This morning I was reading a story in the paper about a Scranton teen who attemped suicide yesterday after being bullied on Facebook. Minutes later, I came across this video that a 13 year old in CT made after being bullied for years.

Obviously bullying has gotten worse since I was in school because these teens are questioning if living this way is harder than not living at all . . . and my heart hurts for them.

 We’re going to talk about this on the show today at some point, but if you’re reading this and feel like you don’t have any friends to talk to, I just want to throw it out there. EMAIL ME. Amanda@985krz.com. I’m not a therapist by any means, but i’m a really good friend and compulsively check my email. I hope that there is never a time in your life that you have NO ONE to turn to or talk to. Jeff says same goes for him.

Okay, so it’s already been a pretty kickass week for me: found the new apartment in Kingston, signed up for zumba certification, got Britney AND Whitesnake’s new CDs (no, not kidding about the Whitesnake), tomorrow my fave girl crush (Rihanna) is on the cover of Rolling Stone with a tell-all interview, AND I get to host the Chippendales show at Scranton Hardware Bar tomorrow night!

So the week could NOT get any better, right? WRONG! I got this video in my email first thing this morning and wow…….my heart MELTED! Ben is the next Hollywood leading man.

I don’t know what’s better – the baby’s belly laugh or the fact that my brother’s singing STYX to him (niiiiiice)! I ask you to take a moment (humor me) and stand in awe of the wonder that IS my nephew. And also, of course, the wonder that is my brother’s singing….haaaaa…………. I LOVE IT!

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Ben meets Styx……………

I’ve become an emotional SAP. I cried ALL night on Sunday while watching Army Wives, the commercials where the parents surprise the kids with a family trip to Disney World make me a sobbing WRECK, and now this morning . . . I found myself CRYING for Carrie Ann (Dancing with the Stars judge) when she was proposed to this morning on Regis and Kelly. I barely even watch DWTS, so it’s not like I have an emotional connection to her from watching. I think it was her genuine surprised reaction that moved me. I mean really, get a grip. I posted about it on Facebook and found that I wasn’t alone. Thankfully, there’s someone way worse than me.  A Facebook Friend who cries at Fancy Feast commercials. Phew, that’ll be the day that I need to seek help.

I missed the whole NKOTB craze the first time around. Growing up in a rock house, thanks to my mom, I grew up on GNR, Poison, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and Whitesnake. By the time I realized there was NEW music that I could grow a liking to . . . I was into Green Day, NSYNC, and BSB. The idea of BSB and KNOTB touring together and doing music together kind of made my inner 12 year old self a littel excited.

Thanks to Facebook Friend Lauren who posted this on my page this morning. The first single from the Backstreet Boys/NKOTB hyrbid group NKOTBSB. Check it out!

I just got around to watching Monday night’s “American Pickers” that I DVR’d. If you’re not familiar with the History Channel show, 2 guys from Iowa travel around the country picking through junk in barns, garages & sheds. What a cool gig! Sign me up after radio.

This week they were in Malibu, CA and managed to find a surfboard collector and the dude that started Easy Riders magazine and another guy with 500,000 records amoung his 9 acres of junk. It was a picker’s paradise.

I like watching “Hoarders” too, but am always left feeling really bad for all these people. The guys on “American Pickers” buy junk with the idea of selling it for a profit. The people on “Hoarders” take collecting to a completely different level. When you can’t find your bed or the kitchen table, maybe it’s time to pull back a bit.

Sue and I were big time collectors/hoarders for years. We used to hit up the auctions in Exeter and Sheppton on Friday and Saturday nights, then the garage sales Saturday morning. Sue once bought a box of 30 glass door knobs from a Victorian House. I’m glad she discovered Real Estate!

I would buy every radio I could get my hands on.  Big, small, wood, plastic…it didn’t matter.  I’ve thinned out my collection over the years and have just hoarded my faves.

Gotta go take a nap. Excuse me while I climb over the boxes of junk.  There’s a bed here somewhere.

~Rock

I’ll just preface this by saying, I’m a dog person. Cats make me sneeze and they just seem sneaky to me. BUT, there’s this one that’s kind of growing on me. Boyfriend inherited a cat recently. Her name is Miss Meows and last night we realized she needed more food. The stash she came with ran out and the bag was no where to be found. I figured, eh, no big deal, i’ll stop at Walmart on my way into work and hook her up with something yummy with a big cat on the label. Ummm … let me just say … there are WAY TOO MANY different cat food options to choose from. For the love – how do people choose??? I felt like I usually feel at the nail salon while faced with HUNDREDS of different shades of PINK nail polish. So overwhelming. After 10 minutes of reading labels and not really seeing the difference between them all, I chose the prettiest packaging … the purple bag, Fancy Feast. Let’s hope she doesn’t turn into a PUKEY CAT and the Fancy Feast agrees with her.

Totally unrelated — Have you ever hurt yourself while undressing??? Silly question, right? Wrong! As I was taking off a tank top last night I literally RIPPED my nose ring out of my nose. HOLY. I’ve had that thing for 7 years and now after sleeping without it for one night, totally closed. I couldn’t punch a new nose ring through this morning … so now i’m rocking NO jewelry in my face. So weird. I feel like my face is missing something.

American Idol night … let’s hope it’s not a snoozer because let’s be real, 2 hours is WAY too long. Happy HUMP Day! NEW Law and Order SVU on tonight too!!! Eeeee!

Ah, the employee restroom. Rife with uncomfortable human interaction. I was in there a moment ago and a friend of mine (read: coworker I actually like very much. Would speak to her on the street even if they didn’t pay me to) was in there, drying her hands underneath one of those hot-air hand blower things.

IF you ever find yourself in a Ladies’ Restroom with another chick (whether you know her or not) and one of you is forced to use those reprehensible hand blowers, it is inevitable that ONE of you will say “Man, I hate these things! I can’t believe there’s no paper towel!” Then the other girl will nod in agreement. You’ll proceed to giggle, smile, and bee-bop through some inane small talk. Probably about makeup and boys. (I made up that last part).

I’ve decided that next time I’m using a forced-air hand dryer and the other chick says “Man I hate those things….” I’m gonna go “Yeah, me too” and then rub my wet hands on her sweater. Why not? As women we try to make friends with each other, even in the most nonsensical situations (like in the bathroom) and I think it’s abnormal and weird.

I’m joking of course – I would never rub my hands on another chick (unless there’s alcohol involved and she’s built like Rihanna) but my point is: however pleasant or casual the exchange between myself and another human, I will ALWAYS find a way to ruin it. Like in eleventh grade when the dude I had a MASSIVE crush on answered a question wrong in history class. I raised my hand and gave the correct answer , which was “The British are coming!” And then I looked at him and playfully added “to call you stupid” ……I laughed. He did not. Moment ruined.

Yesterday I went to the bank and the woman behind the counter was complaining about dark circles under her eyes. Her exact statement was “Why do I always look so TIRED? What is UP with these black circles? I look like Mike Tyson punched me!” ……and then she just stared at me.  Demanding a response with her gaze. I froze. I wasn’t sure what sort of retort you’re supposed to offer up in a situation like this. Cuz she DID look tired. She DID have black circles. And if Mike Tyson were there, I would’ve asked him to punch her just so I didn’t have to speak.

So here’s the best I could do: “Sometimes it’s hard to sleep at night when it stays light so late in the evening.” WHAT, LISSA?! What the f%#k kinda response is THAT???? Oh……right. I forgot – you’re an idiot. I can’t bring myself to do the “woman” thing and reassure another chick that she looks awesome, when obviously she doesn’t. So instead I concoct a statement that is in NO way contributing anything to the conversation, yet it lets us move along to another topic. Moment ruined.

She looked at me, tipped her head to one side like a dog, and then changed the subject. And this, in itself, is a PERFECT example of why I don’t have a lot of female friends. In situations where there’s a common understanding of what you should and should NOT say, I will find a way to say the wrong thing. Sorry Eye-Circle Lady. I’m sure the next customer in line reassured you that you are truly radiant as a person. I, on the other hand, just wanted two rolls of quarters for my laundry. I’ll try to do better next time. Story of my life.

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Here it is in all its glory…the lamest BIGFOOT video ever. Thomas Byers shot this video in the woods in North Carolina.

The Bigfood Research Field Association (who knew there was such a thing) said the video is a fake. Way to put yourselves out on a limb, guys.

According to Thomas: ”One thing I know is the smell of it was horrid. It smelled like a cross between road kill and a skunk. And it did not like the fact that I was there on the road with it. In the video you can hear it snarl or growl at me as it crosses the road.”

I’m no expert, but I swear I saw that same Gorilla suit for sale at Party City!

You be the judge.

I get my Zumba certification on May 14 – can’t wait. I love to dance, I love fitness, and I love PEOPLE! I remember when I told Rocky I was trying Zumba for the FIRST time back in January and he was like “Don’t! Don’t do it Lissa – it’s a freakin’ cult! Once they getcha, they never let you go!” Haaaaaa…..he was joking of course, but actually…..he’s really kinda right. I tried it once and was hooked.

I was always a runner (and still am) but dancing works your muscles even better than running. Three nights a week turned into four or five, then pretty soon I was doing two classes a day. Then they started inviting me up in front of class to help teach the routines. Addictive personality anyone? Yeesh.

Combine four years of cheerleading/pom poms with a lifetime of Mom & Dad encouraging me to do stuff I wasn’t really qualified to do, and VOILA! I decided I NEED to get certified. It also may have something to do with the fact that my caffeined-up ridiculously euphoric personality is tired of hearing people say (almost disgustedly)…”DAMN girl, you gotta lotta energy! Either go be an instructor or gimme two pills of whatever you’re on.”

Hahaa – LIFE! My good sweaty friend, I am high on life. And music. I’ve always been that way. When I hear music it’s seriously IMPOSSIBLE for me to stand still. When I used to tour with my band, it didn’t matter how tired I was or how strung out and road-weary I felt, whenever I heard that first note it was like Jolt Cola times fifty. And I wouldn’t slow down til the music stopped.

Serenity Wellness & Dance Center in Luzerne is my studio du jour. They already have awesome instructors there (YO Jen, Arlene, Becky, Tabitha! Love!) but if I don’t start contributing soon, people are gonna start to wonder if I’m just a homeless person trying to live there or something.

Wish me luck! May 14 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Lissa gets certified. Or at least I hope……..gee, now if I fail I’ll reeeeeeeeally wish I hadn’t told you guys this.

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Last Summer I learned I had a relative that I never knew existed–my Great Aunt Celia.

She immigrated from Russia in 1911 when she was 17. 7 months later she lost her life in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in NYC. She was one of 146 victims

Last Friday was the 100th Anniversary of that fire. We were there with the other family members to show our respect.

From the beginning, it seemed like Celia’s spirit was there with us. Within minutes Sue found my Great Aunt’s name written on cloth similar to what was used in the factory.

I stared up at the 9th floor of the building, clearly marked with purple ribbons. The women of the 9th floor were faced with a similar decision as those in the World Trade Center on 9/11—be burned alive or jump. My Great Aunt chose the latter.

The NYC Fire Department raised a ladder to the 6th floor to symbolize how high the ladders reached at the time of the fire in 1911—way short of the workers waiting to be rescued.

March 25 is not only the anniversary of the fire, but my sister’s birthday, and the same day that my Mom passed away 3 years ago.

After having lunch w/ the family members of the victims my sister suggested we go somewhere else for dessert–the famous Veniero Italian bakery. Michael Hirsch, the HBO researcher who contacted our family about my Great Aunt, overheard our conversation.

“It’s funny that you would choose that bakery. One of the victims of the fire lived in an apartment above the bakery in 1911!”

As always, thanks for reading.

~Rock

BRITNEY SPEARS hits the stage tomorrow morning @ Good Morning America.

Here’s a sneak peak of her performance.

See looks great, but what do you think of her dancing?