Hey Paula, the review

Hey guys, did you watch Hey Paula on Bravo last night? If you did, PLEASE tell me what you thought. I'm really interested to see what everyone else thought about the show.

I had really high expectations for the show... mainly because I used to love Paula Abdul and second because the Bravo reality shows are normally amazing. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how I feel about Hey Paula. I think it was fun to watch her run around and slur her speech and be a demanding weirdo, but... she's not very likable. One of the reasons reality shows like Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List and MTV's Run's House do so well is because you really relate to and care about the characters. Even The Osbournes were lovable. Paula's just kinda... I don't know... volatile. I feel like she might cut me at any moment.

Do you agree? Please comment and let me know!

Today is the second best day of my life

Today is the second best day of my life, because the Spice Girls have announced they are reunited for a world tour!!!! *falls on the floor with excitement* It's only the second best day, because the best day will be when I get to see them in New York City on December 11th, 2007. I'm peeing my pants and I am not ashamed about it. Check out this video of the girls announcing the tour and talking about what it's going to be like. Plus, you'll get to see what they look like now (if for some weird reason you haven't been keeping up on your 90s pop superstars!)


Tour dates are as follows:

Los Angeles - December 7
Las Vegas - December 8
New York - December 11
London - December 15
Koln - December 20
Madrid - December 23
Beijing - January 10
Hong Kong - January 12
Sydney - January 17
Cape Town - January 20
Buenos Aires - January 24

You have to go to TheSpiceGirls.com to "register" for tickets, but I will pay upwards of $1,000 and several non-vital organs to see them. Clearly I am excited.

Kelly Clarkson "My December"

There has been much media hype (or anti-hype) surrounding Kelly Clarkson's sophomore album My December. The press has really dug into her, saying her new CD isn't great. All this on top of canceling her scheduled summer tour and parting ways with her long-time manager.

Despite all the negative attention Kelly was receiving recently, I decided to pick up her album during my lunch break yesterday. I didn't have a chance to listen to the disc in depth yet, but I did focus my attention on the tunes during my commute to work this morning. I will say this: it is not a bad album. Even after listening to it quickly I will say that. Is it a really good album? Not sure if I can make that claim just yet. In case you don't know, Kelly avoiding using hit-making producers and writers like her last album, and decided to write and produce on her own. To me, the songs all sound very similar to each other, but that doesn't mean they're not good songs. There doesn't seem to be any obvious radio hits like Breakaway's "Since U Been Gone," but could anything live up to a monster hit like that? Doubtful.

I haven't seen any figures or data about how well the album is selling (it did just come out yesterday) but I've spoken to a large number of people who made the effort to pick up the CD on the day of its release. The truth is that people like Kelly Clarkson. They just do. She is likable. Not only is she an amazing singer, but she seems like a genuinely nice person and people gravitate towards that.

I think it's interesting how much we are affected by things we read in magazines and on blogs; especially sites like PerezHilton.com, which I am a loyal reader. Sites like Perez have been blasting her album and actions and really have an impact on what consumers think. Regardless... I think Kelly will get out of her sophomore slump. She's definitely an artist that will be around for a long time.

You can check out more music samples and photos over at KellyClarkson.com or visit her official MySpace page in addition. If you have the album, let me know what you think!

Thermostat Wars

It's that time of year again; The temperature rises outside to a scorching 91 degrees with 95% humidity and offices are forced to crank up their AC units. I will say that the weather in NYC has been fairly enjoyable so far. Granted, we're only officially a few days into summer, but the heat is nowhere near the liquefying temps of last summer. The question of the temperature outside is not the problem, it's the constant thermostat battle that many people have inside that's heating up this time of year.

I work in an office that is filled mostly with women. Actually, if I look around I can see 8 women and I'm the only dude around. I think it's a common thought that women tend to be colder in the work place (temperature-wise, not emotionally... that's a whole different entry.) I am definitely experiencing this first hand in my work environment. There is a noticeable temperature increase when I walk from the hallway into my section of the office. It's warmer and stickier for sure. I'm not the type of person to immediately react to a change of temperature. I'm actually really irritated when someone walks into and room and immediately says, "Ugh, it's so hot in here!" or "oh my gosh it's so cold!" Of course you are going to notice a temp. change when going from indoors to out, or vice versa. I usually try my hardest to sit for a minute and let my body adjust to the new temp. before making any comments, but sometimes it's too much to handle.

I'm actually perspiring as I write this blog entry. We have a nice little hotline to call here at my office to adjust the temperature (because heaven forbid we would actually be able to control this ourselves!) but something tells me I am not the only one making requests. I have literally called every other day since the start of last week. I notice a change in temperature almost immediately after I submit my request, but the next day it's back to Muggyville, USA.

I did a little searching about this man v. woman temperature difference, and actually found an article on CNN.com with some support research. Here's a little excerpt from the full article:

• Diet: People who do not get enough vitamins, minerals, protein, vegetables and other essential nutrients for a healthy metabolism could find themselves feeling tired and cold because their metabolism is not getting the nutrients it needs to work efficiently, Donadio says.
  
• Gender: Women are more prone to hypothyroidism than men are, according to Donadio. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid works too little and causes the patient to feel cold. Women's body temperatures are also prone to irregularity due to their menstrual cycles and menopause, and women generally have less dense muscle mass than men do, which lowers their average body temperature.
• Age: According to Donadio, as people age, their hormonal systems may begin to function differently. When they do not produce as many hormones as they once did, they may find themselves feeling colder. Likewise, hormonal surges associated with menopause can cause hot flashes.
• Stress: Being too tense or uptight in the office could reduce your circulation, making you feel colder, Donadio says.

The article isn't saying anything that isn't common knowledge but hopefully it sheds a little light on the situation. In my opinion, I think that if you're cold in an office then you should bring a sweater or jacket or parka, depending on your level of comfort. Unfortunately, when I am hot, I'm not able to remove any more clothing, as that is not appropriate for the workplace, but you are more than welcome to layer up until your heart's content... think of Joey on Friends. Lunges optional.

In conclusion, everyone deserves to be comfortable in the workplace, but we must all make sure not to discomfort others in the process; myself included. While you're thinking about your own office temperature situation, please view this true-to-life clip from The Family Guy and have a little chortle at your desk.

Monday Monday

Hello, faithful blog readers! Did you have a nice weekend? Mine was jam-packed with activity. Matthew came to visit from Philly (thanks for coming!) I don't think I was in my apartment all weekend except to sleep. Even though I had a big weekend, I don't actually have anything worth blogging about. Weird, right?

Whilst I gather my thoughts for a more productive blog entry, I'll leave you with some hilarious commentary from Jessie Cantrell of Black20 News fame. Enjoy!