This is tonight’s setlist for 1d and is most likely also the set they’ll use tomorrow and at msg.
Up all night
Na na na
Stand up
I wish
Teenage dirtbag
Gotta be you
More than this
Live while we’re young
Tell me a lie
Everything about you
Moments
I want
Save you tonight
Little things
One thing
Kiss you
C’mon c’mon
What makes you beautiful
This weeks theme is #1 songs. And our top 8 will perform for America’s votes. Then we will have another double elimination that will make the Top 8 be a Top 6. Who will be going home? I have my picks… let’s see if I’m right.
Diamond – I Want to Dance With Somebody – I got a bit nervous when she started that it was going to be another ballad. But then when it picked up she seemed to be lacking something so I’m not really sure how I feel about this performance. Somewhere in the middle, maybe. (Hard to say since she was first!)
Vino – You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling – Not my favorite performance from Vino, but I don’t think it was terrible either. But I’m sure Demi will diss him either way.
Paige – Never Gonna Give You Up – Did XFactor just Rick Roll me? I wasn’t too over the top into this performance… but LA seemed to think the opposite. I’m not sure that she should be in the bottom with the performance, but it didn’t blow me away (although I don’t know that anyone does)
Fifth Harmony – Stronger – Their intro had me crying my eyes out. I also think they kicked this songs ass. Seriously amazing.
Carly Rose – Rolling in the Deep – I think she made this song her own and I think she did great with it – but you all know I love the girl.
Tate – Somebody Like You – Still not a fan. Didn’t like this performance much at all. It seemed rushed and off at parts. I don’t know if he did it on purpose, but I didn’t like it.
Cece – Lady Marmalade – I think it was an improvement from the last few weeks, but she’s still not that strong of a singer.
Emblem 3 – I’m a Believer – Awesome! I hope this bounces them up a little higher – though I don’t really want them at #1. How about.. #3. 😉
Going home: Paige and Cece.
–
Results time! Simon says that he has a bad feeling about who will be going home and is praying it is not one of his two, but won’t name any names.
The act with the lowest number of votes and sent home immediately is Paige Thomas.
Five acts will go straight through to next weeks show – in no particular order – Fifth Harmony, CeCe (what!??), Emblem 3, Carly Rose, Tate
That means that Diamond and Vino will be singing for survival. Wow. Wow. Wow. I can see Diamond being in the bottom – but Vino? He had been so consistently on top!
Diamond sings Beyonce’s I Was Here. Vino sings Trouble.
From the two performances, I think that Diamond should be sent home.
LA chooses to send home Diamond.
Britney chooses to send home Vino.
Demi chooses to send home Vino.
Simon chooses to send home Vino.
That seals Vino’s fate and Diamond is through to the top 6. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.
And now the rankings:
6 – Diamond
5 – Cece
4 – Fifth Harmony
3 – Emblem 3
2 – Tate
1 – Carly Rose
I recently signed up for the site Birchbox. Birchbox is the best way to discover new grooming, beauty and lifestyle products. Sample top products from high-end brands, get expert advice, buy new favorites and earn points with every purchase.
For $10 I got October’s box to try it out. There were 6 sample items in the box and the birchbox website allows you to purchase full sized items if you are interested in them after trying the samples.
Lulu Organics Lavendar + Clary Sage Hair Powder ($30)
theBalm cosmetics Mary-Lou Manizer ($24)
twistband HairTie ($18 for 12)
tili Bags Small Collection ($8.49 for 12 quart sized bags)
Mox Botanicals Lip Butter ($16)
Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy Le Fleur ($70 for 2.5oz)
(The link above is my affiliate link. I get 50 points for each person I refer to the site and every 100 points I get $10 to use in the Birchbox store)
I haven’t had the chance to try everything out yet, but look for some product reviews in the future if I really like (or dislike) any of the products!
Since I am a bzzagent, I sometimes get some cool products to try out for free. Most recently I got to try out the Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Face Care line. All the products contain Clary Sage which is a tough little plant. Here’s more info about it:
Deep in the windswept hills of the Mediterranean, a lone plant fights for its life against the elements. Clary Sage survives and thrives in spite of its harsh surroundings, thanks to the plant’s fierce will and exceptional ability to adapt and retain moisture. This remarkable botanical is the inspiration behind Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Face Care line – the brand’s natural ode to soft, supple and revitalized skin.
I was sent a few products to try:
Intense Hydration Cream Cleanser
-Provides intense hydration and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
-Leaves skin feeling soft, supple and revitalized
-Removes dirt, oil and makeup
-Rinses easily without leaving a residue
-Costs $9.99
Intense Hydration Night Cream
-Replenishes moisture while you sleep – wake up to skin that feels soft, supple and revitalized
-Provides intense hydration and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
-Absorbs quickly thanks to a rich, non-greasy formula
-Costs $17.99
Intense Hydration Treatment Mask
-Clinically proven to provide immediate, intense hydration
-Leaves skin looking revitalized
-Easy to apply – goes on wet and stays wet; wipe off with a tissue or washcloth
-Costs $17.99
I was a bit nervous to try the products, as my face can be sensitive, but is often very dry (especially when I get out of the shower.) I decided to be brave and try the products out on a Thursday night when I first received them and hoped I wouldn’t be faced going to work on Friday with any sort of blotches going on with my face.
I am happy to report that after using the Hydration Cream Cleanser paired with the Night Cream that I woke up to no surprises and incredibly soft skin. It has now become a staple in my nightly routine.
I have also since used the treatment mask – it’s super easy to use – just rub it on and then wipe it off when you are done. Nothing but wonderful things to say about this product as well.
Also in the line are
Intense Hydration Day Lotion – Costs $17.99
Intense Hydration Eye Cream – Costs $17.99
Find out more about Burt’s Bees at their facebook page – facebook.com/burtsbees
I received the products mentioned in this post for free to review because I am a BzzAgent.
Saturday was the final night of the SK6ers Hi-Ate-Us tour. Yes, Hiatus. In that they are taking a break and we don’t know when we’ll be seeing them again. In July the hiatus was announced and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it to a show since they were not coming to CT. My friend Jen who got me in to the Sixers 6 years ago and I decided that we needed to be there, so we made it happen.
I won’t get into how shitty Webster Hall is as a venue in this review and that because of this I was in tears before the band even came on stage and not for any reason that I thought I’d be tearing up at the show. There may be another post about this later though, or just a letter sent to management. We’ll see!
I will say that otherwise this review was difficult to write. The show left me speechless. As a music fan, I think you look forward to these kinds of shows – but as a blogger? Speechless isn’t ideal. I can’t just post a blank page with a setlist and have you “get it”. I’m still not sure that anything I write will allow you to “get it”, but I’ll try. They played from roughly 7:30-10:15. Nearly 3 hours – but it seemed like the show was over in a blink of an eye. The whole train ride to the show we reminisced on some of the memories that we had from shows past (This was my 25th show, Jen has lost count and there are some that we didn’t go to together as well)
I thought the setlist was a nice mix of past, present and future. Yes, future – they debuted a new song “I Don’t Want To Die On The Road”. Instead of doing just 1 or 2 covers, they did a medley of 7 covers that they had done over the years. As they were singing this medley the memories came coming back of which shows I had heard them perform the covers at before.
I didn’t take many photos. I took 9 during the show. 6 were of the backs of people’s heads. Once we moved to the back of the venue I took 1 decent shot, tried to zoom in on just Stephen and got frustrated. I decided rather than spend half the show annoyed I couldn’t get the “perfect” shot, I’d put the camera away and just take it all in.
The theme of the night was – “You keep clapping, we’ll keep playing” the only thing in our way of them playing all night was the curfew at the venue. There were 4 encores. One song was played in the crowd. My setlist notebook had a front and back page filled with the setlist (first time that ever happened and probably the last!)
There are 2 lyrics that I think sum up the evening – “Celebrate before it’s too late” and “See you later, see you soon”
The next chapter will continue next month, when I go see Stephen solo in Fairfield. (Hopefully Jen can come too!) Maybe then it’ll really hit me that it is “over” (for now) because right now it all just seems like a blurry dream.
Flower in Rain
Sweet Sophia
Gravity
Roots and Wings
4th Street Moon
Song For Lovers
Start the Day Early
Diamond
We Belong Here
Days
Fathers Day
The Bear
Big Easy
I Don’t Want To Die On The Road
Oh Adeline
Such A Way
1993
Medley – Cripple Creek / Fat Bottom Girls / Piano Man / Baby It’s Cold Outside / Rock N Roll All Night / Let’s Go Crazy / Time of My Life
4th of July
See You Later, See You Soon
E: Satisfied Man
Milwaukee
2nd E: Mabeline
Glassjaw Boxer
3rd E: Shady Esperanto
My Favorite Place
4th E: In Front of the World
Curtain Call
As you probably know, I am a bit addicted to all things 50 Shades of Grey. I can’t exactly explain it, because I wasn’t a huge fan of how the books were written, but I couldn’t stop reading them and I even read a parody book. When I saw that there was a compilation of essays “Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey”, I had to check it out. I needed to see what other authors thought about the books – was it just me that thought they were poorly written? (No) Can anyone really explain why they become so addicting? (Not really, but I’m not the only one who feels this way.)
The book is split up in to several different sections with the essays fitting in to each topic, with several “intermissions”
These are – Fifty Shades of Erotic Fiction, Fifty Shades of Romance, Fifty Shades of Sex, Fifty Shafes of BDSM, Fifty Shades of Writing, Fifty Shades of Fanfiction and Fifty Shades of Pop Culture. It was the last 3 sections that I was most interested in, as I did begin most of my writing as fanfiction. (But I have major problems with a. finishing anything I start b. concluding anything in such a way that closure is felt.)
Some of the essays brought up interesting points. These books have HUGE popularity on e-book format. Why? Because you can read it and no one has any idea what you are reading! I have read on several message boards I go to how they have seen people reading these books and have judged them (though most of the judging comes from people who haven’t read the books.) with a Kindle or a Nook no one has any idea what you are reading unless you choose to tell them.
The end of the book also has “Fifty Shades of Reading” which is kind of a “If you liked 50 Shades… you’ll love…” list of other books to read. I’ve put this out of my memory immediately because I do not have the time to get sucked in to this many books! I have trouble keeping up with my reading as it is 
I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
“Fascinating examination of E.L. James’s Fifty Shades trilogy . . . Love Fifty Shades or hate it, this engaging and eclectic read has a little bit of something for everyone.” —Publishers Weekly starred review
Transcending its roots as Twilight fanfiction to become a bestselling cultural phenomenon, E.L. James’ Fifty Shades trilogy has fascinated and seduced the world. Whether they love it or hate it, people can’t stop talking about it, and in Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey, Lori Perkins has gathered 50 writers—from romance and erotica authors, to BDSM dungeon masters, to adult entertainment industry professionals—to continue to the conversation. Hear from:
-The editor who “discovered” Fifty Shades of Grey back when it was Masters of the Universe, Tish Beaty
-Writer Jennifer Sanzo, who says Christian isn’t a possessive, bossy control-freak—he’s an old-school Byronic hero
-Master R of BDSM training chateau La Domaine Esemar, who evaluates Christian Grey’s skill as a Dominant, and offers some professional advice
-Matrimonial lawyer Sherri Donovan, who examines the legalities of Christian’s BDSM contract, and shares her recommendations for Ana
-And a lot more!
With sections on Fifty Shades as fiction, BDSM, romance, fanfiction, pop culture, writing, phenomena, and sex, Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey plunges into the depths of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele’s relationship and world to explore exactly what it is about the trilogy that’s put readers in its thrall.
Contributors:
Heather Graham
Sylvia Day
Andrew Shaffer
M.J. Rose
Sinnamon Love
Judith Regan
Stacey Agdern
Laura Antoniou
Jennifer Armintrout
Tish Beaty
Mala Bhattacharjee
Rachel Kramer Bussel
M. Christian
Suzan Colon
Joy Daniels
Sherri Donovan
Angela Edwards
Melissa Febos
Lucy Felthouse
Ryan Field
Selina Fire
Megan Frampton
Sarah Frantz
Louise Fury
Lois Gresh
Catherine Hiller
Marci Hirsch
Dr. Hilda Hutcherson
Debra Hyde
Anne Jamison
D.L. King
Dr. Logan Levkoff
Arielle Loren
Sassafras Lowry
Rachel Kenley
Pamela Madsen
ChrisMarks and Lia Leto
Midori
Master R
Dr. Katherine Ramsland
Tiffany Reisz
Katharine Sands
Jennifer Sanzo
Rakesh Satyal
Marc Shapiro
Lyss Stern
Cecilia Tan
Hope Tarr
Susan Wright
Editor X
Peanut Butter. I love it and many others do as well. I don’t know that I ever would have gone out and bought a book on the history of peanut butter myself, but when I saw it was available for review through NetGalley I figured I’d give it a go. I was shocked that the book, on the history of a food product, could be 300 pages. But as I continued reading I realized there were a lot of different paths peanut butter took through different brands and all of them had to be represented.
I think my favorite peanut butter is Skippy. (Ok, that’s kind of a lie. My favorite is the peanut butter used inside Reese’s, but I have found that the peanut butter sold in grocery stores under the brand “Reese’s” is NOTHING like what is inside the peanut butter cups.) An interesting story about Skippy is that they didn’t allow adult males in to the plant because the machines weren’t patented and they were worried that a male would come in and be able to recreate the plans for the machines.
Mixed in throughout the book are various peanut butter recipes as well. Peanut Butter coffee? Cheesecake? All of them sound like they would be delicious and maybe I’ll have to try my hand at making one or two. (My peanut butter specialty is fudge though!)
My favorite has to be the “peanut butter music” chapter – which of course mentions peanut butter jelly time and the poem by Shel Silverstein which I remember reading as a kid. I also liked the chapter about how Peanut Butter is saving the world and is udes to feed kids in third world countries.
Im not sure why anyone might be looking to read a book on peanut butter – but if you are in the market for one – definitely check out Creamy and Crunchy! I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in order to write this review.
About the Book
The first popular account of one of America’s most beloved foods (consumed by more than seventy-five percent of the population), Creamy and Crunchy is a comprehensive and entertaining history of peanut butter’s development and integration into the American diet. Richly illustrated and filled with anecdotes and facts culled from unusual and engaging sources, the book is a mix of interviews, research, travels in the peanut-growing regions of the South, personal histories and recipes, focusing on the manufacture of the food from the 1890s to the present, while also covering its cultural, nutritional, and even molecular evolution.
Jon Krampner begins with peanut butter’s creation and the scramble to capitalize on its early success. He provides in-depth looks at Peter Pan, Jif, and Skippy, and why Peter Pan, one of the first big brands to manufacture and market the food, is now a distant third behind market leaders Jif and Skippy. He examines the plight of black peanut farmers; the creation of the “Choosy Moms Choose Jif” campaign; the role of peanut butter in fighting Third-World hunger; and the salmonella outbreaks of 2007 and 2009 that threatened to derail peanut butter’s sacred place in the American cupboard.
Krampner investigates the resurgence of natural, or old-fashioned, peanut butter; the five ways today’s product is different from the original; why Americans love peanut butter so much more than people from most other nations; and the future trajectory of the industry. He also provides tips on peanut butter etiquette (if eating it straight from the jar, use a teaspoon – unless your girlfriend has just brutally dumped you, in which case a tablespoon is considered acceptable) and concludes with a “best of” list featuring top, taste-tested peanut butters and a timeline of key figures and events. A dedicated web site maintained by the author, www.creamyandcrunchy.com, contains additional images and information.
Jon Krampner is the author of The Man in the Shadows: Fred Coe and the Golden Age of Television and Female Brando: The Legend of Kim Stanley. He received an A.B. in English literature from Occidental College and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He lives in Los Angeles.
Monkeys are one of my favorite animals so when I saw that there was a book by Adam Kramer called Monkey of the Month, I knew I had to check it out!
The story is about a boy who gets bored with his gifts and ended up receiving membership to the Monkey of the Month club. Each month a new monkey would come to his house. Some of them did house work, some of them made more work for the others but they all seemed to be having a ton of fun. (Dare I say more fun than a barrel of monkeys?)
One day, the boys mom gets fed up with her house full of monkeys and tells them all to leave. The boy hugs them all goodbye and they leave. But then there is another knock at the door… who or what could it be? Find out in Monkey of the Month!
This book is definitely a kids book and recommended for K-3. It is a great rhyming book that would be a lot of fun for a child just learning how to read.
I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
Bored with mundane birthday gifts, a young boy unexpectedly receives a most peculiar gift on his birthday: a one year-membership to the “Monkey of the Month Club.” Though pleased it isn’t just a pair of socks, he is very confused by this odd gift, until, month-by-month, monkeys and their primate cousins start appearing at his door. As the year moves on, his house becomes full of chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, and more, who begin turning his house into their own private playground. While a house full of monkeys, all unique in their own way, sounds like a lot of fun, membership in the “Monkey of the Month Club” does have some drawbacks. Find out what happens in this exciting and humorous adventure accompanied by bright illustrations. Grades Pre-K-3.
Adam Kramer is thrilled to enter the field of children’s books. When he’s not writing, he might be found catching a baseball game with his wife Lena. Stemming from his love of cartooning, David Kramer’s whimsical, animated characters reflect his love of storytelling and a creative imagination.
Secrets and Lies is about high school best friends, Lettie, Jackie and Laura Beth who are dealing with the death of their other friend, Taylor. Jackie is dating the president’s son and the secret service are looking for her because there have been threats made against her.
The girls try to have a normal high school senior year, but with all the secrets and lies revolving Taylor’s death and Jackie’s boyfriend’s Andrews possible involvement in the accident that killed her, the girls are on high alert. Jackie ends up finding out that Andrew cheated on her with Taylor before Taylor’s death and it is eating away at him. Jackie doesn’t know what to do and if she should stay with him. Lettie faces having to go back to her home country and the girls try to find a way to get her to graduate with them. Laura Beth is struggling with whether or not she should stay with her boyfriend after some bad news comes out about his family.
This is a great young adult book although the issues that the girls have to deal with are a bit more extreme than your typical young adult, there is a lot of drama and tension on every page. This book is a sequel to another book – The Capital Girls – which I had not read and probably should have before reading this one. There is also a follow up coming up in April 2013 called Truth or Dare.
I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
Jealousy, rivalry, and dark secrets threaten to tear the girls apart in this sizzling follow-up to Capital Girls
It’s the start of senior year, and Excelsior Prep is on Code 3 lockdown. Secret Service agents swarm the halls searching for the First Son’s girlfriend, Jackie Whitman. Outside a SWAT team hunts for the man who’s been threatening the First Family for weeks. Only this time he’s singled out Jackie, leaving a menacing message on the school’s voicemail. Jackie’s safe for now, but for the Capital Girls—three privileged kids who live in a political fishbowl in the nation’s capital—every day is filled with tension and thrills. Though, even for them, a raid on the school by AK-47-toting marksmen is a standout.
And a stalker isn’t Jackie’s only problem. Still shattered by the shocking news that Andrew cheated on her with Taylor the night Taylor died, Jackie’s whole world has fallen apart. Not only did the love of her life betray her, so did her best friend and idol. What made Taylor do it? Who was she really? On top of it all, Whiteny Remick is plotting to take Taylor’s place, and Jackie will do anything to stop her.
The Voice had the Top 10 perform this week. But we were first treated to a performance from Christina and Blake. I guess they are really trying to help Christina get some more record sales. And waste time. Because if there is one thing The Voice is good at – it is wasting time!
I am also blogging this while playing along live with VIGGLE for the first time (I just signed up this week!) So if my post seems a bit distracted, it is because I am trying to answer trivia while watching.
Sylvia – Girl On Fire – A few pitchy points and there is still something about her I don’t like. I’m not sure she’ll make it through to next week.
Terry – Summer of 69 – My mom thinks he could be this years winner. He is very solid and consistent with his performances so I think she could be right!
Melanie – Seven Nation Army – Still not a fan.
Cody – Crazy In Love – Not sure how I feel about the outfit (Mom says he thinks hes Adam Lambert) Mediocre performance.
Bryan – New York State of Mind – It is so crazy to think he used to front a metal band! This was a great performance.
Amanda – Stars – Beautiful performance
Nicholas – Lean on Me – Another great performance from Nicholas.
Trevin – Scream – A little screechy, but considering the song is called Scream I guess I can let it slide. Another good performance from Trevin.
Cassadee – Over You – Ok performance. I dont know. I couldnt get into it s much as I would have liked
Dez – Feeling Good – What a great performance to end the night with!
Going home (my picks): Sylvia and Melanie
–
1st 2 safe – Nicholas, Cassadee
Next safe – Dez, Cody
Another safe – Melanie (one wrong and im nervous because i like a lot of the ones left!)
Who else be safe – Terry
Sylvia, Trevin, Bryan and Amanda are left… who will make it to the top 8?
Trevin and Amanda
Which means Sylvia and Bryan will be leaving us. Just when I decided I liked Bryan. Of course.
Katie