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.

Happy New Year to all!

May 2005 bring you and yours a happy, healthy, and prosperous year!

In Memoriam

Jerry Orbach, most remembered (by me) as Jennifer Grey's father in Dirty Dancing and the romantic candelabra Lumiere in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, has passed away as a result of prostate cancer at the age of 69. He's probably most remembered for his role as Lennie Briscoe in the Law and Order series. My heart goes out to his family and all who knew him.

Merry Christmas to all!

Phantom-ness begins today!

I've seen three movie reviews of Phantom of the Opera today. The first I saw was at the Post Dispatch, then IMDb, then in the Riverfront Times. Screen It doesn't really have a review of the movie, but it does give some information on it.
At any rate, all three reviews have said basically the same thing: Phans will most likely adore it and non-Phans will most likely abhor it. I've watched this go from conception to casting, and am looking forward to seeing the final product, no matter the outcome.

To go back...

That was weird, going back to my old high school after graduating three years ago. There was a holiday reception todayfor the alumni, which they're hoping to be able to continue. We got together in the auditorium to tell the Seniors (Class of 2005) about what to do now to prepare for college and life after high school. I only saw about five or six others from my graduating class, and they were all people that I never talked to. But I did hang out with Lar (who brought Book with her) and Kristen for the most part, and talked to Breka and Suzy Q, a friend of Lar's that I knew in band. It was a small turnout, but it was kinda neat to see some people that I went to school with and see how much or little they've changed. I saw Mrs. A, my home-ec/family living teacher and said hi to her. Kristen is studying to be a home-ec teacher and plans t0 take Mrs. A's job when she retires in a few years.
Kristen, Lar, and I went out and ran some errands afterwards and had a girl's day out of sorts, which was fun. I still have to buy a gift for my mom (They were out of what I needed! I'll have to call around tomorrow, I guess.) and need to think of getting something for JR. I have an idea of what to get him, I just need to get out and do it.

Having way too much fun...

I bought Mira an 18" Spiderman figure with 67 points of articulation. Translation: he's very flexible. Practically all his joints are movable, even his fingers! See, when he was a kid, my husband longed for toys like this; sadly, he was gipped. But a week or so ago, he found out about this Spiderman toy and was floored. So I bought it for him as an early Christmas gift. He's been having way too much fun with this, putting Spiderman in all sorts of positions. If I get pictures, I'll be sure to post them.
Well, it's finally finals week! I've survived one final and have another on Thursday. I was up by 7:15 this morning so that I could leave at 8:20. My voice teacher said we could bring family if we wanted to, so Milly (see cast of characters) and Mira came with me and supported me, even with Mira's back hurting. That was so sweet of him. ^_^ I went, I sang, I survived! Everyone else did a wonderful job as well, and we were finished in an hour (a whole hour early). Now I have to come up with an outline for my final paper that I'm typing in class for my final on Thursday. The topic is, "Should college composition II be a requisite for your field of study?" She says we can bring an outline for the paper, which I intend to do, but we cannot bring in a paper and rewrite it for the final. All this should be done within two hours. I don't think I'll need all that time, but you never know.
I looked at my schedule and as of today, I have 4 days the rest of the year where there is nothing going on. All my Mondays are free so far, then I have a final on Thursday, a niece and two nephews coming for a week on Friday, Milly's birthday on Saturday, a flute performance on Sunday, an alumni reception at the high school on Tuesday (21), a progressive dinner on Thursday, the kids leave Friday, then my family might be coming over for dinner that night, Saturday is Christmas Day, Tuesday (28) we're having company over for dinner, Wednesday night is a wedding reception, the next day is another wedding reception, and the day after that is New Years Eve. *whew!* I need to rest just thinking about all there is going on!
Wish me luck!

Hello all!
There's not a whole lot going on in life. Finals are next week, and I'm happy about that. But other than that, it's just been life. So here's something to tide you over and get your fix of me. A quiz result! If you need something to do, quizilla is a nice plave to go.
Ok, bye!

You have the Vermeer girl look. A Vermeer girl
appealed mostly to the old masters of the Dutch
school, who painted pictures of everyday life
as they knew it. With her fine, fair skin, she
suited a light, natural, dewy make-up. The
Vermeer Girl loved homely things, such as
homemade soaps and candles. The following
artists would have liked to paint you; Pieter
de Hooch and Jan Vermeer.

'Pretty As A Picture' - Which Artist Would Paint You?
brought to you by Quizilla