Merry Christmas

Blessings to all of you! May the new year bring you a fresh start and a clean slate.

xoxox Amy

Glad Tidings!

The Christmas Tree is up and glowing. It smells wonderful, but I have yet to just sit on the couch in a darkened room and just look at it.

I will put it on my list of things to be done.

I actually have a few gifts already that I'm pleased with and a few more to get, but it seems like I'm doing better in that area this year. I have ideas.

I am running the secret santa program at work, and it seems to be increasing the holiday spirit in the place. That is pleasant.

I have just enough time logged that I can take a full week off at Christmas and I need it so. I'm so happy about it. I need time to sit and think and do a few things around the house.

Christmas-time is here! It makes me happy.

Yay for December

I'm thankful that November is over.

It seemed like a really long month and I am happy that December is here. We have birthdays, and an anniversary and Christmas, of course!

I have decided that my greeting of choice for this year will be... "Glad Tidings"!!

Doesn't that have a nice ring to it? Last year it was Happy Christmas, like in Harry Potter.

Today I am enjoying:

I little sneaky fifteen minute date with my husband, who came back to work to run me to another building and gave me some hugs and kisses in between.

Heavy whipping cream in my coffee.

A 100% thrifted outfit. I think I am successful in goodwill shopping without looking like a total over-aged hipster. I am mixing stripes and plaids, though, so maybe I'm not as successful as I think I am.

Gel eyeliner. Who knew! I love it. And I love to apply it with the little tiny brush.

A clear conscience. Another perk of the 15 minute sneaky date. Confession is good for the soul, eh?

New material for a new show. I get to wear a waitress get-up!

Being the administer of our Secret Santa program at work.

Foundation underwear - NOT thrifted!

And... That's about it. You?

I need...

A pair of black cigarette pants, a la Audrey.

Anybody know where I can find a pair of those?

Dear Alma L. Tompsett

Dear Alma,

May I call you Alma? I feel as if I can, now that we have shared clothing.

You see, at my local Goodwill I found a beautifully hand knit sweater. Very intricate and in good condition. And perfectly sized just for me.

On the inside tag is says, Hand Knit by Alma L. Tompsett.

I googled you. You made a charitable contribution in 2009 the University of Nebraska School of Nursing. It looks like you graduated there in 1944.

I fear you may have died since then, dear Alma. Normally when I find labeled clothing in the goodwill it usually means that the nursing home where you lived just donated all your clothing since you won't be needing them anymore.

I hope that's not the case, and that somehow you find this note of thanks for your hand made goodness and know that someone out here appreciates your skill and is wearing your lovely work of art.

God Bless you, Alma

Love,

Amy

I'm on a roll

Look! I've typed something here three days in a row.

I might just become a blogger, yet!

I have tomorrow off! I'm going to a conference and I get to stay in a very nice hotel. I may even take my swim suit. :) Well, I take that back. I just had my hair colored. Don't want to wreck that!

I have a new eating philosophy. I will eat it or not, but I'm not going to anguish over every food choice and feel guilty about the not so great choices. I've decided to be healthy and exercise and choose well and just live... without weird food thoughts. If I stay 20 pounds over weight, then so be it. But I have a feeling this just might the cure I've been waiting for.

I'm going to attempt NaNoWriMo. We'll see how that goes.

I've just looked down to see that I am wearing 100% thrifted, garage saled or hand-me-down clothing. Except for my tights and undies, which probably cost three times as much as my actual outfit.

Here's the run down...

Crocheted Cardigan - $1.00
Skirt - $1.29 - It's a long skirt from the 80's that I chopped off and hemmed.
Black Gap long sleeve T - Free from a friend
Cute, sort of man shoes with a heel - (for lack of a better description) $3.99

Target Tights $7.99

Is it weird that my leg wear costs more than my whole outfit? Maybe I should start one of those what I'm wearing blogs. I'm totally addicted to those! If you go here, here, here and here (and this one is just fabulous!) you will see what I look at almost everyday! I have more, but this is just a little taste.

Tonight, I have a date with hubby which will include yet another trip to the Goodwill (I need jeans), dinner out - I'm thinking it's a clam chowder type of day, and we will conclude with seeing a free show. Dress rehearsals are always free and I totally invite myself to everyone I can get to. Nothing like making the actors feel nervous when another actor crashes their final dress rehearsal! But I am so encouraging and grateful for the free show that I think it evens it all out!

Boy, I am chatty today!

Dream Job...

Could this be it?

Pretty amazing, no?

Iowa

I don't really miss it...

but I miss my friends.

my raspberry colored kitchen.

my job at the library.

my job at the coffee shop.

Sometimes I miss the prairie, but I mostly prefer here.

What's happening right now

My husband yelling, "stupid, stupid, stupid" in my ear. He is watching football.

My MIL yelling, "that is just dumb". She's watching football.

My son saying, "You should put ads on your blog and make some money."

I changed my boring template to another canned boring template. Maybe one day I'll learn how to spruce this place up.

My day is lovely. I have watched my daughter sing in the choir, had lunch 'out', knitted a little, read facebook, and found out the sorting hat sorted me into hufflepuff. (I took it again and was a Gryffindor, but kept the first one).

Then, I have rehearsal for Willie Wonka, and we do our last show for Drop Dead. I will miss it.

This week, I look forward to using my new exercise tape, in which I will build a Brazilian butt. I'll let you know how that turns out.

Would you like a before and after picture? I think not. :)

Thrifting

I've had very much good luck at the goodwill lately.

I found a pair of naturalizer boots that were 12.99. I googled them and they are 169.00 new! They are so comfy and wonderfully fall-ish.

I have taken to buying old, long, flowery 1980's skirts and cutting them off at a more appropriate 2010 length. They look great with the boots.

I found a pair of tap shoes today for 6.99. Now I can really learn to tap!

I have very many fine gauge cardigans that go well with skirts and boots.

My husband found a very nice suit jacket for 2.95. It was for a costume for the theater, but, hey, he bought it, so he gets to keep it. It looks great on him.

$4.95 got me a pair of blue coveralls. I plan to be Rosie the Riveter for Halloween, and then use them for every home improvement job I have.

I can barely bring myself to purchase new from the store anymore. Although, target had skirts on sale for $4.98 and that is as good as goodwill, so I snatched those right up.

Maybe I'll have to start up on of those "what I wore today" blogs.

Next on my hunt: A pair of authentic mocassins!

Let me tell you a little something...

about my husband.

*This is where I would insert a cute picture of us, but because my picasa is full and they want more money for more storage and I haven't gone back and deleted old pictures, you get this very long run on sentence!

So, my husband...

If I say, "Farm Boy", he always says, "As you wish". Which I find very charming.

He knows lines and titles and plots and tons of info about tons of movie trivia. He is a virtual imdb.

He loves me.

He likes to take me out to eat. Yesterday I wanted pie for dinner, so we ditched the kids and had pie. $11.00 worth of bad pie = true love.

He said I could quit my job if I wanted to. I would, but then where would we be? It's nice to know he cares that I don't like my job, though.

He is super smart.

He is patient, and kind, and loving and a good dad. He is ever faithful, ever true.

He is encouraging to me in my endeavors.

We go together.

It's not that I'm mean...

What I meant to say, I guess, is that I had a hard day and wasn't very nice to some people.

I was sarcastic, and a little rude, and huffy. Not like me, really.

My husband woke me up in the night because he was worried about me after he read my little post about not being nice any more. He thought I was making a statement of sorts.

So, no. I haven't turned to the dark side, honey.

I think I'm frustrated about my work. I don't hate it, but it's not really my cup of tea. I would much rather be doing something else, and I'm trying to figure out how to do something else soon, but it's not happening for me soon enough.

Also, my house is a wreck, my kids are starting school soon and I missed most of their summer because I was at work. And I have so many other fun things I would rather do for these 9 or so hours a day that I am here. :)

(A side note: I am very grateful to have work when so many others don't).

Ah well, life moves forward and I will endeavor to not let the hard days make me hard.

I used to be nice...

And that's all I have to say about that. For now...

The sun arrived!!

I thought you should know.

Shivers

Everyday, for a short moment, I get a feeling.

I see something or hear something or feel something and I am overcome by a sense of possibility. Like I can create a special thing or compose a song or write something good.

But it is fleeting.

Because the reality is that I am sitting in front of a computer for most of my day and trying to live life in the other parts and trying to get some sort of sleep at night...

I just wonder, what would I have written, made, sung? What could I have accomplished if I had seized the moment?

I hope it was something good.

Will the sun never shine again?

It's gray... Gray, gray, gray.

We have had maybe two moments (I would say days, but they were really only moments) of time above the 70's here.

I like 68. 68 is the perfect temperature for me, but we haven't even had that.

I might have to write a really sad song. Or a SAD (that disorder that comes for seasonal distress due to bad weather) song.

I'm wearing yellow to try to combat the grayness, and it is helping about 2%.

I might have to eat a popsicle in rebellion. In fact, why don't you eat one, too?

Come on, world... Help me stick it to the (weather)man and eat a popsicle in solidarity and show our disapproval of fall time weather during the spring season!

It's almost summer, for pete's sake!

Opening Night!!

Here is the link to our newspaper preview!

Opening night is so exciting. Usually you have a full house and you get to hear the full bodied laughter for the first time.

I'm excited to be in a new playhouse, we have the coolest set.

I can't believe it's here already. Time sure flies.

Words of Wisdom for Today

Always plan the last cherry you intend to eat, to ensure your last one is not a mushy one.

I know this by years of cherry eating experience!

Yay for Bings.

It's a day... and it's only 11:30

My girls had two performances of their choir group. They both had big parts and solos.

My options were 8:30 and 10:00. But I already had a meeting scheduled from 9:00 - 10:00 so I thought I could get there by 10:11 and see most of it.

Well, meeting went long, and a motorcycle cop pulled me over.

$154.oo and ten minutes later, I get to see the very last song.

I go to hug my kids and break out in tears in the school gymnasium, causing my older daughter to cry, my son to look stricken and my young ones to reassure me that I am not the terrible mother that I was feeling like right at that moment.

Also, I'm dressed too fall-ish and I'm hot. I saw abandoned underwear in the ladies room at work and my make up is all wonky.

But in a few minutes, there will be lunch with a co-worker, in which I will eat delicious blue cheese dressing and then all will be right again.

But I'll still be out $154.00.

It's a challenge

I'm doing something hard. I thought it was going to be easy. A snap. A piece of cake. But it's harder than I expected!

I'm acting in a play (WITHOUT MUSIC! It's easy to fall back on those songs to let your character shine through). And I have to develop a character and try to be cute and much younger than I really am.

I have to have depth. Be simple, yet wise. Be angry, yet likable. Be innocent, but savvy. It's hard, I tell ya!

But I have a great director and she is patient and I know I'll get it. It's just not there quite yet.

I'm getting invaluable acting lessons through this experience so I'm glad I'm doing it and I'm excited to be learning.

So, what's your next challenge?

We open on Friday!

Here is the link to some pictures of the current show I'm in.

Tried to upload but I'm maxed out and need to clean out my Picasa!

On the agenda for the day:

Work, lunch with the girls, work again, home for a bit, rehearsal for Cactus Flower, exercise and then bed. A full day!

100 things... we'll see how far I get

Stolen from blackbird who stole from someone else... :)

1. I have sort of reddish hair lately. On purpose.

2. My nails are painted black. But usually they are bare.

3. My toes are painted red, but usually they are blue.

4. I am honing my acting skills

5. I've been cast in Cactus Flower.

6. In the younger part.

7. My counter part looks about 12.

8. I am self-conscious about this. Can you tell?

9. But I am excited, none the less. It's a pretty big part.

10. But I'm even more excited about Adelaide! Which opens in NINE DAYS!

11. I wear a blonde wig.

12. I'll post pictures later.

13. My husband is my boyfriend. :) In the show and in life. Isn't that nice?

14. My cycle is only 24 days long, which is apparently normal in some people, but sucks.

15. I'm feeling hormonal!

16. I have challenged myself to write six songs this year.

17. I've written a half of one, so far. Better get crackin'.

18. I'm doing P90X

19. I'm on day 12, I think.

20. No big results yet.

21. The 'Before' pictures are horrifying.

22. They are hidden in a secret folder on my computer and I hope if I die, that no one finds them.

23. I should probably rename the file - Burn upon my death!

24. I don't plan on dying anytime soon, so I hope to have the joy of some pretty hawt "after" pictures.

25. I have a box in my garage that I bought from a storage facility place that was cleaning out old units that is labeled 'Burn upon the event of my death'.

26. It is full of WWII journals and letters that I haven't read yet.

27. I'm trying to honor the guys wishes but can't bring myself to burn them. I want to see what his life was like.

28. Is that disrespectful?

29. I am still de-caffeinated.

30. My blood pressure thanks me for it.

31. I am the mother of four children

32. That amazes me!

33. I am in love with those little orange-y fruits called CUTIES.

34. I would eat out every day, if I could.

35. I will go ages without eating eggs and then all of the sudden, I have to have them for a couple days in a row.

36. I am a size 8 on the bottom and a size 12 on the top.

37. It is very hard to buy dresses.

38. I love wearing dresses!

39. Spring has not hit my part of the country yet.

40. It's starting to feel like it won't ever show up.

41. I don't like it when we skip spring and go straight into summer.

42. I like to ease into things.

43. I am on the hunt for the worlds best ink pen.

44. I prefer felt tip, but need to use ball point to press through all the layers of papers I use at work.

45. I am an office manager/personal assistant/data tracker/"support coordinator" (whatever that is)/jack of all trades/mommy at my work.

46. People come to me for everything from bandaids and safety pins to policy and procedures.

47. It's a lot to handle.

48. It's not my dream job.

49. But I have friends here, so that's good.

To be continued...

Bathroom Talk

I have a few peculiarities when it comes to public restroom usage.

And, hey. What's a blog for, if not to discuss such things?

I'm sure most women can fall into one of two categories when using a public restroom. Are you a hover-er or a cover-er?

I seem to be both. It takes no less than three tries to get the stupid seat covers to actually not fall into the bowl, and sometimes I can't wait for three tries, and then I just end up hovering. I can't bring myself to sit down on an uncovered public toilet. Sometimes I try the toilet paper strip covering method, but sometimes you just have to go!

(Side note: I read in Prevention magazine that it is better to not make a habit of hovering because it doesn't let you bladder relax all they way, which could cause infection). Thought you should know.

Also, I never take the first couple sheets of toilet paper. Those get ripped off and thrown away. Why? Because SOMEONE ELSE HAS TOUCHED THEM! Do you do this? I always wonder if I'm the only one.

There is very limited touching of anything. Which is the norm these days, I'm sure.

I'm thankful for automatic faucets on the sinks, automatic soap dispensers, dryers that you stick your hands in and those little foot hooks that allow you to open the door with your toe.

I'm not, however, a big fan of the automatic flusher. They flush on me spontaneously. I prefer to kick the handle.

Another thing... Thanks to my Grandma Virginia (Godresthersoul) I am always on the look out of men, who are dressed as women, not because they are transvestites, but because they are coming in to prey on women in the restroom. She gave me a healthy fear of restrooms, that one. I don't think she ever used public restrooms. She just held it.

I once took my daughter into a rest stop and wish I had the video of that excursion. She had no shoes on so I packed her in on my back, checked for perverts, covered the seat, swung her around to the front, arranged her clothing, dangled her over the pot, because even covered it was disgusting, took care of clean up, dressed her while still dangling, threw her back around onto my shoulders, checked for perverts again, and left to wash up with baby wipes in the car. ALL WHILE HOLDING MY BREATH THE ENTIRE TIME! It was truly gross.

And that concludes my bathroom talk for today. Sorry for warping you.

The sun is out!

I just got the deepest desire to sew something!

And I'm not even that good of a seamstress.

I would also like to paint my fingernails, clean my bathroom, practice a new hair style, write a song, eat lunch at an outdoor cafe, people watch beneath my sun glasses, do some stretching, learn to draw, shop, and play my kazoo.

Not all at once of course.

Can you tell I'd rather be somewhere else right now?

Spring fever, much?

I would like...

to have a cozy, welcoming little coffee shop. I would sell special little treats and help people relax. It would be near the water and town. There would be out door seating for people with doggies. I might even sell a sandwhich or two.

Green Eyed Monster

Today I was filled with jealousy. My heart squeezed a size or two smaller.

All because someone else had some good fortune. Some good fortune of the kind that I would like to have.

A mean jealousy.

Then I thought. This supposed 'good fortune' was the result of hard work, committment, talent, time and, yes, a little bit of luck.

All things that I have or could exhibit if I exerted myself a bit in the areas where exertion is required. Or diverted my attention from one area to focus on another.

Except the little bit of luck. That lady comes and goes as she pleases.

And now that I've thought it through, I am a little bit less jealous, but a little more "mmmphphph" at myself. (Can't think of the right word). Disappointed in myself, I guess.

I am happy for the good fortune getter. I really am.

I just want a little bit of it, too.

SHOWS!

I saw South Pacific and Chicago done by Broadway touring groups. And tomorrow I get to see Legally Blonde!

I saw Camelot done by a High School. Quite ambitious but they pulled it off fairly well.

I saw The Music Man done by a local musical theater. Well done.

Next week Harvey opens, in which I have a smallish part, and THEN.... Guys and Dolls in which I have a huge-ish part!

I love, love, love the theater. I love to be in shows, I love to watch shows, I like to think about shows I'd like to be in.

I do not, however, enjoy auditioning. But I'll get over that.

What about you? Seen anything lately?

Help Me Win!!!

My casting call video made the cut and I am in the top ten! Now, people get to vote for their favorites and I'm asking you to ask your friends to ask their friends to go over to CBS.com and vote.

I'm the one with the guitar!

Here is the link:

Thanks, Friends!!!

Practice makes... Better?

Working on a set for various open mics around town. I have something lined up for Wednesday, but don't know if this one will be ready by then. But I like it, so far.

Guess What?

I bought a ukelele today and I'm gonna learn how to play it!

The things you can find on craigslist. :)

It pretty much tops off a great day.

xoxox

Last night I cut my own bangs. I kept the shears vertical, as I learned on youtube and I think I did an okay job. A little short, but still swoopy to the side. I may be booking an appointment to the salon if I botched it. I never can tell the first day or two.

My mom is coming on the train this weekend and we will see a play and shop. I believe I will be receiving new unmentionables, courtesy of mum. How nice.

I have delivered Valentines to all of my co-workers. I used the cards from here. (Scroll down the the appropriate post).

I have booked a facial party and now I am going to cancel it. I always feel so pressured by these party businesses to have an event. But I really don't want one and I never earn the hostess gift, anyway. I just can't say no when I am sitting there trying their products.

I am in a play without singing before I get to be the the Musical of My Dreams. I am in Harvey. I have a wonderful little part and I get to use my 1940's speech pattern and it's simply mah-velous. Devine. En-chaunt-ing. :)

The best part about being in theater is the costumes. I still love to play dress up.

Happy Valentines, my bloggy friends. I simply adore you.

Feeling Guilty

I just paid $4.78 for a fancy coffee.

It is delicious.
And decaf. (Because I've given up the caf).
And dairy free. (Because I've given up the cow).
And has agave sweetener instead of the chemical stuff. (Because I'm almost practically a vegan by now, if not in earnest, at least by default).

But $4.78?! And it's gone already. :(

At least it was double-punch day on my frequent customer card.

I drank my fancy coffee but couldn't get over the price, and there are Haitians out there, and homeless people, and bills, and field trips, and hungry people, and... and... and...

But I did give my business to an indepent business woman who uses fair trade and healthy products. And I put a small tip in the jar for the cute and funky barista.

Does that balance it out?

Today's favorite

Love, lOvE, lurve it.

Todays To-Do

• Excercise
• Shower and Dress
• Eat some sort of delicious lunch - Stir Fry?
• Start cleaning my closet - I say start because it's so buried and full of stuff that needs to be gotten rid of that there is NO way I can finish it in one swoop.
• Go to our FIRST rehearsal for Guys and Dolls! Ecstatic!!
• Make a run to the grocery store
• Eat some sort of delicious dinner - Baked Potatoes?
• Karaoke at the Chinese Place with friends
• Jammies and Bed

Sounds like a pretty good day

Spring needs to arrive

I'm bored of my winter clothes.

My boots seem heavy, my tights feel too close to my skin and my sweaters are peely.

I've also been lifting weights and my arms are ready to see the light of day, and they need a little sun-kissed tint to be happy.

My hair needs to be redder, my shoulders need to be tan and my toes need to peep out.

I want to eat lunch out of doors, preferably at a waterside cafe on the patio with sunglasses on.

Picnics would be fine, but I hate to pack food so it would have to be a catered affair for me too feel totally sublime about it.

I want to feel a balmy breeze at about 6:12-ish in the the evening. I want open windows to smell that greenish, lemony aroma of spring that my area boasts.

Iced coffee over hot. Smoothies over tea. Fresh veggies instead of frozen.

I'm ready to spring clean. I don't know when I'll do that, but it must be done.

Is this the equivalent of having too early of a Christmas Spirit peak? What is Spring Spirit called?

Whatever it is. I have it.

This is a test

I'm having trouble with my Survivor Video, so I had to make another one and now I don't know if that one worked, so I'm downloading it here to see if it works. It can only be a minute and mine is right dorky, but hopefully it will catch their attention!

Here goes!

This is to win an audition in LA. If it is one of the top ten, then people can vote on CBS.com to choose the audition winner. Let's hope I make the top ten!

Here's the link if you can't see it on this post

They called!

Survivor called me!!

But only to tell me that my DVD has formatting issues and they can't see it.

Now I have to do it over, because I will have to upload it directly onto the website and they have different rules about length and content and such.

Plus, my computer is dead and the original recording is on there anyway.

Still, it was exciting that they called, even if it wasn't really an invitation for an interview. At least I know my stuff got there!

Here's hoping for call number two!

I got it!!

I got my dream role. Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. I can barely contain myself.

Funny thing? My husband auditioned and he won Nathan Detroit!

We are playing together for the first time. Should be tons of fun!

Also got a role in Harvey. Not a musical, but it will help me hone my acting skills.

So excited. Now, if I could only get paid for doing what I love!

I have nerves

I've been especially hungry for two days in a row.



I know it's not real hunger. It's just nerves.



You see, I have a big audition coming up on Saturday. Two, actually. But one I really care about and will break my heart if I don't get. So. I'm hungry.



But today I acknowledge my hunger for what it is and will use it for good and not evil. I will convert it into energy to do my job and get some stuff done, and practice, practice, practice, and we'll see what happens.



At the very least, I won't gain five pounds before my big day. That's a bonus in and of itself.



****



Also, my husband said something to me yesterday that rang true. He teaches a speech class and he said he liked it when people stood up there and said what they are with confidence.



For example; someone can either introduce themselves like, "Hi, my name is ___ and I am a writer". Or they can say, "Hi, my name is ____ and I sort of write, like in my free time, I'm not paid for it yet, but I would like to be, but it's not official or anything..." You get my drift.



So, I will stop using words like 'ish'. I actually told someone once that I was an actress and added 'ish' to it. How lame is that?



Here goes... "Hi, my name is Amy and I am a singer and an actress". Of course, I want to qualify that in a million ways, but for today I won't. I will just be confident that in whatever capacity I am those things, that I really am those things!



Feels sort of scary. And brave. And good.



And a little hungry. :)

Maybe it's time to start again...

I think I'm ready. But I have frustrations.

The allowable alottment for photos for this blog has been filled. I either have to pay for more storage, delete old photos or start a new site. None of these seem to appeal to me. But I will have to choose.

I post a lot on facebook. I think that has taken the place of the blog for awhile. But this little spot is more for me and facebook is more about others. So I will come back here to post my thoughts and observations and silliness.

I hope I have some art and crafts to share in the future. And songs. And hopefully good news that I expect shortly. I am auditioning for my dream role. Yes, it's only community theater, but I WANT IT so badly! And if I don't get it, I will come back here to moan and groan.

I have goals and dreams that I have written in my note book. I'll document them here when they are accomplished.

I've missed you little blog. And my blog friends. I won't leave you long from now on. I hope. :)