Fun Site O' The Day

I would like to apologize to my two bridesmaids. I'm so sorry I made you wear those less-than-attractive dresses at my wedding. But let me assure you, others have had it worse.

Thank you 1A families!

I think we got at least one thing each day this week. As far as I know, we all got the same things. The G's gave us each a scarf (see previous post), the C's a candle (cranberry, yummy!), the H's a lotion and body spray set (smells good!), the M's a cute little bunny with some perfume, the R's a gift card for Panera, the F's some homemade cookies (so good!), and the L's (their daughter moved up this month) a Borders gift card. Thank you all! We also got a goodie bag (candies and a 2-month pocket calendar) from the guy who owns our building and a Schnuck's gift card, which Mira and I used last night. I guess I have some thank you cards to write! ^_^

I feel so special!

One of my babies gave me a Christmas present today! Well, it was probably more like her mom, but her name was on the card. ^_^ She gave me a new scarf! It's very pretty, orange and red mixed in, and so soft. I can't wait to wear it. ^_^ Thank you G___ family!

They have a name for that...

I am a movie stalker. When I hear about a movie that piques my interest or is based on something I'm familiar with, I scour IMDb and raid Dark Horizons for whatever info I can find on it. I may even Google it or find another way to satisfy my thirst for knowledge. I did this with The Pantom of the Opera, Hitchhkier's Guide to the Galaxy, Corpse Bride, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many others. I check the movie news and watch trailers at Dark Horizons and search on IMDb to find trivia, goofs, quotes, release dates, whatever I can find. I especially love to follow casting. I was agog when I heard Alan Rickman would provide the vocals to Marvin in Hitchhiker and Liam Neeson for Aslan in Narnia.
I hope there's no cure for this. It might annoy people, but it's so much fun! ^_^

Pay no attention...

...to that previous post. I just found all my documents and pictures! They weren't there when I clicked on the "My Documents" icon on my desktop, but I found them when I searched my hard drive! I'm so ecstatic! *raising my hands to the heavens* Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Ack!

My computer decided to turn against me, so I had to have Windows re-installed, and as a result, I lost a lot of stuff. So it's back to the drawing board... This sucks!

New Arrival

Well, Lar delivered a beautiful, healthy baby girl this morning (2:11 am, 8 lb 6 oz). I was at the hospital with her and the grandparents, plus JR’s friends Drac and Chuck. We're all so happy for her.

Here's my sister, with her second baby, the second grandchild, the second girl, and she's just beautiful. Her husband's there, holding his new daughter in his arms. “Hello, baby girl” he coos. He probably even told her, “I’m your daddy” when he first held her. Lar looks tired; I guess she would be after about twelve hours of labor. But at the same time, she marvels at the little person she’s housed for nine long months, the one she and JR created together. Bef is quiet, but lets out a fuss to let us know she’s there, even though she’s the center of attention. She looks like our side of the family; I imagine her hair is dark like her mommy’s.

Everyone gets a chance to hold the new arrival. The grandparents get first dibs. Even Drac and Chuck get a chance. Drac is nervous, but Chuck holds her like a pro; having two kids of his own, he’s had the practice. Then it’s my turn. Being about the same size as her mommy gives me an advantage; she fits into my arms almost perfectly. She gives a slight cry, and she’s handed off to JR so she can snuggle right next to her mother. We decide to leave the little family by themselves. Sandy will bring Book by later that day to meet her new baby sister. I wonder if she, like her aunt with her mother, will look at her new sister and exclaim, “Baby!”

Regrets

(Warning! To your right, you will read my ramblings about the “what if’s”. To your left, you will read my ramblings about the “what might have been’s”. Do not read if you don’t care about other people’s regrets. You have been forewarned. Thank you and have a nice day.)

You ever have the feeling that you might be good at something if you just knew what you were doing?

In search of something to do, hubby and I watched the dance scenes from the movie Center Stage (it’s about ballet). I love to watch dancing, especially ballet. It’s more than just moving gracefully; you also have to be strong and have endurance, among other things (as I’m sure Athene could attest to). It’s amazing what some people can do with their bodies.

My sister and I never had any lessons as kids (neither did our brothers). We never took dance lessons, swimming lessons, singing lessons, karate lessons, or anything like that. I would have loved to take a dance class when I was younger. Lar says she wants her girls to take dance lessons. Mira and I know we want our kids to learn how to do things like dance, art, music, sports, etc. Even if they don’t totally get into it, we’d like for them to have a basic knowledge of how to do things like that.

I’m not very coordinated. Just watch the video of my senior year production of Fame. I can’t tell you how often I was at least a half second behind everybody else, and it wasn’t just nerves. [So why did I try out (and become an extra)? Because I did the musical the previous year (Groovy), and it was really fun, plus the dancing was easy (what do you expect for a dinky junior high-type musical?). Turns out Fame was not just a step higher, it was a complete leap higher (a grand jeté, if you will), and that included the dancing.] What they were thinking when they cast me, I don’t know.

Maybe in another life (if I had one), I was a dancer, and I wasn’t supposed to bring that talent with me into this one. Who knows? All I know is that I suck at it. I’d like to take a dance class some semester. Maybe I’ll take a ballet class to see what I think. After all, one of the best ways to know, is to try.

Rawr, baby!

I had a blast last night! I went with my mom, Lar, Rosie, Von's mom, Lar's MIL and two SIL's to see Celtic Tiger. What a show! We went to dinner at a Mexican place near Lar's house called Chimichanga's, which was really good. All but Lar and her MIL and one SIL got to the show about ten minutes late because they went the wrong way, but the rest of us sat down just as the show began.

I was very impressed. It was pretty loud and there were a few flashy moments (strobe lights, etc.), but it was thoroughly enjoyed. During intermission, I went with Lar's married SIL to buy the soundtrack, and when we got back, everybody was moving eight rows down because nobody was there during the first part of the show, so we got a better view of the stage.

My favorite number was "Capone", the one where the ensemble is dressed in pin-stripped suits. And the guys in the audience were drooling during the "Fredom" number, because the woman did a striptease and went from an Irish-styled flight uniform to an American flag-print bikini. And there was one number where the Redcoats were burning down a cottage and some of the cast members dressed as Irish peasants were running out, coughing, falling, etc. While this was going on, the screen on stage that was used as a background had some ghostly faces rising from the smoky flames behind the home. I had chills the whole time and almost cried when they showed the face of a crying baby rising from the flames.

I listened to the soundtrack with Mira when I got home. The soundtrack lacks the costume change numbers and omits the "Yankee Doodle Dandy" number, but it's still good. All in all, I had a fun time and I loved what I saw. If I see it on DVD, I may get it. Or just borrow it from my mom when she gets it, because I know she will.

The world mourns the passing of...

Rosa Parks. The civil rights activist died today at the age of 92. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this difficult time.

Rambling on about nothing in particular...

I was snooping around online to see if I could find a picture of one of my favorite shirts. It's got that little cat that Pepe Le Pew's always chasing after, with a caption that says, "Paws off". I didn't know she had a name until I found one site with a design that was close, but not exactly the same. Her name is Pussyfoot. I had no clue.

I've been looking for ideas on what to add to my Halloween costume. I was hoping that I could find any information about the dress I bought at the Renfaire, but the closest I could find was a 16th century dress that had the same basic idea to it that mine did. The difference is the pattern (celestial v. fleur de lis), the neckline (V-necked v. square), and the back if my dress does not tie like this one does. I have a blue "peasant" blouse I can wear, and I guess I can borrow the bodice/corset thing that came with my mom's tavern wench costume she wore last year. I'll probably just put my hair in a braid, and wear sandals or something. This costume is going to be just like the ones I've worn in the past: mediocre. Oh well. Maybe at next year's Renfaire I'll get some more garb and do this again next year...

Speaking of new babies...

What a day today was at work! We started four new babies and another new one starts tomorrow (three girls and two boys). We have two girls that were gonna move up next week (Sunshine and Iris), but it looks like they'll be moving up this week instead, and we'll still be one baby over. How they'll work that is beyond me, so we'll just have to wait and see.

New babies!

Mira picked me up from work yesterday, and we went to Petsmart to look at hammies. At first we saw a couple cute hammies; one even looked like Popcorn. But after a while,we started wondering whether or not we should get gerbils. The pros of hamsters and gerbils were tied, but one thing made me wonder. When we'd let Popcorn run around, he was kinda quick, but we could always catch him before we got too far. I noticed that the gerbils were very quick, and wondered if it would be harder to catch them if they were let out. So we got two hammies.

The first one we knew we wanted was a little gray one, and we decided to name him Soot. The other one is white, and we had a hard time trying to come up with a name for him, and we wanted to give him a name based on his personality. Well, he's very energetic, but a bit clumsy, so we named him Pinky. ^_^ We picked them from the same cage at the store, thinking they'd get along. They did okay last night, but we noticed that they did get into tiffs, but it didn't look serious, so we figured maybe they were playing.

Fast forward to this afternoon. I'm on the computer, checking the sites on my favorites list and waiting for Mira to get up (we were up pretty late), when I hear this squeaking coming from the tank. They were fighting again! I'd seperate them, and they'd be okay for a while, but then one would bump into the other and they'd start up again! I eventually gave them each a pellet, and they've been preocupied ever since. I'm wondering if we'll have to seperate them somehow. I'll have to talk it over with hubby.

Anyway, here they are. We'll wait and see how this pans out.

Rest in peace, litle guy

I felt Mira get up earlier than usual this morning.

"Well, I'm awake" he said, and went into the other room. I was hoping to get back to sleep, but then he came back in.

"T, I think Popcorn is dead. He's lying on his side and not moving."

For the longest time, I've held my breath when I've gone to see him, just in case. I wasn't sure how I was going to react, since he'd always been alive when I'd seen him. There was no mistaking that he had passed on when Mira brought him into the bedroom in his tube so I could see him.

I must have held him for a half hour or so, stroking his soft fur and talking to him, telling him how much I loved him, and reliving some of the moments I remember with him. Like when we took him outside this summer and let him run around.

We buried him in our yard in his cardboard tube, not far from the sliding glass door so I can look out and see his grave if I want. We may or may not get another hamster. I have a big bag of bedding, a wheel, a waterbottle, and a bag of seeds and a bag of pellets. I used to say that when he died, if I had a lot of stuff left (which I do), then we'd go ahead and get another one; but if I had a little bit left, I'd give it to Jess or somebody else with hammies. But now I'm not so sure. I think I want to wait a while to get another, but I don't want to wait too long so the food doesn't go bad. I guess we'd better decide soon.

Goodbye little guy. The year and almost three months we had together were fun (9 July 2004 - 3 October 2005). I'm gonna miss you.

Daddy, it's spooky!

Said one of the little girls down the hall at work as she saw the bulletin board with Halloween decorations on it.
Happy Scary Season!

There's an eye... in me soup

That being said, go see Corpse Bride. ^_^ Terrific movie!

When will there be a cell phone plan where you only pay for what you use? It'd be nice if there were a plan where all calls made (not received) are, let's say, 5¢ a minute, and however long you talk each month, you only pay that much at, let's say, the end of the month.
For instance, I've talked for almost 14 hours in the 11 months that I've owned it. That's almost 840 minutes, which would add up to almost $42. If I talk for 15 hours the whole year I have it, I'd end up paying $45 the whole year, about $3.75 a month. Who wouldn't want that?
If anybody knows of a company that has a rate like that, be sure and let me know! That'd be awesome.

I'm good for something!

I've finally figured out something I'm good for. You want useless trivia? I might be able to help you out. This coming from the woman who reads trivia about movies everytime she sees a new one. I love IMDb! ^_^ That being said, it's mainly movie trivia, but every once in a while I pull out something else.

Useless trivia for the day (from IMDb.com): "When Ben Wright got the part of Grimsby, Prince Eric's butler [from The Little Mermaid], the current Disney folks had no idea that he had been the voice of Roger in One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961). He had to tell them."

Spirit of the Thunderbird

I had a good weekend. I stayed at my mom & dad's on Friday and went with dad to the Spirit of the Thunderbird powwow at Cahokia Mounds on Saturday. Mom had to work, the boys had an Army group thing (they spend a weekend a month experiencing Army life or something to that effect), and Lar had to work, so it was just the two of us. JR and Drac were going to go with us, but got there soon after we left.

I hadn't been to a powwow in a few years, so it was good to go again. I could probably fit all my Native American blood into my pinky finger, but I liked being able to connect, in a way, to that part of my heritage. They had all sorts of neat art, music, drums and flutes (very tempting!), shirts and other clothing, and a myriad of other objects. I found a t-shirt with the founding fathers on it, and one woman had the design on a totebag, but I didn't see it being sold anywhere, and I didn't ask her where she got it. Oh well. Two t-shirts had us laughing. One was similar to this. We also got a kick out of this one.

I also got to meet Bradford Smith, which was really cool. Dad bought me his third cd Dream Your Dream a few years ago, which I really like. He had a sound system set up with all his cd's, and I got his new cd Spirit of the Wind after he played me a sample of the third track. I've already listened to it a couple times since, and I love it. Forever is my favorite song. ^_^ (Thanks for making great music, Mr. Smith!)

All in all, it was fun. It was really hot and my allergies were killing me, despite the allergy pill I took before we left. Dad wore a t-shirt that he made the night before. He had the name of our tribe (Kaskaskia) on the front, with "Illinwek" underneath, and the meaning underneath that. On the back was a picture of the Piasa bird with the word "Piasa" underneath. So if you saw a guy wearing that shirt, then you probably also saw the cute girl in the red shirt with him. ^_^ If you did, nice to see you there!

Halloween Season Begins 16 September !

Yep folks, the scary season gets a proper kick-off when the haunted houses open that night. Until then, you can get a head start on your costume and decorations at Johnnie Brocks Dungeon (the Hampton location is always ready) and the Spirit Halloween store (when it opens up).

"A person must always chose a costume which is in direct contrast to her own personality".
~Lucy Van Pelt, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Updatedness!

According to The Movie Insider, there is a remake of Mad Monster Party in the works, but they have about as much info as IMDb did, so we'll still have to wait. As long as they don't screw it up, then I'll be interested in seeing it.

I finally went and got my permit renewed this week, so the practice should begin soon. Everybody be on the look out for a young woman driving at old lady speed! ^_^

What a day today has been so far. Mira and I were up at 5:30 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep, so we decided to get up and watch the sun rise together. So we got up, grabed a quick bite to eat and some towels, and headed off to the White House Retreat, not far from us. There's a wonderful view of the river there, and it's very peaceful. Unfortunately it was pretty foggy this morning, so we didn't see the sun, but it was a beautiul morning and we did get to spend some time together.

We needed to get some stuff at Walgreens, so we headed there as well. I had been thinking about getting an electric shaver, and finally did that. That being said, it's time for a product review! I bought the Remington Smooth & Silky (model WDF-1100), but thought I'd better check some reviews before I opened it. I found four, and they were half and half, so I figured I'd better see for myself. It has a money-back guarantee, so I could take it back if I didn't like it.

I hadn't shaved in almost two weeks, so I had hair about 1/4 inch long (I know, eww). It has a pop-up trimmer, so I used that first. It can be used wet or dry, so I used it dry. I might try it wet later.
I got the hairs trimmed so that it felt like day-old stubble. So far so good. The foils made quick work on the stubble, and it turned out smooth. There were a few spots that had pant leg creases, so they didn't get totally smoothed out, but all in all, my legs are pretty smooth. I recommend it.

Have a good weeekend!

Oh my crap!

I was being nosy and looked at Amazon to see if they'd have the soundtrack for Mad Monster Party. Well, they did, which is awesome. Then somebody said something about the DVD. Could it be? Yes, it's true! They had it at Amazon! If I could get the two of them together, that would make this year's Halloween complete! I'll have to see if Johnnie Brock's has them there. Oh what happiness if they did!

IMDb has a listing for a movie by the same name scheduled to come out in 2006, but there's not a whole lot of info on it. Matter of fact, they have names of writers, but that's about it. No idea if it's a remake or something entirely different. It will be interesting to see how this develops.

Hollywood mourns the loss of...

Brock Peters, best known for his role of Tom Robinson in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, who passed away yesterday at the age of 78 due to pancreatic cancer.
My condolences go to his family and friends during this difficult time.

Then again, maybe not...

I thought that the new rule for renewals and such was an either/or type of thing. I knew I needed proofs of ID, but I thought that you could use either the proof of lawful residence or the proof of identity or the proof of residence. The lady asked me if I had my birth certificate, which I didn't per reason above, so I couldn't get my permit renewed. I guess that's what I get for waiting until the day before it expires to have it renewed. I did have my SS card with me, but fat lot of good that did me. Thank goodness I have to do the lawful residence and identity thing only once. The residence, however, will need to be presented with every renewal. Ick.

But I did get something done today. I got my TB test done, will get the results on Thursday, and will get an appointment made for that physical I need for work. Turns out that I can go to the chiropractic office that Mira goes to for my physical. How cool is that?

Already?

I heard the first commercial of the Halloween season earlier this evening. Haunted houses open next month, and they're rolling the commercials out already.
Happy Scary Season! ^_^

That's it!

Tomorrow I go to get my permit renewed for the last time. I fully intend to not slack off this time around, and hopefully I can get my license by my next birthday. That gives me less than seven months. Hopefully by then I won't be chicken anymore...

Finally figured it out?

Mira thinks he's finally figured out what was wrong with me. I may be lactose intolerant!
No, I don't have gas (well, maybe a little bit) or bloating or cramps. What I have is bad breath, which I get from consuming some dairy products. He read online that it is one overlooked symptom of LI. Basically, a person with LI lacks lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose found in dairy products. It ferments in the intestines, gets reabsorbed into the bloodstream and is exhaled out through the lungs. While my breath isn't bad enough that flies drop dead within two feet of me, Mira can smell it whenever he gets too close, which makes kissing not so fun for him.
So we're going to try some Lactaid to see if that will help. It's really meant for the other symptoms of LI, but we read about a woman who says it works for her bad breath. It can't hurt to try!
Wish me luck!

Product and Book Reviews!

Just for fun, let's do some reviews.

Product reviews

First up: Veet Rasera. When I first tried it out, I hadn't shaved in almost two weeks, so my leg hairs were about 1/4 inch long (I know: eew). I bought the Aloe scented one, and it didn't smell too bad, but not too good either. Mira thinks he's allergic to one or more of the ingredients because when I was near him with it on my legs, his throat got tight and he had a horrible headache. I kept it on for the alloted 3 minutes and tested it, but I didn't see a lot of hair gone, so kept it on for the limit of 6 minutes. A lot of hair came off, but there were a couple spots where it didn't do too much.
I showered afterwards, but didn't want to use my loofah with body wash on my legs just in case there was irritation, so I put a little in my hands and rubbed it on my legs and rinsed. In the process I noticed that some of the longer hairs would break off close to the skin. My legs felt like I had shaved two days beforehand. After using the loofah and body wash on my legs the next night, I noticed that more hairs were whittled down. I tried it on my armpits and legs again a week later, but it didn't help much.
It did better than any Nair product I have ever used, but it was like I had shaved regularly, except there was no smoothness after I used the Veet versus a regular razor. It might be good for others, but it wasn't for me.

Next up: Sally Hansen Nail Prisms nail polish (in Purple Diamond). I love this stuff! The color looks great, and I love the prism effect. It almost makes the polish look like it has texture, like a velvety shirt. At least, that's the first thing that came to my mind when I put it on. What amazed me is that after a week, it had only receded near the tips of my nails a bit. No chipping or anything! With just about any other polish I wear, I'm putting on a different color or reapplying after a couple days. I thought it was great, considering I had also washed my hands a lot at work (lots of diapers changed). I really recommend this polish.

Now for the book reviews.

Both books are by Dan Brown. I actually read The Da Vinci Code first. I had read the SparkNotes version, and I liked it enough that I would read it if somebody let me borrow it. So I borrowed the illustrated version from my mom a couple weeks ago, and read it in roughly two days.
I don't know why some people are up in arms about it. I thought it was very good. Good characters, good plot, and it was nice to see the places that he talked about and the different paintings and other forms of art that fill the pages. It beat having to look them up online.
The theories were very intriguing, and you learn something new along the way. I won't say much, since I don't want to slip and spoil anything for those who haven't read it yet. All I can say is I liked this book, and I recommend it.

I also finished reading Angels & Demons in a few days, reading on and off from Saturday until Monday. This book first introduces Robert Langdon, the main character in both TDVC and A&D. This was alsoan illustrated edition that I borrowed from my mom.
Dan Brown knows how to keep you turning pages: by using short chapters with a tidbit at the end, then a longer chapter that explains the tidbit. But even the longer chapters dangle a carrot in front of you and you can't help but keep reading. I was very impressed with everything. Again, I won't say too much for fear of spoiling it for somebody else. Let's just say that it's intriguing, and a good read. I recommend it very much.

Happy trying and reading!

Mira and his mom talked on the way to the chiro today about what we wanted to do car-wise. Originally, we were going to sell our teal Geo to one of Phil's assistants at work, then he was going to buy a new car and I was going to get his red Geo. Milly said that getting our names transfered on the red Geo would be too much hassle, so dad will probably keep his car and Mira and I could get a new car. Seeing as my mom wants to help me and Mira get a new car, we just might do that. Now to learn how to drive... ^_^

My next paycheck is going to be a beautiful one. Not only have I worked four extra hours this week, next week I'll have another six extra hours. For me, this is a big deal since I only work ten hours a week. The center's director asked me to come in next Monday and Tuesday at 2:30, where I'll be where I've been all this week, and at 3:00 the rest of the week, where I'll be with the 8 month - 1 year olds. At least the last three days I'll be right next to my room and can see my babies. ^_^ I was given a form yesterday for a physical to make sure I'm healthy and have some shots up-to-date. I haven't had a physical since before I got married, so I guess I had better get that done, huh?

This weekend sees me at Mira's family reunion. His three brothers live here and his three sisters are visiting. Two sisters brought their families, and one is flying solo. All together we'll have 33 people. (If four of my nephews were here and the other sister were to bring her family, we would have 43 people all together.)
Usually the reunion is in Utah; it's been there for years, since it's easier for most of the others (grandmothers, aunts, unlces, cousins) since they live so close. It was decided that we'd have it here this year, but all but Phil and Milly's kids could make it this year. Oh well, it'll be nice to have a reunion for just close family.

I misses my babies!

Since we have a couple gals on vacation, all this week I've been down the hall instead of where I usually work, and will be there tomorrow and Monday, too. That means that I have been with the 1 - 1 1/2 year olds instead of the 6 week - 8 month olds. It's a change of pace, but I miss my babies.
I've also been asked during this time to get there an hour early, so I've been working 3-6 instead of 4-6. I get there during snack time and help them eat and clean up. We also play with them, then lather them up with sunscreen so they can go outside for a while. The gal that works there leaves at 4:30, so I get an hour and a half (sometimes less than that) with them until their parents come to pick them up. We've been spending that time inside with toys a while, then I've been taking them on a ride down the halls in our bye-bye buggy at about 5:00 or so. They love it and it gives them a chance to get out of the room again.
I realized the other day that my "expertise" with children goes from 6 weeks to four years. At work, I've spent time with the 6 week to one year and a half olds. At church, I'm currently in the Nursery, which goes from 18 months to three years, and I've also done the three to four year old class in the past. I think I'll do okay for a while when we start our own family, at least from six weeks to four years. ^_^ Before and after that, I'll be on my own.

I actually did something to my homepage today. I hadn't updated it since March of last year, and decided to work on it some today. I read the Terms of Use over at Internet Bumper Stickers, and I decided to get rid of my bumper sticker page, since I had a collection of over 25 and didn't get permission to use so many. I also didn't want to transfer them all to Photobucket to get hosted, then put them back up, so I saved only those that I used all over the site, which I will eventually host on PB, just not yet.
I also decided to make Tripod kind of my starting page with links to other networking sites I frequent. I guess I'm slowly bringing the real me out into the open, but not totally. I guess I didn't want to be too scattered around the web. Who knows?Anyway, if you haven't seen my site in a while, mosey on over and tell me what you think. Tell me if I need to lose something, add something, whatever you think, and I'll do what I can.

Today's best quote

While flipping through channels, we landed on an episode of Will & Grace, with Gene Wilder as a guest star (as Mr. Stein). I don't know how Will helped him out, but Mr. Stein said, "I want to thank you from the heart of my bottom..." He paused a second, then said, "Strike that. Reverse it." He even did the hand motion!
And that was the highlight of my day. ^_^

You cover. Recover. You lovely.

Apparently, I talked in my sleep last night, and that's what I said. So Mira, thinking I was still awake, asked me what I said. So I repeated, "You cover. Recover. You lovely."
He said, "What?"
So I replied, "Nevermind!"

The next thing I know, I'm waking up and he tells me we just had a conversation. I'm thinking, how could we have just talked? I just woke up!

Ok, maybe it's not funny to you, but it is to me.

Feelin' extra-crispy

I went to the annual family reunion on my grandma's side of the family (dad's mom), and spent too much time by the river, resulting in some very irritated shoulders and slightly less irritated arms, chest, shins, ears and back. Work today will not be fun. I've been slathered with aloe vera gel since Saturday afternoon, which I wouldn't need if I'd been smart enough to slather on some sunscreen before I went (novel concept). But I didn't think about it, and I didn't think I'd be there long enough to get pink.
What's funny is that you wouldn't have noticed I was burned by looking at my face; my nose is slightly pink, but you'd think I was blushing. Then I stayed home from church yesterday because something I ate didn't agree with me. So I've been in a long-sleeved polyester/lycra-spandex dance shirt and yoga pants since Saturday night since it's light and breathable and covers pretty much all of the burned areas. I've also had to wear a bun so my hair doesn't get in the goop when I baste myself in aloe, which I should probably do again soon. That oughta learn me...
But it hasn't been all bad lately. We switched our offices last Monday, so now his computer is in the bedroom and mine is in the living room. It's nice, since I can go and be on my computer in the living room and not have to wait for him to wake up to use it, which is especially good for laundry day (Monday). And work hasn't been too bad, but not always that great. We only have four babies (Moe, Webby, Tweety, and Strawberry), which isn't too bad. At one point we had five, but the youngest one (at the time, a 6 week old girl named Iris) was only there a few weeks while her dad was working as a teacher. But he has the summer off, so she'll be back in August when school starts up again.
It's nice to have so few babies, but at the same time, they have a tendency to leave early sometimes. On Friday, I had two by myself, and they were gone by 5:00, so I needed something to do for an hour! (I only work two hours a day.) So I took my time closing up my room then helped the gal next door with her last two, and we were out by 5:40, so she took me home. Since Mira and his friend from high school hang out on Tuesdays, I've been hanging out with her on Tuesdays too. I know her from church, and I teach her daughter in the 18 month to 2 year old class there.
Anyway, that's been my excitement for a while. Hopefully things don't go too bad with this burn at work today. The last thing I need is to pick up a baby and have him or her thump on my tender shoulders.

Crazy?

I've recently discovered "blinkies", those cute little snippets of picture and text that now adorn the top of my page. There are thousands of sites dedicated to these tiny wonders: some are people's collections and others are about the people that create them, along with collections of their works.
I was first introduced to them at the message boards on iVillage. Seeing them everyday, they wormed their way into my heart and now I think they're great. The "waiting" one came from Blackhearted Wolf, and the rest are from Pinky Blinkies. I'm tempted to have somebody make me a siggie while I'm at it (colorful signatures using one's name or nickname; some include pictures and/or other graphics).

Ren Faire, baby!
I went to the RF on Saturday and had a blast! I thought it was just going to be a bunch of us girls with my mom, but my dad and brothers ended up going, so it was my whole family, JR, Book, Jess, and Von. It was $9 for students, and since we all had coupons, Jess and I each paid $7. And they didn't even ask for our ID's. ^_^
Lar, Book, Von, Jess, and I separated from my family and we ended up going our own way. We saw a cute Punch and Judy show while resting our tired feet, had some lunch, saw some jousting, and had a grand time looking at the clothes and jewelry.

I even bought a dress that I just had to get! This is my biggest splurge for a while. ^_^ I wore it around the rest of the day, carrying my pants in a bag they gave me, and forgetting to bring it with me on a few occasions. I contemplated getting a hair stick, but ended up not buying it. Jess and I stopped at an essential oil and incense stand and smelled all sorts of pretty scents for a few minutes. I have always thought that honeysuckle and lilac would make a good perfume, and it does. Von said she'd have to start saving money now for next year. That doesn't sound like a bad idea.
I called Mira and asked him if he wanted me to get him anything, but he wasn't too interested. But just about everybody bought something. Jess bought a pretty silver rose ring, Book got a cute fairy skirt, and Von bought a hair wreath that looked cute on her and one sexy stiletto dagger. My dad bought a whip and a dagger, Whiteshark got the same dagger (if you've seen Spider Man 2, then Harry Osborn has the same one near the end of the movie), Polar Bear got a sword, and mom bought a maroon dress that looked great on her. Jess took a picture of me and my mom in our dresses.
So now I have a costume if I need one, and something to wear to next year's Faire. I can't wait!

Just thinking...

I've often wondered if any of the guys I went to school with ever thought I was attractive, but didn't do anything about it. Has anybody else ever had that thought? I mean, not dating in high school wasn't really a big deal, mainly because I wasn't that interested. But I often wonder what experiences I would have had had I dated somebody from school. Am I alone in the world with this thought? I don't know why I've thought about it, but I have.

Anyway, how about an update? Work is going well. Monet's mom got a job at another daycare, so she was able to take him with her to work. He's been gone for a couple weeks now. Then Ross, who comes T-W-Th, is moving to the next room at the end of the month since he'll be 8 months old. He's trying to crawl, but hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet. Just about all of the kids have been sick one way or another for about the last two weeks or so with coughs, ear infections, and congestion. So far I've been spared any sickness from it. ^_^

Last night, I checked one of the networking sites I belong to, when I saw I had a message. The subject was, "Pobrecito?" I just about screamed, "It's my Pobrecito!" He was in the same graduating class as Lar, we were in a musical together ("Groovy!", my junior year, his freshman year), and did "Screw Crew" a couple times as well (the set builders for the plays). I checked his Yahoo profile, and he's in the same place as my friend Ry! When I get a hold of him, I'll have to ask him if they know each other. That'd be so cool. The difference is that Ry is in the Army national guard, while Pobrecito is in the Marines. He also said that he'll be leaving for Iraq in the spring. I wish him luck.

Anyway, that's about it for now. I'm going with my family to see Episode III on Saturday, so that should be fun. Hopefully it'll be better than the first two.

Welcome to legality...

Moueska turns 21 today! Happy Birthday, Feliz Cumpleaños, and all that jazz. ^_^
~The Infamous T

Got my future-Mother's Day gift!

Phantom of the Opera on DVD, of course. ^_^ I was happy to get it, even though I knew what it would be. I can't wait to watch it.
Hitchhiker was good. I loved the bits that those who have seen the miniseries would understand. There's a rumor that there might be another four installments, each following the other four books. That'd be neat. I really was looking forward to seeing Milliway's on the big screen, though. Now I have Corpse Bride and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe to look forward to. Yay!
We found a millipede last night and decided to see if Popcorn would eat it. He did. He also enjoyed a taste of freedom a few minutes ago: we took him outside to let him run around a bit. Needless to say, he loved it. But he kept running out into the street, so we brought out his ball and let him run in that outside as well. He wasn't too happy, but he did enjoy being a free man... er, hamster. He got really hyper, and would jump out of our hands to get away. He fell a foot from my hand to the sidewalk, but he's not broken, so I'm happy. He also tried burrowing in the grass, but he didn't get too far. He probably tired himself out. But boy was he glad to get out and breathe some fresh spring air.

"If you're going to survive out there...

you've really got to know where your towel is." If you know the origins of this quote, then you know to what movie it refers that flies its way into theatres this weekend. Yes fellow hitchhikers, Douglas Adams' best selling "radio series, ... record album, ... novel, ... television series, ... computer game, ... stage show, ... comic book and ... towel (see its page of trivia on IMDb)" is being made into a movie. The trailers I have seen are awesome, and I'm very excited to see it.
I'll be going on Saturday with family and friends, we will all have our towels, and my father may or may not dress up in his bathrobe. Here's hoping it doesn't suck! ^_^

I'm turning into my mother!

Mira picked me up from work so we could do some shopping for much needed household items, mainly for me (girlie stuff, body wash, hair stuff, etc. ). What should have been only about $85 turned out to be $230 worth of stuff! So what did we buy? Mainly clothes. ^_^ Mira got three (much needed) pairs of pants and five tee shirts with pockets, and I got three new tees myself. We also got an organizer for his Stikfas stuff, two Sharpies, a plastic spray bottle, and a few others. Oh, and has anybody been there recently? There's a small tan bird that lives there now. I saw him last week when I went there with my mom, and he was there again this time. We were in the jewelry department and he was by the spinning racks. He's so cute! ^_^
I got my paycheck from the Board of Elections Commissioners today, and my first paycheck from work, so I'll be able to replenish some of what we used tonight. ^_^
Work wasn't too bad. There were only three babies; Monet was sleeping, and Muse and Moe were in their saucers, so it was an easy day. I finally got my clock-in number yesterday, so I don't have to track what hours I worked now. After Moe's dad picked him up, I got Muse to take a small nap before her mother came and got her, and Monet was content to be held until his mom picked him up. I love my job, and the babies are so cute. ^_^
P.S. Congrats to Moueska on her new job! Way to go, kiddo!

You spitting on me again?

I had a good first day of work, I think. I got there an hour early to learn the ropes, and I'll go in tomorrow at 11:30 because one of the gals I work with has to leave early, so I'll be there six and a half hours. Yay! ^_^
I can remember six of the kids' names (they'll have nicknames on this blog, of course): Strawberry, Moe, Tweety, Monet, Muse, and Webby. I changed diapers, one of Muse's bibs (my poor outfit was decorated in formula spit-up; it disappeared though), fed and burped Tweety, and generally played with the babies. It's part of my job to "close up shop", which doesn't take too long. It's nice when most of them are sleeping and the rest are contentedly playing with toys. It's kinda hectic with them waking up, needing a diaper change, and eating all at once, but it's easier once they're settled. I think I like it. ^_^ Now, what's an easy way to get spit-up stains out of clothes?

More Phantastic Videos!

I found this site at my folks', and I've found two other videos that I like. One features Raoul and Christine using the Bryan Adams song "Everything I Do" . My mom and sister are hooked! ^_^ The other is "Learn to be Lonely" from the film. The video quality isn't all that great, but it fit and gave me chills. There are videos featuring Erik and Christine, Raoul and Christine, one for other videos, and one by "guest vidders". It's a great place to pass some time and see some great videos. I highly recommend it.
Enjoy! I know I do! ^_^

I start Monday!

Mira took me to the day care center/pre-school, "Lene" (the gal I work with at church) got me an application to fill out, and took us on a tour of where I'll be working. I got to meet a few of the gals there, and Lene filled me in on some of what I'll be doing, gave me some advice, and told us a bit about the facility. I'll be working with the six week to eight month olds. They're so cute! I can't wait to start working. ^_^
It's a really cool place. And it's only eight minutes from where I live (according to MapQuest)! That means that I can get some practice driving while I'm at it. I'll only be working 10 hours a week, but at least it's something in terms of an income, and it's something I love! She said I might have to come in an hour early for the first few days to get acquainted with everything, and I'll be alone from 5-6, but I can always have somebody else come in and help me if I need it.
This weekend is my last weekend as an unemployed woman! It'll be nice to have some extra money now, and it won't interfere if I decide to take classes in the fall. I had an interest in Early Childhood Education at one point, so this would really help me decide if this is something I want to persue. Yeehoo! (Thanks to Bookie for that phrase ^_^)

I might have a job!

I told this to Mira, and he said, "How do you just get your jobs handed to you like that?" My first job was at McDonald's. I was going through the drive-thru with my mom, and she asked the gal at the window for an application for me. I filled it out and a week or so later, I was hired. My second job was at a dollar store that was opening in the area. Jess and I wrote down the number for the guy who was opening it, and we both got jobs there.
This time, a lady I work with in the nursery at church called this morning and said that the school she works at needs somebody to work with the six week to eight month old babies weeknights for two hours. I would only work 10 hours a week, and I would be with the little babies! This is perfect for me! I've been bitten by the baby bug lately, and this should help curb it a bit.^_^
I was asleep when she called, but Milly took the message, and I have to call later tonight to say, "I'll do it!" This is exciting! Yee-hoo!

For the Phans...

I was on the IMDb boards for Phantom of the Opera (just saw it for the third time at the cheap show), and somebody made a music video of "Bring me to Life" by Evanescence using scenes from the movie! It was just so awesome that I decided to put the link here for all Phans to see (that would be the four or five of you that read this blog regularly ^_^).
Enjoy!
P.S. DVD comes out early next month! Yee-hooo!

Guess the roving deputy's age!

That's the game that the judges and supervisors at the sixteen polling places we visited played when my partner "Jack" and I went to check on them and make sure everything was running smoothly. Most hypothesized that I had to take the day off of school to help out, and one voter thought I was doing it for community service!
I stayed at my folks' Monday night, and got up at 4:15 in the morning since dad and I had to be to the Board of Elections Commissioners (BOEC) office at five. I was able to have a donut and a bagel with cream cheese before I had to leave. My partner was Jack, an older gentleman about 75 who had been doing this for years. Thank goodness I had somebody who knew what he was doing. ^_^
We went to ten polling places to drop off some information they needed, then to six other places for the morning visit, had breakfast at Hardee's, then made a morning visit to the first ten places we dropped info off to. We stopped by his house (since we were in his area) so he could empty his trunk, and we were off to our drop off point, a YMCA-type rec center. Two judges from 16 other polling places dropped off ballot boxes at about 11:00, and we took it all back to the BOEC with a police escort trailing behind.
After dropping off the ballot boxes, we visited all sixteen polling places again, and came back to the rec center to rest. There was a couch in the game room, so I fell asleep for a couple of hours while Jack read the paper and eventually fell asleep as well. I was up at about four or so, and played my Game Boy for a while until Jack woke up, and he went to eat lunch, then ran home to get some stuff done. I played for a while longer and went across the street to DQ and had something to eat (I highly recommend the strawberry cheesequake blizzard), and went back to the rec center to hang out.
About 6:30 or so, Jack came back, and we went out to wait for the polls to close at 7:00 and to wait for the judges to come back with the ballot boxes and some other stuff, which we loaded into the back of the car. And off we went to the BOEC to drop everything off and go home.
I said goodbye to Rosie and I went back with dad to hang out with my family. I got home a little after midnight this morning, and was asleep within an hour. Needless to say, it was tough running on four hours of sleep yesterday morning, and I was still tired after my two hour nap in the afternoon. But I slept well last night. Then tonight I get to stay the night at the condo to wait for the termite guy to come at 8:00 tomorrow morning. But it'll be nice to be alone for awhile! ^_^
P.S. I beat dad to the BOEC for the morning drop off, but he beat me there for the evening drop off. We would have gotten there sooner, but we had to wait on an old folks' home that didn't get there until almost ten to eight. Grrr. And what really sucked was that we didn't have checklists for the last six places, and nobody got a judges oath and affidavit sheet. We had to imrovise on the checklists and write it down on different pieces of paper, and get copies of the oath sheets and pass them off later.
The best part is that I get paid for what I did! That should come later this month.

Election, here I come!

My mom's friend Rosie works for the Board of Elections and asked if I would like to be an electioneer in tomorrow's election. How could I say no? She said they needed some help, and I would be getting paid for it, so of course I volunteered. ^_^
My dad signed up to do it too, so, as Rosie put it, "We'll have a contest to see who gets back first, you or your dad". I have to be there at five in the morning, and I'll be out until late, but who can argue with free breakfast and a paycheck?
So as a note to my friends who read this, be on the lookout for me at the polls, 'cause you never know when I'll be watching you. ^_^

Wedding weekend!

Von got married to her sweetheart Drew this weekend, and they looked so happy! We dined and danced and had loads of fun at the reception. Von looked so beautiful in her wedding dress, the bridesmaids looked fabulous, the groom and his men and woman looked very spiffy in their tuxes and black dress, and the parents of both were thrilled to see their children united in the bonds of marriage.
Lar and I actually got our brothers to dance at the reception, and my folks cut up the floor during some of the four swing songs played in a row. Von even danced with my dad near the end, and I got to dance with a friend of hers. I even demonstrated how to scurry to Drac, which tickled him to no end. ^_^ It was a fun evening. I wanna do it again! ^_^
Anyway, good luck to Von and Drew and have a happy marriage!
The Infamous T

I found a link to this neat time consumer on Moueska's profile at myspace. It's a fun doll maker! I made one of me and hubbymade one of himself, and I put them together. Whaddaya think?

I feel intellectual...

I'm re-reading Les Misérables for the third time. I first read it in high school (in less than a week), then read it a second time sometime after I graduated, when one of Lar's teachers gave her a copy that she was getting rid of. Mira's been working on modding his Stikfas lately, and has wanted me to keep him company for a couple hours or so. So I read Heavenly Answers to Earthly Challenges by Joyce H Brown (a near-death experience), then decided to re-read Les Mis because I wasn't sure how long he would take to finish his mods, and the book has over 1000 pages, so I figured it would give me some time to finish.
The story I know and love is probably only half of the book, if that. Most of the rest of the book is filled with history, political talk of the French Revolution, etc. If you have the time and the patience, I recommend you borrow a copy from your local library. You can even read it online if you know where to look. But if you don't have the time or the patience, you can read an online Cliff's Notes-esque treatment at Spark Notes.

My hubby brought these home for me yesterday, just because. ^_^ 

Water, water everywhere

We all know that it's important to drink water everyday. One way to see how much water you should drink each day is to take your weight and divide it by two. Whatever the sum is, convert that into ounces and that's how much you should drink, or 64 ounces, whichever is more. For example, a 150 lb woman should drink 75 ounces of water (150/2 = 75), but a 110 lb woman needs to drink 64 ounces (110/2 = 55, which is less than 64).
I myself need to drink the minimum of 64 ounces. I have a bottle that holds a quart (32 Oz.) of water with a straw attached to it, and I need to drink two of those a day (I tend to drink it up very quickly that way). I usually end up drinking almost three because I tend to get very thirsty. I used to just ignore it and chew a piece of gum, but I don't do that as much now.
They say that drinking lots of water everyday will "help keep you hydrated and feeling fresh". I've been doing this for ten days now. When am I supposed to feel hydrated and fresh? I feel the same way I do every other day, I'm just more thirsty and frequent the bathroom more often. The only real improvement I know of is that my breath is fresher, which makes for a happy husband. Actually, it was per his request that I start doing this, since he's been doing it himself for a long time. It helps, since we're trying to be more healthy.
I know that I can't always be downing water, so I don't drink a ton if I know I'm going out somewhere and can't always trot off to the ladies' room. I just wait until I get home to drink the majority of my daily intake. It's kind of a hassle, but it's supposed to be good for you, so why the heck not? It's mostly free. ^_^
Anyway, just thought I'd pass on a bit of healthy helpfulness to others. Take it or leave it. ^_^

Anniversary!

We've been married for two years!



The Infamous T

I'm 22 now!

Twenty-two years ago, I made my way into this world, probably screaming my head off. Nowadays, I'm pretty quiet. (Don't ask me where I was going with this, because I have totally forgotten it myself.)
Anyway, I've had a pretty good day so far. I got an early gift yesterday from Mira. He wrote me a poem! It's so beautiful; it made me cry and I love him so much for it (and everything thing he is). We went out to the store last night to get some food for my birthday, and found some organic frozen cheese pizzas, which is great since we've been on an organic food kick since Monday. Our chiro suggested buying organic fruits and veggies for Mira since they're better and more nutritious (see previous post). They really do taste better, we've found. I also ended up buying a small Tippin's french silk pie for my dessert.
Then today, Milly gave me a nice card and some spending money for my birthday, which was really sweet of her (I love my in-laws). Mira and I went to take a walk since it was a pretty nice day, and mom got the pizzas out of the freezer to cook them up for dinner. It turns out that one of them had mold on it! So we went back to the store (no name mentioned, for the sake of the store) to return them, and the manager refunded the money and said we could get another one. So I ran off to get another, and when I came back, we opened it up to check on it and it was moldy too! So the manager went back and found two others (one spinach, one roasted veggie) that were in great condition and gave them both to us for free! The bad thing about organic foods is that there are no preservatives and such, so they don't have quite as great a shelf life as regular stuff. But they taste so good!
So we cooked all three pizzas, and they were wonderful! Mom was feeling kinda icky, so she sat and talked with us while we ate, and then I got my pie out to eat. The birthday song was sung, and I cut a slice for me and Phil, since Mira and Milly are trying to stay off sugar because it makes them feel icky. It was so good! Dad and I each had a third of one half, and I ate another piece since it was so yummy. By then, it was just us gals, so we talked for a bit, and I rubbed her back for her to help her feel better. She finally ate something and that helped, too, so she offered to do the dishes so I could veg out some more.
So now I'm going to go and hang out with my hubby, and wait for my parents to call and wish me a happy birthday. Monday is our 2nd wedding anniversary, and I'm so happy! I married a really great guy. Not that I'm partial or anything. ^_^ But I'll post on that later.
One year older and wiser,
The Infamous T

Whole Foods Market

After visiting the chiro today, we decided to stop in and see the Whole Foods Market. She had suggested we get some organic foods for Mira, so off we went. What a neat place! The prices were kinda high on some stuff, but you get what you pay for. We ended up making wraps for dinner with some whole wheat wraps we bought and a few other ingredients, like shaved chicken breast, chipotle ranch dressing, lettuce, tomato, celery, etc. They were wonderful!
They have pretty cool samples around the store, and friendly people to help you find what you need. It's a great store and I would recommend at least checking it out.
P.S. Happy 23rd Birthday, Athene!

Everybody's doing it!

Well, blogging about how their V-day went, that is. Well, guess I'm next...
Mira had been practically living in bed since last Wednesday, so we didn't do anything fancy. But he did get me a nice card and had Milly buy me some flowers, since he couldn't get out of bed to get them himself. But it's the thought that counts, and I'm happy about that. She also picked up a roast chicken from Sam's, so I fixed some salad, and we had a nice dinner at home with our guys.

In other news, we're going to a new chiropractor. Instead of just popping his back into place, she's working on strengthening his muscles so that he stays in. We had x-rays taken today, and we'll see the results of that on Monday. We might end up getting an MRI anyway, to rule out any bulging disks. His back had a couple spots that are curved to the side, so we're looking into getting those taken care of as well, I guess.

Then this Saturday, it's a day with the gals! Jess is turning 21 so we're celebrating with shopping and partying. Can't wait! ^_^

Why am I so lazy?

It's just me, Kati and Von now. We are now the only ones, out of all of my friends, who do not yet have our driver's licenses. And I have a feeling that they'll probably get theirs before I get mine. I talked my friend Mel this evening, and she just received hers recently. Her boyfriend's mom is going to buy a new car soon, so she'll buy her old car. I don't know why I'm not practicing. I mean, Phil has Fridays off and is teaching me for free, so it's not like I have to pay, and we'll switch cars when I get my license, so I don't need to worry about that. I know I could have him leave his car and have him take ours to work so I can practice with Mira or Milly, but I feel more comfortable driving with Phil. He's very calm and makes it a bit easier to concentrate. (Somebody tell me to get over it! I won't guarantee it will work, though.) So why am I so lazy? I'll admit, driving still kinda freaks me out a bit. I've driven the highway maybe four times, and regular street driving isn't too bad. I can kinda imagine myself driving alone, but I'm still apprehensive. I know, I know, "So start practicing again!" Ok, ok. I will. Sheesh. ^_^

Les Miserablés was great!

Met mom, Lar, and Rosie at my mom's, then Dorothy came over and we met "Shelley" at The Best Steakhouse. After dinner, it was across the street to the theatre. We had pretty good seats (middle balcony); much better than the ones we had my senior year of high school (upper balcony).
Jennifer Butt, the original Madame Thenardier on Broadway, revived her role this tour, which was really neat. My mom and Rosie had never seen it on stage before, so it was a new experience for them. The kids that played young Cosette and Gavroche (Nadine Jacobson and Noah E. Galvin, repectively) were so cute! Melissa Lyons did a wonderful job as Eponine, and Roger Seyer filled in for Randal Keith as Valjean, and pulled off his role very well.
In short: great cast, great music. Wonderful night!

Phantom reflections...

I saw Phantom of the Opera again on Thursday night with my mom, Lar, and even JR! He was interested, so came along with us. He didn't like the ending, but was pretty interested in the rest of the movie.
I love Miranda Richardson (Madame Giry) in this movie! She doesn't have a spectacular role, but I love her hair in the beginning of the movie (that intricate braid is so pretty!) and she has a terrific accent! She pulls it off pretty well. Jennifer Ellison (Meg Giry) has a cute voice. She kinda reminds me of somebody, but I'm not sure who.
My husband will always be the most attractive in the world man to me. But Gerard Butler came pretty close! When he pulls Emmy through the mirror and leads her down to his lair, the way the shadows and the firelight play on his face and... and... Well anyway, that was kinda sexy. I wouldn't mind reenacting that with Mira. ^_^
And I hope they start selling the outfit worn by Emmy in the "Music of the Night" scene; that would do wonders for bedroom fantasy outfitters.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on Phantom. I wonder how long it will be before the DVD comes out...

Welcome new blogger!

I'm happy to announce the launch of Von's new blog: Invader Von! Landing on a computer near you! (I'm sorry that came out so corny! Truly I am!) ^_^
Welcome Von!

Finally saw Phantom!

I went with Lar, our mom, our family friend "Dorothy" and her friend "Sophia" to see Phantom of the Opera on Friday night. We got in for free because Dorothy's daughter works at the theatre we went to.
The beginning was played out very well, with the opera house "renovating itself" as the years rolled back to reveal the heyday of the Opera Populaire. The main characters were played out really well; I especially loved how Minnie Driver made the Diva Carlotta into an overgrown selfish brat! ^_^
I almost cried during "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", not because it was sung beautifully or anything, although it was performed well, but because I was sitting next to my mom and I could imagine her singing the song and feeling the same way. Her father passed away not even a week after I got married. I could see her in the same situation as Christine, except my mom's happily married with four kids and a grand-daughter and Christine's in love with her childhood sweetheart and being persued by a masked man who just needs some love in his life. ^_^
While everybody else is watching the movie, commenting on how well the singers are doing, I'm watching the techniques they use. My mom lauds Emmy Rossum's voice, Lar is jealous that she sings so well, and I'm watching as she pulls her tongue to the bottom of her mouth to let the note ring out instead of having it in the middle of her mouth and obstructing it. I think she really got into it close to the middle of the movie where the intermission might have been. And I may get some flack from the Michael Crawford fanatics out there, but I think Gerard Butler sounded better. He's not terrific, but he's easier on the ears, especially in his higher register. Michael is okay as he goes lower, but as he gets higher, it sounds very nasal. Gerard may not have been able to hit some of the lower notes, so had to kinda whisper them, but as he got higher, he did much better. And he's more attractive! ^_^
On the whole, it was a terrific movie and I can't wait until it comes out on DVD. Too bad that Andrew Lloyd Weber isn't doing so hot and may have to sell away his empire. It might have been cool to see them do the same for Les Misérables.

Musical hits and misses

Mira and I decided to watch American Idol tonight to see what the competition will be like this season. So far, 42 men and women have made it from Washington DC. They'll be in St. Louis tomorrow night, then in five (or so) other places later. We're mainly watching the preliminaries. All the fun is gone after the initial tryouts are over and the wheat has been separated from the chaff.

I almost cried when one guy sang "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban, not because he did it better, but because he kept forgetting the words and didn't pull it off. I don't really blame him for forgetting the words, since he was so nervous. That poor guy. The singers that went through to the next round pretty much deserved it, same as the folks that didn't make it. And this girl so far has been the William Hung of 2005. I could hardly understand a thing she sang and she seemed kinda... how should I put this... psycho? They definitely saved the worst for last. One girl, bless her heart, sold her wedding ring to get the money to stay and audition. And she was wonderful! Her husband and daughter were invited in and were so happy for her to get this far. Hopefully she gets farther and farther.

Carrying this vein of music, I'm excited for this Friday. Mom, Lar, and I are finally going to go see Phantom of the Opera as a gal's night out. Then in February, we're off to see Les Miserables in concert. I saw it once before my senior year of high school, and am thrilled to be able to see it again. Happiness and musicalness!

It snowed!

The first snowfall of the year in our part of the world occured tonight. I had heard that we might get a flurry or two, but about 15 minutes ago, Milly called down, "Guys, come look at the snow!" What greeted us was a good two or three inches! This is what my niece and nephews from Hawai'i were looking forward to while they were here last month. All we need now is a full moon, and it'll look so pretty!

Movie News!

I decided to see what was new with the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie. It's coming out 6 May. My parents saw the trailer when they saw National Treasure out in Utah a couple months ago and were grinning like cheshire cats. One thing I'm really excited about is Alan Rickman as the voice of Marvin the Paranoid Android! That has gotta be good! Also, Simon Jones (Arthur Dent from the miniseries) has a cameo of sorts as a Magrathean announcer.
Here's to Douglas Adams for bringing some humor into our lives!

My advice

I was at a wedding reception the other night (29 December 2004) for a guy I went to church with (my dad played photographer at the ring ceremony and reception and took a picture of a bunch of us that were youth together) and ran into a couple I knew: "Harold" and "Sara". (We've always assumed they'd be married, and they'll be tying the knot later this year.) I talked to Sara for a few minutes before Harold came by to talk; I congratulated her on their engagement and mentioned that I was coming up on my 2nd anniversary with Mira and she asked if I had any advice. I blanked! I said, "Um, have fun?" It wasn't until later that I thought of some advice I could have given her. (I'll mete that out later.) Then Harold came over and gave me a hug! I have never hugged that guy when we were teens, and here I was, reaching up to put my arm around his shoulder. I congratulated him and small talked with them about Mira not being there because his back was hurting again and other trivial matters. It was nice to see them again, and I wish them (and RT and his new wife "Janey") the best of luck in their lives together.
Now, onto the list. I started this list at my mom's, but left the list there, so I'll have to remember as much as I can, and add on a few more. Remember, this is just my advice and you can take it or leave it.

1. For the religious couples, read your scriptures and pray together every day.

2. Take time (especially on busy days) to just be with each other. For example: cuddle on the couch, in bed, etc. for ten minutes each day.

3. You don’t have to spend every waking minute with your spouse. Take some time to be alone, or you’ll never have anything to talk about and you’ll get on each other’s nerves. (Personal experience!)

4. When I was dating Mira, he was the most attractive man I had ever known. To this day, he is still the most attractive man I’ve ever known. And to this day, he says I am the most attractive woman he has ever known. Always remind your spouse how attractive s/he is to you.

5. Three words: breakfast in bed.

As soon as I think of more, I'll post them up here.