"It Must Be A New York Thing"

(A quick note:  I've provided a word for today, however it may not work.  My fault, I forgot to give the words to Jake before he left for Nashville; my apologies to all.)

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


Despite the novel I wrote for the post about my trip to New York, I realize that I left out a funny story; so that will be today's post.

While waiting for the subway to go to Staten Island, I kept hearing this faint, "beep, beep, beep".  I couldn't figure out where it was coming from, and neither could Patty.  At one point she suggested it was my cell phone.  I was sure it wasn't, since my phone wasn't on; I even pulled it out of my pocket to show her.

We get on the train, and we still hear the "beep, beep, beep".  It's faint, but just loud enough to be annoying.  I'd already checked my phone, so I knew that wasn't the source.  Patty's phone wasn't the culprit either.

At Staten Island, we don't hear the sound anymore, at least for a little bit; then it starts up again.  At this point I've come to the conclusion that it must be a "New York" thing; like a security system or something.  Thankfully it didn't last too long, and we didn't hear it the rest of the day.

Don't think anymore about it, since we didn't hear it anymore.  Then Wednesday, we get to the airport, and we start hearing "beep, beep, beep", again.  Same as before, faint but loud enough to be annoying.  By that time my curiosity had taken over; so the next airport personnel I saw, I asked about the sound.

The first thing the woman says is, "it's your cell phone".  I say no, because I'd checked the day before, and it wasn't on when I'd heard the sound.  She insists that it is, and says she knows it is, because her phone has the same alarm.  I was STILL positive it wasn't my phone though, since I've never set the alarm on it.

In the meantime the sound has stopped, but started up a minute later.  The woman says, "yeah, it's your phone".  I pull my phone out of my pocket, and guess what?

Not only is my stupid phone on, it's happily beeping away; even louder now that it's been released from the confines of my pocket!  Talk about embarassing!  ACK!!!

What's worse, I have NO idea how the alarm got set in the first place; I know I didn't do it.  Even worse than that; I had no idea how to get it to stop going off!  Seriously, I checked my phone, got to the clock setting and still had no idea how to make it stop coming on at the same time every day!

Lucky for me, Josh understands this stuff.  He took my phone and in less than five minutes he had the alarm turned off, hallelujah!

As you can tell, I use my phone a lot...NOT!  And I don't think I'll be getting another one any time soon; I mean, if I can't figure out this phone, heaven forbid what would happen if I had a smartphone!  That's all I need, a phone that's smarter than me!  

From Portland, to Texas, to New York & Back

A week ago today my friend, Patty, and I were both finishing up last minute details in preparation for our trip to New York City.

Since Patty didn't want my son, Josh, to have to be driving us to the airport in the wee hours of Monday morning, it was decided that we'd spend Sunday night in a hotel.  Around 6pm, Josh dropped us off at the Portlander Inn, which is part of the Jubitz Truck Stop in Portland, Oregon.

The plan was to settle in, try to relax and get some rest for our trip the next day.  That was the plan, what happened, not so much.

We'd gotten special t-shirts made by Phil and Lyssa Davidson, of Davidson Specialty Printing, to wear when we met Taylor Swift; as well as one for Taylor.  I'd given Patty hers the previous Friday, so she had time to wash it first.  However, at the hotel Sunday, I'm looking at the two shirts that were the same size as Patty's and both said "I Met Taylor Swift...".   That wasn't right, one of them was supposed to say, "I M Taylor Swift...", which was the shirt for Taylor.

Come to find out, I'd given Patty the wrong shirt, and neither of us had noticed!  ACK!  Thank goodness we were staying at Jubitz; since it's like a little city all it's own.  We ended up taking two shirts, and Patty's jacket to the laundromat on site.   While the things were washing, we went for dinner at the Cascade Grill. Part way through dinner, time to put the stuff in the dryer.  Dinner done and time to retrieve the laundry; crisis solved!

During our ventures between our room, the laundromat and the restaurant, we'd been talking with the guy working the front desk of the hotel.  DeJuan Sanders is one of the nicest hotel staff members you'll ever meet!  Funny, and friendly, and interested in everything going on during his shift.

I hadn't originally planned on starting my post about our trip until we got to New York, however, after the t-shirt debacle, and meeting DeJuan, I decided the story should really start sooner.  I mean, we hadn't even left Portland and we'd already started an adventure in laundry!  The bright side?  I told Patty now she can tell everyone she's done Taylor Swift's laundry!

As far as the "getting a good night's sleep" goes; let's just say that was the intention.  Excitement however can cause good intentions to go out the window!  Needless to say, 3am came very early!  We did it though!  Got ready, got everything together, and hopped on the shuttle to the airport. Got to the airport, through security, and to the gate we needed; no problems...so far. 

Time to get on the plane; made it.  Time to take off; problem!  Seems there was something wrong with the fuel pump filling the plane with fuel, so we couldn't leave until it was fixed, and the plane was fueled up. That set us about 30 to 45 minutes behind schedule getting to the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, which presented problem number two. It was almost guaranteed we'd miss our connecting flight to New York.  Long story short, we did miss it; however we didn't know it until after the woman at the gate in Texas told us we "might" still be able to make the flight.  She sent us to the original gate we were supposed to have gone to.  Nope, not a chance; the woman at that gate was very apologetic, and said the other woman should have known the plane was already gone.  She felt bad for what had happened, especially since Patty is still walking with a cane a lot of the time; (due to fracturing her ankle in February).  The woman headed us in the right direction, explaining we had to ride the Skylink to get to the gate we needed.  Talk about a HUGE airport!  You know it's big when you have to ride a little train to get to your gate, and it's in the SAME terminal!  WOW!    We made it to our gate and on to the plane though, so another crisis avoided.

During this time, I had called Christine Drexel, from Big Machine Records, to let her know our flight was late.  Then it was just a matter of another plane ride, before we got to New York.  Thankfully the flight was uneventful.

Landed in New York, went to baggage claim, per earlier instructions, to find our ride to the hotel.  Lots of people holding signs; none that say "Big Machine".  Another call to Christine.  In the meantime, one of the other girls helping Christine, called, asked where we were, and said she'd come get us.  None of us had ever been to New York before, so that in itself was an adventure!  Another phone call, and letting each other know what the other was wearing and we did finally find each other and make it to the van!

On the ride to the hotel, everyone introduced themselves and where they were from.  Also found out that there were approximately one hundred contest winners that were coming into New York, and they all had to be picked up and taken to the hotel.  Christine and her team had been in New York since Saturday, getting everything set up and ready.

One of the funniest moments of that ride was when Lauren, (one of  the Big Machine interns), was talking with someone named John from Grand Avenue Transportation, (the company hired to pick up people for Big Machine).  The driver of our van asked her if the person she was talking to was John, something, (I don't remember), and Lauren said yes.  The driver then said, "tell him Bill pay says hi".  Lauren asked if he said "Tate"; no, "Pate"; no.  Turns out, this guy is a true New Yorker, with a thick accent!  While we all were trying to figure out this guy's last name, all he'd really been saying was "Bill P."!  It made everyone laugh, and the guy said he felt like he was driving the Clampetts around!  

Made it to the hotel finally, beautiful place; the Millenium on Broadway.  Get inside, set our stuff down, and go check in with Christine and another woman, Mandy, to get our instructions and wristbands for Tuesday.

That done, we get checked in to our room, and head for the 23rd floor.  Whether it was my warped sense of humor, lack of sleep, or both, upon entering the hotel room, I couldn't help but laugh.  Here we are on the 23rd floor of this deluxe hotel in the middle of Times Square; what's the first thing you see when you open the hotel room door?  The bathroom!  Seriously!  You almost walk right into it, unless you take an immediate right into the room instead!  Too funny!

Speaking of Times Square, Patty and I got settled in, then went exploring Times Square, to get a feel of where we wanted to go the next day, and to find food.  There's so much to see there!  The best way I came up with to describe Times Square is, it's like the Las Vegas strip, without the casinos.  Especially at night, everything is lit up.  Though I know it's definitely the place for "tourists", it's still a cool place!

 Found food, wandered around a bit, then headed back to the room for some sleep, since we had to be ready and in the lobby of the hotel at 5:15 the next morning.  Alas, still no solid sleep in sight; dang all the excitement anyway!

   Once again, up early, get ready, and head to the lobby.  5:30am, head the half  block over to the Good Morning America studios.  Stand in line with everyone else. Cross the street, go through security, go back across the street, wait.   Final okay, cross the street again, go through the entrance that's set up by the outdoor stage.  Stand in the massive crowd of people, all waiting for Taylor Swift.  Probably walked a good two blocks just crossing and recrossing the street!  Worth it though!
 

Before Taylor's actual performance on Good Morning America, she came out to do a sound check, and say hi to the crowd.  In between time it was just a lot of standing, waiting, and watching the Good Morning America crew do their job.  Over all, pretty interesting.

Once again though, Patty and I hadn't eaten, or drank anything before heading out.  Too early, and also, no way to use the restroom if needed; too compacted standing in the crowd!

Finally, it was time for Taylor to perform live on Good Morning America.  Over all, she performed three songs, and talked with the hosts of the show.  Since her spot was in the last segment,  once Taylor was done performing, she was taken back into the Good Morning America studio, and the crowd on the street was being dispersed.

Those of us with black "Taylor Swift" wristbands were told to stay where we were, while the rest of the crowd was cleared out.  We were then taken inside the Good Morning America studio where we were to meet Taylor.  Those in charge explained that Taylor was on vocal rest, except for performances and interviews; therefore she wasn't able to talk with anyone that day.   The person said Taylor really wanted to talk with everyone, but wasn't supposed to, so if she did try to talk, we were supposed to tell her to stop!

The actual meet and greet was very quick.  Each winner and their guest stepped up and had their photo taken with Taylor, then moved on.

There were no autographs that day, however Taylor had previously signed photos for everyone in Nashville.  Unfortunately the photos were left in Nashville, so everyone will be getting them mailed to their home instead.  Again though, little sleep, no food or drink, and five hours of standing outside...Definitely worth it!

Once the meet and greet was through, everyone was on their own for what they wanted to do until it was time to head home the next day.

For Patty and myself, we hit the nearest Starbucks first.  It also happened to be the Starbucks next to where the Good Morning America side door is.  We're in this tiny Starbucks, crowded with people on break, those of us just leaving the set, and a lot of teenage girls.  The teenage girls are all in one corner of the store, waiting to get a glimpse of Taylor as she's leaving.  It wasn't hard to tell when that moment came, since they all started screaming hysterically!

From the Starbucks, back to the hotel room, so Patty can get off her foot, and get some ice on her ankle.  Then to find food.  We'd splurged the night before, and gone to Ruby Tuesday's.  This time we decided to just go with Subway, which was directly across from our hotel; well at least the one you could eat at was!

It seems that some of us who had never been to New York before October, 2012, could be easily confused about Subways.  I mean, I'm a Pacific Northwestener, born and raised; you say "subway", I think "sandwich". 

So, I was a bit surprised when I saw a "Subway" sign and it was different than the ones back home.  Yet, there were also the "Subway" signs like I was used to.  Odd, but maybe it was a Times Square thing.  Maybe they had different signs for their stores in that area; with those on other streets being the usual type.  Yeah, that's what I was thinking; until I got a good look at one of the different "Subway" places.  Leave it to me to get the *actual* subway confused with "Subway" restaurants!  I plead too much excitement, and not enough sleep for my error.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Patty and I did experience both types of subway though.  After eating at Subway, we went to the New York City Visitor's Center, to find out how to get to Staten Island.  While there, we also wrote on scraps of tissue paper, and added them to the rest that others had written on.  All these scraps will become part of the 10,000 pounds of confetti that will float down on Times Square when it hits 2013.  It'll be cool to watch the ball drop, and know that somewhere my little scrap is out there.

After getting instructions how to get to the subway, and which train we needed, Patty and I headed off.  Found the station with no problem, waited for the train, got on and rode it to the last stop, so we could catch the Staten Island Ferry.

We'd both decided it was okay if we didn't actually go inside the Statue of Liberty; that if we got to see it, we'd be happy.  And that's what we did.  We took the ferry over to Staten Island, taking pictures of the statue along the way.

We then took some time wandering around the building at Staten Island, before getting on a ferry back to the subway.  Another "must see and do" crossed off our list!

With having such a short amount of time in New York City, we decided what we had to see, and what we'd have to skip.  The Statue of Liberty was at the top of that list.

When we got back to the Times Square area, we decided to explore a bit outside of it to see what we could see.  Saw some interesting things, like the Fox News Building, CBS studios, and the thing that made me the most excited; Radio City Music Hall!

I know a lot of people probably don't think it's a big deal; I've always thought it was a cool place though; with a lot of history, including the world famous Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.  So when we found it by accident, I was happy!

A bit more wandering, then it was back to Times Square.

I've always been a big kid at heart, so there was no way I was going to miss three specific places in Times Square; M&M World, Hershey's and Toys R Us!  Yes, we made it to all three places, and had a lot of fun.  Patty and I even rode the ferris wheel at Toys R Us; very cool to do!

We were getting tired, and hungry by that time, so we decided to get something to eat and take it back to our room.  The whole time in New York, I kept remarking how sometimes Times Square smells just like a county fair.  Every corner has different food vendors, primarily hot dog stands.  We decided that was going to be our final thing to eat while in New York;  great idea, and bad at the same time.

Great idea, because you get a lot of food for the price. Bad idea, because now that we've had authentic New York hot dogs, all others will never be as good!  We still haven't figured out what made them so good, we just know they are!

With the majority of the excitement behind us, Patty and I finally got some good, solid sleep that night.  Then it was up, get ready, pack, and be in the hotel lobby by 11:15am for our ride to the airport.

Pretty much the same thing as leaving Portland for New York, without the fueling problem.  One difference was a plane I spotted sitting to the side of the runway at Laguardia.  I knew it had to be Donald Trump's private jet, so I took a picture of it, so I could look it up when I got home.

Sure enough, it is the Donald's, though it's his old one.  According to what I read, Trump upgraded to a newer jet.  This one is a 1968 model, and used to be run by American Airlines.  That explains why it was sitting on the tarmac where American Airlines flies from!

Fairly uneventful flights back, both from New York and Dallas/Fort Worth.  I did take a few pictures from the windows of the planes coming and going on our trip.  The last picture I took however was unintentional, yet, pretty well sums up how Patty and I were feeling after our whirlwind adventure.

It's funny, because I never really cared if I ever went to New York or not.  Now that I've been there though, I want to go back!  At least long enough to see the things we didn't get a chance to see this time!

No KUPL Listener Blog Words...

Just a quick post to let all the KUPL Nation members know, there won't be any words this week. 

KUPL Listener Blog words will resume on Tuesday, October 30, 2012; when I return from my trip.

Thank you everyone!

Craig Campbell @ Duke's--Portland, Oregon--10-18-12

Craig Campbell made his way back to the Pacific Northwest with a show at Duke's Bar & Grill, In Portland, Oregon,  October 18, 2012.

Lock, Stock & Barrel were orginally scheduled to open for Campbell; though at the last minute local favorite, Kurt Van Meter, filled in for the band instead.

You could tell, even though it was last minute, Van Meter was up to the task, and happy to be there.  He and his band played original songs scattered between cover versions of other tunes.  The whole band was having a great time playing, and joking around with each other on stage.  They fed off each other, and the crowd, and in return the crowd picked up their energy as well.

Towards the end of his set, Van Meter brought Tyler Titus, one of the co-founders of Lock, Stock & Barrel on stage to sing with him.

As it turns out, Titus is leaving Lock, Stock & Barrel, and Portland.  He's heading back to Texas and forming a new band.  This was mentioned on stage, after he and Van Meter sang together.

When Van Meter's set was done, there was a short break while the stage was set for Craig Campbell.   When it was time, B-Dub from KUPL introduced the "Family Man" singer to the audience.

Campbell performed a mix of music from his first CD, as well as new music, and covers of other country songs.

Whether it was tearing through a rocking number; or performing a ballad; Campbell gave each song his all.  Though at times Campbell's voice did get drowned out by the music; during the ballads he shined.

As with Kurt Van Meter, the crowd gathered at Duke's fed off the energy being given from the stage. When Campbell would ask for audience participation, he got plenty of it; which in turn fed his energy level.

Craig Campbell may not be as well known as other country artists; however, don't be fooled, the man has tons of talent, and is very professional at what he does.  He more than proved this at Duke's that night.

Who?--Wow!

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


By now, anyone who reads this blog knows that I really don't like "cookie-cutter" music; that stuff that all sounds the same and can be done by anyone.  I like distinct voices that I can recognize, and music that makes me pay attention to it.  It's part of why I like overnight radio, it's when listeners get to hear more of the new music and new artists than get played at other times of the day.

One new song that caught my attention is called "Merry Go 'Round".  The first time I heard it, I loved it, and was positive I knew who sang it.  I was so positive in fact, that I didn't even look it up on KUPL's playlist, to be sure I was right.  Yep, the voice *I* heard, combined with the subject matter, had me convinced "Merry Go 'Round" was by Miranda Lambert.

As it turns out, the song got played during Lola's time slot on KUPL, and she mentioned the song was by new artist, Kacey Musgraves.  Who?  Never heard of her; but there it was, Kacey Musgraves, not Miranda Lambert, does this cool tune.

Another new song on overnights is Montgomery Gentry's "I'll Keep the Kids".  Again, this was a song where I recognized the voices immediately; though I did go check KUPL's playlist this time, just to be sure.

What really caught my attention with this tune was the delivery and the wording.  While the delivery is somewhat quiet, and low-key, the wording carries a direct one-two punch to every part of the listener.  The lines of the song refer to the singer's "dad's old guitar", "grandma's ring", and other momentos the wife is wanting in the break-up.  There are also references to being "hit below the belt", with some of the requests, etc.  Then the tables turn a bit when the lyrics mention that the wife has asked for all these material things, yet not mentioned the children; thus the line, "I'll keep the kids".  Basically, "take anything you want, but if you're not going to say anything about the kids, then they're mine".

Rather than being curious as to whether this song was actually by MG, I was more curious to see who'd written "I'll Take The Kids".  As I suspected, it was written by Eddie Montgomery, while he was going through his divorce.  No surprise there; what had me saying "wow", was the intensity of the lyrics.  This is one of those songs that, even if it was done more "in your face", and louder, would still send the same message.  The fact it *is* so quiet and low-key is what makes the song even better.

Though these are only two of the new tunes out to radio, I think there may be a pattern brewing here.  The light-hearted tunes of summer are making way for the darker songs of the fall.

Though a bit depressing, here's hoping both these songs make it on the country music charts.

Dustin Lynch--"Dustin Lynch"

By now, if you listen to country regularly you've heard the name Dustin Lynch.  Likewise, you've probably  been hearing Lynch's debut single, "Cowboys & Angels" a lot.  And of course there are all the women out there who can't get enough of his good looks.

So, is there more to Dustin Lynch, besides being handsome?  Yes.

Is his debut CD good?  Yes. Could it be better?  Yes. To be honest, except for the current single, and two other songs, Lynch's CD could be done by almost any country artist on the charts today.  It's too bad, because Lynch really does have a great voice and true talent.

The CD starts off great with the rockin' "She Cranks My Tractor".  Though Lynch himself has said this song will probably never be a single, it should be.  It's got energy, isn't overly produced, and Lynch just shines during the number.

The next eleven tracks, including "Cowboys & Angels", are fairly generic country tunes that one would expect to hear on today's country stations.  Not that they aren't good; it's that unlike the opening track, Lynch's unique voice has been washed out with over production.  Guaranteed, hear Lynch do these same songs acoustically, you'll understand just how much better they could have been recorded.

Speaking of acoustic, the final track on Lynch's CD is the true star of the album.  The bonus track, "Your Plan", has Lynch singing a beautiful ballad, accompanied only by a guitar.  This track is the real Dustin Lynch.  Strip away everything, down to the bare basics, and you hear just how wonderful Lynch really is as a singer.

So, while Dustin Lynch's debut contribution to country music is good, he's one artist who actually sounds better live than recorded.  Next time Lynch plays near you, check him out; you'll hear what's missing on his CD.

Jason Aldean--"Night Train"

Jason Aldean's fifth studio album, "Night Train" should sit comfortably with his fans.

The songs on "Night Train" are a mix of what Aldean is best known for, rockin' honky-tonk, ballads, and yes, even a bit of rap.  It's as though he's taken what's successful on his first four CD's and mashed them together to make "Night Train".

Granted, fifteen songs on a CD is a great deal; however, when most of those songs are basically the same as earlier ones, what's the point?

Even Aldean's first single,  "Take A Little Ride", seems to be playing it safe.  There's nothing about the song that really makes it stand out from other tunes on "Night Train", or any of Aldean's previous efforts.   Whether it's the label, the producer, or Aldean himself, it seems that no one is willing to stray too far outside the box and try something new.  Yes, there are a couple stand outs on "Night Train"; even if they still fall within safe perimeters.

For instance, "The Only Way I Know" is your basic Aldean tune. Combine it with other artists, (in this case Luke Bryan and Eric Church), and that "basic" song gets a new feel and vibe.  What really stands out on "The Only Way I Know" is how the three distinct and diverse voices of Aldean, Bryan and Church all blend together so well, without overshadowing one another.  Definitely a song worth considering as a single.

Another standout is "Black Tears".  The song is a haunting ballad about a woman who works at a strip club, and would rather not be there.  What makes this song shine brighter than the rest is not only Aldean's delivery, but the way the song was written as well.  Songwriters say they try to tell the same stories in different ways.  "Black Tears" certainly is a new take on an old subject; and the writers should be proud of the job they've done.

Probably the catchiest tune on "Night Train" is "1994".  If you're not really paying attention, this song can blend in with the rest of the tunes on the CD.  Really listen though, and you'll see why it's so catchy.  "1994" is basically written about country singer, Joe Diffie.  Not only is Diffie mentioned by name, so are several of his hits, like "John Deere Green" and "Pick Up Man".  Though probably not worthy of being a radio single, "1994" still will put a smile on most peoples' faces; especially those familiar with Joe Diffie.

If you've liked Jason Aldean's music in the past, and want more of the same, "Night Train" will meet your standards.  If you're looking for more than the same old, same old however, save some money and just buy the downloads of the stand out songs from this CD.

The Countdown Has Begun!

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)

Wooooo hooooo!  The countdown is officially underway as of yesterday; less than a week until  my friend, Patty, and I are in New York City!

I've been excited about this since winning the "Meet Taylor Swift" trip last April!  Now, after one cancellation, (to Ottawa, Canada), in August, our rescheduled trip is just about to become reality!

So far, we don't know our entire itinerary, just our flights, where we'll be staying, and when we'll be at Good Morning America to meet Taylor.  No worries though, we've been assured all details will be in place, and given to us before we leave for the Big Apple next Monday.

Definitely not wishing my life away, but I honestly can't wait for this adventure!  To keep things under control however, I've limited myself to one word, if I feel my excitement getting out of control.  Since just writing about this trip gets me excited, I'll end this post with that one word:  EEK!

Austin Webb @ the Bing Lounge--10-12-12

It's likely that most people reading this post have never heard of Austin Webb.  If that's the case, you'll want to keep reading and learn more about this talented young man.

Originally from South Carolina, Webb began writing poetry at nine years old; and picked up the guitar when he was sixteen years old.

We've all heard stories of  the "over night success" that some have had; usually said tongue in cheek because of it's actual rarity.  In Webb's case
however, this is very close to the truth.  March of 2011, Webb won a music contest, quit his job the same day, and moved to Nashville.  Seven months ago, to help pay the bills, Webb started working at Starbucks; thanks to his guitar player, Jake Mitchell, who also worked there.

Four months ago, Webb got a call from Byron Gallimore, (known for working with country artists such as Sugarland, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Jo Dee Messina), wanting to sign Webb to a publishing deal.  A few days later, Gallimore offered Webb a recording deal as well; and Webb then quit his Starbucks job.  (As a side note, Mitchell quit his job two months ago, to play guitar with Webb.)

Since that time, Webb has literally been on a whirlwind of radio stops across the country.  Two months ago, this young man had never been on a plane.  By the time he got to the Bing Lounge in Portland, he figured he'd been on at least twenty flights in those past two months, with several more lined up.

So, after the flurry of activity over the last year and a half, you're probably wondering, is this guy worthy of all the attention?  In one word, yes.

While Webb may, or may not, be considered "traditional" country, his music is definitely worth being played on country radio.  His voice is unique enough, (tinged with just the right amount of emotion and soul), to stand out from the many cookie-cutter artists played nowadays.  Watching, and listening to him perform, you can see and hear the passion he has for his art.

Like others at the Bing Lounge, Webb played a handful of tunes he'd written; telling the stories behind each one.  One of those songs, "It's All Good", is scheduled as Webb's first single, due out to radio in December.

If you like this video, be sure to go to KUPL's YouTube page, (987kuplvideo), and watch the rest of Webb's performance in the Bing Lounge.

In a nutshell, Austin Webb is a country artist to be looking out for in the near future.

Time's A Wastin'!

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)

Today's post is about something I saw on Earthquake Jake's Facebook page.  He'd made a post about how he puts things off; sounds like me!

When I saw his post, my thought was, "hmmm, sounds like a good subject for a blog post, 'Procrastination'". 

Yep, definitely something I know, (heck, I was BORN eleven days late), and can write about confidently.

Then I decided to wait on it until another time.

The Cat's Meow

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


A day or two before our dog, Phluffernuffer, had to be put to sleep, a small cat showed up at my parents' place next door.

It's been a year or so since my parents have had cats, so they didn't have any food for it, or anything.  At first the cat was skitterish, and would run any time they'd open the door.  Even then however, my dad had given it a name, "Rusty".

The name is because of the cat's color, which I guess would best be described as cinnamon, though darker than our dog's color.  It's funny, because my dad professes to *hate* cats, yet, he was the first one to feed this one and give it a name.  My mom, who loves cats was the one saying they couldn't keep it.

Since we'd never had a cat the color of this one, I looked on the internet to see if I could identify at least partially  what the breed may be. According to what I read, (and what a friend later confirmed when seeing the cat), we've decided, 1.) It's a girl; 2).  She may be older than just a kitten; and 3).  She's at least part Abyssinian.  This last is determined from her unique color, face and ears.  If we could actually get a photo of her when she's not moving, or eating, readers would see what I mean.  Since she doesn't stop moving, except to eat, this is the best we could do.

In the meantime, Rusty kept hanging around; and so did her "cattitude".  This cat definitely has one of those! After a day, she began to not run when the door was opened; though the attitude of, "I'm humoring you", was there.

Within a week, she was letting us pet her, but not pick her up.  If she didn't like something though, she'd hiss at whoever was closest.  It only took one time with my mom for Rusty to learn not to do it again!  She learned immediately that she wasn't going to get her way by hissing.

From then on Rusty just got friendlier and friendlier.  Anything she was told she couldn't do, she'd stop.  In two months, though the attitude hasn't left, Rusty has gone from a cat with a mean attitude, to one of the sweetest cats I've ever seen.

Now that our dog is gone, Rusty tends to hang around our house during the day; she's madly in love with my son, Josh.  Any time he's outside, she's there.  When he paints the house, she's on his shoulder.  If he sits down, she's in his lap, just purring away.

Though Rusty wants to be outside during the day, at night, she wants inside.  So, when it starts getting dark, she heads to my parents' house, where she goes in the door, down the stairs and into the basement until morning.

Like it or not, my parents have a new cat; and so do we.  I have to admit though, she IS a sweet cat, once you get past her cattitude!  

No Crisis Here

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)



Why is it when you're young and like something, it's cute; but when you're an adult and like the same thing, you're having a mid-life crisis?

I could understand it if it was something someone just suddenly decided on.  Something they may never have considered, and now that they're older, they want it, to remind them of their younger days.  When it's something someone has always liked though, it just doesn't seem like it should be classified as any kind of crisis.

For instance, I've always liked bright, neon colors, especially combined with black.  If I could only pick one favorite color, it would be hot neon pink; though I like all the neon colors.

Granted, some things should never be certain colors, like bubble gum pink vehicles.  As much as I like pink, cars are not one of the things I think should be that color; well at least not that color of pink.  There's a new Chevy vehicle out this year, that comes in "Techno Pink";  it's the Chevy Spark, and I actually like this color, and the car.

Currently we're painting our house, and the colors I chose were "Sea of Atlantis", with "Immortality" for the trim.

To be honest, the color samples online, and in the store are actually darker than the actual colors of the paint.  Though I usually wouldn't pick really bright colors for a house, these colors really aren't overpowering.  Once the painting is done, maybe I'll post a photo of our house for readers to see.

Then there's what led to me writing this post.  I've been looking for a new pair of shoes for the fall and winter.  I want something sturdy,  and comfortable that look nice, to me anyway.  I'm kind of picky about shoes.

Usually I get a pair of hiking shoes, in brown or black; something that will go with anything I wear; and they usually last me quite awhile.  The past couple of years however, I've had issues with the shoes I've bought; they just don't hold up like pairs I've had in the past.

While looking for a new pair of shoes online, I ran across a few pairs of sneakers, (or whatever they're called now), that I kind of liked; though I decided they weren't sturdy enough for the colder weather.  It got me to thinking though, if I could find a good, comfortable fitting tennis shoe that would hold up.  As I said, I'm picky about my shoes; they have to scream at me for me to want them.  If I see something I like, but it's just ho-hum, I keep looking.

Found a pair online that absolutely screamed my name; and started researching where I could buy them; I don't buy shoes online, I want to try them on first.

Located a store in my area that carried the shoes I'd seen and had my size.  Went, tried them on, LOVE THEM!!! They're comfortable, sturdy, and totally me! The shoes though are the reason my son and his friends think I'm going through a mid-life crisis.  As I said though, it can't be considered a mid-life crisis if it's something a person has always liked; which is the case with these shoes.

Seriously, what's not to love about these shoes?!  They're black, with all my favorite neon colors!  And if they weren't meant for adults to wear them, then why would they make them in adult sizes?

I really think, with all the pretty rainbow colors, these shoes will help brighten up the dreary winter days ahead.  Besides, as I told my son, it could be worse...for him.  The only thing these shoes are missing are the lights they put in shoes, so they light up when you walk.  Not that I didn't try to find a pair of those!

Where Oh Where Has My Little Blog Gone?!

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


If anyone is reading this post, I'm guessing the issue has been resolved.

You see, I went in to write a post Saturday, and I couldn't find my blog!  I couldn't even find the "Extras" icon on KUPL's website.

Not knowing whether it was the site, or my computer, I was left to find another way to make a post; which I was able to do, and did.

Got to work Monday, tried finding my blog on my work computer, both through Explorer and Google Chrome.  Both times the "Extras" icon came up, but not where it belongs, and not listing everything under it's heading; I have Firefox at home.

After trying to find my blog on KUPL's site three different ways, I decided it wasn't me, for once!  No need for me to say "OOPS!" this time; yay!

So again, if you're reading this post, the issue must be resolved.  And if you're not reading this, well then, I guess you know there's a problem!