This is FUNNY!

For those of you not familiar with Yahoo radio, check it out! It is free and fabulous! You rate songs, artists and albums as they play and then brilliant yahoo picks more songs you might like. You then rate those and the process progresses! Well, a random song that I hadn't heard on said station before came on, and I started noticing the same phrase being repeated numerous times and it sounded to me like they were saying f*&# it up, f*&# it up. Now, those of you that know me...know that I am not one to curse. I thought to myself"what on earth is this song" So I went to look and it turns out it was The Pointer Sisters singing "Salt Peanuts" HA hahahahahahhahahahahha. For those of you who have never heard this song, please check it out and let me know if you hear the same thing. Now, listen with an open mind. HAHAHAHA they are still singing it, and i still hear it!

This is FUNNY!

Keeping busy

Once again life has gotten a bit busy, and I apologize for being MIA. I will briefly recap the events that have been taking over my life.
1) I took a much needed and highly anticipated trip back to New York to visit friends. It was sooooo nice to see everyone and to rediscover why I love these people so much! Thank you everyone for your hospitality...especially Katie and Sarah who let me stay with them.
2) Extra jobs- Lots of bills to pay, and so much to save up for. I am looking to make extra money however I can......(if you know of anyone who needs help, let me know)
3) Couponing- I have become stingy in my attempt to pay down debt and save for next spring! I am still trying to master the art of the coupon masters so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
4)Crafting- I am creating works of art to give as gifts and possibly to sell one day
5) Misc activities- We have officially done away with cable, and so far (unless I talk about it) I don't miss it. I am sure that will change, but for now I simply realize it's not an option and immediately find something else to do ex. craft, more exercise, clean, cook, prepare packaged snacks etc.
So what is keeping you busy ?

My quest......

Ok, the quest at hand is to find a survival job that allows me to still persue my acting/singing/whatever. Now there are several characteristics that this job must possess.
#1 Good people and something I feel passionately about (ex. performing arts, animals(especially dogs), fashion, planning things, problem solving, shopping, creating, and ministries). Shouldn't be too hard, right?
#2 Money, more than I am making now ( I have things to save up for and bills to pay off!)
#3 Flexibility (so I can still hit up auditions and travel away for concerts and shows...)
Ok, I think those are the only three requirements.
As for me,
I have a Bachelors Degree, am smart (so I've been told), crafty (definately), really good at solving problems, personable, punctual, able to multi task in a single bound, extremely proficient with online research, professional, punctual, able to meet dealines, creative, and have a variety experience.
I have worked in the food industry and have countless experience, everything from catering, to bartending, to country clubs, to fast paced restaurants...
Administrative/clerical work......I have done office management, payroll, invoicing, bill paying, customer service, production efficiency reports, answering phones, filing, QuickBooks, Microsoft Outlook, data entry etc..
Sales-Outside sales for an employment agency, tele-fundraising for a theatre company
Retail-Bloomingdales, Metropolitan Opera Shop

This is a general overview of things that I have done.
I am looking for ideas....anyone? I have a few crazy out there ideas that i am willing to discuss for feedback. Look for it, coming soon!

The new Elle Woods

I kind of got wrapped up in the MTV reality show "The search for Elle Woods" Well, this past Monday the winner was announced Bailey Hanks, 20 years old! Wow, what an incredible opportunity for this talented young lady. I must say, that I know from experience how hard it is to do it the old fashioned way, and how lucky Miss Hanks is for being able to skip all that other stuff. I just read a review that said she did great on her opening night and I am envious and happy for her all at the same time. She seems like a really down to earth, kind hearted girl...perfect for the role of Elle Woods! All I have to say is, next time i get the chance, I am auditioning for whatever I can; be it reality show, or film or whatever I may be right for! You must be proactive to get results, and I have been lazy! Time to perk up and get in the game!

The Bible Belt

Why is it ok for a church to push away people that want to be involved? Isn't the church supposed to be an accepting forgiving, helpful place? I have noticed some big differences since living in the bible belt. I never have and still don't consider myself a bad person, so why am I being judged based on an assumption? Call me crazy, but shouldn't the church be embracing it's members and helping and encouraging them to grow as Christians?

Am I strange? Part 1

So, I know that I do things sometimes that may be a little strange. Things I'm pretty sure other people don't do. SO, I am going to make a list of said things and see if they are actually strange.......or maybe you do them too???????????

1.Sometimes when I drive and arrive at my destination, I don't get out of the car. Sometimes, I just sit there for about ten minutes......not really doing anything, car off.....just sitting there.
2. I love pedicures, but hate manicures. And never use clippers on my fingers....only toes.
3. I only like to drink milk if it has Ice in it.
4. Sometimes I invent words by putting two words together( I think I get this quality from my Dad). It is completely subconcious and unintentional.
5. I don't like peppers....(i know this one is a stretch, but it's harder than you think to come up with strange quirks) (I'm sure I will come up with more later, but for now........I would love your thoughts).

Looking for a Dog!

Well,

Frank and I have been talking more and more about getting a dog, so we have been taking the occasional walk down the street to the dog park to socialize with other peoples dogs! Well I, like Danielle, am in love witht the Golden Doodle, but I found a new breed to be in love with It is called the Lagatto Romanoglo, and it sounds perfect. Good temperment, no health problems, loving, loyal, easily trained, really smart, non shedding, really really cute. Anyone have any other suggestions or comments. I'm not sure of the price yet, but am inquiring. Let me know what you think.

Workout and Diet Buddies

I am convinced that this is the best way for me to lose weight. Every other time I have succeeded in losing weight it's been with the help of weight watchers, the gym and a buddy. EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I don't know whether it's the comraderie or the competition that pushes me more, but it helps so much. I can't find a buddy here. I mean there must be other people out there who want to lose weight and are looking for a gym/ww buddy too....right? Ten lbs, that's all I want to lose........If anyone has any ideas, I am open to them!
Thanks

I've been a bad blogger

I guess I just got busy. Anyways to quickly recap some of the big events. My one woman show "against type" went really well. The audience was not huge but very appreciative and I was proud of the performance that I put out, so i will mark that as a success.
Frank and I went camping last weekend. We had a great time although we were caught in the middle of a huge thunderstorm our second night. It was my first time camping in a storm like that. It was scary, but exciting!
It looks like this is going to be a summer of trying to keep it cheap. I am continuing to take any money making opps I can get to try to get out of debt and contiune to save. Since I did Dave Ramsey's financial peace last year with Frank, I have been a completely different person. I don't use my credit cards at all anymore, and extra money goes first to paying down bills and debt! I am looking forward to the day when I can say, I am debt free and I have a financial future where I can give freely, pay all bills with no problems, retire without debt and have some money on the side.

Big Questions? anyone have answers?

I have not blogged in a while, I realize that and I apologize. I've been busy. Frank and I drove to Pennsylvania to spend some time with my family. It was Franks first time in my hometown, so I was really excited to show him all of it. We had a great trip...it was a bit emotional for me. Anyways, I've been trying to get ready for my show, and we are going to KY this weekend and work has been busy. But, here I am back at it.
I think a lot about a lot of things. I am also a huge analyzer. Therefore, I am amazed that I have never even given this matter much thought until recently.
There is a huge difference between young adults (ages 25-35ish) that live in a big city(aka New York, Los Angeles, possibly Chicago) and those that don't. I have analyzed the reason for this.
My theory is that people most often move to big cities because they have big career dreams. Therefore, they spend most of their time working on these things and not neccesarily on developing relationships. It is also more expensive to live in a big city and a lot of people struggle just to get by. It doesn't always allow for travel to get together with family and old friends. In smaller cities, there is a different mindset. I'm not saying that people in smaller cities have smaller dreams, what I'm saying is they make more time for people because they can. It's easier to run into people, not such a hassle to drive to a friends house and it doesn't take nearly as long as a subway trip to a different borough. I am now at an age where a lot of the friends I grew up with are married, many of them have kids....and that whole world still seems so far away to me.
Yes, I want to get married and I want kids, but it is not something I ever felt pressure about until I moved to the south.
I think I only had one married friend in New York and that was perfectly acceptable. Look at Sex and the City. All those lovely single girls, they wanted love but couldn't find it. Let me just tell you, it is so much harder in a big city. Now, I am left with this struggle, how do I persue a happy family life and try to advance in my performing career? There are opportunities here in TN, but they are not career opps. My other question is......how do new mom's do it without family close by to help. Are new moms basically forced to be stay at home until their kids go to school. Daycare seems very impersonal and expensive, I really don't see myself wanting to go that route. I am just now beginning to understand why women with new babies want to be close to their families.
Disclaimer: These are all simply thoughts I have been pondering. They are in no way reflective of current happenings in my life. I am simply commenting on these topics because I seem to be surrounded by pregnant married people. :)
I realize this statement could easily be misconstrued (please don't do that)

I had a nightmare!

I don't think I am making the best use of my time. I am performing my one woman show in (Gasp) 18 days! Just because I did the show two times over two years ago does not mean that it is ready. I have a different accompanist a different venue and a different type of audience. My nightmare last night consisted of me getting ready for the show. I wasn't dressed, had no makeup on, and I don't think i had really rehearsed; I was not ready. Well, with the act in front of me I assumed I would have plenty of time. Next thing I know, they are saying it's my turn. I wasn't ready. I needed more time, so they said they could hold for me for 7 minutes. I panicked and then thankfully woke up.
The meaning of this dream is painfully obvious, I need to kick my butt into high gear and get this show ready for performance!. Yikes!

Story at 11: Jerry Seinfeld holds up McDonalds in Chicago and forces them to fry a ho ho!

I'm super excited to be going to Chicago this weekend, and I want to really experience the city. I never thought it would be possible for "moi" to travel lightly. I try to be low maintenance, and for the most part I am, but I require a lot of things for my daily routine. ......and now that the airlines have implemented all these liquid rules about how much face cleaner you can carry on with you, well it just makes my job that much more difficult. However, I do believe that I have succeeded! One Rolly bag with clothes and toiletries absolutely small enough to fit inside an overhead bin "CHECK". Granted, I will probably have to bring a really big purse so I can fit overflow.....but hey, I'm making progress.
Frank and I went to see Jerry Seinfeld last night. Frank has seen him live two other times, and told me i was in for a treat. Of course i was expecting great things! J. S. has had an amazing career, he's just funny, the sound of his voice, the inflection...just funny. He also has the Bill Cosby, no need to curse thing going for him, that is respectable in of itself. For those of you who know me well, you will know that I don't really curse. I have a few choice words, but you will most likely never hear any of the big ones drop from my mouth. I don't judge people that do use it, it's a free country, i just choose not to. Back to the show....the bar did a really clever thing and had two Seinfeld themed drinks "the yadda yadda yadda, and man hands" I had a yadda yadda yadda...it tasted like a cosmo. A drink before a comedy show is a good idea (according to Frank) is loosens you up a little and gets you ready for the laughs! I am going to rate the show6 out of 10. I know that may sound harsh, but I really wanted and expected to laugh more than I did. He had some very funny material, but I guess just not as much that I personally could relate with. Definately worth the money, but not the best comedy show I have ever seen.
On the way home Frank and I discussed, among other things....fried food. These days, people fry everything, from twinkies, to snickers, to onions, to....well you name it they fry it. However we came up with two things that "to the best of our knowledge" have not been fried/tried....peppers, and ho ho's. I don't like peppers, so they don't really interest me. I figured there was probably a reason why people don't do fried peppers. But the ho ho's ......Hey, if there is someone out there with a fryer, please try frying a ho ho and let me know how it turns out. :)

How to make the most of the time you've got

Now, this is just my opinion so you can choose to take it or leave it buster!
I always find that I am the most productive when I give myself goals. For instance, I have a plan that I put into action when I really want to get something done or accomplish something big! It's called...Operation Get things Done! The idea behind this plan, is to complete at least one task each day that gets me closer to my goal. This way, I never have a day that slips by without something productive being accomplished. Time and opportunity are fleeting and life is so unpredictable. Make each moment count. If you are sitting around doing nothing, that's fine, but at least be thinking of the next productive thing you can do. And do everything you do with purpose! Believe me, I know how easy it can be to be lazy and kind of half do something........but I am trying so hard to make sure that whatever I'm doing, I'm giving it my all. Be responsible for your actions and take your responsibilities seriously. No one is perfect, but as long as you are trying and constantly trying to improve, your life will be so much more meaningful and enjoyable. Be ambitious and driven and go into each day with a purpose. Be kind to one another and never leave things on a sour note. Remember to err is human to forgive is divine! Go out there and be divine with your bad self! Word to yo' mother!

Super Suppers

Why didn't I think of it first? It's such a simple concept: For people with busy lives a simple way to have nutritious quick meals without the hassle. You prepare them ahead of time from a select menu that changes monthly and then you freeze them til it's time to eat them. You can also call ahead and have them prepared for you and waiting when you arrive. They have all the ingredients ready, you just have to measure and follow the directions. It is fairly inexpensive too coming in around 3$ a serving. Frank and I have gotten into it so much, he has become a member of the Super Suppers Club. So we get a bunch of new suppers every month at a reduced rate!
I highly recommend looking into a Super Suppers near you!

Dogs vs. Cats

Ok, in my opinion. Dogs are so much better than cats. Dogs are cuter, and more loyal, and if you get the non-shedding kind, they don't shed. And they are trained to do their business outside so your house doesn't smell like poo. Oh! They also can be a good running or jogging buddy. And they are just better!
Cats, well, I suppose they can be good company, and they are kind of cute. But whenever you don't want them around, there they are......under your feet, in the toilet bowl, in the comfy spot on the couch....Maybe they are slightly lower maintenance, but I just don't want a cat.

Crying to get your way.........is it such a bad thing?

I consider myself to be an extremely sensitive person. Sensitive to what others are feeling, and sensitive to extreme situations in general. As I've gotten older, my sensitivites have adapted and changed somewhat. And me/I, being the analytical monster that I am, continue to analyze these changes. So far, I have come to no conclusion.


But, the one thing that hasn't changed, is that I still cry. Now, not all the time mind you, but it happens....and sometimes when i don't even expect it to. For instance, a few months ago I was making the trip from Nashville to Memphis (about a three hour drive) I was on the phone with my mom and looked in the rearview mirror and I saw flashing lights. * Oh crap* I let my mom go, and attempted to pull over onto the curb. While I was waiting for the policeman to come over, I was completely prepared to be strong and apologize for whatever, and let it be. But instead of that, I got kind of nervous and shaky. I don't get pulled over EVER! Anyways, he asked me for my license and registration and while i started looking in the glove box, I started crying........When the policeman saw me, he said why are you crying.....I said, i'm sorry I can't help it...I'm a sensitive person. (yes, i said that). I think I actually saw the policeman laugh to himself and he said, how about if you promise to slow down and drive more carefully. Millions of people are dying on these roads every day and I don't want you to be one of them.


Ha ha........Success!


Unfortunately for them, I don't think it is possible for men to be quite as sucessful with this tactic. Now let me clear something up, I did not go in with the intention of crying to get out of the ticket, it just came up out of me and seemed to be working, so I went with it.


Another example happened back in college. This time, I was in Austria doing a voice program. I was cast in a very special concert and needed to find the perfect pair of shoes. I took the day off of my classes to comb through every single store that sold shoes in the entire city of Graz! Well, I was at the end of my search and exhausted so i bought the only pair i found that I thought might possibly work. Took them back to my room and tried them on with the Dress for the consulation of my wardrobe team (My two fabulous and gay friends). The conclusion was this. They would do, but I spent too much money on them and should return them. Besides, the shoes I had brought from home were just as fine. It's a good thing I made sure I could return the shoes before I bought them.


Well, the next day, I went to take back the shoes, and the clerk at the register informed me, i couldn't return them.(In german) *We are also dealing with a slight language barrier here*


I started to panic, the whole point of returning the shoes was to get my money back, because I really couldn't afford them. I could see I wasn't getting anywhere with this clerk, and before you know it....the tears came. Please, I was told i could return these shoes, I can't afford them, I won't have money to eat(i didn't say that one). The manager came over and said please don't cry what's the problem. We went over everything again, and he said they don't usually give refunds, but that he would this time for me. He gave me my money back plus a little extra I think and I got a free shoe shine! :) What a great deal!


My friend (let's call her) Shiba told me i was giving fellow sisters a bad wrap. But, I don't think it's a bad thing. It's not like I want to cry about these things, but I think i panic and get really frustrated and just don't know what else to do. I admit it's a bit of a cop out, but people deal with things in different ways. I don't really get mad and angry I get sad and disappointed and frustrated. I would much rather cry and get sympathy than rant and rage and get mad and get nowhere! Do you agree?

Broccoli, and not talking about American Idol!

Well......I am not going to talk about how disappointed I am in the American Public. Not only did they vote off one of the best singers on American Idol (Definately Top three) but now, they have forced me to endure the pure arduosly painful torture of listening to Brooke and Jason Castro at least one more week. THEY DO NOT BELONG IN THE TOP 5!!!!!! Stop the madness people. I do lay part of the blame on myself. I forgot to vote. :( I realize my piddily 3 or 4 votes wouldn't have made the difference but I find it hard to complain when i didn't even vote........(Well, not too hard) Anyways........ I'm not talking about it.

Hmmmmmmmmmm.....Let's talk about Broccoli....I didn't like Broccoli until about two months ago. Just by Happenstance( I adore that word) I tried it while at Whole Foods, and really liked it! So now, I am trying to eat more yummy healthy foods and I am trying to buy Broccoli more often. Well, I went to the store to buy the steam in a bag kind and Stupid Kroger ( I really don't like that store) didn't have one bag of already cut up broccoli! Here I am trying to be healthy and lose weight and stupid freakin' Kroger can't even have the nice little stocks already bagged for my convenience! AAAAGGGGGHHHHH. I told the checkout guy too. When he asked me if I found everything all right.... I said no. I said, you don't have Barqs Rootbeer and you don't have any bags of already cut broccoli! I really don't think he is going to tell anyone or do anything about this....but at least it's off my conscience.

Idiots who post things they know nothing about!

I am a HUGE American Idol Fan, and an even HUGER Musical Theatre Fan. Naturally, I was really looking forward to last night's episode with *picture me using a British accent* Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber! Wow, I mean....what a thrill to be performing for him in the first place. I know you are going to make fun of me for this next statement, but I did research leading up to this episode. I went on websites to see what other fans had predicted for the contestants this week.
I read posts from people who apparently love musical theatre and people who had never heard a musical in their life. There were people who tried to predict what the contestants would sing ( I did it too, *sigh*). Some of these "idiot" people assumed because it was the music of Andrew Lloyd Weber and because they were meeting him in Las Vegas at the Phantom of the Opera theatre that everyone was doing Phantom of the Opera music. Come on people! American Idol is far too smart to limit the contestants to just Phantom. Please! Let me just say that every prediction that I read was wrong. The contestants really suprised me! I won't go into detail about who sang what, and what I thought of each individual performance, but overall it was a pretty decent week.
To be a truly great singer/performer you have to be a good actor! Absolutely have to! Andrew (we are on a first name basis now) was trying to hit this point home, by emphasizing how important it is to sing the words . I really think that David Archuletta was the only one that really got what he was saying and used the words as instructed.
I think it's time for Castro and Brooke to go. Never really liked either of them that much to begin with. People.....they just aren't very good singers. Get over it!

Welcome and Hot Stone Massage!

Welcome to my first official blog under the above title. My purpose in creating this blog is, no particular reason. In fact........ really, my reason for doing this is because I have found myself reading other blogs and really enjoying that. I am slightly concerned that mine won't live up to the standards set by these "other ones" but........we will give it the old college try.

First off, you may be wondering why I chose to title this adventure peanut butter puffins. Well, I really really love peanut butter.......and, any word that ends in an "in" is cute! Go ahead I challenge you to come up with a word, a real word, that ends in "in" that isn't cute. I think that peanut butter actually is one of the most perfect foods. Lots of protien, goes great with Jelly, and......ok, this is making me hungry, i'm going to stop now, besides...you get the point.


So, I had a hot stone massage yesterday! It was my first one, ever! I didn't really know what to expect. So i just layed there on the table, naked, with the blanket pulled up to my chin. Wait, let me rephrase that, I wasn't naked, I had on underwear. Ok, so i am on the table, and she starts out by kind of placing them under my shoulders *ok, not too bad* so then she kind of started the massage with her hands and then got the stones. They were pretty hot, but they didn't burn, I was kind of expecting them too....I was looking forward to them burning so that i could suffer through the pain for the end all outcome. Well we continued on like this for quite some time and I remember flipping over and then that's it. Yeah....I know what you are thinking and I am thinking it too..I think i may have fallen asleep. I never fall asleep in massages or facials or getting my hair done. Now, a movie, is a different story I have been known to fall asleep a time or two during a flick but NEVER a massage. Boy, it's a good thing I don't snore. But I guess that goes to show how relaxing a hot stone massage can be. I do think next time I will opt for the regular massage, but I'm definately not knocking the HSM.
More Latah my peeps!