Movin' on up (part 1)

Minneapolis skyline

For some, this might be old news... for others, it might be a total shock. But at the end of this month, Robbie and I are moving to Minnesota. Yes, it is cold there. No, it is not Canada. (Well, not quite anyway.)

I accepted a job at Fox Consulting, a fundraising consulting firm in Minneapolis whose primary clients are nonprofits and community colleges. In a nutshell, I'll get to continue working with top-notch nonprofits, while earning a for-profit salary. The best of both worlds! My family, all of whom still live in Minnesota, is thrilled about us being closer.

While being near to my family will be wonderful, it was only one of several factors that went into this decision to accept the job and move northward -- a decision that was not made lightly. The move will impact not just our lives, but the lives of many other people who are near and dear to our hearts, in particular members of Robb's family who live in nearby Gloucester, VA. But we both feel that this is a God-given opportunity -- one that will result in positive changes for both of us, and one we would be foolish to pass up.

In my mind, the collective Twin Cities are like the Portland of the Upper Midwest. It is a metropolitan area bursting with art, music, theatre, parks, libraries, lakes, architecture, politics, cultures, restaurants, nonprofits and on and on and on. While not quite as "green" as Portland, the greenest-of-the-green metro areas, the Twin Cities are environmentally conscious leaders in energy responsibility. The public transit system is one of the best I've experienced, with light rail, commuter rail, and dedicated and regular bus lines. The Twin Cities beat out Portland as the #1 bike-friendly metro area in the country (according to Bicycling Magazine), with dozens of dedicated bike lanes and greenways. To me, one of the most impressive things about the Twin Cities is how clean they are -- and I'm not just talking about lack of litter on the sidewalk (which in itself is impressive). For a community that size, the air is breathable, the lakes are swimmable, and it's evident that residents take a collective sense of pride in the appearance of their communities.

Our soon-to-be St. Paul home

When Robb and I visited last month, we meandered through neighborhoods in both cities. Robb remarked (and I was reminded) how each city has a completely unique vibe, even though the downtowns are only 10 miles apart. We looked at a duplex in the Crocus Hill neighborhood of St. Paul that we both loved. Even though we saw other properties during our stay, we kept coming back to Osceola Ave., and were elated to learn our application was approved.

We are optimistic that Robb will find work, as the Twin Cities metro area is a regional printing hub. Eventually, he would like to go back to school for a degree in forestry/environmental science, and it just so happens that the University of Minnesota has a wonderful program. A definite plus!

I know I am probably a bit biased in my love of "the Cities," having lived in both Minneapolis and St. Paul over a five-year period before moving to Richmond. And I can almost guarantee that there are Twin Cities residents who would find counter-points to each of my glowing appraisals. No city is perfect, and I know that. But I can't deny that every time I have gone back, I've felt like I was going home. I am excited to be making it my home once again.

I plan to write another post in the near future to say my goodbyes to Richmond and the people here who have worked their way into my heart over the last seven years. I guess you could say I'm deliberately putting it off...... yah, you bet I am.

Ya only get married... twice!

We did it! 

The  Wedding Party with our Families

Robb and I tied the knot on December 31, 2011, at a beautiful and personal evening ceremony, officiated by Rev. Michael "Pipe" Sloan. It was about 30 minutes in length, with lots of heart-felt words of wisdom and a few jokes thrown in for good measure. It was perfect, and we expected no less from our gifted friend. Robb's best man was his best friend for 25+ years, Norman Clark. My matron of honor was my cousin and friend for just as long, Mary Collins. 

About 25 friends and family members were witnesses as we exchanged our vows on the stage and set of My Fair Lady at the historic Empire Theatre, which just had its 100th Birthday on Christmas Day. Thank you Phil Whiteway and Bruce Miller for allowing us to use this magnificent space for our most special day. Thanks also to the production team of Theatre IV/Barksdale for making everything look beautiful -- the lights, the stage, the marquee, the lobby, and on and on. Picture perfect.

Anthony, David & Drew

Music before and after the ceremony was provided by my wonderful friends and castmates, Anthony Smith (flute and piano), David Janeski (mandolin and guitar) and Drew Perkins (violin and guitar). The entrance and dismissal songs -- Wexford Carol and Sussex Carol -- were taken from the show we all did together, Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas. I'm so grateful to these guys for their perfect playing.

After the ceremony, we walked across the street to Tarrant's Cafe for an absolutely mouth-watering dinner and champagne toasts.

Following dinner, we headed back to the Empire for a dessert buffet reception with about 85 of our friends and family. Holly Timberline baked up a confectionery storm and several guests also shared some favorite sweet treats (Jennifer Patterson, Gordon Bass, Sara Heifetz, Cat Thomas, the Moms and yours truly). We also had about six dozen cupcakes from Lola's Bakery. Yum!

Robb's mom, Elaine Freim, absolutely transformed the lobby with her beautiful decorations. Throughout the night, I heard directly and indirectly how festive and magical everything looked. Our floral arrangements were created by Designs by Ron, a neighbor of the theatre and a brilliant florist who took what I had described and exceeded my expectations.

The night culminated in a New Year's count- down with the New York City ball drop broad- casting on the flatscreen in the lobby, and Robb and I running through a tunnel of cheers and sparklers to our getaway car. :)

I have to say a HUGE thanks to my parents, Wes and Janette Cole, and my brother, Nate Cole, who traveled from Minnesota not just to attend, but to help set up, take down, bake, run errands, decorate, take video, and offer their moral (and financial!) support during the flurry of activity. I'm so glad they were here to share in the details! I also want to extend heartfelt thanks to our photographer, Greg Garner, who also went above and beyond to photograph the entire night. Most of the photos you see here were taken by him -- as you can see, he is super talented! www.bluegoostudios.com

Donna, Jennings & Phil Whiteway

I cannot write one more word without saying perhaps the biggest thank-you of all to my friend, coworker and best wedding planner ever, JENNINGS WHITEWAY. She worked behind the scenes to make everything run like clockwork, handling and diverting potential catastrophes without breaking a sweat, and more importantly, without me knowing it! She is so gifted at what she does and I can't begin to thank her for helping to make our wedding day truly magical.

Robb and I took a mini-honeymoon for a few days to the Outer Banks, to the beach house in Rodanthe where we got enga- ged. Many thanks to another coworker and friend, Tracy Coogle, and her mom Pat Cully, for generously offering to let us come back to bring the story full circle. We had such a wonderfully relaxing time!

For both Robb and me, this is our second go-round at marriage. But, we both feel certain that the second time is the charm. ♥

Vanishing vapor

Life is crazy isn't it? It really does just fly by. "For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:14) 

The past several weeks have felt like a vanishing vapor. Robb and I decided that, since we met on New Year's Eve five years ago, what better day to get married than New Year's Eve! Yes, I do mean THIS New Year's Eve, December 31, 2011. Obviously, that has left little time for planning, especially since Robb has been working a lot of overtime and I am working full-time and doing the holiday show at Barksdale Hanover Tavern (Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas). 

Thankfully, we don't have to do it all ourselves. We have the incredible Jennings Whiteway as our wedding planner, who has already alleviated so much stress by taking care of multiple details and making sure we stay on schedule with everything. If you're engaged and need a planner, you need to call her right now! (Seriously, just ask me, I will give you her number!) Also, my great bosses of 6½ years are graciously letting us have the wedding ceremony and reception at the beautiful Empire Theatre, which will celebrate its 100th birthday on Christmas Day. We couldn't ask for a more perfect and special place to exchange our vows and celebrate with our closest friends and family.

I know I really should cherish these fleeting moments leading up to our wedding day. But in some ways, I am glad they are "just a vapor" because I am so looking forward to being married to the greatest man in the world!

Engaged... at the beach!

Well, he surprised me alright.

Me, and six others (seven if you count the 3-year-old).

Robb presented me with a gorgeous piece of bling during our annual theatre beach weekend at the Outer Banks in Rodanthe, NC. My initial response to seeing the velvety black box, was, well.... I was in shock ok?!

R: [silently slipping the box into my purview]
E: Babbling mindlessly about something, then noticing said box. [eyes wide. gasp.] "What's IN there?!"
R: [smiling] That's for you.
E: [still aghast] "Is it a RING?!"
R: [exasperated] "Why don't you open it?"
E: [opening box] "What IS THIS?! Is this what I THINK IT IS?!"
R: [still exasperated] "Yes, I hope you'll put it on."
E: More mindless babbling, some laughing and crying. Then, "You haven't asked me anything."
R: "What do you mean?"
E: "You haven't asked me THE question."
R: [sighing. exasperated. smiling and obliging.] "Will you marry me?"
E: "YES!!!"
R: "Good!"

The next several minutes were also priceless. We told Sara and Tracy next. Tracy shrieked. Sara cried. (She is pregnant but I think she would have cried anyway.) Then, we told Carlos and Lucas and Stacie. Carlos and Lucas gave very appropriate and manly congratulatory responses. Stacie happened to be brushing her teeth. She threw her hands in the air and left the toothbrush in her mouth to hug me. I think she may have gagged a little. Jeff found out a little bit later from a very excited Tracy.

The whole weekend was brilliant -- wonderful weather, fun people, lots of celebrating. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

It was bright outside. That, and we were pretty happy. :)

Earthquakes & hurricanes & fires -- OH MY!

It was quite a week in Ol' Virginny!

The 5.8 earthquake in Mineral (about 45 miles NW of Richmond) last Tuesday was crazy... I was sitting at my desk at work (downtown Richmond) when it happened. We've had a lot of construction going on around our office building lately, so at first I just assumed the rumbling was something related to that... that is, until the stuff on my desk started to dance around and my coworker Liz yelled to get out of the building. That evening, I was at rehearsal at Swift Creek Mill Theatre in Colonial Heights (south of Richmond) during the first major 4.2 aftershock. I completely slept through the other one around 1 a.m. There was another early morning aftershock (4.5) on Thursday, which I also slept through.

Hurricane Irene wasn't as brutal to Richmond as Isabel was in 2003, but Richmond suffered the highest percentage of power outages during Irene (371,000 people in Richmond, 973,000 total in Virginia). Robb and I were part of the small percentage of the city that didn't lose power. The lights flickered regularly and power would go off for 30 seconds at a time, but came back on again. We are so thankful that nothing major happened to us. My coworker Tony's neighborhood south of the river was hit hard. One home had its roof completely knocked off (see photo). Lots of downed trees and blocked roads. We had a dead branch come down in our front yard, but that's nothing compared to what some people are dealing with.

Robb's sister Jennifer and her family, as well as his mom and step dad, live in Gloucester County, near the coast. His mom and step dad evacuated, but his sister stayed. They are without power, but no major damage. Gloucester had a horrible tornado rip through the area last spring causing over $7 million in damage, so a lot of people were still trying to put their lives back together after that.

One positive thing is that all the rain has seemed to put a damper on the 6,000+ acre fire in the Great Dismal Swamp in SE Virginia that has been burning and growing for three weeks. Smoke is still visible but no flames have been spotted, and the fire doesn't seem to have spread. We could smell the smoke here in Richmond prior to Irene.

Seems like the only thing we need to check off the natural disaster list is a volcano! (And maybe some locusts...!?)

We're grateful for all the thoughts and prayers -- Robb and I feel extremely fortunate in all this!

Thankful

It is altogether too easy to forget how blessed I am.

I am sitting here now in my warm & cozy apartment in Richmond's beautiful Fan neighborhood, sipping freshly ground coffee, getting ready to hit the road to spend Thanksgiving in Maryland with my cousin's family......... and marveling at my fortune.

I have NOTHING to complain about.

I felt a little differently when I moved here five years ago. I didn't know a soul. I didn't have a job. I lived in an isolated part of town. I was terribly unhappy, and I sunk into a depression. Everyone back home in Minnesota kept assuring me that in time, I would find a job, friends, my place in the community... happiness. I was skeptical.

But they were right.

Over the last few years, I have come to love Richmond. I have a wonderful job with talented colleagues at two top-notch theatres, and two of the best bosses I've ever had the pleasure of working for. I've made some life-long friends and found a church whose mission I believe in. I met perhaps the biggest blessing of all, Robbie Jones, whose friendship and support helped me through some very difficult times and whose love I have come to cherish.

Of course I am grateful for a multitude of other things: a loving family, health, living in a free country, a roof over my head, clean water to drink, good food to eat, a car to drive, the list could go on for pages. And maybe it should. I am guilty of forgetting how wealthy I am, and when I stop to think about how good I've got it, I am humbled.

"Happy Thanksgiving" -- happily giving thanks for all the blessings in my life. And if you are reading this, be assured you are one of them!

Two Nights in Rodanthe

"Our" house

Robbie and I had the fortune and pleasure of spending last weekend at a lovely beach house in Rodanthe, NC. The house belongs to my coworker Tracy's family and she was gracious enough to invite us rowdy theatre-types to experience the magic of the Outer Banks.

And it was magical.

The drive down was about as pleasant as any 4-hour car ride can be. Tracy, Lucas, Stacie, BC, Robb & I rode together in Tracy's minivan. The road to the house had been closed intermittently throughout the day, due to washout from waves remnant of a Noreaster. Lucas was driving (in the dark) when we got to the beach road. The first sign said, "Water on Road. Proceed with Caution." About a half mile ahead of that was another sign: "WATER ON ROAD. PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION." (I guess they really meant it that time.)

It was quite an adventure plunging through several inches of water, in the dark, with fog, particularly when faced with oncoming traffic and water covering the entire road. But Lucas demonstrated his expert driving skills, which he no doubt acquired from his years touring the country with Theatre IV. We all arrived safe and sound and thus began our weekend.

View from the house

The weather was cooperative, the beach was beautiful, the house was spacious and comfortable. We all took turns preparing meals and each one was delicious. Robbie made gumbo on Saturday night that was one of the most delicious dinners I've ever put in my mouth. We played cards and Catch Phrase and were also able to enjoy moments of solitude to read, sit in the hot tub, or just relax and enjoy the salty air and the sound of the waves.

But the most magical thing that happened during the trip: we all got along.

L to R: Lucas, BC, Stacie, me, Robb, Jonah, Carlos, Sara, Tracy

No arguing, no bickering, no pouting, no sulking, no fuming, no yelling (except for strategic moments during Catch Phrase) -- it was truly magical. I don't know if it was because we all were so in need of a get-away that we were experiencing some sort of collective euphoria, or perhaps there is just something about the ocean that sweeps in the good energy and washes away the bad. Whatever the reason, we laughed and ate and drank and enjoyed every single minute in Rodanthe.

I will truly remember that weekend for a long, long time to come.

Analog vs. digital

Ever since the technology world flipped the digital switch, the debate of analog versus digital has been circling 'round and 'round, with no sign of stopping anytime soon.

I had a discussion with Robb recently about film photography versus digital photography and a similar discussion on the topic of artistic talent, whether innate or manufactured.

B&W film photo. Grain Belt © 2000 www.emilyjcole.com

It used to be that to take good photos, one had to have a keen eye for value, color and composition. Photos shot on film involved either processing them oneself in a darkroom, or rolling the dice with a commercial developer. Either way, it was easy to tell a good photograph from the not-so-good ones.

Now, with digital technology, virtually anyone can be a talented photographer. Photo editing programs like Photoshop, Lightroom and even freebies like Google's Picasa mean that tasks like cropping, straightening, adjusting brightness/contrast/saturation, etc. can be achieved with a mouse-click and can make any old photo look like a masterful composition. All that is required of the eye is to see.

This is not necessarily a bad thing! It opens up a world of creativity to people who may never have dipped their toe in the creative waters otherwise. It does raise the bar, however, for anyone wanting to pursue a career in photography. Talented photogs either need to step it up a notch and produce great photographs, or get lost in the shuffle with the myriad of good ones. 

I used to think of myself as a decent photographer and briefly considered delving into it as a sideline profession. But not anymore. The sheer cost of keeping up with the latest and greatest technology that is required to produce great vs. good photos has, I dare say, permanently relegated me to that of a hobbyist. 

Digital sketch. Lil Wayne © 2010 SEILER

 

The same analog vs. digital conundrum holds true for painting and drawing too. I follow an über-talented art blogger named Seiler who is a successful caricaturist and artist in Chicago. He does everything digitally and can turn around a painting in a couple days and a drawing in even less time. 

Graphite drawing. Muhammad Ali © 2001 www.emilyjcole.com

When I think of the amount of time I spend drawing a portrait, I get irritated at the notion that someone else can do the same thing, minus the eraser crumbs and frustration, in half the time using a stylus and tablet with their Mac. It feels like cheating to me. And a little bit elitist. Forget about trying to compete with techno-savvy artists who can turn around multiple pieces in the time it takes to complete one portrait the old-school way. [Maybe I'm just jealous that he can afford the technology and I can't...!?]

I'm sounding like a crotchety old woman here! Perhaps the issue is less about the technology and more about finding one's niche in the market. There has been a resurgence of interest in vinyl records, tube amps, knitting, and pretty much anything "vintage" or hand-made. I suppose the same could hold true for art.

Until I win the lottery and buy all the fancy equip-

ment my heart desires, I will satisfy myself with that conclusion. At least I can rest assured that stained glass will never become digital!  

Or will it...?

That'll learn me

It seems I have received my comeuppance. See, in my last blog post, I commented on how Robb & I would have to get our fill of nature during our weekend at Philpott Lake because we'd be spending the following weekend at Shenandoah National Park with three little kids who were sure to scare away any and all signs of wildlife with their rowdiness.

HA!

Reality couldn't have been any more blatantly ironic. After winding through random rural roads, over the river and through the woods, Robb & I finally arrived at the Salthouse Branch campground at Philpott Lake (near Fairy Stone State Park). It was indeed beautiful; the campsites were arranged on terraced loops overlooking the lake and the woods were thick and green.

And then, there were the rebel flags. And rebel yells.

Ah yes, it seems that Philpott Lake is a haven for redneck weekenders. (And I'm only using this term because the people there proudly proclaimed themselves as such.) Noisy trucks, mullets, grubby chubby children, confederate flags, cigarettes, beer bottles, hootin' & hollerin' filled our weekend. The only thing missing were gunshots.

Robb and I were lulled to sleep our first night by the sound of our neighbors --
a father and son spending some quality time together for Father's Day weekend. This invovled drinking, cussing, guffawing, and then wretching until 2 a.m. What better way to say, "I love you," then to holler "DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!" at your dear ol' dad as he is bent over puking his guts out.

I won't elaborate on the rest of our weekend there, but suffice it to say everything was beautiful, except the people. We saw no deer, no birds, no wild animals at all, except for squirrels chasing each other through the treetops and vultures circling overhead. Appropriate.

Our next weekend at Loft Mountain, however, couldn't have been more pleasant. The boys were eager to help and learn and the baby was a happy camper (sorry, couldn't resist). Deer, rabbits, birds and butterflies were plentiful, as were the black raspberries. The weather was warm but comfortable and our mostly-secluded campsites backed up to the woods.

We went on a nature discovery hike with Ranger Georgette (with whom Caleb, the future biologist, instantly bonded) and Nathan was busy helping build campfires and naming boulders (here he is at right, standing on "Kid Mountain"). Eleanor toddled and giggled and picked raspberries. At the risk of speaking for Bill and Jennifer, I think they had a pretty good time themselves. Robbie & I definitely did.

All this to say, touché! Lesson learned! 

The Pattersons at Loft Mountain

The call of the wild

I can't believe I haven't been camping yet in 2010! And June is half over! SHAME!

Oh well, we're remedying that right quick by answering the persistent call of the great Virginia outdoors with two weekends in a row of camping.

This weekend Robb & I are journeying 200 miles west to Salthouse Branch campgrounds at Philpott Lake, which is near Fairy Stone State Park (here's a map). Weather is gonna be steamy but I reserved a campsite that was labeled "full shade" so me & my hot feet should be ok. I've never been to this particular campground and I'm pretty sure Robbie hasn't either. I couldn't really find any photos online of the campgrounds but there are plenty of pics of Philpott Lake and it looks gorgeous. That is one of the things I miss the most about Minnesota... the beautiful lakes that are so plentiful you can't take a step sideways without sticking your toe in one. I'll get my little fix of home this weekend... especially if they rent canoes!
 

Next weekend, we are making camping a family affair. Robb's sister, brother-in-law, niece and two nephews, dog (?) -- oh, and Robb & I -- are going to Loft Mountain campground at Shenandoah National Park. This is familiar stomping ground for us and we're all looking forward to it.

However, in the last year or so (or, perhaps more accurately, since the economic downturn really started hitting home for those who were accustomed to traveling), it has been difficult to reserve a site without doing so literally months in advance. Each time we camped at any of the grounds in Shenandoah last summer, they were always at capacity. So, for example, if you happened to load up the minivan last-minute and drive your wife and kids two hours past Charlottesville with the hope of getting a walk-up tent site at Loft Mountain upon your arrival, you'd likely be welcomed with a big fat "CAMPGROUND FULL" sign at the gate.

Also, for those of us who did make a reservation and were hoping for a nice, peaceful, relaxing weekend filled with the sights and sounds of nature... well, we were in for a "call of the wild" all right. Because all those families who decided to postpone the trip to Europe or Disneyworld in lieu of an economical family jaunt to Shenandoah descended upon the park en masse and raised enough ruckus to send even the most domesticated deer or squirrel high-tailing it out of there for some solitude.

Next weekend, Robb & I will likely be part of the latter group, so recognizing this, we are going to make the most of this weekend at Philpott Lake. We'll get our flora and fauna fix so that we can get loud and rowdy with the kiddos in the great outdoors the following weekend. Who knows... maybe after all that exploring and adventuring, we might be tuckered enough for some quiet time and get to hear some wild calls after all........

Ch-ch-changes and stuff

I blew through the entire month of May without a blog post. As they say in British Parliament, SHAME!

A few updates and changes. My computer died, then got all Lazarus-y and came back to life. I spent maybe two or three weeks computerless, relying on my Droid to help me satiate my email, Facebook and Twitter addictions. Then, one day, I came home and a little voice (GOD???) told me to plug in my computer and "just see what happens." It was a laptop miracle! It started up, the battery charged, and I immediately backed up EVERYTHING onto a portable 500 gig hard drive in case it was just going to be a 10-minute miracle. But so far it is still working ok... I mean, the period is still missing (am still copying/pasting the ".") and the screen still flickers on occasion, but I've been treating it very gingerly and so far it has responded by staying alive.

Remember how I said I was going to move out of my current place? Yeah, that's not so much happening anymore, much to the dismay of my neighbor down the hall in #4 who's had his eye on scooting into #3 the moment I turn the key and say goodbye. Oh well, he's pretty cool so hopefully he can wait another year, which is how long I'm staying. Turns out my landlord next door is still in his house too, with the "for sale" sign still out front. It's leaning a little.

Finished up A Grand Night for Singing at Swift Creek Mill Theatre on May 22. What a fun show! And great people. Such a pleasure. I hope I get a chance to work with some or all of them again.

[Gotta pause here to give Franklin some attentxssaz[ko7yt65 <-- he says "hi"]

Went to MN for a couple weekends in May, the first was for my godson Adam's baptism (still working on uploading all the pics but here are a few; the third is Adam with his parents, Eric & Melissa).

Robbie came with me for the second trip over Memorial Day to visit some family & friends. Got to see my friends Maureen & Mac who were up from Phoenix and my Grandma Katie who has moved to an assisted living facility. She'll be 90 in September.

The highlight of June so far has been my brand new air conditioner that Robbie so graciously installed for me. While I am willingly putting off central air for another year, at least I now have an AC that works properly. And has a remote control.

I have a few drawing and glass projects that I want to get underway... the latest glass creation was stylized initials for Adam. I really want to try to create some pieces based on the Motawi tiles (see earlier blog post). I need to get going on a drawing for a person who won it in last year's Fairy Tale Ball silent auction and contacted me last month to tell me she was the winner. Better late than never! She wants a portrait drawn of her two Sheltie dogs, which will be fun. I've never drawn a dog(s) before.

Finally, a little humor captured on the way to visit Robbie's family in Gloucester last weekend:

Happy "almost" Summer!

¿Qué pasó a abril?

What happened to April?

I just looked at the calendar and had a small panic attack. There are four days left in the month. What?! How is it possible that May starts this Saturday?

My mom told me about a NOVA special on PBS recently. In it, scientists explained their discovery that the expansion of the universe is speeding up. This means that time is quite literally going faster but we don't notice because it's all relative. (Right, Mr. Einstein?) Something like that. Anyway, add to that the fact that practically everything in our daily lives is designed to move at the fastest speed possible, and in the time you took to consider it all, it'll be time to flip the calendar again. Next thing we know, it'll be December 31 and we'll be reflecting on the blur that was 2010.

But before that, I'm forcing myself to take a look at April. It was a good ol' month, despite the fact that I have to refer to my planner to actually remember what I did, in addition to the usual 9-5...  

A Grand Night for Singing opened at Swift Creek Mill Theatre on April 1st. The callouses on my fingers reminded me that it was not a joke -- that I was, in fact, playing the harp in an 8-week show with some amazingly talented actors and musicians.

Robb & I went to church on Easter Sunday, and thoroughly enjoyed the STOMP-like worship service. (This is an old pic; I couldn't find one from Easter.)

 I saw my coworker Jeanie in a great show at Richmond Triangle Players, Last Summer at Bluefish Cove.

 

I participated in Chalk Up the Town in Carytown.


I helped Robbie clean out a bunch of stuff from his apartment and move it into storage, which included parallel parking Theatre IV's production van (I'm still quite proud of this accomplishment).

And finally, my last stretch of my 10-week Spanish class came to a close with a tasty meal at Chicken Fiesta in the west end.

I guess that's what happened to April! Bring it on, May.

Phreedom from Phleghm?

Had pneumonia. Got better (or so I thought). Then, sore throat, aches, sniffles... you know the rest. Was really trying this time to treat this homeopathically and not have to opt for drugs. Here's what I've tried so far:

raw garlic
raw honey
almonds
orange juice
cherry/pomegranate juice
ginger granola
homemade chicken soup
echinacea tea
pu-erh tea
salt-water gargle
Neti pot
vitamin D supplements
"lung heatlh" supplements
multi-vitamin supplements
water by the gallon
16-20 hrs. of sleep

Today, I woke up without a voice and more gunk in my lungs than the previous days. So much for putting in an appearance at work.

There's only so many herbs and supplements a girl can ingest before opting for pharmaceuticals. Robbie's doctor told him to take Mucinex for his cold and cough, but I've resisted trying it, mainly because of the unpleasant side effects. "Be careful because it'll really dry you out." "It made me bounce off the walls, but it did the trick."

Not being a big fan of guzzling large amounts of water to begin with, the thought of tripling my current already-increased h2o intake makes me want to reevaluate how bad my cough really is and if I can get away with not taking it. I also cannot imagine having the jitters on top of being sick. That just sounds awful.

Soooo.... here we are. I had fantastic take-out tonight from Mom's Siam... spicy green curry chicken and vegetable soup with tons of garlic. My sinuses feel better. Still coughing though. I guess if the symptoms persist tomorrow, I will break down and try the dang Mucinex. I do get a kick out of those phleghmy-looking cartoon thingys in the commercials. At the same time, they are kind of gross. I'm sure there's a green curry joke in there somewhere, but I'm not on top of my game presently, so you're on your own.

*cough* *cough*

Super Sunday

Ever wake up on the wrong side of the bed? I did today. It all started with a situation very similar to the one above.

I'm trying to laugh about it.

Five other things that are annoying me today:

1. GoDaddy.com's crappy site-builder. Consternation!

2. Superbowl hype. Dang American football.

3. My neighbor's droning popular-music vocal stylings vibrating through the wall into my apartment and making my ears hurt. It's also hurting my feelings.

4. Weather forecasters. And "snowmageddon."

5. Dirty dishes.

The silver lining is, Robbie did the dishes and is currently working on a delicious brunch. The sky is sunny. I have an iPod to plug into my ears to drown out the droning. I have a TV to turn off. And, I know that somewhere out there is a web designer (Fievel?) who can create me a kickin' flash website to promote my art. Someday.

A super Sunday it WILL be!

p.s. The cats are fed. :)

Bloggeriffic

Here it is, my inaugural post. 

I have resisted the urge to start a blog for quite awhile. Years in fact. The main reason I have not started one until now is because I perceived many of them to be self-centered and dull. Basicaly, blah blah blah. (This does not apply to any of the blogs I'm currently following, which are all written by amazingly brilliant and talented people.) Thus, I did not want to risk falling into the same trap, only to have some know-it-all casual blog browser judge and label my blogging ability without first getting to know me personally. *Ahem.*

But, I couldn't resist any longer. The main reason I did decide to hop the train to Bloggersville is because I think about things. And as I'm thinking about things, I wonder, "Does anyone else think about this? And if so, what do they think?" (Sorry for getting all Dr. Seussical and for pretty much ripping off Robin Harris-Jones' entire blog theme.) My hope is that this can be a fun and interesting forum to share some thoughts, ideas and laughs. We shall see........! Or read, as the case may be.

As I was on the fence debating whether to worsen my carpal tunnel, I asked my boyfriend Robb if he could help me come up with a clever name for my maybe-blog. That was great fun. Here are the candidates. It was a joint effort:

Hot Diggity Blog

Wizard of Blog

Blog Cabin

Blog-a-Bing

Bloglorious
Blogburger
Blogical
Blogarithm 
Monoblogue
The Rattlin' Blog
Blogology

Bloggery

Bloggocks

Bloody, Buggery, Bollocky Blog (we were on a roll)
Good Bloggie

Water Blogged

Blogilicious

Tobloggin

Blahg

The last one was the winner (at least for now... I'm notoriously fickle with such decisions). Robbie ribs me about my Minnesota accent, which I have deliberately attempted to dampen but is just too deeply ingrained in such words as "pahpcorn" and "bayg" and, well, "blahg." 

So there you have it. Time will tell whether the name of this blog ever connotes the obvious alternative meaning.

Blahgs away!