alys-isms

2010-08-06T18:58:00.002+12:00

Tumblr - It's the new Blogger!

http://alysisms.tumblr.com/

Britney Spears - Telephone

2010-05-04T15:18:00.000+12:00

Interesting. This is the Britney Spears version of Telephone by Lady GaGa and Beyoncé. This song was originally supposed to be for Britney Spears on her Circus album but Jive decided not to use it!

2010-04-29T00:28:00.000+12:00

If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people - Thich Nhat Hanh

Good Hair

2010-04-28T10:41:00.000+12:00

Good Hair! I posted about this film a loooong time ago. I was waiting for it to come out at the movies.. But I'm not sure that it ever did over here. I found a link to the documentary on TV Shack and I highly reccommend it! It's super interesting and Chris Rock is so hilarious!

Watch Good Hair HERE on TV Shack!

Facebook Fakers

2010-04-27T16:09:00.004+12:00

The other day, when I was on the way to an appointment, I was listening to the radio and heard Polly from ZM's Morning Crew talking about Facebook Fakers. At first, I thought she was talking about people with fake pages, or people who post bogus status updates (There are a lot of those out there..)

But a Facebook Faker by Polly's definition is somebody on your Facebook who takes and doesn't give back. For example, they add you as a friend, accept your online gifts and look at your photos, but they don't ever interact with you.

I thought everyone did that! It's called Facebook Stalking! I suppose that makes me a bit of a Facebook Faker.. (With the exception that I send back online gifts I receive..)

- But aren't we all guilty of a bit of Facebook Faking from time to time!?

P.S. I love Mean Girls. That's so fetch!

Our Wedding

2010-04-27T15:57:00.000+12:00

We're getting married soon too! So after all the excitement from planning for the baby.. We'll be planning our wedding! I would like to start planning more things now, but our budget is non-existant. These sites are good though, they gave me ideas... NZ Wedding Planner and Bride & Groom Magazine. They even have To-Do Checklists, pretty useful :)

Baby Shower

2010-04-27T15:45:00.003+12:00

I'm in the process of planning a baby shower for my baby. I've decided to go with a Jungle/Safari theme, mostly because I love animals and animal print.. And I didn't want to have an all-pink affair. Event planning is stressful work... But it always comes together in the end.. x

2010-04-27T15:28:00.002+12:00

Robyn

2010-04-27T15:27:00.002+12:00

Rocket & I like this song :)

My Bray Bray

2010-03-31T13:04:00.002+13:00

I had Bray for 11 years & I miss him muchly. I named him after one of the characters off The Tribe, but I thought that would sound dorky, so I said I named him Bray because he was a stray. Hehe. The first weekend I got him, we were inseperable. We watched Forest Gump together and ate mashed potatoes.

He was the bestest cat and he ate everything, like potato chips, cheese and ice cream and he liked to sit on my laptop. He was getting super old and going blind though.. We were wondering where he was when we got home on Sunday night.. Turns out my cousin's dog killed him. So now I hate all dogs!

I'm mostly sad I didn't give him a big cuddle before we went away. But now he's in Cat Heaven eating all the jelly meat, biscuits and milk he could ever want!

RIP Bray Bray, you big ball of fluff x

Believe it or not, this was his favourite song :)

2010-03-30T16:26:00.005+13:00

The Countdown - Begins?

2010-03-30T16:22:00.001+13:00

30 Weeks Pregnant

Rocket's almost here :) 10 weeks to go. The weeks go by so fast, but the days feel so slow!

Here's what I have learnt about my baby so far:

Rocket is the boss of me. If she doesn't like the way I'm sitting or lying, she'll kick me til she's comfortable.
She likes sweet things, particularly chocolate!
Rocket feels nervous when I feel nervous
She likes to kick her Dad in the head.. and knows when he's around.
Rocket is fussy, she only likes some people - not many people have felt her kick
She doesn't like kegel exercises, but she likes her Dad's bumpy car
Rocket doesn't like my singing
She eavesdrops and has opinions about things when people talk about her - I don't really understand what she's trying to tell me though..
Rocket doesn't like it when people say she's a boy
And lastly, she gets really excited when she's around her cousins.

That's all for now. I think my baby's pretty cool :)

Ahmir Covers..

2010-03-30T16:09:00.000+13:00

People are popping out left, right and center with covers of this song. Isn't it sad that anyone who does a cover of this song is better then Miley? I really like Stan Walker's rendition, as well as Ahmir's version :)

And here's Ahmir's cover of Fireflies. That song annoyed me til I heard their version.

Telephone Art

2010-03-15T07:40:00.000+13:00

Created by Yamino

Maori Writing in Sydney

2010-03-14T17:26:00.000+13:00

My next research internship.. scholarship.. thing is on Maori in Sydney. I was looking at some online databases (thanks to EndNote) but I couldn't pull up all that much.. It's a start.. Guess I'm gonna be living at the National Library for a couple of weeks.. Looks interesting, never thought about scholarly work on Maori in Australia :)

My Modified Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast!

2010-03-14T14:02:00.002+13:00

I made this for breakfast this morning and I'm hooked! I saved some for Chris, but I've slowly been picking at his plate too. I found the original recipe at allrecipes.com but I changed it a little bit after seeing this video on YouTube

My recipe is for four French Peanut & Banana Sandwiches:

Peanut Butter
Honey
8 Pieces of Bread
2 Big Bananas
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Essence
1 Cup of Milk
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
Oil or Butter (to fry)

In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla together
Spread peanut butter onto four pieces of bread, and honey on 4 other pieces of bread.
Chop up bananas and place on the pieces of bread covered in honey.
Make four sandwiches, each with one bread with peanut butter and one bread with honey and banana
In a big pan, melt butter or oil over medium heat to cook.
Dip the sandwich into the egg mixture and then place in pan. Cook until golden/brown.
After all sandwhiches are done, put them in the oven and bake at 180 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
Serve toast in triangles, dusted with icing sugar

Yum :)

2010-03-14T08:42:00.002+13:00

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. - George Bernard Shaw

Wo-ah, I've Got a Rocket..

2010-03-11T16:13:00.001+13:00

I'm feeling extra pregnant today, so I thought I'd Twitpic some of the things we've got for Rocket - cos it's my blog and I can. Click on the images to go to my Twitpic :)

The Best Brownie Recipe

2010-03-11T10:29:00.001+13:00

Rocket and I love brownies. This recipe is still great for plain brownies, just leave out the peanut butter... It's good with milk chocolate too :)

CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Ingredients:
225g butter
200g Nestle dark chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 ¼ tsp vanilla essence
1 ½ cups plain flour
½ cup Nestle Baking Cocoa
Crunchy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 180°
Melt butter and chocolate together in a bowl over simmering water. Stir in the sugar
Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Add vanilla
Stir in sifted flour and cocoa
Pour into a lined and greased tray
Drop in ¼ - ½ tsp sized blobs of peanut butter and disperse a little with a tooth pick.
Bake for 20-30 minutes depending on your preferred consistency (i.e. Fudgy or well done)

Work of Art?

2010-03-11T10:13:00.002+13:00

At first glance, I didn't really get it, but the whole "silhouette" thing is quite clever. I like.

Here's what he had to say about the video...

I was in the studio shooting a video to my song "Get Me Started" which was my 2nd video in one day, the 1st being Sunshine and my director Kamal Robinson asked me to sing a couple of takes on green screen to this song. I had no clue what for and totally forgot about it because it was over a year and a half ago. Then when I checked my email this morning there was an edited genius work of art which was a music video for my song "La La Means Love" that was written by me and The Dream and produced by Tricky Stewart. This song will be an addition to my latest mixtape "Gravity" which you can download here (YES IM INDIE BUT I MAKE THE BEST OF IT)

Say it Aint So!

2010-03-11T10:06:00.000+13:00

I guess people have to get their inspiration somewhere.. Or perhaps, they just happen to have the same sense of style?

via NecoleBitchie.com

Respect.

2010-03-06T11:05:00.003+13:00

I don’t know where I fit in the spectrum of rap yet, I think now I’m kind of proving myself, but before, people thought of I was more of a sex symbol or wannabe sex symbol. Now they’re seeing. That’s why I make the goofiest faces, I don’t want people to think I’m up here trying to be cute. I’m trying to entertain, and entertaining is more than exuding sex appeal. I don’t think that’s fun. I don’t find it fun watching someone trying to be sexy. It’s wack.

Thich Nhat Hanh

2010-02-17T10:28:00.000+13:00

Thich Nhat Hanh is amazing. I own two of his books, Peace is Every Step and Be Free Where You Are. When I lose myself sometimes, I come back to what I learnt in his books and it makes me zen again :) He's a very wise man, even though much of what he says is very simple. Here's a little extract from his interview with Oprah:

Oprah: Are most monks enlightened, or seeking enlightenment?

Nhat Hanh: Enlightenment is always there. Small enlightenment will bring great enlightenment. If you breathe in and are aware that you are alive—that you can touch the miracle of being alive—then that is a kind of enlightenment. Many people are alive but don't touch the miracle of being alive.

Oprah: I'm sure you see all around you—I'm guilty of it myself—that we're just trying to get through the next thing. In our country, people are so busy. Even the children are busy. I get the impression very few of us are doing what you just said—touching the miracle that you are alive.

Nhat Hanh: That is the environment people live in. But with a practice, we can always remain alive in the present moment. With mindfulness, you can establish yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are available in that moment. It is possible to live happily in the here and the now. So many conditions of happiness are available—more than enough for you to be happy right now. You don't have to run into the future in order to get more...

Link to the interview after the break :)

Oprah Talks to Thich Nhat Hanh

Matariki

2010-02-09T12:14:00.000+13:00

I can't remember what inspired me to look up the date of Matariki this year.. I knew that it would be around Rocket's birthday, which made me curious to what date it would fall on this year.. Turns out it will be the 14 June 2010 - Rocket's due on the 7th. The appearance of Matariki, or Pleiades signifies the Maori New Year :)

Rocket's birthday will be pretty close to Matariki, and there's always the chance that she'll be a little overdue, I thought I'd do some research and see what the names of the different stars are.. Potential middle names?

The seven sisters of the Pleiades

In Maori mythology, they are..
Matariki, Tupua-nuku (Earth Fairy), Tupua-rangi (Sky Fairy), Waiti (Resembling Water), Waita (Water Dashing Down), Waipuna a Rangi (Celestial Spring of Water) and Uruarangi (Pierce the Sky / Sky Magic)

According to Greek myth, the Pleiades sisters are..
Electra, Maia, Taygete, Alcyone, Celaeno, Asterope and Merope

I was pleasantly surprised that my first daughter already shared her name with one of the stars, Maia. In Greek mythology, she was the oldest, most beautiful and shyest of the sisters. Which sounds perfect for her :)

So, my mission is..

To figure out which Greek star corresponds to which Maori star, because I'd like to know if I name Rocket after the same star that Maia shares her name with. I found this chart, that shows which star is which, I just haven't had any luck finding which Maori name corresponds to which star..

I have 17 more weeks to figure it out. Personally, I like Waipuna a Rangi. But who knows? Because I've put so much thought into it, we'll prob name Rocket something completely different! When I told Chris that Rocket was due around Matariki, he gave me that blank look people give you when they have no clue what you're talking about and they don't really care. lol. I still think though, that it would be cool to have a baby around Matariki and name her after one of the stars :)

My Favourite Flower

2010-02-02T12:46:00.000+13:00

The lotus flower is seen often in Egyptian, Indian and Chinese mythology, where it is a symbol for spiritual awakening. The lotus produces a beautiful flower even with its roots in the dirtiest water. The symbolism is that a person can rise above being rooted in the ugliness and suffering of this world, and should try to be pure and help others with beauty of the spirit. That is all. x

Frenemies

2010-02-01T21:57:00.001+13:00

I'm the type of person that can't be bothered having negative people in my life. I just don't bother. Keeping bad company brings about a lot of unnecessary drama..

B.Scott wraps it all up nicely -

My only problem is that some of the people I want to give the heave ho just won't go away! *Sigh* I guess that's when it's time to practice some mindful breathing, focus on the positive and embrace the life I'm living.

That is all. x

Lavina Williams

2010-01-30T22:43:00.005+13:00

I already knew who Lavina Williams was before she did Stand With You with J. Williams.

What I didn't know was that she was a former contestant on season 4 of Australian Idol. I'd like to hear more of her stuff!

Beauty. Love. Price Tags?

2010-01-29T13:34:00.003+13:00

A Chinese woman whose boyfriend insisted she wore her make-up like actress Jessica Alba is now planning the drastic step of changing her entire face to look like the Hollywood star.

Really? Would you pay thousands upon thousands of dollars to undergo painful procedures just so you could look like this chick? I don't think so! No man is worth it. I mean, before Chris and I got together, I noticed that he had a Jessica Alba wallpaper on his phone... But I was checking her out too! Haha. The story I found about this girl is a mix of sad, crazy and just plain stupid... If he doesn't want her now, what makes her think he'd want her after the surgeries? She'll never be Jessica Alba!

Article after the jump!

Desperate to win back her obsessed boyfriend, who had insisted she wore a blonde wig and copy Miss Alba in every way, the 21-year-old woman is prepared to spend a fortune on the very physical make-over.

Chinese surgeons say that changing the woman's face so she ends up looking like the Fantastic Four star can be done, but it will be extremely expensive.
However they have revealed that the woman is well off and that 'money is no object as long as the end result is to turn herself into a Jessica lookalike'.

Identifying herself only as Xiaoqing, the woman told the Shanghai Daily that her 28-year-old ex-boyfriend was so obsessed with Miss Alba that he hung photos of her on the walls of his home and carried her image on his mobile phone.

'He was always telling me to do my make-up like Jessica does, even when I'm asleep,' she said.

'At Christmas time he gave me a blonde wig to wear and asked me to keep it on all the time.'

But it was that wig that was to bring about the end of their relationship...

As she walked around Shanghai wearing the wig and Miss Alba-style eye-catching make-up she noticed people staring at her and laughing. She was so upset by the public's reaction that she tore off the wig and her false eyelashes and threw them to the ground.

Reverting to her Chinese looks, her boyfriend wanted no more of her.

Now Xiaoqing has said she wants him back - and is ready to change her appearance so that she will look like Miss Alba forever.

'I love him very much,' she said of her former lover. 'That's why I always followed his opinions. I don't want to lose him.'

Liu Qi, an official at the Shanghai Time Plastic Surgery Hospital, said Xiaoqing would need eyebrow lifting, eyelid reshaping and nose reconstruction to look like Miss Alba.

'There's no worry about the expense and it is technically practicable,' said Liu.

'But the face-lift is irreversible and we hope that she would take it seriously.'

Although surgeons at the hospital said they believed money was no object, Xiaoqing told the newspaper that finding enough money for the operations would be difficult - which was why she had gone public in the hope of getting help from a plastic surgery hospital.

Doctors at the Shanghai Hospital say they will help her, but won't go ahead with the operation in a hurry.

'We want to make sure she is prepared for the risks she might face in surgery and for life afterwards, including people's attitude towards her,' said a doctor.

But Xiaoqing insists she has made her decision and is ready to go ahead with the operation.

'I'm not only doing it for my ex-boyfriend but for myself,' she said. 'I am a psychologically weak person. I want to do something to challenge myself and build a strong personality through it.'

Thanks for the story, Mail Online!

Intervention

2010-01-29T08:04:00.001+13:00

I always wondered what happened to the group City High. They had songs like What Would You Do? Caramel and my personal favourite, City High Anthem.

It turns out member Robby Pardlo was in a relationship with band member Claudette Ortiz, until she broke up with him and married the other City High member Ryan Toby! City High disbanded despite several offers from major record labels, due to internal conflicts - Oh the drama!

Robby fell in to alcoholism and saw his career disappear. He recently appeared on A&E Network's Intervention on January 25, 2010 where he accepted treatment. Full episeode below -

There are so many layers and factors that make up his situation - his upbringing as a child prodigy, his relationship with his mother, his ex-girlfriend, his current girlfriend, the impact of his parents' separation on him, his struggle in the music industry and on top of all that, his depression and anxiety. It's really sad to see the downward spiral of such a talent. What's good to see is that there are people that love him and want better for him. A good watch.

GaGa Uses Her Superstar Powers For Good

2010-01-28T12:26:00.002+13:00

Pop phenomenon Lady GaGa has raised a staggering $500,000 (half a million) for the Haiti earthquake relief fund.

The 23 year old donated merchandise profits from the ticket sales of her concert in New York on January 24th, as well from her website on the same day, to help victims of the disaster:

Speaking at the final date of her US ‘Monster Ball’ tour at Purdue University, the 23-year-old announced the total donation figure...

“On ‘GaGa For Haiti’ day, in just 24 hours, with very minimal marketing and planning, all the little monsters all over the world made over half a million dollars for Haiti relief,” she told the audience.”I know Bravado fell off their chair – that’s who sells all my merchandise – they couldn’t believe it! So let’s sing along for Haiti right now!”

How awesome is she!? Maybe this will motivate other celebrities to follow her lead?

Baby Weight

2010-01-28T01:15:00.006+13:00

I'm just over 80kg's at the moment - I think I've put on about 5kg's in the past 2 months (and over 15kg's in the past year!) Oh my. According the BMI, I'm overweight-obese.. Thanks Chris!

So this story about Kourtney caught my eye! She's my new fave Kardashian at the moment because she's a mum :) I'm also watching this episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians at the moment and Scott is actually good with kids. Impressive!

According to Kourtney, her recent OK! magazine cover was photoshopped to make her seem thinner and sell the idea that she has lost her baby weight…when in fact Kourtney says she is no where close...

Check out the before and after!

After seeing her picture on OK! magazine Kourtney Kardashian immediately noticed that the magazine had shaved off her excess baby weight and replaced her face with a slimmer one to illustrate a speedy weight loss. Kourtney says they doctored and photoshopped her body to make it look like she has already lost all the weight which she hasn’t. Kourtney says the picture is a mock of one used in an earlier OK! issue that was taken 7 days after the birth of her son. She tweeted this on the matter:

Thanks Bossip!

Little Miss Rocket?

2010-01-26T19:13:00.000+13:00

21 Weeks Pregnant

I'm 21 weeks! This morning we had a morphology scan to check out Rocket's anatomy and make sure that everything's where/how it should be. Once again, my child did not feel like co-operating... But Rocket sure is cute :)

So we were at the end of our scan when Chris asked if the sonographer could tell if our baby was a boy or a girl... So Rocket decided to cross its legs.. The sonographer said from what she could see, there weren't any boy bits showing..

I've always thought that Rocket was a girl.. I guess it's not 100% definite.. But I still went out & bought some cute clothes. lol

KiD CuDi Freestyles

2010-01-24T17:31:00.003+13:00

I heart him *sigh* Isn't he gorgeous!? I'm such a sap for that whole tortured artist, "lonely stoner" swag..

KiD CuDi - Lovestoned

KiD CuDi - Spaz

KiD CuDi - London Girls (Addiction, Ryan Leslie)

I ripped these freestyles off YouTube. They're kinda neat. I think artists are at their best when they're relatively unknown - And I'm just assuming he did these before the hype. Click on the links to listen/download :)

George Lopez Tonight

2010-01-24T13:56:00.000+13:00

I wish we got this TV show in NZ, George Lopez is awesome. I saw these videos on a couple of the blogs. They're pretty cool, so I thought I'd share them :)

Mariah Carey appears on the show and talks about her heritage. They also announce George Lopez' DNA results.

Kim & Khloe Kardashian talk about their chocolate men.. And we get to see how dumb Kim is. Loves the moron. x

I'd like to do a DNA test someday to see what percentage Polynesian & European I am... And if there are any other surprises in the mix!

Miss Keri Baby!

2010-01-24T00:04:00.004+13:00

R&B singer Keri Hilson recently performed an acoustic version of her smash ‘Knock You Down‘, exclusively for Billboard.com. Loves!

LaLa Vazquez: “I Am Latina”

2010-01-22T12:32:00.000+13:00

Well, you know I can relate to this piece because I'm often mistaken for every kind of Pacific, Asian and even South American ethnicity before my own. So, you go LaLa! - Not that you're famous over here but.. Yeah, you go girlfriend! :)

Via Latina

A lot of people don’t realize that I’m Latina, which is fine. One thing about being Latina is that there isn’t one look that comes with the territory. I don’t expect people to know my cultural background just by glancing at me. I do, however, expect that when I tell people my family is from Puerto Rico, that I will be believed and not accused of trying to be something that I’m not. It usually goes something like this: a person having a conversation with me discovers one way or another that I’m Puerto Rican and fluent in Spanish. That person then expresses their shock over these realizations for any number of reasons—common responses are, “You don’t look Latina” and “I thought you were black!” I never said I wasn’t black. And since when does being black and being Latina have to be mutually exclusive?

In my experience, people tend to have an uninformed and rather narrow view of what it means to be Puerto Rican. For me, not looking like some people’s idea of a typical Latina has been challenging and often painful. I constantly find myself trying to justify who I am, and why should I? I’m proud of my heritage and my family. Both of my parents are from Puerto Rico. They raised two kids in Brooklyn and later in New Jersey, where we ate arroz con gandules and pasteles and listened to salsa music. I feel just as at home in Puerto Rico, where I still have tons of family, including aunts, uncles and cousins. Puerto Rico is in my blood. And that has nothing to do with the color of my skin.

I’m not angry with anyone who doesn’t understand the complexities of race and culture. And I’m also not interested in having long, drawn out conversations about how it’s possible for me to look like this and speak Spanish. In fact, sometimes I make it a point not to mention my parents’ birthplace because I don’t always feel like having the inevitable discussion that follows. Instead, I let people look at me and come to their own conclusions. As I start to get my feet wet in Hollywood, I already know that there are certain parts I won’t even be considered for. The character can be Puerto Rican and speak Spanish just like me, but Hollywood defines Latina as Jennifer Lopez and Sofia Vergara. As beautiful as they are, we’re not all one race in Latin America. But I don’t go to auditions so that I can give history lessons to film executives. I’d rather skip the entire process.

I’m raising my son to understand who he is, and it’s my hope that he’ll never let others define him. It reflects poorly on us when we don’t educate ourselves about the rest of the world and what it looks like. I encourage people who are interested to learn more, do research and ask informed questions. If you’re lucky enough to visit various countries in Latin America, you’ll be baffled to see the blackest of the black and the lightest of the light living together. And I dare you to ask one of them to prove their latinidad.

What A Sell-Out..

2010-01-21T00:16:00.003+13:00

At least the song is catchy!

Here's some vintage Timbo. How cool is the video!?

Jay-z Speaks On The Illuminati & His Religious Beliefs

2010-01-15T17:50:00.000+13:00

Earlier today, Jay-z spoke with Angie Martinez of Hot 97 about claims that he is a “devil worshipper” and part of a secret society:

“I don’t know where it started. I don’t know where it came from. I really think it’s really silly. For the record, I of course believe in God, but I believe in one God. If people must know my religious beliefs, I believe in one God. I don’t believe in religion. I don’t believe in Christians or Muslims. I think all that separates people. I think it’s one God. I think it’s all the same God, and I don’t believe in Hell. But as far as God, of course I believe in God. Am I a part of some sect or cult? That sounds stupid to me. It’s like ignorant to even say, and umm… I guess that’ll be the last time I address that. It’s ignorant to me”

More info about this whole Illuminati biz below...

Rubbish. We learnt in Psych that aural subliminal messages don't work. We're just not capable of taking a audio message and turning it backwards in our mind without being aware of it. Visual messages are different though. We process them automatically, without intent...

Then, there are all the articles that have been written by The Vigilant Citizen. A bit cuckoo, but interesting! It sometimes makes me wonder if there are powers out there that run the world... Some claims are a bit farfetch'd though..

Jay-Z’s “Run This Town” and the Occult Connections
Lady Gaga, The Illuminati Puppet
Beyonce to Sasha Fierce: Symbolic Occult Rebirth
Rihanna’s Disturbia: A Song about Being Possessed by Evil
Occult and Prophetic Messages in Rihanna’s Umbrella

Kelis Fires Back at PETA

2010-01-15T17:24:00.002+13:00

The fur is flying after Kelis received a personalized letter from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Instead of keeping the matter private, Kelis has decided to respond publicly. In her rebuttal, she goes after the animal rights organization and its founder

I find this all hilarious! As a former vegetarian, (2006 - 2008) I first looked to her letter with a critical eye, but after reading it, I saw that Kelis had some valid points... While I would never leave my house covered in fur, I do own shoes that are made of leather, I eat meat and poultry that isn't free-range and I use medicines that have probably been tested on animals.. Like Mufasa says, it's all a part of the Circle of Life.. (As long as people aren't beating and abusing animals)

Good morning all!

Ok, so you’re gonna love this. The other day I got a personalized letter from PETA! Lol so after some thought I’ve decided to write one back. Goes a little something like this:

There is no humane way to kill anything, let me start there. It’s unfortunate but it’s part of life. With that being said, I would eat pterodactyl if you found some and you told me it was meaty and delicious. And after doing a very minimal amount of research……. I found out that the founder Ingrid Newkirk is completely batty. I had a feeling but she far exceeded my expectations. I mean certifiably insane! Lol this chicks will is nuts, google it – it’s a riot! Beyond the fact that I think she’s a diabetic, which means she needs insulin, which is taken from lab pigs (I know this because my sister happens to be in veterinary school), which would be completely hypocritical. It’s like don’t abuse animals unless it can help me.

I feel very strongly about a lot of things such as the sweatshops that spin cotton and the blood on their hands. Btw it’s not just the look of fur. It’s warm as hell and feels glorious, ever rubbed faux fur on your body? Nothing luxurious about that. Then the letter proceeded to name artist and designers who don’t wear real fur. Great! More for me! I don’t judge them, don’t judge me.

If I started wearing endangered animals like polar bear or orangutan then talk to me. (Which btw for the record I would not – I do believe in the preservation of endangered species) But the minks and chinchilla that quite honestly are rodents and if weren’t in the form of a coat I would demand they be put to death anyway are not an issue to me.

The death of high fashion. Ugh.

I eat meat, and in fact my mouth salivates as I type the word meat! And the paint throwing that’s just ridiculous! What if I was hurling Loubitons and Pierre Hardy’s at every sad poorly dressed person on the street? As right as I may be it’s just fanatical and crazy. And people have the right to feel as they please. What about art? Survival of the fittest. Natural selection? No let’s just let all the rodents run free and over take our cities. Oh wait they have, NY and LA in particular are infested! Why don’t u save them all from scavenging on the streets and ruining my evening strolls, take them home. Make them pets! Get off my back! Pun intended!

Underpaid minorities picking your vegetables, now that’s fine for you right? Please, fight for their rights. How about the poverty in the communities of brown people around the world. She had the nerve to say (and I quote) “get over it” talking of the issue of black people and slavery in this country verses cows being slaughtered. Is she kidding me? Lol yes she must be. Actually, she’s lucky most black people have real issues to worry about in the U.S and don’t give a crap what her delusional privileged opinions are. But she should try saying that again just for kicks n giggles on the corner of Adam Clayton Powell Blvd in Harlem n see how well people “get over it” lol.

If u want to preach do it about something worthwhile don’t waste my time trying to save the dang chipmunk.

Find a worthwhile cause like the women being maimed in these Middle Eastern countries. Or female circumcision. Or women’s rights here in America, we still get paid less for doing the same jobs as men. Quite honestly if you hate the world so much go live in the forest where no one else has to hear you complain about the perfectly good food chain the good Lord created. Everyone has the right to an opinion, and that’s mine on that! xoxo

Baby Rocket

2010-01-07T14:24:00.001+13:00

18 Weeks Pregnant

Okay, so I'm really excited about my scan tomorrow. It's a mophology scan so we should be able to find out the sex of our baby Rocket :) I've thought from day one that Rocket was a girl, but after spending the last few weeks around boys, I wouldn't mind it if I was wrong!

I came across this really cute illustration of what a 18 week baby looks like inside the womb. Cuuuute! I always wonder what Rocket is getting up to in there.. So hopefully baby behaves tomorrow and we'll be able to find out if Rocket is a he or a she!

*Update

Rocket crossed its legs when we tried to find out its sex.. So modest, my child :)

Fluency?

2010-01-05T22:17:00.010+13:00

The other day, someone asked me:

Can you speak fluenty in Maori?
I'm just going to say "No"

Can you hold a conversation in Maori?
Nah.. *Besides, what does it matter, you're not Maori, I can't talk to you*

Can you understand people speaking Maori on a marae?
*nods head*

People who ask me if I am fluent in Te Reo are usually people who can't speak their native language themselves. That made me think...

What is fluency?

flu-ent adj.
1.
a. Able to express oneself readily and effortlessly: a fluent speaker; fluent in three languages.
b. Flowing effortlessly; polished: speaks fluent Russian; gave a fluent performance of the sonata.
2. Flowing or moving smoothly; graceful: a yacht with long, fluent curves.
3. Flowing or capable of flowing; fluid

fluency n
the quality of being fluent, esp facility in speech or writing

Pretty good definitions. However, I think that fluency can mean different things to different people. Here's my definition...

The term "fluency" indicates a relationship where a speaker is foreign to a language, yet is able to communicate in that language in an articulate and fluid manner.

I could say I am a fluent English speaker - But I will never claim fluency in Maori and will always do so, for a number of reasons...

1. By my own definition, saying that I am fluent in Maori would indicate that I am foreign to my own culture and language. (By foreign I mean, not of the ethnicity from which the language originates.)

2. I don't think there's a need to hail yourself as an able speaker of a language if that is the language native to your ethnicity/culture/people; regardless of whether it's your first language, or not.

3. My Te Reo just isn't as fluid as my English at the moment. But more importantly...

4. My standard for myself is tribe-specific. My reo is no good until I'm speaking it fantabulously in my dialect.

Even if I spoke perfect reo in my mita, I would never say I'm fluent, I'd probably say that my Maori is just as good as my English - just to be difficult.

If you want to say you're fluent, that's cool, I'll still be your friend. x

Jealous Much?

2010-01-05T20:58:00.000+13:00

Look at all that makeup! JEALOUS!

Links for the Day

2010-01-05T12:40:00.005+13:00

Things that amused/amazed/shocked me this morning.

Beyonce at 16 - "If I have a lil attitude, just slap me"

Lady GaGa gets hit in the head with flowers

Cassidy Getting Female Soldiers In The Army To Drop It Low On Stage In Iraq!

WTF: Lil Kid Smoking It Up & The Boy Was Up There!

WSHH Got Talent: Hip-Hop Violinist From College Is Back With Another One, Plays Violen For "Say Ahh" By Trey Songz!

Obsession of the Day - NICKI MINAJ!

2010-01-02T18:05:00.005+13:00

I can't even remember why I started stalking Nicki Minaj on Twitter today, but I found out all sorts of interesting stuffs about her, so I thought I'd share :) Nicki Minaj is a rapper and singer. In August 2009, she was signed to Young Money Entertainment - Lil' Wayne's label. I thought she was pretty awesome after her freestyle on the cypher at the BET Music Awards (You can check out that clip when you Read more )

So I was on her Twitter account when I saw that she has her own Nictionary - a dictionary of terms that she's made up, that her followers, or "Harajuku Barbies" use. Boy there are heaps of entries in that thing! Here are a few of them...

Stud Muffin :\ˈstəd-mə-fən\: noun
1: a street savvy “man’s man” who can only be tamed by a pink lipped barbie.

Strawberry Shortcake : \ˈstrȯ-ˌber-ē – ˈshȯrt – ˈkāk\ : noun
1: a broke bitch ;
2: one who loses sight of her goals and her CAKE by focusing on BEEF and negativity.

Barbie Powers : /ˈbär-bē-pō-ər/: noun
1: to beam your thoughts to another Barbie without speaking.
2: to put a hex on strawberry shortcakes by wiggling your fingers at them.

It's a bit cuc-koo, but I find it all fascinating! Here's a little video that sums up nicely who she is and what she's about...

I downloaded her mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty earlier on today and it was alright, there are a few catchy songs on there :)

Check out Nicki's "freestyle" at the BET Cypher, as well as her feature in the Young Money song, Bedrock

Clip Of The Day

2010-01-01T18:10:00.009+13:00

I was on AfricanoBoi.com when I saw this video of a cute little Asian kid busting some moves!

Hari Tau Hou!

2010-01-01T12:52:00.007+13:00

Happy New Year!

My resolutions are simple:

- Be a good mum
- Be a better partner/fiance/wife
- Be more organised
- Speak more Reo
- And of course, BE HAPPY :)

What are yours? I don't usually stick to mine because I make rediculous unattainable ones, but I think I'll succeed this year.

Today, a lunch with the whanau. Boil-up & roast. I saw my Mum making dough boys - yum! Happy Holidays! x

"Completely Gratuitous"

2009-12-23T08:06:00.001+13:00

Trey Songz is featured on the latest cover of Honey Magazine and he speaks on everything from romance, his sex appeal to his thoughts on R. Kelly’s latest cd..

Thanks NecoleBitchie!

Holiday Plans

2009-12-22T11:55:00.013+13:00

Christmas is on Friday! I can't believe how fast this year has gone. It's all a blur. I'm looking forward to 2010, I think it will be an amazing year!

The Gisborne Clock

This year Chris, my Mum and I are going up to Gisborne to see my Dad's side of the family. I think I'd like to spend Boxing Day with them, because I know I'll be busy on Christmas Day...

Waipiro Bay

On Christmas Day, I'm visiting my daughter Maia, she's in Waipiro Bay, which is 110km out of Gisborne.

Te Puia Springs Hotel

I just know we're going to end up at my Uncle's Hotel. He just bought it, it's in Te Puia Springs which is like 6km up the hill from Waipiro. A couple of my Mum's sisters and my cousins are up there to help fix it up.. I just don't feel like helping. It smells like sulfur because they have thermal pools there. Poo.

Well, those are my plans. What's everyone else up to?

Fierce, Fierce, FIERCE!

2009-12-22T11:48:00.002+13:00

The Kardishan sisters Khloe, Kim & Kourtney were ranked on People Magazine’s Most Intriguing People of 2009 list.

The sisters chose Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” for their photo spread. How cute is Kourtney!?

Yesterday I lay in bed and watched the Keeping Up With The Kardashians marathon. I heart these girls. So entertaining.

Awkward Family Photos

2009-12-17T12:35:00.006+13:00

Enjoy.

AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

Perez & I Have Something In Common..

2009-12-16T17:48:00.008+13:00

We don't have lives!

I am so sad, I'm not even going to deny it. I spend waaaay too much time on Facebook, just staring at my profile page (or the Live Feed) just waiting for something to happen.. I have so much work to do, but I'm always wasting my time on that thing..
No wonder I've been handing in all my assignments in late!

And then there's the Facebook stalking! Now that Facebook has changed the security settings, it's so easy to stalk people! Just not me because I've made sure to make everything private :) But the past couple of days have seen me Facebook stalking people that I don't even like! Well, that's not true, it's more that they don't like me because I stole their men. But still! I stalk people I don't even get on with! I'm sure there aren't any people on Facebook who stalk me.. Except for that freaky girl from my Nosey People post. That is most unsettling. I am the stalker, I'm not meant to be stalked! And enough of the dissociative identity disorder with the italics..

Am I alone on this one? Everyone Facebook stalks, but I think I have a chronic case of it. Anyway, I'm blogging this because it's my new resolution to check my Facebook only ONCE a day.. And NO MORE STALKING! Starting from now!

Food For Thought

2009-12-16T17:36:00.004+13:00

True.

Do you ever notice that when you get a new toy one of the first few things a person will ask you about is how much it cost & where you got it from?

Or there are those people who will only help you if they get something out of it - like you can put a price-tag on kindness! Pfft.

Let's appreciate the little things, like the sunshine and the sounds of birds singing and grass. Cos when it's freshly cut it smells good :)

P.S. There's no story to this picture, I just think it's pretty and thought provoking :)

Kelis Did It First

2009-12-16T12:59:00.012+13:00

I saw a lot of blogs write about how Kelis commented on how artists like Rihanna and Cassie have copied her by shaving their heads..

Well I was definitely the first to do it. The only other person I would give credit before me is Pepa. Other than that, I expect them to copy me... What else are they supposed to do? They’re young. God bless them - Honey Magazine

Makes her sound pretty stuck up! Mind you, bloggers and journalists are always twisting things. The interview I found is one she did with Popbytes. She does comment on the whole "style-jacking" thing, but she spends more time talking about other cool things like motherhood, working with ODB and her time at culinary school! I like her!

Check out Acapella here on YouTube. It's a happy song :)

This Weekend, I Befriended A Blow-Up Tree

2009-12-13T22:17:00.005+13:00

Fun times. I also became a Christmas decoration. Like my Cookie Monster pants and pregnant boobies? Oh yeah! :)

Opensouls

2009-12-13T15:21:00.009+13:00

OMG I just had an eargasim! I was tidying up my room with the TV on and then Hold You Close started to play on C4 and I almost died and went to Heaven! How WONDERFUL! This music makes my heart so happy, and what makes me happier is that Opensouls are a Kiwi band! They've been around for a while, so I'm pretty late on this, but they are my new obsession. When I have some more money on my debit visa, I'm downloading their album! Or maybe I'll look for it @ the shops tomorrow...
Opensouls are Tyra Hammond (Vocals), Bjorn (Vocals), Isaac Aesili (Trumpet), Cameron Allen (Sax), Julien Dyne (Drums), Chip Matthews (Bass), Jeremy Toy (Guitar), Godfrey De Grut (Keys) and Harlin Davey (MPC). I recognised that Tyra Hammond chick from that Scribe song.. She's a much better performer when she's standing still. I love her voice :) Here are their videos Hold You Close, Standing in the Rain and Telephone Song. Very cool videos, the second one is kind of scary, but it makes me laugh. Love love x

How Can You NOT Love This?

2009-12-10T15:59:00.004+13:00

Sounds like summer. Reminds me of my childhood for some reason.. When I spent the Christmas holidays in Hicks Bay feeding animals, riding horses and swimming in lagoons :)

Today Was A Mediocre Day

2009-12-08T20:44:00.004+13:00

To start with, I got the worst case of poo's from the Nutella I ate this morning, was on time to meet my research supervisor (but missed her because she was running late) caught a bus that broke down, realised I only have $2 in my bank account and didn't get to see my Chris this afternoon before he babysat..But I did get to meet Taylor Lautiner today and I have proof, so that makes up for it. I also came across some cool D'Angelo songs that make the soul in my soul happy :)

After I finished being constipated at Uni, I sorted out stuff with my degree - changed my major from English Studies to English Literature aaaand told them that I finish my BA this semester. I'm pretty sure I told them that already, but they never changed it the first time..

So I've decided to do a Graduate Diploma in Arts, 2011-2012. I thought I had my program all sussed, but for the 100-levels I'm doing, that means I'm doing an Under Graduate Certificate of Proficiency next summer 2010 and begin my actual GradDip in 2011.. Whatever.

That was my plan all along! So I'm doing my GradDipArts in Maori Studies & Te Reo. I would have preferred to do that kind of study at Waikato University because its the best place to study Maori, but with a baby on the way and Chris studying, doesn't look like we'll be moving anytime soon..

Mature students UNITE!

Shy Ronnie: Rihanna & Andy Samberg's SNL Duet

2009-12-07T17:48:00.004+13:00

Rihanna was SNL's musical guest this week and in addition to performing solo she unveiled a world premiere duet with "Shy Ronnie" aka Andy Samberg. It did not go well. Every time Rihanna threw to Samberg he mumbled incoherently into the mic. When she finally gave up on him and stormed out, Ronnie got awesome.

This is my new favourite song, I kid you not. I'm a simple-minded person, it amuses me. Plus, Andy Samberg is hot! (Just not as Shy Ronnie..)

My Kid Is Going To Be Entertaining

2009-12-07T15:45:00.002+13:00

I had a scan this morning to confirm my dates.I was going to post a pic on here, but then I realised that I can't do that without his/her permission. My baby is 14 weeks along, (which is what I thought anyway) and is about the size of a lemon, according to BabyCenter.

The kid is funny. When we started having the scan, Rocket/Cocoa Bean was asleep & then when the ultrasound technician started pressing on my stomach, the baby got upset and turned his/her back to us.. And then lay on his/her tummy. Baby was wriggling and kicking and waving its arms all over the place. I think that he/she just wanted to go back to sleep.

I can't wait til we find out the sex so I don't need to call my baby a he/she anymore.. I'm meant to have another scan on the 29th. Wonder if they'll move it forward as I'm farther along than they thought.. Probably not. It's Wellington Hospital, they're kind of.. USELESS, but they've been pretty good at managing this pregnancy thus far :)

Indigenous-Indigenous Encounters

2009-12-07T15:33:00.003+13:00

My research scholarship/internship this summer is about Maori-Indigenous encounters as opposed to Maori-European encounters. Part of that research requires me to look at Niupepa Maori, where a big chunk of it was published in Maori and a bit in English. Publications range from the mid-1800s (post-Treaty) to the 1930's. It's interesting, but I'm not finding a lot on Indig-Indig connections because Maori were interacting with Europeans A LOT at that time. However, I did find an interesting Native American myth that someone submitted to the open column in 1876..

SIR,I observed in a late number of the Waka Maori a theory of the origin of mau, said to be believed in by a certain tribe of North American Indians, which was very good in its way. But perhaps you will allow me space in your paper to give another theory held by some tribes of American Indians. It is this : They say that in the beginning God created three men. and that he afterwards led them to the bank of a, river, and told them to jump in that they might be made clean. One of then plunged in at once, and came out beautiful and white; the second one, who had hesitated a little jumped iu, and came out a yellow or copper colour caused by the disturbance of the water by the first man ; the third man now mustered courage to jump in, and when he came out he was black, caused b; the mud raised by the first two men. Thus th Indian, accounts, to his own satisfaction, for three great divisions of the human family: the white man, the red Indian, and the negro.

Here's a link to the original article

That's pretty out of it eh? There's a whole lot of random articles of that nature in Niupepa Maori, I also found one that gave reasons why Maori should celebrate Christmas!

Nosey People Get On My Nerves

2009-12-07T15:11:00.003+13:00

Sometimes it's hard to maintain inner zen when people ask me personal and what I feel are intrusive questions. My dilemma is, that I can't ignore someone when they ask a question. I feel like I should find a way to acknowledge their humanity and answer their questions no matter how dumb they are.
This weekend's example -

Random Girl: Hi Alys, when are you and Chris getting married?
Me: Uh.. (WHO ARE YOU?) Next year sometime..

Random Girl: Did you like it in Raro? I was in Samoa when you were in Raro..
Me: Yeah.. (HOW DID YOU KNOW I WENT TO RARO?)

I'm not really sure who that girl is, but she freaks me out. She has big googly eyes and she asks lots of questions like she has a crush on me.. Or my man. And she kept commenting on my dress and how pretty it was, which was nice, but she KEPT GOING ON ABOUT IT. She must have wanted it or something.. Or maybe I was meant to tell her that her outfit was pretty?

Does anyone out there know of any good tactics that I can use to make people like that leave me alone? These people are glad that I only get angry in my head. My baby must be a really nice person, because I'm a lot more friendlier than usual in a situation like that. I'm also finding it easier to not cry about things. Like on Saturday, when I held in my tears cos I was hungry and no one loved me!

Now that I've vented I feel muuuuch better. Thanks blog :)

I'll Be There Soon!

2009-12-07T14:59:00.005+13:00

Summer is upon us! (Even though, it doesn't always feel like it..) I thought the blog could do with a new look, something more organic and happy :) And I'll write about more stuff because I'm getting sick of looking at my blog when all it's got are videos on it. Now there's a tagboard for visitors to leave messages and comments on posts have been enabled too, so comments please!

So I'm excited about Xmas, I'm going to Gisborne with my family, we're going to visit my daughter Māia and catch up with my family there. We'll only be up there for a couple of days, but look at that picture! Isn't it beautiful? I'm glad to call such a beautiful place my tūrangawaewae. It's the place to be! :)

13 Funny Things About Beyonce's I Am.... Yours DVD

2009-12-05T10:41:00.001+13:00

Pure Awesomeness.

2009-12-04T17:08:00.001+13:00

A tribute to a legend, by a legend with John Legend!

2009-12-04T16:06:00.005+13:00

Very sweet. Stevie is the man! Didn't he sound great? My question is - Why didn't John Legend jump in and sing when Stevie was having his moment? Was the microphone in front of him turned off?

*On another note* I didn't know that there were people following this blog so.. Hi people! Thanks for visiting :)

I love, I love, I LOVE.

2009-11-30T15:26:00.004+13:00

So for some reason, when I'm pregnant, I love listening to soul music. I swear it's the babies, not me. Who wants to listen to the same song on rotation 10 times in a row!? Maybe I'm not craving foods like crazy because I crave music! I love listening to Solange, Raphael Saadiq, Sam Cooke and all that other good stuff . I also have an urge to play Singstar Motown.. But no one will play with me ;(

This song is so dated but after I got home from the doctor's this morning I HAD to listen to it. Loooooove it. Which is why I think my baby is a girl.. A crazy one. My appointment was okay.. I was slightly horrified to learn that I've gained over 10kg since February. I have a scan next week and then another visit a month from now. Time to eat that Bacon & Egg Mc Muffin from this morning.. and some pineapple. x

I Get It Now!

2009-11-29T21:13:00.000+13:00

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;
And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind:
Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;
Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:
And therefore is Love said to be a child,
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled."

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Eat Your Heart Out Chris Brown!

2009-11-29T01:33:00.002+13:00

I was looking for Macy's Grays performance of Janet Jackson's 'Love Will Never Do' when I came across this dance tribute from the same show (Janet Jackson: MTV Icons). It's sooo 8/9 years ago. I taped it when it came on TV2 and used to watch it all the time! How fierce are Pink, Usher & Mya? I forgot how awesome a dancer Usher was!

Crocker Being.. Sane?

2009-11-25T08:31:00.003+13:00

I kind of got sick of him for a while because he was getting a bit too psycho, but this made him seem like a very real person..

I actually agree with what he's saying, as "out there" as it sounds. When love is real, you love the good, bad, annoying & crazy qualities of a person. You even love the things that they don't even like about themselves. There's somebody out there for everyone :)

Talent's In Their Blood..

2009-11-23T22:00:00.001+13:00

Britney, Rihanna, GaGa and Beyonce have NOTHING on Ms. Janet!

Marilyn says..

2009-11-23T17:54:00.004+13:00

Agreed :)

Inspiring.

2009-11-23T17:35:00.002+13:00

'Precious' movie star Gabourey Sidibe is such an inspiration! Inner harmony is so hard to attain! (I'll keep working on it).

If you're wondering where's she's from, or what 'Precious' is about, check out the trailer below. I'm really eager to see this one. Intense.

Like Her, Love Her, Hate Her, Whatever.

2009-11-18T10:54:00.002+13:00

IMO, Erin is the voice of RinOnTheRox! She's an amazing singer :) So she's made a new YouTube page for herself with some really cool songs on there. Check my faves!
P.S. How cute is her nana!?

Don't Mess With A Snap Diva!

2009-11-17T08:55:00.002+13:00

Who knew there were so many different kinds of snaps?

Rated R Review

2009-11-14T10:42:00.018+13:00

Rated R lives up to the title with an edgy, twisted sound and a few swears!

1. Mad House - "Ladies and gentlemen, to those among you who are easily frightened, we suggest you turn away now.. To those who can take it, we say, Welcome to the Mad House..." A 30 second introduction that is meant to set the dark tone for the record.. I just wouldn't say the album lives up to the darkness of the intro!
Rating: 2/5

2. The Wait Is Over - The promo single for Rated R. This is a great upbeat song, shame about the video. I'm not sure if this is an official single, but I suppose it must be because artwork for the cover has been released. In my opinion, it should have been the leading single, before Russian Roulette. Oh well, each to their own.. I'm loving the sound of her Barbadian accent in this one!
Rating: 4.5/5

3. Hard - Hard already has a single cover, so I suppose this one will be a single as well. The track features Young Jeezy. I think that it's a great up-tempo Hip-Hop/Rap inspired track, I'm just not sure the rest of the world will love it as much as I do. But being the brand that Rihanna is, I'm sure this song will be everywhere!
Rating: 4/5

4. Stupid In Love - The first of a few ballads that are obviously making digs at Chris Brown. The song uses the word "stupid" and "dumb" so much that I can't take it seriously.. "This is stupid, I'm not stupid, don't talk to me like I'm stupid.. I may be dumb but I'm not stupid" I can't listen to this one, let's skip onto the next one...
Rating: 1/5

5. Rock Star 101 - This song features Slash and is a song about how much of a rock star she is. Yes we know Rihanna, you wear leather pants, you're covered in tattoos and you wear nothing but black. The song is decent at the most, Slash is the only thing that made me listen to it in it's entirety. All the "oh baby"'s got on my nerves though.. NEXT!
Rating: 2/5

6. Russian Roulette - The lead single from Rated R. It's grown on me, don't you hate when you get sucked in by an artists' brand power? Her vocals are much better than they've ever been, but I still think that this song shouldn't have been released first!
Rating: 3.5/5

7. Fire Bomb - This sounds like an up-tempo ballad. It's catchy and is about how dangerous and explosive relationships can become. It has a really great rock sound. I love it and think she should release it as a single!
Rating: 4.5/5

8. Rude Boy - Rude Boy was written by Esther Dean and you can definitely hear it, her sound is all over it. This is such a great R&B song, I can see the urban community looooving this one. It's a sexy song about grown-up activities.. I love how her vocal in this song reminds me of her first album, Music of the Sun.
Rating: 4.5/5

9. Photographs - This song features Will.I.Am and kind of reminds me of his single featuring Cheryl Cole, titled Heartbreaker. It has an alternative pop/dance sound to it, mourning the end of a relationship, where there's nothing left but photos.
Rating: 2/5

10. G4L - Stands for "Gangsta 4 Life". It has more of a distorted pop/techno sound to it and I think it's about revenge. Think "guns in the air," blood and drive-bys. What's ironic is that it doesn't sound as dark as it is. Not really feeling it.
Rating: 1/5

11. Te Amo - I blogged about this song earlier on in the year, because I love it so much. This song draws from Rihanna's old dancehall/reggae style. I could listen to this one all day and I think it would make a great single, it could be huge! It's about Rihanna meeting a lesbian who is in love with her, but she just can't feel the same way. Trust Rihanna to sing a song like that!
Rating: 4.5/5

12. Cold Case Love - The title says it all. This song is about how a relationship can go very wrong, "breaking the law". This one was written by Justin Timberlake and I love the way that it builds up to a really big sound at the end. It could make for a really great single.
Rating: 4/5

13. The Last Song - Boring, boring, boring. Put me to sleep. END.
Rating: 0/5

I have mixed feelings about it.. While I absolutely love some of these songs, the sound of the album is hardly consistent. While her last album saw her successfully fusing R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop, Dance & Rock, this effort fails to do so in the same way. Will this album see as many releases as Good Girl Gone Bad : Reloaded? (Which saw her release a total of 8 singles) I think a lot of the songs on this album are merely album-fillers, but in true Rihanna fashion, her record company will release all of these songs as singles.

Overall Rating: 3

Friendship

2009-11-12T15:20:00.007+13:00

I was thinking about how lazy I was in terms of keeping in touch with my friends; some of them, even making me feel guilty for not keeping in touch :( It was then that I realised that friendship isn't something that should take huge amounts of effort.

Friendship is a natural and effortless act. Friendship is not a duty, it is not demanding and we do not owe our friends anything other than the same amount of trust, respect and love that they show us.

I love my real friends, yes! My closest being Kasia, Andrea, my cousin Rach, my fiance Chris and my bestest friend in the world, my Mum :)

Friendship is the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring all right out just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful friendly hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping and, with a breath of comfort, blow the rest away

- Dinah Mulock Craik

My Little Pony Goes GaGa

2009-11-09T11:47:00.002+13:00

Interesting.. I actually think that it's pretty cute! They did GaGa well!

Dr Seuss - An Insightful Bugger

2009-11-04T23:09:00.002+13:00

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

EffMyPic.com

2009-11-01T23:47:00.001+13:00

I'm Back.

2009-11-01T23:32:00.004+13:00

I have a "secret" bebo page, where Chris is my only friend.. And after a long hiatus, I decided to start making skins again - which meant that I had to make a new app page, change the names & links to things etc. It was a bit exhausting, but here it is, the re-vamped app :)

AlysMarie Designsgreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

Click here to get this app on Bebo :)

This Is Really Sad..

2009-10-31T13:35:00.002+13:00

But also fascinating from a neuroloical point of view..

Just When You Think You've Seen It All..

2009-10-31T12:47:00.003+13:00

Apparently the 14 year old daughter of Alec Baldwin is a big fan of Lil’ Wayne because they had this cake baked up for her to celebrate her birthday.

Maybe Chris & I could have a cake like this for our wedding?

Source

Just Great.

2009-10-22T16:53:00.001+13:00

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Free family tree software - Vintage photos

Put My Mask On

2009-10-18T20:05:00.001+13:00

And the plot thickens..

2009-10-13T20:33:00.006+13:00

A little while ago I wrote about my study plans for the summer, but that will have to change. I just got a summer research scholarship! I didn't apply or it for anything, I just got offered it. So I'll probably do one paper over the summer instead of two. Whatever I'm researching involves Maori/Indigenous connections :)

Heartless

2009-10-13T13:45:00.002+13:00

Another cover - and I like it! The tone is a lot more dark & moody than Kanye's version. Speaking of Kanye.. Check him out at 1:15 and 3:26 of the video, Cute!

The FRAY - Heartless from IE HAGY on Vimeo.

Amazing

2009-10-09T22:29:00.001+13:00

Technology.

2009-10-09T22:25:00.002+13:00

Who knew there was such a thing?

The Man.

2009-10-07T01:26:00.005+13:00

Check out Jason Mraz's blog, freshness factor five thousand.

Also, my favourite Mraz song - an oldie, but a goodie :) The boy can sang!

My First Deviant Submission :)

2009-10-05T22:04:00.002+13:00

FIERCE by ~Alys-Marie on deviant ART

MrVintage

2009-10-04T23:56:00.003+13:00

These t-shirts are so funny. I want one! They're so.. KIWI.

Check out MrVintage.co.nz

Final Frontier by Melody Eshani

2009-10-01T15:39:00.002+13:00

Melody Eshani has finally released her new line of jewellery, called Final Frontier. Here's how she describes it...

"This series for me was very much inspired by being my true self.

Interconnectedness, Intergalactic, Inter - related.

ONENESS

and the belief in looking back to Nature- the source - to reconnect with the Divine Design….remember who you are….and the belief that you can teleport to where you want to be as soon as you close your eyes to see…."

So spiritual, so deep. I love her! For more of her jewellery, check out her website, here.

Keri Does Supernova

2009-09-26T11:36:00.004+12:00

I love it. She can do no wrong! This was recorded at BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge. When artists record there, it's always amazing! You can also check out my post on The Noisettes' session here :)

P.S. LOVE HER STYLE!

(Image via CONCRETELOOP)

Vintage GaGa

2009-09-26T11:33:00.001+12:00

Before the fame got her, she was just Stefani Germanotta and she was awesome! I would love to hear her sing like this again!

The Inspiration

2009-09-26T11:25:00.002+12:00

The inspiration behind Kim's YRB shoot? Silent film stars, Gloria Swanson, Theda Bara, Clara Bow and Louise Brooks. Very film noir. (Haven't seen that word since I studied film). Very cool!

(via KimKardashian)

Wow!

2009-09-25T18:03:00.003+12:00

(Image via Mechanical Dummy)

Jay-Z on OPRAH

2009-09-25T15:41:00.005+12:00

Inspirational.

Amber Rose is Fierce!

2009-09-23T12:25:00.004+12:00

This photoshoot was for the Contributing Editor blog.

She Really Is Getting Married!!

2009-09-23T12:13:00.005+12:00

Khloe posted this on both her official website and her Twitter!

To hear that the rumors are true, is kinda a big deal! On the series Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami, Khloe had said that she found it really hard to open up to men, because she had been hurt in the past. She even missed out on hooking up with Omarion!

Some have speculated that Lamar is an opportunist, just doing this to gain more media attention.. But nobody really knows what's going on in their relationship but the two of them. I wish her and Lamar all the best :)

Oh Rihanna..

2009-09-23T12:02:00.002+12:00

I still love her. This just reminds us that not everybody is perfect. Good thing singers like her are given vocal coaches and such. She sounded good when I saw her in concert last year!