Idol Chatter...Vegas

The DVR...love it! Hate it when it doesn't work. I missed the first hour due to "priority" conflicts in my menu. At least I got home in time to see the second hour. Here are the stand-outs...

Joshua Ledet--didn't really like him until tonight.
Shannon Macgrane-a consistent performer and list-topper.
Lauren Gray-there's no crying in music! Loved the coach.
Wendy Taylor-never seen her before, but nice voice.
HeeJun Han-Korean Wonder-kid.
Neco Starr-where did he come from? Born to be a Starr??
Jen Hirsch-again...she's a little spazzy with her hands.
Crighton Fraker-what kind of a name is that? I'll tell you....a rock-star's name, that's what.

Others that made it through from the first un-recorded hour:
David Leathers Jr.
Colton Dixon
Reid Grimm

Shocking and disappointing that Johnny Keyser didn't make it through. I thought he really hade something.

Next week....top 40!

Check out my new American Idol notebook...yes, I'm fully aware that I'm a "nerd". Hand-made...super cool...are you jealous?

Idol Chatter...Hollywood

Hollywood Week, part 3. Group performances. This had to be the worst round of group performances I have ever seen. There were not any real stand-outs, that they featured. Now I've watched this long enough to know that you don't see all the "good" groups. After a very disappointing group round, here were my only stand-outs: Carrie Koyzer, Aaron Marcellus, Jen Hirsch, Ariel Sprague, David Leathers, Jr., Johnny Keyser and Phillip Phillips. The only repeats from last week were the last three on the list.

Double bonus...we also got to hear the solos (sans comments from the judges), well, mostly.Here are my official "ones to watch"...
1. Colton Dixon--I believe I picked him as a front-runner last year. Maybe time has improved his performance ability, although it has not improved his hairstyle.
2. Phillip Phillps--he keeps popping up on my lists, so there must be something to this kid. I like the raspy, folksy rock tone to his voice.
3. Jen Hirsch--like her, not love yet. Just call me Ben from the Bach...can't commit yet.
4. Crighton Fraker--don't like the look, but the voice is as the Kardashian's would say...amazeballs.
5. Shannon Macgrane--she's the 16 year old that enjoyed a very awkard moment between her Dad and Steven Tyler...her voice is impressive.
6. Reid Grimm--drama-mama-and man can he talk. He played the drums at the last minute but it was probably 3 hours before...you know, through the magic of television and all. COOL.
7. Adam Brock--he's got his lucky hanky, a wife and baby and has dubbed himself "white chocolate". We all know white chocolate melts and isn't really chocolate at all. We'll see if he can stand up to the pressure.

Tomorrow night....Vegas baby?

A Little Light Reading

Here's what I've been reading lately…

The Book Thief—More than anything I've read lately, this book really stuck
with me and made me think. This book is written from the perspective
of "death" and is set in Nazi Germany. The Book Thief has to be one of
the best books I've read in years. It lead me to a few others…

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas—Also set in Nazi Germany, this one is written from the perspective of a nine year old boy, Bruno. He is trying to absorb the changes around him as his family moves into the commander's house at "Out With" or as we know it, Auschwitz. It comes to a startling and abrupt end. The movie is also fantastic.

The Hiding Place—The last time I read this book was the Summer of 1997 and I read it all in one day and sat on the couch and cried while I finished it. Terribly moving it's the story of a Dutch family who helps move Jews to safety and hides some of them in their home. Corrie has such strength and tenacity, she inspires me to be more involved in standing up for others when I see injustice. It's a book everyone should read at least once.

Others:
Saving CeeCee Honeycut—great coming of age book
about a young lady with a mentally ill mother, named
Camille.
The Help—if you haven't seen the movie…do it! If you haven't
read the book…read it! Fantastic! I've read it twice and seen
the movie 3 or 4 times. Love it!
The Postmistress—New England small town during WWII.
A nice Summer book, easy and relaxing, not earth-shattering.
Matched—Young adult dystopian novel. Not quite as good
as the Hunger Games, but pretty close. I'm currently reading
the sequel: Crossed. Team Xander? Team Ky? We'll see…

The Return of the Idol

So what I most live for...at least on TV, has returned. American Idol!! Yeah baby! From tonight's Hollywood Week #1 episode, here are my top picks and "ones-to-watch".

Top picks:

1. Johnny Keyser-the humble waiter in the Italian restaurant from St. Louis. His voice is quite spectacular and he's got the "look" of an idol.

2. Phil Phillips, Jr.-with such a creative name, he had to make up for it in the talent department and he sure did. Loved his "Thriller" rendition in his audition.

3. David Leathers, Jr.-he's like a little 13-year old Michael Jackson without the afro. He's got MJ's voice and he's smooth with the ladies.

4. Jessica Phillips-her boyfriend had a stroke and she's caring for him, so you've got the "story" but she's really got an amazing voice also! *tied with* Erika Van Pelt-great voice, bad dresser...hey, misses DJ put a record on...I want to dance with my baby....Madonna running through my head. No, really, she is a DJ.

5. Symone Black-if she survives her fall off the stage, I think she'll go further than the distance she fell.

Miscellaneous "Ones-to-Watch":

*HyJung-Korean kid.

*Jen Hirsch

*Lauren Gray-sings with her eyes closed

*Reed Grimm-he's got a "golden ticket"

*Shannon Macgrane-awkward father-daughter-Steven Tyler moment girl

Tune in tomorrow night for part 2 of week #1 in Hollywood...

So much to blog...so little time.

Update coming soon. I know, it's only been 4 1/2 months....What can I say? School started.

9/11 Memorial

This is my journal entry about the events of September 11, 2001.
I was driving to work and listening to the radio. I arrived at work, went to my classroom and turned the radio on--a normal day for me. The first announcement came that the tower had been struck. At first I thought it was a joke on the radio, then you could hear the shock and suprise in the announcers voices as they began to describe what was happening in New York. I was shocked and horrified. I logged onto the internet to be able to see what was happening. At the beginning I wondered if it was some horrible accident--then the second announcement came--a plane had struck the other tower. What a horrific attack on America.

I turned the radio off and headed down the hall to teach my first class. Most students were unaware of what was happening. Throughout the day I would tune into the radio during class. The principal would make periodic announcements and encouraged us to conduct school as normal as possible. I talked with each of my classes for a few minutes and then we would proceed with our lesson for the day.

None of us had any images to put with the terror yet. At the end of the day I drove home listening to more details as they came in. The World Trace Center, the Pentagon and the downed flight in Pennsylvannia. The tears flowed as I arrived home and started to put pictures with the attacks. I spent the rest of the day glued to the television and worrying about friends and those who knew people in New York and Washington.

I talked to my family and to Jason to make sure they were okay. All seemed to be okay. The next few days seemed to be suspended in time. Normal daily activities paled in comparison to the horror that was pouring out on the tv. Every time I would see an American flag the tears would come.

We had a patriotic assembly at school. inspiring and the quietest I've ever heard teenagers. The nation was unified and hearts were turned to God--the nation prayed together. It was an amazing time in our Nation's history. As things settled down and returned to "normal" there was still vivid in my memory the great tragedy, sacrifice and heroic efforts of the American people.

Ten years later, those images still bring tears and gratitude for all the heros that sacrificed that day and in the years that have followed to maintain our freedom. Are we still ONE Nation under God as were were then?

Labor Day...A Day for Labor