Smashing!

Yep, I'm addicted to a new show.  I cannot seem to get enough of it.  From moments of original music, to covers done super well, I will definitely need to get the soundtrack.  They do throw in moments of adult stuff that is dumb, and I totally want Tom's assistant to be hit by a bus, but other than that--I cannot get enough.

Enjoy. . .

Favorite from the first episode (the baseball number is also very good):


Favorites from the second:








Favorite from the third:


Favorites from the last episode:


It is amazing how well Miss Hilty does Marilyn. Uncanny! I did also enjoy Rumor Has It, but mostly because it felt like Center Stage to me (I loved the whole Chorus/Ensemble stuff).



Side note, I've never really wanted to drink but with all the Manhattan-throwing, I kind of want to--just to be able to dump it on someone.

Shrimp and Grits Throwdown

This past weekend the Carolina Inn did their first annual (hopefully) Shrimp and Grits Throwdown to benefit Table, a local charity that uses after school programs to find low income families who need food, and then feed them.  When I got the email about it, I thought, "$15 to taste a bunch of shrimp and grits for a few hours for charity?  Um, where do I sign up?" I told a bunch of people about it, but in the end, it was just me and R.  Oh well, their loss.

And what a loss it was. . .Check out the full post here.

Things I've done in the past few weeks

In no particular order.

Sang at the Depot three times (twice with a full band--there are bad Facebook photos to prove it!).  

Read three or four books--I'm losing count.

Finished Downton Abbey

Wanted more Downton Abbey, so made a bunch of work people watch the second season instead.

Live texted the Oscars and the Grammys (kind of)

Went to a Shrimp and Grits cook-off (more on that later)

Found out I may be having surgery, and what your thyroid does or doesn't do for you.

Hit the Roller Derby

Went roller skating for the first time since crashing a Primary Roller Skating party in Provo, UT for Ariel's birthday--in 2002 (so ten years).

Realized I used to be good at roller skating, but now have learned that roller skating is really a lesson in humility.

Enjoyed the fact that I am good at finding crazy things to do (If you want to get on my listserv, let me know!).

Was grateful for good friends

CLL - my twice a year event that sometimes kills me with anxiety

I got all my speakers for Legends this Spring! Yay!  I was a little worried that my fourth running of this event would be a disaster, but I have made it work--and when I found out I had secured a coveted speaker, I wanted to cry tears of relief. Sadly, the anxiety isn't over--the dumb thing takes place on Nate's birthday.  It is hard to believe it will have been 10 years.  I may need extra prayers on April 16th--for my sanity, not to find a sugar daddy. Though a sugar daddy would not be sneered at.

Loves!

Romance to a young T

A hint that I would love Downton Abbey all these years later should have been one of my favorite paintings in high school called The Singing Butler:

Fancy dress, a butler, dancing. . . It felt like what romance was to me--dancing with someone to the ends of the earth.  Another painting in this grouping is called Dance me to the end of love.

I love the Civil War's cover of Leonard Cohen's song by the same name. 

Doesn't it make you want to tango on a beach somewhere with someone you cannot live without? Tango like the ones the regular people dance in the streets in Evita (at 3:09ish--not necessarily So You Think You Can Dance tango--though if Pasha wanted to tango with me, I wouldn't say no).  

Or the tangos below. 

I may have to watch that movie again soon (and yes, that is Syndey's sister from Alias as the young ingenue). Maybe next on my list of fun things to do is tango lessons.  And then I can find this. . . 

Finding new music

Okay, the Grammys are one of my favorite nights. No, I don't care about the awards, I love the performances--sometimes you only get one or two amazing ones, but it is worth it for the new artists I find.  I'll never forget seeing Adele for the first time. . .



By the end of the night, I downloaded her entire album, 19. I like all the music awards because of the performances--there was nothing redeeming about the VMAs, except for Adele's moment.



Here is this year's (How much do I want to be one of her backup singers???):



I will never forget hearing Empire State of Mind or being a proud Mama when Mumford and Sons performed last year because I had been listening to them for a while--and it had to be a dream come true to play with Dylan. I've found many, many other bands whose albums have had an impact in different places of my life.

My favorite from last year was the tribute to Amy Winehouse, in particular Bruno Mars' portion. Love the shot of Adele singing along.



He was actually one of my favorites from this year, too. He seems like he would be an amazing show--very throwback to an older type of music, but still fresh.



The band I found this year?  The Civil Wars. Their intro to Taylor Swift sold me--tongue in cheek they implied that all the groups before were their opening acts (including a "very promising young man from Liverpool"--Paul McCartney). I cannot find it on youtube or it would be up. I ended up downloading the entire CD, and I love the whole thing--they sing in that key that makes you feel it deep in your soul. . .

As a side note, I was shocked to love a Miley Cyrus performance (of a Bob Dylan song) recently. . . I know, I hate to admit it, too.

A Post-Valentine's Surprise

Tomorrow, I'm stopping in at The Depot once more.  In honor of a late Valentine's, we're throwing in Bewitched, a revamped version of All of Me, and this one. . .



Airy will be sad she missed that one.

B wants me to learn this one:



Maybe next time. . .

A New Open Mic

This past Wednesday, I checked out the Depot in Hillsborough. It was a cute little bar and store similar to Foster's Market--only not as high end. It was fun--Maple View Ice Cream and local hot dogs with funky toppings like blue cheese slaw and apple mustard. A few poets, a lot of guitarists, an electric violinist.

It was really an off-the-cuff open mic. When JK (the guitarist) got there, we decided the songs we would do. The Countess DeWinters very nicely filmed the first two of the three songs.  And the electric violinist stepped in with us for fun. We called it the St. set.

St. Louis Blues. . .  This one is just fun to sing. When I started, it felt like the whole room took a deep breath--not quite a gasp, but close. At that moment, I knew that it was going to be a good night.



St. James Infirmary--you can tell, I needed more water by this one--and that I hadn't practiced it in a while. Also, I kind of let the ending go. . . sad.  Oh well--it is fun because in the middle of the song on stage we made decisions about things, which made it an event in and of itself. Realize that all of this is improvised by the two instrumentalists. . . and myself, a little.



St. Ormy Weather - still needs work. It was our first time performing this one.  I got a few calls for encores (which was awesome!). Multiple people came up to hug me afterwards, and they asked me to come back--as a regular. We'll see.

I think the best was having a night out with the Countess.

Further Afield. . .

This is partially for my friends further west.  This next Wednesday, I'm trying out a new open mic night.  If you are bored, see you at the Depot in Hillsborough.  Not sure what I am singing (or when), but it should be fun!  And the menu looks good, too (the Dog toppings alone!)!