My Birthday is in a few weeks (November 8th). I've asked my family and friends not to get me gifts this year because all I really want is to eat delicious food and hang out with my favorite people. However, that doesn't mean that I can't continue my tradition of constructing a wish list of things I would like to have. This list will be filled with practical things, silly things and things that are completely out of the realm of possibility BUT as this is a birthday wishlist and birthdays are supposed to be about hopes, dreams and wishes for the year ahead, it's all completely acceptable. Here are the links to my ------ > 30th and ------ > 31st Birthday Lists.
Now, 32 wishes for my 32nd Birthday:
1.) A really nice digital camera.
2.) Handwarmers. For work. I spend ALL day trying to keep my hands warm.
3.) Dancing lessons from Tristan MacManus and/or Mark Ballas.
4.) For Chris Brown to go away.
5.) To go to Ireland. Or England. Or Italy.
6.) A neverending supply of Trailmix. Preferably the Costco kind but I would accept the Meijer brand as well.
7.) My own Avocado tree.
8.) To go to "An Evening With The Tragically Hip" on November 28th at The Fillmore.
9.) A family pass to Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum.
10.) To be an Editor.
11.) To get paid to read books all day. I realize this is like #10 but if I were to get paid to read. JUST read all day long... That would be perfection.
12.) A pill that would eliminate all headaches forever and ever.
13.) An unlimited Barnes & Noble (or any book store) gift card.
14.) For Stephenie Meyer to finish Midnight Sun. I realize this is the 3rd year that this has been on the list but as it hasn't happened yet, I will put it on every time until it's published.
15.) A Fratelli's or Havilland reunion. I would be happy with just one reunion show. (I bet other people would too!)
16.) To hang out with Nathan Fillion for a day.
17.) To go see The Killers at Eastern Michigan on December 20th.
18.) To go see Ed Sheeran at The Fillmore on January 24th.
19.) A Labyrinth reunion. I realize this would consist of Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie and lots of Muppets and I am OK with that but Toby Froud (Toby) could be there too!
20.) To have lunch with JK Rowling.
21.) To live in/go to Erin Morgenstern's Night Circus.
22.) To hang out with Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.
23.) A bigger house.
24.) For Jeffrey and I to write a book together.
25.) To go back to Disney World/Harry Potter World.
26.) A coffee mug from TheBerry.com.
27.) To be able to help out at Charley's school every now and then. Being a working mom means that I don't have the opportunity to help out with his classroom in the middle of the day. It makes me sad when he asks me to and I can't. Wah wah wah.
28.) New bedroom furniture or more specifically, a new big dresser. Mine is real old and really falling apart. Drawers are no longer in brackets and the bottoms are all falling out. I am classy!
29.) To do one of those NoH8 photo shoots.
30.) For Matt Bomer to wish me a Happy Birthday.
31.) To hang out on the set of New Girl for a day.
32.) To have a really, really, really, really wonderful 32nd year.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Do It Anyway
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| Look! That's my name up there! |
When it was announced that they would be touring and coming to Detroit, I was ecstatic/heartbroken. Ecstatic because it has been 13 years since I last saw them. Heartbroken because with only one person working in a household, it means your funds are low. It would have physically made my heart ache if I had missed this show. Here is where my lybf, Carrie comes in. Knowing that I wouldn't buy tickets for myself, she surprised me with 2 for Jeff and I for the October 2nd show at The Fillmore. I was so happy, I cried. (If you don't have Carrie as a friend, people, I feel sorry for you. She is one of the best, most loyal friends I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and I love her a lot). So, the day of the concert comes and Jeffrey is sick. My Soulmate, Dawn was supposed to be watching Charley while Jeff and I went to the concert, so we decided for Jeff to stay home and Dawn to come with me. Surprise Soulmate date night, yay!
After parking the car and getting lost in the parking garage while trying to find our way to the street (don't worry, we didn't get too lost. Just enough to where we were giggling about how stupid it was), we made it to the Fillmore. I don't think it was sold out but there were a lot more people than I thought there would be. Before we went to claim a spot, Dawn went to buy a water from the bar. After the bartender gave her her water and argued with her over whether or not a Staffordshire Terrier is indeed a Pitbull, he looked over at me and then says to her "is this your little sister?". My 12yr old looking curse strikes again, LOLZ! We had main floor tickets, but chose to stand on one of the higher levels, so as not to get consumed by the crowd in front of the stage. Turns out we had a great view but it was F'ing HOT. So hot in there. We were fanning ourselves with our hands and
Kate Miller-Heidke opened. She's from Australia and is fun and has a pretty voice. She does a really neat version of Eminem's "Slim shady" and the crowd loved it. She previously opened for Steven Page back when Carrie and I saw him in 2010 (if you remember from my blog back then, she was the highlight of that show).
Ben Folds Five took the stage right at 8:30pm. They would play a song from the new album and then an old one, switching on and off like that for most of the night. They did one song ("Landed") from Ben's solo record, Songs For Silverman. It was awesome. I had a huge smile on my face the whole time. After listening to these songs for so long on CD and my ipod, thinking that they would never get back together again, let alone make new music and perform live, it was a little surreal and freaking awesome. I looooove Ben Folds but when you throw in Darren Jesse and Robert Sledge, magic happens. As many people shouted to them last night, they are "Rock God's". It was one of those shows where the entire audience knew all the words to all the songs. You could hear the crowd over Ben at times and he loved it. How cool is that?! They told some funny stories and genuinely seemed to enjoy being there. It is such a great feeling when you can tell the artist or band that you came to see is happy to be there performing for you. They had fun and we had fun. It was a great, great show.
They put on one hell of an encore, which some super awesome dude was cool enough to post on youtube (be warned, there are swears in these songs!). ugh, it gives me goosebumps:
So, thank you to Carrie for the tickets and knowing how much I love these guys, thank you to Dawn for being a wonderful date and for enjoying your first Ben Folds Five show and thank you to Ben Folds, Darren Jesse and Robert Sledge for appreciating your fans and knowing what good music is all about. I don't know if they'll stay together or if they'll make another album together but I'm going to enjoy this reunion while it lasts.
Now, i leave you with this because it makes my heart explode with happiness:
And if you are not currently a Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five fan, WHAT are you waiting for? get on Spotify and check them out! No other band takes care of their fans the way these guys do. So go listen to some good music and "Do It Anyway".
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
TV and Books and Music. (You know... the usual)
It's Fall! You know what that means; All of our favorite TV shows are back (or will be shortly)! I'm really happy with some old favorites (as well as a little eh with one) and I have some mediocre feelings toward some new ones. We'll see what the coming weeks bring me when Modern Family (Tonight!), Once Upon A Time (Sept 30th!), The Vampire Diaries (Oct 11th!) and The Walking Dead (Oct 14th!) start back up. Oh, how I love TV!
I didn't watch a ton of stuff over the summer. I read a lot (surprise, surprise) but I did watch White Collar and it was really great. They were just renewed for a 5th season and I am ecstatic about that.
This is the first time that I can say, aside from Jason Stackhouse, I was completely disappointed with the entire season of True Blood. It pains me to say it but it's true. I thought the storylines were boring and kind of all over the place and I hated that Sookie had pretty much no interaction whatsoever with Eric and Bill. They underused both Christopher Meloni (man, did they waste him and his talents) and Scott Foley (that poor guy cannot catch a break on all these shows he is guest starring on). I still hate Tara but I really love Pam. The season finale showed a little bit of promise at the end of it, so we'll see where they go next season. With Alan Ball leaving and a new fella taking over, I'm really hoping things get better. I'm OK with the story having nothing to do with the books as long as the stories are GOOD and creative. So much of last season was just blah to me and that makes me sad.
We also watched Bunheads. Yes, WE. Jeff watched it with me (he will probably deny that if you bring this up to him). I loved Gilmore Girls though and it's by the same people who made that. It's basically Gilmore Girls 2.0 and it makes me laugh and there are cameos by former GG actors and I love that so it made for a fun show to watch.
The Bones season premiere was eh. They wrapped up the season finale storyline too quickly and listen, I know it's a TV show but the ease of which they solve these murders is appalling to me. I guess after so many seasons it's just starting to get on my nerves.
New Girl came back last night and good God, I LOVE THAT SHOW. It is so consistently funny and I truly love all the actors and characters on it. It makes me so happy. I just love it.
We also checked out The Mindy Project last night (which was created by Mindy Kaling, who played Kelly on The Office). I would give it a solid OK. I'm not completely in love with it and I didn't completely hate it. It definitely showed promise though, so I will continue to watch. Speaking of The Office, we watched the season premiere. I didn't watch at all last season, so I didn't know what was going on with some stories but I was still underwhelmed by it and that makes me so sad. I used to love that show so much. I'm glad this is it's last season and I hope they really do it justice and go back to the roots of what made it so funny to begin with and that it has a good send off. With that being said, however, I think that a Dwight spin off is a terrible idea and they should put a stop to the thought process on that immediately. Anyone remember Joey? Ugh.
Dancing With The Stars :All Stars started up on Monday. My votes belong to Kelly Monaco. She was the season 1 winner and the whole reason I started watching this stupid show to begin with. I love the chemistry between her and her partner Val. Also, she is absolutely gorgeous, so there's that as well.
Now, my thoughts on Revolution: It's a JJ Abrams show. It has a lot of Alias/Lost connections. It has a cool concept, which I like. I absolutely adore Elizabeth Mitchell and Billy Burke. I think that Monroe fella is real hot. So, why then do I not like this show more? I don't dislike it yet and I know we are only 2 episodes in but I am a little annoyed by it and a lot bored with it. Maybe it's because I feel like all they do is walk around in the woods? Maybe it's because I find the fact that that one boy (Nate/Not Nate) can follow the main group of people so easily and they never see him coming is stupid? Maybe it's because I feel like there is too much fighting? Mostly I think it's because I don't like the characters who I am meant to like. That Maggie girl is irritating. The aforementioned Nate/Not Nate does nothing for me. The one guy with the AC/DC shirt is just meh and it saddens me to say this but... Charlie drives me nuts. She's always on the verge of tears, even when she isn't supposed to be and she constantly has cry-face. I hate that. Her good qualities (the hunting/survival skills) remind me of Katniss, while her bad qualities (whiny/need to constantly help/only to muck it all up) remind me of Kate from Lost. Kate, people. I hated Kate! Anyway, she will no longer be known as Charlie to me. She will henceforth be known as Kateness. I want to like this show, I do. I want to know why the power went out and why everyone is so angry but I need to be entertained at the same time, so these next few episodes need to wow me.
You might notice that I haven't mentioned any excitement toward the premiere of Greys Anatomy. Well, that's because I have none. I will watch because I have invested a lot of time into watching this show but I am so angry at it that I'm really not looking forward to it. Every interview I read with Shonda Rhimes makes me like her less and less and that alters my feelings on the show... even though it probably shouldn't.
I am still watching Doctor Who. I just started David Tennant's stint and I adore him already. I totally get why he is everyone's favorite Doctor.
I can't tell you all the books I've read over the summer because there are just too many but I will tell you (as I told all of my Facebook friends), go read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I'm not going to tell you anything about it, just take my word for it and read this book. Then we can discuss it. It's so so good, guys. Also, Emily Giffin's new one, Where We Belong was fantastic. Fantastic. Read that one too!
Lots of new music came out in the last couple weeks. All by my favorite bands; The Killers, Green Day, Ben Folds Five and Mumford & Sons. The Tragically Hip have a new one coming out as well. All of those bands (with the exception of Mumford & Sons) are coming here in concert. ALL of them. What are the chances that all of your favorite bands come to town within months of each other?
I didn't watch a ton of stuff over the summer. I read a lot (surprise, surprise) but I did watch White Collar and it was really great. They were just renewed for a 5th season and I am ecstatic about that.
This is the first time that I can say, aside from Jason Stackhouse, I was completely disappointed with the entire season of True Blood. It pains me to say it but it's true. I thought the storylines were boring and kind of all over the place and I hated that Sookie had pretty much no interaction whatsoever with Eric and Bill. They underused both Christopher Meloni (man, did they waste him and his talents) and Scott Foley (that poor guy cannot catch a break on all these shows he is guest starring on). I still hate Tara but I really love Pam. The season finale showed a little bit of promise at the end of it, so we'll see where they go next season. With Alan Ball leaving and a new fella taking over, I'm really hoping things get better. I'm OK with the story having nothing to do with the books as long as the stories are GOOD and creative. So much of last season was just blah to me and that makes me sad.
We also watched Bunheads. Yes, WE. Jeff watched it with me (he will probably deny that if you bring this up to him). I loved Gilmore Girls though and it's by the same people who made that. It's basically Gilmore Girls 2.0 and it makes me laugh and there are cameos by former GG actors and I love that so it made for a fun show to watch.
The Bones season premiere was eh. They wrapped up the season finale storyline too quickly and listen, I know it's a TV show but the ease of which they solve these murders is appalling to me. I guess after so many seasons it's just starting to get on my nerves.
New Girl came back last night and good God, I LOVE THAT SHOW. It is so consistently funny and I truly love all the actors and characters on it. It makes me so happy. I just love it.
We also checked out The Mindy Project last night (which was created by Mindy Kaling, who played Kelly on The Office). I would give it a solid OK. I'm not completely in love with it and I didn't completely hate it. It definitely showed promise though, so I will continue to watch. Speaking of The Office, we watched the season premiere. I didn't watch at all last season, so I didn't know what was going on with some stories but I was still underwhelmed by it and that makes me so sad. I used to love that show so much. I'm glad this is it's last season and I hope they really do it justice and go back to the roots of what made it so funny to begin with and that it has a good send off. With that being said, however, I think that a Dwight spin off is a terrible idea and they should put a stop to the thought process on that immediately. Anyone remember Joey? Ugh.
Dancing With The Stars :All Stars started up on Monday. My votes belong to Kelly Monaco. She was the season 1 winner and the whole reason I started watching this stupid show to begin with. I love the chemistry between her and her partner Val. Also, she is absolutely gorgeous, so there's that as well.
Now, my thoughts on Revolution: It's a JJ Abrams show. It has a lot of Alias/Lost connections. It has a cool concept, which I like. I absolutely adore Elizabeth Mitchell and Billy Burke. I think that Monroe fella is real hot. So, why then do I not like this show more? I don't dislike it yet and I know we are only 2 episodes in but I am a little annoyed by it and a lot bored with it. Maybe it's because I feel like all they do is walk around in the woods? Maybe it's because I find the fact that that one boy (Nate/Not Nate) can follow the main group of people so easily and they never see him coming is stupid? Maybe it's because I feel like there is too much fighting? Mostly I think it's because I don't like the characters who I am meant to like. That Maggie girl is irritating. The aforementioned Nate/Not Nate does nothing for me. The one guy with the AC/DC shirt is just meh and it saddens me to say this but... Charlie drives me nuts. She's always on the verge of tears, even when she isn't supposed to be and she constantly has cry-face. I hate that. Her good qualities (the hunting/survival skills) remind me of Katniss, while her bad qualities (whiny/need to constantly help/only to muck it all up) remind me of Kate from Lost. Kate, people. I hated Kate! Anyway, she will no longer be known as Charlie to me. She will henceforth be known as Kateness. I want to like this show, I do. I want to know why the power went out and why everyone is so angry but I need to be entertained at the same time, so these next few episodes need to wow me.
You might notice that I haven't mentioned any excitement toward the premiere of Greys Anatomy. Well, that's because I have none. I will watch because I have invested a lot of time into watching this show but I am so angry at it that I'm really not looking forward to it. Every interview I read with Shonda Rhimes makes me like her less and less and that alters my feelings on the show... even though it probably shouldn't.
I am still watching Doctor Who. I just started David Tennant's stint and I adore him already. I totally get why he is everyone's favorite Doctor.
I can't tell you all the books I've read over the summer because there are just too many but I will tell you (as I told all of my Facebook friends), go read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I'm not going to tell you anything about it, just take my word for it and read this book. Then we can discuss it. It's so so good, guys. Also, Emily Giffin's new one, Where We Belong was fantastic. Fantastic. Read that one too!
Lots of new music came out in the last couple weeks. All by my favorite bands; The Killers, Green Day, Ben Folds Five and Mumford & Sons. The Tragically Hip have a new one coming out as well. All of those bands (with the exception of Mumford & Sons) are coming here in concert. ALL of them. What are the chances that all of your favorite bands come to town within months of each other?
Friday, September 7, 2012
Junior High Blahs.
There was this episode of Full House called "Back To School Blues". It's from season 3 and it's the one where -------- > DJ starts 7th grade at a new school. She quickly realizes how different Jr. High is from Elementary school and ends up having to sit alone in the cafeteria at lunch time... in a phone booth, where she pretends to be talking to someone but really, she's just listening to the time. Now, I know television shows and movies make school out to be a lot more dramatic in some cases but this episode always comes to mind whenever someone starts middle school because it showcases how awkward being at a new school can be. Throw in being in a new school, in a new CITY and it makes it ten times more awkward. (Oh, and no worries, DJ turns out just fine by the end of the episode and has plenty of friends to sit with at lunch).
I bring this up because my niece, Emily, started 8th grade in a new school, in a new city this week. Yikes. She's been dreading it ever since talks of their family moving began back in December. And really, who can blame her? Being a kid is tough enough without having to start all over and make completely new friends in a new environment. I remember how awkward Junior High was. I was constantly aware of my actions and always terrified I was going to make a fool of myself. The school was bigger, the kids seemed bigger/meaner and the classes were more overwhelming. I was in that weird transition phase between friends that some kids go through. Kind of in limbo. Not really belonging to one group or another, just doing my own thing. It was weird and I always felt like an outcast but I suppose most kids feel that way at that age, right?
Emily is a wonderful kid. Brilliant, actually. From the moment she was born, I knew she would be special. She has turned into a beautiful, funny, talented girl who is obsessed with the Hunger Games (ha!) and I'm really proud of her. She is a fantastic writer and a terrific actress and I have no doubt whatsoever that she will have a whole plethora of new friends by the time Christmas rolls around. But right now things seem real sucky for her and I get it and I want her to know that everyone goes through things like this. EVERYONE and we all turn out a little better and a little stronger for it.
With that being said, I thought it might be fun (or cheer her up) if we shared some fun/horrifying/silly Junior High stories/memories with her so she knows that this is a life experience that we all go through and we all make it out A-OK.
I'll go first:
-In 7th grade, I had gym first hour and I thought that was the worst thing in the world (later, in high school, I ended up having swim first hour. I was cursed). It wasn't that bad though. It just took some time getting used to a new routine. One time, I wore a skirt to school. Obviously, you had to change for gym class but I left my nylons on and figured I would just put my PINK sweatpants on over them (we were learning how to play football outside). After class, when I went to change, I had pink fuzz ALL over my legs, stuck to my nylons. I was horrified. I think I managed to de-fuzz myself pretty good before embarking on the journey to my next class but I was super paranoid the rest of the day.
-The very first day of Junior High, I didn't think to bring a pen, pencil or paper with me to class (who does that?!). I thought it would just be a day full of talking and we wouldn't really have to do any work. I was completely embarrassed when everyone else was getting all their supplies out and I was just sitting there. I think someone ended up letting me borrow a pen and a piece of paper. I felt like an idiot.
-This one is my favorite/worst. It also happened in high school but I'm counting it anyway. We all had to go to the gym for a pep assembly. Tons of kids/teachers were in the the stands, students were flowing into the gym to take seats in the bleachers. I was walking across the gym floor to get to the bleachers, tripped on an exercise mat that was in the middle of the floor, stumbled and fell flat on my face. With the whole school watching. I was mortified. So so embarrassed. When I got back up, I tried to laugh it off along with my friends who were with me but I was horrified. But see, now it makes for a good story!
Go ahead and share some of your stories because the point is; we all go through it and we all survive it.
And really, at least we don't have to enlist ourselves into a reaping, right? Junior High is more appealing than the Hunger Games isn't it?? There's your silver lining!
I bring this up because my niece, Emily, started 8th grade in a new school, in a new city this week. Yikes. She's been dreading it ever since talks of their family moving began back in December. And really, who can blame her? Being a kid is tough enough without having to start all over and make completely new friends in a new environment. I remember how awkward Junior High was. I was constantly aware of my actions and always terrified I was going to make a fool of myself. The school was bigger, the kids seemed bigger/meaner and the classes were more overwhelming. I was in that weird transition phase between friends that some kids go through. Kind of in limbo. Not really belonging to one group or another, just doing my own thing. It was weird and I always felt like an outcast but I suppose most kids feel that way at that age, right?
Emily is a wonderful kid. Brilliant, actually. From the moment she was born, I knew she would be special. She has turned into a beautiful, funny, talented girl who is obsessed with the Hunger Games (ha!) and I'm really proud of her. She is a fantastic writer and a terrific actress and I have no doubt whatsoever that she will have a whole plethora of new friends by the time Christmas rolls around. But right now things seem real sucky for her and I get it and I want her to know that everyone goes through things like this. EVERYONE and we all turn out a little better and a little stronger for it.
With that being said, I thought it might be fun (or cheer her up) if we shared some fun/horrifying/silly Junior High stories/memories with her so she knows that this is a life experience that we all go through and we all make it out A-OK.
I'll go first:
-In 7th grade, I had gym first hour and I thought that was the worst thing in the world (later, in high school, I ended up having swim first hour. I was cursed). It wasn't that bad though. It just took some time getting used to a new routine. One time, I wore a skirt to school. Obviously, you had to change for gym class but I left my nylons on and figured I would just put my PINK sweatpants on over them (we were learning how to play football outside). After class, when I went to change, I had pink fuzz ALL over my legs, stuck to my nylons. I was horrified. I think I managed to de-fuzz myself pretty good before embarking on the journey to my next class but I was super paranoid the rest of the day.
-The very first day of Junior High, I didn't think to bring a pen, pencil or paper with me to class (who does that?!). I thought it would just be a day full of talking and we wouldn't really have to do any work. I was completely embarrassed when everyone else was getting all their supplies out and I was just sitting there. I think someone ended up letting me borrow a pen and a piece of paper. I felt like an idiot.
-This one is my favorite/worst. It also happened in high school but I'm counting it anyway. We all had to go to the gym for a pep assembly. Tons of kids/teachers were in the the stands, students were flowing into the gym to take seats in the bleachers. I was walking across the gym floor to get to the bleachers, tripped on an exercise mat that was in the middle of the floor, stumbled and fell flat on my face. With the whole school watching. I was mortified. So so embarrassed. When I got back up, I tried to laugh it off along with my friends who were with me but I was horrified. But see, now it makes for a good story!
Go ahead and share some of your stories because the point is; we all go through it and we all survive it.
And really, at least we don't have to enlist ourselves into a reaping, right? Junior High is more appealing than the Hunger Games isn't it?? There's your silver lining!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Always Look On The Bright Side of Life...
To say that this has been a stressful year for us Scott's would be a bit of an understatement. Sometimes when things get a little overwhelming, I try to remind myself that there are plenty of really great things right in front of me so that I don't succumb to those stress eating demons. Because no matter how bad of a day you are having, you have to remember that there is always something in your life (big or small) that will cheer you up. Recently things have been particularly difficult, so to cheer myself up, I am going to list some of the things that make me happy.
-My parents porch up north. This thing is just perfection. It is the epitome of a "Happy Place". I'm sure being with my parents adds to the comfort of it but it's spacious and relaxing and I dare you not to want to take a nap the second you sit down on it.
-A really great Iced Coffee. Currently my favorite is the McDonald's one. Weird, isn't it?
-5pm on a Friday. It's completely cliche' but for goodness sake, it is so freeing to leave work, knowing you don't have to come back for a couple days. I practically sprint out of my office every Friday to get to my car.
-My Sister. You see... growing up, Natalie and I didn't get along at all. I thought she was a pest (she was). She thought I was a goody-two-shoes (I was). We were like night and day. Polar opposites. But then something happened. I can't pinpoint what or when but we became friends. Two peas in a pod. We love the same things and we laugh at the same things. Let me tell you, that girl is hysterical (not to mention generous). Not a time goes by that I am not in tears from laughing whenever we are together. She's my perfect "pick me up".
-Waking up at your usual alarm time and realizing you don't have to get up. So simple but such a damn good feeling to be able to go back to sleep.
-The Tower of books in my room. There is something about the giant stack of books in my room (that is almost to the ceiling now) that gives me comfort. Knowing that I've read them all and that they all made me happy one way or another puts a smile on my face. They are like old friends.
-A Tom Proctor Cheeseburger. I talk about it all the time, but honestly, you won't find a better burger anywhere. He's a master.
-The Library. All those books, just waiting to be picked out by people and read and enjoyed. The smell of them. The library is a magical place.
-A hug from my Mom (or just hearing her voice). No explanation needed really. She's my mom. She's supposed to reassure me and make me feel better. Mine is particularly good at it.
-Reading. Duh. Of course. There is nothing like being stressed and then immersing yourself into someone else's world. You don't have to think, you just have to experience. It's the best.
-Going places with C and Fred. I've talked about this before. It's part of what makes this whole unemployment process so bittersweet. I love that we are all together on the weekends. We don't have a lot of money (duh) but we are real creative at finding free/fun things to do.
-Cookies. Who doesn't love a cookie? Chocolate chip, Oreos. Whatever. I'm game for any kind.
-My Friends. Whether it's an extended texting session or a much needed girl's night, they are calming and therapeutic.
-A sunny, 73 degree day. Having the windows open, not needing a fan. It's the perfect temperature and will instantly put me in a good mood.
-Having a freezer full of ice cubes made. Huh? I know. this one sounds weird. I grew up in a house where there were 2 giant bins full of ice cubes, plus about 20 ice cube trays at all times. The Proctor's make an art out of filling ice cube trays. I don't have as many as my parents, but to see that they are made and ready to be used in a glass of ice water makes me happy.
-Reading to Charley at night. He doesn't always pay attention, but I know he enjoys me spending time with him before bed every night and sharing stories with him. I hope that's one of the things he remembers most when he grows up.
-My Doggy-Brother, Jagger and my Puppy-Nephew, Tiger. Of course I love my own dogs too but these two get SO excited to see me that it instantly makes me happy. I love love love them.
Blogging/Writing. Whether or not anyone reads my stuff, I am OK with it. I enjoy writing and it helps clear my head. Even though I just do it for fun, it makes me feel like I accomplished something. So, if you are reading this, thanks!
I think that's a pretty good list. What simple things make you happy or cheer you up?
-My parents porch up north. This thing is just perfection. It is the epitome of a "Happy Place". I'm sure being with my parents adds to the comfort of it but it's spacious and relaxing and I dare you not to want to take a nap the second you sit down on it.
-A really great Iced Coffee. Currently my favorite is the McDonald's one. Weird, isn't it?
-5pm on a Friday. It's completely cliche' but for goodness sake, it is so freeing to leave work, knowing you don't have to come back for a couple days. I practically sprint out of my office every Friday to get to my car.
-My Sister. You see... growing up, Natalie and I didn't get along at all. I thought she was a pest (she was). She thought I was a goody-two-shoes (I was). We were like night and day. Polar opposites. But then something happened. I can't pinpoint what or when but we became friends. Two peas in a pod. We love the same things and we laugh at the same things. Let me tell you, that girl is hysterical (not to mention generous). Not a time goes by that I am not in tears from laughing whenever we are together. She's my perfect "pick me up".
-Waking up at your usual alarm time and realizing you don't have to get up. So simple but such a damn good feeling to be able to go back to sleep.
-The Tower of books in my room. There is something about the giant stack of books in my room (that is almost to the ceiling now) that gives me comfort. Knowing that I've read them all and that they all made me happy one way or another puts a smile on my face. They are like old friends.
-A Tom Proctor Cheeseburger. I talk about it all the time, but honestly, you won't find a better burger anywhere. He's a master.
-The Library. All those books, just waiting to be picked out by people and read and enjoyed. The smell of them. The library is a magical place.
-A hug from my Mom (or just hearing her voice). No explanation needed really. She's my mom. She's supposed to reassure me and make me feel better. Mine is particularly good at it.
-Reading. Duh. Of course. There is nothing like being stressed and then immersing yourself into someone else's world. You don't have to think, you just have to experience. It's the best.
-Going places with C and Fred. I've talked about this before. It's part of what makes this whole unemployment process so bittersweet. I love that we are all together on the weekends. We don't have a lot of money (duh) but we are real creative at finding free/fun things to do.
-Cookies. Who doesn't love a cookie? Chocolate chip, Oreos. Whatever. I'm game for any kind.
-My Friends. Whether it's an extended texting session or a much needed girl's night, they are calming and therapeutic.
-A sunny, 73 degree day. Having the windows open, not needing a fan. It's the perfect temperature and will instantly put me in a good mood.
-Having a freezer full of ice cubes made. Huh? I know. this one sounds weird. I grew up in a house where there were 2 giant bins full of ice cubes, plus about 20 ice cube trays at all times. The Proctor's make an art out of filling ice cube trays. I don't have as many as my parents, but to see that they are made and ready to be used in a glass of ice water makes me happy.
-Reading to Charley at night. He doesn't always pay attention, but I know he enjoys me spending time with him before bed every night and sharing stories with him. I hope that's one of the things he remembers most when he grows up.
-My Doggy-Brother, Jagger and my Puppy-Nephew, Tiger. Of course I love my own dogs too but these two get SO excited to see me that it instantly makes me happy. I love love love them.
Blogging/Writing. Whether or not anyone reads my stuff, I am OK with it. I enjoy writing and it helps clear my head. Even though I just do it for fun, it makes me feel like I accomplished something. So, if you are reading this, thanks!
I think that's a pretty good list. What simple things make you happy or cheer you up?
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Bloggers Block Begone!
It's the middle of August already, you guys. How did that happen? I'm convinced the Universe has this month set on ludicrous speed simply because it knows how much I am dreading my kid starting Kindergarten. Please note that *I* am dreading it. Charley is very excited for it. As long as he gets his Spongebob backpack and football ice pack, he will be a happy camper. Let's hope the enthusiasm stays with him on that first day when we drop him off. Also, go ahead and send me all sorts of "no crying" vibes so that I don't start bawling at his feet when he walks in the classroom that first day.
Since it is mid-August, that means the Olympics are over. I know, I know, we are all sick of hearing about them but there is something about watching that level of greatness compete night after night that inspires me. I love knowing how motivated people are (probably because I'm so lazy) to do well for their country and I love watching their families cheer them on. Now, I'm not saying I'm going to go out and train to do a Carly Patterson dismount off the balance beam or anything, but it just makes me happy seeing people excel at something they've worked so hard for. It's neat. It's also entertaining and provided me with two weeks full of laughter and happy tears.
Here's what I learned from the 2012 London Olympics:
Revolution (NBC, Premieres September 17th @10pm)- This is a J.J. Abrams show, so you know I am all over it. It also stars Billy Burke (AKA Charlie Swan/Hot dad from Twilight). It takes place in a post apocalyptic future. 15 years after an unknown source disabled all forms of technology. No television, no electricity, no cars etc. The series focuses on a group of people trying to figure out why it happened and how to reverse it. Oh! Also, Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet) from Lost is in it!! Here's a preview:
666 Park Avenue (ABC, Premieres September, 30th @ 10pm)- This one seems a little creepy. It's about a hotel and focuses on the owners and tenants within it. It's basically a "if you could have anything you ever wished for, what would you do to get it?" situation and would you be willing to pay the consequences? It's all supernatural-like and stars Terry O'Quinn (guess what? he's from Lost too!) and David Annabel (Reunion, Brothers and Sisters), as well as lots of others but those are the two I am watching it for. Here's a preview.
Elementary (CBS, Premieres September 27th @10pm)- This stars Johnny Lee Miller. I ADORE Johnny Lee Miller. It's a modern take on Sherlock Holmes and stars Lucy Liu as Watson. Here's a preview:
The Mindy Project (FOX, Premieres September 25th @930pm)- This one stars Mindy Kaling (Kelly, from The Office) as an OBGYN who is trying to navigate through her personal and professional life, all while surrounded by witty co-workers and friends. I think it looks cute. Here's a preview:
So, that's that. We'll see how long these new shows last. I also might give Nashville a shot, as well as Matthew Perry's new sitcom, Go On (even though I think he is cursed and it will probably get canceled).
Last night, Charley told us he wanted to watch "that collection show". We had no idea what he was talking about. When we asked him questions about it (who is in it? what do they do in it?), he just kept saying "It's NOT a kids show!" and "No! not Pawn Stars!" Well, after we noticed that he had been watching the SyFy channel, Jeff figured it out: Collection Intervention. It premieres tonight at 10pm. After you watch the preview, you'll understand why my kid wants to watch this show and you'll love him even more because of it:
Fall is also bringing us a plethora of good new music:
Speaking of music, I have a new favorite artist in Ed Sheeran. He's a British singer/songwriter who is just starting to get popular over here. He performed a Pink Floyd cover at the closing ceremonies for the Olympics and I have been listening to him non-stop since then. I will now share with you my favorite song/video of his... The song is great but you'll see why I love the video so much:
Since it is mid-August, that means the Olympics are over. I know, I know, we are all sick of hearing about them but there is something about watching that level of greatness compete night after night that inspires me. I love knowing how motivated people are (probably because I'm so lazy) to do well for their country and I love watching their families cheer them on. Now, I'm not saying I'm going to go out and train to do a Carly Patterson dismount off the balance beam or anything, but it just makes me happy seeing people excel at something they've worked so hard for. It's neat. It's also entertaining and provided me with two weeks full of laughter and happy tears.
Here's what I learned from the 2012 London Olympics:
- Ryan Lochte is a tool. From his Grill, to his peeing in the pool, to his awful interviews, I was so not impressed with this dude.
- I used to think Michael Phelps was a bit of a conceited hole but then I watched his journey in London and totally got a new perspective of him. He's just really awesome at what he does and he knows it. He's also not perfect and he knows that too. He's also a really great interviewee and "gets" the enormity of being "the most decorated Olympian ever". I think that's cool.
- I want to be BFF's with Missy Franklin. That girl is 17 years old and has herself 4 gold medals and 1 bronze from her first ever Olympics. She is so happy all the time and has a wonderful relationship with her parents. I love that.
- How cute is Nathan Adrian?? Seriously, guys. He's SO cute.
- I really enjoyed watching Fencing. I like how animated the athletes are. They get so excited or angry!
- As well as Archery. No, not because of Katniss (maybe a little because of Katniss). It was really interesting to watch their techniques and surprisingly nail biting when it got to the final rounds. It was also fun to see who had giant red indents on their faces from the bow string. LOLZ
- Women's Beach Volleyball was so much fun to watch. Misty May-Treaenor and Kerri Walsh brought so much life to that court. You can tell they love each other and that they love the game and that they worked so freaking hard for that gold medal. I bet they would be so much fun to hang out with.
- Gymnastics was all sorts of exciting. The girls kicked ass but I felt sorry for the boys. They kind of got the shaft since they didn't perform up to the girl's high caliber. Not even that one boy's magic towel could help them in the team all around final. I also enjoyed watching the Russian girls mess up, cry and shoot the other participants evil eyes after their performances. Those girls mean business!
- NBC really did make me feel like I was missing stuff but I don't know that they could have done much different to fix that. I will say that they royally screwed up the closing ceremonies by interrupting it to make people watch their new show Animal Practice. If ever there was a way to turn off potential viewers to a new sitcom, that was the way to do it!
- Jeff and I love watching the trampoline competitions. NBC only showed us about 10 minutes worth of that so we were disappointed... until we saw who was going for the gold medal. Dong Dong of China. DONG DONG! Spoiler Alert: He won.
Revolution (NBC, Premieres September 17th @10pm)- This is a J.J. Abrams show, so you know I am all over it. It also stars Billy Burke (AKA Charlie Swan/Hot dad from Twilight). It takes place in a post apocalyptic future. 15 years after an unknown source disabled all forms of technology. No television, no electricity, no cars etc. The series focuses on a group of people trying to figure out why it happened and how to reverse it. Oh! Also, Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet) from Lost is in it!! Here's a preview:
666 Park Avenue (ABC, Premieres September, 30th @ 10pm)- This one seems a little creepy. It's about a hotel and focuses on the owners and tenants within it. It's basically a "if you could have anything you ever wished for, what would you do to get it?" situation and would you be willing to pay the consequences? It's all supernatural-like and stars Terry O'Quinn (guess what? he's from Lost too!) and David Annabel (Reunion, Brothers and Sisters), as well as lots of others but those are the two I am watching it for. Here's a preview.
Elementary (CBS, Premieres September 27th @10pm)- This stars Johnny Lee Miller. I ADORE Johnny Lee Miller. It's a modern take on Sherlock Holmes and stars Lucy Liu as Watson. Here's a preview:
The Mindy Project (FOX, Premieres September 25th @930pm)- This one stars Mindy Kaling (Kelly, from The Office) as an OBGYN who is trying to navigate through her personal and professional life, all while surrounded by witty co-workers and friends. I think it looks cute. Here's a preview:
So, that's that. We'll see how long these new shows last. I also might give Nashville a shot, as well as Matthew Perry's new sitcom, Go On (even though I think he is cursed and it will probably get canceled).
Last night, Charley told us he wanted to watch "that collection show". We had no idea what he was talking about. When we asked him questions about it (who is in it? what do they do in it?), he just kept saying "It's NOT a kids show!" and "No! not Pawn Stars!" Well, after we noticed that he had been watching the SyFy channel, Jeff figured it out: Collection Intervention. It premieres tonight at 10pm. After you watch the preview, you'll understand why my kid wants to watch this show and you'll love him even more because of it:
Fall is also bringing us a plethora of good new music:
- For the first time in 14 years, Ben Folds Five will be releasing a new album; The Sound of The Life of The Mind. It will be out September 18th and I CAN'T WAIT! They will also be here in concert (at The Fillmore) on October 2nd. This makes me giddy!!! GIDDY!!!
- The Killers will be releasing their new album; Battleborn on September 18th as well. Again, excitement overload on this one. I love their new single, Runaways and can't wait to hear an entire album full of new Brandon Flowers vocals.
- Mumford & Sons new album; Babel will be out September 25th and I am anxiously awaiting that one as well.
Speaking of music, I have a new favorite artist in Ed Sheeran. He's a British singer/songwriter who is just starting to get popular over here. He performed a Pink Floyd cover at the closing ceremonies for the Olympics and I have been listening to him non-stop since then. I will now share with you my favorite song/video of his... The song is great but you'll see why I love the video so much:
Thursday, August 9, 2012
This Guy.
Since he first showed up on Chuck as Bryce Larkin, Bomer has been on my radar. His short stint on that show was so well done, it left me wanting more of him. When he was given the opportunity to be the leading man in White Collar, I was ecstatic and so happy with his portrayal of Neal Caffrey; art thief/con-man extraordinaire. And let us not forget his most recent achievement in Magic Mike... (which I have yet to see but have heard good things about). His guest spot on Glee was perfect and showed the world that he had an amazing singing voice to go along with his absurdly handsome looks. So far, in his career, he has managed to go from super spy, to con-man, to stripper, to over-the-top/conceited small town actor and back to being a con-man. That's a pretty decent range of characters for an actor to play and he played them all well. Really, really well. And guess what? He did most of those roles without anyone ever knowing he was gay.
A few months ago, during his acceptance speech for a Steve Chase Humanitarian Award, he thanked his partner, Simon Halls (a Publicist) and their three sons. Instead of applauding the fact that this guy is in a loving family, ladies everywhere were crying out about how "sad" and "disappointing" it is that he is gay. Why? Because this gorgeous boy loves another boy? That's just silly! Girls, let me tell you something... we never had a shot with him to begin with, whether he likes boys OR girls. His job as an actor is to make us believe whatever character he is portraying and if he happens to be an insanely good looking guy, then we are all the more lucky. His personal life should have no effect on us whatsoever.
Which brings me to this absurd story -----------> "Bret Easton Ellis: Matt Bomer Can't Star in Fifty Shades of Grey Film Because He's Gay." What. What? Let me give you a quick rundown. Bret Easton Ellis (the writer of the American Psycho movie) took to Twitter yesterday to tell all of his followers that Matt Bomer wouldn't even be considered to play Christian Grey in the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey BECAUSE HE IS OPENLY GAY. Because, according to Ellis, the audience for that film needs to see "an intensely straight actor wanting absolutely to screw Anastasia Steele". Uhhhh... he does know this is make believe right? He does know that whoever does end up with the role of Christian Grey is not ACTUALLY going to be in love with Ana Steele, right? Because that's what actors do... they pretend. Their job is to play make believe and portray characters on screen. It's not real life. The fact that Matt Bomer is openly gay should have absolutely nothing to do with his future job prospects. I'm not even saying I WANT Bomer to be Christian Grey. It's just the fact that this dude's comments are so beyond ignorant that I can't even see straight.
If his statements are true, as far as Matt Bomer not being able to play a straight character are concerned, that would mean that his whole career has been a waste and that he has tricked all of his fans into liking him even though "he can't play straight"... and the fact that he fronts his very own television show every week (which is now in the middle of it's 4th season, by the way) and that his scenes with co-star Hilarie Burton are enough to take your breath away, apparently says nothing of his acting abilities. Can you imagine if the casting agents for How I met Your Mother told Neil Patrick Harris that he couldn't play Barney Stinson because they knew he was gay? The show wouldn't be what it is today without him.
My point is: it's stupid. Comments like that are rude and ignorant and disheartening. It shouldn't matter that Matt Bomer is a gay man. He's a fantastic actor. His relationship status should have no warrant on his acting abilities. The fact that people say things like this makes me so sad. Let people love who they love. Why does it matter?
Can't we all just get along? Ha.
Alright, I'm done with my rant. I have a bit of Blogger's Block lately but I'll get back to our regularly scheduled pop culture posts real soon!
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