Music Monday

When the incessant previews ran throughout the fall for Smash I wasn't impressed. I'm a fan of Broadway for sure but I wasn't sure how it would translate to tv.

But then I watched the first episode and... I was hooked!

Tonight's the season finale and I've had this song, the main theme song for Bombshell, stuck in my head today so now I'll share it with you.

My date with a 3 3/4 year old

Friday was the big day - Bug and I went to see the Imagination Movers!

The Imagination Movers Rock-o-Matic Show! And honestly, it really did  rock! :)

And it was great.

I think her favorite part of the day was seeing the Movers in person. My favorite part was our conversations.

Her eyes never left the stage!

Case in point:

On the drive to Baltimore,
Bug: How did the Imagination Movers get out of the TV show to come here?

As we got to our seats she noticed a little boy wearing light up glasses,
Bug: They forgot to give me my costume!

When Rich, her favorite Mover, came up into the balcony near our seats,
Bug: (pointing to the stage below) he belongs down there


At dinner, when she was trying to take the lid off her fruit punch,
Me: You need to keep that lid on and drink from the straw because that fruit punch is mighty red and your dress is pretty blue and we don't want them to mix.
Bug: Ok
(A few minutes go by as she's eating and drinking then she looks up and asks)
Bug: Aunt Stacy, what does mighty mean?

And her best line of the day:

"That place was full of happy cheerful people"

 It really was a great show and I have to say the Movers did a really good job of trying to keep  it entertaining for the adults, throwing in songs from Blink 182, Coldplay, U2 and some oldies like Twist and Shout. They also worked in A LOT of Baltimore references, my favorites being the drummer's reference to himself as the Cal Ripken of children's music and their closing at the end "Thanks for coming, hon!"

I know I have to keep my natural tendency to spoil the munchkins in my life in check, but seriously, that afternoon was well worth every dollar I spent!

A very happy kiddo at the end of our date! 

What's the Big Idea?

Remember waaaayyyy back in January when I wrote about being the best aunt ever? Well, the exciting day is almost upon us - tomorrow afternoon Bug and I will be enjoying the Imagination Movers.

We just told Bug a few weeks ago about going to the show and she's quite excited. She's started calling them "The Mag" and can't wait to go see them.

I think one of us will enjoy it a bit more than the other.

I've been doing my homework. I figured out logistics like where to park and some kid friendly restaurants near the theater where we can get dinner. And more importantly - I learned the names of the four Imagination Movers: Scott, Dave, Rich and Smitty and, I can tell them apart! Impressed, aren't you?

I also learned about the sidekick, Nina. She always wears red and pink. Apparently Bug would like us to dress like Nina tomorrow, but I don't really own red or pink so I suggested she do that without me.

I really hope it all goes well - that the show lives up to her expectations and that I can successfully pull of my first Aunt Stacy & Bug date in about two years!

Music Monday

The latest song I can't seem to get enough of is another country tune.

It's funny - I feel like I hear it every time I turn on the radio (which is a good thing, because, ya know, I can't get enough of it) but my mom who is also a country fan, heard it for the first time this weekend while watching a countdown show at the hotel. Then we heard it on the radio three times the next day. :-)

Anyway, without further delay you can join me in starting my week with a little "Springsteen"

Seriously, Mom?!?

I just wrapped up my second back to back weekend road trip with my mother. This time was to JMU for my little cousin's graduation. Yes, she's almost 22, but she's the baby of the family and a child I started babysitting for when she was an infant so she'll always be the little one in my eyes.

Anyway, the real news of the past 24 hours is not the graduate but the highly entertaining conversations I had with my mother.

I'll preface this by saying that my mom is the kindest person I know. She's so generous, she's sees the good in everyone, will talk to anyone and is just generally a great person. However, she doesn't also exhibit the most common sense.

Exhibit A:

Last night at dinner, I was feeling indecisive (as usual):

Me: "I'm not going to be ready to order until I have to tell her [the waitress] what I want"
Mom: "Oh, so you know what you want"

Exhibit B:

Background: My mom has 2 sisters

Me: "I'm playing words with friends with your sister"
Mom: she names one of them
Me: "No"
Mom: "Well then who?"
Me: Um, the other one.

Exhibit C:

As a child my mom shared her bedroom with her Aunt, who according to family legend always slept holding her purse in the bed with her. Apparently my mom picked up on that particular behavior as she started last night with her purse in the hotel bed with her. I guess it got a little annoying so she moved it to the floor, right next to the bed, where she could lean over and grab it. When I asked why that was necessary she responded with "Well, where's your purse?" I pointed to the table, across the room. She said "oh." I guess she was surprised the compulsion to have it by your side didn't continue on to my generation.

Should I take the compulsion to have the purse
 nearby as a sign she doesn't trust me?

Exhibit D: 

This one I didn't experience first hand, but got a phone call from my dad about once she got home. See, mom is always worried about getting lost. Always. She doesn't often actually get lost, especially not on the very easy drive up and down 95 between my house and hers, but still, she's super paranoid that she's going to do something wrong. 

So tonight she gets home and tells my dad she thought she went the wrong way on 95 when she first got on the highway. Not because of a road sign or a missed turn, no. Apparently she thought she must have gone the wrong way because "there were so many cars driving in the other direction."

After lots and lots of laughter I hung up the phone with my dad, not before suggesting he keep my mom close to home tomorrow as I think she's had enough excitement for one weekend. 

First World Problem

I got a really really bad haircut tonight.

I keep telling myself it's only hair. It grows back. It's not a big deal. I'm sure others will think it looks good, even though I don't.

But... UGH.

It took me ages to find someone around here to cut my hair. For the first year and half that I lived here I'd just schedule haircuts with my old stylist when I was back in town visiting friends. I never made a trip just for a haircut, but always managed to work them in when needed. Probably about a year and a half ago I finally made the switch to someone local. Part of my hesitation was the whole trust issue. When you find a person who does what you want with your hair you stick with her! The other issue was cost. My old stylist worked in a snazzy salon, but also had a full set up in her house and by going there I only paid $20 for cuts. When I'm just getting a trim 90% of the time I hate the idea of paying $40 or more like you have to do around here.

So things were going well with the new stylist. I don't go super often, probably once every 4 months, so this was probably the 6th time I had been to her. Every other time it's been FINE. Last time she pushed to give me bangs, I said no and she respected it.

This time I asked for a trim. And then even showed her how much I wanted taken off. My hair was just resting on my shoulders and I wanted maybe an inch off, so it was clear of my shoulders and you could see beneath it. She asked about going shorter and stacking it a bit in the back, like hers. I said no, I was good with the style I had and just wanted a trim.

Then I took my glasses off and turned myself over to what I thought were trustworthy hands.

Now, I'm pretty darn blind without my glasses. So I could vaguely see what was going on and thought it I looked a little on the short side but not too bad. I didn't say anything because well, once it's cut, it's cut.

I realized just how short it was when the blow out started. She was curling it under and I realized just how little there was on the brush. Just how soon she was reaching the end of my hair. She didn't quite cut bangs, but cut the front just barely long enough to tuck behind my ears. Basically, I can tuck but it won't stay put. And overall length, well, it's above chin length for sure. I seriously think I was born with more hair than I have now.

I didn't say anything, because I'm non confrontational to the max, but I'm not going back. And I'm NOT happy.

And I know tomorrow I'll go to work and I'll get compliments on how it looks. And I'll have to be polite and say thank you. Even though it doesn't matter if others think it looks good when I absolutely hate it and don't feel like myself at all.

Seriously, trying to remind myself how 'first world' this problem is and I do know that.

But I'm still bummed. Really, really bummed.

Thanks, Twitter!

Today was a day of great twitter finds...

First, the cast of West Wing reunited for a PSA to promote walking. I heart them, and, as one of my friends said after watching it, "I'll do anything CJ and President Bartlett tell me to do!"

Then there was the open letter from the Consumer Product Safety Commission to "Dr. Addison Montgomery" of Private Practice. Apparently on last week's episode of the show Addison had a baby and brought him home from the hospital and put him in a very unsafe crib - filled with blankets, pillows and a padded bumper. Seriously? She plays an obstetrician for goodness sake. I know it's just a show, just entertainment, but a lot of people get their information from tv and will see a "doctor" doing something and think it's ok. I LOVE that the CPSC reacted the way they did and I really hope that the post gets some publicity and attention.

And then there were funny tweets that just made me laugh, like this one:

"@delrayser: OH at Obama/Karzai meeting: "Wait, Clooney's not here with you? But I got an email!""


Or absolute ridiculousness, like this: 


Sen. Scott Brown's 23 year-old daughter is on his insurance, thanks to Pres.Obama! A plan, Brown wants to repeal!#GOPocrisy

I know there are lots of people out there who still don't "get" twitter, but I have to say, I absolutely heart it and find SO much great stuff there every single day.