Hello friends and other humans reading this!
I've had an extremely BUSY summer. I tried to take Anatomy and Physiology over the months of June and July. I finished the course with a 68 which correlates to a D. Yes, friends, a D.
So I am repeating it this fall as we speak. To my defense, it was really intense for two months and just utterly exhausting. Labs until 10pm 4 nights a week. I guess I also just didn't study as much as I should have. There I said it!
I got to go to Ohio for the Football Hall of Fame Game! The Dallas Cowboys won their FIRST Hall of Fame Game appearance in franchise history. You're welcome, guys. I know my presence in the stands had something to do with it! :-)
I also go to see one of my bestest friends in the entire universe, Janet and her family. I hadn't been to Cleveland since 2008 and it was so good to see her two little girls.
I had a wonderful time and couldn't be more grateful to God for blessing me with Janet's friendship.
Oh...I also got to squeeze in seeing Jeff Timmons perform while I was there....along with the amazing Jim Brickman.
Along with the end of summer brings Labor Day weekend which I have been dreading this year.
My mom died on September 3rd. The day before Labor day in 2006.
Ever since then...I've despised Labor Day weekend. Although, I am grateful for the paid day off but the paid day off also give me extra time to think about how much I miss my mom.
Hence, I always try to take trips or do something fun to distract me from the reminder that she isn't here anymore.
I just wanted to write and touch upon the loss of Rich Cronin, writer/entertainer/rapper extraordinaire on September 8, 2010. Rich was diagnosed with AML leukemia in 2005 and had a stem cell transplant in 2007.
I had the great pleasure of meeting Rich in 1998 in Arlington, Texas. I got to hang out with him a few times before Summer Girls came up and propelled him into the ranks of superstardom. He was always very sweet and kind to me and I was so happy for him when Summer Girls became a hit.
Please register to be a bone marrow donor (I did in 1996. They were doing a drive at a supermarket. It was easy so I signed up. I got a call last year that I could be a possible match for someone but turns out I wasn't. You could save someone's life. What greater gift is there in this world? Do it) and let's keep fighting so the world doesn't lose any more precious lives.
That's all I have right now. I'll be back with more exciting, less depressing stuff, later.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Happiness, Single-dom, Insecurities
These three things enter my mind on a daily basis. Happiness is a true state of mind that money cannot buy. Being single is really not so bad and everyday is a battle against my insecurities.
For me, happiness is being content with what I have in life. It’s not always easy when you see someone skinnier, prettier, richer….but when you come to realize there is always someone else out there who is going to be more –ER than you it’s easier to be happy!
I’ve come to realize that I am uniquely me. I am might be odd, hyper, appear immature, completely random at times….but that’s me. I have my own unique interests and hobbies that make me happy.
I spent most of my life trying to be obedient, pleasing my parents and just trying to do what I thought would make them happy. Often, I was torn between making them happy and following my own heart.
I don’t regret my life at all. Because what I did at the time was right for me. However, people change, circumstances change and about 4 years ago I was able to figure out what I wanted to do.
I love my mommy with all my heart and soul. I miss her dearly everyday. I know if she were still alive I would have been able to do the things I’ve been doing the past 4 years.
You would think my dad was the overprotective one….but it was my momma. He has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams (although at times with lots of complaining) and spread my wings. My mom always wanted me near, close by, and safe.
My parents lost my brother, their second oldest child, shortly after his 15th birthday. He got caught up in a bad crowd, started abusing drugs and was just searching for himself; I believe. I was 6 at the time and I have some memories of that time period.
I recall vividly the day that it happened. I recall I had no idea the levity of the situation. I remember Chuckie and I were playing with some handcuffs. Where these came from? I had no idea.
At time, there were hardly any other Lao families living in Saginaw . We didn’t much to choose from friends wise. So we mainly just played with each other. My brothers always took care of me….and still do to this day.
It was my brothers Dang and Chuck home with me. Dang answered the phone and told Chuck and me that Eh was in a car accident. Somehow, Chuck decided to handcuff himself to Eh’s bedroom door.
I just figured that it was a minor car accident and that he’d be home later that night….like a broken leg or something.
He never came home. That is what I remember from that day.
After that day, my mom’s hair started thinning and falling out. Which if you knew her in her younger years you would know that she had thick, beautiful hair.
After that day, all that my mom wanted to do was protect me and my brothers from everything and everyone.
She was pretty successful…..I went to 1 football game in high school. I was allowed to attend academic related events ONLY after school and on Saturdays. But I always had to be home right after it was over. I hardly went to my friends’ houses. I never slept over at a friend’s until I was 19. That was only because they LOVED Christina. I went to a few dances (I think only because she really enjoyed dress shopping) which those of you who went to my high school know that we had like 2 a year. My brothers didn’t have it any easier either. My mom was just as overprotective of them as they were of me. However, more so with me because I am a girl and I could come home raped or pregnant (true life conversation!).
Anyway, I am immensely insecure and I certainly have no reason to be any longer. Not sure if it was due to my parents lack of validation. My parents LOVE all of us kids…but they weren’t the greatest in being demonstrative; probably because they grew up without their parents. Who knows? But it really has hindered my growth in life.
I am extremely shy but then there’s a side of me that’s not. I’ve always been worried about what others think of me….whether or not I did something to make them mad at me….what I could do to make them like me more….. all part of being insecure with myself.
Thankfully, to great friends and people who love me. I am learning that it’s ok that not everyone likes me because I sure as heck don’t like everyone I meet.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
My Daddy aka The Bond & a bit of family history!
My dad at times isn’t the easiest person to love……but he’s my hero and has never broken my heart.
He is often times very blunt….not very socially savvy and straight-up the cheapest man you will ever meet!
For the circumstances that my father was raised in; I think he’s the greatest dad in the world. My dad is the oldest of his clan. He has three younger sisters and a step-sister. I am not to close any of them. What’s sad is that if I ever saw them on the street…I probably wouldn’t know who they are.
I am listening to Joe McElderry on youtube singing Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father”. So I was inspired to write this about my father.
Thankfully, my father is still alive but for the past 3 years he’s been living in Louisiana. It’s been a real shock for me to be living alone for the first time in my life. I’ve always lived with my parents except for a short time in 1997 when I was attending the University of Oklahoma. Short as in 4 weeks! Even then…my parents would come to my apartment on Thursday nights and leave Monday mornings. I look back now and laugh because my parents and I are really just that close.
Before my mom died, I never really planned on ever moving out. That might sound strange to most people. But we have a big house and in Asian cultures it’s not unusual to have 2, 3 or even 4 generations living in the same house. My ex-fiancé, Joel, said he would be ok with it and that’s one of the reasons I stayed with Joel so long. I didn’t think I would be ever to find a white dude who would be willing to live with my parents.
Anyway, so going from seeing both my mom and dad everyday of my life for 28 years (minus a four week vacation/honeymoon they took without me in 2005 to Asia) to living alone has been a very difficult transition. Especially, having to deal with Joel breaking up with me before my mom died, then my mom dying, my dad hooking up with my step-mom(who I adore by the way) and my dad leaving. It’s been a rough few years.
But I don’t resent my father for following his dreams and I do not resent him for finding a new partner so quickly. My dad is 66 years old….he’s my 66 year old baby.
He is very dear to me. You see, my dad’s father died when my dad was 12. My sweet father has never had a chance to be taken care of. He’s had to take care of his younger siblings all his life up until he was 12.
My grandmother had a gambling problem and she owed this rich family lots of money. To repay her debt, she gave them my father. From the ages of 12-17 my dad was someone’s slave. He said most days this rich family would give him rice and water. He didn’t go to school but still somehow learned French. I don’t know what kept him going those days but I am grateful he did survive. At 17, he left to join the Royal Lao Army. He moved his way up very quickly. He had a string of romances along the way. My mother was the niece of a General, my great-uncle, Manh Opma(how he got a short ass name; I’ll never now. I am very jealous!), and was absolutely drop dead gorgeous.
They married when my mom was about 20 years old and my father 23. My dad was off to war more often than not. Their marriage in those early days was far from perfection. Even up the last days of their marriage it wasn’t perfect. But at the end, we all know why they stayed together. There was love.
My mom’s father was a member of the communist party and left my mother and grandmother when she was a baby. My grandpa Opma (he’s the only grandfather I’ve ever really known and I am lucky I can call him grandpa) was courting my great-aunt and fell in love with my mom who was a baby at the time. My cousin, Bebe and I think he really fell in love with my maternal grandmother but since she already had my mom and was not a young, single lady that she would step aside so her younger sister could have a shot at the happily ever after. Because for years after that Gpa and Gma(my pet names for Manh & Py) would take always make sure that my grandmother was taken care of financially. I mean I know that my grandmother was Gma’s older sister…but doesn’t it sound a bit fishy to you? Yeah, to me, too!
But a few years later, my mom being a young girl with now two half-sisters, was sent to go live with Gpa & Gma. My mom lived with Gpa & Gma until my brother, Dan was born. Dan is the fourth oldest, second oldest living child of my parents.
Both of my parents were not raised by their parents. It really breaks my heart to think that these two people didn’t have love of their parents. My mom was a bit luckier than my dad. She was very much loved by her cousins/siblings, my aunt and uncle who live in Ohio which I try to remain close to because they are all I have left linking me to my mom. They’re the only ones left who knew my mom was a young child and young woman.
Does anyone find it interesting that out of all the people to meet and marry were two souls that grew up without their fathers ended up together?
At times my mom always felt that my dad married her for political motives and never really felt secure in his love for her. My father is not a demonstrative man with his feelings….only with the grandbabies and with me! J
However, I know in my heart and mind that my dad loved her the most. Otherwise, he surely would have walked out on us. The moment I knew this was when I was 12 years old and we went to a wedding in Amarillo and we ran into an old boyfriend of my mom’s. It was the one before she married my dad.
Now this dude was not even 25% as cool as my dad. My dad pointed him out and told me that was my mom’s ex-boyfriend and asked me what I thought of him. I told him that this chump was not as pimp as he is and that made him smile. I could see this look in my dad’s eyes that he had been competing with this guy for years in his own mind.
But at the moment, I knew how much my dad truly loves my mom. Because he still loves her. People like to judge that my dad moved on so quickly after my mom died. Which I agree was much too soon. However, we all had to come to the realization that my mom is not coming back and my dad was being realistic in that fact. He was in no way trying to forget my mom….he was looking for comfort and someone he can be with and share the rest of his life with. He and my step-mom are the awesomeiest people besides my three brothers who continue to teach me how to be selfless and more loving each day.
I am very blessed!
He is often times very blunt….not very socially savvy and straight-up the cheapest man you will ever meet!
For the circumstances that my father was raised in; I think he’s the greatest dad in the world. My dad is the oldest of his clan. He has three younger sisters and a step-sister. I am not to close any of them. What’s sad is that if I ever saw them on the street…I probably wouldn’t know who they are.
I am listening to Joe McElderry on youtube singing Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father”. So I was inspired to write this about my father.
Thankfully, my father is still alive but for the past 3 years he’s been living in Louisiana. It’s been a real shock for me to be living alone for the first time in my life. I’ve always lived with my parents except for a short time in 1997 when I was attending the University of Oklahoma. Short as in 4 weeks! Even then…my parents would come to my apartment on Thursday nights and leave Monday mornings. I look back now and laugh because my parents and I are really just that close.
Before my mom died, I never really planned on ever moving out. That might sound strange to most people. But we have a big house and in Asian cultures it’s not unusual to have 2, 3 or even 4 generations living in the same house. My ex-fiancé, Joel, said he would be ok with it and that’s one of the reasons I stayed with Joel so long. I didn’t think I would be ever to find a white dude who would be willing to live with my parents.
Anyway, so going from seeing both my mom and dad everyday of my life for 28 years (minus a four week vacation/honeymoon they took without me in 2005 to Asia) to living alone has been a very difficult transition. Especially, having to deal with Joel breaking up with me before my mom died, then my mom dying, my dad hooking up with my step-mom(who I adore by the way) and my dad leaving. It’s been a rough few years.
But I don’t resent my father for following his dreams and I do not resent him for finding a new partner so quickly. My dad is 66 years old….he’s my 66 year old baby.
He is very dear to me. You see, my dad’s father died when my dad was 12. My sweet father has never had a chance to be taken care of. He’s had to take care of his younger siblings all his life up until he was 12.
My grandmother had a gambling problem and she owed this rich family lots of money. To repay her debt, she gave them my father. From the ages of 12-17 my dad was someone’s slave. He said most days this rich family would give him rice and water. He didn’t go to school but still somehow learned French. I don’t know what kept him going those days but I am grateful he did survive. At 17, he left to join the Royal Lao Army. He moved his way up very quickly. He had a string of romances along the way. My mother was the niece of a General, my great-uncle, Manh Opma(how he got a short ass name; I’ll never now. I am very jealous!), and was absolutely drop dead gorgeous.
They married when my mom was about 20 years old and my father 23. My dad was off to war more often than not. Their marriage in those early days was far from perfection. Even up the last days of their marriage it wasn’t perfect. But at the end, we all know why they stayed together. There was love.
My mom’s father was a member of the communist party and left my mother and grandmother when she was a baby. My grandpa Opma (he’s the only grandfather I’ve ever really known and I am lucky I can call him grandpa) was courting my great-aunt and fell in love with my mom who was a baby at the time. My cousin, Bebe and I think he really fell in love with my maternal grandmother but since she already had my mom and was not a young, single lady that she would step aside so her younger sister could have a shot at the happily ever after. Because for years after that Gpa and Gma(my pet names for Manh & Py) would take always make sure that my grandmother was taken care of financially. I mean I know that my grandmother was Gma’s older sister…but doesn’t it sound a bit fishy to you? Yeah, to me, too!
But a few years later, my mom being a young girl with now two half-sisters, was sent to go live with Gpa & Gma. My mom lived with Gpa & Gma until my brother, Dan was born. Dan is the fourth oldest, second oldest living child of my parents.
Both of my parents were not raised by their parents. It really breaks my heart to think that these two people didn’t have love of their parents. My mom was a bit luckier than my dad. She was very much loved by her cousins/siblings, my aunt and uncle who live in Ohio which I try to remain close to because they are all I have left linking me to my mom. They’re the only ones left who knew my mom was a young child and young woman.
Does anyone find it interesting that out of all the people to meet and marry were two souls that grew up without their fathers ended up together?
At times my mom always felt that my dad married her for political motives and never really felt secure in his love for her. My father is not a demonstrative man with his feelings….only with the grandbabies and with me! J
However, I know in my heart and mind that my dad loved her the most. Otherwise, he surely would have walked out on us. The moment I knew this was when I was 12 years old and we went to a wedding in Amarillo and we ran into an old boyfriend of my mom’s. It was the one before she married my dad.
Now this dude was not even 25% as cool as my dad. My dad pointed him out and told me that was my mom’s ex-boyfriend and asked me what I thought of him. I told him that this chump was not as pimp as he is and that made him smile. I could see this look in my dad’s eyes that he had been competing with this guy for years in his own mind.
But at the moment, I knew how much my dad truly loves my mom. Because he still loves her. People like to judge that my dad moved on so quickly after my mom died. Which I agree was much too soon. However, we all had to come to the realization that my mom is not coming back and my dad was being realistic in that fact. He was in no way trying to forget my mom….he was looking for comfort and someone he can be with and share the rest of his life with. He and my step-mom are the awesomeiest people besides my three brothers who continue to teach me how to be selfless and more loving each day.
I am very blessed!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Jeff Timmons
This is my first official post on a singer-songwriter.
Who else would I choose but Jeff? Those of you who know me well (or not so well); know that I have absolutely adored this man since August 8, 1997.
The year was 1997 and I was 19 years old. I had made a new friend, Christina, off the NKOTB-KKO fan mailing list.
It was a balmy summery night in August. Christina and I had been crushing over the Backstreet Boys all summer long. I am not sure if many people are actually aware but 98º's self-titled debut cd was released in July of 1997. A month before the Backstreet Boys cd and a year before *Nsync. But I got my friend, Tuni, to get her sister to get me the Backstreet Boys cd from Canada so we were way ahead of the crowd. As usual. ;-)
Why all of America didn't realize the amazing talent of 98º first? Poor marketing on Motown's part. Sorry, Motown, but this is true!!!!
Anyhow, Christina convinced me that I had to see this incredible group composed of these 4 really HOT looking guys from Ohio. To be honest, I wasn't fully on board.....but it wasn't like there was anything else going on for me that night....and not to mention it was only 10.61 to get into 6 flags that night....and FREE to get into the concert. What? We logged on to http://www.98degrees.com/ to learn as much as we could so we would be cool knowing a little bit about them. Christina had the single(see below) and we listened to it on the way there trying to learn the words to "Invisible Man" so we could sing-a-long like nerds that we were and I am still am! They made an appearance on "Good Day Dallas" that morning which sealed the deal because I was already drooling when I saw them sing "In The Still of the Night".
Looking back, it was actually one of their very first concerts....and with that in mind. It was mind-blowing performance. There wasn't much dancing or choreography....but beautiful vocal arrangements. They definitely owned the stage in a way that most seasoned performers do. I was very impressed. Not to mention they were all gorgeous! Yeah, I mean I was 19. How deep can a 19 year old girl be? I think I had to wipe the drool from the corners of my lips a few times! Even though this was my third concert going experience...ever in my life...I knew they were different. That they weren't like the Backstreet Boys(who are a great group in the own right and I have much love for you B-Rok®!!) and certianly a far cry from NKOTB.
All the girls went wild over them. All 50 of us. I don't think there were more than 50 or 60 people that night. Dallas is definitely not a place where people are ahead of the curve when it comes to new music. Even to this day. Makes me wonder why anyone even comes here on tour?
But after the show they all stuck around and signed autographs for us. Christina was the ONLY person to have the full length cd that she bought at the merch table before the show started.
(Here's a tip for all the newbie concert goers out there. Go to the merch table BEFORE the show or during a song or intermission and buy your stuff. It's a mess after the show is over. )
I am not sure about anyone else's experience with meeting 98º because that was actually my ONLY meeting with 98º ever. Although over the years I've had the immense pleasure and good luck of meeting Jeff several times. :-)
But they were extremely nice. Probably a LITTLE too nice and flirty.....I just figured they were just trying to sell cds. :-) Still kind nonetheless.
After the show, Christina and I had to pick our favorites and we couldn't like the same one because that would just conflict of interest. For instance, Jordan was her fave NKOTB'er so I had to go with Joe as to not step on any toes. The Backstreet Boys, she liked Nick and I liked Brian. LFO she liked Brad and I liked Rich. Nsync, I liked JC and I think she liked JC,too......but I think she ended up liking Chris because of his vocal talent? I can't recall who her fave Nsyncer was. What a terrible friend I am.
So I decided Jeff was my favorite because he was super nice and just the best looking one. I think Christina went with Drew because I decided that I liked Jeff so she just me have him!
Our moms thought our crushes on them would be fleeting. They even thought it was cute at first. Then they got really irritated that we would listen to the same cd over and over again.
Our moms even got in on the action. Christina's mom told us that Nick looked like he would be good in bed. We were like wth? At the time, Christina and I hadn't even kissed any boys, yet (yeah we were late bloomers. What?!? Leave us alone) much less have any idea what a guy would be like in bed. Yikes!
My mommy thought Jeff was a freaking dorable. She liked Howie from the Backstreet Boys so it was kind of exciting we agreed on who was the cutest from 98º.
I listen to first 98º today and the songs have a completely different meaning to me than it did almost 13 years ago. Especially songs such as "Don't Stop the Love" or my most favorite, "Come & Get It"(I was just kidding. My favorites are "Invisible Man" & "Take My Breath Away"--I am playing this at my wedding..if I ever get married). Now I realize how HIGHLY sexual that first album was compared to 98º & Rising.
Of course, the song that most spoke to me from that album was "Invisible Man". I remember there were fansites devoted to that one song. I think what made it so successful everywhere else in the world but here(*ahem* I am still slightly bitter after all these years it only peaked at #12 on Billboard. even though Christina and I would spend all our free time calling radio stations requesting it...radio stations that were mailed to us on the fanclub newsletter. ha ha. I even called Valentine in LA a few times. I really hope that no one from 98º was listening that night)
is that everyone has felt like the "Invisible Man" whether romantically or even in a friendship.
Everyone can relate to that song on some level. Kudos to the writers of the song, Dane DeViller, Sean Hosein & Steve Kipner! My mommy could sing that song with such emotion. So adorable. I wished I would have taped her singing it but I didn't realize that she would be gone so soon. My mother passed away in 2006 and a very dear memory of mine is that we would watch the "Because of You" video over and over again because my nephew, Ryan, loved that video. She would be so tired and weak from her disease but we would just forget about what was going on for an hour a so when we would watch the 98º collection dvd. She loved her some Jeff! :-)
Who else would I choose but Jeff? Those of you who know me well (or not so well); know that I have absolutely adored this man since August 8, 1997.
The year was 1997 and I was 19 years old. I had made a new friend, Christina, off the NKOTB-KKO fan mailing list.
It was a balmy summery night in August. Christina and I had been crushing over the Backstreet Boys all summer long. I am not sure if many people are actually aware but 98º's self-titled debut cd was released in July of 1997. A month before the Backstreet Boys cd and a year before *Nsync. But I got my friend, Tuni, to get her sister to get me the Backstreet Boys cd from Canada so we were way ahead of the crowd. As usual. ;-)
Why all of America didn't realize the amazing talent of 98º first? Poor marketing on Motown's part. Sorry, Motown, but this is true!!!!
Anyhow, Christina convinced me that I had to see this incredible group composed of these 4 really HOT looking guys from Ohio. To be honest, I wasn't fully on board.....but it wasn't like there was anything else going on for me that night....and not to mention it was only 10.61 to get into 6 flags that night....and FREE to get into the concert. What? We logged on to http://www.98degrees.com/ to learn as much as we could so we would be cool knowing a little bit about them. Christina had the single(see below) and we listened to it on the way there trying to learn the words to "Invisible Man" so we could sing-a-long like nerds that we were and I am still am! They made an appearance on "Good Day Dallas" that morning which sealed the deal because I was already drooling when I saw them sing "In The Still of the Night".
Looking back, it was actually one of their very first concerts....and with that in mind. It was mind-blowing performance. There wasn't much dancing or choreography....but beautiful vocal arrangements. They definitely owned the stage in a way that most seasoned performers do. I was very impressed. Not to mention they were all gorgeous! Yeah, I mean I was 19. How deep can a 19 year old girl be? I think I had to wipe the drool from the corners of my lips a few times! Even though this was my third concert going experience...ever in my life...I knew they were different. That they weren't like the Backstreet Boys(who are a great group in the own right and I have much love for you B-Rok®!!) and certianly a far cry from NKOTB.
All the girls went wild over them. All 50 of us. I don't think there were more than 50 or 60 people that night. Dallas is definitely not a place where people are ahead of the curve when it comes to new music. Even to this day. Makes me wonder why anyone even comes here on tour?
But after the show they all stuck around and signed autographs for us. Christina was the ONLY person to have the full length cd that she bought at the merch table before the show started.
(Here's a tip for all the newbie concert goers out there. Go to the merch table BEFORE the show or during a song or intermission and buy your stuff. It's a mess after the show is over. )
I am not sure about anyone else's experience with meeting 98º because that was actually my ONLY meeting with 98º ever. Although over the years I've had the immense pleasure and good luck of meeting Jeff several times. :-)
But they were extremely nice. Probably a LITTLE too nice and flirty.....I just figured they were just trying to sell cds. :-) Still kind nonetheless.
After the show, Christina and I had to pick our favorites and we couldn't like the same one because that would just conflict of interest. For instance, Jordan was her fave NKOTB'er so I had to go with Joe as to not step on any toes. The Backstreet Boys, she liked Nick and I liked Brian. LFO she liked Brad and I liked Rich. Nsync, I liked JC and I think she liked JC,too......but I think she ended up liking Chris because of his vocal talent? I can't recall who her fave Nsyncer was. What a terrible friend I am.
So I decided Jeff was my favorite because he was super nice and just the best looking one. I think Christina went with Drew because I decided that I liked Jeff so she just me have him!
Our moms thought our crushes on them would be fleeting. They even thought it was cute at first. Then they got really irritated that we would listen to the same cd over and over again.
Our moms even got in on the action. Christina's mom told us that Nick looked like he would be good in bed. We were like wth? At the time, Christina and I hadn't even kissed any boys, yet (yeah we were late bloomers. What?!? Leave us alone) much less have any idea what a guy would be like in bed. Yikes!
My mommy thought Jeff was a freaking dorable. She liked Howie from the Backstreet Boys so it was kind of exciting we agreed on who was the cutest from 98º.
I listen to first 98º today and the songs have a completely different meaning to me than it did almost 13 years ago. Especially songs such as "Don't Stop the Love" or my most favorite, "Come & Get It"(I was just kidding. My favorites are "Invisible Man" & "Take My Breath Away"--I am playing this at my wedding..if I ever get married). Now I realize how HIGHLY sexual that first album was compared to 98º & Rising.
Of course, the song that most spoke to me from that album was "Invisible Man". I remember there were fansites devoted to that one song. I think what made it so successful everywhere else in the world but here(*ahem* I am still slightly bitter after all these years it only peaked at #12 on Billboard. even though Christina and I would spend all our free time calling radio stations requesting it...radio stations that were mailed to us on the fanclub newsletter. ha ha. I even called Valentine in LA a few times. I really hope that no one from 98º was listening that night)
is that everyone has felt like the "Invisible Man" whether romantically or even in a friendship.
Everyone can relate to that song on some level. Kudos to the writers of the song, Dane DeViller, Sean Hosein & Steve Kipner! My mommy could sing that song with such emotion. So adorable. I wished I would have taped her singing it but I didn't realize that she would be gone so soon. My mother passed away in 2006 and a very dear memory of mine is that we would watch the "Because of You" video over and over again because my nephew, Ryan, loved that video. She would be so tired and weak from her disease but we would just forget about what was going on for an hour a so when we would watch the 98º collection dvd. She loved her some Jeff! :-)
After taking a break from his album, "Whisper That Way" which topped the adult contemporary chart singles and making a huge impact in the Japanese and other Southeast Asian countries(what can I say? Asian people love Jeff!); Jeff is back with new music!
Currently, you can download his album for FREE at Reverbnation.com. Many artists have been known to give away free EPs but it's a rarity to be given an album's worth for free without any strings attached. Thanks, Jeff! But I still want a few physical copies because I love reading liner notes.
Over the past almost 13 years that I have adored Jeff, I've been to a few obscure performances and have had the immense pleasure to see him perform solo and with Jim Brickman. At the Jim Brickman shows all the people around me would ask me a ton of questions about Jeff. I was like, dude, he's from 98 degrees! I apologize but unfortunately, that's how I speak in real life. I say "like" and "dude" a lot. I have only been to California twice in my life and that was just here in the past year. Don't judge!
Jeff may not be perfect because he is only human but he is such a good person. He's so kind to ALL of his fans. I am not sure how he does it because I asked my big brother, Chuckles, if he would be able to do what Jeff does when it comes to dealing with different personalities and his answer was, "HELL NO!"
Over the years and hundreds of shows and concerts that I have been to; Jeff still remains near and dear to my heart and I will drop anything and pretty much everything when it comes to seeing him play. ha ha!!
I admire him for his integrity, his intense passion for keeping his family life private, his respect for and kindness towards others. He's never too busy to stop to sign an autograph or take a picture. I have yet to meet a kinder soul in the music industry.
Thank you to Jeff for all you do! We appreciate you and love your music.
Check out my youtube channel: www.youtube.com/mickielicious for some videos I've accumulated over the years from shows.
Please, please, please go to www.reverbnation.com/jefftimmons2 to download the new album.
Also, on Monday nights you can listen to Jeff's BlogTalk radio show at www.blogtalkradio.com/JeffTimmonsonair .
Here is a link to a really great interview Jeff did the other night:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/not_picture_perfect/2010/03/05/heating-things-up-to-98degrees-with-jeff-timmons
My first picture with the man! This is from November 2003. Crazy. We pretty much still look the same.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
My love for Pop Music
One of the things that has been a constant in my tumultuous life has been music.
My sweet father has told me several stories about how even in infancy he would have to serenade his baby girl during feedings, naps and pretty much any time I was awake. He didn't share with me this lovely story until I was about 28.
It was like something finally clicked. I've been a lover of music all my life. Sometimes, more often before my dad told me this story, I never quite understood how I could love music so passionately but can't sing, write songs or even play an instrument.
My earliest memories of following a musician was when I was 6 years old and had been in Texas for 3 years. I remember quite vividly because I was in second grade (My dad made me start kindergarten when I was 4. Mainly because he didn't have a babysitter and we were seriously poor and could not afford daycare. Plus, when we check out the daycare, my dad thought I was way more advanced for just taking naps) and Mrs. Canterbury, my teacher, would let me massage her shoulders and brush her hair. She said I was a good little masseuse. Obviously, we were her first class ever...I am sure that wouldn't fly nowadays.
During our massage time, we would discuss lots of things: religion, music and how I needed to eat more at lunch.
When people find out I live and grew up in Texas they always assume that I am fan of country music. I try to say that I am not....but I realize that at 6 years old I loved Barbara Mandrell. I think she is known most recently for her role on "Sunset Beach" the canceled soap opera that was on NBC a few years ago.
For those of you born in the 80's you might not remember but she had her own primetime show with her sisters. Apparently, according to wikipedia and imdb it was cancelled in 1982.
I remember using one of those old boom boxes where you could tape songs off the radio....wow, did I just go way back or what? I would tape her songs off the tv so I could listen to them later when the shows or specials weren't on.
Technically.....she is classified as "country pop" so that makes me feel better. I do love some T-Swizzle songs...but don't enjoy her music "live". You probably wouldn't see me at a Taylor Swift concert.
It wasn't until two years later did I start my music collection. I went to Florida to visit our dear family friends, the Xayasones, and Kets introduced me to Tiffany, teased bangs, and aqua net hairspray. As we all know, if it were not for the success of Tiffany, NKOTB would not be raking in the dough on their 3rd year of their "reunion tour".
More musings later. Here's a video of my very first record I bought:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=826PTEuHKhE
Here's a newer version from the British girl band Girls Aloud:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo_CeBtQnjU
Eye candy for any male readers.
Peace out!
micks
My sweet father has told me several stories about how even in infancy he would have to serenade his baby girl during feedings, naps and pretty much any time I was awake. He didn't share with me this lovely story until I was about 28.
It was like something finally clicked. I've been a lover of music all my life. Sometimes, more often before my dad told me this story, I never quite understood how I could love music so passionately but can't sing, write songs or even play an instrument.
My earliest memories of following a musician was when I was 6 years old and had been in Texas for 3 years. I remember quite vividly because I was in second grade (My dad made me start kindergarten when I was 4. Mainly because he didn't have a babysitter and we were seriously poor and could not afford daycare. Plus, when we check out the daycare, my dad thought I was way more advanced for just taking naps) and Mrs. Canterbury, my teacher, would let me massage her shoulders and brush her hair. She said I was a good little masseuse. Obviously, we were her first class ever...I am sure that wouldn't fly nowadays.
During our massage time, we would discuss lots of things: religion, music and how I needed to eat more at lunch.
When people find out I live and grew up in Texas they always assume that I am fan of country music. I try to say that I am not....but I realize that at 6 years old I loved Barbara Mandrell. I think she is known most recently for her role on "Sunset Beach" the canceled soap opera that was on NBC a few years ago.
For those of you born in the 80's you might not remember but she had her own primetime show with her sisters. Apparently, according to wikipedia and imdb it was cancelled in 1982.
I remember using one of those old boom boxes where you could tape songs off the radio....wow, did I just go way back or what? I would tape her songs off the tv so I could listen to them later when the shows or specials weren't on.
Technically.....she is classified as "country pop" so that makes me feel better. I do love some T-Swizzle songs...but don't enjoy her music "live". You probably wouldn't see me at a Taylor Swift concert.
It wasn't until two years later did I start my music collection. I went to Florida to visit our dear family friends, the Xayasones, and Kets introduced me to Tiffany, teased bangs, and aqua net hairspray. As we all know, if it were not for the success of Tiffany, NKOTB would not be raking in the dough on their 3rd year of their "reunion tour".
More musings later. Here's a video of my very first record I bought:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=826PTEuHKhE
Here's a newer version from the British girl band Girls Aloud:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo_CeBtQnjU
Eye candy for any male readers.
Peace out!
micks
First post!
At suggestion of a very dear friend and advisor; I decided to start a blog where I can talk about my love for music, concerts and the pursuit of higher education.....and pretty much anything I want to talk about. Welcome and stay tuned for more interesting posts. :-)
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