Another post in the ongoing series about Musicilove.
Yesterday something happened that’s kept a smile on my face since. Imagine me typing this post in a rhythm. It’s the only thing alleviating the urge to get up and dance. LOL! Yep, I’ve been caught in something, and I’m just now figuring out what. Before yesterday I had heard maybe one song by Sugarland and thought it was good but then moved on. Enter Sheepa who came with the ‘Stuck Like Glue’ video, and I’ve become enthralled with watching and listening to Jennifer Nettles and her musical partner, Kristian Bush. These two are so talented that I don’t think they can move without something artistic gushing out. Kristian’s guitar playing is perfect, but Jennifer is a force of nature. If you haven’t already looked at that ‘Stuck Like Glue’ vid, go do it. Watch it more than once; it gets better each time!
As I watched it for about the 20th time, I knew that much energy and joy couldn’t just be that one video, and I’m happy to say it’s not.
Phew! “that girl can sang!” as it’s said in my neck of the woods. And she writes her own music. Yep, this is one talented chick. Sorry, but I can’t help but gush. She has something special, and those who love her saw it long ago:
I’m thankful once again for YouTube, Amazon and emusic. Last night I purchased ‘The Incredible Machine’ album and quite a few other tunes by Sugarland and was listening to all of it within a couple of minutes.
By the way, I wasn’t terribly happy with emusic when I first started with them, but they are steadily improving, and they have given me so much free music, that I’m stunned. Yes, this is a shameless plug. :D
One more ’cause I just can’t get enough:
Of all the musical pieces I’ve posted, this one reminds me of Richard Armitage the most. I realize he may not even like country music, but Jennifer seems so talented and creative and real that I couldn’t help but think of RA.
note: I have only used the word ‘gush’ one other time on this blog.
correction: I’ve only used ‘gush’ in connection with RA, but Jennifer is so talented, I can’t help myself.
If you ever stumble on this place and take a good look around, it will become clear I had significant time gaps between some of my posts. Maybe I should say real life intruded, and in fact it did. But psssst, sometimes I just tried to leave you. Obviously, I always came back, and here I am again today.
I’ve finally waded through some things that were holding me back, and now those are receding quickly, so hang on!
Yours Truly,
Frenz (aka Masha :D)
P.S. If I ever stalked you, I wouldn’t be in an ugly green car, but I would love that red dress.
note: I started to call this post “I Can’t Quit You,” but even I’m not that cheesy.
Need a Richard picture to get myself back in the mood big time:
This post’s for you, Sheepa. Thanks for the great laugh.
edit:
If you have not watched this video, do it now! It gets better and better.
My oldest child is taking third year Spanish in college. Before this class, she had never taken any formal language classes and knew no one associated with the language program at her school. A couple of days ago she finally made a visit to the language lab where she logged into one of the computers and cruised around the school’s language site. Some external links were listed under helps, so she clicked on one of them. It was a YouTube channel designed to teach Spanish, and just for grins, she clicked on one of the videos and then sat open mouthed a minute later:
At about 1:20, there are two girls in black and white, and there is a sink behind them. Those two girls are my oldest and youngest children, and the sink is my kitchen sink, yet my daughter doesn’t know the owner of that YouTube channel nor does anyone she knows personally know the owner of the YouTube channel. She was naturally creeped out and called home to get some input. After SO and I finally realized she wasn’t pulling our legs, we sat stunned as well, and then all of us set about trying to figure out how the channel owner would have come to have this picture and use it to represent sisters. We speculated and ruled out all sorts of scenarios and then came to one that makes such sense.
The photo in the video was posted on my daughter’s Facebook page a couple of years ago, and she had labeled it “hermanita”, which is translated “sister” from Spanish. Although my daughter doesn’t have quite the tight security on her FB account that I would like, her account is fairly private and certainly this photo was private. Doesn’t matter. She posted a picture on her account where friends could see it. This implied a right for them to post it to their FB pages (whether that was a legal right or not), and apparently someone did take it and posted elsewhere. Once this was done, that person then extended a right to all of their friends, and if one of their friends decided to post it, the right was extended to all of their friends. Yes, I’m saying that if you put up a picture on Facebook, you can potentially lose control of it. Isn’t Facebook grand?
This can happen to any of us who are on Facebook or almost anywhere on the web. The protestations from Facebook about privacy and respecting copyright are immaterial. Yep, that’s right — they mean nothing. If it’s out on the web (and Facebook has a way of propagating information on the web the likes of which would make your head spin), the potential to be taken from you is enormous. Most people say to themselves, “Why would some stranger want my photos?” You may never know why.
I bring this post for those of you who are still enamored of Facebook but don’t realize the vulnerability it creates for you. Facebook is everywhere and gives others the ability to lift all sorts of things about you — the least of which are your personal photos — and again, it does not matter about your privacy settings. Well, unless you have no friends on Facebook which would defeat the purpose of the site. And I won’t even get into Facebook wanting to trademark the word “f*ce” and how invasive that may be. You can read about that here.
Obviously, what makes this case bizarre are the great odds of my daughter ever seeing herself this way, but it should beg a question of everyone: are there any photos of me, or anything else about me, somewhere I’m unaware of? Probably.
By the way, this is one of the reasons I will never post pictures of famous people in a family setting that the famous in question has not intentionally made public. I will not participate in the breaching of someone’s privacy. It is certainly not my place to do that with anyone’s photos — be they photos of the famous or not. Sadly, on occasion I have been sent what appear to be stalking pictures, and at one time I had a picture of what I’m pretty sure was a private photo of Richard Armitage’s family. That ran a chill up my back, and I couldn’t help but think of my own family. I’ll admit a wee part of me wanted to keep the photo. Thankfully, the better part of me, who lives by the Golden Rule, got rid of it. May the better part of me always dominate.
I told my daughter I was going to be posting this video and that I wanted to post some other pictures of her. She’s of the generation that expects to have their pictures and videos plastered everywhere without consent, but I’m of the generation that is still compelled to ask permission. And this should probably be a post just about her, but I’m not sure one blog piece would do justice to her. She has a lot of energy and is almost always smiling and laughing. It’s hard to get a picture of her when she’s not:
She is also larger than life but doesn’t realize it. Everyone who knows her can see it, and many of us think this photo captures it perfectly:
Update April 2018: my daughter is a college graduate with honors, speaks several languages, lives in NYC where she owns a business and is doing very well, is engaged to a fine young man, whom we like very much, and she finally made it to Machu Picchu. :D
P.S. I didn’t ask for permission to post this photo since it’s already posted on the web.
The roller coaster resumes on Sunday night, and I think I’m ready to be jerked around again. :D
Harry’s grave look has me duly sucked in, and no, I’m not being facetious. I saw this promo and felt myself getting excited to watch Spooks, and then I read the interviews with the writers, and I really got excited. I like Lara Pulver despite having been dragged through the debacle known as Robin Hood Series 3 Episode 5, but phew! didn’t she and Richard Armitage look great?
As usual, click to enlarge.
Even if you’re offended by my blatant objectification of RA (as opposed to my thinly veiled objectification), you have to admit that’s a hot picture. They certainly challenged the idea of a “family show.” Oh, I would love to see those two in something sexy and smart. Wouldn’t it be great if we got a little taste of that in Spooks Series 10? I’m not holding my breath.
In the meantime, we might (oh, please with sugar on top) get a little more of Lucas North, and we’re going to get a lot of Erin Watts (aka Lara Pulver), the new section chief. The other cast additions look interesting too, and more to mine with the writers, but I’m saving it. The burning question for now: will Harry detonate a bomb? If I were mean, I’d answer that. LOL!
And speaking of writing, I stumbled onto a web page about roller coaster terminology (yes, the internet has everything!), which gave me an idea. It’s a dangerous thing for me to get ideas, but I have to have fun somehow. So during the run of this last series of Spooks, I’m soliciting examples in Spooks (any series) of one or more of the terms from this rich, ahem, nomenclature. Please make your submissions via the comments on this blog piece. The commenter with the most examples at the end of Series 10, wins a prize. More on that later when I think of exactly what will be an appropriate prize. Oh, I’ll make it something good. :D
I’ll go first with an easy one. An example of Immelmann Roll
(half-loop that inverts coaster cars for a half twist and sends them in the reverse direction. Named after a World War 1 German ace who popularized the flying maneuver)– Lucas North story arc in Series 9.
Obviously, I haven’t been posting regularly. That’s about to change. Spooks is coming, and I must be present for the denouement of Lucas North, or was I already? Then there is the relationship of Harry and Ruth. My speculation and everyone else’s is Harry and Ruth will finally consummate their relationship. Will it be satisfying? This is Spooks, people; it won’t be satisfying because they have a movie to make. So yeah, even with the finale, we probably won’t get a resolution of these characters.
But my burning question: does Lucas North make it out of this series alive? Will he be in the movie? I have to ask, and bygod, the producers of the show expect me to ask. LOL! Do I sound hacked? I’m really not that upset. Actually, I’m not even upset. I just want to know what happen(s)(ed)to Lucas North, dammit!
Yes, I’m purposely refraining from using the name John Bateman. That’s not this character’s name. No way. And I don’t say that because he’s a bad guy. In case anyone reading this blog hasn’t noticed, I’m partial to a bad guy who did much more heinous things than blowing up some people and killing one person bare handed. My bad guy actually looked many of his victims in the eyes while he killed them in one of the most physically demanding ways.
But back to Lucas. Is he or is he not dead? I say he’s not dead. I said this at the end of last series, and I’m still convinced that he’s going to be with us after this series has ended. Richard Armitage, who I take at his word for hating spoilers, has nevertheless mentioned Spooks, the Movie, a few times, and the thought of it won’t go away. Hey, there’s a good chance 24 will be a movie, so why not Spooks? And it’s entirely possible that dear Richard could be part of it which means Lucas can’t die. Unless of course they have a flashback, which now that I think of it is also entirely possible. If I’ve learned nothing else after five years of watching Spooks, they can do anything and logic be damned. How else to explain the absurd set up for Lucas North as a bad guy? And no, I’m not going to go on a rant again — at least not today.
For now I’m hoping the writers do something that either a) makes me breathe a sigh of relief b) makes me not want to throttle them c) jump for joy d) all of the above. A sigh of relief would be his being alive. Not wanting to throttle the writers would be his staying alive to possibly come back in the movie. Jumping for joy would mean his staying alive for the movie AND being able to redeem himself or develop into a fascinating criminal mastermind. Either would be fine with me. Just so it’s writing worthy of Richard Armitage’s ability. Yes, I’m a demanding sort. :D
So here I am, and here I will be waiting patiently for the announcement of when exactly Spooks is going to air. Oh, they have me right where they want me.
More posts about Spooks coming up this week as I’m feeling the need to revisit where this Lucas obsession started.
Behind the scenes photo courtesy of KuchingGirl with much more coming.
Note: this post (all of it) was done from my phone. Woohoo!
Yeah, I thought so. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re not quite crazy enough — yet.
It seems a tumblr account has dubbed Richard Armitage’s rabid fans as crazy. I’ve just got one thing to say about that. If this is crazy, damn! can I have more of it?
And it’s especially hard not to go crazy after the teasing we’ve received today. :D
Before I stop teasing all of you and get on with my posts about the lovely Richard Armitage, I have to get this out of my system.
Lady Gaga is pitiful. I have now lived long enough to see Britney Spears become appalled at someone’s behavior. Lady Gaga, who was no lady the night of the MTV Video Music Awards, apparently wanted a redux of Britney’s sensational embrace with Madonna, and Britney was horrified. ROFLOL!!!! Yes, the computer really did fall off my lap from laughing. Er, me not the computer. Actually, I think the computer chuckled a little too.
Can you imagine what it would be like for Britney Spears to look at you suspiciously and think, “Ewww.” Yeah, I’d say Gaga has reached a new low. But really how long can people keep up an act when it’s 40% musical ability and 60% sensationalism? It didn’t work for Bette Middler, who had to morph into a serious singer, it appears to be on the wane for Britney, and Madonna… I’m not sure exactly what to say about Madonna except that after almost 30 years of being on the music scene, she is amazing in her ability to sustain, but at what cost? She’s pitiful too, and if I never thought it before, I certainly did when I saw this video a couple of years ago:
The boys in that are young enough to be her kids and maybe her grandkids. But Madonna was always a cougar in the making, and why I’m surprised by any of this I don’t know. I’m not really, but it’s sad to watch that video. When she was younger, I saw the angst, and I appreciated it. But now? I really am sad ’cause I know Madonna is not stupid. But she’s let her need for continual self-promotion render her silly looking, and if that’s not what happened to Gaga on Sunday night, then I need to invest in a leotard and some fishnets.
The real shame is Lady Gaga has a good voice. Let’s hope it eventually eclipses all of this bullshit. Sorry I couldn’t come up with a descriptive word easier on the ears; that’s the best one.
Armitage Day came and went, and I found myself at a loss for an appropriate blog piece to commemorate it. But it occurred to me yesterday that I gave Richard Armitage the perfect gift from me — a few days off from this blog. Taking off was made especially easy as my conscience was pricked by reading things like this. LOL! Notice the bold sentence. Third “paragraph” down if you’re not sure. Poor guy(s). And no, I have no need to instruct anyone on proper behavior toward Richard Armitage. It’s just that when I read something like that, or I see him duck his head when he hears, “women will chase you…,” I feel funny and wonder if anyone else feels a bit foolish. Maybe that’s a good sign?
Earlier today I was asking myself why I’m even keeping this blog up. Yeah, I’ve beaten this drum before about my conscience. Apparently, I’m really not as insane as I first feared, and the part of me that’s so cussed circumspect especially wants to take over after being inundated with the birthday gushing. I threw myself into the midst of that fangirling, and by Sunday night I was in a bit of a stupor from my tweeting. Come Monday I had run dry for the blog.
Have I made you feel sufficiently self-conscious yet? LOL! Well, no worries, ’cause I’m soon going to leave the self-flagellation behind.
Today, some inspiration for renewed gushing manifested in my email. A fan sent me one of her favorite private pictures of him taken a couple of years ago. Look at that face!
I love the candid shots. There is a freshness and sweetness to them that always makes it hard to look away. Richard Armitage seems to have such a pure smile, and that really does make me like the guy (even if he turns out to be a schmuck). See! I’m still a bit insane although not tempted to draw arrows on RA’s pictures yet. ;-) But if I were ever tempted to draw them on anyone’s pictures, it would be his. :D
As if this weren’t enough to put my addiction at full throttle, RA has sent another message to the troops:
Dear Friends,
I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for all the kind gifts which have been sent to me over the last few weeks, for my birthday; so many gifts, cards and emails of good wishes from all over the world. (Poland, Ukraine, Japan, Russia, Germany, Korea, Itlay, USA, Canada, Netherlands and all over the UK)
I will be so ‘well read’, drunk, fat, warm and sweet smelling thanks to your generosity.
I am particularly excited to let you know that the “Just Giving” donations to our four charities has reached an amazing £11,933! In addition to donations to Oxfam and Christchurch Earthquake appeal, which I find both thoughtful and moving.
I am afraid there may be some delay in remitting thank you letters and any requests for signing photos, as I am in New Zealand for the rest of the year, but am working on a system to remedy this.
So middle age has arrived and apparently ‘life now begins’. I look forward to the next chapter, there is nowhere I would rather be at this moment than exploring “Middle Earth” with my new family of Dwarves, Elves, Men, Wizard and Hobbit. What a gift to be here, in this place, at this time. I can’t wait to share it with everyone. I am a very fortunate man.
Man, that typing with thumbs is tough! No more references to the typo or we’ll revisit the apostrophe debacle. ;-) Also, I’m going to spare RA some more today by not waxing on about the topic of middle age. I will get to it later. Too good to pass up.
I would say what’s coming up next on this blog, but I’m learning I like flying by the seat of my pants, and a good thing since that’s what I’m forced to do these days.
edit: the photos coming up, are, well, let me put it this way: take your heart medicine. Oh, you don’t take heart medicine? you might after looking at these photos.
RAFrenzy 
