It's Finally That Time of Year Again - Holiday Albums

It's finally holiday time! I feel like I've been waiting for this time of year for a lifetime, but it's only been a mere year, but i couldn't be happier. If you're not yet under the holiday spell, unlike me, I know the perfect place to visit to get you in the mood: the mall.

Just yesterday I was there (and yes that's probably why I'm so enthusiastic about the looming celebrations right now) and everywhere I looked it was Hanukkah and Christmas and Kwanzaa: the exclusive to the winter season drinks at Starbucks, the well known holiday songs blasting through the department store speakers, and the unavoidable gold, green and blue garland all around, hanging from the ceilings and attached to the door handles. Once you go to the mall it's so obviously the holidays that you'd be foolish to try and ignore it because it's everywhere! Embrace the smell of cinnamon in the air, the tapered candles in the windows of your neighborhood homes, and the all around mood that is holiday time.

This year's celebrations is a little different when considering the music industry: many well-known and popular artists have released holiday albums and they've gotten super positive feedback. I've sampled them myself, and here's my cheerful and happy holiday verdict:

Michael Buble, Christmas - This album will definitely make you want to grab a cup of hot chocolate and sit by the Christmas tree in your old, worn-in sweater. Taking the traditional holiday tunes and putting his familiar jazzy take on it, Buble perfects the feel-good music people play on Christmas eve. With his angelic voice and the harmonious instruments complimenting it on the song It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas, and the grand piano starting off with just Buble's voice on All I Want for Christmas is You makes this album a must have for this holiday season. Buble's creative take on these overplayed Christmas songs will not be forgotten; this album will be a must have for many holiday seasons in the future as well.

Justin Bieber, Under the Mistletoe - If you have a little sister, you're bound to have heard about Bieber's latest project, a holiday album. Don't be quick to judge, this album is a perfect holiday soundtrack, with original songs like the album named song, Mistletoe, and classics like Silent Night, where Bieber sings acoustically with just a sole piano. Making this album even more interesting is the featured artists on the songs: artists like Busta Rhymes and Boyz II Men both contributed to Bieber's holiday album, which has his known pop rhythms. This holiday album is sure to make his fans swoon and wish it was Bieber they were under the mistletoe with.

She & Him, A Very She & Him Christmas - This quirky and eclectic duo has a specific sound, making their sound very different from what people usually listen to. On their holiday album, A Very She & Him Christmas, they keep that unique sound and make boring holiday songs a music experience; with their change in tunes and their interpretation of sounds these holiday songs sound completely different, but still wonderfully cheerful and perfect for this holiday season.

Hanging out with Yourself/Sames Clash

So there's this girl ... yeah, it's one of those posts. The interesting thing about her is that our personalities are very much alike. When they say "opposites attract", I doubt that it's because a loner hipster would want to get with an outgoing skydiver (though this may actually work out well). They say it because sames clash.

My personality, in addition to its other qualities, is considerably overwhelming at times. I talk a lot, get really excited sometimes, and often get up in people's faces to speak to them. I feel like that gives me less credit than it should - I'm as often reserved and laid-back as I am excited - but I don't mind it. It's good to be self-effacing sometimes. It builds character.

The point is, this girl is the same way. And so, when we're talking on the phone or having a conversation in real life, it feels like I'm talking to myself on the other end, only with a higher pitched voice. All things that I want to say or do, or any particular way I want to act or behave, is met by its reciprocal on the other side, failing to fascinate or provoke interest. I feel like I'm hanging out with myself, and since myself knows so much about myself, it's hard to keep it interesting all the time.

I can't say I've experienced this kind of situation before, so if anything, it's a formative experience. Now to see how it plays out.

Those great shows that got canceled...

You know, it's those shows that were on for like a month then you never heard of 'em again? Well, some of them we're glad they're gone, but others, we couldn't help but miss a little. Here's a little list of some shows that I personally would like to have been kept on the air.

Unnatural History- This show debuted on Cartoon Network last year in 2010, and was canceled shortly after it's 13th episode. I really enjoyed it, because it had a lot of history stuff in it, but I guess the rest of the country doesn't.

The Nine Lives of Chloe King- This show premered on June 14th of this year. It was cancelled after only 10 episodes! I really want this show to come back on because it had great twists and turns, and the end of every episode was a cliff hanger.

 Well, I guess my little opinion on what's entertaining is very different from the rest of the country, because quite frankly, I don't think these shows are going to come back on any time soon.

Kasha Marina Fashion Show

Come join us for the official launch of Kasha Marina Spring/Summer 2012 Debut Collection on Saturday, November 19 at the Shore Club in Miami. This is an exclusive fashion show to showcase an up-and-coming designers first collection in collaboration with House of Boho’s latest jewelry and shoes by MIA Shoes. Contesta Rockhair is also sponsoring this event so don’t miss it! Sipping on cocktails and enjoying the South Beach nightlife is a perfect way to spend your Saturday night. Please RSVP to newsletter@houseofboho.com to secure your spot at the show. Be one of the first to arrive at 10 p.m. and receive a surprise discount from MIA Shoes! We expect to see you soon in your best fashion forward pieces!

xoxo

(source from: www.chubbyheart.com)

Winter in Florida? HA!

If you ever went out of state form Florida to visit family or friends, and say you met some new people. They ask where your from and you quickly reply "Florida!" Suddenly theya re all asking about the beachs, sun, and warm weather.
Florida is great and all beach 24/7, sun all year round. But it lacks one thing. WINTER! What of the teens all voer florida who scream "We want winter!" Now there are many teens who say they don't like the cold, granted. But there is an eve or more so amount wishing the cold fronts would come in so those dusty hoodies, and jackets could be pulled form the closet wrapped around yourself as if you were wearing your own personal blanket.
Many teen shout for the justice in the injustice that is mohter natures twist on florida. One day it could be perfectly clear then snap! You have a rain storm coming down on you. Or vice versa. It seems that Florida makes up it lack of cold with increased humidity which in turn just raises the heat! I think many teens agree we demand the winter we deserve! The winter mother nature has so graciously torn from out sand layed coasts!

Private in Public

There are very many different types of personalities you can adopt when you're in middle school. You can concentrate full-time on your studies, concentrate full-time on your video games or playing cards ... while I wouldn't call myself a full-on nerd, I was the kind of middle schooler who talked a lot, had a lot of friends, knew a lot of names and faces, but was also substantially closed. In a way, I was private in public.

I did indeed have lots of friends. In fact, my Facebook friend count was well into the 400s before I even started high school. But somehow, I still managed to be quite closed when it came to socializing outside of school, when it came to doing things like hanging out after school on the benches right outside, or walking to the train station with a friend, or joining a sport or club. I was very concentrated on my studies, but it wasn't really the academia that was keeping me from being as properly social as I now feel I should've been.

What was at fault was - though I'm only making guesses now - a combination of a desire to achieve independence, a belief that doing stuff like the aforementioned was pointless, and perhaps also a dose of anxiety.

Back then - and now I realize this - I couldn't help rejecting the stereotype that I was a part of. In 6th grade I was appalled by the 5th graders, in 7th grade I was appalled by the 6th graders, and in 8th grade I was appalled by the 7th graders. When I say appalled, I mean turned off by the idea of being just a kid. Mind you, I enjoyed my childhood habits - playing video games, watching cartoons; standard fare - but the idea of being part of that stereotype was much less alluring than being say, of high school age or just being 18, 20, or older. So, whenever I would make a choice to walk on my own two feet with no one beside me to the bus stop, or the train station; whenever I would make a choice to go home right after school and play video games for hours instead of chilling outside with friends as they waited to get picked up; whenever I made such choices, I was making progress on my goal of independence. Doing the opposite would exacerbate the stereotype.

What a fool I was.

I thought hanging out was pointless. I thought of the term - "hanging out" - and just dwelled on how stupid doing that would be. I pretended that going home and doing stuff by myself was a way of showing I was better for doing it.

In retrospect, the rationale was quite pointless itself.

For example, one time I had the thought that hanging out with friends afterschool would be detrimental to my studies because it meant less time for homework.

Like playing video games and watching TV at home until six o' clock was any better.

But now I realize that what really was at fault was my own fear of trying something new. Of following my heart and not my brain at the moment where I had to. I was, quite honestly, nervous about the entire enterprise ... just hanging out, talking to people. Somehow, somehow I was nervous about it, about all of it.

What's worse, I feel that having made such choices, day after day after day, constitutes one of my greatest regrets. I can think of many examples where I had the opportunity to chill afterschool with some friends and I passed it up. I can think of only some times where I actually agreed.

I can only hope that I make better, much better choices now and in the future.

Homecoming Court Elections

A full week before the Homecoming dance is meant for those who made it on the ballot to campaign to the students in their school about why they feel they are the best candidates for the roles as Prince and Princess or King and Queen. Colorful posters, flyers being handed out, stickers, more conventional handouts being passed out, and after a day of seeing the other competitors creativity and technic, it starts to get crazy! The Homecoming Court multiples their advertisement to out beat their opponent and get more votes. After you surpass all the hype, you realize that picking Homecoming Prince & Princess according to the grade level and King & Queen for seniors, is just a "popularity contest" wrapped up in a symbolic meaning used for many years that I believe has lost its purpose. Now, the people who win are the ones that know the most people. Instead of people being chosen for their personality, reputation in school, and the different opportunities they can offer to the table. Hopefully this contest gets their purpose back and realize it should just be for FUN!