An Honorary Spanish Diva, I am

Monday, February 27, 2006

Black & beef

Buenas tardes, interntetland.

Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was pretty good. As usual I worked on Saturday and went home and watched "The Golden Girls" with my love. Yesterday I went to a cookout at a friend of my boyfriends, It was delicious! i dunno what kind of crap they put on the meat but it was the bomb! I ate twice. There's actually a funny story too..at that cookout there were kids, you all know how much love I have for them.... So anyway, one of them had a Game Boy advance and I was playing it for a good while, hahahaha. Then one of those little kids, can u believe it...he just sat on me and watched me play! He literally got on my lap! What the fuck, I aint no Santa! Fresh. So the GBA entertained me for a bit, sitting there playing "Mario Party".


I was watching "Sixteen Candles" last night and I noticed a racist moment. Then again it was the 80's. Early on in the film, Sam was talking to that friend of hers with the big black hair..and she was saying how she pictured her Sweet Sixteen party with a big party "a band and a hot guy you meet in France and having a new cadillac (or something)"...then Samantha responded "a black one" and her friend looked horrified and stopped, looked at her and said "A black guy?!?!?!" And Sam said "no, a black car!".




Dumbass bitches, black mens is hot! They don't know what they're missing. So I take it in the 80's it was still an underlying taboo to date black men if you aren't black. Not to say it's still not like that...how many times have you automatically noticed when you see a black man/woman with a white woman/man? Mmmm hmmm. But you know, it's also OK to not be attracted to people of a certain ethnic group. I know alot of people automatically assume you're racist if you don't like some kind. Yeah it's prejudice but it's not the same as hating and thinking they're separate kind as you. It's no different than not being attracted to overweight or skinny people..or liking peeps with tattoos.

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Golden Grahams

Mmmmm...

My favorite cereal ever! I don't know what it is about them, but I just love them. I'm having a bowl right now. It's probably not healthy at all with 0 vitamins but I don't give a fuck. It's like eating a big graham cracker.


Apparently the Graham Cracker was invented by some dude as a way to get sexual release...hahaha. I don't know if that works, but I like them nonetheless.

It's not like eating Cookie Crisp or whatever that cereal is called..that's basically chocolate chip cookies. Where's the food value in that, eh?

Thursday, February 23, 2006

All About ROCÍO DÚRCAL..




It's not like me to write a whole post about this woman, whom is indeed talented but hardly the best singer ever. There's plenty of other people out there who have more grace, stage presence and technique than her. It just so happens that the USA and Mexico citizens seem to fixate on her more than any other singer from her time. I find that admirable, because at least some menopausal woman still has a career in a field where once you hit a certain age, you're gone. Kudos to Rocío.

That being said, Rocío is not one of my favorites on my list of "Spanish Divas". She's more on my "B-list"....someone whom I like to a certain point but do not "love".. Her material is rather "safe", meaning that once she found her success with Juan Gabriel in 1975, she never recorded anything other than her safe "Ranchera meets pop" material. To this day, her material is STILL in this vein. Unlike many of her contemporaries such as my girl Massiel, Paloma San Basilio, Rocío Jurado or even Isabel Pantoja, Rocio Durcal has never steered away from her musical route and never indulged herself in experimenting with other styles. That is why Rocio Durcal is not on my list of favorites, for she never took chances as a real artist but only played it safe. BORING.

There was however, an exception. in 1981 she recorded a magnificent record with Rafael Perez-Botija, the man behind Dulce and many others of her kind, and eventually producing Lucero and Enrique Iglesias. The album was called "Confidencias" (also called "La Gata" in Spain and certain Latin American Countries).

It was and is one of her best records I've ever heard. She doesn't sound as repetitive and boxed in as her other records, and here we realize "Wow! She can sing songs other than rancheras!". The record is mostly pop ballads with a touch of Spanish pop. She also released another Perez-Botija album in 1983 called "Entre Tu Y Yo".


These two records though, are hardly known by her "fan base", who only tend to fixate on her Juan Gabriel songs and act as if she never recorded songs NOT by him. Such a shame. I don't even think these two records were ever released on CD (at least in the USA). It's really weird, because these two albums included 3 of her biggest hits..."La Gata Bajo La Lluvia", "No Sirvo Para Estar Sin Ti" and "Jamas Te Dejaré".



But wait! There's hope! Sony BMG has released in the past year, three 2-CD compilations called "Su Musica y Su Historia". Since all her albums are out of print, they condensed her discography onto 6 CD's in this matter. It's rather annoying but her records must have not been selling, and most Latinos seem to buy CD's if they're packaged as "exitos" rather than full albums. The second volume of this series collects her period between 1981-1986...and alas, it has included 15 songs from her Perez-Botija albums!! They're remastered too. So THIS IS THE ONLY ROCIO DURCAL COMPILATION WORTH GETTING.


click on the pic for link with info


It would have been cool if they released a CD, even if it's a "2 in 1", that collected both those albums...but it's still nice to get a nice chunk of those two records. It's really good too, it collected alot of the good songs from those records, including my favorites "Amor no, Gracias", "Marinero" and "Tu Foto En La Pared".

So concluding, if you want to get a glimpse into a Rocio Durcal that's not washed out with Juanga and one who sings lovely ballads that don't reak of Mexicanos, get this collection, it's definitely worth your time. The collection does collect some songs from her last 2 Juanga albums though, particularly her best Juanga collaboration "Siempre" from 1986, including "Quedate Conmigo Esta Noche", "Amandote" "Amor Disculpame" and "La Guirnalda"...so it's not a total celebration without him...Sony BMG felt the need to include some Juanga songs, or else it wouldn't sell!

As I say goodbye, I leave you with this...it's my favorite from the aforementioned "Confidencias" record...enjoy!

"Rocio Durcal - Marinero"

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

You give me...

How.


Ugh, I think I'm getting sick! I feel all gross ever since yesterday and right now I feel like ass. Hopefully I won't get a fever or anything. Especially since this Thursday, I'm going to check out GLORIA TREVI at Circuit! I hear she's only doing 3 songs, oh well.



That's still cool that she's coming. Usually when Spanish acts do gay club tours, they only go to Miami, New York and L.A. Glad she's including Chicago, we're just as beaner if not more than L.A.! Too bad than in 2004, when Lucia Mendez did her gay club tour, she didn't come to Chicago. Damn her! I would have totally gone and been a loca.

Well chirrruns, please hope that I don't get sick! i don't want to! i have feeling ill. I hate it! It's the worst feeling in the world for me. It feels like my soul left my body and there's only this mound of flesh living and that's me.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Gift receipts

Howdy


So tell me folks, has anyone or any of you ever questioned the whole notion of "gift receipts". Sure you don't want people to know how much you payed for it, but the thing with returning or exchanging the gift you bought them at a store...they're going to need to know how much you payed for it so they know what price range they should look for. Isn't that gratuitous then to go out of your way and get a gift receipt? They're still going to find out how much you payed for somethung. You might as well hold on to the receipt and return your gift for them or tell them to re-gift your item.

I never have done that, and in fact, when I get something I already have, I either give it to someone else (like I did for ALOT of my Xmas presents, hahaha) or sell it on eBay, though I have rarely done the latter. Besides, what difference does it make how much you payed for a gift? Isn't it "the thought that counts"? Just give them the real receipt so they know what else they can buy with their shit. THAT or give them a gift certificate. I for one appreciate any effort made to acknowledge me with a gift...whether the gift being a hug and kiss or a DVD player. I really do appreciate everything.

As a kid I never really got presents or had parties, so my upbringing has made me unexpecting of such items or festivities. So anything that someone does for me is appreciated deeply.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

My ching chong movie! I want it I want it I want it!

Damnit!

You may remember a previous post on this matter, so I was so geeked that this tuesday, the 14th, VALENTINE'S DAY, my movie was going to be available! Well no! I can't find it anywhere! They didn't have it at Tower because of that damn snow storm that happened in the East Coast, so it delayed shipping. But as of today it still hasn't arrived! I wanted so badly to watch my movie...oh well. Now I'll have to wait.

Here's the DVD cover


Today was also my 2 1/2 year anniversary of being official with my boyfriend (30 months to be exact). Awww. That's like a lifetime in "gay years". Here's to many more. It's amazing how much of myself I have given for him...and so much effort to love. I know in my heart this is the man for me, so if by God this relationship were to crumble at one point..I swear I AM DONE. This is what I know in my heart to be all that I wanted in a person..and if it were to fail it would mean I am destined to be on my own. I can't even begin to narrate just how happy and how complete my boo boo makes me feel. I've never felt so understood in my lifetime. It took many years of hatred and sustaining blows from it, but I finally found my home. I love you boo boo!

By the way....for you "BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN" lovers...the DVD is being released on April 4th, 2006. Fast wasn't it?!

Monday, February 13, 2006

Criminal passion, pure love for it

Howdy folks



This morning I had to be up at 8:00 AM (on my day off) to let pest control in. They finally came, and just ask I expected, all they did was lay out poison. There is an infestation problem, we've seen 3 mice and this morning (*shudder*), my boo boo made a discovery under our kitchen sink. A glue trap we've had there for almost a year had 3 dead baby mice on it. EEEEEW! They layed out poison in areas they deemed necessary. I had to stop them from spraying some liquid poison along the walls. I asked them that I want poison that is safe for Chus (our dog) and I didn't want anything he can lick. At first he said "it won't hurt your dog, only if he licks it". You should have seen me, it was hilarious. I immediately shifted to pseud-ghetto ignorance and said "Of course he's going to like it! He's a dog!!! I don't want any spraying of that". Then our ladlord (he was here) said "well maybe you can keep Chus away for a while, maybe put him in doggie care". And I said "HE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE! You're not
spraying that, if he has to go then so do we". Which in actuality, we just agreed on that. We're moving. I really didn't want to, for 2 reasons. Tat being that this apartment is big and is nice and also, I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE moving. I really do. But I don't want that feeling of worry everyday to continue. I want to be able to leave the dog's food out without worrying if something will come eat it or drink from his water. Gross

This past weekend I went to my boyfriend's home town of Milwaukee. It's kind of nice, a little vacation away from Chicago to a really dull quiet town where there's nothing to do. Besides those divey bars they have there are nice. They don't have stuff like that in Chicago, well maybe in the southside. It was fun. We bought a few more used CD's, oh no!

I started thinking last night, about how some singers who have come along are CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED SINGERS. Its amazing how some people I like only had one hit or not even one, yet have some of the most amazing voices I've ever heard. And I have heard alot of people, I'm very musically inclined.

My #1 right now is TIFFANY.



Wow wow wow...how did this diamond in the rough never get the praise it deserved? Its amazing, she has such a unique and powerful voice. Her tone is flawless. I rememeber how I got into her. It was 2000 and I was shopping at Wal-Mart for trinkets as it was my prom time (hahaha). I was looking in their clearance bin of CD's and I found Tiffany's debut album for .99. I knew "I Think We're Alone Now" and figured the dollar would be worth it for that one song. I listened to that whole album while playing video games...didn't think too much of it and thought it was cheesy. Then the song "Could've Been" came on, and I had to attentively listen. Her voice on that song, oh my god! After that, I re-listened to the whole album again, this time paying attention to her voice...and realized, "wow! Tiffany can sing!". After that, I tracked down her albums (all 4 of them) and fell in love.






My other criminally underrated singer...MARIA DEL SOL!

The poor thing..she has recorded 10 albums and never quite found her hit. She recorded her first album in 1982 at the age of 22..and did not have a noticeable song on the radio until her 5th album in 1986 titled "Un Nuevo Amor". The title track proved to be the song people who even remember her singing career know..and it also provided the public favourite "Girando, girando" and the hit ballad "Voy a ser una loba". She has SUCH AN AMAZING VOICE. It's rare to find someone with a soulful, almost black rnB vocals, in Spanish...and Maria Del Sol qualifies up there with RnB divas like Teena Marie and Chaka Khan. She still keeps recording in the Christian community, and in 2005 released her CD titled "Soy mama". I'd love to track down all her albums, I only have her last 2 and the aforementioned "Un nuevo amor".










Next on the list...JIMMY GNECCO of the band OURS.

This band is a total "no-hit wonder" and it's a shame. They released their only albums on Dreamworks in 2001 and 2002 and now find themselves without a label. Their music is somehwere between goth and metal..and in fact was the reason why they never found success. Their music has too many rock influences to appeal to mass market. Not to mention, Jimmy Gnecco has the most amazong male voice I've heard in years! Many compared him unfairly to JEff Buckley and wrote him off as a knock-off...but I think it's unfair. Jeff wishes he had an angelic and powerful voice like Jimmy. I'm hoping OURS releases a new album soon or have Jimmy release one. I will buy anything he touches. I even downloaded bootlegs! I NEVER do that for anyone, but that's how much I like his voice that I want to hear everything he's sung.





And now, probably the most unfair treatment...DANIELLE BRISEBOIS.

You all probably remember her as "Stephanie" on "All In The Family" and "Archie's Place". The kid actress turned to music and released her only official album in 1994 titled "Arrive All Over You". What a voice! She has a much more stronger voice than all the subsequent "Alternadivas" that emerged in that period..yet Danielle was ignored. Her CD was ful of anger, bitterness and power vocals, yet Alanis Morissette would conquer the world with a similiar yet inferior album. Too bad, I'm hoping Danielle returns! She's writing for other people, most recently writing Natasha Bedingfield's hit "Unwritten". I hope she records her own material, the world needs more people like her

Saturday, February 11, 2006

I can't stand children

I really can't..

Ironically I want to have children someday! I'm 23 years old and feel that I've lived quite a bit of turbulence that has given me a huge amount of insight and wisdom that not alot of people my age have. Be it of my culture, my battles with the world or of my personal issues...or be it a buildup of all these factors, but I feel that I have alot to teach the future generations and would love to pass on a little version of me with everything I know to the future. I'd like to think that everything i've seen, and my contradicting layers of my personality would live on and learn new things when I'm 80 and near the end of my hourglass.



SO...that being said, why do children annoy the fuck out of me? I have no patience with their brattiness and their ignorance. They have no compassion for anything that's not for their benefit and don't want to understand anything. Children are a map of their parents and I realize that most brats are a product and reflection of their upbringing, but still, I can't help but feel no patience and feel annoyed whenever I see children bitching about everything and whining...GOD that whining!

What a contradiction to praise procreation and have such a strong distaste for the single digiters. Maybe I'll grow out of it, who knows. Hopefully one day I'll get my shit together. I was once a child too, and I admire mothers who actually do a good job of raising children. It's a tough job and it takes a strong soul to have the patience to rear them in the right way.

That reminds me of that dirt limeric...

"It's a man's obligation
to stick his boneration
in a woman's separation
to proceed in procreation
and increase the population"


Hahaha..loves it. Other than that, nothing's on my mind. This weekend I'm going to Milwaukee with my man after I get off of work. I work on Saturday til about 9:00 P.M. Joy

Thursday, February 09, 2006

"Let me get off this motherfucking bus!"

As usual, I ride the bus this morning blasting away my headphones. Today's selection was a mix I made last night called "Se Habla Pop" which consisted of Spanish pop songs from 2001-2005. I'm riding and gradually getting drowsy when I get awoken by yelling. Some stupid Puerto Rican girl who looked as if she were 14 was verbally shouting some shit at some black girl. And both of them started yelling blah blah blah. Eventually the bus driver told them to shut up! Then the PR girl said "Let me off this motherfucking bus!" and in mid traffic, the bus driver stopped, opened the doors. So nearing the exit, both those ghetto bitches started smacking each other! hahaha. GHETTO! Then she got off and kept yelling even though the doors were closed and the bus driver kept going.





I swear there are some ignorant ass bitches out there. Especially for 14 year old girls with backpacks to be acting that way...and more so in public, in front of other children who were young. What a shame...what the fuck do the parents do??? Crack??? The future of the world, my friends, the future of the world is here.

Sunday, February 05, 2006

Taxi..taxi..gimme a ride!

25 cents to the first person who names my reference above!

Howdy folks! Happy sunday! Today I find myself getting ready. I'm heading out with the missus and the baby and going to my mother's house. She's planning a sunday feast consisting of "pozole" and "albondigas" (for me, cuz I don't like pozole). I didn't ask her to cater for me, but she insisted. She loves to cook and I love to eat so I wasn't one to stop her from doing so. Yummm
What's on my mind? Well something that is prominent every night when I work late and going home while walking to my bus stop. Everytime i'm out, a zillion cabs stop right in front of me! I dunno, maybe I look like I either have money or going a long way, but everytime I'm on the street, cabs stop and basically fight one another for me, even though I never flag one down!


If I was black none of those cabs would stop for me. Cab drivers are afraid to go to the ghettos, u know cuz "black people only live in the ghetto". Would blacks want to trade places with me? I can't even cross the street without a cab getting in front of me asking if I need a cab. It annoys me most of the time when they get in my way. Lord forbid should I ever need one, they're not around.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Jerry Mouse won't leave the building!

Sorry again for this being mouse post #3, but I just had to comment on this...

SO....Remember folks how I had mentioned that I moved a mouse trap into my bedroom as that's where I hear the damn thing (or one of them, I'm sure there's more than 2 in the house *shudder*)? Well, I had put a dab of peanut butter (mice like that smell) on the trap and put it down. Well a couple days later I look at the mouse trap, and the peanut butter was gone! At first I was in denial and thought "maybe it dried and fell off?". So I put a little more. And not even ONE DAY LATER did I see the peanut butter was gone again! Holy shit! I tested this damn trap myself and slightly put a pencil on top of it and it damn near broke it, so I know the traps work. So this time I put the trap on again, with nothing on it because I figured the mouse would get used to it and go back, and this time apply more pressure because he will seek more where the peanut butter came from.

LAST NIGHT...I took a nap with the lights off, and sometime during the night, the mouse trap went off. So when I get up and look at the mouse trap, I look at the trap, it was set off and alas, no mouse!!!! ARRGGHHH!!! What the fuck? Do I have a mastermind mouse like Jerry living here?! That fucker won't die!!! Go away!!!!


I don't want to move, but if this matter doesn't get resolved I'm going to have to. I can't live comfortably or even sleep comfortably hearing little tittertatters at night, and having my nerves run wild with my paranoia.

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