(For your listening pleasure, this blog post contains a stream of a radio rip of Carrie Underwood’s So Small, off the upcoming Carrie Underwood sophomore album, Carnival Ride. GannsDeen.com does not offer Carrie Underwood mp3’s for download. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment in the Comments box. Come back to GannsDeen.com for the latest and best in Christian, country, and pop music.)

American Idol Season 4 and Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood’s sophomore album, Carnival Ride, is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated releases of 2007. The carrier single off Carnival Ride is titled So Small, and was serviced to country radio less than 24 hours ago. So Small, a country power ballad co-written by Carrie Underwood, will no doubt help Carrie Underwood set country airwaves on fire once again.

So Small is the first Carrie Underwood single in which she shares a writing credit. In an interview with Beville Darden of AOL Music, she says So Small is about how “people invest so much of their time and energy into things that aren’t really important, and you don’t really realize that until it’s too late.”

So Small currently stands at #11 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs, #98 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #67 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay. It debuted at #14 on the Canadian Hot 100, her best debut ever on that chart. You can now download So Small on I-Tunes; purchasing the So Small single today will help raise its Hot 100 rank as early as two weeks from now. (Once again, thanks, Berg.)

Listen to Carrie Underwood So Small mp3
Carrie Underwood So Small lyrics after the jump Read more

Today marks one week since my beautiful Filipina wife, Cathy, left for Malaysia to present a research paper at an international conference for educators. Cathy Midel Deen is the Admissions Director of DLS-College of Saint Benilde, a position for which she is a perfect fit as an independent, intelligent Filipina woman, and she’s done absolute wonders since she stepped into the rather large shoes left by the retirement of the fiercely efficient Filipina educator Adette Unson.

Cathy is an absolutely spectacular wife. She is forgiving, as most Filipinas are, and extremely patient, an admirable trait given the lout she decided to marry. Before she left for Malaysia, she made a menu list, typed into my mobile phone all the errands and tasks I had to do, left money and resources, and did that all while feeding Nicki. No ordinary Filipina, my wife, I’ll tell you. When she got to Malaysia, the first thing she did was buy me this book I’d been looking for for the long time, The Dante Club.

Cathy is also a loving Filipina mother. She always does her best to make sure Nathan and Nicki are comfortable and provided for. She continues to feed Nicki naturally, a truly admirable thing because it’s not easy to breastfeed. Always level-headed and civil, she’s a model Filipina mom, cooking and cleaning and doing all that with a smile on her face.

This week’s Filipina Focus: my beautiful wife, Cathy. I love you, sweetheart! That you chose me to be your partner just overwhelms me with pride and gratitude. Rock this world, baby! (Can’t wait til you get back.)

This post is part of a weekly post series I’m titling Filipina Focus to honor the fabulous Filipina. It is also part of the campaign to reshape the image of the Filipina online by linking to the websites of the best Filipina women bloggers and Filipina organizations. The Filipina is an independent Filipina, a God-fearing Filipina, a funny Filipina, a Filipina who deserves accolades for everything she’s done. For information on the Reclaim the Filipina campaign, click here or here.

(Listen to God Speaking by Mandisa, off the amazing Mandisa debut album True Beauty. GannsDeen.com does not offer Mandisa mp3’s for download, and encourages you to purchase God Speaking or the album, True Beauty, from your favorite online or offline record store. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment in the Comments box. Please come back to GannsDeen.com for the latest and best in Christian, country, and pop music.)

God Speaking is Track 3 on American Idol finalist and now Sparrow recording artist Mandisa’s debut album, True Beauty. Penned by Christian songwriter Ronnie Freeman, whose own recording is currently Top 5 at Inspo radio, God Speaking is an anointed song that will touch your heart, I virtually guarantee it.

God Speaking is definitely one of the best tracks on True Beauty, and possibly one of the best possible Contemporary Christian album tracks in 2007. Congratulations out to Mandisa for a spectacular recording.

Listen to Mandisa God Speaking mp3

Click after the jump to read the Mandisa God Speaking or Ronnie Freeman God Speaking lyrics. Read more

Jody McBrayer has left Avalon. His disease has spread. I’m having trouble dealing with this. I’m a total mess. I’m tearing up in front of my computer.

I want to shout prayers. Supplications. “Lord, HEALING! Heal your faithful servant! In Jesus’ name!” I want to beg, on my knees, praying for healing for Jody. As if he were my own flesh and blood. And frankly, the way his music has helped me through much difficulty the past few years, he may as well be. He doesn’t know me from Adam, but in God’s family, we are united by the blood.

And there it goes. I’ve gone into the ugly cry.

Jody posted this letter on Avalonlive.com: Read more

I stumbled onto the official website of the Trattoria Acqua, a lovely restaurant known for San Diego romantic dining. As I reviewed the website of this California restaurant offering Italian coastal cuisine, I remarked to myself:

This would be a hit in Tagaytay!

Think about it. Their specialty is a spectacular Osso Buco alla Pugliese, a pasta dish that features a veal shank braised in garlic, tomatoes, capers, and olives, undoubtedly perfect for Tagaytay’s brisk cool air. My mouth literally waters for the chance to savor their Carpaccio di Bue al Gorgonzola, an unbelievable filet mignon carpaccio with gorgonzola cheese and a Dijoin mustard aioli! Gosh, that sounds incredible!

Other dishes that’d go well with Tagaytay: the Ravioli d’Aragosta, lobster in pasta purses served with sweet tomatoes and a basil-infused beurre blanc, the Portabello e Polenta, a seasoned ham and wild mushroom dish that is out of this world, and the Proscuitto e Gorgonzola, partnered with baby arugula and house-made fresh fig marmalade.

The ambience also looks amazing. The Mediterranean feel would not be out-of-place in Tagaytay at all.  Tiled terraces, rustic walls, vines… it’s perfect for Tagaytay.

This is a sponsored post.

Country singer Mindy McCready, who scored a huge hit in 1997 with Guys Do It All The Time, was taken into custody Wednesday at Nashville International Airport for violating her probation. The 31-year-old singer was arrested on misdemeanor charges: she scratched her mother’s face before being forcibly taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies.

The singer, who has suffered from addiction to the drug Oxytocin, said she violated probation by being charged in a new offense; not reporting those charges immediately to her probation officer; and by the nature of the new assault charges.

Prior to her arrest, McCready had other runs-in with the law, including a driving under the influence charge in 2006. While found not guilty of the DUI charge, she was found guilty of driving with a suspended license. She then pleaded guilty to violating her probation.

Meanwhile, her mug shot has been released by local authorities, and I am a little curious as to what happened to her nose. Did she get that cut during her altercation with her mom or when she was arrested? Hm. It looks like McCready could use a little Philadelphia rhinoplasty.

It’s been a little less than two months since we’ve had Gina, our Hyundai Getz. Since then, she’s been a faithful little thang, but it’s only been now that I’ve managed to find time to invest in quality stuff for her.

Since we bought her, I’ve invested in:

• Custom leather seats from MG Square (call 411-5442, look for Rey);
• Funky blue lights beside the CD player because there’s no map light;
• a new Bosch horn to replace that poor excuse of a factor horn; and
• Looney Tunes car mats.

Sure, it’s a little pricey at the start, but we’re with our Hyundai Getz Philippines for the long haul. When you treat your car right, it’ll treat you right. Sure beats the heck out of buying used cars in San Diego.

Last week, I bought car wax and applied it, but this week, I’m bringing Gina to the car wash beside Tazza along Banawe because there will be days when it’s just so much easier and better to trust the professionals.