oh the places you'll go. when they said that you'd share your life with someone (when you're in a relationship), i didn't think it meant you would share things so directly. i've been to vegas, disneyland, and dave and buster's more times than i would have liked to. but we all make sacrifices/compromises, don't we? tonight i found myself sitting in the stands watching an american idol concert.

the experience was similar to going karaoking with your friends, albeit with an arena full of people and amazing singers on-hand. pretty much it was like watching the greatest karaoke show on earth. no original songs and all crowd pleasing favorites. not exactly innovative but thrilling nonetheless.

however, just as in real karaoke, some songs you think will be super hits flutter out. for example: "waterfalls" by tlc. sounds great on paper and for about fifteen seconds, but then you realize it sucks as a karaoke song (except when connie does it complete with the left eye rap). stick to the rabble rousing anthems with lyrics that everyone knows. pretty much any fast song is doomed to fail. beyonce's "crazy in love" track? fail. it's nigh impossible to imbue the song with the originial artist's personality. especially if you are no beyonce physically. 90% of popular fast songs are simply unkaraokeable.

and to realize you're watching team-c talented singers is sobering, because you realize how good you have to be to become an a+ talent. take alicia keys. black girl, piano player, good singer. lisa -- who got cut very early in the show -- is like alicia keys lite. black, plays piano, good singer. she sounds great but you just know alicia's light years better.

what american idol did get right was that each person eliminated got eliminated in the right order (well, except taylor's fluke final victory of course). as each of the ten singers ascended the stage for their star turn -- three songs -- the singing got better and better. america chose right. except that katherine mcphee or elliot yamin (he's my new post-show favorite, utterly ridiculous) should have won. taylor is trash.

and that's all the american idol talk my life can handle.