Are the Jonas Brothers the Hand Maidens of Satan? We have your answer here.

Ok. So, all of you know that I love Gary Lightbody. A lot. He's the lead singer of my favorite band and well, quite frankly, he has nice teeth. And I'm not afraid to admit that I have a bit of a Freudian oral thing that I have never been able to shake. Well, I was doing my daily reading on the Snow Patrol blog and this little entry of Garys made me smile so I thought I would share it. Mainly because it is something that I too am quite passionate about. Click and read my friends.

http://www.snowpatrol.com/blog/default.aspx?did=1248


I would like to join my voice with Garys in saying..."To all of you out there, may you enjoy lots of consensual and safe sex for all the days of your lifes."

Best Coast and Beach House. A little bit of awesomeness for you.

I love new music. Some here are two of my favorite newer-ish songs that I love. Funny that one is about boyfriends and the other is about lovers. I always say that I love love. Well, I only love love when I'm in it. And when it's being nice to me. Luckily for you, I am and it is. And because of that you get two new great music choices. You can thank me later.

The first is Best Coast Boyfriend. Great, fun, peepy song. Classic musical sound and fun lyrics. Just easy to listen too.

.

And the second is Beach House Lover of Mine. More mellow. The lyrics are a lot deeper and actually their sound takes more getting used to but is really great if you can appreciate it.



Well, their ya go. Two new great songs from moi. Enjoy.

Sheer bliss at 70 mph

I love to drive. I really love listening to loud music while I drive. While running errands this morning, I was rockin' the "FAVS" playlist. A couple of songs that have made me happy for many years are on this list. And, because I cannot study for one more minute or my head will explode, also because I'm tired of looking at boobs, I'm gonna play a couple of those for you.

You are welcome.


I love the giggle... so cute.
Also- just a wee bit of personal trivia- the guy I went to prom with looks like he could be Michael Stipe's twin. Just thought you should know...

Here's another classic...


I have an overwhelming sudden urge to put my tiara on and go water skiing...weird.

Of course, there are a lot more songs on the playlist, but these two made me particularly cheery this morning.

I love being a girl

Sugar and Spice and everything nice. That's what little girls are made of. Ahh...isn't that sweet but then we grow up and we learn quickly that being nice and sweet and smart and giving and all that jazz really isn't all that important. What you do gotta have to make it in this world is boobs. You know...fun bags, dirty pillows, devils dumplings, gazongas, ta ta's, hooters, baby feeders, chesticles etc, etc, etc... And it doesn't matter what they look like. Big ones, small ones, saggy ones, perky ones, lumpy ones. We're an equal opportunity boob world. You just gotta have em. And know how to use them. I mean, seriously, these things are miracle workers. Never having to pay for drinks or meals. Never getting speeding tickets. Getting on the VIP list for clubs in Vegas (true story). Never having to worry about your horrible poker face cause no ones looking at it anyway. Looking great in practically everything you try on. Above the waste anyway. I've even gotten tires for my car for half price. That's huge and was done with nursing boobs so don't try that on an average day.

Anyway...my point is this. You can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on college and have perfect etiquette and always know the right thing to say. Or...You can go to the local Target and get a push bra and a low cut shirt for $15.99 and achieve the exact same thing. You decide. I choose BOOBS.

To New Beginnings

There are times in life where choices are made and decisions are followed through with. This is one of those times for me and my sweet friend. We have been though a lot of changes both seperately and together.
Tomorrow is a day that we open new chapters. We are both 30 something mothers of four. We have great responsibilities and cherish our children more than I think they'll ever really know. We are both zaney and love life. But this past year was a tough one. Bad stuff happened. Decisions were made, some wise- some not so much... and reprecussions are still being felt. But we learned that we can deal with bad stuff and that we will eventually come out on top. There are a few scrapes and bruises...maybe even a skinned knee or two, but we made it through some nasty junk.
I like to think that in large part, we made it because we had each other and a few other dear friends to lean on when the sun just wouldn't shine. It's still partly to mostly cloudy, but there is light. And we love light.







I love you, best friend.

The Sun Always Shines. Always On Time...

Yesterday morning I woke up to a quote on my phone that my sweet friend Mandi sent to me. It said. .."Everything will be okay in the end. If it isn't okay, then it isn't the end." I think she was inspired to send that to me because the night before was really bad. I really had given up on myself and everything else for that matter. Sometimes its just so much easier to focus on the negative and the things that stink in our lives then it is to see the bright spots. A lot of times that's because those bright spots just get covered up in so much of our other crap. And sometimes we just don't want to see them anymore. It's easier to wallow and give up than it is to stand up and fight. But unfortunately, that's the cowards road. And I am no coward. Except when it comes to spiders but that's not really relevant.

I think it's important to remember that even through the darkest of times that the sun always shines. Maybe not as bright as we would like it too, but it does shine. And it gives us light to follow no matter how faint it may appear to us. And there are people in our lives who give us light as well. And it's okay to follow their light for a while, until ours is bright enough to lead us down our own path.

I have amazing people in my life. And some super crappy ones. The key is to be able to separate the two. No matter how you may be connected. Blood doesn't make one better than another if they don't have your best interests at heart. You will know the people who love you because they are the ones who are willing to stand between you and the fire storm. And who love you even if you are dead ass, stupid as hell wrong.

My point is...hard times come to everyone. And we fall and lose our way. But don't be afraid to stand back up. Do the best you can and rely on those around you when you can't do it alone.

I love this song- Three Wishes- The Pierces

I have been melancholy lately. Mainly I'm missing some peeps that I love. Also, I'm standing in the middle of an intersection and I'm not sure which road is going to take me where I want to go. If you know me, you know what a huge deal this is because I have a superb sense of direction. And I like to know stuff. I don't know stuff right now. I'm not sure when I will be let in on the secret, either.
I'm getting ready to register for school and I'm nervous about it. What if my 13 year old is right and I am too old? And I am technically a blonde, you know.... so there's that. I didn't like math the first time I tried to do it.

I was able to talk to my sweet friend today, and she is really dumb in her own life, but gives great advice to others. And I can say that because she knows I love her and also because it's just plain true. She has a great heart and it gets her in trouble sometimes. But she knows this and loves anyway. I wouldn't change her for the world. She has my loyalty forever. She just needs to listen to me instead of her. But She makes me feel better and for that, I'm grateful.

I love the lyrics of this song. They are so true. If our hearts were iron we wouldn't get hurt. There are drawbacks- I get it. But people are mean. And I am soft. No one really knows that because I am strong. It has been my experience that the people who profess their greatness are the meanest ones. There is a quote by Maya Angelou that says something like when people tell you who they are, believe them. I used to think this was always true, but I've learned that it isn't. Whatever. I guess we learn by getting hurt. We cannot build an armor around us because we would never love. That would be sad. So it's better to deal with crap that we don't like than to be isolated. We can't have everything we want. It isn't prudent.

The intersection I'm standing in has a couple of great roads. I could be happy down any of them. But I gotta find the best road, and that road will have potholes. I might fall down and scrape my knee, probably more than once... but when I reach my destination it will all have been worth it. And that is what I have to focus on.

If we never have bitter we cannot know delicious. And that is the truth.





***Disclaimer- apparently this has been featured on "Gossip Girl". I didn't know that. I'm cool enough to have found this on my own.

That is all.

Random songs stuck in my head...

I have this bad habit of getting songs stuck in my head and not being able to get them out for days. So, I thought I'd share a couple of them.

The first is Just Jack. Minus the gay ass jazz hands, of course.



And the second is Snow Patrol. But I always have Gary in my head so that's nothing new. My favorite line is: I think the finish line's a good place we could start. Take a deep breath, take in all that you could want.



Well, there they are. No particular reason for them being in my head. They just are. Enjoy.

The Time For Maybe Is Over

There has to come a point in a persons life when they decide to stand up and fight for something more. It's hard and scary and sometimes you walk alone, but in the end you will be better for it. It will make you stronger and wiser. You never know the outcome, but ultimately you can say, Hey this didn't go exactly how I had hoped, or this went straight down the pooper, but I tried. And at least I can say I did something. One of my dearest friends always tells me 'it's time to shit or get off the pot.' I'm getting off the pot. It's time to go after the things I want.

staciacleo lightbody-flowers: hottest. baby. ever.

If Stacia and I had a baby, not only would it have great teeth, an overwhelmingly wonderful (although sometimes inappropriate) sense of humor, unrivaled fashion sense, beautiful hair, and quite frankly the best life EVER... but it would prolly sound a little like this...





While I do prefer the lower key of the original Chasing Cars, I have found this to be interesting and quite creative.

How I'm Feelin'.... Cleo style

I. love. this. song. I just think it's so poignant and beautiful. Not sure why, but it's been in my head for several days and I think we need to appreciate it for a few minutes. Ima go to sleep now.






Of all the things we should've said,
That were never said.
All the things we should've done,
That we never did.
All the things that you needed from me.
All the things that you wanted for me.
All the things that I should've given,
But I didn't.



I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.

Just a few things I really want...

I really want to be an international pole dancing sensation but with the stretch marks from my four kids I don't think that's gonna happen.

I really want to eat cocoa pebbles instead of raisin bran but I have to wear a bikini in 4 weeks and the first isn't helping matters.

I really want to be able to poop on a regular basis but alas, it isn't my lot.

I really want another tattoo but I'm a big fat chicken.

I really want to take a trip to Hawaii to wear my bikini instead of Lava Hot Springs but I can't afford it.

I really want to be a DJ and have my own show where I can play all the music I like and have a wicked cool DJ name but how do you make Stacy Benoit cool, you don't.

I really want to take a bath in dark chocolate but I'm afraid I'll get a yeast infection.

I really want to have sex with Bradley Cooper but he doesn't know I exist.

I really want to be a rockette but I'm too short. Stupid 5'9 cut off.

I really want to wear a snake skin mini skirt and be in a hair video but they don't make hair videos anymore.

I really want to have everything in my life fall into place exactly the way I want and live happily ever after but I'm not cinder-friggin-rella.


That is all.

For now.

Theme Songs Should Never Suck

I usually don't have a difficult time choosing a them song. I have quite a voluminous iTunes acct. and I'm always listening to something new. I have gone back and forth between several songs over the past few days. I'm not gonna lie- some of them just weren't great. And since I am fairly awesome- I really need a song that suits me.

I'm happy, but not obnoxiously so.

I'm hopeful, but realistic.

I love life, but sometimes it's really difficult.

I have great friends, but still find myself lonely. Too often.

I am strong and tough, but soft and sweet.

"You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly for freedom
Walk on, walk on
What you got they can't deny it
Can't sell it or buy it
Walk on, walk on"


The key is to remember how great we are. There are people who can't handle greatness. You know what I say to that?
Nothing.
I just walk on. Because no one can take what I have. Ever.
Stand me up at the gates of hell- do everything you can to make my life suck. You can only hurt me for a minute. 2009 and 2010 proved that to me. I was surrounded by people who wanted to sabotage me. They hated me. They honestly tried to make a certain part of my life a living hell. Their successes were minor and very short lived. You wanna know why? Because you can't keep me down.
I'm gonna get up, dust off, and walk on. Always.

It's that time again...

Every year I like to choose a theme song. One that fully embodies me and all my gloriousness. Last year was wicked hard. I don't know why, but it just never felt right. And my year was totally suckish. Totally. So, this year I decided that it has to be really really good. Something that I can sing in my head whenever I feel down or when things get really crappy. I have two ideas already. Let me know what you think.

The first is Natasha Bedingfield Strip Me. I love this song because it basically says you can take everything I have even my pride but you can't take my voice. My thoughts, opinions, passions. They are mine alone.



And the second is Little Jackie The World Should Revolve Around Me. I think this one is pretty self explanatory. It basically says crap happens. Deal with it. You should have enough self worth that you don't need anything else to make you complete.




"There's only one me in the galaxy. I am an endangered species. This kind of flower don't grow on Earth. Just lettin' you know for what it's worth."

Now those are some awesome lyrics. So awesome, in fact, that I put them on a T shirt with a gigantic Gerber daisy. I like daisies. In case you didn't know

Anyway...listen and vote. It'll make me happy.

Cleo's Top five favorite songs of 2010. Trust me. It's good.

There are certain songs that you can listen to over and over and never get tired of. I ain't so crazy as to listen to the same thing for daaaaays like Stacia do, but you know... she be special and stuff.


Shall we begin the countdown?


Number 5- All of This- Blink 182 Featuring Robert Smith

Love this song. I WILL find out who Holly is... eventually. Plus- Y'all know I love Robert Smith. I was gonna do Crystal Castles' Not In Love, but Stacia stole it. If you haven't heard it, it would behoove you to do so.






Number 4- Anya Marina- All The Same To Me

Her voice is pretty. And the music makes me happy. I love love love the horns. Plus- I'm not even gonna lie. I heart Vampire Diaries. Damon Salvatore is hottttt.






Number 3- Marina and the Diamonds- I am Not a Robot

This is a great one... I wanna see her in concert. Me likey. A lot.
And I think you will too.






Number 2- Sins of My Youth- Neon Trees

One of the best new bands... I hope that 2011 brings them to me so I can jam with them. Plus, I'm totally friends with 3 of them on Facebook. I'm just that cool. Also- we go to the same church. Not to mention, Branden and I share the same birthday. Coincidence? I think not. It's simply meant to be. I have to hang out with them. And we all have sins from our youth, don't even try to act like you don't know what I'm talking about.






Number 1- Brandon Flowers- Right Behind You

I actually had a difficult time choosing who deserved to be my number one. But, I am a loyal girl, and I do love me some Bflow. He could sing me the classifieds and it'd be sexy and full of great meaning. Yeah, he's pretty, but more than that he stands for goodness and his music is inspiring. While clearly uncomfortable being a "representative" for the things he believes, he does not shrink away from the tough questions. I do seem to single Brandon out, but really I love all four of The Killers. I just seem to connect with him a little bit more. He's had a bittersweet year... his mom died, he and his wife are expecting another baby, and he made a solo album and went on tour without his boys to support him(um... can we say scary?) Unless you count Ronnie showing up in Salt Lake- that was, well, killer....And I believe that this solo album is pretty darned close to his heart, which makes him even more vulnerable and brave. This is an amazing song. The message is so uplifting and powerful. It has gotten me through some tough stuff and I'm grateful for that. I love this stripped down performance.




I hope all my musical peeps are reading this... Gimme some good choices for 2011! Finally, those who know me must realize how difficult it is to only pick 5 songs, so I must add an honorable mention. Check out Bloodbuzz Ohio by The National. You'll be glad you did.

Am I crazy?

Or are these two related?








































Just wondering.

Stacias Top Five Of 2010

You know how this works. I've been doing it for at least 4 years now. But basically I pick my top 5 favorite songs of the year. Now, these may have not been hits or even popular but they meant enough to me to land them on repeat on my ipod. And you know how I love repeat. I can listen to the same song for daaaaaays. I'm cool like that. So here are my top 5, in no particular order. That's a lie. Number 1 is the best. Of course.

Number 5



Number 4



Number 3



Number 2



And number 1...Drum roll please...



So, the only song I'm going to explain is number 1. This song was sort of an anthem for me. A release so to speak. Because I held on to something that was eating a hole in my heart and soul for so long. So for me to finally be able to say I'm not doing this to myself anymore was so freeing. It was a chance for me to start over again and find love in other aspects of my life. In my friends and family and just my life in general. 2011 is a chance for renewal for me. I know I'm a stronger person because of everything I dealt with but Dear Lord I never want to do that again. Ever.