The Green Mountain State

What do I know about Vermont? Not much, I know that I stopped at a rest stop there with my mom in August of 2002 on our way to Maine. I know that it is the home to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and that they have lots of Maple Syrup. I know that my childhood neighbors Howard & Leanor would always bring us back Maple Syrup from their trips to Vermont. So why all the interest in Vermont? Well one of my dearest friends, let's call her Julie Foster our favorite Dairy Queen employee from Columbia, Missouri (she was employee of the month for like 5 years straight, however she never was working, how does that work?), and her husband are moving to the Green Mountain State, I was pulling for him to get a residency in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan, however Mother Nature and an ice storm foiled our plans and forced his flight to be canceled and when you are a medical resident it turns out you don't have a lot of free time to make more trips. I am saddened, however, I decided to devote myself to learning more about this mysterious "Green Mountain" Ice Cream Natural Toothpaste state in the northeast. So I spent the evening after the gym with my good friend Wikipedia, were all good bloggers go to find accurate information, that in the vacation Vermont website.

Here are a few things I have learned about Vermont, our 14th state however it's the 49th smallest state in population, only state smaller in population is Wyoming. The state bird is the hermit thrush, flower: red clover, state tree: sugar maple, that's a nobrainier , state pie: apple, they have both a state cold water and warm water fish, neither which I will name here, state mineral: talc, state beverage: milk, remember these people are healthconscious with their natural tom's toothpaste you will not find soda on this state's rooster and finally the state mammal, the Morgan horse, there are more but it's my blog and those are the ones I care about. Here are a couple of notableVermontinians or are they Vermonters, hmmm... none the less here they are: Ted Bundy, serial killer, Calvin Coolidge, 13th President, Howard Dean, former Presidential Candidate & Senator and head of the Democratic Party, Bob Keeshan a.k.a. Captain Kangaroo, & of course our friends Ben & Jerry.

The Vacation Vermont website (which is very slow loading for me tonight) is still promoting snow, which makes me wonder how long their winters are. I told Julie Foster tonight that she must embrace snow, love it, start skiing or snowboarding, because it's either that or spending most of the year wishing you were in a warmer state, which brings you down. That was my plan for Michigan this winter, which only got as far as getting a ski coat for Christmas, maybe next year I will use it for its intended purpose. As I read more about the weather it is know for it's mild falls, cold snowy winters, with annual snowfall up to 100 inches and it's mud season also know as spring.

Vermont however is offering to fuel your vacation. Which of course I have entered, because I am now planning to go there. However, I am intrigued by the Green Mountain Film Festival which is currently ongoing in Montpelier, the capital. They promote the bohemian lifestyle with art, music, winter sports and lots of maple syrup. So I must say, Julie Foster, I am very excited about my visit and maybe I will get to put my new ski jacket to good use.

Pause The TiVo: It's Time to Celebrate

"TiVo Changed My Life" Hits the 200th Post

I realized tonight that I missed the 1 year anniversary of TiVo Changed My Life, that was a week ago today. So in celebration of 1 year (and 1 week) and 200 posts, it's an all in one anniversary post. I must say that in one year's time I have become blog obsessed, as many of my loyal readers and friends (and especially my husband) know. I usually am (hopelessly) promoting my blog. I really have enjoyed blogging in the past, not only posting and keeping all of you up to date with those must TiVo shows, but with reading other blogs. I have found several interesting blogs and I visit them daily, with hopes that their authors have nothing to do but update their blogs. And though I don't know them, I feel that I am friends with them. Yes, I know it's abnormal, but hey, I am embracing the world of bloggers. Looking back at this blog, it has really grown, from my first post with no pictures and hardly a paragraph to the marathon posts like my 199th post with video, pictures and more. As for visitors to the blog, it's growing. I didn't put Google Analytics on the blog until August 27th. But here are some of the stats:

• From 8/27 to today there has been 2,963 visitors.
• Visitors from 5 continents, 29 countries, 39 states & the District of Columbia.
• Top Number of Visitors: January & February: 550 visitors each month, February 19th: 43 visitors
  
• Most Searched Keywords: Tivochangedmylife (26 searches), Weavologists (13 searches), Tivo Changed My Life Blog (11 searches)
• There has been 415 searches
• Most Interesting Searches: catified, cat snots all over, i vomet, clean up with comet
• Name Searches of people I know: Mary Lobbestael, Lora Castle Stock, Krista Sahakian, David Griner, and me (Jennie Holladay)
• Most Searched TiVo Shows: America's Next Top Model, Beauty & The Geek & Grey's Anatomy

So here's to 200 posts, a year of blogging. Those of you who have become loyal readers: Thank You! Those of you who are just passing through, welcome hopefully you will you will be amused enough to stop back by. As for this blog, what's ahead, I can guarantee more on America's Next Top Model, Grey's Anatomy, The Hills, Heroes, G. Love & Special Sauce and of course the mishaps of my life.

Also the count down is on 22 days until Olive and I see G. Love & Special Sauce in Cleveland. I am getting that excited feeling again!

MACUL 2007 is Complete

We are back from MACUL 2007, well we were back, Bruce went back down to Detroit to work at Local 4 tonight, but I am currently vegged out in front of TiVo with Tyra & ANTM & Grey's (More on that later.) This morning we woke up nice and early, got some breakfast and headed to Cobo. We had a pretty good group in our session, we talked about producing video on the cheap with free or low cost solutions. We included some sample work and I did a little video from the conference with my Kodak v550 camera and edited with iMovie which you can watch above. (It's nothing earth shattering, trust me.) The only thing, I wish is that we were the second session in the morning, because well I am not a morning person no matter how much coffee I force down, there is a reason I don't talk until I get to school. Bruce and I make a good team. Maybe someday we will become wealthy consultants, we could be good at that, from my experience with consulting its lots of talking, not so much working, its no wonder that everyone doesn't consult. Well maybe nothing will get done. I think the first thing a consulting firm needs is a catchy name. Suggestions welcome.

I am getting excited with our upcoming trip this summer. At MACUL there was a University of Michigan - Flint booth where they were talking up the Technology in Education Global Program. It made me even more excited about the trip! To recap we will be spending three weeks in Geneva and then we will be going to Scandinavia: Sweden & Norway. We are flying out of Olso, Norway. I borrowed the picture from the visit Norway website. Everyone looks kind of surprise when we say Sweden & Norway. I am just getting back to the roots... I am sure you are thinking what? Sweden. But believe it or not, Jennie Sahakian Holladay is Swedish, I get it from my blonde-hair, blue-eyed mother. Yes, I am 1/8 Swedish, 1/8 French Canadian, 1/4 Slovenian, 1/4 Italian & 1/4 Armenian. Ok, I am a true American. You can clearly see it in my parents, pictured here with my sweet adorable nephew Max. Back to Scandinavia... I am excited. I have to do some more research right when I think Sweden I think (besides my heritage), I think Ikea, Swedish Meatballs, Saab (Bruce's Ebay Car - our Saab story) & Volvo (my sister's station wagon.) We have a lonely planet book and now that these conferences are over, I just may have some time to read it.

As for television tonight.. I should probably make this a separate post, but I am going for a potpourri post tonight. ANTM was the makeover drama, no one was that upset over their new look, however, some of the girls had a painful 8 hour fiasco that involved weaves. Jael (the Detroiter) had one put in only to have it taken out. She cried, but frankly, I think I would have too, eight hours of hairdos is a hair don't if you ask me. I included a before and after photo, but I had these kinds of things, because how do you compare a Polaroid photo to one that has been taken under soft lighting and retouched with every girls friend: Photoshop. Renee is coming out as the cynical back stabber of the bunch, which means I will hate her but lover her all at the same time. I like Sarah & Whitney, so far I am not sure who's my front runner. There is a red head who I forget her name but always seems to be crying. Save the tears for real drama, which I think is on the way next week.

Grey's Anatomy was new this week, which I was surprised because I thought we were in reruns until May for some reason, but I am totally ok with not being in reruns. This week, Meredith has dinner with her dad, who is a weak character if you ask me, I too don't want to see him because well he annoys me. Other than that George & Izzy end up in a drunken affair because rich Callie throws George out. Blah Blah Blah, that's getting old. Overall there wasn't much earth shattering, but I did enjoy it.

Right now I am getting ready to do another load of laundry and pop in Arrested Development. Which I almost forgot about, please make sure you TiVo Andy Barker PI on NBC Thursday nights, it's against Grey's Anatomy so you need the help of your dual tuner TiVo, but it has Buster from Arrested Development.

Let the Presenting Begin

Bruce & I are in Detroit for the Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning Conference. It is my favorite teacher conference because it's all technology. This year Bruce and I are presenting. We are the first session tomorrow morning. Our session is called: "News, Documentaries and Movies, Oh My." Yes, it all starts with a catchy title. We talk about cheap and free solutions to producing videos in your classroom. However if my administration is reading this, these solutions are meant for other classes NOT MINE. We are finishing up last minute details tonight, after attending the Apple Computer get together, where Apple gave away ipods (none that we won) and free food and drinks (that we did win.) Now we are off to bed (in our hotel room at the Ren Cen) so that we can be prepared to wow our crowd. I will post an update.

75 Degrees of Heaven

I just got back from a three mile run outside. I wore a t-shirt and running pants, but I could have gotten away with shorts. Today is the kind of day all of us up here in Michigan crave starting in oh late January, weather that won't give up frost bite, weather that comes with sun. We were all literally running out of work today to enjoy this sneak peak of spring. On my way home, everyone had their windows down and I even saw one guy on his motorcycle... I must note that my husband is currently riding with the top down in his Saab convertible.

As soon as I got home I threw on my running shoes and headed out the door with my fearless dog Daisy. I ran to the park here in Attica with Daisy. When I got there it was like people had never seen a day like this, me included. They were out with their kids taking pictures, running around, playing basketball, playing baseball, walking their dogs, riding their bikes. As I was running, I was wondering do people in the south or California or places where it is warm all the time have days like this. Where they run out doors with such a fever? Or if it is nice all the time do you not appreciate the 75 degrees of heaven on March 13th. As I write this I know this gorgeous weather won't last long, even though I would give anything to be done with the cold, because the weather man says there are snow showers headed our way this winter. But in the meantime I will continue to enjoy this day.

In other more tragic news and speaking of heaven, fish heaven: I came to school today to find that J. Tuck (the last fish) didn't make it a week. I walked in to find her dead on the bottom of the bowl. I always thought dead fish floated to the top, however these four all sunk. I am sure the students will be as devastated as I am.

The Gift of Fish

It's been a busy week around here, which means I will spend tonight catching up with TiVo. Tuesday night was the big Open House night at St. Clair TEC. It's the night when prospective students come and visit our programs with their parents. I try to have my students their to show them what we do and show off some of their work. The Open House doesn't start until 5:00 pm, so my students had time after school to get something to eat and well buy me a present. They came back to TEC with 4 goldfish for me. It was a present. These fish were the 12 cent variety from Meijer, more on that later. I had mixed emotions, I didn't really want fish, however I had never gotten a present just from my students, so I was touched. As a teacher, I have found that one of the things I enjoy the most is the relationships I form with my students. I like them, that doesn't mean they get away with murder, well sometimes I am sure they do, but sometimes I break out "Mean Mrs. Holladay" (I don't like it but it's something I have to do.)

But back to the fish, they named them: J. Tuck (after one of the students that gifted them), Nemo (because he had a deformed fin), Colby ( he was orange and white like Colby Jack cheese), and a fourth that I really don't remember his name. Now if you are looking at the picture you will see that there are three fish swimming in the bowl that Bruce went and found at his parent's house. Why three, well again these are 12 cent fish, and one didn't make it 24 hours. He died in class the next day. Then I came into work the next morning to find that Colby had past away overnight. Then during the morning class (remember we haven't hit 48 hours yet) Nemo died. By 3pm Thursday, J. Tuck was the only fish that was still kickin'. I don't know if any are left today because I was out at a conference, however I did write on the notes that I left for the sub if the fish was dead to not be surprised.

I also want to make one thing clear, that just because I didn't exactly want these fish, I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR DEATHS. Someone that night said, just flush them, but I couldn't. Little did I know it would only be a matter of days before they would go, and I am a little sad.

But back to Open House, it was a great day, I mainly enjoy it because I get to brag about the program and my students. I feel like a proud mother, when I over hear them say that it's their favorite class and they really like their teacher.

TiVo Update

Well I am sure that most of you come to this blog for the intellectual insight on the television programs that really make an impact on all of our lives, like America's Next Top Model. So I couldn't post on Wednesday because our Internet wasn't working, so here's a recap. In one word: WHAHHHH..... Yes that is the word, it's actually a sound the sound of crying. Let me say that this season is already full of drama queens. Every other minute of this episode there was crying. Everything from crying about how wonderful they are, to crying about how they don't fit in, to crying about how the other girls are jealous of them, to crying about how they did in the challenge, to crying about the photograph they were chosen to do. Ugh... It was too much drama too soon. This is the time in the season when I want to find these girls awkwardly endearing, it's usually the time when one of the girls choses to comes out of the closet on National Television. Usually we don't get these kind of tears until the makeover episode which is next week, so don't miss.

However I did find Tyra endearing during judging. (But really when don't I find her endearing, and to all you Tyra haters out there.. don't hate, look deep inside and find the Tyra Love, I did and life is now a better place.) In the end this week, it wasn't that exciting, because I found myself struggling to get through all the tears. The 19 year-old from Pinnson (some small town, not sure if that is how you spell it) Alabama who's name did not make an impression and she felt awkward and totally out of place was kicked off. It was between her and the clueless (call it language barrier, but I still feel like even if she had a total hold on the language she would still be clueless) Russian. They kept the Russian from pure drama and I have a feeling that she won't disappoint.

Also so far this week, I have watched "the Hills" on MTV. It's the second season of the Laguna Beach spin off. This season Lauren's best friend Heidi is dating captain cheese ball and is totally dissing her friend. Heidi's boyfriend's name is Spencer and every episode I just would like to see less and less of him. So far most of this season I have been feeling bad for Lauren and waiting for Heidi to dump "Spence."

But the creme da la creme for me right now is Heroes. Which of course I am sure is going into reruns next week, which means you can all catch up. It's the NBC show about people with super powers. It's part drama, part action, part comic book. I really like it. It's too hard to describe everything, hence I haven't really wrote about it before (but you can read Todd's take,) but I have the entire season TiVo'd and save on the TiVo in hopes that I can convince Bruce to catch up on the show. Heroes is my new Lost, which I have retired from.

Also there are the ABC staples: Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives and the new addition Brothers & Sisters (I know what you are thinking yuck Calista Flockhart, but I won't lie I liked Alley McBeal and I like this show.) That's all I can think of now, I have been really busy this year and I haven't had a lot of time to pick up new shows. I welcome any suggestions for you all of shows that I should be TiVo'ing but I am not. Until next week's ANTM stay focused and stay fierce!

Cleveland Here We Come...

I just left Todd a message on his voicemail making my tentative reservation for April 10th. Why Cleveland? Well it's Spring Break.... 2007 and G. Love & Special Sauce will be playing at the House of Blues in Cleveland! I was just thinking this morning that I have finally hit the point that I eventually get to after the last show, where I am not obsessing over G.L.A.S.S. But now the obsession begins again (sorry Bruce,) how did it begin with a phone call from Olive alerting me to the update email she received from Brushfire records, that G. Love would in fact be in Cleveland. At first I thought that I may have to call off work, but I am out of personal days for the year so that is a no go, when suddenly I realized, wait that is Spring Break 2007. I can go. Olive made her usual comment, oh, I am so surprised you have more time off. Yes, the benefits of teaching. Which leads me to wonder, hmmmm... where is he playing the rest of the week! Anyone one with me: for Spring Break 2007!

Also on a side note, Olive is unaware that after I talked to her and we left it at, oh, we shall see, I have totally committed both her and myself to going, now I am actually waiting until tomorrow to buy the tickets after I talk to her again, however, rest assured, I am going. And hopefully, I will be going with Olive. Until then, if you have go out and buy his latest album Lemonade, it's one of his best. And remember April 10th, Cleveland will ROCK!

I am a Mega Millions Winner....

Along with 113,208 other Michigan Residents, and countless other people across the country. For the $5 in easy pick lottery tickets I bought for Friday nights $275 million drawing, I got the "Mega Ball" on one ticket, which means I won $2. (so really I only lost $3, however, I prefer to be positive and think in winnings.) But as I liked to write every Saturday morning news show after a big lottery drawing, I have good news and bad. First the bad news, I didn't win the big jackpot, but the good news is no one else did either so I have another chance. (when I wrote news I used you, but this time I am talking about me... to think about it I should have written we, hmmmm..) This time the jackpot is up to 340 million smackers, why do I only play if it's over a hundred-million? I guess 12 million is not enough for what I need to do. They way I look at it really is the odds are so astronomical that I will probably(there is always a chance) not win and frankly I am not willing to lay down the dollar it costs for the measly 12 million dollar dreams. That doesn't really make sense, but it does. So now I am off to buy another ticket on for Tuesday's drawing, and from now until 11 pm Tuesday the fantasies begin. But don't worry no matter how much cash I have, I will continue to devote myself to the TiVo Changed My Life Blog. However if I do win, I will make sure to generously remember my friends that took the time to LEAVE COMMENTS.

Update: As I am sure you figured out I didn't win the Mega Millions, but I appreciate all of you who took the time to post, however the leave comments part was about those of you who leave comments all the time, not just when I mention the possibility of winning $340 million. But none the less, I think this was an all time high for comments... just keep them coming.

Firefighters using the jaws of life to cut open the car to get the woman out. By this time I had calmed down a little but I am not going to lie, but I am still freaking out a little.

There were a lot of firetrucks there...

Wow... That Was Close

So I am on my home from Metro-Detroit. I took a personal day to do some business. Well I was on my way home and I am driving north on Lapeer Road. I am just south of Metamora when a car driving the other way hits a patch of ice. That car then slammed into the car in front of me. After slamming into that car it was coming straight towards me. I thought I was toast. Of course all I can think was oh my word I have thousands of dollars of video equipment in the car, I can't be in an accident. Well only by the grace of God I wasn't. The car came within inches of slamming into me too. There wasn't much I could do but slam on the brakes, think about the video equipment and and say a little pray, in that order. I feel really lucky to come out without a scratch. Once I came to a stop, I found my purse that had flown to the floor, found my cellphone surprisingly fast (anyone that knows me, knows that is a feet), I called 911. I probably had the worse 911 call ever in the history of 911 calls.

It went something like this:

Operator: 911 what's your emergency?
Me: There has been a car accident.
Operator: Where are you?
Me: On Lapeer Rd..
Operator: Where on Lapeer Rd.
Me: I don't know, south of Metamora. I am on a cell phone. Please hurry people are hurt.
Operator: are there any landmarks?
Me: a big house, please hurry, a woman is hurt, I think she is trapped. Hurry.....
(I am not sure how it ended, I think she told me help was on the way.)

Yes, if there were a 911 call school this would be what not to do. So I go to the woman, who seems to be coming back into consciousness. I tell her help is on the way, however her car is still running, I say can you turn the car off. She says no. I don't know what to do. Meanwhile a gaggle of other people come to help, thank God, because I am shaking, almost hyperventilating and clearly I am no help. Now she is coming back too. Meanwhile people are trying to pry the door open in order to get her out, because we are afraid that the car might catch on fire since it won't turn off. We are about to break the window open, when she manges to turn off the car with her other hand. The reason she couldn't turn of the car was because her wrist was broken. It looked so painful. She calls her son. I run and get Bruce's coat from the car because she is getting cold. She was probably in shock, because she isn't crying or freaking out, like me, ok, I wasn't crying but I definitely had the freaking out market cornered.

The first police officer arrived in a couple minutes. She was a female and very nice. She was so cool and collected. Unlike, well yours truly. I am not sure how the other people in the other car were, I went right to the woman. They were tended too, by another person. Soon there were probably 5 or 6 ambulances, 4+ firetrucks and both Metamora Police and the Lapeer County Sheriff's department. I was still, well freaked out. So I just stood around and watched them work. That's when I snapped this photo. The emergency crews were so amazing, they asked me a million times if I was in the accident and if I was ok. I was like yes I am fine, I was just the near miss. I gave the police officer my best recollection of the story, which I already gave you. After all the ambulances left, the police helped me maneuver my car out of the gaggle of firetrucks to go north. During this whole ordeal they closed down the road.

So I got home, let the dog out, who had been crossing her legs waiting for me to get home. I then went to the party store to buy my Mega-millions ticket-- $275 million baby and it appears that I am lucky today, maybe good luck will strike twice. I told Karen, our party store manager, the story, she didn't appear to care at all, however it was one of those stories that you just have to tell, I told Bruce, my mom and dad, but I wanted that "oh my God" facial reaction. Well that didn't happen. Surprised? No not really. But I bought some Cranberry Mike's Hard Lemonade, Cheetos and Mega Millions tickets and came home to relax and settle in for the night. I just got a call from the friendly police officer, I told her I came home had a couple drinks and I am now much more relaxed. But I made it clear, I am home for the night. She laughed. It felt rewarding, you know bringing laughter to a hero.. ha ha. Yes I know enough already.

But back to all seriousness, I am still picturing the accident. I know the woman could care less, but I am thinking about her and hoping everything is ok. Needless to say it was a scary night and I am glad to be home.

It's here...

ANTM.. I am so enjoying this.... Tyra so far has not disappoint. She appeared this season with a step group. I called Helen ASAP, as we must now choreograph our tribute ANTM step routine.

An Important Add to Your TiVo "To Do List"

Tomorrow night Tyra returns to the new CW with cycle 8 of America's Next Top Model. Yes it's a guilty pleasure, but I love it. I however miss watching it with my girls in Berkley. It's more fun watching the drama unfold with Helen, the husband just can't embrace Tyra appropriately. The two hour premiere starts at at 8 pm EST.

Belgian Feather Bowling...
Who Knew?

So Friday night, I know I already talked about the weekend so this is not in chronological order. But by the time I got home last night, I didn't have the energy to blog in order. So this is what you get. Anyways back to the bowling, a group from work went feather bowling in Mt. Clemens (the black hole of Macomb County... it's like Pontiac when you drive in you may never drive out.) Some of the cools girls at work came up with the idea I had never heard of bowling with feathers, so it sounded like a good time so I said sure, why not. Well feather bowling isn't exactly bowling with feathers, I feel that it's a mix of shuffle board, bowling and curling. You roll these large wooden discs down the lane and the goal is to get closest to the feather. I got to the party late, due to being completely lost in the black hole that is Mt. Clemens and my inability to drive there without getting lost. By the time I got there they were at the end of the first game. I had the chance to bowl once, but the team had already lost. See the photos. Then the second game started, I was immediately shifted to the other team, in favor of a boy, who had apparently bowled before. Hey, I went with the flow, because well at that time they were charging my drinks to Dave so anything goes.

Well I was put on to the competitive team, who were very nice to this not so competitive girl (the same girl that would sit down during t-ball games to pick flowers, yes that girl, some 20 years later.) There was times when I was asked why I wasn't closer cheering on the team, my reply was I would be if the food and drink were closer. Priorities people, priorities. My team managed a win, and I must admit that I didn't suck that bad, I even scored a point or two. Hence me strutting my stuff in the picture.

The beads are how we kept track of who was winning, as you can see they were pretty heavy around my teams next, because we had so many... ha ha, no thanks to me, but I can pretend. The key to our teams success wasn't the fact it was stacked with guys, it was the cute girl in the green coat, don't let her fool you, Marcie is a feather bowling ringer. The last game was girls against boys. I am proud to say the ladies won, in my opinion it was 9 to 4, the winner only has to score 10 points, when we were kicked out of the lane. So hat's off to the organizers, it was a great time. And if you know anything about schools, organizing teachers is difficult, I think I heard "never again." But I hope that they will reconsider, because I am up for another game of feather bowling, but I call Marcie for my team.

Two Days in Chicago

I just got home from Chicago and I am enjoying watching G. Love perform "Beautiful" with Tristan Prettyman on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. As I sit here with TiVo relaxing from a long car ride, I have realized that my cat's have gone crazy. They are acting really weird, chasing each other around. I am worried that they may need kitty Prozac.

This weekend Bruce, my mom and I made the trip to Chicago. My niece & nephew's school was having a benefit called Blossom, which I produced a photo montage of all the students for the benefit. I was also a photo auction item, well not me, but I offered, ok convinced to edit a photo a photo montage. I made $430 for the cause, well at least that was the high bid. Josh, my brother-in-law won the silent auction for a $30 Hooters gift card. Bruce and I were in a bidding war for a painting at the end we didn't even want it we just wanted to push the price up, which we did. Bruce wore his sweet new argyle sweater, he was hot.

Grandma or as Max my nephew call her Bubba was at home babysitting the kids. We spent all day with them before the benefit. It was fun. They have so much personality. It is fun to see them, they are so loveable. I have some videos... of course which I will post later. I am too tired to up load them tonight.

Today we stopped in downtown Chicago and we ate at the Billy Goat Tavern, which was made famous by John Belushi's Saturday Night Live skit: Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger. Here are some of the pictures of my lunch, I must admit it wasn't the best food I have ever had, but it was fun. Here are a couple pictures from Billy Goat Tavern. It's not easy to find, it's on Michigan Avenue, but you have to go down stairs, it's like below the street. It's in the Road Food Book along with Garrett's Popcorn, which of course we stopped by. It was everyone first time to go to the the "tavern" but it was only my mom's first trip to Garret's popcorn. And of course we got the Chicago mix: cheese and caramel. It was a delicious treat as always.

I watched the Beauty & the Geek reunion show. It was less than stellar. I was hoping for something equally as entertaining as the show, but it wasn't that great. But the good news is the new CW is going to be revived next Wednesday night with the return of Tyra and ANTM.

Now I am in tears, yes, tears watching Grey's Anatomy. It's the third of the ferry episode and Meredith is in "limbo" with a cast of people who have died on the show. I am still not quite sure what is going to happen, but I am pulling for her to leave this "limbo" and go back to the living. Good news, the show just ended and she pulled through. I am glad. I am not sure if I could have kept watching if she died.

Next Post: The St. Clair TEC staff and feather bowling. I was on the winning teams both times, can you see any constant... Ha ha ... I am hardly the key.

I Love Coffee...
Especially Starbucks when they give me a free T-shirt.

Yes, I am a coffee junky. I should have given it up for lent, but I went with another beverage pop. I did coffee last year, and frankly two years in a row wouldn't have worked for me. But anyways I saw an ad on myspace (Angie I know what you were thinking, but I was just reading the G. Love blogs.. ok that is bad. No comments Todd) for a free t-shirt with your favorite drink. The added bonus is that Michael from the last Project Runway is the designer. So I was hooked, however the kicker is they give a limited number away a day until February 28th. They open up the shirt giveaway at 1:00pm EST. I tried yesterday at 1:02pm and they were already gone. Today I was determined. So at 12:58 pm I had the page loaded and I was ready. And with the quickness of my typing abilities I was able to get my shirt. By 1:01 pm they were out of shirts! I can't lie, I am a little proud. My design is above, my drink if you are buying: Grande - Non-fat - Peppermint - White Mocha With Whip! Click here to get yours: Good luck!

Also set your TiVo's G Love is going to be on Conan tomorrow night singing Beautiful off the new Lemonade Album. My TiVo will be primed and ready for me on Sunday with not only that but so much, including Beauty & the Geek which I haven't watched yet... so don't tell. Bruce and I are headed to Chicago tomorrow via Manchester to hang out with my Sista & the kids. So I will have a lot to catch up on including: Grey's Anatomy, which it's clearly too late for me to get into tonight, because I am almost falling asleep writing this blog and I have yet to pack.

The G. Love After-Glow

So it's been a couple days and well I am still obsessing over the G. Love concert. I am trying to figure out ways to see them again. However, it looks more and more unlikely. I did get a set list from the show and will be posting it soon, it's helping me continue the nonsense.You may ask, why not post it now, well it's upstairs and I am too lazy to go and get it. Plus I like the tease. I just found out my friends in Chicago: Mindy & Casey went to see him there. They however saw him living it up before the show and on the L platform after the show. Again, I never get in on any of that action. All I have to say guys is where is the picture... come on, puh-lease, let's not be so selfish and think of your friend in Michigan. Oh well, I guess it was not meant to be. I am wondering how long it will be for me to come down from this concert high.

Maybe I can bide my time with another TiVo show... Yes that is right set your tuners kids, its that time of year again, next week February 28th, that's a Wednesday America's Next Top Model with our friend Tyra starts. Also do not forget to TiVo the last of Beauty & the Geek this Wednesday, tomorrow. Who is getting married? Is it Nate and JennyLee? Could it be Scooter and Megan? (That one I don't think is at all possible however, people are searching the web with these questions and ending up here.) It's part of the reason, the TiVo Changed My Life Blog had a record day yesterday with 43 hits. Yeah! Now if I can just get people to leave comments, HINT, HINT, NUDGE, NUDGE.

Today I had professional development, however, by the end of the day I felt underdeveloped. I probably went to the wrong session, it was more targeted for English teachers. The woman managed to slam journalism many times. I wanted to raise my hand and be like as a member of the journalism society (ok I am not a member of any society but well I have a bachelors in journalism from the prestigious University of Missouri-Journalism School so close enough) I object to these false statements and journalist are writers. At least I proclaim to be one, the proof: TiVo Changed My Life Blog. You had to ask?

Only in St. Clair County

I've Still Got the Love for G & the Special Sauce

So every time I see G. Love and Special Sauce live, I remember why they are and have been my favorite band since I first saw them in 1997, in Columbia, Missouri. They, in my opinion, are the best live performing band. G. Love has an enormous amount of energy. He works the room and the crowd. And well I love them.

So that being said, here's the skinny about my trek to St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit to see him. I meet Olive and Angie around 5:30 pm. We needed to get some food and a drink. So because I am obsessed with G. Love we went to St. Andrew's first to see if there was a line. The doors didn't open until 8 pm and it was much too cold to wait from 6 pm until 8 pm, but we (I) needed to see what the situation looked like. Well good news: no line. So we parked the car and went to Sweet Waters tavern for dinner, were we meet some other G. Love fans who where doing the same waiting to wait in line, until the last minute. These fans were of course college students from Central Michigan University. Yes, I feel in love with G.L.A.S.S. in college and it seems that his fan base is getting exceedingly younger.

Oh well. At 7 pm we noticed four brave souls in line. So I dragged Olive and Angie at 7:15 pm over to St. Andrew's to wait the 45 minutes in the sub-zero temperatures, so that we could get a spot in the front row. We got over there to find out only that if we had been minutes earlier, we would have meet G. Love, something that I have never managed to do. There was a college girl, whom we will call Fighter #1 ( pictured below, I will explain the name later) who proudly showed us her picture and of course let me take a picture of her with her picture. I was very jealous, but I gave her nothing but love at the time, I will reveal later why I don't feel much love towards her anymore, but nor does anyone who was in the first five rows of the crowd. Ok so as we waited. I looked toward the bus hoping he might need to appear again before the line got crazy long, but no luck. We waited in the freezing cold feeling old, as we listened to three young men behind us talk about a girl who was "OLD" at 24 years old and then another guy who was "ANCIENT" at 25. I only feel better know that G. Love is closer to age to me than to them, not sure why that makes me feel better, but it does.

So by 8 pm with toes near frostbite they let us into St. Andrews. I made what seemed like a made dash, but it was more like a speed walk up to the front. Where we began to stand against the gate waiting for the concert to begin. Waiting inside however was much easier. As we waited, I stood next to a very young Canadian (18) named Linton. He is studying to be an electrician in Canada. I made he promise me that he wouldn't let anyone slip in between us. He is a good man, he kept his end of the bargain. And standing there for two hours, I learned a lot about him, especially that it was his first G. Love and Special Sauce concert. He seemed to have as much fun as I had my first concert.

The opening act was called Red Eye. They were a young band that is best described as a mix of Sublime and 311. It was an enjoyable opening act, which made waiting to see G. Love a little easier. However, now that I scour the internet I can't seem to find anything about them. I will keep looking and get back later. Olive and I are convinced that we will see them on some MTV music video awards in a couple of years.

So then they get off the stage, by clearing their own instruments. Which they had down to a science. The lights came up and they set the stage for G. Love. Of course now that crowd came pushing to get close. And low and behold Fighter #1 who had been not seen since we were outside came pushing her way to the front, in front of a crowd that had been waiting for nearly two hours now. She stood in front of some other girls trying to stand at the front between my friend Linton, the Canadian, and his buddy. Well they were nice and didn't tell her to go to hell, but the rest of the crowd did. Hence her name. She started screaming about how she had waited outside and you better think she deserve to come and stand in front of everyone . Then she proudly begin displaying her photo. Well her attitude didn't help her cause. That's when the woman behind me gave her, her opinion of her "bratty attitude." Fighter #1 responds, "If you want to hit me B$#tch, then go ahead." Woman behind me says, "No, you aren't worth it honey." Fighter #1 responds, "it would be worth getting hit to get you kicked out your a$$ takes up the space of two people." It was crazy, usually G. Love crowds of fun loving peace makers, Fighter #1 clearly doesn't fit this definition. So after the brew-ha-ha calms down. The girl continues to make loud rude comments, but I noticed about halfway through the concert she left, apparently she couldn't take the heat. There was no love lost with the rest of the crowd, which by the way I was on the rest of the crowds side, but didn't want to participate in the fighting, not my style.

Then about 10 minutes before the concert Angie is not looking well, the heat and standing is getting to here. I quickly steal (in a nice way) a water from the woman behind us and give it to Angie. However, it's too much Angie and Olive have to leave for about 15-20 minutes. The whole time I am standing there with our spots. I am torn between wanting to stay and I am worried about my friend. However I knew that if we had to leave, they would let me know and I would leave. Ok, I would be sad about it, but I wouldn't say anything and I would go. I am not that silly. Silly but not that silly, but anyways it didn't come to that. And the crowd that turned on Fighter #1 was the same crowd that vowed to let my friends have their well deserved spots back. (Which they did: Thank you Crowd!) Shortly after Angie & Olive left, security came and started handing out bottles of water to the crowd.

Ok, so it's taken a long time but we are finally here. G. Love , Jimmy Jazz and Houseman on the drums (there was a new guy on the piano, but I don't know him) come out on stage. It is awesome. They start off the set with a new song: Banger. It's not my favorite song but seeing G. Love in his suit, sneakers and Fedora made it an instant favorite. He sang a good mix of his new songs from the Lemonade album and a good mix of classics. I was happiest when he sang 76er's or I-76 which happens to be my favorite song.

Being in the front row is well worth the 45 minutes in the cold, and much longer on a warm day. I am glad it was only 45 minutes in the cold. He really plays the crowd. I always enjoy his eye contact. At one point he jumped off the stage almost onto to Olive (who was in the middle of Angie & I) we all didn't know what to do. Do you touch him? He's playing his guitar, do you touch the guitar? We were eye level with his junk. Well needless to say, it was shocking, but if did it again, I would have had a plan instead of just standing there in shock. Which is probably what I would do if I ever got a chance to meet him... I hope that I could at least mutter can I have your picture and you are my favorite and maybe something to make me look cooler than I am in reality, but we all know that is very unlikely.

I did manage to get some short video clips, I wanted to tape just one song, but I was worried that they would drag me out, like they dragged out the four pot smokers behind me, which scared the crap out of me. But they didn't say no recording or picture taking, but anyway, I didn't want to get booted and lose my fabulous spot in the front. So I just got some snip-its, which I am including on this blog. G.L.A.S.S. performed for about 2 solid hours.



It was awesome, however it made me wish I had gone to Chicago on Friday and Ohio tonight. But I am not sure I could have found someone to be foolish with me. If it was summer, maybe, but not in this cold.



One of the best parts of the concert was when G. Love brought out Steve the Bluesman a local from Detroit, whom he promised could play with him. It was a lot of fun. Steve & G really entertained the crowd. However, I must admit personally for me, I liked when G. Love was singing his slower songs by himself on the semi dark stage, sitting in his chair with his acoustic guitar and his harmonica. Yes, I am reliving it all over again. And still wishing I had gone to Ohio.



So my review of the concert: it was one of the best, and if you haven't seen him live, just do it. You will fall in love with G. Love and Special Sauce too.

It's Here: G. Love Day!

stay tuned for all the details

Wait A Minute... Grey's Anatomy

Ok, the name of the show is Grey's Anatomy. The lead character is Meredith Grey, so I keep telling myself that there is no possible way she is dead. However, it seemed like that is what happened at the end of last night's show.

I know there are TV miracles, but I fear that suddenly Grey's Anatomy is going to become like Desperate Housewives and we will only hear Meredith's voice as the narrator. That is NOT ACCEPTABLE. Ok now that I have made myself clear to Ms. Shonda Rhimes, becuase she sounds really nice and friendly when I listen to her on the podcasts, so clearly my TiVoing opinon matters to her, clearly. Now I must admit that these past two shows have been excellent, despite the fact that someone kicked Meredith into the drink only to have McDreamy dive into find her and pull her out to save her. The key word here is SAVE. So if Meredith is trully dead will they have to change the name of the show to Anatomy? Come on people, it's Grey's Anatomy.

In other TiVoing news: Beauty and the Geek had it's season finale this Wednesday night. It ended with the rest of the cast voting between Nate & CeCe and Scooter & Megan to see who had really changed. Well Nate actually campaigned for Scooter & Megan, after CeCe went on a rant to him about how she didn't change and no one could blah blah blah. But I definately think that both Scooter and Megan changed. Scooter stopped wearing clothes that could have been consider Boy Scout uniforms from the early 1950's and Megan who seemed repulsed by Scooter when she first met him seemed to genuinely enjoy his company by the end. Now the big question for the reunion show is "did Nate and JennyLee get married or are they getting married?" At least that is what people are asking google to end up at this blog. I can't really see that as being true, but hey this is the girl that thinks they won't kill Meredth Grey of Grey's Anatomy. So anything could happen tune in... Then don't forget too that next week another round of American's Next Top Model begins on the same great station.... The New CW - that's quality TV.

Also this week, I am golden, because tomorrow, I will be at the G. Love concert. YEAH!

I'm just one day away from this..... I can't wait.

Snow Day #4

Ok, I must admit this one I wasn't expecting at all. I thought for sure we would have school, I even set my alarm early so I would be up to make the drive if it was longer than normal. But at 5:30 am the phone rang and it was my boss. I must admit being gone already for a conference this week I really wanted and needed to get into the classroom, but what am I going to do. Bruce had the day off too. So it was a nice Valentine's Day surprise. We began the day with sleeping in, Bruce and I slept until well I think it could have been close to noon. Hey what can I say, we enjoy sleep. This afternoon we also ran some errands: banking, mailing packages and renewing my passport. We had a romantic Valentine's lunch at Taco Bell. Mmmmmmm my favorite.

I got my passport (mugshot) pictures taken at CVS (picture on the left) and if you get them there don't believe them, they lie, she told me I COULD NOT SMILE. Well my picture is a half smile which is well not attractive, it almost looks like a smirk. (I am literally saying, sure let me into your country if you DARE.) But at least it is better than the last one, which I believe was not a picture of my face as much as a blown up microscopic view of every blemish I had on my face at the time. (God Bless Accutane.) So though this picture is bad it is much better than the previous If you think about it your passport is the government's cruel joke. You have a picture that is taken in the most unflattering way: you centered on a white wall ala your state's driver's license, but the kick for this beautiful photo is you get to keep it for 10 years. So when you walk off the hell that is any international flight on coach looking like the walking dead, you then hand this passport with the picture of yourself that looks like you are being booked at the police station for some kind of crime. It's your first impression into a new country which you have to love. For those of us who live here in Michigan, we used to enjoy not having to carry our passports over to Canada, but now that is changing, so I have to suck it up, because the next picture I will take for my passport is when I am 38 and I wonder if I will feel the same way about this picture as I feel about the one that I took at 18.

In other news: just TWO days until I am googling over G. Love and Special Sauce, but mainly G. Love at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit. YEAH! Hopefully it will be warm enough for Olive, Angie and I to brave the temperatures to wait to get a front row spot. The big decision is what to wear, I want to look cool, but I need to be warm, oh the woes of being a fan.

Then there were THREE....

Three days that is until G. Love. So I am sure you are asking yourself how am I occupying my time as I am anticipating this super awesome day. But until then you can listen to some tunes by clicking here.

Well let's see, now that we are back home from our conference. (I have to admit that today's session were much better for me than yesterday's.) But now that I am back home, it's time to reunite with TiVo. I am excitedly watching Beauty and the Geek, which is such a guilty pleasure. Today they are going out on a farm. Oh I am just to the point where they are showing their outfits. CeCe and Megan choose to wear the worlds shortest shorts very uncomfortable boots and bikini tops. They got to the farm and then they had to complete three task. One included herding sheep. Scooter and Megan won the challenge. I am starting to really like Megan. It came down to Jenny Lee & Niels and Nate & CeCe facing off in the elimination room. In the end Nate & CeCe won the challenge. And wow what was CeCe saying something really ridiculous at the end. I am not sure really what she said at the end. Something about taking a blonde to the ranch but you can't take the swimsuit out of the blonde. WHAT does that mean? The sad thing is now there is no more romance between JennyLee and Nate.

BREAKING NEWS: I just saw the promo for America's Next Top Mode, it's back February 28th. Oh my word set your TiVo for Tyra and ANTM! I know I am.

4 Days Until
G. Love

Yes, I know, you are excited. I can't wait. I have been trying not to think about it but well I can't stop. I am sure G. Love is spending his nights getting just as excited for his Detroit date in anticipation of a devoted fan (or two) being in the audience.

Waiting For Food

Tonight we went out to dinner at the Traffic Jam & Snug with Olive. The main reason we went was because of the dessert that I love and hope that is there every time, but it's only a special. Tonight we went and well let's say there wasn't a Traffic Jam to get in. However, it took us about 10 minutes of standing by the wait to be seated sign to be seen. Being seated was a different story. Here is a picture above of Bruce who managed to get in a whole game a chess playing both sides before we were seated. Then the server was nice but fast is not an adjective I would use to describe her. But the great news is the chocolate strawberry shortcake was on the menu. Yum! It was fabulous, slow but fabulous.

Let the Meetings Begin

Bruce and I are staying at the Marriott Ren-Cen for Michigan Conference on Career and Technical Education. We have a really cool view of the River and the Ambassador Bridge. (The picture is courtesy of the Bruce 2 Go Blog.) We will have a full day of meetings tomorrow, it may sound boring however these conferences are usually fun and I go home full of inspiration that usually dies off a couple days later, but I am trully inspired when I get home.

Also please note we are just five days from G. Love and Special Sauce gracing the stage in Detroit. I am so excited. Part of me is thinking wow I have Friday off, maybe I can go to Chicago and see him there too and then I could follow him to Ohio and see him there. I know is sounds like a slight obsession and I am not going to lie it is.

One WEEK Until My Love... G. LOVE

Ok, I have been trying not to think about it too much because well I have to get things done and my life and I have a job and such. However, the count down is in full force. We are just ONE WEEK, seven short days until G. Love and Special Sauce will be playing in Detroit at St. Andrew's Hall. I will be there, hopefully front and center to swoon and throughly enjoy the music by singing along to every song. I know you are all as excited as I am FOR SURE! Ok, well I hope you are enjoying this because I think I will be mono-focused this week, apologies in advance.

Wow!

I just watched this week's Grey's Anatomy on TiVo. Wow... what an ending. I can hardly wait for next week.

The World Loses a Heck of Entertainer

Whether or not she tried, good or bad, she certainly captivated the audience. Larger than life (hence the picture.) That's what all the news stations are calling her. Anna Nicole Smith dies at 39 years-old. Her death was a total shocker and usually I am not sucked into celebrity's lives (just their television lives), but she is one that you couldn't help pay attention. It could have been her "in your face realty" life played out on television.

And you can't forget her realty television show: "The Anna Nicole Show." Recently she has been all over the headlines after her 20 year-old son Daniel died in her hospital room just after she gave birth to her baby daughter, who by the way there are three men fighting over, saying they are the baby daddy. I was listening to CBS radio at 7 pm tonight and it was the Anna Nicole Newscast, every story about this former playboy model who married an elderly oil tycoon. I think it's a little sad, "why did I know her?" The answer: NO, but I think we will all miss her outrageousness. Whether you liked her or not she was never boring. I can say that despite all the nonsense, I never turned away from an Anna Nicole story. And I must admit I didn't TiVo her reality show, but if I flipped by and it was on, I never turned away. So goodbye to the wacky blonde bombshell, it just won't be the same.

Snow Day Two

With another day of temperatures with wind chills hovering around -20 Fahrenheit. It's been a rough day around the Holladay Household, here's a closer look at our rough schedule.

5:30 am - Call from boss saying school is closed (YAY!)
10:30 am - Actually wake up
11:00 am - Go to the gym
12:30 pm - Trip to the Secretary of State's Office (super fun!)
1:00 pm - Go to the bank
1:15 pm - Return home for a NAP
4:00 pm - Trip to Taco Bell for dinner (Delicious & Nutritious)
5:00 pm - Short Trip to Meijer for groceries - Clementine Oranges (Yum!)
6:00 pm - The Arrested Development Marathon Begins!
10:00 pm - Bedtime (I have to prepare for the rest of my 3 day week!)

The Sounds of Squeaky Snow

This weekend, I was pretty much homebound due to the cold (see previous post.) However, I decided to get out yesterday for a couple hours to go to Ann Arbor for dinner at the Cottage Inn with my parents. This is the original Cottage in on Washington in downtown A2 and the pizza is better than the chain that popped up later. But anyways, after dinner Bruce and I stopped at Borders and then went to Starbucks. Despite being bundled up in our coats, hats and gloves it was bitter cold. I had wished that I would have remembered to wear long underwear. However as we were freezing our butts off I heard that sound... the sound of squeaking snow. The sound that snow only makes when it gets down below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Last night the ole' mercury was hovering at about 2. I love the sound of squeaking snow, don't get me wrong I am not a big fan of the temperature that makes it, but for some reason the sound always makes me smile.

Another thing that makes me smile is the telephone ringing at 5:30 am, because when you are a teacher that can only mean one thing. That thing is the fan out list saying that there is no school. I am at the top of the list, so I am one of the first to be called by my boss. This is the second time this year, and I was just as surprised as the first time. See for my school to be closed we have to have all 9 schools that report close. Usually we can count on 8 of them closing, but there used to be always one hold out Algonac. For some reason it seemed that every district in the state would be closed but Algonac would remain open. However there seems to be a new tide over there, because this is the second time this school year that they have called school. So I am sure you are wondering why we had school called: squeaky snow. Yes it's not because there was too much snow it is because it was too cold. The temperature with the wind chill was -20 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much too cold for kids to be outside waiting for the school bus.

I remember a week of high school being closed when I was a kid because Ben Morgan waited for the bus without a hat and got frostbite, I am pretty sure he had to have some of his ear removed, or maybe I am making that up in my mind because it sounds better, but anyhow, it closed school until the temperatures got more reasonable. So we were all thanking Ben Morgan for not wearing his hat.

So what am I doing today, well I am actually resting, I still am not feeling 100% better from this nasty cold. So I am trying to drink tons of orange juice rest and hopefully feel better for tomorrow. I need to kick this cold because there are only 12 more days until G. Love & Special Sauce come to Detroit!

Swedish Fish to Sour Patch Ratio: Disappointing

Ok, it's Friday night, Bruce is at the DIV and I am at home feeling crappy with a cold. So what do you do: feed a cold right. So I plopped in front of TiVo, which has a cold too because I had to restart him. Thank God Grey's Anatomy is playing again tonight. Anyhow, I plopped down on the couch with my secret stash of leftover Halloween candy. I know what you are thinking Halloween was months ago, however, I have a ginormous bag of some of the best sugary candies out there: sour patch kids, sweettarts, smarties, lemonheads and the dreaded swedish Fish. Yes, I am feeding my cold sugar.

Anyway back this wonderful bag of delicious treats. I mainly bought the bag for the sour patch kids. I love the sour taste, however, it seems that in the last couple months I have managed to eat them all. So the bag that I would sneak too for the delicious treat has failed me tonight. Every time I go into the bag, I find Swedish Fish. Yes you might think this gummy sweet is like a sour patch kid, but no, it is just a bland gummy, no salty, sweet sugary coating.

The worst part is they are packaged the same as sour patch, so when i dig into the ginormous bag, I think for a moment that I may just have found another one: I pull out another SWEDISH FISH. YUCK! How am I suppose to feed this cold if all I have is Swedish Fish.

The only thing that keeps me going tonight's Grey's: WOW is it action pact. There's so much McDreamy, McSteamy. However, I am watching like a real person tonight, I am sitting through the commercials. So I could guess you say its a crummy night: a cold, swedish fish and watching TV time shifting.

Blogging with Google Doc & Spreadsheets.....
It took me nearly all day, but I think I have this working.

Wow, I love Google, however, I must admit I was cursing it when it wouldn't work for me.

The Countdown is on! 15 Days Until G. LOVE!

That's just 360 Hours...

That's 21600 minutes.... (O.K. that seems like a really long time.)

However, I can't think about anything else!