Angela's Rambles

Oscar Nominations - Instant Reactions

2012-01-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

Best Picture - The Help and War Horse were nominated! I'm glad they increased the number of nominations. Also, I DESPERATELY want to see The Artist!!!!

Best Actress - Viola Davis totally deserves that. And what competition she has! Wow!

Best Supporting Actress - I love me some Melissa McCarthy, but I hope that she doesn't win. Based on the roles alone, others deserve that award more. That's just how I feel.

Animated Feature - Wow. For the first time since they created the category, I have not seen any of the films. What is wrong with this picture?

Other thoughts - It's nice to see some of the movies I've seen this year up for various technical awards. I really wish they would have made more of an effort to honor the entire Harry Potter series, though.

Congrats to all the nominees!

9th Annual Oscar Nomination Predictions

2012-01-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

...based only on movies that I have seen. Not what I think will ACTUALLY be nominated. And I didn't see a lot of movies this year. So this list is going to be...interesting.

** = should get an actual nomination

Best Picture:
The Help **
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
War Horse **
Jane Eyre
X-Men: First Class

Best Actor:
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)
Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class)
Jeremy Irvine (War Horse)
James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class)
Chris Evans (Captain America)

Best Actress:
Viola Davis (The Help) **
Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre)
Emma Stone (The Help)

Best Supporting Actor:
Rupert Grint (Harry Potter)
Matthew Lewis (Harry Potter)

Best Supporting Actress:
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Octavia Spencer (The Help) **
Bryce Dallas Howard (The Help)
Emma Watson (Harry Potter)
Emily Blunt (The Adjustment Bureau)

Best Animated Feature:
Cars 2
Gnomeo and Juliet
Winnie the Pooh

Multi-Hobbies =/= Multi-Tasking

2012-01-16T22:29:00.000-07:00

I've noticed something recently. I can't seem to concentrate on more than one of my hobbies at once. I generally have a bunch of things going on at the same time, but I can only give my full attention to one thing at a time. When I'm in Scrapbooking Mode, that is all I will do. But when I get done with that, I will let myself get way behind before I start doing that again. When I'm in Cross Stitch Mode, I will get one of them done and immediately get started on the next one, but I'll usually get myself OUT of Cross Stitch mode before I finish that one. I currently have a barely started Cross Stitch project to my left. The Cross Stitch for my sister-in-law that is done and still needs to be framed is also sitting to my left. (I hope to get that done on Wednesday, Amanda!!!!) I have the pictures I ordered for my scrapbook (still in the unopened envelope) to my right. And guess what? I'm in Reading Mode at the moment. I finished 2 books over the weekend and went to the book store this morning before work to get some new ones. I started the next book and just forced myself to put it down so that I won't stay up past midnight like I did last night.

I can multitask with the best of them (I am a woman, after all), but when it comes to my hobbies, it's one at a time...to the extreme!

Book Recommendation: "Not My Type" by Melanie Jacobson

2012-01-16T00:39:00.000-07:00

You might take note that this is the 2nd time I have blogged about a book by Melanie Jacobson. I previously reviewed her first novel, "The List". Read that here. I really like her writing style! It's very witty and fun! In fact, I bought this book at the store because I saw she wrote it. I don't think I even read the description on the back until I got home. That puts her in the same league as Anita Stansfield, Rachel Ann Nunes, Traci Hunter Abramson and a few others.

"Not My Type" is about Pepper Spicer's adventures writing a column for an online magazine about her adventures with online dating. She's got a lot of baggage in her life that she's dealing with and this job helps her get her feet back on the ground. Who knew she'd find love where she least expected it? The ending and a few plot points were fairly predictable, but Melanie has a way of grabbing your interest. Even though you know how it's all going to work out, she makes you want to relish every detail of the journey!

I could NOT put this book down. I read it in less that 24 hours. In fact, by this time of night (it's currently 12:30 am), I've usually been asleep for a few hours. But I stayed up tonight and finished the book! Then I allowed myself a few tears as I lamented over my missing "happily ever after." But enough wallowing in my severe lack of love life. Read this book! It's great!

No Band Wagon for Me!

2012-01-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

I will not be watching the game tonight against the Patriots. Why not? Because I'll be at church. Stake Conference > Broncos Game. ESPECIALLY when we have a General Authority present.

That aside, there are several reasons why I have not jumped on the Tebow Train like everyone else. The main reason being I don't care that much about football. If the Broncos do well, I'm happy for them. If they lose, no big deal to me. This is nothing new. I've felt like this for a very long time. But all the hype surrounding Tebow? I really don't care. Sure, he's getting things done, but I really think we should wait to canonize him until he's played with the big boys for a few more years and proved himself over several seasons.

And Tebowing? Ugh...that annoys me so much. People are mocking something sacred. I think it's great that Tim Tebow is vocal about his faith, but it's getting to the point where something I consider to be very sacred is becoming secularized. If you're going to take a knee, say a prayer while you're down there. A sincere one. When you are simply "Tebowing", you are mocking God and mocking my beliefs. I don't appreciate that. At all.

You can agree with me or not. I have a right to my opinion. All I ask is that the next time you "Tebow", think about what you're actually making fun of.

Sledding with the Kids

2012-01-03T19:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our fun sledding outing on the day after Christmas!

And of course, the video of the crash and burn:

Angela's Year in Review (ish) 2011

2012-01-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

It seems weird to be writing out my Year in Review. Mostly because I did a blog a day this year, called A Year in my Life. That's 365 blog posts. I should probably still summarize the year. But I don't feel like it. So we'll just wrap it up with this:

It was a year of UPs:

Benjamin Keith Cecil Johnson (my adorable nephew), born March 2, 2011
Neal & Amanda's Wedding, May 13, 2011
The Sound of Music with Up in Lights, July 2011
Scrooge at the Candlelight Dinner Theater, November-December 2011

It was a year of DOWNs:

Too many health problems!! Between bronchitis, sinus infections, and the recurring viral ulcers on my tongue (in May, July, and November), I have spent WAY too much time at the doctor's office!
Having to buy a new car after just getting new tires and a new battery for my old car. It's nice to have new wheels, but now I am WAY too much in debt again.

Mostly a lot of in between, so it definitely was a good year! On to 2012.....

Comment Card Responses Part 1

2011-12-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

I'm going through the comment cards at work and I really wish that I could respond to these people to make them realize how insane they are. Allow me to share...(But I'm not going to write what the actual comment was, just the snarky responses I wish I could give.)

*Oh, really? Because it's all about you? There are 2 things you can choose from on the menu, and if you don't like it you can come for show only and sit in the back.

*Did you ask if you could move? Oh, you just wrote it on the card for us to read later and not help you.

*Did you ask for butter?

*You are the only person who likes that kind of dressing. We aren't going to cater just to you.

*Oh, I totally agree with you on that one. I'd like us to bring it back as well!

*Did you ask for split checks? Because we can totally do that if you ask. And if you ask us, we can tell you the approximate cost of your meal, so you can figure out your tip. You just have to ASK.

*Wow...did you come for the mushrooms or for the show? (And guess what! The mushrooms are back! And you were so mad you won't return and find out that they are back!)

*You weren't charged per cup of coffee. And you should get season tickets. Then coffee is included.

*Try going out to dinner separately and then going to see a touring show. You will pay WAY more than you paid for your ticket tonight.

*We have all kinds of wine. If you don't like what we have, drink at home.

*Did you look around? Was it busy? Did you flag someone down? Be proactive!!! And if it's super busy, give us the benefit of the doubt!!! Sheesh!

*Those are starters. If you eat a lot of it, you won't eat your dinner. Therefore, the portions are small. Duh. And if you want more, you can always ask.

This is just a small percentage of the crazy comments we get. And 99 times out of 100, they haven't mentioned any of this to their server. We can fix it, if we know about it. But leaving it on the comment card and leaving is not going to help YOU. And it's all about YOU, right?

Christmas Eve "Minute to Win It" -- Milligan Family Style!

2011-12-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our hilarious game of "Minute to Win It" on Christmas Eve:

Moving a Grand Piano: A Story in Pictures

2011-12-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

Here at the Candlelight, we have had a special event over the last 2 days. Debby Boone was here and did 2 concerts, both of which were really great! We had to move our grand piano out of the pit and onto the stage for this, so last night we had to move it back down in preparation for the remaining performances of "Scrooge". Here are some pictures I took while they were doing this:

If you would like to know any specifics about what it is they actually did, talk to Shauna or Neal. I was just the photographer.

Golden Globes Nominations!!

2011-12-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

I have been living so much in "Scrooge"-land, that I was completely unaware that they were going to announce the Golden Globe Nominations!!!! There are a bunch of movies I have wanted to watch this year and haven't made it. But I've seen enough, I think. I guess we'll see. Here are some instant reactions to this year's nominations:

Best Motion Picture-Drama: "THE HELP"!!!!! I LOVED that movie! (And the book is even better!) I REALLY want to see "War Horse."

Best Motion Picture-Comedy/Musical: I haven't seen any of those, but I REALLY want to see "The Artist". I've heard some really great things about it.

Best Motion Picture-Animated: I've only seen "Cars 2" and I was great!

Best Lead Actress-Drama: Viola Davis absolutely deserves that. She was AMAZING in "The Help"!!!

Best Supporting Actress: Both Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain for "The Help"? Gah!!! Who to choose?

Best TV Comedy/Musical: Glee is up for it. I haven't watched Glee in several weeks. I've kind of fallen off the Glee train this year.

--

Well, I see that there's not a lot that I care about this year with the GGs, but I'll watch anyway. Hello! Ricky Gervais is hosting again. He's HILARIOUS!!!!

The Sad Saga of Winnifred the Saturn

2011-12-08T11:17:00.002-07:00

Oh, what a sad story. I am having to say farewell to the car that has been so good to me for the past 7 years. Winnifred the Saturn has been a great car...until now.

But first, here is a picture of Fred when I first got her:

So she really has been great all this time. A few minor repairs here and there. Last year was a little bad, what with the new radiator and timing belt. But she kept running, so I didn't replace her. Well, last week she almost overheated as I was driving from the theater to my parents' house. She almost overheated again while driving to my house. So I took her into the mechanic and got the bad news a few days later. She needs a new head gasket. It's a very expensive repair, and one that I don't want to pay for. Especially, because the transmission will probably be the next thing to go.

So I needed to find a new car. But I am INSANELY busy at the moment with "Scrooge". Not to mention that I don't have the money for a new car. So I borrowed my parents' car for a few days, but they needed it back on Friday. So I got to borrow Craig's car for a few days, but he needed it back on Wednesday. I just needed to find the time...make the time...to go car shopping.

I took the day off on Tuesday so that Dad and I could go out looking for cars. I had looked online, but nothing had really jumped out at me. I drive by a few car dealerships occasionally, so there were a few I wanted to go to, just because I thought I had seen some cars that might work. I had some parameters set.....4 doors, smaller, lesser miles and newer than my current car. Those were all negotiable. My price range was not negotiable. I knew I'd really like another Saturn, but I was open to other makes and models.

So we set out around noon. We started out at Keck Auto Sales on N. Garfield, across from Runza. They had several Saturns on their lot. The first car I saw was a 2005 Saturn Ion. The price was just under my price cap. They also had a 1999 Saturn SL2. (Fred is a 99 Saturn SL1.) We didn't talk to anybody, just looked around. But I really liked the Ion. So we wrote down the information and then left.

Next we went to The Car Guys on the corner of Lincoln and 12th St. They didn't have a lot, but they did have a 3 door Saturn that they had just gotten in and was going to be fixed up. The guy we talked to there was really nice. I knew that car wasn't going to work, so we moved on.

We went to Warner's Auto, but they didn't have anything that would work. Then we went back up to Finish Line Auto, on the corner of Monroe and Eisenhower. They didn't have anything that would work, but we did see a gold Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo that was in my price range. We joked that I should buy it so that Shauna and Neal and I would all have the same cars, just different colors. As much as I would like 4 wheel drive, I know I couldn't afford that gas for that car.

Next we went up the street to Auto Integrity. The guy there was really nice. I test drove a 1999 Dodge Stratus. It was a nice car, with actually really low mileage for a car that old. And the price was right, but it just didn't feel right. I couldn't stop thinking about the Saturn Ion back at Keck. We told the guy we'd call if we were coming back.

We stopped by the dealership at the corner of Washington and Eisenhower. They had some Volkswagons. I drooled over the black Jetta and laughed at the '98 Beetle that was red with some weird yellow stripe. I joked that if I got that car, I would name it "Ronald". As in...Ronald McDonald.

We headed back to Keck and the note on the door said he would be back at 2:30. It was 2:25, so we walked around and waited. At 2:35, he wasn't back yet, so we went back to the car and were going to head up north. But I made a phone call first, following up on a lead (which didn't pan out) and while I was on the phone, the guy came back. So we talked about the Saturns with him. I found out that the '99 had a practically new engine and 89K miles on. (Another car with surprisingly low mileage for a 12 year old car! Crazy!) The Ion had 78K miles on it and was about $1000 more than the Dodge Stratus I'd driven earlier. Similar mileage, $1000 more, 6 years newer. And with the SL2, sure everything was pretty much new under the hood, but the rest of the car is still 12 years old. I voted in favor of the Ion. I took it for a test drive. It's really quite nice! Similar to Fred.

The only thing now was what to do with Fred. With the need of a new engine, I wasn't expecting a lot for the trade. But the tires are practically brand new! I just bought them in August! But he needed to see it before he could tell me how much he could give me for it. (Oh, and I couldn't switch the tires. Wrong size.) We don't want to drive it too much, because it overheats, so he came over to take a look. She really is a great looking car. No body damage, since I've never been in an accident. He thought the engine sounded okay. So I am going to get $500 for the trade, which is about what I expected.

I decided that I definitely wanted the Ion, but I really needed my mechanic to check it out for me first. But he couldn't get it in until Wednesday morning. The dealership gave me the key on Tuesday and said I could come pick it up early and take it over. So I did and got it Mark by 9 am. But he couldn't look at it right away, so I called Dad and had him come pick me up. I didn't know how long it was going to be, so I just stayed at their house for awhile. After awhile, it was getting really close to when I needed to go to work. So we got it all worked out so I could go get Craig's car and then come back over when the car was ready, but then Mark called just as we were about to leave. So Shauna took me to get the Ion and Dad drove Fred over to the dealership.

It didn't take long to fill out the paperwork and what not, so I am now the proud owner of a 2005 Saturn Ion. Here's a picture:

I'm still debating on a name. I like to name my cars after iconic musical or movie characters. Rosebud...Winnifred. I have a couple of ideas for this car, but I'll have to wait and see. The name needs to be earned. Emily said that should name it Fred. I told her I wasn't giving this car the same name as the old car!!

I'm a lot poorer now, much more in debt than I would like. But I have wheels. I don't have to walk to work. I still think it's funny that I bought the first car that I saw. Literally, the first car I looked at. But I looked at so many other cars before I came back to that one! That way I was sure!

Merry Christmas to me!

Follow up: I named the car Adelaide. I couldn't decide between Adelaide and Penelope, so her full name is Adelaide Penelope.

To Wish or Not to Wish...

2011-12-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

It's annoying, but it's true. It has virtually becoming completely politically incorrect to wish someone a Merry Christmas. You never know anymore who celebrates it or not. People get soooooooo offended these days. I don't know if you celebrate Christmas or not. Wear a sign or something if you don't want me to say it. Sheesh!

However, I have discovered that I have no problem at all wishing patrons leaving our production of "Scrooge: The Musical" a Merry Christmas. It's a fairly safe assumption that if they have paid to come see a musical based on Dicken's A Christmas Carol, then they probably celebrate Christmas. I'm guessing that if someone has season tickets and they didn't want to see it, they gave their tickets away to someone else who wants to see it. So I say "Merry Christmas!" not "Happy Holidays!"

So.....MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You Know You're from Colorado if...

2011-12-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

You eat ice cream in the winter.
It snows 5 inches and you don't expect school to be cancelled.
You live above 5,000 feet.
You'll wear flip flops every day of the year-regardless of temperature.
You have no accent at all, but can hear other people's. And then you make fun of them.
"Humid" is over 25%.
Your sense of direction is: Toward the mountains and Away from the mountains.
You say "the interstate" and everybody knows which one.
You think that May is a totally normal month for a blizzard.
You buy your flowers to set out on Mother's day, but try and hold off planting them until just before Father's day.
You grew up planning your Halloween costumes around your coat.
You know what the Continental Divide is.
You went to Casa Bonita as a kid, AND as an adult.
You've gone off-roading in a vehicle that was never intended for such activities.
You always know the elevation of where you are.
You wake up to a beautiful, 80 degree day and you wonder if it's gonna snow later.
You don't care that some company renamed it, the Broncos still play at Mile High Stadium!!!
Every movie theater has military and student discounts.
You actually know that South Park is a real place, not just a show on TV.
You know what a 'trust fund hippy' is, and you know its natural habitat is Boulder, Aspen, Crested Butte, Paonia, and Telluride.
You know you're talking to a fellow Coloradan when they call it "Elitches," not "Six Flags.
A bear on your front porch doesn't bother you.
Your two favorite teams are the Broncos and whoever is beating the crap out of the Raiders.
When people back East tell you they have mountains in their state too, you just laugh.
You go anywhere else on the planet and the air feels "sticky" and you notice the sky is no longer blue.

Repost if you're PROUD of being a Coloradan.

First "Scrooge" Picture!

2011-11-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here is one of the first pictures that I've gotten from "Scrooge"!! This is the scene where the Dilbers are trying to negotiate with Scrooge for more time to pay. I'm in the middle. Michelle Sergeeff (Miss Dilber) is on the left and Brian Burron (Ebeneezer Scrooge) is on the right!

Johnson Candlelight Family Tree

2011-11-19T00:37:00.001-07:00

It's kind of fun to let people guess & wonder, but I will finally clear this up for everyone. The following are the members of the Johnson Family (and extended family) who have worked or currently work (as in, on the payroll) at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse....and how we are related:

Murell Johnson (Dad) - Props Master
Angela Johnson (oldest child) - Box Office & in the cast of Scrooge
Shauna Johnson (3rd child) - Technical Director & Stage Manager
Neal Johnson (youngest child) - Sound Designer, Sound Engineer, Master Carpenter, & Server
Amanda Johnson (Neal's wife) - Has worked a few tear downs
Brian Spotts (husband of our cousin Stephanie) - Has worked a few tear downs
Tiffany Sabec (Amanda's sister) - Has worked a few tear downs

Also...
Judy Johnson (Mom) - Doesn't get paid, but does pretty much whatever is needed. (Like, today I called her at home with a message from Dad to "please make more of the brown play-dough.")
Craig Johnson (2nd child) - Has helped out moving sets on occasion.

It should also be noted that our parents, grandparents, aunt & uncle, and brother & sister-in-law all have season tickets.

So there you have it. The Candlelight Dinner Playhouse is crawling with Johnsons. And Johnson relatives. (But any other Johnsons are of no relation, and there have been a couple.)

The Fezziwig's Family Tree

2011-11-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

We decided last night at rehearsal for Scrooge the Musical that the Fezziwigs had 26 daughters. Only one is named in the show...Isabel. We decided that each daughter had a "Bell" name, and there was one for each letter of the alphabet:

Annabelle
Bellatrix
Clarabelle
Dorabella
Ellabelle
Florabelle
Gisbelle
Hannabelle
Isabel
Jessabelle (not be be confused with Jezabel)
Katiebelle
Lizabel
Mirabelle
Norabelle
Orabella
Pollybella
Qiyrabell
Rubybell
Sabella
Tarabella
Urabel
Vannabel
Willabella
Xiomarabella
Yettabelle
Zarabelle

Oh, and they had one son. His name was Bello.

Tongue Ulcer Update

2011-11-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

I got a call back from my doctor this morning. My phone was off, so she left me a message. The culture came back negative for a virus. She thinks is might be an allergy that causes the ulcers. Either a nut allergy (which I find unlikely) or an antibiotic allergy (which is pretty likely, but doesn't explain why I got the ulcers in July.) I think they are caused by a combination of hormones and stress. I wish I could nail it down so that I never get them again, but I can't deal with it this week. It's Tech Week! Scrooge opens on Saturday!!!!!!!

Losing a week of my life.

2011-11-12T21:58:00.000-07:00

I have been so sick the past week and a half. (What horrible timing!!!) I developed the canker sores on my tongue again for the THIRD time this year. Sometime during the night/early morning on the 3rd, I got really sick. I remember trying to throw up and it not happening. I was lying on the bathroom floor for awhile and then made it back to bed. I then proceeded to sleep until noon. I missed my doctor's appointment and my chiropractor's appointment. I vaguely remember talking to Shauna on the phone so that I could get out of rehearsal that afternoon. She came and took me to Urgent Care. The doctor prescribed an anti-viral drug and I went back to using the Lidocane. She swabbed the back of my throat, because there was a huge canker sore back there, but nothing showed up.

The next few days are a blur. I was sleeping at least 10 hours a night. I made it to rehearsal and to church. I went to the doctor again on Tuesday. That doctor took a chunk out of my tongue to test the canker sores. I still haven't gotten the results from that test yet. She thinks it could be an allergy that is causing it. Great....that's all I need. Another allergy. I think it's stress-related. I really just wish they would GO AWAY AND NOT COME BACK!!!! I can't eat when I have them because it hurts so dang bad.

The timing with this has been horrible. I am amazed at how quickly I forget the choreography that I'm learning for Scrooge. We open in a week and I'm not comfortable with any of the dances except for maybe one. Uuuuuuuugh............

Murphy's Law Day

2011-10-29T20:29:00.000-06:00

The following is the timeline of our Murphy's Law Day:

Shauna and I left for the temple around 9:15 am
As we were turning off C470 onto University, suddenly the Jeep wouldn't shift. Wouldn't go over 20 mph. We made it to the temple parking lot, though.
Once we were in the temple and dressed, we found Mom and told her not to leave until we got done so we could figure out what to do about the car.
We were supposed to be on the 11:00 am session, but they had mechanical difficulties in that Ordinance Room, so we got bumped to the 11:30 am session. (No biggie.)
We met up with Mom and Dad and then foyer and headed out to look at the car.
The car still wouldn't shift, so we decided to go to CiCi's for lunch while we decided what to do.
We decided that Neal and Amanda would come down and tow the Jeep back to Loveland. We would start heading north and we'd meet in the middle.
We drove north on University, west on Belleview, and north on Federal...all at about 20 mph. (35 mph when we coasted down hills!)
We made it to the Safeway at Federal and 102nd Ave. We waited for Neal and Amanda (who had been on Wadsworth, not Federal). Once the cars were hooked up with an interesting rig that consisted of a tow chain, ratchet straps, and duct tape, we headed out. (I had a lovely hot chocolate from Starbucks!)
But BEFORE we headed out, we got a call that the power was out at the Candlelight. Great.
We made quite the caravan, what with Neal's Jeep and Shauna's Jeep almost bumper to bumper with Mom & Dad following close behind with their hazards on . (Shauna's Jeep had a signal light out.)
We left Safeway at about 4:30 pm.
Not too long after that, we got word that the power was back on at the Candlelight.
We went north on Federal, west on 104th, and north on Wadsworth/287.
Somewhere along the way, Shauna realized that there would be a problem with microphone batteries because of the power outage, so a series of phone calls followed to get that situation covered. (As of press time, I haven't heard how that all ended up.)
As we were turning into the King Soopers parking lot (near our mechanic's), the wheel caught the towing rig and we were stuck halfway. Neal got it fixed quickly, so we didn't block traffic for too long.
We arrived at our mechanic's about 5:45 pm. We left the Jeep there and we took Shauna back to her house so that she could get ready to head to work. I took Mom & Dad home.

WHAT A LONG DAY!!!! STUPID MURPHY'S LAW. I've had enough adventure for one day. I'm beat! But it really was quite interesting to see what's along Federal when you're going 20 mph. We counted 9 Dollar Stores and 20 "Pot Shops" as I call them. Crazy!!

Wal-Mart Real Estate

2011-10-28T10:56:00.000-06:00

On my way to work this morning, I saw one of those manufactured houses being pulled down the interstate. There was a Wal-Mart semi truck next to it. For a brief moment, it looked like the Wal-Mart truck was pulling the house. I thought "Wow! You really CAN buy anything at Wal-Mart!!"

I wish I could have taken a picture. But I was driving. Oh, well!

World's Largest Pumpkin

2011-10-21T09:22:00.000-06:00

This is the time of year when we keep hearing all about the world's largest pumpkin. Well, they are going to have it on Regis and Kelly this morning. I can't help but wondering...what happens if they drop it? I mean, it's got to be a major hassle to move that thing. Right? So, my question is...if something happens and the world's largest pumpkin gets dropped, do they investigate the owners of the world's 2nd largest pumpkin for suspicious behavior? They really could have something to do with the demise of the largest pumpkin so they can get bumped up to the largest pumpkin. Am I right? I think I am.

Scrooge the Musical

2011-10-19T22:07:00.000-06:00

This is just a friendly reminder that I will be in Scrooge the Musical at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse this holiday season. The show runs November 19 through December 31. Tickets are going really fast, so if you want to come, I HIGHLY recommend getting your reservation soon!

You may purchase tickets anytime at www.coloradocandlelight.com
You may purchase tickets over the phone (or in person)
Tuesday-Friday from 10 am to 5 pm
Saturday from 12 pm to 5 pm

970-744-3747

4747 Marketplace Dr.
Johnstown, CO 80534
(Behind RV America, accessible off the I-25 Frontage Road just south of Exit 254)

I really hope to see you at the show! It's going to be FABULOUS!!! We start rehearsals next week and I'm so excited to get started! :)

Good Economy vs. Bad Ecomony

2011-10-11T13:50:00.000-06:00

Good Economy vs. Bad Economy...you be the judge.

The RV America that is right next to where I work is expanding. They are adding on to their building as well as building onto their parking lot. This means that business must be booming! So that makes me wonder.... Are they selling more RVs because the economy is good and people can afford to buy them? Or are people losing/selling their houses and buying RVs to live in permanently?

Makes you wonder, huh?

Columbus Day

2011-10-10T09:10:00.000-06:00

People get all worked up about Columbus Day. They think "Oh, my gosh, he came over here and wrecked everything for everybody. He stole land and killed the natives. Why do we honor him?" Umm...hello? Do you think we'd all be living happily over in Europe? Can you believe how overcrowded it would be? America is the Promised Land. Columbus was meant to come over here. Just look at 1 Nephi 13:12

And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that is came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.

See! It's right there in the Book of Mormon! Nephi saw it in a vision in 600 BC!

So you can celebrate Columbus Day if you want to or not. It's a free country. Whether you like it or not, the banks and post office will be closed. But you can go on with your regular life...you just can't cash a check or mail a letter..

Dumbest Case of Road Rage EVER!

2011-10-04T17:37:00.000-06:00

I just witnessed something so incredibly stupid. I can't even believe it!

I had just picked up my mail and I was sitting in my car, waiting to be able to back out of my parking space and go home. There were cars coming in all three directions, so I was just chilling, waiting for them to be gone. Well, I don't know exactly what pissed this lady off. It didn't look to me like she had been cut off or anything, but she laid on her horn for almost a full minute, all the while leaving her car halfway into the road (so NO ONE could move) and kept gesturing out her window toward the supposed offending car. What in the world was your problem, lady? Somebody must have spit in her corn flakes.

Now, I am known to be a little road rageous at times, but I never stop traffic and lay on the horn for a full minute. I'll yell through my closed windows. And if I manage to honk the horn, that's just a bonus. (It's kind of difficult to honk my horn...it's a little button.)

Seriously, this was like the dumbest thing ever. Really? Was it necessary? Idiot.

Mount Rushmore and Beyond!!

2011-09-30T21:46:00.000-06:00

This week, we took a whirlwind, less than 3 days, road trip! Mom, Dad, Shauna, and I left at o'dark thirty on Monday morning and headed north! The destinations: Mount Rushmore and then Billings, Montana. Here are some excerpts from the trip journal (complete with pictures):

Monday, September 26, 2011

The Crazy Horse Memorial is AWESOME!!!!! When it's finished, it's going to be GINORMOUS! What am I saying? It's ginormous now!!

The Needles Highway is beautiful! And it's fun to drive through the small tunnels.

Mount Rushmore is A-MAZ-ING!! So hard to imagine it was done so long ago! How did they do that?

If you want to be extra proud to be an America, visit Mount Rushmore. No joke.

We went back to Mount Rushmore for the Illumination Ceremony. That was super cool! The talk by the ranger and then the movie they showed were really great. But standing to sing the Star Spangled Banner while the lights were coming on was BEYOND AWESOME!!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

We went back to Mount Rushmore to take the Presidential walk, which takes you pretty close to the base of the monument. Mount Rushmore really does look better in the morning light! Less shadows.

9:00 am = on the road to Billings

10:00 am = We can now say that we have been to Sturgis.

While looking for the Loaf 'n' Jug in Sheridan, Wyoming, we end up in the airport parking lot. Whoops!

Arrived in Billings at around 3:00 pm.

The Billings Temple is GORGEOUS!! We got on the 5:10 pm and 7:30 pm sessions. We even got a little tour between sessions. That was nice! We got to meet the Temple President and Matron, too!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

8:00 am = Back on the road after going back to the temple to take pictures.

We stopped at the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument. (AKA Custer's Last Stand) We didn't stay for very long, but we were there to hear one of the Ranger Talks. Very interesting!

Dropped Shauna off at her house at 5:30 pm, meaning the entire trip lasted 60 hours. I would say approximately 20 of those hours were spent in the car. Oy.

We had a great time! We are already planning a whirlwind road trip for next summer!

Phone Dilemmas

2011-09-24T22:30:00.000-06:00

I am currently eligible for a discounted upgrade to a new phone. However, my contract does not expire until April of next year. I really need a new phone now. I am about ready to set my Blackberry on fire. It freezes at least 3 to 4 times a week and I have to take the battery out in order to reset it. It's incredibly annoying.

So here's my dilemma: I am paying $100 a month for my wireless service. (My regular service is $39.99 a month plus $50 for unlimited internet/data & texts, plus all of their fees and taxes and stuff.) Now, I can switch to a different carrier and pay $69.99 a month (same amount of minutes, internet/data & texts included). However, my early termination fee would be about $100 and I'd have to pay for the phone and probably change my number.

It seems like such a hassle to switch to only save $20 a month. ESPECIALLY if I have to change my phone number. I've never had a problem with the coverage my carrier provides. It's just the price that I have a problem with.

My 2nd dilemma is which phone to pick, if I just upgrade and stick with my current carrier. I can get a refurbished phone for significantly cheaper than the new version. I've never gotten a refurbished phone before. The difference in warranty troubles me. (90 days for refurbished, 1 year for new). But the cheaper price seems to make it worth my while to try it out. I've talked to a few people who have had good luck with refurbished phones, but I'm still hesitant.

I don't know what to do. I can't decide. Ugh!!! Why can't this be simpler!?!?

Pay it Forward!

2011-09-24T13:15:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, I dropped a wad of cash out of my pocket while walking around the outside of Coors Field. Someone saw this happen and told me, so I could pick it up.

Today, as I came out of Albertsons, the girl walking in front of me dropped a five dollar bill. I said "Hey, you dropped some money!" She didn't heard me. So I picked it up and chased her down.

Just paying it forward!

International Talk Like a Pirate Day 2011

2011-09-19T17:35:00.000-06:00

It's that time again! Talk Like a Pirate Day! (Of course, in our family, every day is Talk Like a Pirate Day.) This year we celebrated a day early, because it was more convenient for all involved. So we called it "International Talk Like a Pirate Day (Observed)". Here are so fun pictures from the event:

Captain Peg Leg, the Pirate Cake (Courtesy of Robin)

The Warbling Wench, this year with crazy hair!!!

The new (old) Tavern Table!!

Captain Ben, the Sock Hand

And now, for your viewing pleasure....the Talk Like a Pirate Day Song, featuring the NoCoMo Pirates!

Seaweed Salad

2011-09-18T22:21:00.000-06:00

Otherwise known as Mock Seaweed Salad (See NOTE below)

Equal parts:
Baby Spring Mix
Baby Spinach
Mâche Rosettes (Lamb's Lettuce)

Mix the Spring Mix and Spinach together in a bowl. Top with Mâche (do not mix in!)

Serve with Thousand Island Dressing, Kraft Seven Seas Green Goddess Dressing, or Ranch (fer ye land lubbers!) Use Sour Cream and Onion Goldfish crackers instead of croutons.

NOTE: If you have seaweed, feel free to add to the salad in whatever way you desire. Just make sure it's not dirty seaweed right out of the ocean. That's gross! That being said, store-bought seaweed is gross, too. Tastes just like goldfish food smells.

Broadway Dream List of the Moment

2011-08-31T12:34:00.001-06:00

Every now and then I sit and ponder the following "if"...

If I was going to NYC this week, what shows would I see? The list is often huge...the total price of tickets being more expensive than my flight & hotel. Here is the list of this moment:

Anything Goes! (Hello! Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney? YES, PLEASE!)
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (I am intrigued by "Daniel Radcliffe in a Musical")
Sister Act (I adore Victoria Clark and she's playing the Mother Superior.)
War Horse (The concept of this show fascinates me!)

And of course, my "safeties":

Mary Poppins (I want to see how much cooler the Broadway set is versus the touring set.)
Wicked (I will see that show whenever and wherever I can. Just because it ROCKS!)
The Lion King (There's a chance I won't get to see it when it's in Denver, even though I already have a ticket. So I'd totally see it on Broadway if I could. It's Theatrical Perfection, people!!)

I'm a nerd. What can I say

Book Recommendation: "The Kiss of a Stranger" by Sarah M. Eden

2011-08-30T21:36:00.000-06:00

Sarah M. Eden is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Maybe it's because she writes about the Regency Era...Jane Austen times, for you non-Anglophiles. Maybe it's because they are great romances. Whatever it is, she writes some good stuff!

Read my recommendation of her book "Courting Miss Lancaster" here.

I just read "The Kiss of a Stranger", which is a spin-off of "Courting Miss Lancaster". I read it in one day! Seriously! Actually, less than a day. Less than 12 hours. I couldn't put it down.

Crispin, Lord Cavratt, kisses who he thinks is a servant girl in the garden to make a girl who's been pursuing (and annoying) him angry. Well, the servant girl isn't a servant and her uncle is the one who gets angry. Crispin and Catherine find themselves married within minutes, forced into a marriage that neither of them expected or wanted. What follows is a parade of the worst of London's gossips and an emotional roller coaster (you know...if roller coasters had been invented back then) for Lord and Lady Cavratt.

Great book! I highly recommend it!!

By the way....I'm also eagerly anticipating being able to find a PRINT version (not a Kindle version) of "Seeking Persephone", which is the book we all are supposed to read before reading "Courting Miss Lancaster". That ship has sailed, obviously, but I'm still desperate to read it!

New Dancing with the Stars Cast

2011-08-29T19:54:00.000-06:00

I didn't want to watch Bachelor Pad in order to see this announcement live. So I used a spy on the East Coast to tell me when it had been announced there, and then I went to Wikipedia to get the list. Cheating? Maybe. Smart? Totally. I'd rather poke my eyes out with a dull spoon than watch Bachelor Pad.

So....here are my initial reactions to the list: (NOTE: This is a stream-of-consciousness blog. I did not go back and edit after I found out the REAL list. If I did edit, it's in red.)

Elisabeta Canalis: Apparently, she's George Clooney's ex. I don't know what other claim to fame she has. Once again, Dancing with the C-Listers! Woot!

Ron Artest: Obligatory athlete

Nancy Grace: Obligatory news person.

Kristin Cavallari: I've heard of her, but I don't know if I've ever seen her in anything. Oh, she was on "The Hills"? No wonder I've never seen her.

Ricki Lake: Aww....I've always liked her. Especially in "Mrs. Winterbourne".

Chynna Phillips: Ha! I remember when I saw her as Kim in the TV movie version of "Bye Bye Birdie". She was WAAAAAAAY too old to be playing Kim!!!

Hope Solo: Who? Never heard of her. (Wikipedia says she's a goalie.)

David Arquette: Obligatory funny guy!!!

Rob Kardashian: I don't know that I've heard of him. Is he related to Kim?

Ryan O'Neal: Obligatory old guy. Love him on "Bones"!

J.R. Martinez: I don't know who that is. (After a little research, I now know who he is. While I wouldn't consider him a "star", I think it's awesome that he's going to be on there!)

Carson Kressley: That'll be interesting.

Chaz Bono: That'll be ever more interesting!

Now, I'm a little confused. This is a list of 13 people. There are only 12 professionals listed. Just more proof that you can't trust Wikipedia! BAH HA HA!!! I just went back to wikipedia after looking at ABC's website and that entire list is gone. I got in there at just the right time to see that list!

Okay, so I went back to ABC's website and saw the official list. No Ryan O'Neal. That's a bummer. He would have been fun.

So there you have it! This season will be...interesting.

Book Review: "The List" by Melanie Jacobson

2011-08-28T18:43:00.000-06:00

Ever read a book that's predictable so you just skip to the end to see if you're right? Ever read a book that's predictable but interesting enough to keep reading? This book is the latter. I saw certain plot points coming from a mile away, but I enjoyed reading the witty dialogue.

Everyone has a bucket list, right? Well, Ashley Barrett has "The List". It's a list of 25 things she wants to do before she gets married. She wrote it as an act of defiance at age 18. She didn't want to be like her mom and sisters and marry super young. Over the next 6 years, she's been checking things off the list. The summer before she starts grad school (#5 on the list, by the way), she heads to California to stay with her cousins and learn to surf (#13). She wasn't expecting to meet Matt Gibson, the hottest guy in the singles ward. She manages to snag his attention, by playing hard to get. And he quickly becomes #17 on the list (Have a summer fling.)

I really enjoyed the witty dialogue (as I said before.) (I even posted 2 quotes from the book on my Facebook page! I liked it that much!) I also enjoyed reading the vivid descriptions of every kind of girl in a singles ward. Having spent more than my fair share of years in singles wards, I can attest that every single description was spot on. Melanie Jacobson does a great job of perfectly encapsulating the feeding frenzy that IS a singles ward in the summer time (or all year, in some cases) in a fun and engaging way. (No pun intended.) She also writes in a way that engages the reader with humor and truth. Sure, I saw the ending coming a mile away, but I enjoyed her writing style so much and the story was cute, so I kept reading. A few twists and turns kept me guessing there at the end, though.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Mormon Chick-Lit. If you're not a "fluffy fun" kind of reader, you might not like this one. But you're missing out on a silly good time.

Hay...it's a Nightmare.

2011-08-26T10:54:00.000-06:00

Ever have one of those moments where something happens and you feel like you're living out a nightmare? Today I followed a truck hauling hay. The hay was "shedding" and it was all drifting onto my car. I am very much allergic to hay. So I sat there thinking "This is how I'm going to die!" Luckily, I only had to follow the truck for about a quarter of a mile. But that's a long distance when you're holding your breath.

"Scrapbook Movies"

2011-08-21T23:27:00.000-06:00

There are a couple of movies that I call "Scrapbook Movies". That means that I can put turn them on and then just listen to the them while I scrapbook. I've seen them so many times that I don't need to see the action. I can just listen and look up occasionally. I have found this to be a great way to get my scrapbooks done!

Here is a partial list of my "Scrapbook Movies":

Enchanted
Ever After
Harry Potter (all of them)
Lord of the Rings (all of them)
Miss Congeniality
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
North & South (BBC Miniseries version)
Ocean's 11
Persuasion (2007 BBC Version)
Pride & Prejudice (2006 Keira Knightley version)
Tangled
13 Going on 30
The Wedding Planner
While You Were Sleeping

There are more, but these are the only ones I can think of at the moment. Mostly because all but one are currently on the shelf next to me.

A complaint about the complainers who complain.

2011-08-15T18:01:00.000-06:00

I don't have a subscription our local newspaper. I can't afford it, and I can read the highlights online. But one thing they DON'T put online is the "R-H Line". It's a phone number people can call and they print what you say. It's like writing a letter to the editor, but you can call it in...and you don't have to give your name. I have been known to call this line, and occasionally I've gotten in print. (I have the number memorized...is that a bad thing?)

Well, today I was at my parents' house and I was reading today's newspaper. I was shocked to see some people complaining about this past weekend's Sculpture Show. Okay...shocked isn't the right word. Mildly surprised. Slightly annoyed. I don't know.

Once a year, the 2nd weekend in August, they have these big sculpture shows in our sculpture park and at the high school. And one day of that, there is a craft fair in the other park that's right there. It's actually pretty fun to wander around and look at all of the art. But traffic in that area is beyond crazy.

Well, that's what these callers were complaining about. The one guy says they've lived near there for 10 years and why can't they move the show somewhere else? People put trash in his lawn and in his car. (Really, people? That's what dumpsters are for.) And he can't park in front of his own house. The other guy went as far as to call it a stupid art show (I'm surprised they printed that!) and why couldn't they do something about the traffic.

Seriously? People will ALWAYS find something to complain about. I have lived in Loveland for my entire life and so it's no secret to me that Sculpture Show weekend is beyond crazy. I lived within a mile of the craziness. But you know what? I don't complain to the city telling them to cancel the darn thing. What do I do? I just don't drive that way. Our church building is very close to that area, and we would always take an alternate route. Now, I understand that some people can't avoid the traffic, because they live closer than I did. But you know what? The show is the same weekend every year. GO ON VACATION THAT WEEKEND!!! Don't call the newspaper and complain because YOU are inconvenienced. This show is a big deal for the artists...and the city gets a lot of revenue from it.

Basically, get over yourself and be a part of your community. Not a thorn in your community.

Scrooooooooooooooge!!!!!

2011-08-13T15:43:00.000-06:00

I am pleased to officially announce (now that the cast list has been posted) that I have been cast as Mrs. Dilber/Ensemble in Scrooge! The Musical at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse for this upcoming Holiday Season! The show opens November 19th and runs through December 31st.

We will have shows on Thursday, Friday, Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons. In December, we are also adding some Wednesday evenings and Saturday matinees. Tickets are already going really fast, so don't wait around!!! Call the Box Office! You might even get to talk to me! 970-744-3747 Or visit our website: www.coloradocandlelight.com

I hope to see you at this fabulous show! Usually I say to let me know when you're coming, so I can come out and say hi. But since I work in the Box Office I will probably already know you're coming. I'm a stalker like that! And I might even be working at the Will Call desk when you come. You never know!!!

The Song You've All Been Waiting For!!!

2011-08-04T17:15:00.001-06:00

You read my previous blog about: Operation Secret Kumquat

Now, for your listening pleasure, the song:

I'm wondering if I should do a complete slideshow with other pictures of Grandpa. Let me know what you think. This picture (taken last year by Norm Rehme) is so adorable that I think it works for the entire song.

****If you are having trouble viewing the video on here, I have uploaded it to youtube and you can view it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYtV_BOIBSE

Criminals SUCK!!!!!!

2011-08-03T12:03:00.000-06:00

Ironic, isn't it? Just last Monday morning, we were sitting around the kitchen table talking about identity theft, purses being stolen, credit cards being stolen.

And what happens today? I get a call from my bank asking me if I am, by chance, in Spain? Uh...no. I'm at work. I wish I was in Spain. That would be sweet! Unfortunately, my debit card number is in Spain at the moment. Greeeeeeeeeeeat. Someone has made several purchases, all under $100. Jerks.

Who knows how they got my number. I have used my debit card in a couple of different places over the last couple of weeks. (Would it be profiling to blame the employees at 3 Margaritas? Probably.) Gah!!!!

So now I get a new debit card in a couple of days. And I'm not responsible for any of the charges. I'm VERY thankful for the diligence of my bank to check up on bizarre activity on my account!

What's in a Name?

2011-08-02T11:56:00.000-06:00

Many of you reading this know that my dad's name is Murell. (Pronounced mur-ELL, not MEHR-ell or myur-ELL.) It's family folk-lore that Grandma named him after a furnace repair man who came to the farm shortly before Dad was born.

Well, today I was sitting at work and a girl came into the office. She looked to be in her early 20s. She said her name was Murell. (That's what I heard.) I thought "WHAT?!" But then the phone rang and I didn't get a chance to ask her about her name. But I did hear when she spelled it out for the message she was leaving for our Food & Beverage Manager. She spells it: Mirelle. So she probably pronounces it: mirr-ELL. But say it out loud. mur-ELL.....mir-ELL.... Sounds the same right? I think so. I called Dad and told him. He got a kick out of that.

Names are funny things. People keep coming up with more unique names. Pretty soon we're going to be naming our kids after more random things. "Toshiba! Take out the trash!"

Operation Secret Kumquat

2011-07-31T20:12:00.002-06:00

Today is my Grandpa Milligan's 97th birthday! Several months ago, we (my cousins, siblings, and I) decided that we wanted to form a Cousins Choir and that our debut would be a surprise performance in the Lakeside Ward (our parents' and grandparents' ward) on Grandpa's Birthday. We didn't tell them that we were doing it and basically just showed up in the chapel when it was time to sing.

Sounds easy, right? Not so much. Trying to keep a secret from your parents is not easy!!! Neal and Amanda had to lie right to their faces once! (After Dad decided the choir was going to sing today and the Bishop, who knew what was happening, told him he had a special number already planned.) The rest of us almost spilled the beans a couple of times. You'd think with none of us living at home anymore, we wouldn't have a problem. But it was difficult!!

Neal dubbed it "Operation Secret Kumquat". And it was successful! They had no clue until we walked in!! (Well, Randy saw Robin and Steph in the hall and figured out we were all there.). But they no clue what we were going to sing until we started.

We sang one our favorite songs, John Rutter's "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." Our singers were:

Sopranos: Amanda, Melanie, Robin, Shannon
Altos: Angela, Shauna, Steph
Tenors: Craig, Neal
Basses: Brian, Steve
Piano: Melissa

It turned out great! Everyone was bawling and Grandpa had a huge grin on his face! Success!!!

Now, I know what you're thinking. How can I hear this? Well, never fear! We also sang it in the Bison Ridge Ward, and we intend to sing it in all of our wards before the end of the year. We also went over to the Candlelight after dinner and recorded it with Neal's soundboard. We also got a video of it. So it's saved for posterity!

It's been a great day, and we had so much fun getting this song ready...even though there was much lying involved.

Happy Birthday and many more to my awesome Grandpa! Love you!

Can't Dance....or Won't Dance?

2011-07-30T08:54:00.000-06:00

I can't dance. Okay, that's not totally true. I can dance, just not very well. It takes me awhile to pick up choreography (as long as it's not too hard.) But here's the thing...the time it takes me to learn the choreography is longer than the time I am given to learn it during a dance call back audition. This is SO FRUSTRATING!!! I am not given the time to prove myself because there's just not time. So then I don't get cast in something and when I go to see the show later, I get really sad when I see the choreography that I would have been doing. I think "Well, I could have done that."

I guess this is my lot in life. I'm a good singer, a pretty good actor, and a mediocre dancer. Audition notices will say "Experienced singers, actors, and dancers needed." What they mean is "You will be cast if you are experienced at all three. If not, best of luck to you."

Sure there are shows where dancing is not required, or certain characters are not dance roles. But at theaters where actors play multiple roles in a show...you have to be a triple threat to be cast. I'm not a triple threat. I'm a 2 and a half threat...if that.

*sigh*

The Anti-Midas Touch

2011-07-27T16:13:00.000-06:00

J: I'm going to retire when I'm 32.
A: Oh, really? How do you intend to do that?
J: I'm going to make my millions by then.
A: And how do you plan to do that? Print the money in your basement?
J: Shhhhhhhhh....
A: *laughs*
J: Didn't you hear? I have an alchemist stone. I can make my own gold.
A: And I have the Midas Touch.
J: Don't touch me.
A: Actually, I have the Anti-Midas Touch. Everything I touch turns to crap.

Don't you wish you worked with me so you could be part of these silly conversations that we have?

The Hills WERE Alive with The Sound of Music

2011-07-27T11:27:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday I closed my 3rd production of The Sound of Music. It was a lot of fun, despite some bizarre sickness DURING TECH WEEK. I played Frau Schmidt, the housekeeper, as well as a nun. Here are a couple of pictures, for your viewing pleasure:


At the very beginning of the show, I did all of the chant solos!


Frau Schmidt with Franz (Josh Nelson) and Captain Von Trapp (Trevor Warren)


On-Stage Dance Party to "All the Single Ladies" after the closing performance.

Must be nice!

2011-07-21T21:47:00.000-06:00

Phone conversation that took place tonight, about half an hour before the start of the show:

Me: Hi, is this ?
Patron: Yes.
Me: This is Angela at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse. We have some tickets for you for tonight's performance of Big River. Were you still planning on coming?
Patron: No, we actually can't make it.
Me: Oh, okay. Would you like to exchange for another performance?
Patron: No, that's okay.
Me: (pause) So you just want to let the tickets go?
Patron: Yes.
Me: (pause) Okay. Well, have a good night.

I still can't imagine just throwing the money away. Seriously...come again or give the tickets to someone else. But just letting it go? I wish I had that kind of money to just throw around. Must be nice!

So much for A Bird on a Wire...

2011-07-21T16:49:00.000-06:00

I arrived at the theater for work this morning and I immediately knew that something was wrong. There are always lights on above the will call desk. Always. And they weren't on. I flipped the switch, thinking someone had randomly turned them off. Nothing. We had no power. The computers were off. So I walked back to the administrative offices. The lights wouldn't turn on, but the phones were on, as were the box office computers and the copier. I tried to turn on the house lights, but they were flickering weird and not fully coming on. It was about 10 minutes before work would begin, so I started calling around to the management. Jon arrived shortly after me and we were able to clock in (with the one terminal that was working.)

Dave came over and started looking around and eventually we had a guy from Poudre Valley REA come out. They poked around for awhile, and we went to work in the dark. Our computers and phones were working, but we just had to use the light from the window. At one point, we turned on the overhead lights and they were flashing like we were in a night club or something.

A couple hours later, the problem was found. A bird had gotten into the electrical box outside and had pecked into one of the breakers. The bird, obviously, electrocuted itself. But that affected the power to just certain parts of the building. So weird!!!!!!!!!

Never a dull moment at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse. I would say CDP 1, Blackbird 0, but he did take us out for awhile. We'll call it draw.

Being Sick SUCKS!!!!!!

2011-07-19T12:14:00.000-06:00

Why do I keep getting randomly sick at the worst possible times? And what the HECK is up with the canker sores on my tongue?! Seriously, I am so over this.

I can't remember about half of Sunday, July 10th. I woke up, knew I was sick, managed to call people to make arrangements for my responsibilities for the day...although I called Juliana instead of Britni and this caused Juliana all kinds of confusion.

But spending the day in bed made me feel like I lost a week of my life. It was the weirdest feeling EVER! And getting sick like at the beginning of tech week for The Sound of Music was the worst possible timing. Especially with the canker sores, because I could hardly talk! By the time the show opened, I was okay, but it was super frustrating all week long!!

I'm okay now, but I think I have some nerve damage on my tongue. I can't taste some things. Maybe it's taste bud damage. Who knows? Ugh!!!

"The Princess Store"

2011-07-03T08:18:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I had Emily with me all afternoon. We are all going to Idaho for the 4th of July, and we had to take two cars. Because of various circumstances, the 3 younger kids went in the first car yesterday and Emily is going with the rest of us tonight. We had a lot of fun hanging out yesterday!

We got over to Centerra about 45 minutes before our movie (Cars 2) was to start so I said "Do you want to go to the Princess Store?" She says "The Princess Store?" like she can't believe there is such a thing. I said "Yeah! Let's go!" So we went to Claire's. Oh, come on....everything a princess could need is in there. Why not call it the Princess store? Hello!!!! They have tiaras!!!

I told her she could pick out one thing. She got a little pink headband that had a bow that had Rapunzel (Tangled version) on it. We decided that I needed something, too. I don't do headbands, because my head is a weird shape and they hurt me after awhile. I don't really wear that much jewelry for everyday. But I'm always on the lookout for various fancy jewelry that I can wear for performing. I found a necklace and matching earrings. They are probably glass....doesn't even say if it's any kind of crystal even! They were originally $16.50 and were marked 1/2 off. $8.25 was a little more than I wanted to spend, but it was the only thing I really liked and Emily said I should get it. Well, when I got to the checkout, they took off another 1/2! I got it for $4!!! Sweet!!!

Emily loves her headband! She put it on as soon as we got back to the car. When we got back to my mom & dad's house, she took a shower and put it back on immediately upon getting out! She probably would have worn it to bed if I had let her. But I told her it might break, so we put it next to the bed. I'm sure she's already wearing it this morning. Rebekah is going to be so jealous when she sees it! I foresee a return to the Princess Store in my future. :)

It was a "Tangled" kind of night...Emily had on her Tangled PJs and we watched the movie! And when I tried to comb her hair when it was wet...it was tangled, too.

Here's a picture of Emily that I took at Red Robin. Check out the cute headband!

Ice Cream Thirty and Hot Chocolate O'Clock

2011-06-30T22:26:00.000-06:00

When I worked at Falcon Properties, at least one a week I would NEED ice cream at about 3:30 in the afternoon. So that became "Ice Cream Thirty". But during the winter, I didn't really want ice cream. So at some point during the day (especially when the Circle Moon was open next door), I would NEED hot chocolate. So that became "Hot Chocolate O'Clock". I realized tonight that I don't get those anymore. I haven't had either of those for almost a year now! Well, I've had ice cream, and I've had hot chocolate. But not like I used to, running out to get it in the middle of the day. I miss that. I miss having the money to do that, too. Ah, well.... Life goes on.

Mid-Year Update

2011-06-28T21:33:00.000-06:00

Are we REALLY already half way through 2011?! REALLY?! Wow, time sure flies!! I guess it's time for a short update. You know, in case you don't see my daily posts on Facebook.

I have been sick off and on for the entire first half of the year. Bronchitis, a sinus infection, the flu...just one thing after another! It's been so annoying! When I started developing yet another cold, I started taking this vitamin called "Immunity Formula I". It's very high in Vitamin A. I have not been sick since! Huzzah! Being sick so much was really affecting my voice in an adverse manner, and I am happy to report that my voice is back! Huzzah again!

After several failed auditions for various shows, I was finally cast in "The Sound of Music" with Up in Lights. I'm playing Frau Schmidt, the housekeeper. I'm also a nun, and I have all the chant solos at the very beginning of the show. Rehearsals are in full swing and I'm having a lot of fun! The show opens in a little over two weeks!

Life is busy. Life is crazy. Life is....a little lonely. But that's a part of the story I try not to dwell on. Moving on... Let's see what the 2nd half of 2011 will bring!

A Change in Tactic

2011-06-26T22:10:00.000-06:00

I've decided to change my marketing strategy. Here goes:

Dear Prospective Husbands,

If you marry me, you will inherit a fun, crazy, and hilarious family. Here are some pictures to show you that I am not exaggerating:

And I'm pretty weird, too:

Funny Progression of Pictures

2011-06-16T12:20:00.000-06:00

These three pictures are worth a thousand words...especially if you have, or have ever had, a 2 year old.

Funny Video

2011-06-14T20:39:00.000-06:00

We have attempted to do a time-lapse video of changeover from The King and I and Big River. Still not sure how it's all going to work, but here is a tiny clip that will make you laugh. Neal drove Dominque's scooter on the stage!!!

400th Blog: Thoughts on the Tonys

2011-06-12T22:03:00.000-06:00

I don't appreciate the treatment my religion is currently getting on Broadway, but there are enough of my favorites nominated tonight, so I'm going to watch. But I am prepared to mute a lot...and I started watching late, so I can fast forward if need be! That being said, here are my random thoughts on this year's Tony Awards:

I want to see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and not just because Harry Potter is in it.
I hadn't heard any music from Catch Me If You Can before, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it's so jazzy. And Norbert Leo Butz is still amazing!!!
Shows coming to Denver in 2012: Bring it On, Ring of Fire, Wicked, Addams Family, La Cage, Memphis, I Love You You're Perfect Now Change
Yay for the Spider Man jokes!!!! So funny!!!!!
I want to see War Horse.
Why did I think that The Scottsboro Boys was based on a Shakespeare play? What show am I thinking of? Hmmmmmm...... Ah, yes. The Boys from Syracuse by Rodgers and Hart is based on Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors.
Victoria Clark should have won. She should always win. She's AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
HUGH JACKMAN SINGING WITH NEIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, that was just awesome. I LOVE me some Hugh Jackman...especially when he sings and dances!
Wow! John Larroquette's first time on Broadway and the guy wins a Tony! Nicely done!
Well, this might be the only time we see Bono and The Edge on the Tonys, because something tells me that Spider Man is not going to be winning any Tonys...ever.
I never knew that Robin Williams was Santa Claus!!!
What in the heck is Whoopi Goldberg wearing? Is she trying to channel Professor McGonagal?
I WANT TO SEE SISTER ACT!!!!!!!!!
The War Horse horses are AMAZING!!!!!! I really want to see that show, just to stare at the horse puppets!!!
Memphis won last year. Why are they performing again?
I think Joel Grey is adorable.
Sutton Foster was born to play Reno Sweeney!!!
There's nothing like watching an entire Broadway company tap dance.
I wonder how many people are shocked to see Stephen Colbert singing and dancing?
Oops...I just saw who won Best Actress in a Musical. Darn you, Josh Groban, for posting that on Facebook!
Best Revival of a Musical: Anything Goes!
Wow, Frances McDormand...don't dress up or anything.
SUTTON FOSTER WINS!!!!!!! (This is the one I knew about early.)
Sutton's tribute to her dresser of 9 years who is leaving her was so awesome!
NORBERT LEO BUTZ WINS!!!!!!!!!!
And......I don't care. Big deal. Moving on....

Thanks to my friend Jordan for chatting me with on Facebook while we both watched the show from our own houses. Ain't technology grand?

Grape Blossom & Apple Tad

2011-06-04T21:47:00.000-06:00

So, I'm babysitting the kids tonight and we were playing "House" in the backyard. All of the sudden, my character got this huge backstory, so we decided to write it down. 95% of this story was dictated to me by Emily...age 6. Here we go....

The Story of "Grape Blossom" (That's me.)

I am 15 years old, turning 16 tomorrow. But I got my drivers license a day early It is illegal to wear piggy tails, but you can wear them if you want to, but you're breaking the law.

My first date is tomorrow, on my birthday. We are going to have a surprise birthday party. It's a costume party. The boy is a very nice man. He speaks with a British accent. My moms is going to pick my boyfriend. The boy has the same color of hair as me. The boy has brown eyes. The boy has white skin and he has freckles all over his body. But he does not have piggy tails. He does not have pony tails. He does not like princesses, but he does like Justin Bieber. He does not have hair clips. He has short hair. He does not have a bad attitude, but when Grape Blossom (that's me), has kids...he gets a bad attitude. He does not have any princess dolls. And then Grape Blossom will like him, and he will like her. His name is Apple Tad. He makes silly noises and candy pizza. But he does not make Grape Blossom's pizza.

The End.

In case you were wondering what Apple Tad looks like, we drew a picture. Well, actually...I drew the picture and then the girls colored while I was bathing George. Emily would like me to point out that Apple Tad is, in fact, wearing make-up and lipstick. Rebekah says that Apple Tad has a Justin Bieber attitude. Whatever that means.

Okay, here is Apple Tad:

My future boyfriend, apparently. Oy.

Too Much TV for You!!

2011-06-02T12:50:00.000-06:00

I have been watching too many crime/suspense/action shows on TV. You know...Bones, Criminal Minds, Law and Order, Chuck, MI-5 (it's a show in the UK, known as Spooks over there.) Not to mention the shows that are no longer on the air: LOST & Alias, to name a few. How did I come the determination that I'm on suspense show overload? Well, I happened to catch a few minutes of Mitt Romney's speech today, announcing his candidacy for President of the US. As he was speaking, an ambulance appeared in the background, driving slowly. Want to know what my first thought was when I saw it? "THAT AMBULANCE IS GOING TO EXPLODE!!!!" Yeah, it didn't explode. But I thought it was going to. I need to lay off the action shows for awhile. Oy.

Ever wonder...

2011-05-31T20:21:00.001-06:00

Ever wonder what would happen if you randomly ran into one of your favorite actors on the street? It's unexpected. You didn't plan ahead what you would say to them if this happened, because you had no idea this was going to happen. What would you say? I'm pretty sure that I'd say "Gah...uh...duhhhh...ummm.....Hi."

Given time to prepare a proper speech, I'm sure I could say something like "I'm a big fan of your work. I especially enjoyed you in ______________ ."

Taken by surprise? I'm sure there would be silence. Followed by passing out.

Pasty, Dark-Haired Brits = ♥

2011-05-27T22:45:00.000-06:00

I've found my type. If you are British, pale, and dark-haired...I think you're adorable. If you're single, Mormon, and close to 30, I'll marry you.

You must look like:

Richard Armitage

Ryan Cartwright

I've been a little obsessed with these two actors as of late. Just a little.

Funny Phone Conversation

2011-05-24T16:44:00.000-06:00

I was just taking a reservation at work and I was getting the patron's information. She spelled out her first name for me and then this conversation followed:

Me: And what's your last name?
Her: My last name is "E-M-M"
Me: *pauses* Ummm...how do you spell that?
Her: It's spelled E-M-M
Me: Oh!! I heard V-M-M, and I was so confused. I knew I needed a vowel!
Her: *Laughs* I'd like to buy a vowel!!

Okay, so maybe it was funnier as it happened. But I did get a good laugh out of it.

When you're out of marshmallows...

2011-05-22T21:45:00.000-06:00

...roast the Marshmallow Peeps!!!

Thursday Funnies

2011-05-19T20:50:00.000-06:00

Angela: So why exactly is the world going to end on Saturday?
Pat: Because we're doing a double that day.

(We have 2 shows on Saturday...the same day as graduation. So we're short staffed. The world just may end!)

**

I was listening to the radio and they were giving away a trip for 2 to Florida to see a Taylor Swift concert. They said who the winner was and then they called her. The phone didn't ring, but played music before she answered. What music played? "Dancing Through Life" from Wicked. I LOLed at that one.

**

I was at the movie theater to buy our tickets for Pirates 4. After I got the tickets, I stepped to the side to get everything situated back in my purse before going outside. (It was pouring rain.) The people after me were a married couple...and they were asking about movie times like they were going to be going to 2 separate movies. It was the funniest thing! "Hey, honey! Let's go on a date, but let's not go to the same movie!"

Best Worst Week Ever! (Or Worst Best Week Ever?)

2011-05-14T10:55:00.000-06:00

This really has been a good bad week. More accurately, a bad good week.

I woke up last Saturday morning with a headache. I took some Tylenol and muscled through. I needed to get my laundry done. Well, I managed to get my laundry done, but I also ended up sleeping most of the day...and throwing up 3 times. By the end of the day, I could barely get out of bed. And then something weird happened. My stomach felt okay, but my tongue started hurting. I had canker sores on my tongue!!!

I missed my voice recital but that was all I missed for Saturday. Sunday, my tongue was worse. I stayed home from church, but I had call backs for "The Sound of Music", so I had to get out of the house. I wasn't feeling sick to my stomach anymore, but I could hardly talk...and my joints hurts. I had no energy, because I'd hardly eaten anything! I made it through call backs, thankfully, but now it was Wedding Week, and we had a ton going on!

The rest of the week was crazy. I finally went to the doctor on Monday afternoon. It's fun playing "Stump the Doctor". The only thing she could figure was that it was cold sores. She gave me an anti-viral drug and some lidocane that I spread on the sores with a Q-tip to numb the pain. It's super hard to eat, so I've been eating mostly hot cereal (Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat...) and milk shakes. I've gotten solid food a couple of times, but it just hurts so dang much to eat it!!

I've had to work through all of this, so talking on the phone at the theater has been painful! I also haven't done my "Annie Warbucks" audition yet. I'm thinking I won't audition. The director said I can come to call backs, but I don't know. I'll decide tomorrow.

Oh, and to top it all off...at some time during the week (after Monday, I'm sure), I burst a blood vessel in my left eye. It's called a subconjunctal hemorrhage. It's not really bad, mostly hidden by my eyelid, but it just meant that I couldn't wear my contacts yesterday. That was annoying during pictures after the wedding. I kept having to take my glasses off.

The wedding was beautiful! We had a great day!

Where were you....

2011-05-01T21:30:00.000-06:00

...when you heard about 9/11? (9/11/01)

Just got out of the shower and turned on the TV. The sound came on before the picture did and all I heard was "...and then the 2nd plane hit the 2nd tower." The picture came on and I sat there, stunned, for at least 15 minutes.

...when you heard that Bin Laden was dead? (5/1/11)

On Facebook.

What a difference 10 years makes!!

Adventures in Theatre: My Complete Theatre Resumé

2011-04-29T22:33:00.002-06:00

I've been using a shortened version of my theatre resume for awhile now. The earliest show on there is from 2007. So now I'm going to try to reconstruct my entire resumé from beginning to now:

Show~~~Role~~~Organization~~~Year

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown~~~Lucy~~~LDS Church~~~1991
Wanna Play?!~~~Angela (Kara)~~~Bill Reed Middle School~~~1991
Charlotte's Web~~~Mrs. Arable~~~Bill Reed Middle School~~~1992
Camelot~~~Ensemble~~~Loveland High School~~~1994
Bye Bye Birdie~~~Mayor's Wife~~~Loveland High School~~~1995
Brigadoon~~~Maggie Anderson~~~Loveland High School~~~1996
The Sound of Music~~~Sister Sophia~~~Jesters Repertory Theatre~~~1997
The Music Man~~~Alma Hix~~~Jesters Repertory Theatre~~~1998
Oklahoma!~~~Virginia~~~Jesters Dinner Theatre~~~1999
The King and I~~~Wife #9~~~Jesters Dinner Theatre~~~2000
Into the Woods~~~Florinda~~~Jesters Dinner Theatre~~~2001
Oklahoma!~~~Ellen~~~Front Range Music Theatre~~~2002
Titanic~~~Stewardess Robinson/Ensemble~~~Front Range Music Theatre~~~2003
The Secret Garden~~~Rose~~~Jesters Dinner Theatre~~~2004
Brigadoon~~~Kate~~~Front Range Music Theatre~~~2004
Peter Pan~~~Tinkerbell (Light Op)~~~Front Range Music Theatre~~~2005
Love Makes the World Go' Round (Opera Scenes)~~~Various~~~Loveland Opera Theatre~~~2006
Anything Goes~~~Reporter #1/Ensemble~~~Front Range Music Theatre~~~2006
The Gondoliers~~~Vittoria/Tessa u/s~~~Loveland Opera Theatre~~~2007
Beauty and the Beast~~~Ensemble~~~Front Range Music Theatre~~~2007
Savior of the World: His Birth & His Resurrection~~~Salome~~~LDS Church~~~2008
Fiddler on the Roof~~~Tzeitel~~~Union Colony Dinner Theatre~~~2008
The Miracle Worker~~~Kate Keller~~~Loveland Community Theater~~~2008
Little Women~~~Aunt March~~~Up in Lights Productions~~~2008
South Pacific~~~Bloody Mary~~~Jesters Dinner Theatre~~~2009
The Taffetas~~~Donna~~~Front Range Music Theatre~~~2009
Curtains~~~Jessica Cranshaw~~~Up in Lights Productions~~~2009
Broadway Showstoppers~~~Various~~~Up in Lights Productions~~~2010
42nd Street~~~Mac~~~Up in Lights Productions~~~2010
A Grand Night for Singing~~~Woman #1~~~Jesters Dinner Theatre~~~2010

This does not include my Tech resumé. Just FYI.

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 11)

2011-04-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

Friday, April 23, 2010

A long day of travel back to the USA.

Neal and George meet for the first time!

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 10)

2011-04-22T08:00:00.001-06:00

Thursday, April 22, 2011


Dad & Neal got up early to hike Arthur's Seat

We took a tour of Edinburgh Castle!

England Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 9)

2011-04-21T08:00:00.003-06:00

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Dad & I saw "Les Miserables" at the Edinburgh Playhouse while Mom & Neal wandered around the city!

Guilty Pleasure? Or just plain AWESOME?!

2011-04-20T18:47:00.000-06:00

Can something be considered a "Guilty Pleasure" if you don't actually feel guilty? My guilty pleasure food is chocolate-covered Oreos. And yes...I feel guilty. But I could technically say that British Romantic Dramas based on Classic British Literature could be my guilty pleasure movies...but I don't feel guilty. So what does that make them? Something awesome? Something I love? Both of those things?

I think I may have figured out why I'm still single. I'd like a guy who will cuddle up with me and watch Jane Austen movies...and not complain about it. Does such a man even exist?! If so...where is he? AND IS HE LDS?

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 8)

2011-04-20T10:12:00.000-06:00

Tuesday, April 20, 2010


I ate haggis for the first (and probably last) time!!

Loch Ness!!! (No Nessie sightings, though.)

We took the train from Edinburgh to Inverness. It was super cool to see the Highlands!

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 7)

2011-04-19T09:00:00.005-06:00

Monday, April 19, 2010

We took the train from Manchester to Edinburgh!

Below Edinburgh Castle

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 6)

2011-04-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

Sunday, April 18, 2010

We went to two wards for church. We attended Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School in Preston and then we went to Wigan attended Sacrament Meeting there as well. It was fun to meet many of the people that Neal had worked with, including several of his companions.

We also visited Manchester, which was a lot more urban than the other places we had visited previously.

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 5)

2011-04-17T09:00:00.004-06:00

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Museum in Liverpool

Blackpool

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 4)

2011-04-16T08:45:00.001-06:00

Friday, April 16, 2010

The view from the old Roman Wall surrounding part of the city of Chester.


The River Severn in Shrewsbury

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 3)

2011-04-15T12:00:00.001-06:00

Thursday, April 15, 2010

This is the River Ribble in Preston! On this day we visited Preston, Blackburn, & Downham.

Here's a picture of Downham:

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 2)

2011-04-14T12:00:00.001-06:00

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

John Leigh Park in Altrincham

We drove in the daytime to find where we would pick up Neal, since Mom was still driving. We ate dinner at this park near the mission home!

England/Scotland Trip: 1 Year Later (Part 1)

2011-04-13T08:49:00.000-06:00

One year ago today, we arrived in England! It had been a loooooooong flight. The day turned out to be really crazy with all sorts of things going wrong. (Dad's drivers license was expired, so Mom had to drive. I burned out my blow dryer and the curling brush.) Because of the stressful day, I didn't take any pictures.

Stay tuned for a week and a half of reminiscing! One blog per day with pictures!

"Classical" Night? HA!

2011-04-12T21:06:00.000-06:00

I am a nerd. I freely admit it! That's why I did what I did while watching last night's Dancing with the Stars. It was Classical night. So they said that everyone was dancing to Classical Music. Now, I'm kind of a snobby purist when it comes to "Classical" music. It's used as a general term these days to encompass many different eras of music. The Classical Era actually started with the death of J.S. Bach (in 1750) and ended around the beginning of the 19th Century. I figured that most of the songs being danced to would NOT be from that particular time period. So what did I do? I kept track. And I was RIGHT!!!

I basically played two games while watching the show. I tried to guess what the song was. And I categorized it. There was only one that I got wrong. And one that I just plain didn't know. Here's my list:

Romeo/Chelsie: Palladio by Karl Jenkins 20th Century (This is the one I got wrong. I thought it was Vivaldi!)
Kendra/Louis: Con te partiro (Time to Say Goodbye) Crossover (Everyone thinks this is opera...totally not! It was written in the mid-1990s!!!)
Sugar Ray/Anna: Waltz of the Flowers from the Nutcracker Romantic
Petra/Dmitry: Les voici! voici la quadrille from Carmen Romantic
Ralph/Karina: Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet Movie Soundtrack
Hines/Kym: Explosive (Bond) Crossover (This is the one that I didn't know.)
Chelsey/Mark: Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter Movie Soundtrack
Chris/Cheryl: Hall of the Mountain King Romantic
Kirstie/Maks: Flower Duet from Lakme Romantic

Two other songs performed were:
1st Movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony Classical Although, there is debate as to where to classify Beethoven. Classical or Romantic.

O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi Romantic

Yeah, yeah...I know I'm being super picky. But hey! I have to put my music degree to the test sometimes, you know? The only thing that REALLY bugged me was when Maks said that Classical Music doesn't have a clear beat and rhythm. I was like EXCUSE ME?!?! But then when I found out when he and Kirstie were dancing to, I can see why he said that. There's no drums in that song. I guess Maks needs heavy percussion. (His specialty is Latin, so I guess I can forgive him!)

I'm really happy that they did this "Classical" Night. (Emphasis on the " ".) I get a little tired of all the pop songs that get done on that show! But I did miss the Latin dances. They ONLY did Paso, Viennese Waltz and Waltz. I love the Paso, though. It's my favorite!!

Oh, and I REALLY enjoyed the guest artists they had on! Violinist David Garrett and mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins!

Thank you, Dancing with the Stars, for continuing to reach out to all genres of music and dance! I enjoyed the Swan Lake presentation on Tuesday night!

Flashback Friday

2011-04-08T10:51:00.000-06:00

As we are getting ready for the next wedding in the family, I thought this would be an appropriate Flashback Friday picture:

New Temple Blog

2011-04-04T10:11:00.000-06:00

I have just started a new blog, "I Love to See the Temple". I will post updates on the construction of the Fort Collins Temple, as they come available. This will be an information blog, not a forum for religious bashing. I am keeping it closed for now, so if you want to see it, let me know (and send me your e-mail address) and I will invite you to view the blog.

Fort Collins Temple!!!

2011-04-02T12:22:00.000-06:00

We have wished, hoped, and prayed for a long time. We TOTALLY weren't expecting an announcement today. But there it was! President Monson announced three new temples today. And the first one he said? FORT COLLINS, CO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are over the moon excited for this! We currently have an hour and 10 minute drive to the Denver Temple (and that's on a GOOD day). This will shorten our drive tremendously! Depending on where they build it, I'm looking at anywhere from five minutes to half an hour! And the blessings that will come to this area....they are immeasurable!!

I'm especially excited for Emily, Rebekah, George, & Benjamin. I was a kid when the Denver Temple was built. I have cherished memories of that time. We saved our pennies to help pay for the Bride's Bench. We went to the cornerstone ceremony. We went to the open house more than once. I was eight years old and was able to attend the dedication. The kids will be able to do this, too! (Well, Emily will probably get to go to the dedication...depending on when it is.)

We're already debating in our family as to where it will be built. And we'll probably all be wrong. Mom thought Wellington (because they are getting their own chapel!). Craig thinks near the Trilby Building (I would be TOTALLY okay with that...it's 5 minutes from my house!) I think near the Harmony exit on I-25. There's a lot of open space in Timnath. It would be great if they would build it on the west side of town, so the mountains would always be a backdrop, but it's more convenient on the east side, near the interstate. I guess we'll see! But either way, we are so excited to have a temple so much closer to us!!!

Does anyone know the general timeline these days of announcement of a temple to the dedication? We're thinking it's going to be at least 2 years.

I am so thankful for this wonderful blessing coming to Northern Colorado and Wyoming! We've waited so long!!

Just another reason to love "Castle"

2011-03-29T12:35:00.000-06:00

The following is an exchange between Ryan and Esposito on last night's episode of Castle, "Law and Murder":

Ryan: Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once.
Esposito: Bro, you're not Castle.
Ryan: Yeah, I know I'm not Castle.
Esposito: Then stop trying to talk like him.
Ryan: I can't reference the Bard? I'm a renaissance man.
Esposito: Memorizing one quote does not make you a renaissance man.
Ryan: What if memorize two?
Esposito: HAVE you memorized two?
Ryan: No, but what if I did?
Esposito: Depends on the quote.

I laughed long and hard over that bit of dialogue! (Oh, and the Shakespeare quote is from Julius Caesar.) Kudos to the writers for adding this little gem to the episode! The writing in this show is fantastic! And the actors are fantastic, too!

Adventures in Theatre: To Accept a Role, To Not Accept a Role

2011-03-25T15:54:00.000-06:00

There are a few reasons for me to write on an audition sheet that I will only accept certain roles:

It's a dream role, and I can't imagine having to play a chorus role in that show, because I'll be in a bad mood about not playing my dream role.
I've done the show before and doing the same thing I did the last time will not help me to grow as a performer.
It's a long drive and a huge time commitment. I need to be doing a bigger role in order to make it worth the long hours in the car. Especially if I'm not being paid.
I'm doing another show at the same time or I'm really busy with something and so my time commitment is only allowing me to play certain supporting/cameo roles.
The chorus has a lot of dancing and a certain role does not dance.

There are a few reasons for me to write on an audition sheet that I will accept any role:

It's a new show for me and there are multiple characters I would like to play.
I just want to be involved! Any role will do!
It's a show I love and I'm not partial to any role, so I just want to be in the show, even if I've done it before!
I'm desperate to be cast. Please! JUST CAST ME!!!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 30

2011-03-22T08:00:00.001-06:00

Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss.

30 Day Challenge - Day 29

2011-03-21T08:00:00.001-06:00

Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile.

30 Day Challenge - Day 28

2011-03-20T08:00:00.004-06:00

Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of.

30 Day Challenge - Day 27

2011-03-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member.

30 Day Challenge - Day 26

2011-03-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you.

30 Day Challenge - Day 25

2011-03-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 25 - A picture of your day.

30 Day Challenge - Day 24

2011-03-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change.

Sleeping in the car that night because of the Campsite Fail was pretty uncomfortable.

30 Day Challenge - Day 23

2011-03-15T08:00:00.001-06:00

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book.

30 Day Challenge - Day 22

2011-03-14T08:00:00.001-06:00

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at.

30 Day Challenge - Day 21

2011-03-13T08:00:00.004-06:00

Day 21 - A picture of where you were born.

30 Day Challenge - Day 20

2011-03-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.

What?!

30 Day Challenge - Day 19

2011-03-11T08:00:00.001-07:00

Day 19 - A picture of someone you would trade places with for a day

That's right...let Bekah answer the phones for a day and I'll go to her house and play.

30 Day Challenge - Day 18

2011-03-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity.

I think it's my glasses. :)

30 Day Challenge - Day 17

2011-03-09T08:00:00.001-07:00

Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a impact on your life recently.

30 Day Challenge - Day 16

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you.

30 Day Challenge - Day 15

2011-03-07T08:00:00.003-07:00

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.

Travel the World!!!!