As the year comes to a close, so does a whole year of music. We went through a LOT of one-hit wonders and some songs that just wouldn’t leave us alone (see “Harlem Shake” or “The Fox,” even though I still thoroughly enjoy the latter…). Here is MY Top 50 of the year, based on my iTunes play counts. Don’t judge

Katy Perry comes in at number 50 with “Dark Horse”

(52, 51 AND) 50.) played 89 times

• “Your Drums, Your Love” by AlunaGeorge
• “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry (see my write-up HERE)
• “Swimming Pools (Drank) (Extended Version)” by Kendrick Lamar

49, 48 AND 47.) played 90 times

• “F For You” by Disclosure
• “Hold On, We’re Going Home” by Drake Feat. Majid Jordan
• “Gold Trans Am” by Ke$ha

46.) played 92 times

• “High Princess/Stache Edit” by Zedd Feat. Lady GaGa

45 AND 44.) played 93 times

• “Give It 2 U” by Robin Thicke Feat. Kendrick Lamar (see my write-up HERE)
• “Suit & Tie” by Justin Timberlake Feat. Timbaland (see my write-up HERE)

43, 42, 41, 40 AND 39.) played 95 times

• “Under Control” by Alesso w/ Calvin Harris & Feat. Hurts
• “Heart Attack” by Demi Lovato
• “Good For You” by Icona Pop
• “G.U.Y. (Girl Under You)” by Lady GaGa (see my write-up HERE)
• “$$$EX (Inspired by the film ‘Spring Breakers‘)” by Vanessa Hudgens Vs. Y.LA

38 AND 37.) played 97 times

• “Do What U Want” by Lady GaGa Feat. R. Kelly (see my write-up HERE)
• “Bulletproof/Release Me (From the ‘Pitch Perfect‘ Soundtrack)” originally by La Roux and Agnes

36, 35 AND 34.) played 99 times

• “Warm Water” by BANKS (both the album and SnakeHips remix)
• “Applause” by Lady GaGa (see my write-up HERE)
• “#Beautiful” by Mariah Carey Feat. Miguel

33 AND 32.) played 102 times

• “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk Feat. Pharrell Williams
• “How We Do (Party)” by Rita Ora –> Okay so this one obviously came out last year, but I hadn’t heard of it until December 2012

31.) played 104 times

• “Play Hard (New Single Edit)” by David Guetta Feat. Akon & Ne-Yo

30.) played 105 times

• “American Girl” by Bonnie McKee

One of the craziest (and pretty scrappy) “rappers” in the game currently, Azealia Banks makes it to number 28 with “Venus”

29 AND 28.) played 108 times

• “Venus” by Azealia Banks w/ Paul Oakenfold
• “Pusher Love Girl” by Justin Timberlake Feat. Timbaland (see my write-up HERE)

27.) played 109 times

• “You & Me” by Disclosure Feat. Eliza Doolittle (both the album and Baauer remix)

26 AND 25.) played 111 times

• “Past Lives” by Ke$ha
• “#thatPOWER” by Will.I.Am Feat. Justin Bieber

24 AND 23.) played 117 times

• “All Night” by Icona Pop (see my write-up HERE)
• “What About Us” by The Saturdays (see my write-up HERE)

22.) played 119 times

• “Bang Bang” by Will.I.Am Feat. Shelby Spalione (see my write-up HERE)

Beetlejuice himself graces us for the last time on this chart at number 21

21.) played 120 times

• “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke Feat. Pharrell Williams & T.I. (see my write-up HERE)

AND THE TOP 20:

20.) played 121 times

• “Don’t Hold The Wall” by Justin Timberlake Feat. Timbaland

The one song from Pt. 1 that should have been the third single, instead of that atrocity known as “Tunnel Vision.” (Mind you, “Vision” is a good song, it was just overshadowed by other amazing songs and a “what are you doing right now” moment for JT regarding the video) Click here to view my write-up on the song.

19.) played 130 times

• “Cliché (Hush Hush)” by Alexandra Stan

I still can’t skip this song when it comes on my shuffle. Click here to view my write-up on the song.

18 AND 17.) played 131 times

• “Need U (100%)” by Duke Dumont Feat. A*M*E

This song. I still can’t get over how infectious it is. From the first “Mmmm-hm-mm-mm” (my terrible interpretation of the first voiced melody), I immediately get hooked and have to listen to the whole song. Duke really did well when creating this simplistic yet stunning beat, and of course A*M*E slayed on this track. It’s no wonder that A*M*E is one of the people to look out for in 2014.

• “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Rey Vs. Cedric Gervais (only the remix version)

Where do I begin? This remix really breathed in a whole new life to the song. Being one of my most-played songs from last year, it was refreshing to hear a new interpretation to change it all up. The best part was that it kept the artistic integrity of the original, while allowing listeners to not want to slit their wrists dance through the sad lyrics that haunt Lana’s dreams.

16.) played 132 times

• “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake Feat. Timbaland

Amazing. I can’t even begin to write any more about how this song brings me to tears when I watch the video or how it is such a powerful love song. Click here to view my write-up on the song.

15.) played 134 times

• “Adorn (Single Mix)” by Miguel Feat. Wiz Khalifa

Within the first few moments of listening, I already knew I was too powerless for Miguel’s overwhelming seduction techniques present on “Adorn.” This song just makes you want to cuddle up with anyone, whether it be that perfect first date or that idiot you wasted a lot of time on. Either way, this song has a way of making me belt out while driving, “LET MY LOVE ADORN YOU, BAY-BAY!”

14 AND 13.) played 141 times

• “Body Party” by Ciara

I mean, it samples “My Boo,” one of my ALL-TIME favorite R&B throwbacks from the ’90s. And throw in what seems to be Ciara’s best slow-to-mid-tempo R&B song since “Promise,” and you get this masterpiece.

• “Birthday” by Selena Gomez

Hypnotic beat. Check. Disney princess coming into her own. Check. Makes me feel like I need to take a shower if I listen to it more than five times in an hour. Check. I’d say Selena grew up and shed her precious image really well and with a song like “Birthday” to help set the tone for her pretty amazing LP Stars Dance, she showed everyone that she’s a force to be reckoned with in the pop sphere.

12.) played 142 times

• “Standing On The Sun” by Beyoncé

It may have been the tropical sounds or even the fact that it sounded as if Beyoncé was not calculating every single move she had done with this album release whatever this was supposed to be since this song didn’t even end up on an LP. As a cross-promotion for herself and the album that was not meant to be (whatever was supposed to be before her Beyoncé amazingness) and the clothing store H&M, Beyoncé released a thirty-second version of this song, but of course the demo leaked almost immediately. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. 142 times to be exact.

Even in her 40′s, she’s still flawless. Love this woman.

11.) played 143 times

• “Skirt” by Kylie Minogue

I love everything Kylie does. So this high charting should not be that much of a surprise. Click here to view my write-up on the song.

—–

Overall, this has been a pretty great year for music. Stay tuned for my top 10!

Click here for the TOP 10 post

Click here to read Nos. 50-11

And now we have the top 10. These songs have been present on most of my playlists this year. And if you have driven with me anywhere, I’ve probably blared any of these songs and belted them out while you sat praying for the end to come. Check out where things fell in the end:

10 AND 9.) played 151 times

• “Bad Girls” by M.I.A.

Where do I begin? I first heard this song when I watched the first episode of The Mindy Project, and I was truly blown away by the juxtaposition of girls being empowered and doing them how they’d like with Middle Eastern influences. Amazing. And to protest how women are being treated in countries where they are oppressed. Flawless. M.I.A., you killed it.

• “Young And Beautiful (From ‘The Great Gatsby‘ Soundtrack)” by Lana Del Rey (both the DL Orchestral Version and Cedric Gervais remix)

God I love this song. It truly encompassed the feelings associated with the film and novel. Click here to read my write-up on the song.

8.) played 153 times

• “Come & Get It” by Selena Gomez (both the original and Cahill remix)

Selena Gomez put herself out there with this one. She changed the game up and showed everyone that she’s a force to be reckoned with in the pop realm. This is no next single from a Disney princess; this was a game-changer. And it didn’t hurt that she incorporated tablas and Bollywood beats and choreography. And, of course, the video is breathtaking. Selena, you’re gorgeous. Click here to read my (brief) write-up on the video.

7.) played 166 times

• “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got) (From ‘The Great Gatsby‘ Soundtrack)” by Fergie w/ Q-Tip & GoonRock

After having a baby and kind of just falling to the back of the pop diva pack, Fergie came out of nowhere and slayed. She really knows how to get the party started, Fergalicious-style. The only thing that could have made this song any better would have been adding Fergie to perform it during the film. But, alas, the party scene was not as extravagant as I expected it to be, as I wrote earlier this year. Click here to read my write-up on the song.

6.) played 189 times

• “Work Bitch” by Britney Spears

It’s Britney, bitch. Click here to read my write-up on the song.

5.) played 190 times

• “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus (both the original and the DJ Scooter Twerk remix)

This truly was the year of Miley. She shed her Disney image with such ferocity that Hannah Montana had no idea what hit her. Seeing as the last single we had heard from her was “Who Owns My Heart,” which sounded like an over-processed preteen dream, “We Can’t Stop” was a welcomed assault on our musical psyche, a calm and chilled out melody in the midst of the EDM storm that occupied the charts during 2013. It was with such ease that Miley graced us with her presence, making it seem as if she had always belonged there. And it was her most catchy song since “Party In The USA.” Click here to read my write-up on her VMAs performance.

4.) played 197 times

• “Slow Down” by Selena Gomez

If “Come & Get It” brought Selena to the forefront of the pop landscape, this Cataracs production shut up all of the haters. The confidence Selena exudes from the beginning is ever-present. With an infectious chorus and Selena directing her potential lover on what she wants from them, Selena is in control and she wants you to know it. She tells her potential lover to slow down the song all night long. And if Selena says it, you listen. Always. 

3.) played 208 times

• “I Love It” by Icona Pop

Once that first roar starts, I know it’s fruitless to even try to be productive for the next two minutes and 40 seconds. The amount of shits given about every problem going on in my life turns to zero when this song comes on.

I apologize for the explicit content, but this meme pretty much sums up my feelings while listening to this song. Now imagine Maria running through the hills while Icona Pop plays in the background.

There is just something so trance-like about this song, it’s as if all of my worries and cares go right out the window, or in this case “down the stairs.” Because, if it makes me mad, I won’t care about it while this song is playing. All I have to say is thank you, D’Luv, for introducing this song into my life (and to Girls for bringing the song to even more prominence). Click here to read a blurb I wrote about this song.

2.) played 225 times

• “Imagine It Was Us” by Jessie Ware

This was a surprise for me, too. I love me some Jessie Ware, but I didn’t realize I loved her THIS much. 225 times is a lot. Either way, the throwback nature of the song, along with Jessie’s signature (and freaking fantastic) voice pushed this song into the forefront of this chart. Jessie makes it seem so effortless: her beauty, her showmanship, everything. While other songs like “Devotion,” “Wildest Moments,” “Running,” “Still Love Me,” “Night Light,” “110% (If You’re Never Gonna Move)” and “Taking In Water,” with “Moments” and “Running” really blowing much of the 2013 competition out of the water.

The thing about “Imagine” is that the song itself begins where it ends. One could potentially put it on loop and get lost in it. With an upbeat flare and smart lyrics, Ware kills it. Also, it doesn’t hurt that she released a Madonna (“Deeper & Deeper“)-inspired music video to accompany the song. That’s what really caught my attention. And what convinced me to see her live when she came to New Orleans. Side note: Yes, I went to her concert ALONE, but I got to meet and talk to her opening act, the very lovely Mikky Ekko, for about an hour. We discussed songwriting, the current state of record companies, what artists should be doing in order to garner more public attention, and yes, we talked about Rihanna and how it felt to collaborate with her on “Stay” (and Christina Aguilera on “We Remain“). The dude is hella-talented and I can’t wait to see what he ends up doing. 

Yes, I got to meet Mikky Ekko, and yes it was amazing!

Her performance blew me away. She has this way of making every person feel like she is singing to only them. And her crowd interaction is insane. She worked us so much that had there been a merchandise table, I would have bought everything. I fell in love with her that night.

—–

And now for the SONG OF 2013:

1.) played 227 times

• “Ready For The Weekend” by Icona Pop

From the operatic moments at the beginning to the build-up to the epic chorus, I was floored by this song from the beginning. And with a title like “Ready For The Weekend,” it really does live up to its promise. While “I Love It” may have been the song that captured my attention, “Weekend” solidified my love for this duo. Their music reminded me of the mindlessness of Ke$ha without making me feel like I had to scrub myself for hours on end to get the filth-pop off of me. At two and a half minutes, the song is just the right amount of jump start needed to a night to get things back on track. It’s the pre-rager ragefest, the pre-game to the actual pre-game, the song that starts it all. It gets the adrenaline pumping and puts you in the right mindset to just have a good time.

—

Thanks for reading! What songs made it into your Top 10?

What can I say? It’s been a hell of a year. From traveling overseas, to graduating, to getting a full-time job, to traveling even more, to growing even closer to friends, to testing allegiances, to letting new people into my life, to taking chances and making them pay off and finally to ending with a family trip to my mother’s old stomping grounds: Malaysia.

The family just taking selfies outside of the KL Petrona Towers. NBD.

Yes, a lot of stuff happened this year. And having the great support network behind me really helped. Whether it was going on fifty million job interviews, finishing up those last credit hours, creating my first short film, or just navigating through office politics, my family, friends and mentors always had my back. Thank you so much for your advice and help during this huge transition period. When I say that I could not have done it without you, I pretty much mean it . The road I have embarked upon would have been a lot more rocky than it was had these people not been there when I was in need. It would have been doable, but in the sense that I would not have been able to enjoy myself as much. And that’s no fun.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…” Don’t worry, I won’t have a Jack Nicholson freak-out moment lol :P

I got to learn a lot about myself, especially when interacting with others. Whether it be a study in human nature or the kindness of strangers, people still surprise me. Hell, even today, before the clock struck midnight here in Singapore, the staff of our hotel surprised me when they told us to sneak into the pool area to get a better view of the fireworks. Because of this, we didn’t have to trek all the way down to the Singapore City shore (twenty minute walk). When people are randomly nice (and you’re not going to see them again), it is sometimes good to just go with it and not internally question their intentions. Some people can just be genuinely nice!

In terms of music and film, I finally broadened my film tastes, watching a canon of French New Wave films, along with French films in general. One that stood out for me recently was Blue Is The Warmest Color. Everything about it was beautiful, from the shots, to the non-overprocessed dialogue, to the acting. Everything seemed spot-on. It all made sense. The only thing I could have done without were the gratuitous and long sex scenes. While a two-minute scene could still be tasteful when shot a certain way, having a fifteen-minute celebration of the main character’s body was a bit overzealous in my opinion. While it did fit with the rest of the film, I feel that it could have been edited to make the overall film less long. But, either way, it was a great film the explored the boundaries of innocent curiosity and sexuality. And the ridicule that may come about as a result of one’s inherent qualities.

Music-wise, I’m sure you’ve read my Top 50 posts (50-11 here and top 10 here). But, this year, we had multiple artists try to change up the release strategy for an album, most notably, Beyoncé’s self-titled fifth LP and Justin Bieber’s Journals. Let’s start with the Biebs. He took the iTunes release model: churn three songs out to the public in anticipation of your album within a month period; and turned it on it’s head. He spent eleven weeks, trickling out a new single every week until he reached the LP release date and just allowed the whole thing to be bought. This type of album teasing, while relatively strenuous on the part of the average pop consumer, really worked for his fanbase, since they were able to look forward to a new release every Monday. I know two of the biggest Beliebers I know (my niece and one of my coworkers) LOVED the new releases. And this way, Bieber was able to keep what really mattered (the music) in the spotlight, instead of his crazy self. While one artist is promoting and shedding a part of his album every week for general consumption, another (namely Beyoncé) chose to work quietly and diligently and surprise the world by dropping her album one late night in December.

Beyoncé is an anomaly because she is part of a handful of artists who could truly pull off an album release with absolutely NO marketing and PR beforehand AND debut at No. 1. Many other artists do this lol, they just aren’t as successful… Refer to any indie artist haha. Radiohead did do something similar with their LP In Rainbows, except theirs was free for a year before being released commercially. what Beyoncé did was reinject life into a dying industry. When artists can sell 98,000 copies of an album and debut at No. 1, there definitely needs to be a change within the existing system (no offense, Selena Gomez; Stars Dance is a good album!). Beyoncé created the full package: a full-length LP, with (pretty kickass) videos, and an interactive experience. She cut out the middle man and focused on the music. The album, dubbed a visual experience by Queen Bey herself, was supposed to return to listener to the album listening experience, when it was not about the hype or the popularity of a single. What I don’t necessarily understand is what era of music is she falling about; the 19th century? Because every artist back in the day relied on radio and the single release. I admire what she tried to do, and I’m especially happy with the whole package; it was her most solid effort to date. An album I could enjoy through and through.

And of course during this time, our pop divas Katy, GaGa, Miley and BritBrit proved that the old ways of doing CDs is still alive; whether it’s alive AND well is up to the business-aspect interpreter. Personally, I don’t think that traditional album campaigns were very successful this year, as compared to past years, but that’s just my opinion.

Now that that tangent is over, here are some of the things I’m looking forward to doing this year:

• Watch an Indian film every two weeks
• Become more active, which CAN be working out twice a week (at least)
• Write a full for-television series (so far I’ve finished half of an episode, but it’ll be a process; television requires a whole other writing style, especially when compared to feature-length screenwriting)
• Travel bimonthly
• Read a new book every month
• Choreograph something new every two months
• Get into a Business School of my choice (unless I find a substantial position somewhere- fingers crossed!)
• And much much more, I’m sure.

2013 was full of many surprises, many pleasant, some relatively unpleasant, but all full of life lessons and personal growth. Here’s to hoping 2014 brings about even better fortune!

—–

Side note: Here is what WordPress generated regarding my year in blogging:

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,700 times in 2013. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

I left a note on my bedpost | Said not to repeat | Yesterday’s mistakes | What I tend to do | When it comes to you |I see only the good | Selective memory | The way he makes me feel, yeah | Gotta hold on me | I’ve never met someone so different | Oh here we go | He’s a part of me now | He’s a part of me | So where you go I follow, follow, follow | Oh, oh, oooh, oh | Oh, oh, oooh, oh | I can’t remember to forget you

 - Shakira & Rihanna, “Can’t Remember To Forget You“

Shakira is back in full force with the help of my fave Rihanna on new single “Can’t Remember To Forget You.” Infused with throwback memories, Shakira’s trademark coo-ing and a flare of both divas’ femme fatale personalities, “Can’t Remember” takes the sound Shakira is known for and gives it a more Top-40 vibe. Think an updated “Roxanne” by The Police (à la Bruno Mars‘ “Locked Out Of Heaven“), crossed with Shaki’s “Don’t Bother” and “She Wolf” and even sprinkled with a bit of RiRi’s “No Love Allowed” from Unapologetic and Lily Allen‘s “Hard Out Here” (melody only).

The lyrics are too true to form. It’s really quite hard to forget those loves infatuations, no matter how fleeting. And the best part is that both Shaki and RiRi put all of their vulnerability we have grown to love on the table. I’m talking some “Mon Amour“/”What Now” type of vulnerability. It’s the emotion that makes me connect even more with them in this song. We have all experienced these significant others/insignificant others who we would really “do anything for.” Take the last one of significance that I was involved with. It happens.

Overall, I’m quite happy with how the song turned out. It’s a positive and happier affair when compared to Shaki’s more famous duet with Beyoncé, “Beautiful Liar,” but it really does not pack I am unsure if it packs the punch that 2007 superhit had. Only time will tell. I do know that I have played it over 47 times within the past week. And that’s a lot.

I’ll leave you with “Beautiful Liar” and RiRi & Britney‘s “S&M” and you can tell me which of all of the collaborations is the best:

—–

GRADE: ★★★½☆

—–

Word of caution: this is a LONG POST

Between Producer of the Year-winning Pharrell Williams and Madonna‘s hat-wearing antics and Taylor Swift and Yoko Ono‘s care-free dancing, the show had a lot of great moments. A complete list of winners can be found here. Here’s my recap, and please remember, these are HIGHLIGHTS from the show (in order for the most part):

Beyoncé being flawless and chair-dancing. Just another night in her fabulous life.

What a way to open the show. Beyoncé. Wet. On a chair. One singular object on the screen. And only a diva of Beyoncé’s calibre could command that much attention. She MAKES me get drunk on my love for her and her flawless album. And of course, Mr. Carter comes in to do his little verse, too. I feel like these two kids are inseparable. And they’re so “Crazy In Love.” (I couldn’t help myself lol) And of course it wouldn’t be a good performance without having a TSwift awkward dancing moment. Check out the performance HERE, and a BuzzFeed article documenting the performance itself.

Taylor’s first dance moves of the night https://t.co/llT3nGTZ4a

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) January 27, 2014

Once we were locked in to the GRAMMYs because of Beyoncé’s “Drunk In Love” splendor, LL Cool J reminded us why we tuned in: the music. Side note: who wrote LL Cool J’s opening speech? It was one to remember, discussing music and its influence on culture and expression. And then they knocked out one of the main awards of the night: Best New Artist. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis owned (Seattle represent!) But really, though. These guys really changed things up when they first sang about having $20 in their pocket. And you’ll see me discuss their historic performance later.

Lorde decided to play it cool and stripped down with her “Royals” performance (which you can check out HERE). The pint-sized New Zealander (we’re born on the same day – get excited!) is only just 17 years old. The only thing was that she started out pretty great, but maybe it was nerves that got to her and made her a jumble of Gollum-esque hand gestures and facial expressions. One of my friends brought this article to my attention that clarifies Lorde’s feelings on her performance expressions. She went for a gothic-Addam’s Family-member-meets-AHS Coven-witchery. There was actually a theme regarding witches and darkness, because from here, Katy Perry killed it with her Maleficent-themed “Dark Horse” performance. Everything was on-point, minus the witch-themed stripper routine during Juicy J’s rap. And loved the Salem throwback vibe at the end, when Katy Perry got burned at the stake. Click HERE to view the performance.

Katy Perry pole-dancing using a broomstick. Keeping it classy, I guess…

At this point, Daft Punk had already gotten “Lucky” by winning Pop Duo/Group Performance with Pharrell and the legendary Nile Rodgers. From here, Robin Thicke performed decently sans Miley I was hoping that she’d pop out of someone’s trombone, but, alas, it never happened. John Legend showed us just why we keep him around (and why he’s been a staple on most of my 2013 playlists) when he sang “All Of Me.” Click HERE for his performance. From here, GRAMMYs gave away Best Rock Song to Dave Grohl (of Nirvana and Foo Fighters), Sir Paul McCartney and some other people. It was pretty awesome to see both amazing and noteworthy rock stars up for the Rock Song GRAMMY, but when did we travel back in time? I mean, between The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath and Sir Paul, there was no room for newer talent. The average age for those nominated had to be at least 65.

And then fate brought us a scorned TSwift (when is she not scorned and emo, btw) to deliver one of my favorite songs off of Red, “All Too Well.” As always, when TSwift plays on the piano, she reminds everyone why she belongs in the music business in the first place. That talent. That songwriting. Minus the hilarious hair-flipping (which I appreciated) and the smoldering gaze into the camera, TSwift slayed on-stage. Check out the performance HERE.

RT @lenadunham: Her performance was vulnerable, skilled and sparkling. That final look to the audience #thatsmygirl—
Kittu Pannu (@KITTUPANNU) January 27, 2014

After the commercial break, P!nk showed all of the other performers how to hustle when she pulled off her aerial Cirque du Soleil-esque traipsing “Try” and “Just Give Me a Reason.” And yes, it was just as great as when she pulled it off on tour. And yes, her backup dancer was the same one from the music video and from her tour. And yes, he’s ripped beyond belief and motivates me to go to the gym. While Nate Ruess of Fun.‘s vocals may have been all over the place, I was happy with how P!nk was able to keep hers under control throughout the performance. She’s great at her job.

After acrobatic “Try,” @Pink and Fun.’s Nate Ruess combine for “Just Give Me a Reason.” Cool singing, Nate, but P!NK. CAN. FLY. #GRAMMYs

— Billboard (@billboard) January 27, 2014

Once we were able to get over P!nk setting the bar even higher for the rest of the night’s performances, Lorde took home her first Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Royals.” Her acceptance speech was possibly the cutest thing ever btw, which you can check out HERE. Things took a turn to SnoozeVille after this, though. Ringo Starr performed, and I know he’s a Beatle and all, but come on man! You have to have more stage presence than that! Oh well. I will say that the performance was nice because he’s part of music royalty.

And then awkwardness struck when Jamie Foxx pretty much called Beyoncé a hot mom WHILE reading out nominations for Rap/Sung Collaboration. In the middle of reading out the nominations. Jay-Z looked like he was going to kill Foxx. You can read about it here. Jay-Z also won for “Holy Grail” with Justin Timberlake. From here, viewers were treated to a Rap-Rock collaboration when Imagine Dragons and Kendrick Lamar joined forces on-stage. Things started out okay, but then became bad VERY fast. And also, Taylor Swift was the ONLY one dancing in the front at the beginning, but people slowly started to join her once the performance started to pick up. You can check it out HERE.

Oh nevermind. Not enjoying the @FramingHanley-esque rock tribute to @KendrickLamar This isn’t #NumbEncore circa 2003 #GRAMMYs

— Kittu Pannu (@KITTUPANNU) January 27, 2014

From there, Kacey Musgraves stole my heart, one neon sign and short skirt at a time. Her song, “Follow Your Arrow,” was amazing. Click HERE to view the cute performance. I had no idea who she was, but after hearing her sing about things that Country music holds dear to its heart in a mocking tone, I was sold. There was something very Lily Allen-Kate Nash-esque about her. And she won some Country award, too, btw.

AND THEN…

From here, there were a couple more awards given out, boring performances, nothing too much to note. But then, Daft Punk hit the stage and changed everything. In one of only two televised performances in the US, Daft Punk performed a rendition of “Get Lucky” with Pharrell and the great Stevie Wonder that blew EVERYONE away. I mean, the whole place was on their feet. Even in my apartment, my friends could not help themselves from shaking their booties. The singular performance made the GRAMMYs. It’s moments like this that truly make the GRAMMYs what they are. Mixing the amazingness of songs like Chic’s “Le Freak,” “Daft Punk’s “Around The World” and other dance classics, Daft Punk surprised all of us by just having fun and jamming out on stage.

The performance of the night:

And Yoko Ono’s amazing dance moves.

Everything. #Grammys https://t.co/YTR4sjpUnK

— Cosmopolitan (@Cosmopolitan) January 27, 2014

After this, Sara Bareilles and Carole King held their own with a beautiful rendition of “Brave,” which you can watch HERE. It was definitely an eye-opening performance that will hopefully put Sara on the map for those who don’t know her (which, unfortunately, is a lot of people). Once these two amazing songwriters finished their inspired performance, they announced the GRAMMY for Song of the Year, which was awarded to Lorde for, you guessed it, “Royals.” And Daft Punk received the Record of the Year GRAMMY for “Get Lucky.”

And then, the second-most-amazing performance of the night: Macklemore performing “Same Love” with Mary Lambert, New Orleans’ own Trombone Shorty, and joined by Queen Latifah and Madonna as they tag-team officiated 33 marriages, ranging from same-sex to other-sex to even interracial. The amount of #equality present in that one performance was unreal. A historic moment in pop culture, the GRAMMYs chose this moment to show how equality and love transcends hatred and boundaries by broadcasting these 33 loving couples’ weddings into the houses of countless people around the world. So many people were exposed to something amazing at that moment. Of course, Madonna performed a slower rendition of her ’80s classic “Open Your Heart” while wearing what seemed to be the hat from her 2000′s Music era. I can’t even begin to explain just how amazing and chilling the performance was. Just watch it below for yourself:

I really want Madonna and Mary Lambert to come sing at my wedding. #GRAMMYs (Still single though. Im just saying.)

— Arjan Writes (@arjanwrites) January 27, 2014

Finally, after this amazing performance, Daft Punk won Album of the Year (ten years too late, if you ask me…) for Random Access Memories. Let me say that while I’m a fan of Daft Punk, this album is not as great as their past albums. Coming off of albums like Alive 2007, Discovery, Homework and even the TRON Soundtrack, I was not as happy with this album as I was those. But everyone and their mother became a Daft Punk fan because of this one, so I can’t complain.

0101 1001 010 0101010 00 010 001010 111 11 1 1 001 0101 01010 1010 110 01 pic.twitter.com/lYKXbBq8DB

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) January 27, 2014

Overall, the show was good. The performances ranged from dull and boring to exceptional and epic. Here’s to next year’s topping it; Beyoncé’s opus will be up for fourteen awards, I’m sure

What did you think of the GRAMMYs this year? Comment below!

So I spent my Thursday night not dancing up a storm at my favorite Baton Rouge club like I usually do, but instead in the company of Zac Efron and his cronies in the surprisingly decent but cheesy as hell That Awkward Moment. Aside from being the ultimate guys-guy-meets-Sex and the City-but with pretty abysmal writing-chick flick, it was eight dollars that could have gone toward a drinking problem… And it wasn’t THAT bad.

The film starts off almost EXACTLY like I had planned the original beginning of my first screenplay: an abrupt halting of time right before the climax of the whole film that turns into a general hashing out of the events that brought the main protagonist to this point in the plot. I even had park benches in mine! Nevertheless…

The whole film is cute. From the gorgeous cast to the forgettable plot devices, the film does not set out to do anything but entertain. And that’s exactly what it does. Overall, it was a solid chick flick… Except for one major flaw: the relationships.

I mean, there are three central relationships that move the plot along: Zac and Ellie, the normal-looking funny guy and the wing woman, and lastly the separated husband and wife. Seeing as the majority of people in my theater (and general target audience for this film) were females 18 and above, I’m genuinely surprised at the message the film sends to girls who are unsure of themselves in relationships. They are told that guys do indeed come around, they do change and that the girl should just accept them for who they are. It’s a very normal pattern that most chick flicks romantic comedies tend to take. The difference is that here the producers tell the audience that girls should put up with that type of behavior.

Let’s take the first example: normal guy and wing woman.

The best friends-turned-hook up buddies-turned-lovers

In this one, the audience is told that it is okay for a guy to lie about his relationship status if he is afraid of commitment if and only if he is willing to say he loves you and in some grand dramatic fashion. What the viewer will be trained to see is that their guy will eventually come around and give them the respect they deserve. Or as the wing woman gently out it while lying in bed cuddling, “I know the way you’ve treated other girls in the past, and I want to make sure [what we're doing] is not like that.” It’s great if the guy is going to change and make her a part of his life fully, but that is usually not the case in real life.

And into the next relationship: Zac and Ellie.

Zac and Ellie. Such a cute couple. And so tiny.

So Zac says all of the things a bad boy with a good soul would say: you know, acting kind of douchey and show-offy with his friends, but being the most romantic guy who truly understands you when he’s around Ellie. The only issue here is that when it comes time for Zac to change fully into the good guy who is there for Ellie when she needs him most, he runs as fast as he can in the other direction. I mean, this guy hauls ass. There is a dust cloud in his shape where he was before running off. And even after all of that, Ellie goes back to Zac because he’s a “changed man.” This character maturity does not necessarily occur in the real world lol. And definitely not as fast as it would seem in the film. It’s just not as realistic a portrayal of actual relationships. But rather, it’s the idealized, romanticized version that consumers line up to see. I mean, who doesn’t want to see Zac and Ellie make it work at the end? If you didn’t then you have no soul.

And the last relationship: the separating couple.

There are unfortunately NO photos of Michael Jordan and Jessica Lucas online for some reason, so I leave you with an AWKWARD photo of Zac Efron in THAT AWKWARD MOMENT (see, it lives up to the name!)

This woman cheated on her amazing husband and he was devastated. The only reasoning given was that the husband was not spontaneous. There was no exploration or depth to their relationship; it was very much on the surface. Which, come to think of it, makes total sense since this is a chick flick. The only good part is that the man had enough sense to leave the wife after he finds out that she had continued to cheat on him. So bravo, screenwriters!

In terms of the actual story…

There were so many holes in the plot I could funnel a whole circus through it. From a relationship with a girlfriend’s dad that didn’t go anywhere to an underdeveloped relationship with another girlfriend’s father that did not allow the viewer to comprehend the effects of that father’s passing away on the rest of the cast, the screenwriters did not give the connections they needed to push the plot forward. Instead, it seemed as if the storyline leaped forward multiple times during my viewing. And this could be the result of the production house making the film fit into a specific genre they know will sell. I mean, there were some pretty interesting plot points developed, including the brunch scenes, the gaming scenes, hell even the party scenes. These showed just enough to convey what needed to be conveyed and his just enough to where the whole story was not talked about; it challenged (however slightly) the viewer to pick up on context clues and understand the story using his or her brain. Altogether, though, it was still pretty terrible.

But then, we didn’t really go to see the film for the plot points, now did we? The thing about films like this is that it gives us hope. To take a line from one of the surprise hits of 2013, Don Jon, the chick flick is porn for females. It makes women believe in romance and that the perfect guy does exist. While that may indeed be true, it is good to get this type of romanticism with a side of reality. This type of “life sucks but there are still good people out there/ways to make the best of it” film exists in the works of Judd Apatow. It’s there, y’all!

Going to see a film like this can end in two ways for me: either reflecting on every decision I’ve made in the past regarding my love life OR thinking that the whole thing was a biggest cheesefest and I am feeling pretty lactose intolerant right now. By the tone of this post, it may seem as if I went with the latter; that’s certainly not the case! Watching all of those relationships play out on the big screen really got me thinking about how I handle myself in relationships. Recently, I’ve been widening my dating pool, and each time I’m shocked by the crassness and lack of appeal these suitors have. I mean, they are just not good people. They aren’t the brightest, they aren’t the most attractive, they aren’t that whole package. While I’ve been able to work on my dating conversations and other relationship-related topics, I don’t really feel fulfilled. And then you have Zac Efron, the gorgeous bad-boy-turned-good, meeting the quirky girl who is just the right amount of class and crazy to make the perfect partner in crime. It’s at times like this that I realize that, yes, I, too, can have my Zac and Ellie, as cheesy as it is. That one rocking relationship that really blows the rest out of the water. And it only happens when one doesn’t just settle for something good; it’s only when one takes that leap of faith and goes for the GOLD (Sochi reference – I mean, it IS Olympic season; go TEAM USA! ). I, along with every one of us, deserves our Zac Efron or Ellie.

Check out the trailer for the film below:

It’s been a while since I’ve done a post like this… And a lot has changed since then.

My own fork in the road. With Cherry Blossoms, because they’re beautiful.

With my contract expiring at LSU University Relations at the end of the month, I was pretty much forced to re-evaluate what I want to do with my life career-wise. I mean the plan had always been: graduate, get a job at an agency in entertainment PR, move over to a network once I had accumulated enough experience and then become a network head by age 40. While this was a lofty goal, I had put in the time and effort needed to jump-start this plan, applying to more than 200 positions since March 2013. After countless fruitless interviews, I never gave up hope – I mean, this was a goal I wholeheartedly supported. And when I commit to something, I don’t half-ass it (half-assing has never been a part of my vocabulary). But even the most exuberant goals can have an expiration date.

What killed me was that the positions I was being told to apply for were publicity positions. And while these would be amazing opportunities for anyone to undertake, publicity never really appealed to me. It’s one of those things one isn’t the master of the content itself; one just promotes the message as dictated by someone else. For example, I could promote a show like True Blood, suggesting to its target audience to watch the show, but I would not be able to say, “Hey, this episode should have this issue as an undertone. I realized I would rather be on the script development or content-coordinating side of the television business instead of the promotions side. And these content positions were the posts I started applying for (in addition to the publicity positions).

Guess I don’t have to worry about these anymore… :(

But, nothing seemed to be working out unfortunately. And it was from this realization of wanting to be more involved in creating a message that I realized just how much I wanted to see change in the environment around me. Between trying to raise the profile of minority groups in the public eye and even championing equality for all, I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in my environment for others. Because of this, entertainment PR started to lose its appeal. And again, it’s nothing against those people who are in the industry already, I just knew that I would not be happy without the ability to directly create something that can stir waves of change throughout this nation. I can’t deal with indirectly affecting others.

From here, I started to think about healthcare and political PR. The issue I ran into with science healthcare PR was that most of it has to do with helping big companies that are not necessarily looking to better the world. Many of the clients I could represent in this sector would include pharmaceutical companies and science research labs. I mean, the thing that really got to me was that no matter what, I still would not be able to say, “Hey, maybe we should conduct research on this topic instead;” or even suggest more reasonable pricing plans for specific drugs. These types of road blocks brought me to the same conclusion scouring the entertainment PR world did: I need to make a change in the world in a capacity where I can actually affect what would go on. This led me to the one place I knew I’d be heading from the beginning: non-profit PR.

Now, there is nothing wrong with non-profit PR. I love working with non-profits; I’ve just never had the desire to make a career out of it. The hours are very arbitrary and the resources are so minuscule that it would require a lot of effort on the part of its volunteers. Of course, I would be very willing to volunteer and serve these organizations, but I know that it would not be prudent on my part to believe I could support myself on a salary taken from non-profit work only. For my family, non-profit work has always been the thing one does outside of one’s duties for family and career. It is how one uses one’s time for good. And it has always been a part of my plan to be involved in charities and non-profits, except in a extracurricular capacity.

While coming to this conclusion, I knew that my extracurricular activities would satisfy me, but what about my career? What could I do that would help others and directly impact their lives? While trying to figure this all out over the past couple of months, I had been hearing the same types of stories from friends. The ones where they would go to a counselor or psychologist and they;d have the most interesting experiences, recounting times when these licensed professionals would tell them to “get over your problems, you’re being a baby,” or “grow up and understand that guys will treat you like this because of the way you dress.”

“In other words, Sally,” the doctor said, “you’re a whore and deserve to be treated the way you are.”

These two statements, along with countless others, made me question just how much screening and lack of professional conduct is present in this profession. I was appalled when I heard about how opinions made their way into diagnoses and advice. The job of a counselor or psychologist is NOT to tell people how you think they should live their lives, but rather help them come to terms with the issues they face so that they can indeed become more productive members of society. And it was from here that things finally started to pull together to become the solution to that age-old question “What should I do with my life?” I knew that I should become a psychiatrist, helping those who I believe need it the most. This population includes minorities of all types, including women and LGBT youth. Listening already to the countless problems facing my friends, I know that from the age 16 to about 29, humans undergo such drastic change that many are unable to cope and make sense of everything around them. I want to be able to help these people when they are going through the hardest and most transitory part of their lives.

The best part of all is that I will be helping people become healthier and stronger, giving them the tools to make life so much better. And there truly is nothing better than that. And so, with that, I am officially announcing that I will be working toward attending Medical School in the Fall of 2015. Get excited!

Other goals I have for this next chapter of my life:

• Complete my Biochemistry degree (only 19 hours left!)
• Complete my Psychology minor
• Complete my current screenplay and develop two episodes of the television show I have been toying with
• Prepare my thesis for publication
• Take the MCAT and OWN it
• Start volunteering at clinics
• and (as always) travel

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite jams from the past couple of weeks. It’s all about appreciating the little things and remembering what matters most. Check out Clean Bandit‘s “Rather Be” below:

Song: “Wanted” by Jessie James

From the first “whooo-hoo-hoo,” Jessie enchants audiences, both country and pop alike, when crooning on her hit single “Wanted.” She feels most comfortable when delivering those raunchy lyrics, especially when compared to her other misfires. The best part about this is her voice. It’s not the best by any means but it definitely fits the song. Whether her signature scowl is bearing down the melody or accentuating a hook, Jessie utilizes her voice to accompany this euphoric teenage adventure from beginning to completion.

Through lyrics about the most attractive qualities she may have to offer her suitor to the the obvious pop beats that permeate throughout this country-wannabe jam, Jessie shows just what it may take to become wanted by someone attractive. She also makes a strong case for debut country-crossover fame. While I think she should definitely have included wit and intelligence in her list of things women should have in order for girls to find a date with guys with similar tastes, I have to agree that most of what she said is pretty spot on… I mean, what potential suitor wouldn’t love to see me in cut-off jeans? Lol.

I’m sure Jessie James’ many suitors of the past would have loved to see her in cut-off jeans… She’s gorgeous.

One thing the song doesn’t address is how those who don’t rely on their looks can get dates, but who really relies solely on physical qualities to get dates (i.e.: the rest of the world)? Are these people really going to be reading MY blog? I doubt it.

But yes, for the other mere mortals who have to have a full-package offering, Jessie only covers the parts of the package that entice the suitor, not the full spectrum that keep the potential suitor in play. NERD ALERT It’s like throwing a wizard into the Battle of Hogwarts without a wand. It’s nice that you’re there to help defend the good guys and all, but it makes no logical sense for you to not be able to kill/disarm death eaters. And this situation would usually require some learned skill or at least a flick of a wand. You’ll just be dead weight and an added concern to those who did come prepared. It is in this comparison that I bring intelligence into the conversation… Jessie is part of the one percent that has the ability to look gorgeous wearing a garbage can. It’s just how she was packaged born. There is nothing multiple surgeries we can do about lot looking that amazing lol.

And cash in she did. Jessie James had a fairy tale marriage to one of NFL’s most eligible bachelors: Eric Decker.

And I believe the video for this song, along with her immense talent (she CAN sing… Whether she is a legitimate country star is a different story) is what has helped her land that football player (the gorgeous Eric Decker) and television show. It just goes to show: if you want to land that footballer, a tv show and become financial sound for the foreseeable future, you need to release a single about being the singular desire of the one you want, hinting that the things you will do once that person becomes yours. And of course have some sort of talent and be beautiful beyond words.

—–

GRADE: ★★★★½

—–

Five friends and I embarked on a life-changing trip to Sin City. We realized very quickly just why people call it Sin City…

Day 1

After finishing all of my tasks for the week at work (YOU BETTER WORK, BITCH!), many car malfunctions (including my car hood opening while driving to the New Orleans airport… That was definitely awkward), multiple plane delays, including freak sleet storms and the coldest weather I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing ever experienced, and sitting next to the most awkward couple on my flight to Vegas (y’all, it was worse than my hood flying up while driving… It was THAT painful lol), we all finally arrived in the city that parties until dawn. Of course the first thing we do after putting our bags down is take out the alcohol and start drinking get ready to go out.

Side note: pregaming. It is VERY essential in the desert city where drinks are in the 15-20 dollar range. In addition to bringing your own alcohol, I suggest that you being some sort of loud speaker for which you can pump jams out while everyone gets ready. It definitely puts people in the mood and can add a more party atmosphere. And yes, I brought my Bose Soundbox with me, and yes, I believe it definitely made and difference in how the weekend went.

And go out we did. Going to one of the “best nightclubs in Vegas” (according to its tag line), we were ready to paint the town red and show those Vegas kids what it means to party in NOLA. So yes, we went HAM. I met a very interesting couple who were also from the South. These “kids” recently got engaged and came down to see the Britney show (just like me), so we hit it off immediately! They kept buying rounds and we just hung out by the pool drinking and getting to know each other. And then, out of the blue, one of them asks me if I party. And of course I naively reply, “Of course!” These two look at each other then back at me. “How about you come back to our hotel and we can smoke a bit and hang out.” And being the person I am, I said, “oh I don’t really smoke but thanks for the offer,” to which they replied, “oh wow so you really like to party then,” and then the guy pulled out a bag full of what I am hoping was detergent or sugar… And it finally dawned on me what they were talking about. So I politely declined and excused myself to join my friends at the bar. That type of partying is DEFINITELY NOT my scene.

But, between my best friend winning a club-wide “dance-off” competition and meeting cute strangers who wanted to get us all liquored up “wine and dine us,” my friends and I capped off a brilliant start to our Vegas adventures with new connections and quite the free bar tab.

Day 2

No trip to the West would be complete without a stop at one of my faves: In-N-Out. And in Kittu-eating fashion, I got animal-style everything. And I mean everything: fries, burger, the works. And I topped it all off with a chocolate milkshake. After this mammoth meal, my best friend and I decided to go explore old-Vegas. Something that intrigued me the most was that the city itself existed solely because it was a stopping point for trains traveling out to the opposite sides of the U.S. It started as an outpost where travelers could entertain themselves. Between the casinos and bordellos, Vegas made a name for itself by letting people indulge their vices. And old-Vegas is where it all began. So I was definitely interested in going to each part of this historic site that created such a cultural phenomenon of debauchery and Vegas becoming synonymous.

From here, we came back home to wake up the rest of the sleepyheads and get ready to see the best show everrrrrr: Britney, bitch! I made the girls get ready and come with me four hours before the show started so that we could ensure we get in the front of the general admission out. And I’m glad I did, because as soon as we got there, more and more people joined us in line to see the queen in all her glory. The line extended down almost a mile (obvi an exaggeration, but it was REALLY long). And the show itself was magnificent. Britney really brought it, with her live miming and pretty-much on-beat movements.In all seriousness, though, Britney killed it. Her dancing and singing lip-syncing were on-par and she did play most of the songs I wanted her to play… I mean, if she were to perform all of the songs I would want to see live, the show would go on for at least two more hours. I’m talking about classics like “Don’t Go Knockin’ (On My Door),” “Breathe On Me,” “Born To Make You Happy,” “Overprotected,” “Lonely,” “I Love Rock ‘N Roll,” “Showdown,” “I Got That (Boom Boom),” “(I’ve Just Begun) Havin’ My Fun,” “My Prerogative,” “Touch Of My Hand,” “Unusual You,” “Outrageous,” “Alien” (which she now performs at her show), “Tik Tik Boom,” “Passenger” and “Mona Lisa.” And yes, I know I added pretty much the equivalent of a whole other set list for her to perform, but damn it, I want to see her sing these songs! These are my jams, y’all! Overall, the show was great. At this point in time, I could not ask for more from by BritBrit, but I will always keep the hope up that she will one day pull off dance moves like she used to do over a decade ago. My hope is not lost!

From here, the girls in my group (in true Vegas fashion) were able to secure free cover and bottle service at multiple locations, giving our party a couple of choices when it came to #NightlyVegasAdventures. We ended up deciding to head over to the Mandalay Bay Hotel for a night at LIGHT, a place that incorporates Cirque du Soleil-style theatricals into the ambiance, giving the whole area a more fantastic feel. I mean, I wasn’t complaining: free cover, free drinks, A night out at a swanky club with some of my best friends, riding off of the high from the Britney show and having sensual (but tasteful) aerial feats occur before my eyes… I was in heaven. Toward the end, four of us split off to find the one thing that sounds the best when you’ve had a night of heavy partying on the town: foooooood. We ended up raiding some fast food joints on the strip and eating our food while walking on the strip. Very classy, I know, but it was so satisfying (and I didn’t spill any sauce on myself, so that’s a plus ;) )!

Day 3

Well, I woke up in the morning not feeling quite like P. Diddy, but close (more like how Ke$ha looked in the video at the beginning lol). My friends finally started to groggily step out of their slumber by brunch time, so we figured it would be the perfect day to explore the Strip even more and grab some bunch on the way. Between our many interesting shopping adventures and food adventures that day, I’m certain that we made our mark on Vegas culture that day (or at least Vegas made a mark on our bank accounts. There were too many extraneous purchases for me to recount on my bank statement. Thank god I had been saving up for this trip for a bit…). After a whole day of walking in the heat, though, we needed power naps. So, while two of my friends went to the Minus 5 (the frozen bar), the rest of us rested up for our “family dinner” and final night out.

I had made reservations at TAO to ensure that we would have options when we went out. Last time I went to Vegas, I discovered that if you dine at TAO Restaurant, they allow you into the club for free, and seeing as last time we partied with Nelly, celebrating both of our birthdays, I figured it would be a great night to start things when I initially made these Vegas plans back in September of 2013. Of course three days before I went to Vegas this time I remembered that a couple of my friends actually lived out in Vegas and used to promote parties there. One of my friends was gracious enough to put us on the list and make sure we didn’t have to pay cover at MARQUEE, one of the biggest clubs in Vegas. So now we had options: either TAO or MARQUEE to start off the night. Always one to try new things, I convinced everyone to try MARQUEE and then we could see where then night takes us. Once we got into MARQUEE, though, all bets were off. We were blown away by the space itself. From the outdoor pool area, to the dancehall inside, to the multiple bars located everywhere you wanted a drink, I was in bliss. Whether dancing our asses off and getting shots and drinks bought for us, all of us were having the time of our lives.

Then, to top it all off, one of my friends and I broke off from the group to venture to another club off the beaten path. This place was crawling with gorgeous people, many of whom I saw had just gotten out of the Britney Show that evening. Between running into old friends and talking to new, friendly faces, I was on my A-Game winging my butt off for my friends. Every insecure guy hated us. It was hilarious. But I managed to find some interesting people at the bar whom I had no qualms getting to know. These people were different from the rest; I could tell there was substance and character behind that nervous laugh or “trying to not seem too interested” look. And friends (and readers), what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas ;).

Day 4

There was not much to this one… We woke up, rushed to pack our things (except for me… I had already packed most of my stuff nicely lol), checked out of our hotel and then had one of the most robust brunches I’ve ever had in my life. I mean, the waitress just kept bringing dish after amazing dish of various Central American cuisine. I had died and gone to food heaven it was so good. After nearly going into a food coma (and gaining I’m sure thirty pounds), we picked up our bags from the hotel and made our way back to the airport.

Overall, the weekend was amazing; it was the last time I would be able to party for a while with certain friends of mine who have recently moved away. And when we all get together, (good) chaos always ensues. Here’s to some amazing memories I will never forget with some unforgettable people.

For videos and pictures from my Vegas trip, check out my Instagram by clicking here and scrolling to the posts from Feb. 6-9.

My favorite drink: the pepino diablo, featuring jalapeño tequila  :)

I mean, the title itself should be self-explanatory. Ever heard of the saying “Don’t shit where you eat?”

So I used to go to this bar all the time. For the sake of this story, let’s call it Central Perk. From May to November, if I had something to celebrate or wanted to give a recommendation for a new bar, I would tell people to go there. I LOVED this place. The drinks were amazing. The bartenders gorgeous. The owner sweet and generous. The clientele older (not college-aged) and young-professional. It was an oasis of good taste in the rubble that surrounded Baton Rouge’s nightlife scene.

And then, after hanging out with one of my good friends, she tells me that Central Perk just got a new bartender who was definitely my type and really attractive. And then we would be perfect together. Being the inquisitive person I am, I figured that I’d want to know if my friend could actually get it right. I wanted to see if she really did know my type. So I said screw it and went with her to Central Perk.

I was the little circle and the bartender was at the big oval. This person saw ME over ALLLLLL of those other people. And I felt like a sardine in that bar that night!

I walk in and the place is PACKED. I mean, people lined the intimate space from bar to wall. There was little to no wiggle room. I also felt like a giant because most of the people in the bar were no taller than 5’10″, which is pretty tall, but my head poked above the crowd. As soon as I turned toward the bar (I was literally ten feet away from the bar itself), this really cute bartender waves me down and yells, “Sweetie, what do you want to drink?”

I look around because there is no way this person is talking to me… I mean there’s a layer of people separating me from the bar. No, this person is definitely talking of someone else.

The bartender then gets the guy in front of me to tap me and ask me what I want. I’m taken aback. So of course, I pipe up as loud as I can, “I want something spicy and minty. You can handle that?” The bartender says, “Don’t worry, honey, I got you.” And got me this person did.

Over the course of two hours, this bartender, which I found out was the one to whom my friend wanted to intro me, handed me five Pepino Diablos, the best drink ever. And I happily drank them. And every time this bartender came over, we would learn a little more about each other. This person was so interesting. Between recently moving to Baton Rouge from New Orleans to finish up school and working in various trades, I became intrigued by this charming bartender. And so I started flirting back. And after telling the bartender to message me sometime so that we could get to know each other more, we exchanged numbers and I wrote a cute little note on my receipt (AND left a pretty nice tip, too!).

Side note: I found out that this bartender and I actually matched up on Tinder before we met in real life. And we had had a pretty decent conversation. But, I totally did not recognize this person until I was presented with the actual conversation… Always be cognizant of your previous conversations, friends!

From here, the bartender and I conversed for about a week non-stop. And then all communication ceased. Like I would text something I thought was pretty witty and cute or even something I knew this person liked, but I was unable to elicit any responses. I was genuinely surprised – I mean, to me it seemed as if we had a legitimate connection, but I guess I was wrong. So, in true Kittu fashion, I stopped contacting this person altogether. No texts, Facebook messages, no nothing. For six weeks.

And I was good for those six weeks. Whenever I saw that the bartender was close (physically or through digital means), I ignored the proximity and continued on with my life. But all things that are good for eventually come to an end… Of course I reached out and straight up asked this person on a date.

But, the bartender enthusiastically accepted and was surprised it had taken me this long to ask. Of course I was on cloud 9 (floating up there with my bartender lol). We set the lunch date for the next day, after which the bartender confirmed to be the point of contact for this rendezvous. I was even happier – an event/meeting/date that I don’t have to follow up on? Things couldn’t have been better. But then, lunchtime came and went. I texted the bartender asking what was going on (because common courtesy – and my PR nature – dictate that you at least inform the other parties if anything changes in plans). I finally got a text back two hours later stating that an alarm didn’t go off and that the bartender is going to be late for work. At least I got a sorry, but there was no suggestion for future plans. It sucked.

And then I had a crucial decision to make… Do I go back into the establishment at which this person works or do I find myself a new bar to visit for happy hour? Stay tuned for the next installment to find out…

So I’ve been getting feedback from friends and the subjects of some of my posts… And I figured it would be good to write a disclaimer as to why I even feel the need to post about dating and relationships.

First of all, these are my stories, my perspective. This blog is a reflection on my opinions and how I feel. It is an honest account of how things affect me, unless stated otherwise.

Also, I know when I screw up. I state it in the post. I own up to the mistakes I see. This is not a reflection on how “I’m so perfect” and never mess anything up. I’m definitely FAAAARRR from perfect. I take responsibility for my actions.

Thirdly, this blog is therapeutic for me. Writing has always been an outlet for me. Whether it is a creative one, critical one or even and intellectual one, I have loved to recount adventures and will continue to write about things that interest me. I will continue to write about the things that are not perfect. Things I need to work on. Things that I may not fully grasp yet. And this definitely includes dating.

So, readers, subjects of my posts, people in general: know that I discuss things on here from my perspective. Reach out if you have concerns; don’t vent and talk nonsense outside. And the people who I am discussing on here should know that I am very willing to have those conversations. Thank you :)

</EndRant>

One of my favorite disclaimers of all time. #SouthPark #NoApologies

The final two episodes just made me really sad :(

Okay so thanks to social media spoilers Monday night, I found out that everything I expected (and totes called) back at the end of season four or five actually happened on the finale of How I Met Your Mother BEFORE I actually watched the last two episodes. So thank you friends – I hate ALL of you. Not really, but I definitely disliked each of you thoroughly for a good two hours.

One of my favorite moments of the show…

Now the show itself

…was one of those that was definitely fresh for the first six seasons but then started to lose some of its steam from then on. I could tell that they were realizing they had to actually show us how Ted met the mother of his children. And I mean, it was definitely fun to see all of the gang’s crazy shenanigans, but life is not necessarily a never-ending carousel of hook ups (as was the case for Barney Stinson). No, there was more to it. And the writers and producers tried hitting on those harder topics in the later seasons. While they were not the smoothest operators (thank you, Sade) when it came to introducing such sad story lines, the realistic portrayal of life’s hardships were appreciated. It reminded me a bit of how Will & Grace was those last couple of seasons: still pretty good, but barely hanging into the remnants of a stellar plot. It was much appreciated and those who had sat through from the beginning would still trek on, hoping and praying for something noteworthy to happen…

And then the inevitable happened: the LONGEST wedding in television history. A WHOLE FUCKING SEASON. Why would you do that? I mean, it was great to tie up all of the loose ends, but really? A whole season? Three episodes dedicated to this plot device would have been sufficient and totally acceptable. Hell, even a half-season would have been okay. But the WHOLE season? I was really sad when I found that out. But again, I kept watching on, being the dedicated fan I am (and having nothing to do with my imaginary OCD… the fact that I like to finish things I start).

And then that ending. (SPOILERS)

Really? Ted and Robin? Tracy dies? Barney and Robin not making it past two years? I mean were you TRYING to say that long, strung-out, elaborate weddings don’t last? If that’s the case, I’m getting married in a court house (my parents will be VERY happy about that lol). But, the way the show ended was just appalling. Everything is in disarray. And Ted is literally RIGHT BACK WHERE HE STARTED. Not cool, writers, not cool.

That damn blue french horn!

And also, way to not leave any room for a potential Barney spinoff. Really sad about that. I mean, I know that it probably would not have lasted more than three seasons TOPS, and syndication requires four seasons (100 episodes), but still, you’d have some programming built in… I just was not ready to say goodbye to characters that I hated, loved, felt, understood, could predict… I saw the personality traits of my friends in this gang. And it was fun to see them acting out similar situations that my friends and I tend to find ourselves in (btw, peeps, this is the epitome of a PSR - Parasocial Relationship).

So yes, like millions of others around the world, I am currently suffering from a parasocial breakup (PSB). I’ve already had countless shows break my heart when they got canceled or not just ended. FRIENDS, Will & Grace, The OC (actually just after Marissa died – I never watched the last season because I refused to subject myself to that torture), Lizzie McGuire (I know I know, it’s embarrassing, but it was so true back in the day), Boy Meets World, Charmed, The Sopranos, Nip/Tuck, the list goes on. What can you do when these characters disappear from your life altogether? Await the film? Tried that with Sex and The City. The first film was bearable, but the second one was atrocious and made me ashamed to call myself an American… That whole Samantha Jones and her shorts (and condoms) in the marketplace scene… I was cringing so much inside :(.

Back to #HIMYM…

All we can do is just pick up with our lives. And learn. Learn from Ted and the rest of the gang’s mistakes. Don’t live your life in a cycle. Make every day unique and worth it. Or else you’ll be twenty years older and going after the same pipe dream. And friends, that is way too depressing.

Side note: BuzzFeed did a nice little round-up chock-full of spoilers if you’re into that.

Accept the challenge. Make every day (as Barney would say) LEGEN- wait for it… DARY!

Click here to read my disclaimer regarding my dating posts.

Click here to read Pt. 1!

…So of course being the person I am and given that my friend wanted to get drinks that night I figured it would be prudent to go to my favorite bar. I mean, why should I have to change where I go because of someone else? And of course I could always just say hi to the bartender who I knew would be working… So I dressed to impress. It’s not every day that you have to show someone what they canceled plans on.

Think Mad Men with a splash of modern young professional. #TooLegitToQuit

That whole night, the bartender tended to every single need. This person could figure out what I needed before I wanted it. And of course I got a free shot out of it (which the bartender insisted on – I am not one to try to weasel out free shots from anyone). We were flirting back and forth like crazy. I totally understood why I even indulged myself to begin with. And we actually we texted for a day or two.

And then radio silence. White noise. Darkness.

And then… darkness. (Props to anyone who can identify the show this gif comes from)

And I forgot about the bartender. I just stopped coming around. I was mad at myself for putting myself out there and bring denied royally.

A month later.

One of my good friends and I wanted to grab a drink and catch up after the 225 100th Issue Launch Party. And of course I was looking great that night. I mean, I was in after-work modern-chic (if I had to label it in some random I-don’t-really-know-what-a-designer-would-call-my-style way). And I wanted to just see if I’d be able to elicit some sort of response from this bartending wonder. I know, it’s mildly masochistic. But thank god I did.

The first words the bartender uttered were, “Wow, look who finally decided to make an appearance.” Inside I was thinking “OMG the bartender finally noticed,” but I played it cool, flirting passively and indulging the bartender for a little while. And then FINALLY I got what I was waiting for: the lunch date.

The bartender said, “You know, we never had that lunch date.” And I responded, “Well, all you have to do is text me and I’ll see when I’m available.”

The bartender scheduled lunch for us the next day.

And the lunch itself was great. Long overdue, but worth it. I got to learn a lot about this person. The recent struggles, the previous INTENSE relationships, the reasons for the aloofness. I essentially got a bomb of information dropped on me. Borderline over-sharing, but I took it as a sign that this person trusted me and was just laying all the cards on the table. The bartender picked up the check and we made our way out. And I was happy. I thought we had a great first date. We dipped our toes in the the proverbial pool and realized the water was just what we could tolerate. And I was starting to feel ready enough to stick my leg in…

That next week,

I went to the same bar with a friend to catch up and just see if I could maybe run into the bartender. I mean, I’m not going to lie, I was trying to find any excuse to see this person. And I knew the bartender would hang out at Central Perk when not scheduled, so I figured this person may be making some appearance. And yes, I was right. But that night, the bartender just gave me a hug and we talked for a bit and that was all. I was left pretty high and dry. I figured it was just because we were with our respective friend groups, so I did not think much of it. Toward the end of the evening and after our friend groups started to thin out, I walked over to talk to the bartender alone. We chatted a bit, building up that trademark rapport.

And then, the inevitable happened. An attractive guy walked past and the bartender turned to me and said, “Wow, that guy is hot! I want him to take me home tonight.” Now, I’m not the jealous type. By any means. And I know we weren’t dating. By any means. But, I’m sure there is some protocol that dictates not talking about other guys in front of someone you’re trying to talk to. If not that, then common decency dictates that if you’re interested in someone you don’t state your intentions to get with another person in front of them. At least wait until I leave!

Either way, it could have been a tactic in order to show me that this person was not interested, which is what I chalked it up to. And, readers, I don’t like to dawdle around like a lost puppy waiting for someone to give me attention. So I left after politely saying bye.

No matter how cute it is, I don’t live my life the way this cute, adorable little dachshund puppy does. God I just want one with me right now!

++++

After posting Pt. 1, the bartender reached out to me and was disappointed that I pointed out all of this person’s flaws. The bartender said that I never took into account the magnitude of things going on at the time in this person’s life and that it was not fair. This person also stated that they thought everything was going well until I posted Pt. 1.

I do take responsibility for not taking those things into account and because of that, I am saying now that readers, we never truly know what is going on in someone else’s life. While we may think we do based on what a person chooses to divulge, we can never truly stand in someone else’s shoes and experience life the way they do. But, at the same time, readers, it is important to stand up for what you believe in and make sure that your needs are met. This “saga” taught me that I really value communication and need to be with someone who can acknowledge that they are interested while I am talking to them. It also showed me that people divulge information to someone, especially very personal information, in order to elicit a specific type of treatment from that someone. But lastly, it showed me that it is important to evaluate where someone is in their lives based on their life experiences. The bartender, having gone through a couple of INTENSE relationships, was not looking to date someone; instead this person was looking to just have a little fun, go on a couple of dates with a couple of guys. And that is okay. It’s just not what I was looking for.

So here are the things I learned from talking to the cute bartender:

• Make sure they work somewhere you don’t frequent.
• It is important to understand and embrace someone’s past in order to even come close to sharing a present and future with said person.
• Communication is key.
• ALWAYS say yes to the free drinks! (Just kidding, y’all!)
• Make sure that you are looking for the same things.
• Sometimes pretty decent acquaintances can become of fun dates that don’t really go anywhere. Not everything has to be a polarizing experience. (In other words, the bartender and I became friends, y’all.)