Conan Taping

Monday morning, I woke up bright and early (which I never do) and got ready for LA (the only time it's really worth it...other than church). My friend, Viviyan, picked me up around 8, then we picked up our friend, Febe and headed back to Viviyan's house to meet up with the rest of our group. It was nice, because it gave the three of us (and Viv's sis) a chance to catch up, because we haven't been able to hang out in quite some time. So, that was good. Those girls make my heart happy! :) Just being around them, even without saying anything, makes me happy.

After everyone got there, we split into two cars. So, Febe and I went with Viviyan and her aunt, while everyone else drove in the other. We listened to Justin Timberlake's CD, which is amazing, and also great road trip music. We talked, laughed, and sang along to the music.

We made our way into LA, parked at the WB parking structure, and sat in the waiting area. It was a different spot than I've been to in the past, but in the same area of town and in the stretch of the studio. We waited for a couple hours before they checked us in and all that jazz, and we all had to use the bathroom so BAD, so that was an interesting time. As soon as someone checked us in and we got our tickets, we were free to go. In the meantime, we all brainstormed about how I'm going to have my own talk show, and the roles my friends will play with it. Febe will be my first guest, and Viviyan will be the girl that checks everyone in and books the guests. As soon as we could, we decided to have lunch at Carl's Jr, since it was just up the street and would be quick, so we could get back sooner. We were able to get in and get out in plenty of time, and even had a few minutes to spare, as we played "Four pics One word", which is a lot more fun than I realized it would be. It's kind of like pictionary...But, not really, I guess. Just look it up, it's definitely something to do when waiting!

When we finished lunch, we went over to CVS for a few minutes, to get some art supplies to make posters for the taping. I guess sometimes he pays attention to those and will come over and shake hands or whatever is being asked for on the paper! After we got the supplies, it was time to head back to the studio. We only waited 30 minutes or so, before they started lining up people to go into the taping. Everyone had their last bathroom break, snacks, etc. We all saw two gecko's while waiting for the restroom...SO CREEPY! Pretty soon, we were all anxiously awaiting to walk across the street to the lot. It's crazy how nervous/excited people get before a taping. You can definitely feel the energy, and honestly, I'm finding that there is nothing that fuels me more than a live audience. I want to feel that on a daily basis...Or weekly!
We waited in line and I realized that we were right across the way from the Gilmore Girl house (also used on Pretty Little Liars) and the Stars Hollow gazebo was right off to the side and in clear view (which made my heart hurt a little...jk), but thought it was so cool, even though I've seen it before! And we could also see the back of the facade of Rosewood, which is my favorite part of the studio, since it was Stars Hollow. After waiting awhile, the "pages" took us to Conan's stage! It almost felt like we had more freedom than when you're on the tour and just sitting on the cart. Obviously, we didn't and there were plenty of people watching, so there was no room for funny business! LOL. We walked past the sound stage for The Big Bang Theory, Two Broke Girls, and Two and a Half Men. I'm sure there were plenty of others, but those were the main ones. And all along the way, there were prop carts or doors open, and we'd all peek inside to see what we could see, and people running around with a purpose; probably on a mission to get the new script to the actors or to talk production with the team. There was so much excitement going on, and it's the kind of place that I want to be after college. Where it's enough of a routine that you're not too surprised, but never a dull moment.

We liked the mirror above us in the elevator!

Our group made it into the Conan taping. There was a lego statue of Conan when we first walked in, and a stack of books on a cart, which I'm assuming was for one of the segments he tried out that night. Then, they led us to our seats. We were split up into two rows, which kind of sucked, but it's not like we would've had a chance to talk much anyway, so it worked out. We were still close enough to everyone.

Before the show started, there was a guy that came out to warm up the audience. He told some jokes, talked to people in the audience (including us), and introduced the band to start playing. Wow! They are incredible; they're jazz style and had a lot of energy. They were going through the audience and really jamming! It got the crowd pumped up and helped the time go by faster. Soon, the show started. I know I talk about this a lot, but I absolutely love the process of how a TV show comes together. Each show has their own system; some work better than others, some are more entertaining than others, but the production team always comes together and puts on one heck of a show. And it's cool to observe the things you like and don't like when you start going to different tapings.

Most of the time at tapings, while the show is going on, I kind of zone out and watch all of the behind the scenes stuff that I can't at home. I love watching the cameras guys running around, trying to get that perfect shot of whoever's on stage, or the lighting guys working in places that you can't really see them but know they're there, and of course, you have the writing team that is always running up during commercial breaks to talk about what's coming up next or if they need to change anything. Everyone has their part, and that's why it works so well.

Conan did the monologue and a couple other segments, then brought out his first guest, Magic Johnson. It was exciting getting to hear about the Dodgers and the Lakers, and his viewpoint, since he's such a legend in the sports realm. The next guest was Thandie Newton, who I had heard of and seen before, but couldn't really remember what she was in, but she ended up being very delightful. She's so cute and petite, and has the most adorable British accent. The musical guest was Langhorne Slim, which sounded really interesting, but I ended up knowing the song they sang, because it was on a commercial. They were really good and had a lot of energy, which was fun! And Conan even joined them for a little while. The funniest part was watching him get ready, by bouncing up and down on stage, getting pumped up. He's so tall too, which made me chuckle a little more, with his hair flouncing back and forth.

The taping ended, and earlier some of Conan's crew, had said there would be a surprise. Well, the last time Viviyan and her sister went (and had invited me to go) Ryan Gosling ended up being a guest on the show, that they just had to film ahead of time. I was kicking myself for not being able to go and having class that day, so I knew I had to go this time since I was free. Conan came out and talked to the audience for a few minutes, and said he was going to be filming a segment that would be on his birthday show coming up in a few weeks, and also wanted to show us a video portion that they had just shot. He changed his blazer and tie, then came back out to shoot. We were all whispering and making faces at one another, trying to figure out who he could possibly be bringing out.

After the break was over, Conan sat back down at his desk, and made the introduction for the next guest, including, "one of the sexiest actresses in Hollywood!" It ended up being Eva Mendes, who I've never really been a fan of, but after this interview, I was really surprised with her. She really is gorgeous in person, so now I see why so many people talk about her all the time, and she seems fun to hang out with. She talked about her new glasses line, dish line (Vita) and her new clothing line with New York & Co. that she is working on. But, her primary goal was to promote her new movie that'll be coming out in a bit, with Ryan Gosling. We saw a clip from the movie, after she set it up, and told Conan she had a surprise for him... If you're a Conan fan, then I won't say anything else, and you can just watch it! But, it was pretty clever and hilarious. When the interview ended, Eva waved to the audience and did a little bow, thanking everyone. She truly seemed gracious; I might have become a fan that day!

We watched a short clip of something that Conan had just filmed of him at a "manner's school" because he's getting ready to go to Atlanta in a couple weeks! It was hilarious...He's a lot funnier than I gave him credit for, even though, I still don't think everything is appropriate, but what can you do?! That's late night television. It was exciting, because we were the first audience, outside of his team to see it; it's like we were testing it out, to see if it was any good! It was! I used to think he was so annoying, but he actually seemed really cool and more laid back, so that changed my view on him...In a good way.

After the taping, they had us file out and we walked back through the lot and across to the parking lot. I kept my eyes peeled for any celebrities as we were walking or any other action, and snapped a few pictures along the way, since we couldn't have our cameras out in the beginning. Never saw anyone, but it was still so good to be on the lot. Febe, Viviyan and I walked with one another, while the others trailed behind further in the back. We were talking all about the taping and how fun it was, and I was filling them in on how bad I want an internship at Warner Brothers! They agreed that would be a fun job!

We made it back to the parking structure and made plans on what to do for dinner and the ride back. We hit the road, got stuck in traffic, and made our way into Valencia to stop for bathrooms and dinner. We spent a few minutes in the gas station, picked up some snacks and went over to Taco Bell to eat. I have to say, they were playing some really good music, too! We were all talking about the day and other random topics, then decided to head back to town.
Let's just say it was REALLY cold on the way home...HAHA! I was busy brainstorming for my next story, because we were all tired from the day and just sort of quiet. It's always comforting knowing that you have friends that you don't have to talk with 24/7, that you can just enjoy each other's companies and understand one another in silence.

It was a really fun day, and I was wiped out by the time I got home. I told my parents about the experience, and decided to call it a night a little earlier than usual. 

I'm definitely looking forward to the next Conan taping, whenever that might be!

That's all for now,
~Shelby

Shania Twain In Vegas! (*Spoilers*)

Last weekend, my parents and I went to Las Vegas to see Shania Twain for my dad's birthday! We didn't leave until almost noon, because my dad had some things to do, and when he was finished, we hit the road. It was pretty much a "turn and burn" trip, but totally worth it!

I love road trips. It's kind of my dream for Ryan Seacrest to make a reality show about my family going on a road trip across the country in an RV. I have no idea where that idea came from, but probably just my love for road trips. To me, it's like you see everyone's true colors and it just gives you a chance to be outside of yourself, and see things from a different perspective, because you're in a new setting and can really think, instead of just being stuck in a certain situation.

Our car ride consisted of listening to music, playing random games to pass the time, and just talking about whatever. There are always a lot of laughs, which is something I'll always treasure the most about trips-the people and the conversations exchanged.

After several hours of driving, we made it to Las Vegas! We checked into our hotel, Excalibur, and didn't have much time to dilly dally. We unpacked the car, freshened up and changed, then headed downstairs. We had planned on having a nice dinner, but ended up not having time after we got there, so we went to a burger place in our hotel. It was pretty good...Burgers are burgers.

By that time, it was getting closer to the show and we still had to make our way over to Caesar's Palace, and traffic was pretty heavy. Well, the streets are weird, so we had to go down several side streets and take detours, etc. It felt like something out of a movie. Either a high action chase type scene, or something out of a chick flick; something really cliche, where the guy is trying to get the girl back and he has to get to the airport or something like that.
Well, we FINALLY made it. My dad found a parking spot, and we were almost running to the casino part of the hotel (which never happens), and had plenty of time to spare. We made our way inside the Colesseum, bought a program, and glanced around at some of Shania's clothes that were set up in the lobby area.
Then, we found the way to our seats. We were in the balcony, but it worked really well for a show like this, because there are so many aspects that you want to be able to see in full effect; graphics, lighting, dancers. 

When we made our way into the theater, there was a backdrop that made you feel as though you were in the forest. There were green trees, logs, and other little woodland creatures hanging around, and the sound effects were so real. It really felt like you were hanging out in the middle of nature, which is very Shania! It felt comforting! As the show got closer, the sun started to shine through the woods more, and finally...SHOW TIME!

I was excited about the concert when we bought the tickets, and obviously in the weeks and days prior to it, but I was feeling extremely excited right before the curtains were lifted. She was a huge reason of why I loved Country music so much when I was younger, and I just remember watching specials with her on TV and hearing her on the radio as I got ready for school each morning. To finally be able to see her perform live?! Definitely a dream come true. And she was every bit of what I thought she would be and more.

Having just finished reading her book, I felt like I knew her! I found out so much about her life and what she went through; things I never would have known or realized just by looking at her. So, to know all the struggles and trials she's been through in her life and has still been able to rise above all of that, standing before thousands of people in an arena like that is proof to me that I really can do anything in my life. It doesn't matter what walk of life you come from. You have the power to change all of that.
It's definitely on my top 5 concerts I've been to! Even if she hadn't had the dancers, the horse, the graphics on the screen, costume changes or any of that, she just has this commanding stage presence that has everyone's eyes on her. She sang all of her uptempo hits, as well as a few of her slower ballads like, "You're Still The One" and "From This Moment On" (my personal favorite). Then, of course, she sang her earlier songs, like "Any Man Of Mine", "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" on the steps of a saloon set, while wearing pink cowboy boots and plaid shirt, and it still felt like I was seeing her in her prime days. In fact, she hasn't gone ANYWHERE. She worked that stage and got the crowd going. I still can't believe she's like 47...Or something like that?? I don't even look like that and I'm 21. This is just not right. HA!
My favorite part of the show was the "campfire" type setting, where they set up a fake bonfire with a nature-esque background with rocks and logs to sit on. Shania said that her husband, Fred, picks a few people out of the audience to bring onstage each night, so he brought them to her, and she picked a few more people out of the audience herself. It definitely reminded me of something Taylor Swift would do, or that her husband in the future might be doing, if she's still wanting to tour when she settles down. Shania was very laid back and seemed very personal in those moments. You could tell it really is the part of the show where not much is planned and she just gets to know the audience and hang out with the few fans on stage. They played the acoustic guitar and she sang a few of her more folksy tunes, like "Today Is Your Day." It really opened my eyes to how sincere she is...and also, just how badly I want to meet her.

The only pic I snapped because we weren't supposed to take pictures. This was at the end!

She closed the show out with "Man! I Feel Like A Woman" and just like that...It was over. She truly is an artist and one heck of a performer! I was truly blown away by her presence, as an entertainer and as a person. And she does seem really happy now, which is good. After all this time, she deserves that.

After the show ended, we spent A LOT of time in the gift shop. I got a shirt from Shania's organization, perfume, and guitar picks! Let's just say there was a lot to choose from in the store..But, most of it was overpriced. When we finished up there, we made our way back down the strip and to our hotel. We ended up stopping at Starbucks and Pizza Hut and brought them back to snack on in our room, since we'd eaten pretty early.
We watched TV, ate, and got ready for bed. Obviously, much earlier than I'm used to, because I stay awake until 2-3 a.m on most nights. So, while my parents fell asleep, I was staring at the ceiling, brainstorming and daydreaming, as usual. It's good for me! And pretty soon, I was fast asleep.

The next morning, we were able to sleep in a bit (like I don't do that enough), get ready and get our things together to leave. We checked out of the hotel and had lunch at Claim Jumpers, which is at the outlets that we usually go to. It's a nice outdoor shopping center, and since it was for my dad's birthday, he got to pick the place. They weren't open when we get there, so we killed time at this store called, Fry's. It's basically like an electronic heaven, and in all of the trips that we've taken to Vegas, I've never been there, so it was cool to be able to check it out. They had just about everything; DVD's, CD's, books, appliances, etc. It was amazing! I definitely could have bought plenty of series' on DVD if I'd had money...So, it's probably a good thing I didn't.

We headed back over to Claim Jumper and had lunch, which was yummy! And we had some great conversation, while my mom and I explained a few scenes of The Office to my dad...Good times! When we finished, we looked around at a few of the stores and tried some frozen popcorn at one of the little booths. It was scientifical and tasty, oddly enough. After an hour or so, we realized we should probably get on the road.

The road trip felt a little longer this time around. I guess that's always the case with vacations, right? On the way, you're excited and anticipating everything that's going to happen...And on the way back, all of your memories that could have been made, have been and now it's back to the town or city that you belong. *Sigh* To pass the time, I watched One Tree Hill, wrote in my journal, stared out the window, and checked Twitter quite frequently. Then, I got a text from one of my friend's, asking if I wanted to go to a taping of Conan the next day. I said YES! So, I had that to look forward to as we continued the drive back to town. I was really excited! :)

We got home around 6:30 or so, ate dinner, and got some stuff ready for the next day! It was a relaxed night and a great end to an incredible weekend. And the official start to spring break, even though I technically don't get one, because I only have one class, and it's online...Oh well... ;).

That's all for now,
Shelby

Just Checking In

Wow! I can't believe that its been a couple weeks since the last time I updated. That is probably the longest I've ever gone without getting on here to blog or at least check things out/brainstorm, since I faithfully started writing on here almost three years ago.

I have started another blog (http://shelbyn92.wordpress.com/), and I've been toying around with the idea of quitting this one, to focus on the other, just for a change and part of this new season in my life of being 21. I thought maybe it was time to say goodbye to this one and start a new journey, and just for a new project to have with designing the layout, starting new stories, adding pictures, which is something I always look forward to.

I feel like there have been a lot of transitions and changes going on in my life lately, but there's no reason to abandon this blog just because of that! If anything, I should hold onto it as long as I can, to remember all of the past memories I've had and to keep moving forward with new memories to be made. I've been thinking a lot, dreaming a lot, and hoping for the best in the future. I've been thinking a lot about what I truly want to do with my life and who I am right now...Who I want to be in years to come. I don't want to sound "new agey" because that's not what I'm going for, but I have been doing a bit of self reflection; trying to change some of my ways and figure out what I want. I have so many goals and things that I finally want to get started on all of the things I've been talking about for years. I forget how young I am sometimes, and this is the time to experiment with new ideas or whims of things I might want to try, within reason, of course. And I forget that I still have time to achieve everything...I just need to give myself time and actually get out there and apply myself. I just feel like there's so much I want to do, that I don't have anything figured out. It's all part of the experience, right?

Well, that's all for now! I hope to update about my life and what I've been up to very SOON!

~Shelby

Just hanging around...

Ready for a good time at Olive Garden with my family to celebrate my cousin's birthday!!! :) It'll be fun!

American Idol Top 10 Taping

    It's the morning after American Idol (when I first sat down to write this), and my mind has finally slowed down long enough to really comprehend everything that happened last night. I was excited before we went, but nothing would have prepared me for last night. Whenever this show is involved, though, I'm always guaranteed to have a great time, and I did indeed. Anything can literally happen. Actually, I think "great" kind of degrades the experience; this was so much more than that.
    My mom and I woke up pretty early, got ready, then were on the road by a little after 8. Thanks to me forgetting something, we had to turn around and go back to the house, but we hadn't gotten very far when I remembered. It didn't take long to run in and grab what I needed. We were back on the road, grabbed breakfast from Jack in the Box, then hit the freeway. I listened to Ryan Seacrest's show on KIIS FM for awhile, then turned my ipod for a little Keith Urban, and a few other random songs. When I got tired of scanning through songs, I went back to the radio.
    About an hour and a half later, we had made it to LA, without hitting much traffic or running into any other unforeseen obstacles, which was nice. We found our way down Beverly, then parked at The Grove, stopped at the restrooms, and walked to CBS Studios, where American Idol films. Usually, there's a huge line for any show that is taping that day, but there were only two people when we'd gone by the first time, and I thought maybe they were waiting for the bus, but as it turned out, it was in fact the line. It was really strange! I felt a little paranoid at the beginning, making sure we were in the right spot! HA! And it didn't get much longer as time went on, especially for past seasons. 
    My mom and I were second in line for the show, and ended up hitting it off with the ladies in front of us. We started sharing some memories of Idol experiences we'd all had; they usually come down to a taping each year, we've been to the past couple finales and of course, going to the live concerts. And as it turns out, they're from the same city we are, which was really cool. But, I was still anxiously waiting for our friend, Yolanda, to get there.  About an hour later, I could breathe again, and we started catching up with her, talking about Idol and everything in between. Big thanks to Idol, since they're how we met in the first place :)
    A little time passed, then a couple of girls (that we found out were from Texas) walked up to our group, asking about how they could get tickets or how the process worked for getting them. They were going to try to wait in line, when the ladies in front of us realized they had two extra tickets, so they decided to join us. We ended up talking to them for quite awhile, and they were around my age, which made it nice. We talked about our majors a little bit, Keith Urban, and what they'd done since they'd been in LA!
    I honestly don't remember what time they finally came by to check our tickets, because we didn't have phones and my mom's watch stopped working, but they did, and a little later, they walked us through the gates of the studio to get to the American Idol stage. On our way there, we passed the trailers of Dancing with the Stars and even Bruno Tonioli, one of the judges from the show. Our group waved to him and said hi, to which he smiled, waved and said "hi" back! And I was thinking that would be the coolest story I'd have to tell about the night. Boy, was I wrong!
    We walked a little further up the street, and came to the lady handing out tickets. She gave Yolanda and my mom regular tickets, then asked if I wanted pit. I wasn't so sure, because I wanted to hang out with the group and didn't want to leave them. But, the lady kept pushing that it would be a great experience, and my mom and Yoyo were encouraging of it as well, so I thought, "why the heck not?!" I got my pass and we headed up to the security checkpoint. After I had the pass in my hand, I was wondering what I was possibly thinking in almost turning it down.
    It didn't take long at all to get through security, then we had nothing but time to wait. The girls from Texas were going to be in the pit with me, so we were all super excited about that. We talked for a bit, getting to know each other more; talking about concerts, school, siblings, our states, etc. There was time for restroom breaks and to get something to eat before we headed in. The time passed off pretty quickly once again, and before we knew it, the On Camera Audience crew members were coming out to explain what was going to happen.
    Our other half of the group was called in first through one door, then it was our turn to go through another. We walked into the soundstage, past a set of bleachers where the seats were, the backstage makeup room (where they've done interviews right after finishing their song), then as we came around the corner, I saw the stage. It was glowing with orange/yellow lights, and looked just as I'd imagined, only quite a bit bigger than I realized. The three of us looked at each other and just couldn't believe it. One of the crew members told us to wait with her, then they led us to the pit in front of the stage, and we were SOCLOSE to the judges, and on Keith Urban's side, which is what I'd been hoping and praying for. I always thought it was much further back, but we were technically within (almost) touching distance. Of course, that never would have happened with the security guard standing right there.
    We were planning ways we could Keith's attention or how we could get a hug from him, and what it would be like when everyone came out. Meanwhile, the stage manager was running around, trying to get last minute things checked out, sound and lighting guys were setting up, and audience members were still filing in. There were also more people coming into the pit with us. After awhile of freaking out, we were finally calm enough, and occasionally, crew members would come over to explain what was expected of us since we were so close to everyone and everything, like, "Do not approach the judges at any time (well, there goes our plan, I thought) and making sure we're participating and giving the contestants feedback, depending on what kind of song they do. "Even if it is the most boring song in the world, act like you're enjoying it," and then we were good to go.  Then there were just a few minutes before the show started....And the energy was kicked up again. They introduced Ryan Seacrest, so he came out for several minutes to explain what was going to be happening that night, and just had a few other words for the crowd.
    Idol has been doing their "Across America" race the past few weeks, bringing the Idol microphone back to the Idol stage just in time for the first top 10 show from New York, and I was SO glad I got to see that. Past idols from other seasons, like, Michael Johns, Pia Toscano, Ace Young, Diana Degarmo, and Brooke White, were all there to pass the torch. The ceremony for that took place; they took a few pictures of them with the top 10, as well as a video shot. When they were done, everyone left the stage, and there were just a few more minutes of waiting for the show to start. I was freaking out that Brooke White was there, because I still keep up with her; follow her on Twitter, read her blog, etc. I just always felt like we had a lot in common.
    My new friends and I were starting to feel the nerves. You can definitely feel the energy from the stage, and it's nerve-wracking, with so many people running around with serious looks on their faces and making sure everything happens right on time. They have a show to do, and timing is everything, although the stage manager, Debbie said, "lighting as everything," while they worked out a few tweaks here and there. We also ended up talking to her daughter, who was standing right behind us. She was really nice and told us a few things of what it was like to have been around the show so long. Gotta love hearing those behind the scenes stories, and it never hurt when her mom would bring important people a little closer to say "hi" to her or introduce them, like Ryan Seacrest or Keith Urban.
    Finally, it was show time. People were speaking into the mic, and counting down for the big moment. If we were nervous in the pit, I can only imagine what is going on in the contestants' minds, and for the first time, I was kind of glad that I wasn't on the show (to some degree). It's definitely more intense than just watching it at home. GULP! So, everything you see on the show is basically how it is, except for when the contestants are singing on stage, you don't think about the camera crew that is running around trying to get the perfect shot, or other crew members running around off-camera to move set pieces or get other things set up. I'm always so amazed with all of those little details that come together to make this incredible finished production that you see on TV, and you have no idea what's happening while the Idols are singing for their lives. I can definitely understand how nervous the contestants can be so nervous or freeze under pressure. I know I would.
    I was bummed Keith didn't come down to our row to shake hands, but was excited about everything else, so it was okay, and I thought there might be other opportunities. But, then I just kept looking around...Where's Nicki? Hmmm...Is she not here tonight? But, I wanted to see her. Of course, the one night we come, she's not here, what's up with that? But, then, Ryan explained just a couple minutes later that she was stuck in traffic. And during the commercial break, you could hear them going back and forth about what they were going to do when she arrived. Someone said she was stuck on the 101, and Ryan thought she was stuck on the 405. It sounded like no one was quite sure about what was going on, but regardless, she should have been there on time. And from the sounds of it, she's never there when she's supposed to be.
    And eventually she did, as everyone watching on TV saw. She came walking in like a diva, with her jogging suit, snow boots, glasses and hood on, like nothing had happened. She seemed to be in a weird mood, then just sat down. Immediately, her entourage surrounded the table to fix her makeup, but they didn't get it finished in time, so she kept the hello kitty glasses on for awhile during the show. They kept coming back, until finally her makeup was done. I just kept thinking, you're getting payed how much to do this and you just walk in like it's a rehearsal or like you just don't care??  Mariah Carey is just as I thought she'd be; she kept playing with her hair, they kept bringing her a new drink, and looking off and you could see her cutting her eyes at Nicki's remarks at times. Even Keith and Randy were getting touched up from time to time, but they didn't make a big show about it, because guys have to get a bit of makeup too to look good on camera. I was fascinated by watching the judges and just the facial expressions they'd make because you don't always see them when the cameras are rolling. They're pretty funny to watch! And I also loved that when the show was half over, some guy brought several chain necklaces over to Nicki for her to pick from. After going through them a couple times, she settled on a few and put them on, just in time for the commercial break to be over. Otherwise, I would have gladly taken her leftovers! HA!
    Right before Kree came out, they told everyone in the pit to stop turning around when the judges speak, because it was showing up on camera. I thought that was a little weird, but we did. It felt a little more awkward when they're talking and we're just staring at the stage, but oh well. They have their way of doing things, and that's why the show is so successful.
    I was still trying to get over the fact that I was just a few feet away from Keith Urban. I kept looking at him, but it didn't seem real, because I had been waiting for a moment like this for so long. In some ways, I still felt like I was just watching it on TV and it wasn't actually happening right before my eyes. But, indeed it was. Also, during commercial breaks, there's a guy who pumps up the crowd, talks to audience members, and gives a few things away, so that was exciting. He usually does the finale, too.
    Towards the end, during one of the commercial breaks, I was hoping Keith would look over towards our direction, so I could get his attention or at least wave. He finally looked my way, and we made eye contact. I'm sure I was looking rather awkward or weird about it, because after they had told us not to approach the judges, I didn't want to get in trouble. I waved, and after a second (he had probably been zoning out) he waved back, then said, "Well, hi there," in that Australian voice of his. So it wasn't the hug I was wanting, or that is on my bucket list, but I'm making progress. The first time I met him, it was nothing but a handshake in Nashville. This time words were exchanged, more from him than me, but that's okay ...He has a nicer voice anyway. But, I might have mouthed hi...I can't be certain on that one. I was freaking out inside. Keith Urban and I actually shared a moment.  I don't really remember what happened after that, I just remember turning around to the stage and pretty soon, the show was ready to go again.
    As far as the contestants go, I was pretty impressed with all of them, even the ones I might not have been that crazy about before. I was extremely impressed with Janelle, Paul, Angie, and Kree. I thought Janelle really came into her own Wednesday night; she was working the stage, she stayed true to who she was, and Mariah was right about her "aura" radiating a star quality. I just LOVE Paul's voice; it's smooth, and has a sincerity to it that I don't think a lot of other guys in the competition have, and I really liked his version of "Amazed," because I like the song, but I used to get a little annoyed with the original, and I love his personality! Seems like a great guy. Angie's vocals and stage presence are ridiculous in the best way, and Kree is that quiet, yet powerful star; she has the talent, but it isn't quite as obvious and in your face like the others, and usually it works to the advantage of people like her. I'm with Keith that I would absolutely buy a record from her as soon as she releases it. And I loved Lazaro too, I thought he did good on "Breakaway", I just think he thought about what Jimmy said too much. He was doing just fine before he took his advice. I really hope he takes Nicki's advice and will just go back to doing what he feels comfortable with.
    Another one of the coolest moments for me was that Ryan Seacrest was practically around us all night! I never talked to him or said anything, which I'm sure he actually wouldn't have minded, but I'm sure he has a lot on his plate and has things to do, so I didn't want to hold him back. Pretty soon, he was walking back and forth, in front of us for so long that pretty soon, it felt normal. Oh, it's just Ryan! Catch ya later, Seacrest. As a journalism major, I have mad respect for that guy. He is a hard worker and he deserves all of the success that he has achieved in his life.
    When the two hours was up, the show came to a close, and that was a wrap. My feet were so sore, because we'd been standing for so long, and I was REALLY hungry.  The judges stayed there for a couple minutes after, but I didn't want to run up to Keith like I had imagined myself doing in my daydream, so we watched them leave. They let the audience out two different ways, so my mom and Yolanda got out before we did, then we caught up. As I was running towards my mom, I noticed some of the Idols walking out from another door, being followed by a camera crew. I remember seeing Paul and Janelle really closely, so I waved to them, and Paul waved back to all of us. Janelle couldn't see me at first, then she quickly moved around Paul and waved back and said hi! I said, "you were really great", and I think she said something like, "Aw, thank you so much!" I remember seeing Angie, and I'm pretty sure the rest of them were all close together, but it all happened so fast and they were motioning for people to leave, so we did. I was pretty excited we got so close to them, though.
    I said goodbye to the new friends I'd made, then we headed towards the main gate. Some of our group had to stop to pick up the cell phones they'd checked in, and by that point, I was losing energy and needed to eat. We waited for them to get their phones, then we headed over to The Grove, which was just around the corner. Over the years, a lot of Idols have been known for going to The Grove to hang out after the tapings, so I was hoping we'd run into some of the contestants. We said goodbye to the two other ladies we'd gotten to know, then had dinner with Yolanda. We had planned on going to Cheesecake Factory, but the wait was too long, so we just got some Cheesecake to go, and ended up at a Chinese place in the Farmer's Market section. It was alright, but mainly I was just so hungry at that point, I didn't care what I was eating. We talked about the taping and how we thought it went, and how we still had to wait a couple hours for voting to open on the west coast.
    We walked around one more time to see if any of the idols were there, but things were pretty dead, and I was really worn out, and we still had a two hour drive home. We dropped Yoyo off at her car, then hit the road. We made pretty good timing, and made it home in about an hour and a half. But, when I got home, I was ready to tell my dad all about our adventures for the day. We watched the episode back on TV, to see if it sounded different or if we could spot ourselves, and we did! I was so happy and so tired, and found myself replaying all of the amazing moments in my mind the rest of the night.

Here's a short video that documented a few moments of the day :) Hope you enjoyed!

That's all for now,
Shelby

Monday

Monday, I had planned on staying home all day and working on homework, when I got a text from my friend, Ceci. Long story short, after much talking about it, we went to the movies to see Safe Haven. 

We met at The Marketplace; had yogurt, then bought our tickets and headed into the theater. It was so good catching up with her, because we haven't seen each other in forever. We were the only ones for the first few minutes, so we made a video and more people started filing in. We were having fun tweeting Josh Duhamel, even though he never responded back, and just laughing about the most random of things. 

I didn't really cry as much this time, but I did tear up; It was still just as good! Ceci loved it as well! :) We hung out for a few minutes after it ended, and talked about the movie/South Carolina/North Carolina, while I waited for my ride, then we said goodbye. It was such a fun night, and I'm glad I got to go.

I came home that night, had dinner with my parents and we watched The Bachelor, and just had a pretty uneventful night at home. Being with great friends just always puts me in such a good mood. I am truly blessed! :)

That's all for now,

Shelby

{Random Thoughts}

*As of now, I want a Keith Urban song played at my wedding; Making Memories Of Us or Your Everything.

*Speaking of Keith Urban... Listening to his music always makes me feel better!

*I really want to start my own magazine someday!

*My ringtone has been "Wide Open" by Jason Aldean for the past couple years, but I always leave my phone on silent.

*I have met some of the nicest people at concerts/tapings/fan club parties

*I update my bucket list quite frequently; I still need that hug from Keith Urban....

*It has always been one of my dreams to be on American Idol.

*PAUL JOLLEY JUST FOLLOWED ME ON TWITTER!! AH! and we totally had a conversation.

*I think if you follow someone on Instagram, and you are friends in real life, you should not be allowed to unfollow them! It's rude. And the same goes for Twitter.

*I have a sore throat, and I'm praying that I'm not getting sick again.

*I wish I would have pitched my reality show for my family to Ryan Seacrest the other night...Oh well, maybe some other time.

*I want to start making podcasts...Would anyone listen??

*I want to have a lifestyle blog/book someday!

That's all for now...Random enough for ya? Haha!

~Shelby