Check out Darrel's parent's dog opening up her Christmas gifts! I got such a kick out of this. She doesn't even eat the paper- she just opens it and spits it out!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Los Angeles
Last week we were in L.A. for the whole week. I was so excited to get into warm weather after being in Alaska. Nope. Pretty much rainy and in the 40's and 50's the whole week.
Anyway, I was able to see a LOT of friends when I was out there, which is one of my favorite aspects of this job. My cousin Brian lives there (you might recognize him from a few Disney shows and network shows, and if you don't, I promise you will), my friend Stacie from tour last year was in the area with CATS, and my friends Doc and Amelia from tour now live in Vegas, so they drove in for a few nights. It was awesome to see all of them!
L.A. = expensive. Between Anchorage and L.A., I have hit my monthly budget in two weeks. That is not good.
Regardless, it was a fun week. We stayed in downtown L.A. at the swanky Westin. My room was small, but it was really nice. They have the "Heavenly" beds and showers, and I had a fridge and a good view, so life was good. The only issue was that our theatre was in Beverly Hills, 10 miles away, and for the first time ever, we had no company bus, and no rental cars. 10 miles can mean 1 hour there. Get this- they actually gave us public transportation passes to take the public bus to work! Ha! After late buses, musicians and instruments waiting in the rain, and major frustration, they finally got us a company bus. It was not exactly fun.
Anyway, I was able to see a LOT of friends when I was out there, which is one of my favorite aspects of this job. My cousin Brian lives there (you might recognize him from a few Disney shows and network shows, and if you don't, I promise you will), my friend Stacie from tour last year was in the area with CATS, and my friends Doc and Amelia from tour now live in Vegas, so they drove in for a few nights. It was awesome to see all of them!L.A. = expensive. Between Anchorage and L.A., I have hit my monthly budget in two weeks. That is not good.Darrel and I took the subway to go to Universal Studios and Hollywood Boulevard one afternoon. We didn't actually go in to Universal, but we walked around their little town area and and had lunch. We of course had to see the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Chinese Theatre. That whole area is totally what you would think it would be. Tourist hell. Cheesy people dressed up as Spider Man and Jack Sparrow charging a dollar to take a picture with them, people selling their ghetto hip hop CD's on the street for $2.00, people selling tours of the stars homes- the whole nine yards. But the Chinese Theatre is really cool. It was so fun to walk around and read the names of the people who have imprinted their hands and feet in the concrete, both old and new. I wouldn't make a trip out of it, but it filled up some time on an afternoon off!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Some General Thoughts About Alaska
It was so cold there. The inside of my nose would turn to ice when I was outside. Yet people walk around with light jackets on, and shorts. ??? Do you think that your body can really get used to the climate you live in? I'm not sure... And when you say to a local, "oh my, it's so cold" They respond with, "oh it's nice out- a mild day". Really?!
There were a lot of pregnant women there. More than I usually see in one week.
There was no water outside there. Like no slush, or rain. Just ice. Everywhere. I wiped out on it twice. (Could have something do to do with fashionable boots and a few beers though).
Anchorage had awesome, awesome restaurants. There were more to choose from in that little city than most others we go to, and we could walk to them all. Along the same lines, they had an unreal amount of bars downtown. I guess there is really not much to do there... which probably comes back around to the pregnant ladies. And they were all expensive.
One of the restaurants we went to had heated toilet seats. It was that cold.
I found that I had a hard time staying in touch with the rest of the U.S. They are 4 hours behind Eastern time, so by the time you really get going for the day and out and about, things are closing in other time zones. By the time I wanted to call home, people were asleep.
For some reason I did not wear any makeup while I was there. I just didn't want to. Not sure why. Maybe because it's so, shall we say, rustic or something?
They move a little bit slower up there. It's a stereotype, I know, but they do exist for a reason. Don't expect to rush through dinner or the line at the pharmacy. It's just not going to happen.
It was dark. All the time. The sun would come up around 10:00 and set at 3:30. This also probably has something to do with the preggers people and plentiful amounts of bars.
They eat reindeer. If you order a pizza, it has reindeer sausage on it. Poor Rudolph!
There were a lot of pregnant women there. More than I usually see in one week.
There was no water outside there. Like no slush, or rain. Just ice. Everywhere. I wiped out on it twice. (Could have something do to do with fashionable boots and a few beers though).
Anchorage had awesome, awesome restaurants. There were more to choose from in that little city than most others we go to, and we could walk to them all. Along the same lines, they had an unreal amount of bars downtown. I guess there is really not much to do there... which probably comes back around to the pregnant ladies. And they were all expensive.
One of the restaurants we went to had heated toilet seats. It was that cold.
I found that I had a hard time staying in touch with the rest of the U.S. They are 4 hours behind Eastern time, so by the time you really get going for the day and out and about, things are closing in other time zones. By the time I wanted to call home, people were asleep.
For some reason I did not wear any makeup while I was there. I just didn't want to. Not sure why. Maybe because it's so, shall we say, rustic or something?
They move a little bit slower up there. It's a stereotype, I know, but they do exist for a reason. Don't expect to rush through dinner or the line at the pharmacy. It's just not going to happen.
It was dark. All the time. The sun would come up around 10:00 and set at 3:30. This also probably has something to do with the preggers people and plentiful amounts of bars.
They eat reindeer. If you order a pizza, it has reindeer sausage on it. Poor Rudolph!
Jesus Christ Superband
And this is one of the reasons I love touring. Take an open mic night, grab our people, and voila! Pure amazing entertainment, in Anchorage, AK. Not one of them had rehearsed or played together before.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A Decorating Idea
I thought I would share this, because I have never seen it done before. We were in a restaurant in Anchorage, and they had wrapped all of their pictures on the walls to make them look like big presents! I thought it was a creative idea to add some Christmas cheer to your home or office!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Great Outdoors
Here I am in my hotel room, on my last night in Alaska. More to come on that later- I want to do a little show and tell about the amazing experience I had on Saturday morning.
Saturday morning was beautiful! Bill picked us up at the hotel at 10:00, and we were in the air by 10:30. I have never experienced anything like what I saw in my life. The photos below just don't do it justice because they kind of wash out the colors and don't show the vastness. Did you know that glaciers are blue? Like the color of the ocean in the Caribbean blue. We would fly over them, then bring the plane down and fly next to the cliffs. The famous glacier that we saw was the Knik. We also flew over Lake George, and Mat-Su Valley, saw sheep, mountain goats, reindeer and moose, and Mt. McKinley. There is no life out that far except an animal every now and then. They have to dig for their food, and the sheep and goats can go months without eating. No bears- they were all in hibernation.
But the glaciers and the snow covered mountains- wow. I felt so small. It is something I will never, ever forget. 
I really wanted to do something related to Alaska while I was here. Something I could not do anywhere else. Time was very limited because of my work load up here. In addition, the freezing temperatures limited me. My first choice would have been to go whale watching. Wrong season. Second would have been dog sledding. Didn't have the right clothes for it. So I went over to the visitor's center, and they gave me a pamphlet for Sound Aviation, a private plane rental company that does air tours.
Darrel and myself and a few friends decided to go on Friday afternoon. It is dark by about 3:30, so we talked to the pilot who owns the plane, and decided to go at 2:00. His wife (pregnant with kid number 7 in 7 years) picked us up with two cute little twins in the backseat, and took us to the local airport. It was just so cold, you have no idea. We loaded in the plane with Bill, took off, turned around in the air, and landed. Turns out that the weather was beautiful where we were flying to, but he could not get out of the airport area because of fog. We decided we would try for Saturday morning.
Saturday morning was beautiful! Bill picked us up at the hotel at 10:00, and we were in the air by 10:30. I have never experienced anything like what I saw in my life. The photos below just don't do it justice because they kind of wash out the colors and don't show the vastness. Did you know that glaciers are blue? Like the color of the ocean in the Caribbean blue. We would fly over them, then bring the plane down and fly next to the cliffs. The famous glacier that we saw was the Knik. We also flew over Lake George, and Mat-Su Valley, saw sheep, mountain goats, reindeer and moose, and Mt. McKinley. There is no life out that far except an animal every now and then. They have to dig for their food, and the sheep and goats can go months without eating. No bears- they were all in hibernation.But the glaciers and the snow covered mountains- wow. I felt so small. It is something I will never, ever forget. Friday, December 12, 2008
Vancouver, BC
We spent last weekend in Vancouver, which is a really interesting place. Parts of it are so fun, artsy and funky, and then there are some parts... not so much. For some reason there are a lot of people there who make me a little nervous. Like druggie/homeless/crazy people. It's not a place to walk around alone at night. But we just stuck in group and we were fine.
The last time we were there, we went to a bar in Gas Town (an area) where you can legally smoke pot. Really. (I didn't- honest, but I had some friends who wanted to see what it was all about). Some people wanted to check it out, but I had zero interest in going there again because I thought it was just weird and uncomfortable. Instead, we went to a bar that was right near it that was a lot of fun, called The Black Frog.
I have that book "1,000 Places To See Before You Die", and I live by it when I travel. (I actually highlight the places after I have seen them because I'm a dork like that). One of the things to see in Vancouver was the Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden in Chinatown. Darrel, Ras, Ethan and myself took a cab down there on Sunday to check them out. The garden is exactly what you would see if you were in China. They had men come from over there to build it, the materials are authentic, and it cost over 5 million dollars. It really was cool! Some pics are below. Our plan was to eat lunch in the third largest Chinatown in the world, but after about five minutes of walking around, I told Darrel I did not feel safe and preferred to go up closer to our hotel. It was a SHADY place, let me tell you! I decided I would rather have the memory of the garden than the memory of a mugging!
The last time we were there, we went to a bar in Gas Town (an area) where you can legally smoke pot. Really. (I didn't- honest, but I had some friends who wanted to see what it was all about). Some people wanted to check it out, but I had zero interest in going there again because I thought it was just weird and uncomfortable. Instead, we went to a bar that was right near it that was a lot of fun, called The Black Frog.
Back story on the Black Frog: the last time I was in Vancouver, Darrel and I went to go check out the famous steam clock they have, and ducked into a restaurant/bar for lunch. I had the most unbelievable tuna melt of my life there. I swear, I have been talking about it for two years. But we didn't know what the place was called. So this time, we walked back to the Steam Clock, found it, and ate lunch there on Saturday. Turns out the damn tuna melt was a special the last time I was there. Really!? I was so sad! But we liked the vibe of the place, so we took all of our friends there at night.
I have that book "1,000 Places To See Before You Die", and I live by it when I travel. (I actually highlight the places after I have seen them because I'm a dork like that). One of the things to see in Vancouver was the Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden in Chinatown. Darrel, Ras, Ethan and myself took a cab down there on Sunday to check them out. The garden is exactly what you would see if you were in China. They had men come from over there to build it, the materials are authentic, and it cost over 5 million dollars. It really was cool! Some pics are below. Our plan was to eat lunch in the third largest Chinatown in the world, but after about five minutes of walking around, I told Darrel I did not feel safe and preferred to go up closer to our hotel. It was a SHADY place, let me tell you! I decided I would rather have the memory of the garden than the memory of a mugging!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Dinner and a Movie
Here is our tour version of dinner and a movie. And let me tell you, it is much cheaper than doing it "for real".
Movie: on Netflix, so maybe like $1.00
Dinner: leftovers that were $14 last night, plus two room service salads for $14
Wine: from the store for $12
Hotel room: free
Total: about $35
We watched "Grace Is Gone", and independent film with John Cusack about losing a loved one in the military. I CRIED like crazy. It is not super sad the whole time, but parts of it really get to you. The girl who plays the younger daughter in the movie cracked us up- I hope she becomes famous.
Movie: on Netflix, so maybe like $1.00
Dinner: leftovers that were $14 last night, plus two room service salads for $14
Wine: from the store for $12
Hotel room: free
Total: about $35
We watched "Grace Is Gone", and independent film with John Cusack about losing a loved one in the military. I CRIED like crazy. It is not super sad the whole time, but parts of it really get to you. The girl who plays the younger daughter in the movie cracked us up- I hope she becomes famous.
All in all, great date night here at the hotel in Vancouver!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Portland, OR
I just love Portland. LOVE it! I seem to like all of the town in the Northwest- Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary. When I walk around them, I think, "I could live here". But only if my entire family, including extended, moved there too of course. And maybe if it didn't rain so much.I like the way Portland is set up. All of the buildings are short, and the sidewalks are brick and stone. There are tram/trolleys that run throughout the whole city. All of the stores are free standing, meaning there is not really a mall. If you want to go to Nordstrom, it is a separate building from Gap, Borders, and Saks. There is a great nightlife with lots of musicians, local beers, etc., and you can walk everywhere.
I met up with a friend from tour last year, Beth, and we had lunch the afternoon I got there. I found some awesome sales at Anthropologie. Don't you just love when something is on sale and you did not know it until the ring you up? A pair of $148 jeans was marked down to $99. I thought.... OK, I like them so I'll go for it. I go to pay, and they are $48!!! Whoopie! The greatest thing about Portland is that there is 0% sales tax, so what you see is what you pay. Think about how much this can save you on large purchases!
Off to Vancouver, and then Alaska- is this really my life right now??!! :)
Friday, December 5, 2008
Just A Taste...
Of the new (and old) characters around me. Everyone loves a little Catch Phrase with some wine and Crown on a Thursday night!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Thanksgiving VEGAS STYLE!
This was the third Thanksgiving I have not been home for, in 30 years. But thanks to my awesome grandfather, I had a great traditional dinner at home the day before I left, with the entire family. So I got my fix.
We spent a few hours walking up the strip and checking out New York New York, MGM, Monte Carlo, and a few others. The one thing we would not do was go into Paris- we are planning a trip back to Vegas for a few nights in February and plan on staying there, and want to be surprised when we see it for the first time. While I have been to Vegas a few times, it's been about 7 years or so, and there are a lot of new things to see!
A few of us had dinner reservations at McCormick and Schmick for 8:00 (I found a great website that told me all of the Thanksgiving specials in town). They had a full turkey dinner for $18.95! However, once Darrel and I sat down and saw all of the steak and seafood options, we of course threw the turkey idea out the window. Dinner was perfect- old friends, and our "road family".
Next of course was the swanky Bellagio. We planned on getting a drink there, but the PRICES!! Oh my!! You would think they would want you to spend your money gambling! So we walked around and checked it out, then went to the new Planet Hollywood hotel for drinks instead. After a few, it seemed like a great idea to throw some of our hard-earned money into their slot machines- I lost $22 and Darrel lost $20, but it totally entertained us for a good half hour. (I thought by talking to the machine and telling it I really wanted the purple Louis Vuitton purse I had seen at Ceasar's that it would definitely pay me out, but I guess not).
They must really pump oxygen into those casinos, because I was up until 5:30am the first night, and 4:00am the second night. It was so fun, and a great town to enjoy Thanksgiving away from home in!
Luckily for us, we got to spend our night off for Thanksgiving in Vegas, with no show!!! I got in on Wednesday around midnight with the crew, and we just hung out at the Hooter's Bar because that's where we were staying. I really didn't want to go off and do too much without Darrel, because he had never been there before and I wanted to explore it with him. He arrived with the cast on Thanksgiving around 2:00pm, and it was off to the races!
We spent a few hours walking up the strip and checking out New York New York, MGM, Monte Carlo, and a few others. The one thing we would not do was go into Paris- we are planning a trip back to Vegas for a few nights in February and plan on staying there, and want to be surprised when we see it for the first time. While I have been to Vegas a few times, it's been about 7 years or so, and there are a lot of new things to see!A few of us had dinner reservations at McCormick and Schmick for 8:00 (I found a great website that told me all of the Thanksgiving specials in town). They had a full turkey dinner for $18.95! However, once Darrel and I sat down and saw all of the steak and seafood options, we of course threw the turkey idea out the window. Dinner was perfect- old friends, and our "road family".Next of course was the swanky Bellagio. We planned on getting a drink there, but the PRICES!! Oh my!! You would think they would want you to spend your money gambling! So we walked around and checked it out, then went to the new Planet Hollywood hotel for drinks instead. After a few, it seemed like a great idea to throw some of our hard-earned money into their slot machines- I lost $22 and Darrel lost $20, but it totally entertained us for a good half hour. (I thought by talking to the machine and telling it I really wanted the purple Louis Vuitton purse I had seen at Ceasar's that it would definitely pay me out, but I guess not).They must really pump oxygen into those casinos, because I was up until 5:30am the first night, and 4:00am the second night. It was so fun, and a great town to enjoy Thanksgiving away from home in!Sunday, November 30, 2008
Palm Desert, CA
Wow, is it nice out here! My mom and Ernie vacation in this area, and I know how much they enjoy it (maybe almost as much as Scottsdale). They had a short list of not-to-miss places, and I didn't see ONE, thanks to having back to back shows, and no car. Oh well. It's still beautiful! (My picture is from out the bus window on the way into town- miles of windmills, out in the middle of the desert).
I was so happy to go to the pool this morning at the hotel. It's November! It just puts you in a good mood to be in the sunshine. Yesterday most of the cast bought food at the grocery store across from the hotel, and grilled out at the theatre. They have a patio with a big 'ol grill that they let us use. I didn't think I would want anything, but when they started cooking I of course changed my mind. Darrel was nice enough to give me a few bites of his steak, chicken, and brat (really!?).
I have run into a few interesting characters here. First off, the amount of plastic surgery I have seen in this lobby outweighs any other town thus far. One woman actually looked like the Muppet girl who plays the drums. But here's a weird one- I have seen two girls who apparently have shaved off their eyebrows, and drawn them on with what looks like liquid black eyeliner. But not in the total shape of an eyebrow. It's like a design. I am told this is a West Coast thing. I also saw a man with two wedding rings on today, stacked on top of each other. Does that mean he has two wives????Off to Portland!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Colorado
Well, here I am in Greeley, Colorado. Where you ask?? Exactly. All I know about this little college town is that the whole thing, from one end to the other, smells like manure.
The good news is that we spent the last three nights in Colorado Springs. I really like it there. Between family trips, U.S. Figure Skating at the Olympic Committee based there, and touring, I have been about 5 or 6 times now. Last time I was there, Darrel and I stayed at the Broadmoor for Valentine's Day, but this time we lived it up at the swanky Clarion.
Jon and Rachel lived in the Springs during a few of my past visits, so I knew some good places to go thanks to them. The coolest place is this bar called 24C. You walk down a dark alley, and there is a blue light above an unmarked door. You walk in, and it's an awesome martini and cigar bar! Darrel and I took about 20 people there, and everyone LOVED it! I stunk so bad the next day it was unreal. (For you 90210 fans out there, 24C reminds me of when Steve Sanders is trying to find the underground club, and he keeps saying, "I have an egg". Remember that?!)
Luckily, I got to Greeley today at 2:30 and I leave tonight for Utah at 11:30, so I don't have to smell the stank for too long!
The good news is that we spent the last three nights in Colorado Springs. I really like it there. Between family trips, U.S. Figure Skating at the Olympic Committee based there, and touring, I have been about 5 or 6 times now. Last time I was there, Darrel and I stayed at the Broadmoor for Valentine's Day, but this time we lived it up at the swanky Clarion.
Jon and Rachel lived in the Springs during a few of my past visits, so I knew some good places to go thanks to them. The coolest place is this bar called 24C. You walk down a dark alley, and there is a blue light above an unmarked door. You walk in, and it's an awesome martini and cigar bar! Darrel and I took about 20 people there, and everyone LOVED it! I stunk so bad the next day it was unreal. (For you 90210 fans out there, 24C reminds me of when Steve Sanders is trying to find the underground club, and he keeps saying, "I have an egg". Remember that?!)
Luckily, I got to Greeley today at 2:30 and I leave tonight for Utah at 11:30, so I don't have to smell the stank for too long!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Alto, New Mexico
Let me start this blog off by announcing that it is my 100th post!
The theatre was actually awesome. They had blown glass inside that Dale Chihuly did. He's the same guy who did the glass flower ceiling at the Bellagio in Vegas. It was super small, and the people there were so nice.
We had an opening night party on Thursday night, which was quite a blast if I do say so myself. Cast, crew, creative team, people from the theatre, production- everyone was there. We have some characters in this new cast (check out my prom photo with Billy below)! I was told that the production company cannot remember a time that any of their tours drank the bar tab to the $2,000 max in such a short time. If you met this group, you would not be surprised at all! So we of course continued the party in my hotel room, because I had a suite. Until 5am. I justify it by telling myself I was getting to know my new co-workers.
Despite this late night, Darrel and I woke up and went with our friends Ethan and Ras to Roswell, NM. We were only an hour away, and we of course had to see where the aliens landed! It was such a tourist trap it was unreal. The whole little town is shops and restaurants that are alien themed. Even the McDonald's is shaped like a space ship. Our big plan was to go to the UFO museum, but when we walked it it smelled like a bathroom, and looked like a cubicle office with some displays on the walls. Totally not worth the $5.00 to get in, so we decided to just go to the gift shop. I am now the proud owner of a Roswell alien beer koozie!
Anyway, I just spend five nights in Alto/Ruidoso, New Mexico. We had all of our technical rehearsals there. I'll explain why I call it Alto/Ruidoso (which are two different towns). The THEATRE was in Alto, bus as you will see below, nothing else was. So we had to stay about 20 minutes away in Ruidoso.
The theatre was actually awesome. They had blown glass inside that Dale Chihuly did. He's the same guy who did the glass flower ceiling at the Bellagio in Vegas. It was super small, and the people there were so nice.We had an opening night party on Thursday night, which was quite a blast if I do say so myself. Cast, crew, creative team, people from the theatre, production- everyone was there. We have some characters in this new cast (check out my prom photo with Billy below)! I was told that the production company cannot remember a time that any of their tours drank the bar tab to the $2,000 max in such a short time. If you met this group, you would not be surprised at all! So we of course continued the party in my hotel room, because I had a suite. Until 5am. I justify it by telling myself I was getting to know my new co-workers.Despite this late night, Darrel and I woke up and went with our friends Ethan and Ras to Roswell, NM. We were only an hour away, and we of course had to see where the aliens landed! It was such a tourist trap it was unreal. The whole little town is shops and restaurants that are alien themed. Even the McDonald's is shaped like a space ship. Our big plan was to go to the UFO museum, but when we walked it it smelled like a bathroom, and looked like a cubicle office with some displays on the walls. Totally not worth the $5.00 to get in, so we decided to just go to the gift shop. I am now the proud owner of a Roswell alien beer koozie!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
A Few Thoughts
Not to be all serious, but maybe just for a minute....
We are in Ruidoso/Alto, New Mexico, population 10,000. The town lives off tourists during ski season, where the population on any given day can quadruple. It is just beautiful here. BUT- it has made me think about a few things.
On my way in, I had to take two shuttles from El Paso. One guy picked me up at the airport, and dropped me off about an hour and a half later in a small little town where I was to get on shuttle number two. The town pretty much had one main street, with every chain hotel and restaurant you could think of. They also have a lot of pistachios there and there seems to be a war as to who can have the biggest sign to sell them. But anyway, I'm sitting in the lobby of the Best Western waiting for the second shuttle, listening to what is going on around me. The girl behind the front desk was talking about being sober now, and getting her kids back. KIDS?? She looked about 18. Then a guy came in and asked for the manager. He wanted to see if he still had his application for a job, because he could really use one. The manager didn't have a job for him, so the guy nicely said thank you and asked that he please not forget about him.
On the second shuttle ride as we were driving into the town, we passed an insane amount of trailers, just propped up out there in the desert. And horrible run-down homes.
Last night after work, I was starving, and as it turns out, everything closes here at 9:00. Even Taco Bell (???). But there is a Denny's that is 24 hours, so I drove down there around 10:00. There were four people working, and in listening in on their conversations, they all had to work all night, and the one guy had taken the job because he needed it so badly, but his wife worked during the day so now they don't see each other anymore. I left my super nice take out girl a nice tip.
Today I went to this Asian nail place I found (which is a story in itself. And I quote, "well if it wasn't for slavery, we wouldn't have Michael Jordan, so maybe it wasn't so bad"). I could just tell that the people there were struggling. I got a not-so-great pedi and tipped the girl more than I should have.
All of this has just made me realize how lucky I truly am. I might complain about money sometimes because of the way things are in the world right now, but the reality of it is that I am doing just fine. I have a good job, own a home that is not being taken away from me, and can spend all the time I want with family (at least when I am home). Is two extra dollars for tip really going to set me back? Nope, and they need it more than I do.
So just take a minute when you complain to think about the people who REALLY have something to complain about. Wow- I am going to make a great mom after that comment!
We are in Ruidoso/Alto, New Mexico, population 10,000. The town lives off tourists during ski season, where the population on any given day can quadruple. It is just beautiful here. BUT- it has made me think about a few things.
On my way in, I had to take two shuttles from El Paso. One guy picked me up at the airport, and dropped me off about an hour and a half later in a small little town where I was to get on shuttle number two. The town pretty much had one main street, with every chain hotel and restaurant you could think of. They also have a lot of pistachios there and there seems to be a war as to who can have the biggest sign to sell them. But anyway, I'm sitting in the lobby of the Best Western waiting for the second shuttle, listening to what is going on around me. The girl behind the front desk was talking about being sober now, and getting her kids back. KIDS?? She looked about 18. Then a guy came in and asked for the manager. He wanted to see if he still had his application for a job, because he could really use one. The manager didn't have a job for him, so the guy nicely said thank you and asked that he please not forget about him.
On the second shuttle ride as we were driving into the town, we passed an insane amount of trailers, just propped up out there in the desert. And horrible run-down homes.
Last night after work, I was starving, and as it turns out, everything closes here at 9:00. Even Taco Bell (???). But there is a Denny's that is 24 hours, so I drove down there around 10:00. There were four people working, and in listening in on their conversations, they all had to work all night, and the one guy had taken the job because he needed it so badly, but his wife worked during the day so now they don't see each other anymore. I left my super nice take out girl a nice tip.
Today I went to this Asian nail place I found (which is a story in itself. And I quote, "well if it wasn't for slavery, we wouldn't have Michael Jordan, so maybe it wasn't so bad"). I could just tell that the people there were struggling. I got a not-so-great pedi and tipped the girl more than I should have.
All of this has just made me realize how lucky I truly am. I might complain about money sometimes because of the way things are in the world right now, but the reality of it is that I am doing just fine. I have a good job, own a home that is not being taken away from me, and can spend all the time I want with family (at least when I am home). Is two extra dollars for tip really going to set me back? Nope, and they need it more than I do.
So just take a minute when you complain to think about the people who REALLY have something to complain about. Wow- I am going to make a great mom after that comment!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Packing It Up
Well, here I sit at the airport in Mexico (oh wait- I mean, El Paso, TX). I left Cleveland this morning for tour, and have a LONG travel day. I had to fly from Cleveland to Houston to El Paso, and now am waiting around for two hours to hop on a three hour shuttle to go to Alto, NM. It is literally in the middle of no where. The closest "city" in Roswell, which I think is over and hour away. (Darrel and I are going to see the aliens on Sunday)!
Anyway, this weekend was just nuts. I wanted to be able to see everyone before I left, so I went out on Friday downtown, Saturday in Chagrin, and had things with family on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. I also had to move out of our sweet loft apartment downtown. That's a lot for one weekend!
It was so hard this year because I don't have a "home". The last two years, I packed up a few suitcases, left all of my extra clothes and shoes and coats at home, and left. This year, everything I own is in storage, so I packed up my extra clothes and shoes and coats in huge tupperware containers (like those big ones that are $12 and have clasp handles on them), and they are piled up in my mom's basement. I was so crabby on Sunday after packing and driving all over the city to drop stuff off and get ready to go. But I'll get over it when I realize that I can save more money during tour by NOT paying rent or mortgage, I'm sure. This should also teach me that I have way too much stuff.
At least my blog name for the next seven months will actually reflect what I write about now- back to tour!
Anyway, this weekend was just nuts. I wanted to be able to see everyone before I left, so I went out on Friday downtown, Saturday in Chagrin, and had things with family on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. I also had to move out of our sweet loft apartment downtown. That's a lot for one weekend!
It was so hard this year because I don't have a "home". The last two years, I packed up a few suitcases, left all of my extra clothes and shoes and coats at home, and left. This year, everything I own is in storage, so I packed up my extra clothes and shoes and coats in huge tupperware containers (like those big ones that are $12 and have clasp handles on them), and they are piled up in my mom's basement. I was so crabby on Sunday after packing and driving all over the city to drop stuff off and get ready to go. But I'll get over it when I realize that I can save more money during tour by NOT paying rent or mortgage, I'm sure. This should also teach me that I have way too much stuff.
At least my blog name for the next seven months will actually reflect what I write about now- back to tour!Friday, November 14, 2008
Legally Blonde- The Musical
Last night my mom and I went to go see Legally Blonde at Playhouse Square- it was SO GOOD! She has season tickets, and Ernie did not want to go, which means that I lucked out. It made me laugh the whole time, and held my attention throughout the entire show. Which I can not say about all shows. The girl on tour actually looks like Reese Witherspoon (from the 10th row at least)! And, they have two live dogs in the show that are super cute.
You should really check and see if it is coming to your town- http://tour.legallyblondethemusical.com/. It would be the perfect girls night for anyone!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
A Few Extra Bucks
I love eBay. I always have. I have been a member since 2001, and have sold over 250 items. For a while, I was selling for other people and taking a commission of 20%. I even advertised myself in the newspaper. I found this one family who was moving to Colorado and getting rid of a TON of stuff, about three years ago. They had train sets from Germany worth a fair amount of money, and some other items here and there. They also had a book from the 1700's that they had put in about three garage sales that never sold, and was sitting in their basement. I sold it on eBay for over $2,500. I also buy gifts at half the price on eBay. It's just awesome. Oh- I also pulled a stunt a few years ago with some Disney MP3 players. I heard they were the craze and were sold out everywhere. Well, I found them at a Target about 40 minutes away, drove there, and bought them all on my credit card. Sold them on eBay, and doubled my money.
I have also lost out on eBay so don't be fooled. But not often.
Mind you, I will admit that I know what I am doing on the site, after doing it for so long. (I even took a class a few years ago). But anyone can really do it.
In moving AGAIN this weekend, I had things that I never wear, but that I couldn't stand to give away due to how much they originally cost. The three items above are what I sold this afternoon.
1. $66.00. My ridiculously overpriced Ugg Cargo boots that I bought off eBay two years ago because I could not get them in the stores. Paid about $170, totally ruined them on tour last year when I got stuck in a salty slush storm in Quebec, and will not wear them anymore because they don't look nice, and that's just how I am. Kind of makes me a little sick to my stomach.
2. $30.99. Calvin Klein rain coat that I bought at Nordstrom two years ago in San Francisco. I wore it one day when I went to Alcatraz and Muir woods, because it was raining and I could not be outside for 8 hours without something warm and waterproof. It is a little too big so I won't really wear it. I got it on sale for about $60.
3. $27.99. Max Studio dress. It makes me look fat when I wear it, so that's that. I bought it at TJ Maxx a few years ago for $20.
Total for the day: $125! Not bad for stuff I will never, ever wear again!
Monday, November 10, 2008
WhirlyBall
On Saturday afternoon, I met up with my cousins and some of their friends to play WhirlyBall. Have you ever played this game?! (I tried to put a video on here of what it looks like but I can't figure it out, so click on the link above). I hadn't since I was probably at a middle school birthday party. It is SO FUN! It's a mix between lacrosse, basketball, and hockey, mixed with bumper cars. Great fun for a bunch of 30 year olds, let me tell you.
I think I was the only one who had not been drinking for the Ohio State game (and it was my cousin Paul's birthday), so I thought I might have an advantage. Little did I know that this is a common thing for these guys to do, they're good, and I was kind of like the kid who gets picked last for Red Rover in gym class. Everyone got so into it, running into each other, fighting over the ball, giving high fives with their "sticks". Loved it!
It's hard because you have to maneuver your bumper car next to the ball and then pick it up with your little scooper. If it gets caught in a corner, it's like a death match with the other team to get it. And the ball is so light that unless you are close to the backboard, you're most likely to miss, so you have to try and pass it around and block other players. My arm was actually sore on Sunday, I think from being so tense (thanks to the boys yelling at me to do this, and do that)!
I would definitely play again, and it was so fun to be with my cousin on the BIG 2-9!
I think I was the only one who had not been drinking for the Ohio State game (and it was my cousin Paul's birthday), so I thought I might have an advantage. Little did I know that this is a common thing for these guys to do, they're good, and I was kind of like the kid who gets picked last for Red Rover in gym class. Everyone got so into it, running into each other, fighting over the ball, giving high fives with their "sticks". Loved it!
It's hard because you have to maneuver your bumper car next to the ball and then pick it up with your little scooper. If it gets caught in a corner, it's like a death match with the other team to get it. And the ball is so light that unless you are close to the backboard, you're most likely to miss, so you have to try and pass it around and block other players. My arm was actually sore on Sunday, I think from being so tense (thanks to the boys yelling at me to do this, and do that)!
I would definitely play again, and it was so fun to be with my cousin on the BIG 2-9!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Not A New Home Owner
Welp, I didn't get the house. I guess there was another offer, and they said that they decided to work with them. It's just so not fair that you can't find out what the other person is offering! I am pretty bummed out about it, but this just means that I can continue to look for cool houses when I get home in June.
The good news is that now I don't have to pay for something I am not living in while I am on the road. I probably would have tried to rent it (to an extremely responsible single adult, after seeing what the college kids have done to my other house), but even that would have been pain.
I just loved it so much! Oh well.
The good news is that now I don't have to pay for something I am not living in while I am on the road. I probably would have tried to rent it (to an extremely responsible single adult, after seeing what the college kids have done to my other house), but even that would have been pain.
I just loved it so much! Oh well.
Proud To Be An American
I have not mentioned one political thing on this blog, because no one wants to read about politics on a site simply created for fun. But tonight, I am happy to say that I am proud, happy and excited to say that Barack Obama is my new President. :)
Monday, November 3, 2008
Free Stuff on Election Day!
I just wrote a blog about an hour ago, but I wanted to let everyone know that if you vote (which you better), get your "I VOTED" sticker, and head out for some free stuff. Starbucks is giving away a free large coffee, Ben and Jerry's is giving out free ice cream, and Krispy Kreme is giving away free donuts.
We might all be fat by the end of the day, but at least it was for a good cause.
We might all be fat by the end of the day, but at least it was for a good cause.
Wishin' and Hopin'
This might sound totally out of the blue to some of you, but I have decided to put an offer in for a house tomorrow here in Cleveland.
I didn't even mean to find it. Darrel and I went to an open house two weeks ago and I just fell in love with it. I have been renting a place downtown for a few months, getting ready to leave on November 17th for tour. I just figured I would buy a house when I got home in July, but wanted to start looking to see what was out there within my price range. (My house in University Heights is now a rental property).
I am low-balling them big time. But like Casey, my real estate agent said, if there's any time to do it, it's now!
The house is small- it's 2 bedrooms and one bath. But after thinking about it for two weeks (promising my dad I would not make a quick decision), I KNOW that I could move in here, and be happy. Darrel loves it too. The charm and character is like nothing I have ever seen. There were a few things I said I wanted when I eventually bought a new house. I wanted a fireplace (this has a marble one), hard wood floors (the whole house has them), a place outside for people to come over and enjoy (the whole backyard is a patio), an older house (1920), and a smaller house (this is 1,700 square feet).
I am not getting my hopes up because I really am putting in a low offer, but you just never know.
The link for the house is: http://3027corydon.howardhanna.com
I didn't even mean to find it. Darrel and I went to an open house two weeks ago and I just fell in love with it. I have been renting a place downtown for a few months, getting ready to leave on November 17th for tour. I just figured I would buy a house when I got home in July, but wanted to start looking to see what was out there within my price range. (My house in University Heights is now a rental property).
I am low-balling them big time. But like Casey, my real estate agent said, if there's any time to do it, it's now!
The house is small- it's 2 bedrooms and one bath. But after thinking about it for two weeks (promising my dad I would not make a quick decision), I KNOW that I could move in here, and be happy. Darrel loves it too. The charm and character is like nothing I have ever seen. There were a few things I said I wanted when I eventually bought a new house. I wanted a fireplace (this has a marble one), hard wood floors (the whole house has them), a place outside for people to come over and enjoy (the whole backyard is a patio), an older house (1920), and a smaller house (this is 1,700 square feet).
I am not getting my hopes up because I really am putting in a low offer, but you just never know.
The link for the house is: http://3027corydon.howardhanna.com
Friday, October 31, 2008
Goodbye Darrel
I'm bummed. Darrel flew to NYC today because he has to start rehearsals for the show on Saturday. I don't start work until November 17th, in New Mexico. I think this might be the longest we have gone without seeing each other. Good thing for cell phones, Facebook, and email! He also gets to go to a Halloween party tonight that our friends from tour are throwing, and is going to see people from the FIRST tour that we have not seen in about a year and a half. Mind you, we are having a fun Halloween party at our loft tonight and it will no doubt be a good night, but it's just not as much fun without Darrel. :(
On a side note- thanks to my step-sister Alisa, I am a Flapper for Halloween! She had the dress, and I found tights, a wig, gloves, and a necklace to complete the look. (I might have bought the necklace at Target with the full intention of returning it next week....).
Happy Halloween!
On a side note- thanks to my step-sister Alisa, I am a Flapper for Halloween! She had the dress, and I found tights, a wig, gloves, and a necklace to complete the look. (I might have bought the necklace at Target with the full intention of returning it next week....).
Happy Halloween!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Hot Water Woes
Our hot water tank in our apartment downtown looks like it holds about a gallon. No lie. It is hanging from the ceiling in the laundry room. We literally cannot wash our hair and shave our legs during the same shower because we run out of hot water. When Toni, Darrel and I all have to take showers, we try to spread them out, but sometimes it just doesn't work.
The other day we were getting ready to go out, and there was just no way I was putting my body under that cold water. So this is what I resorted to:
Friday, October 24, 2008
Bragging Rights
Um, I think I have them. Here is Darrel singing at open mic night in Erie earlier this week!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Ticked Off In Tremont
On Monday night, me, Darrel, Toni (my roommate) and her brother went to a local bar for $3 drafts and Karaoke. Toni's brother was visiting from London and it was his last night in town, so we wanted to do something fun.
So after this awesome night, we walk out to get in my car and go home, and.... my back passenger window has been shattered, and my 80 gig iPod is gone. BASTARDS!! It is just so unfair that thieves get away with doing things like this. I was parked on a well lit street, right out front of the bar, and next to a church, of all things. I obviously had to get the window replaced ASAP, so I found a place and went on Tuesday afternoon. It was $227. And now I have to get another iPod, which will be a few hundred dollars. It's not worth turning into insurance, so I'm just sucking it up.
Tremont is an area of Cleveland that is very trendy and artsy. That guy from Iron Chef owns a restaurant down there, there are tons of little bars, galleries, etc. But it's also right on the edge of not totally being safe. There will be an amazing house built right next to a house missing windows. But they have some really fun places to go.
Anyway, the night was super fun! We tried different beers they had on draft, and Darrel sang a lot of Karaoke for us. Believe it or not, after a few of those beers, I went up there and sang WITH HIM! I don't think I have even attempted Karaoke since I was drunk when I was 20. We sang "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" by Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks. I was so nervous, but had so much fun.
So after this awesome night, we walk out to get in my car and go home, and.... my back passenger window has been shattered, and my 80 gig iPod is gone. BASTARDS!! It is just so unfair that thieves get away with doing things like this. I was parked on a well lit street, right out front of the bar, and next to a church, of all things. I obviously had to get the window replaced ASAP, so I found a place and went on Tuesday afternoon. It was $227. And now I have to get another iPod, which will be a few hundred dollars. It's not worth turning into insurance, so I'm just sucking it up.Our cheap night out with $3 drafts turned out to have a pretty hefty price tag!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Viva La Vida
Last night, Darrel and I went to go see Coldplay here in Cleveland. It was AMAZING!
I bought tickets months ago, and we had pretty good seats. Their set and lights were great, and they were honestly much better than I expected them to be. A lot of their older music is kind of slow, but their new album is sssoooooo awesome and upbeat, and that's what the show was like. I was blown away by the way the lead singer could run and jump around, playing guitar, piano, and singing. I knew every song but one, and had a big smile on my face all night.
If you don't have their new album, you have to buy it or download it. I can't imagine anyone not liking it.
Another cool thing is that I can now say I have seen the father of Apple and Moses!
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