My Forever Theme Song

Part Seven in the Continuing Series "The Soundtrack of my Life":


MEG:
If there's a prize for rotten judgment
I guess I've already won that
No man is worth the aggravation
That's ancient history, been there, done that!

MUSES:
Who'd'ya think you're kiddin'
He's the Earth and heaven to you
Try to keep it hidden
Honey, we can see right through you
Girl, ya can't conceal it
We know how ya feel and
Who you're thinking of

MEG:
No chance, no way
I won't say it, no, no

MUSES:
You swoon, you sigh
why deny it, uh-oh

MEG:
It's too cliche
I won't say I'm in love

I thought my heart had learned its lesson
It feels so good when you start out
My head is screaming get a grip, girl
Unless you're dying to cry your heart out
Oh

MUSES:
You keep on denying
Who you are and how you're feeling
Baby, we're not buying
Hon, we saw ya hit the ceiling
Face it like a grown-up
When ya gonna own up
That ya got, got, got it bad

MEG:
No chance, now way
I won't say it, no, no

MUSES:
Give up, give in
Check the grin you're in love

MEG:
This scene won't play,
I won't say I'm in love

MUSES:
You're doin flips read our lips
You're in love

MEG:
You're way off base
I won't say it
Get off my case
I won't say it

MUSES:
Girl, don't be proud
It's O.K. you're in love

MEG:
Oh
At least out loud,
I won't say I'm in love


I Won't Say (I'm in Love)
from Disney's Hercules
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by David Zippel

Caption Contest

Dancing with the Stars New Cast

I thought about doing this yesterday, giving you my initial reactions, but I was very sick with the stomach flu and could hardly sit up long enough to read the cast list, let alone blog my reactions.  So, I will try to recreate my initial reactions:

Aiden  Turner:  Never heard of him
Buzz Aldrin:  COOL!
Chad Ochochino:  Never heard of him
Erin Andrews:  Never heard of her
Evan Lysacek:  YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jake Pavelka:  Meh.
Kate Gosselin:  Seriously?!  Ugh...
Nicole Scherzinger:  Oh, great.  She annoyed the crap out of me on "The Sing-Off".
Niecy Nash:  Never heard of her.
Pamela Anderson:  Oh. My. Gosh.  Ummmmmmmm.....
Shannon Doherty:  Interesting.

Should make for an interesting season!!  I'm excited to watch!  :)

Why I have to clean up

Emily:  You need to clean up the mess we made.
Me:  Why do I have to clean it up?  You made it.
Emily:  No, you have clean up because I don't want to.

Wait...that doesn't sound quite fair.  But how do reason with a very bright, almost 5 year old?  :)

Broadway Showstoppers

Need a reason or two to come see "Broadway Showstoppers" this weekend?  Well, here you go:

Olympic Sports I'd Like to See

(This is my 200th Blog...since starting this blog.  No idea how many total blogs I've written.)

Olympic Sports I'd Like to See:

• Synchronized Ski Jumping
• Bobsled Cross
• Celebrity Death Match Ice Dancing
• Curling/Figure Skating Hybrid (Skate your routine, but avoid the sliding stones)
• Half-Pipe for Skiers
• Giant Slalom Obstacle Course (Watch out for that moose!!!)
• Freestyle Biathlon (extra points for hitting the annoying guy with the cow bell)
• Cross Country Figure Skating (After skiing 100 miles to a secluded pond, then you have to skate your short program.  Ski another 50 miles to a bigger pond and do your long program)
• Hockey Curling (can you imagine the hockey sticks you'd have to have to get that curling stone to budge?!)
• Real Skeleton (you go down the track on a real human skeleton...after which Dr. Temperance Brennan will tell you how that person died.)

I love the Olympics.  Always have!

Newspaper Article about my Family!

This was published in the Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald on Sunday, February 21, 2010:

http://www.reporterherald.com/features/Feature-Story.asp?section=Focus&ID=27018

Since the link probably won't work forever, here is the text of the article:

Loveland family hitting all the right notes with music

By Sarah Bultema
Loveland Reporter-Herald

Music is more than a passion for the Johnsons. It’s a force that brought the family together. And they’ve been living in harmony — and sharing it with the community — ever since.
“Music has just been a great love for us,” said Judy Johnson, matriarch of the family.
“We feel it’s a gift, and we feel an obligation to share it in any way we can.”
The musical medley began decades ago when Judy and Murell Johnson met in a college music class.
The couple were married, and both became music teachers. Judy instructed piano classes and Murell taught in the schools.
When their four children were born, the parents hoped to pass on their passion for a melody. They didn’t force the youngsters into any classes, Judy said, but instead made music always available to them.
“We sang together, from the time that they were very young,” Judy said
And sure enough, the kids caught the tune.
“It was a lot of fun. We were surrounded by music all the time,” said Angela, one of the couple’s daughters. “I could see my parents loved it, and it rubbed off on me.”
Soon, the singing sextet began sharing their voices with others, caroling for neighbors and performing at their church.
“We did it because we loved it,” Judy said.
“It was just a joy to all of us, mostly to be able to share it with others. We like the idea of making them happy.”
As they grew, the four children — Shauna, Angela, Craig and Neal — continued to crescendo their musical talents. Each one performed in their high school marching band, and three were in the school’s choir.
Even today, all the Johnsons have a voice in the art.
Shauna is the technical director at the Candlelight Dinner Theater. Craig performs with the Loveland Opera Theater. Neal, who is living in England, continues to sing every chance he can get, Judy said.
And Angela, who majored in music during college, now performs with Up in Lights.

“I love how (music) is an escape,” she said. “You can be having a really bad day, but you put on some music, and it takes you away.”
Through it all, those who’ve had the opportunity to listen to the Johnsons’ harmony appreciate the talents they offer to share.
“The whole family has been dedicated to music and the arts for a long, long time,” said Jeannie Lancaster, who attends church with the Johnsons.
“Their positive attitude and love of music really makes a difference for so many of us.”
But for the sweet-sounding family, it’s a passion they’re happy to share.
“Words speak to your brain. But music speaks to your heart,” Angela said.
“That’s one of the reasons I love performing it, so I can speak to other people’s hearts.”  

My Top 3 "Broadway Showstoppers" Moments

The whole show is amazing, and it's fun from beginning to end.  But there are 3 moments during the show that I love.

The first is immediately after I sing "As We Stumble Along" from The Drowsy Chaperone.  The audience starts cheering before I'm done and I hold this great pose at the end and just listen to the applause.  It's exhilarating!!  I adore singing that song and to get that kind of response is incredibly fun!  I understand how divas are made now, but don't worry!  I won't become a diva.

The second is just before the Mary Poppins section starts.  I'm standing just off stage, on the next to the top step up to the platform.  The "overture" starts and the graphic comes up on the screen of Mary flying over London.  I look down and I'm wearing that same costume (more or less).  I just want to jump up and down and squeal "I'm Mary Poppins!" but that would be totally inappropriate...and I would probably fall down the stairs.

And the third...hmmm...do I want to share this one?  It happens in full view of the audience (if they happen to be looking at me) but it's kind of personal.  I have a little moment with one of my fellow cast members that I really look forward to every performance.  If you want to know what it is, just ask.  I just don't feel like blasting it out into cyberspace.  Sorry!

The show has been FANTASTIC so far!  We have 3 more shows to go.  We are having a BLAST!!!!!!!

"Broadway Showstoppers"
February 21, 26, 27
Rialto Theatre, Loveland
www.uilproductions.com

Last Show vs. This Show

Here was my timeline for "Curtains":

1. "Wide Open Spaces" - Come onstage, screw up my lines, dance horribly, sing out of tune.
2. Yell at Sam & CJ onstage
3. Collapse during the "curtain" call
4. Get carried off the stage
5. Get out of costume and chill for about an hour (miscellaneous costume zipping)
6. Help Amanda with costume change prior to "Thataway"
7. Back into costume during intermission
8. Shadow stuff during "She/He Did It"
9. Out of costume and chill for about an hour (miscellaneous costume zipping)
10. Help Amanda with costume change prior to during "We're in the Same Boat"
11. Back into costume for curtain call
12. Curtain Call
13. DONE!!

Not bad, eh?  It was low stress.  Now, compare that with my timeline for my current show: "Broadway Showstoppers", which opens TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Start in Abuela costume (which includes a gray wig and old age make-up)
2. Take Bekah/Stephanie's mic after "I Know it's Today" and put it on
3. "In the Heights"
4. Go offstage during "It Won't Be Long Now" and take off my mic
5. "Sunrise"
6. Change into costume for "The Woman's Dead" (Includes wig change removal of "old age" lines and change of lipstick color)
7. "The Woman's Dead"
8. Change into blacks for later (remove wig & wig cap)
9. Help green-ify Erin
10. Help CJ move bed on for "Say it Somehow"
11. Finish helping green-ify Erin
12. Put on Black cloak and go upstairs
13. "Defying Gravity"
14. INTERMISSION!!!!!!!
15. Move the red "pouf" from under the set over to stage left w/ Jordan's help
16. Set props for "The Drowsy Chaperone"
17. Change into costume/wig for "The Drowsy Chaperone" and touch up make-up
18. Get Stevie's mic after "Nicest Kids in Town" and put it on
19. Move on the red "pouf"
20. "As We Stumble Along"
21. "Aldolpho"
22. Ditch the mic
23. Put props away
24. Change into Mary Poppins Costume/Wig (includes slight make-up change)
25. Get Erin/Lynzee's mic after "Part of Your World" and put it on
26. Help Paula down the stairs after "Find Your Grail"
27. Enter during "Chim Chim Cheree"
28. Don't fall down the stairs
29. "Supercal..."
30. Ditch the mic
31. Change into blacks w/scarf, change wig
32. Get clipboard
33. "Electricity"
34. Change into black dress, change wig
35. Get mic from Amanda after "Don't Stop Believing" and put it on
36. "River of Dreams/Keepin' the Faith"
37. Exit SL, run around to SR for curtain call bow w/ Steffan & Josh
38. Curtain Call
39. PAR-TAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Know what you're thinking:  "That's INSANE!!!"  Actually, it's relatively low stress for me.  I freak out a little if I don't get my mic right away, though.  I have 4 wigs, 5 pairs of shoes and a different mic for each solo.  But other than that, it's not so bad.  And most importantly, I'M HAVING A BLAST!!!!!!  The show is really awesome!  It's a revue of songs that have been on Broadway in the past 10 years to celebrate the 10 Years of Up in Lights Productions!  We have some FANTASTIC performers involved.  In fact, everyone involved is fantastic!  You don't want to miss this!!!!

"Broadway Showstoppers"
February 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 at the Rialto Theatre in Loveland
7:30 pm evenings, 2:00 pm Sunday afternoon
www.uilproductions.com

What should have happened/What actually happened

The following phone conversation is what I wish happened:

Me: Good afternoon, [Company Name]
Caller:  Hi, this is Customer Service calling about your copier.
Me:  Oh, my gosh, I am so glad you called right now!  The copier just blew up!  Paper and toner EVERYWHERE!  What the heck kind of crappy machine did you sell us?  Give me your name, because I'm calling the police!
Caller:  Uh.....*click*

The following phone conversation is what actually happened:

Me: Good afternoon, [Company Name]
Caller:  Hi, this is Customer Service calling about your copier.
Me: Um, we're not going to be interested, thank you. *click*

You see, I've been at this job long enough to know that the "customer service" thing is a scam.  They just want to sell you really expensive copier supplies.  They make you think that you are the service provider for your copier, but they really aren't.  I can usually get them to hang up by saying "What's the company name?" or "Who is this?" or "No, because I know you aren't who we got our copier from."  But one of these days...if I'm feeling a little extra devilish...I'm going to freak out on them.  When you've worked in an office as long as I have, you know that sometimes you have to create your own brand of entertainment.