Go Spartans!

I don't watch American Idol--I think it is a silly show; a very silly show actually. I have friends who have tried out for it and believe me, the best singers do not always make it on--as is obvious by the preliminary tryouts with the "Like a Virgin" ninny and his 15 minutes of infamy (but it was well worth it to see that guy). Add to that, my loyalties only carry over to my closest friends who I would even consider giving a kidney to (I said *consider*). This year, however, AI made it over to Hawaii and a seventeen year old named Jasmine Trias is on the show, competing for a record deal. And while I am as fond of my high school experience as most people would be fond of acquiring ebola, she is a student at my alma mater, Maryknoll, so I have to show my support.

I have a need to address this issue with her making the top three however. I know people think it is very "wrong" that La Toya London got voted off and not Jasmine, but hey, tough spam musubi for you! If anything, it shows that Hawaii isn't just a couple of specks in the middle of the ocean, but a force to be reckoned with. When it comes to supporting one of our own; yellow, red, green, orange, white, brown, black, or paisley, we come out like a flaming homosexual (maybe not the best analogy, but I like it). There is something to be admired about the people who stick to the team they favor. Boston Red Sox and New York Yankee fans are rabid. New York Mets fans, probably the most loyal--even when their team sucks. What you have to admire is, win, lose, draw, or suck, they stick behind that team.

If you are one of those Britney Spears fans, you don't have much place to argue that Jasmine can't sing--have you ever heard Britney TRY to sing a note? There is a reason why she lip-syncs. Plus, they have computer programs now that can take a very shakey song and "fix" the bad notes. So if Britney is off-key half a song in the studio, this handy little computer can fix it and you, the sick, all-consuming public can buy it. Blech!

Elton John can take a valium with his "America is racist" attitude when the Three Divas were in the bottom three. Um, hello? Jasmine isn't white! Or do your colored shades blind you from seeing she's kinda brownish. Scientifically, we're all just a shade of brown anyway, but I digress. She's Filipina-Spanish-Chinese. Stick that in your proverbial hat. To my knowledge, the last four all look pretty ethnic to me. Can we please leave the race thing out of this though? It is so retarded when that is all you have to go to. People didn't vote for the loser; maybe s/he wasn't endearing enough, maybe not enough energy. Britney keeps 'em coming back and I still don't know why, but I dug her debut single (so embarrassed) so there must be something to her marketability.

This isn't to say Jasmine sings like Britney. I'm just using BS as an example. I think, and I only karaoke occasionally, that Jasmine's got a pretty great voice that a little more time and training and practice will help her develop into a great songbird. And she's gotta stop singing those songs with a low range. She's more on the mezzo/soprano side than alto. If she needs to change the arrangement or key, do it, make it your own, but don't try and copy the original. Go with what your voice can do.

So, with that rant, I just have to say, GO SPARTANS! Jasmine has faced quite a daunting task by being ridiculed on national television and still coming back to do her damnedest. I have got a lot of respect for someone who keeps on going, who doesn't give up, and who gives it her all. That's all you can do with the life you're given. She needs to stay on that path and keep doing her best. Win or lose, that's what counts.

To search for the truth is the goal we have in life
To hope, trust, and honor the faith that we believe
To share with each other, the ideals of Maryknoll
That love is the greatest gift in life

Reading: Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut
Listening: Poetry and Aeroplanes by Teitur