Elise Testone is a young woman with remarkable singing talent. She is also my daughter-in-law’s best friend. I wrote about Elise when she was chosen for this season’s American Idol competition. Since then, America has voted her through, week after week. There are nine contestants left standing. Elise is one of four women.
Each week, the contestants are allowed to have a few family members or friends in the audience. My daughter-in-law, Janelle, has her ticket in hand to be in the audience for the April 4 show. So here’s the deal: Elise has to make it through this week’s competition in order to compete next week. There is only one way for that to happen: People (for example, you) have to vote for her.
Voting for Elise will do one or more of the following:
A. Ensure that Janelle’s expenditure for her ticket to LA hasn’t been made in vain
B. Give meaning to your drab existence
C. Reduce the field of Republican presidential hopefuls
D. Allow me to continue to delude myself that my blog has a huge impact on people
E. Reverse global warming
If you care about freedom, America, and apple pie, watch the show and vote for Elise. Hell, even if you don’t care about any of that, watch the show anyway and vote for Elise. But I would seriously find it hard to believe that anyone doesn’t care about apple pie. If you care about apple pie, I will send you my secret apple pie recipe as a thank you. I will also thank you on my blog and suggest to my kids that they name a child after you. I can’t do much more than that.
Janelle, Charleston artist extraordinairre (www.janelleriolo.com), made this sign to bring with her for the April 4 show. So you can say you saw it here first!
American Idol
Wednesday, March 28
8PM-10PM
Voting starts at the end of the show!
Life in the Boomer Lane 
notquiteold
March 27, 2012
I will vote for Elise. And I want it to be Nancy with a “Y” – I don’t like Nanci with an “I”. Thank you.
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
??? I’m missing something.
notquiteold
March 27, 2012
Naming the child after me… I like Nancy with a “y”.
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
Oh, that’s funny!!! Clearly, I haven’t had enough coffee yet this morning.
georgettesullins
March 27, 2012
I have marked my calendar…here in Houston on KRIV, FOX, March 28 and 29 at 7:00 PM CST and will get the family to vote from their own phones…plural. Got my info here…
http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/american-idol/100036 Awww…good luck Elise!
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
georgettesullins
March 31, 2012
YES! She did it!
Audubon Ron
March 27, 2012
I’ll vote for her, but if you don’t mind, please leave my drab existence of it. Dayum, if wasn’t for you, I was thinking everything was getting pretty close to almost nearly okay.
On another note, did you ever put too much Tiger Balm up your nose? I put it up there to open my nasal passages. Yeah, I just did that. Too much. Oh oww. My eyes are watering.
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
I’ve come close to being almost nearly OK several times in my life. Scared me to death. I retreated. Is there anything that Tiger Balm doesn’t cure? This is why tigers are an endangered species.
Kathryn McCullough
March 27, 2012
Hell, if apple pie’s at stake, I’m definitely in!
Hugs,
Kathy
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 29, 2012
She was incredible, right?!
gojulesgo
March 27, 2012
I have been rooting for Elise (I mean, since I know you, I think Elise and I are practically best friends, and I think she would really like my apple pie)!! She is phenomenal. And I love that artwork.
So exciting!!!! And she’s guaranteed a spot on tour now, right? Awesome!
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 29, 2012
Yay, Elise! Her performance last night was amazing!
She's a Maineiac
March 27, 2012
She is amazing! I’m all for voting for her!
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 29, 2012
Her performance was great, great, great. Thanks for voting!
pegoleg
March 27, 2012
I’ve been rooting for Elise and living vicariously through her all along. She killed it last week! Hows about you bake and SEND me an apple pie Renee?
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
I think I might seriously have a contest to see who is the greatest Elise Fan. The winner will get an apple pie. How does one send an apple pie? Bubble wrap?
margaret
March 27, 2012
I am a big fan of Elise–even before I knew that apple pie was involved! I hope Janelle gets to make the trip, and that sign is awesome!
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
Thanks, Margaret!
toshalot
March 27, 2012
Did Micah and Janelle get married? Did I somehow miss this announcement even though I read your and Yael’s daily FB updates and blog posts?
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
No, it’s just easier to refer to her as my DIL!
The Simple Life of a Country Man's Wife
March 27, 2012
wow – what a voice!
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
Yes! She is amazing!
morristownmemos by Ronnie Hammer
March 27, 2012
Ronnie is now my legal name but not the one I was given at birth. If we have to name the future baby after my birth name the deal is off! The advantage of Ronnie as a new baby’s name is that it can be used by a boy OR a girl!
With the apple pie will you enclose a coupon for free ice cream? I prefer my pie a la mode.
Ronnie
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
Are you the real Rumplestiltskin? Re the ice cream coupon: Sheesh. Like my mom always said, Give them a finger and they’ll want the whole hand.
worrywarts-guide-to-weight-sex-and-marriage
March 27, 2012
How exciting! I’m so glad I read this before the 28th! And great voice!
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
Yes! Everyone must vote!
speaker7
March 27, 2012
Can you go into more detail into how it will reduce the Republican hopefuls? Is there any way to eradicate the Republican field in its entirety? Cuz I will stay up all night calling Ryan Seacrest if that were the case. I do that already, but this time I will not be violating any restraining order.
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 27, 2012
Leave it to you to be the only one to call me on my shit. Listen, if I could eliminate anyone, I wouldn’t be sitting here typing on a keyboard. There should be a Hunger Games for those guys and we could all watch it on TV.
bgillen
March 28, 2012
Voted as many times as I could last night.
Could use a good apple pie recipe.
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 28, 2012
Thanks, but iIf you did, the votes went nowhere. It’s this evening.
ifiwerebraveblog
March 28, 2012
Elise is one of my favorites. And I’m not just saying that because I want your apple pie recipe.
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 28, 2012
I appreciate your honesty. But I am skeptical of others.
nrhatch
March 28, 2012
Beautiful voice . . . hope she makes it through to next week.
That will be an exciting trip for Janelle. You should send a pie. Janelle can use it to bribe the judges to shower Elise with applause and accolades.
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 29, 2012
I thought she was the best one last night. I was jumping up and down.
worrywarts-guide-to-weight-sex-and-marriage
March 29, 2012
Dang! So proud!
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 29, 2012
She was amazing last night. The New York Times mentioned her!
claudiajustsaying
March 29, 2012
Elise got my vote last night, what a voice!
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 29, 2012
Thanks, Claudia! I voted about 100 times. She is amazing.
tadams4u
April 1, 2012
I love her voice, I’m really hoping she sticks around, she has some great talent. She just needs to smile more, help America fall in love with her more. I’m sure being in the bottom those couple of weeks shook her a bit, but she kills it. She just needs to show more smile and personality, That’s how to win it!
Go Elise!