Broadway or Bust

Sunday saw the end of Smash.  And that made me sad.  (So sad that I had to watch a few episodes of Broadway or Bust)  Why?  Because I love musicals.  Seriously!  I got a thrill when seeing this:


Yes, it's the Tony awards.  I'm already planning snacks and beverages.

Then I thought about it.  We have a perfectly good community theater here.  I should audition.  Actually, I saw the audition notice for the summer production of Les Miserables the day before the audition.  If I had sheet music, I so would have.

So now I have a mission.  I need audition music.  What would be a good song, or few songs, for a mezzo soprano?

Well, his morning I saw this:


A pouty puppy.  She didn't want me to go back to work.

I didn't want to go back to work either.

I went to Busch Gardens.... again....

Saturday dawns cool and breezy, so we went to Busch Gardens.

Being Virginia residents.... and not anything more than a 15 minute drive away, we acquired season passes this year.  We made plans to tour the park with my bestie, her mom, and her 2 year old daughter.

Yes, I wanted to take the kidlet on the kiddie rides.  And I did!  I'm in the white Hello Kitty sunglasses.

We did a few kiddie rides, and went on the tea cups.  (It's called something different here... but it's the tea cups) before heading to New France for some lunch.  the secret for dining in Busch Gardens?  1.) If it's busy, have someone in the party procure a table while y'all are in line.  2.) Get a sampler plate and split it with a friend.  Since we were in the New France smokehouse, we got a Smokehouse sampler!  BBQ chicken, ribs, and brisket.  Sides are extra, but they sell a whole cupful of strawberries for dessert.  YUM!

Now, I've been to BG a few times, but never during the summer.  So I'd missed some things.  Namely: Celtic Fyre and DarKastle.  (I'd also wanted to try Escape from Pompeii too, but it's a wet ride and it was too chilly).

We got in line for Celtic Fyre, and bid goodbye to my bestie.

Now, Celtic Fyre is a stage show.  It's like Riverdance, but smaller.  My good friend Red was in it for some years. (You can see her here:  part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4)  There's Irish Dancing, and singing and tapping....  you know.. like Riverdance.

But I have to tell you.... I knew the words to the songs.  And they sang Wild Rover.  And I KNOW that song.  I didn't plan on singing along.. loudly... there was no conscious decision.  No, I just started singing along.  Thank god audience participation was encouraged, or I would have felt silly.  (It's in Part 3, above)

We then stood in like at DarKastle for like half an hour (It's my favorite kind of ride, a dark ride.  The kind Disney excels at!)

Then went home.   I was exhausted.

But we're going back next Saturday!

This week was a bad weigh in week!

Last week, I was down, this week I was up.  And I know why.

And I'm not the only one.

The puppy is up a pound.  And at only 12 pounds (now 13), that's a lot.

So, I have new things to try.

1. more move
2. smarter choices
3. portion control

We've started doing the before breakfast walkies.  And a longer walkie than before.  

I've started writing down what I'm eating before I eat it.  So I can see how many points I'm about to put on my plate.

But I know that portions are killing me.  And feeling like I'm missing out.I'm just having all sorts of drama.

Then I saw something on Facebook that inspired me.  I think it's from here.  Why can't I use something similar the next time I want to have snacks while watching the award show or movie?  (The Tony's are around the corner)  Maybe using a muffin tin?

Tomorrow we're going to Busch Gardens.  I've been looking at the online menus, so I can see where the best place would be for lunch.  It won't be easy, but I hope I can find something!

Wish me luck!

We just all need a little love

You see it again and again.  All last night and especially this morning the airwaves were flooded with pictures of the destruction in Oklahoma.  Miles of lives in ruin, people suffering the loss of life, and the loss of everything that they own.

Though, in among the loss, there are brief miracles.  This woman lost her dog, and found it, live on TV.  And I know, it's not a person, but as a pet owner I'd be devastated if our pets were lost in the storm.

(That reminds me... I need to microchip the puppy.... lest she get lost!)

My attention was drawn to Dearborn, Michigan this morning.  Dearborn has A LOT of Islamic people.  It has MANY MANY people of Arab descent there.  So, of course, it's a popular place for protesters.   So popular, in fact, that they had to cancel their yearly festival, because security was a problem.  Because the actions of the few are reflecting badly on the lives of the many.

There are some truths that need to be spoken about this.

• When you get down to it, Fundamentalist Christianity and Fundamentalist Islam are more alike than different.  
• American was not founded as a Christian Nation.
• Muslims in the US aren't looking to establish Shi'ra law.  So stop trying to establish Christian Law.. or Jewish law...
• The percentage of extremist Christians and extremist Muslims are small, when compared to the whole.  We need to stop letting the actions of a few color our perceptions of the many.

I know I've said this again and again... if we come to people with open minds and understanding, many of these tensions will naturally ease.

If we all share a little love, this country will be a more tolerant place.

And I for one, plan to share some love.

Mother's Day, Spring Cleaning and Sad Goodbyes

Well, I'm on day 3 of my vacation.  What have I done?  Spring Cleaning!

On that topic.... I had a subscription to the Honest Company for a bit.  I like environmentally friendly safe for kids and pets cleaning products...

But man... the price was killing me!  $35 a month plus shipping.  I mean, yes, you get 5 products a month, but was it worth it?



Then I remembered... I have a bottle of all purpose cleaner concentrate from Ms. Meyer's Clean Day.  The bottle was about $12 and might last me the rest of my life.  So I cancelled my Honest Company subscription, and decided that when those products run out, I'm switching companies.


The reason for my vacation, was that A.) My office manager is back and B.) Commencement is over.  Sunday was commencement, which is the busiest time of the academic year (Besides Graduate Application time).  Sunday was also Mother's Day.

Mother's day has to be hard on some women.  Me?  I'm not a mom, and may never be one.  But some women aren't moms.  I think The Bloggess put it the best:

But you know who else deserves it?  The women who have struggled to be, or are still struggling to be moms.  The women who want children but just aren’t in a safe place in life to have them.  The women who don’t want kids and have to listen to a bunch of bullshit about how you’re only worthwhile if you’ve pushed a human out of your vagina.  The women who miss the children they once had.  The women who miss the children they lost before they ever met them.  The women who gave up their children so their child could have a better life than they could provide.  The women who were raised motherless, or with shitty mothers, or who have lost their mothers and are reminded of how alone they feel.  Mother’s Day is a confusing, weird, very-seldom-wrapped-up-with-a-nice-commercial-bow sort of day, and as for me, I salute you all – mothers or not…you’re here.  You’re alive.  You continue to survive.  You are worthwhile and wonderful.  Never forget that.

Today also marks the possible last time that I'll see my good friend before she moves away.  I'll miss her desperately.  She's my kindred spirit.

And this is what I wanted to tell her... but didn't... because I'd cry.

The Home Stretch!

Two more days.  Two more days until Commencement.

And commencement is the only thing that between me and a week's vacation!

The cookies are bought, the lemonade is purchased.  I have the paper products.  I just need to print lists, and make reserved signs.

Then it's 5 hours of really hard work.

And then vacation!

And by vacation..... I mean staying home for a week and catching up on the spring cleaning.

I know, it's not a true vacation.  There's no palm trees or cabana boys or theme parks (though I now have a Busch Gardens pass).. but it's necessary.

I'm almost there... just a little bit longer....

Lazy Saturday

First, let me get this out of the way:

Now that I've done that...  (I went to Hot Topic to see if I liked any of the Star Wars gear.... and there was a pretty poor selection!)

It's Saturday.  This week was very long.  But filled with good news.  My co-worker is coming back on Monday.  For good this time.  I won't be alone anymore.  I won't be responsible for everything anymore.

Seriously, I'm beyond stressed.  After commencement, I'm taking a week off.  A staycation, if you will.  maybe I'll see if I can find a good groupon for a massage.

This week I've been re-reading (and listening to the audiobook of) Divergent and Insurgent.  I loved the books, and can't wait for the movie.  But this afternoon, I think I'm going to nap, and watch Defiance (which I now own on Amazon Instant Video).

Tonight I'm going to a party.  Perhaps I'll even have a cocktail!