Amazing

I'm not sure if there are any other American Idol fans out there, but I have to share something that I found amazing today. Let me first go back to last night:

Last night on Idol, Jason Castro sang a song named "Hallelujah". I have to admit that the song intrigued me a bit. The judges loved it, even Simon. They mentioned that their favorite version of the song was sung by Jeff Buckley. Having never heard the song before last night, I decided that the next time I was hanging around the itunes, I would have to look up this Jeff Buckley version of the song. I mean they spoke so highly of it, I had to hear it for myself. Right?

Imagine my surprise when I found that "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley was listed as the #4 most popular song on itunes. Can you believe it? This song was recorded in something like 1994 and it's #4 on itunes today, some 14 years later? Apparently I wasn't the only one intrigued by it! Did I download it? You bet your 99 cents I did!

I can't help but think, how amazing is the power of American Idol coupled with a really great song! Honestly, I'm amazed.

Just another snowy day

We got quite a good amount of snow yesterday and overnight, enough to close the schools today. Gotta love a good ol' snow day. I feel like I packed so much into this day, yet at the same time, I feel as though I got nothing done at all. Very strange. It's almost hard to believe that on Monday, we had hardly any snow and now we have this:


and this:


oh yes, and this:


and did I mention this:


Fooled you that time didn't I? You were expecting another boring snow photo. In order to remind myself of spring, I bought that little "box of love", as I've decided to name it, last week. What could be happier than buttons, paper blossoms and felt flowers all in one little box? I don't even need to mention that this set contains my three most favorite colors in the world--orange, pink and red. Love it! I am also loving the Garden Party chipboard shapes that I bought. (couldn't get a good picture of them, so you'll have to use your imagination if you haven't seen them yet) That set screams spring and is my only consolation when I look outside my window and see that it is snowing heavily, yet again! Here's hoping that winter is over real soon.

Separation

Yesterday, I received my March issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine. I haven't really combed through it with any intensity, but just by flipping through, I have to say (and I really hate to say it) but I am so not inspired by any of it. (my apologies if you have a LO published in this issue) It's not this issue alone that has turned me, I haven't been inspired by any CK issue in a long time. There was a time when I would run from the mailbox when a new CK issue arrived and try to hide from my kids long enough so I could read it cover to cover. This is so not the case anymore. I have my very first issue of CK still (for sentimental reasons, I guess). It's the May/June 1998 issue. It's taken 10 years to get me to this point but when my subscription is up in September, I will most likely not be renewing it. I find I can get much more inspiration in other places... online galleries & blogs and just in the everyday stuff...and not in Creating Keepsakes magazine, that's for sure.
There is a part of me that wonders whether this separation from CK is because I've been scrapping for 10 years, I've finally become comfortable enough to just "do my own thing" even if it's not cutting edge and not worry if the masses like it. Then I realize that I still do enjoy BHG Scrapbooks Etc. magazine, so that can't be the case. It's just a separation between CK & I. Period. What's that silly phrase that everyone says nowadays? Oh yeah. It is what it is.

Mid Winter Recess

As a kid, was there anything better than a week off from school? Funny, I'm still feeling that vibe after all these years. It is Mid Winter Recess here, and my kids & I are starting our week off from school/work. (I'm thinking that my switching jobs in October was one of the best things I ever did...who has better working hours than teachers & staff?) I'm really hoping to get some scrapping done this week, but for now, we are off to see a very talented local magician perform at the library. Have a good one friends!

Tagged!

Sweet Melonie tagged me, so here goes:

You must post the rules before you give your answers.*You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name.*After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers.*At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name.(Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details.

A--attractive. Hold it here, believe me, I'm not calling myself attractive as in a "Oh I'm so beautiful, look at me" way. I mean attractive in that I always attract people in general, in public, from all walks of life to carry on conversations with me. My sisters, my friends have always gotten a kick out of this. What is it about me that perfect strangers feel they need to talk to me?
N--neat freak. Sometimes to the point of being ridiculous. The littlest things out of place drive me nuts!
N--nice. Well I realize that it's kind of a generic word, but I think that in general I am nice or at least I try to be nice at all times. (Hey, maybe that's my problem, see letter A above! LOL)

I will be tagging, in the hopes that they don't want to kill me:
JenCoen
Nicole
Janie

It got me again!

I don't know what is going on around here but I feel like I have been sick since Christmas! I started with a slight fever on Tuesday, along with body aches & a sinus headache that wouldn't quit. It just kept getting progressively worse & worse as the week drew on. Here it is Friday, and although I feel somewhat better, I'm still in misery. (Thank goodness we had a snow day today so I could get some extra rest). Something needs to be done. What could be causing all this sickness? As soon as I am feeling better I am marching myself right into the health store. I have got to get loaded up with some immune system boosting "stuff". I can't take it anymore! Could it be that I'm working at the high school now and I also take the students to a local nursing home for a job study program every morning that's causing all this? SCHOOL GERMS + NURSING HOME GERMS = ONE VERY SICK ME? Believe me when I say I am a diligent hand washer, like crazy even, but it doesn't seem to matter. I hate to be a complainer and have such a down post, but being sick is really get old at this point!

Strike three, you're out!

I haven't really given a lot of thought to this writer's strike overall. Back in December, with the holidays, the strike was somewhat of a welcome relief....no need to worry about catching my shows when there was so much shopping, baking, and wrapping to tend to. However, it is now the end of January, we are in cold and snowy Central New York, and truthfully, there is nothing else to do around here but watch tv! (and eat, but let's not even go there) I am finding that this writer's strike is starting to get on my nerves. I need Desparate Housewives, I need Grey's Anatomy, I need Ugly Betty! And the award shows! How is one to dream without seeing all the glamour of the red carpet? What is wrong with these people? Don't they realize my needs? What's that you say? My needs don't matter? OK. Fine. Be that way.

Since my needs are highly unlikely to send either side rushing to the bargaining table shouting on high and waving a white flag, I have decided that I am going to spend my idle time watching movies. There are so many movies that I have always wanted to see (especially old ones) and this is the perfect opportunity for me to see them, full speed ahead. So here is somewhat of a list of what I'll be watching while the picketing continues:

African Queen, Cabaret, A Star is Born, Moulin Rouge, The King & I, My Fair Lady, Gigi, Roman Holiday, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, The Graduate, Hairspray, Napolean Dynamite, Superbad, Memoirs of a Geisha, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, The Way We Were, Spinal Tap, From Here to Eternity, The Color Purple, The Lord of the Rings, Doctor Zhivago, It Happened One Night, An American in Paris...

What do you think? Is that enough to get me through this strike? If not, I'll have to start of list of movies I've only seen once and would like to see again. (desparate much?) If you have any recommendations, I'm all ears.