Egypt, Meet Texas. Texas, Meet Egypt. A Princess Among Us.

Very regal, indeed.

Black Cat on Halloween

Pretty cute, huh?

Guess Which One Is Me?

I'd be the one in my mom's belly.  Figure about six months along.  This is a picture of my parents on their wedding day 39 years ago this month.  They got married in North Pole, Alaska.  Yeah -- THE North Pole.  Santa's house and everything supposedly.  Even though I was there, I can't remember it -- wild party and all.

My parents anniversary song is "Wasted Days & Wasted Nights" by Freddy Fender.  There's some story about when we lived in Germany this song was the only country tune on a jukebox there.  I'm sure there are more glamorous details....  Hopefully their days were wasted.  Being as my mom was pregnanty with me on their wedding day, the nights obviously weren't wasted.  *wink*

Happy Belated Anniversary, Mom and Dad. 

xo

Hollywood Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!

My Eldest turned nine recently, as you know.  Over the weekend, she celebrated by having some of her friends over to our house for a slumber party.  Even though the turn out was lower than expected, she had a fabulous time.  And she looked glamorous to say the least!  (Ahem.)

With "Hurray for Hollywood" and "That's Entertainment" playing in the background, a couple of girls were adorned with colorful feather boas as they arrived and took their walk along the Texas version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  (I made salmon colored, golden glittery stars with each girls name on it and placed them on our sidewalk.)  The girls were encouraged to arrive as if they were attending an award show or movie premier.  My Eldest was dressed up, too.  I allowed her to wear "adult" makeup, and did her face and hair for her -- tried to pamper her like a "real" star. 

Entering the house, they walked through silver and black balloons and received a "goodie bag" which was a purse that was filled with fake money, a movie ticket, a lip gloss, a couple of stickers of characters from High School Musical and a hair accessory.  We ordered pizza, then dove into an ice cream sundae bar, but not before the traditional singing of "Happy Birthday", complete with trick candles (what a hoot!).  The cake is THE BEST cake I've EVER had.  The cakery that prepared it has been making our cakes since my wedding day.  It was a strawberry cake in the design of a star with My Eldest's name on it, modeled after the ones on the real Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

The girls had to use their "money" to pay for their ice cream sundae, as well as popcorn for the movie.  My Little One collected tickets to "Wallace & Gromit:  The Curse of the Were-Rabbit".  I had lofty notions of hanging a curtain around the tele so that it looked like a real movie theater. 

Feathers were everywhere this morning, as was confetti. Despite my best efforts to fend off gluten, I ate cake for breakfast.  Gawd that's the best damn cake ever as in EVERRRR!  There were gold and silver paper cups with sad looking paper umbrellas covering the openings.  Sleeping bags were strewn about the living room, yet giddy laughter of sweet girls carried down the hallway to awaken me.

I prepared french toast, eggs and fresh fruit for breakfast then hurried the girls along as their moms were arriving to take the little starlets home. 

It was a great time.  Wonder what's in store for next year?

One of Those "Trust the Process" Reflections

Strolling through life feeling the squeeze of discomfort lends itself to pining for things past that brought feverish passion and life to me.

In junior high and high school, I was in the Drama Club.  Like a lot of girls, I wanted to be an actress.  I remember back then that I had my eye on the silver screen, but I imagined myself more a Broadway sort of gal.  (I can't sing, so yeah, that went kaplooie.)

In my graduation year, the drama teacher suggested I should* attend college in New York City at the American Music and Drama Academy (AMDA).  She told me I had a full scholarship awaiting me -- I just had to show up for a reading in Dallas (I was living in El Paso at the time).  I was naive enough to believe her, yet there was a strange facet to the relationship I shared with my drama teacher.  That facet was potent enough to create an air of suspicion, or at the least a hesitation, about her suggestion. 

My memory becomes pretty fuzzy of events following.  I remember that I received an invitation letter from AMDA that validated what the drama teacher told me.  I was not allowed to go to the Dallas reading.  Over the summer, I got the scholarship offer.  I wasn't allowed to accept it, so, a chance at "living my dream" passed by me. 

The following summer, again, I amazingly got yet ANOTHER full scholarship offer to attend AMDA.  Still, I was unable to accept.

I trust the process.  It's not a secret that I believe that wholeheartedly.  But, there are certain events and dreams that linger, and being on stage is one of those "events" for me.

Every time I attend a play or a musical, it's a bittersweet outing.  I cry easily.  I think subconsciously I place the tears in appropriate places so that my grief for not being one of those actors looks more like I'm empathizing with the scene.  Truly, my heart ACHES.  It's usually hard for me to watch the shows, but there's nothing that will keep me from going once I am in possession of a ticket!  Undoubtedly, my mind slips back to being an 18 year old girl full of dreams and then the wondering begins:  I wonder what I would be doing right now if I had fought for my independence 20 years ago?  I wonder where I'd be living?  I wonder if I would've ever been trained to sing -- at least good enough for backup parts?  I wonder ...

... and, there is a plethora of good and right and spiritually valuable answers that validate that I am where I am supposed to be right now.  But still...I bleed at times during stage performances; and at "Mary Poppins", this time was no exception.  Seeing My Little One be veritably unimpressed (a.k.a. over-tired as evidenced below) is one of the manyMANY reasons I'm living in Dallas, Texas, a mom of two stunning girls, married to a good man, doing what I do day in and day out....

*should is filled with fantasies, so I've recently learned.  Looks to be true in this case....

Music Minute: Eight Miles Wide by Storm Large

She kicked ass on that show with Dave Navarro (who is a total hot. I'm in denial that he's pretty skanky so don't remind me...).  Gwynnethe told me Storm Large is 40.  She gets better and better the more I know her. 

I went out with Gwynnethe tonight.  We shared some pretty heavy conversation, as we so often do.  An appetizer, a drink, an entree and a shared dessert later, we get in her car and head back to my house.  On the trip from the restaurant, she plays "Eight Miles Wide" by Storm Large.  Holy freakin' COW I love this song!  Now you have to, too!

Check out the video here.

Thanks, Gwynnethe!

Blog Action Day: Climate Change

I considered taking the easy way out by just creating a hyperlink to my previous green blog, but decided I should be more committed to the intent of the day.  I have been tempted to use sarcasm and poke fun at the intent, too, but that wouldn't be very classy or supportive.  After all, climate change IS an important issue.  Admittedly, I don't undertand it much.  I hear snippets and read blurbs about global warming, gleen some stats here and there, furrow my brow at scientific blabbityblah.  The whole thing truthfully gives me tired-head. 

BUT....

I *have* been going through quite an awareness heightening....

....we live in SUCH a wasteful world, especially here in the States.  It's the land of OVERFLOWING milk & honey.  The food we waste, the packaging of the food is wasteful.  Stop and think about it.  How much crap do you throw out?  My daughter's school sends home all kinds of paper and 99% goes right into the recycling -- then at the end of the school year, it all gets pitched.  With all this email and other technology, you seriously have to send me all these newletters and reminders and permission slips and flyers and, and, and ON PAPER?  Oy!  Food and school papers are only two examples of the severe amount of waste.  You know as well as I do how many other things get wasted.  Let's not even start on styrofoam.  Ugh.

I'm not someone who is willing to die for saving the Earth.  I alone cannot save the Earth.  I alone cannot control global warming (a source of contention).  I alone cannot effectuate mass change to control emissions.  There are many things environmentally related that I cannot do alone.  What I CAN do, is act responsibly.  I can keep my life as clean as possible.  It's not my job to infringe my habits on others.  It's not my job to witness to my neighbor about how abusive he or she is being -- about how careless and disrespectful.  No.  That's not my job.  My job is to live MY life to the best of my ability and strive to be better.

Better....

That's a toughie for a girl who gets tired-head about climate change. 

So, I think for now, I'll sit and absorb.  Observe.  Listen.  Then I'll act.  I need to learn more, but I'm not going to die for what I find out.  That's someone else's job.

U2/Muse Concert Experience

Different.

Concerts are so different these days.  All of the sensory stimulation. Light shows, flashing lights, sounds and more sounds, beyond the music.

U2 has this 360 Tour. It's in support of No Line on the Horizon, complete with an elaborate round stage in which the guys can be see from any side, so as to not discriminate any part of the audience. It looks like some sort of futuristic, robotic crustacean sent to infuse concert-goers with the greatness of U2. And that's just for the lighting effects! 

Muse is who I really went to see. I absolutely love this band and their music! Supermassive Black Hole hooked me and I haven't been the same since. Behind us sat a woman and her teenage son. They each had come to see Muse more than U2. It was a win-win because the mother also loved U2 and was able to share the experience and introduce her son to the legend of U2.

This concert was held at Jerryworld (a.k.a. The Death Star, a.k.a. Dallas Cowboys Stayjium), which wasn't exactly the most ideal venue for the stage set-up. Unbelievably, the giant jumbotron can't be lifted or or some how moved to accommodate a tall stage such as U2's. Furthermore, the sound of the concert was mediocre where I was sitting in the second tier. It's U2, so they always sound amazing, but I imagine the further up one sat, the worse the sound. Wonder how it sounded on the floor?

I walked out of there with the intention of getting U2's CD. "Sexy Boots" was new to me and I felt quite sassy listening to it. Why wouldn't I want that as a part of my regular listening line-up??

U2 is legendary. I saw them in 1993 in El Paso, Texas, during their Zoo TV tour, and will see them as often as I can. Bono is so brilliant. He has politics but is so diplomatic with how to express them. I respect that about him. They didn't disappoint then, and they most certainly didn't disappoint this time! Since it's been so long between seeing them, I have a newer appreciation of their depth & overall care for humanity.

Go see them if you can -- both bands!

October 15th: Blog about Climate Change

I'm not sure I can do it justice, but I'm all about unity for good causes (even ones I don't know a lot about or personally advocate in my day to day living).  I'm digging that blogger is part of this global activity.

I hope my fellow bloggers give this a go, and if you've considered starting a blog, well, now's your time!

Testing mobile blogging via SMS.

U2/Muse

Just reminding you that I'm going to see the greatness of U2 & Muse tonight with KBD at the Death Star.

Unless you're going....

The don't be.

~

Hope to see you there.

x

And Then There Were Nine....

You ARE special today.  And EVERY day, love.

xo

Salona Barber, Part Deux

She clearly breathes it.

Seems she sleeps it.

I wonder if she eats it, too?

(Ew.)

That basket embraced by My Little One is the Basket O' Clips - the very same clips that adorned my hair last night (see yesterday's post).

God, how I love this kid!

Salona Barber Saves the Night

My Little One says her name is Salona Barber as she busily clips my hair and styles it for the royal ball tonight.  I had no idea I was going until I started playing Monopoly with My Eldest on our living room floor.  Suddenly Miz Barber had a basket full of clips.  It all happened so fast!

Anyway, I was told that my hair was most stylish and impressive.  What do you think?

(Sorry you FB friends who get to see this twice!)

This One's For Theo

I added "All the Wine" by The National for Theo. 

This one's for you Ninja!