Someone has had the best year ever!

I spent an hour writing a post about my first Christmas in California and my computer crapped out before I could finish spell-check, so as far as Christmas goes, it was nice, stress-free and the warmest Christmas I have had in awhile. I wish I could retype my witty account of the previous days spent in Texas for my cousin's wedding, but my computer might decide to be stupid again. Instead I would like to quickly, before my Toshiba gets too hot, list some of the highlights of '06:

1. Getting out of theatre- I had a good run at a very challenging profession, but it was time to move on before I losing use of my hands.
2. The fella finishes school- I'm so proud of my Mister finishing his Masters degree and getting his first professional gig. All of the married women call on him to help review their sight plans...I don't blame them. :)
3. ADoD gets hitched- Twice, but once with a kickass party.
4. Cactus finishes nursing school- Passes the NCLEX and becomes a full-fledged nurse.
5. Patriots vs. Dolphins- Complete with a trip to NYC, Foxborough, and CT to meet up with old friends. I miss the east coast!
6. Finishing Prerequisites- Yeah! I proved that I can be a non-traditional student in a non-related field.
7. OT School- Yep, that starts in August.
8. Vacation?- Yeah, I knew it existed. Half Moon Bay, CA, B&B...just beautiful.
9. Health, happiness, a roof over my head and food in my belly.

Life is good.

2007, bring it on!

Judge Not

I have always had one of those trusting faces. Anytime I venture out, especially on public transportation, I oftentimes attract lonely people wanting an ear to listen to them. Depending on my mood, I choose to either ignore them or humor them. Sometimes, the person is creepy or clingy and I quickly retreat. Today, I listened.

A young girl struck up a conversation with me at the light rail as I waited for the train. My final was scheduled for 12:15 and I was just ready to get it out of the way. I have been in a rather serene mood since finding out I would be starting graduate school in the fall. I decided I would talk to this young lady. We made small talk about the train and how it was raining. She tells me she is pregnant and will be taking tests to see if her baby is healthy. She tells me she is 17 years-old, so I am not quick to congratulate her. She's having a little girl and has already picked out a name.

We get off at the same stop and we continue to walk in the same direction. She thanks me for talking to her. I start to feel a little sad and I am not sure why. Then for some reason she confides in me that she can't stop smoking, thinking that switching to light cigarettes will have no harmful effects on her baby. I couldn't go without responding and told her she should stop for the health of her baby. "My mom smoked while she was pregnant with me and I turned out fine," she said. She then got on her connecting train toward the hospital.

I am still disturbed by my conversation with her, and wonder why she chose to tell me of her bad habit. Once I am an OT I am sure to hear worse things and I hope that I will be able to reach them without judgement.

Woo Hoo!

I don't even know how to begin this.

When you want something so bad and you finally get it, it is difficult to put into words how much it means to you that it has finally come true. It has been a tough couple of years, but I have been telling myself time and time again to keep my eye on the prize. Then, yesterday it happened.

I got into graduate school.

Boo-ya!

I'm gonna be an OT!!!

Happy Holidays/Anniversary

Today is a very special day for my fella and I. Four years ago today, we decided to declare our feelings for eachother after a night of beer pong. I know, it touches your heart, but brewskis tend to make it easier to declare your feelings. It will be a nice little story for the grandkids some day.

Anyhow, I decided I would make the house all Christmas-y with the little money I aquired from tutoring. I bought a baby tree from target and dressed it up with little wooden ornaments and strings of popcorn. Our first Christmas tree. :)

The next couple of weeks will be a little crazy: a comprehensive final in my Neuroscience class, cousin's wedding in Texas, hoping to find out about graduate school, jury duty, finding a non-theatre-related job...

'Tis the season!

A Thanksgiving Miracle

This Thanksgiving, my fella and I were stuck in California fending for ourselves. In the past, we relied on our families to provide us with a tasty meal that we would enjoy with little or no effort. For the first time in our four years together, we made a traditional Thanksgiving feast. As you can see, we didn't have a whole lot of room to work with. Yes, that small piece of exposed counter space that the biscuits are on are the only available surface for cutting things. I made the cornbread and biscuit dressing the day before so the potatoes, turkey cutlets and green beans would have room to cook on our tiny stove. I wanted to make a pie, but we decided that our favorite local bakery, Flames Coffee Shop, would be just as good.

Preparing this meal made me realize how much I enjoy cooking. I used to cook feasts for my friends in college every year before Christmas. Some day, I hope to entertain more often. If I tried to entertain in this apartment, it would have to be a "bring-your-own-chair" party.

Oh, and yesterday was my fella's birthday. We went shopping, which I expected to be frightening on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but we ended up getting the best parking spot in the mall parking lot! We then headed to the HP Pavillion for a Sharks NHL game. We had tickets for one of the suites, ate food, drank beer and watched the Sharks shut-out the Devils. It was a perfect day.

Like Butta'

Dear Barbara Streisand,

I realize you are a well respected artist on a global scale, but your music does nothing but make my ass twitch. Sometimes, I wonder why you are still filling autotoriums after your third "Farewell Tour." Because of you, I was stuck in traffic for thirty minutes to only travel half a mile after a pilates class. It means money for you, but a nervous breakdown for me since California drivers forget how to drive with the slightest hint of drizzle in the air. You must be doing something right, but I still don't understand why people clog the streets around my apartment to hear you wail, only to possibly catch you on a bad night where you tell them to "Shut the F*ck Up!"

And I thought you were a lady!

Not-so-much-a-fan,

Curly

What is the code word?

Tonight I watched "Purple Rain" for the first time ever. I've always appreciated Prince, and I am surprised it took me so damn long to sit through the whole thing...which I will admit, I loved.

I'm still confused, amused and applauding Prince's last gesture of the film. I know his songs are sexually charged, but I never expected him to take the ending of his movie to that level.

Bravo, Prince, Bravo!

On a totally unrelated note, anyone who needs to laugh their pants off, please visit my MySpace and click on the comment my charming boyfriend sent me.

Rush is High

Several years ago, a dear cousin of mine, much to the chagrin of his conservative father, defaced a bumper sticker supporting a famed ultra conservative radio talk show host. Originally, the bumper sticker proclaimed "RUSH IS RIGHT." With the work of a fat black magic marker, my witty cousin corrected the bumpersticker: "RUSH IS HIGH." Little did he, his right-winged father, or the rest of the American public know that years down the line, Rush Limbaugh would really be high on OxyContin and attending rehabilitation for his very public addiction. After watching the news today, it is apparent that my cousin WAS right again. How high does one have to be to accuse someone (Michael J. Fox) with Parkinson's Disease that they are "faking" the characteristic tremor associated with the illness?

Like ADoD, I was enraged enough to want to throw a shoe or three at the television. I declined only because our television is close to shitting the bed anyway. I don't think it would survive under rapid-shoe-fire.

All Aboard!

I just read an article in the recent Metro Magazine about local San Jose theatres that not only angered me, but also leads citizens to believe that the business managers in the theatre industry take artistic risks for the good of the company. For those who have worked in the theatre industry, we all know that these business people who run the companies could give a rats ass for those who actually put the product out there. The risks that they take in choosing a production leaves the production staff wondering if they will have a job to feed their children for the next year, and the business staff asking why the production staff is being paid a living wage.

Where does the money go? Seats for a regional theatre production are not cheap. Admission prices have gone up to $50 or $60 dollars a pop, and on Broadway, you have to give up your first born for decent seats to a Tony Award Winning show. Tens of thousands of dollars are spent on production, depending on the size of the show. Which brings up the biggest question of all: Why must a company choose to produce a large show with a large cast, 10 costume changes per character, and a high-tech set, when there is doubt the company will stay afloat for the next season? They will make cuts by laying off production staff and ask the remaining staff not to work overtime because the show is over budget. Yet the show must get done. What now?

I've seen it all in my ten years of working in professional theatre. You only have to witness one company going under, or your friends being laid-off for the fourth time to make you question how theatre has lasted this long. The arts are important, and I stand by that, but I have been consistently disappointed by decisions made in the name of art. As some companies in the art business value their employees, others sacrifice backstage talent for artistic merit.

Next stop on the bitter train: Why must we elect a robot from the future as our governor?

Detox

Vacation. Yeah, that's right. The fella and I finally took a vacation after two and one half years of dreaming of the day we could actually travel outside of the holiday season. We had this planned for well over a year and the wait was well worth it. Here are some of the highlights:

1. A day trip to NYC to see a fellow Goodspeeder. Well, he was smart enough to leave before the fit hit the shan out there and has created a great life for himself. I met him at the Victoria Secret studios in Manhattan and was able to see the lingerie that will be showing on the televised runway show for this season. Did it make me wish I was back at my old life? Not really, but I am incredibly proud and not surprised that my friend is very successful in the fashion business in NYC. We then followed up with a tour of the Bodies, The Exhibition. I was very impressed and often disturbed by some of the bodies in the exhibit, but I can now say that I know what the inside of a goiter looks like. I'll use a little more salt in my diet now, thank you very much! Surprisingly, all the gross stuff did not disturb our appetites, as we headed over to the "Chat n Chew" for some comfort food. New Yorkers sure do love their comfort food.

2. The fella and I were able to meet up at the Pattaconk in Chester, CT for some delicious Magic Hat #9 beer and great conversation with some friends.

3. BBQ with the fam. Perhaps one of the many highlights was being able to BBQ with the fella's dad and sisters in the New England fall air. It was even more comforting to see how well my fella's sister recuperated after a really bad car accident. She is a really brave, incredible person and I am very proud that she recovered with such grace.

4. The Patriot's Gathering. One of the main reasons we booked the trip in the first place. My man has made connections with fellow Pats fans and wanted to put faces to names in a gathering that involved pool and Budweiser on an empty stomach...ultimately leading to a late-night trip to Wendy's...it was the only place open. It tasted like a gourmet meal at the time. As morning rose, we realized Wendy's was a really, really bad idea.

5. New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins. Early in the morn, we arrived in the parking lot at Gillette stadium, fired up the grill, and were chowing down on burgers at 9am. Was not my first choice after waking up with Wendy's cramps, but it was a tailgating party and I couldn't resist. The game...was freaking amazing. We had the best seats in the stadium: endzone, practically first row...a dream, really.

6. Lots of Dunkin' Donuts. Holy shit. Frosted strawberry glazed donut with a medium black french vanilla hot coffee. I don't know how many times those words were uttered with pride from my lips in those four days.

With all of the beer, burgers, donuts and Italian chocolates my fella's mom brought back from Northern Italy, I am officially trying to get healthy again. I made a joke in my yoga class that my trip to New England inspired me to binge on Dunkin' Donuts. The instructor laughed.

Ha! She thought I was joking.

Let the detox begin.

Celebrity Sistas

Yeah, I don't think so...

Why can't I SLEEP???

It's happening again. I'm up when I shouldn't be and I have a long day tomorrow.

I've been a bit overwhelmed lately while I gather my material to apply for graduate school. I don't remember it being so stressful the first time around. Before the end of the month I have to collect my letters of recommendation, finish my volunteer hours, write my statement of purpose, fill out the application to the program and the university, rework my resume from theatre work and take pictures some clothes I made at AMT. By the end of this week, I hope to have the paperwork done.

When I think about applying to this program, I think about how I haven't wanted to accomplish anything as much as I have wanted this. I'm so afraid of being let down.

On other news, I've been keeping my mind off of school by enrolling in the Onion Fantasy League. It's not your everyday Fantasy Football Team. I mean, c'mon! It's the freakin' Onion! In this particular league, you choose the players you think will muck it all up. You know, the Drew Bledsoes, the Joey Galloways (what a disgrace to the name!), and the entire defense of the 49ers. It all works on a point system, and the person who chooses the biggest losers by the end of the season, wins $500. Love it!

I have also enrolled in the free month trial of blockbuster.com. I added over 35 titles to my Queue so far, and I am planning on adding the first season of "House" because I have only recently become mad-addicted to this series. If anyone has any suggestions that don't suck (and keep in mind that I am picky as hell) let me know. Feel free to reply here or on myspace.

Yep...

Still not sleepy.

I need to get back into yoga again. Walking three miles a day isn't getting me tired any more.

Sew freaking what!

It's two in the AM and I just can't fall asleep.

I decided to search the internet for apartments, dreaming of a spacious place we can comfortably call home. The sad reality is that the rent is just as expensive here as it is in NYC, and NYC is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay cooler than SJC.

I watched Project Runway last night. I'm not a designer. I've never considered myself to have that kind of gift. I know what looks good and how to make someone else's idea or sketch come to life, but I don't have that god-given ability to come up with great ideas. I do, however, know how to apply couture hand-stitching. What stressed me out as I watched last night's show was that most of the designers, once again, can not sew. Vincent was gluing half of his shit together. Yes, I realize that they only had two days for couture, but his dress was not that extravagant. It would not take that long to hand-sew that measly little hem. And, yes, his dress should have been turned around, but it still would have looked like a monkey put it together with a crowbar.

As for Michael, there is no doubt that the man knows how to make a pattern. Handsewing...not so much. I know when I had to start all over learning how to REALLY sew when I was an apprentice at the 'Speed, I was only handsewing bitch-work for almost four months before I was allowed on a machine. I was glad that I was made to do that, because you really have to pay attention to details and learn to work faster to get through the shit work. You grow to appreciate how the inside of a garment has to be as impecable as the outside. Anyone who wants to learn how to sew the "right way" should always learn how to FINISH a garment. I'm not talking about top-stitching with a machine. I'm talking about making the work look invisible from two inches away. Any time my old boss at the 'Speed saw the least little "pick" from a skirt hem, it was coming out. Who cares that it is a circle skirt with 11 pannels, and you only have two inches left. Too freaking bad. And glue...is a four letter word.

Now, if you will excuse me, my left hand is going numb.

Fucking hand-sewing.

RIP O'Rourke's

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I didn't really come to this conclusion until I moved to the east coast. One of the places that molded this opinion was O'Rourke's diner in Middletown, CT.

Anyone who has dined there remembers waiting outside in line for almost an hour, sometimes in the snow to take a seat in the tin diner from the 1920s amongst Wesleyan students, old regulars and those who just pulled an all-nighter. The omelet menu on Sundays was five pages, single spaced typing, front and back. You could go there every day for five years and still not have everything on the menu.

Last week, a fire took my favorite breakfast spot and there is doubt that Mr. O'Rourke will continue his business. Although the community is supportive and offering to rebuild the diner for free, Mr. O'Rourke is not making any decisions right away. It would be impossible to replicate the business that has been in his family since 1947.

I'll never forget going to O'Rourke's for their great food, coffee cake and the big kid with the red afro who played the bag pipes there on Saturdays. It's sad to see such an institution go away so suddenly.

Here is a great story written by a loyal customer of the diner about the owner, Brian O'Rourke:

"I work at the school - THE school - and often pull an over-nighter, so over the last five years I'd be in the door at O'Rourke's with the newspaper guy. (That's five AM folks - the time Brian promises the coffee will be hot.) One morning four and a half years ago is current in my mind. On a snowy winter morning Brian was pressing a fresh muffin and a cup of coffee on a street guy. (The guy had wanted money of course.) Suddenly Brian said, "Have you looked at yourself lately? Really? Do you know what you look like, what you're doing to yourself? Go on down to my bathroom. Wash your face and look in the mirror. That's all you've got bud. That's all you've got." The young man - sadly he was young - went to the bathroom. He was gone a while. There was silence in the diner as the two or three patrons were deep in our private thoughts. When he came back to his stool Brian gave him a few minutes to munch, then he came over and in the gentlest voice I think I have ever heard he said, "Look, you want to go somewhere, I'll go with you. One step. You come by here tonight at seven o'clock. I'm closed, but I'll be here. We'll have a cup of coffee and talk. Maybe we'll go down the street and talk to some smart people who've been there. Okay?" And without an answer or a promise Brian went away and left the kid to eat. I don't know whether the young man showed up that night. He probably didn't. But I'll bet Brian did."

Oh, Sweet Computer

I have my laptop back. Finally!!

August was a month of things breaking down on poor little Curly:
1. My car broke down on the ramp of 280S heading towards Oakland off the busiest intersection of San Jose. It was a nightmare.
3 alternators + 1 battery - 1 AC = one pissed off Curly
I think my car is going to shit the bed soon, so I'm looking into buying a Vespa.

2. My coffeemaker broke one morning while I was getting ready for my volunteering gig at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Luckily, I aquired a used Mr. Coffee from my old work place.

3. My computer crapped out on me. Hard drive failure, followed by a broken CD ROM provided by the Geek Squad. I finally got my computer back from the manufacturer, only to find out that they had misplaced the AC adapter and battery. F*#@! The nice fella at the counter took care of it and ordered us the new accessory. We recieved it today. All in all, we had no computer for three weeks. :(

Thank you to the Rose Garden Branch of San Jose Libraries for providing me with my daily internet fix. It's amazing how much I rely on my daily dose for survival.

OOOO, Pretty Barbie

I decided to make my blog look sexy, and I added my favorite links which wasn't an option with my other template. Funny what happens when you have all this free time on your hands.

Oh, and I had to make everyone aware that this exists.

Thanks, Lori...I think. :)

A Spoon Full of Sugar

This evening, my fella and I were leaving the "da Hukilau" after one too many Pineapple Heads, (my favorite drink) and I developed a killer case of the hiccups. I tried everything short of standing on my head to get the damn hiccups to stop, but it was a spoon full of good 'ol sugar that did the trick.

Grandma Elsie was right.

Who knew?

The mystery is now solved.

"Talk to My Ass"

Pop music has been going to the shitcan for a while now. The MSN homepage had a featured article dedicated to those who can't and shouldn't sing, but unfortunately have made their way to the airways.

One artist listed that shouldn't sing was definitely worth noting:

Steven Seagal: "Many have placed action star Bruce Willis on lists such as these over the years, but Willis only did two albums, had a good time with it, put it behind him and seemed to not take the whole enterprise very seriously. Seagal, on the other hand, takes himself veeeeery seriously on the multiple blues records he has spawned. On the latest, "Mojo Priest," Seagal offers a song called "Talk to My Ass." Let's recap the math: gravely serious over-the-hill martial arts movie star plus guitars plus blues music plus a demand that you talk to his ass. Adds up to trouble."

Hope

There are only a handful of people who read this blog, and all of you know how political I am. Further, you must all know how I feel about the "W."

And, I'm sure you know how I feel about this:
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Bush_uses_his_first_veto_ever_on_stem_cell_bill

And surprised, but very pleased about this:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/

Here's a great article about the subject.

For someone who is going into a profession helping people with incurable diseases/disabilities, I would like a little hope for these people.

Could stem cell research be the answer?

...I'm not quite sure I believe it

I just had to document the hottest day in all the land.

California has been seeing some really drastic weather in 2006, and the year is only half over. In February, Santa Cruz, CA had three inches of snow on their beaches. The town hall of San Jose had a light snow dusting on the 13th floor that same week. This was the first time the Bay Area has seen snow in 25 years.

San Jose is nestled between two mountains to the east and the west. Most days, especially during the winter, you can see the mountains and the Lick Observatory, which is up about 5,200 feet on Mount Hamilton. Lately, there is only a hazy shadow of the mountains...a thick layer of smog covers the view. Carbon was burning my eyes and throat as I waited for public transportation yesterday. I stood on the platform, waiting for lightrail. Families left the public library with their children at 5:00pm at closing time and stood outside with me, waiting for an air conditioned ride. The only breeze we had were the cars driving by, and it smelled of exaughst. Before the train's horn sounded, the man next to me yelled, "You know, I've heard of this phenomena called 'Global Warming,' but I'm not quite sure I believe it."

Things I want to do in this life

*Picture of the Aurora Borealis* (Southern Lights)

...read on, it will make sense later.

Everyone has a mental list of things that they want to accomplish in life. I've been so concerned with the present tasks of volunteering, studying for the GRE and applying to graduate school that I forgot about my life goal of learning how to play the banjo.

And that's no joke. I really do want to learn how to play a banjo.

Some day, I will learn, but I want to take it seriously and have the time to set aside hours for practice. Like Woody Allen does with his clarinet. I worked with a costume designer who designed the clothes for a few Woody Allen movies, and the production staff had to work around his daily clarinet practice. Each practice was precisely 37 minutes long. Weird, I know, but he always stuck by that.

But, I digress.

My new thing I want to do is take a voyage to Antarctica. I was looking into this some time ago and there is a company out of New Zealand that uses old research boats that are fully functional, Icebreakers (which I just saw on Modern Marvels on the History Channel, which made me think about writing this), and large tourist boats for educational excursions for everyday folk. I've been to various aquariums across the country, and visited some amazing museums of natural history, but being able to see the southern lights, see the amazing glaciers up close...I would crap my pants.

I don't know what they mean by "simple" but comfortable ships. Not that I'm high maintenance, but still.

And, no, I'm not dreaming of the arctics because of the nationwide heat wave...just in case you were wondering.

The Oven

My apartment is an oven.

Hot Momma

That's right. Hot Freakin' Momma. And I don't mean the sexy kind, either. This is the thermostat in my non-AC apartment in San Jose, CA. Not sexy at all. :(

My Poor, Neglected Baby Blog

I usually post once a month. At least. These past few months, I was studying so hard that I couldn't even think about spelling my own name at the end of the day, much less compiling a compelling blog entry. I've been at Foothill College taking two sections of Human Anatomy and Physiology and a section of Elementary Statistics. This school operates on a quarter system, so the schedule is really intense; I had at least two tests going on in one week. In my last two weeks, I counted up how many lectures I sat through in one week and was very surprised I had kept myself interested. NINE. That's right. NINE lectures in one week. The amazing thing was, well actually there are two amazing things:

1. I really enjoyed the classes and the laboratories. Four out of the five teachers enjoyed experiencing their students learning the material.

2. I ended up pulling straight A's. Statistics always scared me. I hadn't had a math class in almost nine years, and math is one of those things that if you don't use it, you lose it.

So, enough about school. I'm actually on a break and will begin volunteering soon for Santa Clara Valley Medical in their Occupational Therapy out-patient clinic. Their rehabilitation facility is the best in Northern California, so it should be a great experience. I'm also looking into volunteering at a children's hospital for special needs. It will be a growing experience, but I am definitely up for it.

Many things happened over the past couple of months:
1. My fella graduated from graduate school.
2. Mom and Cactus visited NorCal and we tore it up. San Francisco will never be the same again. :)
3. My fella got a great job working for the City of Los Altos.
4. My baby blog turned one year old.
5. I became slightly addicted to MySpace and have reconnected with many old friends.

So, while I am studying for the GRE and volunteering, I will try to be a better blogger.

Just as a side note: I was performing spell check and the dictionary on this site didn't recognize "blog" or "blogger."

Monopoly gets a face lift

I love this game. Anyone who has stayed up all night, fighting it out over Boardwalk knows what I'm talking about. I was always the thimble. Go figure.

How did you vote?

...because I like my celebrities a little on the trashy side

Tabloids are my guilty pleasure. There. I admit it.

If you are not sure what to think about Gwyneth Paltrow, try this one on.

ADoD gets hitched

Last weekend on April 1st, my sister, ADoD, tied the knot publicly in our hometown of Lockney, TX. It was a fantastic event that my parents managed to successfully plan in only six months. The bride looked beautiful and her "best woman" proved to be one of two people in all the land that can keep this nervous bride laughing...the other would be "the pilot".

What I liked about this event:

1. Spending time with the family. I was able to catch up with people I hadn't seen in almost ten years. I only get to come home once a year, so this gave me and my fella a chance to party it down with kin folk.
2. The ceremony was a record 13 minutes long. I think I lost my ability to be in front of a crowd without getting nervous, because right before the ceremony, I thought I was going to chaunch. However, since the ceremony was so short, I was able to breathe again once I made it out of sight in my very uncomfortable, cute shoes.
3. BBQ, beer and live music. Three of my most favorite past times. All three were done right: a.) My dad's friends spent all day around the grill making their infamous 'Q. b.) We had Shiner on tap, but at some point, I accidentally let one of my old buddies fill me up a cup of Coors Light. I thought I was drinking foamy water. c.) My little sis hired her friends' of the Wes Nickson Band based out of Lubbock to play. I was very impressed with the song list and how well they sounded in the community center. They even asked my cousin, B.C., to join them on base for a song. The vocalist blew me away. I hope they go really far in the business.
4. Getting to visit with old friends and teachers. I was a little nervous about this one. I was afraid that I would introduce someone with the wrong name, or drink a little too much and say something stupid, but overall, I really only had one mishap: I didn't recognize someone I hadn't seen in about 15 or more years. That's excusable, right??? My mom had the best one. I still laugh about it every time I think about it. Mom, you know what you did, and I thank you oh so much for doing it. :)

All that being said, it wasn't without drama. We had a rather unfortunate event with the bridal boutique: ADoD's dressed got burnt in the bridal shop, but was quickly replaced. The shop ordered dressed twice the size as all of the bridesmaids, and they were altered horribly. Luckily, my skills could be used once again, and I was sewing up to the time we had to walk down the isle. I was glad I could do this for my sis, and I am glad that she and her man had such a great public wedding. I wish them all the love and happiness...in all the land.

Exit...Stage Left

It is official. I have left the theatre business for good. It is a both sad and exciting occasion, where I can reflect on some of the highlights and life changing events from my theatre career. Here goes:

Lockney Elementary School:

• My first performance onstage was of a stick in our kindergarten production of "The Three Little Pigs". My costume was rolled up brown construction paper tied to my arms and torso, and when the big, bad wolf came around, the house of the first little pig made of sticks, left me and my fellow sticks scattered on the ground. Too cute.
• In the second grade, I had my first starring role in "Wack-a-doo Zoo" as a zoo keeper. My first role in drag.
• As fifth graders, we put on a play about saying "no" to drugs. I played a nutty professor with an unidentifiable accent, again in drag.

Lockney High School:

• My freshman year, I started off in drag once again as Mechanical, Peter Quince, in William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Little did I know, this wouldn't be the last time I would perform in this play.
• Sophomore year was perhaps our most successful year in UIL One-Act performing "Dancing at Laughnasa". We all won awards and our cast made it all the way to the Area competition.
• Junior year, I had to die in the play. I don't think my parents really enjoyed this one.
• Senior year, I sang a lot, and the show didn't go as far as I hoped. I took comfort in the fact that I was still going to do theatre in college.

College--WTAMU:

• Freshman year, I was in a lot of plays, but the most memorable for me was my first ACTF competition performing in "The Trial". This is when I first realized how fun it was not performing fluff and that I really could be funny. It also marked my first and only original play. My first year in college was really difficult, but I found sewing in the costume shop to be my escape.
• Sophomore year, I believe I enjoyed the most performing as Catherine in "A View from the Bridge". The play did not advance, but I felt the most connected to this character and the people in the cast. The set was amazing and I learned a lot about myself.
• My Junior year, I realized that acting was too draining for me and performed my last major role as a prisoner. I lost someone really close to me the night before my last performance. When I am reminded of this show, I think of him.
• During my last year, I was able to direct "The Lover" by Harold Pinter. I was really proud of how every element fit together, but was frightened about how much of myself I had to put out there. I did "Midsummer" again. This was the year that I performed for the last time in a student play with one of my dearest friends.

After College:

• I made a move to Boston, MA where I thought I wanted an MA/PhD in theatre, but felt too young and inexperienced to really commit. Sept. 11 happened, and I hauled ass back to Austin to be with family.
• Knowing I wanted to be closer to NYC, I moved to East Haddam, CT as a costume apprentice for Goodspeed Musicals. I lived in substandard conditions, met incredibly talented people and learned everything I know about sewing. My favorite show to sew for was "Very Good Eddie," where the designer was fantastic and fed us fattening food every day. I met my fella while working here, which makes my stay at Goodspeed truly special. I was also blessed to work for Yale Repertory Theatre with more talented folks before I made the move out to San Jose, CA.
• California has been a challenge, but the work always seemed to come my way. After freelancing for a year, I finally landed a full-time gig with American Musical Theatre as a stitcher. Here, I worked harder than I ever thought I could work. My coworkers, from Russia and Iran, always made sure that I was eating, and I even learned some Russian on the side. I will always remember these ladies and how much they helped me get through some difficult times.

So, this wraps up my memories of 25 years doing theatre. Documenting this has surely helped me be proud of the time I spent in the business and the friends I have made all over the world.

Inside every cowboy....

Wow.

You know, I had heard about the new Willie Nelson song inspired by the urban cowboys of the early 80's. I think that this representation, complete with dancing squirrels and karaoke ball, makes this gay cowboy song shine.

Speaking of, I did have a chance to see "Brokeback Mountain." Wonderful movie, but it ruined me for a week. Ang Lee did a bang-up job with this one.

Thank you, Willie...and thank you, Lori for sending me the link.

My career status...no big surprise. :)

I found this little quiz on another blog. I have taken career counseling, and the results are no different from the class. I continue to be amused on how studies suggest that my current career is such a poor choice for me. You scored as Biology. You should be a Biology major! You are passionate about the sciences, and you enjoy studying cell growth and evolutionary concepts which enable living organisms to survive. Pursue that! Biology 100% Psychology 100% Anthropology 92% Sociology 92% Mathematics 75% Dance 75% Engineering 75% Philosophy 67% Linguistics 67% Chemistry 67% Theater 50% English 42% Art 33% Journalism 25% created with QuizFarm.com

WWWD?

On Monday night, one of my co-workers and I made an overnight trip to San Francisco for a Willie Nelson concert. I love his music and the causes he supports: Farmaid, Biowillie and the like. I also have to go back to my roots now and again since I'm not able to travel back to my homeland of Tejas. It was good to see that so many people respect his music...even in California where they tend to think Texans are all like W. People out here tell me that I am not the typical Texan, and when I ask if they have ever visited, they say "no, and I don't want to." Hm....our so-called "liberal", "educated" population has a twisted double standard. A blind spot. Something that I am quite used to since I have lived in the "blue parenthesis."

My point being, it made me proud to stand next to the stage and see a good 'ol boy rock the Fillmore West. I could, for once since I've been out here, say I'm from Texas and people can address me with a sense of awe...I'm from Willie country...not Bush country.

Here's to a great '06

Yes, being busy has kept me from posting, but I must say that I have been a little sluggish since my bout with the flu during the holidays. Bummer, I know. I was with my family, who I rarely see, they were drinking good booze while I would look longingly at a glass of Messina Hoff, and would only be able to stomach half a glass. Ickiness aside, I had a great time catching up with old friends and family.

I have started taking classes again this week: General Biology, which I haven't taken since I was a Freshman in high school; Elementary Statistics: I am having to re-teach myself how to use the TI-83 calculator; and I am trying to fit Human Anatomy and Physiology somewhere in there.

In my HA & P class, our prof. introduced a website that is new to me, but has been around for quite sometime. If you have never heard of it, you should definitely check it out...if you have known about it for years, then, well...I guess it's a little less cool. I never really cared to know how a sewing machine ACTUALLY worked--I just wanted to know that it wouldn't create bobbin vomit all over my chiffon project. I typed it in and I was intrigued. Never would I have ever compared the convenience of the sewing machine to that of the introduction of the car.