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30 June, 2011

The Adventures of Sophie and Sharon: Part 4, Locked Out

oops! sorry Shar-bear...

So this really happened...just ask the people who witnessed it... or the people that laughed so hard they wept... or the people that video taped the whole thing on their iPhones...

We have a great show and then:

Sharon: Sophie...Our door is LOCKED.
Sophie: Um. I don't know how I did that. I--
Sophie: Uh?
Sharon: --Sophie! [calms herself] SOPHIE. We've DISCUSSED this. When you leave the room you have to make sure the door is locked from the OUTSIDE. I've had a pretty upsetting class just then and I--
Sophie: I'm sorry Share Bear. [Long pause] ...um...does this mean we can't get the guinea pig?

28 June, 2011

On Camera: Playwright Terrence McNally

Enjoy the lauded playwright, (and my dear, wonderful friend) Terrence McNally discusses the life, career, person and persona that was and is Maria Callas, the central figure in his play Master Class, now on Broadway at The Samuel J Freidman Theatre starring Tyne Daly as Maria Callas, with Sierra Boggess, Jeremy Cohen, Clinton Brandhagen, Garret Sorenson and lil' ol' me.

27 June, 2011

Ask Al: Secrets of The Self Employed Part 2

it is!!
Creating a social network of other self-employed people is very important not only for your business, but for your spirit.
There is nothing like good ol' fashion collaboration, except possibly good ol' fashion commiseration... having colleagues and pals around you who both inspire and support one another is key to weathering the self-employment waves-- we need people around us to help celebrate the highest of highs and aid in weathering the lowest of lows.

If you want to work on your art, work on your life.  It’s all connected.
As artists we interpret life, and how are we supposed to interpret life if we do not have a real life to interpret? (This has always been my argument for why I lived in North London, why I live in Astoria. As an artist, I wish deeply to cultivate my life "outside" of art. Whatever that is for you-- sports, family reunions, tea-pot collections, a love of cooking, cats, cheese, you get the idea--love it HARD. Be a part of your community. Listen to people. Try to understand them and hear their stories particularly if they are different from your own.

But this is another point.
Truth time: all those personality traits that aren’t working for you in your LIFE will haunt you in your career (i.e. assertiveness, fear of conflict, fear of confrontation, inability to be vulnerable, refusal to "get dirty" or make mistakes...). So sort yourself out! Take responsibility. Agency, self-awareness and self-knowledge will not only improve your life, but it will improve your art.

Also: don't be a jerk. It doesn't (usually) matter how talented you are, no one WANTS to work with a jerk. Remember what Conan O'Brian said on his final Tonight Show:

      "...If you work really hard, and you're kind, amazing things will happen."

Don’t worry about whether or not you are "good."
Listen. Look. (Okay both listen and look).
Some of the arts are more technical than others. You cannot, in good faith, show up for an orchestra audition and not be able to read music. You cannot expect to be an opera singer if you do not have some kind of command on foreign languages. You cannot just randomly blow into a tuba an expect results. You obviously have to work hard to be technically excellent. I am hoping that is obvious.

But beyond THAT. LISTEN TO ME, I am underlining this: GOOD IS SUBJECTIVE.
And most people are not great judges of their own work.

So with that said, just keep doing your thang.

(PS. some people don't actually wish to compete on a professional level. I believe that the arts are especially beautiful because anyone, at ANY level, can incorporate them into their lives. That's why we have community theatre and do NOT have, for example, Amateur Surgical Societies - the important thing is to always keep an awareness of what "excellence" is for YOU, to keep growing, and always attempt to "dance as if no one is watching.")

Nothing is achieved without at least a little bit of mischief. Make certain you goof off on a regular basis.
It's true. Dancing the line between taking yourself and your art seriously, and being capable of laughing at yourself, at life, at the ridiculous is key. Defining where that line is for you is important, and exploring is always illuminating.

Let your work itself be your professional calling card. Networking is, without question, valuable and important, but the quality of your work will always speak for itself.
Wanna know how I made my Broadway debut? Because I did good work in the Kennedy Center production of Master Class.
Wanna know why I did Carousel in Los Angeles? Because I has made a name for myself doing the role in London.
Wanna know how the West End production of Carousel came to be? Because the director and producer worked with me in Fiddler on the Roof.
Law & Order Criminal Intent? They liked me in Law & Order...
...This is how it works.

Let your work speak for itself and people will want to know who you are (and the networking happens for you!). Then, when they meet you and you are not a jackass? Great.

Networking is important.
Not being a jerk is important.
But nothing speaks louder than good work.
Good, solid, wonderful, inspired work will always speak loudly, and will always be the most important calling card.

25 June, 2011

Look. What. I. Found.

Guys.... GUYS....
For real.

So I named them Bertram and Scott.
and then I went back to get two more
     because people? ...THEY WERE $4.99

The next two were in green [orange below], and I named the next two Archimedes and Zizi.
(Incidentally, it pleases me greatly that their names now line up perfectly with the Teletubbies theme song "Archimedes! Bertram! Zizi! SCOTT.")

I love owls. A lot.

23 June, 2011

I've Been

Al & Sierra: toes in the sand
re-discovering Sophie De Palma!

drinking peach martinis with Tyne.

engaging in "The Adventures of Sophie & Sharon" with fellow Master Class-er Sierra Boggess, which includes:
     18 holes of mini golf
     visits to The Intrepid
     shoe parades
     deep-and-meaningfuls deep into the night
     planning our epic dressing room
     and biking the entire isle of Manhattan.

...speaking of which, filming "The Last Street in Manhattan" on Law & Order Criminal Intent and adoring it.
the freakin' Squad Room!!

Rocking adulthood.

Writing. Every day.

Meeting my hand twin: English actress and singer Gina Beck. It was pretty crazy.

Running along the East River. Every day.

Singing like never before!

Staying healthy.

D.I.Y-tastic! WHO INSTALLED (with her fierce-as-you-know-what-DIY-tastic-Mommy) 4, count them FOUR of HER OWN CEILING FANS WITH ONLY MINIMAL ELECTRICAL DRAMA?! (Okay. Look. There was only one teeeeeeny tiiiiiny fire which required professional attention and that was only because the wires were over 100 years old...) BUT WE DID IT AND I SIT HERE TYPING BY THE COOLING BREEZES COMING FROM MY CEILING....

dying Easter eggs with pals!

Having the most incredible week-long reunion with my brother, sister-in-law Maggie, Maggie's mom Leslie, nieces Hannah and Madison, and my Mom in The Big Apple. Magical.

Really plugging into New York City: The Big Apple (as I enjoy calling it...)

Reuniting with the Hello Again family ON "The 12th of Maaaaaay..." (dorks.)

the gang reunites
Enjoying watermelon season. YES. A lot.

Seeing all sorts of theatre.

Loving Brother John Glover in the city of Brotherly Love. (This, specifically included, in order... 1. Tyne had no lipstick (?!!) 2. Glove and I offer to have an adventure by running across the street and buying her "Diva Red" from the Mac store 3. which Glover subsequently tries on...declaring "Patti Lupone taught me about Diva Red when I was playing Bunny the Drag Queen..." 4. We quoted Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker when agreeing we were on an adventure, this engaging in "PUDDING" 5. Ultimately, we were clique-y today. Guilty.)

Riding to Philadelphia IN. A. STRETCH. LIMO. BY. MY. SELF...

...and back to New York with Marc Bruni: a man I barely knew but we now know EVERY detail of one anothers' life stories. Fact.

Oh yeah, and I've been making my debut on THE BROADWAY.

20 June, 2011

Mikhail lay slumped over his work, fast asleep.

Remnants of tea kissed the bottom of his glass, papers sprawled and candles snuffed out. Somehow the objects captured the current essence of Mikhail himself.

Day after day, the men descended down a a coffin-like staircase into the bowels of the earth, the only light from flaming lamps and the mouth of the mine above their heads. The fact that he had his wits about him was more a miracle than a blessing.

Shura gazed upon him now— overworked, worn. It was late, and, as was usual for the last few months, Mikhail had returned from the mines only to spend the remainder of his waking hours poring over his papers.

It was becoming more and more difficult to deny that he was physically withering. His nose bled constantly, his extremities always cold, the skin all over his body had lost elasticity. He was growing progressively more lethargic, and sometimes, at night, he would riot against the cramping in his extremities—his limbs wriggling as worms might fight a hook.

But still, she gazed upon him and stared, breathless for a moment. What was it about Mikhail as he lay curled at his desk, enveloped in the mining shirt of coarse, tarnished linen and fraying trousers? What moved her so as she saw him sleeping there; his visions sprawled before him, laid out like a map of the universe? Drawings, diagrams and plans, everything he aspired to build, invent or create, set out before him in neatly coded piles.

Her nightdress had fallen open slightly, and she gathered it around herself as she tread lightly over weighty volumes, candles that had extinguished down to nubbins, and endless sheets of scribbled, coded papers. She was careful not to startle him.

Mikhail’s left hand was outstretched, having fallen almost elegantly atop his notebook like a small sculpture, as if he had collapsed into this slumber in the middle of a thought. The fingers were still holding his pencil, the side of his palm blackened with lead as it always was from the hours of writing from left to right in Russian—he always preferred to write in Hebrew for that very reason and she smiled to herself at these details that made up their marriage.

Her eyes moved toward the hand and she could not help but peak at the smudged scrawl below it. It was a coded telegram from the West which Mikhail had decoded lightly below the type. It simply read:

Below it, in his own hand Mikhail had made a note:

The People are Important.

That was all it said. She could hear the steady throbbing of his heart, the quiet purr of his breathing, and she was at once torn apart with tenderness, unable to keep from pressing her ear to his back to listen.

     “What?” He sat up suddenly, What is it?” He was at once alert.
     “Darling, you must come to bed…” She carefully marked and folded his notebooks.
He glanced out the window into the inky blackness,
     “What is the hour?”
     “I don’t know. But you must rest. Besides,” she smiled coyly, “I am freezing all alone in there…” and extending her hand to him. He placed his lead-smudged hand in her own and she kissed him as she helped him rise, shifting her hand into his trousers. He clutched her, and, with defeat, he moved away.
     “…I can’t.”
This was another recent, more devastating development.
     “It is alright, my love…”
But it wasn’t. Not for him.
     “—This letter. I must finish. It is important.”
     “Tomorrow, Mikhail. It can wait.”

Thus, he followed his wife to bed.

19 June, 2011

The Adventures of Sophie and Sharon: Part 2, The Matching Glasses

Have you ever seen more perfect monikers?
More delightful a set of glasses?
--No, no! Not Sophie's glasses, the matching glasses!
The ones that call it like it is...?

matching glasses: calling it like it is...

18 June, 2011

The Adventures of Sophie & Sharon: Part 1

love at first sight (which, as Sierra knows, never dies..)
When Sierra Boggess and I first met in London [pictured], violins played. No not literally. But it felt like they did. Or perhaps it was cellos. A string section. The Love Story theme played, something like that. Okay anyway the point is that we were an instant match and not only excited to work together in Master Class, but to share a dressing room-- which we promptly began to plan straight away...yep.

So, what are two crazy, American, London leading ladies to do? Well I will tell you what they do!
They go all out.
They whole ass it.
They come up with a concept and never look back.

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you : DRESSING ROOM 4

Al and Sierra have (prepare yourselves) turned Dressing Room 4 into a Julliard dorm room-- as if Sophie and Sharon have been forced to move in to the dorms together and are valiantly trying to make it work Odd Couple style. It is a work of pure and unadulterated genius. We are pretty freakin' pleased with ourselves.

Did we force our director to take us to the Julliard Store so we could use his staff discount?
Did we then buy Julliard flags and magnets and relevant paraphernalia to go on our doors and walls?
Did we buy matching t-shirts, fleeces and water bottles?
Did we make multiple trips to Urban Outfitters so we could get a white board, a chalk board, squillions of picture frames and various key knick-knacks?
Do we have matching make-up brush glasses that are character-appropriately labeled "Hot Mess" and "Bitch"? [above]
Did we paper our walls with scores, records and music-school articles such as "As a musician do you lead a cluttered life"?
Do we have notes, roommate citations and pep talks written to each other AS Sophie and Sharon all. over. the. room?
     and, best of all,
Did we go to Kinkos on our night off and spend 2 hours printing out over 30 pages of relevant opera memorabilia...?

....the answer to all of these is YES.

We are aware that it is ridiculous. We are. But not only do we not care, we feel sorry for people that don't get it. (Being serious for a moment, it might even seem a little insane to say this, but it has legitimately fleshed out our back-stories on stage in a pretty profound way...)

So. Get ready. Stuff in Dressing Room 4 is about to get very very real...

those would be matching t-shirts...

12 June, 2011

First Tech Week on Broadway

Never in all my life have I experienced so pleasant, stress-free and flat-out dreamy a tech week.

This company, valiantly spear-headed by our immaculate leading lady Tyne Daly and charismatic fearless leader, director Stephen Wadsworth, has engaged with one another, taken care of each other, and managed to finish every aspect of this beautiful Broadway show ahead of schedule without a single tear or raised voice or actor meltdown.  We are all still passionate, energized and completely in love with one another.

That is a miracle.

...So. Tuesday the audience arrives and we all eagerly await our "seventh character" and look forward to telling and sharing this story with all of you. Here's to my first tech week on Broadway. I hope and trust it will not be my last. I am a lucky and grateful lady.

all photographs by Clinton Brandhagen

* * *

Terrence McNally’s music-kissed biographical drama about opera diva Maria Callas, Master Class, begins previews as Broadway’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre June 14.According to MTC, “McNally’s award-winning play about Callas takes us to one of her famous master classes where, late in her own career, she challenges the next generation to make the same sacrifices and dare to rise to the same heights she did, making her the most celebrated, the most reviled and the most controversial singer of her times.” Tyne Daly leads a cast that features Sierra Boggess, Clinton Brandhagen, Jeremy Cohen, Alexandra Silber and Garrett Sorenson. Stephen Wadsworth directs.

Related Posts with Thumbnails


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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

This is my new job.

I'm a ref!
So I'm reffing soccer and I do my first games on Thursday.
Varsity first, JV second.
So I have played soccer FOREVER,
but being a ref is going to be so different.
I HATED the refs!
I'm nervous.
But excited!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

We're mountain climbers.
The past two weekends we climbed 2 peaks.
Mt. Timpanogos, Little Creek Peak.
Timp was ridiculous.
Which made Little Creek Peak seem easy.
Can't wait for our next peak.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Alex and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary today.
It's been a year already?
Seriously the best year ever.
I love Alex so much.
He was the greatest thing that came into my life
& I'm so glad he asked me to marry him.
A year ago we had our dream wedding and every day since has just been better.
I love you Alex!
One year down, eternity to go.

Monday, August 9, 2010

We had so much fun at Lake Powell.
The weather wasn't the greatest but it was still tons of fun.
We wake boarded, tubed, jet skied, cliff jumped, had hair washing parties, created the SDC (skinny dipping crew), played cards, and just had fun hanging out with friends and family.
Some of the girls
Alex playing with the kids on the tube.
Kenny flipping off the house boat
Oh, and I did almost kill my husband.
Yes, I did this to him.

Lake Powell, we miss you already.

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pay homage to the cheese pope in switzerland

June 26th, 2009

courtesy of craig lee for the san francisco chronicle

courtesy of the san francisco chronicle

This month, Gourmet profiles Rolf Beeler, dubbed the Swiss “Cheese Pope.”  Beeler is a finisher who works with artisanal cheesemakers around Switzerland to cultivate, age, and coax their products into something transcendent.  As the magazine mentions, French Laundry in California and Gramercy Tavern in New York both import his cheeses.  And thanks to the cutting-edge buyers at Whole Foods, you can serve Rolf Beeler’s Emmental and Gruyère at your own dinner parties.  Trace any of these imports back to its root and you’ll find a farmer who can tell you the name of the cow from whence it came.

Just as lobsters taste better after a day spent on the Nantucket beaches, there’s no better way to appreciate a cheese’s terroir than after a meal accompanied by Swiss wines in the heart of the Alps.  The Michelin-starred Jasper at the Palace Luzern and the Jungfrau Brasserie at the Victoria-Jungfrau in Interlaken both feature Beeler’s cheese.  The chefs always include Beeler creations in their dazzling cheese displays as well as their recipes.  Even if you managed to resist the fondue, you can’t - and shouldn’t – decline a nibble of Hoch Ybrig after dinner.

cure wrinkles at met london

June 24th, 2009

On July 1, 2009 the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape spa in London’s Metropolitan hotel will introduce a new Dr. Perricone “Wrinkle Cure” day program (£175) to complement the doc’s anti-ageing facials already on offer.  The package includes the following:

  • The Perricone Performance Facial - the spa’s Perricone specialist consults with guests to tailor a treatment to address specific concerns and skin needs – whether it’s fine lines, sagging, puffy eyes, or simply a lack of radiance. The 75-minute facial includes cleanse, tone, mask and treatment applications using Dr. Perricone’s patented formulas as well as his specially designed light lymphatic massage technique to promote younger and firmer skin.
  • Perricone MD Anti Oxidant Lunch – inspired by Dr. Perricone’s recommended recipes, the lunch menu includes wild Alaskan salmon served with baby spinach and raspberry salad as well as a supercharged “super berry’ smoothie.
  • Perricone Gift Set – to continue results at home, take away a copy of The Wrinkle Cure, Dr. Perricon’e NY Times Bestseller, the Wrinkle Cure recipe guide, and a Superberry and PEP blend sachet.

Wanting the Perricone experience on this side of “the pond”?  COMO’s island retreat in the Turks & Caicos, Parrot Cay, also offers a variety of specialized Perricone treatments – making paradise that much sweeter.

Spa Room at Met London and Dr Perricone (from

björn-jour stockholm, farvel københavn!

June 19th, 2009

Crystal Cruises is showcasing the best of the Baltic this summer with its 7-day cruise, “Northern Getaway,” aboard Crystal Symphony. Departing Copenhagen August 5 en route to Stockholm, Symphony calls in Tallinn, Estonia, spends three full days in St. Petersburg and overnights in Sweden’s capital. Experience the highlights of Nordic culture with Crystal Adventures, and tour a former Soviet prison in Tallinn, visit the Hermitage Museum and Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, or take a night hike through Bornsjön Nature Reserve outside of Stockholm.

As part of the Europe Celebration promotion, fares for this itinerary are reduced up to $750 per person depending on room category. In addition, guests will receive a $500 per person spending credit, good to use towards virtually anything on board! Fares start at $3,505 per person, double occupancy, and include port, security and handling charges.  As with all Crystal Cruises, fares include all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, enrichment classes, transportation to city centers from most ports, Broadway-style productions, daily movies, afternoon teas, and much more.

in to africa

June 17th, 2009

desert view from room

As easily as Meryl Streep and Robert Redford fell for each other in 20th century Kenya, Thailand-based luxury resort and spa developer, Anantara, makes its historic entry into North Africa, announcing the development of two unique hotels in Morrocco.  Anantara Marrakech Resort & Spa and Anantara Mogador Resort & Spa, are both scheduled to open in 2011.

In addition to its expansion into Africa, Anantara debuts its second property in Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, this fall. With 206 rooms, suites, and villas, Qasr Al Sarab will be the company’s flagship property in the U.A.E.  In 2011, Anantara Al Madina A’Zarqa will open outside of Muscat, Oman, along the peninsula that bears its name.

Expansion seems to be the name of the game for Anantara, as in 2008, the company launched four properties in Asia and the Middle East: in April, Anantara Seminyak opened in the fashionable Island of the Gods district in Bali; in October, both Anantara Phuket on Mai Khao beach and Anantara Desert Islands on Sir Bani Yas off the coast of Abu Dhabi opened. In December, Anantara Si Kao along Changlang Beach south of Krabi opened, making it the company’s fifth resort in Thailand. In March, the company unveiled its newest addition to the family, Anantara Baan Rajprasong Serviced Suites, located in central Bangkok, making it the first of its kind for the Anantara group. For a list of all properties, please visit

walk the walk

June 17th, 2009

NTPL/David Levenson

NTPL/David Levenson

To truly understand any locale, one must walk it. Whether you stroll, jog, hike, or simply meander, walking is the best way to soak up a new destination (not to mention it works to reduce our carbon footprint!).  Through foot-guided tours, one can experience a location’s rare wildlife, spectacular views, geological marvels, and historical landmarks.  So this summer ditch the car and grab some sneaks and enjoy some of the National Trust’s gorgeous walkways as a member of The Royal Oak Foundation.

hen weekend at the halkin

June 16th, 2009

The wedding season is here; just take a glance at the calendar to see weekends into September blocked off for “I do’s”.  For those brides-to-be who still have a few weeks or months to go, it’s time to take a break from invitations, registries, and seating charts; to leave the florist calls for Monday; and to gather the girls for a London getaway and indulging in “Brides Maid-up” at The Halkin.  Think of it as one last fling before the ring!

cheers to park hyatt

June 12th, 2009

Besides the weather, we’d like to think the party went off without a hitch. Wednesday night at the swanky midtown leisure palace, the Core Club, AMPR and their 100 closest friends toasted Park Hyatt hotels. While the terrace was unused (except for a rumored impromptu after-party) the chic space buzzed with chatter about recent openings, upcoming plans, and all things travel.

Sommelier Marcelo Rebole from Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires kept the Malbec flowing, while Master Sommelier Fernando Beteta from NoMI at Park Hyatt Chicago topped off the champagne flutes.  “On the wagon” guests got a boost from the beautiful Brazilian nutritionist, Patricia Teixeira, enlisted by Park Hyatt this year to help launch its Healthy Living menu. Teixeira brings to Park Hyatt her experience as a sports nutritionist for Real Madrid during the Beckham era (we tried to abstain from asking about his personal habits!). The eleven General Managers who flew in from around the world were probably fiending for a bit of her Anti-Jeg Lag drink. But from Shanghai to Tokyo and Zurich, they kept their cool and worked the room in top form, keeping the media on their toes.

See you next year!

meeting martha stewart

June 10th, 2009

Cost of membership to The Royal Oak Foundation?  $55 per individual, $90 for a family. Martha Stewart personally serving  you local hard-boiled eggs on the grounds of her impeccable, self-sufficient farm?  Priceless.

A lucky group of Royal Oakers arrived at Ms. Stewart’s 153-acre farm last Thursday in Westchester County, New York for a garden tour to cap off the Foundation’s Spring 2009 Lecture and Tour series.  To their surprise, Martha herself jumped onboard to lead and film the tour for an episode of The Martha Stewart Show!  The icing on the cake: Martha also blogged about the exciting event, giving a thorough account of the day’s activities, complete with drop-dead gorgeous photography of her property and her special guests.   The filmed segment will air next season; stay tuned and we’ll try to give a heads-up so everyone can set their DVRs!

bhutan or bust! deals from como’s uma paro

June 10th, 2009

We’re constantly dreaming of a getaway to the kingdom of Bhutan … days filled with trekking to ancient monasteries, mountain biking from one village to the next, and learning to channel the residents of a country whose GDP is measured in happiness.  With these deals from COMO Hotels and Resorts’ Uma Paro – combined with the summer sale on Druk Air (Bhutan’s official carrier) – now is the time to hop on the next flight to “the land of smiles.”

whale shark tours with rosewood mayakobá

June 10th, 2009

This summer, guests of Rosewood Mayakobá can be within kissing distance of the largest fish in the world.  Weighing in at an average of ten tons and measuring up to forty feet, whale sharks ‘summer’ in the Yucatán, where they feed and mate and lounge around (an enviable way to spend summer vacation, we must say).  These beasts are gentle: they feed only on plankton and glide along at a speed of 3 MPH.

From June 1 through September 30, Rosewood Mayakobá will host “Whale Shark Tours,” in which guests will be taken out into the ocean by private yacht to search for the fish.  Once a whale-shark is spotted, a personal guide will take pairs of guests into the water to swim and snorkel alongside the fish.  Somehow this seems more exhilarating than swimming with dolphins, no?

Nightly rates for “Whale Shark Tours” (rates include tax and service charge, as well as full breakfast):

Lagoon Suite                                                                                $960.00

Deluxe Overwater Lagoon Suite                                                 $1,150.00

Island Deluxe Overwater Lagoon Suite                                     $1,530.00

Beachfront suite                                                                             $1,720.00

To book, write or call 984. 875.8000


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Friday, August 20, 2010

Gravitonas - Religious

"You can call me fanatic"

Gravitonas is an interesting concept. If I'm being honest, I would've rather just had a new album by BWO. But, since Gravitonas sound almost identical to BWO, it's not much of a complaint. They're not as visually interesting (yet), but Bard's music is always welcome on the pop landscape. Religious is the new single, and uses the same melodic structure we've grown accustomed to in many of Alexander Bard's songs. As usual, though, he's augmented it with a production flourish that makes the whole thing seem fresh again. In this case it's a choral, gospel sound that builds as the song goes along. It's not as instant as Kites was, but it improves on each listen. It's the instrumentation that really gets you. This is part of the band's new EP, which is also quite pleasant, if not earth-shatteringly good. I'm intrigued. We'll see where that leads...

Gravitonas - Religious by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Music Video: Foxy Shazam - Unstoppable

I've been waiting for this one for awhile now. In addition to their enormous, stadium-filling sound, Foxy Shazam are such a visual band. Their last video was an instant classic. This isn't quite as good, but it's super creative and pulled off very well. They use the type of puppeteering that Scissor Sisters used for their She's My Man video, but to much greater effect. I never liked that Scissor Sisters video. This benefits from Eric Nally's undeniable charisma (despite opening with one of the most...uh... interesting screen shots of the year) and the support of an incredible song. I love it when the whole band joins in the end. My only complaint is that the visuals don't match the song all that well. Still, I have high hopes that this will put the band on more people's radars, right where they should be.

Foxy Shazam | MySpace Music Videos

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Track-by-Track: The Hoosiers - The Illusion Of Safety

Most second albums end up as flops. Bands often fear changing up their successful sound and end up with a collection of songs that echo past glories with one quarter of the melody. The Hoosiers' new album eclipses the last by a wide margin. The hooks are tighter, the vocals are better and the energy is amped up a hundred-fold. This is the summer's biggest surprise.

1. Choices - Not the flashiest of the album's tracks, but the perfect single to ease into their new sound. The staccato melody sticks on first listen but doesn't grow tiresome. It's far and away their best single to date. 10/10

2. Bumpy Ride - A galloping synth sugarcube of a song. It's got a giddy pop sound to it with an anthemic chorus that practically forces a smile on your face. 10/10

3. Who Said Anything (About Falling In Love)? - The first of the album's ballads, this has got a stately 80's sheen to it, which compliments Irwin's Tears For Fears-esque vocals. The strings in the chorus give this much needed grandeur. 9/10

4. Unlikely Hero - The most obvious single on the album, this is an enormous pop track with one of the most deliriously catchy choruses I've heard all year. Fist-pumping, sing-along goodness. 10/10

5. Lovers In My Head - A slower, almost Keane-like ballad with a synth vamp to it. Initially underwhelming, the gentle melody gets to you after a few listens. It's one of the prettier tracks, for sure. 9/10

6. Live By The Ocean - A rockier uptempo with emphasis on a piano riff that underpins the verses. The chorus isn't quite as strong as others, but this is still great stuff. 8/10

7. Devil's In The Details - A sparse, more experimental ballad that sounds like a demented music box melody. Halfway through the tempo changes a bit when the hook comes in. It's pretty captivating. Definitely a new sound for them. 10/10

8. Glorious - An overblown, cheesy epic of a pop song, with dance-pop verses and a choral hook that nearly breaks the speakers. It's totally bubblegum, but the best kind. Kicks off a string of excellent uptempos. 10/10

9. Made To Measure - A straightforward pop track that, while lyrically meandering, boasts a watertight melody and a surging sense of drama. 10/10

10. Giddy Up - A dancier, synth-heavy electro number. It's a little reminiscent of something that Scissor Sisters would do, with its pounding glam swagger. One of the strongest choruses, for sure. 10/10

11. Sarajevo - A mature-sounding, winding electronic track that builds as it goes. The background chants are especially effective. There's a slightly exotic sound at work that makes this a late-album standout. 10/10

12. Little Brutes - The most experimental song on the album, it's got an unhinged feel to it, both vocally and lyrically. It's an about-face from the dance-pop of the last few tracks, but it works well because of that. Not a standout, but very interesting. The layered vocals are pretty impressive. 8/10

Album Grade: 9.5/10

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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Metric - Black Sheep

"The truth is just a rule that you can bend"

I saw Scott Pilgrim vs. the World this weekend and liked it, although I thought in the end it was an easier film to admire than to enjoy. It was a little all over the place, which worked sometimes and meandered others. The music was mostly fuzzy indie, but this track by Metric stood out to me as the best song I've heard from the band yet. It helps that it was performed by Brie Larson in the movie (one of my favorite actresses right now--if you don't know who she is check out Showtime's United States of Tara, pronto!). Brie's actually a singer, so I'm not sure if they recorded her vocals for the film or if she's just lip-synching. I wasn't paying close enough attention, I guess. Either way, this is as good as indie-pop gets. After an extended intro, it leaps into an industrial synth riff that underpins a sparse, yet powerful, verse. The chorus is an airier, poppier deal, a little bit Cardigans and a little bit The Sounds. It's hard to believe that this was left off of prior albums. It would make a great single.

Metric - Black Sheep by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the soundtrack here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Monday, August 16, 2010

The Hoosiers - Glorious

"I'll attack from both sides"

Huge! This is a huge, gargantuan gorilla of a song, taken from the Hoosiers' new album (out today). The album is the nicest surprise of the Summer, an absolute home run for their new synth-powered sound. I'll have a full review later this week, but for now I'm posting this in the hope that it'll get you to check out the rest of the album. Though there are more obvious single choices (Unlikely Hero, please), this is the track that knocked me out on first listen. It's the kind of song that does everything I hoped it would. Bombastic, choral hook, punchy synth attack, colossal build-up in the middle eight... it all works. The verses have a catchy, Roxette vibe about them but it's the hook that makes this special. Few bands go so unashamedly huge in their sound. I had no idea The Hoosiers had it in them. It's the pleasant case of a band that expanded their sound and ambition about twenty times from their first album. Sure, it's cheesy and overblown (and the music snobs are sure to hate it), but I don't believe in guilty pleasures. This is a pleasure, pure and simple.

The Hoosiers - Glorious by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.


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Saturday, 26 October 2013

Recycle, recycle, recycle...

These are cards I have created from old cards I have received over the years...waste not want not!!!

Wedding Bells

A selection of cards I have made to give to to friends and family for their wedding and some commissioned cards too.

Wedding and Party Invitations

Some examples of the wedding invitations and favours I have made for friends and family.

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Still here...

My blog has been slightly neglected of late, but that certainly doesn't mean I have not been beavering away creating cards!

This card was created for a friend of Kirsty's who is into a heavy metal band called Black Veiled Brides. I think she'll like it

Meanwhile, this card was for a friend of Kirsty who is very much into all things Twilight. Not your average birthday card, eh!

Sunday, 26 May 2013

My big commission.

This was a commission for my friend, who's children will be celebrating their first and second birthday's very soon. The cards were for her, her mum and her aunt to give to the kids.

The designs were left up to me, with only mild suggestion of favourite cartoon characters. All the cards are A4 size and are blank inside.

Monday, 13 May 2013

It's That Time of Year Again!!!!

I can now finally share this latest creation with you all...My homage to Eurovision, and all the UK entries since 1967. This was lovingly made for my brother in law who, like me adores all things Eurovision. It took a total of 4 hours to make this card: sourcing all the images, printing and guillotining them, checking to make sure the acts were all in the correct order and finally cutting out the lettering!

Eurovision is on BBC One at 8pm on Saturday 18th May.


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Friday, July 30, 2010

lazy friday....

today is my day off. i am not really going to be around the internets today but i had to get on to see if anyone wants to come see my apartment. oh yeah, we have an opening in my apartment and my roommate and i are desperate to get someone in here so we don't have to pay the rent. So...if you know someone who wants to live in UT county - but NOT in cougartown - send me an email.

that's all.

now for some friday fill in stuff and then i am going to go and continue to be lazy on my day off. i love being lazy. sometimes. ;)

1. I'm going to be lazy and what not today. I am going to get some things done...but i have all the time in the world. :o)

2. I try to be full of adventure and daring.

3. Perhaps today you can make it a point to comment on my blog. I love commenters!

4. I would love to have a true adventurer’s spirit.

5. Compassion is super important to me.

6. sometimes you have to push to get over that "wall" no matter how difficult.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to not much really, chilling out probably, tomorrow my plans include getting things done that didn't get done Friday and Sunday, I want to teach my sunday school lesson!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Thursday giggles

this is what we're giggling at while at work today. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Wishes on Wedensday

I wish...

...that the burn on my thumb from doing my hair in some awesome curls no longer hurt

...that I could look like this when I dance

...that the weekend was here NOW. luckily for me it will be here tomorrow night. woo hoo!!

...that teleportation was possible.

...that I could be soaking in some rays right now.

...that I could instantly have long or short, dark or blonde hair. Like Tonks.

what are you wishing for today?

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

yawning on Tuesday

I am yawning today. I even took something to help me sleep, was in bed by 10:30p and was sufficiently tired. I fell asleep quickly enough, but then some awful noisy truck drove by and it woke me up all rude like. After I fell back to asleep again (which was quick enough) I had the oddest dreams. I was fighting over a pair of shorts with my sister and my mom yelled at me about it...yeah. It was odd. I'm not sure where it all came from. All I know is I am sort of tired today and I wish I wasn't because I have THINGS to do today. Sigh. Anyways. It's Tuesday but for workness for me it is Wednesday and I'm just hoping the next few days go by quickly and that Friday is SLOW so I can truly enjoy my long weekend. That was an awful sentence and now the computer is fuzzy. sigh. I need a nap, or some chocolate.

okay, I'm done now. Ten on Tuesday y'all. Love it.

1. How do you take your coffee on an average day? How do you like your coffee if you’re spluging?
I don't drink coffee. As part of my beliefs, I have a testimony of the Word of Wisdom. I actually don't even like the smell of coffee or coffee flavored candies. blech.

2. What is your genre of books to read?
currently I'm on an Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance kick. Basically, I read a lot of everything and anything that is good. I'm a fan of Angieville and other book bloggers which is where I get my recommendations of what to read. Do you have something to suggest?? Cause I'll probably read it...

3. Where do you want to retire, if you could go anywhere?
hmmm. I haven't really thought about this one. If I could pick anywhere? somewhere like Greece or Italy would be awesome. In reality? It will probably be somewhere close to family.

4. The 17-year-old you is told to write a 10-minute speech. What topic would you have picked?
hmmm....This is a toughie. I wasn't a big public speaker then, but it would probably be something on reading and enjoying it, OR about dance. That's all I did in high school: read and dance.

5. What word describes you best?

6. What is the next “event” that you are looking forward to? (ex.: vacation, moving, date, job change, etc)
two weeks from today I will be in VA with my family for a few days. I am VERY excited about this. I can't wait to arrive and see VA when it is GREEN!!!

7. Do you like to discuss controversial topics or do you prefer to avoid those types of conversations?
hmm. It depends on how well I can hold my ground on my view and how much I know about the subject as a whole. Otherwise, I just avoid it.

8. Would you rather add 4 free hours to each day, or add 1 extra day to the week?
Hmm. this is a toughie. Right now I think I want the 4 free hours every day. I need time every day, not an extra day to the week. Although, I wouldn't say no to it if that's what the universe decided needed to happen.

9. If you created a sports team; what would your colors and mascot be?
hmmm. I think I would create a team where the mascot was a gorilla. I've never heard of a gorilla mascot. And our colors would be Black and Green.

10. If you had to be a teacher, what subject would you teach?
Well, it just so happens that I am a teacher. I teach ballet. I love it and wouldn't trade it for any other subject in the world.

you know what? 10 questions goes by pretty fast. I'm a fan.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Morning Peeps

Good Morning Peeps!!!!

I've been at work for 4 hours now. Sometimes I love my work schedule and other times I loathe it.

Right now? Loathe. Mostly because it was another restless night of sleep for me and I am wishing it was already the weekend. I only work 4 days this week and I'm trying to make some fun plans for the weekend so I enjoy myself as much as last time.

In other news, I convinced SwingKid to take me to the Fiesta Days carnival so we could ride a Ferris Wheel and fulfill my summer romance dreams. (think Charlotte's Web when Charlotte rides the Ferris Wheel)

Except there was no Ferris Wheel. I was very sad and then mad. What kind of carnival doesn't have a ferris wheel? Seriously?!

Anyways. I'm probably going to have to wait until the State Fair. I know THEY have a Ferris Wheel. At least...they did last year. Maybe I'll get a fried twinkie again. yum.

Friday, July 23, 2010

It's Friday, I'm in love...

I don't care if Monday's blue
Tuesday's gray and Wednesday too
Thursday I don't care about you
It's Friday, I'm in love.....

I'm a singin' this song today. I'm in love. Yay for Fridays. Even if I have to work this one...I'm still VERY glad it is Friday. Today is also a holiday weekend for us Utah folks. It's Pioneer Day tomorrow! Not that that means anything special for me. I don't get work off today (we're a national company. so no little state holidays for us), there are no big plans for tomorrow, and basically, it's just a weekend. I am SO okay with that!

Now for some Friday Fill-in stuff

1. I feel like it is definitely the weekend. I need to regroup.

2. I hate having to catch up.

3. Do you have any exciting festivities planned this weekend? SwingKid and I need something fun to do!

4. I like to be completely unique.

5. It's hard to know how much time will go by before my dreams come true.

6. I love when a younger sibling follows suit.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nothing in particular. I have several things to get done, but nothing is set in stone, tomorrow my plans include basically the same as tonight. nothing earth shattering and different and Sunday, I want to catch up on some zzzz's before church!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

information overload

sometimes my poor brain seems to explode with too much information. how I wish I could have Professor Dumbledore's Pensieve and be able to put memories and other things in there so I can keep learning more and never forget anything. How awesome would that be?

Anyways, I feel like I should help spread the word so you are not (possibly) sad tomorrow. If you are like me and you use The Cutest Blog on the Block for your background you might have noticed a notice in the corner of your blog about having to get a new background. Basically, they've had to change their host for backgrounds and you'll need a new code for your blog's background. You can still get the same image, or get a new one! More information about the need for this update can be found on their blog here. Also, their server has been AWFULLY slow, but that should improve this afternoon (according to them). I'm currently looking at their site and I'll probably keep my owls (I love them lots) but then there's so many fun things. Sigh. I have addictive issues with changing my's way too fun.

Also. I currently love we heart it for fun and pretty pictures. It's a fun site and while not as awesome as flickr (as far as searching goes in my opinion) but the pictures are very pretty!

I read a book recently (not that that should surprise you) entitled Leaving Paradise. This book was recommended to me by Angie (read her review!). However, this book left me very raw and I haven't had to deal with raw emotions for a long time. In fact, I was quite the moody person on Tuesday and as SwingKid mentioned last night I was very "high maintenance" (his words not mine). Anyways. I haven't enjoyed dealing with the raw emotions and I definitely need to clean my reading palate. I have a few books on my shelf and I'm just trying to decide which one to read next. I think I'm going to go with the Mary Stewart one. :o)

Finally, I would love a "bad" Pensieve where I can put all the bad memories and then flush them down the toilet. Wouldn't that be nice? I can think of several instances where this would be absolutely beneficial for me. However, I'm sure that's not ever been in the "plan" but hey, a girl can dream right? good. I like my dreams. ;) peace out y'all.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

diddly squat

I have done DIDDLY SQUAT at the gym this week. I haven't been since Friday morning. I am an awful person. I am going to be a fat person if I don't take care of this NOW. I have told myself I am NOT ALLOWED to skip tonight. I WILL go to my cycling class and I WILL work hard and I WILL come home a hot, sweaty mess. Okay? Okay.

Moving on.

Last night SwingKid gave me half an ambien, took me on a drive, kissed me goodnight and left me to sleep away my not so good day. It wasn't a BAD day per se, but it was not stellar either. I fell asleep quickly and upon snoozing my alarm for 20 minutes this morning I woke up fairly refreshed. I could still use about 2 more hours of sleep, but for the most part I'm feeling much better.

Also. Today I hate my hair. I've changed the "do" 4x since getting to work 3.5 hours ago. sigh. doing my hair wet is never my favorite thing, but I didn't want to wake up at 5:30am to take a shower and blow-dry my hair. I had one idea of a hair do, but I just wasn't feeling it today. sigh.

Anywho - It's time to leave you. So I'm going to leave you with exactly how I feel today in three lovely pictures. adios folks.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Tuesday Ten

well dear friends. It is Tuesday. I am very tired. I was sooo tired last night. So, I kicked SwingKid out at 10pm and got ready for bed. By the time I got into bed I couldn't fall asleep even though I was exhausted. Basically I had a very crappy night's sleep. I am tired this morning and I want a nap. :(

Anyways. Here's some Ten on Tuesday. loves.

p.s. It's a different version. Kinda fun.
For each of the following 10 categories, tell us which brand/product you use and why.
1. Cell Phone
My family is on Verizon. I just got a new phone - the Samsung Intensity. It's red and I love it.

2. Email
I'm a gmail girl all the way. LOVE IT!

3. Toothpaste
Colgate. I vary in the kinds within Colgate, but I love it.

4. Car
I currently drive Scuttle - the 2002 Toyota Camry.

5. Writing Utensil
hmmm. I love pens. Especially the bic pens with the finger grip at the bottom....oh! THESE ONES!

6. Lotion
I use Bath and Body Works lotion. I have several different scents depending on where I'm going, who I'm seeing and what I'm wearing.

7. Interior Paint
uh. I am an apartment dweller and I can't paint anything. So...I don't have a paint brand I use.

8. Soda/Drink
I drink TONS of water. When I go out to eat and it's a special occasion I will get a coke with lime (or diet coke with lime...depends on my mood)

9. Laundry Detergent
um...I use a cheap brand from Walmart. I think it's called Sun? I have no idea.

10. Medicine
I use store brand everything...unless I'm feeling exceptionally sick and really want the name brand to make me feel better.

one year ago

Monday, July 19, 2010

A case of the Mondays

Well friends, it's been a few days, yes? It's Monday and I'm definitely feeling it after my 3-day weekend. I apologize for not doing the fun Friday Fill-in-ness...but I didn't get online at all from  Thursday evening-Saturday morning. So, it just didn't happen! I was too busy changing the furniture around in my bedroom, vacuuming, doing laundry, visiting my old stomping grounds, swimming w/SwingKid, partying all night at a sleepover, and soaking in as much sun as possible. That's what happens when your new work schedule now gives you a 3-day weekend every other weekend. Ha. weekend was AWESOME. It was relaxing and yet I got just enough done to feel productive. I'm already looking forward to my NEXT long about 2 weeks. sigh. In the meantime, I'm getting into the groove at work and imagining myself here:

Happy Monday y'all.  :o)

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

I give up.

I give up on trying to post my weekend recap with pictures. Especially since this weekend has now come and gone. So: Reader's Digest version: Basically my holiday weekend was filled with the sun, fireworks attacking people, a BBQ, and a celebration of love. SwingKid and I have been dating for two years now and I'm not going to lie, I love that we've had this long courtship. There's just something about it that makes me happy.

Anyways, this last weekend was not so much filled with awesomeness - besides our laser tag date which was AWESOME. loved that. Especially the part where we got soaked in the rain. Saturday was a meh day, but I found a cute dress that is a...size 8!!! YAY!!! Sunday was pleasant and all is good in the world. mostly.

Overall, I am happy with my life. i think. I wonder sometimes, but then I look to how it could be different and that's when I realize that I really do love where I am in life. Life is good.

Anyways. Today is Tuesday (ps...I get a 4-day work week so basically i only have 2.5 more days of work. HALLELUJAH!!!) which means it's time for some Ten on Tuesdayness. Enjoy!!

1. What is the worst movie you have ever seen?
um. I HATED Drag Me to Hell I thought it was so not cool. I really wish I could have that time back....

2. Do you have a favorite Disney/Pixar film?
I'm a die hard disney fan. I love Disney Princess movies as well as Pixar everything. My hands down, all time favorite Disney movie is The Little Mermaid and my favorite Pixar movie right now is Up.

3. Do you have a favorite movie from the 80′s?
hmmm...80's movies are full of great clothes and awesome dancing, i love Footloose and Dirty Dancing.

4. Are there any movies you saw more than once in the theater?
It's not often I'll see a movie twice in the theaters; however, I did see Star Trek twice. Once in the regular theater and once at the dollar theater.

5. What is one city/area of the US (or country you live if you do not live in the US) that you have not seen but would like to see?
Well...there are lots of places I haven't seen. I would love to see New York. cliche? perhaps. but it's true.

6. What are your favorite toppings on an Ice Cream Sundae?
I LOVE hot fudge and/or caramel. From there it depends on my mood. although, these days ice cream makes me REALLY sick so I tend to not eat it anymore. sigh. I also like sprinkles. lots of sprinkles.

7. How many proms did you go to? What color was your prom dress? If you went to multiple proms, what color was your favorite prom dress?
I went to three proms. I went my sophomore year w/a good friend and then I went to two my senior year with my boyfriend (his and mine). My favorite dress was the one for his prom that my completely made over from a cheap dress from DI. Best thing ever.

8. Is there a sport or extra-curricular activity that you didn’t get to try as a child that you wish you would have? (e.g. gymnastics, piano lessons, ballet, etc.)
All I wanted to do was dance. And that's all I have ever done since. I do wish now that I had played the piano or something.

9. How many siblings do you have? Are you the oldest, middle, or youngest?
I have three. I am the oldest. We create the alphabet: A, B, C, and D. two sisters and one brother. :)

10. Do you feel like you fit in with your age group? Or do you feel younger/older than your age group?
I usually feel like I fit in my age group. I also feel like it's easy for me to switch between hanging out with groups that are younger/older than me. So...yeah. I just fit in. I think it comes with being the oldest. maybe.

Friday, July 09, 2010

Well folks. I didn't post last night, and for that I am sorry. The question now is, do you want a recap from the holidays with pictures or without pictures??

Anyways..It if finally Friday and I am much excited by this. This whole coming in to work at 7 am has been really rough. For example, last night I went to bed at 9:45pm!!! Sigh. Early to bed, early to rise. That's me!!!

Anyways, I'll try to post again later today with a recap from last weekend since this weekend is basically here - but I make no more promises. ;)

Friday Fill-In! we go!

1. Layers of sunscreen still didn't make a difference last weekend.

2. Sometimes I wish I had a lot of insight.

3. I'd be willing to bet hmm...I'm not sure what I would bet on right now. lame i know.

4. Sister B's cat scares the dog.

5. I'm fond of chocolate covered cinnamon bears. In fact, I could go for some right now.....

6. Sometimes I worry too much!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Laser Tag date night with SwingKid, tomorrow my plans include cycling, shopping, and cleaning and Sunday, I want to teach my lesson!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

catch me if you can

editor's note: i started this yesterday and meant to post it. and happened and I didn't. i'm sorry. So...pretend this posted yesterday. Although, I know I'm not going to be able to post again today. SO! a real weekend update probably won't be here until tomorrow. but at least it will be here!!

While my weekend was mostly relaxing, I really wasn't "around." I did check my reader a couple times over the weekend, but still ended up with a bazillion unread posts. I think I'm okay with that . Mostly. Gives me something to look at when I need a break at work - especially since I'm on a Facebook fast this week as part of my Day Zero goals. whew. Today was HARD, but I think it will only get easier. At least, it better....

So, I should really do a weekend recap, and I will I promise! However, I have pictures! (GASP! I know! real life pictures!) And they are so much fun and I want to share them with you oh so much, but right now I'm lazy and I don't want to get off my butt and go and get my camera. So...since it's Tuesday I'll leave you with a little Ten on Tuesday meme and then promise to post about all the fun that was had tomorrow. Okay? okay. loves.

1. If given the opportunity, would you choose a mediocre job that paid well or your dream job that paid poorly?
dream job. hands down. I actually do have my dream job - just another job to go with it too. My dream job definitely pays poorly. c'est la vie

2. What is your favorite thing about the 4th of July? (For the foreigners: What is your impression of the 4th of July?)
hmmm. I love how summery it is! It's everything that is summer personified into one big day. Most of all, I love the fireworks.

3. What’s the most random fact you know about American history?
um...I really can't think of a random fact right now. I'm not a huge history nut. at all.

4. What is the best fireworks display you’ve ever seen?
Well. I don't tend to remember the firework shows from years past. Except last year's awful one in cougartown. ugh. This year, I went to PG with SwingKid and his family (more deets laters!) and watched an AMAZING show. minus the part when the fireworks attacked the audience. but that's another story

5. Who taught you how to put on makeup?
my mom sort of did, and then i learned more when i was taughter by my ballet director and then my current roommate AF taught me even MORE. Now I'm pretty much awesome at my makeup. maybe.

6. Have you ever gone through a financial planning process? Tell us about it.
sort of. I currently use Mint to budget my finances. My parents were pretty diligent to teach me good budgeting skills as a kid too.

7. What was your favorite outfit as a kid? Bonus points for pictures.
hmmm. I can't think of my FAVORITE outfit. I don't remember clothes as a child. ha. I do remember wearing very 80s style outfits for a long time in the early 90s. I was awesome as a kid.

8. Do you prefer a beach, lake, swimming pool, or no water?
I've only been to the beach once. I think I would like it more if I could spend more time there. Otherwise, I love the swimming pool. Lakes seems way to icky for me. Unless it's some beautiful spring lake or something. maybe. nah, i still like pools better.

9. Do you recycle? If not, why?
at work we recycle paper and cans. i participate in this recycling.

10. What are your thoughts and feelings about the Twilight Saga?
well. i love the fluff of the books. the third book is definitely my favorite, and from what i hear it's the best movie as well. I hated the second movie and disliked the book. The ending is lame and cheap in the 4th book and if i was one of the movie directors i would rewrite the ending. especially since they've taken such liberties with the first two movies. sigh. i'm in love with MUCH better books these days.

Friday, July 02, 2010

Fridays are going to take a different turn around here. You work has decided to go to a 9/80 work schcedule. What does this mean? Well, it means I work 7a-5p Mon-Thursday. I then work 7a-4p on Fridays but every other Friday I get off. So, basically I get a 3-day weekend every other weekend. Sounds fun right? Well...waking up early is not so much fun y'all. Today wasn't half bad, but man alive I wish I could have stayed in bed just a wee bit longer. oh well.

That's all the exciting news I have. basically.

Oh! It's Independence Day weekend!! Are you so excited?! I have a 3-day weekend (we get Monday off) and I'm rather stoked about that.

Moving on....

1. When it's quiet I enjoy reading a good book.
2. some weeks go by in what seems like a month.
3. My heart is full of love.
4. I'm really excited for the month of July.
5. In the town where I was born is where I know currently reside! Imagine that!
6. His caring nature is something I really love about my significant other / friend.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to movie night with SwingKid, tomorrow my plans include cleaning, shopping, and the Farmer's Market  and Sunday, I want to celebrate our country's freedom!

two years ago


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Monday, November 30, 2009

Do you Cyber Shop?

I got all my shopping done for the grandchildren, except two, on the internet this weekend. Yahoo!

I tried shopping locally, but everything I wanted was already gone. Besides staying out of the stores keeps me from buying something for myself for every gift I get someone else. When I went to Target, I left the store with a fleece jacket for $15 (which I really needed), a new change purse clutch (which I just wanted), mascara (for which I had a $1 off coupon), 3 bags of Archer Farms Basmati Cashew rice (yummy), one Hernandez salsa (which was on sale) and some gift tags and ribbon. See how much safer it is for me to cyber shop?

What about you? What websites do you like to shop?

Be sure to check out for store coupons and great buys online. (shameless plug for where #1 son works) My DIL said Matt Lauer on the Today show plugged them last week and they had over a million hits on Black Friday. WooHoo!

  1. Congratulation on being done.;) I m planning on heading out to the stores this Friday.;)
    I do some of the shopping on the net, but believe it or not, I like the feeling of being in the stores during this time.;) As long as I am not out in the last minute, I do not mind the lines and hype.;) It is all part of the season.;)

  2. I don't shop much. My daughter gave us a few pages of items she would like which we ordered from online. I send $$ to out of town Grands and we no longer purchase gifts for the rest of the family as we all have what we need. It takes the angst off the younger ones that don't have the $$ to spare for extra gifts. I think they all got tired of buying me books which to them are boring and to me are such a treat. So that all being said...I don't shop much online or otherwise.

  3. amazon is my fav store, and sometimes it is just easier than struggling through the crowds. i haven't even started yet!

  4. I don't do very much shopping online. Like Protege said, I kind of like being able to see and touch items and select my purchase that way.

  5. I like to shop online, too. And like you, I end up spending less, just ordering the items I need.

  6. i would rather online shop for toys too. i get so confused when i walk into a store and websites keep it making sense for me.

    of course i think i'm outta luck with my littest pet shop picks.

  7. I shop all year long and put things into this BIG shopping bag in the corner of the bedroom .. I added to my stash the last 3 weekends and now I am done. Finished. Kaput. All bought out. And I didnt buy anything in a store ... all the recent purchases were gotten at the GreenFlea where you can find vendors selling everything from junk to jewels.... I too often (too often) do the one for them, one for me dance .. this way I didnt do it quite as often as in the past ..

  8. Basmati Cashew Rice? That sounds delicious. I'm going to look for that.

I'm glad you stopped by and I look forward to your comments. As Dr. Fraser Crane would say, "Hello, I'm listening."


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Friday, June 19, 2009

Review: Fool by Christopher Moore

"This is a bawdy tale. Herein you will find gratuitous shagging, murder, spanking, maiming, treason, and heretofore unexplored heights of vulgarity and profanity, as well as nontraditional grammar, split infinitives, and the odd wank . . . If that's the sort of thing you think you might enjoy, then you have happened upon the perfect story!"

Apparently, this is going to be my summer of “literature classics the way I wish they had been written.” First, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and now a new take on King Lear. (By the way, I just requested an ARC of Mr, Darcy, Vampire, so there could be more Mangled Classics in store.)

In Honors English, I was not terribly fond of King Lear, although I like Shakespeare in general. The play just had too many betrayals, too many people meeting bad ends when they deserved better (I know, I know, tragedy and all that) for me to really enjoy it, but I didn’t care about them enough to be really moved by it. This is a tale that would never have made it past the high school censors, but that every student would be able to recite, chapter and verse. This isn’t just a story about a king and his daughters. According to Pocket, King Lear’s jester and his apprentice, Drool, this is a story about just one thing…heinous fuckery. Indeed, heinous fuckery most foul.

There are dozens of passages I could quote, but most of them are PG-13 at best, R-rated through most of the book, and a couple of passages would garner an NC-17. There is plenty of bonking, shagging, wanking, and humping. The players are described as dog-frothing mad, flesh-tearing harpies, craven hose-beast, catch-fart and other things I couldn’t repeat in a blog tht children might read. There are buckets of bat wank, monkey spunk, camel spit and git-seed; if that sort of thing offends you, steer well clear of this book. And in case you have trouble with some of the more archaic words and phrases, Moore helpfully provides definitions:

1. Saturnalia - the celebration of the winter solstice in the Roman pantheon, paying tribute ot Saturn, the “sower of seeds.” Celebrations involved much drunkenness and indiscriminate shagging. Observed in modern times by the ritual of the “office Christmas party.”
Moore plays a little fast and loose with the Bard’s work (thank heavens), adding some intrigue, some witches, a number of bawdy songs and a lot of indiscriminate shagging. He admits to having made “a dog’s breakfast of English history, geography, King Lear, and the English language in general.” The role of the Fool is far larger in his version, Pocket being the hand behind the scenes that turns the wheels and directs the action. Of course, he doesn’t always know precisely what he’s doing, but he follows the directions he gets from the girl-ghost haunting the castle (there’s always a bloody ghost) and he has good instincts. The ending is much happier — at least for some characters — than in the original, but then, in the original, just about everybody ends up dead. Here, too, some players meet an untimely and violent end, but that’s to be expected.

I found myself quite wrapped up in the Fool’s story. Pocket has not had an easy life (although it was considerably more pleasant than that of Thalia, the anchoress who befriends him as an orphan boy). He cares deeply for his friend and apprentice, Drool, and is infuriated when Drool is mistreated. Although he shows a rough and tumble exterior, there are a few instances that reveal the soft underbelly, such as his sadness at the fate of his little horse, Rose.

All in all, this book kept me giggling all the way through. It was a quick read, as I was caught up and swept along from the very beginning. It was precisely the sort of entertainment I needed on this business trip. One thing is for certain — the next time I see King Lear, I will be stifling giggles as I watch the tragedy unfold.

bermudaonion said...

I've never read any of Moore's work, but would like to read this one - everyone seems to love it.

Literary Feline said...

Perhaps I will learn to appreciate Shakespeare by reading this one. :-) I tend to shy away from anything Shakespeare related, even if it's a retelling.

I've only read one book by Christopher Moore and I wasn't too impressed. I'm trying to work up the motivation to try something else by him as I've been told the book I read wasn't his best.

Lenore said...

I'm sold!

Book Bird Dog said...

Wash your mouth out. just kidding:)

The fool is supposed to be the wise one; what about this one?

carolsnotebook said...

I have got to move this to the top of my TBR list.


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South African Music Duo Rock Kenya

The award-winning house music duo Liquideep thrilled fans at 2013's first edition of the Blankets and Wine show in Kenya.

House duo Liquideep

  • Zambia:   Liquideep Excites Oyd

    Times of Zambia, 31 December 2011

    SOUTH AFRICA house music duo Liquideep were simply a marvel to watch at Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka on Christmas Eve despite the low turnout. Read more »


text:
Tests Of Dead Dogs Found On DMX’s Property Inconclusive

Police have revealed that there has is no evidence of organized dog fighting against rapper DMX and that so far, tests conducted by police in Arizona have come back inconclusive.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio revealed that police examined the carcasses of three buried dogs found on the rapper’s property during an August 24 raid of his Cave Creek, Arizona home.

Police found 13 malnourished dogs living in the rapper’s home after neighbors complained about the animals treatment.

In addition to being locked in their cages for 23-hours a day, police said the animals were severely malnourished, lacking adequate food, water and shade, in temperatures of over 110 degrees.

DMX has been traveling internationally since the raid and has denied any wrong doing, claiming he hired a caretaker to watch after the dogs while he was on tour.

No charges have been filed against DMX, but police continue their investigation.

Related Stories


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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

the birthday boy!

My cute husband turned the big 2-6 this past Sunday!  To stay true to blogging tradition, I would like to list 26 things I love about Joshua Anthony Meadows. :)

In no particular order:
  1. He is just as good looking now as he was when we were 8 years old
  2. He is extremely close with his family-which is something that was/is very important to me in a spouse.
  3. He calls me about 10 times a day and although I find it annoying sometimes, I love that he wants to talk to me all the time.
  4. He cuddles with me in his sleep.
  5. He has a hot body.
  6. He knows every word to the song, "Popular."
  7. He is so incredibly cute and patient with our 9 Sunbeams, even though I know teaching 3 and 4 year-olds is not his ideal church calling.
  8. He loves hanging out with my friends as much as I do.
  9. He can always make me laugh, even when I am in the worst of moods.  (he calls it an attitude adjustment! haha)
  10. He watches Glee with me and actually enjoys it!-even though when I first started watching it, he said, "This show is so gay!"
  11. He is probably the most patient person on the planet.
  12. He has helped me become a better communicator.
  13. He encourages me to share my talents and to develop new talents.
  14. He is super athletic and hopefully our children will inherit that.
  15. He loves my family.
  16. He comes from an amazing family and extended family.
  17. He loves and appreciates how girly I am.
  18. He loves the Gospel and honors his priesthood.
  19. He served an honorable mission.
  20. He is a hard worker. (Right now he is working 6 days a week)
  21. Even though he always jokes that we're never having children, I know he will be the cutest dad in the whole world!
  22. He loves the summer and sunshine as much as I do.
  23. As much as I dislike having an Xbox, he is dang good at it and has become good friends with some of my friend's husbands and I like that.
  24. He always puts me first.  He doesn't ever care about having a guys night or anything like that.
  25. He tells me I'm beautiful all the time.
  26. I know that he loves me and our future family above everything else.
I could list several more reasons, but I think this post has enough cheese to last for a loooong time! :)

I am so grateful for my amazing, hard working and handsome husband!  I can't wait to celebrate many more of his birthdays with him!  I love you, babe!

Mindy said...

That is such an adorable photo ... And, #27. He is okay with your crushes on Tom Welling and Kyle Korver. :)

Allison and Josh said...

haha! Perfect #27, Mindy! I can't believe I left that off the list! :)

Abe and Lisa said...

Happy Birthday to Josh! And fun list.. I'm glad he likes hanging with your friends :) B/C we sure love you guys!!

Matt & Mele Hardman said...

Oh, you guys are kind of cute.


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School nurse denies inhaler

    What are your thoughts???
  2. 15 Comments

  3. by   SchlNrsKrn
    Before replying, please google this and watch some of the other stories about this-for example, this one:

    There are always 2 sides to every story and the yahoo story does not even come close to being an unbiased account.
  4. by   Purple_Scrubs
    I agree the media is not reporting the whole story, and I tend to believe that the parent is probably blowing the symptoms out of proportion. I have a hard time believing that the nurse would not have called 911 had it been a severe acute asthma attack...and if that was the case there is no way admin and the district would be standing behind her.

    We had a recent situation where a parent was claiming our staff members who are trained to cover my office in my absence were negligent in their care of her child. She went to the media, who was all set to run the story until they got the other side of the story and realized the care was appropriate. It seems the media in the above case are not being quite as responsible.
  5. by   NutmeggeRN
    I'm sure we do not have the whole story to start with.... And it is now a third hand story as this is a YAHOO writer reporting on TV story so....

    I wonder if she had a pulse oximeter on that read 99?
    Was he retracting?
    Did she use the rule of 9's?
    Was he cyanotic?
    Did he have a history that has not been shared in the article?
    Did it look like anxiety?
    Where there wheezes either audible or present on auscultation?
    Was there a behaviour history with this kid?

    Did the reporter ask HER side of the story? Even if sh/e did, she would be violating HIPAA and FERPA to share that info s we dont have her side.

    I personally would have given him the MDI and called 911 if I thought there was an emergent situation. If it was not deemed an EMS type emergency I would have called for verbal permission and then sent the form home with the 17 year old or asked the parent to come in and sign. If I was concerned enough about the parents response I would have had someone witness the phone call to the parent.

    However, all that said.....

    If it is as reported, then it is a shameful act of neglect and irresponsibility. While rules are rules (re the need for a parent permission form), the greater good is served by meeting the emergent needs of the student.

    Too many unknowns....
  6. by   FLCrackerPN
    I have watched and read several accounts of what happened and from what is out there already I have to beleive this LPN did not do her job properly.

    As far as the form not being on file, the mother recently posted on facebook that she has photocopies that are time and date stamped from when the Doctors office faxed the school the authorization AFTER the school reportedly lost the first one.

    In one report the school spokesperson said that the student became aggressive because he didn't have his inhaler and the nurse felt threatened and locked the door, the school admin. held the boy in his office where he was visible through a glass door. The spokesman said that the nurse and the school admin agreed that the boy wasn't having a genuine asthma attack and thus would not call 911 either. Spokeperson never said that the nurse monitored vital signs, only that they observed the Pt through a glass door. I just don't see how a proper assessment of the Pt can be done through a glass door.

    The school did in fact have the inhaler that was legally prescribed to the patient in their possession but witheld it from him. Medication aside once the student was controlled by the admin why didnt the nurse conduct a follow up assessment of the patient to ensure that nothing was wrong?
  7. by   Flare
    I've already said my piece about this several times. Order or no order, if a student is having an exacerbation of their asthma and has their inhaler on them, i'm giving the inhaler if i think it's truly warranted. Of course this is followed up by a lecture from me - i've even gone as far as to state that the student may not return until i have that order (i don't know that i really have the authority to do that, but it has worked, and i have gotten an asthma action plan immediately when i have crowed like that).

    If the student was not in any danger, lungs clear, spo2 wnl, etc then no - i would not give the student the inhaler either. I would have made a call to the parent to advise what was going on, let her know that i needed an order and so forth. If the parent or student insisted that it was an emergent situation(parent not being there, mind you) then i would tell teh parent to come into mendicate him or would have gladly called an ambulance for the student and would have sent the inhaler with EMS. I'd hate to abuse ems in such a way, but people sometimes don't get the message unless you do something bold (and i would hope it wouldn't come to that!)
  8. by   Esme12
    FL cracker....Welcome to AN! The largest online nursing community!

    I believe that There are always two sides to every story. The mother failed to sign the proper paperwork to allow the child to have the asthma medication. Faxing the order is not the parental consent. If the student was having a "full asthma attack"and "turning blue/blue finger tips" it would be difficult if not impossible to be escorted anywhere without being carried on a stretcher. It sounds like the staff were familiar with this young man and knew he would be alright until MOM got there. Did Mom Then take him to the ED to be evaluated? If his finger tips were blue then she should have......Too many variables to judge.

    There is no way to know whether a followup assessment was or was not carried out by the news reports but observing an angry teenager who is not in respiratory distress with labored breathing through a glass door can be sufficient enough to know that the child is in no acute distress.

    I have triaged thousands of patients and from the moment they walk on the door. When a patient is in real distress, you know it the moment you look at them and think your, this guy's in TROUBLE....and rush to their side. I find it difficult to believe the Yahoo article as 100% unbiased and true.

    The attorney that represented the Anthony's? Now there's someone I believe....not. Man, there is still something, that for me.....stinks about that whole case. I think they ALL know what happened. Nurse Mom and cop DAD helped cover it up.
  9. by   MN-Nurse
    My thoughts are the same as others. The story is so absurd it doesn't sound like it is being reported properly.

    I once had a patient call security screaming I was "withholding his inhaler from him." He was mad that I took too long (about a half minute) to get the inhaler from his med bin. I was standing next to him with the inhaler as he continued his 5 minute screaming rant, uninterrupted, that he had COPD, he was dying, and I was withholding his medication.

    I'm sure the person on the other end of the phone line surely would think I was an incompetent, negligent nurse if he believed the story he was being told. This particular patient had a tendency to go a little scooters when he was on steroids; by lunch he was profusely apologizing.

    In any case, anyone with an acute asthma attack is going to get their inhaler if I have anything to do with it, regardless of signatures.
  10. by   mc3
    As everyone as stated, if any child was having symptoms of asthma attack, I would be the first to call 911. Just today, I had a student come up and tell me he couldn't breathe. Was talking fine, 0 s/sx respiratory distress, lungs clear, HR normal. No history of allergies or asthma. Not allowed to keep an oximeter at school. Should I have called 911 for him? No, I called Mom and was told (and I quote) "yes, he's just a little actor, isn't he? Send him back". After this story, I will call 911 the next time something like this happens. Then Mom can pay the ambulance bill and it won't be so funny.

  11. by   psu_213
    At first I though this was serious reporting, they I realized it was an op-ed piece (and not a very good one at that). For example, the writer used her father as her 'expert witness'--and I'm guessing he would say whatever this opinion "writer" wanted him to say.

    Just go over to the "She got fired..." threat and you can see that following policy actually is more important than 'save a life at all cost.' If the nurse truly did nothing other than lock the door when the student was having major difficulties breathing, yes, she did not do her duty, but it is not as simple as just giving the kid the inhaler....
  12. by   MinnieMomRN
    I agree that there is more to this than meets the eye. For example the kid's inhaler was found during a backpack search. Odd that a backpack search was done at the same time that a severe asthmatic attack occurred. And if the backpack was searched in desperation to get that inahaler, odd that once it was found it was confiscated... I mean with the kid's lips and nails blue and all that...

    My BS sensor is bleeping like crazy right now....
  13. by   Mrs H.
    I went to the district web site. There are only 5 RNs for 61,000 students. That is about 1:12,222 students. The clinics are staffed with LPNs and health assistants. The med policy online says med administration is up to the principal or designee. It further states that the School Nurse is responsible for checking the authorizations every 3 months. Thati is the only reference to a nurse by title in the entire online procedure. Each RN supervises 13-14schools. Hopefully this districts as learned something from all of this and rethinks how they look out for kids. If we were working in that professional hell I am not sure we could say how the outcome would end up. I think these delegation issue always scare me to death.
    Have a wonderful weekend off...for most of us the light is in the middle of the tunnel lol
  14. by   sharpeimom
    as i've already commented in another thread on this subject, my thoughts as the daughter of a mom who occasionally had life-threatening asthma attacks are quite different that those of my usual rational rn self.

    my reaction as a daughter would be something like, "what the <bleep> was she thinking?" string her up by her

    my rn reaction is that it's yet another overblown, one-sided, exaggerated yahoo "news" story. that the writer's only reference was her father didn't help things one bit. teenagers can fly off the handle quickly and with great passion and can also be drama queens (kings?) when the occasion calls for it. did he panic then calm down? have a
    test he wasn't prepared for?

    i'm inclined to believe the lpn used her critical thinking skills and applied logic as she been trained to do. i find it absolutely impossible to believe that she locked the door and he lay there flailing about on the floor. hmm... sound anything like an over-sized tantrum??!!


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Friday, April 13, 2012

Lucky Friday 13th!

Check out my newest Tumblr site dedicated to Ralph: FUCK YEAH RALPH BAKSHI!

"Jeaux I have looked at your illustrations and with out any pandering on my part think its GREAT ORIGINAL PUREST CARTOON DRAWING IVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME IT HARKS BACK TO THE 30s AND FORWARD TO THE FUTURE----its not watered down UPA you’re a real talent and if I can be of any help let me know ralph"

This is the luckiest Friday the 13th I've ever had!

This morning I received a GREAT THE GREATEST email from my cartoon hero, the one and only Ralph Bakshi! Who uses CAPS LOCK LIKE A BOSS!

Wow! It completely made my day and had me grinning ear to ear like a damn goon all day long. I'm going thru a pretty big bad rough patch right now in life, so this note of encouragement from Ralph came at just the right time.

Like a beacon of animated hope.

Thanks Ralph! I sincerely appreciate this more than you'll ever know...

I think I'm gonna get the email hand-stitched and framed!
-Jeaux Janovsky

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Compooter Animation by Avi Tuchman based on art by JEAUX Janovsky!