Duffy-Rockferry Deluxe Edition

When Amy Winehouse first came out I was not sure if anyone would be able to top her, or even follow her, but I believe Duffy is the second coming of Winehouse.

Duffy’s album, Rockferry is the type of collection that tends to surprise me. I had already heard her hit single Mercy several times, and that prompted me to buy her album, but when I listened to the album, it was a completely different experience.

Her song Serious reminded me of Winehouse with the coarse-like voice, but it was truly Duffy’s because I found the lyrics to be uncomplicated and innocent unlike Winehouse’s dark and moody lyrics.

Duffy may not be endearing to adults who prefer the dark melodic fare on Winehouse’s album, but I found her to be quite a relief after all the debacles that followed Winehouse. I think there is a song on that album for every single person, regardless of their music taste.

Top Five New Years Resolutions For Those Turning Twenty-Four in 2009

Come to terms with the fact that you are getting old
Twenty-four is just a year away from twenty-five so you need to come to the realization that you are getting old and things aren’t going to be as fun as they used to be. From this point on more things will be expected of you. People will stop addressing you as “the kid” and your mistakes will be harshly judged because you are the cusp of true maturity.

Get your finances together
At twenty-four, you should really start getting your finances together. You should calculate your debts and really make the effort to start paying them off. You don’t want to reach the latter part of your twenties still worrying about the bills you have to pay and that school loan that’s still sitting in the back of your mind. Get with a debt counselor and make some changes right now.

Get in shape
In your early twenties you could eat all you want and not care about what it did to your body, but now you have to really care about the things you put in your mouth. You need to get your body in shape. This would be a good time to get into the habit of working out regularly so that when you reach your thirties, you are better prepared to deal with your body’s changes.

Clean your apartment or move out of mom’s basement
If you are still living with your mother, perhaps now is a good time to move out. Move in with your girlfriend or a really good friend. And if you have a good job and make decent money, move into your own place. If you already have your own place, then clean it up and make it look presentable. You are no longer a kid. Now you need a true bachelor or bachelorette pad so that people know you are serious about moving up in your life.

Stop Procrastinating
Procrastination is the reason why you never got anything done before, so now is the time to change that. At twenty-four you should be on the path towards your future. You need to start making moves and drive yourself to get things done before it’s too late.

Christmas-What do people do?

I've always wondered what people do for Christmas. I suppose each family has a certain way of celebrating, while others don't celebrate at all. In my family Christmas eve is what it's all about. There is usually a lot of music and food with lots of guests and then the traditional opening of presents in the morning.

I have a friend whose family simply watches A Christmas Story on Christmas eve and then open the gifts in the morning. There is no question about which tradition is more entertaining, but I gather the simpler tradition is the easiest to handle -very little clean up at the end.

Christmas day is always weird, because you get the feeling that you should spend time with your family, but you can only take so much of someone's personality over a two day period. PATIENCE.

Top Actor: Jeffrey Wright

He is categorically described as the most underrated actor in Hollywood but theater goers in New York know about Jeffrey Wright’s talents. He won the Tony for his performance in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America and was also nominated for a Tony for Top Dog/Underdog. He has appeared in several pictures since his incredible debut in Julian Schnabel’s Basquiat in 1996.

Though he is one of a few actors who one can truly consider talented in Hollywood, Wright has flown under the radar for years due to the small number of roles that are available for African American actors. If you watch Angels in America or his performance in Shaft, you can see that this is an actor who’s not afraid to go all the way for the character he is portraying.

This Emmy and Golden Globe winner I better than a lot of other actors that regularly get work, but he isn’t considered an A-lister because of the prejudices in Hollywood. But hopefully when the tide changes sometime in the future the Washington DC native will get his chance in the spotlight to bring his talent and charisma to the general public.

People Who Talk Too Much

If you've ever entered a new environment where you don't know anyone, you will automatically notice the people you should avoid. There is usually the fun gay guy to whom the majority of women gravitate because of his innate ability to tell a good engaging story. Then there is the guy who wants to be the cool focal point. This guy will talk to anyone and everyone, but the biggest problem is that he never stops talking. his mouth just runs on and on unless he is stopped. i ran into a guy like that today, and let's just say i was not very nice to this person. But that didn't seem to stop him from running his mouth.

And the battle for peace and quiet continues.

Ambiguity

It gets a little frustrating at times when the people you love insist on talking to you behind a bush so that you cannot understand a word they are saying. If you have ever been in a situation where everything you did made someone angry and everything you do to fix the problem only worsens it, then you know what I am talking about. The problem only gets worse because the people you care about don't have the nerve or better yet, the needed courage to tell you that you are doing something that is making them mad. As the offender you often have no idea what it is that you are doing wrong. For all you know, you and the other person are on good terms.

I would advise that you not get angry at the people who beat around the bush. Sometimes people refrain from telling the truth or telling you how they feel because they are uncertain about your reaction and how it is going to affect the situation you're both in. I believe the best way for you as the offender (though you are not aware of your offense) is to listen to the other person and cypher through the things they are saying. You can easily figure out when someone has been hurt or has been angered by something you said or did but they don't want to tell you.

Films

There are a few films coming out soon that I am really excited to watch and I thought I might share some of them.

MILK: I think Sean Penn is a hell of an actor, and that is the first reason why I wanted to watch this film. Then I read up about Harvey Milk and now I think everyone should watch this film. I'm sure you've seen trailers of the film from time to time, but I hope it doesn't come out and then get swept under the carpet. Milk's story is a fierce one, full of courage and ultimate tragedy due to revenge. Go out and watch it. I think they should tackle Mario Savio next. I'd like to see an actor attempt to give that famous speech of his.

7 Pounds: Is it just me or does everyone else think it's about time Will Smith went for Mr. Oscar. I don't know too much about this film, but I happen to rate Will Smith as a good actor. From the trailers that I've seen, I think It will be a good film. It is directed by the same Italian guy who directed The Pursuit of Happyness. I hope Will brings out his A-game and give himself a good chance against Sean Penn for this year's Oscar.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: I am a shy fan of Scott Fitzgerald's work but this film seems so different from the short story. Brad Pitt seems to revel in this role and may be another actor chasing after the Oscar. You should see this film if only because of the style the director brings to it. I think most fans of literature will enjoy this one.

The Highjacking of Craig's List

At one point in time, not so long ago, people used to be able to go on Craig's List and buy things, find jobs, get in touch with people they don't know, but those days seem to have disappeared. I was googling today because of boredom and fell upon some pages listing scams. And it seems a lot of online "schools' and a few insurance companies have been using the job board on Craig's List to trick job hunters into thinking that they have a job opening. When these job hunters send the e-mail for the job, they receive an auto response which sends them to another site where they are asked to fill in their personal information, and then the marketing begins. I just wonder where on the web people can still go to and feel they are in charge of what's going on. If sites like Craig's List which were once user friendly become a tool for robot-ads which take up people's useful time, then the web will slowly lose it's ability to keep people connected. Maybe it's just me, but the people at Craig's List need to monitor a little better to make sure things are legitimate. Oh, by the way, who on earth is excited by Rosie O'Donnell's return to television? I sure am not.

The cold and angry people

Have you ever looked into the faces of cold people? I have. I caught a glance of myself in the car mirror today and was horrified. I looked angry as hell, as if I was ready to take someone's life. I know I can't help the fact that it's getting colder out there. Here in NY, when it gets cold it turns off the allure of the city. No one wants to see the big buildings in Manhattan when they have to deal with swirling winds and snow. It gets colder in the city specially because of all the tall buildings.

There is however no solution to the angry look. When it gets cold my skin tends to tighten up and posits a cynical and sinister look on my face. I miss summer already.

Trust In Hard Times

Unless you live under an incredibly sound proof rock, you know that the financial situation all around the world is terrible. What I find to be true in times like this is that people have a hard time trusting others.

I met a woman yesterday who, with her husband, had planned on leaving their boring life in Albany, NY to move into a more cosmopolitan and live city, but when the market went under they lost the majority of their money. So for now they are staying put. But staying put can often create rifts between people, because you are constantly reminded of the fact that you should be elsewhere. When you see people walking around smiling and enjoying life, you know that you could have been in their place.

On a personal level, trusting others, even loved ones, is very hard in times like this. You can never tell when someone is approaching you or calling you because they want money from you. I believe the days of simple services being rendered have passed. Now we are all in a deep pot of uncertainty.

Somehow deep inside, I still believe trust is very important. If you can't trust the ones you love to help you, you have nowhere else to go. The inability to trust can keep you caged in and when times get better, you will have a trouble realizing that the worst is over.

Books: a touch of class

As a writer it can be easily assumed that you like to read. But I know of some writers who are not avid readers. Some even cringe at the thought of picking up something to read. I on the other hand cannot stop reading. I read everything under the sun, well except for newspapers. I have grown to dislike the feel of newspapers on my fingers. There's an alien feeling that I get deep in my bones when I touch a newspaper, but that feeling is nothing compared to the euphoria I experience when I'm in a bookstore.

Earlier today, while I was in Manhattan bidding farewell to a visitor of ours, I decided to go for a stroll into the local Borders by Madison Square Garden. When my guess was gone, I walked through the doors of the bookstore and to the second level. There was a sudden rush in my blood when I picked a book up in the reference aisle and read slowly. As a published author of a novel, Fields of Discovery, I've always dreamed to see one of my books on the shelves at Borders. And while that dream has yet to manifest, I was reminded of my love of books, and my fear of the disappearance of the tactile ability to touch the pages.

You have no doubt seen the ads for the electronics that one can use to read books these days. I see them everywhere I go. I have even seen people with the said electronics, reading. I've always wondered if they missed the touch of the pages. I cannot fathom the day when I will stop reading books, but I have come to reason that the day will come when I shall have to adapt so not to be left behind in technology's wake.

Oh Fu*k Off

So this Rev. Jay Scott Newman thinks that Catholics who voted for Barack Obama are putting their souls at risk. Is this guy freaking serious? I’m a catholic, and have been since birth. And I am pro choice. It really gets under my skin that the Catholic Church think that their way is the best way. People have their personal reasons for wanting an abortion and morons like Rev. Newman should not be in a position to tell people what they should do or that their souls are at risk because they chose a politician who happens to think a woman should make up her own mind. Is the Catholic Church trying to tell us that women should shut their mouths and accept what their husbands and their fathers want of them? This is ridiculous. If a woman does not want to have a child or does not feel ready to have a child, then it is her prerogative. You can’t tell a woman or a young girl who has been raped that she has to keep the child because it’s against God’s law to kill a fetus? What a load of crap. The Catholic Church has a lot of in-house cleaning to do before it can pass judgment. As a Roman Catholic, I can honestly say that I’m thoroughly disappointed in the Catholic Church and its attitude. And further more I am disappointed in whoever let this asshole Reverend Newman keep his position. If the church thinks it knows what’s best for women, then it has made a serious mistake in self evaluation. Abortion is not a pretty sight, it’s not something I would ever advice someone to take part in, but I cannot fathom the day when I will make that decision for a woman. The church should know it’s place and serve its people as it is supposed to do. Leave the moral decisions to the parishioners. I don’t go to a priest to help me decide whether I should have a child or not, and I don’t think priests have the F—ing authority to berate people for choosing a candidate who happens to think that the freedom of choice is more important than the opinion of the Catholic Church.

NOT FOR SALE: THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST MODERN DAY SLAVERY

Not too many people are aware of the fact that slavery is still going on these days. I mean it’s bizarre to imagine that today’s human beings would find it necessary to sell others or buy others for whatever means necessary. I was searching for something interesting to write about today when I stumbled on www.notforsalecampaign.org and found out about a campaign to end human trafficking. Now I don’t know enough about the issue to pretend to be some sort of expert and spew statistics that would make me appear as such, but I have common sense. I have enough common sense to know that the trafficking of human beings is an atrocious act for which a simple adjective cannot be used. For those who are partaking in this act, it may seem as though life is yours to take, but there comes a time when even the rabbit gets blown out of the whole. For those of you who want to know more about the problem, I suggest you go to the website and read up on it and search for as much information as possible. The more people who know about this the better off the world will be.
The fact is there, as disheartening as it is, it is there for all to see. Let’s re-abolish slavery and this time for good.

Anti-Hipster

I live in New York, and there seems to be this infectious disease called the hipster movement. And it is starting to get on my nerves. It's not that I envy these skinny jean wearing morons, but it is the fact that sometimes their attitudes crawl under ones skin beyond what can be seen as uber cool or rebellious. I was waiting for a train recently when two hipsters came onto the scene carrying on loud conversations and over doing the whole I'm on the edge of being an outcast thing. Then they went as far as hitting each other and pulling out a gamut of swear words with little thought of the other people around them. LOOK, it is not cool to try to be cool, got it? you've either got it or you don't. If you have to change the clothes you wear to appear cool, then you're not cool. If you join a movement because it is the current fad, you're not cool. These hipsters are popping up faster than STDs. I wonder if some of these young people are simply following a trend, or worse, scared of being themselves.

The Voting Blow Out

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE… I hope everyone has gotten the chance to vote today. I for one went out really early to put my vote in. as the saying goes, if you don’t vote you give up the right to criticize anything about this country. I would rather my candidate wins in this election, but to each his own. I just hope that everyone who can vote goes out and votes and let’s make some changes in this country. There are a lot of voices out there that would have you believe that there is no point in voting because of the whole Electoral College issue. Well screw those assholes. Go out and get you vote in.

Ibiza, Crapbiza

I was in DC visiting friends this weekend. We were supposed to go to the club called Ibiza on Saturday night. I was excited to meet up with my friends and have fun, but then we ran into a wall. We were supposed to go through the VIP line, but the promoter who added my friend’s name to the list, forgot to mention to her co-workers that the party was going to be bigger than one person. So we arrived and were told that only two people could go inside, and the rest of us would have to pay anywhere from 35 to 40 dollars to get into Ibiza. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Ibiza, but it is not worth 35 bucks to tell you the truth. The part that gets me is that I have no idea where these people received their business degrees. What businessman would let eight customers that are willing to pay for highly over priced drinks go just because they are not willing to pay the steep price at the door? We went elsewhere and spent all our money, and had a hell of a good time. So shame on you, Crapbiza.