Autumn Has Fallen

B3DA 23: A Letter From My Books

2011-04-23T23:41:00.010-05:00

If you do not already know about them, you should take a look at Better World Books. They are a great organization, and they have been having a great Earth Day sale online this weekend.

Now I have followed their blog for a year or so, but have never bought anything online. I love online shopping, but I am a little wary about buying used books online because I am picky about condition. But I did buy a few on their site this weekend. And when I got the typical email letting me know my things had shipped, it was somewhat different from what I expected. It was created with the premise that my newly purchased books were writing to me, and I thought it was adorable and clever and fun. So here is what my new books had to say:

Hello Autumn,

(Your book(s) asked to write you a personal note - it seemed unusual, but who are we to say no?)

Holy canasta! It's me... it's me! I can't believe it is actually me! You could have picked any of over 2 million books but you picked me! I've got to get packed! How is the weather where you live? Will I need a dust jacket? I can't believe I'm leaving Mishawaka, Indiana already - the friendly people, the Hummer plant, the Linebacker Lounge - so many memories. I don't have much time to say goodbye to everyone, but it's time to see the world!

I can't wait to meet you! You sound like such a well read person. Although, I have to say, it sure has taken you a while! I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but how would you like to spend five months sandwiched between Jane Eyre (drama queen) and Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (pyromaniac)? At least Jane was an upgrade from that stupid book on brewing beer. How many times did the ol' brewmaster have one too many and topple off our shelf at 2am?

I know the trip to meet you will be long and fraught with peril, but after the close calls I've had, I'm ready for anything (besides, some of my best friends are suspense novels). Just five months ago, I thought I was a goner. My owner was moving and couldn't take me with her. I was sure I was landfill bait until I ended up in a Better World Books book drive bin. Thanks to your socially conscious book shopping, I've found a new home. Even better, your book buying dollars are helping kids read from Brazil to Botswana.

Eagerly awaiting our meeting,
(signed by the specific titles I had purchased)

B3DA 22: Follow Friday - Twitter

2011-04-22T22:54:00.004-05:00

I do not use Twitter as much as I used to. I follow 163 twitter accounts, and I probably pay attention to less than 10 of those. The ones I really care about are my friends and family, but sometimes I will take a look at the others in my feed, so I keep them. Here are a few I enjoy:

@DailyShowtune - This is one of my favorites. They post lyrics a few times a week from Broadway shows, and invite all their followers to guess what show they are from. It is fun. I do not know them every time, but I do most!

@FakeAPStylebook - As a former newspaper copy editor, the AP Stylebook was my bible. I still refer to it and keep to it when I can. I kept my resume in line with AP style. These are more spoofs on that, but they can be quite funny sometimes.

Most of the random twitter feeds I follow are Broadway shows, Broadway actors, librarians and YA authors. Here are a couple randomly selected samples:
@NathanFillion
@KChenoweth
@4everYA

B3DA 21: Things I Love Thursday #3

2011-04-21T19:25:00.004-05:00

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TWO WEEKS until I am back East with my EEB. I. Can. Not. Wait.
While I am in PA with my EEB, we are taking a day trip to Washington D.C. I just found out that the ONE DAY I will be there coincides with when my grandfather will be there. He lives in Los Angeles, and I have not seen him for over a year. I still have to work out details with him, but best timing ever!
Monday night pizza tradition with my mom - lots of pineapple, so delicious
Season 4 of 30 Rock on DVD from Target for $15
The 30 Rock marathon I have embarked on, even before I found that DVD, ignoring the movies I have checked out from the library that are due back soon.
I talked with my other best friend (I am fortunate enough to have two) for well over an hour this weekend, and we are planning a get together this fall. Somewhere.
One of my two classes is over, so now I only have one to worry about for the next two weeks.

B3DA 20: How to get mawwied

2011-04-20T19:47:00.000-05:00

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Now why on earth is a single lady who has often stated her lack of interest in marriage writing about how to get married? Good question. I do not know how to get myself married. I do not want to know. However, I am well versed in getting other people married.

First, let me be clear that just because it does not interest me especially does not mean I have anything against marriage as a concept. I think it is great for other people; I am very happy for all of my friends and family who have gotten married. I would love it if everyone were allowed to get married.

Now then, do you want to know how to get married? Get ready. All you have to do is move in with me. It is that simple. I guarantee that within 3-6 months you will be engaged.

I am sure you are skeptical, so let us take a look at my success rate. It is at 100% when I live with just one other person. In college I had five roommates at a time, so it lessened my powers, but I would say 60% of them got engaged while living with me. Many followed shortly after, and they all followed eventually. I am pretty sure that at this point, EVERY SINGLE PERSON I HAVE EVER LIVED WITH HAS GOTTEN MARRIED (family excluded).

I call it my curse, though the others involved might see it otherwise. I did not pay it any attention in college. When you go to a Mormon university, having a semester pass without at least one person in your apartment getting engaged would be strange indeed. It was after I graduated and it kept happening that I realized I was the common denominator.

Now one could argue that I just make bad decisions about whom to live with by picking women who are in relationships, but I do not care to argue that point. I am cursed, and that is that. If you want to take advantage of it, just give me a call. Maybe I should start charging ...

B3DA 18: Top Ten List

2011-04-18T09:30:00.000-05:00

Yes, this is going to be about music again. It comes up a lot here does it not? I decided to share with you my top 10 most listened to songs according to iTunes. Now I have not actually looked to see what they are yet, though I have a few guesses. I am hoping they will not all be from musicals, if only to prove to you that I listen to normal people music too. Because I do! It just ... does not cling to my soul and resonate in my blood the same way many musicals do. Yeah, it is that strong. So with no further ado I will let iTunes take over:

Next to Normal (2009 Original Broadway cast recording) by Tom Kitt & Brian Yorkey
"Falling Slowly" (Once soundtrack) by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Sort Of" (Everybody) by Ingrid Michaelson
"Creep" (Radiohead cover, Live Sessions] by Ingrid Michaelson
"The Fear You Won't Fall" (Unclear Sky EP) by Joshua Radin
"Gravity" (Little Voice) by Sara Bareilles
"Someone Else's Story (Chess in Concert 2009 live London cast recording) by Kerry Ellis
"Lies" (Once soundtrack) by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
"Poker Face" (Lady Gag cover, Glee: The Music, Volume 3) by Lea Michele & Idina Menzel
"I Wanna Get Married" (Build a Bridge) by Audra McDonald

I am stopping myself from making comments on each song. I will let them speak for themselves without explanations or excuses. I will say that I did the entire Next to Normal album as one because otherwise that would be my entire top 10 list, as there are 37 tracks on that album. That would not make a very interesting top 10 list. The song I listen to most from that album though is "Superboy and the Invisible Girl," at over a 100 times. That is right. It is that awesome.

B3DA 17: Stuck

2011-04-17T23:20:00.000-05:00

I think I have too many songs in my head. Do you want to know why? Because everything reminds of a song. EVERYTHING. Give me pretty much any phrase, any sentence, any word even and I will be reminded of a song title or lyric. I waited tables on and off for about 10 years. And EVERY SINGLE TIME someone ordered a Bloody Mary, the song "Bloody Mary" from South Pacific would run through my mind. Every time. For 10 years. Yeah.

I was talking to my coworker about this today because the problem keeps popping up when I read. I am in a readers' advisory class right now, so I have had to set aside all my YA to-be-read books and force myself back onto a diet of more adult fare. Blurgh. Every week is a different genre, and I am very ready for it to be over.

For historical fiction I read a book called Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg. The song, "Dream (When You're Feeling Blue)" or just "Dream" was stuck in my head all stinkin' week. I sang it constantly, pretty much anytime I thought about the book, mentioned the book or opened the book. It was not a completely horrible week because I really like the song, written in 1944 by Johnny Mercer. The only version I own is sung by Michael Bublé, and he does a good job with it. But I could not get it out of my head for the life of me.

For horror I read a book called Jane Slayre by Sherri Browning Erwin (and Charlotte Brontë). Which yes, takes the classic story of Jane Eyre and throws in vampires, zombies and a werewolf. You thought Rochester's wife was crazy before, just imagine how she is with more fur and sharper teeth. The main story is still the same, and all week long I had little desire to listen to anything else beside the Jane Eyre original Broadway cast recording from 2000. Which conveniently has my vocal soul mate singing Rochester. I love this musical a lot, and it was actually my first introduction to the story. I listened to at least part of the soundtrack every day while I read the book.

For nonfiction next week I just started reading Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell (thanks Becky!). Vowell goes around the country researching the assassinations of Lincoln, McKinley and Garfield. Part of that, is seeing the musical Assassins by Stephen Sondheim. A musical I already love. I own the 1991 original off-Broadway cast album AND the 2004 Broadway revival. The songs were running through my head all day at work as I started the book. I know I won't be able to listen to much else this week. In fact, I am listening to "Something Just Broke" from the revival as I write this. Great song. It might be a strange topic for a musical, but those are the ones I love the most.

This is my curse. I know too many songs; I have too impressionable a brain. Is this just me? Are there other people who share any of my neuroses? Anyone? Bueller?

B3DA 16: Guest Blogger

2011-04-16T20:47:00.000-05:00

OK, I didn't post yesterday--my first missed day (and hopefully my only one). I don't follow anyone on YouTube, so you weren't missing anything. I had a very full day of working two jobs, doing homework, finishing my book and having a much-needed, well-over-an-hour phone call with one of my best friends. So there, I do not feel guilty.

I also did not plan ahead well enough to have a guest blogger. But what I have decided counts is to have past Autumn blog for me. She's a guest in my eyes. As usually only present Autumn is ever allowed to blog here. Though I have issued a standing invitation for future Autumn to guest post on here should she ever choose to visit. So, there's that. I went back in my blog archive to one of my first posts, before BEDA existed and before I met my dear BEDA buddies. I am not going to let myself edit any of the writing. This is strictly a copy and paste job. Take it away past Autumn, and thanks for the day off.

POST TITLE: Having the good grace to laugh?

ORIGINAL POST DATE: 17 February 2008, 9:48 PM CDT

I was driving home from work the other day, and somehow my thoughts strayed to laughter. I love to laugh, whatever the occasion, laughing is just fun. But more than laughing what I love is making others laugh. There is a natural high involved in hearing a sincere laugh from someone as a direct result of something I said or did.

On that note, I wouldn't really say I am a funny person — I am no comedian. The times when I try to be funny are the times I most definitely fail. I had to recognize that a big part of the reason I make people laugh is because I'm such a klutz.

I have always been an extremely awkward person. I have many good qualities and abilities and all that, but grace is one thing I have never been blessed with. It has always seemed that, physically, things that seem to come naturally to everyone else never quite do for me. Things like, well walking, playing any sport and most especially dancing. I love to watch old movie musicals with the likes of Fred Astaire, along with newer shows like "So You Think You Can Dance", and part of the reason is that I have an immense respect (and envy) for how those people seem so at ease with their own bodies.

But going back to my earlier point, this extreme lack of grace leads me into a large number of interesting situations. Not a day goes by that I don't trip on nothing, run into everything and everyone, and have something I touch fall down three or four times in a row as I try to stabilize it.

If the only laughter I elicited was from people who were laughing directly at me because of something foolish I'd done, I doubt I would feel such euphoria. But I think the fact that I have grown past the point of embarrassment and reached a place of acceptance makes all the difference.

I know I'm accident prone, and even I think it's funny. When I manage to get poked in the eye by the lid of someone's baseball cap at work, I laugh as hard as anyone else because it is funny. I mean, what are the odds?!

B3DA 14: Things I Love Thursday #2

2011-04-14T17:48:00.001-05:00

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This is the easiest day of the week for blogging. Let's see, what did I love this week?

Packages in the mail - I got a great care package from Becky (thank you!) this week, with a few little lip glosses and other awesome stuff. I also got some new books in the mail this week. I had to pre-order City of Fallen Angels, and to get the free shipping I got three other books too, including MJ's Scarlett Fever in paperback, to match my paperback copy of Suite Scarlett.
I have not had as much time to read my own stuff lately because I have to get through a book a week for my readers' advisory class. But for this week I got mine finished in three days. So I am squeezing in a YA novel before the weekend, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, which is pretty great so far.
Both Les Misérables and Wicked are coming to Omaha in the next month or so, so I am in the process of finding theater buddies and buying tickets.
I am going out East in THREE WEEKS to see my EEB! It has been a year and a half since last we laid eyes on each other, which is too long. She is already planning some amazing things for while I am there. Including a day in D.C. with her and my old roommate Audrey. The three Birthday Bitches back together again!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 DVD will be waiting for me in the mail when I get home from work tonight according to USPS, even though it doesn't get released until tomorrow.
Having yummy leftovers this week from the dinner I cooked Monday.
Honorable mentions: fun new patterned and colored tights, pigtail braids, compliments at work, 30 Rock from the beginning, blog comments (giving and getting)

B3DA 13: Brain Crack Ideas

2011-04-13T23:56:00.031-05:00

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Brain crack ideas eh? I have one to share right now. I know I have had others, but I am just too exhausted right now. The other problem is if I don't write them down or share them, they are often gone forever. Here is the one that I can remember:

There needs to be a database online for book summaries, including spoilers. Here is why: There are a lot of books that are part of a series these days. Trilogies and sagas abound. But they come out so stinkin' far apart from each other. I read a lot of books, and my long-term memory is not at its best. By the time the next book comes out I don't remember the details of what happened in the previous books. Then I end up putting them off until I have time to reread the previous ones, which doesn't always happen. I would love to be able to go to this database and bone up on the first books so that I can jump right into the newest one without feeling lost.

So, who is ready to take up the mantle of this massive project and get started? I would suggest starting with the City of Bones series by Cassandra Clare. PLEASE! I am looking forward to rereading the first three in that series, but there are going to be six books total, and I just can't do it every time.

B3DA 12: Fave Recipe

2011-04-12T22:45:00.000-05:00

I am skipping around and blogging about this topic today because it's on my mind.

I do not cook.

I can ... sort of. But I have never had the patience, and my repertoire is extremely limited. I do have one really good meal that I can make. But it is extremely not healthy, so I don't make it often. However, I had the day off yesterday and offered to make it for the family. I even snapped a picture on Sir Percy before we ate.

The meal is called chicken pillows. I got the recipe from my sister-in-law. They are delicious. And I do everything I can to lessen how fattening they are, and I think they still taste just as awesome. So I am assuming I am supposed to give you the actual recipe right? I tried to be lazy and look it up so I could just link to it, but there are at least a dozen or so versions, so here is what I do:

The pillows are in the back bowl.

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese
5-6 chicken strips, cooked and shredded
2 packages crescent rolls
melted butter
seasoned breadcrumbs
2 cans cream of chicken soup
sour cream
(I do fat free cream cheese, sour cream and chicken soup and reduced fat crescent rolls)

Mix together the cooked chicken and the cream cheese. Place tablespoon size of mixture onto unrolled crescent rolls. Fold to make a little pillow. Roll in melted butter and then breadcrumbs. Place on cookie sheet, and bake according to crescent roll packaging.

For the sauce, mix together the sour cream and the soup in a saucepan and heat on the stove until runny. Now I usually just estimate on the sour cream, but I think my sister-in-law's recipe is 1 cup for 1 can of soup, but that is never enough gravy, so about 2 cups for the two cans I suppose. Pour over chicken pillows. I always make it with mashed potatoes, and the gravy goes well on those as well. Then I include broccoli or another vegetable.

Man, I am almost embarrassed publishing this recipe, it is so bad. Did I mention I cut out a bunch of butter from the original recipe? It really is just a ONCE-IN-A-WHILE treat, but so good; enjoy it sparingly. This is a double batch that makes 16 pillows. They actually reheat really well on day two.

B3DA 11: Flight of the Conchords

2011-04-11T22:06:00.000-05:00

Even though it is not quite 10 PM here, I cannot seem to keep my eyes open very well. So I am going to leave you with a YouTube video tonight, in lieu of a "real" post.

I quite enjoy Flight of the Conchords. They are this comedy folk duo from New Zealand (why does Zealand have a red squiggle under it? It's a country, shouldn't it be in the dictionary?). They had a TV show on HBO for two seasons, with a couple of corresponding albums: http://flightoftheconchords.co.nz/

I was first introduced to them through my former roommate Audrey, who played this song for me because someone gave her "business socks" when she got married as a joke. It is quite funny. So enjoy and goodnight.

B3DA 10: Off Your Chest

2011-04-10T23:38:00.002-05:00

One of the great things I love about music is that sometimes you hear lyrics that make you yell out "Yes! That is exactly how I feel." or "That is exactly what I believe. Thank you for putting it more eloquently than I ever could." This happens to me quite a lot, especially as I listen to a lot of musicals, and there is almost always a story behind those songs.

A lot of my favorite moments like those have been with lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim. I love everything he has done that I have heard so far. I have simple tastes; I am not cultured enough to understand the complexities of what he writes. All I know is whether or not I love how it sounds and what the words say. And with him, I do love it. I recently got my hands on an album of his called Sondheim on Sondheim, which is from a small revue show that ran for three months on Broadway in 2010. The show goes through his songs, some famous and some that did not make it into the final versions, and in between are recordings of Sondheim talking about his life and about the shows.

My "Yes!" moment this time actually happened during one of the spoken segments of the CD. He said:

My first serious relationship occurred when I was 60 years old, when I fell in love. And I think it didn't happen until then because I wasn't open for it; I wasn't ready for it. I was brought up as an only child; I enjoyed being an only child. I enjoyed being alone; I still enjoy often being alone. But I think I had gotten in the habit of it, and when I met somebody the habit got broken.

Other than the part about being an only child, I could see myself saying this in 30 years. I have never been in love. I have never even come close, and sometimes I do not think I ever will. It does not feel like me. The idea that someone else will always be there has never sit comfortably with me. I truly enjoy/prefer spending a good portion of my time alone. Not all, I do need my people time, but often.

I fear I am not explaining myself very well. My point is that often I let myself get caught up in measuring my life by other people's time lines, even though it doesn't match what I want. I am 26 and based on the culture I grew up in I should be married with 1-2 babies by now, right? No! Because I am not ready for it yet! I might not be for several more decades. And if that works for me, then who cares? This has been in my head ever since my first listen of that CD, and now it is OFF MY CHEST. Mission accomplished.

B3DA "9": Photo Essay

2011-04-09T23:54:00.019-05:00

I am 100% cheating and setting the post date retroactively so it says I posted April 9th. I did not though. Why? I completely spaced it. I thought about it at work, but not once did it enter my mind once I got home.

I wanted to do a photo essay showing my beautiful new living quarters, but they aren't quite done yet, so I am going to do that later. And as much as I love this prompt, that was my only idea.

Instead I will leave you with a picture of part of one of my bookcases. The top shelf is my YA to-be-read shelf, which is books I own that I haven't read yet. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I NEED TO STOP BUYING BOOKS! Oh, and I also have an adult to-be-read shelf. AND I have three more in the mail on their way. I have problems.

B3DA 8: Follow Friday - Blogs

2011-04-08T23:11:00.002-05:00

Follow me!

So I browsed through my Google Reader to see what I was in the mood to recommend to you. I am not even going to mention blogs I have talked about before or already introduced to friends. I've picked two blogs I follow to share with you.

Smart Pretty and Awkward
This is a recent discovery of mine that I quite like. The posts are short and sweet: each one includes a tip/link to make you smarter, one to make you prettier and one to make you (less) awkward. They're always sweet and interesting, and occasionally their suggestions really make you think.

A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette
This is another short one, really short, each post is usually 2-3 sentences. They can be quite hilarious. Some you might only find funny if you are a librarian, but others will make anyone laugh. Definitely worth checking out.

B3DA 7: Things I Love Thursday #1

2011-04-07T16:33:00.001-05:00

Big green heart blob = spinach pasta dough

Wait, where did we get this meme idea from? I don't know who to attribute this to. Oh well, I'm too tired right now to look it up ... next time.

Here's some love I felt this past week:

buying books for friends and tracking their shipping progress online
the best turkey burger ever at Red Robin this weekend with a new friend
said burger was followed by a wonderful college production of Into the Woods at Creighton University
hearing friends (that's you Micki) tell me they have started following my blog and are actually enjoying it
LIBRARY BOOK SALE! (volunteering and browsing)
hearing my EEB's plans for my trip to visit her next month - Oh the anticipation!
feeling happy ... with myself and with my life
succeeding with my basic knowledge of HTML
my beautiful new room and my gorgeous purple closet
finishing my blog post before 11 PM!

B3DA 6: How to Ruin a Live Performance

2011-04-06T22:33:00.000-05:00

My first gif (thanks to Christina). I hope it's not too annoying.

We all know by now that my idea of the best in live entertainment will always be live musical theater. I do enjoy regular theater too, but I prefer to have the singing. I don't go to many music concerts. I've seen Ingrid Michaelson live three times with my EEB, and other random things here and there.

So instead I will mention some of my performance pet peeves. This has been on my mind anyway because I saw several of them in action at performances last week.

Coming in late, getting up during a performance and generally moving when you should be sitting.
Talking during the show and whispering "What?" really loudly when you don't catch something.
Cell phones - we get reminded to turn them off before every show. And invariably someone's always goes off about 20 minutes in. And then they never shut it off immediately, but just let it ring. At Next to Normal a couple weeks ago with Becky this woman near us answered her phone, and thought covering it with her jacket was good enough. IT WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
Being tall - There isn't much you can do about this one, but stop it already with the good posture!
Leaving early- I witnessed this in full force last week when I saw the national tour of Young Frankenstein with my dad. It REALLY bugs me. A LOT. I mean, the entire cast just gave you their all for two plus hours, not to mention the time they put in beforehand. So sit your ass back in your chair and give them the 5 minutes worth of applause that is the least they deserve. Come on!
Standing ovations - I am going to try to not get carried away now. Standing ovations are supposed to be special. You are already telling the cast you thought they did well by clapping. But I think most people just assume they should stand at the end of every show. This diminishes the honor of a standing ovation. I give them when well deserved for a great show or outstanding performance. I hate when everyone stands at the end of a good show. The worst part is when I can't see because everyone else is on their feet, so I become an involuntary part of the ovation. Drives me nuts.

It's common courtesy and respect. Thus endeth my ranting. That wasn't too long right?

B3DA 5: If I won the lottery...

2011-04-05T22:33:00.001-05:00

Well, first off I would have to start with some research, seeing as I have never purchased a lottery ticket before. But I have been tempted to buy them, so I do have thoughts on what I would do.

First and foremost I would pay off all my debt, then I would set aside enough to cover the rest of grad school. I would definitely forgive any debts owed to me. I would like to create college funds for my seven nieces and nephews. Then I would spread some money love around among my family and friends. I would give a bunch away to charity. I know everyone says that, and I am too selfish to give it all away I freely admit that, but with that much money how can you not do something good with part of it? I know I would give some to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and to Shelterbox (a new one I discovered thanks to Maureen), but I would have to do some research to decide where else to donate. And to be really boring I would invest/save a very large chunk of it.

Now the list of possible frivolous things I would like to do:

A big trip to New York City would be in order. I have been there several times, but this would be in style, staying at the Plaza one night or something like that. I would see every show (the ones that appealed to me) that was playing there at least once.
I would love to make a list of all the national Broadway tours and local community theater productions over a month or two and do a ginormous road trip around the country just going wherever the shows are.
I would buy every cast album I don't own yet that I have ever wanted or even heard in passing.
I would finally make it to France and Italy, and a whole crap ton of other places.
I would take each of my two best friends, Chelsea & my EEB, on a trip wherever they wanted to go, all expenses paid.
I would like to buy a house, but it all depends on when this big win happens. I don't want to live in Omaha, but I am here for the next two years or so. After that though ... wherever I end up I would buy a house, not big 'cause I don't need it, but cute and stuff. The biggest room in the house would be the library.
I would pay whatever it cost to create the most beautiful library in my home,with floor to ceiling shelves, tons of interesting reading nooks. And at least one ladder ... there has to be a ladder ... with wheels.
Then I would fill it with all the books I've read or could ever want to read (though I already have a good jump on that part).

And ... that's all I have right now. You can tell where my interests lie. Maybe I will add to this later as I think of stuff, but I think this is a pretty damn good start.

B3DA 4: Update & Debbie Reynolds

2011-04-04T20:45:00.000-05:00

I think it was Nicola who asked me for an update on my dessert-free year. I will happily oblige, but there is really nothing to report. I have made it three months now without dessert, which matches the longest I've gone before. No mess ups, no close calls, no insane withdrawal symptoms. I have moments of sadness when I see something I love, but that's it. 9 months to go! Go here if you don't know what I am talking about.

Tonight I decided to write about something that happened several months ago, but I never blogged about it. I want to get the memory down before it's gone.

Now everyone knows I am somewhat a fan of musicals. I love live musical theater, and I will always remember that my first show was The Phantom of the Opera in New York City with my dad when I was 15. I also love movie musicals, especially from the '40s and '50s, and I will always remember that the first one I ever saw was Singin' in the Rain on Turner Classic Movies (no clue how old I was).

On November 5, 2010, I had the good fortune of attending a special screening of Singin' in the Rain with my coworker Nancy at the Joslyn Art Museum here in Omaha. The highlight of the event was the presence of the film's female lead, Debbie Reynolds! She spoke before the film and signed autographs afterward. That movie was released in 1952; Reynolds was only 17 or 18 when she filmed it, and she is now in her late 70s. That woman is still going strong. She was so vibrant and energetic on stage before the film, and told us some really funny stories about filming the movie and other aspects of her career.

The experience of watching the movie was pretty wonderful as well. I am not the biggest fan of watching movies in movie theaters because I find the audience irritating and distracting. But every now and then you get the right movie with the right audience, and it comes a community experience. I was not just watching that movie next to a bunch of strangers, I was watching it with a group of people who love it as much as I do. We all laughed together as different scenes took on new meaning after Reynolds' accounts of what was happening off camera. It was wonderful.

Afterward, I waited in line for about an hour to see Ms. Reynolds and have her sign my DVD cover (Because of course I already owned it on DVD!). I felt a little guilty because by the time we got to her, she was obviously exhausted, but she signed my DVD and took a picture with us. I think I said thank you for coming or something like that. They are so desensitized to people gushing over them, and I did not want to be a gusher anyway.

It was such a wonderful experience, and one not likely to happen to me again. It is rather sad that all the stars I truly look up to and idolize are all either octogenarians or dead now. I was born at the wrong time.

It's a bit dark, but I've forgotten all my Photoshop skills, so dark it stays.

B3DA 3: Crushes

2011-04-03T23:03:00.000-05:00

I have done more than one crush post on this blog already, including this one during BEDA last year. I don't want to write about romantic people crushes, because there haven't been any new ones in the last year. So I thought I would write about other types of crushes I have had.

I have a crush on the Italian language; I think it is beautiful. Even though it would serve no practical purpose in my life, I want to learn it so badly. Even if all it means is that I will understand a lot more songs.
I have a crush on the old Disney paper dolls. I loved them when I was a kid, and I am sad they don't make them anymore. A couple of years ago I got it into my head to buy some on eBay: Pocahontas, Aladdin, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast. I punched out all the dolls and clothes as soon as I got them, but now I don't know what to do with them. I was thinking of laminating them all so I could let my nieces play with them when I see them, but it's an ambitious project. I also have Pride and Prejudice paper dolls, but those I have to cut out - so I haven't.
I have a crush on my new purple wall and closet. The color turned out way better than I could have hoped. Once I get everything set up and my stuff on the walls, I will post pictures of my new room.
I have a major crush right now on the muffins at Scooter's. I allow myself one a week, with a hot chocolate. I don't know which is more delicious: the blueberry or the lemon berry.
I have a crush Goodreads. I don't know how I survived without it. I get on it more than I get on Facebook or Twitter. I love adding to my to-read list and organizing what I have read by year and into categories. I love having friends whose taste I trust so I can see what they're reading.
I have a crush on Sir Percy, my iPhone. I was patient; I bided my time until they came to Verizon. But I did not waste time once they did (which happily coincided with my tax refund). Sometimes when something seems so great, the reality is never as wonderful. But Sir Percy and I are still on an extended honeymoon and I am very happy.
And really, I have a crush on my friends. I am not pleased with any of them for not living near me, but it must be overlooked. They are so great and I constantly feel so blessed, whether I met them in a classroom in college, a newspaper office or an online challenge I joined on a whim.

B3DA 2: Day in Haiku(s)

2011-04-02T23:05:00.003-05:00

Finished my paper
Lack of focus, wasted time
Sore eyes need to sleep

Library book sale
Selling books, smile, "Here's your change"
Volunteered my time

Saw Into the Woods
Sondheim, a bloody genius
Baker's wife stole show

B3DA 1: Introductory ABCs

2011-04-01T20:42:00.000-05:00

That's right folks, it's that time again. Today is April 1st, which means it's time for BEDA (Blog Every Day April)!!

If you already know me, you have heard me mention BEDA and my amazing BEDA buddies (Becky, Christina and Nicola). I don't want to rehash all that, but here are my explanatory posts from the original BEDA and BEDA the 2nd.

We did an introduction questionnaire last year, which I almost did again, but Becky did something really fun on her blog and gave statistical information about herself - by the numbers. I would love to blatantly steal it, but I decided to only sort of steal it and focus mine on the alphabet.

So if I can get through them all, here are 26 things to know about me (We should really adopt a smaller alphabet):

Autumn Lee Hill (that's me)
Blogging has been hard for me, especially lately, but I want to write all 30 days this year, as during BEDA the 2nd I only posted half the days.
Communications is what I got my bachelor's degree in, specifically print journalism, which I loved getting but have never used.
Desserts are out of my diet for all of 2011. Why? Because I am crazy. Three months down, nine to go.
Editing is my favorite part about journalism, I have always preferred fixing other people's writing to doing my own.
Freaking awesome (as described by my coworker Trevor, though he suggested a different 'F' word)
Graduate school is what i am focusing on right now. I am only in my second semester, so two more years to go!
Homework is very easily avoided while writing a blog instead, as this proves.
Ingrid Michaelson is one of my favorite music artists, introduced to me by one of my best friends, SEJL, who is participating in BEDA for the first time this year! I have seen her live three times (Ingrid that is, I've seen SEJL live more than I can count).
Jobs: I have two part-time jobs (sort of three) that keep me busy about 50 hours a week.
Knowledgable (as described by my boss Jennifer, which is good to know. She said the only thing I didn't know was what Juneteenth was, but now I know that too.)
Librarian will someday be my job title. That is what I am going to school for and where I have found a home.
Musicals are my passion/obsession. I am a huge Broadway geek, going to shows every chance I get. I own just over 130 cast albums, which I happily share with friends.
Nincompoop: the one word guaranteed to make me giggle each and every time I hear/say it.
Omaha, Nebraska = home for the moment. But only until I finish school, then who knows!
Procrastination = my specialty/curse. I am so deadline-oriented that I often can't accomplish anything without a deadline looming over me.
Quirky (as described by my coworker Ashley, but I think it fits).
Reading takes up a great deal of my spare time, and like many people my age and nearly all of my friends, about 75% of what I read is young adult literature.
Soliciting words from other people was the only way I was going to get through 26 letters today; I am not sorry.
Twitter handle: autumnLEEves. Somedays I tweet too much and others not at all, but it's my favorite way to keep track of my BEDA buddies.
Unshelved = a great and funny library-centered comic that you should take a look at.
Very very tired after working 11 hours today, which is why I am about to cheat on the next one.
Wicked eXtraordinaire (as described by my sister Lindy) She is thinking of the musical, which I have seen four times in three cities in two countries.
Years old: 26
Zootool replaced Delicious as my online bookmarking tool recently. I am still adjusting, but so far I love it.

OK, that was actually fun and not as hard as I thought it would be -- until tomorrow universe.

Tell Me What to Read!

2011-02-07T08:42:00.000-06:00

Help! I am in a Reader's Advisory class right now, and I need recommendations. It's centered around books for adults. I am mostly useless in that department as I have transferred all almost my energy to young adult novels.

For this class I have to read a recent (last 5-10 years) book in a bunch of different genres. These are the ones I don't have covered yet:

Fantasy
Science Fiction
Westerns
Romance / Romantic Suspense
Multicultural / International
Horror
Literary Fiction

PLEASE leave comments and give me your suggestions. I am badly in need of guidance.

Thanks!

P.S. Becky & Christina: Do you think The Lover's Dictionary would work as my romance choice?

Paging Through 2010: A Year in Books

2011-02-06T19:36:00.005-06:00

I bet you thought I had forgotten about this. No worries though, I am just really late in putting it together.

As many of you know, I obsessively keep a log of every book I read. I don't know where I got the idea, but I started it halfway through 2004 and have never stopped. I love it. It helps me to keep track of what I read and gives me a good snapshot of my year in reading. Here are the posts recapping 2008 and 2009.

This past year I have extended this obsession to Goodreads, which is by far my favorite of all the book community sites I have tried. And yes, I have tried several sites. I'm a book nerd, deal with it. Anyway, it does sometimes complicate things because there are books I listed as read in 2010 on Goodreads that I didn't add to my reading log for whatever reason. I am going to try not to do that this year.

I read 66 books I hadn't read before (75 according to Goodreads, which includes rereads), adding up to 20,915 pages.

Owned: 10
From Library: 56

Adult Fiction: 13
Nonfiction: 6
Young Adult Fiction: 41
Juvenile Fiction: 6

Books Reread: 4

Began 2010 with: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Ended 2010 with: Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Shortest: 96 pages - Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Longest: 563 pages - Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Oldest: 1869 - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868 according to Goodreads)
Newest: Dec. 2010 - Vixen by Jillian Larkin (I read 20 books published in 2010)

Quickest to Read: 1 day - Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
          (I read 3 different books in 1 day, but this one had the most pages)
Longest to Read: 21 days - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Favorite: The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins (I read all three in 2010)
Least Favorite: Scatterheart by Lili Wilkinson
          (I ordered this from Australia because it wasn't released here and I was so excited
          about it, but the story was weird and not at all what I was expecting.)
Most Surprising: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
          (I don't like contemporary fiction as much, but this one blew me away, I loved it!)
Most Disappointing: Matched by Allie Condie
          (This one had so much hype, I read it before it was published, and it was OK,
          but not the amazing novel I was hoping for.)
Most Outside My Usual Choices: City of Thieves by David Benioff
          (I don't remember why I read this one, but it is adult fiction, about two guys
          searching around Russia for eggs during a war so they don't get killed. And I didn't
          love it, but I liked it.)

Favorite New Author: Megan McCafferty (Sloppy Firsts series, so great!)

I started 2011 by reading Patti LuPone's self-titled memoir. I've already read 9 books in 2011 so far though, again I am very late in posting this.

I don't know that I will have as much time to read this year now that I am back in school, but there are so many books I am excited about. Happy reading!

365-Day Challenge: 1 Month Down

2011-02-06T15:35:00.000-06:00

If you don't know what challenge I am talking about, read this.

I survived the first month with no permanent damage. Other than the cheesecake incident I mentioned in my original challenge post, I have lived a dessert-free existence. Only 11 more months to go!

As I mentioned when I have done these challenges before, once I make the decision to say no, it comes quite easily for the most part. There were no difficult moments where I almost gave in.

I have been eating a lot more dry cereal though. I am a bored eater all the way, so instead of popping chocolate in my mouth to keep it busy, I have been munching on Crispix! It's been my favorite non-sugar cereal since I was a kid. It's awesome with or without milk.

I do think the next couple of months will be the most difficult part of the year for me. Easter is right around the corner, and the stores are already selling Cadbury cream eggs and other delicious things. Easter is when all my favorite seasonal chocolate comes out, and has always been a very big impulse-control issue for me. This year I intend to survive Easter with nary a chocolate egg entering my system!

Crazy talk ... a 365 day challenge

2011-01-08T14:08:00.000-06:00

I am not one for New Year's resolutions - I am not a goal-oriented person in general. That is not to say that I wander through life aimlessly. I have goals; I just don't tend to write them down and call them such. That being said, if you've read my blog this past year, you've seen my occasional month-long personal challenges. Those are much more manageable, and I was quite successful with them.

Sometime after Thanksgiving, this crazy idea popped into my head that I couldn't let go of. I thought it over through the rest of the year, and basically figured, "What the hell, why on earth not?"

So I have decided to go directly from crawling to racing ... and up my month-long no dessert challenge to an entire year. Yes, I acknowledge your gasps and straight jacket suggestions. I even agree with them. But again, why not? It's only a year.

BACKGROUND: This is the very first time I did it for a month. And this is where I explain how that went. I did it again a couple of times after that, often alone, and once with a couple of friends.

PARAMETERS: I know exactly what I mean when I say no sweets, but it doesn't seem quite clear to others. I am not cutting sugar out of my diet entirely, it is found in so many things I don't know how I would do it. Sugar itself is not my problem. I am cutting out desserts - things like chocolate, candy, cookies, cakes, etc. Chocolate milk is in, because I love it and I don't have the rationing issues there I have with desserts. The same is true of hot chocolate, though I am going to try not to buy it on my way to work as often.

EXCEPTIONS: I acknowledge there are circumstances wherein it would be rude or awkward to decline dessert. I ran into this yesterday actually. One of my closest friends (and the only person from high school I am still friends and not just Facebook "friends" with) got married yesterday and I was a bridesmaid. Instead of a big wedding cake, they had cupcakes for the guests and a wedding cheesecake that they cut at the reception. The bride made the cheesecake herself, and it was only served to the wedding party. I declined at first, but they urged me to at least try some. I didn't want to be rude, especially since she made it. So I had a small piece. It was delicious! So if I run into something like that again, I will make an exception. Though I hope it is quite rare.

CLARIFICATIONS: First, this is not a New Year's resolution. It was just a timing thing. I had been thinking about it for a bit, and since Jan. 1 was coming up, I thought it would make it easy and clean to start my sweet-less year at that point. Second, this is not a weight loss thing. Yes, I could stand to lose some weight, but that isn't why I do these no dessert things. This is about rationing and primarily about testing my ability to control myself. I won't be upset or surprised if I do lose some weight because of it, but I don't care so much about that.

I know I am a little belated in writing this, but I did start it on January 1, and other than that one piece of cheesecake, the first week went very smoothly. I have said in the past that once I start doing this, it becomes really easy for me, so I am really not concerned about keeping this up for the entire year.

My READ poster

2010-09-21T19:42:00.006-05:00

Everyone remembers READ posters right? Famous people pictured with books related to their fields or the books turned into the movies they acted in. I always thought they were so much fun. This is the one I really want to buy right now.

Recently at work they had every staff member in our building pick their favorite book for their very own READ poster. It was a big project, because our building is a joint-use facility shared by an elementary school, public library branch and parks and recreation center. But we finished and they are all up in the commons. Yay!

It was a huge internal struggle for me to narrow it down to just one book. I finally picked the book I did because it isn't as well known as say The Hunger Games, plus it has a great cover and I loved reading it. The book is Fire by Kristin Cashore.

So here is my finished READ poster:

Goals unachieved and frustrations ended

2010-09-21T19:33:00.000-05:00

So back in May, I set a couple of deadlines here.

One of them is still on schedule, but the other deadline has passed and the goal remains unfulfilled. I've been living with my parents since I moved back to Omaha over a year and a half ago. It was supposed to be temporary, but I haven't really been able to afford to move out. The goal I set for myself was to be out of my parents' house and in my own place by the end of the summer.

At this point though I am still living with my parents. Let me tell you why. This summer there were two things in my life that I was unhappy about. One was living with my parents again, and the other was working at Chili's (and really just waiting tables in general). I felt really trapped because I needed that second job if I wanted to move out.

So I reached a point where I had to step back and decide what was bothering me most. And guess what won?! Chili's did. I decided I was just too tired and burned out waiting tables to do it anymore. I had gotten to a place where I truly hated my job, and I could not have cared less about the people I was serving (Though I was still mostly nice, I promise). It was bad. I finally gave Chili's my two weeks' notice back in July.

It was a hard decision to make, but I am so glad I did it. I miss the people I worked with there, and I still get together with my favorite Chili-heads now and then for food and margaritas, but I don't miss anything about the job. Well, maybe always having cash on hand, but that's it. I am so much happier now. I do still feel frustrated living at home, especially at my age, but I get along with my parents and it does save me money.

I am looking for a second job, but I admit I am being somewhat lazy about it. I can't remember the last time I only had one job; it's nice. Plus I did just start grad school this month. But that is why I didn't meet my deadline. I decided leaving my job was a bigger priority. But believe me, moving out is still important to me. I am ready to feel like a grown up again.

Don't quote me on that ... quote Quotea.bles instead

2010-09-02T16:34:00.000-05:00

I've probably never blogged about it, but I love quotes. I am not always as diligent about capturing them as I could be, but I still love them. Who doesn't love to laugh at the silly things people say or take inspiration from the ones who get it right?

Recently, through my BEDA buddy Nicola, I found a great new site: quotabl.es.com.

From what I understand it's a big, search-able database of quotes. You can create an account and keep a list of the quotes you love, and add ones you see that are missing. I joined it today and started adding some of my favorites. I'm finding it quite addicting. This is the first quote I added:

"What if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today!" - Bill Murray in Groundhog Day (See it on Quotabl.es here.)

And here are a few of my other favorite quotes. Some of them are from Quotabl.es and some are from my own collection.

"You won't feel normal until you find a group of people who you can be abnormal around and be happy about it." - Not That Kind of Girl, a blogger I follow

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony." - Monty Python and the Holy Grail (on Quotabl.es)

"Outside of a dog, a book is your best friend, and inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx (on Quotabl.es)

"It is better to be alone, she figures, than to be with someone who can't see who you are. It is better to lead than to follow. It is better to speak up than stay silent. It is better to open doors than to shut them on people. She will not be simple and sweet. She will not be what people tell her to be." - E. Lockhart, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

"Fairy tales are more than true. Not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be defeated." - G.K. Chesterton (on Quotabl.es)

So definitely check this site out; it's fun.

And here are all my BEDA buddies blogging about their favorite quotes: Nicola, Uncultured Critic, Christina, Becky.

What are some of your favorite quotes?

The dessert desert of July is officially over ...

2010-08-01T15:59:00.006-05:00

Well we did it everyone. July is officially over, which means sweets are back in. Woot!

Christina celebrated at midnight with a delicious-sounding dessert I have never heard of. She describes it here. She did great this month; I know of several instances where she resisted some very strong temptations. I am very proud of her and glad she joined me. I am sure she will talk about her experience on her blog soon.

I know Chelsea did great too. Other than her birthday (and no one expected her to withhold then), she stayed firm all month. Here is her statement:

The month of July, no desserts – I must say it was a bit difficult in the beginning, but as all things, once you start to get the hang of it, you start to do a bit better – I’m actually thinking I’m going to try to continue this into August, I don’t want to go crazy now that July is over, so I’m going to slowly bring myself back to desserts.

Congratulations ladies! You can happily return to the land of chocolate and candy. Thank you so much for doing this with me.

As for me, I did great (If I do say so myself). However, am not letting dessert back in the door just yet. I will tell you why on my next post, I promise. Welcome to August.

Dessert Break Follow Up

2010-07-06T19:34:00.006-05:00

And then there were three.

My BEDA buddy Christina has bravely agreed to take on the NO DESSERT JULY challenge. I have great faith in her. This is going to be great! She talks about it here on her blog. She actually agreed July 1 when she read my blog, but I've been slow to post it here. Sorry.

Her solemn vow:

I, Christina "Sti" Hicks, decree that no sweet processed by man (or woman) shall pass my lips until August the First 2010 A.D. Two notable exceptions are to be allowed. Exception the First on July the Fourth (henceforth "the 4th"). Exception the Second to be chosen for a worthy dessert at some point as yet unknown.

It's not too late to join us. In fact it's easier now, because you have less of July to restrain yourself. (And your vow doesn't have to be as awesomely written as Sti's. Mine isn't.)

I am breaking up with dessert ... for a month ... again

2010-07-01T09:17:00.003-05:00

I have decided that it's that time again. Time for me to take a break from sweets. I've done it before with great success, and I found that declaring it here on my blog made me more accountable and therefore more successful.

There are many good reasons why I do this. Obviously, it's healthier to cut out the junk food, but more than that it is a willpower/self-control exercise, which is something I definitely struggle with sometimes.

So for the entire month of July, I will not be having any sweets/dessert of any kind. I am allowed a maximum of 2 exceptions, while on vacation with my family.

The best part about this challenge is that one of my very best friends, Chelsea, is going to do this with me. Yay! So we can help keep each other accountable. She is allowed an exception for her birthday next week. And Chelsea, I can put a declaration on here for you too if you wish.

Anyone else want to join us?

The Lakers won me some $$

2010-06-18T13:50:00.007-05:00

Well, a $ to be specific. I made my first bet ever this sports season, and apparently the Lakers won last night, which means I won ... $1. Woot!

I am not what you would call a sports enthusiast. I enjoy attending games live occasionally with friends or family. I do understand how all the major sports are played and scored, enough to follow along without feeling like an idiot at least. And I have name recognition for a lot of major teams. But that's where it stops. I don't care enough to follow any specific teams or pay attention to any championships.

Several months ago I was talking to a big sports fan I work with at Job #2. He had a couple of real bets going with some of our other co-workers that the Lakers would not win ... something. The championship I guess; I didn't really pay attention. Anyway, just to be contrary I told him I would bet him $0.20 that they would win. I figured why not.

He took my bet and we ended up settling on $0.25. A couple of weeks later I asked him if they'd won yet. He said it would be awhile because they weren't even in the championships (or whatever) yet, so it would be awhile. He was so confident they would lose that he offered me 4:1 odds. So if the Lakers won he owed me a $1, and if they lost I owed him $0.25. Score.

So pretty much every time I saw him after that I asked him if they'd won yet, because I truly didn't know. He just kept laughing at me and telling me not yet. But my dad told me this morning that they won the big ... thing. So it was my first sports bet, and I won! I am going to see this guy tonight, and he had better pay up because I took this as a serious bet. I would have coughed up my $0.25 if they lost.

Things I Love Thursday 5.1

2010-05-06T12:28:00.011-05:00

I had a quite a lovely week. I made some decisions that needed to be made, including the ones I wrote about yesterday, and I have started to be more proactive about having a social life. Go me!

Here are some highlights:

My friend Bridgette and I saw Awesome '80s Prom at the Omaha Community Playhouse on Sunday. It was hilarious! The theater was decorated like a high school gym, and the whole thing was very interactive. We did some dancing and voted for prom king and queen. All the high school stereotypes were there in all their '80s glory. We had so much fun.
Dressing up for work can be fun; I actually missed it. Being an aide was strictly a jeans job, but as a clerk I get to have more fun. It's nice to get some use out of all my skirts again.
I finally turned in my grad school application this weekend, what a relief to have that finished and out of the way. Now I just have many many weeks ahead of waiting for the results.
My boss wrote one of my recommendation letters for me, and she sent me a copy as well. It's always nice to read others' praise of you. It's a perfect little confidence booster.
One of my favorite people from Chili's is my friend Danielle. She is heading out of town for a few weeks. We had margaritas together this weekend and breakfast yesterday. It was great. Work will be less fun without her this month, but I will save money.

Have a great week all!

In Which I Set Deadlines

2010-05-05T16:44:00.005-05:00

I have been back in Omaha for about a year and a half now. I have been living with my parents that entire time. When I first moved back here from Pennsylvania, this was going to be a very temporary situation. I came home to pause and figure out what I was doing and where I was going next. And to save some money while I did that.

A year and a half later, I have figured out exactly what I am doing next. And I am making great steps toward that. I have a job in a library, and I just submitted my grad school application a few days ago. I am hoping to get started on my master's degree in the fall.

Since I still have to work full time, I can only go to school part time, which means it could take me awhile to get my degree. So the goal I have set for myself is to get my degree before I turn 30. I turn 26 at the end of the summer, so that gives me four years to "git 'er done." I don't think this will be particularly hard or anything, I just wanted to verbalize that as a goal so I don't dilly dally. By 29 would be lovely, but NO LATER THAN 30.

This has brought me to the unfortunate realization that I am stuck in Omaha for at least the next three to four years. This doesn't thrill me, but it is what it is and it could be worse. However, it makes continuing to live with my parents not so ideal. I love my parents, and I get along pretty well with both of them. But anyone who has experience independent living will tell you that living with your parents after that is much harder. Even my mom agrees with me on that.

That being said, my most pressing goal now is to get my own little place in Omaha by the end of the summer. Half of my belongings are still in a storage unit in Gettysburg. They were only supposed to be there for a few months, but I haven't had a chance to get back there and get them.

Once I decided to move out, I was in an all-fired hurry to see it through. I was going to try to plan a trip out there in the next few weeks and get into a place by June. I have realized this is very unrealistic for many reasons. Summer is very busy at the library. We have the summer reading program starting soon and getting time off could prove interesting. I know my EEB back in PA is in the same situation. So, I am going to wait until August to go get my stuff, which is why my new plan is to be moved out and on my own by the end of the summer.

So to sum up: move out my end of summer, master's degree by 30. Good night (afternoon) and good luck.

BEDA the 30th - Finale Ultimo

2010-04-30T23:38:00.001-05:00

Well, I feel really lame because this makes 19 days I blogged in April. That's of a possible 30. Yikes. Talk about massive failure.

I do feel guilty, but in my defense April turned out nothing like I expected it to. It was craziness. Between studying for and taking the GRE, finishing the rest of my grad school application and then getting my wonderful promotion at the library and training for that, my Internet time has been way down.

Even so, my BEDA buddies were wonderful as always. They were very supportive and very helpful as I went through all that. I am still behind on reading your blogs ladies, but like Becky said, that is what May is for!

My other plan in May, which should be a much calmer month than April was, is to hit all the BEDA topics I missed in April. Well not all, but most. So you'll be hearing from me again soon.

BEDA 3.0 will see Autumn blogging much more faithfully.

BEDA the 29th - Things I Love Thursday

2010-04-29T23:06:00.018-05:00

I feel like I already did Things I Love this week while covering my favorites yesterday. So even though I am too lazy to change the title, I am going to go more with a Things I'm Thinking Thursday. Please don't expect there to be order or logic in residence for the rest of this post.

It's crazy stormy here in Omaha tonight. The good stuff is out to play. The good stuff being the thunder and the lightning. I love it. I mostly love it sitting protected under a porch awning where I can just watch and listen. And I do love the rain. Not all the consequences of the rain mind you, but the rain itself I love.

My favorite thing about rain, is when you're driving in it at night. There is something about the reflection of the stoplights in the water that I have always found so beautiful. I don't know why. But I love it. Though I did have a hell of a time trying to find a decent picture of what I mean.

Other thoughts:

I don't understand how shoes end up in the middle of the road or on the median. Hats and gloves I can kinda sorta picture, but shoes? H-how? Wh-why? It makes no sense to me.
When I see people driving really fast or really stupidly in extremely bad weather, part of me hopes they crash. Not into me of course, but into something. Just to prove their idiocy to themselves.
I watch a lot of movies. I love movies, but sometimes it feels more like I am working my way down a checklist than actually watching them for the movies themselves. I feel that way with books too. There are so many I want to read, or have from the library, that I feel like I have to just get through them so I can get them all done. I don't always feel like that, but sometimes.
Sometimes I wonder if my OCD/AR tendencies will become debilitating one day. I get pickier and pickier about certain minutiae as I get older. There are so many little things that drive me crazy. So many things where I can't stand it if they aren't in the order I think they should be in. My dad will deliberately put crumbs on the table when we go out to eat because he knows I can't leave them there. He thinks it's hilarious, and I put the crumbs back on the plate every single time.
That's the first time I have ever had to spell minutiae before, and I got it right first try. To me, that's exciting.
I love breakfast food, but not for breakfast. It's much too early in the day for all that heavy stuff. I love waffles and eggs and bacon, but for dinner. That is why restaurants that serve breakfast food all day are awesome.
I love knowing the answers to questions. One of the things that draws me to being a librarian is that when someone asks me a question, nothing is more thrilling than knowing the right answer. Or being able to show them how to find the right answer. It's kind of show off-y I guess, but there you go.
When other people chew gum, it makes me want to vomit. Each and every time. At least close your mouth. PLEASE!
Don't spread this around, but there are musicals out there that I do not like. And up until recently, I hated My Fair Lady. But it's grown on me.
Also, I hate Sleepless in Seattle and it feels like I am the only female in existence who feels that way.
I'm very vain about my name. I love all three of them. But I am so used to being called everything but Autumn, that I will answer to anything that starts with an 'A' and any season. I'm just resigned to it.

And I think that's enough thoughts for today. My goodness, I had way more thoughts rumbling through my head than I thought. A lot of them were negative too, which is dumb because I am in a good mood right now. Oh well. Good night.

BEDA the 28th - Favorites

2010-04-28T23:56:00.014-05:00

I am really not good at picking favorites. As far as I can remember (which isn't all that far back) I never have been. I don't have a favorite movie, actor, musical, food, book, author or anything like that. I could make a list of things I love for each category. But ask me to narrow it down and I am stumped.

I can maintain temporary favorites, like what is my current favorite musical (Next to Normal), but never ask me my favorite musical of all time. Who knows? Too many to choose from. I prefer to spread my love around, not focus it in on one thing. But here is a stream of consciousness list of my recent favorite things.

My favorite things of the last five minutes: knowing I am finally blogging again (however belatedly in the month), milk and a chocolate chip muffin at midnight, downloading Glee Madonna music, getting comfortable in my pajamas.

My favorite things of the day: take away from Famous Dave's, catching up on Glee and Project Runway, reading Maureen Johnson, Google chatting with BEDA buddies, finding a new Broadway-related album I know I'll want that comes out next week, knowing the answers to patron's questions

My favorite things of the week: finally getting my GRE scores, playing with the puppy, margaritas with one of my favorite Chili heads, starting my new job as a clerk, buying tickets to see Beauty and the Beast this summer with my dad, buying new jeans, finding a great deal on one of the seasons of Veronica Mars, catching a glimpse of Piz from Veronica Mars in Up in the Air.

My favorite things of 2010 thus far: Los Angeles/Camp Pendleton vacation and spending time with my amazing and loving grandparents, coming to a firm decision on what I want to be when I grow up, watching things come together for me after that decision, reconnecting with old friends in Omaha, winter ending and no more snow coming down, ooh and the amazing apple glazed pork tenderloin I had at Claim Jumper.

My future favorites looking forward: getting into grad school, starting grad school, getting my pre-ordered copies of Mockingjay, The Clockwork Angel and Linger this summer, moving out of my parents house and once again into my own space, seeing my EEB again, seeing old college friends, going to sleep after I write this.

BEDA the 25th - Weekend Wrap Up

2010-04-25T23:03:00.015-05:00

OK, I've got to make this fairly quick. Not a ton going on this week, I've been a bit busy. But here are the highlights:

Yesterday I finished reading Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. YA of course, but not the typical kind of YA fare I indulge in. Usually, even though I read a lot about teenagers, I avoid books that actually take place solely in a high school environment. At least not unless there is some sort of fantastical twist involved.

This book is about a girl plucked straight from a Mean Girls-style pack who dies, and then relives her last day seven times. So Mean Girls meets Groundhog Day. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I ended up really liking it. I would definitely recommend it. It makes you think, and it was more touching than I thought it would be. I couldn't put it down really.

I managed to avoid spending any money on music this week, yay! I have been listening to the My Fair Lady Broadway soundtrack I bought last week a lot. It blows my mind that Julie Andrews was only 20 when she recorded it. Her voice was already so mature and amazing even then.

I've also been listening to a lot of Lucy Schwartz this week. She is a Portuguese singer I discovered a month or so ago. I heard this song, "Turn Back Around", while watching some stupid movie. But though the movie was dumb, the song stuck with me. So I looked it up and found her. I started to listen to some of her other stuff and I really like her. So that's what's been on my iPod this week, with a little Glee thrown in.

Let's see, what else. I finally saw An Education this week. It was one I was looking forward to seeing, but by the time I got to it I couldn't remember why I'd wanted to see it. So I wasn't quite sure what to expect. But I actually quite enjoyed it. It was interesting, and while it wasn't fast-paced by any means, it didn't drag like it could easily have done.

I've decided after seeing her in this and some other film I can't remember right now, that I like Carey Mulligan. She's one to watch I think. The rest of the cast was quite good as well. Including Rosamund Pike, who played Jane in the most recent version of Pride and Prejudice (wherein Carey played Kitty).

And that's about it. Here's to a new week of beautiful music and wonderful books.

BEDA the 22nd - Things I Love Thursday (belatedly)

2010-04-24T15:17:00.000-05:00

I was going to write this Thursday night when I got home from work, but I was NOT in the best of moods after leaving Job #2, and I was not in the right mind frame to focus on things I love. So I waited to write it. I am in a much better mood now. But I won't be after going to Job #2 again tonight, so now is the time.

I spent this week downtown at the main branch of the library, training with the circulation manager for my new position as a clerk. I start back at my own branch Tuesday. Training was a lot of fun, and I think this new role will suit me very well.

I bitch and moan about people a lot, about how stupid and self-entitled they can be. And that is still true, anyone who waits tables or works customer service will tell you that. But I still enjoy helping people and I am still good at it. People on a case-by-case basis can still be pretty wonderful. I am really looking forward to all the customer interaction I will have as a clerk. Shocking isn't it?

In addition to LOVING just training and anticipating my new role, I am in LOVE with this new feeling of contentment and home that I have. I just finally feel like I've found where I fit in. Each job has its downsides, but every shift I have at the library is overall a good one. I enjoy what I am doing and who I am working with it. I am reaching the point where I can't imagine ever doing anything else. And I can't believe I finally found that.

Even with journalism, I mostly enjoyed what I was doing, and I loved who I was working with, but I never had that feeling of home. That sense of truly belonging there and knowing this is where I could fully make use of my unique talents. Libraries give me that. And I am just so happy to finally have that.

So that is mostly what I loved this week. That and making fun plans. I am going to go see Legally Blonde (the musical) next weekend with a couple of wonderful girlfriends. And I have plans to enjoy dinner and margaritas Monday night with a couple of other wonderful girlfriends. I've set a goal to get a place of my own here in Omaha by the end of the summer, and life is good. (At least as long as I don't think about Job #2).

BEDA the 18th - Weekend Wrap Up

2010-04-18T15:55:00.013-05:00

First things first, I can't stop gushing about the CD I bought this week. A collection of 12 songs I've been listening to over and over again. I am a huge fan of Ella Fitzgerald. I love her voice and her music. Purely by accident, while I was searching for something else , I found an album of hers called Ella Sings Broadway.

It's perfect because it combines my love of Ella with my obsession for all things Broadway. The whole album is great, but some standouts are "Whatever Lola Wants" from Damn Yankees and "Almost Like Being in Love" from Brigadoon. Amazing. Can you tell how enamored I am? It's not too obvious is it? I could gush more. It's just so great. I'm listening to it again now.

That purchase led to another purchase. She does two songs from My Fair Lady: "I Could Have Danced All Night" and "Show Me". I then realized I don't own a cast album of that show, so I bought the original Broadway album starring Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. This has never been my favorite show, but I can't deny that there is some great Lerner and Loewe music in it. In fact I requested the Audrey Hepburn DVD from the library to watch it again and give it another chance. It's been long enough and my tastes have evolved enough that I might like it now.

This is one of the pitfalls of mp3s and iTunes/Amazon. I am way too impulsive about buying this stuff and those sites make it way too easy to be. Oh well. I can't regret either purchase.

Glee is back! I haven't actually been able to watch the newest episode yet. I sat down to watch it on Hulu this afternoon, but I decided I wanted to watch the previous episode, "Sectionals" again before I did so. Then I ran out of time because I have to go to work shortly. But I enjoyed seeing that last episode again. It was a great one. And I can't believe it, but I got a little emotional at the end with Matthew Morrison's character tearing down the hallway and the inevitable events that followed. I am such a nerd!

Now that the GRE is done I have gotten back in the swing of pleasure reading again. I just finished Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore. It was a shorter read, and I was left with very mixed feelings when it was over. On the one hand, I very much liked the premise. But I thought the author did so much less with it than she could have. The relationship between the two main characters felt too rushed and under-explored. And the ending left what I felt were too many unanswered questions, with no indication of a sequel. I don't know, mixed feelings like I said. Sti, you read it first. What were your thoughts?

Now I am reading When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, which is even shorter than that other book, so it shouldn't take me long. It won the 2010 Newbery Award, and I just finished a project involving Newbery winners at the library, so it caught my attention. It's interesting so far. We'll see how it goes.

Have a very happy week. Hopefully mine will be cheaper and less stressful than this past one. I start my clerk training Tuesday. Woot!

BEDA the 16th - Collections

2010-04-16T23:08:00.018-05:00

Collections ... hmmm.

Well, there are the obvious ones, which are my big shopping weaknesses: books and DVDs. I use the library like crazy for both, and I have Netflix, but I LOVE owning books and movies. I will read a book, love it, then buy it. So I might not have read the copy sitting on my shelves, but I pick them up randomly, and I know I will read them again. The point is that they struck me enough to be considered worthy of belonging to my collection.

I don't have one big collection I've maintained my whole life. I used to collect Victorian-style greetings cards. I don't know what happened to them though. But that was mostly because my grandmother collected them and sent them to me all the time.

I do collect Playbills, as any Broadway geek worth his or her salt does. I keep all my ticket stubs and programs anyway, but there is something special about an official Playbill. I have a handful now, but someday I will have MANY more.

I do like to collect decks of cards. Sometimes when I travel, (like my most awesome Wacky Woolies (Sheep) deck from Dublin, picture <--- on a deck of cards) and sometimes when I just think they're cool (like Scooby Doo and The Little Mermaid). When I was a kid I would play with them like they were people. Four families, Kings and Queens were the parents, odds were boys and evens were girls. I had a whole system and it was a lot of fun. I was an odd kid.

Everyone seems to collect something when traveling. I've actually put some thought into what I should collect. Some people collect mugs, thimbles, spoons, kitschy stuff like that. I wanted to be a bit different, but I was stumped. A couple of years ago, I had the idea to keep the front pages of the local papers of each town I visited, with the date of my visit on it. I still think it's a neat idea, but I never got organized. I have a pile of papers sitting in storage, but I haven't gotten any recently.

P.S. At the moment I am also collecting unread blog posts. I remember the time in my life when I had about a dozen unread items in my Google Reader at any given time. Often zero. It was a nice, simple time. But now I have 474 unread items. It just keeps getting bigger. I swear when I checked yesterday it was around 400. STOP BLOGGING! I need to get caught up.

BEDA the 15th - Things I Love Thursday

2010-04-15T23:45:00.008-05:00

So I am doing my catching up a bit out of order, but it's my blog so I can do whatever I want right? This was the last of my crazy Thursdays. I worked 14.5 hours today! 8 at the library and then 6.5 at Job #2. Oy vey.

So for the past three weeks I have been spending my Thursdays in downtown Omaha at the main library branch. In addition to being a library branch, it houses all the other departments like acquisitions, community services and technical services.

I've been picking up extra hours in tech services because (1) extra hours are good and (2) I've been quite curious about the behind-the-scenes library stuff. It has been a nice change of pace, though my body has not been the biggest fan of hunching over a desk for 8 hours stickering paperbacks.

One perk is that I can listen to my iPod while I do that. And actually, the work is mindless enough that I listened to an audio book over the course of a few shifts. I listened to Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson, to bone up for reading the sequel, Scarlett Fever, that recently came out. I quite enjoyed listening to that, and I think I like the book itself better the second time.

So that is the first thing I loved this week. Also ...

HAVING THE WEIGHT OF THE GRE OFF MY SHOULDERS. Of course. Although I still won't know my analytical writing score for a week or two. Ugh.
Learning I can study! - I may not be especially efficient at it, but I know my GRE scores were better for the studying I did attempt to do. And the book I used as a study guide was a really good one: The Princeton Review's Cracking the GRE. I ignored some of it, but what I did pay attention was a great help. Let's see if I can keep up this studying thing once I get into school.
Finding my ideal study music - I think this is a hard task, but I found the perfect music for what I need. Because if there are words in the music, I get distracted by the lyrics and don't get anything done. Sometimes I can get away with random bands or singers, but musicals are a big no no. But Miles Davis is absolute studying bliss. I was already a fan, that man and his trumpet are quite amazing. But the lack of singing helps me focus, but the jazz he plays is upbeat enough to keep me energized. Perfection. (I've really been discovering how much I love jazz the past year or two).
BBQ pulled pork - Random, but so good! I took the GRE Tuesday morning and had to go straight to work for seven hours. Not great fun. I got off at 8 and I was starving. I was not about to go home and scrounge, so I ordered take away from Famous Dave's. I hadn't had it in forever and it was amazing. Yum - my.

And, that's it for now. I was a total social recluse during my GRE prep time, so I am hoping this coming week will bring more of a life.

BEDA the 10th - Life After the GRE

2010-04-13T21:20:00.004-05:00

Well, I survived. I spent three and a half hours in a testing center this morning fighting to focus and not vomit. It was quite interesting. I have never been so nervous over something before that I thought I would throw up. I didn't think I was that nervous, but apparently my stomach did.

Do you want to hear what kinda sorta turned out to be the hardest part? Before I took the test I had to sign a confidentiality thing where I had to write out a paragraph/pledge IN CURSIVE. I felt like an idiot because I haven't had to write in cursive since elementary school, and I didn't remember how. I can sign my name, and that's it. I really struggled to get that paragraph written, and it looked awful. Not like my usual careful printing. I was so embarrassed to hand that paper back to the test proctor.

Not that it was cake after that, but still. Yikes. But I got through the GRE and now I can stop obsessing over it and move on to the rest of the application. And then on to school. OK, there is still plenty to obsess over. But more important things than some standardized test.

More to come as I get caught up with BEDA. I have to take a look at our calendar and see what I missed.

GRE Break

2010-04-12T18:52:00.004-05:00

OK, I am in desperate need of a break from studying.

Yes, I am supposed to be blogging every day in April, although it sort of feels more like blog 30 times in April than daily. But it still counts right? I've tried to be faithful, but as the GRE got closer I had to prioritize. And as fun as this can be and as much as I love my BEDA buddies, BEDA wasn't the top of my list.

However, I have been studying like a maniac and I take the test in about 13 hours. After that, once I mentally recover my wits, I promise to get fully caught up and wholly embrace BEDA for the rest of April.

I am even behind on reading blogs, I have 374 unread items in my Google Reader at present count.

As a parting present, I thought I would leave you with a wonderful YouTube video. This is from some TV show I've never heard of, but I found it because the woman is Donna Murphy, who is an amazing Broadway performer. This really is worth your time. She's singing a Duke Ellington song, "Hit Me With a Hot Note".

BEDA the 9th - Teach Us

2010-04-09T22:15:00.002-05:00

I.
AM.
STUDYING.

I am spending about 60-65% of my time feeling like I am pretty intelligent and the other 35-40% feeling like an idiot. It's quite interesting. And depressing. A bit of a roller coaster really. Lots o' fun.

I didn't have a clue what I was going to do for this anyway. I'll keep it in my head and see if I can do something real later in the month.

But I didn't want you to go away with having learned nothing. So I thought I would let Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart assist me in a quick refresher course. This is from To Have and Have Not, and even if everyone's seen it, it's never a bad thing to see it again. Good night.

BEDA the 8th - Things I Love Thursday

2010-04-08T23:35:00.005-05:00

All right. I just got home from work and I have 25 minutes to get my Thursday blog out. Thursdays are brutal for me: another 13.5 hour day. Woo and hoo. But I am wide awake now that I am home.

Here are the things I loved this week:

dying Easter eggs - I don't have any pictures to show because it is late, but maybe I can add some in tomorrow. I haven't done this in awhile. I didn't really feel strongly about doing it this year, but when I sat down with my parents after Easter dinner and actually dyed them - I had a lot of fun. A great throwback to my childhood.
margaritas with friends - After dying eggs, I met two girls I work with from Chili's AT Chili's for some margaritas. (It is Margarita Madness at Chili's right now, which happens for three months every year where we get really competitive and our bosses really push us to sell margaritas to the masses. In their defense there are some great prizes.) But these two girls are my favorite from work, and we never get to hang out because our schedules are so different and one of the girls has kids. Anyway, I rarely drink and I only had one margarita, but it was just what I needed. And we closed the restaurant (it's ok since we work there) talking and laughing.
new shoes - All my cute little flats are years old and dying, so I finally decided to get some new ones, as I have to dress a little nicer for my new job. I fell in love at first sight with a pair from Journey's, but they didn't have my size. So they ordered them for me through the store. They saved me about half the shipping charges and I got them on sale. They could come Friday! I can't seem to post the pictures so here are links: these shoes and these shoes.
Persuasion DVD - My mom needed this tax book on Amazon, so naturally I had to add something else to the order to get the free shipping. How can you not? So I got one of the movies that's been on my list: the newest BBC version of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Yay! It came yesterday.
meeting with my future advisor - I met with the woman who WILL become one of my advisors WHEN I get into the grad program I want. She was so nice, and so enthusiastic and proud of the program she's helped develop and watches over. It was infectious. I was excited already, but after talking with her I left her office giddy and unable to stop grinning. It is ridiculous how right for me I think this all is and how excited I am go to back to school and take classes on things like cataloging and reference.

Honorable mentions: figuring out how to get my car to unlock on the driver's side since my keyless remote broke; having the library order things I suggested; getting comments on BEDA blogs from old college friends and BEDA buddies alike; once again managing to go off sweets completely for awhile (still going strong); and wearing flip flops again!

BEDA the 7th - Celebrity Crushes

2010-04-07T23:11:00.009-05:00

I have had many celebrity crushes over the years, I am in no way immune to feeling enamored of the famous people. But I would say that mine are even less attainable than the average bear: most of my crushes are octogenarians and beyond - or dead. Mostly dead.

Oh boy, that girl is going to blog about musicals again isn't she?

Why yes I am. In addition to my love of contemporary musicals, I also love old movie musicals from the '40s and '50s. I often feel like I was born in the wrong era, but if I had been born earlier, I wouldn't be able to own all these great films on DVD, so it's a wash.

A lot of my crushes are on men like Gene Kelly (pictured left), Donald O'Connor, Howard Keel, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Van Johnson (pictured right)and Peter Lawford. I was completely obsessed with Donald O'Connor all through high school. He died when I was in college, and my dad called to check on me. I actually blogged about it a little bit once, here.

Another celebrity crush I blogged about before was James Barbour, a Broadway performer whose voice gets reactions out of me like NOTHING ELSE does. But I go into all that in that entry. Not here.

But let's look at more recent crushes. I would categorize all my current crushes as being on characters rather than the actors. I try to separate them in my head, because I recognize that just because I love a character in a show doesn't mean that is how the actor is in real life. It's hard sometimes though.

Lee Pace in Pushing Daisies, and in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day for that matter.
John Krasinski in The Office (I think most of us are there on that one)
Topher Grace in Win a Date With Tad Hamilton! (I saw that movie with one of my best friends, Chelsea, in the theater and afterward I turned to her and said "I'm smitten in the stomach." It's become a standing joke between us.)
Nathan Fillion in Waitress AND in Castle
Jonathan Rhys Meyers and James McAvoy in certain movies I'm too tired to remember.

Those are the bigger ones I've had in more recent years. All minor and somewhat fleeting, as most celebrity crushes are. This doesn't count those I've forgotten, as well as my many girl platonic crushes: like Kristen Bell in Veronica Mars as Becky pointed out.

Now I get one paragraph for some of my favorite Broadway men: Raul Esparza, Norm Lewis, Aaron Tveit, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Norbert Leo Butz, Cheyenne Jackson, Adam Pascal, Matthew Morrison (whom I already loved before Glee), Douglas Sills, Anthony Crivello, Hadley Fraser and Christian Borle. Yay!

Good night.

BEDA the 6th - History of Hairstyles & Vocal Studying

2010-04-07T22:21:00.006-05:00

I didn't get to this one yesterday because I really didn't know what to say. The best question would have to be when have I ever had a great hairstyle, and the answer would be never.

I will admit to many skills, but hair has never been one of them. There's something about a hairbrush and bobby pins that turn my hands into heavy, useless weights; there to hinder but never to help. I've tried to play around with my hair so many times through the years, but I get frustrated quickly because my hands can't translate thoughts from my head to my hair.

I exist in a pattern of getting my hair cut, having it look cute all that day (though occasionally I can stretch that to two days of cuteness), then never again until my next cut. My repertoire consist of combing my hair out and hoping it lays nicely, putting it half up and hoping it stays nicely, and a ponytail.

I mostly live in a ponytail because Job #2 involves food and I can't wear it down there. It doesn't help that I can rarely handle the heat of my hair on my neck for any real period of time, so I almost always wear it up anyway.

And ... that's it. Yay for hair - I need a daily personal stylist.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

I finally started studying for the GRE today. I am taking it in less than a week. But I put off studying because I don't know where to start. I am one of those annoying people who naturally test well. I also have pretty good writing skills and an above-average vocabulary from a lifetime of obsessive reading.

But I've realized over the years how much of a crutch I let this become. I got away with not TRULY studying all throughout high school and for the most part college too. I always got A's and B's and I was content with that. I could probably have gotten a 4.0 if I'd made the extra effort, but I was never that ambitious.

I'm not saying I put in zero effort in high school and college, I think that's how it sounds. I work hard in most things (even if I do procrastinate a ridiculous amount of the time). I've just really tried to avoid studying through the years. And the fact of the matter now is that I don't know how to study.

I am very much lacking in that skill set. I never needed to learn how. But for the GRE, I very much doubt I can get away with zero preparation. So I got some recommendations and selected a prep book from the library by The Princeton Review: Cracking the GRE. And in going through the book, I am learning a lot about what kind of studier I am.

By that I mean I have learned that I study loudly. Out loud. I read stuff aloud to myself, I think through questions aloud to myself, and I make loud exclamations/expletives when I learn whether I got the question right or wrong. Ironically for someone who wants to be a librarian, I don't think I could ever study in one. I'd get kicked out for yelling!

It's really interesting to me. But instead of examining my burgeoning study habits, I should probably get back to developing them. And do remember that I taking this very-important-to-my-future test in a week, and forgive my blogging if it gets spotty or just really short in that time. I regret that GRE trumps BEDA temporarily.

BEDA the 5th - Sports

2010-04-05T22:20:00.003-05:00

I have always been rather indifferent to sports for the most part. I'm no hater, but I've never really followed any one sport or any one team or anything like that. When college football rolls around, I cheer for USC because that is my dad's alma matter. He is very faithful to his team, and I guess I feel compelled to be too.

I know enough about the general rules and scoring of all the major games so that when I occasionally wind up watching a game with friends or at work, I can at least follow along. I just never get invested in anything.

I will say though that going to live baseball games with my dad and my two older brothers was a staple of my childhood. First Dodger games when we lived in Los Angeles, and later Mariners games when we moved to Seattle. I loved going to those games.

But I don't think it had much to do with the sports part. I loved the experience of being out there with all those people. I loved being the "cool" girl hanging out with the boys in her life. My FAVORITE part was the Dodger Dog my dad bought me at each game. I love hot dogs, and back then I would have sworn up and down that Dodger Dogs were by far the best.

I had no problem choosing a favorite player from the Dodger roster back then. The moment I heard someone say Darryl Strawberry's name I knew. I loved strawberries, therefore it made sense to me that I loved him. I stood firm in that decision all through my childhood. Yeah ... things have changed a bit for him since then.

As an adult, I do still enjoy live baseball games. Yes, the game play itself can get slow, but there is such a feeling of community when you are at those games, of a shared experience. Whenever I am in Omaha for July 4th, I go downtown with my family to Rosenblatt Stadium (home of the College World Series) to see our minor league team, the Omaha Royals play.

The game itself is fun, and afterward when it gets dark, they put on one of the most spectacular fireworks displays I've ever seen. It's truly gorgeous. It's also the one time a year my sister and I always get along; we even share a funnel cake.

BEDA the 4th - Weekend Wrap Up

2010-04-04T23:37:00.014-05:00

I had a pretty nice week, as you can tell if you read any of my previous posts this week. Yay for great career news. As for the smaller details of my week ...

Books:
I finally finished Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I realized a month or so ago that I had never read it, even though I own a lovely, illustrated copy from the 1940s that belonged to my grandmother/aunt. I quite enjoyed reading it, but it took me several weeks to finish. I think part of it was that I know enough about it that there was no suspense in finding out what happens.

Also, I have seen the newer version of the movie from 1994. The book is always different, but the main plot was pretty much the same. I still haven't seen the first movie they made of it, the black and white one from 1949. I recorded it back in February, but I haven't gotten around to watching it yet. I do love Peter Lawford though, so I am looking forward to watching his handsome face as Laurie.

The other book I read this week was called 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. It was a quick little read, just under 100 pages, that I finished off this afternoon. It's actually nonfiction, a collection of letters between the author, Helene Hanff, who lives in New York City, and several people who work at a bookshop in London. The title is the address.

The letters begin in the late '40s and go through to the mid '60s. The book was first published in 1970. The letters show the evolution of a friendship between Helene and the staff of this little bookshop, mainly one man, Frank. It is nothing romantic, but as she buys books from the shop they become great friends too. She has a really sassy voice and is quite funny. I really enjoyed the book, and would definitely recommend it.

Movies/TV:
Going back to Peter Lawford, as today was Easter, I really should have watched Easter Parade, but I didn't get a chance. I will try to watch it this week. It is such a great show. I mean with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland starring in it, and Ann Miller throwing in some of her amazing tap dancing, plus dashing Peter and a scene with Jules Munshin as a funny long-suffering waiter, not to mention some great Irving Berlin music, and you can't go wrong. I knew all that off the top of my head, is that sad or awesome? Hmmm ...

The show I have been watching a lot of lately is Chuck. I've never seen it on TV before, I am watching it through Netflix. My old college friend Katie was watching an episode a couple years ago while I was staying with her. It's been on my list ever since, but I have a very long list. But a couple months ago my uncle brought it up to, so I moved it to the top of my queue.

I am really liking the show so far. It is funny and interesting, and the sights are pretty good as well. The super nerdy best friend, Morgan, is really growing on me too. I wouldn't say yet that I love it, but it is a lot of fun, and I am already partway through Season 2.

And ... that's about it. I worked a lot of hours this week, so there wasn't a ton of time for anything else. I hope you had a great week too.

BEDA the 3rd - Mice and Rabbits and Me

2010-04-03T23:59:00.018-05:00

I am very much cheating and dating this post April 3, even though I am writing it April 4. I had every intention of writing it April 3, but I fell asleep before I could. Long day. Sorry.

So I've established that I work in a library, and that it's where I want to spend the rest of my days too. One of the things I love about it is the variety. One day will just be shelving books and checking things in, the next day I am creating shelf signs for the entire juvenile collection. We are a new branch, and it has taken quite a while long for us to get signs (the adult side is still lacking), but I designed them and they're great!

Twice now, I have been given the chance (told to) dress up in costumes and play famous children's book characters. I was reluctant at first, less than thrilled you might say, but I am just about the perfect size and there really is no one else at my branch who will/can.

The first time was back in February. I dressed up as Maisy, a little girl mouse who really dresses like a boy I think. She goes on all sorts of adventures in her books, by author Lucy Cousins. For this one, all I had to do was walk out to storytime, and help Miss Nancy, our children's librarian, do the motion to "The Wheels on the Bus." Then I posed for pictures with the kids.

Now let me just say that these costumes are HOT!! And in the case of Maisy, very smelly. The only way I was able to handle putting the head on was with a liberal spraying of Febreze. Saved my life. The library forgot to take their own pictures during the show, but we got a couple on my cell phone before I changed.

The second time was yesterday, when I dressed up as Beatrix Potter's famous little Peter Rabbit. Personally, I think this costume was a LOT cuter, and much more neutral smelling. Thank goodness. Unfortunately, it was MUCH hotter. Or maybe I was just in it longer doing more active things.

For this one I came out and led the bunny hop, which of course Peter Rabbit knows, before posing for pictures with the kiddies. Fortunately, this time we remembered to take some pictures for the library. Please note the carrot-radish lovechild I am holding. We couldn't decide if it was a pink carrot or a carrot-shaped radish. So I like my theory.

So this has proved to be a lot of fun for me. I know I am not a huge fan of children in general, but even I think they can be cute and sweet sometimes. I just don't want to create any of my own. I really enjoyed receiving all the hugs and high fives they gave me. And apparently, I am awesome at this, so whether I like it or not, I am going to be doing this again.

BEDA the 2nd - Music

2010-04-02T22:31:00.003-05:00

This is just silly. I should not be stumped on the second day of BEDA. Especially NOT over music. But I think the problem (aside from my exhausted lack of coherency) is that while music is such a large, integral part of my life, it is something of a subconscious one. I don't think about it, it just comes as naturally as breathing.

As do singing and dancing along to anything and everything while in my car. I also sing and dance while doing dishes and cooking, my favorite is to dance around the kitchen to Frank Sinatra. The one place I never sing though, is the shower. And even I don't understand why I don't do it. It is baffling to me really. It's an ideal spot, a traditional spot even. But it's something I have never done.

Anyway, I could easily use this post to gush on and on about Broadway and showtunes, because while I do listen to other stuff, there's no point in denying that Broadway takes up the bulk of my focus. But I have done that before. And my buddies already excellently covered what music means in their lives and some of their favorite songs. So I decided to do something a little different.

I have 5635 songs in my iTunes. And I just checked, and 2631 of those are Broadway-related, which is about 47%. That doesn't include solo albums I've bought by Broadway artists. But I decided to just browse through the titles of those 5635 songs and see what themes I could find. It's an experiment, so let's see how it goes.

# of songs with Love in title: 280
# of songs with Hate in title: 7

Collections:

Seventy-Six Trombones (from The Music Man)
10,432 Sheep (Audra McDonald)
1000 Paper Cranes (Motion City Soundtrack)
100s and 1000s of Stars (The Class of 98)
20 Years of Snow (Regina Spektor)

Events:

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee)
At the Ballet (from A Chorus Line)
Ballet at the Village Vortex (from Wonderful Town)
Bicycle Race (Queen)
Christy's Wedding (The Class of 98)
Dance at the Gym (from West Side Story)
Easter Parade (from Easter Parade)
Glee Club Rehearsal (from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown)
Oh! What a Circus (from Evita)
The Night That Goldman Spoke at Union Square (from Ragtime)
A Real Nice Clambake (from Carousel)
Wedding Celebration & The Bottle Dance (from Fiddler on the Roof)
A Weekend in the Country (from A Little Night Music)

Food & Drink:

Alcohol (Barenaked Ladies)
Banana Pancakes (Jack Johnson)
Calamari (from A New Brain)
Candy Cane (from The Nutcracker)
Champagne (from In the Heights)
Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Rufus Wainwright)
The Egg (from 1776)
Green Eggs and Ham (from Seussical: The Musical)
Have an Eggroll, Mr. Goldstone (from Gypsy)
Huckleberry Pie (from The Color Purple)
Incense and Peppermints (Strawberry Alarm Clock)
Lady Marmalade (from Moulin Rouge)
Marzipan (from The Nutcracker)
Pumpkin Soup (Kate Nash)
A Spoonful of Sugar (from Mary Poppins)
Strawberry Fields Forever (from Across the Universe)
Vegetable Car (Joshua Radin)

The Body:

Angel Eyes (Ace of Base)
Arms of a Woman (Amos Lee)
Blue Lips (Regina Spektor)
Cold Feets (from The Drowsy Chaperone)
Crooked Teeth (Death Cab for Cutie)
Drilled a Wire Through My Cheek (Blue October)
Head Over Feet (Alanis Morissette)
Head Over Heels (Hit the Lights)
Hold You in My Arms (Ray LaMontagne)
I've Got You Under My Skin (Frank Sinatra)
Let Me See His Western Nose (from Miss Saigon)
Loose Lips (Kimya Dawson)
Love Is My Legs (from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)
Man of a Thousand Faces (Regina Spektor)
One Hand, One Heart (from West Side Story)
Slipping Through My Fingers (from Mamma Mia!)
Two Tongues (The Swell Season)
Words, Hands, Hearts (Yellowcard)
Your Eyes (from Rent)

Places:

Antarctica (The Weepies)
Atlantic City (from Ragtime)
Baghdad (from Kismet)
Barcelona (from Company)
Buenos Aires (from Evita)
Chicago (Judy Garland)
Coney Island (Death Cab for Cutie)
The Devil Went Down to Georgia (The Charlie Daniels Band)
El Salvador (Athlete)
Gary, Indiana (from The Music Man)
Good Morning Baltimore (from Hairspray)
I Loved the Way She Said L.A. (Spitalfield)
Ireland (from Legally Blonde)
Kansas City (from Oklahoma!)
Lady in Spain (Ingrid Michaelson)
London Skies (Jamie Cullum)
Manchester England (from Hair)
Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis (Judy Garland)
New York, New York (Frank Sinatra)
Ohio (from Wonderful Town)
Oklahoma? (from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)
One Night in Bangkok (from Chess)
Pennsylvania Sun (Pete and J)
A Rumor in St. Petersburg (from Anastasia)
San Francisco (Ingrid Michaelson)
Virginia (from The Civil War)

Animals:

Big Dog (from The Color Purple)
Birds (Kate Nash)
The Birds and the Bees (Jewel Akens)
Blackbird (from Across the Universe)
Butterflies (Dave Barnes)
Diamond Dogs (Beck)
Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes (Fall Out Boy)
Don't Be the Bunny (from Urinetown)
Elephant Love Medley (from Moulin Rouge)
Falcon in the Dive (from The Scarlet Pimpernel)
Green Finch and Linnet Bird (from Sweeney Todd)
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (Gayla Peevey)
Little Lamb (from Gypsy)
Message From a Nightingale (from The Drowsy Chaperone)
Monkeys and Playbills (from [title of show])
Mosquito (Ingrid Michaelson)
Old Coyote (The Weepies)
The Scorpion (from Marie Christine)
The Siamese Cat Song (from Lady and the Tramp)

Time:

About a Quarter to Nine (from 42nd Street)
After Midnight Dies (from LaChiusa's The Wild Party)
Any Minute (from 13)
'Bout Time (Louis Armstrong)
Boho Days (from tick, tick...BOOM!)
Brand New Day (Joshua Radin)
Business Time (Flight of the Conchords)
The Day Before You (Rascal Flatts)
The End (Blue October)
Every Day a Little Death (from A Little Night Music)
Favorite Year (Dixie Chicks)
February Song (Josh Groban)
Forty Days (from Passion)
Gloomy Sunday (Billie Holiday)
June Is Bustin' Out All Over (from Carousel)
Lazy Afternoon (Emily Skinner)
A Long December (Counting Crows)
Once Upon a December (from Anastasia)
Night and Day (Cole Porter)
Seconds and Years (from Next to Normal)

What interesting lists can you derive from your music?

BEDA 2.0 the 1st - Introduction

2010-04-01T23:39:00.009-05:00

OK, this is going to have to be quick if I want to get it in by midnight, which is in 20 minutes! Forgive me, I just got home after clocking 13.5 hours of work today. I am a wee bit tired.

For those of you who've been around awhile, you might have noticed that since last April, "BEDA" has crept up in my blog a lot.

That is because last April, YA author and Twitter comedienne, Maureen Johnson, came up with the idea to do BEDA: Blog Every Day April. I don't even remember the reason I decided to go along with it, but it was an impulse I am glad I followed.

I started a few days late, but I faithfully blogged every day, even when I had no idea what to write about, for 28 days. One big help in that was Maureen Johnson's second brilliant idea to create BEDA buddies. She gathered mini bios of anyone and everyone who was interested and actually took the time to pair them up into support groups for the month. I got paired with Christina, Nicola and Becky.

MJ WAS A GENIUS. I LOVE my BEDA buddies and a year later we still all keep in touch practically every day through Twitter and Facebook and things like that. I have even met up with Becky twice now, which was so much fun. These girls are amazing, and truly so supportive.

So that is the story behind BEDA. The four of us decided to do it again this year, even though there isn't a wide-spread, MJ-at-the-head, organized effort this year. We got organized ourselves, mapping out blog ideas for all 30 days, and recruiting whoever was willing. For the full blog roll of those participating in BEDA 2.0 and of the schedule of suggestions, I am going to send you to Becky's blog for now, because I haven't set anything up on my blog yet.

And for anyone reading my blog, it's not too late. We would love for you to join us in this. It really is a lovely experience. You don't even have to do it everyday, but if you want to be added to our blog roll, let me know, or let Becky know. Either way, feel free to follow any or all of us. Especially me. And make comments. We LOVE comments.

On to the intro questions.

------

BEDA Intro Questions

Name: Autumn Lee Hill

Age: 25

Where I live: Omaha, Nebraska

Where I call "home": Honestly, wherever I am sleeping that night. I even call going back to a hotel room going home when I am traveling. But I have finally accepted that Omaha is my home town. FOR NOW.

Why I blog: Good question. I enjoy writing generally. A blog is a good outlet, and I like sharing stuff with my friends and reading their blogs too. Mostly though, it's because on occasion I feel like I have something to say, and this is as good a place as any to say it.

What part of BEDA I'm most excited about: Having suggestions for every day. And reading what my buddies have to say.

Why I'm doing BEDA [again]: Peer pressure (Only partly!). Because it was such a great experience last year. And because it pushes you, and I need that.

How I first discovered Maureen Johnson/BEDA: My teen librarian friend Stephanie read a book by MJ that she liked and mentioned to me. Then one night I happened upon her blog, and it happened to be right when BEDA was starting.

Something other BEDA people might not know about me: Not sure. I think the type of person I am (neurotic, quirky and OCD) is pretty clear in what I write. Ooh ... I'm right handed. I've never mentioned that before. You all just assumed.

Another blog I follow: Yes and Yes by Sarah Von, which I just noticed Nicola put too. So, A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette (very funny).

A writer (of any kind) who inspires me: J.K Rowling, because whether or not you like Harry Potter, she got people reading again. And I would love a peek inside her imagination. Wow.

A YouTube channel I love: I don't have a specific channel. but if I am on YouTube it is to watch clips from Broadway shows and Broadway performers!

A favorite quote: "I chose, and my world was shaken / So what? / The choice may have been mistaken / The choosing was not / You have to move on"
-"Move On" from the musical Sunday in the Park With George, written by Stephen Sondheim

Goodnight

What I want to be when I grow up: The Final Draft

2010-03-30T23:11:00.009-05:00

A lot of stuff has been happening to me lately career-wise. Namely, I've decided what direction I am heading in and the first few steps down that road. But for some reason, I haven't actually told that many people about it. So, it's about time I did because (1) I want to be accountable for what I've decided, and (2) I am just so darn excited about it.

SHORT VERSION (If you just want the facts):

I want to be a librarian when I grow up
I am going back to school for my master's degree in library science
Great program at University of Missouri-Columbia partnering with University of Nebraska at Omaha
I want to start in the fall if possible, the spring if not
I've been working for the Omaha Public Library system as an aide (lowest rung) since November
Today I was promoted to a clerk (next rung), which is a different challenge pays a hell of a lot better.
Yay!

LONGER VERSION (details/back story):
I have decided to go back to school and get a master's degree in library science and pursue a career as a librarian. Woot!

I was obsessed with books and libraries as a kid, I did a bit of volunteering in high school, and I worked at my university library for three years. I'm still obsessed with books. Yet somehow libraries as a career never occurred to me. In college I was so focused on journalism I didn't even consider this.

But then a year or two ago, a good friend implanted the idea in my head, whether she meant to or not. I couldn't stop thinking about it, and I haven't since really. It was a huge "duh" moment for me. Why had I never once thought about it before? It felt like such a perfect fit.

Once I moved back to Omaha, I applied for anything library related, and I got a job with the Omaha Public Library system back in November. The position was for a part-time library aide, which is the worst paid position in the whole system. But I didn't even care because I was working in a library again and it was a foot in the door, a first step.

Despite two cases of flooding over the winter, I have been loving it. I work with great people, and my obsessive attention to detail and AR tendencies are finally being appreciated. Yay!

Last week I interviewed for a part-time clerk position that had opened up at my same branch, and I found out today that I got the job. It is just over a 50% pay increase from what I make as an aide. And it's a completely different job description, so it's a chance to show them that I am good with people too, not just books.

After starting at the library, talking to the librarians there, talking to librarians I worked with in college and doing A TON OF THINKING, I finally hopped off the fence in February and committed to going back to school to get my master's degree. Yes, to get anywhere as a librarian you need a master's. Everyone I talk to seems to be stunned by that tidbit.

Luckily, I can stay in Omaha and do a really great program at a decently affordable price. I just have to get accepted! UNO partnered with University of Missouri-Columbia awhile back so that people in Nebraska wouldn't have to leave the state to get a library science degree. So I stay in Omaha, taking classes partially online partially on campus in some pretty innovative ways, but I pay "in-state" tuition to Missouri. And I wind up with a degree from University of Missouri-Columbia, not UNO.

I am taking the GRE in two weeks, which is my biggest hurdle, a sort of general SAT for grad school, and I have an appointment next week with the UNO liaison to learn even more about the program, courses and how it all works.

I really feel like this is the right direction for me, and I can't wait to get started. As nervous as I am about going back to school, I am also really looking forward to taking classes again and the things I'll be learning. And I already know so many great people (including many great librarian friends) who have been so supportive so far. I know you all will continue to be so once I'm in school and wondering what the hell I got myself into. Thank you!

P.S. I apologize for any mistakes in this post, but it's late and I'm tired and feeling much too lazy to go back and read through this now.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2010-02-15T22:35:00.000-06:00

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Comes out in stores everywhere July 20th. Pre-order here.

Enter to win an advanced review copies of LINGER, Sisters Red, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Replacement on Maggie's blog

Who needs ration? I can be just as irritated without it.

2010-02-09T11:39:00.003-06:00

There has been a lot of snow and rain here lately, which brings to the forefront one of my biggest, most irrational pet peeves ever. And this got me thinking. Every one has pet peeves right? Now being the lovely, neurotic mess that I am, I'm fully aware I have more pet peeves than the average bear. But there cannot be anyone out there who is irritated by nothing; I refuse to believe it.

There are two kinds of pet peeves I believe: those that are rational and those that are ... not.

For me, an irritant I consider rational is gum chewing. I can't even chew gum because I run into it so many places it should not be. On guest's plates, under chairs, all the places people put it when they're too damned lazy to use a trash bin. I hate when people chew it with their mouths open like cows, and I HATE when people chew it at work, especially secretaries and servers. I consider this rational because it's gross. It turns my stomach, and it's not sanitary.

Irrational on the other hand, there is no reasoning behind. You can't say why it bugs you, not even as basic an answer as "it's gross" comes to mind. Nevertheless, you find it so so annoying. I thought about it and I came up with three for me. I am sure there are more.

The biggest one, and the reason I wrote this in the first place, is drivers whose windshield wipers are going faster than the weather calls for. When I am driving and I see someone whose wipers are on the fastest speed possible when it's barely drizzling out, I CAN'T STAND IT. It gives me anxiety because I can't turn them off/down. I've nary a clue as to why this irritates me, but it always has.

The second one is boys who cry on TV. I'm not a huge fan of crying in general, but I understand its merits. And I would never say anything to a real male in real life who was crying. But in any movie, TV show or even reality show when I see a guy cry I just want to yell at him to suck it up. And when I am in my own home, I do yell at them. Ask my family.

The third one on my list is probably the most ridiculous: Tobey Maguire. The Spiderman guy. I’m sure he’s a perfectly lovely gent, but I can barely stand to watch anything he’s in. There’s something indefinable about him that rubs me the wrong way. Creepy! Sorry.

I need to know that I am not alone in this. So I implore you to share: What inexplicably bugs the heck out of you?

"I Wish I Could Go Back to College"

2010-01-12T13:08:00.011-06:00

Yesterday I was listening to my iPod on shuffle as I drove when this one song came on that I've always liked. It makes me laugh everytime because there are moments in life when this is exactly how I feel (Well, parts of it anyway, not all). And I doubt I'm the only one, so I wanted to share it.

The song is "I Wish I Could Go Back to College" from the musical (big shock, it's a musical) Avenue Q, with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx. I embedded the audio below the lyrics if you want to listen to it too. Enjoy!

Warning: There is one line that swears, just so you're prepared.

I wish I could go back to college
Life was so simple back then
What would I give to go back and live in a dorm with a meal plan again

I wish I could go back to college
In college you know who you are.
You sit in the quad, and think, "Oh my God!
I am totally gonna go far"

How do I go back to college?
I don't know who I am anymore

I wanna go back to my room and find a message in dry-erase pen on the door
Ohhh...
I wish I could just drop a class...
Or get into a play...
Or change my major...
Or [@&%#] my T.A.

I need an academic advisor to point the way
We could be...
Sitting in the computer lab,
4 A.M. before the final paper is due,
Cursing the world 'cause I didn't start sooner,
And seeing the rest of the class there, too

I wish I could go back to college!
How do I go back to college?!
AHHHH...

I wish I had taken more pictures.

But if I were to go back to college,
Think what a loser I'd be-
I'd walk through the quad,
And think "Oh my God..."
"These kids are so much younger than me."

Paging through 2009

2010-01-03T14:09:00.024-06:00

I obsessively keep a reading log of every new book I read, which I started doing back in 2004. I note how long the book was, when it was published and how long it took me to read it. I don't know why I started but I don't think I could stop if I wanted to, which I don't. I love that I can tell you that on my birthday in 2008 I was reading The Constant Princess by Phillipa Gregory, which I did not like and took me nearly a month to get through.

Last January I blogged about what I'd read the year before, READ-y to end 2008, and I enjoyed the look back and decided I would make it a new tradition.

Here are the stats for 2009:

I read 50 books I hadn't read before, which doesn't include re-reading books.
I read a total of 17,506 pages.

Began 2009 with: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Ended 2009 with: The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

Shortest book: Quiver by Stephanie Spinner - 177 pages
Longest book: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown - 710 pages

Oldest book: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson - 1938
Newest book: Fire by Kristin Cashore - 2009 (I actually read 18 books that were published in 2009. I count Fire as the newest because I read an advanced reader's copy before the book was published. P.S. The book is AWESOME)

Quickest to read: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - 1 day
Longest to read: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - 17 days

I started off 2010 by reading Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, which I just finished today.

I read way more books this year than I have in previous years, Most likely, it's because I've been living at home and have made only minor attempts to be social in Nebraska. Oh well! We'll see what happens in 2010.

Stuff I Love Saturday (Nov. 7)

2009-11-07T13:16:00.013-06:00

OK, so I am a little late, big shock there. I had a pretty wonderful week, though it was marred by one day of intense dental pain. Lovely! Though it hasn't come back to that degree since, thank goodness.

Of course the biggest and best parts of my week was meeting my BEDA buddy Becky and spending time with her and her friends. It was AWESOME. There was of course a small amount of initial awkwardness, but it didn't last long at all, which it easily could have. I don't know about Becky but we seemed to get along together pretty seamlessly. I second what she said about the cruelness of getting on together so well but not living near enough to do anything about it. There are more details about our fun on her blog, as well as pictorial proof! I can't wait until a week from today when we meet up again to see Rent in Des Moines.

This past Tuesday my dad and I went and saw the Broadway tour of White Christmas. I wasn't quite sure what to expect or how closely it would follow the movie I love so much, but it was pretty wonderful. The thing I love most about the movie are the actors: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney. I knew they wouldn't be there, so I wasn't sure what would be left over. But Irving Berlin wrote a lovely little score and the cast I saw was pretty great.

Of course the moment we were seated I scanned the cast list for names I knew, and there weren't any Broadway people I recognized, but one name still jumped out and shocked me: Lorna Luft. Aside from the fact that she's JUDY GARLAND'S DAUGHTER I don't know much about her, but that was enough for me and I couldn't wait to see her. She played Martha Watson, the housekeeper at General Waverly's inn. The character had a much larger part in the stage show than in the film. She sang and danced, even had her own number, and they threw in a smattering of a romance with the general. Lorna was pretty incredible to see and was definitely my favorite of the night.

I always enjoy going to the theatre with my dad because he is the only one in the family who shares my passion (obsession really) with musical theater to any degree at all. My sister likes Wicked and only Wicked. My mom enjoys going to shows, but overall she can take 'em or leave 'em. Everyone knows how I feel, and my dad is somewhere in the middle. He has a decent knowledge base, and has no problem accompanying me to many shows. He is the one who took me to my first New York Broadway show when I was 15, The Phantom of the Opera. THAT was a magical night. So being at White Christmas with him made the experience that much better.

Things I Love Thursday

2009-10-29T15:51:00.010-05:00

I'm back baby!! And I'm ready to TILT.

Free Book(s) - I have a new job working for an independent rare book seller. I found it randomly on Craig's List. It's been a great job and I'm enjoying it. We just got a big collection of 5,000 books from some estate, and as a perk our boss is letting us pick three free books each. It's hard, but I picked my first one this week. It's a 1958 copy of Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. It's not especially valuable but it's illustrated, with some lovely color drawings of each character. I love it. (I took the pictures quickly myself, so forgive the poor quality.)

Finding Friends From Forever Ago - We're talking my best friend from 1st grade. My mom said we did everything together as kids, but we moved the next year and I haven't spoken to her since. But this past week she found me on Facebook. How crazy is that? I know social networking can get irritating, but it can be pretty damn cool too. It's early on but I am excited about reconnecting with her.

Discovering a CD you want exists the day before it's released - Virtually no waiting! I LOVE the song "Falling Slowly" from the movied Once. The movie was decent, but the soundtrack is one of my all-time favorites. I love the style and the voices of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. I swear I've searched for more by them before with no success. Then through Pandora I happened upon them. They've formed themselves into a group called The Swell Season, and they released a new CD, Strict Joy, Tuesday. I found this out Monday. So I only had to wait half a day to buy it. The CD is a little different than I was hoping, but it's still good.

Friendly encouragement - I wrote that last blog post mostly to explain my absence in Cyber-land. I wasn't really going for pity or sympathy. But I got it. All the comments I got were so sweet. And yes, I may be more dependent on comments than I should be, but don't feel like you have to comment on my blog. It's cool. Thanks again everyone.

Upcoming theatre fun! - Next Tuesday I am going to see White Christmas with my dad, and then Saturday the 14th I am meeting my BEDA buddy Becky in Des Moines to see Rent. Everyone knows how big a Broadway musical geek I am and I can't wait because I've never seen either show live. Woot!

That's it for this week folks. Thanks for playing.

Thank you and Welcome

2009-10-24T15:43:00.004-05:00

So this is my new blog site. Welcome.

I found a great free background this morning and I really LOVE how it looks. Though I do miss the three-column format of my old blog. Oh well, small price to pay for something that really feels like me.

I was really touched by all the responses I received to my blog post yesterday. You're all wonderful. It is nice to know that I am not the only one who feels like that about blogging sometimes.

And despite how pitiable I may have sounded in that post, I am doing well. I love my new job and that makes working at Chili's easier. I plan on staying in Omaha through the winter; I am NOT moving in December AGAIN. And in the spring I get to decide where I want to go from here. I just had a wonderful vacation to PA and NYC last month where I got to see two of my most favorite people plus Ingrid Michaelson, and indulge in passion/obsession for Broadway musicals. AND as I am writing this I am listening to Rockapella sing "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?" Life doesn't get much better than that.

I hope to write again soon.

I'm still here

2009-10-23T09:59:00.000-05:00

I promise. I really am. I was doing so well blogging for a while there, and I was enjoying the Things I Love Thursday tradition I had going with my BEDA buddies. But a couple of things happened.

First of all, I did get a new, better second job that I will talk about at a different point. So I have been busier, but happier.

Second, I felt like I had run out of things to say. Whenever I live in Omaha, I essentially turn into a reclusive hermit who only leaves the house to work. I have never maintained any friendships in Omaha, and every time I live here I always have the mindset that it is temporary so why bother making new friends. I am friendly with a lot of people I work with, but I have never tried to take it outside of work. I am trying to do better, I went out with my high school best friend a couple of weeks ago and I am hoping we will continue to spend time together. I have a couple other friendships I am cultivating too. It is hard with my schedule because most people work days and I work six nights a week. But the point is that I don't really do anything outside of work anymore but read and watch Netflix. I really don't think that would make for an interesting blog.

And the other thing is I got into a mind frame that nobody cared. Other than my BEDA buddies, I didn't feel like anyone read my blog, or my Facebook or my Tweets. Not to belittle my BEDA buddies because I love them, but it was hard to think that no one who I'd actually met cared to follow up on me. I don't know if it's actually true, but it was how I was feeling. To a degree, it's still how I feel.

So I stopped, but I really miss blogging. Maybe I am just writing for me and a following of three, but I can handle a small but wonderful audience. The point is, I am trying to get out of that technology funk, and I am working my way back into the blog world.

It's interesting though, how sometimes all the technology that is supposed to keep us connected to everyone around us, can make us feel more alone than ever.

Things I Love Friday Morning

2009-08-28T09:27:00.000-05:00

So I'm only half a day late now, which is a bit of an improvement right?

Ingrid Michaelson's new album Everybody - Yay! I have been waiting for her to put out a new album forever. I have listened to it multiple times and, I don't LOVE every song, but mostly like them all and LOVE many of them. I can't wait to see her in concert in Philadelphia with my EEB next month.

Jamie Cullum - On the music track, I am also lately a fan of this guy. He has a really great voice and I love his style. I got a couple random tracks from an old roommate and liked them enough to track down a full album at the library. Now I want more! I really like his music.

My parents' fancy electronics - One of the perks of living at home. My dad has the equivalent of Tivo, and a DVD recorder. So I have been recording and saving all the So You Think You Can Dance episodes from this past season. Then this week when I had the time I went through and recorded just my favorite routines onto a DVD so I can go back to them whenever I want. It's great!

Flip n tumble bags - I don't remember howI found out about these bags but I love them. They are more expensive, cute reusable bags. I bought a couple for me out of curiosity and one for my mom as a Mothers' Day present to ease her into the reusable bag idea. (since it was her favorite color it really helped). They hold a lot, have a comfortable shoulder strap and are just fun.

Dinner with dad - My birthday is this weekend and my dad will be out of town. Tuesday we both didn't work so we spent the day together and it was a lot of fun. We went to Lincoln with the dog and took his boat on the lake and swam. Then he took me out to The Olive Garden for an early birthday dinner. It was delicious food and very enjoyable day. Thanks dad.

sheer anticipation - I am just getting so excited for my trip in September to see my EEB and go to NYC. The plane ticket is my birthday present, which is a huge help. I need a break so bad. Steph and I have so many plans, I don't know what will actually happen. But we are going to NYC for the weekend to squeeze in as many Broadway shows as we can, we are going to see Ingrid in Philadelphia on the way, we want to go camping for one night, and then the two of us and my old roommate Audrey have to get together to commemorate our Birthday Bitch Bashes from last year. I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait.

Side note: I forgot to mention this when I was playing catch up, but I never reported back on my July monthly goal and I never made an August goal. My reasons were twofold: I still haven't finished my July goal and I had no ideas for my August goal. No good ones at least. So the new plan is to have that blasted journal finished and up-to-date before my trip out east in mid-September. Then I will hopefully have some new ideas to put into play and start that whole thing up again in October. PLEASE PLEASE give me suggestions, or a dare or something.

Playing catch up: The good, the bad, the indifferent

2009-08-23T13:51:00.000-05:00

I have been a bit remiss in blogging lately, partly because I started working more on Thursdays and partly because I haven't felt like I had anything to say. Right now my life consists mostly of work, which I hate, and books, which I love, with a few other things sprinkled in here and there. Here are some points of interest:

New work shoes - GOOD - Finally! I have to wear all black slip-resistant shoes at both of my jobs. The pair I have are going on a year old and while they are very comfortable, the top layer is peeling off and there is zero slip resistance left on the bottom. I ordered some shoes through work and they FINALLY came this week. They are designed to look like Chucks, but all black and meant for work. I love them. They are so cute, and they are fairly comfortable too.

$5 on $50 - BAD - Now I try hard not to do any waiter rants on my blog. BELIEVE ME, especially lately, I could go on and on. With the deteriorating economy people are cutting back, I get that. But more and more people are leaving less than 10% when they had a problem-free meal, choosing to cut back on just the tip instead of cutting back on the bill first. I get paid $2.13 an hour people, which barely covers my taxes. What I've noticed is for some reason, people who spend around $50 are the worst. I don't know why. With $40 I can usually count on at least 15%, quite often 20%. The higher the bill, the more it varies; that's when you see things like $2 on $60, $15 on $70. But something about $50 and the nicest family feels inclined to think $5 cuts it. It's a strange trend.

Fire by Kristin Cashore - GREAT - I was lucky enough to get to borrow a copy of the ARC from Becky *thanks again* and I think I might have loved it even more than Graceling, but both were equally amazing and I can't wait for Cashore's next book. She is a very talented writer. We have to discuss this book at some point Becky and Christina.

The Time Traveler's Wife movie - GOOD - I loved this book, and I was curious to see how it would be handled in the movie. The stars were Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams, both of whom I like, so it was looking promising. I thought all things considered, they adapted it pretty well. It's not the book of course, and they couldn't fit everything in, but I enjoyed the end result. I didn't love it, but I liked it. Definitely worth seeing once Nicola.

Top Chef - GOOD - The new season just started, and I haven't even gotten a chance to watch the first episode yet, but it is recorded and waiting for me to watch on Monday. I love this show, don't ask me why. I can't cook at all, and I wouldn't eat most of the food they make, but I love it anyway (I've even played the computer game, which is quite fun).

Bad people associations - BAD - I am only mentioning this because I want to know if anyone else has encountered this. I used to work with this girl a couple of years who really just got on my nerves. She didn't have the best work ethic and frustrated me to no end. At present, there is a girl I just started working with who is the spitting image of her. Same height, hair cut and color, voice and even the face to a degree. Enough so that everytime she talks I can't get this other girl out of my head. And now I have this irrational dislike of a girl I don't know because of a bad experience two years ago. I feel bad, because it's not her fault. And I'm not mean to her, I just kind of avoid her. Anyone else ever have this problem?

Cat stalker - UMM... - My sister headed back to college for the fall. She left her cat behind again. Who has decided that without Lindy around she gets to be my new shadow. She scratches on the door (both bedroom and bathroom) if I close it on her. She sleeps on my pillow every night and generally just sheds all over my bed. She's lonely and I feel sorry for her, but she's NOT my cat.

And ... that's all I remember. I had a mental list but those always disappear. And this is long enough as it is. I work another full day this coming Thursday but I will try to turn in something.

Things I love Thursday 8.1

2009-08-06T15:28:00.000-05:00

Holy crow, I can't believe it's Thursday again already. I would have completely forgotten were it not for noticing Becky's post. This is going to be a relatively short list this week, but happy Thursday all!

Friends who know just what to say - I was feeling a little blue earlier this week, letting myself get overwhelmed. But after I spent about an hour on the phone with one of my best friends I just felt so much better. Problems are still all the same, but talking to her just calmed me down and made me happy. I hate that she lives so far away and that I haven't see her in over a year and a half. I miss you Chelsea!

Continued BEDA buddy bonding - I still love these three girls o' mine. We've been trading book reviews, and lately books. One of us got an ARC copy of Fire by Kristin Cashore which is a companion to a book we already all love and we've been passing it amongst ourselves. I am also planning hopefully to go see Becky who lives only a few hours away from here so we can both catch the Rent tour.

New phone - I got a Samsung Glyde a few months ago and my excitement quickly dwindled as I realized how awful the phone I was stuck with was. The poor calibration alone made it a daily nightmare. But my sister let me use her new phone credit to get an LG EnV Touch which I already absolutely love. Thanks sis!

Unexpected radio play - I rarely listen to the radio of my own volition. But at work they keep it on satellite radio. Last night was a bit of a frustrating night, but at one point I realized they were playing Ingrid Michaelson's latest single, "Maybe", which I hadn't heard on the radio yet. It got me all excited and happy.

And ... that's all I can think of. If more comes to mind I'll add it before the day's out.

Undercover by Beth Kephart

2009-08-04T12:28:00.000-05:00

This was an interesting book, very different from what I was expecting when I picked it up. These are a couple of quotes from this book that struck me - one observation from the beginning of the book and one from the end.

"She could never go undercover, the lovely Lila, and because of that she had my sympathy. Boys watched her constantly. Girls watcher her, too ... She was defenseless against her own beauty. She could never show up anywhere and just be." p. 22-23

"Beauty is a cruel deception, true. But the greatest tragedy of all is letting invisibility win. It's choosing to give up the thing you want because you think you don't deserve it." p. 245

Things I Love Thursday 7.3

2009-07-30T18:13:00.000-05:00

I missed posting last week because I was out of town and spent all that Thursday in the car. Then time got away from me and I decided to just wait until the next Thursday. Which is today.

It's been a week since my family reunion trip in Utah but I am still going to focus on that. I had a wonderful time, much more than I expected. I love my family but all of us together like that was a gamble; it's been a couple years. There are a couple of things I learned on that trip.

Raquetball - I don't know if that's how it's spelled, but it's how I spell it. I LOVE it. I had never played it before but the condo resort where we stayed had some courts, along with tennis and a pool and other stuff. I played some tennis and that was fun, but I've never been that great at it. But I am actually pretty darn good at raquetball and with practice I could get better. I played around with my dad as a bit as he taught me the rules and tricks, and then with him and my brothers. I had a lot of fun playing for real with my sister-in-law because we were pretty evenly matched. I want to play more raquetball now that I am home.

Auntie Autumn- First off let me say that I fought this name. I said they call me Autumn, or Aunt Autumn, but please not auntie. But I lost that battle quickly. So whatever. But I actually really enjoy being an aunt and now that I've spent time with them, I love my nieces and nephews. I have learned that it still in no way gives me any desire to ever have kids of my own. I like playing with them for a bit but still being able to pass them off to the actual parents. And now that I am home and it's been a week, I miss them.

Catching up with college friends - I have tried to keep up with all my friends from college, and things like Facebook and blogs help with that. But it's been a couple years since I've seen some of my friends from my days on the college newspaper. I caught up with a few who live out in Utah. We went out to dinner and just hung out talking about "the good old days." I had such a good time. Katie, Season, Amy and Lance: I am so glad I got to see you all!

Geeking out over music - We've all done it. And while I promise I do listen to more than just musical soundtracks, I have been geeking out over musical soundtracks lately. I am still addicted to Next to Normal and I am finding it hard to listen to anything else. I can listen to it multiple times a day every day. But the main instance I had in mind was about one little line from one song in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party. It is a song called "What Is It About Her?" sung by Brian d'Arcy James and Julia Murney. I enjoy the whole song, but there is this one line Brian d'Arcy James sings that freaks me out in a good way. I will seriously skip back about 10 times each time I listen to the song just to hear this one line. I don't know what it is about it that affects me so, but once is never enough. I compulsively HAVE to hear it again and again.

What I'm Looking Forward To Wednesday

2009-07-15T16:30:00.000-05:00

So tomorrow is Thursday, of this I am aware, but I will be getting up really early in the morning and driving from Omaha to Ogden, Utah, and I will have neither the opportunity nor the inclination to blog. So I am moving things up a day this week.

I have mixed feelings about this upcoming trip. Family vacations can always be interesting. The family dynamic changes and tensions can rise more easily it seems. That being said though, the whole family hasn't been together in several years and I think it could be fun. My brothers and their wives are bringing their munchkins down and we are all converging in Utah.

I am not good with children. As a group I don't like children. I take them on a case by case basis and I can handle one maybe two at a time. But there are going to be five little people there, all of whom are related to me. I find this very daunting, as all five are pretty much strangers to me. I haven't even met the newest one yet. We'll see how it goes. My parents think they are going to love me. Something about kids finding the one most resistant to them and zeroing in.

I am so excited about getting a break from work. I don't know that I can actually afford a week without working, but it is imperative at this point for my mental health. I'll take the trade off. A whole week away from dealing with idiotic customers and people who think I'm expendable because I'm "just a server."

There is a pool where we're staying, hiking, all sorts of stuff. I'm really looking forward to spending a lot more time outside. It's something I enjoy more than people think, but don't do very often when I'm home and working.

Also, I am super excited to get to see some girlfriends of mine that I've only seen once or twice since college. There were three girls I really wanted a chance to see, and luckily for me they all know each other since we all met working on our college paper together. So the four of us are going to get together one night while I am out there, and I can't wait.

I will have Internet access out there, so I will keep y'all posted on how the week goes. That is assuming I survive the drive out there tomorrow just me and my sister in a car. I usually listen to one musical soundtrack right after another on road trips and she likes Wicked and nothing else.

Things I Love Thursday 7.2

2009-07-09T15:44:00.000-05:00

It's Thursday again, and I have had a pretty enjoyable week. I haven't been working much, which helps I think, but also makes me pretty broke! Oh well.

Tweets that are exactly 140 characters - I love it the most when it just happens to work out that way, but if I am close I will try to readjust what I wrote the tiniest bit to try and get it exactly there. I don't know why but I feel the smallest of thrills when I do that. I'm neurotic.

Birthdays - I had two big birthdays in my life this week. My father's was yesterday and we went boating as a family and had a nice dinner together last night. One of my closest friends from college turned 25 the day before on Tuesday. She lives in Washington but I sent her 25 individual birthday cards in the mail to celebrate. Happy birthday Dad and Chelsea!

Plane tickets - Southwest Airlines was having a two day sale on airfare that ended yesterday. My mom noticed it and told me about it. So I got a round-trip ticket from Omaha to Baltimore in September for a pretty good price. This is the first step for my New York City trip with my EEB! I will stay at her house and then we'll take a train up to NYC for the weekend. I can't wait, and it feels nice and real now that I have the ticket.

That one CD you can't get enough of - I have a lot of music, especially musical soundtracks. You all know that already. But I go in phases. There will be a soundtrack that I will listen to over and over for weeks or months and it's all I want to hear. Then I won't listen to it for months to a year and become obsessed with something else. It's fun. Right now I CANNOT get enough of the soundtrack to the musical Next to Normal. I love it so much and I listen to it practically every day at least once. It was up for best musical this year but didn't win. If all goes well I will get to see it live in September. Love it.

Other things:

Finding a movie you love but don't own yet in the $5 bin
Having so many books you want to read that you can't always decide what to read next
Talking to far away friends on the phone, even for just a minute or too. It just cheers me right up.
Pre-ordering things off Amazon and knowing they'll (usually) arrive on your door the day they are released.
Spending more money on Amazon just to get the free super saver shipping
Re-adjusting the books on your bookshelf to make room for your latest acquisition

July: A Wicked Neat Project

2009-07-06T14:31:00.000-05:00

Alright, so it is July 6 and I am just now posting my goal for the month. I know. But I decided this month to mix it up. Instead of avoiding something for an entire month, or even doing something every day for an entire month, I decided on a project I have been putting off that I now have to get done by the end of the month.

Last year for my birthday a close friend bought me a journal that was Wicked/The Wizard of Oz themed. It's the neatest looking book and I really like it. I knew right away what I wanted to use it for, but I have yet to put it into action.

By now everyone knows that the thing I am probably most passionate about in live is musical theater. I am not a performer by any means, but I am a most ardent and appreciative spectator. Sitting in a dark theater watching a musical (or a play too) unfold on stage is my happy place.

Since this journal was sort of tied to Wicked, I decided I would use it as a record of the shows I get to see. I already save all the ticket stubs and Playbills, plus I have taken several pictures in front of the more significant theaters. My plan is to keep track of dates and theaters and notable performers and my general thoughts of each show I see.

Before I get to the present though, I wanted to start with the more significant shows from my past. Any show I've seen in New York, including my first Broadway show ever when I saw The Phantom of the Opera the summer I turned 16 with my dad. I have all the information collected, I just need to take the time to put them in the journal.

So my goal is to be completely up to date by the end of the month. I won't say I am going to work on it a little bit each day, I know I never would, but a fair chunk each week until it's done.

NOW, I need suggestions for future months. I have a few more ideas up my sleeves, but that won't last forever and I really want to keep this up. So I will take dares (except for the potato thing Dad, I won't even try to give those up), suggestions anything you have to offer me. Let me know!

Operation Choco-Not. Status: Complete

2009-07-03T00:33:00.000-05:00

Holy cow, it has been July 3rd for half an hour now and it only recently occurred to me the significance of it being July. June flew by in a flash and that means another month where I SUCCESSFULLY completed a goal. Nothing chocolate (pretty much nothing sweet) for an entire month.

I really honestly thought this was going to be my toughest challenge yet. And lo and behold it was not at all. I've made the occasional mention of this over the past few weeks, but I am still shocked. Giving up sweets was so easy. A lot easier than I think it should have been. I am addicted to sweets and have a hard time rationing myself.

But it seems like the moment I made that decision and took dessert of the table completely, it left my head completely. I didn't even really miss it. I didn't get any huge cravings I had to engage in epic mental battles to overcome. I was fine. I still am.

Once July hit and I realized my "trial" had ended, I didn't run out an binge on anything. I allowed myself a nice glass of chocolate milk tonight at work, and it was incredibly refreshing, and that's all I've had. For now, that's all I'm going to have.

So I've decided to keep it up. Not as a goal or for any great length of time, just because I've learned I can. Chocolate milk is back in my life though, I really do love that stuff. And if dessert comes to me I won't automatically turn it down: Ice cream with friends here, a piece of someone's birthday cake there. I just don't plan on seeking it out for awhile yet; I'll let it come to me. Ben, Jerry, I'm so sorry. I still think we need to take a break.

Oh, and information on July's goal will follow in the next day or two. Stay tuned.

Things I Love Thursday 7.1

2009-07-02T15:14:00.000-05:00

It's Thursday again! And I am in a much better frame of mind than I was when I posted last. My situation has not changed, but I have changed my outlook on the situation. I'm doing what I can to change it and I just have to let it all go. But hooray for Thursday.

Fireworks - I haven't seen any yet, but I know I am in for a big treat this weekend. I have to work the 4th, but the 3rd is when the excitement happens in my family. We go to Rosenblatt stadium in downtown Omaha as a family and with another family we're all friends with. There is a fun baseball game and then when it gets dark they let everyone out onto the field and there is a pretty spectacular fireworks display. I had so much fun last year and I can't wait. There is just something about fireworks that is just innately joyful. Just try to not cheer up when you watch them.

New swimsuit - I love to swim and be in the water, but that activity usually requires a suit. I have no problem wearing one, but I always have the damnedest time trying to find one. I really stopped trying, and it's been about eight years at least since I really had a decent suit. But I went out today and tried to find one, and it took a while but I did. It is so cute and now I can go to the lake with my family and swim on some upcoming vacations. It's great.

Taking an idea and running with it - Sometimes I get these flashes of brilliance where I come up with a perfect idea. At least I always think so at the time. My good friend's birthday is coming up next week and a couple of weeks ago I came up with something to do for her that for all I know no one's ever done. I can't get into details because she reads this, but I am excited about it and I just went crazy and had a lot of fun getting it all together. She had better like it, or at least realize that the concept came from a good place!

So You Think You Can Dance - I full out love this show. I can't get enough of it. The variety and the caliber of talent on that show astounds me weekly. I love learning about all these choreographers that I, a person with 3 or 4 left feet, would never have known otherwise. I just love being a witness to all the creativity and talent on that stage. I can't get enough.

I had others too, but I can't remember what they were now. I'll have to save them for later I guess.

Things I Love Thu ... Monday?

2009-06-29T10:25:00.000-05:00

OK girls, I dropped the ball this week. I let Thursday pass me by completely loveless. I apologize. I partially forgot, but mostly this was a pretty loveless week comprised of work I didn't enjoy, tips I didn't make and very little time off. Not a good week for me at all. But here are some bright points I pulled out of it.

Vacation presents - I guess I'm getting a little old for my parents to bring something back for me when they go out of town, but since I am back living at home for awhile, this tradition has been resurrected. It's nice. My mom is so sweet and tries really hard to get into my head (a scary place for anyone really) and find me something I'll like. These last couple trips they've taken she's (and my dad too) brought home some really beautiful jewelry that suits me perfectly. All silver and simple, one necklace that's a turtle from Hawaii and some Celtic jewelry from Seattle. I'm really grateful for her efforts.

Solitary days - My one day off last week was Monday. My sister had left for some camp thing, and my parents didn't get home from their trip until that night, so all day I had the house all to myself and no place to go. I think I had contact with a couple of store clerks and that's it. And I love and need days like that. I like my social time too as well (as a server you have to) but I need equal parts of alone time to function. It was just what I needed before a week of smiling at customers who were rude and who feel like they can spend all this money on food but because times are hard cut back on the tip.

Word Verifications that aren't words - I have been noticing a trend lately with word verifications. First off they're popping up everywhere! I remember when they were mostly just on Ticketmaster. Now they're on all the blogs and e-mail accounts and Facebook. And they aren't words anymore! They are gibberish. On the one hand it can be funny, on the other frustrating. I was trying to get on something or other yesterday and their font was so screwy I could hardly make it out, and since it was futile to decipher a word, I finally gave up. But mostly some of the ones I've seen just make me laugh!

Anyway, this week is looking to be much better, and I expect to blog on time and with a much improved outlook. Happy next few days!

Things I Love Thursday

2009-06-18T20:33:00.000-05:00

Oh man, I am the last one of my new Thursday group to get to this today, oh the shame! Oh well. It brings me to the first thing I love.

Friends who push you - I already mentioned how great I think my BEDA buddies are last week, but it's nice to have people who get your competitive dander up in a way. I always have good intentions but all my life I've struggled with the follow through aspect. I am a procrastinator, and didn't fully feel like blogging today, but just knowing that my other three gals have posted made me get my butt in gear and write this post.

Small personal successes - So I have sworn off chocolate in June (and essentially all sweets) and it has been going surprisingly well. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but it's like when I made it so it was not even an option, I thought about it less. I can't count how many times I swore I was going to cut back on sweets but never did. But the moment I turned it into a goal and publicized that goal, it was easy. I even survived the ultimate test last weekend when a table gave me a piece of their German chocolate birthday cake and without even pausing I took it home and gave it to my mom. Go me!

Veer.com - I love this Web site. Aside from all the awesome fonts and type I can't buy, they have all these great desktop backgrounds. I switch mine up every month or so, but I have a whole folder of backgrounds all from Veer that I just love. Definitely check it out.

Kristin Chenoweth - It is finally my turn for her new book at the library, and I haven't even started reading it yet and I am excited about it. My friend SEJL already read it (She and I are both huge fans of Cheno), and she said as you read it you can tell it's her voice. I am pretty sure this is one I am going to want to own.

My sister - Now I am living at home right now, and my sister is home from college for the summer. Being thrown back into that sibling dynamic with the parents around has been tough. My sister and I are two very different people who have very few opinions in common (except we both love Wicked). We fight a lot. But when our parents are out of town it's like this switch flips. The dynamic changes from siblings to something more like roommates. We go out to dinner and hang out and it's so much fun. I was feeling down the other night, and she took me to see a movie to cheer me up and it was great. The movie was funny and ridiculous and just what I needed to step out of my head for a couple hours.

Things I Love Thursday

2009-06-11T22:43:00.000-05:00

April may be over and my blogging may be lagging, but I still communicate with my BEDA buddies pretty much daily through Facebook and Twitter. These gals are great and I enjoy interacting with them online so much and learning from them.

I don't think any of us are ready to go back to blogging ever day (Yikes!) but we have decided together to start blogging again once a week. We stole the idea of Things I love Thursday from Nicola, who got it from another source, but keep looking for a new installment each week from me and my BEDA Buddies: Nicola, Becky and Christina.

The Tony Awards - OK, so I didn't actually get to watch them this year, and that part of it really sucked. But I still love them. I look forward to June each year for that reason. I love that Broadway gets a night to recognize the incredible amount of talent all crammed into one portion of NYC. I love that all these current shows on Broadway perform and are watchable on YouTube for years to come.

Changing my shoes after work - I don't care if I was at work for an hour or 10. The feeling when I get to my car after a serving shift and take off my work shoes and slip on a pair of flip-flops is unbeatable in that moment.

Planning a trip - Taking trips is pretty great too, but I love the beginning stages of planning a trip when you are so excited and have so many ideas and plans about what you are going to do. You haven't yet remembered how poor you are so in your head the sky's the limit. I'm planning a trip to New York City in the early fall with my best and favorite traveling companion, SEJL, and I cannot wait.

Tables that remind me why I sometimes like serving - I've been going through a frustrating period waiting tables where I just feel burned out and sick of what I'm doing and I feel like I'm not good at it anymore. But then I had a couple of tables this past weekend that were just great and things flowed between them and me. One in particular told me before they left that the service had been fantastic, and I just really really needed to hear that.

Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments trilogy - I read all three books (City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass) one right after another and just fell in love. I am not a critical reader, I just either love the plot and the characters or I don't. I cared about these characters and I am sad they only have three books. But then after I finished I found a great deal on the first two (I already bought the third) and now I own them all! More happiness.

June: My toughest and best challenge yet

2009-06-04T19:56:00.000-05:00

This is a couple of days overdue, but all my BEDA buddies have been blogging today so it works out anyway.

For June I decided on a goal that was very important to me and something I really needed. I have decided to go an entire month without chocolate! That's right ladies, you heard me. Chocolate has always been a weakness for me. I don't go totally overboard, but I can't ration myself. If I buy a single candy bar I eat a single candy bar. If I buy a bag of chocolates I eat a bag. It's frustrating.

I've figured out that for now I am an all-or-nothing gal. So I am cutting myself off completely for a month. To see if I can do it and to prove to myself that I have that power over my "addiction" if you will. Depending on how that goes, I plan to gradually re-introduce it back into my life.

I am on day 4 of no sweets and it is going surprisingly well. It's like knowing it's not even an option makes it easier to go without it because I don't think about it as much. I feel good about it, but it is only day 4. Let's hope the next 26 go as well.

End of May: Soda report

2009-05-31T23:41:00.000-05:00

It feels so weird to be blogging right now, because I went from posting every single day to not posting at all for nearly an entire month.. This is strange.

Swearing off soda was so easy and yet so hard at the same time. Like I said at the beginning of the month when I set the goal, it is only recently that I really started drinking a lot more of it. But I have such easy access to it now. I get all the free soda I want at both of my jobs. And sometimes a cone cup of sprite or whatever is really refreshing, and water doesn't always cut it.

So of course the moment I decided to cut it out, I wanted it. When I grabbed my cone cup and looked at the soda machine, getting water (or occasionally lemonade) was a lot less appealing when soda was not an option.

Oh well, I resisted all temptations and didn't have a drop of soda all month. Mission accomplished. Though I did end up drinking a lot more chocolate milk.

Tune in tomorrow for June's goal. It's a doozy.

May: So long soda

2009-05-01T23:54:00.000-05:00

I am determined to continue with my monthly goals. If I succeed in May that will be two months! I actually decided on May's goal last week, but I almost quit before I started tonight.

My goal for May is no soda. At all. I did really want some tonight though. I was at work and so thirsty and water just was not cutting it for me.

I never used to drink soda much as a kid. Root beer with pizza and that was about it. I don't come from a family that drinks a ton of it. But then I started working in restaurants, where you basically get all the free soda you want while you're working. Bad news.

And then for some reason when I moved to Pennsylvania last year, I just started drinking a lot of soda. It was like I flipped a switch and just wanted soda. Weird stuff too, like I went on this grape soda kick for a month or two. That got old fast though.

So no soda will enter my system all month long. It's OK though, my all-time favorite drink is still chocolate milk, which I would never even attempt to give up.

And this makes 29 consecutive days in a row, so this is technically a BEDA blog to make up for missing April 1st. If I blog tomorrow that will make 30 consecutive days.

Bye, Bye, BEDA (BEDA, Goodbye)

2009-04-30T23:09:00.000-05:00

In case you aren't all in my head, that title is to the tune of The Four Seasons song "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby, Goodbye)", which is a great song. So go back and re-read/hum the title to the appropriate tune. Done? Thank you. Moving on.

OK, now I have to listen to my Best of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons CD while I write this. Alright I'm ready. I feel like a little kid who is stalling before he goes to sleep; I've been to the bathroom, heard a bedtime story and had a drink of water, there's nothing left but to go to bed. Or BEDA in this case.

Once again it seems I am the last of my BEDA buddy group to do a post like this, but I'm OK with that. I really enjoyed reading Becky, Nicola and Christina's posts first before writing my own. Honestly, I felt really touched reading all of them and I feel pretty lucky to have been part of this.

I happened upon BEDA by accident and decided to be a part of it on a whim. I had heard of Maureen Johnson through my best friend the YA librarian, but had never read any of her books. Sorry! But I've since rectified that by reading Devilish this past week. And I am in line for Suite Scarlett at the library. I am very grateful to both her and Jordan Cwierz for conceiving BEDA; they really are sort of our BEDA parents. MJ even commented on my first BEDA post offering encouragement.

Personally, BEDA was good for me in many ways.

It got me writing more again, which I haven't done a lot of since graduating college.
It forced me to think more to generate blog ideas.
It also forced me to finish several half-written posts from months and months ago that might have remained unfinished for years.
It got me out there more reading other people's blogs. I follow my college friends, but I don't often go out and find random blogs to read. This changed that.
I wrote some posts I really thought were great. Not all of them, that is for sure, but some. There are a few toward the beginning of the month that y'all should go back and read. Definitely.

And then there were my BEDA buddies. I will repeat what they have all said, and that is how eerily well MJ did at matching up at least our group. We all have a lot in common so far and it's great. I really enjoyed getting to know the ladies in my group and reading their blogs and "talking" to them.

I know we've only known each other a couple of weeks, but I get the feeling the end of BEDA won't be the end of us. Between our blogs, Twitter and now Facebook, I hope these online friendships we've begun will continue. I'll keep reading ladies if you will (well, even if you won't)!

Thank you all for a wonderful month of blogging.

P.S. I've been told that since I missed April 1 and 2, I should continue into the next two days to make up for it. So stay tuned, I just might do it depending on my schedule.

How Autumn fared in April (reporting back a tad early)

2009-04-29T23:38:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the last day of BEDA. I don't work at all, which is good because it means I have time to figure out something really good for my last BEDA blog entry. I hope. So since I worked two different jobs today and just got home, I am going to use today's entry to report on my two monthly goals.

First off is BEDA (Blog Every Day April). I didn't find out about BEDA until April 3rd, so I lost two days at the beginning. But beginning April 3rd, I have produced some sort of blog entry every single day. They weren't always interesting or great, but they exist. I can't believe I did it, when before I was posting once a week max, most often less.

I do have to admit that I am probably not going to be much better once BEDA is over. I do want to do better, but if I have nothing to say of any import, I won't say anything that day. I am looking forward to that part.

So I get a big pat on the back for BEDA.

Second, here I made a personal goal for April about not going out to eat. I am proud to say that I succeeded in the goal to the letter. I did not spend a single dollar on food or drink outside of a grocery store. I went out to eat a total of three times the entire month. I went out once with my dad, once with my mom and once with my mom and sister (Yeah, I have no real friends in Omaha).

I am pretty proud of myself because this was hard. If you read the post I linked to, you'll see that going out to eat is how I survive. It's easy and I can grab it on my way to/from work. What did I eat all month? I don't really know. A TON of mashed potatoes for one thing. Each afternoon before work if I had no idea what to eat, I made mashed potatoes. So many potatoes were sacrificed to this project of mine.

So overall April went well for me, as hard as it was. I am tempted to start making a new resolution each month to see how I do. Small exercises in self control, which is something I often lack.

For now though, I am definitely getting Chinese on Friday. I miss that stuff!

What's in a name? Well, ME

2009-04-28T22:33:00.000-05:00

Look. It's right there at the end of the word.

My name is important to me - my full name: Autumn Lee Hill. It flows so well, but it almost sounds made up. Like a stage name or a nom de plume. Take out the middle name and it sounds like a housing development or a housing complex, especially if you pluralize my last name.

When I was a child I had an aversion to my first name because I went through this phase where I wanted everything personalized, and my name wasn't always easy to find. I felt the frustration keenly. But I quickly got over it. It's not so rare that people mispronounce it or get confused, but rare enough that people pause and remark on.

Yes I do get a lot of dumb jokes, mostly from older men when I am waiting tables, and no one seems to be able to spell it even though it's a noun, but these are fairly minor irritants.

But I highly doubt losing my first name will ever be an issue. The part of my name most in jeopardy is my last name. It's a pretty great last name. Short, simple, easy to spell. Another noun. I have no intention of changing it. Ever.

I could spout out all these feminine ideals as my reasons, but I won't. While I do consider myself a feminist in many ways, that's not truly the reason I want to keep it. I don't even know if I could tell you the reasons why it is so important to me; it just is.

Part of it is that I have spent about a quarter of a century now trying to figure out who Autumn Lee Hill is. I still don't have a full handle on it, and I don't see a reason to try and change who I am and start the process over again just because I get married.

Now this might be a moot point altogether. I really have no strong inclinations toward marriage. I have nothing against marriage; most of my friends are all married and seem happy. I just can't really see Autumn getting married. It's just not me. Who knows? I know my parents hope I eat my words and tie the knot someday.

I once entered into a mock engagement with this guy I worked with. I honestly don't remember how it came about. One of the first things I asked him was whether or not he would have a problem with me keeping my name. When he said he was OK with it, I knew I'd found the perfect "fiancé".

The christening of a car

2009-04-27T14:34:00.000-05:00

I have an announcement to make.

I already posted that there is a new car in my life. Over a week into the relationship things are going well. I am getting rid of that new car smell I don't like and making my Rav my own. There was only one problem. My car needed a name, and it was really bugging me.

Now I didn't grow up in a family that named cars. I wasn't even aware people did it until I got to college. My first semester I had a roommate whose car was named Clyde. Her family also had an old Bonneville, so they named their cars Bonnie & Clyde. I thought that was pretty cute.

I didn't have a car my freshman year, so naming my own wasn't an issue. I didn't think about it again until that summer. That was when my parents helped me get my first car: a 1998 Honda Civic.

I was working at a restaurant over the summer, and there was this busboy who firmly believed in naming cars. He had a whole reasoning behind it that I no longer remember. He was insistent I name my car, and I had nothing against the idea so I did. I named her Isabelle, Izzy for short.

Then the summer after college I was tired of Izzy and ready for something new. I didn't set out to get a Land Rover, and that was probably one of the larger mistakes I've made to date, but I won't go into how or why that happened here. Long story short, I traded Izzy in for Murdock: a 2002 Land Rover Freelander.

Since Murdock was a bigger car, he just didn't seem like a girl to me. A Land Rover felt like it had to be a boy car. I wanted to name him Hannibal, but after the main character in The A-Team not Hannibal Lecter. I knew no one would think of the right Hannibal if I did that, so I stuck with The A-Team and named him Murdock. I should NOT have named my car after a crazy person.

That brings us up to the present. I am assuming you've all figured out by now that my announcement pertains to my new car's name. It does. I was having a problem because I really wanted to name it Ingrid, but it just did not feel like a girl. I toyed around with a few butler-type names like Jeeves and Godfrey, but driving in my car it just was not a Godfrey.

Someone, I think my mom, mentioned this name in casual conversation, and it just clicked in my mind; it fit. So after that very long introduction, I am announcing that I have officially named my car Otis! Woot!

Self improvement ... ?

2009-04-26T23:25:00.000-05:00

OK. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't it true that practice makes perfect? Shouldn't you get better at things over time? That's the way it works for normal people right? Right. So it's just me then.

Tonight did not go super well at the restaurant, and lately I've felt like I've lost my touch a bit serving. It's probably in my head, and I don't feel it every shift, but I still feel it sometimes. Mostly I just blame it on working in La Vista. Everything was much better when I worked in Omaha itself!

But it did get me to thinking about my athletic history. Now I am not the most graceful of people. In any way. I get along OK, but I don't dance through life. I stumble, trip and run into lots of walls and sharp corners. Let's just say I am not a natural born athlete. I can catch decently well if I am focused, but that's about all I have going for me.

Anyway, the reason I was thinking about sports tonight is because with many such activities I tend to get worse the more I practice. Once summer when I was in high school my mom enrolled me in a tennis camp that lasted a couple of weeks.

The first day the adults in charge (coaches I guess) told me I was a natural. I was doing well and feeling good. But as the camp progressed, I just got worse and worse the more we played. By the end of the camp I was just awful at tennis. And I didn't understand it.

Also bowling. It's not technically a sport, but it's another fine example of my ability to unimprove (I'm getting a red line for that word, but I say it is a word). Now I took a bowling class in college and I didn't have the same problem as I did with tennis. I actually improved over the course of the semester.

However, outside of that, I have found that the more often I bowl the worse I am. If I haven't bowled in a long time, I tend to do pretty well. But if I bowl several games, or if my bowling excursions occur closer together, I get a lot worse.

Why is that? Does that make sense to anyone? I have accepted that I am quirky and a little weird; that doesn't bother me. But I just don't get that. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

A glimpse into the depths of my obsession

2009-04-25T23:27:00.000-05:00

What I like about this image is that it has that one way sign in the background, which is very prophetic. I think others like me will agree: Once you fall in love with Broadway, there's no turning back.

I've made it pretty clear that I love musicals. I LOVE musicals. As in I am OBSESSED with them. I have been for about a decade, if not longer. I remember when I was 15 and my dad and I went to New York City just the two of us and he took me to The Phantom of the Opera. I can pinpoint that incredible experience as the moment I was hooked. From there on out it was just love love love love love.

I get asked a lot which ones I like, and that is such a hard question because there are so many and that is a lot to bombard someone with when I know they just want a short answer. So I decided to give you an idea of how much musicals consume my life. I'm going to provide you with a couple of lists to peruse at your leisure.

First off cast albums. To put this in perspective, iTunes says I have 116 albums that I've classified as musicals. Some of these are only one song, but you get the idea. I've collected these albums through various means throughout the years. And as with any collection, there are "pieces" I prefer above others, albums I don't listen to so much anymore. I decided to group them by the people who wrote the music and lyrics because it made sense as I was doing this and I think it is just as important to know who wrote the song as it is to know who sings it.

OBC/OOBC: Original Broadway/Off-Broadway Cast, BR: Broadway Revival, L: London

Full Albums:
Adam Guettel: The Light in the Piazza (2005 OBC)
Alan Menken, Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater: The Little Mermaid (2008 OBC)
Alan Menken, Howard Ashman & Tim Rice: Beauty and the Beast (1994 OBC)
Andrew Lippa: The Wild Party (2000 OOBC)
Andrew Lloyd Webber & Charles Hart: The Phantom of the Opera (1986 OLC)
Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice: Evita (1979 OBC & 1996 Film)
Arthur Sullivan & W. S. Gilbert: The Pirates of Penzance (1981 BC)
Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus: Mamma Mia! (1999 OLC & 2008 Film)
Charles Strouse & Martin Charnin: Annie (1977 OBC)
Clark Gesner: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1999 BR)
Claude-Michel Schönberg & Alain Boublil: Les Misérables (1985 OLC & 1988 Complete Symphonic), Miss Saigon (1989 OLC), The Pirate Queen (2007 OBC)
Cole Porter: Anything Goes (1987 BR), Kiss Me, Kate (1953 Film & 1999 BR)
David Yazbek: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005 OBC), The Full Monty (2001 OBC)
Duncan Sheik & Steven Sater: Spring Awakening (2006 OBC)
Elton John & Bernie Taupin: Lestat (2006 OBC)
Elton John & Tim Rice: Aida (2000 OBC), The Lion King (1997 OBC)
Frank Loesser: Guys and Dolls (1992 BR)
Frank Wildhorn, Don Black & Christopher Hampton: Dracula (2005 Concept)
Frank Wildhorn & Jack Murphy: The Civil War (1998 Studio)
Frank Wildhorn & Leslie Bricusse: Jekyll & Hyde (1994 Concept & 1997 OBC)
Frank Wildhorn & Nan Knighton: The Scarlet Pimpernel (1998 OBC)
George Forrest & Robert Wright: Kismet (1955 Film)
Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones: 110 in the Shade (2007 BR)
Henry Krieger & Bill Russell: Side Show (1997 OBC)
Henry Krieger & Tom Eyen: Dreamgirls (2006 Film)
Irving Berlin: Annie Get Your Gun (1946 OBC & 1999 BR), Easter Parade (1948 Film)
Jason Robert Brown: The Last 5 Years (2002 OOBC), Parade (1998 OBC), Songs for a New World (1996 ONYC), 13 (2008 OBC)
Jeanine Tesori & Dick Scanlan: Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 OBC)
Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II: Show Boat (1951 Film)
John Du Prez & Eric Idle: Monty Python’s Spamalot (2005 OBC)
John Kander & Fred Ebb: Chicago (2002 Film), Curtains (2007 OBC), Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993 OBC & 1993 Other Cast)
Jonathan Larson: Rent (2005 Film), tick, tick…BOOM! (2001 OOBC)
Jule Styne & Stephen Sondheim: Gypsy (1959 OBC & 2008 BR)
Laurence O'Keefe & Nell Benjamin: Legally Blonde (2007 OBC)
Leonard Bernstein: Candide (1989 Cast)
Leonard Bernstein, Adolph Green & Betty Comden: Wonderful Town (1999 L Studio)
Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim: West Side Story (1961 Film)
Lin-Manuel Miranda: In the Heights (2008 OBC)
Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison: The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 OBC)
Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman: Hairspray (2007 Film)
Mark Hollmann & Greg Kotis: Urinetown (2001 OOBC)
Mary Rodgers & Marshall Barer: Once Upon a Mattress (1996 BR)
Matthew Sklar & Chad Beguelin: The Wedding Singer (2006 OBC)
Meredith Wilson: The Music Man (1962 Film)
Michael John LaChiusa: Marie Christine (1999 OBC), The Wild Party (2000 OBC)
Paul Gordon: Jane Eyre (2000 OBC)
Richard Adler & Jerry Ross: The Pajama Game (2006 Br Rev)
Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II: Oklahoma! (1955 Film), The Sound of Music (1965 Film), South Pacific (2008 BR)
Sherman Edwards: 1776 (1969 OBC)
Stephen Bray, Brenda Russell & Allee Willis: The Color Purple (2005 OBC)
Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens: Lucky Stiff (1993 Studio), Once on This Island (1990 OBC), Ragtime (1998 OBC), Seussical: The Musical (2000 OBC)
Stephen Schwartz: Wicked (2003 OBC)
Stephen Sondheim: Assassins (1991 OOBC & 2004 BR), Company (2006 BR), Into the Woods (1987 OBC), Merrily We Roll Along (1993 Cast), Passion (1994 OBC), Sunday in the Park With George (1984 OBC), Sweeney Todd (1979 OBC)
William Finn: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2005 OBC)

Partial Albums:
Frederick Loewe & Alan Jay Lerner: Brigadoon (1954 Movie), Gigi (1958 Film)
Jason Howland & Mindi Dickstein: Little Women (2005 OBC)
Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick: Fiddler on the Roof (1971 Film)
John Kander & Fred Ebb: Cabaret (1972 Movie)
Jonathan Larson: Rent (1996 OBC)
Lucy Simon & Marsha Norman: The Secret Garden (1991 OBC)
Maury Yeston: Nine (2003 BR)
Mitch Leigh & Joe Darion: Man of La Mancha (2002 BR)
Peter Allen: The Boy From Oz (2003 OBC)
Richard Lopez & Jeff Marx: Avenue Q (2003 OBC)
William Finn: A New Brain (1998 OOBC)

Also, I wanted to list just a few of the voices of Broadway that I have come to love so much. Many of these albums I got because of who was in them, and grew to love the rest of the music later.

Leading Men: Adam Pascal, Anthony Crivello, Brent Carver, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Douglas Sills, Hadley Fraser, James Barbour, Mandy Patinkin, Matthew Morrison, Norbert Leo Butz, Norm Lewis, Raúl Esparza and Robert Westenberg

Leading Ladies: Audra McDonald, Bernadette Peters, Donna Murphy, Joanna Gleason, Julia Murney, Kelli O’Hara, Kristin Chenoweth, Laura Benanti, Lea Salonga, Linda Eder, Marin Mazzie, Patti LuPone, Sherie Rene Scott, Stephanie J. Block and Sutton Foster

There, that should give you an idea of what a big part of my life this is. I hope you are duly impressed/afraid/jealous! And I didn't even list which shows I've seen and where and when: I keep a list of that too.

Book survey

2009-04-24T15:28:00.000-05:00

As Becky and Christina did already, I am stealing this survey from Nicola, who said she stole it from Book Travellers Inc. Apparently we are a group who all love books. Yay!

Bookmark or bent page?
Paper clip actually. I started it a few months ago and love it. There was a learning curve where I scratched a few pages :-( but I worked out the kinks.

Have you ever been offered a book?
Not really. I guess it depends what you mean. I've received books as presents from friends before. That's the closest I've gotten to being offered a book.

Do you read in your bath?
The last bath I took had Strawberry Shortcake bubbles and a rubber ducky. I don't like baths, so no. But with me water and a book is just asking for trouble.

Have you already thought about writing a book?
I did for awhile in high school, after I took this great creative writing class. I even had a plot planned out. I was going to write a modern version of the Good Samaritan story, and apply it to this project I had to at my parents' church. I even had some of the characters and little plot devices worked out. I got excited about it again briefly in college when I found a Samaria Road not too far from there. But it faded quickly. I bet I have all that on my computer somewhere still.

What do you think about books in several volumes?
Bring it on. When I love a book, I go through withdrawal when it's over, so going back in again is perfect for me. Just looking over at my bookshelf now I see a lot of groups of three or more.

Do you have a cult book?
I guess Harry Potter would be my biggest cult books that I read. I got sucked in like everyone else.

Do you like to re-read?
Yeah. When I was younger I had this one book, I don't even remember which anymore, that I read over and over, at least a dozen times. Couldn't get enough. That's my record though. I do re-read books, especially if it's a series where a new one is about to come out. More often I will go back and just re-read sections of books, parts I really liked.

What about meeting or not with the authors of the books you've liked?
Never thought about it much. I think getting some of my books autographed and meeting the authors would be cool, but it's not so much a priority.

Do you like to talk about the books you read?
Yes and no. I love to recommend books to others, but I've never been big on in-depth discussions. Like I don't think I would like being part of a book club. It takes me back to the two semesters I spent as an English major and reminds me why I switched to journalism.

How do you pick your books?
Recommendations of course. I like to walk into a bookstore and just browse. I take notes and then go home and then look them up. And Amazon. I will go to the page of a book I liked and check out all the links there to other books and lists and I have found some great books that way.

Something you read, hard to confess?
Sometimes I don't like to tell people I read the Twilight books. I love them, but there is such a hysteria surrounding them now that I don't like to be grouped as another obsessed fan. I'm not. I read them before they were such a phenomenon.

Best places to read?
Anywhere cushy. I like taking a book and a blanket to a park and lying under a tree. Otherwise just in bed or a really comfortable chair.

The ideal book would be...?
That is not a simple question. Is there such a thing as an ideal book? All I need is an interesting plot and characters I don't want to say goodbye to by the last page and I'm content.

Read over people's shoulders?
With newspapers sometimes, never with books.

TV, computer games or book?
Books, then computer games, then TV. But I am guilty of indulging in all three to a degree.

Read and eat?
Shouldn't, but do sometimes. More read and munch. I don't read while I'm eating a real meal.

Read with music, in silence, whatever...?
It depends. I can listen to jazz or classical or anything without words and read. Anything with lyrics and I can't focus on both. I sing along and get distracted from what I'm reading.

E-books?
Not a fan. Half my love of books is the actual physical packet of paper. I wouldn't give that up.

Borrow or buy?
Both. I love libraries a ton, but I love owning books. Oftentimes I end up borrowing a book from the library, then liking it enough that I buy my own copy after that.

What book are you reading now – which one is coming next?
At the moment, Devilish by Maureen Johnson (our BEDA guru!). Up next is either The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, Bound by Sally Gunning or Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

Have you already dropped a book?
Literally? All the time. I'm such a klutz. I do occasionally, but not too often. I remember the first time I read the 5th Harry Potter I couldn't get into it. It starts slow. I went back a year or so later and then had no problem reading it.

What's the first book you just fell in love with?
As a kid? My earliest favorite was Princess Furball by Charlotte Huck. I still have a copy and bought one for my first niece shortly after she was born. Great illustrations. Later I loved The Boxcar Children and, of course, The Baby-Sitters Club.

Branded for life?

2009-04-23T23:30:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I went to the grocery store with my dad. It was a pretty routine trip that included an excursion down the cereal aisle. We came to an agreement that some Frosted Flakes sounded good; I myself hadn't had them in a long time. They're quite delicious.

Well I automatically reached out for a box of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, and I had it in my hand when I noticed my father had gone in another direction. Toward the dreaded bags of off-brand cereal.

Well, not dreaded so much as just a place I have never ventured. Don't ask me why but I ALWAYS buy name brand cereal. I never had a bad experience with bag cereal, though I don't remember ever eating it much, I just don't buy it. I never have. I can't give you a single logical reason why.

People can be very particular about what brands they buy. I am no different. There are some things where I just go for the cheapest and couldn't care less about what brand that happens to be, but some things, like cereal, HAVE to be name brand. There are other times where I always buy the off brand over the name brand because I like it better.

Like milk. I will not drink some of the national brands, like Roberts and Blue Bunny, because I think they have a weird taste. My favorite brand of milk is Wal-Mart's Great Value brand of all things. For me it is the most consistently good-tasting milk around. There are others I will drink, but that's my favorite.

For my mom, she almost always goes for the least expensive, like most moms, but when it comes to whipped topping, she always buys Cool Whip. That is a brand she is very loyal to. I was going to ask her for others, but she's asleep now. Oh well.

Oh and cream cheese: I only buy Philadelphia cream cheese. And as my mom has learned recently, I have to have Idaho potatoes. Although with that I lived there for four years so I feel I'd be unfaithful if I bought potatoes grown elsewhere.

The brand issue tends to escalate with soda. I've especially noticed this working in restaurants. While most people don't care that much, there are people for whom it is Pepsi or nothing, or Coke or nothing. I can't count how many times I've heard, "I'll have a Pepsi." "Coke OK?" "No, I'll have iced tea."

And for most of those people, if I gave them a Coke and told them it was Pepsi, they would probably be none the wiser. This came into play at one restaurant I used to work at regarding Dr. Pepper v. Mr. Pibb. We all got tired of correcting people about which one we had, so when they asked for Mr. Pibb we said OK and gave them Dr. Pepper. No one ever once said a thing to me.

What about you? What brands are non-negotiable for you?

I suffer from caption dependency

2009-04-22T16:29:00.000-05:00

Hello, my name is Autumn and I'm an addict. My weakness is movie captions; I can't seem to kick the habit. And I'm not trying that hard, so that could be the reason. It's pretty rare that I watch a movie and don't turn the subtitles on immediately.

*Note to reader: I am vaguely aware that there is a difference between captions and subtitles, but I don't care and will be using the two words interchangeably throughout this post.*

I remember when I realized how dependent I was on subtitles. It was a couple of months ago. I was watching a movie before I went to sleep, a bad habit I'm aware but I don't care. And I pressed the subtitle button per usual, and it had Spanish and something else, Korean I think, but no English. And I was so irritated. And then I had to stop and realize that I was irritated due to a lack of captions. Wow.

It's hard to remember where it started. I think watching foreign films like Life Is Beautiful first got me accustomed to reading captions and watching a movie at the same time. After awhile you get so engrossed you don't even realize you're reading them.

From there I started turning them on briefly to catch dialogue I hadn't heard or understood the first time. I'd rewind the movie a bit, turn the subtitles on and watch the part I hadn't heard to see what they were saying; then I'd turn them off again.

At some point I jumped straight from that to full on watching every movie intentionally with subtitles. And there are pros and cons to doing this.

I am much more of a visual person than an audio person. My retention when someone is talking to me is much less than when I read the same information for myself. So for me I get more out of a movie when I see what is being said as opposed to just hearing it.

Plus there are a lot of actors out there with accents I can't always decipher and others whose diction just is not good. And I like knowing how characters' names I like knowing how they are spelled; it makes them more real.

Something else I've noticed is that there are many movies where characters in the background make comments you'd never hear naturally, but are included in the movie's subtitles. It's quite interesting.

On the down side, you miss more facial expressions and such. No matter how fast you read, you have to look away from the action to read the captions. I remember when I was watching the BBC's recent version of Sense and Sensibility. I love the scene where Edward proposes to Elinor, and I really liked it in this movie. I watched it once with subtitles, then turned them off and watched it again without so I could watch their faces more closely.

I'm not really going anywhere with this. I still use captions almost all the time, and as I said it's not like I'm trying hard to stop. But admitting it aloud is a start, and I guess I was curious if anyone else is in the same boat as I am.

Birthday happiness

2009-04-21T12:09:00.000-05:00

I was just downstairs finishing lunch with my mom and glancing through the paper. After I read the comics I glanced through this day in history and famous birthdays. As I read the birthdays, here is what my commentary to my mom was.

Me: It's the queen's birthday today.
Mom: The current queen?
Me: Yeah, Queen Elizabeth II.
Mom: She's 80 something, right?
Me: Yeah, 83.
I look farther down the page.
Me: It's Patti LuPone's birthday today!!!
Mom: I don't know who that is.
Me: She's a huge Broadway star, I love her!

Yeah, I don't know what that says about me. I mean I know I'm not British, but still. I got way more excited about Patti's birthday than the queen's. And it doesn't seem wrong per se, I guess it just makes me laugh. I will always get more excited about anything Broadway than I will about pretty much anything else outside my family and friends.

And hey, Patti was the original Evita, plus she's won two Best Actress Tonys and been nominated for three more so she is most definitely Broadway royalty.

So happy birthday to Queen Elizabeth II.
And happy birthday Patti!!

Bio for my BEDA buddies' benefit

2009-04-20T22:49:00.001-05:00

I just love alliteration.

I am the last of my "support" group to do this, but at least I'm getting it done. Most of you know that I've suddenly been posting on my blog every day because I committed to BEDA: Blog Every Day April. It's been hard because I don't always have something worth saying.

But our BEDA guru and creator, Maureen Johnson, came up with the concept of BEDA buddies. Anyone who was interested gave her a short summary of themselves and she took the time to pair us up. I figured why not and just from what little I've learned of my buddies so far I am glad I did it. She really took the time and effort to match us well.

So this post is to tell my new buddies a little about myself. My buddies are Christina, Nicola and Becky and I put links to their blogs on the left side of mine. I did it for my own convenience, but this way any of you who want to support them with me can.

I am 24 and I live in Omaha, Nebraska. I just moved back in with my parents right after Christmas, so I really understand your feelings on that Christina. As interesting as moving back home can be, my parents and I get along well and I am blessed to be here (And no I am not just saying that because my dad reads my blog). It is giving me a chance to get caught up financially and figure a few things out.

I have my bachelor's degree in print journalism, which is an industry I am now being forced to watch die. It makes me really sad. I enjoy writing and a bit of design work, but my specialty and passion is copy editing. And don't judge by my blog because I don't edit my own work well.

Right now I am waiting tables while I try to figure out whether I want to copy edit or become a librarian and pursue my MLS. I would like to find a way to do both.

I love to read, and I always have. I read a lot of historical fiction and YA literature (ever since that Children's Lit class I took in college). I love to watch movies, especially old musicals from the '40s and '50s.

I am obsessed with Broadway musicals. I said my passion is copy editing, and it is, but musicals are my PASSION. I can list so many shows, their songs, their leads, who wrote the music and lyrics. I know NAMES. As I write this I am listening to the 1984 original Broadway cast album of Sunday in the Park With George with Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters.

Now this post is getting too long for my taste. If any of you who know me feel there is something I should add, do so. If you have any specific questions ask them.

Oh and click here to go to my post where I list 25 Random Things About Me, which I finally broke down and filled out when it was going around Facebook like crazy.

A breakup that was long overdue

2009-04-19T23:11:00.000-05:00

I think we all know that Murdock and I had a very unhealthy, codependent relationship. I don't think it was working out for either of us, but I had so much invested in the relationship that breaking away was very difficult. I was torn. I felt trapped; I was afraid I would be stuck with him forever.

But not anymore! Murdock is no longer a part of my life. I finally broke it off, and there is a new car in my life now. A car I have inexplicably desired since college when this guy I hardly knew had one and I rode in it once. A silver 1999 Toyota Rav4.

It's the same kind of car as Murdock was, just a different (and better) make. For some reason I really like those small SUVs: "cute utes" as someone dubbed them. Murdock was a Land Rover Freelander, but a bit bigger and a V6. My new car is a 4-cylinder, which doesn't bug me and means better gas mileage.

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders with Murdock gone. We had a very intense love/hate relationship, but it was ALWAYS something with that car. I forever lived with the worry of what was going to break or die next with him. But every time I thought about trading him in, I couldn't do it because I did love my car in theory. In actuality he just kind of really drained me. Land Rovers are not cheap cars.

Now I finally have my Rav. Woot! Yet while I am excited, I feel like Murdock sort of jaded me. I was so excited and in love with that car when I first got it. And it proved to be one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made. And I have no problem with mistakes, but along with the excitement is the worry that if I picked this car out there must be something wrong with it. I can't shake the paranoia that after Murdock I am forever fated to get screwed when it comes to cars.

But I am trying to shake that and even if this car has problems, they will be a whole helluva lot cheaper to fix than 'Dock's were! Now on to the photos. Oh, and the name is coming but I am having trouble deciding whether this car is a boy or a girl!

The profile.

The face. Grrrr.

And these are my dashboard friends. The duck has been with me since high school, in every car I've ever had. The voodoo doll is a thing between Steph and me; it protects me. And the turtle is an old air freshener that no longer freshens the air but is still cute 'cause it's a turtle.

I am too tired to give this post a title

2009-04-18T23:21:00.000-05:00

So I got a new car today. Yeah, no more Murdock. I will blog about that in full tomorrow, because by the time I got home from work it was too dark for pictures. And there must be pictures.

I am drawing a total blank. And as well all have learned this month, what does Autumn do when she doesn't have anything she feels like writing about? She posts a YouTube video! Lazy, but I don't care tonight. I am tired and idea free.

I don't know any details about how the events in the following video came about, it obviously wasn't spontaneous, but either way it is a cool thing to do. I would love the chance to be a part of something like this.

I'm not sure if anyone actually watches the videos when I post them because no one ever comments on the posts when it's just a video. So WATCH THIS. I'm about to fall asleep.

If you wanna serve, you gotta roll

2009-04-17T23:41:00.000-05:00

I have been waiting tables for over seven years now, and working for Chili's (though at four different locations) for almost exactly two years. Counting all those Chili's locations as one, I have worked for six different restaurants (one for only about two weeks though!). And I do enjoy it, or I wouldn't have kept it up this long.

Other people in the "business" will agree that most restaurants are essentially the same. Rearrange the menu, alter the uniform a bit and there you go: the people really don't change. The same type of people who work at restaurants are the same type of people who work at all restaurants for the most part.

And the duties don't change much either. Some are worse than others, but I believe the one most universally hated by servers is rolling silverware. I know I always hated it. As silly as it sounds, one of the things I love MOST about Chili's is that they don't make you roll. They keep the silverware in bins and you set the pieces down in front of each person. That right there is why I am a Chili-head.

What does rolling silverware entail do you ask? Well at most restaurants your silverware comes rolled up in a napkin, sometimes in a cloth napkin and sometimes in a paper one with one of those sticky bands holding it together. I've had to do it both ways. I hate sticky bands. But the servers are the ones who assemble the rolls before they get out to the tables.

Depending on the night, how busy it was and how many servers are working, you can get stuck rolling at least 100 sets of silverware per shift. More on weekends. Not a fun job for anyone. Not a job I miss in any way shape or form. And it is hard on your neck and back after a while too.

But I am in the process of starting at another restaurant in addition to Chili’s, one I actually worked for one summer in college: Old Chicago. Great restaurant, which is mostly found in the Midwest. It occurred to me this week that in returning to this restaurant I would once again be forced into rolling servitude.

I have resigned myself to my fate, because as much as I lucked out with Chili’s, I have to return to the real world of serving, which includes a whole lot of rollin’.

And ... I made it before midnight. Go BEDA!

Help! I've been adopted by animals

2009-04-16T19:04:00.000-05:00

My sister has been out of state for college since the beginning of the year; she gets home in just under a week. Do you know what I am most excited about being able to do when she gets here? I will finally be able to close my bedroom door! You can't imagine what that means to me.

You're probably wondering why I can't do so now. It's very simple: Pepper, my sister's cat. This thing is the most skittish, annoying cat I've ever met. You can't touch her or hold her or anything like that. She wants to be ignored, but still wants to be able to come and go as she pleases.

With my sister gone she has turned to me, sort of. She likes to sleep on my bed, where I am allowed to pet her sometimes but never hold her. But when I try to sleep she starts mewling in my ear, stepping on my chest and eating my hair.

If I try to shut my door to keep her out, she scratches on it, de-clawed though she is, incessantly. I have tried to wait her out, but she does not stop. She never gives up, never says die. And when I finally get out of bed and open the door, she doesn't even always come in. She just likes knowing she can later.

She is not the only problem either. My mom has a little dog: Snuggles. I have become her caretaker when my parents are out of town, to save some money where they would have had to board her before. Despite my best efforts, the little bugger has gotten under my skin. She smells awful, but she has a cute face. Katie she actually reminds me a bit of Teddy. Same size, same odd little sneer, just white. She and the cat act like siblings too: constantly playing/fighting.

To put this in perspective though; I AM NOT A PET PERSON. At all. I like animals, just not pets. And yes there is a difference. I think kittens and puppies are cute along with the rest of the world, I just don’t want them in my home. I can enjoy other people’s pets, but all I need is five minutes of an animal and I’m good. That’s it.

My parents and my friend Stephanie all laugh at the person who doesn’t like pets, but who often can be found with her sister’s cat and her mom’s dog snoozing away on her bed. How did this happen? All I’ve ever wanted was a turtle.

Getting sentimental with the trash

2009-04-15T13:50:00.000-05:00

It's interesting how we have a tendency to attach objects to our memories. The memory itself doesn't always seem to be enough; we also need the T-shirt or the key chain to remind us. And it can be hard to get rid of items like that.

I took my first trip to Europe a year and a half ago. I didn't have my blog yet, but I spent two and a half weeks backpacking around Ireland and the UK with Steph, one of my closest friends from college. It was one of the best experiences of my life. And I have this shirt I’ve always liked because it reminds me of those experiences.

It's not even a shirt I bought while on this trip. It's a basic green polo shirt I bought at Target right before my trip. There is nothing at all special about the shirt itself. But it's the shirt I wore in London when Steph and I had our picture taken in front of Big Ben. It's the shirt I wore in the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland when Steph and I took a bike ride to a beach a couple miles away from our hostel.

Really it's the shirt I wore for about half the trip, if not more (we packed light). And since then every time I wear it I feel a little happier. But after wearing it all through that trip and after, and considering it was a cheap polo from Target, you can imagine the state it is in now.

This past weekend I finally had to admit defeat. I was forced to concede that enough was enough and it was time to say goodbye to my Europe shirt. So off it went with the trash yesterday morning, never to be seen again.

And I know I have the memories, I have my other souvenirs and a ton of pictures, plus I have Steph. But I still feel a little bit sad about losing that shirt.

Borrowing from Libba

2009-04-14T15:32:00.000-05:00

So I had a regular post planned for today, but it can wait. I was reading Libba Bray's blog, she is the author of the Gemma Doyle trilogy starting with A Great and Terrible Beauty (fabulous books by the way!), and she had posted a link to a YouTube video.

I watched it and it was just exactly the kind of thing I needed to see today. It boosted me up and even got me a bit misty, so I wanted to share it with anyone who happens to catch my blog (I know I cheated and just posted YouTube videos all weekend, but this one was honestly unplanned.).

Click here to watch it, the embedding had been disabled. Please watch it, maybe it will cheer someone else up today.

Mid-Month Slump

2009-04-13T19:50:00.000-05:00

Well it's not even quite the middle of the month and I'm feeling tired. I'm tired of trying to write every day and tired of not going out to eat. On this particular Monday I am feeling no desire to continue with either of my April goals.

This is why I HAVE to finish them. I sincerely lack follow through in my personal life. If I can force myself to do it on a small scale, then I can move on to bigger things. So I am kind of wimping out today by making this count as my blog post, but at least I wrote something.

And I haven't cheated on the eating out thing. I just REALLY REALLY want some Chinese take out!

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T11:37:00.000-05:00

It's Easter today, and I am going to use this holiday to be lazy while still fulfilling my BEDA requirement. So I will leave you with a brief message.

Happy Easter.

And I thought I'd share one of my favorite Easter-related things: Easter Parade with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.

Please ignore (or enjoy) the French subtitles, this is the only video of this I could find on YouTube.

Before the day closes: Meet Audra

2009-04-11T23:07:00.000-05:00

I almost forgot to blog today. It was in the back of my mind all morning, and the next thing you knew I was at work. But since we were so completely dead at work tonight and I made no money, I was able to come home earlier than anticipated. Woohoo for me.

This means I can still manage to squeeze out a blog entry before the day officially ends in an hour. Only problem is I am completely blank on something to write about. There are no thoughts in my head. I could complain about life as a server but I had no bad tables tonight per se, just no tables.

So I decided it was time for you all, my friends, to meet Audra. Audra McDonald is incredible. She is bar none my favorite contemporary Broadway female singer. Her voice is so amazing and her talent just astounds me.

The woman has won four Tony awards and been nominated for more. I know her best from her work in Ragtime, Marie Christine and 110 in the Shade. She also has several CDs of her own she's put out.

For tonight at least, I picked one of my favorite live performances of hers that I never tire of watching. She is singing the song "Down With Love", which she blows out of the water. Just watch it. I am sure you'll be impressed.

P.S. The message of the song is not the reason I posted it.

Childhood Autumn was pretty spot on

2009-04-10T13:09:00.000-05:00

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

This is a question plied to us all the moment we start speaking and are capable of a response. Most kids change their minds several times throughout childhood (and college), and like them I went through several phases with this question.

My dreams weren't typical: I never wanted to be a doctor or a teacher or a fire fighter or anything like that. But I accomplished all my childhood dreams by the time I graduated from college almost exactly three years ago (Wow!).

My first goal for my grown-up self was to be a waitress. Yeah, I know. I have no idea what I thought a waitress did at the time or why I found whatever that was to be so glamorous, but that is what I wanted to do with my life. I got my first restaurant job when I was 17 and have been working in the industry fairly steadily since then, so for seven years now (Again, wow!).

My second goal was to be a librarian (And yes I know the picture is of a boy.). I have been an avid reader since I first learned how, and I have always been in love with libraries. They seemed such magical places to me as a kid; I wanted so badly to work or volunteer in one.

When I was a senior in high school I did volunteer at my local library branch for a couple of weeks to fulfill a community service requirement for my Civics class. And when I was a sophomore in college I got a job at the campus library and worked there for three years until I graduated.

So you see I had fulfilled all my life goals before my 22nd birthday. And what is interesting is that in both cases, I didn't get those jobs with those goals in mind. It wasn't until much later that I recalled my childhood goals and realized I had inadvertently achieved them.

As a non-goal-oriented person and lifelong procrastinator, it was a huge shock to my system. I set a goal … achieved it … and before any kind of deadline? That is so unlike me! Now I am scrambling in my brain to remember if there are any other goals I accidentally set and completed. I'm not sure I could handle another surprise of that magnitude.

How to best complement Cheetos

2009-04-09T17:27:00.000-05:00

And yes, I spelled that correctly. I am not using this blog to expound on my love for Cheetos and say lots of nice things about them. They turn you fingers and your teeth orange and I don't appreciate that. I am talking about foods that go wonderfully well with Cheetos.

Most people experimented with food combinations when they were children. If you like A and you like B, it stands to reason that AB will be utterly amazing. Unfortunately, that is often not the case.

I remember an episode of Full House where Michelle was trying to earn her cooking badge for some kind of Girl Scout equivalent. She used that philosophy and came up with all kinds of disgusting dishes, including Tuna Cream: tuna and Oreo ice cream mixed together.

For most of us, even the experiments we deemed successful as children - I had a friend whose cousin liked ketchup on his donuts - eventually faded away as we got older. I have forgotten all of mine but one.

I don't know when I started doing it, but I LOVED to dip Cheetos in my strawberry yogurt. I thought it was THE best thing. And it always had to be strawberry, because that's really the only flavor of yogurt I've ever liked. It always had to be Dannon Fruit on the Bottom strawberry yogurt. Always. I am sure my mother loved that.

The interesting thing about this though, and the reason I still remember it so vividly, is that it never faded. I STILL LOVE Cheetos in my strawberry yogurt. I think the last time I had it was about three weeks ago. Downstairs now there are Cheetos in my pantry and strawberry yogurt in my fridge, still Dannon Fruit on the Bottom.

I know what you're all thinking, exclamations along the lines of "Ewww!" and "Gross!", but have you ever tried it? I doubt it; it's an Autumn Hill special. And I have no doubt that you all have at least one food concoction you've retained from your childhood. You try mine and I'll try yours.