November 18, 1928

You know, I'm finding that abandoning the theme days in this blog has been one of the best decisions that I have made in the three and a half years that I have been writing here.  I'm finding that I am challenging myself more than I used to, I am having more fun bringing more personality into this space, and I think that I have gotten a well-deserved second wind!

You know, I don't know what it is about today, but I am in a wonderful mood!  I think that this month has been an awesome one.  It's really given me some clarity over what I need to do from this moment on, and it has really shaped my perspective on people. 

But you know, that'll be a tale for another time.

For now, there is one day that I plan on keeping the same.  I think the Tuesday Timeline will be staying for the foreseeable future because I enjoy writing them the most.  It's amazing all of the things that you can learn.  If ever I become a contestant on Jeopardy, these entries will be a godsend one day!

Like, for instance, if there was a category on Jeopardy called "Things That Happened on November 18th", the answers might look something like this...

1307 - The date in which William Tell shot an arrow through an apple placed on top of his son's head

1493 - The date in which Christopher Columbus discovers an island nation that would later be named Puerto Rico

1865 - The date that "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" written by Mark Twain is published in the New York Saturday Press.

1883 - The date that railroads in Canada and the United States adopt the five continental time zones - still in use today

1908 - The date that actress Imogene Coca (d. 2001) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1924 - The date that actor Les Lye (d. 2009) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

1926 - The date that George Bernard Shaw refuses to accept the money for his Nobel Prize

1940 - The date that Adolf Hitler and Galeazzo Ciano meet to discuss Benito Mussolini's disasterous invasion of Greece during World War II

1947 - The date that a devastating fire takes place at Ballantyne's Department Store in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 41

1961 - The date that President Kennedy sends 18,000 military advisors to South Vietnam

1963 - The date that the world is first introduced to the push button telephone

1978 - The date of the Jonestown, Guyana massacre in which Jim Jones leads his followers in a mass murder-suicide - Over 900 people took their own lives, with almost three hundred of them being children

1986 - The date that model Gia Carangi dies of AIDS-related complications at just 26 years of age

1987 - The date that thirty-one people are killed in a fire at London's King's Cross St Pancras underground station

1988 - The date that Ronald Reagan signs a bill that would allow the death penalty for drug traffickers

1991 - The date that hostages Thomas Sutherland and Terry Waite are released from the clutches of Shiite Muslim kidnappers in Lebanon

1993 - The date that the North American Free Trade Agreement is approved by the U.S. House of Representatives

1994 - The date that jazz leader Cab Calloway passes away at the age of 86

2012 - The date that the Nintendo Wii U goes on sale in North America

2013 - The date that NASA launches the MAVEN probe to Mars

And, did you know that November 18 just happens to be the day that the following people were born?  Happy birthday to Sheila Jordan, Margaret Atwood, Brenda Vaccaro, Linda Evans, Susan Sullivan, Chris Rainbow, Jameson Parker, Dennis Haskins, Eric Pierpoint, Kevin Nealon, John Parr, Shari Shattuck, Kim Wilde, George Kotsiopoulos, Owen Wilson, Duncan Sheik, Elizabeth Anne Allen, Mike Epps, Megyn Kelly, Peta Wilson, Jessi Alexander, Chloe Sevigny, Lucy Akhurst, Anthony McPartlin, Pastor Troy, Fabolous, Christina Vidal, Jake Abel, and Nathan Kress.

Boy, I had no idea that the eighteenth of November was such a busy day!  Wowzers.

And I am not even finished with the celebrity birthdays yet!  I have one more to share with you.  In fact, this birthday boy is the subject for today's blog.

And he was "born" on November 18, 1928.

Okay, maybe born isn't the right word to use.  Maybe I should be using the phrase "drawn".  You see, our subject happens to be a cartoon character.  Perhaps one of the most famous of the bunch.  He is the de facto mascot of one of the largest animation companies in the world, and November 18 is the date in which his very first cartoon was released.

Interestingly enough, that cartoon was called "Steamboat Willie".  Interesting, because this character is not named Willie at all.  In fact, he kind of looks more like a Mickey to me.

No, not that Mickey.  I mean THIS one.

Yes, it was on this date eighty-six years ago that Mickey Mouse made his unofficial debut with Disney, and therefore it is considered to be the date of Mickey Mouse's birth.  Wow, that's one rodent that looks awesome for his age!

The reason why I say "unofficial" is because technically, he and his girlfriend Minnie Mouse appeared in a test screening of a cartoon called "Plane Crazy".  "Steamboat Willie" was the first cartoon that a worldwide audience was exposed to.

But the cartoon does boast a legitimate first.  It is the very first cartoon to be aired with synchronized sound.  And of course, the creator of the cartoon, Walt Disney, provided all the voices heard within the cartoon.

The story behind the creation of "Steamboat Willie" began in 1927, when according to Walt Disney's brother Roy, Walt was inspired to make a cartoon after watching the 1927 film "The Jazz Singer". 

Disney was also in the process of changing up their lead characters.  Die hard Disney fans may recall that Disney had began his animation career by making a series of cartoons starring the character known as Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit.  However, when Disney ended up losing the rights to the character to Charles Mintz, Disney was forced to create a new character.

Disney had come up with the character of Mickey Mouse, and had inserted him in a couple of silent animated shorts, but these test screenings were received well by audiences.  Walt Disney was initially discouraged, but he was not ready to give up.  In his mind, the problem wasn't with the character, but with the silence.  In order to make "Steamboat Willie" pop, he had to add sound.

Production began for "Steamboat Willie" in the summer of 1928, and cost a then whopping $4,986 to produce.  And the first "unofficial" screening took place in July 1928 - in a room that was next to Walt Disney's office.  Walt's brother Roy set up the projector outside, and the movie was shown on a bedsheet, provided by Ub Iwerks - the main animator on the "Steamboat Willie" project.

Now, because the movie was nowhere near finished, a partial copy was shown instead.  The music was provided by Wilfred Jackson - courtesy of a mouth organ.  Ub Iwerks banged on pots and pans to simulate percussion instruments.  And Johnny Cannon was the foley artist for this screening.

(A foley artist is a fancy way of saying "sound effects guy".)

Needless to say, the screening was a huge hit, and it gave Walt the confidence to finish the project.  He worked with Pat Powers to bring the soundtrack to the film using his Cinephone system - which in itself was an updated version of Lee De Forest's Phonofilm system.  As for the music, it was provided by the Green Brothers Novelty Band, and needless to say, it took a couple of tries to get the synchronization absolutely perfect.  The desire to get a perfect product was so important to Disney that he actually sold his car to keep the project going!

But, as you can see from the end result, it's worth it.  And as a special treat, I have the entire cartoon "Steamboat Willie" posted at the end of this blog for you to watch!  As you can see, it turned out awesome!

And to think that when it officially debuted on November 18, 1928, Disney was only paid $500 a week for the two weeks that it played in theatres!  Oh, who am I kidding?  $500 a week in 1928 was fantastic money! 

As for Mickey Mouse?  Well, he grew up to become the most famous mouse in the world!  His image is found everywhere!  On cakes, clothing, balloons, and even little hats with Mickey ears on them!  And he is probably one of the most recognizable symbols in the entire world.  That is definitely something to marvel at.

Happy birthday, Mickey!  

Reformed December 23 Shoppers UNITE!

You know...I think I am starting to like this new outlook on this blog.  It started off with YOU NEVER NOVEMBER WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET month, and now I am thinking of making it a permanent thing.  I am beginning to feel like I am refreshed, and ready to take on the world now.

Well, at least as far as writing goes, anyway.

And with my new focus set in place, it now allows me to put my focus on other things in life.

Like Christmas shopping!

So, admit it.  With only 37 days left until Christmas, who has their shopping finished already?  Who has part of it completed?  Who hasn't even started it yet?

Well, I can personally say that as of November 17, 2014, my Christmas list is one hundred per cent completed!  I believe that this is the earliest I have ever completed holiday shopping, and I am so glad that I got my act together this year!

Of course, it wasn't always this way.  Truth be told, I used to be one of those "December 23" shoppers.  And, looking back on it, I really don't know what I was thinking!

Now, granted, a lot of the reason why I had to wait until just a couple of days before Christmas to do my shopping was because of a lack of money.  I usually had to wait until I got paid from a job, or when I was really young, I had to wait until my parents got paid before I was given my holiday allowance for gifts.  Oh, sure, I could have made gifts if I didn't have the money for them, but at the age of eight, I just didn't have as much creativity as I have now.

(Truth be told, I am very jealous of you artisans who can knit sweaters, paint pictures, and create all sorts of crafty things.  I wish I could do that!)

Anyway, another reason why I waited to do my Christmas shopping until December 23 was because of the fact that I really didn't like doing the whole shopping thing when I was younger.  In fact, I would have rather spent my free time playing video games, watching television, or heaven forbid even doing homework than spend any time at the mall.

I absolutely hated stores and malls and other places that sold things when I was a little kid.  I didn't like the fact that my mom and sisters seemed to take FOREVER inside of stores.  And I certainly felt frustrated being in stores where you wanted to buy everything in the toy department, but had no money to do so. 

What can I say?  I was a kid. 

So, I decided to shop closer to Christmas to put off going to the mall until I absolutely had to, thinking that it was the best method to get ready for the holidays.

And it was, for about the first fifteen or so years that I began buying my own gifts (which would be from about age 8-23).

You see, at age 23, I began my current job.  And as many of you know, I work in a retail setting. 

This is going to be my eleventh holiday season in retail (I began my job just before Christmas 2004), and in that amount of time, I have quickly shifted my opinion in terms of holiday shopping.

My new motto is "get it done as soon as possible"!

It did take a couple of years for me to break out of my December 23 haze.  I did initially do my shopping the last week before Christmas when I was new to retail.  But it didn't take me long to realize that waiting until the last minute to do Christmas shopping just didn't make sense to me.

For one, it becomes harder to check things off your list when store shelves are completely empty.  And chances are if you have ever tried to do all your shopping on Christmas Eve, there is a good chance that all of the hottest gifts were already bought some weeks earlier.  And after hearing so many people accuse me of destroying their Christmas because we ran out of a certain item, I decided that I would do all my shopping before December, so that I could be guaranteed to have everything on my list.

Another thing I have noticed about doing holiday shopping a month before Christmas is the fact that malls and stores aren't nearly as crowded.  You can go to practically any store in the world and not wait in line.  And, even better...you can avoid the claustrophobic feeling that a lot of people feel when they try to navigate their way through clogged aisles.  Believe me, it is much easier to shop a store when you can breathe!

All in all, shopping for Christmas in November just makes more sense to me.  Because getting all of my shopping finished before Black Friday gives me my own personal satisfaction that I achieved something.  And it also eliminates all the stress that comes out of gift-giving because I can now sit back and enjoy the holidays instead of being a gigantic ball of tinsel covered stress two days before the twenty-fifth.  Believe me, that is an early Christmas gift to myself.  Who doesn't want a stress free holiday?

Regardless of what your shopping plans are, I hope they are best for you.

In the meantime, I have some wrapping to do.  I'll see you tomorrow for the weekly Tuesday Timeline!

Why People Should Not "Spot" or "Be Spotted" on Facebook

It seems hard to believe, but Facebook is ten years old this year.  The social media giant celebrated that milestone earlier in the year, and over the course of ten years, it is a juggernaut that has connected people with their old friends, introduced an entire generation to millions of puzzle games, and made Mark Zuckerberg one rich man. 

Oh, sure, the social network has endured its fair share of criticism.  It is hard to keep up with the layout changes that take place every ten months or so.  I am also not a fan of having to refuse game requests from eager gamers who want me to send them lives on Candy Crush. 

But despite those minor issues, I am quite happy with using Facebook.  I also use Google+ and Twitter semi-frequently, but as far as mechanics go, I am most used to Facebook.  I do like the fact that I can use the messenger service to chat to people, I like the fact that I can comment on several different things at once, and I have to say that Facebook seems to be the best place to present this blog.

(Note that I said present, and not promote.  I am NOT giving Facebook fifty bucks to create an ad.)

But one thing that people need to learn about Facebook (and other social media sites for that matter) is that they are only as fun as you make them to be. 

For instance, if you're constantly spamming people's newsfeeds with every single article ever written, that isn't much fun.  When every single status is attacking somebody else, that isn't much fun.

And when people hide behind screennames to openly bully people, or slander a person's reputation online, that is most definitely not fun.

I mean, let's face it.  Facebook has nearly one billion accounts in its system.  But that doesn't necessarily mean that all one billion accounts belong to one billion people.  After all, Facebook is banned in some countries (North Korea for example).  In all likelihood, some people out there have more than one account.  Some I know use two accounts to get more freebies on Facebook games, but some use a secondary account to cause mischief on Facebook groups and people's personal pages.

And then there is the issue of Facebook groups that allow people to make anonymous comments about anyone they want without revealing their identities.  To me, groups like that raise an immediate red flag, and it allows people to say basically whatever they want without any sort of repercussions whatsoever.

There is a particular group that has originated in my hometown of all places that is exactly like that.

Perhaps your town might have one of these kinds of sites.  I have seen several for other communities as well that basically work the same way as the one based out of my town.

They usually go by the name "Insert Hometown Name Here" Spotted.  It is a group that people can post on anonymously (under the name of the group) about any kind of topic they want.  But beware.  People who comment don't get that same anonymity.  Their names are in full view for everyone who is a part of the Spotted groups to see.

You can just imagine the powder keg that could explode in a scenario like that one.  It would be easy for someone to post a comment calling someone out in a disgusting manner, and not worry because their post doesn't reveal who they are.  I often wonder if some even do it just to sit back and watch the fireworks fly between other people who get into arguments based on said anonymous posts.  I wouldn't be surprised, let's put it that way.

As far as these "Hometown Spotted" groups go, I will say that in some cases, the sites can be a great source of info - if used correctly.  If you're trying to sell an item, posting ads for apartments, asking locals for assistance in finding the best restaurants, or are searching for a lost pet, then I don't see much of an issue with that.  And for all I know, that very well could have been the intention that the creators of the Spotted groups had - a forum run for people of the community by people of the community.

So, why do the initial comments have to be shrouded in secrecy?

Well, some people like to stir the pot.  They like to call people out on bad behaviour, call people derogatory names, and make fun of people who they feel are different from them. 

They're basically your everyday, run of the mill, yellow-bellied cowards.

I didn't even know that there were sites like this until someone pointed out to me that someone had used the site to verbally attack myself and my other co-workers in the department of the store that I work at.  And the comments that this person left on the Spotted site were not constructive at all.  They were downright mean.

What was worse, the people who commented underneath the post were not only making nasty jabs to the original poster, but they were attacking each other in the comments section.  Some of my co-workers tried to step in and diffuse the situation, but some people just went and turned on them.  I read the whole thread (which seemed to take forever given just how many people were responding), and I could not believe how one comment caused an entire group of people to turn on each other.  I had to turn away in disgust because I did not like what I was seeing.  If I had the ability, I'd have blocked the group entirely.

You see, the Spotted groups to me only exist for one purpose and one purpose only.  It is a group designed for a certain group of people who are bored or frustrated with life to post controversial questions and statements which only serve to divide the community and get people angry with each other for no reason.

I know that I cannot stop these sites from popping up.  But I do have the choice not to use them.

All About Kim's Bass, About Kim's Bass, No Kiddin'

So, Kim Kardashian has a new cover out that has everybody talking.

Yes, by now, I am sure that you have seen photos of the latest issue of "Paper Magazine" (which admittedly is a publication that I have never even heard of, but that is another topic altogether).  On the cover, it shows the most famous (or infamous, if you'd like) of the Kardashian family stripping everything off and posing for the camera in both full frontal and full rear shots.

(NOTE:  I have inserted the censored version of the cover for this blog.  Just Google for the real cover, just in case any four year olds happen to come across it.  Hey, with the amount of tablets and iPads I sell to parents of small children, you never know, right?)

It is the cover that boasted that it would "break the Internet".  And well, I can't say for sure if it really did just that.  But I can tell you that it certainly had the Internet talking about it.

And, well, let us just say that some of the people responding to the cover were not exactly kind.

But then again, can one really say that Kim Kardashian is really considered to be someone who gets a lot of online love from the general public?  Lately it seems as though people seem to jump on the "I Hate Kim Kardashian" bandwagon because it almost seems like the cool thing to do. 

Although in some cases, I can see where she has somewhat made herself her own punchline in the jokes of comedians, late night talk show hosts, and other celebrities.  After all, this is the same woman who first got herself noticed via a sex tape that was leaked to the media in 2007 filmed four years prior.

This is the same woman who married a basketball player and divorced him less than three months later.

This is the same woman who named her child after a compass direction. 

Okay.  I'll be honest.  Those jokes just write themselves.  And yeah, admittedly I have laughed at some of the jokes.  In particular with a meme floating around Facebook and Twitter stating that they had a photo of Kim's ass, and it ended up being a picture of Kanye West.

(Though to be fair, my poking fun at this meme is less of an attack on Kim Kardashian and more of an attack on Kanye West, who I will openly admit is one of the handful of celebrities that I cannot stomach.)

But in my opinion, there is a difference between making a couple of light-hearted jokes about a situation and being flat out mean and cruel.  And, well...some people on social media don't seem to understand that there is a fine line between kidding around and being as big of an ass as...well...yeah, you can insert your own thoughts here.

Look, I'll be the first one to admit that I'm not understanding what the huge deal is with the Kim Kardashian cover.  Kim is hardly the first celebrity to pose nude for a cover shot, and I definitely will tell you that she won't be the last.  I mean, I seem to recall there being as much discussion about a cover that Demi Moore did nearly twenty-five years ago where she posed nude while being pregnant.  Here.  I'll post that cover below.

Now, this was back in 1991, and admittedly society was a lot more conservative back in the early 1990s as it is now.  But, I don't really see anything wrong with the Demi Moore cover.

And, frankly...while many may not agree with me...I don't see anything wrong with Kim Kardashian's cover shot either. 

I mean, even though I showed a censored version of the cover, I've seen the original one, and I am not offended by it at all.  Mind you, I would never purchase that magazine just to get my hands on the cover because A) Kim Kardashian isn't one of my favourite celebrities and B) I would NEVER pay ten dollars for a magazine.  A comic book maybe, but a magazine?  Never.

Many people seem to be reacting to this story as if this is the first time that this has ever happened, but we all know that isn't true.  I just posted an example up above!  And, hey, how many Playboy centerfolds have appeared nude?  I don't have a list, but I am sure that there are plenty.  I mean, the idea that she is showing her badonkadonk in full view on a cover isn't exactly original.

I am sort of surprised that it did seem to take center stage in world news.  I don't really think it's anything newsworthy to be honest.  It isn't as if she cured cancer, or landed on a comet, or became the President of the United States of America.  She took off her clothes, posed for a camera, and submitted those shots to a magazine which published them.  As have thousands of women before her.

But, hey.  I suppose that she did set out what she wanted to do.  Get people talking.  Heck, I'm guilty of it right now by devoting a whole blog to the subject.  But at the very least, I'm trying to keep it tactful and I am trying not to humiliate her.  I'm telling you, some of the comments that I have seen on social media have been brutal from people telling her that she is ugly to people actually telling her that she should die!  And, I don't care how famous one is.  Those comments hit below the belt and are uncalled for.

Look, I get that many people are questioning why or how Kim Kardashian ever became famous (and well, I openly admit to being one of those people).  But anyone who can start up their own line of cosmetics and perfumes, as well as being able to handle the pressures of filming a television show (okay, so it's a not-great reality show, but still it's something)...well, she's done more than I have ever done and is reaping the rewards because of it.  I can't fault her for that. 

And while I'm not exactly going to be keeping up with the Kardashians any time soon, I think it is also important to realize that Kim is only human like the rest of us.  She makes decisions the same way we make them.  She makes mistakes the same way we make mistakes.  And, well...again, I may be making an unpopular comment, but I don't think it is funny to publicly humiliate anyone on a public forum just because of something they did or didn't do.  And whether these nasty comments are brought out by jealousy, anger, or just plain trolling is irrelevant.  It isn't cool to be mean.  Period.  And that goes for whether you are famous or an average Joe/Jane.

Though, I must say...if I ever have kids, I am avoiding names that sound like directions

Tales of a Second Grade Fabricator

All right, so I have made a decision about the future of this blog.  I have decided that beginning now (well, minus the Advent Calendar that I have planned next month), I will focus less on pop culture topics and will put more focus on my thoughts, opinions, and views on a variety of topics.

And, well...if I am feeling brave, I may just share some personal secrets about myself that until now, I have kept private.  But, only if I am feeling brave.  I am not quite there just yet.

I have also made the decision to try and keep my blogs to a minimum.  Sometimes I can be quite verbal, and that can be fine in some cases.  But for people with short attention spans, I get that some of you are probably annoyed by my tendency to drag things on and on and on.

Well, kind of like I am doing now.

So, I promise.  The blog entries will be as precise as possible.

And, as it turns out, I think I have the perfect topic to talk about. 

You know, they say that an online blog can be similar to a journal or diary.  It is a place where you can share your most personal feelings and thoughts, and try to make sense of where things are in life.  Well, okay, so my blog is a lot more...shall we say...public than the average diary, but regardless, it has really helped me come to terms with who I really am, and I love having a space where I can have a voice without being silenced.  Believe me, with the way things are lately, trying to find that voice has not been easy.  So, I appreciate the fact that I have a forum where I can at least share my thoughts.

But, I didn't always feel this way.  In fact, there was a time in which I thought journal writing was one of the most pointless things ever.

I know.  Shocking, isn't it?

Well, back when I was in elementary school - particularly in the first and second grades - we were given a notebook that we would use to record an entry in a journal.  Now, this project would be a year long effort, so given that our notebooks were only 32 pages long, we would go through at least four books - possibly five.

Now, given that we were in grade one and two at the time, our journal entries were a little bit different than a typical journal.  Our journals combined words and pictures.  I know that in first grade, our teacher would go around with a pen and write the text part for us until we learned how to write cursive, but in second grade, we were expected to write our own words.  The pictures were drawn by us, and we would use pencils, crayons, magic markers, or even ink stamps if they were available.

It wasn't anything real fancy.  You just had to write about something that happened to you that day, and draw a picture about it. 

And I absolutely hated it.  For a multitude of reasons.

For one, journal time was also known as the "I can't spell anything, so let's go line up at the fat kid's desk in the corner because he can spell anything!"

Note:  I was that fat kid at the corner desk.  And, yes, after a while, telling kids how to spell words with more than five letters in them grew to be a frustrating experience - especially since none of those kids wanted anything to do with you after you gave them what they wanted.  If only I had charged them a nickel for every letter they wanted spelled...

Oh, and there was also the fact that when I was in grade one and two, my art skills were basically...well...non-existent.  Oh, sure I could draw naked stick people and dogs that looked like "the blob that ate Ohio"...but that was about it.  The kids in the class seemed to have better artistic skills than I did, and it definitely showed.  I only wish that I had kept some of my old grade one journals to show you, but I got rid of that "evidence" years ago.  Thankfully, my art skills and handwriting improved (though thanks to my grade one teacher, I hate writing in cursive).

But, in all honesty, the main reason why I hated writing in my journal was because I didn't really have anything to write about.  Most of the kids wrote about going to friends houses, or winning the blue ribbon in a sports competition, or other fun things that kids did back when they were seven. 

You want to know what my journal entries were all about?  Watching television, staying inside to play games by myself, and basically entertaining myself because there were no kids that lived in my neighbourhood.  Not exactly the most exciting things to write about, wouldn't you say?

I honestly have no idea if I have ever shared this with anyone before...but I may as well share it again.  My biggest confession regarding my journal entries in grade one and two is that 75% of them were total fabrications.

I made them all up.

And, admittedly, the reason why I did it seems so stupid now.  But I made up stories so that I wouldn't have a blank page in my journal book and I made them up so that I could pretend that I was having the same experiences as my peers.  I told some stories too.  I moved to three different houses even though we never did.  I played with kids in the playground even though they didn't know that I was playing with them at the time.  I did all sorts of cool things at home even though I really didn't.  It wasn't as if the teachers provided background checks or anything, so it wasn't like I had to prove that I really played volleyball with Corey, Michael, Jonathan, and Jason in the middle of the school playground the afternoon of May 11, 1988.

I always felt as though I was committing fraud whenever the teachers would hand back our journals, and I would always get stickers saying "Good Job", "Awesome", or "You're Terrific" stuck on the pages filled with lies and half-truths.  Oh, sure, I did a great job illustrating these sweet little lies, but who was I kidding?  I wasn't active, popular, or a member of Fleetwood Mac.  I was just a kid who lived a sedentary lifestyle and didn't bother playing with other kids out of a fear of rejection.  Just because my journal was an exciting (but fictional) read didn't mean that my life was all that exciting.  It was anything but.

That said now...I suppose that making up all those journal entries did help me do one thing.  Sure, I lied like Pinocchio in my journal.  But I also showed that I could be quite the storyteller, and I suppose having to come up with a new journal entry each day helped me awaken my creative side.

(But, just so we're clear.  This story is 100% the truth.  I promise.)

A Hazy Shade Of Epiphany

November 13, 2014

You know, I really thought a lot about what I was going to do this blog on today.  I had already decided that I would do a personal entry as opposed to a pop culture entry because I find it a lot easier to write from the heart than it is to actually research a topic and write a pop culture themed entry.

Now, granted, in some cases, I don't need to do that much research to talk about certain topics.  If I know them well enough, I could probably do a blog entry on them with my eyes closed.  Some of you probably don't remember the game show called "Talk About" where you have to reveal ten words associated with a particular subject by talking about it within a 20 second time period, but that is somewhat how I do my blog entries on pop culture that I know the subject well.  It ends up being a regurgitation of facts, trivia, and personal experience that I somehow organize into a coherent piece.

Of course, there have also been some instances in which I have challenged myself and have written blog posts on subjects in which I was not familiar with the topic.  Whether they were requests from readers, or whether I was doing a Tuesday Timeline entry, I opted to not walk away from a writing challenge.  I researched, double checked facts, and in a lot of cases, I made it work.

After all...I always said that I love a challenge.

And that's why I have been contemplating something.  Something that I have been thinking about for quite some time.

I have a lot of plans for this blog within the next couple of months, and those plans won't change.  But after the holidays are over and we enter the new year, I have to say...I don't think I can continue the blog the way it is going now.

Does this mean that I will be folding up after 2014 ends?  I don't want to.  In fact, I want to keep this going for as long as I am able to.  But after writing pop culture themed topics for three and a half years, I feel as though the blog is getting a little bit stale.

I do enjoy writing every single day, and I don't think that I will ever give up doing it completely.  But lately, I feel as though I have encountered a bit of a dry spell.  I find it harder to come up with topics to talk about, and I haven't really been putting forth as much effort in the blog as I used to.

In all honesty, I think the reason why I have been feeling this way for a while is because I have been under a lot of personal stress the last few months.  With my mom's health struggles, and with wanting to do so much more with my life but always seemingly putting my own needs behind everybody else's, I guess it's beginning to take its toll.

And, well...this has lead to me wondering if I should take on the ultimate challenge. 

I wonder if I should just focus less on the pop culture side of the blog, and instead put all my attention on the life side?

I don't think that I could ever completely give up the pop culture angle altogether.  And I would still do the occasional pop culture blog.

It just wouldn't be the main focus any more.

I even contemplated changing the name of this blog at one point...but I couldn't do that.  This blog has gone under the same name since 2011.  I can't get rid of it that easily.

That's the reason why I came up with the YOU NEVER NOVEMBER WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET month idea.  After keeping a rigid schedule with theme days, I wanted to see if I could handle it if I got rid of the routine and became more spontaneous.  It certainly has helped me become more creative, but something more needs to happen.

All I know for sure is that 2015 is going to be a year that completely changes the way that this blog is presented.  I just don't exactly know how it is going to work out.

All I can say is...you will be seeing a lot more of me in this piece...and that may or may not be a good thing.  The jury is still out on that one.

The Chart-Topping Success of Boyz II Men

Hello, everybody!  We aren't quite halfway through "YOU NEVER NOVEMBER WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET" month, but it is fast approaching.

And you want to know what else is fast approaching?  Christmas.  Now, granted, for the American audiences, you still have Thanksgiving to get through.  But in Canada, there are no more holidays.  Remembrance Day is really the final observance that we have for the year before Christmas. 

Well, okay, unless you happen to be Jewish and you celebrate Hanukkah.  The 8-day festivities this year begin on December 16.

Anyway, I thought that before we get on with today's blog post, I would remind you that beginning on December 1, 2014, I will be featuring the 3rd annual "POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR", where for twenty-five days straight, I will be doing nothing but holiday themed entries.  This will mean that I will be posting Christmas carols, talking about Christmas specials, and attempting to make the Tuesday Timeline entries holiday themed - which is no easy task, let me tell you.

Oh, and during the week of Hanukkah, I will try to incorporate at least a couple of references to the Jewish celebration as well.  After all, I want to try and include everybody.

So, that is what you can expect beginning December 1.  Now the reason why I want to get this out of the way now is because I will not be posting any holiday themed entries (save one for the American Thanksgiving) until the first of December.  Let's be honest.  Stores already have Christmas music blaring non-stop, radio stations have been playing Christmas music since October, and some retailers believe in setting up Christmas trees as early as August.  Believe me.  I understand holiday overload.

So, relax.  November is going to be a great, but slightly unpredictable month.  For instance, I'm posting a Sunday Jukebox entry on a Wednesday.  If that isn't unpredictable, I don't know what is.

And, believe it or not, at the time this song was released, it had tied the record for the most weeks at #1 on the Billboard Charts.  And, even more astonishing, the following year after this single was released, the same group that recorded today's single shattered their previous record by two weeks with a collaboration that they did with Mariah Carey.

The year was 1994.  The group was Boyz II Men.  And the single spent over one quarter of a year at the top of the charts!  That is practically the entire fall season!

I suppose that you want to know what this song is, huh?  Well, here it is.  The #1 hit from twenty years ago.

(Yikes, has it REALLY been twenty years since this song was released?!?  It seems like only yesterday that I was in the eighth grade and this song was playing on PAC 93 all day long!  Boy, do I feel old.)

Ahem...anyway, the song!

ARTIST:  Boyz II Men

SONG:  I'll Make Love To You

ALBUM:  II

DATE RELEASED:  July 26, 1994

PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS:  #1 for 14 weeks

No, that isn't a typographical error.  This song really did top the charts for fourteen straight weeks in 1994, first hitting #1 on August 27 and remaining there until December 2!  That is nearly one hundred days at the top!

At the time, they had tied the record for longest run at #1 on the Billboard charts.  The only other artist at that time to have such a long run was Whitney Houston in 1992-1993 for her cover version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You".

(Funnily enough, the "Macarena" also spent 14 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts in the summer of 1996.)

Of course, being on the top of the Billboard charts is nothing new for Boyz II Men.  After all, if you took all the number of weeks that Boyz II Men spent at the top of the charts total over the last two and a half decades, it would total almost one whole year!

Let's take a look at their first #1 single, "End of the Road" from 1992.  It stayed on the charts for thirteen straight weeks, and at that time had broken the record for most weeks at the top of the charts.  Well, that lasted all of a few weeks because Whitney Houston broke that record in early 1993.  Then came "I'll Make Love To You", which tied Whitney's record in late 1994 - which we will discuss later on in this blog.

Astonishingly, "I'll Make Love To You" was unseated from the top in December 1994 by the single "On Bended Knee" - which was another song by Boyz II Men!  This made Boyz II Men one of only three artists in the history of the Billboard Charts to replace themselves on the top of the singles chart.

(Just so you know, the other two happen to be The Beatles and Elvis Presley.  Pretty good company to share a statistic with, I'll say.)

And, finally in 1995, Boyz II Men performed a song with Mariah Carey entitled "One Sweet Day", which amassed a run of SIXTEEN WEEKS at #1 between late 1995 and early 1996, making it the longest serving #1 song in Top 40 history!

Oh, yeah...the group had one final chart-topper with "4 Seasons of Loneliness" back in 1997 for a week before Elton John's tribute to Princess Diana unseated it permanently from the top spot on Billboard.  But still, you add the weeks all up, and you get fifty weeks at #1 total!  Not a bad achievement, given that this all happened within a five year window!

Anyway, getting back to the song "I'll Make Love To You", I would wager a fairly safe bet that this song is one of the most played at wedding receptions.  And, I wouldn't be surprised if any child born after 1995 was conceived while this song played in background of bedrooms all over the world.

Okay, maybe that was a rather wacky and candid thought.  But I wouldn't be surprised if that was the truth.

The song itself is probably one of the most sensual and passionate songs to be released within the 1990s.  Some might even say that it is one of the most romantic songs ever released.  I don't know if I could agree with that claim, but I can see why lovers all over the world fell in love with it.  These days, love songs are a lot more raunchier, a lot more dirty, and are a lot more offensive than ever before.  I mean, have you ever heard the full version of Rihanna's "Rude Boy"?  Yeah, that doesn't quite have the same effect as Boyz II Men's single, even though both songs are basically about the same thing.

But you know, even if a song is all about sex, it doesn't have to be raunchy.  Rather, Boyz II Men made this song classy, smooth, and sexy without having to go there.

Now, of course some might argue that the world was a very different place in 1994, and yes, they would be correct.  A lot of stuff that people get away with now would definitely be censored or banned in 1994.  But the wonderful thing about "I'll Make Love To You" is that the song still sounds as great now as it did twenty years ago.  It is a song that could be considered timeless for several more years, and unlike some love songs of the past, it does not sound the least bit dated.

No wonder the single ended up winning a Grammy Award in 1995 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.  The single also won two American Music Awards that same year, and is currently listed as the seventeenth song on Billboard's All Time Top 100 list.  And with over one million copies of the single sold in the United States alone, it isn't any wonder how it became so popular.