Felices fiestas

Christmas has come and gone, and now the new year is upon us. I think overall 2006 was a good year for me. I've had my share of ups and downs but I'm still here so that's always a good sign :) We had a nice cozy christmas. Chus loved his gifts, I'll post pics soon.

So I've been on this Beverly Hills 90210 kick because Rob got me Season 1 for Christmas. I love this show! It's so awful. It makes me wish that I still had my 90210 dolls, yes I had them. I gave them away though :( Back to 90210...I was so obsessed w/ this show in high school. I remember writing notes back and forth w/ my friend Kathy and all we would do is talk about what was going on that week on the show. Such losers! I tell ya. It's 6 discs and I am almost done w/ disc 4! It's so addicting. Season 2 doesn't come out until May of 2007. Whatever shall I do until then???

So aside from watching 90210, I am also juggling watching Charmed Season 2. Do we see a pattern here?



Aside from both being Aaron Spelling shows, they both feature one of my favorite bitches of all time! Shannen Doherty! Ever since she was in Heathers (My favorite movie of all time), I've had such a soft spot for her. Too bad all she does is b-rate reality shows. Makes me love her even more.

Speaking of b-rate, I must also thank my Milwaukee Sister for turning me onto another show starring another ex-90210 alum, Tori Spelling...



Can we talk about how much I love this show??? And how much I love Tori!!!???!!! I know people either hate her or love her. I am of the latter, especially after seeing her in Trick and The House Of Yes. But this show is hilarious!!! It kinda reminds me of Fat Actress in that it's a mock reality show. If anyone knows about making fun of themselves, that would be Tori Spelling. I love all the cracks she takes at herself, the 90210 flashbacks, the childhood flashbacks, and her wicked mother played by Loni Anderson. Trashy!

Plus I think her gay bff (Zachary Quinto) is kinda cute.



My big bday bash is now 2 weeks away! I am so excited. If you don't know I am turning 30 and am having a double Quinceañera. It's gonna be a hoot. I've been working on a fierce playlist for the music, and I know it's going to be a drunken gay ol' time of mostly me and Sista M screaming at the top of our lungs every time one of our childhood fagalicious songs come on :P

So since I am in quince mood, it got me thinking to the one and only time I stood up in one. It was for my friend from grade school. I don't recall much, just that we had to practice outside at the playground @ St. Anthony's and we had this really bitchy closeted choreographer who would always yell at me cause he said I had too much rhythm. Jealous cunty queen! With that said, it reminded me of one of the songs we had to perform a dance to as a group...so I share this campy video w/ you...

When I hear music

Since I am home sick today, I figure I may as well do something constructive, like write on my blog :) It's that time of the year when people compile lists. So here's mine for my fave musical picks of 2006. Now these are in no particular order mind you...



Nelly Furtado Loose: Now this was a fun album. '06 seemed to be a breakout year for Ms. Furtado. Her debut made a splash, the second one tanked (in the US at least)...but this album was huge, thanks mostly to its infectious lead single Promiscious. A truly electic album that is at many times a throwback to when music was fun (Do It anyone?). I even liked her crappy reggaetón song No hay igual.

Fantasia Fantasia: I am not really a huge fan of current R&B, mostly because it's all so cookie cutter. But there are a few exceptions, and this former AI winner is a HUGE one. Not only do I love her raw voice, but I love this album. The newest release on my list, I can't stop listening to it. She's gut-wrenching on the ballads and she knows how to get down like on my personal favorite Hood Boy. That cover has to be one of the most gorgeous I've seen in a long time.

Fangoria El extraño viaje: Gone is long-time producer Carlos Jean (Thank God!) and for the first time Fangoria tackle producer, and the results are fabulous. In keeping w/ their signature dark electro pop sound, they have also added elements that throw back to their Dinarama days and the results are glorious. If Estés dónde estés is not a single I think Alaska and I need to have a serious conversation.

Pink I'm Not Dead: First off, let me say that I looooooove Pink. I love her quirkiness and her outspokeness. I love her music for that very same reason. While this album is very similar to her previous disc, Try This, it's still a good album w/ some catchy tunes via Pink's kick ass voice. Pink, you rock hard!

Belinda Utopia: Mexico's other teen titan returns w/ one of the most exciting pop albums en español in years. The Spanish language pop market is over saturated w/ wannabe punk rockers or sappy coffee house schmaltz (Reik, Sin Bandera, etc.). While her voice is nothing to write home about, and she kinda looks like a squirel, she's made a hell of an album....who knew?

LeAnn Rimes Whatever We Wanna: Is she country or pop? I'd say a little bit of both. While this was supposed to be a "pop album" geared towards the European market (as it has yet to get a US release), it still very much sounds like a country album as the two genres go hand in hand if you ask me. LeAnn proves why she is one of the greatest vocalists to emerge from her generation (in any genre), and she does so on this flawless album. Get it for It Feels Like alone.

Naty Botero Naty Botero: Colombia's newest pop star is quickly becoming my favorite new act of the year. Fun, fun and more fun on this electic party album via Naty's quirky vocals and tounge in cheek lyrics. Why can't more pop stars be as fun? I hope this gets a worldwide release as it must be heard! NATY...te quiero mucho

Tiga Sexor: Sexy electo beats from a sexy Canadian boy. While nothing special in the vocal department, what Tiga lacks he makes up for and then some w/ his sexy beats and simple lyrics.

Fergie The Dutchess: Oh Stacy, er Fergie, er Stacy...oh I'm so confused.I've been a huge fave since Wild Orchid and it's so nice to finally see her achieve the success they were never able to obtain. The only reason I ever even bought Black Eyed Peas album was because of Stacy, so it's even nicer to finally hear her solo. Fergie made a fun album of infectious 80s influenced pop/r&b and so forth that can be listened to from start to end. This is the album Gwen Stefani should have made.

Dirtie Blonde Dirtie Blonde: Hands down my favorite new act of 2006. Great scratchy vocals and a kick ass band equate a new band to look out for. Seriously this band is a breath of fresh air, here's hoping to an even greater follow up. I hope to see another album, I'd hate for them to fall into the "one album wonder" black hole.

Since 2006 was such a great year for music, there had to have been some bad music...right? Oh yeah. For my worst album of the year I have a 2 way tie. Drumroll please....



Alejandra Guzmán Indeleble: WTF...I am sorry, but this album was B-O-R-I-N-G! It was like one long boring ballad. Where's the fun? Just because Reik and all those sappy groups are hot right now doesn't mean you have to jump on the band wagon.



Paulina Rubio Ananda: Were Alejandra and Paulina in cohorts to see who could make a more boring album??? Paulina, you are a trashy artist who makes trashy music. WTF is up w/ this snooze fest of an album??? I've said it before and I will say it again not since EL TIEMPO ES ORO has Paulina made an album this bad. Here's hoping her forthcoming English album will be trash-tastic!

EDIT:

So after I did my best of list I realized I forgot one of my favorite albums of the year!!!!



María Daniela y su Sonido Lasser!!!! Hands down one of the best albums of the year. She's so awful she's good...and she knows it! That's what I love about her, there is no trying to be an artiste if you will...just fun fun fun! Enjoy her video for Miedo. Trust me if you haven't already you will be enamored of this song!

Ode to Milwaukee

Vacation All I Ever Wanted

So I am in the midst of my 3 day work vacation :) I had some time to use before the year was up so...here I am using vacation days...and doing NOTHING! It feels great :)

I feel like I haven't written in ages. After my Exposé high it was kinda hard to follow it up. First things first. My ipod died. Just died. I have no idea, but when I went to plug it in, it said I had to restore it and it would erase everything! I had 40 gigs worth of music on there! So I figured if I was going to go through the trouble of ripping my cds all over again (and this time backing the files up) I might as well get a new one.

So let me introduce you to my new ipod. The 80 gig.



I had this horrible feeling that my ipod was going to die during my big birthday bash next month. Well I must have jinxed myself. Whatever...it was time to get a new one.

Friday is the company Xmas party, only it's not being called that. Rather it's being called Employee Appreciation Party. Who cares what it's called, will there be booze??

I have a bunch of new TV shows on DVD to watch. Well new to me. Charmed season 2 and Ghost Whisperer. Plus I can't stop listening to the new Fantasia CD, it's fierce! I love me some Hood Boy!



Plus I can't get over this cover, it's gorgeous!!!!

Point of no return

Wow! Wow! Wow! That is all I can say about last Wed's Exposé show!!!! OMG!!!! OMG!!!! I have not had this much fun at a show in ages. I literally sang along to every song they performed. What a show!!!! This totally makes up for having to wait 17 years to see these gals live. We got there early like nerds. We met up w/ my childhood best friend Carlos and his bf. They were super sweet and it was so nice seeing each other after all these years. Since we were dorks and were in the front, drank and laughed our asses off before the show. But when the lights went down I screamed like a little girl at the top of my lungs. The setlist was a fan's dream come true, not only did they do the obvious hits but they did a lot of more obscure album cuts, and by doing this my girl Ann was able to sing lead on a lot. I can't remember every song but I know I sang along w/ 99.9% of them. Gioia kept pointing me out durning the show because I was singing along to every song :) Off the top of my head they did the following:

Come Go With Me
I Wish The Phone Would Ring
Angel
December
Seasons Change
What You Don't Know
I Know You Know
Exposed To Love
As Long As I Can Dream
Let Me Be The One
When I Looked At Him
Let Me Be The One
I Specialize In Love
Your Baby Never Looked Good In Blue
Point Of No Return

I could be missing a few, but that's what I can remember. That setlist was heaven, especially when they did my favorite Exposé song of all time, Angel. The show was about an hour and a half and I had a blast. So much so that Gioia even came down to dance w/ me and Carlos! OMG it was so fun!!! Here's a pic, sorry it's a bit blurry, but I just got a new digital camera so I'm still learning to use it.



At one point they were like We're gonna do a disco song, they came up to me and Ann asked me You know this one right? I said I Specialize In Love and they were all like We knew you'd know. LOL.

I danced, screamed, clapped, sang until I had no voice....OMG it was just too much fun.



After the show the ladies did a meet and greet and we were one of the first people in line, and when I got up there Jeanette said I am so glad you were singing along to every song, otherwise I would have forgot the words!. I proceeded to tell them my story about how I'd waiting 17 years to see them and thanked them for making me feel 12 again. They were so nice and I even told Ann that I wished they would have saing Stop, Listen, Look & Think, Gioia then proceeded to sing it a bit and I sang along :) I thanked them so much, I don't even remember what I all said 'cause I was so excited that I must have had diareah of the mouth. LOL. I told Ann that I hope they come to Chicago soon as we had come in for the show. They thanked us told us we were amazing :) I swear I was on a high all night. We then ended up at Bryant's and drank and had a great night.

On a seperate note, I had written a message to Jeanette on myspace before the and never heard back, but this morning I got a message from her asking me how I liked the show :) What a sweetie!

The rest of our time in Milwaukee was nice. Thurs we went over to my old roomie's place for dinner and so our children could finally meet. Chus and Shakespeare! Yay!



We got snowed in so we ended up staying a little longer than we were hoping for, but it was nice to get away from Chicago for a few days. But by the time we got home I couldn't have been happier to be back. Hope everyone's well. Ta-ta for now!