Seizin' the DVD

It is now 12:25 am on Sunday. I have not left my apartment since 2:00pm on Thursday. I have been sick. The kind where you can't sleep and your chest and back aches because you keep coughing. This has been super unpleasant. But nonetheless...I will survive. :) Do to the insomnia I have had the opportunity to catch up on several unopened dvds of mine and a couple of previously un-viewed movies on TV.

I started off yesterday with 10 episodes of

I love this series and everything about this period...well except the beheadings and such. ;)

Next up was

Sean Penn is brilliant. Such a good movie.

This morning began with

This is a crazy show...but that's probably why I like it. lol I got it awhile back but never got around to watching it...until today. I got interested last year after reading the book of the same name. Yes it's true...she reads. lol

Last Tuesday this was released on DVD

I was so glad to watch this for the second time. Once again Sean Penn= brilliant. We already know how I feel about this movie.

From one Oscar Winner to another

A look at tightrope walker Philippe Petit's daring, but illegal, high-wire routine performed between New York City's World Trade Center's twin towers in 1974, what some consider, "the artistic crime of the century."
Really good. Really interesting. I never knew about this event. It's cool learning about new things. :)

Next up

This movie has been out for a few years now. Super cute. Typical romantic comedy...that makes me want to travel and find my foreign soulmate...or whatever. ;)

I'm finishing up the night with this.

In between all this, I also watched most of a losing Stars game. There's always next year...right?
And... I've been having fun trying to keep up with my March Madness brackets. I'm in 4 pools but I'm really only concerned with the one I have money in. So come on Michigan State!

Tomorrow is a new day and hopefully I'll be feeling "new"...well that's the plan anyways. :)

much love

Don't Worry Baby...

I'm a worrier. I worry about alot of things. I worry about things that I shouldn't worry about. But I worry anyways. I'm 28 and I have gray hair...alot of gray hair. It began roughly 8 years ago. I'm certain that the hue of my hair and the worrying are closely related. Maybe, maybe not.

I love my life...about 95% of the time. The 5% of the time spent on worrying frustrates me.

Most of the time I try to be a positive person. This is sometimes hindered by others around me and their negativity. I've decided to be silent when such negativity occurs. I realized (recently, hopefully not too late) that wasting a single breath during such rants only fuels their miserable fire. There is sooo much more to worry about than what they choose to spit out...believe me...I know! At these times I feel quite alone...and the worry then transforms into anger. Once I'm out of the environment it's like a HUGE weight has been lifted from me. But here I type...24 hours later...still full of worry.

I was going to list the current worries...but I didn't want to worry others (mainly Momma)...don't worry Momma, I'm fine (for the most part)...just needing to get this out. :)

I agree that the glass is twice as big as it needs to be...and therefore I believe that things/life/nature/the world has it's own way balancing itself out.

Recently I have been changing my lifestyle up a bit...in a good way (i.e. more yoga, less libations, more self reflection, etc.) I have discovered that I do not have an addictive personality. I am not addicted to anything...except maybe traveling but as I can't do it everyday...it's not possible to be a full out addiction for me.

Is it possible that I am addicted to worrying?

I worry that I will always worry. Perhaps a change of scenery...down the road will change my worries...at least my frivolous ones.

I just started following a "friend's" blog...he just joined the Peace Corps and he's now in El Salvador. Amazing. Could I ever do that? Talking about Sezin' the Day...taking risks...that's a risk of the highest caliber to me. But you know what...it's not totally out of the question.

I'm not afraid of much...but I do worry.

much love



And she says dont worry baby
Dont worry baby
Dont worry baby
Everything will turn out alright
~The Beach Boys

ALOHA!...the finale

I know it's taken forever to finish, but here it is...

February 2, 2009 Day 5:

Happy Ground Hog Day everybody!...whatever that means. :) This morning we walked one last time on to Waikiki Beach. It’s pretty peaceful…and there are no waves in sight.

We hit McDonald’s for breakfast. One super cool thing about the value meals in Hawaii come with FRESH PINEAPPLE. Um…YUM! :)

While driving through the town we saw President Obama’s High School. That’s pretty cool…if I do say so myself.

The mission for today was to get to the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Oahu. Mission accomplished! Please enjoy the pictures. :)

• Here we learned about and interacted with the people of Hawaii, Samoa, Maori New Zealand (Aotearoa), Fiji, Tahiti, the Marquesas and Tonga.

the tree Elvis sang in in Blue Hawaii :)

• Watched Hawaii’s only canoe pageant
  

it was raining :)

• And Enjoyed their world-famous evening show, Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky

sorry for the blurry-ness but the NO FLASH policy was in full effect lol

By the end of the evening it was super windy and cold. (I know weird right) We made it to the Laie Inn…and yep you guessed it…crashed. :)

February 3,2009 Day 6 (aka my last Day in Hawaii):

This was a lazy morning in the hotel room with muffins and juice in bed as we watched Cash Cab on the TV the palm trees blow in the cloudy wind through the window. It was a good morning. :)

We left North Shore…for the last time. We stopped along the road for one last ocean view.

Back in Kailua, Stephanie and I had lunch at Buzz’s where I ordered at blue cheese burger that came out with no blue cheese. No worries though, it was now FREE! Love how stuff just works out!

Quick stop at Longs (like Walgreens…but not, according to the locals) to buy some “gifts” for half the price…Stephanie ROCKS!!! But we already knew this. :)

I made my second purchase of luggage…after the return of the super expensive (but cute) stuff. (yes responsibility does jump in every now and then)

I dropped Stephanie off at her apartment and said goodbye. I was off solo towards Waikiki in search of the ALOHA Gas Station where I had rented my car 6 days ago. I found it and called a taxi. There was a ton of traffic…during rush hour…of course. But that was okay because I was entertained by the crazy Samoan taxi driver lady. Lol I made it to the airport with time to spare. :)

Currently I am at the airport bar…having my last vodka/pineapple and mango coconut shrimp.

All in all, the trip was almost completely perfect…really, nothing could be better than being with Stephanie in Hawaii!

ALOHA!!!

I Gave It My Best Shot!

So Wednesday night was kind of RIDICULOUS!!! ...in a good way. :)

As you may know (because I bugged you constantly about it) I was one of the five finalists for the Mavericks/Coca Cola/House of Blues Rock the House contest. Thanks to your votes...I won the opportunity to sing at the Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs Game on March 4th at the American Airlines Center.

*Interesting side note...it was Noche Latina, and therefore the teams were wearing jerseys that said Los Mavs y Los Spurs.


Anyways, roughly 24 hours before the game I was notified that I would be singing Pat Benatar's Hit Me With Your Best Shot. I've never sang this song...especially not in front of 21 THOUSAND people.

I had a brief rehearsal in my truck in the parking lot of Dave & Busters (that's where were had planned to have dinner) that consisted of my ipod, Momma and cousin Kellie...I learned the words and was ready to go. The next 24 hours of anticipation was kinda brutal. I wasn't really nervous just really excited. Yeah this sounds kinda silly and crazy...but you have to know that I grew up performing and have missed it a ton...so when i was given this opportunity I had to go for it. Carpe Diem!!!

Instead of my normal routine of trying to hacky sack it up with the guys after dinner...I was on the dock at the AAC, earphones in ears, playing the track over and over and over again. I work with AMAZING people and the amount of positivity, "break a leg," and "knock em dead," etc. wishes I heard made me feel super special. Thanks to all of you for that.

Before the game started I met my Momma and sister, Brenda, on the concourse for one last run through...yeah I have very little shame...or fear for that matter. :)

I'm quite certain that my heart rate was off the charts by the time tipoff came around. Oh yeah, did I mention I happened to also be working the game that night. I was running replays for the in-arena show. I would be singing at the end of the 1st quarter. There was approximately 3 minutes left on the clock so I RAN (I don't run) to the other side of the court and had about a minute to spare before it was "show time". The next 3 minutes were a complete blur.

This is what I know:
I know I got out on the court and saw some of my favorite familar faces.
I know there was a sea of Mavs and Spurs fans in front of me.
I know Chris Arnold introduced us both.
I know the other contestant sang.
I know I was handed the mic and at THAT moment there was this rush/high/something that went through my being.

I'm pretty sure I sang and I felt pretty good, great about it. :)

The crowd was deciding factor of who won. But you can judge for yourself if you'd like...

I did not win.

But that wasn't really the point of it all. I just wanted to get out there and "Rock it!" Mission Accomplished. (to me anyway...and as we know this is MY blog and really MY opinion is all that matters) ;)

The bit was over and off I RAN (I repeat, I don't run) back to the replay room, and with an awesome round of applause from my co-workers...we were back to work. The final score was Los Mavs 107 Los Spurs 102. Awesome game and most needed win!

It was a noche to remember.



*here is the entire contest if you're interested:

much love

Carolina Is Trying to Get to Vegas Baby!!!

Carolina Is Trying to Get to Vegas Baby!!! 1:18pm
Hey Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Dudes and Chicks, Kittens and Punks, Family & Friends!!!

The Dallas Mavericks are hosting a contest with Coca Cola and the House of Blues called Rock the House and the grand prize is this ---->

One (1) year supply of Coca Cola products
Two (2) tickets to a TBD concert at House of Blues Las Vegas
Hotel accommodations for two (2) nights in Las Vegas
Roundtrip airfare for two (2) to Las Vegas
$150 in spending money

All contestants had to submit a video singing a favorite karaoke song...Please go here ------>

http://www.nba.com/mavericks/sponsorship/rockthehouse_vote.html

and VOTE FOR ME!

My fabulous camera-chica, Stephanie, helped me do this. (no offense to any of the AWESOME cameramen I know) :) The song is Mr. Brightside by The Killers. Go ahead and laugh…I don’t mind in the least…especially if it gets me to Vegas Baby!!! ;) The video is completely ridiculous. I'm sure that I will be getting alot of crap over the years to come, but it's VEGAS BABY!!! so go ahead and laugh and hopefully, be entertained as well.

Even if I don't get to Vegas, still might get the chance to sing at the Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs game on March 4th...so that's pretty sweet anyways!!

VOTE

If you're in a super rush, you don't even have to watch the videos...just vote for me...#1 :) How easy is that?


VOTE

I love you all...and if you don't feel the same you probably already deleted this when you saw the subject! ;)

much love,

Carolina

One last thing...If you could forward this to...um...EVERYONE YOU KNOW :) ...that'd be GREAT!!!!