Boo: A Halloween tribute

So Halloween is coming up and I, just like a kid get excited for it. As a child doned a costume and I gorged myself on candy and horror movies/ specials/cartoons.

As an adult I cut back on the candy but have in recent years gone back to dressing up. Adults like make believe too!

So this year some friends and I are rocking a Halloween tribute to our favorite make believe girl band of the 80's: Jem and the Holograms.

We're heading downtown and plan to mix and mingle with the other Halloween enthusiasts.

I, like most girls of the 80s loved this cartoon. It was diverse and glamourous.

There was Jem the stage identity of Jerrica who sung the lead.

Then we have her red headed sister Kimber on keyboard.

Next the adopted purple haired sister Shana on drums and guitar.

Another adopted blue haired sister Aja on guitar.

Later in the series comes pink haired Raya to take over on drums.

I remember my sister getting the Jem doll and we got the jem car complete with working radio.

I got the Aja doll (I really wanted Shana because she was African American but they were sold out so I got Aja as back up because she was Chinese and I wanted a minority representative, this was before Raya (Mexican) entered the group).

So this Friday my friends and I are going to relive our child hood fantasy and dress up as our beloved characters. We will of course look like clowns in our 80s make up and gear but it should be fun.

Anyone else dressing up?

Next in my tribute I had to do a count down of my top horror films.

I am a self appointed horror aficionado and MUST stuff myself with horror films (both new and old) during the month of October. Here are some of my favorites/recommendations and why:

Alien/Aliens- I place them both because they are equally good. While some may claim them science fiction I say if it scares me it's horror. It wasn't just the monsters that did it but the suspense and the great character development and I'm sorry Sigorney Weaver's character is the best female movie hero of all time. I hope I can be that strong in time of horrifying crisis but I'm leaning towards the running away screaming or passing out in fright as the real reality.

The Exorcist- I hated that little girl but she still scared me. When I saw her bend back wards and walk down the stairs at her mother's dinner party I was too through. This was only intensified by the random appearances of a demon face in random parts of the movie (check the unrated version), scared me! And the fact that it was based on a true story.

30 Days of Night- this movie is new but it brings the whole vampire lore back to its unsexy past. These are vampires you do NOT want biting you under any circumstances!

Dawn of the Dead (remake)- these zombies are not like the slow moving beings in the original. If you are caught out there with these guys, you're gone. Apparently being a zombie makes you a track star! Also great character interaction.

The Ring (American Version)- Okay, I really don't like this movie but not because it wasn't good- I don't like it because after seeing it once I was literally scared for 7 days. I shall never watch this movie again... Same goes with The Grudge

The Thing (John Carpenter version)- great horror special effects for its time, great scary build up

Most Stephen King movies but favorites- The Mist (very desolate, creepy), The Stand (long but great characters), It (confirms why I hate clowns) , Carrie (don't mess with the unpopular girl), and the Shining (makes being snowed in not so fun).

Poltergeist- Not so scary to me as an adult (hey if they show it on ABC Family how scary can it be?) but still a classic I love to watch. The fact that it is based on a true story also makes it scare worthy.

Any others?

Scare Tactics

I’ll try to keep my rant to a minimum but I will preface my concern with this: if you are an Obama supporter, you must show up at the polls on Tuesday November 4th and vote, long line and all. Heck, if I can stand in a line in the dark, cold, rain for a sale at Wal-Mart after Thanksgiving, I sure can stand in a line to vote for the next president of the United States!

Anyway, I say all that to say, yes Obama is in the lead but what really counts is if all his supporters show up and vote. And democrat supporters aren’t as fierce as the republican supporters. And these republican supporters have no problem with speaking out for their McCain/Palin ticket, even if some of the things they say are angry and racist. He’s been called everything from “that one” to a socialist and he’s taken it all in stride.

He’s facing threats against his life and his fans have faced false charges of assault (less we forget the moron who made up the claim that a ‘b’ was carved in her face by Obama supporters to the two skin heads plotting to take him along with 100 other black people out, to the man whose Obama/Biden sign was defaced in front of his home).

This election should transcend race but in the face of a possible win for Obama, the fight has changed and some people are grasping at their most basic weapons- hate. McCain alleged he would fight a clean campaign but he hasn’t encouraged his supporters to nor has he done so himself. And perhaps Obama will pull out all the stops in his thirty minute segment tomorrow on TV, no one’s perfect but some of these attacks against him are a little personal and unfounded. Showing some republicans can’t hold it together when the chips are down. Obama’s cool demeanor is admirable and had McCain had such a demeanor and his supporters as well, perhaps he might be doing better (that and if he actually chose a running mate that had some weight outside of being a fashion icon- I must admit her wardrobe rocks, but she’s not running for Ms. America).

And before us Obama supporters get too comfortable, remember Bush v. Gore, Obama needs to have that electoral vote (which so far he has) apparently the popular vote isn’t enough. And then there is the media’s hype that some Obama supporters, particularly white supporters, might get stage or rather vote fright and decide they really just can’t vote for a black man. I’d really like to think better of us. If America is still stuck on this mentality I’m not sure we can really grow for the better but this election will surely help define where we’ve gone or not gone in our race relations.

Finally, all the hype about the long lines (in some places people waited up to 9 hours!) to vote, don’t get scared off- pack a back pack with some necessities, tag team and go with some friends and make an event of it- just go and do what you gotta do. I have no plans on waiting out there that long to vote but you better believe I will if I’m surprised and my usually tame voting site has a line a mile long. I’ll call my job and tell them I’ll see ‘em when I see ‘em!

As an aside- I haven’t seen them yet but am very pleased to see that Comedy Central has given David Allen Grier his own Daily Show type series Chocolate News and CNN (wow!) gave D.L. Hugely his own version called D.L. Hugely Breaks the News. Reviews for both are mixed but I’ll have to take some time to watch them both and check them out. If you’ve seen either let me know!

Vegas Recap

Okay, I’m back from Vegas (sigh) and am hit with the rather cold reality (what the hell ever happened to it gradually getting colder) that I have no more vacation to look forward to. I must plan another trip- sadness that I live for vacation, I really need to find another line of work or do something that is more fulfilling.

Anywho, here is an edited account of my Vegas birthday bash.
I arrived in Vegas in the afternoon last Friday. I was ravenous so after we waited in an incredibly long line at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino check in; we freshened up and headed to the buffet. It was so-so, I really wanted to go to the Bellagio’s but our stomachs wouldn’t let us take the trip.

After the so-so meal we headed off to the Fashion Show Mall where I bought a few items (I’d been depriving myself of my shopping addiction for months just for this). I must say, that it wasn’t that easy to find things, although the sales were excellent. Isn’t it always that when you don’t have money you find things you want but when you have money you can barely find anything? Anywho, I did discover that my weight loss put me at a pants/jean size smaller so I’m ecstatic!

My travel buddies got tired of shopping and left me and I eventually met up with them at the hotel. We rested a bit and then got dolled up to go out.

Now let me tell you something about going out in Vegas. If you are a woman, I must say the sky is the limit because clubs want women. And I’m speaking the top level/celebrity clubs too. We got so many offers to be put on the guest lists for places that we had to have a discussion about which ones to go to and which ones to save for another trip (because we will be going back, this is my second time there already).

We ended up at Tao in the Venetian. Got VIP access, no lines, and a one hour open bar. The creator of Family Guy was celebrating his birthday there that night and I meant to find him and get his autograph for a friend who really likes him but let’s just say- open bar- things didn’t go as planned. Anywho, Tao was a lot of fun and a very pretty club.

Next morning, I had breakfast and went back to sleep. We got out around 1pm and walked the Vegas strip, checking out sites and hotels. We ended up at Planet Hollywood where we grabbed a very inexpensive lunch at a sit down restaurant and then did a bit more shopping. We then walked the other side of the strip. Went in the casino of one hotel, played slots, had a drink and then headed back to the hotel. Took a nap and got dolled up (me complete with my birthday tiara-no judgments!) and headed out to Blush at the Wynn. We were supposed to be on the guest list but arrived too late (10:30!) so couldn’t get in because the celebrities were allegedly showing up and no one could get in for the next hour or two. Screw that, we said and we headed to another spot called Poetry in Caesars Palace. This is a hip hop club but we figured its Vegas and in a nice hotel so it’ll be classy. Wrong!

Something about women being dolled up in their dresses and heels and men in long T shirts and baggy jeans that didn’t sit right with me. We high tailed it out of there and made our way to another club called Pure in the same hotel.

We were not on the list here and the door men were WAAAYYY picky about letting people in. It was one of those spots where they look you over and such to let you in. Women obviously having the better luck. I hate places like that and if we hadn’t wasted a ten dollar cab ride to go over there for the Poetry club, I’d have gone to another spot whose guest list we were on (by the way guest list close at midnight and it was close to that hour by then). Anywho, I finally caught the door man’s eye and he eventually let us in for free of course! Anyway, Pure was a great time. Very large and many rooms. The Pussycat Dolls have a nightly show there in their own room so we checked it out.

We made it back to the hotel and grabbed a quick bite before sleeping. One of our friends was leaving the next day so when we awoke she was gone. Mind you we woke at 630am for some odd reason. So we decided to make the best of it and hit Caesars Palace for their awesome spa Qua. We just got day passes and did their saunas and roman baths, tea room and great showers. It was the BEST experience ever. My skin was all glowy and I lost two pounds and my friend lost 5 pounds. Just from lounging in a hot climate. They need a place like that here!

We then went to check out some free shows and sites, played more slots, and headed back for a nap. I got up and headed to the mall again for something and we then went out to dinner. We spoke to some guys we’d been encountering all weekend who invited us to come to a club called Body English where they had a reserved table. We were indecisive but told them we’d contact them later. They were nice and cute but we were so tired! After dinner we went back to the hotel for a nap. When I woke up it was late and my eyes were still red from being sleepy and worst yet my ankle was throbbing, guess the sprain was not completely gone. So we passed on going out. We caught a show in our hotel and then went to sleep.

The next morning we left at the butt crack of dawn and headed home. Sigh, I’ll be back in 2009 for sure!

I think I'm Spike Lee's hype man

Oprah said the Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna was great. Then two coworkers who are familiar with my movie taste said the movie was great and recommended I see it. So a friend and I did check it out over the weekend and I have to say that I LOVED that movie!

It looks like a war movie about the Buffalo soldiers (black army in World War II) but it was oh so much more. The fighting war part of it was only a backdrop and part of the story but not the center. Many side plots, very touching and of course many miracles. It had a few flaws but over all I enjoyed it even though it was long. Spike Lee has really told a story, in my opinion, as good as his Malcom X tale which I believe was his greatest work (I've seen just about all his movies and some are better than others). It's also based on a book if you are a reader. Anywho I'm spreading the word (since the media isn't) and telling people to go check it all!

As a side note here are two things that I'm confused about:

How did Eminem get listed as Vibes best living rapper of all time? Top ten list okay but better than everyone. I'm no great rap head at all and tend to sway towards the conscious bit but he even beat out Jay Z so I gotta scratch my head on this.

Check this blog for an explanation and the bloggers reasoning on why the rating is a bit whack-

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/hiphopmediatraining/31863/best-rapper-alive-competition-feels-slim-shady/

The stock market raising almost 1000 points. Great news, for darn sure but how'd it happen? Does this mean things are going to get better or is this simply an eye in the middle of the financial storm. I'm weary about getting too happy here.

Final note-

I'm going to Vegas, baby!

For my birthday so I'll be giving you a limited recap (what with what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas and all) next week.

I leave on Friday morning! Oh yeah!

Blogger's Block

Gotta put in my weekly post but not uber excited about anything going on lately. So here are some random thoughts:

The elections give me heart burn -at this rate I say hold all the talk and lets just get to voting, we know everyone's position now and if you are undecided well think on this- if you didn't like Bush's presidency (and with a 29% approval rating who did?- who are those 29% other than his family and friends, they need not be able to vote!) then vote Obama. BTW- does anyone besides me get the feeling that McCain's dentures are about to fall out when he talks?

The now GLOBAL economic climate is scaring me to death. I feel like my trip to Vegas next weekend for my birthday (yea me) will be my last travel horrah for quite a while. Sadness.

I have been smelling gas in my apartment for the last two days and BGE has found no strong readings of gas leak (stove is off) so where the hell is that smell coming from! I kindly informed my landlord that he help me find out. He will check it out today. I was half awake all night fearful I would go down in a literal blaze of non glory. Not to mention my cat was acting like she just found some drugs either that or a ghost was chasing her. I prefer to think the former.

Got engrossed again to the show Heroes but it can be a little iratating. What the hell is going on? The future keeps changing. I really don't like the two main female characters. They put in others but never do enough with their roles. Seems like if you are blond woman on theat show you're there to stay. Just observing...

Wanna see Miracle at St. Anna (a Spike Lee joint) heard it was fantastic.

Why is there a Saw V?

Got a sprained ankle. This is week 6 of it still healing. I plan to be in heals next weekend for Vegas so a miracle better happen! Grrrr

I want Jazmine Sullivan's CD- lovin all the songs I'm hearing from her.

My agency now is doing student loan forgiveness if you join them but not for current employees. I've been in an intern position with them for two years and recently got made permanent so I'm saying now I'm kind of like a new hire. I'm not sure they will accept that but I will try anyway. As an aside I'm looking to join other agency's that will forgive my loans. I gots lots of em!

Okay, enough with the ramble.