Stay-cation

I'm lucky enough to have a job that affords me four weeks' vacation annually. The problem is that there's seldom a good time to take it, and I can't carry it over, so I've found myself losing days the past couple of years.

Yesterday--April 13, 2010--has been circled in red on my calendar for months. Because it was Bon Jovi. In Tulsa. On the 14th row. It's weird how you can look forward to something for months, and then when it finally happens, it's almost surreal. And I worried that it couldn't live up to my expectations, but it totally did. What a great night. What an amazing concert. The reason they've thrived as a band for so long is because they love what they do, they appreciate their fans, and whether they're in NYC or Tulsa, Oklahoma, they give 100% to the entire performance. Even though they've done "Livin' on a Prayer" about 9,000 times, it's like the first time they performed it every time. Sigh. It was such a great time.

So instead of taking two days off this week, I decided to schedule the entire week. But I've been working the whole time. And not just checking my emails, but going to meetings. Because I feel guilty for declining important meetings just so I can hang out in my pajamas.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to chill for a bit, but then I've just canceled my Friday vacation day since I have six meetings. So much for my relaxing stay-cation.

But I got to see Bon Jovi and spend time with some awesome friends. And I'm grateful to have a job I love, even if that means I can't let go.

I must write "get a life" on my to-do list.

Pics from Tulsa are here.

At least I have a Texas trip to look forward to next week. Oh, and Friday's blind date. My life is a constant whirlwind, and I LOVE IT!

The best things in life aren't free

Yes we can, indeed. And if you drank the Obama Kool-aid, there's no need to read further.

I openly acknowledge my high maintenance lifestyle. I consider pedicures and massages to be necessities in my monthly budget. I don't color my own hair or mow my own lawn. I insist on nice hotels, great meals, and fabulous handbags.

In other words, my life ain't cheap.

Luckily, I went to college and despite all the partying, managed to graduate and go on to earn a master's degree. My job is stressful and often it's more than 40 hours a week. But I don't mind because I'm fortunate to have a job I love, and because I am well compensated for thinking about work 24/7.

With a nice salary comes some nice perks, like a nice home and a dependable (albeit recalled) vehicle, cosmetics from a department store counter, and the opportunity to travel. See, I'm obsessed with weekend shopping trips and concerts and nice dinners. I find myself planning months full of weekends to Dallas and Kansas City. Right now I'm saving to buy my nephew a laptop for his high school graduation. I have 20th row tickets to see Bon Jovi in Tulsa next month. I'm headed to Temple twice in April, once for a race and once just because I miss Jen. I'm currently trying to talk Scott and Alisa into Dallas in May to see Jimmy Buffett, and I want to schedule girls' weekend with Sorne, Kelly and Amanda to see SATC2 Memorial Day weekend.

Ruth's Chris for dinner? That's just a Wednesday night for me and my pal Lori B. And in December, Krista and I will be happily ensconced in our Times Square hotel suite in NYC.

If you're going somewhere, I want to go. If a great band is playing, I want to see the concert. I like stuff. I like places. I love spending time with my friends.

But often, I find myself having to stop planning things. Not only do my weekends fill, but I run out of funds. And when you don't have money, you have to stop spending it.

Unless you're Congress. Then you can continue to spend money you don't have on people who don't need it.

See, when I use credit to pay for things, I have to pay it back with interest. Where's my blank check?

But you know what? If someone gave me a beautiful new red patent leather Louis Vuitton bag with the understanding that it was totally free to me, but someday my niece and nephews would have to pay for it, I'd say no. Because I believe in paying for my lifestyle, even if it means doing without.

You listening, Nancy Pelosi?

Let's make plans for July, when I might be solvent again!

Rain, rain go away

Lots going on, but nothing exciting. Except BON JOVI IS COMING TO TULSA IN APRIL. Woo-hoo!

Oh, and I go to Texas in less than a week. Yay!

Yesterday I did manage to get the LB scoop. I'm sure I'll share it at some point, but right now I'm pretending not to care. And Jennifer is working on a distraction for me, I hope. :)

8 degrees from Jon Bon Jovi

Ok, those of you who think I'm a spoiled brat, read no further. This post will do nothing to change your mind. Let's just say that my trip to Kansas City was one of the best 36 hours ever... good food, good conversation, and brushes with hotness.

I met Estella in Fayetteville at 10 a.m. on Thursday after my trip to the DMV (seriously, do they ever get in a hurry?). We got to KC around 2:30 and checked into the hotel, then we had a fantastic steak salad with a cilantro lime dressing at the hotel restaurant. After changing clothes, we took a cab down to the Power and Light district to have some dinner and relax before the concert.

We ended up at a great Italian restaurant where we had tapas (small plates) and cocktails, then we walked across the street to the Sprint Center.

I was so worried that I'd forget my tickets that I was a bit obsessive about it. I checked my wallet repeatedly to make sure they were there and then decided to transfer them to my back pocket. About 30 seconds later, we heard some guy yelling "Ma'am... MA'AM." We ignored him at first, then finally turned around to have him say, "You dropped your tickets." Oh. my. goodness. How mad would I have been if I had lost the tickets? Especially when you read what happened next...

We finally got into the arena after being wanded like criminals and got to our seats. On row 23. Seriously, I've never been that close to a stage at a rock concert in my life.

Here's 'Stella and me just before the concert.



Daughtry took the stage about five minutes before eight. They were just as loud as they were on Tuesday, but I enjoyed it. They did a lot of stuff off of their album, including "Over You," "Feels Like Tonight" (the Idol Gives Back acoustic version), "It's Not Over" and, of course, "Home," but they didn't do one of my favorites, "Used To."



After a 20 minute break, Bon Jovi hit the stage just before 9 p.m.



I'm not quite sure why Richie likes to look like a pimp, but he really likes purple.



After two concerts of being miles away from the stage, it was a little concerning to be 22 people away from Jon Bon Jovi. At this point, I still can't believe how close we are.

Set list:

LOST HIGHWAY
BORN TO BE MY BABY
BAD NAME

Then Jon shed his leather jacket... wowza



RAISE YOUR HANDS
OLDER (*didn't play in OKC)
SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD w/ Gimme Some Lovin' & Land Of 1000 Dances
BLOOD MONEY*


BLAZE OF GLORY w/ Daughtry (After the first verse, Chris joined Bon Jovi on stage.)



WHOLE LOT OF LEAVIN'



TILL WE AIN'T STRANGERS ANYMORE*
IN THESE ARMS*
SATURDAY NIGHT*
WE GOT IT GOIN' ON
IT'S MY LIFE
BAD MEDICINE w/ Shout
I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU - RICHIE VOX

Ok, I knew from Tuesday night that when Richie does "I'll Be There for You," (which I coupled skated to in the fifth grade at Skate Reation), Jon was changing and heading out into the crowd to sing a couple of songs. I looked at the seating chart before we left to figure out if it would be on our side, so I knew he probably wouldn't be far from us. When I looked over during "Bad Medicine" and saw they'd constructed the platform on our row I almost had a heart attack. OMG! I'm freaking out at this point. I tell the chick to my right that he's going to be right there and she looks at me disbelieving. Yeah, who's crazy now?



(YOU WANT TO) MAKE A MEMORY





Confession time... I love the song "Bed of Roses." I have dreams about Jon singing it to me. It has that great line, "Tonight, I won't be alone, but you know that don't mean I'm not lonely." Bad grammar aside, that's a pretty impressive lyric. So he's singing it right there, looking into the eyes of those of us near enough to see him, and during the bridge part, he leans down and we brush fingers. *Sigh.* I touched him! During "Bed of Roses!" And he looked at ET and me and smiled. I can die happy now. Look how close he was!

BED OF ROSES



WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME



HAVE A NICE DAY



KEEP THE FAITH



LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

Man, watching them do "Prayer" with 19,000 people standing and screaming the lyrics is quite an experience.

At this point they'd been singing for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Non-stop. And Jon never stopped moving and dancing and hopping around. No wonder his abs are amazing.



For the encore, Jon and Richie changed clothes again. Richie into something else purple, and Jon into what I can only think is a woman's shirt. Oh, well. If anyone can pull it off, it's him.

ENCORE:
I LOVE THIS TOWN



One of the coolest things about a Bon Jovi concert is the entire arena screaming, "I've seen a million face, and I've ROCKED 'EM ALL!" during "Wanted."

WANTED



After the concert, we were standing in front of the "Kansas City Star" building trying to catch a cab, and people kept stealing our taxi, when two ladies arrived at one about the same time we did. One of them said, "I don't suppose you're going to the Embassy Suites are you?" We were. And then, even weirder, they were from Bentonville. The mom's going to call me so that her son can finish his degree. Isn't it a small world?

Yesterday morning we woke up about 9 a.m., ate breakfast at the hotel, then headed to the Country Club Plaza to shop. We went to Williams Sonoma for some kitchen stuff and MAC for makeup, then had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. We had an unbelievable tuna carpaccio followed by pasta. I was so full that I had to bring my cheesecake home and eat it along the way.

We got back to Fayetteville about 8 last night, so since we were still kinda full from lunch and cheesecake, stopped at Shogun for sushi. After a trip to Barnes and Noble (can you tell we didn't want the trip to end?), I dropped off 'Stella and headed back to Siloam.

My back is killing me after standing up for three-and-a-half hours and dancing on Thursday night. There's some ibuprofen and a nap in my future.

I can't believe how much fun we had. I can't believe our seats were so close. I mostly can't believe that Jon actually sang "Bed of Roses" to me. Granted, we only connected for about three seconds, but still...

Oh, and Lola got 33 mpg. Not too shabby.

I'll never wash my hand again

I have no Internet, so I'm updating on my iPhone. That's how dedicated I am to the drivel. I just had to share that I. TOUCHED. JON. BON. JOVI. While he sang "Bed of Roses." Pics tomorrow!!

Concert recap

I feel old. At the concert last night, I couldn't believe how loud Daughtry was. They were really awesome and it's hard to believe that three years ago he was working in the auto service department at Sears. Now he's got 30,000 people singing his songs every night. During the middle of the Bon Jovi show, he came out and sang "Blaze of Glory" with them and it was fabulous!

We were, unfortunately, sitting in the dull section, with people around us sitting for the majority of both shows. Not standing during "Livin' on a Prayer" is almost as wrong as not saluting the flag (i.e., Obama). One of the goober guys in front of us told his date that he wasn't into it because he preferred soft rock. I wanted to say, "Um, why would you be at Daughtry and Bon Jovi? Michael Bolton is next week."

Hopefully the boys had fun. Taylor decided after the show that he had to have two different t-shirts that were $40 each; he, of course, had no money. So I told him that I'd buy them for him, but that would be his birthday present. He said, "No, Mom will pay you back." That little weasel always figures out a way to get what he wants and he's never out any cash.

Right now I'm doing laundry and repacking for tomorrow night. I'm really tired but can't wait to go to the concert. Tomorrow night we're on the 23rd row on the floor. I hope some of Jon's sweat will land on me.



Estella and I are meeting in the Corridor around 10 in the morning, then we're off to Kansas City for the concert, great food, and lots of shopping. We're staying at the Plaza, and I"m so excited.

Two more days of vacation, then it's back to the old grind.

I got to see my good friend Katie last night at the concert. Her coworker (who's also named Katie) is seeing Bon Jovi three times in a week. It's good to know that someone's even weirder than me.

Lost Highway

Bon Jovi was awesome! Daughtry was awesome! The whole concert was amazing (although very loud). Can't wait for Thursday!



Click here to see all the pics.

We gotta hold on to what we got

Their hair is shorter, but they still ROCK! Four more days.... woo-hoo!

I finally found my way, say goodbye to yesterday

In a mere 90 days, I'll be on my way to see Bon Jovi and Daughtry in OKC with my brother and nephews. I'm so excited!

Lori's Christmas List

Only 20 more days 'til Christmas, so here's my list for Santa:

• Tom Brady in a big, red bow (and nothing else!)
• Tickets to Super Bowl XLIII, where the Cowboys play the Pats
• A private Bon Jovi concert, where Jon sings my favorite song to me, "Bed of Roses" (it has that great line... "tonight I won't be alone, but you know that don't mean I'm not lonely")
• A red Hermes Birkin bag
• One week with no news from Britney, Lindsey, or Angelina
• A trip to Italy with someone tall, dark and handsome
• Lasik eye surgery
• Liposuction
• A good coach for the Hogs
• A 42" flat screen TV for the living room
• A facial (never had one!)
• Season 3 of "The Office" on DVD
• Sirius satellite radio
• "Sixteen Candles" on DVD
• Saute pan from Williams Sonoma
• A really amazing new job in 2008

I've been really good this year!