New Year's Resolutions

It's getting to be that time again, when people are coming together for the holidays, eating and drinking to excess, and making up goals to better themselves in the coming year.  There are several ever popular resolutions to make, i.e. lose weight, exercise more, read more, spend less time on the internet, etc.  We are all guilty of them.  I don't know about you, but I have never met a single person who stayed committed to their New Year's resolution past January.  This year will be different.

For the first time that I can remember (maybe in history?) I have a real, no kidding around resolution.  This year, my Gamma (only THE best grandmother in the world) unearthed my Papa's book of recipes.  My aunt has the original, and my mom has a copy.  I made the decision to take it to FedEx Office and have it bound, so that I can give out copies as Christmas gifts.

While researching binding options and pricing, I came across a company that would allow me to actually create a professionally made cookbook.  Through them, I could turn my Papa's recipe book into my own adapted cookbook, complete with pictures of him, and glamor shots of the food.  So, my New Year's resolution is to adapt and cook every recipe (and hopefully persuade my photographer friends to photograph some of them, by enticing them with free meals) and turn it into a beautiful, finished product.  And, as you might have guessed, I'll be blogging about my adventures, a la Julie & Julia, a movie that re-awakened my passion for cooking like never before. 

Papa's nickname for me.  It means "life." Forever emblazoned across my back.  :)

Apparently, Cats Become Stranger With Age...

I have to start this by saying how truly, deeply I love my cat.  I got her and her sister (who passed about two years ago) when I was 8 years old.  When I left for college, my parents decided that the cats now belonged to them, but make no mistake, they're MINE.  Now that I've been at home for a while, my baby has returned to me.  She even sleeps in my closet, reminiscent of Abigail Breslin's line in Raising Helen; "closet smells like Mommy."

This was a bag of tortilla chips.

I should also preface this by explaining to you that her sister was strange from the get go. For example, she ate with her hands, and didn't run with her knees.  And, for a cat, she was obscenely clumsy.  She could jump on a table and slide off the other end.  She would get her claws stuck in the couch while trying to run away.  You could tip her like a cow, and she'd just fall over.  And she ate bread.  To her credit though, she did figure out how to open my bedroom door, which isn't even a lever-style knob.

Strange cat #1: Baguette

Her best impression of an ostrich.

  
Now, at age 16, my other cat has started to exhibit strange behaviors as well.  Maybe she's channeling her sister.  For example:

• She talks more often.  And by more often, I mean pretty much all the time.  Especially when she is displeased.
• I once dropped a small Cheeto right by her foot.  She ate it.
• When she wants to be pet, she comes over, and reaches her paw out and lightly touches you, as if to say "Hey. I'm here now.  Feel free to begin my massage."
• She has tried to climb up my legs (resulting in a very painful puncture wound on my hip) while I'm brushing my teeth.
• She sits on my lap when I'm doing my make-up in the morning (which would be really sweet if it wasn't an attempt to pull me away from whatever I'm doing and focus on her, because she is obviously the most important part of my life).

She even killed a rat (and kindly left it on the floor of our entry way).  She also periodically has what my mother likes to call "a nutty," which basically means she darts around the house as though she's just been given an overdose of intravenous caffeine.

But I can't help it.  I love her adorable little self to pieces.  Even if she is a crazy old lady.

Strange cat #2: Bandit

One of her most favorite sleeping positions.

She's my lil' princess!

Feeling all theatre-y...

Maybe its the weather, maybe its the fact that I am at the final countdown before the holidays... maybe it's the fact that "Singin' in the Rain" (The ULTIMATE movie musical) was on TV last week.  But I'm just in a theatre-y kind of place at the moment.

Now that I have basically finalized my New Year's Eve plans (I will be down in San Diego at the opening of "The Maiden's Prayer" put on by my favorite men over at Triad Productions) I am feeling a little nostalgic.  Remembering my days at SDSU, taking acting classes, and working on shows, and sitting at the ever entertaining benches (where if you stand there long enough you will likely see someone break out in song, a fight scene, or a dance number) makes me wonder why, with so much talent in the world, does no one put on an honest to god movie musical anymore.  They keep trying ("Chicago," "RENT," "Burlesque") but nothing compares to the real deal.


As I've said before, I was brought up in the world of theatre, and I am what they used to call a "triple threat."  I can act, I can dance, and I can sing, because those were almost requirements back when movie musicals ruled the silver screen.  Not so much anymore.  To prove to you that musical theatre, however campy it may be, should be revived, I have supplied you with links!  You will all be converts after watching these, I just know it.

*credit*

A few weeks back, on an episode of (what else?) Glee called "The Substitute," a number of teachers come down with a form of bird flu (all thanks to Sue) and so Mr. Schue's substitute Holly Holliday (played by the magnificent Gwyneth Paltrow) takes over the New Directions.  While she's at McKinley, hipping up the Glee club, Mr. Schue is at home, dreaming himself into his favorite feel better movie "Singin' in the Rain." 

*credit*

Watching him dance around with Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.) was a real treat, and I commend them for sticking as close to the original choreography as possible.  However, as you are about to see, Donald O'Connor is a tough act to follow.  Enjoy!
 

Also, I think tap dancing is a lost art.  It's incredibly difficult (especially to make it look effortless) and when done right, the end result is nothing short of magical!  I give you, Moses Supposes, which can also be seen in "Singin' in the Rain!"

I'm Classy Like That...

So, if you read my last post, you know I'm losing my job.  Sad story, the industry is political, blah, blah, blah.

My bosses have asked me to make a few little notes here and there to pave the way for the new guy.  There's just something about that that rubs me the wrong way.  When I came into this job, they told me what to do, they helped out here and there, but mostly, I had to figure things out for myself.  Thank goodness their last PA had things like their grocery list saved on his computer, and was able to email them to me.  That was a big help.

Keep in mind, I work in an industry where, as my mother would say, "everyone thinks they're curing cancer."  Basically, that means that my job is to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch.  Perfection is expected of me, but as the new guy AND the lowest guy on the totem pole, perfection is impossible.  It's difficult, at times, to cope with the fact that I am not really allowed to screw up, but it is next to impossible NOT to screw up.  Shit happens.  Like parking tickets.  And cops who have nothing better to do than to write a speeding ticket for the last in a line of cars who are also speeding.  Last time I checked, that's called "keeping the flow of traffic."  But I digress...

Back to my original issue.  How come this guy has it easier than I did?  I'm willing to bet that since he's worked with them before, AND he has a penis, he will not catch nearly as much shit as I did when I started.  I mean, these guys were downright rude.  And I played cheerleader, and kept a smile on my face.  'Cause I'm classy like that.

So I wrote down instructions for different tasks.  How to order office supplies online, everything he needs to know about coffee, how to transfer calls on the multi-line phone (it took us about a week to figure it out), how to handle the petty cash envelopes, etc.  It almost felt like I was back in school, and writing my final essay on all of the testable material.  I'm even letting them keep the expandable file I bought to keep the petty cash organized (and separate from my own money).  'Cause I'm classy like that.

I also keep other paperwork organized in a larger expandable file. That I bought.  And it's pretty.  I'm taking that with me.  He can figure out his own filing system.  His boy brain probably works differently than my girl brain, anyway.

Needless to say, I'm feeling bittersweet about this situation (leaning toward the bitter side, if you couldn't tell).  On the up side, I won't have to work for these guys and deal with their ridiculous eccentricities anymore.  Down side, no job, two tickets, and more time spent cooped up at my parents' house.  I can definitely kiss any possibility of attending the premiere goodbye.  I probably won't even get an assistant credit, or special thanks on the film.

I do appreciate the opportunity I had, the learning experience, and of course, the fact that my voice will be part of the ambient sound in the film.  It was an extraordinary first entertainment gig, and in no way do I take it for granted.  'Cause I'm classy like that.

The Ugly Side of Nepotism...

I work in the entertainment industry.  I grew up eating, sleeping, and breathing theatre, film, and television.  Whether I was at a Christmas party with several industry names in attendance, helping backstage at benefit performances, or actually on the stage, this is what I was meant to do with my life.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with how the entertainment industry operates, I'll tell you that almost no one got here on merit alone.  Basically everyone in entertainment knew someone, who knew a guy, who knew this other guy, who worked for someone important.  They went through the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon and got their first job in the mail room (or whatever other bottom rung job was available), and worked their asses off to get where they are now.  Or they had a dad or an uncle that handed them their first job on a silver platter.

I personally tried to do it myself, pushing my resume on all kinds of job databases, before I took the Six Degrees route.  Luckily, my first bottom rung job has been to be a Production Assistant for a bunch of editors on a major motion picture.  I'm a girl in a boys club, and I have managed (a few panic attacks later) to hold my own pretty well.  Last week was particularly difficult, starting with a panic attack over thinking I lost my badge and my parking pass (which turned up under the driver's seat of my car), and ending with a $343.00 parking ticket so that the men I work for could have coffee they no longer wanted. That's how it goes.  They say "jump," I say "how high?"

Come Monday, I had basically recovered from my meltdowns, and was having your average day, when at the end of the evening, they dropped the bomb on me.  As of two weeks from now, the show is going on hiatus for the holidays.  It is at this point, that I will no longer be of service.  I have been replaced by someone working for one of Big D's other sons.  He can no longer keep this guy (who is a guy) so he pawned him off to Daddy.  Since this guy has worked for them before, and actually wants to be in editorial, it only made sense.  Of course, that leaves me, once again, jobless.  Merry Christmas.

That being said, I do understand the situation.  They apologized for having to do this to me, and softened the blow in every way they could.  And as strange as it may sound, I have grown a little attached to these guys, and I will miss their little eccentricities.  So I sat there, head held high, with a smile on my face to show that there were no hard feelings.  That's showbiz.  Them's the breaks, kid.

In-Office Bowling...

Hello Wonderers!!

Instead of moaning and groaning about the really unfortunate chain of events that ended my work day last night, I thought I would tell you about this new awesomely strange game I get to play at work.

The lights in our office are on an automatic motion sensor.  After a while, when there's no movement out in the front of the suite (and most of the time, there isn't) the lights go out.  My boss, "Big D" (gotta love this industry) really hates it when it's dark, so whenever the lights go out, I have to make movement happen for the little motion sensors so the lights go back on.  Instead of playing stand up/sit down all day, we have figured out a much more effective (and WAY more fun) method of turning the lights on.

We went through many ideas (stand-up/sit-down, paper airplanes, etc.) before coming up with the perfect solution.  In-Office Bowling.

Among our office decorations, we have a big work out ball.

The size was very important, because if it were smaller, it might not be detected by the motion sensor.  Basically, there are no pins or points or rules.  It's not really much of a game.  But it does mean that every so often, I get up from my little desk, and granny-roll the ball down to the other side of the suite.  I apologize for the darkness, and the size....

 

So there you have it.  In-Office Bowling.  Ta and da.

Why I Hate the West Side...

*Long overdue post number two*

    Nothing like a good ol' fashioned rant to fix a case of The Mondays.  So I decided to give you a list of reasons why this Valley Girl can't stand the West Side.

• The Drivers.  Nobody knows how to drive over here.  Kinda like no one in SoCal knows how to drive in the rain.  To call these people "retarded" would be an insult to the mentally challenged.

• Traffic.  Over in the Valley there is only traffic during certain times of the day, and it's mostly limited to certain areas.  Over the hill, there is traffic EVERYWHERE, all day long.

• The streets.  Much like downtown San Diego, there is a multitude of ONE WAY streets.  So getting lost happens, fairly easily.  In addition to that, there are WAY too many center dividers, which make it so that one must first get MORE lost, before becoming UN-lost.  And if that weren't bad enough, there is currently a lot of road work being done, producing road closures a-plenty.  Fun.

• Everything is more expensive.  Gas, food, parking, you name it.  It's pricier over here. And while I'm making more money than I ever have in my life (which isn't saying much), I'm poor.

• The people.  This applies to drivers as well.  Self-Important S.O.B.s.  All of 'em.  Snotty little bitches...

• The time it takes to get from my parents' house in the Valley, to work.  To be here at 8:30am, I have to leave my house AT LEAST an hour early.  Even today, I left at 7:30 and still didn't make it to the office until 8:55.  And as you might have guessed by now, I am NOT a morning person.

      On the up side, you WILL be able to hear my lovely voice in the movie I'm working on.  It's called The Change Up, and it stars Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman.  The editors I work for recorded my voice as the receptionist for some ambient sounds in a law firm.  I suppose that kinda makes up for how impossible they are.

    I should really end on a happy note.  So, without further ado:

*credit*

Santa goes to San Diego on Vacay...

Okay, okay.  I've been meaning to write these posts for a couple of weeks now.  So here is overdue post number one:

     A couple of weeks ago I drove down to my lovely San Diego after work for one of my friends' birthday parties.  After the long day I'd had preparing to switch offices with the guys I work for, I was hardly ready for a long drive south.  However, it was his Big 3-0 celebration, so I kinda couldn't miss it.  I went with three other girlfriends of mine, including Old Roommate Lisa, Ashley, and Brittany.  It was at a club in La Jolla, a downtown feel with better parking and fewer people.  Right up my friend's alley.  Here we are (Brittany was nice enough to capture this picture with Ashley's camera, even though she is not in it herself) all dolled up.

This makes me look overdressed, I swear I wasn't.

     The next day, Lisa and I decided to do brunch at El Torito.  We had originally decided to eat from their brunch buffet, but ended up ordering our usual.  At least we got some free champagne out of the deal.  Haha.

     The real treat for us, was that out of the corner of my eye, a mere few tables away, was none other than Santa Claus.  Or at least a man who looked an awful lot like him.  He was not in his traditional red suit, but a polo shirt with vintage cars on it, and khaki shorts.  I suppose he puts the suit away when he's on vacation.  We did hear him speak to another patron of the restaurant, saying something to the effect of "Santa loves you!"  Remember, we were a few drinks in by the time we noticed Santa, so our meal was full of entertainment, and laughter.  So I do, firmly believe that Santa is another name to check off on the list of celebrities I've met.  Lisa seems to think he was double checking his "Naughty/Nice" list.  She says I'm on the Naughty List.  That's okay.  She is, too.

Getting my Mid-November Laugh On!

     Hey guys!  It's been forever, and I apologize.  I have been super busy these past couple weeks, PA-ing my little ass off!!  I am, however, back to tell you guys (all three and a half of you) more stories of my adventures in Wonderland.  So, without further ado...

     I spent this past weekend with my Cousin Face (someone, I imagine you will hear a lot about) Tamra.  She had a rough week, so I baked her some cookies and went out to Guada-La Habra on Saturday to spend time with her.  She lives with her brother and his family, so it was nice to get to play with the kids and hang out with her brother and his wife, since I don't see them as often as I might like to.  Later that day, I brought Cousin Face back down to the valley so we could go see a very good friend of mine play a comedy show at The Spotlight Comedy Club in Studio City.

     A few quick words about Cousin Face:  we are two years apart in age, and have always been very close.  Many have called us two halves of the same old soul.  Or they have made reference to those old cartoons where the good and bad sides of one's conscience are manifested as an angel and a devil sitting on each shoulder.  I'll let you figure out who is who.  I have a firm belief that God made us cousins because the universe couldn't handle us as sisters.

     We arrived in the valley in time for primping before a night out, the results of which can be seen here:

Yeah, we're pretty hot.

 

 

 

     To keep this short and sweet, I'll tell you that the comedy show was awesome.  There were definitely a few comedians that could stand to work on their material and delivery, but that is to be expected, and bias aside, my friend Ryan Shores, and Mike Wentz (both local San Diego comedians) were the best part of the show.  The host did a pretty good job, too.

     I'll spare you the stories of our post-show adventures, but I will leave you with this:

     Both Ryan Shores and Mike Wentz are fantastic comedians, and if you are blessed with their presence in your town, you should definitely check out their show.  That being said, they can also be found on YouTube, so you should check them out there too.  Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed!

What's Up Bad Karma? What are you doing here?

     Y’know that song “I’ve Seen Better Days” by Sublime?  That’s today’s theme song.  Apparently, I did something awful and had to make up for it today.  In any case, I never knew so many things could go wrong in such quick succession.  Looking back on it, it's really quite comical.  So for your enjoyment, I have provided a play-by-play of today's adventures in Wonderland:

• Drove onto the backlot for work this morning and found someone in my assigned parking space.  Parked in visitor parking.

• Came into the office and set up my computer.  Only to receive the blue screen of death.  Twice.

•  Went on a wild goose chase in search of unavailable lamps.  Yes, lamps.  Eight lamps.

• Asked a store employee if he knew of nearest bank was for check cashing purposes.  Was given directions to a two-mile circle back to an ATM in same shopping center.

• Used POI function on GPS to find closest bank.  Was given directions to same ATM in shopping center.  Did not follow them.

• Used memory to find closest bank and parked.  Threw GPS unit at backseat.  Scared woman in next car over, resulting in a stink eye in my direction.  Was charged a whopping FIVE DOLLAR FEE due to lack of account with said bank.  Eff them.

• Realized that not one, but BOTH pinky nails had broken below the quick.  Also noticed other nails waiting to break.  Now investigating estimates for acrylic nails for Halloween. 

• Sat down to eat lunch, impossibly hot and sweaty.  Remembered finding a hair clip in my purse last night!  Rifled through purse, only to realize hair clip had been removed upon said discovery.

• Also discovered that brand-new Pend-a-flex zip pouch zipper was broken, and change spilled out into purse.  Now have to remember to zip extra hard when zipping pouch.  Likelihood of remembering?  About 50/50.

• When trying to tell parental units about terrible day, was dismissed for televised baseball.  Because obviously that’s more important.

•  Parents think I need an attitude adjustment.  Likely an accurate assessment.  Hate when that happens.

Upsides of today?

• No run over the hill, so no rush hour traffic.

• Bosses seem more impressed with me in both the areas of organization, and sarcasm.  So they're being a little nicer.

• Noticed that the two office storage closets are labeled "TWEEDLEDEE" and "TWEEDLEDUM."  Meant to be?

• Got to watch dailies of footage with “Big D.”  This movie is gonna be hilarious, so I’m gonna make you all see it.  However many of you there are.

Here’s hoping tomorrow will bring a better theme song.  Cheers!

I Wanna Be Dirty, Too...

     Okay.  It's official.  Tonight was the night of the Rocky Horror Glee Show.  Instead of my traditional lengthy post, I will sum up my feelings in just a few sentences.

     Since the start of this show I have felt a specific connection to the character of Emma Pillsbury.  She is the character with which I can relate the most.  And after her performance in tonight's episode, I only love her that much more.  See below:

EndlessYouTube - Glee - Toucha Toucha Toucha Touch Me [FULL SCENE HQ] 2x05
 (Sorry it's small.  If you click full screen it's a better visual.)

Other notable highlights to Gleek out about include (but are not limited to):

• Kurt playing Frankenfurter.  Period.
• Sam, Finn, and Mr. Schue displaying they're ab-tastic bodies.  Yum-my.
• John Stamos being hunky Dr. Carl rockin' out to Eddie's "Whatever Happened to Saturday Night."  I am just WAITING for the moment he decides to drop a "have mercy" in his dialogue... for the remaining Uncle Jesse Devotees bringing in extra ratings.
• Scenes from next week:  PUCK COMES BACK!!! YAY!

Until next time, friends...

The Most Unbelievably Ridiculous Day of My Life...

     ...that is of course second only to the day I met Lance Bass.  Hang on kids, you're in for a long one...

     Let me preface this by telling you that on Friday, while I was on my way off to San Diego for the weekend for my friend Brittany's birthday and a show, I was told about a potential job in LA.  I believe I have made it somewhat clear that LA is not where I want to be right now, but I made the phone call anyway.  I spent an absolutely FABULOUS weekend in San Diego (By the way, if you're reading this and you're in San Diego, there is a second performance next Monday.  You can find out more about it here.  Actually, check them out anyway, 'cause they're friends of mine and they're really awesome dudes.)  ANYWAY!  On the day I drove back home, I got a phone call from the guy about the LA job, and THAT is where this ridiculousness began.

     I was asked if I could meet with him for coffee at 8:30 this morning.  That's a little early for me.  Especially since I've been sleeping in everyday (among the very few perks of unemployment).  But, I got up, got ready, and after getting lost among the million locations, arrived at the designated Starbucks.  After a very comfortable, casual interview, he asked if I could start immediately, as a Post-Production Assistant on a movie (which has some of my favorite actors in it, by the way, but my lips are sealed as to who).  I drove over to the studio (and had a few issues at the security gate), made my way to their office, and filled out a stack of paperwork.  Then I found out that I get a BADGE (with my picture on it and everything!  I feel so official) with all kinds of access, AND my own parking spot.  Getting to the spot on foot, you should know, requires crossing a very steep hill horizontally.  It's more difficult than it may sound.  And probably amusing to watch a girl in heels attempt it.

     More cool stuff?  I have my own desk, and a key!  I am also, the only girl in a group of guys.  They asked if I had any problems with language, and since I have a mouth like a sailor and I speak fluent sarcasm, I explained that there would not be an issue.

     Among my duties is ordering and picking up lunch for everybody.  Here's where things get really crazy.  On my way to the little cafe, I was singing along to some of my favorite "Glee" tracks, because my I believe that my iPod houses a very insightful magic elf that chooses songs timed perfectly in accordance with the events of my life.  And when I walked into the cafe, who should be seated at a table by the door but MATTHEW FUCKING MORRISON!!!  Oh my god.  This experience far trumps any Gleekout I've ever had.  I was professional, and didn't approach him, but rather reveled in his presence and allowed him to enjoy his lunch, free of interruption.  Of the few words I heard him say, he sounded very polite.  Yay!

    After I returned, I had a small panic attack when I discovered that my fancy new badge had seemingly evaporated!  I managed to obtain a second badge (feeling like a full fledged idiot for having lost it on my first day) and kept close tabs on it for the remainder of the day.  It wasn't until much later that I found it face down, on the ground, next to my car, not very evaporated at all.

    I did do a lot of driving today, but some of that driving was in a GOLF CART, by myself.  I have never driven a golf cart before today, and with all the hills I had to drive on I seemed to be facing impending doom.  I was quite literally chanting to myself the alternating mantras "Please make it up the hill" and "I'm gonna die" going uphill and down hill, respectively.

    Among other cool things about the place I work are the movie posters decorating the hallways, and the sign on the mirror in the women's restroom that reads "YOU ARE NEITHER AS SHORT OR AS WIDE AS YOU APPEAR IN THIS EVIL MIRROR."

     So while I am excited about this super nifty opportunity (and the residual high from seeing Matthew Morrison in person, just a few feet from me) I am feeling a little bit like this kid, when it comes to my efforts to go back to San Diego:

     And last but not least -- if you've managed to stick it out this long -- I have provided a treat.  When searching Google images for the image you see above, typing in "kid on a leash" also resulted in this gem:

     ...and as ugly as that little guy is, it's hard not to find him irresistible.

GLEEK OUT!

     Okay, in case you haven't figured it out by now, I am a complete and total Gleek.  Never in my life have I watched a show that made me emote out loud the way Glee does.  And that includes Friends.  I was first introduced to the show last summer by my friend Rachel who showed me the pilot via Hulu.  She was shocked I hadn't seen it, and after she showed me that very first episode, I was hooked.  If you haven't joined the Glee bandwagon, I HIGHLY recommend giving the show a try.

     As season one rolled on, the more hooked I became.  I found (and continue to find) so many moments in the show, from song choices, to day dreams that hold significance in my own life.  This show makes me (forgive the cliché) laugh, cry, scream, jump around... it's pretty ridiculous.  Well, I suppose, I'm pretty ridiculous, but that's not really the point here.  The point is simply to explain to you, my deep, unabashed love for the show.

     That being said, season two has taken a while to warm up to the Glee I have come to love.  The first few episodes were alright, they had their moments.  Mostly, however, I've been disappointed.  And being disappointed in anything you love that much is a hard feeling to come to grips with.  Rachel's diva routine grew tiresome about as quickly as a fat man with a jump rope, and the Britney/Brittany episode was basically just a compilation of music videos without any real storyline.  And Glee is nothing without a storyline so full of heart that the viewer cannot help but relate.  And then, I saw last night's episode, and my faith was restored!

     Watching Kurt make eyes at newcomer, Sam, just about made my whole night.  The song selection was fantastic, the performances were spot-on, and yes, I had a complete and total "Gleek Out."  AND, as if the episode weren't good enough on its own, the previews for the upcoming Rocky Horror Glee Show sent me into a squealing fit so long, that my mother actually asked me to leave the room.  I would go so far as to call it a full on Glee-gasm.

     Why a Rocky Horror Glee-gasm?  I'll tell you!  They have already conquered songs from the musical "A Chorus Line," a show, and more importantly, soundtrack very near and dear to my heart since I was 12 years old and my class did a number in our annual Variety Show to "One," which if you don't know, is the finale of the show.  Now that they are attempting Rocky Horror, I am even more excited.  This is because, the year before my class did "One," a group of us did "Time Warp," and I even had my own tap solo, wearing a costume that made me look vaguely like a ladybug with an afro.  No, I don't have pictures, and even if I did, I wouldn't show you.  So there.

     So to make a long story short (too late!), here's to Glee, for a successful episode, and hopefully, many more to come!

The Benefits of a Head Cold

    Yeah, I know, hard to imagine that there are any benefits of (to quote Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada) feeling "like Death warmed up" besides maybe the ability to play hooky from work or school.  However, since I don't really have any obligations at the moment, I'm just stuck in a bed, trying to find ways to feel better.  So I've made a short list of the little comforts that make being sick easier.

• I never imagined I would say this, but at least I'm at my parents' house, where my mom is just about the best nurse around.  When I was little, she used to give me a bell so that if I needed anything, I wouldn't have to yell.  And, when she brings me food, she takes the time to make it pretty.  Like this:

• My cat seems to know when I'm unwell, because she has rarely left my side.  Granted, she knows she gets some love out of the deal, but she comes and sits next to me while I do mostly nothing.  It's a nice comfort.

•  I have plenty of time to catch up on the TV shows I've missed, and movies I wanted to see.  Thank goodness for DVR.
• I don't feel at all ashamed of enjoying Disney movies like The Princess and the Frog.  I had heard that it was a good movie, but I didn't realize just how much I would love it until I watched it last night.  Sorta brings back memories of the days I had the chicken pox and took oatmeal baths while the soundtrack of The Little Mermaid was playing.
• And, last but not least, more time to blog about absolutely nothing particularly important for the enjoyment of complete strangers!  Hooray!

What would YOU like for breakfast, Johnny?

MUFFINS!!!

     It's okay if you have no idea what I'm talking about.  I hope you do, but if you don't, here ya go.  Enjoy.

     So, the other day, I was feeling very "chef-y" and as luck would have it, we had a few bananas that were going bad on hand.  And one of the best things to do with bananas that are on their way past ripe is make banana muffins.  I cannot give you the recipe, because it was created by a very close, family friend.  I can however tell you that when made in mini muffin form (it makes enough to create your own mini muffin army) they are so delightfully pop-able, that it really is -- wait for it -- hard to stop.  Here are a couple of images of my banana mini muffin battalion:

     The nice thing about this particular recipe, is that it works well in most forms.  You could bake regular sized muffins, or a loaf, and the taste would be just as awesome.  There are nuts in the original recipe, but for the sake of  time and laziness, I left them out.  Also I'm not so much a fan of nuts in my baked goods.

     In other news, I forgot that babies are little germ farms, so as a result of my day of volunteering at Lisa's preschool, I have a little head cold.  Started in my throat, now it's in my sinuses, and I am struggling to understand how one person can create so much nasty crap.  I have already gone through one box of Kleenex, and I'm making a dent in a second one.  If only weight loss was as easy as blowing one's nose.  C'est la vie!

Everybody Should Run Away from Home Once in a While...

     When you live at home after living away, there is almost certainly going to be some drama that goes down.  This week happened to be a particularly difficult one, resulting in a phone call to my old roommate, Lisa, and asking if I could come crash with her for the weekend as a means of escape.  Plus, she has a new condo that I needed to see.

     I will preface the rest of this blog by telling you that our efforts at photographing ourselves during our adventures were pretty sad, so I'll just post this picture of us instead:

This was my last night in San Diego before I moved... we were dancing to Piano Man.

     Anyway, upon my arrival to San Diego, I was given a tour of her condo (which is huge, and beautiful, in case you were wondering) and then we prepped ourselves for Oktoberfest in La Mesa.  We even took the trolley, just so neither of us had to drive.  We went once before, a couple years ago, and sadly, it's not quite the celebration we were hoping for.  If I were to describe it in the most simple terms, I would say it is basically a street fair with beer and sausage.  We did pop into a beer garden and have a couple, and we did have a sausage because it was the most Oktoberfest-y thing we could do.

     After that, we trolley-ed back to go to my favorite local pub (which, as it happens, is where the picture above was taken) for some beer pong.  I should tell you, that we walked from the closest trolley stop, which was more of a walk than either of us expected.  I showed up looking like I just got out of the shower, and that is why we have no pictures from this particular event.  After that, we hung out at my friend's house and waited for a ride back to Lisa's place.

     The next day was fairly uneventful.  We went to a bar in Pacific Beach to get our favorite sandwiches, and spent a lot of time watching movies and TV Shows.  I spent the night, with every intention of leaving in the morning.  I figured I would go meet Lisa for lunch, deliver her keys and parking pass, have a conversation about life, and be on my way back home.  This is not what happened.  Well, the going home part didn't happen.

     After our life conversation while the babies were napping, Lisa asked me to stay with her for the rest of the day, so I spent the last half of Monday volunteering at the preschool she works at.  That sounds like I did a lot more work than I did.  Mostly, I just played with the babies.  Good times.

     Now, I have returned home, to my parents' house.  Still feeling like maybe I should have stayed one more day, but I ran out of money.  Oh well, I'll be back soon enough.

Warm, Fuzzy, Nostalgia...

     Oh my goodness, a blog in the afternoon?  This can't be!  IT IS!

     This is what happens on a relaxing day with my mom.  We're watching television and I have my computer out, and my screen saver is a slideshow of my pictures.  Sometimes, a picture will come up and it will remind me of how I felt when it was taken.

     Today brought a particularly hilarious breed of Warm-Fuzzies, when I caught a glipse of this on my screen...

   This wonderfully delightful image was captured by my good friend Ashley.  On this day, we drove from San Diego to Los Angeles to wait in line at Lance Bass's book signing at Borders at The Grove.  You have to understand that from the first time I was introduced to *NSYNC's music, until approximately this moment, Lance Bass was my biggest celebrity crush.  Go ahead, its okay to laugh. 

     Anyway, the thing I love most about this picture is how it absolutely captures the essence of the moment.  It is written all over my face.  There he was, Lance Bass, in person, right in front of me.  I had dreamed of this moment a million times, and it was really happening.  In my imaginations of this moment, I am sorry to report, severely overestimated my actual abilities to be charming and clever upon meeting someone I idolized as much as I did Lance.

     He spoke first (a direct comment about the t-shirt I was wearing), and that was it.  I was absolutely unglued.  I had been hyperventilating for some time already (yes, really), so I kissed my hopes of appearing charming and normal goodbye.  The sentence I had prepared in my head had suddenly erased itself from my memory, and any chance of a clever substitute was long gone. 

     My brain was screaming at me.  "WORDS!! SAY WORDS!! SPEAK YOU IDIOT, SPEAK!!"  The pressure was building since my allotted time with Lance would soon end to make room for the next person in line -- which in this case, happened to be Ashley.  Wasn't it nice of her to let me go first?  Without any other solution, in the interest of time, my brain went on autopilot and concocted a phrase that would most precisely get my point across.  "I love you.  Can I have a hug?"

     I'm not exaggerating.  I really said that. Out loud.  Of course, my brain immediately scolded me for it.  "WHAT??? You have spent almost a decade dreaming of this exact moment, and THAT is how you're gonna leave an impression?!"  In point of fact, he did give me the hug I asked for and my book now bears his autograph and a wristband bookmark. 

     So I dedicate this post to you, Ashley.  Thank you so much for capturing such a fantastic memory to be treasured (and laughed at) for the rest of my life.

Adventures in Baking Land!!

     As I mentioned before, I love to cook.  Love, Love, LOVE to cook.  The kitchen is my playground, and cooking relaxes me (a great comfort for the anxiety that comes from moving back in with my parents after 6 years away)...*ahem.*  Anyway, I expect there will be many more cooking and or food related posts, so maybe I'll make it a weekly thing.  We'll see how things go...

     A few years ago, I made a cake for my dad, with a pineapple image piped on top -- an inside joke that goes way back into my childhood. I had never attempted piping icing before, but I watch a lot of the Food Network.  It came out a lot better than I expected it to, and so, a tradition was born.  When someone got cake, my job was to decorate it.  I'm still in very basic stages, but I do sometimes manage to impress even myself.  And I'm a tough judge.

The cake that started it all...

A cake I made for my Gamma's 90'th birthday...

I tried my hand at vertical piping...

     So, tonight was my Aunt's birthday party, and my job was (of course) to decorate the cake.  It took a while before we my mom and I came up with a good, personal theme or element to design the cake around.  She lives in Vegas and likes to gamble, and lately she's favoring electronic poker.  So we decided on a poker themed cake.  We found a great deck of cards, a special edition World Series of Poker set, and created a Royal Flush to sit on top of the cake (and made sure the glue holding the cards together was non-toxic).  The sides would have stacked poker chips, and the candle "holders" would be card suits.  The drawing was a good start, and I was confident that I could take it on.  Due to unforeseen circumstances (an uncomfortably hot kitchen, and not enough time) certain elements of the cake did not come out quite like I'd hoped, but here are some images of tonight's adventure...

  

She tells a joke better than anyone in my family.

Her nickname for me.  Also check out the back of the cards...

Things I Learned:

• When using red in a piping design, shell out the extra few bucks for pre-colored red icing.  It's not worth the hassle to mix it yourself, a la Wilton Icing Coloring if you want a true red color.
• Let the frosting on the cake set a little (refrigerate it for a while) before attempting to pipe on to it.  You will be far less likely to blend frosting into your piping.
• Make sure the temperature of your work area is cool.  The higher the heat, the more likely your frosting is to melt, thus making it more difficult to be precise.

Helpful Tips:

• It is totally okay if you don't have a piping bag and tips, or pre-colored icing (the selection at most grocery stores is pretty limited, so I use Wilton Icing Coloring to mix my own colors).  Plastic baggies work just fine if you pack the icing into a corner and cut the tip off.  Added benefit: Any size hole you want.
• Remember, the bigger the hole, the faster the icing will come out.

     I hope you have enjoyed my adventure in the kitchen today.  Coming soon: Home-Made Ice Cream!

I wonder if there's a "Complete Idiot's Guide to Doing Your Hair..."

So here we are again, in the wee, small hours of the morning, and I'm wide awake.  Freshly finished with my nightly attempt to shrink myself back down to "Skinny Ali," I decided blogging was a great way to cool down.

Today was pretty eventful, drove down to see my cousins and hang out.  My Cousin Face (our mutual nickname for each other) was teaching me how to do my make-up and hair like a pin-up girl so that by the time Halloween rolls around, I should be able to do it myself.  For me, you should understand, this is ridiculously ambitious.

Let me preface this by first telling you that I am a self-proclaimed hair retard.  Probably because I never had anyone to show me how, I just had a lot of girlfriends who wanted to play with my hair, so I let them have fun and didn't pay much attention.  I only JUST learned how to curl my hair by myself on Saturday!  I'm 24 years old.  That's a little pathetic, no?  I was however, very proud of my accomplishment and decided to take pictures immediately before my pretty curls realized what was going on and retreated back to their familiar state of straight and boring...

I'm so proud of me!

...and then I decided to put on a little make-up, just for kicks

So as for today's lesson, Cousin Face did both my make-up and my hair for me.  She did, at least, explain what she was doing as she was doing it, so that some information might actually manage to sink in.  The lesson in make-up was a cake walk.  I am totally confident in my abilities to pull it off.  The hair however... not so much.  I watched her do it.  I paid attention.  I thought to myself, "hey, that looks way easier than I thought it would..." imagining for a moment that my new hair-curling superpowers made me some kind of overnight hair genius. "Even I can do that..."  Wrong.

After pictures were taken and I returned home, I decided to take off all my make-up, brush out my hairspray infused locks, and try to pull off at least the make-up and the pin-curl rolling on my own.  The make-up was easy, just as I thought it would be.  I moved on to attempt the pin curls, figuring that I had an advantage since my hair had been done like that for the better part of the afternoon.  Maybe, I'd get lucky and my hair would just find its way back to the position it had been in mere hours before.  Nope.  I stood for about an hour rolling and unrolling the same section of hair until I had FINALLY managed to get it in some likeness of what it had been.  It wasn't entirely horrifying, just mostly terrible.  Also kind of a waste of hairspray.

So, like I said, here we are, at 5am (a time no one should EVER see unless they have not yet gone to bed, as I have not) and I'm about ready to force myself to relax and sleep.  One of these days I'll get my sleep schedule back to normal, but for now, off to Wonderland I go...

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things..."

That's the plan, anyway. 

Of course, now that I've said that, my mind is blank.  Or maybe I'm just delirious.  I have been musing about this blog--what I would call it, what it would look like, what I would write about--for approximately the last 36 hours, and seeing as it is 3:20am at the moment, my brain is not operating at full speed.  However, this is only my first post, so I suppose that's okay.

That being said, I can at least explain to you that I am a girlie, perfectionist, left-handed nerd.  I think too much, but I love to dream.  I love theatre, and movies, and I'm convinced that there is a part of my brain that has devoted itself to retaining absurd amounts of related trivia.  I have recently discovered a passion for cooking, and all things food.  Well, okay, I always had a thing for food.

A few more quick things before I go:

• I have plans to make this blog look a lot cuter.  It bothers me that it isn't done, but it's almost 4am, so I'll deal for now.
• No, Alice in Wonderland is not my favorite book, movie, or Disney Character.  The name "Allison Wonderland," however, has managed to stick with me since I was a kid.
• I really enjoy writing.  It makes me feel smart.

So to sum up this delirious, expository, initial post, I will say this:  I am at a really weird place in my life, so I figure why not share my awkward and hilarious journey with the world.  No sense keeping it all to myself when I could be providing perfect strangers with high quality entertainment.  Did I mention I speak sarcasm?  Oh no, I've started to ramble.  I think I'll shut up now.