Hangin' Tough..... Are You Tough Enough?

Yea, that is right... You did see that the title was the lyric to one of the BEST... no wait THE best boy band of all time. :) I mean, I am sure you all know what is coming right? NKOTB baby! I am not even joking (seriously people, I've got a straight face here), I saw them in concert last night. You might be wondering how I was able to travel back in time to see the New Kids in action but seriously (again with the serious straight face), they are touring, and I saw them... Ahhhhhhhh!

Not only were they back, they were the same ol' Boston Boys I loved SO much when I was 9 years old. Talk about flash from my past... they WERE my past. I was so in love with Donnie (I am such a sucker for the bad boy) and I wanted to be his Cover Giiirrrlll (oh oh oh... oh oh oh). You know this unhealthy obsession teens and tweens seem to have with the Jonas Brothers... ok yea, times that by 10, throw in that NKOTB could kick the crap outta those Jonas wanna bes, and smother it in a little early 90's ridiculousness... and you have my love for the New Kids on the Block. To say the least I was excited.

They sang some of their new songs, which I was surprised to find that I liked... But honestly... It was all about the old jams. Who remembers songs from 15 years ago... um their fans do. Ha ha. I think every one of those girls in the arena were singing along to Right Stuff and Please Don't Go Girl (which Joe did do in the highest falsetto I have ever heard in my life)! It was great. And they seemed genuinely pleased to sing them. They were into it... even though they are all nearing 40 (Jon is actually turning 40 on Saturday.... whhhaaatttt?!?!?!) . I screamed like I was 9 again and sang without shame while they danced like they had just stepped out on stage in 1992. Oh oh weoh oh.. the right stuff.

I have to stop for a moment... and just touch on something... that really was.... the defining moment of the show. Anyone who knows me knows that I get uncomfortable during embarrassing situations. I mean, sit me down in front of 'The Office' and watch me avert my eyes from the TV.... I cant TAKE it! So... ok... imagine mid way through the show... we are in the dark waiting for another hit to be performed and up comes Jordan Knight... on a platform... in a white shirt... with a wind machine. Ok ok... So I am already not believing the cheese factor of this... but then... what does he do? Um he throws his shirt open and sings.... I'll Be Lovin You... Foooreeevvverrrr.... I could not... It's just... I mean... yea... Its a mental image that will be with me.... forever.

Oh, and yes, they did do Hangin' Tough... and we did all wave our hands in the air... but you would have too. I am telling you, best boy band ever. I think I will swallow my pride and actually listen to their CD, just because I love them (and Donnie) so much. But don't be surprised if I slip in their old CD to bring me back. Oh, and I will leave you with a scream for the road... Ahhhhhhh!

Lionel Richie isn't the only one who gets me 'Dancing' on the ceiling...

What? What's that? You missed me? Don't worry... I have been around. I have been in the field... gathering news and info to further entice you readers into taking time to actually care about what I think. Thanks... I missed you too.

So... understandably this week has been crazy busy but there was a highlight that was too wonderful not to mention. I went to the Elisa concert I have been waiting for and I was definitely not disappointed. I am sure there are a lot of you... actually probably all of you (except Em... my concert pal) who are wondering "Who is this so called Elisa? Why does she only have one name? How can she be so wonderful if I have never heard of her? Isn't an ELISA an Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay? (Wiki is my friend)?" Calm down, clam down... lets keep this civil everyone... I am here to answer your questions.

Elisa is nothing less than amazing! She is a pretty famous Italian singer (she sang for the Pope! What more could you want people!) who is crossing over into America and is on her first tour here. I actually first heard her music on the 3rd seasons of So You Think You Can Dance (I can't believe I am mentioning that show again... that is the second time... hmmmm... you would think I like it or something...). Lacey and Kameron did a Mia Michaels contemporary routine to her AMAZING song 'Dancing' that was just... well... I will let you see for yourself...




I will give you a moment to gather yourselves......

because it was amazing right?!? So I pretty much fell in love with the song but didn't hear anything more from her for a year. Then this season on SYTYCD, Courtney did a solo to her song 'Rock Your Soul' and I knew I had to get the CD. It definitely rocked and I was hooked. I sprinkled her name to some close friends and got a few on the train but I don't like to overplay the artist so I kept it low key.

Then one fateful day I was checking the SD concert calendar (my usual Friday night pastime, I LOVE concerts) and I saw that she was coming here. And not only here but to the Belly Up! My FAVORITE venue in the city. Um yea, it is ok for you to freak out a little bit here in the story because I sure was.... geeeeeeeeekkkkkk'd! So I bought tickets and FF to Monday night when I got to see the show.....

She was great. And her opening artist was great. I mean, the sound the sites the drinks (wait... that cosmo... yea, not so much... choked that down for $8, hah!) And man, the Italians were definitely out to support and it was crazy to hear them singing and chanting at her in the language. I felt a part of the family... an interesting... and amazing family. Oh, but let me tell you my very favorite part. The base player. Ok, not only did he look exactly like Chris Farley... but he was exactly like his character in Tommy Boy! Oh man! It was hard to watch but you couldn't pull your eyes away! He was definitely rocking out!

So yea... she played all of my favorite songs and more. She did a cover of Janis Joplin's 'Mercedes Benz' over a recording of her voice in like 4 part harmony and another of Gary Jules 'Mad World' (for all you geeks out there its from 'Donnie Darko' and more recently the trailer for the video game 'Gears of War'). So FANTASTICO! bellissimo! and all that!

I would say 100% check her out, it will be worth your while, or weight in gold, or two birds in the hand.... oh.... nevermind. Just listen!


Concert Withdrawl
noun. After a great concert that you've been looking forward to, you might experience concert withdrawl. It can come as soon as a couple hours after the concert, and can last for days or weeks.

D experienced concert withdrawl after the Elisa concert Monday.

What is history but a 'Fable' agreed upon?

Once upon a time, in a land far far away.... there was this awesome game that a girl played for hours and hours at a time. As hard as she tried she couldn't pull herself away. It is said that people can still hear her force pushing and releasing her inferno on all the hollowmen in the land... The end.

Ok, so not really the end but still... Fable II is SO STINKING SWEET! I have been waiting for this game to come out for what seems like an eternity and I don't want it to be over. Every interaction, every access through a demon door is another little victory that I will cherish. I am one of those scary-thorough game players that has to find every last buried pouch and finish every last quest. Who can rush through a game like this? Who wants to live in the real world when you can live in Bowerstone and eat crunchy chicks... ok, maybe not me because I chose the 'good' path and crunchy chicks are morally evil (I've gotta protect my halo). Overall it is a good time! Anyone who wants to waste a few hours... hey, a few days... Fable it up! I promise you will not be disappointed. (*If you are going to play... you get to the Bowerstone Cemetery through Old Town... I seriously spent FOREVER trying to find it... aghhhh!)

Well Folks, we have reached our cruising altitude now so I am going to switch the seat belt sign off. Feel free to move about as you wish but please stay inside the plane until we land... its a bit cold outside, and if you walk on the wings... it affects the flight pattern. - D