The Highs: 1. Didn’t have to go to work in the morning, slept in a whole 30 extra minutes 2. Free lunch at the Mit Romney Fundraiser that boyfriend’s mom put together 3. Got to see some of my favorite men: Daddy Gene & Gary Larson 4. Only worked 3 hours today 5. Company gave 6 extra vacation days to managers to use this year!!!! 6. Made it to Pilates tonight and the new teacher tonight was awesome 7. No frogs came in my house after me
The Lows: 1. The 2lbs I thought I lost showed back up this morning 2. Ironed my dress and by the time I got to boyfriends house it was wrinkly again 3. Didn’t get to finish my dessert at lunch 4. Horrible traffic on the way home: 1st 10min stand still for construction 2nd fire drill at the middle school on my street had to wait for the ENTIRE school to cross the street!!! 5. Production at work was very poor today 6. The plastic card for the Gym broke off my key chain and I was informed it would be $5 to replace it! Isn’t my monthly membership enough to cover a replacement??? 7. The kitchen sink is full of dirty dishes again, the trash is piling up in the kitchen (missed the garbage man by 2min this morning), where is boyfriend when you need him. He sure is shirking his household duties.
Actors are all or mostly talented in the arts. Other than acting some sing or dance, appearing on Broadway or doing the snippet of song on a movie or TV show. But then there are those actors who limelight as musicians. Here are my Top 10 Celebrities that can act and sing.
1. Ryan Gosling – he makes it to the top of the list because he is the most surprising to me. I always thought of him as this dull actor but apparently he sings, plays piano and guitar and has a fascination with the supernatural, hint hint his band’s name is Dead Man’s Bones. He has song a little in his movies, mainly Blue Valentine. Him and his friend Zach have this weird little band that has these zombie like children for a small choir to accompany them. However his voice is good.
2. Zooey Deschanel – Love her! I first heard her sing in the movie Elf. I think most people first heard her there. She plays Will Ferrell’s love interest where they do a accidental duet of “Baby it’s Cold Outside” in the work bathroom. She is in a band called She & Him, probably because there is her and than this guy. They sing some pretty catchy songs and do a few well known hits. I love the vintage sound in her voice.
3. Robert Downey Jr. – I don’t know if he is still in a band or not, but he did release a CD at one point. I discovered he could really sing when he was on a season of Ally McBeal. He does this great duet with Sting to “Every Breath You Take” but I couldn’t find a good clip that I could embed in my blog for you to see. He surprisingly has a great voice.
4. Leighton Meester – She sings in the movie Country Song and has a very sweet voice, check out her song “Give in to Me” from the movie. Leighton has released her own pop album recently as well. I kind of like her voice but I don’t know how well she will do in the music world. She should probably just stick to singing in movies. I think she should switch from pop to country music, I loved all her songs from the movie Country Strong, here is one from the movie.
5. Robert Pattinson – He is a singer and the best vampire ever. He even has two of his songs on the Twilight Soundtrack. I like his voice it’s kind of mysterious and you would have no idea it was him singing it especially after being well known for soft spoken Edward. Musician Robert is kind of dirty looking so I prefer actor Robert. Sorry for the poor video but all the ones of Robert singing were very poorly lit.
6. Bruce Willis – I’ve decided Bruce can do no wrong. He is a great at action and surprisingly very funny! And he has his own blues band. Everything he does is just cool. He may not be the best singer in the world but he sure looks great doing it.
7. Gwyneth Paltrow – She doesn’t have a band but I really like her voice. Another one from Country Strong movie. Gwyneth also has sang in a couple other movies and is married to a the lead singer of Cold Play, so maybe he helps her with her vocals. She has some other good songs in the movie too.
8. Kevin Bacon – just like Bruce Willis, can Kevin really do anything wrong? I mean people measure their success by the 7 degrees of Kevin Bacon game, where every actor can trace back to working with Kevin Bacon through 7 people. Try it, it’s a fun game. This is also a kind of lame band, The Bacon Brothers, and I don’t think they are around anymore. But we gotta still love Kevin bacon!
9. Hugh & Anne – ok these guys are not in bands or think of themselves of musicians (well at least I don’t think they do) I know they both do Broadway, but I remembered this great opening number to the Oscars back I think in 2009. It’s kind of funny and they both can perform really well. Hugh also apparently can dance.
10. Will Ferrell, Jack Black & John C. Reilly – ok this one is purely for fun. Jack Black actually can sing and I want to say he does perform, but I really don’t know. I thought this performance at one of the Oscar shows was fantastic and very funny! The clip ends at about 5min in.
We have been deep in that lull of summer TV. You know what I’m talking about. All your regularly scheduled shows are over and their reruns are now primetime. And there is only so much Keeping Up With the Kardashians, reruns of Seinfeld and Sex in the City I can handle. I just flip from one rerun to the next. Luckily Netflix Instant Play can provide some relief to this reoccurring ailment we all suffer with year after year. I’m not talking about watching movies. I’m talking about watching TV series on instant play. Sometimes you are not in the mood to commit to a 90min to 2hr movie, but you can commit to multiple 40min episodes. That is when you flip on your laptop and see what Netflix has for you in the TV category. I have several suggestions to help with your summertime TV blues. And if you have already seen these shows they are almost so good you could watch them again.
If you have some time on your hands or just like routine, these are some great TV shows you may have missed when they originally aired or couldn’t keep up with.
I remember when Ally McBeal was on TV. I don’t remember watching all of them and I also remember thinking it was kind of weird with dancing babies and imaginary visions always appearing out of the main characters neurotic world. But now I think this show would fit in fine with television today. It’s funny, dramatic and witty. I don’t find the dancing baby weird at all now, well maybe just a little. This series has it all with a lot of interoffice romance and crazy, quirky court cases.
I didn’t watch this at all when it originally aired on USA. I discovered it recently and loved it. Tony Shalhoub is hilarious as an OCD detective. He solves all his unique cases and does it with a nerdy flare. It is kind of depressing at times because in his spare time he obsesses over his wife’s unsolved murder and is terribly lonely without her.
Bones is still on TV, about to go into I think the 6th season or 7th, can’t keep up. But I love this show. Dr. Temprance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist/novelist who helps FBI agent Booth solve his murder cases by studying the bones of the corpses. This just isn’t any old murder mystery show, there is of course underlying tension between the two main characters, will they ever fall in love? Plus also what all good TV shows need, interoffice romance.
If you can’t commit to 5 plus seasons of endless episodes? Here are my favorite shows who’s lives were cut way too short. Why do the good always die young? With only 2 or 3 seasons to watch these are the top contenders.
Veronica Mars is yes a teen show off the CW. But it’s worth it. Who knew Kristen Bell was sooo witty and funny, love her! Her dad in the show is an ex-sheriff now private investigator and she has picked up a few tricks of the trade to help solve cases here and there for her school, classmates and random town’s people. But the biggest case she is trying to solve is the murder of her best friend, with the wrong man behind bars. Being outcasts in her own school because her and her father suspect the family murdered her best friend, she has a lot of enemies. Most of all it is just fun to watch her spin off a quick witted line.
I never heard of this show when it aired, but it is just full of whimsy and sweetness. Ned has a unique gift of bringing things back to life after they die by touching them. But if he touches them again they will be dead again forever. His childhood sweetheart is killed and he accidently touches her at her funeral and he can’t bear to touch her again so he let’s her live. He teams up with a local private eye to touch murder victims to tell them who they thought killed them. The whole show is part reality part fantasy world. Has a little bit of a Dr. Suess feel to the town.
Not sure if this show was canceled after 2 seasons, maybe it will reappear again. This is a off beat comedy about a work place. No it’s not copying The Office. The boss isn’t the wacko, its all the employees this time. Ted is a normal guy in middle management trying to deal with all the interesting personalities that work at his very unsympathetic corporate office. Very funny show, I hope it comes back for more seasons.
Feeling Nostalgic? Watch one of these great classics available! There are so many I couldn’t list them all. If you have Netflix check out the instant play shows to fill in for the next month until the fall line up starts.
I am a person of many pet peeves. One of them being when companies think they need to give their websites facelifts. I hate it. Nothing works right when they do that. I can’t navigate it like I used to and it just doesn’t make sense. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. When my bank decided to redo their site it was so fancy with flash my dinky home laptop can’t even access it, I can only pull it up from my work computer. This issue has led me to start thinking about leaving my bank after 12 years of being a loyal customer, all because they decided to go fancy. Well now Target did it to me. They went and made a new fancy site. I can’t seem to figure out where to log in with my Amazon account anymore. I tried logging in saying it was a target account and it had me reset my password but none of my information is stored, no past orders or receipts, no credit card info saved, nothing. Why did they do it, WHY????
I’m at the point in my health regime that I’ve hit a plateau. I’ve been told by all the work out gurus at my work that I need to start focusing on less cardio and more weights. However recently when I would lift weights at the gym I would get a little light headed. It wouldn’t happen all the time, just when I would focus on more weights over cardio. I thought this was because I was not eating enough potassium in my diet. I had read that low potassium can cause muscle weakness. My Fitness Pal says I need 3500mg a day! I say this is IMPOSSIBLE!!! there is not enough food out there with high potassium and if I were to reach that target everything I ate would have to have high potassium levels. So I did what I do best and ignored this and ate what I wanted. Then I started reading about Iron.
Apparently 80% of the world has an iron deficiency making it the #1 nutritional disorder in the world! The recommended daily allowance for adults between the ages of 19-50 are: 8mg for men & 18mg for women (unless you are breastfeeding then only need 9mg which I find interesting, but if your pregnant you need 27mg) Without enough iron you will have low energy and immune system is compromised. Also the more you exercise the more you are at risk of not getting enough Iron into your system. Your body loses iron through sweat and exercises uses stored iron to get oxygen to your muscles.
Now I need to figure out what foods I need to eat to increase my iron intake. But there are foods that can reduce your bodies ability to absorb iron, such as tea, coffee, bran and dairy products. After researching the top foods rich in iron, I soon realized I’m most likely part of that 80% because I rarely eat the food or want to eat the food on this list. Also some of them are very high in calories.
1. Red Meat – HORRIBLE for a low calorie diet 2. Egg Yolks – the worst part of the egg 3. Dark Leafy Greens – I can do this I love spinach 4. Dried Fruit – usually high in sugar 5. Iron rich cereal/grains – once again got to watch the sugar and calories on cereal 6. Mollusks – I do love scallops and oysters 7. Turkey or chicken giblets – I don’t even want to know what a giblet is 8. Beans, lentils, chick peas, and soybeans – I’ve been wanting to incorporate more beans into my meal plan 9. Liver – NO WAY! 10. Artichokes – this is not very practical to eat on a daily basis
Also eating a lot of food with vitamin C will help your body absorb the iron in the foods you eat. I’m going to put my focus on eating more beans such as chickpeas (hummus) and grains (flax bread).
I’ve been such a blog slacker ever since my vacation. I think maybe I’ve run out of much to say or I’ve just been really tired at night. Can’t decide. Today was very full. This week that is. I’ve made cupcakes 3 times in the last 10 days. Twice frogs have broken into my house and I have freaked out! Went from Grocery shopping twice a month to going 3 times this week. I stayed late at work two nights this last week and went to the gym 4 times this week. Things are happening in multiples for me lately, just wish they were all good things.
Today my sister’s family came over to go to my pool, it has a nice beach slop entrance so it’s easy for the kids to go in and out of the pool. Afterwards I made super duper chocolate cupcakes for them all. My other brother in law came over to help fix the weather stripping under my front door (which is how the devil frogs are violating my home) so I sent him on his way with some cupcakes and a tentative date for bribed babysitting to get the work done on my door so quickly.
The Chocolate Kisser Cupcake – ok I know it needs a name change, I’m working on it.
Matt came over that night and we had all these big plans of burgers and bowling. We made it to the burgers but after that we felt so full and yucky we just wanted to go home. And we did. We are such a lively bunch…lol. I also wanted to make another batch of cupcakes for Matt’s sister’s family (the reason for my 3rd trip to the grocery store that week) We are going over to see their new house after church tomorrow and I felt it appropriate to bring something. Also it’s the welcomed excuse I need to try out a new cupcake off my list. The other two batches I’d made this week I’ve made before. This time I tried my Curious George cupcakes. Not sure why, the name just felt like it fit. They are also my first Peanut Butter creation and my first time making homemade frosting. Homemade frosting is not my favorite, I usually never like when I taste other people’s, it’s never as good as what comes in the tub. The texture of the recipe I made was very creamy so it didn’t spread or stick to the cupcake like I had wanted, so things got a little messy. I muscled up to try one cupcake because I was soooo full from binging on Five Guy’s burgers and fries. I couldn’t enjoy it like I wanted to. It’s an extremely rich and peanut buttery cupcake. No pictures of this one I’m afraid, I was very frustrated with the messy frosting that I just didn’t think about it. Also I was unsettled half way through baking when I noticed frog #2 of the week hoping across my living room floor. Luckily Matt was there this time to get it immediately out of my house! I’ll be curious to see if everyone likes the cupcakes tomorrow.
So that was my night. Still feel yucky from all my food. I barely ate all day until dinner and boy did I stuff my face. I’m really tired right now, got up at 8am to go grocery shopping and the gym and baked all day. I’m ready for bed!
So if you know my day to day activities it does not include the news, no paper, no nightly news, nothing. Except for what they show on the Weather channel. The only time I watch the news is when CNN is on over the treadmill I happen to be on at the gym. Tonight I saw one of the sweetest things ever. Let me preface it with, watching the service men return home and seeing their spouses and children get surprised and cry is very touching but I’m sorry this doesn’t beat what I saw tonight. Service men reuniting with their dogs!!! I almost started crying on the treadmill! I have a huge soft spot for dogs. Watch the CNN segment, these reunions are one of the best things I’ve ever seen. Ok kids reuniting with their dads is pretty great too.
I posted a couple of the full versions of the reunions that were just super adorable that I found on You Tube.
Today I’ve had a lazy Sunday. I worked a little on planning out more cupcake ideas for future baking days while I watched the finale episodes of SYTYCD. I’m baking Lemon Cupcakes for a birthday at work tomorrow. I call them my Pucker Up Cupcakes. I haven’t made cupcakes in months, but tonight this is what inspired me to pull out my past ideas and add to them. I came up with some fun flavor ideas; playing with Coconut, German Chocolate Cake, Raspberries, Apple Pie filling and Carrot Cake. Not all together just in case you were wondering. I’m going to have to start making more of my cupcakes but I just can’t eat them, so I’ll have to find reasons to make them and give them away. I’m sure others won’t complain. I got way off track with my eating habits this last week with the family beach trip. And last night was just as bad with a hearty dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse, but it was yummy!
Cupcakes are done. Still finishing up the Finale SYTYCD. If you watch the show you already know who won. I’m a little behind on my DVR watching. I’m just glad no one spoiled it like my old boss did with the American Idol finale. I’m about to find out who won…..and the WINNER is……
MELANIE MOORE!!!!!
She was my top pick since the first episode, so I’m glad she won tonight. Now that SYTYCD is over that is it for me until fall TV starts. Good thing for Netflix Instant Play.
My niece’s 1st birthday is coming up on 8/31 and I’ve decided to make the cupcakes for the family festivities. The theme of the party is undecided at this point but I’m getting excited about all the cute cupcake ideas I’m finding. Which ones do you like best?
