New widgets!

I added a couple of new widgets to the site. Mostly because I was bored and looking for something to do instead of sleep…

1. I added my word count widget from NaNoWriMo.  If you are participating too feel free to email me and harass me that I am behind.  I’m only about a day and a little bit behind (for now) but with all my Hanson coming up in the next week… Let’s just say it would be in my best interest to lock myself in my bedroom and do nothing but write tomorrow night.

2. I added a “share this” widget.  So if you see something you like you can mouse over and then share it with your friends on facebook or twitter or whatever other social networking site you’d like. I was kind of hoping it would look a bit cooler than just the “Share This” button so there might be a transformation of what it actually looks like over the next few days when I decide to play with that instead of write for Nano!

Rock N Roll Fridays

1. FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE “Monday you can fall apart, Tuesday, Wednesday break my heart.
Oh, Thursday doesn’t even start, It’s Friday I’m in love”
Do you have a certain day of the week for particular meal, such as pizza night or a family night, such as Game night?
We usually have pizza on Fridays and pasta on Wednesdays and Sundays.

2. LOVECATS “We should have each other to tea huh? We should have each other with cream, Then curl up by the fire And sleep for awhile”
What is your favorite brand of tea (or iced tea)?
I like Lipton, 4C, Nestea is alright every now and then

3. LETS GO TO BED “Another girl, Another name, Stay alive but stay the same
It’s just the same, A stupid game”
Have you ever joined a dating service or used personal ads to find a date?
I have a profile on OKCupid, but I signed up only to check out a guy my friend wanted to contact. I got bored and filled it out, but no one has contacted me and I don’t really bother to look for anyone.

4. NEVER ENOUGH “However big I ever feel, It’s never enough. Whatever I do to make it real, It’s never enough. In any way I try to speak. Never enough”
What is the last project you worked hard on, only to get knocked down with friends /family insults about it?
I don’t think there has been anything like that, I usually kick butt at projects.

5. JUST LIKE HEAVEN “Show me how you do that trick, The one that makes me scream” she said. “The one that makes me laugh” she said. And threw her arms around my neck . “Show me how you do it And I promise you I promise that
I’ll run away with you “
What’s your best trick?
I don’t think I have one.

6. INBETWEEN DAYS “Yesterday I got so old I felt like I could die. Yesterday I got so old It made me want to cry…”
When was the last time you felt old or were told by someone else that you were too old to do something?
I feel old every day.  Especially seeing that kids I used to babysit are in college or graduating high school.  Or that the girl from Goonies is playing a GRANDMA on a TV show now. (Granted, a young grandma, but still!)

7. WHY CANT I BE YOU “Everything you do is irresistable
Everything you do is simply kissable Why can’t I be you?”
What would you say to your favorite celebrity if you met them in person?
I’ve met most of my favorite celebrities and to see what I said to them… well you’ll just have to find those blog posts (if they are even up!)

8. THIS TWILIGHT GARDEN “I lift my eyes from watching you
to watch the star rise shine onto your dreaming face and dreaming smile
you’re dreaming worlds for me “
What is the nicest thing about sleeping with someone else, or sleeping alone?
I don’t like sleeping with someone else because I flop around a lot, and I try to contain it when I am with someone else and then I end up not having a good night’s sleep lol

9. PRIMARY “The innocence of sleeping children Dressed in white And slowly dreaming Stops all time Slow my steps and start to blur
So many years have filled my heart I never thought I’d say those words”
What do children do that amuses you most?
Saying silly things, I guess.

10. 10:15 ON A SATURDAY NIGHT “Under the strip light, And I’m sitting
In the kitchen sink, And the tap drips , Drip drip drip drip drip drip drip drip”
What was the last appliance or household item you fixed?
No idea.

11. BOYS DON’T CRY “I would say I’m sorry If I thought that it would change your mind
But I know that this time I’ve said too much Been too unkind “
What was the last thing you said to someone that you wish you could take back?
No regrets.

12. CATERPILLAR “You flicker And you’re beautiful You glow inside my head
You hold me hynotized I’m mesmerized Your flames The flames that kiss me dead “
What is your favorite insect?
Ladybug

13. CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES “Sometimes i’m dreaming Expressionless the trance
Sometimes i’m dreaming So many different names Sometimes i’m dreaming The sounds all stay the same “
What era in history would you like to visit for one day?
I think the 70s.

Nate Berkus Taping

Yesterday our episode of Nate Berkus aired so I decided I would talk about it in a bit more details…

At 1pm we were checked in and given numbered tickets.  The numbers meant nothing, it was just a way to count us so that the staff knew when to cut off the line.  We were # 8 and 9.

Then we got our purses checked, got wanded, and went down 2 sets of stairs.  There were 2 holding rooms – N and B.  The first group through was in room B, but room N was actually seated first.  (N for Nate and B for Berkus)

Days of Our Lives was on in the holding room, and we got to see pretty much the entire episode, as well as some of Real Housewives of Atlanta.  Then we were told we’d be brought into the studio.  We went through the other holding room and then were crammed into an elevator.

Then it was time to enter the studio!  Most of the good seats were already taken and that’s when we were put in the side corner.  There’s the seats right up in front, stadium seating in the back and then benches on the side.  They are really not comfortable seats either.

Dena Blizzard came out to warm us up – she is great.  I left loving her more than Nate lol.  She went through a bit about how the taping worked and then we had to record reaction shots.  I am SO not an actress because I can not laugh as if something is completely hilarious if nothing was said or done. At all.  But I tried.

Then Nate came out and did Q&A; with the audience – he answered 3 questions. Then he came out for the open of the show and we gave him a standing ovation and had to act all excited as if it was the first time we saw Nate. (Reverse these parts and get genuine really excited reactions lol)

The first segment was about LonnyMagazine and a couple of people who redid their apartments in NYC on a budget and made them look cool.  Then there were the top 5 decorating items under $50.  Which had to be filmed a few times…

Then they did a segment about how the runway and home fashion are coming together and things you see on the runway also work in your home – flowers, nautical themes and military.

Then he surprised a fan of the show by offering advice on her kitchen and he said in exchange for the clock she had on the wall, he’d send the stuff she needed to re-do it.

He did some promos for a contest going on in Nevada. It seemed like he was reading forever and at the end he went something like pffffttt because it was just SO much to say at once and it was like he never took a breath.  Then he told them go to to a website, which was mentioning “Reno” as in, Reno, NV but he pronounced it as if it was short for “Renovation” and then was like “ohhhhhh” and had to do it again.

Nate also didn’t seem to be too big of a fan of his sweater and asked if anyone saw SNL and said he needed baby spanx.  He said he was a the taping of SNL and had laughed so hard at that he was crying. I barely remember it from SNL so I guess it didn’t strike me as funny lol

The next segment was in front of us – and was about a fan who re-decorated her house.  She was there and was a really big fan and when there was technical difficulties they went and sat down and she said something like “I can’t stop looking at you, you are so handsome” lol  The audio for her clip wasn’t playing in the studio, so they skipped that and filmed the end of the show- where we once again gave Nate a standing ovation.

Then they re-did the house proud segment with sound so we could see the clip.  We were told at first they’d be doing 7 segments, but then Nate waved and left and that was it!  (When the show aired they showed him redoing the house of a couple.  The wife had given the husband a kidney because he needed a transplant.  Kind of ironic that we WEREN’T there for that being taped because my mom gave my dad a kidney when he needed a transplant and we for sure would have made that known!)

Honestly I wasn’t all that impressed with it – and I usually LOVE that type of stuff.  Seeing the equipment and behind the scenes and all that.  But it did help me cross off part of a life list item to see all the shows they film in NYC.  (Something I will probably never ever complete as they are constantly changing what is filming there!)

We also didn’t get any sort of giveaway, which I kind of expected, but it was disappointing to come home and watch an episode on TV the next day where he gave everyone in the audience $200 🙁   I’ve also been getting emails asking me to come back almost every day he films now.  If he starts giving things away, even if it isn’t anything too major or expensive, then people might be more inclined to see a taping!  (And if the ones they were giving me tickets too weren’t all at 8:15, I’d go back! But that is far too early of a train for me and I like my sleep!)

Our episode aired 2 weeks to the day after we went to the taping, but it might have just been a coincidence.

Would You Rather Wednesday

November 4
After a big night out, wake up next to a close co-worker
or
a friend of your mother?

LOL umm coworker?

November 5
Live in a world where computer gaming was a lucrative and respected sport
or
where it was legally enforced to have dungeons and dragons statistics on your driver’s license?

computer gaming = sport

November 6/7
Only be able to eat orange foods
or
only be able to eat foods starting with the letter ‘K’?

Orange foods.

November 8
Be sentenced to a hell that is a grid-locked traffic jams with literally no end, as the passenger seat nags you
or
A hell that is an eternal bar-mitzvah part where a painfully bad band sings ‘celebration’ and ‘shout’ over and over?

bar-mitzvah. I can’t handle traffic.

November 9
Live in a world where women are given more pay, opportunity and access to jobs
or
where men experience the pains of the birth process along with women?

Definitely the second. lol

November 10
Spend an eight-hour car ride with (insert annoying acquaintance)
or
put on (insert friend)’s socks and underwear every day for a month?

Are the underwear washed? because I could handle that moreso than a ride with someone annoying LOL

Let’s Make A Deal at Foxwoods

This weekend I ended up seeing Joey Fatone host “Let’s Make a Deal” at Foxwoods Casino twice.  First was Friday night and the second was Sunday afternoon for the matinee show.

The announcer was News 8’s Matt Scott.  I never watch News 8 and he really gave me no reason to change that.  I thought his jokes were awful and I hope that it was not him who wrote them.  They were also the same exact jokes both shows. (Although in their defense I don’t think they intended people to go more than once. What can I say, I love Joey)

Joey on the other hand was amusing, though awkward at times, and while some of what he said seemed scripted he did change things up both shows. He also obviously had to play off the contestants as well and since they were not the same.

Unfortunately my name did not get called at either show and I wasn’t asked for random items from my purse at either show either. Although I didn’t have what he wanted except for on Sunday afternoon he wanted Crazy Bands and I had a whole pack of them in my bag! He asked for the same items on Sunday as Friday, but asked for additional items on Sunday as well. (I’ll help you cheat – Hard boiled egg, ketchup packet, paper clip, something fruit flavored, viagara pill, crazy bands)

For the most part, the set up of the show was exactly the same.  The prizes were all the same, the curtains were all in the same position with the exception of 2 of the games.  In the game where the contestant needed to have a dollar left to buy a prize, the items they had to guess the price of were different. (2 of the 3 items were the same, but in different order) And in the big deal – the curtain with the car behind it was moved.

We were told Joey wouldn’t be coming out after the show on Sunday because he was getting ready for his second show, but I am fairly confident he did meet people after the Friday show.  Whether or not he came out or they had connections to get backstage to him, I don’t know.

It was a fun show and I am so mad that both times the people asked to name the other NSYNC members FAILED.  Everyone knows stupid Justin Timberlake and that is it.  Though I am hoping that soon they will see the success of the NKOTBSB tour and decide to do their own reunion tour.  I’ve already started saving.

Oklahoma Picture Post

I don’t have too many photos from Oklahoma because pics weren’t supposed to be taken at the Hanson concert, but here are a few I can share from the costume contest and the Q&A; at the end of the event.

 The bus outside the venue. (before it was vandalized)
 Zac with some of the costume contest contestants
 Zac talking about the costumes
The guys answering the same old questions

 
New York City from the plane

Apolo Ohno Book Signing Providence, RI 11/5

Friday I decided to head to Apolo’s signing in Providence, RI.  He was also signing later in the day in CT, but I wasn’t sure if that was going to interfere with my plans for the evening or not.
I ended up leaving the house a half an hour later than I had wanted, but made pretty good time and was set to arrive in Providence at around 11:30 and the signing began at noon.  But once I crossed into Rhode Island they were doing some work on I-95 which ended up pushing my arrival time to 11:45.
Then, once I got near the mall, I could not find the parking garage entrance for the life of me.  Finally, I ended up finding it and got a spot and ran inside to Borders.  The line didn’t appear to be that long, so I was confident I would be able to get a signature.  I bought my book and was given a Yellow wristband and told to get in line.
 Apolo didn’t end up showing up until a little after 12 and then I assume went to do some press quickly before walking by us to get to the signing podium.
The line ended up moving really fast.  The woman behind me in line had asked at the register how everything was going to work and was told that there were 4 colors in front of her (I was the last of the yellows, she was green) and that he would sign the whole book store in an hour because he could sign 250 books in an hour!  While we waited in line we debated on if he would just scribble out an ‘A’ and an ‘O’ or if he would sign out his full name.  We were pretty sure it would end up just being initials.
The line ended up wrapping through the store a lot more than I thought it had originally, but it was moving SO fast.  Within a half an hour I was up at the podium.
And I was being rushed to move forward. (Which is why this picture is so crazy and blurry!)  They had told us not to take any photos at the podium, but Apolo was signing my book still so I figured I’d be waiting there anyway for him to finish so I wouldn’t be holding up the line.  That is when I took the photo at the top of this post. I am glad that came out good because my others didn’t!
After he signed my book he looked up and I told him “Thank You” and he said “Sure. Take Care.” And I was ushered away.  There weren’t that many more people behind me and by the time I went to the car to put the book in there before heading back to do some eating and shopping, it appeared that everything was GONE.  No sign of there being a signing there at all!
I can not even imagine signing 250 books (or more! I think he tweeted he did 600 in New York!) in an hour. My arm would fall off after probably 10!
I can’t wait to start reading the book – but since I am doing NaNoWriMo again this year, it probably won’t be until December at the earliest. (Although probably later than that since I have a couple others in the queue first!) Since all my free time will be used to get to 50,000 words by November 30th! (I am at 10,000 so far, hoping I can continue to stay on or ahead of schedule!)

Rock N Roll Fridays

1. PIANO MAN… “Sing us a song, you’re the piano man, Sing us a song tonight. Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody, And you’ve got us feelin’ alright”
What is your favorite Karaoke song to sing with?

I’m not big on karaoke, but I’m usually willing to do any song I am relatively familiar with.

2. CAPTAIN JACK…”Saturday night and you’re still hangin’ around, Tired of livin’ in your one-horse town. Like to find a little hole in the ground, For a while”
If you grew up in a one-horse town, are you still there, or did you try living somewhere else?

I still live where I grew up, but really want to get out ASAP because it’s not a great place even though everyone else seems to think it is.

3. NEW YORK STATE OF MIND…”It comes down to reality-and it’s fine with me ’cause I’ve let it slide, Don’t care if it’s Chinatown or Riverside, I don’t have any reasons, I’ve left them all behind- I’m in a New York state of mind.”
What is your favorite New York food?

Hmm. Bagels or those ‘nuts for nuts’ you can get on the corner. (Which I am currently not allowed to eat because of my braces. boo)

4. SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN TO ME…”But she’ll bring out the best And the worst you can be, Blame it all on yourself, Cause she’s always a woman to me”
Has someone else ever brought out the best or worse in you?
I don’t think so

5. MOVIN OUT…”Workin’ too hard can give you a heart attack ack ack ack ack ack, You oughta know by now. Who needs a house out in Hackensack? Is that what you get for your money?”
What is the most annoying line from a song lyric of all time?
LOL considering my favorite band is Hanson who sings MMMBop which probably has one of the most annoying chorus’ of all time, but I love it, I’m not really sure I can answer this one…

6. ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG…”They say there’s a heaven for those who will wait. Some say it’s better but I say it ain’t. I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints …Sinners are much more fun…”
What would heaven be like for you? A shopping mall? A forest? Mansion? Do tell…
A concert…

7. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE…”Don’t go trying some new fashion, Don’t change the color of your hair. You always have my unspoken passion, Although I might not seem to care…”
Have you ever changed something about yourself to please somebody else?
Nope.

8. STILL ROCK N ROLL TO ME…”Should I try to be a straight `A’ student?
If you are then you think too much. Don’t you know about the new fashion honey? All you need are looks and a whole lotta money. It’s the next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways , it’s still rock and roll to me…”
What besides “looks and a whole lotta money” would you require in a mate?
A sense of humor and someone who would be supportive of me, no matter what.

9. YOU MAY BE RIGHT…”You may be right, I may be crazy. But it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for…”
Do you like bad boys (girls) or good boys (girls)?
I tend to fall for the bad boys. Bad idea…

10. WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE… “Wheel of Fortune, Sally Ride, heavy metal, suicide, Foreign debts, homeless vets, AIDS, crack, Bernie Goetz, Hypodermics on the shores, China’s under martial law, Rock and roller cola wars, I can’t take it anymore”
List 13 things for a Billy Joel verse in this aggravating song…
No thanks.

11. TELL HER ABOUT IT…”Tell her about it. Tell her all your crazy dreams. Let her know you need her, Let her know how much she means…”
Have you told your significant other or dearest family member recently how much
they mean to you?
Probably not.

12. UPTOWN GIRL… “I’m in love with an uptown girl, She’s been living in her white bread world. As long as anyone with hot blood can, And now she’s looking for a downtown man. That’s what I am…”
Have you dated someone above or below your “level”? (richer or poorer). Did you feel comfortable with them?
I don’t think I have.

13. THE LONGEST TIME… “Who knows how much further we’ll go on. Maybe I’ll be sorry when you’re gone. I’ll take my chances, I forgot how nice romance is, I haven’t been there for the longest time”
What is the longest you have gone without a love relationship?
lol what?

Book Review: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson

Since May, on and off, I’ve been reading the 10 books in the “Confessions of Georgia Nicolson” series by Louise Rennison.  The books chronicle Georgia Nicolson, a teenage girl with typical teenage problems – boys, younger siblings, parents, friends, you know the deal.

The first two books in the series – Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging and It’s OK, I’m Wearing Really Big Knickers were the basis of the movie “Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.”  Generally I like to read books first so that I can see how close the movies come to my imagination, but I did not even know this series existed when I watched the movie.

Georgia lives in England and often uses slang not used here in the States and on top of that, she and her friends also have their own slang that they use with each other as well.  Fortunately, the end of every book has a glossary with definitions of all the words that Georgia thinks you might need definitions for.  (Some are easily figured out from context, others, not so much)  The only down side to reading these on the Nook is that is a bit of a pain in the but to push the forward button several hundred times to skip ahead (unless there is some secret to doing this that I am not yet aware of) versus just flipping to the back of the book if I was actually reading it.

Speaking of actually reading it – for some reason I ended up not getting the e-book for the second book, but instead I got the audio book.  The Nook plays audio books and it came in handy on a long trip to New Hampshire in May.  The book was read by the author and I definitely recommend listening to at least one of the books if you can. Louise Rennison did an amazing job reading it, and everything comes across exactly as she wants it to because she wrote it!

All of the books average about 200 pages (a couple were over 300, at least based on how the Nook counted them) and are written in the style of being Georgia’s Diary, which makes it pretty quick to read and there are lots of places to pause with the reading – as often times her “day” is not more than a few pages and each are broken up even more by times or what class she is in.

I absolutely loved all her interactions with her younger sister Libby – she is one crazy little kid! Sometimes Libby would dress up Angus, most of the time she would leave her toys in Georgia’s bed, and once she even got her bum stuck in a bucket!  Though definitely not one of the main characters, I think Libby is my favorite. I really think I fell in love with this character in book 2 – because of how Louise read her scenes in the audio book. (Another reason why you need to listen to at least one of the books!)

I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys reading teen drama books.  I’m not sure why I am so into these books – I had enough drama in my life as a teen and I’m not sure why I want to relive it, but I like fun, quick reads.  But pace yourself, there are 10 books in this series.

1. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
2. It’s OK, I’m Wearing Really Big Knickers (On The Bright Side, I’m Now The Girlfriend of a Sex God)
3. Knocked Out by my Nunga-Nungas
4. Dancing in my Nuddy-Pants
5. And That’s When It Fell Off In My Hand (Away Laughing On A Fast Camel)
6. Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers
7. Startled by His Furry Shorts
8. Luuurve is a Many Trousered Thing (Love Is A Mandy Trousered Thing)
9. Stop in the Name Of Pants
10. Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?

Some of the books have different titles in the UK vs the US.  The names in parenthesis are the US titles.

Would You Rather Wednesday

October 28
Have inflatable breasts
or
adjustable palm lines?

Adjustable palm lines.

October 29
Live in a world where golf courses and cemeteries were combined on one property
or
where churches and paintball parks were?

Churches and paintball parks.

October 30/31
Have bendy straws for hair
or
newspaper for skin?

bendy straws for hair

November 1
Fight to the death possessed office supplies
or
possessed deli meats

deli meats. eat them and you win. tada!

November 2
Drunk a beefbrawler (gin, orange juice, ground raw beef, two shakers of salt sucked through a green onion)
or
A bloody pilgrim (kool-aid, heavy cream and mushrooms pureed, topped with warm fat freshly liposucted fro ma fat lady’s thigh and arm)?

GROOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSS

November 3
Eat the emperor (two pounds of roast beef sauteed in the sweat of a sumo wrestler, consumed to the tune of ‘ride of the valkyrie’)
or
The regent (to charcoal briquettes on a toasted roll, eaten in the presence of five surly sailors)?

The regent. I guess.

Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com