The Royal Wedding: I'm Fascinated by Fascinators

Yes, I know the focus of the royal wedding was supposed to be Kate and William, but my eyes may have wandered to other things as well (including the cute Prince Harry)...

So, before I get to the fascinators, lets take a look at the lovely Kate Middleton's dresses.

Is she not the most beautiful person you have ever laid eyes on? Yeah, I may or may not be developing a girl crush on her. Princess (Duchess) Kate is so beautiful. Look at the second dress, it may or may not be better than the first, although both are timeless.

Feast your eyes on that. Gorgeous. I want that dress for when I get married to Paul McDonald one day in the future (or Prince Harry, because that man is cute).

Onto My Fascination with Fascinators. (Fascinators are those bizarre hats that you saw everyone wearing at the royal wedding yesterday.)


First up are Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice.

Come on. Princess Eugenie's fascinator looks like it catches water, if it should rain. Princess Beatrice's fascinator... Well, it looks like a squid. And it also looks like a toy. Maybe if her and her sister get bored, they can throw a ball through the ring on her hat. How inventive.

Next, some girls. I don't know who they are.

Yeah... The girl on the left looks like she has coral growing out of the top of her head. The middle blond's fascinator is actually rather cool, it's like she's a giant present. And the blond on the right's fascinator looks like she put a sculpture on her head. Awesome.


Some more women whom I don't know.

So, the lady in purple looks as though she is wearing a centerpiece on her head. I saw this from a side angle, and my is it large. She could poke someone's eye out. The lady in all blue - seriously, all blue, it's horrid - appears as if her fascinator is modeled after a pea pod. Does it not? And whatever made her think it would be a good idea to wear a whole outfit in one horrendously bright shade of blue?

Sophie, Countess of Wessex

This fascinator looks like a giant headband, with a giant feather and giant roses. She does not understand "less is more," does she?

And last but not least, Victoria Beckham.

How on earth is that thing staying on her head? It's practically defying gravity. And those twisty things on the side seem like they would get rather annoying, being your face all the time.

I am so fascinated with these fascinators, I may just go out and buy some (after I learn how they stay on your head). This fashion statement is utterly bizarre to me. One of the many things I don't understand about the royal wedding.

American Idol Recap: The Top 6 Become 5

Which Idol will fall tonight? Tune in to find out the failure of the Top 6!

My Bottom Three:
Jacob - X (please!!)
Scotty
Haley

Mom's Bottom Three:
Turtle (Jacob) - X
Casey
Alfred (Scotty)

Dad's Bottom Three:
Jacob
Casey - X
Scotty

Fans will be diappointed? Maybe my dad is right... Or maybe Scotty will go home. We shall see.

I really like the British clip. I like seeing people failing at doing fake British accents. (I'm quite excellent at it.)

Wow that group song was the cream of cheesey crop. Seriously, NO ONE sounded good. That was just...terrible.
My brother pointed out that Lauren was wearing a blinged out Ring Pop. Wow.

Crystal Bowersox. The only things I remembered about her? Her huge sunflower tattoo, her dreadlocks, and her teeth (which she evidently fixed, yay).

Casey - Who the eff is Oscar Peterson? My mom pointed out that what he said flew over everyone's heads.
Lauren - Aww I heard about the tornadoes, and your answer was super sweet (and I got to see your sister/mom).
Scotty the Body - You worked at a grocery store and a tanning salon...? You should have been funnier (maybe you played the flute).
Twitch - Yeah for pre-Idol bands! And double-yeah for mentioning Paul! I miss that man...
I liked Ryan's joke on Taylor Hicks. But he made his comeback on Jimmy Fallon.

Haley
First of all, her outfit is bizarre. And a little trashy. But her necklace is cool.
Haha I love Jimmy's comment about Steven's remark (he must not believe in God). Haley's voice is good, but I've been saying this whole time she doesn't quite know who she is.
She's safe! Looks like my guess was wrong.

Scotty da Body - Flute Player Extraordinare
Look, Jimmy, you're wrong. Scotty is not subtle, he just didn't do well last night.
Hang tight? What the eff, Ryan? He gets off on making these Idols almost pee their pants.

Lauren
Seeing that last night was relatively boring, Lauren was pretty good last night. I was impressed (but that dude was a stupid prop). Jimmy says she's here for the long run. Amen, brother.
Lauren is a lot taller than Peaches (I wanted to bring her nickname for Ryan back).
Ryan, stop this suspense.

Cabrams
I think my parents may be right about his Bottom 3 fate. But he did make Steven's scalp itch (?)... "Casey needs to realize that the family dog does not vote on this show," says Jimmy. Haha that's hilarious. But I enjoy his growls.
And shocker, Casey has to wait. Yargh.

Twitch
My parents just remarked that he better not get voted off. I've already cried during this show, and I don't want to see my parents cry.
Jimmy didn't think was believable? Are you high, sir? But he did say he has no doubt that James could win this thing (whoa!!).
Twitch McGee is safe.

Carlton Turtle Jacob McSingyPants
Yeah, that's an all-encompassing nickname. Jacob is on banana peel status, according to Jimmy (what does that even mean?).

So, now it's Jacob, Cabrams, Lauren, and Scotty da Body.
My parents NAILED the bottom three. My dad seems very proud of himself right now. Poor Jacob can't handle being in the bottom 3. Get over it, Mister! It's part of this competition.

So now it's an intense rivalry between my parents:
My mom says Jacob is outta here.
My dad says Cabrams is leaving us tonight.
(I know I'm already kicked out, but I'm saying Scotty just to throw a wrench in there.)
Who will win? Who will lose? Who will cry? We'll find out soon!

Bruno Mars, "Lazy Song." The best part? That cute golden retriever on the couch. I like Bruno's voice, but not his music. He's singing about masturbating in his Snuggie (unless I'm misunderstanding his lyrics)? And why did they have to block out the word sex? Let's get real American Idol...you guys left behind the family friend image after recruiting the unpredictable Steven Tyler as a judge.

Final Judgment (not the Jesus kind)
I'm nervous
Jacob is safe??? Whoa. Mom is knocked out of the race.
Who will it be?? Ahh!
Cabrams is leaving??? This is terrible! And why isn't Haley bawling her eyes out? We all know they're going to make growly babies together.
How disappointing... There is now only one reason left to watch this damn show (Twitch best win this thing!).
Casey on the counter was funny. I'll miss this guy. But hey, he's had so much fun and done a great job. And he's kissed plenty of girls in the audience and on the show.

Nice job, Mr. Cabrams! You went out with a bang, and he told Haley that she's his. The big conference tomorrow will be good.
Until then, blogosphere!

American Idol Recap: The Top 6 Tackle Carole King

Alright, Idolers. It's time, once again, for Wednesday Night American Idol. Who will succeed? Who will fail? And who will be mediocre? We're about to find out as the Top 6 take on the songs of Carole King (who, again?). THIS, is American Idol.
*cue the music*

(By the way, sorry I've been MIA lately, to the reader I have. School seems to get in the way.)

Jacob:
"Some Song"
First of all, who dressed him? He looks like he belongs with Kurt in Glee (but I love Kurt).
Look, we all know how much I dislike Jacob. That song kind of worked for Jacob's voice. He seems much more joyous this week, but I can't get on board with him. But his facial expressions and dance moves have gotten even weirder. I agree with Jimmy, Jacob might be the most in jeopardy this week. People may or may not be over Jacob like we are at my hizz-ouse.
The judges seemed to enjoy him, they always do. I hope he goes home.

By the way, the wounds of missing Paul still feel fresh. I miss seeing him every week!

Lucy Lovelace (Lauren):
"When You Leave"
Guess what? Lauren met Miley Cyrus! Guess what else? She was annoying and rude.
"I still don't think they put big enough earrings on her," says my mom. True that.
I think Lauren's voice sounds great with this song. I really like her, she's young and fresh and not yet too annoying. She made this song work for her voice and style, and she definitely pulled it off. I enjoyed her high notes, she could really hit them, and the one at the end was great. The only thing I didn't like was that guy she pulled from the audience (totally a random dude, right now?). Weird.
JLo, "She's pushing." Yes, she is, and she did well. Brava. My dad seems to agree with Randy, that it was a safe choice for Lucy Lovelace.
I like seeing her cry. It shows she's genuine.
I hope Lauren's sister/mom is a God-fearing Republican.

Casey and Haley:
"I Feel the Earth Move"
Casey and Haley are so dating. He says he likes growling with her. That's a huge hint.
I love these two people together, they make beautiful music (and maybe, one day, growly babies?) together. They mesh together with their stage presence and voices. Casey's scatting with Haley's range is awesome. Wow that was superb. They should always sing together. Weird Beard and The Growl Girl. I'm so good at deciding what the Idols should do.

Scotty Da Body: Thanks, Ryan for that new nickname.
"You Got A Friend"
I can't wait to watch his smirk-singing into his flute-phone (hybrid of flutr e and microphone). My mom and I are trying to learn his technique.
First of all, I like the random stairs he's sitting on. How did they get there? Well, Scotty followed Babyface's advice on starting softer. I'm sure tons of girls' hearts with that. It started really well, I can appreciate the soft side of his voice. But then the drugs (I'm conviced) kicked in and he started doing his weird, over excited notes. Where he ends the words and phrases like it's a question, on an up note (technical term). After the beginning, I did not like it. It was weird. The worst part? Scotty's cheese-wiz expression before he sang the last few words. Come on, dude! Super cheesy.
I agree with Randy about the beginning being great. "Randy looks like a grown up Carlton from Fresh Prince," says my Padre. Haha! How true. With the emblazoned cardigan and stupid tie, one could easily be confused.

Twitch:
"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"
I'm a little disappointed that James won't be bringing an elephant on stage. He needs to step up the antics of his performances. I'm pumped already.
Okay, come on. His voice is UH-mazing. James can sing so beautifully a capella. That is amazing. Then the song kicks in, and with the guitar playing and everything, Twitch's voice sounds great for this song. His range is amazing and his talent is mind boggling. The rock part of this song was equally as amazing as the beginning. I'm impressed with this man every week. James is one of the most talented left in the competition, and he should win. Love this guy! Love it.
"Star of the night with that one," says Miss Jennifer. I couldn't agree more. And I'm pretty sure both her and Randy implied he could win, and I'm also pretty sure Steven implied that he wants to make out with James (did anyone else assume that?).

Lucy Lovelace and Scotty da Body:
That was an awkward exchange that Ryan forced. Sheesh.
"Up On the Roof"
I hope Lauren holds her microphone like a flute too.
I think that these two sound really good together. I prefer Lauren's voice over Scotty's (he puts emphasis on words in a strange way), but their voices mesh well. Unfortunately, this song is super boring. Lauren's voice is the only thing that livened this otherwise snorefest up because she has character to her voice.
"You sang yout brains off." Haha nice, Jenny Fromdabloc (I stole that from American Dad who stole that from Jennifer).

Umm...whose little girl is sitting on Steven Tyler's lap?

Cabrams:
"I Don't Know What This Is Called"
I'm excited already for this jam fest.
Ooh it's bluesy, fun. Casey belongs in the 50s (that's the time of blues, right?). I love this man's voice and stage presence. The scratchiness in his voice and his scatting-ness are just awesome. Casey has a character in his voice that his hard to find. Plus, his style is perfect with Mindi Abair (or something) on the sax. The bluesy jazz works so well for Casey. I thought he did well. But let me just say, last week was the best.
"It reminds me of New Orleans, my home state," Randy says. Really? Your home state? New Orleans is a city, derr (speaking of which, go buy the song on www.thegrandmagnolias.com).

Haley:
"Beautiful"
Um...what kind of bird nested in Haley's head from the clip before her singing?
I think Haley needs to stop wearing short dresses. So, Miss Haley got the pimp spot... The sound on this song is a little weird, her voice isn't nearly loud enough. Which makes it a little hard for me to judge. But of what I can hear, I think this song kind of works for Haley. I love her growling, bluesy voice, and this uptempo beat worked for her. I couldn't hear her voice too well though. The end was the best, she pulled it all together. But eh, I wish I could have heard it. My Padre says she should do a Christina Aguilera song.
So, Steven heard God in Haley's voice. I'm not sure how, but I'm guessing it has something to do with drugs.

Twitch and Jacob:
We're just as shocked about this combo as they are. If PMcD were still here, him and James would kill any song.
Well, first of all they're wearing matching outifts. Lame-o. Then, Jacob's voice isn't nearly as good as Durbin's voice. Next, Durbin overpowered Jacob by a ton. It wasn't great, just an awkward duet. They're going to church with that song. Welp, alrighty then.

Pretty good night. Nothing great, only one wasn't good at all (I'm looking at you, Scotty).
My prediction? Jacob goes home. I know, I've said this every week since I began blogging, but I'm really just hanging onto this desperate hope for him to just GO.

Good night, America!

American Idol 4/21 Recap: 7 Becomes 6

Alrighty, folks, it's time once again to see another singer's dreams get crushed. Enjoy it while you can.

My Bottom 3:
Jacob
Stefano
Scotty

Going home: Jacob

Mom's Bottom 3:
Jacob
Scotty
Stefano

Going Home: Jacob

Dad's Bottom 3:
Jacob
Scotty
Lucy Lovelace (Lauren)

Going home: Jacob

Let's hit it.
"Hey, Soul Sister"
So cheesy and karaoke. My mom says, "This is what gives Idol a bad name." Which is very true.
This didn't sound very good to me. And Lauren looked a little trashy. I think she stole that boobalicious shirt from her sister/mom (I kind of miss seeing her).

"Viva La Vida"
This sounds better than the other one at the beginning. But the chorus wasn't great. Although I do love the chemistry Scotty, James, and Casey have on stage. Otherwise, this was bad. (James should've just sang it alone or something.)
On the upside, I now know some of what is said in that song. I don't have to mutter giberish when singing along. Huzzah.

What a cool painting someone sent Casey. Although the dog was kind of a weird touch... (I wish Paul would have shown the pig I sent him. Yarg.)

Casey and Jacob
Casey is safe. Yipee! Gotta love him. Jacob is in the Bottom 3, looks like me and my parents are 1 of 3.

David Cook! I'm excited. During Season 7, my (psychic) father saw David sing once, and said, "He's gonna win." Then he did.
I'm a little disappointed with his song. It was a little too poppy for me. The beat was just not rock enough for David Cook, and it didn't showcase his voice. I'm a little disappointed. But he's so darn cute! And all the guitars were very cool looking.

I love clips of the Idols doing normal stuff. Fun, fun.

Lauren, James, Stefano
"It wouldn't be a Thursday without Lucas Lanes in the Bottom Three," says my mom. So true, so true. Haha. We shall see if this pattern stays.
And it does! Stefano is in the Bottom 3, keeping the tradition alive.
Lauren and Twitch are safe. Me and my mom are 2 for 3, Dad is 1 for 3.

Haley and Scotty
Scotty is safe?? This doesn't make sense at all (well, it does, think who is voting). Haley was so much better than Scotty was. He really should have been in the bottom.
Although she was told she was safe very quickly.

Katy Perry is awesome (her and Zooey Deschanel are my celebrity girl-crushes). She knows how to put on a show, even though I don't like this song. She has the same stage-presence and such as Lady Gaga. But Katy Perry actually has a pretty voice.
Kanye?? "I wonder if PETA is outside," says my mom. Haha that fur looks very real.

Alright, America, it's the moment of truth. It's about to get real, yo.
My mom says Stefano has a "tool swag." How very true. His cockiness and lady's man-ness is annoying, part of his tool swag. And Jacob...oh, Jacob. Good bye, Mr. Diva.
Oh, oh gosh. Looks like we were all wrong. It's Mr. Tool Bag's time to go. I'm going to miss him...if only because I really like the nickname my mom just gave him.
The worst part? Poor James has seen his two best friends on the show go home two weeks in a row. I feel bad for Twitch (maybe even moreso than Stefano). I loved that James just tackled Stefano at the end of the song. How cute.

Well, good bye, Mr. Tool Bag (it'll be my last and near first time calling him this). It's about time you left. Good luck with...stuff. Hopefully you form that boy band I've been pushing for awhile. You can call it Tool Bags, Unite! I dig it. Good bye, sir.

Toodle-oo, America!

American Idol 4/20 Recap: The Top 7

American Idol time!

I'm so glad to see Paul. I was afraid I'd have to go a Wednesday without seeing him. He didn't sound great, but he looked great. Him and those girls could start a band, P McD and The Spice Girls 2.0.


Scotty McCreery:
"Swingin'"
First of all, I LOVED the whole beginning montage. The other Idols also think it looks like he's holding a flute. Haley made me laugh.
"Scotty is doing what he does, because that's what he does." Gee, thanks Jimmy.
Onto the singing, it wasn't great. It was almost...not right for his voice. His voice was a little too slow for the beat of the song. Not to mention Scotty doesn't really have stage presence or the ability to move around the stage and stuff. Scotty is usually always consistent, but this week wasn't great. This song didn't really work with his voice, it almost overpowered it.
I very much agreed with JLo and Randy. It wasn't Scotty's best week, and he was in fact boring. Sorry Alfred E. Neuman, but you might have lost some votes (not to mention you were in the Death Spot).

Twitch:
"Uprising"
Casey, I hate the scarfs too. It looks like he's pooping it out. Haha.
Ooh I love this song by Muse! It's an excellent choice for him. I'm excited.
Wowsers, James is awesome. He really knows how to put on a show, and I can't wait to see him in concert. That song was practically made for him, arguably the best of his performances so far. His voice sounded great, and his intensity was great. (Oh James, yay!) I loved his transitions between the crazy high notes and then back to normal. That was very, very good and epitomized his talent.
The best part is that he's confident, but seems like a really cool guy. Especially since James hung out with Paul, it's upped his cred. He's my new pick to win.
I definitely agree with Jennifer and Randy, it will probably be the best of the night. And, yeah Steven, he's going in a T-Rex direction... Whatever the hell that means.

Haley Reinhart:
"An Adele Song"
Haha all the growling and the arm thing. I love James' comment, that made me laugh. By the way, it doesn't seem like the other contestants like Haley too much. Interesting.
Singing time. I definitely think Haley has found her niche. Oh my gosh I just remembered that I said I could see her as an Adele type! I am so good (seriously, I'm impressed with myself). You're welcome, Haley.
This song was great. The beginning was a little rough, but when it picked up, she did amazing. Her voice was perfect for this song, and I really liked the beat of it for her. Haley did a solid job, and I would definitely consider buying her Idol record for this one. You proved yourself, dear!
Good input from the judges, this time. She needs to establish herself apart from the artists she sings.

Jacob Lusk:
"Dance With My Father"
However could the deceased Luther look down on Jacob?
Hahaha he's the biggest diva!! Love it. I'm really digging these Idol montage opinion things (although I do wish they did this last week to see how much the others loved Paul).
Singing. Jacob is very off at the beginning, weird. This song is about praying?! Shocker! I don't know, I think this might have been Jacob's worst. But I'm feeling snarky right now. He bothers me.
Steven, who kissed you with that red lipstick? Ew. JLo says emotionally it was a great performance (so not vocally?). Randy says *if* you're here next week. Oh snap.
We miss the old Jacob who made it into the Top 24. He was so energetic and joyful, and he lost it. So sad.

I liked Ryan talking to Mark Ballas. We all know Pia was your favorite.

Cabrams:
"Hard To Breathe"
I love everyone wearing beards. I liked Casey wearing the beard and making fun of himself. This season of Idols is the best, they're all great (and frickin hilarious).
Holy cow Casey KILLED it. That was mind-bogglingly amazing. The beginning was awesome, with the almost spoken lyrics. Then he got really into it and sang amazing (plus his walking around the stage was hilarious to watch). He made this song very rock, and very Casey, it suited him perfectly. And when he scatted the harmonies of the guitar, I realized that's what I do whenever I listen to music. The best part? When he got all quiet and up in JLo's face and kissed her cheek. Priceless! Haha. He has so much fun up there. I have a renewed reason to watch American Idol!
Whoa Steven, there are children in the audience!
Oh my God...Ryan looks like an Amish Leprechaun. I am willing to bet $1 million that clip will be on The Soup.

Lucas Lanes:
"Closer" (this song annoys me enough as it is, great)
Lauren says he tries to be a lady's man. Hilarious. He's flirt with a piece of paper if he found out there was any estrogen in it. Jacob, funniest thing you've ever said.
"He looks like he could be a tool," says my mom. "Or if he could be on Jersey Shore," says my dad. That explains why I dislike him.
Okay, so first of all, why did Stefano decide to pick a song where he sings only 30% of the time? That was stupid. The beginning was terribly cheesy, that weird dance move was lame and creepy (remember to tone your flirtiness down). So after the beginning where he sang a verse, he danced around a lot and sang "Ohhh, yeah, ooooh." .... He should try to revive the boyband thing.
The judges...liked him? I thought this was about singing, not a lack thereof. I hope he goes home.

Lauren Alaina:
"Born to Fly"
Hahaha I love James and Casey making fun of her accent. And Scotty making fun of her talking a lot (who knew this guy was funny?).
Well...this wasn't Lauren's best song choice. It doesn't accurately showcase her talent and range. It's a little too hicky (in the words of my mom) for her. She could have picked other songs. Lauren should have done a Lady Antebellum song. Eh, I'm a tad disappointed. I was rooting for her since she was close with Paul.
On the upside, her outfit was very cute. But her tan was too orange. Again.
So, judges, this is supposed to be The Pimp Spot, and ya'll aren't doing that. But I definitely agree with JLo and Randy (not Steven, because I only understand what he says about 7% of the time).
I wish they had shown her sister/mom more! She's so fun and easy to mock.

So, worsters:
Jacob
Scotty
Stefano

That may or may not be my Bottom 3 for tomorrow.

Best:
James
Casey
Haley

They did really good tonight. My favorites were in that order. They were quite excellent!

Alright, America, time to rewatch my favorites (and some old Paul videos, I need my fix).
Toodle-ee-doo!

PS: Um... Steven?? "God says all men are created equal, but some are more equal than others." Then Randy says, "Yeah, that's me and Casey, right there." Do these two even know what that means??That's from George Orwell's "Animal Farm" and one of the pigs says, "All animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others." It was meant to degrade the other animals and used as an excuse to treat them terribly (like in the Soviet Union). So, not only was this not at all a compliment, it was a little rude to the other contestants, as well. Steven Tyler should have kept that tape over his mouth.

Recovery and P McD & Nikki Reed

Recovery

So, I've recovered from an upsetting episode of American Idol on Thursday night. Although, come Wednesday who knows how I'll feel. It was super hard to watch Paul McDonald leave the show (I cried, alright? I couldn't help myself), but reading his interviews and listening to his music have gotten me through these tough times.

I found it very interesting, though, that P McD felt like it was his time to go on Thursday. On Jay Leno, he even said he felt it was "time to cruise on out." Here is what he told TV Guide.

TV Guide Magazine: You said you had a feeling that it was your time to go.
McDonald: I did. I felt it in my gut. I felt like I had run my course. I tried to do these covers as good as I could, but it never really felt right. I was always kind of uncomfortable on the Idol stage just because it was out of my element. I really felt like I had gone as far as I could. Because I'm not the best singer. I'm a songwriter and an artist, and all these other people have amazing voices. So I could only go so far. And I knew it.  And I thought, I think this is the night. And I was happy with it. Lauren Alaina — she's like my little sister — she said, "Don't you say that, Paul. You ain't goin' nowhere. Please don't leave me."

Clearly Paul felt like he knew he was going home (which in my mind explains why he wore his Grand Magnolias shirt Thursday). I thought this was a rather endearing comment because he knew that these younger contestants have wanted to become a star via Idol for such a long time. Let's face it, Paul was here for the publicity and time to showcase his band, which was a great idea. I think it's awesome that he didn't want to take away from everyone else's shot at winning.
And I love that him and Lauren Alaina were like siblings, Paul is just awesome. Everyone seemed really upset that he was leaving, especially Lauren and Twitch. And America will miss him too!

Paul and Nikki

Naturally, this had to be discussed. All the rumors floating around the past few weeks were verified by Paul himself. Here's what he said during that huge press conference.

He confirms: He is dating Nikki Reed from the Twilight movies. He met her at the Little Red Riding Hood premiere a few weeks ago.  “Yep. Me and Nikki Reed are dating. It’s officially true. She’s super cool. She’s super smart, really cool girl. I’m happy with it. We’ve been hanging out here and there. We’re both pretty busy. It’s been fun so far.”

If he's happy, then I'm happy. As long as Nikki treats P McD well, then it's all good. Because he's still my Future Fiancè. (And I doubt Nikki would let Paul wear his black rhinestone cowboy suit to their wedding like I will. Pfft.)
But seriously, yay Paul. And he said he won't watch any of her Twilight movies, which is an added plus. Clearly he wants to like Nikki as a person, not as a celebrity. How adorable.

That's all for now, folks! I'll try and write another Idol review/recap this week, but it will most likely be very snarky with the loss of Paul.
Toodle-oo!

American Idol 4/14 Recap: The Night I Cried During Idol

I had a whole review written, but I've decided not to put it.
My heart is much too broken at the loss of Paul. This is ridiculous.
I need a moment of silence. Goodbye America.

Names of the Week

I've decided to even further indulge myself in my love of names and write about a different boy's and girl's name every week! I'll have fun with this.
This week, I'll do a theme (I may continue going with a different theme each week, but we'll see), and it's... *drumroll*
Shakespeare!
Yipee! So, let's get started.

Ophelia
Origin: Greek
Meaning: "help"
History: Ophelia was the name of the lovely (and suicidal) and mad lady in Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Her father was killed by Hamlet, the man she loves, and she goes mad. When her brother Laertes (also an excellent name) finds out, drama ensues. Ophelia eventually goes so mad that she drowns, but really commits suicide, in a lake.
This tragic tale of Ophelia may seem like a good reason to turn away from the name, but I'd have to disagree. I think that, although it's sad, this literary connection is a great one. Shakespeare always used such great names in tragic plays, and so many are underused.
Why you should use it: As mentioned before, the great literary connections are a major plus. Also, this name has such a pretty sound to it, feminine yet not fragile (if that makes sense). Ophelia could make an interesting alternative to Sophie, due to similar sounds, which is gaining in popularity. Plus, Lia and Ophie would be very cute nicknames.
Why you might not want to use it: I've heard of many people associating Ophelia to pedophelia, and other bad things that end in -ophelia. This could be a major turn off. Another reason, same as the plus side, the literary connection. Some just don't like that association.

Lysander
Origin: Greek
Meaning: "liberator"
History: One of the main characters in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Lysander is love with a woman who he shouldn't be with (isn't that always the case?). Lysander is in love with Hermia, unfortunately, Hermia's father disapproves of this relationship and wants her to marry someone else. Yet, true love prevails, and Lysander and Hermia escape to the forest to be together. Wow, that's true love. Only in literature...
Why you should use it: Obviously, the Shakespeare thing is huge. Plus, this older name has a new, fresh feel to it. The letter Y is all the rage (seriously, just take a gander at any misspelled name) and in this name it is used correctly. The sound of Lysander is so masculine, yet soft at the same time. It's a winner all around.
Why you may not want to use it: This lovely name may still feel old and stuck in the attic to some. Other than that, there are no negatives I can see.

So there's that! Ophelia and Lysander. Stay tuned, next week another name post shall come.

American Idol 4/13 - Top 9 Recap

American Idol Time!!

Alright Sports Fans (or Idol Fans), it's time for another episode of performances. I've got my pizza, and I'm ready to rock!

Paul McDonald:
"Old Time Rock and Roll"
First of all, that suit was awesome. When we get married, I'll let him wear it. Haha.
Next, HE KILLED IT!!! Paul seriously rocked this song out, he did an amazing job. I loved his interaction with the audience, playing the tambourine, his quirky dance moves, and his amazing voice! Part of the song was kind of gospel-y, which I loved, it's very him. He had fun, and so did the audience and I. Oh gosh I love this performance.
Seriously, Paul, if you keep this up every week, you could win this. Wow I'm so impressed. And, yes, Paul definitely left a smile on my face.
The judges were equally impressed. I love that Randy said it was the first song of the Paul McDonald concert.
I saw JP in the audience! :D
And yes, Ryan, I do love sax with Paul... Haha.

Lauren Alaina:
"The Climb" by Miley Cyrus... Lauren could easily do better than Miley. Heck, I could. And I guarantee Lauren will get all of the supporters of Pia's ballads.
Wouldn't it be awkward for the audience to stare at Lauren's back at the beginning?
I already like this better than Miley's, her voice is much more smooth and interesting. I love the variety of notes that Lauren is hitting, it works pretty well for her. She did a very superb job tonight. Miley Who? This was definitely the right song for Lauren to sing. Nice job, darling.
My only issue is Lucy Lovelace's bump-it-ified hair, her extreme eye makeup, and huge earrings.
JLo: "You don't need to steal anybody's votes, you'll get enough of your own." How sweet of her to say that!

Oh, Lauren's sister/mom is there! Ryan Seacrest made my day, "Whoa! Look at the volume in mom's hair." Haha priceless.

Stefano Langone:
Stefano, Paul is the great performer. Seriously, give it up homes.
"End of the Road" by... Eddie Murphy?
Oh lord I hate his smirks. Lucas Lanes is so boyband material, and he should change his name to what I call him.
This is a boring performance. Stefano's voice is nothing special to me. I just want him to go home. No one ever gets on his case for always singing ballads, so I will. Stefano, please stop singing ballads. Your voice is kind of high pitched, and now all I think of is Perfect Pia.
Look, Stefano can hit the notes (except that last one), but it wasn't exciting to me. I'm yawning.
Randy, "Yo, yo, yo dog, brother, homie, me and my best friend Juan Juan (??) from Boyz To Men is gonna text me. I'm cool."
Stop singing ballads, Mister.
Ryan, "Girls?" Cue the preteen squeal...and you know who votes for Stefano.

Alfred E. Neuman aka Scotty McCreery:
"Cross My Heart"
Going BACK to his country roots?! When did he leave them? He should have stuck with the other song.
Is it just me, or is Scotty getting more annoying each week? There he is, smirk-singing into his flute-microphone.
Look, Scotty's voice is good and he's always consistent...but I think that's the problem. Plus I hate the way he says his "P"s.
That wasn't his best performance. I was slightly bored, it was just too slow. I actually preferred watching his (what I'm sure was) drug-induced performance last week.
Come on JLo!! Be honest, Scotty was a snorefest.

Cabrams:
"Nature Boy"
Hmm... Jimmy seemed a little pissed at Casey's choice.
Ooh I love Casey's microphone and white bass.
Well, let's see, he has an interesting tone though, and I really liked it. Casey is an artist, as is P McD. They should collaborate!
Seriously though, Casey did a very good job tonight. The end was great, and you can feel Casey's love for this song. It was so interesting, and I really enjoyed this. Rock on, Cabrams! The save used on Casey was well worth it. Excelente, hombre.
Second "Moulin Rogue" relation? I've gained some respect for this guy. Yipee!

Haley Reinhart: (whoa, Haley looks better without her tan)
"Call Me" I think Haley could do well with this!
Haha my mom pointed out that she's dressed perfectly for this song, kind of like a hooker.
Anyway, onto the music. She didn't not live up to my expectations, I would say. No doubt, Haley did a good job, but it wasn't the best. In the clip beforehand, she sounded interesting. But, her performance wasn't great. I wish she would have stepped it up a bit.
Hmm, I also agree with Randy. And Jennifer. I don't want to see Haley go home.

Jacob Lusk:
"Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Jacob seems a little done with this competition. And his suit makes him look like he should be a preacher.
Look, I'm not a Jacob fan. He can hit the notes, but he annoys me. His facial expressions, and over dramatization of notes... It's VERY Broadway (not a bad thing), but not Idol.
"I know that there's a Higher Power that's there for me as well." Welp, I was right about the preacher thing. Hope that "higher power" or whatever gets you votes, man.
That's all.

James Durbin:
:o My second favorite! Gotta love Twitch.
"Heavy Metal"
Aww I love James! I love the passion he brings to his songs and choices. Seriously, he is awesome.
Holy frickin cow!! James brought all he had to the table and more. Excellent job, man! I love his versatility, his awesome voice, and his risk-taking.
Wowzers. In the words of Jennifer, he was "killing it dead." Wow Twitch did awesome! I'm so proud of him. He puts on a show every week. Love it.
That guitar guy was bizarre. But his guitar was awesome.

Overall:
This night was great! Seriously, tonight was very good.
So, The Bottom Three:
Haley
Stefano
Jacob
Say goodbye to Stefano, America.

I've decided Paul was the best of the night. I loved everything about it. The saxophone, his wacky dancing, his AMAZING voice, and him having fun. Wow Paul is doing better and better every week (which is his tactic, I'm sure).

That's all! Good night America! I'm off to vote.

American Idol! Top 8! Tonight!

I just had to post this. I'm super pumped.
My new Grand Magnolias shirt arrived this afternoon, which I will don to support my main man P McD.

Yeah, that needed to be posted. He's so darn cute and charming.
And he's rocking a new BLACK rhinestone cowboy suit! Paul's gonna look and sing his best, and America will be like "Whoa, who's that cool guy with an awesome voice? It's Paul McDonald? Wow, he is awesome!" (This will hopefully be the reaction everyone has.)

That was the only reason for this post.
I'll post my Idol recap/review after the show.
Ta-ta!

American Idol Top 9 Recap: From Pia Toscano to Paul McDonald

So, I'm a little late... But let's pretend I'm not. I'll really only be talking about Pia and P McD, and reminding you guys of the lovely nicknames I have given the Idols (and my family helped).

Bye, Bye Pia
So, as I'm sure most of America knows, the lovely (?) Pia Toscano was eliminated from American Idol last week. Was I surprised? Maybe a little bit, but there are some obvious reasons why she left:
a) She's kind of boring. She mostly sings ballads, and when she tries to add energy, she stand dances. That's the problem with performing in stripper heels (when that isn't part of your job). Did anyone see JLo try to get Pia to get into the song last week? I did.
b) She's unrelatable. Perfect Pia's perfect, glossy hair and perfect skin in the perfect shade of orange isn't necessariy relatable to voters. Would you want to have lunch with Pia? Me neither, she's a little too perfect, like Celine Dion.
and, c) She's not a cute boy. Let's just be honest, the only reason Stefano is still around is because girls think he's super cute (that doesn't include me). And quite frankly, that's not good at all. If girls vote based on looks and not talent, then we'll end up with Stefano as a winner! Pia, I'm sorry that you aren't a cute boy, that might have been your biggest downfall on the show.

P McD Rocks
Doesn't he? Hells yeah! Last week was seriously awesome. He rocked out "Folsom Prison Blues" and just did amazing. I love when he was playing the guitar then went over to that other guitar dude and started doing his crazy little dance while playing. It was quite cute and showed how he gets into the music.
The studio version was amazing. I love when his voice does that cracky, raspy thing. In the song, when he sings "Well I knew I had it coming," my heart melts. Seriously, Paul's voice sounds awesome there. I love his quirkines and uniqueness, Paul really is an artist. It's unfathomable to me that anyone COULDN'T like Paul (even though I do know friends who don't like them, we no longer speak).
Speaking of Paul! Go buy this song from his awesome band. The money goes to help Japan, and it's a great song.


Refresher: Idol Nicknames

Jacob Lusk = Baby Huey
My mom came up with this one. He looks like this big duck cartoon, apparently. It just makes me laugh.

Stefano Langone =Lucas Lanes
We call him this because he looks like an adult version of my brother's friend, who we call Lucas Lanes. It might not make sense to outsiders, but that's kind of how he's known here.

Lauren Alaina = Lucy Lovelace
My dad called her this once on accident, and I loved it! Haha so that's her new nickname. She's also Steven's Pet.

Scotty McCreery = Alfred E. Nueman
He looks JUST like the cartoon character on the cover of MAD magazine. Take a gander.

Yeah, that's Scotty. Or this is... (Anyone think he holds the microphone like he's playing a flute?)

Paul McDonald = P McD or My Future Fiancè
Self-explanatory. Paul is awesome. Here's a picture for you guys (you're welcome):

Love it!! :D

James Durbin = Twitch
Please be clear, this is a term of endearment. I love Durbin, he is awesome. And his tourettes are awesome (well, maybe not in his opinion). Check it.
Well, I can't find the pic I was looking for, so here's one of my Twitch and P McD (my two favorites).

Casey Abrams = Cabrams
I just really enjoy saying this. It's how his Twitter URL or whatever thing is, so I picked it up. Cabrams. It just sounds cool.

Haley Reinhart = ???
We don't really have a nickname for Haley. I tried Mariah Barbie for awhile, but that was stupid. Anyone have any ideas? (I love how I'm talking like I have multiple readers haha.)


Alright, America, there's my mini-ish recap. Enjoy, and come back tomorrow for more!
Ta-ta.

American Idol, Stephen Colbert, and so much more

Dear Reader (if you're out there),
Sorry I didn't blog last week, it was just too hard. But I'm back for a quick post. I'll talk about whatever I feel like talking about.

Paul McDonald
First of all, Nikki Reed? For reals? I'm not sure if this rumor is true or false (I'm going to assume it's false for my own benefit), but I'm a little hurt by Paul if it's true. Whether he knows it or not, he is my Future Fiancé and is bound to me for life. But maybe it's just for PR and he really doesn't like Nikki, which I'm fine with.
Secondly, I sent Paul that fanmail I discussed two weeks ago! He called it, and I quote, "One of the best fanmails ever." Check it out (although, knowing who reads this, you've already seen this or were with me when I saw it):
http://plixi.com/p/90360560
Yipee!
Third, I want to hear P McD sing "Brown-Eyed Girl." Can you imagine? The hearts of American girls - and boys! - would melt. That would be awesome.

Stephen Colbert
First of all, HE'S AWESOME! Seriously. If I could, I would spend a whole day with Stephen, he is that awesome.
Second! I quoted him twice today in an essay for English. I patriotically declared that the penny should not be abolished because of American pride! Stephen would be proud. I quoted him with these profound quotes: "George Bush - great president, or greatest president?" (Just so it's clear, I had no reason to put that part in my paper, I was just so on the patriotic ball that Colbert's words were practically flowing out of me. Plus, I got a kick out of writing that.) Then I used this in the conclusion, which I think should earn me an A, "I firmly believe that this nation is the most American country the United States has ever seen." BOOM! Mind blown? I think yes. Colbert is possibly the most patriotic man alive, and I hope to be half the awesome he is today. When this essay is returned to me, I may or may not send it to Colbert. I want his praise.
Thirdly... On his show yesterday, he showed a clip of Republican Jon Kyl saying that Planned Parenthood shouldn't receive government funding because 90% of what the services they provide is abortion! Wrong. As Colbert so greatly pointed out, abortion is 3% of what they actually do. Then Kyl's people released a statement saying "It was not intended to be a factual statement." ....What?!?! Then why did he say it? I hate how Republicans can blatantly lie to the American people, then apologize or retract their statement later, and it's all okay. That is truly idiotic.
Anywhoo, Colbert has posting statements about Kyl on his Twitter all day, then says "NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement." These are hilarious! A few of my favorites:
-"Jon Kyl is an accomplished nude hula dancer. He is not welcome in Hawaii. #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement"
-"Jon Kyl sponsored S.410, which would ban happiness. #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement"
-"Citing religious reasons, Jon Kyl refuses to utter the number 8. #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement"
-"Jon Kyl assassinated Archduke Ferdinand. #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement"

Haha! Colbert is awesome. I especially love the last one. My time in AP European History has helped me appreciate history jokes. I'll thank my teacher tomorrow.

Other Random Babblings
My cat squeaks. It annoys the crap out of me.
Watch "An Idiot Abroad." It is one of the funniest shows on television.
Today my friend and I decided that the worst part about summer is mosquitoes. Otherwise, summer is the bomb shizzle.
I hate Vote For The Worst. Do they really think P McD is the worst? Pfft.

Deep Thought of the Week
Why is socialism considered "bad" in America? Is capitalism really that great?

That's it for now. I think I'm going to try doing a "Deep Thought of the Week" every week. It may or may not really be a deep question. And I may or may not address my question later in the week.

Alrighty, toodle-oo!
Tune in tomorrow for my American Idol opinions!