Tuesday, July 31, 2007

My "So Small" Review


Yay for new Carrie Underwood music! Now with that said I am going to try and give the least biased review of her new song "So Small", that is humanly possible considering my super fan love for everything she does.

So Small


HQ stream

What you got if you aint got love?
The kind that you just wanna give away
It's okay to open up
Go ahead and let the light shine through
I know it's hard on a rainy day
You wanna shut the world out
And just be left alone
Don't run out on your faith

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
What you've been out there searching for forever,
Is in your hands
When you figure out love is all that matters, after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small

It's so easy to get lost inside
A problem that seems so big, at the time
It's like a river that's so wide
It swallows you whole
While you're sittin round thinking about what you can't change
And worryin' about all the wrong things
Time's flying by, moving so fast
You better make it count, cause you can't get it back

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
What you've been out there searchin for forever
Is in your hands
Oh, When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small


Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
What you've been out there searchin for forever
Is in your hands
Oh, When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Oh it sure makes eveyrthing else
Seem so small



I am going to start first and foremost with her voice. Holy crap what a voice, she totally nails every note in this song to the wall. In this I can pretty firmly state that she could sing the phone book and I would find an emotional connection with it. The production of this song is interesting flowing from the guitar to the full on orchestra, power ballad all the way. I actually like the message, I think it is a tad generic as far as just reading the words, but hearing her sing it I am totally moved. You can tell that she really believes it, and in that I believe it too. Actually the more I sit and listen to it I find parallels in my own life. Since that is what a song is supposed to do for you, I have to say this is a pretty strong single.
Overall I LOVE it, and plan on continuing to listen to it over and over. Hope you like it too!

Monday, July 30, 2007

New Carrie Single!!!!

Not even kidding this could potentially count as one of the single most exciting times in my life. Actually I really am kidding, but it is still awesome. Carrie Underwood has a new single that is being relased today called "So Small"

She debuted it at her concert in Dixon this weekend and here is a video.



I am going to wait til I have the studio version to review it, but from the sound of it, its going to be another #1 smash for Carrie!

Friday, July 27, 2007

BORED, with Patty Griffin

Well I never really realized how completely and utterly dependant I have become on the television til now. We are moving in a couple of days so everything is getting turned off...including the cable. Now If you asked me I would have to say I don't really watch much TV, at least not actual shows, but I actually have it on for most of the day just as background noise. We are basically at the calm before the storm of the actual moving, so today I just happen to be home...with nothing to do...and no television. I really think I might be going crazy with boredom. I have surfed every website that I can think of, read tons of fun science news, read blog after blog of other people around the world who are just as bored as I am and have come to the startling conclusion that I HATE having nothing to do.


I normally run around day to day with about 14 different things that need to be done in a timely manner, work, volunteering, papers, life...etc. I am always wishing that I could have a day to just do nothing, sit around and just be. Now I have it, I have it with no cable, no ideas for fun, and no friends home from work yet. I know in a couple of hours we will be out and about having a grand ole time, but right this instant I am dying the slow death of mind numbing uselessness (dramatic I know).

At least I have music to stand up as my background noise. Currently I am listening to quite a random play list with everything from The Raconteurs and Ryan Adams, to Patty Griffin and Pam Tillis, and of course no play list is complete without my girl Carrie Underwood (I love sneaking her name into random posts).

P.S on the Carrie Underwood single front, I hear rumor that it may be released to radio sometime next week. Of course I have been hearing this for a few weeks now, so I'm not sure I want to get my hopes up.

Patty Griffin's song "Rain" has to be one of my favorites right now. Its off her 1,000 Kisses album. Great song!


Alright, I think I am done rambling...for now

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Crazy Week/ Weekend

Well, to say I have a few things going on right now is a huge understatement. Between work, and packing to move Wednesday, I really have very little time to blog :(

Here is a great interview from the Daily Show with Neil deGrasse Tyson, He's a fun scientist and this is a great interview about science now, and a new NOVA program.



I love when people like Neal do interviews and show such enthusiasm for what they do. Science is extremely exciting and I love when it is shown on a National scale. To often scientists are stereotyped as boring, mundane, geeks, who use words no normal person could understand, and never leave the lab.

While I find myself in a lab more often than not; I would like to think I'm not that boring, and while I will fully admit to being a total geek (not like its a bad thing), I have an extreme enthusiasm for all things Science. Its great to see Jon Stewart have a cool scientist on his show!

Monday, July 23, 2007

Alison Krauss and Union Station


OK no time to really update anything today, but I am super excited because I just got tickets to see Alison Krauss and Union Station, live at the Richmond Coliseum. This will be the first time I have ever seen her live so I am totally on cloud nine.

Friday, July 20, 2007

The Sylvia Brown Fraud

I have recently come across a fun debunking of Sylvia Brown from Anderson Cooper. I appreciate that he is not such a gullible media personality and tries to bring the truth out no matter the ridiculous babble.
This first video gives the intro into why she is such a fraud.


The second brings in James Randi, my personal hero, to take her down even more. Her publicist has no shot.



To most people Sylvia Brown is just a harmless psychic just out there on TV trying to make a living. Most don't realize the harm she brings by spreading her nonsense all over the place. She uses people in their most vulnerable of states, and takes their money with no remorse. Not only does she have no real ability, (I maintain the psychic phenomenon has not ever been proven and therefor does not exist.), but she is even a horrible cold reader. A cold reader basically just uses information that is given by the person, and makes generalized blanket statements that sound like it "could be possible."

There is also a great website out there trying to stop her nonsense.
Stop Sylvia Brown


So beware the psychics!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

The Canon


This is a great book I just read from Natalie Angier. She definitely brings a fun spin to science, and it is a definite must read for anyone who wants a little science knowledge to brighten their day. This book is great for those who don't remember a thing about science from school, it breaks down the facts in a fantastically poetic way. She shows that science knowledge is awesome to have in our day to day lives, and trust me most people don't even realize how important it is to be somewhat scientifically literate. So I really recommend checking it out, you won't be disappointed.

The Canon

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Acoustic Carrie Underwood


I work the front desk at a 24 hour gym. The hours I work are not really prime time work out hours, so needless to say I have a good bit of time on my hands to do nothing. To kill time I have my handy dandy video ipod and watch different video's I have managed to convert.

Last night I sat down and re watched Carrie Underwood's Stripped performances. Now for those of you who don't know Stripped is basically just the artist in an acoustic setting jamming out to their songs. Now I enjoy pretty much anything when it is done acoustically, just letting the artists voice take over but Carrie Underwood is different.
Carrie Stripped

I think I actually prefer the things she sings acoustically, to anything she has done with big production. Her voice, to me is utter perfection and it never fails to send chills down my spine when she tackles an amazing song.

Like this cover of "Alone". Now she has done this before, on American Idol and on the Idols tour, but this is the first time I had heard her sing the whole song. I love this arrangement with the fiddle and her voice, seriously it amazes me.




"Don't Forget to Remember Me" is always a song I liked, but never really loved. When I saw her in concert and saw that she did this song more stripped down and acoustic, I LOVED it. The Stripped version is probably my favorite version of this song that I have seen along with the version she did on the Season finale of American Idol.


So if you like nostalgia, and good music check these out. She doesn't disappoint!

Tired


Well I just got home from a very uninteresting 10pm to 6am shift and I am exhausted. I will however leave you with one of my favorite Albert Einstein quotes.



Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable.

I love this quote because it reminds me that no matter how much we learn in life about science, nature, or even humanity, there is still something else...something that we just can't quite put our finger on. To me that is inspiring...that no matter how much I know (or think I know), there will always be something else to discover. Probably why I am spending all my money to be in school for the rest of my life studying the great unknowns in life. They say it will pay off one day, I really hope so.

OK, off to bed and maybe I will dream up a wonderful interesting topic to discuss.....



Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Trisha Yearwood, "Heavan, Heartache, and the Power of Love"


I have already read several reviews of this song so I will try not to let them shape my review of this wonderful artist :)

Trisha Yearwood was literally the first voice in music of any genera that I connected with. I have everything she has ever done, even though I was like 7 when most of her success was starting. Sad side note, I used to listen to different Garth Brooks songs just to hear Trisha's voice singing backgrounds. So anyways I am definitely a fan.

Now I first heard this song yesterday, and have gone back to it several times to try and get a feel for it. I am definitely excited to hear this on the radio, more songs like it should get air time too. But I continuously notice that it is not the song I'm in love with as of yet, its her voice. I've missed hearing Trisha on the radio except for the occasional "She's in Love with the Boy," so I really hope this does well.

So back to the song, there is nothing that I dislike about it per say, but other than being super excited about a new Trisha Yearwood song, I am not blown away. The production is flawless, her voice is flawless, and I know at some point I will be jamming out to this song on a road trip, but I think its going to take a few more plays for me to put it on my favorites list.

New X- Files Movie!

So since I just started blogging, it hasn't become abundantly clear that I am a HUGE dork. While those who know me just shake their heads in sad agreement, those of you who don't have the pleasure of knowing my adorable dorkiness (is that a word? spell check says no) are getting ready to see clearly.

Word is out that there is a new X-Files movie in the works, with all the major players signed on. This makes me happier than pretty much anything else in my sad little life (except for the new Carrie Underwood CD). I own the whole DVD set of every season, I own the DVD of the first movie, and I even used to read fan fiction of the show. I was super happy when Mulder and Scully got together, and I have always been a sucker for a good government conspiracy (in fiction of course, I have never really felt that any conspiracy nut has made a logical enough argument for a conspiracy that hasn't been thoroughly debunked). Anyways I am sure at some point I will have baseless speculation on what the plot line of this movie will be, but until then feel free to guess away!

Monday, July 16, 2007

Can't let this get by.

I am not one for reading horoscopes, I personally think that they are a load of horse crap and tell you absolutely nothing about your life that you couldn't already figure out with a little common sense, but while browsing the Internet today I found mine, and saw it fitting for the first day of my blog.

Everybody loves music, or really enjoys trying new things, or likes travel, or whatever -- these things do not an exciting online profile or sparkling conversation make. Let your opinionated, original self shine through. -


So while I have nothing super opinionated to say today, I will keep this in mind for future posts! (Not like I couldn't have figured it out on my own)

First Blog Ever!

Well I never thought I would jump into the blog ring, but here I am. I'm not sure what the format of this blog will be or what I will be writing about, so stay tuned for pure randomness from my brain.

I originally started this because I need to write more. I read a study recently saying that people who write, and are clear in presenting their thoughts have lower incidents of Alzheimer's. This is extremely important to me because it is in my family. (Whether or not a clear genetic link has been established, I haven't read yet) So I thought since I have so many thoughts running through my head on a daily basis, I should write them down, try and organize them, and maybe entertain at least on person other than myself.

To start I would like to mention a few things that I may write about in the future and you can let me know if you like....

  • Different opinions on country music, and music in general. (I love music, all music, but especially country)
  • Carrie Underwood ( I hear if you mention her name on a blog you get tons of hits!) (Also I am extremely excited about her new CD that is coming out October 23!)
  • News in Medicine and Science ( my two true loves)
  • Politics (or at least as much as I can stand, its important to know whats going on in our country)
So there you go! Hope you enjoy and I will be back soon with more interesting things to say!