American Idol: My Top 3 for 2022

It’s a little late in the game to be picking my top 3 but for someone who hasn’t watched American Idol in years, this is progress. Give me some grace here, people! I still wonder how the show is still on air and while I can’t speak for the previous handful of seasons, the cast of the current season is darn good. However, I’m not sure narrowing down from 20 to 14 was that difficult for the judges. Except for one or two, finding the six to go home was pretty much obvious. For the fourteen that remain now, here’s my list of who will make the top 5, along with who I predict to win it all. I’ll also go ahead and predict a woman will win this season.

14. Emyrson Flora

13. Christian Guardino

12. Jay Copeland (Judges voted to keep in top 14)

11. Allegra Miles (Judges voted to keep in to 14)

10. Huntergirl

9. Mike Parker (Judges voted to keep in top 14)

8. Fritz Hager

7. Tristen Gressett (Judges voted to keep in top 14)

6. Leah Marlene

5. Nicolina Bozzo

4. Dan Marshall

3. Noah Thompson

2. Lady K

1. Ava Maybee

Thanks for dropping in…

-Out of the Wilderness

KIA’s All-New Sportage Beach Commercial – The Music, The Actor, and More

KIA is back now with another commercial showing cute little turtles. Take a look then scroll down for more about the ad… and for KIA’s latest ad recap of guy saving a city-dwelling tree, click here.

The Music. This piano heavy track hasn’t been easy to identify. I’ve narrowed it down to two, though. Do you think it sounds like one of these?

“Daddy Fired the Doula Again” by Speedy Justice

“Blackness Zone” by John Flow

The Driver. The actor driving this brand new 2023 Kia Sportage is actor/model Charlie Wilson. He’s also in the news with some juicy info… he’s rumored to be dating actress/dancer Julianne Hough.

The Location. I can’t confirm or deny, but from what I’ve researched and read, this was filmed at St. Augustine Beach, Florida. Kia has also committed to donate to Sea Turtles, Inc. based in Texas. This organization exists to help rehabilitate injured sea turtles.

Thanks for dropping in…

-Out of the Wilderness

Birds and Boats of Easter Weekend

These are from the Gulf Coast of north Florida, where I captured a few different types of birds. Can you name all of the different kinds pictured below?

Tha KS for dropping in…

-Out of the Wilderness

I gave my friend a piggy back ride

I’m straying a little bit from what I usually write about– commercials, my pups, or music, to tell you a story about the time I gave my friend a piggy back ride. He and I are both grown adults so is it weird to be giving him a piggy back ride? Sure. Did it still happen. Well, the story goes that he was clinging so tightly I could feel him breathing on my neck. People that saw us were laughing at us, but I didn’t care.

But the only thing is, it actually wasn’t my friend and I wasn’t giving him a piggy back ride. I realized this when I woke up and my dog was sleeping so close that I felt her breath on the back of my neck. Somehow that hot air on my neck worked itself into my dream.

Sometimes things aren’t always as they seem.

I fell asleep again, thankful to have dogs that like to cuddle!

-Out of the Wilderness

New portable Sony speakers and a 16th birthday party playlist

I’ve written about playlists created on Spotify and often write about music, whether it’s in a commercial or a song that I really like. But how can you listen to a song without speakers? Sure, you can listen through the speakers in your computer, phone, or your car stereo. But for me, it’s something special to blast my playlists through a Sony Bluetooth speaker. For the longest time I used, and still do actually, an SRS-XB41. I love that thing! But then…

Ohhhhh, but then….

I saw the SRS-XB43 in tan, and it was calling to me. Using my Sony Rewards points, I ordered two (because why get one when you can get two, ya know?). Here’s one of them now…

I got them in the nick of time, just before celebrating one of my niece’s 16th birthday at a Florida beach. I sort of appointed my self as the house DJ because I want to test out these speakers in a surround sound type situation. Of course, there are also a couple of custom playlists. Check them out on Spotify by clicking the links, called Ava Party Playlist and Ava Chill Playlist.

I’ve run a few tests with the speakers, setting them up outside by a volleyball court and on beach house porch using the song below and *chef’s kiss* they sound great.

I suppose it’s necessary to post an update on how the speakers hold up? Yeah, I’ll post an update on how the speakers hold up. Will they be loud enough for teenagers approvals? What will feedback be from them, and the adults hanging out beachside? Not as importantly (but secretly- WAY MORE IMPORTANTLY!!), will my playlists be a hit?

Party on and thanks for dropping in…

-Out of the Wilderness