Goodbye 2008

Have a very happy, blessed new year, everyone!!

Hello 2009!

Random quote of the day...

Sorry for the randomness of this! But I'm trying not to go a week without posting. Wait, that's not proper english; double negative. How would I phrase that? How about: "I'm trying to post every week"? That sounds good. Anyway, I've recently been introduced to the "Wicked" soundtrack!! For those who don't know, "Wicked" is a new musical, set in Oz before Dorothy came. I'm actually not sure what the plot is, but I know that it's about Glinda and Elphaba (Later known as "the Wicked Witch of the West). I also know that the music is amazing. So now I'm always singing "Popular" and "Defying Gravity" at the top of my lungs, which I'm sure my family just loves!!! ;) I'll try and post something with a purpose soon, I promise! And til then,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

"So if you care to find me, look to the western sky! As someone told me lately, everyone deserves the chance to fly! And if I'm flying solo, at least I'm flying free! To those who ground me, take a message back from me: Tell them how I am defying gravity! I'm flying high; defying gravity! And soon I'll match them in renown! And nobody, in all of Oz, no wizard that there is or was, is ever gonna bring me down!" ~ Defying Gravity - Wicked, the musical.

Just have to share this...

Merry Christmas!!

As the title proclaims, I just have to share this: When we were fixing lunch this afternoon, we asked my 6 year old niece what she wanted to eat. It was a little loud & crowded in the room, so we apparently didn't get all of her reply; we heard, "A cheese quesidillia!!" so we made her one. Thus, we couldn't figure out why she was so upset with what we fixed her. "Isn't this what you asked for?" Was asked, indicating the cheese quesidillia. "No, I asked for a cheese quesidillia with no cheese!!"

It just made we laugh. I hope you are having a very merry Christmas!

Have a very merry Christmas, everyone, and a happy new year!!!

Pics From The Play!! ( a couple)

As many of you know, I was Mr. Beaver the play "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". These are a little late in coming, but here are some pictures of the production! It was really a ton of fun. Except for my make-up. Which I didn't care for.

The scene with about 90 percent of my lines. Just sitting at the table...

"PETER! Untie him and give him some water!" At which point, during our first show, Peter flung the water canteen into the audience. (on accident) So I was like: "There you go again. (Pause. He wasn't doing anything) Well get it!" The whole audience laughed.

Yeah, that would be the make-up I wore... it wasn't my favorite... (And yes, I took out my earrings for the show)

History Lesson!!

You know the song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas''? Well, my dad told me a little something about the history of it the other night, and I went to investigate. Here's what I found
----
Where to start... how 'bout at the beginning? That's a grand idear. In 1950, Jon Rox wrote the song "(I want a)Hippopotamus for Christmas" It was released in 1953, sung by ten-year-old Gayla Peevey. The song, released by Columbia Records, became a hit.
At the same time (Christmas 1953), the Oklahoma City zoo was trying to raise funds to buy they're first hippopotamus. So whenever the song played on the radio, the media, in order to raise funds for the zoo, would encourage listeners to send in their nickles & dimes to but Gayla a hippo! Over $3000 was raised, and Gayla got her hippo, Matilda. She promptly donated the baby hippo to the OKC zoo. Isn't that neat? I thought it was.

Hope it makes sense. Merry Christmas!

What is this feeling?

... I believe it's called "warm fuzzy"!! (Prepare for cheesiness)Let me elaborate:
I was on the phone, talking with my very-awesome cousin for like two hours. It was seven or eight-ish. I came down stairs when I was done... to find that my family had decorated the Christmas tree without me. Needless to say, I was quite upset. But then, (as it was my dad & brother who put most of the ornaments on...)being the perfectionist, not to mention girl, that I am, I had to rearrange almost all of the ornaments, which was almost as good. Then, listening to the "Tupperware" tape...

We turned on the tree lights. It was most lovely. It was almost like Christmas morning, the warming feeling you get. It was so... I don't know the word. "Warm-fuzzy" I guess!

Then we all ate a generous serving of peppermint ice cream (bluebell, of course) and eggnog. We the settled down to watch, "It's a Wonderful Life". But I was looking at our wonderful Christmas tree. :) That's all. Have a very merry Christmas!!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

"But the fire is so delightful...
Since we've no place to go;
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!"

Indeed, the weather here is quite odd. Frightful, as I said; so it was dog-gone near 70 degrees yesterday, and today, it is a mere 17!!! Is this not ridiculous?!?! I mean, I wouldn't mind so much if it would at least snow, but it's not even that!! It is just bitter cold. Maybe on Christmas... I'm dreaming of a white Christmas... with every Christmas card I write... *cough* Anyway, I need to get a life; I'm blogging about the weather!!! Sheesh. I'm sorry, I'm probably boring you to death. I'll try to post something worth reading soon. ;)

On Christmas Carols

Well a hello to all!! I was just sitting with my mother, stuffing Christmas cards, eating a "customized" trail mix (pretzels, raisins, marshmallows, and I WOULD have put chocolate chips in there but we were all out! *glares*), listening to the "All Christmas all the time" radio station, and I was inspired to write about Christmas music.

I've decided that there's basically three types:
1: The good ol', everyone knows em, traditional Christmas carols.
2: New, more contemporary, Christmas songs. (Christmas Shoes, Someone Special, Jingle Bell Rock, etc.)
3: My arch enemy. The "Updated" Christmas Carols. Where they take songs mentioned in category 1, change the timing, often certain words, and make it "Their Own". What ever.

I personally prefer the good ol', everyone knows 'em, not messed with Christmas carols. I mean, when they start messing with "Winter Wonder Land," "Here Comes Santa Clause," "O Holy Night," and countless others to the point where you can't sing along because the timing is so different then what you were expecting, you know you've got a problem. (Trans-Siberian Orchestra is the ONE and ONLY full exception, because they *generally* don't mess with the tune; they add electric guitars and what not. It's really cool =D)

Have you heard "Straight No Chaser"? It's a men's A Capella group that apparently just got back together. My big bro introduced them to me when he was home at Thanksgiving. Whilst I was stuffing Christmas cards and eating my trail mix, I heard them on the radio singing "Twelve Days of Christmas". It is probably my favorite rendition of this song that I've ever heard!! (They are, in certain cases, an exception to the category 3 rule.) Here's a link to the video of them singing "Twelve Days of Christmas":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8

Less than two weeks til Christmas!! =D

"O, holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
it is the night of our dear Savior's birth"

The End & The Beginning

... of the play, at least. Yes, I just finished the first performance of, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". It was for a bunch of children from... a school that I don't know the name of, at the moment. So really, it was kind of like another dress-rehearsal, which was helpful, because we were a bit discombobulated . Props missing, lines forgotten, missing characters, etc. etc. The usual stuff.

I didn't appear til the end of the first act, but I was told that the beginning looked really fantastic. Though, some of the cast members were simply shaking before they went on, but they did great, in my opinion. For a few of them, it was the first play they had been in, so it was a sort-of scary-fun for them. But I think we all enjoyed it and we all had fun.

I somehow managed to remember my lines, but (and I a not saying this judgmentally) quite a bit of improv. was required for *certain* parts. Actually, this was funny, let me tell you; This is how it was supposed to go: The Pevensies & Beavers are traveling down the aisle towards the stage. suddenly, we hear jingling bells! "Oh my! The witch!" we say, and then hide. *Spoiler* Then Mr. Beaver *ahem, me* goes to see who it is, and lo and behold, it isn't the witch but Father Christmas!! Lovely scene, right?

Well today, we traveled down the aisle, reached the stage and-- no bells. We waited a sec, then I said, "Do you hear those bells? HIDE!!" No matter that the audience couldn't hear the bells I was talking about. Eek. But wait, I'm not done yet! *grins mischievously* Our Father Christmas (who was also our director, FYI) had a bit of trouble getting into costume. He was putting it on as he walked behind the set! So he's going "Ho ho ho!" and all that behind the stage (and then he's supposed to walk into view). That's my cue to say to the Pevensies, "Oh, come out! It's not her! You'll not believe who it is!" So I said it, they came rushing out of their hiding place, and-- Father Christmas didn't appear. So we wait a minute, and he's still not there! "Hm, I wonder where he got to!" was my brilliant improvisational idea.

But really, all things considered, it went well. We had a ball! We have another show tonight, and one more tomorrow. (Thus, as the title of the post says, "The End (Of the first play) & the Beginning (of the rest)

Wish me broken limbs!!