So, I was in the process of making a GIF using Paint.NET. I was figuring out the order in which to arrange the frames and I accidentally clicked the print button instead of save. (They look so much alike.) The program became unresponsive and I lost the information I didn’t save :( I was like, “If Paint.NET had one, I’d stab it right in the face!” But I didn’t give up. I knew I hadn’t posted anything in a while and you all deserve more than what I’ve given so far. That said, Happy Independence Day! ♥

Season one ended last night, how many of you were surprised by the result? I was. Like Javier said, I, too, was prepared to hear Carson Daly pronounce Dia Frampton the winner. I soon discovered that Justin Bieber tweeted to his followers to support Adam’s team. The fact that less than 2% separated Javier and Dia is telling of just how popular Dia is, because for Bieber’s followers to have supported Javier, assuming a sizable number of them voted, the margin shouldn’t have been as narrow as it was. People talk about the evangelical vote, what about the Belieber vote?? Congratulations to Javier Colon.

And let’s congratulate ourselves. We watched until the end. We didn’t withdraw nor did we grow embittered (if so, it didn’t last long) by Xenia’s elimination. When we’re watching sports and our favorite team is beaten, we root for the downfall of the team that defeated ours, right? I remember when the Jets beat the Patriots earlier this year, I wanted Pittsburgh to give them an old-fashioned scourging. Yet something remarkable happened during that game; the Jets were trailing and had begun to rally, and a part of me wanted them to win towards the end. Many of you embraced Dia, I placed my faith in Vicci, though ultimately I voted for Javier because almost everyone was pulling for Dia and I like supporting an underdog.

So, while Javier won $100K and a recording contract, all the other contestants got what they wouldn’t have otherwise had they not been on The Voice: EXPOSURE. A platform upon which they showcased their vocal abilities to a national audience. They got to share the stage with some of today’s biggest stars. The camaraderie made it appear as though they were on the same team competing to achieve one goal. I wish Dia a successful career. And I apologize for the hurtful things I’ve said about her. I commend Vicci and Beverly for being open and honest about their sexuality, knowing that doing so could hinder their chances of winning when it came time for a culturally divided nation to vote. It took real chutzpah, and they’re winners because they live their lives uninhibited. We won because the show was so engaging. It was a GREAT first season :)