Lady Gaga's 'You And I' Cover by me (Chiki) From my MiniVan!

I've been putting up cover videos and having so much fun doing it. There's a few more on my YouTube Channel. I've been doing about 1-2 videos per week.

Check back for more videos!

-Chiki

Film Day #5 Completed, Motherhood always being redefined

So we completed Day #5 of filming for our music video last night. We shot one of the 'family' scenes with Paul, Evan and Michelle. You may recognize Michelle from Big Brother, Season #10. She was the 'Portuguese Princess'. We had sooo much fun. They are fantastic group of talented people. :)

In the midst of all the work going on in my life, I've had little time to reflect but the past week, and probably with help from my Intro to Philosophy course, I've been questioning a lot of things. Namely, why I do certain things. I have a tendency to just go and go and never ask myself why I'm on a continuous cycle of repeating things in the same pattern. At first glance, it may seem like your life is random but when you pick apart all of the pieces of your life, you can analyze your belief system, your likes/dislikes and see how your experiences, your family and friends have all shaped who you are today. You start to realize who you are. You may even get the 'aha' moment I had today. I realized in all my efforts to 'be a good mom' and give to the community, that I don't spend enough time with my children just 'chilling out'. I further note that since the television broke, we are able to get so much more done!

I am redefining who I am as a person by analyzing things that I do, changing them and then applying them to my life to put myself into action. I'm engaging myself in a whole new way; to be present and fully aware of myself. Humans are not perfect. I am not perfect and I can't expect that from anyone. I can't expect anyone to change. I can change the way I react to the world and put myself in action. I can notice things about myself and continue to have 'aha' moments and try to make a positive change in the lives in my children. I need to be more present and do less planning.

I am studying courses so that I can rejoin the work force with new inspiration and it's having a positive effect on my life as well. I will never stop learning.


pop is best served up as a side dish to life.
Chiki

Happiness Equals Skinny!

Photo from 43folders.com

So since we've begun filming and since I've been doing more of the things I love, I feel useful. I feel like I'm on top of the world and I feel like I'm living my dreams. This is why the weight has been coming off! My body is going through that 'shift' right before the fat starts melting.

If you are not doing what you love, and always have said 'someday'. Make today that someday and go out there and make those first steps. You will be healthier inside and out. The world needs you!

pop is best served up as a side dish to life.

Chiki

Mom and the pop life

Enough is Enough Ellen Speaks Out about Bullying

Something needs to be done to end bullying. Even if you do not agree with someone's lifestyle, please teach tolerance, love and understanding. Bullying is a vicious cycle. I almost cried watching this. Please share this on your Facebook pages, Twitter, Myspace and have friends/family watch it. It needs to stop. NOW!

Chiki

Six Skinny Foods: Exercise and Dieting Gap

We have all had this happen and said to ourselves: 'I'm working out and I've gained two pounds. How is this possible?' It is so discouraging when you get on the scale to see all your hard work hasn't paid off.

According to MSN Health, you are still gaining benefits even if you are not seeing it on the scale yet. You are gaining LEAN muscle mass-much better than dimply hangovers.

Remember, look at how long it took you to gain your weight and realize that you'll lose it over time-and usually in a shorter time than you took to gain it! This is more than fair!
lso, Joy Bauer, nutritionist for the Today Show released a book this year called 'Your Inner Skinny'. She offers up free advice in the video below on CBN about delicious and healthy ways to use super foods, skinny foods to jumpstart your metabolism and curb your appetite.








'Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.'
Christine Sebastian

September: Vogue 'Dress For Success'

So Vogue's Japan September issue is full of inspiration for work clothing. It is reminiscent of 80's work wear but with a twist. This model's poses crack us up! This is what to expect for Fall Fashion. I'm seeing a lot of neutrals. If you don't want to do the 'fur' trend that is happening, you can pick up a faux fur bag and or scarf to update your wardrobe.


Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.
Christine Sebastian

Fitness Clothing Feature: Zobha

This week we're featuring an amazing exercise clothing designer called Zobha. It is versatile for yoga, running, aerobics and comfortable! I pulled a couple of items that caught my eye. Zobha's link is after the jump!

Do your panties ride up while you're working out? Try these yoga panties from Zobha!

                                                       

Zobha Workout Gear

'Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.'

Christine Sebastian

Should an Artist decide what an artist is?

Recently Lady Gaga did an interview for Q magazine and she said she doesn't think Paris is an artist.


I think Lady Gaga is creative but I also think that she is a product and has merchandised herself as such. Does someone who has made a business out of herself have the right to decide who is an artist and who is not?


I'm not standing up for Paris Hilton but more the thought that anyone should decide who is a 'true artist' and who is not; especially one that is so successful.


On another note, Lady Gaga has also said that she was a theater student and 'studious' in high school and there were 'blonde' girls that did drugs and 'didn't give a F***'. Later, Lady Gaga goes on to say that she did drugs to help her with creativity and her music as well as she later became a blonde. I think this is a case of Pottle vs. Kettle = both are black.




Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.
Christine Sebastian
Mom and the Pop Life




Image: Rex

High Fructose Corn Syrup Continued: Can Cause Cancer

So, I recently did a Vlog (video blog) talking about the products in my refrigerator. I have since inspired my friends and readers to look at their own refrigerator. Thank you for all of your emails, comments and suggestions!

I received a link from my very clever friend Kathy. This is from Mercola and it's a article from which they use a source of MSNBC. Spread the word about these nasty toxins. This is not food! Read this article below. High Fructose and large amounts of fructose can cause cancers and contribute to the spread of cancer in your body including the most deadly: Pancreatic Cancer.

Fructose contributes to Pancreatic Cancer


Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.
Christine Sebastian
Mom and the Pop Life

Mom and the Pop Life: Is All Art Pretentious?

Look at this piece of art above. It's 'modern' and I found it by doing a google search under futuristic art. To me, this particular piece symbolizes how I feel so very often when I think of the media, pop culture, technology and the chaos that is in our daily lives from information overload. It tells me that although we have all of this information, we have yet to find out how we are going to use it. We have technological tools and we have advanced medicine but we can't figure out how to allocate the resources efficiently. We are limited by our own humanity. This generation has the grand task of figuring it all out, protecting our children from open access to inappropriate information and the media attacking us from all angles.

Anyhoo, that's my take on it. ;) What's yours?

The inspiration of this post comes from thinking about art as an ideal. Is art pretentious as a rule? Can it be something more meaningful? Is it a fantasy world thought up by 'crazy' and 'eccentric' people that will never matter to society? If that is true, why do pieces of art throughout the beginning of man take up thousands of square feet at museums?

Also, the definition of an artist can mean two things today. One is sometimes called a 'puppet', an industry pawn controlled by a team of entertainment professionals at Record Labels, Music Production Companies, A&R Representatives, Public Relations Firms and paying lots of money to get people on the radio. Those people are usually mainstream. The other artist is the 'avante garde' artist. This is the artist that is 'breaking boundaries' and is a free spirit. They are rebellious, sometimes in a 'whoah that's weird' kind of way and sometimes they are 'whoah, that is 'so fierce and badass'. They say and do things for 'shock' value and they 'break boundaries' and everyone 'underground' thinks they are awesome. Sometimes those people cross over to mainstream, usually with the help of a team that figures out how to turn them into a product.

Either way, these artists are pretentious and contrived. The media sells them like they are 'new', they are the definition of talent and so much goes into justifying the fact that they make music and want to entertain. The media goes on to explain how because they 'won this contest' or because they 'wrote a song for Justin Beiber or Kesha', they are hot and cool. Because of these things, we should just accept this artist, induct them into stardom immediately, and 'buy into' everything they're selling.

The justification of everything is what's frustrating. It's contrived and being sold as 'a truth'. How about if you have talent, just make some good music? How about instead of being concerned with how much people are going to kiss your arse, how about making music that is going to get me through my day?

There are some artists that are enjoyable today, no doubt. It is the mayhem that is created on the artists superiority over human life that is so frustrating.

The ability to make music is no more special than anything else that people have talent for. Only the best music should make people stand up and take notice and that's where the focus should be on.

Make your rebellious music, do it on purpose but if you do it, remember that anyone listening is not seeing how 'groundbreaking' you are. You are providing a service and a product. Until you realize that you are a pawn in other rebellious person's life, you are a puppet with strings pulled by 'The Man'.

Pop is Best served up as a side dish to life.

Christine Sebastian

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Fancy Tuesday 'Tips'

Looks like my girls designed those nails! They're not very practical, are they? They would last for one evening of champagne and dining with forks. No chopsticks while wearing these babies!! Ha

So the Second Fancy Tuesday Tip is for your coffee pot.

I have a cheap and easy solution for cleaning the stains on your pots!

Tools:

You will need a nonscratch sponge and baking soda.

Directions:

1) Pour a little Baking Soda inside your coffee pot.

2) Create a paste with baking soda with a little water.

3) Take your sponge inside and scrub out the stains.

The stains will come out easily and your coffee will taste better too.

This Fancy Tuesday Tip has been brought to you by Christine Sebastian for Mom and The Pop Life.

'Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.'

Christine Sebastian

Photo: www.nailderoyale.com

Jennifer Anniston makes big boo boo on Regis and Kelly

So, Jennifer Anniston made a big 'boo boo' on Daytime TV when she guest appeared on Regis and Kelly a few days ago.

The September 2010 Harper's Bazaar has Jennifer paying homage to Barbara Streisand and the photo spread is absolutely stunning. I own it, so I really know! Jennifer's mishap began when Regis referred to her homage as 'playing dressup' and Jennifer said that she plays dressup 'like a retard'. Ummm, what was she thinking? This is one of those moments when you say to yourself, 'please words, come back now!' Unlike us regular folk, usually we embarrass ourselves in front of a few people instead of in front of millions of viewers; some of which are fans. Some of those fans belong to Human Rights Organizations that do not find her 'cute' comment funny. Some of these fans are probably rethinking their support.

So, Jennifer's beautiful work is tainted with those three words 'like a retard'.

What do you think? Should the world get over it? The word 'retarded' in my opinion is a word that is worthy of being placed in the expletives column of the English language. It is a loaded word that is derogatory. If she was using it like some people use the word gay (as a word to describe being silly), maybe there needs to be a campaign to talk about the use of the word retarded to educate and create awareness.

Jennifer, though I'm sure this wasn't her intent, has provided us with an opportunity to rethink some of the words we use, without thinking and sometimes to be funny. They are hurtful and offensive. If we have the reaction when it's said on national TV, should we have the same reaction when it's being said to us 'in private'.

This one is is being filed as a 'fart in church'.

Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.

Christine Sebastian

I really am a Mom living the Pop Life

That's me with the elbow and blonde braids in the middle in 2007 with my beautiful dancers at on of our first we performed at. I look rather lady like with my black pleather boots and fishnets. :)

When I decided to make this blog, I really wasn't sure what I wanted it to be about. I mostly think I wanted it to be about pop culture and how it impacts motherhood, society and children of all ages.

To an extent, I still feel the desire to write about these things.

Now I realize that I really wanted a place to write down my thoughts. Some people would get a journal. I want to be public. One of my purposes in life is to entertain, to engage and to inspire. My whole life I've always been fearless when it comes to my work; and especially when it comes to my music. My husband and I are both songwriters and after the children are in bed, we go down to the studio and write music.

In 2006, my husband and I began developing music and me as an artist. At that time, I had a one year old and a two year old. I was not in shape. I wasn't even in any shape at all in fact! I had put on fifty pounds. I started to work out, diet and ALL of the weight came off. I found a choreographer, interns, a band and even got a prominent music manager. I did this while also keeping a household, going to play dates and Gymboree classes.

Here was this suburban mom with her suburban friends coming to her shows at some not so 'mommy friendly' places. It was a movement. I didn't know it at the time because I was driven by my passion. It was saying a mother can still follow her dreams. She doesn't have to forget who she is.

My husband and I wrote songs that were relatable to what we were feeling. Impeccably produced by my husband Marcus who also worked with New Kids on The Block, our music was described as rocket fuel and explosive. Like 80's music with modern spin, it was electronic, rock, and theater camp. Songs like Wheel of Life outlined how we needed to live for today and not feel bad for ourselves-to just go for what you believe in and follow your dreams.

Monotony is a song about feeling trapped in your life. You ask yourself why you're living this life? My husband and I had so much fun making this music. One of our songs 'Too Much Funn' garnered the most interest and even got featured on Kiss 108.

On stage performing this music, I am space camp, pop queen who had outrageous costumes and a larger than life persona. The show was part Rocky Horror Picture show, part Metropolis but a low budget version!

After some excellent press reviews, I found myself going from small venues to opening for successful artists such as Kat Deluna, Leona Lewis, Maroon 5 and many more.

The music world, especially the pop world is a small one. Sometimes another artist can get inspired by your work. Well, an artist, a popular one did get inspired. Not only did she get 'inspired' by our lyrics but by our sound, show, my persona, my backstory/bio, my press clippings and our marketing. Unfortunately this person was signed by a major and going after that is kind of like a mouse vs. a lion. After all, a signed artist has more talent than an unsigned one, right? Even if that is not true, it's sort of like the rule in this business. Besides this, we don't agree artistically with what this artist has done with our ideas and would never want to be compared with this person.

I got down about it because we poured so much energy into it--not to mention all of the awesome and talented people who worked on the project. I gained weight as a result of letting myself get down and lost passion for something I've always loved.

So, my husband and I started over. We are writing music from the heart. Just like in the Johnny Cash movie, we asked ourselves 'if we were to die tomorrow, what music would we be making?' We have created a whole new sound and we're singing together. :)

As one of my favorite motivational speakers, Dale Carnegie once said "Vitality shows in not only the ability to persist but the ability to start over.

So, we are both working out and getting into shape, eating healthy and it's been a great influence on our girls who see their mom and dad not only doing something they love but working together for it. As parents, it's so important to make time for ourselves so that we have more to give to our children. Dreams don't have to stop being followed.

We are working on a new music video that will be released early winter and hopefully in time for the holidays. More details coming soon!

Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.

Christine

The Smurfs Are Coming!!!! See the Trailor.

Neil Patrick Harris will have the Smurfs Movie ready for us all to see on August 3rd, 2011. The Smurfs bring me back to good memories of childhood and a bad memory also. My brother and I BEGGGGED our mother to buy us Smurfs cereal. We were so excited to eat it! It was soooo disgusting and blue. ewwwww I love the Smurfs and I can't wait to make memories with my children and watch the movie. :) Here's the trailor below. Are you excited about the Smurfs movie?

Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.
Christine

Workout Week, Asics and Zu Zu Pets

It's very earrrllly in the morning. My darling hubby who sleeps in most mornings, had to get up at five a.m. Isn't that just the ugliest hour? Once I'm up, I'm up for the day. Bummer.

How was your weekend? Mine was ok. The rain made it seem fine to relax. My children were not as proactive about cleaning as they were this week. One of them would like more Zu Zu Pets and accessories so that helped motivate the little one to work a little harder too. Zu Zu Pets have earned points this weekend.

This week, I really need to get back on my workout schedule. Last week through me for a loop with a graduation, four music classes and an End of the Year Celebration. I was exhausted by the end of the day and only got to the gym once last week.

But, with my new Asics Sneakers that I got fitted for, I'll be styling in class. I got a running shoe because the salesgirl said that she recommends them over cross training shoes because they give more support. I also have a W-I-D-E foot and Asics come in wide. I have to just say that these are by the the most comfortable workout shoes I have ever worn. I have been buying sneakers that somewhat fit and then breaking them in for years. The sides of my feet would always be in pain. When I told her this, she said, your shoes should fit on day one. Your sneakers will never fit properly if they have to stretch out.

The sales girl told me I should buy new sneakers after four-six months. Sneakers ware. I know I've kept sneakers waayyyy longer than that. All in all a very good lesson.

So, my workout schedule this week will be two days of high intensity cardio, two-three days of weight training and 2-3 days of moderate cardio.

My body is starting to take shape and it's a good motivator to keep going!! Talk to me at the end of the week when I want to crash!

Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.

Christine

Say Goodbye to Camel Toe Forever!

These new panties called 'Camelflage' will erase those embarassing lines forever!!!

Skip over to http://www.camelflage.com

Pop is best served up as a side dish to life.

Christine

Introducing: LaRoux on Good Morning America

LaRoux has been an artist I've been following for some time. I am sooo very excited that she is here in the states. She definitely reminds me of the Eurythmics which makes her even more fabulous! This British TALENT import is skyrocketing up the Billboard Charts here in the US. 'Bulletproof' isn't even my favorite song of hers. I love 'In It for the Kill'--I listen to her while I am cleaning. :)

Here's her live performance on Good Morning America.

Leaving Comments Here!

Hi Everyone,

So, I worked on the comments options. To leave a comment,

1) click on 'Comment' next to the posting you would like to comment on.

2) You can login to specific accounts like google, yahoo and others to leave your mark. Or, you can leave an anonymous account. There is a pull down menu in the comment section.

3) Click post comment and voila!

Enjoy Ladies,

Pop is best served up as a side dish to life!!

Christine

New Program Government Funded to Help Stop Bullying

This is the first episode of a series available to watch on Youtube and you can also check out a site called http://www.stopbullying.com.gov