• A publication at my alma mater, North by Northwestern, has an interview with Kellan Lutz (George, 90210).
• Kristin has Gossip Girl spoilers.
• The Vanessa-Olivia aspect of the Gossip Girl threesome and Alex-Marissa on The O.C. are included in E! Online’s Hot Girl-on-Girl Action gallery.
• The O.C.’s Chrismukkah episodes made TVGuide.com’s list of Best Holiday and Christmas TV Episodes.
• It figures: when I move away from Chicago, Peter Gallagher (Sandy, The O.C.) starts doing solo-shows there. Darn! (I did pass him on my campus once but realized too late that it was him!)
• One of the tabloids has a short piece on a “Dawson’s Creek love curse.” (See image 7.) Notably and conveniently absent is Joshua Jackson (Pacey) since he happens to be in a committed relationship.
• Jack (Kerr Smith, Dawson’s Creek) is included in E! Online’s Gays on TV gallery.

Goin to bed a bit earlier tonight…
Got in the mail today my parcel to pick up my ID card at the taxoffice on Monday
-This time there wont be any failure…

I leave y’all with this entertaining clip from Sex and the City:

Haha, no but seriously thats not very nice;
You should shout something more like “Yatzy!“

Gnight!!!

Well #2 is here. 7lbs. 7ounces, 18 inches.  Contractions started at 3:30, got to hospital at 4:50, Got in the room at 5:07, he was born at 5:27.

Mom is a champ and already looks so hot.

I think Canaan looks like Malachi alot…..so far:)

I will update with more pictures on facebook.com/markartrip tomorrow.

The song Kristin’s singing pretty much sums up my life right now:  ”Andrea got pooped on, hey-di-hey-di-hey. And I call her Poopty Pants. And I say hey! We all gotta learn to poop and play.”

For the first time ever a cat hates me so much to poop on my while I’m asleep and then let me roll around in it, thinking Kristin’s farting all night. Gross!!! I’m so grossed out!!! Jenna’s roommate’s reaction when I told her: “BAHAHAHAHA.”

This is hilarious.  Why me?  Because Toronto apparently hates my life.  Can’t take me anywhere.

Despite all the stink, Brand New’s show last night was fantastic.  All the youngin’s acting ridiculous was a little tiring and, to be quite honest, I would’ve been happy standing on the balcony and watching (if there was one) instead of attempting to be at the front with the sweaties.

It’s funny because whenever I go to a show, it’s always the bassist that makes or breaks it for me.  I guess the guy’s name is Garrett T (excluding last names in the event of google searches, because that’s embarrassing) and he was fabulous.

I can’t hold a thought because Kristin keeps saying, “poop.”

Anyway, it’s the bassist.  No one ever looks at the bassist except for me, apparently.  And I feel like he was darn good. So I added him to facebook. What a joke!

K-Anne and I came back to Jenna’s with all intention of going out but it was 2 before we were ready (a.k.a. sauced) and ended up watching youtube videos that I need not mention here until 4AM before we passed out (and then I got pooped apparently).  EPIC!

Last night I was a total downer!  It’s funny that I never get migraines or cop out when I’m expected to perform and I was definitely half-dead last night.  What a sad story.  I had such a bad migraine I couldn’t even talk or smile.  Poor, poor, poor!

K-Anne and Jenna went out and they’re still asleep.  I’m ready for lunch and a cocktail but I’m chillin on the couch watching trashy TV instead.  Might go meet Erin downtown since she’s here this weekend too.  Not sure.

K-Anne’s stirring. Maybe  there’s hope. (lololol)

In the mean time, Jenna has a mac.

INTERVIEW – KRISTIN – I Love All Access Tour Rep David Archuleta 2009

Okay so can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself and how you came to work for David?

I’ve been working in the music business off and on for many years and I moved back to Los Angeles last March. I was looking for a new job and a friend of mine that I used to work with in the music business suggested that I apply at I Love All Access because they were looking for a few people. I went back and forth via email for a couple months, went in for an interview – it took some time – about four months before they said they had a tour for me and it was for the David/ Demi Tour. It was right place right time and the right combination of experience for my background. I got very lucky.

Cool, so this is your first tour you’ve done with them then! Or was.

Yeah kind of still going! With a couple exceptions, it’s going to be many of the same crew I worked with all summer so it will be great to work with everyone again.

So can you describe your actual position with ILAA? Like is what you’re doing unique for this tour or do they have other people doing similar things for other tours?

Yeah there are other tour reps that do what I do for other artists. Every tour is different and it’s geared towards what the artist wants to do. For David he does two songs for the group and the meet and greet and the pictures. There was one tour rep that got to work with Fleetwood Mac and they did pictures on stage with Mick Fleetwood and a backstage tour for those that didn’t do the meet and greet. Every tour has something unique and special and each artist gets to collaborate with ILAA and their management and decide what they want to do and we bring that to the fans-which is really fun. So, there are no two ILAA tours that are exactly alike, everything is really geared towards the audience as well as what the artist wants.

Can you walk us through a typical tour day from your perspective? Like all of the things you have to do?

Sure. It kind of depends if we’re doing an overnight drive. Sometimes we’ll have several shows in a row where we’ll drive overnight from one city to the next. If we’re doing an overnight, as soon as we get to the venue, I get up and start my day – ideally I start around 8 or 9am. The first thing I do is find my venue contact, which is usually an event manager or production manager, and do a walk through, see the space that they have planned for us and decide if it will work for us. There have been a few cases where I’ve had to change the room location; maybe the room is too far or too small. There are several factors I have to keep in mind – group size, room location, time line for the day, etc. Once I’ve seen our party area, I track down the box office contact and purchase the ILAA tickets. I try to get all the ticketing out of the way first thing in the morning while it’s quiet. After ticketing, I check in with the caterer and make sure they know where in our party space I want them to set up. I also reconfirm setup time and menu with them. By mid-day my assistants arrive and help me set up the room, decorating, making the goodie bags, etc. About 30 minutes prior to check in, I do a walk through with the assistants and local venue staff/security so everyone is on the same page. After that, I start check in. Usually, I start a little bit early if I can (up to 10 minutes early).

Wow so you do all those goodies bags on the day of?

Actually I usually work ahead. I really like to do things in advance, so normally, I will have my assistants make the goody bags for the next show. The reason is, you never know what’s going to happen. We had a couple of incidents on the last tour where we had a flat tire and got stuck in the middle of Texas on the way to a show and then there was another case where we were driving the morning of a show from Hartford to Wilkes-Barre and we got stuck-our hydraulic system broke down so it was really good that I’d done everything in advance! You just never know what’s going to happen and it’s always a good idea to work ahead just in case.

So what would you say is your favorite thing about the job and your least favorite thing about the job?

My favorite thing about the job and the thing I love about the music business (aside from my love of music) in general is that every show you go to – everybody is there to have a good time, everybody is happy and I love that. I love the energy of the groups who come in – they are so excited to meet David, it’s such a positive thing. The least favorite thing – that’s a hard one. I do love everything about the job but there are always challenges. I think sometimes if I’m in a venue and they don’t have a room for us that I like – that can be challenging. I can always find a way to make it work but I find it challenging when something is not meeting my expectations of what I would want for the group. Sometimes there are space constraints based on how a venue is built – they are not really built with meet and greet parties in mind so the answer is I have to get creative and do my best to work around any logistical challenges.

So since you worked in mostly arenas for the summer tour, and it looks like the winter tour will be different and smaller venues and also it’s a solo tour for David, would you say that’s going to be easier or harder? What’s different about it?

You know I think there’s going to be some things that are a lot easier. David is the headliner this time around so he will have the first sound check and not have to wait for another artist sound check to finish. That will definitely make life easier. I think for the smaller venues, we might run into a little more of the problem where maybe they don’t have a space, because it’s not an arena, they won’t have a giant VIP room or a club or a ballroom that we can use for a party. I have been working with the venues closely on creative alternatives for our party areas. That’s always fun to do, to get creative with the venues. Most of the venues I’ve talked to are really working hard to make sure we have everything we need and I know it’s going to be great.

So what would you say is your favorite tour memory so far?

I really loved the last day before the make up dates in Hershey, Pennsylvania – where we all went on stage for Zero Gravity and there were pranks too. Some of Demi’s band members got involved too and I think people got whipped creamed or shaving creamed and there was all sorts of things going on so that was really fun. Definitely one of my favorite memories.

Did you and the group have any tour rituals like before or after the show?

Not that I know of. The band and crew might but I’m kind of in my own world when I’m working at the show with the set up and break down of the ILAA party so if there is a ritual, I might just not be a part of it. I think the band does a little group gathering right before they get on stage.

Do you get to watch the shows every night?

I did for the Demi/David tour almost every night. I’m hoping I’ll be able to see the shows for the Christmas tour. Honestly it kind of depends on the timing. I think I will be able to because during the summer, I was usually totally finished with my load out by the time David was on stage. I might finish my load out during a song or two into his set but usually I did have a chance to go in and see at least part of the show. That was kind of fun because we’re such a small group, so it was kind of nice that we all got to be in there for that and be a part of that – that was fun.

So as far as work purposes, is your day pretty much over once you’re done cleaning up from the event – like you can actually relax and enjoy the show?

No. (laughs) No. I do go in and watch the show, and actually I like to do that and be a part of our team and be out there with everybody, but after that I have to go and my recaps for the office. I write a recap about how everything went, what people weren’t able to go, etc. After that, I have to do an itemization of my expenses for the show. If I have a good internet connection at the venue I also try to upload as many of the pictures as I can (I always try to get the pictures up as soon as possible). I also have to make sure my road cases are in the right place so they can get loaded on the truck. When you live on a tour bus, and have many shows in a row you are dependent on the venue for things like showers. Once I am finished with everything else, I try to find a shower with a lock on the door! I’m sure that sounds really strange but some of the arenas only have locker room style showers, and for obvious reasons, they are not as nice. By the end of the night, I’m usually looking for a shower. Then, once I’m finished, and the show is loaded out, I get back on the bus and go to bed. It’s probably close to 12am by that time.

Did you get to do any fun stuff on any days off this summer?

Well I had days without shows but I didn’t really have days off. That tour was very busy and David had some solo shows on our days off too. I think when I was in Seattle I Facebooked that I couldn’t see the Space Needle from my hotel room. I see the inside of lots of concert venues and hotel rooms! I hope because I’ve been able to finish the tour advance for most of the Christmas tour that I’ll be able to do some fun stuff on ‘days off’. On the last tour, I did go out here and there for lunch/ dinner, with some people from the tour – but I didn’t really do much beyond that. I think in Providence we all went out to dinner one night – I was able to do little things here and there. Being on the whole tour was fun so I can’t complain.

So what’s some of your favorite music?

I really truly like all kinds of music. In particular, I’ve always been a really big fan of hard rock. Some of my favorites are Seether, Shinedown, Switchfoot,Trapt and Rob Zombie but I also really like pop. Lately, I’ve really been into Taylor Swift, Muse, The Killers and Pink . So my taste in music really runs the gamut and depends on my mood. I really like top 40 – I listen to the radio a lot so I find myself flipping around to all different kinds of stations. The only thing I really don’t listen to is hard-core rap, everything else is wide open.

What other artists or bands have you worked with in the past?

I’ve worked mostly on the local level for local promoters who promote all types of artists. I started out many years ago as an assistant doing VIP ticketing for a woman who worked with artists like The Rolling Stones, but I’ve never gone on tour with them. I did work on Lollapalooza a few years back. I think it was the last full tour they did. Some of the bands on that tour were Audioslave, Incubus, Janes Addiction and Queens of the Stone Age – that was a fun tour. I also worked for an artist management company for a while when I first got out of college. I’ve kind of done a variety of things within the music industry.

Anything more that you want to share about yourself? Where you’re originally from? Where you’ve lived?

I grew up in Northern California, Silicon Valley, and went to college at UC San Diego. I loved San Diego but got into the music business there and realized that if I really wanted to stay in music, I’d have to move to Los Angeles. So I lived in Los Angeles for awhile and then moved north and worked at Bill Graham Presents for many years in San Francisco-loved it there. After that, I moved back to LA and worked with what is now Live Nation LA. I moved abroad to the UK for a couple of years, lived on the East Coast for a couple of years and now I live in Scottsdale, Arizona. When I’m not on the road, I work locally as a runner and production assistant for the local promoter and arena. I also just got my substitute teaching credential so I am hoping to get some teaching work during my next stint at home.

Do you know how David came to ILAA – how that worked out?

David’s manager has worked with ILAA in the past with other bands including New Kids on the Block. I think it has something to do with that.

Fan questions:

What’s your favorite song from David’s album? (Trudy)

I still love Zero Gravity. I love the high energy songs-so still my favorite.

Does David sing all the time on the bus? (Nancy)

He sings a lot! He’s such a happy person so he does walk around singing a lot. I’m usually so busy that my path doesn’t cross his a lot so I imagine it’s more than I even see.

How does laundry get done on tour? (Vickie)

I personally like to go find a Laundromat. That is one of the things I’ll do on my days off. But sometimes you can bring laundry into the show and one of the jobs of the runners is to take crew laundry and do fluff and fold and then bring it back. I prefer to do it myself but once in a while I’ll do that.

What’s the most outrageous thing a fan has ever done in a VIP – have you ever had to step in and intervene? (Mary)

I’ve never had to step in and intervene. Most of the people who come to our events are really cool. Luckily I really can’t think of anything bad that happened on the tour. There are a lot of really good people that come to see David so we’re really lucky that way.

Can you relay a fan story in a VIP that you were personally touched by? (Debbie)

Well there was one little girl that I adored that I met in Seattle that was three. She knew all of David’s lyrics and she was the winner of the raffle to ask a question to David. She was so cute. She went up and it took a minute for her to start talking because she was a little shy but then she said, “Can I have a hug?” and it was really endearing. Then she said “I love you” and it was like awwwwwwww so I love stuff like that. That was adorable, one of my favorite moments.

Do you remember any particular funny moments from a VIP? (Kim)

They all kind of run together. For one thing he has a good sense of humor. I mean there were cool moments like when he met his first Alaskan fan and wanted to take a picture with them in addition to the picture we normally do. He’s like “Oh take a picture of us with my phone!” and then he twittered about it. I thought that was cool. Kind of a fun moment was in Lafayette and we had cookies and ice cream at the event from Hershey Cookie Company, and they did a David Archuleta face cookie for our party, he thought that was really cool. It was funny because he went and sampled all the cookies and then he left. But then he brought the young women from KSM in so that they could see his face cookie – that was kind of fun.

What is the most endearing thing about David? (Cate)

I don’t want to say something generic like that he is so nice but he is, he really really is! I think the most endearing thing is that he’s very patient and really listens to what people have to say.

What three words would you use to describe David? (Trudy)

Genuine, hardworking and upbeat.

Logistical questions:

Are there going to be gifts allowed during the VIP’s this time?

Yes they will be allowed but please keep them small and manageable. The only reason gifts were not allowed on the makeup dates and in Hershey, PA was because we didn’t have a bus to transport them.

Will the two song acoustic set still be happening?

It’s not acoustic but the two song set is still happening. We’ll be bringing people into the auditorium at the end of the sound check. It’s similar but it’s not the acoustic set that he did over the summer.

Is there still going to be food?

Yes there will be appetizers/ snacks and soft drinks.

Is there still going to be a Q&A session?

I think so. I think that everybody really liked it.

So overall would you say that these VIP’s will be similar to summer tour?

There will definitely be some similarities but I think there will be some differences logistically due to the fact that we’ll be in smaller venues.

Is it normal for other artists to have performances at the events?

We really gear every party toward what the artist wants and I feel like David does a lot and he does spend a lot of time and I think that’s the really fun thing about his parties.

So now I thought it would be good to just talk about any kind of do’s and don’ts that might be helpful to share – like for people who’ve never been to a VIP maybe and don’t know what to expect.

I think the one thing that kind of concerned me over the summer and the one thing that makes me nervous for the winter is that people line up so early. While I appreciate that people are very excited and enthusiastic, I get worried about people standing outside in either the scorching heat or the bitter cold. I would really like people to be cautious, please don’t stand out in subzero weather. I worry that people are going to get hypothermia (or in the summer heat stroke). I actually had an incident where a woman collapsed of heat stroke because she was outside waiting in the heat without shelter for too long. I do try to start early every day but can’t do much more than 10 or 15 minutes so please keep that in mind when you get your itineraries. If you get there and it’s really cold, please take shelter, go to a café, whatever and then come out like 10 or 15 minutes ahead of time at most. We try to make sure that everyone that comes to an I Love All Access has a great experience – you don’t need to line up hours ahead of time.

Anything else?

Well definitely with the gifts, I mean it’s wonderful that people are so thoughtful and there are so many wonderful gifts that they’ve been giving David. But definitely keep the size manageable. There is a finite amount of space so please keep that in mind.
One other thing is to bring in a valid photo ID. Some people are not sure exactly what that is – it’s a State ID, a State Driver’s License or a Passport.
Also the I Love All Access packages are non-transferable. Please beware of people trying to sell their packages to you on the internet. The policy is meant to protect the fans and the consumer from buying our packages at three times the price.
There will be no cameras or recording devices allowed at the events.
During the event, please stay with the group and do not wander around the house when we’re all inside.
I would love to hear ideas on pictures I can take for ILAA twitter

Any final message for the fans?

I’m really looking forward to the Christmas tour, really excited. I’ll be seeing a lot of new faces but also a lot of people I’ve kind of gotten to know over the last few months – I think that’s going to be really fun. I’m happy that I get to work with David and his crew again – it’s going to be a really fun tour. I’m looking forward to seeing everybody!

Source

Happy Friday!  Why not kick your weekend off right with some Friday photos?

Sofia picking the pretties out of her hair

Kristin at 37 weeks

Sofia’s signature look: blue steel.

I’m sitting in Rooster’s on campus now, by the window where the clouds are already hiding the sun, dimming the earth.  For a while I had Liz to distract me over lunch but she’s left now.  There’s a guy and girl sitting on the couch across of me who were at once talking and talking about their lives and experiences, seemingly neglecting to come up for air.  They’re an odd type.  She’s not particularly beautiful on the outside, she does a great deal more talking than he, and she’s bashfully inexperienced when it comes to relationships.  She’s new and unhindered and she obviously enjoys the company of this individual.

He’s quiet and attentive.  He has long, frizzy hair and a pointy nose.  They’re oddness fits well together and makes them look good and happy.  They’re both wearing blue.  While she was talking and talking and he was nodding and nodding, his body language obviously exhibited a yearning to touch her.  He wanted to put his arm around her, to kiss her, but I’m sure he didn’t know how.  She just kept talking.  There was no break for him to enter her world.

Liz left and they continued to talk for a couple minutes until she threw herself into his arms and they embraced for a good 2 or 3 minutes.  I thought she was crying, but she’s just looking for an emotional connection.  By their body language that I can see out of the corner of my eye, she’s nervous and bashful.  She nestled into the pit of his arm and he’s holding her.  He wants her to put her head up, but she won’t.  She’s stopped talking now, completely.  They’re actions are as odd and they are and I like it.  A positive odd.  A young odd.  The odd we all knew once; perhaps still do.

Just a giggle as his watch beeped; no words.  She hugged him again and her bracelet got caught in his pony tail.  She giggled and blushed.  I glanced over.  Her face is pink.  She mumbled something about going to see her mom and got up and left.  There may have been a thank you (Thank you for the listening? The hug? The cuddle?).  She stood up and left.  He sat and looked around briefly before getting up and walking after her.

That was a little awkward for me to sit so close to.  Their innocence was refreshing, yet it’s nothing at all that I’m used to.  The closest to that was Mark when I was fifteen.  All I really wanted from him was someone to rely on.  I didn’t want him sexually, but intellectually.  He was a good listener and he thought my ideas were the best he’d ever heard.  When I would talk and he would smile, I knew I was doing something with my life.  I don’t remember him giving anything back to me intellectually except for chocolate chip cookies with blue icing smiles because he knew me well (and that was the best!).  That relationship was more about me than it was him, and I just figured that out midway through this paragraph.  I was more upset about losing someone who willingly paid so much attention to me than I was to learn that I was the girl he cheated on his girlfriend with.  He was someone who listened to every single mummble in my head and loved it.

While that was nice, it didn’t last for obvious reasons.  Life isn’t all butterflies and pumpkin pie.

(This entry wasn’t meant to be about another ex friend, but conversation guides itself when you’re just sitting and writing.)

RE: Photo… This was a year after he stopped talking to me. Notice the BNO shirt? I was jealous of that shirt.  And he wore it.

These memories must stem from all this emo music I’m listening to! BRAND NEW in 2 sleeps!!! K-Anne and Jenna LOVES all in less than 24 hours! Oh my. *swoon*  My weekend will be purposely compiled of sentences strictly related to Brand New lyrics!  Tomorrow I’ll be on number nine with my head on the bar. And it’s sad, but true. Out of cash, and I own you! FTW! You’re just jealous cause we’re young and in love!

This is hard for me to believe, but I had never seen the pilot episode of Veronica Mars in its entirety until today. I started watching in prime time with episode 1.2—with a healthy dose of cynicism—when I was assigned to write about it for a local paper and interview Enrico Colantoni. I had written it off in advance as another Dawson’s Creek-type teen drama. But I fell in love. VM ended up being the first show I can remember that I made sure not to miss, and re-watched episodes, and talked about to friends and co-workers. I worked as an extra on it twice, and an episode was taped where I work. I love this show. And I love pilots. So I have no logical explanation for why I’ve never seen episode 1.1 until now. I write about it with full knowledge of who killed Lily, and all the other secrets that will be revealed, which makes the early hints that much more exciting.

Right away, the theme gritty song, “We Used to be Friends,” grabs you. (Hated when they remixed it for Season 3.) Veronica gives us a succinct and color introduction to Neptune, the town where she lives. It’s populated with the over-privileged and those who work for them.

She’s tenacious: She alone steps forward to help a boy who’s been taped, naked, to a flagpole in front of the high school. She’s smart: She demonstrates thorough understanding of the assigned reading even though she’s dozing in English class. She’s a smartass: When cops come to search her locker, she’s comfortable telling their dog to back off. She’s bitter: Her family isn’t rich and important like the others in town. The bitterness continues as Veronica explains how she used to be in with the cool crowd. Now it looks like her only friend is the new kid, Wallace—the one she freed from the flagpole. There a couple of blue-tinged flashbacks to reveal what her life used to be like, full of parties and BFFs.

After life at school, we see life at work; Veronica’s dad’s P.I. office. Her dad, Keith used to be the town’s Sheriff. (There are lots of “used-to-bes,” in keeping with the theme song.) Currently, V. is trailing Jake Kane on assignment from his suspicious wife. Veronica used to date their son Duncan, and her best friend was their daughter Lily. Lily was murdered, Keith accused Mr. Kane but couldn’t prove anything, was removed from office by recall, and V.’s mom left them. To add insult to injury, people believe it was Keith who leaked a video of the crime scene all over the internet.

The new sheriff immediately found evidence incriminating a Kane employee, and the matter was put to uneasy rest. Also, Lily’s boyfriend, the rich, spoiled bad boy Logan Echolls really, really hates V. In another subplot, V. reveals that she lost her virginity while roofied at some party the year before. This won’t be unraveled until the end of Season 2, but clues are revealed in several episodes along the way. I love when a show asks for a viewer’s long term commitment for payoff.

But wait, there’s more. V.’s mom appears to be shacking up with Jake Kane. The Veronica-Wallace friendship is a little sappy, but it lets the audience see that V. still has a heart, and gives us a look at her mad P.I. skills and twisted sense of humor. She ends up with the local biker gang in her camp, defending her from Logan. It’s a delightfully tangled web. Every little detail will come back in later episodes. Of course, you don’t know that. But the kicker: Keith is still investigating Lily’s murder. That alone lets us know there are plenty of juicy revelations to look forward to.

V. leaves us with this declaration: “I will find out what really happened.” Rest assured, she will.

Weird note: I once saw the first 10 minutes or so of this episode online (in French) and the scene where V. is camped outside the Camelot Motel in her car was the cold open. Here there is no cold open, and that scene takes place mid-episode. Hm.

• Monday’s One Tree Hill (2.6 million viewers) dropped ever so slightly and Gossip Girl (2.2 million viewers) dropped a bit more in the ratings compared to last week.
• Last night’s 90210 ( 2.1 million viewers) stayed the same in the ratings compared to last week.
• For some reason, this week (both Monday and Tuesday) The CW only had 94 percent coverage instead of 95 percent. But I’m not sure how much difference that actually makes in the ratings. I’ve been told it was 94 prior to this season so it’s possible that will be the norm again.
• The CW sent out a press release, however, touting this week’s ratings for all 3 shows, as well as how the network did overall during the sweeps period as well for this season in general compared to last year.
• It was comforting to read the comments on EW.com’s 90210 recap and see many other original fans with similar complaints to the Jackie-Kelly storyline as I have.
• TV Guide Magazine has a spoiler-filled interview with Matt Lanter (Liam, 90210).
• Greg Vaughan (Cliff, Beverly Hills 90210) tweeted that his new role on 90210 will begin in January and that it is recurring.
• Tristan Wilds (Dixon, 90210) is reportedly dating Rihanna.
• Zimbio has an interesting look at the hairstyle Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills 90210) had at the New Moon premiere.
• PEOPLE.com and EW.com have brief recaps of Kellan Lutz (George, 90210) appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today.
• Kristin has major spoilers for Gossip Girl.
• GQ named Leighton Meeter (Blair, Gossip Girl) their Obsession of the Year.
• PEOPLE.com has more details from Meester’s Glamour UK coverstory.
• Meester says she is collaborating with Lil Wayne on one of her songs. Wayne recently had a baby with Lauren London (Christina, 90210).
• MTV has an interview with Jessica Szhor (Vanessa, Gossip Girl).
• Michelle Trachtenberg (Georgina, Gossip Girl) is partnering with Coach on a jewelry line.
• Hilarie Burton (Peyton, One Tree Hill) is featured in the new SoGoPro prodcast.

We know in an instant this is going to be an unusual show. The first image we see is of an endless field of bright yellow flowers capped by an impossibly blue sky. A narrator with a deep, storyteller voice tells us that the little boy and his dog running through the flowers are Ned and Digby, along with their ages, down to the minute.

Digby is dramatically run down by a truck, but when Ned touches him, more with curiosity than sadness, the dog jumps up fully alive. Ned, we are told, has the ability to bring dead things back to life. Now pay attention. His mom is struck dead by on the kitchen floor by an aneurism. Ned brings her back to life. Exactly one minute later, the man across the street drops dead. The dead guy’s daughter is Chuck, the apple of Ned’s eye. When Ned hugs his mom good night, she dies. Again. It’s a complicated gift, and if you missed this first three minutes, I doubt you would make much sense out of the show later on. One touch brings someone back to life, a second kills them. If the person is kept alive for more than one minute, someone nearby dies is his stead.

Fast forward to present day. Ned (Lee Pace) owns a pie shop. Emerson Cod (Chi McBride), a customer and a private investigator, has recruited Ned to help him investigate murders. It’s a big—and refreshing—leap from the normal cop-with-an-unusual-partner show. Kristen Chenoweth plays the adorable waitress Olive, who has a thing for Ned.

Soon, we see Ned and Emerson in action, as Ned sets his watch alarm for one minute and wakes a dead guy to find out how he got that way. Bam, the mystery is solved, and the audience has a sense of how the show will go.

Things become more complicated, however, when the next murder victim turns out to be Chuck (Anna Friel), Ned’s childhood crush. He wakes her; she’s spunky, she’s charming, and reveals that the two of them were each other’s first kiss. Awww… Ned can’t bring himself to re-kill her, so after a minute, she is stuck between life and death for good. What really sucks is Ned has found the love of his life and he can’t touch her. Great dramatic tension, if difficult to believe.

The rest of the pilot (titled “Pie-lette”) involves solving Chuck’s murder, and protecting her aunts, Vivian and Lillian, from the killer. The aunt’s back story is that they are former synchronized swimming stars until one lost an eye, and now they are agoraphobics with a penchant for cheese.

To love this show requires buying fully into the premise. You have to treat it like the beautiful storybook that it is and not over-think reality. The characters talk at Gilmore Girls speed, and plays on words fly back and forth like ping-pong balls. Every detail matters. There is a sort of 1950s aesthetic in both the language and the look. Color in this show is a character in itself. Everywhere there are brighter-than-life hues, from the bulbous cherry red lamps in the pie shop to Olive’s floral print wallpaper and matching pajamas.

As with creator Bryan Fuller’s other shows, Dead Like Me and Wonderfalls, not enough people apparently got it. It was, however, nominated for several Emmys, winning for Directing, Editing, Music Composition (2008), Art Direction, Make-up, Costumes, and Best Supporting Actress—Kristen Chenoweth (2009). Honestly, it was one of those impossible to sustain premises, much like in the aforementioned shows, that couldn’t work forever. But the Pie-lette is delicious.

Just like earthquakes in California and tornados in Kansas, hurricanes are something that us East-coasters expect and are a little used to.  But by this time of year the hurricane watch is over, with August and September being the high season.

So last week, when I heard there was going to be a Nor’easter heading our way for the weekend, I didn’t think much of it. We get them all the time. No big deal. Certainly not as big a deal as an actual hurricane, or even a tropical storm. But when I woke up Thursday morning and had a text from my mom saying schools were closed, I knew this wasn’t your average nor’easter. My office, too, was closed for the day, the flooding had already started, The Weather Channel was broadcasting live from Hatteras and the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, and the storm was being dubbed the “Atlantic Assault”. One newscaster, after showing the high and low pressure systems meeting in the middle, was calling it The Perfect Storm.

When a hurricane develops and looks to be heading toward the east coast, all eyes are on the news the entire week prior for the latest updates on the storm track. People head to the store to stock up on bottled water, batteries, generators and alcohol (an absolute necessity if the power goes out and you’re left to just stare into the dark or play cards by candlelight. Might as well be drinking to make it more interesting). Anyway my point is, we’re prepared. For this particular storm, not so much. It may have been called a Nor’easter but this bitch was a hurricane. Wind gusts up to 75 mph, downpouring rain for 3 days straight, people losing power for over 4 days…this all had the weathermen calling this storm “Nor’Ida”. (Get it? Nor’Easter combined with Hurricane Ida? Yes, how very clever those meteorologists are).

So, since a picture’s worth a thousand words, here is what Nor’Ida left in my neighborhood after she left town. Damage worse than the past few hurricanes, that’s for sure. What a bummer.

Hello there. I’m Kristin. I thought I’d try out this blog thing. Not really for anyone to read it, but for a cool outlet just for me! If you want to read it, then that’s cool too. I guess I’ll just write about my life to start out. Hopefully I’ll find a theme or something.

So I’ll just tell you about the things that I’m into at the moment. I will be including, of course, the internet! I love the game Jelly Battle! Have you ever played it? You should because I bet you cant beat me. I have one more rank to go until I get to the top! I know that sounds really nerdy, but at least I’m not into World of Warcraft. I’m just kidding to all you WoW fans, but I simply just don’t get the obsession. I used to play it actually. Come to think about it, I was a bit addicted to it, but look at me now! I’m a functioning member of society. How nice for us all.

I am a General. I want to be a Field Marshall!

So let’s talk about the music I am currently into. I love indie rock music especially the soft acoustic stuff, like Fleet Foxes, Blind Pilot, and, most recently, Horse Feathers. I’m really into guys with bears for some unknown reason. Actually, I can think of a reason because I’m a psychology major and we learn a lot about these weird theories, but that’ll be for another time. So, anyways if you have a beard, you’re cool with me.

I think he's a cool guy...he has a beard...

The most recent movie I watched was Hard Candy with Ellen Paige. It’s a decent thriller, I thought. If you like movies that make you follow the storyline really intensely, then I recommend this movie to you.

Well that’s all I got for now! See ya!

-Kristin

Just last Sunday, AJ and I met up with our wonderful photographer Kristin at the Balboa Fun Zone for our engagement shoot.  We had a blast and Kristin worked her magic.  We were so lucky to find her on the day AJ proposed, while he was proposing!  Check out her blog and some of the pictures she has posted.  

Blue Sky’s Studios

Some cool facts about our shoot. 

   On our first date AJ convinced me to go on the ferris wheel at the fair, even though I am terified of heights, actually make that of falling from heights.  That is why we got photos on the ferris wheel.

The suitcase was one that actually belonged to my grandparents.  Yup, all those stickers are from their travels.

Most of the old cameras came from my collection.  In fact, the old 8mm was my Papa’s that he used to shoot home movies of my mom, my aunts and uncle.  I am not sure, but it may even be the one he took overseas with him while in the Marines.

Enjoy!  We will post more when we have more to share!

Some sketches of Erin and Kristin from Kiss Cam.

These are so fantastic, they capture Kristin’s day perfectly. Enjoy.

Pat’s Carnival Pics

Kristin did the finger weaving that transformed this ugly cart that I was going to give away into Kal’s new favorite toy. He loved yanking it all around his room this evening, and I only left him out of the picture because he was moving so quickly that all of the shots I took were blurry!

Kal is starting to take his first steps. There is a lot of falling and he is happier cruising or holding something as he toddles along, but the walking is coming. Soon.
Kal now has three teeth. I was wrong about number two; he has his right front, then a gap where the left should be (but it is right under the skin), and then his left eye tooth. He also has the eye tooth next to his right front. The bottom two are threatening to break out at any time as well. There are so many coming in at once that he’s pretty unhappy, especially at night. He’s drooling like crazy, has been more finicky about eating (even ignoring cheese and oatmeal!) and has the classic new-teeth runny nose.

Today is the last day (at least for a while?) that I’ll be dating a guy in his 20’s.  David’s turning 30 tomorrow and I just sent him on his way home after dinner and some ice cream cake because I have a lot to do.  My head is spinning from this busy week. His party tomorrow is going to be a blast, though (hehe)!  This photo is the last one of him before he turns 30!!! Omgz. (Unless he goes home and takes one, that is…)

Early today I met a guy from CU to collect bottles for our respective trips on spring break.  Did I tell you?  I’m going to the Florida Everglades to complete “service learning,” like community service except we get something out of it for ourselves by way of lessons, reactions, discussions, and learning experience.  It’s a really cool concept.  We collected beer/wine/liquor bottles in Sandy Hill for a couple hours.  Only made $45 but it was a car load full.

Listening to the new Brand New album “Daisy” now and it’s pretty good, I think.  It’s a first listen and I’m unfamiliar so once the songs grow on me, I’ll be able to sing along in bliss.  I’m excited!! I’m going to Toronto on the 21st to see them with K-Anne!  A whole weekend of her and Jenna Loves and even Erin is going that same weekend.  What a mess!

Apgar Lookout Trail, Glacier National Park

A climb of about 1,850 feet over the course of 2.8 miles, the Apgar Lookout Trail ascends Apgar Mountain in Glacier National Park to reach the Apgar Fire Lookout with amazing views of Lake McDonald and the heart of Glacier.  One fine day during our family vacation in Glacier in 2002, Michael, Kristin and I tackled this hike.  There were quite a few switchbacks near the top of the mountain, but the climb was certainly worth it when we arrived at the top.  After taking in the great views, posing for some photos, and enjoying a snack or two, we headed back down the trail.

Back at the trailhead, we posed for a shot in front of the ‘Apgar Lookout Trail’ sign…I guess you had better be on the Look Out for us!

Here’s the webcam for the top of Apgar Mountain: Look at the snow on the distant mountaintops!