trip pictures

Last week, Chris & I went to Las Vegas. We went so that Chris could attend 2 different conferences. I tagged along and did my own thing while he was at the conferences. Here are my pictures from the trip:

click picture to see the rest

On our way home, we stopped at the Hoover Dam. It was so damn(hehe) cool. Here are my pictures from our time there:

click picture to see the rest

p.s. Flickr is having problems, so if they don't load try them again in a few minutes.

song in my head 08/08/09

Wake Up by Sliimy (pronounced Slim-ee)

glasses picture posting fail

I picked up my new glasses today. I am very excited. Last week when I posted a picture of my new glasses, I knew they didn't look quite right. Now that I have the new ones, I know why... I found the wrong frames. They looked similar because of the bling on the sides. I didn't remember the frame number, so I just started looking at the brand to try to find them. So, I had previously posted the wrong picture. I'll get a picture of myself wearing them soon enough, but for now I'm gonna post a picture of the right ones.See? They are much cooler than the ones I posted by mistake.

random to do list

TO DO before we leave for Vegas (Sunday):

- give myself a mani (trim, file, buff & paint red)
- 2 1 load of laundry
- fold underwear
- decide what clothes to pack
- go to dentist for another upper impression for my night guard
- pick up new glasses
- buy snacks for the road
- load & charge ipod
- more research on cheap places to eat
- pack

Posting this here helps me remember what I need to do.

mad men yourself

If I was my age in the 60's...

do it yourself: http://madmenyourself.com

eye doctor

Today was yet another doctor visit. One more tomorrow... and its the girly doc for the girly exam. Hip, hip, hooray. I made all these doctor appointments for this week, because I have my mom's car. She is out of town and she let me use her car while she is gone. Normally, if I need to make an appointment, I would have to take Chris to work. It's a total pain in the ass. So I am taking full advantage of having 2 cars. Anyhoo. Went to the eye doctor today for my annual exam and to get new glasses. My current glasses are falling apart. One side is held together by a wire where the screw should be. The paint on the inside at my temples has chipped off, and the metal turns my face green. I have to paint over it with clear nailpolish to keep that from happening. Also, some of the bling on the sides have fallen off. They are 2 1/2 years old. So, I get there early so that I can look at all the frames before my appointment. I didn't know if she was going to dilate my eyes or not. Its hard enough to look at frames without my glasses on, then add dilated eyes and its tough to see at all. Before they called me back, I had it narrowed down to 3 pair, but really leaning toward one pair. The doctor tells me that my astigmatism has shift, especially my right eye. So my prescription changed a lot. She said that can happen and there is not reason why. Whatever. Everything else is good. She actually didn't dilate my eyes, which was good. After the appointment, I decided on my glasses. Here they are:
The picture does not look very cool, but they are. I like them a lot. I hate that I have to wait a week to get them!!

dentist. grrr

I had my first dentist appointment in a couple of years, today. I stopped going, because our old dentist office was by our old apartment. That is over 25 miles away. Chris found a new dentist near his work and that was the dentist I went to see today.
There was good and bad at the dentist...
BAD: More cavities than I feel like saying. Slightly embarrassed about that. I have to get a crown over the tooth that I had a root canal on. After the root canal, the dentist just gave me a filling, instead of a crown. Now that filling has cracked, so I need a crown. I should have gotten the crown in the first place. So, crown and cavities. Plus... I grind my teeth and have issues with my jaw. When I open my mouth wide, my jaw locks. Sometimes so much that I have to hold on to it and pop it back in place. Most of the time it goes back itself, but it does slide back and forth and pops when it closes. If I keep my mouth open too long, my jaw hurts terribly. The dentist took a bite impression that just about killed me. I had to sit there with the stuff hardened and I was seconds away from grabbing the dentist's arm to make it stop, when he took it out. They also got impressions for a top and bottom night guard. It will help with the teeth grinding, but he said it should also help my jaw. They also did a test for TMJ. The dentist only glanced at the results, but he said that it didn't look as bad as he thought it would. That's a good thing. Mainly because he said that if the night guard doesn't work, then he would have to refer me to a specialist and the typical treatment is surgery. grrr. No thank you. So, filling and crowns and night guards. Oh my.
GOOD: This is the first dentist (or doctor for that matter) that has ever cared about my jaw issue. I am not sure if the treatment plan is gonna work, but at least someone cares to try to help me with it. Also, I feel like this dentist is much smarter than the last one we had. Chris is really happy with him and I was today too. We shall see. Trying to stay positive here.

look at this little chunky monkey!!

gotta love her..

Colbie - 14 months

SHE LIVES!!

me to my sister: Why do you always call me when I am watching Jonas?

After that short, random comment, let me explain why I haven't blogged in ages. Actually that comment does explain why. Twitter. Blogging in 140 characters or less. For so many people (me included), blogging has become micro blogging. How to say what you need want to say in short sentences. Straight to the point. Not repeating the same sentence in a different way. (Geez I'm silly.) But honestly, twitter is not the only reason.
My dad, father, sperm donor can still read my blog. I didn't want to share anything too personal about my life, because I felt like he didn't deserve to hear about it. I still feel the same, but I am been giving him too much power over me. My stats show that he doesn't even check here anymore. So if he's not thinking of me, why should I worry what he reads?
For the faithful people that do still check here occasionally, I want to bring you up to speed.
- Still unemployed. Grrrr
- Still loving Jason Castro. Music is coming really soon.
- Went to San Diego to meet my friends in real life. Amazing time. Love them even more now.
- Went to Ohio for Chris's sisters wedding. It was a great wedding. Nice to see the family. Bachelorette party. Drunk. Fun. I took tons of pictures. See them here.
I think that's it. I have been traveling a lot and I really like that. I wish I could travel all the time. I also think I just really like getting out of the house when I can. With having only one car right now, I spend 95% of my life in the house. I would walk, but its too fucking hot right now. I started walking early morning at the very beginning of summer, but now even the mornings are 90+.
Not much else has been really going on with me. But if you have been reading my blog in the past, you know that I blog about the most random things. So, I am gonna get back on track with it. Still gonna tweet, but I have a lot of nothing to say.

Oh and by the way... I actually was watching Jonas when I wrote this.

more peach tree

I am so in love with my peach tree. I know that sounds crazy, but its true.
Took a new picture of the babies today...

see them just 11 days ago. my how they've grown!

today is the 1st day of summer

meeting Jason Castro

Chris and I were in LA on Saturday, for a convention. Before we headed home, we went to Santa Monica. We walked on the pier and then went down to the water. After almost losing my shoe in the ocean, we decided to go get something to eat. We found a strip of stores and restaurants. We turn into the parking lot behind the stores and I see Jason Castro walking thru the parking lot. I grabbed Chris's arm and was like OMG! THAT'S JASON! JASON CASTRO! Chris tells me to get out of the car and do something. I think I was in too much shock to move. So I opened the door right there, in the middle of the parking lot. I was lucky that I still had my camera in my pocket from being at the beach. He is past our car by now, so I get out and walk over towards him and say, "Jason." He turns around and smiles.
I said, "I saw you walking by and just wanted to meet you and introduce myself."
He puts out his hand to shake my hand, I shake back.
me: "I am Laura and I am one of the creators of the Goth Girls site."
JC: "Oh. Oh yeah? Nice to meet you."
me: "I saw you here and couldn't not say hello, even though I am still wet from the beach."
JC: "The beach. I think that's what we're gonna do next. I was just out here feeding the meter."
me: "So you live around here, right?"
JC: "Yeah." Lifting his arm and pointing towards the general southern direction. "Over in... there."
me: "So, like, in the Santa Monica area."
JC: "Yeah. What about you?"
me: "I live in Phoenix, actually."
JC: "Oh. So you're just here for a visit, then?"
me: "Yeah, just for today."
me: "So you've been really busy lately."
JC: "Yeah, been working really hard on the album."
At that moment I am looking behind me to see if Chris was coming back. I kept hoping he would, because I didn't know how else to get a picture with him. So as he is saying that, a random guy walks by us. I stop him and ask him if he would mind taking our picture. He was super nice and said that he would. I don't even know if I turned the camera on before giving it to him, but I know for sure that I did not show him how to use it.
After we take the picture...
JC: "I gotta get back to eat."
me: "It was really great to meet you. Thanks."
JC: "You too. No problem."
He was really nice. Smelled good. Even with the 2 week old beard, he was just as smiley as ever. I am so lucky to have met him. I mean, what are the odds? I am really lucky to meet him the way I did, too. We were able to have a small conversation and it wasn't just a quick 2 seconds. I am not discounting people meeting him that way, but recognizing how lucky I actually was.

words escape me

When I am able to write in complete sentences, I will tell the story. But for now... here's me and Jason Castro.

*dead*

Congrats!

My sister-in-law, Linda is graduating today from Ohio University with a Masters Degree in International Studies with a concentration in Latin American Studies and a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. woo hoo!

peaches!!

I finally decided I needed to take a picture of the peaches on my dwarf peach tree. I have 5 baby peaches. There might be more, but these are the only ones I can find so far.
Even if they are not edible, I am so excited to watch them grow.
This is the blossom that the peaches came from. You can see the little buds in this picture. This was the first bloom on the tree.

taken March 22, 2009

just felt like sharing

I am finally watching The MTV Movie Awards and I'm fast forwarding thru most of it. What I have been wondering for awhile now and even more after watching this show: Why do Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart ask like they are so tortured? They are rich, famous and in one of the most popular movies of last year. I know that all of those things don't guarantee that one would be happy, but you don't have to act like you hate promoting your movie. They appear to resent their fame. Maybe being thrust into the limelight has made their lives difficult. I get that. But still. The whole tortured teen thing is obnoxious. Gimme a break. Life is too damn short to act like that.

p.s. I really like Twilight and will be seeing the rest of the movies.

more DMB

After watching DMB on Jimmy Fallon, I learned that they are gonna be on the Today show on Friday morning. Set that to record too. What a great week!!

grux

My cup runneth over with joy right now. I know that I have a lot of drama and not so great things in my life, but so far June has been amazing. And I honestly owe it all to music. More specifically, the Dave Matthews Band. Watching the concert on TV last night, reminded me, not only how much I love them, but how much music fuels my soul. During the course of the concert, I cried, I laughed, I cheered, I screamed... I experienced so many emotions. It sounds crazy, but it really renewed my spirit. It took being reminded of what I've been missing out on to make me realized what I needed all along. Music that brings me all the emotions that you should experience. In DMB, I feel joy and carefree , but I also feel loss and sadness. But the joy always overcomes the sadness. That is how Dave writes and the music that accompanies it too. Horrible things happen, but celebrate we will...cuz life is short, but sweet for certain.

I am listening the new album, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, right now. Groogrux sounds crazy, but not when you find out that Groogrux was LeRoi Moore's nickname. It's been less than a year since his death and it still feels so raw. For the band and even for me. Just thinking of him still brings me to tears. I hear his absence in the music and seeing him not there leaves a huge hole. But again, the joy of who LeRoi was help overcome the sadness of his absence.

The opening track of the album is a solo that was recorded before he died. I share with you, Grux.

grey street

I really forgot how much I love this song. And its so perfect for my life right now.


Oh look at how she listens
She says nothing of what she thinks
She just goes stumbling through her memories
Staring out onto Grey Street
And she thinks...hey
How did I come to this
I dreamed myself million times around the world
But I can't get out of this place
There's an emptiness inside her
And she'd do anything to fill it in
And though it's red blood bleeding from her now
It felt like cold blue ice in her heart
When all the colors mix together
To grey
And it breaks her heart

You know she wishes it was different
She prays to God most every night
Although she knows well He doesn't listen
There's still a hope in her He might
She says I pray
Oh but my prayers, they all fall on deaf ears
Am I supposed to take it all myself
To get out of this place
Oh there's a loneliness inside her
And she'd do anything to fill it in
And though it's red blood bleeding from her now
It felt like cold blue ice in her heart
She feels like kicking out all the windows
And setting fire to this life
She would change everything about her
Using colors bold and bright
But all the colors mix together
To grey
And it breaks her heart
It breaks her heart
To grey

cool things this week

MONDAY: Dave Matthews Band concert streaming live on hulu.com right now. But it is also going to be FUSE tonight. I have it set to record so I can watch it on my big screen too.

TUESDAY: New DMB album, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King (the 1st album without LeRoi. don't talk about it. it will make me cry.), comes out. Already have the single and have the album pre-ordered on itunes.

TUESDAY: Season 4 of Prison Break comes out on DVD. Already have it pre-ordered on Amazon.

WEDNESDAY: DMB on Jimmy Fallon.

THURSDAY: John Mayer Trio (!!!!) on the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Guess that means John will be back from Kyoto by then.

Set your DVR's and open your itunes. Enjoy the fun with me.

who wants to buy me this?

Hostess Cupcake Coin Purse

Freaking awesome. Cutest thing ever.

swimming with the fishies

Last weekend, while my sister was in town, her, me and my mom went to an aquarium. The aquarium is at the Wildlife World Zoo and is open in the evening, even after the zoo is closed. It has only been open since December and is the only aquarium in the state of AZ. Anyway... point being... I took lots and lots of photos. Not great ones, but ok. If you'd like to see them, click on the picture below.
upside down jelly fish

funny shit

I am not hopping on the Kradam crazy train, but watch this from 1:19 to 1:34. I am laughing so hard that I am crying. I keep watching it over and over and it cracks me up every single time.
When they start cracking up, I just can't stop from laughing.

art is good for the soul

I have recently found an artist that I am really into, Renee French. I love this one, especially:

Check out her blog, here

me, today

Ghost town on a Tuesday night
That ok I'm feelin' alright
It's easier to grab a beer
Without a thousand people here
Talkin' to a friend of mine
Ask him man
He'll say he's just fine
Talk of songs and inspiration
Dreams and financial desperation

I wonder where I'll be in a year
Probably be sittin right here
But if you know the answer
Don't tell me anyone
I don't wanna know

Well I don't wanna know

We've been saying we're going go somewhere
For a long long time
Nothing ever happens
Why's it never happen

Ya We've been prayin' we're going get somewhere
For a long long time
But it never happens
Why's it never happen

I wonder where I'll be in a year
Probably be sittin right here
But if you know the answer
Don't tell me anyone
I don't wanna know

Cause I don't wanna know

suck

I went to the endocrinologist last week and found out that all the weight I lost last year, I have gained back. Not all of it, but 90% of it. I knew that I had, but seeing the scale was a different story. Totally depressing. What's even worse, the new wedding ring that I got for our 10th anniversary does not fit anymore. I can get it on, but it is way too tight. My old one still fits, so I am wearing that now. And my clothes still fit, because I am a few pounds less still. But its a slippery slop. I gotta get back on track. I lost weight last year, I can do it again. I have to do it again.
suck.

right now

What I should be doing...


What I am actually doing...

top 3

bleh. East coast feed. Don't wanna know, stop now.

Gokey - Dance Little Sister - Picked by Paula. Boo. Sounds terrible. Skatting with the saxophone. Someone save me. Randy crawls up his ass again. They talked about his dancing. What does that tell you? Nothing really good to say about the singing.

The judges messing around during and in between songs is just plain rude.

Kris - Apologize - Picked by Randy & Kara. Why they gotta make me think of Archuleta? WOW. He sounds so good. It actually took my breath away when he started singing. I am sitting here with my hand over my mouth, because I don't really know what to say. Kara wanted him to "make it his own"??? It was perfect for him just the way it was. Standing ovation for Simon Cowell. He called Kara out for choosing the song and then saying he should have changed the arrangement.

The judges are disrespectful and rude. I hate them. I hate this stupid show. The contestants deserve more.

Adam - One - Picked by Simon. Awesome. This kid can do no wrong. Simon booed at Randy's comments. Love it. Lambert's got this in the bag.

Speaking of that... Did you notice there was no Idol Gives Back this season?? Dumb.

Gokey - You Are So Beautiful - Arrangement sucked. Sounded terrible. The gospel part. Way to play to your fan base. Thank goodness he's done.

Kris - Heartless - SHUT UP! That was even before he sung. He's got balls. And damn... he actually pulled that shit off. I loved that version. He is a white dude, with a guitar singing a rap song. I am still in shock. He deserves to be in the finale.

Adam - Cryin - DAMN! FIERCE! The backup singers are too loud. And I am not too keen on the way they chopped the song. But he sung the shit out of that song.

I have to say that Simon redeemed himself in my eyes tonight. Not just because I agree with him. But because he was the most respectful to the contestants. He was honest and even when he wanted to, he didn't kiss ass.

Should I vote? Nah. I don't care THAT much.

come back to me

While we wait all day for the Top 3 to perform on Idol, I want to discuss David Cook's latest video for Come Back To Me. First off, I really like this song. I have from the very beginning. Secondly, I know I am way late in discussing this video. I know its been out for a few weeks, but I keep forgetting to discuss it. In case you haven't seen it, here it is:

Ok. So he sings it backwards. Been done. And been done WAY better. In my opinion, the backwards singing is very distracting. And the backward motion just seems odd. I think its an easy way out. When they have no other idea for a video concept, they do it backwards. Whatever. But the one good thing I have to say about this video is that it highlights DC's best asset... his mouth. I am a fan. Think he's not bad looking. I have always thought that he has a nice mouth. It was the first thing I noticed about him. I like to watch him sing because of it.
What do you think of the video?

everything old is new again

When I was in junior high and high school, I lived in Flojos. I honestly do not know why I ever stopped wearing them. I am thinking moving out of state had something to do with it. But when I used to wear them, I wore them like mad. I used to wear out a pair, until it was falling apart, then buy a new pair. Then, after I moved from AZ to OH, I started wearing Birkenstocks. They are still my primary footwear, but tonight I was online looking for a pair of black flip flops. Suddenly, flojos popped into my head. I wondered if they even still made them. Then I found them and I was damn excited. I ordered my standard black pair. They now have brown and offwhite. I might have to get them too. But I started with my old standby. I am very, very excited for them to arrive.

song in my head 05/11/09

Waking Up in Vegas - Katy Perry

who wants to buy me this?

Yeah, I know its $160, but its Hello Kitty dressed in donuts. Its like my dream come true.

happy mother's day

can you be an immature adult?

So apparently going to bed is not gonna happen, so I figured I might as well unload some of my brain here.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about being an adult and being mature. Can one be an adult and still be immature? Or does being an adult, by definition, mean you have to be mature? I don't know. I struggle with this, because I am immature most of the time. When I need to be, I can be a responsible adult. Wait... take that back. Not when I need to be. When I have to be. But most of the time, I am silly and immature. I like to laugh and have fun. I like to do stupid things and usually don't mind looking like an idiot. Like swinging on the swings or spinning around on merry-go-round. That's fun. That's kid stuff, so to me it seems like I am immature. I also fear responsibility and fight it often. I also enjoy being spoiled and having things done for me. And I often take that for granted. I try not to and to voice my appreciation, but probably not enough. So all those thing combined do make me immature. But does that mean that I am not an adult? And are all those things flaws? I know that avoiding responsibility and taking things for granted are big flaws, but I am aware of them. And what is it they say about knowing?? Something about half the battle? So, I go back and forth thinking... I should get rid of all these stuffed animals and silly Hello Kitty things. I need to grow up and start acting my age. I am 31 for crying out loud. What 31 year old sleeps on a Care Bear pillow case and wears a hoodie covered in glittery guitars? Oh. Me. So what to do? Well, the hoodie was white and got a big stain on it while we were camping. Instead of cleaning it, it went in the trash. Don't ever think I'll get rid of my Care Bear pillowcase. Maybe when Chris gives up his Transformers one. I am beginning to think that maybe I do need to grow up in lots of ways. But then again, I am afraid of losing myself in the process. I don't know where that fine line is yet. As I am writing this out, it is becoming more clear. I can have the fun, silly stuff, but I really gotta work on the rest. I gotta learn to be more responsible and step up. I need to pull my weight in the world. I let it spin all around me and enjoy the fruits of others labor. And complain when I have to do anything of my own. I know this makes me seem like I am not a very good person. I haven't always been this way. I have just fallen into this comfort zone lately and I need to pull myself out of it. Act my age. But still use a Hello Kitty toothbrush. This is clearly a bigger issue than "Can you be an immature adult?" I think I've worked some of it out. I think its starting to make sense.

song in my head 05/06/09

Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin performed by Adam Lambert
Thanks to Idol last night, this has been in my head for over 24 hours. Studio version pretty much rocks. But so far this season, I haven't bought any itunes tracks. Meh.

top 4

I am live blogging the east coast feed of Idol tonight, so any West Coasters who don't want spoilers, stay away. I warned you!

Stage fell apart. hahaha. But it is really sad that stage manage, Debbie got hurt. Hope she's ok. So they had no dress rehearsal? Too f-ing bad.

Wait... did he just say duets? What. the. holy. crap. is. that. about??

Adam - Whole Lotta Love - Funny that he sounds like Axel Rose tonight. Maybe that came to mind because of Slash, but he really does. Maybe that is the comparison I have been looking for all season and it never clicked until just now. Slash told him to stay mostly in his lower register and he did. There was none of those high pitched squeals and I liked it. It made this performance stand out from all the others. Crap, Kara is orgasmic. Wow... Simon says, "No one can top that now."

Allison - Cry Baby - It was just ok. I liked to, but I am not sure if its enough. She actually sounded better during the mentoring with Slash. Did Simon tell her to beg? Stupid. I kinda think this might be the end for her.

I know they said duets, but why are they not singing two songs alone? That's not fair. Assholes. I hate this show. These duets are gonna kill me. Except maybe the one between Allison and Adam. That might rock my socks off. I'd have to put socks on for them to be rocked off, but you know what I mean.

Kris & Danny - duet, Renegade - Gross. Dumb. Horrible. Make it stop. I have to agree that the harmonies were pretty good, but all the excuses made me dislike it even more. Gokey saying that he couldn't hear because the band and speakers were on the stage. Um... really? I know at church you sing along with a tape, but in real life the band is on the stage. Dumbass. Poor Kris.

Kris - Come Together - That must have been amazing to play with Slash like that. I don't even play guitar and that would be a dream come true for me! Sounding good so far. This is probably the closest Kris can get to rock. I actually really liked that. Looks like the judges want him to go home this week. Its ok, Kris. 4th place ain't so bad. *wink*

Gokey - Dream On - HAHA! You can tell that Slash doesn't like Gokey either. Hilarious. This is so wrong on sooooo many levels. Before the high note happened, I kept saying, "Please no. Please no" hoping that he wouldn't sing it. I had to cover my ears and screamed myself to block it out. It was so bad. So bad. That's all I can say. Again, more excuses. That's all he's got. Get rid of this asshole. I pray. But I know that is not gonna happen. Its so sad that TPTB will not let the judges be honest about Gokey. You can tell that they have to say something good. Its so obvious. Gah.

Adam & Allison - duet, Slow Ride - That was fun. They sounded great together. And I agree with Simon, but I am worried that Adam fans are gonna split their votes and vote for Allison. Oh well. Honestly, at this point it doesn't even matter.

Can I just tell you that I love that they played the primal scream for Danny's recap? Awesome. I hope to God that Gokey goes home. If not, its Allison. I think Kris has enough of a fan base to stay. Ok. It's over. My poor ears.

swine flu bullshit

top 5

I am sooooo late watching this weeks episode and of course I know who was eliminated. But I gotta bitch and moan about the show anyway. I always say that I am not gonna blog the show, but then I start watching it and all these things run thru my head. So here I am week after week.

When I see Jamie Foxx I always think of In Living Color. Wanda. Remember that character? I am cracking up thinking it right now. He did say some really nice things to the contestants, though.

Kris - I really did not like the arrangement. He never should have sped it up. Take out that middle section and I liked it a lot. He sounded good, but I have to agree with Simon. The other judges crawled up his ass. Plus, he looked like an accountant. Needed a better suit and tie.

Allison - Super cute. I really like her outfit and the black extensions they put in her hair. This was another boring performance from her. I think I don't really like or dislike her anymore. I kinda don't care. She is a cute kid on the recorded stuff, but she bores me when she sings. Its too easy to tune her out.

I think Paula is wearing one of those big red bows that they put on a car when you buy it for Christmas.

Matt - Who dressed these boys? Matt looks like an accountant too. WTF?? Oh. He just started and now I see why he went home. He sounds so much better when he is just messing around and singing, like in the recorded part at the beginning of the show. This performance is really bad. I am gritting my teeth. Resisting urge to fast forward. That. was. painful.

Gokey - Seriously! These outfits. Cuffs. Skinny pants. I do have to admit that Jamie Foxx's advice to Gokey to make it small instead of out of control was good advice. But then he got all screamy at the end. Yucky. Him screaming "Thank You" to the crowd was the stupidest thing EVER. Whatever. It didn't make me ill, so I guess that's progress.

Adam - The pimp in the pimp spot. I haven't even heard his performance yet and I still can't believe he was in the bottom 2. I really think that was Idol bullshit. I don't believe it for one second. PINK STAIRS!! fuck yeah. This performance is soooooo Broadway. That is truly where he belongs. If you haven't you tubed his performance as Fiyero in WICKED, you need to get on that. HAHA Randy said it was Broadway too. And the outfit... shiny white suit. Best of the night. Total bullshit with that bottom 2 crap.

I hate Idol.

results show... Taylor Hicks, Natalie Cole? Gonna be fast forwarding lots... Dumb commercial. ooh. Cheesy group performance. Gotta love those. The food fight was freaking awesome! Stupid with the cleaning bill. Fast forwarding this "go to this side of the stage" shit and lots of other shit. Jamie Foxx... this song sticks in your head! A-a-a-a-al-cohal. Ok. Ok. If I had watched this live, I probably would have had a panic attack. Bye Matt the mole.

Have I mentioned I hate this show?

what's been up with me??

April 20-22 - went to Flagstaff for the fun of it. We stayed in a cabin and it was glorious there. I did not want to leave.
click for the rest of the pictures

April 24th - 1st Anniversary of the Goth Girls. Had the best virtual party of all time. Got really drunk and regretted it for the rest of the weekend.

April 26th - My cousin's daughter's 1st Birthday Party. Her actual birthday was the next day (she shares her birthday with my sister!), but the party was Sunday.

click for the rest of the pictures

April 27th - My sister's birthday. I was also called to report for jury duty. I waited all morning and then was finally called after lunch. After hours of questions, I was actually chosen to be on the jury. Hooray. not.

April 28-29 - I had to report for jury duty both these days. That meant I had to take Chris to work everyday. It was actually much more interesting then I thought it would be. Truthfully, I enjoyed jury duty. The case was very cut and dry. It was a fraud case. The defendant admitted to committing the crime in a written confession, on a recorded interview with the police and on the stand. And the defense didn't present any evidence to the contrary. I wonder why this case even went to trial at all.

April 29th - Lots for this day, so it gets its own bullet. Chris and I were celebrating what he calls "dating day." It's actually the anniversary of when we first started dating. Not our first date, but when we became boyfriend & girlfriend. And how long ago was that? 15 years ago today. April 29, 1994. Yes, it even shocks me!

Because of jury duty, I also missed Jason Castro's first webcast. But praise jesus, it was recorded. He cracks me up so bad. And I know almost all the people he answers questions from. Especially singin72! That's one of my besties!! And he sings at the end... so check that out here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1445292

So that is what has been up with me. I need a nap.

belated

to my sister!!

Her birthday was April 27th. I celebrated her over the phone, but was way busy and didn't get a chance to celebrate it here on my blog. I love you sissy.

04/30/09 - song in my head

The Fear by Lily Allen

I am obsessed with this song right now!!

top 7 - part deux

I know I am days behind on this shit. But I was out of town. Give a girl a break.

I was just gonna watch it now and not blog the show, but then Gokey came on the screen and I almost vomited. I had to say something.
People complain about Adam's screeching, but what about Gokey's yelling? He just yelled thru that whole, horrendous song. The beard. The dancing. Give me one of those big Coke cups to spew in. I dislike him so strongly that I have visceral reaction.

Backing up a tad...
Lil - Boring. Tired of the wigs. And she needed to shave her armpits. Bye Bye.

Kris - I just posted this on my twitter: I saw a quote somewhere that said, "I liked Kris Allen better when he was Jason Castro." I never really paid attention to the words he was singing. I mean, I know that song, but since it was so different, he could have been singing the phone book for all I knew. It sounded good, but it made no sense.

Gokey - see above

Allison - I wonder what it would have sounded like if she hadn't made the arrangement changes. This arrangement sounded too much like all her other performances. If she had sung it the original way, it would have been much different. But baby girl has pipes.

Adam - Nice pompadour. Fuck. Paula crying. I need that cup for vomit again. Not for Adam, for the judges. Ok, for Paula and Kara. Saturday Night Live? Really? Studio 57?
I hate Kara. The performance was pretty. But boring too. Do the freckles on Adam's lips look weird to anyone else?

Matt - This is what Adam should have sung. I like this arrangement. I am dancing in my seat. He creeps me out, but at least he wore a hat to cover the mole.

Anoop - Gets the pimp spot. Speaking of creepy... Did he and Gokey have some pact not to shave this week? As we already know, he goes bye bye. This was not good. I don't see him as a singer. He is a personality. He should be a host of some show. I think he has a future in that.

There is a fly in my house and its distracting me.

I'm glad next week is the Top 5. I need this crap to be over.

song in my head 04/23/09

Heartless by Kanye West

TOMS

I love TOMS shoes. (Not to mention the coolness factor that the founder, Blake, was on Amazing Race... remember the brother & sister called "Team Smiley" a few years back?) I bought a pair once, but had to return them because my feet are too wide for them. So as much as I love them, I can't wear them. But that's ok, because today is One Day Without Shoes. I have not worn shoes all day. And I won't wear any the rest of the day. I am all for this. Totally ignore the fact that I hardly ever wear shoes in the first place. But that is beside the point.

4 chords

This is insane!!

damn

I knew it.

TNT Cancels ‘Trust Me’

I hate getting attached to a show, then it goes away. Especially Tom Cavanagh shows.
*whimper*

top 7

yo yo.
Watching the live feed from the East Coast.
West Coasters if you don't want spoilers, stop now!!

So they are only having 2 judges comment, so that the show does not run over... interesting. They should have thought of that before adding dumbass Kara.

Allison - Don't Want To Miss a Thing... I really do not like this song. She did ok. But it was just ok. We know she can sing, but she kinda bores me. Paula? She has Adam's "special sauce"? You are scaring me. Simon says she's the girls only hope. I agree 100%.

Anoop - Everything I Do... Going with a ballad again. Took my advice, apparently. I just got goose bumps. awwww. He did a really good job. This is another song that I don't like all that much (maybe it because it was over played when it came out), but I really liked this version. He needs to loose that weird jacket, though.

Adam - Born To Be Wild... Took my advice too. Back to his craziness and eyeliner!! I could do without some of the dancing. Perfect song for his screeching. The thing with Adam is that I am thoroughly entertained. If I had to choose one of these Idols to see in concert, you know it would be Adam. I like this side of him better, but the last couple weeks he has shown that he can sing lovely also. That's the whole package. That's who should win.

Matt - Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman... More Bryan Adams? seriously? IDK. I may have to watch this one again. I cannot decide how I feel about it. I didn't dislike it.

Gokey - Endless Love... *grabs vomit bucket* No glasses? He can magically see now? When I was in junior high, I used to wear fake glasses, because I thought they looked cool. Now I have no choice. But what is his deal?? Don't care. I. DO. NOT. LIKE. HIM. The frau's that love him will drool over this. But I am just glad its over.

Kris - Falling Slowly... I love this song. LOVE. It's really hard, though. It was pretty. Very shaky at the beginning, but as he got in to it, he gave it some life. Not bad.

Lil - The Rose... Is the theme tonight "Songs that annoy Laura"? So she decided to gospel-ize it. Blah. Agree with Simon. She looked like an idiot throwing a tantrum on stage. This just might be the week we say bye to her. And the different wigs every week are driving me crazy. Pick one.

My bottom 3... Allison, Lil, Gokey.

peace out

all worth it

I am pleased to announce that Jason Castro
has been signed to Atlantic Records.

As you may know I run a fansite for Jason and I am also the Street Team leader for the states of Arizona and New Mexico. So for me, this is the greatest news. I am beyond excited. All the blood, sweat and tears I have put in over the last year have now come to this. He's signed to a major record label and working on his album. Just saying that out loud seems surreal to me. Worth it. Worth it. Worth it.

The official press release:

ACCLAIMED SINGER/SONGWRITER SLATED TO RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM LATER THIS YEAR

Atlantic Records has announced the signing of singer/songwriter Jason Castro. The Texas-based tunesmith – best known as the third runner-up on the 2008 season of Fox’s American Idol – is currently hard at work on his debut album, set for release later this year. Among his creative collaborators are Grammy Award-winning producer John Fields (Lifehouse, Switchfoot, Soul Asylum) and a number of acclaimed songwriters, including Kara DioGuardi (Kelly Clarkson, Jewel, Santana), Martin Terefe (Jason Mraz, KT Tunstall), Sacha Skarbek (James Blunt, Jason Mraz), Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams), and Jason Reeves (Colbie Caillat).

A multi-talented singer and guitarist, Jason Castro was among the most popular and talented artists in American Idol history, entering the record books as the first contestant ever to play an instrument on the show. His performance of the Leonard Cohen-penned classic “Hallelujah” proved such an audience favorite that cult hero Jeff Buckley’s rendition of the song hit #1 on the iTunes chart the following week, selling an astonishing 178,000 digital singles. Jason scored a chart-topping single of his own a few weeks later, when his interpretation of “Over The Rainbow” also hit #1 on iTunes after a show-stopping performance of the song on American Idol. Upon the season’s conclusion, Castro was among the stars of the hugely successful “American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008.'

Since then, Jason has been busy writing and woodshedding the new songs that will appear on his debut album. In December, he teamed with Amazon.com to release a free download of “White Christmas” as a special holiday gift to his fans. Castro has also recorded a new version of “Hallelujah,” which will be featured on the soundtrack to the film, Amar A Morir, to be released theatrically this summer.

In addition, Jason has been a prominent supporter of a variety of charity organizations. Last December saw him starring at a Garland, Texas Christmas concert benefitting the city’s Best Education Foundation. He has also been an active supporter of The Recording Academy’s MusiCares Foundation.

Check out his Atlantic Records page here

an Easter vlog

have a blessed Good Friday

top 8

Gokey - I hated that arrangement. The judges just crawled up his ass. I knew he was their pick from the beginning. Now they are just saying what they need to say to keep him. He's not terrible, but he's not the best. Plus, the little shit had lunch with Jason Castro the other day. Punk.

Kris - What is with having one performer surrounded by the crowd? That's annoying and distracting. He is really cheezy. Why did he pick that song? Really dumb. But the good thing about him is that he is a human being.

Lil - She can sing really well. But she's not gonna win. She is too old, even though she's not.

Anoop - Obsessing over his sweater!! Same birthday as David Cook! Awesome. Ballads are his thing. I can totally see him doing R&B ballads. Many people have made a career doing that.

Scott - He's going home this week. Loving the lipstick on Paula's teeth.

Allison - I really dislike that song. Boring. I zoned out.

Matt - This was my favorite performance of his. I didn't think I'd like it. But I like that he's not stuck behind the piano. Said it before... not Justin Timberlake, but Robin Thicke.

***The stupid show ran over. My DVR stopped recording, of course. But thank god for the internet. I want to thank rickey.org for always having video of the performances up right away.***

Adam - I am getting annoyed that he has toned his look down so much. He's not being himself and that bothers me. Beyond that, he was amazing. If he keeps this up, he's got this in the bag. Perfect song for him. Perfect. I heart you, Adam.

sports!!

With the Suns missing their chance to make the playoffs today, I will focus my attention on the Diamondbacks. Tomorrow is opening day! Woo hoo. I miss baseball. Tomorrow is also the NCAA Championship game. Torn because my sister went to MSU, but I have many friends in North Carolina. So, I think I'll be happy either way. Big sports day tomorrow and I love it!


D-backs Swing
by Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers

top 9

bleh

So, I have been watching Idol, but not posting anything about it. Why? Because the show sucks. Everyone, but Adam and Allison, makes me crazy and not in a good way. The whole show drives me nuts. The judges are worse this year than ever (and that's hard to believe). The addition of Kara is such a joke. She actually makes Paula look sane. And that is tough to do.
I'm not even gonna talk about the contestants because I don't really think anyone deserves to win this year.
I know many people are thinking that I feel this way based on my affection and affiliation with Castro. But really, that's not true. I can separate myself from that and watch objectively. The thing I bring with me is the knowledge that the show is nothing that they want you to believe. The votes don't count. The singers are characters and have rolls to fill. They are cast, just like every other reality show. Take the show with a grain of salt.

bleh

I can't talk about this shit anymore. Gives me a headache.

hallelujah

Did you know Jason Castro is on a movie soundtrack??
He recorded Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah for the soundtrack to the Mexican film Amar A Morir, while on the Idol tour this summer. The soundtrack is available for purchase. You can also check out clips of the songs from the soundtrack on the movie's website. Hallelujah is track #20. Check it out.


Click HERE for MixUp registration instructions in English.

life goes on

Today, my mom and I went to my cousin's house to spend time with her and her beautiful baby. Colbie will be one next month. She is the cutest thing. She would not let me take many pictures of her, so I decided to film her being silly.

Colbie - 11 months

There are more videos here, here and here.

Happy Birthday
Jason Rene Castro

new stuff

Last weekend, we stopped at a nursery out near my mom's house. We were over there helping her do some assorted chores and so we decided to stop on the way home. This nursery had just bought out another one and so they had tons of new stock. They were selling all their cacti at 50-75% off. Score!! I knew they had the sale and that is why I wanted to go. We are wanting to add some new cacti to the garden we are starting in the backyard. Right now we have two aloe plants, one huge and one medium size. They are both the medicinal aloe, btw. So... we bought a couple new cacti and saved over $100. We bought a prickly pear (the kind that actually fruits. they all bloom, but only one variety has fruit and that's what we got.) and a red torch. The red torch blooms right out the top and its called red torch, because the flowers are bright red. For now we are leaving them in the pots. The prickly pear needs a bigger pot, so we will re-pot that one. We will probably wait until its cooler to actually dig up the yard and plant them. But I wanted to get some nice cacti while they were at a smoken price. Here they are:


The other new stuff to come into our lives are these concrete planters:
One of our neighbors works where they make concrete things and told Chris that he had these planters that were made the wrong size and so they were super cheap. Chris decided to buy them from him and the neighbor brought them over last night. They are freaking heavy. I cannot even move one. He got both of them for $50. Planters like that are not cheap. We are very excited. If you look in the picture with the new cacti, you can see little baby cacti on the ledge. Right now, we have 4 little ones and we are gonna buy a few more and put them in one of the planters. It will be an awesome addition to the cactus garden. Not sure yet what we are gonna do with the other one, but still... pretty neat.

the playbill

I am finally getting around to posting this picture. This is the playbill signed by Adam Pascal. I honestly will be getting this framed. I have the playbill from the first time I saw RENT framed with the ticket. This will be a nice bookend to that one.
I still think of Wednesday night and smile.

happy 1st day of spring

i can die now

Twelve years ago, when a young 19 year girl bought the Original Broadway Cast Recording of RENT, she made a wish. One day, I wish I could see the original cast perform the show. The movie that came out eight years later was the closest she thought she would ever get. And she was ok with that.
She settled.
She settled until tonight!

OH MY GOD BECKY!!!

I had the honor and privilege of seeing Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, the original Mark and Roger from RENT. I have seen many people portray these characters, but there is only one original. I cannot begin to explain what this meant to me. It probably seems extreme to many people, that I care so much. But RENT has been a huge part of my life for a very long time. I have seen it many times, in many forms, and it means so much to me. I know every word. Tonight, I resisted the urge to sing along and I just listened. I listened and I cried.

I began crying from the moment Adam walked on stage as Roger, in those plaid pants. Seeing him was it. I was done. Then Anthony came out as Mark and I screamed out loud.

^^^ not my picture!

I saw Adam and Anthony perform RENT!
I just like hearing that.
It was almost as if my ears and eyes were playing a trick on me. It was surreal. A dream come true. I would have given anything to see this and I did. I need someone to pinch me.
The entire show was amazing. The rest of the cast was the Broadway touring cast. I honestly haven't even looked at the playbill, so I don't know if I know anyone else in the cast. I was too excited to even open the playbill. Crazy I know.
Hearing the songs sung the way they are in my head was incredible. Their voices are the only ones that ever sound right. And it sounded sooooo right. It was perfect. I know I am blabbing.
Ok... details... If you don't know the show, you might wanna just skim this part.

Adam looks just as good in those plaid pants as he did 13 years ago!!

After looking at Anthony for a few minutes, I couldn't help but think of Adventures in Babysitting! Come on!! hehehe

Other than I'll Cover You reprise, I cried the most during Rent (the song, that is). I think it's because of the connection between Adam and Anthony. The are those people (yeah, yeah... I know that's not true, but whatever!) and seeing them sing together was like nothing I could have ever imagined.

The girl who played Mimi (I'll look for her name later) was actually quite good. That is a very hard character to pull off and she was great.

There was one mistake (but if you didn't know the show, you never would have noticed, cuz they are good actors). At the end of Tango Maureen, Joanne says into the microphone, "My Maureen" and it echos. The microphone didn't echo! Anthony Rapp then had to wing it. He said, "Try it again." She did and still no echo. He then went on with the rest of the song and they ended it like normal. It was hilarious. I love mess ups like that, because its unique. The got extra loud applause and I am sure its because many people knew it was a mistake.

Seeing Anthony Rapp perform La Vie Boheme was almost more than my little heart could handle. He puts his whole self into playing Mark and he is such a spazz. I love him. During intermission of the show I posted a twitter: Seeing Anthony Rapp sing La Vie Boheme live, makes my life complete. It was too much for me. More crying.

These boys mean so much to me. I keep saying that, but I mean it. I have had the hugest crush on Adam Pascal since I first heard him sing. And I want to be friends with Anthony Rapp. I just love them.

Ok.. I really am rambling. Lemme get to the extra good stuff! After the show, the cast members were standing at the exits collecting money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. I walked all around to see if maybe Adam and Anthony might come out. No such luck. So I just started to leave. When I got outside, I saw this huge crowd near the stage door. DUH! Why didn't I think of that! They have to come out sometime! So... I saw Anthony Rapp, but you know my main goal was to see Adam. The guards were not letting him take pictures with anyone, but he was signing autographs. So I got real close and asked him to sign my playbill!!! EEK! I was right next to him. He handed it back to me and I said, "Thank you Adam." He looked up from the next one he was signing and looked me in the eyes and said, "You're welcome." Ok. Yeah. I know it was not much, but holy crap! I just met Adam Pascal. I have loved him forever! After getting his autograph, I tried to follow him down the line to take pictures, but it was really tough. I got a couple decent ones:

He was moving so fast, it was hard to keep up with him, especially while I was freaking out just being that close to him.
I will photo the signed playbill tomorrow. That puppy is getting framed!

I am too excited to sleep, but I am exhausted. What an amazing night?!?!?!?

for the last time..

Wednesday, March 18th. 8th row center.

This will be my 6th and final time seeing RENT. I don't think anything will ever top this. Seeing the original Mark and Roger... Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal. This is honestly, my dream come true. I have loved RENT for 12 years. And I can guarantee you that I will be crying from the first note. I already decided I am not wearing makeup, because its not gonna last.

I am about to cry right now, just thinking about it.

top 13

I am sitting here watching the results show and resisting the urge to fast forward to the end. I have also resisted the urge to find out who got kicked off tonight. I don't think I am gonna blog the show anymore (but you never know). However, I do have many opinions that I need to share about last night's show.

BAD: The introduction of the judges - really? Is that necessary??

UNSURE: Speaking of the judges...I cannot decide how I feel about Kara as a judge. Sometimes I really like her and thank god she is there for a female perspective (cuz Paula is just a mess). But then she says crazy shit like the whole "what is it like to shop with you" thing and I get embarrassed to be a female. Jury is still out on her.

BAD: The swirling screen behind Ryan when they are on a tight shot of him. The swirling is distracting and gives me a headache.

GOOD: The new extended stage that goes all the way to the judges table. It keeps the sway bots out of the way.

BAD: Danny Gokey drives me crazy!! I have learned lots of things about the church he is involved in and it scares me. That's a conversation for another day. Let's just say American Idol Ministries does exist. And the glasses. OH LAWD... don't get me started on the glasses. Matching every outfit! Who has that many glasses?

GOOD: Michael Sarver. Totally surprised by his voice. He was actually really good.

GOOD: Adam Lambert cracked my shit up. I love him. I love that he is who he is. He is flaming and doesn't care. I laughed hysterically thru his whole performance. He is such a drama queen and the only thing entertaining about the show.

BAD: Matt Giruad is not authentic... he sounds just like Robin Thicke

GOOD: Megan is the cutest thing!! But is it a rule now that they have to have one chic with a sleeve tattoo each season.

GOOD FOR THEM: THEY GET A MANSION?? fer real? They lived in crappy little apartments last year.

My favorites from TOP 13 show: Allison & Adam.

<---- I need to own this!


Truer words were never spoken.

taxes

I finally got our 2008 taxes finished. It was a struggle because I never received my W2 in the mail from my old job. That is because I had signed up to receive it via a website instead of mail. Crappy thing was, I didn't know what the website was anymore. I had also deleted the HR phone number from my phone. So, I finally tracked down the number (its not widely given out the general public, since most of the non-employee communication is done via the website... anyway) and called. I got the website and managed to print my W2. This was yesterday. Last night I told myself that I would do the taxes today (and by today, I mean Tuesday). However, I slept pretty late into the afternoon and decided to do them another day. Then, I got mad at myself for putting them off again and just jumped in and started them. I use taxslayer.com to do mine. I have used them for 7 years now and really like it. Its all online and you don't have to download anything. It costs $9.95 and that includes e-filing for federal and state. I have never had a problem with them at all. So... I started them around 6pm and just finished about an hour ago. 5 hours. Not bad. What took the longest is that this year I had lots of medical expenses. In the past years, I hardly had any at all. So I had to figure all that out and I was not organized at all. I learned my lesson and I am gonna start keeping better records for 2009. But I did manage to find everything I needed. We are getting refunds from both state and federal. I haven't e-filed them yet, because I want to show them to Chris before I do. I am sure that will happen tomorrow. It is a huge relief to have them done, especially because we could use that money!

daily dose of hotness

I haven't posted one of these in a while. I've got two things, today!!
article: The Time Keeper


performing Frank Sinatra's Glad To Be Unhappy
with Chris Botti @ the Boston Pops

what happened to Skipper??

Happy Birthday to
Barbara Millicent Roberts
AKA Barbie

Barbie turns the big 5-0 today.
Can you believe that??

to my dear husband

two years ago today

This was me - March 2, 2007.
Princess Cays, Bahamas

new meaning

Have you ever had this happen to you? A song that you clearly associate with something or someone changes meaning on you? You used to think of it as a love song about a boy that got away, but you hear it one day and it suddenly has a whole new meaning. It's now about something you are currently going thru. This happened to me today.

And there's not enough room
In this world for my pain
Signals cross and love gets lost
And time passed makes it plain
Of all my demon spirits
I need you the most
I'm in love with your ghost
- Ghost by Indigo Girls

I cried in the shower.