Stellar Saturday

Today turned out to be a much different day than I expected...

First, I went to an audition workshop for High School Musical, which the Civic Theatre is producing this summer. I am really hoping to do this show, since you may know I'm a teeny bit obsessed with HSM. So I went to this workshop, and here's the thing--looks-wise, I can pass for a high-schooler, but when I start talking, you can tell I'm older. So hopefully I won't get screwed in the casting and I'll get to play a high schooler, not an adult. Because the adults don't sing and dance. Honestly, I'd rather not have a speaking part and be a kid in the background singing and dancing, than have an adult role with lots of lines. But it was so weird because everyone else there was actually IN high school (or middle school) and so they'd be like "what grade are you in?" And I'd be like "Uhhhh...Purdue." Haha. So for the first time I'm having to lie about my age. Not really, though. When you sign up for auditions, you have to write your age down, so there's a big ol' 23 next to my name.

Oh well, hopefully I can still pull it off. I feel like I did really well, actually. My acting came back to me a little, plus I've watched this movie so many times, I felt like I knew what was going on with the lines enough to make some choices about how to play different roles. My dancing was solid, too. I don't think I'll have trouble with the dance auditions. The best part was when we were doing some staged readings with scenes from the script. We had to organize ourselves and assign ourselves to roles, so in the first scene I volunteered to play Ms. Darbus, the eccentric, long-winded drama teacher, because I thought it would be a fun way to loosen up. And they liked it! But again, that's an adult part, so I'm hoping to be cast younger, not older. In the next one, they sort of assigned roles, and put me as Gabriella, who is the female lead...a shy brainiac who wants to try her hand at being onstage. I am not a fan of the character in the movie...she's just too syrupy, but I tried really hard to play her with as much sweetness and integrity as possible, without being a total cheeseball. And then they had us go back in the scene because they wanted to change something about an exchange between two characters, Sharpay (the role I really want!) and Kelsi. And then they were like, "Let's do it again, but Lisa come over here and be Sharpay."

Yes!!!!!

Even if I don't get the part in the show, I am just so happy that I got to play her in this one scene...because it's one of my favorite scenes in the movie. Basically, Sharpay is a spoiled brat who controls the drama club and always gets the lead roles. Kelsi is the show's composer, a very softspoken, meek individual. And in this scene, Sharpay basically lets Kelsi have it for even suggesting that Sharpay may not land the lead this time.

And I got to do that scene! It was so fun! And I feel like I did really well!

I will say that it's funny coming back into a theatre setting after so long. By the end of high school, I was friends with so many people in drama that it really felt like a little family. But I had almost forgotten how much of an outsider you feel like when you first encounter a new drama group. It was like being in 7th grade and trying out for my high school's production of "The Nutcracker" all over again...the directors are super-warm and friendly to the people who obviously have been involved before, and there's no sort of trying to treat everyone the same. It's almost like all the inside jokes are aired out in front of everyone with no regard for the new people who have no idea what the jokes mean. Then all the directors keep telling you to be bigger, give more, and that the weirder it feels, the better. There's certainly no effort to try to make people feel less intimidated or more included. Basically, the point of drama is to make you as uncomfortable as possible.

But I know that the great thing is, once you get to know those people, you get really close to them and by showtime, you really DO feel like a family. I think it's just important to remember how it feels to come join a family full of people you know nothing about.

But anyway, auditions are in May, so I'll keep you updated!

Also, I caught up with someone I should've been talking to more in the past few years...we probably talked on the phone for a couple of hours, and the more we talked the more I felt so blessed to have someone I can relate to about so many things. Then I was on the phone with my dad for like three hours after that, trying to figure out how to get some video converting software on my computer. Then I got a message from the female sports anchor wanting to grab dinner, since she was done at the station. Then it turned into a little station girls' night out. We had said female sports anchor, the weekend anchor, a reporter, the weekend meteorologist, and me, the morning producer. We were rolling deep. We went for dinner and then hopped across the street for a couple drinks. And it was so fun! And now I'm home, pooped for the day and ready to crash.

Until you read again!
Lis

a lot of crazy

Oh my gosh...I just read this blog post by a friend of mine and it was saying a lot of stuff that I totally relate to right now. He was saying that he felt like everyone he knew was getting engaged or married, and did he miss the boat, and how hard it is to have faith that God will take care of it.

Well, I started to reply on his blog with a comment, and it turned into a really LONG comment, and then I realized I was letting out a lot of crazy, so I decided that all this crazy belonged on my blog, not his! So here it is...

There are all these girls I know from the Purduettes who have gotten engaged this year; and some of them are seniors this year...and I remember being a freshman and thinking "I'll probably be engaged by the time I'm getting ready to graduate" and although I don't really have any regrets about how I spent my time in college, I kind of have that feeling of "point of no return" where it's like, well I can't meet someone at school anymore because I'm not AT school; I'm not IN this incubator full of people my age. It might be weird to date someone I work with, and anyway it's not like there are a bunch of single people my age walking around the station. (Actually, pretty much everyone else my age is married or engaged anyway...which just reinforces that feeling of "did I miss something here?")

And it's not like I'm the type of person to go to a bar to meet people...I kind of feel like I want to be friends with someone first so I know what I'm getting into. But then, is that because I am hoping whatever relationship I start to turn into a marriage eventually? Should I think about it that way, or just cool it and try not to look that far forward? And it IS hard to have faith that things will work out...I'm sure God is like, "Lisa, you are screwing this up on your own...just let me handle it." But I think the great part is that He still lets us make these decisions, KNOWING that we're going to make the wrong ones sometimes. It just makes me wonder where everything is headed...I guess I'm excited for whatever lies in store for me. One of my best girls and I used to say all the time that if the relationships we were in weren't meant to be, whatever God has planned for us will be even better...so things can only get better however you look at it! So that makes me optimistic.

An elderly guy who works at the station asks me every couple of weeks if I've gotten a new boyfriend yet. And I always say no. And then he always says, "Well, that's not something you can just go to Walmart and pick off of a shelf, is it?" No, it's not. And then he always says, "But it is one of those things you find when you're not looking for it." Which is so true. I hate pursuing relationships. I love kind of...just discovering them. Or being a little surprised by a turn of events that leads to something I never would've guessed possible.

But it would be nice if I stumbled into something here in the next couple of years...I mean I WOULD like to have kids before I'm 40!

More crazy on the way. Until then!
Lis

BB-hind

I'm so behind on my BB recaps that I can't even think about catching up. I'm actually watching it right now...Ryan and Aly are up on the block, so were Matt and Nat but they just won POV, Adam and Sheila are fighting (surpise...), Sharon and Josh are HOH. Nat is throwing herself at Matt, which is kind of--no, REALLY pathetic to watch (why am I watching it?) and OH MY GOSH...Matt is totally playing Sharon, kissing her, blah blah...cut to Matt in diary room saying, "Sharon is playing right into my hands right now." Then cut to Sharon in diary room saying, "That's his plan to romance me? Whatever, I'll play along but this is just a game." Oh wow. That just happened! Sharon even tells Josh about it..."he was all kissing me and I was like 'ok' just playing along." Wow. Wow. People are nuts.

I didn't even watch Sunday night so I don't know what happened...I mean obviously A&A got sent home, and Sharon and Josh won the HOH but that's all I got. And I don't remember what was happening the last time I posted...and I'm too lazy to look...so let's just move on.

More importantly, what's going on in my life right now...
Our female morning anchor had her last day at the station Friday. So now we have a new anchor, who was previously anchoring the weekends. She's doing great, but I know it's overwhelming to change to such a tough schedule...having to be at work at 3:30 in the morning! But she has a great attitude and always puts a smile on her face. I think it'll help that our male anchor, like her, has a young family and understands how hard it is to balance this kind of schedule with a family, so I know he'll be very supportive and a big help to her.

Also, I got a new laptop after my old computer suddenly died. It was really sad, but I can't lie...I love my new lappy! And I actually really like Windows Vista. I just want to use my computer all the time. Also, it's red. So is my mouse. So that is pretty awesome! So pretty. And now when I go home or anywhere, I can take my computer with me!

The downside--I have to go through all my back-up discs and put my files on this new computer. And I know there is a lot of music and stuff I DON'T have backed up, so...that's gonna stink. Although I might have them on my mp3 player...we'll just have to see.

Also, I'm really enjoying the fact that I have a couple of closer friends at the station...people my age I can hang out with, blow off steam with, and relate to. It's awesome.

Ok, so that's the skinny...nothing else new really going on here. Until later!

Lis

I know EXACTLY how you feel!

I know, I know, the first "real" eviction ceremony happened live on BB9 tonight, and there's much to be discussed in the trashy reality-TV world...but I'll get to it later. I've got more important things to talk about!

I just got a message from an old friend who said they read my blog and really related to what's been going on in my life, and it made me so happy that I had to write about it! I've gotten a few similar messages and phone calls from friends who are the same age as me and are, like me, venturing out in the world, getting first jobs, first apartments, and trying to figure out their role in the universe. I just bubble up with joy when I get these comments from people reaading my blog, because this is EXACTLY why I started writing it--I think all of us "twenty-somethings" feel like we're floating around in the world all alone, but I know we're all feeling the same way and going through the same stuff, and I hoped that by writing about it I could maybe provide those other twenty-somethings with the comfort of knowing that someone out there knows exactly how they feel.

Most of the time it feels like it's all pay checks, rent checks, cooking for one, trying to save money, and trying to figure out whether hanging out with your coworkers outside of the office would be a good idea, since there really isn't anyone else to hang out with. And a lot of the time, that sounds really boring. But the truth is, we are all at a phenomenal point in our lives. A time when, unlike college, we don't take any social engagement for granted and get excited when we actually have plans for the weekend. A time when we call our moms to tell them what we cooked for dinner just because we're so proud of ourselves for not picking up Subway on the drive home. A time when we appreciate what we have so much more because now we have to fork over most of our paychecks to have it. A time when we come home from work and don't have to do homework, clean up after anyone, or go to five different extra-cirricular meetings or practices.

There will (hopefully) come a time when we have money saved up, a family to come home to, and a retirement plan to worry about. But right now, it's just us. We only have ourselves to look after, and we only have ourselves to depend on. And it's scary, but it's exciting too. And even though we feel like losers because sometimes we go to bed at 9:30 on a Friday night, we're so lucky to be where we are, knowing that our jobs, our social lives, and our financial situations can only get better from here on out, but also knowing how to find the joy, the triumph, and the humor in our present circumstances.

So hang in there, all you twenty-somethings. I know EXACTLY how you feel!

Much love,
Lis

BB9 Episode 4

Twists and Turns

The first thing I noticed tonight was that something was wrong with the opening credits. So far they have shown the players' pictures in pairs, according to partnerships in the house. And as is tradition, the evicted houseguests are shown exiting the house with their luggage. But tonight, Sharon's picture was shown with Joshuah's, Neil wasn't shown in the credits at all, and only Jacob was shown leaving the house. Wha??!! Back to that in a second.

First, we've got some silly stuff going on in the house. It's trouble in paradise as Amanda and Alex start to have problems in their tiki-themed HOH room. Amanda likes to prance about the house in skimpy clothes, and there is an obvious attraction between her and Parker. Alex, who has feelings for Amanda, is jealous when he sees them massaging each other and otherwise flirting.

Meanwhile, Joshuah goes to the diary room, where he's told that Neil had to leave the show for some personal business, and that he could choose one of the previously evicted players to have back as his new partner. Briefly weighing the decision between Jacob and Sharon, he says this is a no-brainer (and it is!) and picks Sharon. Interesting, since Joshuah is a self-professed bisexual, that he would end up having both a male and female partner in the duration of the game. When Sharon comes back, the rest of the guests drop the bomb on her that Jen and Ryan are a couple outside the house. She says she feels a little betrayed by Jen for keeping it a secret.

More shinannigans...Jen and Ryan are being disgusting, or as they put it, "cuddly," and decide they've gone two weeks without having sex so they occupy the bathroom to do so. Parker walks in and hears them, looks right at the camera, and laughs. That is a classic BB moment...quality entertainment for all. Meanwhile, Chelsia tells James what Aly and Sheila told her--that they are lesbian partners. Oh yeah--with an adopted child.

So now Chelsia and James are thinking that maybe there are more twists in this game. James walks around the house "looking for clues" and looks at a little puzzle piece object in the hamster cage. Because it has four different colors, James decides this means there are four relationship "twists" in the house. He discusses this with Alex, saying that three of the twists are Jacob and Sharon, Ryan and Jen, and Sheila and Aly. Who is the fourth? Jealous Alex says...Amanda and Parker!

This triggers a ring of confrontations between Alex and Amanda, Amanda and Parker, Parker and Alex, Parker, Alex, and James, and Amanda and Alex. And all we find out is that Alex is jealous of Parker because he has feelings for Amanda that aren't being returned. And he calls Amanda out on her skimpy attire and flirtatious antics, and then says that since he and Amanda aren't going to "get physical" with each other, that they shouldn't be involved with anyone else in the house because they are a team. Amanda reacts to this by saying in the diary room that Alex is being "mean." She's five, apparently.

Power of Veto Time! A&A draw a chip out of a bag to determine who, besides themselves and the two nom'd couples, will be playing for POV. And it's Matt and Nat! So the Big East is playing against the Jen and Ryan mess of an alliance. Matt tells Parker before the game that he'd use the POV on Parker should he win it, but he says in the diary room that was just to pacify Parker.
Joshuah is the game host.

It's a sort of circus theme, and the girls have to strap themselves to these large heart-shaped verticle turntables and hold down a panic button. The boys have to spin the girls 300 turns. The first couple to complete 300 turns without letting up on the panic button wins the Power of Veto. Ryan and Aly are eliminated first because Aly's finger slips off the button. Then Amanda lets go, eliminating herself and Alex. Cut to Diary Room: "My partner doesn't know this, but I let go on purpose." Amanda says she threw the competition strategically to make A&A look weaker, since she knew as the first HOH they'd soon be targeted for eviction because of their strong gameplay. Alex is upset. Poor guy; this isn't his week. So we're down to Jen and Parker and Matt and Nat. Jen is barking at Parker to "spin it! Spin it!" And Parker is being a girl and getting too tired. Motion-sick Natalie just keeps her eyes closed and cheers on her pahd-nah. Matt and Nat win, keeping the POV within the Big East.

At the Veto meeting, Parker is expecting to get saved by Matt, but Matt and Natalie announce that they've decided not to use the POV because they agreed with the reasons for the HOH eviction nominations (didn't I tell ya?). Parker's Diary Room response: "This game blows. I don't even care. Whatever."

Dumb Move of the Day: Probably James for thinking that a hamster toy had something to do with the game and then telling someone about it. I'd keep those thoughts to myself until I gathered a few more "clues," buddy.

My Predictions for Evictions:

Alex and Amanda -- this is tough. Alex will be ready to get rid of Parker for the same reason Amanda won't want to let him go. But because Jen is such a horrible player and Parker is such a distraction, the smartest thing for them to do would be to vote out Jen and Parker. And since they've been pretty smart so far, I'll predict them doing that.

James and Chelsia -- I don't know of any preference these two have for either nom'd couple, but since Jen and Parker have caused more drama, I'll predict that they vote on those two.

Matt and Natalie -- Matt really likes Parker, but not enough to use the POV on him, so if they vote with their alliance, it's another one for Parker and Jen.

Joshuah and Sharon -- because Sharon expressed some feeling of betrayal from Jen for keeping her relationship with Ryan a secret, I'll guess another vote for Jen and Parker.

Adam and Sheila -- there is no way Sheila would vote out her girl Allison. Another vote for Jen and Parker.

So my prediction is a unanimous vote by the house to evict Jen and Parker. And even if it's not unanimous, I still think they'll garner enough votes to be sent packing.

Tune in next time to see if I was right!

BB9 Episode 3

(First off, I realize I'm a day behind. I'll get caught up! Also, my new laptop is in the mail and on its way to my door, so soon I'll be able to keep up with my blogging again!)

I would like to title this episode "Jen-o-cide." You'll see why in a bit.

Where we left things...
Alex and Amanda are HOH. Sheila and Adam hate each other. Ryan, Allison, Jen, and Parker are in a forced alliance, which Allison is very upset about. Like, unbelievably upset. Suck it up and play the game!

A&A realize that Matt and Nat are strong competitors, but also people they seem to easily get along with. Matt and Alex have some sort of bond about Boston and New York...they're kind of like frat brothers from the School of Hard Knocks or something. Mr. New York and Mr. Boston, or as I'm going to call them from now on, the Big East. And their pahd-nahs, Amanda and Natalie, both seem like pretty sweet, likeable girls so far. So the four of them commit to form an alliance. Smart move and here's why: Alliances are going to be more important than ever this season bcause so far everyone has been throwing their ONLY allies--their own partners--under the bus left and right. I might have to eat my words later, but I like this alliance. And I may root for them...we'll see.

The memory wall is up, and as everyone admired their pictures, Jen remarks that hers is in the first spot because she's going to win. Stupid stupid stupid. Parker is pissed because he knows they're already compromised by Ryan and Allison, but Jen has continued to paint a giant target on Parker's giant 'fro. He reprimands her for speaking without thinking, while Allison gives Ryan an earful about how much she dislikes Jen. Poor Ryan--his girlfriend is an idiot of a gameplayer, and he has to defend her to his own jealous partner while trying to show some loyalty to that partner at the same time. Ryan is, I'm sorry to say, falling victim to everything horrible about females. And the worst part is, Jen, Parker, and Allison are chasing each other around without consulting Ryan on anything.

Allison is cracking under the pressure of her situation, which is making Jen and Parker nervous, so they decide to tell everyone about Jen and Ryan's relationship before Allison gets the chance to sell them out. (Where is Ryan in this decision?!) Of course everyone is shocked by this and Allison takes major offense to Jen, Parker, and Ryan's (?!!) actions. She then goes around crying to everyone about how she wasn't going to tell anyone but now her game is in trouble because of the other three. Then she and Jen tell each other off. Ohhh boy.

It's so hard to be Allison..sniffle sniffle...so she decides to relate to the only woman in the house who is older, scarier, and witchier than herself--Sheila. And they decide to spread a rumor that they are lesbian lovers. And they decide to tell the person in the house they think will be most likely to spread it around (and, I think, the person most likely to be turned off by lesbians): Joshuah. Of course, he tells Neil, and it's hilarious. Watching two gay guys talk about lesbians is pretty funny. Also, they tell Chelsia.

OK, so it's nomination time. And A&A prove again they they're playing smart by nom'ing Ryan and Allison, Jen and Parker for reasons strictly strategic--they have an unfair advantage on the rest of the house and it'd be best for everyone if either Jen or Ryan goes home. Plus, pitting allies against each other is a good idea at this point because they are much more likely to save themselves than each other should they win the Power of Veto. And we can see this is already true with Ryan and Jen; both have declared they are in it to win it. Plus, there isn't much of a chance that if anyone other than the nom'd couples wins the POV that it'll be used, since it looks like everyone is ready for either Jen and Parker or Aly and Ryan to go. AND if one of the nom'd couples DOES get POV, they can use it on themselves and put up Sheila and Adam, and then try to keep their alliance intact by trying to sway everyone to evict those two. (But I doubt Ryan could talk Aly into saving Jen or putting Sheila up, and I don't think Jen and Parker are smart enough to think up any sensible strategy in the first place.)

Dumb Move of the Day goes to Jen, Jen, and Jen, for the perfect trifecta of stupidity: 1) Running her mouth, 2) Spilling the beans, and 3) Not consulting Ryan on about ANYTHING she's done in the entire game so far. Jen says she's a huge BB fan...so why doesn't she seem to know how to play the game?

Next time, POV competition and final noms, and I'll try to predict where the votes will go and who will be evicted. Until then!

BB9 Episode 2

"You know what they say...Fool me once, strike one. Fool me twice...strike three."
~Michael Scott, The Office

So unfortunately, my computer died on Wednesday, so until I get a new one, I have to check in from work...which means coming into work early to do it. Which sounds pathetic, but at the same time, not having a computer at home means not having much to do around the house except clean, read, sleep, eat, and play with my hair...and you can only do those things for so long before you go insane, so going to work a little early doesn't sound so bad.

Anyway, I missed my recap of Wednesday night's BB, so I'll hit that up now...

First of all, I was confused about the whole Power Couple thing. I thought they were the first HOH couple, but I was wrong. For some reason the BB producers just made up a one-time position called the "power couple" seemingly for the sole purpose of getting one couple evicted right off the bat. So Jen and Parker were the Power Couple, which meant they had the power to single-handedly evict whichever couple they chose. And they pretty much had the choice made for them thanks to Jacob (you'll remember that he and Sharon were the ex-boyfriend and girlfriend who were "randomly" matched up in the house). Jacob decided to stir up some trouble in the house to "make things fun." (Wha?!!) So Jacob sits down with a few fellow houseguests, Jen being one of them, and says some people in the house were calling Parker a snake. Jen, of course, immediately reports this to her partner Parker, who declares he won't tolerate secrets and wakes up everyone in the house to find out who told Jacob he was a snake. Uh...the title of "power couple" obviously being taken to heart by this guy.

So what we discover is that (naturally) no one is going to own up to the name-calling, making Jacob pretty much look like a total toolbox. Which...he is. He then gets an earful from blind-sided Sharon, who realizes this is a serious misstep in their game and will probably get them evicted. I feel kinda sorry for this girl, and I think it's safe to stay that this couple will never make up and get back together. Because Jacob's short-sightedness, selfishness, and thirst for drama is probably what led him to cheat on Sharon in the first place. What an idiot. I was hoping he'd turn out to be a nice guy, but...he's a jerk. So Sharon makes a last-ditch effort to save her game by going to Parker and shifting the target from herself to Ryan, who she hints is the name-caller. Interesting, since Ryan, unbeknownst to the rest of the house, is dating Parker's partner. We could all guess where that was going!

Naturally, when Sharon indicated to Parker that Ryan didn't like him, Ryan was Parker's first pick for the power-couple eviction. Ryan and Allison had already proved to be strong competitors, so they already were fair targets WITHOUT any help from Sharon and Jacob. But of course when Parker suggested evicting Ryan and Allison, Jen balked at giving her BF the boot. Now here is where Jacob's one stupid move had a domino effect on the rest of the game: Jen could have easily found a way to convice Parker that Ryan was merely being used as a scapegoat by Sharon to keep her and Jacob in the game; after all, no one had spoken up in the meeting, so maybe Jacob had just been trying to cause trouble. But instead Jen decided to tell the paps her secret (always a bad decision)..."We can't evict Ryan because he and I are dating." She doesn't even consult Ryan before she does this, she doesn't think about it, the just DOES it. AGH! So then they pull Ryan in to let him know Parker is wise to their secret. And now, it's only fair that Ryan tells Allison, who is clearly disappointed no only because this seriously compromises her strategy, but also because she was obviously hoping for some sparks to fly between herself and Ryan, and now she's openly jealous of Jen.

Sharon's face-saving attempts aren't enough, and Jen and Parker send the ex-couple packing. I have to say this eviction was kind of disappointing because it wasn't live and there wasn't any follow-up with Julie outside the house afterward. But oh well. I don't really get the point of BB starting the game this way, other than just eliminating couples quickly to save future space for returning regular-season shows.

Now that first blood has been drawn, it's time for the first (real) HOH competition. The game is a silly matching game based on how well the couples could guess each other's personal preferences in a mate's physical attributes, as well as each other's sexual fantasies. But the best part is...the game is hosted by BB8's Jess and Eric!!! (My favorite players from last season!) Didn't I tell you they were the inspiration for this season's theme?! So the showmance-turned-real-life couple host the show, and the close-fought game comes down to Matt and Nat (who get along much better than I'd expected) and Amanda and Alex (who also get along VERY well). A&A win, and are dubbed co-HOH. People seem to be happy; apparently these two are pretty well-liked throughout the house.

Overall, kind of a disappointing episode; how can all of this be happening already?! I was hoping we'd get to see some sneaky gameplay from Jen and Ryan for at least a couple weeks before the secret got out! The best part of the whole thing was seeing Jess and Eric.

Dumb Move of the Day goes to Jacob for starting ALL the trouble AND getting his ex-girlfriend evicted. But a close, CLOSE second goes to Jen for just being a loud-mouth idiot.

That's all for Episode 2...Episode 3 coming up!