Fangirl mania!

I've been very fortunate to see some amazing concerts, some three to five times over, but I had never gotten to see one of my favorite bands, Evanescence, live... until last Friday.

Have I mentioned that I'm obsessed with iPhone editing?
Here's some Diptic and PhotoStudio fun on the go.

Amy Lee taking the stage.
What you can't see is me hyperventilating with excitement,
especially when she walked stage right and was close enough
for me to see the green glitter on her arm.

The Change

My Last Breath

The moment I had been waiting for - Amy sits at the piano!
Lost in Paradise and My Heart is Broken

Lithium

Bring Me to Life

Your Star

Tired, but oh, so happy!

 

Still Alive, Still Obsessed

I'm so sorry that I made some of you pee yourselves with my Chuckie story. Okay, not really. If it makes you feel better, your comments made me almost pee myself. Now, before any of you go feeling too sorry for my MIL, it should be noted that she, herself, is quite the prankster. Exhibit A: Last December, my SIL and SSIL borrowed my MIL's car to hit the sales the day after Christmas. After cleaning out Target and Hallmark (the must-go-to stores), we decided to take a peek at Kohl's. Imagine how stoked we were to get a parking spot at the very front of the store! We made several celebratory comments, and then refocused on hunting for sales. While we were waiting on the checkout line, we called my MIL to see if she wanted to meet us for lunch. She asked where we were, and we made plans to meet in twenty minutes. Bags in hand, the three of us gals were so happy we had only a short distance to walk. All at once (the reaction was so coordinated, you would have thought that we had rehearsed it), we looked up, gasped, looked at each other, and exclaimed, "Where's the car?!" While my very-pregnant SIL freaked out about the car, my SSIL and I were freaking out about our Target and Hallmark purchases. (What? She had car insurance. My ten-dollar flannel sheet purchase was irreplaceable!) My SIL, the very smart woman that she is, decided we should call Hubby before the police - just in case someone was trying to punk us. And punk us they did. As Hubby described it, my MIL thought it would be hilarious to move the car while we were in the store. Hilarious indeed. So trust me, The Great Chuckie Reveal of 2010 was well deserved.  ;)

And now back to my regularly-scheduled gobbledygook. (Seriously, is there any better phrase?)

Parts 2, 3, and 4 of my absence (there is a part 5, but that will come later), in no particular order, included helping a friend with a project, having my mother come to visit, and getting sick. Like plague sick. Okay, maybe that's a slight hyperbole. Anyway, apparently there is this organism called a mold spore that floats in the mountain air whenever it's moist. Like when it rains. Or snows. Or is humid. So basically ALL. THE. TIME.

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Said mold spore and I do not get along. In fact, we pretty much hate each other. This year, we've had at least one knock-down, drag-out fight every month. Since I was unable to take sick time after just having taken several vacation days, the mold spore won for the month of May.

Yep, I just Photoshopped a crown onto a mold spore.

Yep, I need a life.

Anyhooo... this weekend, I was finally able to get back into all my latest obsessions (because as we all know, it's not enough for me to just like something; I have to be addicted to it):

1. There is no show more perfect for a musical-loving geek like me than Glee. Moreover, it makes me so happy. Seriously, I challenge you to be in a bad mood while Schuester is rapping like much better than Vanilla Ice or rocking out with NPH.

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I listen to all four soundtracks almost daily and usually re-watch the episodes online the morning after they've originally aired. Yes, my name is Cheryl, and I'm a Gleek.

2. My love of Glee has spawned a new obsession with the Spring Awakening soundtrack.

(Warning: lyrics in the following video are not for small ears.)

If Jonathan Groff's voice was the last I ever heard, I'd die a happy girl.

3. Speaking of cute boys, it's possible that I may have the tiniest online obsession with Ryan Lochte. As I've said before, this is entirely his fault. If he'd keep his shirt on a little more, maybe I wouldn't look so much.

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After being away from Twitter, I find one of my first thoughts to be, "OMG, it's been like an entire day since I've read Ryan Lochte's Twitter stream! Must. Check. For. New. Pictures." Before you get all judgmental and start calling me a cougar, let me just say that at least I'm not one of these women who tweet how hot he is to his face. I prefer to swoon from afar. It's slightly less creepy that way.

4. In two weeks, my affair with Eric Northman will begin again.

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I finally read the new Sookie book, and while it was admittedly not my favorite, it did get me pumped for the new season of True Blood. Right now, Hubby and I are re-watching the second season, and I've been obsessively replaying the minisodes. When June 13 rolls around, I will be ready. Oh yes, I will.

5. The only explanation this last one needs is this: 30 days!!!

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Bloggy friend show & tell - Part 2

I mean to post this yesterday, but I got distracted by Glee. Last night's episode was a theatre nerd's dream come true! I could go on and on, but I'll spare you. Instead, here is my second installment of bloggy feel goods.

• Amanda's birthday present to her BFF makes me want to go back to college (and convince NSYNC to reunite for one last tour). I also have to mention this because of the awesome Wizard of Oz reference (but I have to admit that it makes me a little nervous about what my dreams have in store... I'm addicted to Zombie Farm).
• Though one adventure is ending, Kristin is starting a new, exciting one. The promise that lies ahead makes me smile.
• I am totally loving April's story about why she started scrapbooking, and I can't wait to read her continuation.
• These cards that Yvette made make me happy. They scream Spring and are a great reminder that simple can be beautiful.
• A great card designer herself, Margie is passing along her craft to her son. I don't know what's cuter - Nicky's card or what he had to say about it.
• This is adorable. Cheri's cat hijacked her blog and shared what a typical day is like in Cheri's household.
• Sarabeth is participating in an awesome initiative, for which I applaud her. *standing ovation*
• Hadiyah has guts for trying this new-to-her (never-will-be-new-to-me) food. Nope, I'm not going to tell you what it is; to find out, you'll have to go visit her. On a less gross note, I really admire her for this.
• Colleen's musing gave me food for thought, and it would also be a great prompt for a writing exercise. Yes, I have a one-track mind this week.

Like yesterday, I'm disabling the comments on this post in hopes you'll visit a few of my bloggy friends and leave them the love.


If you haven't yet seen this video about The Animal Odd Couple, give it a whirl. It's a good one for kiddies, too!

http://www.youtube.com/v/cBtFTF2ii7U&amp

Bloggy friend show & tell - Part 1

This morning, I started writing a really heavy post that was a bit of a downer. I decided that this is not the best way to start out a week. So instead, I have decided to share with you (in no particular order) a few things I read in the blogosphere today that made me feel good. I hope they make you feel good, too.

• Congrats to Amy for her running accomplishment. The smile on her face says it all.
• This picture Kristen took is gorgeous and makes me want to be outside.
• I love this layout April made and how she tried something new.
• Erin's story of how she met Mr. Rose gave me chills.
• Kisha's conversation with her daughter made me "awww" out loud.
• Susie's post about time really resonated with me.
• I'm sorry that Angie broke her toe, but I love her story about him (yes, I said him).
• Kelly's letter to her birthday girl brought a tear to my eye, but I was quickly laughing again when I read this conversation with her son.
• The Nutty Brunette's travel memories make me want to pack my suitcase again one day soon.
• This story about Kati's Little Monkey is too cute.
• Sarah's post took me on a trip down memory lane and gave me a huge smile

Okay, I bookmarked way too many for one post, so I'll have to turn this into a two parter.

The comments for this post have been turned off in hopes you'll visit some of my bloggy friends and leave them the comment love instead.


If you still have the Monday blahs after all that, take a look at this. I dare you not to laugh. Happy Monday!

Sophie's Choice: Then and Now

When I watched this performance last week...

...my first thought was that Eddie Vedder is still beautiful (maybe even more so now). My second thought was how depressing it is that my teen crushes are now as old as my parents were when I first began crushing on them (no disrespect, Mom and Daddy).

The next day, I busted out all of my Pearl Jam CDs, remembering the music videos in my head, laughing when I heard "Daughter," which reminded for the first time in years of an inside joke from my freshman year in high school. As I downloaded Pearl Jam's newest CD, I remembered the difficult decision I had to make as a tween.

I finally had enough money to buy a stereo with a CD player, thanks to my grams. Once said stereo was secured, my parents agreed to buy me a CD since we only had records, tapes, and yes, 8-tracks at home. They took me to this new, amazing store called Target. It was so pretty. I walked to the electronics section with a spring in my step, excited to get Metallica's Black Album. It was a total no-brainer. Until I saw Pearl Jam's Ten sitting next to it.

Ten in one hand, the Black Album in the other, I looked imploringly at my parents, an implied question in the eyelashes I batted at Daddy. $17.99 and $15.99 stick out in my mind for some reason, but details aside, suffice it to say that CDs were expensive enough back then that my parents assured me only one would be going home with me. Metallica or Pearl Jam? It was my very own Sophie's Choice.

Ultimately, Eddie Vedder et al. remained clutched in my hand, while I said my silent apologies to James Hetfield, hoping he'd forgive my disloyalty.

At home, I watched Ten tirelessly spin in my new CD player as I listened to the songs over and over again. There was no regret about my decision, especially since it wasn't too long before Metallica joined my small music collection as my second CD.

Last week, as I was preparing my iPhone for my business travels, I was faced with a modern Sophie's Choice: an iTunes error message informed me that there wasn't enough room on my iPhone to sync my music selections.

Ruh-roh!

How in the world do I decide which albums to remove from my library? The thought process went something like this:

Okay, I know which ones I can't remove. My Evanescence playlist would be deleted over my dead body. I have to have them with me at all times. They're on my phone, my iPod, my desktop, my laptop, and even on Hubby's phone. I will not be without them.  

If I'm traveling, I have to have Dave Matthews Band with me. Their sound is the only one that will calm me in times of extreme stress. If my plane is going down, it's a safe bet that "Satellite" will be the last sound I hear. But do I need 10 hours of their music with me? Probably not. Okay, live DMB albums deleted. Now there's room for some Ani DiFranco, a necessary companion when I'm peeved, and I am going on a work trip after all. 

Broadway is a must. Lately, I've been listening to a lot of Wicked and Next to Normal, so those are the two shows loaded on my phone. One is going to have to be sacrificed, though, if I'm going to fit Glee on my phone, and how can I be without such an instantaneous pick-me-up? Hm, if I were found dead, and the police went through my music, the combination of Evanescence, Ani DiFranco and Next to Normal might give them the wrong idea, so Next to Normal will have to go. 

Finally, I need some tunes that will get me pumped if I'm feeling sluggish. This includes a custom mix from a friend and a few random albums, including the new Pearl Jam one, which is what started this whole darn thing in the first place. The only thing left for me to dump to make room for said happy music is my Rick Springfield playlist. I admit, I feel a little bad about this one - I mean, he is on my list and all. Then again, if I am found dead on my trip, I don't want the obit to include, "She was listening to "Jessie's Girl" when she died."

And so my library of travel tunes was complete. Too bad I didn't listen to a single song while I was away.

My latest obsession

As if I didn't have enough fictional characters to obsess about, I became addicted over the weekend to yet another show.

It wasn't supposed to end this way. It started out as a mere curiosity to see what "Ryan" is doing post-OC and just how old Ponyboy Curtis is now. Three days and eight episodes later, here I am, counting down until the next episode airs. Sigh. Oh well, at least I'm showing a little diversity now since this latest obsession shockingly has nothing to do with vamps. ☺

Side note: Thanks to the show, I also found some beautiful, new (to me), haunting music that I can't get out of my head.

Happy anniversary to my sweetie

With so many holiday expenses, Hubby and I decided to forgo buying each other an anniversary gift (even though he didn't follow the rules, that sneaky guy), so I decided to give him a gift of the heart instead.

Babe, four years ago today was one of the happiest days of my life. Thank you for loving me both because of and despite of who I am. I love you, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to grow old with you.

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Wordless Wednesday: Video Edition

Glee is aptly named, for it brings me just that. If you haven't experienced the wonders of it yet, enjoy a taste below.