I used to be so creative. When I was young, I would spend hours making up stories and committing them to paper. I wrote dozens of novellas. In college, I completed a short story collection but I’ve yet to revisit those characters. I think somewhere along the way I transferred my creative energies to the web and never really looked back. As I’ve been going through old boxes, I’m finding scraps of story starts and I’m in awe of what I used to do so passionately every day. I couldn’t let a pen leave my hands and now I rarely take one up except for taking notes during work meetings. And one story in particular has never left my mind when I day dream or am stuck driving in traffic or before I fall asleep. That character is still inside me waiting to tell her story.

I’m dreaming so much lately… of traveling, of taking photographs, of finishing that novel, of moving to another country, of starting a family. At this point in my life I think I’m ready to start making some of these dreams come true.

1. List your top seven eight character ships
2. Put all of them in order of your love for them; 7 to 1 1 to 8, 1 being your main fixation.
3. Name the movie/show that they’re in.
4. Supply photos for said people.
5. Tag seven people

1. Michael and Maria, Roswell
   Michael and Maria were really the first ship that I actively sought out fan fic, wrote my own, created sites for… to this day, I can still lose hours online by finding an old classic fic and rereading it. They had sizzling chemistry and a powerful connection. They were it for each other, no matter how much they drove one another crazy.
2. Jackie and Hyde, That 70′s Show
   Hilarious, feisty, heart warming, real. Their chemistry was evident from the very first season and I was sold. It took awhile for anything to happen between them, but the sparks were always there. And in my world, season 8 does not exist.
3. Lucas and Peyton, One Tree Hill
   Brooding artist + brooding athlete = true love. I love me some angst and this couple delivers on that from the pilot on. Season 6 premieres in a couple weeks and I can’t wait to see how their relationship will continue to unfold.
4. Angela and Jordan, My So-Called Life
   Sigh… the fantasy of crushing on the hottest guy in school. And then he actually notices you. They were flawed, awkward, sweet, messed up, and hot. It wasn’t hard for me to be obsessed from the first episode until the last.
5. Jesse and Celine, Before Sunrise/Sunset
   Romantic. Real. Beautiful. I adore Before Sunrise to pieces. It’s one of my favorite movies. I still remember seeing this my freshman year of college. I took a bus into town to go and see this. I went by myself, during a time that I felt very disconnected from the people I’d met in college. I was completely charmed watching two complete strangers make that ultimate connection, wondering if that would ever happen to me. And when they announced the same team was going to do a sequel? I was thrilled. I was on the edge of my seat trembling when the lights went down in the front row of a theatre with Ethan, Julie, and Richard sitting not that many rows from me. Before Sunset delivered, exceeding all expectations I may have had. It added more layers to this aching romance and these believable characters.
6. Dylan and Kelly, 90210
   I have no idea why I was so drawn to the forbidden couple of 90210. There was something about these two lost souls that just grabbed me. It could also be that I couldn’t stand Brenda and Dylan was hot. I didn’t follow the show past Dylan leaving… but I did tune in a few times once he came back to the show. And I loved that it ended with Dylan and Kelly back together. I doubt they are going to reconcile that ending into the new version of the show, so I have very little interest in watching it. That and the posters for it (on so many billboards and bus stops around Los Angeles) are freaking dumb.
7. Felicity and Ben, Felicity
   Another story that involved a long time crush, where the crush finally noticed the quiet and smart girl. Their chemistry from the pilot on had me always rooting for them. They had lots of ups and downs during the run of the show. What was interesting was that for most of it, they did manage to stay together and work through their problems. It wasn’t typical, it didn’t always make sense, some issues were out of character, but it was mostly well done. And they did end the show on the right note.
8. Rory and Dean, Gilmore Girls
   A first love told in a touching, realistic, and charming way. The writers ruined things from season 2 on, but there’s something about that magical first season that I still adore to this day.

They all look WAY HOT… even Danny for goodness sake! Joe is as cute as ever and singing louder than the others just like always used to do – LOVE IT! They announced full tour dates. I’m tempted to go to more than just the LA show. What is happening to me?!

More videos are up on the Today Show website.

Eddie declared this the Duran Duran Bipolar Tour of 2007. First bad news, then good, then bad, then good. It was pretty ridiculous. Saturday was a day for disappointment and disbelief. Travel all the way to NY to hear about the strike and canceled shows. Sob on sidewalk in middle of Chinatown. What the fuck is going on?

Next day, we start fresh. Think positive and don’t let seeing posters for the shows get us down. Experience Canal Street shopping for the first time. Nathan arrives and we walk around NY in a daze. Outside the big Apple store, we get word they have found an alternate venue. Jump up and down. Hooray! Get ready for premiere. Nerves rattling me. Relief. I really am on the list for the premiere of “August Rush”. Not only do I watch the movie early, but I watch it with Jonathan himself sitting 10 rows behind me. And I meet him thanks to Nathan’s prodding… the fantasy is not ruined. He’s sweet, charming, patient, and incredibly nice. Only makes what is happening now all the more heart breaking (another post coming about that).

By now Eddie has arrived and we all meet for an amazing dinner in the meat packing district. Great meal, great friends, enchanting place. Dance ourselves silly to a perfect mix of music. Best DJ ever even plays DD’s version of “White Lines” for us.

Monday we try to go to the Met. Forget it’s Veteran’s Day. All museums are closed. We try to go to the ice skating rink in Central Park. They are about to close. We stuff ourselves silly at a great Italian place in Times Square and take photos outside the Barrymore as it still has all of the Duran posters up. Try not to be down that we won’t be seeing them in such a tiny and magical venue. Get ready for show, get mixed up on the subway, get turned around in Times Square, then freeze while waiting in line. The lights go down and “The Valley” begins. Hearing the new album track by track is incredible. The electro set alone was totally worth flying across the country for. Hearing “Last Chance on the Stairway” is unreal. Disappointed they play HLTW when they hadn’t been playing it at previous shows. SIGH. I want to chop my feet off they hurt so much from all the walking and standing. Briefly see Nick, Simon’s mom and brother, and apparently miss seeing Alan Cumming by 5 minutes. Eat yummy food at a hip place near Union Square. Crash hard as feet tingle.

Tuesday we eat fabulous Mexican food in Chelsea and make our way to Virgin Megastore in Times Square to buy RCM (and August Rush soundtrack). They even have cardboard cut outs of each band member and of course we have to take many silly photos with them. DJ plays the title track while in store and we scream. He remarks there’s Duranies in the house. Hell yeah! Buying the album at Virgin gets you a free poster. Sweet. We head back to Barrymore to take more photos to make up for the ones Candice lost. After much wandering, we go back downtown to get ready for show. I’m smart this time and wear my converse even with a fabulous red dress. Get better spot than previous night. Another fantastic show… though they play HLTW again. Vow if they play “Save a Prayer” we will leave the crowd to get a seat upstairs. “Do You Believe in Shame?” starts instead and we lose our minds. Walk past Simon’s mom and didn’t even know. Miss seeing Yasmin. I’m more upset about that then not even getting to talk to Roger. Chow down at diner on the corner where they have a painting of the Neil SIMON theatre sign done by an artist with the last name DURAN. FREAKY!

Wednesday is sad. We clean up, pack… Nathan leaves for New Orleans. Eddie and I finally make it to Central Park. Wander around… Strawberry Fields, Bethesda Terrace, Belvedere Castle. Gorgeous leaves turning color and filling the ground as we walk. The sun is out and it’s perfect. Grab pizza at a little spot in Little Italy on our way back. Leave treats for Laura and say goodbye to Chinatown. We feel adventurous so take subway to JFK. It’s actually really easy and super cheap ($7 each instead of splitting a $75 cab ride.) Get to see more of the city and hear all the wonderful accents as we ride along. Make it just as our flight is boarding. Collapse on plane and off we go.

Wonderful trip… crazy adventure. I’m so glad that I went and that I had the best friends to share it all with. I got to meet my favorite actor, I got to enjoy my favorite band, and I got to spend time with some of my favorite people in a fabulous city. *pinch* Had to check.

I’m trying not to be bummed that I’m not going to the “August Rush” concert. I make it harder for myself when I can’t stop listening to this beautiful song over and over. Le sigh.

But then I snap out of it. I mean, I’m going to New York City with my best buds where I’m going to see my favorite band on the planet perform my favorite music on Broadway. I’m going to not one, but three shows. The set lists for the preview shows DD did in Connecticut are killing me. I have to pinch myself to know I’m not dreaming this trip up.

Back to Jonny… I’m not sure what I think about him starring as the lead in a “comic book movie”. It’s an independently financed one. Which could be a very good or bad thing. At least he’s playing a magician and that has the potential to be very sexy (see “The Illusionist” and “The Prestige”).

In other news, today has been a weird day. I hurt my hand by smacking it against a big SUV side mirror that was sticking out while I was riding my bike. Of course the car wasn’t hurt, but my pinky finger swelled up and instantly turned blue. When I got to work, I managed to ice it down but it still stings and aches. I’m surprised this hasn’t happened before now. I’m such a dork. And work… well, this one project is going to destroy a little piece of my soul. I’ll just leave it at that.

This trip to NY can’t come at a better time.

Sidenote: Posted some new photos… BrickCon in Seattle, pumpkin time with my nephews, pumpkin carving with my friends, and when we went up north for my nephew’s baptism in August. I still haven’t finished putting up our road trip photos. Some day, some day.