I blog to differ...

2012 is almost upon me, and I am not one to make and break resolutions. (it's easy, because I never make them, making it impossible to break them.) I feel like the winds of change are in the air and it's time for me to set some goals for myself and see them through. 2012 seems like the perfect year, as I am a slave to the numbers. (that sounds better than admitting I have a weird OCD, right? '12 = 3 when added together, and 3 is my native tongue, whatever that means.) My first goal is to document my words more, whether it be here, over at my other little place on the web or in my new journal. (I LOVE JOURNALS WITH BLANK PAGES!!) that wasn't a caps lock accident by the way, I really do get excited at new journals with many blank pages to fill.) Is there a point to this entry? Not really... but with me, there never really is. In case you've failed to figure me out by now, I am totally random.

in her satin tights, fighting for your rights...

holy amazon princess with bullet proof bracelets!! has it truly madly deeply been over a year since I last posted here?? (for those of you not willing to do the research, let me confirm for you now: it has.) why? was I blinded by the promising lights of tumblr? (maybe, for a quick minute.) turns out that even over on that forum, I didn't post as a regular joe. (good thing... as my name's not Joe.) what??
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anycrap-
my boyfriend brought me home these socks this night. how do I know he's good people? because not only did he know that I would wear these knee-high Wonder Woman socks, he knew that I would wear them... while wearing shorts... in public... while walking next to him. That makes him my Superman, without even asking. :^)

best of 2009 part one.

shame, shame, I know my mother freakin' name. forgive me friends, for it has been a month or so since my last blog. (was that a little blasphemous? will the church be lighting torches in my front yard by morning? because I was told that playing communion when I was little was also blasphemous. I sometimes forget my boundaries. my bad.) *CONFIRMED- I am still easily sidetracked. so back to the business that is Jimmie Taylor and the world he lives in. 2010 is obviously coming to an end, and it will soon be time for me to finalize my Best of '10 music playlist collection. since I've yet to document anywhere other than my journal and my ipod years 2004-2009, I figured I'd get a jump on my New Year New Attitude. (I refuse to use the word 'resolution'.) I will start and move in rewind, because my favorite button on the DVR remote (other than record) is rewind. 2009 ended up being a 4 playlist set, because frankly, good music was up in my face constantly. I tried to whittle it down to three, to no avail. so here is round one of the songs that represent me and someplace in my life for the year that was 2009. (again, I know- 2010 is ending, but I still have to edit that list!)

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2009 Volume One
1. 90210 Season Two Theme Song ~ The Zip Code that returned to my life in '08 returned to season 2 in '09 with a new (less like the original, boo!) theme song. For the record, this new show is nowhere near to my heart what the original was and still is. But I am blessed to have it in any form back in my life.
2. ONE IN EVERY CROWD by Montgomery Gentry ~ Once in awhile there comes a song that sums me up in less than 4 minutes. This would be one of those songs. (Minus the Harley-drivin', woman lovin' part.)
3. MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU by Kelly Clarkson ~ The Original Idol of America (and my best friend in my alternate life I have written in my head) returned after an album I wouldn't label as a favorite. This is pure pop candy I can't get enough of, and my ears might have cavities from listening to this song so much.
4. ALREADY GONE by Deborah Gibson ~ I know she's back to 'Debbie' now, but that didn't happen until this year, so please don't try and correct me. I am fluent in the life and times of La Gibson. This is a song most likely not even heard of outside of Deb's Circle of Fans. This wasn't an album cut, rather an online treat to the fans who have been waiting SO LONG for new music. Deb Gib remains an all-time favorite and constant inspiration.
5. BAYLEIGH'S SONG by Alan Jackson ~ When I make my playlists, I also make my own rules. This is, of course, originally titled SISSY'S SONG. The name is never mentioned in the song, so it was easy for me to change it. (But please don't tell Alan.) When I was a paraeducator from 2000-2002, I had a student in my class named Bayleigh. Bayleigh was a sophomore in high school and passed away after a freak auto accident in 2009. Not more than 20 minutes after finding out, I heard this song on the radio for the first time ever. I get chills thinking about it, and it will forever be Bayleigh's Song to me.
6. MY HALLELUJAH SONG by Julianne Hough ~ File this one under Songs that Make my Heart Smile. After I'm discovered and become an instant celebrity, I would love to have Ms. Hough as my partner on the 54th season of Dancing with the Stars. (Actually, I'd prefer her brother, Derek, but that's another blog.)
7. COME BACK TO ME by David Cook ~ Idol Addiction. Help.
8. DON'T STOP BELIEVING by The Cast of gLee ~ File this one under The Show that Would Forever Change the Landscape of My Best of Year-End Lists. (where are these alleged files, anyway?) This show snuck up on me as a sneak-peek after the Idol finale. My goal in life? To turn the WORLD into gLeeks.
9. THE CLIMB by Miley Cyrus ~ This is the point where I reallyreallyreally want to alter the course of history and do I little deleting, or a little retooling, if you will. As much as I can't stand Miley in 2010, back in the day ('09 to be exact) this song was a staple. I adore The Hannah Montana Movie as well as the soundtrack.
10. I COULD BREAK YOUR HEART ANY DAY OF THE WEEK by Mandy Moore ~
Sometimes I forget Mandy Moore is even a singer. And then she comes around and reminds me. Love her.
11. I RUN TO YOU by Lady Antebellum ~ "I run from hate, I run from prejudice, I run from pessimists, But I run too late, I run my life, Or is it running me, Run from my past, I run too fast, Or too slow it seems, When lies become the truth, That's when I run to you"
12. FIVE BROTHERS & A MILLION SISTERS by Joey McIntyre ~ New Kids on the Block reunion!! My 4th NKOTB concert in my life, and my first in nearly 2o years. This number by Joey was probably the highlight of the concert for me.
13. LET IT ROCK by Kevin Rudolf ~ True Confession: I had to look up just now who sings this song. I fell in love with it when it was performed on Dancing with the Stars. And I've already forgotten who sings it, one sentence later.
14. WHERE I'M FROM by Jason Michael Carroll ~ Sweet country song that reminds me of El Dorado, Kansas... and that's where I'm from.
15. STRAIGHT THROUGH MY HEART (SOLDIER DOWN) by Backstreet Boys ~
Vintage BSB. As long as Nick Carter remains a Boy on the Backstreet, so will I.
16. MR. MCCLENNEN by SheDaisy ~ I got this sneak-peek from the girls' upcoming album... (that has YET to be released!! Damn label politics!!) This song is one of my fave SheDaisy songs and I am craving the entire album!!!
17. OUTSIDE MY WINDOW by Sarah Buxton ~ Let's hear it for another country artist from Kansas!! Ms. Buxton hasn't had anywhere near the success of our Martina McBride, but this song brings a smile to my face. I tend to root for the Kansas peeps.
18. OOH, OOH BABY by Britney Spears ~ This song was on Brit's BLACKOUT (such a scary title for such a scary time in her life!) in 2007, but was a standout number from The Circus Starring Britney Spears concert I attended in '09. From the 5th row, I witnessed my dear Brit appear as if by magic out of nowhere at the start of this number. I loved the concert so much, it was hard not to include the entire setlist from that show in my Best of '09 collection.
19. SHINE LIKE THE SUN by the Cast of 9 to 5, Broadway Musical ~ One day I will see this show on Broadway! (wait- is it even still on Broadway? bad gay!) I saw this number performed on an episode of The View (stop judging me) and kind of fell in love with it. And I think anything Dolly Parton touches turns to gold.
20. I WANNA MAKE YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES by Dierks Bentley ~ No big reason for this song other than the fact that I lovelovelove Dierks.
21. DEAD FLOWERS by Miranda Lambert ~ I love how haunting this song is. The first time I heard it was the first time I saw the video and I was mesmerized. Haunting.
22. WHAT I CAN NOT CHANGE by LeAnn Rimes ~ This song was on LeAnn's 2007 FAMILY album (one of my all-time faves) but didn't make the cut for that year. I found LeAnn's book of the same title in the airport in NYC coming home from my friend's wedding. (Not being an avid reader, I can easily justify paying airport book prices. Plus, it's LeAnn.) The book came with a cd single of a slightly-different version of the song. It's chilling, and it's LeAnn at her finest. "I will learn to let go what I cannot change. I will learn to forgive what I cannot change. I will learn to love what I cannot change. But I will change, I will change Whatever I, whenever I can."

And with that, there's the end of Volume One, 2009 style. 3 more to go!!

not quite a 'lady and gentlemen'

Maybe, just maybe... you stumbled upon this blog by accident, with zero connection to me, Jimmie Taylor of El Dorado, Kansas, as a person...
and if that is indeed the case, let me tell you now how much I love and adore and respect and love and adore and respect LeAnn Rimes...
(who am I kidding... if you are reading this, you already know me and are already telling me to shut up in your head.) Do you know what the beauty of a personal blog is? I DON'T HAVE TO SHUT UP... EVER!!! I can say what I want, and if you are still reading, you are either bored to tears, or you care about what i HAVE (caps lock) to say. And I LOVE and ADORE LeAnn Rimes.
So... LeAnn's next album, LADY AND GENTLEMEN, is a covers album... she covers songs previously made famous by male country artists. ANYCRAP! (I can't focus, which is why I could never run a successful blog or anything) Here is a leaked link (that's not true?) of the tracklisting... of the new album... that's not true?? This much is confirmed: SWINGIN' is the first single, and I will love it. (www.leannfans.com - I LOVE YOU MELISSA!)

1.”Swingin’” (John Anderson, Delmore)
2.”He Stopped Loving Her Today” (Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman)
3.”Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (Fred Rose)
4.”The Chair” (Hank Cochran, Dean Dillon)
5.”I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (Hank Williams)
6.”Deeper Than the Holler” (Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz)
7.”Suspicious Minds” (Mark James)
8.”You Never Even Called Me By My Name” (Steve Goodman, John Prine)
9.”If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me” (David Bellamy)
10.”Don’t Close Your Eyes” (Bob McDill)
11.”I’ve Been Everywhere” (Geoff Mack)
12.”Good Hearted Woman” (Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson)
13.”The Dance” (Tony Arata)
14.”Islands In The Stream” featuring Ronan Keating (Barry Gibb)

*Since posting this – Darrell Brown has advised that the above song list is NOT the official list and is completely incorrect. An official list will be posted at a later date. Also, the confirmed date for LeAnn’s single is June 21st, not May 24th. She apologized on her personal twitter account.* (www.leannfans.com)

the subject was efron.

CHEESEBALL ALERT!!! I am posting one of my finals on my alleged blog, and that might send my dork status into overdrive... but that's okay. Our assignment for my Lit final was to create a poem modeled after one that we read in our book. I'm far from a self-proclaimed poet, but I think the subject matter of mine is worth repeating.

First, the poem I used as my model:


Carole Satyamurti (pg. 848)
I SHALL PAINT MY NAILS RED
Because a bit of color is a public service.
Because I am proud of my hands.
Because it will remind me I'm a woman.
Because I will look like a survivor.
Because I can admire them in traffic jams.
Because my daughter will say ugh.
Because my lover will be surprised.
Because it is quicker than dyeing my hair.
Because it is a ten-minute moratorium.
Because it is reversible.

and now I give you:
Jimmie Taylor (original)
I SHALL HANG A ZAC EFRON POSTER UPON MY WALL
Because a bit of Zac is at my service..
Because I am proud of my individuality.
Because it will remind me to feel 17 again.
Because I will look like a teenybopper.
Because I can admire him while eating jam.
Because my boyfriend will say ugh.
Because my closest friends won't be surprised.
Because it is quicker than hanging Zac himself upon my wall.
Because it is a lifetime of happiness.
Because I am Jimmie Taylor, and I love Zac Efron.

I was a little uneasy and unsure of how to tackle this end assignment, and I'm not entirely certain I scored a touchdown. (I attempted a tackle, so I figured I should attempt the touchdown. I don't know. I don't speak football. I was a cheerleader in a former life, I think.) I was nervous to even pick a poem, because I'm nervous to model something I write after someone else's work. I was skimming through the chapters, and for some reason I SHALL PAINT MY NAILS seemed to jump from the pages at me. I think the unique title, along with the fact that each line begins with 'Because...' really caught my eye. I knew that I could easily create a poem of my own based after this one. I didn't even really have to think too long and hard to come up with a subject matter for mine, either. I knew I wanted to pick something that would scream Jimmie Taylor. Sometimes, I think Zac Efron screams Jimmie Taylor.
I tried to model my poem as close to Carole's as possible. I prefer to refer to her as Carole, because I think I mispronounce her last name correctly in my head, so I choose to avoid it. In the original, I didn't much care for the word moratorium. (Even after I looked it up to see what it meant.) Instead of referring to sitting in a traffic jam, I changed my poem to eating jam. I strived for a little resemblance of the original in each line of my own. If I wanted to steal a little of this assignment, I wanted to steal with the intent to do it justice. (Is there justice in stealing? Why do I feel the need to type random sentences in parenthesis??) I think Carole used great imagery in her poem. I felt as if I could not only picture the hand with the red painted nails, but the woman as well. I felt like she was a distinguished woman, full of elegance and grace. In my poem, I wanted to give the image of an older man (though I typically like to be referred to as a Backstreet Boy) clinging to something that represents his electric youth. (And that was a shout-out to Debbie Gibson, for anyone who didn't catch it.) For Carole, I feel as if the red painted nails symbolized confidence. She was proud to display and show them off. My Zac poster is a clear symbol of my individuality. I don't imagine Efron posters grace the walls of many homes without children, like mine. While finding a symbol in each poem was rather easy, the hardest part for me in writing mine was the absence of rhyme. (It's a constant pop-culture shout-out with me; I love LeAnn Rimes!) I love creating poetry that rhymes, and to not do so is sometimes a difficult task for me.
I do, however, consider myself lucky to a certain degree, because I don't spend too much time stressing over what or how to write. Although I was nervous at first, once I got my subject, the poem seemed to flow right out of my fingers. I believe that the central thematic element found in both poems is basically about being yourself. Whether it be nail polish or a poster, each key item is a celebration of two separate individuals. I also think a central theme could be personal happiness. For me, my personal wish would be for everyone in this world to find the same happiness somewhere in his/her life the way I find it in hanging a silly picture of the star of the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL movies on my wall. If each person had a fraction of that happiness, we would be one step away from all joining hands and skipping down a mountain. That's how happy it makes me, and that's why I choose to hang a Zac Efron poster upon my wall.

AmeriCorps~ Vol. 1

The first soundtrack representing my year in Los Angeles, 2002/03.

TICKET OUT OF KANSAS by Jenny Simpson. Yeah, that's not a typo. A random Simpson singer who never made a name for herself, but I discovered this song right before I moved to LA. It was my Kansas Exit Anthem. It kicks off Volume One.
NO SUCH THING by John Mayer. This was a big song all over the radio, and my core of the Corps still laugh this day about a certain redhead's obsession: "ohmygod I love JohnMayer!"
DILEMMA by Kelly Rowland feat. Nelly. The dreaded "Boo" song. This song was EVERYWHERE Susan, my co-worker, and I went- on our radio in Van Nuys, on the radio in the billboard (our van), on the speakers of a random car in a random parking lot. This song would send us screaming, and now it makes me laugh.
LIKE I LOVE YOU by Justin Timberlake. Justin said *bye bye bye* to*NSYNC and went solo.
SLAVE 4 U by Britney Spears. This song came out well before I moved to LA, but this is the song that played our first night out on Hollywood Boulevard and sent me to the dance floor to bust out my Britney moves.
BARENAKED by Jennifer Love Hewitt. I know, not many people know she sings. I don't know if this song was really a big hit, but it was played on KIIS FM a lot. Thank you, Ryan Seacrest.
HELP ME by Nick Carter. NICK! My original celebrity boyfriend!! On a break from the Boys of Backstreet, Nick released his solo album, Now or Never. I bought this disc in Santa Monica on the Promenade.
JENNY FROM THE BLOCK by Jennifer Lopez. Lovin me some J. Lo. People are often fooled by the rocks that I got, too. I get it. J. Tay relates. Plus, my mama sent me this album, This Is Me... Then, in the mail as a Christmas gift.
A MOMENT LIKE THIS by Kelly Clarkson. Because I was obsessed with American Idol from the very beginning. I even took my VCR to Maryland for our training and would record the show in the boys lounge for us all to watch after a late class. Also, the night Kelly was crowned the Original Idol, I moved into my Hollywood apartment where I lived... for 12 hours. That terrible night almost sent me back to Kansas, but I stayed. Thank God for Sarah & Deidre.
I'M GONNA GETCHA GOOD! by Shania Twain. Shania's comeback single after a five year break. This kicked off her UP! album, which I bought in Van Nuys on my way to work. I also saw the video for the first time while on Disaster Relief in Louisiana.
THROUGH THE RAIN by Mariah Carey. This was well before Mimi was Emancipated. Just before my LA move was Mariah's notorious meltdown, when the world turned on her. That's when I took her under my wing and started loving her. I still have yet to watch all of GLITTER, but I like to pretend it's my favorite movie. Also, this was a gift in the mail from my mama.
LIFE GOES ON by LeAnn Rimes. The first single from her pop detour album, TWISTED ANGEL. That entire album makes me think of LA and my friends. I remember, also in Louisiana, screaming in a hotel lobby when I heard LeAnn singing this live on Regis & Kelly.
PICTURE by Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow. Another song discovered on DR in Louisiana. Toni and Mary-Curtis (my LA anchors) were obsessed, and soon I was, too.
LANDSLIDE by Dixie Chicks. Even though MC referred to this song as Avalanche, it was yet another DR fave. I remember listening to the cd in the Malibu rental car while Toni plowed her way through a swampy marsh.
CRY by Faith Hill. Wow, Volume One is a Louisiana dedication. Faith's album CRY was released while we were on the bayou, I bought it on a day off. The very same night Faith performed this on Saturday Night Live, Toni, MC and I pulled off The Great Faith Hill Cry Heist of 2002 at the local Wal-Mart. (We stole the giant cardboard poster at the entrance.) I remember MC having to bring Faith as a carry-on on the plane coming home.
DIRRTY by Christina Aguilera. Who can forget the year the genie left the bottle and never looked back??
COME TO MY WINDOW by Kimberly Caldwell. My favorite person on IDOL Season Two. I was on DR in Mississippi when she got the axe, so I high-tailed it to Applebee's and took a shot of Southern Comfort in her name.
DEVIL IN DISGUISE by LeAnn Rimes w/ Chris Isaak. This is a live performance. I got to attend a taping of the special ELVIS LIVES. At the taping LeAnn and Chris performed this number about ten times. During a break, I was able to show LeAnn the tattoo I have of her name on my lower back. The special aired on Thanksgiving night when I was home in Kansas, and I can briefly be seen clapping along in the audience a few times.
WHERE WOULD YOU BE by Martina McBride. The Lesly Kay Anthem. One of my best friends in Kansas would call me, belting this song on a ten minute voicemail. This is the song that couldn't prepare the Corps for the arrival of Lesly Kay.

the music of my heart.

If I truly am going to return to the blogosphere with the intent of staying with it, I wanna send a heads up to whoever is reading this. (If Andrea Barber, the inspiration of my childhood, reads this, I will do 17 backflips. Right after I learn how to do backflips, of course.) *SIDENOTE: I just got a tweet on my phone from LeAnn Rimes, and she spelled *distruction* wrong. I love her. I am often completely random and if it doesn't make sense to you, it probably doesn't make sense to the guy peering over your shoulder trying to read it, either. (what?) anyway- the year I lived in Los Angeles as a member of the NRRC AmeriCorps... (just got another tweet, LeAnn corrected the *destruction*- so cute.) I kept track of songs that fit into that year of my life. It was the first time I created a song playlist where each song had a specific meaning during a specific amount of time in my life. I want to post my playlists, just in case someone out their is trying to build their own Jimmie Taylor music library. Do you love it?? I do. (SPELL CHECK, PLEASE)