Revamping the Reviews

So as I said before I was changing the way that I am writing reviews so with posting the newest review made me think that I need to revamp all the reviews that need to be changed to match the newest format. I have come across the list of reviews that are needing changes plus come up with a list of reviews that I have on the agenda. So without further ado I will be giving you a list of the reviews needing changed and upcoming reviews!!

Reviews Needed Changing::
Book Reviews:
Marked
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening & The Struggle
Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse
Breaking Dawn

Music Reviews:
Twilight Soundtrack
Avenged Sevenfold: Nightmare
Usher: Raymond V Raymon

Movie Reviews:
Twilight
From Paris With Love

Upcoming Reviews::
Book Reviews:
Life Expectancy
Velocity
Night World No 1
Betrayed
Chosen
Untamed
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Notebook
Dear John
Speak
Vampire Academy

Music Reviews:
Artist Review: blink-182
Album Review: blink-182: Budda
Album Review: blink-182: Cheshire Cat
Album Review: blink-182: Dude Ranch
Album Review: blink-182: Enema of the State
Album Review: blink-182: Take Off Your Pants and Jacket
Album Review: blink-182: blink-182
Album Review: blink-182: Greatest Hits
Artist Review: Box Car Racer
Album Review: Box Car Racer: Box Car Racer
Artist Review: Angels & Airwaves
Album Review: Angels & Airwaves: We Don't Need to Whisper
Album Review: Angels & Airwaves: I-Empire
Album Review: Love Part 1
Artist Review: +44
Album Review: +44: When Your Heart Stops Beating

Movie Reviews:
Avatar
Dear John
The Notebook
Tron

As this is a big list and I would like to change the reviews that are already done, I have a lot of work. It may not be completed tonight but I will try to get most of the changes done as soon as possible. So keep an eye on the site for more information!!

Changes to the Reviews

So as I mentioned in the last post [Chaotic Ideas in Organization] that my reviews are going to be changing!! Yeppers I am adding a few things to them!!! I am going to be putting pics to the reviews!!! I am wanting to add a little more spunk to my site so more pics will be coming!!

Also the format is gonna change a little when I post them but the formats are still going to consist of the formats I posted on the review page!! I still have a huge list of post that I have to write so I may be finding a way to get you all a list coming soon!! Keep your eye posted!!

Chaotic Ideas in Organization

So I have been brainstorming many ideas for some more ways to make this an interesting blog. I am also working on a way to get these into pages as well. Sounds like on top of going to college (and yes making a little blog series out of it is going to be on of those many ideas). In case most of you haven't noticed that I not only do book reviews but I also just blog about anything in general as well!! I am slowly working on ways to get this site running better because this is a mini project that I am hoping to make a portfolio for a future class!!

Some of the many interesting ideas I have for the site are:

1. Better reviews!! I am going to be redesigning the way I am going to be reviewing books, albums, artist, sites, etc. I am even thinking about changing around what all is included in the review which means there may be some added content to most and many reviews. The rating system may even go through a small change, this though I have not completely figured out.
2. Follow Friday In the mist of the Twitter Follow Friday (yes I have a twitter and I try to partake in Twitter Follow Friday when I am able to get on the account) but I have started to work on getting new followers for my blog. I started this week and I am going to continue next week. So keep an eye every Friday for a list of my Blog & Twitter [coming soon] Follow Friday recommendations!!
3. College Blog Series As most of you know I am going back to being a full-time student at Monroe County Community College! Well since this is part of starting a new chapter in life I am going to start making a habit of making a habit of blogging about my day at college every day that I have classes (which are Monday and Wednesday's) for a whole semester. That's right I am going to blog about my Chaotic College Life series. Yeah I am a dork, so sue me! (Not really just joking, I'm a smartass if you haven't realized)
4. Song of the Day Music is a great part of my life that there are some days that I start listening to music as soon as I wake up. This has inspired me to start trying to make it a habit of making a daily posting of a song that has touched me that day! How will I pick which song will be the song of the day? It'll either be picked at random, how many times it was listened to, how its impacted my day, or just by how I have the song rated in my iTunes. Now there are countless number of songs out there but I am pretty much selecting them from the 4,000+ songs that I have in my iTunes, however; I will take suggestions!
5. Random Updates I have from time to been known to post something about my day as well and this is not gonna change. It may have a different approach but these are going to continue! I enjoy being able to share my walk in life with people that I will not change that! I am not guaranteeing that I will give juicy details and if I don't feel like going into detail I sure hope you understand that there may be a reasoning behind it.

All in all this blog is my way of showing my work of to the world. Not only in profession but in life. This is more a personal blog then just a set blog but I do incorporate everything in my life into this!

Usher: Raymond v Raymond

Usher
Raymond v Raymond
$10.99 (iTunes)
R&B/Soul
Track Listing:
1. Monstar
2. Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home) ft. Piles
3. There Goes My Baby
4. Lil' Freak ft. Nikki Minaj
5. She Don't Know ft. Ludacris
6. OMG ft. will.i.am
7. Mars vs. Venus
8. Pro Lover
9. Foolin' Around
10. Papers
11. So Many Girls
12. Guilty ft. T.I
13. Okay
14. Making Love (Into the Night)
15. More
*****
This has to be the best Usher album that I have listened to since I've listened to Usher. With it containing my favorite song "OMG ft. will.i.am" with the top 2 tie of "There Goes My Baby" and "Lil' Freak ft. Nikki Minaj" I would have to say that Usher has done it again! I am looking forward to more Usher because he just keeps getting better and better!!

Avenged Sevenfold: Nightmare

Avenged Sevenfold
Nightmare
$12.99 (iTunes)
Rock
Track Listing:
1. Nightmare
2. Welcome to the Family
3. Danger Line
4. Buried Alive
5. Natural Born Killer
6. So Far Away
7. God Hate Us
8. Victim
9. Tonight the Word Dies
10. Fiction
11. Save Me
12. Lost It All (Non-Album Track)
****
Avenged Sevenfold has gone and done it again! With the album being newly released I have to say that there are good song so far on this album that has had me in curiosity since I knew that it was coming out. My favorite track on the album has to be "Nightmare" followed by "Buried Alive" only because I see were the lyrics are coming from. With much anticipation in hopes that this one would be better than the last two albums from the band I have to say that it is a 4 star album in my eyes.

Upcoming Reviews and Blog Postings

Well I know it's been a while since I have blogged but I have been quite busy with work, selling my car, getting things done around the house for and with mom, signing up for Fall classes and trying to figure out what my next step is in life. Even trying to figure out things with my business and all as well. I may be having time more when I get to part-time in work and full-time in being a student to blog about things as well. It also don't help when my BlackBerry is down but I am quickly working on changing that soon!!!

I just want to say that there are new reviews that are going to be posted here soon. I recently have found new movies to watch. From Paris with Love is the most recent movie that I have watched (just actually finished watching it here) and as soon as I get time in the next few days I will be posting a review on that movie. Another great movie I've seen is Inglorious Bastards starring Brad Pitt!! With having to restart it so many times I've come to find more quotes in the movie that are great that make me laugh just the way the actors/actresses carry there roles. Lastly I cannot forget about the greatest movie that I have watched countless times that I haven't gotten a review done for, Avatar!! That is another great animated/real life movie that makes you wonder, can that happen in life? Just look out for many of those movie reviews.

Music reviews that I got coming up are the lastest two albums from great artist. Eminem just recently came out with a ablum called "Recovery" which includes the latest hit single "Not Afraid". Me recently discovering that hit made me discover the album so I have to still listen to the album and get my input ready for the review!!! The second album in review question would be Usher's latest album "Raymond v Raymond" which includes the hit single "OMG ft. Will.I.am" which has me wondering, will Usher ever lose his touch? Look closely for those reviews coming.

Many of you may have noticed that I am a HUGE Twilight fan, and if you haven't...well there you go you know now. I have been geared up for the newest saga release of Eclipse which is coming to theaters in US at 12:01am Wednesday, June 30, 2010. If I didn't have to work so earlier in the morning and had someone to go with I may be going but I have to find someone to go with!! May be going sometime before my Fall classes start up!! Which means I am going to be blogging about my story of becoming a Twilight Fan and whether I am Team Jacob or Team Edward (if you follow me closely on Twitter you may already know, if not you'll have to wait for the posting!!)

Another blog coming soon is about a question that a friend of mine asked that I will not be revealing until I post the blog!! So if your curious on my thoughts and reviews, please keep coming back for more!! Til next time, Mandi Lynn

BlackBerry Curve 8530

BlackBerry Curve 8530
Motorola
For price, see your local cellular provider
*****
I have now switched to the newest Curve in the family of BlackBerry's. I have been so happy with this BlackBerry that I have no desire to steer away from the BlackBerry family. If you've read my last review on the BlackBerry Curve 8330 then your really going to enjoy this review!! Not only did my last Curve give me a great amount of space but due to the circumstances of having to downgrade back to my Pearl for a couple of days due to the fact I was trying to be a kid again I never got the chance to fully learn the Curve. But since buying the BlackBerry Curve 2 and using it on a daily basis I am enjoying all the functions and space that I have on it!

The only thing that I do miss is having a flash on my camera but due to going to a concert that partook outside I did get to try out out it looked in the nighttime on camera mode and I have to say that if you go to a concert you may want to take a digital camera. I am disappointed that RIM didn't make this model with a built-in flash on the camera but I am learning on how to deal with it. Not only does this phone have a camera but it also has a video camera, voice note recorder, and a music player! If you have purchased on of these phones, I do have to warn you that you may need to get a memory card as most of your music, pictures, and videos are stored on there as well as ringtones if you purchase any!

When switching to the BlackBerry software version 4.7 to version 5.0 took me a good day because the setup was similar yet different. I was able to use more sophisticated folders to store applications. The BlackBerry messenger and the SMS text as well as MMS systems were the ones that I had to relearn as it was all in chat mode and to choose recipients were setup differently. But with learning the software I would have to say that RIM definitely did a wonderful job on the upgrade!

Many applications that I use on my BlackBerry are: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, WeatherBug, Loopt, foursquare, Craigslist, eBay, Pandora, as well many of the apps included in the BlackBerry package. I would have to say that if you are looking to upgrade from a smaller BlackBerry, like the Pearl, the Curve is the way to go!

~Mandi Lynn~

BlackBerry Curve 8330

BlackBerry Curve 8330
Motorola
For price, check your local cellular provider
*****
The BlackBerry Curve 8330 is the latest BlackBerry I've invested in and I have to say that it is the best one I've made so far! Memory has not been an issue for me at all and I have even picked up more applications on the Curve then I had on a Pearl! I have also learned more tricks to having and using many of the features on the phone and it has been great sharing these many tricks with others in the BlackBerry world!

Many features I use daily on my BlackBerry include: Facebook, Twitter, BlackBerry App World, BlackBerry Maps, MapQuest (yes I use MapQuest while having BlackBerry maps because MapQuest has yet to fail me and I've gotten lost at least once while using BlackBerry Maps), Calendar, MemoPad, WordPress, WeatherBug, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, as well as using BlackBerry Messenger! Some specs that I am thankful for being on my BlackBerry are: video camera (great for catching some hilarious party moments as well as lifes simple achievements).

*As a farewell message* I would say that with me majoring in the field that I am getting back into college for, the BlackBerry was a great investment for me! However, I do believe that a regular Joe Smoe who is looking for a phone to do everything that they need, this would be a perfect phone to jump right into!
~Mandi Lynn~

Ringtones

So most of you know by now that I make ringtones and I have been getting a good volume of requests coming in. Since I don't have as much time to make them as I did when I first learned I figured it was time to get a system going on for ringtone requests. That is the exact purpose for this note. This note will contain instructions on how to request previously made ringtones [so that there are not duplicates] as well as ones that you see in the list below. So without further ado I will show the song list and instructions.

SONGS I HAVE*:
Imma Be by Black Eyed Peas
Bartender Song (aka Sittin' In A Bar): Rehab
Fifteen: Taylor Swift
Our Song: Taylor Swift
Sitting In A Bar: Rehab
Wrap U Around Me: Sean Kingston
Shoulda Let U Go ft. Good Charlotte: Sean Kingston
East Jesus Nowhere: Green Day
Horseshoes and Handgrenades: Green Day
Do Better: Say Anything
In One Ear: Cage the Elephant
Keep Holding On (Glee Cast Version): Glee Cast
All the Right Moves: One Republic
Changing: Saosin
Kings and Queens: 30 Seconds to Mars
Daylight: Matt & Kim
Up Up & Away: Kid Cudi
Low: Flo Rida [Apple Bottom Jean's part]
Cupid Shuffle: Cupid
I Wanna Be Your Everything: Keith Urban
Toes: Zac Brown Band
Jukebox Hero: Foreigner
Oceanfront Property: George Straight
I Cross My Heart: George Straight
Fade Into Me: Mazzy Star
Maybe It Was Memphis: Pam Tilis
Santa Monica: Theroy of a Deadman
Place In This World: Michael W Smith
Lothloren: Enya
Imma Star: Jeremih
Boadicea: Enya
Who's Your Daddy: Toby Keith
Shattered: O.A.R.
Whatever It Is: Zac Brown Band
Young Forever: Jay-Z
American Ride: Toby Keith
Help I'm Alive: Metric
I Want You To: Weezer
Rusted from the Rain: Billy Talent
Crazy Bitch: Buckcherry
Whiskey in a Jar: Metallica
Ain't No Rest for the Wicked: Cage the Elephant
New Divide: Linkin Park
Good Girls Go Bad: Cobra Starship
Beautiful: Eminem
Best I Ever Had: Drake
Out Last Night: Kenny Chesney
Chicken Fried: Zac Brown Band
I Miss You: blink-182
You Belong With Me: Taylor Swift
Dammit: blink-182
Burn It To The Ground: Nickelback
Blame It: Jamie Foxx
Behind Blue Eyes: Limp Biskit
Leave Out All the Rest: Linkin Park
Good Times Bad Times: Led Zepplin
Kiss Me Thru the Phone: Soulja Boy Tell 'Em
Lace and Leather: Britney Spears
I Love Rock N Roll: Joan Jett
Dead and Gone: T.I.
All Summer Long: Kid Rock
Bohemian Rhapsody: Queen
Know Your Enemy: Green Day
Knock You Down: Keri Hilson
Turnin' Me On: Keri Hilson
Lollipop: Lil' Wayne
Heart Shaped Box: Nirvana
Come As You Are: Nirvana
Super Freak: Rick James
All I Have to Give: Backstreet Boys
Wanted Dead or Alive: Jon Bon Jovi
Waiting For A Girl Like You: Foreigner
Paid: Kid Rock
Blue Jeans and A Rosary: Kid Rock
Next to You: Mike Jones
Rockin' That Thang: The Dream
How Do You Sleep: Jesse McCartney
Every Rose Has It's Thorn: Poison
Viva La Vida: Coldplay
Young: Kenny Chesney
Say It Ain't So: Weezer
Where the Sun Comes Down: Kenny Chesney
Maps: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Where You Lead
A Country Boy Can Survive: Hank Williams Jr
Don't Stop Believin: Journey
Stranglehold: Ted Nugget
Nobody Knows: Kevin Sharp
Tracks of My Tears: Smokey Robinson
Ice Ice Baby: Vanilla Ice
Heaven: Uncle Kracker
I'm Yours: Jason Mraz
If This Isn't Love: Jennifer Hudson
Halo: Beyonce
Catch Me When I Fall: Ashlee Simpson
Suburban Life: Kottonmouth Kings
Let's Fall to Pieces Together: George Straight
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: Cindi Lauper
Funky Cold Madina: Tone Loc
Ready for Love: Bad Company
Welcome Home: Coheed and Cambria
It Feels Like Home to Me: Chantel Kreviazuk
Mayonaise: Smashing Pumpkins
I'm A Survivor: Reba McIntire
w.a.m.s.: Fall Out Boy
The (Shipped) Gold Standard: Fall Out Boy
Adam's Song: blink-182
Cool Thing: Rascal Flatts
Big Girls Don't Cry: Fergie
What About Now: Daughtry
So Close, So Far: Hoobastank
My Wish: Rascal Flatts

INSTRUCTIONS:
All ringtone request are to be sent via text, e-mail, or facebook messages. If you know my cell number, text it. If you know my e-mail, e-mail me! If not send me a facebook message. But I will need the following information from you:
SONG NAME, ARTIST
YOUR MOBILE PHONE PROVIDER
YOUR CELL NUMBER

If there is a different part of the song that you want other than the chorus please specify or else you will only get the chorus. Once you recieve your tone you should preview and if you like it you can save it and use it. If you are not satisfied with it you have 24 HOURS to reply and let me know that you didn't like it as well as give me the details of why and whether there is anyway I can fix it. Once the 24 hours has past and nothing has been done I will not fix it. If you have let me know, I have has long as it takes me to fix it and send it out to you as I am working on many.

As for how fast they will be done and sent to ya is based on FIFO [First In, First Out] and if you have been giving a ringtone and have followed the instructions I usually try to have it to were if your satisfied with it I move on to the next ringtone.

FAQS:
As of right now there is none. But if you have in questions you can e-mail them too me!!
*All songs listed are chorus unless noted otherwise.

Also I am working on getting a system going for were you can go right to the ringtone and download them yourself!! All you have to do is request and I'll update ya on when I get new ringtones up!!

blip.fm: Where You are the DJ

BLIP.fm
http://blip.fm
*****
This site is the best site for people to be a DJ for there OWN radio station. DJs get to blip while there listeners get to listen and give them props for certain songs. I think that it is the greatest tool/site for people to recommend certain songs to people in where if the person doesn't like the song, they don't have to download* it. I personally use this site and I think its awesome because I can use the site with my Twitter, FriendFeed, and Autoscrobbler. Join now by going to blip.fm!!

Microsoft Zune

Microsoft Zune
Microsoft
$250
**
I bougth this shortly before buying my iPod Classic and I really didn't like it so I sold it quickly.

iTunes

iTunes
Apple, Inc
Free
*****
This is an application that allows you to put music onto your iPod. You can have multiple iPods on it and still be able to have fun on the computer. You can download it free at http://apple.com/itunes.

iPod Classic 80GB

iPod Classic 80GB
Apple, Inc
$260
*****
This was my best investiment because its the biggest iPod I have ever owned because it holds all my music from my iTunes library and even more. It is a replacement of the iPod Video because it allows for Videos and Movies to be watched from it. Whatever you can do in iTunes (except for buy music) you can do on the iPod Classic.

iPod nano 2G 4GB

iPod nano Second Generation 4GB
Apple, Inc
$199
****
This was my second iPod and I had to get it because the headphone jack in my iPod mini messed up so it was a replacement. This one was a grand update from the previous iPod that I had because this one has a color screen which was awesome because of the album artwork option. Came with everything that was to be included.

iPod mini 2G 4GB

iPod mini Second Generation 4GB
Apple, Inc
$150
****
For this being my first iPod a 4GB was great. It came with Apple headphones (which were the first headphones that I loved with them being the in-ear ones, in which Apple doesn't make anymore), a belt clip, a CD to install iTunes onto your computer (now iTunes is a Free Download that you can find at http://apple.com/itunes), a USB cord for syncing from your computer (iPods are capable with Windows but isn't capable for both Windows and Mac and will only pick up from the library that you have selected onto your computer). This one is small and fits in a pocket or anything you can think of. It doesn't have a color screen and is not compatiable for music vidoes.

The Twilight Soundtrack

Twilight Soundtrack
$19
Variety
1. Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
2. Decode - Paramore
3. Full Moon - The Black Ghost
4. Leave Out All the Rest - Linkin Park
5. Spotlight [Twlight Mix] - Mutemath
6. Go All The Way [Into the Twilight] - Perry Farrel
7. Tremble For My Beloved - Collective Soul
8. I Caught Myself - Paramore
9. Eyes On Fire - Blue Foundation
10. Never Think - Robert Pattinson
11. Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine
12. Bella's Lullaby - Carter Burwell
****
Most of the songs in this soundtrack have been played throughout the movie. I think that the songs relate very well since they were fitted into the movie perfectly. One is even written by the actor who plays Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and it brings out his beautiful voice. Its a soundtrack that'll make you want to put it in your CD player and keep it repeating all day long. If you've seen the movie and want the music this is as close to the movie music as you'll get (duh, reason why they call it a soundtrack).