Vegas, Baby!

Hello all,
I've just returned from my first trip to Las Vegas, so there is much to tell, but first thing is first.  I MUST tell you all about the new MAN in my life.  He's romantic (when he wants to be), adventurous, sexy, well-traveled, wealthy, has a wild imagination, perhaps a little on the dark side, but who cares--- I am in love with him!  His name is James.  James Patterson!  

Ahahhahaha.  Did I have some of you going?  At least for a second?  Awesome.

So far I've read Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas.  It's one of his three romance novels and an excellent beach read if you are looking for one.  Next was Roses are Red.  It's of the thriller/mystery genre.  I must admit, I've gotten away from these in the past few years. I've been reading more classics, autobiography's, and romance novels, but oh, how I have missed them so!  So now I'm reading The Postcard Killers and I can't put it down! I've got Sail on my book shelf ready to go... The man has over 80 books in print.  Over eighty of them!!!  I am soooo excited. It's like I've just discovered a treasure chest.  An unending treasure chest! 

I love books.  I am a nerd.  I do not care.  Earlier this summer when we were in Watercolor-- my sister, LauraFrazier, and I were packing a cooler and getting ready to head down to the beach and she said, "What book did you bring to read with you, sister?  And I said,"The Sun also Rises by Hemingway"...  and she said "EARNEST Hemingway???!"  Ahahahaaha.  That's the one!

While we're on the subject of books I love, I must mention the showing of "The Help" I went and saw last Thursday night.  I belong to a MINT group here in Nashville.  That stands for Mississippians in Nashville, Tennessee.  (Clever, right?)  We pay $5 in dues a year and get together to do different social events.  It is so much fun!  You never know who you are going to see!  The only criteria is that you lived in Mississippi before you went to college and have somehow, over the years, found yourself residing in Music City.  The events are so much fun because everyone is so friendly and it's cool to hear everyone's story about how they came to live in Nashville.  I think learning about other people's journeys is so interesting. Anyway-- over 70 MINTS got together for cocktails and appetizers at a restaurant next door to the movie house last Thursday and then we all walked over to see "The Help" together.  It was really such a fun event.  I loved the film, so if you haven't seen it yet-- you must!  Of course the book was better... always is!  But this movie seemed extra special because there were so many familiar faces and places in it.  Literally!  I knew at least four people on the big screen (extras mostly) and it was filmed right there in the Mississippi Delta where I grew up.  Technically, Greenwood-- not Tunica.  But a cotton field is a cotton field is a cotton field to me.  Ask anybody from around those parts!  Faith Hill was in the audience that night as well.  She's not a MINT, but she def should be!  I couldn't get close enough to tell her so, or else I would've. 

So-- on to my Vegas trip.  I had to go for work, but no worries-- I managed to mix in a little fun as well.  I was up at 4am Nashville time to make my flight on Friday.  There's a two hour time difference so I actually made it to my hotel, The Cosmopolitan

by 9am and had a whole day to spend down at the pool... I mean pools. 

Also-- my best, good friend Luke Renfro flew over from his home in LA and stayed the weekend with me in my swanky hotel.  I hadn't seen him since the Christmas holidays and we had the best time just hanging out and catching up.  He makes me laugh more than anyone else on the planet! 

And here is us pretending to be movie stars:

Friday night we drank our weight in white wine and stayed out until almost 4am.  Who DOES that when they have to be in meetings all day the next day?! (think start time, 8am).  I'll tell you who:  ME.  And it wasn't just the staying out late.  I had been up for almost 24 hours by the time I finally got to bed!!   I thought I would DIE on Saturday.  Literally die.  My meetings lasted into the afternoon and then we had tickets to see Phantom of the Opera  Saturday night. 

Due to the fact that my friend Luke is a very big deal-- he scored us FREE tickets to shows on both nights.  We were VERY close to the orchestra on Saturday night and the music was SO LOUD and SO SCARY.   I was really pretty nervous the entire time.  The special effects were awesome and the theater was really something to see!  My one qualm with this show, however, was that they sang everything.  And I mean-- EVERYTHING.  They never spoke... AT ALL.  It was like-- ENOUGH already with the singing!  And WHY are you singing right now? It's not a song!  You should be SPEAKING!  Holy hell, it was annoying.

We had dinner after the show and made it in relatively early (for Vegas) that night.  I don't think I've fully recovered yet, but I'm getting close.  I got back late yesterday afternoon.  It was my first trip to Vegas ever. I'm not sure when I'll go back but I'm certainly glad to know what all the fuss is about!  :)

And... in closing, I'd just like to write down a few things that have been on my mind as of late.  Some are more serious than others, but rest assured I am genuine about them ALL.  I call these--"things that would make the world a better place":

more romance, less indifference
more undertanding, less judgement
more music, less war
more babies, fewer criminals
more men like my daddy... and less like the ones I've dated
more honesty, less cowardice
whole cities built with trampoline floors, less concrete

Siggghhhhhh.  A girl can dream, can't she? 

I hope this finds you all doing well and staying cool. As always, thanks for reading!

Yours ever,
Myra

Blog about the Beach

Howdy Blog World,

I've been at the Beach for the last 10 days and it was fantastic!  I thought I'd tell you a little bit about that and then move on to some Nashville news... if I can think of any.

My parents rented a house for the week in Watercolor. If you don't know the place-- you must go.  Cute as hell, picturesque little community of houses right off the beach in Florida.. near Seaside.  It has 6 huge pools, tennis courts, a lake for kayaking/canoeing/yoloing (whatever you fancy), a few little shops, restaurants, a sno-cone truck!!,  and you can ride your bike EVERYWHERE.. which is one-- if not my MOST favorite part.  I gotta say that bicycles with baskets are seriously underrated.  I mean-- I loved it!  You can put all KINDS of stuff in there. I seriously want to invest in one of these, but a road bike makes more sense living in Nashville, dang it.

Anyway-- since it had been a few  years since I'd ridden a bike that wasn't bolted to the floor-- dismounting proved a little more difficult than I remembered.   I lost half of a big toenail one night right before settling on the beach for Magic Hour.  (I launch into a vast description of Magic Hour in my post about the beach from last year.  You may find it here.)  So my toe is throbbing, but I'm determined not to let it ruin my evening. I cross over the board walk to descend upon the beach for the sunset and YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE the ARMY of children-- no adults-- no families down there dressed in khaki and white!!  What IS this phenomenon?  Seriously?!  I mean-- people--- it has been DONE.  Done, done, done, done, done!  Lordy.  If I'm ever blessed with a husband and a few kiddos-- you will NOT catch us down on the beach at Magic Hour in khaki and white.  No WAY.  However, if might be funny to go down there dressed in all black and tell them all not to smile for the camera.  That would be a funny Christmas card, right? A satire!  I'm going to write that down some place and I hope I don't forget where it is...

Of course it was particularly nice getting to be with my niece for an entire week!  She kept us laughing non-stop per the usual.   Here is a picture of her right after I got there with the life jacket on that I brought her as a present.  She loved it!

She loves princesses (who doesn't really?), and babies, and kitty cats!  She is just a girl after my own heart, I tell you!  She's in charge too, boy.  Seriously.  Here is a picture of me and my sleeping arrangements for the trip:

Her bed was a king.  Hahaha.  Sounds like we spoil her, but that isn't really the case.  She's not used to a "big girl bed" yet, so it was easier to get her down if she slept with her momma!  And hey-- at least I was safe from falling out of my bed.

I've got funny stories for days from this trip-- one in particular about my daddy trying to jump a curb while riding his "adult tricycle" ---but it's MUCH funnier in person, so I'll save that for another time.  I WILL include this story about his shoes though:

That's right.  Those are my dad's tennis shoes.  No, this is not a picture from 1981.  This is his CURRENT pair of tennis shoes.  He pulled those out one day and we were dying.  DYING, I tell you. It was so hysterical. He admitted to them being 30 years old, at LEAST and then said--"these are perfectly fine tennis shoes!  What's wrong with them?"  Ahahahaha.  I didn't even know where to begin telling him---, so I just told him he looked poor! Very, very, poor.  He didn't care.  He even wore them down to the beach one day and a couple we had just befriended from Tupelo, MS sort of chimed in on the subject too.  Ahahaha.  It was awesome.  He took it all in stride though.  One of my guy friends who met my father recently said, "If someone doesn't like your daddy-- then--there is something wrong with THEM."  Truer words never spoken, I tell ya.  :)

I read three books while I was down there too, but perhaps I'll do a whole book blog one day soon and save those for then... I'll leave you with a few more pictures from our trip.  I loved every second of it, but of course am glad to be back home in Nashville!  As always, thanks for reading.  I hope you and yours are having a blessed summer!

View from the board walk

Lilly Whit snoozin' on the beach

  

Lanie's beach birthday

Champagne punch! 

Ahhhh-- Magic Hour.  How I love thee.   (I managed to snap this without a single khaki and white clad robot in site! :)

My Movie Family

I've always sort of thought about who I would want to play me in the movie of my life.. (you know-- if they ever made a movie of my life...)  I kind of thought everybody did this, yes?

Apparently NOT-- because when I ask my friends who they would want to play them in the movie of their life-- most of them give me a look like --"I don't have time for such games, fool!"

But when I texted my family to see who they would want to play them in the movie of  THEIR lives; they responded with GREAT ENTHUSIASM.   I sent everyone the exact same text at the exact same time: 

Tom and Laura responded first with "Cedric the Entertainer and Queen Latifah" accordingly.  I told them this was serious!! And to start treating it that way!  So they did. (Final results appear below WITH pictures.. no worries).

Sara Whitten texted me back that she would like to be Julia Roberts. I told her that was WAY too cliche... So she came back with Bette Midler.  Ahahahahaha.  Bette Midler?!  Whaaaaaaaaaaat?!  RANDOM.

So then I texted Tom and Laura and told them that Sara Whit wanted to be Bette Midler and we all started dying and firing texts at her telling her how terrible she was at this game and what a hilarious and completely oddball choice Bette Midler was...    It was awesome.

Brother Brian was brief and to the point about who would play him.

I'm pretty sure Momma and Daddy were asleep when the original text went out so we had to do some hypothesizing FOR them.  Tom asked me who I thought should play Momma and I said that was easy.  That I thought Sally Field should play Momma.  Then they all asked me and asked who I thought should play Daddy in the movie and I said "The coach from Remember the Titans."  I got three text responses that just read: "Denzel Washington?!"
Ahahahaha.  Clearly--    No.  He looks nothing like my daddy.  But this guy does. 

My parents got in on the game bright and early the next morning.  Mom texted at 8am to say she couldn't think of her name--but she wanted to be "the the star of Pretty Woman."  Like mother like daughter!  She said she might change her mind before film day though.

Daddy, not being much of a texter, called me to talk about who would play him and we finally narrowed it down to two very strong contenders... One barely inched out the other (George Peppard and Tom Selleck)  So, without further ado, may I present to you-- My Movie Family!:

Real Daddy

"Movie Daddy" - George Peppard

My real Momma

Movie Momma

Brother Brian

Brother Bruce

Sara Whitten, my sis

Jennifer Garner.  Hey-- she's no Bette Midler, but she'll do. 

Tom-- my brother

Tim--my brother

The beautiful LauraFrazier

Laura's movie version self

Yours truly

Yours movie.  She sings AND acts AND loves cotton.  Just like me.  :)

I just wanted to add a picture of this little nugget for good measure.  She could probably play herself.  She is such a hoot to be around and will basically do anything you tell her to...

I have video proving as much about Lilly girl, but I can't figure out how to load it.  I also tried for HOURS (okay maybe 30 minutes) to get all these pictures to post side by side-- but alas... it was to no avail.  My blogging skills are lacking but this does make for two posts in one week.  A new record for me!

Would love to hear who would play you in the movie of YOUR lives if you feel so inclined as to share with me.  

Love yall!  Mean it!

Yours ever,
Myra

Catching up!

Hi all,

I know I said I would try to post with more frequency this year, but I gotta tell ya-- with all the rain, endless cold weather, tornados, and the flooding going on down in the Delta-- it's hard to think of anything completely mindless and ridiculous to blog about... you know... which is kind of what I do!

HOWEVER, the first episode of The Bachelorette aired last night and I found myself inspired again! Truly!  I find it a lot more entertaining to sit around watching 25 single, good looking MEN in a house--- for obvious reasons.

William is WAY up high on my list of "dudes that will stick around til the end."  He does impressions and speaks in accents.  I love a man who speaks in accents!

TIM, the drunk guy, was utterly ridic.  And that New Jersey butcher's voice and mannerisms (and gold chain) made me want to crawl out of my skin, he was so gross!  I can't find pics on the internet YET or I'd post them... but I'm probably going to need to blog about this season because it gives me such joy... and pain... all at the same time.  Lanie took this picture last night of me watching.  

 I am screaming under that blanket.  Screaming at the top of my lungs.

Moving on-- WHAT ABOUT THIS CICADA OUTBREAK IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE?!   Ohmyword--it is KILLING me.  KILLING me.  Mostly because they have overtaken my patio.  MY patio. Not theirs.  I can't even sit out there.  Hell, I can't even WALK out there without feeling like they are crawling all over me.  And now they have started to fly.   It's like they've doubled in number because they come at you from all angles.  And the NOISE.  The DEAFENING noise.  You people down in Mississippi probably think I'm exaggerating, but I assure you I am not.  Look:

  Gag out.

So, lately, whenever one of my friends starts dating someone new-- I'll ask them-- "What do they look like?  Compare them to somebody famous."  This is a pretty good reference when you think about it because you really get an idea of what realm we're dealing with--- Like, "a less cute version of Brad Pitt" still lets you know that you're not dealing with a total ugo.  "Rachel Ray's cuter, younger sister" lets you know we're swimming around in an "about average" range... You get the point.  Anyway-- *Thad (we'll call him Thad) was the last guy that I dated and he was always in the gym.  I mean-- like a insane person  He was short, stocky, drank protein shakes morning noon and night.  It was like he had to go run every day or he'd go crazy...  Like a Weimaraner. 

We only saw each other a few times a week and I was pretty stingy with that time you know.... Because, I felt like I barely got to hang out with him--- So I never felt the need to introduce him to my friends because they would just suck up all my time--- and I needed it... --- to figure out if I really liked him or not.  Right? 

Anyway, after a couple of months they started to ask me what he looked like and to "compare him to somebody famous."  I was stumped.  I really was.  I literally couldn't think of ANYBODY to compare him to.  Recently though-- I figured it out.

Thad looked like a Ninja Turtle. 

In other news, I just got back from a girl's trip down to Watercolor where the weather was absolutely PERFECT.  I ran into some old college friends who were also down there for a wedding and had a genuinely lovely time complete with cocktails on the beach at magic hour.  Not sure what more a girl could ask for!

For my friends who read.  Here's a recap of what I read while I had my toes in the sand:

Little Bee by Chris Cleave.  A thought provoking fiction tale of a Nigerian refugee and the oil war that exists there in reality.  A real page turner, however, there are many sad moments including one pretty descriptive torture, rape and murder scene... so it may not be exactly what you're looking for to go get your tan on...

Carolina Isle by Jude Deveraux.  A silly, silly mystery involving twenty-somethings that you should NEVER pick up.  She's a New York Times best selling author and I thought it would be a saucy beach read-- but I was wrong.  Utterly and Completely wrong.  Never read it.  Very little character development and the plot, again-- was just silly.  It was mildly entertaining at best.  I read it in a few hours.

Paradise by Judith McNaught.  A romance novel at it's BEST.  This is the perfect beach read!!  I won't spoil it for you by saying anymore.  Just go get a copy and start the love affair (no pun intended).  I doubt you will be disappointed.  Unless you are a man... in that case-- I doubt very much that you would like it.  Not even a little.

It feels good to blog again!  Here's to the summer and the sand and the water and regaining ownership of my patio!! 

I hope to catch up with you all again sooner rather than later. 

Yours ever,
Myra

What Seems to be a Theme

Bloggies and Bloggarinas--
Most of you know how much I love a good party, yes?  I love going to them and I love throwing them!  Especially if they have a theme.  I know not everyone loves a theme, but well.. I do.  So, with the 2nd annual Cinco de Myra coming up on May 5th-- I got to thinking about all of the theme parties I've hosted in the past.  I thought I'd give you a little rundown starting all the way back in 2004.  Feel free to make complete and total fun of me via your comments or steal some ideas...  Whatever's more your style.  :)

The Year: 2004.  The Occasion:  Mel, Emily, and My's housewarming Party at 907 Winston Place:
I had recently returned from a month long backpacking trek through Europe with Kelly Kirk and Susanna Stringer.  We met friends,  Jake, Jonathan, and Matt ( all pictured below) and they traveled all the way from their home in New Smyrna Beach, Florida to Nashville for the party that started it all... Keggeroke:
*Sidenote-- Kelly couldn't make it because she was [and is] a really big deal in Washington D.C., but Susanna is the blond bombshell pictured below (currently a very big deal in Austin, TX).  Oh-- How I miss those girls!

It consisted of exactly what it sounds like-- a keg (2 of them in fact) and everyone's favorite--- a little Karaoke!  

But the most fun here came in the form of the "prom pics" that Mel, Emily, and I thought we should add to the party -- just for good measure:

What I really love about all these pictures (and all the pictures that follow)--- is the consistency of friends in the cast and crew.  How blessed I am to have such lasting relationships with such awesome people.

Moving right along--- The year: 2007.  The Occasion: Zach D. and Yennie's birthday party.  The theme:  Warm it Up with Zach D. and Yen:  To be clear-- Zach and Yen share a similar birthday, so they'd get together upon occasion for a little joint celebration.  I'm not sure why it always ended up at MY house... but it did and here is what ensued.  Pretty amazing... if I do say so myself.  You either go big or go home, people.  Go big or go home:

 I bedazzled the seat of my pink warm-up pants with my name... and the only pictures I can find of myself are of that....and only that.  I'll spare you the pain of seeing it--- because I'm pretty sure that my momma reads this...  Just know that the pants rocked.  Hard. 

I'm going to leave you all with one final picture that I feel must be included.  I call it
"EPIC Game of Flip-Cup":

It's hard to find the words to summarize the next party as it remains very near and dear to my heart.  The year: 2005, 2006, 2007 AND 2008.  The Occasion: It's flipping HOT in July.  The Theme:  Sip & Slide:

You got it, kids.  Boat drinks and a  couple of oversized slip & slides made for one phenomenal yard party four years in a row.  It started quaintly-- 20 or 30 people showed up in 2005... Our best good friends Grace and Shelly moved in next door in 2006, however.  "The Compound" was born and by the final Sip & Slide party in 2008, there were HUNDREDS of people in attendance.  So many good memories with good friends.  I've pulled pics from all four years and posted them here because they basically all look the same:

My brother would come up and fry catfish for everyone courtesy of my sweet Daddy!

 And the 2nd year of Sip & Slide, my best good friend Laura Frazier happened to be in attendance.

 She met my brother there.. and would you even believe it???-- They got MARRIED a year and half later!

Sometimes I can't even believe it!  So see-- a very special party indeed.

Moving on...

The year: 2008.  The Occasion:  Zach & Yen's birthday party (again).  The Theme: CELEB-brate (come as a celebrity or famous couple).

We rolled out the red carpet and the celebrities came in droves.  Here's a look at just a few:

Yoko & John

Mary and Joseph

Deb & Napoleon

Lorena & John Bobbit 

Priscilla & Elvis

Slash & Brett Michaels

Pamela Anderson

And what's a birthday party without a cake, right?  

I slaved over this all day... and it was so much FUN!  Ha.

Okay--winding down here... sort of... The year: 2010 (May 5th, 2010).  The occasion: Celebration of Mexican Pride and Heritage.  The Theme: Cinco de Myra

Let me just preface the post about this party by stating that it had all the elements needed to be a fantastic time! ... And then--- the flood hit Nashville on May 1 & 2.

I sent out an email canceling the festivities noting that "SINKO de Myra" would no longer be happening because of the damage I'd received due to the flood waters.  A few of my friends convinced me, however, that "the show must go on!"  At least for very select few that I didn't mind having come over to a house with no air conditioning and a yard full of debris...

My band, "The Porch Swingers," still played and we had a pretty good time despite it all.  I'd post a picture of "The Porch Swingers" except I only have two, and I look like a hippopotamus in both of them.  Better luck this year, I guess, as I am planning to host it again, and we are planning to play. If you're reading this, and are in the Nashville area-- mark your calendar.  I'd love for you to stop by!  I'll post more details soon at facebook page near you.

And last but not least--- there is the small matter of my birthday party this year.
The year: 2010.  The Occasion: My 30th Birthday.  The Theme: Thirty Dancing.

It was a stellar way to ring in my thirties. I think I'm done with the birthday celebrations from here on out, but I'll always remember Thirty Dancing.  If I could change one thing about it-- I'd appoint one person as photographer... Most of the pics I have from that night are of me and my family.  Almost the whole gang made it in town for the festivities.  :)

I have to say that my favorite part was the movie "Dirty Dancing" playing on repeat on the flatscreen TV.

I got to dance with my Daddy:

And Brother Brian:

And ended the night with my girls... Exactly where this 30 year old is happiest and should be.

I consider it a privilege to share my world with you all and get to write a little bit... as I have always loved to do.  Thanks for reading!

Yours ever,
Myra