tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042536716639662312024-03-13T06:58:57.666-07:00trash you uperinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.comBlogger313125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-3916869587236220532014-11-03T18:27:00.001-08:002014-11-03T18:27:14.130-08:00WELL HI!<br />
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i've been writing on blogspot again, but in a new place!<br />
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join me, will ya??<br />
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<a href="http://anewkindofkick.blogspot.com/">a new kind of kick</a>erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-2093253906497819972013-02-17T16:09:00.000-08:002013-02-17T16:17:08.635-08:00birthday spoilsi've been meaning to do a post about my birthday but gosh i've been lazy. overall, it was one of the nicest birthdays in recent memory!<br />
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the mister and i both took the day off work to hang out together, which was a present in itself. he took me out to breakfast at our favorite greasy spoon, and then we hit up a few estate sales since i NEVER have a thursday off to go to sales on the first day. they were a bust, but i haven't been to an estate sale in months so it was still fun to go.<br />
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then we headed out for a day of junkin. here are some of the treasures i came home with:<br />
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an amazingly obnoxious lime green coat with a fur collar that fits perfectly! it's in mint condition and it's seriously the best shade of green. it's even better in person!<br />
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this great 8x10 vintage photo of a hearse parked in a graveyard. it will look so neat framed and hung in our foyer that basically looks like a mini-funeral parlor.<br />
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this vintage valentine for a "rootin' tootin' guy" <br />
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this funny picture card about "pitching the woo." what a great phrase. i almost love it as much as "balling the jack."<br />
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records! hooray! i was especially excited to find the monkees single from their movie "head" (a harder one to find, and one i still needed to complete my collection) and the little richard record that is co-written with the legendary esquerita.<br />
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and finally, the miss priss sugar bowl to add to my growing collection...<br />
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my collection is coming along quite nicely!<br />
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josh also got me a bunch of awesome gifts! i was lucky to marry a very thoughtful gift-giver ; )<br />
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pile 'o' gifts! the chocolates were for valentine's day ; )<br />
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a nauga monster necklace!<br />
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this tiny package of beatles hair pomade came as an extra in the other item josh was actually buying me...it's pretty ridiculous, still!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hx7n3BcYNXc/USFq70rJLhI/AAAAAAAAAJw/gMFTCY8mNEU/s1600/richard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hx7n3BcYNXc/USFq70rJLhI/AAAAAAAAAJw/gMFTCY8mNEU/s400/richard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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little richard record! ooooooooh!<br />
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and the main present: a complete set of vintage monkees finger puppets! there was no peter doll made because he had already left the band at this point, but these three are in great shape (micky and mike are still carded!) and they have all their accessories (their boots are always missing). for a guy who always teases me about owning so many toys, josh sure is an enabler!<br />
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for dinner, we went to an italian restaurant that my family used to go to when i was a kid. the location near us closed long ago, but there were still several others left. the one we happened to stop at was gangster themed, which was really awesome. it made my heart happy to be back there again!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L7hSA9suRtc/USFsx29nKkI/AAAAAAAAAKg/2MqRWICmZro/s1600/jamesbrown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L7hSA9suRtc/USFsx29nKkI/AAAAAAAAAKg/2MqRWICmZro/s400/jamesbrown.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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i came home to a package from my new york dead boys friend, jeff. inside was some pulp novels, dvds of the mc5, richard and the young lions and some old 60s music shows, and a shirt. check out that badass james brown shirt! whatta pal.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uz1O2GEouDs/USFsxp7iMCI/AAAAAAAAAKY/0aqzg3wOHIY/s1600/note.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uz1O2GEouDs/USFsxp7iMCI/AAAAAAAAAKY/0aqzg3wOHIY/s400/note.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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i got this hilarious card from my cousin, whose little girl i nanny. HA! <br />
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and finally, my tickets for the solo mike nesmith concert arrived on my birthday..what a nice present! oh, did i even tell you?!?! mike nesmith of the monkees came out of hibernation in 2012 to tour with the remaining monkees (making a lifelong dream of mine come true) -- and now he is doing a string of solo dates and I WILL BE THERE! so stoked. <br />
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to sum it up, i'm 31 and life is good ; )erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-69767949570695652022013-01-09T19:31:00.004-08:002013-01-10T06:41:36.859-08:00the long overdue monkees weekend recapshame on me for never doing a proper post after the monkees shows in november and our subsequent monkees weekend. on one hand, it sorta still seems like it was all a dream. what's there to talk about when it didn't really happen?! on the other hand, i'm terribly sad that it's over and i can't bear the thought that it may have been the last time i will ever see them. it was THE most amazing experience to finally see mike nesmith perform monkees songs with the others, even if they were missing one important part of the band. i will never forget the smile on his face watching him perform, and the feeling that i was taking part in a once in a lifetime moment with my best girls there beside me. it was magic. i know i sound so lame and not that many people can relate to what i'm going on about, but it was a huge deal for me. i feel so very lucky i was able to see "an evening with the monkees" (not once, but twice!) so here is my recap, starting at the very beginning of monkees weekend...<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*all photos from monkees weekend by amy allen unless otherwise noted!</span><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=4-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/4-1.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
me and the girls...note the huge screen behind us that we used to play the monkees television show all nite long!<br />
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beth and i dj'ed a swingin 60s dance party and it was SO much fun!<br />
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look at all the party people!<br />
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i was really nervous about pulling the nite off, but it was a hit. i wanna do it again!<br />
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at the last minute, things got 50x better when we booked cleveland's own monkees tribute band, the frodis capers! they were awesome<br />
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sisters! my cousins<br />
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amy and i<br />
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beth and i (photo by rachel elizabeth of <a href="http://nevermindthecamera.tumblr.com/">nevermind the camera photography</a>!)<br />
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the following night micky, peter and mike performed in lakewood, ohio. we had 4th row seats (!!!), which technically turned out to be 7th row when the pit seats were taken into account. it was amazing, and i didn't know how things could get any better.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=10-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/10-1.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
beth and i, ready for the show to begin in lakewood<br />
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on sunday, we hit the road for buffalo, new york to see it one more time. this time our 6th row seats were even closer because there was no pit section and the layout of the venue was different. SO. MAGICAL.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=11-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/11-3.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
hitting the road for monkees weekend day 3!<br />
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these are just a few of my favorite photos i took over the two nites we spent in their company -- i took over 400 photos total! i wanted to make sure i would never forget what it felt like to be there and i tried to capture as much of it as i could. i'm so glad i will always have these memories to look back on. these shots are from cleveland and buffalo combined. <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">please do not repost without credit.</span></b><br />
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if i could only do this over again... <br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-47611587256181809912013-01-09T13:32:00.001-08:002013-01-09T13:32:28.412-08:00first junkin trip of 2013i haven't had the extra money for any junkin lately, and i've been behaving myself remarkably well. still, i was long overdue and the itch was gettin baaad, so josh and i headed out in a snowstorm last weekend to see what there was to be seen.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN2444.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN2444.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">pogo mugs for the camera</span><br />
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the first thing i picked up was this cowboy light cover. we see these fairly often, but never for a price we liked. we've been talking about replacing the light fixture here in the computer room because it's far too dark in this room, so when i found this at a decent price we decided it would motivate us to complete the project if we had a cool fixture already picked out.<br />
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you would think i would already have a set of pee-wee colorforms, seeing as how i work at a vintage toy store and all. we even had these when i was a kid, but they are long gone by now. i found a set that was never even used and decided to bite the bullet.<br />
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my mission was to find something monkees-related, not only because i've been on mega-obsessive mode for the past few months, but also because the day we were shopping just happened to be the 70th birthday of one mike nesmith and would have been the 67th birthday of the late davy jones. i really had my hopes set on the vinyl lunchbox from the 60s, but it was nowhere to be seen. instead, i had to settle for this teen mag, which featured a section on the "cool and crazy" birthday boy.<br />
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as you probably noticed, i really like cheeseburger things. i picked up this plastic burger thinking that i would use it as a small trinket box, and the guy who worked at the store laughed at me telling me it was actually a hamburger patty press from the '40s. hey, tomato-tomahto, dude. i've also got the cutest collection of vintage planters going filled with all my tiny cacti and succulents, so i'll have to show them to you soon. cute lil' lamb had to come home with me.<br />
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my favorite find of the day was this cemetery sign. yeah, you already knew i was a creep, no news there. we have funeral home signs and undertaking service signs hanging in the house already, so why not a cemetery? i really liked the way the wallpaper looked behind the sign, so i made josh hang it in the dining room. maybe an unlikely place to display it, but seeing as how the gravestone blowmold also hangs out there i giggle every time i look at it.<br />
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found any good junk lately? <br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-15729641773309238802013-01-08T18:51:00.003-08:002013-01-08T18:54:19.959-08:00xmas, nye and welcome 2013!here i go slacking off again.<br />
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christmas was nice. we had both our families over our house and things went well. i was especially nervous having the puppy around, but the only casualty came when he snuck a chicken leg off someone's plate and booked it into his cage. josh said he had to pry his jaws open and there was chicken grease dripping down. haha.<br />
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my favorite part of the holiday was on christmas eve. we always meet at my parents house and get chinese takeout for dinner before exchanging gifts with the immediate family. when my dad got up to get a drink, my brother unwrapped a mint chocolate truffle and stuck it in the middle of my dad's plate. he covered it with some fried rice and the rest of us cracked up because it was barely noticeable among all the brown gravy and vegetables on his plate. during the meal, we would sneak glances at my dad and his plate and laugh, and he knew we were up to something. "what's so funny?!" he would ask, and we would pretend it was something on tv. finally, i watched as my dad speared the chocolate truffle on his fork and put it in his mouth. it was perfect, because the heat of the food had melted it enough so that it wasn't suspicious when he stabbed it with his fork. the look on his face as he bit into it and realized, "<i>wait a second, something isn't right here</i>..." was absolutely priceless. for a second he looked like he might spit it out, but once he realized (in the midst of all our laughter) that he had been pranked rather than finding something poisonous in his meal...let's just say i'm glad my dad can take a joke.<br />
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here is a photo we snapped on new year's eve, right before we left to go dj at the bar. spending the night ringing in the new year with friends, some family and rock'n'roll seems like as good a way as any to start things off.<br />
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today is elvis' birthday, which i believe should practically be a national holiday. the story of his life and how he went from rags to riches (and all the sordid details in between, both extravagant and ridiculous) is one of the most interesting life stories ever. i love that he has been gone for so long and people are STILL pouring in to visit his house on a daily basis, still making a living as elvis impersonators, and still have such an interest in the man, the myth, the legend. he is larger than life. it's incredible, really.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">on our honeymoon outside of graceland </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">at elvis' birth home in tupelo, mississippi</span><br />
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happy birthday, e! we love and miss you!<br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-69855532684048207012012-12-16T11:09:00.001-08:002012-12-16T11:39:08.645-08:00pre-holiday roundup this is definitely one of the longer stretches i have gone without writing. in case you've been wondering what i've been up to, here is a recap:<br />
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1. <b>writing elsewhere</b><br />
last month, i was approached by the great folks over at <a href="http://www.hexbeat.com/">HEXBEAT</a> magazine to see if i wanted to start contributing to their new publication. so far its only available online, but there's always hope for expansion. basically its a gathering place for people with underground/offbeat interests with a focus on the creative arts. i have already submitted several pieces, including a review of the recent monkees tour and a Q&A with my great pal and dead boys bassist, jeff magnum. check it out if you have a minute, and follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Hexbeat?ref=ts&fref=ts">facebook</a>!<br />
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2. <b>monkee-minded</b><br />
speaking of the recent monkees tour...ever since the tour in november (which was a huuuge deal, both personally and otherwise), i have been freshly obsessed. i've gone through stages throughout my life where my love has been reignited, but this is by far the worst it's ever been. for a few weeks after the shows they were all i wanted to listen to and all i wanted to watch on tv. poor josh was in hell (or at least pretending, as i think he likes them a little more than he will let on. i'll take it). even now, i get down to the radio station on tuesday nite and have to talk myself out of the urge to play non-stop monkees records for the whole show. i've really been stepping up my game on collecting memorabilia, and have gotten some neat things for my collection. i think i'll save photos for a post of their own. i am holding out hope (like all monkees fans are, i'm sure!) that the carefully worded "thanks to everyone who came out to see the monkees this year!" is actually a thinly veiled hint that there is more to come next year. fingers crossed. this band means so much to me, and is so much more than just a music group or a tv show!<br />
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3. <b>babysitting boogie</b><br />
having a puppy is <u>lots of work</u>. i've always been a cat person and it still weirds me out that we now have a dog living in our house. what weirds me out even more is how much i dig this little guy. schlitzie has adapted to his new home fabulously, and in just two months i've already fallen for him hard. he turned 6 months old in december, and as much as i love him being a puppy we are patiently waiting for the day he (hopefully!) calms down and starts acting like a real dog :)<br />
teething was a big problem for a minute, although telling him, "no biting!" seems to have finally sunk in when he feels like actually listening. i even had to take away several loose baby teeth that he was chomping away on like they were snacks. now we've moved on to training him to bark to be let outside, and he is picking that up nicely as well. we both read that dachshunds are notoriously stubborn dogs to train, which i definitely see; however, i'm still very proud of how quickly schlitzie picks up on things. at six months old, some of his favorite things include sitting by the vent when the heater kicks on, trying to steal the socks right off our feet, rough-housing with the cats, and howling along with josh while he sings and plays guitar.<br />
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4. <b>it's beginning to look a lot like christmas</b><br />
wow, this one really snuck up on me. i can't believe christmas is less than two weeks away! we're having both our families over to our house this year, so i'm a little nervous making sure everything is just right. i plan to spend my day off next week baking christmas cookies. although i usually make a big assortment, i've narrowed it down to just three this year: orange chocolate chip (a favorite that has become a tradition), peanut butter kisses (josh's favorite) and cherry-almond shortbread with cherry glaze (a recipe from the adorable mr. tiny at <a href="http://thewackytacky.blogspot.com/">wacky tacky</a> that i can't wait to try!) here are some photos of christmas season 2012 here at the ryan arms:<br />
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notice that the bottom of the tree is conspicuously devoid of any ornaments...that is because the cats and schlitzie are in cahoots. the cats (mostly lemmy) like to bat the ornaments off the tree, knocking them off so schlitzie can take them and snack on them. rascals!<br />
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best $5 estate sale blowmold score ever<br />
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these ceramic trees are something i've only come to appreciate now that i'm older. i finally found one cheap at an estate sale last year, and the white one was passed down to me and finally dug out of my mom's attic this year. it was made by my grandma, who i really miss. i wish she could see all the beautiful vintage decorations that used to belong to her, now in my house. also: that tray! i'm so in love. the "gingerbear's first christmas" book was a christmas present to me when i was a kid that i still have. it was always a favorite.<br />
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evil little santa has a comfy spot on the chair, except when schlitzie decides to gnaw on him and we have to move him to the top of the chair.<br />
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bad lemmy being ornery<br />
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several of these cute pastel deer are missing antlers, thanks once again to bad lemmy. the worst part is that some <i>disappeared without a trace</i>! did they end up in lemmy's belly? highly unlikely. did he knock them under something where i would never think to look? possible. all i know is that the antlers have been missing since the old house, so i'm never going to see them again. poor guys!<br />
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scored back when you could still find cool vintage holiday decor at thrift stores<br />
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the view of the living room from the dining room...but more importantly, my favorite holiday decoration EVER: cats carrying fruitcake garland!!!<br />
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josh had better fill that stocking good and full if he knows what's good for him<br />
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wotta creep<br />
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ha! he learned what "sit" and "stay" means!<br />
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christmas in the boat room (in the basement)<br />
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creepy life-sized (slightly cross-eyed) santa hangs out at the bar<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN2431.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN2431.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
$20 garage sale score<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN2432.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN2432.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
aluminum tree courtesy of the fabulous <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missfirecrackermusic?ref=ts&fref=ts">MISS FIRECRACKER</a>! i love it so. decorated entirely with beautiful vintage ornaments that the animals are NOT allowed to be near.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN2433.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN2433.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
i wish such a beautiful tree could be upstairs where i could look at it in all its splendid glory more often, but it is relegated to the basement boat room because it has a door that can shut the cats out. the one year i tried having it upstairs, their favorite game was to take the branches and see how far they could run with them before i caught them.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN2434.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN2434.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
vintage christmas + naked ladies = perfection<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN2435.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN2435.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
vintage christmas + naked ladies + weirdo taxidermy = my kinda christmas<br />
<br />
hope everyone is staying (mostly) stress-free and has lots of time to spend with family and friends. i promise to try to stick around blogspot more often in the new year :)<br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-47256742760895102472012-11-12T17:08:00.002-08:002012-11-12T17:24:08.077-08:0030 day monkees challenge (via psycho jello/naked persimmons)this was originally a 30-day monkees challenge posted on the <a href="http://psychojello.tumblr.com/post/35293205904/psycho-jello-and-naked-persimmons-30-day-monkees">psycho jello</a> tumblr. because i don't have a tumblr but i still wanted to participate, i filled out the list all in one post here on blogspot. feel free to do your own, and link back to psycho jello and the affiliated site by naked persimmons! this took several days to complete to have everything just right, but i wanted to finish it in time for the monkees shows i'll be seeing this weekend. I CAN'T WAIT! this is one of the happiest moments of my whole life.<br />
<br />
day 01 – Favorite photo of the Monkees.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=monkees2-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/monkees2-2.jpg" /></a><br />
this is my current favorite. i can't stop cracking up at mike and micky's faces, or the fact that davy is totally serious with that huge finger up his nose. and peter is just adorable peter.<br />
<br />
day 02 – Favorite photo of Peter.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=orangepete-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/orangepete-1.jpg" /></a><br />
so boyish and adorable here! <br />
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day 03 – Favorite photo of Davy.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=youngdavy.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/youngdavy.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
aww, he was just a little baby!<br />
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day 04 – Favorite photo of Micky.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=youngmicky.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="492" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/youngmicky.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
this photo sums up micky perfectly<br />
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day 05 – Favorite photo of Mike.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=mikenes-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/mikenes-1.jpg" width="516" /></a><br />
swoooooon <br />
day 06 – Favorite Monkee crotch shot photo.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=pants.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="375" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/pants.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
it has to be!<br />
<br />
day 07 – Post your favorite song from Headquarters.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_nLPO-Dhe7s" width="420"></iframe><br />
"you just may be the one"<br />
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day 08 – Post your favorite song from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones LTD.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sjLIBjnFCkU" width="420"></iframe><br />
"love is only sleeping"<br />
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day 09 – Post your favorite song from the Birds, the Bees and the Monkees.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rP3oZ_Yo1P0" width="420"></iframe><br />
"i'll be back up on my feet"<br />
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day 10 – Post your favorite song from HEAD.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/glM0z9SUjD8" width="420"></iframe><br />
"do i have to do this all over again"<br />
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day 11 – Favorite episode of the Monkees.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nTBDlgKfkqY?list=PL5r9AyqZphk8yfCoqeV-Qoxf0vbvJE68o&hl=en_US" width="560"></iframe><br />
"i was a teenage monster"<br />
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day 12 – Least favorite episode of the Monkees.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GlFFCLSaqp8" width="420"></iframe><br />
"a coffin too frequent"<br />
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day 13 – Favorite song the Monkees/one of the Monkees wrote.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/02RNkif86Wc" width="420"></iframe><br />
"the kind of girl i could love"<br />
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day 14 – Favorite song the Monkees didn’t write, but sang.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KGlTDT8pv68" width="420"></iframe><br />
"99 pounds"<br />
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day 15 – A photo of one the boys topless.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=shrtless.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/shrtless.jpg" /></a><br />
how bout two for good measure?<br />
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day 16 – A quote from Peter.<br />
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"i'm the dummy, micky. i'm always the dummy." (head)<br />
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day 17 – A quote from Davy.<br />
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"i make a terrible sound!" (screen test) <br />
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day 18 – A quote from Micky.<br />
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"my mommy won't let me play with toys that burn, or scratch, or bash, or go boom" (tv episode "monkee vs. machine")<br />
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day 19 – A quote from Mike.<br />
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"i'd like to do a song off our latest album called headquarters...oh you know it. it's called scroungy girlfriend." (live 1967 album)<br />
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day 20 – Post your favorite Monkees song of all time.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/scd9qRvv9Hw" width="420"></iframe><br />
"let's dance on"<br />
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day 21 – Post your least favorite Monkees song of all time.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vmAItp-V2Kg" width="420"></iframe><br />
"the day we fall in love"<br />
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day 22 – <span id=":1f0">Favorite Monkee wife/girlfriend photo from the ’60s</span>.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=samanthajuste2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/samanthajuste2.jpg" width="280" /></a><br />
samantha juste dolenz<br />
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day 23 – Your favorite Monkees solo song.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DmZ-K9wef6M" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
hands down! "don't do it" by micky dolenz<br />
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day 24 – Your favorite Monkees lyric.<br />
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"my fingers are still burning from the last time" (the girl i knew somewhere)<br />
just because the mike/micky harmonizing gives me goosebumps every time <br />
<br />
day 25 – Favorite slashy moment in Monkees history (can be a description, photo or gif)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=tumblr_lp1o4bpvj81qbyzo1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/tumblr_lp1o4bpvj81qbyzo1.jpg" /></a><br />
maybe a little tame, but i love to see them cuddle ; ) <br />
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day 26 – Scariest Monkees photo of all time<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=strangeandscary.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/strangeandscary.jpg" /></a><br />
for so many reasons...<br />
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day 27 – One thing you learned <b>NOT TO DO</b> from the Monkees.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AueBIaK-i00" width="420"></iframe><br />
sell my soul to the devil ; )<br />
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<br />
day 28 – Which one of the Monkees (then or now) are you most like.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Peter-Tork-peter-tork-31571707-704-540.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="490" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Peter-Tork-peter-tork-31571707-704-540.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
peter -- quiet but goofy <br />
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day 29 – Reasons you love the Monkees.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=monkees-60s-9.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="493" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/monkees-60s-9.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
they're silly,<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=The-Monkees-the-monkees-2845950-608-689-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/The-Monkees-the-monkees-2845950-608-689-1.jpg" width="564" /></a><br />
they're cute,<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=monkees-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/monkees-2.jpg" /></a><br />
they're an awesome rock'n'roll band! <br />
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day 30 – Favorite photo of one (or more) of the Monkees looking stoned/drunk.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=FunnyThingPaw2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/FunnyThingPaw2.jpg" /></a><br />
"HOW?!" no doubt about it :) erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-18709643787420850212012-11-08T18:58:00.001-08:002012-11-08T19:10:37.642-08:00the first band i was ever friends withMonday night found my cousin Beth and I in the most unlikely of places: backstage at the house of blues, sitting in sum 41's dressing room while they played on their phones and listened to the doors. On one hand, this doesn't make much sense since I don't and haven't ever liked this band. On the other hand, this was probably the fourth or fifth time I've sat through one of their shows, and always for the same reason. Which makes me really nostalgic to think about, and requires me to go back several years to the days of an awkward and rather unlikely childhood...<br />
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The beginning of this story would be around 1997 or so, when Beth and I were about 15 years old. We spent our last few years as carefree jobless teenagers having sleepovers, watching for cute skater guys in our neighborhoods, discovering punk music, beginning our record collections, and watching music videos on late night television. The first time we saw the video for "soda" by gob on much music our impressionable young minds nearly short circuited. Look at that guy's blue mohawk! Ew, that other guy is totally eating bugs! This is GREAT! What little information we could gather on a band with the vague name of "gob" was that they were from Canada, which seemed like light years away. Too bad, we had just started going to concerts and really would have loved the chance to see them live.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8pc8xutlcwY" width="420"></iframe> <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QHAUPculqWA" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Then came warped tour '98, and the strange coincidence that gob was actually included in the lineup. Imagine that! We went to the show and made sure to find the stage they were playing on, where only about a dozen or so other people were also watching. Still relatively unknown here in the states, it was easy to say hello to the band when they were done because they didn't have to worry about being bombarded like some of the bigger acts. They were all really nice and we took some photos with them, starting a tradition we had no way of knowing would still be going strong over 10 years later.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=photo6.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/photo6.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=photo5.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/photo5.jpg" /></a><br />
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We were really impressed that we had not only seen this band that we just discovered and were dying to see, but also that we got to meet them. Somehow or other I met the band's manager online not long after, and he let me know that the band would be back in the states soon to do a tour of their own! He asked if I would do a favor and let him ship some equipment supplies to my house that I could take to the band. Knowing that meant I would get to interact with them again, I readily agreed. They remembered us from warped tour and we took more pictures together. That was how it all began.<br />
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Eventually we would exchange contact info with the band and they would let us know any time they were going to be touring nearby. We traveled to any shows within 3-4 hours of us. We sat through a lot of show lineups that we couldn't have cared less about (hence why we have seen sum 41 more times than some of the bands in my life that i actually DO like!). The band and their manager both took us under their wing and made sure we were always taken care of, whether it was getting into shows for free or giving us backstage passes when possible. Everyone always made us laugh so hard and we had the best times (there is one incident in particular that involved a fart machine and several unsuccessful attempts at ordering food from some poor waitress). Sometimes they did things like dedicate songs to us when we were in the audience or introduce us to other fans as "our oldest fans." We knew they were exaggerating, but it blew our minds. When the guys played in our hometown, we would usually hang out after the show and grab something to eat. Sometimes if they got into town early, we would go pick them up at the venue and bring them back to my family's house - ha! That's so bizarre to think that we still lived at home and they didn't mind my mom serving us iced tea and pretzels. One time we made them lasagna and went back to my parents house to eat and play "mario kart" on n64 and watch "Wet Hot American Summer." It was pretty surreal even then, because we couldn't understand why they were always so nice to us. Gob was the first band we were ever friends with, and it made a huge impression on me. Now that I'm older I can understand how a friendly face and a warm meal would mean a lot to a touring band far from home...but back then, all I saw was a couple of silly teenage girls who were hanging out with their heroes and who weren't entirely sure how they had ever gotten so lucky.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=photo.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/photo.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=photo4.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/photo4.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=photo2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/photo2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=photo1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/photo1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=photo3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/photo3.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=photo2-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/photo2-1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=BETHERINTOMTHEO-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/BETHERINTOMTHEO-1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=trailer.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/trailer.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=TOMHUG.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/TOMHUG.png" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=TOMGROUP.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/TOMGROUP.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Gabeanderin.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Gabeanderin.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=THEOFACE.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/THEOFACE.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=CRAIGHUG.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/CRAIGHUG.png" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=image-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/image-2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=image-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/image-1.jpg" /></a><br />
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It's been years now since gob has toured the states and I often think about how much I miss those days when it seemed like they were in town every few months. Since then I have cooked dinner and lent a floor to dozens of touring bands that I am (thankfully) not as puzzled about calling my friends. I've always had this sort of "rock'n'roll den mother" aspect to me, which I can only assume came from my own mom's nurturing and generous personality, even when it came to strange punk bands she didn't know that her teenage daughter brought home for dinner.<br />
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One of our friends from gob plays in sum 41 these days although he is not an original member. When he was in town with them last time (which was about 5 years ago) he called me up out of the blue and asked "wanna come to the show and hang? It would be cool to see you!" It made my heart happy to know he still thought of us as friends, all these years later and through our awkward teenage years where we probably let our "oh-my-gosh-I-cant-believe-this-is-happening!" fandom go to our heads.<br />
So when I got the Facebook message on Sunday night saying he would be here the following day, I didn't hesitate to call Beth and see if she was free.<br />
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It was so great to see him after all these years, and to realize that so little has changed. It's funny that when we saw that music video on tv all those years ago we never thought we'd get the chance to see them live, let alone see them almost a dozen times and still be friends with them to this day. Even if my musical tastes have evolved since my teenage years, I will always have a special place in my heart for the first band I was friends with. They always made me feel like being a fan made a difference to them and made them happy to be the band that they were, and I have always respected them tremendously for that.<br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-55261460590099678272012-11-01T06:21:00.000-07:002012-11-01T06:44:00.292-07:00hot trash on the radio: my very first interview!being the center of attention is not my thing. i get embarrassed easily and i tend to shy away from the spotlight. this might sound weird to some people, who say "well then how do you have a radio show?!" but i always tell them they have to put it in perspective: i'm up there in a room in the middle of the night, talking into a microphone with no one else around except josh. it's really easy to imagine that no one is on the receiving end, and often i have to trick myself into believing this or else i wouldn't be able to do the show. so it comes with a small sense of bashfulness (but also a huge feeling of honor) to have been interviewed by hollie at <a href="http://www.coolcleveland.com/">cool cleveland</a>. she talked to me about my 8 years on the radio, playing records for people all over town, and my love for rock'n'roll. AND she described me with a quote from a little richard song, which was like the greatest compliment in the world. check it out!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.coolcleveland.com/blog/2012/10/hot-trash-on-the-radio/">Hot Trash on the Radio</a></span><br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-84145177372674616752012-10-22T17:52:00.000-07:002012-10-22T17:53:34.061-07:00hail hail CHUCK BERRY!<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=chuckberry.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/chuckberry.jpg" /></a><br />
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josh's birthday was at the beginning of this month, and one of the things i surprised him with was tickets to a chuck berry tribute show put on by the rock and roll hall of fame. at first it just started out as a nite to honor him, with lots of special guests doing tributes throughout the nite. now they have announced that chuck himself will be there, <b>and he will be performing</b>! what great news. i never thought i would get the chance to see him play.<br />
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this past thursday was his 86th birthday and i'm thankful he's still with us rockin and reelin. other performers scheduled for the nite include david johansen of the new york dolls, jd mcpherson (who we just saw a few weeks ago and he was excellent!), and LEMMY of motorhead! i can't wait for this weekend, it's going to be an amazing night!<br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-15844932230348203442012-10-09T09:55:00.001-07:002013-01-09T18:49:44.609-08:00SchlitzieSomething happened over the weekend that I still can't believe. <br />
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If you know me even the slightest, you know I am a total cat lady. I love the three I have, and I'd be even happier if I could collect one in every color. Therefore, I still can't even believe it when I say that josh and I got a puppy over the weekend!<br />
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We talked before about how we sorta wanted a weiner dog. Josh likes big dogs, and I like little ones (but still not as much as cats, of course). Something we both agreed on was the fact that weiner dogs were pretty cute, though. On Thursday we heard someone was getting rid of a four-month-old dachshund puppy and we quickly decided it was now or never. By the time we could get out of work and pick him up, we were told he was no longer available and we were both a bit more heartbroken than we expected. On Saturday, I found out we could still have him. I made arrangements to secretly get him and surprise josh for his 25th birthday on Sunday. You should have seen the look on his face!<br />
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Josh named him Schlitzie after one of my favorite circus freaks, Schlitzie the pinhead. He is adorable! He's timid (he is afraid of passing cars when we take him for walks) but so very playful ( thank goodness he can't jump very high or my face would be covered in doggie kisses). He took to his new home right away and he always wants to be cuddling with one of us. He is still being ornery and trying to play with the cats and they are still not having it. Pogo is the most curious and she will at least sit on the couch with Schlitzie, even if its all the way on the other end. Lemmy is still pretty pissed, while Megadeth is terrified like she is of everything else.<br />
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Here is our new little buddy, Schlitzie!<br />
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erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-24764210598077395022012-10-03T14:49:00.002-07:002012-10-03T14:53:22.011-07:00white trash drive-inwe had one last hurrah at the ryan arms before summer came to a close: a white trash drive-in. i highly recommend them. we have no problem throwing a themed party like this (in fact, we feel entitled) because we both have family members who secretly brew moonshine and we aren't too embarrassed to have a sign that reads "keep my skillet good and greasy" hanging on our kitchen wall. hell, i spend the entire summer barefoot, and as a kid josh had to be yelled at that it wasn't appropriate any longer to pee off the side of the porch once he moved from west virginia to cleveland. my point is: done right, white trash drive-in is where it's at. it's a great excuse to eat greasy food and walk around barefoot with your friends while partaking in some particularly trashy cinema. the best part is setting up your lawn chairs outside to resemble a drive-in theater. as you can see, we opted for the garage set-up so that we could show the movies when it was still slightly light outside.<br />
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on our big screen: the once-banned "uncle goddamn" and the crowd favorite "gummo." well, i don't know if it was so much a crowd favorite as it was MY favorite, but i digress.<br />
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the menu was diverse but equally trashy. it was fun to see what people brought with them. and just look at all the crappy beer!<br />
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<i>"swamp juice" -- a secret punch recipe that has been passed down in josh's family! we weren't even allowed to know, so we improvised and had to guess at the ingredients! it should have been more green, but we'll try harder next time.</i><br />
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<i>dirt cake and worms for dessert -- thanks, ty!</i><br />
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<i>macaroni and cheese with cut up hot dogs and topped with ketchup. this was really funny. and look, </i><i>people actually ate it! thanks janet and lucky!</i><br />
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<i>more fancy desserts from beth and chuck</i><br />
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<i>jo jos and genny cream ale</i><br />
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<i>soo much fried chicken!...and genny cream ale.</i><br />
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<i>some of ty's delicious cornbread, made in a cast-iron skillet on the grill!</i><br />
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<i>chris manning the grill</i><br />
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<i>little charlotte had to leave before we put on any trashy cinema. we don't need her learning any swears just yet!</i><br />
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<i>my favorite recipe from this book was for "potato chip sandwich." the only ingredients it called for was two slices of break, some mayo, and chips. yum! hahaha</i><br />
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<i>party pizzas on the grill...trashy!</i><br />
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<i>barefoot and proud</i><br />
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i can't wait to host a part 2 next year :)erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-34064296313592178672012-10-01T09:41:00.005-07:002012-10-01T09:44:21.838-07:00hello falli haven't been around in FOREVER! honestly, the month of september was a busy one for us, and the remaining time was spent just trying to enjoy the appearance of fall. every year i say, "i'm going to make an effort to enjoy fall more" because usually i'm already dreading the approaching winter and then i don't even take the time to appreciate what comes before. this year i'm trying to sloooow down and not get ahead of myself. it's been all about decorating our cute house for halloween, watching scary movies with josh, cuddling under blankets with cats and scary books, and pumpkin-flavored EVERYTHING. it ain't a bad way to be!<br />
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here are a few shots from my instagram (username: letsdanceon).<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">some of our halloween collection (that stays out all year, haha)</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">decorating the house for halloween!</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">70s & 80s die-cut decorations</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">how could i resist a giant pumpkin?!</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">the toy store where i work is already in halloween mode, too!</span></i><br />
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have you been doing any fun fall stuff?erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-51821055204353274332012-09-11T18:26:00.002-07:002012-09-11T18:26:12.457-07:00SWINGIN SIXTIES DANCEPARTY (and official monkees pre-party!)aiiight cleveland, it's time to get your game face on! <br />
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monkees fans can rejoice because we're helping to turn this november's SOLD OUT show into even more of a monkees weekend. dancin' folks can shuck, jive and shimmy their way over and show off all those cool moves. and fans of the sixties (with some of the BEST music in the WORLD!) can come on get happy because i'm proud to annouce a SWINGIN' SIXTIES DANCE PARTY that doubles as the OFFICIAL MONKEES PRE-PARTY on friday, november 16th! the night before lakewood's sold out civic auditorium show my cousin and i (both wcsb 89.3fm djs) will be putting on quite the show, with records (gasp! actual vinyl records!), dance moves (can you boogaloo? shimmy? watusi? BATUSI? can your monkey do the dog? ), monkees trivia & prizes, and a big screen showing the monkees tv show all nite long. let it all hang out and show us what you got, baybee!<br />
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this event is FREE and is only blocks from the civic auditorium where the monkees will be preforming the following night.<br />
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the facebook invite can be found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/264088137041376/">HERE</a> for you to RSVP ASAP, ya dig?!<br />
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if you like what you see and hear, please consider joining us for a nite like no other!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/P9ivCh-mUMw" width="420"></iframe><br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-66577740938804593072012-09-05T19:23:00.002-07:002012-09-05T19:25:40.414-07:00labor day flea marketits been a while since josh and i had a worthwhile junking trip. i absolutely HATE waking up early, so its extra frustrating when i get up early AND come home empty handed. luckily this weekend wasn't one of those times!<br />
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here is a picture of my haul. it includes one of my all-time wants! i'm sure you can spot it right away, haha.<br />
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i have a nice little collection of vintage planters that i've been growing aloe, bamboo and cacti in. i really loved both of these and can't wait to find more things to plant in them!<br />
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also got some vintage halloween for our collection. i can't get enough blow molds! although at this point i'll admit i have too many pumpkins and not enough other halloween stuff. anyone got a double of something you wanna trade for a buck-toothed pumpkin?<br />
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i love that something i've been actively searching for for so long just happened to be sitting there ON TOP of a pile at the flea market, and i wasn't even the one to spot it first. we walked up to a booth and josh said nonchalantly, "there's the monkees board game."<br />
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
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you would think that working at a vintage toy store and going to so many flea markets/thrift stores/estate sales/garage sales for years would mean that i would see this game more often. but i haven't seen it in the wild even ONCE! not in any condition. every once in a while it pops up on ebay, but if it is complete people want at least $200 for it (and recently, someone was trying to sell an incomplete one for $175!). this one is not complete, but it is only missing a few pieces (the davy and micky game pieces, their stands, a plastic guitar, and the cardboard spinner). what IS there is in great shape and has fabulous graphics. the only issue is a rip on the box and a stain on the front. the fact that i got this, in any condition, for under $30 made me sooooo happy. now to find a complete version or at least find the missing pieces :)<br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-2233539097364355282012-09-02T09:01:00.000-07:002012-09-02T09:01:41.556-07:00book-a-day septemberso obviously, i have been too excited about getting tickets for the monkees show to come back and post about how i did indeed get them. :D<br />
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yesterday i started a new feature on instagram, and i'd like to invite everyone to follow along or join in. i realized that while i have a lot of collections, one that hardly ever gets any attention at all is my collection of books. i have always loved books for as long as i can remember. i enjoy having a collection that is strange, interesting, thought-provoking and sometimes downright disturbing. i decided that for the month of september, i wanted to feature a book a day out of my collection: whether its something i loved reading, something that makes me laugh, or something that i look at and think, "i can't believe someone wrote a book about THIS!" if you'd like to follow me on instagram, my username is letsdanceon. feel free to start your own and use the hashtag #bookaday.<br />
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september 1st book a day:<br />
"state by state with the state" <br />
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a book by the actors of my favorite show on earth! i have loved these guys since i was 12 and followed their various careers up to this day (i'm glad to see so many turned out successful and are still doing what they do best!) <br />
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september 2 book a day:<br />"heart & soul: a celebration of black music style in america 1930-1975"<br />
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i love anything with little richard on the cover, and this is an awesome book full of color photos, old show posters and great record sleeves. erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-65420097839655977672012-08-15T19:54:00.000-07:002012-10-02T16:00:20.301-07:00my love affair with the monkees<br />
links to my radio show monkees tribute:<br />
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<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/mtmad1346igqunf/monkees_pt_1.mp3">HOT TRASH monkees tribute part 1 (3-6-12)</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/dnv6dnffvs4dod1/monlees_pt_2.mp3">HOT TRASH monkees tribute part 2 (3-6-12)</a><br />
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*disclaimer: my posts are not usually so dense and photo-less, but then again i'm not usually so emotional when i write about something. there are a lot of thoughts swimming in my head that i need to get out without the distraction of pictures and other fluff...but luckily there are more links at the bottom of this entry from other monkees-related posts i have done with much more visual content* <br />
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i don't come from a particularly musical family, although it was always comfortably present throughout my childhood. my parents owned records (my mom in particular talks about an elusive 45 collection she still insists "must be somewhere!" and i'd love it if she could deliver already) but they weren't dedicated collectors or anything. more appropriately, my relationship with music growing up was a sort of background noise to our upbringing. the quiet music playing in the distance was like the radio my mom would leave on in the kitchen "to keep the dog company;" it was always there, but it didn't dominate our day-to-day lives. who knows why children grow up to latch on to the things that they do, but for me one of those things was music (it would all come full-circle, as today i am a college radio dj, avid record collector and concert-goer, but that is for another post). i can easily identify periods of my childhood by what music i was obsessed with at the time.<br />
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my first musical love was the monkees at age 4. trying to piece this together logically, i can only guess that i saw the tv show first, as this was their 20th anniversary in 1986 and the show was being aired again to promote the upcoming tour. my mom must have been rather delighted that her 4-year-old took a liking to something she herself had grown up loving as a teenager, and that's probably when she pulled out her old records. i distinctly remember being alone in my bedroom at our old house and kissing the glass window in four spots, just like the guys are standing lined up on the cover of their self-titled album. i didn't just have a crush on one of them, i was in love with the entire band! we also used to like to play with the cassette recorder when we were younger, and i still have the tape of me talking about the monkees:<br />
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"we got the monkee record...(giggles)...they're so funny! they're so FUNNY! you like 'em out there, i do...bet you you do! i bet you do! and i do too. everybody likes the monkees, you know! we have the record of 'em! we have the tape of em...(giggles)...that's how much we like 'em! soon as they move in town, we're gonna go see 'em. so...we have to wait to see where they're moving, we have to see when they're moving in town...yeah...then we'll go see the monkees. you know, there's one named michael, micky...and all those kind of names.. and david....and all those...and donald..."<br />
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(haha SORRY, peter!)<br />
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there is also a cassette recording of me singing "tomorrow's gonna be another day." my two cousins, beth and amy, were close in age to me and we would have sleepovers where we watched "the monkees" on tv. their mom was also a first generation monkees fan like my mom, so they grew up listening to her records and tapes as well.<br />
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eventually, my musical tastes evolved (i use that word lightly): i had a george michael stage at age 5, a new kids on the block stage at age 8, a green day stage at age 12. somewhere along the line while i was havin' faith and hangin' tough and dyeing my hair green with food coloring, i forgot about my love for the monkees. i never gave up my love for music, but i expanded my view to such a point that they got lost in the shuffle.<br />
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1996 marked another anniversary tour (30th) and another chance for the reruns to be shown on tv again. my cousin beth caught an episode one night and taped it to show me.<br />
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"remember how much we used to love the monkees?" she asked. suddenly it was like we were struck with lightning. why had we forsaken them all these years??? i think we probably made a pact then and there never to do that again, and we haven't looked back since. quickly, we began to devour everything monkees we could get our hands on. we took out every book the library had and read them cover to cover, brushing up on our monkees trivia. we dug out our parents old albums again, and began visiting used record stores to add any monkees records that weren't in the collection (and to get our own copies, finally). we watched the tv reruns, made up silly fanfiction stories, reintroduced amy and introduced my younger brother mike to the wonder that was the monkes, memorized the words to all the songs, decided we each had a favorite (mine and amy's was both peter, and beth's was mike), reenacted a 60-minute monkees mixtape where the 4 of us each played the part of a monkee and made instruments out of things like bike helmets (drums) and brooms, and finally saw the monkees live in concert.<br />
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yes! beth and i attended the 1996 30th reunion tour featuring peter, davy and micky. it was the first concert our parents ever let us attend alone (and only our second concert ever attended -- after bush and the toadies the year before). the show in cleveland was at an ourdoor venue and it poured barely 15 minutes into the set. beth was wearing a pair of sky blue old man dress pants (two words: grunge phase) and they quickly became see-through. we worried about our hair and makeup getting ruined as only 14-year-old girls could, then reminded ourselves that we were standing here seeing the goddamn MONKEES and dammit if we weren't going to have the greatest time on earth, see-through pants and runny mascara or not. and so we did.<br />
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not long after we saw the monkees (again as a trio) at a fancy theater downtown. beth and amy's mom, my aunt karen, came with us to this one. we were amazed at the seats we had, which were something like 13th row and the closest we had ever been. halfway through the show beth kept insisting to everyone that she smelled chocolate, and everyone told her to be quiet and watch the show because they didn't smell anything. beth soon realized that she stuck a handful of foil-wrapped chocolate hearts in her pocket to enjoy as a snack, but they had melted all over her thigh. we laughed at her misfortune, but she sang along and had a great time, sticky thigh or not.<br />
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we saw the trio line-up yet again at a rib cook-off with both of our moms in attendance this time. me, beth and amy painted signs before the show to hold up: "we love the monkees!" they probably said. once again, we were caught in the rain at an outdoor monkees show. by this point, we felt like old pros. we stayed around after the show ended for a while, trying to meet our beloved heroes. we saw them walking around behind the barriers, but we could not get to them. after the show, beth and amy had a sleepover at my house like old times. we played truth or dare and made my mom play, too. we asked her who her favorite monkee was when she was younger and she admitted she had a crush on micky. this really blew our mind for some reason and we all teased her about it. i caught my cousins and my mom whispering about something, and when i finally forced them to tell me my mom admitted she had gotten a hug from peter while he was walking past where we stood. amy admitted that she did too. she even had a picture to prove it. i have no idea what i was doing to miss that moment, but i was heartbroken that everyone had met him except me RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. i cried and everyone admitted that they should have never told me.<br />
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me, beth and amy saw micky and davy perform as the monkees at a club called the odeon. we got there early and sat outside in line, then ran inside to the general admission standing room spots right in the front row. we couldn't believe how lucky we were, but talked about how much better it would be to be in the front row if peter were there too (or better yet, mike as well! sigh.) we got some really nice photographs of davy and micky because we were so close, but we still didn't get to meet them.<br />
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i lost track of what year we saw what, but i know that we saw peter solo with his band shoe suede blues 3 times: at the beachland once and the winchester twice. after the beachland show we got to meet him in the lobby and took photos with him. he was wearing black leather pants and he hit on beth, asking her if she was single (which she was not, she was engaged at the time). amy and i left the show feeling very jealous, since peter was our favorite monkee and we didn't get hit on like beth did. we met him at the winchester and got a newer photo with him. he seemed bored or annoyed and did not hit on anyone.<br />
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we saw micky solo at a moondog coronation ball and on the happy together tour twice.<br />
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last year, we traveled 2 hours to columbus to see the trio once again as a birthday trip for beth's 30th birthday. it was a truly amazing show, as anyone who was lucky enough to catch the tour will tell you. the screen behind them projecting videos and photos from all stages of their career was truly awesome. it was great to hear them do songs they didn't normally perform all the other times we saw them live, like selections from the soundtrack to "head." i can honestly say that i never imagined i would be standing there watching davy perform "daddy's song" in an outfit similar to what he wore on the original broadcast playing behind him on the screen. the three of us had an amazing time and remarked how incredibly happy we were that we took the trip.<br />
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we had 10th row tickets to catch the show again in cleveland a few months later. the show was cancelled and we were heatbroken. we hoped the show would be rescheduled, but talked about how we were happier than ever that we went to columbus and saw the show there just in case. for reasons we weren't yet aware of, this would prove to be one of the best decisions we'd ever made.<br />
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february 29th was a wednesday. my day off. i slept in late and came downstairs to log onto the computer. i saw someone post on facebook "RIP davy jones." that was how i found out. i panicked. surely this had to be a mistake? i googled it and sure enough, the headlines were everywhere: davy jones of the monkees, dead of a heartattack. i knew if i hadn't heard from my cousins or my mom yet, i was the first to know. i sent the text i hoped i would never have to send. in the back of my head i always dreaded the day the first member of my favorite band would die. i pushed the thought away any time it would crop up, telling myself, "there's no reason to think like that!" i spent the rest of the day crying in my pajamas. i was supposed to go to the movies with beth and amy, but instead they came over my house and the three of us talked and were just there with each other.<br />
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not long before davy's death, my aunt karen (beth and amy's mom) passed away from lung cancer. the entire thing was obscenely fast: from diagnosis to her last day it was less than 6 months. it was very hard on our family, who have always been very close. i watched my two best friends struggling with so much pain and i didn't have the words to comfort them. it left a hole in our hearts that was especially apparent at events like monkees shows, where the song "daydream believer" was enough to have us all in tears. it was my aunt's favorite song. davy was her favorite. the whole thing left a black cloud over something that was once our "happy place." <br />
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when the news of a possible tour became public last week, i couldn't concentrate on anything else. the moment i saw mike's cryptic facebook status ("we may be coming to your town"), i knew something was up. i just felt it. i never dreamed it would be a memorial tour, or that it would only be 12 cities long and one of them would be right here in my own backyard. but in a strange way i was also not that surprised. this was a moment i had waited for my whole life, and now was the time. my cousins and i are still the 3 muskateers, as close as ever, and somehow we were destined our whole lives for this moment. i always said it was my dream to see all 4 monkees performing live together, and as sad as i am that davy is no longer with us i don't think it would have mattered even if he was because i still don't think it would have happened. i never would have gotten the chance to see all 4 monkees perform together. it just wasn't in the cards. it wasn't fair...but neither was losing my aunt so young. neither was losing davy so unexpectedly. life just isn't fair sometimes and although i have a hard time with that concept (i tend to be a dreamer and an extreme optimist), i know it to be the truth.<br />
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i've been on pins and needles all week waiting for these tickets to go on sale. tomorrow it will finally be over and i can stop having stomach aches over how stressed i am. i'm scared, and i'm nervous, but i also firmly believe that there's no way we could have come this far on our journey and not be guaranteed a spot to experience this. we lived our whole lives for it. the monkees have BEEN our whole lives. i have never loved a band so wholly and completely for so many different reasons. tomorrow i will be ok. and tomorrow i will have another post, with some good news to share.<br />
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p.s. past entries regarding the monkees can be found here:<br />
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<a href="http://mybabydoesthehankypanky.blogspot.com/2012/08/say-what-monkees-edition.html">say what?! (monkees edition)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mybabydoesthehankypanky.blogspot.com/2012/02/saddest-day.html">saddest day</a><br />
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<a href="http://mybabydoesthehankypanky.blogspot.com/2011/07/monkees-recapphoto-dump.html">monkees recap / photo dump</a><br />
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<a href="http://mybabydoesthehankypanky.blogspot.com/2011/06/when-monkees-come-to-town-then-well-go.html">when the monkees come to town then we'll go see the monkees!</a>erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-3776429024726295642012-08-15T09:25:00.001-07:002012-08-15T09:28:22.263-07:00projects at the ryan armsnext week, it will be one year since we moved into our house. i'm pretty impressed with all the work we've gotten done, especially because we had to split our time and money between this and the wedding. we checked another thing off our list when we finally painted the walls in the bathroom. i fell in love with the old tile and the pink/black color scheme the minute we looked at the house, but the drab flesh-tone walls really had to go. they did nothing to bring out the pink in the tile, and it made the whole room look so plain. we decided on this great shade of aqua, which we think looks so perfect it should have been this way from the beginning :)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1515.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1515.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1516.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1516.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
now the mermaid cove actually makes them look at home!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1523.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1523.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1526.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1526.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1528.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1528.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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one of our wedding gifts from our friends tony, dave and johnny was a gift certificate to the shop SPEEDCULT, which does a lot of handmade metal work for home decor. we picked out these two awesome signs:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1466.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1466.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1467.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1467.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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i love that they're aged to look old, and i looove the fonts. we are still looking for the perfect place to hang the munsters one.<br />
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the funeral sign went into our foyer near the front door, which quickly transformed the parlor area into a real <i>funeral parlor </i>atmosphere! we also finally got our vintage "furniture and undertaking" sign framed and hung up, and it looks really neat!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1562.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1562.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1561.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1561.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1564.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1564.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
i was trying to find a place to keep my dried bouquet of roses from the wedding, and don't you know they look just perfect in the funeral parlor ; )<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1567.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1567.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
some reading material<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1568.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1568.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
smelling salts from a local funeral home<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1576.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1576.jpg" width="480" /></a> <br />
i love the way the creepy old photos we have hung on the wall add to the atomsphere.there's really no reason to have an old accordian in the funeral parlor, but it looks pretty cool so we're going with it.<br />
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our big winter projects will be to paint some more walls and turn the unfinished room upstairs into another bedroom!<br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-18980615481046689382012-08-12T22:04:00.000-07:002012-10-02T15:51:26.733-07:00say WHAT?!? (monkees edition)<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=monkees-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/monkees-1.jpg" /></a><br />
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you'll have to excuse me if i've been too busy freaking out over here to do much else. you see, last tuesday it all began with a cryptic facebook post by monkee mike nesmith. it read simply: <b>"we may be coming to your town."</b> sounds innocent enough, right? unless you are a big monkees fan who knows that a) that is the closing line to the monkees theme song, b) mike hasn't done a live concert date with any of the monkees in 15 years, and he hasn't been on a monkees "tour" since the sixties, and c) mike doesn't do a lot of talking about his days of a monkee, hasn't had much involvement with them overall since their split in the 70s, and therefore would have no reason to say such a weird thing unless he had something up his sleeve.<br />
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immediately i picked up on this and sent a message to both my cousins, fellow monkees addicts like myself. were we reading too much into nothing? i didn't think so. was there going to be some news to follow? it only took a few hours to have that question answered, and it came when the "official" monkees facebook page posted a photo of mike, micky and peter (the three surviving monkees now that davy passed away in march) with a caption that said "check back here tomorrow for a special announcement!" i was going out of my mind! i couldn't concentrate on anything all day. i had to do my radio show that nite and i warned the audience ahead of time that i was going to be messing everything up because i just couldn't keep my head straight. COULD IT BE TRUE???<br />
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at the very least, we guessed that maybe all three monkees would be making an appearance at the monkees convention coming up later this year. cool, but not very helpful for us because its nowhere near us and we won't be able to make the convention in the first place. would they be reuniting to do a big show in davy's honor? that would be GREAT, but probably in a big city in california or new york or somewhere that we likely wouldn't be able to travel to. the most incredible possibility, which i honestly didn't even give much thought to because it was too unbelievable to fathom: could the three remaining monkees be planning a tour? like i said above, mike hasn't toured with the rest of the band in <b>over 40 years</b>!!! he did a few dates in the 90s when they released the "justus" album, but dropped off before the tour came here, where my cousin beth and i saw it. <br />
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luckily, i was up late doing my radio show and i saw when mike nesmith spilled the beans shortly after midnight. A MONKEES TOUR WITH MIKE! my head has been spinning since. i've waited my whole life to see mike live! of course, my ultimate dream was to see all 4 monkees together but it seemed unlikely that would ever happen. with the unexpected death of davy this past year, the door closed on that dream of mine forever. i cried for days. i still get upset thinking about it. the monkees are more than just a band to me, they are a huge part of me and my life and the relationships i have with some of the people closest to me (see past posts addressing these topics <a href="http://mybabydoesthehankypanky.blogspot.com/2012/02/saddest-day.html">HERE</a>, <a href="http://mybabydoesthehankypanky.blogspot.com/2011/07/monkees-recapphoto-dump.html">HERE</a>, and <a href="http://mybabydoesthehankypanky.blogspot.com/2011/06/when-monkees-come-to-town-then-well-go.html">HERE</a>).<br />
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so anyway, back to the big news. the announcement only said that there would be 12 dates across the u.s.,
but not where. my cousins and i had already discussed that if this ever
happened we would drive anywhere within 6 hours of where we live...or
perhaps look into other travel arrangements if need be! i had a hard
time getting to sleep that night, waiting to hear the 12 lucky cities
who would get a monkees reunion show with the elusive mike nesmith.<br />
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by the time i woke up the next morning i heard that OUR city was one of them! it still hasn't sunk in. I'M FLOORED. i won't be able to calm down until i know we have tickets, which don't go on sale until later this week. i'm on pins and needles! its keeping me awake at night and giving me stomach aches! ahhhhhhhh! we already secured tickets to travel 3+ hours to buffalo, where we got center floor tickets in the 6th row. so if all else fails, at least we KNOW we are seeing this tour...but we HAVE TO get tickets when they play in our city or heads will roll. you don't even want to know what will happen if we don't. MUST. NOT. THINK. LIKE. THAT.<br />
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for now its back to biting my fingernails until those tickets are in my hands. i'll leave you with these clips i finally put up online from the tribute show i did on my radio show back in march. it is complete with my favorite monkees songs, personal stories about growing up a fan, and a cassette recoring of my 4-year-old self talking about my love for the band :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/mtmad1346igqunf/monkees_pt_1.mp3">HOT TRASH monkees tribute part 1 (3-6-12)</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/dnv6dnffvs4dod1/monlees_pt_2.mp3">HOT TRASH monkees tribute part 2 (3-6-12)</a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=The-Monkees-the-monkees-2845950-608-689.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/The-Monkees-the-monkees-2845950-608-689.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=The-Monkees-the-monkees-30016648-600-539.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/The-Monkees-the-monkees-30016648-600-539.jpg" /></a>erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-26322685982985154082012-08-01T11:28:00.003-07:002012-08-01T11:28:47.715-07:0060s lovetonite i'm going to see the "happy together" tour with my dad, brother and cousins and i couldn't be more excited!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/m8khz3Oxu2I" width="420"></iframe>erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-85619020086162065842012-07-30T19:30:00.000-07:002012-07-30T19:57:41.532-07:00trip to memphis!i'm going to be completely honest, i've sorta been putting this post off a bit because i knew it was going to be a lot of work and i'm too lazy for all that. this is a (very!) condensed version of our vacation, because i took a ridiculous amount of photos and there was no way i could put them all up without making your computer explode just trying to load the page. so here is a sampling of the highlights from our honeymoon. enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0802.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0802.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
the sign in the parking lot of our hotel. ha!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0814.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0814.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
one of our first stops, and our favorite thing we ate while in memphis: gus's fried chicken!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0803.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0803.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
fried pickles at gus's!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0807.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0807.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
YUM!<br />
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this was josh's first experience with gus's and it did not disappoint!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0812.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0812.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
an old favorite i've been waiting for!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0829.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0829.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
the lorraine hotel, then: the site of mlk, jr's assassination<br />
the lorraine hotel, now: civil rights museum<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0820.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0820.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the wreath marks the spot where mlk, jr. was shot<br />
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beale street has lots of great signs, including this one!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0854.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0854.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
dyers burgers on beale street<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0861.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0861.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
antique store<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0864.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0864.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
i love the peacock stained glass in graceland's living room!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0868.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0868.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
this was my third trip to graceland, and i never noticed the pink and purple tiled bathroom in his mother's room, or the poodle wallpaper! so great<br />
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the stairs leading to the mysterious forbidden floor where elvis's bedroom was (and where he died)<br />
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i love this tacky tv/bar room in the basement!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0885.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0885.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
speaking of tacky, the fabric on the ceiling of the billiards room really makes a statement...what that statement is, I'M NOT TOO SURE<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0888.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0888.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
the staircase leading up into the jungle room is covered floor to ceiling in lime green shag carpeting!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0889.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0889.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the infamous jungle room<br />
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TCB at the bottom of elvis's grave marker<br />
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when the workers heard we were there on our honeymoon, they actually stopped the tours long enough so that we could take some photos on graceland's front steps!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0916.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0916.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
us at graceland!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0938.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0938.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
giant elvis - just the way i like it<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0962.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0962.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
at night graceland is lit up with all these multicolor lights all over the grounds...it's beautiful!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0974.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0974.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
we tried to go see al green preaching to his congregation, but he wasn't there...i'm 0-2 on that one<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0977.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0977.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
stax museum! home of stax records and some of the best soul sounds to come out of the 1960s<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0979.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0979.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
SOULSVILLE USA<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0983.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0983.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
case of otis redding memorabilia...he's one of my all-time favorites!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0990.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0990.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the organ that was used to record "green onions" by booker t. and the mg's<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1023.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1023.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
sun studios! the beginning for such influential artists as elvis, johnny cash, jerry lee lewis, carl perkins, roy orbison and more<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1029.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1029.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
outside sun studios<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1040.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1040.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the original "memphis recording service" neon that hung in the window<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1063.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1063.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
the actual microphone elvis used to cut his first single ("that's alrite")<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1065.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1065.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the inside of sun studios where songs like "great balls of fire" and "i walk the line" were recorded. the microphone marks the actual spot where elvis stood to record his first single, and the two x's on the floor mark the spots where his bandmates bill black and scotty moore stood<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1091.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1091.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
ike turner's first piano at the rock and soul museum<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1094.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1094.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
ike's piano<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1104.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1104.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
an outfit worn by jerry lee "the killer" lewis<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1106.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1106.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
sam the sham's motorcycle, turban and coat<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1113.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1113.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
while in memphis i got the chance to meet my online friend dara, who i have known since we became friends on DIARYLAND about 12 years ago! we stayed in contact through all these blogs and it was sooooo great to finally meet in person :)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1114.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1114.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
here's a shot of the amazing pool at our hotel...one of the reasons i like to stay there :)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1117.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1117.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
this was the church elvis attended as a child in tupelo, mississippi<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1122.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1122.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
elvis's boyhood church in tupelo<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1131.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1131.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the house in tupelo, mississippi where elvis was born. it's only two rooms, a living quarter and a kitchen -- humble beginnings, indeed<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1140.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1140.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the room where elvis was born<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1137.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1137.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the kitchen area<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1152.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1152.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
we made a stop at "graceland, too"...a sort of roadside attraction that is definitely not for the faint of heart. you can google it to find a more in depth history, but be warned that the owner paul likes to smack you when you aren't paying attention to him, yell "YO!" over and over until you do, and make really offensive jokes, especially to the ladies (for example:"when was the last time you were at the airport? did you have to check those titties with the luggage?!?" and it only goes downhill from there)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1157.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1157.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
us in front of graceland, too<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1158.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1158.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
paul's home is one part elvis shrine, one part museum, ALL PARTS CRAZY<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1159.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1159.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
you really have to see it to believe it...<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1160.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1160.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
and you really have to experience paul for yourself (note: that guitar case apparently belongs to his son, who paul named "elvis aaron presley macleod"...i wish i was kiding)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1166.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1166.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
here is a photo of paul, holding a scrap book where he pasted the name "elvis presley" out of everything he's ever cut it from<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1167.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1167.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
inside graceland, too<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1169.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1169.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
to say paul is a little strange...<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1171.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1171.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
...is quite...<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1173.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1173.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
...the understatement<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1170.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1170.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
this is his tribute to the movie "jailhouse rock" and it is an electric chair hooked up to a car battery sitting in his backyard<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1184.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1184.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the house that jerry lee lewis and his cousin-wife myra bought after they got married (trivia: their son also drowned in the pool in the backyard)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1186.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1186.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
spending some time at the wall of love outside of graceland<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1189.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1189.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
wall of love, graceland<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1197.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1197.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
wall of love, graceland <br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1200.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1200.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
this is one of my favorite places to be in memphis. i like to walk over to the wall at dusk and just spend some time...<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1204.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1204.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
it's kind of my version of a religious experience :)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1208.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1208.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
outside the gates of graceland<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1239.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1239.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
we went to see the peabody ducks (another thing you should google if you aren't familiar) but they ran down the red carpet so fast i didn't manage any good photos. here they are sitting in their fountain, though<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1243.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1243.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
the arcade restaurant was a neat little spot suggested to me by rae at <a href="http://raesock.blogspot.com/">say it ain't so</a>. supposedly elvis used to eat here, and they filmed quite a few movies here as well ("i walk the line," "mystery train," "great balls of fire," etc)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1256.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1256.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
we went on an adventure to find the grave of charlie "king of rockabilly" feathers<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1262.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1262.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
too bad we never got the chance to see him while he was still alive!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1283.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1283.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
outside the stax museum<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1308.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1308.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
the pink palace is memphis's natural history museum, and they had a great collection of bones and taxidermy. look at this ostrich skeleton next to a hummingbird!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1313.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1313.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
hmph.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1315.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1315.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
nice chompers<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1316.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1316.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
tall and proud<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1318.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1318.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
neat!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1325.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1325.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
that's an angry-looking cat!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1352.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1352.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
inside the museum there was a mock piggly wiggly (since the founder is from memphis and this was the first grocery chain, its historic stuff, ya dig?)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1354.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1354.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
it was pretty neat to walk through...i loved a lot of the old labels and products!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1364.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1364.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
now THAT'S great!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1368.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1368.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
yep<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1374.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1374.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
great logo!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1375.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1375.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
so cute<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1377.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1377.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
i really love this for some reason, the text and the logo<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1383.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1383.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
a funny ad on the wall in the mock pharmacy/soda fountain<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1384.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1384.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
another funny ad at the pharmacy...what kid WOULDN'T be nervous around that giant menacing frog???<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1385.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1385.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
a jar of leeches at the pharmacy<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1401.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1401.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
ad for leeches...so glad THAT medical practice is defunct! at least...i hope it is?!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1411.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1411.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
a shrunken head for good measure<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1410.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1410.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
"recipe for a shrunken head"<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1415.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1415.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
we also went in a place called house of mews, which is a cat rescue/adoption agency. there were 88 cats running loose when we stopped in there, and even more in cages! it was kind of my heaven to be surrounded by them<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1416.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1416.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
MORE cats!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1418.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1418.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
even cats in BUCKETS! so many CATS!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1425.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1425.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
just me, goofin in memphis<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1427.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1427.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
(still)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1441.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1441.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
YEAH!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=11-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/11-2.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
one of my favorite record stores and a great label, goner!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=8-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/8-1.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
a peanut butter and banana sandwich for good measure at rockabilly's diner<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1452.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1452.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
and we ended our trip with some payne's bbq for breakfast, cuz that's how we do.<br />
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i don't know how i managed to not photograph this, but josh also ate alligator nachos and that was a highlight for me just to watch it happen. i declined to partake.<br />
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we brought pack a bunch of souvenirs including records, tshirts and more. but here is some WACKY stuff we just couldn't live without!:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1462.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1462.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
a chicken foot (?!) josh brought home<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1464.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1464.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
this black cat incense from the "voodoo" section of a schwab's<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1463.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1463.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
and a vial of dirt from the infamous crossroads where robert johnson supposedly made his pact with the devil<br />
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we had a wonderful time and packed SO MUCH STUFF into the few days we were there. we've already uttered the phrase "i wanna go back to memphis!" more times that i can count :)erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-25958816131646780692012-07-23T19:48:00.003-07:002012-08-07T15:59:00.098-07:00recent junk we had in our trunkit has been quiet on the blog front because josh and i just got back from our honeymoon a few days ago. we had such a great time! i need a little more time to prepare for that entry, but in the meantime here is a teaser...any idea where we went??<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0915.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0915.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
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while i get ready for that post, i figured i would share a few recent scores from outings before and after we left town for a while. one of them was a true jackpot!<br />
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before we left for our trip we had one really good day of junkin. most of this stuff came from the same house and it was all at really good prices. we love us some vintage circus/carnival stuff so we couldn't pass up this set of tv trays for $5:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0778.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0778.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0779.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0779.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0780.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0780.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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a cute magazine rack:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0782.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0782.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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these great shadow boxes! it seems like karma is really paying me back for that one bad experience i had with the grabby old shadow box man from a few months ago:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0787.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0787.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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cute stacking container for my asian collection:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0788.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0788.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0789.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0789.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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cheeseburger magnet!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0790.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0790.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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wacky headhunter guy for the tiki bar:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0791.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0791.jpg" width="480" /></a> <br />
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funny little plaques for the hillbilly bathroom:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0793.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0793.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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records!!!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0795.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0795.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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vintage raccoon planter:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0798.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0798.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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big-eyed mod kids for the big-eyed hallway:<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0799.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0799.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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and finally, a creepy life-size santa that i know i could sell for some dollar$$$ if i was looking to unload (and give up the chance to scare future generations into a lifetime of holiday-induced nightmares?? NEVER!)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0775.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0775.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0776.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0776.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN0777.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN0777.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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this past weekend josh and i went to a house sale that ended up being in the living quarters above a funeral home. no, really! i wish i had taken photos of the actual apartment, because it was tacky and AMAZING. very 60s old lady style with lots of shiny gold-flecked wallpaper and mirrors. josh and i were having a blast just being able to go inside the place, but then we spotted THIS!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1499.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1499.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1498.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1498.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1503.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1503.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1505.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1505.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=DSCN1507.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/DSCN1507.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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usually people are aware that vintage halloween stuff is collectable and try to ask too much. josh and i tried to mask our excitement (pardon the pun!) and quickly surveyed the situation: there were several boxed halloween costumes stacked on the floor and each had a $25 price tag on them. the woman running the sale in the room with us noticed us walking towards them and said, "yeah, as you can see, most of them are $25 cuz they have their box..." we snatched up rat fink and played it cool.<br />
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"how about the loose ones? what do you want for this?" we both knew that vintage rat fink stuff was very collectible, and it looked to be in pretty nice shape despite not having its box. i held my breath.<br />
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"how about...ten bucks?"<br />
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"yeah, cool, let's get him, he's cute," i told josh. when she wasn't looking we gave each other a wide-eyed look that said "can you believe this???" when we got downstairs to pay another lady said, "so you got the mouse costume, huh?"<br />
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<i>the mouse??</i> i couldn't believe that not one single person running the sale or shopping at the time knew what we had. an old lady sitting behind the table said, "that was mine! i was the rat fink!" apparently it was her costume from when she was a child in the 60s ; )<br />
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overall, it was probably the coolest thing we've ever scored junkin. i still can't believe it.<br />
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what about you; have you found anything good lately??erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-41852168472679761582012-07-12T21:14:00.000-07:002012-07-12T21:19:36.494-07:00wedding musicbeing a couple of music nerds/record collectors/djs & one man bands/etc, it was obvious from the beginning that music was going to be an important aspect of the wedding. picking out songs for those special moments was one of my favorite parts about the planning process!<br />
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it should come as no surprise that there was no "chicken dance" and typical "party music" at our wedding, although our idea of an instructional group dance could be summed up best when the djs threw on THIS gem:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YvBN3C2wepY" width="420"></iframe><br />
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well played, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Music-To-Break-Things-By/147905980469">music to break things by</a>!<br />
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at first my little faux-niece would not come into the ballroom because the music was too loud and it scared her. but after her request for some monkees was granted, no one could get her off the dance floor! it was hilarious! she barely stopped for a bathroom break when she told her mom, "i have to go back in there and dance with everybody!"<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dXj7ZOyFs3k" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=bysheri28.jpg" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=bysheri32.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/bysheri32.jpg" width="428" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">photo: sheri miller</span><br />
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i made a doo wop mix cd to play in the chapel for when guests were arriving. i love me some dreamy doo wop and vocal harmonizing! i knew josh was the boy for me after we had already met and he admitted he had the words "doo wop" tattooed inside his lower lip. SOUL MATE! here's a few tracks i put on the mix:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OmDUT388Dyg" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CCurGFx_qvc" width="420"></iframe><br />
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rather than walk down the aisle to the traditional wedding song, we entered the chapel to the everly brothers "let it be me." it was the one time that day i came close to tears when i heard this playing and i started to walk in with my dad:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kjhQceK0Y6E" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=bysheri13.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="428" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/bysheri13.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">photo: sheri miller</span><br />
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after being pronounced man and wife, we exited the chapel to this sam cooke song, which has been one of "our" songs since we first started dating:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aw39LsFvtGA" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=weddingphotos-179.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/weddingphotos-179.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">photo: <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge photography</a></span> <br />
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josh and i decided when we were announced at the reception that we should enter to a song with one of the best screams in all of rock'n'roll. it seemed like a good way to start a marriage, ya know? therefore, we were ushered in with none other than bunker hill's "the girl can't dance." check out that opening holler!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0g8rG6WVJvk" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=weddingphotos-248.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/weddingphotos-248.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">photo: <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge photography</a></span><br />
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the song that became our first dance would make me cry before the wedding whenever i tried to play it for people, so i thought for sure i would bawl my eyes out when the time actually came. in the end, josh and i were talking and laughing throughout it to cover up the fact that we were so nervous and hated being the center of attention. i'm sure it can still make me cry even though the wedding is done, though! ha.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uSu9Kj7Q_Vg" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=weddingphotos-287.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/weddingphotos-287.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">photo: <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge photography</a></span> <br />
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my dad and i had a dance to the turtles "you know what i mean" because i "borrowed" his record when i was a teenager and that is why i love the turtles to this day. whenever a cool oldies tour hits town, my dad is always the first one to ask if we're going to see it (we're going to see the turtles along with micky dolenz of the monkees and a few others in just a few weeks!)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=weddingphotos-289.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/weddingphotos-289.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">photo: <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge photography</a></span> <br />
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josh and his mom had a cute dance to this carl perkins cover (only the first song on this clip, it was the only one available):<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=weddingphotos-291.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/weddingphotos-291.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">photo: <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge photography</a></span><br />
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i also had a dance with my friend jeff, who i've had a special musical bond with since the minute i met him. he and his wife are dear friends and came all the way from new york city to celebrate the day with us. we danced to this little richard song, which he chose:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oE3bYRLjVRo" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=weddingphotos-297.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/weddingphotos-297.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">photo: <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge photography</a></span><br />
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the djs did the most bitchin job of choosing tunes and making the nite go by waaay faster than i wish it would have. one of the guests (a certain carol "miss firecracker") commented that it was the best music at a wedding ever! i have to concur, even though i am slightly biased!<br />
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besides the candy bar, josh and i also had cds made to give out as favors. they turned out really nice. we included some of the songs mentioned above, plus some other stuff that is "us." we ended the cd with two songs we would choose as "theme songs" -- "i'm the wolfman" for josh and "rock'n'roll girl" for me :)<br />
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my brother mike did the photo shoot for the cd and here are some pictures we took!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Records-2246.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Records-2246.jpg" width="626" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Records-2256.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Records-2256.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Records-2262.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="497" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Records-2262.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Records-2264.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="498" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Records-2264.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Records-2266.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="493" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Records-2266.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Records-2268.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="482" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Records-2268.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Records-2269.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Records-2269.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Records-2271.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Records-2271.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=Records-2276.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="587" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/Records-2276.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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i have a few more wedding pictures to share next time and then i should be able to shut up about it finally :)<br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-58434771825483222102012-07-08T13:48:00.000-07:002012-07-08T14:57:55.970-07:00wedding: a (long) recap<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=314772_390988890950384_1342863738_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/314772_390988890950384_1342863738_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
in case you were wondering, you will finally get to see what it looks
like to get married in a cemetery. the truth is that its absolutely
beautiful! but don't take my word for it.<br />
photo by <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge</a><br />
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the longer i wait to do this post, the more overwhelmed i get thinking about what a full day it was and the more i want to just skip writing all this. BUT! it was honestly one of the most amazing days of my life and i don't want to gloss over it just because i was feeling lazy. i also want to apologize in advance if i get someone's photo credit wrong because my brain was absolutely scrambled that day and i started saving photos when it was all over without keeping track of who took what. just send me a message and i will correct anything i get wrong!<br />
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i will admit, i always thought it was sorta cheesy and unoriginal when people described their wedding day as "the happiest day of their life." shame on me. now i get it. not only because i was marrying my best friend, but being surrounded by so many people who went out of their way to help us, make sure we were happy, and just spend our special day with us was the most humbling and incredible experiences ever. josh and i are very lucky to have the supportive family and friends that we do. it was important to us to hire our friends to help us accomplish all the personal touches we wanted for our day, rather than hiring a bunch of strangers who didn't really know or understand us. plus, as you will see, our motley crew really helped us achieve the rock'n'roll wedding we always hoped we could pull off!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=phone7.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/phone7.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
this was the table we used for our guestboook, candy bar and display table (i apologize for my terrible phone pictures -- did anyone get any better ones of the table?)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=phone6.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/phone6.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
we used josh's guitar case as an alternate to a boring old card drop box.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=phone5.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/phone5.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
we set out a vintage record player with the 45 of our "first dance" song sitting on it (more about that later, i want to do a whole post just about music)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=phone4.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/phone4.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
part of our wedding favor was to have a candy bar. we collected old-fashioned candy jars and filled them with candies that matched our colors of red, black and white. the boxes were all hand stamped "love is sweet."<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=phone8.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/phone8.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
josh and i used 45 records to make the table place cards with people's names on them. they were a big hit!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=phone3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/phone3.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
the head table!<br />
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my 5 bridesmaids were indispensable. amy and beth are my cousins, and are basically the sisters i never had. amy was my matron of honor and went so far above and beyond what i could have expected of her that i still can't find the words to thank her. i have known dana since high school and met angie and billie through her shortly after, and i can't imagine the day without them. especially poor billie, who at one point during the morning was doing my hair, angie's makeup, and about to sew dana's dress all at the same time!<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=384358_4294350045329_607822926_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/384358_4294350045329_607822926_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
with amy, angie and beth<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=byelysse3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/byelysse3.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
my little flower girl! photo by elysse.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=phone2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/phone2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
wedding day breakfast, thanks to beth! including sparkling grape juice for my mimosas ; ) <br />
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josh had an issue with a deadbeat best man just 3 weeks before the wedding, which really threw us for a loop for a minute. in the end, things worked out even better than they were going to, because we were able to bring in both my brothers as groomsmen, as well as josh's good friend travis as best man and our mutual friend greg as a fellow groomsman. our friend scott from buffalo, ny (former drummer of the band the blowtops) jokingly volunteered to drive here and be the 5th groomsmen, and when i told him how much we would love having him as a part of the day he admitted that he practically had his bags already packed. so cool of him.<br />
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we also lucked out in that we have some amazingly talented friends that helped us with nearly every aspect of our wedding. our good friend ben (creator of the record label/zine "rock'n'roll purgatory") acted as officiant. adam and andy, hosts of the college radio show "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Music-To-Break-Things-By/147905980469?ref=ts">music to break things by</a>" (and brother show to my own hot trash) were our official wedding djs. i danced to the sonics, the monkees, the devil dogs and gentleman jesse and his men all in one night. it was SO FUN! i can't say enough good things about our photographers, sean and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/victoria.stanbridge.photography">victoria</a>. as you will see from the photos in this post, victoria is definitely in the right business and i would recommend her to my fellow clevelanders all day every day. is it possible to be in love with a photograph??? victoria is making me question everything i ever knew about life. i'm hoping that once i order some of the wedding photographs, she will allow me to share more here in my personal blog because some of my favorite shots from the day aren't available to be shared online. i love that she was able to capture our big day in a way that was totally us: dirty cowboy boots, tattoos, silly faces and all. and finally, our friend jen made the cupcakes and our cute little wedding cake that josh wouldn't let me smash in his face. can you say chocolate covered cherry cupcakes??? they were wildly popular.<br />
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my amazing mom made my wedding dress from a 1957 dress pattern i picked out. i also took some inspiration from a vintage dress i saw for sale on etsy that i didn't stand a chance of fitting into. she did a beautiful job. i'm not used to wearing a lot of white clothing, so it was a little strange to see myself any time i looked in the mirror...but the style of the dress, as well as the pop of red, is exactly my thing. i love the secret touch she added when she revealed to me that she cut a piece of fabric off her own vintage wedding dress and added it as an embellishment on the back of my dress. soo cute.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=dresspattern.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/dresspattern.jpg" /></a><br />
the 1957 dress pattern<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=dress.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/dress.jpg" width="435" /></a><br />
vintage dress i used as inspiration<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=529002_389535894429017_33060379_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/529002_389535894429017_33060379_n.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
the finished product. photo by <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge</a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=560955_389692141080059_1229962484_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/560955_389692141080059_1229962484_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
photo by <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge</a> <br />
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in the 11th hour, a complete stranger to me walked into the store where i work and my coworker introduced us. this is how shawn came to be our chauffeur in his 1952 ford customline. talk about arriving in style! what an awesome thing to do for a couple of kids you've never even met. it was <i>exactly</i> what i was envisioning when i decided i wanted to find a classic car to use. and he even let us tie an old-fashioned "just married" sign to the back that me and amy made the night before :)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=487965_390661410983132_1846610563_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/487965_390661410983132_1846610563_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
photo by <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge</a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=425166_389697431079530_934873170_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/425166_389697431079530_934873170_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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photo by <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge</a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=306864_390655817650358_494770199_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/306864_390655817650358_494770199_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
photo by <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge</a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=byauntbetsy2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="556" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/byauntbetsy2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
photo by elizabeth <br />
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somehow i managed to make it through the day without crying, although i had my great-grandma's handmade red and white handkerchief tucked into my dress just in case. josh and i wrote our own vows, and in the course of my 1 page i referenced beer, eddie cochran records, and the time that we rode an elephant together. i told josh he was "the dan to my roseanne, the gomez to my morticia, and the elvis to my priscilla" (and then promised not to leave him for any karate instructors). i knew he would get it. the best part was how i told him i loved him for a list of reasons, including the fact that he always lets me have the best records first. in his vows, he pointed out that he still loves me, even when i take all the best records first. HA! we <i>mostly</i> see eye to eye.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=byauntbetsy.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/byauntbetsy.jpg" width="573" /></a><br />
me reading my vows. photo by elizabeth.<br />
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the taco bar we chose for the reception was AWESOME. we overheard several guests talking about how they already planned to come back the following tuesday for taco tuesday nite. haha! we had a cross-country guestlist that included people from wyoming, new york, west virginia, iowa and michigan. we had a dead boy, a member of the alarm clocks, the owner of our favorite music venue and lots of fellow college radio djs. even mr. california was there! <br />
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it was a long, nerve-wracking, exciting day that was more fun then i even imagined possible. a HUGE thanks to all our family and friends who made it possible and shared it with us! special thanks to our parents, who supported us even when our ideas were less than "traditional" and who welcomed us into our new roles as son and daughter with open arms :)<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=bylacey.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/bylacey.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
nervous and about to go in at the reception. photo by lacey. <br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=314716_10151080329639258_568450339_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/314716_10151080329639258_568450339_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
overwhelmed and nervous, being announced as mr. and mrs. for the first time while entering the reception :) photo by lucky.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=dancing-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="638" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/dancing-1.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
first dance! photo by elysse.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=byjohnny.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/byjohnny.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
ha! photo by johnny.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=552511_389535971095676_81662411_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="457" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/552511_389535971095676_81662411_n.jpg" width="640" /></a>
our rings. photo by <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge</a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=555580_391164000932873_660228832_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/555580_391164000932873_660228832_n.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
cemetery photography. by <a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge</a><br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=byangie3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/byangie3.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
by angie.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=bydana2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/bydana2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
more cemetery photos. by dana.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=phone1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/phone1.jpg" width="620" /></a><br />
my beautiful boquet, still going strong a week later.<br />
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<br />erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7304253671663966231.post-10974292816951877952012-07-02T11:30:00.002-07:002012-07-02T11:36:15.650-07:00i dowell, it's official.<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=540877_389438627772077_80935998_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/540877_389438627772077_80935998_n.jpg" /></a><br />
[<a href="http://www.victoriastanbridgephotography.com/">victoria stanbridge photography</a>]<br />
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<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/?action=view&current=552603_4293485383713_1650544715_n.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/brainstew3/552603_4293485383713_1650544715_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
[photo by angie]<br />
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[photo by angie]<br />
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many, many more photos to come and bore you with soon enough.erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302238851335279161noreply@blogger.com4