I miss this place…

So first, let me get this straight.  There are some wonderful things for me at VCU and in Richmond.  I have some incredible best friends, a dream job, a prestigious position in a prestigious organization, and a great advertising program.  So PLEASE, don’t be hurt if you are a “Richmond” friend.  I love you just as much, if not more, than other friends.

There are some things that tick me off about Richmond.

First off: the hipsters.  More specifically, the boy hipsters: the guys that think it’s so “in” to be “bisexual,” when in actuality these guys wouldn’t get near another man’s *ahem* manhood.  I quite often get confused between VCU students and the impoverished population of Richmond.

Secondly: I miss the extroverted nature of all the students at Elon.  They may have become cliquey by Sophomore year, but they were still pretty nice people.

Most of all: I miss the beauty of Elon, North Carolina.  The spray-painted grass and million-dollar fountains all seemed so materialistic, but in the end, I miss looking at my campus and being in awe of how beautiful it is.

So if you’re a student at Elon and you are feeling down about the school and thinking you should transfer, think harder about staying and look out of your window.  It’s a beautiful place that still has a great spot in my heart.

…and I still have to visit….

Spring Is Here! The soundtrack.

Some good music to add to your iPods for the season

-Mmm Papi – Britney Spears

-This Is Your Life – The Killers

-Don’t Forget – Demi Lovato

-Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say) – Lady Gaga

-Where The Story Ends – The Fray

-Heard ‘Em Say – Kanye West (Feat. Adam Levine)

-Daylight – Matt & Kim

-A Song For You (On Your 40th Birthday) – My Little Pony

-Feeling Good – Muse

Oscar 2009 Live Blogging

8:30 – Aaaaanddddddd they’re on!  Welcome from Ryan Johnson to your favorite live blog of the Oscar’s!

8:30 – PRETTY CRYSTALS OMG!

8:31 – Hugh Jackman looking sexy as always…

8:32 – Yayyy opening number!  Absolutely adorable…

8:35 – Benjamin Button tribute.  Awesome.  <3 <3 <3 Anne Hathaway.

8:38 – “I’ll rent the reader.  I’m wol-ver-ineeeeeeeee!”

8:44 – First acting award – herreeee we go…  Really incredible presentation!  I wonder if they’re going to do this with all the acting awards?

8:47 – Penelope Cruz for the win.  Disappointing and predictable.  I was hoping it was going to be Amy but she’s not going anywhere.

8:49 – Penelope Cruz is the Spanish Audrey Hepburn.

8:53 – WOWWWW TINA FEY AND STEVE MARTIN!  HILARIOUS!

8:56 – Wall-E!  Wall-E!  Wall-E!  Wall-E!

8:57 – Well hey – second best won!

8:58 – That was a beautiful speech…

9:01 – Super surprise…This is gonna be a Slumdog kind of night…

9:03 – WALLEWALLEWALLEWALLEWALLEWALLE

9:10 – ‘Sank you.

9:15 – More yummy Jackman!

9:18 – First Benjamin Button award of the night! W00t!

9:24 – Second Benjamin Button award of the night!!!  So deserving…

9:32 – Best part of the Oscar’s – absolutely Ben Stiller’s personation of Joaquin Phoenix…

9:39 – Jessica Biel’s dress is a “thingamagige.”

9:46 – Apatow short-film was okay…

9:52 – FINALLY more singing!

9:55 – OMGOMGOMGOGMOMGOMG G33KING OUT OUT OUTOUTOU!1!!!

9:58 – Ah-MAY-zing

10:03 – Hey Phillip Seymore Hoffman – Snopp Dogg called.  He wants his busted beanie back…

10:04 – R.I.P. Heath…Never been more deserving…

10:30 – Wall-E was ROBBED for Sound Editing…

11:30 – Sorry we took an hour nap…  GO ANNE HATHAWAY!!!!!  C’mon girl!  Win it!

11:32 – Well, Kate Winslet is one of my favorite people!  I just wish Kate had won the award for one of her better roles.  But it’s about time she’s won Best Actress!

11:34 – Best moment of the oscars – Kate’s father whistle.

11:36 – Now on to Best Actor!  Fingers are crossed for Sean Penn.

11:43 – YAYYYYYYY!  GO SEAN PENN!!!!

*Rest of the night was more being goofy*

Things that grind my gears

Annoying, female art students that wear berets and look up in the air when they speak (and by speak, I mean say absolutely nothing of use.

Best 30 Singles of 2008

One of three updates that will happen before the clock strikes midnight tomorrow…promise.

And now…ladies and gentlemen…the best singles of 2008!

30. Better In Time – Leona Lewis

29. White Horse – Taylor Swift

28. In The Ayer – Flo-Rida

27. That’s What You Get – Paramore

26. Keeps Gettin’ Better – Christina Aguilera

25. When I Grow Up – Pussycat Dolls

24. Shake It – Metro Station

23. You Found Me – The Fray

22. Disturbia – Rihanna

21. Pocketful of Sunshine – Natasha Bedingfield

20. So What – P!nk

19. Live Your Life – T.I. featuring Rihanna

18. 4 Minutes – Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake

17. I Kissed A Girl – Katy Perry

16. Lovebug – Jonas Brothers

15. Love Lockdown – Kanye West

14. Hot N’ Cold – Katy Perry

13. If I Were a Boy – Beyonce

12. Time To Pretend – MGMT

11. Human – The Killers

10. Womanizer – Britney Spears

9. See You Again – Miley Cyrus

8. Burnin’ Up – Jonas Brothers

7. Paper Planes – M.I.A.

6. Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis

5. Circus – Britney Spears

4. A-Punk – Vampire Weekend

3. Viva La Vida – Coldplay

2. Chasing Pavements – Adele

1. Single Ladies – Beyonce

Best Video Games of 2008

5. Rock Band 2

Rock Band 2 did everything that Rock Band already did… and that’s not a bad thing.  The song list is FAR more impressive and if you bought the new Rock Band 2 set, you got wireless peripherals.  This is the best party game out there.

4. Fallout 3

I am not really tuned into video game news so I honestly didn’t know what to think about Fallout 3.  I only knew that a lot of people really wanted this game.  Boy was it a pleasant surprise.  Fallout 3 is made by the same people who made the Elder Scrolls Games – Bethesda Software.  This is the first good game to take place in (sort of) the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.  This made the game extra fantastic.  I didn’t beat the game – not even close.  I don’t think you have to finish this game to appreciate it, though.

3. Left 4 Dead

Ok so Left 4 Dead gets no. 3 even without me having online capabilities for Xbox 360.  This game is SO MUCH FUN.  I hope that this game leads to more episodic, movie-like games.

2. Grand Theft Auto IV

Nothing is required here.  The only reason GTA IV didn’t get the no. 1 spot is because Gears of War 2 is pretty much my favorite game ever right now.

1. Gears of War 2

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS GAME!!!

I actually got chills and got teary-eyed during this game.  Hell, for once I didn’t skip the cutscenes – that’s big for me.

2008 was truly a great year for games.  This is only the Top 5.  I enjoyed far more games this year than these games – these are just my top games.  Here’s to hoping that 2009 is an even better year for games!

Just a thought….

Is anyone else happy that the holidays are almost over? So stressful….

One of my resolutions: post on this here blog thingy EVERY DAY!

Britney Spears “Circus” Review

Womanizer – 9/10

Everyone’s heard the song.  It’s called “Britney’s Comeback Song.”  While it is awesome, I disagree with this single as the comeback song.  It sure has a great hook though.  My major problem with the song is that while most of the songs are quite personal, this song is a bit more generic.  Still…AWESOME!

Circus – 9.5/10

My favorite song on the album. This is Britney’s comeback song.  It has a very unique beat and sound.  It reminds me a bit of Slave 4 U.  Each song on this cd is actually similar to another song.  But yeah – LOVE this song (how many bets on this will be the song that Britney will open with on her tour).

Out From Under – 7.5/10

Okay ballad.  Personal but I’m not really attached.

Kill The Lights – 8.5/10

CLUB BANGER!  It would’ve gotten a higher score if it wasn’t so similar to Rihanna’s “Disturbia.”

Shattered Glass – 8/10

A straight-forward dance song.  I don’t hate it but I’m not in love with it either.  Mediocre (except for the bridge) but has some original elements.

If You Seek Amy – 9.99/10

This had better be one of Britney’s upcoming singles.  It combines many elements from previous Britney hits.  LOVE IT!  BEST SONG ON THE RECORD!

Unusual You – 8.5/10

This song reminds me a lot of “Breathe On Me” from the “In The Zone” record.  It has this intimate and personal rawness while still being a very dance-able song.  I hope that this song is also a single eventually.

Blur – 6.5/10

Blah.

Mmm Papi – 8.5/10

Fun song.  You can tell that Britney is having fun on this song.  But it’s not changing anything.

Mannequin – 8/10

Simply an 8 for the beat.  One of, if not the most danceable songs on the album.

Lace And Leather – 8/10

Very sexy.  Love the guitar.  Great hooks.

My Baby – 9/10

Beautiful song.  The most personal song on the record.  I can’t wait to hear Britney perform this live!

Radar – n/a

THIS IS ON THE BLACKOUT RECORD!

All-around, this is comeback CD that Britney fans have hoped for.  There are many single-worthy songs on this record which I can’t wait to see the videos for.  CONGRATS BRITBRIT!

Best Albums of 2008

This is SUBJECTIVE.  Here is my personal top ten albums of 2008:

10. Day & Age – The Killers

80s goodness.  Thank you Brandon Flowers for being you.

9. One of the Boys – Katy Perry

I really wanted to hate Katy Perry. 1) Perez Hilton is obsessed with her and I can’t stand him. 2) I Kissed A Girl was, at first, annoying. 3) She has a similar name to a girl that I can’t stand because of another friend.  But… I LOVE HER.  This CD is just good pop music – it doesn’t try to be anything but pop.

8. 19 – Adele

Lovely voice.  Lovely album.  If you haven’t discovered Adele for yourself yet, pick up a copy of her album (or at least download the song “Chasing Pavements).  You won’t be disappointed!

7. We Started Nothing – The Ting Tings

These two are SO CATCHY.  Even the name is catchy.  At first i thought that the duo was just “Shut Up And Let Me Go” but then I discovered the rest of the album!  Check it out!

6. A Little Bit Longer – Jonas Brothers

My (non) guilty pleasure.  I love these boys.  This album does not disappoint.

5. 808s and Heartbreaks – Kanye West

Two words: Kanye. West.

4. Circus – Britney Spears

Two words: Britney. Spears.

3. Feed The Animals – Girl Talk

I hate to repeat no. 4 and 5’s description but two words: Girl. Talk.

2. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

The. most. catchy. record. ever.  Really…it is.  I listen to this album everyday on my walk to class.  I don’t know anyone that DOESN’T love Vampire Weekend…

1. Coldplay – Viva La Vida (with Prospekt March’s EP)

I don’t know how many people have told me that this album is just so-so – that they prefer Coldplay’s other stuff.  I honestly cringe a little when I hear this.  Viva La Vida is not only the best album of 2008, but is one of my favorites of all time.  Each song is important to the overall story of the disc.  Never has a record had such a tone as this one – it has a very, very specific feeling to it – almost like a revolution.  If you don’t have Viva La Vida, what is wrong with you?  If you haven’t picked up the EP, PLEASE DO!  It’s less of an EP and more of a “Disc 2″ – it’s amazing!!!

PLEASE CHECK OUT THESE ALBUMS IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY!

Life Update – 11/23/08

Hello friends!

It’s been a while since I’ve given an update on what’s been happening with me.  As the holidays and the end of the year approach, I always get a sense of nostalgia.  This year is no different.

I think back to January of this year and am utterly shocked at how things have changed.  I feel like the events of this year have changed me more than any other year (and 2005-2007 were pretty life changing).  In January, I was crippled by panic disorder.  Now, I am completely better; still on medicines, but no panic attacks in many months.  

On Halloween, I, for lack of a better word, celebrated my one-year anniversary of coming out.  I’m glad that I’m am an out homosexual and feel so much more comfortable in my skin.  I haven’t met my Prince Charming yet but I know he’s out there.

Some things haven’t changed this year.  I have the same, incredible best friend.  I have only increased my love for all things Disney and am now an employee of the company itself!  I’m fulfilling my dreams at last!

I’ve met some awesome new people at VCU.  I made one of the best decisions of my college life in joining Alpha Phi Omega and have some pretty incredible brothers!

So, it seems as though one year later, I have became my regular, optimistic self again.  

Now the big question arises: what’s next?

There is still a month for incredible things to happen but I am looking to 2009.

I’m not one for making New Year resolutions so early; there is, however, two aspects of my life that I am going to change.  First, I’m going to become healthy.  I am going to exercise and eat right.  I am going to lose this boundary-causing fat.  Secondly, I am going to become comfortable in my skin and try to be less self-conscious.  I need to love and respect myself and I’m not right now.  It’s time for this to change!  Perhaps these changes will be documented on this here blog.

Speaking of my blog, I have such an incredible outlet for creativity, rants, and other nothings.  It’s about time that I took full advantage of this!

So here’s to 2008 and to 2009.  May your year end and begin with happiness!