THE BEST LAID PLANS

Well, the best laid plans, as they say. Three days into the diet and the brother in law comes to town and wants to do nothing but eat, and eat at some of our favorite restaurants. So,,,,,,,,in the interest of being a good host guess what I did? Of course I took him to all the places that just happen to have my very favorite foods and what do you know, I ate everything in site. Throwing all caution to the winds I proceeded to go to The Cheesecake Factory, where with my very healthy salad and diet coke I had a large piece of their cheesecake, yum, it was great, especially after several days of no white food, no potatoes, no pasta, etc. But, as if that wasn't enough we also went to Carrabba's Italian that night, wine, wine, wine, pasta, and obviously nothing that was on the diet, (oh yeah I did skip the bread). The next day was BJ's for lunch, clam chowder and lettuce wraps, (lettuce is good for you) and then to Vincent's Seafood that night, wine, wine, wine, butter sauces, baked potato, crunchy croutons, and fish, (again fish is good for you) so that wasn't bad enough on to desert of carrot cake. Gained two pounds.

So, Saturday back to the diet. I actually did pretty good, I had a meal bar for breakfast, nothing else the rest of the day and then to Nedley's for Fried Mushrooms, ribs and potato salad.

You know I am beginning to think I need to rethink the Zone thing. Maybe I will look at going back to Weight Watchers. I had lots of success with it last time and didn't really feel like I was being told not to have something. That is just the worst thing you can do. I guess we will see, I haven't given up the ship. I still have to get in front of that camera.

You yeah, I did get a Total Gym today, maybe that will help............if I actually use it.

YOU GO GIRL

The closer it gets to the day that my new classes start and knowing that I have signed up for a film and television class (you know you look ten pounds heavier on film!) I have decided that the time is now for some serious weight loss. I shuddder to think how I am going to feel seeing myself on camera as my present "not so pleasingly plump" self. So today is the day. Today is the start of a brand new way of eating and slimming and fitting into the clothes that I want to wear, not the clothes I have to wear. Alright, you go girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's on, it starts now and doesn't end until those size 6 Levi 515 jeans fit very comfortably all the way down to the shirt being tucked in and looking good. Really, I mean it this time.
Actually I have been in some sort of a fried food loop for a while now so this is exactly what I need to at least get away from that. I really don't know what the deal is but it seems like the last six months I just can't seem to have a meal that doesn't have some type of fried something or other.

Well, with "The Zone" or something like it I will have to stop that. It has to be better for me if nothing else, don't you think?
So, I figure if I have to document and live up to everything I plan for this I might have a better chance of success. So, ok,,,,so, ok,,,OK,OK,OK,,,,let's do this thing now!
Ready, set, go.................
Vital Statistics today:
Height 5'2"Weight 140.4 lbs.

Oh my God, I should have started a long time ago.
GOAL: 125 LBS.(That's as far as I am willing to commit at this time)
Tomorrow's is another day 

MAKING SURE THE WALLS STAY UP

These are the shelves in my very nice and large craft closet. They had no supports and so much stuff on them that they were sagging badly and probably ready to bring the walls down. This should hold an elephant, good thing too, I just might get one.

This is the stuff that goes in the closet that was making the shelves fall down. Think there's room for that elephant

RAINBOW BRIDGE

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. 

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. 
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. 
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. 

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. 
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. 

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. 

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. 

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author Unknown

SEE YOU ON RAINBOW BRIDGE

Yesterday was a very sad day at my house. I awoke to find my "monster under the bed", sleeping more gently than I have seen him sleep since he came to live with us. 

He was laying peacefully as if only sleeping, under my bed, directly below where my head was on my pillow. He was one to stick very very close to me, followed me anytime I moved where ever we were and I have chosen to think that he picked that particular spot under me and could feel my presence just above him. I feel better thinking this is true and that it gave him comfort knowing I was so close. 

Love and Loyalty, you could see it in his eyes. 

I would have loved for him to always slept that easily although I wouldn't have chosen for him to have gone to dreamland never to return, but that was the case. 

Sometime during the night his body gave out and his soul silently left this earth and started it's journey to the "Rainbow Bridge" finally at rest, to play and wait painlessly and fearlessly now, (he was so afraid of everything having been abused early in his life). He moved very slowly due to past injuries, illnesses we were treating and apparently illness we were unaware of.

We did everything we could to make all that better but he never really seemed to be completely comfortable. I will miss him terribly but now know that he was probably in much more pain than we had realized and so I am sure this is a better thing for him. 

Max loved his pack and we loved him too and so.......

To you Max, even though we can't see you under the bed or following along behind us patiently, painfully getting up and down as we move from room to room I know you are at the bridge watching and waiting till you can get your pack back together again. We love you.

EVERMORE WEEPING FOR YOUR COUSINS DEATH?

When classes finished this last semester I decided take a chance and enroll in a very intensive Shakespeare class. The school I go to offers a short short short two week semester in which you cram in absolutely everything you would normally get in a three month semester. Wow, this is truly an experience. I mean not only is all the information for the normal term in there but then throw Shakespeare into the mix and before you know it you are thinking that you just might be able to act this stuff.

I still consider myself a slow study, just the fact that I actually can learn the lines for this stuff with my old brain is such a surprise. I usually do better than I ever thought I could. Granted, we only had a three minute scene to do for this class with about 40 lines each, but we had them learned within a couple of days. I'm pretty impressed, if I do say so myself.

This class was especially interesting to me also because the director had come down from NYC where she had a theatre company called the "Judith Shakespeare Company" and was just a joy to work with. I was very happy to work with her since I am sure I will never get to go the NY myself.

Anyway, all in all, (expect for being away from my honey so much) I enjoyed this experience and feel pretty comfortable with Shakespeare now. I might even find myself auditioning for something Shakespeare in the future, that is if I ever see any parts for my particular age group.

FLYING SOLO? - OMG

Just noticed that it has been a long time since I have written. I have been so busy with my classes that I just haven't gotten around to it.

Wow, the classes, at least one is totally freaking me out. The Musical Theatre Ensemble class was already pretty spooky and a little strange with the music I am really not very familiar with, but a couple of weeks ago it got even spookier. David (the instructor) decided that I should do a solo of a Tori Amos song that I had never heard. I actually turned out to really like the song, but it has a note in it that is really difficult for me to sing, sometimes I totally miss it. I just feel like a have to strain to get there and I hate that, besides this solo thing is just so intimidating. On the one hand I want to do it, but on the other hand it is one of the hardest things I have ever contemplated doing. Fortunately I only have to get through it once.

I'm really so happy with the instructor though. He pushes me and that's nice, not at the time but it is what I need. I don't have forever to get to a point where I can use this stuff so I must be pushed and he definately is up for that. 

This semester is the weirdest thing though. It just keeps getting smaller and smaller classwise. I have dropped the Stage Movement class I just didn't like it and I have dropped the Stage Management class. I did like it, well all except the slave labor days, but I was about to have to do tons of paperwork and all for no reason since I don't intend to stage manage. 

So it's out of here also, but I still intend to go to some of the classes, just won't have the pressure I would have had.

CONTROLLED YELLING

I've been sick. Actually everybody I know has been sick. There is some kind of germ thingy going around this area and absolutely everybody is getting it. Fortunately I've just about got it whipped. I was beginning to think this was going to be a pretty miserable semester if I was going to have to sing with this coughing and sniffing going on. 

Speaking of singing. HAPPY DAY, I did end up getting the voice instructor I wanted, begging works. At this point I have only had two sessions with him but I am very very excited to be working with this particular teacher and feel like I will make more progress than I have ever been able to. It is strange though. We are trying to develop a style for me, that of a "belter". I seem to have a rather low voice for a female (basically contralto). So with that and my age and my desire to do theatre in mind this is what I should be doing. It's weird though, it feels like I am not singing but basically yelling. I mentioned this to the instructor and he says "Yes, that is pretty much what real singing is, sort of a controlled yelling. Not what I am used to, but it is proving to be interesting. I really don't know why but I just really do trust what he is telling me and with me that is half the battle. Trust is an issue I need to work on. 

I heard another weird thing today. I heard that I might be surprised at how successful I could be with my singing and theatre pursuits and that I needed to think about that. Hmmm, what do you make of that? I'm thinking a lot about that. 

Bad news though, alas, I have had to drop a class. The stage movement class turned out not to be what I needed to do at this time. It just didn't seem to be working for me and since it came immediately before the ensemble class I was having no time to warm up to prepare for it so a choice had to be made and the music won out. Good choice for now though I am sure. 

There really hasn't been a whole lot of other things going on, not that there has been any time for anything else. I am staying pretty busy with these classes. 

We do have a couple of new restaurants I want to tell you about. For now though I do have just one quick review. Here it is: 

"DON'T EAT AT THE "BIG EASY" IN PLANO JUST OFF HWY 75, IT SUCKS!!!!!!!! 

SAME STORY - THIRD VERSE

My classes started back today. Third semester, you would think this would be old stuff by now. I didn't sleep much more than a wink or two all last night, decided I must have been either nervous or anxious about the new classes since I took not one but two sleeping pills and was still awake at 5 am. Funny, because I really didn't feel nervous, but I guess the unknown factor was having some kind of effect on me. 

It was really an okay day. I mean other than the fact that I didn't get the voice instructor I had been hoping for the classes seem like they are going to be fine. I still haven't given up on the instructor either, I went into begging mode today and he did say there was one more tiny bit of hope and he would let me know tomorrow. I really will be surprised if anything comes of that but he said in class that he wasn't above begging if he wanted to work with someone, so I thought I would try it. If this doesn't work I intend to offer money next. Surely that will work. 
So that class is just a wait and see at this point. 

I do think that I will have to work on getting my nerves under control though. It occurs to me that if I intend to seriously do anything with this in the time I have left and considering the money and time I am spending I really ought to get over it already. Anybody with any suggestions for a way to do that? I'm open for suggestions, lots of suggestions. 
The stage movement class should be interesting also. I was very happy to see that several of the kids from the improvisation class are there and that really should help a lot. For some reason I became very comfortable working with them and so I know that should help with this class too. There are a lot of people in there and so there are a lot of people I have to meet and convince that I "totally fucking rock" as Audra so delicately put it last year. I am at least 25 to 30 years older than all of them and so I have to get them to not think of me as their mother. Hell, I have to get myself to a point where I don't think of me as their mother. At least this isn't an improvisation class so I don't have that to deal with. Yippy! 

So tomorrow is the Guitar class, actually it is more like lessons because I am auditing the class and so there is no pressure or grades. Haven't decided yet if I am going to take the tests or not. It seems like I should at least play them so that the instructor can see where I am, but even then there is no pressure since there is not grade. I think though that it would be good to be able to be absent on test days too. So we'll see. 

Also tomorrow is the Stage Management class. This is the one that will take all the time I think. I am really anxious to get there tomorrow and see how many people there are and what this thing is all about. I can see where it could be interesting and where it could be too demanding, especially if I intend to do any shows at all during the semester. 

Well, time to get back to the routine. Man I wish I had done this when I was lots younger, had more energy and looked better. 

At least I still totally rock.

PAINTED PARK

.

This is "Painted Park". I took this in the park next to my house last winter. It is very unusual that it snows around here so I went to the park to see the most snow I could in one spot. This is a wooded area to the side of the park and I thought this was a pretty scene. 

PAINTED PARK

This is "Painted Park". I took this in the park next to my house last winter. It is very unusual that it snows around here so I went to the park to see the most snow I could in one spot. This is a wooded area to the side of the park and I thought this was a pretty scene.