Am I getting better at predicting the Christian hits? LOL

American Idol Season Five finalist Mandisa and rising teen singer Britt Nicole are the only new entries in Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart, with Britt Nicole’s You entering the Top 10 at #8, and Mandisa fast on her heels at #9 with Only the World. Mandisa and Britt are the first solo female artists in this Top 10 since I can remember!

Mandisa’s debut single is still #1 on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart. It’s the third week in a row that Only the World has topped this chart, beating out other singles, including Kelly Rowland’s Like This, Beyonce and Shakira’s Beautiful Liar and, recently, Shop Boyz’ Party Like a Rock Star. Go, Mandisa! Show them a beautiful God-made woman can do it without San Jose plastic surgery! (Some other singers, though, could sure use it.)

Over on the Hot Christian Adult Contemporary chart, Mandisa does one up better on Britt Nicole, as Only the World enters the Top 10 at #9, which You inches up to #12. Give it another week for Britt to secure her first Top 10 hit on that chart.

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I have lost almost 20 lbs since I started my diet, but I’ve noticed I’m still saggy in areas and lumpy in others. I only recently found out that fat in certain areas of the body cannot be removed by exercise and diet. That is so unfair!

Once I’ve lost enough weight - about 60 lbs. is my target - I may just turn to tumescent liposuction to sculpt the rest of me. Fat deposits I can’t get rid of (especially around the tummy and ass area) can be removed safely with this type of liposuction.

Why shouldn’t I consider it? No one’s died from it, nor has anyone reported major complications in hundreds of thousands of patients who have had the procedure in the past few years. Patients bruise less and heal faster. Most patients are able to walk immediately after the procedure, and typically return to work in two days! Wow!

Of course, I imagine this will be expensive, so we’ll have to consider that. But still. It’s nice knowing we have options.

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I visited MSN’s list of worst Oscar dresses, and I was absolutely stunned by three of the eight choices there. You guys have GOT to see these.

1. Demi Moore’s dress. This one is particularly scary because it seems like her outfit is the queen of ugly dress colors and patterns. Sure, basic black is always a good choice, but did Demi really think these ultratight cycling shorts were a good fashion choice? Her thighs may now be muscled and tight enough to crack walnuts, but at the time… meh.

Combine this unusual bottom with an unconventional top, flower patterned train, and a Japanese-inspired bodice, and you’ve got yourself a dress that will die hard.

2. Bjork’s swan dress. I don’t think feathers are a good fashion fabric in any case. Nothing like a faux dead swan to say, “Hey world, I’m an Oscar-nominated actress. I’m here!”
3. Cher’s Moonstruck dress. Can you believe she claimed her Oscar in THIS?! The headdress, the bare navel (sure, she’s in better shape now than I ever was, and those abs are AMAZING), but she still looks like Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

There are several other dresses on that list, but I think you’ll find these three are the most horrendous of the lot.

You’d think celebrities would be able to afford some really nice gowns, not something that looks like what I just posted, or something in bubblegum pink like some horrendous prom dress.

I didn’t have a prom in high school, but we had this one dance at the Coconut Palace. It was pretty cool. I brought my girlfriend at the time, and we slow danced and everything. It was magic.  I heard a lot of guys lost their virginities that night, but what do I know? I didn’t have to wear a dress, and my girlfriend wore a simply black dress that was really lovely.

What I remember most about that night? The prom dresses and the fact that my girlfriend liked to dance the Macarena. Ugh.

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I was listening to Michael Jackson’s You Rock My World a few days ago when I took a second look at his Invincible album cover. Take a quick look.

Does this look anything like he looks now? I mean, what happened here?

The most shocking change is Michael’s nose. From the original wide flared Afro-American nostrils he started out with, he now has an aquiline nose whose condition is well-documented by tabloid media. Obviously, Michael needs some revision rhinoplasty, but the question at hand is, is there any natural skin left to work with?

And what is with his skin color? He was dark, now he’s sporting a much lighter hue, but we know that his roots, his blood, his DNA says, Afro-American. Why don’t his kids even look mulatto?

I’m neither passing judgment nor criticism, just throwing the proverbial rhetorical question. He’s still a great musician.

(For your listening pleasure, this blog post contains streams of 33Miles’s What Could Be Better (The Days Ahead), off the 33Miles album 33Miles. It also contains 33Miles’ What Could Be Better (The Days Ahead) lyrics. GannsDeen.com does not offer 33Miles mp3’s for download. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment in the Comments box.)

33Miles, a new group consisting of Jason Barton, Chris Lockwood, and Collin Stoddard, has a surefire hit in the infectious What Could Be Better (The Days Ahead). (I personally am tickled to see Jason Barton, formerly of Christian boy band TrueVibe, back in fine form.) The country/rock flavored toe-tapper that is What Could Be Better (The Days Ahead) is pure pop/rock at its finest. If you like Rascal Flatts, you’ll enjoy 33Miles.

Listen to 33Miles What Could Be Better mp3
Lyrics to 33Miles’ What Could Be Better (The Days Ahead) after the jump. Read more

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When I was a sophomore in college, I joined an a capella group in Ateneo named ReVerse. It was an eight-man group specializing in a capella arrangements of current R&B tracks and some great pop nuggets. Some of the best moments of my life were spent singing with ReVerse; it was a fulfillment, in a way, of a lifelong dream to be singing in front of people.

One of the guys in the band, a great guy we’ll call G-Funk, got a tattoo on his arm of a dragon in the shape of a G. I thought it was the coolest thing ever, thinking to myself, “I want one.” It certainly wasn’t because of a desire to be deviant or anything, but I’d always wanted Tattoos. After saving up money from my allowance, I asked G-Funk to come with me to Cartimar, where skin artist Ricky Sta. Ana had a practice, so I could get one.

True to form, I didn’t want a skull and bones or anything remotely dangerous-looking. I decided to go with a Calvin and Hobbes tattoo off the Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes collection.

I still remember the experience. Ricky Sta. Ana was a remarkably paternal figure. He ran me through how he would do it, gave me some Storck so I wouldn’t feel too much pain (sugar still numbs all kinds of pain to this day)…

I was very happy with the work. There I was, a kid in college, with a cartoon tat. I’m still proud of it.

Cathy and I are freaking out!

Thanks to Kuya Rickey, we’ve learned that Elliott Yamin - the greatest male vocalist ever produced by American Idol - is coming to the Philippines in September!

ELLIOTT YAMIN IS COMING TO THE PHILIPPINES!

* The Deens do the Dance of Joy! *

It’s straight from Elliott’s mouth, as per his MySpace! A schedule has been posted on the MySpace as well as PinoyExchange.com’s Elliott Yamin thread. It looks like it’s all mall tours.

Sep 21 2007 8:00PM
Trinoma - Philippines Manila
Sep 22 2007 8:00PM
Glorietta - Philippines Manila
Sep 23 2007 8:00PM
Alabang Town Center - Philippines Manila
Sep 26 2007 8:00PM
Ayala Mall - Philippines Cebu
Sep 28 2007 8:00PM
Market! Market! Mall - Philippines Manila

MABUHAY ANG AYALA! Woohoo!

The next questions are these: Whose asses do I have to kiss to get front row seats? Backstage passes? His autograph on our legit US-purchased CD? A picture of him hugging Cathy? A video?

Tell me now, tell me what you want, and I will do it. My wife has never never NEVER NEVER loved anyone’s music or voice as much as Elliott Yamin’s, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure she gets to meet him!

ELLIOTT IS COMING TO THE PHILIPPINES! Whatever poise I may have had is completely gone.

I gotta say that again. ELLIOTT YAMIN IS COMING TO THE PHILIPPINES!

Update: If Elliott is coming to the Philippines for an Asian tour in September, Wait For You will probably be exhausted by then. It will be time to promote a second single. What Elliott Yamin song should be released in the Philippines for his second single? How about his spectacular take on Sharing The Night Together?