I've Counted The Days, Day After Day

I Have Waited So Long - Foreigner 

Can you believe THE announcement was almost seven years ago?


*video courtesy Rogers Sportsnet
Yes, that was back in July 2003 and I remember sitting in my shoebox Japanese abode late at night - staying up to find out whether my hometown had won. That bid video set to the voice of Bryan Adams still gives me chills. We've waited so so long and as of today, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games are a mere month away. Yes, 31 days. Are you excited?

At this point, I feel comfortable divulging some news I've had for a while. I have accepted a position to work with NBC during the Olympics! I have been a lifelong Olympics junkie and when the opportunity came, I just couldn't pass it up. It's very much a dream come true. NBC always does a bang-up job of broadcasting the Games and I hope so badly to be able to meet Matt Lauer, since The Today Show will be broadcasting from atop Grouse Mountain the whole time.

Finally, a step in the right direction. Back to media, journalism, and a job that really gets my blood pumping. It also means I'm packing up my bags and moving back home to Vancouver.

I found out I'd landed the job back in August and it's been hard to keep it only to family and close friends. Back in the summer, I thought February was still so far away. And now, I'm moving home in four days.

In other exciting news, I've hooked up with an ambitious little start-up called Define Magazine. It's Vancouver's newest lifestyle online source and our aim is to draw on the abundant amount of writing talent we have internationally, to provide informative and entertaining articles for readers of any demographic. The launch was a mere week ago, so please check out our website and show some support! I'll be contributing articles to them starting late January, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Anyway, with all that said, I am feeling anxious about the move. It always happens before I make a big move. Have I packed everything? OMGImusthaveforgottenSOMETHING! This time, I just have to keep reminding myself that even if I do leave something behind, it's just in my parents' place here and they can bring it for me in a few months when they return to Vancouver. Chill G, chill.

Let the Games begin . . .

Santa Saw A Rabbi & Gave The Strangest Remark

Santa Baby - Reverend Run & The Christmas All Stars 

The Reverend Run version of Santa Baby has always been one of my favourite non-traditional Christmas songs [click here to see the video, courtesy of Yahoo! Music]. On this Christmas Eve afternoon, while helping my parents clean and prepare their new apartment for moving in, I was jamming to what is probably one of my favourite Christmas albums of all-time.

There are always the never-failing standbys. Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas, Michael Bublé's Let It Snow!, and of course, the Very Special Christmas series . . . but what about those of us who crave some R&B-flavoured yuletide Christmas jams?

My album of choice is surprisingly little-known considering the star power it packs into 16 tracks. The Soul Train Christmas Starfest boasts artists ranging from Boyz II Men to Kirk Franklin and everyone in between. This 1997 release catches groups such as Az Yet and Immature at the top of their games and even features Rome taking a wonderful turn at Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.


Don't bother looking for it on iTunes though, as it is not listed. I originally had a cassette copy of this compilation. When that was lost, the only way I could get my hands on a CD copy was through Amazon.com . . . Definitely worth the effort and perfect for lovers of pre-millenium R&B.

Take a listen:
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Immature

Oh Come All Ye Faithful - Az Yet

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Rome
Every Year, Every Christmas - Luther Vandross
It's Christmas [All Over The World] - New Edition
Give Love On Christmas Day - Johnny Gill

When The Cold Wind's Blowing Snow Drifts Through The Pine Trees

All That I Want - The Weepies 

There's something in the air. Can you feel it? It's that tingling buzzy buzz feeling I get every year at the end of November . . .

It starts with my birthday, followed the week after by American Thanksgiving. Then you walk into a mall and boom! Trees! Ornaments! Twinkle lights!

Because guess what? In a few short weeks . . . it'll be Christmas - my most favourite holiday of the year. The atmosphere in the city becomes electric. Mix that in with family gatherings, get-togethers with friends, the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, and feeling like you're on the verge of something.

Then a short week after that? The New Year.

This year, the feeling will last even longer. You better believe it will. Six weeks into the new year, Vancouver will play host to the whole world at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

I, for one, am looking forward to this winter like none other before. Here's to winter!

Stopped Dreaming Of Your Face, Now I Don't Dream At All

Somedays - jacksoul

Heard some news from the Canadian music scene today and it made me very sad. And unfortunately it happened on my birthday.

Haydain Neale, frontman for Juno-award winning R&B/soul group jacksoul, passed away at the age of 39 after a seven month long battle with lung cancer. Like many Canadian musicians, jacksoul kind of got lost in the shuffle, trying to compete with their counterparts from our neighbours to the south. How could they compete with acts such as K-Ci & Jojo and all of their financial backing?

Luckily, because of CanCon, jacksoul got a decent amount of airplay within Canada and some of us were privileged to know their music. When thinking about the type of male voice I find attractive, Neale's was always amongst the ones I'd pick out. What a strong, masculine baritone he had. But unfortunately, Neale has passed just a few short days away from the release of a brand new album.

jacksoul's song "Somedays", from the 2000 album Sleepless, was the particular song I had on repeat when dealing with a certain heartbreak back in the day. It's still one of my favourites. For your listening pleasure:



If you don't know jacksoul or had forgotten about them during their recent hiatus, I urge you to take a journey into their world. They just might touch your soul.

Rest in peace, Haydain Neale
09.03.1970 - 11.22.2009

Stacks On Deck, Patrón On Ice

Whatever You Like - Anya Marina

It's officially the DAB [day after birthday] and this particular birthday did involve the nasty Mexican evilness called tequila. And if you're going to have tequila, you want it to be Patrón.

Makes me think of this song I discovered while watching a recent episode of Gossip Girl. Apparently Anya Marina had wanted to cover a hip hop song for awhile and when she heard TI's chart-topper, she knew she just had to do this particular song.



She has an interesting voice with an innocent quality to it, which makes for an interesting juxtaposition with the subject matter of this song.

I actually prefer the work she's done in her own genre. Reminds me a bit of the popular-after-Apple-used-it-in-an-ad song "Bruises" by Chairlift. Her latest full length album is sophmore effort Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II, released late '08/early '09, depending on the source.

Take a listen:
Vertigo
Two Left Feet
Waters Of March [Águas de Março]
Cowboy