Alvin Ailey - You rocka my soul!

Oh my goodness! Rachel, Gina and I went to see Alvin Ailey last night at the Kennedy Center. The show just kills me everytime (well, I've only seen it twice!) but it is soo good!! I told Gina last night that the Alvin Ailey performance is by far my favorite show/musical/theater/dance type of performance I've ever seen. Liza who??? I know! When Rachel and I went last year to see it I literally wanted to stay at the KC for the rest of my life and watch the whole thing over and over again. Here is a clip from "Revelations." It's random highlights of the performance and the quality is not so great, but it includes one of my favorites (Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham... how many times did that phrase go through my head last night while I was trying to fall asleep!) and one of Rachel's favorites (Fix Me Jesus).

A tribute to the men in my life

My dad is a man of few words. Now, he’ll bust out a scene from an old Three Stooges skit at the drop of a hat (and you wonder where I get it from?) but as far as actual conversation, he just doesn’t say much. But I have to give him cred for staying on top of the latest slang. This can be evidenced in the Valentine’s day card he sent me.

It’s kind of blurry, but notice the bottom left corner. He just says “word.” He cracks me up. I started saying “word” sometime back who the heck knows when, and my Dad has stuck with it all these years. And I must admit that I still say it a lot too – especially when I talk to him. Sometimes when he’s feeling especially talkative he’ll pull out the “word to Big bird.” Classic!

My uncle on the other hand loves to talk and write and just communicate any and all the time. He gets upset because I don’t call him or email him enough. The following was written at the bottom of the letter I received from my uncle yesterday:


In case you can’t read it, it says “By the way, I am your Uncle. Older brother of your mother. We hiked on the A.T. (Appalachian Trail). Oh yes, I used to write you every week when you were in college.

Yes, it true – he sent me a letter every week while I was in college. And at the end of my four years, he compiled them all in a book called “Letters to Anne.” Pretty great. Yet I still hardly ever email. But I know I can count on the uncle to write and the Dad to make me bust out laughing super hard with just one "word." I hoping this year to get him to start saying "fo shizzle."

Today I called my boss a loser.

Actually I called Alan a loser because he was blocking the printer and I needed to get my very important docs for a meeting so I said “step aside, loser.” But then he reminded me that about 3 weeks ago, he became the chief of the data strategy section and is now my boss and he will be in charge of my next performance review. He followed that up by saying “Who’s the big fat loser now, huh?”

Me, me, me :)

We are super mature here in my office.

Come on Baby Light My Fire...

was the song my dentist serenaded me with today. Last time it was "You are so beautiful, to me..." Freaks me out, but makes me laugh at the same time. He plays this oldies/easy listening station in his office and he sings along with the songs the whole time while he is working on your teeth. I appreciated it at my first few visits because I am a song singer alonger type of person and I always like when people feel comfortable just being themselves. I would totally sing along too, but he's poking at my gums until they bleed and that doesn't make for the best singing circumstances. So I just sit there and try not to choke when I force myself to hold back the laughter. Anyway, it's gotten wierd the last two times because the songs have been all love-ish and I kind of expect him to stop singing because Wierd! But he doesn't. And it doesn't seem to bother him one bit. At least when he's not singing he talks a lot about his wife and kids so I'm pretty sure he's a solid guy. So I think I'm ok with it. Just hoping "Unchained Melody" doesn't start playing during my next visit.

This Exhibit is Free!

Last weekend I went with a friend to the Ansel Adams exhibit at the Corcoran. Kinda liked it. He really has some great photos, but of course my thought through most of the exhibit was “how many not so great pics did he have to take to get this one good one?” cause you know I always stay on the happy side of life. Anyway, looking at Ansel’s photos got me thinking about how I like to take pictures and I seem to remember a few decent pics coming out of my very professional/high tech/the envy of any good photographer, Canon Powershot. So I thought I’d post a few of my favorites for you all to enjoy. Let me know which ones you like the best!

I named this one “Typical Thanh.” This is a pic of Thanh at the Gorges du Verdon on our European road trip in 2005. I have never abruptly pulled over so many times during a road trip in my life! I only kicked the back of Thanh's seat about 18 times, but in the end, we sure did get some great pics!

I call this one "YS Falls, Jamaica." No clever name here. It's just super pretty, ands lush and I love JA!

Let's call this one “Cow Lick.” This is a beautiful cow that became Liz’s friend when we went out cow feeding on our trip to Montana. The sad thing is that this cow is quite possibly no longer with us since the ranch we visited ships their cows off to the slaughter house so we can all enjoy burgers at Five Guys. Thanks cow!

I call this "Foreshadow." Two escorts that look eerily like mine and Liz's side by side in a used car lot in Florida. It's like God was telling us "It's time to sell your cars. And I love you." And we both did. And He does.

Horses always make for a great pic. Just ask the Pioneer Woman! I can't think of a good name for this one and I don't feel like waiting any longer to publish this post.

This one is called "What every young Christian girl needs to know." Rachel knows what's up! Look pretty (a white bow in the hair is a nice touch) and keep your man fed and you'll be set for life.

We'll call this "Farm Family” This is the Dad, bro, and sis working on the farm. My favorite part of this pic is how the fam is framed by the tree and the shed and I love the tractor wheel peakin out from behind. Good pics are easy to come by when you’re out on the farm.

I call this one “David’s Arse.” I’ve been spending too much time with Britney lately so I’ve picked up the British accent. I’ve determined that some amount of nakedness is required in every artist’s/photographer’s portfolio so here is my stab at it. Not sure what I was thinking when I took this pic, but I’m proud to say that I think I have an eye for a good rear end when I see one. I hope my mom never reads this blog.

"Me on Tractor." Bet you didn't know this was me sitting behind the wheel of the tractor. Haha. The title is the key to this photo. Deep stuff.

"Are you my Mother?" This is the Geico Gecko in front of Balanced Rock at Arches National Park in Utah. The resemblance between the man-made bobblehead and God-made bobblehead is uncanny!

I call this "Save the Outhouse (phase II)." Like the use of the Roman numeral? Another farm pic. This is definitely one of my favorites. I love the corn in the background, the sky, the work that’s taking place. This is from our family work on the farm weekend that may or may not have had something to do with an outhouse, hence the title.

“Where’s Lance?” He was in the pack somewhere. I like this pic because the viewer has no idea how fast the bikers are really going. I almost lost a couple of toes when the zoomed by! This is from the Tour de France in 2005. Notice the angle I got on those biker dudes. Yeah, my favorite side. I need to stop talking.

Let's call this “Switzerland, God loves you!” because he made you look like this. Another moment where Thanh pulled us over on some windy road and we came away with this.

And finally, I call this “What’s Up, George?” because George is up there and I’m down here. This is George’s face on Mt Rushmore taken from underneath a rock on the trail that goes around the monument.

That's it! Hope you had fun!

Best of 2007 (Finally!)

And in no particular order.

Sufjan Stevens. Rachel introduced me to Sufjan in the summer of 2006, but Suf has made the 2007 list because I’ve listened to him and loved him (he’s currently my musician crush – sorry Chris Tomlin!) for the entire year. Rachel, Kandi and I even loved him enough to stand out in the early morning February cold at 5am at the Kennedy Center to try to get free tickets to his concert. There were about 20 people in front of us when they handed out the last ticket. Boo! Maybe 2008 will be the year I see Suf in concert? My fav songs are Casimir Pulaski Day, Come On! Feel The Illinoise! (I’ve choreographed a great marching band field show to this song) and To Be Alone with You.

Here’s a little Suf (singing Casimir Pulaski Day) for you all to enjoy:



The NP’s. I can’t write out their name because I just can’t, but I love their music! One of my goals is to be tambourine girl for the NP’s. Fav songs right now are Myriad Harbor, Go Places and All the Old Showstoppers.

Here they are singing All the Old Showstoppers:



John Piper and his stinkin Future Grace! I lost my salvation at least two times while reading this book! But we’re back on track. And as much as Piper drove me crazy with repeating the phrase “faith in future grace” at least 37,000 times, I did take a lot away from the book. His chapters on future grace verses “whatever sin” were all very practical and helpful with reminders that God give us the grace each day to trust Him and His promises rather than give in to the promise of sin.

Dawn’s suggestion for bridesmaid dresses. Dawn is awesome. Just look at the dress and you’ll see why. Don’t worry – we went with something else.

The Pioneer Woman. By far my favorite blog this year. I am addicted to her “Black Heels to Tractor Wheels” story of how she and her husband met.

AAA guys – sometimes nice, sometimes creepy, but always helpful. It was such a relief to see the AAA guy show up in Hyannis this summer that I told him I loved him. And when Rachel locked her keys in her car in Williamsburg she called AAA and within 23 seconds we saw a AAA car coming down the street. We all flipped out (talk about service!) but it turns out that he was off to help someone else around the corner. Still got to us in about 20 minutes and then tried to pick up Lyndsay (there’s the creepy), the one gal in the group who actually has a boyfriend!

Liza. Duh. Did you think she wouldn’t make the list? 2007 was definitely the year o’ Liza! I saw her in concert for gosh sakes! Best concert ever and she didn’t even fall off the stage. Here’s a favorite Liza number for your viewing pleasure:

Beth Moore – My small group finished the Tabernacle study (aka “A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling place) in 2007 and it was a blast. Of course my brain retains only about 1.2% of what I read, so I don’t remember a whole lot about it, but I can draw a mean rendition of the tabernacle down to the cubit. Seeing Beth Moore at the Women of Faith conference was a highlight of my year and my obsession with her blog is another reason why she made the list. And I love that Jill and I talk about Beth, Amanda and Melissa like they’re our bff’s.

The Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup shirt. It was most def the shirt of the year for me and only cost like $7 at Walmart. I wore it all the time this summer! It looks especially nice paired with a white sequined tube top worn as a mini skirt but no one except Rachel, Lyndsay and Kandi will ever see that.

Burt’s Bees. I (with the Lord’s help of course) kicked my Chap Stick addiction this year. I was then introduced to Burt’s Bees (I think by Rachel, which would make since because she’s introduced me to just about everything else that has been wonderful in my life this year!) and it has been great. When I apply it to my lips (maybe once a day) it doesn’t cause them to feel even more dry 7 minutes later. Unfortunately, I did not inform Jimmy that this chain in my life was broken, and he bought me a 20 pack of Chap Stick for Christmas. I haven’t decided what to do with it yet, but I kind of want to burn it because I certainly don’t want to give it to someone else and perhaps cause them to fall into the pit of Chap Stick addiction that I was in for so many years!

Travel. This year was chock full of trips! There was WV girls weekend with Lynds, Rachel and Kandi, the SC/GA/FL trip with my mom, the New England road trip with Liz, the CO/WY/MT/ND/SD trip with Liz, Traci (and a visit to see Danica), the Jamaica trip with Liz, Katy and Paige, and the ladies trip to NY with Dawn and all her lady peeps. Here’s a pic from the NY trip since I don’t think I’ve posted any of those before:

Quiznos (the restaurant) and Quizno (the boyfriend). I’ve been to Quiznos a lot this year. It all started when Eboni introduced me to the Roasted Chicken Salad. I love it. Then one day I smiled at the guy behind the counter (who I’ve nicknamed “Quizno – the lunchtime boyfriend”) and he gave me a discount. Since then, whenever he is working the register he gives me a discount. And sometimes when he’s not working the register and he sees me coming, he’ll slide down the line and whisper in the register girl’s ear and then give me a wink to let me know I’ll get my discount. So I keep coming back :)

Youtube. Obviously. Look how many clips I’ve included in this post. I love it! I’ve been able to watch so many great clips from TV shows or concerts that took place before my time that I never thought I would see. And look what God did. He brought me Youtube. This is a favorite example of something I never would have seen had Youtube not come to be.

Turkey Lurkey Time from the 1968 Tony Awards:

That's it! Can't wait to see what happens in 2008!

Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!

And take a tour of my home! Many thanks to Boomama for hosting this Christmas tour! Welcome!

Stop 1: The front door of our apartment. This is Liz's super cute Christmas welcome door hanger thingy. Someday when we find us some husbands and are no longer roommates, I will have to find something like this for my door because I love it!

Next stop: The Christmas tree! Boy Scout Troop "some number I don't remember that sells trees on Wilson Blvd" came through for us again and supplied this great tree!

And up next: People!!

And food (recipes below)!

Yes - this is my favorite way to decorate at Christmas! Fill your house with your favorite friends and your favorite food, and play you favorite Christmas tunes in the background and you've got yourself a celebration. And don't forget to use the word favorite as many times as you can! These pics were taken this weekend at Anne and Liz's annual Very Merry Christmas Party! And it was Very, Very, Merry! Here we are in front of the tree!

I cut off all my hair! Whoa! Afterwards, some of us went outside to take a picture in front of the house:

Oh wait! I mean George and Laura's house! Oops! I think our tree competes well with theirs!

And now for a couple of recipes. Liz and I make basically the same things every year at our party and the food is always a hit. I've posted two yummy recipes (one really easy and Christmas-y (Jello squares) and one that requires a little more work but it worth every minute).

Christmas Jello Squares:

3 (3oz) boxes of Jello (I make one batch with cherry Jello and one with lime)
1 pack of gelatin
3 cups boiling water
1 cup whipping cream

Dissolve Jello and gelatin in boiling water. Add 1 cup of whipping cream and stir.
Pour into 9x13 pan and chill over night. When the jello chills, the cream rises to the top and creates a lovely layered effect (you can see them in the food pic above).

Sweet and Sour Meatballs:

1lb ground beef
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tbsp minced onion
2 tbsp milk
1 clove garlic
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Mix above ingredients and form into meatballs. Place in 9x13 baking dish and bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes. Drain excess fat.

In sauce pan combine 2/3 cup of Heinz Chili Sauce and 2/3 cup of grape jelly. Cook over med-low heat until well mixed. Add meatballs. Serve in crock pot to keep warm.

Well, there you have it!! I hope you all have a merry Christmas!! Enjoy the bloggy Christmas tour!

What time are you starting the prayer vigil?

...was the question posed to me by my coworker Andrew after reading this article:

Liza Minnelli collapses during Swedish concert

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thursday, December 13th 2007, 9:47 AM

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Liza Minnelli collapsed after finishing a song during a performance in Sweden, and she was seen by a doctor at her hotel and then flew Thursday to the United States for medical treatment, a concert organizers said.

Minnelli, 61, was performing in a Christmas show Wednesday in Goteborg, Sweden’s second-biggest city, when she collapsed while walking offstage, said Zlakto Nedanovski, a spokesman for the concert organizers said.

"As she walked down the steps, she passed out," Nedanovski told The Associated Press, adding that she did not return for the rest of the show.

"She was taken immediately to her hotel, where a doctor was waiting," he said.
He said Minnelli was flown to the United States on Thursday on the advice of doctors there.

"They decided together with her management that it’s best for Liza to go to the U.S. right away," Nedanovski said, adding that he did not know the medical diagnosis.

"She had felt a bit dizzy before she got up onstage," but decided to proceed with the show anyway, he said.

Minnelli’s spokeswoman, Liz Rosenberg, confirmed the entertainer "had complained of dizziness" before the show and "became very ill after the show began."

"As a result, she was unable to finish her performance and was rushed back to her hotel by her manager," Rosenberg said.

She said a doctor examined Minnelli, and in consultation with her New York physician, determined that she needed "to immediately return to New York City to receive further medical evaluation."

In a separate statement, released by concert organizer Svensk Nojesutveckling, Minnelli’s manager, Gary Labriola, said: "We don’t yet know what happened, we are all very worried."
Minnelli was performing with several Swedish entertainers in a show called "A Classic Christmas Night." It was the fourth and final show in a series of four concerts in Sweden, Rosenberg said.

Minnelli, the daughter of Judy Garland, won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in the 1972 film "Cabaret." She won an Emmy for the 1972 TV special "Liza with a Z," and Tony Awards in 1974 and 1978.

The $50 Carrot

I went to my 10 year high school reunion a few weeks ago. I'd been going back and forth about whether or not to go since I didn't have much fun at the five year. But eventually I decided to just go for it and hope that I'd see a few people who would be interesting to talk to and not just there to get drunk. And I found a few! It was fun to catch up with people but I left there so thankful for the friends I have now. I love being blown away by the way God takes care of me and He has certainly done that with the friends and family He has provided. Shout out for God!

I almost forgot - the reason the title of this post is "The $50 Carrot" is because I spent $50 to attend the reunion and left it realizing I'd only eaten one baby carrot. I had been sick most of the week before, and didn't want to dive back in to the world of real food by eating wings and meatballs. So I grabbed a carrot and that was enough to satisfy!

Aren't we a lovely bunch? I love how Paul (standing behind me) and Brian appear to be gazing lovingly into each others eyes. Makes me laugh :)

I'm Drowning in Soap

Which is why I haven't been blogging lately. And I just haven't been inspired. All my energy is going to wrapping soap and selling it at the farmer's markets each weekend. This is what our dining room table has looked like for this last month.

And I've got another soap wrapping station set up in my room. And we've got soap bins scattered around the living area with soap drying. At least the apartment smells good!

Really, though, I've enjoyed just about every minute of my life as a "soap sister", except for those early hours at the farmer's market the last two weekends when the temperature has been hovering around freezing. But other than that, I've totally been turned on to fun and fancy (and all natural) soap! And scents. Which is kind of an amazing thing, because in the past I have specifically purchased soap without a scent because they give me headaches. And now my whole world is filled with lavenders, melons, mints, lemons, gingers and plenty of fragrances I didn't know existed. And to all my friends and fam who read this blog: bet you'll never guess what you'll be getting for Christmas this year?? :)