- My morning run with Kiersten. It is so wonderful to wake up and run and have that time with her! We did stride work at the Burbank HS track and it was awesome to push us hard. She is such an awesome friend and is really pushing herself with this training. I know it’s not easy on her, but I admire how hard she’s working and I am so excited to cross that finish line with her in a month.
- Hulu.com and streaming Netflix on my iPhone- I would NOT be able to be at work for 9 hours if I didn’t have these two outlets into the entertainment world. I watched four episodes of Hoarders today. That show made me very ready to go home and start unpacking.
- I’m thankful to have a job to come to every day that pays me. It’s a safe place, pay is alright and the people like me. I need to start smiling here more.
- Leaving work to attend the MBA information meeting at Chapman. Was headed off by some awful traffic so I ended up going home and getting an early start on unpacking.
- Finding a parking spot close to my house. I know I can park on the driveway with the other cars, but it’s so hard to get in and out of there, I usually like to park on the street. Finding a spot so close was awesome!
- Got home and felt completely overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do so I decided to go get some groceries for dinner. I went for a walk to see which store was close. The sun was just setting and it was a gorgeous night. Perfect temperature for a walk. I looked around and smiled at the neighbors and thought how nice it would be to throw a block party and get everyone to know each other. I want to feel safe where I live and I know the only way to do that is to know the people around me.
- Walking through the True Value grocery store and seeing great deals on produce. It’s a primarily Latino market and the produce was cheaper than Ralph’s. Perfect for juicing! And it’s so close I can go twice a week if I need. I walked through the store trying to find something to eat that was ready-made. I don’t have pots or pans yet or a microwave so I had to buy something I could just make a meal out of. I’m also trying to eat as healthy as possible so that means no cheese, processed meats or preservatives. (So my stand-by meal of salami and cheese was gone.) Plus it is a Latino store so their deli section left a lot to be desired and I didn’t recognize a lot of what was on the shelves. A fun experiment for my future cooking adventures, but not so fun when all that’s needed is a quick meal. I went to the liquor section, thinking maybe I’d just have a beer and eat tomorrow. Nope- beer was more expensive than an entire chicken. So then I thought about wine, but realized I don’t have a wine opener. So champagne? Sure, except I knew I wouldn’t (or rather shouldn’t) finish an entire bottle in one night. So I went back to the grocery hunting.
- Leaving the grocery store with a box of Cheerios and a gallon of soy milk.
- Getting home and realizing that not only do I not have a bowl to eat the cereal out of, I also don’t have a spoon. So my first meal in my new place was a glassful of soymilk and dry cheerios.
- Working on my handbell songs without worrying about waking up anyone or disturbing anyone. I’m sure it sounded funny to the neighbors. But no less annoying that gospel at full volume at 8:30 on a Sunday morning.
- Unpacking two boxes of books and three bags of clothing, putting up my laundry basket and hanging up some clothes. It’s a slow process but I will soon have a finished apartment.
- Falling asleep early and getting a full 8 hours in before the alarm clock went off at 5:30 for the next day’s beginning.
Not the most eventful day in my life. But it was a good day, a safe day and a day filled with baby steps towards my future. That’s all we can ask from some days.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
What made me happy Thursday 9 Sept 2010
- Mixed Company call-backs. This is the 8th season I will work with MixedCo and I can remember the first time I auditioned for them. I didn’t make it. The man I was dating at the time was really good friends with Randy and thought I would enjoy the work and would be good for the company. I was 22 and thought I was a perfect fit as well. I sang, went to call backs, chatted with Randy and was certain I was going to be singing Christmas carols that year. I didn’t get the call that Friday. I didn’t ask Randy why. I didn’t ask Steve to ask him for me. I figured it wasn’t my time to be with the group and I would audition the following year. I did, I went to call backs and in 2002 I started singing with MixedCo. It was the season that would change my life. A lot has happened in the past 8 years, I’ve left the group and come back to it, and I love it every year. Every season is a new challenge and a new chance for me to add to my bag of entertainment tricks. The friends I make through MixedCo continue to inspire me and change my life. I consider myself blessed to get to work with such wonderful people and learn from them throughout the Christmas season.
- Singing. There is nothing in the world I enjoy more than singing. Singing with people, singing alone…..it doesn’t matter. I love to sing. I love to tell stories through music. I love to make people laugh, make people think and make people cry. I would do it for free. I would do it for millions. I just want to sing. And, I have to say, standing next to Becca and meshing voices with her again felt like coming home. Like a sweater you pull out in the fall and put it on only to realize it still fits and is surprisingly more comfortable than the last time you wore it. I love my soprano.
- Hearing a song I arranged being sung by a quartet. We didn’t have bells and it was thrown together in 5 minutes, but hearing the notes I put on paper be sung by someone- well that was pretty special. I am so excited to hear the song in all its glory this season.
- Getting a free cup of coffee at the coffee bar at work.
- Watching four episodes of “The Office” and laughing while I sat in my own version of a sitcom.
- Something didn’t make me happy- but it made me laugh at yet another sign that the universe will give you what you want. I don’t know how well The Secret works in people’s lives, but every once in a while I see it come to such powerful fruition it knocks me out. For example, in 1999 I was doing a show at Moonlight down in Vista and was driving back to Fullerton every week for work and school. During one of the drives, around 11p at night after the show, I thought to myself “I’m really lucky to never have been stuck on the side of the road.” Ha! Literally ten minutes later my tire popped and I was stuck on the side of the road. If it hadn’t happened to me I wouldn’t believe it. Come to present day. Every day this week I have heated up my frozen meal and thought to myself, as I pulled the plastic wrap off the top, “wouldn’t it suck if I pulled the plastic off and dropped the plate?” I thought this EVERY DAY this week, thankful I wasn’t dropping my food. Guess what I did? I pulled the plastic off the top and dropped the plate of food all over the kitchen floor. I don’t know if that’s what they meant by The Secret, but apparently thinking things does make them come true.
- Watering the plants at Claudia’s house. Being around so much green made me really excited to have plants of my own and get ready for the patio I now get to call my own.
- Sleeping in my own place. I didn’t really sleep, between the outside noise and the lack of time between bedtime and wake up to run time, and the worry I was going to get burgled because there was no one around. But I was in my own bed and sleeping totally alone in the world.
- Eating at BJs with some people from MixedCo. Spent more than I should have and ate more than I should have. But it was really nice to have several hours just to hang out with my friends and laugh.
- Words with Friends is behaving itself again.
- $.99 coffee and a donut from 7-eleven. Not good for my bank account or my waistline, but a pink donut with sprinkle makes me smile.
- And, as always, the health and happiness of my family and friends. I am so lucky to be surrounded by people who love me and who work hard to make sure I know they care for me. It is a good feeling to know there are people in the world who want you around and like that you exist.
- Singing. There is nothing in the world I enjoy more than singing. Singing with people, singing alone…..it doesn’t matter. I love to sing. I love to tell stories through music. I love to make people laugh, make people think and make people cry. I would do it for free. I would do it for millions. I just want to sing. And, I have to say, standing next to Becca and meshing voices with her again felt like coming home. Like a sweater you pull out in the fall and put it on only to realize it still fits and is surprisingly more comfortable than the last time you wore it. I love my soprano.
- Hearing a song I arranged being sung by a quartet. We didn’t have bells and it was thrown together in 5 minutes, but hearing the notes I put on paper be sung by someone- well that was pretty special. I am so excited to hear the song in all its glory this season.
- Getting a free cup of coffee at the coffee bar at work.
- Watching four episodes of “The Office” and laughing while I sat in my own version of a sitcom.
- Something didn’t make me happy- but it made me laugh at yet another sign that the universe will give you what you want. I don’t know how well The Secret works in people’s lives, but every once in a while I see it come to such powerful fruition it knocks me out. For example, in 1999 I was doing a show at Moonlight down in Vista and was driving back to Fullerton every week for work and school. During one of the drives, around 11p at night after the show, I thought to myself “I’m really lucky to never have been stuck on the side of the road.” Ha! Literally ten minutes later my tire popped and I was stuck on the side of the road. If it hadn’t happened to me I wouldn’t believe it. Come to present day. Every day this week I have heated up my frozen meal and thought to myself, as I pulled the plastic wrap off the top, “wouldn’t it suck if I pulled the plastic off and dropped the plate?” I thought this EVERY DAY this week, thankful I wasn’t dropping my food. Guess what I did? I pulled the plastic off the top and dropped the plate of food all over the kitchen floor. I don’t know if that’s what they meant by The Secret, but apparently thinking things does make them come true.
- Watering the plants at Claudia’s house. Being around so much green made me really excited to have plants of my own and get ready for the patio I now get to call my own.
- Sleeping in my own place. I didn’t really sleep, between the outside noise and the lack of time between bedtime and wake up to run time, and the worry I was going to get burgled because there was no one around. But I was in my own bed and sleeping totally alone in the world.
- Eating at BJs with some people from MixedCo. Spent more than I should have and ate more than I should have. But it was really nice to have several hours just to hang out with my friends and laugh.
- Words with Friends is behaving itself again.
- $.99 coffee and a donut from 7-eleven. Not good for my bank account or my waistline, but a pink donut with sprinkle makes me smile.
- And, as always, the health and happiness of my family and friends. I am so lucky to be surrounded by people who love me and who work hard to make sure I know they care for me. It is a good feeling to know there are people in the world who want you around and like that you exist.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
What made me happy 7 Sept 2010
Things that made me happy Tuesday 7 Sept 2010
- Running with Kiersten in the morning. I love getting up and getting out and doing something. Having such a good friend who will come that early and do it with me, well that’s just a blessing I’m not sure I’m worth. It is a gift of time to have an hour with my best friend, just her and I talking and being girls and figuring life out.
- Having a job to come to. I know I am lucky to be working. I am thankful of that every day. There are people all over the world who are hungry and want to work. I am very lucky to have a paycheck every two weeks and a safe place to work.
- Having hulu.com to watch while I sit at my desk.
- Having good people to work with. I don’t hate anyone here. I hate being here, but at least the people are nice and not too crazy.
- Having the $2 for coffee and a donut.
- Going to rehearsal and getting to be creative, even if only for a little time. This show is an interesting experience for me, something I am very lucky to be doing. Every time I do a show I learn something and Smokey’ Joe’s Café is no different. I am not a “soul-full” singer (I’m much more comfortable singing a standard at a piano) and playing Patty is allowing me to become freer with my voice and body. It is interesting to be inside my head during this process. (Most people would say it’s interesting to be inside my head any time I do anything. Can we say tangent?) I want to know why I do things, why I feel things, why I have so many hang ups. Why don’t I feel sexy and comfortable in my skin? Why aren’t I embracing the passion that comes with needing to just riff and wail and let it out? I know that I am going to grow as an artist doing this show. And I’m excited to see where I end up.
- Having amazing friends and family in my life to keep a smile on my face and lightness in my heart.
My life is good. Not ideal and not where I thought I’d be. I want so much more from my life than I have. But hopefully these daily affirmations of the good will keep reminding me of the good. And sending out what I want will bring it to me.
- I will have a better paying job with higher responsibility and more stature.
- I will book a cruise ship as a singer/performer and travel around the world before I come home for good.
- I will unpack and have a studio that will remain clean and uncluttered and inviting for the good in the world.
- I will be health, happy and successful in this life.
- Running with Kiersten in the morning. I love getting up and getting out and doing something. Having such a good friend who will come that early and do it with me, well that’s just a blessing I’m not sure I’m worth. It is a gift of time to have an hour with my best friend, just her and I talking and being girls and figuring life out.
- Having a job to come to. I know I am lucky to be working. I am thankful of that every day. There are people all over the world who are hungry and want to work. I am very lucky to have a paycheck every two weeks and a safe place to work.
- Having hulu.com to watch while I sit at my desk.
- Having good people to work with. I don’t hate anyone here. I hate being here, but at least the people are nice and not too crazy.
- Having the $2 for coffee and a donut.
- Going to rehearsal and getting to be creative, even if only for a little time. This show is an interesting experience for me, something I am very lucky to be doing. Every time I do a show I learn something and Smokey’ Joe’s Café is no different. I am not a “soul-full” singer (I’m much more comfortable singing a standard at a piano) and playing Patty is allowing me to become freer with my voice and body. It is interesting to be inside my head during this process. (Most people would say it’s interesting to be inside my head any time I do anything. Can we say tangent?) I want to know why I do things, why I feel things, why I have so many hang ups. Why don’t I feel sexy and comfortable in my skin? Why aren’t I embracing the passion that comes with needing to just riff and wail and let it out? I know that I am going to grow as an artist doing this show. And I’m excited to see where I end up.
- Having amazing friends and family in my life to keep a smile on my face and lightness in my heart.
My life is good. Not ideal and not where I thought I’d be. I want so much more from my life than I have. But hopefully these daily affirmations of the good will keep reminding me of the good. And sending out what I want will bring it to me.
- I will have a better paying job with higher responsibility and more stature.
- I will book a cruise ship as a singer/performer and travel around the world before I come home for good.
- I will unpack and have a studio that will remain clean and uncluttered and inviting for the good in the world.
- I will be health, happy and successful in this life.
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