On The Coast Of Somewhere Beautiful

Yup, that's where I will be for the next week. Wish you were here.

They Call This Farming?

When I was walking the other day I happened to glance over and saw this:

I know it may be hard to tell from this distance but can you tell what is wrong with this picture? Now if my siblings don't get this right I am going to be really disappointed. While you are pondering that question let me tell you a little story and then maybe my question will be easier to answer.

As you well know we grew up on a farm with a very large yard. A very large yard that required hours of mowing. Now I think my not that much younger brother did quite a bit of the mowing when we were growing up but somewhere along the line the job fell to me for a couple of summers. Of course, you know you just can't mow the lawn. There are rules that must be followed. First and formost the mowing lines must be STRAIGHT. Yes, I meant to yell that. So to ensure that the lines were straight my dad would trim the different sections that were to be mowed and then I would have straight lines to follow and hopefully continue. Second, to turn left you may not just turn left. NO, you must go beyond the corner and then bear right until you can hit the next row straight on. This insured that all corners were absolutely square. This obsession with straight rows also extended to our bean and corn fields. (hint) I can remember him going out to the fields and looking to see if the rows were straight. This also extended to neighboring fields. He measured a farmer's worth in the straightness of the rows in his field and consequently our worth was revealed in the straightness of our mowing lines.

Now let me show you that picture again but with a little closer look.

Is it clear now why this got my attention the other morning? But I must cut this farmer some slack. There isn't a straight road in this state so it may be just a genetic quirk. Straight rows may just not be possible.

Every morning when I walk by this field I see these crooked rows of corn and think of all those straight lines I had to mow when I was young. And to this day I still try and make sure my mowing lines are straight. Some things just can't be left behind and forgotten.

And just for grins here is a picture of a barn that I walk by almost every day. Two years of walking by this barn and I just recently noticed the pretty blue color on the east side of the barn.

Some More Great Bands

Yes, I realize my previous post was only up for a few short hours but come on that is not my kind of music. My not so younger brother wanted out lists of bands we consider great. I was having a hard time with it and then decided to go to my ipod and see which bands I had downloaded the most. I have come up with a list of bands that I can listen to over and over and never tire of their music.

1. Three Dog Night
I can't say now they are my favorite band but if I were back in high school this band would be at the top of the list. They were my absolute favorite band at the time. Yes, Journey, Styx, and REO are right up there with them but Three Dog Night ruled over them. I knew all their songs and constantly listened to them. Ironically, of the four bands I just listed they are the only band I haven't seen in concert. I am going to have to do something about that. The following song was and is my favorite.





2. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Uh, C where did you grow up? You should be hanging your head in shame. When we lived in Texas we would be beside ourselves when one of his songs would come on the radio. We were Yankees in a foreign land and just hearing his raspy voice was enough to make us feel a little bit of home was still with us. I saw him last year here in Pitt and I have to say he was fantastic. The only thing that could have made it better would have been to see him at the Joe in Detroit.





3. Hootie and the Blowfish
I love this band and but still couldn't believe how much of their music was in my ipod. D was out of town years ago walking the beaches of Hilton Head (This was business people, but someone has to do it.) and called to tell me how crazy it was down there on the beach that night. I could hear all kinds of noise in the background and asked him what was going on that was so loud. A band was playing a free concert but he wasn't quite sure who it was. Hootie? Something like that he said. Might you mean Hootie and the Blowfish? Yes, that's it! Someday I will tell the story of him and a famous actor in an elevator. Clueless is all I can say. Anyway I love this band and got to hear them for myself (and not over a phone) a few years ago. Can I just say incredible?





4. Bon Jovi
I don't think I need to say anything more about them. One of the greatest bands to ever play.


5. Counting Crows
I love their music and have to thank S for introducing them to me. They have a unique sound that I love. I can hear a song of theirs I have never heard and know it is them. They have just released a new album and I am anxious to hear what is on it. Also, in this kind of music I would have to include Semisonic, Gin Blossoms and Sister Hazel. Can you see S's influence in those choices?





6. Savage Garden
I became aware of this band and not long after discovered that they had already broken up. I was heartbroken. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love their music. I'm not sure they will stand the test of time as being one of the "great" bands but I will always have their music in my ipod. I think their lyrics are incredible. I had a really hard time choosing a song to post because they have so many that I think are that good.





Bay City Rollers
I couldn't resist. After all if C can include the Archies, I can include this band. For you punks this was a band that was popular when I was young. I think they were out of Scotland. I really only remember this song from that time but they were wildly popular with the young girls. Just give them a listen and you will be "hearing" them for the rest of the day. Ha!





Well, there is a short list of bands that I have loved or still love. Someday I will do a list of solo artists. Now that will be fun.

Bye Bye Love

Yes, that is the best I could come up with for a song from my birth year. When I saw the top 25 list, I have to admit I didn't recognize most of them. Why couldn't I have been born in a different year? Sometime we will do a different version of this idea. Anyway, enjoy.

This Is.........American Idol!

It is that time of week again, American Idol! We are down to the ten touring idols. I got it wrong again last week with my prediction of who would be going home. I didn't see Amanda Overmyer going that much farther in the competition but I didn't see her going home last week. She will be missed if only because she brought something different to the table.

D is watching with me tonight so this could be interesting. Despite my protests, Ryan has yet to change his hair. (D, I don't like him.) And Paula what is with those gloves? Is this a new trend that I and the rest of the country aren't aware of?



Ryan declares that there is a "special vibe tonight". Oh, Ryan, from your mouth to God's ears. They will be singing a song from the year they were born. There should be lots of songs to choose from so maybe there is hope for that special night.

1. Ramiele Malubay - With Hearts Alone
I understand that the first singer has been the one who ends up being eliminated so this isn't good for Ramiele. I kind of liked the beginning but I felt like by the middle she was just shouting. Randy agrees and says it was too big of a song for her. The judges keep emphasizing that she is sick but Simon thinks she will get thru. Maybe the curse will be broken this week.

2. Jason Castro - Fragile
It's his birthday! Happy Birthday, Jason! He says he is an Aries but isn't sure how to pronounce it. Wow, he may have "pretty" eyes but is there anything else in that head? I'm not loving this song. Last week he sang in French and this week it was Spanish. I think he should just concentrate on singing better in English. Randy and Paula thought it was just nice and a safe choice. Simon didn't like it, sorry! Jason says he was sloppy and maybe should have practiced more. I don't get it. This is American Idol. If you aren't going to give it your best effort why should we be bothered with voting for you? Just asking, Jason.

3. Syesha Mercado - If I Was Your Women
I don't like this kind of music so it doesn't do anything for me. The judges loved it so I will take their word for it.

4. Chikezie - If Only For One Night
Chikezie says he followed his heart in choosing his song this week. Let's hope his heart knew what it was doing. I don't like this either. It is the kind of music you hear on the radio in the middle of the night to put you back to sleep. And guess what? It worked. Paula was the only one who liked it. (D, ha!) Simon wants some personality. I think this may be his personality which means he is in trouble.

5. Brooke White - Every Breath You Take
Did she just start over? Wow, I don't think I have ever seen that happen before. D wants to know what is wrong with her hands. I agree, maybe strange lighting? It was ok. I like the beginning the best. The judges agree and think it was alright. Simon says it is good enough to get her through another week. Go, Brooke!

D is gone. No more insightful commentary from him. He will be missed.

6. Michael Johns - We Are the Champions
Hasn't he done Queen already? He must really like them. Hopefully it will be better than the first attempt. The girls love it. And I like it but then again I like Queen. Simon says he got it right and is the best of the night so far.



7. Carly Smithson - Eclipse of the Heart
I like this song and I think this is a good choice for her. The ending is kind of strange. Paula loved the ending and Simon didn't think it worked. I would have thought she would have done better with a song like this. She's safe but she isn't separating herself from the pack. She is going to have to do better than this if she wants to win.

8. David Archuleta - You're the Voice
I have never heard of this song and it sounds like the judges haven't either. He sang it well but it didn't do anything for me. Simon says it sounded like a theme park song and he doesn't think he chose the song. Ohhh, was dad behind this song choice?

9. Kristy Lee Cook - God Bless the USA
The heartland will love this song but how will it go over in Hollywood? Wow, she sang it well. The judges think it was a brilliant song choice. I don't think she was the worst tonight. I actually think she will make it through.

10. David Cook - Billie Jean
Stop mumbling Ryan, this is about the fifth time I couldn't understand you when you announced the song they were singing. That's ok, I am sure I will recognize it when he starts singing. Nope, this doesn't sound familiar. I really like it but I don't know the song. Did they just say it's Billie Jean? I didn't hear that. I will have to go back and listen to it again. Paula is on her feet and the judges loved it. Simon says, "Amazing!". I agree and think he might just win it all.



Well, what do you think? Who was your favorite? For me, David Cook. Picking the worst tonight is a little harder. I am putting Chikezie, Jason (sorry, Shae), and Ramiele at the bottom. Chikezie is going home tomorrow. Let's see if I get it right this week.

The Game Has Begun

"Any baseball is beautiful. No other small package comes as close to the ideal in design and utility. It is a perfect object for a man’s hand. Pick it up and it instantly suggests its purpose: it is meant to be thrown a considerable distance—thrown hard and with precision. Its feel and heft are the beginning of the sport’s critical dimensions; if it were a fraction of an inch larger or smaller, a few centigrams heavier or lighter, the game of baseball would be utterly different. Hold a baseball in your hand ... Feel the ball, turn it over in your hand; hold it across the seam or the other way, with the seam just to the side of your middle finger. Speculation stirs. You want to get outdoors and throw this spare object to somebody or, at the very least, watch somebody else throw it. The game has begun."
- Roger Angell, in Five Seasons





It ain't nothing 'til I call it. -Bill Klem-

Easter 2008

After reading my not so much younger brother's post about his Easter weekend, I have a lot to live up to. I originally was going to post just pictures but maybe I better add a little commentary to go with them.

First, let me say this is the coldest Easter I can remember in a long time. We had snow on the ground Saturday morning. What is up with that? But by today, Sunday, the sun came out and it ended up in the forties. It was actually quite pleasant.

Cory and Sarah arrived Thursday evening. We have lucked out by living half way between St Joe and Philly. It is a 6 hour drive for each which isn't too bad if it is a long weekend. Sarah arrived first and Jo was beside herself. Sarah said she had never seen her wag her tail so much. When we got her she never wagged her tail so this was a quite a change from 6 months ago.

Cory arrived not much after Sarah and Jo wasn't too sure about him. She has issues with men. I can only assume that her days in the puppy mill were not pleasant and that has led to her fear of men. At first she barked and barked at him. Eventually, she decided she would stand a few feet from him, run at him, bark once, and run back to her distance of perceived safety. Finally she decided she would just stay at a safe distance and keep an eye on him. All day Friday she followed him around and would sit and stare at him. If Sarah was sitting next to him on the couch she would sit on her lap and stare. Cory found it a little unnerving. But by Saturday she had decided she liked him. Now if only he would actually let her sit on his lap she would be one happy dog.

Jo has enjoyed her first Easter. She even received her first Easter basket. Have I gone too far? Should dogs have Easter baskets?

Sarah and Cory enjoyed spending some time together and even found time to go to a movie Friday night. Sarah also spent much of her time "attending" class and doing homework. That actually worked out for Cory because he is a big basketball fan so he was free to watch the games without feeling too much guilt. Sadly, Notre Dame lost.

The weather was so nice today that we decided to go outside and take some pictures of Cory and Sarah before he left to go back home. Poor guy! He was a good sport and actually went along with some of our ideas. Some of them turned out really fun.

Cory is now on his way back home. Sort of. He has been calling with updates throughout the evening. There is a problem with his radiator hose and he now driving 50 mph and having to stop and refill the radiator every so often. Sarah leaves tomorrow, probably after I buy her lunch. Then things go back to normal for awhile.

I hope the Easter Bunny was as good to you as he was to us.

Happy Easter

I Go Back

I was walking my 4 miles the other day and listening to my ipod when this song came up, I Go Back by Kenny Chesney. I have always liked this song and a portion of the lyrics got my attention. "we all have a song that somehow stamped our lives, that takes us back to another place and time". I started to think about the songs that have stamped my life. After all I have 4 miles to cover, what else is there to do? With a little thought I came up with three songs that can take me back to another place and time of my life.

The first song is Precious & Few by Climax. As a family we spent a lot of time at Grandma W's cottage at the lake. I can clearly remember a drive back one night from her cottage. I even remember where we were on that drive home that night when this song came on the radio. We were coming back in the truck. Yes, probably all 6 of us in a truck. And this was in the days when the cab was just a cab. There were no such things as extended cabs with extra seating room. I can't remember if it had a bench seat or not but there was a small space behind the seats that if you small enough you could squeeze in and sit on the floor. I remember being smashed on the floor of that truck when this song came on the radio. Why I would remember this and why it stuck with me I don't know. But it did, and when I hear that song I am sitting on the floor of that truck driving home from a day at Grandma's house.

Crimson & Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells. We grew up in a house without a record player and probably until we were in high school no radio to call our own. When our mother had her radio on it was tuned to a Mt. Pleasant station that played oldies. And at night it was Lawrence Welk and Ed Sullivan. But by high school we had access to the music we wanted to listen to. We had an 8 track player! For the punk readers, 8 tracks were the answer to albums. In those days, listening to 8 tracks meant listening to the music all the way through and praying the player wouldn't "eat" the tape. There was no rewinding back then. I can still remember standing in the living room facing the bookcase (different bookcase, same spot) playing our 8 track of Tommy James. I loved that song, maybe because it was a change from what we had listened to growing up. We were rock and rollers listening to our music.

And the last song that defines a specific time in my life is Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. That time was my time at Tech. I don't remember if it was my brother and D's dorm's hall dances or if they were parties put together by the smaller group they had formed called the FWADS. (Yes, my not that much younger brother it isn't spelled right). But this song was always played. We were so young then but we didn't know it and didn't care. I had a boyfriend and we had a group of friends that did everything together. It was a time of freedom. It's not a song that is played that often anymore but when I do happen to hear it I go back to my time at Tech.

So do you have any songs that can take you back to another place and time? Share them if you do. I would like to hear what songs hold some meaning about your life. And now I will let Kenny say what I have not so eloquently tried to say.

Is This The Cool Bike You Were Riding?

I had a different post planned for today but after reading my not that much younger brother's post for the day I changed my mind. I thought you might like to see that "cool" bike he was riding.

And not wanting to leave my not that much younger sister out, this was her preferred mode of transportation.

Welcome, Spring

Edited: I just woke up to snow on the ground. I guess someone didn't get the message that today is the first day of spring.

This Is..........American Idol!

Let's just get last week's news out the way. Even though I hadn't chosen David to go I wasn't the least bit disappointed. Good job, America. Two, I don't like Reuben's goodbye song. Best Days by Graham Colton was a much better song choice. Now that we have that out of the way, This is American Idol!

Ryan is telling us that the Beatles will be back by popular demand. They announced on last week's elimination show that the Beatles would be the theme again this week. Who had time to demand? Oh well, at least it isn't a back to back Disco week. Now they are showing clips of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. I saw that show! Just let me say, the hair was shocking. Never mind that they were wearing suits, it was the hair that got our attention. We were so naive. If we only knew what was coming.
Enough of that, let's get on with the show.

1. Amanda Overmyer - Back in the USSR
I think this is a good song choice for her. Huh? What song is this? The beginning was all over the place but she found the melody by the middle of the song. The judges want her to change it up once in awhile. I'm not sure she can. But I love Simon's comment, "Your tickets aren't on sale yet". I'm afraid she won't be around for much longer and then she'll have time to worry about ticket sales.

2. Kristy Lee Cook - Hide Your Love Away
She says she picked the song because she liked the title. Wow, I wonder how that's going to work for you. She was better than last week but that isn't saying much. I thought it was kind of boring. She has no energy on the stage. Uh oh, Paula is commenting on how she looks. That is never good. The judges agree with me. I think we will be seeing her in the bottom three again this week.

3. David Archuleta - The Long and Winding Road
I understand that some of his poor performance last week can be blamed on his father. It seems he wasn't happy with his rehearsals last week and ripped him up and down. That will sure help your confidence on stage. Let's hope he can redeem himself this week. Fantastic!! How does he do it? He takes an old song and makes it sound current while respecting the original version. The judges agree. He is going to be hard to beat.

4. Michael Johns - A Day in the Life
I don't know this song. Oh wait, yes I do. I just didn't know it was called that. All I can say is that must have been a hard song to arrange. It sounds a little disjointed to me and the judges agree. He went for the sympathy vote about his friend. Will it work?

5. Brooke White - Here Comes the Sun
I love this song. Another strange dress and it's yellow. I'm not sure this is working for me. Ahh, it was just OK for me. But, how can you not like her? She is just so darn sweet. It should be enough to get her through.

6. David Cook - Day Tripper
I saw Simon on Oprah this week and he said that Chris Daughtry should have won the year he competed but popularity won out over talent. He just said it again, this is a talent show not a popularity contest. Is he trying to prevent an early, undeserved exit? Will this be the year a rocker wins? Can David deliver? He's using a voice box. That's different. I like it and so do Randy and Paula. Simon didn't like it. Doesn't matter, David is safe.

7. Carly Smithson - Blackbird
I am still not a fan of hers but I love the accent. I don't know this song but I like it! I will have to download the Beatle's version and see what the original sounds like. Simon didn't like this either. He's wrong, sorry! I'm starting to like her but enough with the tatoos.

8. Jason Castro - Michelle
He may be in trouble. He doesn't speak French and part of this song is in French. I think it is kind of boring but then again the song is boring. It's not one of my favorite Beatle songs. Jason doesn't like it either. Well, if he doesn't like it how can he expect us to like it?

9. Syesha Mercado - Yesterday
Cute dress. I didn't like it as much as the judges did. She just doesn't excite me.

10. Chekezie - I've Just Seen a Face
He's playing an instrument he's never played before? First, David Cook and now him. I don't get it. Oh well, play on Chekezie. I liked the first half and I liked the second half but I'm not sure they worked together as a whole song. Simon says it reminds him of Achy Breaky Heart. That's not good because that song is awful. Sorry Billy Ray. Despite that I think he will make it through this round.

11. Ramiele Malubay - I Should Have Known Better
She should have. That wasn't very good. And please lose the hat.

I thought this week brought a mixed bag of performances. My bottom three: Kristy, Jason, and Ramiele. Ramiele goes home or at least I hope she does. If nothing else so I don't have to look up how to spell her name ever again. This is an important week because the last ten standing get to go on the Idol tour this summer.

Ryan has just announced that Kelly Pickler will be on the show tomorrow night. That could be interesting.

And now on to the best performance of the night. Take it away, David.

I'm Over It

Yes, the music has changed on my blog. I realize it has been only a week but I have been listening to this song for two months. I am over it and it is time to move on.
In honor of Bon Jovi playing in Pittsburgh this past weekend, I have chosen one of my favorite Bon Jovi songs. They are on my list of bands that I want to see in concert. The music is great and he is so easy on the eyes. What more could one ask for? This short video is from the concert Saturday night. Enjoy.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Let me start by saying that I am going to list the little things that make my days a little bit happier. It goes without saying that my family and friends would, of course, top the list. Well, on most days they would! Now on to the small things that make my days brighter.

1. Jo. I know I said no family but could I not list her? She thinks I am the greatest thing to ever walk the earth and honestly should I even tell her otherwise? She is never more than 10 feet from my side. When I come home, whether it has been 10 minutes or 10 hours, she is beside herself that I have walked through that door. Yes, Jo, is at the top of my list.

2. The Detroit Free Press. I love this paper. I have been reading it since I was a young girl and now I read it every day on the internet. For Christmas last year Dave gave me a Sunday subscription. I don't get it until Thursday or Friday but I don't care. I read it from front to back. It is one of the things I miss the most about Michigan.

3. Google Reader. It has changed the way I keep up with my blogs. Now I can go to one place and see automatically which blogs have been updated. It has been a real time saver and now that I have my own blog to keep up with that has been a great help.

4. My Uggs. I wear them summer and winter. I wear them all day in the house and whenever I go outside. My feet love to be surrounded by sheepskin! And yes, I have two pairs, I love them that much.

5. Stacy's Bagel Chips. I love the plain ones. They do have other flavors but I have never tried them. I found perfection with the first flavor I tried so I have never explored the other possibilities. I love them so much that I now limit myself to one bag a week. In fact, I saw D munching them today and gently reminded him I only get one bag a week. The horror if I should run out before my next shopping trip.

6. Lettuce Wraps. Specifically the wraps from the Cheesecake Factory. I don't even look at the menu when I eat there. I have tried the ones at PF Changs and Chilis but they don't even compare. The last time I had them I was in Hawaii. Sadly, the closest Cheese cake Factory is an hour away so I don't get them very often.


7. My Mini Cooper. What is there not to like? It gets great gas mileage and is cute to boot. It's small and fits me just right. It's biggest drawback is it is horrible in the snow. But until we move back to Michigan that is a minor inconvience for now.





8. Coke Cherry Zero. Love, love this stuff. The biggest drawback is they don't make a caffeine-free version. But I haven't let that stop me from enjoying this as a treat now and then. I take caffeine-free diet Coke and mix in a little cherry juice. It's almost as good as the real thing.

9. Black and white photographs. There is something timeless about a black and white photo. I don't think anyone has done it better than Ansel Adams. I have been to two of his exhibits and have walked away both times inspired by his work.




10. Dark chocolate. The darker the better. In fact, I don't like milk chocolate anymore. I have it everyday and was happy to hear that there may be some health benefits to eating dark chocolate. I usually eat 85 percent but in Hawaii found some 91 percent chocolate. I was in heaven.

11. Reality TV. My most favorite is What Not to Wear. I watch it every day at noon while I eat my lunch. I never tire of seeing them over and over. I have to admit it has changed my shopping habits. I find it much harder to find clothes and happily for Dave I have found I buy far fewer clothes.

12. My ipod. I love music and this has changed the way I listen to music. I now can have it everywhere I go. I walk almost every day and my ipod is with me. When I am doing yardwork my ipod is with me. When I travel my ipod is with me. When I go to bed at night my ipod is with me. I think you get the idea. As I told D the other day, the day my ipod breaks is the day I am on Amazon ordering another one.

13. Pumpkin. Pumpkin in all forms. Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin cookies. Imagine my delight when I found pumpkin chai in the airport one day. I just finished a half-gallon of pumpkin ice cream that I had bought last fall. It makes me sad to think I have to wait another nine months before pumpkin ice cream will be available again.

Well, there you have it, some of my favorite things. When I started I didn't think I would be able to come up with very many things but as you can see I did. In a few months I will do this again and see what new things have become my newest obsession.

Set the Flamingo Free

And if you haven't had enough, I also found the director's cut.

This Is How I Will Be Spending My Weekend

Need I say more?

Odds and Ends

I was surprised when C-4 joined the blogging world. And when her much older brother joined that really shocked me. Who knew he had so much to say? And when the younger set started blogs, well, that really wasn't surprising. After all they have grown up in this electronic world we live in. But the pressure was too much and I was next.

When I saw the music players on the youngin's blogs I wasn't surprised at all. My brother was next and I was somewhat surprised but I can go with that. But, when a player showed up on C's blog, well, that was just too much. I refuse to be the only one without music on my blog! After much trial and error I have a player too.

Mine, though, comes with a twist. I have this odd little known fact about me. If I like a song I will and can listen to it over and over and over and over and over and over. You get the idea. I have been known to set my player on repeat and have the same song play for well over an hour. Drives D crazy to say the least. My song obsession at the moment is Same Mistake. And so my player has only that song in its playlist. I'm not sure how long you will be tortured with that particular song, but until I decide to move another song obsession, enjoy!

As you well know I am an AI fan. I am also a Survivor fan though not to the extent of my not that much younger sister. I will let her take care of the major recap of that show but I do have one thing to say about last night's show. As most of you know this season is a mix of Fans and Favorites. Erik, Erik, have you ever seen this show? He said he felt shafted that Joel had been voted out last week. He said the favorites are "tough as nails" and cannot be trusted at all. He also added that if the playing field has been lowered to lying to people's faces, he might have to do the some of that. Excuse me, where have you been? Isn't that what this show is all about? You, sir, are no superfan! I feel better now. Rant is over and C the floor is now back to you pertaining to all things Survivor.

And since pictures seem to be such a hit I will leave you with another oldie but goodie. John talked about being "cool" earlier this week. Well, how cool is this handsome young man?

Baby John

Here are the pictures I promised to post, John. You really were a cute baby! Someday I will go through my old pictures and see what else I have.

For the fans of black and white.......

And one more just for grins.

This Is ....... American Idol!!

Yes, it is true I am a huge AI fan. So from now until May I will have a Idol recap on Wednesdays. For my loyal readers who aren't fans, three months and it will be over. Let's get started.

They will be singing songs from the Lennon and McCartney songbook. What could be better than that? And of all things last Friday night I attended a concert which featured a Beatle's Tribute Band. That band has been playing Beatle's music for over 24 years, which ironically is longer than the Beatles played together. They were excellent so let us hope tonight's singers do half as well as they did.


1. Syesha Mercado - Got To Get You Into My Life
When Paula starts out by saying you look good you know you are in trouble. I agree with Randy. It was just OK.

2. Chikezie (what no last name?) - She's a Woman
I don't know the original but he certainly brought a lot of energy to the song. The judges loved it! Uh, calm down, Ryan.

3. Ramiele Malubay - In My Life
I love this song, please don't ruin it. Uh oh, Paula commented on her looks too. I agree with the judges, she brought nothing new to the song.

4. Jason Castro - If I Fell
What's with the flower in his hair in the intro? Paula feels his heart. I just feel hatred for his rendition. I can see why he failed his music class.

5. Carly Smithson - Come Together
Just to be fair you should know I am not a fan of hers. She has had her recording contract and failed. Move on and let someone else have a chance. With that being said, she did a good job. The judges loved it.


intermission - Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore from Horton Hears a Who. Love it!!


6. David Cook - Eleanor Rigby
I like him but don't think he can win. I liked his rendition, Randy and Paula liked it and Simon thought it was brilliant. Yea! He should make it through to next week.

7. Brooke White - Let It Be
She is my favorite girl. She won't win but I am rooting for her anyway. This is my favorite Beatle's song, please don't ruin it. Love the song, hate the dress.

8. David Hernandez - I Saw Her Standing There
I don't like him and won't be sorry when he goes. Good the judges didn't like it and neither did I. Now go away!!

9. Amanda Overmyer - You Can't Do That
Her hair matches her pants. How strange. And just a side note. Wear a helmet, you're a nurse you should know better. I thought it was good and the judges loved it. Oh, now the judges are bickering!

10. Michael Johns - Across the Universe
In the intro he is wearing a t-shirt advertising vegemite. Just a word to the wise, that stuff is nasty! I think he was good enough to get through to the next round.

11. Kristy Lee Cook - Eight Days a Week
Country? Could be risky. I didn't hate it as much as the judges. But what do they know? They liked her country version of Faithfully last week and I hated it.

12. David Archuleta - We Can Work It Out
I have been waiting for him all night. He is my pick this year to win it out. Did he really forget the lyrics? Oh no! He didn't work it out. No worries. He will make it through to sing another day.


All in all a good show. My prediction for who is going home tomorrow - Ramiele. I don't think she has the fan base to keep her in it especially with that weak performance. Sorry!

And I shall leave you with my favorite performance of the night. Actually I liked three so I decided to pick the performance that also included my favorite song. Take it away, Brooke!

Free To a Good Home

I will be spending my day washing bedding and taking my down comforter to the dry cleaners.

Who Is This Little Guy?

Who could this little guy be? I will give two hints to make it a little easier for the younger crowd. One, this picture was taken in front of the house he was born in. Two, check those ears!

Something Fun For a Monday Morning

I was laying in bed last night listening to my ipod when I suddenly realized something was wrong. Three Bob Seger songs in a row! How can that be? I always have my ipod set to shuffle and statistically he would not come up that many times. I love the randomness of not knowing what song will play next. In fact, at one time I had playlists set up but have since deleted them because I never listened to them.

Now here is the fun part. What songs would I hear on your ipod if I set it to shuffle? Would it be something cool and edgy meaning you are oh so cool or would it be something embarrassing that would show just how geeky you are? See that is the fun part. With shuffle you can't control what is coming next. So set your ipod to shuffle and tell me what five songs come up and why they are in your music library.

. I will go first and I pray at least one cool song comes to the top. I have everything from Kid Rock to The Clarks to Kenny Chesney so who knows what will play. So here goes:

1. Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood. I have quite a few of her songs and this happens to be one of my favorites. If you are a country fan this is a good one.

2. Pieces of April by Three Dog Night I am showing my age with this one. This was my favorite band while in high school and is my favorite song.

So far so good.

3.This One's For the Girls by Martina McBride. Another country song but that isn't surprising because I probably have more country music in my ipod than anything else.

4. Drift Off to Dream by Travis Tritt Country again. I see a trend here. One more chance to come up with something different.

5. One Tin Soldier by Coven Another oldie but goodie.

So give it a try and let me know what your ipod reveals about you.

My first blog post and I really have nothing to say. Especially after the two posts this weekend of my sister and J. So instead of trying to think of something profound to say I am going to let Frank McCourt have the first word. These are his words on what writing is and should be about.

"You make little marks on paper, and if you make enough of them, you have a story, and isn't that pure magic? And that's it. No matter how long you live, you have stories to tell, and nestling in each one there may be a nugget of wisdom."

So there you have it. I am going to try to tell a little story about my life and read those little stories you have been telling about your life. And just like J showed us this weekend, every so often we may find a nugget of wisdom.