Wait! I have to Viggle That!

This might come as a shock to some of you, but I don't have an iPhone...or any smart phone for that  matter. I have a very simple LG Envy that I adore and will cling onto it until it craps out on me. However, I do have an iPad that was graciously given to me for Christmas by my Uncle Peter (Thanks, again!) so I get to play around with all of the apps without paying for that pesky data plan. (Hooray for wireless internet!)

My favorite app that I have discovered is Viggle. If you do not have this app and you are a television junkie, what are you waiting for? It's free! Stop what you are doing and download it. Now. I'll wait...

Once Viggle is installed on your preferred device (not sure if it's available on Androids or not), you are ready to earn points for watching television and eventually redeem for gift cards. Yes, you heard that right. You can stock up on points to get PRESENTS!! Who doesn't love free stuff, amiright?

A little overview of how it works: It's kind of like Shazaam, but for TV. You "check in" to whichever show you're watching (it has to be live, the app doesn't work on DVR'd shows, but hey, you'll avoid spoilers!) and  you get points. Some shows have corresponding trivia games and you get even MORE points.  Those points collect and after awhile you'll have enough for your very own gift card of your choosing from the array of places they have listed. This list gets updated from time to time, so you can be choosy when picking out your prize, especially if you have a severe problem with decision making like I do. For me, I'm saving up for the Amazon $25 gift card to return on the list. It's always gone in a flash, but I'm determined to Viggle my tv shows until my thumbs hurt to get that card. Plus, I've already redeemed my points for a $10 iTunes card, so it's legit, people. I pinky swear.

Go ahead, give it a try. Who knows you might find some new TV to watch. And if you do, don't forget to inform me about it. I'm always looking for the next best thing to watch and Viggle for points.

Enjoy being a couch potato, my friends.

*Side note that's completely unrelated to this post. I just followed my own blog by accident. I'm still learning the lay of the land around here. Not narcissistic, just tech challenged.

What I'm Watching Tonight: Tuesday Night is Comedy Night

New Girl premieres on Fox tonight at 8pm and again at 9pm. The Mindy Project premieres on Fox right after New Girl at 9:30pm

This is The Voice

Of all the millions of singing competitions that are on television today, The Voice is my favorite. Mainly because I want one of those Star Trek-esque swivel chairs and Cee Lo's Miss Puurrfect...who has unfairly been replaced by a bird (Cee Lo's Lady, a pink cockatoo). What the hell, Cee Lo? That's messed up.

I NEED to know what that bird is thinking. Imagine all the stuff she has seen.

The chemistry of all four of the judges on The Voice is the steamiest of all the singing shows (Sorry, I love you Demi and Brit-Brit, but your chemistry just seems kind of stale on The X-Factor, I will no longer be watching).  Christina Aguilera is such a diva. I can't decide if I love her or want to smack her fake eye lashes off. Blake Shelton is, I'm pretty sure, always buzzed or drunk on whiskey. Cee-Lo is just wackadoodle (in a totally good way, might I add. I live for some of his comments). And Adam Levine is the glue trying to keep the competition the tiniest bit sane. Yeah, good luck with that, Adam, you  do realize WHO is sitting to left of you right?

I'm actually kind of annoyed that Usher and Shakira (who can't sing...so umm?) are replacing Xtina and Cee-Lo next season. Part of the biggest draw of the show was to see how divalicious Xtina was and what crazy outfit Cee-Lo was wearing. Usher and Shakira are really going to have to bring it, if I'm going to watch next season (Ah, who am I kidding you know I will, if only to see them fall flat on their faces).

But, if I'm being honest, the only part I like about The Voice are the blind auditions. The drama! The emotional back stories! The hilarious bickering between judges! What's not to love? After those are over, I could care less who wins the crown..trophy? I mean, who even won last year? Does anyone remember? I know it was team Blake, but I'm completey drawing a blank as to who it was and what they even sounded like. Shrug.

I kind of wish the competition would end with the blind auditions. Once one of the judges turns around it can be like the Oprah show:

"And you get a record deal! And you get a record deal! And you!" 

Now that is a genius idea.

The Voice is on NBC, Mondays and Tuesdays at 8pm.

Emmy Wrap-Up

The Emmys are my second favorite Awards Show. The first being the Golden Globes because all the stars get drunk and are usually so off the cuff by the time they win their awards that I love all the "OMG! Did he/she just say that on live television?" moments. But, I love the Emmys because obvs I'm a tv addict.

I thought Jimmy Kimmel did a fantastic job hosting. He kept the show moving and was pretty funny and not nasty to his fellow celeb friends (Though, I totally stick by Ricky Gervais. I think he's hilarious, and those movie stars --I'm looking at you Angelina and Tommy Cruise-- need to get a sense humor STAT).

One of my favorite parts was Josh Groban's rendition of "What Makes You Beautiful?" by One Direction for Jimmy Kimmel's "memorial." Hilar!

Modern Family of course swept the competition winning awards in all the comedy categories (except lead actress/actor), including Best Comedy for the THIRD year in a row. Look, I love Modern Family as much as the next person, and I do agree it deserves a lot of praise, but I think it's time to make room for some fresh new comedy.  Side note: Why were Parks & Recreation and Happy Endings BOTH NOT NOMINATED? Get with the program, Emmy voters these are two of the funniest shows on television, with outstanding casts!

While I have heard many good things about Veep, I'm very sad that Julia Louis-Dreyfus beat out Amy Poehler for the Lead Actress in a Comedy category. I mean, Amy just had an absolutely stellar and emotional season on Parks and she deserved to take it home. Though did love the bit she did with Julia. Love funny ladies.

The only winner I was unhappy about was Jon Cryer. Jon, you were awesome as Ducky in "Pretty in Pink". I love you. But, Two and a Half Men just is a vile, unfunny show and I honestly don't think you deserved that Emmy. I think it should have gone to Louis C.K.  (who was a big winner regardless, but very well deserved. He's a very talented comedian) or Larry David. But, I'm still kind of annoyed that Nick Offerman was not nominated for his role as Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation. Again, what the heck, Emmy voters?!

I actually don't watch many dramas, but was happy with all the winners, especially Aaron Paul who won best supporting actor for Breaking Bad (a show I will eventually watch, pinky swear). His speech choked me up a bit. It was too cute how excited he was, and you could tell he was genuinely humbled.

Homeland took the the award for best drama series. Another show I need to look into because I've heard nothing but amazing things. The stars Claire Danes (so not a fan of her dress, I know she's preggars but it just did not flatter her at all and I usually like her fashion choices) and Damian Lewis also took home an Emmy.

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I mean, honestly, Claire. It looks like a mix between a neon 80s' jump suit and a beach cover up.

My best dressed of the night goes to Kerry Washington (look at all those sparkles! I die!)

 with a VERY close second to Tina Fey. Woman looked smokin'!

One day I'll know what that red carpet feels like...One day!

Honey, I'm Hooommmeee

I'm going to try to start this up again. I need a creative outlet in my life. Plus, the fall season has officially begun, which means Pilots and fresh episodes of my new favorite shows galore!

5 Things I Learned From Punky Brewster

I wished and wished for Punky Brewster to be my bff when I was a little girl. Sadly it never came true, but I still got to pretend by following her silly antics every week. Here is a list of 5 things the Punkster taught me:

1) Mix and match your clothing. 

Let's face it, Punky was a style icon. Who else could pull off two different colored Converse sneakers, a bandana around the leg and a rolled  pant leg?  Look at those laces! And, the pig tails! Oh my. She wasn't afraid to look like a walking smorgasbord board of skittles. Punky wasn't afraid to experiment with her wardrobe. I'm also completely convinced that she was the original hipster.

2) Interior Design

She painted her walls herself and her bed was made out of an old wagon that tilted back and forth. She also designed a tree house! Girl is a creativity machine. And even though everything she touches looks like a box of Crayolas exploded she managed to make a room that has a very cheery atmosphere all by herself. Quite a feat for a 10-year-old girl.

3) Be fearless.

Not only with clothing, but also during the episode aptly titled "Perils of Punky." That episode scared the crap out of me. I couldn't watch it. You laugh, and say "Oh, Nicole, you're so ridiculous for being scared of a kid's show."

Ahem, I give you exhibit a) :

 and exhibit b)

Still don't believe me? Well, watch on youtube. I can guarantee you will have nightmares for a week.

Punky and her friends get lost on a camping trip and end up in a cave. Soon, Punky's gang disappears and she finds herself all alone to face some kind of demon, or witch or other evil spirit. Instead of running away she faces it head on to save her friends. That's pretty kick ass because I would have just peed myself and crawled into the fetal position until the giant spider ate me.


4) How to handle tough situations

The girl went through a lot. Not only was she abandoned by her parents, but her best friend Cherie got trapped in a refrigerator while playing hide and seek and almost died, Henry, her mentor almost overdoses on sleeping pills, a kid that's over Henry's house drinks a whole bottle of poisonous cleaner from underneath the sink, her dog Brandon almost dies, and she gets lost in the woods (see above). So much happens.


5) Be a loyal friend

This one is pretty self-explanatory, no? Plus there is a whole episode about "blood sisters" and they squish their fingers together with ketchup, because you know AIDS was also a lesson taught on this show. Punky would do anything for her besties and that's what makes her so wonderful. Who wouldn't want to be friends with the Punkster?

xoxo, A

Pretty Little Liars, while completely addicting, stresses me out. Why? Because they always meet in these sketch, dark places. What happened to a well lit area? Why would you meet in the middle of the dark woods when you know someone is out there watching your every move? Gah!

Besides all that, I love this soapy series right down to the opening titles (that theme song is chilling!) After watching the first few episodes, I realized I couldn't wait to find out who "A" is so I decided to read the YA series, which might have been an error in judgement becasue the books were just as addicting, but even darker and more twisted than the show if you could believe. The girls were not best friends, and there were far more deaths and mysteries than what's going on right now in the series. They're changing a lot, and I really hope they don't change who "A" is because it's a doozy.

My favorite characters are even different from the show and the books. In the books, it's Aria, the artsy girl whose a bit of a loner and dates the gorgeous Mr. Fitz. (However, Ezra is a very minor character in the book, I'm glad that they're making his character bigger in the show because Ian Harding is very swoon worthy). In the show it's Spencer Hastings, the rich prepster who has competed with her older sister Melissa her whole entire life. In the books I seriously wanted A to murder her because she was so annoying, but I think she's so endearing the show (plus her outfits are flawless. Flawless!).

Also, there's a lot of new characters and relationships in the show that didn't occur in the books, but I should just come to terms with the fact that they are two different entities. Either way, the book series and the show are great frothy reads and watches for the summer to take your mind off that heat and humidity. It's best while sitting either outside on a towel or in front of a fan while sipping lemonade (alcohol optional).

Just sit back and let the mystery unfold.

I'll be watching.

xo,
A