there's a whole paragraph about Chipotle

My last day is going to be September 24th. I am excited! I suppose I will move that weekend. It's going to be scary. Where will I park the car? How will I move the gigantic bin by myself? The whole thing is so scary. I am really nervous but also really excited. I am going to be a struggling actor. What a stupid thing to be excited about.

Chris and I both got our headshots reproduced and received them last week! This is Chris's first headshot since, like, 2000. I am going to the fall SETC auditions next Monday which I was more excited about when I registered for them. We both registered for UPTAs in February already (and thank God we did because 2 of the 3 days are already full!) so hopefully we'll be able to actually go to them. I hope so. The registration fee is non-refundable. I really want Chris to be on Broadway. I want to be on Broadway, too, but I think that his chances RIGHT NOW of being on Broadway are a lot better than mine. My type is a dime a dozen. His type is leaving the business for a more secure life, opening up things for those who are not leaving the business. Hahaha, no THANKS, secure life! We'll take our date nights at McDonald's and pasta every night for dinner life, thank you very much!

I gave blood on Saturday. I was scared. I haven't given blood since 2000. I was secretly hoping my iron would be too low... but it wasn't. Everything was normal and my blood pressure was GREAT! I have good veins. They got the needle right in. My blood did stop flowing for a little while, but it got going again. The nurse wrapped my arm in a pretty blue bandage with a purple bandage bow stuck on. PLUS, they gave me a bottle of water, oreos, a t-shirt and a $5 gift card to Qdoba! I used it yesterday. I was sitting in the Qdoba eating my almost-free food and I looked out the window.... and saw that they had built a new Chipotle in Harrisonburg. 9 times out of 10 I would chose Chipotle over Qdoba (the 1 time I wouldn't is when I had a gift card to Qdoba) but that's not the point. The point is that they built the Chipotle NOW. Harrisonburg isn't close. It's about 25 minutes away... but before, the only Chipotle was in Charlottesville, which is 45-50 minutes away. I think I've been 5 times in the 2 years I've lived here and a month of that time was spent living within walking distance of said Chipotle. Now, I know that as soon as I get to NYC there will be more Chipotles than I know what to do with, but my life has been seriously lacking in Chipotle the last 2 years. I used to go once a week!

We are starting to pack stuff and also throw stuff away. This move is getting serious.

I don't even need a bumpit

I am growing my bangs out and therefore have been pulling them back every day to keep them out of my face and eyes. A couple of weeks ago Christina bought those "Bumpits" to play with and she didn't want them, so she gave them to me and then I gave them to the costume shop. Most of them, anyway... not the LITTLE bumpit. I kept that one for me! I haven't actually used it, though. My bangs have not needed the help of the bumpit. The girls in the res troupe are obsessed with the Bumpits. Alli has been dreaming about them. I should probably give them the little one since my hair has enough volume without the bumpit.

This morning I watched a 6 month old baby for an hour and at 3 I am going to watch the Harrell kids for a while, too. I am hoping it doesn't rain so that we can go to the park. I was holding baby Imogen this morning and now I have baby shoulder. I don't know how parents do it. I know I'm gonna be exhausted if we do go to the park because of that heavy, heavy stroller.

Yesterday I had a HORRIBLE day. Well, technically the horribleness started the night before when Ellen called to tell me they lost the apartment they were getting (more on that below). For some reason when UPS came to deliver a package, they didn't ring the doorbell with a signature required so we missed them (this was the least bad thing to happen but it was still irritating). When I got to work I had to do bars for two events, both of which made me crazy, one of which was for 12-18 year old girls who wanted to complain about everything and steal things from the gift shop. The trash people didn't pick up our recycling from the theatre which I had to take up the hill the night before, so I had to take it back down. Taking it back down the hill is really, really hard. I broke like 7 bottles all over the place. None of these things sounds THAT bad, but when they're all together, it was just a bad day. The bad day ended, however, when Ellen called me BACK to tell me they got another apartment.

SO! Here's the "more on that." In about a month I am going to be moving to New York and subletting for Ellen's roommate who is going on tour with Avenue Q. She is going to be gone until the end of June, so Chris is going to be joining me in December and hopefully that will give us enough time to get employment history in the city and find our own place. We are very excited. I hope we find jobs and can get our own apartment eventually. Otherwise... uh... hopefully there is no "otherwise."

Project Runway is back, thank God. Although I kind of wanted that Ari girl last week to stay (just to see what she'd come up with THIS week), I did want that Malvin guy to go home this week. Well, I am NO FAN of that Mitchell, but that Malvin.... what to say about him. I think it's still too early to say who I really like, although I think I know who I do not like.

adventures in Tellydog

Our weekend is Monday and Tuesday and this last weekend we went to scenic DELAWARE!!! Don't laugh, because Delaware rules. At least the part I went to does. We left with our friend James on Sunday night and stayed with him up there (he and his wife live there and he goes back on Mondays to teach classes and, you know, see her). He even let us use his car! On Monday we had a nice breakfast with Anne and Keegs where they had bought us coffee (decaf and regular, because THAT'S HOW NICE THEY ARE!) and bagels and then we went to Rehoboth Beach for a little while. Even though it was a Monday, this beach was still pretty crowded so we didn't stay there too long. We did eat lunch at this place where everything was only $5. There is also, apparently, no food tax in Delaware. After that we went to some of the outlet malls, none of which were very outlet-y (but I did get 3 headbands) then we found the state park (where we'd be going the next day) and then we went back to their house. Anne and Keegs cooked us steaks and chicken, baked potatoes, corn on the cob and some really great bread on their amazing grill and then we sat in a food stupor until bedtime.

So, on Tuesday I slept in a little bit and then we made our way to Cape Henlopen State Park to go to that beach... and it was the greatest beach in the world! First of all, the second we got into the beach part, the woman in front of us says, "oh my gosh! look at all the dolphins!" Sure enough, there were dolphins everywhere and they stayed there for about 2 hours. We took some pictures but I don't know if the dolphins will actually be IN the pictures because of the camera delay. I didn't even know dolphins swam that far north! Apparently they do and they play and jump out of the water and are generally super entertaining. I went to get some water from the snack shop and when I came back they were REALLY close. It was so cool. We did get in the ocean a little bit after Chris went on a walk. Rehoboth beach was really rocky but this beach wasn't too bad and the water was really quite temperate (even though when you first felt it, it felt freezing). Plus, you know, dolphins. We got there at about 1pm and stayed until a little after 4. I have some sunburn on my back but I've had worse. I tried to read Shakesfear and How to Cure it on the beach while Chris was gone. I've read it before but I was looking for something specific. I felt nerdy in a bikini.

After that great time at the beach we went home, showered and then Keegs gave us a gift card to this restaurant, which we of course used. It was a seafood restaurant but luckily they had a cheeseburger on the menu. I should just force myself to eat some fish. I just can't decide whether it's good or bad for you. Mercury poisoning vs omega-3. It's like milk... no one knows the answer to the question: is this good or bad for you? Anyway, a cheeseburger is NOT good for you, but I ate it and I'm not ashamed. I also ate a LOT of bread while I was in Delaware. After the restaurant we went back to Rehoboth to walk around the boardwalk. We didn't go on any rides because it was so crowded I couldn't even figure out where the lines began but they looked less cheap than other crappy carnival rides. We got some ice cream and then we went back home. Oh, we also went to a place called the Sea Shell Shop, which is a ridiculous tourist crap store, because I was so in love with Delaware by this point. I even gave it a cool nickname: Tellydog.

Yesterday we left at 6:30am which is EARLY for this lady. Maybe it's early for anyone. It's about a 5 hour drive so we got back here at 11. I then babysat the Harrell kids for a little while and then I took a 20 minute nap before work. I was very sleepy. I am still very sleepy.

We've been pretty busy at work lately. I try to update this between phone calls and people coming in so the average post takes about 2 hours to write. Summer is a weird time here. There's less people coming to see the shows (compared to the ren season in winter) but more people coming in for tours and asking to peak at the theatre (answer: no). Our summer season is really long so it's probably actually the same amount of people coming, just more spread out across the 6 months.

I just found out my friend Josh is totally a hero. Some girl got mugged in town a couple months ago and he totally chased the guy down the street and into a house. The guy had a GUN! I guess he didn't know the guy had a gun when he started chasing him. But he still did it! I'm not surprised. Josh is great. And now he's a hero. It makes me want to cry.

... and NOW it's just time travel

So, in other news, last night I wrote a note that said, "Hello from the past! If you're reading this note and time travel is possible in the world you live in, please come visit us. We just baked chocolate chip cookies and we're willing to share as long as you don't hurt us or something." and put it inside a big book. I asked them to come at 12:30am last night... but no one showed. So, either the book or note became lost in the future or time travel isn't possible. OR, maybe they DID come and I just couldn't see them. I heard somewhere (and by "heard somewhere" I mean saw it in that movie, What the Bleep Do We Know?) that the way our brain is wired we can only see things that we believe are possible. So maybe I didn't REALLY BELIEVE that anyone from the future would would come here. I'm sure our landlord would have been angry if they did, anyway. (Yes, I did steal this idea from the Time Traveler Convention held in 2005. Yes, maybe I should have learned that it wasn't possible after no one showed up to their party. HOWEVER, Chris and I are a lot more low key. We wouldn't bombard them with questions. Well, maybe we would, but it would be less damning. Plus... free cookies.)

I wish time travel WAS possible. I would have asked the guy/girl to go back to May 2008 and told us we definitely did NOT want to live in the apartment we're living in. That's all I would ask. I wonder where we would have lived in this alternate universe.... somewhere mysterious.

The AC in the theatre is working overtime right now because there are approximately 150 people in the lobby. Maybe more. This is probably illegal, actually. I am pretty sure that a fire code is being violated. Our lobby should NOT hold this many people. It comfortably holds, like, 50. They are all waiting to go in to see the young company theatre camp shows which start at noon (introductions start at 11:30?). Some of the people have been here almost an hour already. One guy apparently STOLE a chair for the hotel next door and was sitting in it in front of the theatre. He, of course, didn't put it back when he was done so it was just sitting out there. One of the people who work in the main office came over here at some point and was like, "Why is there a chair from the Stonewall Jackson hotel out front?" I could give her no answer. I'm not allowed to leave my little station without someone guarding it (not like I could have physically left anyway--- there were too many people in here) so that chair would have stayed there for quite a while if she wouldn't have moved it.

Ok, everyone was finally let in. WHEW. It's going to be 100 degrees today and I was sitting here shivering because I'm right next to the AC vents. Since I am obviously working this event I can't watch the shows which is actually bumming me out a little bit. For the last 3 seasons I have been almost forced to watch them. I want to support the program but the event is really, really long. Sometimes 4 hours long. And, sometimes when you're in a troupe, it's your only morning off. And you might want to do something else during that morning. Like... anything. But you always go and you always enjoy it. But today I have to sit at the gift shop. They're doing Merchant this year and since, you know, I like that play a lot (and our friend Tyler directed it), I watched a dress rehearsal on Friday night. That play is so good. I think it's my favorite play. This was the first time I've seen it since we did it. The kids did a great job. It also made me realize that our show was really, really good. Maybe some don't agree with every single choice that was directed, but it was great. And every single person knew exactly what they were saying during every single word. I am so lucky to have gotten to WATCH that show every time we performed it (we sat on stage during the whole thing).

We are dog sitting for the next couple of days for Christina. She has a little schnauzer. Last time we did this they brought the dog over at night and she went CRAZY until about 4am. She just ran back and forth between the living room and the the door that they exited through, apparently looking for them. When we were trying to sleep this was really annoying and horrible. Today they brought her over at 9am. Hopefully she will not still be running back and forth (which is what she was doing when I left) 15 hours later.

So, the rent in downtown Staunton is, from what I understand, going up. WAY up. This one weird card/novelty store is having to move out of downtown to the OTHER part of the city... they might as well be closing. Well, I'm sure they WILL be closing because no one is going to go to it anymore. There is an apartment located above the soon-to-be-former store that is $1200 a month. I'm sorry, WTF? $1200 a MONTH? In STAUNTON, VA?!?!?!?!?!?! This is not an amazingly elegant apartment. It's a 1 bedroom. I can get a 2 bedroom apartment on 119th street in New York City for $1200 a month. And in New York, there are... THINGS! And restaurants that stay open past 5pm and are open on Mondays! I was amazed when I heard this. People and their greedy, rent raising ways are going to destroy this town. No one will be able to afford to live or work here.

Today is my sister's birthday! She's 24. Can you believe that? I had my 24th birthday 2.5 years ago. Yolanda Board made me a super special crown with a "24" on it and I wore it in theatre history. Dr. Bank was probably not happy. Theatre history is the only class I ever miss. Well, it and that earth history class I took my last semester, that was great. However, it is much better to not be in school than to be in school. "Back to school" time is kind of fun when you don't have to worry about actually going TO school. Remember that feeling of dread? When I was in elementary school and high school it was excitement, but in college it was just dread. Just, "Oh my God, there's only 3 weeks of summer left.... " I feel like I probably cried about it, once. I've been reading a ton of plays recently, even without theatre history. Last night I read Baby With the Bathwater and the nights before I read Oleanna and Betrayal. Although I did like both Oleanna (although "liked" is... the wrong word) and Betrayal, I liked Baby With the Bath Water much more. Christopher Durang is so effed up. It's hilarious. I hope someday there is an American Durang Center. Or Festival. I'd like to be a part of that.

It's AUGUST! Every day gets closer to me moving away. Yay.

I have to wonder: is there a correlation between smoking and committing a crime? Whenever I work an early shift and walk by the courthouse, half the people going in are smoking right beforehand. Actually, any time I walk by the courthouse there are people loitering around outside smoking. It is actually SHOCKING to me to meet/see people who smoke nowadays. I mean, I just can't believe it. Why would you pay SO MUCH MONEY for something that gives you cancer? If you need to have an addiction or need to spend $100 a week, get addicted to giving ME your money. That solves all the problems I can think of right now.

One week ago today a theatre in NJ called me and asked me to come in on Tuesday to audition for them. In New York. I didn't think I'd be ABLE to go on such short notice, but Josh lent me his car, Jeremiah covered my shift at work and Jessica and Beth let me stay with them for a night in the city and I was able to get there. I drove to, from and IN New York City. It was a long, long drive. Well, it wasn't THAT long. Not as long, as, say, Los Angeles to Kent, Ohio. It was about 6 hours. I was terrified to drive in Manhattan but that ended up being fine, it was driving in New Jersey that was REALLY terrifying. It is so confusing getting to New York! I wanted to cry a little. After I got there I couldn't find street parking (Beth and I drove around for almost an hour but the only spots that would open would have street cleaning the next morning) so I parked in a parking lot for what was, basically, a reasonable price. I loved their neighborhood. I want to live there. The funniest thing about me loving their neighborhood was the fact that the thing that REALLY made me love it was the Starbucks on the corner and this huge McDonald's on Broadway. I'm so easy to please. (The audition went okay, too.)

Driving back here was the longest drive ever. I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before and I was totally losing it. I did "discover" the most beautiful Led Zeppelin song ever, though. I don't know if somehow I never heard it or I just never paid attention, but "Thank You" off of II is just amazing. I was so stunned. I heard it on the radio and then found it on my ipod and then I just shuffled Led Zeppelin for a while in the car.

I'm going stir crazy. Even though I just left the state two days ago. I need to be in a place where things are still open after 10pm..... or, if you're in downtown, after 7pm and sometimes only 5pm. It's not 1950. You know what people in this town do at night when everything is closed? Stand around in parking lots. I've never seen anything like it. Nothing for 30 miles is open except grocery stores and Wal-mart, so they hang out in the parking lots. Just hangin' and talkin'. Freaking normal people out. If there was a restaurant open, I bet they'd be hanging out there instead.

Today is a cold, rainy day. It's LONDON weather, at least based on movies I've seen set in London... and references from "Oliver!" This is not why we came to the new world. We came for the SUN... and the TOBACCO.

Yesterday we were going to rent a car. There is this new theatre in Philly that had it's season auditions a couple of weeks ago that we had to miss because we couldn't afford to get to them. THEN they posted another audition in NYC for yesterday just for Little Shop that I really, really wanted to go to.... but we couldn't get to those, either. I was so depressed. I felt like it was my second chance and then it was gone. Boo. Anyway, when we decided we couldn't go to the NY auditions I was like "Well, we better do something FUN to make up for it!" We had planned on renting a car and driving to Richmond. We went to two rental places and neither one had any cars. When I called them they said that they did... but when we got there it turns out they were lying. Or just wrong. But either way, I was so bummed out. We did NOTHING yesterday except make a really good dinner and watch all the webisodes of the [title of show] show.... which, yes, was hilarious. And then we watched stuff about the Apollo 11 landing. But our dinner was great. I had completely failed at making corn on the cob last week but this week was a success thanks to my mom and James Keegan. And maybe Martin's for having better corn than Kroger. I'm sure we could get corn super fresh at a real farm... this is VIRGINIA, after all... but we'd have to drive around searching out a farm and we don't have a car. And the farmer's market is only on Saturday morning for 5 hours when I am generally sleeping.

We saw Up again on Sunday night at the cheap theatre. I missed the movie about A Chorus Line at the artsy theatre the other day and now it is gone forever. Now I'll have to rent it someday or something. But NOT on itunes because itunes rentals NEVER work for me. Anyway, Up is still good. The cheap theatre in downtown is HILARIOUS. I don't know when it was turned into a movie theatre but I sure know the last time it was decorated, and that was in the 1970s. It is just a dump. They have some nicer seats in the back but the seats in the front are hilariously bad. It doesn't matter, though... you're paying $6 and going for the MOVIE not the THEATRE. I'm not sure of the future of the building. I know what's next door is being turned into a performing arts center (supposedly) but I think they're keeping the movie part... who knows. I won't be here to find out anyway.

I am going CRAZY because I am so excited to move to New York. It's more than 2 months away but I am just. going. crazy. I wish there was more I could do right NOW. I have told nearly all my NY friends to keep me in mind for a sublet but no one is going to know anything for October right now. I also wish I could look for a job right now... but that's obviously not going to happen before I'm there. I'm sure people who are not in "the business" are going to think Chris and I are having problems since I'd be moving without him but rest assured, we're not. He's just under contract for a while and I am not. Plus, the sooner I can move, get a job and get somewhat acquainted with the city the better because when WE apply for an apartment together they're going to want at least ONE of us to have relatively solid employment. So, stop thinking crazy thoughts. We've been living together for 2 years... if we were going to have problems they'd probably have already come up.

Now the sun is starting to appear and I am going to need to switch computers so I may as well end this post. Good day.

Last night I was finally able to get Chris to sign the thank you cards from our wedding which I wrote TWO MONTHS AGO. I was so proud of myself; I got them all done while bartending the week after we got back. I should have just done them at home and handed each one to him after I was finished to sign. He was REALLY busy during the last week of May and almost all of June, plus I was away doing the show, so it was hard to know if he did or did not actually have time to do it. Last night, though, when he was organizing music on itunes for a couple of hours, I brought it up and finally got it to happen. So, if you're like, "Wow, those guys are jerks for not sending thank you cards yet" know that we're only KIND OF jerks because they were done, just sitting in a bag waiting to be signed. And now we have to send them out in shifts because we don't have enough money for all the postage.

Oh my God. There is this fly in here that won't leave me alone and not only won't leave me alone, every time the phone rings it flies into my face. AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I just murdered him. There are flies in here every day because we usually keep the front door open before the show while people are coming in and right after the show as they're leaving. Normally they're annoying but they're not trying to crawl into your brain via your nostrils or sit on your eyeballs. This one was. I don't think I've ever actually been ABLE to kill a fly before but I am happy that the one time I did, it was the one that REALLY deserved it. I gave him a chance. I tried scaring him and shooing him away... it did not work. I think it had gone crazy, anyway.

My friends are back in town! Some of them never left (Dennis) but now the ones who DID are back (Ben, Ginna, Josh, Rick). I haven't actually seen Ginna or Josh yet. I look forward to when I do, though. Tonight I think I am going to see a movie by myself. It's that movie Every Little Step. Had I known it was playing yesterday I might have taken Chris but I'm afraid it won't be here after this weekend. It PROBABLY will but I don't want to miss it by assuming that and being wrong.

I talked to my friend John on Sunday. He's still having fun on Broadway. The cast of Hair (that he is in) performed on The Tonight Show last night. I have seen him perform on TV at least 3 times now... Tonight Show, Late Show and the Tony awards. They were also on Good Morning, America but that was when I was at Heritage and had no TV. I saw some clips online, though! I never even watch anyone else during those things. I am just constantly looking for John or watching John because he's in the middle of the screen. It's very fun. They won a Tony award, you know. One of my best friends from college is in the cast of a Tony award winning musical on Broadway. It makes me want to cry.

I can't believe it's nearly 11am and that I've been at work for 2 hours. That is so absurd to me. I didn't sleep a lot last night because I am so used to going to bed late and getting up late because I haven't worked a morning in about a month and that was only one day (and that was a music rehearsal). This is only like the 3rd time I've opened the theatre all year. I think I am going to have more of this shift for the next couple of weeks, though... mainly because I have no idea how to run reports to close the playhouse since we switched ticketing software while I was away. I am so useful.

I don't remember what DAY I wrote last but I think it was before I got my hair colored last week. I am so happy that it's finally done. Holy crap, it looked so stupid... and now it looks great! They added a lot more blonde highlights than I was expecting but I really like it. I never mind blonde hair. I had a good time at the salon and I really liked my hairstylist... but when I walked back into my apartment and looked in the mirror there was dye ALL OVER my forehead and face. There was even some on my nose. She wiped a lot off my face but I am really wondering how she missed this. I had to scrub it off, which took some serious effort since it had been setting for a while. They did give me a free cupcake-shaped soap and some free lip balm, though. I love free stuff and they always give me some at good old Tease.

So, I am back in Staunton and back to work. I am freaking out a little bit right now because I don't think I'll be getting as many bartending shifts the rest of the summer and I'm only going to be working in the costume shop for a couple of weeks so... you know... money is on my mind. I keep thinking there is some kind of imaginary job I can get, but there isn't. I suppose we could play our guitars on the street and hope people give us tips but that's unlikely. Chris is talking about moving back into company housing. I would be able to go for a while but we really would miss having our own apartment. It would save a lot of money, though. I wonder what will happen!

The show went really well. I REALLY liked working for that company and I have no complaints about anything. Our housing was great, the theatre was great, the stage managers and director were great and the cast was great. I am still not a fan of the musical "Oliver!" but I had fun every single time I was on stage. I got to dance a lot and I became friends with a lot of girls in the cast. The best part about THAT is that it's really hard for me to make friends with girls, in general. I just have a lot more guy friends but I told myself I HAD to become friends with girls during this contract and I did! I was happy and I like them a lot. Hopefully we keep in touch. I was sad to leave.

...however, just last night Chris and I returned to watch the second show in the season, Pump Boys and Dinettes. I've heard about this show forever and know that both of us would be perfect in it, but neither of us had seen it before. We loved it! It was so entertaining. I am hoping we can get over there at least once more to see Little Shop but I'd also like to see On Golden Pond.

I also watched a dress run of Titus Andronicus on Sunday here at the theatre. I like this play. It's totally nuts and messed up but it's good. It's not Shakespeare's best, but it is not annoying in any way and you really feel for the characters. I didn't even FEEL for King Lear last year and that play IS considered Shakespeare's best. I mean, maybe that's just me... it seems like other people had sympathy for him. But not me.

I have been reading a ton of plays the last month. Unfortunately I don't have a single new monologue to use yet. I have one that is an option, but I'm not sure if it's great or even usable. This process is annoying. I wish there were some kind of database that would give you a list of all the characters you're in the same age range for so you could have things narrowed down a little. I guess it's a good idea to read plays anyway... if I'm not going to, who is?... but, you know, right NOW if there's no role for me in it, I don't have time for it.

This town is weird and even though I hated it before I lived there for a while, I miss Charlottesville. I told one of my friends the other day "I would say Staunton is like Charlottesville's little sister, but it's not. It's more like Charlottesville's kind-of friend who really wants to be JUST LIKE Charlottesville."

I will have more positive things to say at a later date.

wedding pictures

These last ones are our engagement photos taken the Friday before the wedding. In the picture where I am singing, the song is "Barracuda."

this is an update

Ok. I know. Where did I go? Listen. It's hard to blog nowadays. Don't get me wrong, I've got plenty of TIME, it's just hard to get up the drive to actually DO IT. I don't know if I'll ever finish my honeymoon adventure. If I don't.... we had a wonderful time every single day at Disney World. We went everywhere and we had great food all over the place. I did the "American Idol Experience" at Disney's Hollywood Studios, I got on the 11 o'clock show, won my round and then competed during the finale at 7pm. I did not win that, nor did I think I would... the guy who won looked just like Matthew McConaughey and was a good singer. I had no chance. Disney World was hot but it did not rain at all the entire time we were there. It was a perfect honeymoon and we had a wonderful time.

So, I'm still in C-ville. We open this Thursday. Rehearsals have been going well and I think the show will be as good as "Oliver!" can possibly be. I am dancing a lot ("Oliver" dancing is not the same as, say, "A Chorus Line" dancing, but it's still fun) and I have made some friends, which is good. I miss Chris but it's been bearable. I like my roommates and I am able to go on walks every day before rehearsal so Ive been keeping busy.

Another thing I've been doing while here is re-organizing my music binder and finding new music for auditions. I have felt VERY on top of things lately. New headshots, new songs, I'm reading a couple new plays for monologues, new binder (my old one fell apart.. this one is made from recycled paper! Yay!), new drive to succeed in theatre.... yes. Now all I need to do is go to some auditions. I am thinking about the fall SETCs and I'm also going to try my darnedest to sublet a place in the fall in NYC and get my move on. We're still not sure about what Chris is going to do, yet... whether or not he wants to do another season here and whether or not he gets offered another season and whether or not they're good roles. He has the problem of needing health insurance because of his asthma so that's a big concern. I, apparently, don't need health insurance at all! I wish I still had it. I wish I would have been able to USE my dental insurance before it was taken away. It's such a bummer.

The other day (yesterday) the ensemble had to perform "Consider Yourself" at the downtown mall, a capella, for this local news station. It was live. It was kind of embarrassing because of COURSE a crowd formed and people took pictures.... and, you know, it's just kind of embarrassing to begin with. You can watch the clip here. I'm in the frame almost the entire time (in teal). At least I didn't mess up.

I am soooo tired today for the first time since I've been here. We had a sing through starting at 10am with the orchestra and I woke up at 8am. Since I've been going to bed so late (usually after 2am---we have rehearsal at night because of the kids) I couldn't fall asleep last night before then and consequently got less sleep than I have in weeks. I was walking to get coffee a while ago (at nearly 7pm) and I might as well have been sleep walking. I may have ACTUALLY been sleep walking. You know how sometimes you're so tired you're completely useless? I'm pretty sure you're technically asleep when that's happening. I was a zombie trudging down the sidewalk. Right now I am on my second (third?) wind while waiting for Chris to come get me since I have off tomorrow.

We got our professional wedding photos and they are awesome. I'll post some individual ones sometime soon (I PROMISE!!!) but here is a link to the entire album. You might have to register for snapfish but, you know, whatever. I made this awesome album using picaboo, a program I HIGHLY recommend. It took FOREVER to make (the program was soooo slow) but the quality is amazing and, get this: I ordered it on a Wednesday and it arrived at our apartment on Friday. It is a completely personalized book and hardcover and THAT'S how quick it came. I was amazed and then thrilled. I couldn't believe how good it looked. It's great and perfect.

Alright, this is all I can give you right now. I need to finish packing up some stuff to go home.

a non-wedding, non-honeymoon post

I am going to do a real post now because i am already behind and I will be MORE behind if I try to make time to finish talking about Disney World first.

So, I am in Charlottesville right now, rehearsing for "Oliver" at the Heritage Theatre Festival. Our housing is alright---it's kind of prison-like (white, brick walls inside) but I've stayed in worse. At least there is free internet and I'm not making a "room" out of bed sheets (which I have done in actor housing before). It's also not far from the theatre... about a 5 minute walk... and that is good. My roommates are nice and even though there are not a LOT of people in the ensemble who don't go to UVA and haven't worked here before, there are at least 2, one of whom is my age and also married. So at least there is one other person here in the same boat as me. (There are also, what I call, "Legitimate Adults" but I don't consider myself one of them.)

I bought this little computer (an Eee PC) right after we got back to Staunton from the honeymoon. It is the first computer that I've ever personally owned. It's basically good for what I need it for (although it's hard to look at pictures on it) and I really actually NEEDED to have it since I was going to be leaving town. It was cheap (less than $300) and we used wedding gift money. It does not have a CD drive, though.... but luckily I also have my little, portable DVD player that my dad got me for Christmas a couple years ago. So, I am basically set for right now. (Although I am renting "Role Models" and trying to download it on itunes and it is taking forEVER. I want to watch it tonight but since it says 7 hours left, I guess that won't be happening.)

Chris and I went to see "Heart" play here in Charlottesville at the pavilion on May 20th. It was sooooo freaking great. They did all original keys and although Ann did NOT hit the G in Barracuda she was really close (and she shook her head in disapproval of herself after that). I was like "Man!! Why didn't they just lower it even half a step???" Chris said, "Because they're not ready to GIVE UP! On a good day, you know she still has that note." Plus, the song was really late into the set. She had to be tired. I was screaming the whole time. Crazy on You was the last song in the encore and I was so excited I jumped onto the chair. I KNEW they would do it... they did all the hits (and they really made These Dreams and Never sound WAY less 80s-ish, which was great) but since it was last it was extra special.

The Cavs did not win the eastern championship and everyone was sad. Chris gave up pretty early into the series against the Magic. I am getting pissed off at people who apparently just hate Cleveland to hate Cleveland who are now saying that LeBron James isn't a good player. Apparently these people have never looked at any statistics or read anything about basketball in their lives, they're just saying what they think is the popular thing to say. It's amazing that the Cavs won ANY games during that series since apparently everyone else on the team forgot how to play basketball. I would like to direct the people who say LeBron isn't good to this article. Seriously, you should read it. I know you probably won't since you tend to not listen to opinions that you don't want to hear, but you should. Maybe then you would stop sounding off your "I'm an idiot who likes the sound of his (or her) own voice" trumpet. It was LeBron James verses the entire Magic team.... and even when the Magic won, it wasn't by a HUGE margin. So, you know, shut up.

I really miss Chris! It's dumb... he's so close and I'm actually going to see him tomorrow (not to mention the fact that I can leave after rehearsal on Saturdays and go back home until Monday afternoon) but... today, June 4th, is our month-i-versary of being married. I can't believe I'm married. I accidentally called him my boyfriend the other day. I'm sure it will not be the last time. It's still hard to imagine that *I* have a HUSBAND. I mean, I was always a serial monogamist, but being married is totally different. And I actually LIKE Chris... A LOT! We have a great time together all of the time.

Oh man. We saw UP in 3D on Sunday night. It was beautiful and hilarious and wonderful. I cried during most of the movie. Especially because Chris looks like Carl and I like adventure. And because we're newlyweds. And because we're in love. AND because that dog is so nice and I understand metaphors. Man. If you're thinking about it, choose yes. It's so good. It's WALL-E good. It might even be BETTER than WALL-E... it might even better than The Little Mermaid. Or at least as good. Sometimes I leave the movie theatre and I can't talk about the movie for a while without crying.... then you know it's good. UP is about as good as a movie can get.

It made me want a dog even more, too.

disney world part 1

We got to the airport at about 9am for our 10:40am flight. My dad picked us up that morning and drove us down there so thanks to him! It has been a REALLY LONG TIME since I have actually flown with another person. 2004, I think, was the last time. I have flown over 100 times since 2000 and I've only flown with someone else like 10 times. Max. Anyway, it was really nice to have a friend on a 2 hour flight. We slept a little bit on the plane and then, 2 hours later, we landed. IN ORLANDO! Thanks to the Disney Magical Express service we didn't have to worry about picking up our luggage or anything and we got to go straight onto the bus to take us to our hotel.

Now, let me just say that the Pop Century resort was fine. I had no problems with the fact that it was more "motel" than "hotel," or how ridiculous the giant characters were, or the fact that the park-to-hotel bus stop was ALWAYS the farthest one away from the gate, or the lack of wireless internet. I really liked the gift shop and the food court, I probably would have liked the pool if I went in it... what I didn't like was the fact that people let their kids run wild. Every where. They also let them scream in the rooms. A lot. I realize it's Disney World. There are going to be kids screaming and running anywhere you go. However, I think that there would be LESS of that at a nicer resort. So, that said, I wouldn't want to stay at the Pop Century Resort again, unless I had kids, which would be a very unwise decision in these tough financial times (and, as an actor lady).

When we checked in they gave us our special "Just Married" pins which we wore EVERYWHERE until we got to the airport a week later to leave. I didn't have to do any convincing to get Chris to wear it. He loved it. He would even wear it down to the food court at night just to get a drink refill (in our refillable mugs!) just in case someone gave him something for free. Which they often did.

That night we had reservations at Cinderella's caste for dinner so we headed to the Magic Kingdom. We didn't do too much there since we'd be returning on Sunday (and since we were WAY over dressed for how hot it was (since our luggage hadn't arrived yet for us to change and it was cold in Ohio when we got dressed that morning) ) but we did ride Splash Mountain and the train around the kingdom. The actual reviews I had read for dinner at the castle were only decent (although I remember it being AWESOME the last time I was there) and although it was completely different from what it was in 2002, we still had a great time. The food was GREAT and they gave us a free cupcake along with the dessert that came with every single meal. I think we basically went back to the hotel after that because we'd already been up since 6am and I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep the night before. We did walk around the hotel at night to see all the other buildings (we were staying in the 1960s section) which was fun.

The next day we went to Animal Kingdom! I was looking forward to this park the most since I didn't spend that much time in it the last time I was at Disney World. The animal safari was awesome but so was the walking tour animal thing (I have no idea what it was called). We saw this gorilla and it was so awesome that Chris cried a little. He's been watching a lot of Escape to Chimp Eden and Orangutan Island on the Animal Planet. There were a lot of other cool animals, but this guy (or girl!) was by far the closest, most posed and most amazing. You can see an elephant or giraffe any day (you know... in Africa)... Gorillas are different!! There was a lot of conservation stuff at this park, too... and all the straws were paper which I LOVED! I wish all straws were paper and I don't understand why they're not. If we can drink from paper cups we can drink from paper straws.

Because of our "just married" pins the guy checking Fast passes for Expedition Everest let us keep them and ride the ride again! This was great but it also made Chris sick since he didn't bring any Dramamine with him. Instead of riding the Dinosaur ride, we went to see the Finding Nemo musical which was AMAZING!!!!! I actually cried, a lot, during it. Listen. I know it was nothing spectacular in the way of theatre and I wish the puppets had more expressions but it was awesome. The people were great singers and it was so technically amazing that I just loved every second of it. I am trying to convince Chris that he should play Marlin and that I should play Dori and that we should go to the auditions together and be fish friends. I'm sure my Shakespearean Actor husband would love to play a fish when he gets out of here. I am SURE OF IT.

So, since Chris wasn't feeling too well and since we needed to get to EPCOT for dinner anyway, we decided to check out the Animal Kingdom Lodge (where we also transferred buses). Man. I wish I was rich so that I could stay there. Can you imagine having this effing giraffe as your view every morning? Me neither. It was so cool. And, like I thought, there were not screaming children everywhere.

After we got to EPCOT the first thing we did was the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids 3D... thing. Adventure, whatever. It was not as wonderful and I remembered it being. We killed some time by looking at the England and France pavilions in the World Showcase before heading to Canada to eat at Le Cellier. I made my reservation for Le Cellier in February. When I went to check in we found out the guy had made it for the wrong restaurant. I was about to freak out (this place is REALLY HARD to get in to) but luckily, perhaps because of the pins, they got us in anyway. We loved our server. She was SO CANADIAN. It was awesome. I love Canada, and not just in EPCOT. My steak was covered in coffee grounds and I don't remember what the potatoes were (cream cheese???) but they were awesome. Our desserts were even awesomer. You can see both in this picture. I had s'mores (some kind of brownie-like graham-cracker topped with ice cream, a real brownie and marshmallows with this crazy marshmallow on a stick coming out of it), Chris had the chocolate "moose." Our server gave us free champagne (which I didn't drink) and a card saying "congratulations" signed by all the Canadians. We just loved her. And, God, I loved that dessert. It was, as they say, "epic."

We went back to the hotel after that because nothing could top Le Cellier that night. And that, my friends, is the first day and a half at Disney World. I already felt like I lived there and there had never been a time before Disney World after a day and a half. I wish that were really true.

post-marriage reception (part 4)

The post-marriage reception (part 4) is now up at the other blog, so read it and follow this link to get there! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the ceremony (part 3)

(for part 1, see part 1. For part 2, please see part 2)

The ceremony started with Ben singing "I Will" and Tony playing. I had both my parents walk me in, which was, no joke, a walk of about 10 steps. Or less. There was some confusion over who would go first in the hallway and since Chris and basically everyone else could see us, it must have been pretty funny. At some point we figured it out and we all entered. My mom started crying like a baby while we were waiting in the hall. It was sad. I had to tell her to stop lest *I* start to cry.

Ben started the ceremony with the traditional,

"Maw-waige. Maw-waige is what bwings us togevah today."

It was awesome.

Every one loved Ben. He was so good. He was funny and charming and meaningful and it was perfect. I am so glad we got him ordained over the internet and legalized to perform marriages in Ohio. It was the best decision ever. At one point he was saying something about the journey we've gone on to get to where we are today and then he added, "so much so that I thought about using a quote from the band 'Journey'." That was like the one really NEW things he added and that I didn't know was coming (I had read his original script so I knew pretty much everything) and I laughed a lot. I just love Ben.

So, the rest of our ceremony included Shakespeare readings by Emily and Ginna (sonnets 115 and 116, respectively), Greg singing I Will Follow You Into the Dark, Jason singing I've Just Seen a Face and Rick Blunt reading our dinosaur book, A Lovely Love Story. Every one started crying when Greg was singing, either because they could see our faces (like in the picture on the right) or because they saw Greg see our faces and choke up mid-song, OR because Greg is the best guy singer ever, or maybe because the song is really, really good. Or maybe all of the above. Our friend Dennis put his sun glasses on. I was able to stop crying, especially because I held up the dinosaur book to show the pictures while Rick was reading. Jen was, luckily, armed with tissues for me, though.

Next up we come to a little things called "vows." As you may have read in part 2, I made a bullet point list the night before of my vows because I couldn't imagine reading them off the paper. I was honestly standing around before the ceremony, asking people's opinion on whether or not I should read the original vows or do the bullet point list. They must have thought I was crazy. I WAS crazy! Talk about last minute. I decided to do the bullet point list.... but when it came time to do them, I couldn't even read THOSE! I literally could not READ the paper. What happened seems almost a dream right now and in some ways I feel like I must have blacked out because I hardly remember anything that I said past, "This is going to be weird for every one else because I say these things to you every day." I know I threw the paper at Ben, I know I buried my head into Chris's chest and said that I couldn't READ it (I don't mean that I was illiterate for a few moments, I mean that reading them felt wrong and that I had to come up with stuff right then and there to say)... I improvised my vows. I told him I'd take care of his asthma-y lungs. I told him that I loved him more than anything else, ever. I don't know what else I told him. I don't know how I ended them. I might have said, "the end." I don't know.

Chris's vows, on the other hand, were AMAZING. He said he felt like a jerk reading them off the paper after I made such a big deal about NOT reading mine, but his were good to begin with. I mean, REALLY good. Like, they were the best thing I've ever heard in my life. I told him that when he finished. He gave them to me later. I will take them everywhere.

After that, to his own amazement, Ben pronounced us husband and wife and we went into the hallway and hugged people and then went outside to take pictures in the windy 58 degree weather.... in the sunset.

part 2

I posted part 2 on the other blog so if you want to read part 2, please follow this link. You should. I don't know why blogger isn't letting me cut and paste these. It's weird.

part 1

Hi everybody. This is going to have to be a multi-part series of blog posts. When I got back to town on Thursday the idea of retelling our adventures was so daunting that I could hardly take it. I am now at work and have some time to start, so we will have to see how far I can get!

Besides finding the hilarious "Mr. X" video below (along with the Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism videos, part 1 and part 2), I did a lot of things while I was at home! I got my headshots taken on Friday. I haven't even had very much time to weed them down, yet. That is another daunting task. However, we had a really good time and our engagement photos are hilarious and awesome. Everyone thought I was nuts but I really like the way they turned out (I'll get some of those up soon). My "bachelorette party" consisted of me and my sister going to Wal-mart at midnight to buy make up for Saturday the 2nd. I was so tired (I could write an entire blog post about how I didn't sleep the entire weekend. I think I got something like 8 hours of sleep TOTAL before we got to Disney World) that I apparently picked up something that I was wondering what it was, put it in our basket for some reason, and neither one of us noticed until we were in the car and wondered why the bill was so high. I mean, I was REALLY tired. I could barely even form sentences. Chris went out and had a real party with his old friends from high school and went to Great Lakes Brewing and went bowling. I pretty much fell asleep at a Wal-mart. They're the same, right?

So, on Saturday I took a good two hours to put on the make up from the night before and we had our little pre-wedding reception in the ballroom of the yacht club. I think it went really well! We had to practice a little bit before most people started arriving, although many of them came in while we were still going through stuff. This is a picture of us practicing a Neko Case song. I know this because that was the only song I ended up playing guitar on. Our set list was as follows:

• Chris on the theme to "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"


• "This Tornado Loves You" by Neko Case


• Chris on "The Girl's Alright" (with audience participation!)


• "Love Will Come to You" by the Indigo Girls


• "Airplane" by the Indigo Girls


• "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac (for Dix Huit!!)


• "Barracuda" by Heart (acoustic!!!)

We sang "Airplane" because we knew it. That was the only reason. We did this event for the Airport Operators of the Shenandoah Valley last year and we sang it there, so we brought it back... for our wedding. My brother played bass on "Rhiannon" and, like I said before, "Barracuda" was acoustic... which you don't often hear. I have not managed to NOT mess up this song when I sing it. The rhythm is so hard.

My mom made a three-tiered cake which was red velvet on the bottom, carrot in the middle and yellow on top, along with a yellow sheet cake that didn't even get cut in to. She was horribly distressed on Saturday because when they went to put it together at the Yacht Club, she moved the whole thing at once and the top piece started to sink. She freaked out. It wasn't that bad. I don't even know if I would have noticed had she not come home freaking out. The cake was awesome, though. I wish I would have been able to eat more of it. I did not get enough to eat either night. I'm not even sure all of what was served on Saturday... I know I had some chicken fingers and carrots... besides that, I really don't know what else was there.

My friend Jenny from high school and two of my friends from Sterling, Katie and (Meredith) Dix Huit Cordray were able to make it on Saturday and I was soooooo happy. I was actually able to have a conversation with them, too, which was even better. Chris only had TWO friends on Saturday night, his best man Jason and his friend from grad school Adam (and his girlfriend). I think most people get married in the city they live in. I also think that most people's entire group of friends don't move to other places, making it next to impossible to have people come to things. If we would have had a reception in New York there would have been tons of friends there!

I think there were about 150 people on Saturday at we used all of our allotted time but did get out by 11pm. Chris and I then went back to my parent's house to open presents and cards. We had video footage of that but I don't think I'll post it online because that would be weird and probably rude. I have some other video footage from the actual reception which I am sure I'll put online once my dad actually sends it to me.

Here is a great picture of the Ledyard kids. It's great because it is TRUE:

I think people had a good time. I hope they did. I had a good time (from what I can remember... it seemed to last forever and for a second at the same time). People kept doing the clinking their glass thing to get us to kiss but I was like "Dude. We're not married yet. We're IMMUNE to that." We also had to cut the cake as if we were married (Chris said, "They need to see the cake show!") but as soon as we did it, I think we walked in opposite directions away from each other. It was actually a really weird event. I think some people may have thought we were already married by the time we had this reception. We got a lot of checks addressed to "Alisa or Chris Seiler." Those we knew what to do with (give them to Chris to put in the bank). At least one was made out to "Alisa Seiler" and I honestly don't know what to do with it. I don't know if I CAN cash it because I am not Alisa Seiler. I mean, I guess the bank would understand that Alisa Seiler doesn't exist (well, she does in someone else, but not in me) and that the person who sent it didn't know I kept my name.... at least, I HOPE they would understand that. I'm not going to be like "I'm sorry. I am still Alisa Ledyard. Can you write me a new check?"

Changing your name is a funny thing. Or, maybe, NOT changing your name is a funny thing. People obviously expect you to in Ohio... but almost every woman I know down here in Virginia who is married kept her original last name. I think Chris didn't even WANT me to. I had a conversation with him about it once and he said "but Alisa Ledyard sounds so good with all the Ls!" Hardly any actors do it and I can see why. I'd hate to go to UPTAs again next year and have people get confused about whether or not I was the same person they saw the year before (unless it was beneficial to me :) ). Plus, I spent so much time in 5th-8th grade perfecting my signature that it'd be a waste to lose it now. "S" is a hard letter for me to make look cool in cursive. "L" is easy.

.....TO BE CONTINUED.

a little pre-wedding treat

sometimes my head hurts. right now, for one.

We went to that concert the other night. It was pretty great. Chris's friend Mike took us backstage and showed us what he does (all the video for the band) and then showed us the touring buses. He was leading us across the back of the stage while the house was open and I was literally giggling out of embarrassment. Like, "oh my god, you guys, people who see us would think we're important and we're NOT! hehehehehehe!" The show was great. We did not meet Mr. Dave Matthews but I didn't really expect to since Charlottesville is his hometown and he has other people to see there (although you can bet I had a script prepared if I did). The lounge was alright. There was free food. It was in the cafeteria of UVA. I told Chris I was going to get a bowl of cereal.

Parking was $20. That is HIGH. I guess it's ok, though, since that's all we paid for.

I am lobby sitting right now and annoyed with how many people come to any MLitt project or show over an hour late. Then, when I tell them that it began an hour ago, even if it's just to get them to keep their voices down, they get all snip-snappity with me. Whatever, yous.

My right contact has been bothering me for days. I should probably just change them, especially since I'm planning on changing them on May 1st anyway, but I want to hold out for some reason. That is stupid. I should just DO it. I keep them in a month longer than I'm supposed to and I'm sad that they're uncomfortable by the end of the 2nd month? Dumb. Well, I can't change them right this second since I'm at work so I will have to lie in the bed I made for myself.

I can't get into AI this season. Well, maybe I should say that I DON'T WANT TO get into it this season. Everyone is so bad! Every time I watch it I am embarrassed for them. I don't like that red haired girl even though the judges think she's amazing, the guy who can sing but is so over the top just CONFUSES me and everyone else is boring. Plus, I HATE that new judge. She's CRAZY. Last season was good. Season 3 and 4 were GREAT. This season sucks. If I was ever on AI this blog post would be all over the internet and people would criticize me for it.

You know what I am not looking forward to? Assigning seats. I do feel it to be necessary for this wedding of ours but I fear it is going to take more than the hour or so Chris seems to think it will take. I have also not even started vows. I had an idea while falling asleep a couple weeks ago but nothing has become of it. I was telling Josh the other day that I think they're supposed to be directed ONLY to the person right in front of you... but in my mind I can only think of them like a speech, with explanations. I guess they can be whatever I want them to be, right? Probably...

i like cookies

Any time a dog show is on TV we always watch it. I don't know why. They are always the same dogs and usually one of us falls asleep and the other wakes [him] up to be like, "YOU'RE MISSING THE WESTIE!!!!! You've REALLY got to see this dog!!!!!!"

Tomorrow, for the first time since December, I am not working the show on a day that I am working and there is a show. I am opening, which means I am working 9-5. What's funny is that Chris's friend works on the Dave Matthews Band tour doing some kind of tech stuff and he offered Chris some free tickets for this weekend. I didn't think I'd be able to go because I assumed I'd be working the show... but I'm NOT. Which means tomorrow I am going to see DMB for FREE with some FREE lounge passes, also!!! I am excited. It is going to be pretty great. I don't even know what the "lounge" really is, but I can only assume it's... you know... awesome.

Man, listen. We're getting effing MARRIED in 2.5 weeks. It's so crazy!! Yesterday was the RSVP deadline so we have numbers and are getting food figured out (we're going to be having a PASTA BAR on Monday!!!), favors figured out, final hair things ordered, ceremony beginning to get planned out (you'd think this would have been something we would have started with before now) and I've been reading my Disney books like it's my job. I CAN'T WAIT TO GO TO DISNEY WORLD!!!! Oh my gosh. Sometimes I have these moments of "Two weeks from today we're going to be at Animal Kingdom. But OH NO!!!! THREE WEEKS from today we're going to be back home!!!!!!!" Chris told me I couldn't be sad about leaving before I even got there. It's not going to work. I want to live at Disney World. Anyway, besides going to Disney World, we are also having a wedding first and I think it is going to be a really fun time.

Today during Hamlet some old lady took a picture (which you are not allowed to do at our theatre or any other professional theatres). When I saw the flash (yes, not only a picture, but a FLASH picture??) I thought at first that a light blew, especially because none of the ushers saw where it came from. I was talking to an usher about it when a man in the audience came up and told us who took the picture. I watched her from the side until she started aiming her camera to take another picture and then I literally RAN down the stairs,wearing a dress and high heeled boots, in the middle of the show, in a theatre that keeps the lights on, thrust myself past the couple on the end of the row behind her and made her put it away. She looked kind of pissed at intermission but seriously, it's not MY fault she didn't listen to directions. The cast was really happy that I did. A couple people came up into the lobby to tell Solomon, who was the house manager, in case he didn't already know, right after she took the original picture and then they were like, "Great job reprimanding that old lady!!" I was like... yeah. I told her. NOT ON MY WATCH, LADY!!

Speaking of cameras, we had to buy a new one. When Chris went back to Ohio somehow he broke our old one. At some point those rechargeable lithium batteries that can take like 200 pictures came out... but I didn't know about them until, say, Monday of this week. I always assumed we were still using AA batteries in all of of cameras. I am very HAPPY that these new batteries exist because AA batteries, whether or not they are rechargeable, still only take like 20 pictures before they're done. Anyway, so we saw these new, amazing batteries and figured it'd be worth it to get a camera that took it instead of the AA batteries, even though the latter would be cheaper. I love our new camera. It's super thin, super light, still holds our old memory card, 10 mega pixels and will apparently take 200 pictures before the battery needs to be recharged. It's also PURPLE. Chris loved that aspect best.

grizzly countenance indeed!!

Bahahahahaha!!!!!

Holy crap. Can you believe the difference?? The beardo picture was taken Sunday March 29th, the middle on Tuesday the 31st and the last one today. I never really minded the beard until I saw it now. When he came back from his haircut on the 31st I was like, "Oh my GOD! You look so good!!" He clearly looked at least 10 years younger (and no longer like a homeless person). Now he just looks like a kid. I never want him to grow that beard again! Man!! I just about fell out of my seat when I saw these pictures tonight. It's ridiculous and hilarious. Please don't make him grow that again, anyone.

Today we had dinner at McAlister's, which was great. I really like rosemary bread. I felt no guilt about eating it which made it even better. I like to be able to eat without guilt (something that doesn't happen if I go to, say, KFC).

Yesterday it was above 70 degrees, today the high was over 60 and tomorrow it is probably going to SNOW!!! That's stupid.

I did just find out Chris and I are not going to have the same day off during the month I'm working at Heritage. I'll have off on Sundays, he on Mondays. Boo. At least it's only a month.

....annnnnnd, that's all I got.

i need to go to bed. really.

Chris is in Ohio right now. He's coming back on Sunday morning but he's not here NOW and when I see him again I might not even recognize him! He shaved today (it's still Friday to me) for the first time in over 2 years. Even seeing him with a regular beard length the other day was shocking. THRILLING, but shocking. I literally stared at him for half an hour. I usually stare at him for a while, but this was an extreme amount of staring. He looked no older than 30. You will laugh at me for saying that, but it's true. He has such nice skin!

On Monday we went to see "I Love You, Man" in Harrisonburg. Now, of course, it is playing at the theatre within walking distance, but it wasn't then and then was when we wanted to go. It was great! It was the first movie I've seen since December. Jeez. That's dumb. Anyway, it was very funny and you know how I love that Paul Rudd. If you DON'T know, here's your answer: i love him a lot.

Oh man. I got stuff in the mail today from Disney World. I am STOKED. Not only do we get a $15 credit at Planet Hollywood for food, we get a free piece of merchandise from their store! Chris asked if they sell Planet Hollywood TVs in their store. They probably don't. Oh man, though. I can't WAIT to go to Disney World. It is going to be the best time EVER and my only concern the entire time (hopefully) is going to be the stupid NBA playoffs. I CANNOT have that ruin our honeymoon. That LaBron James is something special and I need him (and the rest) to play their ASSES OFF so that we're not like "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Not on our honeymoon, guys. Please. Cleveland needs you. I need you.

I took advantage of Chris's absence today by going to TJMAX. I always feel bad when he takes me there. He doesn't mind but there is nothing for him to look at so I'll find him in the back looking at books he doesn't REALLY care about. This way I had all the time in the world!... or, all the time until I had to go to work. I am not all about all the long dresses that are all over the place. I said "all" three times in that sentence. They are everywhere and all I want to do is find short dresses and skirts. I am going to be the only girl showing my knees this season. It's going to be scandalous.

Also, why is it impossible to find a bathing suit that does NOT have a halter top? I wouldn't mind a halter except they really hurt my neck. Even boleros hurt my neck. Maybe this is my own problem, but seriously. Help me out, companies. You want business. I'll give it to you if you will give me a bathing suit with shoulder straps instead of a halter top.