January 2014 – Page 2 – Concert Katie

Jamaica Trip: Hanson Events

Katie January 26, 2014 0 Comments

Each day, Hanson had their events that they did with the fans. The first day depending on your color you were either with Zac or Isaac and the next day things were flip flopped. The last night everyone had Taylor’s afterparty event at the same time.

We started off with Isaac’s trivia sessiona at 3pm our first full day at the island. I was convinced I was going to win it – but damn the questions were hard! There were 10 multiple choice questions for us to answer and Isaac did 3 head to head with fans for them to win a t-shirt if they beat him. (Or either way) He had said that the next day the questions would be different so we figured we would hang out in the back and just keep track of everything (you never know what I might need to snag and use for Trivia Tuesday on Hansonstage…) They seemed to be a bit easier the second day, or maybe the pressure was just off because we were playing for fun. Matt Wertz also co-hosted the event – in nothing but his swim trunks.

The second morning we headed out to tie dye with Zac. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to use my actual merchandise t-shirt or just a plain shirt I had bought because I was not very happy with what I ended up making last year. (Mostly due to the dye mixing and them not having cups) Last second I decided I might as well dye the Hanson shirt. Zac gave demonstrations of 3 kinds of techniques and then went around and helped us with it. I twisted mine on my own but was afraid to pick it up to put the rubber bands on it. Zac put the rubber bands on for me and said to use the grass so I wouldnt have to lift it. I flipped it over and had some grass and even a twig caught in it lol I decided to use Yellow, Pink and Blue and it came out really nice even with some purples and greens from colors mixing together. WAY better than last years!

The final event for everyone was after the 3rd Hanson show. It was Taylor’s afterparty and it went until 2am! (Which kind of stunk considering the first buses to leave the resort were leaving at 6am and ours was leaving at 8:30am!) Taylor played the jams and Zac joined him on stage. Also joining them throughout the evening were their backup musicians as well as Paul and Matt. We had no expectations after the dud of Taylor DJing at Mixtape Festival, but this was definitely a vast improvement. They were dancing and singing along and having a great time. It was a lot of fun!

Book Review

Book Review: The Wrong Christmas Carol

Katie January 26, 2014 0 Comments

carol

The Wrong Christmas Carol is not your typical romance novel. I know I’ve been complaining a bit lately about “far fetched” scenarios in books – but this one is probably the farthest out there. All the way in Heaven! But for some reason I was a bit more ok with this than some of the other scenarios in other books.

Landlord Mr. Shepherd says a prayer in hopes that his tenants, Gabby and Mike, will hook up and eventually have a family. Except, Jack, the angel in charge of making his prayer come true gets things a little bit backwards and after Gabby finds her car stolen, and then returned, the police are putting a baby in her arms. A baby whose hospital bracelet says that she is hers!

Gabby decides that she will keep an eye on the baby until child services can find the real parents. Her neighbor Mike agrees to help her out and since he is a doctor, he has friends who can run a DNA test. Except that all his work as well as his friends are wiped out and no one can figure out why. Is it Jack trying to meddle?

Jack is sure to be in BIG TROUBLE if anyone finds out what he did, so he is trying everything he can to make Mike and Gabby keep the baby – and fall in love. When the DNA test shows that Gabby and Mike are Carol’s biological parents – both are baffled. They had never slept together! Jack ends up coming to them to explain what happened.

Mike is debating taking a job in Albany – out of state from where they live. Gabby is upset that he applied to it after he knew about Carol being his. Can Jack (with the help of Mr. Shepherd) get Gabby and Mike to stay together and raise Carol?

This was a cute book – I always enjoy when angels are in books. Not sure why. Despite the story being out there, I really enjoyed it and it was a fairly quick afternoon read! I’m just bummed I couldn’t have read it a little bit earlier when I was in the Christmas spirit – since that is when the story begins!

I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

It should have been a simple Christmas task: answer nice, old Mr. Shepherd’s prayer for his favorite tenants. Gabby D’Angelo and Dr. Mike Archer were perfect for each other—destined to meet eventually, anyhow. Just sprinkle some matchmaking magic on them—slow down their busy lives so they finally noticed each other. That’s all Jack, their guardian angel, had to do . . .

A little mistake in heavenly calculations means Jack has to wing it . . . and the lucky couple is about to get a lesson in love and miracles.

Gabby stared at the beautiful baby the officer placed in her arms. It was a newborn, not more than a few days old. Why was the officer handing her a baby he’d found in her stolen car—he assumed it was hers?

She almost blurted out that question, but the baby shifted and waved its arms as it slept. On one was a hospital bracelet. Gabby smiled with relief. The bracelet would identify the real parents. She turned it to read the information. Her neighbor Mike bent his handsome head beside hers, so he could see, too.

Carol. The baby’s name. She’d been born right after midnight on Christmas night.

Gabby stared at the parent’s names. Mike inhaled sharply.

Gabrielle D’Angelo and Mike Archer.

Back To The Island Concert Hanson

Jamaica Trip: Hanson Show #3

Katie January 25, 2014 0 Comments

The final Hanson show was the one we were voting on the setlist for. They started off pretty good – You Never Know isn’t that rare, but it’s fun. Ever Lonely as far as I know has been played only 1 time since it was a staple on their 1998 tour so that was a nice one to hear again (and one I did vote for despite it not being a song I hadn’t heard live!) and then they went in to Runaway Run which was another that I had heard but wanted to hear again. Then they just continued to go through more and more songs – all from the albums.

My theory is that they took the highest Members EP songs and put them into that show 2 nights before and then took all the highest voted album songs and stuck them in for the final night because they are easier for them to play because they’ve played them more. Although it did leave us all wondering “who voted for these songs?” during the set. (And Crazy Beautiful and Thinking Bout Somethin were not even on the list!)

The guys had also said they would try their hardest to not repeat any songs. With 3 full Hanson shows as well as each guy doing their own solo show – that was quite a feat. This show did have repeats though – Thinking Bout Somethin’ was also done night #1, Every Word I Say was done during Taylor’s solo set and Best of Times was done during Night 2, Isaac’s set and the 3rd show – but they said it was ok because “Best of Times” became the unofficial theme of the event.

89 unique songs is quite impressive all the same. For the encore, they were joined by Paul McDonald, JP and Matt Wertz and sang Back to the Island (with lyrics taped to the stage) and then the final song was when they did Best of Times for the 3rd time of the trip. It is such a great sing-a-long song.

After this show it was time for the afterparty – hosted by DJ Taylor… and that probably deserves its own post! 😉

You Never Know

Ever Lonely

Runaway Run

Georgia

Can’t Stop

Crazy Beautiful

Madeline

Strong Enough to Break

Lucy

The Walk

Hand in Hand

Song to Sing

Been There Before

Great Divide

Thinking Bout Somethin

Give a Little

Penny and me

Watch Over Me

Every Word I Say

Cried

Man From Milwaukee

Lost Without Each Other

Back to the Island

Best of Times

Concert Hanson Matt Wertz Paul McDonald

Jamaica Trip: Matt & Paul Concert

Katie January 24, 2014 0 Comments

Night 3 we got a break from Hanson (although Zac did have his solo show earlier in the day) and got to see performances from Matt Wertz and Paul McDonald. I was super excited for this night because Matt and Paul are two guys I would absolutely go see (and have seen) if they were doing a show in Connecticut. Maribeth wasn’t sure if she would like Matt, I told her she would and she said he reminded her of early Mayer. (a major compliment in our world) Matt was up first and played about an hour. Paul was up second and played a little under an hour. Isaac was on hand to introduce both acts but unfortunately did not perform with either as I was hoping he would! (Last year he did a couple songs with Rob) It was two solid sets and Paul got a lot of brownie points for throwing in MMMBop and Penny and Me in his encore!

Feels So Right
Heartbreaker
Cant Help The Way I Feel
Everything will be Alright
Maryann
Get To You
What I Know Right Now
WIll Not Take My Love Away
Someone Like You
Carolina
Whenever You Love Somebody
519
Running Back To You
Everythings Right

Four Fifteen
American Dreams
Few and Far Between
Dream Alone
Please Believe Me
Still Fallin In Love
Wonderwall
Sing Out
No Stops to Abeline
Atlantic City (Bruce Cover)
Heartbreak
No Woman No Cry / Every Little Things Gonna Be Alright / MMMBop / Penny and Me

Book Review

Book Review: Hollywood Blackmail

Katie January 24, 2014 0 Comments

Hollywood Blackmail is about a nurse named Lizzie. Everything is going fine in her life until she realizes Ash Kincaid is coming in to her clinic after being in a fight and getting cut. She used to know him but ran away from that life years ago and has moved on. Ash recognizes her right away despite her new look. She wants nothing to do with him (or so she say) and he wants answers – and her.

Lizzie, then Coco, had lost her virginity to Ash and it was recorded and released. After that she decided she wanted nothing to do with the showbiz world (that her Mom was a part of) and runs off.

Ash tries to get her into him again and Lizzie seems to let down her guard and lets him in again – but she still wants nothing to do with show business. Will Ash consider giving up his career for her?

This book was a bit tough for me to get through because I had found it to be so far fetched at times. I had to tell myself it was just a book and to go with the flow several times. If you are able to deal with that type of situation regarding a story (I unfortunately can not) then I’m sure you’ll have no problem with this as a guilty pleasure romance novel.

About the Book

Lizzie Kent needs to forget the past. She lives in total anonymity, immersing herself in nursing to help her forget. But when a man from her previous life turns up in her clinic, the life she’s tried to create for herself may come toppling down.

Ash knows what he wants and he wants Lizzie, the girl who left him all those years ago. As Hollywood’s greatest action superstar no one says no to him, but when Lizzie refuses to acknowledge their shared past, he has to resort to a little old fashioned blackmail.

Will Lizzie revisit her past to enable her future with the man she loves, or do old wounds run too deep?

Concert Hanson

Jamaica Trip: Hanson Show #2

Katie January 23, 2014 0 Comments

The theme for Hanson show #2 was Members Only EP songs or as Hanson called it, “Deep Cuts”. Since 2003 each year Hanson releases a members only EP to fan club members. Typically these EPs contain several never before released tracks some of which were performed on tour, some are brand new. Over the past 3 or so years they have done an EP release at the May Members Only Event in Tulsa and played the songs off the EPs so I had heard some of them but there are also quite a few that I had never heard. And yes, I did bring a list so I could cross songs off as I heard them. They had given us a list of 77 songs to vote on for the Setlist voting night and I figured that they would probably stick to playing those 77 songs over the 3 shows. Of those 77, 11 I had never heard before.

This show actually kicked off with back-to-back songs I had never heard before – In A Way – which was performed on pretty much every Live & Electric tour show EXCEPT the one that I went to as well as End of the Line, which as far as I know has never been performed live before. It was all downhill from there (although, not really because a lot of these songs are not “staples” and have only been played a time or two before) until the encore when they busted out with what was the shortest Hanson song ever – Watershed. (And not on my list of 11)

After this show we did go to the bonfire, but the burgers were nothing like what I had remembered (aka the best burgers I’ve ever had) so we didn’t stick around for very long.

In A Way

End of the Line

Coming Back For More

Best of Times

Need You Now

Down

On and On

Call Out My Name

Live Forever

Never Let Go

No Sleep For Banditos

I’ve Been Down

Sunny Day

Cecelia

Get Out Of My Heart

Take Our Chances

Leave the Light On

Heartbreaker

Roller Coaster Love

Sound of Light

Rock N Roll Razorblade

Watershed

Book Review

Book Review: Mr. Virile and the Girl Next Door

Katie January 23, 2014 0 Comments

Mr Virile is Dane Martin – who runs the blog Mr Virile. Holly Winters is Girl Next Door – another blogger. Both of them blog about relationships. Both of them have different ideas on relationships. The two end up meeting and don’t quite hit it off, but they are pretending to be cozy in order to promote their upcoming book releases. Except that Dane is convinced that he will get Holly to hook up with him. Holly is pretty sure this won’t happen. She knows his type and wants nothing to do with him. Except she can give advice she just can’t take it.

Who will end up right? Will Dane get Holly in to bed or will Holly prove that he is just like all the other jerks out there? (You can probably take a guess as to who is right…)

This was a relatively short book and a quick read. I don’t want to give away too many of my thoughts on it because it will give away the story! But it was interesting to see the evolution of the characters relationship based on the first time they met when Holly thought she had Dane all figured out, to the end when Holly realized that everything she thought she knew about Dane was not right at all.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Online virile.com dating columnist Dane Martin has no plans to give up his reign as bachelor extraordinaire. He has a reputation to uphold, especially with the upcoming release of his book Coming on Strong.

Holly Winters, everyone’s favorite girl next door, thanks to her blog of the same name, gives advice, but she doesn’t always take it. When she meets Dane Martin, every fiber of her being warns her to turn tail and run. Instead, she risks her future as an authority on relationships, jeopardizing her upcoming self-help book for women struggling to find commitment among the Virile sycophants.

Has the Girl Next Door tamed the most Virile man alive, or is she just another notch on the bedpost?

Concert Hanson

Jamaica Trip: Hanson Show #1

Katie January 22, 2014 0 Comments

It didn’t really feel like we were going to a Hanson concert, probably because we had both had such a long day! It took me a while to really get in to the show – that and Taylor’s new haircut was creeping me out. (I’ve since gotten over it). For the first night’s show they performed their new album ANTHEM, it its entirety from start to finish. (But none of the Demo tracks that didn’t make the album – boo!)

Since ANTHEM is only 13 tracks, they also added some more songs at the end of the set to make the show a bit longer. My goal is always to hear a new song I hadn’t heard them do live before, but unfortunately I had heard all of ANTHEM before the album was even released. (You know you go to too many shows when…) But it was nice to see it from start to finish – almost like a 6 of 6 addition to the 5 of 5 even they had done before Shout It Out was released.

Zac apparently forgot the track listing of the album because when Fired Up finished he started up with the drumming for You Cant Stop Us, apologized, and then they went into I’ve Got Soul which is the proper 2nd track.

I think the set turned out to be a nice easing into the event for everyone.

Because we were so tired, after the show we decided to skip the bon fire and go to the lobby to check WiFi and then head to our room. On the way there, we took the ramp instead of the stairs and I heard footsteps and talking behind me, that sounded a heck of a lot like Zac. I turned and he said “Hey Guys” and “You found our secret walkway!” Maribeth and I turned and said “No! You found OUR secret walkway” at the exact same time. We all had a laugh. Taylor was with him too and he asked if we were having a good time, I said yes, but we had a rough day of traveling. Zac said he hoped that tomorrow would be better. Maribeth also told Taylor he had a nice haircut and he said “Thanks, it’s fresh.”

We had no problem falling asleep after the show and were glad that we were in the group that didn’t have an event until 3pm the next day!

Fired Up

Ive Got Soul

You Cant Stop Us

Get The Girl Back

Juliet

Already Home

For Your Love

Lost Without You

Cut Right Through Me

Scream and Be Free

Tragic Symphony

Tonight

Save Me From Myself

Waiting For This

And I Waited

Wheres The Love

Thinking Bout Somethin

This Time Around

MMMBop

In The City

If Only

Goodies Box

Love With Food December Box

Katie January 22, 2014 0 Comments

December brought another yummy love with food box.

Spinach Dip Mix by Desert Gardens Chile & Spice Company

The package for this came with a bit different recipe than I am used to (mix + sour cream + mayo) but it was very good with some chips and probably would have been even better as a bread dip.

Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips by Food Should Taste Good

LOVE all things sweet potato and these were no exception. So tasty!

Natural Crips by 34 Degrees

At the time of writing this review I have not yet tried these.

Molasses Spice Cookies by Grey Ghost Bakery

Definitely the spiciest molasses cookies I had ever had, but two thumbs up!

Peppermints by St. Claire’s Organics

Very strong mints! Very good mints!

Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa by Lindt & Sprungli

Can not go wrong with chocolate or lindt!

Chocolate en Poudre by Les Confitures a l’Ancienne

The darkest in color hot chocolate Ive ever seen. The least flavor I’ve ever tasted

Chocolate Dipper Madeleine by Donsuemor

Very yum! Would probably go great with a coffee.

Maddy Melts by Madyson’s Marshmallows

This was awesome! It is a round marshmallow so it fits right on top of your hot chocolate and then melts into some gooey marshmallowy goodness. Two thumbs up and I’d definitely consider purchasing this again.

Dark Angell Crisp Bar by Betty Lou’s

This one got snagged by the parents but they both said that it was good!

Back To The Island Travel

Jamaica Trip: Travel Day 1

Katie January 21, 2014 0 Comments

On January 10 it was time once again to make my way to Jamaica for Hanson’s “Back to the Island” event. My flight was set to take off at 6am, so I had to get up and be out of the house by 3am to make sure I got there in time. I arrived in plenty of time – as the security check point wasn’t even open yet. But while I was sitting there waiting for the plane – it started to snow. This wasn’t supposed to start until 6am, but here it was just after 5 and it had already begun! I was on a mission to attempt to get an earlier flight – one that I was supposed to be on but then they swapped around flight times so I had less than half an hour to get it and American Airlines doesn’t allow layovers that short. But when we got on the plane it was covered in snow and we were delayed an hour taking off due to waiting to be de iced. I had paid to upgrade my seat so I could be off the plane earlier – but all that got me was yelled at by 2 flight attendants. Typically I preboard as I am a bit slow to walk and get my stuff stowed, but they never called for pre-boarding so I went on with everyone else. I needed some help getting my bag up and the flight attendant had a shoulder injury and couldn’t help. Fortunately I found a guy who helped me stow the bag and pulled it down for me at the end of the flight.

We weren’t able to make up any time so we got in to Miami an hour later as well and the plane had already taken off and was in the air for 20 minutes when I got there. My friend Kim was in the same boat and actually would have been able to get on the earlier flight because she had no delays in New Jersey but waited for me. This time we were able to preboard and she got my bag stowed for me and then I would wait for her to get to my row to pull it down again. My whole row was so empty for the longest time. Until they had someone in a wheelchair and her daughter come in and sit next to me. Of course, this meant that we had to wait for everyone to get off the flight before they could get her out in the wheelchair. One of the flight attendants suggested I jump over the woman to get out of the row. Yeah, that wasn’t going to be happening. So Kim and I ended up being the last ones off the flight – but still had to wait in the customs line and all that anyway so it wasn’t too big of a deal.

Matt Wertz was on our flight and we chatted with him a bit while waiting for our shuttle. They took me, Kim and 1 other girl and Matt asked about him going too – but by this time he was with Paul McDonald as well and there were 5 of them. The shuttle guy asked how many they had and he said 5 and he said no, there wasn’t enough room. So I was thisclose to riding to the resort with Matt and Paul but they ended up on a later shuttle. Looking back – I should have stayed with them and got on a new shuttle because Kim ended up in the front of the bus and I ended up sitting on a jump seat which didn’t do my back any favors.

We got to the resort at about 7pm and then had to fill out our form… which was a different area if your roommate had already checked in. Our form said the reservation was under “Hanson, Hanson” which I thought was kind of funny. Then I got my room key and I was in the same room as last year so I took off… to find a way to get to the room without too many stairs. As I was using my makeshift pool area railing one of the resort workers came and helped me get the bag to my room. When I opened the door I heard Maribeth yell “YOURE HERE!” and then she told me she had the worst travel day ever. I told her that I did too!

Turns out, her shuttle had a flat tire on the way there and the bus driver first kept going, then finally decided to stop, turned away a different bus that came to pick them up… and it took her FOREVER to get there and she had only been there about an hour when we thought she’d be there much, much earlier than that. To top it off, they couldn’t find our reservation (AGAIN!) which is why our sheet said Hanson, Hanson on it. AND when she went to check in for merch the 2nd year pins were already gone – not sure how that happens if you have a record of who was there last year and who wasn’t.

At that point we considered taking a nap before heading out to the show at 10pm but decided against it.