tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79291592024-03-05T06:50:37.789-08:00The Magical Musical Messcapades of a Juicy Girl in L.A.Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-76456733762263813742019-02-16T02:05:00.002-08:002019-02-16T12:01:31.207-08:00LostNearly three years since I've been here...<br />
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I have since learned to cook.<br />
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Mostly.</div>
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It's edible.</div>
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Since then our country has been trapped in a nightmare partially of our own making, the making of power-hungry pigs, the making of a foreign adversary and the making of the dimwitted who dove willingly into the cesspool of cognitive dissonance.<br />
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That shit's a powerful drug.</div>
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Since then, I still struggle with letting go of my last brutal heartbreak. Instead, I have cocooned.<br />
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Since then, a fellow musician and (I thought) dear friend I loved very much told me how he/she really felt about me, completely dismissed my life-long struggle with depression and anxiety as if it isn't a real thing and wounded me deeply.<br />
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We haven't spoken again.<br />
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Since then I've sung publicly once.<br />
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I *think.*<br />
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My voice is trashed from continuous sinus infections and accompanying non-productive coughs. So I just...don't.<br />
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I can still teach because I'm a great fucking talker.<br />
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The good news is I've seen an allergist and <i>maybe</i> we'll finally get somewhere.<br />
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My baby sister had her first (and likely only) baby. Ruby Clementine. My Shmooberry. I absolutely worship her despite the fact that she's a full stop slobber and shit machine. I am so grateful that she is responsible for moving her mommy and daddy closer to me. I live for her smile and "baby walking dead" sounds.<br />
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My baby brother also had his first baby. Benjamin William (William after my grandfather). He is adorable. He has his daddy's curls, his mommy's blazing blue eyes and a perfectly round belly, so my nickname for him is Butterball B. They are clear across the country, so I haven't met him. They never seem to have time to Skype with me, as they're three hours ahead and busy with his wife's side of the family who are all right there nearby. It breaks my heart to pieces that my nephew may never know me. I'll just be "That aunt I have in L.A. that I've never met."<br />
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My other sister, who will hate me mentioning this, messed up her back really badly at work and is in the middle of all that recovery, healthcare, government, worker's comp drama. I am helpless. I can do nothing to make her life better or take care of her. Absolutely nothing.<br />
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Since the last time I was here, I screamed (censored) number of years worth of pain and anger at my mother (just a few weeks ago) and I've probably irreparably damaged whatever it was that we called a relationship.<br />
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I am remorseful that I hurt her, but I am not remorseful for the points I was making. Every accusation is the truth.<br />
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I grieve the mother I wanted so badly. The one who comforts, is proud of me, is happy to see me, that I can talk to about anything. But I never had that mother. She has never been my soft place to fall and I've finally given up that she ever will be. <br />
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And I'm sure she's given up wishing I'd be the daughter she wanted, too. I guess we'll both have to come around to being okay with that.<br />
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Dad and his wife seem to be okay. New retirement home that's like a cruise ship on land. There's something, I suppose.<br />
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Since then I had to put my DangerPickleKitty to sleep. It started with a bum thyroid and progressed from there. I just couldn't take care of him like he deserved. But I wouldn't let him suffer.<br />
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I swear I hear his little nails clicking behind me on the hardwood floors sometimes. I am free of the burden of caring for a pet I never would've chosen to have in the first place. <br />
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And I miss his sweet little face.<br />
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I am broken in ways I cannot explain. Physically, spirtually, emotionally, politically, intellectually, musically. I am desperate for healing. Desperate to find my way at long last. Desperate to change the belief. Desperate to succeed, to quit shooting myself in the foot, to stop sabotaging myself on every level. Desperate to leave this world a better person than I came into it, desperate to live a directional life, desperate to evolve while I'm here. Desperate to sing out loud, at 100% like I used to, full-throated, with impeccable technique and endless truth-telling, tearing it from my withered guts, forcing it from my misery-infested soul, regurgitating it from my utterly decimated heart...just so that I don't full on scream right now and never, ever stop.<br />
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My mother would tell me to stop being so dramatic. Of course.<br />
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But I can't. That's who I am.<br />
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Sleep.<br />
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Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-14949434940967744252016-03-12T13:03:00.001-08:002016-03-12T13:22:40.056-08:00Epiphany Soup<br />
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Soooooooooo...I'm a terrible cook. I mean that in a way that actually means I never <i>learned</i> to cook. When I was growing up, Mom had a lot on her plate as a very young mother (with eventually four kids) and whenever I asked to help, her response was something like, "Honey, it'll just go faster if I do it myself. Go read or something." I get that. Kids in the kitchen are A LOT. Hell, <i>I </i>was a lot. So...never really learned. I did weasle the family Italian meatball recipe out of her back in college though and I have since perfected them in my own special way (they are seriously the best...I get marriage proposals and everything...I don't think you're ready for this jelly), but outside of that I make a mean scramble, a kickin' egg salad (referred to as "crack salad" by some) and a chicken salad that'll clog your arteries (worth it). End of list.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My meatballs. ↓ See? Don't you wanna marry me?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34BGav7ULxPwg5cLE9nKUJ2F6MtNxzl8H3r4hCyhyHvvpBGKiHNgoiQr76wgMavgrnKQRhZLmN3QHEfl8Lpw0xNXrjpo9bOwHzEHiAVWKAeFSeSjKv9oW68rBs2Jpxn-dYp_T/s1600/920742_10154363092799338_826363543683613217_o.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34BGav7ULxPwg5cLE9nKUJ2F6MtNxzl8H3r4hCyhyHvvpBGKiHNgoiQr76wgMavgrnKQRhZLmN3QHEfl8Lpw0xNXrjpo9bOwHzEHiAVWKAeFSeSjKv9oW68rBs2Jpxn-dYp_T/s320/920742_10154363092799338_826363543683613217_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So last year (2015) my only New Year's resolution was: COOK MORE. And so I did. But this really broke down to grilled cheese, frozen pizzas, Uncle Ben's Ready Rice, Trader Joe's orange chicken and lots and lots of salads, for the most part. I am completely clueless when it comes to whipping up something easy and good for me from scratch. Knowledge of spices and what they're for outside of garlic salt, oregano, basil and crushed red pepper? Absolutely zero. And the irony? I'm actually the social media goddess for this awesome cooking web series: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/DishItOutTV" target="_blank">Dish It Out with Tony Spatafora</a>. Yeah. #wahwah</div>
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So 2016 is: COOK MORE WITH <i>REAL</i> FOOD. A lil history: by the time he was my age, my mother's twin brother had had a quadruple bypass. Their father passed away at 52 from his second heart attack (on Christmas Day - thanks for the memories, Grampie! ♥). I am a juicy girl (unapologetically) and in the past have done every unhealthy, dangerous diet in the book, including mutilating my innards with surgery, in an effort to conquer an old, desperate, misplaced need to be thin (barf). As a result, I not only yo-yo'd my weight by 100 pounds and back again more than once, but have managed to demolish my metabolism in the process. So, when I turned 40, I did start making significant efforts toward eating more balanced over all, severely limiting fast food intake and getting more exercise, but when one of my best friends in the whole wide world, only a week older than me, nearly died of a heart attack on this past New Year's Day, it was really a wake up call for me. While I'm proud of the changes I had already made with the intention of loving myself and for no other reason, I knew I could and needed to do better, because between my family history of heart disease, my effed up metabolism and making a living sitting in a chair 98% of the time, I am potentially looking at the same thing sooner or later. Combine this with the fact that the prior six months I had been a complete sloth, didn't care what I ate, didn't get off my butt and move, was a total couch potato throwing pity parties and not giving a rip that I was (for reasons I won't go into, but if you read back in this blog you might get some clues)...</div>
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...well...I was giving up. I needed an epiphany. Badly.</div>
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One Friday night, feeling sorry for myself that I was sitting home alone with my cat AGAIN (because my attempts at online dating have been laughable at best - but that's another Dr. Phil show), I suddenly got a wild hair and thought, "I am going to try and make Mom's chicken and rice soup. Right now. I have nothing else to do." I had bought a rotisserie chicken from the Ralph's that was terribly bland (Pickle wouldn't even touch it and he LURVES him some rotisserie chicken!) and didn't want to be wasteful and throw the whole thing away cuz 'Murica, but I knew I wasn't gonna eat it. So, I just went for it. Threw the whole thing, skin and all (minus the leg I ate) in a pot, loaded it with water, a can of chicken broth and the only spices I owned (read: three different kinds of poultry seasoning - <i>why do I own three different kinds and where did they come from???</i> - an Italian spice blend, garlic salt, pepper, lemon pepper and sage). The only vegetables I had in the house at the time were a bag of lettuce, a bag of spinach and some mini sweet peppers. So, I cut up the mini peppers and tossed them in. </div>
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I had NO IDEA what I was doing. Zero. But my house smelled AMAZEBALLS.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I will start being impressed by technology when they</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">start making computer screens scratch-and-sniff. ↓</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi725JIZiJcye6bAqUY2d8ZuVpq_do8A5-l_HJRgzDdBRQrp-7o8jN1TTLIL9YSWDYx2hDli95eSB3VmM9euXqMXepJ9NOY2Zr8fmcvCBak6Q72M5asekTzlpitKeDhm0ITBaFe/s1600/12440496_10207650606130631_7013122058282157600_o.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi725JIZiJcye6bAqUY2d8ZuVpq_do8A5-l_HJRgzDdBRQrp-7o8jN1TTLIL9YSWDYx2hDli95eSB3VmM9euXqMXepJ9NOY2Zr8fmcvCBak6Q72M5asekTzlpitKeDhm0ITBaFe/s320/12440496_10207650606130631_7013122058282157600_o.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
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After the chicken started falling off the bones and I spent an hour separating said bones out (Sweet Lord, there's gotta be an easier way - suggestions welcome), I made a BIG batch of brown rice - which of course, stuck to the bottom of the pan because rice is IMPOSSIBLE, PEOPLE - but 99.97% of it went into the soup. I let it all sit together for about 20 more minutes. Lots of stirring. Then I chopped up some spinach and threw it in mostly for color, cuz I'm creative like that (*cough*).</div>
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I was terrified. I had no idea what was going to happen. It sure looked and smelled beautiful...but how would it taste? I mean...I had NO proper ingredients in the house. I wasn't gonna get out of my pajamas and go buy what I needed, either. I was just driven to DO SOMETHING. ANYTHING. So, I did it.</div>
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And it looked like this: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00vJtIfVxMf0f1P4ItJeSpx8x7ZBtw-KAHfZNHHO4Nt7__x0R700AH24QZnbdwVRQF0xhGjuiJ2tp7m4mv7dpgJ40qUpZP4z0V6fiFq8J5LwjRefoBQ1VZv_IWU0TpNJSzvBM/s1600/12485902_10207650963699570_7573581152375350956_o.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00vJtIfVxMf0f1P4ItJeSpx8x7ZBtw-KAHfZNHHO4Nt7__x0R700AH24QZnbdwVRQF0xhGjuiJ2tp7m4mv7dpgJ40qUpZP4z0V6fiFq8J5LwjRefoBQ1VZv_IWU0TpNJSzvBM/s320/12485902_10207650963699570_7573581152375350956_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And somehow, by some Christmas Miracle, it tasted like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemgGhO1KbjpNd9Ts59oJ5hmvIkas7XhSVKoHE636mwSOwsTLfMMoN6-vv_Z9cCElqMFNUecRshxfnYr1ku_-NYeQUsuCvtshxHhNGg_ArEe2URRg2IjXCCK2u52nQOJuZfLpl/s1600/graphics-wow-123376.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemgGhO1KbjpNd9Ts59oJ5hmvIkas7XhSVKoHE636mwSOwsTLfMMoN6-vv_Z9cCElqMFNUecRshxfnYr1ku_-NYeQUsuCvtshxHhNGg_ArEe2URRg2IjXCCK2u52nQOJuZfLpl/s400/graphics-wow-123376.gif" /></a></div>
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Campers...I HAD MADE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING, which I haven't had the heart to even attempt in a long, long, loooooooooooong time (just ask me when the last time I wrote a song was. Go ahead. Ask). And it was delicious. And it was healthy. And I did it MYSELF. </div>
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Turns out, I might actually be able to cook.</div>
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Since then I have taken careful steps toward becoming Chef Darci. I am slowly building my spice collection. I have made buttloads of chicken stock to use instead of the canned kind. I made quinoa for the first time and it was a success (so much easier than rice AND more health benefits!). Yes, I paired it with Trade Joe's orange chicken because a) I'm still too scared to try a main dish yet and b) ain't gonna lie, that shizzle's tasty. ↓</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCAxM817pKPQFSHbMxsKOtq6PU8rC_T3WebBlaPNfHxWhvcKLDrHGWsMzPqx8rFdaAx5lpCZIumLMmYCo0_t8y3As1lN959SN5CmncSJzbEQIJdiSM6Tf7ANfp5BK3fOfjBiC/s1600/12747470_10207891159304310_3335579148827635601_o.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCAxM817pKPQFSHbMxsKOtq6PU8rC_T3WebBlaPNfHxWhvcKLDrHGWsMzPqx8rFdaAx5lpCZIumLMmYCo0_t8y3As1lN959SN5CmncSJzbEQIJdiSM6Tf7ANfp5BK3fOfjBiC/s320/12747470_10207891159304310_3335579148827635601_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Getting braver, I made quinoa again with chicken broth, garlic salt, minced garlic and my new favorite spice, turmeric (good for inflammation, I hear - and I'm a walking ball of it) and a side of fresh spinach, sweet peppers and onions sautéed in coconut oil, garlic salt, lemon pepper and again, turmeric (seriously, it goes in everything I can get away with now). Chicken is courtesy of Ralph's (much better than the bland one I made soup with, which turns out was a no added salt version and I didn't notice that on the bag when I bought it - but if I had...there never would have been EPIPHANY SOUP!)...and YES I KEEP THE SKIN ON. That and my coffee the way I like it will never change so shaddap. Anyhoo...OH EM GEE, were those side dishes DEELISH! The spinach/quinoa mix has now become a diet staple for me. Easy to make, loaded with nutrients and slap-yo-mama yummy! ↓</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpeDWd_6_XJw4jg_li2mWcw0k7CAQae7I6ZIyWjOfuEWMjx9T1VqEV61KmnuUIFPAHu8CYbNQbMgHh7lj7Iu68E5Xks1R5aeDCckT7SdFjQli8Z4gdLHqYQxNb6D-e8kRg4NK/s1600/12771840_10208011606075404_4572270497145271594_o.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpeDWd_6_XJw4jg_li2mWcw0k7CAQae7I6ZIyWjOfuEWMjx9T1VqEV61KmnuUIFPAHu8CYbNQbMgHh7lj7Iu68E5Xks1R5aeDCckT7SdFjQli8Z4gdLHqYQxNb6D-e8kRg4NK/s320/12771840_10208011606075404_4572270497145271594_o.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
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For the record, the first main dish I will be attempting to make is this mega delicious <a href="https://youtu.be/NW0WWaltl7o" target="_blank">blackened ahi tuna sandwich</a> I had the privilege of tasting in person on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZtMjBmLexJdu1gR3Dzro7g" target="_blank">Dish It Out</a>, as soon as I have gathered all the spices I need for their lip-smackin' <a href="https://getdish.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/dish-it-outs-blackening-seasoning-recipe/" target="_blank">blackening seasoning recipe</a>. Although I will probably just eat it fresh out of the brand new little cast iron skillet a sweet friend gave me because it's just that yummy on its own!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Trust me, this is Tony's handiwork, NOT mine (yet)!↓</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmdda4EiYeWrXzANtPMmvtlvj0YQRg-5bw5c98ElBxwj3Jw9c_PGud6SUW5e_3VBvPmafnodYa2flbbpc-X2J1yimvCfAuKQ4EmuzDzcGRCqc7m_W-jq9sQjm66vhStAlJp85/s1600/2015-10-11-09-26-05.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmdda4EiYeWrXzANtPMmvtlvj0YQRg-5bw5c98ElBxwj3Jw9c_PGud6SUW5e_3VBvPmafnodYa2flbbpc-X2J1yimvCfAuKQ4EmuzDzcGRCqc7m_W-jq9sQjm66vhStAlJp85/s320/2015-10-11-09-26-05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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But today...today...on my first day off in two straight weeks...I will attempt a complete sacrilege. Because my aim is to make delicious dishes that are also heart-healthy, I will be trying my hand at making MY FAMOUS MEATBALLS with - *gulp* - ground freakin' turkey instead of the ground beef and *secret ingredient meat of epic deliciousness proportions* that I normally use. See? A SACRILEGE!!! This means that to make it taste good, or to remotely honor my Italian roots at all, I will have to play with spices more so than I do with my original recipe. Oh, my God...I'm feeling light-headed at the thought. I don't really think you people realize how this crushes my ego to use ground turkey in ANYTHING, let alone <i>MY MEATBALLS.</i> But I shall prevail! I shall make them DELICIOUS, so that every once in a while I can have a little indulgence that will carry me through to Italian Christmas with my sister, or a party with friends, when I bust the REAL ones out.</div>
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So, anyway...I think I've rambled on enough and you're probably wondering what the actual epiphany is, other than the possibility that I might not be entirely hopeless in the kitchen after all. Basically it was: got fat rump off couch, did something that scared me, created something from nothing...and DIDN'T FAIL for once. I really, REALLY needed that. I needed to create, I needed it to WORK and mostly, I really needed to do something loving for myself because I hadn't in so very long. And taking care of my body - in ALL its juiciferous splendor - and doing it deliciously is LOVING MYSELF. I can live with that.<br />
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Well, off I go to try the turkeyball experiment. If it works, no doubt I will post an update. Cross your fingers! </div>
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<br />Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-5802013566674286022016-01-06T11:45:00.000-08:002016-01-06T11:45:50.902-08:00This MomentIn this moment I curse your name. I hurl verbal fireballs of anger, weave a tapestry of obscenities, shake my fist at the sky, quake with powerful rage.<br />
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In this moment my hatred for you is palpable, my disgust virulent, my contempt seemingly boundless. Good riddance. Good fucking riddance indeed.<br />
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In this moment I feel strong, determined, positive that I can finally cut this cord and move on, cast you aside for the weak, spineless bastard you were and probably still are, knowing that what I deserve is so much more and that I will find it sooner than later. <br />
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In this moment I know that with Truth there is no wondering, no questioning, no interminable silences, no evanescing back to a world in which I am not good enough to join you. When Truth comes it is easy, simple, unmistakable and breathes life into the soul. It is fully present, steadfast, connected, wholly aware. The ground grows firm beneath my feet and I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it will not crumble under me.<br />
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In this moment I am who I was before you; a strong, confident woman with much to offer, with a giving heart, huge and open, accepting and hopeful, tender and ready to blossom freely under the showers of possibility. <br />
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In this moment I am a warrior. I am indefatigable. I am powerful. I am myself again. I am ready to relight. I am ready to revive.<br />
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Until this moment when I crawl into my bed, now cold and empty, alone, without you, again, forever.<br />
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And I disintegrate.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>#4DB</i></span>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-20969025135726880452015-02-14T06:57:00.001-08:002015-02-14T10:18:19.608-08:00Missed Connections<div style="text-align: justify;">
On this Valentine's Day, </div>
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May you feel the love you never allowed me to give you. </div>
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May you know somewhere in the deep, hidden recesses of your heart that it would have been real, genuine and freely shared without condition. </div>
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May your subconcious cause you to smile for what you think at the moment is no reason, but is really the warmth of me wishing you well and desiring your complete happiness. </div>
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And I hope that tonight you are wrapped in the arms of someone you truly want, and who truly wants you, and that you are not feeling the emptiness that comes with could've beens.</div>
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As for me, I will simply be grateful that our stars brushed against each other briefly on their paths through the Universe to our truest joy.</div>
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#Agápe<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-49053828631134228452015-01-10T21:44:00.002-08:002015-01-11T12:04:09.460-08:00Ushering in 2015<div style="text-align: justify;">
I honestly don't know where this particular blog post is going to end up. I have had a humdinger of a year and I just might be going through a mid-life crisis of sorts. Actually, whether it has to do with my age, I don't honestly know, I just know that I seem to be at a major crossroads in my life and something has to be done about it, because I cannot continue to feel the way I have been and survive. It's that simple.</div>
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Much about 2014 was good. I did a lot of singing and getting back on stage, as always starting with the <a href="https://www.namm.org/" target="_blank">NAMM show</a> in January with my dear friend and fellow diva <a href="http://debbyholiday.com/" target="_blank">Debby Holiday</a>. As a wonderful bonus I also got to see my friend Mary there, with whom I used to work in Nashville at <a href="http://www.bmi.com/" target="_blank">BMI</a>. I honestly don't think either of us could tell you when the last time we saw each other before that was, so it was a real blessing to have even a short time together.</div>
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↓ Debby, me and Mary at NAMM in Anaheim. ↓</div>
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Next was a long, hot summer of "Chew On This," a musical/cabaret show-type vehicle starring and written by my good friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gilmore.rizzo?fref=ts" target="_blank">Gilmore Rizzo</a> which featured bubble gum pop tunes from the 50's through the 70's. We revived this show from a few years ago at the French Market. This time we did a weekend of shows in Palm Springs in July and then a six week run at the NoHo Arts Center in August and September. The music was vocally challenging, the cast and band was full of wonderful people I enjoyed working and spending time with and Gilmore wrote me a part that truly showcased my strengths as a singer and comedic actor. As with any independently produced show, we had some bumps along the road, but overall, it was a wonderful experience and I am grateful for it. AND my friend Tiffany got to come in from Canada to see it! She also brought me a bag of Canadian goodies. My kinda friend. </div>
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↓ The cast of "Chew On This" in Palm Springs ↓</div>
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↓ l to r: Gilmore Rizzo, Barbara Shane, Jessica Buda and moi. ↓</div>
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After that I was invited to do a three song set at <a href="http://www.oilcanharrysla.com/" target="_blank">Oil Can Harry's</a> for Lori Donato's Sunday Jam, which happens the second and third Sunday of every month. My long time friend and piano man extraordinaire Rob Bowers accompanied me on "Stuff Like That There," "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "I Keep It Hid." You can see the videos from that on my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/darcimonet" target="_blank">YouTube page</a>.</div>
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↓ Flyer for Lori Donato's Sunday Jam ↓</div>
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Nursing a broken heart, I needed to keep myself busy and distracted after that. So, I booked a free vocal master class in November, which went aces (I plan to do another one soon) and followed it up with a webcast concert called "Christmas at Darci's," on <a href="http://www.concertwindow.com/" target="_blank">Concert Window</a>. The aforementioned Rob Bowers was my musical director and accompanist, my awesome friend Marie Pettit was my on-camera chat room moderator (and changed Christmas hats like Cher changes costumes in concert), her husband (also my awesome friend) Chris Gregson ran the camera, and we had a tiny handful of people in my living room to give it a "live" feel while everyone else across the country logged in to watch on their computers and other handy-dandy tech devices. It was so much fun and, I think, a smashing success. I'm very excited to do another one soon.</div>
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↓ Flyer for "Christmas at Darci's" ↓</div>
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↓ Me and Rob after the show. ↓</div>
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I also wrote , recorded and released a single for download on my website, "December Come Around." It was the first song I'd recorded in five years, the first Christmas song I've ever written and the first song I'd written without a co-writer since I lived in Nashville (so, we're talking at least 14 years, if not longer). I'm very proud of it and hope to pitch it this year (to Carrie Underwood or Jennifer Hudson, if a girl can dream). You can still get it on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/december-come-around-single/id954945216" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, if you missed it.</div>
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↓ Album cover for "December Come Around" ↓ </div>
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Also, back in May I took a trip out to Fort Lauderdale to visit my dad and his wife and had a wonderful, relaxing time. </div>
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↓ Con mi Padre celebrating my birthday. ↓</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnAkfF8pDJSnNKDukOsWB0Ct_zJMALY_mYgFZnLR3lQRtbOV5wwQttEhVURuDb3vdE9enggoR4LBpoL1KYJ51MG6M5fPuWwU5zsmfqrkHP0qysarsiXEy54MBQ1DlFDzMR8CK/s1600/medad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnAkfF8pDJSnNKDukOsWB0Ct_zJMALY_mYgFZnLR3lQRtbOV5wwQttEhVURuDb3vdE9enggoR4LBpoL1KYJ51MG6M5fPuWwU5zsmfqrkHP0qysarsiXEy54MBQ1DlFDzMR8CK/s1600/medad.jpg" height="309" width="320" /></a></div>
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My baby brother just got engaged (wedding coming up in May)...</div>
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↓ The Travster and my future seester-een-law, Laura. ↓</div>
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...and my cousin Jenny had her first baby in November... ↓</div>
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...oh, and I mustn't forget that I had my first trip to Disneyland ever, courtesy of Gilmore Rizzo. At Christmas, even! ↓</div>
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Sounds like a pretty good year, right? Lots of good, good stuff. <img alt="smiley Thumbsup" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/thumbsup.gif" /></div>
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Well, in the midst of all that:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">I got my heart smashed to bits. I mentioned that in <a href="http://darcimonet.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-prayer-of-release.html" target="_blank">my last blog post</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">I lost several loyal students due to various reasons; one which I had to make the decision to drop because his mother made me hassle her for payment every month. Yuck. I cannot seem to keep enough students to survive, ever, even though I know I'm very good at what I do. Other friends of mine who are coaches have waiting lists...and for some reason I do not. I feel like I've tried lots of different things to get my name out there but nothing has worked. My students apparently don't tell anyone they're even taking voice lessons let alone who from, even while singing my praises to my face. So, word of mouth hasn't worked, either.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">When I did my Christmas webcast, I did it mostly with my Nashville and New York peeps in mind, because they're always squawking about how they miss hearing me sing or they wish they could make it to my shows but for where they live. I also thought this would be a great idea because people don't actually have to leave their homes and go anywhere, which in L.A. is a big deal. This saves them exorbitant parking fees, food/beverage requirements and travel time. Though I still feel it was a success overall, it was still really disheartening that the majority of people who logged in to watch were Californians and primarily <i>not</i> the people who are the loudest about wishing they could see me perform. Also, people complained that it was too complicated (it wasn't - if you can manage Facebook, you can manage Concert Window - my mother managed and if she can, anyone can). None of my extended family logged in.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">I sold exactly 13 downloads of my new single. That's One. Three. And not a single one to anyone who's said to me in the past, "Why don't you put some new music out?" "It's time for you to record something new." "Why don't you ever record anymore?" Not a single download to anyone in my family, save for my sister Mandi. It cost 99 cents. I know, I asked people to break the bank. <i>*note sarcasm*</i></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">I have completely lost the joy of singing because I cannot seem to recover my voice to its former range and strength due to years of fighting sinus infections that produced a violent cough that made me lose my voice. While I seem to have found a way to keep the cough at bay now, I don't have what I used to, I don't sound like I used to, my instrument is not nearly what it used to be, which was what made me unique, and it's now so much effort to produce sound that it's not an enjoyable thing to do anymore. I never know if I can count on my voice, so booking something like "Chew On This" was a terrifying leap of faith. I don't feel comfortable trying to book other gigs because I don't know if my voice will be there on that given day. </li>
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All of these are facts of what happened this year, all of which have led me to a place in which I'm asking myself, "What's the point?" Nothing I mentioned above is meant to lay a guilt trip on anyone personally (and I really mean that - okay at this moment I don't mean it for the heartbreaker, I kinda want him to choke on it), but I must wonder truly, what is the point of anything I try to do, when I can look back over the course of my entire life and career (if you can even call it a career) and feel like every attempt I've ever made at anything - music, work, relationships, certain friendships and business partnerships, et al - has failed miserably? When it seems like no one could possibly give less of a shit in supporting me? I have so many regrets I've lost count. So many "almosts" and "whatifs" and "couldashouldawouldas." A longtime friend of mine once said to me, "No one works harder than you and is more unsuccessful at it." He's right. </div>
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He's absolutely right. <img alt="smiley 1zvbb13" src="http://i2.tinypic.com/1zvbb13.gif" /></div>
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I also had another longtime friend - who does not live here - tell me I've done nothing to get anywhere in my career. At which point I told him to stop effing talking if he wanted his nose to stay in the same place it is currently. <img alt="smiley Fu" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/fu.gif" /></div>
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So, there's that, too. How many more of you think that about me, I wonder?</div>
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But more importantly, <i>things</i> aren't the point. I work from home, which I've wanted to do for years and I enjoy my work. It is a blessing. I live in a great apartment that I love. I have wonderful friends all over the country. I love my family and can't wait to be with them all in May. Can't beat the weather here in SoCal most of the time. I felt my heart open up for the first time in years, when I didn't think it was possible for that to ever happen again. I consider that a damned miracle, despite the beating it took afterward. My family and friends are all healthy, except my Mima who is suffering from dimentia, but she's had a good, long life and possesses the constitution of an ox so she'll probably still be around for a while. I have everything I need. I want for nothing that matters. My fridge is full. My bank account is not, but I can keep a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my table and the lights on...besides I don't care about being rich.</div>
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And yet, something is missing. Something is <i>always</i> missing. To the point where just about a week ago I was sitting on my bed, bawling my eyes out and asking no one listening, "Did I have a twin die in the womb that Mom never told me about or something? Why do I feel like a part of me is missing? Why do I feel so empty?" Indeed, why have I <i>always</i> felt so empty, no matter how good my life is or how spiritual I am at any given moment or where I've lived along the way? All the work I've done on myself the last few years to think positively and choose joy seems to work for a New York minute and then burns out like the end of a match. When I was growing up in an evangelical household, I don't recall ever truly feeling God's presence in my life or heart. Never once, no matter how much scripture I read and memorized or how often I prayed. I have never in my life experienced any lasting contentment, let alone happiness. I have always felt like I'm never good enough, smart enough, talented enough, pretty enough, thin enough, funny enough, spiritual enough, obedient enough, financially stable enough, sexy enough, interesting enough, worthy enough, worthy enough, worthy enough, worthy enough, worthy enough, worthy enough...............</div>
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Something in me is desperately broken and I have to figure out what it is, or as I said, I will not survive. Don't worry, I'm not suicidal or anything like that, but I do worry that if I cannot make my way out of the level of despair I've been in lately, I will give up entirely. I will just beach myself on my couch and never get back up again and people in lab coats will have to break down my door and drag my comatose ass away to the funny farm where I will spend the rest of my days staring out a window and drooling on myself (should this happen, call my sister Jodianne to make arrangements for Pickle, please. Appreesh). </div>
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↓ DangerPickleKitty ↓</div>
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I visited a psychic the other day, one whom I've seen several times, the wonderful <a href="http://www.pebooks.com/so/tysa/" target="_blank">Tysa Goodrich</a>. You know when you've found a good one when you leave feeling like you've had a life coaching session instead of just "having your cards read" (note: if you're one of those who thinks psychics are a joke or of the devil, you can cram it - frankly, I'm not really in a place to be tolerant of your closed-minded, fear-mongering nonsense at the moment). In discussing some of these feelings I'm having currently, she had some amazing insights for me regarding the work I need to do on myself to get out of my crud. She brought up abandonment issues, confidence issues, self-love/hate issues, addiction issues, etc., etc., all of which I have been keenly aware for years and thought I had worked through. </div>
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Apparently I haven't. <img alt="smiley Ohwell" src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif" /></div>
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She said, "I feel like something in you has died. When I see you in your younger years, your late teens and early 20's, you had such a fire in your belly. You were fearless and gung ho. But now...it's like someone or something just snuffed you out. And you've been this way a long, long time. You have a very wounded, lonely little girl inside of you and you need to deal with her or nothing's going to change. And my God, you're expectations are <i>so low!</i>"</div>
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This of course, made me burst into tears because I knew she was right. I'm so used to feeling like a failure that I have absolutely lowered my expectations in every aspect, thinking I'll be ecstatic if just one teensy little thing ever goes right but if I dare dream for more it'll tear a hole in the time-space continuum and destroy the universe entirely. My dreams have been small for a very long time. They basically consist of: 1) survive, 2) survive and 3) survive. And I have put a happy face band-aid on for so long, trying to force myself to choose happiness and feel good just because I was SAYING I was happy and I felt good. It didn't work when Jesus was my band-aid and it's not working now. </div>
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FOLKS, THERE IS NO BAND-AID.</div>
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That is not to say that you can't change your life when you change your thoughts. Amazing things have happened as a result of my deciding that I would no longer live by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy%27s_law" target="_blank">Murphy's Law</a> and actively participate in hating myself. Definite blessings have followed, more so than in any other time of my life.</div>
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However, I simply think I am at a point where I have to dig deeper, down to the junk, the mess, the sludge and bile and acidic goop, walk into the shit storm, look the dragon in the eye and slay that hideous bitch once and for all. I need to see a professional who can help me do that and possibly find a spiritual teacher to work in tandem. Likewise, I need to learn more about being an <a href="http://annasayce.com/signs-that-youre-an-empath" target="_blank">empath</a>, which I've suspected I am for years, but Tysa confirmed for me recently (I like to joke that it's the least useful and most annoying of the sensitive gifts, just sucking up other peoples' emotions. Why can't I just see dead people? I can <i>do</i> something with that. <img alt="smiley Eyes" src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eyes.gif" /> ). It has much bearing on my inability to let things go like others can, I think particularly when it comes to romance. </div>
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All that said...you may be thinking, "What a Debbie Downer," or "What an ungrateful bitch," or "She ought to try having cancer." Yup to all of it and so sorry to make <i>you</i> feel uncomfortable. But my journey is my journey and my pain is my pain and it affects me uniquely and I'm not apologizing for it. I'm very, very weary of pretending it doesn't exist. I hate it and I want it soothed, healed, dispersed, obliterated. Okay...that's not realistic. Life is what it is and there will always be bumps in the road. I'm just trying to keep from driving entirely off the cliff at the moment, because that's what it feels like.</div>
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In closing (yes, I hear your sighs of relief)...this year is going to be a lot of work for me. And I'm going to be documenting much of it here. It's honestly my last attempt to make something of myself and my life - meaning to feel good about it and myself and be content in it and with myself - before choosing to pack up and move back home to little old Johnstown where I will shrivel up and die alone with my cat. If you choose to follow along on my journey, thank you. Maybe it can be of help to you.<br />
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Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-79431067462993604982014-10-07T20:15:00.001-07:002014-10-08T09:18:10.842-07:00A Prayer of Release<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's been a long time since I blogged. Time constraints, a lot of work that requires bunches of typing and nothing to really say have kept me away. But I see myself getting back to it, as expressing myself through words seems to help me maintain my sanity. </div>
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Recently I have found myself heartbroken, for the first time in YEARS. I will not go into detail for many reasons, one of which is to honor the privacy of my aforementioned heartbreaker, because he's not a bad guy, he just missed the mark. But that said, I am working through my healing process slowly and in my effort not to allow this experience to make me bitter, jaded or too scared to try again, I needed to write this prayer...to him. So, here it is.</div>
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I know you did the best you could with the self-awareness you had at the time. I know you have fought battles that have nothing to do with me which have shaped you and how you related to me. I know that it's difficult in our world to be a man and let go of what you were taught were signs of weakness. Though you hurt me deeply, for these reasons I don't want to punish you for it. Honestly, I think the fortress you've built around your heart is punishment enough. </div>
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Rather, I want to thank you for showing me what I want, need and deserve for myself. I want to thank you for showing me a tiny glimpse of what is eventually possible. I want to thank you for reawakening my heart, which was so very cold for so very long; I wasn't sure it was even capable of openness ever again. Because of you, I know that it can be.</div>
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I thank you for holding me hard and tight, for kissing me with tenderness and intent, for showing me with your touch the things you'd be damned to ever admit to me aloud. I know those moments were real, sacred, all mine, all ours, and they forever will be. I will never forget them...or even try.</div>
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Though it was all too brief, I am grateful for the gift of having known you and for the place you hold in my life - and now in my history. I thank you for being the teacher my soul needed, to teach me the lessons I needed, all which are to come, within Divine timing. </div>
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I will - and do - miss you fiercely. And it will be a while before that's no longer the case.</div>
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I forgive you. I forgive myself for not following my gut and therefore allowing myself to get hurt in the first place. I cannot blame you for my own mistakes. I hope you will eventually forgive yourself, too, in whatever way you need to. And if you need to forgive me, I hope that you can do so. </div>
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And now I release you to your own path. I release you from my heart, my mind, my body, my very soul, and I lift you up in Love and Light for nothing but your greatest good. I wish you peace and contentment of heart. I sincerely, honestly wish you well, to experience a blossoming of awareness and healing so that you may lead a beautiful, fulfilling life. My wish for you is to one day experience a whole, complete Love that you will fully allow yourself to accept...to do so without fear and with reckless abandon because you are assured a soft place to fall.</div>
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And I am hopeful that one day we can both think back on our time together with gratitude, warmth and a smile, knowing that once we had been good for each other.</div>
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And so it is.</div>
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<i>"And if I built this fortress around your heart</i></div>
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<i>Encircled you in trenches and barbed wire</i></div>
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<i>Then let me build a bridge </i></div>
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<i>For I cannot fill the chasm</i></div>
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<i>And let me set the battlements on fire."</i></div>
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<i> ~Sting</i></div>
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Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-40405188779707365202013-01-22T23:07:00.000-08:002013-01-22T23:41:25.494-08:00Gloria Had An Abortion! Par-tay!<div style="text-align: justify;">
So a beloved friend of mine who is pro-life posted an article written by another pro-life activist who was bitching about this picture:</div>
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I stopped reading the article as soon as the writer mentioned "the emasculation of men" due to feminism (total b.s.) and dogging on birth control (seriously? how do you expect there to EVER be fewer abortions if you're also anti-birth control?).</div>
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But this I'll give the writer. Ms. Steinem's tee shirt is quite possibly the most offensive, selfish, tactless, inappropriate, hateful, hurtful, UTTERLY DISGUSTING thing I have seen in a long time. I'm so pissed off by it that I actually broke out my blog because I knew a simple Facebook status update wasn't going to cut it.</div>
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First of all, I admire Ms. Steinem for much of her life's work. Without trailblazers like this woman, many of us wouldn't enjoy the freedoms we have today. She continues to fight for women to be treated as equals to men in our country - really, the world - which is an absolute necessity. Men stand to lose NOTHING when the women they love are strong, secure, educated, productive members of society. Emasculation - ha. We teach others how to treat us. "No one can make me feel inferior without my consent," said Mrs. Roosevelt.</div>
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Second, as a die hard centerist, I am a person who struggles with the pro-life vs. pro-choice argument. I absolutely positively believe that life begins at conception and will do so until some scientist comes up with definitive proof that it doesn't. Abortion therefore, to me, is straight up murder. So to that end, I lean pro-life. However, I'm also not a meat puppet whose life the government may manipulate. Nor is any other woman. I don't need Uncle Sam's nose in my uterus. Particularly in cases where there has been extraordinary emotional or physical trauma or a life is threatened. It is not my place to make anyone else's major life choices for them. So to that end, I lean pro-choice. It's a sticky sitch.</div>
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I have always gotten irritated when one side re-names the other just to be disrespectful. I hate it when I hear a Pro-Choice person call a Pro-Life person an "Anti-Abortionist." They want to be called Pro-Life, call them Pro-Life. I PARTICULARLY hate it though when a Pro-Lifer calls a Pro-Choicer a Pro-Abortionist. Because I don't know a single Pro-Choice person who is FOR abortion. Not a single one. Every adult Pro-Choice person I've ever talked to seems pretty aware that choosing to abort is a very serious decision, one that could possibly result in destroyed relationships, future health consequences and a lifetime of regret. </div>
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Everyone except, it appears, for Ms. Steinem here. For her, it's apparently just another Tuesday. "Oh, I had an abortion, woopdeedoo! You should try it, too!"</div>
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Seriously? THAT is the message young girls should see? We should be teaching them, "Oh, no worries...if I get pregnant I'll just get an abortion" instead of being responsible about their sexual activity in the first place? Of course accidents can happen in the best of circumstances, but I'm not talking about that. And teenagers won't see that. They just see a famous, pioneering woman cavalierly supporting abortion as birth control like it's no big deal.</div>
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BUT IT <i>IS</i> A BIG EFFIN' DEAL.</div>
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For women who have had abortions and regret them later - THE CALLOUSNESS IS OFFENSIVE.</div>
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For women who've had no choice but to have an abortion because their health was in danger and forever mourn the child they never had - THE CALLOUSNESS IS OFFENSIVE.</div>
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For the women who've had one because they were raped, especially if they never would've considered having one under any other circumstance - THE CALLOUSNESS IS OFFENSIVE.</div>
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For the women who disagree with abortion for religious reasons (whether you agree with it or not) - THE CALLOUSNESS IS OFFENSIVE.</div>
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For women who are desperate to have a child but cannot get pregnant and the gay couples who are desperate to start their own families but have no other way - THE CALLOUSNESS IS OFFENSIVE.</div>
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For the men who would have done right by their girlfriends and been great dads but were given no say in the matter - THE CALLOUSNESS IS OFFENSIVE.</div>
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For people like me who like to maintain that no one on either side of any issue is pure evil - THE CALLOUSNESS IS OFFENSIVE. And you make it impossible for me to have your back.</div>
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I love a good debate, and I have understanding for both sides of this particular one for the reasons I've already stated above, but when you figuratively stick your middle finger up at the people with whom you disagree and MAKE THE CONSCIOUS CHOICE to taunt their values, especially your own sisterhood, then I'm gonna give you serious crap about it. It's unacceptable. Part of being a real feminist, if you ask me, is to allow women to do and think HOWEVER they like, BECAUSE WE CAN, even if you wouldn't do or think the same yourself. A woman who chooses to stay home to raise her children should be considered just as much of a feminist for making that choice as a woman like me who consciously chose not to marry or have children in favor of her career. Shouldn't you, Ms. Leader of All Things Equality, have figured that out by now? Is that not what you've been fighting for all these years?</div>
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Shame on you, Gloria. That tee shirt doesn't make you a feminist. It makes you an insensitive jerk.</div>
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<br />Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-24366005958555780112013-01-02T23:52:00.001-08:002013-01-03T01:25:53.483-08:00Lucky 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
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Well...I don't think I'm the only one who can say that 2012 was the fastest year of my life. It seems just yesterday <a href="http://darcimonet.blogspot.com/2012/01/please-sir-can-i-have-some-more.html" target="_blank">I was blogging about welcoming it</a> because 2011 was such a stink pile of death and loss. I am very pleased to say that 2012 may not have started out on the most positive of notes, but it has ended with joyfulness and hope for what 2013 will bring. I am very excited for Lucky 2013! But please allow me to share how I got here...because <i>you know</i> there's a crazy messcapade of a story...</div>
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Last year started out with new neighbors, who moved into the apartment previously occupied by my friend Matt (may he R.I.P). An older gentleman, seemed nice enough, said he was gone to work from 7am till about 10pm. No kids, just him and his cat. Perfect! I take his application, everything moves along, a few weeks later he moves in. And his deadbeat of a daughter. And <i>her </i>two young daughters (10 and 2, respectively). And his three cats. Into a tiny 400 square foot one bedroom apartment. Naturally, utter chaos ensues. Screaming toddler. Screaming, verbally abusive mother. Sketchy looking people I don't know on the property at all hours of the day and night. Grandpa's hard of hearing and blasts his porn through the window at decibel eleven so the people across the damned street can tell what he's watching. This is all on top of the constant airplanes overhead, sirens, squealing tires, blaring horns and motorcycle engines, dozens of neighborhood dogs barking at once, helicopters overhead flying so low it rattles the windows, punk teenagers hooting and hollering up and down the street at 2am, Sanford & Son on one side of our building sorting cans and bottles through the day and night, the business on the other side constructing film sets in the parking lot and renting the space out for parties at night, and Farsi dude five houses up playing his music so loud that I couldn't hear my tv (this doesn't count the occasional transformer blowing, random gunshots or the seasonal illegal fireworks displays).</div>
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I was so depressed. The tiny little home I'd loved for so long was becoming a horrible, miserable prison. I didn't understand why, when I had purposely been giving thanks in advance to God <i>every day</i> for bringing me the PERFECT person during the rental process, that He would send me these train wrecks. I was also fighting tooth and nail every day to keep Matt's yard alive and failing pretty miserably at it because I don't know what I'm doing and he didn't exactly leave instructions. My attitude was suffering and my business was suffering as well. One look at where I lived and people would think, "No. She must not be a very good voice coach if she lives like this. Next." And I didn't blame them.</div>
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But one day in late August one of my former students came by to see me for a "tune up." I was telling him about the situation next door and how crazy it was making me and how I didn't understand why God was doing this to me. He, being a Wiccan, said in his lilting Southern tenor accent, "You know of course that I don't believe in your God, but if I did it seems to me that He sent you exactly who you needed to live next door as a great big sign for you to <i>get the f*** out.</i> You're better than this hot mess. It's time to go."</div>
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Me: <img alt="smiley Eyerub" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/eyerub.gif" /><br />
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If a two by four hit me in the sternum it couldn't have knocked more breath out of me. Because of course, he was absolutely right and I'm a MORON not to have seen it. When Darci gets comfortable in her darkness and misery she starts thinking there's no way out - at least not immediately - and she wallows. I had already been looking around for something new to see what was out there and start saving up, feeling pretty bleak about it, but after that conversation with my student, it was on like Donkey Kong. It was so obvious God wanted me out that I knew a place was out there that I was supposed to be in.</div>
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The third place I looked at I fell in love with. <img alt="smiley Lovestruck" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/lovestruck.gif" /></div>
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The rent was also almost twice what I was currently paying. For some reason I filled out an application anyway. Doh!</div>
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OF COURSE this was impossible! What was I thinking??? Oh well, I knew there was no way they'd approve me anyway. I had been scraping to pay bills for so long that surely my credit was destroyed for the second time in my life (the first time from just being a stupid kid) and they'd give me a "thanks but no thanks." But at least it would be good to know how bad it was and what I had to deal with as I was saving up for something else going forward. <img alt="smiley Indifferent" src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/indifferent.gif" /></div>
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On my way home from seeing the place the office called and told me my credit was great and I was approved. Double DOH! Now they needed my proof of income and a recommendation from my current landlord.</div>
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A-HA! Now I had 'em! They'd see how little money I made, nowhere NEAR "three times the monthly rent" required by most places for move in. I pulled my bank statements (because I'm self-employed and don't have pay stubs - and if I don't get to see Mitt Romney's tax returns, then NO ONE gets to see mine) and emailed them over, fully expecting that I had them cornered into denying me.</div>
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It was a Friday. That evening an old friend from college called (one of my many dear Christian friends, there are still some good ones in the world!)...and proceeded to smack me down with wisdom and love like only a person you've known for over twenty years can do. <i>Why don't you think you deserve good things? No one works harder than you and is more unsuccessful at it. Aren't you tired of doing it all yourself? When are you gonna give God some of that burden? His Word says to ask and you shall receive and that He wants to give you the desires of your heart; why don't you hold Him accountable to it? He said it, it has to be true, right? When you need more you get more and you haven't needed more in a long time. It's time to take a leap of faith. I would bet money that if you walk off this cliff you won't just fly, but you'll soar. You deserve it. You deserve it. You deserve it.</i></div>
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Everything he said was true. I have always had such a hard time believing I deserved anything good. See, I was raised in a glass-half-empty environment. Strict, uber-religious, judgmental and fetid with guilt and fear. I never felt like anything I did was enough and much of that was from the "original sin" dogma fed to me by my churches. Guilty upon birth. Worthless sinner. You are a worm and unworthy of love from the God that created you. Oh...AND you're fat, so you'll get crap from society, also. Fat, guilty, sinful worms deserve nothing but to slide along the earth on their bellies. They certainly don't deserve nice apartments, reliable cars, loving (or even attractive) significant others, money in the bank, friends who give a crap or a career they enjoy. Fuggedaboudit. On top of that, I was constantly being told, "well...IF it's God will for you to do/have that..." It was never impressed upon me that God <i>wanted</i> me to be happy, that He <i>wanted</i> my dreams to be fulfilled. Never once. So I have lived my life believing that everything I wanted for myself was in direct contradiction to anything God might want for me and therefore I perceived every day to be a knock-down-drag-out fight between me and The Omnipotent.</div>
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No friggin' wonder I'm exhausted.</div>
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So when I hung up the phone with my dear friend, I had it out with God. I shook my fist at the sky. I asked Him, "Is that the best you can do, Big Guy? Bring it on! You keep trying to destroy me, but I'm still here!" <i>*cue maniacal laughter a la Lieutenant Dan in Forest Gump*</i> And after I had finished with the rending of sackcloth and the weeping and gnashing of teeth, I read a few pieces of scripture that my friend had given to me, one of which really hit home:</div>
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Isaiah 43:18-19<br />
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18 “Forget the former things;<br />
do not dwell on the past.<br />
19 See, I am doing a new thing!<br />
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?<br />
I am making a way in the desert<br />
and streams in the wasteland."<br />
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Yeah, so this is basically God going..."Uh hello? I've been trying to get you to move forward for ages. I've got this path for you here with a big ole blinking red arrow pointing to it, if you'll just get on it."</div>
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I went to my computer after that and my friend had sent me the money for the move in deposit. And it was not a small amount of money. And he wouldn't let me be prideful and not accept it. Kinda like that joke where there's a flood and the guy's on the roof of his house and a boat comes by to save him and he says, "No thanks, God will save me." Then comes a helicopter and a rescue team, etc. and he keeps saying no thanks cuz God will save him. Dude ends up drowning and at the pearly gates he says, "Why didn't you save me, God?" And God's like, "I sent you a boat, a rescue team, a helicopter, blah blah blah..."</div>
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Yeah. Like that guy.</div>
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The next day, Saturday, the rental office called and said, "Everything looks great, we have a call in to your landlord and as soon as he gets back to us we can start the paperwork."</div>
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WHAT??? ARE YOU PEOPLE OUT OF YOUR MINDS??? YOU SEE I CAN'T AFFORD THIS!!! IT'S RIGHT THERE ON PAPER!!! WHAT KIND OF SHENANIGANS ARE YOU PULLING ON ME???</div>
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Answer: <i>We want good people to live here and I can tell you're a good person and a spiritual person, so you know if it's meant to be it will happen. Because of the way you get paid we can let you do part of your rent at the first of the month and part on the 15th. We will work with you as long as you keep the lines of communication open with us.</i></div>
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Shut. the. front. door. This is Los Angeles. This is unheard of. <img alt="smiley Scared" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/scared.gif" /></div>
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When my landlord returned their call on Monday, he told them I'd been a great tenant and he was going to try to bribe me to stay.</div>
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That week I took a part time job as a nanny/house manager on a referral from my amazeballs friend I sing backup for, <a href="http://www.debbyholiday.com/" target="_blank">Debby Holiday</a> (buy her music on iTunes). I now work for her best friend and her very sweet kids as supplemental income. My mom graciously helped with the remainder of the first month's rent I needed and I officially moved in, with the help of many dear friends (including Porn-Watchin' Grampa Clampett, who is actually a very sweet man, even if he is etiquette-challenged) on October 7th. Since then I've picked up a couple new students plus a couple old ones came back. I am about to start some part time transcription work with a company my friend <a href="http://www.mariepettit.com/" target="_blank">Marie Pettit Gregson</a> works for, which I will be able to do at home. So at least if I have to work my tail off to keep this place, I will be able to do at least 2/3 of it <i>in my home itself. </i><br />
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I've made ends nearly meet so far (still robbing Peter to pay Paul on the other bills at the moment) and my goal is that my March rent check (and all thereafter) will be paid IN FULL on the first and ALL other bills will be caught up. <img alt="smiley Thumbsup" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/thumbsup.gif" /></div>
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Lucky 2013. It's happening.</div>
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The new Chez Monet and </div>
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Darci Monet Vocal Style Studio</div>
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Also in 2012 I was able to celebrate with my besties Marie (aforementioned) and her new husband <a href="https://www.facebook.com/christopher.gregson?fref=ts" target="_blank">Chris</a> at their beautiful wedding in Houston, TX! What a beautiful trip that was - so many of our L.A. circle of peeps made the flight out, including leetle seester <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mandi.j.smith.583?fref=ts" target="_blank">Mandi</a> from Chicago, plus I got to spend some time with my awesomesauce Aunt Rosemary and cousin Daphne and family as well as my dear friend from college, the uber-talented super-mom <a href="https://www.facebook.com/giannamusic" target="_blank">Gianna (Gigi) Welling</a> (buy her music on iTunes). It was a wonderful time celebrating our friends' love, catching up with family and friends and making new ones...in a city I've never been to that happens to look a lot like a great big North Hollywood. Go figure.</div>
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Earlier in the summer I was fortunate enough to mend a bit of a broken road with a long time friend as well and I thought that would never happen, because honestly, I was way too hurt for a very long time. To be honest, I still struggle with it, but it's getting easier and easier to let a little more go and a little more and a little more. Sometimes wounds just need some time, as the adage goes. And people need to be allowed to be who they are, whether they fit in your box of how you perceive a person should behave or not. And sometimes you need to redefine how you think a person should behave. Just sayin'. Our relationship will probably never again be what it once was, but that is okay too, because if there's anything I have learned in 2012 it's that moving forward and moving on isn't something to fear or avoid and stagnation does nothing but rot the soul and breed further bitterness. Blech! <img alt="smiley Sick0020" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/sick0020.gif" /></div>
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As for music, the year always starts off with the <a href="http://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2013" target="_blank">NAMM Show</a> in Anaheim with Debby Holiday et al, which is always a fun, loud, exhausting blast, and 2012 was no different. Come the spring I had a delightful time performing with the amazing <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gilmore.rizzo?fref=ts" target="_blank">Gilmore Rizzo</a>, <a href="http://www.patwhiteman.com/" target="_blank">Pat Whiteman</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/barbara.shane.5?fref=ts" target="_blank">Barbara Shane</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bryan.miller.526?fref=ts" target="_blank">Bryan Miller</a> at (formerly) <a href="http://friendofjudy.com/" target="_blank">Peter Mac's</a> at The French Market in "Chew On This," a super fun show celebrating all those guilty pleasure bubble gum tunes from the 50's to the 80's. If you missed it...well, our hope is that we will eventually resurrect it in a new theater space at some point. <i>*fingers crossed*</i> I did a few studio sessions - one for Disney (an episode of Phineas and Ferb Europe) and some I hope you never hear (such is the life of the demo singer - they can't ALL be hits! <img alt="smiley 1zvbb13" src="http://i2.tinypic.com/1zvbb13.gif" /> ). I did a couple performances with <a href="http://musicaltheatrela.org/" target="_blank">Musical Theatre of Los Angeles</a> and am now knee deep in their social networking committee and fundraising team. The year ended with a crazy busy but lovely Christmas season putting together "Not Your Mama's Christmas" (a fun review show of everyone's favorite - and probably some least favorite! - Christmas songs with a cast of around 18, directed by my good friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/marichp" target="_blank">Paul Marich</a>) and a three hour breakneck night of rockin' n' rollin' at the Hard Rock in Hollywood with Debby Holiday and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jeff.fedak.98?fref=ts" target="_blank">Jeff Fedak</a>, where I got to perform a few of my originals (which <i>never</i> happens...2013 resolution?).<br />
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Unfortunately I got sick as a dog while doing Hard Rock and Not Your Mama's and have now lost my voice completely, but I still had a nice, lazy Christmas in San Diego with my sissy <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jodianne.smith?ref=ts&fref=ts" target="_blank">Jodianne</a> and I felt well enough to spend New Year's Eve with a very small group of "Valley friends" around a bonfire, sipping root beer (no booze for me when I'm on the meds!), munching on nutrionless-but-oh-so-yummy food, hugging my precious shmoopies (my twin 6 year old nieces, the loves of my life, as if you don't know), listening to everyone else's conversations and soaking up some loving energy to carry us all into the new year.</div>
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Aloysius (al-oh-ish-us) The Christmas Shrub</div>
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So here it is, January 2nd and I sit at my desk, with Aloysius The Christmas Shrub (the first real tree I've had in about 12 years) still alive and sparkling, a fire in the fireplace, a cup of apple cinnamon tea with delicious home grown Georgia honey (thanks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LouisaWilson125?fref=ts" target="_blank">Louisa</a>!), my cat DangerPickleKitty making THE most disgusting noises as he bathes himself...and I am happy as a clam and excited for the new year for the first time since...well possibly since I moved here in 2001! Onward and upward!</div>
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Here's to a year full of countless miracles, blessings and adventures. <b>BECAUSE I DESERVE IT. AND SO DO YOU.</b></div>
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<i>This post is dedicated to my friends </i><br />
<i><b>Anne Mitchell Starr and Brian Putnam</b></i><i>.</i></div>
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<i>You have reminded me that every day is a miracle </i></div>
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<i>and I will honor your lives by fully living mine.</i></div>
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<i>"Goodnight sweet prince and princess, </i><br />
<i>and may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." </i></div>
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<br />Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-28852353874586736442012-11-05T12:55:00.004-08:002012-11-05T12:59:13.159-08:00Election Eve 2012<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well...as the title of this blog suggests, it is the day before the presidential elections of 2012. And I have to say that as an independent who practically rips out her hair every four years because there is NEVER a candidate for me (or half the American people, according to my theory that no one is really as extremist as either candidate ever is), I am ready for this to be over. However, this is the first election in the last three at least in which my choice has never been easier.</div>
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I lean conservative on some issues and liberal on others. Anyone who knows me or follows me on Twitter or Facebook is very aware of my extremely liberal stance on gay rights (as in "they damn well ought to have them -- ALL of them"). On the other hand, I do believe life begins at conception, making abortion murder, and am therefore in favor of stricter policies on it (though not in favor of completely overturning Roe vs. Wade, particularly in instances of rape and incest, "legitimate" or otherwise). As a woman, I don't particularly care for a bunch of overpaid old white guys deciding when I can or cannot start my family. Economically, the SPENDSPENDSPEND mentality of the Dems always makes me nervous, probably because I've always been a saver myself. On the other hand, I don't believe for one minute that giving selfish douchebags ginormous tax breaks is the solution to anything but allowing them to maintain said selfish douchebaggery. </div>
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In short...I'm generally for finding middle ground wherever and whenever possible. In my opinion, compromise MUST be met and EVERYONE will have to give a little bit on their personal stance to make things work overall. I don't know about you, but this seems perfectly logical to me.</div>
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I believe that if Obama didn't start out willing to do such, he was forced to by an obstinate Republican congress who cock-blocked him at every single turn (sorry Mom). The best part is they actually went on record admitting that this was the plan from the minute he was inaugurated. The Repubs actually had a MEETING at a fancy overpriced steakhouse to discuss it! They didn't have a plan to work together with their boss to fix the giant mess THEIR GUY created and get the American people back on their feet, oh no...their plan was to make sure he failed. And now? They use it against him in this election.</div>
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Strike one, says Independant Voter Girl. I have no tolerance for a party that is more interested in staying in power over protecting the well being of the people who elected them.</div>
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Now, understanding that people vote mostly in regard to the issues that effect them most personally, I get that perhaps Farmer John in Eagle Butte, SD (population 619) doesn't give a flying banana about gay rights. Chances are he's never known a gay person in his life (and if he did, he or she probably moved away the minute following high school graduation). His wife, having had her kids already and gone through menopause, perhaps doesn't much care about what happens to Planned Parenthood. As farmers, they work the earth and respect it and take care of it for a living, plus it's freakin' cold there in the winter, so global warming is an afterthought. These things are just not on their radar. </div>
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But the economy certainly is. The worry that they can't pay their mortgage or they may lose their retirement is a very real issue for them. That said, I could find the logic in voting for a guy with a clear plan that could fix the economy over voting regarding social issues. </div>
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Thing is campers, The Right Wing's guy doesn't have one. His "Five Point Plan" actually sounds a whole lot like what Democrats would like to see happen, if you read the generic explanation on <a href="http://www.mittromney.com/jobsplan" target="_blank">his website</a>. Great Mitt, five obvious things we need to do...so how are you gonna accomplish them? What? You don't know? Oh wait...with "Trickle Down Economics"? Hold on, now...all these bipartisan economic experts are telling you that your math doesn't work. But you're gonna barrel on through anyway, disrespecting 47% of the country by claiming they don't pay taxes and expect handouts and you can't be bothered to be <i>their</i> president...? You just wanna be the President of the United Rich Guys?</div>
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Strike two, says Independent Voter Girl. I don't understand the logic in voting on economic issues over the social issues when there is no clear plan in place in regard to those economic issues by the guy claiming he can fix it. And furthermore...I <i>do</i> happen to think that human beings are ENTITLED to food, shelter, clothing and healthcare in the richest, most powerful country in the world. I find it ironic that the party that doesn't want evolution being taught in our schools maintains a "survival of the fittest" mentality when it comes our poor. Get in The Lifeboat, folks. Unless you're pushed overboard...</div>
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Romney has no idea who the hell he is politically. The Mitt Romney running for president isn't even remotely the same guy who governed Massachusetts. If he was, I might actually vote for that guy! <i>He</i> came up with Romneycare (falsely labeled Obamacare currently). Under <i>his</i> governorship gays in Massachusetts became allowed to marry. If he wasn't personally a moderate, he at least knew enough not to allow his personal feelings to override the wishes of the American people. At the time.</div>
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That is NOT the guy running for office right now. It tells me that he was either saying whatever he needed to say to get himself elected then, or else he's doing so now. I tend to lean toward now because YouTube is full of video footage where he's flip-flopping like a dying fish through the debates and his campaign trail. One day he says he's cutting taxes on the wealthy, the next day he says he's not. One day he says we need to get rid of FEMA, but the minute a natural disaster strikes, he says he never said it. He preaches making China play fair, yet he continues to invest and maintain ownership in companies that shut down American businesses and ship their jobs overseas. Who are you, Mitt?</div>
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Strike three, says Independent Voter Girl. Nothing that comes out of Mitt's mouth is to be believed. Not one damn thing. People like to say the same about Obama -- I say that no one running for president has any idea what campaign promises they actually can keep until they see what's on their desk. I will maintain that outlook if Romney wins. However, the difference for me at this point is that Obama's platform as a senator was the same as his platform as president. Romney's platform...uh...wait...what<i> is</i> his platform again? Oh, yeah. President of the United Rich Guys. </div>
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It comes down to this for me in this election. Regardless of our struggling economy, we are indeed STILL the richest country in the world. We're scrappers and we're resilient and the economy will right itself eventually. I think the majority of Americans are giving, sharing people who are willing to hunker down and sacrifice for the greater good of everyone. I don't think the selfish "I've got mine so screw you" mentality of the 1% will win the day because it is ugly, hateful and dishonest and I believe that Love and Truth will always win. Honestly I think the only way our economy <i>couldn't</i> bounce back eventually is if Al Qaeda took us over and well...Obama got their leader so...there's that. Okay, maybe if aliens took over. We'd all be screwed then. But that's not an election issue this time around, so I digress...</div>
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I am voting in regard to the social issues. I believe our economy thrives when people are allowed to live their lives fully, wholly, safely and without fear. I believe our country will be blessed financially again when we accept every person for who he or she is without judgement and allow each individual to make his/her own decisions and control his/her own destinies. When people are imprisoned socially, all the money in the world doesn't make a shred of difference. </div>
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In short, I cannot live selfishly anymore. I cannot hoard any longer. I cannot desperately cling to that which is material and worthless at the end of life's journey anyway. You can't take it with you, as they say.<b> So I don't believe my bank account is more important than another human being's right to life, liberty or pursuit of happiness.</b> I will store my treasures in Heaven instead. Or rack up my Karma points. Or whatever your personal life philosophy or religion subscribes to (or doesn't). </div>
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I'm sticking with the guy who has actually lived the American Dream as opposed to the guy who had it handed to him on a silver platter.<br />
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<b><i>"No person is your friend who demands your silence, </i></b><br />
<b><i>or denies your right to grow." </i></b></div>
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<b><i>~Alice Walker</i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Obama/Biden 2012</span></b></div>
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Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-57571853298401459902012-08-12T15:52:00.000-07:002012-08-12T15:52:41.478-07:00Ponderings<div style="text-align: justify;">
As I sit and type this I'm not sure if I'm going to actually publish it. I just know I need to get out of my head and writing helps me do that. I feel like I'm at a crossroads and need to make some kind of decision. And soon, because I'm not getting any younger. </div>
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We're in the middle of a long, miserable heat wave in Southern California. It's 98 degrees in North Hollywood where I live, unusually humid (still nothing compared to Nashville) and my tiny little apartment has no a/c (I have a bedroom window unit, but it's so hot that it keeps blowing the breaker whenever I run it, so I've been sleeping in the heat, too -- and when I say sleeping, I mean not sleeping at all). I have two fans going full blast, beating the hot air upon me. I take three showers a day. I have plenty of food in my fridge, but it all requires heating up the stove or oven, which is simply unthinkable in this weather. My skin looks amazing, my voice feels great, but the rest of me stinks like a construction worker even though I make great efforts to remain as still as possible in the hopes of not breaking a sweat (epic fail). I find myself highly tempted to scream, "STELLAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" at least five times a day.</div>
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This week I found out that a large vocal coaching job on a feature film I'd been hired for is not going to happen after all. I'd been very much looking forward to it, not only because it would've looked great on my resume, but because I'd like to do more coaching of that variety in general. I love my students and I generally enjoy teaching one-on-one, but I think where I'd really soar is in freelance coaching jobs on films, television, special events, etc. But also, being able to say you were the voice coach on a feature film helps to get more private students too, and a girl's gotta make a living. I needed this stepping stone.</div>
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Just got off the phone with my Dad...who promptly laid into me about moving out of L.A. It was an hour of the following:</div>
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Dad: "If you're not happy there, why do you stay?" (keep in mind he hates L.A. -- won't even come visit)</div>
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Me: "Dad, I've been unhappy in every city I've ever lived in. It's not L.A., it's ME."</div>
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Dad (bless 'im): "Noooooo honey, it's not yooooouuuuuu..."<br /><br />Me: "Yes it is. Because I've yet to be successful making a living at the ONE thing I'm best at in any place I've lived."</div>
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Dad: "Well ya just gotta find out what you really wanna do and go where you can do it."</div>
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Me: "Dad. I've been doing that for twenty years. I've only ever wanted to be a studio singer. I've gone where I need to go to give myself the best possible chance at doing that. And it just doesn't work. Ever. I'm at the point where I need to decide to pack it in entirely soon."</div>
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Silence. Then, "Well babes, I really don't know what to say."</div>
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And that's the point...there isn't anything he <i>can</i> say. </div>
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And my conversations with Mom are the same. Why are you still there? Don't you wanna come home? At least go back to Nashville? What about Chicago with your sister? Why don't ALL of you move there, at least you'll be together...</div>
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<i>*sigh*</i></div>
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I'm weary. And I don't know what to do. I keep working on my outlook, trying to be grateful for everything I do have (I'm not living in a van down by the river yet, after all) and changing my thinking to glass-half-full instead of half-empty, but I'm not getting that life-changing "aha moment" I keep waiting for that others seem to get. And yes, I know it's a gradual process, and as much as this blog doesn't sound like it at the moment, my outlook has improved exponentially overall. But my career continues not to. And I've sacrificed a lot to have it -- no husband, no kids, separated from my family for years, uprooting my life and moving thousands of miles away more than once, singing for free way more than anyone ever should. I really think I could be content living anywhere if I was just doing what I love to do...and doing enough of it that I'm not in danger of my electric being cut off in the middle of a heat wave. I don't need to be rich. I don't need fancy digs. I don't need a flashy car. I couldn't care less about the latest fashions. Just <i>comfortable</i> would be great. Enough to pay the bills and have an occasional evening out with friends. A clean place to live in a quiet neighborhood with a/c and maybe a dishwasher. <i>Maybe</i> a humble get-away once a year, but I won't push my luck. I'm a simple girl and I just want simple things. </div>
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I just want to sing and I want it to be my job. That's all.</div>
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<br /></div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-42351326037999645372012-07-26T20:22:00.001-07:002012-07-26T20:45:59.520-07:00Oh, For The Love Of Chikin, Already!<div style="text-align: justify;">
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So, if you haven't heard by now of the major clusterfuggle that is "Chick-fil-A v. The Gays" then you simply must be living under a rock. But if you haven't, here's the Reader's Digest Version, complete with all the bipartisanship I can muster:<br />
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1) Chick-fil-A is a growing fast food chain that makes super yummy chicken sammiches (ooops, sorry I'm being biased already!).<br />
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2) Chick-fil-A is a family-owned company -- specifically, the Cathy family.<br />
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3) Chick-fil-A's business model is based in Biblical tenets (thus, they are closed on Sundays to honor their Sabbath, among other things).<br />
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4) Chick-fil-A has always donated money to political campaigns and organizations that support their business model, some of which are not gay-friendly.<br />
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5) Some folks found this out rather recently and a rumbling began in the gay community. A boycott was called.<br />
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6) Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy admits he does not support the gay lifestyle or marriage equality in an interview with the <i>Baptist Press</i>.<br />
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7) The gays hear about it and all hell breaks loose.<br />
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8) The Jim Henson Company publicly severs business dealings with Chick-fil-A due to their stance on marriage equality.<br />
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<i>(This pic flying around Facebook made me laugh - c'mon, it's funny!)</i></div>
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9) Not only does all hell break loose again, but purgatory, heaven and whatever plane ghosts live on all join in. It's absolute mayhem.<br />
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10) Chick-fil-A stops putting Muppet toys in their kids meals, citing the toys as dangerous. Many think the company's lying in an attempt to save face. Chick-fil-A denies the allegation.<br />
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11) Chick-fil-A is accused of creating a fake Facebook account posing as a teenage girl to defend against the thousands of unfriendly posts made by the company's haters. A couple posters call "the girl" out as a fake, post a stock photo found online used on "her" profile and by the next day the account has been deactivated. Chick-fil-A claims they did not create the fake account and that they never would do such a thing.<br />
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There. You're all caught up.<br />
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Now, I've been noticing two particular arguments consistently brought up by Chick-fil-A's supporters:<br />
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1) Chick-fil-A isn't discriminating against anyone. They hire LGBT people and they serve LGBT people.<br />
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2) Tolerance goes both ways.<br />
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If you're reading this blog you probably already know my feelings on marriage equality (I'm for it) and gay people in general (I don't think it's a sin to be gay and yes, I think they're born that way). Here is the response I'd like to make to the above two points and I hope supporters of Chick-fil-A will read it with open minds and hearts. I know why you feel the way you do, because I used to feel exactly the same way once upon a time, for all the exact same reasons you do. So I hope you will give yourself the opportunity to look at the other side of the coin as vividly as you possibly can.<br />
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1) I am actually a fan of Chick-fil-A's business model in general. I think more businesses would do well to follow much of its example -- closing one day a week and holidays (Jewish businesses still do it and no one complains), operating debt-free, donating to organizations that help the community flourish, supporting families being together and staying together. I'd even be okay if Chick-fil-A ran commercials that stated flat out, "We're a Christian company, built upon Christian beliefs. Eat more chikin." It's their right to do all of that.<br />
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The problem is in where they put their money. It's not like they're "The Cathy Family Christian Bookstore." If that were the case, wouldn't you then certainly expect them to put their money in very specific, most likely religiously-oriented places? Why yes, you would, as is their right (and if you <i>didn't</i> expect it and go cause a stink about it, well then you're just a moron). But when Dan Cathy himself has said, "There is no such thing as a Christian business," and he's selling non-religious chicken sandwiches across the nation for the love of Pete, then why take the profits and financially support organizations with such controversial agendas? Why not put that money toward things that better the community for EVERYONE, regardless of religion, sex, sexual orientation, race or creed? No doubt they donate to many organizations like this, but honestly...if a certain minority's money is green enough for you to take as payment, then you should probably not be turning around and giving it to organizations that are trying to legislate said minority into second class citizenship. THAT is not only blatantly biting the hand that feeds you, but it IS discrimination, no matter how you look at it. If Chick-fil-A were hiring and serving black people and then turning around and donating profits to the KKK...see? Chick-fil-A is financially supporting continued discrimination, period.<br />
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Be Switzerland and none of this would be happening...just sayin'.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(For the record, it's my feeling, as a believer in the separation of church and state, that NO business or corporation whatsoever should be allowed to donate money to ANY political campaign or religious-based organization...things would be A LOT different in this country on both sides of the fence, wouldn't it? But we all know that isn't going to happen. Like...ever. Unless the people overthrow the government and start over from scratch. So yeah...like...never ever.)</i></span><br />
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2) Tolerance absolutely does go both ways. I tolerate Chick-fil-A supporters' religious opinions, even though I disagree. I understand why they feel the way they do. Jesus works for them and they want everyone to experience that and they think if only everyone could, this world would be a better place. I think 95% of people think the way they do out of genuine concern for what they perceive to be the greater good, whether I agree with it or not. And so I tolerate, readily, everyone's religious beliefs and I know that many supporting the boycott do as well.<br />
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However...<i>no one</i> has to tolerate a corporation's business practices, particularly when those practices are unethical in that person's opinion. I do not have to tolerate Chick-fil-A taking my hard-earned money and giving it to a cause I am vehemently against. Just like I do not have to tolerate the banks taking a government bail out and sending its CEOs on vacation with it. Catholics didn't tolerate "The Last Temptation of Christ" when it came out back in the 80's. Those One Million Moms (which are really only a few hundred thousand) don't feel they have to tolerate...well...just about anything, really. Here in the U.S., we get to vote not just at the polls but with our wallets, too. This is an example of true capitalism at work.<br />
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In addition, <i>no one</i> should tolerate a person's basic rights being threatened because someone else thinks they shouldn't be able to have them. I think some people do not deserve to be parents. This does not mean that passing a law that decides which people can reproduce and which cannot is remotely ethical. Even if I believe with my whole heart that it would benefit the greater good for some people to be forced to have a little snip-snip or a little knot tied - and I very well might be right - infringing upon someone's right to live his or her own life as he/she sees fit is never the right thing to do. Otherwise, you might find someone infringing upon <i>yours</i> one day.<br />
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Gay people are not aliens from another planet put here to destroy the earth as we know it. They are human beings like any other who just want to be allowed to live and love in peace. <b>They are tax-paying members of our society who have families that deserve to be protected under the law</b> just as much as Steve and Suzie SuperChristian do...or Mike and Mary Muslim...or Jerry and Joanna Jew...or Wayne and Wynona Wicca...or Neil and Nancy NewAge...or Burt and Betty Buddhist...<br />
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...or the Cathys. <br />
<br /></div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-22777999415600689092012-07-23T21:19:00.000-07:002012-07-24T13:01:13.746-07:00And the Emmy goes to...<div style="text-align: justify;">
I thought it might be time for me to a) write a freakin' blog and b) write a freakin' blog that isn't super heavy. "Of what shall I write?" I queried. And then it came to me after reading the latest ever-so-fabulous blog on this year's Emmy nominations from <b><a href="http://tvtourguide.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Your TV Tour Guide</a> </b>..."Well, since I'm taking this acting thing somewhat seriously lately...why don't I weigh in, too?" After all, fair reader, you just KNOW I have something to say about all of THAT. Plus it's just plain frivolous fun. <img alt="smiley Thumbsup" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/thumbsup.gif" /></div>
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Okay well, most of the time. There is some seriously amazing work going on in television right now and anyone who calls the tv an "idiot box" needs to spend one day on a (real) television set to accept their well-deserved arse-kicking. When used properly, television can be a wonderful, creative, exciting, funny, joyful, powerful - and grueling - medium, of which the creators, cast and most certainly crew deserve some respect.</div>
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Unless you're responsible for Jersey Shore. Then I would like you to take notice of the hand basket you're in and the deep, fiery abyss at the end of the road you're on.</div>
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But I digress. Here are my feelings on this year's nominations. Let me know what you think, too (there is a link to leave a comment at the bottom. Just sayin.).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnER1-vPDYscxP-OuuH15akZPIshCQz67CFyn_UzBFEeiLrPlj0fthfmNSi_fcBzHPY7rDHVt3n13gdTQ64_pMWx8zK-gfwMpXqYWu5g84NAciNgjZi2diWgwrkxdQaxG5G3K/s1600/emmy-award_091404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnER1-vPDYscxP-OuuH15akZPIshCQz67CFyn_UzBFEeiLrPlj0fthfmNSi_fcBzHPY7rDHVt3n13gdTQ64_pMWx8zK-gfwMpXqYWu5g84NAciNgjZi2diWgwrkxdQaxG5G3K/s320/emmy-award_091404.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
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<b><u>COMEDY SERIES</u></b></div>
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Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)</div>
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Girls (HBO)</div>
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30 Rock (NBC)</div>
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Veep (HBO)</div>
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Modern Family (ABC)</div>
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The Big Bang Theory (CBS)</div>
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So the only show I watch in this group is Modern Family and I love it so I'm gonna root for them, even though the Academy loves its raunchy cable shows and 30 Rock and Big Bang are both quality shows from what I hear from my friends who watch them. And secretly, though I love me some Tina Fey, I'm getting a little burnt out on her and think she should take some time for some sleep at some point before she becomes Tina Feybot.</div>
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Who I pick: Modern Family</div>
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Who I think will win: Modern Family</div>
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Unconscionable snub: The Middle (ABC). I laugh out loud watching that show. Right out loud. Guffaw. And it's all because of the genius actors playing the kids. </div>
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<b><u>LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES</u></b></div>
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Zooey Deschanel (New Girl)</div>
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Lena Dunham (Girls)</div>
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Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)</div>
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Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)</div>
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Tina Fey (30 Rock)</div>
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Julia Louis-Drefus (Veep)</div>
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Melissa McCarthy (Mike and Molly)</div>
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This is a category in which I almost couldn't care less who wins because I watch none of these shows. Amy Poehler has the career my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mandi.j.smith.583" target="_blank">leetle seester</a> should have (seester's cuter and funnier, trust). Zooey Deschanel is just doing her trademark cute-and-quirky. I love Melissa McCarthy but I can't stand the way in which the lead characters are treated by the people supposedly closest to them on this show so I won't watch it. Lastly, I kinda think Edie Falco should take a note from the Oprah playlist -- it's ok to decline a nomination because you've had enough already -- really, it is! So, whomever wins, more power to ya, sister.</div>
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Who I pick: Melissa McCarthy</div>
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Who I think will win: Edie Falco</div>
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<b><u>LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES</u></b></div>
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Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)</div>
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Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men)</div>
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Louis C.K. (Louie)</div>
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Jim Parsons (Big Bang Theory)</div>
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Don Cheadle (House of Lies)</div>
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Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)</div>
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Hmmmmm. Another category I don't care about because I don't watch any of these shows. CLEARLY I need to start watching more comedy (and the networks need to start making some worth watching...?). I'm going for Don Cheadle here. He's one cool dude and that's enough for me.</div>
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Who I pick: Don Cheadle</div>
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Who I think will win: Alec Baldwin</div>
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<b><u>SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES</u></b></div>
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Mayim Bialik (Big Bang Theory)</div>
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Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie)</div>
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Julie Bowen (Modern Family)</div>
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Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live)</div>
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Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)</div>
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Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives)</div>
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Well...if we're basing this one on whom I perceive to have the hardest job talent-wise, I'd have to go with Kristen Wiig, taking on half a dozen characters every show. But we're not. I love that Blossom's been nominated after all these years. I hope she wears a snappy hat to the ceremony. BUT...I don't think anyone's going to beat out the late Mrs. McCluskey, and perhaps they shouldn't, because she was so brave as to let us see her without her hair on camera in her final episode, not to mention facing head on playing a part that was foreshadowing the inevitable in her own life.</div>
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Who I pick: Kathryn Joosten</div>
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Who I think will win: Kathryn Joosten</div>
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Unconscionable snub: Eden Sher as Sue Heck (The Middle)</div>
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<b><u>SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES</u></b></div>
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Ed O'Neill (Modern Family)</div>
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Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family)</div>
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Ty Burrell (Modern Family)</div>
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Eric Stonescreet (Modern Family)</div>
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Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live)</div>
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Max Greenfield (New Girl)</div>
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Seriously with this category? C'MON, ACADEMY!!! I love this show but just how much did ABC pay you?</div>
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Who I pick: Bill Hader (hardest job)</div>
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Who I think will win: Hell if I know!</div>
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Unconscionable snub: Charlie McDermott as Axl Heck (The Middle)</div>
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<b><u>DRAMA SERIES</u></b></div>
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Boardwalk Empire (HBO)</div>
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Breaking Bad (AMC)</div>
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Downton Abbey (PBS)</div>
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Mad Men (AMC)</div>
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Homeland (Showtime)</div>
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Game of Thrones (HBO)</div>
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Though I want to see ALL of these shows (I don't have any movie channels and my Netflix is currently on hold for a bit...probably should've mentioned that up front) and I hear they are all exceptional, I'm going with Breaking Bad because I HAVE seen it and I honestly cannot imagine how any show on this earth could possibly be better overall than was this show's fourth season. I mean for realz. Bit my nails to the nubs! </div>
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Who I pick: Breaking Bad</div>
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Who I think will win: Downton Abbey (British accents always give an edge)</div>
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Unconscionable snub(s): Oh let's see...Fringe...The Good Wife...Supernatural...Grimm...Dexter...lots of good stuff going on in drama right now.</div>
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<b><u>LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES</u></b></div>
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Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)</div>
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Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey)</div>
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Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)</div>
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Kathy Bates (Harry's Law)</div>
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Claire Danes (Homeland)</div>
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Glenn Close (Damages)</div>
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I adore The Good Wife and because I think it was woefully snubbed in the drama series category, I'm pulling for Julianna. Her tight rope between detached lawyer and loving mother is quite something to watch.</div>
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Who I pick: Julianna Margulies</div>
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Who I think will win: Claire Danes</div>
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Unconscionable snub(s): As with every season for the last five, the Academy shamefully overlooked the brilliant, complicated work of Mary McCormack as Mary Shannon on In Plain Sight (and this past was its last season, so it's too late now!). </div>
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<b><u>LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES</u></b></div>
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Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire)</div>
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Michael C. Hall (Dexter)</div>
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Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)</div>
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Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey)</div>
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Jon Hamm (Mad Men)</div>
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Damien Lewis (Homeland)</div>
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Alright, I'm a very recent Dexter convert, having raced through six seasons in about a two and a half week span (sleep? what sleep?), so I would be personally tickled to see Michael C. Hall take it. But season six was admittedly not the show's best from a story standpoint nor from a character standpoint (for that I go with season five, though I know many would disagree with me), so I think I have to give the edge to Bryan Cranston for sinking his teeth into some amazing material and basically showing everyone how it's done.</div>
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Who I pick: Michael C. Hall or Bryan Cranston (I ain't mad at either of 'em)</div>
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Who I think will win: Steve Buscemi (wild guess)</div>
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Unconscionable snub: no doubt there are several whose names simply don't come to mind right now...</div>
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<b><u>SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES</u></b></div>
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Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)</div>
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Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad)</div>
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Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey)</div>
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Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey)</div>
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Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)</div>
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Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)</div>
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Because I'm so incensed that Jennifer Carpenter wasn't nominated for her brilliantly-layered-foul-mouthed-barely-holding-it-together-sister-of-a-serial-killer Deb Morgan in Dexter, I will probably turn off the tv entirely while they are reading this category. Okay, not really. I'll watch (and scream "JENNIFER CARPENTER!!!" at the tv after the presenter reads "And the award goes to...").</div>
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Who I pick: Jennifer Carpenter (write in). But if that doesn't work, Archie Panjabi.</div>
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Who I think will win: Jennifer Carpenter (write in). But if that doesn't work, it'll probably be Maggie Smith.</div>
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Unconscionable snub(s): HAVE I MENTIONED JENNIFER CARPENTER??? BUEHLER? Also, the absolutely luminous Jasika Nicole playing Astrid (Anna/Astro/Adelle/Adelaide/Amy/Amanda, etc.) Farnsworth on Fringe. Her relationship with Walter Bishop is what made me stick with the show in the beginning and her Alternate Astrid confirmed for me what a diverse talent she is. </div>
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<b><u>SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES</u></b></div>
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Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)</div>
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Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad)</div>
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Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey)</div>
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Jim Carter (Downton Abbey)</div>
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Jared Harris (Mad Men)</div>
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Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)</div>
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I don't know whether to root for Aaron Paul's seething, recovering-junkie, broken-hearted cat-toy-to-Walter-White or Giancarlo Esposito's terrifyingly quiet portrayal of drug kingpin Gus Fring. I'd be okay with either. And I wouldn't hate it if Peter Dinklage won, even though I haven't seen the show. I think it's amazing all he has accomplished in his career and I find him incredibly inspiring.</div>
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Who I pick: Aaron or Giancarlo</div>
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Who I think will win: Jim Carter or Peter Dinklage</div>
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Unconscionable snub: John Noble as Walter Bishop in Fringe, Alan Cumming as Elliott Gould in The Good Wife (seriously Academy, in both cases - WAKE UP!!!), and Dean Norris as Hank Schrader in Breaking Bad.</div>
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<b><u>MINISERIES OR MOVIE</u></b></div>
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Game Change (HBO)</div>
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American Horror Story (FX)</div>
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Hemingway & Gellhorn (HBO)</div>
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Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia - Masterpiece (PBS)</div>
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Luther (BBC America)</div>
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Hatfields & McCoys (History)</div>
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If American Horror Story doesn't win, I will be writing a STRONGLY worded letter to the Academy.</div>
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Who I pick: American Horror Story (hands down)</div>
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Who I think will win: American Horror Story</div>
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Unconscionable snub: Not a clue - there aren't that many, are there?</div>
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<b><u>LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE</u></b></div>
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Julianne Moore (Game Change)</div>
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Connie Britton (American Horror Story)</div>
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Nicole Kidman (Hemingway & Gelhorn)</div>
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Emma Thompson (The Song of Lunch - Masterpiece)</div>
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Ashley Judd (Missing)</div>
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Now, one of my new favorite dramas of the whole year was ABC's Missing, which I didn't expect ANYTHING out of. However, it was actually like watching 24 if it had actual emotion and an unbelievably gorgeous backdrop. I was pleasantly surprised and REALLY aggro when it was cancelled. That said, I am very happy to see Ashley Judd's name on this list -- if ever an actress without kids of her own played a desperate mama lion convincingly, she certainly did.</div>
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Who I pick: Ashley Judd</div>
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Who I think will win: Nicole Kidman </div>
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Unconscionable snub: n/a</div>
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<b><u>LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE</u></b></div>
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Woody Harrelson (Game Change)</div>
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Clive Owen (Hemingway & Gelhorn)</div>
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Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia - Masterpiece)</div>
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Idris Elba (Luther)</div>
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Kevin Costner (Hatfields & McCoys)</div>
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Bill Paxton (Hatfields & McCoys)</div>
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Who WOULDN'T vote for Benedict Cumberbatch, simply because it's such an AMAZING name?</div>
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Who I pick: Good ole Ben</div>
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Who I think will win: Clive Owen </div>
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Unconscionable snub: n/a</div>
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<b><u>SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE</u></b></div>
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Sarah Paulson (Game Change)</div>
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Frances Conroy (American Horror Story)</div>
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Jessica Lange (American Horror Story)</div>
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Judy Davis (Page Eight - Masterpiece)</div>
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Mare Winningham (Hatfields & McCoys)</div>
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I will always love my Mare for St. Elmo's Fire, but Jessica was so off her rocker in American Horror Story that I can’t imagine anyone else winning. Except maybe Frances Conroy. But I think the edge is Jessica’s.</div>
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Who I pick: Jessica Lange</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Who I think will win: Jessica Lange</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Unconscionable snub: Taissa Farmiga as Violet Harmon in American Horror Story. Quite the convincing depressed, suicidal teenager.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><u>SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ed Harris (Game Change)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
David Strathairn (Hemingway & Gelhorn)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Martin Freeman (Sherlock – Masterpiece)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tom Berenger (Hatfields & McCoys)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Gotta go with Denis…he freaked me out!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Who I pick: Denis O’Hare</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Who I think will win: Not a clue, so I’ll say Ed Harris cuz I lurve him</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Unconscionable snub: Even Peters as Tate Langdon in American Horror Story. A very convincing depressed, homicidal teenager.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That’s pretty much the extent of the categories I want to touch on…mostly cuz I’m tired of copying and pasting and I thought this was gonna be a quick blog but it turned out to be never-ending! So let me know what you think. No doubt there’s plenty of tv I missed that should’ve been honored. Guess we’ll see how it all turns out on September 23rd!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-69062533907320826252012-05-21T18:45:00.000-07:002012-05-21T18:45:57.225-07:00I Am...It's gratitude list time.<br />
<br />
My sinuses feel pretty good for the first time this year.<br />
<br />
So does my voice.<br />
<br />
I am in the middle of a show run with cast members I really enjoy and audiences that are embracing us heartily. And there's a possibility of an extension.<br />
<br />
My family are all healthy and still with me. I had a lovely conversation with my Daddy in Florida this afternoon. I'm grateful that at almost 63 he felt healthy enough to run a 5k for charity - he came in 3rd in his 60 and up age group. Considering we almost lost him in the late 90's, this is MUCH to be grateful for.<br />
<br />
The yard my late friend/neighbor Matt went to such great lengths to carefully create and cultivate himself is still alive, and while not exactly thriving per se, is certainly not suffering too much, praisaluiah! Flowers blossomed, some grass grew and all is not lost. I haven't killed your masterpiece yet, Matty!<br />
<br />
There is food in my fridge. I won't starve anytime soon.<br />
<br />
My car runs adequately.<br />
<br />
I'm stuck with a cat I didn't choose...but he is a very good boy and very sweet, so I couldn't have lucked out more.<br />
<br />
My little five year old quasi-nieces still have hugs, kisses and "I love yous" readily available whenever they see me.<br />
<br />
My sis came up for my birthday over Mother's Day weekend and we had a lovely time. She took me to get our nails did and to a yummy Italian place for dinner and she got to see my show. She's my bestie.<br />
<br />
Another season of Supernatural and Fringe are on the way.<br />
<br />
My neighbor's daughter and grandchildren, who aren't on the lease but live with him anyway, are very nice, sweet, considerate people and make every effort to keep the noise down so that I am able to conduct my voice lessons in peace.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow I'm spending the day in Venice Beach with a friend - I've never been there before. I hear it's quite interesting.<br />
<br />
The weather has been amazingly beautiful lately. Not too hot during the day, not too cool at night.<br />
<br />
The people in my life seem to genuinely love me. Even when I'm uber-preachy about gay rights and fat acceptance. And I mean preachy!<br />
<br />
I am abundant. I am abundANCE.Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-47168978881991997012012-01-01T23:52:00.000-08:002012-01-05T22:10:38.776-08:002012: Please sir, can I have some more?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Is it weird that I started crying last night as soon as Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin said, "10...9..." and was a blubbering mess by "Happy New Year!"...? Alone in my apartment with a nasty cold, probably too much medicine in my system and a cup of cocoa, I've never cried tears of joy to see any single year pass before in all of my <img alt="smiley Sign0053" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/sign0053.gif" /> years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As <a href="http://twitter.com/mattblinky">a friend of mine</a> posted on Twitter last night, "Good-bye 2011, you raggedy b***h!"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Preach.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have tossed the subject matter of this blog around in my head nearly the entire month of December. I have not wanted to revisit the s**t I've been through this year (sorry Jesus, sometimes four letters are all that will do). I haven't wanted to write one more single negative, sad, depressing, angry, bitter, whiny thing. I haven't wanted to re-open the wound on the pain, grief, fear, rejection, loneliness, desperation, want and failure (or at least the perception of these things) I've experienced the majority of the last twelve months. I also don't want to allow myself to wallow in it for one more solitary second. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've had way, way, WAY too much to drink at this particular pity party. Time to put <i>that</i> stupid sorority girl to bed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And so goodbye 2011, you raggedy b***h, indeed. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTf4zfjXAZSyXDh41U1-FixiRYfqo895MFfwS7Gx2Q81QKtFRcFiPDIgnjz6z8RVx6czOZxEcIjIviaLEgAt2mZDEGavG6wdjiVnjNGUF44_4cNeCpLlKgVpWrV0CeVFOurnh/s1600/new+year+2012+background+pictures.gif.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTf4zfjXAZSyXDh41U1-FixiRYfqo895MFfwS7Gx2Q81QKtFRcFiPDIgnjz6z8RVx6czOZxEcIjIviaLEgAt2mZDEGavG6wdjiVnjNGUF44_4cNeCpLlKgVpWrV0CeVFOurnh/s320/new+year+2012+background+pictures.gif.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">This is not to say the whole year's been a wash, because some wonderful things have indeed happened, cuz ya know...that's life and stuff. I had some fun performances, released my very first <a href="http://youtu.be/4jVE2gQQlDk" target="_blank">official music video</a>, recorded and released my first holiday single ever, booked my first paid acting jobs ever, been nominated for TWO <a href="http://www.aimusicawards.com/" target="_blank">All Indie Music Awards</a> (please vote in the alternative and rock categories!), a good friend was in a terrible car accident in which he probably shouldn't have even lived but is expected to make a full recovery, a few scum bucket political figures are dead, the war in Iraq is over, no one's getting kicked out of the military anymore because of who they love, my little twin pseudo-nieces' faces still light up when they see me even though they are big girls in kindergarten now (I will slurp up that nectar of the gods as long as I'm allowed), I still have a car that runs and a roof over my head, all my siblings are gainfully employed, my dad just got a new job where he gets to help people in need (which he loves to do) and my mom got a cell phone (wait...maybe the Mayans are right... <img alt="smiley Scared" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/scared.gif" /> ).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All that said, this year, in the same spirit as fellow blogger and body acceptance activist <a href="http://danceswithfat.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Ragen Chastain</a>, I am not making resolutions to eliminate anything "bad" from my life. I just got out of a year of foolishly feeding my perception of lack, grieving the literal death of a friend as well as the death of a relationship with another, so fuggeddaboudat. I'm not gonna <i>lose</i> anything else...no. more. loss. 2012 is going to be THE YEAR OF MORE for me:</div><br />
<ul><li>More smiling and laughter.</li>
<li>More time with people who love me for who I am and where I am in my life <u>right now</u> instead of where they think I should be.</li>
<li>More dancing and moving my body in ways that are enjoyable to me and make me stronger.</li>
<li>More songwriting (since I didn't write a single song last year, this should be easy!)</li>
<li>More performing.</li>
<li>More connecting with people in my field of expertise.</li>
<li>More recording.</li>
<li>More travel.</li>
<li>More hugs.</li>
<li>More assistance in helping other people discover their own voices.</li>
<li>More food that fuels me and keeps me healthy.</li>
<li>More senseless acts of kindness to others.</li>
<li>More sharing - of my things, my time, my gifts and my heart.</li>
<li>More sleep. </li>
<li>More attempts at new things that quite possibly terrify me.</li>
<li>More consciously choosing joy.</li>
<li>More listening. </li>
<li>More auditions.</li>
<li>More learning (particularly brushing up my sight-singing skills and taking acting classes).</li>
<li>More reading.</li>
<li>More respecting and accepting myself.</li>
<li>More appreciating my body for the amazing and intricately running soft machine that it is.</li>
<li>More speaking to myself in edifying and encouraging ways.</li>
<li>More feeling good.</li>
<li>More peace.</li>
<li>More money (as long as we're at it...).</li>
<li>More believing that as a Creation and Manifestation of the Divine, I am perfectly and wonderfully made RIGHT NOW.</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>MORE BEING THE REAL ME, BECAUSE I AM ENOUGH.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqpWWSdrSgv3TGP8s7ljbVZdwlouR8RcstY2wlTTfMDj5ICjvJoSQYmB7k23t6jU0PTTJlI9zPE_f_7nxF_axn0aalCAfve5FWn2HA8xe0EvR9C2CbrIkaWi30HvqgAZvyU9R/s1600/Mug.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqpWWSdrSgv3TGP8s7ljbVZdwlouR8RcstY2wlTTfMDj5ICjvJoSQYmB7k23t6jU0PTTJlI9zPE_f_7nxF_axn0aalCAfve5FWn2HA8xe0EvR9C2CbrIkaWi30HvqgAZvyU9R/s320/Mug.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This mug was given to me by one of my teachers in high school as a graduation gift and I still have it and use it to this day. I think she is the only teacher who ever truly "got" me and it took me years to realize it (Thanks, Miss Hintz!). This morning, as I made my final decision on how to approach this year-end blog, I thought it fitting to use it for this year's first cup of coffee.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">WELCOME, 2012. GIMME MORE.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-39347032976823874552011-11-16T02:46:00.000-08:002011-11-16T02:47:49.344-08:00Sober Up<div style="text-align: justify;">The moment when you realize through your grief that losing a loved one is not about you is quite sobering...even if you're stone cold drunk when it hits you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sober. Quite suddenly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">No, it's not about you begging the spirits of the departed to return in a ghostly form in front of you (at 3am as you get up to pee) and beg them to bestow their forgiveness upon you for all the crappy things you did or said to them while they were alive. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's not about you damning them to hell for never owning up to some lie they went to their grave letting you believe, either...watching you twist in the wind in your guilt and never letting you off the hook.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's not about you not knowing how to maintain or honor your loved one's wishes when he refused to deal with getting his affairs in order before his last days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's not about what it feels like for <i>you </i>when the workers come in to tear down lovingly built walls, tear up carpets, rip out intricately installed wiring, pull out moldings, throw away classic light fixtures and wash over every trace of your beloved's personality in a harsh, cold white, paint. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And it's not going to be about you the first time you allow some other currently-breathing carcass into his newly white-washed home, to show the place to a potential new resident and tell him or her stoically that he transitioned there. Yes, there. Right in that room. And by the way, you're inheriting an evil black cat if you move in. Boogeda boogeda boogeda!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rather...it always has been and should be about him and his glorious new existence. He who is too busy being free and whole in mind, spirit and body to have time to come back to deal with you in a less-than-fabulous specter-esque form just to give you permission to quit feeling sorry for yourself. He does not care of the things of this world any longer and would frankly have little patience for the fact that you do. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He just might, however, come back long enough to terrify you into soiling yourself a little if an Archangel should get word to him about what's been going down with Suzie Sadsack back on Earth. No doubt he'd get a giggle out of that, but soon enough he'd be frantic that curtain is in five and you're making him late. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sober up. Not about you. His death...about HIM. Not you. HIM. And he's alive and full of light and racing around on fully developed legs and gorging his eyes with every delicious color and shape ever Created, now available to him with 20/20 vision. The joy you should feel by simply imagining what he is seeing, feeling and experiencing<i> for the first time</i> in 47 years should be enough for you to let your insignificant guilt go. Let. it. go. He doesn't care about your guilt, as he shouldn't. He does NOT care. There is now way too much living and celebrating and preparing for his next journey to do, too many more hearts that need to collide with his, too many stages to light, too many canvases to paint, too many beings' lives to touch in the next realm, because it's HIS death...and NOT YOURS. Absolutely. not. yours.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let him have his death...because guaranteed, he wants you to have <i>your life</i>. Sober up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>For M.M.H. ♥</i></b></span></div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-30527365241068938322011-11-07T02:22:00.000-08:002011-11-16T02:48:20.894-08:00Una Poesia<b style="font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;"><i>For M.M.H. ♥</i></b><br />
<br />
What am I doing here<br />
Nothing to show for all my sorrow<br />
What proves I ever really existed<br />
No one to give me just one bone-crushing hug<br />
The kind you can collapse in<br />
I so need one and yet there's no one<br />
And somehow I mourn so deeply one<br />
Who couldn't be that for me<br />
The one true blue in all these years<br />
The only one with the kindest words<br />
The most selfless heart<br />
The desire to please<br />
Who showed his love with color and light<br />
and wood and nails and paint<br />
Though not bone-crushing hugs<br />
<br />
And I didn't do enough<br />
I never did enough<br />
I never let myself consider doing<br />
much of anything<br />
He needs a project<br />
Always a project<br />
So self-sufficient<br />
Never asked for help<br />
And though I knew he needed some<br />
I didn't offer<br />
I just didn't<br />
And now it's too late<br />
And I knew it would be while I was in it<br />
I saw this moment of guilt and grief<br />
coming down the road<br />
And still -- I did nothing<br />
Until the point where I was forced<br />
Not because I wanted to but because I had to<br />
And everyone says "angel"<br />
But I say "coward" and "creep"<br />
and "user" and "narcissist"<br />
Even though he'd have done it for me<br />
No second thoughts<br />
Bottles of piss cleaning my nails<br />
feedings through straws<br />
He'd lift me off the milkshake-cat-puke-covered floor<br />
with his freakishly strong, painfully skinny arms<br />
Without a single second thought<br />
He'd lift me.<br />
<br />
But I? Me? -- shook and fretted the whole time<br />
Every touch another tear<br />
Every caress across his brow guilt burning my skin<br />
Every single minute still breathing is a new flame of terror<br />
There are no flowers beneath my window this year<br />
What color - you didn't tell me what color you want<br />
Has he stopped yet<br />
The breathing I mean.<br />
<br />
<br />
He's gone now<br />
Never coming home never never never<br />
Name dying out -- gone for good<br />
Evaporating with the heat of the cooling spotlight<br />
And I'm all he had I'm what he got stuck with<br />
And I wasn't enough<br />
It wasn't fair<br />
Seven years and I wasn't enough<br />
"you were his angel"<br />
bullshit shut up<br />
<br />
Come home I want you to come home<br />
Time to come home<br />
Please come home<br />
Release this<br />
I can't feel this sick to my stomach anymore.<br />
<br />
Somehow it's still about me.Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-82691903060705857762011-09-30T14:04:00.000-07:002011-09-30T14:04:58.087-07:00A Better Day Will Come ~ Go On<div style="text-align: justify;">I was asked to be a guest contributor on my good friend <a href="http://www.gene-manuel.com/">Gene-Manuel</a>'s blog this week. I had already planned to write here on Messcapades about some personal experiences with the writing, recording and filming of "Go On (feat. Debby Holiday and Levi Kreis)" as well as the passing of my dear friend/neighbor Matt, so I went ahead with that and let Gene share it on his Whirling Blog. I hope you will check it out, leave some comments and become friends with the wonderful and talented Gene-Manuel! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://gene-manuel.com/thewhirlingblog/entry?id=161">The Whirling Blog - "A Better Day Will Come ~ Go On" by Darci Monet</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And hey...if you haven't already, check out my beautiful new music video, Directed by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/gregsonfilm">Christopher Gregson</a> and SHARE it with the world, k? Let's lift up some hearts. :-)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Go on, little brothers and sisters!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>~Darci</i></b></div><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4jVE2gQQlDk" width="360"></iframe>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-22674747014818824222011-08-30T21:36:00.000-07:002012-02-20T12:48:31.308-08:00The Voice = The Lie<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>Disclaimer:</b> There will be some bitching in this post. As a person who is consciously making the choice to subscribe to the mentality that life is what I make of it (as best I can), I do however recognize that there are injustices in the world that cannot and should not be ignored. Only when people speak out and draw attention to them can things begin to change for the better. This is going to be one such blog. </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now that I've said all that, you're probably expecting me to get on my soapbox about marriage equality, child abuse or the separation of church and state. Not this time. This is all about my OTHER peeve...the lifelong one that never changes or goes away no matter how my opinions, politics, general outlook on life or the be-all-end-all numbers may change. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And here it is: how our society allows the complete dismissal - and often flat out abuse - of fat people. Guess what? THAT'S ME.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today I auditioned for NBC's new smash hit talent competition, "The Voice." For the second season in a row. I did not get a call back last season and once again, I didn't get one this season. Now, if you're new here, before you assume my nose is out of joint because I'm delusional about my talent level as so many are, a) listen to <a href="http://darcimonet.com/@/Music/_tracks/56/file.mp3">my vocal reel</a>, b) understand that I am a professional vocalist and vocal coach <i>for a living</i> and c) I've been on lots of auditions with no call back and rarely let it affect me -- I realize that I don't have the big picture and don't know what they're looking for...big deal. It doesn't necessarily mean I'm untalented or not good enough. So on to the next.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, I take exception to this particular audition for the same reason as I did last season's...because it's a complete fraud.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before I explain why, in the interest of fairness and because there is <i>always</i> something to be grateful for, let me first wax poetic on the GOOD things about today's audition:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) I had to be there so early (7am - who sings before noon???) that traffic wasn't bad getting there or back at all. Zip, zip, zip. Thumbs up there!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2). It was at the L.A. Forum, where there is a huge parking lot, and they didn't charge anyone (usually $25 - yikes!). I got a very convenient space so I didn't have to walk far, either.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) It was nice and cool and still foggy at that hour, so even though we were corralled in the parking lot, we weren't suffering under the blazing sun. And we were only out there about an hour and half, which for a process like this is a MIRACLE.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4) The whole thing was extremely organized. Everyone on staff knew what he/she was doing and we were herded and sectioned off with purpose and efficiency.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5) Everyone on staff - and I mean <i>everyone</i>, including the producer I sang for - was respectful, encouraging and cheerful. And they'd all been there since 5am and L.A. is the last city on the audition tour. So they could've been uber-hateful if they chose to be.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6) I was in my car and on my way home by 11:30am. X-Factor could certainly take a lesson on how to run a cattle call audition from The Voice. Four and a half hours for something like this is UNHEARD OF. Huge kudos to whoever designed the process for having their crap together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">7) I met some really nice people, including a woman who, as it turns out, is a mutual friend of one of my good friends. I always love when that happens!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So why do I feel duped?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a show that -- unlike any other talent competition show on television -- claims to be about THE. VOICE. Real talent. People who can actually sing. No, no, no...rather, <i>SAAAANG</i>. From day one American Idol has never claimed to be about finding the best talent. It's original title was "American Idol: The Search for a Superstar." Not "The Search for an Amazing Talent." They've always said, "Vote for your <i>favorite,</i>" not "vote for the person you think sang the best." X-Factor is looking for "that indescribable thing" that Madonna, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift have...which is to say, certainly not their voices. But The Voice is all, "We want SERIOUS artists! No chicken suits! We want the best singers ever! AND we won't base it on your looks cuz the auditions are BLIND!!!" So I auditioned last season thinking that this was the ONE show I had an actual shot at. Last season as well, a good five or six of my friends who auditioned, phenomenal vocalists all, also didn't get call backs. I was stunned at who they turned down that could sing circles around<i> ME!</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This season, I auditioned out of pressure from well-meaning friends who believe in my talent (thanks friends, I love you for that!). In the group of ten I was auditioning with, no one outsang me. Not even close. My fellow contestants even gave me "oooohs" and "aaaaaahs" <i>while</i> I was singing and applause when I was done. Then this girl with a model's figure and a really perilous bleach job who looks eerily like Zooey Deschanel (but prettier) gets up, sings this wussy Colbie Callait song about kings or something, does some hand claps and hip-shaking and is magically asked to sing another song. Her voice is solid, but not a stunner and not even unique. It's a dime-a-dozen voice. This is proven further when she sings Leann Womack's "I Hope You Dance" and screams out the word "dance" with absolutely no nuance whatsoever. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When we're all finished singing, Zooey is asked by the producer to keep her cell phone on all day, while the rest of us are told, "The bar has been set really high this year, I heard some strong voices today but no one else is getting a call back. Thank you for coming." (At least he didn't say what last season's producer said to me: "Thank you, you can leave by the same door you came in.")</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Uh...what? If Zooey's the high bar...then what was I? Or the three other people in the room who also sang much better than her and performed just as well...? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh...did I also mention Zooey's 24 and I'm...<i>not</i>?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I used to be a person who blamed every non-success I ever had (and there are many) on my weight and my age. I realize this blog may sound much like that, but I honestly no longer believe in in that crap. I think there is an audience for everyone with talent, all looks, shapes, sizes and ages. I refuse to subscribe any longer to the Hollywood mentality that I cannot work in this town because of these "isms". I want to make this very clear. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE (SUB)STANDARD IN THIS TOWN. And since I changed this viewpoint in my life, things have been going pretty swimmingly, I must say.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But...what other explanation can there possibly be, when I blew the doors off that room -- for a second time -- to not have gotten even a call back? I'm not asking to win the whole dang thing, I'm simply thinking I am good enough to deserve a second shot! But I am not a stupid woman. I can see the look in a casting director or producer's eyes when I stand in front of them for the first time. That look I've been getting all my life...the disapproval, sometimes flat out disgust. I see their eyes gloss over and shut me out when they ask how old I am and I tell them (and why are they asking for a contest with supposedly no age limit anyway?). I usually try and be funny about it and say "Older than Britney but younger than Madonna!" Sometimes it gets a chuckle, sometimes it doesn't. I've also seen these looks on the faces in an audience from people who've never heard me sing before...but these looks dissipate as soon as the song begins. I always win them over once I sing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unless you're producing a televised singing competition show. Then apparently I couldn't get your attention if I ran around your little audition table in all my nekkid juiciferous splendor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yep, I probably sound conceited as hell. I don't care. I have allowed my insecurities to rule my life for a long time until the last couple years, but one thing I've never doubted is my talent. I know my worth as a vocalist and I know how good I am. And this simply makes no sense unless I was judged based on what I looked like. And I'm really, really weary of that. I'm really weary of our society continuing to allow this to happen. From the minute we come into this world we are bombarded with images of what women are supposed to look like, our magazines are full of "get thin fast" crap, our First Lady is waging a war with all the focus on childhood obesity instead of placing focus on improving school lunches (which basically sounds like this to a kid: "You're fat and are therefore so worthless that even the President's wife hates you"), the first thing out of every doctor's mouth when someone like me has so much as a sniffle is, "Well, if you'd lose some weight...", clothing options are hideous (don't get me started there), in tv and film Hollywood ridicules overweight people constantly (it's the only group of people left that is ok to bully and humiliate with no repercussions, apparently), airlines have created discriminatory policies focused specifically on humiliating fat people (and get away with it) and running the whole shebang is a diet industry raping us of billions of dollars annually with their lies, unsupported "studies", unhealthy weight loss options and general panic and fear that has seeped into the deepest fabric of our society, including our health insurance industry. Our children, particularly the females, are taught practically from birth that what they look like is all that matters and if they're not a "normal size" (what IS that, anyway?) they are unworthy of enjoying or participating in their lives, are deserving of cruelty and rejection and ought to feel ashamed of thinking they deserve to be treated otherwise. So in short, I was taught to hate myself from nearly the minute I was born by my own damned country. Long before my family ever started in!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Can you imagine what that feels like, being barraged by messages of rejection, hatred and unworthiness every day of your life from your earliest memory?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I bet some of you sure can.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Voice" touts itself as a true talent search, makes the average home-viewing American believe that everyone who gets up to sing has never been seen by a single pair of eyes before and this is the ultimate in vocal talent they could find in the country. Bullshizzlefrickasee! I'm perfectly aware that reality tv is the furthest thing from it, but this particular show is the biggest, fattest, fakest lie of them all (<i>*cough* Mark Burnett *cough*</i>). And I can't take it anymore. This rejection and hatred for fat people (particularly those of use over 30) is an injustice in our society and my industry just as much as racism, gay bashing, abuse, animal cruelty, etc. It's GOT to stop. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't care if <i>my</i> weight makes <i>you</i> feel uncomfortable. This isn't about you and what<i> you</i> want. This is about me, my life and what<i> I </i>want. And <i>I </i>want to share my talents with people, because that is what my Maker has called me to do. <i>You</i> don't get to choose for me. <i>You </i>don't get to decide whether I'm allowed to live my dreams or not. So get over yourself, get out of His way and get out of mine. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yeah NBC...I'm talkin' to <i>you</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-19348724437296205082011-08-23T16:43:00.000-07:002011-08-24T14:54:33.812-07:00"Go On" Music Video Final Shoot<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e9f1fa; color: #3b4752; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;">"Stand up and walk out of your history." ~Phil McGraw</span></div><div><br />
</div>Yup. Dr. Phil. One of my other favorite pearls of his wisdom is "If insight were lard, I couldn't barely grease a skillet with you." However, that is not the sentiment we are focusing on in this blog.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>After two years...yes, TWO YEARS...my very first music video is finally "in the can", as the kids say in Hollyweird. We are at long last done shooting all our scenes and now all that's left to be done is editing (I say that as if it's a simple, overnight process -- au contraire, this is where the REAL work begins for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/christopher.gregson">Director Chris</a>, like he hasn't done enough already).</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>"WHEN IS IT GONNA BE DONE??? I WANT IT NOW!!!"</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>You've waited two years, you can wait a few weeks more! I was hoping for a 9/11 release since the song was inspired by a visit to Ground Zero in 2006, but I think we'd find Director Chris in a dark corner of his office in fetal position and drooling all over himself if we pushed that too hard, so it's unlikely. It's ultimately up to him...and this video will release exactly when the Universe thinks it's supposed to and not one minute sooner. Plus, I want to have time to do some proper promotion and press and plan a premier party. But...you can truly believe me when I say, SOON!!!</div><div><br />
</div><div>That said, this last week was SUCH an amazing learning experience for me. I (perhaps foolishly) volunteered to handle the extras casting submissions for our final scene, as Director Chris and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000532673950">Producer Jacole</a> had enough on their plates. Keep in mind I've never cast a thing in my lifetime and now I'm suddenly going to find 100 extras for our final scenes. Woah, Seabiscuit! The good news was this: I was shocked -- literally shocked -- at how professional most peoples' submissions and responses were. We used L.A. Casting, Actors Access and Craigslist, putting out a call for people to drive all the way to an unfamiliar park in Pasadena by 7:30am on a Sunday morning and tramp around in the grass and hot sun till at least 1pm - UNPAID. In the end we had somewhere around 90 confirmations and I'm making a guesstimate that somewhere around 60ish actually showed up. I consider this miraculous because coming from the experience that at least 85% of people who book a first time voice lesson with me never actually show up, this ratio is STUNNING. All that said though, as stressful and time consuming as handling the extras' submissions was, I didn't hate it and I think I could probably be kind of good at it...and maybe I'll go get me an internship at a casting office or something just for fun and to learn more. It can only be helpful as a re-blossoming actor.</div><div><br />
</div><div>But I digress. Naturally, as is the nature of this particular business where there are soooooooo many details that all have to fall into place perfectly for it to work, we had an 11th hour crisis - and unfortunately it never got resolved. One of our principal actors had car trouble and couldn't make it from Venice out to Pasadena. We tried everything short of hiring her a cab (because we spent every single penny we had in the budget renting the location, covering permits, etc.) and of course, no one else in our scene lived anywhere near Venice so we couldn't arrange a pick up on the way. So sadly, she is not making an appearance in our final scene. Because I'm a little bit dark and twisty in my humor, I've re-written her storyline from "abused wife who leaves her husband and 'Goes On'" to "abused wife who TRIED to leave her husband but he caught up with her as she was leaving and gave her the Tony Soprano treatment."<br />
<br />
What? Oh shut up, you're going to hell for something, too.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Another fun thing that happened was that a friend of mine showed up to the shoot as promised late, filmed one shot and took off because she'd been dealing with some serious transitions in her life over the last month and listening to the song over and over again caused her to meltdown. Niiiiiiiiice, huh? THAT'S how you want your music to effect people, right? LOL. She's ok and we talked about it (cuz diva was a lil miffed), but I will always be able to say that I gave someone a nervous breakdown with my music. Not everyone can say that, can they? Take THAT, Gaga!!!</div><div><br />
</div><div>But those were the worst two things that happened all day long so honestly it could NOT have gone better. Almost everyone was on time (or even early!), they brought lawn chairs and books to read, they were quiet, respectful of each other and the crew, it was a very diverse crowd of all colors, looks and ages (which was HUGELY important to me - we even had a gorgeous drag queen, a dude with a Mohawk and a St. Bernard in the mix!) and when it started getting a little bit too hot around 11:30am or so...no one, including the little children, complained. I was so impressed...I'm still blown away by how great people were! Some of them (particularly the teens and tweens) also kind of looked at me like I was this otherworldly being, the "ARTISTE" I guess, and that was both fascinating and weird, because I've <i>never </i>experienced that before. It probably had something to do with my friend and amazing makeup artist <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=859235654">Martin Christopher</a> rushing up between every shot to blot, powder, pin and fluff...I'm sure it looked ludicrously "important." LOL. But I can only say THANK GOD for him, as I'd have wilted in an hour if he hadn't been there! Best money I ever spent. Trust (as he'd say).</div><div><br />
</div><div>The best part though, was when someone would come up to me and thank me for the song, tell me how much it meant to them and tell me their story of triumphing over hardships (and later, other crew members shared what some said to them). A couple actually teared up talking about how the song moved them. It just rocked my world. I think any songwriter can attest that when you live with a song for so long you can start to take for granted how it made you feel to write it and what it meant to you at the time...it becomes just another piece in your catalog. So when a significant number of people ages later express what it means to them, it's really very humbling to think that something you did or created can effect someone else's heart so significantly. Of course, that's why we do what we do (if we're not the fame whore type, anyway -- not judging necessarily, just saying) but I can't imagine that I'm the only songwriter that's a little taken aback when the effort succeeds as planned. People standing up and walking out of their histories, encouraged to do so perhaps in part because of a little song I wrote. Praisaluiah!</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>[I would be remiss if I didn't stop a second to note my thanks to my co-writer on this song, <a href="http://www.levikreis.com/">Levi Kreis</a>, without whom I'd not have made the trip to New York and visited Ground Zero in August of 2006 in the first place and without whom the song would not have been finished later.] </i></div><div><br />
</div><div>We actually wrapped on time (15 minutes early, I do believe -- in your face, Spielberg!), loaded up the cars, I went home for a few to change, then went to meet up with Director Chris, Producer Jacole, Assistant to the Producer <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamie.kitchen702">Jamie</a> (Jacole's sis), Assistant to the Director <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=503300049">Marie</a> (Chris' lady), awesome crew members <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kellisays">Kelli</a> (aka "iPod"), <a href="https://www.facebook.com/karen.brundage">Karen</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1037714696">Candy</a>, principle actors <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=534767188">Kelly</a> and <a href="http://youtu.be/rIaVph0JFM4">the Colbert Twins</a> (and their daddy) and some friends of ours down from the Berkeley area visiting for the weekend, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1286893317">Robert</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/surabufix">Lisa</a> and their gorgeous little baby Raina, to chill and toast our long-awaited wrap. We were loopy as hell (as call time for some was as early as 6am and DC, PJ, A2DM and I were up late and early all week prior) and the champagne probably didn't help matters, but we were giddy with ourselves for being a totally indie production and taking on a real, full-blown music video and actually succeeding! Dream big, get bigness in return!</div><div><br />
</div><div>It was a beautiful, amazing, joyful, SUNNY (!!!), healing, fun, fulfilling day. And I have the farmer burn and scratched up feet (from going barefoot) to prove it! And I'd do it all again! Well...in awhile. A long while. And I'm pretty sure we'll story board the next one to include a nice, air-conditioned studio. Juuuuuust sayin!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Love to <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goonmusicvideo/go-on-music-video-stories-of-survival-darci-monet/backers">every last one of you</a> who backed our fundraising campaign on <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goonmusicvideo/go-on-music-video-stories-of-survival-darci-monet">Kickstarter</a>...without you this weekend would never have happened. We cannot ever express our thanks enough without sounding like complete, gushing teenagers. We love you.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Thank you to Tacey (sp?) at the City of Pasadena Parks and Recreation, Lance at <a href="http://filmins.com/">FilmIns.com</a>, our park monitor guy whose name I forgot and the residents who live on Orange Grove and Sunnyslope in Pasadena (except the one that reported us to Parks and Rec the next day for being too loud, even though you had written notification from P&R that we'd be there -- you're a big poopypants poopyhead and I'm totally gonna sic Amy Poehler on you - loveyoumeanitnamaste!). </div><div><br />
</div><div>More love to my <u>personal</u> friends who showed up to be in or work on this scene as crew at the butt crack of dawn on a sacred Sunday morning simply because I asked you to. I'm so blessed to have you all in my life:</div><div><br />
</div><div>Kelly Goodman (principal)</div><div>Greg Weaver (principal)</div><div>Candice & Seamus Colbert<br />
Kelli Bowlden<br />
Karen Brundage<br />
Dawn Merkel<br />
Chris Trott<br />
Andy Allen<br />
Rodney Petreikis</div><div>Paul Marich </div><div>Romulo Mota<br />
Marena Atallah</div><div>Marla Douglas</div><div>Richard Gadas</div><div>Robert Long</div><div>Scott Patrick</div><div>Susan Thatcher</div><div>Miss Poppy Fields</div><div>Dr. Mike Wooten<br />
(I hope I didn't forget any of you!)</div><div><br />
</div><div>And of course, everyone who showed up at Gwinn Park in Pasadena by 7:30am (a final list of names I do not yet have) to hang around with a grassroots production team and indie artist in the hot sun for almost six hours in exchange for egg salad sandwiches, donuts, Starbucks and sunburns. You were stone cold pros and we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts!<br />
<br />
Most importantly -- Chris, Jacole, Marie and iPod...in it knee deep from day one, I'd give you my fallopian tubes and my last egg if they weren't all shriveled and useless. The most love, evereverever.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned, Darciples! Big things a-happenin'!!!</div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-62216531740343780432011-06-29T22:13:00.000-07:002011-06-30T17:38:49.979-07:00I Am Not Broken.<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not even sure where to start this blog. So much is going on...and yet not going on...I can't even think straight at the moment. I seem to be in the midst of learning some seriously heavy and strange life lessons and while on paper I know it will all lead to my highest good, it is difficult to allow the moment to just flow. Because you see, I'm a control freak. <i>And</i> I'm extremely competitive with myself. <i>And</i> I was raised in an environment of fear, guilt and self-loathing. I work hard to try and stop myself from boarding the Crazy Train these days when things aren't going the way I think they should (or are simply going in a direction I can't clearly make out as yet), and I am indeed getting better. I think of myself ten years ago...hell, even five years ago...and I'm pretty impressed with how much better I deal with life's little turds than I used to. Like the proverbial onion, you peel back each layer. At least that's how I prefer it. I'm not a diver, I'm a toe-dipper. And I'm okay with that. Cuz for a long time I just sat in the bleachers and watched.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Regardless of the progress I have made reading various happy-happy books, looking up inspirational quotes, listening to enlightening CDs by the likes of the good doctors <a href="http://www.drwaynedyer.com/">Wayne Dyer</a> and <a href="http://www.agapelive.com/index.php?page=3">Michael Beckwith</a>, and enjoying <a href="http://www.nohonewthought.com/rev-JamesJ-Mellon.html">Rev. James Mellon</a>'s talks online...there is always my one albatross I cannot get off my neck. It is not a cause, but a manifestation of the root cause. And while I chip away, away, away at my bad habits of verbally beating myself to smithereens and begin to talk lovingly and respectfully to myself - and to others - I just. cannot. stop.................................................</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Eating. There was never an a-ha moment that indicated to me what the core of this issue was, even though my mom and bio-dad had divorced before I was even two and he was a total substance-abusing deadbeat, which clearly leads to abandonment issues. Knowing this to be a common cause of food issues in women, it wasn't enough to just know it to make myself stop. And being a person whose favorite classes in school other than music were psychology related, I've read EVERYTHING I can get my hands on about this subject. And of course also worshiped at the church of Oprah for 25 years trying to figure it out as well. I even went to a healer who claims to have The Stigmata (I saw the scars in her hands while she held them over my face, vividly -- is it real or is it Memorex? You decide.) and to a wacky weekend seminar where they deprived us of sleep and food till we were all literally in tears (even the men) and coddling our pathetic little inner children. I actually thought that worked for a hot minute...but about a week later it was same ole same ole.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I may however, have had a breakthrough at long last...two interesting revelations. I began reading a book a few days ago called "Women, Food and God" by Geneen Roth. Yes, I heard about it on the Oprah show. Ms. Roth's philosophy is, "All that you believe about love, change, joy and possibility is revealed in how, when and what you eat. The world is on your plate." Uh...what? How I feel about life is causing me to abuse my relationship with food? And here I've been thinking this whole time that my relationship with food is what causes me to hate my life! I'm intrigued to find out more. This is Revelation Number One, the lesser of the two.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Revelation Number Two got me like a 2x4 in the noggin. In the forward of the book, Ms. Roth is describing a retreat she hosts twice a year to help women with food addiction. A rule is that when it's time to eat, everyone fills their plates with whatever, sits down and has to wait to eat till everyone <i>else</i> has filled her plate and has sat down. This causes lots and lots of strife. Eighty food-addicted women with plates of food in their faces and not allowed to eat. Just wave a beer under an alcoholic's nose, for the love of Pete. This discomfort brings forth confessions and excuses, many of which I've read in a million other places in my search to bury this demon within..."I was abused...I can't live up to society's standards...I'm a child of divorce...I grew up in the Witness Protection Program and I don't know who I really am"...blah blah blah. But one woman said something that literally busted open the floodgates for me, because I realized it was MY story but never really knew it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Directly from the book (no infringement intended, Ms. Roth!): </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>A few minutes later, Nell, a student at the retreats for seven years, raises her hand. "I am not hungry anymore, but I suddenly realized that I am afraid to push the food away."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Why?" I (Geneen) ask.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Because..."--and she starts to cry--"...because I realize I am not broken...and that you will be angry at me if you know."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Why would I be angry at you?" I ask.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Because you'd see who I really am and you wouldn't like it."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"What would I see?"</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Vitality. A lot of energy. Determination. Strength."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Wow," I say. "And what wouldn't I like about that?"</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"I wouldn't need you then. And you would be threatened by that."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Who are you taking me to be? Anyone you know who was threatened by how gorgeous you are?"</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Nell starts to laugh. "Hi, Mom," she says.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The room erupts in a wave of laughter.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"She was so depressed," Nell says. "And if I was just myself, that was too much for her. I needed to shut down the bigness--I needed to be as broken as she was--otherwise she'd reject me and that was unacceptable."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, my mother was and is beautiful. And I know I wasn't thrown out the ugly tree myself, so it's not about that. But I <i>was</i> a very dramatic, vivacious, colorful, expressive, creative, gifted child...and my mother could NOT handle my "bigness." She could NOT handle my innate, burning desire to make the whole world my stage. And even while on one hand she did make sure I got all the musical training I wanted in the form of lessons, etc., she did everything she possibly could to snuff out my inner light. Suddenly realizing Revelation Number Two, my mind flooded with examples...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>I started dance lessons when I was 5. It was interfering with my Saturday morning cartoons, so I told mom I wanted to quit. Her reply, "That's ok honey, you didn't really have it anyway." And she let me quit and I never took another dance class in my life, because from then on I believed I couldn't dance. And I still do.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Around the same age, I was apparently fond of standing in front of the mirrors over the produce aisles in the grocery store and reenacting every commercial I'd ever seen on tv...to the point that my mother had a hard time getting me to stop and she'd have to drag me away in protest. One day I was so out of hand that I brought her to tears and she picked me up and left the store, abandoning a full cart of groceries. Now, while this is actually a pretty funny story, it stings to know that I had embarrassed my mother so greatly just by being who I was.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>As a teenager, after the fam "got Jesus," my mother decided <u>for me</u> when I was "spiritually right enough with the Lord" to sing a solo on any particular Sunday in church. And she used it as a tool of discipline, too. "Do as I say or I'll call Pastor and tell him you can't sing this Sunday." To this day, when I have a voice student who is quitting their voice lessons because their parents are using them as a form of discipline, I get infuriated.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Mom yelling down the stairs into the basement-made-into-a-rec room as I practiced diligently singing the soprano melodies from the hymn book: "Darci, you're an alto, NOT a soprano, just accept it and quit that caterwauling! I can't take it!" </i><i>A few years later when I started taking voice lessons and discovered I was indeed a soprano after all (as my dream was to be the next <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandi_Patty">Sandi Patty</a>), when I told mom she sneered, "No you're not. That woman must not know what she's talking about. What are we paying her for?" (I will tell you this, if not for Liz-formerly-Bolibaugh-now-Belle giving me permission to sing with the voice I was born with instead of dumbing-it-down so as not to appear as if I was 16-going-on-30--which would mortify my mother--I'm not sure what I'd be doing now. Probably making money. But bored out of my ever-loving mind.)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Whenever we argued, as mothers and daughters do, she never once went without saying, "Oh STOP being so dramatic! You're not on stage, spare me the drama."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Star Search was a big deal when I was in high school and they were having auditions in Albany, the nearest major city to my tiny little town of Johnstown, about 45 minutes northwest (and I mean a real 45 minute drive, not an L.A. 45 minute drive, which would actually be 7 minutes without traffic). My voice teacher said I MUST audition. I told mom. Mom said no, because she simply wasn't willing to drive that far (this despite the fact that she was as rabid a fan of the great <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Harris_(singer)">Sam Harris</a> as I was). When I told Liz, she was livid and immediately got on the phone and chewed her out. "Darci is GIFTED! She NEEDS to do this! What is your problem?!" Mom's response, "She can do whatever she likes when she's graduated high school and no longer living in my house." Now, considering what happens to child stars nowadays, Mom's decision could be argued as very sensible. But I was a senior in high school then and the "I'm not driving that far" excuse was not acceptable.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The worst though...when I moved to college in Nashville, TN...the whole family made the drive down with me (we had family friends living there they could visit and I'm not entirely sure that if we didn't that I wouldn't have been unceremoniously stuck on a plane and sent off alone). As they left to go back home, Mom hugged me ferociously and tried not to cry. But when she pulled away she said, "You can do this, Darci Christine. You're tough. You can do this." And then in the same breath, "But maybe try not to be yourself so much at first, because these girls are genteel southern ladies and you might scare them off before they get to know you." (Little does she know that very often "Southern Hospitality" is nothing more than wearing a big fake smile <u>while</u> they're stabbing you in the back.)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">These instances felt brutal back <i>then</i>. But realizing where it came from gutted me even more the other day. I was born a fearless, happy child, as we all are. But by the time I was born Mom had made an extreme mess of her life, marrying the wrong alcoholic, drug-addict guy, never had any dreams of her own, and later got remarried to a very kind man that she wasn't truly in love with to get herself and her two children (at the time) off of welfare. I represented vitality, life, strength, hopes and dreams and had inherited my no-good bio-dad's musical gifts on top of it (bass player). Mom just couldn't take my "bigness"...she couldn't take looking at the reminder of her own mistakes every single day and the possibility that I might accomplish great things in my life when she never did. My mother was broken. I was NOT broken. And so she, subconsciously for sure, set out to break me. And I began to turn to food to deal with my mother's brokenness. Because I could be as dramatic and full of life and music as I wanted to with food because it couldn't and wouldn't reject me or belittle me for being me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, after reading all this you are probably thinking my mother is a class A evil witch hag. That's actually not true. She can be very loving, fiercely protective, tough as nails, adorable as hell and absolutely melts into goo when there's a baby around. She's smarter than she's ever given herself credit for and she never sloughs off a responsibility for anything. She's also the only person I've ever met who LOVES to gamble and somehow has never lost her shirt. She is the Queen of Moderation. And she's never once pressured any of us kids to hurry up and get married and make her a grandmother. I love my mother so very much and the thought of anything happening to her makes me sick to my stomach. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alas, like so many of us, her darkness has overcome her. She's allowed her past to be her present and her truth, and lets regret be the god she truly worships, as opposed to the God she claims saved her when I was seven. As a disciple of today's evangelical fundamental uber-conservative "Christ" (the man-made one, not the Living Source of Love I now believe in), she's more worried about the states of others' souls than her own. Her job is to be miserable. It's not a good day if you haven't wept, rent your clothing, climbed onto a pile of ashes and gnashed your teeth! She simply doesn't know that she doesn't have to feel this way. She just doesn't know...and at 61, she probably has no desire to. I cannot judge that or be angry at it, because a) I know that she is genuinely concerned with the state of the world in the deepest parts of her being and b) I was there once, too. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But I don't want that for myself. I cannot stand myself miserable. Others can't stand me miserable. Revelation Number Two is reminding me, though I've heard and read it a million times, that there's nothing wrong with me. I was created in the image of The Maker and therefore perfect from day one. Period. I do not have to take on my mother's pain. Or my bio-dad's. Or friends' or former boyfriends' or my siblings' or anyone else's. It's not my responsibility and I have to stop worrying myself to death about it with every bite I shovel into my mouth. Furthermore, I do not get the luxury of blaming anyone else for who I've become or not become, because everything that has happened to me, was said to me or done to me in the course of my life are just that...happenings. Big deal. They happened. They do not define me. Their effects are not irreversible. Suck it up and move on. It's never too late to start over and it's never too late to remember that I was not born broken in the first place. I was NEVER broken. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I. AM. NOT. BROKEN.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Contentment of heart to all.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<i>Next day edit: This is becoming a song...stay tuned...</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-45675912803879513782011-05-04T22:26:00.000-07:002011-05-04T22:26:21.718-07:00AMERICAN IDOL - "A WORKING MUSICIAN'S REVIEW" - TOP 5 (5/4)<div><b>For the newbies, I'm <a href="http://www.darcimonet.com/">Darci Monet</a> and I make music and teach people to sing for a living. Check out my <a href="http://www.darcimonet.com/">website</a> to find out more. Especially cuz I could use some work right now. <img alt="Winking0048" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/winking0048.gif" title="Winking0048" /> </b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div><b>I've been watching American Idol since season one and kvetching about it since season two. I do "drive-by reviews"...one watch, first impression critiques (cuz you don't get do-overs in concert). Thank you for reading, and please feel free to pipe in with your opinions, even if they disagree with mine -- just keep it on a grown up level. Thank you! </b></div><div><br />
</div><div>__________________________________________</div><div><br />
</div><div>Okay, let's get this show on the road. It's two songs-a-night time! FUN! LET'S THROW IT DOWN! <img alt="16a375z" src="http://i4.tinypic.com/16a375z.gif" title="16a375z" /></div><div><br />
</div><div>Ok seriously. I am sooooooooooo tired of backup singers being dissed, particularly on this show. Sheryl's "humble beginnings" as a backup singer for Michael Jackson. That's a GOOD PAY DAY, campers, and a perfectly respectable living. And not every backup singer secretly wishes he/she could be famous. Some of us LOVE singing backup and find nothing to be ashamed of in doing it. Better than bagging groceries or selling car insurance, that's for damned sure. Stupid show. </div><div><br />
</div><div><img alt="20gzk43" src="http://i2.tinypic.com/20gzk43.gif" title="20gzk43" /></div><div><br />
</div><div>Sorry, it's been hot here today. Makes a juicy girl a little testy.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">James</span></b> is up first and he's gonna do some song by 30 Seconds To Mars. I know OF this band but I don't know their material. Isn't the guy from "Requiem for a Dream" in this band? That's one wack movie, people (Ellen Burstyn was robbed!). Anyhoo...well...not my favorite of his performances from a technique or pitch standpoint (band was wussin' out, too) but he's getting so comfortable on stage and he really knows what works for him. I'm pretty sure I'll be buying his album. And I'm pretty sure he's gonna be huge. I just don't want him to get rid of his vibrato entirely like all these little snot-nosed "rockers" today. What I love about him is he really <i>sings</i> and I don't want him to lose that.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Did Ryan just say something about James going "full Monty"??? What'd I miss??? Dang it! Rewind! <img alt="Eyerub" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/eyerub.gif" title="Eyerub" /></div><div><br />
</div><div>So <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Jacob</b></span> is going to do Jordin Sparks' & Girlfriend Beater's "No Air." Hmmmm...I dunno about this. What's wrong with the sound tonight? Everyone's out of tune, including the background singers. I didn't like this partially cuz the sound was so awful. Gotta say that kid can sing in the freakin' stratosphere, though. I actually think this probably would make a really great recording for him...just didn't work live and I'm not sure that's entirely his fault. GO JLo, telling Randy not to tell Jacob who he is! Now y'all shut up and let Steven talk. Btw, they kept calling Ruben Luther-esque too and when's the last time we heard <i>him</i> on the radio? Just sayin. Luther was then and Jacob has to be now and apparently he knows it.</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Lauren</b></span> is gonna cover Carrie Underwood. For a girl who is terrified of her own power, maybe she shouldn't be attempting songs by one of the biggest voices EVER...? <img alt="Smiley-think005" src="http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x92/coachbob6811/smiley-think005.gif" title="Smiley-think005" /> I hope she blows it out of the park, though. And WOW, she sure did! Now THAT is the Lauren I was hoping she'd be this <i>whole time</i>! SANG, GURL! The sound still sucks but it goes to show when you choose the right song and leave your guts on the stage you can rise above that. FIERCE! <img alt="16a3c6a" src="http://i3.tinypic.com/16a3c6a.gif" title="16a3c6a" /> I think Sheryl gave her some great advice in telling her not to worry so much about it being perfect, but to give it all up...it really worked for her.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Oh is <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Scotty</span></b> still here? Servin' up a little Montgomery Gentry. And okay he reminded me WHY he's still here (once I got over those stupid Maxim models appearing again...seriously, I'm all in a good mood till they walk out and act like it's <i>their</i> show). That was a lot of fun and I thought he really took a bite out of those vocals and, like Lauren, threw caution to the wind. I always think Scotty does a great job connecting with his material but he has been choosing safe much of the time. This shook things up and I enjoyed it a lot. Nice job, kid! <img alt="Thumbsup" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/thumbsup.gif" title="Thumbsup" /></div><div><br />
</div><div>Dang it. JLo's too cute whoopin' it up for these contestants...stop making me like you, you witchy little thing! Hmph. <img alt="Eyes" src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eyes.gif" title="Eyes" /></div><div><br />
</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Haley</span></b>'s doing an unreleased Gaga song??? Especially at the encouraging of Jimmy Iovine? I thought the contestants were required to choose their own songs. Hmmmmmmm. <img alt="Indifferent0027" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/indifferent0027.gif" title="Indifferent0027" /> Now I know the producers force songs on the contestants - it's been going on for ten years. But no one's ever said it ON AIR. I expect a little backlash in tomorrow's entertainment news and I certainly hope it doesn't hurt Haley in the voting. <img alt="Sign0007" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/sign0007.gif" title="Sign0007" /> Anyway...yeah, this is where she lives. It's all about the stuff that's steeped in the blues for her. I hope her album is full of songs like this, cuz it absolutely should be. I think she did a great job. And her eye makeup is STUNNING! </div><div><br />
</div><div>You're wrong, judges. I don't know half of these songs every week and it doesn't bother me when they do them <i>well</i>. I think they're full of crap. Except Steven, cuz he's with me on this. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Oh noooooooooooo <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">James</span></b> is doing Harry Nilsson!!! One of the all time greatest pop songs ever written. Oh I'm so excited...this could be so awesome and I sincerely hope it is. Aw jeez, he's crying. I can't take it. Haven't seen him lose his stuff since the auditions, it's heartbreaking! He stayed in pitch better while crying than he did on the first song! Clearly not a pristine vocal (and perhaps I'd have taken the key up a half step so his low notes could really simmer), but the <i>heart</i>was there and at the end of the day that's what matters. He was the vessel, he served the song, done. And it was nice to hear a guy singing it for a change, too.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Okay so Jimmy's picking some songs tonight? Maybe I missed that in one of Ryan's speeches or something and there's NOT actually a scandal a-brewing. Regardless, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Jacob</span></b> is singing another great sad song from my uber-childhood, "Love Hurts" (coincidentally, Heart has recorded versions of both "Without You" and "Love Hurts"...you wanna experience vocal emotion, find and download forthwith). Ok loved loved loved the beginning, such a sweet touch with the harp...and I found myself getting into the end but HATED the horns, which immediately spread a thick layer of Velveeta over the whole thing. But Jacob put some stank on it and I only wish he'd have just said, "Oh shoot, WHATEVER" and used his body some, cuz you KNOW he wanted to. Wicked final lick at the end and super high "because<i> I can</i>" note to finish it off. Quite a mess. Quite a big ole hot mess but I enjoy that sort of thing...in the same way I enjoy Patti LaBelle. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Up next is <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Lauren </span></b>with...oh dear God..."Unchained Melody." <img alt="Sick0020" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/sick0020.gif" title="Sick0020" /> Nothing against it, I'm just sick to death of it...and still haven't heard anyone do it better than Clay on this show. Holy AMAZING DRESS, Batman! Here she goes...and Oh COME ON!!! What the hell happened? She was doing so great, building, building, stylizing it perfectly, not too much, not too little, flipping flawlessly through registers, building...and then she completely crapped out! <img alt="Sign0165" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/sign0165.gif" title="Sign0165" /> I AM SOOOOOOOO MAD RIGHT NOW! This could have been absolutely a vocal stunner but no. What a disappointment. I don't know if it was the arrangement or if she just suddenly froze and quit. <i>*sigh* </i></div><div><br />
</div><div>Seriously judges. Booooooooooooo. Chickens. CHICKENS!!! You can't let someone crap out on an iconically big song and get away with it, 15 years old or not! <img alt="Mad0235" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/mad0235.gif" title="Mad0235" /></div><div><br />
</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Scotty</span></b> is doing one of my all time favorite Elvis songs (of course written by the great Willie Nelson). I have no fear that he will settle me down from that last train wreck. And as expected, it was lovely and tender. I'd have brought it up a half step just so he could have locked in a little stronger on that bridge, but otherwise, he did it right. I forget he's so young. He's an old soul of a performer. There's no excuse for any other teenager on this show - or outside of this show - not to "get it."</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Haley</span></b> is singing "The House of the Rising Sun", which costs NOTHING to license because it's in public domain. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_House_of_the_Rising_Sun">No one knows who wrote it</a>, but we know The Animals made it famous. Anyway...she sangin' her patootie off. I also think she's making up for Casey with all that growling. But I still love her and I want her to get all the way to the end. Again, this kinda song is HER house. Just about perfect. Great way to end the show. </div><div><br />
</div><div>And that's all she wrote. I think Jacob might be getting the ax tomorrow. But then again...this <i>is</i> American Idol, and you just never know...</div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-30554337078676866292011-04-27T22:08:00.001-07:002011-04-27T22:24:12.424-07:00AMERICAN IDOL - "A WORKING MUSICIAN'S REVIEW" - TOP 6 (4/27)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">For the newbies,</i></b></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">I'm <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px;"><a href="http://www.darcimonet.com/" id="link_11" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Darci Monet</a></span> and I make music and teach people to sing for a living. Check out my <a href="http://www.darcimonet.com/">website</a> to find out more. </i></b></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;"></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 12px;"><b><i><br />
</i></b></span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">I've been watching American Idol since season one and kvetching about it since season two. I do "drive-by reviews"...one watch, first impression critiques (cuz you don't get do-overs in concert). Thank you for reading, and please feel free to pipe in with your opinions, even if they disagree with mine -- just keep it on a grown up level. Thank you! <img alt="Winking0048" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/winking0048.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Winking0048" /></i></b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;"><br />
</i></b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">_____________________________________________</i></b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;"><br />
</i></b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Okay...now, I love me some Carole King but every time they've done her songs on this show the contestants have butchered them. I'm scared for James this week for sure. I have little hope that this show will contain much pizazz...unless they're smart and search out the hits she had with OTHER artists and not just what she recorded herself. </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Jacob</b></span>'s up first (thanks for playing honey, guess we'll see you at the finale) with "Oh No, Not My Baby." Ok...so I'm following along pleasantly, he's doing just fine...and that's it...fine...and then that breakdown kicks in and he got his church stomp on. YEAH, DADDY!!! That's what I wanna see from him. And the kid's got a great ear...I liked a lot of his improv choices at the end. So it ended with a bang, but I wish he had put that 150% into it from word go. This is a good style for him. Let Cee Lo Green produce his record and there'll be something going on there.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Lauren</span></b> is gonna do "Where You Lead." Oh goody, The Doublemint Twins are back. <img alt="Sick" src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/sick.gif" title="Sick" /> Well...cute performance. That's it. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh. Still boring. Oh man, here goes the Queen of Autotune encouraging the 16 year old to trash her cords. But YOU Steven? Well...his cords were born trashed, I guess. Anyway, she's adorable but yeah...I just can't get into her. Everyone wants her to push, push, push her voice...is anyone gonna push her to CONNECT to a song??? She's vacant. Completely vacant.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Haley</span></b> and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Casey</span></b> dueting, yay! Kinda fun. The best rendition of that song on this show ever. Even though that isn't really saying that much cuz everyone else who came before decimated it. But they sounded good together. There were some really nice vocal moments. </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Friends, I could not care less about tonight's show. Oooooohhhhhhh my gawd, I'm ready to be done already. <img alt="Indifferent0018" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/indifferent0018.gif" title="Indifferent0018" /> And to top it off, my cat won't stop begging to come in, go out, come in, go out, come in, go out. He's fixin' to become orange chicken in a minute.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Oh nooooo <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Scotty</span></b>'s singing "You've Got A Friend." Snoooooooozaroo! Ok, I take it back a little. That was a nice rendition of that song. I believed him. Heartfelt and a little less country-fried than usual, in his upper register, a nice subtle change. Gotta give it to him. <img alt="Thumbsup" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/thumbsup.gif" title="Thumbsup" /> And he's MUCH better at "the look" than Constantine was. Haha!</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">A soft, sensitive side of Crazy <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">James</span></b>. Tremblin' in mah boots, kids. Don't get me wrong...I fully believe he's got the voice and talent to tackle something softer in there somewhere...but will he ALLOW himself to? Aaaaaahhhhhh, there's the rub! Let's see. Hmmmm..."Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." People are so used to the up tempo version...I wish he was gonna keep it a sweet ballad just cuz he CAN. I LOVED the beginning...but Iovine made him rock it up. <i>*sigh* </i>Gettin' sick of that guy. He did just fine, but it was also predictable. Another tired rendition. The lyric is so sad and tender...I wish SOMEONE would put that spin on it just once. I<i> love </i>James but I didn't get why everyone was licking his butt over this. (Though I wouldn't be mad at him if he won the whole thing, not one bit)</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Now we get to hear <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Scotty</span></b> and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Lauren</span></b> together. Out of tune. Both of them. Next...</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Ummmm...who's the random child on Steven's lap?</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Casey</b></span> is singing a song I don't think I've ever heard. But I'm excited for it. Aaaaannnnnnndddddd so far it's the only performance of the night that mattered. The blues sits on him so well, he knows exactly what to do with it and he's a great entertainer. I loved the musicians circling him at the end...favorite of the night. </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Haley</b></span>, please don't sing "It's Too Late." Oh thank God. LOVE her little dress. Ok, it's not just her monitors that are screwy, but the mix is AWFUL. Cuz of that, I think she got off to a slow start, but I also think she picked one of the hardest songs of the night and she didn't stumble vocally for a second. I'm just not sure the average Joe is gonna realize that or notice with that horrific mix swallowing her voice up. She's sooooooooooo bad @$$, though. I'd buy her album in a New York minute.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Duet from <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Jacob</span></b> and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">James</span></b>. Alright...who wants to bet me $100 that if James doesn't win this competition his first stop will be the lead in "American Idiot" on Broadway? Holy screamfest, Batman! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha...I haven't experienced such a thing since I battled out <a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ChrisMitchell">"People Get Ready" with my friend Chris Mitchell</a> back in the 90's! Oh, I miss those days. But I digress and shamelessly self-promote. That was tons of fun for all the wrong, self-indulgent reasons. I loved that the same way I love N'Sync's "Bye Bye" song. Go boys. Don't judge me.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Oh thank God it's over. Least favorite episode of the season. Maybe I'm just extra tired or something. I suspect we'll be losing Jacob or Haley tomorrow night. </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Sweet dreams, rock stars! <img alt="049" src="http://emoticons4u.com/cool/049.gif" title="049" /><br />
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P.S. - I MISS YOU STEFANO!!! <img src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/th_italy_jfo.gif?t=1303968178" /></div></div><div><br />
<br />
</div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-79466409320806123882011-04-21T01:01:00.000-07:002011-04-21T01:01:56.366-07:00AMERICAN IDOL - "A WORKING MUSICIAN'S REVIEW" - TOP 7 (4/20)<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">Well here we go...another week and I have no idea what the theme is. I guess I'll find out soon enough! Aha...music from the 21st century. Hmmmm. I'm a little scared of this one, as I'm not sure the new millenium has produced much top 40 fare that's worth listening to. Thus sayeth Brian Wilson, "Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you'll suck forever." </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">Hey...I kinda liked bringing back the eliminated contestants (except Ashthon...turns out she's still annoying). It's about time this show figured out that you don't have to actually win the dang thing anymore and that there are probably more steadily working cast-offs from this show than winners at this point. But poor Paul, all alone, with his hopelessly thrashed vocal chords, trying to keep up with a bunch of divas screaming. Oy vey. </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">Alright, let's get to it. <b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Scotty</span></b>'s up first (the danger zone, as Paul can attest). And he was "meh." It is indeed time for him to kick it up. I don't have anything more to say than that.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;">James</b></span> is gonna do a Muse song. Fun. I'm not worried. Oh wow, he gets a drumline? Hmmm. I'm not all that sure I loved ALL the screaming, but I suppose he had to do something cuz the song is not made for a soloist. I probably would have taken a higher harmony and played with the melody oh-so-slightly instead of the octave jumping. He looked amazing tonight and his overall performance was just right, I thought. He let the words (mostly) speak for themselves and didn't overdo the stage theatrics. I enjoyed it.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">Here comes <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;">Haley</b></span> with Adele's "Rolling In The Deep" and I'm REALLY psyched to hear her take this on (even though this song is getting dangerously overplayed right now). And DANG GURL!!!! I expected her to do just fine but holy moly that was some saaaaaaaaaangin', my people! I was in a rotten mood a minute ago and I feel so much better after that performance. I'm not even kidding. This is the kind of album she should make. Something a little bit throwback, a little bit contemporary. Gorgeous. LOVE. Super cute dress, too.<img alt="167shsx" src="http://i3.tinypic.com/167shsx.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="167shsx" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">Judges? Did you not hear the same performance I did? They seemed awfully apathetic about it but I thought it was FIERCE. <img alt="Shrug" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/shrug.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Shrug" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">By the way, there's a juicy girl in the audience that I believe is with James' people and she keeps coming up on camera...and I SWEAR I stood in line with her for X-Factor auditions. She never stopped singing or talking or "coaching" the other singers for one dang second. If it's not her, it could be her twin, down to her mannerisms. But she was from Fresno. So what are the odds, really?</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">And ANOTHER THING...I don't believe for one second that the bleach blondes are really singers. I think they're bikini models lip-syncing for paid union singers behind the big head of Oz somewhere. Disgusting. <img alt="Sick0020" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/sick0020.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Sick0020" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Jacob</span></b> is going to do some Luther. I just hope it's not "Dance With My Father," though. Aaaawwww crap. Of course it is, cuz I think that was the last hit Luther had before he passed. Well...he got through it. Weirdness at the beginning, like he couldn't hear himself. But hey...when you grow up singing in church you don't always have monitors and you learn to sing in tune by muscle memory, so I'm not actually surprised that he didn't flounder for long. Otherwise, that was as good as I expected it to be. I'm with Randy, it didn't make me jump up and down either and I am anxious for the the old foot-stompin', gospel-sangin' Jacob to come back. </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">I'm enjoying the contestants making fun of each other. And yes, I realize that sounded very bot-like. </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;">Casey</b></span> is going to do my favorite Maroon 5 song, "Harder To Breathe." I'm psyched. I couldn't even type anything through that cuz it was SO. MUCH. FREAKIN'. FUUUUNNNNNN!!!!! He really put some rock n' roll on it and I just loved it. And man, that kid's got cajones to get in JLo's face and steal a SMOOCH! <img alt="Winking0048" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/winking0048.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Winking0048" /> Brilliant. Every week he does something new and it makes me happy.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">Oh Steven Tyler. Did anyone tell this guy that there are <i style="min-width: 0px;">children</i> in the live audience? Dude's the honey badger! Honey badger don't care! Honey badger don't give a @$%!!!! <img alt="16a420n" src="http://i5.tinypic.com/16a420n.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="16a420n" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">Of course <b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Stefano</span></b>'s a flirt, it comes as naturally to Italian boys as blinking. Now I liked this performance just fine, but compared to all the interesting stage set ups the other contestants had tonight it ended up feeling kind of bare even though I think the kid was putting his 100% into it. His pitch was a little squirrelly here and there but I'm getting to where I don't actually care so much about such things anymore (to a point, of course) because everything we hear on the radio is so perfectly auto-tuned that a little bit of woopsy-daisy is almost refreshing to me (<i style="min-width: 0px;">note to my students: this doesn't mean you get a pass, sorry!</i>). Overall, I think he did his best but this might be the end of the road for him simply due to lack of theatrics.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #006600; min-width: 0px;">Viva</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; min-width: 0px;">Italia</span> </b>anyway! <img alt="Italy Flag smiley 79" src="http://www.buddy-icons.info/img/smile/1471.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">(Do y'all know I'm Italian? Just checkin'.)</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;">Lauren</b></span> is closing the show with a Sarah Evans song. (Dear God make the Doublemint Twins GO AWAY!!! <img alt="Mad0235" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/mad0235.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Mad0235" /> ). Aaaannnnddddd next. Sorry, but I thought that was a stupid song and this is the most bored I've been with her yet. I'm surprised at myself cuz going into this I thought I was gonna really like her, but I guess everyone else just keeps kicking it up every week and I feel like she's just coasting at best. It's not that I don't like her voice, cuz I do, I'm just bored. I certainly hope she takes the judges' advice and rips apart that box she's put herself in next week (cuz I'm not worried that she's going home).</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">JLo! PLEASE don't encourage untrained 16 year old singers to scream and yell at home by themselves! For the love of all that's good and holy, woman! <img alt="Scared" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/scared.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Scared" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;">That's all she wrote. I'm going to bed. This was a really fun show tonight. <img alt="16a3c6a" src="http://i3.tinypic.com/16a3c6a.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="16a3c6a" /></div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-49939379394409466942011-04-14T19:39:00.000-07:002011-04-14T19:39:13.337-07:00A WORKING MUSICIAN'S REVIEW - TOP 8 (4/13)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">For the newbies,</i></b></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">I'm <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px;"><a href="http://www.darcimonet.com/" id="link_11" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Darci Monet</a></span> and I make music and teach people to sing for a living. I have two albums out, I perform all over L.A., I've sung backup for some super cool people, I've won a few awards for songwriting and some of my students are making great careers for themselves. </i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">Also, I am making my very first music video, which I am describing as a "video love letter to the world"! My production team and I would love for you to keep up with our progress on our <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/gomusicvid" id="link_12" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook page</a></span>.</i></b></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></i></b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">I've been watching American Idol since season one and kvetching about it since season two. I do "drive-by reviews"...one watch, first impression critiques (cuz you don't get do-overs in concert). Thank you for reading, and please feel free to pipe in with your opinions, even if they disagree with mine -- just keep it on a grown up level. Thank you! <img alt="Winking0048" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/winking0048.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Winking0048" /></i></b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></i></b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">_____________________________________</i></b></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Okay...it's movie songs week. And if anyone sings "My Heart Will Go On" (though I think we're safe with Pia gone), I might have to chuck my tv out the window.</div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Paul</span></b> is up first (which means the show is trying to get rid of him) with "Old Time Rock n' Roll", dressed in mighty fine duds by Nashville's go-to costumer <a href="http://manuelcouture.com/" id="link_13" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Manuel</a>. THANK YOU Will.I.Am for setting Jimmy Iovine straight - NO DRUMB MACHINE ON THIS SONG, FOOL! Duh. <img alt="Crazy" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/crazy.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Crazy" /> Now...I hate this song. But I think it's gonna be a good fit for Paul regardless. But maybe I'm wrong. His poor little voice sounds absolutely worn out. Always fun onstage, but he sounded way better in rehearsal. I don't know if it's enough this week. I'm very confused by all the love the judges are giving him on this one. He wasn't awful but he wasn't at his best if you ask me.</div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Lauren</span></b> is going to do "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus, which I have to admit, is a great little song and I think her voice on it should be quite nice. Hmmmmm. Bored again. She sung it okay (a little wobbly with her pitch on her slides and such)...I think I'm with JLo with this...I want her to go further. I just have a hard time believing her. This should have been an easy song to connect with and yet I didn't feel it.</div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Stefano</span></b> is going to sing "End of The Road" by Boz II Men. Bless his little heart, I follow him on Twitter and I think he got a bit of a beating from Pia fans last week, blaming him for her demise (entirely unfair - peepz iz dumb, yo). My heart was happy to see the support he got from Jimmy and Will and I hope he can dig that emotion out and put it in this song like he did back with his wild card performance. And HOOOOOOO-EEEEEEEE! SAAAAAANG. JUST <i style="min-width: 0px;">SAAAAAAANG</i>, MUTHAH TRUCKAH!!! He tore that shizzle up, people. Great pitch, flawless runs, wore his heart on his sleeve and left his guts on the stage. Naw, he ain't goin' down without a fight. No, sir. And how cuuuuuute is his daddy??? <img alt="Crush" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/crush.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Crush" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009900; min-width: 0px;">VIVA</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; min-width: 0px;">ITALIA</span>!!! </span> </b><img alt="Italy Flag smiley 79" src="http://www.buddy-icons.info/img/smile/1471.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Love ya <b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Scotty</span></b>, but good luck following THAT up, baby! Oooooooh, I'm not happy with the song change. "Everybody's Talkin'" would've been somewhat out of the box for him, at least unexpected. And forgive me...but the backup singers are too hot in the mix. They sound great but I couldn't hear Scotty on the chorus. Hmmmmm. He should've stuck with his original choice. There was nothing terribly interesting about this song to me and his last note was a bit of a butt-scratcher. No disrespect to Mr. Straight, of course. This just wasn't the best of Scotty's performances.</div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></b></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">I'm very much enjoying all the crap they're giving JLo for her "most beautiful blah blah." Very much.</div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Casey</span></b> has chosen Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy." No Jimmy. No. You're wrong. WRONG. We love Casey cuz he's a REAL musician...America is CRAVING real musicians in the spotlight these days! LET HIM BE ONE! God forbid we give a record deal to someone with skills. Casey starts...aaaaannnnnnddddd a-ha! Take THAT, Iovine! <img alt="Fu" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/fu.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Fu" /> How ya like THAT smack on the @$$, huh? Polly wants some more? Oh yeah...HERE!<i style="min-width: 0px;">HAVE SOME OF <b style="min-width: 0px;">THIS</b>, NANCY BOY!!!</i> <img alt="16a375z" src="http://i4.tinypic.com/16a375z.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="16a375z" /> Brilliant. Abso-friggin-lutely BRILLIANT. Gorgeous vocals, fierce playing, sick scatting and not even a single growl necessary. I'm not sure that "mmmm" in the middle was meant to cover a clearing of the throat or what, it <i style="min-width: 0px;">was</i> a little weird and out of place, but I didn't care cuz the rest was so dang good. Standing O. I love it when the suits are WRONG. <img alt="1zvba05" src="http://i6.tinypic.com/1zvba05.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="1zvba05" /> Amazing music will ALWAYS trump crap. Always.</div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Haley</span></b>'s going with "Call Me" by Blondie. And I don't have anything bad to say about that performance. I just love when she gets up into her high register and rasps on it, it's super sexy and I covet that ability. AND she whipped her hair back and forth! <img alt="049" src="http://emoticons4u.com/cool/049.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="049" /> This, of course, is a required element for rock tunes. Short haired people should not sing rock. Haha, ok I'm just being a jerk! Good job, I thought. I'm also glad she's finally laying off the hunchover. I thought the judges were a little hard on her. It IS a steep competition this year, though. </div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></b></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Jacob</span> </b>is being forced to sing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and doesn't seem happy about it whatsoever. Hmmmmm. I still love his voice. It was a very subdued version. Closing chords were very interesting. He sang his face off. But I have to say...I felt like something was distracting him. I felt a wall. His disconnected is still better than just about anyone else's connected, though.</div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">James</span></b> is sticking to his guns with "Heavy Metal." I kinda like that Iovine's got the whippersnappers testing his mettle. I think that's what the music industry needs right now...for our artists to be <i style="min-width: 0px;">artists</i> instead of products molded and shaped by overpaid guys who are older than me. I don't know if I'm gonna love this song cuz I don't know it, but I know I'm going to respect it, anyway. And actually I LOVED IT! Why? <i style="min-width: 0px;">Cuz NO ONE'S DONE THIS S**T ON THE SHOW BEFORE!!!</i> And how on earth did they talk the SICK Zakk Wylde into stepping foot on that stage?! <img alt="Eyerub" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/eyerub.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Eyerub" /> If you ask me, it felt like a real concert. Well, almost. The rest of the band being visible would've been nice. But hey...I stand by Crazy James' choice. And man, he sure does love to rock. I was feelin' it. <img alt="Rockon" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/rockon.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Rockon" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">And there it is. Great show tonight. Personally I thought the weakest performances of the evening were Paul and Scotty. But that's based on a scale of "great" to "amazeballs". I have no idea who's gonna end up going home tonight, but I do hope Stefano gets to stay cuz I think he really fought for the right to.</div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Now I'm gonna put my face on and go sing a song or two at a piano bar. Haven't done that yet this year! Although I'm kinda in a rockin' mood now...hahaha! Hmmm...guess I'll pull out some blues, then.</div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929159.post-81107987016405358782011-04-06T21:49:00.000-07:002011-04-14T19:40:17.095-07:00AMERICAN IDOL - A WORKING MUSICIAN'S REVIEW - TOP 9 (4/6)<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">For the newbies,</i></b></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">I'm <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px;"><a href="http://www.darcimonet.com/" id="link_11" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Darci Monet</a></span> and I make music and teach people to sing for a living. I have two albums out, I perform all over L.A., I've sung backup for some super cool people, I've won a few awards for songwriting and some of my students are making great careers for themselves. </i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">Also, I am making my very first music video, which I am describing as a "video love letter to the world"! My production team and I would love for you to keep up with our progress on our <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/gomusicvid" id="link_12" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook page</a></span>.</i></b></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></i></b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;">I've been watching American Idol since season one and kvetching about it since season two. I do "drive-by reviews"...one watch, first impression critiques (cuz you don't get do-overs in concert). Thank you for reading, and please feel free to pipe in with your opinions, even if they disagree with mine -- just keep it on a grown up level. Thank you! <img alt="Winking0048" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/winking0048.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Winking0048" /></i></b></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><i style="min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></i></b></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">____________________________________________________________</div></div></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">ROCK AND ROLL WEEK!!! Well a few I'm not worried about at all. Some...well...let's just say Pia better DO SOMETHING this week or Imma sprout a second head. Btw, what happened to all the "changes" we were supposed to get this season...music videos by the contestants (other than the Ford commercials) and all....? Hmmm. <img alt="1zvaluu" src="http://i6.tinypic.com/1zvaluu.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="1zvaluu" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">JACOB</span></b> - I have no doubt you'll sing "Man In The Mirror" just fine but IT'S NOT A ROCK SONG!!! C'mon! King of <i style="min-width: 0px;">POP</i>??? Helleeeeerrrrrr??? <img alt="Mad0259" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/mad0259.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Mad0259" /> But it's still TRES cool that Miz Siedah Garrett herself is singing backup for you on the song she wrote! <img alt="16a3c6a" src="http://i3.tinypic.com/16a3c6a.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="16a3c6a" /> I adore this song and he nailed it...but it's still not a rock song. I'm annoyed by that and I'd better not be in for an entire night of such shenanigans. But I also give him props for sticking to his guns in regard to his song choice, which I know for fact is not easy for the contestants to do on this show. And that's all I have to say about that. <img alt="Whistle" src="http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k12/darcimonet/whistle.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Whistle" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">HALEY</span></b> is going to step up with some Janis. BRING IT, SISTER!!! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh, she did. There were places where she could've held back the growl a little to give herself a break but at least she didn't tiptoe up to the song in general (like Faith Hill did with that nauseating country version she released a hundred years ago - blech! <img alt="Sick0020" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/sick0020.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Sick0020" />). She looked FANTASTIC and she I thought she did a very honorable job of a classic song plus she threw in a little of her own thing while she was at it. </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">HOW DID I MISS THIS LYRIC CONTEST THING??????? BOOOOOOOO! <img alt="Mad0235" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/mad0235.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Mad0235" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">Casey</span></b> dumped The Police and went with CCR. And FINALLY pulls the standup out. I loved it. His licks are weird...somehow sloppy while NOT being sloppy. But when he's got the bass it all comes together for him. </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">OH COME. ON. <b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">LAUREN</span></b>! Wussin' out with Natural Woman. I love this song, but again -- NOT A ROCK SONG! <img alt="Mad0217" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/mad0217.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Mad0217" />There are PLENTY of songs and artists out there this girl could have handled during this theme week and she goes with old school r&b. WUSS! And sorry, I didn't really like this at all. Blank expression on her face the entire song. No connection whatsoever. None. So disappointing. It's like the fancier they make her look the more disconnected she gets.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">So <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;">JAMES</b></span> makes it to his cake round and he decides to slow it down with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Ummmm...not sure if this is a great idea. But it turns out I had no worries...that ending came out of nowhere and was SUH-WEET! I think he did the right thing. He's all, "hey, here's my pretty voice, I actually have one...but don't forget...I'M STILL AN EFFIN' ROCKSTAR, MUTHA TRUCKAH!!!" And by the way Lauren, THAT'S HOW YOU CONNECT TO A SONG. Mama likey. <img alt="049" src="http://emoticons4u.com/cool/049.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="049" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">So we're gonna get to see <b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">SCOTTY</span></b> do his Elvis after all. Okaaaaayyyyy...flawless vocal. Weird stage presence. Can't think of anything else to say, really. (Ryan asks of the squealing girls, "Where'd THEY come from?" Uh...SAG? <img alt="Indifferent0009" src="http://www.websitegoodies.com/smilies/gfx/indifferent0009.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Indifferent0009" /> )</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">Christian Slater looks amazing. If he's had work done, it's VERY GOOD work. Way to age, dude. And I loved your last show, "The Forgotten." Just sayin.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">PIA</span></b>, don't you dare disappoint me tonight. PLEASE tear it up! Well, it's a predictable choice...Celine's version of Ike & Tina's "River Deep Mountain High," but I'll be happy if she shakes a tail feather and uses the stage. Ok, no tail feathers exactly shaking, but at least she tried to move a little and she also sang the piddle out of it. And I can attest, that is a hardhardhardhard song, the range alone is a killer. I still would have asked her to put some flats on and bust a move, but it was still an improvement over the last couple snoozerific performances she's given (pipes aside, of course). I just want this girl to CUT. LOOSE! <b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; min-width: 0px;">Viva </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009900; min-width: 0px;">Italia</span>!</b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">STEFANO</span></b> is going to do Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman" which I think will be a great song choice for him. I don't think this is a rock song either, but clearly no one asked me this week. <img alt="Eyes" src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eyes.gif" style="min-width: 0px;" title="Eyes" /> Man, this kid can really really sing. I thought that was excellent. I liked the arrangement too, starting so lightly and ending lightly, unlike everyone else who comes out balls to the wall on this song giving it nowhere to go. I thought it was really solid. <b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; min-width: 0px;">Viva</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009933; min-width: 0px;">Italia</span>!</b></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;">This week <b style="min-width: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; min-width: 0px;">PAUL</span></b> is gonna give us "Folsom Prison Blues," which I think will work for him. Now THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT! That was the spirit of rock n' roll, my friends! For starters, THANK YOU Paul for putting some UMPH into the line "I killed a man in Reno just to watch him die"...which is a sick and twisted lyric and should therefore BE SUNG like it's sick and twisted and NO ONE ever goes there with it and it's a pet peeve...but YOU DID. Thank you. One of my favorite performances of the night. AND that's the most in tune he's sung in weeks on top of it. When it's your zone it's your zone.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><br style="min-width: 0px;" /></div><div style="max-width: 99%; min-width: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Oh we're done? Yay! My faves of the night were Haley and Paul. Or wait no...James too...er...well Pia sang really well...then Casey, when you sandwich "bad" and "ass" together you get "bass"...Stefano is just so good...aw crud, I dunno. I'm awfully hard on them and yet NONE of them totally blew it at all. I have no idea who's going home. They're all fantastic talents. Basically, the results shows are going to suck hard from here till the end. I'll be sad to see any of them go.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Back to learning songs from</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.tiffanytunes.com/" id="link_13" style="color: #d20000; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Tiffany</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">'s new album "Rose Tattoo" for Saturday night's release party! It's a good album, especially if you like country music. Check it out!</span></div><div><br />
</div>Darci Monethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701106585071444555noreply@blogger.com0