Standby nothing.......

....and nothing....Go!

Every Xmas Story Ever Told

For some publicity shots and reviews of the show click here.


Well it all started in a little rehearsal hall with some crazy props and some dedicated ASM's

Here is Emily, she is my first ASM (in charge of Props and Set)

Here is my second ASM, Melissa, she is in charge of Costumes.



Here are two of our many signs....in the corner on the left you can see Sweden and in the center is our Xmas Xtreme banner.



Our thre fantastic actors and our brilliant director (Jim Helsinger) working through a tech rehearsal.

The actors doing some choreography for the finale entitled "Every Christmas Carol Ever Sung."

Here is our set - - ready for the top of the show.

Debbie was my ASM for the morning part of the rehearsal period......It's difficult to explain, but basically Mel and Em were running another show during the day so the first part of the rehearsal day I had Debbie and Lindsay and then when the kids show was over, Emily and Melissa came in and took over the rehearsal. Yeah - - it was a little crazy to say the least...but we made it and I could have never run the rehearsal without the four of them.

Here is our fearless Production Manager, PJ, don't let him fool you - - he's not working he's just pretending. Sometimes he comes into our office (Company/Stage Management) to get away from the hustle and bustle of the theatre (i.e. PJ - I need..... PJ I want....PJ I HAVE TO HAVE.....) We like it when he comes in because we get to chat.

Jamie is my office mate. She's the KICK ASS Company Manager who always makes me smile. She was my ASM on Trapezium last year with Nicole, and I loved them very much. But they moved on....Jamie is the CM and Nicole is a carpenter.

Here are Debbie and Lindsay working diligently. (Well it sure looks like that doesn't it????)

Heh heh this is a fun place to work. Don't you wish you worked here too??????

If you live in Central Florida, come see Every Christmas Story Ever Told before it closes on Dec. 24. You will regret it if you dooooooooon't!!!!!!!

Kenzie's Downtown Disney Sing

Kenzie's school performed at 2:15p




Here she is getting ready to sing and looking cute as ever (she's the red head in the middle if you didn't know).


Getting ready to sing her little heart out...


Here's a shot of the whole choir.


Now I have some video clips, but I am not sure how to upload them...so bear with me if they don't work right away.

Kenzie's first song. (I had to upload the movie clips to my geocities web site so you will need to click the link to view them!)

Another Kenzie song. (When the tiny video shows up you can right click on it to view full screen - - if ya wanna!)

Kenzie rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rehearsals for Every Christmas Story Ever Told

Wow this show has got a shit ton of props and costumes. It only has 3 actors who play a bunch of characters.....kind of reminds me of my fun fun show STONES from this summer! (I miss that show.)

Right now my rehearsal space is trashed...but that's the idea. By intermission about 3/4 of "every christmas story" has been told and they just keep droping all their props and costumes all over the stage.

I'll get some rehearsal (stage only) photos up as soon as I can.

More later!

HAPPY DAY!!!!!

Angi - Free and Healing for One Year, 9 Hours and 58 Minutes, while extending my life expectancy 25 Days and 9 Hours, by avoiding the use of 7308 cigarettes that would have cost me $1,298.36.

Damn headache (wow, and a rant I didn't know I had in me)

Oh so I went back on Atkins today. I am plateau-ing on my weight loss. I even gained some last week. So I am trying to jump start my metabolism. BUT going through sugar withdrawal sure is painful. Oh my achin' noggin.

On the upside - I will probably lose a pound today and that will make me smile.

Stupid weight loss. It sucks. BUT I do feel better and I know that I eat too many carbs. I was already predisposed for diabetes and I don't want to actually get it. That would be the pits.

On a completely unrelated note: (warning: apparently I have strong feelings about this so if you are easily offended - maybe you better go - - now....)

I need to vent.

I have a friend who is a very nice gentleman who has been through cancer, divorce and lots of other yucky things in his life. This man has several degrees and is possibly the coolest guy I have ever met and he has a problem. His daughter is a complete BITCH! Okay, I am biased and I know it. I don't know his daughter but I know that he has been trying to salvage a relationship with her for YEARS. Sometimes she remembers that he is her dad. Usually when she needs something. In the past few years she has really left him out. She barely talks to him (if she even talks to him at all - I don't know - I think he tries to protect her by pretending she is a better daughter than she really is) and SHE LIVES IN THE SAME FREAKING TOWN THAT HE DOES.

PEOPLE (and I fell like I can say this because my dad was not always there when I was growing up) FOR GOD'S SAKE - - LOVE YOUR PARENTS. CALL THEM. EMAIL THEM. DON'T HATE and DON'T JUDGE. Maybe your parents were sucky. Maybe they cared more about their lives than yours. I'm sorry - but chances are THEY ARE SORRY.

Yeah, it seems like it is really easy for me to type these things because I am well adjusted and all that. But if you know me (and I mean really know me) you know my childhood wasn't all fun and games. I know what it is like to have people try to buy my love. But you know what? I still love my parents. I don't blame them for being caught up in their own drama. Without them I would not be who I am. If my parents hadn't gotten divorced when I was young I wouldn't have known what it was like. I wouldn't know how to relate to my own step-daughter. Hell, I might not have had a step-daughter! (This is not a PSA on divorce) And for that matter, I probably wouldn't have waited so long to get married. It gave me a different perspective on marriage. I never want to get a divorce and that made me really look at the guy I was dating and think about how he would be in 40 years. Got me out of 2 engagements and then I found Matty and he is right for me. He is EVER SO RIGHT.

Okay sorry, I try not to get on a soapbox on this blog, but I am so sad that my friend has to have a crappy daughter. He is a good man. Granted I have only known him the last 10 of his 70 some years, but I know he is a good man. He deserves to have children who love and FORGIVE him.

(I am not saying his name on here because he might read it and I don't want to embarrass him.)

Okay now I hope I have at least made you think about your parents. Now go call them and tell them you love them. I know I will. BTW - that man I was speaking of - he is like a father to me.

*whew* I think I feel a little better.

I don't know you - maybe your parents did unforgivable things to you - if so, I'm truly sorry - but this is my page and I am NOT LISTENING.

News FREAKIN' Flash!

Okay this is quick and dirty but I am so excited it is just ridiculous!

TODAY marks one week of NO SMOKING for my darling Matt!

Oh I am so excited I could just freaking EXPLODE!

*grin*

Happy Halloween!

I can see you..........

Oh I do love this holiday!

This year we are staying home and handing out candy. I'm sort of excited, but I am bummed that I missed the OSF Halloween party last night. We went to the lake house and didn't get back in town until around 6 pm. Matty was sick, we were all tired (Coop had to be carried into the house - - he was snoring!!!!)

BUT - -

I don't want to disappoint, so here is our Young Son in his dragon costume!

I KNOW!!!! How is it possible for him to be even cuter??!!? Okay, I know I turned into one of those weirdos who dresses their dog. But it's only a Halloween costume!

Okay well I hope you have a GREAT PUMPKIN!!! (Crap, I mean a GREAT HALLOWEEN!!!!!)

If you ARE going out tonight, I hope you will have a DD.

Happy Halloween!

I can see you..........

Oh I do love this holiday!

This year we are staying home and handing out candy. I'm sort of excited, but I am bummed that I missed the OSF Halloween party last night. We went to the lake house and didn't get back in town until around 6 pm. Matty was sick, we were all tired (Coop had to be carried into the house - - he was snoring!!!!)

BUT - -

I don't want to disappoint, so here is our Young Son in his dragon costume!

I KNOW!!!! How is it possible for him to be even cuter??!!? Okay, I know I turned into one of those weirdos who dresses their dog. But it's only a Halloween costume!

Okay well I hope you have a GREAT PUMPKIN!!! (Crap, I mean a GREAT HALLOWEEN!!!!!)

If you ARE going out tonight, I hope you will have a DD.

My view of Hurricane Wilma, mid morning

Hello!

It's not too bad here in the Orlando area. We are getting some wind and lots of rain though!


The View From Kenzie's bedroom 11 am

Three doors in the house slammed shut when I opened the sliding glass to take this photo, the trees are all blowing toward the house. This is not really hurricane weather for us up here, we are on the lookout for tornados! We have had two touchdown within 75 miles of the Greater Orlando area in the last hour.

We lost power four or five times this morning from around 7:40 am to 9:00 am, but now things are great and I am just hanging around, comforting the pup. This is his first hurricane and he's not used to it yet.


Thank goodness the harshest parts of the storm are hitting offshore, but there is some severe damage down south.

Video clips of The Foreigner

The Foreigner

Video courtesy of Alan Neves,
Video Utah Productions.

All Well Video Clips

All's Well That Ends Well

Video courtesy of Alan Neves,
Video Utah Productions.

mmmmmm.......

Oh. My. God.

Have you been to Seasons 52???? Well go. No, seriously, go soon.

There are currently 4 of them in Florida. They are a Darden restaurant, which means they have a pretty good degree of service and food. Some of Darden's other chains include Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Smoky Bones and Bahama Breeze. (The Darden HQ is here in Orlando, that's why I know their name....)

Anyway, I digress.

Here, they tell it better than I can. This is from their website.


About Our Menu

Seasons 52 promises a dining adventure in which each bite reveals a new taste sensation. Rediscover the authentic tastes of freshly harvested food. Every week of the year as different foods reach their seasonal peak of taste, we seek out the best market-fresh products, such as vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes in summer, crisp apples in autumn, hearty root vegetables in winter and tender green asparagus in spring.

Every item on our seasonally inspired menu contains less than 475 calories, and each meal is nutritionally balanced to include the highest quality lean meats and seafood, good carbs and beneficial oils such as extra virgin olive oil.

Seasons 52 combines the sheer pleasure of a great meal served well with the satisfaction of knowing you've served yourself well too! Each week's menu is created by our team of talented chefs and internationally recognized Executive Chef, Clifford Pleau, who is also our Director of Culinary Development.

Did you notice how everything is less that 475 calories?????? Okay now that is per item, so don't go insane - but Matty and I ate there last night for our anniversary and let me tell you - - it freaking rocks.

This is what we had:

Drinks: They are a wine bar with over 70 different choices. Matt had a merlot (can't remember the name) and I had a Midnight Martini. Oh the martini was with black vodka (YUM), blueberry cordial and a splash of cranberry juice. OH SO GOOD! Also, the martinis are so big that you get 2 servings. $8.75 for essentially 2 drinks was really nice.

Appetizer: Grilled Steak & Roasted Crimini Flatbread with melted blue cheese

Salad: Autumn Greens Salad with toasted pumpkin seeds & light aged balsamic dressing
(I had Shrimp Cocktail in leiu of a salad)

Entrees: (Matt) Jumbo Shrimp Penne Pasta sauteed with fresh broccoli & roasted garlic in fresh tomato basil sauce

(Angi) Cedar Plank Salmon with roasted Yukon Gold potatoes and fresh autumn market vegetables

Dessert:
(Angi) Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bean Mousse
(Matt) Rocky Road (Nut Free)

These desserts are called mini indulgences and they are served in shot glasses. The perfect amount on sweet without overdoing it!


We went to this one, which is in touristland, but oh so pretty.
Orlando, Florida
7700 Sand Lake Road
Orlando, FL 32836
407-354-5212
Open daily at 4:30 p.m.


We were told this one is smaller but just as nice.
Altamonte Springs, Florida
463 East Altamonte Drive, by The Altamonte Mall
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
(407) 767-1252
Open daily at 11:30 a.m. for lunch and 5:00 p.m. for dinner

They also have one in Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach.

So anyhow, its totally wort it, give it a shot!

Video Clips of Pippin

Pippin

Video courtesy of Alan Neves,
Video Utah Productions.

It's my anniversary!!!!

Seems like only yesterday, we were walking down the aisle.....


Today Matthew and I celebrate our 3 year anniversary. YEA!

I still love him just as much today as I did that day in 2002.


Marriage has its ups and downs....but *sings* "Love will keep us together....."

*CHEESY GRIN*



Happy anniversary Matthew.....I love you!

Utah Shakes is hiring for the Tour

The Utah Shakespearean Festival is hiring for its upcoming educational tour of Macbeth. The tour travels for twelve weeks to the western United States, playing to a variety of organizations, groups, and schools. Seven actors and three technicians will tour with a shortened, fully produced version of Macbeth. The tour ensemble works together in sharing duties of driving, setup, breakdown, etc.

COMPANY MANAGER: Seeking enthusiastic, mature individual for Utah Shakespearean Festival educational tour of Macbeth. Company manager to be in contact with schools, theatres, and other sponsor groups; make all advance contacts, publicity contacts, and lodging contacts during rehearsal period; act as liaison to booking office for schedule and changes; coordinate all travel schedules and performance schedules while on tour; and handle all transportation issues while on the road.

Contracts run January 2 through April 22, 2006. Salary range is $350-400/week, with housing and travel stipend provided.

Please send letter of application and resume to:Raymond Inkel, Production Manager Utah Shakespearean Festival 351 West Center Street Cedar City, UT 84720
435-865-8264 • Fax: 435-865-8003
inkel@bard.org

A Saturday in Cozumel

We got off the boat after breakfast at around 9:30.


The local Ron John's...


The view from Ron John's front door.


















A hospitable island.
















We had a quick look around and then met up with our shore excursion group. We went on a 2 person speedboat that Matt got to drive to a private beach.


Check out that beautiful water!! We were on the ocean for about 45 minutes each way. It was so cool to zip around and play in the waves. There were about 7 boats in our group.
















We spent about an hour and a half hanging out on a beautiful beach and in the ocean. I collected some shells for Kenzie.















They served us a traditional Mexican meal with some kick ass salsa.








Our guides!





We went back to the ship to shower and then headed back out.



Yeah...I HAD to hang with he Captain!












We had a few drinks, bought some souvenirs and headed back to the ship for a NAP before dinner.


That was our view from the ship right before we left port.




The coast line as we pulled away...


Tonight we got a bat. Its cute AND creepy.


I don't know what it is, but I love this photo. I love how the light spills over the bed.




Do you like our night light? :P

Ahhhh Cozumel. What a fun little place.