This isn't Photoshopped, I took it myself

Found this photo on a disc and just wanted to post it on my blog...

it was taken along one of the Skyline Drive trails

somewhere in VA last autumn

*note: double click in the photo and get an extreme close-up*

Original & Creative Gift

I don't think my friend, Sara Bunn, would mind, but I felt like sharing what I did for her birthday. In all honesty, this brainstorm began with a simple item - some soap known as Safeguard. I had seen it in passing, not even realizing it was still manufactured...and the idea just grew and developed from there. Sara was given seven gifts and a card that explained each gift. When she opened the gift bag, I had her remove each item prior to giving her the card to see if she and her family could figure out the 'puzzle.'

I wished the following for her for the next year.

A year full of:
Safety - a 6 pack of Safeguard
Joy - orange Joy dish detergent
Love - note cards with hearts all over them
Healing - Hello Kitty Band-Aids
Fruitful - 5 different flavors of Fruit Leather
Peace - a can of peas
(play on words obviously, but it was all I could think of)
Bonuses - orange TicTacs

Healing and Bonuses were not an original part of the present, but Sara had been in a car accident and was healing...the TicTacs were an impulse purchase that I decided to incorporate as 'Bonuses' although I guess 'Surprises' would have been more fitting. Sara's favorite color is orange, so I tried to incorporate as much orange as I could.

The neat thing about the gift is I received an email from Sara today where she shared she was having a 'peas-ful' week.

*giggles* I loved it!

Christmas Holiday Preparations...so far

Christmas cards are already in the mail :)
I only have 4 more gifts to purchase - 3 of which I already know what they are...it's just a matter of getting them. I enjoyed online purchasing this year...yay for the Internet!?
Only 2 gifts were purchased at the actual store
(because they couldn't be ordered online)
I'm looking forward to being off work from 5 p.m. Tuesday, 23 December until 8:30 a.m. Monday, 5 January. I don't even know what I'm going to do with all that down time.....

Well, I thought it was funny

So, as most of you know I do not have a home PC at this time...I borrow my mom's laptop on the weekends to do some internetting... so I get a call from her on Thursday asking if I want to pick it up a day early - "Sure" - and I was on my way. Now, at this time my mom lives with her father and his 'girlfriend' of 30+ years acting as a caregiver/companion as they are both declining in health. Well Jane, the girlfriend, asks me, "So, what are you borrowing the computer for?" And with a serious look and tone to my voice, I reply, "Porn." The look on her face was priceless...her response was "Your grandma would roll over if she heard you say that." At that very moment, I thought to myself "No, she wouldn't. She can't roll, she was cremated." But out loud I said, "No, if she were alive she'd be laughing cause she would know I wasn't serious." Anyone who knows me should know how I feel about porn - and if not, I've got a funny ex-husband story to tell off-blog... (well, I think it's funny...) Jane figured out that I wasn't being serious and we all went on about our evening. When mom walked me out, I commented that "I thought the porn response was funny." Her response, "So did I."

24: Redemption

[insert the ‘24’ clock chirps here]

The following takes place between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Sunday, November 23

Jack Bauer is back...awwww yeah!!

(image taken from imdb.com, I think)

The Small Things

Praises for a moment I wasn't sure I'd experience again...

My Molly Belle hasn't purred - not once - since dude left five plus years ago and while it only lasted about 30-45 seconds, my sweet girl purred while being loved on. At first I thought I was imagining it, but I put my fingertips on her throat and felt the vibrations. My heart sang and I was overcome with pure joy...I couldn't believe it, my little girl actually purred. YAY! :)

Losing God...Matt's second book

(Same note as before: I am not a book critic and that is not the purpose of this post)

Matt Rogers made me cry. Okay, so he didn’t make me cry, but his words certainly did. Before I jump into the deep end, I first have to comment that I admire Matt for sharing such personal pain while on his journey with depression. Remembering the ‘Campbell Matt’ that I knew, I thought him to be a ‘completely together’, extremely nice, polite and all-around great guy…not to mention a strong Christian guy – the ideal husband for a lucky gal. I never would have associated ‘depression’ with Matt.

Realizing this is not a newsflash, I have endured my own journey with depression. With a bipolar father and a clinically depressed mother, I guess it was only natural that I would find myself ‘friends’ with depression. As a teenager, I sometimes thought suicide would be a way to ‘end the pain’, but I knew God had greater plans for me. I could never have done it – obviously if I’m still here… Heck! I tear up from the intense stung felt after nicking my leg shaving – let alone the pain of purposely digging into my flesh. Pain tolerance for me is like zero! Besides once you are dead – that’s it…and while I’ve had some lows I know at some point it has to get better – and I want to be around to see it!

Being told at age 10 (and again at 28) by your father, that you were never wanted in the first place and then three years later to have your mother run off with some loser and dump you on your grandmother’s front porch creates the perfect breeding ground for depression. Low self-esteem, worthlessness, self-doubt, and fear of abandonment were some of the presents I received…oh yeah, and a 17 year battle with anorexia!! (Praises that’s behind me now.) When receiving the same messages from a variety of sources…well, it could be a bit much to handle. But help was available. I saw my first counselor my freshman year of college. I’ve done counseling on/off since then and am currently on my fifth.

I never wanted to be one who succumbed to drugs for help. I had never heard anything good about anti-depressants, but in February 2007 I found myself eating those words. I saw my PCP for a physical and while there the words just came out: “I joke all the time that I should be on an anti-depressant, but no really – I think I should be on an anti-depressant.” We talked for a bit – my main question being “What’s the shortest amount of time to be on one?” – “Eight months” – I told her I wanted to be off in…eight months. I left her office with a script for Effexor XR (ironically made by Wyeth)…I spent more time titrating on and off the drug than actually being on it. The dose increases in 37.5 mg – me topping off at 150 mg. I had found myself in a position of crying ALL THE TIME! It was really…well, depressing. And of course if I wasn’t crying, I was sleeping. It was ‘great’! With the medication, I could function and was completely numb to emotion. I didn’t even cry during the home reveals on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition! (And those are always emotional.) While the 150 mg made me ‘normal’ it also made me gain 30 lbs, which was depressing in itself, but I took my last capsule on October 31, 2007.

Now with popping that first capsule, I made my first appointment with my therapist – every other week. With being off the med now, I still see her – but it’s every three weeks. About a month (or so) ago, she had commented on my progress and how I was not the same person she met (YAY ME!) I still have a long way to go on resolving past issues and letting go of some of the luggage I’ve been carrying. Oh to conquer…

But…

“I wanted my life back. I wanted my friends to see me healed, walking in the light for which they had spent so much time in prayer.”

-pg. 61

I didn’t even make it to the end of the paragraph before feeling the warm saline sliding its way down my cheeks. I sat there thinking, “I desperately want that, too!” I am blessed for the friends who accept me ‘as is’ and have been there – supporting, encouraging, listening and praying for me. I cannot even begin to thank them enough. And while I struggle some still, I have the confidence that I’ll come through this completely changed and better for it.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

-Jeremiah 29:11

This verse was given to me by Justin Fender freshman year of college and I claimed it as my life verse. At 18, I had experienced a fair share of craziness that would make for a great Lifetime movie…but somewhere I think I forgot this promise. I reached a point that I felt like if I matter not to people then I must not matter to God. I’m sure I made Him sad that day. I made a handful of decisions using poor judgment – but in a way, I’m glad I did that stuff in my 20’s when mistakes are expected; however, I’ve been fixing them in my 30’s. I’m currently working my way through Beth Moore’s Stepping Up Bible study and I’m being reminded of God’s love for me and I confess that while I know it in my head, I’m still working to KNOW it in my heart. I’m learning to have faith in not only myself but my God – whatever His plans for me may be…

“I was broken now, and my weakness made me understanding of others’ failings. Was a lifetime of depression a price worth paying to remain humble before God? I didn’t want to answer “yes” for fear I was signing up for such a life, but in my heart I had already agreed…Yes, I would choose depression if it kept me humble.”

-pg.99

Oh how I long for the day where I no longer struggle with the tugs and pulls of depression and KNOW in my heart that I do matter (and matter to God) – after all, I mattered enough for Him to create me…and I cannot thank Him enough for not giving up on me the times I felt like giving up…I am a work in progress. But if this is meant to be a lifelong struggle - and is part of God's plan for me, then so be it. (Praises for great counselors.)

Please know I realize that I’m not the only person who has ever walked alongside depression, but again I appreciate Matt for taking pen to paper and sharing the realness that depression is and his journey through it. The read alone is worth the purchase of his book…whether you’ve been there, are there or haven’t been there.

From Start To Finish

Where it all started: Strickland Hall

I recall my freshman year, the iron gates, which were locked at midnight and the simplex codes needed for entry...if I remember correctly, the gates came down the following year, but hey, I lived on men's campus in Sauls sophomore and part of my junior year - and there weren't any iron gates...there are 7 rooms in each suite...I lived in two of those seven of my particular suite...it was nice to be reminded by Amy that the walls were so thin that when she, Niki or I would sneeze one of us would say a "Bless you" though the wall or when it was time for dinner, to just call out through the wall..."Ready for dinner?" :)

Being a graphic design/studio art major, I walked down this hallway multiple times pretty much everyday - I even have a perspective pencil drawing of this hallway - packed away, mind you...Oh, and while I don't have pictures of it (the room was locked) when I left CU the arts had one - ONE Mac for a computer lab...now, the computer lab where The Campbell Times was birthed each week, has been gutted, extended and is now a massive graphic design computer lab, with sweet looking Apples.

Where it all ended: Jones Hall

My last semester was spent here in Jones. December 1999 came rather quickly, but not quick at all. The bonus about living in Jones is that it was pretty much halfway between the fine arts building and Marshbanks...that last semester kind of went in a blur...and even when looking back, to change anything...I just wish I had spent more time outside of my dorm room than actually in it.

The Buies Creek I Remember

Being at Campbell, I have to admit, was bittersweet. While it seemed as though I had just left yesterday, I just couldn't believe it had been almost ten years since I had to stop calling Campbell my home. Walking around viewing what had changed and what had stayed the same, I saw the 'ghosts of Campbell past'...and being that it was Homecoming weekend, I ran into some 'old' friends...I don't know why it didn't even cross my mind that with it being Homecoming I would run into friends...
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Ah, the fountain...the 'real' fountain...I'm standing where the old sidewalk ended and the new sidewalk started...
The stone gazebo...I ran into Dr. Jonas in the new convo center and he shared that with the law school moving to Raleigh (seriously?!) that with the move the 'old' school is to be gutted and made into the new library...upon learning of this, I have a funny feeling that with renovation, does the gazebo run the risk of being gutted, too? Guess we'll find out soon enough, but I wanted to capture it just the same.

The view along the sidewalk from the Post Office to Marshbanks hasn't changed...
And the squirrels who run around in the space above and all around the library - yep, they still run around...I think everyone who has attended CU has at least one squirrel story. :)

Though the road may be gone, the view from Taylor Bott Rogers hasn't changed much...the cluster of trees still stand.

And yes, I went inside TBR, and they have the same couches and chairs from before...countless conversations had in those seats...

Buies Creek has certainly changed

When I left Campbell in 1999, the road between Taylor Bott Rogers and the girls dorms had long been closed off...when I visited Campbell in January 2005, I honestly do not remember the fountain having been constructed...I say this cause I was shocked to see it... Where now there is grass and brick - yo, this used to be a road...ha...the road where my Ford Festiva died...

This here is where the Marshbanks parking lot used to be...more brick, I see...this is the scene of the crime where Larry Johnson, Mark McCracken and maybe even Jeff Morris (don't recall with 100% accuracy) attempted to lift my Ford Festiva off the ground...

This is inside the new convocation center...Go Camels...it's so much nicer than Carter Gym, but I think that was the point...

Again, more brick...where the parking lot for Carter Gym and the student center used to be...I wonder how much money Campbell has spent on bricks in its history (minus the fire of 1890-whatever)

What happened to the outer stairwells and the 'iron window' of D. Rich - and can someone please tell me why this change was necessary? Not to mention, how did 'outside' become inside?

This here makes me sad...would the real Campbell University welcome sign, please stand up...stupid class of 2001...I was all jazzed to get a picture of the three foot or so tall sign and disappointed to come across this...
But even worse...this broke my heart...my shadow in the place where the lone tree stood in a brick well between D.Rich and Taylor...a great place to meet a friend after CEP before heading to Marshbanks for lunch...gone and no surprise....bricked over... :(

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds :) (the free show)

"Thank you for spending your hard earned nothing

and coming out here tonight."

- Dave Matthews

(Tim Reynolds is on YOUR left while Dave is on YOUR right)

Don't Drink The Water

Satellite

Eh Hee
Cornbread
Either Gravedigger or So Damn Lucky
Crash
Setlist: Don't Drink the Water ~ Proudest Monkey ~ Satellite ~ Eh Hee ~ Old Dirt Hill ~ Crush ~ Stay Or Leave ~ Stream* ~ The Stone ~ Oh ~ Cornbread ~ The Maker ~ Where Are You Going ~ Two Step ~ You Are My Sanity* ~ Sister ~ Dreaming Tree ~ Gravedigger ~ So Damn Lucky ~ Crash ~ Dancing Nancies

Encore: Ants Marching ~ All Along The Watchtower
* denotes Tim Reynolds solos

***************

This was my first acoustic show and I knew going in from the two live acoustic CD's I own that it would be more intimate than when it is all five guys...Dave is a funny guy and it was nice to hear him speak about...well, a variety of here's and there's...not to mention his support for our now President-Elect Barack Obama. The songs listed in italics in the setlist, I actually have on video. I had thought about posting one here, but they are a bit shaky....what can I say - though I was smart enough to not sing along out loud, I couldn't sit still...a girl still has to be able to jam out to her favorite guy. :) But then again, it is all about the music, right...

Oh, the topics that come up in carpool...

One of the things I enjoy about carpooling is yes, I only drive once every three weeks and yes, I save money on gas that is being spent on other necessities like food...(and yes, even though gas prices are continuing to fall - I will continue to carpool)...but I enjoy the conversations that are had. It's better than talking to myself out loud, you know. ;)

The other week we had a conversation about first crushes, first boyfriends, etc. and while my first celebrity crush was John Taylor from Duran Duran ...my first 'boy-I-actually-knew' crush was Brandon Smith. I've known Brandon since Kindergarten and pretty much crushed on him on/off from like 1st grade - all through my freshman year of college. Oh was he cute!

***************************************

In sixth grade, I met Brandon's cousin, Joel. Joel and Brandon were rather tight - hung out a lot and so my 11 year old mind thought - "Well, if I go out with Joel then I'll get closer to Brandon." Good theory and it may have worked had I not moved away the summer between sixth and seventh grades. My first boyfriend...hee hee...now the extent of 'going out' at age 11 was holding hands in the hall, him walking me to class, passing notes (and honestly, I wish I still had those folded squares of college ruled notebook paper. I'd be curious as to what we wrote about.), and talking to each other on the phone after school - everyday.

Brandon and I grew up in the same neighborhood and so when Joel would come to visit him, sometimes they would ride their bikes to my house. I'm sure Joel was all like 'yeah, I'm going to see my girl' and I was like 'yay...I get to see Brandon.' Shame on me, I suppose. Obviously we broke up because I moved away. I didn't know at the time that I would be moving back to my old neighborhood 21 months later...

I didn't get to tell any of my friends, other than Joel, that I was moving - I didn't get to say goodbye. My mother took me to see him the day before leaving. [Sidenote: Upon moving back, my first day back to my junior high was interesting to say the least. It was April and I remember showing up in a Jordan Knight t-shirt with my NKOTB Hangin' Tough tour jacket and jeans...and walking into my first class as a 'new kid' - I surprised many of my friends by actually being an 'old kid'. ]

Once word spread that I had returned, there was the return of the Brandon-Joel situation; however, it didn't last very long...at least not the Joel part of the situation. Joel had started calling me the summer between eighth and ninth grades and I remember one phone call and the word-for-word proposition he offered. I probably hadn't thought about that conversation since high school and it just came flooding back during this particular carpool ride...I couldn't stop laughing to actually get the words out.....my face becoming more and more red as I laughed harder and harder... After some deep breaths, the words finally - and successfully - passed my lips.

At the edge of my grandmother's backyard was a war trench and beyond that was nothing but woods. This particular call led Joel, who would have been 14 years old, to propose to come over, go into the woods and ask to 'do it with me.' But it was the how he asked...if he could "put tab A into slot B." Think about that for a second...now, you're probably at least giggling...I turned him down and he pretty much didn't talk to me after that. Seriously?! Where would a 14 year old have come up with that?!

As for Brandon: He and I ended up becoming pretty good friends. We spent a lot of time hanging out senior year of high school and worked countless hours on Yearbook, but our lives went their separate ways. He went off to BYU, where he met his wife and to become Indiana Jones (well, maybe more like Ross on Friends??!) and I went off to Campbell and well...

***************************************
[Endnote: I just figured since my blog is entitled "My Future Novel" maybe I should start including entries that could actually end up in my future novel - should I ever get around to writing it...]

Max Payne

Number ONE

at the box office...

I had seen a review that suggested ear plugs...I suggest ear plugs! I also suggest you sit through the credits. I hadn't read anything telling me to - and I don't usually sit through them - but something told me to stay and I'm glad I did because there is an extra scene at the conclusion of the credits and sets it up perfectly for a Max Payne 2. I haven't heard anything about a MP2 - although I've known about Max Payne for 2+ years (cause I was still employed by the newspaper when I first heard of it.) Not being a gamer, I've never played Max Payne and I only knew the most basics of the game prior to purchasing my ticket...but that was enough for me.

*******************************

Video Game v. Graphic Novel

One of my favorite movies is The Crow (1994, Brandon Lee) and I saw some parallels between the movies:

The Crow was mostly dark and rained throughout.

Max Payne was mostly dark and snowed throughout.

The Crow used warm tones to convey flashbacks of Eric and Shelly.

Max Payne used warm tones to convey flashbacks of Max, Michelle and their newborn.

The Crow was about Eric avenging the death of his lost love, Shelly.

Max Payne was about Max avenging the death of his wife, Michelle and their newborn. The difference being that Max never died and with the help of the crow, Eric was brought back.

Prior to seeing MP, the only other person I knew I was going to see was rapper, Ludacris. I had NO CLUE I was going to see Kate Burton - (aka Ellis Grey aka Meredith Grey's mom from Grey's Anatomy)

So, I can't speak "gamer" and make comments as to how a movie "based on the video game Max Payne" compares. You'll have to read elsewhere for that. But I liked the movie - especially considering I had been waiting so long for it - and yes, I'd watch it again with earplugs. :)

The only 'downer' for me was selfishly I had hoped that the song for the game Late Goodbye by Poets of the Fall would have made an appearance, but it did not...

Mark Wahlberg on SNL

I can only guess you've heard/read about Andy Samburg doing a skit a few weeks back on SNL called "Marky Mark Talks To Animals" ... I saw the skit as it aired and only laughed cause when I closed my eyes, Andy really sounded just like Mark. Other than that...uhm...

I read that Mark had been shown the skit on You Tube and didn't think it was really all that funny. I had hoped that there would be some kind of skit response, but thought the likelihood was zilch. I watched this weekend cause I heard Sarah Palin was going to be on and I wanted to see what they'd do with her and Tina Fey. So when Mark appeared, I shot straight up off the couch...

I thought the later skit with Mark, Andy and the donkey was hilarious. I thought it commendable for Mark to make an appearance - in response to the initial skit - and make light, and fun - of the whole thing.

I've also read where The Funky Bunch want to reunite...and wisely Mark has said no. While I loved Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (saw 'em in concert), I think it would be a huge step back for Mark. Sounds contradictory I know, but while I jammed out to the likes of Good Vibrations, Mark is a better actor than rapper. (No offense, Mr. Wahlberg) I can appreciate and respect him wanting to keep past career "mishaps" from his small children (Hey, I've never seen Boogie Nights myself), but I don't think he should be embarrassed by career choices. (Note that I did not say 'embarrassed by movie choices' - every actor has a movie or two they later wish they hadn't participated in.)

Think about it though: Prior to "Marky Mark" he engaged in activity, which led to a police record - juvenile petty stuff. The music got him away from that behavior and in turn the music (and his Calvin Klein contract) acted as a bridge that led to an acting career that led to a producer career (Hello - Entourage...) so...there you go.

Two Wahlbergs & a M. Night Shyamalan

So my first M. Night Shyamalan movie was this past summer - The Happening - with Mark Wahlberg. I hadn't seen Mark on the big screen since The Italian Job, so I was long overdue. The movie was stupid...a waste of my time and money (yay that I only attend matinees). The premise was that nature was out to get us and it was best to stay in small groups...which would have made sense until the following:

1. Mark's character was in a group of five that was safe. Yet John Leguizamo's character was also in a group of five and laughably met their demise.
2. There was a lady in a group of one - ONE, y'all - you can't get any smaller than a group of one and yup...she met her demise.

I saw the movie on a Friday afternoon after a half day at work. Including myself there were like 11 people in attendance - and I'm sure all 11 of us left wondering "What the heck?" We spent more time laughing at the ridiculousness of it all than feeling any sense of suspense. I could foresee it being made fun of on Mystery Science Theater 3000 ... For being my first M. Night movie, I was highly disappointed.

So let's fast forward to this past Friday night: I had been told by many "You need to see The Sixth Sense" - so I finally saw it. I remember that it came out the same time as The Blair Witch Project, because my roommate's friend gave away the ending - you know, the truth about Bruce Willis (well his character anyway) - hence, why in all this time I've never bothered to see it.

I actually liked it. I'd watch it again. Heck, I'll probably even buy it. I knew Donnie Wahlberg was in it... I didn't realize for only one scene... but as the movie progressed, I didn't even care that he wasn't in it longer. Yay for the Saw series?!?

Dave Matthews + Virginia Resident = FREE Concert

Straight from the DMB website:

We are pleased to announce that Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds will be performing in Richmond, VA on Sunday, October 26, 2008 at the ALLTEL Pavilion at the VCU Stuart C. Siegel Center to urge Virginians to vote for the change our country needs - affordable, accessible health care for every American, tax relief for middle class families struggling in this economy and a responsible end to the Iraq war.

The "Last Chance for Change" performance will be free and open to all Virginia residents and students, however tickets ARE required. Two (2) free tickets are available per person on a first-come, first served basis.

For ticket locations and additional information, please visit http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/vadavematthews.

UPDATE: I only had to stand in line for THREE HOURS, but yo...I got my tickets! :)

Fresh From My Yahoo...Aww yeah!

My Favorite Girl...oh, oh, oh-oh she's my favorite girl
(One of my favorites off Hangin' Tough CD)

Joe & Donnie on the screen, yo!

Donnie Wahlberg :) ...sigh...
Hard to tell, I know, but trust me on this one
(Make some NOISE!!)

I'm 99% sure this last one is Jordan singing
Baby, I Believe In You
He did it the SAME way he did 17 years ago...
white button-down, unbuttoned, black pants
and a fan blowing on him...
so glad to have the PPV concert from back then on VHS. (D'oh!)

Sigh...now I kinda wish I was going to see them in Charlotte, 30 October. Sigh...hopefully they'll continue to do well and go on a second tour...and I'll get to see them again. (Fingers totally crossed) While I'm not responding the same way I did from ages 12-16, it's still pretty dang exciting, you know. Ironically, the last song on their last CD prior to THE BLOCK, was entitled I'll Be Waitin' and I guess even though by 1994 the music scene had moved on, the guys had moved on, and in a way their fans had moved on (Hello! I was listening to a lot of rap by this time)...some of us hoped that one day they'd return to the scene and the wait would be over...and the day finally came! And it's not that I'm trying to relive my youth (it was hard enough being a teenager once!) cause I'm not. It's just that New Kids took off at a 'critical' time in my life and they were always 'there' for me...how could I not still love them after all these years?! Today I have a deep affection and admiration for them, that a hysterical teenager could in no way appreciate at the time....though I am grateful for the memories...both old and new.

See Sarah's Cell DOES Take Better Pictures

Song being performed is Dirty Dancing

Jordan, Danny & Joe
"Ooh, It's so crazy, she's like Baby, I'm like Swayze"

Jon, Jordan & Sunny's Profile

"It's getting hotter like The Block up in the summertime" Danny, Joe & Sunny's Booty
"I said, Ooo, and I'm burning up
So, lets turn it up, I said turn it up now"

Donnie Wahlberg: The Money Shot

Reissue: Just In Time For The Holidays :)

YAY! October 14 will include a trip to Best Buy. My cassette is about worn out and it was on Amazon for crazy expensive (prior to reissue of course)...now if only they'd reissue No More Games: The Remix...

Concert Photos & Details...

Sarah's camera phone took WAY better pictures not to mention video, so while I'm waiting for her to email 'em to me, here's some from my camera:

The Opening Lights:

that streak there became "NKOTB"

Blue Lights:
White Lights:

(I think that's Donnie on the screen?!)
Jordan Knight: aww yeah! :)
Donnie & Jon w/Sunny (dancer):

This was the song Dirty Dancing

The show itself was 2 hours of AWESOME!! And the whole seeing them oh-so-close was just the cherry on top. I have to say I'm glad something like this did not happen when I was 12/13, because I don't know that I would have been able to appreciate it as much as I do now. I guess once and forever a Blockhead :)

...although, I don't have intentions of buying ALL the merchandise this go-around - but I don't think it'll be as extreme as it was 18 years ago. You know the lunchboxes, dolls, sheets, sleeping bags, giant posters, giant buttons, etc.

They opened the show with Single and encored with Step By Step and Hangin' Tough. Here's a list of all the songs I remember them singing...I don't think I've left any out, but 22 songs is quite a lot anyways: My Favorite Girl, You Got It (The Right Stuff), Valentine Girl, Grown Man, Please Don't Go Girl, Didn't I Blow Your Mind, If You Go Away, No More Games, Dirty Dancing, I'll Be Lovin' You (Forever), Cover Girl, 2 In The Morning, Baby, I Believe in You, Tonight, Twisted, Summertime, Click, Click, Click ....and Joe sang his solo Stay The Same while Jordan sang his solo Give It To You

While I had thought about going to the Charlotte show later this month, I'm kinda glad I decided not to - cause there is no way that the experience could or should be duplicated...it's a once in a lifetime thing. I hope for them that should they decide to continue on after this album that they are successful. And should they go on a second tour - great! I'd go...but there can only be ONE reunion tour...and both the 13 and 31 year old in me is thrilled beyond words that I was able to be a part of it. :)

Within FIVE Feet

Two Floor Tickets to NKOTB: $366

T-Shirt & Program Book: $70

Memories Created This Night: Priceless

Okay, so some of you knew I paid a ridiculous amount for the New Kids concert...thought I was out of my mind. Now...ask me if it was worth it? HECK YES! The guys sang If You Go Away and at the end, did a photo montage of people who they (and we) had lost: family members, singers, entertainers - the one that surprised me the most and brought tears to my eyes (because I didn't know he had died) was Dick Scott, who was their manager 'back in the day'...and Sarah had observed that there was a piano within so many feet of us and asked me "Who plays piano?" ... I responded "Jordan" ...and she grabbed me and we headed to the end of our row...and you wouldn't believe that the guys were on a turnstyle stage that raised from the floor. HOLY CRAP! I was WITHIN FIVE FEET of Jon, Jordan, Joe, Donnie and Danny...

I kid you not as Sarah Pate is my witness, but as they went around in circles singing, I had DONNIE WAHLBERG right in front of me...I blew him a kiss and HE ACKNOWLEDGED ME by winking while smiling and tipped his baseball cap. I swoon...(I was the only girl smart enough to strategically stand in the seats, (one false move and you were falling through) making me taller than the rest.) ...the only thing that could have made the night better was to have actually met them, but I tell you what...October 2, 2008 was and is THE BEST NIGHT OF MY ENTIRE LIFE! (Not even kidding)

And I must confess, while my 'first love' was Jordan Knight, I am seriously crushing on Mr. Wahlberg...ahh...

Are You Ready?

(Photos are courtesy of my lame-o camera phone)

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

WASHINGTON, DC

OCTOBER 2, 2008

The Sarah's:

The Crowd:

I heart Ben & Jerry :)

Ben & Jerry's + Pumpkin Cheesecake = Delighted Sarah

Now I must confess, I don't indulge in B&J often and when I do 9 times out of 10 it'll be Phish Food...and that last 1 out of 10 will be Chunky Monkey...but Pumpkin Cheesecake....Oh yes!!

Described as "pumpkin cheesecake ice cream with a graham cracker swirl"...*I'm wiping the drool away as I type*

I cannot wait to give this one a try. It's a limited/seasonal thing. So happy!

(Image straight from benjerry.com)

Vertigo Update

Hey all,
I realized I never put an update on the blog. Some of you know...some don't...the vertigo and related issues passed about two weeks ago...Praises to God! I wouldn't wish that mess on ANYONE!! It's nice to be back to my version of 'normal'...

And I also realize I never stated the cause...it was that danged 'ill-fated' roller coaster event from Busch Gardens...sigh...after determining the cause the doctor commented that he didn't think it wise for me to ride any more coasters. Here I was thinking, 'Dude, that was decided the moment the ride took off....Not a problem!'

Ponder This

Wikipedia

Okay, so the kewl thing about Wikipedia is the journey you can go on...say you start out with something like, oh...I don't know...Old School Hip Hop

So you read all about the history of Old School and when you're done, you click the link to...LL Cool J and you read all about LL and see he guest starred on House...so you click on House...well, I like Robert Sean Leonard...which leads to the movie Swing Kids...to Swing music...to Benny Goodman...to of all things, PBS...to The Electric Company...to Morgan Freeman...to March of the Penguins...to National Geographic Society...(which at this point, I could totally keep going...I think y'all get the point by now) But the Nat'l Geo Society has nothing to do with Old School Hip Hop...not that I'm aware of anyway. ;)

So this is what I'll do some days at work to pass the time. It's a fun journey...you should try it sometime when you have nothing else to do and want to be educated/entertained.

And yes, you can Wiki Wikipedia itself...I've done that, too.

Odyssey 8.1

Smallville Season Eight Premiere

Okay, so we got a recap of the events leading up to the season eight premiere (My only chance to see Michael...so dreamy...) I had forgotten about the Dear John - I mean, Dear Whitney - crap! - the Dear Clark break up video Lana left behind.

As for the opener: We pick up four weeks later from where season seven closed. Who cares that in seasons past we never saw "Luthercorp VP" Tess, but how come we never heard of her until now? Could Lex have name dropped somewhere? And how many times must the Fortress be in peril? (Was this common in the mythology? Don't know?!)

Opening Credits, you ask: They were just not the same. But totally thrilled Allison Mack gets second billing! It would have been extremely disappointing with 'Lex' and 'Lana' now out of the picture to put someone other than A. Mack in their place...And, I guess I'll just have to get used to seeing Justin Hartley (aka Oliver Queen/Green Arrow)...glad he's a series regular. :)

Some observations/questions: How many times will Clark loose his powers/die? (Again, was this common in the mythology? Again, I don't know.) Am I the only one who found it strange that Lex had only been missing for four weeks and everything in the mansion was covered in sheets? At that, is Tess going to be living in the mansion? If not, what was she doing there - and if so - again, why was everything covered up?

Other issues: Was it just me or was there an obnoxious amount of commercial breaks? Seemed there was more than usual. My response: REDUNK!

I was excited to see members of the JLA come together in the search for our missing Clark. Yea for the Justice League! I'm kinda hoping with Oliver/Green Arrow being a series reg that we'll see more of the JLA throughout the season.

Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders (not to mention Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer) have done a great job writing scripts (including Odyssey) over the years and I haven't any doubt they'll all be able to carry on in the driver's seats with the departure of series creators Al & Miles. With Odyssey, I think they did a great job in setting up the premise of the season - that being the members of the League split up to search for Lex. Who's to say Rosenbaum will even make a 'special guest' appearance with his departure and all...sidenote: I know it's only been a handful of months since filming season seven came to a close, but I checked imdb.com for any new MR projects - and nothing. Sigh....

The most odd thing (even moreso than the sudden appearance of Tess) was Clark's sudden employment with The Daily Planet. 'Four weeks prior' he was all like "Yeah right Lois" to "See you on Monday." ... and no, not in the mailroom... cause all those articles he wrote for The Torch certainly qualified him for a job as a reporter. So when Lois said, "You've gotta be kidding me." I said to Smallville, "You've gotta be kidding ME."

The saddest part to me was after the Martian Manhunter returned from taking "Dead Clark" to the sun to heal him and they have the discussion in the barn about Clark's 'past life' - people dying, people leaving, but never saying goodbye and making the decision to "Let it go." Gone is the 'innocent Clark' we know from the series beginnings - now we have a 'young man Clark' who is readying to embrace his ultimate destiny, which does not include the Kent Farm. With his job at The Daily Planet - forget the superspeed now - I can't help but wonder if last night was one of the last times we see the Kent Farm. Would he be moving to Metropolis now - visiting Chloe in Smallville? (Cause though Clark could get from Smallville to Metropolis in the blink of an eye, it's technically a three hour drive for the 'normal' folks...although they seem to make that commute with no issue whatsoever - that'd be like me driving from Mechanicsville to the far end of Raleigh...sheesh!)

Ah, I save what I'd like to now call the best for last: My dear, dear Chloe Sullivan. Super intelligence: Cool! Loss of healing ability: NOT cool! Grrr!! I hope they address this - not to mention RESTORE HER ABILITY! Kinda comes in handy when your BFF oh, say gets hit with an arrow not once, but twice...But getting to MY point: The reunion scene with Chloe and Jimmy. When addressing the proposal cliffhanger - when Jimmy initially dismissed it, I thought, "Jimmy, you're a doo-doo head." (Yes, you read right...this blog entry contains the word 'doo-doo head'.) But when Chloe said yes anyway, I couldn't help but giggle in pure joy for her. The dialogue between the two - Chloe telling Jimmy he was perfect...Jimmy responding he was far from perfect...Chloe following up with but he was perfect for her. *giggles* 'Bout time she was happy with someone who wasn't Clark. Fingers crossed they don't separate them later on in the series.

I think 8 got off to a good start...I was unsure with all the employment changes with the Smallville staff, so I'm eager to see how this season comes together...While I said previously that Thursday nights would not be the same with Michael's absence, I definitely get a sense that Thursday nights will still be great! ...now if only Grey's Anatomy would hurry up and premiere...

(above image taken from kryptonsite.com)

Ponder This

The Dictionary

Now, I've done my fair share of searching over the years with my friends Merriam and Webster and while I find that a dictionary is great for finding the definition of a word, it can be a real pain when trying to locate how to actually spell a word. 'Is it in- or en-?' 'The silent 'g'?', etc., etc. And yeah, you might be sitting there thinking "But Sarah, what about spellcheck?" Yeah well, spellcheck isn't 100% accurate either. I love it when it tells you you've misspelled a word and offers a spelling suggestion that is...wait for it...the exact same spelling! *smacks head*

Being the child of a dyslexic parent, I learned pretty quick to spell...my mom would always be asking me how to spell words. And I've developed the habit of finding spelling errors in letters and emails...Guess I'm glad I think I'm a pretty decent speller. Although I did learn the other day that I've been spelling 'familiar' wrong for many years now...but no more. Thank you Spellcheck. :)

99-Cents Yo!

I heart Target! And now they have these handy "Reuse to Reduce" totes that are a mere 99 cents. They fold up to about the size of a wallet and hold a lot of goodies - even if they aren't from Target (...took it in to Petsmart the other day). The one I have has the bullseye logo in a repeated pattern. (but this was the only pic I could find on the Target site)

I already get paper bags when I go to Ukrop's, cause they hold my recyclables, making it easier to transport 'em to the recycling station...but now I don't have to get plastic at all. Now, this'll make my Molly Belle sad cause she hearts plastic bags the way I heart Target...or the way a 'normal' cat hearts paper bags...

99 cents for a reusable bag is a small thing for the environment,

but pretty dang cool!

LeRoi Holloway Moore

"It's always easier to leave than be left."

- David Matthews

Words spoken the night of LeRoi's death

Yesterday was LeRoi Moore's birthday. He would have been 47. My heart is still aching in dealing with his death. While I never had the opportunity to meet Roi, I feel like I knew him...I knew him through his music.

I am eternally grateful to LeRoi for it was in 1991 that an unknown Miller's bartender (Dave) approached him and thus was a founding member of what was to become known as Dave Matthews Band.

LeRoi left this world August 19 after "sudden complications stemming from his ATV accident." Embolism. It was an embolism that brought an end to his life and another brilliant light went dark. He was laid to rest August 27 in Charlottesville.

I spent some time yesterday celebrating LeRoi's life by watching/listening to "The Videos 1994-2001" DVD and for a short while the sadness I've been feeling was replaced with delight and a sense of peace. I've been listening to a lot of DMB since August 20 and the music somehow sounds different. It's a sweetness blended with a touch a hollowness. Perhaps it is because I am overly cognizant that no further sound will come from LeRoi's instruments. Just silence.
**********
I went in search of something that would help me to describe LeRoi:

"The most enigmatic and shy of the DMBers, LeRoi constantly wears sunglasses due to his stage fright and is the least likely to grant interviews....Despite his reserve, LeRoi can wail away on his sax, weaving smoking melodies and a sharp counterpoint to the rhythm section. With his short braids, hulking frame and dark glasses, he looks more like a bouncer at the club than a performer, but once that sax is in Moore's hands, he is off in his own world, where music is all that matters and the spotlight isn't a deterrent." - Nevin Martell, author "Music For The People Dave Matthews Band"

Music IS all that matters. It is my "drug" of choice. My morning coffee. My evening nightcap. My life. In listening to CD after CD - song after song, I find I enjoy the raw talent of the earlier recordings. Remember Two Things is a must have for your CD collection. I could be way off, but in listening to Recently - one of their first songs - about a relationship between a guy and a gal - and my ears heard something new: It was as if Boyd's violin spoke for the girl and Roi's sax spoke for the guy...a conversation or perhaps a dance between the two. And to parallel, #36, an instrumental on Under The Table And Dreaming has always reminded me of a lazy Saturday shared between two - again Boyd's violin and Roi's sax playing the roles of the male and female...

Just listen to the soulful beauty that is Crush or the raspy deepness in Bartender... all of it - every note amazing...
**************

The only way I've been able to deal with and try to make sense of this is to keep telling myself "God needed him more than we did..." Maybe God was starting a jam band and needed the BEST SAX player ever.

"There's always been a good handful of songs about death and loss, but always with the idea that [death] was something that should bring us together. There are arbitrary lines between bad and good that often don't make a lot of sense to me. I don't want to die, obviously, but really, the wonder of life is amplified by the fact that it ends. If it went on forever, it would be such a tiresome things and we'd all be so bored: 'What are we going to do today?' 'Just live again, I suppose.'" - Dave Matthews

While we'll all experience death, including our own, it's important to remember those who have left us behind. Because of his involvement and contribution to DMB - as long as there is a DMB fan, I know he will never be forgotten. (This statement is not at all meant to disregard his family, his wife-to-be, Dave, Carter, Boyd and Stefan. I know they will never forget their son, brother, husband-to-be and friend and I know yesterday was an extremely difficult day for them all.)

To honor LeRoi and his "friendship" over the past 14 years, I made a donation of $41 (cause after all, it's my favorite DMB song) to the LeRoi Moore Foundation, which will "support chartities that reflect both his spirit and passion." If interested donations can be made online through http://www.davematthewsband.com/ and click on news and click on the link...or mail to (memo LeRoi Moore Foundation):

Charlottesville Area Community Foundation

P.O. Box 1767

Charlottesville, VA 22902

"Remember when I used to play for all the loneliness that nobody notices now..."

- #41, DMB

I heart Fridays

I heart Fridays probably for some of the same reasons you do, but I love that I get to wear jeans to work on Fridays. Today, I'm kickin' some denim with my green Dave Matthews Band/Virginia
t-shirt and flipflop sandals. :)

The Block...Deluxe Version

Awwwwww yeah! Took long enough for September 2 to get here!! Of course I was at Best Buy at 10.04 a.m., did you even have to ask? ;)

The big disappointment upon tearing into the cellophane and cracking the seal was WHERE WERE THE LYRICS? There's nothing I hate more than having a CD with no lyrics reprinted in the booklet. The big deal with the deluxe edition (which features four additional songs) was that it included a free poster ... oooh. Of course they looked hot with their Men In Black vibe, but at 31 I'd rather have the lyrics than a poster. And while Jordan is HOT...uhm, sorry but Donnie is HOTT!

17 songs...some definitely had hints of 'classic New Kids' while most of them did not. Not that I expected Please Don't Go Girl v 2.0, but the themes were definitely more adult. There were quite a few songs which featured another artist. I was most excited about the collaboration with New Edition (as previously posted) and Full Service is a great song! Well worth the wait. I'm kind of surprised they released Single as their second single - I would have thought it would have been Click, Click, Click - especially with all the hype surrounding it. After all, the idea of a reunion sparked flames in Donnie's head after hearing Click Cubed...

They definitely have an understanding of their fanbase ;) ...those of us who were along for the original ride are now in our 30's.

1. We watch The View (at least I did on Tuesday to see them)

2. We watch Grey's Anatomy...the song 2 In The Morning is about a relationship where the girl had a bad day and she's not talking to [insert your favorite New Kid here?!??] and it's now 9 and she still hadn't talked, but it's going on 10 and he wants to know what's up before .... [insert fanfare here] .... Grey's Anatomy (classic!)

3. We definitely watch/ed Dirty Dancing. Wonder which one of them was duped into watching it...can't really say I know of any guy who watches it on purpose...the song Dirty Dancing has a line: She's like Baby, I'm like Swayze. (hee hee hee)

I find that after two days of listening...I am so, so, so, so, so glad they reunited and I'm really excited to be seeing them in four weeks. I've had a few of the songs stuck in my head, now that I am back to work. :( (Oh, but I enjoyed my mini-vacay!!)

My overall grade would be: B-

(I would have given 'em a B if they had included the flippin' lyrics!)