Welcome back CMM Community!
We have "Parade" as our theme this month and this is perfect for the month of March.
Many celebrate Easter at this time of year but others all over the world hold processions and colorful carnivals to rejoice in the season.
Parade also symbolises a gathering of unity. CMM is a place where many Christina fans come together to make new friends. Our community is very special and CMM relies heavily upon your contributions to fund the Master Server. Sadly, CMM has had a long period of very low contribution levels, resulting in a debt of over $1000! If this trend continues, CMM will be in serious financial difficulty. Our survival depends upon you. So please join in the 'CMM Parade' and gather together any spare cash you have and make your way to Contributions Centre and give a donation.
Please do so before it is too late:
"If you wait for inspiration you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street."
Ben Nicholas
Finally, stay happy and keep positive - don't let anyone rain on your parade!
See you soon,
Ju
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CMM Members March Down Cyberspace
By Corey8296, CMM Editorial Editor
One of the things I miss most about New York is the parades. Name a holiday, and we easily have a parade for it. From Saint Patrick’s Day, The National Puerto Rican Day Parade, or the Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York is easily the parade capital of the United States.
Parades are excellent ways to get a lot of people together to celebrate an event and show your pride. They’re also a great way to show others the unity in that community. I think the closest thing we’ve gotten to a parade in a Christina video was the street scenes in Can’t Hold Us Down. It wasn’t a parade per say, but they were definitely marching down the street advocating female pride.
Also, I noticed on Youtube many dance troupes and children’s groups choreographed dances/marches to Candyman. I found that very exciting because I was in a band in high school and we would always try to pick at least one popular song at the time to play at the football games and our concerts.
I wish we could gather all the CMM members together and have a big parade somewhere. What better way to celebrate our love for Christina?! And although that may be logistically impossible, we do all need to stick together and stay strong until the next album is released. It shouldn’t be as long as the wait between Stripped and Back to Basics, but CMM needs to be ready for the next parade of promotion…whenever that may be.
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Fashion Parade
By Kirsten, CMM Beauty & Style Editor
 Christina parades the DSquared 2005 fashion show
In fashion-shows the models parade the creations of fashion designers. I am from Belgium and
Dirk Bikkembergs is one of the most famous designers from my country. He designs clothes mostly for men and his speciality is combining dressed-up clothes with casual sportswear. That’s why he calls his collection ‘Sports Couture’.
Bikkembergs chooses the hottest male models that have a well-built body - even some famous soccer players dare to be on the runway for Bikkembergs, like the Italian player Fabio Cannavaro and player for the England national team, Michael Owen. The price tag for Bikkembergs clothes may be a bit high but I can assure you that he is hot in Belgium. The charming person that Bikkembergs is, his designs promise to take over the world for the ‘metrosexual man’.
Internationally, one of the most famous fashion shows is without any doubt those of ‘Victoria’s Secret’. For every fashion show Victoria’s Secret seems to get the best models on the runway such as Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima and Tyra Banks, to name just a few. Every model that is on the Victoria’s Secret fashion show is assured of the fame that they will get, it will boost their career. The theme for the fashion show is often very playful with the angel wings to prove it! The Victoria’s Secret fashion show is not a simple fashion parade; they combine the runway walks by the models with live music performances. Every year it is a challenge for Victoria’s Secret to make their show bigger and better then the year before, but they seem to complete that challenge.
See you all in the next newsletter! 
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Welcome To The Parade
By Al3x, CMM Music Box Editor
You know, sometimes while living life, you can imagine music playing in the background and then you start looking for a soundtrack for that specific moment. I’ve started to think that life is like a parade, where you showcase everything you’ve done while people stare at you, as you walk through that looong street. Sometimes if you look to the sides, you can see people that were part of your life and now they’re not; friends, lovers, family… and the music changes as you walk, giving you flashbacks of what you’ve lived. It’s all part of growing up and moving on, to better things…
Imagine there is a parade, and as it happens, there are several floats, each one of them represents a specific time of your life. For example: your childhood, your high school prom, your first love... Therefore they all need a song… it goes like this; I’ll do it first:
My Childhood
 There's a Mario Bros Float, the song for this one is the classic Mario song... It brings so many memories, good ones of course...
High School
This was like my rocker phase, so here it goes, a big float with a giant guitar and Linkin Park's "Crawling" playing in the back... BUT then again, this was when I met Christina, so it should be a giant Genie Christina with a guitar! sexy, huh? lol
College
Here's the rebels float, Star Wars themed, you can hear the main song of the movie... I'm such a sci-fi freak, but I love it!
Current Time
There's so many things hapenning here that I'd need miles and miles of street to fit them... but just to give it music I'd say 'Live With Me' by The Rolling Stones with Christina because I'm loving her vocals here!!!
Well, after all of this, you need now to sit on the highest part of the main float and enjoy the view, enjoy what you've done 'til this moment... remember that life is all about learning...
Thank you all for reading, be thankful of what you've accomplished and wait patiently and be ready for what's coming next...
Remember always, let the music do the talking!
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What is a Parade Without A Drumline?
By Holly, Movie Screen Editor
In every parade there is some kind of drumline. Although most people may not pay much attention to them they are a huge part of a parade!
The movie "Drumline" shows the talent and work that goes into this form of percussion. Nick Cannon stars in the movie as Devon Miles who, upon graduating from High School, enters college and starts working toward being in the Drumline there. After working hard with continuous practicing and showing what he is made of, Devon makes it to lead position.
The marching band director, Dr. Lee (played by Orlando Jones), and Devon are “bumping heads” a lot about what kind of beats they should use. Dr. Lee wants them to use traditional music and Devon wants to add more modern hip-hop type beats.
This movie shows the struggle between the two main characters and the strength and work that goes into the drumline. It also has a great love story mixed in with the plot and with so many problems and issues on Devon's plate the band is then put into an important competition against rival teams! Will Devon and his team show them what they have got and win the match? Will Dr.Lee insist that the team do traditional music and make the band unhappy?
If you want to find out, you know what you have to do; watch the movie and see! It’s definitely worth the one hour and fifty eight minutes to discover what happens!
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Worshipping Good & Evil
By Juan Ma, CMM Astrology Editor
Is it possible to worship Virgin Mary, and just a few meters from there worship an Evil God in the same church? Well, Catholic traditions are mixed with Andean traditions in the Carnival of Oruro.
Every year, around February, thousands of people from the entire world go to the city of Oruro, in Bolivia, to see the Carnival Parade: a very particular one, filled with tradition, culture, colours and folk music.
But the dancers, at least a great percentage of them, dance for about eight hours in devotion to the Virgin Mary, through the streets, until they arrive at the Church of the Socavón (Mine Hole), where on their knees thank the Virgin and ask Her for more favors.
That same church has also a mine underneath, and in that mine there’s a sculpture of an evil god called “El Tío” (The Uncle) where all miners go to worship him and ask him for good profits. They use coca leaves, cigarettes, alcohol and streamer. It is said that if a miner sees that image, but doesn’t give the offering, ‘El Tío’ gets angry and causes mine accidents.
Many Catholics believe that people shouldn’t worship an evil image, and miners agree that their working lives are better if they fulfil ‘El Tío’s’ wishes. Whether you believe in them or not, trust me, there are two powerful energies: one positive and one negative, circulating around one environment, that could make you shudder.
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Olympic Flamboyance
by Vicky, CMM Sport Report Editor
In 2008, China will host the Olympic Games. The build up to this event is elaborate. The opening parade normally starts with the raising of the host country's flag followed by the singing of their national anthem, followed by the “Parade of Nations” which involves competing athletes carrying their national flag in to the stadium accompanied by their own national anthem. The host country will perform traditional national dance and theatre followed by the ceremonial lighting of the torch, which has been carried for miles across the world and then finally lit in the host city.
This is a parade that has become a tradition through the ages from Ancient Greek times. In ancient Greece times only young men could compete in the games. They were normally naked and, as the Olympic festival was a celebration of the achievement of the human body this nudity was somewhat appropriate. This is a far cry from the Olympics today!
The Olympics get bigger and better every year with new sport categories being added and also new pre and post celebratory activities. 203 countries currently participate in the Olympic Games, more countries than are members of the UN. This shows the grand scale of the Olympics and how important it is in the sporting calendar.
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Fan Focus - The B2B Tour Experience
By Julie, CMM Fan Focus Editor
It is time to enjoy another Fan Focus interview. This is where we can all share our own personal experience of Christina's Back To Basics Tour!
This time we get to hear from one of our very own newsletter editors, Andrew.
Readers, please note that Andrew's interview is the last one in the B2B series. The next round of "Fan Focus" interviews will take on a different approach. Watch out for an announcement on main page and in Xtina Lounge shortly.
 Gilbert and myself after the show!
What was the exact date and venue you attended?
It was on Monday April 23rd, 2007 at the Air Canada Centre here in Toronto, Canada!
How far did you have to travel to get to the venue (distance and time)?
I was originally going to take the subway down to the Air Canada Centre but, unfortunately, there had been a big accident in the subway lines where someone had been killed so it was all closed up. Instead, I drove down in my car which ended up taking a little over an hour because we also had a really bad storm that same today and power lines had fallen on the road so main access was closed and the road that the venue had been on was also closed because of flooding/ So it took awhile to get down there because all these other roads and highways were all backed up due to other closures. Overall, it was a mission to get down to the actual venue and I thought I was going to be really late because I left only an hour before the actual show started! But I ended up getting there 10 minutes before The Pussycat Dolls came on so I was JUST in time!
Were you alone or did you go with friends or family?
I went with my best friend Crystal and I also went with my sister and her boyfriend. My friend and I had 2nd row floor seats while my sister was in the section right beside us, 17 rows up. So we were still close to each other, but my friend and I had such great seats!
Did you meet up with any other CMM members?
No, I did not get a chance to because I had gotten there just 10 minutes before the actual show started and in between The Pussycat Dolls and Christina I had used that time to use the bathroom and grab a snack and drink! It would have been nice to meet up with someone though!
How long did you queue/wait before getting inside the venue?
Not long at all. We got there 10 minutes before the actual show started as I mentioned before so the majority of people were already inside so we got to go right through the doors into our awesome seats!
How did you feel before the show started...?
I was EXTREMELY excited because I was so close to the stage! My friend and I were going nuts just waiting for Christina to come on! It was just an amazing feeling to be so close and to be waiting for Christina to come on stage.
.....and after it was all over?
I felt really happy! It was definitely one of the more happier moments of my life! I just could not believe I was that close to her and that she was RIGHT THERE in front of me for an hour and a half! I got this rush of excitement after the show which is why when I got home I could not seem to fall asleep, I was still excited!
Is this the first time you watched Christina perform live? If not, tell us more...
This was the second time I had seen her. The first time was a month before on March 25th, 2007 in Toronto at the same venue, this show that I had went to was the 2nd show that was added due to the high demand for tickets from the first scheduled show and it was even more amazing the second time around! I look forward in the future to more shows from Christina because she sure knows how put on a great one!
Which part of the concert was the most memorable for you...?
Definitely her entrance. I remember just thinking "Oh my goodness I can see her entire face so clearly, this is amazing!" and then of course she lets out that big note and the show kicks off to a great start! That was the most memorable for me! Also, when she bowed on her knees right in front of me at the end of "Fighter", which I was able to catch on video on my digital camera, was another GREAT moment for me. The whole concert was just so memorable as a whole.
..... and was there any part of it you would like to forget/didn't like?
There were absolutely no moments during the concert that I would want to forget. The entire thing was AMAZING!
If you were a VIP ticket holder, tell us what the package included and your favourite treat!
I did not buy a VIP package, I had gotten my seats off of Ticketmaster.
Did you glimpse Christina (or any other celebrities) before or after the show? If so, tell us more...
I did not seem to see anyone of "celebrity" status before or after the show but I did get to meet Gilbert! At the first Toronto concert Gilbert, Marcel and Dres had come out after the show but I did not have my camera so I did not bother to get a picture with them but this time when Gilbert came out I had my camera and made sure I got a photo with him. He is my favourite Christina dancer. No other dancers came out though, only Gilbert came out and he was a really nice guy!
Did you buy any merchandise and, if so, what?
At the first Toronto concert I had bought the tour book, the Ain't No Other Man t-shirt and a sketch of her which was sold outside the venue, so this time I bought the tour poster which is so nice! I did not realize how big and nice it was until I put it up on my wall!
Sum up for us in three words the B2B tour experience!
Spectacular, Exciting and Entertaining!
Any other comments?
It was so good to be so close to the only artist who I can listen to every day and never get sick of. Christina is and always will be #1 in my eyes and it was a great experience to be so close to her and to watch her best tour yet with 2nd row seats, it is an experience I will never forget. It was also amazing to meet Gilbert, after watching the "Stripped" DVD so many times that I have basically memorized every lyric, move and comment she makes it was nice to meet someone who in my eyes was just as big as Christina! In all, it was a great night and one that I will remember for the rest of my life and hopefully one day I will get to be that close once again!
Thanks for asking me to do this, it was really fun!
Andrew
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No problem, Andrew! Thank YOU for sharing your experience of the B2B tour. Your interview is the last in this series and it was great to see it finished in style!
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Happiest Homecoming on Earth
By Angelo, CMM Spotlight Editor
Launched at the center of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, Disneyland hosted it's 50th anniversary with a global celebration complete with fireworks, music, excitement and a parade that featured many of its familiar and beloved characters.
Christina Aguilera was one of the many celebrity guests to have been invited to the milestone extravaganza. For her part, Christina sang "When You Wish Upon A Star", a tune introduced to the world in one of my favorite Disney movies, "Pinocchio".
'The Parade of Dreams' premiered at the anniversary and it consists of Disney characters atop moving floats materializing specific dreams that relate to their respective story. For example, Ariel the Little Mermaid represents the 'dream of another world' as we should all know that in the movie Ariel longed to experience a world outside the body of waters in which she had been accustomed to all her life.
The parade lasts for a memorable 35 minutes; plenty of time to burn its charm and magic into your heart. Disney has an inexplicable way of embodying the hopes of the world and making us believe that any thing is possible; no dream is too big.
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History of the Easter Bonnet
by Rachael, CMM Funk Editor
 “In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,
You’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.”
So sang Judy Garland and Fred Astaire in the classic film “Easter Parade.” Whatever did happen to Easter Bonnets anyway? Well, in the olden days it was quite common for women to wear elaborate hats to church services and just about everywhere - the hat was the pinnacle of high fashion in earlier times.
The Easter Parade had its beginning in the 1870s in New York and is still an extremely popular event. Originally those attending would carry Easter flowers from St. Thomas Church to St. Luke's Church. In this one- block parade it became a traditional rite of spring to be seen in your new spring fashion which, of course, included a hat. But apparently, Easter bonnets were worn long before traditional parades even existed because the wearing of large wreathes decorated with flowers to celebrate the coming spring was often practiced. But soon they became a matter of fashion, getting larger and larger and more elaborate with decorations and accessories.
Fashion always repeats itself, however. We often see renaissancesque tops in the windows of department stores, Greek-cut dresses on the red carpet, 40’s vintage prom dresses, Bell bottoms on our teens and the ever popular pin-up girl Halloween costumes. It’s not too much of a risk to sport one of these luxurious, elaborate hats once again. So, this Easter, why don’t you treat yourself as they did in the past and adorn yourself with a beautiful bonnet - you’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade!
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Procession of the species
By Ola, CMM SciTech Editor
It began in 1995, when a group of Olympia inhabitants decided to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Earth Day" and show their support to Congressional renewal of the 'Endangered Species Act'.
From the very beginning it was supposed to be a community celebration that would unite nature-lovers from all over the world. They also made three simple rules:
No written words
No live pets
No motorized vehicles
Even if it is not the most popular and widely accepted way of celebrating Earth Day worldwide, the parade does have its fans at the Puget Sound and Cascadia bioregion. Everyone who wants to take part can show off their love for the natural environment. Most of the participants contribute money, some donate materials and, of course, their spare time to create fun and colorful costumes for this special event.
For more info, visit the Procession's official site:
http://procession.org
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