Happy Easter.

I hope you eat your weight in chocolate.

Time-Waster of the Day

Addicting Games really lives up to their name with this one.  Pac-Xon is the ultimate pac-man game that you simply have to play to understand.  If you feel like losing a few hours of you life every day for the next week, you can play it here.

Saving the World - One Shoe at a Time

It's Earth Day today (well, technically yesterday), but I still thought it might be nice to post something pertaining to the occasion.  TOMS Shoes have been my favorites for years now, but there are still tons of people who don't know what this movement is all about.  Basically, when you buy a pair of these (super comfy) shoes, the company donates another pair to a person in need somewhere in the world.

The best part about TOMS is that there's something for everyone.  Whether you're looking for a casual shoe that can be worn at any time, or something more specific, you can find it on their website.   They also offer many opportunities for supporters to get involved in the cause by participating in the yearly "Day Without Shoes" or joining in on a shoe-decorating party on your local college campus.

These shoes are canvas and perfect for the summer months, check out the website and buy a pair.  You won't regret it.

Rebecca Black Must Be Stopped.

If you've been living under a rock and haven't heard Rebecca Black's song, Friday, you can check it out here.  I refuse to even disgrace this blog by embedding the video.

If I hear one more person call her the next Justin Bieber I might pull my hair out.

...and that's all I have to say on this subject.

Current Obsession... the4onthefloor!

My current musical obsession is a Minneapolis based band called the4onthefloor. Their sound is a mix between southern rock and blues, and their leader singer's voice is so rough and unique I find myself going back to their CD all the time.
I like the concept behind the 4 floor drums that they use and their sound is so contagious. Here is a video of one of my favorite songs..

If you like what you hear, check out their website for upcoming shows..
http://www.4otf.com/

New. Favorite. Show.

ABC's new show Happy Endings reminds me of Friends, only funnier.  The storyline follows a group of 6 friends (3 guys, 3 girls), and every stereotypical person is represented in the process.  That might seem like a bad thing initially, but this show puts it all together perfectly.

The gay guy who's more of a dude than any of his friends, the black man who acts like the whitest chick ever, the overzealous single girl who's blunt to the core, the motherly overachieving woman, and the dysfunctional couple that broke up on their wedding day round out a cast full of one-liners and jokes galore.

Bravo ABC, Happy Endings is the perfect show to follow Modern Family for a fun-filled Wednesday night.

Music Makes the Preview

I've been seeing the same commercial for Reese Witherspoon's new movie Water for Elephants almost every day for the past month.  I must admit that I really have no clue what the movie is about but the Florence and the Machine song that plays throughout the trailer makes me want to see it, like, right now.

Check out the song Cosmic Love (and a sexy Robert Pattison) in the video below.  You can also check out more by the amazing Florence and the Machine here. 

Kazoo = Win.

I'm not proud of the fact that I enjoy Ke$ha.  Every one of her damn songs gets stuck in my head for days on end.  One of her newest hits, Blow, is no exception.

There is a bright side to being a fan of trashy pop music, though - I stumbled upon this gem of a cover in which a kazoo provides the majority of the background music.  Shed Muzak is a group of Aussies who make some pretty ridiculous re-creations of current pop tunes, and their take on the music is a welcome change from the original tracks.

Make sure to check them out their YouTube page for more covers of everything from Katy Perry to Jennifer Lopez.

New Lady Gaga!

 
Lady Gaga released a new song today titled Judas.  I can't decide if it's catchy or just plain whiny, but that's what usually happens until one day I catch myself absent-mindedly singing the song.  This one sounds a lot like Madonna - as did Born This Way - but that's not necessarily a bad thing.  I've heard rumors about the music video, and supposedly it's going to be crazy (just like every other one) with tons of religious symbolism.  I'm more excited to see that than I am to listen to this song, but even the video might not help because I can never quite figure out the meaning of any of Lady Gaga's music videos.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

If you want to check out Judas, you can download it here.

Rihanna the Collaborator

Rihanna has been all over the place lately.  One appearance that really took me off guard was the Country Music Awards.  She performed "California King Bed" with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles, and I enjoyed it much more than I would've guessed.  The song is one from Rihanna's most recent album, but I think the duet with Nettles added just the right amount of energy.

Secondly, Rihanna decided to remix her hit S&M with the one and only Britney Spears.  Personally, I liked the original song and video more, but I'm a Britney fan as well so the remix was a fun change.

Gagavision

Lady Gaga put out a new Gagavision video today, and whenever I watch these I can't help but think that she's actually a pretty rad person.  The Gagavision videos give her "Little Monsters" a sneak peak into her everyday life and - even though she's pretty out there when it comes to appearances and performances - she seems to be pretty laid back in the real-life videos (the newest of which, no.42, you can watch below).

Although I can't think of hardly anyone who isn't a fan of Lady Gaga, I must admit that I think she's pretty much a musical genius - from her upbeat tunes to the way she markets herself, she's always got people talking.  According to this fun little website I recently discovered (and think is rather ridiculous) Gagapedia, her new album drops on May 23rd, and I'm excited to check it out.

In the market for some new music?

 Whether you're sick of the music in your iTunes library, or you're a new artist trying to get your tunes out into the universe, The Sixty One is for you.  Just create a username and you're on your way to discovering heaps of new music for any taste.

The site allows you to comment, love, and even download the songs right on to your computer.  It's a super fun and easy way to broaden your musical horizons - let's just say it's a musical adventure.

Another Earthquake Hits Japan

Sad news.  Another earthquake has hit Japan, resulting in another tsunami warning in the area.  This quake was only a 7.1 magnitude, meaning it wasn't nearly as bad as the first one, but it's still the last thing that this country needed. 

Ever since the initial quake, I've been looking for ways to help out that won't break the bank (since I don't really have one).  It seems that now, even more than before, this country needs all the help it can get.

Here are a few organizations that you can support while staying on a budget:

• Buy Songs for Japan on iTunes.  The wide array of artists on the album spans from Lady Gaga, to Bob Dylan, to Eminem.  It's only $9.99 and a great group of tracks to add to your library.

• The Red Cross -Visit Redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 from your phone.

• UNICEF is out to help the children of Japan.  Use this online form to donate to the victims of the earthquake or text JAPAN to 864233 to donate $10.

• World Vets is an organization with a first responder team that is deployed in Japan.  They are also accepting donations of veterinary supplies and medications at their Fargo, ND headquarters.

• Join the Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support Facebook group for up-to-date information on how to help.

Weekly Movie Guide

MSN has a great 2011 Spring Movie Guide.  It lets you know which movies will be coming out each week in the theaters near you.

I can't wait to catch Arthur this Friday!

Distraction

DAMN YOU AUTO CORRECT

Yet another site that will help you put off whatever important things you should be working on instead.

Some of these make me laugh so hard I cry a little.

More Mumford!

I stated earlier how much I love Mumford & Sons at the moment, so I felt obligated to share this with you all. 

Brainz has put together a collection of 10 songs that most people have never heard from Mumford & Sons - unless you've been lucky enough to see them live.  The collection includes songs that weren't released on their album, as well as a few covers.


If you're like me and can't get enough of these guys, you can check out the videos here.  Below is one of my favorites, a cover of Old Crow Medicine Show's "Wagon Wheel".  Enjoy.

Distraction

 Looking for something to help you procrastinate on that big work project or college term paper you're in the middle of?  This is it.

Similar to Texts From Last Night,  Dear Blank, Please Blank is hilaious for absolutely no reason at all.

Just see for yourself, soon you'll realize you've lost an hour of your life.

Chirp Chirp

It's always nice to hear that musicians take time out of their busy schedules to help the less fortunate.  The Yellow Bird Project is a bunch of indie rock do-gooders who thought they could use their artistic scribbles to benefit a wide range of charities and organizations.

Bands like Tegan and Sara, The Shins, Bon Iver, Rilo Kiley, and many more have designed t-shirts for purchase through the Yellow Bird Project website.  Each band then chooses a charity to which the proceeds will be donated.

I dig rock music, I also like t-shirts, and I'm totally a fan of charities - so I just bought the shirt designed by Grizzly Bear, which benefits Brighter Planet.  Your turn.  Go now.

HOP

Cute and Funny! Not much of a plot- but was anyone really expecting one? The story is simple with enough adult humor to keep me laughing throughout the movie.  With a stacked cast including people like Russell Brand, James Marsden, Kaley Cuoco, David Hasselhoff, and Chelsea Handler, HOP was definitely entertaining.  The perfect flick for a lazy afternoon.

Torn

Just got done reading the second book in Amanda Hocking's Trylle Trilogy, Torn. The second book of the series has made me consider recommending the series to everyone but I'm not sold yet. The story has really picked up and introduced a few incredibly lovable characters that have really added depth and excitement to the plot. However, there are still major editing errors that really take away from what I think of as "readabililty ". There are still entire explanatory paragraphs that are unnecessary and repetitive but not nearly as much as in the first book of the series, Switched. The main issue is there are a lot of "editing leftovers"- words that have been left out of place or flip-flopped in many sentences.

These books definitely don't read like individual books, the plot and writing style are much more like one long story, so to read one book is to be dedicated to reading all three unless you want to get done with a book and feel like you've left in the middle of a story. I'm on the third book of the series and if it continues getting better at the same rate that Torn got better than Switched I will definitely come back excited with my review.