Ups and Downs...

Sometimes life throws you curve balls you just don't know how to handle... It seems, ever since I got back from South Carolina life has been up and down. Great news, bad news, crazy news in between.

A friend of mine once drew me this beautiful painting called "the in-between times," I guess everyone has 'em, it is just how you handle them! I can't complain, I have great friends and family! I know what doesn't kill you only makes stronger, right?? Then why do those times rip your heart while going through them?

Crazy!

Sorry for the weirdness, just being contemplative! Sometimes us Gemini's go one way and then the other in a span of 2o minutes :)

We Came, We Saw, We Got a Wristband

Just wanted to give you all an update...

My mom and I flew to Jacksonville, FL, on Wed morning, with my little brother in tow. We get to Jacksonville, and it is a sticky 85 degrees, but we are excited about the prospect and about the opportunity to try again!

We grab some lunch (damn good hot dogs!) from my uncle, take a nap, and at 10:00pm, we start the drive to SC. We heard it was about 5hrs, but at 11pm, really there isn't anyone on the road. So after driving, about 4 hours, we end up in beautiful Charleston, SC!

This was at 1:30 AM. My mom and I decided there really isn't going to be anyone waiting in line, at this hour, so we drive past the collusium, only to see that people are already waiting to park. OH MY GOSH!! Are you kidding. So, as delerius as we are, we start waiting in line. We wait until 6:30 AM, and we are almost the first to register. We grab our wristbands and our tickets and we are off to sight see.... NOT!!

We stumble to an IHOP across the street, where our delerium continues. We order, wait, eat, and drive to the hotel...praying, at this point, they have an open room, that we can crash in. You have to remember the day before I woke up at 3:30am, to board a plane, sleep an hour, then drive 4hrs, stay up all night and now at 7:00am the NEXT morning. My mom and I are just beat!!

I go inside the hotel, schmooze them a little, to get a room, but to our dismay. Check in is at 3pm and they will see what they can do in the meantime, but it isn't looking good :( My mom and I were so tired, we park the car and end up falling asleep in the car, in the parking lot of the hotel. A maid comes out of room, knocks on our door, probably thinking we were bums, and tells us, to come inside. We stumble inside and to our luck, they have gotten a room ready. By this time it is 9:40, the humidity is about 400% and we are looking awesome!! Finally, we are able to take a shower, and sleep.... aaahhh!

That night, we wake up around 5pm, drive to a restaurant called the Noisy Oyster and dine on the best seafood, I have had in the longest time. Then we ordered this key lime pie... holy crap! I have never had a better key lime pie... EVER! Plus, since I am hypo glycemic, the only desert I ever want is key lime pie... so in a way, I am a conniseur :) Seriously the best!!

After dinner, we decided, our bodies had had enough, we needed more rest (man are we crazy or what!!)

The next day we went to this most amazing place, the Magnolia Plantation. It is over 500 acres of beautiful garden, swomp, grounds and houses. It was truly incredible! (I'll post pics and videos as soon as I am back home in TX). Then my mom and I became rebells, got tattoos, shopped and dined on the best ribs (sorry babe) I have ever eaten in my entire life! Sticky Fingers restaurant certainly does live up to its name. We were licking our fingers by the end and with as much as we ate, we could have been wheeled out of the restaurant!

So today rolls around, we go, wait on line and get ready to audition. Since we got there so freakin early Thursday, we were the first to audition. I went up there, sang my heart out, and they decided to pass yet again. Truthfully, I knew this wasn't my path, but I have a lot of support and I appreciate that, so we went. I wouldn't have traded it for the world! I am back in Jacksonville right now, hanging out with the fam.

What's to come... well, my mom and I have decided to write an album, some of jazz standards and others orignals. The album should be out by Christmas (cross your fingers) and we will start marketing, come Jan 1. Thanks for all the support and love! I am not the next American Idol, but I sure am a star :)

Beach time baby!!

So most of you know by now that I am headed to Charleston, SC, for the second round of AI. I am so excited to finally get some beach time, but also sad to leave my lovely hubby!
My mom and I set off on Wed morning, at the butt crack of dawn, to Jacksonville, FL, where my awesome granddad and grandmother will be awaiting our arrival. We then leave their house, at around 11pm and make the 4hr trek to Charelston, SC. We will then proceed to wait, again :), for our registration bands and tickets, only to return 2 days later to sing for the AI judges.
This time, at least I know what it is like, and I have my mom, and it seems, the entire country backing my decision, to pursue this crazy thing, once again.
We'll let you know how it goes and if you will see my goofy face on the tube ;-)

Beac time baby!!

Round Two!! Charleston!

Charleston Here I come...
So, as most of you know, I was cut from the first audition, for AI, in Dallas. My mother (my biggest fan) and my husband, have convinced me to head to Charleston to try again. I left the Dallas audition, with heat stroke, and no pass to the next round, but with words of wisdom, from the judges. "Work on your stage prescence, and come to the next city, with the same songs, and we will put you through!"

So my mom and I are headed to Charleston, next week, to pursue my dreams. Please say a prayer, that all my mom's money is not going to waste.

Thanks again for all the support!!

Ciao,

Drea

On The Mend... OK... not even close ;-)

So, today was another day of hell in the life of me! I had another GI apt scheduled. After so many, they really don't bother me, but this one, could take the cake. I saw my GI last week, and a long story short, is that he has no idea what is wrong! He is passing me off to this world renowned GI (the guy actually writes the text books for GI's to study.) His name is Larry Schiller, and because he is SO world renowned, my first apt with him is Oct 3rd. Anyway, I get a call from my original GI and he tells me I could have this very rare disease called "Slow Stomach." Basically what this is, is that you get hungry like a normal person and you eat like a normal person, however, the food pretty much sits in your stomach, while mixing with bile, and the heat of your body makes it rot. So... you, in turn, get sick and nauseas, or just throw up. I have been having nausea and have been throwing up for close to 2 years now. My weight has stayed pretty steady, and they know it isn't chrones, they just can't figure out why a person, so seemingly healthy, is so sick. I am sure you all know this by now, but I am SO SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK!

Anyway, I drive all the way to freaking BFE today, it took about an hour, in rush hour traffic, because they only do this procedure in the morning. I get there, get registered, bring my Harry Potter book and I think I am off to a room, where they will perform this test.

Instead, I am brought to this scanning room, where the nurse proceeds to tell me, I have to eat an egg sandwhich, then she will scan me, they will wait (1 hr) scan again, another hour, scan again, and finally 2 hrs and I will be done, around 2 pm. So I sit and wait for this "egg sandwhich."

So the tech comes back with these microwaved eggs on bread that is slathered with jam. Now first of all, why in the hell would you slather toast with jam, and then put it in a sandwhich, so you are eating sweet eggs, for a person, that OBVIOUSLY has a very weak stomach??? She tells me I have 10 mintues to eat this nastiness and then she will scan me.

As I attempt to eat this thing, I can feel my gag reflexes having a field day. So I ask her, when I am finished, if I have to actually keep this thing down for 4 hours. She reply's, yes, and if I don't the test will be over.

I stand up, she scans my stomach for a minute and scans my back for another minute. Then she tells me to head back out to the waiting room and she will call me in an hour. I am sitting there going... what??... don't I get my own room? So I can at least take a nap or something? She tells me, no, but I am welcome to walk around.

Ok.. listen, I have had so many freaking procedures, I should have a platinum card, and should be treated a little nicer. I mean come on!

As I head back out to the waiting room, all I can hear, is the television in teh backround. Telemundo is on, blaring loudly, and there are about 50 people. There were no other seats, so I had to sit next to this guy, who just happened to be lonely and want to share his whole life story. I mean seriously, I don't go to hosptials to chat with people. Man! I hate that!

Anyway, an hour passes, they scan again. Another hour passes and I am about 10 min from being scanned when I realize, this egg business is NOT staying down. I run up to the admin lady, who is on her myspace page, and IMing someone, and tell her my situation, and that maybe the tech would like to scan me, before I hurl! She tells me, if your gonna hurl, we really can't stop you, but I will tell your tech.

After 3 hours of sitting in a room with telemundo blaring and Billy, your friendliest patient, sitting next to me, I enter the room. The tech scans me and tells me, you have lost too much of the contrast, let me speak with the radiologist and see if we can continue.

After waiting another 15 min she tells me, sorry but the test is going to be inaccurate, and next time, feel free to take my nausea pill befor coming. ARE YOU KIDDING?

I just wasted 4 hours of my time, for you to tell me the test is inaccurate, and before I re-schedule, I should take my nausea pill, so this doesn't happen again. OMG! Whatever....

Lions, Tigers and RATS... oh my!!!

So yesterday, I am lounging upstairs, and I start hearing this loud clicking noise, somewhere downstairs. I thought Sammy (my crazy cat) had grabbed some plastic and was playing with it (a favorite past time of his!) I look over the railing to see the biggest rat, I have EVER seen, eating out of the dog bowl. I screamed, grabbed mocha, and ran in the office. I called Matt and told him to get his pretty ass home, NOW!! He said he was leaving. As I sit in my office, I realize, something is "meow-ing" outside my door. I open the door, just a crack, and see my cat, Basil, standing outside looking at me like... what the heck is going on? I pull him inside the door and stuff a pillow under the crack of the door. As I wait to hear the garage door open, I attempted to do a crossword online.

My foot was shaking and I don't even think I got one answer on the crossword. I was so nervous that stupid rat was going to start perusing my house, I couldn't contain myself. Finally, I hear Matt and then I hear this loud bang. I crack open the door and scream downstairs... it it dead?!? Matt yells back... not yet. Then, I hear another bang.
I open the door and scream... now??? He replies, "yep!"

As I creep downstairs, still afraid the thing is going to leap and bite me, like I was in a NY City Sewer, I realize there is blood on the kitchen floor. I look at Matt and I'm like, what the hey?? He tells me, he went in the garage, got his pellet gun, from when he was a child, and shot the thing. Now, as I almost hurl in my mouth, I realize that is rat guts, on my beautiful kitchen floor. I seriously could have cried!
I don't think I can ever forgive him for mutilating the disgusting rat all over my floor. Geez, couldn't he have gotten a freaking napkin or grabbed it by its tail or something... UGH!!!
If you girls have any idea how I can explain to my husband, in "man terms", that was the nastiest thing he could have done... I am more than open to suggestion!

No Worries... Another way, another time!

As most of you know by now, I did not make the first cut of American Idol. Truthfully, I am ok with the result. It was a very unique experience and I wouldn't take it back! It gave me the courage I needed to continue!

On Saturday, Matt and I headed to Texas Stadium to wait in line, just to register, for the auditions Monday. We arrived at 5:30 AM, waited until 10:00 AM, and left with hope, a ticket, and green and yellow wristbands.

We headed back Monday morning, arriving at 4:15 AM. We sat for over 4 hours, just to enter the stadium and sit, once again. I was on FOX 4 news (in the background), and I met tons of cool people. We sat next to the funniest people! As we sat, for a total of 12 hours, we were finally called to walk on the field. We, again, waited in a line and were put in groups of 4. My group headed to table 10. As we moved forward, not one person was asked to move on to the next round... I guess that should have tipped me off ;-) Anyway, my group was up. The nervous engergy started bubbling in the stomach, but I pushed it down, with a smile on my face and my hot legs, staring at the judges! The first girl went up, she was a small black girl with a pink cast. She sang, and to be honest, I said to myself.... I got this in the bag!! I walked up, sang "Orange Colored Sky" by Nat King Cole, they said awesome, can you sing something else. I sand Amy Winehouse "Rehab", as soon as I started, the girl judge, said I knew you were going to sing that... you have the perfect voice for it! As I sang my song, I knew I had nailed it. I didn't flail my arms, didn't jump around or dance, I just knew I had sang those songs to the absolute best of my ability. I stepped back, and waited for the other 2 to sing. There was a tall black gentleman, who sounded, ok, and another, very small girl, maybe 17 at the oldest!!

As I waited ther I could feel my heart pounding! It was crazy. Then they called all 4 of us up to the table. We walked up there, and the girl whispered to the guy. The guy then said, thanks for standing in the heat, we are going to pass. I was about to grab my purse and leave, when the girl told the smallest girl, keep working, your just a little too young. Then she turned to me and said you have a phenominal voice! Show up in Charleston and work on your stage presence! We will definetly pass you through!

I left, upbeat, sweaty and exhausted!! My worst fear, of having them tell me I was mediocer went away, when she told me I was great.

Matt wants us to head to Philly, for the last stop, on the audition run. I'll let you know if it happens. Now I know, show up with goofy choreography and the same song. I should be good!

Hollywood here I come!!

Well, my first experience of American Idol started at 5:30 am, Saturday morning, waiting 4 hours, just to register. We left at 9:45 am with one green bracelet and one yellow bracelet.
We head back tomorrow for a chance to audition in front of the producers.
I'll be in touch tomorrow to let you know how it went.

Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So La, Ti, AAAHHHH!

Holy Moly! I can't believe that tomorrow I will be trying out for American Idol. I tried out the first year and didn't even make the first cut. My friend Steph, dragged me to this "singing audition." It was crazy, we had no idea what it was, just this little singing show. Now, it is the biggest deal and it seems every person and their mother are trying out! I don't have any doubt in my training or my voice, you just never know what they are looking for.

I just can't believe how nervous I am. The butterflys are building in my stomach, the nerves tingeling, and I am so excited at the same time! Eeehhh!

My wonderful husband keeps telling me I am going to Hollywood, and I want to beleive him SO badly. I just can't be sure. Everyone keeps telling me to calm, and be myself, so that is my goal. Walk in there, with a big smile and blow them away. I'll keep you posted and let you know what happens.

Laundry Conspiracy...

All you girls know, that no matter how hard we try, there is always something to do around the house!! My husband, God Bless him, lets me buy oodles and oodles of clothes! I then, return the favor, by purchasing, oodles of clothes for him! In other words we have too many clothes and not enough space to put them. Because we have so many, it is easy to just put something on for a day, and throw it in the hamper.

Unfortunately, that leaves me with piles of laundry that would rival a prison. At least there's are all one color :) We have a brown pile, a red/pink pile, blue, black and jean pile. Trust me, I could go on! We even have a dry clean pile.

Everyday, I try and do a load here and there... nothing like you gals with kids out there. Just a load to get us through the week with clean sheets and clean underwear. The problem is, the more I clean, the more gets dirty!

I am sure you all feel my pain!

It just seems, no matter how many clothes I give away, sell or just throw out. There is always laundry to do!