PLEASE LET THIS BE TRUE - Tia

So I went to the gym today for the first time in a week. I hurt my knee running uphill (see what happens when you run when no one is chasing you??) So today was my first day back. I was on the elliptical and noticed that someone left the new issue of Star magazine. I usually don't read it unless I'm in the check out lane but there was nothing on the television in front me, so I decided to take a peek.

I'm flipping past the random news about Britney Spears and the like and literally I stopped dead in my tracks. These two pictures were together and the headline that said something to the effect of Orlando fancies his Pirates co-star.

I don't even have to tell you how happy this makes me if it's true. I don't even have to explain it. I know you feel me.

Song I love at the moment - Tia

So as most of you know I'm working at the mall right now. NOT THE BUSINESS. Anyway, one of the good things about where I work is the sound track. Or at least it used to be until corporate came in and designated a less than stellar radio station that must be played at all times. It's not nearly as good as the old one, but it's way better than the crappy "all techno all the time" station that we used to listen to sometimes.

Since I spend a good deal of my time there, too much in my opinion, I pretty much get to hear the same songs everyday. Sometimes they are really good. Other times I want to stuff cotton in my ears.

Well there was one song that I kept hearing but I didn't know who it was. It was one of those songs that is so danceable and just makes you feel happy. And it sounded so...80s to me for some reason. Oh and the singer was obviously British. But for real there was something so happy and 80s-ish and British about it. I felt like you could listen to this song and then segue into a Wham! song or something.

So a few days ago I came home and googled the lyrics.

The band is called Hard-Fi. And yes, they are British. The boys from Middlesex have been around for a while apparently. Wiki has the single being released in the States in '06. So....I just lost my train of thought....Hall and Oates is on. Say what you want, those are some colored boys.

Anyway, I feel all out of the loop because this is the first I've heard of Hard-Fi. But what can I say, I don't listen to the radio anymore.

I'm sure they have a myspace. EVERYONE has a myspace. Check them out if it's your kind of music.

But if you just want to feel happy, here's the video

Random Ridiculous Thought of the Day- Toya

"God why can't Jim from The Office be a real person? *sigh*"...

One to Grow On- Toya
"So it's hard enough figuring out who you are- why mess that up by trying to be someone else? Who you are is both unique and new, it may bejust what the world needs right now."- Willie Nelson

I officially hate the ending of Pirates - Tia

Seriously, I feel like it ruined the WHOLE series.

But I will say that Orlando Bloom, while hot throughout the whole movie, becomes EXPONENTIALLY hotter (more hot?) at the end of the movie. There is a scene toward the ending when he turns around and looks a the camera and, I kid you not, the first thing I thought was, "HELL YEAH!!!"

Overall it's a great movie but the ending really did kill it for me. Like, want my money back, pissed off at Disney, I KNOW the writers could have come up with something better, PISSED. And the more I thought about it the angrier I got, until it got to the point that I was booing Pirates advertisements that my friend and I were passing on the way home. Maybe I'm just a little emotional, but the ending ruined the franchise for me. Yeah, I hated it that much.

Holy Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Batman - Tia

So how about my roommate just told me that she used to work with Adam's mom. Yeah, they used to be real tight...Talked all the time...If fact, she's going to give her a call this week...You know, just to say "Hi" and catch up.

I will...If I....If he....We.....IT'S OFFICIALLY A SITUATION!!!!!

Live Blog:Seal at the Ryman- Toya

I am with my friend Melanie the Wise Pixie watching Shane Alexander. I do not believe that he just twisted up his mouth to say that his song was inspired by the "very poignant movie Blue Crush". I was the only person who laughed out loud. Oh I love the Nashville crowd.

My first Seal experience came about almost 10 years ago. I was working for a music festival in Pennsylvania and the stage guys would always soundcheck to Dreaming in Metaphors. I remember the mist in the summer air and the thump of the bass around me as I ran and spun in the field. To this day that is one of my favorite memories of music because it was is if the music was coming out of the clouds in heaven.

Seal is playing NASHVILLE. I still don't believe this. I am already in awe.

We are in the middle of the show and I turned to Melanie and told her that I should've worn about 8 layering tank tops because I have wanted to take off my clothes and run down the aisle several times already. Not because he is sexy but his music just makes your whole body fall asleep. His voice is so smoky and as sultry as he is. He is just AMAZING. Anyway I am praying for the resurgence of the true artist because we have few left. This makes me wonder when his female counterpart, Sade will make a comeback. Hmm... Oooh "Crazy" is on. GOTTA GO!

More Maroon 5 News - Tia

In an effort to show that Maroon 5 is the sum of it's parts (i.e. not just one super hot guy with a back-up band, I posted a group photo. But who are we kidding? Adam is and always will be the eye candy of the group. I mean the old drummer Ryan was kinda cute and could sing the heck out of an AC/DC song. But now that he's gone, it's just Adam.

The new Maroon 5 album comes out tomorrow. But just in case you can't wait that long, VH1 has a first listen of It Won't Be Soon Before Long. So far I love it. It's got a different sound from Jane. And you can definitely hear the 80's influences in a lot of the songs. I'm only about half way through the album because I keep listening to songs over and over. I mean, really listening. Thanks Toya...you have effectively ruined me. I used to be able to just listen to songs. Now I darn near analyze.

I was going to buy the album tomorrow (it's even written on my calendar.) But now I'm going to see if one of the local stores is going to be open at midnight so I can go get it before work tomorrow. Yeah, I like it that much.

Seriously... - Tia

If you have to ask why we love Anberlin...well that's on you.



Yes, we are some die hard R&B fans around here, but good music is good music. And Anberlin is good music.

And in case you're wondering, yes my crush on Stephen has abated substantially. I'm not saying I wouldn't holler. But it's not like it was. I mean before it was almost scary. Now, it's just moderately frightening. I'm kidding...

As soon as there is a video for Godspeed, we'll post it. But until then you can head over to Anberlin's myspace page to hear the new album.

And Toya, you still owe him a shirt. Yes, it's on you champ.

Dealbreakers - Tia

I'm sitting here watching Just Friends with Ryan Reynolds. (He's another one who needs to be glad that I know Jesus. After I saw him in the 3rd Blade movie he was promptly added to the list of those who will get attacked in the street for being fine for no reason. Plus he was holding guns in the movie. There is something about a man with a gun.) Anyway, for a reason I can't really put my finger on the movie reminded me of a conversation that I had with Toya the other day.

I was telling her about one of my friends that I kind of like. He's a sweet guy. He's getting his Ph.D. in something or other....apologetics or wait...Philosophy. Something along those lines. Whatever the case, he's smart. And I love smart guys. I really do. My favorite is a smart, slightly geeky but nonetheless hot guy. But those are like trying to find a free parking space in downtown LA in the middle of the day. They hardly EVER come along. So I was telling Toya about a conversation that I'd had with my friend (we'll call him PhD) a few nights prior. I, once again, got a chance to meet Kenny Loggins. I love that man. I was telling PhD about it and he said, "Who is Kenny Loggins?" As I relayed the story to Toya, before I could even finish she said, "Oh that's an immediate deal breaker." The thing is, she's kind of right.

One of my new Cali friends told me that I am too picky. (In my defense, can one be picky if one has nothing to pick from?) I used to have a laundry list of things that I wanted in a guy. But as I've gotten older the list has gotten considerably shorter. Seriously, I would like a guy who loves Christ, who's taller than me and who wants kids. Those are things I'm not willing to compromise on. Everything else is extraneous. Of course I have some secondary requests, for instance it would be nice if he were English. And I'm rather partial to blue eyes. It would be nice if he were corn-fed, like Denny Duquette size. Something about a big guy screams security to me. I mean, my dad is 6'3". But for the most part I don't really consider myself picky at all. If anything I'm a bit selective.

However, there are a few things that are absolute deal breakers. Now the Kenny Loggins thing may be a bit much, but it's really important to me that the man I'm with at least has a working knowledge of music. Otherwise, there may be some huge gaps in the things that we talk about. I guess I just feel that people who date should have some things in common. I know they say opposites attract but for how long? I guess the music thing is just kinda important to me. He doesn't have to be a music nut like Steve or Toya or myself. But he needs to AT LEAST know who Kenny Loggins is.

Another deal breaker is children. I dated a guy with kids once. I broke one of my own rules in doing so. Although, I didn't find out about the kids until I'd been with the guy for almost 4 months. By that time I was already emotionally vested. But I guess not finding out about them for that long should have immediately thrown up red flags. Man Amy Winehouse is right, sometimes Love is a Losing Game. (although I think I read that she just got married. Oh, Lord) But kids are a no go. I love kids and I want to have some one day. But it is just too much dealing with a man and his children and their mom. The guy could have the best relationship in the world with his children and their mother but there is still going to be an element of drama involved in the relationship. And I know for me personally it's a pride thing. Just like how guys want to have sons, you know, to prove they're men, well there is something in me that wants to give a man his first child. Boy or girl, I want to know that I was the one who pushed a little person out of my body who is half of me and half of the man that I will spend forever with. (Oh my Lord, Something New is on. I don't know if I'm in the right mindset to watch this right now.)

Pretty much those two are the big ones. I have a few others things, habitual things that I don't like but the music thing and the children thing are non-negotiable. And even the music thing has a little give to it. But if you have no musical knowledge whatsoever I have to wonder what you even see in me. I mean, music is part of who I am.

Now I want to say I'm not looking for perfection. There is no such thing. But I will not make apologies for what I like.

Random aside: I met a guy who said that he LOVES Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald and "all of those other guys." He even asked me about episode of What's Happening when Rerun learned about music piracy from The Doobie Brothers. I would be married to the guy if it weren't for the fact that he is nothing close to being a Christian (a non-negotiable) and he's about 5'5". Pity.

PLEASE LET THIS BE TRUE - Tia

Seriously, I have never understood the whole John and Jessica thing. But I have always maintained that the girl is smarter than she let on. Seriously, there really is no reason she should have been around for as long as she has been unless there was more going on under the surface that we didn't know about. I mean, sure she has the svengali Father who helps perpetuate her career. But if she were as dumb as we've been led to believe she would have forgotten to breathe or something by now, right?

Anyway, I love John in spite of his faults...and poor choice of dates.

Picture and story courtesy of Trent.

You Should Know...Anthony David- Toya

Someone playfully offered me $200 for my front and center seat to see Anthony David and I turned it down. I would've turned it down even if the offer was legit. Why? Because I knew that right in front of me Anthony David was going to sing one of the best covers I have heard in a long time, Level 42's "Something About You". This was the song that quickly made me fall in love with a voice that every soul music lover needs to savor.

Tia and I first saw Anthony David open for India Arie, one of his best friends with whom he co-wrote her song "Part of My Life", last year and we were hooked. His newest record, Red Clay Chronicles has stayed in my CD player since it came out of the wrapper months ago. I listen to it just about everyday and if his collaboration with India Arie on the song "Words" does not leave you mesmerized, well. I won't judge you, I'll just pray for you. www.anthonydavidmusic.com and www.myspace.com/anthonydavid.

You really should trust us by now...

We were the ones that told you about Robin Thicke AT LEAST 4 years ago...

We hipped you to Mat Kearney not too long after that...

Consider yourselves warned...

This is Britten. You can thank us later. www.brittenmusic.com & www.myspace.com/brittenmusic

Confessions- Toya

Tia sent me an email and said "I need you to join BGLU some time soon". It was then that I realized that it had been a while since I posted. The fact is and always has been that if there is a lull in my writing then I am going through something. Rather than go through it all, I will offer little tidbits of what I am learning. When the storm passes over, I will be more than happy to share. In the meantime, here are some tidbits and random thoughts.

1. I don't care what Michael W. Smith says, friends ARE NOT friends forever even if the Lord is lord of them.

2. I had to sow a seed into Your Boy's ministry and buy "I'm Lovin' It" online. See this is how I know that Justin Timberlake is a minion of satan: He always wants to put out songs that contain elements of things that I love. "I'm Lovin' It" is a blatant rip off of The Time's "777-9311" Right Steve? Also, "Until the End of Time" is one of the best songs that Jodeci NEVER did. And "Summer Love"? UGH! I can't stand him.

3. Amy Winehouse's music makes me want to drink hard, dark liquor. Like whiskey or some other brown, darn near corn liquor type liquor. I need her to not tell my business in "Tears Dry On Their Own". Do you ever have those times where it seems that you are AGAIN wasting time with the wrong kind of guy and as you sit next to him you think "This is some bull...."? Do you? Yeah? Then STOP IT.

4. Is it okay to say that you love someone in spite of the things you don't like about them or fully agree with? I recently got cut off from a friendship that was very dear to me because he feels that he does not want to be loved in spite of the fact that he is gay. Tia loves me in spite of the fact that I drop jelly on the floor from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Who freaking cares? We would still take a bullet for each other. I love God in spite of the fact that He does not always answer when I want Him to. That is how I know my love for God is real. It's not based on the good things He does for me. I have fallen out of love with the romanticized version of God that I have created and have begun to search who He really is, things I love and don't love and all in an effort to truly love Him. I wish my friend understood this.

5. Spiderman 3: There were things about this movie that I am sure were not supposed to be funny. Like Peter Parker becoming EVIL Spiderman looked more like Peter Parker becoming EMO Spiderman: dark eyeliner, straight slicked hair, wearing all black with a bad attitude. That mess was funny, I'm sorry.

6. Fervent prayer can eventually turn into fervent praise. Still working on that one.

7. God will never give us more than what we can bear. That is why I have never seen Elliot Yamin the 3 times he has been in Nashville because the Lord knows if I see him, he is going to get talked to.

8. Loneliness is not always a curse. Sometimes it is something that God allows to get you into a place where you can really hear and rely on Him. There is an incredible 4 part podcast series on this by Paul Matthies of The Village Church. You can download it for free on iTunes. I watched another friend pack and move away this week and another guy I was crazy about start dating another girl. Neither of these are new situations. If you ever find yourself lonely in a crowd of people, even if that crowd of people like you, chances are you are beginning to understand that there are some voids that people cannot fill. I encourage you to embrace the loneliness by actually getting alone and find out what it is that God is trying to say to you.

Adam is trying to destroy me - Tia

I realize that I am rehashing an old topic, but it truly isn't my fault. Adam from Maroon 5 is bent on trying to destroy me.

I was on Launch and I was watching the Nissan Live Set that Maroon 5 recently did. If you are any kind of a fan of Maroon 5 you MUST watch. Anyway, Adam starts the set doing what Afrika called his lil white boy groove dance and looked out in the audience and smiled. But it wasn't just any smile. It was a "I am a bad-a$$ white boy and you KNOW you want me" smile. I SCREAMED and had to fight the urge to take off my shirt.

Anyway, head on over and watch the videos. That little white man is one bad momo.....

I can not WAIT for Maroon 5 to go on tour this summer. They are getting all of my money.

Why did I just see Danny Glover at Pink's in a house coat and house slippers?

I LOVE STEVE!!!! - Tia

I have a music boyfriend. His name is Steve. And frankly I love him. I can go to him for all things music and he will provide. Seriously, any demanding music request I have he is somehow able to fulfill it. He won't, however, tell me where he gets all of this stuff from. He said if he told me he would have to kill me. That's not the business....So I just let it go. I ask for obscure tracks and he provides them. And from time to time we talk about other things...like how he's in love with another girl. I'm willing to overlook that since he's my sole music provider. :)

But for real, Steve is that boy. And he would be even if he wasn't my own personal music store. I love you, man.

P.S. Thanks for the instrumental. It's going on the iPod as we speak.

Song you've probably never heard - Tia

I remember the day Toya hipped me to this song. I remember thinking that she must be crazy. The Backstreet Boys with an R&B song??? These guys?!?!

Naw man....

I just wasn't ready. And I doubt you will be either.

I have posted a link to the song for your downloading pleasure. But don't say I didn't warn you.

P.S. One of our readers reported getting something that wasn't BSB. If the track you hear doesn't have the sample of Biggie's Get Money let us know. Supaload will get dealt with. :)

Truth - Tia

A friend of mine used to have the following at the end of his voicemail, "Truth is truth whether you believe it or not."

While in theory that may be true at this moment I do not care.

The following is a list of things that I refuse to believe.

1. 2Pac is dead. White people have Elvis. We have 2Pac. The thing is if he does pop back up I'm going to really believe that my man is the Antichrist and will be disinclined to listen to anything he has to say.

2. Until I hear it directly from their own mouths I refuse to believe that Anderson Cooper and Ricky Martin are gay. Okay maybe Ricky, but I don't care. I mean, remember this video? The man puts on a great front.

3. Tony Blair is quitting. Tony Blair is my boy. He can't leave.

4. Paris Hilton is not a minion of Satan himself. Seriously, why is she famous? She doesn't do anything. I almost feel bad every time I stay in a Hilton hotel.

5. Rap music is dead. It is indeed on life support. But there is some much underground and indie stuff that doesn't get played that if we as consumers would just get hip Rap and Hip-hop could make a comeback and take the reins back from idiots like Mims.

6. Daniel Bedingfield wouldn't love me if he knew me. As would Jason Statham, David Beckham, most of the male castmembers from Lost, McSteamy...the list goes on and on.

Anyway, I don't care. I will believe what I want to believe. So there....

Guilty pleasure of the moment
or
I love me some T.I.

Real talk, I love me some T.I. The little scrawny chested man is just IT for me. I don't know why, but in the immortal words of Ms. Toni Braxton (where is she by the way?) I love me some him. For real.



I hate that I love this song as much as I do. R-ah is 5 years out from the pee-pee accusations and hasn't seen the inside of a courtroom. What are they waiting on? It's not like they don't have the film. And since film is forever I don't see what the hold up is.

Anyway, this song comes on and I just lose it. I seriously get my dance on in the car. But it's such a guilty song. For crying out loud they're talking about stealing another man's girl. My reasoning here is that I listen to enough songs that aren't about something deviant that I'm afforded at least one that's not about anything edifying....right....RIGHT???

Home - Tia

Before I even get into this post I just have to say that I still love Daniel Bedingfield. Seriously, I've had a crush on him FOREVER. And the thing about it is I'm seriously one degree away from being his girlfriend. For real, one of my good friends is really good friends with Daniel and his sisters. But my friend seems to think that I would murder Daniel or something. Apparently he's very hyper and my friend knowing me the way he does knows that I can only handle so much bouncing off the walls from a grown man before I snap. But I'm willing to take that chance. I mean, I LURVE him.

Now back to our regularly scheduled post....

H&M has been working me like a Hebrew slave. I seriously am so over it. Retail is not the business. I just don't have the right countenance to work in retail for extended periods of time. So I'm right back where I started with a job I don't want. But this time, it's a job that I don't want with a lot less money....SCORE!!!

And on top of my job frustrations, I'm lonely and homesick. If I didn't know Jesus, I'd probably be drunk underneath some bar somewhere.

While I have managed to make some friends, there is a loneliness in my soul that extends beyond my friends. (the new Kelly Rowland song is playing on my launch station. So far, I hate it.) I figure that it's a spiritual thing. And I'm working through it. But the homesickness is not getting any better. LA is such a hard town. It's expensive. It's crowded. And for the last few days it's been stupid hot. And not just because part of the city was burning just down the street from here. (Launch is trying to destroy me. It just played John Mayer's Gravity and now Amy Winehouse is on. When you're going through it those are two artists that you don't need to hear.)

I'm rambling because I'm tired.

I miss home. I miss my support system. I know I should probably give LA another chance. But gas is never going to go down and these people are not going to go anywhere. This place is just overwhelming. And I'm beginning to wonder if I made a mistake moving here. Part of me wishes that I'd moved to Atlanta instead. Atlanta was always the place that I saw myself ending up. Like, after all of the LA stuff was out of my system and I was ready to plant some roots, Atlanta was the place that I saw myself. Yeah, it's big. Yeah, there are a lot of people. Yeah, it is HELLA hot AND humid in the summer. But it's the city that I love. Regardless of its faults.

But I don't want to feel like I'm running from LA. I don't want to feel like the city got the better of me. But I need God to seriously speak to me about being here. I'm talking burning bush experience. Because working at the mall in one of the most expensive cities IN THE WORLD is not the business. And missing home so much that I'm crying in the car is just not safe. I mean, have you seen LA traffic? The only time that there isn't traffic is very early in the morning. Between 2-5 you can pretty much get anywhere in the city in a relatively short amount of time. But I have sat in traffic at midnight before. What is that about? Three words: double decker freeways.

I don't know....Maybe I'm having some sort of pre-30 crisis. I don't know what's going on. But I do know that LA is not what I thought.

I will touch him - Tia

Adam from Maroon 5 is just TRYING to push me. He is just asking to get touched.

Don't believe me? Watch the video and see for yourself.

Yes - Tia

Yes was the word I HOLLERED when Robin Thicke hits the first note in his new video Can U Believe. How long have we been trying to tell y'all about Robin? It's been a while. We try to hip you to what's hot because we love you, dear readers.

However, if I'm being perfectly honest, I still like A Beautiful World better than The Evolution of Robin Thicke. But who knows, I wasn't feeling John Mayer's Continuum when it first dropped. But now it is the soundtrack of '07. But I KNOW that my feelings about Shooter on Evolution are NOT going to change. Shooter on ABW is the jam. Shooter on EoRB is wack. I seriously don't understand why perfectly good artists writing perfectly good songs feel the need to defile the aforementioned songs with unnecessary wack-a** rappers. It's not like the song did so much better because Wheezy F. Baby was in it. (And what the heck is up that name?) If I could say one thing to Robin it would be this, "Less Wheezy on your cd. More ROBIN on your cd." I mean, seriously, the man's popularity is on the rise. And it's based on the strength of his quality songs. I can't find one person whose favorite song on Evolution is one of the ones with a rapper in it. Not every song needs a remix. And not every song needs a rapper.

Anyway, for your viewing pleasure here is the new hottest and a little bit of the old hotness.
(Brand New Jones may very well be my favorite Robin Thicke song. It is so summertime. This song could come on at any bar-b-que and I DARE you not to get up and dance. Food/drink in one hand and the other hand in the air dancing with that "Aww shoot" look on your face.)