Tony Bennett had a #1 album last week with his Duets 2 album. Here is the video of Tony and Gaga. Got to say...Gaga sounds pretty good. I could do without the green hair though.
Have you noticed? Burnt Orange is fashionable! Burnt Orange is THE color of the season....meaning this is the year to stock up on cute attire to wear to Longhorn events. Every store I have shopped in the past week has something burnt orange....here are some of my favs under $100! (The Peacoat from J.Crew is $245)
A LOT of my friends are having babies...so I am always on the lookout for cute/different baby gifts. I was at a craft fair in Dallas over the weekend and just fell in love with 3 Bears Studio. Maybe it is my love for Babar/Elephants (she paints a lot of elephants), and everything whimsical, but I can't get over how stinking cute these original paintings are!
Even better - they are affordable with many options under $40.
Growing up I was OBSESSED with the Disney movie starring Christian Bale - Newsies.
Well they have FINALLY made a staged version of the musical. It debuts this week at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Jersey...and I am sure if it does well...there is a good chance it will make its way to Broadway!
Here is a rehearsal of the show!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJCRN-lDn9A&feature=player_embedded#!
I spent last week talking to different people in my office about what they will do on September 11th. It is amazing how many common remembrances we share.
I just started watching Mad Men on Netflix (4 seasons are streaming now)...and I am slightly obsessed with the clothes. The Mad Men costume designer helped with a 60s inspired collection at Banana! I just want to look like Christine Hendricks please. Click here....and make sure to check out that sweet white lace dress.
Missoni for Target on Sept 13th
I think of all the Target/designer collaborations so far, I am most excited for the Missoni partnership. The clothes are cute...but not really my style. The pillows and shoes?! Yes. Please. Click here for the full collection.
I mean where else in Austin can you find an awesome magic act that involves adorable dogs? Â Is it worth the $22 ticket price? YES. Dinner on 6th street + Esters Follies = super fun night out.
Cheese Plate:
Living Room at the W.
My family and I went to the W around 4:30 on Saturday and ordered off their awesome $5 happy hour snack/drink menu. We also splurged on the $11 cheese plate and it was totally worth it! You know how sometimes you spend $11 at a restaurant and they bring you a teaspoon of cheese? They don't do that at the W...they bring you the cheese!
Movie:
Sarah's Key at The Violet Crown Theater
Sarah's Key tells the story of the French involvement in the Holocaust. The movie is very hard to watch...the book is even harder to read, but the event the fictitious story is based around is a part of history that is not widely known.
Baggage Claim - The first single off Miranda Lambert's upcoming album 'Four the Record.' It isn't her best song...but boy is it sassy...and that is why I like it!
An office manager is suing her former employer, claiming her then-boss gave her a schedule of how to dress, including "Tube-top Tuesday," and "No bra Thursday!"
Here was the schedule â
âMini-Skirt Mondayâ âTube-top Tuesdayâ âWet T-shirt Wednesdayâ âno bra Thursdayâ and âBikini top Fridayâ
Goodbye Housewives
Desperate Housewives is finally coming to an end after 8 crazy seasons.
ABC has decided that this seasonâ¦that begins next month will be its last
Big Boi in trouble
What was Big Boi doing with Ecstasy and Viagra?
Big Boi from Outkast was getting off a cruise shie in Miami and border patrol dogs caught him carrying drugs.
He was charged with 3 counts of drug possession.
Donât sleep nude outside in Texas
From the Statesman.com
A 30 year old man fell asleep nude on a boat dock on Lake Travis over the weekend.
He woke up and immediately jumped in the lake and refused to get out.
He was later taken to the hospital by a helicopter with 2nd degree burns on 40% of his body
Jo will grace the cover of Gaga's next single. Lady Gaga tweeted with the picture - âYou will never find what you are looking for in love, if you donât love yourself.â
1. US HWY 183 south bound and Lakeline Mall Dr.
2. Burnett (MoPac) and Scofield Ridge
3. Lamar north bound and Research south bound or Anderson east bound
4. Braker and MoPac northbound service road
5. Ben White and Burleson Road
6. Riverside and Pleasant Valley
7. I35 north bound service road and 11th
8. Koenig and Airport
9. Lamar and Ben White
10. Lavaca and 8th
Top 10 red Light Citation Locations
1. I35 and Cesar Chavez
2. I35 and Anderson
3. I35 and 290
4. I35 and William Cannon
5. I35 and Riverside
6. HWY 183 and Lakeline Mall
7. Burnet and Research
8. I35 and Parmer
9. Braker and Research
10. I35 and Ben White
$1 e.l.f. make up...it really doesn't get any cheaper than this.
I used to be a girl that thought I had to have the expensive Nars blush in Orgasm from Sephora that cost $20+ ...and while I LOVE it...sometimes money is tight...and I realized for my daily make up...the grocery store and Target work just fine. :)
e.l.f. which stands for Eyes, Lips, and Face. Â Most make up on the e.l.f. site is $1. You can't beat that. I mean I can get like 20 eyeshadows for $20...instead of spending $20 on just one. Love it!
I am about to turn 31 in a week and it is freaking me out. I think there is a lot of pressure in turning 30â¦everyone says things like, âyour 30s are your bestâ¦your 30s are when you figure out youâ¦your 30s are when you get things done!â
Ugh. That is a lot of pressure.
My first year in 30 has been good. I have had fun dating, I have joined a comedy sketch group (Thereâs Waldo), I joined a running group (Rogue Running), I have continued to make awesome friends, I have done A LOT of shopping, and I bought a MacBook Proâ¦to edit videos?
BUTâ¦my first year in 30 has not been life changingâ¦.and for some reason right now I want something life changing. I am craving a positive âshake things upâ moment. For year I have felt that I am on the brink of somethingâ¦and I just have to make that one next step and bam!â¦it will happen. Problem isâ¦I canât seem to make that next step.
See pressureâ¦.
What is in between a quarter life and middle life crisis? Whatever it isâ¦I feel like I am having it now.
Changing the subjectâ¦my parents are coming in town this weekendâ¦yay!!! My mother is a clean freakâ¦our house was always PERFECT. Since this will be the first time they have seen my new place I am spending each day this week organizing a different section of my apartment. Today, for example, I reorganized my closet and drawers. Tomorrow I will organize my kitchen cabinetsâ¦and Friday will be the dusting, mopping, sweeping, scrubbing day. I want them to walk in and say, âwow Saraâ¦your place is so nice and grown up!â
Here is our agenda in no particular orderâ¦.Esthers Folliesâ¦Gordoughsâ¦.The Backspaceâ¦.Fonda San Miguelâ¦Farmers Marketâ¦Whole Foodsâ¦Lululemonâ¦Beehiveâ¦and Violet Crown.
Casey Anthony has been ordered by a judge to return to Orange County within 72 hours to serve probation for a check fraud charge that Casey pleaded guilty to last year.
The judge signed the order on Monday?
Where is Casey? No one knows.
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon has canceled the rest of their US tour so frontman Caleb Followill can rest.
Officially they are saying that he is suffering from vocal issues and exhaustion.
Unofficially his bandmates tweeted â There are internal sicknesses and problems that have needed to be addressed. I love our fans. I know you guys arenât stupid. There are problems in our band bigger than not drinking enough Gatorade.
Birth control coverage
Starting Jan 1, 2013 Birth control will be free in Health insurance plans with no copays.
Also to be covered are breast pumps, annuals, and screenings.
Debt increase
Yesterday the House rushed to pass emergency legislation before the deadline
Today the Senate will meet at noon and must pass the agreement to the President TODAY for the US to not default on debt.
Just 2 days after Anthony Weiner admitted that yes â he lies to send pics of himself to women â his wife of not even a year has announced that she is pregnant with their first child
Talk about a scary lightening strike
air force ROTC cadets were in training when a lightening bolt struck a power pole near their tents.
77 cadets were sent to the hospital for evaluation
No serious injurues
These fires in Arizona are big â mass evacuation
So far the fire has gone through 600 square miles â that is bigger than phoenix
The fire is 0 percent contained
It is the nationâs number 1 firefighting priority.
2500 firefighters from around the country are helping
The fire is on its way to New Mexico
Transmission lines that supply power as far east as Texas.
The highest rated Oprah?
Around 16.4 million people watched the final episode of "Oprah" last month.
That was Oprah's most-watched episode in more than 18 years, but it wasn't her highest-rated episode of all time.
Oprahâs February 15th from 1993 called âWhy I love Older Womenâ had 17.3 million viewer.
It will be the Dallas Mavericks vs. the Miami Heat in the NBA finals.
Game 1 is Tuesday in Miami
Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse has checked herself back into rehab.
This is part of her ongoing battle with alcohol
Amyâs father told his daughter she needed help.
Amy wants to be ready for her shows in Europe this Summer
American Idol and Oprah
American Idol had 29.3 millioin viewers for the finale â the most watch Idol since the Season 9 premiere.
Scotty McCreery won himself a $250,000 record deal
Lauren Alaina gets just $87,500 for coming in at #2
Oprah also had a big finale â her last show was the highest rated show in 17 years!
Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg â CEO of Facebook likes to challenge himself
This year Mark has decided to only eat what he personally kills.
Last year Mark challenged himself to learn Chinese.
122.4 million votes were cast for the shows finale and 750 million votes were cast throughout the season
It was a fun show with superstars like Beyonce, Gladys Knight, Tony Bennett, Tom Jones, TLC, Mark Anthony, Lady Gaga, Steven Tyler, Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood.
Disney has withdrawn their application to trademark âSeal Team 6â
2 days after Osama was shot by âSeal Team 6â Disney made a move to trademark the name.
Disney had plans to do a show on the unit, and make some money on apparel and toys.
The Navy didnât like the idea so much and instead of fighting â Disney withdrew their application.
Good move Disney.
We have NO fun in America
We get less vacation time than workers in other countriesâ¦
But we ALSO opt to take fewer days off
The average employed American worker got 18 vacation days last year, but only used 14 of those desirable days off,
Americans gave up 448 million earned but unused vacation days in 2010.
If the average wage is $39,208â¦that's $67.5 billion worth of time.
Infant dies after she was left in a truck in NW Austin
A child died in austin yesterday after she was left in a truck and temps rose to over 100
Right now the cops are not releasing the amount of time she wa there â who left her â or her identidy â due to a pending investigation.
Bystanders found the child and attempted to give her CPR, but she later died at Dell Children's Medical Center
Kim K and her boyfriend of 6 months Kris Humphries are engaged.
Kris plays basketball for the NJ Nets.
Kim walked into her house and he was waiting for her on bending kneeâ¦in her bedroomâ¦with the words, âWill you marry meâ written out in rose petals.
Starring Reese Witherspoon and the vampire from Twilight Robert Pattinson
Based on the best selling book Water for Elephants. (I was ¾ done with the book when I saw the movie)
My take:
Fun to see a love story set in a Circus in the early 1900s. However with an Oscar star like Reese Witherspoon, I was expecting more of a sweeping epic film. The movie was pretty fluffy.
Look out for:
Rob Pattinson! It was nice to see Rob not as teen heart throb Edward in Twilight, but as an actor in a a legit movie. I didnât really know if Rob could actâ¦.and turns out he can! Yay!
Heads up....there is some animal cruelty acted out in the movie.
You will like it if:
You like Twilight
You read the book and are curious how they adapt it to the film. Remember everyone knowsâ¦yes the book is always better
You like period pieces
You like elephants
Would I go with my mom:
I told my mom to just rent the movie. She became offended and told me she wants to see it no matter what I thinkâ¦.so stop raining on her parade.
2. Throw a girl lash party - I am rounding up my girlfriends - but for a VERY affordable price - have the girls together and get a taste of what having lashes is all about!!! Click here to see that package!
I love my mink lashes from Elluminize. I love that the only make up I wear on a daily basis now is a little blush. The lashes are bold enough that I really don't need ANY eye make up.
Here is a fun video I made before I got lashes about the pain oftrying to put on fake lashes from the convenience store.
Maybe I am just REALLY excited about this bc I am currently in a staged reading of 90210....but remember the big blue beach house that Donna Martin lived in while in college...that is also the same big blue beach house that Donna Martin lost her viriginity too?? It is for sale!!! You can live in the beach house!!
Can I just say again how much I love my lashes from Elluminize?!?! I especially love how natural they look. I love the Kardashian look...but seriously there is no way I could get away from obviously fake lashes everyday. Mine look 100% real and natural!
Austin has opened some AWESOME fancy restaurants int he past couple years...if you want to try them for $35 and under then make a reservation for Austin Restaurant Week! The site also lists the lunch/dinner/brunch menus...so you can decide what looks best before you make that reservation!
Today I am going in to Elluminize to get my brand new mink eyelashes! I have been wanting to do this forever and ever!!!! Nothing makes an eye pop more than long full eyelashes. Why do you think celebs looks SO pretty walking down the red carpet at award shows. They all have their lashes on!
I met with Ize from Ellumize awhile back...and she will be placing my lashes on today! I think I am going to go for the more natural look...but I want to try the Kim Kardashian look soon! (I LOVE her!)
Check back this week for more on the experience...a special deal...and pics of my finished look!!!!!
Best actress nominees include Annette Bening (âThe Kids Are All Rightâ), Michelle Williams (âBlue Valentineâ), Nicole Kidman (âRabbit Hole), Jennifer Lawrence (âWinterâs Boneâ), and Portman (âBlack Swanâ).
Best supporting actress nominees include Amy Adams (âThe Fighterâ), Helena Bonham Carter (âThe Kingâs Speechâ), Melissa Leo (âThe Fighterâ), Hailee Steinfeld (âTrue Gritâ) and Jacki Weaver (âAnimal Kingdom).
Best actor: Javier Bardem, Biutiful, Jeff Bridges, True Grit; Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network; Colin Firth, The King's Speech; James Franco, 127 Hours
Best Supporting Actor Christian Bale (âThe Fighterâ), John Hawkes (âWinterâs Boneâ), Mark Ruffalo (âThe Kids Are All Rightâ), Geoffrey Rush (âThe Kingâs Speechâ) and Jeremy Renner (âThe Townâ) all earnednods for best supporting actor.
The movies up for best picture includeT âBlack Swan,â âThe Fighter,â âInception,â âThe Kids Are All Right,â âThe Kingâs Speech,â â127 Hours,â âThe Social Network,â âToy Story 3,â âTrue Grit,â and âWinterâs Bone.â
Everyone has been flipping out on Facebook/Twitter that there Zodiac sign changed. Take a deep breath and read this article. There are two separate Zodiac's. The one we go by DID NOT CHANGE!
He told Matt Lauer on The Today Show, "I think the odds are with the tumor gone and what I know about this particular type of cancer that I've got it beat,"
The radiation treatment has shut down his salivary ducts for at least a year or two, and a dry mouth affects his sleep, he said.
He lost 32 pounds during the ordeal, but he has regained 12 by "eating like a pig."
So I am in Dallas for the holidays...and one thing Dallas has lots of is....shopping!!!
One of my favorite stores in Dallas is 'The Gypsy Wagon.' This store would do VERY well in Austin. They put everything they have online....so I can still remotely shop from Austin. Â Check out their website here!!
2010 will be the year I decided to stop being so scaredâ¦and instead put myself out there and try new thingsâ¦because isnât that what you are supposed to do when you turn 30?
I did E Harmony â it didnât find me a manâ¦but I did get a few fun datesâ¦including a date with a man that had a Santa beard.
I also signed up with Rogue Running to run the San Antonio ½ Marathon. Something came up the week of the raceâ¦so I didnât get to runâ¦BUT I did do all the workoutsâ¦which meant I ran on an average of 8-12 miles every Saturday morningâ¦.which as a former non runnerâ¦I am quite proud of.
And finally, for years I have been wanting to try improv and after a few classes that involved some hyperventilating, nausea, mild crying and participating in things WAY out of my comfort zone⦠I worked through my fears and now I am in a sketch group, an improv troupe, AND I even wrote a comedy sketch that we performed on a stage downtown. WHAT?!?! and that is not allâ¦the best part is that I have made new friends that w/o a doubt will be friends for life.
How COOL is that. I have always loved the challenge to do something that scares you every day. Being scared is a horrible feeling âand I was scared a lot this year. But looking backâ¦every single challenge has led to wonderful new things.
As far as the show goes â I think 2010 will be remembered as the year I went on 10 dates in 10 daysâ¦. and yet⦠didnât manage to make out with one single guy. Not even one. To that I sayâ¦yep I have a special gift.
I also spent a good percentage of my time in 2010 trolling the malls with my little recorderâ¦stalking listeners. So thank you for not running awayâ¦talking to meâ¦and being so dang funny. And thanks to Joy â the funniest kiosk worker in the entire world.
What is on deck for 2011? Well I think I am going to sign up for some broadway dance classes at Ballet Austin. I am moving out of the hostel with 4 roommates into my own apartment all by my lonesome. And I want to learn how to reupholster a chair.
So happy holidays to everyone. Thanks for listeningâ¦and letting me keep the best job ever in the best city ever. Cheers and good night.
I saw this in the Target circular last Sunday...maybe the coolest gift this holiday. These old school looking music players play records, tapes, ipods, and CDs. Some models even turn LPs to MP3s. So cool. They range in price from $100 to $300. Click here to check them out!
â¢8.2-ounce packages of âBUMBLE BEE LUNCH ON THE RUN CHICKEN SALAD COMPLETE LUNCH KIT.â The package contains a 2.9-ounce can of Bumble Bee Chicken Salad along with crackers, mixed fruit, a cookie and a spoon. The package label indicates the product is âMixed and Ready to Eat.â The product package indicates a âBest-byâ date of 07/11.
â¢3.5-ounce packages of âBUMBLE BEE CHICKEN SALAD WITH CRACKERS.â The package contains a 2.9-can of Bumble Bee Chicken Salad and crackers. The package label indicates the product is âReady to Eat.â The product package indicates a âBest-byâ date of 01/12 or 02/12.
The cans of chicken salad bear the establishment number âP-169â inside the USDA mark of inspection and the lot code â0225XXQBCâ printed on the package. The chicken salad products were assembled between Aug. 14 and Aug 28, 2010, and shipped to distributors and retail stores nationwide. The problem was discovered after consumer complaints about finding hard plastic in the product. FSIS has not received any reports of injury at this time. Anyone concerned about an injury from consumption of this product should contact a physician. FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.
Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Tim Suter at (815) 895-9186. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
We will read/act out passages from celebs autobiographies on the stage! Michael Urie (Mark from Ugly Betty) is part of the cast...as well as a few faces from the TV show...The Nanny.
via Perez Hilton.com - Of the clip, the singer took to her Twitter today to say, "@PerezHilton I am officially dedicating my new video to #itgetsbetter, because everyone has the spark to be a FIREWORK."
Read More: New Katy Perry! | PerezHilton.com http://perezhilton.com/2010-10-28-katy-perry-firework-music-video#ixzz13hRaFNkC
Celebrity Juice, Not from Concentrate
I cannot tell you how many times someone says - I can't believe there is not an H&M in Texas. I mean REALLY? Well finally H&M is coming to Dallas, TX next year!! Click here for more info!
So my best friend is turning 30 and she decided to rent a place via HomeAway.com in Palm Springs. This place is sick...I can't believe I get to stay in a place like this for an entire weekend!!!! BTW...Home Away has tons of cool places all over...and if you get a big group...it can be pretty affordable.
This year Victoria Secret has expanded their Pink line to cover NFL teams. Last year they only made a line for the Dallas Cowboys. This year they have a ton more options. Click here to see if they have your fav team!
So...I am really into Improv right now...I take classes at The Institution Theater with Tom Booker and Asaf Ronen...and it is the most fun thing I have ever done in my life.
For $10-$12 you can see some AWESOME improv/sketch/stand-up comedy shows around town.
The headliner for the festival is Kevin McDonald from Kids in the Hall!!
I have successfully completed the My Fit Foods 21 Day Challenge. I started out at 137-8 and according to the scale in my homeâ¦when I weighed this morningâ¦I am down to about 130!!!
I will take it! I am SOOO happy I did this challenge...I felt so many positive changes...and would recomend it to ANYONE. If you are on the fence...just do it!!
The easy part:
Having fresh meals all planned out â It is amazing to have everything ready to go in your fridge. I had so much time on my hands
Lots of food â The meals in the beginning of the day are HUGE. There are some days I can hardly finish the meals.
Fresh Food â I cook a lot, but I have never had the variety of meals I had with My Fit Foods. I loved knowing that every meal was a full on different meal.
The protein bars â I LOVE the protein bars at My Fit Foods. They are so tasty!
No cravings â For some reason I never craved candy or chocolate on this challenge. I assume that means that I was eating the right balance of food.
More energy â The first week of the program is when I noticed it the most, but eating the right food, and drinking water gives you so much energy!!
The hard part:
The Liver Cleanse â The liver cleanse was hard for me to drink everydayâ¦it got easier, but it was never something I was excited about.
No snacking â I am a HUGE snackerâ¦grabbing food left and right. I bet I was eating 200-300 calories snacking on all the samples at Whole Foods.
Not eating past 6pm â even though I was rarely hungryâ¦I would sometimes freak out at 6 thinkingâ¦this is my last meal until breakfast. I was hungry for the first few daysâ¦then it became not such a big deal.
Drinking water â I have never been a big water drinkerâ¦but on the challenge you have to drink 80 ounces a day. This was rough at firstâ¦but I saw HUGE changes in my energy and skin after drinking lots of water.
Â
What I learned:
I know I picked up a few good habits from the challenge.
1. I thought I was eating a big enough breakfastâ¦I wasnât. I will attempt to always eat a big bowl of oatmeal before I go to work and bring snack to eat before lunch time.
2. Speaking of snacksâ¦I will no longer skip that 3pm snack. With My Fit Foods I preferred to eat the protein bars which were really filling.
3. No snacking â Now I will indulge occasionally, but snacking is my weaknessâ¦and it only brings tight fitting jeans. Before I take a tiny corner of cakeâ¦or a cookie in the office I will really consider if it is worth it.
4. Water â I have to drink water. Drinking water is the key.
So yay! Seriously if you are looking to jumpstart your fitnessâ¦and need something to help you focus and lend you a helping handâ¦sign up for the My Fit Foods 21 Day Challenge.
So today we had a commercial shoot at Keye for Mix 94.7. I went to BCBG and Cass styled me up with a fancy little number. I was so excited because I feel pretty slim and trim 19 days into this challenge...so I was super ready to get in front of the camera.
1. Log in to Gmail and go to Google Labs. If you've never gone to Labs before, click the word "more" in the very top left corner, then scroll down and click "even more."
2. In the column on the right, click "Labs." It's next to the icon of a beaker filled with green stuff.
3. Click "Gmail Labs" in the column on the right.
4. Scroll down almost all the way to the bottom until you see "Undo Send." Click "enable" and the feature is now on. Then scroll the rest of the way down and look in the bottom left corner for the "Save Changes" box. Click it.
5. Now, go back to the main Gmail page and click "Settings" in the top right. You should also see your green Labs beaker icon there now -- this will let you go straight to Labs from now on.
6. Scroll down to "Undo Send" -- it should be right above "My Picture." Your default should be set to 10 seconds. But you can use the drop-down bar to stretch that to 30 seconds.
7. Scroll down and hit "Save Changes."
8. To undo an email, just look for the box at the top of the screen that will have the words "Your message has been sent." After that, you should see the "Undo" option. Click that and you'll be sent back to the e-mail's draft form, where you'll have 30 seconds to edit or delete it before it goes out.
First of all..I have been receiving quite a few emails/notes from people who want to try the 21 Day Challenge too!!! Yay!!! I can't wait to hear what you think! Always feel free to email me at sara@mix947.com
I got the best compliment today! One of the requirements of the 21 Day Challenge is to drink 80 ounces of water a day. I just started really drinking water about a month ago...and the challenge kept me going. I mean..I drank water here and there...but for the most part I just went through the day super dehydrated. Well you always hear a side effect of drinking water is better skin. Guess what....my bff was looking through my 30th bday pics...and she called to tell me my skin looks amazing! That is so cool! Ididn't even ask her to look...or for her opinion!
This morning...I was tempted by this breakfast taco...but I was able to turn away. My Fit Foods breakfast tacos are awesome...but this morning...I wanted this dang taco. I wanted to steal it right from my co workers mouth..haha
Busy busy day Saturday...Started it off with a 9 mile run with Rogue Running. We ran through the capital grounds and UT....which kind of made it fun?
After the run..I got ready to join friends on a few floats down the Comal River. Normally I pig on out chips and other unhealthy snacks as I sit in my tube...this time around I had to be smart about my snacking choice since I am 13 days into the challenge. My Fit Foods has a few easy snacks on the go...they have a great little bag of trail mix...and they have protein bars. I opted for the protein bar. My Fit Foods sells these Oatmega 3 Bars which are made by an Austin company...keeping it local. They are under 200 calories...low in sugar...high in protein...and taste great.
Now....AFTER we floated the river....it was on. You get 1 cheat meal a week...and keeping with tradition...we went to Rudys BBQ after the float. I got turkey...moist brisket...and tons of onions/pickles/jalepenos! Best cheat meal EVER.
So yea...I didn't drink on the river...but every group needs a designated driver!!!
So I found out Friday that the morning show has to do something on camera for Keye...and that means I want to look good. Finally for the first time I don't have to say..."Ugh...if only I had been eating healthy I would look good for the big event." I have been eating healthy! I am on the back end of the My Fit Foods 21 Day Challenge...and I feel great! Bring on the camera!
So instead of focusing on my fitness...I ran to the mall Friday/Saturday and Cass style me up at BCBG...I will take pictures next week for you! BTW....if you EVER have an event...and you need to look good. Cassiday really knows her stuff at BCBG at Barton Creek.
I am so mad at myself today! I completely forgot that last morning I drank the last of my Liver Cleanse drink. I have been so perfect so far on this challenge. First thing I am going to do when I leave work today is run over to My Fit Foods...grab some cranberry juice...and chug that liver cleanse drink. ugh. SO mad at myself. That is all. Thank you. ha.
I have a huge box of cards/stationary that I have picked up through the years. Today I got the box out to write some thank you notes and I came accross some cards that I bought a few months ago in Montana. The company is called Positively Green Cards and they make the most beautiful things! Check them out at www.positivelygreencards.com
This card is my favorite...it says:
Friend, you are a divine mingle-mangle of guts and stardust. So hang in there. âFrank Capra
I need to read this book...everyone is talking about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The movie has finally cast the lead girl. She is a relative unknown...Rooney Mara. Here is some fun info about her!!
Day 8 DONE with My Fit Foods....and things are getting easier. I kept hearing...you will have more energy...you will have more energy...and guess what I have more energy!
Who knows if it will last...but the past few days I have had so much energy I have been on a 'get up and do stuff' roll! For example, yesterday I cleaned my house instead of laying in bed all day. I assume the energy is an equal mixture of working out...and eating healthy.
Another think I am liking about this My Fit Foods thing are some new habits I am forming.
For example.
Old Habit: I would wake up at 4am and stay in bed till about 4:40 working on my computer...checking the news for the radio show. I am always half asleep while I do it...thus it takes me around 40 minutes. Then I drag myself out of bed..get ready...grab an apple...and then starve all morning long until about 8am when everyone on the show decides to get food.
New Habit in the works: With the 21 day Challenge you have to drink the liver cleanse w/in the first 15 minutes of waking up. (more on this later) That means NOW I wake up at 4am and immediately hop out of bed to drink. That cleanse wakes me up...I go upstairs to get ready....and then come back down to sit at the kitchen table...do my work...and have a nice healthy breakfast. Taking the time to sit at the table and have a huge breakfast puts me in a great mood every morning so far. I go into work more alert...and not starving. This is a habbit I hope I keep up.
So.....I was told that the day after a cheat meal you will feel leaner...and it is true. I woke up today with that feeling of...dang...I feel skinny today!! I felt good so I wanted to look good and put on my extra short shorts. oh yea.
Now I have had this feeling before...and usually when I feel skinny I go out and eat whatever I want...because I feel skinny. The My Fit Foods manual I got at the beginning of this said that you will feel skinny the day after a cheat meal...but don't let it fool you...keep on keepin' on. On it.
Sidenote*** I did get into a little arguement with my nutritionist on Sunday. I thought surely my 1 piece of cookie cake does not count as my cheat meal. I ran 8 miles on Saturday...SURELY 1 cookie is ok. Unfortunately...my nutritionist said I should count the cookie as my cheat meal. boooo. I was really hoping for some Taco Deli....bummer. Instead I had some chicken and vegetables...still tasty.
Saturday I celebrated my 30th bday at B12 Bingo! Where else can you pay $5...byob...and win $700 cash! It happened...one of my friends took home $700 cash saturday night. Amazing.
I LOVED the movie Eat Pray Love. Don't listen to critiques...don't compare it to the book...just go and enjoy it! I thought it was beautiful to look at...Julia Roberts makes me happy....and all I want is Pasta and a Brazilian man!!!
So I have talked about the boutique Beehive before. It is hands down the best boutique I have ever shopped in...and I am from Dallas...and we are professional shoppers there. I love it because the owner buys TONS of affordable stuff (under $50) and she adds things to the store ALL the time.
I went in today and she has geared up for Longhorn football again...and has a small rack in the back with some super cute burnt orange stuff!
I got this super cute dress for just $38!!!!!!
Beehive - 3300 Bee Caves Road #400
I also LOVE the cute bags they put everything in...makes it easy to give as presents!
So at the end of the My Fit Foods 21 Day Challenge I am running in the Balence 5k.
I am also training for a 1/2 Marathon...and for my outdoor runs I am recently OBSESSED with running skirts. (yes...I have to buy things like running skirts to get me excited for a run.)
I decided to splurge and went to Lululemon where I bought the cutest skirt ever! Seriously...dressing up for work/going out always makes you feel good...so why not dress up for running! All the compliments I got on the trail helped get me through the run....seriously.
I want this dress from BCBG so bad!I went into the store yesterday just to stare at it. I have nothing to wear it to though! Maybe if I successfully finish my My Fit Foods challenge...I will reward myself.
Every single Wednesday Rudy's brings over bags and bags of breakfast tacos. For as long as I can remember I have an egg and potato taco every Wednesday with jalepenos. I don't even really like them anymore...I just can't say no to free food! Lucky for me my snack today was Snack Tacos with Chicken, beans and pico...they saved me from my Rudys obsession.
I post a lot of things on my blog...including my 21 Day Challenge with My Fit Foods. If you JUST want to follow the challenge you can just go here! http://blogs.mix947.com/category/my-fit-foods/
At the end of the challenge I am running the Balence 5k in support of Ovarian Cancer. More info here!
If you want to join me and do the 21 Day Challenge...mention my name at any of the My Fit Food locations..tell them Sara from Mix sent you..and get a free day of food!
I live with my bff and look what she left in my car this morning!!! My very first pair of Toms Shoes! If you don't know the story behind Toms Shoes read all about it here! Basically...buy buying me an awesome sparkly pair of shoes...she also bought a child in need a pair of shoes!
**** Don't forget! If you sign up for the challenge..and say my name and Mix...you get the first day free!!!***
So yes...I decided to start the challenge in the middle of my 30th bday. I decided no more excuses. There is always 'something' coming up. I can survive not drinking on my 30th bday this year!
Just about 2 days done with the Challenge and so far so good. I am lucky because I don't drink coffee in the morning...so no caffeine headaches for me! I have felt a little hungry today...but nothing I can't handle. The hardest part so far is not snacking. I snack ALL the time. I sneak in a chip here...an oreo there...a sliver of cake at work..etc. It has become such a habbit that I don't think I realized how much I was snacking. So the past 2 days I have conciously had to stop my hand from grabbing stuff. haha.
My boy roomates keep our house STOCKED with yummy snacks. Dang you stupid boys and your pie and oreos!!
No oreos for me...but here is my menu for Day 2 Breakfast - Steal Cut Oatmeal with walnuts and blueberries Snack 1 - Berries, walnuts, and yogurt Lunch - Lemon Turkey w/ rice Snack 2 - Protein Shake and an apple Dinner - Chicken Fajitas
1. Ali chose Roberto in last nights season finale of The Bachelorette! Word is that the two of them might sign up for the next season of Dancing with the Stars.
2. Charlie Sheen is on his way to rehab. In a plea bargain Charlie pleaded guilty to charges of domestic abuse thus dropping to other charges including a felony charge. Charlie will now go through 30 days of rehab, 30 days of probation and 36 hours of anger management. Charlie will be back at work on time for 2 ½ Men.
3. The balcony that collapsed in Southeast Austin early Sunday morning was not up to code. The balcony had a permit 10 years ago, but since then a newer bigger one has been built.
4. The car thieves like to steal the most is the Cadillac Escalade. For here 1,000 Escalades made, 10.8 are stolen. Also in the top 5 â The Chevy Silverado, The Dodge Charger, The Chevy Avalanche, and the Infiniti G47 coupe
5. UT moved up one position this year to become the 6th top party school in a report out yesterday. The number #1 party school is University of Georgia!
1. Weddings! Chelsea Clinton got married this weekend! I think she looked beautiful in her dress! Click here to see it!
2. Lindsay Lohan released from jail early this morning. Lindsay will go straight to the UCLA medical center for 3 months of rehab. Rumors yesterday said she has a Meth problem
3. MJ will release a new album in November. Michael ALWAYS over recorded for every album. It will be a mix of songs from the 80s and songs he recorded before he died.
4. 30 Rock will do a LIVE episode this year! They will do 2 shows in one night. One for the East coast..and one for the west coast.
Inspiring story of the day: Country Singer Jimmy Wayne finished a 17000 mile walk across the country yesterday to raise awareness for at risk youth coming out of foster care at age 18. Jimmy was homeless until the age of 16 until a couple took him in. Now he is a country star! Jimmy started the walk January 1st.
1. CBS has announced the latest Survivor:Nicauragua. Survivor is in its 21st season! This season they will split contestants by age. There will be an over 40 group and a group made of people in their 20s and 30s. Jimmy Johnson is supposed to play in this season.
2. The Kindle has dropped in price! The Kindle started out at $259 and yesterday Amazon announced the latest lighter and smaller version will sell for just $139!
3. Â A woman flying Southwest was kicked off the plane to make room for an overweight teen girl who needed 2 seats. Southwest said they tried to make âThe best decision possible.â The woman kicked off had purchased the last standby seat before flight attendants realized one passenger needed 2 seats.
4. Want a free kitten? The Austin Humane Society will be handing out free cats/kittens this Saturday from noon -7pm. The Humane Society is at 124 West Anderson Lane.
5. Old Spice guy is going to be a movie star. The Old Spice guy has helped the sale of Old Spice go up 107% in the past month! He has since been cast in a Jennifer Aniston movie and the tv show Chuck.
6. President Obama is on The View today. The show was taped yesterday and he told the ladies that he was not invited to the Chelsea Clinton wedding this weekend. The President said, âI was not invited to the wedding because I think Hillary and Bill, properly, want to keep this thing for Chelsea and her soon to be husband.â
 7. Troy Aikman will be on the next season of Dancing with the Stars
8. The rumors it that American Idol is cleaning house and that they have had several meetings with Jessica Simpson. Jessica Simpson would be a GREAT judge!
9. Project Runway and Jersey Shore are back on tonight!
The guys read a stat on the show that said someone needs to go on 24 dates before they meet Mr Right. 24 dates!!!! I am 29 years old and have maybe been on around 10 dates?...which means that I am way behind. To up my number...and get some dating practice...the guys challenged me to set up 10 dates in 10 days. Below are recaps/pictures/audio/video of all 10 dates.
I made it!!! It took a lot of drinking...and a lot of food...but I did it! Date #10 my best friend's ...best friend's fiance's best friend. Does that make sense?!?! He is a super dreamy guy...as you can tell...and we both had to squeeze in a quick meal in our busy schedules.
Date #9 was very unique...because I had to bring my cousin on the date...who was visiting from out of town. Date #9 was a trooper and we had drinks..then dinner at the Shuk Shack.
Back story. I have always thought the guys at TacoDeli were cute. I go in on Saturdays for a taco and I love the hippy vibe the guys have going on. When this bit started I announced on the air that I kind of wanted to ask out one of the tacodeli guys. Well Russell..the hot one with a pony tail and a v neck shirt called in and said he would love to go on a date! It was so easy! Russell went above and beyond on this date.
Date #5 was a set up from an old roomate who now lives in Dallas. This girl is awesome...thus I figured any guy at the very least would be a good guy. For Date #5 we went to FoodHeads for a sandwich before I had to head out to Houston. Date #5 stuck out because he prayed before we ate! How cool is that! Date #5 is a photographer and has traveled the world taking pictures...he was just in Haiti. I would say the date was more of a friend vibe....but that doesn't mean he isn't super cute. I would set him up with a friend in a second.
Carlos was Date #3 and he planned a night on the East Side. I think Carlos is cute, he is the type of guy I would normally go forâ¦laid back and he has a fuzzy beard! I love guys with beards.
 My goal was to get through a night w/o putting myself downâ¦and I wanted to try and just have funâ¦and be normal. (Carlos actually brought up how I went to therapy Tuesday and I almost told him all about it which would have included explaining how I was a bad dater. Thank goodnessâ¦something in my head went. STOP! Donât do it!)
Since Alex knows Carlos I let him pick me up in his Jeep. Turns out his Jeep has no air conditioning. Some girls might see this as a negativeâ¦I hate air conditioning in my carâ¦so it was perfect!
Stop #1 was Long Branch Beer and Music for a beer. It was definitely my kind of placeâ¦it was chill and had beer in cans. It was the type of place you would want to go on a first date. No pressureâ¦not crowdedâ¦and quiet so you could talk.
We hung out at the bar for like 2 hours! Time flew byâ¦it was really good conversation and natural. AND he asked a lot of questions and seemed interested which was really nice.
It is amazing how much fun one can have if you just stay in the moment. I think a lot of girls like me tend to run TONS of questions through their head on a first date. âDoes he like meâ âIs he going to ask me out againâ âWhat is a funny story I can tellâ âHow is the date going to end.â I really tried hard not to think about that stuffâ¦and I think it really helped.
After Long Branch we went to The Good Knight for âFancy Cocktails.â It was a super cool place that I want to go back to.
I would totally go out with Carlos again. Even if it was just friends. He seems like the type of guy that could hold his own in any social situation.
So a great FUN night. I found some new favorite barsâ¦and a new FUN person! Turns out date #3 wasnât so scary.
I think Alex is scared that I would go out with Carlos again.
So...Date #1 didn't go so hot. It turns out that my self esteem needs some boosting. Instead of a date with a boy, the guys thought this project might go better after a therapy session. So for Date #2 I worked on my self esteem issues with a therapist.
I am a confident person in work and in life. I am not confident in dating. I feel the need at the beginning a first date to âannounceâ all my flaws.
- I am a bad dater
- I am socially awkward
- I am weird
- I am 30, but I act like a 2 year old
- I even stopped a first kiss once to tell a guy, âI am a bad kisser.â I mean REALLY?!?!?!
After my first date with â10 Days in 10â this lack of confidence came out and the guys decided I needed some therapy. So yesterday I made my way to my first counseling session at the Austin Counseling Center with Jill to work on my self esteem.
I am a happy person and I love my life. I have never been the girl that has to have a man in my life. That being said, when I do go on datesâ¦I am even starting to annoy myself with the amount of times I put myself down. Who wants to be friends/date that person? I agreedâ¦I need help.
Kick old habits.
The first thing I learned is that the act of putting oneself down is a learned habit. It is not natural. It is not something as kids we doâ¦we learn it over time. I donât even believe what comes out of my mouth, but it has become my crutch to get through a conversation.
It sounds crazy, but I have never been on a date where I didnât put myself down. The thought of just being me without any disclaimers is really scary. As I write this I realize how ridiculous that sounds. I even do this sick thing of not trying to look my best on a first date. I guess my thought is when the date goes bad I can credit it to, âWell I didnât look my best anywaysâ¦and I warned himâ¦I am weird.â
So goal #1 on Date #2 tonight is to try and not put myself down. I can always go back to my old habitsâ¦but why not try something new and see what happens.
2. Donât miss an opportunity to Network
Networking is very important in lifeâ¦especially in my job. A first date brings forth a lot of opportunities. It could bring a new friend, a connection that can help you down the line, a fling, a fun. Why sabotage something before you even know what it could be. A first date is not a big deal.
3.I create roadblocks by identifying myself as âThe Single Girl.â
I have ALWAYS been the single girl. I go to movies alone, I go to weddings alone, I went to proms alone. I have mastered the art of the 3rd wheel. None of this phases me. I am comfortable doing my own thing. I actually kind of like it. The bad thing is I always default to this. Someone might ask me if I am dating someoneâ¦and I always respond, âAre you kidding me? Please. Neverâ I have been playing this act so long that I donât even know how to move forward. I need to work on not defaulting on this identity.
4. You attract people with equal self esteem.
If I lack self esteem. I will attract guys with low self esteem. People with high self esteem donât want to pull people with low self esteem up all the time.
Basically it all comes down to a choice. I can choose to continue my life as isâ¦and that is fine. Like I said I love my life, I donât feel like I am missing anything. I can always default back to this life, but why not just try to work on becoming a good daterâ¦.who knows what might happen.
Date #1 was with the executive chef at the Hyatt Regency...Javier. This was my first date in about 4 months...and my first date with a much older man. Since he was a chef...our date was all about food.
Click here to listen to how the date went and why the guys think I need therapy.
Campbell Soup Co. is recalling 15 million pounds of SpaghettiOs with meatballs due to possible under processing.
The Agriculture Department announced the recall late Thursday.
The company is recalling certain lots of three varieties and they all contain meatballs: SpaghettiOs with Meatballs, SpaghettiOs A to Z with Meatballs, and SpaghettiOs Fun Shapes with Meatballs (Cars).
Look for the following codes on the cans:
⢠14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" with Meatballs, bearing the identifying product code "U5" on the bottom of the can.
⢠14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" A to Z with Meatballs, bearing the identifying product code "4N" on the bottom of the can.
⢠14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" Fun Shapes with Meatballs (Cars), bearing the identifying product code "KS" on the bottom of the can.
The products have the establishment number "EST 4K," as well as a "Use By" date between June 2010 and December 2011 ink-jetted on the bottom of each can. These products were manufactured in Paris, Texas between December 2008 and June 2010 and distributed to retail establishments nationwide.
The problems were discovered during a routine inspection. There are no reports of illness. In fact Campbell's isn't sure any of these cans ever made it into homes, but is issuing the recall as a precaution. However, if you have any of these you can return them to the store where you purchased them for a full refund.
Carlos was Date #3 and he planned a night on the East Side. I think Carlos is cute, he is the type of guy I would normally go forâ¦laid back and he has a fuzzy beard! I love guys with beards.
 My goal was to get through a night w/o putting myself downâ¦and I wanted to try and just have funâ¦and be normal. (Carlos actually brought up how I went to therapy Tuesday and I almost told him all about it which would have included explaining how I was a bad dater. Thank goodnessâ¦something in my head went. STOP! Donât do it!)
 Since Alex knows Carlos I let him pick me up in his Jeep. Turns out his Jeep has no air conditioning. Some girls might see this as a negative...I hate air conditioning in my car...so it was perfect!
Stop #1 was Long Branch Beer and Music for a beer. It was definitely my kind of placeâ¦it was chill and had beer in cans. It was the type of place you would want to go on a first date. No pressureâ¦not crowdedâ¦and quiet so you could talk.
We hung out at the bar for like 2 hours! Time flew by...it was really good conversation and natural. AND he asked a lot of questions and seemed interested which was really nice.
It is amazing how much fun one can have if you just stay in the moment. I think a lot of girls like me tend to run TONS of questions through their head on a first date. "Does he like me" "Is he going to ask me out again" "What is a funny story I can tell" "How is the date going to end." I really tried hard not to think about that stuff...and I think it really helped.Â
After Long Branch we went to The Good Knight for âFancy Cocktails.â It was a super cool place that I want to go back to.
I would totally go out with Carlos again. Even if it was just friends. He seems like the type of guy that could hold his own in any social situation.
 So a great FUN night. I found some new favorite barsâ¦and a new FUN person! Turns out date #3 wasnât so scary.
I think Alex is scared that I would go out with Carlos again.
I am a confident person in work and in life. I am not confident in dating. I feel the need at the beginning a first date to âannounceâ all my flaws.
- I am a bad dater
- I am socially awkward
- I am weird
- I am 30, but I act like a 2 year old
- I even stopped a first kiss once to tell a guy, âI am a bad kisser.â I mean REALLY?!?!?!
After my first date with â10 Days in 10â this lack of confidence came out and the guys decided I needed some therapy. So yesterday I made my way to my first counseling session at the Austin Counseling Center with Jill to work on my self esteem.
I am a happy person and I love my life. I have never been the girl that has to have a man in my life. That being said, when I do go on datesâ¦I am even starting to annoy myself with the amount of times I put myself down. Who wants to be friends/date that person? I agreedâ¦I need help.
1.Kick old habits.
The first thing I learned is that the act of putting oneself down is a learned habit. It is not natural. It is not something as kids we doâ¦we learn it over time. I donât even believe what comes out of my mouth, but it has become my crutch to get through a conversation.
It sounds crazy, but I have never been on a date where I didnât put myself down. The thought of just being me without any disclaimers is really scary. As I write this I realize how ridiculous that sounds. I even do this sick thing of not trying to look my best on a first date. I guess my thought is when the date goes bad I can credit it to, âWell I didnât look my best anywaysâ¦and I warned himâ¦I am weird.â
So goal #1 on Date #2 tonight is to try and not put myself down. I can always go back to my old habitsâ¦but why not try something new and see what happens.
2. Donât miss an opportunity to Network
Networking is very important in lifeâ¦especially in my job. A first date brings forth a lot of opportunities. It could bring a new friend, a connection that can help you down the line, a fling, a fun. Why sabotage something before you even know what it could be. A first date is not a big deal.
3.I create roadblocks by identifying myself as âThe Single Girl.â
I have ALWAYS been the single girl. I go to movies alone, I go to weddings alone, I went to proms alone. I have mastered the art of the 3rd wheel. None of this phases me. I am comfortable doing my own thing. I actually kind of like it. The bad thing is I always default to this. Someone might ask me if I am dating someoneâ¦and I always respond, âAre you kidding me? Please. Neverâ I have been playing this act so long that I donât even know how to move forward. I need to work on not defaulting on this identity.
4. You attract people with equal self esteem.
If I lack self esteem. I will attract guys with low self esteem. People with high self esteem donât want to pull people with low self esteem up all the time.
Basically it all comes down to a choice. I can choose to continue my life as isâ¦and that is fine. Like I said I love my life, I donât feel like I am missing anything. I can always default back to this life, but why not just try to work on becoming a good daterâ¦.who knows what might happen.
If you have ever thought improv looked fun...or you are shy and want to work on your confidence...Go check out a free workshop at The Institution Theater! I have been taking classes there and I love it.
The Institution Theater is offering anyone and everyone a chance for you to learn something about the Art Of Improvisation by offering two FREE IMPROV WORKSHOPS!!!!
There will be a FREE IMPROV WORKSHOP offered on Tuesday, May 18th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and another FREE IMPROV WORKSHOP on Wednesday, May 19th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Both FREE IMPROV WORKSHOPS will take place at The United States Art Authority at Spider House located at 510 W. 29th Street, Austin, TX. (Right next to Spider House Cafe at 29th and Guadalupe)
Tom Booker, the Artistic Director of The Institution Theater, will be
leading the FREE IMPROV WORKSHOP. Before moving to Austin, Tom Booker taught at The Second City Training Center in Los Angeles where he used his improv skills to book more than 75 commercials. Before moving to Los Angeles, Tom Booker studied at The Second City in Chicago, trained with legendary improv Guru Del Close at The ImprovOlympic and helped to start Chicago's Annoyance Theatre. Tom Booker has been studying and teaching improvisation for more than 24 years.
To make a reservation for one of the two FREE IMPROV WORKSHOPS, send an email to FreeImprovWorkshop@TheInstitutionTheater.com, call (512) 895-9580 or go to www.TheInstitutionTheater.com. Please leave your name, phone number, the number of people that will be attending the workshop and which one of the two FREE IMPROV WORKSHOPS you would like to attend. Remember, everyone is welcome regardless of experience or skill level.
Date #9 with an engineer! We went to Clive and Shuck Shak! How cute is he! This really is the best bit EVER!!!!
Date #8 with a Round Rock Express Player!
Â
Date #7 with my old College Crush
Date #6 with hot TacoDeli guy!
Back story: Last week I mentioned that I wanted to go ask out the hot TacoDeli guy! Well he made my job easy and called in to the radio station! Yesterday he took me on a date...that is going to blow you away! I didn't even know this place existed!
Date #5 with a photographer! We went to FoodHeads...
Check out how cute he is! Love the tshirt...and his eyes.
Carlos was Date #3 and he planned a night on the East Side. I think Carlos is cute, he is the type of guy I would normally go forâ¦laid back and he has a fuzzy beard! I love guys with beards.
 My goal was to get through a night w/o putting myself downâ¦and I wanted to try and just have funâ¦and be normal. (Carlos actually brought up how I went to therapy Tuesday and I almost told him all about it which would have included explaining how I was a bad dater. Thank goodnessâ¦something in my head went. STOP! Donât do it!)
Since Alex knows Carlos I let him pick me up in his Jeep. Turns out his Jeep has no air conditioning. Some girls might see this as a negative...I hate air conditioning in my car...so it was perfect!
Stop #1 was Long Branch Beer and Music for a beer. It was definitely my kind of placeâ¦it was chill and had beer in cans. It was the type of place you would want to go on a first date. No pressureâ¦not crowdedâ¦and quiet so you could talk.
We hung out at the bar for like 2 hours! Time flew by...it was really good conversation and natural. AND he asked a lot of questions and seemed interested which was really nice.
It is amazing how much fun one can have if you just stay in the moment. I think a lot of girls like me tend to run TONS of questions through their head on a first date. "Does he like me" "Is he going to ask me out again" "What is a funny story I can tell" "How is the date going to end." I really tried hard not to think about that stuff...and I think it really helped.
After Long Branch we went to The Good Knight for âFancy Cocktails.â It was a super cool place that I want to go back to.
I would totally go out with Carlos again. Even if it was just friends. He seems like the type of guy that could hold his own in any social situation.
So a great FUN night. I found some new favorite barsâ¦and a new FUN person! Turns out date #3 wasnât so scary.
I think Alex is scared that I would go out with Carlos again.
Â
DATE #2
I am a confident person in work and in life. I am not confident in dating. I feel the need at the beginning a first date to âannounceâ all my flaws.
- I am a bad dater
- I am socially awkward
- I am weird
- I am 30, but I act like a 2 year old
- I even stopped a first kiss once to tell a guy, âI am a bad kisser.â I mean REALLY?!?!?!
After my first date with â10 Days in 10â this lack of confidence came out and the guys decided I needed some therapy. So yesterday I made my way to my first counseling session at the Austin Counseling Center with Jill to work on my self esteem.
I am a happy person and I love my life. I have never been the girl that has to have a man in my life. That being said, when I do go on datesâ¦I am even starting to annoy myself with the amount of times I put myself down. Who wants to be friends/date that person? I agreedâ¦I need help.
Kick old habits.
The first thing I learned is that the act of putting oneself down is a learned habit. It is not natural. It is not something as kids we doâ¦we learn it over time. I donât even believe what comes out of my mouth, but it has become my crutch to get through a conversation.
It sounds crazy, but I have never been on a date where I didnât put myself down. The thought of just being me without any disclaimers is really scary. As I write this I realize how ridiculous that sounds. I even do this sick thing of not trying to look my best on a first date. I guess my thought is when the date goes bad I can credit it to, âWell I didnât look my best anywaysâ¦and I warned himâ¦I am weird.â
So goal #1 on Date #2 tonight is to try and not put myself down. I can always go back to my old habitsâ¦but why not try something new and see what happens.
2. Donât miss an opportunity to Network
Networking is very important in lifeâ¦especially in my job. A first date brings forth a lot of opportunities. It could bring a new friend, a connection that can help you down the line, a fling, a fun. Why sabotage something before you even know what it could be. A first date is not a big deal.
3.I create roadblocks by identifying myself as âThe Single Girl.â
I have ALWAYS been the single girl. I go to movies alone, I go to weddings alone, I went to proms alone. I have mastered the art of the 3rd wheel. None of this phases me. I am comfortable doing my own thing. I actually kind of like it. The bad thing is I always default to this. Someone might ask me if I am dating someoneâ¦and I always respond, âAre you kidding me? Please. Neverâ I have been playing this act so long that I donât even know how to move forward. I need to work on not defaulting on this identity.
4. You attract people with equal self esteem.
If I lack self esteem. I will attract guys with low self esteem. People with high self esteem donât want to pull people with low self esteem up all the time.
Basically it all comes down to a choice. I can choose to continue my life as isâ¦and that is fine. Like I said I love my life, I donât feel like I am missing anything. I can always default back to this life, but why not just try to work on becoming a good daterâ¦.who knows what might happen.
It all sounds so easy right? J
Date #1 - Find out why the guys sent me to therapy.
Monday I had date #1 with Javier, the executive Chef at the Hyatt Regency. We had an excellent lunch..check it out above! THANKS!
I was nervous
Want to hear how it went down on the air today...and why the guys think I need to therapy? Click below
Hey friends! I have been taking classes at The Institution Theater....and it is awesome! If you have EVER thought about doing improv...are curious about it...or just want to shake things next week. COME to a free class! All the info is below!
The Institution Theater is offering anyone and everyone a chance for you to learn something about the Art Of Improvisation by offering two FREE IMPROV WORKSHOPS!!!!
There will be a FREE IMPROV WORKSHOP offered on Tuesday, May 18th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and another FREE IMPROV WORKSHOP on Wednesday, May 19th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Both FREE IMPROV WORKSHOPS will take place at The United States Art Authority at Spider House located at 510 W. 29th Street, Austin, TX. (Right next to Spider House Cafe at 29th and Guadalupe)
Tom Booker, the Artistic Director of The Institution Theater, will be
leading the FREE IMPROV WORKSHOP. Before moving to Austin, Tom Booker taught at The Second City Training Center in Los Angeles where he used his improv skills to book more than 75 commercials. Before moving to Los Angeles, Tom Booker studied at The Second City in Chicago, trained with legendary improv Guru Del Close at The ImprovOlympic and helped to start Chicago's Annoyance Theatre. Tom Booker has been studying and teaching improvisation for more than 24 years.
To make a reservation for one of the two FREE IMPROV WORKSHOPS, send an email to FreeImprovWorkshop@TheInstitutionTheater.com, call (512) 895-9580 or go to www.TheInstitutionTheater.com. Please leave your name, phone number, the number of people that will be attending the workshop and which one of the two FREE IMPROV WORKSHOPS you would like to attend. Remember, everyone is welcome regardless of experience or skill level.
Just in case you missed my last conversation wtih the nice Kiosk guys...click on the audio below. BTW...this guy is super cute! I will let him rub my hands with lotion any day.
My bff Alexis has always looked like Jennifer Aniston, but in this picture I can't tell them apart! Lucky. Alexis is on the left...Jen is on the right. Â Â Â
CINNABON: Get two free bite-sized cupcakes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at participating mall locations as part of "Tax Day Bites!" Flavors include Chocolate Passion, 24-Carrot Cake, Vanilla Bliss and Cinnacake Classic.
MAGGIEMOO'S: Get one free slice of ice cream pizza -- ice cream with red frosting to look like sauce and white chocolate to look like cheese -- at participating locations from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.
STARBUCKS: Get free brewed coffee all day Thursday if you bring your own mug, a promotion the cafe chain says is friendly to the environment as well as taxpayers.
-- DISCOUNTED MEALS
BOSTON MARKET: For a "last-minute tax break" -- one free meal for each one you buy Thursday through Sunday -- show this coupon: http://bit.ly/d1YlRO
IHOP: Expanding on the tax deduction parents get for kids, the restaurant chain is offering free dinner for one child age 12 or younger with each adult meal purchased 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. all month long.
MCCORMICK & SCHMICK'S: The seafood restaurant is offering $10.40 dinner and drink specials in the bar on Thursday -- a nod to the 1040 tax form. Bar guests who come in April 15 also receive a $10.40 gift certificate for a later visit. And professional tax preparers, who may have to work right until the midnight deadline Thursday, get their freebie Friday: dessert on the house plus a $10.40 certificate if they show a business card.
P.F. CHANG'S: Get 15 percent off food purchases for dine-in or take-out, excluding alcohol and happy hour food and beverages.
I went to Bryker Woods Elementary to talk to the 6th Grade class about the biggest pop star in the word Justin Bieber! Do all 6th graders hate Justin Bieber?
Every week I talk with my Grandma Shook on the phone. This week I found out her biggest regret in life. Click below to hear about my Grandma's unrequited love. awwwww. clip Grandma Shook Tex
I don't know about guys who own cats...I live with guys that own cats and they seem normal enough...but I prefer a guy with a dog. Here is a funny site of guys who own cats.
 Everyone knows the annoying Kiosk Guys at the mall. They are always trying to sell you lotion...or hair straighterners...and you usually pretend you are on your cell phone when you walk by. Well...I like to go and have random conversations with them while they are working! Enjoy!
Stag and Falling Whistles presents: Be A Whistleblower for peace
Start Time: Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 7:00pm
End Time: Friday, March 12, 2010 at 12:00am
Location: 1423 S Congress Ave Austin, TX 78704
DescriptionThis one is gonna be epic kids. You won't want to miss it.
FALLING WHISTLES is a campaign for peace in Congo. We work to rehabilitate and advocate for children living inside our world's deadliest war.
FW has built custom, hand crafted installations all over the country. We use exclusively recycled and refurbished materials to illuminate the truth behind Congo's war.
This THURSDAY NIGHT we will be unveiling our first installation in TEXAS! AUSTIN is where our roots began and we can't wait to be home.
We are excited about partnering with one of the most premier boutiques in the country, STAG. STAG is an apparel and lifestyle brand founded in Austin. Itâs a destination for current fashion with classic roots, full of gifts perfect for living the life of a modern gentleman. They are passionately masculine and embody authentic, red-blooded style.
STAG has been so good to us and arranged for HOMESLICE PIZZA to be there as well as MAKERS MARK. So come out and join us for food, drinks, music, and a new perspective on peace.
Can't wait to see you Thursday March 11 at 7pm! Bring your crew!
How did you like the Oscars? I started watching at 5pm sharp to catch all the stars on the Red Carpet. I LOVE the Oscars...they are my Superbowl.
Most Awkward Moment? - Kathy Ireland on the red carpet. Why was she there? I you want a hot model...at least get Heidi Klum who is relevant with her own TV show? Everyone is blogging that Kathy looked like a robot. She was in full on pageant mode. Her arm was perectly positioned to look as skinny as possible.
Best Suprise! - Neil Patrick Harris! I heard there was a big suprise at the beginning of the the night and NPH was a suprise! I will agree the song was just ok...but have NPH host next year please!
Most Beautiful goes to - The Set! How beautiful was that Oscar stage last night. Hands down the most gorgeous I have ever seen. It was so old Hollywood!
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin? - I was expecting SO much. They were not light hearted and fun! JB and Sandy said it best when they said they sounded like 2 hacks up on the stage attacking everyone. Their jokes were outdated...and not really funny.
Best intro? Tina Fey and Robert Downey Jr did the best intro for screenplay.
Biggest Mistake? Leaving out Farrah Fawcett in the 'In Memorium' Section. Farrah was not just a tv star...she was in the movies too! Bea Arthur and Ed McMahon were left out as well. Roger Ebert tweeted "Major Fail."
Worst time filler? The show ran crazy late so why did they have the horrible interpretive dance number during the show.
Best speech? Sandra Bulluck!!! Can I please know the back story of how you know that Meryl Streep is a good kisser?!?! Hmmm. When I grow up I would like to be Sandra Bulluck. She is classy, funny, and pretty.
Best Austin Shout out - Ryan Bingham! Go see Crazy Heart and you will hear Austin local Ryan Bingham sing his grammy award winning song. This guy was living out of his car just a few years ago.
Best Picture - Hurt Locker. I have mixed feelings. I still feel like Inglorious Bastards was the best film overall this year. I will say this about The Hurt Locker. It is movie that makes a statement, and is a reflection of the times...so if you are judging a movie on impact over entertaiment value then I completely agree.
Workout with NBCâs Biggest Losers at Texas Fit Body Bootcamp
9 Biggest Loser Alumni gather for bootcamp in local community to encourage a healthy lifestyle for all ages; event benefiting Hope and Love 4 Kids.
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Texas Fit Body Bootcamp is proud to host a special workout with NBCâs The Biggest Loser alumni at the Plum Creek Golf Course Pavilion in Kyle, Texas. On February 19th at 5:30 am, Pete Thomas-Season 2, Lisa Andreone-Season 1, Sione Fa-Season 7, David Griffin-Season 4, Ryan Kelley-Season 2, Andrea Overstreet-Season 2, Liz Young-Season 8, Tracey Yukich-Season 8 and more will be in Kyle, Texas to WORKOUT NEXT TO YOU!!!!
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The Biggest Loser Alumni, who will be in town to attend the Burn & Learn event, will be participating at TFBBC in a workout, meet and greet, and photo ops. The Bootcamp event will be hosted indoors and is $5 for the public, all proceeds benefitting the Hope and Love 4 Kids charity in Kyle, Tx.
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Registration for bootcamp is available at www.txfitbodybootcamp.com.
Loved the Mickey Mouse club growing up...and another Mouseketeer is making it big...Matt Morris.
You might have seen Justin Timberlake in the Hope for Haiti special on Friday night...singing with him was Matt.
Here is what Matt looked like back in the day!...and below the pic is an old school clip of the show!
BTW...Matt has written quite a few pop songs...including Miss Independent for Kelly Clarkson!
In all the company received 67 reports of the slats or the hardware on the drop-down side hardware breaking.
These cribs were sold at K-Mart, Sears and Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2005 through December 2009 for between $120 and $700.
 If you have one of these cribs you should stop using it immediately and call 866-762-2304 for a free replacement kit. You can also log on the companyâs web site.
I checked out the opening night of The Color Purple at the Bass Concert Hall which is in Austin for a 6 night run. If you want to see some women sing their butts off go see this show. Honestly I don't know how any of them keep their voice singing night after night...they were belting those songs. The show is long...right at 3 hours...so be prepared to stay out until 11pm, but the show is worth seeing hands down because of the cast.
Best Motion Picture -- Drama Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious
Up in the Air
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama
Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sadibe, Precious
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture -- Drama
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Tobey Maguire, Brothers
Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
(500) Days of Summer
The Hangover
It's Complicated
Julie & Julia
Nine
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
Sandra Bullock, The Proposal
Marion Cotillard, Nine
Meryl Streep, It's Complicated
Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia
Julia Roberts, Duplicity
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
Matt Damon, The Informant
Daniel Day Lewis, Nine
Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes
Joseph Gordon Levitt, (500) Days of Summer
Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Mo-Nique, Precious
Julianne Moore, A Single Man
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Penelope Cruz, Nine
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Matt Damon, Invictus
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Christopher Waltz, Inglorious Basterds Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
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Best Animated Feature Film Coraline
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The Princess and the Frog
Up
Best Foreign Language Film Barria
Broken Embraces
A Prophet
The White Ribbon The Maid
Best Director -- Motion Picture Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Clint Eastwood, Invictus
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
Best Screenplay -- Motion Picture Up in the Air
It's Complicated
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Best Original Score -- Motion Picture
Michael Giacchino, Up
Marvin Hamlisch, The Informant
James Horner, Avatar
Abel Krozeniowski, A Single Man
Karen O. and Carter Burwell, Where the Wild Things Are
Best Original Song -- Motion Picture "I Will See You," Avatar
"The Weary Kind," The Crazy Heart "Winter," Brothers
"Cinema Italiano," Nine "I Want to Come Home," Everybody's Fine
So this time last year I was in Dallas finishing up the first year of a brand new morning show. And as anyone knowsâ¦the first year of anything is rough, but the first year was overâ¦and I was excited about our second year together.
Then the first week of Februaryâ¦I got off the air at 10am on what started out as just another normal Tuesday....until the big boss came into our office and told us to pack our stuff asap. Our station was flipping formatsâ¦we were out of a job. I had about 2 weeks pay coming my wayâ¦and then nothing.
So to pay the bills I got a part time job working at a teen boutique selling 12 year old $150 jeans. I went from being on TV and radio in Dallas market every single day to standing behind a cash register and taking out the trash. I am also a big believer in things happen for a reason⦠I had faith that God had me on a new and better pathâ¦.so I just decided to waitâ¦trustâ¦and go along for the rideâ¦instead of fight it.
The positive side of unemployment. I got watch the entire series of friends. Tip: if you are boredâ¦friends will keep you entertained for about 2months..if you watch about 5 episodes a day. I also got to interview Kellie Pickler while filling in at a country radio station..I love her.
In the mean time I was emailing EVERYONE I knew for a morning show job. I was even considering a impulsive âscrew itâ move to NYCâ¦to start all over again from the beginning.
Then I got a direct message on twitter from Sandy asking if I was still lookingâ¦ummm yes.
Long story short after just 4 short months of unemployment â¦I got the job and moved back to Austin for the 3rd timeâ¦and for the first time in about 4 years I am happy. Seriously peopleâ¦I was starting to forget what being happy was like.
Here in Austin I get to live with my best friend⦠I have finally started improv classes â something I have wanted to do for a long timeâ¦I am working out againâ¦I am going to churchâ¦and thanks to monetary generosity of JB â Sandy and Alex I got on E Harmony...
I feel so lucky to be on what I think is a smart and funny showâ¦where there is love and respect between usâ¦and I am having TONS of fun. So menâ¦thanks for giving me the opportunity to continue doing what I love to do. I donât take a single day for granted â¦and I will try not to disappoint next year
Saw the brand new Robert DeNiro movie last Saturday at Westgate (my favorite movie theater.) I was told the movie was sad...but I thought it would be sad..and then happy. I was wrong. While the movie is good...it is hands down one of the most depressing movies I have every seen. I came home after the movie and just wanted to sleep. I swear it put me in a mild depression for the day. I cried during the ENTIRE thing!
The movie really struck a chord with me as it followed the aging father (DeNiro) whose wife had passed and kids had moved on to bigger and better things. DeNiro is a father who worked his whole life on telephone wire insulation to pay for his kids education...and then his kids basically left him behind.
See it...but bring LOTS of kleenex.
Next up...going to see Up in the Air this weekend. I heard it was equally depressing.
How do you like your canine friends â saving the holiday or named after it? If you prefer them animated, you'll have to wait (the Grinch's twig-clad dog-deer and Snoopy come later) but our list kicks off with a duo of Roveriffic new holiday movies premiering Nov. 29:
"The Dog Who Saved Christmas," 7 p.m., ABC Family: It's kind of like "Home Alone," except Mario Lopez is Kevin and Kevin is a Labrador named Zeus.
"A Dog Named Christmas," 8 p.m., CBS: Greg Kincaid's book comes to life when a developmentally challenged farm boy persuades his rural community to join a shelter's dog adoption program.
Christmas is for kids
"Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas," Nov. 30, 7 p.m., ABC: The original, Jim Carrey-free classic. (Also Dec. 23, 7 p.m., ABC)
"A Charlie Brown Christmas," Dec. 1, 7 p.m., ABC: Yes, Linus, they still make wooden Christmas trees. (Also Dec. 8, 7 p.m., ABC)
"The Year Without a Santa Claus," Dec. 1, 6 p.m., ABC Family: Are you team Heat Miser or team Snow Miser? (Also Dec. 8, 7 p.m., ABC Family)
"Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," Dec. 2, 7 p.m., CBS: Look, kids! It's those misfit toys from the Verizon commercials! (Also Dec. 12, 7 p.m., CBS)
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," Dec. 7, 7 p.m., ABC: Burgermeister Meisterburger stars in Rankin/Bass' Santa Claus origin story.
"Frosty the Snowman," Dec. 18, 7 p.m., CBS: He always said he'd be back again someday.
Family classics
"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," Nov. 30, 7 p.m., AMC: An incinerated Christmas tree, an exploding sewer and a modern-day holiday classic.
"A Christmas Carol," Dec. 3, 7 p.m., TCM: 1938's Jim Carrey-free classic.
"Home Alone," Dec. 4, 6 p.m., ABC Family: Celebrate the holidays with a white-hot doorknob and a paint can to the forehead.
"It's A Wonderful Life," Dec. 12, 7 p.m., NBC: Pottersville looks like a fun place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there. (Also Dec. 24, 7 p.m., NBC)
"Christmas in Connecticut," Dec. 17, 7 p.m., TCM: Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet star in this screwball holiday comedy.
Shiny and new
"Prep and Landing," Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m., ABC: An elite elf force â think of them as "red and green ops" â readies houses for Santa's visit in this computer-animated Disney special.
"Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle," Dec. 5, 8 p.m., Hallmark: Doris Roberts and a Christmas pageant help a widower find new love.
"Yes, Virginia," Dec. 11, 7 p.m. CBS: Neil Patrick Harris and Jennifer Love Hewitt star in this computer-animated retelling.
"Christmas in Canaan," Dec. 12, 7 p.m., Hallmark: Billy Ray Cyrus tries to raise three kids during the civil rights movement in this adaptation of a Kenny Rogers book.
"ATHF Xmas," Dec. 13, 10:45 p.m., Adult Swim: The Aqua Teen Hunger Force gang appear in a possible tie-in to their just-released Christmas CD.
"The Christmas Hope," Dec. 13, 7 p.m., Lifetime: A 9-year-old orphan draws a troubled couple closer together.
"Saturday Night Live Christmas 2009," Dec. 17, 7 p.m., NBC: 30 Rockin' around the Christmas tree.
"The Three Gifts," Dec. 19, 7 p.m., Hallmark: Dean Cain, Mimi Kennedy and more holiday orphans.
Marathons â the gifts that keep on giving
"A Christmas Story," 24 hours beginning Dec. 24 at 7 p.m, TBS: Admit it ... you want an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle, too.
"Dirty Dancing," 12 hours beginning Dec. 25 at 11 a.m., TV Guide Network: Huh?
"Holmes for the Holidays," six Sherlock Holmes classics beginning Dec. 25 at 7 p.m., TCM: Maybe the legendary detective will solve the mystery of what this could possibly have to do with Christmas.
Silver bells
"Christmas in Rockefeller Center," Dec. 2, 7 p.m., NBC: Jane Krakowski and Zachary Levi host this holiday celebration featuring musical numbers by Michael Buble, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow, the Roots, Shakira and the Radio City Rockettes.
"Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special," Dec. 7, 7 p.m., Fox: Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley and David Cook join the country crooner in this musical comedy variety special.
"Holiday Celebration on Ice," Dec. 7, 7 p.m., Hallmark: What would Brian Boitano do? Star in this ice spectacular with REO Speedwagon and Rick Springfield.
"Michael McDonald: This Christmas; A Soundstage Special Event," Dec. 10, 8 p.m., PBS: Yuletide favorites and signature hits and a soulful, throaty baritone!
"Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home For Christmas," Dec. 14, 7 p.m., ABC: The "Dreamgirls" star heads back to her childhood Chicago home in her first Christmas special.
"Christmas in Washington," Dec. 20, 7 p.m., TNT: Mary J. Blige, Neil Diamond and Sugarland are among this program's holiday song stylists.
"A Home for the Holidays with Faith Hill," Dec. 23, 7 p.m., CBS: Jamie Foxx, Melissa Etheridge, Tim McGraw and other celebrities extol the joys of adoption in this 10th annual special.
"Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade," Dec. 25, 10 a.m., ABC: Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato (ask your kids) and other Disney stars perform holiday favorites from the Magic Kingdom.
Lumps of coal
"The Polar Express," Dec. 3, 5 p.m., ABC Family: Those cold expressionless faces; those glassy, soulless eyes. And that's just me after seeing this creepy film in Imax. (Repeats at 7:30 p.m.)
"12 Men of Christmas," Dec. 5, 8 p.m., Lifetime: Hey, Kristen Chenoweth ... Christmas is about advent calendars, not hunky, nudie calendars.
"Jack Frost," Dec. 7, 9 p.m., ABC Family: Michael Keaton dies in a car wreck and is resurrected as his son's snowman. There must have been some tragic in that old, silk hat they found.
"Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe," Dec. 13, 7 p.m., ABC Family: Jenny McCarthy must decide whether or not to take the sleigh reins of the family business from her daddy, Saint Nick. Usually when a movie with Paul Sorvino talks about the "family business," it isn't Santa Clausin'.
"Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live," Dec. 15, 8 p.m., Fox: The "Hell's Kitchen" chef will help you prepare a three-course holiday meal. He swears.
"Miracle on 34th Street," Dec. 23, 6:30 p.m., ABC Family: Forget about red and green; this dour 1994 remake will make you feel blue, blue, blue.
--Magnext Turbo Tops: The object of this game is to keep your top spinning for as long as possible by using a magnet to control it. ($29.99)
--"Scene It?" "Twilight" edition: "Scene It?" is a board game where players have to identify movie scenes in order to advance their game piece. ($29.99)
--Elmo Tickle Hands: These are furry gloves your kid can wear that look just like Elmo's hands on "Sesame Street". ($29.99)
--Marshmallow Shooters: This is literally a gun that shoots marshmallows. (???) (starting at $13.99)
--Night Vision Goggles: Awesome. Need I say more? ($49.99)
--Mini Projector: As in "movie projector." It's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, and can project an image as large as five feet onto a screen. ($79.99)
--"Star Wars" Force Trainer: This toy includes a wireless headset that reads and interprets your brainwaves in order to move an object inside a control chamber. ($89.99)
--Jammin' Band Mic: This is a musical activity center for little kids. ($48.99)
--Cake Bakery: This is the latest version of the classic bake set. ($29.99)
--"Pop the Pig" board game: The object of the game is to stuff hamburgers into the mouth of a pig until his belly explodes. (???) ($19.99)
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