Carolina Bound

In less than week I will be in North Carolina for a long 4th of July weekend! These days it seems that North Carolina is where it's at. I have never been so I am excited to see what the fuss is about. I'm spending the first part of the weekend in Charlotte where my friends Star, Drew and Jesse live. Star has been in Charlotte for a few years now - I met her when I interned at Auburn in 2006. She is hands down the most awesomest person I've met (well she's like to think that and I'll let her). My friends Drew and Jesse from college moved to Charlotte last year. Drew works at Davidson College so I'm pretty stoked to check out the campus. I'm really excited to see the city through their eyes. The second half of the weekend I'll be in Chapel Hill visiting my friend Steve. Steve and I went to grad school together - he kept me sane my second year. Steve not works at UNC Chapel Hill which I have heard amazing things about and can't wait to explore Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.

I leave Wednesday night after back to back sessions of Camp - I really have no idea what I've in store for aside from fireworks, a change of scenery and great friends.

Best Blog EVER!

OMG I wish I thought of this blog first. Amazing...mainly because I agree 100%

http://davidcookruinedmylife.tumblr.com/page/2

This and That

First thing's first. Kelly Duncan - avid blog reader extraordinaire - booked her flight to come see me Labor Day weekend! The fun that is going to be had is gonna be out of control, plus she'll get to experience a REAL football game. (I'm still bummed that she couldn't come down October 17/18 for a game and David Cook...she apparently think her brother's wedding is more important?!?!) I'll start the countdown to her visit after my New York countdown ends - I added that last week :)

I had some QUALITY pool time this weekend. Laid out Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I got a nice amount of color...only my chest/shoulders are burnt. Bronze goddess here I come.

I had a fun little Friday...went to the Auburn Art Walk downtown with my friend Michelle. There was a interesting mix of people there, I was surprised how many people turned out and how many people I recognized from various things (gym/work/neighborhood etc). Then later than night I hung out with my friend Kristen and her zoo. She got a new kitten a few weeks ago and then rescued a little puppy (she always some across abandoned animals...good thing she's going to be a vet). My goodness the kitten and puppy were so cute and little. It made me realize what a big boy Freddie is. I weighed him the other day and fatty is almost 8 pounds. I thought he was gonna top off at like 6.5 pounds. Maybe when I get him a haircut he'll lose some hair weight haha. Yesterday when I took Freddie out he went and like got in my neighbor's cat's face (that makes sense right) anyway...I was on the phone so I didn't retract his lease fast enough and the cat must of swatted Freddie because he little nose got cut and bled for a few minutes. My poor baby...so basically I snuggled with him all last night.

I think I really need to keep a separate blog for my David Cook obsession. I don't care think blog is about me and David is a big part of my day on a regular basis. For those of you that may care...check out two new covers he is performing at shows. He has a 2 week break from touring and for this new leg of the tour he's changing up his playlists a bit. I love that he is ROCKING OUT on these two songs. As much as I love his ballads and slower stuff...I love him most when he is rocking out.





Umm I just realized that in a little over a month I'm going to be seeing David Cook and Incubus in the same WEEK...if only The Spill Canvas was touring/in town that week then it would be the TRIFECTA and I could die and go to heaven!!!

Cookie Lovin'

Yesterday I bought tickets to see David Cook at the Starland Ballroom in New Jersey on July 30th. The tickets are general admission which is a good thing...gotta be up close and personal! 41 days until the concert...not that I'm counting.

On a sad note the Georgia Theatre where I saw DC in May had a massive fire today...luckily no one was hurt, but the building in in bad shape
http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/georgia-theatre-fire/

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Random Rants

1. Remember the time it's spring..nearly summer. April should have had it's showers to bring May flowers and if my memory serves me correct we had quite a bit of rain. So why does it have to rain whenever I have time to lay out. I have not been at the pool yet this season and I am white!!! Not good. In addition to the rain we've have some crazy thunderstorms lately. I lost power Sunday and last night. Sunday oh my I was mad. I finally got out of bed at like 1:15pm on Sunday and at like 1:45pm I lost power for like 3 hours. Really I slept for like 13 hours and the power goes out when I'm finally awake and have to stare at the wall?!?! Okay I read, but still. Since the storm Sunday my internet has been stupid...yuck!

2. So I FINALLY saw Slumdog Millionaire this weekend...I know I'm the last person on the planet. Well being the last person to see it has major downfalls because it was so hyped up that I was disappointed. I thought the movie was interesting especially how all the questions tied into his life and the flashbacks, but I found the movie EXTREMELY depressing. The poverty, deaths, etc. I know I complain that I'm f*cked up, but these kids are REALLY messed up...so the fact that it ties up so neatly at the end at a supposed happy ending bothers me...hey girl remember that time his brother raped you and you were like a slave to 2 different guys. I have issues with movies that have all the depressing stuff for 90% of the movie and the then last 5 minutes are happy and people call it a "feel good movie." Nay. Nay I tell you...not even a dance routine with their poor sad former selves as children dancing can make the movie uplifting. Same thing with freaking Armageddon...that movie makes me visibly angry.

3. The most painful rant of them all is the fact that David Cook keeps escaping my grasp. I'm all for a little game of cat and mouse/hard to get, but future husband this is getting crazy. I am going to be in New York July 29-Aug 5 and David's tour had him in the Northeast a few dates around then, but with nothing really while I was home so I was hoping to catch him. First it's announced that doing Good Morning America and playing a free show in Central Park with Adam Lambert and Kris Allen on AUGUST 7th...really 2 days after I leave I was CRUSHED. Then I learn lastminute (DC's peeps need to post concert dates faster) that he is playing a Foxwoods in CT on Saturday August 1 - which unfortunately I was planning a big NYC day and my friend Sara can only come visit that day. Well I still planned to look into tickets and if I could get AMAZING tickets I would buy them. Umm the MGM Grand a Foxwoods holds like 4,000 people - lame and I wasn't able to get 1st tier tickets.So co Cookie at Foxwoods. Well then yesterday I hear he is playing in Jersey in July 30th at some venue I've never been to that like a little over an hour from where I live...a possibility, but again I wish I knew the venue and it was closer. THEN I hear he is playing the Nokia Theatre in Times Square...on AUGUST 6th. REALLY DAVID...REALLY?!?! I'm beyond frustrated...there are still some open dates in there that could work so now I'm torn if I buy the Jersey tickets on Friday or wait to see if he adds another date. Can someone just get me a date with him for my Birthday and put an end to this whole dilemma...thanks.

There she is...

What a bad blogger I am..I know. I would feel guilty, but it's not like I get paid for this, plus none of you comment therefore making me feel like I have no readers even though I have 2 different sitemeters to know you are there!

Well last weekend (not to be confused with this past weekend) I went to the Miss Alabama Pageant. Shocking I know. Well my friend Michelle coordinates the Miss AU pageant and I have helped with some question prep twice. Plus our Miss AU Kimberly is a sweetheart so when Michelle invited me to go I couldn't say no - out of sheer curiosity. The pageant was in Birmingham at Samford University. The contestant are there all week for semifinals. Michelle told me to dress up a bit and I'm glad I did because it was like a fashion show in there...goodness. I think some of the people in the audience were more decked out than the contestants. The auditorium at Samford where it was held was BEAUTIFUL and huge. I would say it held a few thousand people and it was packed as far as I could tell. I was in the 8th row center sitting among all the other pageant directors since Michelle is a director.

Mind you I brought a notepad and took a few pages of notes that I wrote with the flashlight/shaker type thing we had to shake and light up when Kimberly was on stage.

The show opened with a dance number with all 48 Miss Alabama contestants and the "host" who really wasn't the host he was just the entertainer. Lots of bright sparkly dresses in this number and really throughout the competition. The girls all looked pretty normal...not too many giant teeth, or big hair, or bad tans.

The currently Miss Alabama did a lap around the stage in this mermaid type dress and nearly fell in it...hilarious.

Then then announced the top 10 for Miss Alabama...it was announced SO fast and sadly Kimberly didn't make top 10. Apparently it's all politics. Only one new girl made the top 10 this year. I should note that one of the ladies in top 10 had some meat on her bones unlike most of the contestants so I was pleased about that.

Next was swimsuits for the top 10, I was surprised that they could wear whatever they wanted for the most part. 2 girls did NOT pick flattering bikinis AT ALL. It was just super awkward - there was this terrible "music" really noise that played in a loop. I prefer watching it on tv where there are announcers telling you fun facts.

Then there were various local pageant and director awards and Michelle won Director of the Year!!!!!

The judges were introduced in the next break...blah blah.

Over $98,000 in scholarships were going to be awarded at this pageant..day-um.

There was another super cheesy group dance number, but we cheered loudly for Kimberly anyway. She always made such funny faces when she actually saw us!

Throughout the show there were awards breaks...Kimberly won a few awards!!!

Before the top 10's talent...four former Miss Alabamas performed "Ain't no mountain high enough." It was enjoyable.

The talent were:
First girl up sang...it was okay, but I didn't know the song. I think it was a Christian song...I wouldn't be surprised.

Second girl did a jazz dance...meh.

Third girl played the piano...not impressed and the girl looked like an bird.

Fourth girl did ballet...I wrote something next to it but I can't read my own notes.

Fifth girl sang some opera crap that I did not enjoy - I think...someone sang some crap opera and now I can't remember who it was.

Sixth girl did a tap routine...okay.

Seventh girl did a terrible ballet routine..she didn't do point.

Eighth girl sang...boring

Ninth girl did a jazz routine to a Lion King on Broadway song and I really enjoyed all of it.

Tenth girl sang...shocking. I think she did terrible opera too.

I have yet to mention the actual host of the pageant. She was a former Miss Alabama and she was fabulous...I enjoyed her an a host/time filler.

Next were evening gowns and all the contestants came out for this...one of the non finalists stepped on another girls dress going down the stairs...sadly no one fell, but it was pretty funny regardless.

I thought some of the dresses were pretty, but I'm not a fan of dresses with cut outs...yuck. Also I noticed there was a good bit of yellow throughout the whole competition.

The Miss American organization President was there...he was the least heterosexual "heterosexual" man ever...which is saying a lot because there were quite a bit of guys like him there. Anyway he was really there to peddle his new book, but he slammed the Miss USA pageant and made some other noise including the fact that Miss America is the world's largest scholarship giving away $45 million each year - scholarship...oy vey.

Then was the interview portion which I was told doesn't even count. They girls all were channeling their inner Jackie O...decked out in red, white, blue and black. They were all so "PC" in their answers...I guess after the Miss California (Miss USA) debacle everyone wants to mind their p's and q's.

All the former Miss Alabamas in the audience got recognized...one former Miss Alabama from 2004/2005 ended up winning Miss America.


The Miss Alabama 2008 her her final, final curtain call. She sang and performed piano with her 80+ year old grandfather who was a piano professor a Samford for years and years that taught her how to play. It was super cute seeing them play dueling pianos.

More cheesy group song and dance this time to "We are family."

Finally the results...lots of screaming from the audience. One woman behind us got confused and thought the girl who got runner up won and she was super pumped until she realized she in fact did not win. The girl who was was Miss Hoover..her name is Liz something - she did the Jazz dance to the Lion King song that I liked!

So mark your calendars folks...Miss America Pageant January 30, 2010 on TLC. (Writing 2010 is so gross)

Zack Attack

Zack Morris on Jimmy Fallon...yes you read that right!



Ummmm I was not a Jimmy Fallon fan, but that clip has changed all that. Saved by the Bell Reunion...sign the petition here

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2009/03/sign-the-saved-by-the-bell-petition/

The Lights on Broadway

Last night were the Tony Awards and I was super excited because Neil Patrick Harris was the the host.



Below is a mini play by play of the night:

There were a lot of awesome shows up for consideration. The show opened with essentially a mash up of all the musicals up for awards...really awesome minus the sound glitches



The unintentional highlight of the opening number...Bret Michaels too busy trying to soak up applause to hit his mark and instead gets hit by the scenery - you can see him cowboy hat onstage throughout part of the opening.



According to the Associated Press Bret Michaels fractured his nose and busted up his lip requiring three stitches. As I was watching it I knew he had to have gotten hurt, it the scenery was moving fast and he fell hard.

Neil Patrick Harris aka NPH made a few remarks at the top of the show and only in one liners throughout...I was disappointed there wasn't more NPH and his tight shiny suit.

The Shrek number they did was pretty cool...that actor who played the Prince has to dance on his knees 8 shows a week...crazy.

Will Farrell referred to himself as a theatre veteran...love it. I wish I got to see his George W. Bush show...I wonder if it's on DVD?


The man himself Uncle Jesse aka John Stamos was a presenter and he is going to be in the revival of Bye Bye Birdie...too bad he won't be playing Conrad...that would have been saaaa-weet.

The lady who played Anita and won for West Side Story gave such a earnest speech.

Rock of Ages...I don't know how I feel. I wanted to like it, but I wasn't a fan from their performance. There were a bunch of awkward/random performance choices tonight.

WOW Next to Normal's performance was awesome...I had already looked up the show on Wikipedia when it won an award because I was unfamiliar with it. The scene the did was a show stopper - the female lead won the Tony last night! I listened to the whole soundtrack online today...fabulous. It was very contemporary...reminded me of RENT to degree.


Seriously we need more NPH.

Guys and Dolls number was okay minus the mic issues. Marlon Brando is the only Sky Masterson I will ever love...well besides Freeport High School's Ricardo Mercardo - he was fantastic in all the shows he did at FHS.

The theatre greats memorial made me tear up..especially set to "What I did for love" yet I couldn't help but think of Becky and Danny singing What I did for love on the Full House Telethon.

The scene they picked for Billy Elliot was a little creepy...yes there was lots of dancing, but there was far too much grunting.

I'm intrigued by the play To Be Pretty. Apparently it's filthy and full of curses. I looked it up on line and it's written by the guy who wrote The Shape of Things which was a cool/twisted movie with Paul Rudd. I may invest in the book.

Can that really be Harvey Fierstein's real voice...or did he get it from smoking like whoa? I also googled this yet googled failed me.

HAIR's performance was magical. I am so excited to see Hair...I only saw a community production of it which I loved and I also have the movie (love ya old school Treat Williams). Hair has so many great anthems that they really could have performed anything. I love that they got out in the crowd and free-loved it up. Hair will always make me think of my Dad...he loved singing the songs from it. This show also reiterates how I really wish I was around to have been a hippie...I would have be an awesome hippie.

Aww Kristen Chenowith is so cute..the fact that she's a natural brunette is like all I can think about when I see her because she is such a cute blonde. Seeing her makes me miss Pushing Daises already.

I already mentioned it, but the lead woman from Next to Normal won...she was redonk!

How cute/awkward were the 3 Billy Elliots who won.

Oh Jersey Boys...great music though I can't deny it.

I heart the theatre..I'm pumped about Auburn community theatre auditions next week!

Damn Billy Elliot is CLEANING UP.

There was not nearly enough NPH...but I'll settle for his closing number...sing it Neil I love you!



God bless the theatre...can't wait to be in NYC for a week this summer!

Sleep to Dream

Last night/this morning I woke up thinking that my alarm was about to go off (I don't know about you, but I tend to wake up like 5 minutes before my alarm goes off which drives me crazy because it deprives me of those precious 5 minutes of sleep) well it turns out it was 4:45am. I went to the bathroom and drank some water all the while thinking that I love "winning the sleep lottery." I seriously felt like I had slept about 7 or 8 hours only to discover that I got another 2 hours of sleep. Glorious. So whem my alaram DID go off this morning I popped out of bed like a poptart (5 points to anyone who know what is a reference from...sister if you don't get it right I will be disappointed).

Well the other night I also had a super random dream. I dreamt I met David Cook (who was really short in my dream) and Neil his guitarist (who was really tall in my dream) at like a random 7-11 and they were so awesome, David was really hot despite being disappointly short and he liek whispered that he loved me in my eat.Then after I met him I was so excited that I couldnt find my way home...like kept getting lost and having to try and ask for directions. I got mad because I was like OMG I just met David and he was so cute and funny and now I can't find my way home to tell everyone. I think I woke up before I ever made it home.

I very excited to sleep a solid 12-14 hours tonight - I have an interesting day ahead of me tomorrow, but you will have to just wait and see!

Worth it?

So as you may or may not remember I took a community writing class this past fall which turned out to not be that enjoyable for a number of reasons. Despite it not being what I wanted it to be, I was glad I put myself out there. I was looking at the current community course offerings and I saw one titled "Calligraphy for Beginners" and it's little blurb says: "This class will introduce the elegant art of hand lettering and will provide a great opportunity for maintenance and review for previous students as well. Participants will learn and practice the rules of letter construction, spacing, and flourishes, as well as how to develop skills through the use of tools, materials, and techniques. Finding the best pens, inks, and papers to use, will be discussed, as will the practical uses for calligraphy and good reference books. Be ready for a myriad of ideas and several useful projects! A supply list will be provided upon registration. The cost of supplies is nominal."

This class has 3 - three hour sessions and it would cost $45. I have terrbile penmanship/handwriting I blame both my mother and my 3rd grade teacher for it. I'm intrigued, but I'm not sure if it should take it - I need to sign up soon. Thoughts?

Also next week I am planning on auditioning for Auburn's community theatre's summer "Scene Works 2009: Great American Playwrights." It would be a small commitment with just 1 performance so I figure what the heck. I actually may look into directing instead of acting or both...who knows.