Monday, April 25, 2011

Amazing "Smooth Criminal" performance cello style



"Smooth Criminal" is probably my all time fave MJ song, so when I saw this on The Ellen Degeneres Show today I was blown away.

I love instrumental music in general and I've always liked the cello, after watching this I think it's my new favourite instrument (next to the piano).

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Song of the Moment: Fisher- You



I've been listening to this one a lot this past week, it's so introspectively soothing. :).

I've really gotta get more albums from this great band I've got a couple already my fave being "Uppers and Downers".

But they've released a couple of new albums recently with some more great songs I really want to hear in full.  
Such an awesome band, but hardly seems to get any attention.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Roger Federer's movie start moment with Credit Suisse

Kim Clijsters French Open participation stays alive

It's been forever since my last update:D.  But I come bearing good news :).


BRUSSELS: Kim Clijsters is on track to be fit in time for the French Open following the ankle injury she sustained while at a cousin’s wedding, her physiotherapist told the Het Nieuwsblad newspaper.

“Kim is able to walk about without crutches, She needs some four to six weeks to complete her recovery. We are perfectly on track,” said Sam Verslegers.

“If Kim can get back into training in four weeks, she would have two weeks in which to get ready for Roland Garros. But we are not there yet.”

Verslegers said that Clijsters was also recovering well from injuries to her shoulder and wrist.

The Belgium world number two has won the last two Grand Slam tournaments – last year’s US Open and the Australian Open in January. She has never won the French Open having lost twice in the final.

 dawn.com

Granted it's still not a definite, but there's hope.

Staying positive.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Kim Clijsters may miss French Open again!

Kim Clijsters, who won the last two Grand Slam singles tennis championships, may miss next month’s French Open after injuring her ankle at a cousin’s wedding. 

Clijsters, a two-time French Open runner-up from Belgium, was already facing four weeks on the sideline because of shoulder and wrist injuries. The ankle will need at least 4-6 weeks of recovery time, according to a statement posted yesterday on Clijsters’s website

“Since the French Open starts in literally six weeks, Kim’s presence in Paris is very uncertain,” the statement said. “In the meantime Kim has to continue working on her recovery of a shoulder and wrist injury.” 

The statement didn’t provide any details on how Clijsters injured her ankle. It said she tore and strained ligaments, and that “the consequences are rather dire.” 

Clijsters, 27, won the U.S. Open in September and captured her fourth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January. She’s No. 2 in the women’s tennis rankings.


Well crap, I think I totally jinxed it.  It's going to be one boring WTA French Open that's for sure.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Grey's Anatomy The Music Event review

So I haven't written about Grey's Anatomy much other then the one post about the 2nd season finale back in May of '06 (the year I started this blog!).

Wow.  Well anyway I give up on the show around season 3, or 4.  I'm not sure what did it really.

Though if I'm being honest I guess it was in large part due to what I liked to call "whiney Meredith " at the time.

At the end of season 4 that character had just become unbearable to me (I like Ellen Pampeo) but just couldn't stand the way the character was being written anymore.

It got to the point where that character sucked the enjoyment out of my most favourite characters (Callie, Bailey, George, Alex).

Thus completely diminishing my interest in the show till about season 5.  At which point the show went through some major cast changes and added some new characters.  My absolute fave being Arizona Robbins (played by Jessica Capshaw).

A perky, peppy pediatric surgeon who cries when faced with authority.  I honestly thought I would hate the character at first (since Grey's had a very similar character a few years ago), Dr. Sydney I think.

And I generally hate nauseatingly happy t.v. characters (not to mention real people)  But it turns out this new character had a wonderfully human and compassionate side, (that perhaps the other one lacked).

She also became a voice of reason and moral compass for many of the other characters ( thus balancing the craziness that often occurs on this show).

The introduction of these new characters really helped to re-energize the show, and brought back the great natural comedy and zippy one liners it was once known for.

And which somehow got swallowed up in all the Izzie/Meredith drama   Focusing more on the secondary characters didn't hurt either.

Anyway, I got totally off track.  Back to the original point of this blog.  On March 31st Grey's Anatomy ventured into new territory with a musical episode.

Complete with the majority of the cast providing their own voices.  Ok, so maybe the new territory part isn't entirely true, thanks to shows like Glee.

Many fans have been comparing Grey's to Glee which to me is like comparing apples to oranges.

Mostly because Grey's Anatomy is a drama, and Glee is the complete opposite.  It's all about the music, so much so that a lot of Glee's stories sometimes suffer in quality (especially this year).

While music has always been a large part of Grey's Anatomy making many non-main stream artists into household names (The Fray being one).

It had never been used to tell a story quite this way before.

And while Grey's is certainly not the first t.v. show ever to attempt a musical Xena's The Bitter Suite (being one of the first back in the 90's) but never gets any credit for actually inspiring Joss Whedon's Buffy Once More with Feeling.

I thought the concept itself worked really well.  Having Callie in a coma after a serious car accident and having an out of body experience (or more specifically her soul) go through a journey watching everyone around her work hard to save her body.

Again not exactly a new concept, but an effective one nonetheless.  I knew that this episode was either going to be loved or hated by the fans (there never seems to be an in between when it comes to musicals).

And I'm not sure how split the percentages are on that front, but I'm definitely in the 'love' camp. The music arrangement was really well done, (hats off to that person).

As was the singing, most fans know Sara Ramirez has an amazing voice (having won a Tony for Spamalot), but who knew there was so much hidden talent among the non-singers?!.  Kevin Mckidd (Owen Hunt).  Boy, does that man have a set of pipes!.

A lot of people raved about Chyler Leigh (Lexie Grey), while little was mentioned about Jessica Capshaw who to me was the most impressive out of the lot.

Holding your own while singing a duet with Sara on KT Tunstall's "Universe and U" (IMHO one of the toughest songs on the album).  That takes guts, but she really pulled it off.

Both their voices complemented one another quite well.  At times she really sounded like KT (especially in the first verse and the bridge) which were unfortunately not featured in the episode. 

And while Sara was undoubtedly the superior one when it came to the singing, Jessica really stole the show acting wise, with many emotionally poignant scenes.  A box of tissues was definitely needed.

The other cast member I was pleasantly surprised by was Justin Chambers (Alex Karev) his short verse in "Running on Sunshine" was impressive, and kind of made me wish he had a bigger part.

All in all it was a risk, that could have been a total disaster, but instead turned out to be something very special, and highly entertaining, not to mention very rewarding for long time viewers.

Ok, I think that's the end of my rant.  I meant to post this back in March, but better late then never I guess.

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Kim Clijsters sidelined for 4 weeks with shoulder in wrist injuries

The 27-year-old, Kim Clijsters has been advised by doctors to take at least four weeks off to recover from shoulder and wrist injuries. 

The Australian Open champion, earlier, has withdrawn in the fourth round of the Indian Wells tournament in March, due to shoulder injury and one week later, she participated in the Sony Ericsson Open 2011 and lost in the quarter-finals in Miami last week to ultimate champion Victoria Azarenka with a weirdly energetic performance.

The Belgium has said that, there were too many successive aches and pains that just didn’t want to disappear and it gets into your head and stated that she really wants to be there at this year’s Roland Garros.

According to the doctors the tests showed that both joints were “clearly overstrained”, and because of that, the world no.2,  Clijsters will miss Belgium’s Fed Cup World Group semi-final match which is scheduled from 16-17 April against the Czech Republic in Charleroi and will be out of the Madrid Open, which will be commencing from 29 April to 8 May.


Kim Clijsters, who was out of last year's French Open Grand Slam tournament due to ankle injury, was a two time finalist in Roland Garros event in the year 2001 and 2003. She stated that, she really wants to be there at this year’s Roland Garros.

If her recovery goes according to the plan, she will next compete on clay at the Rome event, which starts on 9 May, 2011.


I really hope she's able to heal in time, I was really looking forward to her playing at the French Open this year (given this will probably be the absolute last time).  Keeping my fingers crossed.  Get well soon Kim!.

Monday, April 04, 2011

Song of the Moment: Grey's Anatomy cast- How to Save a Life




Ever since watching the musical ep last week I can't get enough of this song (again). 

It's the song that introduced and made me fall in love with The Fray which Grey's Anatomy helped put on the map.

There's something about the rawness of this song (and this version in particular) that really speaks to me. 

Bravo to the entire cast of the show, for reminding me why I started liking this band in the first place.

Saturday, April 02, 2011

Catching up with Kim Clijsters

Defending Sony Ericsson Open champion Kim Clijsters is one of the most personable players in professional tennis… and it’s hard not to like her. 

She balances motherhood with a demanding career, is a seven-time recipient of the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award, an honor awarded by her peers; and has christened her Twitter followers as her “Tweethearts.”

Oh yeah, and then there’s her on-court accomplishments. 

Her win at the Australian Open gave the Belgian her fourth Grand Slam singles title, her second consecutive major after taking home the US Open trophy in 2010. She’s the owner of 41 WTA singles titles, including three WTA season-ending championships (2002, 2003 and 2010). 

Perhaps her most noteworthy accomplishment to date is this fact - Clijsters is one of just six players in WTA history to hold the No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles simultaneously, a feat she achieved in August of 2003.

We caught up with Clijsters tonight after her remarkable comeback win over Serbian Ana Ivanovic, where she saved five match points before winning the fourth round contest 7-6(4), 3-6, 7-6(5).

The Sony Ericsson Open attracts a lot of families… some out of town and even some international visitors. Being a mother of a young child yourself, what places in Miami do you recommend for family-friendly activities?

KC: Well, there are a lot of things to do. The sea aquarium that’s on Key Biscayne here is nice… then there are nice beaches, so if it’s not too hot, you can always take them there.



We’ve rented bikes while we’re here… we’ve been doing a lot of bike riding and had picnics at the end of the island. There’s the children’s museum as well and we took Jada to the Bayside Mall, to walk around and get the Miami atmosphere. So yeah, there are many things. We don’t drive too far because I still have to play, so we haven’t been to Disney[world] yet, haha.

Speaking of Jada, what is she up to these days? She’s at that age where curiosity really starts to blossom!

KC: Yeah definitely. Curiosity and a lot of energy. She likes to test us now. When you say no, she likes to try it again and you say no again (smiles). It’s very hands on but this age is a lot of fun as well. She’s starting to talk really well and speaks both Flemish and English.


And now for our “Toss Up” question of the day, between your husband Brian and yourself: Who is better at playing the other one’s sport… and do you have any evidence to back this up?

KC: Oooh! Brian plays more tennis than I play basketball. I’d say he’s better because he’s done it more. But I enjoy watching basketball. We’ve been following the NCAA tournament live and we’ve been to many games.


The Last Time You…

Bought Tennis Balls:
We bought them in New Jersey before the US Open at the Atlantic Club, so not too long I’d say.


Lost Something Valuable: Haha, I lose important stuff all the time. I recently couldn’t find my engagement ring. I looked everywhere and it ended up being somewhere completely unexpected. It’s like I knew it was so important that I put it in a safe place that no one else would find! But yes, I’m always misplacing valuable items.


Went To A Concert: Let me think for a second. We go to a lot of concerts… Kings of Leon, that was our most recent one.


Visited A Country For The First Time: In January actually. I went to Thailand and played in an exhibition with Caroline Wozniacki and the Bryan Brothers were also there. Brian and I loved it. It was a very enjoyable experience.


Slept Eight Hours Or More In A Row: Not too long ago. Not last night because Jada needed something but the night before, I slept long. We’re very lucky that she’s so good when it comes to sleeping!.


 sony ericsson

Friday, April 01, 2011

Martina Hingis returns to Eastbourne exhibiton

Five-time Grand Slam winner Martina Hingis will be one of the star attractions at the exhibition event to launch the AEGON International after agreeing to take part in the event at Devonshire Park in June.
 
The 30-year-old, who won Wimbledon as a 16-year-old in 1997, is one of a number of tennis legends who will be playing in Eastbourne at the start of the joint ATP/WTA tournament.

Confirmation of Hingis’ participation comes hot on the heels of the announcement that ex-Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic will also grace the Eastbourne courts in June.

Swiss tennis star Hingis, who retired from the professional game in 2007, will take part in singles and mixed doubles matches on the opening Sunday and Monday to kick off the prestigious grass court tournament.

Hingis said: “It’s such a delight to be invited back to Eastbourne. I have fond memories of the event as I won in the doubles event with Anna Kournikova when I played in 1999. I know it’s going to be a lot of fun and can only hope that the sun will shine once again!”

Hingis and Ivanisevic aren’t the only big names who will be at Devonshire Park so watch this space for announcements on more top players closer to the event.

Tournament Director Gavin Fletcher added: “We are absolutely delighted to be welcoming Martina down to Eastbourne in June.

“Tennis fans from the south east will now be able to watch one of the biggest names in the history of the game as well as current world class players, on their doorstep. The AEGON International promises to be another fantastic tournament and having legends of the game like Martina play at the start of the week is the perfect way to kick it off.”

Daily ticket prices for the exhibition event start at £25, which also includes access to the AEGON International matches. Those customers who have already purchased ground access passes for Sunday 12th June will have an opportunity to ‘top-up’ their ticket to secure access to the Centre Court for this extravaganza.