Wait, I still have a blog?!?

I got a notification that someone posted a comment on my blog today and I was like..oh yeah. I have a blog out there in blog-land. Huh. Maybe I should write something!

Since I landed that job at the place that shall remain nameless I haven't had a spare moment of time because in addition to that job I also was afforded the opportunity to do something I really love--AND, get paid for it! Woo hoo! The director I worked with in the last musical I performed in asked me to music direct a show that he was doing for Generic Theater of Norfolk. Evil Dead: The Musical. I was hesitant at first, because of the title...but, it was going to pay a decent amount and I'd most likely be working with people I adored from my last show experience--except this time as their boss! Ha! That was weird at first, but I found my groove. The Evil Dead gig went really. really well. Like..ridiculously well. It got great reviews and a lot of buzz and I'm excited that I was able to be a part of it. While my main duties for that show were winding down another opportunity presented itself with another theater. This time it was at the theater I'd done "Zombie Prom" in earlier this year. They lost their music director for "Oklahoma!" at nearly the last minute (the week before auditions) and needed someone pronto. I cleared it with my other director and suddenly found myself at said auditions. That show has done really well and we're in the last weekend right now. Last performance is tomorrow actually. Sad. Anyways--in the midst of that rehearsal process (and as Evil Dead's performances ended), yet another opportunity presented itself through a friend I met at the place that shall remain unnamed. This time it was music directing (again) "A Christmas Carol", at Virginia Stage Company at the Wells Theater. Holy crap. This is getting real! I met with the director and wham, bam, thank you ma'am...I'm hired for that show as well. So, while Oklahoma is just about in tech rehearsals and ready to open I'm working during the day (with some equity actors, mind you) over at VSC in helping them get the music portion of their show in shape.

Wow.

So, that show opened this weekend...I can't go til next weekend since I have my obligations at "Oklahoma!", and I'm super excited to see the whole thing together. I feel really blessed to have been able to do what I love and also meet some really great people along the way in both the theater world and also in that retail world. It's such a great place to work and they've been really great about working around my crazy rehearsal schedules.

I might get tired now and then, but I still find the time to be grateful for the opportunity to do the things I love.

Oh, and I also still have my church job 2 nights a week.

yep.

So, that also explains why I'm writing this after 1 in the morning. It's the only time I have to reflect! Although, I don't have any other shows lined up until spring of next year. Sad. I won't know what to do with all my free time!

Maybe I'll start blogging more regularly (although let's not hold our breath).

Laterz

I had to delete my last entry...

So I wrote in my last entry that I got a new job and that it was at a certain place. I found out over the weekend that I wasn't allowed to talk about that place in my blog...and well, since that blog entry was all about this certain place and I wasn't near my computer at the time--I just decided it would be easier to delete it rather than try and edit. So, suffice it to say-I have a new, part time job at a certain retail store that is famous for its need for confidentiality. I've really enjoyed my first week (other than trying to get used to standing on my feet for hours at a time), and I'm looking forward to working there in general.

Other than starting my new job I've just had the usual stuff going on...life, friends, family, reading...etc. I will be doing a lot this week for a musical that I'm music directing. Yikes, just typing that out makes me feel nervous. I think I'm more nervous than the people auditioning!

=)

So, anyways. that's about it. Nothing too exciting here..but I haven't posted in a while.

Freshly Sharpened Pencils

I saw something on facebook today that got me to thinking and remembering so I thought I'd share. A friend of mine posted that she'd just bought her son's back to school supplies. Other than thinking-oh my goodness seriously already??!! I thought..wow. I miss that...

I loved the smell of new pencils (wooden #2s of course-none of this mechanical pencil nonsense), a new, shiny, trapper keeper (b/c obviously last year's care bear one is just TOTALLY out of style), some fresh composition books, and a pencil box to hold all of your pencils and erasers and ballpoint pens. All of it! I loved it! And all of these are things that I associate with my Granny Ada. My mom and dad weren't poor by any means, but we definitely had some fun times trying to make ends meet and one thing Granny would love to do is buy me things, and hey-I was a kid-of course i was okay with that! One of our special, yearly trips was the trip to get back to school supplies. I'd agonize over which trapper keeper I would be able to bear for a WHOLE year, and she'd patiently wait and weigh out the pros and cons of each choice with me. She was such a loving, generous human being...i find myself actively missing her every now and then, even though it's been 18 years since she passed. Wow, is that right? 18 years? It seems like yesterday and ages ago all at the same time. Anyways, seeing that facebook status update took me back to all of that in an instant. It's funny how the mind works, isn't it?

I miss you, Granny Ada.

"Pushing Daisies" (You will forever live in my heart)

Photo courtesy: of the worldwide interwebz. No copyright infringement intended

This Blog is Dedicated to Bryan Fuller-the creator of "Pushing Daisies"

Last night ABC aired the final episode of "Pushing Daisies". And with it now ended, a little piece of me has died inside. If you've never watched the show then please get on it. The first season is already out on DVD and the 2nd (and final) season will be out on July 21st. I wish that the writers would have had a little bit more time to finish the stories they had intricately weaved into existence in this show. As it stands, they did the best they could in a (maybe) 30 second long wind up of (most) of the open ended stories. What remains a mystery-does Ned ever find his Dad? But, that's okay. I'm sure they did the best that they could.

As I finished watching the show tonight, and I realized what they were doing to try and appease the loyal fans, tears began to stream from my eyes. I mourn the loss of this treasure, the stories that will remain untold, the characters we'll never get to meet, and the songs we'll never get to hear Olive randomly burst into....I am sad for everyone involved and also for myself. Pushing Daisies was the place I went to in the current television climate for a respite from all of the annoying reality shows and overactive teenage hormones. The only other show I've cried over ending was "Gilmore Girls", and that was different. It, at least, got to wrap up its story-lines with a little more time (no thanks to its creator who almost destroyed it before she left over contract disputes with Warner Bros, but I digress), but I wasn't sad that it was ending-it really was time. I was sad that I wouldn't have my 'old friends' around with me every week anymore. But it's different with "Pushing Daisies". I wept because it was taken before its time, and I have a feeling there will never be a show like it again.

L'amour...blah

So, I turn 32 in a little less than a month (YES! Jenn and I are the same age for um..a month..ha!) Having reached this ripe old age lends itself to some self reflection. Something that keeps coming up and won't leave me alone is the "why are you still single" question. Please believe me, if I knew the answer to this question I WOULD TELL YOU! Now, don't get me wrong-I'm actually in a much better place than I have ever been before when it comes to this ol' love thing. In fact, I'm feeling so rational about it now that I'd like to tell myself about it. So, here you have it. A letter to myself, at various ages, going backwards through the awkward annals of my ill fated crushes and awkward dates:

Dear 28-29 year old Shawna,

You are showing great character by the person you have chosen to fix your affections on, but believe me when I say this-he is not the right one for you. It turns out it was more being in the right place at the right time (or, wrong time wrong place, really), that you even fell for him. Believe me when I say this--you WILL get over him, and you will actually be happy for him when he finds the right one, and marries her. Trust me


Dear 25-26ish year old Shawna,

What on earth were you thinking? He is not right for you, and you thank God now for letting you dodge that bullet.


Dear 20-21 year old Shawna,

Wow, this one was tough, but I promise you that you will get over it and be happy to be friends with him, to this day. Really.

Dear 18 year old Shawna,

Okay, that was awkward-you thought you were hanging out with just a friend and he showed up in a tie. Don't laugh at him, and try and have a good time. And, well-good call on not going out with him again. Really.



Dear 11 year old Shawna (yes, it was a long, dry spell),

Please keep on being excited about being asked to the 6th grade dance by that boy. Even though you found out the next day at school that you were like, 5th on the list of people he called and asked. (Wow, those catty 6th grade girls words still sting to this day). Although you weren't his first choice, you still could have had a good time, but you let your pride get in the way. You will continue to wonder whatever happened to that guy, and wish him well, even if you weren't his first choice.



Dear 10 year old Shawna,

Charlie is just your class buddy, do not try and have a dance with him at the 5th/6th grade dance. It will not go well.

p.s. that leah girl is after him too


Dear 10 year old Shawna,

You will continue to carry a love for Vincent of the tv show Beauty and the Beast. He's a good catch--a romantic, a poet, a protector..and, well, yes he also happens to be a teensy bit like a lion. This is okay. He only kills the ones that threaten you! On the other hand, Commander Riker of the Starship Enterprise is a good alternative..again, good choice. All he has to do is get over his thing with Counselor Troi and you're right in there.



So, there you have it...my romantic history. I've never actually dated anyone and most of my 'dates' have been unintentional and/or weird. I'm hoping that since the rest of my life sucks right now (yes, still unemployed although I do have an interview today) that something will give and the right man will fall into my path. Wherever that path may be.

Coming soon....my adventures in the weird world of online dating!

DEAR EDITORS OF TV GUIDE ONLINE!

Photo found at: http://www.tvguide.com/PhotoGallery/Fat-Guys-Hot-1005918/2.aspx


FAT GUYS WITH HOT WIVES

Dear TV Guide Online,

A few years ago I remember reading an article in your print magazine that angered me so much that I actually tried to call in a complaint. I think I got someone from subscription services who frankly didn't know what I was talking about, but apologized anyways. The article in question at the time was something to the effect of "Fat Guys and the Wives They Don't Deserve". I let it go at the time, but then I see through the Twitter feed today that you've gone back to the easy target of 'fat people' by including a link to this gem of a photo essay (I use the term lightly): http://www.tvguide.com/PhotoGallery/Fat-Guys-Hot-1005918/1.aspx

I'm not a fat guy, but I'm a fat girl. There, I said it. I can stand to lose quite a few pounds, so can a LOT of people. So maybe I'm a little more sensitive about this, admittedly, but I still think I have a valid point. If their issue had been with the laziness of the writers involved with the show in using cliches to portray storylines, I might have let it go-but no-they merely were amazed at how these so-called 'fat guys' (I really don't think Jim Belushi should be included here, he's just solid!) were all fictionally married to these really hot wives and how they don't deserve them. Why? Apparently because they're fat. And if you're fat-apparently you're not allowed to fall in love with anyone who does not match you physically.

EXCUSE ME?


I've realized for some time now that overweight people are the only remaining group that it is okay to ridicule in today's so-called politically-correct world. Since when is it okay to make fun of someone for what they look like? I thought that was passe? But no, it's a double standard that will continue to prevail when articles like this nonsense continue to be published. I love TV Guide Online. I really do, I am 'friends' with Matt Webb Mitovich on Facebook and follow his updates closely on the shows that I watch, but I really find it frustrating when rubbish like this is posted.

I have already direct messaged you about my displeasure (thank you for following me on twitter, that was very convenient), but I really needed to get my feelings out in a space that holds more than 140 characters.

I've already used this term in another blog post today, but I'll say it again. Shame on you.

Sincerely,
Shawna

So, It's Been a Week...

and I'm feeling better.

mostly.


I have my moments.


Sometimes I hesitate to write what I'm feeling on here, thinking that it might be 'too much', or 'too raw', but then I would be lying to everyone. I hate being lied to so I don't think it's fair for me to lie to you. I felt better that night after some prayer and having lots of people pray for me, and I'm taking steps towards what I hope will be gainful employment, they're just agonizingly S L O W steps. Ay yi yi.

Anyways, I don't really have any news on that front right now other than I have another interview of sorts this weekend, so prayers would be appreciated! It's for a part time job that I think would be really cool, AND a welcome financial addition to my current income. If I could work the church job playing piano, this part time job, and also pick up a few vocal students, then I might be okay--for a bit anyways! I have a few more employment opportunities of the full time sort that might be more of a 'down the road' kind of thing. See what I mean by slow?

In the meantime, "Working", the show I was in, closed this weekend. We had a great run and I really loved the experience. I'm contemplating auditioning for one more show before those long term employment opportunities come along, but--the show is kind of far away--and..I don't want it to interfere w/my part time job possibility. So, I just might let that show go. There'll be other shows for other times. You can't do it all, you know?


I went to see "Up" today and oh my word, I loved it. I cried, I laughed, I cried again, and then I laughed again. It was a great story, and I hope everyone gets a chance to see it. I love that AMC has $5 admissions Mon-Thurs, it really saves me alot of money.

Of course, when seeing a movie there are a few things that always tend to annoy me. So, here's a letter to the offending parties:

Dear Lady with Two Small Children Not Yet Old Enough to Sit Through a Whole Movie,

I'm so glad that you got the chance to come out, but I really do not enjoy watching a movie with your kids constantly running up and down the aisles, calling to each other, 'whispering' to each other (have you heard a toddler whisper? I think it's louder than their normal speaking voice), whine for "THEIR" popcorn, and make a general nuisance and commotion of themselves. But I guess I should have been thankful because when you finally gave up and left halfway through the movie (hooray!), I hadn't realized that you were distracting me from an even worse offender. So,

Dear PISTACHIO NUT EATER FAMILY,
O M G. Why, out of all of the snacks in the ENTIRE world, did you choose to bring PISTACHIO NUTS to enhance your movie experience (and therefore practically ruin mine)?!?!? Not only did I get the joy of hearing you crack them open with your teeth, I also got to hear the awesomeness of the discarded shell hitting your makeshift garbage tray in the seats next to you. I would like to thank you because previous to this experience I thought that having someone pop their chewing gum was the the worst possible thing to hear in a movie theater. You proved that there's something even more especially heinous in nature. Shame on you!


Sincerely Concerned about the Future of Movie Theater Etiquette,
Shawna

Stay tuned readers....I have another blog coming up in just a jiffy. That's right! It's a two blogs in one day kind of day!