It's official...

I watch too much television.

The other day I made a delicious turkey sandwich with chips and settled into the couch to catch up on this season of 24.

Now, I had missed one episode on the new season due to an unforeseen error in DVR operation (the unforeseen error being my father trying to operate the machine). So I was all kinds of out of sorts and trying to play a little catch up.....

So you can imagine my surprise when I see the gentleman to my right appear on the screen! A gentleman I know as "Julian Sark" - ultra bad guy, crafty and wily and always eluding the U.S. government.

Below is the ACTUAL THOUGHT PROCESS that went through my head upon seeing this character:

Whoa, that's Sark! NICE, they brought him back! This season is going to be GOOD.

5 min later

OMG. Sark is in cahoots with his father and brother - that's awesome. I didn't even know he HAD a father and brother! A whole wily Sark family!!

10 min later

Hm. Sark used to have a kinda British accent, now he sounds kinda Russian. Wait, did they just say that his dad was a Russian arms dealer? That doesn't make sense but....

5 min later

I really can't believe how different his accent sounds. The director should have said something to him. Seriously.

5 min later

SERIOUSLY. What kind of budget actor can't even maintain a British accent season to season?

45 seconds later

wait. a. minute. ohhhhhhhh............

Yes, Internet, it turns out I was getting my shows confused and my wires crossed. The actor, David Anders, who played Sark on the fabulous show Alias is now on 24. And as I realized this, I vaguely recalled my friend Carrie, who is a HUGE Alias fan texting me something along these lines....and that's when I realized that I really, really need to get out more.

Sidebar: And now my blog is going to be investigated by the gub-ment for the use of the words "arms dealer", "Russians" and "eluding". And also "cahoots".

Do Work Kate

This April, my sister, Katherine, and her roommate, Tabor, will be running the Nashville Country Music 1/2 Marathon!! They will be training and fundraising through the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training program.

The LLS is a non-profit organization whose mission is: to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

They will be running in honor of all those who have battled blood cancers, including a college classmate of theirs who was diagnosed with lymphoma during their sophomore year. Finally, at the age of 24, after 2 bone marrow transplants and chemotherapy - she is cancer free!

I encourage you to take a minute and visit Katherine's fundraising site and donate to the cause and support her as she prepares to run 13.1 miles!! Every little bit helps, so if you have 5 bucks to spare, please consider donating! CLICK HERE to help.

Will Kate complete her first half marathon? Will she beat my STELLAR time of 2:06:17? Will she stop mid-way through the race for Bud Lights and buffalo wings? You will just have to stay tuned to find out.....

**sigh**

Who doesn't love this song....

Now if JT would just stop messin' around with that manbeast Jessica Biel and give me a call we would be all set....

Music Monday

Cousin-in-law Drew strikes again with a stellar MM recommendation. I had not heard of Discovery, which released their first album last year and happens to be Rostam Batmanglij's (of Vampire Weekend) side project. I have been bopping around the house to this album today while I do laundry and clean my room. I think what really sold it to me was my almost 3 yr old buddy, Rives, bopping along to this song yesterday singing "It's not my fault!!!" This kid's destined for rock n' roll stardom.

"It's Not My Fault (It's My Fault)" by Discovery

I also spent time yesterday enjoying Rives dancing around to Travis Barker's remixes (which are fabulous by the way).....Drew has Apple TV so its easy to check out youtube videos on his big screen and we basically sat around watching different videos and rocking out. And let's be honest, Aunt El has been known to bust out a few dance moves with her main man, Rives. Also below you will find footage of the future Travis Barker, Jr.

Travis Barker on the drums

Rives on the drums (please note him look at me and ask "ready?")

What it do, Internet?

My cousin Lee sent this along.....and it made my day. LaDainian Tomlinson doing the Electric Glide.

Happy Monday.

cough, hack, cough, hack

Internet, I have been sick this week with what I can only self diagnose as consumption, circa 1820. No posts from me as I'm currently on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, cursing daytime TV. When I get better, life will resume.....

Music Monday

My brother had recommended this song to me some time ago after seeing the film "Crazy Heart" and I immediately fell in love with it. And last night it won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song - congrats! I have yet to see the movie, but its definitely on my "to do" list - from what I hear its really wonderful.....and I love Maggie Gyllenhaal which is an added bonus.

"The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Can I Get a HOLLA?

OMG, OMG, OMG.

When I saw this last night I called everyone I knew and told them to turn on American Idol.

"Can I do the holler? I love hollering. Alright, awesome. HOLLA!!"

Seeing this also reminds me of this - the other PHENOMENAL Womanizer dance footage from Christmas 2008....the same Christmas I fell down my apartment stairs while Blackberrying and sprained my ankle. Man, this Christmas was way tame in comparison.

When Animals Attack

Uh. For some reason this scares the bejesus out of me.

Researches have discovered octopuses that carry around coconuts, which they then HIDE IN. Presumably right before they pop up out of the ocean and suck the life out of you. My worst nightmare occurring at the :40 mark. Please view HERE.

This is clearly what is going to happen next.

Sidebar: Once I went on a cruise with my ex-boyfriend and another couple (shout out to Scott and Kristin!) and we stopped at this place called "Stingray City" in Grand Cayman. Uh.....Yea. I should have been turned off by the name alone. But everyone assured us it was just soooo much fun and we had to visit it. Stingray City is basically a huge sandbar in the middle of the ocean where they essentially put out CHUM in the water and these stingrays come eat it. They are so used to humans around, that the idea is that they ignore us and eat the food. Thus allowing humans to "pet" the stingrays. Cause who wouldn't want to pet a stingray. Oh that's right, ME.

So we wade out onto this sandbar and the instructor is all "You'll be fine just don't lift up your feet when you walk or you might step on one and die. Shuffle your feet through the sand." Uh, ok, easy.

The next thing I know he dumps all this food right in front of us and I COMPLETELY FREAKED OUT. I mean it was like I blacked out and floated up in the air and could see myself getting worked up but was powerless to do anything about it. I immediately jumped up and grabbed hold of my lovely friend Kristin - who is maybe 5'4" and weighs perhaps 97 pounds - and REFUSED TO LET HER GO. I had a death grip on her and I didn't care that I was leaving claw marks down her arms and back, I wanted my feet off that ground and Kristin's shoulders were my ticket out of there. TO THIS DAY, it gives me anxiety just thinking about it. Kristin, sorry I almost drowned you in Stingray City. I owe you one.

Actual photo of people enjoying themselves in Stingray City.

Music Monday

I have a habit of scribbling down on random pieces of paper parts of lyrics that I hear on the radio or tv that I like and want to remember. Then promptly losing those pieces of paper only to rediscover them months, nay years, later.

This is how today's Music Monday selection came to be. Last week I found a piece of paper that simply had in chicken scratch "I need ur help to clear my mind. You are the best thing. Ray LaMonte". I found this piece of paper shoved as a book mark in a book that I haven't picked up for at least three months and as I stared at it, it jarred no memory for me. Is it a quote from a movie? From a book? So I headed to trusty google and it turns out (1) I spelled his last name wrong and (2) its part of a song! BINGO! And since I apparently liked the song THEN, I felt sure I would like it NOW. So I downloaded it blindly and have been listening to it ever since and you know what? I WAS RIGHT, ITS GREAT. My system works.

Sidebar: Interestingly enough, the back of that same piece of paper? Says "Philly cheesesteak, 3 Bud Lights, Fries". Perhaps that's what I had for breakfast that morning? Who knows.

"You Are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne

KD Christmas

Before Christmas we were lucky enough to have our friend Christina, and her hubby Jeff, in town from San Fransisco! We all gathered for a Kappa Delta style dinner to catch up with her and to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Meredith was sweet enough to host our dinner and everyone brought a little something - I brought hash brown casserole and it was a hit! Potatoes, cheese, butter and cornflakes - yes please. Holiday weight gain - I have no idea what you're talking about. Moving on....

At the end of the dinner, Eve gave all the girls an ornament and when I opened mine? It was different from all the others - she had gotten me a 13.1 ornament to commemorate my half marathon!! So sweet and thoughtful of her!!

David enjoying the game in between managing the grill.

Daniel and Liz

John also enjoying the game and the festive Christmas tree lights :)

Eve and I

Thanks so much for my ornament Eve!

I came home and put it straight on our Christmas tree!

Sydney and Christina sample the desserts

The Girls:

Meredith, Ellen, Sydney, Anderson, Liz, Eve and Christina

To our other KD girlies, we missed you being here and can't wait to catch up with you soon! Come visit for a basketball game!! xoxoxo

Bowl Game 2009

Carolina went to the Car Care Bowl....again. And we lost....again. So disappointing. BUT we had a good time anyway going out after the game and visiting with friends, staying at Katherine's house in Charlotte and spending time with our cousin, Lee, who was in town from Arizona for the holidays! Here are a few pics.....

The Mann Kids - Lee, Katherine, Alston and Ellen

Lee and Katherine relax on the couch pre-game.

Alston and me

It was COLD at the game....Lee finally broke down and borrowed my mittens. This Arizona boy didn't come prepared for our cold winter weather!

Hello Paxton! One of Alston's old friends from high school, Paxton, was out afterwards and Katherine and I had a good time catching up with him.

How I Met My Boyfriend

Internet, below is an ACTUAL CONVERSATION about an ACTUAL SHOW currently being shown on ABC. I couldn't make this up if I tried. Please imagine me reading the instant message's below from my sister and snorting water out my nose because I started laughing so hard. Because that also actually happened.

Katherine:Uh are you watching the conveyor belt on abc?

Katherine: Because you should

Ellen: What? No I'm watching gilmore girls. {I'm not making that up Internet. Please don't judge.}

Ellen: What's a conveyor belt

Katherine: Its the most hilarious terrible insane dating show that should be on VH1

Katherine: And I'm loving it

Ellen: Oh lord

Katherine: The guys go by on a conveyor belt and the girls have a sign that says "interested" or "not interested"

Katherine: There is a guy in a speedo holding a dog.

Katherine: Do I need to say more?

Ellen: hahahahahahahahahhhhhhahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaahahahahahahha

Ellen: You had me at speedo.

You know you're gonna watch it next week....just admit it.

Party in the Stomach

I personally don't have problems in this area, but I know a lot of my friends that do :)

Music Monday

Hmmmm......Honestly? You should just download this whole album. Do it and if you don't like it I will mail you the $9.99 that you spent. (I probably won't though.)

They are originially from Concord, NC and had a big 2009 opening for Dave Matthews Band and Widespread Panic and performing with Wilco. They have also been on a bunch of the late night talk shows and strangely their songs have been featured on a ton of my little teeny bopper CW programs. "The CW: Terrible television, great music." I just found their new marketing slogan. Because I'm lazy, you can read about the band yourself on Wikipedia here. Now, one of their most popular songs is "I and Love and You" from the album of the same name.....

And while the above is a phenominal song, for some reason I just love this one......so today's selection is.....

"Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" by The Avett Brothers

Mann Family Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!! All the Mann kids were home and we had a wonderful time eating, watching movies and catching up with family and friends. I didn't take many pictures AT ALL but my sister grabbed a few which I thought you might enjoy......

I surprised Alston and Katie by decorating their bedrooms with Christmas lights....we used to do that when we were little kids and I had so much fun getting the house and their rooms ready for "Christmas: Full Throttle" - what I dubbed our holidays this year.

Katherine and I with Santa at the Carolina game

Alston on Christmas Eve assessing which present he wants to open....we each get to open one on Christmas Eve....and Alston has an uncanny nack of picking his worst present to open

Christmas!