quick & healthy lunch

I just made the best smoothie and I feel the need to document its greatness. Let me start off by saying I have an obsession with being healthy and I'd do almost anything to keep my skin looking good/clear after battling acne for too long. (my skins never been this clear, but one can never do enough to keep the clearness going.. ) I googled smoothies to benefit the skin and came across a few decent ideas. So I took the dying fruit and dying baby spinach from my fridge that I've been neglecting, some frozen fruit from my freezer, and a little bit of water and voila! 

Sure it looks revolting, but I swear it tastes delicious!

Here's the specifics of what I added to the mix..

1 dying plum

5 dying strawberries

half a cup of frozen fruit (pineapples, mangoes, strawberries)

a little bit of water

and a large, ginormous handful of baby spinach, which is the key element for skin care. (I swear you don't taste it one bit. )

I crammed all of that into my Magic Bullet. With a little patience.. well, not really any patience.. I forced .. i mean, coaxed the damn thing into cooperating. (i need to invest in a real blender..) 

I must say that was the best lunch I've had in a long time.

Two in one...

My favorite time of year is any time Demi Lovato or Paramore decide to release new things. It could be a single, an album, or just a music video. Within a week I was spoiled by the release of Demi's new video for Skyscraper and Paramore's new video for Monster off of the Transformers soundtrack. 

First up is Demi's Skyscraper video.. 

I'll admit that I was hesitant at first with the title. It didn't make me want to listen to the song.. who sings about buildings? But I was completely wrong. You can feel her passion burn when she sings this song, and the video makes her feelings even more apparent. The girl was in a pretty damn dark place, but she dug herself out of it. Her comeback song is crucial and I think she'll gain the respect and admiration she deserves from those who hear this song. Check out the video posted above. I promise you wont be disappointed. 

Next up is Paramore's Monster video..

Awesome filming. Great editing. with an ending twist. Every time Paramore releases a new video they surpass their last by miles. This band continues to move forward despite all of the drama. Minus two members, Paramore wrote and released their new song for the Transformers soundtrack (which is a damn good album) that came out in June. The meaning behind the song appears to be about the loss of their members (Zach and Josh Farro) with lines like, "Now that you're gone, the world is ours" and "I'm not the villain despite what you're always preaching- call me a traitor, i'm just collecting your victims." The lyrics made me believe their intentions were to stick it to the Farro brothers, but the video threw me off a bit. As you watch the video its clear that the "monster" is the band itself. Check it out and see for yourself the awesomeness that is Paramore :)

Warped Tour '11 Highlights...

Kevin Lyman discussion!

Warped Tour 2011 was different from any Warped I've been to in the past. Instead of attending the Uniondale show I went to the Hartford CT event, which ended up being much easier to deal with. Let me start off by saying that Hartford has a closed arena stage thats split in half to rotate bands. Thats right.. CLOSED.. no sun beating down on you.. SEATS you can relax in and cool off.. what an amazing concept. Dear Uniondale show, please work on this feature. Besides that I got to listen to Kevin Lyman speak about to music industry and how he got his start. He gave the group of 40+ people great advice on how to get yourself more involved if this is an area you wish to pursue.

 Another great thing about Warped is all the new music you can find. People starting bands are always lurking around trying to sell their CDs for five bucks. Hell, I bought the Bad Rabbits CD for $1! Talk about a bargain. PS. those guys put on a great show.

New Music!

30h3!

 One crowd that never disappoints is the 3oh3! crowd. This crowd gets crazy when those two dudes start singing on stage. I got a pretty great picture with my iPhone of the massive crowd doing the 3oh3! hand symbol.. what is that called anyway?.. I've got no idea.

Later on in the day I saw Simple Plan, Relient K, There for Tomorrow, and Dance Gavin Dance. All of which put on great shows. I saw a couple of band I've never heard of before, which is the beauty of Warped Tour. You spend about 70 bucks for a ticket and you can see over 50 bands in a day..if you see one song from each band. The set is broken down so perfectly that its possible to see all your favorites in one day.

Warped's scheduling coordinator is clever in that they make the more popular bands go on last. This makes people come early in the day and stay late to see those final bands. I am one of those people. Paramore played on select tour dates, which was my main reason for choosing CT over NY. They went on at about 8:00 and played for 45 minutes. The Paramore crowd was huge, and so was the energy in the environment. I could feel the vibrations from the music as I sang along to some of my all time favorite songs. (okay.. I'm a nerd but I embrace it) Front woman Hayley Williams spoke about the bands recent drama. She spoke as if their soap opera story was common knowledge, which in this scene it probably was. Fans cheered as Williams proclaimed she and her band mates Taylor York and Jeremy Davis are in it for the long haul. The band recently wrote and recorded a new song for the Transformers soundtrack, which they performed as the penultimate song of their set.

In the end I thought Warped Tour was a great event. During the discussion with Lyman he mentioned this year is the year to go out and see new bands that you've never seen before. He was admin about picking certain bands that deserve to be on the tour. He was passionate about getting old bands to return to the scene. Mr. Lyman, I must say, you have succeeded beautifully.

 

Monster - Paramore

I cannot get enough of this song. Paramore's Monster was released on the Transformers soundtrack last week and I have about 75 plays on iTunes... totally normal.

My newest obsession.

The iPhone 4

I finally caved and upgraded to an iPhone! And when I say upgrade I truly mean upgrade. This thing is super fast and really easy to use. I had a Blackberry curve for about a year and a half. As much as I loved it, I don't miss it at all. Every time I tried to download an app I would have to restart my phone, but with the iPhone apps download in less than 5 seconds. 

I was fascinated that taking a screen shot on this phone is really simple, so I uploaded the image of my home screen. Yes, I am a nerd. 

I would truly recommend making the switch to the iPhone no matter what phone you have now. 

Its been a long time.. -

since my last update! A lot has happened between now & then...

I graduated Iona College!....

I can't believe its over. This is a picture of me and my best friend, Jamie. 

We're recreating our kindergarten graduation picture. Best friends since age 5. 

My friends and I were standing at the back end of the line, but all of a sudden we were being pulled to the front. We formed a fourth line, which landed us front row seats. At first we were a little embarrassed, being yanked through the crowd, but being able to take it all in from front row was pretty damn awesome.

I went to Hawaii!... 

Most beautiful place I've ever been. At first it was hard to adjust from the crazy New York lifestyle to the laid back Hawaii atmosphere. I went with Jamie (pictured above). We stayed for nine days.. nine amazing long days. The list of things we did included: Snorkeling, Zip Lining, Lounging at the beach/pool, and a Luau. I recommend going to Maui at least once in your life. It's unreal. 

I sat in the audience of Live With Regis & Kelly!...

Yes, that is Nina Dobrev. She was so proper and sweet. I went into the city with my friend Steph at 4am to get in the stand-by line. It was completely worth the 5 hour wait. We talked to Kelly, who is as nice in real life as she is on TV. We watched Nina and pre-taped Alec Baldwin. Then we got to see them pre-record Chris Hemsworth (hottie) from Thor, which I have yet to see, and Eva Mendes, one of the most bubbly people I've ever met. She's got to be a great friend to have around with her positivie attitude and constant laughter. 

That's all for now, update soon!

lyric of the day,

So, I was listening to my iTunes on random. The Foo Fighters song My Hero came on. First off, I usually listen to this song via the Paramore cover. (I doubt anyone that knows me is surprised by that statement) Anyways, listening to the original version definitely gave me a new perspective on the song all together. You know when you watch a movie a few times and you continue to find something new? Well, your not finding something new, it was there all along, you just needed a little time to discover it. That's what happened to me with this song. So I decided to post a lyric of the day. Today's lyric...

"Truth or consequence, say it aloud"

My Hero, Foo Fighters

Take this line as you will, but it resonates with me on a whole other level. I'm not about to get all personal on everyone, so we'll just leave it at that. 

Foo Fighters- My Hero

Paramore's version.. i couldn't resist posting it =)

The Last Dance

I know I wrote about the show in my last post but its just too good to pass up another opportunity to talk about The Vampire Diaries. 

Last night's episode was absolutely AMAZING. The twists and turns! The drama and craziness! I was on the edge of my chair.. well I was watching while sitting on the floor, but you know what I mean. You can never tell whats going to happen next while watching. The end of this episode left me with my jaw on the floor. Check out this extended preview for next weeks episode!

The Vampire Diaries - The Last Dance Extended Preview

The Vampire Diaries..

I've been known to get ridiculously attached to television shows, but its rare that I'm super attached after one season. Hell, I was hooked to this show after watching two eps. I'm about to gush about this show instead of doing my homework.... 

Based off the book series by L.J Smith, the tv series The Vampire Diaries has become bigger than anyone expected. Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec have created a monster! Watching this show is truly an addiction. Theres no guilt in the pleasure of watching TVD week to week. Sadly its been on hiatus for quite some time, but this thursday it is B A C K! 

For those of you who know:

I don't have to tell you what its like to watch an ep. Your sucked into this world for 48 minutes filled with action, drama, twisted story lines,  and ridiculously good looking guys ;) (or girls)! I don't know about you, but I speak for myself and my friends; this show never disappoints! We are always on the edge of our seats or holding on for the next hilarious Damon line.

Damon, Elena, Stefan

For those of you who don't know:

The show is about vampires (duh), but not the old type of vampire. These guys have evolved quite well to the current time. They blend right in, and they're gorgeous. The two main vampires are Damon Salvatore (played by Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan Salvatore (played by Paul Wesley). The leading lady whos busting her butt playing Elena Gilbert, and her vampire twin Katherine Pierce, is Nina Dobrev. If anyone has surprised me the most its Nina. She captures both roles perfectly and doing double time CAN'T be easy. The girl works hard and it sure does show.

Here are some of the killer supporting cast, no pun intended, that become essential to the show:

Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman   

Sara Canning as Aunt Jenna 

Katerina Graham as Bonnie Bennett

Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood 

Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert 

For those of you who are behind:

there are 21 eps in the first season and there will be 22 in this season. I HIGHLY recommend watching all of season one and all of season two. Its just too good to miss any episodes!

To watch some season 2 episodes head to http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-vampire-diaries/

To stay up-to-date on all TVD news the best best best website to follow is Vampire-Diaries.net! ! 

The Power Of Youtube.

 Rebecca Black's Youtube music video "Friday" was released on Monday March 14th. I was interviewing an upcoming band on Tuesday March 15th called My Arcadia. Their lead singer, a 20-something year old female, with an amazing voice continued to mock a song I've never heard of. She was singing Black's song "Friday" questioning if the song was just a joke. By Wednesday morning my facebook feed was FULL of people sharing links to Black's music video. It is the most terrible song I have ever heard. Her voice is 100% autotuned. The lyrics are obnoxious. and the video is.. really well made? I dont understand it, but people are LOVING this video. The song is number 69 on Itunes (and continuing to climb the charts) and has over 10 million youtube views. 

 There are people talking about signing Black to a label. Autotune is becoming more and more common. We all know that Ke$ha dabbles in autotune at least twice on each track, and I have seen her live, the girl is crazy but she cant truly sing. I'm comparing Black with Ke$ha to give you a clear visual, Ke$ha sounds like a singing godess when pinned against Black's "Friday". Its pretty disturbing to me as a music lover to see Black get so much attention for a song shes not actually singing. Technology is allowing anyone with a camera, computer and autotune to become a "singer." 

I believe Black will have her five minutes of fame, and then take her rightful place as an on-going joke you hear people laughing about, or maybe you're already laughing. At least I hope thats how this all pans out. Real musicians should be getting all the attention. The ones that have true talent, can actually use their real voices, and can play a damn instrument.

One Tree Hill...

Anyone reading this that knows me, knows One Tree Hill is my favorite show. Its been with me since I started high school and this year I'm graduating college. Not once in high school did I think this show would last a full 8 seasons. Its a roller coaster ride kind of show. Legitimately anything can happen in Tree Hill. Weekly, OTH puts up good numbers because if their faithful viewers. But I have to say, even I was surprised that there are people campaigning for a season 9!

The campaign starts, as usual, with a petition. The goal is 10,000 signatures to prove to the CW OTH should have a s9. The petition is already at 4,000+ signatures and its only been open for a few days. Any fans out there that want a season 9 should head over to the OTH petition and sign away =)

This year's campaign will also involve sending mini basketballs to CW offices, and CD mixes. The idea is to use things that are always present in OTH. Basketball has been around since season 1 with the Ravens, and music has been a huge part of the show starting with Peyton's obsession, and continuing with all of the musical guests over the years.  For more information on the campaign click here and check out their facebook page. 

Love Is Louder

By now everyone is aware of the string of suicides that happened last year. The important thing is to keep supporting those in need, and this campaign is doing that beautifully. Love is Louder.  They are continuing to put their name out there and literally spread love and support. For me, the suicides from last year were heartbreaking. I feel terrible for anyone who has to go that far to avoid the pain. What people say about you does NOT matter, bullies get nowhere in life, and your TRUE friends will support you 100%. 

For you twitter users follow the hastag #LoveIsLouder! The campaign was formed by actress Brittany Snow, The Jed Foundation, and MTV. Brittany Snow and Sophia bush recently attended the Love Is Louder TShirt launch party in LA. You can purchase the Tshirt here, all of the proceeds will go to The Jed Foundation and Love Is Louder campaign. 

Brittany Snow & Sophia Bush

For more information on how you can get involved please go to the Love Is Louder Facebook page, and remember, it gets better.

Sweet Dreams Sucker...

Hi there,
This post may seem a little out of left field, but i figured I'd write it anyway. Lately I've had THE weirdest dreams. Think of all the horrible, strange, or confusing dreams you've ever had. Chances are I've had them. I don't know what it is, but I seem to wake up all the time trying to figure out what the hell  that dream meant.

I started getting tired of these dreams, and decided to buy a dream catcher. FAIL. I still had all sorts of Inception-type dreams every night. So after a while I embraced the craziness. I started googling dream meanings and what items or scenarios mean in your dreams. I came across this site, Dream Dictionary, and it is honestly fascinating.

Most of the time, if we dream of things apparently they mean the complete opposite. Here are some examples:

• To see a shooting in your dream, indicates that you have a set goal and know what to aim for in life. Your plans are right on target!
• To dream of an extremely small baby, symbolizes your helplessness and your fears of letting others become aware of your vulnerabilities and incompetence. You may be afraid to ask for help and as a result tend to take matters into your own hands.
• To see a ladybug in your dream, symbolizes beauty, and good luck. The dream may be a pun on something that is bugging your or a lady in your life. 
• To dream that you are Harry Potter, represents your desires to escape from reality. You are living in your own fantasy world. (I had to throw this one in to the examples out of pure fascination that they would even consider creating a meaning for dreaming of Harry)

So, the next time you just need to know what in the world that dream meant, check out the website, www.DreamMoods.com!

Water Bobble.

Each day I drink a ridiculous amount of water. On the days I don't I feel completely abnormal. About three days a week I buy a water bottle from the deli near my school, or I take a Poland Spring bottle from home. What a waste of money and plastic.

Every day a ridiculous amount of water bottles are purchased. We drink it and then we recycle it... I hope. If you're not recycling then these plastic bottles thrown in the trash take between 450 to 1,000 YEARS TO BREAK DOWN ENTIRELY. Which brings me to the reason for this post..

The Water Bobble.

Its a reusable water bottle that filters itself! The screw-on top acts as a filter. The filters last up to two months. This will save you money and help the environment at the same time! I got mine in the mail two days ago, and let me tell you, i love it. The water tastes clean. There is no funky tap water flavor at all! The bottle's can be purchased online through Water Bobble's website. Available sizes are 13oz, 18.5oz, and 34oz. There are all different color filters to personalize your bobble; red, blue, green, yellow, pink, ect.

After your filter's two-month limit is up you can purchase new filters on their website. If you feel like replacing your old Bobble, no worries, the bottle itself is fully recyclable! Check them out at www.WaterBobble.com

Holding Out For a Hero

The CW network's long-running show One Tree Hill has always touched on social issues in their story lines, so its anti-bullying episode was not a surprise. In fact, with Sophia Bush as the leading lady I'm sure she's pushed for this type of episode since the beginning of the season. She has been a frequent poster for the hash-tags #loveislouder and #itgetsbetter on twitter. The episode was humorous, entertaining, and a little outlandish, but it got the point across perfectly.

 The lovely ladies of Tree Hill set out to fight crime as the town's newest super heros. Brooke, Quinn, and Haley break up an ambush between high school students. One student is tormented by three other girls for being adopted and dressing like a tom-boy in her childhood. With this information they aptly name her "little orphan-tranny."

Tree Hill's super hero's; Be Dazzled, Shutter Bug, and Baby Mama (aka Mastermind) save the day by putting those bullies in their place. In the end the lesson learned is IT GETS BETTER. All of the bullying-suicides in the paper last year shined light on a MAJOR issue. This prompted the revolution of anti-bullying groups and campaigns. One Tree Hill used its assets and created another unique episode for Season 8.

Check out these scenes from the episode "Holding Out For a Hero" that aired on February 8th.

Hello Fascination...

I've always wanted to start writing a blog, but I never had the inspiration to go ahead and do it. Well, the time has come. Lately I've had a LOT to talk about. So many issues in society infuriate, inspire, and influence my every-day life. I am going to use this blog to vent, promote, and explain the things that impact me. I hope that my random posts will somehow connect to a large audience. The purpose of this blog is pretty personal, but if others enjoy it it will be an added bonus.  

I've got all sorts of interests including music, television shows and movies. My favorite band is Paramore, my favorite TV shows are One Tree Hill &Vampire Diaries, and I cant pick one movie to insert as my favorite. I'm a senior in college on the cusp of graduating this May. I've never been so excited and unsure about my future than I am in this moment.

I am graduating with a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications with a focus in Public Relations. Which explains why I'm really interested in the entertainment industry. Ideally I will work in a PR firm with clients such as A-list actors, indie artists, or a non-profit company.

My newest goal: to post as much as possible on super important issues =)