Santa Palooza Day 4 – Miracle on 34th Street

1947, 95 minutes
This holiday classic came into my radar years ago simply because of its name. Everyone knows the story of the Macy’s Santa who really is Chris Kringle. I vaguely remember my mother talking about this movie as one she loves. Being a black and white, I assumed she liked it. After all, she’s the person who introduced me to “It’s a Wonderful Life” which we’ll watch later this month. Then when I lived in New York I came to love the movie even more. Especially when I went to see the large balloons on Thanksgiving and walked the route the annual parade takes. I felt even more connected to the single mother in the movie who wants her child to grow up without the heartache she lived through.

But the magic of this movie is that Santa works through all our heartbreak. (Okay, before that is the brilliance that is Edmund Gwenn. His delivery of the script is spot on. His Santa isn’t cartoonish or overly jolly. He’s relatable and loveable and so smart. He should have a Santa advice book.) Santa is there to hug you and comfort you and keep the magic of the season alive. Of course it sounds crazy, especially in a world where people can forget magic so easily. Santa has a hard job and we don’t make it any easier.

I think that’s why I did Christmas so full out this year. I want to believe. I DO believe in the magic of Christmas. I believe this is the time of year people can change and grow and learn. I believe in the power of family and love and friendship. I believe in the excitement of opening presents and of giving the perfect gift. I believe in the commercializing and the over buying and the simplifying. This movie helps with all of that.

Because who doesn’t want a Santa Claus in their life that looks to the good of the people, not just the good of himself.

Enjoy and happy holidays!

Santa Palooza Day 3 – Love Actually

– Rated PG-13, 135 minutes Some sexual situations and bad words

I was aware of this movie when it came out, but for some reason I didn’t rush out to see it. Years went by and it became a staple for people. And yet, I had no interest. I think the trailer pushed me away. I just didn’t like the feel of it. Maybe I felt it was too busy or something along those lines. Two years ago I was talking to one of my best friends and he mentioned that it was his favorite movie. Well that sold it for me. We sat down and watched it and it has been a holiday staple ever since. I love that it is set in England and I can pretend to be part of an international love story. It doesn’t hurt that the people are beautiful and the colors literally pop off the screen.

This movie reminds me of the person I love and would not live without. He LOVES this movie and through that love I have come to love it as well. This movie reminds me of us sitting, holding each other, and watching it, knowing that we are lucky enough to have this moment and each other.

But more than just my love, it’s a love story for every relationship I’ve ever been in. And every relationship I will be in. Because relationships come and they go. And we would be ignorant to think our lives are not marked with the passage of time and with it the change time brings. There is a piece of me in every story in this movie. Just like there is a piece of everyone. We have all loved. We have all lost. We have all been at the end of our rope, ready to throw in the towel of relationships and just live with our pizza and beer. But we get through it and we remember that there is love at the end of every tunnel. And the pain and effort is always worth it.

It’s not everyone’s plan to get married and have babies. Many of us enjoy our single life and thrive in only dealing with our personal schedules. But no one can live without love. No one can live without touch and passion and caring and excitement and the knowledge that there is someone out there who cares whether you live or die, whether you call or not, and whether you’ll be home for dinner or not.

Love is easy. Love is difficult. But more than anything, love is vital. I hope everyone out there has someone to love this holiday season. Not necessarily a romantic love. The love of a baby, a sibling, a friend or even a four footed companion is all we need to get through the cold lonely nights of winter.

Happy Holidays!

Santa-Pallooza Day 2- The Holiday

Santa-Pallooza Day 2 – The Holiday (2006, PG-13, 138 min) Adult situations, bad language and adult themes. There isn’t nudity or death, but it is an adult movie.

Last night I watched “Elf” and laughed and laughed. It is such a comforting movie and a great way to start out the season. It throws Christmas at you! I love the colors and the humor and the story of turning someone from the Naughty List to the Nice List. The biggest thing I take away from that movie, however, is how friendly and honestly good Buddy is. He truly loves everyone and cannot find fault in anyone’s actions. Even when his dad snaps at him, pushes him away and sends him to the mail room, Buddy sees the good and continues on with his unfailing happiness. His reaction to things always make me pause we realize that sometimes all a situation needs is a smile and a hug. Nothing is that important. And nothing is too important to take the time to smile and hug.

Tonight I (and maybe you too) will watch The Holiday with Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz. This movie is set during the holidays and tells the story of two women troubled with guy-problems. They swap homes in each other's countries, where they each meet a local guy and fall in love. It follows them as they get over their ex and move on to a better match. It’s no secret what happens and who ends up with whom. But the interaction with all the characters and their heartfelt desire to just have a holiday filled with love is a great story for the season. I don’t really like Cameron in this movie, but she has great scenes with Jude so it’s worth it. You could literally melt in his eyes in this movie. He is charming and quietly perfect. Kate is amazing with her ability to break your heart subtly and yet remain strong. And Jack charms you with his humor and kind heart. You start to believe there are actually good guys in Los Angeles. There is something in each of these characters that people can relate with and ultimately strive towards.

I watch this movie every year because it reminds me to believe in true love and finding the right person for you at that moment, then trusting it’s the right person for you forever. I love the layout and pure gorgeousness of the LA house (I want it!) and the scenic beauty that is the small English village where Cameron ends up. For a few hours I get to leave my cramped apartment with no snow and live in a world where happy coincidences lead to an obtain-ably magical Christmas.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Santa-Pallooza Day 1- ELF

Santa-Pallooza 2010 Begins!!

Christmas time makes me an even more avid movie watcher. I watch probably 5 movies a week during a normal week in my life. Some in the theaters. Some on my portable DVD. Some through the brilliance of Netflix Instant Watch. I love the world movies create. December brings a new love of movies to my life. I love holiday movies and every year there are more and more to add to the list. It is hard to keep it at only 25!

I watch a holiday movie daily to get me in the holiday spirit and wrap my head around the craziness that is December. I started this tradition a few years ago and I LOVE IT! This year I decided to add in my facebook friends and my blog to make it a little more interactive and get everyone involved who wants to be. I’ll post them five at a time so you have time to get them from Netflix or the movie rental place. (See- THIS is why Blockbuster can’t go out of business!) Each day I will write about what the movie means to me and why I chose it. I’ll post things to look out for and how long the movie is, as well as what age group it’s appropriate for. Kind of like a Christmas movie guide….filled with my opinions.

I hope you enjoy it. Here are the first five movies:

- Elf (12/1)

- The Holiday (12/2)

- Love Actually (12/3)

- Miracle on 34^th Street (12/4)

- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (200 and/or 1966) (12/5)

So join me if you can. Truthfully, I hope I am able to keep up with it. I know I can, so here is the test. And it’s good practice because my goal for 2011 is to take on a big project and make it happen. More on that later.

Elf- Wednesday December 1 Santa-Pallooza Movie #1

(95 minutes, rated PG) No bad words, no sex, no scary, no villans, no violence. The PG is for the adult humor.

Tonight I am cleaning my house and getting it ready for my Christmas tree, which I’ll get on Sunday. I have to move boxes and make a space for it. In fact, I might just put the tree ON boxes since it will only be about three feet high. But I have some amazing ornaments that I want to get some tree time this year. So a tree it is. Plus I want the smell of a fresh tree. And the glow of the tree lights as I fall asleep every night. I am embracing Christmas this year, and a tree is the best way to do it. Having “Elf” on in the background as I do it is going to be the icing on the gingerbread.

I saw Elf for the first time when I was working on Main Street in Disneyland in 2004. It had come out the previous year so John brought in the DVD backstage for us to watch during our breaks. It was perfect! We sang in octets on Main Street so the green room was filled with carolers laughing at the craziness of Buddy the Elf. Soon, since we watched it every day for weeks, we were able to quote him and no place was safe from Elf nonsense. Since then the movie is a Christmas staple in my life. John (my tenor for over three years with the same sense of humor as me) and I would pull random quotes out of the air during the season and we wouldn’t even have to look at each other to know where the conversation was going. It is a uniting movie, and even the most skeptics of movie watchers eventually succumb to the brilliance of Buddy’s humor. “Ooh what’s a skeptic? I want one!” I’m sure having the TV run it every day has played a big part in wearing down people’s resistance.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!! See you tomorrow!

Birthdays Should Be A Week Long!

Some people can argue that my birthday started with my trip to Greece. It was two weeks off work, an international vacation and totally selfish use of time and money. But in reality, that trip was a celebration of years of hard work and running miles put in. It was a gift to myself for the hours I don’t like my job or my path in life. A year of paying off bit by bit so I could go to Greece with money in my pocket and no trip debt. And I’ll admit that on more than one occasion I treated myself to a little something extra by saying “It’s my birthday so I’m going to….” But in reality, my birthday has been the past week and I can honestly say I haven’t felt this loved in a really long time.
This year I have been given the gift of a week of celebration and by the end of this week I will have seen everyone I can fit into a schedule. Its started Thursday night when I was treated to a movie night with my movie buddy, Eric. We went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter 7.1 and I LOVED IT!! Totally worth only getting 3 hours of sleep the next night. They Friday was our dress rehearsal for Family and Friends. Every year my caroling group does a concert, and it always falls on the weekend of my birthday. So a few years ago we started doing “Amie-Palooza” and making an event out of it. I know people won’t usually come out and play unless there is a reason. So I gave them one. And I have been right every year. Friday we went to Hero’s, a bar in Fullerton. We ate nachos and drank beer and laughed and had a really good time. It’s a different group every year and I love getting to hang out with everyone.
Saturday we had our first caroling gig and then I got to go see Eric perform his firs Jedi Elvis concert. It was so awesome to go support a friend in his dream. And he was really good. Don’t be surprised when Jedi Elvis is on iTunes and booking Las Vegas. This is going to go somewhere! Then Saturday night was the concert and I got to hang out with all my caroling people. It was so good. I love this group so much. The concert was awesome and the two new songs we did rocked the house and made them laugh. It was a good thing. Then we headed over to El Torito for some Mexican food and margaritas. Both were good, but the company was better. It was a large group of us and as I sat there and looked around at all these people I share my life with, I felt very blessed.
Sunday I did a benefit for Fullerton Civic Light Opera and got to spend a part of my birthday weekend with some new people. The event went very well, took lots of pictures and I got to be a showgirl for my birthday. It was so much fun. Then us girls went to BJs for Bloody Marys and I got to make new firneds and felt my heart get a little more full. Theatre people fall into two categories when you really break it down. People you get along with and people you don’t. When you don’t get along with someone, you smile and nod and trust that soon the show will end and you won’t have to see them again for a while. When you get along with someone you don’t want the show to end. Talking is effortless and the time goes by too fast. You can’t wait to book the next show because you know you might see them again. That is how I felt with the girls last night. Time flew too fast and soon I was heading home, wishing them well and looking forward to our next birthday night out.
Then I woke up this morning and I was 32. I started getting the facebook wishes right at midnight, and even a few texts from my friends who were still awake. The amount of love I feel from facebook today is overwhelming and has made me cry several times. There is something powerful about people coming out of the woodwork to wish you well. I know it only takes 5 seconds to post on facebook, but they did it. And for that fraction of time I was sharing my day with them, and they were sharing theirs with me. It is power. The best part is that the celebration isn’t over. Tonight is dinner with my best friend and rehearsal where I get to make pretty music with people I love. Tomorrow I get to sing at Knott’s and then have BJ shots at Claim Jumper. Then heading to see Burlesque with some Follies girls- more people I love. And on Wednesday I go home and see my family. Then Thanksgiving on Thursday. So from literally the start of Friday to the end of Thursday I will have seen more people who mean the world to me than anyone should be lucky enough to have.
And because I am so happy and so in love with this week, I petition for everyone to take a full week for their birthday when they can. Spread the love, share the love and feel the love. Truly appreciate the people who love you and care about you. I often think that no one would care if I was gone. I have wasted time thinking that I don’t make a difference to people and am wasting my life. I could not be more wrong. People do care and people do know and I do make a difference. It’s nice that we get a week to be able to feel that and share that feeling with other people.
Thank you for making my birthday week so wonderfully amazing.

Running crazy

I’ve been sidelined from running for almost two weeks now. Last Monday I woke up unable to move without pain. My left hip locked up and every step was a challenge. I suffered through the day, thinking I just slept wrong and it would be fine. But I set up a massage appointment with my friend Heather because the pain was unbearable. Tuesday was the same thing; sitting hurt, driving hurt, walking hurt, standing hurt. I met with Heather and she kicked my hips’ ass. I was almost crying, but I knew the pain was a good pain and we were working out the adhesions and pain but OH MY GOSH! Ow. I iced my hips that night, wore flat shoes for days and slowly started to feel better. I wanted to start working out but the thought was exhausting and every time I went to get dressed for the gym my hips would ache and sitting was such a better plan.

Well it’s been 10 days and I’m ready to get back out there on the work out horse. I don’t want to lose the momentum of Greece and the training for that. I have New Orleans to run in Feb and LA coming up in March. I have to get back out there. But more than just future runs, I need to get back out on the pavement because I’m going stir crazy. Everything feels a little less fulfilling. I need the release of a good run. I need the feeling of being present and alert and focused on one task. I need the repetition of one foot in front of the other. I miss it. I miss being active. This sitting and being injured is for the birds.

So tonight I have rehearsal for a dance show and that will get me up and moving again. The goal is that will propel me back to the gym and back to the world of the active living. I need to sweat. I need to push my body and work.

And I need to lose 10lbs. But that’s for another post.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should

I often stay in things longer than I should. Relationship, jobs, cars, homes. I enjoy being comfortable and I enjoy having control over where I am and what I’m doing. So staying in something is my way of controlling the situation. Even if the situation is a sucky one. The other part of it is that there are usually things about the sucky situation that I like. But that doesn’t mean I should stay there.

For example, I really like the organizational busy work that is an office. I like office products. I like making copies and collating them and having neat stacks when I’m done. I like organizing people and having plans and keeping things moving. I feel comfortable in an office. I know the feeling of it and how to sit at a desk all day and keep myself busy. But these jobs do not get me anywhere. Loving the sound of a running copier isn’t going to make me any money. Going into the supply cabinet and getting a rush from seeing all the office supply boxes neatly lined up isn’t going to move me up the corporate ladder. Or the creative one. Just because I am good at filing and faxing and making copies doesn’t mean I should stay at this dead end job.

What is it about these things that keep us? I know in my heart that there is something better for me out there. I am certain with all of my being that I am not here on this earth to keep this chair warm. So why do I freeze up when the opportunity to leave comes up? Why, when faced with the option of never having to do this mundane work again, do I suddenly find all the good? All the things that I will “miss” when yesterday I couldn’t get away from them fast enough.

I tried to quit my job last week. But mountainous debt and a 9% unemployment rate in the US kept me here. What is it going to take to push me out of this frustrating comfort zone? When am I going to grow up and start living my life, instead of the life path I am currently on? When am I going to be strong enough to quit the job, buy the car and live a better life? And why am I so scared to trust that I can. That I am better than this life I have right now. That I am worth more than the life I’m living. When will I trust that?

Probably tomorrow.