The morning after the morning after

Well, things are pretty much back to normal- roads are open and schools are up and running.

I think we got about 12" of snow, but it drifted pretty heavily.

But The Hub knows People. People with construction equipment.

He does love his toys.
So we can get out now.

I put my snow-days to good use, though.

The morning after

Well, we survived. The power didn't blink though the winds howled a steady 28mph or so for almost 12 hours straight (except when we had gusts up to 35mph and higher). It's going to be hard to measure the snowfall, but Aberdeen (to our north) got 14" and Huron (to our south) got 9", so I'm guessing we're somewhere in the middle with at least a foot. But that foot of snow is highly mobile.

I took some pictures yesterday.

And I took some more today. We're not totally snowed in, in that The Hub was able to coax his pickup out to the highway, but I won't be going anywhere for another day or so. But we're warm and I have plenty to read, and even more that I should be doing.

But the coolest shot of all is this one, of the Windcicles... usually blizzards are too cold for icicle formation, but it was a warm storm (relatively speaking- in the high 20's) so the wind actually formed the icicles as they dripped.

Is that the coolest thing ever, or what?

And so it begins...

It's still quite warm. Our temps are in the upper 20's, which is why we're getting the snow. It started falling last night around 8:00 pm, and I think we got about 7".

We're smack in the middle of the slow-moving storm track, so the fun has just begun. The wind is picking up- it's now blowing over 20mph, with steady 40mph winds predicted. We'll have a hard time estimating the final snow amounts because it's going to be highly mobile.

I took a couple of quick movies this morning- that crackling sound you hear is snow hitting my phone. This is the front yard- we can't see the railroad tracks, which are less than 100' from the house.

The back yard is a little more photogenic, but every bit as blizzardy.

We have another full day of this coming, but we're hunkered down and we have a generator if we lose power. It's going to be interesting.
And we're not done...

Sigh...

Predicted to hit right around 8:00 pm. It's going to be interesting.

I believe I'll hunker down with some sunflowers.

AI Season 12- Hollywood Guys' Solo Day

Preview of tonight's episode: drama, amazement, singing, tears, sadness. This. Is. SOP.

Randy is wearing a blue blazer with red and white piping. Keith is in a brown leather jacket over a white tee shirt. Mariah has sleek sideswept hair, and is wearing a gold spangly, scoop-necked Gramma Gown. Nicky has long blonde curls, a fur jacket over a low-cut blue tank, and yet another crazy cabbie hat.

The guys have a list of songs from which to choose. They'll be accompanied by the band and have the option of playing an instrument. At least half of them are going home, thank goodness.

Paul Jolley (Paul Jolley Paul Jolley Paul Jolley. It rolls off the tongue so pleasantly) is wearing a gray vest over light colored pants and shirt. Paul is shaky. Paul is nervous. Paul is silly enough to let all of this show, despite a good performance. Nicki lectures him on the importance of a good stage presence, which Paul Jolley (Paul Jolley Paul Jolley) does not, at the moment, possess.

Lazaro, in a tan jacket and blue shirt, sounds fine, though he sweats profusely.

Curtis Finch is a jerk in a white tux jacket, black pants and black shirt. He has a really nice voice, but he sings Jar of Hearts. Have I mentioned yet this year how much I hate Jar of Hearts? If not, let me do so now- I freaking hate that song. It's the worst of the worst- seventh graders could write better lyrics in study hall.

Paul, Lazaro, and Curtis make it through. Paul and Lazaro collapse in joy (and nerves). Curtis smirks.

Devin Velez has acne, red hair, a cardigan, and no nerves whatsoever. He glories in his lack of nerves. His voice is far too Boy Band for me, and he uses twice as many notes as needed (and some of them are not the right ones), but the judges appear to like him.

Gurpreet is wearing a dark turban tonight. He's singing Georgia and accompanying himself on the guitar. He's doing a good job, though not quite as good as Casey Abrams did with the same song in his year. His beard needs a stylist.

Cortez Shaw, in a black plaid shirt and tie, sings a bluesy version of Sunny, which I like much better than the Whitney version of Whitney he did last night. I like his whole performance except for the last run.

Mateus Fernandez, in a vest over a tee shirt, mentions once again that he is short and that his shortness has made his life difficult. Then he sings a version of Stronger that isn't. Nicki tells him not to keep bringing up his height (or lack thereof) because it really doesn't matter. I am liking Nicki more and more (words I never thought I would write).

So someone bald whose name I didn't catch, Devin, Gurpreet, Adam (whose performance we did not see), and Cortez make it through. Mateus does not- maybe that's why the show never bothered to mention his run on The Glee Project.

Nicholas Mathis is large, close to 400lbs large. He's wearing a red sweater and a backwards hat, and he keeps bringing up his daughter and son. I don't know his song but it doesn't sound good to me. Nicholas falls to his knees for the finale, and I worry that he won't be able to get back up. Keith critiques the performance. Nicholas tries to play the Daddy Card, and then he begs. Evidently he didn't hear Nicki lecturing Mateus. The judges have hardened their tiny little hearts- hurrah for the judges.

Papa Peachez is wan and blonde and prancey in a white turtleneck. Nicki is completely unimpressed with PP's song choice. It also does nothing for me. Nicki says she's disgusted.

Jimmy Smith has a mop of blonde curls, and he's wearing a dark shirt made from windbreaker cloth. He's competent but generic Boy Band.

Nicholas and Papa are both cut. Nicholas doesn't even wait for the judges to stop talking before he storms off the stage and has a total angry meltdown. His kids will be so proud. Papa is more philosophical, realizing that American Idol is really not the right venue for his brand of special snowflake.

Vincent Someone and Johnny Keyser are still in, though we see neither of their performances.

Nick Boddington, who was cut last year, is wearing a black leather jacket, and an English driving cap on his bald head. I notice that he has very long front teeth as he sings and plays his keyboard competently.

Odd Charlie Askew is still odd. He celebrates his oddness in an oversized pewter satin suit and electric blue tennis shoes. He starts out with a long, odd intro that I finally realize is the opening to Just Someone I Used to Know, which Charlie absolutely kills. This kid is good. Odd, but good.

Nick, Charlie and Mathenee go through. Also JDA, who tonight is wearing a skirt, knee boots, lace, and I swear I am not making this up: a veil anchored with a Hello Kitty headband. We were not treated to JDA's performance. My theory is that it was terrible, but that the show absolutely cannot resist adding a drag queen (cross dresser? I don't know the proper terminology for a guy dressed like a Weird Goth Chick) to the roster.

Lots of the guys sing Jar of Hearts. I still hate that song. Burnell and Marvin Calderson both sing it, and both move on.

Micah Johnson, in a gray and white v-neck tee and Sleestak hair, sings a Randy Travis song. He has a lovely  singing voice, which shows not a trace of his spoken impediment. But for some reason, the judges are not impressed. Micah is totally unprepared for them to send him home, but he accepts the news with more grace than several I could mention (Nicholas).

Also going home: bushy-haired baker Gabe, confident Sanni, and Nick Tao with the deaf parents.

28 guys got the nod, but only 20 of them really get to move on, so eight more will get bad news next Thursday.

Also next week: The Girls, which will be exactly the same as this week, except with higher voices.

Thursday Tab- Saalfield Butterfly Ballet, 1957

I'd never seen this marvelous set before- thank you Dottie for sharing.

AI Season 12- Hollywood Week- The Boys

I watched the opening credits very carefully tonight- the part where they show all of the previous winners? No Taylor Hicks. Imagine that.

Anyway, we're finally up to the Hollywood Rounds. Things are going to zip past pretty quickly, and even though it's a two-hour show (sigh), I will probably not catch all of the names, and I will likely not get many descriptions of outfits, and I may even miss some important groups. It's a sure thing that some of tonight's singers will be totally new to us, because that's the way this show rolls. But, for whatever it's worth, This is where American Idol really starts.

Finally.

Randy is wearing a black leather vest (or, more accurately, a sleeveless jacket) over a dark shirt. Keith is wearing a black leather jacket over a gray tee. Mariah is in a low-cut, blue sheath. Nicki is in long blonde hair and a tight, mustard knit dress. Both ladies are sporting bodacious bootys.

Tonight it's just the guys, the girls compete next week. The boys think it's a mighty big stage. They're going to come out in groups of ten. Each one will sing a solo, and the judges will decide immediately who stays and who goes on to the Group Round.

Day 1 Instant Elimation

Mikah Johnson, whose speech impediment is the result of a botched tonsillectomy, is still good. Good enough for Keith to give him a Standing O. Then we see three bad singers. But Mikah, Peter, Matheny (who seems familiar), Nate Tao (the young man with deaf parents), Gabe (the baker) and Gurpreet the Turbinator all make it through.

Carl Skinner, is still odd and hyper, but I still like him. He's followed by some bad singers. Unfortunately Carl is sent home, along with the firefighter, and the singing Doctor Cal Peters.

Cortez Shaw is new to us. He sings Whitney just like Whitney, which leads to Mariah liking him and Nicki disrespectfully disagreeing. But he's going through.

Gospel singer Curtis Finch and subway singer Frankie Ford both still impress the judges.

The judges got the memo not to finish stutterer Lazaro's sentences, though you can see Mariah literally biting her lips to keep from doing so. He still sounds good. So do Trevor Blackney, Bryant someone, and Charles Allen.

Keith enjoys Brian Rittenberry (with the wife who recovered from cancer), but it's not enough to keep him in the competition.

Fully one half of the guys are sent home on Day 1.

Day 2- Groups

Some of the guys who have actually seen the show, begin forming groups as soon as they get the nod to continue, hoping for a leg up on the next day's grueling performances. Most years, that would be a wise choice, but not this year. The producers foil the tricky ones by announcing pre-arranged groups. Some of the guys are happy, many are not. And at least one very very very gay fellow (and I feel confident in saying that since he's wearing high heels, a fringey shortie top, heavy eyeliner, shoulder length rhinestone earrings, and glitter) is fabulously sceptical.

Poor Lazaro did not grow up in the US, so he is almost completely unfamiliar with the twenty songs each group is given to choose from. His group-mates sort of pretend to sympathize, but they treat him shabbily, as though an inability to speak smoothly also implies an inability to think smoothly. I am now actively rooting against them.

It's very hard to keep up with the names that Ryan rattles off. during these clips. Please assume that there is a lot of angst, conflict, tension, and unhappiness as the teams are announced. Also assume that there isn't a whole lot of happy harmonizing. As always, I'm amazed at how few of these musically inclined kids know any songs beyond what is currently played on the radio. Don't they know that the producers are old?

The kids rehearse all night, and suffice it to say that for many, it did not go well.

On performance day, Randy is wearing that quilted brown leather jacket again (given some of the things Randy chooses to wear, I'm more than happy that this one is getting a rerun). Keith is in a gray tee. Mariah is in a strapless red dress. I hope she has some extra strength double-sided tape to hold it up. Nicki is in a quilted black leather hoodie jacket. She keeps the hood up throughout.

Again, I missed many of the group names, and some of the performers' first or last names (or both)- sorry.

Matteus (the short guy), Nick, Mathenee, and Gabe sing Queen's Somebody to Love, and they're great. The judges are delighted, and I so am I. All four go through.

Normal Hills consists of Johnny Keyser (who I dislike every bit as much tonight, as I did in his audition), Kareem, and two other guys. I'm happy to say that Johnny forgot some of the lyrics and was off-key. As was Kareem. This whole performance was a mess, but the two guys whose names I didn't catch, move on.

Goofy Charles Askew, Curtis Fisher (who proves himself to be a jerk of the first order by cheerfully offering to drive an ill Charles to the airport because he, Curtis, is in it to win it), and another nameless large fellow, sing. I don't like Curtis any more, but he has a great voice and he blows the judges away. I still like Charles, whose voice is much bigger than he is. All three go through.

The Four Tones, Micah Johnson, Vincent, Marvin, and David, sing Hold On well enough to all get the nod.

Zach, Nate, Cortez, and Elijah sing Some Kind of Wonderful with some wonderful harmony. The judges send them through.

The next group messed up every single lyric, which would have been the Kiss of Death if Simon Cowell was still around. But two of them, Paul Jolley (I still like that cadence- Paul Jolley Paul Jolley Paul Jolley) and Will, go through.

B-Side consists of Mark, Peter, Gurpreet, and Chris, one of whom wears a very large and bulky red bow-like thing with long scarf-like ends... on his head...They mess up the lyrics, misunderstand the concept of harmony, and then fall apart. But they work the crowd and that sways Nicki, and all four of them move on. Again, this would never have happened under the Cowell Reign of Terror.

Jason, Dan, Jessie, and some other kid sing a One Direction Song. It's bad bad bad bad, and all four pay the price.

Ryan (not Seacrest), has a notion. He convinces Devan, Devin, and Adrian to sing their song a Capella  They harmonize fairly nicely, though Ryan is sent home. He whines about it.

Mo-Flow sings Some Kind of Wonderful. Burnell, who earlier impressed the judges mightily, falls apart, singing completely off-key. He goes home, along with Tony. But Darien and Marco move on.

Super 55 is the Lazaro's group. We see assorted clips of Josh, Christian, and Scott belittling and condescending to, and in general, being asshats to Lazaro. Each one of them takes the time to tell the camera that Lazaro is holding them back because he'd never heard of The Beach Boys. Lazaro sings with nary a stutter, as usual, and sounds fine. The others seem to mess up the words and tune, for all that they were so incredibly familiar with it. Josh and Scott are sent home, and Josh is even nastier to Lazaro, taking all the credit for Lazaro's success. Good riddance Josh.

We've been seeing clips of Country Queen all evening. The group consists of Lee and Trevar, who are both good ol' country boys, and Joel (in a Sonny Bono fur vest) and JDA (evidently pronounced: Jay-da), the aforementioned glitter boy. Tonight JDA is wearing stilettos, tight silver pants, full makeup, and lots of sparkle. It's safe to say that these four found no common ground. Their group performance is pretty much a disaster, and Trevar and Lee are sent home. It's a good thing that JDA has a nice voice and stage presence, because there is no way that this show would be able to resist keeping him around. He makes things interesting, I'll grant him that.

The youngest of the auditioners, DKSK (David, Kayden, Sanni, Kevin) are up next. David made it almost to the Top 24 last year, Sanni has an excess amount of confidence, Kevin is a blank, and Kayden has cystic fibrosis. I thought it was wrong to send Kayden to Hollywood,- he hasn't the energy to keep up, and his voice is even weaker than I remembered. The judges do the right thing this time and send him home, along with Kevin.

Handsome Ricky (who is still very very handsome, but not such a great singer), and Clifton (whose parents had never heard him sing before his audition), both go home. No mention is made of lying soldier Matt Farmer. We won't miss him.

The last group of the night is OZ, consisting of Frankie Ford, Papa Peachez, Adam, and Charles. Frankie's only singing experience has been on subways and street corners. He has no formal training in music at all. He doesn't even have any informal training. Frankie is totally outgunned by the others, who are all better singers. Frankie resorts to drama and tears and declarations and wailing. Though I did not like Papa Peachez in his audition, he wins me over with his marvelous eye-rolling reactions to Frankie. The rest of the group finally persuades Frankie to go on stage, where he has a total meltdown, forgetting the words, melody, and maybe even the English language. It's a complete and total trainwreck. Frankie, of course, is sent home. He does not take the news well.

So, 43 of the male auditioners will move on to tomorrow night's Solo Rounds. Of them, 20 will continue. It should be interesting.