As of about 6:30 tonight, the last of the ice had finally melted. The house faces North and the sun just doesn't reach all of the driveway.
Finally, the kids reported to me yesterday after school that the Fat Brothers has been up begging for bread when the kids were out playing. It is my understanding that the ducks did a bit of slippling and sliding on the icy driveway too. It was reported that one of them slid on his bum.
Wow, this is the last of the auditions already! Next week is HELL Week in Hollywood. Is it just me, or did the audition process seem faster this season?
Tonight, AI showed San Juan Puerto Rico and New York City together, that is, they bounced back and forth from one city to the other for every audition. In 1957 New York and Puerto Rico came together in West Side Story and they are reunited in 2009. Ryan says we are going to see 2 times the talent and 2 times the terrible too.
Adeola Adegoke, compares herself to the likes of Mariah Carey and Mary J Blige. She even tells the judges that she QUIT her day job because she is so confident that she will get on American IdoThe l. She sings "I am Telling You" by Jennifer Hudson. She is shockingly awful. Simon even helped her by calling her former boss and asking for her job back. She gets it. BIG sigh of relief.
Jorge Nunez sings his audition in Spanish (Puerto Rican?). It was very nice. They asked him to sing a song in English and he produced on the spot. The judges really like him and send him to Hollywood.
20 year old Jessica Baier won the most beautiful baby contest as a child. She sings "I Surrender" by Celine Dion. The judges are not impressed, especially Simon. She stamped her feet like a child and repeatedly begged for another try. Randy says her voice in not on point, Paula says her voice was shrill and yet Jessica keeps begging and begins to cry. Finally, she leaves.
Great montage of rejected singers is set to "You're No Good [you're no good, your no good, baby you're no good........". Awesome.
Melinda Camille, 23 years old is a very happy gal. She says she likes to dance, especially naked in her room. She wants to uplift humanity with her singing. The judges commented that in her bio she wants to join a nudist colony, and she confirms. They asked her if she wanted to be naked right then and she replies "If all of you were too". She sings "Feeling Good" and has a very pleasant voice. She gets the golden ticket.
Jackie Tohn has been singing for 10 years. She choosed "I'm Yours" by Jason ???. She has a deeper husky voice for a girl and it sounds sort of like she is pretending to be someone else. The judges ask her to sing something in her natural voice. This one is much better and they give her 4 yes's. It has come to my attention that she is a little known actress who had parts on the Sopranos and The Closer.
Joel Contreras is a wild and crazy guy. Calls himself a crazy rocker. He comes in to the audition room as a Human Guy-Pod. It is very hokey and he attempts a song and is quickly interrupted by the judges. He asks for another chance and is denied. He was not good at all.
NIck Mitchell a.k.a. Norman Gentle sings "And I'm Telling You" and does not do very well. He 'pulls" a bunch of strange faces when he sings. The judges ask if he can sing something else without pulling the faces. He sings Amazing Grace - and though he performs it much better - he is still making faces. Kara and Paul are entertained by him and they entice Randy to vote yes with them. Simon abstained - but Nick goes to Hollywood.
Nice little montage video of several people who have a successful audition. These included Ashley Hollister, Kenny Hoffpauer and Kendra Beard. Hopefully we will learn more about these folks and others next week.
16 year old Monique Garcia Torres is very sweet. She has brought her kid brother Christopher ( age 9) into the audition with her. He presents the judges with one broken shell as a gift. Christopher is very confident his sister can sing well. Monique sings "You Can't Hurry Love by the Supremes. There was some talk by the judges that she wasn't singing exactly in her range. She then sings "I Turn To You". I thought she had a very nice voice, but for one of the only times this season - the judges are actually split in their opinions. However, they go ahead and send her through.
Season 7's Alexis Cohen returns as a kinder, gentler Alexis. Last year, she did not react well to the judges criticism's of her poor singing. There was quite a bit of video of her bad mouthing, cursing and flippling people off last year. She is really kissing butt with the judges about how she has changed and even thanks Simon when he makes a rather mean comment to her. Alexis sings Madonna's "Like a Prayer" and she is just horrible. Simon's says the audition was "fairly horrendous" to which Alexis reverts to her old self and flips Simon off. Then she calls him an asshole.
Last in line to audition is Patricia Lewis Roman and her huge family. She sings "I Want To Dance With Somebody" by Whitney Houston. The judges just hate it. PAtricia then sings a song in Spanish and though the judges are not unanimous - they let her have a golden ticket.
In all, 9 people from San Juan make it to Hollywood along with 26 from New York City.
See you next week after the first Hell Week show.
Yesterday - I had something else to post besides American Idol (AI) - so I will do both nights now.
TUESDAY, NIGHT #5 - JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
25 years ago Randy Jackson made his name with a band called Journey. 12,000 people are auditioning this day.
First up is Joshua Uiloa who says he is often compared to Justin Guarini. He sings Marvin Gaye's "Lets Get It On". His singing is really affected and corny sounding. He uses sounds effects and beats. However, the judges saw something I didn't, because they sent him to Hollywood!
Sharon Wilbur brought her Shi-Tzu dog Sasha whom she gives to Randy to hold for her. She sings "Super Star" by Karen Carpenter. It is a raspy sound, but the judges like her tone and she gets 4 yes's.
Very confident 15 year old Kaneswa W. comes in and sings and Anita Baker song - no one can understand the words she is singing. She is out of tune in a big way. NO, NO, No. She doesn't lose her confidence either and says she will make it anyway.
Jasmin Murray is a shy girl - the baby of her family. She is a really cute gal too. She sings Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie and does a great job. The judges say she is commercial looking and has a nice voice. She gets the approval of all 4 judges.
Dana Moreno sings a Chaka Khan song and does horribly; she is sent packing.
A pretty Latin girl Julissa Veloz arrives bearing a beauty pageant sash which says "Miss Florida Latina USA" When she speaks she has a really weird voice and an even stranger laugh. She sings a Whitney Houston song and blows us all away. Her singing voice is much better. Though the judges seemed a bit reluctant, I thought, they did give her a ticket to Hollywood.
Darin Darnell is really working the holding room, mixing with everybody and full of confidence. However, his friend auditions before he does and bombs. This causes Darin to get a bit depressed and lose confidence - he even cried. He has a terrible time composing himself in front of the judges, but eventually kicks of singing Boyz to Men "It is So Hard to Say Goodbye". I have two words about his audition: TONE DEAF. No way. Goodbye.
Last audition of day one in JAX is Naomi Sykes. She compares herself to Mariah Carey. She has ants in her pants and can not stand still in front of the judges. She brings a friend who really wants to meet Randy. The judges oblige her. Naomi sings "Loving You" by Minnie Riverton. She is just horrendous and is sent away with hurt feelings. Again, the judges thought this was some sort of joke.
At the end of day one in JAX, only 8 golden tickets were handed out. Day two dawns and the judges have high hopes.
An 18 year old guy George Ramirez who has a full beard and studies physics is first up. He says he can live without physics, but not without singing. He does something weird with his head while he sings in a super soft voice. I didn't recognize the song. George gets 4 NO's.
T.K. Hash, who auditioned for AI last season is back. He sings John Lennon's Imagine and really changes up the melody too much. The judges said his voice had improved and they send him to Hollywood.
24 year old Ann Marie Boskovich walks in an immediately sings something of Kara's. The judges say that she was personifying Kara too much and that she should go out and re-thing her audition and come back again in a bit as a star. She does. She changes her clothes and shoes, finds a make-up artist and when she comes back, she is much improved and the judges are ready to hear her sing "Bubbly"by Colbie Colait She does much better and the judges give her the golden ticket.
Michael Perelli plays guitar. All the time. He says he sees himself as a musician forever. Somehow, he does not realize he will be unable to sing and play his guitar and he seriously begins to panic. He cries. He finally gets it together and sings "Jumper" by 3rd Eye Blind. He is a nice looking kid with an okay voice. The judges say he is interesting, but just not right for the parameters of the AI competition. He gets 4 no's and can't believe it.
In all, 16 tickets to Hollywood were given out in Jacksonville. In closing is a crazy montage of terrible singers to the tune of "Walking on Sunshine". Gag me.
WEDNESDAY - NIGHT #6 - SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
Salt Lake City is the home of David Archuleta, and also home to High School Musical 1, 2 and 3. Ryan says that they are looking for the next generation of the Osmond Family. And guess what? He gets his wish!
David Osmond is the son Alan Osmond. Alan Osmond has multiple sclerosis and actually, so does David, though David is in remission currently. David sang in barbershop quartets at the age of 4. He sings a Take 6 song Something Within Me. He does a very nice job and he has the great Osmond teeth. The judges criticized him for singing something that is multi-part harmony type stuff and wished he had sung something by a solo artist. He needs to show he can be a front man. None the less - he gets a Golden Ticket and I think David will be one to watch in Hollywood!
Tara Matthews is dressed all in black with a head of red/black hair. Short skirt, boots, garters, gloves. She is just a little strange. She chooses "One Day I'll Fly Away" from the Moulon Rouge soundtrack. My husband blurted out "Make her stop!" Simon says her outfit and her singing are horrendous.
Next is a montage of terrible singers including Rich Kegal who has weird eyes, curly long hair and red glass in his glasses.
Next comes in a Big Pink Bunny "Greg the Rabbit" - but he is not our auditioner - his friend Chris Kirkham is auditioning. My hubby says "He sings like an elf - or like a munchkin from the Wizard of Oz". The judges stop him. I will end the pain here and just say - he didn't make it.
Frankie Jordan a 24 year old stay at home mom, says she was born to entertain and has a true passion for it. She does well, has a very good voice and a cute face. She gets through to Hollywood.
Here is another one to watch in the coming weeks: Megan Corkrey. She is 23 years old, the mother of a 2 year old Ryder, and she is getting divorced. She is a really cute girl and she is auditioning on her birthday. She sings "Can't Help Loving the Man". She is very interesting. Randy and the girls like her. Simon says this is one of his favorite auditions! 4 yes's.
A quick montage of 4 people who got golden tickets, but we don't get to hear them sing.
Andrew Gipson - deep voice, soul or gospel sound. It was not good. He does not get a golden ticket.
Austin Sisneros, class president of his senior high school class wants to inspire people to follow their dreams. He sings "When I Look to the Sky" by Train. Randy says it was a weird song choice for him, so he tries a 2nd song "It Takes a Village". The judges still do not like his song choice - but they like his perseverance and they give him a golden ticket.
Next up, a video of a bunch of crying auditioners followed by a mixed group if singers I can only say sounded something like yodeling.
Next up is 16 year old, 5 foot 11 inch tall Taylor Vaifanua who sings "Joyful, Joyful" She is another person I think we should all watch. She has a very pleasant voice. The judges say she has natural potential and Randy goes so far as to say she is the best of season 8 thus far. We will see her in Hollywood!
The final contestant in Salt Lake is Rose Flack. She is a 17 year old orphan raised by a hippy father who died when she was only 13. She says she is wild and crazy. She also goes on to explain that her mother died in a car wreck when she was 15 leaving she and her brother alone. When she enters, Simon asks her to tell them something about herself and rather than telling her sad tale she simply says "I am charming." The judges agree. She sings "I Feel The Earth Move Under My Feet" by Carol King. The judges say they didn't really like her song choice - but Simon tells her that 'he will remember her'. She has a cool vibe, and the judges send her to Hollywood.
In the end, 13 people from Salt Lake made it. I was surprised to learn that we get a bonus night of AI tomorrow night! My DVR will really be getting a work out as I have ER, Grays Anatomy and Private Practice to watch also. Tomorrow night is one hour that will visit both San Juan Puerto Rico and New York City. Ryan says it will be the most dramatic episode ever.
Next week is hell week in Hollywood. It is being billed as being the worst hell week ever. By worst - I mean to say that I think this is going to be a really hard week. I think the judges expectations are going to be really high this season.
See you tomorrow!
It is Tuesday January 27th in North Texas. The temperature is miserably cold: 28 degrees with a windchill of 24 degrees 100% humidity. The meteorologists are calling for an ice storm this evening. In recent years, I have been rather lackadaisical about winter storm warnings. See, in my experience, when the forecasters make a big deal about it - it is a big let down. I find the opposite to be true too: the forecasters say not to worry and we get slammed.
This morning when the alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. as it always does on a week day, I immediately turned on the TV to see if schools were closed. As typical, our district is OPEN while many others are NOT open. No surprise there. Off to shower and shampoo and put on some make-up.
So, Syndi once asked me to write about a day in my life. So, I will start with dressing for crossing guard duty on really cold days is pretty much a drag. I always wear cotton pajama pants underneath my heavy sweat pants. I wear 2 layers of socks with my tennis shoes. I wear a long sleeve shirt. What I wear over that shirt depends on the weather. If it is just cold - but not wet - I just wear a scarf and my new heavy brown coat. It is faux suede and has some sort of warm fur kind of stuff inside. It has a great hood too. If it is WET and COLD - then I don a hooded sweatshirt over the long sleeve shirt and then put this other coat on that is not as warm - but can take the wet weather.
From about 630 to 7:00 I make two school lunches, pour milk for the kids, fix my breakfast. If Megan wants oatmeal, I fix that for her. My boys won't eat oatmeal. From 700 to 715 I try to peek at email and the online version of the newspaper including the obituaries. I eat breakfast while I do this. If time permits, I check out my bloggy friends to see what everyone has posted.
At 7:10 I start fussing at the kids to get their shoes on, teeth brushed, faces wiped, coats on etc. This, of course, should already have been done - but never is.
By 7:20 we should be backing out of the driveway. Today I had a phone call at 710 from a neighbor requesting a ride for their daughter. So, we stopped and picked her up.
Typically by 7:25 we are at the school and I am getting on my safety vest and whistle complete with my gloves and my Hot Hands2 in my pockets. 
Last year I didn't know about the HotHands2. I suffered a lot last year. This year - I am a HUGE fan of these things. I find that if my fingers and hands are warm - I feel warmer in general. I have put them inside my gloves, but I prefer to grip them between my fingers and my palm with gloves on. This picture shows them at a cheaper price at in internet site - but I have been getting the package like this that contains 2 pair - for $1.24 at Super Wal-Mart.
Anyway - so crossing guard duty ends roughly about 8:10. Sometimes a bit later. It just depends on how many parents haven't made the return trip through the crosswalk.
Today, I left guard duty and went to Wal-Mart for a few essential supplies just in case the ice really does arrive tonight. I stopped at 7-Eleven on the way home. By 9:00 I was doing up a load of dishes. By 9:20 I was at my desk ready to work, only work wasn't ready for me. So, I checked a few emails, blogs and facebook. By 10:00 work was up, only to go back down briefly. I have to say I was distracted today. The folks are selling one house and buying another and there are a few weird things happening there - but all should be fine. The weather reports were also distracting me. None the less, I got some work done until it ran out about 1:00. Mike didn't get home for lunch today - but I ate some Frito's with chili and cheese and watched ATWT.
At about 2:15 I put on my warm clothes again and got ready to return to crossing guard duty. I walked out and check the mail, and also checked to see if the pavement was dry or wet. It was mostly dry. The grass in the yard is frozen and crunchy. The Fat Brothers also saw me outside and began their insistent quacking for my attention and some bread. They are really cracking me up. They are really, really greedy these days. Expectations are HIGH. If we are out, they want bread. And, they want it NOW. It is not surprising if they 1) snatch bread from my hand 2) nip my thumb or finger or 3) vertically leap about 2 inches trying to get the bread.
I got to crossing guard duty about 2:25 and parked up close to the 3-way intersection and kept the heater going. About 2:45 my first walker was approaching, and at the same time today - a lady pulled up in her SUV and brought me a jumbo sized cup of hot chocolate! WOW!!! I am really blessed! I don't even know who she was, but thank you!
It was pretty cold out there for about 25 minutes, but I got the kids crossed and sent home. We dropped off the neighbor girl at her house. All the evening after school activities have been cancelled in the district.
Normally on a Tuesday I would rush to have dinner ready before 6:00 p.m so that I can make my bell choir rehearsal by 6:30. However, the director cancelled practice due to the weather. So, we will have a more relaxed dinner and then be ready for American Idol tonight.
Tomorrow morning, assuming school isn't cancelled, things will be much the same only after guard duty, I am meeting my folks at their **almost** new house for the inspection. Then back to school to pick up Megan at 9:30 to go to the orthodontist. Then back home for my typing job and then afternoon guard duty.
This sounds pretty boring. Later this week, Mike has a work obligation after work on Thursday, then Friday after school begins the high school baseball team tryouts. These will continue on Saturday too. Saturday is Jason's 15th birthday. Unreal.
I guess that I am banking on severe freezing rain tonight. I just have a funny feeling about it. I just hope that not too many people lose their electricity with downed power lines. We would not have heat here if that happened. We have gas heat - but I guess you still need electricity. We WOULD be able to use the gas fireplace which is a good thing. I wonder if you can roast hot dogs on a ceramic log set?
Where ever you are - stay warm and drive safely!
***UPDATE*******it is 10:55 p.m. and I have seen on the news that our school district has CLOSED. Also, I had the official call from the office lady too. I am glad I thought to ask them to include me in their phone tree. It is currently sleeting here. Our north windows all over the front of the house a glazed over with ice. Ryan's west window is also glazed over. I am really, really hoping that Mike's work closes their office tomorrow. Typically - because of his responsibilities - he usually has to go in and apply IceMelt to the sidewalks and stuff. But if they close the office - he might not have to - or at least could maybe way until later in the morning.
Our brother-in-law Scot was here mid-November to participate in an Ultra-Centric Experience. His goal was to run for 24 hours straight. What is The Ultra Centric Experience?
Taken from the Ultra Centric website:
The Ultra Centric Experience is a unique combination of great athletes, good crews, supportive spectators, and unmatched volunteers. The Ultra Centric is an interactive medium for the worlds finest endurance athletes to showcase the results of successful training, and the ordinary athlete to introduce themselves to the possibilities. Included in the festivities are twelve hours of professionally produced live music, a Sponsors Expo, and great food buffets. All activities are included with the participants entry, and spectators pass.
Are the events Officially Sanctioned?
All events The Ultra Centric Experience provides are officially Sanctioned, by their prospective governing bodies. The Running Events, and Mountain Bike Events are held on two entirely separate certified courses, two independent timing systems, and separate aid stations. The Mountain Bike Events are Sanctioned by U.S.A. Cycling. The Running events are Sanctioned by U.S.A. Track & Field, all event run courses are Certified. All events are professionally timed
Here is Scot on the course. As is often the case in Texas, Friday the day before the race was an awesome weather day. By Saturday morning, temperatures had dropped into the 30's and there were wind gusts up to 25 MPH. Despite a brief time off the course to warm up late Saturday evening, Scot did a tremendous job in the race and came in 15th overall in the 24 hour race. He ran 92.72 miles in that 24 hours. Isn't that incredible????
Mike, Jason, Ryan, Megan and myself were to see Scot running late Saturday afternoon at the race in McKinney. There were a lot of supporters for all the runners. There were several events happening simultaneously including 6/12/24/48 hour runs plus a mountain bike race also.
We didn't get pictures, but there was a food tent and a guy was cooking fabulous meals. Since we were spectators and supporters of a runner, we were invited to eat some dinner. They served grilled tortillas, taco meat, fajita meat, onions & peppers, peach cobbler, and all the fixings.
I just brought home a bedside table that my mom was getting rid of. It fits perfectly beside Megan's bed. It is made by Drexel Furniture and is pretty old. I believe my maternal grandparent bought it years ago. Megan's bedroom furniture is quite old too and it is more a cherry color. The bedside table is much lighter and not red at all. I am torn about leaving it alone - it is rather distressed from age and use. Or, trying to do something to help it look better.
The reality is, Megan is barely 9 years old. She is tough on furniture. What do you think?
This is her tall-boy dresser.
This morning I arrived at crossing guard duty at 7:25 a.m.. It seemed really dark out this morning, darker than usual recently. Also, it was sprinkling just a tiny bit. Imagine my surprise to see this beautiful rainbow right over the elementary school. I don't believe I have ever seen a rainbow so early in the morning. +012309.jpg)
American Idol (AI) is in Louisville, KY at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby for 2 days worth of auditions.
First up is Tiffany Shedd who has her parents with her. Her father calls her a 'sure bet'. She attempts a Mariah Carey song and does horribly. She is an awful singer - a glass breaker. The judges just hated her. She says she will go to college since she didn't make AI.
Joanna Pacitti, age 23. She moved to L.A. to live, sing and learn the music business. Kara recognizes Joanna as having previously been signed with A & M records - but apparently things didn't work out in Joanna's favor. Joanna sings "We Belong" by Pat Benatar and does a superb job. She goes to Hollywood.
Ross Plavsic a.k.a. super nerd - says he studied YouTube and other tools to learn to sing and analyze what people do with their mouths while singing. He is carrying a water bottle with him. He says he will sing an operatic song called 'Cara Mia'. It is unrecognizable and the judges struggle with not laughing at him, then they start to sing with him. He stops and looks puzzled, and then claims he did poorly because of his dry throat - they offer him a drink (his is empty) and he walks over and drinks Paula's using her cup and straw! No ticket for Ross.
Mark Mudd, who has historical ties to a Dr. Mudd that fixed the broken leg of John Wilkes Booth. Mark says he has been in 2 horrific car wrecks and almost died 5 times. He seems like a good ol' boy. Mark chooses "White Lightening" by George Jones. It is not good at all. The judges have nothing to say. He stares at them and the silence continues. Truly bizarre. Finally, Randy tells him he is not right for this competition. On his way out - he quietly tells the judges "take care and be careful". The judges took this as a threat. Seriously.
Next we hear Brent Keith Smith who sings "Can't Get Enough" by Bad Company. Paula is grooving to his singing. I think he sounds soulful. Kara cheered him on. The judges all agree Brent should go to Hollywood.
Short montage of terrible singers. They were pretty darn funny.
Matt Giraurd is next. He is a Dueling Piano Player which means there are 2 piano players butchering songs and cracking jokes on purpose. He doesn't read music and has been playing about 4 years. He has a different sounding voice with a good tone. The judges like him and send him to get a golden ticket.
And with Matt, the Day 1 auditions wrap up. 10 singers are passed through to Hollywood - but I don't think we got to hear 1/2 of them. I can't wait for Hollywood week!
Day 2 begins with hometown girl Alexis Grace. She is a 20 year old Mom of a little girl and her fiance is in military training somewhere. Alexis has been singing since she was 2. She is a slight build and blonde. She says she will be singing "Dr. Feelgood" by Aretha Franklin and I am not sure I am expecting much. But, she has a BIG voice!! Kara loves her, Randy likes her and Paula says that Alexis has a good commercial face. She gets a resounding YES.
Aaron Williamson, age 27 has quite a bit of airtime and he is very energetic. He keeps letting loose these screams and Whoo Hoo's. Very high energy. He sings "Have you Ever Seen the Rain" by Credence Clearwater Revival. When he lets loose with the fist very loud and abrupt notes Paula almost jumps off her chair. He continues over singing and screaming the song and finally the judges join in with him. Awful. No ticket for Aaron. He seems surprised.
Rebecca Garcia who is very tall - comes and sings Carrie Underwood's 'Before He Cheats" it is pitchy and just not good. Kara begins to comments and then says "Wait - it says here that Rebecca was voted Most Humorous in high school" - she is insinuating that Rebecca has come to the AI auditions as a joke. Nothing could be more wrong and Rebecca begins to cry. She is sent packing anyhow.
The last audition of the night gets a story. She is Leneshe Young and grew up with a single Mom and siblings - they struggled through poverty and were often homeless. Leneshe walks into her audition with her head high and lots of confidence. She is dressed nicely too. She has an awesome can-do attitude. The judges asked her what she would be singing, and she chooses to sing an original song called "Natty" that she wrote. She has a really good voice. Simon says she is 'quirky and fun'. The judges all loved her song and the lyrics and praise her with compliments saying she is cute, original and brilliant. She goes to Hollywood. We all need to watch this gal!
There is also a quick snippet of 4 singers - Kris Allen, Felicia Barton, Ryan Johnson and Shera Lawrence. We get just enough of a taste to not be surprised when all 4 are sent to get their golden tickets.
In all, 11,000 people auditioned in Louisville and only 19 get through to Hollywood. Next Tuesday is Jacksonville, FL and there will be some interesting folks there.
Tonight, American Idol is in San Francisco. The show is only one hour tonight. In the opening segment Ryan Seacrest acknowledges that San Francisco is where both Katherine McPhee and William Hung were discovered. Will San Francisco be as good to American Idol this year?
We see a first for American Idol - a guy proposes to his girl while in line to audition, she says yes, and they get married while in line. There is video of the famous homes that are used in the opening of the sit-com Full House, and also a nice look back at the summer of 1967 when all the hippies went to Haight-Ashbury.
First up tonight was Tatianna Del Torro from San Juan Puerto Rico. She bills herself as a fulltime singerm model, film actor, musician, etc, etc. She is dressed in a formal gown. She states that she has seen a psychic who has claimed that Tatianna will definitely make the Top 12 on AI. She has a seriously annoying laugh. She sings "Never loved a man" by Aretha Franklin. Simon says NO, but the other judges liked her voice and send her through to Hollywood. Did I mention her annoying laugh?
Dean Anthony Bradford age 27 shows up in a horrible plaid sports jacket. My teenage son commented that this guy looks like one of the Geico cave men. He is an awful singer and just, well, weird.
29 year old Jesus Valenzuela is at auditions with his entire family including his two boys. He says, his family watches AI all the time and his boys convinced him to audition. Simon immediately says no, but Kara and Paula like him and Randy agrees. A golden ticket for Jesus.
Dalton Powell (18 yrs) is talking with Ryan Seacrest outside the audition room and while talking with Ryan, absentmindedly solves an entire Rubik's cube puzzle in a mere 24 seconds. Dalton sings "Baby Baby" in the worse sounding falsetto ever and never once opens his eyes. The judges say NO emphatically.
We begin to see from one auditioner to the next, that Simon irritates Kara just as much as he annoys Paula. There is much verbal sparring.
Next up is Akeela Askew-Gholston. She likes to sing gospel and has searched the internet for instructions on how to sing Gospel. She has all sorts of diagrams and pictures and talks to everybody about the parts of the body and thinks she is super knowledgeable about the right and wrong way to sing. She mis-pronounces words a lot. Akeela decides to sing an original composition she wrote called "Make Sweet Love". The judges do not like it at all, so she jumps right in with another original song which is equally as awful. Simon says every song sounds just the same. This woman will not quick talking. OMG! The judges send her packing. In her closing remarks (which go on and on and on and on) Akeela says " I should not have let Paula, Randy and Simon 'irractitate' me'.
In quick succession, we get just a snippet of auditions from John Twiford, Allison Traheta and Racquel Houghton - who are all wonderful and are sent to Hollywood. I give Racquel Houghton 3 stars and think we will see more of her!
Annie Murdock is next. She plays violin and piano. She sings "Summertime" and totally bombs. Simon even comments that she sounds like she is drunk - like drink a whole case drunk.
Adam Lambert, age 22, has an interesting backstory. He has been in musical theater since age 10 or so. Paula recognized him from a musical theater program "Wicked". Adams sings Bohemian Rhapsody. He gets comments such as pretty good, diverse, theatrical and brilliant. He gets a ticket to Hollywood.
Kai Kalama is the last audition. He takes care of his mother who as a seizure disorder, and at night he sings and is a musician. He wants to win AI so he can have a career and also so he can take care of his mother. Kai sings "Smoke Gets in You Eyes" by Smoky Robinson and personally, I thought he did a great job. I think that Kai is another one that bears watching. He gets 4 yeses and is sent to Hollywood.
In the end, only 12 people from the San Francisco auditions are sent through to Hollywood. Tomorrow night, AI is at Churchhill Downs in Louisville, KY.
Got this in my in-box today from family friends Bob and Dee. I hope you get as much enjoyment from the visual as I did!
Today's Chuckle
You are on the bus when you suddenly realize ... you need to fart.
The music is really loud, so you time your farts with the beat. After
a couple of songs, you start to feel better as you approach your stop.
As you are leaving the bus, people are really staring you down, and
that's when you remember: you've been listening to your ipod.
Ahhhh....I'm IT!!
Actually, I wasn't tagged, I saw this over on Rachel's blog when I was reading her archives.
Here goes...What was I doing 10 years ago? Seriously? I'm not sure if I remember what I was doing 10 minutes ago. 10 years ago - at that point we were struggling with infertility - though in 6 months time - we would find out we were expecting twins in addition to our older son. I was working as a Human Resources Administrative Assistant at Cash America International. I had recently transferred into Human Resources from the Payroll Department. I had been in Payroll for 14 years cumulatively for 3 companies: Plano Builders Corporation (3 yrs), The Bombay Company (8 yrs) and Cash America (3 yrs).
5 things on my to-do list for today?
I'll go for tomorrow's list, since most of them are from today anyway!
1) finish the laundry (I never really get finished)
2) take Mike's work shirts to the cleaners.
3) write thank you notes (finish them)
4) take Megan to gymnastics
5) balance the checkbook
5 snacks I enjoy:
Snacks are the same thing as dessert, right?
1) tortilla chips and homemade salsa
2) cheese and crackers
3) ice cream
4) chocolate
5) chex mix - spicy
5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:(this is in no particular order)
1) Give some to our church
2) Pay off debt
3) Buy a new van for me and a new car for Mike.
4) Create college funds for all 3 kids.
5) Take a real honeymoon because we never did.
6) Take the kids on a true vacation, something we have never done. (I had to add an extra item)
5 bad habits:
1) Not exercising nearly enough
2) eating (eating too much, of course, I mean...we have to eat) (I like that Rachel!)
3) drinking too many Diet Cokes or Diet DP's
4) not going to church every Sunday
5) Not exercising like I should - that one is so bad, I am listing it twice.
5 places I've lived:
1) Fort Rucker, Alabama
2) Frankfort Germany
3) Richardson Texas
4) La Crescenta California
5) Fort Worth, Texas
5 jobs I've had:
1) Wife and mom - best and most rewarding, for SURE!!
2) Dairy Queen
3) Data Entry Operator
4) Payroll Supervisor
5) HR Administrative Assistant
Okay, that's a little about me. Forgive me but I'm not going to tag anyone. If you want to play along, feel free...and post a comment so others can see what you wrote! Please.
This is our dog Sox. She is an almost 10 year old Border Collie/Bernese Mountain Dog. She seems to have a mostly Border Collie look, but not so much the work ethic of a Border Collie.
My step-Brother J.D. and my Dad and StepMom owned her parents. Her father was Vick, the Bernese and her mother is Rosie, the Border Collie. The folks still have Rosie, but sadly, Vick is no longer with us.
Sox has been a really good dog. She is smart too. I often believe she understands the english language as she follows directions very well for me. Her annoying trait is barking when the doorbell rings. She has been wonderful with our kids. She is getting a bit gray around the muzzle now.
Generally speaking, today was a much more normal Friday that last week's freaky Friday. For those of you who don't already know, at my crossing guard job last Friday morning, I accidently drowned my Motorola SLVR cell phone, the really cool phone with iTunes on it. It died a quick and sticky death in a cup of diet coke. Because I can't really upgrade and replace my SLVR phone until February - I borrowed a flip phone from my Mom and had it activated at lunch time. Thanks Mom!
Afterwards, I ran home to do some computer work prior to afternoon guard duty, and when I got home I discoved that my computer monitor had burned out. WHAT ???!!!!!!!
Well, getting the monitor replaced was a bit of a challenge too. But, we got it done. At least now I can do my contract typing work!
This morning, my kids are out of school for a Teacher Prep Day and end of the first semester grading period. I planned ahead and booked all three kids well check-ups for 8:30 this morning. Knowing that the Metroplex highways are notoriously bad during rush hour, we left 1 hour and 5 minutes early for a 15 mile drive downtown and over near the zoo. Traffic was worse than usual and we were 15 minutes LATE for the appointment.
This tardiness caused the office staff to juggle early arrivals into our spots, and then when we arrived they had to work us into the schedule. After a 45 minute wait, we got called back. Things move quite well one you are actually in the exam room.
So, here are the stats:
Jason - my first born son who is 2 weeks from being 15 years old
5 ft 9 1/2 inches tall ( 3 inches in a year)
125 1/2 pounds
Ryan - Twin A - he turned 9 years old 2 weeks ago
4 ft 6 inches tall (also 3 inches in a year)
75 pounds
Megan - Twin B - she turned 9 years old 2 weeks ago
4 ft 5 inches tall (again, 3 inches in a year)
63 pounds
No one was due any shots this year and we had already done flu shots back in the fall. We made a stop at the lab and came away fine from there except for a little hiccup with Ryan during the finger stick. Not sure why, but he passed out cold. I think he was scared and maybe held his breath. The episode was over as quickly as it happened. But, it took a few minutes for him to gain some clarity back. He is absolutely fine tonight. Also - each child had hearing and vision screenings. Nothing too alarming there.
The weather here was cold again today, 25 degrees with a wind chill in the teens. I can't imagine what the mid-West is dealing with. All those sub-zero temperatures.
Tonight, Jason is at the movies, Megan is at open-gym at her gymnastics place and Ryan is having free rein on Xbox 360.
Stay warm where ever you are!
The second night of American Idol (AI) auditions opens in Kansas City, Missouri. Jason Castro from season 7 is at the audition with his little brother. It will be interesting to see if Michael Castro (age 20) is as different a singer than Jason as they are different in looks. No dreadlocks on Michael.
First up was Chelsea Marquardt, age 20. She is very cute, and bills herself as "I am always shocking people with my big voice". Nothing could be farther from the truth, and Simon says she sounds "like cats jumping off the Empire State Bldg. and the sound it would make before it hit the floor." She gets 4 NO's.
Next was Ashley Anderson who says she will be singing a Leona Lewis song that was co-written by Simon Cowell "Footprints in the Sand" but then sang the wrong word in the lyrics - she sang FOOTSTEPS - and the judges stopped her and called her on the mistake. She corrected it and gave a good performance. Ashley gets 4 YES's.
Next came a commercial for American Idol featuring David Cook.
Casey Carlson is next singing "A Thousand Miles".. I thought she rushed through the song, but all the judges were pleased and passed her on to Hollywood.
The buildup for the next contestant was, well, too good to be true. Brian Hettler bills himself as having a big voice, studied classic opera and practiced singing hours and hours each night to get admitted into a conservatory - which apparently he didn't get into because he then quit music for 2 years. Brian also compared himself to Josh Groban. Brian sings an Aretha Franklin song which was simply unrecognizable to me. He sound more like he was channeling Elvis in freaky way. It was awful. Simon hated the whole audition and the other judges agreed. No golden ticket for Brian.
A montage was shown of crying, angry and otherwise disappointed losers. It was rather embarrassing the way these people act. Are they delusional? And one gal literally just kept screaming like someone had died.
Deandre Hopkins was next singing "Amazing Grace". It was amazingly horrible and she is amazingly tone deaf. NEXT.
22 year old Von Smith says he has a weird vocal range. He chooses "Over the Ranbow". He has a false start, tries again and then sings way too big - but then it turned into something rather nice if not powerful once he gained control of his nerves. He is a very interesting singer and the 4 judges send him thru to Hollywood.
Next up is Michael Castro, who admits that he just started singing 3 weeks ago. He decided that if Jason can do it, so can he. Some sibling rivalry is evident in the pre-audition footage. Michael says Jason is sort of 'girly'. Michael says he will sing "In Love with a Girl" by Gavin DeGraw. Paula says "not bad", Simon says he is "goodish", Kara says "you are a ballsy dude" and Randy also likes him. Michael Castro gets 4 YES's. Big brother Jason is "blown away" that his brother can sing.
And then the truly bizarre. Vaughn English wearing a weird yellow suit sings a nonsense song about, you guessed it, a banana. Ba-bye.
Matt Breitzke says he sings and plays guitar since he was a small boy. Matt sings "Ain't No Sunshine". He has a really nice voice - very soulful. Randy doesn't like him and says NO. Kara disagreed and said Matt has natural talent and says YES. Paula loves his tone, and says YES. Simon says "I agree with.......the girls! and further states that Matt was really good and has heart and ambition. Matt gets a golden ticket to Hollywood.
Next was Jasmine Joseph who had 1/2 purple 1/2 pink hair. She sings "Over the Rainbow" and is just horribly pitchy all over the place. My own husband says "She sounds like she is sitting on a box of nails!" The judges never said one word. They shook their heads and Jasmine turned and walked out.
Jessica Paige Furney is the next contestant whose back-story is told. She apparently lives with her hard of hearing grandma in some town billed as the Capital of the Wizard of Oz. She seems timid and quiet. She says she will sing Janis Joplin's 'Cry Baby" and she belts it. The judges are surprised and pleased. They send her to Hollywood, and by the way, Happy Birthday to Jessica. What a great present - going to the Hollywood round of AI.
Two sisters Asia and India are next up. They perform an original song "Cookies" and dedicate it to Randy. It was not good. Then the girls perform independently. Asia is turned away, but India gets to go to Hollywood.
Jamar Rogers age 26. Jamar has the strangest Mohawk ever. He sings "California Dreaming" too loudly and over sung to the point of getting pitchy. Yes amazingly, he gets a golden ticket!
All through this episode 28 year old music teacher Danny Goky(sp?) is billed as having a very sad story. Turns out, his wife died of a heart condition 4 weeks earlier and he is still grieving the loss. He considered NOT auditioning, but decided he would so that America can get to know his wife. He keeps his emotions in check and sings "I heard it through the Grapevine" Paula says Danny is soulful, Kara said "I am a fan!", Simon liked him and Randy declares "HE is the best we have seen!"
Anoop Desai is next, and is billed as a master music student. He sings "Thank You" and is really good, despite looking and dressing, well, geeky. He gets lots of tips from the judges and he is off to the next round in Hollywood.
Next was a montage of losers and geeks singing "Signed, sealed, delivered" They also showed a quick montage of extreme contestants: weird clothes, gimmicks, pets, ninja's. All the weirdness from nights one and two. Ugh.
Enter Andrew Lang singing "My Girl". He was very theatrical and gets a resounding NO from the judges.
28 year old Asa Barnes is a band director at a middle school. He sings "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson. Though contestants usually bomb singing Michael J. - Asa does a respectable job and gets 4 yes's from the judges.
Michael Nicewonder is the next contestant. He has obviously bleached hair in a chili bowl cut. He is wearing a medal around his neck that he won in elementary school for "best vocalization in music class" and stuck to the back is a fortune cookie fortune he likes. His mother doesn't think he can sing and he is at the audition to prove her wrong. He also states he is related to Hank Williams Jr. Michael sings two original songs - one to his mother and one for his grandmother. Both are just awful and the judges send him packing. He cries like a baby. I think he better get in some therapy. And soon. To say this audition was weird is a total understatement.
19 year old Dennis Brigham sings "With You" and suitably impresses all 4 judges. My husband and I were NOT impressed. Hmmmm.....
About 90 seconds of video was dedicated to Mia Conley age 27. She was sleeping in every single second right up to walking in for her audition. She might as well have been a nightmare. She was singing "Loving You" and she was just awful. She vehemently disagreed with the judges rejection and told them that "God will get you for not picking me". Sheesh.
The last contestant may have been the very best one. Lil Rounds, a mom of 3 kids and whose family was displaced by a tornado in Memphis steps up. She sings Stevie Wonders "All I Do" and is fantastic. Kara really likes her and says that she is a mixture of Fantasia and Mary J Blige. Paula loves her. Simon thinks she is fantastic and Randy says Best so far this season. She is a HOT ONE" Lil is humbled, awed, excited, etc. She may definitely be one to watch the rest of Season 8.
In the end, 27 people in Kansas City are put through to Hollywood. Next week they visit Louisville KY and Salt Lake City. Additional audition cities are San Juan, New York, Jacksonville and San Francisco. Clips following say that in the end 147 people will make it to Hollywood and that"Hell Week" is the most dramatic one ever.
Last night was the first episode of American Idol, Season 8. The show opened with a montage look back at the prior seven seasons. It was a great trip down memory lane and showed mostly all the winners. I don't remember seeing Fantasia in the montage.
I didn't take notes, and I have slept since then, but I did like a gal named Emily Hughes who had lots of tattoos and wore a red dress. She belted out Barracuda and did a good job, I thought. She is already in a band - and had not told her band members about the AI audition. Not cool - but I think she will do well in Hollywood.
The new judge Kara DioGuardi - I like her. She fits in well. I had not heard of her - but seems like a lot of the AI hopefuls had done their homework and knew who she was. Simon kept pronouncing her name wrong. Typical. The correct pronunciation is CARE-UH and Simon insisted in calling her CAR-UH. I think she was getting annoyed.
I noticed that for the first full hour - the 4 judges voted unanimously - all were FOR a contestant and they were all 4 against. No hemming and hawing and sitting on the fence.
It got a little messier in the 2nd hour when bikini girl Katrina showed up. Randy and Simon didn't even need to hear her sing - they just said YES - you are through to Hollywood. Neither Kara nor Paula thought the girl could sing - and then Kara told Katrina "You don't have the chops to sing...." to Katrina and Katrina responded by insulting Kara. What was really funny was Paula's reaction to the insult, she jumped up and got all worked up over it.
Paula and Simon are still snarky to each other.
One of the funniest moments was a video of half a dozen girls aged 11 or so watching last season's final episode in which it was determined whether David Cook or David Archuleta would win American Idol. The suspense was terrible and the girls were frantic and unable to stand still while they prayed for David A. to win. I thought for sure one girl would wet herself. And then the moment of truth - David Cook wins! Girl about to wet herself collapses on the floor, another girls mouth dropped open (can you say cave?) and all the other girls screamed "NO!!" and began to cry. Priceless.
They also showed poor old Sanjaya and that little girl who just cried herself silly. She will never live that down.
In the end, they put through 27 singers from Arizona.
Looking forward to tonights episode. I think they are in Kansas City tonight.
This week marks the end of the 1st semester of school. Jason has semester exams this week. He has 3 exams today(Pre-AP Biology, Art and Geography), 3 tomorrow (Algebra, German and Multimedia) and 2 on Thursday (Baseball/Athletics and Language Arts). Crazy. He has done a super job in 9th grade with his grades. At this moment he has 7 A's and 1 B, and the B is an 89. Not shabby at all!
Megan and Ryan are taking CBA's (Curriculum Benchmark Assessments) this week for 3rd grade. They are precursor tests before the state mandated Reading and Math tests they must take in March and April. Mike and I went to a parent meeting for the TAKS tests last night. These kids are expected to know so much. They are being taught strategies for test taking. On one hand - the strategies will be useful for life. On the other, wow, it is just so much.
They absolutely MUST pass the reading portion in order to promote to the 4th grade.
OBJECTIVE 2: THE STUDENT WILL APPLY KNOWLEDGE OF LITERARY ELEMENTS TO UNDERSTAND CULTURALLY DIVERSE WRITTEN TEXTS.
OBJECTIVE 3: THE STUDENT WILL USE A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES TO ANALYZE CULTURALLY DIVERSE WRITTEN TEXTS.
OBJECTIVE 5: THE STUDENT WILL APPLY CRITICAL-=THINKING SKILLS TO ANALYZE CULTURALLY DIVERSE WRITTEN TEXTS.
____________________________________________________________________
If that doesn't blow your mind, check out the Math TAKS Objectives for 3rd grade.
TAKS Math Objectives
OBJECTIVE 1: the student will demonstrate and understanding of numbers, operations, and quantitative reasoning.
OBJECTIVE 2: THE STUDENT WILL DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF PATTERNS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND ALGEBRAIC REASONING.
OBJECTIVE 3: THE STUDENT WILL DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF GEOMETRY AND SPATIAL REASONING.
OBJECTIVE 4: THE STUDENT WILL DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPTS AND USES OF MEASUREMENT.
OBJECTIVE 5: THE STUDENT WILL DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS
OBJECTIVE 6: THE STUDENT WILL DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MATHEMATICAL PROCESSES AND TOOLS USED IN PROBLEM SOLVING.
___________________________________________________________________
And there you have it. Now, ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A THIRD GRADER?
It is a bit hard to see - but here is a picture of some ice we took off one of our shrubs! It is perfectly shaped just like the leaf it froze on. This was taken on January 5th.
Back on November 13th I blogged about our resident ducks "Cheeze and Qwackers". They have affectionately been re-named "The Fat Brothers" by Mike. This is because they have begun to show up quite often - sometimes just in reaction to seeing one of our vehicles drive into the driveway.
They visit most everyday and are quite comfortable around us. Especially me. Today, I came home from the grocery store and there they were, milling around the front yard making their little quacking/honking noises.
They also are beginning to get somewhat impatient. I spent some of my time with them laughing! Today, they craned their necks expectantly and occasionally even hopped to try to get to the slices of bread I was holding. They probably have a vertical hop of 2 inches.
Also today, they were catching some of the bread in mid-air. Too funny. They are such fun.
Megan gets the photography credit this day.
Megan had approximately 5 inches of her hair cut off on December 22nd.
On December 30th, I wrote about Coleman Larson - a little boy (he is a twin) who had pediatric cancer and requested that those of you who read my blog go read his CarePages updates and keep him in your prayers.
I received a CarePages update tonight that shared that Coleman lost his battle with cancer last night. Just over 24 hours ago.
Read the update now: http://www.carepages.com/carepages/ColemanScott/updates/1910023?client_code=default&ipc=mur
I did not know Coleman or his family, but I had been irresistably drawn to his story probably because I am so interested in twins and multiples in general. But I stayed an interested party partly because his mother Peggy constantly wrote of her faith in God's will and God's plans for her family. Her post tonight was incredible.
And so, I hope that if you are inclined, you will go and read Peggy's post. It doesn't dwell on the negative. Yes, I am sad for them - but also grateful that Coleman is free of the pain he endured.
Saturday, January 3rd in North Texas was mostly a heat wave. By January standards in North Texas anyway. Overnight and into Sunday morning, the temperature dropped 50+ degrees.
Today it has been wet and drippy. The air temperature is 32 degrees on the bean and the drippy rain is causing icicles to form on most stationary objects.
I am crushed that the one picture I really thought ironic did not turn out - it was the solar panel that operates the flashing school zone signs at my crosswalk. Tons of icicles were hanging off of it.
So instead, I submit these for your approval:
I got Mike a new t-shirt for Christmas. The minute I saw it on Cafe Press, I knew he had to have it. Hilarious, huh? If you know Mike, you know how much a fan of Van Halen he is. If you still don't get it, try Googling the video "Hot for Teacher".
A dear family friend Susan sent me a batch of scanned pictures via email the other day. She was sorting out a big group of pictures her family has acquired over a few decades. Many of the ones Susan forwarded to me were pictures that I have seen recently and some I had forgotten about. It was a great trip down memory lane.
