One of my favorite memories from my childhood is when I got to meet this awesome lady. She's basically my musical hero and always has been. I was 11 or 12 and playing Tina in Ruthless at Casa on the Square in Fort Worth and she was in town to do a show with the Dallas Orchestra. We were told that she would be coming to see the show with Marvin Hamlisch (also a cool person to meet)... but she wasn't there when the show started. We were sorta bummed. But then one of the cast members saw them sneak in a few minutes after we started... and after the show they came back stage to meet us, sign autographs and take a picture with our cast. (Which I have somewhere and really need to find so I can put it on the internets and frame it for my picture wall- not only for Bernadette and Marvin, but also because I'm wearing turquoise sequined hot pants and a matching tube top... lol.) I remember that she was teeny tiny and very sweet to me. It was a fantastic night.
One of my favorite songs, sung by my favorite voice.
Last night we saw Cabaret at the Wyly Theatre in Dallas. Oh my goodness- you need to see it, too. It's the best version of the show I've seen. Sad and beautiful and very very sexy. All of the actors were amazing... the songs were fantastic, ugh... just go see it! I was moved to the point of tears several times. It's a pretty intense show. Bill loved it, too... and we both decided we need to go to theatre more often. So thrilled to have someone who will tag along as I enjoy one of my greatest passions. Makes me a happy girl.
Our seeds are sprouting! I woke up today and decided I needed to make labels for them, so I went to Michael's and got some scrap booking paper and other supplies. I also went to Garden Ridge and got some new pots to replant a few things. (They need to be re potted, but the new pots are a lot prettier than the Plain Jane pots they came in.) Soo... here are MORE pics of our patio. Like I said before, we're really enjoying our new hobby. (Plant dorks.)
(Future home of herbs, nothing planted yet.)
I have learned that I need to look up instructions to care for my plants- because I'm pretty sure I killed my lavender by overwatering it and not putting it in direct sunlight. Boo. I'll just get another if this one doesn't perk up. Frowny face.
And... sometimes when you're loopy on cough meds... you do stuff like this...
Don't judge... mustaches are awesome. Especially teal ones.
I kinda' look like Santa with those rosy cheeks.
Still rockin' last night's makeup. HOT.
Not sure what we'll be doing tonight. Bill is at a friend's house right now for a Maverick's game (not my cup of tea, so I stayed home and made labels.) Tomorrow we'll be going to my Grandparents' to celebrate Easter with my family (mmm, deviled eggs). It's been a pretty awesome week!
Oh, also, while cleaning up this mess...
... I decided what to do with the vintage suitcase I got from Allison.
A home for my growing crafty collection, tucked under Sophie's toys-
It even has it's little keys... left corner. Cute!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
I've been digging up some stuff lately. So that I can deal with certain events and move on. Some things that have been buried inside for years and years. Some things that are new and scary. Some things seem silly to worry about and some things are so painful that I'm amazed I've survived.
Sometimes I feel so positive and think it's an easy task to just breathe, push things aside and move on.
Sometimes it feels impossible.
But I believe I can do anything if I love myself and accept love from others.
Every day I'm so very grateful for the love and support I have surrounding me. Even if they don't know exactly what's going on in my head... I have amazing friends who will listen if I need them to, make me laugh for no reason and love me unconditionally. I know I'm strong enough to make it without them... but I'm really glad that I won't ever have to.
Last night we went to Club Dada in Dallas to see a band that Bill really really likes. (I like them a lot, too... but Bill is like, their #1 fan.) He heard them on NPR and has been a fan every since... they're an indie/punk band from New Jersey who write songs about the Civil War and quote Shakespeare (I mean, check out their name). Good times.
The two bands that opened were pretty good, as well. I believe they're both local. The first band that played was super metal... and I'm not too into that, so I didn't pay much attention- but they were good at what they did. The second band was a band from DFW called Soviet and they were funny and energetic and I enjoyed them.
Soviet
Titus Andronicus put on a great show. They played the two songs that I like a lot. They had a crowd of crazy, dancing kids in the "pit" (which Bill jumped into twice). I watched them and remembered the days when I loved being right up front, getting pushed around at Baboon, Toadies and other local shows. These days I'm totally happy to watch from a distance. I drank my PBR and danced around in my spot and had a great time. And afterwards Bill got a big sweaty hug from the lead singer of T.A. ... and said he wasn't going to shower for a month (ummm, boy crush much?). I'm happy he got to go.
Titus Andronicus
I really enjoyed the song "Fear And Loathing In Mahwah, NJ". Here's the song and lyrics... if 4-letter words make you cringe, I suggest skipping the rest of this entry.
Why do you do the things you've done and how dumb would you have to be
To do them again like I know you're going to?
If you're the poet you say you are and beauty's in everything you see
Then how can love exist in a world run by people like you?
Because when there's suffering, you're there
From southern trees, you hang them in the air
The world screams out in agony and you don't care
But should the shit hit the fan, I just pray you will not be spared
Fuck you!
You took a heart with so much room for love and filled it with hatred and rage
Until there was nothing left but for it to shrivel up and die
People will tell you that if you don't love your neighbor then you don't love God
But no god of mine would put light in such unrighteous eyes
Now the way we hold each other so tight
Would look more like a noose if held up to the light
Because we betray each other in dreams every night
Now let's never speak of it again, all right?
[Spoken:]
Even now I curse the day, and yet, I think,
Few come within the compass of my curse,
Wherein I did not some notorious ill:
As kill a man, or else devise his death;
Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it;
Accuse some innocent, and forswear myself;
Set deadly enmity between two friends;
Make poor men's cattle break their necks;
Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night,
And bid the owners quench them with their tears,
Oft have I digged up dead men from their graves,
And set them upright at their dear friends' doors,
Even when their sorrows almost were forgot;
And on their skins, as on the bark of trees,
Have with my knife carved in Roman letters,
Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead.
Tut! I have done a thousand dreadful things
As willingly as one would kill a fly,
And nothing grieves me heartily indeed
But that I cannot do ten thousand more.
[Act V, Scene I, lines 129-148 of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus]
Tonight we're going to see Titus Andronicus at Dada in Dallas.
Tomorrow's my littlest brother's 20th birthday.
Friday we're going to see Cabaret.
Pictures and stories to come.
"So you better thank your lucky stars, you don't know half what I know is true. But it's alright if you think that you do. It's alright, if you think that you do."
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
I can't tell you how much I wish it would rain.
But it won't. Because this is Texas and the weather blows
(quite literally lately- it's windy as all get out).
So... instead of more whining, here are some cute living rooms
In early September, I'm going to be an Auntie again... this time to one of my BFFs, Ashlea's BABY GIRL! Everything looks perfect and I'm so happy for her and her husband, Jacob. YAY.
I am currently Auntie Em to this sweet little thing, Charlotte
(Steph & Kieron's little one)...
(Who is quickly turning into a big girl before our very eyes...)
Can't wait for Baby Girl N. to make her grand entry into the world!
Hooray for babies!
Maybe one day when we're ready we'll have a girl of our own and I can
We got the speakers for our record player last night.
Now we want a new (old) record to match the vintage speakers...
because Bill's is totally 80s.
This may not make any sense, but I want the records to sound old. And I'm hoping old speakers will do that for me... and I'm sure an older record player would make them sound even better (or worse, depending on what your preference is- better to ME). I know, I'm weird. I'm a fan of modern technology... I'd be lost without my Blackberry and my iPod, but I like the oldies, too. I also like the way they LOOK... and am excited to set them up in a new apartment where there's actually room for them, so they're not shoved into a corner (seen below).
(Again, my least favorite wall in the apartment.
I need an entertainment center like, yesterday. And the table the TV is on needs
to be painted or stained b/c I want to keep it and use it as a little desk...
I just don't dig the color. I'm ready for something that I can hide my cable box/DVD/modem, etc... right now it looks as if they're on display, and that's not my intention. Gotta love doing what you can with hand-me-downs... thanks Mom!)
Allison had a stack of old suitcases at the new house that were going to be donated and I took one. Not quite sure what I'm going to do with it yet. Paint it? Leave it be? Right now it's preventing the dog from pulling out ALL of her toys out of that basket at once. She can't reach, poor little thing.)
I'd like to think Boo is admiring the beginnings of our patio garden... but, no... he's just waiting for me to leave the room so he can climb up the screen. It happens often.
So far we've got a tomato plant, rosemary, Bowles Mauve Wallflower (to be all technical) and a hanging basket full of Dianthus. Oh, and a bird feeder that the birds haven't found yet. Waa waaa.
"Josh spent the afternoon having his annual echocardiogrm. I am praying for good results. He has to go each year and have his heart monitored, as many of the chemo drugs and the high doses of radiation can cause damage to his heart muscles. At this last appt, the oncologist handed me a flash drive with all of the medications Josh has had with all of the potential side effects to watch for in the future :(
Going to the hospital always brings back memories for me. Many bad memories, but many good memories too. Cancer is really really hard on a child and a family. There is a lot of bad, but there is also a lot of good. So many people made such a difference for Josh and our family....some people that we didn't even know. I will always hold a special place in my heart for each one of them.
My family is forever indebted to this man. He is our true hero. I will always wish there was a way for me to pay him back for saving Josh. He never hesitated for a minute to be his bone marrow donor. I pray for him and his family each day. I can never thank him enough. He did what I couldn't. I plan on writing a story for this blog about Josh's battle with cancer and his bone marrow transplant and including better pictures. For now, I say....'Thank you Christopher. You will never know what your gift means to me and my family.'"
Fun fact (well, not so fun when Josh needed a donor... devastating fact at the time): My brother Josh and my sister Katie don't match any of the family members who got tested to be a bone marrow donor. But my brother Ryan and I match each other... and our personalities are very similar, more than anyone else in our family- coincidence? ... or is it in the blood? (Not to start a whole nature/nurture debate.)
On a serious note: I am in the National Bone Marrow Registry... and can only hope that one day I'll be able to donate to someone in need, just like Christopher did for my brother. I would do it without a doubt, in a heartbeat if given the chance. You can join, too! -
