The Van Gogh Cafe

life, the universe, and everything else

2012-01-16T20:58:00.004-05:00

Hannah posted a series of questions the other day. Questions that spoke to my soul. That I think reflect great life truths. And so, I decided, I will answer them.

1. Let us begin with the most important matter: Do you like cake? Why or why not?
I love cake. I frequently get cake cravings. Also funfetti cupcakes. Or really, anything with the right kind of frosting. I'm very picky about frosting.

2. Have you ever been to Paris? If you have, tell me about it. If you have not, would you like to go someday?
I have! I spent a week there with my family the summer after my junior year of high school. (My sister had been living in Germany for a year, and we were visiting and traveling with her.) I would love to go back; I think I would appreciate it more now. Though I probably speak a lot less French than I did then...

3. Given the choice, would you rather go out to eat at a fancy restaurant or stay home and order takeout?
Depends entirely on whether I feel like making the effort to dress up. If I had just bought a new dress, fancy restaurant. If I had just bought new slippers (which I did and they have snowflakes on them and are coooozy), takeout.

4. Similarly, would you rather go out dancing or or stay home with a warm blanket and a good movie?
Probably still dependent on dress vs. slippers.

5. What's your opinion of Ugg boots: cute and comfy or too ugly to meet the sun?
I have never worn a pair, but I hear they are ridiculously comfortable. I think, though, that I would never be able to think of them as real, wear-it-outside shoes if I did.

6. Now onto the second-most controversial shoe known to man: What is your take on Crocs?
I reject Crocs from the bottom of my heart.

7. Do you sing in the shower? The car? The opera house?
Absolutely yes to the first two, absolutely no to the second. Though as of tonight, I will be dancing in an opera house. =)

8. Do you have any unusual fears or dislikes? (For example, I am a little freaked out by turtles. Not the cute stuffed animals or cartoons, but the real-live, creepy crawly kind. Eek! Just thinking about it makes me shiver a little).
The number two. It's terrible. 2. Just look at it. Isn't it awful? Freaks me out. Not pairs of things. Just the number itself, the abstract concept of 2. Cringe.

9. Have you ever seen snow? If so, do you remember your first snow?
I love snow. I think snow is the only excuse cold weather has. I don't remember my first, though I've seen pictures of it. But I do remember my childhood puppy's first snow. It was taller than she was. Adorable.

10. Would you rather play in the snow or spend a day at the beach?
Beach. Assuming that it is in fact warm there, and I can put on a bikini and go swimming. If we're talking in cold weather, I will take snow over a miserable, cold beach any day.

11. Do you peel your banana the right way or the wrong way (meaning from the bottom or from the stem)?
... from the stem. People peel bananas from the bottom? How do you get a grip on the peel!?

See? They speak to the soul.

coming up next...

2012-01-12T19:48:00.003-05:00

After nearly two months of not knowing what to do with myself in the evening (which was theoretically relaxing but in reality really confusing) I'm going to be starting up a new project soon!

I was cast in the film I auditioned for on Monday (after a two and a half hour callback on Tuesday which was theoretically grueling but in reality really fun), and I am all kinds of jazzed to start working on it.

The final project will be a feature film, but work this spring starts with a short set the day before the feature begins. And the script is gorgeous. I mean, I just fell in love with it. And one of the best parts? My friend Clarissa is also going to be in it! Weirdly enough, this will be the third project we have worked on together in a year (she was also in last winter's movie and the hurricane show).

Her boyfriend Paul is in the cast as well; the three of us had actually gone out for a drink after callbacks and were sitting in the bar when I heard my phone ringing just in time to miss a call. And then we all realized that we had missed calls from the same number. (Mind, this was less than ten minutes after we has left the callback.)

We all had a bit of a moment when we realized that calling back could be really awkward if one or two of us were cast but two or one of us were not. But we're actors; we like to pretend we don't mind things like that, and anyway, we really wanted the news.

So, Clarissa called the number back and it was, unsurprisingly, the casting director. When she realized that all three of us were there (and after checking that no one else from the callback was) she told Clarissa to put her on speaker and offered all of us our parts at the same time! I'm sure no one else in the bar had the faintest idea what all the yelling was about, but we were pretty excited about the news. =)

Tonight, though, I am more than glad to have the night off, as I am now over 1/3 of the way through my 2+ Weeks of No Days Off. Seriously, I'm working every day for over two weeks. And it's exhausting. Luckily, it's never the same job two days in a row (day on set, day in the office, day as standardized patient, day in the office, day doing makeup, etc.) but still. It's exhausting, and I am coming to hate my 6:30 alarm very passionately.

I got home today at 4:00 to find Brian sheepishly just about to hop in the shower. He was still in pajamas. But you know? I don't really mind. I've just started sleeping vicariously through him. It's comforting.

when do i get to be the housespouse again?

2012-01-07T11:34:00.008-05:00

It is past 11:30 in the morning and Brian is still asleep.

He takes this whole "being on break thing" very seriously. His schedule for the past few weeks has been:

Wake up sometime between 10:00 and noon
Stay in PJs until sometime between noon and 2:00
Eventually do one or two things on the list of things-that-must-be-done that I left for him
Hopefully have pants on by the time I get home from work
Make dinner
Veg in front of computer until it is bedtime

At least he recognizes that the housespouse makes the meals, right? .Or at least cleans up the kitchen if I'm the one who cooked. (And by the way, I realize that in general a housespouse does as much or more in a day as a workingspouse. But look at the above schedule. My housespouse does not.)

I can't really judge too much, though, because I didn't wake up until nearly 10:00 today, didn't get out of bed until nearly 10:30, and am still in my PJs. The only things I have accomplished have been making myself a smoothie (I've had one every day this week and I am still craving them like whoa), checking my email, and reading blogs. In my defense, though, my schedule this week has been:

Wake up in the morning with a headache. Get up anyway because I have to go to work.
Make breakfast/put a load of laundry on/empty dishwasher etc.
Go to work
Work a lot
Eventually come home
Do whatever was on the things-that-must-be-done list that Brian didn't get to
Make dinner if Brian has no idea what to cook
Fall asleep after dinner by accident
Write
Eat too much Christmas chocolate
Go to bed
Do it all again the next day

I really don't approve of this whole "normal work week" schedule I suddenly find myself on. But hopefully, it won't last too long. Fingers crossed for my upcoming call with the Philadelphia Opera Company! (They need dancers, and I say, yes please!)

And with all that said, I am staying in my PJs until Brian finally wakes up. Because I deserve it. And I am taking the second glass of the smoothie that I was saving for him. Because he is still asleep and I deserve that too.

Super Healthy You'd Never Know it has Vegetables in It Smoothie

2/3 cup yogurt or 1/2 milk (I like yogurt, but I realize some people don't)
1/4 cup apple juice
1 cup frozen raspberries
(blend at this point to get all the raspberries smushed up and icy-drink-ified)
7 or 8 chopped fresh strawberries
1 1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 banana
(blend again and enjoy the deliciousness)

I only like vegetables in my smoothies when I can't tell they're there. My brother likes to put broccoli in his, but that's just too weird for me. Spinach a) doesn't turn things green and b) is disguised by every other flavor there. Just the way I like it.

nights with the friends i'll never forget

2012-01-05T21:55:00.012-05:00

New Year's Eve was wildly fun and way beyond the normal range of what Brian and I typically spend on a night out. Which was okay. Because it was New Year's Eve and we were out with some of our favorite people in the world who we don't see often for reasons like: living in another city, living in another state, living across the country, living in another country.

Since I was working a wedding that morning, Brian and I hopped in the car as soon as I got home and sped our way down I-95 to DC just in time to change for dinner. We started with Indian food, moved onto a mini birthday party for Kacey in her hotel suite, ended up at Modern in Georgetown for dancing and the midnight champagne toast. In between there were sparkly dresses, cookie cakes, midnight kisses, epic breasts, and the oddest of mandatory lap dances.

And no, for those who were wondering, I did not get anywhere near as drunk as I did last year (though that may have been mostly because there wasn't a bottle of champagne just lying around waiting for me to have my way with it — and because Mike did not turn up with tequila shots for everyone). We did all (except for an adventuresome duo) have the fun realization, at 1:00am, that we were ready to call it quits for the night and therefore probably qualify as "old." But that was okay, because it meant that Brian and I could meet up the next morning for brunch with Josh and begin New Year's Day New Orleans style.

I couldn't ask for a better start to 2012. Happy New Year, everyone!

me and you, then and now

2011-12-30T20:18:00.015-05:00

There are few things nicer, after a long day of work (which is especially painful after a long week of vacation) to come home to clean laundry, candles, dinner, and Downton Abbey. There are things I could be doing, but... I'm not.

Tomorrow I'm working all morning and most of the afternoon, and then we're heading down to DC for New Year celebrating with friends from college. There won't be much time for end-of-year reflections, so I suppose they might as well happen now.

Then: December 2001

1. Age: 14

2. Romantic Status: Single...ish? Things were wishy-washy. As they always were with high school drama groups.

3. Occupation: Freshman at Washington-Lee High School and part-time nanny.

4. Fun night out: Parties at my girls' houses, occasionally going ice skating, or with the drama kids. I wouldn't start drinking for a couple more years, but that didn't stop my flirting with every guy I met in the most obvious, 14-year-old way possible.

5. My BFFs: Rachel, Alyssa, Emma. Colleen and Ariel. Neena and I had just taken our sommer French course at the community college and were becoming good friends as a result.

6. I spent way too much time: I'm not sure if I spent "too much time" doing anything that counted as an activity. I spent a lot of time dancing, in the theatre, working, reading, and writing, but all of those were pretty good things. Maybe crushing on a guy who was clearly not interested?

7. I spent not enough time: ... on my school work?

8. I wanted to be when I grew up: An actor and a writer.

9. Biggest concern: Finding new friends in high school. Getting into plays. Taking care of my family, which I had, over the previous years, decided I was responsible for.

10. What my biggest concern should have been: I probably just needed to be less concerned about things I couldn't control.

11. Where did I live: Arlington, Virginia.

12. Dumbest thing I did that year: Inviting Ross to my birthday. I needed to just get over ~~him~~ that.

13. If I could go back now and talk to myself I would say: No one expects you to take care of everyone. And if you keep trying to, you're going to be exhausted ~~and 15 pounds underweight~~ by the time you're 18 .

14. Picture of myself then: It's actually a year or so off, but it's the oldest one I have on my computer.

Now: December 2011

1. Age: 24

2. Romantic Status: Married to the love of my life.

3. Occupation: Actor and dancer. Little bit of a writer. Part time business-manager. Make-up artist. Standardized patient.

4. Fun night out: Well, tomorrow night I'll be heading out for delicious food and then dancing in the new year. Though usually I can't afford to do anything so elaborate.

5. My BFFs: Brian, Abigail, Neena. Mike and Josh.

6. I spend way too much time: On the computer.

7. I spend not enough time: Exercising. At least in the last three months. The jeans that always let me know when I'm putting on weight have started talking. Writing.

8. I want to be when I grow up: A writer and an actor.

9. Biggest concern: What I'm doing with myself, in a very specific way. I realized recently I never really thought much past where I am right now when I thought of my career. Now I need to figure out what comes next.

10. What my biggest concern should be: Probably what it is. And finances. We probably need savings or something.

11. Where do I live: Philadelphia, PA.

12. Dumbest thing I have done this year: Get completely wasted in NYE. Not that it had long-reaching negative consequences. But it was still dumb. =)

13. What I think I would say to myself in 10 years: Something like, good job you, your family is beautiful and happy, you and Brian are more in love than ever, you've had a successful acting career and your recent novel is getting excellent reviews.

14. Picture of me now:

Summary:

1. What do I miss most from 2001: Living where my closest friends are. Seriously, there are many people that I miss every day.

2. What do I miss least from 2001: Raging adolescent insecurity. That really terrible haircut.

3. What have I accomplished in 10 years that I am most proud of: Graduated college magna cum laude. Published and acted professionally. Become friends with my sister. Decided against breaking up with Brian when we were 20. Got a Brazilian wax (seriously, it takes strength.)

4. What have I NOT accomplished in 10 years that I wish I had: Published a novel. Had a speaking part in a feature film, acted in an Equity theatre... and I guess that's my answer isn't it? Next step, here I come.

after all, there's only one more sleep til christmas

2011-12-24T14:08:00.006-05:00

Today is just so lovely.

Brian and I are managing to split Christmas between our two families, since we didn't want to have to pick this year. So our first Christmas Eve together is also my first Christmas Eve with my new in-laws. Brian and I are taking a break from our obsessive Christmas movie watching so that my father-in-law can watch some football; my mother-in-law is frying oysters for everyone (except me) to snack on. My brother-in-law is out with friends, but he'll be back for the evening.

Yesterday we drove out to West Virginia to spend the day with Brian's mother's family, and I finally got to meet the cousins that couldn't make it to the wedding. I still have a hard time believing that anyone could have only three cousins on one side of the family (and only four on the other side) but Brian assures me that that's because my family is freakishly large. And they were all wonderful and fun.

All our shopping is done; Brian and I probably spent too much on presents, but everyone has just been so wonderful and generous to us this year that we wanted to be the same for them. We had coffee with a wonderful friend in a Santa hat (hi Josh!). Presents are wrapped and beneath the tree. They bought me my own stocking, with a "K" on it, so I would always have one for Christmas here. In a couple hours Brian and I will cook dinner (cajun tuna steaks, mmm) and then we'll all head to the Christmas Eve vigil mass. And then we will watch Muppet Christmas Carol, (because what else do you do on Christmas Eve?) and I will go to bed with my sweetheart and wake up to my first Christmas with my new family.

I still wish it would snow, but I suppose I'll take 60° weather as an acceptable trade-off. =)

Merry Christmas everyone!

(Because even if you don't celebrate the holiday, tomorrow can still be a wonderful day.)

via

i can't see me loving nobody but you

2011-12-15T09:00:00.004-05:00

I fell asleep ridiculously happy and excited last night, and I woke up the same way this morning.

Last night, my older brother called me to say he popped the question, and he and his ~~girlfriend~~ fiancée will be getting married next summer!

Megan is pretty much the sweetest person I've ever met, and I'm so excited that she's going to be my sister. I'm so happy for my brother, even though he stole Christmas. =) We've spent the past two years teasing him for his cradle-robbing tendencies (he's 30, she's six months younger than I am) but we've always known they are amazing together and bring out the absolute best in each other and in their lives together.

And I'm flattered that I was one of the four people he was willing to call, since he says he hopes everyone else will just find out by osmosis. (I told him he needs to actually call our grandmother.)

He's seriously so cute about it though. When Brian and I were wedding planning, he spent about twenty minutes once talking about how ridiculous and unfair it is that men are supposed to buy engagement rings. And then what does he do? Not just buy an engagement ring. Oh no. He gets one custom designed and specially made so that no one else will ever have one just like her's because "I thought it would make her happy or something."

He's adorable. They're adorable. And I'm just smiling all over the place and having trouble being coherent. Here, have some adorable pictures.

at the Birthday Ball

dancing at our wedding

See? Adorable.

bookshelf

2011-12-07T10:12:00.008-05:00

"This tableau — David behind a window, Maggie just outside — continued part of the same choreography of punishment and encouragement that defined each of Maggie's visits over the next few weeks, and raised in William's mind questions about what inventive stupidities people were capable of when wounded or confused, no matter their native intelligence. No matter their love for each other."

Just finished reading Howard Norman's Devotion yesterday, and I highly recommend. It's a beautifully written novella, and just the right size to take with you and read in little free moments when traveling this holiday season.

What about you all? Anyone have any good book recommendations?

addiction of choice

2011-12-05T13:30:00.004-05:00

So, I'm at work, talking to a potential client. Great conversation, productive, get my boss booked to speak at an event next year.

I get up to go tell her the details, and as I'm walking down the stairs, I realize I feel very strange. Like, crazy strange. Like, why do I feel drunk in the middle of the workday??? strange.

And then I realize.

I had coffee.

I never drink coffee anymore. I used to have it daily. Multiple times a day. Filled with cream and sugar and frequently vanilla shots. And then I moved to Philadelphia, and was unemployed for six months. Coffee was no longer in the budget.

I got out of the habit. I became a tea drinker again. I never thought about coffee.

Until today, when my boss's husband (the office is an upstairs room in their townhouse) was making coffee and offered me some. I said yes.

And now... well, I think now I'm in the early stages of drunk. My hands are shaking a little, and I keep noticing that when I speak I sound really excited about everything. I should probably keep rolling with the phone calls. Either that or stop interacting with people entirely.

This is bad, guys. This is delicious and bad.

sweet silver bells

2011-12-04T19:50:00.008-05:00

There are few things I love more than a house full of Christmas carols. I love all of them. Even the weird ones.

And I especially love that I am cooking while listening to them and not stocking sweaters and trying to persuade people to sign up for Ann Taylor credit cards. A year brings so many wonderful changes.

Today I went out and bought tree ornaments, though we won't buy a tree until next weekend. I came back with holiday boxes, wrapping paper, ornaments, twinkle lights... I have a list of people to send Christmas cards to, a list of people to bake Christmas cookies for...

And I even managed to get to church tonight. Catholic guilt always strikes in the holiday seasons.

I love December.

via

pros and cons

2011-12-01T18:34:00.005-05:00

Considering being sick as an adult*:

1. I get paid hourly, so not going to work means I have no income for three days. If I didn't get paid hourly... I probably wouldn't be able to take three days off.
2. I realize, once again, how much medical information my parents kept track of on my behalf, and how much finding a new doctor stinks.
3. Driving yourself to the doctor, when you vision is fuzzy in one eye, is not only lacking in happyfuntimes, it's probably illegal.
4. I get to see exactly how much my husband does not care about things like dishes in the sink or piles of whatever on the living room floor when I finally venture out of the bedroom after two days. Since he's been doing pretty much whatever I asked for the last three days, though, there's no way I can do anything but clean everything up myself.

1. I don't have to go to work.
2. I appreciate 15 hours in a row of drug-induced sleep in a way I never could before the age of 18.
3. There is no one to stop me from spending my whole day watching season one of The West Wing.
4. I have an awesome husband who, when I sadly state that I feel terrible and the only thing I can even contemplate eating for dinner is ice cream, immediately goes out and buys it for me, and even tells me that a banana split is two legitimate food groups. Seriously, that would never fly with parents like mine.

Some things never change... like the fact that orange gatorade will forever be associated with disease in my mind, or that there are only so many days in a row you can eat chicken soup with toast, or that having four different kinds of medication in my system makes me all kinds of loopy.

Still, that ice cream thing was pretty awesome.

*I realize that if this were "an adult with kids" these lists would a) be completely different and b) not exist because I would be sick with kids, who would probably also be sick, and therefore have no free time to be writing about it. Also, their dinner would have probably consisted of ice cream as well. Clearly, I'm going to be an awesome parent.

he's a sweetie

2011-11-21T21:31:00.005-05:00

The last week was crazy. Between 10-hour work days for me (and working six days out of seven) and Brian having a ton of work, plus a presentation in one class, we barely saw each other. (Secret to a happy marriage...?)

And then today I came home to a little surprise:

It's nice to know he was thinking of something to make me smile, even when I was in the middle of giving him a grocery list.

Husband deserves a thank you? I think so. ;)

"i think he's evil"

2011-11-17T14:50:00.001-05:00

2011-11-10T10:52:00.005-05:00

So, Brian and I sometimes like to discuss things that will not be applicable to us for several (many) years. Most specifically, things involving raising kids. Because we like kids. We want to have them. Just not yet.

And we figure, if we start talking about them this far in advance, we'll (maybe?) have agreed on things by the time the ~~gremlins~~ children come along. Right?

One of the things that comes up, that we still haven't agreed on, is spanking. He sent me this article this morning, and we... got into kind of an argument. There are some things we agree on:

1. There's a huge different between hitting kids and spanking them, and hitting is always wrong.
2. Common sense-wise, there's an obvious difference between disciplining your children, and abusing them, but legally that can be hard to lay out in black and white.
3. Corporal punishment should not happen in schools.
4. Spanking should not happen for any child old enough to have a give-and-take conversation with you.
5. Children shouldn't be hit with objects, like belts etc.

Brian, though, is anti-spanking all around, whereas I think it can sometimes be useful to help a young child remember not to do very dangerous things. For example, when I was a little over two, I tried to run out in the street when a car was coming. My mother grabbed my hand and told me that was dangerous, and if I did it again I would get spanked. I did it again. I got spanked. It made an impression. I never did it again.

In my book, there's a difference between discipline and punishment. Discipline, to me, is teaching kids what is right/wrong, safe/dangerous, acceptable/unacceptable behavior when they're too young to know already. Punishment is enforcing the rules about behavior that they have already learned. The point I made about the article was that, while I understood the point it was making and agreed with a lot of it, every example they used was of punishment rather than discipline.

And Brian argued that those aren't the definitions, looked them up in the dictionary and everything, etc. etc, arguing ensued...

Fifteen minutes later, after much discussion, we discovered we were actually arguing about something we agreed on. It wasn't differentiating between the two concepts that was causing the argument, it was specifically the words I used. He didn't like defining "discipline" and "punishment" that way because those aren't universal definitions. Go figure. Yay communication.

But still, we haven't agreed on spanking yet (which I think is okay, considering we're still a few years from the kids point). Brian is still anti, I am still sometimes.

So, I'm curious where other people fall on the spanking/no spanking.
I know, wildly serious for this blog, but what is the internet for if not for people to give their opinions on things?
So, peanut gallery, what do you think?

stick together til the end, you run to paradise

2011-11-04T15:49:00.005-04:00

Recently, I decided that I need to turn myself into a runner.

Not a marathoner. Not like my sister who sometimes flies across the country to do crazy runs like the naked one in San Francisco and comes back with amazing pictures of people in banana costumes and thongs.

No, just like someone who can go run for a few of miles a few times a week and not want to die.

I decided this in mid-September. I actually put on my running shoes and got started last week.

The thing is, I've never been a runner. In middle and high school I danced, and more specifically, I did pointe.

Running + pointe + knees = much unhappiness.

And then in college I tore the majority of the cartilage that attached my kneecap to the rest of my leg.

Knee + injury + running = even greater unhappiness.

After college, while I was living in Arlington, I was dancing 2-3 times a week and rocking it out on the stationary bike and elliptical at the gym 2-3 more times.

But right now, I'm not dancing regularly with a company, $30+ a month for a gym membership is not in our poor grad student/poor artist budgetary cards. And crunches and free weights just don't cut it by themselves.

So, running it is. Running along the river trail which is always ridiculously windy and full of people who have been doing this for years. Running while my poor asthmatic little lungs shrink and gasp and glare at me through my spinal cord. All because someone gave me a free pair of running shoes and I figured that was a sign from the exercise-loving universe that I generally inhabit.

Wish me luck.

it's been one week since you looked at me

2011-11-01T20:17:00.003-04:00

My hobbies this week include:

1. Eating an ungodly amount of clementines
3. Eating an ungodly amount of Skittles
4. Staring at my computer trying to get past writer's block
5. Saying "We really should clean the kitchen" every twenty minutes when I'm home
6. Reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (awesome book, btdubs)
7. Providing running commentary on "Legend of the Seeker" episodes

I really need to get myself back on some sort of schedule now that I lack rehearsals to keep me productive...

we'll keep on fighting til the end

2011-10-28T18:58:00.006-04:00

There are few things in life that leave me more satisfied than triumphing over inanimate objects.

Tomato-roasted-pepper-and-green-onion pizza, you are delicious.

Take that, pizza stone. Take that.

lay me down in sheets of linen

2011-10-26T06:32:00.003-04:00

I want to be here:

via

I also now really want a puppy.

Want it a lot a lot.

But instead, it's 6:30 am and it's time to go to work.

Yesterday it was 7:30 am and time to go to work.

Monday work didn't have to be gone to until 9:30 am, but it lasted until 10:00 pm.

It's like I'm adult or something, and I'm really not sure I approve.

people will say she's moved down south

2011-10-23T09:20:00.001-04:00

During the run of a show recently, I spent a good bit of time being completely confused by the stage manager.

I don't mean that we didn't get along, because we definitely did. (We all got along, except that everyone who was not the director spent a lot of time annoyed with the director.) It was just that, periodically, he would say the oddest things, and he would say them like he was really annoyed with me. For example,

"My god, just slouch sometimes, will you? Sheesh." (This had nothing to do with onstage character, it was during a line through. And no, I will not slouch. It hurts my back. And it looks unattractive.)

"Don't you ever wear sweatpants?" (Um... no. I don't own sweatpants, and even if I did, I would not wear them anywhere that was not exercise related. They are not real pants.)

"You're just soooo polite all the time, aren't you? Freaking be rude." (Happened when I said thank you to someone who brought cookies to the cast. I think I just stared at him. While stuffing my face with chocolate chip deliciousness.)

See? Very confused. And he wasn't a rude, sloppy guy. No one in the cast was rude and sloppy. But somehow, I was singled out for all of this, and I was baffled. And he seemed baffled. We baffled each other, and I could not figure out why.

Until, that is, someone in the cast asked me about "going home to Virginia to see my parents." And the stage manager pounced.

"You're from Virginia? You grew up in Virginia? Not up here?" When I said yes, he literally got this look like a lightbulb had gone off in his brain. And suddenly, "You make so much sense now. I get it. I get you. You're Southern!!!"

He was never baffled by me again. It was such a nice change, I didn't bother trying to explain about Northern Virginia, because here, it doesn't seem to matter. It's all a different world down there.

tell me who do you think you are?

2011-10-05T09:11:00.004-04:00

Or more specifically, who Facebook thinks I am.

A single mom looking for a date who she can propose to, but first needs car insurance...

...for her BMW, which she had to buy because there's another baby on the way and she can't walk properly in her stripper shoes...

Facebook might need to work on it's ad targeting service a little.

queen of the kitchen

2011-10-02T23:02:00.004-04:00

One of the things that Brian and I got as a wedding gift, and were incredibly excited about, was a pizza stone set.

Mmm pizza. We love to make it and love to eat it. Anything with bread and cheese is delicious, and when it's homemade you can pretend to yourself like it's healthy. We've ruined so many baking sheets making ~~deformed, oddly square~~ pizzas on them, that having legit pizza making equipment was awesome.

Only problem was...

Well, we're not sure what it was. But it didn't end up pretty.

It wouldn't come off the pizza stone. I swear we followed the instructions, and it seemed like it was cooking normally, but...

And yes, we just ate it directly scraped off the pizza stone. We like to keep it classy. And wasting mozzarella is just a crime.

And now we're scared to use it again.

Can anyone tell us what we did wrong? I'm feeling a pesto pizza craving coming on this week, and I'd be really sad not to give in to it.

the river is flowing

2011-09-20T09:53:00.005-04:00

It's been two weeks since it ended, and I finally feel strong enough to talk about it.

Despite everything, that show ended up going really well. We were sold out literally every night (after the hurricane, once we reopened) and we got amazingly positive feedback every night.

Yes, I am still exhausted. Yes, I am still battling the bacterial infection that I picked up from being in the river.

But sometimes, that's just how it goes.

How many times in your life to you get to perform in a river? Dancing in it really was pretty cool (and sometimes really freaking cold). Even if I did have to die of typhoid first.

side by side and year by year

2011-09-16T08:59:00.005-04:00

Hey all!

If you want to find me today, hop on over to visit Cat at Budget Blonde today. She was so sweet and asked me to do a post for her "Budget Buddy" feature. I've never done a guest post on somebody's blog before, so you should go check it out!

And while you're there, be sure to say hi to Cat. She's adorable. =)

i'll just have to live with the mess i made

2011-09-06T21:47:00.003-04:00

Our living room is still an absolute mess:

Yes, I know. It's pretty terrible. In our defense, 1) we're still waiting on some furniture to arrive (either via UPS or my parents); 2) we've both had about 1 free hour a day for the past week and a half, there was no way we were going to spend that hour on the living room; and 3) we bought two of those skinny bookcases only to discover after we put them together that we had made a horrible decision on the color, so now they're just sitting there until we decide what to do with them.

Moving sucks. Especially when it KEEPS ON GOING.

But, on the bright side, look what we spent our Labor Day buying:

Note: Asking a man, "I know it's kind of an unnecessary expense, but do you think we could buy a flat screen LCD tv? I really like the way they look!" is a stupid and unnecessary question. The answer will always be yes.

Further note: You will then, however, have to spend a long time convincing him that buying the biggest one there is a REALLY unnecessary expense.

i look so fine

2011-09-01T12:59:00.006-04:00

This is one of the hardest runs of a show I have ever gone through.
I am exhausted: down-to-the-bone exhausted that feels like I will fall asleep the moment I stop moving but it will still never be enough to make me feel normal again. (I'm starting to wonder if this is what being a parent feels like. Though I've also been itchy all over for the past two weeks, which I don't think normally comes with parenting.)

This show? Performs outside. Next to a river. And IN river. Theoretically awesome. Less than a week after there was a hurricane and the river rose 15 feet and flooded the park for miles around leaving up to three feet of mud along the bank where we're performing?

Less than awesome.

Me when I got home from the show two night ago. The nice thing about all the mud is that it covers all the bugbites on my legs. Current ratio: 1.5 bugbites to every square inch of leg.

Me getting home last night. In this one, the mud is covering all the bruises on my shins and feet that are from tripping over the SUBMERGED TREES that are in the river where I'm dancing.

This is not one of the shows where I come home elated and full of energy. This is a show where I feel like a tiny puppy that has dragged itself through the sludge of a Milo & Otis-esque tragedy and just wants to get home to a hot shower and a glass of wine.

And the director decided last night that, in addition to the two shows a night that we normally run until 12:30 in the morning, on Saturday we will do two hours of photo call before the first show and two hours of pick-up filming after the second show.

IlovemycareerIlovemycareerIlovemycareer~~Iwanttosleepforever~~Ilovemycareer.

Is the week over yet?

your scarf, it was apricot

2011-08-26T09:42:00.006-04:00

So, one of my favorite jobs that I acquired this year is working as office/personal assistant to President of Kristel Closets, Inc., a personal shopping and image consulting business (think What Not to Wear, but a lot less mean and also doing things like designing corporate dress codes and speaking at events.) It's a new company, and, yeah, I'm not yet getting paid what I'm worth. Megan has expressed her regret over this, and I've already gotten one raise since I started in May.

But I'm kind of loving how she trys to make up for it.

Yup, all those clothes came to me from Megan — who, as the owner of a company focused on personal image, you can bet owns some really nice clothes.

I don't know what it is, but somehow I always end up working for incredibly stylish women who own small businesses and want to give me clothes. (This is number three... now, if only she'll decide she wants to get rid of some of her accessories...)

And as anyone who knows me knows, I do not object to hand-me-downs at all!

So, total, that's three dresses (including Ann Taylor and Zara, love) three cardigans, a rain coat, one sweater, four tops, and a purse.

Of course, not all of them will fit me. But it's still a great perk of the job!

home is where you are

2011-08-21T18:37:00.007-04:00

The moving in process continues; my sister visited this weekend and brought up a lot of the boxes we hadn't been able to fit in our car after the wedding. So, once again, we have piles of cardboard everywhere and more things stacked in what she decided to term our "denial corner."

The denial corner. At least all of the books are on a shelf, right?

Seriously, I cannot wait to be fully moved in, but that won't really happen until we've finished furniture buying. That itself is a slow process because a) we have to decide on what to get; b) we don't want to buy it all at once because that's a huge chunk of money out the door all of a sudden; and c) we barely have any free time in common.

My schedule these past two weeks has been nuts: up and out the door to work, usually before Brian is even awake —his classes haven't started for the semester— work all day, then home for an hour— or if I'm lucky 2— to eat dinner, change, and get out the door to rehearsal, home from rehearsal usually sometime between eleven and midnight, shower, and collapse into bed to try and get somewhere between four and six hours of sleep before getting up to start it all over again.

I'm starting to think four jobs might be too much.

But, as I was freaking out about things not getting done around the house, Brian said four magic words: "Leave me a list."

I think I might have just married the most amazing man in the world. Because, while he fully admits that he looks around the house and things like "vacuum the living room, clean the toilet, unload the dishwasher, do a load of whites" don't occur to him, he doesn't mind being left instructions. So each day this week, I've left him a list of about three things to do around the house, and by the time I get back in the evening, they're done and dinner's already cooking, so I can actually have a little bit of downtime.

Having a househusband pretty awesome.

You know what would be more awesome though? Not having four jobs.

you make me want to say "i do"

2011-08-14T14:21:00.012-04:00

Well, we got our "preview" pictures from the photographer, so I figure it is time to show off the wedding!
(Half of these pictures are also yanked off of Facebook since the ones she sent us were mostly portraits.)

And I have to say... I couldn't have imagined a more perfect day Seriously. We weren't even going for "our perfect wedding." Our goal was to have a lovely celebration with the people we love and to get something to eat at the reception. We figured, at the end of the day we'll be married no matter what, so everything else is just extra, right? We'd spent the whole planning process avoiding being stressed out as much as possible and we weren't going to start of the day of.

But the day really was just perfect. The ceremony, which is the part of the day I remember best, was absolutely beautiful; even our atheist friends were commenting on how lovely and fun and sweet it was (and for a full Catholic wedding mass, that's really saying something). The priest who celebrated it was engaging and fun at the right moments and solemn when necessary — the mass lasted less than an hour! Which meant we could get to the reception site early and get all our portraits done, which meant that we could enjoy the entire reception with our guests AND get a sit down dinner!

Yes, it got up to 104°. Yes, the DJ kind of ignored what we said we wanted for after dinner dancing and played some really dumb things. But it didn't matter. At all. I could not have been happier.

I actually started the day with IHOP brunch and shoe shopping with my bridesmaids. (Seriously.) It was pretty much the best wedding-day morning ever. I wish we had pictures of that, because I was definitely wandering around with a scarf over the curlers in my hair. You'll just have to picture it.

Getting ready? Also unstressful. My bridesmaids and I just did our own hair and makeup at my parents house. The photographer got there at two, but other than that we didn't have any schedule or appointments before the ceremony, so it was leisurely and fun.

And now... the rest in photos!

The color's kind of extreme on this one, but I love that you can see the beautiful flowers. We ordered them wholesale, I picked them up with my mother-in-law, and my aunts Pam and Deb, my cousin Barbara, my sister and I made all the flower arrangements (bouquets, church flowers, boutonnieres, and corsages) the day before the wedding. It was such a fun project to do together!

Waiting at the altar. Do you think he looks nervous?

Coming down the aisle. I had to keep my daddy from walking too fast. =)

My beautiful bridesmaids.

My wonderful sister, also my maid of honor.

Best moment of the whole day!

I think this is my favorite photo of the entire day. Seriously, I don't even know how you take a photo like that, but it's just perfect. I'm sending a framed copy to Fr. Steve.

Mr. and Mrs! (Does it kind of look like we got married in the Hogwarts Great Hall?)

Our photographer was amazingly fast. She pulled us aside for a series of these photos immediately after we got down the aisle, and we were done before the wedding party was finished walking out!

Wedding party! (Brian's brother Jason, on the far right, clearly wins the jumping contest.)

We decided this little house truly embodied our impoverished newlywed life.

In the receiving line, being attended by my cousin Kate, who decided that I needed someone to hold up my (clearly massive) train. Also, isn't the veil pretty? It was my mother's, and probably my favorite thing I was wearing!

Beautiful reception site.

Instead of a traditional guest book, we put out postcards for people to write to us. They were so much fun to read through when we were on our honeymoon!

Gorgeous cake table. We didn't want one giant, overly frosted cake, so my mother made all those smaller ones (ps, champagne wedding cake is AMAZING. Just ask anyone who was there) and a neighbor of Brian's parents helped us do all the set-up and decorating. I love that we had so many people pitching in!

I'm not sure whose toast was being given, but I know they deserved it.

First dance to "I Do." Wearing flats all day = best decision ever.

Cake was sooooo good. (And my hair stayed up all day!)

Dancing the night away.

Our last dance.

See? I don't think we could have had a more perfect day.

Photos by PhotoArtbyLu and snatched off Facebook.

sorry i've been gone for a while...

2011-08-06T14:28:00.006-04:00

I had a few things to take care of.

Slowly coming back to the real world...

All photos by this amazing woman.

girl, let's just get married

2011-07-23T08:31:00.006-04:00

I am finally completely moved out of my apartment, packed up, and back in Virginia for my last week as a single lady (because I have been so very single for the past four years...)

via

The to-do lists are made, the errands are planned, the cakes are baked, the flowers are ordered, the dresses are altered, the directions are sent, the tasks are being distributed.

And people are still trying to tell me I've forgotten things. They don't seem to realize that it's far, far too late to make new decisions. I've rather lost interest. If it hasn't been planned, it's not happening. A week from now I'll still be married without it, so why worry?

Six days!

so much to feel good about

2011-07-17T08:41:00.003-04:00

There's something really amazing about walking across a city before the sun comes up. The moon setting over one shoulder, still in a night sky, and the sun rising over the other, slowly lighting up the world. Before the day gets hot and humid, before there are cars on the road or people on the sidewalks, just me and the moon and the rising sun.

Getting up at 4:30 is always easier for me than getting up at 7:00, because it's so different that it almost feels normal. And walking across a silent, still city somehow makes me feel like I'm back in Paris. (It might have made me feel like I was back in Berlin, but my memories of morning in Berlin are associated with being cold.)

Being around people ruins the feeling. It slips away when I'm walking through a train station or climbing on a bus.

via

But when it's just me and the city, it makes me think that it's been five years since I've been out of the country, and reminds me that I need to start traveling again, to see other mornings in other cities.

Who wants to go with me?

got a feel for this place

2011-07-12T10:13:00.007-04:00

What I've been reading in the past couple weeks:

I'd heard of this several times, but only picked it up by chance at work, and I devoured it in less than a day. A murder mystery, and a family history, as told through the eyes of a brilliant autistic teenage boy. Absolutely gorgeous, funny, and bittersweet.

Brian gave them to me for my birthday this year, and I've just loved them. I just started the fourth one last night. Gritty, creepy, fantastical, and with some amazing characters. My only issue with the series is that Martin does not leave the reader any emotional rallying point; if you want a break you just have to take it in between books.

Quite possibly the most beautiful piece of literature I've read this year. I read Brooks' March last year and loved it, but I think this one is even better. A history of the Jewish people from the Convivencia to the modern day, as told through the story of the Sarajevo Haggadah. Too gorgeous for words.

What have you been reading recently?

where do we stand? what am i supposed to do?

2011-07-10T21:24:00.006-04:00

Today we started working on this

So tonight we're making sure to include some of this

Nineteen days!

saw your face in a crowded place

2011-07-01T09:23:00.010-04:00

So yesterday, Brian moved out of his apartment. Normal, end-of-the-month deal, lots of people do it all the time.

Except, our new place isn't available for him to move into until next week (our new lease starts on the 8th). So that means ALL OF HIS THINGS are now in my apartment. That's right, in my tiny little studio. Where there is now no space to walk and/or live.

This is the view you get upon walking into my apartment. Very welcoming, right?

I was originally under the illusion that we'd be able to keep living a normal life, doing things like eating at the table. So not happening.

I kept taking pictures as we went, thinking, "There's no way it can look any more crowded than it already does!"
Oh yes it can, inner monologue. Oh yes it can.

We were at least smart enough to keep a clear path to the bathroom.

But not really to anywhere else.

The tenant who's moving in after me is actually a friend of ours, and she bought Brian's bed and dresser. Only problem is, she has nowhere to keep them before she moves in. So they also are living in my apartment.

There is now a second bed, along with Brian's huge "I'm-going-to-be-in-school-for-the-rest-of-my-life" desk, stored under my bed.

And I now have a ridiculously tall bed, because the only place for the mattresses was on top of the ones that were already there.

I'm trying not to be ridiculously stressed out by this (I don't deal well with clutter, and this goes way beyond clutter). Luckily, we're running away to Virginia and the beach this weekend, so we'll only actually be dealing with this mess for a few days. Though packing for a beach trip is going to be... interesting. I can't even find my keys at the moment, much less my bikini!

And, since it is now July it is time for...

Twenty-nine days!

your baby blues would flash and suddenly a spell was cast

2011-06-28T07:48:00.007-04:00

So, this last month has been a rather exciting one, career-wise.

Saturday I finished up the run what I had originally expected to be my last show for a while. I has already planned to take July off from performing, and because I was so busy this spring (figuring out all that day-job stuff), I missed a lot of audition opportunities. So, I figured, I was probably going to "take off" August, September, and maybe October too.

But then! One of the other actors in the show told me me that he was directing a benefit show for the American Cancer Society this fall, and offered me a role in it! And then! The choreographer from that movie I worked on in January called me to offer me a role in a dance piece she's choreographing this summer!

So now, not only will I have work for August, September, and October, but I was offered both parts without an audition! That is definitely the first time that has happened to me since I started performing professionally (which has been over a year and a half now!) And let me tell you, I'm pretty excited about it.

I'm enjoying feeling like I'm kind of a big deal.

i will buy you a shiny ring

2011-06-11T11:38:00.007-04:00

Brian and I picked up our wedding bands today!!!
I know, not that exciting to anyone except us. But seriously, I'm in love with them. And we went through epic times trying to find them. Finding these rings has actually been the most difficult and stressful part of the whole wedding-planning process.

I didn't think what we wanted was that unreasonable. We wanted engraved bands, that either matched or coordinated, no stones, white gold. Simple, sweet, very wedding ring-ish, right? Apparently we were the only people who thought this was reasonable. We went to a dozen jewelers, with no result. In most places, all the women's rings were diamond bands. (Don't get me wrong, diamonds are lovely. They just weren't what we were looking for.) A lot of stores only had plain men's bands, no design or engraving at all. In some places we were told we could order a smaller version of a man's ring for me, but that it would still be the same thickness. No dice.

We even drove to another state to visit a jewelry superstore there, where we were met by a jeweler who looked at us like we were crazy and asked really snidely, "Why do they have to match? Is that just what you want?"

Um, yeah, buddy. We just told you that. Way to not make a sale.

Finally, after an afternoon of walking through Philly's Jeweler's Row with no progress, we were about to head home when we decided to visit one more little store on a whim. They jeweler didn't look at us like we were stupid when we told him what we were looking for, and immediately showed us a counter of engraved and etched rings.

And they had my ring. It was exactly what we'd originally wanted for me and somehow stopped looking for because it seemed like no one would ever have it. We asked if there was a matching men's band. The jeweler said no. We put it aside and kept looking. I asked to see a men's ring that, in the case, looked really nice.

And when we saw it up close, we realized it could go perfectly with the ring we'd looked at not two minutes before.

I wanted to just order them right there and then, but Brian kept his head and asked the jeweler to call for prices. He called and asked about my ring. In our price range. Beautiful. He asked about Brian's ring.

And then we could tell something was wrong. The jeweler thanked the person on the phone, hung up, and asked us to excuse him for a moment. I swear, by this point, I was clutching both rings I wanted them so badly. I think I was about to cry when the jeweler came back and informed us that apparently the company that made the men's ring no longer existed and so another one couldn't be ordered.

But then! He gave the sample ring to Brian to try on. And it FIT PERFECTLY.

My camera isn't really made for shots this detailed, but the engraving is a rose vine pattern. We love them.

We picked them up today, with our wedding date engraved on the inside. Clearly, these rings were meant to be ours.

sunbeams will soon shine through

2011-06-08T09:28:00.003-04:00

Today is going to be close to 100° (and where did all this heat suddenly come from? Less than a month ago we were having freezing rain at night!) so that only means one thing.
Sundress.
Not for the cute factor, but because when it's nearly 100° you want to be able to get a little breeze going on where you need it.
You other ladies do that too, right? I'm not the only one, right?

The dress I decided to wear today is "new" (i.e., I've never worn it before, but it was handed down from a friend because wow can I not afford new clothes right now) so when we were getting breakfast I asked Brian what he thought of it.
I was expecting his general "You look very nice, love." Instead I got, "Oh, I like it" accompanied by a smirk.
A smirk!
And then I was all excited and ready for the day because hey, my ~~boyfriend~~ fiancé (I keep making that mistake all the time) smirked at what I was wearing.
And then Brian pointed out how ridiculous it is that after being together almost five years him smirking at me in a dress is all it takes to get me excited and convince me it's going to be an awesome day.
Clearly, this wedding needs to hurry up and get here, because we're already an old married couple.

Still, today is a beautiful morning. I got to sleep in until 8:30, and it was glorious. I got my full eight hours of sleep. Eight hours, during tech week! My career so does not lend itself to getting up at 6:30 in the morning, and yet, that's what I find myself needing to do for work all the time. So, 8:30 is an amazing time to get up.

Happy... Wednesday? Yup, Wednesday. Happy Wednesday everybody!

just some time to celebrate

2011-06-01T22:10:00.012-04:00

This weekend two wonderful friends (who are also two lovely bridesmaids!) threw me a little shower. They planned everything and came over to my parents' house early to set up, and I helped them prepare a ton of food and drinks.

We decided a tea-and-champagne party was the way to go.

Yes, we made finger sandwiches. With the crusts cut off. Also, the cake you see there is a sample wedding cake! My mother and I are going to make the cakes for reception, so we decided to try out a recipe for champagne wedding cake, and it was voted a huge success by everyone who tried it!

Funfetti cupcakes are the best cupcakes. No discussion needed.

We played the toilet paper dress game.

And I was the center of attention opening presents for the first time since I was about ten years old. It was more than a little strange.

I'm not going to tell Brian that a lot of the lingerie I got was from his mother and aunts. As everyone keeps telling me, there are some things you just don't need to share. ;)

Neena, one of my amazing shower-organizers, making my rehearsal bouquet.

And the amazing Abigail, who put the whole thing together. I couldn't ask for better friends!

I also turned twenty-four on Monday. I wasn't really going to celebrate, since I figured the shower was enough in one weekend, but Brian insisted on organizing a bunch of friends to go out to dinner. I ended up being so glad he did; it was wonderful to see so many friends, some of them for the first time in months.

And now I have lots of thank-you notes to write. (Thank goodness Brian will be doing half of the ones for the actual wedding!)

I hope everyone else had an equally perfect holiday weekend!

i have a history of losing my shirt

2011-05-26T22:33:00.003-04:00

Things I accomplished in the last week+:

1. Finding a pair of pants to wear every day.

And that's really my list. I could also say a lot of work, starting and training for two new jobs, and Catholic pre-marriage classes, and rehearsals, and getting off-book, and all sorts of other things, but they don't matter. Because my days were starting between 6:30 and 7:30 in the morning and I wasn't getting home until 9:30 or 10:30 at night, and at that point, you stop thinking about all the practical things you accomplish, and start just being glad that you've managed to have pants on every time you walk out the door.

So, really, the list really stops there.

Be proud with me.

hello bright eyes

2011-05-09T10:56:00.007-04:00

So I was up bright and early this morning (as I have been most of the past week, which, let's be honest, is rare for me) to be a makeup model for one of the Philly morning shows.

How To Avoid Make-Up Mistakes: MyFoxPHILLY.com

A little odd to do, but really fun! And the tips are definitely good to listen to.

(Brian's reaction to watching it: "WHOA that's definitely your eye." I was just glad I didn't start coughing in the middle of it, since I'm still not quite over my bout of plague.)

i can't get out of bed today or get you off my mind

2011-05-03T11:20:00.003-04:00

It's a beautiful spring-edging-toward-summer day outside, and here I am, curled up in bed, wanting to die a little.

Either someone repeatedly beat my entire body with a 2x4 last night, focusing especially on my head, or what I've been pretending was just allergies/a small cold/general fatigue has finally morphed into a full-blown flu.

I should be in Baltimore on-set today. Instead, I am rapidly consuming all the hot tea in my apartment and coughing like a consumption victim every time I move.

Brian says this counts as me being broken for the spring. I say it doesn't count unless it turns out to be something ridiculous like pneumonia. Or actual consumption.

well i'm running down the road

2011-04-28T13:02:00.005-04:00

April has been a slightly crazy month.

Last Saturday my spring show finished up its run. The show had it's problems, as every show does, but it was still an incredible amount of fun, and the people in the cast were some of the best I've ever worked with. Add to that friends and family traveling up to see it, and I was really pleased with how the whole thing went. (Even if I did get paid practically nothing. You kind of expect that when you get into the whole acting thing.)

Tuesday I spent all day at a commercial shoot in Baltimore, which always translates to long hours and lots of standing around waiting. But I got a free tote bag in addition to the paycheck, and I'm really glad to have gotten something from that casting director. She does a lot of industrial/commercial casting in the mid-Atlantic region, so it's definitely good to be in her books. (Plus it gave me a great reason to hop on 695 and grab dinner and Rita's with Mike!)

Next Tuesday I'll be in Baltimore again, jumping into the background for an HBO movie that's shooting there. They're going to be filming all through May and part of June, so I'm hoping this won't be a one-time thing. Again, it'll be long days, but that's what film work is all about. (Mike, can I crash at your place?)

A week from Saturday I'll be taking SAFD certifications in rapier and dagger fighting. Yes, there are swords sitting on my bed right now. It makes me feel pretty badass, let me tell you. Even better was when one of the guys in class — who has been doing this for years and actually makes me feel like I'm fighting for my life when I practice with him, he's that good — commented "You look so sweet and gentle, and then you pick up a sword and all of a sudden you're all fierce and scary."

And then tonight I start rehearsals for a one-act festival I'll be performing in two shows for in June. Luckily, that will be a relatively minimal time commitment, only one or two rehearsals a week throughout May. Because yeah, there's that whole wedding thing coming up that I have to finish planning for. And Brian and I have to find a new apartment/house. And I just started a new job.

This afternoon, though? This afternoon, I think I'm going to take a nap.
Seriously, though. I love the work I do.

comfy and warm here with you

2011-04-05T10:06:00.003-04:00

The other weekend Brian and I visited one of our very best friends from college, Mike.

Mike and I have been friends since September of our freshman year of college. We were cast is a production of Titus Andronicus together, and at rehearsal one day he wouldn't move his backpack off a chair, so I sat on his lap. (He maintains that the backpack part didn't happen and I just sat on him, but this is clearly untrue.)

I love Mike dearly, but he frequently is, it must be said, a bad influence.
And over the weekend, he convinced me to do something terrible.
Something I always swore I would never do.
Something I judged other people for doing.

He made me wear a snuggie.

And I liked it.

Seriously, I always thought they were a stupid idea. I mean, they're advertised with a theme song to the tune of the Macarena for heaven's sake. But it was amazing. It was warm and cozy and it had sleeves. I could have a glass of wine and still stay warm! Who the heck thought of that?!

And so, I have to confess, I've worn a snuggie. And I liked it.

I still say there's absolutely no way you could hula hoop in one, though.

papa said she's too cute for words

2011-03-28T21:49:00.003-04:00

I've recently become obsessed with these commercials. Can you guess why?

Yes, it's completely the tiny giraffe. I want one desperately. I told Brian this evening that the tiny giraffe is the perfect pet for me.

His response? "Love, you do know those don't actually exist, right?"

My response? "Well, they should."

EDIT: IT CAME ON AGAIN. I may have just suggested to Brian that he switch from mathematics to genetic engineering so he can breed me a tiny giraffe of my own.

drowning love and memories

2011-03-24T14:24:00.003-04:00

"I love your earrings," my coworker said. "Did your fiancé buy them for you?"
"No," I laughed, "they were from an ex. They are pretty though, aren't they?"

I didn't think it was a big deal, but she was appalled. Something about disrespectful and hanging on and old feelings.

I have to admit, I was all kinds of surprised. I never get rid of great jewelry, even if it's from an ex. I mean, why give up a gorgeous pair of earrings (and a necklace, and another pair of earrings, and another necklace... this particular ex gave me a lot of jewelry) just because the person who gave them to you is no longer welcome in your life? I don't look at them and start pining away, I look at them and think, "Will this go with my outfit today?"

I do have jewelry that's emotionally significant. The necklace Brian gave me for our first anniversary I've worn almost every day for three and a half years. My engagement ring is on my left hand, and on my right is an equally meaningful ring from my best friend (who, let's face it, I would probably be marrying if Brian weren't in the picture). But the earrings are pretty and look great with this outfit!

Am I the only one who keeps the jewelry? Am I wrong? Do I have to give it up?

i can hear the bells are ringing

2011-03-20T18:30:00.006-04:00

I'm trying to not overpost on wedding stuff, but...
I got my wedding dress this weekend!
I'm not putting up pictures here, because Brian and I are very traditional and I don't want him to see it before I'm coming down the aisle (he doesn't even know it's now in my parents' house). But I'd be happy to email a photo to anyone who wants to see! It's absolutely beautiful and I love it. It needs a little bit of altering: it has chiffon off-the-shoulder sleeves and a lace halter strap, and both are too big, so they need to be taken in; the hem needs to come up an inch or so; and even though the train is tiny, I still need a bustle put on so that it doesn't drag on the ground at the reception. But that really shouldn't take long or be expensive.

The shoes I ordered this weekend also arrived. We don't have a large budget, and while I love shoes as much as the next shoe-obsessed person, dinner is far more delicious (and the shoes will barely be visible) so I'd rather spend the wiggle room we do have there. So I decided not to worry about all the gorgeous and expensive shoes out there I could be buying and just look for a cute pair of ballet flats in either ivory or gold. I found these on Ebay (probably my second love after Brian) for about $10 (including shipping!) and they more than fit the bill.

Also, did I mention that the dress is beautiful and I love it? And I got it online for about half the price would have been in the store where I tried it on! The only way to love a beautiful dress more than you already did is if you got it at a huge discount. =)

give a little bit of your love

2011-03-15T11:06:00.008-04:00

Things that make me happy:

Starting the morning with tea, in the beautiful teacups Abigail gave me, and a letter from Mama.

Cleaning and organizing my desk enough that I can actually use it again, and the increased productivity that inspires.

My perfect little kitchen and the fact that it has a dishwasher.

A stack of books just waiting to be read.

Brian taking a nap in my very girly-looking bed.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

i'll be watching you

2011-03-05T17:51:00.004-05:00

I just got a Facebook message that really freaked me out.
It's from the director of one of the DJ companies that I've contacted in the last few weeks to ask for a price quote. We decided against this one (since they were going to charge something like $2000 for 4 hours of service. Hahaha no.) but we got the quote from filling out an online form and never heard back otherwise.
And then I get this Facebook message from him asking "What can I do to help you with your wedding preparations?"
This man had my phone number. He had my email address (which was not the email that my Facebook page uses and anyway, you can't find my profile by searching for my email). And yet, instead of using either of those, he decided to search for me on Facebook and message someone he had no guarantee was me (and who knows who else who he also had no guarantee was me).
Is that considered acceptable professional etiquette now?! I really, really hope not, because I just find it creepy.

it's a very very mad world

2011-03-02T10:38:00.003-05:00

Two thoughts on my mind today:

1. And hour and a half of driving + an hour sitting in traffic + 20 minutes of waiting = 1.5 minutes of audition
Yes, I am aware my profession is insane. However, it felt like a really good audition! Which makes it totally worth being stuck in the car and having to listen to that awful Jar of Hearts song about five times. (Seriously, listen to it. Or don't, if you want to save some brain cells. "Collecting your jar of hearts"?! I swear it's about a serial killer.)

2. I've switched up my sidebar a little bit, and added a "Things I'm Thinking About" section. I don't necessarily agree with every article posted there, but I think they're all interesting and thought-provoking and worth reading. Especially the first one, which I added today and which left me in tears by the end of it. Check them out if you have time.

simple as something that nobody knows

2011-02-23T22:18:00.005-05:00

My poor, wonderful brother.
He's over in Afghanistan, living in "slightly better than a plywood shack" and on duty something like 23 hours a day, and yet he's still there to listen to me venting about wedding planning whenever I'm getting overwhelmed.

(Including the time last week Brian and I got in a fight and I heard him YELL for the first time. I've NEVER heard him yell before. And this time it was at me! I can count the number of fights we've had in the last four years and still have fingers leftover. But at least I've heard him yell before I say "I do". And he was pretty impressive while he was doing it.)

Anyway, my dear, wonderful brother decided I needed some perspective and cheering up, so he sent me this:

Elementary Schoolers Answer the Important Questions About Love and Marriage

1. HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY?
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
- Alan, age 10
No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
- Kristen, age 10

2. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
- Camille, age 10

3. HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF 2 PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
- Derrick, age 8

4. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids..
- Lori, age 8

5. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
- Lynnette, age 8
On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
- Martin, age 10

6. WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they're rich..
- Pam, age 7
The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- Curt, age 7
The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- Howard, age 8

7. IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
- Anita, age 9 (bless you, child !)

8. HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
- Kelvin, age 8

9. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck .
- Ricky , age 10

Big brothers are amazing.

some have changed, some forever

2011-02-22T10:28:00.002-05:00

Recently, I've been hearing the call of a little voice inside my head. The voice Abigail has called my "inner vegetarian." The voice that tells me that ham is icky and that I'd rather have a veggie burger or grilled cheese than a chicken sandwich.

I was a vegetarian for eight years, after all. A lot of times I feel like I still am, just one who eats meat. And recently, I a big part of me wants to be again, even though that involves tackling things like persuading Brian to learn to cook vegetarian meals or even accept a dinner without some kind of meat in it. I could do it.

I could do it, that is, if he didn't do things like bring home General Tso's chicken. Or point out that steak is on sale at the supermarket.

I have my weaknesses, it seems.

I guess I'll just have to stick with ordering that veggie burger.

the music is fine like sparkling wine

2011-02-16T00:16:00.003-05:00

I was intending to write a post about my Valentine's Day, but then Brian and I were going through the menu our caterers sent to us, and this happened:

Brian: Polenta... ew, isn't that something to do with your uterus?
Me:...
Brian: Oh come on, you know!
Me:...
Brian: Oh nevermind, that's placenta. I'm glad that's not on the menu.

(ps Picking out food may be the best part of this process.)

kiss me and smile for me, tell me that you'll wait for me

2011-02-14T19:19:00.002-05:00

I'd like to take a moment to send a little Valentine's love to all our military families.
I can't imagine how hard it must be to spend so long missing your husbands, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends.
Thank you for the everyday sacrifices that you make.
I hope each of you gets to talk to your sweetheart this Valentine's Day.

2011-02-12T12:49:00.004-05:00

Thanks to everyone who wrote or left some love on my last post — it's nice to have people remind me that I don't need to have everything figured out by twenty-three! And much love to my darling Abigail who, as always, knows me better than I know myself.

This week it's back to busy — meeting at the store Sunday morning, then straight from there to a quick film job (my role is basically just looking pretty as the main character's imaginary date to a country music show in a fantasy sequence), then a good friend's directorial debut that night. Tuesday rehearsals start for the double-bill I'm in, and that'll fill up my evenings for about the next month and a half, and then run for four weeks.

And of course, the never-ending wedding planning. I'm really looking forward to Valentine's Day: instead of buying gifts, Brian and I have promised each other NO WEDDING TALK at all. And steak. It's going to be heavenly.

say who do you think you are?

2011-02-10T10:37:00.003-05:00

I don't usually do long, introspective posts, but this one has the potential to wander into that territory, because yesterday I told Brian something I hadn't even realized I'd been thinking.

Completely out of the blue, I turned to him and said, "I'm worried that I'm going to get stupid because I'm wasting my brain."

And then, of course, I had to explain. I've been set, for the past 10+ years of my life, on an acting career. And don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to be achieving that. But that doesn't pay enough to cover living expenses, and since the store is only giving me 4-5 hours per week, the job search continues. And its current direction is making me realize... my life has no intellectual stimulation in it anymore.

This wasn't something I had to confront last year. My day job was working for a political consultant; and even if the job drove me crazy, I was braining all the time. Now, I'm applying to nannying positions and retail. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with either of those fields: I've worked both of them before, and I always liked them and found them satisfying. But there's a huge gap between the intellectual demands of childcare and the intellectual demands of political research. Or between working retail and also taking 18 credits of classes a week.

I think this is underscored by the fact that all my closest friends have gone back, or are about to go back, to school. Either law school, or a master's program, or getting on track to get their PhD. And while I do want to go back to school at some point — when it won't send me spiraling into debt — I've always known that wasn't going to be my main focus. I'm no an academic. Even senior year of college, when I was writing an 80+ page research thesis and my advisor was begging me to apply to PhD programs... I knew the academic track was not mine. But I am an intellectual, and right now that's missing from my life.

I will admit, part of this is also a pride thing. I've started noticing more and more that when people ask my about Brian (which happens when you tell people you're engaged) and I say he's getting a PhD in Mathematics, that the most common response is "Oh wow, he must be really smart. Where did you meet him?" And I just want to snap back, "At the college we both went to and both graduated from, and by the way I graduated Magna Cum Laude and I'm smart too!"

So I guess the question going out to the world right now is... what do I do to fix this? There are lots of people out there who graduated from prestigious universities and now, because of the economy, find themselves working mentally unsatisfying jobs. But I think I'm in a different pickle, because I'm on track for where I want to be professionally, I just didn't take some things into account with my planning. A job search is a good time to reinvent yourself and your direction, to come up with a secondary career or a new path... but what should I be looking for?

2011-02-07T12:35:00.002-05:00

I couldn't even come up with a title for this post because, really, there are NO WORDS.

Brian, to get his tuition remission, works as a TA for various math classes at his university. The one's he's TAing this semester is basically an introduction to teaching elementary math. Basic word problem and algebraic concepts, etc. for people who are studying to be teachers. And he just finished grading their beginning of the year diagnostic test.

One of the questions went something like, "John's Bike Shop sells bicycles with two wheels and tricycles with three wheels. On Friday, there were 175 wheels in the shop. How many bicycles and how many tricycles were in John's Bike Shop that day?"

And one of the answers? "There were no bicycles or tricycles, only parts."

Oh. My. Word.

god only knows what i'd be without you

2011-02-03T16:41:00.004-05:00

There are few things more wonderful, after a long, stressful, discussion-packed weekend of wedding planning, than escaping to Williamsburg to decompress with Abigail.

We spent 24 hours hot-chocolate-getting, engagement-ring-oogling, grad-school-discussing, delicious-food-cooking, and hot tea-drinking. Basically the best visit I could ask for.

Also, Brian and I are a bit self-congratulatory right now, because my parents had the first fight of wedding planning and we we're still getting along fine. Score one for the newbies.

don't wake me, don't shake me, i'm only dreaming

2011-01-22T13:08:00.003-05:00

Things I need to do today:

- clean the bathroom
- clean the rest of my apartment
- 2 or 3 loads of laundry
- finish and mail application
- apply for dance job
- call theatre about tickets for tonight
- finish short story I started two days ago and stalled on
- warm up at some point

I'm starting to strongly suspect that if I have a totem animal, it's a bear. (Sexy, right? Rarrrrrrr.) Because all I want to do in winter is hibernate. I become incredibly unproductive November to March. Getting things done? Not going to happen until all of me is warm again. But eating a lot and sleeping for hours? That I can handle.

i flip when a fellow sends me flowers

2011-01-17T22:49:00.004-05:00

New ads that pop up on my facebook page since putting "engaged to" on my profile:
wedding photography
wedding cakes
wedding dresses
makeup artists
gift registries
wedding planning

New ads that pop up on Brian's facebook page since putting "engaged to" on his profile:
HIV testing
plan a trip to Vegas

Oh facebook.

d'you want to get married and run away

2011-01-13T23:19:00.004-05:00

I'm actually thinking of reversing those two things: eloping seems like a great idea right now. Grabbing our families and heading to Scotland seems very appealing.

Please someone tell me everyone thinks that after the very first so-let's-plan-a-wedding discussion.

Brian and I had our first talk about wedding planning today, since we're heading to Virginia tomorrow to see all our parents for the first time since we got engaged and meet with the priest at my parents' church to get the ball rolling. Planning out the weekend, of course, led to looking at possible reception venues, talking about how neither of us has any idea what weddings cost, realizing we have very few thoughts in common on what we want at the reception/what type of place it should be, and beginning to confront the fact that we were raised with completely different spending habits.
Normal planning-a-wedding stuff, right?
It of course doesn't help that he's a grad student and I'm an actress. Neither of us is raking in the dough.

And now I have a headache and he has a stomach ache because we both process stress physically.

Anyone out there have any thoughts on what a wedding should cost/what yours/your best friend's/your kid's did cost? Or any good tips on keeping prices down? I'd really like to not spend the next seven months arguing.

the snow's coming down, we're watching it fall

2011-01-11T22:42:00.005-05:00

Philadelphia is getting the most beautiful snow right now. It's been coming down for several hours, and it's the perfect combination of icy and powdery. Philadelphia's not really what you call a beautiful city — growing up across the river from DC kind of spoils you for other cities — but everything looks pretty in snow and lamplight.

I like winter so much more when there's snow.

Add to that the fact that I got cast in two new shows tonight — and one of my favorite girls from the movie is in one of them too! — and the fact that I took a two hour nap this afternoon, and the fact that it's been three days since I was last covered in body paint... it's been a pretty good day.

more than an opera to me

2011-01-08T12:01:00.006-05:00

Body paint is a crazy thing.
It's the last day of filming for the movie I'm dancing in, playing a ghoul come back from the dead to attack the cast of a terrible production of La Boheme. It's a musical comedy film, and it has a fair bit of craziness to it.
Right now I'm on set, done with makeup and wardrobe, hanging out in the dressing room to try and keep warm. And I jump a little every time I look in the mirror. Because I'm dancing, my costume is rather skimpy. And because I play something that has risen from the grave, every visible inch of my body is covered in body paint, first white all over, and then purple shadows and bruising around the bones and muscles so I look like I'm decaying. There are five other girls who get this treatment, and it's pretty awesome looking on film.
The downsides? It's insanely difficult to get off afterwards (I've been looking vaguely bruised for a week now), and it hurts. I have really sensitive skin, and my face feels a little like it's on fire.
The hardest part, though, because we're not allowed to smear it, is that I can't wear warmups when I'm not on set (this building is maybe 66° and the dancers' costumes are skimpy chiffon dresses). So we're all huddling in our dressing room with all the mirror lights on in an attempt to keep warm. Because, doing 15+ dance takes in a row in a cold space with cold muscles? More than a little difficult.
On the upside, though, every single person in the cast is jealous of our awesome makeup. And the makeup designer painted on some insane cleavage. Seriously:

Score.

It's always weird to come to the end of a project. This one's been especially intense: we only had this space for a week, which has meant 12-14 hour filming days, not counting travel time to and from location. I'm looking forward to actually being able to sleep and eat properly again— and not having my days go from 6 am to 12 am— but I'm still really going to miss it.

if you're happy and you know it...

2011-01-03T23:05:00.004-05:00

... then, really, you're probably me. Because...

As of 7:00 last night, I am engaged!!!!

I really am about to keel over from happiness right now. I could barely sleep at all last night, and pretty much have not stopped smiling for over twenty-four hours. I'm pretty much convinced I'm the happiest person in the world right now. But, so as to not be too sickeningly cute, here's more of the story.

Brian was apparently planning on proposing New Year's Eve at midnight. Sweet, right? Well, our New Year's plans changed so many times that he gave up on that plan, put the ring in his back pocket, and decided he would get down on one knee whenever the moment presented itself, most likely when we headed back to our hotel at the end of the night.

So what did I do? I had more to drink that I have in ages and, by one o'clock, was stumbling back to the hotel, holding onto Brian with my eyes closed, so that I could spend the next hour curled over a toilet before passing out. Something I have not done since... well, before it was actually legal for me to drink.

Classy, right?

The actual proposal was incredibly sweet, though. It began with, "There's something I didn't get a chance to do on New Years" and ended with me crying and laughing and suddenly with a fiancé holding me and a shiny new ring on my finger.

Pretty much the best start to a new year ever.

after all, there's only one more sleep til christmas

2010-12-24T19:17:00.004-05:00

It has been an odd week. Brian's been off visiting family since Monday, so for the first time since I moved, I was on my own in Philadelphia. It didn't go too badly, though. I had rehearsal every night (filming starts on January 3rd!) and plenty to keep me busy during the day: baking, cleaning, internet problems, Christmas cards, sword fighting... It was quite the week. Still, it's hard to get in the proper Christmas spirit by yourself.

So today I caught my 5:50 am bus and headed back to Virginia. Since I got here, I have seen some of my favorite relatives (before they continued their road trip to other family), met for coffee with some wonderful friends, finished my Christmas shopping, wrapped lots of presents, had a mild panic attack that part of my present for my parents has not arrived yet, and talked with my brother who, for the second time, is in Afghanistan for Christmas.

Mostly, though, I've been enjoying just being home, surrounded by family again. Our traditions are a little disrupted this year: we're going to mass tomorrow morning instead of the vigil tonight, my brother's overseas, and my sister won't turn up until tomorrow morning. Still, I love being here. Even if my parents' house is no longer really home, it's home on Christmas. And I am, as Brian says, abnormally close to my immediate family — I consider each of them friends as well as family. I've missed them a ridiculous amount since I moved to PA, and it's lovely to feel, for even a little while, that I belong right here.

So tonight, I will curl up on the couch with my parents, and watch The Muppet Christmas Carol, and surround myself with the love and joy of a beautiful holiday.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

baby it's cold outside. (and inside. and everywhere)

2010-12-15T13:01:00.004-05:00

There is something wrong with the heat in my apartment.

Seriously, I don't think it came on at all yesterday. And it hasn't yet today, in spite of the fact that it is below freezing outside. Add in the fact that the windows and doors are very obviously not airtight and... yeah, cold apartment.

Last night I started putting Frost King shrinkwrap (the kind you do with a hairdryer) on the windows, but it was almost too cold for the tape to adhere to the walls, so I only got through a few before giving up, putting on two layers of pajamas, and wrapping myself, burrito-like, in a spare blanket before climbing under the covers. I think I actually slept with my head under my comforter all night to keep my nose warm.

The realty company had better start answering their phone soon.

christmas don't be late

2010-12-13T11:10:00.003-05:00

Monday is my lazy day.

I usually have nutty nutty weekends — and this one was no exception, as I had to divide my time between make-up for a local wedding with seven bridesmaids, rehearsals, and retail work, all of which involved a lot of standing/dancing and left me with very very sore feet. So after said nutty nutty weekends, I have fallen into a pattern of taking Monday off (if I don't have work...) and using it to sleep in and catch up on reading, emails, tea-drinking, and watching guilty-pleasure shows. (Seriously, I've tried being productive, it's in my nature to be productive. But if I don't have work scheduled, I can't make my brain function at any sort of high speed.)

All that is why Monday is a really bad time for me to realize that it's less than two weeks to Christmas, I only have about half my gifts taken care of, I've only made one batch of ginger cookies so far (which will be heading to my brother in Afghanistan), I'm supposed to be the one sending people choices on New Year's Eve plans, and it appears that everywhere on the east coast has had snow except Philadelphia. (Even Williamsburg! Tidewater Virginia had snow before me! What's up with that, Philly? I thought moving to the frigid northern tundra would at least get me snow in the winter!)

And yet, here I sit, drinking tea, still in my pajamas, contemplating things that need to be done yet not actually doing them yet.

I may need a few more hours of lazy day first.

i was like, baby, baby, baby, oh

2010-12-08T14:58:00.003-05:00

So, apparently, Justin Beiber (if that's how you spell his name...?) and Selena Gomez are in Philly for a concert this weekend.

And unfortunately, since I live in the middle of the city, they are apparently also staying less than five blocks from my apartment.

The result? Bands of shrieking, overly-made-up tween girls roaming the streets in sidewalk-hogging, spandex-wearing hormonal masses, all waving their cell phones around shouting "He tweeted! Ohmygod he tweeted about the park! I bet he's looking out the window and can see us RIGHT NOW! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Justin! Ohmygod I love you Justin!"

Though really, that's nothing compared to the thirty-something woman I saw doing the exact same thing while running down the street and dragging her two-year-old son behind her.

the soup was hot and on the stove

2010-11-30T15:12:00.004-05:00

I think there are few things more lovely after being on your feet for hours —when you just got off work and the weather is cold and rainy and you have a headache —than remembering you have a giant container of homemade chicken noodle soup that you can heat up and devour.

- Mix one 32 oz. container of chicken broth with 2-4 cups of water, depending on how much soup you want. The more water you have, the longer you will want your chicken cooking in the soup. Put on the stove at a high medium.
- Chop up whatever veggies you want — celery, carrots, onions, tomatoes, green beans— and throw them in the pot. I always do onion, tomatoes, carrots, and celery. (Brian agrees that you can't have chicken noodle soup without celery and carrots, but he still won't eat them.)
- While the veggies are cooking, shred some cooked chicken. If you don't have chicken already cooked, just fix it really quickly in a fry pan. Heat up some olive oil, then throw in the chicken and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rosemary. It won't take much more than five minutes (this also just makes a great quick chicken that can be eaten with anything).
- Once you've shredded that with two forks, throw it in the pot, along with salt and pepper to taste. Add a dash of garlic and a splash of apple cider vinegar for kick.
- Let it all simmer on the stove until the veggies are soft, the onions are see-through, and the broth is delicious.
- Serve over pasta (egg noodles are my favorite) or mix in rice or orzo.
- Crackers are the best part of chicken noodle soup. Don't forget to add them!

Anyone else have some cozy winter recipes?

slow down, you crazy child

2010-11-22T22:50:00.006-05:00

Well, it turns out I didn't need to wait for my benevolent British dictator after all.

In a complete reversal of that fateful day in September, it took just 24 hours (and two months of perseverance) for my life to all of a sudden come back together. Acting, dancing, working, training... it's all back in the picture.

And that means, of course, that all of a sudden I am busy. Tomorrow morning I start work and only those who have been recently unemployed can understand my joy. And I'm back in retail! (For anyone who didn't know this about me, I love working snooty, high class retail ~~and hate food services~~.) Tomorrow evening I'm in a reading of the first folio of Twelfe Night which has had me running around talking with an RP accent all day today. I was also cast in a movie that will begin filming locally in January, and since I was cast as a dancer, December will be filled with dancing and singing rehearsals. Every Monday will be rapier-dagger classes so I can certify in May, and twice a week there will be power yoga.

I love being busy.

And it is now, in my book, officially winter. I can always tell when I hop in the shower at night and realize it's the first time I've been properly warm all day.

you say it best

2010-11-17T23:45:00.006-05:00

I keep seeing commercials for "Supernanny" and "The Fairy Job Mother." I'm not really a big reality tv person, but...

Right now, I really want a large and imposing British woman to tell me how to run my life. They seem so good at it!

Maybe I'll just go back to sleep until one shows up.

the higher up, the sweeter it grows

2010-11-14T10:42:00.004-05:00

So this is definitely one of the coolest things I've ever seen:

I'm not sure that still counts as ballet. I think it's actually a new acrobatics hybrid movement thing. But that in no way stops it from being amazing. And a little bit terrifying.

(It also makes me really glad I never tried to be a professional dancer in China. They would have laughed me out of the country if that's what they're looking for!)

but keep that fighting spirit alive

2010-10-19T10:34:00.004-04:00

So far this week I have gone from new modeling work:

To playing with these:

I think there's a bit of a contrast between the two.

Rapier-dagger is my favorite form of stage combat, but the last time I picked them up was over a year ago. And so today, I do not want to move. It would be hard to imagine the amount of pain I am in, unless of course you also spent several hours last night sword fighting for the first time in twelve months.

If that's the case, I'm sure you'll understand why I am still in my pajamas and the only productive thing I have so far managed today is making tea and checking my email.

it's the art of losing

2010-10-13T09:49:00.003-04:00

I really don't like posting something that's basically a long whiny rant about things going wrong in my life.
Hence, not posting anything for the past two weeks. Because right after that last post was when my "move to Philadelphia and create an awesome new life" plan fell rather spectacularly apart in 24 hours. But now that things are shaping up again, I'll rejoin the land of the ~~living~~ blogging.

The housing situation did not work out. Believe me, the midnight singing was the least of it. When you have unknown drunk nutcases fumbling at your locked door at 5 am on a Wednesday while trying to find a bathroom to vomit in; when, after six weeks of saying he was getting to it, the landlord still has not replace the door to your room that has a hole punched through that you spackled over yourself; when, after you inform her that you're going to look for a new place, one of your roommates tries to rent your room out from under you and basically leave you homeless... it's time to move out. Sometimes group houses work out, and sometimes they really, really don't.

That Wednesday morning was the last time I spent the night at my house. I waited until it was light out, packed a bag, and walked to Brian's. I've basically been living there ever since while I search for a new place, with occasional trips back to "my" house for new clothes/laundry/etc. And since Brian lives in a studio apartment... two people basically sharing one room for several weeks? Is a little difficult. It's a good thing he works during the day. And that we both know this is temporary.

That evening I received an email from the director of the show I'm in, saying the festival it was in had been cancelled, I think maybe for financial reasons? Or also because something was wrong with his family and he had to go to Florida for several weeks? I'm a bit fuzzy on all the details. In any case, within 24 hours, I basically lost my home and definitely lost my job.

Thus, the past few weeks have been... not all roses and sunshine.

BUT I should be hearing back from the realty company that is (fingers crossed) approving me for my new apartment within the next two days. And even though we've been living on top of each other, Brian and I really haven't had any fights. And I'm starting work with a local make-up artist. And though the next round of auditions doesn't start until November, I've got several spots in those and in the meantime I've been back and forth to DC to finish up some filming.

So things are turning around. But still, this whole "City of Brotherly Love" thing? Kinda skeptical, Philadelphia. Kind of skeptical.

but you don't really care for music, do you?

2010-09-22T15:52:00.002-04:00

Living in a group house is a special special thing. It's an exercise in compromise, sharing space, meeting new people. And learning to sleep through the most bizarre things.

Imagine, if you will, that it is Sunday night in Philadelphia. A time when most people say goodbye to the weekend and get ready to tackle the week and their to-do list. A time, once it's past midnight, for everyone to settle down and go to bed.

But not in this house. For this house is located in... you guessed it. The Twilight Zone.

It's the only conclusion I can come to. Really. Because at midnight on Sunday night, just as I was starting to fall asleep. I hear a guitar. Now, I like to sleep with the window open, and my neighborhood is full of little hipsters running around (there's even one in my house, more on that later). So I figure that probably some little hipster indie-acoustic band is practicing a few houses away. No biggie. I can fall asleep to the sound of a guitar.

Then the singing starts. It's not to bad at first, and I continue to fall more asleep, until suddenly...

I USED TO LIVE ALONE BEFORE I KNEW YOU
I'VE SEEN YOUR FLAG ON THE MARBLE ARCH AND LOVE IS NOT A VICTORY MARCH
IT'S A COLD AND IT'S A BROKEN HALLELUJAH

The singing is inside my house. It is, in fact, coming from the bedroom at the end of the hall, where one of my roommates has apparently decided that midnight on Sunday is the perfect time to practice her "Hallelujah" solo rendition. And let me tell you, it was a dramatic, full-throated, no punches pulled rendition. We're talking very very forte.

I think about going to say something. But I just moved in, this roommate already doesn't seem to crazy about me, and I really don't want to be "the bitch" this soon in my living here. So, I figure, it's not that long a song, I can wait it out. And, sure enough, it ends. I decide against applauding, snuggle back down in my bed, and start to fall asleep again. But...

THE MINOR FALL, THE MAJOR LIFT, THE BAFFLED KING COMPOSING HALLELUJAH!

She's started again. She's on repeat. Like iTunes. Like that annoying girl on my freshman hall in college who would blast only one song per day, about fifty times, regardless of the fact that EVERYONE ELSE could hear her.

Again, I think about going to say something. But, again, I don't want to be the bitch that no one likes living with. And it's still early in the game. And, I reason, she can't plan to go on much longer. So repeat number two finishes up. I settle back down, get to really fall asleep. When, you guessed it,

SHE BROKE YOUR THRONE SHE CUT YOUR HAIR
AND FROM YOUR LIPS SHE DREW THE HALLELUJAH

Repeat number three has begun. She is apparently very serious about this midnight practice session. Just when I've decided to get up and go say something, though, the singing peters out and she's just practicing chords and riffing. And I figure, okay, I can handle that, that's actually nice to fall asleep to. I start to drift off. A just when I have finally fallen asleep...

YOU LIVE YOU LEARN
YOU LOVE YOU LEARN
YOU CRY YOU LEARN
YOU LOSE YOU LEARN

It's 1:00 AM, and it's Alanis Morisette time in The Twilight Zone.

setting my feet upon the road

2010-09-14T12:45:00.002-04:00

No, I have not been eaten by Philadelphia!
The combination of not having internet in my house yet, running around getting settled, and blogger hating me and not letting me log into my account has kept me fairly MIA.
But here I am! From Philadelphia! (From Brian's house actually, rather than mine, because he has internet.)
Now that the initial haze of two Target trips a day and a million CVS runs has worn off, I'm finally feeling like I can really start settling in. Settling in includes, of course, a job hunt (can I just stay unemployed and get paid for that?) a lot of free time for writing (two or three short stories in the last four days), more auditions (callbacks and feature film casting call this weekend!) and power yoga (because I need something to keep me on a sort of schedule).
I'm in that very weird "I don't want to go home but I don't quit feel like I live here yet" place. Kind of like at the beginning of college (the last time I really moved) but without the benefit of classes. Or someone else who is paid to clean the bathroom (which I have already done twice since I moved here. Other people are dirty).
Overall, though, I'm really excited to be living here. Hopefully this week I'll start getting some pictures to share!

i'm a birdplane

2010-08-30T19:53:00.004-04:00

Moving in less than a week, and therefore have pretty much no spare brain cells at all.

So, here, have some hilarity in the meantime!

there's been some confusion over rooming here at Shiz

2010-08-27T09:41:00.003-04:00

I kid you not:

Boss: Do you want some walnuts?
Me: No thank you.
Boss: Why not?
Me: I'm not hungry, but thanks for offering.
Boss: Why don't you like walnuts?
Me: I do like them, I'm just not hungry at the moment.
Boss: Right, it's the dancer thing, you never eat, right? I know all about dancers.
Me: I just ate a sandwich five minutes ago.
Boss: You did, it's true, I saw. So why don't you like walnuts?
Me: I do like walnuts, I'm just not hungry for them right now, since I ate a sandwich five minutes ago.
Boss: Why do you like almonds better than walnuts? Do you think they're healthier for you?
Me: I don't really prefer one to the other. I just don't want any walnuts right now.
Boss: But weren't you eating almonds yesterday?
Me: I was. You had some too.
Boss: But you don't really like them because they're not as healthy as walnuts?
Me:...
Boss: You dancers have such weird eating habits.
Me: I think the Ohio file is done printing.

Today is my last day of work!!!

so hot we'll melt your popsicle

2010-08-23T22:50:00.003-04:00

After a clip of Katy Perry's "California Gurls" music video comes on:

Brian:... That was like... erotic Candyland.
Me: I'm pretty sure that was the point. Did you see the gummi bears walking around?
Brian: Yeah, it was disturbing.
Me: And yet you're still turned on, aren't you?
Brian: A little... And that's disturbing too.
Me: Your love for Katy Perry is adorable.

she sees the mirror of herself

2010-08-19T09:56:00.011-04:00

Ten Things You May or May Not Have Known About Me

1. Though I am the youngest of three, I'm often told I "don't seem like a youngest." Usually the people who say this are unable to tell me which child I do seem like. Brian, however, says I am obviously a youngest child because I hate being interrupted and am very insistent about being heard in large groups.

2. Aside from two months in Australia, I have never lived outside Virginia. This makes moving to Philadelphia that much weirder for me.

3. I am vaguely scared of the number two. Not pairs of things, just two itself, the number. There's something dodgy about it. Don't ask me what, but there is. Creepy thing. On my twenty-third birthday, Abigail turned to me and said "At least you're not twenty-two anymore! I bet you're relieved!" And she was oh so right.

4. I double-space after end punctuation when I am typing. I remember being taught this by someone when I was in elementary school. Brian recently informed me, though, that it's obsolete and incorrect. I still want someone else to weigh in on this dispute.

5. Margaritas are my comfort drink, but I can polish off champagne like nobody's business.

6. After being told that this week would be insane and busy, I never heard from my boss yesterday. Instead, I bough a crock-pot and taught myself to crochet. I would much rather be a full-time housewife than a full-time corporate 9-5er. I would have rocked the 1950s if I'd had the opportunity.

7. I love a bargain. Love love love. I am such a cheap shopper. In fact, yesterday I got a $200 coat for $80 and within an hour had bragged about it to two different people. I will probably brag more about it here once it actually arrives. I hate paying full price for anything.

8. I judge people for bad grammar. Especially not using the subjunctive or putting apostrophes in the wrong place on signs.

9. The series finale of Lost was the first whole episode I ever watched. I have been told what a terrible horrible thing this was many times since and how I am probably contributing to global warming by watching them out of order. I have since seen the first five episodes. They were all right. I like Dr. Who better.

10. I am frequently told my hair is any combination of blonde, dirty blonde, brown, brunette, red, or strawberry. I think this is a remarkable variety of colors, considering I have never dyed my hair. My brother insists that I'm a brunette. I think he needs to go back to kindergarten and study his colors.

2010-08-16T11:35:00.003-04:00

Okay, Independence Blue Cross. You're seriously pushing my limits here. All I want is a new health insurance plan. It's not that complicated. But you still make me spend hours filling out forms, and then weeks waiting for a response.

And then, when the response finally comes, you call me at 7 am. I do not answer my phone at 7 am unless it's someone I enjoy talking to. My mornings are me time, thank you very much. I do not think it's unreasonable to call you back when the work day has actually started.

I do think it's unreasonable of you to transfer me three times, keep me on hold for over five minutes, and then hang up on me.

Unimpressed, Independence Blue Cross. Unimpressed. And I was going to pay you and everything.

EDIT: THEY FOUND ME. OMG.

perhaps he knew, as I did not...

2010-08-09T21:12:00.005-04:00

...that the world was made round so we would not see too far down the road.

Things accomplished last week:

- first read-through for new company in Philadelphia
- sleeping for all but 5 hours of Saturday's 24 (literally, for no better reason than having nothing else to do)
- tour of Independence Hall and Liberty Bell (including uncontrollable laughter at requisite historical revisionism)
- several days of writing
- finding a place to live in Philadelphia

It's getting real, people...

Buying new health insurance would probably be a good idea.

c-a-l-l-i-n-g now, I'm calling you

2010-08-03T11:48:00.004-04:00

When I was little (read: elementary school, and some of middle) I loved back to school shopping. I loved getting my new set of pens and pencils, all my fresh folders, that just-right trapper-keeper (anyone else remember those!?) I still get a little bit geeky over office supplies, so I love seeing commercials for back to school sales.

Lately, though, there has been a disturbing back-to-school-sale trend. I remember seeing it last year, and thinking it was a fluke. But no, this year it's back. And it makes just as little sense now as it did before. Maybe I am the only one in American who is missing this, but how is a new phone now part of the "essential" back to school list?

Please, someone, explain to me how an increased ability to text, picture mail, and access the internet from a phone has anything to do with improving a teenager's educational opportunities.

another job which you hope, at last

2010-07-28T11:23:00.006-04:00

I've spent a lot of the last two days resumé writing.

I update my acting resumé at least every few months, but I haven't had to look at my other one— the one that gets the job that pays the rent— in years. I worked two jobs consistently throughout college, and I've been working in my current consulting job since I graduated high school, so I haven't had to apply for a job in over three years. Thus, a lot of rewriting was required.

Mama is a resumé editing rockstar, so I got her to help me with mine. And believe me, when she handed back that thing, it was covered in corrections. It looked like a professor had just given me a very bad grade on a term paper.

But I think it makes me sound quite impressive now.

Entrusted with management and supervisory positions after short periods of employment. Responsible for teaching and monitoring other employees in addition to own work responsibilities. Often worked independently of supervisor while entrusted with budgets and money. Contact with both contractual clients and retail customers.
I also put together a teaching resumé for drama and dance positions.

Instruction of performers of varied experience levels simultaneously, introducing them to new acting and movement techniques. Experience designing warm-ups, activities, acting exercises, and rehearsals to fit the needs and skill levels of groups. Work with groups of various ages, from young children to college students.
That brings my grand total of resumés up to four: acting, dance, teaching, and general work.
Is that a normal number, or am I just weird?

exercise daily, jump up and down

2010-07-23T08:54:00.005-04:00

Usually I tend to be a very healthy eater. I try to keep my dinner plate 1/2 fruit and vegetables, 1/4 starch, 1/4 protein. But Wednesday night? Oh Wednesday night.

My dinner was a giant plate of loaded cheese fries and a large vodka soda.

Other people's birthdays are as great an excuse for bad eating habits as your own.

winter winds litter london with lonely hearts

2010-07-21T17:14:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I went to the memorial service of the father of my childhood best friend.

He was a man I'd known literally all my life; my parents were friends with him and his wife before I was born, and then childhood best friend and I were born just three months apart and were together pretty much constantly for the next 12 years.

So he was dad #2 for me growing up, and it's so hard to get my head around the idea that he's gone.

The memorial service was really lovely, though; funeral rituals are sad, yes, but I also love the way they bring people together, giving them a place to grieve in company, to celebrate a person that they all love, to support each other and make sure that love continues to be shared. Though that could be the Catholic in me that's always been so appreciative of rituals.
And at this one, in particular was a lovely, bittersweet reunion: all the people I'd known growing up, the old friends I hadn't seen since we went off to different middle and high schools and colleges, were there, celebrating his life and loving his family.

{love is all around us}

When I die, I want to be remember like he was: with laughter, and tears, and love, and gratefulness that he had touched all our lives.

you invest your love, you invest your life

2010-07-19T12:35:00.003-04:00

No, I have not died. Though I do appreciate the concern.
Apparently I am bad at blogging in the summer. Vacation throws me off.
Vacation, by the way, was wonderful. I spent about a week and a half computer-and-schedule-less, going from a wedding to the beach to spending the Fourth with my brother (being with Marines on Independence Day just feels very appropriate). It was both shocking and amazing to have no set schedule and no way for someone to give me one. Sometimes I really do just enjoy being cut off from everyone.

And then pretty much as soon as I got home life got hectic. I had to immediately start moving out of my house, and that of course coincided with a 50+ hour work week. Because that is how work and moving always seem to play it. But I am all moved out of my old house— most of my things are in storage— and am currently crashing at my parents' house for a month and a half while I get everything sorted for my move to Philadelphia.

Speaking of Philadelphia, the whole 10 auditions per actual job trope seems to be holding, as I finally got offered a job! The audition was on Thursday, and Friday I got a call from the casting director offering me a role. I'll be performing in a one-act festival running in October, which, while not as long-term or high paying a job as I would have liked to get, is still something, and having a less demanding rehearsal schedule will give me time to get settled in and find rent-paying employment. So, that's all coming together!

All this is by way of saying, I've been really busy and neglectful, but I am back now, and will try to do better!

so kiss me

2010-06-23T14:35:00.009-04:00

Stolen from my dear GalleryGirl. It spoke to me as soon as I saw it.

{Via}

For anyone who doesn't know, my boyfriend is one year into a five-year mathematics PhD program.

If she were blonde, that would be my life.

i've got pride, i'm taking it for a ride

2010-06-22T12:15:00.003-04:00

Rejections are part of writing. I've gotten enough of them in the past year and a half to be used to it. And my most recent piece was my first attempt at a non-fiction article, so it isn't terribly surprising or discouraging that try #1 didn't pan out.

But, when the editor who sends me a rejection can't proofread his own email, when his concluding sentence is "Perhaps after you've been in town for a while and able to experience." then... then I'm a little insulted.

Unimpressed Kay is unimpressed.

i'm just a girl with a dream

2010-06-14T13:54:00.005-04:00

Looooong weekend of rehearsal and filming. Saturday was my first call for shooting for "Boxes," and it was, like all film work, long. We were shooting probably not more than 10 minutes of actual footage, but of course it took hours. But hey, that's the nice part about being an actor. The production staff does all the running around, I just had to walk when they cued me and say my lines. Though of course, since we were filming outside, we had to contend with all the people who tried to walk into shots, wave at the camera, or yell things out of cars. We eventually had to stop because the scene was a morning one, and once the sun sets it really starts to look like you're getting to work too early.

Sunday was dance rehearsal in the morning, then straight from there to six more hours of shooting. I love that I finally have an excuse to wear those awesome oxford heels that Brian convinced me were too sexy not to buy. I think the clothes must be the best part of working in an office.

This Friday is our dance show at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. I know, most performers in the DC area hop up on the Millennium Stage at one point or another. But it's my first time, and it's the Kennedy Center, and I'm super excited!

Hrm, my boss has a paycheck for me to pick up, and while that's certainly something I want, I've been working in my pj's all day and really don't want to put normal clothes on. Decisions, decisions...

this time for...

2010-06-10T22:40:00.005-04:00

Up in Philly again for another audition. This time for (and certain people will get a huge kick out of this) Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus. I may never escape this play.

I wish I could schedule them more concisely (I've started spending half of each week in DC and half in Philadelphia) but hopefully someone will offer me a job soon! It's getting exhausting balancing work, rehearsals, and filming in DC against travel against auditions, job hunting, and house hunting in Philadelphia.

But it will all come together at some point!

In other news, I love the new World Cup anthem that Shakira and Freshlyground (a South African group) have recorded.

Some day I want to go to the World Cup!

sweet and wild

2010-06-01T13:15:00.004-04:00

I know, I'm bragging a little bit. But whatevs, it was awesome. To celebrate my 23rd birthday this weekend, some brave girlfriends and I learned to do this:

Totally going back. And taking more people with me.

the lovers, the dreamers, and me

2010-05-27T08:18:00.003-04:00

Last night I dreamed that one of the five other people living in my building took out the garbage and recycling bins. And it was a beautiful, glorious dream. One of the nicest I've had in a really long time.

Of course, waking up to the delightful sounds of early-morning construction on the houses to either side of mine, I realized that no, of course no one else bothered, but I had sure as hell better get my butt moving if I didn't want to miss the trash truck. So I got up, like I do every Wednesday morning, and schlepped everything out to the curb.

Only this time, for the first time, I locked myself out.

I blame the dream. My mind was still in my happy fantasy world, and all of a sudden I'm standing outside a locked door, braless and in my pajamas, very carefully not looking at the construction workers to either side of me and trying not to panic.

Luckily, after a minute of frantically and hopelessly ringing the bell, it turned out that everyone had not left for work already. As I stood on the doorstep, trying to figure out if the one piece of mail left in the box could be used like a credit card to jimmy the lock, one of the girls upstairs, on her way out, opened the door, and look very surprised to find me there in my pajamas. I didn't stop to explain.

Next week, I don't care, someone else is taking out the trash.

no no no, i didn't, did not

2010-05-24T18:40:00.007-04:00

Things I did not do today:

I definitely did not take a two and a half hour nap, or spend almost an hour talking to Abigail, in the middle of the workday.

In my defense, had I actually taken said nap, it would have been to fight off a migraine.

Nor did I decide I'd rather read one of my favorite children's books than return to work when I woke up.

I didn't drive around DC with broken windshield wipers praying that the giant dark clouds would not decide to start pouring on me.

I certainly did not just tell my boyfriend that "I wouldn't kill you if you cheated on me. I might try damage the family jewels a bit, but there would be no killing" after listening to the episode of Law & Order my roommate is watching.

And I didn't just justify the large sausage and green pepper pizza I am not having on my own for dinner by adding a glass of milk and claiming it makes a healthy meal.

I would never do those things.

now put your hands up

2010-05-13T08:38:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure whether to be completely horrified or wildly impressed. I'm ending up with a strange mixture of the two.

some things you know for certain

2010-05-11T11:24:00.002-04:00

I wonder what it says about me that, when a Geico commercial comes on the radio, I don't picture a man speaking with an accent. I picture a little gecko at the radio station talking into a microphone.

Well done, Geico advertising team. Well done.

try it out, try it on, see what comes along

2010-05-06T14:12:00.005-04:00

I think I just finished baking the most experimental lemon meringue pie in the history of lemon meringue pies.
Seriously.
This involved everything from not having cornstarch (and deciding to substitute flour, then discovering there was no flour either and arbitrarily deciding that an extra egg yolk would probably help), to putting it in a round cake pan because there was no pie dish, to zesting a lemon with a potato peeler.
This is what I get for trying to bake in a house inhabited by four males under the age of 25.
But Brian wanted a lemon meringue pie for his birthday. So now all I have left is to sit back, wait for the oven to ding, and hope he actually got one.

EDIT 9:55 pm
I win at life. It doesn't exactly look like a pie, but it is delicious. Sometimes I think I missed my calling as a 1950s housewife.

no way to win so give in to those hot kind of nights

2010-05-03T21:20:00.004-04:00

Sultry Virginia summer has finally begun, and though the rest of the state has gone shrieking in terror for the air conditioning, I'm delighted. Yes, humidity is uncomfortable and makes you hair do funny things. Yes, I will miss the breezy warmth of spring. But I still love that luxurious, sensual, southern summer feel. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, I will pick a wide open window and a ceiling fan over air conditioning. (It also helps that my body is entirely unsuited for anything remotely resembling cold, as anyone who has seen my don a sweater at 75° will tell you.)

And as with everything these days, the changing weather makes me think about my upcoming move. What will summers in Philadelphia feel like? I finally told my day-job boss this past week that I'll be moving at the end of the summer, and it all feels a lot more real now. It'll be my first time living somewhere other than Virginia (not counting the summer I lived in Australia) and I'm starting to really get excited about it.

And finally, because this confession must be let loose in the world to purge it from my soul... I really like this song.

I know, I know. But in my defense, the first time I heard it, I thought it was a chick singing. And it's kind of addictive. I rock out every time it comes on the radio (and sing along with Bieber's pre-pubescently high part). I think it scares people in the other cars.

if i were a flower growing wild and free

2010-04-26T10:45:00.003-04:00

So I think this is one of the most fantastic blog-related things ever:

For every blog that posts about being carbon neutral and links back to them, these lovely people will plant a tree to neutralize the effects of the carbon emissions caused by that blog.

So what are you waiting for? Let's be carbon-neutral together!

for the ones that feel it the most

2010-04-23T08:43:00.003-04:00

Sunday morning, I was dancing at 12:30 am as part of a late-night cabaret preview for dance companies around the DC area.
Then I decided that that night I would drive to Philly at 10:30 pm for an all-day audition on Monday, and back again Tuesday morning to spend the rest of the day working and dancing.
Last night I got home from rehearsal at 10:00 pm to find my boss had sent me new work to do.

My body may never be on a normal sleep schedule again.

But WETA finally aired the film segment on Sway! Check it out! Scroll down and it's the first video on the page.

zero to 60 in three point five

2010-04-14T10:24:00.003-04:00

Dear DC Drivers,

It's okay. Breathe. Calm down.
I know. Yesterday was scary. There was this weird wet stuff falling from the sky! I'm sure that freaked a lot of you out. I mean, there was water in the air! There was water on the ground! The day was darker than normal!
Scary stuff.
And I know if was just because of this bizarre, unheard of, unnatural phenomenon that a lot of you had trouble remembering how to drive. Most of you didn't know whether to go 15 or 90 mph on the interstate. Headlights? Maybe yes maybe no? It was had to call, so some of you settled on your brights in the evening in the face of oncoming traffic. I know you were trying really hard to see. And with the confusion of water falling out of the sky, it was clear that the rules of life had been reversed, so it was obviously necessary to stop at green lights and drive through the red ones. The colors are very confusing, I understand. And there was that whole me being where two of you wanted to merge, and you being so desperate to get out of that scary unnatural wet situation that you had no other option than to try to run me (and each other) off the road. I understand.
But I think you should be warned: THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. Now, nobody panic. It's not an immediate threat. But this strange "sky-water," as some are calling it? It's going to happen again, and probably with some regularity in the coming daysmonthsyearsdecades. I know. Really scary stuff. I just wanted to warn you in advance so that you can be mentally prepared for the trauma it will cause.
And maybe next time you can try not to almost kill me, mkay?

Love,
Kay