The Great Work Begins

An Audience Makes a Difference

2011-02-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Foolishly, I started both these blogs thinking that it was just me and the anonymous internet. (Yes, I'm being sarcastic.) I really didn't think anyone would find me out there among all the well-written, focused blogs out there. It is a blessing and a curse that folks I know have found my big blog. It is only a curse because I feel the weight of my responsibilities and roles and feel like I have to "be" a certain way.

When I read what I write now, compared to what I used to write about, I feel like I dropped the ball or that something is missing. I don't want to have that change there, but I'm not sure how to stop it. It is important to me to avoid certain topics because the internet isn't the place for them. At the same time, I find that sometimes, with the limited range of my life right now (lots of work, very little else), I don't always have that much to talk about except for my own meandering thoughts. Sometimes, I don't want to go there. ;)

Anyway, I just felt like I needed to say something about that. I haven't worked it out, but I will.

2010 Rings In Smooth and Clear

2010-01-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

I know I don't spend much time here on the "pink" blog, but for some reason, it holds a fond place in my heart. It is the place where I gained enough confidence to continue to blog and to try to find my way here in the vast array of voices on the internet.

Welcome to the New Year! I think many good things are in store for me and everyone this year.

I will be in and out here - sometimes I come here when the content of what I have to say doesn't quite match up with what I'm doing on WildRumpusing, so I haven't given up over here.

From my random pick in my "Ordinary Sparkling Moments" Inspiration Cards, my phrase for the year:

I'm going on vacation!

2009-10-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

Touchdown to The Great Work

2009-10-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

I wandered over here today and I felt a twinge of guilt about having abandonded this blog in many ways. I am proud of it and I still have an attachment to it, but I am overcommitted, so I have mostly been focused on WildRumpusing. I think there is a place for both blogs in my world, I just have to figure it out.

Perhaps this will be my gratitude place.

Thanks for visiting, those of you who do. I will try to be better about posting things here. :)

Hello, Pink Blog

2009-07-27T23:47:00.000-07:00

I was missing this blog today, so I thought I would pop over and say hi. Hardly anyone comes here anymore, including me, which, I'm sure is why other people don't really stop by - nothing's happening.

It is incredibly hot today - supposed to be the hottest overnight low - 73 degrees overnight. Yuk. It was around 102 degrees during the day time, so everyone is just moving a little more slowly, thinking a little more slowly, conserving energy and trying not to sweat in the first place.

I'm doing some of the Great Work - trying to find more balance in life. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I'm taking a telecoaching course and struggling, but that's ok. Like it says in "The Velveteen Rabbit" - becoming isn't easy or quick...it is slow and rubs the pink out of our ears.

Life is good. Even when it doesn't feel like it.

Patti Digh is coming to Oregon!!

2009-06-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

If you want more information on Patti Digh's appearances in Oregon, click here.

Movie Trailers

2009-04-06T22:32:00.000-07:00

Fame:

Where the Wild Things Are

Disney version

I Sing the Body Electric (1980 Fame)

Portland Center Stage 2009-10 Season

2009-04-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

From www.pcs.org:

Okay, Without further ado, Portland Center Stage is pleased to announce the 2009-2010 season lineup:

…
Ragtime
Book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and music by Stephen Flaherty
Directed by Chris Coleman
(Main Stage)
September 15 to November 1, 2009
E.L. Doctorow’s sweeping novel comes vividly to life in this Tony Award-winning musical, set against the backdrop of the ragtime craze in New York City. In it, three disparate families intertwine: a wealthy white couple; a Jewish immigrant father and his motherless daughter; and an African American ragtime musician who teaches them all about the surprising interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of justice and the unsettling consequences of dreams permanently deferred. Historical figures like Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan and Emma Goldman also inhabit this stirring epic, but it is American popular music that carries the story, including marches, cakewalks and — of course – ragtime.
…
Thurgood
by George Stevens, Jr.
(Ellyn Bye Studio)
September 29 to November 22, 2009
One of America’s greatest heroes takes the stage in this powerful new play about Thurgood Marshall, the grandson of a slave who rose from a childhood in the back streets of Baltimore to become our first African-American Supreme Court Justice. Thurgood’s life was a triumph of courage — not just for one man, but for the nation he bravely challenged and proudly served. Called a “a don’t miss event” by the New York press, Thurgood invites us to meet and, perhaps just a little, understand a man whose life story reminds us how critical it is to keep the American dream alive. PCS’ production of Thurgood will star local favorite Wendell Wright.
Special Holiday Offerings!!!
This year the holidays will feature TWO PCS favorite productions, both presented outside of the regular subscription packages.
…
A Christmas Carol
Adapted by Mead Hunter from the novella by Charles Dickens
Directed by Rose Riordan
(Main Stage)
November 24 to December 27, 2009
Already a Portland holiday tradition, this year Associate Artistic Director Rose Riordan will add her own unique stamp to Mead Hunter’s original adaptation, starting by casting of Portland’s favorite weird and wise old man, Ebbe Roe Smith, as Scrooge. This timeless tale of the gifts that become available when you cross the divide that separates neighbor from neighbor will retain all the sparkle and spookiness Portland has come to expect… but look for the director of The Receptionist and How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found to add a few intriguing new low lights to the rich texture of the production.
…
The Santaland Diaries
By David Sedaris
Adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello
(Ellyn Bye Studio)
December 3 to December 27, 2009
Based on the outlandish true chronicles of David Sedaris’ experience as Crumpet the Elf in Macy’s Santaland display, this hilarious cult classic riffs on a few of Sedaris’ truly odd encounters with his fellow man during the height of the holiday crunch. NPR humorist and best-selling author of When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Me Talk Pretty One Day and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, David Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. This production will include two late night 10:00 pm performances on December 10th and 17th.
…
Snow Falling on Cedars
adapted for the stage by Kevin McKeon
from the book by David Guterson
(Main Stage)
January 12 to February 7, 2010
Adapted for the stage by Seattle’s Book-it Repertory Theatre (the people who brought us Pride and Prejudice), Northwestern author David Guterson’s haunting story takes place in 1954, on a Puget Sound island so isolated that no one who lives there can afford to make enemies. The island’s white and Japanese-American communities have lived in quiet but uneasy peace, even through the dark days of WWII internment camps and widespread anti-Japanese war hysteria. But when Kabuo Miyamoto is charged with murder and it turns out that his wife’s spurned white lover Ishmael holds the information that could set him free, the island’s secret prejudices, jealousies and ancient grievances threaten to boil over into an act of injustice from which there can be no return.
…
The Chosen
adapted by Aaron Posner
from the Chaim Potok novel
(Ellyn Bye Studio)
February 2 to April 11, 2010
This award-winning adaptation from the award-winning novel is the coming-of-age story of two boys growing up in two very different Jewish communities—“five blocks and a world apart”—in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in the 1940s. In it, Danny, the brilliant and curious son of a Hasidic rabbi, struggles with his longing to know more of the world and his father’s unwillingness to speak to him when they are not studying the Torah. After a heated fight at a baseball game, Danny befriends Reuven, an Orthodox Jew from a nearby neighborhood who becomes a friend and a partner in investigating both their shared Jewish heritage and their wildly divergent family environments and hopes for the future. When Danny’s father prohibits him from speaking to Reuven because of a political disagreement about a nascent Israeli state, both boys learn that the bonds of religion, friendship and community are both more brittle and more binding than they could have possibly imagined.
…
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
By August Wilson
(Main Stage)
April 6 to May 2, 2009
One of the masterpieces of August Wilson’s ten-play Century Cycle, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone follows Harold Loomis, who appears in Pittsburgh in 1911 to reunite his family after spending seven years on a Joe Turner’s chain gang. Surrounded by the vibrant tenants of a black boarding house, he fights for his soul and his song in the dawning days of a century without slavery. The San Francisco chronicle recently called Joe Turner “Powerful, joyously musical and chillingly visionary…How far we’ve come…The high of [President] Barack Obama’s victory gain[s] deeper resonances from August Wilson’s dramatic depiction of the lives of African Americans just a few generations ago.”
…
The Best So Far
by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich
(Ellyn Bye Studio)
May 4 to June 27, 2010
From one of the hottest team of songwriters in New York, whose clever cabaret songs have been covered by the likes of Kristin Chenowith (“Taylor the Latte Boy”) and Terence Mann (Dear Edwina),comes the world premiere of a new musical as saucy, zany and romantic as a carriage ride through Central Park. Like a Cole Porter musical scathingly edited by Dorothy Parker, The Best So Far takes a bumpy, giggling ride through the wilds of modern romantic relationships. Whether the characters are 18 or 80, the terror and thrill of leaping into commitment looms large and keeps them spinning.
…
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
lyrics and music by William Finn
book by Rachel Sheinkin
(Main Stage)
May 25 to June 27, 2010

Rounding out the season is a hilarious tale of overacheiver’s angst from the author of Falsettos and A New Brain. This unlikeliest of hit musicals draws the audience directly into the action, bringing 4 nerdtastic audience members onto the stage each night to compete alongside some of America’s unlikeliest kid heroes: a quirky yet charming mix of awkward outsiders, divided by their stereotypes (the hyper-achieving Asian kid, the over-precious daughter of gay dads, the goober snorting nerd, the underachieving hippie kid) and united by the discovery that a spelling bee may be the only place on the planet where they can both stand out and fit in.

Season subscriptions open for sale on February 23rd. Want to subscribe RIGHT NOW? Call the box office at 503.445.3700 and they’ll get you all set up.

Single tickets range from $24 to $64 with student rates available. The night of show Rush discount returns this year, with a slightly higher $15 ticket price.

Evening performances in both the Main Stage and the Studio begin at 7:30 pm, with weekday matinees at noon and weekend matinees at 2 pm.

**Note from Jean: I did not look for interpreted performance dates for PCS yet. It usually takes them a little time, so I didn't even look.

Also, I read on the website that the Season Tickets renewal option online was not working properly and patrons were a little frustrated. I would call first if you are renewing your seats.

Broadway in Portland 2009-10 Season

2009-04-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

Fiddler On the Roof

August 25-30, 2009. Interpreted performance is Thursday evening.

Last chance to see Topol as Tevya.

August: Osage County

October 20-25, 2009. Interpreted performance on Thursday evening.

Legally Blonde: The Musical
February 16-21, 2010. Interpreted performance on Thursday evening.

Cats
March 23-28, 2010. Interpreted performance on Thursday evening.

Dreamgirls
April 6-11, 2010. Interpreted performance on Thursday evening.

Cirque Dreams: Illumination
April 20-25, 2010. No interpreters necessary.

The Lion King
June 16-July 11, 2010. Interpreted performance(s) TBD.

Lack of Balance

2009-04-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

When I first started blogging, I couldn't decide what I wanted to do and I couldn't decide if I wanted to be found and what mood I wanted...I like my main blog, but I also really am attached to this one - to the name, to what I was doing to learn all this stuff...

Unfortunately, I have not really struck a balance between the two.

Right now, I'm going to put stuff over here that is about things that are purely selfish - my own interests, my own communication to myself, music that I find interesting, etc. The other blog is more thought-ful - in a different way.

Anyway, I'm still here. :)

Catching Myself Up

2009-02-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

I have been mostly focused on my other blog...the first one...but I wanted to come over here and get caught up. I think I started this blog to make sure I could do it...I wasn't ready to fully commit on WildRumpusing.

Last year, in March and April, I participated in Nablopomo and I finished both months. I am doing it now in the other blog and I have been keeping the "I Did it" badges so I can tally the months I fulfilled my commitment. :) I am proud of the months I have been able to do it and I have refined my technique since the spring.

So, to honor my two months of Nablopomo here, I wanted to post my badges for April and March.

International Harry Potter Trailer

2009-01-25T18:28:00.000-08:00

I found this "International" version of a trailer for "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince".

Why do we always get dumbed down versions of books, trailers and movies in the U.S.? Why do we stand for it? It is so annoying. But I guess the people who are responsible for these things are right- we never protest that things have been dumbed down or made less complicated or more violent for our viewing benefit. I just don't get it...sigh.

Hermiting

2009-01-11T14:18:00.000-08:00

I don't know why, but lately, I just don't want to leave the house on the weekends. I like being away from people, away from expectations. I want to go to the movies - I want to see "Benjamin Button" and "The Reader" and "Marley and Me" and "Bolt" and "Madagasgar II" but once it gets down to it, I just can't pry myself from the house.

Part of it is escaping the routine - get up, shower, get ready, leave, come home tired, go to bed and do it all over again the next day. Part of it is the isolation from people.

I want to break out of it, but at the same time, it is just so nice to be HOME. I'm sure it is a phase. When the weather is warmer, I usually get out more. I guess I will wait for it to pass or for spring to come.

Musical Rabbit Hole

2008-12-25T02:43:00.000-08:00

I was in a music mood and started in one place and ended in a completely different place tonight. I was listening dutifully to "The Color Purple", which I am really enjoying. After about the third time through, I decided to listen to some other stuff. I have been listening to a playlist I made when my dad died and one song just keeps popping out at me - Kenny Loggins' "Conviction of the Heart". It makes me cry almost every time I hear it.

Kenny Loggins – Live in the Redwoods – Conviction of the Heart

Then I was thinking about some of the songs I love but that also put me in this melancholy place...

One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey and Boys II Men
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzeMzo_4pxA

Puff Daddy “I’ll Be Missing You”

Missing – Everything But the Girl

Seal – Don’t Cry (audio only)

U2- Where the Streets Have No Name
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpVbLm4TN3g

the Eagles “Love Will Keep Us Alive”

Then something must have caught my attention and I looked up "Chess" and found out!!! that they did a concert in May 2008 with Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal and Raul Esparza and Josh Groban and it will be made into a CD and DVD...so of course, I had to listen to some of that..

embassy lament – audio only

Mountain Duet – Idina Menzel and Josh Groban

heaven help my heart – Idina Menzel

I know him so well- Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis
I know him so well- idina menzel and kerry ellis

Anthem Josh Groban

Adam Pascal – Pity the child

Quartet concert

Then I got off track again...distracted back to my task..melancholy old music...
Melissa Etheridge – No Souveniers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbjOttMoaHw

John Secada – Just another day

Nobody Wants to be Lonely live

Gloria Estefan – 1-2-3

Then I thought of George Huff, for some reason...
George Huff – Lean On me

Then I remembered that I had been wanting to find a song that I have only one copy of...

The Dive – Steven Curtis Chapman

This song has a funny story to go with it...I am not a person who is interested in Christian music or musicians. A few years ago, a new Christian music radio station started advertising on television and they had their ads on A LOT. A clip from "The Dive" was on the commercial. I saw it so many times, that the tune just got stuck in my head. I thought "Oh. My. God. If I don't listen to the whole song, the clip will just wear a groove in my brain..." so I looked it up and got a copy of the single in hopes that it would just be done. The tune had already found a place in my brain. I like it. It is catchy. The words could really be about any spiritual belief and the search for self and truth - letting go and trusting. So, there you go.

Then I decided to look up some Christmas music. I posted that on my other blog, WildRumpusing, so I will only post one here. :)

Clay Aiken – Mary Did You Know?

Merry Christmas!

I'm still here...

2008-12-20T22:12:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of pictures from the snowy world here...

Neglected but not forgotten

2008-11-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

Well, obviously, I have been neglecting this blog. I wish, in some ways, that I could combine my other blog with this one. They started out very different in tone and interest, but right now, I don't really have enough energy to keep them both up.

I am participating in Nablopomo on the other blog, so that is sucking up all my energy.

I did want to drop in and visit this one, though. I haven't forgotten this blog.

To that end, a movie conversation (not exactly a review):

I saw "Twilight" last night with a group of women who work for the same company but in a different office. I don't think a group of us would really do anything organized and social in my office, but we just have a different kind of group. Anyway, all the women I went with had read the books and were shocked that I hadn't even started them. I had bought the book, but I loaned it to someone because I knew I wouldn't finish. I decided I was intrigued enough to read them - given my love of "Buffy", this seems like it will work.

I really liked the female star, Kristen Stewart, as Bella. I couldn't remember where I had seen her before and one of my companions told me she was the daugheter in "Panic Room" with Jodie Foster. That rang a bell, but I knew I had seen her more recently. When I finally got home and looked her up, I realized where I had seen her before - she was the daughter in "In the Land of Women" and I had REALLY been intrigued by her in that film. She has a level of reticence that she brings to her characters that makes them seem very real to me.

Pictured: Gil Birmingham, Billy Burke, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner (from the movie, "Twilight")

I also really liked Taylor Lautner, who played a minor character in this movie, but who I have heard will have a major part in the next movie (big character in book 2, I assume). I'm eager to read the books to get more of a handle on his character (I can't remember his character's name...).

I thought the movie had some very nice cinematography and certainly conveyed a specific mood. I liked the actors and the story was interesting enough. I did note, however, that it was a little slow moving in the exposition. I think part of it is just setting the scene, but part of it was a lot of brooding stares and longing glances between Edward and Bella which probably played well to the plethora of teenage girls in the audience but wore a bit thin for anyone over the age of 20.

Finally some good movies

2008-10-17T07:37:00.000-07:00

I went to see "The Duchess" yesterday and there were a bunch of really good previews before the movie. One in particular sparked my excitement for the coming movie season - "Defiance" - with Daniel Craig and some other folks I can't remember...I will have to look it up. A movie about 3 brothers during WWII in Germany (I believe) who bring a bunch of Jewish people to hide in the woods with them for the duration and decide to fight back rather than wait to be killed or taken. I'm sure it will be a difficult movie to watch, but meaningful. So many movies now just don't seem to have a point.

"The Duchess" was pretty good although I went under the auspices that this was a GREAT performance by Ralph Fiennes. Obviously, they have not seen him in "Schindler's List". That was a GREAT, if stomach-turning, performance. I did like Kiera Knightly better than I have in a long time. I just found the movie sort of pointless. I'm not much for films of that period, so I didn't expect to be blown away by it.

"Defiance"

"The Soloist"

"Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince"

Enjoy!

"RENT" Final Performance at the Movies

2008-09-28T23:15:00.000-07:00

It was BRILLIANT. I loved it.

Here's a clip of Adam Pascal and Tamyra Gray singing "Another Day". I love this scene. It's quintessential RENT.

In the mood for some music

2008-08-31T17:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what makes me go on YouTube and look up old music...but periodically, I get the urge to wile away a few hours in nostalgia. So here's what I did last night when I couldn't sleep...

Chumbawumba - Tubthumping

The Night I Heard Caruso Sing - Everything but the Girl (not an official video, but the song is beautiful)

Missing - Everything but the Girl (the last song they released before Roby died - we listened to it over and over and over in those last months)

Alison Moyet on David Letterman - Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness"

Walkaway - Kelly Clarkson

Out of Town again

2008-08-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

I'm going to Oakland again for business. Will be gone for a week. I hope it's a good trip.

Jean's page - Early Blog

2008-07-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to my first attempt at making a website...I was going to put more poetry on it, but I loved how it looked so much, I didn't mess with it anymore...

http://vindaloorent.homestead.com/jeanspage.html

I have a few of these pages wandering around. I think I have them listed on WildRumpusing on the left side if you are interested in looking at them. Much more image heavy - I could do that on homestead...

Anyway, I thought I would post it here since it directly influenced me changing the name of the blog.

Photo Mosaic - Joy Pink Dance

2008-06-28T17:57:00.001-07:00

The last mosaic had TWO duplicate pictures in it...GRR. So I made an entirely new one with a theme...Joy, pink, dance.

1. Young sâdhu, Allahabad. India 2007, 2. Faith's birthday pink cupcakes!, 3. Best Friends in the Blink of an Eye (crop 2), 4. Little Hands, Little White Rose, 5. Goodbye Winter!, 6. Dancing Rainbow, 7. Strawberry pink cupcake, 8. Pretty Pink Coconut Cupcakes, 9. A star that spreads pink joy., 10. Pink Tutus, 11. joyful dancer, 12. Yummy Pink Cupcake, 13. I'm singing in the rain I, 14. Colours that were my joy ..., 15. Very Pink, 16. Telling tales, 17. A New World, 18. Pink Cupcakes, 19. Joyful dancing., 20. Curly Girl, 21. Thai Girls, 22. Sunset dancer, 23. Thanks,God, 24. Very Pink cupcakes, 25. conscientious, 26. ~maive~, 27. ~dance, 28. a chronicle of obsessions, 29. Family Portrait, 30. Do a little dance!, 31. pink cupcakes, 32. Dancing Girl, 33. Beautiful eyes, 34. Dance like no one is watching., 35. pink and brown cupcakes, 36. Pink Cupcakes Drive Me Crazy!

Photo Mosaic - Flickr Exploration 3

2008-06-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

I love photos and color. I read a blog that had a photo mosaic on it and I have been messing with that ever since I saw it...

Here's one I particularly like:

Mosaic Explore 3

1. a fairy cake, 2. yawn, 3. Oia Doors, No. 2, 4. new crayons after, 5. I can see you!, 6. shakespeare & co., 7. End Of The Day, 8. Flickr meltdown, 9. Time..., 10. there's nothing better than summer, 11. Moon present., 12. ariane, 13. I ate 6, 14. ariane, 15. Untitled, 16. Amazing Thailand, 17. Reflections of Autumn, 18. I can see you!, 19. Mr. Jack, 20. a cupcake for Jan, 21. Haystack Rock, 22. "And now," cried Max, "let the wild rumpus start!", 23. Black Friday, 24. Orange as any orange on a tree, 25. Pigeon Point / Sky Whale...

MIA from Blogland

2008-06-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

I keep thinking that I will have something brilliant to share if I just give myself some time, but I actually think that the more time I take away, the less I have to talk about. I know that I think about all kinds of stuff all day long and when I was blogging every day, at least I took the time to kind of simmer down and put something out there...It didn't always make sense, but I think it helped me gather my thoughts.

I know that Nablopomo was too much pressure to do a third month in a row. It wasn't the daily thing so much as the theme and how I never managed to keep to the theme everyday. I'm looking to see what the July theme is...my birthday month, so it might be cool to do another one for that...depends on the theme, though.

Anyway, not much to share. I saw a good movie called, "The Namesake" which I really liked. I love East Indian information, color, people, etc. I liked it a lot. Made me miss my Dad.

Been away...

2008-06-01T23:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I took a little break from blogging..I thought about coming back, but I just needed a break...Lots of things going on in my mind and life..

I interpreted "High School Musical" today...the movie and the show are not the same. They basically took parts of the show, the same basic idea and added more songs, split it up so it was more complicated and put it on stage. After "Sweeney Todd" and some of the more serious shows I have done, it was nice, but it is so hard to do shows when we only get to see it once before we interpret...I call it "kamikazee interpreting", we bomb in and bomb out and people barely notice we are even there.

Anyway, I will be back starting now. Rest is good.

Jean

My favorite color...

2008-05-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

What Your Favorite Color Pink Says About You:

Blissful --- Content --- Romantic

Idealistic --- Expressive --- Artistic

Funny --- Quirky --- Individualistic

What Does Your Favorite Color Say About You?

Nablopomo - April

2008-04-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Dear April Nablopomo-

I didn't do very well in the letter department. I think I'm going to take a month off of Nablopomo. I'm still in the Blog365 project, so I will post daily, but the whole theme thing is not as easy as I thought it would be.

I'm reading lots of stuff on blogs and art right now, so hopefully, that will help me reinvigorate for the blogs I'm working on.

Happy April!

I'm in Oakland

2008-04-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

The hotel's computer doesn't type @ so I wasn't able to log in when I wanted to. Too much going on to really be able to say much right now. More later.

Out of town, last minute

2008-04-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

I have to go out of town. I just found out today. No friends are there. :( I wish there were. Oh, well. I guess a change of scenery isn't such a bad thing. Right? Right?

I hope the hotel has internet.

Bad form?

2008-04-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader(s):

Is it bad form to change the name of your blog?

I just made this one up because I couldn't think of anything with PINK in the title that wasn't already taken. Ha.

I will think about it. I know there has to be something I can come up with that represents me better or is more interesting...

Although I have noticed that if you have an "A" in the title and join a blogroll, people come and visit. I don't know how the Zs do. I should find out.

In honor of National Poetry Month

2008-04-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

When I die, I want your hands on my eyes:
I want the light and the wheat of your beloved hands
To pass their freshness over me once more:
I want to feel the softness that changed my destiny.

I want you to live while I wait for you, asleep
I want your ears still to hear the wind, I want you
To sniff the sea’s aroma that we loved together
To continue to walk on the sand we walked on.

I want what I love to continue to live,
And you whom I love and sang above everything else
To continue to flourish, full-flowered:

So that you can reach everything my love directs you to,
So that my shadow can travel along in your hair,
So that everything can learn the reason for my song.

Pablo Neruda

Letter to April NaBloPoMo

2008-04-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Dear April NaBloPoMo-

I suck at the themes. I get all geared up and then I get busy or my mind goes elsewhere. I KNOW I could have done this better this month, but I was determined to write letters. When I started, suddenly, all the letters I have ever wanted to write dried up in my head.

I read a bunch of other blogs and they were going by letter in the alphabet...I wish I had thought of it sooner. I thought I had to stick with writing letters to someone instead of changing midstream. Sigh.

I'm glad I decided to join this month to keep me going, but I wish I had done a better job with the theme...

Jean

P.S. I am sick of politics. Will November never come?

Lessons

2008-04-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

Ramblings...

2008-04-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

First off, I am still disappointed that I started "Jean's Reading Renaissance" and I still have not really done any significant reading. How frustrating is that?!? I have just been too tired.

The other thing I wanted to just record here is that April has been a challenging month for me here on the blog. I think I am exhausted by the political scene - I listen to too much progressive radio and I think it gets me down sometimes. I think that kind of stuff really sinks into the subconcious and has a profound effect.

I love the idea of writing letters and the idea of focusing on a letter, I wish I had done better. I'm going to try to do better for the rest of the month. I just haven't been able to focus on anything. My mind has gone from the ridiculous to the sublime and sometimes I find it hard to marry the two...to ahve a post about the water crisis in the world and then complain about my day...So that sometimes hinders my creative mind because I feel like I can't reconcile the two things. It seems silly because I see it all the time in the blogs that I read and it isn't jarring to me.. I think it is kind of like mixed tapes - sometimes you start on one mood and then the songs lead you in another direction and sometimes the direction is happy and sometimes it isn't...

Anyway, thanks for bearing with me.

Letter to Oprah

2008-04-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Oprah-

You are an amazing woman. I love that you have taken your incredible business sense and your ability to connect to people and put it to use in meaningful ways. "The Big Give" was an inspiration to anyone who watched. We can all do more.

Thank you for sharing your gifts and your passion. The world is a better place with you in it.

Jean

No letter today...

2008-04-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

David archuleta - Imagine

Allies Retreat 08

2008-04-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

"More than anything, an Allies retreat is a chance for Deaf people, CODAs and Interpreters to understand each other in a new way. We begin our discussions acknowledging that we experience conflicts. We acknowledge that the field of interpreting is, above all, about working with people who are Deaf. We are committed to creating a space to listen and learn from what Deaf people want to tell us. And we are committed to recognizing that we must examine how we have responded to the needs of our diverse colleagues and consumers.

We believe that talking to each other can make a difference. We're committed to having challenging conversation in a supportive environment. We believe that by honoring each of our cultures, we can talk to each other more effectively. We believe that our difficulties often come from assumptions about what we know (and don't know). By practicing dialogue with each other, with the support of our peers at the retreat, we can transform the sometimes challenging experience of Deaf/CODA/hearing relationships." - Quote from Allies 08 information posted on YouTube.

For more information go to www.allies08.com

D-PAN interpretation of "Beautiful"

To support D-PAN, please go to www.D-PAN.com

Imagining a different path...

2008-04-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

DPAN Interpretation of "Waiting for the World to Change"

I was at an "Allies" workshop for Deaf people, CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults) and hearing interpreters. The goal of the weekend was transformation and possibilities for walking a new path as an ally.

Blast from the Past - 1984

2008-04-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

lets go crazy

Musical letter

2008-04-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

like a prayer – blonde ambition 1990

Ahhhh...

2008-04-16T23:11:00.001-07:00

btvs goodbye to you

Tax Day

2008-04-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

Dear IRS-

They are done. Mailed. Before midnight. Yay.

Dear SL

2008-04-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

Dear SL-

Thank you so much for introducing me to the blog world. Even though it is not reading literature or a good juicy novel, it has opened my world and has allowed me to go back to a creative space that I thought I had abandoned. The other thing that I have been inspired to do by this journey is to be a better person and to explore ways to make the world a better place.

Clearly, I have been spending far too much time wandering from blog to blog, but I am enjoying it thoroughly.

So, thank you. In honor of my signing up for a Google Reader, I am going to post my blogaffairs that I have been conducting under cover of Sundays and without leaving many comments.

Wishing you creative days and lots of positive energy.

Jean

Letter to Water Drinkers

2008-04-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Fellow Water Drinker-

Many of us take for granted that we could drink 8 glasses of clean water each day and whether we do that or we don't do that, it seems criminal that we don't even really realize (most of us) that so many people across the globe don't have the option... Even if they could drink 8 glasses of water, it probably isn't clean the way ours is.

So consider getting involved in providing clean water to those who don't have it. You can be pretty passive about it - just give money, buy water that will benefit a charity, etc.

Here are two great videos to give you more information:

Charity:Water founder

Jennifer Connelly - Charity:Water

Please help out if you can.

Letter from the past

2008-04-12T18:54:00.000-07:00

So, I have been dealing with this whole storage space situation for several weeks now. Today, I went over to transfer the contents of some boxes into other containers as the boxes were old and squashed from the weight of 10+ years and other boxes that were old and squashed resting on top of them.

As I opened a big box that had been in the far back corner on the bottom (the last box I could get to when the space was full), I saw a bunch of spiral notebooks from when I was in college...and as I pulled them out, a thought occurred to me that I might find the notebook I had been searching for for many years - one I hoped to find and one I was afraid to find.

I found it.

It is a simple black spiral notebook. If you knew me at all, you would know that the color, in and of itself, is unusual for me. All the other notebooks were purple or had unicorn pictures or other designs on them, or at the very least, they were colored and had a bunch of notes to myself written on the cover. Not this one. Just plain black.

There were a bunch of loose pages in the front, but I was not interested in those. I turned to the very first page (also unusual for me to write on the first page - I always wanted a page or two blank in the front for privacy..if someone picked it up, they might not read it if it looked blank).

"Thursday, June 26, 1986 (technically June 27 at 12:09am)

The doctor told Roby he has AIDS. He called him at work and told him over the phone. Roby called me. He was crying so hard he could hardly talk. I picked him up from work. I felt so helpless. I didn't know what to say or how to act. All I wanted was to take him in my arms and hug all his pain away. But I couldn't. I felt a huge wall between us. I tried to put my arm around him, but he seemed to move away. I feel numb. I didn't cry until he told Jenny (M.) and Susan. I felt like I had to be strong. Susan fell apart and sobbed. Later in her apartment, she and I talked. I cried and she somehow knew that I needed for her to tell me it was okay. We talked for awhile. Roby loves her so much. So do I. Even Jenny and I talked. She held me when I cried and held my hand for a while. I felt as if we were friends just then.

I don't know how to feel. This has got to be a mistake. It has to be. I know this is selfish, but I don't want to lose him, I can't. Not now. Not ever."

I remember that I went to bed right after I wrote that. I put the notebook in my nightstand and turned off the lights. Later, my mother came home and checked on me as I was rarely in bed that early. She gave me a kiss on the forehead and closed my door after I assured her that I was ok.

The night that changed my whole life.

Someone Else's letters

2008-04-11T23:50:00.000-07:00

I was reading a blog (looking for something else) when I happened across this posting:

http://godboxcafe.blogspot.com/2008/04/on-positive-note-to-balance-things-out.html#links

The sweetness and kindness made me cry. Or I'm just getting soft in my old age (or was I always a softie?)

In lieu of my own letter, which I didn't write today, please read this one. And think about doing something kind for someone in need.

Tonight I interpret "Sweeney", tomorrow, I return to my letters in April

2008-04-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

Dear KGV-

2008-04-09T23:04:00.000-07:00

I just saw the production of "Sweeney Tood" - the revival. Interestingly, I have the video of the version with Angela Landsbury and George Hearn (I prefer Len Cariou). I have always loved that version - particularly Angela Landsbury...

After seeing this version - very conceptual and focused solely on the music (the actors are brilliant singers and talented musicians - playing, singing and acting in a small space), I watched the video again and it was remarkably old fashioned.. I was suprised. But I liked the show.

If I had never seen it before, I might have different feelings about it, but as I have been listening to "Sweeney" on and off for 20 years, I think I felt pretty comfortable not having to see the blood-letting.

Jean

What I have been working on instead of letters here..

2008-04-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

Letter to Visitors

2008-04-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog Reader-

Welcome to my blog. I haven't been blogging very long and it is all still pretty new to me. I hope something that I have to share or say or show is interesting, inspiring or just funny for you.

Please leave a comment if you would like to. If not, that's ok too. I hope there are a couple of folks out there. I would love to read your blogs if you have one.

I will write more to you later, but I just wanted to say "Hello!"

Sincerly

Jean

Remembering MLK - continuation

2008-04-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

I was reading the paper today and found a really moving commentary piece written by Leonard Pitts Jr. It is called, "Remembering MLK: In tragedy's wake, greatness and grace". Please go and read it. I will write a letter later.

Hope Revolution

2008-04-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

Please go to this site and watch this lovely video...

http://www.hoperevo.com/blog/

I love the idea of leaving hopeful messages out there for people to find. I wanted to start the generosity.org concept at work (hoping it would go out to the world from there) but I ran into some less-than-hopeful issues and dropped the idea. I think I'm going to try again.

Everyone needs a few kind words.

Funny!

2008-04-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

I know this is an ad for insurance, but I laughed out loud when I saw the picture, so I just had to post it.

A Letter to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 40th anniversary of his death

2008-04-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Dr. King-

I am not African American and I cannot understand how it must feel to be judged and oppressed because of my skin color. Regardless of that, you have always been one of my heroes. You died when I was less than a year old, but I always felt your presence in the world from the time I was a child.

Today it has been 40 years since your assassination. I watched videos of your life and the last days and the years have not assuaged the grief that I feel for the loss of your life, the loss of the leader who could actually lead the United States to the next level. Your dream is still not a reality. Even as Barak Obama is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. President, it is so obvious that we are not where we need to be. Poverty, oppression, racism and the disenfranchisement of black individuals and other minority people are still the norm. Some things have changed, but not enough.

As I sat at my computer today, listening to your voice speak prophetically that you had "been to the mountain top" and "seen the other side" that you "might not get there with you", I wept. Wept as if it was the first time you moved me so. It is not the first time. Nor the last.

In honor of your life, I am posting videos to commemorate your dream, your life, your great work and hope. It is difficult not to try to imagine what would be different in our world if you had not been taken from us.

In loving memory

Jean

"The Last Days of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (from MSNBC)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s last speech

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's "I have a Dream" speech from the March on Washington

Letter to Self, part II

2008-04-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Self-

I just want to congratulate you on taking the day off tomorrow. I know it isn't easy when there is so much going on, but I think it is important to stay fresh and not let yourself be taken advantage of. Two days off will be rejuvinating and make next week easier to get through.

Good job!

Jean

Letter to Self

2008-04-02T22:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Self-

Please go home earlier from work. The work will still be there tomorrow and you will feel better. When you stay for 12 or 14 hours, you get less done and you get depressed because you have no life except for work, sleep and "Buffy" episodes you can't finish because you fall asleep in the first 3 minutes of the show.

Do us all a favor.

Sincerely
Jean

Letter to G.

2008-04-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

Dear G-

I will not work 21 days in a row without a day off. I will not work 6 days a week whenever your whim tells you that I should work. I will not go another 3 years without a wage increase of any kind. I don't mind being "flexible" but it is important for you to know that even flexible things break. Sometimes, if you wear all of the elasticity out of an item, it just snaps and usually, snapping happens in a quick, unexpected and not so soft way.

I love my job. I love what I do and how much I have grown. I do not love that I am not valued as much as I would like to be. I love that I am challenged everyday and that I feel like I'm not naturally good at this. I have always been good at everything and this is SO MUCH WORK. That is not a bad thing. I am never bored. Not once in 3 years. But I am burned out. And that is sad.

I hope we can come to some kind of understanding about this weekend thing.

Sincerely-
Jean

April Nablopomo - Letters

2008-03-31T22:46:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to do it this month, but I LOVE the idea of letters - letters to the editor, to friends, to companies, to self. Focusing on fonts or on letters themselves...cool.

I think I will have an easier time doing this than the lists...maybe. We'll see.

The End of March Madness and this NaBloPoMo

2008-03-31T22:23:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been an interesting month. I thought I would spend it writing lists of things and I didn't really do that. I started out with lists as my March theme, but then I dropped off as life got more complicated.

Here's my final list for March:

Things I would like to be doing instead of what I'm actually doing:

1. Staying at Cannon Beach in a quiet hotel room on the beach watching the snow and listening to the ocean
2. Flying to NYC to see "RENT" over and over again.
3. going to Sacramento to visit my friends
4. Watching movies all day in my pajamas
5. Reading until I can't see straight - trying to catch up on my book reading goals
6. Finishing my craft box that I started on Saturday

I love Oprah Magazine

2008-03-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

I found this beautiful poem in an old Oprah magazine. Just what I needed today.

"You will be walking one night
in the comfortable dark of your yard
and suddenly a great light will shine
round about you, and behind you
will be a wall you never saw before...

Though you have done nothing shameful,
they will want you to be ashamed.
they will want you to kneel and weep
and say you should have been like them...

Be ready.
When their light has picked you out
and their questions are asked, say to them:
"I am not ashamed." A sure horizon
will come around you. The heron will begin
his evening flight from the hilltop."

Wendell Berry, from "Do Not Be Ashamed"

Hands, Hands, Everywhere Hands!

2008-03-29T23:44:00.000-07:00

I love this picture and yet, it creeps me out. Weird.

Quote of the day

2008-03-28T20:05:00.000-07:00

"It is a sadness of growing older that we lose our ardent appreciation of what is new and different and difficult."

Elizabeth Aston, The Exploits and Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy, 2005

I definitely prefer known quantities, consistency and predictability at this point in my life. Roby would laugh at how old I have become. He kept me young, I think. And on my toes.

Working on my next show

2008-03-27T23:35:00.000-07:00

Lessons

2008-03-26T20:45:00.001-07:00

Loose lips sink ships.
Discretion is the better part of valor.

Beauty is...

2008-03-25T23:39:00.000-07:00

I remember seeing this photo layout of Liv Tyler about 10 years ago or so...I thought she was one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. I couldn't believe her father was Steven Tyler...bizarre.

More clips because writing is beyond me right now

2008-03-24T22:35:00.000-07:00

peter paul and mary 1964 newport folk festival

pink dear mr president live

Holy Cow, what a week!

2008-03-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

So instead of a movie day yesterday, I spent most of the day moving boxes and things from one storage space to a new one. A guy who was moving out of the storage facility hit a sprinkler head and the place flooded.

The guy at the storage place has no concept of how to give people the information they need to do what needs to be done...The first message was that there had been an "incident" and that I should call. Sounded like someone had broken in, so I figured I couldn't really do anything about it that day. The second message the next day said that "there was water involved" and I should come asap. I went in after the second message and they guy told me they would need for me to move all the stuff out so they could inspect the space. I went in before work and I had already gone into the space and it didn't look wet at all. I couldn't smell anything or find water where it seemed most logical that it would be. There was no way I could move all that stuff alone in the short time I had before work, so I told them I would come in on Saturday. He was shocked, like, "Don't you care?" and I thought, "Well, if it is already ruined, I can't change that. I will deal with the consequences on Saturday."

So I went to the space yesterday with my mother where a woman finally gave me information. The water was seeping in from the back corner and they were worried about mold. She told me they would give me plastic bags, boxes and another storage space to move my stuff to (I didn't want to move it all out into the hallway and then have to move it back where water might seep in...). I spent most of the day moving boxes until I could hardly move anymore. I trying not to look at all the stuff, but I decided to CLEARLY mark the boxes that weren't already marked. So I found a purple marker in the first box, opened the lid and marked the boxes as best I could with a L, M, H for light, medium or heavy. A lot of the boxes were marked with things like "Old CRAP" or "1990s Crap" or "Really Old WEIRD Crap". But that helps me know what to expect. I did find some important boxes with papers and things from HS or my childhood. I found my AAS degree and HS Diploma, my HS yearbook and some of the writing I had done in high school.

This will continue to be a project, but the good news was that there didn't appear to be any water in the space. Whew.

What a week

2008-03-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

It has been a really intense week at work, in my life, with people. I have been craving good sleep and a mental escape from all the frantic-ness and neediness of people. I love connections and I love people, but it takes so much energy to be with so many people in a week...

Anyway, I am hunkering down for a movie day tomorrow - GUILT FREE. I have earned it this week.

And in case things don't get any better...

2008-03-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

wheels of a dream

This week is not rounding out well...

2008-03-19T21:48:00.000-07:00

Bad week at work, an "incident" at my storage unit that I have to investigate, feeling kind of crappy and not sleeping well/enough. I hope things get better before the weekend.

Here's something that will make me happy:

One Day More – OLC Reunion

bui doi – peter polycarpou (original London cast)

I am grumpy...so here...

2008-03-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

I think Jennifer Hudson is gorgeous and has an incredible voice.

Photobucket meme

2008-03-17T22:37:00.001-07:00

I was reading a random blog and came across this...It was fun, except for the last question...

Here I go.

The rules are:

1. Go to http://photobucket.com
2. Type in your answer to each question in the search box.
3. Use only the first page
4. Copy the html and paste for the answer.

1. What is your relationship status?

2. Who is your celebrity crush?

3. Who is your favourite band?

4. What is your favourite movie?

5. What kind of pet do you have?

6. Where do you live?

7. Where do you work?

8. What do you look like?

9. What do you drive?

10. What is your favourite TV show?

11. Describe yourself.

12. What’s your name?

13. What’s your favourite candy?

14. Do we have anything in common?

Tap Project - Help Unicef Provide Clean Drinking Water

2008-03-17T21:23:00.000-07:00

INDIA: A woman and a girl draw water from a pump set up in a tent camp for people displaced by the tsunami in the seaside village of Mudtukadu. UNICEF/ HQ05-0491/Ami Vital

I posted this on my other blog, but on the off chance that someone might read about this and participate in the Tap Project this week, I decided to put it in both places....

I heard about this on the radio (KPOJ 620 AM) on Air America. The Tap Project was in NYC last year for one night and raised $100,000 by charging patrons of restaurants $1 for a glass of tap water. The money goes to help provide clean drinking water to children and impoverished people all over the world. On the website, it says for every $1 earned, a child will have clean drinking water for 40 days.
On the radio this morning, they said the number of children who die each year because they do not have access to clean drinking water. It is the second leading cause of death for children under age 5 worldwide.
To find out more or to find out how to participate THIS WEEK, go to Tap Project.
I know that we take our water for granted in the United States and, I think, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. We consider our water to be pristine for the most part. And we are lucky. Since I started my 101 in 1001 project, I have been making sure I drink at least 64 ounces of water per day. I guess it has become such an important part of my commitment to myself recently that this really caught my ear.
Here is more information about water taken from the Tap Project website:
Tap Water FactsThe Situation· More than 5,000 children are dying every day as a result of water-borne diseases· For each dollar spent on water and sanitation projects, the projected return on investment is from $3 to $34How UNICEF Helps· UNICEF works to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities, while promoting safe hygiene practices in more than 90 countries around the world· More than 1.2 billion people gained access to improved drinking water between 1990 and 2004 through UNICEF's efforts, and about 1.2 billion gained access to improved sanitation facilities· UNICEF's goal is to cut the number of people without sustainable access to safe water and basic sanitation in half by 2015
Another website Water for Life talks about a decade of work on the issue. Just remember, $1 for 40 days of clean water. Small price to pay.

SignPlay.com

2008-03-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

I just spent the morning updating SignPlay.com and I re-did my bio. I want to change it all soon, but I don't have the expertise in HTML to do the whole site myself. I am trying to figure out what I want it to look like. I got a sitemeter up there so that I don't lose the stats everytime I make a new main page...As of today (right before I made this dumb error), SignPlay.com had had 4,482 visitors. Not bad for a rinky-dink operation in a rural state serving a teeny-tiny population of people.

Aside from all of that, I got all the 2008-2009 season information up that I had access to and I updated the Yahoogroup calendar so that email reminders will go out a few days before the shows.

I feel a sense of relief. Even though this is purely a volunteer effort, people feel like they can get nasty about things not being updated. :(

So, check it out - www.signplay.com

Enjoy.

Another lazy Saturday

2008-03-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

One of the things I hate the most about this job is the affect it has had on my weekends. I don't hate my job, but it is utterly exhausting - emotionally, mentally. The constant level of chaos just makes it hard to want to do anything on the weekends.

Most weekends, as I approach them, consists of broken plans. Mostly I think about cleaning and doing a bunch of errands - clean my car out, wash it, clean my bedroom, do a project.

Usually, I end up waking up really early and watching a movie or something and then I fall asleep again around 10:30am and then the rest of the day is spent avoiding whatever plan I had.

I think I need to write my weekend plans down. Make them as important as the blog or the movies or whatever. Maybe writing here will be my reward for getting a task done.

Hmmm. I like that idea. Let me think about it some more.

Word Cloud

2008-03-14T23:45:00.000-07:00

List of 101 things - addendum

2008-03-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

Here are things I need to add to my list, but haven't taken the time to do it or don't know what the priority is or it is on the list but I need to change it (in no particular order, but numbered here for clarity and ease of reading):

1. scan all photos and slides of the family
2. change: drink 8 glasses of water per day all 1001 days (too stringent). Change to 5 days out of 7, drink 8 glasses of water per day (goal is always daily, but not always possible). That is 70% of the time or 700/1001 (260/365 X 3). Since I started this, I have succeeded in the 70% mark every week.
3. Set up a rehearsal calendar for shows.
4. Set up rehearsal/show dates on Calendar and request PTO for all appropriate days.
5. get my bedroom cleaned up
6. prepare the subaru for sale
7. get transcript eval done for bachelor's degree
8. take a class summer 2008
9. Take a class every term until I complete my degree

That's it for now. I'm sure there are more.

Posting Challenged

2008-03-11T22:42:00.001-07:00

I have all these thoughts in my head during the day that I want to write about when I get a moment to visit here and then when I sit down, all of my thoughts disappear and I am left floundering for a topic...

I imagine myself a great writer, or that someone will find my musings somewhat interesting...but maybe that isn't it. I was thinking today that I haven't really settled on some THING - like a topic - books, music, art, crafts, something that might lend a thread of a theme to my thoughts. I am just pouring out this hodgepodge of stuff.

Maybe this is like spring cleaning and then when I get everything shiny and new looking, I will be ready for the REAL work.

I hope so.

I don't get to eat them, but I found a great photo...

2008-03-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

On Google images - I typed in cupcakes, after seeing a lovely picture of some cupcakes on a blog.

I liked this picture the best...

List of Facts about People that We all NEED to Know

2008-03-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

Taken from Charity Navigator: Humanities
http://www.charitynavigator.org/

Did you know?

Shaken baby syndrome is responsible for about 1,500 infant deaths a year nationwide. Men are responsible for 80 percent of shaken baby syndrome cases.

The number of assaults against the homeless is rising. In 2005, 73 homeless people were assaulted nationwide and 13 died.

The U.S. Administration on Aging estimates that 1 out of 4 seniors in the U.S. has an inadequate diet.

One of every six children in America lives in poverty.

Veterans account for nearly one-third of all homeless men in America, even though the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says they comprise only 13 percent of adult males in the general population.

One in five children (10 to 17 years old) receive unwanted sexual solicitations online.

Alcohol abuse kills some 75,000 Americans each year and shortens the lives of these people by an average of 30 years.

64% percent of children ages 4-11 have cotinine in their blood (a marker of recent exposure to secondhand smoke).

There are about 542,000 foster care children in the United States; 126,000 of them are waiting to be adopted.

Of those people seeking emergency food relief, more than one-third (36%) had to choose between buying food or paying for housing.

"12 Angry Men" - Movie review

2008-03-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to interpret "12 Angry Men" in a touring show on Thursday. We won't be able to see the play until Tuesday, so I rented the original movie with Henry Fonda, Jack Klugman and a couple of other guys I can't remember.

To be honest, I was DREADING the movie. Even if I like the play, I often don't really groove to old movies. It's one of my darkest secrests (is that good or bad??) - I don't like old classic black and white movies. Some of them are all right, but I don't even want to watch them unless someone MAKES me do it.

I remember some movies from when I was a kid, but mostly, I remember watching color movies on TV when I was a kid. Even color doesn't really do it for me - I just don't automatically like a movie because it is old. I've never seen "Casablanca" or "On the Waterfront" or "From Here to Eternity" or "Citizen Kane". I've only seen a few Hitchcock movies and I didn't love them.

Anyway, "12 Angry Men" wasn't bad. One of the things I hate about old movies is how overwrought they are...the women are total washrags or too stupid to be believed and everything is often totally over the top. There are a few exceptions - "The Wizard of Oz", "To Kill a Mockingbird", but generally speaking, I just don't want to watch.

This movie was very understated in many ways. I read that they filmed the whole thing in a tiny Jury Room, so I'm sure the actors had the sense of being trapped together until they came to some kind of agreement. It made for some realism.

Anyway, I'm glad I watched it. It gave me a good feeling for what I should expect on Tuesday. It won't be a hard show to interpret. The hardest part is that John-boy is playing the lead role. Richard...Thomas? I can't remember... I never liked "The Waltons" either.

"Mamma Mia" Movie Trailer

2008-03-08T20:53:00.001-08:00

Due out this summer!

I don't have a list today...

2008-03-08T20:12:00.001-08:00

Today was filled with things I have to do, so while I'm participating in NaBloPoMo and the theme for March is lists, I have chosen NOT to do a list just because it seems like I should.

The last week or so has been busy and I am finding it challenging to keep up with all the posting - well, I'm keeping up, but I think the list thing can be limiting because I don't think about it as much as when I'm writing something. Does that even make sense?

I had all these grand plans to be writer when I was young. Now, all these years later, I can't think why I would ever imagine myself a writer. I'm glad to have the blog to start down the path again. I'm really rusty, so I guess this is just the dusting-off process. It feels pretty dusty in here...

It's all good, right? The journey to anywhere starts with the first step. I am taking it. I step daily. That's important.

2008-2009 Broadway Season in Portland

2008-03-07T21:36:00.000-08:00

1. A Chorus Line - July 29-August 3, 2008

2. Spring Awakening - October 21-26, 2008

3. The Color Purple - Dec. 30, 2008-January 4, 2009

4. Wicked - March 4 - April 5, 2009

5. The Rat Pack - Live at the Sands - April 7-12, 2009

6. Grease - April 21-26, 2009

7. Rent - June 23-28, 2009

Things that get in the way of posting

2008-03-06T23:30:00.000-08:00

March 6, 2008

1. Work
2. Sleep
3. chores
4. work
5. watching "24" and "American Idol"

10 Movies You Intended to Watch but Haven't Yet

2008-03-05T23:38:00.000-08:00

This is from 10 On Tuesday (I tried to get the badge or the original link, but I couldn't find it..I linked from "The Daily Meme".

1. Gandhi
2. Casablanca
3. Sicko
4. Life is Beautiful
5. August Rush
6. Braveheart
7. Hideous Kinky
8. Brokeback Mountain
9. Finding Neverland
10. Million Dollar Baby

Top 10 Children's books ever...

2008-03-04T23:30:00.000-08:00

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2. The Velveteen Rabbit
3. Trumpet of the Swan
4. Ferdinand the Bull
5. Were the Wild Things Are
6. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
7. The Boxcar Children
8. Charlotte's Web
9. Little House on Plum Creek
10. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Why am I doing this? A List

2008-03-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about why I am choosing to blog when I have not written anything AT ALL in years. I'm kind of unsure about having people read what I have to say. Obviously, I'm not writing state secrets in my little Happiness blog, but it is my life and I'm not sure how settled I am in this whole thing - and yet I'm fascinated.

So here are 10 reasons I keep blogging, even in my insecurity:

10. I can't help it now..I think about it a lot
9. I love the sense of community that can be built via blogging and reading blogs
8. I'm returning to my passion - writing. Even writing lists guides me to open my mind back up in a way I haven't in a long time.
7. I like playing with all the colors and fonts to get things how I like them
6. If I'm going to read people's blogs, I feel like I should put something out there. Not like anyone knows who I am or cares what I'm up to, but maybe sometime, somthing I write will help or make someone laugh, touch them. Who knows?
5. I like the idea of leaving something behind
4. It will help me keep Roby's memory alive, and my father's and other people gone before their time
3. I like the idea of leaving something behind to remember me by (hey, we all gotta go someday)
2. I like memes

And the number 1 reason I am doing this...
1. I like the accountability of commiting to something and following through with it. Maybe I won't be able to finish my committment, but if I do, what an amazing journey to look back on, whether it is the 101 in 1001 days or the blog365 or whatever else I do.

So, that's my list for today. I hope to write something more profound, but until then, cheers.

Top 20 "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" Episodes

2008-03-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

End of Days (Season 7, Episode 143)

Chosen (Season 7, Episode 144)

Empty Places (Season 7, Episode 141)

Once More, With Feeling (Season 6, Episode 107)

The Weight of the World (Season 5, Episode 99)

The Gift (Season 5, Episode 100)

Beer Bad (Season 4, Episode 61)

Fear, Itself (Season 4, Episode 60)

The Pack (Season 1, Episode 6)

The Yoko Factor ( Season 4, Episode 76)

The Body (Season 5, Episode 94)

Hush (Season 4, Episode 66)

Tabula Rasa (Season 6, Episode 108)

Conversations with Dead People (Season 7, Episode 129)

Lies My Parents Told Me (Season 7, Episode 139)

Touched (Season 7, Episode 142)

Becoming Part 1 (Season 1, Episode 33)

Becoming Part 2 (Season 1, Episode 34)

The Wish (Season 3, Episode 43)

Earshot (Season 3, Episode 52)

March Madness

2008-03-01T06:26:00.000-08:00

I have been wondering what nablopomo meant since I started this whole blogging journey and today I found out. It is National Blog Posting Month - a commitment to post to your blog every day for a month. Since I found it today and today is the first day of March, I choose March to try to make this happen.

The theme this month is lists. I am happy about that because I think I am also starting the 101 in 1001 days. I started yesterday, but I haven't posted the list.

I am due to end on November 26, 2010. Roby's birthday. How poetic.

Here is my initial list of 101 things in 1001 days. I reserve the right to change the list...and to complete it.

The list
So this is the list. May be changed at a later date

1. Blog Daily for the month of March (1/31)
2. Read a book a month
3. Drink 8 glasses of water each day (0/1001)
4. Do one random act of kindness a week (0/143)
5. Compliment someone each day (0/1001)
6. Go to the beach alone for at least 3 days
7. Reread all Harry Potter books in order
8. Write down every film I see and book I read during 2008 (go back and blog them too) Definitely, Maybe, Spiderwick Chronicles, 27 Dresses, Stardust
9. Go for 7 days (not consecutive) without complaining once (0/7)
10. Get my hair cut
11. Identify 101 things that make me happy (0/101)
12. Make mixed theatre CD for Kevin as agreed
13. Stay in touch with Jeffa
14. Give up swearing for 1 month (0/31)
15. Buy a digital camera
16. Learn how to use digital camera
17. Take photos once a month
18. See Wicked again
19. Cook a 3 course dinner for friends/family
20. set up the recumbent bike
21. Vote
22. Redecorate room
23. Write 20 letters and send them (0/20)
24. use recumbent bike 6 days per week – build up to 30 mins per session
25. Write a new list for when this one is finished
26. Blog about every task
27. Watch all seasons of "24" by end of 1001 days
28. Blog about Fave "Buffy" episodes
29.
30.
31.
32. Do some volunteer work
33. Read the newspaper everyday
34.
35.
36.
37.
38. 39.
40.
41.
42. 43. Make a birthday cake for someone
44.
45. Write 5 anonymous encouraging letters to random people I know and give them it (0/5)
46. Donate $10 randomly to a random charity
47.
48. Completely clear out my bedroom
49.
50. Stop eating when I'm not hungry for 30 days (0/30)
51.
52. Buy a boxset of one of my fave tv shows
53. Go on a trip for a week
54.
55.
56.
57. save all loose change in the same jar
58. Buy a new blackberry
59. 60. Use my calendar
61.
62.
63. Take a picture of myself once a month for the entirety (0/33)
64.
65. Complete a day of silence
66. Bake some goodies and give out to friends
67.
68.
69.
70.
71. Leave encouraging notes in random places (0/50) note-must keep postits with me at all times
72.
73.
74.
75. Take someone out for coffee (or tea, whatever floats your boat) (0/3)
76.
77. Have a real indepth conversation face to face with a friend
78.
79.
80. Have a professional photo taken and bought
81. Go for 10 walks in the park (0/10)
82. Keep a dream diary for a month
83.
84.
85.
86.
87. Go TV free for one week
88.
89. Sleep under the stars
90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
95. Give 5 "just because" gifts
96.
97.
98.
99.
100.
101. Donate $5 to charity for every item I don't complete

A Big Project to tackle

2008-02-24T17:05:00.000-08:00

This is from http://triplux.stilljournal.com/dayzero/
I'm going to try it...

Creating your own 1001 Day Project

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Once you have created your site, you can add it to the master list here at Day Zero.

Color Me Pink

2008-01-25T18:12:00.000-08:00

Things that make me happy:

1. My snorkin labbit

2. Classic Winnie the Pooh
3. Pink things
4. pens
5. colored paper
6. My yellow car
7. Harry Potter books
8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
9. bookstores
10. weekends

The Great Work Begins

An Audience Makes a Difference

2010 Rings In Smooth and Clear

I'm going on vacation!

Touchdown to The Great Work

Hello, Pink Blog

Patti Digh is coming to Oregon!!

Movie Trailers

Portland Center Stage 2009-10 Season

Broadway in Portland 2009-10 Season

Lack of Balance

Catching Myself Up

International Harry Potter Trailer

Hermiting

Musical Rabbit Hole

I'm still here...

Neglected but not forgotten

Finally some good movies

"RENT" Final Performance at the Movies

In the mood for some music

Out of Town again

Jean's page - Early Blog

Photo Mosaic - Joy Pink Dance

Photo Mosaic - Flickr Exploration 3

MIA from Blogland

Been away...

My favorite color...

Nablopomo - April

I'm in Oakland

Out of town, last minute

Bad form?

In honor of National Poetry Month

Letter to April NaBloPoMo

Lessons

Ramblings...

Letter to Oprah

No letter today...

Allies Retreat 08

Imagining a different path...

Blast from the Past - 1984

Musical letter

Ahhhh...

Tax Day

Dear SL

Letter to Water Drinkers

Letter from the past

Someone Else's letters

Tonight I interpret "Sweeney", tomorrow, I return to my letters in April

Dear KGV-

What I have been working on instead of letters here..

Letter to Visitors

Remembering MLK - continuation

Hope Revolution

Funny!

A Letter to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 40th anniversary of his death

Letter to Self, part II

Letter to Self

Letter to G.

April Nablopomo - Letters

The End of March Madness and this NaBloPoMo

I love Oprah Magazine

Hands, Hands, Everywhere Hands!

Quote of the day

Working on my next show

Lessons

Beauty is...

More clips because writing is beyond me right now

Holy Cow, what a week!

More videos because I like them...

What a week

And in case things don't get any better...

This week is not rounding out well...

I am grumpy...so here...

Photobucket meme

Tap Project - Help Unicef Provide Clean Drinking Water

SignPlay.com

Another lazy Saturday

Word Cloud

List of 101 things - addendum

Posting Challenged