no handlebars

[elapses]

OH, SHAWN JOHNSON!
I'm so glad she got her gold! Oh, god, can you even imagine being the favorite favorite favorite going into something as big as this and then having to go home with a smattering of silvers? I mean, not that and Olympic silver isn't a big deal, but... I DON'T KNOW. I'm just happy for her!

ALSO: Bela Karolyi is my favorite.

Yesterday my replacement laptop came, and then today... another replacement laptop came. I... don't even know, Staples. It's been two months of them sucking at service and this... is the hilarious icing on their little cake of failure?

BUT BUT BUT: dear friends, what were your favorite summer albums? I am depressingly behind on new music and I would love some recommendations for when I slog through the deluge of things I've missed.

FANDOM HIGHLIGHT OF TODAY: CHUCK BLOOPER REEL! I think, after months and months of the strike pushing this show to the back of my fandom consciousness, that somewhere between this and the commercials that NBC has been airing that it has somehow become the show I most want back? REMEMBER HOW FUN IT WAS LAST FALL? I miss the Nerd Herd and Awesome and Sarah Walker's silly little Weinerlicious outfit? THANK GOODNESS WE GET MORE SOON.

Comments

[tashternal.livejournal.com]

I love Shawn Johnson OMGOMGOMG SQUEE she is just too adorable!
I'm sadly behind on music, and I think we listen to different things as well.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

OHMYGOSH I KNOW, I can't get over how cute she and her little babyface are? AND SHE'S SO INCREDIBLE TOO.

I GUESS WE DO NOW??? We used to be so in tune, alas.

[goldenmelisande.livejournal.com]

I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT GYMNASTICS, OMG. Seriously Shawn Johnson is so cute! I want to put her in my pocket/give her a really big bear hug. AND HER PARENTS! They were like crying and hugging and there was so much hugging! :) I'm so proud.

I'm obsessed with Alas I Cannot Swim by Laura Marling right now, idk if you already have it? But her music is sooooooo pretty, I love it.

OMG WATCHING THAT BLOOPER REAL RIGHT NOW, I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE DVDS.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I KNOW!!!!!! i was SO GLAD when nastia won her all-around but after the floor exercise I was really afraid Shawn would just be going home with three silvers. For some reason I didn't expect her to win beam? BUT I'M SO GLAD SHE DID. And yes, her parents crying and hugging in the stands and her little :D? face and AUGH, IT WAS JUST EXACTLY HOW THE GYMNASTICS SHOULD HAVE ENDED.

Oh I love that album!!! I need to track it down, I have like... seven total albums in my iTunes right now. IT'S PRETTY TRAGIC :'(

[spentayearinla.livejournal.com]

OH MAN YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN ME AND MY FRIEND WHEN NASTIA DIDN'T BEAT SHAWN. I mean, we love Nastia because she's from Texas (represent!), but Shawn deserved it. I ALMOST CRIED WHEN HER MOM STARTED, NOT GONNA LIE.

Um, as for summer albums, mine was a lot of Tegan and Sara and Margot & The Nuclear So and So's. And playlists for my OTPs.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I ALMOST DID TOO! It's always really sweet when they show the parents in the stands?

Ahhhhhhh, what a good summer soundtrack! I LOVE MARGOT & THE NUCLEAR SO AND SO'S SO. VERY. MUCH.

[spentayearinla.livejournal.com]

I agree, I agree.

HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEW STUFF? LIKE THE DAYTROTTER SESSIONS AND MASTERED TRACKS FROM ANIMAL?

[elapses.livejournal.com]

UM, NO.

[spentayearinla.livejournal.com]

UM, WHY NOT, ALEX?

http://community.livejournal.com/indie_exchange/11235100.html#cutid1

DOWNLOAD ALL OF THAT YOU DON'T HAVE. NOW.
(especially the last three songs in the post, oh my god.)

[elapses.livejournal.com]

OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE I SUCK. Thank youuuuuuuuuuuu for setting me straight!

[barilace.livejournal.com]

Emiliana Torrini's new album is grrrrreat in my opinion.

Hmm? What else have I been listening to lately? *ponders* I've been listening to Kings of Leon. That's basically it. haha.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize she came out with a new one! I'll have to check that out, thanks!

[humble.livejournal.com]

I'm so excited she got her Gold! I was going to be sad for her, if she didn't walk away with one. I haven't been able to watch it yet, I can't wait. ;)

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I know! Somewhere else in the Olympic commentary (OHMYGOD I CAN'T STOP WATCHING THE COVERAGE) they said the hardest thing in sports was winning a gold everyone expects you to get and... I don't know. She was so much the golden girl going into these games, and it just would've been... so sad if she hadn't won something. I'm really really happy for her.

[thecolorbetween.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy for Shawn, too! I was spoiled by a headline in The New York Times (which I'm actually completely fine with) and got home too late to watch it (I don't think I've seen any of the women's individual events, actually!), but YAY FOR HER! She's so cute.

My favorite part of the blooper reel is when Casey goes, "I love it when we see eye to eye," and Yvonne pauses and says, "...Riiiiiiight?" LOVE IT. Yes, yes, yes, I can't wait for it to come back, either! But I watched the Comic-Con reel, not realizing how spoilery it would be, and JEEPERS, they spoiled a lot of stuff! I was sad. But still excited!

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I almost think it'd be a bigger deal to be spoiled for the classic Olympic moments (like that first men's swimming relay!) than the actual final standings. But yes! She's adorable.

OH MAN YES, that part had me ROLLING. But the dancing was my favorite. Oh and: I'm glad I haven't watched the Comic-Con reel yet? I GUESS I'LL AVOID THAT UNTIL A DATE LATER IN THE SEASON.

[thecolorbetween.livejournal.com]

Yes, I agree. Swimming is pretty much the only sport I'd be absolutely crushed if it were spoiled for me (but don't get me wrong -- surprises in other sports are nice, too!).

Yes, the dancing! I was saddened by the lack of Adam Baldwin, though. And Ryan McPartlin wasn't in it at all (maybe he just isn't funny?). No, his part isn't that big, but I like gag reels that have everyone. Still, this one was pretty gold. Yes, I'd avoid it. I don't know how many episodes the reel took scenes from, but at least the pilot. I like how the only shows that NBC seems to be showing actual promos for during the Olympics, with new material and everything, are this and that weird-looking Christian Slater show (enough already!). Oh, and Crusoe. Every time I see Michael or Pam or Dwight pop up, I get really excited and then realize it's just a finale montage. Boo, NBC.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I was actually surprised at the amount of Yvonne Strahovski? For some reason I expected it to really just be ten minutes of Zachary Levi/Joshua Gomez/Adam Baldwin being boys (there was definitely some of that!) and I was surprised (and delighted!) we got so much of her and Sarah Lancaster. But I agree, there wasn't enough Adam! And with Ryan McPartlin you'd think there'd at least be some cracking up at like... I don't know, I can't imagine getting through that tango scene he and Zach had at the beginning of the season without breaking at least once.

I KEEP PRESSING POST TOO EARLY. But yes! Those and Heroes. You'd think they'd take more advantage of their media monopoly on the Olympics to promote more material? Although they really have been incredibly aggressive about that Christian Slater show, but I think it's going to be this season's Bionic Woman. The Office has had those three Olympic-themed promos, which... I almost love more than new material.

[glassbomb.livejournal.com]

I'm happy for her! She's cute as a button and she seems so sweet, so I'm glad she got at least one gold.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I really really am too! I'm pretty happy with the way the gymnastics medals worked out. Even though those Chinese girls were NOT sixteen.

[so-bambiesque.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen in yet because I need to wait for a download but YES. That is EXACTLY the way that things should be. I 100% adore Nastia and she completely deserved the all-around, but I was so bummed for Shawn and this just make it perfect again. What did Nastia get? Silver, right? Please?

Urm, summer albums. Coldplay's new album, I'm really into Colbie Caillat right now, Mika of course... And the Mamma Mia soundtrack lol :D

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Nastia did get silver! SO ALL WAS WELL! Cheng Fei got bronze, which I was glad of -- she was my favorite of the Chinese gymnasts.

WHAT WOULD SUMMER BE WITHOUT THE MAMMA MIA SOUNDTRACK?

[so-bambiesque.livejournal.com]

WELL THAT IS JUST EVEN MORE PERFECT THEN. And yeah, I liked her as well. I am so sad that it's all over though :(

WORTHLESS. THAT IS WHAT.

[veils.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD THE BLOOPER REEL! YVONNE! The more I watch her, the more I love her. I REALLY LOVE THAT LIKE, THE ONLY TIME SHE WASN'T SHOWN TO BE LAUGHING, SHE WAS TALKING IN HER REAL ACCENT. I don't think I said that right. Whatever. ALSO, being a dork: all Zachary Levi ever does, y/n?

GOD, I NEED CHUCK ICONS, STAT.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I KNOW, SHE'S SO WONDERFUL. I love the gigglers the most. That... is a pretty obvious statement, y? AND LOL, Y.

YES. YOU DO.

[coast.livejournal.com]

ha! Bella karyoli! God, that brings me back to 1996 and the Magnificent Seven. You were a little shrimpers then so you might not remember, but Dominique Moceanu was pretty much my fav ever!

[elapses.livejournal.com]

1996 gymnastics are actually my first memory of the Olympics? I mean, I don't remember it well enough to remember Bela Karolyi, but I was exciiiiiiiiiiiiited. It didn't approach my Olympic craze of 1998, BUT YA KNOW.

[forthesky.livejournal.com]

UGH THAT BEAM WAS AMAZING. I was getting so pissed because they gave that first competetitor (Cheng Fei) such a high score, and our commentators were going "should be low 15's" and she got 15.95 or something, and then they were like "oh they must be feeling generous today" and then gave everyone lower when she wasn't even the best! (I like Cheng Fei, actually, but that wasn't fair). So when Shawn overtook I was SO EXCITED. She was the best by far anyway. I love Nastia though - she is so different in shape to the others? So much taller? And it makes everything she does look so different and pretty.

It's so funny to think of Summer albums in Winter :D Although, the weather is quite Spring-ish here, which is nice. I just looked back through some old posts to see what I was listening to - I remember listening to Sneaky Sound System, who are Australian and kind of disco/pop? IDK. They're fun. I remember being obsessed with Andrew Birds 'Armchair Apocrypha' and Bright Eyes's "Lifted..." album. But idk, that's not really what I'm into NOW. So this was absolutely pointless. I do remember loving "Here It Comes" by Longwave though. (Just the song). :D

[elapses.livejournal.com]

They did the same thing with Cheng Fei on vault, she absolutely didn't deserve the bronze she won there after she fell -- I was upset for Alicia Sacramone there, she deserved a chance to redeem herself after the team. But yeahhhhhhh, I'M SO GLAD SHAWN WON. And I agree about Nastia -- she's got a very ballet quality to her, everything she does is pretty rather than powerful.

HA, ALL YOU SILLY SOUTHERN HERMISPHERERS. I haven't heard of Sneaky Sound System, but disco/pop sounds fun, I'll have to look into it!

ETA: wow, self, hermispherers is definitely not a word.

[carrine.livejournal.com]

Beam was brutal last night. I can't remember the last time I've seen an elite, y'know, high level competition with that many mistakes in just that event. I'm not a huge Shawn Johnson fan, but I'm glad she got her gold, and I'm glad we took 1st and 2nd.

Bela is hilarious. I have his signature on a tshirt! And Marta's actually. I went to a gymnastics meet at their gym one time.

Dude, the commercials about Chuck are killing me. It looks so entertaining and Melinda Clark guest stars! I can't wait for the season to start.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

It was! And it's funny, I wasn't rooting for her at the beginning of the games, but I'm SO GLAD she gets to go home with a gold.

Oh awesome!

OHMYGOSH I KNOW, I'm so excited about Melinda Clarke! I'm kind of enjoying how even though Gossip Girl is the heir to the O.C.'s old throne, Chuck is the one where all the old actors and references get thrown? MY LOVE FOR JOSH SCHWARTZ IS BACK, CARRIE.

[vintagejoy.livejournal.com]

YES, SHAWN. I was pulling for her so hard this beam final. Three silvers is nothing to sneeze at but she was the golden girl and expected to pretty sweep everything so ultimately it would've been disappointing for her. She was always nothing but gracious in defeat, so I have a lot of respect for her.

I stayed up until 1am every night while they played the event finals (they showed them live here on one of the tvnz online channels) except the final night when I missed the beam final by thismuch and got home from work at 11.30pm just in time to see the results on the screen. Fortunately they replayed it on another online channel 45 minutes later because I would've been SO DISAPPOINTED to miss that. Shawn was so solid and Nastia was so fluid and graceful, I've never been more impressed with them, especially under so much pressure.

Music-wise, I have to agree with whoever (whomever?) recommended Emiliana Torrini's new album Me and Armini. And the new Beatbeat Whisper album is pretty good too.

AHAHA. I only respond to ACTION.

[just-float.livejournal.com]

Bela Karolyi is so damn adorable! I've loved him ever since he carried what's-her-name after that fantastic Atlanta finish.

In terms of old music I've enjoyed this summer, I've been listening to a lot of Joy Division, Maximo Park, ABBA, The Police, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Queen, Thao with the Get Down Stay Downs, and Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs of All Time.

In terms of newer albums (I think all can be found on indie_exchange)-- and yes, I know some of them are shameless pop, it's summer!

Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
Amanda Jensen - Kill My Darlings
Boy Kill Boy - Civilian
Ane Brun - Changing of the Seasons

Have any suggestions for me?

[promiseoftin.livejournal.com]

Summer albums!

Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
M.I.A. - Kala
Conor Oberst - s/t
Weezer - The Red Album

And I really want to get the new Santogold record

[allibabab.livejournal.com]

There are oh, about twelve thousand albums I could recommend, but since you specifically said summer, the first two that came to mind were Hideaway by the Weepies and Alright Still by Lily Allen. And I'm looking on your Last.FM page and it says that we have the Weepies in common but i can't find them on your artists list, AND THIS, MY DEAR FRIEND, IS A TRAVESTY. Lily Allen's album is just fun and dancey and filled with exaggerated English accents that are delightfully fun to imitate when singing alone in your car.

I'd also recommend Brandi Carlile's The Story, but it's not (HAHA just typed snot) really a summer album. Though, whatever. It's fucking fantastic and I really do recommend it.

It might have been easier to just send you to my Last.FM page but then how would I go on and on about albums and artists I am in love with?

BY THE WAY, YOU'RE AT THE CONVENTION, YOU PIECE OF CRAP. I keep looking for young girls in the crowd and boiling with jealousy.

David Duchovny is a Sex Addict?! APPARENTLY!

[superskittles76.livejournal.com]

OMG I AM DYING OMG ALSO WHY HAVEN'T YOU POSTED IN FOREVER

http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/27312534.html

OMG OMG OMG O_O

EDIT: APPARENTLY YOU ARE AT THE DNC BUT HOPEFULLY YOU WILL CHECK YOUR EMAIL AND SEE THE SUBJECT FOR THIS COMMENT AND FREAK OUT A BIT :D