Is American Idol losing its touch?

As a huge fan of the show, I was disappointed by this season. It started out with a controversy about the judges being too harsh, the top 12 didnt inspire, Sanjaya's astonishing run became an increasing embarassment for the show and just when I thought the best would actually find their way into the Finals, Melinda was voted off. She is, in my view, one of the best, if not the best singer this competition has ever seen. She epitomized talent, consistency and a vocal range that few can match. I will inevitably buy her album when it comes out later this year. As for Blake and Jordin, while they have charming personalities, they are musical midgets compared to Melinda.

If Melinda does (and she probably will) outsell both Jordin and Blake, she will be continuing a trend wherein singers voted off earlier in the show have tended to have greater commercial success than the winner. Barring Kelly and Carrie, big Idol stars- Chris Daughtery, Jennifer Hudson (an Academy award winner, no less), Clay Aiken to name three, did not actually win the show but did considerably better than the actual winners which only goes to show that while Simon wants to remind us that "this is a singing competition", it inevitably tends to become a popularity contest around personality, not just sheer talent of voice and musical ability.

While I still enjoy the show, I felt jaded this season. The judges seemed predictable, Simon wasnt mean enough, the Final wasnt catchy enough and so, while I will miss the show on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I am hoping the producers are able to do something different next season. Or maybe, its just time for me to move on to something else...

Irregular posts, warm weather and changing moods

A friend of mine called me over the weekend and castigated me for not posting anything on the blog for the past four weeks. As I have said before, my irregularity is a function of three things- a) lots of work in office that consumes me mentally to an extent that it is difficult to think of something else to write about; b) whatever time one does get then is spent in the company of our wonderful son, Sanjay, who just turned nine months, has started crawling and is an absolute joy; and c) sheer laziness on my part.

I should add a fourth reason- warm weather. Warm weather, especially coming off a really cold winter, is something I want to treasure- I guess we all do! So, when the sun shines out bright, it is imperative that we either drive out, walk or run or do something outdoors as that is a luxury that would go away in a few months. Over the last month, Boston has seen incredibly good weather. Temperatures have often been in the seventies, sometimes touching the eighties too and that has meant walks by the sea-shore, enjoying the serenity of the sea and the warmth of the sun even as the trees and grass turn green in what promises to be a terrific summer.

There is something about the sun that impacts my mood too. The fact that you could see the sun even when you are coming out of the office after a hard day's work can elevate spirits, more than I ever imagined they would. I feel energized, there is a spring in the step and there is a resolution to pursue healthy habits- walking, running, regular exercising etc. We will have to wait for a few months to figure out how seasonal those resolutions are- but undoubtedly, warm weather brings better moods all around- lately I have seen more people smiling in office! Which is probably why people retire in warm climates- Florida, Arizona etc remain destinations of desire for retirement- I bet weather plays a big part.

It also looks like the Boston Red Sox are getting positively impacted by the weather this year. But given their chequered past, I shall not celebrate just yet. But then, the warm sun, the blue ocean, and the greenery all around are reasons enough to be really pleased, and I will enjoy this weather till it lasts!!