backstreetboys – The Great Kaysby

Can You Really Have Just One?

Daily writing prompt

What’s your all-time favorite album?

I applaud all of the responses I have read where people can pick one favorite album of all time! My immediate thought with this question was, “I can’t pick just one!” There are so many albums that have been influential at different times in my life, and I still listen to the majority of them when the mood strikes. Of course that is the thing that I love the most about music: how it impacts us differently at various points in life and always seems to come into our lives when we need it the most. So instead of choosing one album, I’m opting to reflect on a few that have been an intregal part of my life.

Millennium – Backstreet Boys – 1999 – I cannot tell you how many times I have listened to this album in the last 26 years. To say that I was (am) a BSB fan would be an understatement. There was something about this album in particular that was magical. “The Perfect Fan” was the sweetest homage to moms, and I loved that my mom got to hear it in person at their concert that year right around her birthday. “Spanish Eyes” was beautiful, but it became more important when my future husband was singing it in my car one day. Yes, I was VERY impressed by Mr. Kisby’s ability to sing unreleased BSB songs!!! “Don’t Want You Back” was the anthem for so many relationships over the years, and “Larger Than Life” made us all think we had a chance at “making it” with a member of the band. HA HA Most of us were wrong! Sadly, I did not shell out the $1,000+ it would have cost to see them at The Sphere. Feeding the family comes before flying to Vegas! I’m sure that would have been an incredible experience! If only one of them wanted to give me tickets and backstage passess…I could totally become an official BSB blogger! HINT HINT
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Soundtrack – 1996 – When I say I have seen this movie at least 16 times, I am not at all exagerating. It was a brilliant retelling of the story in a modern setting with a soundtrack that exemplified what mid-90s music was all about! There were alt rock numbers, adult contemporary numbers, a Prince song in a gospel style, and of course Des’ree’s OUTSTANDING “Kissing You”! I listened to that CD until it was scratched beyond being able to play everything. I could tell you exactly where songs were used in the movie, and when I listened to it, I felt the passion and emotions portrayed by the characters. How tear jerking was that ending? Baz Luhrmann is such a genius at making you think characters have hope before yanking it all out from under you!
Bat Out of Hell – Meat Loaf – 1977 – I was not born when this album was released, but in my teenage years this album became synonymous with family roadtrips. The lyrics were beatiful and the music was banging! As I grew up, the songs became more and more relatable. Like, how hauntingly accurate is “Two Out of Three Aint’ Bad” with “I want you, I need you, but there ain’t no way I’m every going to love you”? Also, “Paradise By the Dashboard” lights was iconic! Nothing left to the imagination there as they went for the line drive up the middle! The titular song was also amazing! Those riffs!
Reputation – Taylor Swift – 2017 – I loved how this album transistioned Taylor from young adult country/pop to relatable themes that so many of us experience as adults. I for one love the lyric “the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now because she’s dead.” I feel like a lot of people were shocked by this lyrical choice, but I think it is a highly accurate portrayal of growing older. Frankly, I am very glad to not be the me that I was when I was 18 or in my early 20s. Personal growth like that mentioned in the song is how I’ve become the person I love today! This was also the first Taylor Swift album that I could listen to on repeat, and it was the last concert we saw before finding out that LilKsby was going to be joining our family!
The Greatest Hits Volume 1: 20 Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys – 1995 – I have also listened to this album over and over again! My love of the Beach Boys began when I was about five, and I would listen to my dad’s cassettes. I knew the lyrics to songs like Surfin’ USA before I could read! By the time I was a teenager, I loved this album even more because of the poinancy of many of the lyrics as well as the unmatchable musical genius of Brian Wilson (may he RIP). Brian could bring things to life musically that most of us could never dream of creating! That album introduced me to “Sloop John B” and “God Only Knows” both of which have become two of my favorite Beach Boys songs. Plus, “Kokomo” featuring John Stamos and that video with the pink tank top. Drummers who can sing are hot, mmmkay? I really wish I could have seen Dennis Wilson perform while he was alive. Added bonus, the songs from this album are also what got LilKsby hooked on the Beach Boys too! Timeless!
Honorable Mentions – these are albums that I may not listen to as much, but they have definitely had a lasting impact on my life either because of the moving scores or life event significance: Beetlejuice Soundtrack, Titanic Soundtrack, Clueless Soundtrack, Hamilton Soundtrack (seriously, right after you’ve had a child, “Dear Theodosia” will make you cry your eyes out), Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack, Josie and the Pussycats Soundtrack, American Wedding Soundtrack, Backstreet Boys’ DNA, Rent Soundtrack, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer The Musical Soundtrack. I could talk about each of these, but this blog is already too long!

Can you pick just one favorite album?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

What Do You Do?

Whenever I am at a networking event, the question that is always asked is simple: “What do you do?” My first thought when I hear the question is usually some lyrics from the 2001 song by City High called “What Would You Do?” If you grew up in the 90s/00s you know the lyrics – “Boys and girls, wanna hear a true story? Saturday night was at this real wild party” – and iconic voice of Ryan Toby! After that quick thought, I usually give my quick answer, but then as my day continues, I tend to get really contemplative about the question: “What do you do?”

Sometimes I giggle and think the answer to “What do you do?” is clean a lot of poop and vomit. This answer is not glamourous and is not at all reflective of my entire day, but it’s what I tend to think after cleaning up after the Princess Cat with IBS and the Goofy Cat that gets way too many hairballs for being a short hair. Once I even laughed while doing this because I got to witness an ant literally eat shit and die. The reality is that cleaning up after animals is a very small portion of the day, but it does provide the grossest response and most comical considering there was a caricature made of me as a teenager scooping the litter box.

So what do I really do?

I suppose the best answer is a little bit of everything through a variety of channels!

Be the Queen of Our Castle – includes homeschooling, household activities, travel planning, and more! See my previous post: https://thegreatkaysby.com/2024/05/30/help-wanted-stay-at-home-parent/
Bring people joy and hope by offering skincare and glamour consultations and instruction (joy) and fundraising for community events (hope) through my MK business.
Publish! Being a published writer was one of my DREAMS for as long as I can remember. I started writing short stories in elementary school, and it has always been a sometime hobby of mine. Never in a million years would I have believed that the dream of seeing my work in print could become a reality. Then along came a super supportive husband – Mr Kisby – and the self publishing tool called Amazon KDP. Since August 2023, we’ve published 42 titles (some are lined notebooks). Even if we never make a dime, the creative process has been super fun and rewarding!!! thegreatkaysby.com/letters-lore
Teach/tutor others! Just because I left teaching doesn’t mean the desire to teach left me. I use my love of teaching to first and foremost homeschool LilKsby, but I also use it to tutor others online. I absolutely love helping people prep for the ACT, become better writers, and assist with College Application Essays! To me teaching skin care and glamour is even a form of using my joy of teaching. I will always find fulfillment in teaching others!
Volunteer and help those who need a voice to have one! I used to do this a lot more, but I realized that my over extending myself to help others was taking a toll on my home life. It can be very easy to neglect those you love – including yourself – when you put all of your energy into helping others. However, I have found that what you fill your cup first, you can give a lot more! You might even find creative ways to do so! One of my favorite organizations? Camp TESSA!
Listen to music from the 90s and 00s! There is no mood lifter for me greater than jamming out to boy bands and bubble gum pop. Currently listening to BSB and *NSYNC on loop! There is also something about listening to music live that is good for the soul. I cannot pinpoint exactly what it is, but when you can feel the rhythm coursing through your veins, it is life changing!
Re-watch shows/movies I’ve seen a million times! This one is because it is a comfort. Hearing familiar jokes, crying familiar tears over endings even when you know they’re coming, seeing your favorite faces who feel like your friends is comforting. Obviously, I know that Niles Crane isn’t real, but there’s something about the comedic portrayal by David Hyde Pierce that always makes me think that I know this guy, and I’m laughing with him and not at him!
Read! I believe that being an avid reader is a gift. Reading books opens up the doors to so many great things! You can immerse yourself in fantasy worlds, experience emotions that you never would have encountered, learn new skills, and make travel plans all from reading books. Libraries are one of the greatest assets that we have in the world!
Artsy Stuff! Typically I hate to use the word stuff; however, I don’t really know a better word to sum up all of the artsy things that I do. Sew? Check. Scrapbook? Check. Paint? Check. Draw/doodle? Check. Find creative ways to repurpose things? Check. I like to think of myself as Glue Gun Guru!
Be outside! Now, I don’t do this one as much as I should because I sweat and am chunky. However, there is something invigorating about hiking, gardening, kayaking, swimming, etc. It gets me in a great mental space! Even just walking outside for a few minutes at night to look at the starts is game changing.
Planning! I love to plan things! This is why at different times in my life I’ve thought that it would be cool to be an Event Planner or Travel Agent. (Especially this one if it means discounted travel. Remember this started as a food and travel blog!)

The reality is that I do a lot of different things even though sometimes I’m sure it appears that I just post on social media all day (usually it’s a clue that someone is sick, I’m on a long car ride and not driving, or doing an idle activity like watching TV because try as I might, I cannot only do one thing at a time typically).

I want to know, what do you do?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Yes, No, Maybe So

Do you trust your instincts?

“Follow your heart, your intuition/It will lead you in the right direction/Let go of your mind, your intuition/Is easy to find, just follow your heart, baby.”

Does anyone else remember that song from Jewel aptly titled “Intuition”? It’s the first thing I thought of for this prompt, and I think it’s appropriate. I would love to say that I always follow my heart; however, a lot of time my pesky brain gets in the way. When faced with a situation, I typically find that my intuition is often accurate (especially Mother’s Intuition) as the heart’s responses often align with my values. Unfortunately, the brain, which can be riddled by anxiety and worry, sometimes trumps the heart. Perhaps sometimes it’s hard to follow my intuition because of a gift that I share with my late grandmother: an eerie feeling of knowing what’s going to happen before it does. It can make wanting to follow your intuition difficult! Eventually, I usually find my way back to my heart, but it can take time that is filled with error and misguided events. And that makes me think of another lyric: “The words to say/The road to take/To find a way back to your heart.” This one is from BSB’s “Back to Your Heart.”

Well…it’s not even 8 am and I’ve referenced two songs while writing a blog. My intuition says this will be a productive day!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

It’s Hard to Say…

Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?

This is a really hard question for me to answer. I’ve met a lot of famous people because of attending cons, but does that count? Here’s my thought on this question…

Most Interesting Meeting – Waylon Jennings – When I met him, I had no idea who he was. I was a kid (must of been around age 9 because Hurricane Andrew had just happened), and I was at a barbecue buffet with my parents. This random stranger started telling me I was a cute young lady, and I told him that I couldn’t talk to strangers. I didn’t understand at the time why my mom was staring at me slack jawed. Now I get it!

Most Meaningful – William Daniels – I grew up watching Boy Meets World, and when I became a teacher, I wanted to be the kind that made the impact that Mr Feeny did on those kids. I am so glad that I could tell him thank you for being an inspiration. Bonus, LilKsby was so upset that I didn’t pick the Knight Rider picture for our autograph that his wife, Bonnie Bartlett, gave us one. 😊

Most Awkward – Howie D – I’ve been a huge BSB fan for a long time, and when we saw him coming out of a hotel, the words asking for an autograph barely came out of my mouth. They did come out, but I know I was shaking. Side note, that was the morning after the concert where we were close enough to slip them our room number. They didn’t call that night, so me and my besties are still waiting for them to call us to hangout. 😂

Most Kind – Luke Perry and Sean Patrick Flannery – I met them at a Con. Luke Perry and I had a conversation about hand sanitizer, and he let me use some of his. Same Con, a fan had given Sean Patrick Flannery some brownies, and he shared his brownies with me and my aunt. That was pretty awesome! We’d done the Boondocks Saints photo op the day before, so that made it even better!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Found Poem

A couple of years ago, I co-taught a sophomore English class, and we taught the kids how to write Found Poems. For those unfamiliar with them, Found Poems are poems created using lines from other texts and putting them together in a new format. I don’t remember the texts that we had the kids use to create their Found Poems, and I had forgotten that the assignment had inspired me to write my own Found Poem. The other day while cleaning, I found my Found Poem. Mine was not inspired by a great literary work or epic poetry, but by a group a little closer to my heart: The Backstreet Boys. So I present to you for both my own desire to revisit the work and your own amusement, a Found Poem featuring the lyrics of Backstreet Boys songs!

All you people can’t you see, can’t you see/I don’t care as long as you love me/You are my fire, the one desire/Am I sexual? Am I the only one? Am I everything you need?/I need you tonight, I need you right now/I’ll never break your heart, no way no how/My love is all I have to give/And when I look into your Spanish eyes I know the reason why I am alive/I’ll be the one, I’ll be the light/And the world is so beautiful tonight/Baby I can’t help it, we’ve got it goin’ on/Let me show you the shape of my heart.

The following are the songs referenced in the poem: Larger Than Life, As Long As You Love Me, I Want It That Way, Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), I Need You Tonight, I’ll Never Break Your Heart, All I Have To Give, Spanish Eyes, The One, Drowning, We’ve Got It Goin’ On, and Shape of My Heart. These songs appeared on the albums Backstreet Boys, Millennium, Chapter One: The Hits, and Black & Blue.

Whether you find my poem enjoyable or not, I challenge you to write your own Found Poem using a text you love!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

39 While 39 – Complete

If you’ve been with me for a while, then you know two things. One, last year I sat out to complete 39 fun things while 39 years old. Two, tomorrow I turn 40. I’m excited to say that I’ve completed 39 things!!! I’ve actually completed a lot more than that, but I finished my list. You will note that my list changed throughout the year. This is a reflection of my own personal growth throughout the year. My most important takeaway has been that it is okay to change what you want in life because that is a sign that you’re growing! I’m so happy with how much I’ve grown over the last year and how much I’ve begun living by my priorities. I could get very philosophical about this, but instead I’ll share my accomplished list!

✓ Ride a roller coaster – rode a couple of them at Dollywood. Wooden roller coasters are still my favorite!

✓ Ride a train – also happened at Dollywood! It was beautiful looking down at all the Christmas lights!

✓ Finish the green and gold dress – I started creating this dress in 2012 when we still played Amtgard. When we stopped, I stopped. Now it is finished, and it is beautiful!

✓ Take a vacation – We took several! Made it to Pigeon Forge area twice, America’s Historical Triangle, Nashville, and Rough River. Looking forward to more travel this year!

✓ Sushimas – First once since 2019! I loved seeing all of our friends and bringing back traditions!

✓ Bet on the Derby – Felt so grown up to bet on the race from my phone. Looking forward to getting my $9 check!

✓ Go kayaking – Nothing like being out on the water to make you feel one with the universe!

✓ Finish Baby Books – LilKsby is turning 4 soon, so I’m elated to say I finally had time to finish his books!

✓ Play pool – I love playing pool! Did this on my birthday last year and in Gatlinburg!

✓ Go to a cave – We had the wonderful opportunity to take our nephew to Mammoth Cave last summer.

✓ Enter a competition for creativity – I’ve always wanted to enter a Christmas tree competition! I came in like 12th out of 31!

✓ Calendar Album – Made an album out of all the calendars LilKsby has made for presents.

✓ Complete 1 Year Frame – I had bought one of these my first year frames before LilKsby was born. Finally completed it!

✓ See Dr Strange 2 – Fun movie!

✓ See Thor Love and Thunder – Great movie!

✓ Read 12 Books – Finished 13 and have started 14!

✓ Watch Young Sheldon 3 and 4 – Glad I did because Seasons 5 and 6 have been amazing!

✓ Watch Step By Step – Great throwback to my childhood!

✓ Go to GenCon Online – Gaming is fun in person and online!

✓ Wedding Scrapbook – After almost 11 years, mine and Mr Kisby’s wedding scrapbook is complete!

✓ Order a t-shirt quilt – Wanted to do this for years! Can’t wait to get it back!

✓ Go to an art museum – Virtually visited the Van Gogh Museum!

✓ Make a state fair entry – have a few ready to go!

✓ Go to Gatlinburg – Great trip! Highly recommend Cade’s Cove!

✓ Go to the Tulip Farm – Beautiful local farm! Love supporting friends!

✓ Complete 10 Coursera Classes – took classes for fun and business!

✓ Complete 5 paintings – painted for myself and Christmas gifts!

✓ Go to JR Neighbors – I’m proud of us for trying something new.

✓ See the BSB DNA Tour – Amazing show with amazing people!

✓ Complete NANOWRIMO – Loved starting this book! Can’t wait to edit and publish!

✓ Go to a winery – Not only did I go to one, I also became a member!

✓ Write Letters for Book – Completed a book with letters from me to Lil Kisby!

✓ Watch The Game Season 2 – This show is epic! There needs to be a Season 3!

✓ Finish a Bible Study – Learned about love being the greatest gift of all!

✓ Go to a pumpkin activity – We went to the Pumpkin Wagon!

✓ Try a salt cave or salt room – So relaxing! I’ve been twice now!

✓ Write 10 fan letters – This was so fun! I never got any responses, but it was fun to do!

✓ Get a Casey’s Taco Pizza – My favorite pizza! I only get them when going west. Hope yo have another soon!

✓ Go to the State Fair – worked it and went as a guest! Love it!

Not on the list? Transitioning from full time working mom to stay at home/work from home mom. Hands down the thing I did while 39 that has helped me be a better wife, mother, and person while also improving my mental and physical health. I challenge all of you to take risks, do things you enjoy, and make your next year the best year!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

39 Things Update

If you have been following me for a while, then you know that back in May I published a blog about 39 things I want do while 39. Well, it is now January and the big birthday is getting closer every day. A lot of times right now I look at my list and start to panic because I am behind on my goals. However, this year I am very pleased with how my goals are going. So far I have…

Rode a roller coaster – rode a super fun adult one at Dollywood and the kids one! I love wooden roller coasters!
Rode a train – did this at Dollywood too! Really cool train ride up the mountain!
Taken a vacation – I’ve been able to go on a few of them! Highly recommend making the trip to the America’s Historic Triangle!
Hosted Sushimas – We hadn’t had this event with friends since 2019, and it was wonderful to get back together!
Gone Kayaking – Nothing like the open water for relaxing, planning, and thinking!
Played Pool – one of the best perks of our cabin in the Gatlinburg area! I hadn’t played pool with my parents in years.
Gone to a Cave – Took our nephew to Mammoth Cave for the lantern tour. Highly recommend! Other recommendation? Don’t give the lantern to a teenager who will walk fast and leave you behind!
Entered a Creative Competition – Entered the city Christmas tree competition! 12th place of 31 is not to shabby in my book!
Made a Scrapbook of LilKsby’s 2021 and 2022 Calendars – put this in the category of things I previously never made time to complete!
Completed LilKsby’s First Year Frame – Same as above!
Saw Dr Strange 2 – Loved this movie! Then again, I was a HUGE fan of Wandavision!
Saw Thor Love & Thunder – I laughed so much that I wanted to cry!
Watched Young Sheldon Seasons 3 and 4 – Not as good as TBBT, but the supporting characters are a lot of fun!
Watched Step By Step – I love seeing all the old TGIF shows again! Fun fact, Staci Keanan who played Dana is now a hot shot lawyer!
Attended GenCon Online – Love gaming! Miss going in person!
Gone to Gatlinburg – We made it to that area twice! The time we drove through Gatlinburg, we totally saw a bear crossing the street.
Completed 5 Paintings – I’m so happy to have gotten back to the canvas!
Saw the BSB DNA Tour (again LOL) – Almost 30 years and they are still amazing!
Completed NANOWRIMO – I love writing, so this is always a fun challenge!
Gone to a Winery – Shoutout to Forest Edge Winery for being fantastic!
Gone to a Pumpkin Activity – We went to the Pumpkin Wagon, painted pumpkins, and carved pumpkins!
Wrote 10 Fan Letters – As a kid, I loved writing fan mail! So I thought why not try it again? I wrote 10 letters and sent them. We will see if I get any responses!
Gone to the State Fair – Worked it and went as a visitor!
Got a Casey’s Taco Pizza – I’ve had two, and they are still the most tasty pizza on the planet!

Something you will notice from my list is that some of the goals were not on the initial list as some of the initial goals have been removed and replaced. I account this to changing circumstances in life and my priorities shifting. Once I switched over to Work from Home Mom life and homeschooling, I started realizing just how much I enjoy goals that can be completed at home. Along the same line, I also realized that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to be able to complete goals. Plus, as we grow as people, the things we want to do change. So even though I haven’t met all of my goals yet, I think I’ve already learned the most important lessons from 39 Things While 39: Your goals in life will change as you change, and this is an acceptable part of personal growth!

Stay tuned to see what all gets completed by my birthday!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Concerts at 16 Versus Concerts at 39

“Oh my God we’re back again!” I cannot wait to hear those words tonight as I FINALLY after two years of delay get to go to the BSB DNA tour! In my excitement this morning, I got to thinking about how different it is to be getting for a concert at 39 versus when I first went at 16 to the Millennium tour. Oh boy…you all ready for this?

My first thought occurred as I was shaving my legs. When I was 16, you shaved your legs before the concert in case you magically ended up on a date with a Backstreet Boy. At 39, I shaved my legs so I wouldn’t embarrass myself when I wear a skort or capris. This got me thinking about makeup for the concert. Back in the teenage days, I did my makeup to hopefully draw the attention of a Backstreet Boy. Today, I was thinking I’ll choose makeup that will cover my circles under my eyes and the freckles/age spots on my face. Likewise, I thought “What should I wear tonight?” Definitely sensible shoes for climbing all those stairs to our nosebleed seats. Definitely comfy bottoms with a stretchy waist because, well, comfort over cute. Very different from being 16 and thinking “What outfit says sexy, but not too sexy? Because you know AJ was going to notice me in the crowd of 20,000 screaming girls in the dark. 😂

The differences go beyond physical appearance. When I was 16, getting ready to go was a lot simpler. I needed my physical ticket (which I had waited in line to get for hours), camera with extra film and batteries, and someone to drive me. By the way, the extra film was a necessity because we did once get a roll confiscated by a security guard. Now at 39, I need my phone which now has my ticket (that I bought online with a super fast connection instead of 1999 dial up) and works at a camera. I need my wallet, my keys, and a babysitter. Since the babysitter isn’t at my house, it means I also have to pack a toddler bag and remember to take his little potty as it’s easier for him to use than a big potty. Who would have ever imagined that I’d equate getting ready for a concert with packing a toddler potty???? Not me!!! At least this time I’m not packing a breast pump as my date!

There are also behavioral differences in going to a concert at 39 versus 16. This one actually occurred at age 18, but it’s still worth noting. We had floor seats, and the Black and Blue tour had a bridge where they walked out over the crowd. We wrote our hotel number on a piece of paper, and I climbed in a chair to hand it to Howie D. He took it and put it in his pocket! We were hopeful that he’d call us, but, sadly, he didn’t. Now I’m like, if I had the chance to talk to one of the guys, I’d talk about something mundane like what foods their kids eat. There are also behavior differences when it comes to buying souvenirs. As a teenager, I wanted as much as possible with my budgeted allowance. This morning I was thinking, “Well I’ll get something for my toddler. A new shirt for him would be cute.”

Aren’t the differences amazing? I will say somethings never change because I would still love to meet the guys! Technically we met Howie D as he got on the bus, but I couldn’t form words! 😆 I also cannot wait to hear the music! I will jam the whole way there and back!!! And of course I will have FUN!!!!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Big Little Women

This week I’ve been at the theatre for tech week and performances of Little Women the Musical. My school Drama Club is performing it, and I’ve been helping with costuming. It’s a classic, heartwarming tale that makes you feel the love of family and believe in the ability to make your dreams come true. It has been a joy to be a part of this production not only because of the immense talent of our cast and crew, but also because of the memories it brings back of my high school production of Little Women years ago.

The year was 1999, which I like to think of as the year of the Millennium album, and I had desperately wanted to play Beth because I had red hair like Claire Danes. I wasn’t cast as Beth, but I did play Belle at the ball and help with props. The role was fun to play and the costume was the best as I have a love of 1860s dresses. However, the best part was my best friends – Scarlet and Lily*- were also involved with the show.

Scarlet and I first met when we were 12 because her grandfather worked with my dad. We reconnected in school especially through choir and drama club. As freshman we had both been in the stage version of Awakenings. We enjoyed it so much that when Little Women rolled around the next year, we wanted to participate. We found ourselves involved in the cast, set design/construction, and prop design/construction. We were so involved that we even spent to school during some of our Spring Break and worked on the show! All of our hardwork earned us the Director’s Award for the club that year.

Lily and I first met in middle school and have remained friends since bonding over things like Kentucky basketball namely Scott Padgett, amusement parks, and the Backstreet Boys! Our sophomore year, Lily decided to join us on the tech crew and help with props. I loved having my two best friends work on a show with me! There’s a picture of us standing on the stage – me in my teal dress, Scarlet in her brown dress, and Lily in a shirt and shorts – after one of the performances that I can see perfectly in my mind. I’m not sure where the picture is, but it brings a smile to my face to think about.

We were little women ourselves working on Little Women, and now we’re big women (age wise not size). Each of us are accomplished academically, career, and/or talent wise. We’ve been blessed with new people that have come into our lives and mourned loss together (seriously because between June 2010 and March 2011 we lost five grandparents between the three of us). Today, even though we are separated by distance, we’ve been there for each other for marriages, miscarriage, childbirth, and more (thanks technology)! In some ways we’ve been there for the typical wedding vows: “In sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer.”

Without my little women – Scarlet and Lily -I wouldn’t be who I am today. I’m forever thankful for them. They’ll always be the sisters I never had!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

*Names changed to protect identities.

“What Good Is Sitting Alone In Your Room? Come Hear The Music Play…”

“…Life is a Cabaret, old chum, come to the Cabaret.” – “Cabaret” from Cabaret

This is a line from the first musical I was a part of with Hardin County Playhouse: Cabaret. Music has always been a major part of my life in various forms. Some of my earliest memories are of being in our van when we would travel and listening to a Beach Boys cassette tape on a portable tape player. This was before vehicles typically had a built in cassette player…you know during the Stone Age! Now a bunch of years later, music is still an important part of my life, and it has even influenced some of our travel!

So without further adieu, I present The Great Kaysby’s Top 5 venues for music and musicals! Warning…you may want to travel after this!

Conseco Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN – https://www.bankerslifefieldhouse.com/ – First of all, I didn’t know this venue had experienced a name change! It is now Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but in 2000 it was Conseco Fieldhouse! Picture this…it was the year 2000 and I was 16. My aunt had agreed to take me to the show, and I had even been allowed to sign out of school early to travel. It was March, but it was still pretty cold out, and I was standing outside a venue hoping for a glimpse of one of the Backstreet Boys! Oh yeah…I was a FAN GIRL! If you would have asked me then who I was going to marry one day, then I would have told you hopefully AJ McLean! He was the bad boy, I was the good girl, and he had sang, “If you want it to be good girl, get yourself a bad boy!”

I didn’t meet a Backstreet Boy this time (I would meet Howie Dorough later with my two BFFs, Mom, and aunt outside the Hyatt hotel in Lexington, KY), but I did see their tour bus with the duck in the front window!

This show turned out to be one of the best BSB experiences I’ve ever had (I’ve seen them four times with number five coming in September)! For one, we were super close to the stage on the bottom tier of seats. We were so close that a security guard saw my aunt taking photos with a zoom lens camera, and he promptly destroyed the film in front of us. Secondly, this show was filmed. Footage from the show was used for the music video for “The One”. We sat right behind the camera! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZYrEz0mxts

Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, Ohio – https://www.riverbend.org/ – Hands down, this is my favorite concert venue! Typically, I’m not big on outdoor venues. I’m a chunky girl and outside tends to equal sweaty and uncomfy especially in the summer. However, Riverbend is cool because part of the venue is a covered pavilion with actual seats and the rest is a lawn where you BYO chair/blanket. I’ve been to one concert here, Kid Rock many moons ago, but if it were closer to home I would be there more often.

The Fabulous Fox – St. Louis, MO – https://www.fabulousfox.com/ – This is the most beautiful venue that I have ever had the opportunity to visit! This year, the Fabulous Fox turns 90 years old! It originally opened in 1929, and it is still a beautiful representation of 1920’s Art Deco. Mr. Kisby and I saw The Phantom of the Opera here, and even though our seats were in the very back of the lower level, they were phenomenal! When that chandelier came swinging out over the audience it gave us chills! Another great thing about this venue? It is in a small arts district so there is a lot of other cool stuff to explore while there. Added bonus? Our trip to The Fabulous Fox also included Jilly’s Cupcakes (one of my very first blogs was about Jilly’s) and a taco pizza from Casey’s!

The Kentucky Center – Louisville, KY – http://www.kentuckycenter.org – Do you know what is so cool about this venue? A fire can’t keep it down! In June 2018 a portion of the building caught fire and was destroyed. By June 2019 the venue, while still under construction, was revitalized enough for a run of Hamilton! Mr. Kisby and I have seen four musicals at The Kentucky Center: Hairspray!, Wicked, Cabaret, and Hamilton. We’ve sat in four different areas and can attest that there is not a bad seat in the house! Another perk? Every employee and volunteer that I’ve interacted with here is very friendly! You can’t beat Southern hospitality mixed with the performing arts!

KFC Yum! Center – Louisville, KY – https://www.kfcyumcenter.com/ – I’ve been here for Lady Cards basketball and a concert, and I am amazed by how versatile this space is! When you are at a concert it is hard to believe that basketball is played here; when you are at a basketball game it is hard to believe how easily it can be converted into a concert venue. I saw the Backstreet Boys here (concert number four) when they were touring with New Kids on the Block. Fun fact, the ticket scanners were not working, and instead of our top level seats we ended up being seated in the lower level by the stage! We saw the guys loading into the backstage area from our seats! I’m looking forward to going to see the DNA Tour in September (BSB concert number five)! I recommend Yum! Center for both its great facility and the variety of entertainment that it has brought to Louisville.

So now you know The Great Kaysby’s Top 5 Music/Musical event spaces! I hope that you will have the opportunity to check them out! Also, should one of the Backstreet Boys or Kid Rock happen to read this, then a couple of backstage passes would be great! Thanks! 🙂

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

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