MIRANDED

On Saturday, my friend Missy and I went to see Miranda Lambert's concert! Before the show, we met up with some other friends who were having a picnic of sorts at on the rooftop patio of condo near downtown. Pretty friends, pretty view!

The show was great. You know I call the roll at the Miranda Lambert lovers meeting. I've been on her bandwagon for years now! I was so glad she finally came to Nashville on tour. I've seen her live at CMA Fest and the CMA awards but never for a full concert.

While I love every song in her catalogue and enjoyed every song she played, some of my favorite moments from the show were the ones I didn't expect, including:

The surprise appearance by hubby Blake and the little duet that followed:


She began the encore by "bringing it all back to where it started." She tried out for Nashville Star with "Crazy" so she did the song that got her on the show and thus started her career:


the Motown classic "I'm Gonna Wait Til the Midnight Hour" that she first did a few nights ago when they were playing near Memphis;


And of course the finale, when she brought back out EVERYONE (including the opening acts Jerrod Neimann and Chris Young) for "King of the Road" (since they'd been on the road so long). Watch Blake jump out front at the end of this video and take a picture - haha!


Sorry the quality of my videos is so bad! How embarrassing.

UNIDOLED

Would you believe me if I said I have not watched a single episode of American Idol this year? I watched faithfully if not religiously for seven seasons. The first episode I ever watched was when Clay lost to Ruben. I was hooked. Sad, but hooked. If you have been around this blog for a while, you remember some of my recaps from the Sanjaya era, give or take a season.

Yes there is some good music to be heard and y'all know I have a thing for a good cover. But what ultimately led me to delete it from my DVR lineup this season was how predictable it got.

Which brings me to my point: I can tell you who will when tonight. Let's look back at the past four winners:


Still bitter that THIS guy went on to win the season I tried out for but whatever.


I had to use Google to even remember who won this season.


Had a hit, but where is he now?


Still selling records... still gelling that hair.

So of these two, who do you think will win? Hmmm.

This is what happens when you put cell phones in the hands of preteen girls. According to Wikipedia, the ability to text your vote in was added during the second season of the show, when AT&T became a sponsor. That season, 7.5 million text messages were sent to American Idol. By contrast, 178 million texts were sent in during season eight.

So congrats Philip Phillips, not just for undoubtedly winning the show but for having the best name in the history of names! Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to watch some really unpredictable television programs, like Jersey Shore.

QUICKLY

Things I have discovered recently:

-You can make amazing "hard boiled" eggs in the oven. Yes, really. Heat oven to 325 and put eggs in for 30 minutes. I use a muffin tin to hold them (resulting in some scorch marks but who cares). Easier than boiling if you ask me and they taste great.

-Since I use MAC eyeshadow, mascara and lipgloss, I've known about the "Back to MAC" recycling program for a while (bring back six used eyeshadow or lipsticks = get one free). However, I only recently discovered mascara tubes count as well. Gotta go to a store though, not a counter in a department store.

-When a person shows you how they really feel about you, believe them!

Less than one month until my birthday! Look for a crazy long wish list coming soon!

NONSENSICAL

Sorry you have had to look at that spider for weeks and weeks. The good news is I have not seen one since. Other bugs? Yes. Landlord said no dice on the paying for pest control thing but encouraged me to seek it out. Ummm, hello? If I wanted to pay for pest control I would have bought something not rented it. But whatever.

Let's see, what else? Emma Geller-Green would have turned ten today. Isn't that something? I remember watching that episode in my dorm (218 Lupton!) like it was yesterday.

Speaking of episodes, Clay Aiken is one task away from winning the Celebrity Apprentice and you would think it was me competing, not him. I AM SO PROUD! He has played smartly, very fairly and I really hope he wins!

I went home to see my nephew for Mother's Day this past weekend. Can you believe I went TWO ENTIRE MONTHS without seeing my little sugar plum? Bet your bottom dollar I won't let THAT happen again. I spent lots of time with all of my dear family members, including breakfast at Cracker Barrel for someone's "If I am Going To Be Awake This Early I Might As Well Go Have Breakfast" Mother's Day request; on the floor having tummy time with the littlest of them all; on Mom's back porch holding the littlest one, surrounded by everyone else, bellies full from a delicious dinner and dessert, listening to the rain and enjoying each others company; pedicures with Mom and on Sunday, free yogurt from Yogurt Mountain. Time well spent, from start to finish. As all good aunts do, I took baby boy a tiny present and of course gave my Mom a mother's day gift and even got the newest mother in the family a little something too. It was a good, good trip.

The condo is coming along. Sweet Evan came over last weekend and helped me hang everything from art to curtains. It's hard climbing up and trying to do it all by yourself. I rewarded him with food. Still quite a ways to go but it's coming together really well!

I started reading The Happiness Project last week. I got through January ("Energy") and then saw February was about marriage so I haven't picked it up since. Ha. But I will get to it. I am in the middle of my own Happiness Project this year, after all... not as in depth or detailed out as hers, but I am checking my boxes for sure. More on Box 3 in about 23 days.

I'm going to see Miranda Lambert on Saturday with my friend Missy and I can't wait!

And that's what's going on around the country! What's happening in your neck of the woods?

SCARED

So far, it's been a really good week. I got some patio furniture and a bed for my guest room, a friend asked me to babysit, which is just what I was hoping would happen now that I am near so many friends and another friend called just to offer use of her beach condo to me next time I need a getaway (so generous!). I have also enjoyed making the gym a priority again. That's box 3 - time to check it. I have a little more work to do with Comcast still, but it hasn't been THAT kind of week. It's been a good, productive one.

Until last night. I had just showered the gym sweat away and put on pajamas when I saw this crawling across my bedroom floor:


Yep. A spider. Not just any spider. A brown one. With a fiddle on its back. A brown freaking recluse. I know this that because I smacked the s*** out of it with my shoe, then bent down really close to inspect what I found.

Well, eff. Who remembers the tale of Erin the hairdresser, who had to vacate her house and leave her stuff behind because she had an infestation?

I came undone. I don't know what I will do if I see another one. Everything has been so perfect, so great, so peaceful about this new place. I left a voicemail for my landlord letting him know what happened and "how he wanted to handle the extermination services." I hope he doesn't laugh at me.

I barely slept last night. Don't think I didn't inspect every centimeter of my bedding before I got in it, but that didn't mean another one wouldn't come get me and lay its babies in my clothes and sofa and then eat me whole ... or something like that. This was me until 8:00 am this morning:


Don't worry. I will get them gone and then everyone come visit... 'kay?

BUSY

This week has ended much better than it started. Maybe next week I will blog about the Great Comcast Saga of 2012. It's just too soon to talk about it. I made a mention or two of it on social media but I really barely scratched the surface of the level of hell that company put me through this week. And the day after my services finally started working, I got my first month's bill in the mail, including charges for five days that I couldn't even use their product. It never really ends with them. But enough about that.

While that was going on, I also discovered that my car title got lost in the mail. It was not a good week for LJ v. the Man, to put it mildly.

But, there were also a lot of highs this week:

• First homemade dinner in my new house, at the table, watching the storms roll across town (I have a beautiful view!)
• Mary Byrne came by Thursday night with a bottle of Cupcake Red Velvet (delicious) and time to kill. We visited and caught up and it was delightful. We also talked artwork and curtains and other homemaking things (not only is she the daughter of an interior designer, she is moving into a new house this week too, so it's all fresh on her brain as well). We even negotiated a sale on her nice trash can that won't go in her new kitchen!
• The car title that had previously been lost in the mail FINALLY arrived.
• My sister got an iPhone, and I spent twenty minutes on Friday watching my cute nephew smile and kick, and giving them a virtual tour of my new house. Technology is so great!

On Wednesday night, my bunko club went bowling for our "non-Bunko" monthly activity:



and on Saturday, I drove about a mile up the road to my friend and sorority sister Corrie's house, to have dinner with other sorority sisters and husbands (and babies!) who were in town for the race.


And just for good measure, I also hung two sets curtains all by myself... not as easy as it sounds!

Hope you all had a good week, start to finish!

STRONG

"Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come." - Proverbs 31:25 (American King James translation)

More than one woman I know needs a reminder today of how strong she is, and that better days are ahead!

With all the wrath I have been spewing at Comcast this week (daily bordering hourly), it's time I put some positive vibes into the world anyway. Encourage someone today!

STORAGED

In keeping with the "more space/storage for LJ" theme, it was announced yesterday that Google is increasing the storage limit for Gmail from 7.5GB to 10GB. This probably is not very interesting to the majority of you. Somehow, I had managed to use upwards of 90% of my Gmail storage, so this was a nice little bump.

Thanks, Google!

MOVED

Woohoo! Coming to you live from my new condo. Guess what? I LOVE IT!

Overall, it was a pretty good day. I have been planning the way it would go for almost three full weeks now, ranging from hiring movers and scheduling Comcast to writing an agenda so I wouldn't forget to do anything when I needed to do it.

Example: the first thing I did when I woke up was strip my bed and wash my sheets. The new place does not have a washer and dryer in it yet so I was bound and determine that not a single thing came over less than clean. You gotta think these things through people... remember those four lists?

First up, however, was breakfast with my uncle, who had SO KINDLY driven up my kitchen table and chairs from their resting spot in my sister's home for the past year. Sorry, table, you won't see anything like that food anytime soon. Much to the table's chagrin, we got everything set up and then ran up to Evan's, where I picked up THIS pretty little gem:


Someone can do more than provide furry bunny fun. I am really, really paraphrasing here, but more than a year ago, Evan saw the dresser:

took it home and turned it into the beautiful piece you see above. It is the PERFECT spot for my TV and other living room type things!

So my uncle and I picked it up and brought it to the new condo where it looks like it was custom made for the place. It looks amazing. After getting things underway, I headed back downtown for the rest of Operation Move.

I finished packing and literally the roll of tape ran out as I was making the very last box. After I was all packed, I started cleaning. Just as I had finished cleaning, the movers called to say they were on their way. I loaded some random things into my car and they showed up around 3. It took them an hour to get the old place empty and I vacuumed us right on out the door, left my keys and followed them south of town. That was my goal: a clean break. Mission, accomplished! It took almost another two hours (hmm) to get everything loaded into the new condo and poof, the hardest part was over.

Comcast was arriving just as the movers were heading out... and so did a visitor! My sweet friend - and new neighbor! - Jamie stopped by with her baby girl, a bottle of wine and some pretty fresh flowers for my condo! I am so thankful for my sweet friends... especially ones that bring vino! Part of the reason I am so excited about this location is all my friends that close by, so expect to hear even more about them!

After Comcast got their work done, I went and got some dinner and have slowly but surely started unpacking, based on necessity of course. Had to find the iron, to iron the bedskirt, before I could make up the bed. Had to find the shower rings, to put up the shower curtain. Had to find the towels and soap to take a shower. Etc. Y'all know the drill. Tomorrow I will knock it out room by room.

The point is: I am moved in, happy as a clam, and tired as can be! Happy times are here again, and hopefully I can find something besides moving to talk about now.

CLOSE

When I think about moving

When I think about being done with moving


Back to work.

BERRIED

Just when I think EVERYONE in the world has traded their Blackberry for an iPhone...



A baby AND a blackberry: a winning combination for sure! Work it, Bey!

PS- If you haven't checked out her new website/blog - you should! It's fabulous.

ORGANIZED

Welp. I have to say that my GET STARTED PACKING EARLY strategy is working. I move in six days and I am probably 75% packed, not counting furniture. Mom was here this week (keep reading) and remember how I was the only one in the office on Good Friday? I "traded" that day and took my holiday on Wednesday so I could play with her. We got the entire kitchen packed up. Then yesterday, I knocked out my bathroom, storage closet and bedroom. All I have left is clothes! My labeling method is keeping me sane along with the very practical room by room approach (or zone defense) and I also should mention I have four different lists I carry around with me everywhere so that anytime I think of something to do or pick up or remember, I write it down. But successes aside, my back is starting to feel the pain which is why I am so glad I have movers coming on Saturday. I don't plan to lift a thing!

But enough about that. Mom flew up this week to go to a concert with me. We had fun at the show but the real fun was Wednesday. We got breakfast, I showed her my new place, we ran a few errands and then she helped me clean, and pack, and was so helpful! It was so great to have extra hands to give me a boost. It made me feel like I wasn't totally alone in this overwhelming process. Ha.

Here is a cute picture we took after dinner on Tuesday, walking to the concert.

BUNNIED

Happy Easter! This is the second Easter I have not spent with my family, and the first Easter I have not done so by choice. The wind blew us all different ways this year and that's okay. I will see them, all four of them, soon enough.

So I used the weekend to PACK PACK PACK. T-minus two weeks until the big day. The last time I moved, I feel like it was pretty quick. I hadn't packed a thing when I had to be out. I'm not making that mistake this time. I got about ten boxes from the liquor/wine store and about 40flattened boxes from a Craigslist ad. I borrowed a tape gun and am labeling each box as I go. I've already made some progress, and with 13 days left (including a free weekend), in the words of Kevin McCallister, "I'm in good shape." Exhibit A. I wish that box of Gato Negro was full of Gato Negro, not picture frames.

So I took a break to eat dinner and got a call from Evan. He had a surprise for me. With this kid, it could be anything. Knowing he was on his way home from a party, I was a little disappointed when he said it was not edible, but I told him to come by anyway. Ten minutes later, he shows up at my door with this:

Yes, 2'x3' cage with three tiny baby bunny rabbits in it. The Easter bunnies hath arrived.
I love that last shot. The hare does hair!

Before anyone calls PETA, the bunnies were on loan. I think the first thing I said when he walked in was "I hope those aren't for me." They were adorable but let's get real. Evan borrowed them from one Easter party, to take to another Easter party, and brought them to me on the way. I am so glad he did. They were so sweet and tiny and once they warmed up to us, were hopping all over us. They liked to perch by our necks. We had some good laughs and it was such a nice, random surprise. Only Evan.

Today he joined me at early church and then at brunch with some coworkers. I took a nice long nap since I haven't been to early church since I was in high school, and betcha can't guess what I am doing now? Gotta go - the tape gun is looking lonely!

CALLED

I am the only one in my office this Good Friday and it is a ghost town. If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll tell you a secret: I love it. I am getting so much busy work done... updating databases, "tickling" files, catching up on reports, etc.

BUT. I am sure there are several of you sitting at your desk right now who aren't so fortunate to have plenty of work to do on this holiday weekend while everyone else but you and I are off work. Been there, done that. So, let me help you out.

Add this to the list of good things happening to me in 2012: This web site makes me CRY from laughing so hard. I can relate to almost every one of the funny little posts on What Should We Call Me?

Here are some of the ones that made me LOL.

What Should We Call Me....
When I see a guy wearing embellished jeans?
When I'm Out with my boyfriend and his ex shows up?
When a celebrity says they stay in shape by drinking water and chasing their kids around the house?
When you lie to your boyfriend or girlfriend and say you are too tired to go out?
When I overhear someone saying something bad about me?
When I leave for class work and my hair is actually washed and blow dried?
When the waiter brings our food and mine looks better than everyone else's?

Hope you get a laugh or two out of it. Lord knows I did, then I went and got my whole office addicted. Who went and got their kids addicted. What should we call me when I realize I'm a trendsetter?!

PS - Here's an article about the two founders. Women are behind this! Yes!

CONQUERING

Remember when I told you that during my 3-hour car ride on New Year's Eve, I spent a lot of time thinking about my goals for the year? 2011 was a good year in terms of getting my confidence back, figuring out what I wanted to do with my life and making a game plan for change.

2012 is the year I act on it. At the end of 2011, nothing in my life was working for me. So 2012 is the year I fix what I can and go for all the plans and dreams and thoughts I sowed in 2011.

First up: I was promoted. Already told you about that. A combination of hard work, shifting staff and several conversations with my boss and I was positioned into a job that I really, really love. I feel like a flower that has bloomed. And it shows.

Next up: paid off my car. Mailed the check on Friday. Feels pretty good. Now if I could get people to stop breaking into it....

Enter step 3! I am moving. No, not to Alabama, though someone's big blue eyes are making it hard to stay away.

I found a place 10 miles closer that direction though, south of town and in a great, safe area and my favorite part: it is SO CLOSE to many of my friends. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I miss having my bed in a room with three other women, but I do miss the community of the dorms, especially as a single woman. I can't wait to be walking distance to at least three of my girlfriends. I also will be very near all kinds of shopping, restaurants, and other conveniences not found downtown (or at least on my current commute).

I am SO excited. This new place also has a SECOND BEDROOM, so ANYONE who wants to come and visit, or is passing through town, or needs a place to stay for any reason at all, is more than welcome to! It also has a pool... so if you need me, that's where I will be.

Generous friends are giving me some great handmedowns but I also have my eye on some things to save for. Who wants to read some humble little decor posts?

YAY for change! I don't think I have ever celebrated change before, I usually hate it. But in this case, I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!

VINEYARDED

On Saturday, some friends and I made a trip out to Arrington Vineyards. This is my third annual trip - I always say I need to go more, but for some reason only make it out there once a year.

We got a table and spread out our picnic. Everyone just brings whatever is in her fridge and it's usually a good mix of snacks: fruit, cheese, crackers, chocolate cake, hummus, pasta salad, etc.

We had one "underage" in the group. This picture cracks me up. My, how things change!
Bonus: as we were leaving the Vineyards, Kix Brooks (owner) came driving up in his yellow drop top!

LEOPARDED

Our zoo got some new babies recently and HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING CUTER OMG OMG OMG I DIEEEEE

They are so squeaky! They sound like tennis shoes!!! I want one?

LIONELED

Today, Lionel Richie's new album Tuskeegee came out. I saw three mini performances of tracks off of this album back in November at the CMA Awards. Why they made us wait so long to get our hands on the album is beyond me. But it came out today and I bought it first thing when I got home from work!

It's so good! Full track listing here. My favorites are "You Are," "Stuck on You," "Deep River Woman" and "Dancing On the Ceiling."

Funny story: tonight I was texting a girlfriend who shall remain nameless. She saw my Facebook status about loving some Lionel... here's what transpired:

Me: "I didn't know you liked Lionel!"
Her: "My dad was a big fan so we kind of grew up listening to him. I used to have 2 or 3 of his CDs."
Me: "This album is all duets to his classic songs. So good!
Her: "All I have to say is you are 3 times a lady! LOL"
Me: "I'm stuck on you!"
Me: "All night long!"
Me: "Eeeeeeeeeeeeesaaaayyyyy"
Her: "Yesterday... All my troubles seemed so far away..."

....

Me: "That's Paul McCartney LOL LOL LOL"

Funny stuff. I think I will keep her anyway.

POPPINSED

I went to see Mary Poppins last night! I bought these tickets a month ago with my fingers crossed that this girl
would come up and see it with me. Oh, and bring her adorable baby and husband. Alas, it did not work out this time.

But I still went and had a blast. Aforementioned sister had really talked this show up, saying it was one of her favorites, and she was right. Keep in mind that I have not seen the movie version in years. I did not even recognize half the songs that were in the musical that were originally in the movie (cough "Feed the Birds" cough).

They really pulled out all the stops with the classic songs: "Jolly Holiday" was great, "Supercalifragilistadskfjaasdfascmme" was even better, but my favorite number was "Step In Time." I am a sucker for some tap dancing; no secret there. Bert takes the tap dancing a step further when he attempts to go "over the rooftops." This is a video of the Broadway production (start at 1:00).

I would tell you all to make sure to go see it, but I think the only one of you that it is coming near to anytime soon is Eric. Regardless, see if if you get the chance. You might say the show is "practically perfect in every way!"

GONE

What have I been doing since Jay-Z left the stage, you ask?

Last Tuesday night, I went to the Gavin DeGraw concert. It was held in a neat venue that I have never been to before - a former automobile factory near downtown Nashville. The space has been gutted and renovated and turned into a music venue. Opening for Gavin was David Nail. Opening for David Nail was Gabe Dixon. Gabe did a short set, then David did a longer set and finally it was time for Gavin. He had his Dancing with the Stars partner Karina Smirnoff there and brought her out for a song and a quick dance. I'm sure I would have been positively titillated if I watched DWTS. It was a good show! In addition to being my second time to see Mr. DeGraw live, I really like his new album! So, it was a good night!

I threw some stuff in a bag and the next day, left for Birmingham to visit with my family... ALL FOUR OF THEM. That is so weird to say. I stayed with my sister and brother-in-law, but since I took a whole extra two days of vacation, I got plenty of time with Mom, and of course, plenty of time with Bug. Hard to believe he is a month old already, but he sure is cute! I changed his diapers, rocked him to sleep, pushed his stroller, carried his carseat... it's safe to say that I cannot get enough of him!

Also, I went home because I was asked to sing in the wedding of a dear family friend. No Show Sam's little sister, my friend Rachel, got married this weekend. Funny story about their family: my grandmother introduced their parents. Set them up on their first date, even. So between that an Auburn football, they have always been family friends. I was so honored to be asked to be a part of Rachel's big weekend and spend time with this precious family!

Luckily, everywhere I've gone I've had great weather and lots of fun! Hope you had a great weekend.