Friday, December 30, 2005
Happy New Year
Thursday, December 29, 2005
2005, End Bits
Pop singer Robbie Williams wants to fly into space. The 31-year-old singer is desperate for Sir Richard Branson to invite him on the Virgin Galactic SpaceShip when it goes into orbit in 2010.
A ticket for the interstellar trip costs just £115,000 (about US $200,000) per person. However, Robbie might not have to go into space to meet aliens — he's already admitted he thinks they'll come to us one day.
Williams told Britain's BBC Radio 2: "I've been dreaming every night about UFO's, every night. I can't wait to go to sleep at night because those dreams have been so brilliant. I think they are definitely on there way, seriously. Mark my words. From now until 2012 — watch out kids."
(source: All Headline News: William J Brown - All Headline News Staff)
2005, End Bits
Where do you think Depeche Mode fit in musically in 2005?
David Gahan: "We don't fit in and we never have and that's one of the, I think, the real sort of... I've come to like actually really embrace that. There is no-one like Depeche Mode, you know, the way we work, everything, like the way we do things. It's kind of a unique experience and you have to kind of enjoy it, you know, and sort of throw yourself into it, because it is really different and that's one of I think the real strengths of Depeche Mode."
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
We Are The World Wednesday
Today's WAWW holiday good deed recommendation is…
**Donate to the Salvation Army**
If you are reading this you are sitting on your ass in your heated home with electricity and wireless Internet. Think of the person who is sitting on their ass under the highway underpass using a pile of soiled newspapers to keep warm.
If you hear the ringing bell put a damn dollar in the bucket.
or go here to this Salvation Army link to make a more respectable donation.
**Donate to the Salvation Army**
If you are reading this you are sitting on your ass in your heated home with electricity and wireless Internet. Think of the person who is sitting on their ass under the highway underpass using a pile of soiled newspapers to keep warm.
If you hear the ringing bell put a damn dollar in the bucket.
or go here to this Salvation Army link to make a more respectable donation.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
10 Things for 2006
10 Things I am looking forward to doing in 2006:
1. Seeing Robbie Williams in the UK at Wembley Stadium on September 14th.
2. Seeing the Depeche Mode concert again, somewhere in the world (Paris? California?)
3. Riding my bike every Sunday from April to November
4. Using my frequent flyer miles- all 212,000 of them
5. Buying a piece of antique furniture, preferably a dinning table or bedroom set
6. Seeing The DaVinci Code movie (hopefully at Cannes)
7. Completing a top 100 songs of all time list
8. Using my new 5 piece wine bottle opener, a lot.
9. Watching more History Channel and Food Network
10. Switching from US to OK as my exclusive source for celebrity gossip
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Merry Merry
Friday, December 23, 2005
Top 5 of 2005 Week Concludes
Top 5 of 2005 Week comes to close with a Double List! Top 5 Moments of 2005 and by popular demand Top 5 Woman of 2005!Thank you for playing.
Top 5 Moments:
#1:
December 9th, 11pm. Madison Square Garden, NYC. Depeche Mode was on stage singing Never Let Me Down Again and every member of the audience was waving their hands in the air with pure euphoric worship. We all waved just like we always do at every Depeche Mode show during Never Let Me Down Again. Bliss.
#2
November 11th. I was in an LA restaurant chewing on some half raw sushi at Ashton Kutcher's restaurant Geisha House when I got the message from Popmuse saying we are going to London 'cause we just scored Robbie Williams tickets for his Wimbley Stadium show.
#3
May, Cannes film festival. Whilst clad in a pink iridescent evening gown I sat in the Grand Lumiere of the Palais de Festival and watched the world premiere of Star Wars episode III on the largest screen in Europe with the entire cast just 7 rows in front of me.
#4
August, near Boston. Standing on the balcony of my friend V's house overlooking the bay and watching the most intense lightning storm I have every seen.
#5
September 20th. 8:45am. The moment I stomped out my last cigarette and waved goodbye to years of smoking. Carly Simon's Let The River Run was blasting the car stero as I passed Coney Island and said goodbye to smoking forever. Yeeehaaa.
and...
Woman of 2005:
Some of you asked me to create a Top 5 Woman of 2005 list. So here goes. (notice there is no #1 woman of the year-who can choose a great amongst greats? Instead there are 5 #1's).
* Melissa Etheridge for proving that you can survive cancer and that role models do exist regardless of their hair length
* Oprah because well, no matter how full of herself she is, she still gives up the cha-ching when the world needs her to
* Mariah Carey for barely hanging on
* Gena Davis for coming back strong as the first Female President on Commander and Chief.
* Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon for writing all of the lyrics on her mother's latest album (wink wink MBP)
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Man of the Year
The choice for Man of the Year has been plaguing me since September. And it really came down to the wire on this one. I did not want to wuss out like People Magazine and just toss the title at someone who was in a promotional window. I also knew deep down inside this was one category that could not be bought.
And so in the end I felt I needed to give this honor to the one man who proved himself worthy. A man who has cleaned up, gotten his shit together, embraced his importance to this world. He wins because he still endures even after 25 of making music, he wins because he returned from the junk in a way that most thought not possible, he wins because he died in the 1990s for 3 minutes and lives to talk about it, he wins because he has never looked or sounded better.
The Xtinefiles Man of the Year is...
DAVID GAHAN, lead singer of Depeche Mode.
Praise be to Gahan.
The official Xtinefiles Man of the Year list:
#1: David Gahan
#2: Robbie Williams (Robbie was #1 for a while but I worry, is he sober or a mess? will he show up at the concert I am flying around the world to see? is his heart still in it?)
#3: Popmuse and Bloghungry tied (the hottest blogging couple out there)
#4: Anderson Cooper, CNN (that Katrina crying bit made me realize that when a crisis in the world breaks out, I'd like Anderson Cooper to be the one to tell me)
#5: Matthew Fox (who made Wednesdays worth it again)
thank you for playing the angel.
-x
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Album of the Year...
When it came to decide Album of the Year there was only one clear choice. Sure the music on Madonna's album was great, but the lyrics are an abomination- as I said to popmuse, "If I wanted to learn how to say 'forgive me' in 43 languages I would have taken a continuing ed class at Queens Community College."
Depeche Mode's Playing the Angel has a very special place in my heart because its their best work in years, and Intensive Care represents an older more mature Neil Diamond-esque Robbie.
But the one album that rose above the rest was....
COLDPLAY X + Y
Each song was one I could listen to over and over again. I hate people who hate on Coldplay. I cant figure out why. What I do know is X +Y was worth living through 2005 for.
The official XtineFiles Album of the Year List:
#1: Coldplay X+Y
#2: Depeche Mode Playing the Angel
#3: Madonna Confessions on a Dance Floor
#4: Robbie Williams Intensive Care
#5: Ringside Ringside
next-- Man of the Year
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Movie of the Year
This was one category that caused me no turmoil at all. The choice was easy because the choice was innocence and hope. My favorite movie of the year was...
Millions
Rarely does a movie come along that inspires you to be a better person. This was one of those films. My heart broke and healed all in an hour and a half. Rent Millions on DVD, you'll see.
I wish I had a top 5 in this catagory, but sadly I dont. Sure Batman Begins was amazing and yeah yeah Revenge of the Sith ended an era but nothing stuck in my heart like Millions.
Tomorrow... Album of the Year
Thursday....Man of the Year
Monday, December 19, 2005
Concert of The Year
Each show I saw this year was beautiful in its own way. Especially Coldplay for making yellow balloons fall from the sky and Depeche Mode for reminding me that DM is still my one true love. (And of course all concerts in Madison Square Garden do have a special effect on people).
But in end it was U2 for requiring the audience to have a conscience that wins out as #1.
The best Concert of 2005...
U2 Vertigo Tour
The Xtinefiles 2005 Best of Concerts:
#1. U2
#2. Coldplay Twisted Logic Tour and Depeche Mode Touring the Angel TIED
#3: The Killers
#4: Keane
#5: Nightmare of You
missed the U2 show? Buy the DVD here
Sunday, December 18, 2005
TV Show of the Year
I'm kicking off the the Best of 2005 Week with Television. Oh so much happened this year in TV. We said good-bye to a favorite and hello to some new mainstays. I've been able to measure my favorite shows of the year by how much I miss them when their season finishes or when repeats take over. I was so certain Lost would be the front runner but I must admit the excitement of last season didn't carry over. In fact it was not until the most recent episode of Lost that I felt the groove had returned.
Saying good-bye to an old friend, a TV show that ended in a way that we have never seen before, was the hardest thing to do during this TV year. This show's innovation, genius, and angst makes it #1. Gone but oh so not forgotten.
My#1 TV show of 2005 is ...
Six Feet Under
The Xtinefiles 2005 top 5 in TV is:
#1: Six Feet Under
#2: Lost
#3: Medium
#4: Over There
#5: Rescue Me
Debate. Discuss.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
The Best of 2005
Welcome to the Xtinefiles Year End Special.
For the next several days I am going to post my TOPS for 2005. For the most part these are things that made 2005 fun for ME. Dont expect serious introspection, hate lists, or embarrassing moment stuff. As much as I like railing against the Academy for not giving Scorsese the Oscar, or screaming about bird flu panic I think its healthier to end the year on a more positive note.
Sure, you may not agree with any of my lists, infact you may find them down right predictable, but you know what? That is what's great about these year end lists anyway. Discuss, debate, and share.
Most importantly, thank you for reading.
Happy holiday's. Sending love cheer and all that good stuff your way.
Tomorrow...the XtineFiles Top 5 in Television.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Denis Leary Saves the World!
Or at least he did in my dream last night. It went something like this...
Scientologists backed by an army of aliens (that sort of resembled a mini two headed purplish David Hasselhoff) were attacking people on the streets of the New York City suburbs. It was terrible, really. People running in and out of diners, car dealerships and nail salons screaming and crying. Tom and Katie were not there thank goodness but the threat of them hung around all of us.
Suddenly one really smart man who didn't speak English threw a piece of puffed pastry at one of the Hasselhoffs. It seemed that the Hassehoffs were weakened by the puffed pastry. People began tossing pigs in the blanket, cheese puffs and baklava (though I think that baklava is made from fyllo pastry and not puff pastry--bloghunrgy help?).
Inspired by the man who spoke no English, the crowd began to organize. Some of us would cook the pastry while others tossed the pastry. We were getting control over the Hasselhoffs but the scientologists would not relent. With each retreating Hasselhoff came a more determined scientologist. Soon we all began to loose hope.
Then suddenly Denis Leary- pissed off, slightly hung over and desperate for smoke showed up carrying a tool box. The crowd stood there silent as Denis Leary began to toss the two headed mini purple Hasselhoffs one by one into the basement of my parents house (WTF?). When all of Hasselhoffs were gone Leary started on the scientologists. They didn't go easy but Leary managed to get them all down there. When the last of scientologists was tossed in the basement he pulled out a hammer and box of nails and began to nail the basement door shut.
Slowly the world returned to normal and that is when I woke up.
Scary as hell.
To Kong or Not to Kong?
Looks like King Kong maybe in a bit of trouble. It only grossed $9.8 million on its first day in domestic theatrical release thus solidifying the theories of those mad scientist who have been screaming all year about poor box office performance.
Sure $9.8million isn't really so terrible, while it is way below the action movie opening day average its still, well $9.8million. Personally speaking I dont know who goes to the movies mid week anyway. If I had to guess I am sure Kong will be doing just fine by the time we get to the other side of the weekend. But apparently fine to this industry is not good enough.
So what gives? Why are people not going to the movies? Clearly, "they just dont make pictures like the used to" is the wrong answer. In the end perhaps we are too busy to care about what beastly beast is going reign its terror down on an already terrified metropolis.
I will see King Kong. Maybe this weekend, maybe the weekend after. But the question is, will you?
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Coming Soon...the XtineFiles Year End Special
Featuring the XtineFiles best of 2005...
Who will be Man of the Year? Song of the Year? Moxiest Moment of the Year?
ALL WILL BE REVEALED STARTING SUNDAY...
Plus, the Xtinefiles 2006 calendar of events.
STAY TUNED
We Are The World Wednesday
Today's WAWW holiday good deed recommendation is…
**Sponsor a Child**
For 3 years I have sponsored a little girl in Mozambique Africa. Her name is Mafalda. It only costs $28 a month. In the time that I have been her sponsor her little village got its first latrine, the children have finally gotten school uniforms, and the drinking water is cleaner. Imagine what her town will look like in 3 more years from now?
I highly recommend sponsoring a child because I know you can probably afford $28 a month, because the world is filled with people in need, because the little bit you can do is really a lot. And if you can't sponsor a child do try to make a one time only donation.
To select and sponsor a child go to this link for Save the Children.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Black Celebration
This just in...Depeche Mode win headlining slot at Coachella festcheck it out
And...to hear the Remix of A Pain That I'm Used To head over to PopMuse. It is AMAZING!
And yes, I've fallen into the deep end of DM obsession (again).
Saturday, December 10, 2005
A Pain That I'm Used To
I am emotionally not yet ready to fully discuss or review Thursday's Depeche Mode concert...so instead check out their new video here.
And for a moment of pure bliss go here
And if you just cant get enough, try this
more DM soon.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Pain, Suffering, Absolution, Devotion, Love...aka DEPECHE MODE at Madison Square Garden
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Somewhere in a Parallel Universe
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
We Are The World Wednesdays
From now until the end of the year Wednesdays on XtineFiles will officially be devoted to doing good things this Holiday season. Spread the cheer, spread the love, donate some money, do whatever it is you gotta do to make the world a better place this Holiday season.
And...if anyone can come up with a better title than We Are The World Wednesdays please post your ideas in the comments.
Today's Good Deed for Holiday is
**send a care package to a soldier in Iraq**
Chairborne Stranger is organizing a Christmas drop on his blog. Go to his site and follow the directions.
Here is what they could use:
Cookies and baked goods
Food that is packaged and won't go bad
Warm clothes for winter
Letters and cards
Games to play
DVDs or CDs
Reading material (books, newspapers, magazines)
Socks
And...if anyone can come up with a better title than We Are The World Wednesdays please post your ideas in the comments.
Today's Good Deed for Holiday is
**send a care package to a soldier in Iraq**
Chairborne Stranger is organizing a Christmas drop on his blog. Go to his site and follow the directions.
Here is what they could use:
Cookies and baked goods
Food that is packaged and won't go bad
Warm clothes for winter
Letters and cards
Games to play
DVDs or CDs
Reading material (books, newspapers, magazines)
Socks
Monday, December 05, 2005
Oh X-Mas Tree
Here is a picture of my Christmas Tree (or am I now supposed to call it a Holiday Tree?)...
Special thanks to SM Blogberg and MN for doing an amazing job decorating the tree on Sunday at my 4th Annual Jews Only Tree Trimming Event (How's that for political correctness?).
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Sountrack Anatomy
There are some Sunday nights that leave me wondering whether or not I watch Grey's Anatomy for the comedic drama or if I'm really watching- waiting for those brilliant soundtrack moments.
I believe last week's episode was for the soundtrack. Tucked in between post Garden State sountrack angst was this. I first heard this song and video a couple of months ago thanks to a well informed friend at the office. And now that it had its big moment on ABC prime time I expect to hear more of it. It is strange and freakishly spooky.
...so what will tonight's Soundtrack Anatomy bring? I'm counting the seconds.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Hit It!
Unfortunately I am here to report that this song is making a come back. I hated it then, as I hate it now, for it is totally embarrassing to be forced into dancing to it at a thirty something wedding. Help me.
It takes two to make a thing go right
It takes two to make it outta sight
Hit it!
I wanna rock right now
I'm Rob Base and I came to get down
I'm not internationally known
But I'm known to rock the microphone
Because I get stoopid, I mean outrageous
Stay away from me if you're contagious
'Cause I'm the winner, no, I'm not the loser
To be an M.C. is what I choose 'a
Ladies love me, girls adore me
I mean even the ones who never saw me
Like the way that I rhyme at a show
The reason why, man, I don't know
So let's go, 'cause
It takes two to make a thing go right
It takes two to make it outta sight
Hit it!
blah blah blah
