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So I've seen Celine more times than I can count... No, kidding. I've been counting and after last night's concert, I'm up to 6. The first 5 times were in Las Vegas where I saw her "A New Day..." show at Caesars Palace. It was truly spectacular and I had 2nd row seats twice so I got to see her up close in all her dramatic Canadian glory. Of course, I had to fly out every time and I kinda hate flying.
But last night, Celine came to me....well, she came to the ATL. Much more convenient, thanks! The concert reminded me of her Vegas show a little with the dancers and moving stage contraptions. She's a complete entertainer, almost like she was born to be on stage. Her hands are little supporting artists by the way they move and gesture. I could watch her hands alone.
The lady beside was laughing at/with Celine, too, and said a few times, "She's crazy." Because she really, really is.
She sang all her hits, including "My Heart Will Go On" which made us all weepy, and quite a few songs from Taking Chances. The highlight for me was "Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore" because that song is 1. in french and 2. f'd up.
I didn't buy a t-shirt because Celine has a penchant for sticking her pretty face on everything. I get beat up often up for all my other (tasteful) interests so I just got mug, a program and not one, but two posters. I didn't buy the Celine candle for my shrine. Just kidding, I don't have a shrine <shifty eyes>.
Free Celine Dion tickets for Quebec show sell online for $700 (Montreal Gazette, 6/18/2008)
The bidding has started for the special free concert pop diva Celine Dion will give for Quebec City's 400th anniversary. Scalpers are asking for as much as $700 for a pair of tickets given away for free.
A frenzy has surrounded the distribution of tickets for the exclusive open-air show Dion is headlining with other Quebec artists on Aug. 22 on the historic Plains of Abraham.
Since the beginning of the month, organizers of the 400th celebrations have been giving away tickets every week at surprise locations across the province unveiled a few minutes beforehand on local radio stations. Each time, thousands of Dion fans are literally racing to the spot to get their hands on the much-sought-after tickets.
Last week in Quebec City, hundreds of angry fans walked away from a shopping mall empty-handed when the 4,000 tickets ran out.
Crazy Canadians! I'm trying to imagine any other place in the world that Celine could drive bonkers like this and I'd have to say... China and all its neighbors. She has a spell on those Asian-y places that has mostly eluded western nations. Is it because we're better? I think so.
USA! USA! USA! Just getting ready for the Olympics... Becky Hammon, point guard for the WNBA San Antonio Stars, is too. Only she'll be playing for RUSSIA! And you know what: She's not Russian. She just became a citizen earlier this year so she could play for their basketball team. They're paying her a seven figure salary to not be a patriotic American! There's also the fact that the USA doesn't want her on OUR team.
I'm honestly not judging because I think everyone has a price. She says she's playing for the gold medal, but I think the money helps. A lot. And anyway, she's not the only one doing this. It's just doesn't seem in the spirit of the Olympics. Well, if you ignore the IOC corruption and messed up bidding process... Ok, maybe it's exactly in the spirit.
Thank you for helping me kickstart my five year plan. Without you, I wouldn't be able to save for our next house... no, wait, I don't need you for that. I just need Cylinda to STOP LEECHING. The cats could help too, but that's nearly a lost cause. I still have ideas, though...
Well, TM (we're on a friendly basis), you're there to help me achieve inner peace, aren't you? No, wait, the Dalai Lama beat you to it. You help test my inner peace, though. Kudos for that!
TM, are you helping me learn how to speak French without sounding like an idiot? No, actually, there's no one who can help me with that, although my Frenchy teacher is trying very hard. I'll give her kudos, too. Oooo, I miss Kudos bars. They were good.
OHH, I know! You help me plan my evenings many years from now. You help me travel through time and let me see that I have nothing better to do on one night in January 2009 other than go see Celine Dion in concert. That surely helped me buy the tickets today one second after they went on sale. You're awesome and without you, I wouldn't know what to do with myself 14 months from now.
I'm starting to panic, though. I have absolutely no plans for 2010.
Holy crap, this is good.
Sorry for being so surprised, especially for being a public, out of the closet Celine fan, but I don't always live in some dream world where everyone loves this wacky Quebecoise. I know in reality, Celine has made some truly eye-rolling bad music. But this album, it's not one of those times.
It's probable that I've already lost all credibility by just buying the cd, but for those of you with an endless pool of hope for me (thanks!) I'm telling you, give this cd a listen.
Celine's not trying to make your dog suffer with any ear piercing notes. Honest, this a pet safe album. She's very, very restrained with almost all 16 songs. She goes gospel, folk, hip hop (no lie!) and other genres, all tied with some catchy pop.
She covers Heart. It's Heart, people! Come on, that has to count for something. Some other immediate winners are New Dawn, A Song For You, and That's Just The Woman In Me. This last song has parts where you would not even believe that it was a Celine Dion song. Or even Celine Dion singing.
How's that for a positive review? And that's the best way I can push this album. Buy it in spite of the Celine-ness.
(I love you, Celine! I bought it because of you!)
Big release of the day award goes to Celine's new English album Taking Chances. Come back tomorrow if you care to read what I think about it. (See you then, mom!)
Strange release of the day award goes to Anne Murray. On her new album Duets: Friends and Legends, you can hear in one sitting:
- Isabelle Boulay
- Celine Dion
- Indigo Girls
I'm more freaked out than you, if possible. It's not everyday I learn that Anne Murray is the glue that holds my universe together.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) today is only the Canadian release date. It'll be released in the U.S. in mid-January. Consider this your preemptive warning. Yes, I know that's redundant, you can never have enough caution in this type of situation.
This being my fourth trip to Vegas, I really didn't have much interest in taking pictures...until I stepped into this bathroom stall at MGM and saw Ingrid Bergman. I whipped out my camera phone and didn't even check to see if I pulled up my pants. If you look in the reflection, you'll know the answer. Please don't look too hard.
In my dreams, getting a royal flush meant thousands of dollars with balloons falling out of the sky as the flashing light on top of the machine goes crazy. In real life, playing a one cent 100 hand vp machine and hitting a royal flush means six...dollars and an empty 7+7 glass (and no balloons). Do you know that the odds of hitting a royal flush are 1 in 649740 hands? I basically hit the only royal flush of my life and got six dollars for it. That's just great. Also, the picture is not blurry. This is how the screen looked through my tears; first, out of happiness and then later, out of realization of what 600 credits multipied by one cent really means.
I spent my six dollar royal flush winnings rather quickly. I also placed some sports bets and played some parlay cards. This is all that's left. On the upside, I did eat many, many one-dollar hot dogs while watching every single football game on Sunday. Do not ask me to quantify "many, many".
It's no secret: the whole reason I go to Vegas is for Celine. This is the hallowed store in Caesars Palace where I have purchased more Celine branded items than I should ever admit, but I'm gonna tell you anyway. This time, I got a short glass, a postcard and (another) show program.
And the woman herself...kinda. This is the entrance to the Colosseum where I saw Celine for the fifth and final (hoo hoo) time. She's as nuts as ever, but I love her for her wackiness. That's my head between Celine's ...um, below Celine's... no, I mean at the bottom of the picture. Yes, that's what I really mean to say. Thanks for the Vegas experience, Celine! I'll see you again someday, but probably not as close as five feet. Dammit, restraining orders cramp my style. Right, Isabelle?
Celine to go goth?
If anyone can make goth music cheesy, Celine can. Where does the talent end?
Murray set to release duets CD
Doesn't Isabelle look ginormous here? Although, the picture is life-size... Speaking of cheesy, you know Anne Murray will bring it, but Isabelle's got the goods, too. (woohoo)
Enfin j'ai reçu le nouvel album de Céline. Il y avait trop d'ennuis que je ne veux pas raconter...mais l'attente, ça vaut la peine? Oui, bien sûr, c'est Céline qui chante en français. Rien plus à dire. Sauf...
Les chansons sont plutôt pop. Et ça, je m'attendais. Ce que je ne m'attendais pas, il a l'air faux comme... comme... comme... ses albums anglais. (C'est vrai, vous le savez.) Il faut que je dise plus que ça?
J'aime bien trois chansons quand même: Les paradis, Femme comme chacune, et On s'est aimé à cause. Celles sont très magnifique! En fait, si l'album entier était plus comme celles-ci, ce serait la plus grand album de Céline. Je le saurais. J'en ai tous.
Vous souhaitez que je mente? Moi aussi.
Trader Joe's
Since the intown store opened a few weeks ago, I've noticed people carrying around TJ's shopping bags to work, to classes, around the park, into my kitchen...oh wait, that was me. It's rather disturbing how dependent my life has become on this chain store, but it doesn't seem like I'm the only one.
Most of the food we've tried has been good; I would even call it great considering the price and convenience. The only product I want to mention by name, though, is Président butter from Normandy, France. Ever since our ill-fated, Isadore-friendly cruise where this butter was standard fare, we've been dreaming about it. And now, this dream is a buttery reality.
TV anchor
I followed a well-known local news anchor out of my building today. For anyone who cares, it was Amanda Davis from Fox 5 News. Oooooooo. Anyways, I was struck by how skinny she is and realized how much weight TV does add to a person. It's hard enough to judge a news anchor behind a desk, but I think it was also her big hair that threw me off. What's my point? I don't know. She looked very pretty and was having an awkward "let's talk about the weather" conversation with her camera operator. I got uncomfortable and had to speed-walk my way around them.
Céline on tour in France!
The woman has been kind enough to celebrate my birthday next year with a concert - in Paris. Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right? And I do have lots of time to figure out how to get there. Hmmm... Well, this is also an early alert for everyone that Céline will be touring the world and may come to a city near you. You'll know if she's in your city by the amped-up ridiculousness in the local atmosphere.
Uncharacteristically undramatic; Enjoy it while you can.
A few disclaimers:
- I have never seen an episode of American Idol.
- I still haven't.
- I'm not a big fan of duets with dead people.
- But Elvis is still alive, right?
- Celine is understated beside the not-dead guy.
- Bravo!
- I don't get why video sharing like YouTube is so popular.
- It might be the same thing that makes American Idol popular.
- I'm obviously not in on "it".
- Anyways, the song is quite nice.
- The whole thing makes me feel weird.
- But that's not an uncommon feeling for me.
- Enjoy!
- Try not be weirded out.
Ah, January, the month of hope and good intentions and thinking we have enough money to do everything and go everywhere we want until the damn car breaks down in February and we have to ride public transportation with other...people.
But since it's still January, I'm still sooper-dooper excited about life. Besides planned trips to France, Quebec, and Vegas, there are the little things that make my life bearable:
March: Aqua Teen Hunger Force Movie Film for Theaters - Master Shake is my hero. I know that's sorta sad, but I wish I could say everything that he does. I don't want to do everything he does because he has no arms. And a straw sticking out of his head.
I was not put on this earth to listen to meat!
April: Retour à la source - Isabelle is making a country album. That's so awesome, I can't even put it in words. Don't worry, I won't try. But even awesomer is that I'll get to see her again in May.
May: D'elles - Celine's new french album consists of songs written by female Quebecoise and French authors. That's a fresh idea, I think. What's not quite as fresh (as me!) is her show which is ending in December after a five year run. I'll see her one or two more times and cry with her. Hoo hoo. But the tears will dry up soon since she's going on a world tour next year. Yes, she's taking her drama and hysterics (and butchness) on the road! Don't say I didn't warn you.
July: Harry Potter, Deathly Hallows book and The Order of the Phoenix movie - This is a good month to be JK Rowling. Holy moley, how much money will this woman make by taking in a single breath any day in July? Even more than today, that's what, and that scares me a little. But good for her! Obscene amounts of money is a great goal and/or motivator.
Isn't that the force behind The Simpsons Movie? I'm looking forward to it unless it's all about Homer. Make Bart the star because the boy's a natural STAR. Actually, he's my hero (sorry, Master Shake) because he's a petty thug and that's all I've ever wanted to be in life. It's not too late, I know, I know...
If I could ever put into words the love I have for my wacky Celine and her magical (not literally) Vegas show, it would be very, very close to this:
"[Celine] transcends cheese, and I have never seen anything like it. She is a one-woman pageantry bandwagon, the Unsinkable Molly Brown with a several-octave vocal range.
At one point, she sings Stevie Wonder's I Wish, without changing one word, including the opening line "Looking back on when I was a little nappy-headed boy." To my knowledge, Celine Dion is not, nor has she ever been, a little nappy-headed boy.
But this is Celine World, her very own stage in a colosseum erected especially for her. And even though it makes absolutely no sense, she makes you believe it. She plants her feet, contorts her face into a serious expression of nostalgic funk-grooviness, and sells that thing.
In Celine World, if a thin French-Canadian woman believes fervently that she was a little nappy-headed boy, then God bless her, you believe her, too."
-- by Leslie Gray Streeter, "Caesar's is Celine World," (Palm Beach Post, 9/18/2006)
The rest of the column rings just as true. It's wacky to think that someone else out there thinks of Celine like I do. Just plain wacky, but also puzzling and possibly for some of you, slightly frightening.
Yen the happiest when drinking milk AND Celine Dion. Gross? Yes, absolutely.
This is one of the best headlines I've ever seen in my life:
Even though The Simpsons have told me otherwise...
Canada's awesome.