Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans

OK, so almost 2 weeks ago I started this blog.  In the meantime, life happened.  My brother-in-law passed away at the age of 41.  He suffered from end-stage emphysema which was diagnosed at the same time he was diagnosed with lung cancer almost 8 years ago.  He beat the cancer, but never made it to the transplant list for a lung transplant to beat the emphysema.  In the meantime, the following video is for him.  This is the song he always made me sing at karaoke night years ago....and I think it's appropriate.

Katie Perry - Firework

I like this song.  It's getting on the verge of being overplayed, IMO, but I like it.  It's got a catchy melody and inspiring lyrics.  However, to me, it sounds like poor Katie is about to bust a lung in certain parts.  I have to wonder how many takes it took to lay that track down?  My guess would be a fair few.  It's certainly not an easy song to sing, and in parts, poor Katie sounds like she's hurting.  I hate hearing a song where the vocalist sounds like they're in pain.  Not only that, but that song has gotta be a bitch to sing live, I mean it just has to be.  It's damn difficult to sing just one song with that much power behind the vocals, nevermind perform a whole concert and dance at the same time.  Not too many performer these days seem to be able to pull that off very well without the help of some pre-recorded backing vocals or the dreaded auto-tune, but that will be a whole 'nother rant of mine one of these days....



And what's with the video?  I mean, I get the point and all, with the whole "inner power" "believe in yourself because everyone is unique and special" thing, but seriously?  Every time I see the video, I can't help but feel like it's a rip-off of Austin Powers with Katie standing there like a 4th of July Fem-bot with sparklers shooting out of her jublees.  I half expect to see Mike Meyers jump out from somewhere in his little Union Jack G-String to try to make Katie's head explode.  The laboring mom who appears to be giving birth to Roman Candles is a tad disturbing as well, but you know, whatever blows your hair back and/or makes you randomly shoot pyros from your pelvic region I guess....

Welcome to my blog!

I've often thought of starting a blog, but didn't know about what.  I could start a weight loss surgery blog, as I am a very successful bariatric post-op, but there's already a lot of those kinds of blogs out there.  I could write about cooking and baking (I am a HELL of a baker!), but those blogs are a dime a dozen too.   I could write about parenting, but  frankly, I'm not one of those mamby-pamby parents who expounds on the virtues of  "Time-outs" and using "Inside Voices"....I believe in letting my kids be kids, and when they step out of line, we deal with it without pussy-footing around or worrying about damaging our kids' psyches. Besides, there wouldn't be much to write about there anyway, other than 3 or 4 posts a weeks saying I sent someone to their room and took away their video games until they straighten up, or that it cost my oldest $5 in the swear jar this week.   I am however, a lover of music.  I'm a trained singer, though in recent times the only singing I've done has been the occasional Karaoke Night, a couple of local choral groups, and of course my own shower and car.  I have opinions on just about everything I hear on the radio, so I figured perhaps it was time to share those opinions with the world because, you know, it's all about me and what I think. 

I figure a couple of times a week I'll pick a song that I can't get out of my head (or that have been so over-played on the radio that I want to rip my hair out if I hear it one more time) and critique the crap out of it, just because I can, or perhaps I'll rave about something new or something I love that perhaps you haven't heard before. 

I want to know what you think too, so feel free to share your comments back.