Dear Katelyn: My Favorite Moments

Dear Katelyn,

It has been a long time since you have left, but I wanted to share my favorite moments of yours on the show. First, your audtion:

Next, The Scientist. I love this. I have it on my iPod. Every time it comes on, I am struck by how great of a singer you are.

And this cover of the Beetles:

Great stuff Katelyn! I really do hope someone picks you up.

Dear Katelyn: My Favorite Moments

Dear Andrew: My Favorite Moments

Dear Andrew,

 I first want to start off by saying what a classy guy you are. The way you reacted when you found out you were voted off was perfect. Here are my favorite moments from you this season. First, your audition:

Then during Hollywood, of course the elusive Straight Up:



Then we had the top 24 performances. I love this, I have it on my iPod:



And my favorite (also on my iPod):



I am excited to see what you bring in the future.

**************And if you want to watch Andrew on Ellen, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nFrIQ14YVw . A great thing to notice is when Ellen asks him the worst part of Idol and the best part. He starts with the best instead of the worst. He is such a nice guy. *********************

Sincerely,

Dear Andrew: My Favorite Moments

Dear Top 9 (the second): My Reactions This Week

Dear Top 9,

Well, I put off writing about it. Here it is.

My top three favorite were Lee, Crystal, and Mike. Lee, you are fabulous. You are really good and sound effortless.

My middle three were Casey, Katie, and Tim. Yeah, I said Tim. I can't believe he actually sounded good. Tim, your next thing to work on is your phrasing. You don't join things together at all and it was driving me crazy, but other than that, you did a good job.

My bottom three were Andrew, Siobhan, and Aaron. Oh Andrew! I was so worried. I voted! I voted a lot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then the results night came. Andrew left. Can I just comment on how much class Andrew has? He left with so much class last night. He was upbeat and happy. Naturally, I will have much more in a proper good-bye.

Then Tim and Katie found themselves as the bottom two. And who should leave?

Not the guy. No. It was Katie. I don't feel too bad about it because I don't think she was one of the better singers up there. BUT I must say she improved vastly over the course of the season. She is obviously humble and a hard worker. She has great potential.

Kind of brings you back to wondering "what if" certain people had made it to the top 12 (people named Katelyn, Alex, and Lilly).

Are you wondering who I will be voting for now? It will be Lee. Lee is my new favorite.

Sincerely,

PS--Can I just say I am WAY over the sitting behind the judges thing? Can you all please stop that? Thanks.

Dear Top 9 (the second): My Reactions This Week

Dear Top 9: My Reactions

Dear Top 9,

Sorry it has taken me so long to write. You know how it gets when the weather is nice and you have a birthday party to plan and all...maybe not the birthday part for most of you.

Anyway, imagine my surprise and dismay to see Andrew in the bottom three--especially after my rant last week. I mean, I know he hasn't given performances true to himself each week, but we all know he is my favorite.

I was not surprised to see Aaron in the bottom three. I was surprised to see Michael there--but mostly because of the judges love for him, not out of reaction toward his singing.

I was surprised to not see Tim there. Really?

In the end, it was Big Mike going home...but then the judges used their save on him.

Can I just say I think that was a mistake?

I really don't think he will win the whole thing. Plus, this is kind of early to be using your one and only save. And in a season full of shockers so far, the judges may live to regret that. What if Crystal, Siobhan, or Lee find themselves going home--unable to be saved? When you still have three people you like more (it seems you do at least), and four weeks to use the save, I think it is a mistake to save him.

We shall see what happens.

Sincerely,

Dear Top 9: My Reactions

Dear {insert right person here}: Stop Being Mean!

Dear People In Charge,

I don't know who decides this, but it must stop. Nearly every single week of this season, you have made it so Andrew is one of the last two when deciding who is in the bottom three (or before the top 12, who is going home). It is getting to be ridiculous. Can't you spread the love? Why do you always make it Andrew? Do you realize that he is quite popular? So you are trying to boost ratings because you think people will get nervous and stay around longer or turn on the TV because they are worried about him? I don't know what it is, but give the poor guy a break! Let someone else sweat it out for once.

Sincerely,

Dear {insert right person here}: Stop Being Mean!

Dear Top 9: My Reactions

Dear Top 9,

First of all, Didi gets to stay in the picture for a bit. Second of all, you all did well last night. No one was totally awful. But I also think no one was totally awesome. There wasn't one performance that I will be seeking to purchase off the over-priced iTunes (do you like how I threw that in there?). Here are my reactions and predictions:

Aaron: I didn't like the song and there were some pitch issues. The good thing is that you showed your country edge to your voice, so that will please your country crowd.

Katie: Before you started singing, I told my husband, "This is the song Brooke White sang. There is no way she can top that." When you were done, I declared that you had done really well. That was definitely your best performance ever.

Andrew: First of all, I loved how all the guys said you were their best friend. Everyone's best friend. You sounded good, but it wasn't my favorite performance from you. I won't be buying it. I think I would have liked it better without the horns in the background.

Mike: I really didn't like it. Not much to say beyond that.

Crystal: You did quite well. I was happy to see you be more of yourself. Last week was so strange with the heels and all.

Tim: I fully expected you to blow it as usual, but you sounded good. Randy totally insulted you as he tried to compliment you, but like Simon said, I think you did well even compared to the other contestants.

Casey: So my neighbor, who is a good singer and Beetles fanatic, thinks you did the best last night. I disagree. You did well. You sounded good. But I have finally figured out what I don't really like about you. It is your vibrato. It is too fast for me. If the vibrato was gone, I think I might be able to get on the Casey train. But don't change your vibrato just for one passenger.

Siobhan: Hmm. I didn't like it again. You get so nasally. You swallow your sound unless you are either really high or really screaming. I don't like that at all. Maybe you just need some voice lessons to pull that out.

Lee: You did awesome and were once again the best of the night.

So, what are my rankings?

Top 3:

1. Lee
2. Crystal
3. Katie

Middle 3:

1. Andrew
2. Casey
3. Tim

Bottom 3:

1. Siobhan
2. Aaron
3. Mike

Now for the tricky part. Who will be in the bottom 3?

I don't really know. I have been saying (and seeing) Tim and Katie for weeks now. I think Tim will land in the bottom three just because he needs to, but I don't know if Katie will. Based on last night, she shouldn't. But at this point, things aren't necessarily based on one night. And they shouldn't be.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Aaron in the bottom.

I am going to say (with little confidence): Tim, Aaron, and Siobhan.

Sincerely,

Dear Top 9: My Reactions

Dear Tim: Daddy's Shoes

Dear Tim,

You have my husband to thank for this one. As we were watching your performance last Tuesday, my husband commented that you were like a little boy walking around in your Daddy's shoes. Now, he wasn't saying that you were clomping around or ungraceful. As Ellen pointed out, you are quite sneaky on stage. He also wasn't discussing the "Deer in the Headlights" look you get on your face quite often.

No. It is just that you are really out of your league. If I pull you out of the competition and see you on stage in your high school auditorium, you are great. I am impressed and think you have a good voice. But when I watch you week after week, I see that you are just a boy trying to fill shoes you just aren't big enough for. I don't really think you will ever grow into them, either. I don't know. There is a small chance--you are young. But you aren't making the improvements the other contestants are making.

You also aren't seeming to take things seriously. Maybe you have a nervous habit where you laugh when criticized. If that is the case, I advise you to overcome that because that will be a, let's say, disruption to married life. You might be, as you say, just really happy to be on stage. If that is the case, try suppressing the laugh until you walk off. Laughing is super weird. I kind of doubt it is what Simon said. I doubt you are laughing because you know what they say doesn't matter. I mean, he is right. You have teenage girls and VFTW behind you all the way (you are their longest-running pick you know). But I don't think you are laughing because you know that you will stick around anyway. You seem like a better guy than that.

My money is on you not knowing how to respond, so you laugh. My motto is always "you can laugh or you can cry." Getting criticized week after week would lead you in one of those two situations--but try to avoid laughing until you have left the stage.

Sincerely,

Dear Tim: Daddy's Shoes

Dear Didi: Oh Sigh

Dear Didi,

Well, I have been putting this off. It is hard to say good-bye. But, alas, I must at some point. I wouldn't want to not say good-bye, so I had better get to it.

You were one of my top favorites (this group is quickly dwindling down). I loved your voice. I liked it best when you did stuff low-key. I am sad to see you go. I would like to think you would have grown as the show continued forward. You definitely are a better singer than some there, but we won't name any names (deer in the headlights anyone?).

Here are my favorite moments from you this season:

First is your audition:

Next is Terrified during Hollywood week:

Then we have "The Way I Am"

 And this was my favorite:

I am sad to see you go. I guess when you don't have any great performances in the Top 12 by this time, your clock is ticking (I actually really hope this to be true for someone soon). I hope to hear more from you in the future!

Sincerely,

Dear Didi: Oh Sigh

Dear Bottom Three: My Reactions

Dear Bottom Three,

Sigh.

Katie, Yes, you deserved to be there. I am not surprised you were there in the least.

Didi, I worried you would be there, but hoped against hope you wouldn't be.

Tim, You are quite comfortable there, aren't you? Somehow, you are squeaking through. I know that website I won't mention pushed extra hard for you last time.

That is all I have to say on the topic right now.

Sincerely,

Dear Bottom Three: My Reactions