So seriously, I wish that when you opened this post to read it, that it would automatically play a file of me screaming WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO really fucking loud. That is the only way to describe yesterday.

I got up and had a lazy morning at the salon. Decided I am going to try to grow my hair out but didn’t want it to look like it was growing out so my stylist Laura put some cute curls in my hair *with a flat iron*! After running some errands and throwing some laundry in, I threw on my outfit for No Doubt.

Naomi and I decided to get an early start to our day and head to Solo Cafe for some coffee before we headed to Cricket. Solo’s attached to my salon so we decided to do some browsing in the boutique store section while we were there. I ended up buying three dresses. They are super cute and so worth it. I had to wear the one out shopping today and received quite a few compliments.

We arrived at Cricket fairly early but that was fine with me. The weather was gorgeous and it gave us a chance to walk around and chat and so forth before the music started. A few days before the concert, I was sent a notice from Live Nation about some concert rules. One of them stated that we were allowed to bring in one unopened bottle of water. However, when arriving to Cricket, we were promptly handed a large Styrofoam cup and asked to recycle our water bottle. Hmm. This caused not only one hand to be tied up when trying to show my ticket and what not, but I also had to then promptly drink my water instead of saving it and recycle but also use a Styrofoam cup. Hmm. Fail.

Also to note, tour merchandise is insanely more expensive than it was when I went to my last mainstream concert a year ago. $40 for a tank top? Bitch please. No thanks.

Before The Sounds started playing (which is a truly amazing band I now need to listen to a lot) we landed upon a State Farm booth that was taking photos and then posting them online for you to download. As we were in line for that, we saw the booth next to it which was rock band. Everyone was in line to play Spiderwebs. Whichever group (or solo if you chose) had the highest score by 9pm won 4 upgraded seats for the No Doubt portion of the concert. I just really wanted to play rock band so I drug Naomi with me. Soon the 2 girls in front of us asked us if we wanted to play as one group (to increase our chance of a higher score) and we obliged. After we finished we were 1st.

Our seats were pretty decent. We were in the 2nd section in the pavilion and had a clear shot of the stage. We sat back down to see The Sounds and some of Paramore and headed back around 8:30 to check on our score and grab some food. We were in 2nd place. As we were standing in line to play again (might as well) we ended up in 3rd.

We played again a few minutes before 9 (and therefore were the last ones eligible) and won with a score I think around 580k. We were then promptly escorted to our new seats which were a section farther up. We had an amazing shot of the stage. Here we are with our group members after the concert ended:

The concert was so incredible. I’m still in awe over it a day later. We ended up having great seats 9 rows back from the pit, which was about 25 rows up from where we were. I got to see Adrian, Tony, Tom, Gwen, and the two other band members so close. Every song I wanted to hear they played, although they saved Sunday Morning for the very end of their encore set which had me nervous for a bit. Gwen is still as sexy as ever as are the rest of them.

Here is one of the best shots I have. More of them can be seen on flickr. Videos are on vimeo (but are of bad quality, I will warn you right off the bat).

Dave and Busters wasn’t the only fun aspect of this week. I can easily tell it’s the onset of the holiday season.

Wednesday my community had a holiday party. It wasn’t as amazing as the event to celebrate the opening of our community center, but it was close. The day was sadly ruined when Applebees charged us out the ass for our beer afterwards. Still, the wine and people were great!

Friday, we had a fabulous visit to Delux for our holiday lunch at work. I had a nice flight of fruit inspired beers and an interestingly good white chocolate ale.

After work there was a meet up at Papago Brewing. This was my first time at Papago. I loved the selection of items on tap as well as the selection of bottles. The atmosphere is nice as well. Unsure of what to have, I asked for a pale ale suggestion from the bartender. I ended up having Stone’s Pale Ale and upon thanking the bartender for the wonderful selection, I was informed by the gentleman next to me that women with good taste in beer, such as myself, are in high demand. I should’ve mentioned that I am addicted to watching NFL games as well and that I enjoy Rock Band, Mortal Kombat, and I still dress up unlike a tomboy. I guess I really am just that amazing

Last night I went with friends to see the holiday production of the Phoenix Neutrino Project at Space 55. It was a great production and I even donated my Starbucks coffee cup (empty of course) as a prop. Afterwards we attended the “cast” after party for a bit. I won a fabulous glass tray in multiple shades of purple in an auction to benefit the Phoenix Improv Festival but sadly left before the karaoke began.

I also would like to comment that I received all my Christmas presents from my parents and I have only opened one.. and only because I thought it was a piece for my nativity set. It ended up being a gorgeous scarf though that I am seriously in love with and cannot wait to wear!

My plans for today? Watching some football (go figure) and then who knows.

Lately I’ve acquired a bit of a fondness to playing the drums, and at least as far as Rock Band is concerned, I’m not all that bad at it either.

I am considering getting some drums of my own but honestly don’t have the slightest clue where to start. I don’t really want electronic drums, but I live in an apartment and am not sure if there’s any way an actual set could get soft enough to be fine to play.

I have no clue which drums are good, which are bad etc.. and the average price of a basic starter set of drums (not looking for anything extravagant at the current time).

So for all you drum fanatics out there, let me know!!

Thanksgiving was such a blessing this year. It didn’t end up as I had originally planned, and I was graced with some additional guests, but then again, what is the fun in that?

My brother and Alex arrived around 9am that morning with their two other travelers. I set up the futon for them to take a nap and put out the air mattress as well, but Billy and Alex were not tired. Billy and I then started preparing the turkey and the sweet potatoes I was to make. I made a glaze loosely based on a recipe on my roaster oven box, which used olive oil, pepper, and dry white wine, but I added my own touches as well and pretty much just used every spice in my cabinet. Since we had until about 4pm or so, we set it on very low.

My brother took a passing at recreating my grandmother’s gravy made from flour, pepper, a little water, and the turkey parts no one likes to talk about. I have to say, it was a damn close comparison to my grandmother’s.

Two of my other friends who were joining us for dinner came over around 1:30 to prepare what they were making. They brought asparagus, salad, cheesy potatoes, and cherry crisp. We had some wine and played some rock band, watched some football, and enjoyed a new Cranium game I picked up last week at Starbucks.

Dinner time started getting closer, and it appeared as if the turkey was never going to finish. Around 4:15 we turned it up all the way and in 5 minutes the steamer thermometer popped and it was ready to go.

My brother’s two traveling friends had plans that ended up falling through and were going to head out and venture on Thanksgiving. We all decided they should stay as we had enough for them as well and Thanksgiving is not the time to be wandering a new city. It was a great night, but we were all worn out by the time midnight rolled around.

Luckily for me, they all decided to stay another day as well and I got to spend Friday with Billy and Alex. They joined me in my venture to check up on Jack and Jill, cats of friends of mine, and then took me to a restaurant I had never been to before for breakfast, First Watch. Not bad. Afterwards we headed to Old Town
Scottsdale for the afternoon, discovering a winery on the way, toured Tempe and ASU, and then relaxed and bought some items to cook for dinner. Billy and Alex made me an amazing fettuccine Alfredo with homemade Alfredo sauce and broiled chicken and sautéed vegetables. It was delicious.

Another visitor joined the slumber party at my house Friday night and also brought me back a Riesling having heard that I like sweeter wines. It was such a good time, and I made some great new friends. I think everyone enjoyed their time here and I enjoyed playing hostess.

Today I made an attempt to test how feasible resuming lunch sessions of Rock Band would be. We left work around noon and made the 9 mile or so trek to Tempe. It ended up taking about 20 minutes highway but part was due to trying a different exit. I think realistically it would’ve been 15. Either way, it’s not going to work unless we want to get 2 songs in.

I guess we will have to appreciate our sessions even more when we get them. Then there’s the fact that I own the game, but it’s not as much fun playing by yourself.

Site Note: I also got my license today but that will come with part of my blog on the usability of DMV’s.

Thursday night we received notification that our complex’s clubhouse, pool, and exercise room were ready for their debut. Yesterday from 4-6 in the evening they were holding a wine and cheese party in the clubhouse to hand out keys and celebrate. I figured I had nothing else to do and I did want my key so I headed on over around 4:30 after work. I sat down at the bar, started to have some wine and soon ended up in conversation with a few other women in the complex and one of their husbands.

I also ended up in a debate about Wal-Mart with one of the employees boyfriends and another resident as well. And no, it was not due to the amount of wine I had, I really just cannot stand Wal-Mart. So much so, that I won’t even link to them as I speak their horrid name.

We easily cleaned off the few bottles of wine there, and I discovered a red that I actually don’t mind. It was Layer Cake Malbec. Mmmm. Not that bad. They had a sparkling white, but it was a brut and not that exciting but still not horrible. I got a giggle out of everyone staring oddly at the cheeses with “odd colored rines.”

At 6 when they kicked us out because office hours were over, we all decided we were not done hanging out. Elisa and Brittany and I headed out in my car for some drinks while Kayla walked her dog. While in the fruit section for an orange, we discovered that there are actually red Bartlett pears. Did anyone else know this? I have an interesting photo of Elisa showcasing the pears, but I’ll post just the pears instead.

We all met up at my house along with Elisa’s husband and ordered pizza from Barros (mmmm) and played RB2 and had some drinks. It was so much fun that we all decided to have a chili party next Friday. Kayla and I will be making chili, and there will be some desserts and drinks (yummy).

The best part I think is when we all exchanged phone numbers and emails on napkins when we all had our blackBerrys sitting out well within reach.

I found balance today by finding some potential new friends. I also had the courage to go do something by myself, which might be hard to believe for people, but I really do have a hard time doing that in a social setting.

I have determined that I need to start scheduling visits from friends and family. This is probably the best form of motivation for me to get my house in tip top shape.

So, if anyone would like to visit, realistically I can start accepting visitors the week before Thanksgiving. Let me know, and get your dates in now. I have a nice warm place and am expecting (and hoping) it becomes the new vacation spot for my crew

Need some enticing?

• I live in Tempe, which is home to ASU as well as a new light rail system.
• Tempe is close to Phoenix and Old Town Scottsdale (which has a Fashion Square that could compete with the East Coast).
• Botanical Gardens and the Zoo are open year round (and are comfortable) because of the gorgeous weather.
• There are plenty of parks where you can just stop and climb a mountain.
• I am within driving distance of a day trip to the Grand Canyon.
• Heated outdoor pool in the winter… mmmmmmm
• I have Rock Band 2
• and last but not least… ME!!!!

Eric is in town for a couple days to house hunt. We took this opportunity, combined with the fact that my items had indeed arrived early, to put the band back together for the first time last night.

Yesterday afternoon, I stopped by Gamestop on my way to work to pick up a copy of Rock Band 2 (no I don’t have the drums yet, don’t ask.. it’s a heart wrenching story). Then yesterday night, we created a new band in RB2, recreated our old characters and got rolling. I didn’t have a chance to import the RB1 songs in nor did I have my wireless yet to completely update and download the songs I get with my RB2 purchase, but we had a blast.

I completely love some of the new songs and have to admit I have no clue what that damn Elvis Costello song is. I passed it purely on luckily humming the right notes.

During practice, we learned that spatulas can be used as bottle openers, especially when the three you have, are not in any of the boxes opened frantically in search of a way to open the Heineken.

Also noted, Barrios pizza is FANTASTIC.. but I highly recommend avoiding the garlic bread… it’s not the best.

I’m currently doing a really long update for my PS3 and hopefully will have a better version of RB2 to play with soon!