Hey, Hey! It's Her Birthday!

Today is the annual CELEBRATION of the birth of one of my dearest friends, Katherine!

She is gorgeous and vivacious and talented and thoughtful and fun and smart and loving and a wonderful aunt and funny and a terrific sibling and friendly and creative and a FANTASTIC FRIEND. Seriously.

Because I am always late, I didn't get this VSP (Very Special Post) up as early as I'd planned, but I will add to it and make this a WEEK OF KATHERINE (*throws confetti*) . Watch for pictures and poems and embarrassing stories (if I can remember any that don't involve me). In the meantime, please go wish her a Happy Birthday on her blog - she deserves all the best! Tell her I sent you!

HOT.

ETA: Pictures!

For some reason, I have a terrible dearth of pictures of my friends. I must fix this. In the meantime, here are some photos from a cruise we took a few years back - the five of us were absolutely the most fabulous things on that boat. (And it was a nice boat...)

Does it count as a real lifeboat drill if you haven't left the dock yet?

Scuba diving with hotties. They should have been paying us to take that cruise.

Dinner with the very lucky young man who sat at our table - is it any wonder he's so happy?

And my favorite picture... the frozen yogurt machine!

As for stories, well, there were some good times had - let me just sum up by saying Kath was the only one that had no trouble getting the boy to kiss her. It must be a gift.

Don't forget the Happy Birthday wishes! Go on! Scoot!

It's a Sin (one of 7)

In which we shall see: nothing so bad as the post title would imply (I think), long-armed furry animals, tracks in the carpet, things that almost happen, a list, big news, a stiff upper lip, "Dear Auntie Cyd", and familial lunacy.

* * * * * * * * *

I don't really have much to report, so this will more than likely bit something of a ramble. My current job just cut hours down to 20 hours a week per person, and that has left me with a couple more days off a week. That's really only OK for about the first week - after that, one starts to realize that (along with the sudden drop in income) a person generally does better when she has a real, Day-Timer worthy reason to leave the house. I am such a LURP. I haven't exactly been sleeping all day (that was last week), but I probably could be mistaken for a tree-hanging mammal. In my own small defense, I really haven't been feeling well or sleeping well the past few weeks, so days when I don't have any scheduled appointments make it that much harder to get going. Probably the most exercise I get on a regular basis is the series of laps I do between my bed and the "snooze" button on my alarm clock. Today I almost did some housecleaning, very nearly got a load of laundry in, and WILL in fact get out of the house for an, er, "appointment" (more in a minute) and a two-mile walk/jog. It's 8:00. P.M.

At least I'll also be able to say I blogged today.

Plans:

- Clean out storage. Sell things on Ebay.

- Make/sell jewelry. Next month, put together website. (Want to wait until my web designer gets settled in her new house.)

- Find second part-time job/one full-time job. Will probably stick with odd jobs or SP-T job until fall, when job market opens up a little and vacations are over.

- Finish next dramaturgical packet for Pinnacle Acting Company. (Romeo and Juliet. Bleh.)

- Try badgering (er, "persuading") local theatre companies to let me come on as a paid, assistant, or intern dramaturg.

- Get dramaturgy portfolio DVD compiled, ready for grad school applications.

- Help prepare jewelry, flower girl dresses, and anything else that needs doing for my youngest brother's wedding.

Yeah.

I'm officially the last single member of my family. It's not like I didn't expect it, but it is still a little strange... We're having family pictures taken next month, and each sibling's family is wearing a different color - and I'm halfway tempted to just show up in my own color (burnt orange, or gray, maybe). I won't, 'cause I think it would make my mom feel bad (and there really aren't any colors left I look GOOD in, so...), and it's just weird, you know? It's certainly nothing about my brother's fiancee, who's a darling girl... It's just...

Years ago, I remember my mom saying that one of her dreams was to have all her children present in the temple when the youngest was married. And we all will be, which is wonderful, it's just a little hard to know that I'll be the only one there by myself. (Naturally, this situation wouldn't have ocurred to anyone all those years ago.) On the plus side, I have made it clear that I am not eligible for bridesmaid's duties (honestly, when the bridesmaid is a good thirteen years older than the bride things are gonna get uncomfortable for everybody). Also, I really do want to get a Master's Degree and work as a dramaturg in New York, and then maybe (MAYBE) come back here and start a Performing Arts School... while intermittently traveling the country (and possibly the world) doing important work in the development of theatre (and perhaps working on movies) while writing books and a syndicated humor/advice column; which is gonna be just a little difficult if I a) have a husband/family or b) don't get moving and stop being so lazy!

To that end, there is one other bit of news - most of the family is taking part in the Pocatello Marathon on August 30. We are not a particularly athletic family, being much more inclined towards the artsy and musical and computer-oriented aspects of society, but one person got interested, and it snowballed, and peer pressure reared its ugly (yet effective) head, and we're off. My oldest brother and my brother-in-law are doing the full marathon; while my sister, sister-in-law, youngest brother, and myself are doing the half marathon. All the rest of the siblings/in-laws (and parents) are coming along for support and to offer child care. The other day, Mom said she wanted to do the marathon NEXT year with all of us... oy. Gotta make it through August, first!

I'm off now to help plan flower-girl dresses, and to get in my two miles - I'm hoping that the exercise will help me get ready for the (half) marathon, sleep better tonight, and motivate me to actually get some things done tomorrow. Quite a lot to expect from two little miles, eh?

Watch out for falling turtles (and bouquets),

Cyd

Days to marathon: 52

Bonus Content #HILARIOUS

Still... can't... breathe... abs... hurt...

better than a workout



Ow.





Days to marathon: 54

Words

"We have thoughts, but thoughts are fluid. Then we assign a word to a thought and we're stuck with that word for that thought - so be careful with words."
- George Carlin

TAGGAGE - ABC's

A = ADVOCATE FOR: Respect and Courtesy
B = BEST FEATURE: My eyes that sparkle like moon crystals (that's a direct quote!)
C= COULDN'T DO WITHOUT: Books. My computer. This BLOG!!!
D = DREAMS AND DESIRES: Grad school - become a Real Live Dramaturg, and develop/work on shows on Broadway! Date/marry an Emmett. Travel to Italy (actually speaking Italian).
E = ESSENTIAL ITEM: Scriptures. Makeup. (Obviously, opposite ends of the spectrum.)
F= FAVORITE PAST TIME: Reading. Movies. Hanging out with Theatre people. Hanging out with the family!
G= GOOD AT: Procrastination. Quipping. Over-accessorizing.
H = HAVE NEVER TRIED: Marriage. Eating bugs. (Hopefully, opposite ends of the spectrum.)
I = IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS: Pay all my debts. Travel to Italy. Buy a bead store. Open a permanent tab with Schwan's Ice Cream.
J = JUNKIE FOR: See above.
K = KINDRED SPIRIT: It's a short list, but very high quality - you know who you are.
L = LITTLE KNOWN FACT: I only get hit on in New York.
M = MEMORABLE MOMENT: Being told I was obviously Italian. Also, being asked if I was my younger sister's mother. (18-month difference... sigh...)
N = NEVER AGAIN WILL I: Eat Fried Macaroni & Cheese Balls (but the company was GREAT!)
O = OCCASIONAL INDULGENCE: I'm a sucker for first-day movies, in the theatre and/or on DVD!
P= PERSON I MOST ADMIRE: Phaidra.
Q = QUOTE: "It is never too late to be what you might have been." George Eliot
R = REASON TO SMILE: Talking to Brandon. Summer drive in the mountains. Legally Blonde: the Musical. (Serious!)
S = SORRY ABOUT: Impatience, (metaphorical) short-sightedness, and the grumps.
T = TAG SOME FRIENDS: Greg, Paul, Kathy, Tara, Chelsea
U = UNINTERESTED IN: Tuna casserole. Reality TV.
V = VERY SCARED OF: Working at McDonald's. Being forgotten.
W = WORST HABIT: Publicly talking about my bad habits.
X = X MARKS MY IDEAL VACATION SPOT: Um... Italy, maybe? (Spain. For sure.)
Y = YESTERYEAR DECADE OF CHOICE: 80's - it's all about the music! (And the naivete that doesn't let us see how completely terrible the fashions were!)
Z = ZODIAC SIGN: Capricorn

The C-BAPP (Take II)

In which we shall see: More of the same. Only with roller skates!

*

Friday morning we attended a fascinating acting workshop (did you know that if two people concentrate and focus hard enough, they can actually share thoughts? True story!) and then headed out for some MAJOR shopping time...


(On the left we overload an elevator, and on the right we march on Little Italy via Canal street)

We couldn't take any pictures of the back rooms or underground black markets we visited, but whew, were they ever shopped!

That night we headed to our seats right down front for The Lion King. It was one heck of a spectacle! The show was the movie, of course, but the costumes and design were incredible.


(Jungle boys Steve and Mike on the PROWL.)

We also toured the Lincoln Center, and I thought it was great, but people were getting pretty tired of walking so it didn't make a huge impression. The tour did, however, (and I honestly never thought I'd say this) make me want to see the revival of South Pacific. It looks marvelous!

Our last day of shows was packed -

- we started with the "Wicked Backstage" Tour, which made most of us really want to see Wicked (this is a dress of Glinda's), and then we scampered over to the half-price ticket booth to get tickets for a matinee show. (Seriously. Scampered.)

Atty and I and a small group got tickets for the one we'd been waiting for - Xanadu! (Yes! Based on the movie! With Olivia Newton John! And roller skates!) It was silly, and terrible, and so awesome! I can't wait for some theatre here in Utah to put it up. I totally bought the book! (And a keychain.)

As we were leaving the matinee it started to rain, and we got a little wet.

We finally dried off and got spiffied up for our last show - Legally Blonde: the Musical. Again, I wasn't expecting much - and I fell completely in love.

I really, really liked the show, too.

Atty, her husband (not pictured), her sister, and her neice and I all went to Carnegie Deli on our last night for faaaaabulous cheesecake, and for some reason the waiter started us off with pickles. Um, OK.

Sunday we got up and packed, then left for one more day of sightseeing - we walked through Central Park, and then made our way back to the hotel through a series of street fairs. New York rocks.

We eventually got all the luggage loaded on the bus,

headed to the airport, and waited on the tarmac for three hours before we took off.

And in closing:

Additional pictures (MORE?!?) can be found here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40157&l=c2f56&id=733162314

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40236&l=04dc1&id=733162314

When in New York, watch out for falling all-kinds-of-stuff!

Cyd

The C-BAPP (Not a Medical Procedure)

In which we shall see: A Crazy Big Apple Picture Post. With pictures.

*

In June I unexpectedly had an opportunity to fill a last-minute opening on a New York trip that had been planned by my good friend Atty, a high-school drama teacher, for 25 of her theatre students. Come along with us!

Obviously, we're excited to go. (The fact our flight was delayed for about an hour and a half COULD NOT DAMPEN OUR ENTHUSIASM. NO, SIR.)

We arrived too late to see a show that night, so we sent the students out to forage for food and found ourselves with a "chaperones" group at the Galaxy Diner. Very tasty.

Then we scouted out Times Square. Yep, still there!

We started the next day with a tour of...


(Would YOU let this group in your Historical Monument? Wait, was that a euphemism?)

They were setting up for the Tony Awards, which was pretty exciting to see if you're one of a bunch of theatre geeks, and we got to go through some backstage and under-stage areas. They play a lot of great acts at Radio City, including...

(...sigh...)

... and then the Rockette who finished up our tour with a Q&A turned out to be a BYU grad. She did her best to give us some pointers!

That afternoon, we saw our first show - (Disney's) The Little Mermaid.


I will admit, it was better than I thought... though nowhere near as good as the show I saw with about half the group that night:

I just... YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I want to go back to New York and see this show again - RIGHT NOW.

The four leads were terrific - so so so so good in the show, and then afterwards they came out and signed autographs and took pictures with everybody. They were so friendly and personable - and they complimented the students for dressing up for the show!

(2006 "Best Featured Actor" Tony Award Winner Christian Hoff. And me. Yeah.)

("Frankie" - as in Frankie Valli - , Jesse, "Tommy", Patrick)

(Jeff, Shelley, "Bob" - who evidently injured himself slightly right at the end of the show - ow!)

Shelley and I are still gushing about the show. THE FOUR SEASONS 4EVA!

The next day, the group headed out to Ellis Island while I scouted out some potential grad schools. (COLUMBIA!!!) We met up at "Top of the Rock", an observation tour at the top of the Rockefeller Center. Not a bad view.

(Central Park, the Empire State building - and Statue of Liberty - and Cameron and Carmen in the crazy fun light-sensor room!)

Then back to the hotel to change and head out for dinner at...

... the place where the waiters and waitresses are also doing a running floor show.

The group headed to Young Frankenstein, but I ducked out and went to
Spamalot instead. FUN!

Take a breather, and come back for Part II!