The CBOX

If you'll indulge me...

2010-03-25T08:42:00.013-04:00

Just so my blog readers don't think the only think I do is criticize singers on Idol, I wanted to share my latest project. Since my dance class was canceled I have been desperately seeking another creative outlet. Thankfully Mike is very supportive of my craziness sometimes...like sewing a toddler dress when we have two boys. I got the pattern from my MIL last year and have been dying to make it ever since. It is a vintage pattern from I would guess the 50s or 60s and I just think it is adorable. When I was growing up I remember wearing dresses with a pinafore, but girls (at least in my Primary) don't wear them anymore. So, here's is my attempt at bringing them back. Who's with me?

Front
Back
Detail on the under dress

Front(ish) view on my "model"

Back view on my model

Back detail on the pinafore...I just love all the buttons!
"Mom! Can we please be done now?"

And so you all don't think I am crazy and start calling child services, I am sending this dress down to our niece, Abby, in Georgia. It should be there in plenty of time for Easter.

Still on my docket are two car seat covers, two nursing covers and a dress for my aunt from another vintage pattern.

Thank you all for indulging me and letting me share my creation with you. It was really fun to do and made me feel like I am good at something other than changing diapers and making PBJs.

"Top" Eleven

2010-03-23T20:19:00.002-04:00

I'll admit that I almost didn't watch or blog tonight because I knew Miley Cyrus was going to be the "mentor" and I thought she would drive me crazy promoting her new movie for two hours. To my surprise, Miley, and her omnipresent chewing gum, were not the most painfully obnoxious things about tonight's show. However it was very clear to me that there are people littering this competition that don't deserve to be here.

Lee Dewyze - I thought his performance of The Letter was one of his best. I really liked that he actually smiled and seemed to be enjoying himself. I thought the judges were a little harsh with him and he did better than they gave him credit for. He looks like he has more of a sparkle in his eye and is becoming more attractive to me. Oh yeah, and he can really sing. Grade: A-

Paige Myles - Oh dear, I HATE when contestants of any season sing this song (Against All Odds). I first developed when Scottie "the Body" sang it in season four. Paige's rendition was no less annoying. The pitch was all over the place and she had no stage presence. I also did not get the outfit -- Off white clingy t-shirt tunic, black leggings, heeled gladiator sandals and then victory rolls in her hair??? She must be getting style advice from Sherri Shepard. Why is she still here? Grade: F

Tim Urban - Tim singing Queen...are you kidding me with this. Horrible. Awful. Lame. There were moments when I actually closed my eyes because I was embarrassed for him. It's tough for me to want him here another week, but that is how much I want Paige to go. I seriously cannot believe Lacey Brown is watching this from home and these two weirdos are still in. Grade: D-

Aaron Kelly - I knew Aaron was going to choose this song when they announced the theme of the night. He gave a very earnest performance and considering his laryngitis it was done well. He seems to be getting more comfortable on stage and is gaining confidence. That being said, he still needs to improve to be in the same league as some of the other contestants. Grade: B

Crystal Bowersox - Each week I like her even more. While she is not my style, I can respect that she is true to her style and she does have legitimate singing chops. I smile watching her perform because she reminds me of the kids from Nottingham that I went to high school with and I can totally see her performing at Cafe on the Corner, or what's the new hippy hangout -- Adelle's Coffeeshop. I love her in all of her unwashed goodness. Grade: A

Michael Lynche - Big Mike knows how to pick songs that are great for his voice and that he can connect with. I think I get irritated when they tell him that his performance was old fashioned because I think somethings and some songs are intended to be timeless....and that's not a bad thing. Maybe if he did a remix of that song with a ukelele they would have liked it more. Grade: B

Andrew Garcia - As he was singing I kept thinking, "the judges are going to eat him alive!" He assumed the position and braced for the comments. He knew it was bad right after he finished. I am so sick of hearing people say "I was having fun!" as an excuse for giving a bad performance. This is not the I-hope-you-had-fun competition. It is a singing/performing competition. This one did not cut it. Grade: D

Katie Stevenson - I don't really like the song (Big Girls Don't Cry) but at least I knew the judges would get off her back about being "young". The suspendered skinny jeans and peace sign t-shirt helped her too. Now that they can accept her for being young, they were able to judge her voice (which was SHARP). She is cute and I like her voice but hopefully she can be on pitch more next week. Grade: C

Casey James - He didn't make many changes on the original song (Power of Love) but he did sing it well and made good use of the Blues Brothers horn section. I wasn't blown away, but he has a good voice and definitely deserves to move on next week. Grade: B

Didi Benami - While her performance wasn't awful, I just didn't get it. Out came the "I had fun" excuse. Oh goodness, me! I think they should ban that phrase for the rest of the season. Not fantastic, but not the worst I heard tonight. Grade: C-

Siobhan Magnus - I just want to hug this little weirdo. She is so peculiar and so interesting and has serious talent. I agree with Simon that, like Adam Lambert, she will be polarizing. People will either really like her, or really hate her. The one thing you can say is that there really is no one else like her in the competition. She takes risks and succeeds more often than not. She knows what she likes and is excellent at expressing herself. Grade: A

What did you all think?

Paint it Black

2010-03-16T20:03:00.004-04:00

Michael Lynche - For a man of his size, he can MOVE! I really liked his interpretation of the song (Miss You) because it didn't sound copycat to me. I just love watching him perform. Each week during his songs I can't help but smile. His intro clip gave a good overview of who he is and what type of person/artist he wants to be. I feel like he is very genuine and true to himself each week. If you'd like my early prediction, he will at least make it to the final three. Grade: A

Didi Benami - I am on the fence with this performance. I think she definitely hit some money notes and sounded much more even toned than she has in the past. She relied less on the gimicky "cool, new" sound that she used in the past. However she did forget the words in some parts which I think is a little weird at this stage in the game. Her hair was driving me crazy!!! The deconstructed civil war hair needs to never be repeated again. That being said, she annoyed me far less this week. Grade: B+

Casey James - Wow, the third performance that I have actually liked and feel like the contestant deserves to be in this stage of the game. In the past I have liked Casey but haven't been that crazy about him. Tonight's performance seemed more authentic and it seemed like he was really having fun. He seems like someone who is very grounded and humble which makes him infinitely more likable. I really love when we get to know the contestants better. I think it helps to get an idea of what they would be like if they got famous. Nicely done, Casey. Grade: A-

Lacey Brown - I have to confess I am mildly obsessed with Lacey's hair. When she is performing I keep imagining what I would look like with that hair cut. I thought the vocals we decent, I really liked the string quartet because it was unexpected and I thought it was an ok performance overall. I have to agree with Simon that she needs to step it up to keep in the competition, but I feel she did well for herself. I finally put my finger on who she reminds me of (vocally)...I think she sounds a bit like Chantal Kreviazuk. Grade: C+

Andrew Garcia - He seems to have gone through a makeover for his big debut on the big stage. I was glad that he chose just to sing the song instead of interpreting it in some strange way with a guitar and loads of irony. He looks a bit like Lou Diamond Phillips to me tonight which made me chuckle. I also laughed during his intro when his mother dutifully sat next to her weeping husband with her hands crossed and eyes down and didn't say one word. It just reminded me of the couple interviews in When Harry Met Sally or Waiting for Guffman. Even more funny when it's real. I didn't think it was as pitchy as Randy said it was. For me it was a decent performance and I think he'll be around another week. Grade: C+

Katie Stevens - Finally the judges agree that they have been giving her crazy advice and also giving her props for a job well done tonight. When I first heard it was Rolling Stones night, I thought, "I wonder who will sing Wild Horses?" I am so glad Katie picked that song because it really suited her voice and I think she made some great changes to the melody which could get repetitive if sung like the original. I think the stylists tried to make her look "young" by styling her like Selena Gomez/Demi Lovato (I can't tell them apart) but you get the idea. I am so happy to see her succeed. I was very surprised that she made it through last week especially when it came down to her and Lilly but I am glad she took the opportunity and ran with it. Grade: A-

Tim Urban - Wow...way to blow your opportunity on the big stage. I get that he was trying to do something different, but it just seemed like an odd way to take that song (She's Under My Thumb). I didn't think the vocals were that great and I agree with Ellen it is something I would imagine hearing at a resort and thinking, "huh, that's cool" but not really anything else. I think even Tim knows he is in over his head in this competition. We'll see how America feels...Grade: D

Siobhan Magnus - I LOVE this beautiful weirdo. She is a mashup of Ally Sheedy, Winona Ryder and Zooey Deschanel (there I got one from each decade) I can't even contain my excitement when I hear her sing. Those notes were crazy!!! I mostly love the fact that she picks something insanely hard and then just goes for it...all out...no looking back. I knew this song (Paint it Black) would be another one that was sure to appear tonight and I am SO glad Siobhan picked it. Grade:A

Lee Dewyze - Siobhan is a hard act to follow but I think he did an alright job with the song (Beast of Burden). He has such an interesting voice and I think he deserves to be here but I agree with the judges that he needs to wow the judges (and America) at this phase of the competition. I think he'll be around another week at least. Grade: C+

Paige Myles - Maybe I am still reeling from last week's bomb but I just didn't think this week's performance was that great. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't amazing either. I don't know, I am not sold on her yet. Grade: C-

Aaron Kelly - So I know it is getting late out here, but this performance made me sleepy. I can appreciate that he was doing the best he could with the constraints of the theme, but I wasn't as impressed at the judges were. The vocal was good but I think he has stiff competition and I don't know if he'll be able to keep up down the road. For tonight he did ok. Grade: B-

Crystal Bowersox - It seems like a forgone conclusion that Crystal will do well on Rolling Stones night. She did well and I agree with the judges that she is very comfortable performing and she does it well. She is growing on me. Grade: A-

Overall, I thought it was a good night for most of the contestants. It kind of felt like listening to a themed soundtrack like I Am Sam where new artists perform older well-known songs in new ways. I really think Tim is going home.

What do you all think?

Top 8 Guys

2010-03-10T20:58:00.002-05:00

Lee Dewyze - Oh, Sweet Lee. He is growing on me. I thought he did a good performance. I am not familiar with that song, so I couldn't compare it to the original. Judging the performance alone, I thought it was solid but I wasn't blown away. There is something very charming and likeable about him. He is not haughty or stuck up and that makes me like him infinitely more than some other contestants we have seen thus far. Grade: B+

Alex Lambert - I will be unpopular for saying this, but I am not jumping on the bandwagon of the judges saying this is his competition to lose. To me, his voice is nasally and doesn't sound that unique. Actually, every time I hear him I think of Jason Mraz. Ever time I see him I think of Florence Henderson. To me, that is not a winning combination -- guacamole and maple syrup. When I heard the recaps at the end of the show it was even more apparent to me that he is not the "star" the judges see him as. Oh well. Grade: C+

Tim Urban - Up until this week, I didn't think Tim had claws. Boy, oh boy he pulled them out tonight. He reached in and pulled out he trump card of all trump cards on this show...Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah. I feel like this is a song that endears whoever is singing it to the audience. Tangent: One of my guilty pleasures is watching Local Access Cable. I love to see the local town talent shows and I found out this year that Miss NH is from Raymond. She was kind enough to grace the tiny stage this year of the Miss Raymond pageant and sang Hallelujah as her performance piece. Even though I don't think she is the best singer, it endeared her to the audience and the crowd went wild. End Tangent. My point in telling that story is that I feel like the song more than the performer shines. That being said, he did sing it well and this was by far his best performance so far. Well played, Tim. Well played. Grade: A

Andrew Garcia - I don't know what to say about him. I want so badly to like him and what he does, but week after week I am scratching my head at what to make of him. Of all the Xtina songs to choose, I didn't think that was the best one especially if you are not going to stray from the melody until the last possible second. I don't even know how to really score him because he is in such an odd niche and I am having trouble imagining what sort of recording artist he would turn out to be. His vocals weren't bad, but they weren't fantastic either. Grade: C

Casey James - Meh. I could take or leave this performance. This is not my favorite Keith Urban song (You'll Think of Me) and it sounded like he was clipping the end of the phrases and his vibrato seemed too fast tonight. I think Casey is good at what he does, but I don't find him captivating, or exciting to watch in anyway. I think he is a guy who would do really well impressing girls with his sensitive guy-with-a-guitar singing. It's ok, but to me it is boring. Grade: B-

Aaron Kelly - Oy vey. I feel like sending a roll of duct tape to Fox to attach his hand to the mic. They give him the shiniest, chromiest mic and he keeps tossing it between his hands. His lower range is weak and it seems like he is just waiting to get to his money notes. Before everyone gets upset, I get that he is 16. His voice is still developing and growing, but it frustrates me when they keep telling the girls (specifically Katie Stevenson) to sound more young and to do young songs and then they let Aaron sing Lonestar. Kara tried to express that the song had no relevance to his life and Simon jumped in to say it was a beautiful song, let him sing the beautiful song. Where was that advice when Katie sang Feeling Good? I feel that their is a double standard and for that reason I am more critical of Aaron's performance -- in an effort to be somewhat fair. The vocal was not great. Once he hit his money notes, yeah, that is his strength, but he really needs to work on his vocal control and stage presence (not playing hot potato with the mic). Grade: C

Todrick Hall - Acid washed jeans and glovelets aside, this guy can sing. I found it so refreshing to hear someone actually SING and come out to win it. He was a bit over the top performance wise, but he was trying to differentiate himself from the other contestants -- mission accomplished. I was just so happy to not be lulled to sleep by another Easy Listening Soft Rock classic. Thank you Todrick for bringing Red Bull to tonight's performance. Grade: A-

Michael Lynche - The first high notes made me jump and it only went more over the top from there. I love this guy. I loved watching his massive body move all over the stage. He makes me smile. Can we just talk briefly about Kara's reaction to the song? WHOA...step back from the edge of the cliff my friend -- this is a live show. I can appreciate a song moving you, but it seemed like she was letting herself get way too involved in that emotion. This is about the contestants, not you. Anyway, I think Simon's comments were dead on. Big Mike nailed his performance tonight and reminded me that this is a competition, not amateur's karaoke hour. Well done. Grade: A+

Well worth the wait to hear the best two contestants last. I think Aaron and Andrew will go home tonight. I would hope Alex would go, but I know lots of people like him. We'll see...

What did you all think?

Top 8 Girls

2010-03-09T20:01:00.002-05:00

Katie Stevenson - I feel so bad for this girl. She has such a unique and RICH tone to her voice. She, in many ways, sounds like an older artist. But the judges want her to be "young" and so they have asked her each week to sing "young" songs, but she keeps falling behind the mark in their eyes because they want her to sound young singing a young song. I feel like they gave her credit for taking their notes, but in my opinion, the notes were wrong. If she is more of a "vintage" feel singer, let her show what she is good at doing, instead of forcing her to be something she's not. In an effort to make her current they have made her irrelevant. I am not gonna lie, her performance tonight (Breakaway) was not great, but I think it is a hard song to sing, especially if you don't feel comfortable singing in that style. I just feel bad for her that she keeps listening to the judges even though it isn't the direction she wants to go. Randy made a comment tonight to Siobhan that he is glad that she doesn't listen to them and does her own thing because it works. Hopefully Katie will give that a try next week. Grade: C+

Siobhan Magnus - She is such a weirdo, but I love her. When she announced she would be singing that song at first I thought it would be a strange choice for her, but then I was like, "Oh wait, it's Siobhan, it will be fine." It was a gutsy move to sing a cappella to start the song and I love her belt notes...that is exactly how they should sound. Grade: A-

Lacey Brown - This was definitely her best performance. I felt myself drifting back to memories of watching Joey climbing in and out of Dawson's bedroom window to songs like that. She sounded like an artist who could have been featured on the WB during the golden years. I totally loved it and it made me feel like an angsty teen again. She felt very connected with this song and seemed to genuinely be competing tonight. I really think she has a chance. Grade: A

Katelyn Epperly - Speaking of bringing back memories, Katelyn's outfit tonight reminded me of something I would have envied circa 1993. She sang the song well, but the song is not something you can really do a lot with. I don't know...it was just kinda ok. She has a good voice, but I don't know why they don't ream her for "not knowing what kind of artist she is" like they do to Katie. Meh, I could take or leave this performance. Grade: C

Didi Benami - For those who read this blog, it is documented that I am not a Didi fan. While I am still not on Team Didi, tonight's performance was at least decent. She seemed connected to the song and gave a much better performance than last week. I disagree with the judges that there was a "wow" moment, but she did well for her. I still don't know why people on this show like to slow the pace down to practically speaking, but I expect that to continue. Grade: B

Paige Myles - Ouch! What a weird arrangement of that song (Smile). I agree with Randy that the bossanova beat that randomly came in was bizarre. She has such a powerful voice but she did no service to it by singing in a soft breathy voice. The judges were painfully honest with her telling her that it was the wrong choice. I really don't think that was good enough to get her through to the next round. Grade: D-

Crystal Bowersox - Now this is what Katelyn should have done with her song. Take a song everyone knows, add to it, make it your own (not in a way that is unrecognizable) and steal the show. Crystal is not my favorite, but she is growing on me and has legitimate talent and swagger. I really just want to cut off her "braids" and scrub her hair, put a skosh more makeup and a little more color in her wardrobe. Oh, for goodness sake, just call in Stacy and Clinton already! Grade: A

Lilly Scott - I was NOT crazy about Lilly's performance tonight. I feel like she makes each song sound cutesy and quirky but I don't know that she shows much range week to week. The performance wasn't awful, but I am not sold on her. Also, she needs to find earrings that don't look like she is wearing crocheted coasters. Distracting!! Grade: B-

Is everyone else as glad as I am that tonight's show was only an hour instead of two? Far less painful!!

Going home tonight - definitely Paige, and then either Katie or Katelyn.

What did you all think?

Top 10 Girls

2010-03-03T20:05:00.002-05:00

Crystal Bowersox - Okay, so maybe I am still riding high from eating so much krumkake tonight, but I actually thought she was really good this week. She looks less like a dirty hippy this week and gave a pure smooth vocal. I try not to pick favorites and support them no matter what and vice versa. Even though I completely did not like her performance last week she more than made up for it this week and I feel like she definitely deserves to be in the competition. Grade: A-

Haeley Vaughn - The song choice (The Climb) was good for her, but her execution was not. I completely agree with the judges that she has NO connection with the song. She could be singing about a flesh-eating robot destroying humanity and she would swing her hips, bop her head and smile incessantly. I get that she is a bubbly, smiley person and that's ok, but you need to understand and know what you are singing about and convey that to the audience. Her pitch was all over the place and she didn't have enough "sweet" notes to make the song work. I really liked Haeley in the earlier rounds because she is kind of an oddity and is talented for being 16, but she needs more work. Grade: D+

Lacey Brown - First off, I have to say I L-O-V-E her hair. I wish I had the chutzpah to pull it off and maybe someday I will. That being said, it was an ok performance. There was nothing earth shattering about it, but she delivered a better performance than last week. I'm still not really sure where I see her in the competition but she did well enough to maybe stick around another week. Grade: C

Katie Stevens - I.want.those.shoes!!! I kinda felt like the performance was Jessica Rabbit:The Early Years. She is adorable and I feel bad for her because she seems like an old soul and doesn't know how to make herself sound "current". I can empathize with her because this is the problem I imagine myself having on the show. She is not "edgy" and "hip" but she has legitimate talent and is basically being told to go counter-intuitive to her gut. I hope she stays in the competition longer to see if she is able to make the judges and herself happy. Grade: B

Didi Benami - Deep sigh...eye roll. This girl is driving me nuts. This is the same reason I got irritated with Brooke White because she has a very thin skin, not tremendously talented and makes bad song choices. I don't know why she thought singing Lean On Me was a good idea. She doesn't have a "soul" voice and it just made her sound screechy. I don't have a soul voice either, but I don't try to sing songs like that and think that people will like it. Every week I just feel like screaming, "Toughen up, Cupcake!" because there is no mystery that you are standing in front of judges to be critiqued. They give you the chance to sing for lots of people, you agree to hear their opinions....THAT'S THE WHOLE SHOW. Anyway, the performance is awful and I am starting to think she will be heading home soon. She has no concept of how to compete. Grade: D

Michelle Delamor - I really don't like Creed as a group, but I think she did a good job with the song (With Arms Wide Open). I think Simon was dead on when he said she got it 80% right. She really tried to make it her own and for the most part it worked. I kept waiting for her to have more dynamic energy with her voice while she was belting, but that may not be her strength. She seemed connected to the song and proved that she is capable of doing more than sound alikes of other contemporary female artists. Grade: B-

Lilly Scott - Here is where the judges and I part ways. I just DON'T get what they love about her. She has some talent, but I feel like she is always looking to be an outcast instead of singing well without all the weirdness. Her lavender hair seems to have made a reappearance with a big, fat roach clip poking out from behind her ear. Kara was giving her all this credit for "changing the game" and I wonder if that is the secret agenda of the judges...to make the show more a search for the weirdest and most unique instead of the person who has the best vocal chops. And, by the way, if we are giving credit out for that, Adam Lambert did it on both accounts. I just miss when the show was about real SINGING not making cutesy sounds to be "indie". Long story longer, I didn't get it. Grade: C-

Katelyn Epperly - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Oh wait screaming last note...I'm up, I'm up. That was the slowest rendition of an already slow song. Wow. I am not sure why Kara is so in love with her. I think she has a good voice, but I don't think is quite the genius Kara has dreamed her to be. To quote Sue Sylvester, "Somewhere in the English countryside in a stately manor home [Chris Martin] is weeping!" In case you haven't picked up on it yet, I am anxiously awaiting Glee's return on April 13. Anyway, back to the leader of the Lullaby League, she did well enough to stay in, but I have my doubts about her. Grade: C

Paige Myles - Even though I don't think it was 100% the right song choice for her (Walk Away), I think she did do an ok job with it (minus the big Whoooohooo). She is someone you can definitely can SING. I agree with Simon that next week she needs to come out, really sing something that showcases her voice and claim her spot in the competition. Once again, I could've done without all the explaining from Kara about how wonderful her song is. I hope Paige is back next week because she is one of the few contestants not using a gimmick to get by. Grade: B-

Siobhan Magnus - She is such a weirdo, but I like her in the strangest way. What I love most about her, is that aside from having an interesting personality, she has major talent to back it up. That high note was insane! She and Idina Menzel should have a belt-off singing contest to see who could go the longest. What I also find really funny is that Haeley and Paige act and sing like white girls and the whitest girl in the competition, Siobhan, tackles Aretha. That is gutsy and fearless -- another reason why I love her. She isn't trying to make some crazy unusual version of an already good song. Siobhan is just proving that pure talent just needs a great song to showcase their talent. Grade: A-

So overall, the winners tonight were Crystal and Siobhan...losers are Haeley and Didi.

What did you all think? Do you think the show is going in a weird direction?

Top 10 Guys

2010-03-02T20:01:00.003-05:00

Michael Lynche - Big Mike is in it to win it! I loved his performance of This is a Man's World. He took command of the stage and proved that he has excellent control over his voice and a beautiful tone. I was already a fan of this big guy, but he is making me like him even more. C'mon...he does musical theatre and plays football, how can you not like him? He is the black Finn Hudson. It's on.
Grade: A

John Park - Oh...Honey. Why, why, why. Pitchy, boring, painful. When he revealed that he is an a cappella singer I let out a deep sigh. If my friend Danny C is reading this blog, I'm sorry...I still love you., but I am not such a fan of the a cappella group singing. I don't even think he is worth tearing apart in a review because he is just so oatmeal. I do not think he will make it far in the competition. Grade: C

Casey James - Put down the axe and sing for goodness sake. He sounded out of breath and did not finish each phrase. Kara in an effort to not look like such a psycho herself decided to slam him and tell him he took two steps back. While I agree somewhat with her sentiment (I know, I know, mark this day down) I really wish she hadn't tried so hard to be mean to him and given him a better critique. It's like Kara wants to be shrewd like Simon (never gonna happen), she wants to be crazy like Paula (coming close), and funny like Ellen (again never gonna happen). When she give people advice on being true to themselves and being authentic, I think she needs to look in the mirror for that one. Anyway, it wasn't the worst I have ever heard, but certainly not the best. Grade: C+

Alex Lambert - So he can't sing, and he's crazy...great let's begin. Sharing that you made up your own language does not endear you to anyone, except maybe more crazies. I am not sure why the judges were so in love with his performance. It was better than last week's performance, but I don't think it was fan-freakin-tastic. Oh well, after all this fanfare, he will probably be around next week. Grade: C+

Todrick Hall - I am so glad that Randy finally stood up and said that a good song deserves to be sung. I feel like once one of the contestants see another contestant have success re-doing an older song they think that HAVE TO jump on that bandwagon. Not everyone has that skill and THAT'S OK. This is a singing competition, not an assignments for s composition class. To me it is kind of like back in the early nineties (I know I am aging myself) when Kris Kross starting wearing their clothes backwards. Everyone thought it was so cool and so pretty soon it trickled down to kids my age. I am hear to say it really doesn't look cool when scrawny white kids are wearing oversized hip hop clothes backwards to middle school. Just because someone else does it and it's cool doesn't mean it will be cool FOR YOU. There rant over. Grade: B-

Jermaine Sellers - I'm left wondering the same thing...What's Going On? I just don't like Jermaine's whole vibe. I think he is overly cocky for the performances he is turning out and feels like he will never be voted off. I just don't know why he thinks that's ok. I completely agree with Simon that when he does all the extra vocal gymnastics it makes the song lose all meaning. He wants himself to shine more than the song. On a song by Miley Cyrus, that's ok, but with Marvin Gaye, c'mon man...get over yourself. Grade: C-

Andrew Garcia - I'm kinda bumming that he didn't do so well again this week. I really like him and think he has a lot of talent to show, but I am not sure why he keeps picking things that are not flattering on him. He's kinda like the girlfriend you have with the perfect body but she wears the ugliest most unflattering clothes. You love her because you know she has the potential to look really, really good, but at the same time you resent her because you wish you could look that good in clothes and you feel like she is letting it go to waste. In any case, I hope he picks a better "outfit" next week. Grade: C-

Aaron Kelly - I thought he was brave to tackle another Temptations song (My Girl) after forgetting the words to Ain't Too Proud to Beg in Hollywood week. I don't think he has the control and mastery over his voice that Kara believes he does. His vibrato sounds like Carter does when we drive over a bumpy road (uhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuh) I know he is super nervous and doesn't have the stage presence of some of the other contestants, but that is why I don't think he is really ready to be in this stage of the competition. I don't agree with the judges on this one. Grade: D+

Tim Urban - I was not blown away by his performance but I have to agree with Simon that he at least tried to listen and obey the criticism he received last week. I don't think the song choice was bad for him, but he is still a bit rough around the edges. I think he is a better performer than Aaron and at least picked a young song. I was shocked at Ellen's comments...although I do think Tim would be a good guest star on Glee. He will be free in a couple of weeks to explore that project but I think he will get enough of the young vote (including his 9 siblings) to stay around another week. Grade: C+

Lee Dewyze - Welcome to Nute High School's Junior/Senior Prom (shout out to my friends from Milton). When Lee entered on the darkened stage with the mirror ball reflections on the floor I laughed out loud. I HATE that song (Lips of an Angel) but he did a good job with it. If any of my Kane friends are reading this, Lee is what I always imagined Joe Roboski would look like...dreamy. Grade: B+

So going home tonight....John Park and Aaron Kelly.

What do you all think?

Top 12 Guys

2010-02-24T20:01:00.002-05:00

After being thoroughly underwhelmed by the ladies last night, I am really hoping that the guys learned from their mistakes and are ready to make tonight better. Simon's comments are not making me that optimistic, but here's hoping...

Todrick Hall - Does anyone else think he looks like Lil Bow Wow? Speaking of wow, what an interesting way to start off the night. I really admire his creativity and bravery to change a well known song, but I agree with the judges it was unrecognizable. Through it all, you can tell he has a good voice and definitely has the stage presence. I think he has the talent to stay around. Grade: B

Aaron Kelly - Holy shifting hands, Batman! For the first minute of the song, all I could focus on was him switching the mic between his hands. He seems very awkward and uncomfortable on stage. The vocals weren't that bad, but he needs to RELAX. I also like that Ryan felt the need to point out that Aaron is shorter than he is. Obviously that doesn't happen a lot. All things considered (age, experience, pressure) I think he did well. Grade: B+

Jermaine Sellers - Over the top rendition of Season 1's Justin Guarini's signature song. I completely agree with Ellen's critique that he had no connection to the lyric and was simply trying to show off. He does has an excellent voice, but he needs to find a good blend of vocal gymnastics and storytelling. Also, maybe I am just getting old, but I don't think his outfit was as "hot" as Randy did. Skinny slacks tucked into ankle boots, a black henley and grey tuxedo tails jacket do not spell fashion to me. Grade: B-

Tim Urban - Oy, I hate this song (Apologize)! Simon speaks the truth! He did not do well enough to be included in the phase of the competition. The falsetto was strange sounding and he was staring like a deer in the headlights at the camera. If they initially told him no and then invited him back, I don't know why they didn't bring back Thaddeus. He was far more talented in my opinion and the judges told him he couldn't have done anything more. Usually they only tell girls that they are pretty enough to get through. It must feel weird to be told they are not talented, but they are good looking. I get the exact opposite critique when I audition. Given the choice, I guess I rather it be that way. Anyway, I think he should go home based on that performance. Grade: D

Joe Munoz - Either I am going deaf, or my TV has a garble setting...I barely understood a word! His tone is nice and he looks like a hispanic David Archuleta. He seems very comfortable up on stage, but I agree with Simon that he needs to step it up if he stays around. Grade: B-

Tyler Grady - He has definitely carved out a niche for himself but I am nervous that he is becoming a one trick pony. Randy's comment of style over substance is completely right. I am curious based on the judges nearly unanimous conclusion that he is trapped in the 70s why they kept him in this stage of the competition. He seems like a pretend rock star and I wasn't impressed with his vocals. Grade D+

Lee Dewyze - I didn't think the song was as rough as Randy and Kara did. It wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be when Ryan first announced it. I am not the biggest fan of that song, but I thought he did a good job with it and tried to make it his own. If he had sung it like the original they would have told him it was boring and he didn't put enough of his own spin on it. He kind reminds me of a mixture of David Cook and Elliot Yamin. It will be interesting to see how he evolves on this show. Grade: B-

John Park - Ok, he won me over with his intro video. If you know my husband, you know I love a guy that loves older women. I was imagining my sister wincing through that performance. She hates it when non-jazz people sing jazz standards. While he was singing I did think it sounded loungey and I chuckled when Simon used that word to describe it. He may be in jeopardy with that performance. Grade: C-

Michael Lynche - I have been looking forward to hearing "Big Mike". I loved him during Hollywood week and I just wish he could hug me/pick me up. Even though I HATE that song, he did it well. It wasn't fabulous, but it was ok. He deserves to be in the competition but I would love to see him do something different. Grade: B

Alex Lambert - So I didn't hear the very beginning of his performance because I was washing my face, and then I heard a noise that may be interpreted as music so I shut off the faucet and came in to watch. AWFUL. I would never pay to hear him sing. I didn't hear the "thick, rich, tone" that the judges were talking about. It sounded whiny and uncomfortable to me. I also don't like his look at this site. Grade: D

Casey James - Perfect song choice for him. He has a very easy and honest style and I like him in the competition. I just wish my least favorite judge would move on from her initial attraction and treat him like a human being. The revelation that she is married is shocking to me. I would never act like that towards a young single guy if I were married. She is very bizarre...and creepy. You could tell his dad was not liking all the "sexy" talk. Can you blame him. In any case, Casey did very well, especially considering most of the attention was on Kara and not him. Grade: B+

Andrew Garcia - I have been eagerly awaiting his performance as well but I was left scratching my head with the arrangement of his song. He has a great voice and I think the judges are right that he bought himself some time with his rendition of Straight Up. I think he'll be fine until next week. Grade: B

What a weird blend of flavors tonight. I feel like I just left a ward potluck dinner. If I were to guess who is going home tonight it would be Tim Urban and then either Tyler Grady or Alex Lambert.

What did you all think?

Top 12 Girls

2010-02-23T20:14:00.002-05:00

So for those who follow this blog or care, sorry I have been M.I.A. for the last two weeks. I've had RS meetings and other commitments so I have had to catch up myself via my parents' DVR. But, I am back now eagerly watching the top 12 girls' performances tonight. I was SHOCKED with some of the cuts the judges made during Hollywood week, so I am interested to see if I agree with their choices.

The opening intro sequence with the judges was awkward at best and even though I love Ellen, this is the sort of thing I was nervous about happening when she signed on with the show. The whole "Simon's into me" thing was lame and wasted time that should have been given to contestants. I was watching it thinking, "Come on, lady, we've got 12 people to get through tonight...don't waste our time." Hopefully the time hogging won't last all season. So anyway, on to the performances.

Paige Myles - My first thought when she was announced was, "Who the heck is Paige Myles?" She hasn't been featured very much this season so far, so I was already nervous for her going in. She doesn't have as much built-in audience support behind her. I agreed with Simon that it was a bad choice of song for her, and I disagreed with all the judges in thinking she was the best singer in the competition. I just wasn't blown away. I thought her song had very poor diction and I couldn't understand most of the words. Even though the judges think she'll definitely be around next week, I have my doubts. If I watch Idol every week and was not that familiar with her, will the people that are just tuning in really vote for her? We'll see. Also, thanks Ryan for sharing that TMI moment about her being sewn into her 80s prom dress turned into shorts with a white obi belt. Way to make her feel comfortable. Who just sang? Oh yeah, the girl who hasn't peed in five hours. Grade: C

Ashley Rodriguez - Going into tonight, she was one of the people I was most looking forward to hearing. I loved her audition in Boston and think she is GORGEOUS. I also love that she is not afraid to rock a blazer and she went to Berklee which gives her cred. That being said, her song was shaky and I agree with Simon's critique that she sounded clumsy. During the verse in her lower register it sounded like she was scraping to get the notes out and I didn't know why she didn't sing it in a different key. She seemed relieved to get to the big notes in the chorus where she is obviously more comfortable. I really hope she stays around so I can hear her sing again with a different song. I agree with the judges that she needs to pick a song that she won't be compared to the original artist. Grade: C-

Janell Wheeler - For once in my life I agreed completely with Kara. Mark this day in the books. The song (What About Love) was WAY too big for her and she definitely should have picked something else. I think sometimes that contestants think if they pick a well known power ballad it will showcase their voice better, but if you don't have the goods, it will only make you sound worse. I think she is a pretty girl and I really liked her performance during Hollywood week . I would like it if she picked more songs like that. Grade: B-

Lilly Scott - To be honest, I have not been Lilly's biggest fan up to this point. I really did not like her Lullaby of Birdland performance during Hollywood week and the fact that her hair was lavender was not helping either. It seems like the stylists have at least brought it to platinum for this performance instead of it being so icy against her skin. That being said, I thought she did pick an interesting song and made it her own. She is not my cup of tea, but perhaps my opinion of her will change with upcoming performances. Grade: B

Katelyn Epperly - I liked her performance tonight WAY more than her others. I thought she picked an excellent song and I agree with the judges, there is something about her that makes me like her. I am not sure what it is. I also liked in her intro video that she didn't talk about her parents' divorce since I thought that was kind of weird when she did that in her original audition. Grade: B

Haeley Vaughn - Along with Ashley, I was very much looking forward to hearing the country girl tonight. I didn't think her rendition of I Wanna Hold Your Hand was as bad as Simon thought. I thought it was upbeat and age appropriate and I was impressed that she was brave enough at 16 to play and guitar and sing and make the song her own. Like Katelyn, there is something inately likeable about Haeley and I hope she is back for another week. It is funny to see her and then hear her talk. It almost reminds me of a movie where someone's personality is trapped in another person's body. She is by far the whitest black girl I have ever seen. When she came out wearing all white I admit, I chuckled. Grade: B

Lacey Brown - Wow, way to bring the show to a grinding halt. I really liked Lacey in the audition rounds and during Hollywood week, but her version of Landslide was painful and slow. I felt bad for her because I could tell she was at least trying to make in different, but her pitch was all over the place. Grade: D

Michelle Delamor - Very pretty girl (she looks like the love child of Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce) and she did better than I thought with that song (Fallin) I actually thought they banned that song from the show. She does have a very pretty voice and I wouldn't mind hearing her again. Grade: B+

Didi Benami - I was grateful in her intro that she said she wouldn't be crying anymore because she was making me nervous in the audition rounds that she wouldn't be able to handle the pressure. When she stepped out onto the stage wearing an afghan vest I literally winced. She is a pretty girl and doppelganger for Brooke White...embrace it and look cute for goodness sake! I was SO glad Simon said that everyone is trying to sound like Estelle and Duffy. I was feeling the same way and am glad I am not crazy. I also agreed with Randy that the performance was sleepy. The general rule of stage performance is start and end strong. That last note...painful. Grade: C-

Siobhan Magnus - A for effort and trying to take an odd song choice and make it right. I knew she was going to pick something weird because she has been weird the entire competition to this point. Odd hair, odd dress, odd shoes. She can really sing so I would like to see her sing again because she is very talented and a wildcard. I hope her song tonight was enough. Grade: B

Crystal Bowersox - Ok, I may be unpopular for saying this, but I really didn't think she was that great tonight, or in any of the other performances I've seen her in. I was very surprised that Angela Martin didn't make it into the top 24 and in my opinion, they could've given Crystal's slot to her. I don't get what is so fascinating about her. She looks like someone who would be singing at a subway station not on the biggest stage in the world. I feel like she got included to fill out the cast of characters so there would be something for everyone. I just don't think she has much versatility and ability to change it up. She just doesn't seem that in to it either. It feels like she is just going through the motions. Again, she is just not my cup of tea. Grade: C

Katie Stevens - I thought the judges were being rather harsh on her. She has a beautiful tone to her voice and I thought she was rather brave to choose that song and I thought she took risks in her performance as well. Sometimes I feel like the judges have no patience for people who happen to be young and like older music. My sister and I often joke that we are both a 40 year-old trapped in a 20 somethings body. At the Monterey Jazz Festival concert we went to a few weeks ago, we were definitely in the minority, but we loved the music and really wanted to be there. I just don't think just because you are young you can't sing an "older" song. Last I checked, Michael Buble isn't "old". I know he is not the first person to sing that song, but he has interpreted it and made it cool for a younger audience. Why do the judges not acknowledge that? And, other than Taylor Swift, what "young" music is out there that is worth singing? (I know I am really sounding old) Ok, rant over. I thought she did well. Grade: B

So tonight it was hard because I thought most people did reasonably well, and those that didn't I wished they had done better. No one blew me away but I think that is because they were playing it safe. If I had to pick the two people that I would like to see go home it would be Crystal Bowersox and Lilly Scott. Neither did that badly tonight though, so they will probably be around another week. My guess is Paige Myles will go because not enough people know her and are not invested in her story and Lacey Brown because her performance was rough.

What did you all think?

The Road to Hollywood

2010-02-03T21:11:00.003-05:00

Amanda Drama girl (didn't get her name...I was on the phone) who kinda reminded me of Carnie Wilson had a good voice but I completely agree with the judges that she had no connection to the song. I don't know why she was trying to blame it on being a theatre major. You are taught to connect to anything you are performing -- monologue, scene, song. I didn't feel that was a valid argument.

Lee Dewyze reminded me too much of Elliot Yamin from seasons past and I did not like his interpretation of Ain't No Sunshine.

Crystal (Piece of My Heart) is what I would have called in high school a wookie. Total hippy dippy granola, earth mother I-don't-brush-my-hair-or-teeth weirdo. I HATE when girls sing Piece of My Heart and I am not sure why it has had a resurgence lately among the contestants. Ugh. She got through and I don't know why.

Lacey Brown - I was glad to see her get a second chance especially since she lost out to Megan Joy Corkerey last year. Yuck. I like her much better than Megan.

Stephanie Fisher - I was most blown away with Kara telling her that she was a really smart girl. Uhhhh....when I think of really smart girls I don't picture an overly tanned barbie doll look alike with a bumpit in her hair, wearing a sequined leotard, fishnets and spectator shoes. I am actually more than confident if you walked around an ivy league campus you would not see one girl wearing such a ridiculous outfit. Oh yeah and did we forget the fact that she can't sing and she keeps showing up each year even though she is told again and again not to come back? How does that make her really smart Kara? Sometimes, ok most times, I wish Kara wouldn't talk.

Genesis Moore - Did anyone else notice how FLAT she was on I Told You So? Painful. I was SHOCKED that they put her through.

Adrian Chandichi- Did anyone else think he was a woman? Especially after the blossom analogy? Ok, and then after he sang I Can't Help Falling In Love With You? And then after noticing it looked like he was wearing a white woman's maternity top? WOW!

Michael "Big Mike" Lynche - Good voice...very smooth and he gave a confident performance. I don't think if I had just heard the voice I would remember him beyond the night, though. In my mind he is still the guy with the big arms and the ok voice. Hopefully he can change that and really do something special during Hollywood week.

Didi Benami - I can respect the fact that she is trying to make the song her own, and she was singing for her friend, and she was in tune, I just don't really care for that "style" of singing. It again reminds me of Megan Joy. Side note: seeing AvLav again with those silly devil horns on her hoodie made me want to run up and yank them off her head. How easy do you think it is to sing to someone like that. If I were auditioning I would find it incredibly distracting. It's not about you, Avril!

Aaron Kelly - I really liked his back story(I'll admit it, I was tearing up) and thought he had an exceptionally good voice for his age. He had a really great tone and control of his voice. I winced when he announced he would be singing Miley Cyrus, but I agree with Simon it was a good choice for him. I hope he does well in the next round.

Kimberly Bishop - I kissed a girl in a tiny black nightie...oops they had to censor me. I really wished she could have sung Katy Perry's song to her. That would have been even more funny.

I felt bad for Shania especially after her mom told of the vision she received that her daughter could sing. She is a cute girl. Maybe she can get better at something else because she is truly tone deaf.

Hope Johnson - I really liked her back story. I am a mess tonight with the little kid stories. Just thinking about kids not having enough food is enough to melt the heart of even this grump. Even though I Hope You Dance is not my favorite song, I think she did a good job with it and she does seem to have a special energy about her. I like her.

Phew! We are through with the freaks and geeks phase of the competition. On to the real contest!!! YEA!!!

What did you all think?

The Mile High City

2010-02-02T20:03:00.002-05:00

Mark Labriola - I wasn't as blown away by his rendition of Tempted as the judges were, but I think his backstory is what intrigues them.

Mario Galvan - hahahaha. His nervous laugh was annoying enough before he started singing and I was hoping that he wouldn't have a good voice so we wouldn't have to deal with that for nearly an entire season (ahem, Tatiana from Season 8). Thankfully my hopes were realized and he really did not have talent. A-hahaha.

Kimberly Kerbow - Cute girl. Cute daughter. Her voice was pleasant although I kept wondering while she was singing if she was wearing a wig. Then, I heard the judges talk about it and I didn't feel so crazy.

Danelle Hayes - Great control of her voice although she made me very nervous with all of the crying before she even sang. I hope that she does well in the successive rounds of the competition, but I have my doubts. She seems to not deal well under pressure, but who knows? Maybe she only had a couple hours of sleep and will fare better now that she knows the judges like her.

Casey James - "Dance Monkey, dance!" Add this to the many reasons why I don't like Kara. Since she was so offended by Bikini Girl last year, definitely the way to respond is to do the same to some poor guy this season. It really offended me that they made him take his hair out and his shirt off to get through to the next round. They would be outraged if Simon or Randy did that to a woman.

Tori Kelly - I guess the technique for getting through is bringing your kids/sister in to sweeten the judges. Because I watch the show each week I guess I am just getting hardened to that reality. I wish the judges would also adopt my annoyance, but alas, 16 year old Tori gets sent through. I don't think she will last long. Her voice is ok, but I wasn't overly impressed. Posh and Kara are more interested in changing this into a looks competition instead of a singing competition, and this is what happens.

Austin Paul - I can't stand people that have a high opinion of themselves and no talent to back it up. If anyone has seen the amazing documentary Every Little Step, this guy reminds me of Tyce. I was SO glad they did not put him through.

Kenny (didn't get his last name) - Painful and I felt bad for him that he really thought he was good. SO repetitive! Ugh!

Nicci Nix - Her speaking voice seems VERY nasally so I am already nervous for her. Her singing voice was better and she is cute so I knew she would get sent through. Maybe I am just not hearing right tonight, but so far, I have been underwhelmed by the talent. I really think she could have picked a better song that would have showcased her "range" a bit better. I think that song had four notes. But, as Posh said, she has beautiful skin so, 'nuff said.

Haeley Vaughan -Well as soon as I write that I wasn't impressed with anyone, in walks Haeley Vaughan. The thing I liked most about her, was not her backstory about being a preemie. I really like the fact that she wants to be a "black-pop-country-mainstream artist". Lofty dream, but I like her motivation and I thought she picked a tough song to sing. I hope she does well in the next round.

What did you all think?

Don't Mess With Texas

2010-01-27T19:59:00.002-05:00

NPH is a guest judge!! Yea!!!

Julie Kevelin (Lady Marmalade girl) proves that hope springs eternal for a special few. I am trying to resist the urge to comment on her blue 1980's sparkly prom dress, glittery eyeshadow and overprocessed hair, but I can't. She really is the whole package of someone who truly believes she can sing, and really, really can't. I feel most sorry for the fact that she seems nice and is beating herself up over breath support. Breathing technique is not her problem. She is someone that just cannot hear the melody or that she is not singing it.

Lloyd Thomas' (the dock worker)back story made you already hope that he can sing. I knew what Kara was going to say before she even opened. She is amazed every time that people outside "the industry" can sing. Isn't that the whole idea of the show?

Kimberly Carver made me smile. I love her personality and I thought her voice was great. She just seemed like someone I would be friends with. I also liked that she wanted to go home and watch reruns of Doogie Howser. Come on Kimberly, do you really need an excuse to do that? That is classic TV.

Dexter (look no farther) Warren...I don't know if he even changed notes while he was singing. He at least took defeat gracefully.

Barney and Friends' Erica Rhodes decided to do her audition with the aid of a whip and I really thought it was going to backfire. To my surprise the judges liked the whole dominatrix routine. I thought her voice was a bit thin and were she to perform without the props and the Barney experience she probably wouldn't have made it through. We'll see if she makes it past Hollywood week...I doubt it. I also thought it was funny that her mom was so excited that she got through in that getup. Let me tell you, if I walked out of an audition dressed in black pleather and Pretty Woman boots, my mom would not be doing cartwheels. "Yea my daughter thinks she can't get by on her own talent! She values herself so little that she needs to appeal to the lowest common denominator to be accepted! I am so proud."

Turrets guy, Dave Pittman, was great. I think his voice has a really great tone and I agree with Simon, I think people will root for him.

I really liked NPH has a guest judge. I thought he was fair and decent and respectful of contestants' efforts. Plus he can really sing and is actually talented unlike last night's devil horned cutie.

So I am probably dating myself, but I am not really sure which one Joe Jonas is. Is he Taylor Swift's ex or the one who just got married, or the diabetic one?

Blue plaid flannel shirt guy (sorry I didn't write down his name in time) had a good voice, but I, like Simon, wasn't blown away.

Kara has such a unique way of insulting people followed by a compliment. "I really thought by the way you are wearing a tank top and shorts and that you came in here happy and smiling you were really gonna suck."Way to make yourself look dumb Kara, I am sure there are many more moments like that to come. Maegan Wright took the "criticism" in stride and got through to the next round. When she first started singing and dipped way down to sing the word face it brought back unpleasant memories of Megan Joy Corkoree from last season, but I didn't get that vibe for the rest of the song.

I think Vanessa Johnston was a set up. She was a little too happy to not go through. Why waste our time with that.

I liked that Christian Spears picked a lesser known Etta James song and sang it very confidently. I was also glad that the judges didn't make a big deal about her being a cancer survivor. That's not to say that it's not a big deal to be a cancer survivor, I just don't like it when I feel like they are pitying the contestant. If it were me, I would want to get in on my skills not because people felt bad for me.

So which ever Jonas he is, Joe was the most oatmeal judge they have had yet. He pretty much said nothing other than, "you're really awesome" but now that I write that, I really didn't want to hear much more from him. Well done J squared.

What did y'all think?

City of Angels

2010-01-26T20:31:00.002-05:00

In case anyone was wondering where I was last week, I wanted to post my reviews, but got caught up in other things and wasn't able to get to it. Hopefully that won't happen again.

Boo hiss for superstar/clothing designer extraordinaire Avril Lavigne guest judging tonight's episode. Is that really the best they could do?

Tonight's show got off to a disturbingly odd start with the 6 foot man/woman with "the Rachel" season 2 haircut and a blue rayon shirt topped by a silk screened, bedazzled vest. What could go wrong with this combo? When he proudly announced he would be singing Meatloaf I thought, of course he is...he is a wacko. Wow, Neil Goldstein, you really can't sing and you are not very convincing. His whole "I'm not going" speech was like watching him practice for a debate team meet in the mirror and to not be entirely sure what side he's on.

I was slightly bothered by AvLav's hesitancy to put Pastor Jim Rogers through because he has a wife and three kids. If he can sing and he signed up for this show, then let him work out the details of his own life. He is an adult and can make decisions for himself. I mostly just didn't like how Avril kept looking at him like he was a martian because he is a pastor.

Damien Lefour (the sandwich maker) was awful, but at least exited stage right quickly enough. Whenever I hear someone say they are really into martial arts (and in Damien's case, also a pacifist), I roll my eyes because I know right away they are not going through.

Rocker chic (didn't write down her name in time) was ok to me. I wasn't as impressed as the judges were and I agreed with Simon that her whole look was cliched. I don't think she will make it far.

Adam Lambert's look-alike (I am being nice) AJ Mendoza was a strange audition to watch. I think there is talent in there somewhere but he needs to be coached on presentation technique and should practice in front of a mirror to see what he really looks like while singing. I HATE singing in front of a mirror, but it is the only way for me to see if I am making an odd face or standing in a weird way. I was surprised that he judges did not try to coach him more. They seem to be trying harder to coach people this season, but they gave him the boot pretty fast.

SO glad that Katy Perry is stepping in as a guest judge instead of Avril. For some reason I can take her more seriously...oh wait I know what it is, she isn't wearing a devil horned hoodie.

Austin Fullmer--wow. I almost don't know what to say. I loved in his intro how he said no one else in the history of AI had ever had his brand of sexuality and wasn't afraid to be touched. Wait...have you not seen/heard Adam Lambert news. Touching is his problem. Austin is completely delusional and thought that Kara and Katy were supportive of his crazy Iggy Pop/David Bowie performance.

Andrew Garcia was a refreshing change to hear. Someone who can actually sing, isn't crazy, has some humility and has a cute family backstory. Minus the kid with the rat tail and neck tat he was perfect.

Tasha Layton the Pastor/Personal Assistant has a good voice and a laid back style. I will be interested to see how she will do and how long she will last in the competition.

Sometimes I wonder if flamingly gay "performers" like Jason Greene practice a whole schtick of what they are going to say and do to make sure their audition makes it on TV. His whole song and dance was strange to say the least and felt very rehearsed.

Chris Golightly has a touching story and an ok voice, but I am not sure he is as phenomenal as Kara seems to think. We'll see...

I was exceedingly underwhelmed by last week's auditions. Ahem, Chicago (13 tickets/12,000 auditionees) L.A. seemed okay, but for some reason I am still feeling like there are not that many people going through to Hollywood week. Or my other fear is that when I watch Hollywood week there are going to be tons of people there that I never heard sing.

What do you all think?

Hotlanta

2010-01-13T21:32:00.002-05:00

First off, I am glad tonight's show was only an hour and a half. I was already to throw the remote through at the TV after the first hour of craziness tonight. I am not sure if it's the sound on my TV, but I thought the judges (especially MJB) were being way too complimentary to most of the talent.

Standouts tonight were Keia Johnson and Jermaine Sellers. When Keia announced she would sing "the Titanic song" I rolled my eyes and braced for impact. To my surprise, she made the song her own and was not annoying. If she can find a dumpster between Atlanta and Hollywood to stow the neon yellow stretch pants and hot pink sneaks we may be in business.

Jermaine Sellers, who takes care of his mom with spina bifida, had a velvety, smooth, creamy voice--almost as if he were the personification of a chocolate fountain. I love voices like that.

On the next tier down in the they-will-probably-make-it-through-Hollywood-week group was Holly Harden (guitar girl), Bryan Walker (singing cop), and Mallorie Haley. Although, I think MJB saying Mallorie being the best vocalist so far was a bit of a hyperbole. Someone I would like to include in this group is Vanessa Wolfe (country girl) but I don't know how she will fare under pressure and performing non-country songs. I would like to see her succeed, but for now she is a question mark to me. She so reminds me of the trailer park girls I was friends with in elementary school (that is a whole other story for another day) and so for that reason I would like her (and them) to succeed at ANYTHING.

People I could have done without tonight are Dewone Robinson ("It's Over..."), Skiibo ski, Carmen & Lauren, Lamar Royal, and Christy Marie Agranow. With Lamar I, like MJB, thought there might be a moment when guns came to play. He had a rage in him that was altogether unhealthy. And, Christy Marie with her TV show 4-1-1...the show (imagine hand movements) I wanted to burst her bubble as soon as she opened her mouth. There was a moment when I felt bad for her after she confessed her undying love and passion for singing and then realized she was being told that it was never going to happen for her. But in my experience, people with her type of personality will rebound very quickly and be on to the next thing they can be praised for.

I also could have done without the Pants on the Ground General Larry Platt. I didn't see what the point of that was and would have much rather seen other crazies having meltdowns.

What did you all think of tonight's episode?

Off to a Good Start

2010-01-12T22:03:00.002-05:00

Whew! After much anticipation and trying to get my house clean and kids down before sitting down to enjoy Idol I have to admit I am feeling exhausted two hours later. Idol met my expectations in two respects--they showed that there looks to be strong female talent this year and they showed a decent number of whack jobs. Believe me, in a few weeks I'm sure I'll be complaining about the weirdness and ready to move on to the legitimate part of the competition, but it was nice to have a laugh tonight and feel a little more normal for a moment. I think they did a good job too if not including too many clips of people saying, "wicked awesome!" or other Boston slang.

As far as standouts go, I thought Maddie Curtis was nice and did a fairly good job of her song. I have mixed feelings about the video intros beforehand because I feel like it endears the audience to a few people who have "extraordinary" stories, so I don't feel like it is fair to all the contestants. At the same time, I love getting to know new people and finding out their background and family. Maddie reminded me of kids I would have been friends with in high school from Nottingham--very hippy-dippy, birkenstocks and corduroys, wild hair and no makeup. I am interested to see how the country mouse does in the big city.

I absolutely loved Ashley Rodrigues. I loved her style, her confidence and humility and her talent. I really hope she does well in the next phases. I also liked Katie Stevens and really connected to her story about her grandma with Alzheimer's. My grandma also had that and I can remember feeling that she recognized me when I sang to her. Even though she sang one of my least favorite AI audition songs (At Last) she sang it well and I think she had enough talent to make it through Hollywood. I also like repressed church girl Leah and feel like she has a talent that will grow with encouragement.

For the boys, I was brought under the spell of dreamy Justin Williams even before he sang. I don't think he has the most impressive voice I have ever heard, and I think he did too much with thte song but I do like to watch him. Pretty as he is, I did have some reservations towards him since he reminds me of those guys in Utah who know exactly how good looking they are and who would never speak to someone like me because I am not blond and skinny and 19. Here's to hoping that he doesn't fit that stereotype. After writing that, I think it is funny that I am married with two kids and still look at guys like that and imagine the ways they would ignore or embarrass me if I were single. I am such a weirdo.

I also like Amadeo Dipicco because I like his big fat Mediterranean family and would love to see more of them. I also liked the tone of his voice. And, if anyone reading this blog has been to Providence, his accent is spot on.

My heart went out to Justin Blaylock, the unassertive "Simon, shut up!" guy because I feel like he will never really succeed in this competition and I can see him having a breakdown during group number rehearsal in Hollywood week. He started his song out strong, but it kind of unraveled as he got further into it.

For completely entertaining weirdos I really like Pat Ford from Derry and I really hope I run into him one of these days. He was so delusional and had this very odd accent that is not really typical of people from NH. For some reason I can picture myself at a Target and hear that voice coming from the handbag aisle asking the two tubby girls he's with if he can pull off yellow patent leather.

My other favorite non-winner for the night was Derek Hilton. I loved in his intro when he said his interest in music came during the "lowest peak" of his life. I'd like to know what a low peak looks like. I also couldn't tell when I first saw him if he was a boy or a girl. And, when he dramatically blew the flower off his palm and it landed about 6 inches past his foot I started to laugh knowing his audition was going to be bad.

All in all I think the season is off to a good start and am looking forward to Atlanta's audtions tomorrow.

Confession

2010-01-11T13:59:00.002-05:00

I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve...American Idol season premiere is tomorrow and I can't wait!! Today anytime I have a moment that doesn't require all of my brain power (ie. doing dishes, cleaning, hauling wood) my mind wanders and wonders what the next night and the next five months with hold. It sadly is the only time of year I am very consistent about updating the old blog and I like having a commitment of something to write about. Anyway, just wanted to express my excitement to someone other than my babies who will be in bed when all the merriment takes place.

Happy Birthday, Carter!

2009-12-17T23:44:00.004-05:00

Carter with Mike when he was 1 day old
Two years later in his "school" uniform that Auntie Shelby got him

This is my favorite Carter video so far. He is much better on the trike now but wow, thank goodness for helmets.

Today Carter turned two! It sounds so weird to say out loud, but it is true. We are celebrating with family on Sunday so it doesn't really feel like his birthday yet. I will post pictures from his party later.

In preparation for his doctor's appointment, I compiled a list of words that he can say. I was VERY surprised to tally them up to over 100! I can't believe how much he has learned in just a year. For those who want to skip the details, feel free. For those who are interested, below is a list of all the words Carter can say:
Mommy
Daddy
Auntie
Shelby
Jeejee (Jesus)
Carcar (Carter)
Bapa (My dad)
Widow (My mom)
Papa (We call my grandpa Papa)
Mama (My grandma)
Georgie (Curious George)
Cournee or Quanee (Courtney)
Uh-Oh or Oh (Oliver)
Baby
Katie
Penny (Peyton)
Dave Dave (Uncle Dave)
Elmo (he says Elmo for any muppet/puppet)
Boy
Please
CuhCuh (Thank you)
Welcome (Your welcome)
Hi
Bye
Hug
Kiss
Ornk (Orange)
Apple
Appleba (Applesauce)
Yogo (Yogurt)
Roll
Cookie
Cheese
Chip (Chips, pretzels, crackers)
Muck (Milk)
Juice
Candy
Drink
Done
More
Cup
Bowl
Blanky
Wipe
Mooie (Movie)
How (House)
Church
Window
Door
Car
Truck
Train
Plane
Ball
Book
Bat
Play
Pen
Magnet
Doggy
Puppy
Cat
Cow
Moo
Meow
Magnuh (Magnus, my parents' dog)
Bird
Turkey
Monkey
Snake
Frog (he prounounces it differently, but I don't want to be obscene)
Fox (ditto)
Shirt (ditto)
Shoe
Shuck (Sock)
Boot
Snow
Tree
Shiny
Sunny
Pretty
Hot
Soap
Showah (Shower)
Hair
Ear
Eye
Cheek
Mouth
Teeth
Nose
Feet
Belly
Piggies (Toes)
Peepee
One
Two
Three
Fly

Word combos:
Up Please
Happy Birthday
How Mooie (Home Alone)
Go, Daddy! Go! (When Mike plows Carter says that out the window)

Carter loves to: play with his train set, watch Curious George, watch anything with Muppets, wrestle with Mike, play with Mike's iPhone, dance to the Glee soundtrack, conduct music when he hears it, pretend to play golf and make Hamilton laugh. He has a huge head, hands and feet (Mike calls them troll feet). He is impossibly stubborn at times (gee, I wonder where he gets that from?), has an infectious laugh and tons of energy. I have always wanted (and still want) girls, but I have to say I couldn't love my boys more. They are amazing, wonderful and beautiful and I am blessed to care for them.

Fall Fun

2009-11-03T08:58:00.006-05:00

Saturday was unusually warm (about 70 degrees) and overcast so we took advantage of the weather and got some really good pictures of the kids.
Carter was not so happy about taking pictures after getting started "golfing" but Hamilton is making eyes at the camera...I love it!

Friendly's also had $1.99 kid meals on Wednesdays in the month of October. We took advantage of this and Carter had his first Happy Ending Sundae.
He also loved his honey mustard sauce on his chicken tenders so much he decided to dip his apple slices in it.

To see the full set of what we have been up to this month check out our Flickr album.

Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me...

2009-10-02T16:23:00.005-04:00

We went apple picking this past weekend and once again I am reminded how much I love fall. Thank you Shelbs for taking the pictures!!

Baby Gap eat your heart out!

Does anyone else think Hamilton is making a Mike Pouliot face?

To see the full album, click here.

What a Feelin'

2009-10-02T16:15:00.005-04:00

As part of my get-out-of-the-house-and-lose-some-weight plan, Shelbs and I have been taking a tap class once a week at the Great Bay Academy of Dance. It has been really fun and a great way for us to become more coordinated. Each week we clop and stomp next to people who actually know how to dance but they keep telling us we are doing really well. Here are the pics...

Doing my best "confident dancer" pose

Shelbs and I bursting with exuberance after nailing the first half of our "Steamed Heat" routine

Shelbs showing off her bod as well

Summer recap

2009-10-02T15:53:00.010-04:00

So I have obviously been very busy this summer, but not so great at updating the old blog. So here is a quick recap of what we have been up to.
Going to the beach with the boys. Despite Carter's face in this pic he LOVES the beach.
Playing with the Sit N Spin (pottery wheel) in Grandma's art room

Getting drenched at the Seacoast Seafood Festival. We had to put the awning in front of Carter's face because the rain was blowing in sheets right at us. Even though it was raining, Mike and I were very determined to stuff our faces full of delicious seafood treats. It was fantastic.
Mike was still able to smile after walking through the rain.

The rain didn't bother Carter at all :)

This next story is funny. I had a killer headache but really wanted to get out of the house to meet Shelbs for a bit. She had an hour and a half to kill between work and Mutual, so we went to Wendy's for a quick bite to eat. I had left the house very quickly and knew my bag was a little underpacked but I didn't think I would be out that long so it wasn't a big deal. I grabbed a stack of size 2 diapers for Hamilton and threw them on the front seat of the car in case I needed backup but didn't bring a ton of other stuff. While at Wendy's Shelbs and I hear Hamilton FILL his diaper so I take him to the bathroom to change him. There is no changing station, so I am changing him on a mat on the floor (nasty) I am rifling through my bag only to find Shelbs used the extra outfit I usually have so I have nothing to change him into. I also only have Carter's diapers in my bag (size 5). Hamilton's diapers are still in the car. So...after a long while I finally decided to put Hamilton in a size 5 diaper (which was huge) and then crafted an origami wrap shirt out of two cloth diapers (I usually use them for burp cloths). When I finally emerged from the bathroom Shelbs burst into laughter and insisted that I take pictures. Yeah, I know not exactly Mom of the Year. I have my camera on me but not a change of clothes for my child. Thank goodness for Target right down the street sleep n plays to change him into after dinner. Less than an hour after this happened poor Hamilton was back in his own diapers and in a fresh outfit, but it was a little embarassing until then. I am normally more pulled together, but when I have a headache, pretty much anything is a possibility.

Hamilton didn't mind.

Sharing Time: One of my favorite blogs

2009-07-31T08:51:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite blogs to read is Brooklyn Limestone. She posts great budget friendly decorating advice and has fantastic taste. She is doing a giveaway today of a Lou Lou Ghost Chair. Pop on over and enter if you'd like!

There's a dog...I mean a fox in my driveway

2009-07-29T09:35:00.005-04:00

Today while I was getting ready I heard Carter saying, "Hi!" out the window. For anyone that has spent a few minutes with Carter you will know he says, "Hi!" to EVERYONE. I can't go through a store without him greeting everyone and he repeats himself until they respond, sometimes reluctantly, to him. Anyway, because of this I just thought he was saying, "Hi!" to my mom over in the maintenance building and she wasn't responding to him for some reason. So I went to the window to see if it was her or another person from up inside camp. When I made it to the window this is what I saw...
It is not a dog, but then it did this...
And then he walked over about five feet away from Carter's play house...
I have seen foxes here many times before, but never this close to my house. I have heard people ask me why I don't send Carter out to play on his swingset/playyard while I watch from the kitchen...I think it is pretty clear why. Carter has no fear when it comes to animals (wild or domesticated) He chased a turkey around our yard earlier this spring. At least this fox doesn't seem agressive. He walked past me and my mom and dad on the ball field and he didn't approach us at all. He seems content to just wander around. Mike makes fun of me when I drive the car at night from our house to the maintenance building (featured in the first two photos) which is only about 40 feet away...this is why. In the daylight I could avoid this creature. At night, I am not so sure.

He's here...Introducing Hamilton Ralph Siebach

2009-07-22T11:01:00.005-04:00

Our second son, Hamilton, arrived at 1:22 p.m. on July 10th (Auntie Shelby's birthday). He weighed in at 7 lbs 15 oz and was 20 inches long. I still can't believe that I am the mother of two sons under the age of 2 but I know this will soon become my new normal.

Cuddling with Hamilton in the hospital

Hamilton cuddling with Grandma Pouliot in the hospital

Carter welcoming his new brother. For anyone that knows Carter you can guess he has been hugging and kissing him like crazy since being home.

The first week has gone pretty well. He is such a snuggler that he has been having trouble sleeping by himself at night but he is getting better each day. I was scheduled to be induced on Saturday (July 11th) but went into labor on my own on Thursday night and had him on Friday afternoon. A very big thank you to the nurses and doctors at Exeter Hospital that made my labor, delivery and recovery as comfortable as possible. It was such a better experience than Carter's birth and I have valued the follow up care I have received there as well. Also a special thank you to Auntie Shelbs for all the help with the boys and the awesome pictures she took with her paparazzi camera.

I'm Still Here...

2009-07-22T10:56:00.002-04:00

So when AI was wrapping up, my friends and family joked that they wouldn't see a new post until the new season began next January. I of course protested, but evidently they know me better than I do. I know this post is late, but we have had a lot going on lately. Mike hates when bloggers promise to update on a certain schedule or vow to do better, so I won't make that mistake. However, I do think once I feel more in control of my schedule I will at least have more time to update. Here's hoping I can do better. I do miss feeling connected to my far away friends.

The Final Showdown

2009-05-19T20:03:00.002-04:00

Adam Lambert - Mad World - Is this The Matrix the Musical? Simon seems to agree. In spite of the theatrics I just can't help lovin' that man of mine. He is so deliciously obtuse and over the top. I love how he doesn't have any reservations about wearing a full length black trench with an oversized collar and black sewn-on flower. Amazing vocal and I liked how he kept it as understated as he could. Grade: A+

Kris Allen - Ain't No Sunshine - I guess there must be something wrong with me (according to Kara)in that I am not moved with his performance. I agree that it was his best, but I just don't dig his whole vibe. I have to steal a line from one of my loyal readers, Emilee, and say he is too Talent Night at the Wilk for me. That being said, I will give him credit for a good performance. Grade: A

Adam Lambert - Change is Gonna Come - I thought this was a very odd song choice from the producers to have Adam sing a civil rights era R & B song but he did not disappoint as usual. Phenomenal vocals and complete control over his instrument and interpretation. I think because we hear his sing so well each week that we maybe think it is not as hard to sing like that...but it is. He has a way of doing something very difficult and making it look like the easiest and most comfortable thing in the world. Grade: A+

Kris Allen - What's Goin' On - I wanted to throw the remote at the TV during his performance. Between the grub stash, ripped jeans and sideways exaggerated mouth singing...ugh! Oh how social conscious!! In the real world the only people who would be listening to him are commuters waiting for their train to arrive....or coeds at an open mike night. I completely agree with Simon that it was too light and relaxed for this phase of the competition. Kara gave him props for being "true to himself" this whole competition, which I guess is true, but he doesn't really shake it up at all. I feel like no matter what song they give him he is going to either bring out the guitar and the bongo drums and sing every song in that fashion. What I think sets Adam apart is that he deliberately chooses and executes a vision and interpretation of that song that is unique and unforgettable. To me Kris is a singer missing a subway to sing in front of. Grade: C

Adam Lambert - No Boundaries - This is my least favorite tradition of the Idol experience...the "original" song that is written for the finale. Soft rock stations are already rejoicing at the upcoming addition to their playlists. He still proved he has amazing vocals and can do something relatively decent with a less than stellar song. I just feel sorry for him that his first "single" will be something that lame. Oh well, Kelly Clarkson has come a long way from A Moment Like This, Adam can too. Who can still wear acid washed jeans and look good? Grade: A

Kris Allen - No Boundaries - Of course as soon as I say he always performs with the bongo drums he comes out and, gasp! sings by himself in front of the mic. In reference to my earlier comment that Adams does something very difficult and makes it look easy, Kris does just the opposite. He sings ok and makes it look like he is running a marathon. Veins in his neck bulging and the one footed hopping. It is even more obvious to see who the clear leader is when they sing the same song back to back. What is with all the excuses from Randy and Kara with the comments about the key being too high? Vote on the season, not the performance? Ok, Adam still wins. Simon's comments were priceless--in essence--the first song was your best and it was all downhill from there. Grade: C

What a night! To be fair, comparing Kris and Adam is like comparing apples and oranges, prewashed cotton and velvet. What I love most about AI is that it draws such a wide group of people. The celebrities in the audience say it all--Katie Holmes, wait--Anthony Hopkins--what is going on? I nearly died when I saw him. Anyway, what did you all think of tonight's show?

Three's Company

2009-05-12T20:04:00.002-04:00

Danny Gokey - Dance Little Sister - I thought this was a surprising choice from Crazy only because Danny usually does better with a ballad. He did well considering it was a faster song and he seemed to perform with confidence which is great to see. As far as the dancing comments go, he knows he is a square but at least he puts it all out there. He seems to be genuinely glad he has made it this far and is along for the ride. I think he realizes that if he leverages this opportunity well enough he will be able to become a recording artist. In my opinion it would probably be best if he doesn't win so he can do his own thing without being put through the Idol Machine. Grade: A-

Kris Allen - Apologize - Ok, so first I own that crappy free phone they gave him and it is an awful excuse for technology. Just had to say that and get that out there. Secondly, I HATE the song choice! This is a song that is way overplayed on the listen-while-you-work stations. Why two people thought that was a good idea is beyond me. It also made him look even more college talent night for me. This is definitely something I would have heard in Provo. I am rolling my eyes now and would have rolled my eyes then. In any case it was sub par and I was not impressed. Grade: C

Adam Lambert - One - So when he first started singing it looked like he was singing from the some war torn country with all the fog and back lighting. As usual he did a fantastic, unique performance of a very familiar song. Unlike Kris, he knows how to make a song his own and his vocals are spot on. I will say he is the Mariah Carey (old school Music Box Mariah) of the competition you know that somewhere in the song he will go needlessly high, but when he does it that well (as does Mariah), why complain? Grade: A+

Danny Gokey - You Are So Beautiful - Understated elegance and beautiful delivery. I liked how he kept some of the song the same and then changed it up near the end. He has great control over his voice and sings with so much passion. It somewhat reminded me of I Believe I Can Fly but less annoying. Grade: A

p.s. did anyone else think it looked like he had a member of Blue Man Group playing guitar for him?

Kris Allen - Heartless - What is this...Kris singing songs I hate night? I am one of the few people, despite popular opinion, who think Kanye is an overly cocky non-genius. Hearing his song sung in a Jason Mraz style did not help me any. I seem to be alone on this as far as the judges are concerned as well. I know a lot of people love Kris but for me I would never pay to see him or listen to his CD. Something about him just comes off as amateur to me. Grade: C

Adam Lambert - Cryin' - I love how Adam starts off by telling Ryan that he hasn't made that many changes to the song and then turns it into a true Adam Lambert way-up-in-the-rafters production. I also love how after a performance like that how he goes right back to mellow. What more can I say...he is a true artist and I would LOVE to see him live. Grade: A+

For me I think they all did well but I think based on performances tonight, Kris would have to be the one to go. I just don't think he did anything interesting or unique with his first song and the other gave two strong performances. What do you all think?

Rock N Rollas

2009-05-05T20:27:00.002-04:00

Adam Lambert - Mark my words...the next version of Karaoke Revolution will feature an Adam character to choose from when you perform. Wow! Tonight was his most believable "straight guy" performance. I was blown away by his vocals and the piled-on guyliner. I cannot say how much I love this guy. To pick a song that is so huge and to do it justice is more than impressive. I agree with Simon, it will be hard for others to top that performance tonight. Grade: A+

Allison Iraheta - I knew Allison and Adam would be tonight's strongest performers. She has a natural rock sound to her voice and I think it was wise for her to pick another classic rock artist, Janis Joplin. It was also a wise choice for her to go to Adam's stylist to get attacked with a razor. She looked much more authentic and less like a made-up punk princess. Grade: A

Kris & Danny - Dress up time with the two guys most uncomfortable with tonight's theme. Danny's red button up shirt with a tug boat chain around his neck and unlaced Doc Marten's and the spiky-haired leprechaun dressed in all black with red electrical tape marking the spot of his belly button was hilarious. Surprisingly I agreed with Kara that the two "nice guys" of the competition singing Renegade was a bit of an odd choice, but they did the best they could. Grade: B+

Kris Allen - What Slash was trying to say nicely was that Kris is the most underwhelming performer. I am not that nice...for me, it was ROUGH. First, I consider the Beatles to be pop, not rock. Secondly, I don't think he is an intriguing performer. I know people like his style but for me, it was like talent night at college. I hate how he seems annoyed and put off by the judges criticism. He just doesn't seem to care. I agree with Kara and Paula that he did not have enough energy or presence tonight. Grade: C

Danny Gokey - The intro video had me more nervous than I can say. As did the prep school with chain costume. Even Paula looked unsure when he hit the screech at the end. She was of course doing her obligatory stand-up-and-dance but when he hit that note she kind of paused and stopped waving her arm. I knew tonight wasn't going to be his night, but this was not a great choice of song. Grade: B- (only because he did give it all and went for it)

Adam & Allison - King and Queen of the rock prom performing live!! What more can I say. I knew it was going to be great and it was. Again the costumes were hilarious. It is like they when to the local theatre and asked them for their "rock clothes". Maybe they should have a mentor for clothing as well. Grade: A+

Overall tonight is what I predicted...strong performances from Adam and Allison, good effort from Danny, and apathetic watered down singing from Kris. As those who read this blog know I think Kris is lucky to have made it this far, but I think tonight might (hopefully) be his last. What did you all think?

The White Knight

2009-04-28T20:06:00.004-04:00

So when I heard it was Rat Pack night I half expected the mentor to be someone like, oh I don't know, Michael Buble. Evidently he was unavailable or was not up to par with the likes of Jamie Foxx. No one I know hates Jamie Foxx more than my bestie Courtney so I will be interested to hear her thoughts on tonight's show. As surprising as the choice of Jamie Foxx is I hope he will do a good job and steer them in a better direction than Quentin Tarantino.

Kris Allen - So it is well documented that I am not a huge Kris fan...and that is putting it nicely. But, tonight wasn't that bad and he didn't annoy me as much as he usually does. He has a good voice, it is mostly just his personality and style that I don't like. I agree with Randy that this was his best performance so far. I will give credit where credit is due. Good job, Kris...but I still don't think you will win the competition. Grade: A-

Allison Iraheta - As the only girl left in the competition, I really hoped she'd do well tonight. Her young age and skanky corset top made me a bit nervous. But once she started singing Little Bonnie Raitt did not disappoint. Her personality is a bit weird and I am not sure like Simon that she really thinks she could win. Grade: A-

Matt Giraud - Okay, so the intro video with the Foxx was laughable and I didn't agree with the advice he was given. I agree with Kara that there was not as much emotional connection as that song deserves. That is not a song that you end on a big money note. It is a much subtler song than that. Shelbs was on the phone with me before I even was finished writing my review of his performance...enraged. Not my fav. Grade: B-

Danny Gokey - Is this wacky advice night? Foxx is a combo of Corky St. Clair and a Martin Short's weird drama teacher on Get Over It. As strange as it was, at least it worked to his advantage. Danny seemed much more commanding of the stage and his performance tonight which was nice to see. He seems to be stepping up his game and showing that he wants to win. To me this was the first truly original arrangement and probably Danny's best night. Grade: A+

Adam Lambert - It seems like Adam has his own lighting and effects team working on his performances each week. Tonight Angel Adam descended a steep backlit staircase...dreamy. Over the top is where Adam feels his most comfortable. From the blindingly shiny white suit, diamond studs and pointy white shoes he makes Paula look understated. I have to say that I agree with Kara he is so strange, sleazy, and over the top but I like him in the weirdest way. Some of my friends have complained about Adam always being put last like he is always the grand finale but it has to happen that way for a couple of reasons: 1. The teamsters need time to set up Adam's light show, 2. Fox needs commercials/ad revenue while the best contestant is promised at the end, and 3. Would you really want to follow that performance? It is for the best he is at the end so the other contestants aren't compared to him for the whole hour. He is the guiltiest pleasure...and I am including Zac Efron. Grade: A+

So tonight was mostly strong performances (including crazy professor Foxx) and one of exceeding brilliance. For me, it is bye bye Matt tomorrow night. What do you all think?

Disco Inferno

2009-04-21T20:00:00.003-04:00

In case anyone missed last week's results show or the plethora of articles covering the judges' save last week, AI was kind enough to replay the dumbest decision they have made yet. I honestly don't understand why they would save a contestant they don't think could win the whole thing, AND...more importantly, a contestant that has been voted out by America twice in the initial elimination rounds. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Matt or anything. I think he is talented and has done a good job. But, if America does not see him as the next superstar and they tell that to us three times, I don't know why the judges are so intent on forcing us to believe otherwise. Hopefully he will surprise/impress me tonight and I will understand their decision. Anyway, on to the reviews...

Lil Rounds - So Lil finally got the memo to sing a song in a genre that is closer to her own. And, in a real shock she actually looked like she was having fun. I didn't think she was as bad as they are making it out to be. I wasn't blown away, but I think this is one of her better performances. Grade: B

Kris Allen - Excellent explanation about why you chose that song to sing. "It's about a woman...who has a good work ethic". Oh, that clears it up. The song was near unrecognizable but evidently that was just what the judges were looking for. I can't stand listening to him/watching him do calf lifts during each song, but I appear to be outnumbered. Looks like the hobbit will be around for another week. Grade: C

Danny Gokey - For those who read my blog I have made it very clear that Danny is one of my favorites. However, tonight's performance in my opinion was not his best. I think Danny excels at slower songs that allow him to connect with the audience. He did have strong vocals but I agree with Simon that he is not the most fluid performer during upbeat songs. I still feel he is a strong contender, but not the best I have seen him. I really wish he would have done a Bee Gees song. Grade: B+

Allison Iraheta - Channeling Xtina during her Dirrrty years, tonight's performance was once again a bit of a costume show mixed with vocal brilliance. I didn't know she could riff that extensively and make it look easy. I, like the judges, was not crazy about the arrangement, but she is quite a performer who should be around for a while. Grade: A-

Adam Lambert - The Gibb brothers strike again! This is why I have been fans of theirs for years. Adam's vocals were dead on and he has a way of connecting what he is feeling with the audience that is truly a gift. I don't hide the fact that I am huge musical theatre fan and most of my love for the music comes from the actors' ability to make me feel what their character is feeling. I think that is why Adam has done so well in this competition because he has that experience and background. He understand and thrives in the world of make believe. He knows what to do and what to wear and what to say to make us buy the whole act. I cannot wait to buy his album and see him perform live. Grade: A+

Matt Giraud - Ugh! The woven fedora is back!! Why has no one taken that away from him yet? His performance tonight seemed like a frenzied, desperate attempt to stay in the competition. You could see the fear in his face as he sang. It reminded me a little of the Rock of Love girls when they think Brett is going to send them packing. Matt obviously has more movement in his face but you get the idea. Simon is the only judge who is willing to admit they may have made a mistake. The others don't want to look foolish, although in my opinion they are doing just that by validating a performance like that. I didn't like that he chose that song (someone does it every year) and he really didn't do something uber-original as was suggested. Grade: B-

Anoop Desai - When he started out slow, I got nervous for him because I don't want him to do the same thing each week. When the tempo came up I started to get excited that he was really going to fly with it but it stayed in a mid range. There were moments that I thought it sounded a bit like an Usher song, but it didn't quite make it there. On a positive note, he looked better than he ever has. I loved the little bit of growth and the powder grey suit. To me he looked like the guy I imagine with marry my BFF Courtney. We can dream right? Love ya, Cat! Grade: B

If I had to guess who would be going home this week it would probably be Matt and Anoop, possibly Lil. Kris would be going home if I had my way, but as I said earlier I doubt he will be voted off.

What do you all think?

Hooray for Hollywood

2009-04-14T20:01:00.003-04:00

Well I am back in NH and glad to be able to watch and review all of tonight's performances. I tried to downplay it last week but I about had a meltdown when I realized the DV-R didn't record Adam's performance. Not only do I look forward to his shows, but I knew my blog post would be late. I am back on track and happy to report on this week's show.

I recall feeling confused/uneasy when Quentin Tarantino was a guest judge a few years ago but I was even more surprised when he made an encore appearance for this season's Hollywood Music Show. Does anyone else wonder what his qualifications are for giving singing advice? I am not denying that he is talented in his arena of film making, but I am not sure he would have been my first choice musical direction. Clint Eastwood would have been a better choice. He is multi-talented and has composed the scores for a few of his films. He would have also been a hilarious mentor. I can picture the kids singing and Clint just staring at them with his squinty, unflinching, disgusted face. I know it is the least likely thing to happen but a girl can dream. From what I could see Quentin's advice was neither helpful nor well received. Oh well, maybe next week's mentor will be a bit better.

Allison Iraheta - This is the first week I am honestly underwhelmed by her performance. First, why did she start the song out so low? Second, why did they dress her in a silk parachute? Third, why does the red mullet keep getting shorter and shorter? She did alright, but I did not agree with the judges that she was amazing. Maybe I just expect too much from my favorites. She still deserves to be in the competition, but I hope she does better next week. Grade: B-

Anoop Desai - So it seems Noop-Dog didn't take Q's advice on "roughing it up"...not that I blame him. I loved the intro video when Anoop looked at him like the high school music teacher trying to be hip. Priceless. Luckily he trusted his instincts and stuck with what he does best with a more R&B sound. I do however question the blazer choice. When I first saw him from a distance I thought he was trying to rock the Will Smith/Fresh Prince inside-out blazer...then I realized it had elasticized sleeves like a letterman jacket. Who thought that was a good combo? In any case, well done vocals. Grade: A-

Adam Lambert - Bad-A Adam is back! My favorite contestant summoned his hair dresser and had him break out he razor for a return to his edgy roots. It was all back--the painted on black jeans, guy-liner, and pointy pomaded hair spikes. He worked the stage and even included the Lane Bryant back up singers in his stage musical. My, oh my that was a lot of shakin' going on. Vocally brilliant and I just love that he does something different each week. I don't like all the comments from judges and Ryan about "coming out" of his shell. We get it..he's gay! I think the fact that he didn't have any problem being compared to Rocky Horror is proof enough of that. I guess now that Scott is gone Ryan needs to patronize someone else. Grade: A+

Matt Giraud - Ugh! I want to take the woven fedora he wore in his intro video and throw it in a fire. Got to be one of my least favorite fashion trends. JT is to the fedora what Enrique was to the woven beanie. When you wear it too much you just end up looking like a wannabe. Anyway, his vocals were okay but not great. There were a few pitchy moments that I heard and he doesn't have enough control of his voice in certain parts. I agree with the judges that he has good ideas but sub-par execution of those ideas. I think he may run into the same problem Elliot Yamin ran into where he is a good vocalist, but doesn't really have a fit in the competition. I guess we'll see. Grade: C

Danny Gokey - He may have read the buzz in the blogosphere about his ever-rotating supply of chunky eyeglasses and chose to perform sans specs tonight. It looks like he got dressed without his glasses on. Wrinkly, shrunken, seersucker blazer with star-pocketed jeans is a combo I wouldn't have put together. Seriously, I thought they had stylists helping them not sandbagging them. Luckily Danny's vocal and emotional connection were once again spot on tonight and yet again the sucker in me cannot believe he is able to sing that song after losing his wife. I wonder if I would like him as much if I weren't a pregnant, emotional geyser. Grade: A-

Kris Allen - I know this will make some of my readership frustrated but I really hated his performance tonight. I just don't enjoy watching him perform. It is something about the way he bites his lip and closes his eyes after each phrase that makes me want to slap him silly. By picking that song it seemed he wanted praise for picking something so "obscure" (hello it won the Oscar for best song) but to me it again came off as a coffee house performance. I don't know what it is I just can't connect with him. Grade: C

Lil Rounds - Watching her intro video I was really hoping this would be Lil's chance to show us and the judges that she is serious about this competition and a way for her to differentiate herself from the other contestants. But unfortunately I have to agree with Simon that she just doesn't get it. The judges consistently tell her to sing R&B, soul, gospel etc. and there are plenty of artists she could have chosen that would have allowed her to show that side of her. Instead, she tries to do something ultra original and adapt a Bette Midler song to suit her voice. It just didn't work. I think she is struggling with the same thing Matt is--good ideas, poor execution. This reinforces my opinion of Adam as a true original artist because he possesses not only the creativity but the talent to bring his ideas to fruition. Lil is talented and no one denies that. I am just confused as to why she refuses to sing a song by and artist closer to her vocal abilities and style. Grade: B-

What do you all think?

The 80s Reloaded

2009-04-07T21:14:00.004-04:00

So I am on the road this week watching/blogging from western PA. Most of the people who read this blog were sitting in the living room with me, but I would still like to post my review for my non-family readers. This season is proving to show stellar talent and even though they say this every year, I do genuinely believe that this year has the best talent. Since the oldest contestant was born in 1982 (boy do I feel old) I knew my friends Mike & Ariane would be loving tonight's show as a tribute to the music of the 80s.

Danny Gokey - Not only do I think that Danny is a front runner in this competition, he may end up in the top two. The beginning of the song was a bit weak, but he came out strong in the end. He showed once again that he communicates well with the audience and is definitely an original. As in most weeks, I wish Paula would sit on down when she feels so inspired to get up in dance. Luckily she is only 4' 10" so you can see over her even when she is rockin' out. Grade: B+

Kris Allen - So I am glad that he is proving as I have said before that he is okay but not great. The arrangement was not great, performing in the crowd was annoying and I am so sick of the military jacket...again. Is that the only thing he can wear each week? He is not an awful singer, but I don't agree with Paula that he has so much likeability it is hard not to like him. It is not hard at all for me not to like him. Grade: C

Lil Rounds - Whew! The name controversy has been cleared up! Now we can move on with the competition. I thought singing Tina would be a good idea, but she really didn't do anything fantastic with it. She is a good singer, but with the talent we have on this show, she is going to need to stand out to really be able to compete. She looks great tonight and I think will probably be around next week. Grade: C

Anoop Desai - I was nervous...but he surprised me with his interpretation of True Colors. The song was fit well to his voice and I liked that he did something unique with the song. He seems to found his niche with "stool singing". He does better with slower songs when he can really show his vocals. Grade: B

Scott MacIntyre - It was not as bad as it could have been, but it was not great. I am not a huge fan of that song, and it was not executed well especially in his upper register. He wanted to show he is "versatile" but he showed he is good at more of the same...soft rock ballad. Grade: C-

Allison Iraheta - Another amazing performance. She picks the best songs and sings them perfectly. I still can't believe that she is only 17. She is so confident and performs like she has been doing it for years. I really think she could be a very successful recording artist in the near future. Grade: A

Matt Giraud - JT is that you? If I could listen to it with my eyes closed it would be better. Are there budget cuts in the styling department? The fedora and vinyl Members Only jacket are back just like Kris's military jacket. The vocals were good...but he is just so annoying to watch. Grade: A-

Adam Lambert - The Dish Network broadcast we were watching last night cut off the last (and best) performance so I had to wait to see it up on You Tube. Once again I am amazed by Adam's genius in picking the perfect song and singing it in his own unique style. His ability to transition seamlessly between falsetto and belt is something that makes him a true frontrunner. I also like how he chose to maintain a mostly understated performance tonight but still showed his phenomenal skill. I wish I had been able to see this last night but what a great way to close the show!!

What did you all think?

The Top 9 Do The Top 40

2009-03-31T20:17:00.003-04:00

What a night! After hearing all the performances tonight I have to say I feel kind of like when I eat strangely all day. Eating things that don't necessarily go together but strike my fancy at the moment. Or, in the event of a potluck, you eat some things because they look interesting and other things you ingest just to be polite. In any case, in about an hour it feels like a very odd combo. I would say a majority of the contestants rose to the challenge and did very well. Others brought green Jello with carrots. Here are my reviews.

Anoop Desai - Not bad but not great. I really don't like the facial expressions he makes when he is singing a "sexy" song. This performance brought back the awkward inner feelings of My Prerogative and I didn't like feeling that again. I thought the frat boy comment was funny coming on a night when his "brothers" appeared to be in the audience cheering for him. I don't think he'll win the show, but he deserves another week. Grade: B-

Megan Joy - Oh dear me. Once again she thinks she can pull this off. Everything about the performance was wrong from the song choice to the leotard/corset/chain and pearl artwork top, and the Olivia Newton John jeans, to the maze of braids in the back of her hair. And, for once the judges seem to agree with me. Paula's idea of stool singing is not the solution. The reason she hasn't done that yet is quite simply that she lack the vocal ability to captivate and audience like ahem, Adam. In despite of all they say she seems to think that her "audience" and her "fans" will continue to vote her through. I cannot wait for her to leave this show. She is getting more than annoying...it is teetering on painful. I don't care for Scott's voice, but at least he is humble enough to think he is not bulletproof in this competition. Grade: F

Danny Gokey - I about came out of my chair when he announced his choice to sing a Rascal Flatts song. This is a great song choice for him. They are one of the few country groups I really, really like and I was hoping he would do an awesome job with it. I love this guy! Unlike Megan, Danny can just stand there and sing and really communicate it well with the audience. I was about in tears thinking about him singing that song after losing his wife this year. Even the cynic has a soft spot. Or it could just be that I'm pregnant and I cry during pharmaceutical commercials. Grade: A+

Allison Iraheta - So I thought the punk princess look was a bit much, but once again she delivered a great vocal. I don't know if playing the opening guitar plucks of Don't Speak really qualifies as "bringing out your ax" as Paula said. I nearly did a spit take after hearing Paula say that. It is like she just doesn't realize at all how ridiculous she sounds most of the time. I agree it was not her best performance, but definitely enough to get her through to next week. Grade: B+

Scott MacIntyre - It is well known that I am huge Billy Joel fan, and Scott did exactly what I thought he would do on a night when he gets his chance to sing 70s soft rock. I was just telling my sister this weekend that I he reminded me of Barry Manilow. He knows his niche, but I still keep wishing he would sing something more current. In contrast to the judges image critiques, I think he needs to steer clear of the lady with hairspray and a pick who is teasing his curly mane into an illuminated masterpiece. He did sing it well, and he should be around for another week. Grade: B+

Matt Giraud - I cannot remember another contestant beginning their song in the middle of the crowd with a keyboard. I am not sure why he thought it was a good idea, but it certainly was interesting. Another interesting choice was the vinyl Members Only jacket. He has a great voice and I really hope he is still around. I couldn't believe he was in the bottom three last week. Grade: C+

Lil Rounds - Singing Celine is always a huge risk. Lil has a great voice, but for me it sounded like she was a bit off pitch. Evidently the judges were not hearing the same thing. I did like Paula's comment about not wanting to hear Adult Contemporary from Lil. They should make that a rule for all contestants. She looked great...there is just not hiding the back I guess. Side note: It is times like this when I wish I was black. I wish I could just slip on new and different hair everyday depending on my outfit and whim. When I watch Sherri Shepherd on The View I think the same thing. Each day is a completely new look and she is quite vocal about how much she loves her purchased hair. White women just can't pull it off, but if you're black, no one needs to know what your real hair is like. Grade: B

Adam Lambert - The award for best Kurt Russell look-a-like in 3,000 Miles to Graceland goes to...Adam. He is such a weirdo but I just LOVE how he's so original. I was nervous that this song would be over the top and I guess if you had never heard Adam before you could say that. But this leopard can't change his spots. He is who he is and it sings every song brilliantly. I like Kara, can't wait to see what he will do next and I would LOVE to see him live. Grade: A+

Kris Allen - Even though he is not my favorite, he did sing it well and I agree the arrangement was very unique. I just cannot latch on to him. He is a good singer and has obvious musicality, but for some reason I just don't care for him as much as some others in the competition. To be fair though, I need to give credit where credit is due. Grade: A

What do you all think?

Motown Meets Idol

2009-03-25T20:09:00.002-04:00

So I know I was MIA last week for my review but that is because I wasn't able to watch the performance show until Wednesday night just before the results show. I thought if I did my review after knowing the results it wouldn't seem as authentic. I went to the RS Birthday Party Enrichment night and although I had a good time, I was sad to miss Idol. Hopefully I won't have to miss any more weeks this season. Overall tonight was a great showing of the music of Motown and I still think this is a very strong top 10.

Matt Giraud - I'm not sure if I was singing Let's Get It On I would wear a button up shirt, skinny tie and cardigan, but it is clear to me that Matt thinks he is the next JT. All he was missing was a houndstooth fedora. He has a great voice and is very confident and I liked his performance tonight. I disagree with Kara that he should have pushed his performance tonight because I think it would have come over as awkward and oversung. I really like when contestants surprise you and show they are serious about being here. I was not Matt's biggest fan from the beginning, but he is growing on me week by week. Grade: A-

Kris Allen - So the judges and crowd went crazy but I am again only so so on him. He has a good voice and performs well, but I can't see him winning this competition. Something about him just reminds me of a guy I would see performing at Hogi Yogi in Provo on a Friday night. I can't put my finger on it, but just something about him annoys me. I know people are going to post that they really like him and he is a nice guy, yada yada. I don't care...he doesn't do it for me. Grade: B+

Scott MacIntyre - Guys on this show have usually had success adapting a female song to fit their interpretation. David Cook singing Mariah comes to mind. But this was not one of those moments for me. My, oh my, this was bad. Simon nailed it...it was all wrong. From the tight salmon pants, paisley shirt, Gene Wilder/Napoleon Dynamite hair and the awkward hand gestures it was all bad. Luckily he can't see Kara grooving in her chair when she said he had rhythm. Nice job Ryan patronizing him with explanations of Paula's "gift" to Simon and asking him how he knew what color his pants were. Ha ha the blind kid doesn't know how bad he looks. Hilarious. Back to his performance, it was not strong enough to compete with the other talent in this competition. Grade: C-

Megan Joy - Or the Artist-Formerly-Known-As-Megan-Joy-Corkrey. I loved the shot of Simon completely unimpressed at her performance when she came to sing by him. I guess I spoke too soon saying that Scott was not good enough for this competition. Through the whole shouty, pitchy performance I couldn't believe she made it to the top 10. I disagreed with Randy that the outfit was good. Teased up hair with feathers, bubble hem Asian satin dress and kindergarten necklace is not a good look. She is also alarmingly cocky that her fans are out there and voting for her which is REALLY annoying. She got in to the top 10 by the "I'm so sick" pity vote. I was not the biggest fan of Alexis or her song choice last week, but she is a far better singer than Megan. Alexis should be singing this week instead of Megan. Megan is getting worse each week. Grade: D-

Anoop Desai - Oooh baby baby...what a cutie! Anoop is proving that brown is the new black. After My Prerogative I was nervous that he was not the best singer but he is showing us not only that he has skills but he has the charisma to make it all work. I do agree that he needs to be a bit more confident to be able to compete with some of the other heavy hitters, but he is just so charming and has a very pleasant voice to listen to. Grade: B+

Michael Sarver - Ain't too proud to tell you that was not a great performance of that song. The "dance" moves were strange and stiff, the outfit looks like two separate outfits, and it was pitchy all over. It's like he and Megan went to the same singing school. Props to Simon and Randy for keeping it real with him in a very direct way. Even Kara made sense for once which was refreshing. I want to rip those stupid fake dog tags off his neck!! What is up with all the necklaces? Grade: C-

Lil Rounds - I fully expected for Motown week that Lil would excel and she did not disappoint. She has such a great voice and she looks amazing tonight. She finally figured out a way to cover the front and the back. I think she could have picked a better song but I don't think it was as bad as Randy and Kara were trying to make it out to be. She has true talent and she is not annoying. Grade: A-

Adam Lambert - The Wild Card strikes again! First of all, let me say I loved last week's performance. It was crazy, strange and completely unique and most of all well executed. I just love this kid! He totally gets how to be his own artist. Even with his Danny Zuko hair he still looks comfortable in his own skin and made the look his own. He has a way of being "over the top" without being completely annoying. Don't get me wrong I love musical theatre kids but sometimes they push it too far. Adam has a way of being creative and strange without being inaccessible. He still seems like a real guy with real feelings not just a drama freak. Grade: A+

Danny Gokey - Danny is completely cool and unique in a totally different way. Who doesn't love the cute Christian singing widower? I think tonight he proved he has a fantastic voice but the marching choreography with the background singers was funny to watch. I think because he is used to working with kids in his church group he has less of a barometer on what looks odd. He still deserves to be in this competition and I am excited to see/hear what he will do next. Grade: A

Allison Iraheta - Wow, wow, wow! She is such a seasoned performer and commands the stage in a way I wish other people would. The outfit was a bit of a mystery to me but maybe they are just rolling Alexis's wardrobe over to her. What I love about her is the same reason I love Adam. She knows who she is as an artist, sticks by it and executes it well. I cannot believe she was in the bottom three last week. I will definitely be voting for her this week to make sure that doesn't happen again. Grade: A+

If I had my way Megan would be the first sent home tomorrow. I was shocked that she stayed after Rockin' Robin, but tonights was just as bad if not worse. Second choice would be Scott and third choice Michael Sarver. What do you all think?

I have found my new drama

2009-03-16T10:24:00.003-04:00

I hesitate to post this because I don't want to be one of those people that only blogs about TV shows, but I have been looking for a drama to get into for a while now and have finally found one to latch on to. I tried to get into several popular dramas including Lost, but I really wasn't blown away. I saw teaser previews for the new NBC show Kings and thought it looked interesting but didn't make plans to watch the series opener. By chance, I came back from choir practice last night and Mike had the show on. I sat down to see if it was any good and then I spent the next hour and a half completely glued to the screen. I have to admit the main draw for the show was Christopher Egan who in my opinion looks like Val Kilmer and Matt Damon's love child. I immediately fell in love with his story line and wanted him to succeed. He is the character you connect with and grounds the story in some reality. I was also impressed with the performances of Ian McShane and Sebastian Stan and I definitely want to see what happens in their relationship next. In the two-hour opener the plot took many twists and turns and set up the story well for the rest of the season. I can't wait to see it again next week! Did anyone else see it?

The Baker's Dozen

2009-03-10T22:29:00.005-04:00

First of all, let me say I am so glad we are past the riff-raff stage. I don't think the performances were that bad (with the exception of Megan) and I am happy to say that this upcoming season is really looking good. I am also intrigued to find out about the judging change. It seems like the judges are trying to take the show back from the American people which I can see as both a good and bad thing. When Ryan announced it would be Michael Jackson night I was both terrified and excited to see what the contestants would come up with and so without further ado, here are my reviews for this week.

Lil Rounds - I was excited to see her start off the show despite her taking the stage in taper legged, pleated white pants. The SNL commercial Mom Jeans immediately came to mind but I knew she would deliver a strong performance. Lil you are an amazing vocalist, but when Paula gives you wardrobe compliments it is time to find a new look. Just something to think about for next week. All in all a strong, solid performance to start the show. Grade: A

Scott McIntyre - As a disclaimer I must admit I only listened to the next three performers since my husband finally acquiesced to a much needed haircut. I think Scott sounded good, not great and I still think people are more interested with his backstory than his actual vocal chops (shout out Kara!). Grade: B

Danny Gokey - I have been a huge fan of his since his initial audition and he did not disappoint tonight. He has an amazing singing talent but I agree with the judges comments that he is definitely not a dancer. Grade: A

Michael Sarver - I have liked him less and less each time I see him and tonight's predictable choice of You Are Not Alone really annoyed me. He is not pleasing to watch and again I think people are voting for him because he is a "regular" guy. There is something so old fashioned about the way he performs and not in a cool Dean Martin type of way, but in a late-nineties JC Chasez type of way. Does anyone remember back when MTV played music videos how excited JC would get when he had a small solo during an *NSYNC song? That is the same feeling I get when I see Michael perform. I just feel like he is ten years too late. With all the talk from the judges about being "relevant" I am surprised he is not given more criticism on that point. Grade: B-

Jasmine Murray - For the "commercial" singer of the bunch I was not blown away. I felt that her performance of I'll Be There was flat and non-dynamic throughout. I know there must be something the judges see that I don't see, but to me she is a pretty girl singing okay. Grade: B-

Kris Allen - I know the intro with him and his new wife making Hamburger Helper together was supposed to be endearing but it just made me roll my eyes even more. To me he seems like a John Mayer wannabe and was trying to make much more out of the song than was really there. How excited did he expect the crowd to get for Remember the Time? It is just not a get up and into it song. Again, this is someone the judges are in love with but I just can't seem to latch on to. Grade: B

Allison Iraheta - I love the fact that she got her start singing in a Latino BJs/Costco/Bob's Discount Furniture. It was so funny to see here back there singing for patrons in the warehouse filled with recliner sofas and fake potted plants. Not surprisingly I loved her performance yet again tonight. She has always impressed me and what I love most about her is that she knows how to pick songs that really show off her voice. That is a gift in and of itself. She also has a very clearly defined self-image and it seems very genuine. That cannot be taught. Grade: A

Anoop Desai - Despite my high hopes for him, his performance of Beat It was disappointing. What was he thinking? Of all the songs in MJ's catalog, that is one of the ones I definitely would NOT pick. He is likeable but with so much strong competition I just don't see how he can go very far if he doesn't pick better songs. Grade: C

Jorge Nunez - Caterpillar eyebrows aside, sweet Jorge can sing. I was not in love with his song choice of Never Can Say Goodbye. His movements seems stiff and then oddly fluid and I don't know if it had to do with the Miami Vice blazer he was wearing. It looked like it might be cutting off circulation to his arms. He is a sweet boy and sang the song well. Grade: B-

Megan Joy Corkrey - Ugh! It was like I was in a bad dream. It was the same "I can't believe this" feeling I had with Norman Gentle, but you could tell she is not joking. The whole Rockin' Robin performance for me was ridiculous from the push-up bra dress with the macrame straps her weird facial expressions and "dance moves". The real icing on the cake was the "Caw! Caw! Caw!" she gave at the end. Does she realize this is not a kindergarten talent show for the parents? I seriously don't get what the judges see in her and the critique is always the same. "Not a great vocal, but at least you are you" How is that a compliment? This is a singing competition not a "Who's the Most Unique?" contest. Grade:D

Adam Lambert - Just when I thought the show was taking a nosedive, Adam comes along to save the day. I completely agree with the judges that he is an excellent performer and he completely knows who he is. He, like Allison, knows how to pick songs to showcase his voice and use his stage presence to best advantage. I also think he is deserving of the title "relevant" which I think is a term that has been thrown around too willy-nilly this season. The only thing I would change is telling the light show guy to not go so crazy with effects. I know the song was Black and White but the light show was a little intense. Easy does it. He is talented enough on his own he doesn't need all that jazz. Grade: A+

Matt Giraud - Was it just me or did the music seem to drown him out? I felt like I couldn't hear him throughout the whole song. I am not a huge fan of Human Nature because as I have said before I think the show is heading too much in the direction of Delilah. He did an alright job but I was not blown away especially after seeing Adam perform. Does anyone else think he looks like he could be Josh Lucas's less attractive, younger brother? Grade: B

Alexis Grace - For me, Dirty Diana was over the top and over-sung. She does have a good voice and I at least give her credit for going full bore on the song but it was all just a little too much. The 6 inch plat form heels, footless tights and zip up strapless hot pants jumpsuit to me just screams "I am trying to be edgy...how am I doing?" Allison and Adam are able to pull off the more edgy rocker clothes because it seems like something they are comfortable in. When Alexis tries a similar look it just seems too contrived to me. Grade: A-

So, two must go tonight. If I were choosing who would go home based on tonight's show it would be Megan for sure and then either Michael or Anoop. I like Anoop and would like to see him again, but he performed badly tonight. Michael was passable tonight but I really do not care to see him again. What do you all think?

p.s. What is up with all the make-up touch up shots before commercial break?

Delilah presents American Idol

2009-03-04T11:13:00.003-05:00

For those of you who are fans of listen-while-you-work stations tonight's American Idol was for you. As most Americans know Delilah (love someone tonight) is a nationally syndicated radio show that usually plays on soft rock stations after 7 p.m. All of the songs from tonight's broadcast (with perhaps the exception of Lil' Rounds) would be featured on that show. I just don't get why a collection of teens and twentysomethings with all of Billboards Top 100 hits to choose from would pick such "Lite" songs. Watching tonight's show I felt like drinking cans of Tab and eating miniature candy bars while smiling at Cathy comic strips pinned to my cubicle wall. As usual it feels like there were a few clear standouts amid a sea of mediocrity.

Von Smith - To be fair to Von I have not liked him ever since I saw him perform And I'm Telling You on The View last year. I think he is commonly guilty of oversinging, tonight he came close but mostly remained restrained for his performance of You're All I Need to Get By. For me, this is the least annoying I have seen him despite his fire engine red V-Neck under a grey suit. Grade: B+

Taylor Vaifanua - When she announced that she would be singing If I Ain't Got U I thought this would be a good choice. That is because I assumed she could sing low notes well. I was wrong. The song wasn't awful, but it was not that great. I also did not like her shiny black leggings tucked into knee-high boots. I guess Hurricane or Hurricun as she said it will have to produce another American Idol. Grade: C+

Alex Wagner-Trugman - Because he is the resident geek I want to like him. There is something so enjoyable about seeing someone try so hard and still be so awkward. I feel especially bad for him that even Paula was making fun of him. Hi s "choreography" of stepping four feet from the microphone and then throwing the stand late on in the performance was hilarious and much like Norman/Nick from the week before I almost hope he goes through so I can see him perform again. I am rooting for the mathlete. Grade: B-

Arianne Afsar - My friend Ariane may kill me for saying this, but choosing ABBA's The Winner Takes It All was a bad choice. There is not enough of a melody to really make it interesting and it is laughable to see a teen try to sing this song seriously. The notes especially the last note was rough!! Hey, if Pierce Brosnan can sing this song, you should at least be able to get the notes right. Grade: C

Ju'not Joyner - I hate the song Hey There Delilah and I am not Ju'not's biggest fan. I really hate when people have apostrophes in the middle of their name for really no reason. I don't think he is that talented and his clothing looks like he just stepped out of Gen-X...not good. Listening to the performance it felt like the longest 1:20 minutes of my life. The song is a bubbly pop song not a serious slow ballad. I don't know why the judges are so crazy about the kid with cat scratches in his hair. I just don't get it. Grade: C-

Kristen McNamara - Singing Tracy Chapman's Give Me One Reason was actually not as bad as I thought it would be. The many key changes and her soulful interpretation of the song definitely showed me that she can sing and she is serious about being in this competition. I did feel bad for her that the judges (mostly Simon) were so harsh on her outfit because I felt like she looked SO much better than I have ever seen her. She admits she doesn't have the best style, but at least she is trying. Grade: B

Nathaniel Marshall - I am so sick of the drama that seems to follow this freak show wherever he goes. His interpretation of Meatloaf's I Would Do Anything For Love was so odd but not in a good way. His choreography reminded me so much of Jazzercise and even Paula compared him to Boy George. Nothing says crazy like blue foil headband, shoulder padded blazer and tight black pants. Grade: C-

Felicia Barton - She has the likeability factor that so many contestants (ahem Nathaniel) lack. The fact that she was cut and brought back makes me like her more. Her singing was quite good and I like the fact that she is a SAHM that actually wears clothes that cover her. What I mean is she doesn't seem to be trying to be something she is not (Alexis Grace). Grade: B

Scott McIntyre - Despite what the judges agreed on, I was not blown away by his performance. This may not make me the most popular girl on the blogosphere, but I feel like Scott may be getting the pity vote because of his disability. He has a good voice yes, but to me it just wasn't fantastic. The Napoleon Dynamite hair needs to be tamed as well. Grade: B-

Kendall Beard - I don't mind country music and I actually like most of Martina McBride's songs. BUT...if you are going to sing Martina you better be able to hold your own and really blow it out. Her performance was pitchy, slidy and I just wanted it to stop. She is adorable and clearly knows it. Grade: D

Jorge Nunez - I was impressed with his voice all during his performance. He has a strong voice and a very confident stage presence. His Peter Gallagher eyebrows are a little unhinging and if he makes it through, I hope the stylists take care of them. I felt bad for him because I think the judges were patronizing to him about his accent. Vote for Pedro! Grade: B+

Lil' Rounds - As usual the producers save the best for last. Lil seems so confident, so comfortable, so professional, it is hard not to like her. Amazingly strong vocals and she is packing it in the front and back! Whoa girl! Grade: A+

If I were choosing tonights three it would be Lil' Rounds, Jorge Nunez, and for the third Von or Felicia. What did you all think?

p.s. Will someone please tell Cara to stop banging on the table and swallowing the mic when she gives a crtiique!!!

And they called it puppy love...

2009-03-02T15:09:00.005-05:00

Many of my friends knew that I was not exactly in favor of my parents buying a purebred boxer a year and a half ago, but how can I resist pictures like this? Carter loves to play with Magnus and now loves to give him a bath.

To see the whole album and a couple short videos of Carter walking, check out our Flickr page.

Please Tell Me Next Week Will Be Better!

2009-02-25T20:18:00.006-05:00

Watching tonight's show I find myself yawning, checking the clock, counting how many contestants we have left and wondering why they put all the mediocre singers into one group. I just can't believe that after such a strong start last week we have to sit through so many so-so performances. With two exceptions tonights show was a wash for me.

Jasmine Murray - I distinctly remember her being in the awful girls group with Bikini Girl during Hollywood Week and was looking forward to her performance. I was anxiously waiting for her to knock a Whitney song out of the park, but no, she sang Love Song a bouncy pop song I usually hear at Old Navy. She never really took off with the song although she did the sticky-footed walk really well. Cute girl, and not dressed like a skank. For that alone I raise my grade to B-. p.s. does anyone else think she looks like Angelina Jolie in Shark Tale??

Matt Giraud - I remember thinking he was a very good singer, but as the judges said, he picked the completely wrong song with Coldplay's Viva La Vida. When he originally announced he was singing that song I winced a little bit thinking that this would be awkward...and I was right. He may have picked that song because he knows it is on pretty high rotation on the listen-at-work stations and let's face it, those listeners are a big part of the AI demographic. So strategy-wise I kinda see where he was going, but the key is not to sing a British "rock"(insert pop) group's song like Justin Timberlake. It just doesn't work and I don't think JT himself would have tackled it. I think he is still pretty cool despite being a dueling piano player but overall tonight was a bust. Grade: C+

Jeanine Vailes - Wow, wow, wow. Wrong song (This Love), wrong performance (way oversang it), wrong outfit (Daisy Dukes, my mom's rayon blazer circa 1992 and open-toed booties) Trainwreck. Grade: F

Norman Gentle/Nick Mitchell - After three subpar performances, Norman/Nick's comic relief was a welcome change. And the kicker is he really can sing...or saaaang as Randy likes to say. Tonight was not his best vocal but in past performances he shows that he has a great voice. He is a guilty pleasure and like the 15th Tagalong cookie that you know you shouldn't have, I just can't say no to him. Grade: B-

Allison Iraheta - Being that she is 16 I was nervous when she said she would attempt Heart but whoa -- that was amazing! She is definitely edgy but it seems authentic, like this is her actual style not something she is trying to be for the show (ahem, Alexis Grace) I love, love, love her. Incredibly strong vocals and she completely deserves to go through to the top 12. Grade: A+

Kris Allen - Tackling MJ should not be taken lightly. Proceed with caution. Be able to do something amazing with it or don't bother. The fact that Kris covered his face with his spazzy mic hands was the least of his worries. He made the song sound even whiter than MJ himself. I am not sure what Paula and Simon were thinking in their critique. It wasn't awful, but not great. Grade: C-

Megan Joy Corkrey - I love Corinne Bailey Ray and I love Girl Put Your Records On. This was rough for me. The beginning of the song she was flailing her arms waiting for the music and by the end of the song it sounded like she was yelling. I also didn't like her sass back to Simon...or the sewed on rosettes on her bodice. Am I the only one resisting the early nineties fashion comeback? I had those huge hideous rosettes on my Daddy/Daughter Date Dress in the 6th grade. It is a look I don't want to see any time soon. Grade: C-

Matt Breitzke - Matt the Welder this Group 2's Michael Sarver. Normal "working" guy, family responsibilities, late nineties fashion choices. To be fair, I may judge him more harshly because I hate the song If You Could Only See. He just seemed to sing it like a karaoke performance. It just wasn't great for me. Grade: C-

Jesse Langseth - Her performance of Bette Davis Eyes was ok...boring...whatever. Compared to Allison she has no chance. I can't believe the judges (Paula) are using the words "captivating", "unique", and "memorable". Simon's critique was dead on. Grade: C.

Kai Kalama - He sang What Becomes of the Broken Hearted well, but to me it was nothing special. I guess I am still waiting to be blown away. It was just ok. Grade: C.

Mishavonna Henson - I am starting to think this night is a cruel joke. Most of the contestants are picking songs that I hate. Drops of Jupiter is one of those easy, meaningless, non-threatening songs that just doesn't do anything for me. Mishavonna also has the same problem most of Season 7 contestants had which is taking the song too seriously. She acts like she is reciting the preamble to the Contstitution when in reality she is singing a Train song. Cute girl, but not wowing me. Grade: C.

Adam Lambert - I loved his original audition and I think he has real singing chops. I Can't Get No Satisfaction didn't seem like a great song to choose melody-wise, but I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. He knows how to dress and how to work the camera. I also think because he has a theatre background that he will be able to sing a wide variety of songs because he clearly knows how to get into character. I agree with Randy that it was a little manic, but at least it was not boring. He worked the stage and made changes on the melody that livened up the show if only for the last five minutes. Finally someone seems to care about singing. Grade: A.

After watching the whole show now, I feel like Adam and Allison are the clear leaders for the guy and girl pic and if I HAVE to choose a third it would probably be Jasmine because I have heard her sing well in the past. I would not be sad if Norman/Nick went through just so I could laugh again.

What do you think?

Blah, Blah, Blah and Amazing Talent

2009-02-17T21:14:00.004-05:00

Back by popular demand I am starting up my American Idol posts again for season 8. I have to say when they originally announced the top 36 I was very confused as to how they would whittle the crowd done in enough time. This new plan of keeping the top 3 of each night and then having a wild card night is ingenious. I really hope this makes this part of the competition less painful. The night was a mixed bag of amazing, mediocre and awful.

Jackie Tohn - ugh! I have not liked her since her original audition and tonight just solidified my feelings. Singing A Little Less Conversation in a raspy tone and looking like Sandy from Grease in the world's tightest black pants was not my idea to a good start for the night. It is obvious the judges love her, hopefully there will be like-minded people to me not voting for her tonight. Her personality grates on me and I really do not want to see her perform again. She also kept popping up throughout the night like Where's Waldo making sure to get camera time after everyone else's performance. Grade: C-

Ricky Braddy - Where have you been all my life? I do not remember him from the original auditions and only recall seeing him a few times during Hollywood week. Amazing vocals and he is someone that becomes more attractive as he sings. By the end of his song I wanted to set him up with my sister. His voice and control is so good he could easily transfer to B'Way in a big way. Love, love, love him! The night is looking up. Grade: A+

Alexis Grace - I have not enjoyed her thus far because I could tell the judges were favoring her and encouraging her to "dirty up". I also hate it when girls are told to change their image and they run for the nearest hair salon to get chunky pink streaks in their hair. Why is that the universal sign for "edgy"? That aside, she did perform very well tonight especially since she tackled the enormous sparkley gray bow-hat lady Aretha herself. If she does I hope she doesn't wear black lingerie for her next performance. Grade: A-

Brent Keith - Hicktown was boring, forgettable and mediocre. Grade: C-

Stevie Wright - The lower parts of Taylor Swift's You Belong to Me were awful. She does not have control of her lower range. Also the late eighties step touch dance moves were very strange to see on such a young girl. It was like watching Destiny's Child early home movies. It sounded like the band was overpowering her, and half way through the song it looked like she knew this was a bad idea. She is a cute girl so I feel bad for her, but it was a really bad performance. Grade: D

Anoop Desai - I was surprised when he announced he'd be singing Angel of Mine because the judges usually don't like when a female artist song is sung by a male, but he did a really good job. I think Simon is right he has a huge likeability factor and seeing how Slumdog Millionaire is sweeping the awards show it just may be his year too. His voice definitely has a good tone and I wouldn't mind seeing him again. Grade: B+

Casey Carlson - A weak interpretation of Every Little Thing (s)He Does is Magic. Again I felt like the band overpowered her. Her performance was awkward and hard to watch. It was like seeing the popular girl in school completely embarrass herself at the high school talent show. Seen in that light it was semi-enjoyable but painful none the less. Grade: D

Michael Sarver - Here is another example of someone I want to like, because he has a nice backstory but I just don't think he has the talent to back it up. Unsurprisingly, he chose to sing Gavin DeGraw's I Don't Wanna Be, the anthem of the modern "common man". It was okay but I had to laugh at the shirt with a fiery cross on the front AND back...and a leather pendant necklace. Oh yeah, somewhere Dawson Leary is cheering. Grade: B-

Anne Marie Boskovich - Her voice was definitely not big enough for that song and I feel like she is a pretty face but not a star. There is a possibility her skin-tight turquoise dress will get her through, but with Alexis singing Aretha so much better, that chance is slim. Grade: B-

Stephen Fowler - After his weak performance of MJ's Rock With You I thought again that this new elimination schedule is a VERY good idea. Stephen made the fourth underwhelming contestant and I was very glad the judges all agreed it was not good at all. Grade: D

Tatiana Del Toro - For anyone who has had the misfortune of watching this season of AI with me they know I usually yell at the screen any time Tatiana appears. She is just SO over the top and not talented enough to back it up. Tonight's performance wasn't awful and she wasn't as annoying as she usually is but I agree with Simon that she is just trying to be famous she doesn't care how. To me, that is not why someone should be the next American Idol. She also has the oddest fashion sense - fake eyelashes ready to fall off, electric pink lipstick and then a flowy, flowery dress. It was like an outfit you'd see on TLC's Toddlers and Tiaras. Now that I think of it, she reminds me of a giant, oversized child beauty pageant contestant. Perhaps that is why I don't like her. In any case, this review has gone on long enough. Grade: C

Danny Gokey - Here is someone that has a terrific, endearing backstory and has an amazing voice to back it up. Finally I remember that this is a singing competition and am glad Danny is included in it. His performance of Mariah Carey's Hero was strong, powerful, original and humble at the same time. I love him. Grade: A+

So at the end of the two hour show I am left with a few questions. Why wasn't Danny's BFF Jamal included in the top 36 but Stephen Fowler, and Brent Keith were? Who is the "real" Tatiana? Were the girls included this season due to their looks or talent? Will anyone tell Cara not to swallow the mic when she gives critique? For tomorrow's results show I think it should be Danny Gokey, Alexis Grace and Ricky Braddy. Hopefully Anoop will get put into the wildcard show.

What do you think?

I can't even stand it...

2009-02-11T12:46:00.004-05:00

So I know I haven't updated in a LOOOOONG time and I am working on correcting that. I guess I am not even sure where to start. But...this picture of Carter is so cute I can't even stand it. He is such a little man. To see our full collection of Carter pics, check out our Flickr page.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T14:09:00.002-04:00

As most of my friends know, I am not a big Halloween fan, in fact, I avoid most of the merriment associated with the holiday. But, I loved the idea of putting Carter in a costume, so here is my attempt at participating in Halloween. If you want to see more pictures, click here.

Here's Hoping...

2008-10-09T22:15:00.002-04:00

Here's hoping I win a super cute handbag from HandbagPlanet.com. Go check them out and enter to win a free handbag - www.handbagplanet.com. Thanks to Emma for the heads up!

Like the Corners of My Mind

2008-09-08T22:18:00.002-04:00

My SIL, Hannah, posts memories called "Flashback Friday" on her blog and she shares funny stories of what it was like for her growing up or milestones in her life. In tribute to her, and since I will probably forget to post this by Friday, I am sharing this memory of mine for those who read this blog to laugh at. I was reminded of this by reading Monica's post on food aversions and conversions and it made me remember the horror that was school lunch for me.

My mother was deeply against buying us hot lunch at school. She felt that $.85 a day was too pricey and that we could pack our lunches cheaper with food from home. Despite our protests and pleadings that all the other cool kids bought hot lunch, she insisted that we "brown bag" it or in our case "Playmate" it. For those of you who don't know what a Playmate is (other than the girl with bunny ears) it is a small personal cooler put out by the Igloo company. In the early 90s when I was forced to start Playmating it my mom bought us all matching "Little Playmates" which where even smaller versions of the Playmate cooler with fuschia and teal accents (as I said it was the early 90s). Playmate was such an ironic name for them since they were in no way a playmate and certainly did not attract them.

In our Little Playmate there was a Rubbermaid sandwich container, drink container and ice pack. There was also usually room to store an apple, pretzels or whatever other snack item we could scrounge up when we packed our lunch five minutes before the bus arrived. Since my first day of first grade my mother never packed my lunch. She claimed that she was teaching me to be self-sufficient, but really I think she wanted to sleep in a few more minutes. My first grade teacher actually brought this up at parent-teacher conference after she noticed some of my creative choices for lunches, but my mother stood by her decision and insisted that I continue Playmating it for myself.

During one school vacation over Christmas break, I forgot to empty my Playmate and the drink container stunk so much that it had to be thrown away. Instead of buying me a new drink container which were available at Wal-Mart and several other fine retailers, my mother wanted me to live with the consequence of my negligence and replaced the plastic Rubbermaid drink container with a Ball canning jar complete with metal lid. As cruel as I think this was at least my mother was consistent and made the other kids do the same when they ruined their drink container. Not only did the canning jar make the already bulky Playmate heavier it was difficult to casually drink out of a canning jar at the lunch table. I would usually drink the whole jar while the other kids were going through the hot lunch line so they wouldn't see me tipping back a 16-ounce glass jar when they were daintily sipping out of a milk carton.

The other logistical problem with the Playmate came on the bus ride to and from school. School bus seats are built to fit two sixty pound kids with normal backpacks and the aisles are only wide enough to walk single file. When you are a large kid to begin with and then are carrying a boxy cooler that weighs ten pounds getting seated on the bus becomes tricky. Most days my brother and I would suck it up and sit together with our Playmates instead of forcing another hot-lunch-child to be embarrassed with us.

Looking back on it I still laugh that my mom, being a middle school teacher herself, sent us to school with dorky Playmate coolers knowing we would be ridiculed. I guess she wanted us to get a tough skin early on to prepare us for real life. The funny thing is, as soon as I could get a job when I was fifteen, I used that money to buy hot lunch and never Playmated it again. Sorry for the really random post but when Monica asked for comments on food aversions I couldn't help but think of how much I really hate lunch food (sandwiches in particular) to this day.

Big Bang Theory

2008-08-15T11:31:00.006-04:00

So, as some of you know, I got my hair cut into a Pageboy on Wednesday. I blame my urge to cut it mostly on Mad Men, which I have to say, if you are not watching it...you should be! If you have Comcast you can watch all the episodes for free on OnDemand. Okay, so enough of the Mad Men plug! My other beauty inspiration, as always, is Katie Holmes. I thought this cut would make me look more sophisticated, but so far I think it is just cute and vintage-y (which is always good). Mike thinks it looks like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction...and that's not the worst thing.

Special thank you goes out to Erika at SoHo Salon & Spa in Rye. She did a great job and was very easy to chat with. For anyone that is looking for a new stylist in NH, I highly recommend her services and the salon in general.

Here are a few pics...Mike trying to be "artsy" and put me in the "golden third" of the photo

From above

I was sick of the photo shoot at this point but I wanted to show a side view

The Times They Are a Changin'

2008-07-31T10:20:00.006-04:00

I was late getting on the Crocs bandwagon. My old roomie, Jess, bought an imitation pair from Payless and I remember wondering why she would wear garden shoes out in public like they were regular shoes. Fast forward to Jess' wedding five months later. After getting blisters on my feet from the shoes I did bring, in desperation I bought my own pair of imitation Crocs at Payless intending only to wear them for the plane ride home and then give them to Mike to wear while mowing the lawn. Once I got used to wearing them I didn't want to take them off. Still, despite them being very comfortable, they were not the most attractive shoe to wear. Last summer when I was on the hunt for a muted metallic gold ballet flat, I bought the Crocs Prima style and was quite pleased with them until my feet started getting sweaty and the shoes would make a farting sound when I walked. Now the fashion problem was solved but now I had an even more embarrassing social problem -- faux flatulence. For the last month of my pregnancy they were pretty much the only shoes I could still wedge on my fat feet, so I swallowed my vanity because the comfort benefit was worth it. Now that we live at the camp, we still three pairs by the door for running out to the maintenance building or grabbing the mail. I usually just assess which pair is the least dirty and choose that one. Okay, now we're really sounding country.
Anyway, yesterday when I went shopping with my mom she announced that she was going to buy me a new pair of Crocs and she had read an article about a new high-heel version that we should check out. Usually my mom and I have very different opinions on what we look for in shoes. She buys shoes based on style, I buy based on fashion. When we first got to Macy's I saw the Croc heels and thought they were cute, but I really wanted them in black and they only had gold and bronze. Plus, you had to ask for your size instead of just shopping on the Croc wall and I wasn't sure I was completely in love with them. We then went to Journeys and I tried on the Sassari style there, but I still didn't love the gold and I thought there was too much material on them and I thought they would just make my feet sweaty. We tried a few more stores, but all in vain. Finally on the way out, I said, well let me just try on the Cyprus style because it only has two thin straps. Much like my first experience with Crocs I wondered how I had lived so long without them. These are the perfect blend of form and function and I highly recommend them to any woman who thought heels were always uncomfortable. These give you an extra 3-4" of height and feel like you are walking on flats!! I love them!! The funniest part of the whole experience was when I looked at the receipt they rang up as "Comfort Shoes"...I guess I am turning into a full-fledged SAHM now :)

The Best Butter Cookies. Ever.

2008-07-22T11:48:00.004-04:00

So as my friends and family know, I am a huge fan of cookies. I love making them. I love watching people eat my cookies and of course, I love eating them myself. Usually in the summer I am on hiatus from making cookies because of the heat. This past Sunday, the weather was rainy and cool and I was bored at my parents' house waiting for them to get home. I starting browsing through the pantry and my mother's cookbooks trying to find something to make. I came across this recipe in The Taste of Home Award Winning Recipes. It only had six ingredients which made it a very appealing choice and the assembly seemed easy. My mom and I made them for the fam on Sunday night and they were delicious!!! I am making them again tonight at my house and I am already putting them on the make-in-a-hurry list. Hope you like...

Swedish Butter Cookies (courtesy of Taste of Home)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add syrup; mix well. Sift together flour and baking soda in a separate bowl; gradually add to creamed mixture. Divide dough into eight portions. Roll each portion into a 9-in. log with your hands (they will look like Play-Doh snakes) Place 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 300° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into 1-inch slices with a pizza cutter. Remove to wire racks to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Where have you been all this time?

2008-07-17T18:28:00.003-04:00

So I haven't posted pictures in a while of Carter since we can't seem to find the battery charger for our camera. Our good friends, the Camerons, were kind enough to take some photos of Carter and our friends the Sargents and post them on their blog. So that will have to do for now. I need to become better at blogging. I am an avid blog stalker. Thanks to my SIL, Hannah, I now have Google Reader checking all my blogs for me and I am very excited when someone updates. Since admitting this to Ariane who gave me a hard time for not updating in so long I realize, I need to be blogging more. Hopefully Mike and I can find our charger to post some pics too (I always think posts are more interesting with photos).

At your request Ariane, here is the recipe for the brownies I made Sunday (courtesy of Martha):

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate
5 large eggs
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, optional (I used coffee flavored Postum)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Preheat the oven to 400, with rack in the center position.
2. Generously butter a 9 x 13 pan with butter.
3. In a double boiler or Pyrex bowl over a saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate together. Mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar and espresso powder (optional) together at a high speed.
5. Lower the speed and add in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla, then slowly add in the sifted flour. Mix just until incorporated--do not overmix.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips and toasted walnuts.
7. Pour into the buttered 9 x 13 pan and bake until edges are dry, but the center still soft (about 30 minutes).

Great Performances?

2008-06-22T22:13:00.004-04:00

For those who read my blog you may wonder why I even took the time to post this. It has been a while since I have updated the blog, and it has not been for lack of interesting things happening here at the camp. However, tonight I was trying to veg out and watch something that would help me get to sleep. I turned the TV on to PBS in hopes of Part II of the Harry Truman biography I was watching yesterday (yes I know I am a dork). Instead of a fascinating look at possibly our most reluctant president, I instead had the misfortune of seeing "Great Performances" South Pacific with Reba McEntire and Alec Baldwin. Apart from neither one of them being especially skilled at singing in musical theatre style, the cast is presenting the entire show on stage at Carnegie hall ON BOOK. How is this a great performance? Even high school students are capable of performing this material by memory. Let me be clear -- I usually LOVE the Great Performances series and other stage productions performed at Carnegie hall in an "In Concert" format. Some of my favorites include Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd, Putting it Together, and Candide. Candide is probably the best I have seen in this style for talent (Kristin Chenoweth, Patti Lupone) material (Bernstein!) and originality of staging. But I have never seen "actors" perform on book and have it be recorded for distribution. Presumably, the audience payed a hefty price for a performance at Carnegie hall only to arrive and see the entire cast unprepared for their arrival. I am still watching this in disbelief. Has anyone else seen this or others like it? Do you think it is ok and/or entertaining?

Johnny Jump Up

2008-06-03T10:32:00.003-04:00

Before I had Carter I swore I would not be one of those parents that runs out to buy every gadget and activity station for their baby. First there was the bouncy chair, then the Bumbo, then the stand up activity bouncer, then the swing and now, the Johnny Jump Up. I think what I like most about it is that is actually something that was around when I was a baby and it keeps him occupied while I make dinner and I can still see him. It also doesn't take up very much space and it is not in shockingly bright colors. Plus, look at that face...who could say no to that?
To see more pics of my little man, check out our Flickr page.

Britney Spears Ain't Got Nothin' on Me

2008-06-03T10:19:00.004-04:00

After Britney Spears proclaimed, "We're country!" after being asked why she would ever travel in her white Mercedes with Sean Preston on her lap I thought she was crazy. Who would ride around with a baby on her lap and let it be photographed? Well, evidently I have more in common with Britney than I thought. Pictured above is Carter and me in the John Deere Gator, our main vehicle to get around the camp. It is basically a golf cart on steroids--a four wheel drive diesel golf cart. When my mom first told me about how cool it was that Dad bought her this little get around mini tractor, I wasn't that jazzed about it, but since driving it, it is really cool! It is all enclosed so it feels more like a car and you can go ANYWHERE with it- it is amazing. Carter loves to see everything around the camp. Mike and I took him to see the foxes that live in one of the cabins just behind us and he seemed very intrigued. Don't worry, I am still walking most places, especially when Mom is here because she has made it clear that it is HER vehicle when she is here at the camp. What can I say, "We're country!"

Namaste

2008-05-20T21:34:00.003-04:00

It may surprise some people to know, but I have been wanting to try yoga for a long time, but was too scared and didn't want to embarrass myself. Well, now that I have moved to a new town, I thought, what is there to lose? I don't know anyone here and judging from those I have seen, I don't think I will feel ugly/awkward/fat. So, I signed up for classes through the Raymond Rec Center (3 a week for 6 weeks) in hopes of getting more toned and centered. I weigh the same as I did pre-pregnancy, but things are not in the same place anymore. I have never been tight and toned, but it is driving me crazy to not at least look like my old flabby self. Anyway, I went today...alone...see Mom, I will do things by myself, and I had a really good time. For starters I am the youngest person in the class, a really refreshing feeling, especially since coming from Provo. Also, the lights were off which helped me feel more confident and the teacher was really clear as to what to do and I didn't feel "left behind" like I sometimes do in a group athletic class. I took an aerobics class once where I was always two movements behind the group...not a good feeling. I kept my balance very well and was even able to try some of the intermediate techniques. I couldn't believe it but by the end of the class I was able to balance my whole body on my elbows and shoulders and do scissor kicks in the air. I haven't done that since I was little. So, while I am a long way from doing the above pose, I was very proud of myself for trying something new and doing well at it. The teacher came up to me afterward to introduce herself to me (everyone else in the class is on a first name basis) and she thought I had done yoga before. So, yea! I have found something that requires coordination that I can do. Sorry that you had to read this written "pat on the back" but I am proud of myself and I feel great (a little sore, but great).

What a Long Strange Trip It's Been

2008-05-20T21:05:00.003-04:00

It has been a long season of American Idol full of characters, relentless ad placement and exceedingly long results shows. And even by Idol standards, this season has been strange. I guess the producers thought tonight should be no different. I didn't get the relevance of the boxing analogies they kept trying to throw into the show. Is this a new Fox acquisition? I half expected there to be another SYTYCD reference to make the night complete, but they will probably save that for tomorrow. Please, oh please, have Mario Lopez dance like he did with the cast of A Chorus Line on DWTS. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.

Anyway, back to the finale performances. It was obvious based on the cheers and the judges reviews that Archuleta is the favorite to win. I hope this doesn't jinx him because I have wanted him to win for a long time. I just love how earnest he is about every single performance. Even though he looks a little like a leprechaun, especially when he stands next to Seacrest, he is pitch perfect and polished every time. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me was a predictable Clive Davis pick. If memory serves he also picked that song out for Aiken at this stage in the competition. David sang it well and I got excited when it sounded like a gospel choir was coming in for the chorus, but it was subdued and focused on him. Mark my words though, I predict a random gospel choir marching on stage tomorrow night for the results finale. I can't think of a finale that hasn't featured one. In This Moment was another predictable pick because it was a very "Archuleta song" -- lots of big notes and sounds like it could be done with Up With People. What was up with the giant anchor chain blazer he had on? Did that look weird to anyone else? Finally Imagine was even better than when he sang it the first time. I just love hearing him sing. He has a gift!! I have already voted for David 10 times. And the night is young.

David Cook also had a good night. At the beginning of the season I was not his biggest fan. I mostly hated his receding hairline comb-over swoopy bangs, but since he lost those and since my friend Holly convinced me that he is great, I have been cheering for him as well. Shelby and I joke that Carter has David Cook hair because it lays perfectly flat in the front and parts to one side and sticks straight up in the back. Clive Davis's pick for him, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For I thought was a good choice and I think he sang it well. The second song Dream Big was chee-zay. I think he sang it well, but the song was lame. Were those really the two best songs? Lastly, The World I Know was an odd choice for me. Again, he did it well, but what a Debbie Downer song for the last song you could possibly sing on the show. And I didn't like the "vampire's night out" outfit they put him in. All he was missing was a cape. In the end, I think they both did very well tonight, and I would be happy if either won. But I would be a little happier if Archuleta won :)

p.s. Someone needs to tell Archuleta's Dad-ager to loose the Newsie cap. Someone must have told him it looked good once (mistakenly) and now he is riding that look 'til the wheels fall off. Looking in to my crystal ball, you won't be delivering papers...ever. Archie is sure to get a record contract. Give Britney her hat back.

Hallelujah

2008-05-14T22:00:00.002-04:00

She is finally gone. The long overdue day has arrived. Now it is a real competition.

D Squared...I hope!

2008-05-13T21:39:00.002-04:00

So now that I am back to blogging, I am very anxious to share my thoughts on tonight's AI. From what I can tell, the finals are going to be David and David and here's why.

David Archuleta: For those of you who read my blog, I have never hid the fact that I love the awkward, humble, overly peppy teen from Murray, Utah. I just love his talent and how he is so earnest about every song he approaches. Tonight was no different. For his first song, Paula chose And So It Goes. I am a huge Billy Joel fan and for once, Paula was not crazy. His second song choice was Chris Brown's With You. I have to agree with the judges that David is too white to sing this song, but I like them, applaud his effort and strategy to pick a younger sounding song. It is just so funny to me that someone who sings with such soul can rob the soul out of that song and replace it with an Up With People feel. I almost think he wanted people to join him singing while they were waving their hands back and forth in the air. For his third song, Dan Fogelberg's Longer, he gets an award for doing the most he could with such a crap song choice. When I hear that song I think my eighth grade Civics teacher listening to 98.7 The Bay and grading papers with a warm Diet Coke and an ugly dog asleep at her feet. Just something really sad like that. Luckily, the judges all agreed he could sing "The Phonebook" and they would listen. I wonder what next year's praise catchphrase will be.

David Cook: I haven't always been his biggest fan, but I think he is much more of a defined artist than Syesha is. David's first song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, was an odd choice especially since I don't think it was intended to climax at the end, but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever heard. His second song, Dare You To Move, was just what I guessed he would pick but was much more "pitchy" than I expected. His third song, Don't Want To Miss A Thing, other than being a shameless tribute to the music of Diane Warren (what AI season isn't?) was ok. I still think they should just do a Diane Warren night like they did in season three and get it over with already. He sang it exactly as I thought he would and I think he will make it do the finals.

Which brings me to my least favorite contestant, Syesha. Aside for every mannerism she does annoying me, I just don't think she is a defined performer. She is like an actress doing a performance of what a performer should do, not what she actually is thinking and feeling. Her first song, If I Ain't Got You, was a Xerox of the original with a few additional flourishes. Her second song, Fever, was painful to watch. Yes, Syesha, you are attractive. Yes, dancing around a chair is sexy. No, you should not combine the two with a really old song on the semi-finals of American Idol. I know like four other people saw the movie The Fighting Temptations (and as mentioned in an earlier post, Black Cinema is one my guilty pleasures) but her performance tonight was almost a complete replica of Beyonce's performance in that movie. She even did the Beyonce signature side-lunge. Bad form, Syesha. Her last song, the Happy Feet song was lame. Be yourself, not a copy of other performers! She honestly would be my first choice if they were casting a biopic about a black female performer. She would probably be able to imitate them perfectly. For next week, they get to pick their favorite song from the season and I REALLY don't want her to sing Change is Gonna Come and I know she would choose it. Once was self-indulgent enough, twice would be unbearable.

Keep voting for either of the Davids. The lines are open for just a few more hours!!

I'm Baaaaack

2008-05-13T21:17:00.002-04:00

So after a month of silence, I am back to blogging. I hope I don't ever need to take a break that long again. I will post pictures of our new digs in NH, but for now I am not ready. I still need to hang things on the wall so it looks more like a real home. I promise...photo documentation of our new place will be on soon.

It has been a long month away. April was jam packed with finishing school, finishing work, finals, graduation, packing, moving, leaving Carter for the first time, and unpacking at our new house. The drive was loooooong and I glad we don't have to do it again any time soon. Leaving and being away from Carter for three days was much harder than I thought it would be, and again, I am glad I don't have to do it again any time soon. Our new house is great! We love living here already. It is really nice to have a place to ourselves and still be close to family. I think it is a great blend. Our new ward as been very welcoming and we are excited to be part of a new "family".

Our life here is very different than life in Provo. I don't see pregnant women every day when I go to the store and in fact, when I do go out shopping in the middle of the day with all the other "stay-at-home-moms" it is seldom that I even see another baby for Carter to meet. Raymond is a special town. It has a very unique blend of inhabitants as do most New England towns. "In Town" which is really just one main street, I would probably feel more comfortable if I owned my own Camaro...or had feathered bangs that wreak of Aussie hair products...or a rose tattoo...or taper legged jeans...or mirrored sunglasses purchased at a gas station ...or a smile like a jack-o-lantern...am I painting a clear enough picture? Anyway, the locals are friendly and I enjoy the show when I go "downtown". Mike and I have even started working on our accents for interactions with Raymond residents. We try to remember to start each sentence with "Yeahr I was..." as in "Yeahr I was wonderin' how fah it is to the nearest Wal-Maht." Mike has been practicing his Raymond accent out on Shelby at the Routes by prank calling her first thing in the morning. She thinks it is annoying, I think it is hilarious.

In any case we are glad to be back in NH and look forward to reacquainting with all of our friends here. I am sure I will have many more interesting stories to share while we are here.

The Elite Eight

2008-04-09T02:07:00.004-04:00

So, I am happy to learn that a few people enjoy reading my weekly posts on American Idol, so back by popular demand, I am continuing to write my review of the performances. Tonight was Idol Gives Back Night and just like every multi-million dollar enterprise that is forced by conscience and a chance for really good PR to "give back" they spent a good portion of the night congratulating themselves on a job well done. I thought there were a few performances worthy of note and others I could stand to live without.

#1: Michael Johns: He did an alright job with his song and he is definitely someone I like to watch, but I wasn't blown away by his performance. I think he deserves to be around another week.

#2: Syesha Mercado: Does the vocal coach hate her, or is she really that self-confident? Week after week she chooses huge songs that have been done by big-voiced performers and then is shocked when the judges compare her amateur version to the professional. I was never really enamored by Fantasia mostly because she cannot construct an intelligible sentence if her life depended on it, but I did think she was talented. Even though she hasn't translated well to a broad audience, she has found some success with her book and subsequent made-for-TV movie Life is Not a Fairy Tale which warns African-American young women of the hardships of poverty, lack of education and teenage pregnancy (because that topic has never been covered before). In any case, if you are going to cover a song that has made someone famous, you better "saaang it" as Randy says. I look at her with her Afro-tastic hair and keep waiting for Jennifer Hudson or Melinda Doolittle's voice to come out but instead it is a restrained, covered kitten sound when she means to be a tigress. She also provided us with the first Mariah Carey moment of season 7 with the up-in-the-rafters falsetto near the end of the song. Way to make it your own and call dogs from three blocks away. I really don't care for her attitude when the judges criticize her performance. Clearly she thought she did better. I wouldn't mind seeing her go so I wouldn't need to see that audacious self regard again.

#3: Jason Castro: How I love you so. Even though Mike and I both hate the song he did (we both think it is "the" slideshow song) he did it up well. I really appreciate how committed he is to his hippie persona (dreds, skinny jeans, awkwardly low cut v-neck shirts with vintagey looking cardigans). He really gets what his strength is and I love that he seem genuinely happy to perform each week. As a side note, each time he smiles he reminds me of Mike's cousin Sarah and so it is another pleasant memory to see him each week. I hope he makes it through.

#4: Kristy Lee Cook: I have not been shy in expressing my dislike for Kristy this entire season and tonight was no different. Once again, she partied like it was 1999. Every time I see her a flood of high school memories comes back and I wonder how she has stayed in her time capsule for so long. Glittery gold tank and bootcut white jeans with a glittery gold belt. It reminds me of some one you would see entering Inferno night club on a Thursday night. Her singing was "pitchy" although the judges didn't seem too bothered by it. Each week when she sings I find myself raising my eyebrows and tilting my head forward hoping it will somehow help her to slide up to the right note.

#5: David Cook: Even though I don't like Kristy, David's song choice for tonight was way off. I am not the biggest fan of Our Lady Peace (again reminds me of high school and not in the good way) and I couldn't understand a majority of the lyrics of his song. The whole thing just sounded muddled and growly. I have to agree with Simon that the Sgt. Pepper white peacoat was a bad wardrobe choice. And I have to disagree with Paula that the "give back" written on his sweaty palm with a ball point pen was deep important message to get out. The show is called Idol Gives Back. We get it.

#6: Carly Smithson: I have to think the vocal coach on the show hates her too. The theme for the night was inspirational music not angry/sad reflections on a world gone wrong. Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love Queen. They are one of my favorite groups and I think Freddie Mercury was one of the most brilliant rock vocalists of all time. But if you are going to pick a Queen song, a. Make sure it fits with the theme of the show and b. "Saaang" it well. The way Carly sang it made it sound angry and shouty. She is also on my could-go-home list.

#7: Sweet Sweet David Archuleta: Even as reports surface of his overbearing stage dad David continues to impress with his earnest delivery of well chosen pop standards. Who cares if his Dad-ager yells at him and shames him in front of the other contestants? The proof is in the pudding. Look how well the Simpson girls have done with Daddy Joe at the helm. Parents know how to manipulate in a way that others can't. Whatever his "home" situation, David is sailing through to the next round.

#8: Brooke "the nanny" White: Speaking of time machines, I'd like to see where Brooke found her look for the night. Completely authentic female singer-songwriter garb from the 70s with her brown daisy print dress and her long wavy fanned back hair. Not surprisingly she sang Carole King's You Got a Friend. She didn't really do anything original with the song and did not wow me with her performance skills. She seems like someone who is desperately awaiting the return of Lilith Fair when her music will once again be appreciated. I just wish she would be more creative and imaginative in preparing to sing classic songs we all know. Right now she sounds like coffee house karaoke and I don't think that will win her the competition.

Last year on Idol Gives Back night, they didn't vote anyone off but voted two people off the following week with the combined scores of both performance nights. I wonder if they will do that again this year, or if they will ax someone tomorrow on the star-studded, ad-filled "results" show. Each week it seems less and less about the contestants and results and more and more about product placement and performance opportunities for professionals. I am sure tomorrow will be no different.

La Cucaracha

2008-04-01T00:45:00.004-04:00

On my lunch break today I went to Old Navy because I was told there was really good baby clearance there. While I was there I came across this little "Newsie" hat (the last one). It reminded me of my Papa who frequently wears this type of hat in the summer. When I got home Shelby and I excitedly changed Carter into this ultra preppy look complete with the little hat. By the time we were done dressing him he no longer was in a smiley mood but we were still determined to get some cute pictures of him (they are posted on our Flickr page). Shelby got desperate and started singing "La Cucaracha" to him to make him smile. He didn't get ecstatic, but did manage to smile a bit for our queer little video. Hope you like...

Dominique Moceanu I am not

2008-03-27T00:19:00.003-04:00

It is not breaking news to anyone that I am not athletic. That being said, I still thought I had some basic tumbling abilities since I was a relatively active kid. My friend Katie used to humor me when we were kids by listening to my dreams of athletic prowess. I always wanted to be a figure skater or a gymnast. We used to go to her sister Kelley's meets and watch her excel at this sport. Looking back on it now, it is so comical to imagine my tubby, uncoordinated self watching Kelley and thinking I could do that someday. Luckily I was raised by parents who didn't pull any punches and told me that was something I would never be good at. I guess I didn't realize that at 27 I still didn't believe them.

When Molly, Shelbs and Elza came over tonight and explained to me that Molly and Shelbs couldn't do a somersault I laughed at them. "Even I can do a somersault!" I said confidently. I truly, passionately believed that I could do a somersault. I mean, can't everyone? When asked to demonstrate my abilities I was weighed in the balance and found wanting. It felt so weird to even attempt it. My first couple of tries were weak at best and Mike voiced his disappointment with me. So I made him do one which he did pretty easily. Well then I was determined to be able to do it. Anything he can do, I can do better, right? After two more REALLY embarrassing attempts I finally was able to do a somersault! With my new found skill I quickly turned to my more comfortable role as a Bela Karolyi-like mentor and began "spotting" Molly and Shelby. They now believed if I could do it, anyone could. Molly captured these delightful memories on video, but thankfully has not posted them. Looking in to my crystal ball I don't see Olympic gold in my future, but I should be able to teach Carter how to somersault when he is old enough. He's already rolling so that's a start.

"You just keep me hanging on..."

2008-03-27T00:13:00.002-04:00

Why, oh why are Kristy Lee Cook and Ramiele Malubay still on Idol? Has America gone deaf? I predicted Kristy wouldn't go home since she was practically waving a flag and auditioning for the next Toby Keith video. There is, unfortunately, a large segment of America that eats that stuff up. However, who is voting for Ramiele? She wasn't even in the bottom three!!! I wasn't too sad to see Chikezie go because I have never been his biggest fan, but he didn't do that bad of a job last night. He certainly did better than Ramiele. Oh well, Kristy and Ramiele have hung on for another week...and next week is Dolly Parton week. This should be interesting.

American Idol...A Perfect 10?

2008-03-26T00:48:00.002-04:00

So as I mentioned in my AI post two weeks ago I am sick and tired of the judges telling me that this year is the best top ten ever. From what I saw tonight, I have to disagree. Tonight's theme was "Songs from the year you were born". Each year this episode brings out a wild card element, but I think it still gives them a ton of freedom in making song selections. Here are my thoughts from tonight's episode:

#1: Ramiele Malubay - First of all she is certainly not #1 in my book, at least not for singing. Her "performance" of Heart's "Alone" was flat, shrieky and painful to watch. Also, her eighties "tribute" outfit left much to be desired. Of all the eighties trends to rock, high-wasted baggy trousers and an off-the-shoulder diagonal stripe shirt is the best you could do? It looked like an outfit from a Newport cigarette ad circa 1989.

#2: Jason Castro - His song choice of Sting's "Fragile" was a good choice for his style. I don't know why the judges don't quite get who he is yet. He reminds me of a Jack Johnson mixed with Lenny Kravitz. Let him do his thing. Although I don't think this was his best week, it was loads better than "Michelle" last week. He is who he is and I like that he does his own understated thing. I don't think he'll win it, but if all else fails he can move to Durham, NH and play at the MUB.

#3: Syesha Mercado - Shelby has never liked her and although she doesn't annoy me as much as she does Shelby, she is not my favorite. In her videos she seems like someone who knows exactly how "cute" she is and tries to play up all of her "endearing" qualities. I know she is in her mid-twenties, but everytime I see her I picture her as a little kid in a Welch's grape juice commercial. My Memere always hated Welch's kids, and I am afraid I now do as well. Her performance of "If I Was Your Woman" definitely wasn't bad and I think she deserves to be in another week. Sorry Shelbs!

#4: Chikezie - Finding out this week that his parents are from Nigeria actually made me less annoyed that his name is Chikezie Eze. Being in Utah for 2 years now I am just used to made up names (ie. Kenessa) and I assumed this was one of them. While Chikezie's performance was old-fashioned, it wasn't painful, and for that alone he deserves another shot. He is another one that falls into the "Welch's" category for me, so I don't know that I will ever love him, but I could like him for another week.

#5: Michael Johns - Finally someone that doesn't make me feel old! He was born in 1979, so he is a solid 3 years older than I am. I thought it was pretty gutsy for him to think he could pull off Queen. Freddy Mercury is usually regarded as one of the top rock tenors of all time, so if it were me I wouldn't want to give people a chance to compare the performances. He was pitchy and doesn't do well in his higher register, but he is so darn charming, I hope he makes it through for another week.

#6: Carly Smithson - "Total Eclipse of the Heart" -- if I never had to hear that song again it would be too soon. Whenever I hear it I think of sweaty, awkward boys asking me to dance at church dances and it makes me feel embarrassed for both of us all over again. She is a also a hard person to watch sing. She has weird Boris and Natasha eyebrows that make her look angry when she sings.

#7: Brooke White - I laughed out loud when she re-started her song after singing a wrong first note. She handled it well, but I don't know why the judges kept praising her for her "professionalism". She was once again trying to be very dramatic with her delivery of "Every Breath You Take" and I don't like her turning the show into Lilith Fair each week for her performance. All in all it was not the worst performance of the night, so she should stay around. Speak of the devil, that brings us to...

#8: Kristy Lee Cook - Where to start? She is playing her cards right to sing a patriotic song ("God Bless the USA") complete with cymbal flourishes and a brass section that came in at the end. Who can vote off the girl who loves her country? I don't know if the judges went momentarily deaf, but her "money notes" were flat. With all the talk they keep saying about being relevant and modern I am surprised they like her. She is dated, and not in an old school, throw-back kinda way, but in a late 90s, small town, country type of way. Even though this wasn't her worst song, I hope she gets voted off.

#9: David Archuleta - Sweet, sweet, David. Normally David can do no wrong for me, but tonight's performance seemed too Mickey Mouse Club/Kids Incorporated. He still has a great voice and deserves to be in the competition and I am glad he tried to pick a more upbeat song, but at least choose a song other people know. And perform less in the Up With People style.

#10: David Cook - I didn't feel his cover of a cover was as inspired as the judges, but it wasn't terrible. Once again, I think he takes it too seriously. "Billie Jean" is not a serious, thought-provoking song. Quit singing it like it is Shakespeare.

Well that is it. I am not exactly sure if I got the order right, but that doesn't matter as much. For those who can't watch Idol with me, those are my thoughts on tonight's show.

I Love Jimmy's Love Bug!!!

2008-03-26T00:31:00.002-04:00

I dropped off the Audi today to get the brakes looked at Jimmy's Love Bug here in Provo. Steve, the guy who unlocked the shop to take the car in this morning, was very nice and didn't make me feel stupid. Most times when I bring the car in to a mechanic I get eye rolls and mocking from the staff. But Steve was very nice and he assured me he would find out what was wrong. After walking to work from their shop I hoped that the repair would not be too pricey or extensive. He called me at 11:25 a.m. to report that I needed new front and rear brakes and that a spring from the back had fallen into the rotor. I braced for the bad news. Then he said that with parts and labor, the bill would come to $225 and I could pick it up at 12:30 p.m.!!! After getting off the phone with Steve, the girl that sits on the other side of my cube at work made fun of me that I had said, "Really?" and "Great!!" like 15 times. I just couldn't believe what a change this was from dealing with the Ken Garff Audi dealership. They quoted me $1,200 and couldn't get me in for a week. Jimmy's took me in the day after I called and finished my vehicle in just a few hours. Also, when they saw me walking back to their shop, they got my keys and invoice ready and met me at the door. I was very impressed with their service and with the politeness of their staff. Steve must have told me five times, "Thank you for your business", "Thanks for coming in" and their office smelled and looked like my dad's glass shop back home, so it was a pleasant memory. I would definitely take our car back to Jimmy's any time and would recommend them to any other VW/Audi owners. Thanks John for the great tip!! You saved us a ton of money and hassle.

Tips for appearing on American Idol

2008-03-19T00:20:00.002-04:00

Maybe I am overly cynical, but this year the Idol competition seems too neat and planned. The contestants look a little too "United Colors of Beneton" for me and sometimes their intro videos and post-song comments seem a bit rehearsed. So here for you are tips I've noticed the Idols have been using to their greatest advantage.

Tip #1: Make sure you look like a video game avatar. Jason Castro and Amanda Overmeyer are guiltiest on this count, but they keep making it through, so it must be working. Every time I see them all lined up, it looks the character selection screen on Karaoke Revolution.

Mike: "You got to be the skinny guy with dreds last time...it's my turn!"
Me: "Ok, but I get to be the biker chic with skunk hair"

Tip #2: Close your eyes when you sing a non-important song to make yourself seem deep and relevant. David Cook and Brooke White are this tip's culprits. David sang "Hello...it is me you're looking for" almost entirely with his eyes closed. Yes, Lionel Richie pop tunes can be very poignant. Brooke did this for "Love is a Battlefield". Who doesn't close their eyes to ponder the wisdom of "...we are young. Heartache to heartache we stand" Spoken with the depth of a 7th grade poetry assignment.

Tip #3: Mention something indisputably sad to garner sympathy and support from viewers. Now this may seem like a bad tip especially for Asia'h Eperson who mentioned several times that her father passed away days before her Idol audition and what a strong soul she was for pursuing her dream in the midst of tragedy. True, but she still got voted off before the final 12. With that exception, David Archuleta has used this tip when he received criticism for singing Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise" by mentioning this song brings attention to those who don't have anything. Can't really fight with that...and he made it through to the next round. Michael Johns used this tip tonight when he received pans for this performance of "A Day in the Life" (one of the worst song choices of the season...a close second behind Kristy Lee Cook's "Eight Days a Week"). He brought up the fact that he chose the song for his best friend who died last year. It will be interesting to see if that saves him. Carly Smithson also tried this technique tonight when she explained to Simon her song choice of "Blackbird" saying that she felt like she had broken wings and now she is free and flying. This was a painfully awkward moment to watch. Trying to explain feelings to Simon is like trying to explain to Paula why she doesn't need to tell the contestants she feels their color...it just won't work. In any case, we'll see if America wants to see her "fly" for another week.

Tip #4: Wear as many trends in one outfit as you can. Ramiele Malubay is guilty of this each and every week usually wearing a corset, leggings, ankle booties and her hair styled in a ridiculous swoop. She looks like young Paula Abdul. Maybe that's why she keeps getting voted through...It is certainly not because of vocal chops or fantastic song selection.

Tip #5: Cry for every loss on the results show. This tip has worked for everyone except Danny Noriega (thankfully). Each results show you can count on Ramiele and Brooke turning on the water works. The directors of the show must employ a separate camera man to capture these "endearing" moments on film.

I am sure I will notice more Idol trends as the season goes on, but that is what I have observed so far. Stay tuned tomorrow to see who gets voted off!!

Am I the new Rachael Ray?

2008-03-18T23:35:00.005-04:00

So, one of my guilty pleasures besides watching reality TV... black cinema... and Patrick Dempsey is watching the Food Network. I especially like Paula Deen, Bobby Flay and Rachael Ray. As annoying and rambling as she can be, I enjoy the fact that she encourages you to be creative and take liberties with your favorite recipes. She also combines dishes to incorporate her favorite elements of each one. Lately, I have begun to take some risks with recipe creation. Some have been misses and I probably won't repeat. But last night I created a delicious combination that blends Mike's Norwegian heritage and my French heritage. So without further delay, I share with you Krumkake Krêpes. (I know that crêpes is spelled with a C, but it looks better spelled with a K in this instance...ok I am queer) Anyway, what I love about it is that it has the taste of the Krumkake that I really like, but the flexible consistency of a crêpe. Mike loved these so much that he asked me to make them again tonight and invited Emma and John over to try them. They weren't able to come, but that just meant more for us to enjoy! We just eat them with a little butter and powdered sugar and roll them up. I thought this weekend we would try them filled with scrambled eggs and crumbled bacon with a little maple syrup drizzled on top. Mmmmmm.... Well for those who care, here is the recipe. I hope you like.

2 c. flour
4 eggs
2 c. milk
4 T. melted unsalted butter
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 t. cardamon
2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. sugar

Mix all ingredients with a whisk.

Spray a non-stick frying pan with cooking spray and heat on medium heat.

Pour just under 1/2 c. of batter into the pan and immediately start turning it in circles to coat the bottom of the pan.

Cook for a few minutes. You will see small bubbles form and the top of the crêpe will start to look dull.

Flip with a rubber spatula and cook for a few more minutes on the other side.

Here's my best attempt at a Rachael Ray pic...

3 Months!!!

2008-03-18T00:23:00.003-04:00

I can hardly believe how fast the time has gone by -- Carter is 3 months old today! He is improving quickly and getting over his RSV. He still has a bit of a cough, but he is sleeping well and eating well and breathing without a struggle. What an agonizing week last week! I still can't believe how much my life has changed since Carter was born. I feel like I am not in control of my emotions any more. If he is unhappy, I am unhappy. He really is a such a good baby and hopefully all our kids will be this easy. For his "birthday" today we gave him a bath and we put him in his BYU jersey. Admittedly, that was mostly for Mike's benefit, but it was cool to see how much he's grown. When we first brought him home, we thought it would be a lot longer before we could put him in the jersey. At his doctor's appointment last week he weighed 14 lbs. We need to measure how long he is again, because he seems to be so stretched out -- just very long and lean. I wish I had that problem. Maybe he will start to look more filled out (like Mike and I) soon.

Better News

2008-03-14T11:52:00.002-04:00

I am happy to report that Carter is doing a lot better. When I came home from work yesterday he was starting to look like himself again. He is breathing better and not coughing as much. He slept for most of yesterday and most of last night. Hopefully he will continue to improve.
Carter is such a trooper. Even at the doctor's office on Wednesday and Thursday he was smiling at the doctor and trying to be happy even though he was very uncomfortable. The doctor told me that for as sick as Carter was he was amazed that he was still smiling. We are so lucky to have such a happy little boy!

Sad News

2008-03-13T10:22:00.002-04:00

Sad news...yesterday we found out that Carter has RSV. I am bringing him in again today to get looked at by a doctor. We are trying our best to make him comfortable and to help him get well as soon as possible. Please keep him in your prayers. More later...

The Dirty Dozen

2008-03-12T00:00:00.003-04:00

I had been waiting all day to see the top 12 perform on American Idol tonight. I don't watch many TV shows religiously, but I can honestly say I don't think I have missed an episode of American Idol since it came on the air in 2001. I just love the idea of talented undiscovered people being given a chance to perform in front of a huge audience and I love judging each performer from the comfort of my living room. Each season I have my picks of who is good, who I can't stand, who needs a life coach...etc. Each season I listen to the judges proclaiming that the talent is unbelievable and usually I agree with most of their picks. For some reason, this year I am just not hearing it. With the exception of David Archuleta and Jason Castro, I am not hearing anyone that is truly original and/or extraordinarily talented. The judges keep talking about how so and so has a big huge voice, and I can't say I agree. I'm sure my friends at work are sick of hearing me say how underwhelmed I am each day after the Idols perform, but I am still waiting to be blown away. I would also like it if the producers took away the crazy potion in Paula's Coke glass. She has always been a little wacky, but this season she is close to incoherent.
I think part of the reason I didn't enjoy AI as much tonight is that Carter is still sick and I gave most of my attention and energy to him trying to make him feel better. My friends Monica & Jeremy came over to watch the top 12 tonight and I am glad I have converted more fans to the show. Since Hannah moved, I haven't really had people to watch the show with me. It is just more fun to discuss the performances while they are going on. For tomorrow's vote off, I think Kristy Lee Cook will go home. She is by far the weakest performer and tonight's country rendition of Eight Days A Week was terrible. Sweet David Archuleta forgot a few of the words of his song and tonight was definitely not his best, but he is so cute and has done so many other great performances that I think he'll be fine tomorrow night. We will see...

"How's the sicky?"

2008-03-10T23:52:00.005-04:00

The day I knew would come has come at last...Carter has his first cold! I was really hoping by a miracle that he wouldn't get sick while I am still working, but alas, he has a stuffy nose and a little cough. I tried to justify it as allergies since I have been afflicted with those this past week since the weather has warmed up. Now that he is coughing I can't deny it any more. At his last check up the doctor told me it was normal for babies to get 6-10 colds a year. I nodded, but I thought, "I am sure that happens to other babies, but not my baby!" If you know me at all, you know that every time I say I am grateful for something good, something bad always happens. Usually I will comment on how clear my skin is or how I haven't had a headache in who knows how long. Inevitably, the next day I am squinting through a headache looking at breakout in the mirror. So I had to know this was coming. I told Shelby after the appointment, "Carter hasn't gotten a cold yet. I am really grateful for that." And here we are.
Even though I know it is normal for babies to get a little cold, I wasn't prepared for how sad it makes me to hear him cough or appear uncomfortable in any way. I am sure he will get better soon. He at least is sleeping and not fussy unless we are trying to clean out his nose. Mike will be home with him tomorrow, so I hope he is good for him.

First Post

2008-03-10T00:32:00.003-04:00

I have been avoiding starting a blog because I was worried I wouldn't know what to write about or how to best share my thoughts. For those who know me, this may be a surprising admission, but this has honestly been my stumbling block. I bumped into a friend yesterday who said to me, "Oh please, you have PLENTY to say. If I can keep a blog, so can you." So, today I finally bit the bullet and started our very own blog.

I figured it would be a good idea for me to start this before we move (in 6 weeks, 5 days...can you tell I am excited?). This way I am already in the habit of blogging before we leave and my schedule changes dramatically.

For those who don't know, Mike, Carter and I are moving back to NH after Mike graduates in April. Currently, I work at a Public Relations firm here in Provo and I am eagerly awaiting being a full-time mom when we move and Mike is working full-time.

I can't believe we are so close to finishing up school. When I first got to Provo in January of 2006 it felt like we would never be done and so much of our life plans were unsure. Mike and I had dated long distance and for two firstborn, dominant personalities living together, our first year of marriage was definitely an adjustment. Once we made it to the one year mark, it felt like our life became much more even-keel. Then, last December, we had our little boy, Carter, and he has made us happier than we even thought possible. Becoming a mother has been a hard, but very fulfilling event in my life and I am grateful every day that we were blessed to welcome Carter to our family. Now that we are nearing the end of our stay in Utah, it feels like it has gone by very quickly. I am looking forward to us starting a new chapter of our lives in New Hampshire.

Well, I guess that is it for tonight. Welcome to our new blog. I feel very much like Doogie Howser, but maybe that feeling will lessen with time.