It’s Finally Friday!!!

Quote of the Day:

Looking for Love:

Relationship tools from unlikely places.

Wine Me, Dine Me:

Sausage and tortellini soup on a chilly Fall night?? Yes please!

How Does Your Garden Grow:

16 foods that will re-grow from kitchen scraps.

Dollars + Sense:

All the financial advice you’ll ever need on a 4×6 index card.

Home Sweet Home:

Did you know gray walls put a damper on sexy time?? Find out what colors to paint your home for a harmonious living space.

Round the World:

What are you waiting for??

Inspirational:

It’s okay if you cry. I did. This commercial is better than most of the movies out today.

Out and About:

In case you find yourself stuck in the middle of an awkward silence this weekend…

Friday Fun:

The fabulous Katelyn Richards will be celebrating her birthday at Club Meadows tonight in East Longmeadow. The line-up includes the lovely lady herself, Cold Shot, and many more.

The Marks Brothers will be playing all your favorites at Hoops n Hops in Simsbury, CT.

Saturday Shenanigans:

Your favorite wandering minstrels are wandering down to Rhode Island! Primate Fiasco will be rocking the roof off The Spot Underground in Providence. Also on the bill, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. Get down to the Ocean State for some super funky dance jams you don’t want to miss!!

Got those dancing shoes on but can’t hitch a ride to RI?? Get down to Sam the Clam’s in Plantsville for Bad Rooster!!

For all you Deadheads, The Dead Show will be at The Austrian Donau Club in New Britain, CT. $8, doors open at 9pm.

Sunday Funday:

As if you needed another reason to go to The Big E, The Kings will be at Storrowton Tavern Sunday afternoon. Show starts at 5pm. Go early and gorge, then dance off those calories!

Giggles and Such:

What your music taste says about you on a date.

Check out this epic list of totally awesome singalongs to rock your Friday.

Have a great weekend!

May the Force be with You

I don’t like hearing “no”.

I know, I know, who does?!?

It’s not that I’ve never been told I couldn’t have what I want.

Trust me, that happens far more frequently than you’d think.

But, I was raised to believe, if you want something bad enough, you work your ass off to make it happen, and you don’t stop until you reach your goal.

The trouble with that mindset is it doesn’t always work so well with people.

Most people, once they have their mind made up, are very hard to budge.

I’m not a closer.

I’d be terrible at sales.

I hear “no” and get so frustrated I don’t have another course of action.

I can’t see any solution to change that “no” to a “yes”.

Cajoling and pleading only work sometimes.

And a pretty smile might open a few doors, but that’s about it.

I feel powerless when someone shuts me down.

Like I lost my ability to influence my world.

Like my choices are taken away.

It makes me wish for magical powers.

If only I could harness The Force!

I wouldn’t abuse my power.

The Jedi Mind Trick would only be employed during desperate situations.

Tragic stalemates where neither party can find a way out of the corners they’ve backed themselves into.

Maybe once or twice to see future lottery numbers or to mess with unassuming bystanders.

How funny would it be to make someone’s table levitate and turn circles mid-meal at a restaurant??

That’s just good, clean fun!

Have you ever really changed someone’s mind?

Or did you just wear them down to the point where they’d agree to anything just to get you to shut up?

Do you think it’s even possible to change someone’s mind??

What magical power do you wish you had?!

It’s Finally Friday!!!

Quote of the Day:

Climbing the Ladder:

You gotta know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em. How to tell is it’s time to move on.

Get Cultured:

11 untranslatable words from other countries. My favorite is waldeinsamkeit. Now if I could only figure out how to pronounce it!

Body Lovin’:

Spine and neck pain got you down? Try these 8 yoga poses to cure your cervical issues.

Wine Me, Dine Me:

Your new favorite tuna sandwich.

Looking for Love:

Hot date with a new boo?? Here are 50 questions to ask to see if they’re the one for you.

Out and About:

Friday Fun:

It’s a beautiful night to watch a movie under the stars! Big is playing in Colt Park in Hartford. Show starts at 7pm.

Darik and The Funbags will be rocking out upstairs at Max Cap in Chicopee. $10 cover. 10pm start LA Looks will be kicking the party off at 9pm downstairs.

For all you deadheads The Dead Show is at Theodore’s tonight. Never a cover and the best bbq in town!

The Apple Jam starts tonight in Bondsville, MA. If you love good music and like your festivals to be on the smaller more intimate level this one’s for you! Only $40 at the gate.

Saturday Shenanigans:

The Marks Brothers will be at The Austrian Donau Club in New Britain.

The Alchemystics are teaming up with Satellite Rockers to blow the doors off Tammany Hall in Worcester. $10 at the door. Doors open at 9pm. Music starts at 10pm.

The Apple Jam continues Saturday with a killer line-up – The Kings, Mutherload, and South Catherine Street Jug Band will all be rocking out along with many more. When’s the last time you paid only $40 for a festie??

Giggles and Such:

Have a great weekend!

It’s Finally Friday!!! (sort of…)

Quote of the Day:

Love + Sex:

Breaking up is hard to do.

Climbing the Ladder:

Not all “mistakes” are created equal.

Creative juices running low? Here are 4 articles and 6 TED talks to get your creativity flowing.

Body Lovin’:

Did you know baking soda can do almost anything??

For all you new mommas – the ultimate guide to organic formula.

Following Your Dreams:

Scratch that itch.

Out and About:

Thirsty Thursday:

Roomful of Blues will be rocking Stearns Square for Bike Night this week. Come soak up the end of summer. Music starts at 8pm.

If you love The Dead the Space Ballroom in Hampden, CT is the place to be. $12 at the door. Show starts at 9pm.

Friday Fun:

For my CT homies:

The Muppet Movie will be playing in Elizabeth Park in Hartford at 7pm.

Lucid will be at Stella Blues in New Haven. If you haven’t seen these guys yet you’re in for a treat! Lucid serves up a blend of funky, jazzy, reggae rock guaranteed to get you on your feet!

For my Western Mass peeps:

The John Cantalini Band will be rocking The Sky Box in Southwick.

Saturday Shenanigans:

Got the blues?? Rich Badowski Blues Band will be at The Waterfront in Holyoke.

Looking to get saved Saturday night? Reverend Dan and The Dirty Catechism CD Release Party is at The Elevens in Northampton, MA. Baptism starts at 8pm.

Feeling nostalgic for flannel and JNCO jeans?? Head out to the Southwick Inn to see your favorite 90’s cover band Gnome Sane.

Giggles and Such:

Drink to excess in Texas.

Have a great week(end)!

Grow A Pair

Life can be pretty fucking scary sometimes.

There are so many unknown variables.

Things that could go horribly wrong.

But things could also go amazingly right.

It’s easy to decide something is too hard, that it couldn’t possibly work out and turn your back on the incredible opportunities life has to offer.

The trouble is, when you stop taking chances, decide that nothing ever turns out right, close yourself off from forming meaningful connections – you might as well be dead.

You become an empty shell, a walking/talking/breathing zombie.

Aimlessly living your life.

Accidentally bumping into whatever crosses your path. Never reaching out to hold on to anything or anyone.

Content in your assumption that while something or someone might make you happy for a moment it’s certain to end in disaster.

So you pull away.

You hide out in your empty shell. Every once in awhile giving it a new coat of shellac so no one notices how dull your eyes have become.

You miss out on the best that life has to offer.

You become a coward.

It’s not the end of the world though.

You don’t have to remain one.

Grow a pair.

Take a chance.

The regrets of the dying aren’t the things they wish they didn’t do.

It’s the ones they wish they had.

Speaking of the dying, for those of us who have lost loved ones far too soon, we have a special obligation to live the fullest life possible.

An obligation to make sure we grab life in heaping handfuls.

Never forgetting what a precious gift we’ve been given.

No one gets a do-over.

Second chances are finite.

Even if you believe in re-incarnation – you never get to live the same life twice.

So don’t squander it.