Better With You

He has his arm around me. !!

My sister, Natalie and I got to meet Kris Allen last night.

In a word, it was; fantastic.

But first, let me back up a bit. For those that don't know, Kris Allen is the season 8 winner of American Idol. It was the last season that all the original judges were on the show (Paula, Randy, Simon and it was also that Kara lady's first season). Natalie and I obsessed over this season because of Kris (also, I haven't watched the show since he won because I feel like it won't ever be topped). I lovingly referred to him as the "Hal Sparks look-alike" and I absolutely, positively adored his voice. And him. He was kind and genuine and always seemed appreciative. I was stunned when he beat out Adam Lambert. Stunned but ecstatic. I remember jumping off my couch and squealing like a teenager. I was SO excited! I loved his first album, Kris Allen and listened to it on repeat (his second, Thank You Camellia is even better).

In 2010, Kris opened up for Barenaked Ladies at Pine Knob (I've talked about this disaster on my blog before). I could not have been more happy to go to this concert. I was thrilled to be able to see him live and so was my sister. Along with Carrie, we got our tickets and went to the show. Kris came out. There were very few people there at this point. Natalie and I stood and cheered and sang and danced. Then we got yelled at by the holes behind us to sit down so they could see the stage. I was appalled. I won't go into my irritation over this occurrence all over again, but just know that we were furious. Natalie was in tears and it ruined the rest of Kris's set for us. Sad times.

And let's be honest here; When would we ever get a chance to see this dude in concert again?

I'm glad you asked. Back in December, I got an email from some concert notification thing I signed up for months ago, alerting me that Kris would be coming to The Ark in Ann Arbor. THE ARK! I have decided that this place is my most favorite place to see a concert. It's intimate and quaint and the people who work there are phenomenally nice. Ridiculously helpful. I love it there. Anyway, Natalie's Birthday was coming up (February 2nd) so I figured these tickets would be the perfect gift. There was a meet and greet option. Do I go with the meet and greet? What would we say to him? What would we wear?! It made me so nervous even considering it. DUH. Of course I go with the meet and greet. OF COURSE!!

The meet and greet started at 6:45pm (the show started at 8pm). We were running late. We got there

at 7pm and saw a line forming outside of The Ark. My guess was we weren't going to have to wait in that line but the doors were locked. So after Nat and I squabbled over who was going to ring the doorbell, I rang it and very smoothly backed away while she told the lady worker inside that we were there for the meet and greet. They promptly let us in (SO NICE!), took our ticket stubs, gave us these neat backstage passes and ushered us up a staircase. We saw another line once we were inside and figured that was the line to meet Kris. Nope! The nice lady came running to find us, "Girls! Do you want your ticket stubs back??" and to tell us we didn't need to wait in line to meet him, that he was just hanging out in the "Listening Area". Just hanging out. In the Listening Area. We walked into said listening area and there he was. Just standing there with his tour manager and talking with two fans. Nat freaked out and wouldn't move from the doorway. I kept my cool and told her she looked beautiful and to pull herself together. When we were driving to the show, I told her that I was hoping he would have a hat on. He did. I was happy. He finished talking and signing things for the two fans he was with and then it was our turn:

(Walking up to him with my hand outstretched) Me: Hi! I'm Sarah, it's so nice to meet you!
Kris Allen: I don't want to shake your hand, give me a hug!
Me: OK!!!!!

He gave me a genuine, honest to goodness hug and that boy is so skinny I thought I would crush him. I told him that he was my Birthday present to Natalie:

Kris Allen (laughing): Woah, wait a second. You're giving me to her?? Am I ok with this?
Me (turning beat red): Yeah, yeah. You're cool with it. You just have to sing to her.

He then picked up a Sharpie and wrote her name on his hand.

Me (to Kris): She's REAL nervous.
Natalie (who hadn't said anything up to this point): ................. Are you kidding me right now???
Kris (to me): She IS really nervous.

I then told Natalie to stand next to him so I could take a picture. (See super cute picture over there). Then I had her take my picture (see super cute picture at the beginning of this post). I asked him if he was enjoying Michigan. He said he loved Michigan and that he was happy the weather was so nice.

He signed our ticket stubs:

 Kris Allen: Sarah with an "h"?
Me (swooning): Yes! Thank you so much for asking!

Then he signed "Happy Birthday" to Natalie on hers and we thanked him and went off, giggling like crazy, to go look at the t-shirts. So. Much. Fun.

Jillette Johnson (like the razor but with a "J") opened for him. She's a lovely girl from New York who was great at banter, had a delightful voice and a fantastic sense of humor. Her first record comes out in June and we had a couple of her super fans sitting behind us. These boys looooooooooooved her. I guess the only downside to the intimate setting of The Ark (it's like being in someone's basement), is that the people/fans can talk/shout/heckle the performers. The one boy kept telling her how much he loved her and every time she tried to set up one of her songs with a story, he would give the story away by shouting out the most important parts before she could get to it. In the words of the girl sitting next to Natalie "Chills, dude". She called him out on it "Dude! You're ruining my stories!" while laughing. It was cute but seriously dude, chills.

When Kris and his band came on stage, everyone cheered and clapped excitedly. He had a little

He's totally looking at me in this picture.

fedora on (wowowow). We were so excited. He opened with "Out Alive" (the name of the tour) and looked like he was having so much fun. He is the cutest little dancer you ever did see and truly seems to love performing. He did a mash-up of George Michael's, "Faith" and "We Are Young/ Some Nights" by Fun. (I held Natalie's hands down so she wouldn't have flashback's of her previous experience at the Fun. concert with Dennis and start punching people). Throughout the tour so far, he would post a picture on Instagram from the city/state he was in and ask for requests for the show that evening. Natalie and I kept checking all day long for the Ann Arbor post but it never came. He brought that up during the show and apologized. It was cute. So instead of taking a new request, they did the one from the previous show which was Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes". It was awesome. Goodness, I LOVE his voice. And his little side smile.

He was great with the crowd. He joked, he laughed and he made fun of a few people. He was relaxed and just in his element. He told us that our week would be better now because we were starting it off with a good rock and roll show and I believe him.

Halfway through the concert, he looked at his hand and said he had a few announcements to make. Natalie got all squealy.  He started making Birthday shout-outs and then before you knew it, it was everyone's Birthday in the crowd. Then this happened:

 He's pointing right at Natalie when you see him say her name. She was ecstatic and my face hurt from smiling. It was SO neat. So so neat!

He sang more songs from his albums (including "Better With You" which I love love love) and a couple new ones (which we were all sorts of happy about) and for an encore, he said he was going to do something he hadn't done on the tour yet (to make up for not doing the Instagram song request) and he did a medley of his American Idol songs; "Falling Slowly" (which I LOVE), "Heartless"and "Ain't No Sunshine". He apologized beforehand and said that it had been 4 years since he did the songs but he did a wonderful job. Such a wonderful job.

It was a great show. Great seats. A great experience. Such great memories.

I love love love being able to go to something that you are so ridiculously excited for and having it go well. The workers were beyond nice, the show sounded fantastic, Kris was beyond appreciative. It was just a phenomenal time all around. I think it's safe to say that Natalie's Birthday present was a huge success!

Now we can look forward to next time.

It's Friday.

This is going to be another one of those posts where I just ramble on and on about what's on my mind. I hope that's ok. If not, that's ok too because it's Friday and at least getting it out will be somewhat therapeutic for me (and let's be honest, that's what really counts, right?? Ha!).

It's been awhile since I blogged. I haven't really felt like it and that makes me sad.

I've been struggling a lot with this whole working mom thing. I've been doing it for quite awhile now, so you'd think I would be used to it and I know I'm not the only mom to have to do it but boy does it get to me sometimes (special thanks to my Foo Foo for talking me through my tiny emotional breakdown this morning, haha).

Everyday this week, I have woken up with the song "I'm Like a Bird" by Nelly Furtado in my head. Every single day. What. Why? I haven't even heard this actual song in years. I don't even particularly LIKE this song. Why is it pestering me upon my morning wake up?!

The Following is my favorite show right now.  Those writers are brilliant. Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy are fantastic and the whole lot of those sad psychos are just fascinatingly creepy.

Carrie and I had a long distance Alias season 2 marathon a couple weeks ago. It was so much fun. I love that show so much... In case you guys didn't already know that... because, you know... I don't talk about it ever on here. Ever. Ever.

The Walking Dead has been great this season. Every episode has been intense and just creatively directed. They have done such a wonderful job taking The Governor (David Morrissey) from a seemingly totally normal dude, right down to crazy town. It was such a natural progression and didn't seem forced at all. I love that. Really though, dude is a nutbag. I'm excited for the last couple of episodes. Also, speaking of David Morrissey, he's supposed to be on Talking Dead with Chris Hardwick after this Sunday's episode and that should be real cool.

Game of Thrones comes back on March 31st. Happy Easter! You'll get to end your day of good eatings and family gatherings by watching those families fight and behead each other and maybe even get to see a dragon family breathe fire on someone. I think that's a great way to cap the Holiday, don't you?

Revolution returns this Monday, the 25th. Excited? Looking forward to it? Meh... sure. 

Barenaked Ladies and Ben Folds Five are touring together. It's like they got together and discussed how absurdly fantastic this would be for me and decided to go ahead with it. Of course, I know that I have nothing to do with their decision making but it makes me happy to pretend that they are doing it for my benefit. They will be at Pine Knob on July 12th and tickets for it go on sale March 26th at 10am. (I also heard BNL's new song "Boomerang" on the river, the day of the concert announcement and I liked it a lot).

I recently re-read The Night Circus. Goodness, I love that book so much. I mean, I really LOVE that book. I get so sad every time I finish it because I don't want to let go of the characters or that world. It's so wonderful.

I'm currently reading The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston. It's pretty good so far. It's about a girl who is arranged to marry this fella and live on his farm with him but there is something off about her (think- Stephen King's Carrie) and she doesn't speak... At all. So they have a bit of a communication problem. Just a bit.

This weather is stupid. Yeah, it's Michigan, blah blah blah. It's stupid.

With 21 days to go,the Veronica Mars Kickstarter Campaign is at 3.7 million dollars. Every time I look at the page it blows my mind and makes me so happy. What kick ass people Kristen Bell and Rob Thomas are. So so awesome.

C's school is celebrating reading all this month. They are encouraging the kids to write their own stories to be submitted and then the school will publish them for all the kids to keep. I think this is such a great idea. I volunteered to type/print out some of the stories and they are so much fun to read. I love seeing the kids imagination at work. There is nothing better than that. Charley turned in a story about robots and I may be biased, but I think it's pretty awesome.

Speaking of my bear, he woke up on St. Patrick's Day and was disappointed that the Leprechaun didn't leave him any chocolate. I was not aware that this was a thing. Why did he even think that would happen? I guess that's just a prime example of how much Holidays get blown out of proportion these days. Sheesh.

Dancing With The Stars is back on. So far after this first outing, I really liked Kellie Pickler and the Disney Channel girl (Zendaya) was good too. I have to give props to Tristan (my Irish leprechaun) and Dorothy Hamill as well because I enjoyed them too. They keep talking about how the ratings are really low and wondering why that is. Perhaps people are just sick of the reality shows? American Idol has been way down too but I think that has more to do with the judging situation than anything else. But then again, people flocked to that celebrity diving competition show for some reason, so who knows? Maybe people are just sick of the tired ways of the original shows and are in need of new, entertaining ways for famous people (or people in general) to embarrass themselves.

I will be on vacation in 6 days. The thought of this makes my heart smile.

I miss Cheeburger Cheeburger.

You know who is a good actor? Nina Dobrev (from The Vampire Diaries). That girl has had to play so many different variations of her character and other characters and she is completely believable every single time. So much so that I can make myself believe that each character is played by a different actress. Almost like they are played by triplets and not in fact, one single girl. She's awesome. Also, she's gorgeous.

Sometimes the absurdity of people make my head spin. I know that's vague. I'm not trying to be annoying. It's just a general statement. Mainly about mean people or people who have no tact. What goes on in those kinds of people's heads?

I would like for someone to tell me how to organize Charley's bedroom. The poor kid can barely walk in his room without running into something. It's a small room and he has A LOT of stuff. We need to condense but that whole process just exhausts me.

I really want to know when Dave and Chuck the Freak and Lisa are going to be back on the radio. I'm still not used to not hearing them on 89X in the mornings. It's weird. Jeff and I used to each listen to them on our ways to work and then call or text each other afterward to laugh about what they were discussing. It's driving me insane that I don't know what they are going to do next and it annoys me that I care so much. So, they need to make announcement soon to quell my irritation.

Does anyone have suggestions on what to pack a picky Kindergartener for lunch? He will only eat bagels. I suppose this is my karma for insisting that my dad only make me a salami sandwich on white bread with 3 ONLY 3 pieces of salami every single day of my schoolhood. He tried so hard to spice it up by making me pizza sandwiches or giving me turkey and mayo and I was not having it. So Dad, THIS is my payback!  You can have yourself a little fatherly laugh at my expense. I'll allow it XOXO

Alright, I am done with my ramblings (if you are still with me anyway). Enjoy your Friday and let's all do a sunshine/Spring/warmweather dance, ok???

Oscars and Affleck and Bacon.

There was a time during my 32 years that Ben Affleck was my #1 celebrity crush. I would drag Jeff with me to any movie he starred/appeared in just for the sake of getting a glimpse at him. One of the first movies we ever saw together was Shakespeare in Love (1998). We went for the simple fact that I knew Ben was in it. His part was minimal and I mean, minimal. He's barely on screen but I didn't care and we ended up absolutely loving the movie so it worked out. That's just an example of my affection for him... I don't really need to bring up the fact that I made Jeff go see Reindeer Games with me opening weekend do I? Or Forces of Nature? Or that I would squeal with delight whenever I watched Dazed and Confused and Mallrats and he would appear all douchebaggy onscreen? And that I absolutely, positively adore Chasing Amy because he is so fantastic in it (the part when him and Alyssa are in the car and it's pouring down rain and he tells her he loves her? Ugh. So fantastic. SO. Fantastic.) You get the point. I loved him a lot. Then that whole JLo fiasco happened. I felt betrayed. All those years of supporting anything and everything he ever did and then he goes and gets tangled up with her dumb self? Blech.

Anyway, my crush subsided. New movie boyfriends occupied the #1 spot (Ewan McGregor, Colin Firth etc.) and Ben was lingering in post Gigli hell. Then, wouldn't you know it, he goes and breaks up with Jennifer Lopez (THANK GOODNESS)... and after doing Daredevil together (which I loved) starts dating Jennifer Garner. HE STARTED DATING SYDNEY BRISTOW, you guys. And just like that, all was forgiven. If my JG says he's A-OK, then he's A-OK in my book too. He fell off the radar for a little bit, got married to Jennifer Garner, started having kids. He began getting recognition for his part in Hollywoodland and his directing stint for The Town (which was excellent), doing charity work and just being awesome at everything.

My point to this drawn out, rambling, gushfest is that I am so proud of him and all that he's accomplished with Argo. No, I don't know him and never will. Yes, he's just a celebrity but I feel like I've watched him grow into this super talented, fantastic fella. He's so genuine and honest and that is awesome. Argo is an excellent movie (also, Victor Garber is in it with a sweet perm. You can't go wrong with that!) The feel of it is so real and the intensity of it is insane. INSANE. He deserves every single award he has been nominated for and won. He's worked his ass off and it shows. My hats off to you, Mr. Affleck (and your beard). I am in awe of your work and in love with your little family (not in a creepy/stalkery way though, I promise). Congratulations and enjoy every second of your victories.

And To all those naysayers out there and the stupid Academy Awards for not recognizing him for Best Director? Argo F- yourselves!

Speaking of The Oscars... ZZzzzZZzzz..

Oh, Sorry, I must have dozed off just thinking about them for a second. The Borescars, The Snoozescars, the Fakescars (by the by, Carrie vetoed all of these clever names I came up with last night. I can't imagine why.)  I was fine with Seth MacFarlane. I thought he did a decent job. Yeah, he was bordering on rude sometimes and he made fun of the celebrities but uhh, he's a comedian. Just like with Ricky Gervais, they knew his brand of comedy when they asked him to host. Even Tina Fey and Amy Poehler made fun of celebrities at The Golden Globes. That's what they do. Don't ask comedians to host these classy events if you don't want a little bit of snark to happen. I liked all the singing and dancing (Joseph Gordon Levitt and Daniel Radcliffe!). It was just a snoozefest. I know that if they did the categories that everyone cares about (Best Actress, Actor, Director, Picture) in the beginning, it would probably only take an hour. I get why they draw the broadcast out but for crying out loud! I don't care who wins for sound or editing. There has to be a way to make it more exciting, right? Jennifer Lawrence and Ben Affleck made all those hours of sitting there, bored out of my mind worth it. She handled her little tumble up the stairs with class and grace and well, you already know how I feel about Ben. His acceptance speech for Best Picture made me so happy and when he thanked his kids?? Forget about it. I was all teared up. SO great.

Also, I have a suggestion for next years Red Carpet interviews; I propose that instead of all these fake TV people (Ryan Seacrest, anyone on ABC etc.), they get all the late night hosts to conduct the on carpet interviews. Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart. It would be hysterical and fantastic and so much more entertaining than watching Ryan snub someone on that stupid Mani-Cam again. Ugh.

As I said earlier, Argo was fantastic. Completely deserved best picture but I would have been OK with Lincoln or Silver Linings Playbook taking home the award as well. Daniel Day Lewis WAS Lincoln. He was outstanding, as well as Tommy Lee Jones. I don't usually enjoy movies like that and I willingly admit that I only saw it because Jeff wanted to but I'm glad I did. I truly enjoyed it. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper were so wonderful in SLP. It's the kind of movie you think about for days after you see it. I absolutely adored it.

I watched Butter a few weeks ago. It stars Jennifer Garner, Ty Burrell, Rob Corddry, Alicia Silverstone and Yara Shahidi. This movie is riddled with funny people. Every scene you notice an actor you love and it seems completely weird that all these people are in this movie together (and that it's good). It's about a butter carving competition in Iowa. Jennifer Garner (Laura) competes against Yara Shahidi (Destiny) and it's silly and weird and very charming. Rob Corddry is great in it. I loved his character a lot and the role that JG plays is completely different from anything she has ever done. It's awesome. Check it out if you like to laugh.

Dawn brought over Pitch Perfect last weekend and we watched that. What a fun movie that is! It's one of those movies I can see myself being able to watch every time it's on. It's funny and sweet and I loved the entire cast a whole lot (but especially the Benji boy. He was my favorite).

On the TV front...

I hate to admit this... but... I've been a little (real) disappointed in my Vampire Diaries so far this season. First Elena was whine-tastic after becoming a vampire and crying every episode. Then they started this storyline about a cure for vampirism. A cure for vampires on a show ABOUT vampires? STOP IT. It's dumb, you guys.  The last couple episodes have finally started to get good. Even though I hate (HATE) that Shane guy. Klaus has been my only saving grace. Him and Caroline. I'm really curious to see where they take the rest of the season. One of the great things about this show is that even if you don't like a storyline, they usually wrap up pretty quickly. They don't drag stories out like other shows do and that is one of the reasons why I love them so much. I'm in no way giving up on them, I just felt the need to express my sadness with how lame this season has been so far. Oh, and speaking of the last couple episodes? Nina Dobrev was phenomenal in the last ep. Her emotional range was all over the charts and it was completely, totally, 100% believable. She was fantastic.

I love New Girl so much that I just want to wrap my arms around it and hug every single one of those actors. That show is the epitome of joy for me. I LOVE IT.

If you aren't watching The Following, you need to start watching The Following. It is smart and creative and SMART (and created by Kevin Williamson who also created the aforementioned Vampire Diaries). Kevin Bacon is so good as former FBI agent Ryan Hardy and James Purefoy is chillingly fantastic as serial killer Joe Carroll. This show creeps me out and sticks with me and I always have to watch something funny after I watch an episode because if I don't, I will have nightmares but the cleverness of it blows me away and that wins out over the scare-factor.

What did you guys think of The Oscars? Happy with who won? Reading/watching/listening to anything fun that you'd like to share with me??

I Know People.

Over the last few weeks, I've come to the realization that I know a lot of talented people and because of that, I've decided to do an entire post about some of my friends who are creative, smart and just plain awesome at what they do. Maybe I can make this a monthly (bi-monthly?) post where I showcase someone's super fantastic business and try to get them a little bit of exposure. For now, I'll concentrate on some of my favorites:

Let's start with Slice of the 80's (I have to. They are family, ha): Located in Westland, this place is the epitome of good pizza and a fun atmosphere. If you love anything having to do with the 80's, you need to give this restaurant a visit. There is tons of memorabilia and addictive 80's music to keep you occupied while you are waiting for your delicious food and their prices are fantastic. The brain child of 80's fanatic and Bon Jovi obsessive, Adam Matt (with help from my lovely sister, Natalie Proctor) The Slice opened it's doors in August of 2008. Since then, business has been rocking as more and more people have discovered their original taste and super unique creations when it comes to pizzas (most of them 80's themed, of course). My Dad would insist that I recommend The Coney Dog Pizza (his favorite), complete with hot dogs, chili, onions and mustard all on their homemade dough. I love the Greek pizza (with feta cheese, tomato and onion) but the classic Pepperoni and cheese is phenomenal as well. Their menu includes more than just pizzas though, as they have calzones (I love the Italian), bread (the cheese bread is AMAZING), salads and appetizers. And if you love the place as much as I do, you can buy yourself some t-shirts, hats, pens, cups or a few 80's themed buttons. Bottom line is: It's a fun, delicious, affordable place to eat. Order up some food, dudes and then tell me how much you loved it! Also, you can order online, eat in the store or have it delivered. They make it REAL convenient to eat their super yummy food. (By the way, Super Bowl is coming up. Doesn't pizza sound good?)

Location: 34747 Warren Road, Westland MI
Phone: (734)728-1980
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 12pm-11pm
           Friday-Saturday 12pm-12am
Website: http://www.sliceofthe80s.com/
Facebook (where they offer lots of specials!): https://www.facebook.com/SliceOfThe80s

Let's talk about photographers now:

I first learned of Sunflower Productions LLC through my friend (and photographer) Craig Hensley. He started working with them about a year ago and I have been obsessed with looking at the pictures they post on Facebook ever since. Their motto is: "Helping You Capture & Preserve Your Beautiful Memories!" and they do just that. They are a local business, trying to work their way up and with having just photographed the North American International Auto Show Preview a couple weeks ago, I'd say they are well on their way. Craig is one of their photographers (and I know first hand what a wonderful photographer he is, as he took Charley's 5yr pictures last year and I am in love with them), along with Benjamin Boice and founder, Dakota Bruce. These guys are talented, let me tell you and so creative. They specialize in all types of photography and would probably be thrilled if you came up with a new idea for them to try. They are constantly running really great specials and were recently selected as winner of WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards 2013 for photography in Livonia, MI. So, if you are recently engaged, pregnant, have a birthday coming up, want to surprise your significant other with some sassy boudoir pictures, need some senior pictures taken or just want to have your photo taken for the heck of it, these are the guys for you. (They even offer photobooths, videography, and hair and makeup, if you are so inclined to try that as well). They are a one stop shop for all your memories so do me (and yourself) a favor and give them a call and like them on Facebook!

Location: 8974 Farmington Road, Livonia MI
Phone: (734)891-5970
Website: http://www.sunflowerproductionsllc.com/home.php
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunflowerProductions

ELY Designs:
Speaking of weddings, birthdays, etc., if you are looking for some invitations, Save The Dates, place cards, thank you cards or need a logo designed for you, my friend Erica is just the person for you! She studied at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where she got her Bachelors of Science in Graphic Design and she does a phenomenal job. Best of all; she absolutely loves what she does and when you have someone who cares that much and puts that much passion into their work, you know you won't be disappointed with the result. She recently did the invitations (see side photo) for my friend Kat's wedding, along with her place cards and they turned out beautiful. So, if you need some creative, lovely invitations and the like, please contact Erica. She'll take great care of you and I can guarantee that you will be so pleased with the result.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designsbyely

Wanna talk hair now? Sure you do!
Go see my friend Chrissie Partin at Clover Salon in Plymouth, MI. Chrissie is a Level 1 Hairstylist, Nail Technician and makeup artist and she's also a pretty fabulous person to boot! She loves helping people and making them happy, so becoming a hair stylist was the perfect choice for her. The salon has different specials every month and they also do Groupons every now and then (look for one coming out soon!). Their website will also be adding "How To" videos in the coming months and you can't get more convenient than that. So, if you need your hairs cut or your nails did or your face beautified, go see Chrissie. Not only will she make you gorgeous (or handsome), she will also make you laugh and most likely become your friend because she's that awesome of a person.

Location: 261 N. Main Plymouth, MI
Phone: (734)338-8950
Chrissie's Hours: Tuesday 11-5
                           Weds-Thurs 1-9
                            Friday 9-6
                            Saturday 9-5
Website: http://www.mycloversalon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clover-Salon/209892445692203?fref=ts

In keeping with our pampering theme, if you are in need of a massage, how about you go to my friend, Michelle at S.P.A.C.E Massage Therapy, LLC in Garden City, MI? Michelle is one of the most inspiring, lovely, talented, dedicated people I know. She created S.P.A.C.E with the idea that "what they do as massage therapists creates space within the body." They "help muscles return to a normal state, creating space for healing within." Don't you feel relaxed after just reading that? Imagine what she can do for you when you go see her! They offer a variety of services from Swedish Massage to Refloxology. First time clients are $45 (regular price: $55). So, if you are feeling stressed and warn out, sore or just feel like you deserve a massage, give Michelle a call and like them on Facebook.

Location: 6985 Merriman Rd. Garden City, MI
Phone: (734)507-9991
Hours: Mon-Sat 9-6
           Sundays (call for availability)
Website: http://www.spacemassagetherapy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SPACEmassagetherapy

Those are just a few of my uber talented friends and family. Give them all a call and tell them I sent you. You could even utilize all of them in the same day! Why not? You could start out by having Erica at ELY Designs make you some invitations for a party (it doesn't matter what the party is for. You are an awesome person, have a party for yourself!), then you can go see Michelle at S.P.A.C.E Massage Therapy and have her give you a massage (because party planning can be stressful), followed by getting your haircut and nails done by Chrissie at Clover Salon, then going home to order up some pizza from Slice of The 80's for all of your party guests to enjoy and finally, having Sunflower Productions LLC capture the whole event on film. You will be the coolest person ever and the envy of all your friends... but don't forget to invite me!

(If you would like me to include your business or project in a future post, send me a message and I'll make it happen!) Keep being talented and creative, friends!

A Whole Jumble Of Thoughts.

Sometimes I feel like Jessie Spano in everyone's favorite Saved by the Bell episode, "Jessie's Song" where she complains about never having enough time (because I can relate pretty much everything back to a Pop Culture reference). "There's NO time! There's NEVER any time!". I mean, I feel that way MINUS the caffeine pills. But when I feel overwhelmed, I picture that scene in my head. No time to clean my house... Because what little time I am at home, I certainly don't feel like spending it cleaning. I'd rather spend time with C, who I barely see during the week because of school and work. No time to grocery shop... because who wants to spend the hours they aren't at work at Meijer? No time to watch all the TV I want to watch... meaning all the shows on Netflix and whatnot that people keep yelling at me to watch. No time to re-read the books I want to re-read... because I have all new books to read (which isn't a bad thing but if I had more time I could do both!). No time to catch up on sleep... because if I take a nap, that's a complete waste of my precious 2 days off and while I love to nap (man, I LOVE to nap), I should be spending that time doing something else... like all the activities mentioned above which means we have now come full circle. It's a vicious cycle that goes through my brain daily. Wah, wah, wah. Woe is me. This is my blog and I can whine if I want to. While I am extremely grateful for the job that I have (because I have seen first hand how impossible it is to get a job right now), I can't help but fantasize about what it would be like to be part time. Also, I realize this is only the 2nd week of January and my first full week back at work after having 10 days off and that this probably has a lot to do with my funk right now but these are things I think about nonetheless.

Sidenote: Did any of you know that Jessie's middle name was Myrtle?

I ordered my sister a Christmas present from Zazzle.com (I'm not posting the direct link to the site because they are stupid). The site is kind of like CafePress, where you can order custom made shirts, bags and jewelry and the like. I got her this really awesome locket with a picture of a shelf of books in it (don't worry she knows about it). It came in on Christmas Eve WRONG. It didn't have the cover to the locket on it. So, I emailed and they assured me that they would send a replacement right away. I got the replacement this week and guess what? It's wrong again. Holy frustrating, Batman. I emailed again and am awaiting a response. Dummies. Anyway, that site is dumb. Maybe my sister will get her gift before next Christmas?

For whatever reason, as I was sitting at work the other day, I started thinking about The Real World. This is weird because I haven't watched that show in years and years and years. I can't even tell you the last season I watched but I was thinking about the London (1995) season. You know, everyone's least favorite cast? Well, they were my most favorite cast. I looooved that season. I would get SO excited for it every week. They got to live in a flat in the Knotting Hill area of London. The cast consisted of 3 Americans: Kat, who was a fencer (which I thought was awesome). Jay, who was an aspiring playwright (he was real quiet and cute) and Mike, who was my favorite because he would wear a St. Louis Blues Brendan Shanahan jersey alll the time (he was also a race car driver). 1 German: Lars, who was a DJ and who I thought (at the time) resembled Sergei Fedorov. 1 Australian: Jacinda, who was super pretty and a model (she's also an actress now). And finally, 2 Brits: Sharon. who was a singer/songwriter and Neil, who was in a band (and now when I think about him, reminds me of Spike from Buffy). Anyway, I was thinking about that cast and how if that season was on DVD, I would probably watch it.

Sidenote: Do you think David should have been evicted from the house in Season 2 (Los Angeles) for pulling the covers off of Tami? "It wasn't not funny!" Also, what are your thoughts on Puck, the obnoxious bike messenger, who sticks his fingers in the peanut butter jar from the San Francisco season? Discuss.

I need a haircut real bad but I don't feel like making an appointment. It's called laziness, friends.

Hockey's back. Of course, I'm still irritated by the Lockout. It was dumb and never should have happened but I've read a few statements from some of the players expressing regret and how much they appreciate the fans and that makes me feel better (a little bit). I also heard an interview with Mike Babcock on 96.3 this morning and he was really, really cool. Very gracious and appreciative that the game is back in session and that was neat to hear. I have such mixed feelings about the whole thing. Sure, I could just not watch any of the games but the whole reason I was mad during the lockout was because they weren't playing any games so it seems pointless. Also, they don't care if I don't watch. They (players, coaches, personnel, owners, stupid Bettman) will all get paid their millions of dollars regardless if I watch the games or  not. You can't win. Watch it, don't watch it, they'll still have another Lockout within the next 10 years I'm sure. Go Wings!

I've been reading Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. It's about a girl whose family is murdered when she is 7 and she testifies that her 15yr old brother did it. 25 years later she starts to question whether she was right or not. This book creeps me out and makes me have crazy dreams but for crying out loud, Gillian Flynn is a phenomenal writer. Absolutely fantastic. There are scenes that she writes that make my heart stop because they are so brilliant. She writes some insane (INSANE) female characters but she is absolutely gifted when it comes to concocting an addicting story. I can't wait to finish this book.

The Walking Dead returns February 10th!

The Americans, starring Keri Russel (Felicity!) and Matthew Rhys (Kevin from Brothers and Sisters) premieres on FX at 10pm on January 30th. It's about a group of KGB officers in the 80's who have been trained to impersonate American citizens so they can become sleeper agents. I am trying so hard not to get my hopes up that this show is going to kick ass but I can't help it. I think it's going to be awesome and I absolutely cannot wait for it.

Regardless of all the new books I got for Christmas (I got a lot), I am craving a trip to the bookstore. I need to smell that smell of books and coffee and be surrounded by shelves of stories.

White Collar returns January 22nd!

I think Jeff and I are going to check out that new Kevin Bacon show... The Following (FOX January 21st @ 9pm). It's about a bunch of serial killers and it sounds really creepy which usually I don't like but we are intrigued.

I still have not seen The Hobbit (see beginning of this post). I also want to see The Silver Linings Playbook real bad... And This Is 40... and maybe Les Miserables but I don't think anyone would see that one with me.   

Justin Bieber makes me irrationally angry. He's just a kid, making a living "singing" but I just want him to shut up and go away.

Taylor Swift and Harry Styles broke up. Cue her new break up song in 5, 4, 3, 2....

The new Entertainment Weekly features a ton of new Catching Fire info. Seeing the new stills and reading the interviews from the cast makes me super excited for November 21st.

Charley read me a book last night. HE read to ME. It was a super short book about a mudskipper that his teacher sent home for him to practice reading and sure, he probably had most of it memorized but I was so proud of him, I wanted to cry. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry all over again. Seeing that kid show me all the things he learns at school and sing the songs that they sing every day just makes my heart explode with happiness. I love it.

Speaking of C... If someone could invent a pair of pants that don't tear at the knee (or anywhere) after a couple of weeks of wear, I will make you chocolate chip cookies for life. FOR LIFE. Oh, they also have to be reasonably priced. I have to buy that kid a new pair of pants weekly because he gets holes in his right knee All. The. Time. It drives me nuts!

Those are all the random thoughts I have thought this week. Any thoughts you would like to share?

Recap.

Happy 2013, friends!

A new year, a clean slate, a new beginning. A time to reset, if you will. 2012 had some ups and quite a few downs but it's all good. It ended on a good note. I have my awesome family and my wonderful friends and I am a happy lady and looking forward to the year ahead.

With that being said, let me recount some of my favorite things (TV shows, movies, books, moments) from 2012 and some of the things that disappointed me. Let's call it my own little "Year in Review", shall we? Also, since this is MY recap of favorite/not so favorite things, it means I follow my own rules... meaning, not everything I talk about will have been released in 2012, but I read/watched it in 2012 therefore it counts.

I'll start with music since so many of my favorite bands/artists released new stuff last year. The downside of so many of them releasing great stuff all at once means I can't pick just one for my favorite, so I'll give you my top three... In no order. Because I feel bad playing favorites:
1.) Ben Folds Five- The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind. I've talked about this album at length. I love it. I helped fund it (because I'm awesome). It took 13 years for them to get together and make another record and it was so worth it. Favorite songs: "Do It Anyway" and "Draw a Crowd".

2.) The Killers- Battle Born. I love The Killers. I feel like they get better and better with every CD they put out. Brandon Flowers is so talented and has such a phenomenal voice, he never disappoints me. This album is no exception. It's great from start to finish. Favorite Song: "From Here On Out".

3.) Ed Sheeran- +. This is where my little stipulation kicks in. This record came out in 2011 but I didn't discover it until last year and once I discovered it, I couldn't stop listening to it. I love his voice and how his British accent comes through on certain words in his songs. I love that he's a ginger and that he writes his own music. I love that he's getting so popular because he deserves it. I adore this album. Favorite songs: "Lego House", "The A Team", "Give Me Love". Really though, I could have picked every song on it. That's how much I love it.

Let me give honorable mention to The Tragically Hip, Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers and Imagine Dragons... Gotye too because I was obsessed with that record at the beginning of the year.

Most disappointing CD? Dos! by Green Day. Releasing 3 albums in the span of a couple months is pretty ambitious. A little too ambitious. The second of those three is just not good. "Nightlife" is probably their worst song ever. The whole record is disjointed and messy and just off. I'm going to pretend like they didn't release it.

Artist I am most surprised I like so much? Bruno Mars. I love watching him perform and I love his voice. Like my Dad says, he's a combination of Michael Jackson and Prince and that is pretty awesome. I can't stop listening to his new single "Locked Out of Heaven".

Movies:
I loved The Hunger Games and thought they did right by the book. It wasn't perfect but book to movie adaptations rarely are... if ever. I love Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and I loved all the behind the scenes stuff within the games. It made me appreciate the story more and it made me really look forward to Catching Fire.

The Avengers was phenomenal. C and I just watched it again yesterday and I loved it even more. Joss Whedon is a genius and all those super heroes are so very handsome. It's just a fun, enjoyable movie. So fun.

We Bought a Zoo. Yeah, this came out in 2011 but I just saw it about a month ago. I absolutely adore it and could watch it over and over and over again.

Weirdest Movie? Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. It wasn't bad, just weird. Real weird.

Favorite New Show(s)? Favorite new show meaning it's new to me and I just watched it this year? Firefly and Doctor Who. Firefly is adventurous and charming and the characters are so fantastic. Doctor Who is inventive and wonderfully entertaining and I still have a loooong way to go with it but I'm so happy I decided to jump on board the Tardis.

Favorite Regular Show(s)? The Vampire Diaries, White Collar and New Girl. All three are consistently good, funny and so refreshing. (Also, they all have real handsome fellas to look at. Real, real handsome).

Biggest TV disappointment? I have two:
1.) True Blood. It was a total snoozefest and they completely underused Christopher Meloni and Scott Foley. I hate the fairy storyline. The only thing that saved the season for me was Ryan Kwanten and Alexander Skarsgard.

2.) The final season of Chuck blew. It blew hardcore. I never even blogged about it because I was so offended by how bad it was. They took a super great show and demolished it in the last 3 episodes and that made me sad and angry. Angry for spending 5 years watching it and sad because I loved those characters. Boo to that!

Now... BOOKS! (Bare with me... There are a lot)

Goodreads says that I read/rated 60 books for 2012. Here are my favorites:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. This book had my mind spinning. I would think it was going one way and then it would take a completely different direction. The characters are fascinating and kind of horrible but also likable all at once. The story is mesmerizing and the ending is a bit controversial. I could talk for hours about this book. I absolutely, positively, 100% loved it. LOVED. Read it. Read it NOW. Then talk to me about it.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern. This one came out in October of 2011 but I read it at the beginning of 2012. This book is beautiful and gorgeous and lovely and delightful and I fell in love with it. Absolutely fell in love with it. I want to live inside of it and be a part of the night circus and everything it represents. Magic and love and friendship and loyalty. Read it and fall in love with it too.

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin. This one just made me happy. Emily Giffin is a terrific writer and makes me want to be a better writer. This story is about family and what makes a family connect. When I finished it, I had a huge smile on my face. It's probably in my top 2 of her books. Check it out!

Much Ado About Magic by Shanna Swendson. Oh my goodness, this book made my heart explode with happiness. I waited 4 years for it and it didn't disappoint. It's part of the Enchanted Inc. series and it had everything I love about these books plus more and it made me fall in love with Owen Palmer a littler more, which I didn't think was possible. I re-read it the second I finished it.

Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos. I've read Marisa's previous two books (Love Walked In and Belong To Me) and I enjoyed them, but this one took me by surprise. I didn't want to be done with the characters after I finished it. It's a story about friendship and relationships and it made me happy happy happy.

I also read a ton of Nora Roberts books (as did my sister and my mom) and became addicted to her writing. I have had so much fun reading her stuff and the best part is I am nowhere near finished. She has so so many and that means that I have lots to get to still.

Most Disappointing Book(s)?
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. This book is a semi-true story about Frank Lloyd Wright and an affair he had with a lady named Mamah Borthwick Cheney. The ending made me furious and the worst part is that the end is the truest part of the book. It was completely crazy and had me yelling at Jeff about it at 1 in the morning when I had finished it. Ugh.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling.  I absolutely, positively could not get into this book. I really tried. For all of you that finished it and enjoyed it, I want to give you a medal because I just didn't get it. And no, I wasn't expecting a magical story about potions and wizards. I knew going into it that it was a grown up (ha) book. I just didn't enjoy it at all and that made me sad.

So, those are my favorites and least favorites of 2012. Despite having a rough go of it for most of the year, we were champs at making the best of our situation. We had tons of fun at the Lego Fest and the RenFest and the Motor City Comic Convention, going to the park, hanging out at home, going up north, watching the Olympics, experiencing the Susan G. Komen 3-Day. The best part about all of that was spending time as a family.

I look forward to the year ahead and I hope 2013 is a fantastic year for all of you as well!

What were your favorite/not so favorite parts of 2012?

MidSeason Thoughts & a Tiny Movie Review

It's December and in addition to watching all your favorite Holiday specials (Rudolph, The Grinch, Charlie Brown) and Hallmark movies (Most Wonderful Time of The Year, Naughty or Nice, Snow), we all get to watch our favorite shows present us with their mid-season finales... or "winter break" finales. However you want to refer to them, they are always fun and packed with lots of jaw dropping, OMG moments and I love it.

Here is my take on some of my favorite shows so far this season. (Spoilers ahead if you aren't all caught up on The Walking Dead, Revolution, The Vampire Diaries and Castle.)

It only took 10 tries (TEN!) but I finally really loved an episode of Revolution. Miles (Billy Burke) and Charlie/Kateness (Tracy Spiridakos) finally met up with Monroe (the really super hot, David Lyons) and rescued  Danny/the most blah character ever (Graham Rogers). There was a fantastic fight between Miles and Monroe, to which I squealed with delight to Jeff "two handsome boys fighting it out?! This show finally got good!" They used to be BFF's and now all that has changed. I didn't want either one to shoot/kill the other because aside from Elizabeth Mitchell's, Rachel, they are the only characters I care about. After talks of brotherhood and family and how Monroe had changed too much for Miles liking, they sword fought and punched each other and Miles ended up running away. David Lyons is a fantastic actor. My heart was breaking for him and the loss of his best friend even though I know he's a pretty horrible dude. Charlie finally found out her mom is alive. She cried. Surpise, surprise. All in all, the season so far has been pretty rough. You know I don't care for Charlie and I felt like every episode was just them trekking through the jungle whining about stuff. Since they finally rescued Danny and got Rachel away from Monroe, I am hoping the last half of the season will be MUCH better... It has to be, right? (Also, Giancarlo Esposito is a wonderful bad guy).

There are still 2 episodes left in December for The Vampire Diaries but I'm going to give you my thoughts on it anyway. I was pretty worried about it for a few episodes there. Vampire Elena (Nina Dobrev) turned out to be a crying, bloody, useless mess. Every episode she looked like that picture over there. Ugh and I haaaaated the bad guy/vampire hunter, Connor (Todd Williams). I was really upset when they introduced the theory of "The 5 Hunters" and how their tattoos will lead to a cure for the vampires. A cure. For vampires. Dumb! Stefan (Paul Wesley) was all gung-ho on finding the cure for Elena because he thinks she isn't the same person she was before (mostly because she hearts Damon (Ian Somerhalder) a whole lot now), but now that they made Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) a vampire hunter and every time he kills a vampire, the urge to kill another becomes stronger and stronger (and he lives with a vampire... who is his sister), it complicates things. Thank goodness! I was really excited at the end of last season when I realized they were making Elena a vampire. Do not. DO NOT cop out now and try to reverse things. That is just so very frustrating! I thought it was real weird that after 4 seasons of pining away/obsessing over Stefan, she all of a sudden breaks up with him and tells him to move on. Huh? I'm not complaining, I love her with Damon as well as Stefan but it just seemed abrupt and off. She even made sexytimes with Damon as soon as Stefan left the house! Then they threw a twist in there. Come to find out, Elena is sired to Damon. His blood made her a vamp. Of course she is all about him now. Duh! Now, let me just talk about how much I love love love Caroline (Candice Accola) and Klaus (Joseph Morgan) for a minute. I love them. Their banter, their anger with each other. I love it all. If those two don't get together by the end of the season I am going to be severely disappointed. I. Love. Them. I'm excited for the rest of the episodes. I am intrigued by the teacher/witch fella and the girl from The Stupid Secret Circle being in cahoots. Mostly I just want Elena to not cry every episode from now on. You are a vampire, girl! Put your fangs in and act like it!

The Walking Dead. Holy moly what a fantastic season it has been. Such a complete improvement from the last one. It has been nonstop action and emotion and heartbreak and just pure awesome. The episode where Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) gives birth/dies was completely enthralling. Andrew Lincoln gave one of the best performances I have ever seen. Ever. It was so so so good. The governor (David Morrissey) is creeptastic (zombie heads in jars! Zombie daughter locked up!) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) is a total badass. Speaking of badasses, Carl (Chandler Riggs) seems to have upped his game. Instead of being told to stay in the house, he's actually handling a gun and killing zombies. All while wearing that damn hat. He hasn't taken it off once all season. I hope a zombie eats it... His hat, I mean. I suppose I should cut him a little slack. He had to watch his mother give birth to his sister, die and then shoot her in the head so she didn't turn. That has to scar a kid, right? Maybe I should let him keep his hat... The show left off with Daryl (Norman Reedus) and his brother, Merle (Michael Rooker) facing a horde of angry Woodbury occupants. If they off Daryl, I think the producers are going to have a horde of angry Walking Dead Fans on their hands. We'll find out in February what happens to him and the rest of our survivors when the Woodbury people and the Prison people come to blows. It's going to be exciting!

We are a couple of episodes behind on Once Upon A Time but I love this season so far.

Castle has been fantastic. If there are any writers out there who are struggling with trying to get the two leads of their show together as a couple, talk to the dudes over at Castle. They did it and it has been so fun. I love watching Beckett (Stana Katic) and Rick (Natahan Fillion) solve crimes together and also try to figure out how to solve having a relationship. It's funny and sweet and very heartwarming. Keep it up, Castle people!

We are 8 episodes behind on Bones. Is that enough to make us throw in the towel and stop watching? I'm not sure yet. I would like to get caught up eventually but I have been really disappointed in it so I'm not exactly looking forward to watching them. That's sad.

I have loved every single episode of New Girl this season. That's all I really need to say because I gush about that show all the time and you guys are probably sick of it. I love everything about it, that's all there is to it. Modern Family has been good this season as well. Also, Manny still gets on my nerves. We are a couple episodes behind on Elementary but I am really enjoying that show.

What are your thoughts on the shows this season? Any happy surprises? Disappointments?

I haven't wanted to blog about Breaking Dawn Part 2 for fear of spoiling anyone. I won't go into too much detail now, other than saying that I loved it because if you haven't seen it yet, you NEED to experience it the way I did. I went in seeing it without much expectation. I was excited to see it but at the same time, I was trying not to be overly excited like I have been with those movies in the past. I don't know if that enhanced my reactions to it or what but I was blown away. It was so so well done. I wish I had mine and Dawn and Kat and Erica's reactions on video for you all to see because I bet they were hysterical. It was a good end to the saga and dare I say I may have enjoyed it more than the book??? Maybe. I'll need to think about that a little more. It's weird that it's over. Not like how it was when Harry Potter ended and I was literally depressed by it but it just seems strange. Those years went by super fast; the books were huge and then there was talk of the movies and then they came out and boom, done! So fast. I love them though and I love what they represent. Sure, they could have been better. Sure, I love to make fun of them. Sure, they aren't as good as the books. But underneath all that, I really do love them.

Without posting spoilers for those who haven't seen it, did you guys like the movie? The twist? Let me know your thoughts!