Shanon’s Blog

48 more breaks on the show and then we are on vacation. Much needed vacation. I know that people think that this is a cush job and that we get too much vacation, but I have to tell you that just waking up this early and keeping the basic schedule that we do is enough to wear anyone out. I wouldn’t trade it…don’t get me wrong. But setting my alarm for 3:30AM five nights a week gets harder and harder. SO hard that on occasion there’s a morning like today where it’s 4:20AM and I’m still in bed. I hit snooze on 3 alarms for nearly an hour. British Jack is learning how to run things, so he totally had it covered and it was no big deal. But I’m surprised that I refused to get out of bed for that long.

This weekend was a fun one. On Friday I went out with other people from the show and had a blast. It started out simple enough…meet Al and Steve for a drink at Primos. I don’t think there is such a thing as meeting them for one drink. They are like people magnets. Three of us sat down initially, but by the time we left there were about a dozen of us. Kidd came. Andrew came. Freddy’s manager Ben came. We all piled into a taxi and headed to another spot. But not before a guy stood in the middle of the street screaming at us because Al had picked up his soon to be ex wife. Or maybe not so soon to be ex. I don’t know. I just know that Al proved to be a huge wussy man once again when he was the reason for the guy screaming at us but, instead of taking care of the situation, was the first to be in the cab telling the driver to speed off, causing me to have to dive into the cab on the laps of whoever I landed on. Probably Andrew’s lap, mostly. Exactly where I hope to never spend another second of any Friday night ever again.

Saturday was another good day. My dad came over early that morning to fix my boat. I had to buy a new starter for it, so he installed it for me. I helped where I could, which wasn’t very much. But I did what I could. Then I had to get gas for the thing. $8.50 to put some gas in a 2.5 gallon can. I don’t even want to think about what it’s going to cost to fill that thing up. I might have to institute a $20 charge just to step foot on the boat. Does that make me cheap? It used to be ok just to bring the beer and I would cover the other stuff, but at $150 per fill up, I think I’m out. I mean I say this, but I’d rather spend some cash if it means having great memories, so I will take it.

Saturday night was great, too. We just went out and danced and drank and had a good time. Plain and simple.  Sunday was my time to pay for Saturday’s fun. Have you ever not wanted to get off of the couch for anything? That was yesterday. I did get off the couch because I was watching the kiddos after noon and I had to get up. It was that kind of day where Taco Bell saved my life. Thank goodness for bean burritos and encharitos. It was a good day other than not feeling 100%. 

Can I talk about Tori Spelling for a minute? I love her and her show. Her babies are cute. Her husband is funny. Her puppy is cute. What’s there not to love? She might be like my guilty pleasure in life. I don’t know. I wanted to go to the bed and breakfast she and Dean had, but they went and closed it down. Why did they have to do that? Now Bobby Brown and Carnie Wilson are opening one and I don’t know if I want to go to it. Their TV show isn’t on yet, but I’m willing to be that Tori and Dean’s was way better.

I’ve started watching the Bachelorette and seeing the previews for the new game show “Wipeout” every break. We made a point of watching it last night and it was greatness. I didn’t think that watching people jump on big red balls would be so entertaining, but it was. The host lady was so funny trying not to just lose it when the contestants made total asses of themselves. I would have been the host who points AND laughs, but she’s a bigger person. There was the one lady who called for her mommy over and over, which was hysterical. It was so random and she was so old…greatness. You gotta love that.

But then the Japanese Game Show show came on and I didn’t care for it so much. It was OK. But I’d rather watch a rerun of the Bachelorette than that. Speaking of the Bachelorette, did you watch it this week? We could all see last week coming from a mile away. Twilly was a gonner from the start. So was Shawn. But weren’t you shocked when she let Graham go? So what if the big reasons she liked him were that he was way hot (according to her) and that he played hard to get. I figured that he would be the one to go by the end of the episode, but in the long run I was shocked. Is this show one of those where they lay out these rules in the beginning but they are all subject to change for the sake of keeping it interesting? Mary and I were talking about it and came to the conclusion that at the end she’s not going to want any of them and she will call Graham back. I can’t wait to see how this one turns out. I’ve become a reality show junkie now and I don’t really know what to think about it. I love it! I guess that’s what I think of it.

Kathy Griffin. Now I know that Kellie no longer supports her since her Emmy speech, but I love her. She is coming to town in July and I cannot WAIT! I LOVE her. I asked my mom and dad to go with us to the show, but they can’t. Which sucks because I think they would love her and they rarely get out and do anything, so I thought this would be fun for all of us. Maybe next time, right? I watch her show every week and I’ve been looking forward to the new season for forever now. So I was WAY pumped when Haven gave me tickets to the show. She’s too nice to me, but in this for instance I will take it.

I promise that I do more than watch TV, but I’ve been so tired at night that I don’t have the energy or desire to do much more. And it’s nice to just sit down and watch TV and laugh and talk about it. There’s something to be said for taking  time for guttural laughter with someone and lately, these things have given us that chance.  I’ve loved every second of it and cannot wait for more.

Yesterday is what I would classify as a great day. I wasn’t falling asleep driving into work. The show was funny, which always helps. I wasn’t here too horribly late and I just left my phone in the car for a couple hours, so nothing was going to stop my good day.

If you go to my MySpace, I think the headline says that “it’s the little things.” Yesterday was proof of this with a spur of the moment trip to the world aquarium. We loaded up the car and drove downtown and just walked around for a couple of hours. It was great. I wish I knew more to say, but I don’t. It was a great day just being. Being around people I love being around and seeing them smile because it was a totally random and cool thing to do. Even dinner was amazing even though it was so simple. Left over green bean casserole, salad, and bread. But it was nice and quiet and nice to just talk and watch TV and be…I don’t really know what else to say…

Keith left for 5 days in Orlando this morning. I felt kind of bad because I got up early to take him and it takes me FOREVER to wake up in the morning. So I texted him and warned him that I wasn’t good for much more than driving and I don’t think I disappointed. I could barely hold my eyes open and my voice sounded like I’ve been smoking for 37 years even though I’ve never even tried smoking a cigarette. Keith was VERY accommodating, but he did prove what a boy he is. I texted him asking him to grab one of my blue hoodies out of the right side of my closet, so he grabs my blue winter coat. It was funny to me. Who doesn’t know the difference between a winter coat and a hoodie? I’m going with the theory that he was half way asleep too and just not thinking yet. It’s OK. I have sweat shirts at work, but it was still funny to me. Keith was highly impressed with the fact that he could fit all of his stuff into one of those roller bags. Duh! You’re a boy and you rarely wear a shirt. I guess he has to wear a shirt since it’s a work thing, but I swear I’ve seen Keith with no shirt lately more than with one. But I can’t say too much because I’ve slept on my couch in my Under Armour Boy Shorts and Sports Bra enough times that he;s probably sick of me, too.

My boat doesn’t run which makes me sad. I want to take Mary on it, but right now I’d have to take my kayak paddle and just pray for the best. My started is not working, so I have to replace it. Thank goodness for my dad knowing about all that mechanical stuff and saving me from having to put the thing in the shop. I don’t even want to know how much that would run me. I got my back seat re-upholstered last summer and it was a fortune, so I can’t even fathom how much repairs would be.

The show’s about to start, so I’m gonna post this now. But this is me making a conscious effort to blog more. Two days in a row. Love it, baby.

Is it July 3^rd yet? You can always tell when our vacation time is coming up because it’s harder than ever to crawl out of bed every morning. No matter how much I love this job and the people I work with, it’s so hard to make myself get up in the morning. I hit snooze 4 times this morning and got to work about 10 minutes later than normal. Which isn’t too bad, but it kind of throws me off a tad when I’m not passing the 7-11 by the time my radio clock says 4:13. This morning my clock said 4:17, so I just sped up a tad bit and made it not too late.

This weekend was one of those where I went out too much, probably, and didn’t sleep enough. It was a horribly long week last week and I was pretty much crawling up my stairs by Friday. So I needed a nap bad on Friday, but since I actually had time to take one, I couldn’t sleep. I should’ve been in bed early that night, but I went out instead. Kinsey and her friends met up with us and we danced and had a lot of fun. I sent my last text message of the night at 2:37AM…that puts me awake for a horribly long time. My appetite is non existant and I had a few drinks, so I was out when we got home. I felt horrible on Saturday, but I knew I was going out again that night so a little bit of Wendys was necessary.

I met up with Mackenzie and Christy and some of their friends for dinner and drinks. I shouldn’t have eaten again, but all of the sudden I was hungry and had to try a deviled egg and a chicken leg sandwich. I think I’m cursed when it comes to being at places with great food and horrible service. This place had the potential for greatness but the service was AWFUL. I probably won’t be SCENE there again. But if you have plenty of time to be neglected and wait with no drink or food for extended periods of time, you should be SCENE here.

My dad did read the blog I wrote for him on Father’s Day and I think he liked it. He came up and hugged me and said that he loves me and always will. I went over and saw him on Saturday because he works on Sunday. We rode motorcycles and ate hamburgers and just enjoyed hanging out. I was lame though and went home a little after 10 and crashed hard. I guess I needed it. Then it was my moms birthday on the 20^th. I got her the wrong birthday gift (which I have exchanged) and bought a mud pie for her from Baskin Robbins. She loves those and I think her birthday is the one time a year she gets one. I need to just get her one on a random day to let her know that I was thinking about her and that she deserves the simple pleasures every now and then.

I’m trying to take steps back and look at things outside of myself for a change. I hope that makes sense. Try and get past my initial reaction to what’s happening. Not instantly get pissed if I don’t get what I want when I want it. I guess the simple way to put it would be “there’s more to you than me.”  I’m not gonna lie I still want to be top of mind and made a priority, but I am learning to understand  that maybe it’s ok to let my feelings be put aside for a little while and let others focus on their own. It’s hard. I admit that.  But I think I’ve figured out that I need to step back every now and then to think about where another person is coming from. It helps me, too, because I’m forced to see that maybe I’m not the reason for the bad mood. Maybe I’m not what they’re thinking about when they’re not smiling. So I think in the long run if I keep working on this not being so selfish thing it will be good for everyone.

I think all in all things are good right now. My stress level is pretty high, but that’s normal for me. My boat doesn’t run and my dad’s truck broke down when I pulled the boat up to my apartment to try and start it. Last weekend was a bad one for break downs all around, but we got through it.

And, again, I know I suck at keeping the blogs updated. Things are so crazy busy around here lately and I’ve not made time. That’s the short version of life since Father’s Day. Thanks for reading!

I can be a pretty selfish person. I’ll admit that When I write a blog it’s always about me and what I did or how messed up I am or what I ate that day…I know this. Today I wanted to do something a little different and write about my dad since Father’s Day is coming up.

We did a bit on the show this week where we call our dad’s and ask for quick little stories from when we were growing up. I didn’t expect to hear that I did a whole lot of anything cute when I was little, but in my dad’s eyes I did.

What sucks about this is that I’m almost 27 years old and I’m just now realizing this. I’ve never been especially close to either of my parents. I was the typical but painfully quiet teenager and I don’t make as much time for them as I should. I’ve got my own thing going on and it keeps me busy. And, as selfish as it is, I don’t stop very often to just call or go and visit. I should do that more often, but I don’t.

I never thought that I would cry over a story my dad would tell about me on the show, but I did. When he said that I went as daddy’s little girl for Halloween I just cried. You hear stories about the stupid crap we do when we’re little and most of it comes as no surprise and is totally insignificant. And to be totally honest I don’t really know why this story hit me like a ton of bricks and made me cry on the air, but it did. I think it’s because I’m not a “daddy’s little girl” kind of person and to know that this story sticks out in his head really touched me. Maybe it was more in hearing my dad tell the story and the fact that he sounded so genuine in the fact that it made him smile to think about it. I don’t know. But nothing can make a person feel like a huge wuss like crying over a random story of something you did when you were a kid.

It’s so funny how the way I view my parents…my dad in particular…as I’ve gotten older. I’ve always loved him, but now that I can appreciate all of the things that he has done for me and all that he’s sacrificed to make me the person I am. I used to not see him very often, like a lot of kids, because he worked a lot. My mom did too and for a while it changed so that my dad was the one at home making dinner every night and taking care of us while my mom worked. I am so much like my dad in my moods and I used to get so weirded out when he would be in a bad one. When we get genuinely mad about something and our moods go sour, you don’t want to be around us. My dad’s eyes would even change colors with his moods. I never understood why he didn’t play with us more or why he would yell at me for running in and out of the house, but now I get it. He’s my DAD. The one man in this world who can keep me in line and teach me the things that I need to be taught. He knew what his job was and he did it, even if I thought he was just being mean or hateful at the time. It sucks being called mean and having a kid think that you are making them do things just for the sake of doing them.

Even though I don’t think my dad reads this, there’s some stuff I want him to know.  So Dad, if you do see this…I’m sorry I didn’t appreciate you more when I was younger. I’ve learned so much from you. Your work ethic has stuck with me. Your moodiness was passed along in your genes. So was your premature gray hair. But I think that I got some of the best things that you and mom had to offer, too. I worry each and every day that I have disappointed you in some way. Maybe a 2 year degree won’t make you as proud as a 4 year degree. I don’t have kids for you to spoil and it might be a little bit before I do, but you’re patient with me. You’ve accepted me for who I am and I know that’s not been an easy thing to do. It’s so funny because you told me the other day that you’re proud of me and I about lost it because I do worry about these things. In my head I should be in a house by now and driving a better car than I do and letting you and mom move into a brand new house, but I’m not here and you’re OK with that. I remember when I was like 18 and I was working two jobs and going to school full time and you knew that I was overwhelmed and you wrote a note to me saying that you would support anything I decided to do. Quit a job, take a break from school. Whatever. I kept going, but just knowing that you would accept whatever decision I made meant more to me than I would ever be capable of showing.

I know I’m selfish and that I don’t do you or mom justice, but in my mind I realize that I’ve turned out pretty OK and that it’s because of you guys. I can write thank you in a Father’s Day card all day long, but I might as well just share it with the tens of people who read this blog. You deserve to be recognized as the hardest working man I’ve ever known. You are selfless and giving and I truly do look up to you. And you know what? If you’re OK with it, I’m proud to be daddy’s little girl as long as you’ll have it. I know I’d be more like daddy’s little mid-20’s woman now, but the details are not that important.

I love you, Dad. Happy Father’s Day.

How long can a person sleep without getting up to even pee? Make it 15 hours in my case. I slept for 2 hours last Wednesday, not at all on Friday, was a failure at sleeping the day away on Friday and then stayed up until 3:30AM on Saturday morning. But once I fell asleep, I was out for like 15 hours because my lazy butt didn’t get up again until 5:30PM on Saturday. What a waste, huh? But it worked out because I did all that I wanted to do that night. Mary and I went to eat at a fantastic spot in Dallas,,,Cyclones. It’s the place you can go and share a half order of crab meat nachos and drink one wave margarita and feel like all is right with the world. Random, but there you go…

Last night I went with Kidd to interview Natasha Bedingfield. I’m not bragging, but Natasha likes my shirt. Not very many people every compliment anything I wear because I don’t care enough to even bother to match. In my mind navy and black match, but I’m told otherwise. I would never wear light blue and purple, but that’s about the only limit I have. Why does God bless some people with mega fashion sense and leave others with no an ounce of it? Is it genetic? Is it learned? I’m pretty much the only person I know who is a total moron. I know camo goes with almost anything, so I try and take advantage of it. Camo and brown, khaki, brown…it just goes. So would it be cool if I just wore camo every day of my life? Will they make fun of me? I’m sure people will, but at least I’ll have a hook and I know I’ll match. So maybe that’s what I’ll do. Just buy camo from now on. Camo shoes, socks, shorts, shirts, hats…everything. That’s a heck of a plan, huh?

I want to be a mobile DJ. I did Flush the Format that one time and people are still raving about how great I did. So maybe that means I should be a real life DJ. One that scratches and spins and talks over song intros and nails the post. I’d get a disco ball and a table and pretty extension cords and pink camo cord covers. I’d probably play mostly rap because I think I’m born to rap. I could be the next Sarai or something. She’s a white girl rapper if you don’t know who Sarai is. I’m sure I could charge like $75 an hour and pay off all of my stuff in like 3 months because I’d be the best DJ around. I’m just saying. Maybe I could be the DJ who sings along to the songs. Ooh, that could be so fun.

I know I’ve done a horrible, awful job blogging lately. I’ve been insanely busy here at the studio and haven’t taken the time to do a whole lot of thinking about my life, but here you go for now.

This past weekend was one where I pretty much just turned off my phone and was OK with it. We had gone to Mexico the weekend before, so this was my chance to recover. My couch had to be sick of having us on it all the time, but who cares. It was nice just to lie around and fall asleep watching Ocean’s 12 and 13. It was good to veg out on Taco Bell and Banana Pudding. Everybody needs some time to just be lazy sometimes and this was my shot.

We had a way belated Mother’s Day cookout at my mom and dad’s on Saturday night. It was hamburgers and fajitas and swimming and just hanging out. It’s nice because I don’t see my parents that often. My dad’s work schedule is weird so he’s only home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That makes it hard for my mom and dad and my little sister and me to all get together. But we managed on Saturday. Speaking of, my little sister is pregnant! She’s due on December 26 and I’m happy for her. She’s scared and it was unexpected, but I know she’s gonna be a great mom and I’m excited to have a new niece or nephew to spoil rotten.

I was shocked when she told me the news because I so didn’t expect it and I don’t think that she did either. But now they are happy and pricing diapers and stuff and in a panic. I didn’t realize how expensive diapers and formula and all that was until she told me. I’m not going to have a baby without every intention of doing so and planning and looking for a daddy, so I’ve never had a reason to. We sat and talked about breast feeding versus bottle feeding and cloth diapers versus disposable ones. We talked about how much we weighed when we were born (I was 6lbs 6 oz). It’s funny because I was the smallest of the babies, but I’m probably the biggest now. I know I’m bigger than my little sister Sam, but I don’t know about my big sister. I just have a bigger structure about me. Not necessarily fat, but my built is bigger. I stood on the Tenida scale when they came in to do Kellie’s weigh in and I’m right below where I should be with weight and fat. I can gain like a pound (I weigh about 133) and am about 23% body fat. That’s kind of high for me, but I’m working on it. I will take just below average on that any day, so I’m not going to complain.

Mary and I went and saw Sex and the City last night and it was the second time this week I’ve cried during a movie. The first time was during PS I Love You. If you’ve not seen this movie, rent it. It will make you cry if you have any heart at all. If there’s even an ounce of love for someone in your heart, you will be a blubbering baby. I curled up and hid my face it hit me so hard a couple of times.

Sex and the City was great, too. I’ve never seen a single episode of the show, so I didn’t know what to expect going into the theater. But by the end of it I knew how it needed to end and I wanted to relate to one of the girls pretty badly. Mary says that we are both Carrie’s; I just don’t wear the fancy heels. I love the clothes they wore in the movie and Carrie’s little NYC apartment. I loved how Charlotte was so happy and Samantha’s little puppy. I’m glad that things turned out how they did for Miranda and the very end and all of it in general. I might even borrow Mary’s DVD collection of the show now.

I truly do have the worst tan lines ever. I will wear a bathing suit top all day long, but I won’t do the bottoms. My weight has been so up and down and fluctuated so quickly, I’ve managed to get stretch marks and they’re all I can see. That and I’m sure that I’d be self conscious of every part of my butt and thighs, so it’s better that I just wear board shorts. They do make them for women, but the tan lines are still horrid. I can keep an amazing tan for most of the year if I get it slowly and naturally, but this is one tan I might not want to keep. I’m just going to keep lifting my shorts up a little bit more at every nap I take by the pool and love the fact that my arms, face, and mid section are all pretty OK. Keith says I still have my ab, not abs, so I’m pretty OK with that part of my body.

I’m going on and on a lot today about a lot of stuff. Thanks for being patient with my lack of blogging and for reading when I do do it. Yeah, I said do do. Go ahead and laugh, J-Si.