And then there were 9

The bottom 3: Nadia, Jessica, and Anwar

Going home: Jessica Sierra
I think I called this last week... I didn't make predictions this week (although I would have been right). Boo-yah!

Top 10 Live Bloggin' Idol

Bo Bice
Mary: YAY BO!
Ryan: I didn't think it was that good. Sorry Bo.
Randy: I'm glad that you're back rockin'
Paula: You did an awesome job
Simon: I didn't like the song...When you do that kind of band rock song but it was a little like something you see at a wedding.

Jessica Sierra
Mary: I really am looking forward to you leaving this contest.
Ryan: That was the worst song tonight.
Randy: It wasn't my favorite choice... but you sang it well. I think you're still one of the girls to beat.
Paula: Coming off of last week -- this song to me was more to me... it didn't showcase your voice.
Simon: You don't have that likability factor that the others do.

Anwar RobinsonCLICK HERE!
Mary: You looked like you were in pain. And it wasn't good -- you were really off.
Ryan: Something sounds off tonight and it is you.
Randy: ... you were pitchy.... blahblah big notes ... it was okay for me
Paula: I have never heard such an incredible original version of this song...
Simon: I think you need to buy a new CD collection Paula. I hate to say it... I think what Randy said was spot on.

Nadia Turner
Mary: You needed a strong performance to save you from last week. You sounded great.
Ryan: Either they fixed the mics or you are awesome.
Randy: The thing that I love about you -- is that you are a really great performer...
Paula: I would say that you're miles better than last week
Simon: Nadia, thousand percent improvement from last week. The performance was great but I would be nervous that the song would leave the audience cold.

Constantine
Mary: Umm.. wow.
Ryan: I wasn't impressed.
Randy: The best vocal performance for me... by a mile.
Paula: So refreshing hearing a male voice with that song.
Simon: I think you did better than Bo tonight b/c what you did wasn't the best vocals for sure but you were kind of like a classic pop star... and you're target audience will love that.

Nikko Smith
Mary: I think it was a poor song choice. It was too high for you. I'm disappointed b/c you're my favorite.
Ryan: Started off weak but ended good.
Randy: I don't know what went on... you blew it out tonight. That was incredible.
Paula: You make me so proud to sit where I am sitting.
Simon: I think it was ... I think you are a breath of fresh air... it was quite a good copy of the original.

Anthony Federov
Mary: I felt like I was on a cruise ship... waiting for the chocolate buffet to open... and thinking maybe I should use the bathroom before I got on line.
Ryan: You suck and that is a stupidass big giant belt.
Randy: It was aight.
Paula: I thought you did a great job.
Simon: I want to be nice b/c I like you but I think in parts that was excruciate (Which part?) Middle, beginning, and end.

Carrie Underwood
Mary: It was pretty good. Just really okay for me.
Ryan: I don't like country music but that wasn't bad.
Randy: Great great great great great performance. That was the best vocal of the night.
Paula: I love when you sing country. You sounded wonderful tonight.
Simon: I think that some of the performances I have seen tonight, I have seen in karaoke bars. But you have the "it' factor.

Scott Savol
Mary: I love your voice but I think singing "Goodbye" songs always seals contestants' fate.
Ryan: Hate the neck beard. Not loving the song.
Randy: Tough song to sing... it was aight man.
Paula: I didn't hear pitchy at all... you've got my heart.
Simon: I use the karaoke reference before....based on that performance I would want to switch that microphone off.

Vonzell Solomon
Mary: Very ambitious song. I cannot believe that you pulled it off so beautifully. You were my favorite tonight.
Ryan: The only thing I can think of that rhymes with Vonzell is "awesome"
Randy: It was a little sharp in spots... but I loved it man
Paula: Vonzell, America is falling in love with you. You outsung the girls tonight
Simon: I would have thought weeks ago that you singing Whitney Houston would have been career suicide but you pulled it off.

Busying

I am busying myself by getting ready for the Barrister's Ball which is on Friday. It is my big night out for the semester. I will be dressed up. There will be dancing. And an open bar. I think that counts as "going out." I will post a picture of how lame I look. (Oh dear Mary, don't be so down on yourself!)
Other than that -- I have a headache today. I'm logging migraines here in case you hadn't noticed. This blog is my only journal so I may as well migraine log for medical history's sake. I think it is because we had canned clams last night and they often have MSG in them -- and I didn't get a chance to look at the can before it made its way into the trash. So today I at a Cosi sandwich which will do wonders for my weightwatchers. Well, I can't be PERFECT (although I come damn close).

"Peep-hole" by Guided by Voices
Give me the cost of the albatross
And wear it ’round your neck for size
Don’t let it get you down
I’m looking inside your house
And oh and it smells so nice
Your house always looks so nice

Maybe they’re twice as high laughing
Maybe the time is right you know
Promise me not to leave
I’m looking inside your brain
And christ, it’s a cluttered mess
I love you, I must confess.

Lame

Insert here a picture of me with a new haircut that looks a lot like the last one I got.

Funniest Thing

Funniest Thing
Originally uploaded by lambgarden.

"I think the funniest thing I have ever done was to draw a fake mustache on a picture of a man who already had a mustache.

The most embarrassing moment in my life was nobody found that funny."

- Mary

My Brother

"He's my brother /
He ain't heavy, he's my brother"

This is the song that the American Idol winner might sing.

Here's who else has sung it:
Al Green
Brian Lane Green
The Hollies
Neil Diamond
The Bachelors
Ronan Tynan
Cher
Donny Hathaway
The Osmands
Midnight Snake

My personal favorite is the Midnight Snake version. If Constantine wins, they'll have use those guitar riffs.

And then there were 10

The bottom three: Nadia, Mikalah, and Anthony

I predicted 2 of the 3. That's pretty goddam good. But there are some sickies out there voting for Anthony. Stop voting, sickies, because Anthony is tone deaf and makes me want to put toothpicks in my ears.


Going home: Mikalah

Who is Idle at Idol?

They are so so stupid at American Idol -- they are replaying last night's performances. What a goddam waste of time.

Hatin'

I hate the Simple Life. They are really stupid and not funny.

(See below for play-by-play) Predictions

I predict that Jessica Sierra has no neck. Oh wait... that's not a prediction. WReeeer!

I still predict that Carrie Underwood will win and Simon agreed with me tonight.

I predict that either Mikalah Gordon or Anthony Federov will go home tomorrow.

I would have predicted Jessica Sierra to go home except that Simon was complementary so that will delay her loserdom for another week or so

LIVE BLOGGIN' IDOL THIS WEEK

Federov - "I Knew You Were Waiting"
Mary: "Wow, I thought you were bad all the other weeks. This week was your worst."
Randy: "Good choice and dude you had fun. Anthony is back tonight."
Paula: "You came back strong. Way to go to start out the show."
Simon: "I thought it was an okay performance. You try to do a sexy routine and it didn't work. It was rather like Randy going on Baywatch."

Carrie Underwood - "Alone"
Mary: "You started off weak but you really pulled though. It was awesome."
Ryan: "You broke out of your shell. Man, is there egg on my face."
Randy: "This was one of your best performances yet. You were unbelievable tonight."
Paula: "Talk about taking risks...my hat is off to you."
Simon: "You're not just the girl to be but you're the person to be. I predict that not only will you win this show but you will sell the most records of any previous American Idol."

Scott Savol - "Against All Odds"
Mary: "You are a sweet teddy bear with a smooth pleasing voice."
Ryan: "You continue surprise me."
Randy: "You worked it out tonight. You had it all popping up there."
Paula: "I feel right not that you are getting better week after week and you're in it to win it."
Scott: "If I'm being honest with you, I don't think that was a fantastic vocal."

Bo Bice - "Time in a Bottle"
Mary: "You are a true performer -- like an established rocker. But I'm not sure that Idol is for you"
Ryan: "I'm not a big fan and I thought that was boring."
Randy: "Very subdued for you but I still believe in you."
Paula: "I think that your fans would agree that you are a gift to the 6M people who watch this show."
Simon: "You look like someone who has already made it."

Nikko Smith - "Incomplete"
Mary: "You did a great job tonight. You really gave it your all. And I *love* your voice."
Ryan: "I was surprised that you were let off the show before."
Randy: "You know what I'm tripping on right now is that finally American is seeing the real Nikko Smith."
Paula: "That was brilliant and whatever you are doing keep showcasing your beautiful beautiful voice."
Simon: "Give or take a few tune problems that was by far your best performance."

Vonzell Solomon - "Best of My Love"
Mary: "Your performance was frantic and incorporated a lot of yelling. I didn't love it."
Ryan: "You've got a voice and that showed it off."
Randy: "It is like everyone showed up tonight. That was great."
Paula: "You personality came out and most importantly your vocals came out."
Simon: "Don't take this the wrong way but I think that for the first time in this competition people are going to remember you."

Constastine - "I Think I Love You"
Mary: "I hate going before the other judges, with the bad news first, but was like a train wreck."
Ryan: "This the best example yet of what makes you - you. And now I know I don't like you."
Randy: "Dude, that was a very interesting song choice. It was a little over the top for me."
Paula: "I think of all the Idols you have the best sense of showmanship. I think you did the song great justice."
Simon: "I thought it was an odd bit...It was rather like getting delivered a poodle in a leather jacket."

Nadia Turner - "Time After Time"
Mary: "First, holy mohawk. Second, I didn't like it. You were not in tune. And the performance was self-impressed."
Ryan: "I am frightened by the way you look and this did not show off your voice."
Randy: "Wow - I like the mohawk thing. You are definitely a star on that stage all the time."
Paula: "It wasn't my favorite choice in song but you still rocked it"
Simon: "I thought it was over the top and it reminded me of when you are a cruise ship and you see a cabaret ... it was your weakest performance by a mile."

Mikahla - "Love Will Lead"
Mary: "You sound remarkably like Taylor Dayne. It was pretty good."
Ryan: "I disagree with part of the song, saying goodbye IS easy. Goodbye."
Randy: "I miss the young fun energetic Mikahala. The performance was kind of pitchy a little bit."
Paula: "Early on I said your voice reminds me of Taylor Dayne but I am afraid you do not have a unique sound."
Simon: "It was a complete and utter mess."

Anwar Robinson - "Ain't Nobody"
Mary: "You sounded AMAZING in this song but you looked AFRAID."
Ryan: "I thought you were really good but it didn't move me out of my seat."
Randy: "Another ambitious song choice...you brought it home but it wasn't my best performance but it was aight."
Paula: "I am proud of your for taking a female song... You did an incredible job."
Simon: "It is a risky thing to take on a song like that b/c you compare it to the original. I thought it was inconsistent and lazy in the beginning and you rescued it with that one note. You need to do something uptempo but it wasn't that good."

Jessica Sierra - "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
Mary: "Well, I forgot that you were still on this show ... take that as you will."
Ryan: "Everyone seems to like you and everyone is wrong."
Randy: "I'm really happy tonight. That was a brilliant performance."
Paula: "That was a brilliant performance and you closed the show right on top."
Simon: "A lot of people a few weeks ago said that the girls [were the weaker ones in this competition] you and Carrie outsung everyone in the competition."

The News

Last night Ryan, Louise, Marty and I went to my grandmother's house for Palm Sunday (where the rest of the gang met up with us)
And Saturday I went out for coffee / lunch with Dava
Friday night Ryan, my mom and I rented Ray on ondemand.
And that's pretty much it. Fill in the rest of the minutes / hours with studying, internet surfing, and my newest time-waster: straight ironing my hair.
Today --> classes from 930-600 straight through. Fun.

Free Laughs

Click here for something free.

Didn't I promise never to be political?

I think I did promise but this makes me sick. Like really really sick. Perhaps I'll move to Alaska and devote my life to chaining myself to the drilling sites.

If you love me or even like me a little --> watch Arrested Development

It is the coolest show on TV. And my life would be sad and meaningless if it was no longer on.

Tune in: Sundays at 8:30

Loserpallooza

I can't believe what a loser I am that that last 2 posts were about American Idol -- and not even in a joking way. And that makes me a little sad. And what better way to alleviate sadness than a party?

I'm am thinking of holding the FIRST EVER: LOSERPALLOOZA
What this means and therefore when and where it will be held are details to follow. It may be for the season finale of Idol or it may be in the fall once law school is over. If it is in the fall, the event will include a purposeful decision NOT to have apple bobbing because as losers we are germ-a-phobic.

And then there were 11

Lindsey Cardinale was sent home on American Idol tonight. I pretty much guessed the bottom 3 but I was thinking that I should post my predictions and also be nicer about performances. Honestly, I thought that most contestants sucked this week so that's why I was so harsh. I was most unnecessarily harsh on Bo Bice because he was actually pretty good. So there.

My prediction (subject to change after next week's performances) for the top 3
- Carrie Underwood
- Nadia Turner
- Bo Bice (if America can embrace our rock roots)

Carrie Underwood for the winner. I don't even like her but I think she'll win if she makes herself a little more interesting.

American Idol Live Blogging

Jessica Sierra - "Better Shop Around"
Mary: "Bad choice in outfit -- with a belt slung below your belly..."
Of course, Simon was right.
And Paula is not qualified to comment on singing.

Anwar Robinson - "A House is Not a Home"
Mary: "Lame performance; some bad notes; stupid song."
Randy was right: "It wasn't that great for me dude."
Paula: "We are used to hearing you open and big."
Simon: "You have a fantastic voice... Now we want to see a slightly fun side. There is a risk you will be boring."

Mikalah Gorden - "Son of a Preacherman"
Mary: "God you have a terrible voice. I only like you b/c you remind me of Fran Drescher."
Randy: "That was rough for me."
Paula: it is great you are yourself
Simon: "Your confidence exceeded your ability."

Constantine - "You Make Me So Very Happy"
Mary: "You sounded awesome. It was a little risky and mostly fun."
Randy: "That was your best performance to date, for me."
Paula: "You sounded real nice."
Simon: "If this was smoldering idol, you did a great job."

Lindsey Cardinale - "Knock on Wood"
Mary: "Even if I heard you at a Karaoke bar, I wouldn't be impressed."
Randy: "I don't know man."
Paula: "How do you think you did?"
Simon: "I think that 30M TV sets in America had their volume turned down."

Anthony Fedorov - "Breaking Up is Hard to Do"
Mary: "You are insipid and intolerable."
Randy: "That sounded like I was in a bad hotel with a below average performance."
Paula: "It wasn't bad. It just wasn't up to par to what we have been experiencing."
Simon: "Let me put this into perspective. It was akin to the office Christmas party where someone attempts at the end of the evening to get up and entertain and they fail."

Nadia Turner - "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me"
Mary: "I predict you will be in the top 2."
Randy: "I got to give you props. Nadia started the show off."
Paula: "I'm a fan. You're in it to win. I'm so proud of you."
Simon: "In a competition full of hamburgers, you are a steak."

Bo Bice - "Spinning Wheel"
Mary: "It didn't do it for me tonight. It was kind of weird."
Randy: "You already know you are one of my dogs. This is the way to get it done."
Paula: "You are already a superstar."
Simon: "(cough) This stage can either make or break you. You look like you've been doing it for 20 years."

Vonzell Solomon - "Anyone Who Had a Heart"
Mary: "Tough song to sing. It was just okay for me. But you look beautiful."
Randy: "Very ambitious song choice. You have a great good instrument there."
Paula: "You look beautiful and you sounded wonderful."
Simon: "I think that what you have done is to stay absolutely in the middle. At some point you will have to do something great otherwise you will be out in 5 weeks."

Scott Savol - "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"
Mary: "I just love your voice but your performance is a little stale."
Randy: "Scott you back. I enjoyed you tonight man..."
Paula: "It looked like you were having a lot of fun up there. Good job."
Simon: "You surprised me tonight because I thought you would have a problem but you did good."

Carrie Underwood - "When Will I Be Loved"
Mary: "You sounded good-ish."
Randy: "I have high hopes for you. It just was a very okay performance for me."
Paula: "Now is the time to take risks and go for it. This was a not a risk at all."
Simon: "There are 3 people in this competition who know who they are musically and you are one of them."

Nikko Smith - "I Want You Back"
Mary: "You are a really fun performer. You hit a few bad notes but it was great overall."
Randy: "I'm glad that you are back. You brought some fun."
Paula: "That is what it is all about."
Simon: "Forgive me because I thought you sounded horrible. I think I'm the only one in this audience who can actually HEAR."

Check this out

Here's a picture Ryan took of a big bird trying to eat an even bigger
fish. Yikes!

Uncomfortable Drain Dance

I dropped one of my contacts down the drain. I just got contacts for the first time and I have such difficulty with them. I can't get them in my eyes -- it is like I am fighting a demon within me -- wrestling my face. "You WILL get in my EYE!"

Oh well -- I have dinner up -- vegetable masala w/ rice and a honey-mustard salad! But shhh b/c Ryan isn't home yet. Oh yummers.

Then the OC is on -- the "uncomfortable OC" as I like to call it -- as I just coined right now. The allure is that every week there is another socially uncomfortable drama that makes me SQUIRM for an hour and then at the end I wonder: why did i think that was uncomfortable -- it isn't any more....

Did I mention that I joined Curves? Ah ... YEAH .. I DID... And I LOVE IT. It makes every movement in my day feel like I am working out. It is like in "Shall We Dance" when the main character starts dancing, everything is like a dance movement. Same thing. Except in real life.

Moo for Moving

cow
Originally uploaded by lambgarden.

Did you notice that the third picture had this cow on the left side in the bright clearing? I really lucked out with that shot! I find these pictures I took from the train super relaxing and I am definitely going to print out a series of them to frame for when I move (that's right I'm moving again ... but not until the end of July).

Back From Florida Because My Fans Need Me

I got back from Florida yesterday -- and there was only dial-up so it was kind of like camping. Ah... roughing it. We took the autotrain and it was a DE-LITE!!!! Flickr is down so I will post pictures from the train later.

And the lame attempt is getting less lame? For some mysterious reason nj.com has listed me as one of the featured weblogs! Oh happy blogging day!