Comfort Food

Writing for me is a luxury because when words flow, I feel connected to my soul. Publishing a blog has been wonderful because it allows me to share my thoughts and feelings, and it is not that I need it to be public, but sometimes, it makes me feel less alone.

There are so many things to write about in our lives and sometimes, I wonder if we publish our subjects of interests to suit an audience or just purely for guilty pleasures. Where does the balance lie because after all, it is public, and we have an audience? The solution I guess has to be two pronged.

I call my guilty pleasures "comfort food". Like my previous topics on Japanese pop idols, I know they are purely for me to chart down my memories before they fade away and there is nothing more enjoyable (at least for me) to read back on some of these and reflect on the times I spent reading and writing them. It was a journey of love and though it looks easy, took plenty of work to complete, so I need a breather once in a while. However, they are a great form of escapism from troubles bothering us in our lives because it allows us a window to indulge.

So, here is my little indulgence today. John likes to tease me about my liking for Mariah and I know that many people have a problem with her screeching (as they call it) but I think she is a wonderful singer when she tones down her vocal gymnastics. But then, don't we also say "If you've got it, flaunt it" as well? So, maybe there is an hidden envy or jealousy out there that we don't have the octaves to deliver. I am also inspired by the continuing success and it is difficult to be written off and then come back with a bang. I am hoping that Akina will find that once again but it is staying as that at the moment.

On the Mariah Daily website, they have just announced the newest achievement of Mariah in being the first female artiste in American Billboard history to hold the top two positions on the Hot 100 Singles Chart. Her mega hit "We Belong Together" stays on top for a non-consecutive 14 weeks, joining an elite group, and now her newest single "Shake It Off" looks set to be the next No. 1, after jumping from No. 4 to 2 this week. Her hit album "The Emancipation of Mimi" has chalked up more than 3 million sales in the US, is the 2nd best selling album of the year (behind 50 Cent's "Massacre") and has not left the Top 5 in 5 months since its debut.

The longest running #1 singles on the Hot 100:

16 Weeks

Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men - "One Sweet Day" (1996)

14 Weeks

Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You" (1992)
Boyz II Men - "I'll Make Love To You" (1994)
Los Del Rio - "Macarena" (1996)
Elton John - "Candle In The Wind" (1997)
Mariah Carey - "We Belong Together" (2005)

There will be more "comfort food" because after all, a personal blog is like a diary or a journey. Even Bret Easton Ellis delves into "Whitney Housten" in the middle of the massacre in his masterpiece "American Psycho" so I guess indulgences like this are justified. In seeking the balance to answer the questions "Who reads your blog?" or "Why should we read your blog?", I look into myself and look for my comfort zone, in my mind, in my body, in my thoughts ...