you're missing it.

I read this article.. click here, its definitely worth the read. Its time people, time to enjoy the small things and not take life too seriously. Look what you could be missing out on. Here is a clip of Joshua Bell playing beautiful music.


Would you stop to listen?

Jack-o-lanterns!!!!

Tonight we all gathered at Chris' house..aka.. Halloween headquarters for some pizza and pumpkin carving. After clearing out the 'gunk and seeds' from inside we broke for pizza, and then continued with our carvings as we sang 90's music. My original plan was to carve Sidney Crosby's face or the penguins logo. But alas here is what we all decided on.. Lauren carved an adorable skeleton, Chris carved a bat, Brittany went with a mad scientist, and I carved a werewolf. A sort of a tribute to New Moon if you will. Fun times were had by all.. and the countdown to Halloween ensues, 4 more days!

me and my pump.

my ode to New Moon and Jacob Black.:)

What did you carve into your pumpkin?

thrill (er)

I really wish that I had any sort of dancing ability. Every since the first episode of Dancing with the Stars I was hooked. All the pros are terrific and when I heard they were going to pay homage to the great Michael Jackson I knew a thriller dance was in order. I have literally watched this video countless times, each time wishing I could dance. Enjoy!

The Great Pumpkin

Yesterday my friend Lauren and I had some fun girl time as we went on our hunt for pumpkins. This week us and some of our friends are going to carve pumpkins so we were in need of a 'great' pumpkin. We went to the patch by my house which was a little small, but we managed to take some fun pictures before realizing that they only accepted cash. From there we headed to this really cute little shop on "love street" that sells all kinds of little knick-knacks for the house. From there we went to Publix where we got HUGE pumpkins for $5.99 (seriously folks you can't beat that). One half that size at the patch was $13 dollars. After our pumpkins were secure in Lauren's back seat we went to Scalinis for a lovely meal of salad, garlic rolls, pasta and spumoni. YUMMMMMMMM!!! After gorging ourselves on the endless rolls we came back to my house for a little chick flick movie night... on the agenda...The Proposal ,which had Lauren laughing so hard I'm sure my neighbors heard her...lol! A busy and fun filled day!



Have you gotten your pumpkin yet? Stay tuned folks.. cause we are carving them on Tuesday! Happy Fall Ya'll!!

Let them eat cake!

This past week at work I think I made more special occasion cakes than I have made in a very long time. Wedding cake after wedding cake, congratulations cakes, farewell cakes and birthday cakes. All in all a pretty busy week. Here are some pictures of my work.

A coconut cake for Kristina
A simple swirly wedding cake

A birthday cake for a girl I work with's 21st birthday.
(below is picture we got inspiration from)

That's only half of the work. This week we will be in Halloween Heaven as we decorate millions of cookies for a Halloween themed Bat Mitzvah this weekend.

A special edition doodle

In honor of Halloween, this week I decided to do a special edition "doodle while you work". I call it "Harry Potter does Halloween". As you can tell by the details in this doodle that the meeting I was in was pretty long..I mean check out those details. LOL. Upon finishing the drawing I then proceeded to make a few copies and post them in various offices and in the kitchen at work to bring about the Holiday Spirit.

Restaurant Wars

Its been a while since I posted something about Top Chef. This season has been great so far, the only thing that can really be said right now, is that there are very clear strong chefs and very clear weak chefs. Tonight, in my opinion, was one of the best episodes I have seen yet. I was on the edge of my couch all evening watching.

It started out with the drawing of knifes and then a tag team cook-off challenge. Mike Volt and Jen got the knifes where they go to pick their team mates. Team 1 - Jen, Kevin, Mike Isabella, and Laurene. Team 2 - Robin, Eli and the bros Volt.

The challenge.. each team has 40 minutes .. each team mate 10 minutes to cook, and while the others await their chance to cook they must wear blindfolds. Thus to ensure they have no idea what the previous team mate has prepped for them. It was such a cool challenge. Just to watch what each person does and then to watch the next chefs reaction when they try to figure out what is going on when they get to the prep table.

Ultimately team 1 takes down the win and I really agree that they had the right strategy with the order in which they cooked.

For the elimination challenge.. here it is folks..next to the finale its the most anticipated episode of the seasons.. RESTAURANT WARS! The teams are the same. Revolt (thats the name of the bros. restaurant) is INSANE! I meant that in a great way! The chefs all put up really strong dishes and Mike Volt looked HOT doing it! I get that most people probably think his attitude is something similar to Stephan from season 5, but let me tell you.. Amanda likey! I think being confident and talented is tres sexy! When Michael Volt started fighting with Robin I was cheering him on. Robin seriously needs to go, she has ridden the coat tails of everyone on that show all season and I am annoyed just looking at her. AHHH! Bryan Volt has a solid entree and what appeared to be a delicious dessert.. can't go wrong with mint ice-cream. As for Eli, the diners seemed to enjoy him as maitre'd.

As for the other team, they weren't so fortunate. Naming their restaurant Mission was probably the only decent thing they did unless their 'Mission' was to run the restaurant into the ground. Which they would have totally succeeded at. Laurene was in charge of FOH, while Jen picked up 2 fish courses, Kevin had 2 entrees and SEXY MIKE ISABELLA (SMI) did the first 2 courses. Nothing this team did was good although SMI did good enough to be off the judges radar to avoid going home. Mistakes made- broken sauces, undercooked lamb, under seasoned everything, and a front of the house manager who hid in the back while the diners needed attention and explanation. Truth be told if I were her I would have hidden to.

Clearly the winner is REVOLT, which made the diners want to to anything but revolt. Best in the history of the show! Mike Volt takes the win and in a generous move decided to split the money with his team mates. Classy Mike, I heart you!

As for the losers.. I honestly felt for all of them. Its no fun to stand in front of people while they pick apart your food and tell you what you already know (which is you F*&%ed up!). All you can do in that situation is stand there, embarrassed and recognize your mistakes. Going home tonight.. Laurene. Honestly it was either Jen or her and Laurene had all the mistakes of the FOH on her shoulders + a poor dish = going home.


Auf Wiedersehen Laurene.

GLEE!!!!!!!!!!

This fall a new series premiered, Glee! I would describe this show as absolutely delightful! What more could a girl ask for than a show about a Glee club. I mean it has all the key components I look for in a television show. Drama, dancing, romance and SINGING!!!! Here is a clip from this week where Puck (such a cutie) sings one of my all time favorite Neil Diamond songs. Sweet Caroline. Enjoy!


Are you as hooked as I am??

Terrific. Tin Lizzy. Type of Tuesday.

Today is my 100th Blog! I must say I am pretty proud of it, and I'm glad that this post is going to be a fun one. Today started out like any other day. I woke up wishing that I could sleep till 11.. but alas I went to work at 7. I came home and got ready for a little bit of fun time with Lauren and Brittany. We ate at my new favorite cantina called Tin Lizzy's. They have delicious queso, guacamole, salsa and I love love love their gourmet soft taco's. Tonight I partook in the Buffalo Chicken Tacos and they were delicious! After our Mexican fiesta, we headed down to a Halloween costume shop where we tried on costumes until we were all excited about our choices. I'm not going to tell you what I decided on .. not yet anyway. But I will give you a hint. My costume came with a cape. Does that help?? What do you think it is? Go ahead and guess.

Once our selections were made we played in the hat section, much to the employees dismay. But as Men At Work said "aint nothing gonna break my stride". LOL! So now that the stress of picking a costume is done I can now relax and enjoy this Haunted Holiday.

Sho Nuf!

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I'm Speechless!

Yes that is a propeller on my hat!

So.. what are you going to be this Halloween??

Lucky's Back at General Hospital!

I have been watching General Hospital since before I was in first grade. Everyday at 3:00 me and my mom would sit on the couch and watch the Quartermaines, and Luke and Laura, Scottie Baldwin, Jaggar and Karen, Bobbie, Felicia, Mac and Frisco. Oh the list goes on. Since I first saw the show my dream was and still is to one day be on this infamous daytime drama. Seriously the better part of 2 decades has been spent watching this show. It is the only show that graces my dvr daily. I used to have a VHS tape at home and everyday my Grandma Helen would push record for me. Nothing spoiled about me, right? I have been and will continue to be a devoted GH fan forever!

So you can imagine the happiness that went through me when I found out this tid-bit of information. That Jonathan Jackson the original Lucky Spencer would be reprising his role! And if that isn't enough to make your heart flutter.. James Franco will be joining the cast as well. Hooray for November sweeps!

Furthermore if anyone knows any 6 degrees of separation links that might help me get on General Hospital, please help:)

Everybody needs a theme song!

On the show Ally McBeal (one of my personal favorites), Ally is told by her therapist that she needs to find her own theme song. A song that she can play in her head whenever times are though, or she's stressed or in her specific case when she sees a dancing baby. Ally chooses the song Tell Him by the exciters. As for me my theme is the Mary Tyler Moore theme. The lyrics are just so great and hopeful!

Who can turn the world on with her smile?
Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?
Well it's you girl, and you should know it
With each glance and every little movement you show it

Love is all around, no need to fake it.
You can have the town, why don't you take it.
You're gonna make it after all

How will you make it on your own?
This world is awfully big
And girl this time your all alone
But it's time you started living
It's time you let someone else do some giving

Love is all around, no need to fake it.
You can have the town, why don't you take it.
You're gonna make it after all,
You're gonna make it after all.

So that's the song that's always playing in my head when I'm down.

I wish life was like an episode of Ally McBeal. A place where everyone has a theme song and the night is ended at a bar listening to Robert Downey Jr. and James Marsden singing Karaoke.

Here are some of my favorite Ally Mcbeal moments.. enjoy.



What is your theme??

Baby its cold outside...

This week I have finally started feeling the chill of fall and it's lovely. While I usually enjoy the warmer temperatures, its kinda nice to feel the cool morning air and turn on the heat in my car.

What do I love about fall... well.. here are a few!

• Boots! ( I just bought an amazing pair of Candies boots)

• My new blue Bella sweatjacket

• New Episodes of my favorite TV shows (Glee, Grey's, Vampire Diaries, Top Chef)

• Sitting under thick comforters while watching TV

• Football and Hockey season
  

• Seeing Pumpkins Everywhere

• Layers of clothing and just fall fashion in general

• Making Halloween cookies at work

So here's to a happy and fantastic fall!

Thank you!

About a month ago I posted how disappointed I was that the only mail I get these days is bills. Well apparently some of my dear readers took it upon themselves to send mail (mostly my mom), but also a mysterious person whom bought me a subscription to Marie Claire Magazine. So, to whomever you are, I thank you! It brightens my day tremendously when I go to my mail box and among the many bills there is also a colorful magazine for me to read. Thank You!

Another note before I go.. please become a follower of my blog, even if I don't know you personally. Its nice to know someone is reading. Just click the google toolbar to the right of the page.

Stay warm friends!

A Do Something Day

Today I went to my parents house. I still get my haircut in Snellville so I drove out there. When I walked into the house I immediately smelled my Dad's apple pie (which he had baked just for me). Here's what I did today. Filled up my tires with more air, got my eyebrows shaped, my hair cut and colored, shopped for a birthday gift for my nephew, went to dinner and then shopped at the house while marking things with my name that I would one day get.

My parents are trying to get us children to take some of our childhood things that still reside in their basement. So I left with more than I thought I would..

*4 hooded sweatshirts
*A vase of flowers
*pictures
*CDs
*a caboodle
*a pair of almost new tennis shoes

and then I did shopping
*toothpaste, TP, Pretzels, and a piece of pie for tomorrow.

Oh I love going home, but I'm always sad to leave. But it was a lovely do something day!

sweating to the oldies

The other day I found a bag of old CD's circa my high school days. The excitement overcame me and I couldn't wait to sit in traffic so I could hear some of my old mixes. Does anybody else fix the rear-view mirror on them while they are driving so they can watch themselves sing? Well that's exactly what I do and here is the play list I was jammin' to. No judgment please.. I was after all in high school.

*friends in low places - garth brooks
*walk like a man - four seasons
*theres your trouble - dixie chicks
*just the way you are - billy joel
*it's my life - bon jovi
*total eclipse of the heart - bonnie tyler
*thank you - alanis morrissette
*every heartbeat - amy grant
*I say a little prayer for you - cast of my best friends wedding (I dare you to try not to sing upon hearing this song)
*my way - usher
*goodness gracious great balls of fire - Jerry Lee Lewis (all i can think of is the movie lady bugs with Johnathon Brandis when I hear this song)
*Runaround Sue - Dion (que Sleeping with the Enemy - Best scene ever!!)
*"Hey! Baby" - Bruce Channel (makes me want to dance on a log with Johnny Castle)
*Any Man on Mine - Shania Twain

(You gotta shimmy shake
Make the earth quake
Kick, turn, stomp, stomp, then you jump
Heel to toe, Do Si Do
'Til your boots wanna break
"Til your feet and your back ache
Keep it movin' 'til you just can't take anymore)

*Tainted Love - Soft Cell (anyone else put their hands up to the sunroof while listening to this..via the scene from Coneheads:)
*Dancing in the Moonlight - Van Morrison

(Jamie: You’re acting like a crazy person, what's going on?
Landon: Right now, you're straddling the state line.
Jamie: OK.
Landon: You're in two places at once. .(que dancing in the moonlight)

*No Scrubs - TLC
*For the Longest Time - Billy Joel (my favorite Joel song)
*Everybody (Backstreets Back) - Backstreet Boys (no mix is complete with out a boy band)

So this was my ride to and from work today. Complete with a lot of singing and stares from strangers.

A wish

"I'm shakin' the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I'm gonna see the world. Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Colosseum. Then, I'm comin' back here to go to college and see what they know. And then I'm gonna build things. I'm gonna build airfields, I'm gonna build skyscrapers a hundred stories high, I'm gonna build bridges a mile long... "- George Bailey

In Its a Wonderful Life, George Bailey get the chance to see what the world would be like if he never existed. Well I don't exactly wish that, but I do wish I would know how my life will turn out. Seriously the suspense is killing me, and for some reason I feel like my life hasn't started yet.

There are so many things I want to do, so many things I want to be. Not to say I don't like my job, because I do. But I want to do more. Baking is fun, but I always feel like I'm "waiting for the other shoe to drop", like one day I'll get fired and then I'll have nothing except a mortgage and a car payment.

I think I'm one of those people who could be pretty happy doing just about any profession. But shouldn't there be that "one" profession that's meant for you to do. I wish I had a thousand lifetimes to do all the jobs I want to do. I want to be a doctor, an actress, an ice-skater, a writer, a photographer, a florist, an artist, an orthodontist, and a lady of leisure. Along with a million other things. I want to be important. I figure if I were an actress I could at least play all these parts, but how does someone fall in to these careers. They say anything worth having is hard to get. Well do I work harder, or is everything chance and destiny? Am I doing what I am meant to do?

Oh how I wish I knew how this life is going to turn out.

Walk like a Zombie

Have you ever heard of a zombie walk?? Apparently its when everyone dresses up like zombies and then proceeds walk through downtown Atlanta as an end to Atlanta Horror Fest. Its really quite funny to watch peoples reactions as they drive down a street that is flooded with hundreds of zombies. Its basically just a big party, and everyone walks through Oakland Cemetery, underground Atlanta and then gets on Marta to go back to Lennys Bar in Decatur. What would you do if you suddenly found yourself surrounded by all these zombies? Most people laughed and took pictures, some where angry that we were interrupting their commute home. Most just clapped and supported it. It was really like a scene from a movie.. as we are walking up to the marta station, 3 men come up to where we all are standing and start blaring thriller and everyone starts dancing. Really funny! Corn Syrup and Red food coloring make the best blood. More Pictures to come!

Inside the "parker" studio

Have you ever watched 'Inside the Actors Studio'? I love this show. I long for the day when I am a guest on that stage. To have a acting career worthy of an hour long discussion about the roles I had played and then to be asked those final questions by Mr. Lipton.

Here are my answers for now.. but should I one day find myself on stage in that auditorium in NYC ... they might be different.

1. What is your favorite word? lovely!
2. What is your least favorite word? ignorant.(unless paired with the word jagoff)
3. What turns you on? Thoughtfulness
4. What turns you off? Petty people
5. What sound or noise do you love? Piano Music
6. What sound or noise do you hate? Screaming Children
7. What is your favorite curse word? Fu*k
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?Writer or Actress
9. What profession would you not like to do? DMV employee
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Nicely done!

Here is Will Smith answering the same famous questions.


And then my favorite .. Matt Damon.(the questions are 4 min in).

Hope

"Once you choose hope, anything's possible."
-Christopher Reeve

Hope..the dictionary defines it as a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. Hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.

Well the other day my younger brother posted a link to this website on his facebook page. GivesMeHope is a website that posts those moments in life when we are reminded why we keep hoping. I guarantee that if you read just one page of these posts your eyes will get a little misty, and after reading a lot of them they GMH. Some are about people who have overcome impossible feats, others are just acts of kindness and love. Certainly worth the read.

What gives you hope?