So...I've been a bad blogger.
And I could use the (poor) excuse that my OTHER blog has been keeping me busy, but the truth is that I haven't been doing too well with that one either recently.
Apparently I've just been busy!
And that sounds weird to say, because whenever people ask me how things are going, or what's new, I literally have nothing to report. Now, that doesn't mean there aren't big things on the horizon, both near and far. It's just that I can't talk about those things yet.
Oooh...now are you curious?
But since I last blogged, there ARE a few things I can talk about that are new in my life. So here they are...
First of all, my older sister is getting married! So surreal. I don't know why; she's been talking about getting married for a long time, but now that there's a ring on her finger and pictures of white dresses showing up in text messages on my phone, it just seems so weird! Not in a bad way, just in the way that it doesn't quite seem real even though all the tangible evidence is starting to appear.
And as happy and excited as I am for my sister, let me just quickly take a trip to Single-Town and say, what is the DEAL with all the engagements and weddings lately? Of course every year there's a flock of girls I know from high school or college or even work getting married, but this year it seems like more than usual. Maybe it's because it's people closer to me...roommates and family members...or maybe it's because many of these weddings are for friends who are younger than me, but not younger in the sense that I'm saying, "Oh no, they're WAY too young to get married." They're at a totally acceptable age to get married. It's just that they're younger than me and that somehow feels weird.
And I don't mean this to sound bitter about the fact that I am leagues away from getting married. I really don't mind a bit. It's just that I feel like EVERYONE is getting married this year! I don't know...
Anyway, in other news, Lola is doing great. Actually, my blog was featured yesterday in our local paper, and they printed my last post, which was about getting Lola and that made me proud. She's come a long way and gotten bigger, but not too big :) We're still working on obedience training, but she's getting better about not chewing or nipping at fingers. She's socializing with other dogs really well, and she's just an all-around sweetheart and cute as a button. A wrinkly, squishy little button.
And recently I've been on a little hiatus from doing any theatre. Mostly because of Lola, but also because this has been the summer of accomplishments and it's been a lot easier to focus on and achieve several goals with more free time on my hands. I've paid off my car, thus freeing up some money from month to month (yay!). I've started eating healthier, which is a bit more expensive but totally worthwhile as I've also lost some weight and just feel generally better about my lifestyle. It's also resulted in my attempting more cooking than usual, with success, I might add! Just last night I broiled salmon for the first time and it was delicious! I also started singing with the praise band at church and that's been fun too and has opened some doors for being able to contribute more around there.
And that's my life recently! More news to come; I promise I won't hold out on you forever.
Until then!
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
oh give me a home where the palm trees are grown...
You're welcome, Sara.
I'm sorry I haven't blogged in awhile. Here is a post about the first of several things that have been keeping me busy:
vacation!!!
I went to visit my older sis in Tampa. It was awesome! I had tons of fun on the plane ride there (of course). Then, when I got to Michelle's house, I almost died.
No, really.
I hadn't slept in like 24 hours, so I was pretty tired. Michelle made dinner and I took a nap, and then she woke me up to eat. Well, I was still pretty out of it, and I took a HUGE bite of steak that had a large piece of gristle (is that how you spell that?). I half-swallowed the piece of gristle when it got stuck; I couldn't swallow it and I couldn't spit it out. I tried to cough, but I couldn't.
Michelle noticed something was up and said, "Are you ok?" and started smacking me HARD on the back. Now, I don't know when the last time was that she updated her lifeguard/CPR license, but the last time I took that course, I was told smacking the person's back does NOT help...and they're right. I turned to her to try to tell her that, and that's when I realized I couldn't talk and I couldn't breathe. All that lifeguard training came back to me, and here is the thought that went through my head at this point: "Can't talk, can't breathe = choking! Omigod, I'm choking for realsies! Universal choking sign!" I then made the universal choking sign and Michelle's training came back to her too, and she did a few textbook Heimlich maneuvers, during which I kept thinking, "Oh my gosh, what if I throw up? I don't want to throw up all over her new furniture and her new carpet! It doesn't matter, that piece of meat has to come out!"
And then it did. Not like in the movies, where it goes flying across the room and breaks a window, or lands in your great-aunt's bowl of oatmeal. It just...came out. Like I'd just spit it out of my mouth. Am I grossing you out? Sorry. But I was just relieved it landed on the plate and that it was still in its original form of solid meat.
I stared at the chunk of steak and then noticed Michelle was still Heimliching. "Stop doing that," I said. "It's out."
"Oh, sorry," she said. Then we both started doing that releived laugh-cry-laugh reaction and I thanked her for saving my life. It was crazy! The best part was that nobody panicked and the whole thing just seemed really funny to me the whole time! But I know I was actually pretty lucky.
OK, the rest of vacation was pretty normal. We hit the beach on Friday and I got a satisfactory tan, and then on Saturday we got up early and drove to Orlando to visit Universal Studios. Now, this is the first time I've been to ANY of the parks down there, and I was as giddy as a 9-year-old. I took tons of pictures. You can see more of them here.
One of the most eventful parts of the day was when we got stuck in the middle of a ride. It was the E.T. Adventure, which is a dark ride where you sit on bicycles through the woods and then fly over the town and into space. It started out really cool; the forest looked totally real, the theme music was playing, and there were flashlights following us and police cars popping out of the trees, just like in the movie! Then this robotronic mannequin cop pops out of the bushes and yelled at us to "halt!" and we did. For like a long time. Finally, we were all like, "Uh...is this supposed to happen?" Then the music shut off and a voice told us there were technical difficulties and that the ride would start again very soon. Meanwhile, the manne-cop was staring at us and frankly, kinda freaking me out. Everyone on our little group of bikes sort of sat awkwardly in the silence for a minute.
"Maybe we should just pedal harder," I said finally. Everyone laughed, and that broke the ice. Someone started tweeting from her phone that she was stuck on the ride, and we all took turns joking about the situation. Then as the lights slowly started coming up, we looked around. It was very disillusioning; the trees didn't have tops and we could see the ceiling. Then a maintenance dude came up to our car and started fussing with wires. It turns out WE were the problem!
Well, they finally got the ride going again...sort of. We kept jolting to stops throughout the forest, and the maintenance guy behind us had to keep doing something to get us going.
"Is he gonna have to push us?" I asked Michelle. Then finally, we were launched out of the forest and over the town, which was tiny-tiny and all lit up below us. It was actually pretty cool...only we could totally see the maintenance guy walking on a catwalk right next to us. Sigh. When we finished the ride, a girl gave us free express passes, which Michelle and I used to skip the line for the Simpson's ride, which ended up being totally worth getting stuck on E.T. for!
OK, more things about life in later posts. But I think this will do for now!
Until later!
I'm sorry I haven't blogged in awhile. Here is a post about the first of several things that have been keeping me busy:
vacation!!!
I went to visit my older sis in Tampa. It was awesome! I had tons of fun on the plane ride there (of course). Then, when I got to Michelle's house, I almost died.
No, really.
I hadn't slept in like 24 hours, so I was pretty tired. Michelle made dinner and I took a nap, and then she woke me up to eat. Well, I was still pretty out of it, and I took a HUGE bite of steak that had a large piece of gristle (is that how you spell that?). I half-swallowed the piece of gristle when it got stuck; I couldn't swallow it and I couldn't spit it out. I tried to cough, but I couldn't.
Michelle noticed something was up and said, "Are you ok?" and started smacking me HARD on the back. Now, I don't know when the last time was that she updated her lifeguard/CPR license, but the last time I took that course, I was told smacking the person's back does NOT help...and they're right. I turned to her to try to tell her that, and that's when I realized I couldn't talk and I couldn't breathe. All that lifeguard training came back to me, and here is the thought that went through my head at this point: "Can't talk, can't breathe = choking! Omigod, I'm choking for realsies! Universal choking sign!" I then made the universal choking sign and Michelle's training came back to her too, and she did a few textbook Heimlich maneuvers, during which I kept thinking, "Oh my gosh, what if I throw up? I don't want to throw up all over her new furniture and her new carpet! It doesn't matter, that piece of meat has to come out!"
And then it did. Not like in the movies, where it goes flying across the room and breaks a window, or lands in your great-aunt's bowl of oatmeal. It just...came out. Like I'd just spit it out of my mouth. Am I grossing you out? Sorry. But I was just relieved it landed on the plate and that it was still in its original form of solid meat.
I stared at the chunk of steak and then noticed Michelle was still Heimliching. "Stop doing that," I said. "It's out."
"Oh, sorry," she said. Then we both started doing that releived laugh-cry-laugh reaction and I thanked her for saving my life. It was crazy! The best part was that nobody panicked and the whole thing just seemed really funny to me the whole time! But I know I was actually pretty lucky.
OK, the rest of vacation was pretty normal. We hit the beach on Friday and I got a satisfactory tan, and then on Saturday we got up early and drove to Orlando to visit Universal Studios. Now, this is the first time I've been to ANY of the parks down there, and I was as giddy as a 9-year-old. I took tons of pictures. You can see more of them here.
One of the most eventful parts of the day was when we got stuck in the middle of a ride. It was the E.T. Adventure, which is a dark ride where you sit on bicycles through the woods and then fly over the town and into space. It started out really cool; the forest looked totally real, the theme music was playing, and there were flashlights following us and police cars popping out of the trees, just like in the movie! Then this robotronic mannequin cop pops out of the bushes and yelled at us to "halt!" and we did. For like a long time. Finally, we were all like, "Uh...is this supposed to happen?" Then the music shut off and a voice told us there were technical difficulties and that the ride would start again very soon. Meanwhile, the manne-cop was staring at us and frankly, kinda freaking me out. Everyone on our little group of bikes sort of sat awkwardly in the silence for a minute.
"Maybe we should just pedal harder," I said finally. Everyone laughed, and that broke the ice. Someone started tweeting from her phone that she was stuck on the ride, and we all took turns joking about the situation. Then as the lights slowly started coming up, we looked around. It was very disillusioning; the trees didn't have tops and we could see the ceiling. Then a maintenance dude came up to our car and started fussing with wires. It turns out WE were the problem!
Well, they finally got the ride going again...sort of. We kept jolting to stops throughout the forest, and the maintenance guy behind us had to keep doing something to get us going.
"Is he gonna have to push us?" I asked Michelle. Then finally, we were launched out of the forest and over the town, which was tiny-tiny and all lit up below us. It was actually pretty cool...only we could totally see the maintenance guy walking on a catwalk right next to us. Sigh. When we finished the ride, a girl gave us free express passes, which Michelle and I used to skip the line for the Simpson's ride, which ended up being totally worth getting stuck on E.T. for!
OK, more things about life in later posts. But I think this will do for now!
Until later!
Friday, February 6, 2009
thankful friday
I am thankful...
1. for Fridays, which always include new episodes of "The Office" and "30 Rock," and the thought that I don't have to go anywhere or do anything tomorrow, and that I can sleep whenever I want to in the next 48 hours.
2. for paychecks, especially when they include overtime pay that will fund retail therapy to relieve the stress of earning said overtime pay.
3. for things going well at work, which was sweet payoff for the past couple of weeks of things NOT going well at work.
4. for finding out that a coworker you were stressing out about it just stressed out for a lot of the same reasons, and for working together to accomplish a similar goal.
5. for Kelsey, who constantly teaches me lessons in faith, love, and friendship.
6. for Sara, who is hands-down just one of the coolest people I'll ever meet.
7. for Tommy, who geeks out over Dorm Life with me and is always great to talk to.
8. for Curtis who, I am convinced, makes the world a better place every day just by being in it but not of it.
9. for Troy and Caitlin for being a beautiful example of love and friendship to everyone they know.
10. for Joey, for helping me recognize and enjoy the great things that go with growing up!
11. for all of my other blog buddies, who I have never met but who impact my everyday life with their comments, posts, humor, and amazing stories!
12. for pizza and beer, which I'm going to enjoy tonight in the comfort of my little apartment.
13. for my sisters, who brighten my day whether I talk to them for 45 seconds or 45 minutes, and for how close we have been all our lives.
14. for my mom, who is the most supportive, loving, giving person I will probably ever meet. And she's also a great listener, even when I talk and talk and talk...
15. for my dad who, I am finding, understands me better than I ever thought was possible, and who I find myself becoming more like every day.
16. for having a job that I love, even when things are not going well, and especially in a recession.
17. for the fact that I got to see a friend today that used to work with me in the mornings, but now he works during the day and we hardly ever see each other, and for being told that he misses me too!
18. for being healthy.
19. for vacation time that I'll get to spend in Florida with my sister in her new house!
20. for feeling blessed in every way.
1. for Fridays, which always include new episodes of "The Office" and "30 Rock," and the thought that I don't have to go anywhere or do anything tomorrow, and that I can sleep whenever I want to in the next 48 hours.
2. for paychecks, especially when they include overtime pay that will fund retail therapy to relieve the stress of earning said overtime pay.
3. for things going well at work, which was sweet payoff for the past couple of weeks of things NOT going well at work.
4. for finding out that a coworker you were stressing out about it just stressed out for a lot of the same reasons, and for working together to accomplish a similar goal.
5. for Kelsey, who constantly teaches me lessons in faith, love, and friendship.
6. for Sara, who is hands-down just one of the coolest people I'll ever meet.
7. for Tommy, who geeks out over Dorm Life with me and is always great to talk to.
8. for Curtis who, I am convinced, makes the world a better place every day just by being in it but not of it.
9. for Troy and Caitlin for being a beautiful example of love and friendship to everyone they know.
10. for Joey, for helping me recognize and enjoy the great things that go with growing up!
11. for all of my other blog buddies, who I have never met but who impact my everyday life with their comments, posts, humor, and amazing stories!
12. for pizza and beer, which I'm going to enjoy tonight in the comfort of my little apartment.
13. for my sisters, who brighten my day whether I talk to them for 45 seconds or 45 minutes, and for how close we have been all our lives.
14. for my mom, who is the most supportive, loving, giving person I will probably ever meet. And she's also a great listener, even when I talk and talk and talk...
15. for my dad who, I am finding, understands me better than I ever thought was possible, and who I find myself becoming more like every day.
16. for having a job that I love, even when things are not going well, and especially in a recession.
17. for the fact that I got to see a friend today that used to work with me in the mornings, but now he works during the day and we hardly ever see each other, and for being told that he misses me too!
18. for being healthy.
19. for vacation time that I'll get to spend in Florida with my sister in her new house!
20. for feeling blessed in every way.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
it's that time of year...
...when the world falls in love...
OK, I think that time of year is just about over. But really, it's that time of year when we all make a list of things we're going to do (or not do) in hopes of becoming a better person, having a better year, and making it a better world.
New Year's Resolutions.
And I feel like the act of making them is kind of a cliche, and something we as a culture don't really take seriously anymore. But I think there are some things in my life I want to improve, and I might as well make goals now, right? And I think writing them down will sort of make me commit to them and hold myself more accountable. Plus, then I can blog about them, which I'm sure will help too!
(I have to mention that as I'm writing this, I'm listening to the playlist I just attached to my blog and it's really fun to write while these songs are playing. I hope that it's not annoying that music starts playing on my blog, and you don't have to listen to it, but if you don't mind turning it up a bit while you read, think of it as a soundtrack for my blog. These aren't just songs I like; they all have a reason for being on that playlist.)
OK. Here we go.
1. I'm going to get into and stay on a regular workout plan. (The ultimate New Year's resolution cliche, right?!) But over the past few days, I feel like I've eaten enough sweet stuff to give myself diabetes. And I keep reading all these news stories about how much the average person should work out, and I'm realizing that more and more, I can't put myself in that group, which is pretty sad. So, I'm going to start out by saying I will work out three times a week. That's really not that hard. And I'd like to do more than that. But I think I'll start with something I know I can do realistically, and then once I've been doing that for a few months, reset the goal for something higher. But I'll start at three days a week.
2. I'm going to save money. That is kind of hard for me to do; my paycheck does not stretch very far. But I got a small raise recently, I'll be getting paid for coaching color guard, and I just worked a holiday, so that should give me a great springboard for saving. I mean saving significant amounts of money, not saving one month just to use it all up the next. I really want a dog, and I'm waiting until I pay off my car so I can use that money every month to save/use on doggie expenses. But I'd like to have a bigger cushion before then. Speaking of which...
3. I'm going to get a dog. The plan has been in place for months and months, but why not add it to my list? I will finish paying off my car in May, so the plan has been to start looking at breeders in June. That way I have the summertime to house-train and everything, not to mention have the financial means to take care of a dog. And here's an added motivation for Item #1 on this list - the kind of dog I want to get (miniature schnauzer, for anyone who has forgotten) has a tendency to get fat and unhealthy if it doesn't get a lot of exercise and good nutrition. Sound like anyone else you know? So I think if I can get a healthier lifestyle in place by the time I adopt a puppy, I can do a better job of taking care of and raising a dog!
4. Speaking of nutrition, that's something I also want to work on. I kind of phase in and out on this, and I eat WAY less fast food than I did a year ago, but I want to keep improving on this. Sometimes it's hard to eat regular, balanced meals because my schedule is so weird, but I've been at it for a little over a year now, and I think I can figure out how to make it work. I'm going to eat more fruits and vegetables. I'm going to eat more meat. I'm going to eat two balanced meals every day. (That has to include some sort of meat and some sort of produce; not just peanut butter and crackers or a bowl of cereal.) I'm going to start rehearsals for a play soon, and I know that's going to make it harder to eat right, but I've already been through this schedule during the summer, and I know I can do it.
5. I'm going to do some housework every day, instead of waiting until the end of the week to do all my cleaning. Whether it's washing dishes, taking out the trash, surface cleaning, laundry, sweeping, or just picking up around the house, I always feel better when I do a little bit here and there every day than when I let it pile up and then spend my whole weekend doing all of it. Plus, when I get a dog, I'll probably have to do some cleaning every day anyway :-P
6. I'm going to consider my career options. I'm going to look around and see what's out there. I'm going to keep staying here as an option for one more year. I'm not going to limit myself by what I think is realistic; if Good Morning America still has a segment producer opening available when my contract is up, I'm going to apply for it. I'm not going to be too afraid to go for something big. I'm not going to be discouraged if the job market is frozen and the best option is to stay here. I'm not going to feel pressured or obligated to stay if that's not the best thing for me to do. I'm going to trust God to help me make a decision and to take care of me whatever I decide.
7. I'm going to use up all of my vacation time and comp days this year. Five days will absolutely be for a trip to the lake with my family. The five-plus-comp days I would like to use to visit my sister in Florida, take a trip to New York with family or friends, possibly use for job interview trips, and maybe even take another trip to the lake with friends now that we have the new cabin. I'm entitled to those days and I'm going to take them. Just because it's hard for them to cover my job while I'm gone doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to use my vacation time up. I have just as much right as anyone to take time off. I'm not going to feel bad about it anymore. I'm just going to schedule it, and not worry about it. I've got it down to a science now how to prepare the person filling in for me, so it shouldn't be that hard.
I feel weird stopping on seven, but I think those are my big things I want to accomplish this year. I'm actually proud that I accomplished a lot of things in the past year -- I'm living on my own, supporting myself, I got involved with a church that I go to regularly, I made big changes and improvements to my show at work, I got involved in civic theatre, I made new friends, I've done a better job keeping in touch with people, and I feel like I've improved and cultivated my relationships with my parents and my sisters. Of course I want to keep working on all of those things, but I think you need to be able to look back on your year and be proud of what you've accomplished, so that you realize you are capable of achieving the goals you've set for the year ahead. Life is good, and it can be better.
Happy new year!
OK, I think that time of year is just about over. But really, it's that time of year when we all make a list of things we're going to do (or not do) in hopes of becoming a better person, having a better year, and making it a better world.
New Year's Resolutions.
And I feel like the act of making them is kind of a cliche, and something we as a culture don't really take seriously anymore. But I think there are some things in my life I want to improve, and I might as well make goals now, right? And I think writing them down will sort of make me commit to them and hold myself more accountable. Plus, then I can blog about them, which I'm sure will help too!
(I have to mention that as I'm writing this, I'm listening to the playlist I just attached to my blog and it's really fun to write while these songs are playing. I hope that it's not annoying that music starts playing on my blog, and you don't have to listen to it, but if you don't mind turning it up a bit while you read, think of it as a soundtrack for my blog. These aren't just songs I like; they all have a reason for being on that playlist.)
OK. Here we go.
1. I'm going to get into and stay on a regular workout plan. (The ultimate New Year's resolution cliche, right?!) But over the past few days, I feel like I've eaten enough sweet stuff to give myself diabetes. And I keep reading all these news stories about how much the average person should work out, and I'm realizing that more and more, I can't put myself in that group, which is pretty sad. So, I'm going to start out by saying I will work out three times a week. That's really not that hard. And I'd like to do more than that. But I think I'll start with something I know I can do realistically, and then once I've been doing that for a few months, reset the goal for something higher. But I'll start at three days a week.
2. I'm going to save money. That is kind of hard for me to do; my paycheck does not stretch very far. But I got a small raise recently, I'll be getting paid for coaching color guard, and I just worked a holiday, so that should give me a great springboard for saving. I mean saving significant amounts of money, not saving one month just to use it all up the next. I really want a dog, and I'm waiting until I pay off my car so I can use that money every month to save/use on doggie expenses. But I'd like to have a bigger cushion before then. Speaking of which...
3. I'm going to get a dog. The plan has been in place for months and months, but why not add it to my list? I will finish paying off my car in May, so the plan has been to start looking at breeders in June. That way I have the summertime to house-train and everything, not to mention have the financial means to take care of a dog. And here's an added motivation for Item #1 on this list - the kind of dog I want to get (miniature schnauzer, for anyone who has forgotten) has a tendency to get fat and unhealthy if it doesn't get a lot of exercise and good nutrition. Sound like anyone else you know? So I think if I can get a healthier lifestyle in place by the time I adopt a puppy, I can do a better job of taking care of and raising a dog!
4. Speaking of nutrition, that's something I also want to work on. I kind of phase in and out on this, and I eat WAY less fast food than I did a year ago, but I want to keep improving on this. Sometimes it's hard to eat regular, balanced meals because my schedule is so weird, but I've been at it for a little over a year now, and I think I can figure out how to make it work. I'm going to eat more fruits and vegetables. I'm going to eat more meat. I'm going to eat two balanced meals every day. (That has to include some sort of meat and some sort of produce; not just peanut butter and crackers or a bowl of cereal.) I'm going to start rehearsals for a play soon, and I know that's going to make it harder to eat right, but I've already been through this schedule during the summer, and I know I can do it.
5. I'm going to do some housework every day, instead of waiting until the end of the week to do all my cleaning. Whether it's washing dishes, taking out the trash, surface cleaning, laundry, sweeping, or just picking up around the house, I always feel better when I do a little bit here and there every day than when I let it pile up and then spend my whole weekend doing all of it. Plus, when I get a dog, I'll probably have to do some cleaning every day anyway :-P
6. I'm going to consider my career options. I'm going to look around and see what's out there. I'm going to keep staying here as an option for one more year. I'm not going to limit myself by what I think is realistic; if Good Morning America still has a segment producer opening available when my contract is up, I'm going to apply for it. I'm not going to be too afraid to go for something big. I'm not going to be discouraged if the job market is frozen and the best option is to stay here. I'm not going to feel pressured or obligated to stay if that's not the best thing for me to do. I'm going to trust God to help me make a decision and to take care of me whatever I decide.
7. I'm going to use up all of my vacation time and comp days this year. Five days will absolutely be for a trip to the lake with my family. The five-plus-comp days I would like to use to visit my sister in Florida, take a trip to New York with family or friends, possibly use for job interview trips, and maybe even take another trip to the lake with friends now that we have the new cabin. I'm entitled to those days and I'm going to take them. Just because it's hard for them to cover my job while I'm gone doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to use my vacation time up. I have just as much right as anyone to take time off. I'm not going to feel bad about it anymore. I'm just going to schedule it, and not worry about it. I've got it down to a science now how to prepare the person filling in for me, so it shouldn't be that hard.
I feel weird stopping on seven, but I think those are my big things I want to accomplish this year. I'm actually proud that I accomplished a lot of things in the past year -- I'm living on my own, supporting myself, I got involved with a church that I go to regularly, I made big changes and improvements to my show at work, I got involved in civic theatre, I made new friends, I've done a better job keeping in touch with people, and I feel like I've improved and cultivated my relationships with my parents and my sisters. Of course I want to keep working on all of those things, but I think you need to be able to look back on your year and be proud of what you've accomplished, so that you realize you are capable of achieving the goals you've set for the year ahead. Life is good, and it can be better.
Happy new year!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
We Need a Little Christmas Now!
I feel like I haven't blogged in forever!
Okay, LOTS of stuff to cover. First of all, Thanksgiving was great. We had a good show, and then I went home to K-town to hang out with my family and watch the parade, which much to Marla and my delight included Kristen Chenoweth singing the Christmas Waltz on a float with the Care Bears! I noticed that I tended to watch all of the marching bands and color guards a lot more closely than in previous years, too. My dad and I made commentary on all of their costumes; he knows how much I dislike color guard uniforms in general so we were trying to pick out the good ones.
I have to admit I got a little cranky at my Mamaw and Papaw's...We had a wonderful dinner, which of course made me sleepy, on top of the fact that I hadn't slept yet. Then Mamaw wanted us to decorate their Christmas tree, which is great, but it's a big tree and there are a lot of ornaments, and after awhile I realized I was the only one hanging them up, and got a little pissy when my mom asked me if I wanted to take a nap...
"No, I want to do this, but nobody's helping me!!!"
So then Mom, Dad, Aunt Julie, Mamaw, and Marla hopped up and helped me finish the tree. That made it a LOT more fun. Then when I got ready to leave, Mamaw was like, "You have to leave already? Do you have another party to go to or something?" And of course the rest of the family is like, "She has to go to work, Mom!" Haha.
Mom packed up left-overs for me, which was awesome! And I drive back and went to bed.
Friday morning at work was actually really easy. I got my show done really quickly, which was good because that gave me lots of time to get prepared for my live shot at the mall. And the live shot went really well; I was super-nervous at first, but after I got the first hit under my belt, I started to get more comfortable. And when I got back to the station, I found out that apparently everything was going wrong right before the show--people hadn't gotten to work yet because they'd overslept, one of the cameras went down, the teleprompter went out--but luckily everything got ironed out. And Baron was back to directing that morning for Kim, who had the day off, and he is so, so calm in crisis situations, so he set the tone and they all got through it just fine. And we didn't have any problems out at the mall; it was actually really fun! But I definitely have a new appreciation for what our anchors and reporters do!
Friday afternoon was fantastic as I got to meet a bunch of my HSM kids for lunch at McCords (yummy!) and then we went to my apartment to watch some videos I'd made from our summer. Then I spent the rest of the day with Justin, who is like the little brother I never had, Christmas shopping and getting his oil changed. Then his mom called and told us to bring back a pizza and watch chick flicks with her (so cute). We dug out the Christmas Show DVD from 2003, which we were both on, and found the points where we were standing next to each other--so funny! We were the same height, even though he'd been a 12-year-old member of the Kid's Choir and I was a freshman in college! (He's like 6'5" now.)
I came home that night to find Fish (my male betta) looking very sickly. He had been looking pretty rough that morning when I came home from work, so I had put him in a smaller bowl (fishy intensive care), so he wouldn't have to swim or move as much to get to his food, which he wasn't really making an effort to eat anyway. I was not very hopeful that he would recover, although he's surprised me in the past, but I wanted to give him a chance, so I tried to get him to eat before I went to bed, but he was struggling just to stay right-side-up. So I put the fish bowl in the kitchen and went to bed.
I slept in Saturday morning, then finally got up to see if Fish had made it through the night. He hadn't. I did a little ceremonial flush, cleaned out his bowl, put his little castle up on top of the microwave, and put his food away in the cupboard.
Poor little Fish. He's been through a lot with me. He got me through my first year living on my own. He got me through a couple of break-ups, and through a couple of holidays that didn't feel like holidays because I was working. He listened to me practice for civic theatre auditions and sit down occasionally to butcher songs on the piano, and he never complained once. He was always happy to see me when I came home from work every morning and he would wake up in the middle of the night to keep me company when I couldn't sleep during the weekends. Fish was a good fish, and I'm thankful for the time I got to have with him.
Anyway, after putting Fish to rest, I didn't really have anything to do, since I'd done all my house-cleaning Friday morning. So I finally decided I'd just put up my Christmas tree and decorate the apartment for Christmas. That was really fun, and it definitely got me back in the holiday spirit!
And then, this morning I went outside to go to church, and it was a winter wonderland! My initial reaction was, "Whaaaaat." But then a smile immediately crept onto my face as I sloshed outside to brush all the snow off of my car. I had no idea we'd get that much snow overnight! So now I'm sitting here at my desk, with the window blinds open so I can see the snow-dusted trees and picnic tables outside. I'm sure this will melt away pretty soon, but it was such a fun surprise this morning!
OK, I think that's all. You're now caught up on my life for the moment.
Until later!
Okay, LOTS of stuff to cover. First of all, Thanksgiving was great. We had a good show, and then I went home to K-town to hang out with my family and watch the parade, which much to Marla and my delight included Kristen Chenoweth singing the Christmas Waltz on a float with the Care Bears! I noticed that I tended to watch all of the marching bands and color guards a lot more closely than in previous years, too. My dad and I made commentary on all of their costumes; he knows how much I dislike color guard uniforms in general so we were trying to pick out the good ones.
I have to admit I got a little cranky at my Mamaw and Papaw's...We had a wonderful dinner, which of course made me sleepy, on top of the fact that I hadn't slept yet. Then Mamaw wanted us to decorate their Christmas tree, which is great, but it's a big tree and there are a lot of ornaments, and after awhile I realized I was the only one hanging them up, and got a little pissy when my mom asked me if I wanted to take a nap...
"No, I want to do this, but nobody's helping me!!!"
So then Mom, Dad, Aunt Julie, Mamaw, and Marla hopped up and helped me finish the tree. That made it a LOT more fun. Then when I got ready to leave, Mamaw was like, "You have to leave already? Do you have another party to go to or something?" And of course the rest of the family is like, "She has to go to work, Mom!" Haha.
Mom packed up left-overs for me, which was awesome! And I drive back and went to bed.
Friday morning at work was actually really easy. I got my show done really quickly, which was good because that gave me lots of time to get prepared for my live shot at the mall. And the live shot went really well; I was super-nervous at first, but after I got the first hit under my belt, I started to get more comfortable. And when I got back to the station, I found out that apparently everything was going wrong right before the show--people hadn't gotten to work yet because they'd overslept, one of the cameras went down, the teleprompter went out--but luckily everything got ironed out. And Baron was back to directing that morning for Kim, who had the day off, and he is so, so calm in crisis situations, so he set the tone and they all got through it just fine. And we didn't have any problems out at the mall; it was actually really fun! But I definitely have a new appreciation for what our anchors and reporters do!
Friday afternoon was fantastic as I got to meet a bunch of my HSM kids for lunch at McCords (yummy!) and then we went to my apartment to watch some videos I'd made from our summer. Then I spent the rest of the day with Justin, who is like the little brother I never had, Christmas shopping and getting his oil changed. Then his mom called and told us to bring back a pizza and watch chick flicks with her (so cute). We dug out the Christmas Show DVD from 2003, which we were both on, and found the points where we were standing next to each other--so funny! We were the same height, even though he'd been a 12-year-old member of the Kid's Choir and I was a freshman in college! (He's like 6'5" now.)
I came home that night to find Fish (my male betta) looking very sickly. He had been looking pretty rough that morning when I came home from work, so I had put him in a smaller bowl (fishy intensive care), so he wouldn't have to swim or move as much to get to his food, which he wasn't really making an effort to eat anyway. I was not very hopeful that he would recover, although he's surprised me in the past, but I wanted to give him a chance, so I tried to get him to eat before I went to bed, but he was struggling just to stay right-side-up. So I put the fish bowl in the kitchen and went to bed.
I slept in Saturday morning, then finally got up to see if Fish had made it through the night. He hadn't. I did a little ceremonial flush, cleaned out his bowl, put his little castle up on top of the microwave, and put his food away in the cupboard.
Poor little Fish. He's been through a lot with me. He got me through my first year living on my own. He got me through a couple of break-ups, and through a couple of holidays that didn't feel like holidays because I was working. He listened to me practice for civic theatre auditions and sit down occasionally to butcher songs on the piano, and he never complained once. He was always happy to see me when I came home from work every morning and he would wake up in the middle of the night to keep me company when I couldn't sleep during the weekends. Fish was a good fish, and I'm thankful for the time I got to have with him.
Anyway, after putting Fish to rest, I didn't really have anything to do, since I'd done all my house-cleaning Friday morning. So I finally decided I'd just put up my Christmas tree and decorate the apartment for Christmas. That was really fun, and it definitely got me back in the holiday spirit!
And then, this morning I went outside to go to church, and it was a winter wonderland! My initial reaction was, "Whaaaaat." But then a smile immediately crept onto my face as I sloshed outside to brush all the snow off of my car. I had no idea we'd get that much snow overnight! So now I'm sitting here at my desk, with the window blinds open so I can see the snow-dusted trees and picnic tables outside. I'm sure this will melt away pretty soon, but it was such a fun surprise this morning!
OK, I think that's all. You're now caught up on my life for the moment.
Until later!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
good things
Didn't I say it would only get better from here on out? :)
All these little (and big) good things are just adding up to make me feel so much better about life in general.
First, I just feel like this week is going really fast. I mean, tomorrow is Friday! I don't feel like that could be possible! This week has just flown by! Crazy.
Next, I found the chairs!!!
We reformatted the morning news show that I produce, but part of the deal was this -- we wanted new chairs for the interview set. Right now we have these ugly little brown things that look like something the Jetsons put in a garage sale. We want to use the interview set for more than just interviews in the morning; we want to have segments where the anchors can actually just sit in the chairs for more of an informal "chat" setting. But we're not doing that till we get new chairs. And the guy who does our promotional stuff for the station said he'd spring for new chairs within a given price range as long as we got them before the end of the year. So naturally, time is running out.
BUT...today I did some more looking around and found The Chair. It's the right size, shape, and PRICE, and it comes in lots of different colors...and not crazy patterns or ugly upholstery. I was soooo excited; I got a quote and a photocopy of a picture of the chair and immediately dropped it off at the station for Mr. Promotions Guy to take a look at. Thank you, Jesus.
So given that the chair gets approved, that task is done. Check.
Another good thing - I now have unlimited texting for my phone. "Wait a minute, you mean you didn't have a texting plan until NOW?!" Yup, that's right. "So all those times I texted you, I was costing you money?" Yup. "That would explain why you never texted me back and I always had to listen to your stupid voice mails instead." Yup, that would explain that. But no worries! I am now totally textable! If that wasn't a word before, it is now. I haven't actually texted anyone yet. It takes so looooong lol. I'm sure once I have more practice typing on my little phone keys, I will get faster at it. But I feel like it takes like five minutes just to put someone's name in my contact list. Practice, practice!
Here's the funny thing. I'm still on my family's phone plan (hence the no texting thing), because there's really no point in my having my own plan since I'm dead to the world most of the normal daytime anyway, so how many minutes can I honestly use? And my dad was finally tired of my little sis using up all our minutes, so he finally listened to her arguement that if she had unlimited texting, she wouldn't have to waste minutes on out-of-network calls during peak hours. The condition was that my sis and I cough up the, I dunno, fifteen bucks a piece or something like that, to get unlimited texting each month, because my dad "would have no use for texting; this won't benefit me or your mom at all." OK, fair enough, we said! Because I'm tired of feeling bad everytime someone texts me. And seriously, let's get with the times already. Well, since getting the texting plan, the ONLY two texts I've gotten have been from...my dad. Yup! Via email, of course. Because he's Mr. Technology, so once he figured out he could email us on our phones, it was cool lol. I love my dad! That kind of stuff is just what makes him the guy he is! :)
Anyway, here's something else that is just making me happy...just one of those little things in life. I updated my AIM, and now I have this little AOL Radio player on my buddy list (again, I am probably way behind everyone!) and they have all these great little stations...like, pretty much anything you could ever want to listen to -- Broadway showtunes, movie soundtracks, salsa, comedy, and (earmuffs, Kelsey...) alllllll kinds of Christmas music! Christmas classics, Christmas pop, Latin Christmas (Feliz Navidad, anyone?), Christmas jazz, Christmas around the world...and I've been just kinda checking out the "classics" one, and there is actually a lot of really great contemporary Christian stuff on there, like Casting Crowns and Jars of Clay, mixed right in there with Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, the Muppets, and of course the wonderful HCJ! Which I think is really cool...I feel like Christmas is the one genre where music people don't feel like they have to section it off as "secular" or "Christian." Because Christmas is for everyone, right?
(OK, Kelsey, you can take the earmuffs off now.)
Lastly, I am officially done with all extra-cirricular activities...for now. Until December (which I realize is not far off) when I'm planning on auditioning for another Civic show. But it's just nice to not have to go anywhere or do anything...I can stay up if I want to stay up, or sleep as long as I want to if I feel like it! I like to be busy, but it's nice to have a couple weeks of doing nothing every once in awhile. By the time December rolls around, I will be bored and ready to fill my schedule up again, but for now it's just great to not have a schedule. And here's the single greatest thing about having a job and being done with school -- no homework. It's the best. Seriously. That alone is worth getting a degree.
Alright, I think that is it. Life is good. I have a lot to be thankful for, and I'm excited about celebrating that just a week from now!!! And eating turkey and cranberries, and then taking home turkey and cranberry leftovers. Mmmmm!!!
Until later!
All these little (and big) good things are just adding up to make me feel so much better about life in general.
First, I just feel like this week is going really fast. I mean, tomorrow is Friday! I don't feel like that could be possible! This week has just flown by! Crazy.
Next, I found the chairs!!!
We reformatted the morning news show that I produce, but part of the deal was this -- we wanted new chairs for the interview set. Right now we have these ugly little brown things that look like something the Jetsons put in a garage sale. We want to use the interview set for more than just interviews in the morning; we want to have segments where the anchors can actually just sit in the chairs for more of an informal "chat" setting. But we're not doing that till we get new chairs. And the guy who does our promotional stuff for the station said he'd spring for new chairs within a given price range as long as we got them before the end of the year. So naturally, time is running out.
BUT...today I did some more looking around and found The Chair. It's the right size, shape, and PRICE, and it comes in lots of different colors...and not crazy patterns or ugly upholstery. I was soooo excited; I got a quote and a photocopy of a picture of the chair and immediately dropped it off at the station for Mr. Promotions Guy to take a look at. Thank you, Jesus.
So given that the chair gets approved, that task is done. Check.
Another good thing - I now have unlimited texting for my phone. "Wait a minute, you mean you didn't have a texting plan until NOW?!" Yup, that's right. "So all those times I texted you, I was costing you money?" Yup. "That would explain why you never texted me back and I always had to listen to your stupid voice mails instead." Yup, that would explain that. But no worries! I am now totally textable! If that wasn't a word before, it is now. I haven't actually texted anyone yet. It takes so looooong lol. I'm sure once I have more practice typing on my little phone keys, I will get faster at it. But I feel like it takes like five minutes just to put someone's name in my contact list. Practice, practice!
Here's the funny thing. I'm still on my family's phone plan (hence the no texting thing), because there's really no point in my having my own plan since I'm dead to the world most of the normal daytime anyway, so how many minutes can I honestly use? And my dad was finally tired of my little sis using up all our minutes, so he finally listened to her arguement that if she had unlimited texting, she wouldn't have to waste minutes on out-of-network calls during peak hours. The condition was that my sis and I cough up the, I dunno, fifteen bucks a piece or something like that, to get unlimited texting each month, because my dad "would have no use for texting; this won't benefit me or your mom at all." OK, fair enough, we said! Because I'm tired of feeling bad everytime someone texts me. And seriously, let's get with the times already. Well, since getting the texting plan, the ONLY two texts I've gotten have been from...my dad. Yup! Via email, of course. Because he's Mr. Technology, so once he figured out he could email us on our phones, it was cool lol. I love my dad! That kind of stuff is just what makes him the guy he is! :)
Anyway, here's something else that is just making me happy...just one of those little things in life. I updated my AIM, and now I have this little AOL Radio player on my buddy list (again, I am probably way behind everyone!) and they have all these great little stations...like, pretty much anything you could ever want to listen to -- Broadway showtunes, movie soundtracks, salsa, comedy, and (earmuffs, Kelsey...) alllllll kinds of Christmas music! Christmas classics, Christmas pop, Latin Christmas (Feliz Navidad, anyone?), Christmas jazz, Christmas around the world...and I've been just kinda checking out the "classics" one, and there is actually a lot of really great contemporary Christian stuff on there, like Casting Crowns and Jars of Clay, mixed right in there with Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, the Muppets, and of course the wonderful HCJ! Which I think is really cool...I feel like Christmas is the one genre where music people don't feel like they have to section it off as "secular" or "Christian." Because Christmas is for everyone, right?
(OK, Kelsey, you can take the earmuffs off now.)
Lastly, I am officially done with all extra-cirricular activities...for now. Until December (which I realize is not far off) when I'm planning on auditioning for another Civic show. But it's just nice to not have to go anywhere or do anything...I can stay up if I want to stay up, or sleep as long as I want to if I feel like it! I like to be busy, but it's nice to have a couple weeks of doing nothing every once in awhile. By the time December rolls around, I will be bored and ready to fill my schedule up again, but for now it's just great to not have a schedule. And here's the single greatest thing about having a job and being done with school -- no homework. It's the best. Seriously. That alone is worth getting a degree.
Alright, I think that is it. Life is good. I have a lot to be thankful for, and I'm excited about celebrating that just a week from now!!! And eating turkey and cranberries, and then taking home turkey and cranberry leftovers. Mmmmm!!!
Until later!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
turkey lurkey
Of course on the day that I don't have to wake up early, I just go ahead and wake up early. Maybe some blogging will get things out of my head and then I can go back to sleep!
I am so excited for Thanksgiving this year! Don't get me wrong, I always look forward to it, but I usually don't actually get count-down-the-days excited for it like this. I've always been a huge Christmas fanatic, so for me Thanksgiving always kind of marked the beginning of the last stretch before my favorite holiday. In high school, Thanksgiving could never be fully enjoyed because finals and school projects were looming overhead, not to mention the early-morning swim practice the Friday after Thanksgiving Day.
And in college, Thanksgiving was just a quick oasis from Christmas Show rehearsals and classes. And what did I take home? My Christmas Show music and my textbooks. And in college, I was in Christmas mode by the beginning of October, when the Christmas Show concept was unveiled and we started rehearsals. So by Thanksgiving, it had been Christmas for like a month and a half.
Here's the thing that got me most excited about Thanksgiving: the Macy's parade. Because back before YouTube, that was pretty much one of my only chances to see glimpses of Broadway musicals (the other chance was in the summer when the Tonys were on). I would always have my mom wake me up in time to watch the parade with her, and I would figure out the best strategy for flipping between the major networks so I could view the most performances possible.
But this year, I'm proud to say just how excited I am for Thanksgiving, not as the second-born child to Christmas, but completely on its own merit. Now that I have this job, I don't get any time off for Thanksgiving. It's just a full work week during which I drive to a relative's home one day to eat turkey and hang out with relatives for awhile before driving back and going back to work. And I think that makes me appreciate it more. And this year, I only have to drive as far as Kokomo to my grandparents, which will be a piece of cake! And then I'll get to take home some scrumptuous left-overs, which soothes the pain of having to go back to work that night. And everyone is coming home for Thanksgiving break...all of my little HSM buddies! So getting everyone together for the first time since August will be so exciting! And thankfully (ahh haha) we've all kept in touch, so it won't be that weird thing where everyone comes back from college and doesn't know each other anymore. I don't think. Anyway, I'm just super-excited about Thanksgiving this year...going home, eating turkey and cranberries, catching up with friends...it's gonna be great.
And hopefully I'll be able to catch some of the Macy's Parade after work that morning!
Oh...and there may be a potentially exciting piece of news regarding me, the mall, a microphone, and the day after Thanksgiving. But we'll have to see what happens. I'm gonna leave it at that.
Until later! :)
I am so excited for Thanksgiving this year! Don't get me wrong, I always look forward to it, but I usually don't actually get count-down-the-days excited for it like this. I've always been a huge Christmas fanatic, so for me Thanksgiving always kind of marked the beginning of the last stretch before my favorite holiday. In high school, Thanksgiving could never be fully enjoyed because finals and school projects were looming overhead, not to mention the early-morning swim practice the Friday after Thanksgiving Day.
And in college, Thanksgiving was just a quick oasis from Christmas Show rehearsals and classes. And what did I take home? My Christmas Show music and my textbooks. And in college, I was in Christmas mode by the beginning of October, when the Christmas Show concept was unveiled and we started rehearsals. So by Thanksgiving, it had been Christmas for like a month and a half.
Here's the thing that got me most excited about Thanksgiving: the Macy's parade. Because back before YouTube, that was pretty much one of my only chances to see glimpses of Broadway musicals (the other chance was in the summer when the Tonys were on). I would always have my mom wake me up in time to watch the parade with her, and I would figure out the best strategy for flipping between the major networks so I could view the most performances possible.
But this year, I'm proud to say just how excited I am for Thanksgiving, not as the second-born child to Christmas, but completely on its own merit. Now that I have this job, I don't get any time off for Thanksgiving. It's just a full work week during which I drive to a relative's home one day to eat turkey and hang out with relatives for awhile before driving back and going back to work. And I think that makes me appreciate it more. And this year, I only have to drive as far as Kokomo to my grandparents, which will be a piece of cake! And then I'll get to take home some scrumptuous left-overs, which soothes the pain of having to go back to work that night. And everyone is coming home for Thanksgiving break...all of my little HSM buddies! So getting everyone together for the first time since August will be so exciting! And thankfully (ahh haha) we've all kept in touch, so it won't be that weird thing where everyone comes back from college and doesn't know each other anymore. I don't think. Anyway, I'm just super-excited about Thanksgiving this year...going home, eating turkey and cranberries, catching up with friends...it's gonna be great.
And hopefully I'll be able to catch some of the Macy's Parade after work that morning!
Oh...and there may be a potentially exciting piece of news regarding me, the mall, a microphone, and the day after Thanksgiving. But we'll have to see what happens. I'm gonna leave it at that.
Until later! :)
Monday, October 27, 2008
swamped
I feel like I've been neglecting my little blog lately. I just feel like I haven't had a good moment to sit down and write something. I feel like I've been really busy lately. Not that anything has been added to my schedule; it's just more like it's all been building up--the constant stream of band practices, speech meets, home football games, family visits, and work. It's not that I'm getting busier, it's just that it's getting harder to maintain life at this speed.
I'm totally stressing about bills. I hate to admit it, but it's true. I always do this time of year. The good thing is, the light is visible at the end of the tunnel since I'll finally get to see some fiscal rewards for driving to Monticello and back all summer and fall when gas was at a record high. I won't see that money till December, but it'll be just in time to do my Christmas shopping and not totally destroy my bank account.
Really, I just have to make it through the beginning of November and all of my heavy financial lifting will be done. Actually, it's just going to get easier from here on out. My earnings from coaching speech and color guard will finally put a nice cushion in my savings, and gas prices are going down (for now, anyway). Meanwhile, I'm almost three-fourths through my car payments; those will be done in the summer. And, I'm supposed to get a raise now that the first year of my contract is nearing completion. Not that it'll be truly significant, but again, it'll just be some extra padding, which would be nice.
And things are already starting to slow down, as far as my various commitments are concerned. Our band didn't make it to State, but the upside is that I won't be spending so much money on gas every week, and my weeknights will now be completely free to get back to the gym (oh, how I've missed yoga classes!!!) and do a better job of keeping up with my housework. Blech, does that sound domestic or what? I do kind of enjoy cleaning, once I get to it, though! And it's easier when you can do a little of it more often, rather than watch it pile up until you finally have time to put some serious elbow-grease into it.
Speech lasts through the middle of November, but that's just one afternoon a week, and we only have two meets left. And now I don't have to worry anymore about splitting my Saturdays between band contests, speech meets, and football games. I actually have managed to make it to every single game, although I missed the first half of one to go to a band contest. But as busy as it's been, I have to say I enjoy it; I really thrive on having things to do rather than to just go to work and come home. I think I took on a little too much this fall, but I made it work.
November will be a sort of a wholistic detox for me; back to the gym, no more need to eat on the run, put more time and energy into work to get the rest of the changes to the show accomplished, start work on plans for the 11:00 service at church. Revamp, renew, refresh, refocus.
All in time for the holidays.
Last year, the holidays stressed me out because it was the first time I didn't get an actual "Thanksgiving break" or "Christmas vacation." And unlike most places of business, I didn't even actually get all of the holidays off at all. On Thanksgiving, I did the morning show, drove down to my grandmother's, drove back, got minimal sleep, and headed into work again. Christmas Day I actually got to spend at home...until the evening, when I drove back in to get to work that night. New Year's Eve passed and the new year arrived as I sat at my desk next to the police scanners, watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV. Talk about depressing. And then that day I navigated a blizzard to make it to my aunt's house for a couple of hours before having to head back once more.
I can't do that this year.
Thanksgiving, I can handle. And Christmas will be the same deal, which is no problem. But I think I have decided that I will be spending New Year's in town. And the nice thing is, I think a lot of my friends from this summer will be home, so I'm sure I'll be able to find something to do.
Geez, Halloween isn't even here yet...I can't believe I'm already thinking about the holidays. But if you don't consider them now, they sneak up on you two-thirds of the way through November, so it's best to think it out now.
Anyway...
I don't plan to go back to my quiet life for long. I am planning to audition for another musical with Civic at the beginning of December, and that will be my new "extra-cirricular" activity through the winter. The show I'm hoping to be a part of is in March. Then in April, I will re-assess and figure out my next move, whether that's beginning the search for a new job or waiting a while longer until I save up some more or a better opportunity presents itself. I'll start planning my vacation time for the lake and get it approved. Then I'll make my last few car payments and begin the hunt for a puppy, and maybe try another Civic show for the summer if it's in the cards.
That's a loooong way in advance. But that's where I'm headed.
Right now, I just need to kind of get my life back together.
Tonight was nice, not having to go over to Monticello for band practice. Not to mention it's saving me gas money! I've been reading all evening, and I'm going to try to finish this book before it's time to get ready for work.
Until later!
Lis
PS - I can't BELIEVE I almost forgot to say this--I saw High School Musical 3 this weekend and LOVED it. The dances and songs were a major step up from the franchise's first and second installments. And yes, I was a little sad when it was all over. I actually had that "let-down" feeling today that I used to get after the Christmas show or after performing a musical for the last time. I would have changed a few things about the plot to make it a bit more intricate, but then again it's HSM, so there's no real need for depth. I can't wait to get the soundtrack, and I will probably go see it again (one of my friends mentioned he might be persuaded to go!) while it's still in theaters. And the icing on the cake was that this morning I read reviews from Yahoo, Rotten Tomatoes, and other film buff sites, and the reviews were actually pretty good! I think the critics have finally learned to see the franchise for what it is--a fun, kid-friendly, postive message about working as a team and being yourself. Not to mention a great way to get a new generation interested in song-and-dance. While critics were sure to point out how unrealistic East High and its student body may be, they also noted Kenny Ortega's use of choreographical references to Bob Fosse and Fred Astaire. Several critics even compared Zac Efron's dancing to Gene Kelly! Holy crap!!! That's pretty huge. I think in the end, HSM has proved to be something that, fluffly and cheesy as it may be, is so fun and infectious that you can't help but enjoy it.
OK, bye for real.
I'm totally stressing about bills. I hate to admit it, but it's true. I always do this time of year. The good thing is, the light is visible at the end of the tunnel since I'll finally get to see some fiscal rewards for driving to Monticello and back all summer and fall when gas was at a record high. I won't see that money till December, but it'll be just in time to do my Christmas shopping and not totally destroy my bank account.
Really, I just have to make it through the beginning of November and all of my heavy financial lifting will be done. Actually, it's just going to get easier from here on out. My earnings from coaching speech and color guard will finally put a nice cushion in my savings, and gas prices are going down (for now, anyway). Meanwhile, I'm almost three-fourths through my car payments; those will be done in the summer. And, I'm supposed to get a raise now that the first year of my contract is nearing completion. Not that it'll be truly significant, but again, it'll just be some extra padding, which would be nice.
And things are already starting to slow down, as far as my various commitments are concerned. Our band didn't make it to State, but the upside is that I won't be spending so much money on gas every week, and my weeknights will now be completely free to get back to the gym (oh, how I've missed yoga classes!!!) and do a better job of keeping up with my housework. Blech, does that sound domestic or what? I do kind of enjoy cleaning, once I get to it, though! And it's easier when you can do a little of it more often, rather than watch it pile up until you finally have time to put some serious elbow-grease into it.
Speech lasts through the middle of November, but that's just one afternoon a week, and we only have two meets left. And now I don't have to worry anymore about splitting my Saturdays between band contests, speech meets, and football games. I actually have managed to make it to every single game, although I missed the first half of one to go to a band contest. But as busy as it's been, I have to say I enjoy it; I really thrive on having things to do rather than to just go to work and come home. I think I took on a little too much this fall, but I made it work.
November will be a sort of a wholistic detox for me; back to the gym, no more need to eat on the run, put more time and energy into work to get the rest of the changes to the show accomplished, start work on plans for the 11:00 service at church. Revamp, renew, refresh, refocus.
All in time for the holidays.
Last year, the holidays stressed me out because it was the first time I didn't get an actual "Thanksgiving break" or "Christmas vacation." And unlike most places of business, I didn't even actually get all of the holidays off at all. On Thanksgiving, I did the morning show, drove down to my grandmother's, drove back, got minimal sleep, and headed into work again. Christmas Day I actually got to spend at home...until the evening, when I drove back in to get to work that night. New Year's Eve passed and the new year arrived as I sat at my desk next to the police scanners, watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV. Talk about depressing. And then that day I navigated a blizzard to make it to my aunt's house for a couple of hours before having to head back once more.
I can't do that this year.
Thanksgiving, I can handle. And Christmas will be the same deal, which is no problem. But I think I have decided that I will be spending New Year's in town. And the nice thing is, I think a lot of my friends from this summer will be home, so I'm sure I'll be able to find something to do.
Geez, Halloween isn't even here yet...I can't believe I'm already thinking about the holidays. But if you don't consider them now, they sneak up on you two-thirds of the way through November, so it's best to think it out now.
Anyway...
I don't plan to go back to my quiet life for long. I am planning to audition for another musical with Civic at the beginning of December, and that will be my new "extra-cirricular" activity through the winter. The show I'm hoping to be a part of is in March. Then in April, I will re-assess and figure out my next move, whether that's beginning the search for a new job or waiting a while longer until I save up some more or a better opportunity presents itself. I'll start planning my vacation time for the lake and get it approved. Then I'll make my last few car payments and begin the hunt for a puppy, and maybe try another Civic show for the summer if it's in the cards.
That's a loooong way in advance. But that's where I'm headed.
Right now, I just need to kind of get my life back together.
Tonight was nice, not having to go over to Monticello for band practice. Not to mention it's saving me gas money! I've been reading all evening, and I'm going to try to finish this book before it's time to get ready for work.
Until later!
Lis
PS - I can't BELIEVE I almost forgot to say this--I saw High School Musical 3 this weekend and LOVED it. The dances and songs were a major step up from the franchise's first and second installments. And yes, I was a little sad when it was all over. I actually had that "let-down" feeling today that I used to get after the Christmas show or after performing a musical for the last time. I would have changed a few things about the plot to make it a bit more intricate, but then again it's HSM, so there's no real need for depth. I can't wait to get the soundtrack, and I will probably go see it again (one of my friends mentioned he might be persuaded to go!) while it's still in theaters. And the icing on the cake was that this morning I read reviews from Yahoo, Rotten Tomatoes, and other film buff sites, and the reviews were actually pretty good! I think the critics have finally learned to see the franchise for what it is--a fun, kid-friendly, postive message about working as a team and being yourself. Not to mention a great way to get a new generation interested in song-and-dance. While critics were sure to point out how unrealistic East High and its student body may be, they also noted Kenny Ortega's use of choreographical references to Bob Fosse and Fred Astaire. Several critics even compared Zac Efron's dancing to Gene Kelly! Holy crap!!! That's pretty huge. I think in the end, HSM has proved to be something that, fluffly and cheesy as it may be, is so fun and infectious that you can't help but enjoy it.
OK, bye for real.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
just me and my thoughts...
Kels, I promise I will do a purse post soon! That was such a cute idea!
But for now...
This is the first Friday night/Saturday morning in a long time that I've gotten snagged on my sleeping schedule and ended up awake all night. It's 4:40 AM as I'm typing this now. I was supposed to go to Twin Lakes for color guard this afternoon, but wasn't feeling well, so I called in and stayed home to sleep, which was a good choice; I feel much better just getting some solid sleep under my belt.
But now I'm up.
And I need to get at least a little sleep sometime this morning because I have to be at one of the local high schools for regional band competition (at least I don't have to drive far!) at 10 AM. And it's going to be a full day because after regionals, I am off to another local high school to watch my friend Justin march in his marching band. It is the one and only chance I'll have to see him march, so I need to go. And afterwards we might do a movie, so...yeah. Sleep is going to be needed at some point this morning.
I actually probably would've been able to achieve a second round of Z's if it hadn't been for the fact that I swung by Marla's sorority and stole her to go get some ice cream. Before that, I had just eaten dinner and finished a Bacardi Raz, and there's nothing like a full stomach from a warm meal and a little adult beverage consumption to get you comfy and ready for a nap. But Marla needed some cheering up, and I was only too happy to oblige! I love being in the same town as her. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I move away; we've just always been within reach. It's not like we hang out all the time, but when times like tonight come up and we need some sisterly support, it's just nice to know we can physically be there for each other. I tried to talk her into moving with me wherever I go...lol...but she wants to stay close to home, or at least in the Midwest. And I don't blame her; the Midwest is a wonderful place, and it will always be home. But it's just been home to me for my entire life, and if I don't get out now, I never will. A year from now, I really hope to go somewhere unlike any place I know.
Possible thoughts...
Savannah, GA (I am in love with that place, ever since a visit there on Spring Break once. Small-town feel, but big on culture and especially history!)
Somewhere near Hollywood, California (Entertainment capital of the galaxy.)
Charleston, SC (Again, one Spring Break trip there and I was in love. For many of the same reasons as Savannah plus the shopping there is amazing!)
Somewhere in Florida (My sister is moving to Tampa...maybe after a visit I can come up with some ideas.)
New York!!! (Whenever Lorne Michaels and Marci Klein call me up.)
Watch me end up somewhere really random like Omaha, Nebraska. Or French Lick. Yikes.
Anyway, I'm watching GiGi. I never realized until this year what it's really about. And what it's about is a girl who is being raised and trained to be a mistress to rich men in Paris. I know, right?! Granted, the last time I watched this was when I was really little, so I didn't really gain anything from it except the song "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," which now that I watch the movie as an adult is kind of a creepy song.
Oh! This is one of the best parts--Gigi is singing "I don't understand the Paweeeeesians!" I don't either, Gigi.
OK, can I just explain to you how much I want a dog? It's like, some women get this crazy obsession with having a baby, like Jennifer Garner in Juno or Tina Fey in Baby Mama. Well I have that, but with dogs. I mean, I grew up in a family with pets. My dad is a vet, so I think we all are kind of naturally animal lovers. I live on my own, and I'm at a great point in my life to have my own dog. And the plan is to get one this coming summer--which I realize seems like a long time form now. But financially it's the best timing. So now I'm like this crazy lady obsessed with having a baby, only my baby will be a dog. Haha...yep, I've officially lost it.
OK, maybe I need another Raz. Or a snack. Something that will make me sleepy.
Sweet dreams!
But for now...
This is the first Friday night/Saturday morning in a long time that I've gotten snagged on my sleeping schedule and ended up awake all night. It's 4:40 AM as I'm typing this now. I was supposed to go to Twin Lakes for color guard this afternoon, but wasn't feeling well, so I called in and stayed home to sleep, which was a good choice; I feel much better just getting some solid sleep under my belt.
But now I'm up.
And I need to get at least a little sleep sometime this morning because I have to be at one of the local high schools for regional band competition (at least I don't have to drive far!) at 10 AM. And it's going to be a full day because after regionals, I am off to another local high school to watch my friend Justin march in his marching band. It is the one and only chance I'll have to see him march, so I need to go. And afterwards we might do a movie, so...yeah. Sleep is going to be needed at some point this morning.
I actually probably would've been able to achieve a second round of Z's if it hadn't been for the fact that I swung by Marla's sorority and stole her to go get some ice cream. Before that, I had just eaten dinner and finished a Bacardi Raz, and there's nothing like a full stomach from a warm meal and a little adult beverage consumption to get you comfy and ready for a nap. But Marla needed some cheering up, and I was only too happy to oblige! I love being in the same town as her. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I move away; we've just always been within reach. It's not like we hang out all the time, but when times like tonight come up and we need some sisterly support, it's just nice to know we can physically be there for each other. I tried to talk her into moving with me wherever I go...lol...but she wants to stay close to home, or at least in the Midwest. And I don't blame her; the Midwest is a wonderful place, and it will always be home. But it's just been home to me for my entire life, and if I don't get out now, I never will. A year from now, I really hope to go somewhere unlike any place I know.
Possible thoughts...
Savannah, GA (I am in love with that place, ever since a visit there on Spring Break once. Small-town feel, but big on culture and especially history!)
Somewhere near Hollywood, California (Entertainment capital of the galaxy.)
Charleston, SC (Again, one Spring Break trip there and I was in love. For many of the same reasons as Savannah plus the shopping there is amazing!)
Somewhere in Florida (My sister is moving to Tampa...maybe after a visit I can come up with some ideas.)
New York!!! (Whenever Lorne Michaels and Marci Klein call me up.)
Watch me end up somewhere really random like Omaha, Nebraska. Or French Lick. Yikes.
Anyway, I'm watching GiGi. I never realized until this year what it's really about. And what it's about is a girl who is being raised and trained to be a mistress to rich men in Paris. I know, right?! Granted, the last time I watched this was when I was really little, so I didn't really gain anything from it except the song "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," which now that I watch the movie as an adult is kind of a creepy song.
Oh! This is one of the best parts--Gigi is singing "I don't understand the Paweeeeesians!" I don't either, Gigi.
OK, can I just explain to you how much I want a dog? It's like, some women get this crazy obsession with having a baby, like Jennifer Garner in Juno or Tina Fey in Baby Mama. Well I have that, but with dogs. I mean, I grew up in a family with pets. My dad is a vet, so I think we all are kind of naturally animal lovers. I live on my own, and I'm at a great point in my life to have my own dog. And the plan is to get one this coming summer--which I realize seems like a long time form now. But financially it's the best timing. So now I'm like this crazy lady obsessed with having a baby, only my baby will be a dog. Haha...yep, I've officially lost it.
OK, maybe I need another Raz. Or a snack. Something that will make me sleepy.
Sweet dreams!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
the heart of life
Oh, man, is this a rainy day for the books! I love thunderstorms, and this morning is Grade A as far as they are concerned. This is "unplug your laptop and lay on the couch under a blanket and blog while you watch the lightning through the window" weather! I love it!
I'll let my thoughts rumble and tumble out of my head and onto the screen like the thunder rolling outside...
I'm so excited about going to the Lake. As much as I had tried every year of my life not to take my time up there for granted, there was no way I could truly appreciate it until last summer when I didn't get to go for the first time in the almost-23 years of my life.
Going up there is the epitomy of what a vacation, a Sabbath, a refuge should be. I always feel closer to God when I'm up there. He is impossible to ignore in that place. First of all, there is no TV, no Internet, and no cell phone reception, so most of life's daily distractions are removed from your life while you're there. Plus, the Northwoods of Minnesota are at their finest, as that area is lightly inhabited and barely cultivated by people, leaving plenty of room for all of God's creation to be on its best display, from the clear lakes to the beautiful, thick forests of birches and pines, to the frequently spotted eagles, loons, deer, moose, and even bears living among our little cabins. And I think that atmosphere lends itself to a sense of clarity we all get from spending time at the lake. We all get time away from our problems and get a chance to weigh them in an environment that makes us question what is really necessary and what is not worth worrying about. We sit on the dock at night and look at the big glass bowl of sky over the lake and watch it fill with stars and Northern Lights, and we realize how small we are and how insignificant some of our problems are. Marla and I always laugh because she always seemed to end up going home and breaking up with her boyfriends after we went ot the lake back in high school...but the truth is, she just had time away to evaluate her relationships and decide whether or not they were really worth her time and energy.
I have felt an overwhelming sense of clarity increasing in my life in the past year and especially in the past six months or so, and I can only imagine how much clearer things will be when I get to the Lake. I always love that Bible passage that goes something like, "Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face..." I always equated that to what it will be like to get to Heaven, and I always thought it would be that feeling of being at the Lake times like infinity. You know, because right now I have this dim, smudgy look at my life and everything in it, but at the Lake it's so beautiful and awesome that it puts everything else into perspective so clearly. So I think Heaven will be like the Lake, only much, much better.
Anyway, there are a few John Mayer songs striking some major chords (no pun intended, seriously) with me lately. One, of course, is "Clarity" from his album "The Heavier Things" (that is a GREAT album, by the way). The song says a lot about how I'm feeling these days and especially how it feels at the Lake...
This morning, there's a calm I can't explain
Rock candy's melted, only diamonds now remain...
By the time I recognize this moment
This moment will be gone
But I will bend the light, pretend that it somehow lingered on...
And I will wait to find
If this will last forever
And I will pay no mind
When I won't and it won't cause it can't
It just can't
It's not supposed to
Besides the obvious theme of clarity, I just love how it's about trying to hang on to the moments as long as you can even though you know it's going to be over at some point. That's how it is at the Lake; you take in every sight and sound ans smell from the minute you start driving down the lane to the cabin and get your first glimpse at the Lake, to the last second you're driving away, looking behind you to keep the mailbox row in view as long as you can and knowing it will be another year or more until you can come back again.
And speaking of that sad trip home from the lake, this is another JM song that has been speaking to me on multiple levels, because it's about growing up, but one part is just totally the Lake:
Once in a while when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
'til you cry when you're driving away in the dark...
Singing stop this train, I want to get off and go home again
I can't take this speed it's moving in
I know I can't
Cause now I see I'll never stop this train
Firstly, that part about it feeling like it should and everyone being around and feeling safe. That's so what it's like; Mamaw and Papaw, sometimes aunts and uncles, and always a few very old, very good friends are around, and you're safe from the pressures of the life you put on hold while you went on vacation, and you drink in every moment of it. And then the part about crying while you drive away in the dark...that is SPOT ON what happens when you leave the Lake. It's always dark because it's early-early in the morning. And you always cry, you can't help it, because you don't want to leave this little paradise; you don't want to go back and face reality again. And you feel like that little red cabin is home...you're just going back to the world to get by until you can come home to the little cabin again. (Again, a lot like Heaven!) So anyway, that's pretty much that.
Finally, I am loving this song and I think a lot of the people who check in on my blog from time to time might like it too, because a lot of us are living in what is so far the hardest and most challenging time of our lives right now. And this song is just a great little anthem for those of us trying to stay afloat in the big world...so I'm gonna post the whole song and the video so you all can have a listen. This one's for you!
"The Heart Of Life"
I hate to see you cry
Lying there in that position
There's things you need to hear
So turn off your tears
And listen
Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No it won't all go the way it should
But I know the heart of life is good
You know, it's nothing new
Bad news never had good timing
But, then your circle of friends
Will defend the silver lining
Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No it won't all go the way it should
But I know the heart of life is good
Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood
But I know the heart of life is good
I know it's good
Love!
Lis
I'll let my thoughts rumble and tumble out of my head and onto the screen like the thunder rolling outside...
I'm so excited about going to the Lake. As much as I had tried every year of my life not to take my time up there for granted, there was no way I could truly appreciate it until last summer when I didn't get to go for the first time in the almost-23 years of my life.
Going up there is the epitomy of what a vacation, a Sabbath, a refuge should be. I always feel closer to God when I'm up there. He is impossible to ignore in that place. First of all, there is no TV, no Internet, and no cell phone reception, so most of life's daily distractions are removed from your life while you're there. Plus, the Northwoods of Minnesota are at their finest, as that area is lightly inhabited and barely cultivated by people, leaving plenty of room for all of God's creation to be on its best display, from the clear lakes to the beautiful, thick forests of birches and pines, to the frequently spotted eagles, loons, deer, moose, and even bears living among our little cabins. And I think that atmosphere lends itself to a sense of clarity we all get from spending time at the lake. We all get time away from our problems and get a chance to weigh them in an environment that makes us question what is really necessary and what is not worth worrying about. We sit on the dock at night and look at the big glass bowl of sky over the lake and watch it fill with stars and Northern Lights, and we realize how small we are and how insignificant some of our problems are. Marla and I always laugh because she always seemed to end up going home and breaking up with her boyfriends after we went ot the lake back in high school...but the truth is, she just had time away to evaluate her relationships and decide whether or not they were really worth her time and energy.
I have felt an overwhelming sense of clarity increasing in my life in the past year and especially in the past six months or so, and I can only imagine how much clearer things will be when I get to the Lake. I always love that Bible passage that goes something like, "Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face..." I always equated that to what it will be like to get to Heaven, and I always thought it would be that feeling of being at the Lake times like infinity. You know, because right now I have this dim, smudgy look at my life and everything in it, but at the Lake it's so beautiful and awesome that it puts everything else into perspective so clearly. So I think Heaven will be like the Lake, only much, much better.
Anyway, there are a few John Mayer songs striking some major chords (no pun intended, seriously) with me lately. One, of course, is "Clarity" from his album "The Heavier Things" (that is a GREAT album, by the way). The song says a lot about how I'm feeling these days and especially how it feels at the Lake...
This morning, there's a calm I can't explain
Rock candy's melted, only diamonds now remain...
By the time I recognize this moment
This moment will be gone
But I will bend the light, pretend that it somehow lingered on...
And I will wait to find
If this will last forever
And I will pay no mind
When I won't and it won't cause it can't
It just can't
It's not supposed to
Besides the obvious theme of clarity, I just love how it's about trying to hang on to the moments as long as you can even though you know it's going to be over at some point. That's how it is at the Lake; you take in every sight and sound ans smell from the minute you start driving down the lane to the cabin and get your first glimpse at the Lake, to the last second you're driving away, looking behind you to keep the mailbox row in view as long as you can and knowing it will be another year or more until you can come back again.
And speaking of that sad trip home from the lake, this is another JM song that has been speaking to me on multiple levels, because it's about growing up, but one part is just totally the Lake:
Once in a while when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
'til you cry when you're driving away in the dark...
Singing stop this train, I want to get off and go home again
I can't take this speed it's moving in
I know I can't
Cause now I see I'll never stop this train
Firstly, that part about it feeling like it should and everyone being around and feeling safe. That's so what it's like; Mamaw and Papaw, sometimes aunts and uncles, and always a few very old, very good friends are around, and you're safe from the pressures of the life you put on hold while you went on vacation, and you drink in every moment of it. And then the part about crying while you drive away in the dark...that is SPOT ON what happens when you leave the Lake. It's always dark because it's early-early in the morning. And you always cry, you can't help it, because you don't want to leave this little paradise; you don't want to go back and face reality again. And you feel like that little red cabin is home...you're just going back to the world to get by until you can come home to the little cabin again. (Again, a lot like Heaven!) So anyway, that's pretty much that.
Finally, I am loving this song and I think a lot of the people who check in on my blog from time to time might like it too, because a lot of us are living in what is so far the hardest and most challenging time of our lives right now. And this song is just a great little anthem for those of us trying to stay afloat in the big world...so I'm gonna post the whole song and the video so you all can have a listen. This one's for you!
"The Heart Of Life"
I hate to see you cry
Lying there in that position
There's things you need to hear
So turn off your tears
And listen
Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No it won't all go the way it should
But I know the heart of life is good
You know, it's nothing new
Bad news never had good timing
But, then your circle of friends
Will defend the silver lining
Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No it won't all go the way it should
But I know the heart of life is good
Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood
But I know the heart of life is good
I know it's good
Love!
Lis
Saturday, May 10, 2008
why am i still UP????
As I start writing this, it's ten after seven in the morning. This is what happens on Friday nights; I sleep my normal hours Friday after work, so then I wake up Friday evening still on my work schedule. If this were a work day, I'd have just finished my show and be writing cut-ins for the Early Show. But since it's Saturday, I'm laying in bed watching Arrested Development and seeing the sunlight increase through my bedroom window blinds.
I have a lot to accomplish today. At 10 this morning we have our station's first softball practice (although it may not be much of a practice; I guess there's a chance we won't even be able to get on the field). Still, I'm excited and yes, a little nervous, because I am not very athletic. And although I know no one is expecting anything out of me, I also know I'm going to have to play a lot since we have to have 4 girls play in every game and not very many girls are signed up. So I might try to find some sort of "Softball for Dummies" reference...I know, what kind of nerd does research on a sport she's about to play? Me, that's what kind.
Also, I have an audition coming up (Monday) for Civic Theater's summer season, and I am waaaay under-prepared. I need to find a monologue and a song. I've been looking through all my music here and I feel like I need to find something different. And I have absolutely NO monologues, so I'm going to go to the library today to find some. I think there is a good one from "Our Town" that I might try. It only has to be a minute long, so it shouldn't be too hard to work it up in the next couple of days.
Then the Glee Club's End of Season show is tonight. It should be fun; this will be my first time seeing the Glee Club without Brian Breed as the director, believe it or not, so I'm sure it will be interesting. Also, we just got the press release yesterday that PMO hired a new director, and apparently he'll be at the show, so it might be possible to meet him. I am sure a lot of Glee Club moms will be swarming him, so I doubt I'll actually get to speak with him, but it might be nice to meet his wife and kids, if the chance arises. Or not. To tell the truth, I'm just glad everything was still normal around there when I graduated, so I don't have to be as concerned with all the changes anymore.
And then tomorrow is Mother's Day, and I'm planning to go to my aunt's to have dinner with the rest of the family. Aunt Julie called and invited me, which made me feel really good (not that I wouldn't have been welcome, but it's just nice to get an invitation by phone...kind of makes me feel grown-up in a way, as silly as that may sound!) I would kind of like to do flowers for Mom, Jules, and Mamaw, but I need to figure out if I should do that today or what. I also want to find some really great cards...one of the bookshops near campus has greeting cards that make me wanna wet myself. So luckily, all of these errands are on the same side of town and hopefully I will accomplish them in decent time today! I just wish places were open earlier so I could get started now.
I wonder what time the library opens...
I have a lot to accomplish today. At 10 this morning we have our station's first softball practice (although it may not be much of a practice; I guess there's a chance we won't even be able to get on the field). Still, I'm excited and yes, a little nervous, because I am not very athletic. And although I know no one is expecting anything out of me, I also know I'm going to have to play a lot since we have to have 4 girls play in every game and not very many girls are signed up. So I might try to find some sort of "Softball for Dummies" reference...I know, what kind of nerd does research on a sport she's about to play? Me, that's what kind.
Also, I have an audition coming up (Monday) for Civic Theater's summer season, and I am waaaay under-prepared. I need to find a monologue and a song. I've been looking through all my music here and I feel like I need to find something different. And I have absolutely NO monologues, so I'm going to go to the library today to find some. I think there is a good one from "Our Town" that I might try. It only has to be a minute long, so it shouldn't be too hard to work it up in the next couple of days.
Then the Glee Club's End of Season show is tonight. It should be fun; this will be my first time seeing the Glee Club without Brian Breed as the director, believe it or not, so I'm sure it will be interesting. Also, we just got the press release yesterday that PMO hired a new director, and apparently he'll be at the show, so it might be possible to meet him. I am sure a lot of Glee Club moms will be swarming him, so I doubt I'll actually get to speak with him, but it might be nice to meet his wife and kids, if the chance arises. Or not. To tell the truth, I'm just glad everything was still normal around there when I graduated, so I don't have to be as concerned with all the changes anymore.
And then tomorrow is Mother's Day, and I'm planning to go to my aunt's to have dinner with the rest of the family. Aunt Julie called and invited me, which made me feel really good (not that I wouldn't have been welcome, but it's just nice to get an invitation by phone...kind of makes me feel grown-up in a way, as silly as that may sound!) I would kind of like to do flowers for Mom, Jules, and Mamaw, but I need to figure out if I should do that today or what. I also want to find some really great cards...one of the bookshops near campus has greeting cards that make me wanna wet myself. So luckily, all of these errands are on the same side of town and hopefully I will accomplish them in decent time today! I just wish places were open earlier so I could get started now.
I wonder what time the library opens...
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Whisk
I just got excited because I'm making chili and I get to use the new whisk I asked for for Christmas.
That sentence alone says "I need to get out more" on so many different levels.
*Disclaimer: I really do love my new whisk. I asked my mom for it for Christmas and she got me a great one, and I am so grateful to her for getting it for me. I in no way regret the fact that I asked my mom for it, and that she got it for me. If you ever read this, thanks Mom!!!
That sentence alone says "I need to get out more" on so many different levels.
*Disclaimer: I really do love my new whisk. I asked my mom for it for Christmas and she got me a great one, and I am so grateful to her for getting it for me. I in no way regret the fact that I asked my mom for it, and that she got it for me. If you ever read this, thanks Mom!!!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Things I've Learned in the Last Six Months
I've been on my own for six months now. Here's what I've learned so far:
1. There is nothing like a nice, clean apartment to make me feel like staying home.
2. I have two great methods of losing weight: exercising, and sleeping all day.
3. There is nothing wrong with being angry sometimes.
4. If I am trying to be fair to everyone, I am probably not being fair to myself.
5. It is not a good idea to put a male betta's fish bowl anywhere near a mirror.
6. Living by myself means never having to shut the bathroom door.
7. I am as entitled to voice my opinion as everyone else is.
8. Eating at the table makes me feel more civilized and less like a college student.
9. It's very important to have girl friends.
10. The older I get, the more I think like my dad.
1. There is nothing like a nice, clean apartment to make me feel like staying home.
2. I have two great methods of losing weight: exercising, and sleeping all day.
3. There is nothing wrong with being angry sometimes.
4. If I am trying to be fair to everyone, I am probably not being fair to myself.
5. It is not a good idea to put a male betta's fish bowl anywhere near a mirror.
6. Living by myself means never having to shut the bathroom door.
7. I am as entitled to voice my opinion as everyone else is.
8. Eating at the table makes me feel more civilized and less like a college student.
9. It's very important to have girl friends.
10. The older I get, the more I think like my dad.
Monday, January 7, 2008
(not) Busy
I really want a dog.
How great would that be? I'd have someone to keep me company, we could go for walks, drive around together...and I have plenty of time to train it and stuff.
So I'm saving up for a dog.
Also, I'm going to get involved in civic theatre this summer, or at least try out. I don't know what musicals they are doing yet, but I know one of them is HSM...and of course I'm enough of a 12-year-old to be totally excited about that!
I need to find someplace to sing, because I miss it so much and I really freak out sometimes about losing my singing voice. I sing in the car all the time...not really the same thing!
I'm just not used to not being busy...I go to work, I come home, go to bed, and I work out, and that's pretty much it. I started a video blog so I spend some time editing videos and stuff, which is really fun, especially when you have plenty of time to work on it. But for some reason my camera isn't reading my SD card, and I had a lot of stuff on there, and now I can't get the camera to recognize it. Plus, for some reason the internal memory only hold about 3 1/2 minutes worth of video (which doesn't seem right). So I'm going to take it in to Best Buy tomorrow and see if they can tell me anything. The problem is my sister bought it in Hong Kong or Singapore or something, so it's not like I can take it back to where I got it and get their help. I'm sure it'll be fine, it's just annoying to not be able to figure out what's wrong with the thing.
Speaking of memory...I apparantly ran out of it on the computer I use at work! I was trying to save my videos to the server we use for stuff we put on the air, and I couldn't save the videos because the drive had run out of space. And of course, this is at 4:30, so it's half an hour before the show and I have no video ready. Luckily one of the anchors let me use his computer to do the rest, and the video guy helped out by dubbing some tapes I needed into the server in the sports office. And everyone was really flexible. One of the PAs was like, "Lisa, you seem concerned but calm," which I guess is a good thing...I didn't feel calm, but everyone else was being really patient with me, so that was keeping me from having a meltdown! There was a point in the morning when I felt like snapping, but then I realized I didn't have time for it! It would have been pointless anyway. No one was causing me any problems; quite the contrary.
I was talking to one of the anchors after the show about how easy it is to come to work with this group of people, because everyone has the same goal in mind: to do a good job, and to enjoy doing it. We all can goof around and tease each other, but we all feel like it's important to put a good show together and get it on the air, and we're not trying to discourage each other. I think that's really rare, not just in TV but in any workplace. I was talking to some friends who were asking me how I like my job, and I told them I'm really blessed to have been put in the right place at the right time with the right people. Yah, I complain about things sometimes, but it's pretty rare to have any reason to. And sometimes we get frusterated because things break or don't work the way they should, and we can't always depend on our machinery. But we can always depend on each other (as corny as that sounds). Not many people are as lucky as me, to find a job they love with people who make it fun, right out of college...or ever!
Moving on...I don't really have any new media picks right now. I'm actually trying really hard not to spend money on movies (arf arf!).
Oh! I did see "Uptown Girls" at a friend's house. I had always wanted to see it; I thought it looked cute. It really surprised me. It wasn't just a fluffy chick flick. It was a little deeper emotionally than I thought it would be. If you're not familiar, it stars Brittany Murphy as the orphan daughter of a rock star couple who died in a plane crash when she was eight, but of course left her tons of money so she didn't have to actually work or be accountable for anything. (She did go to college, but I don't really know why.) But the cool thing is, she's not exactly Paris/Nicole...she's got this quirky, super-eccentric flower child vibe and though she's very materialistic and extravagant, she's not snide or witchy or uppity at all. She's got a flair for fashion, but it doens't have to be couture. In fact, the opening sequence shows her crushing a tiny wire candle-lampshade and pinning it in her hair. She's basically a little girl who didn't mature much past the age she was when she lost her family.
She has a super-preppy best friend, which I don't understand at all. They were apparantly college roommates, but I don't see how their friendship works...I guess it's that "opposites attract" cliche. Her best friend is like a Martha Stewart disciple, with a bob cut, headband, high neckline, and pearls. Yah.
Of course, what happens is that "Bob," who takes care of Molly's (Murphy's character)parents' estate, runs off with all of her money, which means she has to get a job. Her other best friend, (played by Turk from Scrubs!!!) who is some kind of associate music producer, gets her a gig as the nanny of his boss's bratty daughter, played by the creepy Dakota Fanning.
In this movie, Fanning's character is like a cranky 65-year-old lady trapped in a 9-year-old's body. She is OCD, germaphobic, and militaristically precise. She is, of course, the exact maturity level but polar opposite personality of Molly.
There are some hilarious interactions and adventures with the two "uptown girls," but they also find out that they are both acting out of fear because of the hurt of losing their parents (Fanning's character has a dad who is a vegetable). And they influence each other to better balance having a good time and being responsible ("fundamentals are the building blocks of fun"). The best analogy for thier relationship is the fact that Fanning's character is in ballet class, which for her is a perfect outlet for her love of order and discipline. For Molly, dancing is an outlet for individuality and spontinaety. At the end of the movie is a scene where Molly goes to the dance recital to see her charge mixing her own precise technique with a mimick of her nanny's freeform version of dance. That was probably the part that made me want to cry the most.
It's a rather predictable movie, as most chick-flicks are, but it's not what you'd expect from the previews. I realize everyone else has probably already seen this movie as it was released on DVD like two years ago, but that's my insight on it.
Go check it out.
OK, time to go work out...I totally didn't mean to spend that much time writing on here.
How great would that be? I'd have someone to keep me company, we could go for walks, drive around together...and I have plenty of time to train it and stuff.
So I'm saving up for a dog.
Also, I'm going to get involved in civic theatre this summer, or at least try out. I don't know what musicals they are doing yet, but I know one of them is HSM...and of course I'm enough of a 12-year-old to be totally excited about that!
I need to find someplace to sing, because I miss it so much and I really freak out sometimes about losing my singing voice. I sing in the car all the time...not really the same thing!
I'm just not used to not being busy...I go to work, I come home, go to bed, and I work out, and that's pretty much it. I started a video blog so I spend some time editing videos and stuff, which is really fun, especially when you have plenty of time to work on it. But for some reason my camera isn't reading my SD card, and I had a lot of stuff on there, and now I can't get the camera to recognize it. Plus, for some reason the internal memory only hold about 3 1/2 minutes worth of video (which doesn't seem right). So I'm going to take it in to Best Buy tomorrow and see if they can tell me anything. The problem is my sister bought it in Hong Kong or Singapore or something, so it's not like I can take it back to where I got it and get their help. I'm sure it'll be fine, it's just annoying to not be able to figure out what's wrong with the thing.
Speaking of memory...I apparantly ran out of it on the computer I use at work! I was trying to save my videos to the server we use for stuff we put on the air, and I couldn't save the videos because the drive had run out of space. And of course, this is at 4:30, so it's half an hour before the show and I have no video ready. Luckily one of the anchors let me use his computer to do the rest, and the video guy helped out by dubbing some tapes I needed into the server in the sports office. And everyone was really flexible. One of the PAs was like, "Lisa, you seem concerned but calm," which I guess is a good thing...I didn't feel calm, but everyone else was being really patient with me, so that was keeping me from having a meltdown! There was a point in the morning when I felt like snapping, but then I realized I didn't have time for it! It would have been pointless anyway. No one was causing me any problems; quite the contrary.
I was talking to one of the anchors after the show about how easy it is to come to work with this group of people, because everyone has the same goal in mind: to do a good job, and to enjoy doing it. We all can goof around and tease each other, but we all feel like it's important to put a good show together and get it on the air, and we're not trying to discourage each other. I think that's really rare, not just in TV but in any workplace. I was talking to some friends who were asking me how I like my job, and I told them I'm really blessed to have been put in the right place at the right time with the right people. Yah, I complain about things sometimes, but it's pretty rare to have any reason to. And sometimes we get frusterated because things break or don't work the way they should, and we can't always depend on our machinery. But we can always depend on each other (as corny as that sounds). Not many people are as lucky as me, to find a job they love with people who make it fun, right out of college...or ever!
Moving on...I don't really have any new media picks right now. I'm actually trying really hard not to spend money on movies (arf arf!).
Oh! I did see "Uptown Girls" at a friend's house. I had always wanted to see it; I thought it looked cute. It really surprised me. It wasn't just a fluffy chick flick. It was a little deeper emotionally than I thought it would be. If you're not familiar, it stars Brittany Murphy as the orphan daughter of a rock star couple who died in a plane crash when she was eight, but of course left her tons of money so she didn't have to actually work or be accountable for anything. (She did go to college, but I don't really know why.) But the cool thing is, she's not exactly Paris/Nicole...she's got this quirky, super-eccentric flower child vibe and though she's very materialistic and extravagant, she's not snide or witchy or uppity at all. She's got a flair for fashion, but it doens't have to be couture. In fact, the opening sequence shows her crushing a tiny wire candle-lampshade and pinning it in her hair. She's basically a little girl who didn't mature much past the age she was when she lost her family.
She has a super-preppy best friend, which I don't understand at all. They were apparantly college roommates, but I don't see how their friendship works...I guess it's that "opposites attract" cliche. Her best friend is like a Martha Stewart disciple, with a bob cut, headband, high neckline, and pearls. Yah.
Of course, what happens is that "Bob," who takes care of Molly's (Murphy's character)parents' estate, runs off with all of her money, which means she has to get a job. Her other best friend, (played by Turk from Scrubs!!!) who is some kind of associate music producer, gets her a gig as the nanny of his boss's bratty daughter, played by the creepy Dakota Fanning.
In this movie, Fanning's character is like a cranky 65-year-old lady trapped in a 9-year-old's body. She is OCD, germaphobic, and militaristically precise. She is, of course, the exact maturity level but polar opposite personality of Molly.
There are some hilarious interactions and adventures with the two "uptown girls," but they also find out that they are both acting out of fear because of the hurt of losing their parents (Fanning's character has a dad who is a vegetable). And they influence each other to better balance having a good time and being responsible ("fundamentals are the building blocks of fun"). The best analogy for thier relationship is the fact that Fanning's character is in ballet class, which for her is a perfect outlet for her love of order and discipline. For Molly, dancing is an outlet for individuality and spontinaety. At the end of the movie is a scene where Molly goes to the dance recital to see her charge mixing her own precise technique with a mimick of her nanny's freeform version of dance. That was probably the part that made me want to cry the most.
It's a rather predictable movie, as most chick-flicks are, but it's not what you'd expect from the previews. I realize everyone else has probably already seen this movie as it was released on DVD like two years ago, but that's my insight on it.
Go check it out.
OK, time to go work out...I totally didn't mean to spend that much time writing on here.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Mary Tyler Moore
I know, I know...what happened to September? Let's just say it was a blur. I adjusted to working this time of the year, not going to school, and balanced my three jobs. Then at the end of September, I got promoted to a full time job at the station as a production assistant in the mornings! I love the morning people, so I was elated, not to mention eager to get a bigger paycheck. I have just completed my second week as a full-timer, and I just accepted a new job.
I know, I know...what??? How does that happen?
It happened because our morning producer got an offer from his hometown station and decided he wanted to go back. He has been working here for not even as long as I have, and he's already moving on! Well, about the same time he decided to leave, we got two new production assistants on part-time. One came in for the mornings to get the experience of a 4:30 am - 1:00 pm work day, and as we were waiting on the floor to do the noon news show, the anchors asked the new guy what he wanted to do as far as a career path.
"I want to do engineering for television," he said. And believe me, we need more of those. One of the anchors then turned to me and said, "What about you, Lisa?"
"What about me?"
"What do you want to do eventually?" he asked. I said I thought I might like to produce.
"Well, don't you know we have a morning producer position open now?" he said. "You should apply for it." I told him I didn't think I had the training or experience needed.
"Oh, we train people all the time," said the other anchor. "You could do it."
"You should talk to the news director," said the first anchor. "In fact, I'll make a note to say something to her myself."
And that's how it all started. Word gets around in a small, small station, and before I knew it, my old buddy the evening weather guy was leaving notes for the morning crew: "Lisa should take that producing job."
Well, I did talk to the news director, and she was interested in looking into this possibility. So I have spent the last few days shadowing a couple of the producers to find out more about the job and what it entails. And today, I went to the news director to talk, and our conversation ended with her giving me the job. I guess it's not official yet; I still have to sign the contract and work out details with the production manager, but I start training Sunday night.
I have to sign a contract. Is this a real job or what?
I called my mom and told her, and we both stuttered excitedly on the phone, speaking mostly in incomplete sentences that trailed off to "...wow." I then hung up, put my paycheck in the bank, and started to drive home.
As I crossed the bridge over the Wabash, I started to cry.
I'm so stunned. I can't believe it's true. After I walked out of the office, I thought, "Did that just happen?" But it did. And I'm going to be a producer.
I haven't told Ryan yet, and I can't wait to! He's going to call soon, and then I'm going shopping!
I don't know if you've ever seen the Mary Tyler Moore show, but it's about a girl who's out of college, single, and living alone for the first time. She gets a job as associate producer at a local news station in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I bought the first season of this show on DVD, and I love it. It's very relatable to my life. Well, while I was on the phone with my mom, she said, "You're gonna have to watch another episode of Mary Tyler Moore!" And I said, "I know, that show IS pretty much my life!" Especially now. I know it's corny, but I just love that theme song..."You're gonna make it after all."
Everything's looking up. I've been decorating my apartment, and I finally have it to the point where I want it....it looks really good! My next goal is to budget for a pet. Today our "Pet of the Week" on the noon show was a pair of sweet, mellow cats, and playing with them made me really want a cat. I want a dog, too, but cats are a lot easier to take care of, as well as easier to find. If I got a dog, I would want a specific breed, and if I want a cat, I just want a sweet personality. We'll see. Oh! I also finally have internet in my apartment. I feel like I've officially moved in!
More later, and more often!
Lis ;)
I know, I know...what??? How does that happen?
It happened because our morning producer got an offer from his hometown station and decided he wanted to go back. He has been working here for not even as long as I have, and he's already moving on! Well, about the same time he decided to leave, we got two new production assistants on part-time. One came in for the mornings to get the experience of a 4:30 am - 1:00 pm work day, and as we were waiting on the floor to do the noon news show, the anchors asked the new guy what he wanted to do as far as a career path.
"I want to do engineering for television," he said. And believe me, we need more of those. One of the anchors then turned to me and said, "What about you, Lisa?"
"What about me?"
"What do you want to do eventually?" he asked. I said I thought I might like to produce.
"Well, don't you know we have a morning producer position open now?" he said. "You should apply for it." I told him I didn't think I had the training or experience needed.
"Oh, we train people all the time," said the other anchor. "You could do it."
"You should talk to the news director," said the first anchor. "In fact, I'll make a note to say something to her myself."
And that's how it all started. Word gets around in a small, small station, and before I knew it, my old buddy the evening weather guy was leaving notes for the morning crew: "Lisa should take that producing job."
Well, I did talk to the news director, and she was interested in looking into this possibility. So I have spent the last few days shadowing a couple of the producers to find out more about the job and what it entails. And today, I went to the news director to talk, and our conversation ended with her giving me the job. I guess it's not official yet; I still have to sign the contract and work out details with the production manager, but I start training Sunday night.
I have to sign a contract. Is this a real job or what?
I called my mom and told her, and we both stuttered excitedly on the phone, speaking mostly in incomplete sentences that trailed off to "...wow." I then hung up, put my paycheck in the bank, and started to drive home.
As I crossed the bridge over the Wabash, I started to cry.
I'm so stunned. I can't believe it's true. After I walked out of the office, I thought, "Did that just happen?" But it did. And I'm going to be a producer.
I haven't told Ryan yet, and I can't wait to! He's going to call soon, and then I'm going shopping!
I don't know if you've ever seen the Mary Tyler Moore show, but it's about a girl who's out of college, single, and living alone for the first time. She gets a job as associate producer at a local news station in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I bought the first season of this show on DVD, and I love it. It's very relatable to my life. Well, while I was on the phone with my mom, she said, "You're gonna have to watch another episode of Mary Tyler Moore!" And I said, "I know, that show IS pretty much my life!" Especially now. I know it's corny, but I just love that theme song..."You're gonna make it after all."
Everything's looking up. I've been decorating my apartment, and I finally have it to the point where I want it....it looks really good! My next goal is to budget for a pet. Today our "Pet of the Week" on the noon show was a pair of sweet, mellow cats, and playing with them made me really want a cat. I want a dog, too, but cats are a lot easier to take care of, as well as easier to find. If I got a dog, I would want a specific breed, and if I want a cat, I just want a sweet personality. We'll see. Oh! I also finally have internet in my apartment. I feel like I've officially moved in!
More later, and more often!
Lis ;)
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Who's Having the Best Week Ever?
I am!
I just spent a week without talking to Ryan, which was tough, but I reminded myself that Michelle spends half the year not being able to talk to anyone but the people on her ship. So I was very constructive and worked out every day, worked like a dog, and made some moolah, all the time with that anticipation of talking to and seeing Ryan. Don't you think that you appreciate someone so much more after you've been away from them for a time? It just helps you not take things for granted so much. Then I got to see my two best friends from the start of our freshman year at Purdue together.
I saw Katy at Scotty's; she was there with Sam and his mom and dad, after getting him moved back to Purdue. She just finished her first week teaching sophomores English! She's a real teacher! We both talked about how it's great to have our own places all to ourselves, even though the first couple nights alone are a little scary.
I had lunch with Beth today and we did a lot of catching up. She's got 6 weeks of class and then student teaching, so it'll be nice that she'll be in and out of town for the next month or so. I think she's getting to the point Katy and I were earlier during senior year; where is my life going, I'm going to be on my own, etc. The thrill of independence but also the scariness of not knowing what's coming next. Anyway, she, Katy, and I are going to try to plan a trip to my number one destination of choice: New York!
Let me back up and tell you more about where Ryan was all week. He was at Glee Club camp! They weren't allowed to have their cell phones, hence the no talking to him for the week. He came back and I had the best night listening to him tell me about camp! He's in a new specialty group, "Boiler Boys" based on "Jersey Boys," the musical about the Four Seasons. And Beth's already heard them (she went to their show at camp) and said they were great! I can't WAIT to hear Ryan sing at the Glee Club's show on Friday!
More reasons I'm having the best week ever: I now have the soundtrack to the musical version of "Legally Blonde" thanks to Beth, and it's very funny! If you're a fan of the movie, you'll love the music. Hopefully I'll get to see this in New York...hmmm! Also, High School Musical 2 came out this weekend. I actually have yet to see the entire thing, but what I've seen is cute and very catchy. What can I say, they've hit the jackpot with this franchise. I know it's a little cheesy, but it's great and it's great for kids to get into singing and dancing, and it's great material for school music departments to get kids involved. And I love it.
And now there's a possibility of my getting hired full time at the TV station! Keep your fingers crossed! I hope it works out. I'll definitely keep you posted.
Lastly, I turned 23. Nothing exciting happened except that I am now officially off my parents' health insurance. But, hey, it's a birthday! And I love birthdays! Caitlin took me to lunch on my birthday, and that was nice. And Ryan said he's going to take me shopping for stuff for my apartment. Yay!!! He knows I love my birthday, and since he had to miss it altogether due to being at camp, he said we'll get to celebrate now that he's back. And he does know how to make a girl feel special. Can't wait!
Well it's time to make some TV magic. And I don't have to go to school tomorrow! How cool is that?
Good night!
I just spent a week without talking to Ryan, which was tough, but I reminded myself that Michelle spends half the year not being able to talk to anyone but the people on her ship. So I was very constructive and worked out every day, worked like a dog, and made some moolah, all the time with that anticipation of talking to and seeing Ryan. Don't you think that you appreciate someone so much more after you've been away from them for a time? It just helps you not take things for granted so much. Then I got to see my two best friends from the start of our freshman year at Purdue together.
I saw Katy at Scotty's; she was there with Sam and his mom and dad, after getting him moved back to Purdue. She just finished her first week teaching sophomores English! She's a real teacher! We both talked about how it's great to have our own places all to ourselves, even though the first couple nights alone are a little scary.
I had lunch with Beth today and we did a lot of catching up. She's got 6 weeks of class and then student teaching, so it'll be nice that she'll be in and out of town for the next month or so. I think she's getting to the point Katy and I were earlier during senior year; where is my life going, I'm going to be on my own, etc. The thrill of independence but also the scariness of not knowing what's coming next. Anyway, she, Katy, and I are going to try to plan a trip to my number one destination of choice: New York!
Let me back up and tell you more about where Ryan was all week. He was at Glee Club camp! They weren't allowed to have their cell phones, hence the no talking to him for the week. He came back and I had the best night listening to him tell me about camp! He's in a new specialty group, "Boiler Boys" based on "Jersey Boys," the musical about the Four Seasons. And Beth's already heard them (she went to their show at camp) and said they were great! I can't WAIT to hear Ryan sing at the Glee Club's show on Friday!
More reasons I'm having the best week ever: I now have the soundtrack to the musical version of "Legally Blonde" thanks to Beth, and it's very funny! If you're a fan of the movie, you'll love the music. Hopefully I'll get to see this in New York...hmmm! Also, High School Musical 2 came out this weekend. I actually have yet to see the entire thing, but what I've seen is cute and very catchy. What can I say, they've hit the jackpot with this franchise. I know it's a little cheesy, but it's great and it's great for kids to get into singing and dancing, and it's great material for school music departments to get kids involved. And I love it.
And now there's a possibility of my getting hired full time at the TV station! Keep your fingers crossed! I hope it works out. I'll definitely keep you posted.
Lastly, I turned 23. Nothing exciting happened except that I am now officially off my parents' health insurance. But, hey, it's a birthday! And I love birthdays! Caitlin took me to lunch on my birthday, and that was nice. And Ryan said he's going to take me shopping for stuff for my apartment. Yay!!! He knows I love my birthday, and since he had to miss it altogether due to being at camp, he said we'll get to celebrate now that he's back. And he does know how to make a girl feel special. Can't wait!
Well it's time to make some TV magic. And I don't have to go to school tomorrow! How cool is that?
Good night!
Saturday, August 11, 2007
And We're Baaaack!
Just back during some downtime at the station to update on a couple things. As you know if you've been reading, I'm addicted to BB8, and it's really starting to get intense. One contestant is Eric, America's Player, which means that he is sort of "controlled" by anyone who wants to vote in the U.S., and they submit votes every week to tell him who to try to put up for eviction nominations, and most importantly, who to vote out of the house. This is hard for Eric, because he came into the house with his own game plan and now has to modify to what America requests from him, and the last two eviction elections, America told him to vote against his alliance, which was very risky. Well, everyone in the house sort of figured out that it was he who was casting the wayward votes, and last week Daniele as HOH had a personal vendetta to get Eric out of the house. He was almost back-doored, but some loyal alliance votes saved him...for this week. Now his best friend in the house, Jessica, is HOH, which would be good for him except that she really questions her ability to trust him after all the talk last week.
Here is where I have to say...America, what are you doing?! I know some people have said they don't like Eric, and I'm sure that some are trying to sabotage him to get him out of the house, but I think that once that happens, all those voters will regret it, because now they will have nothing to do but sit and watch the show, having no input or feeling of control with the show. Furthermore, the whole reason Daniele went on her campaign anyway is because during an endurance competition in the backyard, someone flew over the BB house with a banner saying that Eric was a liar. If it weren't for negative outside influence, Eric would still be playing the game without any backlash like he's getting now. My personal opinion is that Eric is kind of a tool, but I have to admire the way he plays the game, incorporating his assigned tasks with his own style. He's smart, and he deserves to stay in the game because he's playing it smart. Now everyone thinks he voted the way he did because he was trying to set someone up, but the truth is that he was just doing what he had to do as part of the game. I can't wait to see what happens when Dick and Daniele find out Eric's role in this game.
Enough about that! I know it's kind of lame to be into that kind of stuff, but it's fun, and it's all that I get on TV besides crime shows. CBS needs to run more sitcoms, by the way. We've got three different CSIs, Without a Trace, Cold Case, Close to Home, Ghost Whisperer, 48 Hours Mystery, NCIS, and The Unit. Gimme a break, I need something fun to watch!
Current music tastes: I've been listening to Christmas music (already getting excited for the Purdue Christmas Show as usual) and any other recordings of PMO, just because I'm excited to see upcoming shows as the new season begins. I also feel like the Christmas music may help me think chilly thoughts and stay a little cooler during this heat wave! (I feel bad complaining about the heat; Michelle is in the middle east and I know it's hotter there than it is here!)
Movies I'm into at the moment: Anything by the Chris Guest/Eugene Levy troupe (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, This is Spinal Tap). I just watched Spinal Tap for the first time and it was great! So funny to see these guys when they were younger! I'd like to get my own copy of Waiting for Guffman, and I'd also like to find the new one they made last year called "For Your Consideration," but I haven't seen either anywhere. I also decided yesterday that I should own more musicals. All I have is The Wizard of Oz and High School Musical (does that really count?), so last night I went to Target and bought "Hello, Dolly!" and "The Wiz." I love Dolly...I think if I could ever have a dream role, that would be it, that meddling, fast-talking lady! I was actually in The Wiz in high school, and the movie is so much cooler, and Ryan had expressed a desire to see it awhile back, and it was only five bucks, so that's why I got that one.
Final notes: Today at the restaurant it was so busy that nobody got to leave until the night time shift got there, and even then everyone was there for about an hour getting everything caught up. I was finally excused at 5:00 because I was supposed to have been at the station at 4! With freshman orientation around the corner, everyone was in town for the "last supper" and, apparantly, everyone decided to come to our restaurant! At one point this afternoon, I thought, "I hate this restaurant." Let's just say if you want to know how I like my job, ask me tomorrow! I am still in my uniform right now; I didn't go home to change over the dinner break after the first newscast because I wanted to stay to make up the hour I lost while at the restaurant. And look what I'm doing! Clearly, it's a slow night at the TV station.
That's all for me today. Really.
Lis
Here is where I have to say...America, what are you doing?! I know some people have said they don't like Eric, and I'm sure that some are trying to sabotage him to get him out of the house, but I think that once that happens, all those voters will regret it, because now they will have nothing to do but sit and watch the show, having no input or feeling of control with the show. Furthermore, the whole reason Daniele went on her campaign anyway is because during an endurance competition in the backyard, someone flew over the BB house with a banner saying that Eric was a liar. If it weren't for negative outside influence, Eric would still be playing the game without any backlash like he's getting now. My personal opinion is that Eric is kind of a tool, but I have to admire the way he plays the game, incorporating his assigned tasks with his own style. He's smart, and he deserves to stay in the game because he's playing it smart. Now everyone thinks he voted the way he did because he was trying to set someone up, but the truth is that he was just doing what he had to do as part of the game. I can't wait to see what happens when Dick and Daniele find out Eric's role in this game.
Enough about that! I know it's kind of lame to be into that kind of stuff, but it's fun, and it's all that I get on TV besides crime shows. CBS needs to run more sitcoms, by the way. We've got three different CSIs, Without a Trace, Cold Case, Close to Home, Ghost Whisperer, 48 Hours Mystery, NCIS, and The Unit. Gimme a break, I need something fun to watch!
Current music tastes: I've been listening to Christmas music (already getting excited for the Purdue Christmas Show as usual) and any other recordings of PMO, just because I'm excited to see upcoming shows as the new season begins. I also feel like the Christmas music may help me think chilly thoughts and stay a little cooler during this heat wave! (I feel bad complaining about the heat; Michelle is in the middle east and I know it's hotter there than it is here!)
Movies I'm into at the moment: Anything by the Chris Guest/Eugene Levy troupe (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, This is Spinal Tap). I just watched Spinal Tap for the first time and it was great! So funny to see these guys when they were younger! I'd like to get my own copy of Waiting for Guffman, and I'd also like to find the new one they made last year called "For Your Consideration," but I haven't seen either anywhere. I also decided yesterday that I should own more musicals. All I have is The Wizard of Oz and High School Musical (does that really count?), so last night I went to Target and bought "Hello, Dolly!" and "The Wiz." I love Dolly...I think if I could ever have a dream role, that would be it, that meddling, fast-talking lady! I was actually in The Wiz in high school, and the movie is so much cooler, and Ryan had expressed a desire to see it awhile back, and it was only five bucks, so that's why I got that one.
Final notes: Today at the restaurant it was so busy that nobody got to leave until the night time shift got there, and even then everyone was there for about an hour getting everything caught up. I was finally excused at 5:00 because I was supposed to have been at the station at 4! With freshman orientation around the corner, everyone was in town for the "last supper" and, apparantly, everyone decided to come to our restaurant! At one point this afternoon, I thought, "I hate this restaurant." Let's just say if you want to know how I like my job, ask me tomorrow! I am still in my uniform right now; I didn't go home to change over the dinner break after the first newscast because I wanted to stay to make up the hour I lost while at the restaurant. And look what I'm doing! Clearly, it's a slow night at the TV station.
That's all for me today. Really.
Lis
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Moving
Wow, lots and lots of things going on since I've written. Mostly that I've moved to my first new place all to myself! I can't tell you how exciting and even a little scary it is. It's so much fun to have my own place to do whatever I want, but I also worry sometimes about where all the money is going to come from. I mean, I really looked into things to make sure I could afford them, but sometimes it's hard not to buy something I want for my apartment or for myself because I need to save that money for something more important. Just part of growing up!
Mom, Dad, and Marla are at the lake as of tonight, and this is the first year of my life that I won't be there with them. It's kind of weird, but I realized a year ago that this could very well be the case, so I was mentally and emotionally prepared for it. Right now I just literally can't afford taking a week off of work. Just another part of growing up!
It's weird that people are getting ready to come back to school and I'm not. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing, and I love that! It's so exciting to not worry about homework, rehearsal or show call times, or classes. I'm so excited about visiting the Purduettes and going to some of their shows. It's just so great to be on a different schedule, one that I have a little more control over. I really miss the girls in Purduettes, though, and I will miss singing every day and having my voice in great shape. But I've gotten so much out of PMO, and I'm ready to be a part of PMO alumni.
Marla bought me a fish for my birthday, and I put it in a bowl, and about 24 hours later, it died. Pretty sad to flush a fish down the toilet when you haven't even had him long enough to think of a name for him. On the other hand, we weren't very attached to each other, so it wasn't as sad as it could've been. I'm going to get a new one, and this time get a tank that has a filter or pump or whatever, because I think the fish will have a better chance of living that way. I know this all might sound lame, but having someone to come home to, even if it's just a fish who doesn't remember what happened 60 seconds ago, is a comfort, and gives me something to look forward to at the end of the day.
I haven't had much time to be lonely though, because I'm usually working, and when I am home I'm working on putting the apartment together. It's already starting to look like my own cute little place. My bathroom is all finished, except for hanging pictures on the wall. It's so cute; it's blue and tangerine, and everything matches, from the shower curtain to the faux flowers and vase to the candle to the organizing rack. I always just kind of got everything in different colors and never had things matching up, like an entire room, but that's what I'm trying to do with my place now and it's working out really well. I just finished getting my bedroom organized, and it was pretty easy to match all that with a color scheme I like: pink, black, and white. I got a new pink comforter which is so perfect and cushy, and everything else I own that goes in my bedroom matches the color palette, so all I had to do was get it all organized. All I need to do there is hang up pictures and posters on the walls and maybe add a few more accessories. (And a full-length mirror! I haven't seen my whole body in a few days! That's weird!) Really the things that still do and will take the most time and work are the kitchen and the living room.
Before I go, some media highlights for anyone interested. Did I already tell you to go see "Hairspray?" If I have, I'll tell you again. The cast is amazing; not only is it stacked with stars who all play their parts to perfection, but the newcomer lead, Nikky Blonski, is such an amazing performer. She is adorable, and from the moment you see her as a lump under her bedcovers moving to the beat in her head, you are rooting for her. The soundtrack also stands alone as a great album. Right now I am catching up on Big Brother 8. Mindless entertainment? Yeah. Fun to watch? Uh...yeah!!! I am totally rooting for Dick and Daniele, estranged father and daughter stuck in the house together. I like both of them for some reason and I really hope they get their relationship to a true father-daughter relationship, and it looks like they're on the right track. I also have to say that Julie Chen has the biggest hair on television.
OK, time for me to go find a fishy tank and a fishy! Maybe I'll post pictures when I get my apartment finished. More later!
Mom, Dad, and Marla are at the lake as of tonight, and this is the first year of my life that I won't be there with them. It's kind of weird, but I realized a year ago that this could very well be the case, so I was mentally and emotionally prepared for it. Right now I just literally can't afford taking a week off of work. Just another part of growing up!
It's weird that people are getting ready to come back to school and I'm not. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing, and I love that! It's so exciting to not worry about homework, rehearsal or show call times, or classes. I'm so excited about visiting the Purduettes and going to some of their shows. It's just so great to be on a different schedule, one that I have a little more control over. I really miss the girls in Purduettes, though, and I will miss singing every day and having my voice in great shape. But I've gotten so much out of PMO, and I'm ready to be a part of PMO alumni.
Marla bought me a fish for my birthday, and I put it in a bowl, and about 24 hours later, it died. Pretty sad to flush a fish down the toilet when you haven't even had him long enough to think of a name for him. On the other hand, we weren't very attached to each other, so it wasn't as sad as it could've been. I'm going to get a new one, and this time get a tank that has a filter or pump or whatever, because I think the fish will have a better chance of living that way. I know this all might sound lame, but having someone to come home to, even if it's just a fish who doesn't remember what happened 60 seconds ago, is a comfort, and gives me something to look forward to at the end of the day.
I haven't had much time to be lonely though, because I'm usually working, and when I am home I'm working on putting the apartment together. It's already starting to look like my own cute little place. My bathroom is all finished, except for hanging pictures on the wall. It's so cute; it's blue and tangerine, and everything matches, from the shower curtain to the faux flowers and vase to the candle to the organizing rack. I always just kind of got everything in different colors and never had things matching up, like an entire room, but that's what I'm trying to do with my place now and it's working out really well. I just finished getting my bedroom organized, and it was pretty easy to match all that with a color scheme I like: pink, black, and white. I got a new pink comforter which is so perfect and cushy, and everything else I own that goes in my bedroom matches the color palette, so all I had to do was get it all organized. All I need to do there is hang up pictures and posters on the walls and maybe add a few more accessories. (And a full-length mirror! I haven't seen my whole body in a few days! That's weird!) Really the things that still do and will take the most time and work are the kitchen and the living room.
Before I go, some media highlights for anyone interested. Did I already tell you to go see "Hairspray?" If I have, I'll tell you again. The cast is amazing; not only is it stacked with stars who all play their parts to perfection, but the newcomer lead, Nikky Blonski, is such an amazing performer. She is adorable, and from the moment you see her as a lump under her bedcovers moving to the beat in her head, you are rooting for her. The soundtrack also stands alone as a great album. Right now I am catching up on Big Brother 8. Mindless entertainment? Yeah. Fun to watch? Uh...yeah!!! I am totally rooting for Dick and Daniele, estranged father and daughter stuck in the house together. I like both of them for some reason and I really hope they get their relationship to a true father-daughter relationship, and it looks like they're on the right track. I also have to say that Julie Chen has the biggest hair on television.
OK, time for me to go find a fishy tank and a fishy! Maybe I'll post pictures when I get my apartment finished. More later!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Apartments, the F-Word, and the Black Cauldron
My mom came into town Friday to help me do my last bit of apartment hunting. I had narrowed it down to three places, and it was really helpful to have her second opinion as I made a final choice. I decided on an apartment complex just a few minutes from downtown and the campus area, which is great for both of my jobs. I'm so excited to move in, which is good because I start moving in less than two weeks! It's crazy how fast it's all happening; after almost 2 months of searching for a place to live, I called, toured, and signed an apartment in a matter of less than 24 hours. And here's the best part: signing for this apartment is the first thing I've really done on my own. No co-signers, like I've had for my car and my bank accounts and everything else in my life so far. It makes me a little nervous, but also excited and proud of myself. I just know that I'm going to have to watch my finances, which sounds really un-fun but that's just part of growing up. Mom and Dad said they're proud of me for being able to do this, which really makes me feel good too.
Listen to all the cool stuff about this apartment! It's got one bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a decently sized bathroom (definitely bigger than the one I have now!). The complex has laundry (which costs about 2 bucks a load...I'm gonna miss the noisy washer and dryer at my place!), an outdoor pool, an indoor hot tub (eeee!!!), a little workout center (with ellipticals!), a one-mile wooded walking trail, and places to picnic and grill out. I'm so pumped about the outdoor space as well as the indoor workout room, a huge incentive for me to get in shape! I'm so excited to decorate; Ryan has a great eye for this sort of thing, so he's going to help me out, and I know that's gonna be a lot of fun. There's also a great security system in the building, so I'll definitely feel safe. Now I have to start getting organized and packed, while figuring out how to transition out of where I live now, and to be honest, I'm actually sad about moving out of the Loft. It's been my home for the last two years, and it's kinda weird to be moving out. It's funny; I didn't expect to feel any emotion but excitement about moving, but I guess when any place becomes home to you, you're bound to feel a little sad moving out. It's definitely metaphorical; I'll be turning my old home over to girls I know from college, which is nice. I'll still have that connection, but I'm moving on to a new home for a new chapter in my life (pardon the cliche).
On to a totally different and completely un-sentimental subject, I've noticed while working as a waitress that people in the restaurant business seem to use the F-word a lot. I don't really understand why, but I remember Ryan making this observation last summer when he was waiting tables as well. Other common trends among people who work in restaurants are making sex-related comments or jokes, and going out to get drunk about every night. And I'm not just talking about the servers; it's also the bartenders, kitchen crew, and managers, and even corporate-level people. It's like a bunch of people who never quit living the typical college life. And here's the thing--a lot of these people are, in fact, college students, but what sort of surprised me is the people in their late 20s and 30s who act this way. It's kind of bizarre. It's a stressful job, so maybe people who have this job like to relieve stress by going out and getting wasted so they have something to talk about the next day during lunch shift, and maybe another way to relieve stress when they are at work and can't drink is to use the F-word? I dunno. Maybe it just started out that way and an atmosphere of that developed and now we've just gotten into the habit of that being the norm. All I can say is, it's almost like people will and do find every way possible to use the f-word. I actually heard someone say last night that we had a "f***load of laundry" in the basement. What does that even mean?
Entertainment recommendations of the night:
Ryan and I went to see "Transformers." It is awesome, even if you're like me and didn't watch the cartoons growing up. I totally fell in love with Bumblebee, and I wish my car turned into a robot-alien who protected me and played a soundtrack to my life on his radio. Next, I am totally addicted to the CBS summer reality series "Pirate Master." I am soooo rooting against the Triad and hoping Louie and the girls will rally and knock those guys on their butts. Although, I have to say, they are definitly playing a smart game. I'm pulling for mutiny, but it would have to take a lot to break up the officers and the captain. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to CBS.com and watch all the Pirate episodes online. You will get hooked. No pun intended. Well, maybe a little bit intended. Musically I haven't gotten into anything new lately, but I am wondering what happened to my John Mayer CD because apparantly I never ripped it onto my computer, and now I don't have his albums anywhere. I do need to go find myself a copy of the soundtrack to "Legally Blonde the Musical" because I think that comes out in the next few days, and I'll let you know what I think about it!
One final note on movies: I borrowed Disney's animated film "The Black Cauldron" from the library this week because I don't recall ever watching it as a kid. It's one of those obscure ones from (I think) the 80s, when the Disney company was considering shutting down the animation department altogether, and they didn't have much of a budget. You can tell the animation is a lot less finished than the typical Disney animated movie, and it's uncharacteristically dark for a film of this brand. I have read that Tim Burton was at that time working as an animator at Disney and assisted on this film, but I didn't see his name in the credits, although I can see how they'd assign him to that project. It's not long, only 80 minutes, so if you're curious like me, you can watch it and not feel like you wasted your life or anything. I also borrowed Disney's animated version of "Peter Pan" and it's got some pretty neat choral sections in the score that I think would be really neat for Glee Club and Purduettes together; it has a very Fred Waring sound to it, true to the time period when that film was done. Also, that Tinkerbell is really funny, and like most Disney movies, there is humor there that I didn't pick up on as a kid. Tink has that luxury of being the only girl among the "guys" (Lost Boys) and holding special regard with Peter, so when Wendy shows up and unseats Tink, the portrayal of her jealousy is so classic and funny, because all of us girls know how much we hate to see our "guys" give their attention to another girl! If you haven't watched this in awhile, give it another look.
Ok, that's it for me. Much more to come!
Listen to all the cool stuff about this apartment! It's got one bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a decently sized bathroom (definitely bigger than the one I have now!). The complex has laundry (which costs about 2 bucks a load...I'm gonna miss the noisy washer and dryer at my place!), an outdoor pool, an indoor hot tub (eeee!!!), a little workout center (with ellipticals!), a one-mile wooded walking trail, and places to picnic and grill out. I'm so pumped about the outdoor space as well as the indoor workout room, a huge incentive for me to get in shape! I'm so excited to decorate; Ryan has a great eye for this sort of thing, so he's going to help me out, and I know that's gonna be a lot of fun. There's also a great security system in the building, so I'll definitely feel safe. Now I have to start getting organized and packed, while figuring out how to transition out of where I live now, and to be honest, I'm actually sad about moving out of the Loft. It's been my home for the last two years, and it's kinda weird to be moving out. It's funny; I didn't expect to feel any emotion but excitement about moving, but I guess when any place becomes home to you, you're bound to feel a little sad moving out. It's definitely metaphorical; I'll be turning my old home over to girls I know from college, which is nice. I'll still have that connection, but I'm moving on to a new home for a new chapter in my life (pardon the cliche).
On to a totally different and completely un-sentimental subject, I've noticed while working as a waitress that people in the restaurant business seem to use the F-word a lot. I don't really understand why, but I remember Ryan making this observation last summer when he was waiting tables as well. Other common trends among people who work in restaurants are making sex-related comments or jokes, and going out to get drunk about every night. And I'm not just talking about the servers; it's also the bartenders, kitchen crew, and managers, and even corporate-level people. It's like a bunch of people who never quit living the typical college life. And here's the thing--a lot of these people are, in fact, college students, but what sort of surprised me is the people in their late 20s and 30s who act this way. It's kind of bizarre. It's a stressful job, so maybe people who have this job like to relieve stress by going out and getting wasted so they have something to talk about the next day during lunch shift, and maybe another way to relieve stress when they are at work and can't drink is to use the F-word? I dunno. Maybe it just started out that way and an atmosphere of that developed and now we've just gotten into the habit of that being the norm. All I can say is, it's almost like people will and do find every way possible to use the f-word. I actually heard someone say last night that we had a "f***load of laundry" in the basement. What does that even mean?
Entertainment recommendations of the night:
Ryan and I went to see "Transformers." It is awesome, even if you're like me and didn't watch the cartoons growing up. I totally fell in love with Bumblebee, and I wish my car turned into a robot-alien who protected me and played a soundtrack to my life on his radio. Next, I am totally addicted to the CBS summer reality series "Pirate Master." I am soooo rooting against the Triad and hoping Louie and the girls will rally and knock those guys on their butts. Although, I have to say, they are definitly playing a smart game. I'm pulling for mutiny, but it would have to take a lot to break up the officers and the captain. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to CBS.com and watch all the Pirate episodes online. You will get hooked. No pun intended. Well, maybe a little bit intended. Musically I haven't gotten into anything new lately, but I am wondering what happened to my John Mayer CD because apparantly I never ripped it onto my computer, and now I don't have his albums anywhere. I do need to go find myself a copy of the soundtrack to "Legally Blonde the Musical" because I think that comes out in the next few days, and I'll let you know what I think about it!
One final note on movies: I borrowed Disney's animated film "The Black Cauldron" from the library this week because I don't recall ever watching it as a kid. It's one of those obscure ones from (I think) the 80s, when the Disney company was considering shutting down the animation department altogether, and they didn't have much of a budget. You can tell the animation is a lot less finished than the typical Disney animated movie, and it's uncharacteristically dark for a film of this brand. I have read that Tim Burton was at that time working as an animator at Disney and assisted on this film, but I didn't see his name in the credits, although I can see how they'd assign him to that project. It's not long, only 80 minutes, so if you're curious like me, you can watch it and not feel like you wasted your life or anything. I also borrowed Disney's animated version of "Peter Pan" and it's got some pretty neat choral sections in the score that I think would be really neat for Glee Club and Purduettes together; it has a very Fred Waring sound to it, true to the time period when that film was done. Also, that Tinkerbell is really funny, and like most Disney movies, there is humor there that I didn't pick up on as a kid. Tink has that luxury of being the only girl among the "guys" (Lost Boys) and holding special regard with Peter, so when Wendy shows up and unseats Tink, the portrayal of her jealousy is so classic and funny, because all of us girls know how much we hate to see our "guys" give their attention to another girl! If you haven't watched this in awhile, give it another look.
Ok, that's it for me. Much more to come!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Apartments, Parrots, and Microwave Helper
I've been looking for apartments lately, which is fun but also kind of depressing; I'm realizing how little money I will have once I truly start living on my own. I have to admit, though, the thought of organizing, decorating, and accessorizing my own place continues to override the stress of how much it's going to cost me. And maybe that's a good thing...I think so many of these "grown-up" steps are so scary that we don't enjoy the adventures in them. So maybe it's good that I choose to think more about how cute it's going to look than how sad it will be that I'll barely be able to afford something the size of my bedroom at home. Anyway, I think I've got a couple winners...one sounds too good to be true, so I need to make sure to get out there in the next couple of days and see if it's really as good as it sounds, and if so, I need to snag one!
I went home to my mom and dad's for the afternoon yesterday, which was really relaxing. My car got its first bath and wax, and I don't mind saying it looks GREAT! My parents' next-door neighbor has four pet birds of the exotic variety, and she takes them outside in these huge cages on wheels so they can be outside while she works in the yard. Mom and I went over so I could be introduced to them all, and it was quite a show!
The first one was what seemed to be a sort of cross-bred parrot, and it had just recently come off of the endangered species list and was becoming more common in the pet market.
"She'd bite your finger off as soon as look at ya," said our neighbor, "but hopefully she'll come around in time."
The next one was a gray parrot with a bright red tail, and she was the one who talked the most out of the bunch. Some of the things she said to us were, "What?" "How 'bout that?" and my favorite, "Pretty cool." While she was handling the gray parrot, our neighbor explained that the best way to train a parrot was to give them attention when they did something. She explained that many people use treats as incentive, but all the birds really wanted was our attention and praise.
This became more evident once we moved on to a huge, gorgeous gold and blue macaw who, when our neighbor said, "Show 'em your wings," proudly spread out her wingspan to show us her glorious deep blue feathers. She looked just like a kid saying, "Tada!" Our neighbor asked her to wave, and she flapped her wings.
"What?" said the gray bird, in a tone like, "Oh yeah, so impressive. Whatever."
"Here's my mess," said our neighbor, showing us the last bird, who was in a cage that sat on top of the gray parrot's cage. The little bird had a beautiful bright red head, but her neck was in a clear tube-like veterinary collar, and connected to the bottom edge of the collar was a red felt circle, like a little cape. Under the felt was a bare, pink little belly. Our neighbor told us that this parrot had been handed off to her by someone else who had said, "Take her! She's free." The little parrot was a mutilator, our neighbor explained; she picked at her own feathers until she plucked herself bare. The felt cape kept her from reaching most of her feathers, so her tail and wings were finally growing back in with bright scarlet, deep blue, and even flecks of emerald green.
"I took off the collar for a little bit yesterday, but she ended up doing this," said our neighbor as she lifted one of the little bird's wings. Underneath, it looked like little chicken bones. "The thing is," said our neighbor, "if she would just stop picking herself apart, she'd be the prettiest one of the bunch."
Being the kind of person who sees metaphors in everything, I immediately imagined these four birds as so many girls I've known growing up. There are the ones who feel endangered, and won't let anyone get close without getting their fingers bit off. There are the talkers, who get tired of letting others have the spotlight. There are the gorgeous, larger-than-life ones who make others jealous just by being themselves, the way they were created. And there are the ones who mutilate themselves, or pick themselves apart, when if they just let their feathers grow in, would be the most beautiful of the bunch. And all of us just want some attention and praise for the things we do.
On a completely different note, here is a consumer review for all you single dwellers out there...I love Hamburger Helper and I saw that they now have Microwave Helper, which is a single serving of their normal dishes. The box said meat is included. I wondered how this could be, so I got a box. It was good, but just so you know, the "meat" is very sparse and looks kind of like little hamster terds. It doesn't TASTE like that, it just looks like it. The microwave dishes are good, just don't expect to get a meaty meal out of it.
That's all I've got! I've been super busy working (I'm a real live waitress now!) and just had the craziest week, so I've got some catching up to do. More to come!
I went home to my mom and dad's for the afternoon yesterday, which was really relaxing. My car got its first bath and wax, and I don't mind saying it looks GREAT! My parents' next-door neighbor has four pet birds of the exotic variety, and she takes them outside in these huge cages on wheels so they can be outside while she works in the yard. Mom and I went over so I could be introduced to them all, and it was quite a show!
The first one was what seemed to be a sort of cross-bred parrot, and it had just recently come off of the endangered species list and was becoming more common in the pet market.
"She'd bite your finger off as soon as look at ya," said our neighbor, "but hopefully she'll come around in time."
The next one was a gray parrot with a bright red tail, and she was the one who talked the most out of the bunch. Some of the things she said to us were, "What?" "How 'bout that?" and my favorite, "Pretty cool." While she was handling the gray parrot, our neighbor explained that the best way to train a parrot was to give them attention when they did something. She explained that many people use treats as incentive, but all the birds really wanted was our attention and praise.
This became more evident once we moved on to a huge, gorgeous gold and blue macaw who, when our neighbor said, "Show 'em your wings," proudly spread out her wingspan to show us her glorious deep blue feathers. She looked just like a kid saying, "Tada!" Our neighbor asked her to wave, and she flapped her wings.
"What?" said the gray bird, in a tone like, "Oh yeah, so impressive. Whatever."
"Here's my mess," said our neighbor, showing us the last bird, who was in a cage that sat on top of the gray parrot's cage. The little bird had a beautiful bright red head, but her neck was in a clear tube-like veterinary collar, and connected to the bottom edge of the collar was a red felt circle, like a little cape. Under the felt was a bare, pink little belly. Our neighbor told us that this parrot had been handed off to her by someone else who had said, "Take her! She's free." The little parrot was a mutilator, our neighbor explained; she picked at her own feathers until she plucked herself bare. The felt cape kept her from reaching most of her feathers, so her tail and wings were finally growing back in with bright scarlet, deep blue, and even flecks of emerald green.
"I took off the collar for a little bit yesterday, but she ended up doing this," said our neighbor as she lifted one of the little bird's wings. Underneath, it looked like little chicken bones. "The thing is," said our neighbor, "if she would just stop picking herself apart, she'd be the prettiest one of the bunch."
Being the kind of person who sees metaphors in everything, I immediately imagined these four birds as so many girls I've known growing up. There are the ones who feel endangered, and won't let anyone get close without getting their fingers bit off. There are the talkers, who get tired of letting others have the spotlight. There are the gorgeous, larger-than-life ones who make others jealous just by being themselves, the way they were created. And there are the ones who mutilate themselves, or pick themselves apart, when if they just let their feathers grow in, would be the most beautiful of the bunch. And all of us just want some attention and praise for the things we do.
On a completely different note, here is a consumer review for all you single dwellers out there...I love Hamburger Helper and I saw that they now have Microwave Helper, which is a single serving of their normal dishes. The box said meat is included. I wondered how this could be, so I got a box. It was good, but just so you know, the "meat" is very sparse and looks kind of like little hamster terds. It doesn't TASTE like that, it just looks like it. The microwave dishes are good, just don't expect to get a meaty meal out of it.
That's all I've got! I've been super busy working (I'm a real live waitress now!) and just had the craziest week, so I've got some catching up to do. More to come!
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