Due to a death in my family, there will be no product review this week. Thanks!
God bless,
Belinda
Idol Friday, Bye Bye Casey!
Last night’s American Idol elimintion was a bit of shock, I’ll admit. Ryan Seacrest tried to warn the audience and America all night with phrases like “America will be shocked over who goes home tonight”, continously. Here’s the recap.
So, I’ll admit, my Idol elimination prediction was wrong. Yesterday, I predicted that Haley, Jacob, and Casey would be in the bottom three, I only got one right.
Haley was the first contestant sent to safety, much to my dismay, as was Jacob. Ryan then told Scotty, Lauren, James, and Casey to wait for their results. After Bruno Mars performace, and almost the entire show, Lauren was sent to safety, leaving the boys in the bottom three. I was simply amazed that Scotty and James were in the bottom three. James was the first of the bottom three to be saved, and to the anxiety of everyone, it was then announced that Scotty was safe as well and Casey was going home.
It must not have been much of a surprise for the judges, as they simply smiled and put on a sad face while Casey sang his encore song. I’m sure this isn’t the last time we will see Casey, but as of last night, his Idol experience is over.
Tune into American Idol Wednesday and Thursday night on Fox at 8 PM, and check back again next Thursday for next week’s Top 5 Recap.
Have a blessed and safe weekend, and I’ll be back again Monday for another product review.
Always,
Belinda
Idol Thursday Recap, Top 6
I don’t know if any of you watch American Idol, but I do. I admit that I’ve not always followed it very closely, especially when someone I really dislike is winning (ex: when Fantasia and Taylor Hicks won, and all of last season), but I have watched every episode this year. Partly because two contestants on were from my region, even though you only saw one for two minutes after she was voted off during group week and the other not at all, but I think this has been the group with the most talent an Idol season has ever had.
Can I just say that the judges have tremendously improved also? We finally have a female judge, the fabolous Jennifer Lopez, who doesn’t always seem spaced out like Paula or trying to show the contestants up herself like Kara. I didn’t watch it last season so I can’t give an opinion on Ellen as a judge, although I’m sure I probably would have liked her since I’m an Ellen fan. But we FINALLY have a female judge worth watching that knows what she’s talking about and doesn’t have to act stupid to be heard. Steven Tyler is great as comic relief, and as I am a huge Aerosmith fan, he does crack me up. However, week after week he reminds me more and more of the Geico caveman. But he is a genius and with his many years of experience in the music industry, I definitely think that he is an asset to the judges panel. Now, Randy Jackson. He was the only former judge I ever really liked. I do like that Randy is the only original judge left, as I tend to agree with him more than anyone else. He’s great as always. The show definitely is different without Simon Cowell, the creator and the former cynical “jerk” judge. I usually agreed with Simon, but there were times I thought he was being very cruel. You know, you don’t have to be cruel when you tell someone they can’t sing, you can tell them nicely without sugar coating it. So, honestly, I don’t miss Simon.
This year’s talent has been so vast and different that alot of people have had trouble picking a favorite. However, it was very easy for me to pick mine…Scotty McCreery. Now, I am not a HUGE country music fan, but I do listen to it and enjoy it. I have been a fan of Scotty since his audition, and I’m SO glad he has made it this far. I was a little worried that his tendency to do only country music would hinder him in this competition, but last night he showed that he can definitely bring it in other musical genres, as they performed songs by Carol King. Here’s a list of the Top 6 contestants:
- Scotty McCreery, my personal favorite. He has a tendency to stick with country music, and sounds a lot like Josh Turner.
- Lauren Alaina, the country chick. She does a lot of country music herself, and can sing just about anything; however, she seems to have problems with confidence in herself.
- James Durbin, the rocker. He is very Adam Lambert-esque, and always puts on a good performance.
- Haley Reinhart, the moaner. She has a very unique voice, but tends to growl alot because Steven made the mistake of telling her she sounded sexy. I was a fan of her’s until she openly laughed on air when Pia was shockingly voted off.
- Jacob Lusk, the gospel singer. He tries to dance, epically fails, and I truly don’t think he’s going to last in the competition much longer.
- Casey Abrams, the multi-musician. Casey can play several instruments from what we’re told, he does great when he sings CCR, and he tries to be the male Haley. When I say he tries to be the male Haley, he tries to growl like her, and it just doesn’t sound good.
Last night, they sang songs by Carole King, and Scotty, Lauren, and James did the best. To rank them, I would have to say that James did the best, followed by Scotty, and closely followed by Lauren. Casey did terrible, it was ok if you like jazz, but it just wasn’t great. Haley sucked, and so did Jacob. I look for Casey, Haley and Jacob to be the bottom three, with Jacob going home. If Jacob doesn’t go home, I look for it to be Haley.
That’s it for last night’s recap, short and sweet as it was or wasn’t. Tune in tonight at 8 on Fox for this week’s American Idol elimination. I’ve give my opinion, what’s yours? Who do you think will go home tonight? Check back tomorrow for the results and have a blessed day!
Always,
Belinda
Allow me to introduce myself
So this, being my first blog post, well… it’s going to be an introduction.
My name is Belinda and I am a 22 year old social studies teacher. (I know you can’t see me, but I’m daintily extending my hand to you to shake). Being fresh out of college and new to the education profession, it is amazing the things you see in a short period of time. In two semesters of teaching, I jhave already seen my share of fights, angry parents, and typical high school cliques to fill a book with, but the one thing that has surprised me is the teacher/student relationships. I can not begin to tell you how many students have one particular teacher that they actually confide in, and look up too. I think that’s great. When I was in high school not too long ago, we were terrified of our teachers and actually looked at them as people to avoid, not people we could goto for advice. I will admit I had two teachers I confided in, but the rest of my classmates didn’t. It’s good to see that gap between the two groups is closing.
On here, I plan on reviewing books, electronics, education, people, celebrities, etc. Pretty much anything you want to read about! And don’t be surprised if I throw in a little advice and opinions along the way. I have an opinion, and I always give it!
One thing I will tell you is that I am from a small, southern town in Southeastern Kentucky, where sweet tea, four wheelers, and coal mining are staples in our community; but so are manners, fried chicken, and good old-fashioned southern hospitality. So, until next time, have a blessed day.
Always,
Belinda
Why Do You Build Me Up, Buttercup?
For all of you ladies who love girly purses with lots of room that’s cute and practical, you should
check out Vera Bradley’s line of purses, luggage, and e-reader cases. I myself have many Vera’s, being a fan from a young age, and have many favorite patterns. However, let me introduce you to my favorite purse/tote.
The Vera Bradley Side by Side, featured in Buttercup.
One of my favorites!
The Side by Side has plenty of room, featuring four roomy pockets on the inside to hold all of your gadgets, plus a zippered pocket for the items you want to keep out of sight! With all these pockets on the inside, you might think there isn’t room for anything else, but there is! I can easily fight my mini-Acer inside, along with my day planner and other things I consider neccessary. Granted, after you insert these items, there is a little room left. But, there are two large pockets on the sides, one on each side, to insert your items you want close at hand like your cell phone and keys. I personally keep my mini-Acer and day planner on the inside, with my lip glosses, compact, wallet, check book, flashlight (every woman should carry a flashlight), iPod, and other such items in the four pockets. On the two outside pockets, I keep my cell phone in one and my keys in the other. Even with all these things in and out, I still usually have room to spare.
I personally love this tote in the Buttercup pattern, but all Vera pattern’s are lovely. So if you decide to purchase a Vera Bradley, I encourage you check out the Side by Side, and if you’re not sure on a pattern, give Buttercup a look. It’s listed on Vera Bradley’s website as a tote, but I find it is small enough to be considered a purse. It’s not the size of your typical tote, so I do belive it should have been listed as a purse instead. It’s great if you like corals, yellows, oranges, browns, or even pinks! I give this Vera Bradley 5 stars!
The Side by Side Vera Bradley tote can be purchased in Vera Bradley stores or at http://www.verabradley.com. Currently, there are two prices listed for this tote. You can choose from 22 different patterns for $65, or you can check out the 8 patterns on sale for $48.75. The featured Side by Side tote is in Buttercup, and it is currently listed at $65. However, if you want to purchase an on sale Side by Side, Purple Punch is a lovely pattern.
From my heart to yours, have a great day!
Always,
Belinda
Belinda's Ideas 