It's All In Our Heads: A Mish-Mash Of Thoughts & Theories

Things are always happening in this great big world of ours, every second, minute and hour of every day.

While most of the time these things have no correlation with each other, sometimes even the most unrelated subjects will spark a unique connection in one's mind.

That's what happened to me over the past couple of weeks.  First, the death of Robin Williams, then the news that Taylor Swift has left country to go pop.

Both stories had my brain thinking and rethinking about a myriad of things, but nothing that I put into print, until now.

 It's safe to say that there are few people in this world who haven't heard the names Robin Williams and Taylor Swift.

Robin came zooming into our lives as alien Mork from the planet Ork; first on Happy Days, then in his own series, Mork & Mindy, with Pam Dawber.

 Nearly 30 years later, Taylor  grasped fame as a fresh faced 16 year-old singer, ready to take the country world by storm.

Comparing these two side by side, you might think they have little to nothing in common with each other, and for the most part you'd be right.

It's been said that Robin Williams was born to make people laugh; and it's a job he was excellent at doing.  Laughter is what Robin was best known for in his life.

On the flip side, Williams' talent was so vast, he was able to play more serious characters in the movies, and still have viewers enthralled with his work; it's a rarity that few in his business have experienced. No one questioned if he was capable of being so diverse, it was just accepted that he was.

That's why, when it was reported Robin Williams had taken his own life, it didn't surprise me as much as the public's reaction to the news.

Despite the dramatic roles Williams has done, people still categorize him as a comedian, who happens to do some serious work as well.

More than one report I heard though, expressed surprise that Williams would have committed suicide, because he always seemed like such a happy guy.  Every time I heard that, all I could think was, "that's what people saw on the outside, you don't know what was going on in his head".

In reality, most comedians are in the business as a form of self therapy.  Their personal lives aren't that great, and being able to make fun, laugh, and have others laugh at the things a comedian says, helps ease the pain the person is feeling inside.

There have been so many stories of comedians, before Robin Williams, that have told of the sadness in their lives.  Freddie Prinze, John Belushi, and John Candy are just a few who had life issues they dealt with through comedy; so why the surprise that they weren't happy in life?

Then there's Taylor Swift.

I'll be the first to admit, when Taylor hit the country music scene, I dismissed her as just a kid that would burn out quickly, or grow up and air her issues, like other artists had done.

The more she did, and the more control she had of what she did, and how she did it, the more I thought my first impression was correct.

However, as the years went by, and Swift matured, I came to discover that this girl is the real deal.  I now believe she was given so much freedom early in her career, not because she was spoiled, but rather because someone had the foresight to see the true talent the girl has.

At the same time I was changing my mind, the naysayers were stepping forward to bash anything and everything Taylor has done in her short life.  It's like they waited until she was an adult, and all the negativity began surfacing.  It's to a point that it seems Swift can't even breath correctly in some peoples' opinions.

So when Taylor recently announced her next album will be pop, not country, it wasn't a big surprise that it caused an uproar.

Except for die-hard Taylor Swift fans, people began saying all kinds of mean things about Taylor and her decision, without knowing all the facts, (which is usually the case).

While Swift is a singer/songwriter and Robin Williams was a comedian/actor; this is where the two share common ground; with different reactions to that shared space.

Robin Williams was readily accepted as both a comedian and serious actor.  While some critics may have doubted Williams' ability, they were few and far between.  Whether age, or maturity, had anything to do with this, who knows, and it doesn't really matter.  The fact is, Williams was given the opportunity to shine, and show the various facets of, at least his public life.

Taylor Swift has grown up in the public eye.  From the age of 16, to almost 25 years old, the public has watched Swift grow and mature in her craft as well as her age.

Like any young adult, Taylor is still learning about herself and her likes and wants in this world.  The difference for her though, she's done her growing up in front of the entire world.  For some reason people seem to think, because of this, Swift should be different from others her age.  She's consistently put down for behaving like a normal young adult.  And now the change from country, to pop is being used as one more strike against her.

Country and pop have been crossing genres for decades now, so it surprises me that people are in such an uproar that Taylor is exploring that road.

Much like Robin Williams doing comedy and dramatic roles, why shouldn't Taylor Swift be able to explore different genres of music?  It's not like it hasn't been done before.  CMT Crossroads is a great example of mixing genres of music.  Justin Moore's current single, "Home Sweet Home", is a cover of Motley Crue, and even features Vince Neil from the band.

In the recent past, country has warmly received artists like Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker, and Sheryl Crowe, as well as a number of actors and actresses throwing their hats into the country ring.  If country can accept pop/rock artists into their genre, why do they not want to share their country artists with the pop/rock world? The logic that's supposedly behind this thinking escapes me.

And there it is, what has been swimming around in my mind the last couple of weeks.  The thoughts and theories that I'm trying to sort out.  So far, what I've come to conclude is this: What it boils down to is, all celebrities are just normal people like the rest of us.  They have highs and lows; they get sick and have pain like the rest of us.  They have varied interests, ideas, plans, etc., like the rest of us.  The ONLY thing that separates celebrities from the rest of us is, more people know their names. Yes, each one of them had to have some kind of talent to make it as far as they have; far enough to be considered more than just a flash in the pan.  They've survived longer than the 15 minutes of fame each of us dreams of, and they work to stay at that level.

The bottom line always returns to the same thing though; they're human.  They make mistakes, they're vulnerable, maybe even more so than the rest of us.  Why?  Because they're living their lives for the world to see.  Yes, fame was their choice; however, that doesn't mean they can be perfect 100% of the time.  Instead, it means they tend to hide more and more of what's really going on inside themselves, good and bad.

So while the suicide of a beloved comedian, or the switch in genres of a young singer catches the public off guard, it really shouldn't; after all, even celebrities need normalcy in their lives.

All of this is still a huge mish-mash in my mind; it's not easy trying to put everything going on inside one's self in print, and convey it perfectly. After all, none of us can fully know what another thinks and feels; we'll never have all the answers we want as to why people do what they do.

For myself, this post is a way to set my thoughts free from my head.  Thank you for taking the time to read it.

"Red"--Taylor Swift

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

It's been six years since a teenager named Taylor Swift hit country music airwaves with "Tim McGraw".

Fast forward to 2012, Taylor is almost 23 years old and has just released her fourth studio album, "Red".

While many have always felt that Swift is too "pop" for country, others have embraced her music as "new country".  Either way, Swift has always had the reputation of writing about what she experiences in life, especially when it comes to her former boyfriends.

With "Red", Swift hasn't strayed too far from the subject of love gained and lost.  What's the most noticeable on her most recent offering is just how "pop" it is, even in comparison to her previous CD's.

For instance, "We Are Never, Ever Getting Back Together" was released to country radio, and almost immediately listeners were saying it was too pop to be played on a country station.  Some country stations are still playing the tune, though KUPL and some other stations began playing "Begin Again",  instead.  Of the sixteen regular tracks on "Red", "Begin Again" is probably the most country.

Not that Swift's new CD isn't good, it is.  For those wanting more country from Taylor however, they really won't find it on "Red".  Track one, "State of Grace", definitely sets the tone for the rest of the "Red".  It starts with a hard driving, almost techno dance beat; and plows straight into the listener's ears.

On the deluxe edition of "Red", (exclusively at Target), the bonus CD offers six extra songs, including a stripped down, acoustic version of  "State of Grace". This acoustic version would be excellent for country radio, and sets a different tone than it's counterpart on the regular CD.  It wouldn't be surprising if pop stations picked up the regular track, while country played the alternate version.  Might just be a great marketing ploy in there somewhere.

Another bonus track, "The Moment I Knew" is a true heartbreaker of a song.  As with most of Swift's songs, it's about a former boyfriend.  Though no names are mentioned, the timeline of the tune gives the listener a good idea of who it's about.

The heartbreak of the song comes from how she found out the relationship was really over; when the boyfriend didn't show up at her 21st birthday party.  Swift exudes anguish in the song; showing fully the pain that was caused on what should have been a milestone birthday for her.

Probably the best track on the regular CD is "The Lucky One".  Not so much a love story as telling the story of someone who's become famous, then lost the fame, and how the singer feels this person is the real "lucky one".  Quite interesting to listen to.

Though some may be tired of Taylor Swift's songs about her love life, etc; she writes about what she knows, and how she feels; and her writing shows it.   "Red" does at least prove Swift has matured in the last six years both in singing and writing; while still letting her be her 22 year-old self.

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!

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!

The Turning Tides of Taylor

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


I'll be the first to admit, when 16 year-old  Taylor Swift caught the attention of country music listeners in 2006, I steadfastly avoided her.  My first thought was, "oh no, here we go again, another LeAnn Rimes".  I felt like LeAnn, Taylor would soon be making headlines about outbursts, firing her parents; the things that seem to follow most child/teen stars.

Every time Taylor would win an award, or was given the opportunity to do things her way, (like performances on awards shows), I thought, "your time is limited, you're young, you're new, this isn't going to last".  I was sure Taylor would burn out too fast, because she was always doing something; that those around her were catering to her, until her time was up.

I have to say that I did like her music, no matter how much I tried not to, or denied it.  I was so wrapped up in not wanting to like her, I rejected everything about her; at least outwardly.  As the years went by though, Taylor's star still shined brightly.  Even then, however, I was still waiting for the gloom and doom; my theory was, the media left her alone for the most part, because she was under 18 years-old.

It's been six years now and Taylor will turn 23 years-old in December.  In that time she's had her ups and downs; and I've noticed that since she's past 21 years-old, the media does try to find the seedier stories about her.  Funny thing though, now that some are trying to tear Taylor Swift down, I've finally come around to the fact that Taylor is just who she is.

Yes, she has her ups and downs; she's had some bad relationships; she expresses her feelings about these things in her music. When she was 16, the world saw it as cute, and would go on and on about how mature Taylor was.

Now that Taylor is almost 23, more and more people seem to snipe about her and her music.  They attack her for writing about her relationships, and even go so far as to call her immature for doing so.  My question is, why?

Just because Taylor Swift has been around for six years, it doesn't mean she's experienced everything there is to experience in this world.  It also doesn't mean that she knows how to deal with certain situations.  To put it simply, even at her current age, she's still young enough to not truly know how to react in certain situations.

Yes, I've come full circle; while others are starting to turn one way about Taylor Swift, I now fully admit, I think she's pretty cool.  Where I once thought she'd burn out, I now feel she's very level headed and good at pacing herself.

As far as her writing goes, let her still write about her relationships.  By now, those who date her know that happens; if they choose to date her anyway, well then, it comes with the territory.

In regards to her maturity, Taylor is 22 years-old, I think she's very mature for her age.  Give her writing time; the more she experiences in this world, the more her music will grow with her.

Six years ago I was waiting for a burn out; now however, I'm interested in seeing if this young woman becomes a true legend over time.

I'm Totally Kidding!!!

Wow!  I just had an eye opener today!

Right now there's a lot going on, there's some stress, etc., and it's made me a bit cranky.  I know it, I know why, and I know by the end of the weekend a lot of things will be taken care of and I'll be fine.

Until then however, I'm trying my best NOT to be cranky; though it's not always working...sigh...

I have a great lead/co-worker though, Greg Baker, who tells things as they are.  He said it's okay to be cranky; however, if I keep it up, he'll start making fun of me, and he will!  Not in a mean way, but he will.

I replied back, "that's okay, I'll just write a blog about you", and smiled.  Greg's comeback was, "make fun of Nola, she'll write a blog about you"!

In that split second I had a thought and repeated it:  Yeah, I'm the Taylor Swift of blogging; cross me and I'll write about you!

It made Greg laugh, and me too; though not necessarily for the same reason.  *My* laughter was due to the second thought I had; which I kept to myself until now:  Yep, Taylor, tall,  long blonde hair, thin and young, writing about romance gone bad.  Me, short, short brown hair, very round and old, blogging about co-workers giving me a bad time!

Thank you Greg, without either of us knowing it, you helped the crankiness some.

Trip Update

For those who read this blog, you know that awhile back I won a trip to see Taylor Swift in Ottawa, Canada.  You also know that trip was cancelled; and while waiting for the trip to be rescheduled, I received a package with two CD's and Swift's "Wonderstruck" perfume.

Well, I'm excited to announce that a new trip has been planned in place of the Canadian one.  From October 22-24, 2012, a friend and I will be in New York City!  We don't have a complete itinerary at this point, but details should be in place within the next couple of weeks.

We do know that we'll be in Times Square at least one day.

We also know that on October 23rd we'll be part of the audience of "Good Morning America"

Taylor Swift will be on the show October 22nd, in conjunction with the release of her new CD, "Red".  She'll return to the show the 23rd as part of GMA's Fall Concert Series, performing live on the program.  This is the one my friend and I will be attending.  We'll also be meeting Taylor at that time.  

Beyond that, the rest is up for speculation.  I do know that neither of us has been to NYC before, so we're really excited!  Can't wait for the rest of the details so we can make more plans for the time we're there!

Wow! What a Surprise!

 As some of you may know, in April I won KUPL's contest to see, and meet, Taylor Swift in Ottawa, Canada.  The show was to be Saturday, August 11, 2012; which means I and a guest would be leaving from PDX this coming Friday.

Unfortunately, I received word last month from Taylor's record label that Taylor wasn't going to be performing in Ottawa after all.  A very nice person from Big Machine Label Group, (BMLG), Christine Drexel, had called to tell me the news.  At the time she explained that the company is working on getting us to another Taylor Swift show.  Christine said if I had any questions in the future to give her a call.

I'd been looking around to see what other tour dates Taylor has for this year, and found only one; the iHeartRadio Music Festival September 22, 2012, in Las Vegas.  It's going to be a cool show that day, (the second of the two day festival), with Taylor, Aerosmith and Bon Jovi.

Since there were no other dates listed, I wondered if that's where I'd be sent.  Since I was curious, and hadn't heard, I called Christine this past Tuesday, just to see.

As she explained, the iHeartRadio Music Festival was already sold out, and BMLG was unable to get tickets for the show, so no trip to Vegas.  Christine assured me though that, even though no dates are listed at the moment, BMLG is working on getting something set up before the end of the year; as soon as she knows anything, she'll give me a call.  I said, "okay, no problem, I was just curious"; thanked her for her time, and that I looked forward to the coming months, to see where the adventure would be taking me; end of call.

I get home Thursday, and there's a package waiting for me.  I had no idea what it was, or why it was there, I hadn't bought anything online, and wasn't expecting any packages.  That's when I noticed the return label, BMLG in Nashville, Tennessee.  Even then, I couldn't imagine why I was getting a package from them.

I opened it and wow, what a surprise!  Inside was a note from Christine, thanking me for my patience while they work the details out about the Taylor Swift trip.  The note further said, while I was waiting, to enjoy some music from BMLG artists.  There were two CD's, Eden's Edge, ("Amen"), and the deluxe, Target exclusive, Taylor Swift CD, "Speak Now"; VERY cool!

That's not all though, there was also a box, along with the CD's.  It was a bottle of Taylor's Wonderstruck perfume!

Double wow!  The CD's alone were cool, but the perfume also?  Christine didn't have to do any of this; yet, she took the time anyway; what awesome customer service!

For the record, even if I hadn't received this wonderful package, it should be noted that Christine is an excellent representative of BMLG.  If everyone was as friendly and enthusiastic about their job as she is, the world would be one step closer to being a happier place.  Thank you Christine for being one of the nice people in this world. 

Oh, Canada!

Oh, Canada!  What fun we were to have next month!  The perfect month for a birthday celebration in Ottawa, Canada!

Alas, though, it's not to be!  I shan't be going the furthest east I've ever been after all; SIGH!!!

Yes, it's true, a friend and I were supposed to go to the Capital Hoedown in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on August 11th to see, and meet, Taylor Swift; the day before my birthday. It was the contest that I'd won from KUPL last April.

Unfortunately, I received a call earlier today, letting me know that Taylor's concert has been cancelled; and things are in the works to get us to another show.  

At this time I'm not sure why the August concert was cancelled; or when and where the new concert will be. I'm still excited though; just going to have to wait a bit longer for the big trip. 

I'll put another post out whenever I know more about this situation. 

Simon in the Morning's "Hunger Games"

Twice a day for the past week, the "Simon in the Morning" show has been hosting their version of the "Hunger Games".

Each morning at 6:20am, and 8:20am, Scott, Jolynn and Jake would announce two "districts", (zip codes), to compete against each other.  One caller from each zip code would call in and be given a type of food to name off.  Each person would name a food from that day's category, and the first person to take longer than 5 seconds was eliminated.

My zip code was announced at 6:20 Tuesday morning, so I called, and actually got through.  I and the person I was pitted against had to come up with various ways to prepare eggs.

I don't remember all the types we came up with, except the other person did say "candied" eggs at one point.   No one was sure what that meant, however, I thought it could mean the candy eggs like you get at Easter.  The last type I mentioned was "poached", and the other person couldn't come up with another type, so she was eliminated.

I was excited that I'd qualified for the trip to see Taylor Swift in Ontario, Canada; however, did I really think I'd win the grand prize?  No, I didn't.  I knew I'd have a 1 in 10 chance, however, I just didn't think it would happen.

On Friday, the final two were qualified for the grand prize, and a few minutes later Scott, Jolynn and Jake were to announce the grand prize winner.

I know that when a winner is picked, it takes time to call them, get it recorded for playback on the air, etc.  That usually means a winner is picked and called right away.  I was at work, waiting to start my day, and my phone wasn't ringing, so I knew I wasn't going to be the winner.  The longer the phone didn't ring, the more certain I was I didn't win.

All of a sudden though, my phone DID ring, and it was an outside line.  The caller ID was KUPL's number!  So, I answered the phone, and there they were on the other side of the line, Scott, Jolynn and Jake!  They asked if I knew why they were calling and I said I thought so; then Jolynn said, yeah, they'd just called to talk with me and tell me who'd won the contest.

 Normally it's hard to pull anything over on me; I'm not a trusting person, and don't take things at face value.  In this case though, already having it in my mind that I wasn't going to win, the length of time it took for the phone call, and the fact that I'm always giving them a bad time, (teasing), I figured maybe they really HAD called just to tell me who the winner had been!  I was totally suckered on that, and I give them kudos for getting me good!

As it turns out, *I* AM the grand prize winner to go see Taylor Swift in Ontario, Canada!!!  The whole process of picking the grand prize winner was even the subject of the Simon 90 video for the day.

Needless to say, that was around 9am; I haven't quite been the same since!  I honestly don't think I really breathed for about 2 hours after I found out I'd won! 

I know I can get very excited about things, so instead of rambling on and on about it from now, until the day of the show, I've told everyone I work with, all my friends and  family, if I start getting hyper again, I'll just say "EEK!"  Translation:  "I'm sooooooooooooo excited!", and leave it at that.  After all, winning is one thing, however I'd like to keep my family, friends and co-workers; not drive them away!

Eau De CornNuts

Monday’s “Simon’s Celebrity Soup” had a bit about Taylor Swift coming out with a new fragrance, “Wonderstruck”.    It got the morning team to wondering what fragrance they’d be.  My immediate thought for Scott was, “CORNNUTS!!!”

Sometimes my thoughts just come and go; other times they hang around until I actually do something about them.  That’s the case with my CornNut idea.  I kept trying to think how I could create something to describe Scott’s fragrance. 

After a day or so, I realized I was over thinking the whole process.  I was trying to be too precise with my thoughts.  Once I simplified things, it all finally came together.  Rather than bottling Scott’s new fragrance, just use the real thing!  One cornnut should be just the right amount to rub on your face and neck.

Of course, for it to be Scott’s fragrance, the packaging would need to be altered; like putting Scott’s face on the bag.  And the price would have to be much higher than the regular price of CornNuts; after all, this is a “fragrance” that’s being promoted, not a snack item.  You can get cornnuts almost anywhere; Scott’s Eau De CornNuts would be sold in places like Macy’s and Nordstrom’s. 

Why stop there though?  Heck, Scott could have a whole line of Eau De CornNut fragrances.

ORIGINAL

This would be your every day fragrance, perfect for the office, or just hanging out at home.

BARBECUE

What better way to get in the mood for a barbecue than with Scott’s Eau De CornNut Barbecue fragrance?  Whether you’re grilling in your own backyard, at a tailgate party, or going to a barbecue somewhere else, Scott’s Eau De CornNut Barbecue makes the perfect accompaniment to any cookout.

RANCH

Sometimes you just feel like leaving the city behind and getting back to nature.  Maybe go horseback riding, or have a picnic in the wilderness.  For those times when you feel like being a man’s man, there’s Scott’s Ranch fragrance.

CHILE PICANTE

Maybe you have a hot date this evening, or just want to spice the night up a bit; Scott’s Chile Picante fragrance is sure to do the trick.  If you really want to get wild, dab a little Chile Picante cornnut dust behind your ears…Spicy!

CALIENTE

If you’re looking for a bit more than just a spicy time, and want variety, Scott has you covered with his Caliente CornNut mix.  Not only will you get that spicy fragance you crave, it’s enhanced with red pepper and sesame stick among other things. Caliente also makes the perfect gift for that man in your life who may need something to spice things up and bring the variety back to your romance.

NACHO CHEESE

We’ve all known guys who can only be described as “cheesy”.  The one’s who tell the bad jokes, schmooze everyone they come in contact with, and generally act like big shots around the office.  Well, next time you draw that person’s name for the office gift exchange, Scott has the perfect present; Nacho Cheese Eau De CornNuts.  You, and the whole office will always know when that guy is coming around; allowing everyone to make a quick exit.

Don’t accept cheap knock-offs you can find at almost any corner store.  When you want to give the best, give Scott’s Eau De CornNuts.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.  It helped me get one more thing out of my system.  

A Twist Of Taylor

Since my last blog was a bit of a downer, I decided to lighten things up a bit with a song.

While by no means am I Weird Al Yankovic, or his country cousin, Cledus T. Judd, I have been known to parody a song once in awhile.  My latest is a twist of Taylor Swift's "Mean".

My brain meshed the song with the fact that most of the KUPL staff has been losing weight over the past few months.  What came out is the parody, "Lean". 

I've posted both the original song, and the parody here.  Please feel free to let me know what you think and share any ideas you may have.