Guilty Pleasures #4: Flowers, Delilah, Doodles, Su-hyun, Eruption, BTS Choreography

     

              

    

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      It seems that I have a lot to be guilty of nowadays. Life is full of guilty pleasures. Do I care if some think I am too frivolous? Heck, no.

  "FLOWERS”

Here’s my disclaimer again: I am not a Miley Cyrus fan but there is no denying the fact that she has great songs in her discography. I love “The Climb” but this new song “Flowers” is my new LSS (last song syndrome). I will add this to my playlist of girl power/ badass songs like “I Will Survive”, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”, “Man, I Feel like a Woman”, and “Panahon na para Magsaya” from Sampaguita.

“I can buy myself flowers, Write my name in the sand / Talk to myself for hours, Say things you don’t understand / I can take myself dancing, And I can hold my own hand / Yeah, I can love me better than you can.”

Hurray to self-empowerment and self-love. Miley’s raw vocals gave this song an authentic expression.  It is a reminder to everyone that we can all rise above all adversities and that we can survive and actually flourish on our own. It is a call to arms for single women (and men) out there that they do not need to stay in an unfulfilling relationship.

I have been buying flowers for myself for a long time. And I am okay with it.

This is the lyrics video. Watch her official video at your own risk  😊

 

2)   DELILAH’S SAPPY LOVE SONGS

"You're listening...to Delilah." Anybody who is into romance would know the self-anointed “Queen of sappy love songs.” Delilah is an ultra-famous radio personality with a nationally-syndicated call-in and dedication request program. With about 200 stations and approximately 8 million listeners, Delilah’s distinctive voice has ruled the airwaves.  

Whether it’s about missing a special someone or trying to get over a heartbreak, or someone who needs encouragement and tough decisions to get out of an abusive relationship, Delilah has a song.

Recently, the stories inspired me to write more love stories. One was between a paramedic and a nurse. Another call-in story ended with her reuniting high-school sweethearts. She is better than all those match-making sites out there.

And then, we learned about a widowed woman who married her brother-in-law. The woman’s sister passed away several years before, almost at the same time as her own husband also died. Long story short, the widow and the widower blended their big family together, and the cousins became step-siblings and lived happily ever after.

It’s not just schmaltz and saccharine. She does not hold back with giving tough love advice to those she gently calls knuckleheads. She went through all life's ups and downs and always spoke from her heart.

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1319-hey-its-delilah-92847861/

 

3)  THE ART OF DOODLING

I am guilty of doodling when stuck in a long or boring meeting. Doodling while in a long meeting keeps me sane. I do not mean to disrespect the speakers, but I just needed to draw or sketch in my notebook in order not to zone out or sleep. I doodled so I could concentrate or release some tension, my cortisol-reducing activity. Well, this was my excuse whenever my seatmate nudged me to pay attention.

A psychologist named Andrade wrote that doodlers actually retain more information than non-doodlers. I also learned that J.K. Rowling doodled faces and characters as she wrote Harry Potter. Hmmm, maybe that’s a better excuse. 

 

      LEE SU-HYUN 

There is joy in discovering new talents. Especially if it is just a consequence of the BTS rabbit hole that I am (proudly) in now.

Lee Su-hyun, 23, is a delightful singer from South Korea. She is one-half of the brother-and-sister team of Akdong Musician (AKMU), who rose to prominence after winning a talent contest. During her brother’s military enlistment, Su-hyun joined a group of “buskers” or street performers who performed on the streets of Portugal, Hungary, and Italy as part of the “Begin Again” troop. 

Begin Again is a musical reality tv show where musicians and singers who were renowned and established in South Korea traveled to these European countries where they were virtually unknown. These singers were like ambassadors of sorts by promoting Korean music to the rest of the world. Instead of the New York subways, they staked their claim in plazas and squares near the lakes of Lisbon and Budapest.

Together with Lena Park, Hareem, and Henry, Su-hyun enthralled the crowds and stopped them on their feet. The faces of the audience reflected their wonder at seeing these talented musicians singing mostly in Korean. They might not have known the words, but the music touched their hearts. Beautiful music transcends the language barrier.

Su-hyun’s soprano voice is melodious, mesmerizing, and soothing. Like Lea Salonga, her voice evokes a Disney princess vibe. Her delivery is effortless, flawless, and hauntingly beautiful. The audience did not have any choice but to be captivated.

And then, as a pleasant surprise, one of my favorite Korean actors, Lee Dong Wook, worked with Su-hyun in the tv show “Sea of Hope” and dueted with her. The ladies were all swooning, I'm sure. Kilig much.

“ERUPTION”

The latest dance craze on TikTok is a remixed version of a Vietnamese pop song “See Tinh”. Enter Eric “Eruption” Tai, who posted videos of himself and his team gyrating to the “ting ting tang tang tang” dance.

Eric is a Tongan-Filipino actor, model, TV host, comedian, and former rugby union player, but he went through hard times before he hit it big with his gaming endorsements but most especially after his Tiktok dance went viral. 

How could this 6’1” muscled giant dance so effortlessly and gracefully? I cannot even coordinate my arms and legs without looking awkward. I have no rhythm or symmetry.

BTS CHOREOGRAPHY

My readers know my obsession with the supergroup BTS from South Korea, with all my blog posts gushing about this international group.

Here’s why I like (correction, LOVE) BTS.  

https://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2022/04/why-i-like-bts-and-my-top-10-favorite.html

The 300-plus song catalog of a 13-year career is filled with a variety of songs that cater to all kinds of genres: pop, ballads, hip-hop, rock, R&B, soul, rap, jazz, and electronic dance music (EDM). Their videos are a feast for the eyes, sometimes overwhelming, while others are artistic and dramatic.

The choreography for the upbeat songs is simply amazing. The dance practice videos are exhilarating to watch. Even sans the glitzy costumes, magnificent sets, and fireworks, the dance practices are unbelievable. 

How can anyone be so limber? How could they not be gasping for air and out of breath? Their stamina may be attributed to these seven men practicing while on the treadmill. Heck, I get tired just watching them move. Oh, to be young.

 

PART 3- https://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2019/07/guilty-pleasures-part-3-audio-books.html

Guilty Pleasures Part 2- https://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2012/12/guilty-pleasures-part-2.html
Guilty Pleasures Part 1- http://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2010/12/on-not-feeling-guilty-about-guilty.html

GUILTY PLEASURES, Part 3- Audio books, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Jigsaw puzzles, Videos, and Cartoons

Living life to the fullest means you should take pleasure in everything you do. The term Guilty Pleasures no longer mean to me as something to be hidden or to be guilty about, for who cares for others' opinions anyway. It just means exploring the things that make you who you are, someone unique and interesting. I am my own person, someone who’s comfortable in my own skin and my own eccentricities. I am celebrating all my flaws and imperfections.


1. AUDIO BOOKS-

I once said I will never ever do Kindle because I would rather smell my books and dog-ear the pages. Well, not only did I do Kindle, but I switched to Audio books. As I drive to and from work, I switch on the Audible app on my smartphone and listen along to versatile narrators bringing my favorite books to life. I have listened to Watchers by Dean Koontz, and although I have read the book many times before, I thrilled to the spoken words. I laughed, I cried, and I squealed in suspense. What would have been a trip of road rage against reckless drivers turned into a pleasant stress-reducing journey, I did not mind the vagrants crossing the streets against the traffic lights along 125th Street in Harlem.

The audio book also doubled as my pronunciation tutor. I learned to pronounce words like “brusque”, and “Worcestershire” and finally learned the difference between “Bon Mot” and “Bon Appetit”. However, I gave up with “Otorhinolaryngologist” and just called it as ENT.

I have enjoyed other Dean Koontz books like “Lightning” and “From the Corner of His Eye” and they sounded as fresh as when I read them years ago. My next audiobooks will be the Harry Potter series; I have read all of JK Rowling's books but it would be magical to re-imagine them again through the narration. Then, I will get the “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. I cannot wait!!!!


2. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

Brooklyn Nine-Nine found its second life in NBC after Fox canceled it. The show continues to thrive in its new environment with a raucous cast of characters set in an NYPD police station in Brooklyn’s 99th Precinct. Who knows that goofy detectives can be also amazing in their job? The ensemble cast is quirky and irreverent. I love Jake, Amy, Rosa, Terry, and the inscrutable Captain Holt with his deadpan reactions.

I would love Brooklyn Nine-Nine even with this one line-up episode. I sang the chorus with Andy Samberg with the same gusto. I really like it that way.




3. JIGSAW PUZZLES

After a hard day’s work, I wind down the day with the online jigsaw puzzles. Much more convenient than the 500 or 750 tile pieces that used to litter my dining table. About twenty years ago, I spent countless of hours assembling the tessellating pieces, while my son was contentedly singing along to Barney.

Now, the online jigsaw puzzles are my de-stressor. I forget about work and just concentrate in moving the classic-shaped tiles around, as the full picture emerges. I visualize my neurons working, making their stand against Alzheimer’s. A research study actually confirmed that “lifelong jigsaw puzzle experience might be one out of many cognitive activities that may contribute to a delayed clinical manifestation of neurocognitive disorders” (Fissler et al, 2017).

Hmmm, not bad as an inexpensive way to protect the brain.



4. VIDEOS OF CAKE DECORATIONS, SEWING HACKS, AND NAIL ART-

I confess that I get mesmerized with videos that I have no plans of doing. I don't bake since I almost burned my eyebrows, I hate sewing, especially since I cannot thread the thread into the needle, and I would rather pay money than mess up my cuticles again. Maybe, it’s what I do in an alternate universe, but not in this reality. Maybe I should stop making fun of my friend who loves watching chess moves online; maybe the chess master’s droll voice is his own guilty pleasure. Like watching paint dry.

https://www.facebook.com/tastemade/videos/479403805941590/
https://www.facebook.com/5min.crafts/videos/887066671625257/
https://www.facebook.com/yatinaildesigns/videos/1971710606465956/


5. DRAWING CARTOONS

I would love to publish a Nursing Comics Cartoons book. I dreamt of having a panel of comic strips showing a nurse in her milieu. Sadly, I am not any near as good as I want to be, so I just draw for pleasure. Maybe someday?





Guilty Pleasures Part 2- https://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2012/12/guilty-pleasures-part-2.html
Guilty Pleasures Part 1- http://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2010/12/on-not-feeling-guilty-about-guilty.html

GUILTY PLEASURES , Part 2: Maxine, Movies, Musicals, ABBA, Fifty Shades

I am as guilty as everybody else. I proclaim my preference for things that may be considered campy, embarrassing, and unsophisticated by some misguided souls.

The guilt is not from liking them, but in that perverse pleasure of adding color and uniqueness to my otherwise ordinary and strait-laced life. Somehow there is humor in shattering people's expectations as they realize that there are more to you than meets the eye. Life becomes more interesting when you do things outside the box.

Hahaha, I am a paradox. Layers of contradictions, some kind of a biological puzzle. I am thirty shades of surprises. I am me.


THESE ARE MY GUILTY PLEASURES:


1. MAXINE- that crabby character from the Hallmark cards, who says what she wants when she wants. At this time in my life, I still have to filter my words and refrain from rolling my eyes at some absurd people, lest I offend someone. Or lose my job.

When the time is right, I want to be Nurse Maxine.

2. FAVORITE MOVIES- There are movies that just stay with you long after the credits had stopped rolling.

Airplane- was voted as the funniest movie of all time with three-laughs-a-minute rating, as per a recent survey by Love Film. This spoof disaster film starred Leslie Nielsen of the famed "I am serious and don't call me Shirley” quote.

Sleepless in Seattle- at least once a year, I watch this romantic comedy by Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. When “Sam” talked about missing his departed wife, I joined the chorus of “Awwws” from the radio listeners. The movie sound track was terrific, even the song “Makin’ Whoopee”.





Big- another Tom Hank starrer. This is a feel-good family movie of a child who wanted to be a grown-up. And he ended up having fun with the piano at FAO Schwartz. Heart and Soul and Chopsticks.





Harry Potter- turned J.K. Rowling from a welfare mom to the richest woman in United Kingdom, even richer than the Queen. I am a bigger fan of the book, but the movies mesmerize me. Especially the scene when Neville Longbottom, who used to be bumbling and mediocre, turned into my new favorite when he decapitated the snake Nagini. That deserved my loud “YES” (and fist pump) at the theater which earned an embarrassed laugh from my son. Have I traumatized him for life?

3. MUSICALS- I have been very vocal about my unrealized dream as a singer. It started when I got hooked with musicals, whether on stage or in the movies. It’s like being transported in an alternate universe of songs.

Singing in the Rain always leaves a smile on my face. Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor. Absolutely top-notch dancing with the milk rain and umbrella-twirling and upturned couches. Jean Hagen was hilarious as the shrill-voiced Lana Lamont.



Other favorites- Sound of Music, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon



4. ABBA, a Swedish pop group provided the background music to my high school and college years. The group had long disbanded, but their music stood the test of time, thankfully, with tribute bands and the musical and movie “Mamma Mia.”

"I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see."






5. FIFTY SHADES OF GREY JOKES-

Out of curiosity, to see what the hype is all about, I bought the book. Only Book 1; I don't have any interest in Books 2 and 3. Mommy-porn erotica does not appeal to me. Men with BDSM predilections scare me, even though Christian Grey is hot, hot, hot. (fans self)

What started as an e-book Twilight-based fan fiction by E.L. James became a run-away best-seller and spawned a whole industry of BDSM products and copycat books, and now a musical.

Critics bash the writing as "abysmal and sophomoric". My inner goddess says those critics are just jealous because E.L. James just got lucky and is now a very, very rich woman.

And that’s what I am impressed with. Every author dreams of hitting it big. Erika Leonard James certainly had a roller-coaster year, with a movie in the works.

I also love the jokes that came out of this book. I just get a perverse pleasure in seeing the shock on people's faces when I unleash my quirky sense of humor.

Overheard at the bookstore, two females in their 70s were discussing the merits of the book Fifty Shades. The ladies were nicely dressed and made-up, with bouffant blue-rinsed hair.
Lady#1: "This book reminds me of the good old days."
Lady #2: "Huh, speak for yourself. My playground is still active."
They both looked at me when I chuckled.
Me: "Good for you, lady."


Funny how you can get different reactions from the audience. We had a meeting one day with the ED leadership to discuss some changes in our electronic tracking board, with ten people in the room.
Chief: "We need to change the color of this new icon to gray."
MD: "Gray is boring."
Me: "There are fifty shades of gray."
Reactions (coughing, laughter, gasps of horror, surprise, confusion.)
Me: "Just kidding; just want to wake you up."



How can I hit it big when all I really want is to write innocent Harlequin-book romances?



PART 1- http://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2010/12/on-not-feeling-guilty-about-guilty.html
PART 3- https://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2019/07/guilty-pleasures-part-3-audio-books.html

On Not Feeling Guilty About Guilty Pleasures: Korean Telenovelas, Harry Potter, Books, Old-time Crooners, Norman Rockwell, Food

If something gives me pleasure, why should I feel guilty?

According to Wikipedia (another guilty pleasure), a guilty pleasure is "something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it". The "guilt" involved is sometimes simply fear of others discovering one's lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes.

Excuse me, but I don't consider my tastes "low-brow"; it's just that others do not have the same good taste that I have. Really, no accounting for taste. (Picture me clicking my fingers with an attitude.)

Young ones mistakenly think that they need to conform to be cool. But in my maturity and wisdom, I can finally claim my God-given right to state my own opinions and proclaim them to the whole wide world without fear of repercussions, without any embarrassment, or a dip in my social standing... what the heck, I deserve my guilty pleasures.

So, dear readers, these are my favorite things:


1. Korean Telenovelas-


Watching Korean dramas till dawn (even though I had school papers to write early this year) and reliving lost youth with sweet romances and naivete, albeit with subtitles.

For full measure, I even had the audio turned up just to hear their voices. "Saranghae" (I love you) sounds more romantic in Korean. Lee Min Ho, Lee Dong Wook, Jo Hyun Jae... all gorgeous and, unfortunately, too young. ( Ah, to be 18 again).
NOT GUILTY!



2. Harry Potter-

I am a Muggle and I'm proud of it. Magic and sorcery are woven with masterful and imaginative brushstrokes by welfare mom-turned-cultural icon J.K. Rowling. More bonding through reading, I shared Harry, Ron, and Hermione with my son through seven books, most of which I devoured one night way ahead of my son... just to explain the eye bags the day after.
NOT GUILTY!



3. Books- check out my design template

By my modest approximation (and a big dent to my finances), I have close to a thousand books in my home, half of which are unfortunately packed in boxes waiting for that time when I have a bigger house.

My future library will have wall-to-wall shelves that will be bulging with my classics collection- some Agatha Christie and Jane Austen novels, and certainly none of that brain-numbing-torture-from-highschool Shakespeare nor Tolstoy for me.

My eclectic collection will display my fascination with numerous authors, especially Angelou, Keillor, Koontz, Sparks, Roberts, Baldacci, Meyer, Higgins Clark, Grisham, Cornwell, Albom, Sheldon, and that queen of humor, Bombeck.

It all started at age 16 with extreme addiction to Mills and Boon romances with their British maidens and dashing foreign-born heroes; I flashback to those nights spent under covers with a flashlight just so as not to disturb my mom.

No Kindle for me. Why spoil the pleasure of smelling the books and of putting dog ears on the pages (to the utmost consternation of my son, who hates putting dog ears on books)?
NOT GUILTY!

Addendum: 6/12/14. Argh! I have succumbed to the temptation of convenience. Finally got a Kindle and loaded up on books since I have no time to go to bookstores anymore. On rare occasions, I have managed to sneak to the neighborhood CVS stores to buy books that I can smell and dog-ear.



4. Old-time crooners
Perry Como, Matt Monroe, and Andy Williams were respected vocalists of eras gone by when the singing was seemingly effortless and their intonations impeccable. When the crooners looked debonair and suave in suits, or in Williams' case, sweaters. No low-waist pants with crotches on their knees worn by hip-hop artists of today (shudders). For the record... these gentlemen were actually before my time.

Listen to Perry Como's "And I Love You So". Close your eyes and let the melodious voice envelop you like a warm embrace. Sigh.
NOT GUILTY!







5. Norman Rockwell

One of my prized possessions was a gift of an oversized Norman Rockwell book from a friend (Thanks, Fe-pot). According to filmmaker Steven Spielberg, “Rockwell painted the American dream — better than anyone.”

My mouth watered at the glorious illustrations of Americana. His vivid portraits of everyday life graced the covers of The Saturday Evening Post. I had dreamed of following in his footsteps, until my rude awakening that I can't draw bodies, only faces.
NOT GUILTY!



6. Food- "I see food, I eat"

Can't get the Thai Crunch salad from California Pizza Kitchen out of my mind: Interesting flavors with fried wonton strips, fried rice strips, avocado, cabbage, carrots, scallions, cucumber, cilantro, edamame, and peanuts with lime-cilantro and Thai peanut dressing.

Yummy!!! Never mind that this salad staggers with 1460 calories!!!
NOT GUILTY!


I'm not guilty!!!!! I'm pleased. :)


PART 2- http://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2012/12/guilty-pleasures-part-2.html

PART 3- https://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2019/07/guilty-pleasures-part-3-audio-books.html