new years resolutions

HAPPY 2011!!

Instead of resolutions (like "blog more") that tend not to pan out like you'd hope, Virginia and I would like to ask everyone to instead use this time to revisit and reflect about what you want to focus on in the new year. BE ABSTRACT!

How about make a list of what is important in your life and what makes you happy! Put this list somewhere you will see it and try to focus on these things as the year progresses.

Virginia's list:

gold
tunes
boys

sunshine

animals

friends

snacks

stories

Aubrey's list:

animals

music

splashes of color

friends

art

movies

apples

Don't you feel your swagger amping up already? Figuring out what you want out of life is the first and most important step towards getting what you want out of your life. To conclude, welcome to 2011: GET. INTO. IT. Get into it.

MUSIC MONDAY

I've been having PALPITATIONS all weekend over this song, I can't even begin to tell you. My lovely roommate recently went on a Babyface kick, and when I overheard him listening to this track which I HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE I basically lost my shit, forced him to send it to me, and have been playing it ever since. I mean LOOK AT THIS VIDEO:

I didn't even know there was a music video until I was hunting for the song for this post, but now I can't stop watching it. It's really a miracle.

Also for your ears: my music playlist for the ENTIRE WEEKEND (I'm not kidding) consisted of Usher's U Got it Bad, The Deele's Two Occasions, and also this song, which I had forgotten I loved until I heard it on the soft rock station at a restaurant on Friday.

I am having such a moment with these three tracks right now, and SO SHOULD YOU.

MUSIC MONDAY

To make up for my recent absence from the blogosphere (and for using the word "blogosphere") let's talk about some sweet lady singers that are making my day today.

First, I guess she is kind of old news in the hipster music scene, but I sure do love Class Actress. Neglected for the last few months in the dark caverns of my ipod, shuffle recently reminded me of the sultry Elizabeth Harper and her make-out sesh soundtrack of a musical career. Need some mood music for you and your honey? HERE YOU GO:

And don't fret if your life feels a little less like a make out party and a little more like a party of one; how about you let the Ronettes sing you through your pain? This de-luscious track has also been in heavy rotation on my ipod of late.

In constructing this post I discovered that Ronnie of the Ronettes was at one point married to Phil Spector and was privy to the kind of madness and horror that has now become his legacy. Good for her for getting the hell out! In tribute to Ronnie Spector, another hot lady singing a hot song about GURL POWER. FASH. ION. IS. TA.

Who's ready for the weekend??

THESE people are! Consider both these videos tutorials on utter commitment to a style (and a lifestyle):


And, of course, "one of the really great musical artists of our time:"

Summertime!

LEST WE FORGET that Willard Christopher Smith, Jr., long before his Oscar nominations and alien-blasting, was the oracle who showed us the true way to funk, there's THIS. We may have been slightly too young to have heard him perform on Soul Train when it happened, but every person reading this that can recite the Fresh Prince theme song by heart owes it to themselves to click that link. They won't let us embed but I promise you it is well worth the jump.

Music Monday

We tweeted about this song a little while ago, but now there's an actual video! Loving the schoolyard, '90s vibe that's happening here, though now I wish that the schoolyards of my '90s youth had been more like this and less like the one where a jerk playground instructor literally banned us from playing TAG. Plus side: this has now inspired me to bring back Four Square (the game not the creepy social networking app, doi) and thus bring back my *stellar* cherry bomb skills.

Who knew they had it in them: PART 2!!

Sure sure, Justin Bieber can melt our hearts with his dimples and croon pretty well with the help of studio magic, but how would he do in an 8-Mile-style RAP BATTLE??? Answer: surprisingly well, if this freestyle is to be believed!


RIGHT?! That's our boy, always keeping us on our toes, even if it's NOT because we're dancing. Dare we say that he's outgrown the need for a swagger coach? And let this be a lesson to all of our readers: if a doll-faced, lily white, 16-year-old Canadian can pull out such an unexpectedly on-point freestyle, there is NO REASON that you can't chase each and every one of your dreams!

Footnote: Biebs couldn't have picked better source material for his first foray into rapping, this song has been a major staple of my commute music recently, get into it!