Friday night music...

...because it's been a grueling week.
============================================================================
by PAM

Oh, boy, what a week!  

I can't even begin to describe how incredibly stressful the week has been, seriously.  And it goes on... the week continues to hammer me on the head with lots of things to do still - with another day of lecture in the Graduate School tomorrow.

Therefore, in case I perish from exhaustion - physically, mentally (thank God, I am not spiritually exhausted!) - let me, at least perish with joy.  In case I drop dead in six seconds, let me be 'remembered' as that woman who perished from making bad choices in life, except for her choice in music... which was outstanding!  It's a 'dying wish for kindness', therefore, you have no right to object! :)  And, here's a sampling of that outstanding taste in music, and may the angels above help her... 

"I'll be there to save the day

Superman got nothing on me, I'm only one call away."

...and keep her - from swooning, in death! :) 

Boy, that was good! It's "One Call Away" by the genius kid, Charlie Puth.  Definitely a 'legit' artist, that's for sure.  I love it that CP is not intimidated and, in fact, he seem to have very little 'love' for the Man of Steel! :) Sounds like this kid is a "bat boy", which works wonderfully for me, obviously! :)  Aw, don't get me wrong, I do love the red-caped hero, too.  Just because he has an insane sense of humor... the exact opposite of the 'brooding' dark knight. Let's just say that I am Superman by day, and Dark Knight by, uh, night kind of a girl. 

Alright, going back to music... while we're admiring CP's music genius, let's have more of it,, this time blended with the genius of Wiz Khalifa...

  

"It's been a long day without you, my friend...
We've come a long way from where we began
Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again."

...to soothe our mind and body from bone-breaking stress from work.  While it kind of makes us sad to watch the video, seeing the smiling face of the late Paul Walker, let's just allow the memory of him warm our hearts, and appreciate the music.  

And because the night should end with some feel-good music, let's cap the evening with this...

"if you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about, baby, I'm perfect...

so let's start right now."

...and call it a night.  Uh, well... a night before doing more work - for tomorrow.

***

Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video links.

***

Cooling down...

...with the phenomenal Adele (and a 'bonus').
=======================================================================
by PAM

It's getting 'hot' in here... what with the Vice-Presidential race in the national elections still on - more than 48 hours later... after the polls closed.  

Therefore, let's get Adele and James Corden in Carpool Karaoke...

"Leeeaaave me aloneee!  It's just me and my cats!"

...to pour some 'coolness' in this scorching heat. 

And what do you know... that completely beat the heat, that's what!  

Oooh, my goodness, it's too good... even if I've seen it a handful of times already.  Adele is really awesome, and JC is hilarious... they both are, actually.

Alright, I'm feeling better now.

But because I promised a 'bonus'... I'm throwing in a bonus.  Here goes...

"We could now make a video with choreography... in our matching outfits....
I can bring something to the band, guys!"

Hahaha... 'perfect'!

Alright, that should do it.  Back to... whatever it was that made me drop by here.

***

Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video links.

***

Oh, gosh...

...I need a break, I'm not kidding!
===========================================================================
by PAM

Alright, I'm going to have to drop whatever it is that I'm doing right now, or I swear, I'd drop cold and dead this very second - right here, right now... wherever is 'here', I'm not even sure where!

One full week of heavy schedule, with three extremely busy ones before it... and now, this week is as grueling as the previous one.  My calendar shows another heavy schedule next week.  Just looking at it is enough to make me want to throw up from exhaustion. Oh, my!

And because I haven't even checked one fourth of my 'bucket list', I refuse to just drop dead now.  At the risk of sounding self-important, many of the things I do are quite important, I think, but none of them would warrant forgetting about my 'bucket list'.  In other words, none of these things in my schedule in front of me is worth dying for!   Therefore, I'm dropping out of it all for now.  I'm taking a break this evening... to dig through iTunes for something pleasing to the ear, and forget about work!  Dang, I owe it to myself!

So, I found this... uh, ahem, to be more precise, I looked for it, and found it. :)  Yep, it's "Drag Me Down" by One Direction.  I gotta say, it's quite easy to find, too... it's all over internetdom!

"With your love, nobody can drag me down!"

Yeah, not so bad, huh?  What is surprising is, I tried re-arranging the songs in my iTunes playlist to accommodate this song... humming, counting the beats, considering the quality of voices of the singers... and, guess what?  I found DMD between "Don't you (forget about me)" by Simple Minds and "Affair of the Heart" by Rick Springfield.  I know... I had to blink a few times, too, to check and re-check.  I tried fitting it into the Taylor Swift and 'the likes' cluster... but it just sounded odd with those songs.  Heck, it even sounded odd with the old 1D songs!   

Okay, let's see... what's with Simple Minds and Rick Springfield, anyway?  Why should it be remarkable to find one's song in between theirs?  Well, Jim Kerr, SM's lead singer, is the pop singer with the voice of a rocker dude while RS is a rocker dude with pop music followers (just because he is too 'pretty' for most rock fans to admit a liking for him).  There is some raspiness in the voices of the lads now, especially that of Harry's, quite 'delicious, I must add.  And they sing with some precision in their notes that makes the song sound surprisingly 'clean'... sound mature, and 'legit' even when the lyric is not as brilliant as those from the "British Invasion" era.  Yeah, they sound a bit serious now... and yet, the relaxed and playfulness quality is still there... especially, in the accompanying music video.  At least, they're not pretending depth.  So, I imagine, while they stop 'mature' music enthusiasts to have a listen, they still make the girlies scream in such abandon and 'religious' adoration.     

So, what does this mean, is One Direction jumping that gaping distance between pop-pop-ish music-for-the-screaming-little-girlies music and the seriously-they-sound-legit-artists music?  If they are, good on them, right?  Of course, they started as a 'money-making machine" for Simon Cowell... and, at their age then, it was kind of tragic... although, of course, I imagine, with the money they made, they could live the life of an indolent now, and will never starve.  However, even with that option, they're trying to actually make music now... and, I imagine, it isn't "walk in the park", too.  You gotta give it to the lads. To be honest, I started getting interested in the music of these lads when I heard them sing this more than a year or so ago...

"...everythin' that you ever dreamed of, disappearin' when you wake up...

...even when the night changes, it will never change me and you."

I thought they sounded good.  Naturally, I did not understand all the bashing that they get for allegedly sounding like crap.  So, I searched their old music videos and, truly, there was a big difference from how they sounded then and now.  In fact, I thought it was worth it to spend money to watch them perform live in Manila!

Legit music or not... whatever it is they make, you gotta admit, the lads are entertaining.  It's relaxing to see them perform... and to watch their music videos.  They can even be hilarious in their interviews... yeah, Brit brains, truly! :)

Oh, and, uh, I almost forgot to mention, Zayn Malik's decidedly best voice among the five lads' is no longer in the 'new' 1D music.  Hmmm... I almost did not notice, fancy that!  Then again, perhaps, that's why they sound different... even better?  Ouch!  I do not wish to anger Zayn and his fans (not that they're paying attention to my blog), but the four remaining lads' voices seem to blend with similar sharp and raspy quality about them, which Zayn's voice did not have.  Zayn's voice is soulful and as smooth as silk... beautiful, especially with the right material... and, you gotta admit, his brooding sort of personality does not blend well with the 'fun craziness' of the remaining four lads'.  And, it's nice that they seem to enjoy what they do... while Zayn would've brooded his way through the videos, looking mightily taxed... while, I imagine, it would always be heaven for the girlies to see him smile a sincerely happy, and even simply amused, smile though it all.  But, hey, you gotta do what makes you really happy... being one of the quintet, no matter how great it may sound to most, no longer thrill Zayn.  So, let's leave him alone and wish him well.  Goodness gracious, I'm speaking like a fan here! :)

Alright, this kinda got me breathing in the right rhythm now, but... I'm still taking the rest of the evening on a break - from work!  But, my goodness, what in Pete's name is this?!  It's Saturday night, why do I feel guilty for not working?  I'm doomed, I just am!

***

Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube for the video links.

***

"One Duration"...

...get out, get out, get out of my head!
====================================================================
by PAM

A student called me a "One Duration" fan because I am a Duran Duran (the "crushable bunch" of the '80s) fan who went to watch One Direction (or, 1D, the undisputed teenie bopper 'World Crush' of this generation) in the Manila leg of their "On the Road Again" World Tour... just a few hours ago, actually. :)  My student believed that I was 'fan girling' over their generation's crushes, and sounded (jokingly) disgusted by it. =)  The student was (exaggeratedly) perplexed by how the crushing generation cannot afford to pay the hefty concert ticket price of their crushes, while our generation who are too old to stand and dance for one-and-a-half hours to the "best song ever" bought many of the tickets instead! =)  Of course, most of us bought the tickets for our kids/nieces/nephews... and I did spend my one year worth of savings to watch Duran Duran live in Manila, too, back in the '80s - and it was worth every single cent!  

I have to say that attending the 1D concert was fun, too, regardless of the (big) difference in generations! :) 

  

"Everybody wants to steal my girl... she belongs to me."

The euphoric glee and energy of the kids in the audience was absolutely infectious. :)  It can make one feel (very) young again.  And the 1D boys were just adorable... all the while sounding kind and considerate of their fans. Seeing them reminded me again of the fact that, if I got married at a young age, I'd probably have kids their age... and I'd probably be a 'shameless' stage Mum! ;)  Anyway, the 1D boys performed well, obviously trying very hard to please their fans... and, perhaps, trying to work a bit harder to make up for the absence of one of their members, Zayn Malik, who had to go back to the UK after the BKK-HK leg of their Tour to allegedly "recuperate from stress".  Zayn was controversially photographed with a girl, who was not his girlfriend, while in BKK.  Apparently, this hurt many feelings, and it stressed out Zayn, unable to perform in the remaining venues of the Asian leg of their Tour.

So, while Zayn recuperates, I got rejuvenated by 1D's energy - mixed well with their Manila fans' impressive show of support.  

"...everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you... 

...that's what makes you beautiful."

Speaking of impressive support, it was fascinating to see so many parents and grandparents accompanying their kids and grandkids, respectively, to the concert. Others went to watch with the young people, others just escorted the kids to the gate, took souvenir photos, and then waited for them after the concert at the gate... with take-out dinner on hand. :)  I went with my nephew.  He is a Script kind of a kid, so I thought he was not really into it and was just being nice to his aunt, but he did appreciate 1D's performance, too, which is good.

"...baby, you light up my world like nobody else...
I can't believe you don't know, you don't know you're beautiful."

So, yeah, it was a nice Saturday.  And, yeah, it was money well-spent.  "One Duration"?  Sure, why not?!

***
Video credit:  I took the videos, but thanks, YouTube for the video links.

***

Welcome, 2015!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Here's to a joyful and more meaningful year... cheers!
God bless us all!

It's 2015!  A decade and a half into the 21st century... woohoo!

***
Going pop in 2015

Wow, fifteen years after fearing Y2k... and here we are, our lives couldn't be more entwined with the Internet... and it's great!  Therefore, I wish to use this 'treasure' more in 2015.  I wish to put in greater energy in re-orienting things so that the internet becomes a main 'vehicle' in transporting 'public thoughts'... thoughts that can be shared publicly, that is... and connect with the world more that way.  I guess, what I'm saying is I wish to use this little corner of mine here more often in 2015, as a I noticed that I visited my blog site only 65 times in 2014.  Yep, the last two years have been very 'serious' and pretty intense for me... there were too many challenges to overcome, I feel like I aged a lot!  While the results are very satisfying, one does not live on too much seriousness, and seriousness alone. :) Therefore, I wish to be able to manage my time more so I can 'flex' the other side of my brain using this platform... and enjoy life more by affording myself some 'pop life' and 'www fun'. :)  

One of my "pop inspirations" for this year is this group of London-based boys...

"Everyone else in the room can see it... 
I can't believe you don't know...

...you don't know you're beautiful."

Yep, One Direction!  Who would have thought that they would be able to continue to thrive through 2015... traversing the critical fine line that divides awkward boyhood and responsible adulthood under constant public scrutiny while bringing entertainment to the new e-generation of pop worshipers.  They slipped here and there, that's for sure... but, c'mon, they were those eager kids trying to shed off their awkwardness and be "pop cool"!  And now, four years later, here they are...

"...that's what makes you beautiful!"

I know they've been strutting their stuff for only four years or so now since their stint in the X Factor-UK... but they're doing it with such dominance... and, at a time, too, when because of the internet, everyone is - and can be - a "star"! 

There's a word to describe these boys' staying power... 'resilience'.  And how they show their resilience is simply admirable.  It's undeniable that what they do is hard work, too, especially what and how much they have to sacrifice to stay on top of their game: their youth and schooling.  How many are willing to skip life's "best years"... and go hopping from one lonely hotel room to another across the globe, away from family and friends, enjoying a moment of stardom in exchange of an uncertain future having foregone formal education, instead?  But in that loneliness, they do spread good cheers and give young people something 'fun and crazy' to remember their youth by - like most of us adults.  In my case (and my siblings'), it was Duran Duran... and the late Michael Jackson! :)  Those guys were our "pop heroes"... our "guilty pleasure" when we were young.  Our "crazy devotion" tried our parents' patience to the extreme as they put up with our "childish fanatical stunts" to balance a strict rearing from our parents that put education and spiritual growth on top of our priorities.  Oh, boy! ;)  Those memories always give us something to talk about during reunions... or, on those days when we are simply pondering our sibling love. :) 

I know these One Direction, or 1D, boys earn a lot of money by doing what they do... but, at 20-21 years of age, how many people understand the true value of wealth anyway?  I'm quite sure they are doing what they do for the sheer joy of it.  I know they're no Beatles, and no Rolling Stones either, that's for sure... but, man, how they are using whatever God-given talents they have to make many people smile... that's just wonderful!  Therefore, I don't care how shallow people would think of me by praising these boys as "pop inspiration" ... but theirs is one tough act to follow in everyone's respective fields of calling.  I just hope and pray that they stay 'smart'... and avoid things that might mess up their hard-earned fame and fortune.  

Uh-hmm... I speak like I know them, right?  Well... if I had kids, they would be of the same age as these boys... so, consider that as my "stage Mum" side talking, whatever! :)

So, carry on, boys!  All the best in 2015! :)

"...we're only getting older, baby.  And I've been thinking about you lately.
Does it ever drive you crazy... just how fast the night changes?"

Now, let me see if I've got that "one thing", too... I'm sure finding out is worth the try! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  :)

***

Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video links.

Photo credit:  I own the photo.

***