TVDForever

I can't believe one of my favorite shows of all time is ending forever. The Vampire Diaries will soon be no more. I've been dreading it all season. Living in denial. Now it's actually almost finished and I'm not emotionally prepared. Not even remotely. When that last episode ends...

Damonlicious

In my fervent quest to keep my favorite immortal, Damon Salvatore, alive forever--only a couple of weeks away from the premiere of the final season of The Vampire Diaries--I'm doing my best to bring back my favorite memes, digital art, and images of the show. So what could be more perfect than a few memes and images dedicated to the sexiest Salvatore? 

Ask, and ye shall receive.

And for your patience, here is your shirtless Damon reward.

Or maybe it's more like...

And let's not forget that eye thing he does...

Or the Damon Dance Party

Or his little bits of Damon wisdom...

And let's be real: if he asked me to...

He is perfectly Damonlicious.

(Not that it matters).

Oh and,

Am I obsessed? Maybe a little. But guess what?

Best Things I Learned While I Was 49

It was bound to happen, folks. Once I get within spitting distance of a birthday, there's bound be a post about the 'best things I learned while I was...," in this case, 49. These annual posts of mine are usually my most popular of the year. Go figure. And even though you might not think it's possible to top the Best Things I Learned While I Was 48, (I know, right?) who knows what could happen?

And you know, I'm turning the big Hawaii 5-0 (without the Hawaii, unfortunately). So you know what that means.

Yeah, if by 'party' you mean my annual refusal to cook dinner on my birthday, going out to eat, and then falling asleep on the couch by 11:30 or so (it's a work night, after all). Party on, Garth.

So anyhoodle, lets get this best-things-I-learned-while-I-was-49 post underway, before I officially become part of the Over the Hill club. I've got until September 28 to be 49, and I will not go quietly or gracefully into my 50's, people. I'm holding onto my 40's until the very last second!

You know the drill by now: these pearls of forty-nine-year-old wisdom are in no particular order...

• Going back to college, for a second master's degree no less, is not for the weak of heart, or mind, or body...or bank account--but then again, that's what student loans are for, right? As that old saying goes, "he who dies with the most student loan debt...only gets out of it by dying."
• When David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Prince, and Gene Wilder all die in the same year, you realize that a huge part of your youth died with them...and it puts things into perspective.

•  Any idiot can run for president. And one of them will probably win. 

• Finding out that The Vampire Diaries is ending after the 2016-17 season is going to put a bit of a kink in my TVD obsession posts. Not to mention the withdrawals. And all the feels from the absence of Damon my favorite immortals! 

• Getting a teaching job after 7 years of looking (and 7 years of rejection) is kind of maybe totally awesome. 
• I have an addiction to Erin Condren planners and I don't care who knows it. Life planner? Check. Planner for journaling? Check. Teacher Planner? Check. Washi tape and stickers galore to decorate the pages of said planners? Double check.

• You should never underestimate the effect that opening a ginormous pack of gelly roll pens can have on your life, no matter how old you are.
• The word, 'ginormous' doesn't get highlighted by the spellchecker in my browser. It seems like a fake word (gigantic+enormous, anyone?), but I checked and it is indeed in the dictionary. [Oh sure. But 'boom chucka lucka' can't make the cut.]
• When people accuse you of doing things you didn't do, and they refuse to believe you no matter what you say or do, and all they do is spew venom and hate at you, it's perfectly OK to cut ties with those people. Even if they're family. 

• Unless I'm going to be swept away into a fairy tale land full of munchkins, and tin men, and Oz (Oh My!)--and it becomes a Ruby Shoes Day for a skippidy-do-walk down a yellow brick road with 3 new besties and my little dog, too--then I don't want to be within 3 miles of a tornado ever again.

• Just because someone texts you, it doesn't mean you have to read it right that very minute. Or even reply. No, seriously.
• Life is better with cheesecake.
• I don't like soda. I do, however, like an occasional pop.

• Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy art supplies, and books, and music...and that's pretty much the same thing in my book.
• Netflix awesomely allows you to binge-watch entire seasons without commercials and without annoying holidays and hiatuses...so that you can subsequently feel utterly sad, empty, and completely alone when the season or series ends.
• I have no idea who Todd Chrisley is or why he has his own reality TV show. But I think if we met we would be best friends.
• When the official Vampire Diaries page on Facebook posts a TVD meme you made, it kind of makes your day. [Who am I kidding? It made my whole year.]
• Some like it Scot.

Sam Heughan, aka Jamie Fraser on Outlander

• Documenting your life is important. Do it in photos. Do it in a planner. Do it in a journal. But do it. Your kids will appreciate it. Trust me.
• If you decide at the last minute to make a favorite recipe, and you run to the store to get the ingredients to make it, you will get home and start making it, only to realize that you forgot the main ingredient.
• The world's best garden is the one you grow with your granddaughter.

• I'm still not over the end of LOST, saying goodbye to my FRIENDS, or the death of McDreamy. And I'm OK with that.

Well now, that is quite a lot of acquired knowledge from the last year of my life. But before I finish this ode to my fading forties, I just want to add that even though I don't usually want gifts on my birthday, since turning 50 is a milestone year, I would not be opposed to a present this year. 

You know, like...

Or...

And you know, even though it's kind of not exciting to be turning the big 5-0, at least I do get to have a birthday (hello, bright side? I'm talking to you!), right? So let's just bring this Best Things I Learned When I was 49 post to a  birthday-worthy finish, shall we?

Can you say, Christina and Meredith Dance Party, boys and girls?!

Here's to the last 24 hours of my 49th year...and the beginning of (hopefully) the fabulous 50's. Dance it out, people.

The Vampire Diaries Meme

I've been watching The Vampire Diaries on Netflix...or should I say, re-binge-watching, in anticipation of the start of the 8th and final season. And thinking about the fan gurl that I am, I thought I'd share this meme I made about watching TVD.

I love these kinds of memes. I've seen them for many topics and they're always fun to read. Have you seen any others about The Vampire Diaries? I'd love to see some others. :)

Pondering the End of Shirtless Damon

Most of you know that I'm a big obsessed fan of The Vampire Diaries. When I discovered that show on Netflix in about 2010 I didn't really think I'd like it. But I was hooked before the end of the first episode. 

And now that the series is going to be coming to an end after this coming season, I thought I'd share some of my favorite TVD memes and digital photos/art with you, and maybe create a few more along the way through this season.

For this blog post, we're going to walk down the Shirtless Damon Memory Lane. Because let's face it: no matter what the reason is that you love TVD, you gotta rank Shirtless Damon somewhere near the top of that list. So here are a few of my favorite memes that I've made that feature my favorite shirtless Salvatore brother.

And my personal favorite...

The official TVD page on Facebook just featured that meme today--and not gonna lie, it made me smile. :)

As a bonus, just in case you need to see Shirtless Damon in action, here's an animated gif for you as well. 

So that is my tribute to Shirtless Damon. More TVD memes, moments, and memories to come as I follow the end of one of my favorite shows of all time for its final season. 

10 Mostly Realistic Resolutions for 2016

One of my favorite posts to write in the last couple of years was the one about my 10 Mostly Realistic Resolutions for 2014. But dang, that was like two years ago! Apparently I didn't have a burning desire to set any goals for 2015, or maybe I was just lazy. So difficult to say. I'm sure you're aghast either way. So I think I'll just remedy this by setting 10 Mostly Realistic Resolutions for 2016 right here, right now. Who's with me?!

While you're thinking up yours, I'll just get you started with mine. You know, since you're here and all.

Ready?

1. Stop binge-watching shows on Netflix and Hulu. 

You know what? That IS insane. Binge-watching shows on Netflix and Hulu is one of my favorite things to do. And since I can watch my shows commercial-free, it's even better. OK, yeah, so let's just modify this resolution to say, "Stop binge-watching shows on Netflix and Hulu...as much." Might as well aim low, to avoid disappointment.

And speaking of binge-watching TV shows...am I the only one who feels a cruel sense of isolation and abandonment when I finish binge-watching an entire series? I mean, I manage to hit all five stages of grief after a good show ends. The struggle is real.

2. Refrain from using the word, 'Dude' so much. But, dude. That's hard. For real. Someone needs to invent a new word that is just as fun to type in social media posts. Perhaps that should be one of my resolutions as well?!

3. Find word to replace, "Dude."  

4. Drink less Starbucks Iced Espresso. I mean seriously, I'm a wee bit addicted to this stuff. I need to cut back a little. But really, there are worse things I could be addicted to, am I right? It's not like I drink 3 bottles of this a week or anything. Well, not every week. Mostly not. OK, OK, mostly I do! [Hangs head in shame.]

5. Do NOT give up on The Vampire Diaries. I will admit it: I'm still in the TVD fangdom. I can't help it really. I found that show on Netflix in 2010 or 2011 and I was hooked from the first episode. And even though Season 6 was less than stellar vampire TV drama, and even though I have *almost* given up on it a time or two, it still beckons me every week to come back for more. Even without Elena. But my love for this show has absolutely, positively nothing at all to do with Ian Somerhalder, aka Damon Salvatore. Nothing. 

At all.

6. Eat more breakfast for dinner. Because cooking is hard. And breakfast is just easier. And yummier. And because French Toast! I already got a jump on this resolution: we had French Toast for dinner tonight. How's that for being an overachiever?!

7. Do NOT learn to Whip and Nae Nae.  Let's face it: I'm getting old. And I'm not exactly dancer material. So it's highly unlikely you'll ever see me either Whip, or Nae Nae for that matter. But I do like the sound of it. It's catchy, no? And I like to watch other people do it too. So even though I'll not be whipping anything but cream, or nae-nae-ing anything--except to object to something--at any point in the coming year, if YOU are so inclined, by all means, Whip. And Nae Nae.

(Image: FallonTonight)

8.  Develop the healthy glow of someone who goes to the gym. But with one important caveat. 

9. Live every day like it's Taco Tuesday. I mean, who doesn't like Taco Tuesdays?

10. Keep on being weird. Because "normal" is overrated. And really, if you think about it, there is no "normal." We're all just different degrees of screwed up and weird. And that, my friends, is totally OK.

So I will not only keep on being weird, I will revel in my weirdness. Weirdness rules. Rock the weird in you too! Especially if they pump up your jam.

And with that you have my 10 Mostly Realistic Resolutions for 2016. Mostly do-able.
Fully and Tinaliciously me.

Have a safe and Happy New Year, peeps!

7 Questions for Ian Somerhalder

Given that my last post was in November, I may perhaps have lost all three of my loyal followers. What can I say? I've been out of blogging mode for awhile now...concentrating on my art and my family. But now that I'm facing a rather scary health crisis, and given that I'm just self-centered enough to want to read my own thoughts online, I figured I'd better start blogging again while I still can. And what better way to jump back into the blogosphere than with a post dedicated to my favorite man-crush, Ian Somerhalder?! 

Can I get a 'hells yeah,' people!

Now that I have your attention, let us get to the task at hand. Namely, my 7 Questions for Ian Somerhalder. You know, because 6 questions aren't enough, and and 8 would just be overkill. So here we go.

1.  How did your eyes get so damn blue?!

I don't even care if that photo is enhanced, your baby blues are some of the bluest I've ever seen.  It's so freaking distracting--in the best haunt-your-dreams-and-make-me-feel-like-a-15-year-old-girl kind of way. A girl could get lost in there...lose all sense of space, time, and reality. 

What was I saying? Oh right. The eyes. But moving on...

2.  Do you have a license for those guns?

There's something about your biceps. They're um, nice. Yes, 'nice', that's perfectly polite and ladylike. I am a lady, after all, and a happily married one at that. But a girl can look. I'm not blind. Am I right? And they're like, right...there. 

3.  How did you master that eye thing you do?

 And really, could you teach my Hubs how to do that? 

4.  How is it that you make blood and fangs look sexy?

Edward Cullen was hot, in a sparkly-and-overly-coiffed sort of way. But let's face it: you as Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries--YOU make vampires S-E-X-Y.  

 And BTW...

If you need to practice your biting technique, I'm totes available.

5. In which episode of TVD will you next appear shirtless?

Because, well...

Is it hot in here or is it just me? Lord have mercy.

6.  Can I bite that lip for you?

What? It's a legit question, people.

7.  You're a defender of animals and a warrior for protecting the environment, you're an amazing actor, you're kind and compassionate, you're a devoted husband (and your wife is equally amazing, dammit), and you're all gorgeous and sexy to boot. There's only so much a fan girl can take. Are you trying to kill me?

The bottom line is this, Mr. Somerhalder:

Well, actually, you had me at LOST, as the sweetly sexy character of Boone. But it's your good-bad-boy behavior as the immortal Damon Salvatore on TVD that captured my full fan-girl attention. 6+ years of blood lust and Mystic Falls and Delena and those blue eyes and shirtless shower scenes and that eye thing you do. I mean really, what's a girl to do?!

Now that I've asked you these 7 Questions, Mr. Somerhalder, please feel free shoot me an email with your replies. Or you can tweet me @TinaGrimes.