Cheating 101

be cool. b flat.

Famous Failures

Ride the Swell... this Season

The Swell Season (or as I call them - my best buds) have released another album called Strict Joy. Kris and I bought the Deluxe Edition, of course. They are so passionate about love and the journey that we all call "Life." Their songs will strike a chord with anyone. We have seen them in concert once together in Louisville, KY with his sister Sarah. Then, we were planning to see them for our 2nd anniversary last year, but Kris unexpectedly had to go on a business trip. So, my sister filled in for Kris and enjoyed the show at the Ryman. They were AMAZING! We actually met them after the show. They are very down-to-earth and generous with their fans. I shouldn't be surprised by how many people are discovering and recognizing their talents (they did win the Oscar in case you forgot for Once). I have been listening to them and The Frames, while driving back and forth to Jackson. Good times!


I am in awe of Glen's voice. He is the most emotional singer I have ever heard. I love his stories and humor. If your heart doesn't hurt when you hear him sing "This Low," then you aren't alive. Another song that gets me every time is "Say It To Me Now." Markéta Irglová's voice is very soothing and pure as well. When she takes the lead on "All the Way Down, she puts me in the most solemn and happy mood. Glen sings it well too. I love that even my American Idol Kris Allen sang "Falling Slowly" on Idol this past season bringing Swell Season to a whole new audience. (Sidenote: this is also my Kris' ringtone on my phone) I wanted to share some videos of my best buds, Glen and Markéta. Yeah, we are best buds since I met them in Nashville... Enjoy!


The Swell Season holds a private performance in The Room Live. Special introduction by Matthew Perry.



HIMYM's Jason Segel crashes L.A. Swell Season concert, offers himself up for a date.
315-329-6673, call it if you need me...



"Low Rising" - Beautiful new video from The Swell Season

The Swell Season - New Music - More Music Videos

The Wanderer

I have been floating from one project to another these days, since being freed from my gilded cage... I mean my job. I have been working on my new business venture with my brother (more to come about that in the coming weeks). If someone asks me to help with something, my mind wanders in another direction while completing their project. My mom asked me to design our Pinson Family Christmas invitation (still haven't done it yet), BUT I did update my mom's blog header. She's asleep right now and doesn't even know it yet. Hope she likes it, oh well back to invitation.

I also side-tracked again and helped my cousin-in-law with her start-up company. I got to help with naming it and the logo. When I finish, I will post the logo on here. Her company will be a consignment fine furniture and home decor store. I named it "Then & Again" and it stuck.

If you know my family at all, we can have one conversation and start a company. Whitney started hers last week. Colby and I formed ours a month ago. We come from a long line of entrepreneurs. One of my favorite family business ventures was my parents' disco club. Yes, you read correctly - a DISCO, a discotheque to be more accurate. It was called the "Nite Lite" and I can only imagine the decor it was rocking back then. My aunt and uncle also started a Pretzel store in the mall on a whim too. Since then, we have had lighting and furniture stores/companies, electronic and appliance stores, corrugated packaging company, mattress store, restaurants, jewelry stores, construction companies, real estate, etc. One thing can be said about my family, if there is a dollar to be made we don't waste time or ideas.

I can trace this back to my childhood. I had the rite of passage Lemonade stand. Who didn't? However, did you recycle your cups to increase your profits? Did you market your stand on two of the busiest corners of the neighborhood? Did you offer a free cookie to the consumer who spent $2 on a 8 oz cup of watered-down lemonade? I can honestly say I did all of these and took my money all the way to the piggy bank. I love business, in any format. During my childhood, I had a Friendship Bracelet business that home-delivered (that was the key!) Way before Slater, Jessie, and Kelly had Buddy Bands (see below if you lived under a rock in the 90's), I had franchised a Ramblewood neighborhood empire of selling various bracelet styles to all of the kids and indirectly to their parents. I deployed my siblings and their friends on bikes to deliver these precious gems. They had walkie-talkies to ensure prompt delivery and customer service. The key was to get kids to do all of the work. By all accounts they were ADHD, so in order to get them to help me with my deliveries one had to make it into a game. I called it the CHiPs Game. So, in essence, Colby was one of my Erik Estrada delivery boys. Everyone wins!

Well, I guess I will design the family invitation tomorrow or maybe...

If you can dodge a wrench...

Kris has been quite the busy bee. In addition to his two soccer teams, he joined another soccer team that plays during the week and he took up Dodgeball. Well, for the day. He joined a team for the NAAAP Dodgeball tournament. His team came in first. He played round after round even though he played a soccer game that morning! Here's a video someone posted on YouTube. He didn't make the video, but some of his teammates are in it. He is still sore from all the throwing. I never know what he is going to join next. Maybe kickball?

Bring on the Rain (and needles)

How to explain the last 8 months of our lives... more ups and downs than a play school seesaw. We were doing quite well the first few months of the year, then the proverbial snowball started rolling down the hill. So now, we find ourselves with a lot of life experiences that we really could have done with out. Emotions are all over the place. I get annoyed by the smallest things. Gotta love those extra hormones. My latest annoyance is the I-24 rush-hour drivers, particularly the ones who carpool and refuse to use the HOV lane. Seriously... that is what they created for! So move your clown car over to the far left lane and leave my lane alone. I also have recent disgust for those drivers who ride their brakes. I am 99.9% sure that they are the root cause for the parking lot (aka I-24W). However, today I have found a new and bigger annoyance - the jackhammer of a machine located across the street that is chiseling away at what I can only hope is 2 feet of bedrock. If there had been a gun near me, I wouldn’t had been able to restrain myself. Any who, there are a lot of positive things that have happened too...like Jenny overcoming her fear of needles. Let’s just say, I didn’t have a choice and every doctor/nurse/evil person I met wanted to stick me with a needle to accomplish some ambiguous goal that I’m still trying to figure out. We can also successfully check the “in sickness and in health” portion of our marriage vows. We both feel like 2009 is the year for us and we will be able to get back to normal... whatever that might be. It will be the year of fun and no needles, well a girl can dream!

“Bring on the Rain” by JoDee Messina with Tim McGraw has really put into words what I have been feeling all this year with everything. The song has empowered me during some of my darkest days.

"Bring on the Rain"

Another day has almost come and gone

Can’t imagine what else could wrong

Sometimes I’d like to hide away somewhere and lock the door

A single battle lost but not the war (cause)

Tomorrow’s another day

And I’m thirsty anyway

So bring on the rain

It’s almost like the hard times circle round

A couple drops and they all start coming down

Yeah, I might feel defeated,

I might hang my head

I might be barely breathing - but I’m not dead

Tomorrow’s another day

And I’m thirsty anyway

So bring on the rain

I’m not gonna let it get me down

I’m not gonna cry

And I’m not gonna lose any sleep tonight

Imagine

Seriously the best rendition I have heard from anyone besides John Lennon. The entire time I listened to David Archuleta, I was envisioning Shane Mack. If you don't know who Shane Mack is, I will burn you a copy of his work. Amazing vocals for both of these guys!

All of my class projects are finally done and Spring Break is here. It is really funny to be asked by my classmates where I'm going for Spring Break...hmmm WORK! Too funny! I will catch the blog up this weekend when my sanity is back! Enjoy!

FedEx Ant Hill

I'm A New Soul!

Step by Step: NKOTB Reunion

There is talk of a New Kids on the Block Reunion Tour. I'm already digging out my oversized band button and jean jacket. Hangin Tough! Cover Girl! You Got the Right Stuff! I'll Be Loving You Forever! How fun would that show be? I wish I had a teenage daughter and could drag her to the concert if it were to happen. Step by Step, I will be covering this breaking news (well, the rumor at least.) For the record, my favorite was Jonathan Knight, no Joey love here.

Official Website: NKOTB