I'm a Nerd

Because secretly I am a tech nerd, I thought I would share a few of my favorite tech treats.

Nerdy Web Pages:
1. www.vidtomp3.com - you can rip the audio from any online video, like on YouTube, into an MP3 and load into your music player - best part, it's free!

2. www.nowplayit.com - learn how to play your favorite song on the guitar from the artists that sing them

3. www.tripkick.com - for the traveler in you - gives you all the inside information on hotels

Nerdy Habits:
1. Watching YouTube video on Tivo

2. I heart Google Reader - you all should set one up. It makes blog reading so much easier

3. Creating my own ringtones for my BlackBerry- want to learn how...... ( stole these directions from my friends blog, but why make my own when his work so well)

If you don't have a mac, step one for you is to go and freaking buy one already.

Works with non-rights-managed audio file (like those you would transfer from your own CD into iTunes)

Drag a non-rights-managed song from your iTunes library into an open GarageBand project.

Split and loop the track to edit it down to a 10-20 second clip.

Select "Export Song to Disk" from the Share menu and save it to your desktop or someplace easy to find.

Change the file extension of .m4a (an AAC format) to .mp3. Simply type over it.

Now you have a short mp3 clip that you can use on your phone. But the trick is getting it TO your phone.

Moving your clip to your BlackBerry:

Turn Bluetooth on from your Mac menu.

Turn Bluetooth on your BlackBerry to "on."

Go into your your BlackBerry's Ringtones folder in the device memory and select "Receive Using Bluetooth."

On your Mac, select "Send File..." from the Bluetooth menu.

When your BlackBerry asks if you accept the connection, click "yes."

Accept the file transfer and you now have a new ringtone to select!

I Like It

Just a fun new song from Ingrid Michaelson. You should download it from iTunes. Notice that she is wearing a Meiko shirt! :)

Meiko

Surprise surprise, I went to another concert tonight. For the bargin price of $10 we saw Joe Purdy, Meiko, Jay Nash, and Chris Seefried. Not only was the concert a steal of a deal, but as we were walking in, I ran into a coworker and his friends.

Chris Seefried (whom I had never heard of) opened and sounded fine, but its not as much fun to listen to live music that you don't know. Jay Nash came on next and let's just say he could sing me to sleep any night. I mean, look at him and just image sweet sounds oozing from his mouth.


Meiko came out next and was really the reason I went. I saw her a few months ago and while she sometimes gets an ugly "John Mayer" singing face, I still like her music. The low point of the night; when she kept walking off stage to "chug" her red wine since they would not let the musicians bring alcohol onto the stage. Even I know chugging red wine is trashy.



Surprisingly for all of the sass she has on stage, she was fairly nice and down to earth.


Since most of you don't know any of her songs, but should, here is a little sample for you. Your welcome.



Joe Purdy came on last and while I really like him, my feet hurt and I was ready to go home. We stayed for a few songs, but did not last through his entire set. Come on, its a school night.


My one regret of the night; not wearing my cowboy boots. How could I have missed that one? Next time.

Thank you BCB

Ok, I am sure you are all sick of my posts about Brandi Carlile, but this is the last one for a while.

Steph and I drove down to Portland to see her in concert again and man am I glad we did. I love Seattle, but the crows at concerts in Seattle are a little lame. The Portland audience rocked!

Steph and I rocked front row seats and set up camp while we waited for the show to start.


We have taken this exact shot at so many events, I think we could fill an entire scrap book.


I love this picture of Steph rockin my hat.


I might have to say this was my favorite Brandi concert....yet. She rocked it, the audience sang along and at one point she had everyone so captivated, all 3,500 people were dead silent during her song That Year.



Not only was this the best Brandi concert ever, Steph caught a pick she threw out. AWESOME.

Thanks Brandi for making the trip to Portland completely worth it and then some.

Sweet Macy Jane

How can you turn down an email from her asking you to come visit.



Can't wait to see you in September. Love your Aunt Lindsay Jane

So Many Concerts, So Little Time

I know you are all worried that I would run out of concerts to go to in the next couple of months, but have no fear. Before Christmas I will be seeing the following people in Live:

Jason Mraz
Tristan Prettyman
Marc Broussard
G Love & Special Sauce
Carrie Underwood
Ingrid Michaleson
Newton Faulkner
Brandi Carlile (her Holiday show!)

Anyone want to join along the way?

Brandi Weekend Part 2

It was so freaking hot today. It is never 90 degrees in Seattle, but it sure was today. Sitting in the sun for 3 hours before it set was killer, but well worth it. Steph and I had the change to see Brandi once again.


I wish every summer day looked like this.


I even got to enjoy the great show in a beautiful setting with my brother Jared.



Pat Monahan from Train performed and did a little duet with Brandi.


Life does not get much better then the weekend I just had.

Me and Brandi

What an amazing concert! I can't even describe it....the family sang, she rocked out to new songs, and the small venue was great. The best part.....I finally met her...said something awkward, told her how much I love her music and asked for a picture. We are pretty much BFF's now. I can't wait to see her again tomorrow night!


This is Steph and I before the show. We were already sweating. It was pushing 90 degrees in Seattle today and since that very rarely happens, no one has air conditioning. Needless to say it was ridiculously hot.


Ya...we were that close to the stage.



This video is for Em and Chelsea....we wish you had been there. You can watch the entire show! It's not the same as being there in person, but still some fun moments. My favorite part was when she sang with her mom.

The first few songs are the Twins old band Fighting Machinest performing. They "Opened" for her. :)

Brandi Eve

Today is a great day! It is Brandi Carlile Weekend Eve. I am seeing her Friday and Saturday. Friday night I hope to meet her as it is a very small venue and Saturday night I get to share this amazing event with my brother!

To get you all as excited as I am, I have posted a few videos of songs that will most likely be on her new album. If there are too many for you to handle, at least listen to the 2nd one all the way through and last one for the first 40 seconds.

It's gonna be great!



Come on, how can you listen to this and not be happy?










And because I know you are all as excited about the music cruise as I am, I give you a really bad recording someone took on the cruse last year. I can't wait. I don't remember the last time I was this excited for something.

Olympics

I have been loving the Olympics as much as all of you have. If work were not so freaking busy and I did not own a Tivo, I would be really sick this week. :)

USA has come to love Michael Phelps again this year and I must admit I like watching him continue to win, but Michael...can I give you 4 pieces of advice?

One:
I would think you were a pro at standing on the medals podium, putting your hand on your heart and enjoy the national anthem, but looks like you need some guidance. You see, when people put their hand over their heart they lay it gently across their chest. They don't cup their size B boob! Yes you have impressive pecks, but it's tacky and looks a little creepy.



Two:
Close your mouth!

Three:
I am all for making money through endorsements, but maybe before you agree to model Speedo's new...ah...onesie, you should ask to see it and give your input. I'm just saying....sheer and tight....yikes. Oh, and nice tattoo by the way.


Four:
This is the one I feel most strongly about; Drinking and Driving is NEVER ok. The "I learned from my mistake" bit does not cut it with me.

Now back to winning Gold Medals!


Olympic Commercials

I don't often watch them thanks to my favorite friend Tivo, but I could not stop laughing at this one. I can't wait for The Office to start again.



I also love this commercial and if you don't know why then you really don't know me. I am proud of my brother Jared for seeing the ad on his own and knowing right away!

Mr. Sunday Nap

Dear Mr. Sunday Nap,

It was great to visit you again yesterday. It has been too long since we played together and I forgot how much I like you. However, if you could get rid of Mrs. Not Sleepy Sunday Night that would be great. I can't visit both of you as it makes for a VERY rough Monday morning.

I hope we can play together again once you have devised a plan.

Thanks,

LJ

Here We Go

It's going to be a great week:

- I made dinner for tomorrow. It's in the fridge ready to crock-pot itself all day
- The Olympics are on every night
- The house is clean
- I am getting a new pair of running shoes
- I am going to not one, but two Brandi Carlile concerts!
- I WILL meet Brandi (this is me trying that Secret crap again)
- My brother is going to one of her concerts with me
- I am buying tickets to the Carrie Underwood concert
- The weather forecast is nothing but sun for the week
- I get to wear my new red shoes

Genius!

Today I finally admitted that I am sick with a pretty nasty cold and stopped by the store on my way home from the gym to buy more kleenex. Little did I know what was waiting for me.


I am very particular about the kleenex I buy. I prefer the Puffs Plus with aloe, but will take any brand with lotion in it. I found the Puffs Plus and was looking for the best designed box when I saw it....Puffs Plus with Vicks. I picked it up, took a good whiff of that sweat sinus soothing smell and was sold. It is like magic! Not only are you able to blow your nose, but the hint of Vicks left on the rim of your nostrils help you stay breathing easy.

I can't believe it took us so long to image this genius concoction. Now all we need to do it get the jelly belly people and the diet coke people together and the world will be a happy place.

I've Been Thinking

I have been thinking about getting a Mini Cooper. Why you ask? Because I like them and though I may have some sick parallel parking skills, trying to find a spot large enough to park every morning in Queen Anne is getting really old.

Who knows, maybe one of these days I just might actually do it.

Weekend Highlights

While purchasing Breaking Dawn:

Cashier: That will be $17.54
Me: Here you go
Cashier: Would you like the free Twilight movie poster
Me: No thanks, I am already embarrassed that I am purchasing this book.
Cashier: Good point


While eating chicken and pot stickers for dinner:

Steph: Does this chicken come with grill marks and it's own sauce?
Me: Yes
Steph: Is it real chicken?
Me: Yes
About 2 minutes later:
Steph: This is the weirdest dinner I have ever had
Me: Ya, this chicken is strangely a little like soggy bread

Rude!

Saturday I was playing chubby girl on the treadmill at the gym while an art festival was taking place across the street. There I was, trying to run while people kept walking past the window enjoying the best looking funnel cakes doused in powder sugar. Seriously people...you are simply evil.

How Will I Know?

My favorite conversation of the week:

Sister: Linds, I had to call because Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" was playing on the radio and when you were 3 you loved that song.

Me: Oh, I remember and I do love it, but I still have not figured out "How Will I Know?" Whitney was so wise.

Sister: Maybe I should not admit I was listening to a radio station that plays songs like this.

Me: Of course you should. How are your kids going to learn quality music if you don't. Man, I really did love that song. I also loved her "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." And again, I still have not found that someone to dance with.

As I hung up the phone, I could not stop laughing as I could still feel the deep and indescribably love I have for those two horribly synthesized song. It made me want to run home, rat my hair and dance in front of the mirror while singing at the top of my lungs.

Whitney, I am sad you turned to crack and ruined your music career. We really had a good thing going there.