2009 In Pictures...

I saw a wonderful blog entry today entitled 'The Year in Pictures'. What a great idea! I hope everyone will get back on the 'blog-wagon' and do this on their own pages!



January:
A good month for visiting Memphis. My dad gave his first public talk in many years so I wanted to make sure that we visited for that. So me and my buddy Misty took a very quick trip to the ol' hometown and had a great 24 hours. We went shopping at Flashback, had a Karaoke BLAST on Beale Street, and saw the aforementioned talk on Sunday morning. It was a great way to start out the year and to say goodbye to the platinum blonde hair!


February:
After I went 'red' again, I really got involved in my Vintage Styling endeavors. This photo was taken for my Pin Up Series on YouTube, and is based on the artwork of Art Frahm. The channel has given me a sense of accomplishment I would not have expected and is opening doors I didnt know where there. The internet CAN do some good. :)



March:
My favorite photo that was taken this year. My husband had just cut my son's hair and this photo was taken right before the meeting. He took it w/ his PHONE, which is surprising. I love everything about it. The tractor was a nice touch as well. :)




April: Another great Rockabilly Weekender this year in Vegas! This photo of the Haystack Hitones was taken during their reunion performance on Saturday of the event. It was one of my favorite performances of the weekend.


May: For our 14th wedding anniversary we went back to Memphis-town and spent a great couple of nights. We saw 'Hillbilly Casino' with a group of friends at the Blues City Cafe and spent next afternoon at Pa and Mimi's.


June: Over the course of the summer, my husband placed this little figurine at various places in the county and took a photo. I like the idea; I think it documents our area in an interesting way, especially since we might not live in this area much longer. Bittersweet.



July: I love the Wilson County Fair! This sweet horsey was making ice cream by walking on a sort of antique 'treadmill' that was attached to an old fashioned ice cream churn. It was so fun to watch and we kept slipping him treats. The convention was this month too but unfortunately, I didnt get any good photos.


August: This August was fun and included a trip to the Redneck Rumble, a car show in Lebanon that is improving every year. Good bands played and relatively nice cars showed up. But the photo I chose to document the month of August was one of my son's lego creations. I think it's supposed to be The Titanic.


September: This was the month that Misty and I took some photos for my friend Heather and her new line of floral hair clips for ladies. I helped name them 'Belle Blossoms' and she seems to be doing well with this endeavor, shipping items all over the world. It was so exciting to be a part of a project that was just 'getting off the ground', like this.


October: This year, we spent alot of time driving around and really appreciating this area. I am sad that Pleasant Shade School closed right after Johnson finished kindergarten. As it stands, it looks very forlorn and abandoned...the playground equipment is rusted and the grass is grown up. The huge gym would be a FANTASTIC place for a dance or a band to play. How cool would that be?




November: Okay so I stole this photo. We spent the November holiday with friends in Louisiana and I loved this photo because it really conveys the good time/family atmosphere. Plus, the look on Craig's face is priceless!




December: Lastly, I realize we haven't really taken many photos this month. I thought this one was worth posting because its proof that our digital camera is finally dying. The picture quality has steadily gotten more and more screwed up and now, this is the monster it creates. :)

Anyway, as I said, bring on the next decade!

December in a Nutshell...

I refuse to let this blog die! I will at least be posting updates once a month, in spite of the urge to just focus on facebook and communicate my family's status there. :)

This month flew by...as did this whole YEAR, actually. No big news really, but a few changes such as the house bein officially 'on the market' are worth mentioning. We have had no 'bites', as of yet, but I am optimisitic that the spring will bring a few promising offers...hopefully.

The kids are all getting very 'antsy', being at home, and I can't lie and say that I don't look forward to school starting. It gives them structure, and they need that. Especially since I'm so busy working and can't really keep them busy like I wish I could.

On Christmas Day, I did take them up the hill behind our house. It was a healthy jaunt and pretty strenuous since I had to carry the two year old for much of the thorny way. But it reminds me how much I love this property and how beautiful the view is from up there, when compared to the one we have down here at the house. But alas, moving would open up lots of other options that we can't ignore. So hopefully, it will sell and we can quickly move on. I don't see my self 'mourning' over this place much, even if it IS the only house that Nathan and Victor have really 'known'.

Either way, the new year promises lots of interesting things and I'm looking forward to it immensely. Bring on the next decade!

November Galavanting...

In spite of a severe shortage of green and lots of distracting nonsense, we decided to make a trip to Louisiana for the 'holiday' weekend.

We had been sick w/ a virus earlier in the month, a clingy one that just didnt want to give up...the baby had it the worst. He would be well for 24 hours, eating somewhat normally, and then he would have another bad bout of diahrea or vomiting. It was really frustrating and worrisome. However, we came through that pretty well and made rushed around getting ready to depart on Tuesday night of last week.

Instead of heading straight for Talisheek (small town outside of New Orleans where some good friends of ours live) and trying to make the trip in one fell swoop, we opted to go a little out of the way and stop over in Memphis so as to avoid the boys having to be in the car for eight straight hours. The trip to Memphis was unusually slow. It took us 5 1/2 hrs to get there. We basically had just enough time to catch some sleep before leaving early the next morning for Lousiana, by way of jackson Mississippi.

The trip was mostly uneventful...a few hiccups in the form of explosive diapers (not 'the green apple dirties' but something awful, nonetheless) and the price of gas (yikes). But we made it to Abita Springs at about 3pm and were happy to finally see our friends. They really had a great set up for us...we were spoiled by the novelty of sleeping in a nice camper they had drawn up to the house so as to give us privacy and separate sleeping quarters. So convenient! The family we were visiting, New Orleans-ingly known as the Chiassons, are an incredibly hospitable bunch. We enjoyed visiting w/ Craig and Sarah (w/ whom we were staying ) for a while before heading a mile down the road to the rest of the 'Chiasson Compound'-a group of houses clustered together in a chummy way that most families would either dread or love, depending on their closeness. We enjoyed some campfire conversation and yummy libations before heading back over to Craig and Sarah's for dinner and my first encounter with the Wii. I didnt really play it but it does look great. Notes for future shopping lists.

The next day was Thursday. We all went back over to the Chiasson compound for an amazing feast and plenty of good times. There was croquet (which I hadn't played in YEARS), tons of entertainment for the kids, friendly faces, excellent beer, and ACRES of food. Maybe not literal acres...but it felt like it. Gumbo to start, four fried turkeys injected with Creole Butter (oh...my...gah), two kinds of stuffing, delicious potato salad, homemade sweet potato pie, mac and cheese, chocolate cake...all amazing and perfect, of course. The day flew by and I think we all went back for seconds and thirds before finally deciding that our stomachs had reached full capacity. Did I mention the turkey necks? By far the best part. haha

That night, I truly don't remember what we did...oh! Homemade blackberry wine. That's it. :)

Friday the family all piled into several cars and drove across the causeway to the New Orleans Audubon Zoo. We were treated to the zoo trip and are HEARTILY grateful since it was one of the better zoos I've visited. The boys had a blast...they were especially intrigued by the white alligators, which reminded me of white chocolate. That evening, we drove home by way of Magazine Street, a fantastic part of the city that I had only seen on television. I am so anxious to go back and just shop and eat for several days straight. Dinner that evening was the Abita Brew Pub, a special treat.

Since my dad had a public talk on Sunday and we wanted to be sure to make it, we said fond farewells to our friends (can't wait to see ya'll again!) and headed off to Memphis town for the night. Since the kids were suffering from cold symptoms and we didnt want to put too much on them, we opted to stay for the entirety of Sunday (horribly rainy weather anyway) and head home on Monday. And so we did.

I'm tired but thankful for good and generous friends as well as motivated to compensate for some of those calories with renewed energy in a good diet/exercise program.

Great way to bring November to a close!

H1N1-Here we Gooooooo!

Couldnt resist posting the above photo again...*chuckle*

So it seems, per scientific speculation, that by the end of October-60% of the American population will be exposed to the Swine Flu, 23% showing symptoms. I guess that is a big deal and it certainly seemed like it last Thursday, when me and my sick youngns came home from a little vacation in Memphis ,showing symptoms of that selfsame virus. Victor woke up that night with a ragingly high fever, 103.8 to be exact. Needless to say, I was very worried and called the doctor at about 11pm, to see if a visit to the ER was in order. I also only had 'Jr' Tylenol and was afraid to use them on the little guy. The nurse on hand told me that one of those 'Meltaway' deals was fine and to monitor him over the next 45 minutes to make sure the fever came down. So for 45 minutes, we curled up together in front of Spongebob and waited. By the time specified, his temperature was down to 100.7 so we went to bed with the understanding that he would still need to be seen by the doctor the next day.

Friday, I carried all three kids to the doctor (45 minutes away in Lebanon) and was pretty nearly devestated to find out that our darling Pediatrician that we have known and used since Johnson was born, has moved to Louisiana!? I mean, WHO moves to Louisiana?? And on top of all of that, I had to see the nurse practioner who seems so pretty and young and unaffected by it all. :( Anyway, she gave Victor the Flu test and he did indeed test positive for flu Type A ('but probably he has H1N1 since that is what is going around right now and it is just a strain of Type A'). No, I didnt panic. I actually felt a little more disturbed by the whole 'doctor moving' thing. I mean, flu is flu. The treatment is the same and we can only do what we can do to cure ourselves and our youngns from it, and keep an eye on the symptoms to make sure they don't escalate. The adolescent nurse prescribed Tamiflu and basically quarantined our family until everyone was 'fever-free'.

The next morning, I woke up with a high fever and congestion. So Victor and I have been trying to stay hydrated and positive throughout all the general ickiness. At this point, we're the only ones affected. Vic seems to be better; aside from a runny nose he hasnt run any more high fevers and his breathing has been normal, thus far. I have heard that this thing tends to rear up again, when it seems to be gone, so the doctors are giving a good 14 day turnaround time for the illness and prescribing that people stay in their own little bubble for the duration. Which really can make one feel separated from society and altogether discouraged.

Did I mention that I have never missed my television more???!

Interesting Developments

Surreal News:

Almost a year ago, I made a video for a friend showing how I mimic Rita Hayworth's 'Soft Waves' on my fine hair. On a whim, I edited the video somewhat and created a channel on youtube called LisaFreemontStreet, with the intent of posting more vintage styling tutorials when I got the chance. Soon after, I did a tutorial for achieving a 1940's 'Victory Roll', which I also posted to the channel.

On the momentum of those two videos, I began to publish more such tutorials...some in response to requests I recieved from fans of the first two videos, and some of my own ideas as well. Quite surprisingly, the channel has slowly grown and I now have over 4,000 people subscribing...isnt that crazy?

It felt strange to mention this to people not interested in Vintage styling...the idea of doing your hair before a large audience may seem odd. But people actually seem to be learning something from my prattlings and my little videos have developed an actual audience! In addition to tutorials, I also do product reviews, and this has led to some companies contacting me in hopes of promoting their product on my channel...so ya know what that means: free stuff! This is all a very satisfying thing for me, since I'm so cut off from society and really enjoy recreating these looks. Also, I guess you could say I'm building a little business out of all this nonsense, and hopefully it will lead to bigger and better things!

In early 2010, there is a Vintage Lifestyle Magazine due to hit shelves in the UK and possibly at Barnes and Nobles stateside, to which I've been ask to contribute a regular feature. I've always loved to write and maybe I will have a chance to enter the world of 'beauty journalism' with these endeavors. For once, it's more exciting to NOT know what is going to happen.

Whatever does happen, I am happy that my little hobby seems to be helping people all over the world and that there are options to me that I may not otherwise have considered.

Hopefully Lisa Carol Fremont would approve. :)

Love Is Only Love

Watching 'Hello Dolly' for the trillionth time today, I listened more carefully to the lyrics of one of the understated songs of the picture, 'Love is Only Love'. I think it's very well written and really shows great insight about the comfortable way that we settle into love after the initial 'falling' process. Those of you who have been married for a while will probably appreciate it especially, I think.

Don't look for shooting stars,
for love is only love.
You touch...and still you touch the ground.

Don't listen for those bells
for love is only love.
And if it's love you've found,
your heart won't hear a sound.

And when you hold his hand,
you only hold his hand.
The violins are all a bluff.

But if you're really wise,
the silence of his eyes will tell you
love is only love.
And it's wonderful enough.
Without the shooting stars,
without the sound of bells,
without the violins,
love is wonderful enough.

School Days Are Here Again...

This picture makes me giggle. Not only does it remind me EERILY of my friend Brooke, when she was this age, but it also brings to mind my five year old who is about to start Kindergarten this Friday. He is quite a little ball of energy and has developed an intensity that sometimes results in violence. It's a shame and we try to stop this behavior but it does seem to be inherent. I can't say I expect to be called by the teacher with news of fighting but let's just say, I won't be surprised if there are 'issues'.

I'm taking a deep breath and hoping that his brother being at the same school (in 4th grade) will keep him somewhat calm. :)

Goodbye Telly-Vee

The time has come, the budget said, to let the non-necesseties go. Non-necessities meaning television since that is the only one left. In the middle of my deep love for So You Think You Can Dance, I must abandon it for the rest of the nation to judge. Sigh. Ah well. Other than SYTYCD, I haven't really missed it. We're watching alot of movies and really taking advantage of Netflix Instant Play. Yes, I know Netflix is not 'technically' a necessity but at a mere 10 bucks a month, it definitely deserves to stick around for a while.

I like catching up w/ old series I forgot about via the Television Instant Play option on Netflix. Fawlty Towers, Faery Tale Theater, MacGuyver...even Gimme A Break. Who knew Nell Carter would still be funny?

So You Think You Can Dance-Week 3

The judges were particularly long-winded tonight and a BUTT stole the show!!

1.Evan and Randi-HOT DAWG! That's what I'm-a talkin' bout! Mia Michaels choreographed the PERFECT contemporary routine for the two of them, coupling an old Hollywood musical style (for Evan) with a modern spin. It was absolutely brilliant, the style of it...the movement with the music. I cannot say enough about Evan and his wonderful classic technique that is so indicative of Gene Kelly (my hero!). And Randi reacts so well to his style and really is able to incorporate her own style into the mix so that the two blend effortlessly. Yesss!!

2.Melissa and Ade-Friggin' brilliant. Their Rumba was seamless, like both of them had been doing it all their lives. Melissa has been great for the prior two weeks but it was this week that made me really take notice; her body was incredible throughout the whole dance. Ade was also smooth and sexy, providing a capable 'pillar of strength' on which she could lean. But it was impossible NOT to watch her every move and for that reason, she kind of stole his thunder. Some of her moves were like a textbook for flexibility training. Amazing!


3.Brandon and Jenette- This hip hop routine was SO much better than Jonathan and Karla's that it was almost laughable. Brandon was FANTASTIC, and handled this style like it was his own. Jeanette also remained in her 'rock n roll princess' character throughout the entire performance. It was so much more than just a capable hip hop routine ably done, it was a show for the audience to enjoy. The best hip hop of the season so far, easily, but also a BREAKTHROUGH for Brandon who tends to come off as a little effiminite at times. They told a story and told it in a way that we were completely entertained.

4.Phillip and Jeanine-They put lots of spirit into this broadway routine and the choreography looked like it was straight out of Singin' In the Rain (from whence the song came.) She was alot like Debbie Reynolds w/ her sweet and energetic movements and Phillip gave that face of his lots of personality as well. It was just a joy to watch and for that reason alone, in spite of a few technical errors, they creep up to the fourth spot.

5.Kiupono and Kayla- Kayla was my favorite female until this week, when Melissa made such an impression. However, she did nto disappoint in her ability to adapt to the Vienesse Waltz. I thought she was perfection. The song choice was nice and the whole thing was just lovely to watch. Kiupono did an excellent job as well, standing up straight, pointing his toes, and being generally 'there' for her. He did stumble a few times supporting her but I don't think it interrupted the flow of this beautiful routine.
____________________________________
Bottom Three:

6.Kaitlin and Jason-The Paso Doble as we haven't seen it...in ancient times with a hateful mood. I thought it had great potentioal considering the musical choice and the success the couple made out of the Baliwood routine on the first week. Jason did an excellent job, considering, but Kaitlin seemed to be thinking too much. There wasnt much conviction in her movement. Both of them seemed to run out of steam towards the end of the routine, when their jumps should have been aggressive and powerful; both fell a bit flat. It didnt have the power that it should have...and I blame too much concentration.

7.Asuka and Vittorio-Funny, their relationship in the rehearsal video was so sweet it made me cry. I love how close they've gotten. That said, I really hate most of Mandy Moore's routines. This number was frantic, 80's music video, and a little bit stilted. I totally blame the choreography for the fact that this couple looked disconnected in spite of their obviously strong relationship...and I wanted to like it so badly!

8.Karla and Jonathan-Their hip hop was hard to watch. Not because it was badly choreographed and not because they messed up....but because she was SO good and he was SO white!! She definitely has this style under wraps...it's effortless for her and she snaked her way around the floor with ease. However, Jonathan really couldnt get that 'street' quality accross and like I said, he just looked like a white boy trying to do hip hop.

Current Favorites:
Male-Evan
Female-Melissa

So You Think You Can Dance-Week 2

Mary was particularly annoying, Li'l C was particularly wordy, and Nigel was uncharacteristically subdued tonight. Due to weather problems and interruptions, I missed one of the performances so here is my take from last night, minus Ade and Melissa:


1.Asuka and Vittorio-Their waltz was GORGEOUS. So moving. I am still not sure of their chemistry but Vittorio especially REALLY picked it up this week and put his heart into it. Asuka was lovely in her flowy dress-kinda looked like a floaty little flower. The music was also a nice touch as well. I really felt this one.

2.Karla and Jonathan-While I agree that they performed this contemporary routine well, there is always one couple of the season that I can't warm to. This is that couple. Even so, this routine was extremely beautifully choreographed and the music choice was perfect. Both of them performed their parts devinely and the chemistry was palpable. I don't necessarily think that they did something that other dancers of the season could not have done equally as well but this routine alone moves them both way up in the ranks for me.

3.Brandon and Jeanette-If I liked Disco more, I would have placed them higher. But I can't get past the cheesiness of it all. It doesnt come accross as fun to me; it's tedious. That said, this was so fast-paced that it was impossible not to be impressed by the dancers' ability to pull it off so well! Her flexibility and his skill level really added alot to the routine. One of the best of the night, certainly. And it says alot that this was neither of their own styles and not only did they do it well, but last week they did the foxtrot equally well. They are both just great all-around dancers.


4.Max and Kayla-Kayla is still my favorite female in the competition. She is so fantastic and this pop routine was no exception. I found myself watching her almost exclusively...Max was just kind of a prop. Not that he didnt do well, he just didnt match her in any way, shape, or form. Because they didnt equalize the balance, I can't place them any higher. Plus, I'm not a fan of the 'pop' style of dance which always comes accross as too 'music video' for me.


5.Evan and Randi-Whether it was technically the best, or whether they slightly disappointed the judges or not...they're still my favorite couple. They have tons of personality that really comes through and this jive routine was right up my alley. It was high energy and super FUN! I hope they make it thru so they can get back on top again next week. My husband realized last night that reason Randi looks so familiar to us is that she reminds of us Kelli Pickler! heh heh.

Bottom Three:
___________________

6.Kupono and Ashley- It was a good hip hop, not a great one. They both hit all the moves and gave proper 'attitude'. It seemed they might have been slightly 'off' and were a little too slow for the music. No doubt that the choreography was NOT at fault here...the routine could have been FANTASTIC, with better dancing. All in all, it was decent but I think they both deserve to dance for their lives and show us why they're here.

7.Phllip and Jeanine-Poor thing, she tried so hard. Her grace and poise really attempted to pull Phillip into the world of tango but both of them hit a very dull thud. It was very uncomfortable, very staccato, very stiff. Though she definitely outdanced him, it was obvious they they weren't hitting their stride and the dance seemed to trudge along as if they were wading thru water. I don't even think the girls' nonstop screaming for Phillip will save them from the bottom three.

8.Katilin and Jason-I dont think the hip hop routine was all that great to begin with. Danced by these two, it really suffered. They were great last week but Kaitlin especially seemed to have alot of trouble. It looked awkward and weak...much like Britney Spears looks MOST of the time. Jason was better but they never really meshed. A bit dull.

Results Show: The Opening number by Mia Michaels was STUNNING and the dance guest was entertaining but came off as a novelty this week. The live performance was entirely lip synched and forgettable...I fast forwarded it after 20 seconds. The bottom six were not surprising really, though I think it's a shame that Kayla was called on to prove herself when the judges love her so completely. They were less than impressed by her solo but i thought it was beautiful and left the other two gals in the dust. As for the two that ended up leavinging, Max and Ashley...I can't say I don't think the judges got it right. I'm excited to see Kayla and Kupono dance together!

So You Think You Can Dance-Week One

My take on last night's show: My early favorites this year are Evan and Jason but we'll see what pans out over the next few weeks.

After Last Night's show, my current favorites are:
Favorite Male-Evan
Favorite Female-Kayla

1.Evan and Randi-THAT was awesome. Absolutely gorgeous jazz routine for the pair of them and I thought the music fit Evan's 'traditional hollywood' style really well. Even still, she outdanced him. I felt the romance of this smoky number more than any other so far. She moved so fluidly but also so passionately and Evan really surprised me with his ability. He really shows his Gene Kelly influence in every step. Wowie!

2.Kupono and Ashley-I was utterly amazed by this Cirque De Soleil style jazz routine by Wade Robson~but really, all of Wade's routines for this show have been memorable. This was no less impressive. The story of the broken down Crash Test Dummy and the 'Peppy' new model Crash Test Dummy was so well constructed that the ludicrous nature of this tale was unimportant. Both performers did a wonderful job but Kupono really stole the show. Unlike Asuka and Vittorio, they both dove right into their characters and WERE those beings until the end of the performance. It was painfully and sweetly strange.

3.Kaitlin and Jason-I was moved from the first moment the Bollywood style routine started. It was so joyful and energetic...and they both danced it beautifully. You would never guess that the couples' history in jazz/contemporary style dancing could lend itself to such deliberate and sharp movement or that they would both have the strength to keep that mood alive for the full performance. It was my favorite choreography of the night so far. It really did give the same feeling as the fun dance routine at the end of the movie, Slumdog Millionaire.

4.Kayla and Max- It was SO HOT! Kayla struck me as an especially large dancer when she auditioned, but a great one nonetheless. And Max seemed a bit 'sleezy' to me...heh heh. However, when they attacked this Samba ( and it WAS an attack!), they were absolutely incredible. Max is a ballroom dancer so I naturally assumed he would do well but I actually found myself watching her more than I watched him. Her sex appeal was just undeniable and the performance was high voltage all the way through. Stuff like this is why I love this show!


5.Phillip and Jeanine-Jeanine is a lyrical dancer and Phillip is a hip hop PHENOM. Hip Hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Nepolean was EASY for them. They made it emotional in spite of the insipid Ne-Yo track(ack). I was especially impressed by Jeanine's fluid movements outside of her own style. It will be a routine everyone remembers.



6.Brandon and Jeanette-Their histories as a contemporary and salsa dancer, respectively, made this foxtrot routine, a bit of a stretch. I am especially partial to this style since I am a HUGE fan of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. Though Brandon and Jeanette had difficulty with capturing the grace of those iconic figures, they still did a credible and uplifting (pun intended) job. It is impossible for me NOT to be moved to tears when this dance is performed well and they did that. Still, I was distracted by Brandon's slight effeminate air and Jeanette's big smile. Ginger did not cast goofy grins at the audience when she was dancing. The smiles should have been reserved for her partner and they should have involved less teeth.

7.Melissa and Ade-Melissa is a straight up ballerina and Ade is a very strong contemporary dancer. Their performance of the Mandy Moore choreographed contemporary piece was lovely, no doubt. But I HATED the song choice and it completely distracted from the choreography. It was-let's face it-dated. And frankly, I find all of Mandy's numbers equally yawny. The talent of these two dancers was oveshadowed by the blatantly eighties song choice that ended up playing out like a Richard Marx video, instead of a showcase for modern dance. Sometimes I blame the dancers and sometimes I blame the one who created the piece. In this instance, my distate for the routine was entirely the fault of Mandy and her inability to pick inspiring music.

Bottom three:
________________

8.Paris and Tony-Tony's hip hop style stood out to me from the auditions (he was funny!) and I love the fact that Paris (lyrical/jazz) has come back from a horrible accident to be a great dancer again. This hip hop routine was really well done and alot more 'gritty' than the first one. It needed hard hitting and lots of attitude. Tony was obviously far more successful at this aspect and it was difficult NOT to watch him. But when I made myself watch Paris, she did pretty well-though I feel she was a little too delicate with her movements. Either way, I liked it more than the judges did.

9.Karla and Jonathan-His skills as a contemporary dancer and her jazz skills were evident in their performance of this Cha Cha routine. That said, I hated the music choice (Lady Gaga....really?) and thought Jonathan was way too 'shiny happy' for this sexy number. He seemed almost like a male cheerleader, to me. She was fantastic, however, and has a very memorable quality to the movement of her legs. Like Anne Miller.

10.Asuka and Vittorio-These two were some of my favorites during the audition weeks. I did NOT think they brought enough to the table. It was a huge broadway routine w/ lots of potential to BLOW the audience away but they lacked energy throughout and seemed unsure of one another. The music from Chicago was far too fast paced for their lackluster movement and lack of 'acting' ability. Her ballroom skills and his gorgeous balett/lyrical technique should pull them through, however.

Results show edit: The opening number was STUNNING. Tony especially stood out to me and I was hoping that would save him alone, if he ended up in the bottom three. The 'International' guest performance was a tango, which was also phenomenal. So passionate...LOVED it.
I hit the bottom three dead on the head (yay!) and their performances were really good. I felt Vittorio and Asuka stood out more than the others. But I still would have chosen Karla and Jonathan to go home over Paris and Tony; their solos seemed a bit 'throwaway' to me. Ah well.

Relocation Update

It's been a while since I've posted the personal facts of my life. I've been very involved w/ my fashion blog lately and movie reviews always seem to be cranking themselves out...but my own little journal has been sadly neglected.

Anyway, life does go on and this is the current lay of the land: We are SO ready to move! Though looking out of my windows still tugs at the ol' heartstrings, I have resigned myself to the fact that it is irresponsible to stay. Goals and finances demand that we downsize and so we are preparing to do so.

Though moving out west is still in the metaphorical hopper, we no longer are focusing on that. While we have jobs, we know how important it is that we keep them. Therefore ,after much consideration and pro-con weighing we have decided to move into Lebanon (where my husband works), at least temporarily. This should save us money in a variety of ways. First of all, my husband will be just around the corner from his job. Secondly, there are lots of savings to be had by living in town-from the proximity to shopping to the variety of cable/internet/cellphone service providers. And lastly, we will have more time to devote to hobbies and one another since we won't have 20 acres waiting to be maintained. The only downside to this decision is that we will probably be too far from our current congregation and will therefore have to change. But if there is anything I've learned from the numerous time I have moved during my childhood, congregations are basically and comfortably the same wherever you go.

For the next couple of months we are planning to get the property prepared to sell and posting it for the last time on Craigslist. If we get no hits by the fall, we'll list it w/ an agent. Our ultimate goal is to move by the end of the year. And I don't think that's unrealistic. I'm hoping we will be able to rack up enough from our house to put a few bucks in savings and rent a nice little place on the northwest side of Lebanon (Coles Ferry area) until we decide where we'd like to purchase again. I like the idea of having a small yard, a finished house w/ no work for us to do, and watching my husband develop his artistic abilities more fully. I'd also love to travel extensively and would gladly forego alot of my current conveniences to do so. I've really become attatched to the idea of showing my kids the world before taking on any more heavy responsibilities.

Fourteen Years

In spite of all the drama and crazy family I brought into his life, he still seems to like me alot.

Ooops, I Did it Again!

I've done gone and started another blog! This is a beauty blog for fashion, retro glamour, product reviews, and the like. I noticed alot of this blog's entries have been related to fashion sites, cosmetic finds etc. So I thought this would compartmentalize things a bit. Nice, huh?

http://lisafremontpages.blogspot.com/

Swine Lover...

Rockabilly Weekender-2009...

Another great year and my first w/out children (either in utero or in stroller). It's affirmed itself as a yearly necessity for me and hubby so we're gonna try to keep this thing going. We stayed offsite this year, which turned out to be a bit of an inconvenience (though GREATLY appreciated due to the 'reasonable' accomodation-thanks guys) and hopefully we'll be able to stay at the Orleans next year and avoid some of this crazy walking, right Misty?

April 11th, Day One:
Thursday was the memorial, as you all know, so we took advantage of the fact that we were leaving the kids w/ my mom to attend the memorial at the new assembly hall in Memphis town. It was wonderful and very interesting to see how 'orderly' it could be even w/ six congregations attending. The next day, we jumped up as early as possible to make the drive to Nashville and catch our 2:30 flight. Flying out Memphis would have been preferable but it was 400 dollars more...gasp! The flight was easy but it is a bit long...4 1/2 hrs. Being anxious to get there made it seem longer...but a beer at high altitudes is always a nice diversion.

We arrived in Vegas at 4:45pm and took a cab to our resort, the Summer Bay Condo Community, right off center strip. Our friends Michael and Misty had offered for us to sleep on the sleeper sofa of their one bedroom and we were excited to save the money. It was a very nice resort...kind of more upscale than we expected, especially in terms of decor. We met our friends there and got all dressed up to go over to the Orleans to get our wristbands and start the fun!

The Orleans was the sole location for the event next year so all the festivities were there. It's a great resort w/ nine restaurants so it's really nice to not have to leave in order to eat or whatever. The bands played on the 2nd floor , split between the showroom and the ballroom. And the vendors (ah, the vendors) were there too. That night, we were most excited about The Domestic Bumblebees, a band out of Sweden, and they didnt disappoint. It was a great, high energy way to start things off, especially when accompanied w/ a couple of Pabst Blue Ribbon. After a very late dinner at TGI Fridays, we headed back to our resort to get a few hours of sleep.



Day 2, Saturday the 12th
___________________________
Saturday is the Shifter's Car Show, which was more amazing and fantabulous than ever! Since it was at the Orleans, it was a much bigger area and there was also quick entrance for those w/ wristbands.


The cars were more beautiful than I remember them being last year but maybe that was because the weather was milder and therefore the bright sunshine didnt weigh so heavily. Lots of pretty girls, good shopping, and great music there. We took about 400 pictures. So far we had denied ourselves food so at about 5pm we headed into the hotel for some Mexican food and then back to the hotel to get cleaned up before the next round of bands and shopping.

That night we watched the Go Getters, another Swedish rockabilly band (seem to like the Swedes for some reason) who rocked more than any of the other bands I saw this weekend. They were just great! Unfortunately, the room they played was too small for the crowd they pulled in so we had to leave before the finished so we could get some air. That was the night we did some shopping and I got a 'perfect skirt' from the company Mode Merr, an item I've been eyeing online for a while now. I was very conservative w/ my shopping this year...I'm proud of that. Lots of temptation. After the GO Getters, we caught the Haystack Hitones...a great female singing group that is reminiscent of the Andrews or Mcguire sisters. We loved them and got to see them from right at the stage since I sat on it to rest my feet and no one told me to move!


After that, we enjoyed the best bacon and eggs EVER at the Cafe downstairs before heading back to the hote for another couple hours rest.



Day 3, Sunday the 13th
___________________________
Surprisingly, we woke up early the next day and got dressed for the Pool Party relatively quickly. We wore our day clothes to the hotel and carried our swimwear and parasols along to put on after we got there...so as not to ride the shuttles in our 'skivvies'. We got there before the party so we grabbed some sushi to go and ate it out by the pool. Sushi is a great pre-bathing suit lunch, is it not? The party was great and the girls all looked extra pretty. Lots of pretty tattoos to look at too...some were unbelieveable.

Misty and I matched in our red polka dotted swimwear so lots of photos were taken by strangers, a fact that I can't think about too much or I kinda freak out. The party was 3 hrs long and after that was over, we headed back to the hotel for our last night of merry-making.

After a quick dinner at Big Al's Oyster Bar (great clam chowder!), we went upstairs to see the band. Jack Rabbit Slim played the grand ballroom tonight and the dancing was extra entertaining, especially on the part of this crazy-talented eleven year old kid who twirled around w/ lots of different grown women and never missed a step. I am more determined than ever to order an instructional dvd so I can join the dancers next year. I will do it...I will triumph!

By then we were really tired and the lack of sleep was catching up w/ us. We went back and slept until eleven the next morning.





Day Four, Monday the 13th
__________________________
We decided to hang out by ourselves today and walked to the strip for lunch. There is a cafe called Caribe Cafe in the Mirage that I really love so we went there for their Cobb Salad for the fourth trip in a row. It's a good'n. Plus, the Miragle is a nice place to hang out, much more 'airy' than the other hotels. The casino doesnt seem to take over like it does as The Flamingo or even the Venetian. Afterwards, we walked slowly towards the Flamingo, strolled around the pool, and went next door to Bill's Gamblin Hall (formerly the Barbary Coast) to catch the end of Big Elvis' performance. Then, we opted to walk back instead of taking the shuttle, stopping by a liquor store for a little champagne along the way. We did ALOT of walking that day.

Our plans to see the Double Down Saloon were at the top of the list that night. It's a dive-type bar that has a great following and sometimes serves as a venue for various punk acts. There is also a famous jukebox that contains all classic punk, psychobilly, and even a few standard style (Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima)cd's. They also servce some disgusting sounding libations that I was leery but anxious to try. It was about 2 miles to the bar but we decided since it was our last night, we'd take the walk. It took a while but was really interesting to discover various off strip things we didnt know were there.

The Double Down is GREAT. We were there at about 8:30 so got to beat any crowds that would dare to come on a Monday. Scott, the bartender, was a cool guy who carried a big stick for whacking people who didnt get their id's out quickly enough. He seemed to like us pretty well because he didnt hit us once. We spent our little cash left on various concoctions like the a** juice (horrid name, yummy drink) and the bacon martini (ugh!), a photo booth, and tons of selections on the aforementioned jukebox. We left when the crowd started coming in and went accross the street to the Hard ROck for a last meal of 1am pancakes before taking a cab back to hotel to enjoy a quick swim and pack.

It was a fantastic trip. We were very tired while waiting for our plane the next morning and slept much of the trip back. However, considering the fact that we had to pick up the kids in Dickson and then drive ALL the way back home from there, I think we've recovered quite nicely.

Showing Off and Such...

I am damning Facebook to the fiery pits of fictional hell for keeping me away from my blog for so long! I am hooked and I am ashamed...but I am also in contact w/ myriads of people I haven't talked to in FOREVER and not only in contact...but in CONSTANT touch. Wierd.

Anyway, I stopped doing my American Idol rundown because I am on 'outs' with the judges for letting Jorge Nunez go. Do I care who wins now? Not a fig. But yes, I'll watch and continue to be entertained by that wierdo, Adam Lambert. His 'Ring of Fire' last week was cooooo. And also a bit disturbing.

On a happy note, I just received my new bag from my favorite little company, Dungaree Dolly's. I ordered a messenger bag from her a couple of years ago and LOVED it, as some of you might remember. Then I ordered a few little things from her and loved all of them too. So I saved up and bought myself a new everyday bag from her vinyl collection. Here I am unashamedly showing it off:





Jonathan touched up the lettering a little to bring out the red. The lining is pink tattoo print...darling! Did I mention that I love this purse? haha.

The Oddest Things Move Me...

Since I remember distinctly the moment the Wiggles made their fateful appearance on Playhouse Disney, it seemed disrespecful not to be affected at least a little by Greg Page's departure. Looking for a Bear In the Big Blue House clip today on Youtube, I came accross this little 'tribute' that someone put together in honor of the original Yellow Wiggle. Maybe it's the knowledge that Greg left under sad circumstances (health reasons wouldnt permit him to continue performing) or the fact that the video is set to Coldplay's 'Yellow', but I got a little choked up.

Only a mommy who has watched all her babies dance to those obnoxiously perky tunes would understand.

American Idol Weekly Rundown (Top 13)

Kinda sad that I have little else to blog about than mundane reality talent shows.

Anyhoo.

Last night was the first 'live' competition between the 13 finalists. And the theme was (gag me...) Michael Jackson songs! Needless to say, I am less than enthused. Since our CO was in town this week, we had a meeting last night so I'm posting this one in 'real time'...here's my take:

Best of the Night:
1.
Alexis Grace-'Dirty Diana' was such a sexy awesome song to sing. I thought she (to use an overused expression) KILLED it!

The Good:
(in no particular order)

2.Jorge Nunez-I liked the John Secada-style take on this song. It was a little slower than the original. I absolutely love his voice...and I want to hear him sing in Spanish again...SOON!

3.Alison Ireheta-Great song choice! I love that she chose a lesser known song and made it sound like an original...what a voice!


4.Adam Lambert-this was fun! Again, it was cheesy but gosh, this guy has such an amazing set of pipes!

5.Kris Allen-Definitely better w/ his guitar. Not a fan of the song 'Remember The Time' but Kris sounded good, nonetheless.

6.Lil Rounds-A good choice. 'The Way You Make Me Feel' is a good mood song and other than some strange lyrical changes, she handled it with class.

7.Megan Corkrey-Not the song I wouldnt guessed but I liked it alot! She made it sound kinda cool...'Rockin Robin'-sixties Brit-Pop Style!

8.Matt Giraud- Pretty but too reminiscent of a million other artists, including Justin Timberlake. Human Nature was a good choice though....it was smoooothe.

9. Danny Gokey- He's got a great voice and he's a great entertainer. There is still something about that seems a bit 'formulaic' so I'll have to see if he can do something surprising.

The Bad:
10.Jasmine Murray-She sang it well but oh my gosh, I was bored to tears. I also could tell how young she was...compared w/ Alison, she's like a kid.

11.Scott MacIntyre-Didnt care for it. So earnest...and cheesy. Hated the song..he sang it alright but it was still a very lackluster performance.


The Ugly:

12.Michael Sarver-Again, another good singer who bored me to tears. 'You Are Not Alone' is an arm waving, lighter waving sentimental annoyance that the world could do w/out.

13.Anoop Desai-he's got a good voice and he's meant for pop but if he has just takent eh Michael Jackson-isms out of his performance, 'Beat It' wouldnt have been such a horrid choice.

The American Idol Weekly Rundown

The best group of 12 so far.

The Best:

1.Jorge Nunez- I was a big ol' fan when this guy auditioned. His spanish song was so beautiful, it gave me chills. Last night he sang 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me' and it was just great. I think this guy may have the best voice I've heard on the show. I'd rather hear him sing in Spanish, ultimately, but he was far and away my favorite of the night.

The Good:
2.Von Smith- A little 'show choir' for me but he sounded great and he deserves to go on...as long as it's not in place of Jorge.

3.Junot Joyner- It was so pretty! Soothing and sweet. Far and away a better delivery of that melody and those lyrics than the Plain White Tees, imo. I loved it.

4.Felicia Barton-There's no doubt she has a great voice. I'm not a fan of allthe Alicia Keyes covers but she sang the heck outta this one. I think she'll go thru easily.

5.Lil Rounds- I'm a sucker for a Tennessee native, especially when she's as cute as this one. However, great performance or no, I hated the song. I didnt think it showed people who aren't fans of modern r & b what she was capable of...so for that, she drops behind Felicia Barton for the position of best female.

6.Kristen McNamara-She has a good range and she showed her personality, I thought. But she was a little forgettable, especially in that dress-which didnt seem like a performance outfit at all. I also kind of got the idea that she's performed that same song in her karaoke gig many times. It wasnt bad though.

7.Scott MacIntyre- I don't care much for Bruce Hornsby and Mandolin Rain is my least favorite of his songs. So I wasnt going into this w/ much optimism. That said, he was surprisingly good w/out his pianny and I loved his jab at Ryan's air-high five from the auditions. Blind or not, he can sing-though I still don't think he is good enough for top twelve.

8.Taylor Vaifanua-She hit all the notes, from what I could tell. Her voice is impressive but yeah, she doesnt really show much personality and she seems alot older seventeen. I still thought it was a good performance.

The Bad:

9.Kendall Beard-The token 'country' artist of the bunch is just that-token. Not much to her at all. And I can't say tackling Martina McBrides 'ode to menstruation' was a good idea.

10.Nathaniel Marshall- I wouldnt have minded the Meatloaf song choice if he'd sung it in THAT key. But since he sang it several keys lower than the original, it was just not very good. Also, the eighties dancing was beyond goofy.

The Ugly:

11.Arianna Afsar-It's a shame because if she sang it straight-there was hope. I'm not sure what she was thinking w/ all those changes to an Abba song.

12.Alex Wagner-Trugman-What the heck?? I've never seen anybody over do it like this kid. Almost like he was trying to play up the comedy like Nick Mitchell (Norman Gentle). Not sure what he was thinking but it was a train wreck. Too bad, because he started off pretty nicely.

Wildcard Rundown: Best show so far!! Based on the stiff competition, my choices to go thru were Jessie Langseth, Matt Giraud, and Megan Corkerey but the judges decided to throw us for a loop and let four thru. Though I don't agree w/ their choice in Jasmine Murray, it still makes a pretty good group

Shiny Happy Statistics

5,600 new publishers a week. That is the equivelent to the entire worldwide brotherhood in 1914.

1.5 billion hours a year. That is the equivelent to one person preaching nonstop, 24 hours a day for 175,000 years.

Beautiful, no?

The American Idol Weekly Rundown -

Second set of 12...horribly mediocre night...judges and I didnt necessarily agree...somebody needs to start picking the songs for these jokers...anyway, here it go:

The Best:
1.Allison Iraheta-She's got natural feel for the music. It was an easy peasy lemon squeezy slide to the best spot. She doesnt have the range that Carrie Underwood had when she did this song but she definitely compensated for that w/ her passionate delivery. Good show!

The Good:

2.Jessie Langseth-The judges were hard on her but I LOVE this song and any gal who puts a bluesy modern spin on 'Bette Davis Eyes' is cool with me. If I actually took the time to vote, I'd have voted for this chick.

3.Adam Lambert-Current? No way. More like Bruce Dickinson than Fall Out Boy. I also cannot express how annoying I find the song "Satisfaction" in every respect. However, may I just say-YES!!! The boy can sing like a rock opera bird and I am a fan and performs like he's already won. However, his song choice and personal taste relegate him to my number three spot.

4.Mishavonna Hinson- I REALLY like the tone of her voice. It was a worthy performance without any low points, I felt. I like that she chose a song by Train which was bluesy and sounded totally different by a female.

5.Megan Corkerey-I loved her 'Can't Help Lovin' That Man o' Mine' audition. Can't say I'm a huge fan of her singing the song she chose or the strange little dancing she did but she has a cool voice and she's gorgeous and that tattoo is neato. :)

6. Matt Breitzke-I liked him better than the judges, I think. He sang the song well even if it wasnt the most exciting song. It was enjoyable, to me.

The Bad:

7.Kris Allen-I HATE this Michael jackson song w/ a passion. There is no way to sing it w/out sounding like a rehash of the original artist...without sounding too earnest. I did not find anything special about it at all.

8.Jasmine Murray-wasnt all that impressed w/ her before and definitely not now. Boring, a few flat notes, pretty face....that's about it.

9.Matt Giraud---gosh, what happened? He was awesome in Hollywood. Totally blew it here. Vocals were all over the place...crazy bad for such a talented singer. Why 'Coldplay'???

10.Nick Mitchell-Norman Gentle...his singing is not good enough to compensate for his not being funny enough this week...DURING his performance anyway. Afterwards, he was genius. I love him...but I wish he'd done something else.

The Ugly:
11.Jeanine Vailes- Ach. That was utterly awful. How could they even notice the legs?

12.Kai Kalama- what a horribly mundane song choice. Boring as folding clothes.

'Lovin' My Baby' In Vegas....

Yep, it's back to Vegas for year number four. The old man and I told ourselves in 2007 that we'd like to make the VLV ROckabilly Weekender our yearly Anniversary trip so do it we shall! Room is booked, friends are on board (Yay M & M!), pin-curls are mastered, and tickets are purchased.

So dance that goofy dance, Anne-Margaret....DANCE!

The Oscars-My Superbowl

The show seemed a bit sloppy to me but a few great acceptance speeches, a wonderfully talented (and sexy)host, a few noteable changes, and some gorgeous dresses made it a worthy addition to Oscar ceremonies past.

THE RED CARPET: I watched from five o'clock and the styles that impressed the most this time were the ones sported by the ladies in their 'prime'-the over 35 group. Diane Lane, Meryl Streep, and Robin Wright Penn stood out to me-mainly because they all looked their age but also, I couldnt remember having seen them look better. Other 'honorable mentions' were Penelope Cruz looking like a southern belle, Evan Rachael Wood looking like a goddess, Toraji B. Henson's tiered ruffles, Anne Hathaway's smile, and of course Angelina Jolie whose emerald earrings were the best thing I saw all night. I have to say the over-abundance of guilded and metallic dresses was off-putting. Leave the glitter to the Oscar-Man!

THE HOST: Hugh Jackman sliipped into the role w/ ease...and looked dang good in the process. His 'tribute' song to the five Best Picture nominees was one of the night's best moments, especially when he literally stole Anne Hathaway from her seat to join him in regaling Slumdog Millionaire in typical broadway fashion. Both of them are very gifted singers and pulled off an impressive duet that did Jackman's musical theater background proud! The inclusion of Hugh's 'Homemade props due to budget cuts' just added to the lighthearted atmosphere of the opening sequence. It was a hit!

THE MUSICAL NUMBERS: Other than the opening song, which was comedic in nature, the rest of the numbers were a bit of a let down. The 'tribute to the return of the movie musical' started off well but as soon as Beyonce' made her appearance, the performance went dismally south. So many songs were shoved into the mix in such a haphazard manner that the singing talents of the performers were placed on the backburner and it became more a race to see who could hit their cue w/ the least ammount of blundering. From what I understand, Baz Luhrman is to blame for this mess of a medley and his frenetic style didnt resonate w/ me this time. The nominated songs were thrown into another medley, which didnt necessarily work since the song from Wall-E (my favorite movie of the year, incidentally) needed its own atmosphere and not a troupe of bali-wood dancers to accompany it. I didnt care for the two Slumdog Millionaire songs and find it difficult to believe that these three tunes were the only ones that qualified for the award. On an up-note, Queen Latifah sang 'I'll Be Seeing You' for the 'In Memorium' segment and it was lovely.

THE PRESENTERS: Most of the presenters read their teleprompter just fine but Ben Stiller decided to do a parody of Joaquin Phoenix's bizarre Letterman interview while presenting and it was only partly successful. Everyone else played it pretty straight except perhaps the inherently funny Will Smith who played 'host' for a full four awards and made us wish he'd come back and do the whole sha-bang next year. One welcome change this year was in the acting awards which were presented by five prior winners in the category, all of whom showered praise on one of this year's nominees. It was moving and genuine but I can see that it would grow tired if such a thing were attempted every year. I say bring back the 'performance clips' and do this type of presentation every five years or so.

THE SPEECHES: Thank goodness for Kate Winslet. Though the majority of the speeches were run-of-the-mill gushers, Winslet was the only one who seemed to be completely in possession of every ounce of grace and poise in her curvy self. Her speech was just a pleasure, witty and moving all at once. Others made an impression as well. Penelope Cruz was endearingly funny w/ her charming accent, 'Man On Wire's Phillipe Petit balanced his Oscar on his nose, and one Japanese winner ended a series of muddled 'Sank-you's' with 'Domo-Arigato Mister Roboto' and alot of laughing. Unfortunately, Sean Penn's politically charged speech had me wishing Mickey Rourke was there to flip us off and the many winners associated with Slumdog Millionaire all seemed cut from the same dignified cloth.

But it was the Oscars and I take a deep breath and sigh every time they're over.

Til' next year.

The American Idol Weekly Rundown: Top 36

Yep...that time of year again. Bear with me while I clap with glee! No, I am not an AI fanatic but I must admit, I love me my talent shows. Last night was utterly average. But there is definitely some potential there. This was the first group of 12, out of 36. THe show itself was also a kind of a mess...lots of missteps in the directorial dpt and tons of flubs, which were kinda funny and which really tested Ryan's hosting ability. I do have to say that Kara (the new judge) had some great critique to offer. I like her much better than scatterbrained Paula.
Anyway, here it go:

The Best:

1. Alexis Grace-I like her pink hair and she has a good voice. Plus she's from Tennessee! She sang an Aretha Franklin song, which was too big, but she had lots of stage presence. I thought she looked a bit Vegas-y with her pearl necklace and stance but no one else did, evidently. So yeah, she was the best-but that's not saying much.

The Good:

2. Danny Gokey-Robert Downey Jr Look-a-like is a shoo in for the final 12, mainly because he can sing but also because he already has a HUGE fan base and got tons of air time during the audition weeks. His wife died four weeks before the auditions...sniff sniff...he was about to lose hope...sniff sniff...and now he has something to LIVE FOR! *sarcastic chuckle* He sang 'Hero' by Mariah Carey. It was good but super schmaltzy.

3.Ricky Braddy-I find 'A Song For You' a snoozy choice. But I really thought he did a nice job with it. He has a very pretty voice. One of the best I've heard so far in the season.

4.Anoop Desai-He was another impressive voice on the auditions. But I really didnt like this song choice. It was a song my Monica, for goodness sake! These people had the entire Billboard catalogue to go off and this is what they chose? Anyway, he can sing stuff so he'll be okay, I think.

5.Michael Sarver-I didnt like the song choice...it's too overdone on this show. But he has a great voice and I like him too. He's friendly looking. One bad point was that he continually switched his mic from one hand to the other...it was mildly distracting. He's gonna have to get over that, methinks.

6. Tatiana- I don't care what anybody says, I love this gal! I can totally see her becoming a huge star and having a nervous breakdown before the release of her first album (heh heh). She is such a crazyhead. I like the way she tried to pass herself off as 'sane' this week and only succeeded in making herself look like a manic depressive. Anyway, she sang 'Saving All My Love For You' and it weren't half bad! I actually like her voice quite a lot. Oh, and I love the way she looked into the camera completely straight faced and said 'THis is my dream America, and it's up to you to keep my dream alive.'like she was reciting the pledge of alliegiance. HAHAHAHAHAHA....Brilliant!

The Bad:
7.Brent Keith-Slips into the mediocrity of virtually every male artist in what is laughingly known today as 'country' music. No, I don't see anything memorable about him or anything that stands out. I don't even remember what song he sang though I guess he sang it well. Okay, he sang 'Hick Town', which I think is a Keith Urban song. Whatever, it could have been anybody.

8.Ann Marie Boskovich- She's from Nashville and she's (surprise!) a demo singer. So it was no surprise when her performance of Natural Woman sounded like a demo. Plus, something about her styling looked really dated. She needs short messy hair or something. Wierd.

9.Steven Fowler- He didnt sing it all that badly, but 'Rock With You' will always kinda sound like elevator music from the seventies-which it kinda is. Not that I don't like the song, but it doesnt translate well in this type of atmosphere. His high note also cracked...or maybe that was my tv signal. Hmmmm.

The Ugly:

10.Jackie Thone-A horrid butchering of a fun Elvis song, "Little Less Conversation'. There's no doubt she can sing but I don't think she has anything all that special to bring to the table...except maybe a twisted fashion sense. She was wearing a polka dotted bustier with tight (shiny) eighties spandex pants and SNEAKERS. Oh, and a red cinch belt to set off the 1986 look just right. Aye me. She had fun and she involved the audience but that can only take you so far. I DID like her polite 'dissing' of everyone who has ever sung 'I'm Not Going' on the show. Haha.

11.Stevie Wright-During the auditions, she stood out to me. But this was an absolute train wreck! Why a girl w/ a strong voice would choose to sing Taylor Swift (who has very little vocal ability) is beyond me, but she didnt even do it well. She was off key through almost the whole song. Sounded like every other karaoke performance at your neighborhood bar. And yes, drunk people would have clapped with just about the same warmth that this audience did.

12.Casey Carlson-pretty little squirt. Unfortunately she tried to do The Police and it was wretched indeed. She also made wierd faces and hit a flat note or two. Yikes. Side thought: Am I the only one who has noticed that everybody has the sixties 'bump' in the back of their head these days? Man, are they ever running with THAT trend.

Tag: Ten Things I Love with the Letter 'B'

I won't be doing any tagging, prolly. Just jump in if you like:

1.Bobby Pins- indeed I do love my vintage hairstyling. Without these little buggers, it would be impossible to accomplish them.

2.Black and White movies-You notice the details!

3.Besame' Cosmetics-again, catering to my vintage girly side

4.Baby Things-showcasing God's sense of humor one fuzzy head at a time...

5.Blue-Most shades make me pretty happy.

6.Berries-preferably black or straw w/ whipped cream, in a cobbler. mmmmmmmmm.

7.Blasters-'Nothing beats a good one'

8.Blues (Jump)-makes me wish I knew how to 'jive'

9.Bale, Christian-pointless tirades or no, he is one heck of a good actor (see entry below)

10.Bernice-My Great Pyrenees. Cuddly Doggage.

In His Defense...

Kay. I know you guys have heard by now that Christian Bale is a big (beautiful) baby. His 'tirade' at the director of photography on the set of the new Terminator movie is now all over the news and I have to admit, I'm not surprised. I have heard about this temper of his and it just makes me glad I don't know him personally.

I won't post a link to the 'blow up' because it is tedious and laden w/ all sorts of profanity (though it can be heard edited)...and it goes on for far too long.

But I do kinda wish people would leave the guy alone...and not just because he's pretty...heh heh. He is obviously meticulously dedicated to his craft (as it pretty evident from his extreme weight loss for The Machinist) and a rabid perfectionist to boot. And it does have to be incredibly frustrating to feel that you've FINALLY got the shot the way you want it, finally accomplished the performance you wanted, and then had it ruined through no fault of your own. I mean, you can't get it back.

I DO NOT condone this type of behavior by any means but it is a shame there has to be an audience. I mean, Van Gough probably threw some major tantrums when 'Starry Night' was giving him trouble but he was fortunate enough not to have cameras or audio equipment around to record and make dance remixes out of it...Ach!

Random Questions (Stolen From Bookyeti)...

What are a couple things you love about the town/city you live in? The scenery is gorgeous, the lake is closeby, and we have a Wal Mart. Also, all our service territory, just about, is rural. So that means lots of friendly goats and pot bellied pigs to pat.

What are a couple things you dislike about the town/city you live in? The people are cliquish, show little desire to educate themselves on anything outside of their everyday life, and we are a 'a geographical oddity-two weeks from everywhere'! Well, not quite two weeks, but it do seem like it sometimes.

Pair of sneakers you own: Ryka sports trainers

Can you do cartwheels? Yes and 'round-offs'. hee hee

Describe your typical vacation: 'Typical' is not really an operative word here. But we love Disneyworld and Las Vegas.

Library or Bookstore? Bookstore-especially the kind w/ a kids area and alot of cozy little chairs...oh, and a COFFEE SHOP!

What do you usually eat for breakfast? Usually a Zone nutrition bar or the like, with coffee.

Favourite Brand Name: Stop Staring or Tarantula Clothing

Two of your Favourite Online Stores: Pinupgirlclothing, Coastal Scents

Two of your Favourite Offline Stores: Flashback (in Memphis) and Borders

Shoe size: 8

Do you wear a watch? yes, a vintage (style) Mickey Mouse one from Disneyworld.

Five of your Favourite Hobbies: Creating Retro Hairstyles/makeup looks, reading, watching old movies, listening to music, writing odd journal entries.

First fear you can remember: Madame Madusa (from The Rescuers) and Gene Simmons from KISS

Habits? nail biting, rubbing my face when I'm tired, making clicking sounds when i'm busy.

Most listened to song of the moment: Drugstore Rock N Roll-Janis Martin

Natural hair colour: light brown (I think).

One thing you wear now that you wouldn’t have worn as a kid: a two piece swimsuite

Coffee or Tea? coffee!

If you had this coming Monday off of work, how would you spend it? Deep cleaning my house and youtube.

A location in your province/state that you haven’t visited and would like to? Le Conte Lodge...a Lodge on Mt LaConte that is only accessible by foot...or alpaca.


A leisure book you’d like to read: I'd like to finish Anna Karenina. Then I would like to tackle The FOuntainhead.

One thing you would change about your looks: dark circles under (around) my eyes...

One thing you would change about your personality: More patience! The ability to NOT put my foot in my mouth or say things the wrong way...

A random fact about yourself: I know every word to Miss Saigon and Les Miserables.

Laptop or Desktop?: both

Some of the best gifts you were given: a pearl necklace, some beautiful paintings and antique furniture, my children.

Last movie your watched: The Count of Monte Christo (with Jim Caviezel)

A movie you would like to see: Benjamin Button!! (and Slumdog Millionaire)

Favourite Tree-Maple (sugar AND yellow leaves!)

What do you like your pizza? Mushrooms and Black Olives.

Post a random photo taken today:

Simply Classic!

I rediscovered this by accident today! It's so brilliant, I had to share. Dare you not to smile!

Anthony Warlow-Tenor Extraordinaire!

For my gal pals who love musical theater like I do...no one tops Anthony Warlow. You may know him as Enjolras from the Symphonic Recording of Les Mis. I know him as the best vocalist I've ever heard! In my eyes he is the best Valjean, the best Enjolras, the best Phantom, the Best Don Quixote, the best-everything. Plus, he originated the role of Jeckyll and Hyde in the musical production. The transformation and vocal demands of the part are incredible.

I love youtube because, though his albums are difficult to come by here in the states, you can still catch him there. Below are example of his phenomenal presence and abilities as both The Phantom and Valjean ...enjoy!

28 Hours in Memphis

My father was giving his first public talk in about 20 years yesterday so I had been planning for months to visit for this event. I am so proud of him and there was no way I was missing it.

I was super sick Friday night so I didnt get to leave when I wanted but we did decide to make the trip Saturday morning. Suprisingly, things went fine. The trip was fun and my friend Misty came along to keep me company since Jonathan couldnt make it this time.

My mom agreed to babysit that night so Misty and I could to out 'gal-avanting' and we took advantage of the opportunity to do some vintage shopping, eat some good sushi, and meet up with my great set of Memphis cronies.

After eating at Bluefin, a trendy cool new restaurant on the downtown trolley-line, we took a chilly stroll to Beale street and Superior Bar, a fun karaoke place that can pretty much accomodate any song choice and pipes your voice out onto Beale for passersby to 'enjoy'...haha.

This particular night was especially great. Not only was the karaoke a blast but there was a girl there from England that completely blew us away with her voice, singing everything in a completely effortless bluesy style similar to Dusty Springfield or more recently, Adele. After she nearly made me cry with 'Making Believe', I had to ask if she was professional and indeed, she is. Her name is Beth Rowley. She has an album and a big ol' fanbase in England. Our group kept 'requesting' songs from her, which she would only sing if we accompanied her. She made my rendition of 'Son of a Preacher Man' sound halfway palatable! heh heh.

Anyway, so much fun should be illegal...and almost was since I got pulled over on the way home for forgetting to turn on my headlights. Doh! Fortunaely, Mr.'friendly Memphis Cop' gave me a written warning and did not automatically assume I was a menace to society. whew!

My dad's talk was great; couldnt even tell he was nervous! I'm so glad I made it and there were so many people there to enjoy it. The whole feeling behind the event was very moving. And very happy. He seems so comfortable on stage.

We ate a quick lunch at Huey's before coming home and even though the 28 hours that passed were a blur, I feel like the trip was a success!! So glad I didnt give up and not attempt it.

Below is a youtube link to Beth Rowley. She has lots of stuff...give her a listen!!

"I'm Sorry, The Card Says 'Moops'."

My husband and I are kind of trivia-heads...medium-sized fountains of useless knowledge that we have no option of ever using outside of gameplay. Therefore we have reserved most Sunday nights at 8:30 (the boys' bedtime) for a round of Trivial Pursuit. Right now, I only have the Silver Screen (my specialty) edition and the Genus (until last Sunday, I have my whole life thought the big blue box was called the 'Genius' edition...aren't I astute?)edition. To humor me, my husband allows me to use the Silver Screen cards whenever I land on a pink space which gives me a slight advantage but still hasnt won me a single game.

Anyway, the other night we came accross a mistake in one of our trivia questions. The question (under the category of Arts and Literature) was, 'How Many Children Did Adam and Eve Have?' Of course, the answer is unknown, but somehow the creators of this game got it into their heads that they had three...Abel, Cain, and Seth. Amazing how the human race came from three men, isnt it? *chuckle*

Cookies, 'Life', and Cyd Charisse-2009

Hello my friends! I have to say, I'm glad I made my blog open to invitation only ( I was getting alot of unsavory visitors) but I am worried that I have prevented some of my old blog-buddies from visiting as often. That's a shame. I miss you guys!

Wednesday night, I made a nice dinner of boxed pasta and cheese bread before settling down with cookies and coffee to await the new year. The boys (the older two) wanted to stay up until 12 so we okayed that, never expecting they could actually do it. We played 'Life', watched one of those over-exaggerated New Years Shows, and cozied up in blankets on the living room floor. The New Years show of our choice was the FOX broadcast, for no reason other than that it was going to show Robbie Kenievel jumping his bike over the Mirage Volcano in Vegas and the boys thought that sounded cool. It was really anticlimactic, as always, and David Cook's performance was ho-hum at best. Nothing else much was happening there so when we finished our game, I flipped over to TCM and showed the boys the That's Entertainment marathon that was on.

'That's Entertainment' is a movie that features clips of the great MGM musicals as they progressed over the 20's, 30's, 40's, and 50's. Something about watching Gene Kelly and Anne Miller dance their way around the stage was phenomenally uplifting and made the new year seem less daunting. Regardless of how much I have ahead of me, how much uncertainty we are faced with-at least we have Cyd Charisse! She was feminine, powerful, AND vulnerable all at once. I could watch her forever. So I did...until midnight, at least.

Daddy had dropped off to sleep at 9 o'clock but the boys and I powered thru and made it to watch the ball drop at midnight. Then the boys dragged themselves off to bed and I continued to watch Judy Garland and Fred Estaire until 2am. As I hung out in my recliner with a cup of coffee, rewinding the 'dancing on the ceiling' scene from 'Royal Wedding', I realized that my new years eves seem to keep getting better.

Jonathan asked me the other day what my Salad Days were. I wasnt really all that familiar with the term so he clarified: Salad Days are the days that most people view as the 'best' of their life. For many people, their college days are their Salad Days. For most, it is the time of their life that they felt the most freedom, felt their best physically, or still had their whole life ahead of them-the 'green' years. Without hesitation, I told him that my 'Salad Days' are now. I can't imagine my life being any better than it is...or not having everyone in it that I currently know. Sure, we've got problems with the economy and maybe we're getting older. But those things pale in comparison to the wealth of things that we enjoy in our boys and our spiritual family. And when it comes to that, I still feel 'green'. After all, the stuff that's coming-I'm new at that.