A resolution in review

Almost a year ago, I decided to make New Year’s resolutions fun, instead of using them as an opportunity to be critical of myself.

It’s been an amazing year. I might not have mastered a second language or lost 50 pounds, but I spent some of the best quality time with friends a girl could imagine.

In 2011, I attended over 25 live events. (A full schedule is listed to the right) These ranged from country music concerts to plays, comedians and dancing with my friends at a piano bar. I also threw in a few Panthers games and, of course, some racing pigs. I traveled as far as Roanoke, Virginia for an event. I was lucky enough to have 17 friends to attend events with and two family members.

There are so many things that I have learned from my experiences, most of which are hard to put into words. I learned to relax and have fun. Sometimes, I even let myself dance. I realized that I have a diverse group of friends that are up for almost any kind of event I could throw their way. I came to know the value of a Groupon.

Earlier in the year, I was feeling a little down and alone. A good friend reminded me that is never the case and this year has proven it. Every month, not only have I had an awesome event to look forward to, I’ve had amazing friends with me for every one.

Thank you to everyone who helped make my resolution a success in 2011, from reading my blog to opening your wallets and attending events with me. I’ve got another fun idea for 2012 and I can’t wait to share it with all of you.

Thank you to: Kelly, Misty, Michael (my brother), Gabe, Jean, Mark, Alisa, Frank, Dan, Tasha, Cheryl, Tammy, Elizabeth, Jemi, Micah, Derek, Joey and Mom.

Celebrating the season with a special friend

I think everyone should have a friend like Cheryl. We became friends in 2005 when we worked together at the bank. Cheryl is the type of person that I can always laugh with, no matter what the circumstances. My job at the bank was less than ideal and I usually cried at least once a week. She could always make me laugh.

Cheryl's birthday is December 20. I think it is fitting that she was born so close to Christmas because she is truly a gift to everyone that knows her.

On December 2, we went to the Charlotte Youth Ballet perform the Christmas classic, The Nutcracker to celebrate her birthday and attend my final live event of the year. The Charlotte Youth Ballet cast features local and international professionals paired with talented regional students of ballet. Students of ballet from 3rd through 12th grade are invited to audition.

We headed uptown to the Dale Harton theater at Central Piedmont Community College. I was very pleased to discover it's one of the few venues uptown with free parking. Our seats were great and within minutes of sitting down, we were transported into Clara's magical journey. There is something so soothing and familiar to me about this play. So many things change from year to year, but the story of Clara never changes. It brings me back to my childhood and ignites my imagination.

Of course, throughout the show, Cheryl and I got a case of the giggles and were very lucky not to get kicked out. But that's what friends are for, right?

This is my last scheduled live event for the year, but I have more blogs coming about what this experience has meant to me and what I plan to do next year, so stay tuned!

How the Rockettes saved Christmas

I freakin' love almost everything about Christmas. From hanging Christmas lights to the smell of gingerbread cookies, Christmas has always been my absolute favorite holiday.

But this year, I found myself overcome with a case of the Scrooge. Shopping on Black Friday has always been a tradition my mom and two of our family friends hold dear. We've never been the type to assault other shoppers for a $2 waffle iron, but we have always enjoyed getting up in the dark, putting on Christmas shirts and hitting the stores to find the perfect gifts for those we love. We missed out on Black Friday last year because of a trip to Disney World and I found my passion for Black Friday had greatly decreased this year, along with my Christmas list. I really don't have that many people to buy for these days and I also had no desire to head to Target at midnight. I did do some midnight shopping, online, and got a few good deals. But missing that yearly tradition got me feeling a little Humbuggy. I was contemplating not putting up a tree and even considered trying my best to skip Christmas this year.

Then, I attended my December event, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular at the Durham Performing Arts Center with my mom. We met up with a friend of hers from nursing school and her family and sat back, ready to enjoy the show.

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. All I know about the Rockettes is that there is a lot of kicking. The show turned out to be so much more than that. Accompanied by a few actors and singers, the Radio City Rockettes danced their way through a Christmas journey, which included New York City and the North Pole. The girls had gorgeous outfits for each number and dramatic lighting. A huge LED screen made you feel like you were traveling right along with the girls.

My favorite dance number was The Parade of Wooden Soldiers, where the Rockettes line up and collapse into each other like toy soldiers.

My favorite overall number was a live nativity scene. And by live, I mean there were real camels and sheep. It was absolutely beautiful. It was also a strong reminder to me of what Christmas is really about. To me, Christmas has always been a time of magical wonder, where anything can happen. Thanks to the Rockettes for reminding me that is still true.

Ooooh I wanna take you to Bermuda...

Bahama!

2011 has been a big year for me filled with amazing new experiences and fun. Celebrating my 30th birthday was no exception. The fact that I was just able to write celebrating my 30th birthday instead of mourning my 20s is a big step for me!

About a year and a half ago, I decided that I had no desire to be in Charlotte when the big 30 hit and I would prefer somewhere tropical. I also learned to swim last year and wanted somewhere that would allow me to do that and be warm. My friends Misty, Mark and Jean joined me on the trip and we left from Charleston on the Carnival Fantasy last Wednesday, November 2.

This was my first cruise so I had no idea what to expect. There were so many new and exciting experiences, sights, sounds and motions that I don't even know where to begin.

We spent all day Thursday at sea. The most amazing thing was going to sleep in a crisp fall night and waking up to a bright, humidity free day. I went outside to watch the sunrise and it was truly one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring sights of my three decades. Misty and I spent some quality time at the pool, then we joined Mark and Jean for a game of mini-golf on the top of the ship. I pretty much suck at mini-golf anyway and blustery winds didn't really do much to help my game, but it was still fun. Mark and I mastered two water slides.

That night was formal night and we enjoyed dressing up. If I ever have a first-born child, I think I might be willing to give him/her up for the lobster I ate that night. After dinner, we went to the lounge to check out a comedy show. The waiter dropped my martini glass on poor Jean causing glass to splatter everywhere. The comedian was funny, but considering how I've probably been to 50 comedy shows this year, I was a little over it.

Friday morning, we woke up in Nassau, Bahamas to a sunny 78 degree day. Misty went off to explore a glass-bottom boat tour while Mark, Jean and I embarked on my birthday gift from them: paddle-boarding and snorkeling. Our tour guide met us at the pier and took us to another small boat and out to sea. We ended up in a shallow area where we could snorkel or paddle board for as long as we wanted. We decided to do the paddle boarding first. Mark and Jean mastered it pretty quickly. It took me a while, but I was finally able to stand up. That, however, did not last very long as I soon came across a woman snorkeling and wasn't able to stop my paddle board. I ended up hitting her in the face and making her curse at me. To say she wasn't thrilled would be a slight understatement. That little mishap caused me to lose my confidence and my legs started shaking. I went down a couple of times before giving up and grabbing my snorkel gear.

Like most things I've done this year, snorkeling was a new experience for me and was awesome. I got to see some cool fish and coral. I can't wait to get my underwater film developed and see what I was able to capture.

After the excursion, we grabbed lunch on the ship and headed back out for a little Senor Frogs. If you've ever been to a Senor Frogs, you probably understand that not much else got accomplished that day. They serve liquor there by the yard. That's all I'll say about that. We did do a little shopping afterwards. All the ladies bought a dress and we picked up a few other small trinkets.

That evening after dinner, we picked up some drinks and headed to the adults-only Serenity deck which is the most relaxing place on the ship. It is nice and quiet with lots of deck chairs and two hot tubs. We spent about an hour in the hot tub, watching neighboring ships get further and further away from us.

Saturday morning was the big day! I woke up in Freeport. After mimosas at breakfast, we headed out to explore. Mark and Jean took a taxi to check out some shops while Misty and I boarded a bus for Unexso in Port Lucaya Marina. Our bus driver Michael was on a one-man mission to make us all move to the Bahamas, bragging about everything from how to discipline children to the lack of a Bahamian income tax. But orange juice is $9 a gallon! From the marina, we took a small boat with about 20 other passengers to Sanctuary Bay, home to 14 Atlantic Bottle Nose Dolphins. I was so excited! Our boat captain was very entertaining!

Our dolphin trainer, Patrick, lead us in small groups to sit with our feet in an enclosed water area while two dolphins, Indy and Andros, swam around us. These dolphins are SO freaking fast. They can do amazing tricks including moonwalking! They can also soak you with water in about two seconds. Misty and I went to stand in the water with Patrick to pet Indy, the smallest male dolphin at 320 pounds.

My main takeaway from this experience is how much dolphins are like dogs. Indy loved being petted. He rolled over for us to pet his belly and when we did, he kicked his little fins in glee like my dogs kick their legs during a good belly rub. Dolphins are mammals so we were told not to rub below Indy's belly button so we didn't start anything we couldn't finish before our boat had to leave! We each got to pose with Indy for a kiss.

I cannot describe how amazing this experience was. Dolphins are such incredibly creatures with amazing personalities. They are at once strong and gentle. There were times it felt like they were laughing at us silly humans and there were obvious signs that Indy loved affection and attention.

Other fun dolphin facts:

Sharks swim left to right so dolphins swim up and down

Dolphin babies are born tails first and their mommies get them up to air by the time their head comes out

Dolphins literally sleep with one eye open

After the dolphin encounter, we got to hang out with some birds: macaws and cockatoos. I even let one sit on my head! I completely and totally fell in love with Indy and it turns out you can adopt him, which I plan to do. But if you were a slacker and didn't get me a birthday present, this would be a great gift for me!

That night, we tried to go to a show on the boat but it was an amateurish tribute to the Beatles that was so bad we had to leave 30 minutes in. Jean, who is not exactly a Beatles fan club member, was relieved to say the least when I said we could go. We then headed to my birthday dinner where I had fantastic lasagna, a chocolate birthday cake and some enthusiastic multilingual birthday singing. Misty, Mark and I were forced to dance with the wait staff, which Jean got out of by offering to be our photographer.

Saturday night is when things started to get a little dicey. A low pressure system along the Carolina coast caused some rough seas for the trip back. Things, and people, were falling. We heard our cabin neighbor puking. There were 12 feet swells, which we found out later is a lot. Even the cruise director who was decked out in heels for the majority of the trip opted for flats. We made it through, albeit a little worse for the wear, and returned to Charleston at dawn on Monday.

2011 has been a year of new experiences for me. It's been a year of amazing opportunities and chances to learn more about myself and the world around me. As Natasha Bedingfield would say, the rest is still unwritten. And I look forward to seeing what this 30th year will bring me.

She sits alone by a lamppost

Regular Randi Resolves readers know that my big mouth ruined my chance to see Darius Rucker in the 1990s. I did get to see him open for Brad Paisley in February, but last Thursday night, my friend Elizabeth and her husband Joe went to see Darius' headline show at the N.C. Music Factory.

The Music Factory's amphitheater is a nice new facility without a bad seat in the house. We were in the seventh row. We managed to make it through Frankie Ballard's opening act. I will just say, it was bad, you guys. It was bad.

Then Rodney Atkins was next up. He was awesome. And hot. He really interacted with the crowd, shooting out t-shirts from a t-shirt gun. He did something I have never seen before, which was toss the mic, stand and all, out into the audience to give us a chance to sing. There weren't any aspiring Kelly Clarksons in the house, but it was a great way to interact with the audience and get everyone revved up for Darius.

Darius was, of course, amazing. While a lot of focus was on his current country music, which I also love, he did manage to work in a few Hootie hits, which made me very happy. Darius managed to work in a lot of local elements. He said in his early days he played at Amos'. During a few songs, he worked in slideshows of Carolina teams and even gave Cam Newton a shoutout for his outstanding rookie performance in the NFL.

The crowd was hyped, the margaritas were huge and it was a beautiful Southern fall night as Darius brought the house down with his encore performance of Purple Rain.

Back to Brad

I've already told ya'll why I heart Brad Paisley. And I have already seen Brad in tour this year in Roanoke, which I also wrote about. So, you could naturally assume that I wouldn't have anything new to say after taking my mom to see Brad in Raleigh this past Saturday. But you would be wrong!

Mom's birthday present was a ticket to see Brad perform along with Jerrod Niemann and Blake Shelton. There was pouring rain all weekend, but we had an excellent, clear and cool summer night. Perfect concert weather.

Jerrod Niemann opened the show, as he did at Brad's Roanoke show. And yes, I love Jerrod and certainly never get tired of looking at or even listening to him, but he definitely did the exact same show I saw in Roanoke right down to a joke about his super hero pajamas. It was still great.

Brad Paisley has quite a reputation for playing pranks on tour and last night was no exception. Brad sent a very large man in very small clothes out covered in body paint to try to slow dance with Jerrod.

Next up was Blake Shelton. I've never really had a feeling for Blake one way or another, although I've figured he had to be pretty bad ass to be married to Miranda Lambert. Blake began the show by letting everyone know he'd been drinking since 12, which was sort of obvious. He still managed to put on a good show, which included a melody of Play that Funky Music White Boy, Angel is a Centerfold and Bobby Brown's My Prerogative. He also decided to sing us his oldest song from 2006, Austin. I had completely and totally forgotten that Blake sang that song and how much I love it!

Brad also managed to prank Blake by sending the same large man on stage in a honey bee costume to chase Blake during, what else, Honey Bee?

It was finally time for the main attraction! Brad came out to Mud on the Tires while standing out among the audience and the evening had truly begun! Brad's lyrics are incredibly clever (and mostly self-written) and his singing skills are superb, but where he really flourishes is when he is playing the guitar. I got to hear a few songs that Brad didn't play in Roanoke, including When I Get Where I'm Going, and Alabama. One of the highlights of the evening was Brad singing Don't Drink the Water, a new song with Blake. Blake returned to the stage wearing a long mullet wing and attempting to make out with Brad.

When Misty and I went to Roanoke, Brad came out into the cheap seats to sing and he did that again this time, except this time I was even closer, less than 20 feet away. He was pranked in return with his diving board being replaced with a toilet. Again, Brad thanked us for spending money on him, even in such tough economic times. He wanted everyone to get their money's worth. And we did.

It's Britney, bitch!

I have always had a love of Britney Spears. From the moment that Britney and Justin sang I'll Take You There, I've been rooting for my girl. Throughout the Jason Alexanders and the K-Feds, the head shaving, umbrella waving and the gum-snapping interview with Matt Lauer, Britney has been my girl. When she made her not so great comeback performance at the 2007 VMAs, I cringed like I knew her. Maybe it's because Britney and I are almost exactly the same age, or maybe it's because she has at times seemed so vulnerable, but I have always rooted for her.

I was very excited to find out Britney was coming to Charlotte. As a recently converted fan of The Jersey Shore, I was also excited (and confused) to find out that DJ Pauly D was opening for Brit. I went with one of my friends from work, Micah and her boyfriend Derek, who is a Britney SUPER FAN.

Pauly D. Sigh. I love Paul D. Yeah, buddy I do! And I do think he is a talented DJ. I just don't really get sitting in a huge arena and watching him DJ for about 45 minutes. Although, as Micah said, it was fun to have the experience of fist pumping with Pauly D! Pauly D's music choices were awesome and we had fun dancing and fist pumping, but it just felt like a giant club without really much to do.

Then it was Britney time! Britney came busting out to Hold it Against Me. Despite some oddly cruel reviews in The Charlotte Observer, Britney looked great. The show incorporated the Femme Fatale theme with a series of videos of Britney being a total badass. She had crazy costumes that included a gypsy costume and a skintight body suit.

In what I hope is not a shocking turn of events, Britney did a lot of lip-syncing. That's what I expected, but it was still a great show. I am so glad I got the opportunity to see her. I think my readers will be glad to know that I danced. I couldn't help it! That was some dance-worthy music. The best show of the night, however, came from another audience member. I had to record his magical dance moves to share here.

I saw God today

Updated with video!

So, when I originally started this blog, the goal was document all the live events of 2011. While I've been tempted to write about politics or other things that strike my fancy, I've tried to stick to that. I've had a couple of variances when I wrote blogs to remember my grandfather and grandmother, but other than that, it's been all live events all the time.

Today's blog is going to be a little different, because I did something so awesome and amazing yesterday, it must be documented.

I went sky diving yesterday. Yes, you read that correctly. The girl that is terrified of planes not only got in one, but willing accelerated to 114,000 feet and jumped out a freakin' plane.

How did this come to be? A friend of mine, Tim, from work jumps every weekend. He refers to it as stress relief and he absolutely loves it. For the last few weeks, he's been trying to talk me into doing it and I have flat out refused. I did, however, agree to go watch him jump yesterday and that's how this all began.

I watched him do a jump and was intrigued. It did take me an hour or two more of watching others and having him walk through every step for me to agree. I finally, in an uncharacteristic moment of impulse, agreed and handed over my credit card.

Because I didn't have a reservation, that lead to four hours of waiting for a plane which was definitely the most stressful part. I watched a training video which reminded me that I had signed a waiver. "Sky diving is a dangerous sport. It can kill or injure you. The waiver you just signed means that you or your family cannot sue in the event of death or injury, even if it's a result of our negligence." Awesome.

I met my instructor Andrew, and got geared up. I got to wear a medium sized suit, which was purple, so I knew it was meant to be! Tim made an arrangement to be on the plane with me, and I am glad because I am not sure I could do that without someone I know beside me.

Before I knew what I was doing, my plane had arrived and it was time to board. With his hand on my back, I boarded the plan with Andrew and Tim, along with about 10 other skydivers. This, to me, was the most stressful part as the plane kept getting higher and higher. I watched my indicator to see how high we were and really started to question my sanity. I hate heights. I hate planes. What am I doing?

At about 12,000 feet, Andrew strapped himself onto me and we got ready to go. In the video they shot, I look pretty calm. Everyone else on the plane was pretty quiet and calm and that helped me stay quiet and calm, although Tim did tell me later once we got on the plane he thought that would be the moment I backed out.

Before I knew it, people started jumping out of the plane. Then it was mine and Andrew's turn. I would like to say I prayed and made my peace with God, but honestly, I was just focused on what was happening next. And then like that, we were off!

I know it sounds incredibly corny and cliche, but I have never in my life felt so alive. Everything was so vivid and colorful. After about 10 seconds of holding my breath, I was breathing air so pure and refreshing, it was intoxicating. The sun was starting to set in Chester, South Carolina and it was beautiful. God was closer than He's ever been.

As we passed through the clouds, the ground started to come into focus. Once Andrew pulled our parachute, there was such peace. Everything was quiet. There wasn't a sound to be heard. And I was just flying.

Landing, to me, was the funnest part. Andrew asked me to pull up my legs and knees to bring us to the ground. It was amazingly gentle and fun. We just glided onto the ground. "So," Tim asked. "Do you want to do it again?"

The answer is yes.

Me, with Tim, who talked me into this craziness.

And finally: The video

An additional video taken from Tim's perspective. Watch as Mr. Crazy climbs onto the side of the plane! You can also see my awesome videographer Terry

How I keep winning Comedy Zone tickets

The last time I was at the Lake Norman Comedy Zone, I filled out a comment card, which apparently won me some free tickets to the Paul Hooper show.

I invited my friends Frank and Alisa, along with my friend Tammy, to enjoy the show. We enjoyed a great dinner downstairs at the Galway Hooker (mmmm: calamari!) and then headed upstairs to enjoy the show.

Alysia Wood was the opening act and she was hilarious. Sometimes, it was like she was in my head!

Paul Hooper, a Charlotte native, was the main act. He tells you from the very beginning that he is an angry little dude and he is-but it is hilarious. I think Alisa put it best when she said, “There were things that made you so uncomfortable, you felt like you shouldn’t laugh, but you did because it was hilarious.”

All in all, it was a great evening. And guess what? I found out yesterday that I won tickets AGAIN to the N.C. Music Factory Comedy Zone uptown, so I will be going with some friends to check out Tammy Piscatelli. Alisa won some tickets for Sept. 1, so I will be back that week and I am also going to see Flavor Flav on August 27, so I think the Comedy Zone is becoming my Cheers.

That moment when anything is possible

There is nothing that I love more than a night game at the Panthers stadium in uptown Charlotte. My friends Frank and Alisa treated me to the pre-season game this past Saturday against the NY Giants. We hopped the light rail to the Epicenter for dinner at Wild Wing Café and then headed to the stadium. Everything was going great until the sky opened up and it started to pour. We spent the first half of the game in the rain, but that didn’t matter to me.

I was so ready for football. Right before kickoff, I told my friends how much I love those last seconds before that first kickoff. In that second, anything is possible. The Panthers could have a winning season! We could win the NFC South! Or maybe even the NFC! Or go to the Super Bowl!

I always like to take a deep breath in that moment and think about the football season to come. This year, especially because of the lockout, any team could go all the way. The possibilities are endless.

Then the first kick was off and the reality of our new team, under a new coach, was born. There were a lot of things I saw that I liked and a lot of things that I did not like. Cam Newton is definitely a lot better under pressure than Clausen, but he has a lot of work to do when it comes to accuracy. Armanti Edwards certainly stepped up to the plate.

Finally, after the first half the rain stopped and the most beautiful sky and weather took over uptown Charlotte. The Panthers secured a victory and the possibilities for this team remain endless.

Alegria: A joyful experience

Alegria is the Spanish word for joy. A Cirque du Soleil show is always a joy.

This is my second Cirque du Soleil show. I thoroughly enjoyed their Totem show earlier this year in Concord. Alegria was at the Bobcats arena in uptown Charlotte last night. It was a great event, although I do think I prefer the Grand Chapiteau (Big tent) shows like Totem.

Cirque's website says there are eight key characteristics that make up who they are.

1. Imaginary worlds
2. Dance
3. Daring
4. Dexterity
5. Grace
6. Art forms from around the world
7. Acting
8. Acrobatic performance

What do you get when you combine these eight things? An awesome show! Alegria has been touring for 17 years and it is no surprise. The show was lead by a princess-like figure in a beautiful, sparkling dress who sang her heart out throughout the entire show. The show is all about power and how humans deal with and express power throughout history.

There was a lot of audience interaction throughout the show. Audience members were brought on stage to dance and one even used the flexible bars for a jump rope. The people sitting on the floor were not only brought out to dance, but were also covered in papier-mache. I wouldn't have minded the snow, but I would have minded the clowns making me dance with them, so I was glad to be a few rows up. I am not terrified of clowns, but I have seen It and I have no desire to slow dance with that!

Performers from all over the world performed a series of death-defying stunts with flaming knives, trapezes and trampolines. One set of contortionists did things that I did not think were humanly possible.

A Cirque production is so aesthetically beautiful, it's hard to take it all in sometimes. As I walked back outside and into a (still hot at 10 p.m.) uptown Charlotte, everything still felt sort of magical.

Mr. Shue, NKOTBSB, pelvic thrusts, puking and a close encounter with AJ McLean

As you may know, last night was one of my most highly-anticipated resolution events, the New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys (NKOTBSB).

Elizabeth and I dressed in our awesome outfits and headed to the Greensboro Coliseum. Little did we realize, we were not as committed to the NKOTBSB experience as others. Quite a few people dressed in head-to-toe 80s attire. One girl sewed her old NKOTB sleeping bag together to make a skirt.

The opening act was Midnight Red. Yeah, so let's move on to the second opening act! Matthew Morrison from Glee performed a few songs. He did a great job. Mr. Shue can dance! He did a performance of Kanye West's Gold Digger that brought down the house. He also did a dance montage to an original song, "Don't Stop Dancing" that incorporate dance moves from Gene Kelly, Michael Jackson and Patrick Swayze. You can check that one out on YouTube if you're interested.

Before the main act, three stalls had to be shut down in the bathroom because of puking. I don't know if people were that drunk or just that excited! Either way, that's a definite party foul.

A random girl came over to tell Elizabeth and me that the Backstreet Boys always come in

to the audience into section 112 to sing and that we should be ready, as we were sitting in 112, for a special appearance.

Finally, it was time for NKOTBSB to take to the stage. After one of the longest introductory videos ever and some fireworks, both groups came out together to the melody from Cold Play's Viva la Vida. Together, both groups sang a compilation of a few of their songs.

Then it was time for New Kids on the Block! They sang some of their more recent songs, like Summertime. Then the Backstreet Boys returned to sing some of their newer stuff.

And then the boys from Boston were back! They started out with The Right Stuff, so we knew that it was finally time for our old school favorites!

Throughout the evening, the two bands swapped the stage to take turns singing their favorites. While all the guys (like all of us) are definitely looking older, some things never change. Donnie is still ripped and can rip off a wife-beater in about 2.5 seconds. Jordan still hits those high notes and Joey is still adorable.

All of the guys seemed to determined to grab their crotches or thrust their pelvises as much as possible in each song. At one point, Joey was basically pole dancing on the mike stand. Elizabeth said it got old, but I enjoyed every second of that!

The guys really played to the audience. The New Kids went out into the audience and sang "Please Don't Go Girl" to audience members that were a bit higher up. The Backstreet Boys pulled four girls on stage to serenade them individually. They all signed autographs throughout the show and threw their sweaty discarded clothes to the crowd.

At some point during all the excitement, another girl puked directly behind us. The effort to clean that up and block traffic coming through seemed like a covert military operation.

And then, the moment we had been prepared for arrived. About five feet from where we were sitting, AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys was escorted out and worked his way through the crowd to sing. I managed to get a couple of not-so-great videos. You can barely see him, but here they are. FYI: That is not us screaming. We're more NKOTB than BSB girls. This, of course, caused absolute mayhem and chaos. A little girl was even pushed, making (understandably) her mother ready to fight.

The boys returned to the stage and finished the show. It was great. Both bands did a great job. Some of the best numbers incorporated both groups. Their finale encore performance was Backstreet's Back and Hanging Tough. Elizabeth and I danced and danced and had a great time. This show was worth the wait!

Why NKOTB will be awesome (Alternate Title: When Ran Met EE)

I was somewhere in the range of 8-10. My mother and I can't seem to remember exactly the time frame we are talking about.

It was an exciting period in my life. I had every single New Kids on the Block album, on cassette, on my person at all times. I slept on top of my bed in a NKOTB sleeping bag. I sang my freakin' heart out, without a single tune in key, of course. I had a NKOTB lunch box, t-shirts and of course some really freakin' awful hair. (Pictured here with my NKTOB sleeping bag)

The most exciting thing that happened, however is when my mom and her (still) best friend Luanne surprised me and Luanne's daughter Danielle with tickets to New Kids on the Block!

This was my first concert and I got to see my future husband (Jordan) perform? Amazing! We went to the amphitheater in Raleigh. I am not sure what I was expecting, but somehow in my state of euphoria, I imagined an intimate candlelit setting where Jordan would propose, (Not sure where my mom would be during this intimate encounter) I would leave town and travel the world.

Well, what really happened was we went to a crowded venue with thousands of screaming girls. And I mean, screaming. And even though I loved NKOTB so, even Danny, I couldn't imagine SCREAMING. Were these girls barbarians? Then, they started throwing their bras and panties on the stage and I got real nervous. What the heck was going on?

So, honestly, I remember the performance of You Got It (The Right Stuff) because it was my favorite and they rocked it out, but I do not have strong memories of the rest of the show because I was busy being terrified. Why was everyone screaming?

My mother and Luanne proceeded to JOKE about throwing their panties and were yelling out, "Jordan, we want your dads!" Of course they would never really throw their panties, but I was not mortified and terrified. I think at one point I began physically shaking.

After I recovered from the post-traumatic stress, I began to love NKOTB again. My love for Jordan turned into a love for Donnie and then Joey. What can I say, I was fickle.

And then, just like that, NKOTB broke up. They became sort of a joke. I grew more mature and I moved on to my Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews and then eventually, that's right ,Britney and Christina phase!

But the kids from the block always held a special place in my heart. And in a little over a week, I get to join one of my best friends in the world for a NKOTB show!

Which brings me to the second part of this post, my love for Elizabeth, EE. Because if this sounds kind of like a love letter, it is.

I met EE in Dr. Beverly Christopher's Freshman English 101 class. There was a really obnoxious girl in there who wouldn't ever just SHUT UP. At one point, when I was rolling my eyes, EE was rolling hers too. In that moment, our eyes met and a forever friendship was born.

I like to tell people, "Our friendship has been going strong for 11 years!" And then EE likes to add (because it's true) "With a year and a half or so of hiatus."

So, 11 years strong, with a year or so of hiatus. While the reasons of said hiatus are the business of EE and me, the hiatus happened and we missed each other. So, in early February of 2009, EE and I reconnected on Facebook and then we started talking on the phone. And e-mailing. And calling.

And in August of 2009, an adorably pregnant Elizabeth met up with me and Misty for a steak at Outback Steakhouse in Charlotte and the forever friendship was reborn.

Just like that, we picked up like we'd never left off. EE was still hilarious, caring and warm, everything I'd missed during our hiatus. She was pregnant with Tyler so our friendship became one where I got to be a part of such a joyous experience in her life. I attended her baby shower and one week later, super cute and 8 months pregnant, she came to Charlotte for my 28th birthday party.

When Tyler arrived, I was in Greensboro within a few days holding this little bundle of joy that looked so much like EE. Eight days after he was born, his Baptist Aunt Randi had the absolute honor of participating in his Jewish bris, one of the most beautiful ceremonies I have ever seen.

Over the last three years, EE and I have started a new forever friendship, one that has to factor in mommyhood and a job that keeps me pretty busy. But we make it work. Because ever since that day in English class, we knew we would be forever friends.

A couple of months ago, EE literally stood beside me, along with some other awesome friends, when we had a graveside service for Nana. I was so nervous and my friends helped me through it. And when she told me a few months ago she was pregnant again, I squealed for joy.

And when I see her next weekend, I am going to joyfully rub her tummy and let him/her know Aunt Randi is here!

And then after that, Ran and EE are going to hit the town and go see New Kids on the Block. Because after the past 11 years, you only do something special like that with those forever friends.

The Fun Factory

Last night, I went to the NC Music Factory, a new entertainment complex right outside of uptown Charlotte.

A few weeks ago, Groupon had a great deal: $20 for six tickets to the new Charlotte Comedy Zone.

Armed with some awesome friends, we started our evening at a German restaurant, VBGB. I had a delicious pretzel!

Then we headed over to Wet Willie's, a frozen daiquiri bar, that was pretty fun and delicious. At the Comedy Zone, the opening act was Danny Niblock. He was followed by Josh Phillips, who I thought was hilarious. He had a lot of jokes about the South, and Walmart, so I could relate.

The main act was Grandma Lee, a 77 year-old comedian. Apparently, she is famous from the Jenny Jones Show, (That's right, Jenny freakin' Jones. Hello, 90s.) America's Got Talent and Last Comic Standing. She was pretty funny, although I definitely enjoyed the introductory comedians more.

The new Comedy Zone is a pretty cool facility. It's sort of in a basement, so it has this nice underground feel to it. The server we had was great. They are sort of like ninjas running around in the dark. I will definitely be back!

After the show, we made a return to Wet Willie's. What a fun place!

My next event is in two weeks, New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys in Greensboro!

The funniest man in America

Wow, it's June!

This is definitely the longest I've ever managed to keep up with a New Year's resolution. Dear readers, I cannot tell you how good it feels to give yourself a nice New Year's resolution.

For my June event, my friend Jean and I went to the Lake Norman Comedy Zone. It's basically just the upstairs of Galway Hooker pub, which turns into the Comedy Zone on Tuesday nights. I will be glad when we have a Comedy Zone in Charlotte again-something not so out of the way!

The comedian was James Gregory. He's an older comedian whose comedy mostly focuses on Southern culture and food-two of my favorite things! He was billed as the funniest man in America, but I couldn't find out where they came from even with an extensive Google search. He was really good, very funny. I especially enjoyed his rant about how he's afraid to fly. That is definitely something I can personally relate to.

It was a great show and the environment was nice. It was a full house, but a small venue.

Next month, I have two events planned so far: Another comedy show and something I've been looking forward to FOREVER: New Kids on the Block!!

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes

This month I returned to the theater with my friend Cheryl to see the musical Rent.

We went to Theater Charlotte, a local community group that puts on several shows a year. It was amazing.

The theater itself is adorable. It only holds a small crowd and is a casual atmosphere. It felt like the performers were singing right to us.

Rent is about a lot of things: Love, friendship, poverty, AIDS. Most importantly, rent is about life and death. How do you live your best life? What does your life mean? How does your life impact others?

I don't think I am spoiling anything by saying one of the friends in the group, Angel, dies of AIDS. Angel, full of life and love, leaves behind a grieving, fractured group of friends who have to decide how to carry on and make the most of their lives.

This show made me laugh and made me cry. It is a bit provocative.

An interesting thing about the musical Rent is that it's writer Jonathan Larson died of a sudden heart attack before the show hit Broadway. So, how do you measure a life?

I do my best thinking by writing

Editor's Note: Once again, this has nothing to do with my resolution. But I lost my Nana last week, so this is something I have a therapeutic need to share.

Nana died on Tuesday, April 26. This is the eulogy I delivered on Thursday, April 27 at her grave site.

At Granddaddy’s funeral, almost nine years ago, I stood in front of most of you to talk just like I am doing today. I remember sitting in the pew, thinking there was no way I could talk in front of all those people. I was scared, just like I am today. Nana held my hand and told me that I could do it. Before I knew what was happening, I was standing up there, in front of everyone reading the words I’d written. Nana gave me courage.

Over the last 29 years, Nana held my hand a lot. When we went for walks. When she picked me up from school. When Granddaddy was in the hospital after his heart attack.

About eight years ago, Nana asked me if I would speak today. Even though she’s not here, I can almost feel her holding my hand and telling me I can do this.

Nana loved a lot of things. She loved her flowers. She loved coffee. She loved to cook. She loved naming the birds that flew in and out of her yard. But more than anything, she loved Willie. Nine years ago Nana’s heart was broken. The man that always held her hand and gave her courage was gone. A few weeks ago, she held my hand for the last time and told me that she would give anything in the world to feel Granddaddy’s arms around her again.

53 years is a very long time to hold someone’s hand. And nine years was a long time for her to live without him. She never really felt complete.

Nana used to tell me that when they were dating, Granddaddy would come and pick her up, against Grandma Parker’s wishes, and say, “Baby, let’s go.”

I believe that early Tuesday morning, finally, Willie stuck out that hand that she knew and loved so well and said, “Come on baby, let’s go.”

Why this white girl shouldn't dance

• I almost got kicked out of Howl at the Moon
• I have a random bruise, cause unknown, and extreme soreness in my left arm
• I wasted some good alcohol, committing a major party foul

However, the good things that happened on Friday night far outweigh the bad. I decided to mix things up a little bit for my April resolution event.

My friend Elizabeth (EE) came to Charlotte for a visit. I decided to do something with her that wouldn't cost either one of us a ton, but still count as my event for the month. We would go to Howl at the Moon , a dueling piano bar in uptown Charlotte.

I went to their website for more information and I registered to win a free party. I did. This got us some pretty good drink deals and free admission. Well, of course I needed to share those deals, so I invited some friends. The guests for the EE's Here party were: Jean, Mark, Alisa, Frank, Misty, Dan and Tasha.

We were on two separate, yet equally important missions: Show EE a good time and see a live performance.

Well, since we are winners, we completed both missions.

We were there for several hours listening to some good music and enjoying each other's company. They had some fantastic drink that came in a bucket. It was delicious.

Our group requested a song that is special to EE and me: "It wasn't me" by Shaggy. Of course, we were the only people in the room who enthusiastically cheered when it was played. Some other favorites included Kid Rock, Montell Jordan and Carrie Underwood. It was neat to watch the different performers switch gears and move from genre to genre.

Needless to say, when you drink out of a bucket, you may be moved to dance. I did the macarena. I also knocked over a couple of drinks, resulting in a near ousting from the bar management. I woke up with random bruises and blisters from my insane heels.

I had a fantastic time. It was wonderful to have so many of my friends be able to participate in this month's event, let go and have some fun.

Next month, I return to the theater for the musical Rent.

As always, it's about the accessories!

Concerts, sporting events and other resolution-eligible items are usually a blast to attend. Getting there sometimes can be another story.

Parking is almost always an issue. For my first event, The Lion King, my friend Quiz dropped Kelly and me off at the door. We had a long, cold walk back to the car after the event wasover. In Roanoke, my friend Misty and I boarded a shuttle bus to get a ride to the Civic Center.

At the Carolina game, my brother and I paid $10 for the privilege of leaving my car (which broke down) in a pot-hole filled lot and then hiking a mile.

Once you get to the event, there normally isn't a lot of leg room, or any kind of room. There definitely isn't room for the big purse that I usually carry. I've spent many an event awkwardly attempting to shove my bag under my seat or move it out of the way when someone stumbles drunkenly down the aisle.

I decided in Roanoke that this would not do. I took the essentials: license, debit card, lip gloss, phone and camera and put them in a small bag that fit on my wrist. That probably looked a little silly because this was a bag I bought to go with my bridesmaids dress for a friend’s wedding. This worked well at the concert. I could wear my bag on my wrist and not have to worry about a bulky bag, while carrying all the essentials.

I decided then that I needed a less formal bag. I got this from TJ Maxx. I just carry the essentials and it works great.

The only problem now is that I want to permanently downsize, but I just can’t seem to make myself do it!

Three months, six events: A resolution update

I am three months into my New Year’s resolution. In typical Type A fashion, I have actually attended six events when only three were required. And I have enjoyed every one of them.

A friend asked me a few weeks ago to really talk through why I chose this resolution. Why am I doing this? At the end of every year, I start to think of things I want to change about myself. What is wrong with me? How can I do better? I need to lose weight. I need to write more. I need to be a better person.

As 2010 drew to a close, I started to wonder why can’t I, for once, choose a resolution that is fun for me? Why can’t I do something that I enjoy?

I love concerts and musicals, plays and comedy shows (as long as they don’t make fun of me!). But in 2010, I only attended a couple of events all year. Why?

And so, a resolution for 2011 was born. So far, I've attended:

• The Lion King Musical

• Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker

• Bobcats vs. Sacramento Kings Basketball

• Sara Evans

• Cirque du Soleil: Totem

• NCAA Basketball: UNC vs. Long Island

How’s it going so far?

I can only find two real downsides to my resolution. The first con is all about the money! Three months in, I've spent almost $500. It takes an incredible amount of planning and budgeting to figure out what I am doing and budget accordingly.

The only other downside is time. I have had something going on almost every weekend so far this year, which is fun but it is also exhausting.

Luckily, the pros of this resolution far outweigh the cons. I have seen some excellent shows so far. I have yet to attend an event that wasn't worth every penny. Everything has been fun.

I have spent a lot of time with friends and family that I might not have otherwise. That’s been the absolute best part.

I am just having fun. And I am learning a lot: How to enjoy life and how to be nicer to myself. These perks are definitely worth the investment.

A weekend at the Big Dance and the Big Top

Friday Night:

My brother Michael and I, who were raised in the strict religion of Tar Heel, enjoyed the first round of NCAA Championship competition at Time Warner Cable Arena. We decided to go all out for great seats (with a nice partial sponsorship from our mom) and ended up being very, very close to the action.

How deep does our religion go? This was a post-game conversation we had.

Michael: "Someone said if Duke goes further, at least someone from the ACC will go forward. Forget that. I would root for the Taliban first."

Me: "Well, I hear they're putting together a really great team."

Our enemy Friday night was Long Island University, more specifically the Blackbirds. There were not a ton of Blackbird fans in the house, but the ones that were there were loud and proud. The Tar Heels played a good game, not a great one. I am a little worried about our future in the tournament based on some of the things I saw. The Daily Tar Heel sums it up here.

Regardless, it was great to see the boys in blue in Charlotte. Our seats were fantastic (as pictured above) and we could see some of our favorite boys up close and personal. Getting to hear the Carolina fight song live from the band and shout TAR HEELS along with thousands of others was a great experience. I had a great time with Mike, my brother by DNA and the Church of Tarheel.*

*This will also forever be known as the night my car broke down eight times on the way home from the game. We should find out Monday what the damage will be.

Final Score: 102-87

Roy is angry and so is Ramses:

National Anthem

Zeller goes for a free throw

See all photos from the game here.

Saturday Night

I went to my first ever Cirque du Soleil show-TOTEM! The show was held at the big top, set up in Concord near Lowe's Motor Speedway. It was amazing. I really don't know how to describe this show.

The Totem website describes it as

"Tracing the fascinating journey of the human species from it's original amphibian state to it's ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient organizations. Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of the species."

I describe the show as, well, awesome. I know I should be able to use more words, since this is my writing project. These people are so athletic and talented. They can twirl, juggle, flip and spin. These things are almost always done while swinging and flipping in the air. Seriously, it is SO hard to describe.

Here's a little video I found on YouTube that might help

There were ring tossers, trapeze artists, unicyclists, jugglers, roller skaters and more. The show used all of these incredible talents to tell a story that was funny and through provoking. The best advice I have is go see it if you have a chance. If you're in Charlotte, you still do. They are here until March 27.

It was a fantastic event and is a perfect example of why I needed to do this as a resolution. I think the old Randi would never have made it to this event. And it was wonderful.

Note: All photos that don't include me are courtesy of the Totem website.

For all my Cirque pictures, click here

It's March. I am well into my resolution. Later next week, I'll share how things are going so far. Do you have any suggestions for events I should attend? How has my resolution changed my life so far?

Give me a comment, ya'll! I need your feedback.