobby and be mesmerized!

That's Texas for ya!

I would just like to point out that I was able to lay out by the pool today -date check- February 24th! What the hell? That isn't kosher. Although I am very glad that it's not freezing and miserable BUT! and this is a huge BUT-tomorrow is probably going to be cold and overcast. Every day is different and I hate inconsistency! One day it's gorgeous and swim suit weather and the next day is literally flash flooding! It scary how Global Warming affects our environment but is global warming doing this to Dallas?!

On a side note about Texas, the primaries are coming up March 4 and Barack Obama had a crowd of 17,000 come out and support him at Reunion Arena! I learned in my Adv. Ethics class that in January alone, Barack raised more than 30 million dollars, Hillary raised 13 million and McCain raised 11 million. It will be very interesting to see who will win Texas because it is such a huge state in terms of delegates!

Intertextuality

This Superbowl ad, the E*trade baby is a commercial that I think the advertisers took a lot of "old formulas"(talking baby, gross effects, etc) and tried to make a new commercial with it. First, the talking baby-Quizno's anyone?? That was my first horizontal thought. Then I start vertically thinking and talking babies reminded me of the Kirstie Alley and John Travolta movies-Look Who's Talking then that low budget film Baby Geniuses. Then there's all the YouTube clips of laughing babies and Charlie biting fingers. Talking kids are cute; they make people laught. I think they are cuter than the talking animal commercials, those can get creepy. Intertextuality is like my mind map: one thing leads to the other and next thing I know I'm equating this commercial to The Exorcist (the spit-up at the end..ha). The commercial is cute, quick and gets the message out : E*trade is so easy, even an infant could do it. BUT it doesn't really say how to do it or what is a good trade--I don't think I would trade online but then again many people might.

These don't make sense

OKay, so I decided today that cologne/perfume advertisements are the worst attempts of trying to sell a product EVER! It always goes like this: famous celebrity, slow-mo walking sequence, contemplation of how good they look and then a cheesy, "I feel good because I smell good" smile. Plus, the celebrities probably get paid oodles of cash for just being featured in the ad--they most likely won't say a word throughout the whole spot, but i suppose the audience can get the point without words?? So confusing. The only cologne ads that are funny and sell the product are the Axe ads, but a high-end cologne is more highly coveted I suppose. Just goes to show that us common folk are obsessed with Hollywood and think they are cooler than us. Here are two different clips of Matthew McConahahy's Dolce and Gabbana ad, and Charlize Theron's Dior ad. See if you can spot the difference..trust me it's hard!!!

PS they always drop trou whenever they try to sell fragrances?? why??!

Oh to be young again...

So last night I babysat for this lovely family in Highland Park. 3 kids, ages 2-7, so stinkin' cute! We watched Snow Buddies (I remember when AirBud first came out, when I was little!!) and then we danced around until the parents came home. Kids these days know more than I think I did when I was little. They are telling ME what's cool and trendy-the latest toys, tv shows, singers. Where do they get all this stuff? I remember playing outside and hide-and-seek. Okay, so I did watch Beetlejuice when I remembered it was on TV, but it's not like I sat in front of the TV all day. Hannah Montana and Harry Potter are still ranked pretty high on the "hip" list, but Backyardigans is a hot tv show?! I miss Clarissa Explains It All or Global Guts. THAT was entertainment. Now you can't put anything on TV because it can be interpreted wrong, and my major has a lot to do with kids and what they see advertised. Thinking back on some of the movies I watched when I was little, (Clueless for example) I would NEVER let those kids watch it, but we all did when we were little and we turned out okay (I hope). Maybe kids are too protected and therefore they want to break the rules (?!?) Who really knows, all I know is that I'm not having my own children for a while; babysitting for other families and getting paid it just fine for now..

"I'm a pusher Cady"-Mean Girls

February 14th. For some people it's the most dreaded day of the year, with big "X's" marked over it's calendar spot. For me, it is my most favorite holiday of the year (besides my birthday)! Even though I haven't had a REAL valentine since, uhhh 10th grade, this day is still so exciting! I love seeing people care for each other and go out of their way to show their love for one another. The tacky boxes of chocolate, the lame balloons, EVERYTHING about V-day is wonderful to me even if I don't have someone to share it with. I swear I'm not lying either. My friends say I'm a relationship "pusher." I would say I'm a motivator. To each his own, but anyways, this day is so filled with promise because who knows, I still might have a Valentine. Like in elementary school when you have to make Valentines for each of your classmates, I always wanted a note from a secret admirer (hint hint people)! Although i just recently read that most people get kinkier when buying gifts for their partners, it's really just the thought that counts. No big gifts, no expensive floral arrangements. Just have a big heart!

She won 5 Grammys on CRACK

Well, I guess when people ask Amy Winehouse where she found inspiration for her album she can confidently say CRACK. The new Grammy winner can add the statues she won last night right next to her crack pipe in rehab. I love her album, it's actually in my car right now, but damn girl, take it from Whitney Houston: "Crack is WHACK!" You think there are embarrassing pictures of you on facebook, well how would you like a video of you admitting to taking 6 Valium and then snorting crack make you feel!? I bet Britney is jealous of Miz Winehouse.. she figured out how to do drugs and go to rehab and STILL be an award winning musician. Props to Amy-Hope you realized that you need to pull your life together and be grateful for what you have.

On a side note: I stayed at the same hotel as Amy and her hubby last summer in Cannes. This was before she was known as a crackhead. We also saw her tanning topless but still wearing her beehive weave!! Work it gurrllll!

Fergie is H-U-M-O-R-O-U-S

This high-larious clip is brought to you by Funny or Die.com which I think is run by Will Farrel? Check me on that but it's the same website that brought you the "landlady" Anyway, I don't know where celebs find time to do stuff like this but it's really funny! It's always fun when celebrities make fun of themselves! I wish spelling bees were really like this!! Enjoy!

SUPER Tuesday!

AHHH! Election time is here and I'm getting kind of nervous! All this back and forth between my own party--I just want to know who is going to be our next leader! I'm ready for CHANGE-(maybe that will give you a hint for who I'm voting for..!) My parents sent me an absentee ballot all the way from Arkansas, so I voted for the primaries but I can't wait until November! I'm watching C-Span right now and the speeches are giving me chills. The speakers are so confident and poised...I can't even imagine being in their spot! No wonder Hillary has been crying at different speeches! I'd be tired as hell too!

I'm watching the polls and who won which state but there is still no clear victor, and I can't remember how many delegates are in each state. I need them to put up a map or something! Hopefully people at SMU will get involved and vote, even though, most people at this school are (or claim to be) very conservative, which is NOT me. Shit, I'm just gonna say it: I LOVE BARACK! His speeches give me chills.. so much for trying to be mysterious.. This blog will probably turn much more political as the semester goes on and the race gets closer! Until then...

Natalee Holloway FOUND!!

Wow. Okay, so news just broke that Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teen who went missing in Aruba has had a breakthrough in her abduction case! Though her body has not been found, her killer admitted to dumping her body out to sea! I don't even know where to begin when thinking about all the emotions the family must be going through. She's been missing since 2005!! I wonder if they will ever find the body. Or if she was eaten. These are really scary thoughts but I can't even imagine what her parents ad friends have had to go through. Yikes, this is scary to think about the details! What's worse is that Jordan Van der Sloot, the killer, says that he "didn't lose a moment of sleep from this." He said that she died after they had sex. I don't really know if she was drugged or maybe she just drank too much but this honor student went to the beach with this sketchy guy, had sex, and then ??? Who will ever really know what happened. If Jordan Van der Sloot lied under oath, he'll probably continue to lie. If this ever happened to me my parents would literally rip his balls off!! It will be interesting to see what other evidence will come up after all this. There are some kids who go to SMU who went to school with Natalee--it will be interesting to see how they take the news...

All I wanna do is BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

So if people think that Christina Aguilera was a bad influence on young listeners, you should check out MIA's song "Paper Planes"
In this song, she sings about pretty much just selling drugs and takin' your Mon-ay. And it's damn catchy! Sorry to the parents who got offended when Xtina sang about being beautiful even if you don't fit societies' standards and showed two men kissing. Who gives a shit! Especially when MIA is singing about "flyin like paper, gettin' high like planes.."I mean, isn't that when society should freak out? Maybe it's because MIA is literally M.I.A when it comes to being on the radio.. so pretty much she's figured out how the game works. I like this song, ALOT. It's hard to listen to it and not sing it until it drives you nuts! Check it out, and try not to get it stuck in your head!

"Oh Hell NO"

Oops she did it AGAIN! Except I'm sure the people around her aren't just saying "oops" I bet it's a bit more harsh than that. If you haven't heard already, Britney has been sent BACK to the psychiatric ward of the hospital. BSpears is a WACK job now. Seriously what the F happened? Or the better question is when did this all happen? I am one of the people who think it has to do with Justin Timberlake, even though that was like, a gazillion years ago. All I have to say is, just because you throw your trash out to L.A. doesn't mean it still isn't trash there. Poor lil Loooosiana girl. I mean, I'm from Arkansas but damn, Britney is legit trailer trash. Stupid is as stupid does-I mean look at her family, her dad was an alcoholic, her uncle claims he's done cocaine and other drugs with Britney..the list goes on and on.. I mean Jamie-Lynn is preggers too (which I read she might give up her baby, but who really knows). Britney, if you're reading honey, here's my advice: STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING! Your fans still love you just stop acting like a crackhead! Oh, and come out with a new album where you don't sound like a HO and dance like your a stripper. Just because you don't have custody of your kids doesn't mean you don't have any! And your American, not British so cut the accent crap. Ok, that's all I have on Britney right now, but I'm assuming the juicy news will keep flowin'!

Hope you enjoyed my photo montage of Miz Spears' life!

I feel really trendy right now

Okay, so I am sitting in Starbucks doing some homework (my mind map actually) and then I think to myself "I should blog right now because that's what people in coffee shops do." So I whip out my computer, which won't work unless it's plugged in, and start blogging. I wonder if people think I'm cool now? Maybe I'll purposefully move my computer screen so more people can see what I'm doing. Mmm trendy coffee and blogging: welcome to 2008 Alex! Next time I'll wear all black, with a funky beret and smoke a cig after. I'm such a Meadows kid after all....

PS I hope I look as cool as the guy in this picture!

Funniest Kid EVER!

So stinkin' cute! This youtube clip reminds me having my own children and how black kids are SO CUTE! Remember Wilbur from Nip/Tuck, I'm pretty obsessed with him too. In my mind map for class I have things about my family, and how I might want to adopt. If I do, I want this kid!

Enjoy!

I'm Having a Blah Moment

SO I was thinking I should blog sometime soon but then I realized I wasn't having anything really cool to blog about. I've been working on my mind map, which I really like, but I woke up today to work on it and NOTHING. I am having a non-creative day I feel like (though Dr. G might like to beg to differ there is no sort thing!) Anywho, I think it's a combination of lack of sleep and not feeling to good, sniffle. Or maybe it's the weather. I feel like people blame the weather for a lot of their problems. Like, I'm not going to class, it's too cold or my joints hurt, I think it's the weather. So, I guess im going to blame the weather too because I don't like this blah mood I'm in!

Sex on Skates

Okay, so yea the title of this blog may be a bit risque but seriously, ice hockey players are gods among men! I went to the Dallas Stars game tonight again the Buffalo Sabres and it was AMAZING! It was the closest I had ever sat- 2nd row! The players were being thrown up against the glass and it didn't even phase them. Of course when it did, they would rip their gloves off and beat the hell out of one another, (which is legal until one of them falls to the ground), and then just carry on. Where do these guys get the stamina? Not only are they completely full on contact the entire time, but they look sooo good while they do it! Matt Niskanen, Loui Eriksson and Brenden Morrow just to name drop a few ooze masculinity as they are playing this violent sport and no one can take their eyes off of them! Although Dallas did lose tonight, it was definitely a victory for myself because now I know that I will never sit any farther away from Mike Modano than 2nd row. Also, watching hockey brings out a different side of me, I think it brings out my aggressiveness because I am yelling at the top of my lungs and jumping up and down when it becomes to close to handle! So much for my zen-like experience at yoga. That's gone to shit now that I'm all riled up on hockey!

Exhale

Last night around 7:45 I attended a beginner's yoga class at the Exhale Spa at the Palomar hotel in Dallas. It was wonderful!! I mean, you hear about all these people doing yoga and what not but for some reason this session really stuck to me. I am dying to go back! ( in fact I am on Saturday) The teacher really just brought out my inner calm and was soothing and although some of the movements were hard, it didn't stress me out.

I went with two of my girlfriends and we had the best time ever. It was like some high or something but we couldn't stop talking about how good we felt after the session! So, I just wanted to share that the Exhale Spa does a really great job or relieving stress and helping out with flexibility at the same time! So you should go! There's even a student discount!!

When Celebrities Get Involved

So now that the the political campaigning is in full force, you can bet that each candidate has a trick or two up their sleeve. Barack Obama, has some famous tricks under his sleeves. Oprah is just one of the many celebrity endorsers of Mr. Obama's campaign and probably the most influential. It is a proven fact that anything Oprah touches will turn to gold (books, her favorite things, etc.) I'm just wondering (and hoping) if it will do the same for Obama. Poor Hilary had to go on the Tyra Banks show which is shit compared Oprah's franchise. Who watches that show? Good question. Or will the endorsments of celebrities hinder the politicians campaign? I mean, what do they really know about American government? Wait, our own President doesn't seem to know that question either. Anyways, it will be interesting to see who the front-runners end up being and then seeing the full force of support come out for the candidates! Celebrities will do anything to get attention, especially now that the writer's strike has them out of work!

So Tragic

Check out YouTube.com under "Heath Ledger Talks about the Joker." This is probably one of the last images we'll see of Heath, besides the actual Batman movie.



Here's Heath in an interview for the new Batman movie. He is set to play the Joker. Something looks fishy about his actions. Reports were he was on sleeping pills because this role called for "high energy and stamina everyday."

PS: Sorry I'm working on how to share links right now...

Maybe I should be an actress, minus the drugs and custody battles...

Okay, sooo I just returned from seeing 27 dresses and after most good movies I see, I feel inspired to do something. Now, I feel inspired to pursue an acting career. OK, so not really, but come on, they have it really good! Katherine Heigl got to make out with James Marsden AND Ed Burns in one film AND she just got married to a rockstar (I wonder if she replayed the corny lines in her head at her actual real-life wedding..?). In lieu of recent findings, aka my best friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, just recently auditioned to be on a soap opera.. soo maybe I should move to L.A. or New York for you artsy folks, and do the damn thing. I mean, most women portrayed in movies act at an ad agency or magazine of some sort so I got sorta got that down. I could change the face of acting I just know it. I mean I would still attend fabulous award shows, get free swag and shag whichever costar I want, as long as the pap doesn't find out (which of course, they will and I'll become and even BIGGER star,hello Angelina-Jolie anyone?!!). First I would start off by wearing underwear everywhere, because the paparazzi are always looking. Check. Then I would marry my director (for love, duh) and we could live in a loft and raise our children whose names would, of course, be original. Finally I would retire as a Tony award winning actress on Broadway ( I hear Legally Blonde is so hot right now). Yes. I feel inspired. The next movie on my list is Persepolis, which is a french cartoon (forget Madeline, this girl is dark) with subtitles. Maybe I'll move to Paris next?

PS: The writer's strike better be over by the time I'm an actress or else I'm screwed!

Heath Ledger found dead

Heath Ledger, Australian actor was found dead today at the age of 28. The probable cause of death is most likely drugs, as pills were found by his bedside table. I told my roommate the news and she said "that's awful!" as my friend Sarah said "He was so hot!" Whatever the sentiments are, the reality is that he is dead. If it was an overdose, was it on purpose? Why would someone who has it all, a thriving career, a beautiful daughter, loving friendships, LOVED by millions want it all to end? I can understand needing a vacation but death is a pretty permanent vacation! His fans adored his work, his looks, even his accent was envied! What personal demons could this poor man be facing in order for this to have happened? It just goes to show that celebrities really ARE human and that they face just as many problems as the rest of us, yet they are in the public spotlight because they "chose" this when they decided to be actors. If Heath had personal demons that weren't forseen in the media, I can only imagine what's going to happen next with Britney Spears....

UPDATE: This just in: Heath Ledger was found in Mary-Kate Olsen's apartment that he was renting from the twin! Scandal.

Today 4 U, Tomorrow for Elle Woods?!?

It has just recently been announced that the Broadway play, RENT will be closing after 12 years on Broadway. Why? I'm not really sure of that question. It presents a powerful message and a goose-bump worthy songs that every type of person can (hopefully) relate to. Instead, new up and comers like "Legally Blonde: The Musical" are huge hits and RENT just isn't making the cut anymore. What does that go to show you? That beautiful ditzy blondes can definitely go to Harvard and people with AIDS just don't interest people anymore? I sure hope that's not the case. RENT going away is losing a huge art form made up of different people who all share the same hope: love. On June 1st, the original cast of RENT will gather for the last time to perform one of my favorite plays of all time. I would kill (well, maybe not THAT literally) to see the last showing of RENT. I can't really see it going away FOREVER though.. I mean, really? They are NEVER EVER going to show RENT again? Hmmm.. I sure hope they're lying.

Here's a link of the producer of RENT and his tearful synapsis of what will forever be known as one of the longest and most memorable playing shows on Broadway: www.siteforrent.com

You don't know me

Okay, so last night was quite interesting. I actually am speechless which is a first. How well do you think people really know you? Because I was definitely called out last night and everything that was said was so head-on, I'm not sure that I actually knew it myself. I didn't think that I was so obvious; I thought that I knew how to play this "game" but I guess I am not so good at it. Damn. That's really all I can say. After he told me everything about myself that I thought was pretty secretive I dropped my jaw. How could he read me like that? I was actually kind of pleasantly surprised even though this may seem a little stalker-ish. Contemplative, yes. Obsessive, maybe. But it clicked and I was impressed that he could know so much about me by just my actions and observing my movements...this post may seem a little empty and lofty but that's how I'm feeling right now and it's very hard to explain so maybe next time I will be able to verbalize this better...

The Thin Blue Line

Firstly, I have classes starting from 11:00-3:50 non-stop every Tuesday and Thursday. That is an extremely long time for someone to sit in a chair and listen (or in my case it is). After grabbing a snack during my ten minute interval before my last class, I head upstairs to the Greer Garson theatre. My class, the history of documentary film, is watching the documentary "The Thin Blue Line" today. To sum up the film, a 16 year old boy pretty much lies and puts an innocent man to jail for killing a police officer. Everyone thought that the innocent man was lying; they had proof to show for it. But he wasn't and because of the film being released, the man was let out of jail. This made me wonder. How does any jury ever REALLY know that someone is lying or telling the truth? I mean, most criminals deny til they die, but this man really wasn't lying when he said he was innocent. I started to think how many other innocent people were in jail in place of all the guilty crazy lot that escaped. Far too many i presume. One of the lawyers even gave up his job after this case because he knew that the man was innocent but no one would believe him. Everyone else already had an agenda and wanted to have a suspect put behind bars and stay there. Did I mention that this crime happened in Dallas? Yea, scary thought. This film just kind of proved that the justice system is corrupt in places and an innocent man can and will go to jail. Or a guilty man can roam free? O.J. anybody? The glove didn't fit in this case but they wanted it to so they squeezed it on.

I can't believe I have a blog...

HA! This is all very new to me but I'm actually excited to be entering this huge world of blogging that I have prided myself in not joinging for so long! I'm actually looking forward to what will come out of my page; I feel so modern and technologically savvy now.. kind of like Carrie Bradshaw minus the sex column. Anyway, in case you are wondering, my blog name came from my dad who called me Fifi Lazonga when I was little whenever and I would dance and show out for anyone who would listen long enough (Is it obvious that I am an only child?!) So, when trying to brainstorm for this name, which did drive me nuts for a bit, I came upon Fifi Lazonga and I thought it would be a perfect stage name for this whole blog biz. Today was the first day of class so not too much drama going on yet, but it's SMU, I'm sure some will circulate soon enough.

Until then,
xoxo Gossip Girl

Sorry I had to do that...I love that show.