Hooked on Phonics

Which part of me likes this more: the librarian or the mom? I don't know, but it's hella cute.

Scarlett translates Boynton into Martian from whitneymoss on Vimeo.

Daily Chocolate: Goodwill Toward Men and Shopping, Too!

I live in the East Bay, where it seems basically fashionable to not want anything material (wear it 'til its worn out, baby), but being born and raised on the East Coast, and having spent most of my teenage years and early 20's in a mall, let's just say old habits die hard. Plus, I like nice things, and I'm not ashamed to say it, though I'm a super bargain hunter as well, which often results in shopping choices and clothing combinations I probably shouldn't have made.

On my wish list for whenever I save up or happen to have enough money to spend like this (ha, ha - I'm a librarian! -- living in California! -- on maternity leave! -- unpaid! ha, ha) is a trip to a new store in San Francisco (where people aren't shy about spending money) called Philanthropist. The clothes aren't cheap (sigh), but 100% of profits go to poverty fighting charities. (How are they going to stay open?) I read about it in the January 2009 issue of InStyle magazine. Here's a little article in Daily Candy about it. By the way, don't you just love the name "Daily Candy"? The only way I could love it more is if it was Daily Cookie, or Daily Chocolate. Oh, hold up. I might have to use that one.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Sounding Lyrics (or Out of the [Clear Channel] Loop)

My sister, who lives in the Southeast, said during one of our recent phone conversations: "I hate the music out here. Listen to this, I can't even tell what he's saying." She held the phone up to the radio and I heard the artist saying something that sounded to me like: "Why y'all eat that hair ball? Why y'all eat that hair ball?" I can't say that the popular music out here sounds any better -- because I make a point not to listen to it. I got tired of the "drop the panties" music a few years ago. I hear about most of the music I've got on my IPod from tv, other people, random matches on Pandora and ITunes, and blogs. So, to return the favor to all those people who clued me in to music that I wouldn't have heard on the radio -- here are a couple of people that I just happened to find out about that I think are pretty slammin'.


Jazmine Sullivan, "Fear" from the album, Fearless - I heard about her because she was opening here for Maxwell when he was on tour in the area -- a concert that I missed because I had just had my baby. I think I must have looked her up on ITunes (which is what you should do) and heard the song "Fear." The lyrics are simple, but "...it's true, so don't pretend it ain't you too. We're all afraid of somethin' here, 'cause you ain't human without fear."

Anthony David, "Something About You" and "On and On" Yes, the first is a remake of the Level 42 classic - this version is acoustic, but the one I downloaded had the mellowfunky beat that made me love the original, with his scratchy soulful voice singing along. "On and On" is a sweet, sweet love song that would make any girl melt.


Adele, "Melt My Heart to Stone." I really like her song "Chasing Pavements", which has gotten more attention than "Melt My Heart to Stone", but I love the contradiction in the lyrics of this song and the raw emotion in what seems to be a song about unrequited love. "And I hear your words that I made up, you say my name like there could be an us..."

I'm also feeling Ledisi, Goapele and Common (who isn't unknown, just sadly under appreciated, in my opinion. I still love him, even though my eight months pregnant butt had to leave his concert in Berkeley before he came on because the people who were there to see N.E.R.D. (who I also like, don't get me wrong) were smoking so much weed that I was afraid that my baby would come out addled, brain damaged, or addicted.)

And if anyone knows the real lyrics, or the artist of the "Why y'all eat that hair ball" song -- I'd love to know, so I can laugh at it some more.

Things that annoy the hell out of me

Who the hell is that Animal Crossing game being sold to? The commercials make it look like it's got to be the most boring game in the history of gaming, and the women playing it in the commercials have this fake sound to their smiling conversation - like they can't even get enough enthusiasm together to really sell it -- but what's there to sell? The graphics look like they suck and the characters look like Weebles or the Fisher Price people. If it's supposed to be like the Sims for little kids, as my generous husband offered, then why are there GROWN women playing the game in the commercials? I would like to know if anyone actually buys this game and if they regret it after having played it.

On Amazon.com, it got an "A" rating by the staff of 1Up.com. The reviewer said: "OK, I know it sounds super lame, but trust me—it's a blast." Okay, they should make the commercials a little less boring, then.

It's Coming Back!!!

Battlestar Galactica will be coming back January 16th! Yes! Yes! Yes! Now all I have to do is find out when Project Runway will be coming back on and all will be right in my (tv viewing) world.

Santa, Baby...

Eartha Kitt, best known for the song "Santa Baby," passed away today - Christmas Day, 2008.

Her version of "Santa Baby" makes Madonna's sound like a horrible, juvenile parody of Kitt's original. Kitt was also a much better Catwoman than Halle Berry (I can say that even though I haven't seen Kitt as Catwoman, because I have seen Halle Berry as Catwoman -- ohhh, that's mean.)

Other Pop Divas (and Pop Divos) will recognize Kitt as the older lady who seduced Eddie Murphy in Boomerang. I can still her her coo "Maaaarcus!"

I don't really know much else about her, but I have always admired her, because she seemed to be bold, fearless, and oh, so sexy - unapologetically so, even as an older woman. As my Grandmother would say, "Aww, get it, girl!