Dear Mariah [aka: Mimi (if you insist)]

About a week ago, I had a sudden yearning to listen to some old school Mariah Carey. Now, for me, Mariah (non Mimi) holds a very special place in my heart. Her self-titled album was the first CD I ever owned and I literally wore the thing out. The same thing happened with Music Box and Daydream, both of which I remember getting in the good-old-day fashion of driving to the local CD store (Sam Goody in New Jersey) on release day and picking it up. - As a little girl, there was something so positive and happy about her songs, even the sad "Vision of Love". Belting out tunes as I jumped around my room, I wanted to be her and sing with such amazing grace and percision. Her songs made me feel very inspired and happy. So, it was odd juxtaposition that just as I began listening to my childhood favorite singer again, she released her new album E=MC^2, and put into stark contrast how different she has become. I mean, I always knew that Mimi/MC was not Mariah (that much was clear from the day she decided to do away with her perm and turn blond). But I had forgotten exactly how much of a cliche she had turned into. I will always admire her for coming so far in her life, getting over terrible depression (remember that TRL episode? Huh?), breaking through as a female artist, and having as many #1 songs as the Beatles did. However, her current state of affairs is just too much to watch, and her songs are just horrible! They basically consist of a steady discoteque beat and her singing about being strong and overcoming her fears...or someone being her baby/ her being their baby, which she already did in the early 90's (and in a far better way!) Anyway, despite being annoyed at her current state of affairs, I'm more annoyed at people who have forgotten Mariah completely and now only see this Mimi personality.

On a side note, I find "Always be My Baby" to be a really awesome song to run to, especially as the weather gets better! Good deal.