"Amy" Moments
  • "Amy" Moments

  • August23rd

    4 Comments

    Time to Unplug

    Posted in: Uncategorized

    Gabriel Rocha UNPLUGGEDHello.  My name is Amy Liz and I needed a vacation.

    And, we’re not talking just a “Hey, let’s go to Ocean City for the weekend.”

    We’re talking a vacation that uses my passport.

    So, D and I went to Costa Rica for a week. We spent weeks planning on where to go in the country, how to get there, and where to stay.  We learned a lot about each other in our first vacation together.

    Other than a week together in tropical paradise, what was the best part? Not being able to use our phones.

    I know, I know.. this is coming as a shock to many of you. If you know me well, you probably always see me with my iPhone, always on Twitter or Facebook.  Here’s how the conversation went down:

    D: I really don’t think we should bring our phones on vacation

    A: <<silence & crickets>> Really? Are you kidding?

    D: Yeah. Super spendy to use it.

    A: Well, maybe I’ll call just to see (Side note: I knew he was right.. I just wanted to make one last-ditch effort).

    After about 20 min. on the phone with AT&T, there was no way to bring our phones cheaply to Costa Rica. I whined about it a little as we left for the airport, and really missed it on the plane and once we got in country and were looking for the incredibly small airport we needed to get to.

    But, after about a day, I totally forgot that I had an iPhone. We found other ways of getting to places and actually asked for directions – in Spanish. As a result of not being tethered to that darn device, I was able to speak more fluently, think a bit more clearly, and have great conversation with my traveling partner. Most importantly, I unplugged and relaxed. There is nothing more precious than that.

    So I’m back in the States and, yes, I probably missed out on a lot of tweets and things that I should have known via social media. But I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world.

    Pictures coming soon! PURA VIDA!

    Photo Credit: Gabriel Rocha, Flickr Creative Commons

  • August10th

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    Living the Dream: American Idol Auditions

    Posted in: Fun stuff, tunes to groove to

    Last Tuesday was a monumental day for me.
    You know how you have those experiences that you say “if I ever had the chance to do that, I would.” Those life opportunities that, for some reason or another, you find excuses so that they don’t happen.  I’ve done that with many things – overseas trips, incredible concerts, visits to great restaurants.
    The American Idol audition was one of those unreachable goals, part of the “bucket list”.  I have always found excuses not to do try out, whether it was that I was working full-time or that the audition city was so far away. This year, I had no reason to not take the proverbial bull-by-the-horns and do it.
    So, we arrived Tues. morning at 7am, like they told us. The moment we turned the corner, you could see and hear the throngs of excited hopefuls crowding the entrance to Gate A of the IZOD Center.
    This is insane, I thought. Absolutely insane. What did I just get myself into?
    We finally found a place to park and walked up to our Disney Golden Ticket check-in desk.  Within 15 minutes, we were escorted in the door and sitting in the arena, faster than the other 16,000 people waiting outside.  Let me just tell you… that is the best way to audition. Skipping the line is critical.
    As everyone filed into the arena seats, the energy was electric.  Everyone was pumped to be there and living their dream as well.  And, the people-watching opportunities were endless.  Funny costumes, diva attitudes, and crazy hats filled the building.
    After everyone got their seats and camera crews taped all the b-roll that they needed, we received audition instructions. Twelve bays were assembled on the arena floor and we were lined up in groups of four at each station.  You get 15-30 seconds to belt it out and give it your best shot. (Its always amazing to me how life-changing events boil down to 15-30 seconds.) When you sing, you don’t really get a chance to hear yourself because you can hear the hopeful to your left and right  belting out their own song at the top of their lungs.
    We were the first group to audition and our producers cut all of us, but we all smiled and walked away to our “fans”.
    In 2 1/2 hours, the process was over but I was happy with the result. Honestly, I’d rather do publicity and artist management than be an artist myself, although I would love to write songs with anyone who is interested!
    For me, the auditions really didn’t mean that I wanted to be the next American Idol. I just wanted to do that one thing that my heart yearned to do for such a long time: take a risk and live the dream.  Thanks so much for being a part of it! Pictures and video coming soon.

  • July30th

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    “It’s Like Willy Wonka…Only Better”: American Idol Golden Ticket

    Posted in: Fun stuff, Inspiration, tunes to groove to

    I really do feel like Charlie Bucket, the poor young kid who stumbles upon the last golden ticket from Willy Wonka. I got an amazing surprise on Mon. morning that I never imagined would happen…

    I GOT THE AMERICAN IDOL GOLDEN TICKET!

    This is a magical ticket for all who know how insane the American Idol auditions can be.  With more than 24,000 people auditioning in the last two cities, anything you can do to get an edge is good. What does this Golden Ticket mean? It means that I don’t have to drive to NJ and back on Sun. to register for auditions and I skip the line when I get there to sing my heart out on Tues.

    I know. I’m a lucky girl.

    A lucky girl with a very kind and thoughtful friend, Melissa. She received the honor when she won her show at Disneyworld’s American Idol Experience. Remember when I did the same thing during my vacation? Well, she actually wasn’t outvoted by a 15 year-old. She was set to try out in New Orleans, LA this week until her husband was hospitalized for kidney stones the day of the audition.  I received the news early Mon. morning and absolutely flipped.

    “WHAT?!?! You’re kidding me?!?! I get to SKIP THE LINE?!?!?!” You can also imagine a large stream of squeals and laughter.

    So, follow my Golden Ticket experience on Tues. as I live tweet from @amylizmartin with the hashtag #americanidol2010.  Here’s to living the dream!

  • July28th

    No Comments

    Mat Kearney Concert – Take 2

    Posted in: Inspiration, tunes to groove to

    I don’t know about you, but I can easily name the best concerts I have attended. Each experience has made an indelible impression on me and I walk away in awe of their abilities and filled with musical creativity.

    Last night’s acoustic concert with Mat Kearney was no exception. In fact, I think it made #2 of “Amy’s Top Concerts” list – and I saw him last fall at the 930 Club, too. Why was it such a memorable show?

    • It was set at Sixth and I Synagogue: Yup, that’s right, rockin out at a synagogue. Odd at first, but completely natural by the time it was all over.
    • Acoustic: Anytime an artist can entertain when all the band is stripped away, you know you have a gem performance.
    • Hilarity: Mat is great at getting the crowd hooked into his conversation. You can tell he has an internal dialogue that is always creating, thinking and being inspired by all that surrounds him. I cannot tell you how many times we all laughed at his one-liners.

    The best part was listening to the core lyrics of Mat’s songs. Sometimes I listen to the album and get caught up in the repetition of hearing his songs over and over. Last night, I just stopped and understood the lyrics for what they were. Every sentence, every thought resonated with me – whether it was a moment in my past or present, I felt like Mat was speaking my thoughts and feelings.

    That’s the beauty of great songwriters. Like Mat, they observe all details in life and speak to a certain situation. It doesn’t matter if it is as mundane as watching TV late at night – each moment in life is a chance to write a song and tell a bigger story.

    Aaaah, I love listening to great live music! It is invigorating. Here is a clip from the show taken from the iPhone. If you listen closely, you can hear yours truly singing the melody line. Enjoy!

  • July21st

    3 Comments

    Nervous Jitters: American Idol Auditions

    Posted in: Fun stuff, tunes to groove to

    Aug. 3 is approaching quickly and the jitters are about to kick in. Now that I’ve told y’all my plan, I have to follow through with it, right? (Oh my gosh.. what am I  getting myself into?!?!)

    Thanks so much for weighing in on Facebook, Twitter, and this blog with your song choices! I’m overwhelmed by your response and I’m so grateful that you all are encouraging me to follow this dream. I’m going to need all the encouragement that I can get!

    So, another drumroll please. The songs I’ll use in my American Idol audition are:

    • “Terrified” by Kara DioGuardi and Jason Reeves (also performed by Katherine McPhee)
    • “Love Song” by Sara Bareillis
    • “Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn
    • Alternate: “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel

    I decided to take it mellow for these auditions and I hope it pays off.  My favorite performance of “Terrified” is by Kara and Jason, and I’ve posted it below just for you. (The song starts at 1:48). Enjoy and make sure to follow my Idol journey on Twitter.  Auditions are Aug. 3, 2010 in East Rutherford, NJ!


    Performance was uploaded on YouTube by ShannonnnAllennn

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