i never know how to feel about beyonce. i love her pretty much any time i associate her with jay-z. it warms my heart to think about how they did "bonnie and clyde '03" and in 2008, it really does appear that nothing and no one will ever come between them.

beyonce is at her best when she is spiteful and a little vindictive (see: "ring the alarm," "irreplaceable") or when she was in destiny's child. most other times she is kind of annoying (see: dreamgirls, interviews, l'oreal commercials). also, her upcoming album is entitled i am... sasha fierce, and i honestly can't comprehend how the people at her record label allowed her to do this.

for some bizarre reason, two singles and videos were released simultaneously for this album. one is a terribly unoriginal and sappy ballad called, "if i were a boy," which i hate so much i don't even want to think about it. the other is the much better "single ladies (put a ring on it)," which sends a clear message to fellas that if you and your lady break up, you have no right to be angry when another man wants to hit it. because if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it.

just like i know that "ring the alarm" was created solely to ensure that no woman will ever go near jay-z as long as beyonce lives, i like to think this song is the reason they got married. i imagine beyonce was like, "hey jigga man, i'm working on this new song. wanna hear it?" of course he obliged. upon completion of the song, he asked, "b, you trying to tell me something?" and she probably said, "i don't know, jay. but remember how pissed i got in the 'ring the alarm' video and how fast i got a new boyfriend in 'irreplaceable'?" and the rest is history.

as a song, "single ladies" is pretty beyonce-like, but the video is... a surprising choice. my initial reaction was literally, "haha... what?" however, i have since watched it an estimated seventeen times and never fail to be greatly entertained by it. although i still don't fully -- or partially -- understand the robotic hand. he didn't put a ring on it, so she cut it off?