In Case You've Been Living Under a Rock...

Fun. just released the next single off their sophomore album, both titled Some Nights.  If you haven't heard it yet YOU. ARE. MISSING. OUT.  Seriously, do your ears a favor and take a listen.  You know, in case you haven't heard it a million times on the radio yet. 


Same goes for the video they just released for it last week...  It's like a mini movie.  It's sort of epic...and a whole bunch of awesome!

Some Nights (Intro) & Some Nights are my go to songs to listen to when...well, whenever.  When I'm sad.  When I'm mad.  When I'm happy.  When I'm pumped.   When I'm bored.  When I'm in my extremely hot car (hotter than normal since the blower thing broke last week, right after I put in a new A/C compressor but before I could get it evacuated/charged, which should be it's own post... also, please excuse my lack of knowledge of car A/C terminology) with hostages friends who are forced to listen to Fun. (and me) until they too are completely IN. LOVE. with them as well (coughCrystalcough). 


Side note: You have not experienced either song until you've experienced them in order TOGETHER.  I can't explain it except to say it's mind blowing.  Seriously, tell me it's not.  You can't.  And if you do, I will not listen because you are just absolutely dead wrong.   


Both songs are at their best when speeding down the road, with all the windows down, the stereo volume all the way up and I am singing along at the top of my lungs.  I would apologize for those of you who have encountered me at a stop light/sign but I am way too much in love with the songs & the experience to care.  It is just that good.


My Some Nights review & Some Nights (Intro) video posted here.

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

Thanks to Crowdtap I was able to go to a prescreening of Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted last weekend. 

Not only did I get to go but I was able to have a plus 1.  While I do love me some cartoon movies (especially Disney/Pixar) I don't usually go to the movie theater to see them.  The last cartoon I went to see in theater was...Horton Hears A Who and that was because my (great) niece & nephew specifically asked me to go.  I had about 6 "age appropriate" candidates to choose from to be my date.  My top 3 choices (based on how excited they would be to see the movie) couldn't go, which was a major bummer since their excitement was what made me want to see the movie.  I lucked out though because my niece Elizabeth wanted to go (which I would have never ever had guessed) and was just as excited (if not more excited) even though she's 25 years old.

Elizabeth & me

What made the prospect of going to the prescreening even more fun was the fact that one of my BFF's is also a Crowdtap member and was selected to go with her plus one (her 5 year old daughter).  Fun quality time with one of your favorite people is pretty cool... but fun quality time with three of your favorite people is awesome!

Crystal & Bug

I've heard there was a lot of confusion & miscommunication at some of the other events in different states but we were extremely lucky and didn't have a problem.  I can see how it could have/would have been confusing though.  There were lines outside the theater, lines inside the theater and not always clearly marked places/people you needed to see to get entrance.  Again, we were lucky and figured it out fairly easy.  


Upon entering the theater there was a large event table in front of one of the designated theaters, a smaller event table in front of another designated theater, and a corner set up specifically to entertain the little "Zoosters".  That corner was filled with penguins.  Let me say that again...PENGUINS!  Real.  Live.  PENGUINS!!


I'm pretty sure they were of the Magellanic Penguin variety.  There was two of them and they were awesome!  They were behind a plexiglass set up with two wranglers and all the little kids could go and sit right up in front of the plexiglass and hang out.  I seriously considered skipping the movie and hanging out with the penguins instead.

Bug & the PENGUINS!

I didn't get to spend as much time as I wanted with the Penguins nor did I manage to grab a photo for myself because we ended up in the worst. concession. line. EVER!  The lady in front of us was ordering for at least 10 (no exaggeration!) and it was the slowest process ever.  By the time we got to our designated theater (the small one) there was no good seats where the 4 of us could sit together, so we sat in the middle of the 2nd row.  


On our way into the theater we discovered that we were seeing the 3D version.  I know the movie poster (which I got from the Crowdtap site) says 3D but I never picked up on that prior to going to the movie.  I was extremely nervous about being in the 2nd row (I got sea sick while sitting there when I went to see The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian -as a chaperon for a b-day party-) and especially since it was 3D.  Luckily, I had no problems.  


The movie was cute and exactly what most cartoons are... extremely silly.  It still had a good message threaded through the zoosters adventures.  I haven't seen that much florescent colors since I was a child in the 80's.  I am not a dabbler in the psychedelic drugs (or any drugs for that matter) but I'm guessing a trip would totally feel like watching half of this movie.  All in all it kept all the kids around us entertained, and I assume all the kids not around us.  The penguins are probably still my favorite of the zooster group but they strictly provide the comic moments and don't have to do any of the heavy lifting the other central characters have to.  It's a perfect silly movie to go take your kids to see this summer.

The Quiet Conclusion of The POF Project

I've come to think of this whole online dating this as "The POF Project".  I would like to say I came, I saw, I conquered but honestly it is I came, I saw, I quietly ran away & am currently in hiding.  Seriously, what the hell is wrong with people?!  And by people, I mean men on POF.  And by men, I mean it in the loosest term available.  If I had to put it in POF terms there was less fish in the pond than there were guppies.  Nobody wants to take home a guppy.  I do realize that that is all I have ever been able to catch but I had have big hopes.   And that will conclude my ridiculous use of "POF" terms, sorry.


So after my two perfectly nice but unsparktafying dates I wanted to go on at least one date I was actually excited about.  After asking daily if I could quit yet and was told no, I figured it was a good compromise.   I had 4 guys on the line, all had potential to be a date I was excited about.  One went on vacation to Hawaii and apparently never came back.  One guy apparently couldn't handle the fact that I wasn't ready to give him my # yet.  One guy finally, FINALLY asked if I wanted to go out, to which I said yes but when our schedules didn't match up on the first try he jumped ship.  And the last one asked me out, I accepted and then he completely fell off the face of the earth.  All had potential to have funny stories told about them.  


The first guy I can't really remember much about.  Not a good sign, I know.


The second owned two swords.  Yes!  TWO. SWORDS.  One was from Ireland.  True story.  That may have been my first clue to run...not walk...quickly away.  He, also, had his own YouTube channel.


The third was extremely interesting but had the habit of having split personalities (?).  The fun one and the one who liked to, what I refer to as, "Horse Whisper" me.  He talked to me like I imagine you would to a skittish horse you are trying to "break".  A lot of the time I felt I had to jump through hoops to maintain his attention.  I'd back off and he's start being normal fun guy again.  It was weird.  I honestly was sort of relieved by the end that he apparently couldn't handle the fate that I had a very busy & booked up weekend.  I mean, he asked on Thursday for a Saturday date, what did he expect?!  


The last one was the one I was most disappointed about.  He was a "brain doctor"...for real, thank you Linkedin for verification, which wasn't even the most exciting or interesting thing about him.  In fact, it was a little intimidating but I bring it up because it was what we called him.  We being Karie, Crystal & I...since they were the angel & devil sitting on my shoulder through out this whole process.  He had a wicked sense of humor and rolled right along with mine and all the crazy, inappropriate (for online dating) things I threw out at him.   I have no clue why he asked me out & asked me what I had in mind to do and then totally disappeared after I accepted and suggested a date & something low key.  Really?!  I hope the fall off the face of the earth hurt just a little bit.  


Any guy I emailed first never responded.  Any guy I was talking to and asked if they wanted to meet up never responded after that.  What is the deal with that?!  Telling someone no or they're not interested is a bit awkward but it can be done and quite nicely too.  I know, because I did it.  Maybe not all the time but any time I had someone send me a genuine email or request I was nice enough to respond.  Especially if there was dialogue going on, I don't like wondering why someone just disappeared so I tried to not make others wonder.   Apparently, I was doing it wrong. 


I was over POF about 10 minutes seconds after going "live" and after a little more than a month I am so over it I don't have the right words to describe how over it all I actually am.  POF reminded me that men are idiots, and children no matter what their age, and a bunch of weirdo's who think women are dumb.  I've hidden my profile for the time being and will decided after a cooling down phase if I want to delete it completely or keep it for another trial run down the road. 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner #21

I haven't done a post like this since October.  I'm not going to say I haven't won something in between then and now but I'm not going to say I have.  Truth is, I don't remember.  I guess if I did I wasn't overtly excited about it.


This weekend I received my "winnings" from an InPink giveaway GrrFiesty had earlier this month.  It was another one of those 50 winner deals.  I honestly figured if I was one of the 50 they'd choose someone else since I'd won from them before but apparently not.


I just checked to see when I won the other InPink giveaway and I am cracking up.  I won a $40 gift certificate for them in January.  I managed to mention it in a WIWW post but never did a WWCD post.  With the timing I'm going to say it had less to do with me not being overtly excited about it and more to do with what was going on at the time.  Losing a friend so unexpectedly and so unnecessarily sort takes the fun out of winning giveaways...and everything else in life.  


You can see me wearing my 1st winnings here, but what I chose was this...

MULTICOLORED CHAINS NECKLACE AND EARRING 

I, also, got a ring with the same "theme" but it is no longer listed on their site.  It's bigger than I expected so I don't wear it often.  


This time with my $40 gift card I bought a set of rings I had my eye on...

TRIPLE BAND SIZED CUBIC ZIRCONIA RING SET

I really really like them.  Plus, they are very versatile.  


What I am most excited about winning is a pair of shoes from B.A.I.T. Footwear off the lovely LoveElycia's blog.  Like squealed, out loud, while at work, after reading that I won.  I think this is the 3rd or 4th giveaway I'd entered for B.A.I.T.  I think the only way I could have been more excited was if I'd won a pair of Blowfish shoes since I've entered at least 20 giveaways for them....possibly 50.  At least with Blowfish it is easier to just go out and buy a pair.  I have yet to see a pair of B.A.I.T. at any stores (except online).  


So after much internal soul searching and asking a few people's opinions I chose the Dennise in RED.  It was between the red and the black but I figured I have black shoes already.  I've been wanting a pair of red shoes FOREVER.  If going bold while getting a pair of FREE shoes isn't the thing to do, then I don't know when is.  I cannot wait to get my red shoes!! 

 

 Now if I could only be this luck when at the casino.  

POF Update for Lack of a Better Title

I've been on POF for three weeks now and I've learned a few, possibly interesting, things.


1. Plenty of Fish needs a new name.  There may be "plenty" of fish but we are all crammed into the same small pond.  I swear I "run" into the same 50 guys day in & day out.  


2.  It is not smart to use the same profile picture on POF as you use on other social networking sites.  Say such as Facebook.  Luckily, I knew this one already but some of the guys I've "run" across on POF  are not as smart.  I've spotted one guy for sure on FB, but it is possible I've seen more but their profile pictures aren't quite as memorable as one with a horse in it.  Luckily I am not friends with any of the people I've seen nor am I friends of friends.   


3.  Either a lot of guys lie about their actual height (which I know is a real life problem) but an oddly large amount of men on POF are listed as 6"4'.  Um...hello, sexiness!  Tall men are so...yummy!  Yeah, if you couldn't tell, tallness a weakness of mine.


4.  A lot of veterans and/or military men are online.  A. Lot.  Like possibly half the guys on POF are vets or active military men.  It's sort of insane.  Speaking of insane, want to know what else is insane?  I have a hard time ignoring vets or military men when they contact me.  Doesn't matter if I'm interested or not.  I have a hard time NOT responding and being nice.  It's sort of like I can't say no to people who have risked their lives for our country.  Luckily, I'm not completely insane and do have a limit on how far I will go in saying yes or in being nice.  Though, this insanity has led to some slightly uncomfortable & probable awkward situations.  


5.  Men don't read.  Some, I am sure, just can't but most of them just don't.  It's annoying and actually cuts a lot of cute guys off my "list" just because they don't read and end up not use their words when contacting me.   I mean, how do  you respond to "Sup?" or "Wow...u b (insert descriptive word)". My favorite opening line was..."well hello there sexy pants..." Um...really?  I didn't even take the time to check out his profile, call me rude but sexy pants gets you automatically rejected, ignored & possibly blocked.


6.  I've noticed if I go out of my comfort zone and initiate the first contact I do not get a response.  It's sort of sad.  Possible proof I am always attracted to the unattainable.  Heh.  I'm hoping it has more to do with how my profile is set up or how their profile is set up and they are actually not able to respond to me.  That thought is a lot easier on the ego.  You know, instead of the thought that they are just uninterested and not responding to me.  There are a lot of invisible things that can be selected in a profile that would block certain people from being able to contact me or respond to me.



I have plans for a dinner date sometime next week but I've been putting it off because of #3 listed above.  He is nice enough, we do have some things in common, but he's definitely not what I am looking for.  I was being overtly nice because he was a wounded vet.  Turns out that you can be a vet and have to retire from the military due to an accident and not be a "wounded vet".  The two things can totally be two separate things.  His accident & recovery is an incredible story but one he says has scared off a lot of people.  I don't understand that but at the same time I guess I do.  I was only mildly interested to begin with but hearing his story and having a bit of insight into his struggles has not helped.  Really though I think it has more to do with his... over eagerness, I think would be the right word.  He over shares on some things and not enough about others.  Because of our conversations and his relieve in my response to his story I do not feel that I can cancel.  When starting this whole POF thing people said, "Go to dinner.  It's just dinner, what could it hurt?" Well, apparently it could hurt a lot.  Meeting and then telling him that the needed "spark" just isn't there will be a lot easier than bailing now & him thinking it has to do with his accident, which it doesn't.  


There are a few others who have been circling around meeting up but I don't know if it'll happen or not.


Maybe I'm doing it wrong but I just don't find any of this all that fun.  If something is this awkward it should at least be fun.  Most of the time I find it mildly annoying and at times stressful.  Annoying is not fun.  Stressful is not fun.  

It's That Time of Year Again

We've already surpassed the 100 degree mark here in Arizona.  So to say it's short season is a bit of a overstatement.  Most of the time I think shorts... Ugh! but this year I got a FREE pair of shorts from Old Navy.  FREE makes short shopping so much more fun & enjoyable!  


Seriously, being a member of CrowdTap and being a part of the Old Navy Style Council is really paying off.

Come join me.

The BFF, Karie, and I had just had a long discussion about shorts and our need for new ones when I got the invite for the ON short sample. I, of course, took it as a "meant to be" type of thing and asked her to be my plus one for the sample share.  

There were a ton of shorts to choose from and although I knew I am not a fan of the short shorts (5 inches & below) I still tried some on because they were so dang cute.  I'm a realist.  I know that even if I lost the 20 lbs I'd really, really love to lose, I'd still hate my thighs (because just about every woman does,  no matter what they weigh or what size they are) and being in my 30's 3 inch shorts are just too short.   But the 5 inch shorts would be doable.  Note to self: Eat less cookies & more veggies, and start working out.  Seriously!   

So here are the super cute shorts that are just too short for someone like me...

Women's Printed Canvas Shorts (3-1/2") 

Women's Perfect Khaki Shorts (3-1/2") 

Karie pretty much felt the same...

Women's Perfect Khaki Shorts (3-1/2") 

Women's Perfect Khaki Shorts (3-1/2 ) 

Women's Denim Cut-Off Shorts (3") 

We had better luck with the longer short shorts...

Women's Denim Shorts (4 1/2")

Women's Denim Shorts (4 1/2")

I already own a pair of the Women's Denim Shorts (4 1/2") from last season so I know I do like them.  Though I do wish they were about an inch longer.  It was a toss up between these and what I chose.

Women's Denim Shorts (4 1/2") 

Women's Linen Drawstring Shorts (5") 

Women's Cuffed Tie-Waist Twill Shorts (4-1/2") 

In the end I ended up with bermuda shorts, which is what I pretty much knew I would get....

Women's Distressed Denim Bermudas (12")

I really wanted them in white, because they are totally out of my comfort zone and FREE is the perfect time to do something crazy but they didn't have my size.

Women's Distressed Denim Bermudas (12") 

I totally cheated and they are not zipped up.  Fine for photo taking but not so much for real life.  I'm hoping they'll have my size when I have the money to go shopping again.  The only bad thing about these shorts are they run pretty small so you've got to go up a size.  Wearing a larger size than normal messes with the delicate balance one has when concerning self image.  

Women's Perfect Khaki Shorts (5") 

 This photo does not do justice to how cute these shorts look on Karie.  They make her already rockin' butt look fabulous but she wouldn't let me take a photo.  

Our final FREE choices.

These photo's remind me that the wedges I was wearing that day have since broke and I am still not over it.  I've only had them about a month or so and the whole "inside" sole came apart from the wedge.  I need to figure out how to glue them back together so I can wear them again.  They are seriously too cute to give up on.  Plus, far too new!!

Proof I Watch Too Much Criminal Minds

After reading though some of my POF responses I've discovered a very large tactical error on my part.  One that will probably end up with me being the next story line for Criminal Minds.  


If you recall I listed going to the park/bird preserve in my "About Me" section of my profile.  I pride myself on being a "smart girl" and of taking care to not put myself in situations where I am an easy target for serial killers.  Skills I like to think I honed while living in the same complex as Mesa's Serial Shooters.  I know when I take photo's or post from the park I use the location tag but I figure I pretty much know who is watching me on Instagram and I am 99.8% positive that none of my Facebook friends are criminal intent stalkers or serial killers. 


Why Criminal Minds?  Well, if you've religiously watched the show, like I do, you too have learned all the nice places serial killers like to take their victims.  If you've ever been to the Bird Preserve and really wandered around then you know that it is the perfect place for a serial killer to kill and dump a body.  It's quite possible no one would ever find the body.  If that happens we wander into the land of Bones, which I will try to stay clear of for this post to keep things less complicated and confusing.  This is by no means an endorsement to any serial killers out there to actually use the bird preserve as a killing/dumping ground. 


I am a cynical person so everyone on POF is suspect.  If you are less suspect than others I will contact you back.  If I feel like it.  I'm not sure how between the three of us (Crystal, Karie & myself) we did not realize that my profile was going to be seen by men (which by default are men of suspect) who live in the area and may know of the bird park.  I might as well have just placed a bright neon sign as my tag line that said, "PERFECT VICTIM WITH PERFECT BUILT IN KILLING/DUMPING GROUND.  INQUIRE BELOW".  Off hand I can already think of at least 5 of my favorite places (possibly 7 for the exceptionally talented serial killer) at the park that are ideal for raping/killing/dismembering/eating by a serial killer.      


I have since rectified the error but now I am unsure how to proceed with the inquiries that I got mentioning the bird preserve.  Do I ignore to be on the super safe side or do I let it play out and see if any murderistic tendencies show up during our chat?

Would You Date Me?

So a week ago I joined Plenty of Fish.  What?!  Oh, no, I didn't.  Oh, but really... yes, I did.  I'd had my profile hidden since then to work out the glitches but went "live" this afternoon. In the few minutes I was online I had an overwhelming response. Not that I'm saying I'm a success or anything or that the responses I got were even good responses but they were responses non-the-less.  My brain actually wants to explode and fall out of my head, it is that overwhelming.  I don't even know how to proceed at this point.

There really isn't a wading area nor is there wearing any floaties once you jump into the pond that is POF.  It's just straight into the deep end and you better know how to swim.  Since I am not the best swimmer I quickly jumped ship pond and have stayed offline since except for a few peeks to check something out.  Or to fix the spelling error Crystal caught.  The one that neither Karie nor I noticed.  That, right there, is why you have at least two people check your work.  I'm a bit terrified and cannot promise that I won't chicken out the next time I log on and some guy tries to chat, email or whatever.

So here's my profile...would you date me?  

XXXXX : Yikes, here goes..

About	Non-Smoker with Average body type
Details	34 year old Woman, 5' 4" (163 cm), Christian - other		Ethnicity	Caucasian Capricorn with Brown hair
Intent	XXXX is looking for a relationship.		Education	Some college

Interests Music     Movies     Going to concerts    Shopping     Eating out    TV About Me I always thought other people only did this. I am completely terrified to try online dating but I have a rule I try to live by...  If I want to do something but I find it too scary I, first need to figure out why that is, and as long as it won't hurt me or  someone else, I just need to get over it and do it.  At least once. So here I am. I work full time. I am currently in a serious & committed  relationship with my TV/DVD player. I do, however,  enjoy being outdoors and spend at least 4 nights a week wandering around a park/bird preserve near me. I lack the coordination needed for any type of sport. I have  3 cats and some days they are the most intellectual and  interesting conversationalists I encounter. If that makes me an  elitist and snobby, so be it. I love movies as long as I don't have to read subtitles. I am a girl, so romantic-comedies are always  good entertainment but sometimes there just really needs to be a lot of eye candy, shoddy plot lines and big massive explosions  (Yes, I am a fan of Michael Bay and I'm not ashamed to admit that  The Fast & Furious movies are on my favorite movie list). I tend to  say what I think and often find what I think to be hilarious... even if no one else gets it. I love animals & take care of strays when they let me. I will notice  a squirrel or prairie dog running along the road while driving past  but rarely will see deer or elk while standing still 10 feet in front  of me. I cannot live a day without music. Attending a concert is  just as energizing as taking an actual vacation. I have severe  crowd claustrophobia but prefer a small standing room only  concert to a sit down concert at a large venue. I've been told I  have "socially acceptable" nerdiness. I'm not quite sure what that  means but it sounds good to me. I have never played Dungeons  & Dragons or any online gamers games but I do worship at the  altar of Joss Whedon & Eric Kripke and follow Wil Wheaton on twitter/FB... If any of that made sense to you, we will get along just  fine. If not, well I am sad for you, but we can definitely work with  that as well. When I asked my friends for words that best describe my personality I got things like loyal & reliable, which sort of sound like something  you'd say when describing a golden retriever or some other furry  friend. I got loving, generous & helpful. To be honest I can, also, be high strung and moody but I like to think of that as meaning  I'm fun & passionate...which are another word my friends used to describe me. I think I am AWKWARD but my friends don't  (usually) tend to see me that way. My most favorite quote  regarding this situation is "...she is an inadvertent vortex of  awkward moments so she just rolls with it. I have no clue why  cuz she isn't awkward herself but awkwardness always happens  when she's around..."  So there you have it... First Date No matter the situation first dates are awkward. Period. Mail Settings To send a message to XXXX you MUST meet the following criteria: Male Live in United States Must not have messaged users looking for intimate encounters  or sex. Must not be looking for Intimate Encounter Must not be looking for Activity Partner Must not do drugs Must not be married Must not smoke

I think I need to add an age range to my mail settings.  I've gotten a lot of older men contacting me.  I swear it's the power of the boobs.    

I'm sure there will be plenty more tweaks that will need to be made the more I wade into this crazy online dating world.


To explain how I ended up joining POF I'd have to share the whole back story and the back story has back story so at this point I will just say I had a good reference.  A good enough reference that the thought there may be more out there online than just weirdo's and skeezy men occurred to me.  


Because I am me, and I am awesome, hilarity and hijinx ensued after I hit the “Finish” button on my profile the very fist time (when I joined, before I hid my profile).  I should probably preface this with a back story on that, as well, but really one can only endure so much public humiliation and mockery in one go so I'm just leaving you with a my profile and the little nugget that I am actively on an online dating site.  


*GULP*

It`s funny how the words we never say, can turn into the only thoughts we know

I've had the thought of posting these songs since the first time I heard them.  I'm sure I've mentioned them but haven't yet given them the spotlighted they deserve.

Seriously, these songs do something to me each time I hear them.  Each and every time.  Part of it is that feeling you get when you first hear a song and it changes your life.  I seriously get that feeling each. and. ever. time.  And the other part is something I have yet to figure out.  It sort of breaks me and puts me back together, whatever it is.  

Andrew McMahon kills me every time he opens his mouth and sings.  I could literally listen to him sing the phone book and would actually pay money for it.  

Yeah, he's a ninja.  Or a Jedi Knight.  Just of music.  

And Awesomeness.     

"Restless Dream" 

Restless Dream lyrics

"Casting Lines" 

Casting Lines lyrics

I, also, love the fact that "Casting Lines"was written as a writing assignment to be the theme song for 'Parenthood'.  Damn Bob Dylan!  I love hearing "Forever Young" every time I watch 'Parenthood' but "Casting Lines" would have worked just as well.  Different feel but just as good.  Of course, I'd rather listen to Andrew over Bob any day.  I know, blasphemy to some but it's a truth to me.  


For those of you who have checked out  People & Things  but maybe haven't checked out the Deluxe version you need to!  Even if it's just for these two songs... 

iTunes Deluxe songs I LOVE from People & Things: 

"Broken Bird"

Broken Bird lyrics

"Dancing With a Gun" 

Dancing with a Gun Lyrics

Fill in the Blank Friday #18

Joining at The Little Things We Do

1.  Today is a great day because it’s Friday & I’m wearing new shoes.

2.  Tomorrow I will get to hang out with some of my most favorite girls.  We’re celebrating the April birthday’s  with pedi’s, lunch and shopping. 

3.  My favorite time of day is usually morning time  because  the day is new, it’s usually quiet and the sunlight is perfect.

4. Sometimes you just have to buy new shoes instead of groceries.

5.  A song that I just can't get enough of lately is  “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Goyte.  It has the added bonus of Kimbra, who I, also, can’t get enough of lately.

6.  My favorite accessory is my silver branch looking ring that I wear on the ring finger of my right hand.

7.  My favorite thing about this week was buying Jason Mraz tickets.

Love Is A Four Letter Word

Jason Mraz's new album Love Is A Four Letter Word is out today.  I bought the Live Is A Four Letter Word EP when it was released and needless to say I am in love.  I am sure I will feel the same way about Love...  


How can I not with songs like...


I Won't Give Up...which I posted here already.


and


"The Woman I Love"

I may be a little biased because I have been in love with this man's music since my ears heard the first words of the first song I ever heard from him (back when he was promoting Waiting for my Rocket to Come... it was some Pepsi Smash concert on the WB, I think...oh, the WB...those were good times.  Not that the CW doesn't represent it's origins cuz it does...).  It's been a 10 year love affair and it's one that I know will last a lifetime.  I have yet to see Jason Mraz NOT knock it out of the ball park on singing, songwriting, and performing.  


It doesn't hurt that he's sort of adorkable and a very vocal & active humanitarian.  He did break my heart when he broke his engagement to fellow singer/songwriter Tristan Prettyman, but that's another story.  So is his need for a good barbers trip...he's looking a little too granola for me but he does look more like an aged seasoned rocker now and who really cares what he looks like when he can sing and sweet talk a guitar like he does.


He's, of course, touring to promote this new album, so Saturday I procured two tickets for Karie & I to go when he stops in Phoenix on Oct. 2nd.  This will be our 3rd time seeing Mr. A-Z and I think I was just as stressed, nervous and excited buying these tickets as I was the last two times.  Okay, I may have been just a wee bit more excited the very first time, as first times are always just a little bit sweeter.  Karie and I went in 2008 & 2009.  I'm pretty sure there is an unwritten rule that we cannot see Jason Mraz without the other.  The sky may fall or something just as unlikely, weird and tragic.


He's playing at America West Arena US Airways Center (old habits & names die hard).  I haven't been to a concert that large since Tim McGraw or Madonna (Confessions Tour '06).  I'm not a big fan of huge concert halls.  Give me a "small" room where you are standing like sardines any day.  I don't know what it is about small concerts but I love them.  Maybe its the energy you get from being that close to the band and all the other fans who love every note and word just as much as you do.  Maybe it's being able to feel every base hit & cord played from the speakers right in front of you and the vibrations they send out all around you.  Really I don't know.  I just know that it's invigorating and no matter how crowd claustrophobic I am I still am in love with small concerts and the experience of it all.  


Not to say I don't love large concerts.  I've seen several (The Cure, Bush & No Doubt, Smashing Pumpkins...can you tell I was a teen in the mid 90's?!)  and had a great time at each but they just aren't as memorable as the smaller concerts.  Does anyone agree with me on this or am I some masochistic weirdo?  


Anyway, Karie & I are in Section D, Row 3, Seats 4-5...which are floor seats.  I have that memorized.  Yeah, I'm THAT EXCITED!  I wasn't able to buy tickets during the pre-sale(s) so I was sweating that we'd end up with "bad" seats.  I didn't want to spend the highest ticket price for "nose-bleed" seats.  I'm a concert snob...there, I admit it.  It's probably somehow a backwards concert snob but a concert snob non-the-less.  


I loved seeing Madonna (during the Confessions tour '06) but ticket prices were INSANE (I can't remember because I blocked the cash amount out) and we very much had nose bleed tickets.  We weren't the highest ticket price nor were we the lowest ticket price but most of what we could see in detail of Madonna was on the jumbo screens.  It was still an EXPERIENCE and I loved every minute of it... I mean, it's Madonna but I'm going to be more excited about a $20 ticket concert at Martini Ranch to see Live Oak Revue or William Tell.   I would have said Jack's Mannequin or Jimmy Eat World but they are my MOST. FAVORITE. BANDS. EVER. so I'd pay whatever I have to and would watch them where ever I had to.  Which is the same for Jason Mraz so I'm not really sure how I got off on this tangent.  


Brain.  Focus.  Now.  Please.


PS...Concerts are probably the only thing I like smaller better than bigger.  Well, that and jeans.  I think we'd all rather fit in a size 5 than a size 13.  Sigh... I remember those days.  Vaguely.  

2012 Goal: Quarterly Update #1

With April here I figured I needed to check and see how I was doing on my 2012 Goals.


#1.  I am well into my goal to wear each pair of shoes I have (at least once).  I'm at 27 of 49 on my shoes and 1 of 23 on my flip flops.  I've actually worn more but some days I totally forget to document my "new" shoes. 


I've worn several pairs of flips but only have documented one.  Now that it's warming up I'll be wearing them more so documentation should be easier to remember.  It seems that I started making a collage but never finish uploading it.  It actually happens more than you would think.  I start, get busy, remember late in the evening, start again and then fall asleep during the process.  Guess it's a good thing I'm not getting paid for this sort of thing.  I'd go hungry a lot otherwise.  


Standing: Good.


#2. Get rid of things...sounds so easy but really when it comes down to it it's a lot harder than one would think.  I've cleaned out my closet a bit, as well as my dresser drawers.  I could certainly go through both a few more times (and probably will) but I have a good sized box of stuff I'm getting rid of.  I just need to start going through the part of my closets that aren't clothes.  The storage part of the closets is what really needs to be gone through. Man, I have to admit I dread that process.  


Standing: Ok.


#3.  Go on a date... Yeah.  Does thinking about it count?  What about talking about it?  It should count a little.  I whole heartily had the intention to follow through but circumstances beyond my control got in the way.  I could have been more proactive but... sometimes those circumstances kick the shit out of you and being proactive has less to do with follow up and more to do with survival. 


Could of.  Should of.  Would of.  Whatever. 


Standing: Bad.


#4. Sew a 50's style dress.  I've come to realize that this goal is going to be pretty hard.  See... I don't own a sewing machine.  I do, however, have a sister who owns a sewing machine.  One I am not allowed to touch.  It's a bit of a bummer and a bit of a relief.  I mean, the thought of me operating a machine that's main function is fast moving needles... I sort of shudder at the thought.   


I'm sure my sis would be happy to sew the dress for me and let me do all the other stuff.  Okay, really she'd have to help me figure out how to cut the pattern since I don't know how jack about sewing and patterns make about as much sense as when I look at a map...seriously how does that stuff make sense?!  She totally allows me to play with scissors...just not sewing machines.  It's probably a wise decision on her part.  


I'm sure if I paid to have her old machine fixed she'd show me on that one but we (my niece and I) are not allowed to touch her new prettypretty sewing machine.  It's really not a personal thing against me or my lack of sewing knowledge.  At least no much.


I...er...we did do a DYI dress I found on Pinterest though.

Georgie (my sister) my seamstress.

The dress actually needs to be fixed before wearing.  Try and learn, right?!  I didn't cut the tank short enough so it's a bit weird.  To fix the weird waist part we just need to make a thicker belt.  I just need to go get the fabric and have my sister sew it up.  I absolutely love the way the skirt feels though.  Even if it hadn't turned out I've only spend $3 on the dress so far.  Okay, $4 counting the elastic thread I bought.  I'd say another $1 for the additional fabric.  So in total $5, not bad right?!  Especially considering I would have thrown out or given away the tank I used.  


I'm actually excited to do another one in a maxi style.  I've been trying to find fabric to match purple or pink since I have a few tanks in each color but it's near impossible.  I found a black tank at Target on sale for $5 so I snagged it with the intention of using it for the maxi dress.  I would think black would make finding coordinating fabric easier but who knows.  


Standing: Good,  I did do A dress.  


#5. Finally making myself my no sew fleece blanket.  


Standing: Bad.  


#6. Get new glasses.  


Standing: Bad.  


#7.  Visit Bearizona.  


Standing: Bad but Bearizona actually just reopened this month.  


As first quarters go I'm thinking I'm not doing too bad.  I definitely needs to kick some of the goals into gear if I want to get anywhere with them by end of year.  Considering how crappy this year has been so far I'm going to give the overall standing of my 2012 Goals a Good though.