Karaoke in the style of one-hit wonders

April 13, 2011 by Cassie

It’s been a little while since I participated in the KROD (that’s Karaoke Ring of Death), but I’m glad to be back after a couple of months. This month’s theme was one-hit wonders, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to participate in such awesomeness. I’m hosting K. Syrah from Shoes Never Worn. I must admit, I’d never checked out K’s blog before, but just reading her “about” section has me intrigued. She’s grown up all over the world, plus, she’s a writer. I like her already. She’s singing Edwin McCain’s “I’ll Be” with a little live guitar, and her rendition makes me like her even more. You’ll have to see for yourself, but between her soothing voice, clever editing skills and the funny ending, you’ll definitely want to check out her blog.

If you want to watch my video, be warned: it is absolutely nothing like K’s video. It’s loud and shrieky for sure, but with the unrehearsed help of my two little sisters (and confused-as-hell Jack Russell terriers), it was a good time. I’m singing “Lovefool” by the Cardigans, and I’ve decided the three of us are going to start touring as the Tardigans. You can check that out at TJ’s blog, My Life in Southern California.

And make sure you visit the master list of video’s at Sara’s blog, Sara Swears a Lot.

Without further ado– K. Syrah!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: krod

Let’s say I’m unemployed because I’m over-qualified

March 2, 2011 by Cassie

Happy birthday, Jon Bon Jovi!

Okay, that’s enough of that.

You know what else I’ve had enough of? Unemployment. It’s been fun and all, hanging out in my sweatpants for indefinite amounts of time. But now it’s March, and suddenly I’m all like, “Crap.” 2011 is established in its existence, and the only thing I’ve established is a newfound sense of worthlessness. And though I know I’ll soon enough miss these lazy days, I need more purpose in life. Or at least structure, because I’m the type that if given too much free time, I don’t make the best use of it. Sad, but true.

I’ve already sent countless emails and resumes to potential employers over the past several weeks. I’ve sent out ten this week alone. At first, I was picky about what listings I responded to, and then I started browsing other Craig’s List categories. (No, not the adult section, ha-ha badumching.) Now, I’m applying for everything from waitressing jobs (kill me, I thought I’d never go back) to salaried positions. What do I get in response from these people? Anything from “hai you be personal assistant” to nothing. Mostly nothing. WHY, people, do you post ads only for me to respond, only for you NOT to respond? What logic is there in that? I know I’m qualified. I know I’m superbly normal. And I’m on TOP of those ads. I check job sites daily –hourly?– so I know I’m often one of the first to respond. Maybe my eagerness scares you off. Maybe you should die.

It’d be easier to take if I did make better use of my spare time. That is, when I’m not on the hunt. Besides hoping to save money, I have other, more creative goals that have no better time to be accomplished than now. Every day I think, Now would be a good time to start that novel or I should really clean out my desk and instead, I distract myself with meaningless, time-sucking activities. This COULD be a recipe for fatness or alcoholism, but luckily I do not succumb to such things. Yet.

I’m more willing now than I was before to suck it up and take a job that might not be the most desirable or career-oriented if that’s what it takes to start putting a reasonable amount of cash in the bank. And I know that any job always has the potential to lead to something even better. My real fear is that my tentative and yet-to-be planned European trip will keep getting pushed back more and more until it doesn’t even happen this year. I know Europe will always be there, but sometimes people tell themselves that at 21, and before they know it, it’s 20 years later and they’re fat alcoholics who still tell themselves Europe will always be there. I just refuse to be one of those people. But, you know, in order for me to get overseas, maybe I should take the time out of my busy coughnotreally schedule and get a PASSPORT. IT’S NOT LIKE I HAVE A JOB OR ANYTHING.

But I can’t be too hard on myself. I’m looking, trying, going for it. And at least I’m living rent-free, which is a beautiful thing. But there needs to be something else to fill my time with other than Facebook and sit-ups. So I’ll work on that. Because I cannot accept being one of those people that inspired the phrase “youth is wasted on the young.”


***On an unrelated note, I finally installed Google Friend Connect on my blog, making it easier to follow me. By easier, I mean you have to click one less button. Lazy bums. But since Google Friend Connect is the popular way to go, I’ve done this for you. And to hopefully get more followers. If you read my blog, please click the follow button so it doesn’t look like I’m uncool!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: boredom, generation Y, hold a gun to my head until i do something worthwhile, twenty-something

Addiction-free

February 18, 2011 by Cassie

Many of you who read my blog know me personally and therefore know about my past. For those of you who don’t know me, however, let me fill you in– I used to be addicted. No, not to drugs. Certainly not to helping. But I was very much addicted to Bon Jovi. I’ll let that sink in.

I didn’t like to use the words “addiction” or “obsession” when referring to my love for the Jovi. I’d insist that I was merely enthusiastic or a dedicated fan. But the truth is, I was a high-functioning, “Livin’ on a Prayer” belting, a “steel horse” is a TOUR BUS-ing Jovi Head for many years, starting at the young, impressionable age of 10. Bon Jovi was to me what coke was to Drew Barrymore.

My dad was my primary enabler. Every Christmas, birthday or Boxing Day, he’d shower me with Jovi memorabilia. Vintage Bon Jovi records? I’ve got all of ’em. Every unofficial bio in existence? Check. Jon and Richie “action figures”? Uh, yep. Those too. And I don’t just own all their studio albums. No, I own 130+ Bon Jovi CDs including singles, imports, live discs, and remasters. I bet you had no idea.

That’s because my love for Bon Jovi has died down in recent years. This is for a number of reasons, but I’d say the fact that their last good album was 11 years ago has something to do with it. Okay, arguably none of their albums were good. I NEVER SAID THEY WERE THE BEST BAND IN THE WORLD, PEOPLE. They were just my favorite. I feel the need to explain the fact that I know they’re by no means musical geniuses, because I’ve often been judged harshly due to the fact that Bon Jovi was my #1. There’s another demographic I can think of that many people rightly believe shouldn’t be judged based on who they love, so WHY SHOULD I BE ANY DIFFERENT?

I wonder how many followers I’ll lose because I got all tongue-in-cheek and compared my strife to that of the LGBTQQRSTUVWXYZetc. people out there. And for getting all hyperbolic with the ever-changing acronym. But I’m getting off-track.

Bon Jovi did actually have a few good albums. And even on the not-so-good albums, there were some gems. Their 1995 release, “These Days,” was so un-Jovi that you probably wouldn’t be able to guess the band’s name if it were withheld. So, by “un-Jovi,” I mean musically complex, lyrically interesting, and kind of depressing. Incidentally, “These Days” is my favorite Bon Jovi album.

As I grew up, my love for the band progressed from decorating my homework with “Bon Jovi Rocks!” to keeping a Bon Jovi journal with a detailed discography, collection of press clippings, and lyrics from every album to, much further down the road, deepening indifference. I didn’t want to admit it to myself. I felt as if I was having an identity crisis. If I admitted I no longer had the same affection for the band as I once had, did that mean the person I was for almost 10 years meant nothing? Did I even know who I WAS anymore? This was perhaps the low-point of my addiction. The fact that I was concerned that I wasn’t addicted enough.

I got to meet the band when I was about 12 or so. By “meet,” I mean stammer when the really short drummer Tico offered to sign my shirt, be rejected by the keyboardist David who WOULDN’T sign my shirt, and feel like I could die of happiness when I got a wave, smile and “hello” from the uber-hotties Jon and Richie from a distance. (The humor in the fact that I was so obsessed with dad-aged rockers does not escape me.)

The high point of my Bon Jovi career, however, came during the phase in which my love had already started to dim. In 2009, my dad and I got media passes to the Les Paul tribute in Cleveland just a year or so before the legend himself died. Richie performed at the concert, and we sneakily made it into the after-party simply by acting as if we belonged there. Lo and behold, there was Richie (and Slash, but who cares about Slash?) lounging behind a velvet rope. Though I was a Jon girl in my younger years (the guy’s got a killer smile. And hair. But we make fun of his hair.), I eventually came to realize that Richie was the true talent. His voice is just better! And the guitar! So my dreams were about to come true. After a glass of champagne, I felt comfortable enough to chat politely– and like a sane human being– with Bon Jovi’s tour manager. WHO THEN SO WONDERFULLY INTRODUCED ME PERSONALLY TO RICHIE SAMBORA. YES, INDEED. WHAT WAS I EVER THINKING WHEN I SAID BON JOVI WASN’T MY FAVORITE ANYMORE? THIS IS RICHIE SAMBORA, AND HE IS HERE, AND SO AM I. AND NOW WE ARE FRIENDS.

I got to have an actual conversation with Richie, and though short, it was almost exactly what I hoped it would be for all those years. And by “exactly what I hoped,” I mean I said things with coherence. I may or may not have cried afterwards (don’t judge me) and deemed my life downhill from that point on.

Thank God that’s not actually the case, because peaking at 19 would suck. And despite how easy it is to make fun of Bon Jovi (and despite the fact that they gouge their fans’ bank accounts for even the nose-bloodiest of seats), I have to keep a special place in the back corner of my heart for giving me music to love, concert experiences to cherish, and “Wanted Dead or Alive” to sing for the 8th grade talent show.

When they’re live in D.C. next Sunday night and I’m at home eating leftover Valentine’s Day candy, maybe I’ll blast a little Slippery When Wet. And play some air guitar. And tease my hair.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Bon Jovi really isn't THAT bad, change, music

Karaoke time in the season of lerv

February 9, 2011 by Cassie

Shockingly, it’s already been a month since LAST month’s Karaoke Ring of Death, and this month we’ve got a theme with tons of potential songs to sing, promising for a very interesting round indeed. We’re doing Love Songs/Anti-Love Songs for the month of February. That’s right– either one (or in some people’s cases, both)!

This month, I’m hosting Lorn from Czech You Later. This is Lorn’s first time participating in the KROD, and she’s chosen an Adam Sandler love song, straight out of the movie The Wedding Singer. It’s a sweet song, and Lorn and her special guest make it even sweeter!

Also, make sure you check out my passionate Steven Tyler impression at Alexandra’s blog at The Tsaritsa Sez. Chick’s awesome, so you’ll want to check out her blog anyway, but what was essentially my informal American Idol audition should be some added incentive for you.

Make sure you refresh Sara’s blog at Sara Swears A Lot for the updated master list of videos. Sara once again put KROD together for us all, so she’s the one you should be thanking for having your ears blessed with such melodies. Thank you, Miss Sara.

And finally– Lorn!

hey all… this is lorn from czech you later and i’m super thankful to my host cassie! this is my first foray into karaoke blogging, but i was pretty excited to participate after my friend jimmie (from tales of a traveling texan) posted her awesome video last month. although i was a little bummed to miss last month’s theme, there were still plenty of good choices for this one! i originally had wanted to choose “somebody kill me” from the wedding singer (so i could kinda combine jan and feb’s themes), but then i decided maybe something a little less crass was actually a good idea…. so i ended up with a different song from the movie! 🙂 (which incidentally is one of my favorite love songs of all time.) this month my sister is visiting me here in prague, so she’s making a guest appearance in the video. she did such a great job… i wish she could be here every month… anyway, hope you guys enjoy and be sure to stop by my blog to see the dazzling vocal stylings of the adorably funny bianca (bianca and the b-sides)!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: guest blogger, karaoke ring of death, music

I tweet, therefore I am.

January 18, 2011 by Cassie

Several months ago, I deleted my personal Twitter account because I felt it was one too many social networking site that was wasting my precious time, and I knew nobody cared what I thought about Adam Lambert unjustly getting voted runner-up on American Idol. Twitter felt like nothing more than a collection of Facebook statuses, and I didn’t need to have two separate accounts online to update in the same vein. So, smartly, I deleted my Twitter account.

Today, however, I find myself on Twitter multiple times a day, browsing news links and videos, wondering what I can comment on for my own updates. Yes, I have rejoined The Twitter, and yes, it has everything to do with me being unemployed.

Though a timesuck for sure, I based my decision to rejoin the world of tweets on the fact that I have nothing better to do than try and network with fellow bloggers, potential employers and whatever stores want to offer me hefty discounts on products I don’t need. Win-win-win, in my opinion. I also get minutely updates on world news that doesn’t require more than 140 characters’ worth of comprehension. Who needs to know WHY Obama recently gave a speech in Arizona?! Just knowing that he did is good enough.

Twitter was atwitter today (now yesterday) of the news that January 17th was the most depressing day of the year. Or The Most Depressing Day of the Year– that looks more doom-ish. In any case, I think someone messed up. Deeming Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day The Most Depressing Day of the Year? #whoopssorrydrking

Man, I’ve already got my hashtag labels DOWN. Twitter, here I come.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: social networking, twitter, unemployment

UPDATED: Ring o’ death round three – truly the death of me

January 10, 2011 by Cassie

It’s been awhile since I last blogged, but I have my reasons. Mainly Christmas. Exhaustion, perhaps. Rather, the kind of exhaustion that comes with extreme laziness, which I have also been experiencing as of late. Which is definitely the direct result of having no structured schedule of any sort. You’d think extended time off would make for bliss and joy, yet it has only led to my personal discomfort and despair. What am I to do with the rest of my life?

Make karaoke vlogs with my fellow fabulous bloggers, that’s what. (My 16-year-old self [above] visibly displayed doubts about her future after high school, but look where she ended up. The interwebs. Side note: I distinctly remember asking the woman who took these idiotic cap and gown pictures if I looked like a moron. She said I looked great. Thanks.)

I digress wholely. You might recall last month’s go-round at the vlogring, which was show tune-themed. Lots of happy melodies with la-dee-das, hand claps and frolicking about. This month is f*cking different. Pardon my language– I tend not to use words more offensive than “poop” or “butt” around here, because I try to appeal to a wide variety of readers, and I’d also like to be seen as responsible and wholesome to potential employers. But this month’s theme just so happens to be the opposite of the show tuneyness because our song choices must include the word “f*ck.” Ooooh, fun. I was hesitant to join in because of my blog’s language limitations, but then I said f*ck it. Anyone who would stop reading my blog/not employ me because I use the dirty word doesn’t sound like someone I’d want to entertain/be employed by.

But it certainly helps that I get to host a blogger who made an excellent song choice. Meet Lorraine from Late to the Party. Below, she sings for us a little bit of Maroon 5. I love Maroon 5. (What female doesn’t love Maroon 5?) Lorraine rocks it with hooker heels, sunglasses at night and mad video editing skills. Thank you, dear Lorraine, for keeping it both audibly and visually entertaining.

So without further f*cking ado (how’s that for an intro, Lor?), here’s the lovely Lorrain with Maroon 5’s “Makes Me Wonder.”

UPDATE: I’m a little bitter after making a million attempts to succesfully record and upload a video for this month’s round only for the video to be lost somewhere on the interwebs. So you can watch my video here, instead. Because I’m a big loser. Check out the master list at Sara Swears A Lot for more fun. Ugh… going to bed now.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 20sb, insomnia, karaoke vlogring of death, music
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