a day spent knitting...

...is a day well spent! Well, I didn't spend the entire day knitting, but I did spend a good bit of it working on my current project. I finished the second square, which means only 78 more to go. I'm not going to focus too much on how many 78 really is! So here is the evidence...

And here is what the first two squares look like...

The other thing I did today was work on lines. I feel pretty good about them now. I actually woke up reciting them, which was a little strange! So anyway, I feel pretty well prepared for tomorrow's rehearsal, and I know I will be totally off book by the time we are supposed to be.

So that's pretty much what I did today! Exciting, I know...

Photo Hunters Theme: Water

These are my photos for today's theme, taken last Saturday at Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile, Alabama. I thought I'd go with a whimsical one (the frog) and then one with an unusual perspective. I almost fell in when I tried to take the second picture. It was quite an adventure!

great night

I didn't do much at all, which is what made it a great night! I did work on Deadly Council a bit, and then made some notes for a couple of other projects, and then I spent the rest of the evening working on mitered square #2. I wish I could knit faster. It takes awhile for me to do one of these things. Of course, the fun is in the knitting, so it really doesn't matter how long it takes, does it? I'll probably finish this one sometime during the weekend, so I'll post a picture when I'm finished.

I've been so stressed out lately that it's nice to just knit or write, or do something else that makes me happy. I'm going to spend several hours tomorrow working on lines so I can stop stressing about that. Work is going to continue being stressful, but it's the weekend so I'm not going to worry about that right now. What I really want is a massage, but since I can't get that, I'm going to enjoy a very hot bath before going to bed. I think I'll go do that now...

relaxation can be fun...

Tonight I came home from work and did nothing. And guess what? I'm still doing nothing! In a few minutes I'm going to cast on my second mitered square and watch several episodes of House while washing the clothes I want to wear for work tomorrow. I love play rehearsals and I'm so glad I'm involved with this show, but it's really nice to have a night off! I'm actually off until Sunday, although I'll be running lines about a million times between now and then, because we have to be totally off book by Tuesday. Yikes! I wish there was someone in my life that I could run lines with, but alas, there is no such person...

I got a lot of work done today, which was great. I was beginning to feel like I was spinning my wheels at work, doing so much but never getting anything accomplished. But today was good, so I feel better about things. Well, it was also the trip to the beach last night, along with relaxing this evening. I generally feel better about things because of all that. Off to work on mitered square #2! I'll post a pic when it's finished.

ready for the weekend

I know, I know... I have a couple of days until the weekend actually starts, but this week has been so hectic and exhausting that I'm really ready for the weekend. I wish it could start now! I'm planning a Saturday filled with knitting, relaxing, reading, and committing my lines to memory once and for all. I'm hoping I can get my hammock hung in the morning so I can lay in it and work on lines.

After rehearsal tonight I went down to the beach for about an hour. I really needed it. Whenever I'm stressed or overwhelmed, I go to the beach, usually at night, and it restores my soul. I park my car near the swings, and then pick one to sit on. I sit there, looking at the water, listening to the waves. I spend about ten minutes or so just listening to the waves and to my own thoughts, sometimes with my eyes closed, sometimes looking out into the black expanse of water or up at the stars. I sit there until I start to feel calm. My huge problems seem to diminish in this environment, in this place where I'm the smallest part of the world and everything else seems so much bigger than the problems I'm trying to escape. Once I begin to feel the stress drain away, I actually swing for a few minutes, allowing myself to feel like a child. After that, I usually grab my notebook and find a picnic table nearby so that I can write for as long as I want. I did that tonight, writing for about 30 minutes until I started feeling a little chilly from the breeze. I left then, but the feeling lingered. I still feel less stressed, more relaxed. It was just what I needed tonight, after an extremely difficult day at work and a grueling rehearsal.

So I feel better about things now. I hope this feeling lasts. I hate being negative and I hate complaining. It's not in my nature to be that way, so when I get that way, it doesn't feel right. Does that make sense?

Get to know you day at Create a Connection

I found this cool place called Create a Connection, and today is Get to Know You Day. They post the questions and I post my answers. It's clever and fun, and I just might have to become a regular participant!


What did YOU eat last?
A cheese sandwich and a cherry coke just a few minutes ago.

What about YOUR love life? Anyone special? Tell us about him/her!
What love life?? (lol) There is a guy I think I might be interested in, but there are no details yet. Stay tuned!!!

What is it like where you live?
Hot. Okay, 70 degrees isn't really hot, but I'm already getting prepared for the blistering 98 degrees that we will have in just a couple of months. But that's not very specific, is it? I live in a house, on an acre of land, out in the country. There are several trees in the front yard, as well as some flowering bushes and other plants. The backyard also has several trees and one beautiful wisteria vine. This weekend, I'm putting up a hammock so that I can lay in the shade and read.

What are YOUR favorite features about yourself?
I love my eyes and my voice.

What deep thoughts have YOU been pondering upon?
I've been thinking a lot about the quote from Gandhi: "Be the change you want to see in the world." I've always tried to live my life like that. I try really hard not to complain about things, but to find ways to change the things I want to complain about. On a grand scale, I might not be able to do anything to "change the world," but I can smile at someone, who will hopefully have a better day because they know someone cares. I can help someone when they need it, so that hopefully they will help someone else, who will help someone else. I like to think that's the way it works, anyway.

List 2 random things you love about life:
laughing and singing

How did YOU find out about CAC?
Cara at January One mentioned her interview at Create A Connection, so I popped over and read about it and absolutely loved the idea!

What do YOU love most about spring?
The weather! I love sunshine, thunderstorms, mild temperatures... no hurricanes!

pretty!

Here are some pictures from my recent trip to Bellingrath Gardens. I truly enjoyed walking around, looking at the flowers. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

yet another stressful day

Work is kicking my butt right now. It really is. It's the time of the year... I'm always so stressed this time of the year. The fundraiser is a little behind where it was last year at this time, so everyone is freaking out. I have no doubt that it will be great, but getting there is always a challenge. I'll be so glad when it is over.

The bright spot in my life right now is the play. I love going to rehearsal every night, talking with the other members of the cast and working on making the story come to life. I tried on my costume for the first time today and it fit really well. I felt more like the character after trying on the costume. Funny how that works, isn't it?

I actually managed to get a little writing done today, between work and rehearsal. I worked on Under the Magnolia Tree a bit, still adding scenes and adding layers to scenes that are there already. I love doing this, adding detail and dialogue, putting in description and looking for the perfect word.

No knitting today, but I'm going to have some time over the weekend to devote to another mitered square. I'm working on the color combination I want to use next and there are so many choices that I'm not sure what I'm going to do! It's a good problem to have, I think. I do love to play with color! I'll post pictures as soon as it's done. Hopefully that'll be sometime this weekend.

A case of the Mondays

Everything was wrong today. Everything. I absolutely had a "case of the Mondays." I don't know why, but it was just a bad, bad day. I don't usually have those. There's always something good about the day that I can focus on, something that keeps me positive, but not today. I'm so stressed and so exhausted that I want nothing more than to curl up in a ball and sleep for the next two months. Is that possible? Can I do that??

Oh right. I forgot... I have opening night and the entire run of the show and then I'm throwing that little party for 800 for work... all within the next couple of months. Maybe after that I can rest for awhile. I usually take a couple of days off after the fundraiser, and I'm so looking forward to those days!

Anyway, it's almost 10 and I'm so tired I want to go to sleep immediately. So that's what I'm going to do.

Look what I did!

I've been reading so much about how fun it is to be square. Mitered Square, that is! It sounded like so much fun so I decided to try it. Everyone is right... it really is great to knit mitered squares! I absolutely love watching them take shape. I'm sure I'll stop and start with this project, but for now, I'm going to be square as much as possible! So here are a few pictures of my very first mitered square. The first picture is the "right" side and the second is the "wrong side." There are a few mess-ups, but overall I'm pleased with the way it turned out. One really great thing about it is that I learned a few new knitting skills while attempting this square (two ways to decrease) and I finally feel confident with my purling. In fact, my purling is actually faster than my knitting now, which makes no sense at all! Anyway, that is how I spent my Sunday. Fun, huh?

Photo Hunters Theme: Empty

An empty path may be lonely, but the journey along it can still be beautiful.

Bayfront Park and Village Point Preserve: Daphne, Alabama

interesting times...

Today was interesting, both professionally and personally. Professionally, it's all about newsletters. I'm not just working on the one for work, but I'm also working on the next Soldiers' Angels newsletter. I must really love newsletters, right? I literally spent all day working on the one for work and will probably spend most of the day Saturday working on the SA one, but that's okay. Newsletters are one of the fun parts of my job, and I truly love contributing to the SA one, so it's all good.

I had rehearsal tonight and it went really well. I actually got a few "goods" from the director, which was great because I was beginning to feel like I wasn't doing a very good job. I just need to work on the accent more and keep my voice from being to shrill when I get excited. It's something that happens in real life and I need to make sure it doesn't happen on stage. After rehearsal, I went out with a couple of people from the cast and really had a great time. I know it's important to get to know each other's characters, but I also think it's important to get to know each other as people too. Anyway, I'm glad I got the chance to do that and I hope we do it again sometime, with even more of the cast.

No knitting news at this time, although I do plan to spend a good deal of time this weekend working on my purse project and maybe some others.

100 things about me

I've seen this on other people's blogs and thought it might be fun. I'm just typing these as they come to me, so they are in no particular order, lol! So here goes...

1. My middle name is Elisabeth.
2. I have an older sister.
3. I'm very close to my parents, especially my mom.
4. When I feel like I'm not in control of my life, I rearrange my furniture.
5. I like the beach during the day, but I love it at night.
6. I'm a writer.
7. I'm an actress.
8. I'm a public relations professional (and the two things above this are useful in that field!)
9. It takes a lot to make me angry.
10. I got married at 19.
11. I got divorced at 22.
12. I'm not desperate for a relationship, but I am at the point where one would be nice.
13. I tend to be a little anal about certain things.
14. The beginnings of these sentences are not lining up and it's starting to annoy me!
15. I don't like tomatoes unless they are on a tomato sandwich or a BLT.
16. I'm a closet sci-fi geek.
17. I studied opera in college and sometimes I sing arias in my car when I'm driving alone.
18. I love jazz.
19. I think roses are beautiful, but also a little sad.
20. I tone down my bubbly personality at work so they won't think I'm an airhead.
21. My favorite book is Fahrenheit 451.
22. My favorite poet is Walt Whitman, favorite poem of his is "O Me, O Life"
23. I can't write poetry.
24. I love "fancy" coffee, but not "regular joe."
25. I play computer games to unwind.
26. When I get mad at someone, I make them a Sim in The Sims 2 and drown them in the pool.
27. I'm not crazy, I promise!
28. I love Italian food.
29. I love accents.
30. I love men.
31. I love to dance, but I'm not very good at it.
32. My favorite painting is Van Gogh's Starry Night.
33. I love Charlie Brown.
34. I have an awesome nephew named Noah, who is the light of my life.
35. I have a beautiful niece named Hannah who is my little princess.
36. My sweet and incredible nephew named Kohl is my cuddle bug.
37. I have horribly embarassing nicknames for my sister's kids, lol!
38. I want to have a child someday.
39. Stress makes me perform better.
40. Sometimes I need to be alone.
41. My sister is constantly trying to fix me up with guys.
42. My sister and I have very different taste in men.
43. I have a few close friends that I've known most of my life.
44. I want to travel the world.
45. I work for a nonprofit and love it.
46. I am 30 years old.
47. I've written 3 novels, but none of them have been accepted for publication yet.
48. I'm determined to get a novel published before I die.
49. I wish I went on more picnics.
50. I'm a hopeless romantic.
51. Chick flicks are my guilty pleasure.
52. Okay, chick lit is a guilty pleasure too!
53. I sometimes wish the book I'm reading would go on after "the end."
54. I get terribly addicted to TV shows.
55. I love to make lists... obviously!
56. I haven't worn a bathing suit in five years.
57. I'm trying a diet and exercise program, but haven't told anyone in case I lapse.
58. I'd rather buy gadgets than clothes.
59. I recently learned to knit, and I love it!
60. I dye my hair.
61. I am not a morning person!
62. I sing in the shower.
63. Show tunes make me happy.
64. I am afraid I will fall in love with the wrong person again.
65. I love the Harry Potter books.
66. I wish I could write a series of books that become that successful.
67. I have an idea that has potential, but it's going to take a lot more work.
68. I do not believe in ghosts.
69. I do believe in spirits.
70. I am a Christian, but I'm not religious.
71. I dislike organized religion.
72. I prefer red wine over white.
73. I hate beer.
74. I sometimes wish I could go back and do things differently.
75. I put people I know into my stories sometimes.
76. I never put myself into my stories.
77. People tell me I look like Drew Barrymore.
78. I wish that was true.
79. I want my life to make a difference in the world.
80. I crave adventure.
81. New experiences are exciting to me, but also a little scary.
82. I Google myself about once a month.
83. When I meet someone new, I Google them when I get home.
84. I love to get comments on my blog!
85. Two years ago, I started taking pictures as a hobby.
86. I carry a camera everywhere I go.
87. My political beliefs are different from most of my family.
88. My IQ is 130
89. I want to go to graduate school.
90. I love hearing other people's stories.
91. I am genuinely interested in people and their lives.
92. I am a Scorpio
93. I was born in the year of the Dragon.
94. My Myers-Briggs personality type is ENFJ.
95. The descriptions for Scorpio and ENFJ are very accurate.
96. I wear contacts (clear, not colored)
97. I am a member of Equality Now
98. Joss Whedon is my hero.
99. I always try to show compassion to everyone.
100. I believe the world would be a better place if nobody had hatred for anyone else.

whew..

I just got home from rehearsal. We ran the whole show tonight. Words can't really describe the excitement I feel right now. I'm never going to be able to go to sleep tonight. (of course, that could be because of the huge white iced mocha I had at 6 this evening to give me energy for the rehearsal!) But seriously, it was really cool to see the whole thing in sequence. I recorded it and am burning it onto two CDs right now so I can run my lines in my car. We have to be off book by next Wednesday and I'm not ready for that yet. I will be by then, though. I'm determined to be!

I finished the contract I was working on and mailed it off today. That's another big work project out of the way. The fundraiser continues to move right along. I think it's going to go well, but I'm a little nervous about some of the details. That's pretty normal for this stage of the planning, though, so I'm sure everything will be okay.

I realized I haven't talked much about knitting lately, so here goes. I stopped working on the log cabin blanket for a little while so that I can concentrate on a couple of small purses. My mother and I both need one for our big road trip this summer, so rather than trying to find a bag that's the perfect size, I'm making them instead! I'm modifying a couple of patterns that I've seen in books to make a sort of hybrid using the components I like from both. I hope it works out the way I think it will, because if it does, it'll be great!

I didn't write today, but I'm planning to get some time in tomorrow. I might have to start getting up early so I'll have time for writing before I start my day... especially if I'm going to have more of these late rehearsals. I should be waking up earlier anyway, instead of sleeping until the very last minute and then rushing to get ready for work. I think I'll try that tomorrow and see what happens.

Something happened today that made me think about myself. I wore a new shirt (that I bought at Layne Bryant the day before) and since it was new and pretty and bright like springtime, I decided to wear makeup and flat iron my hair. Everyone at work freaked out. They kept asking me if there was a guy or if I had a job interview. It made me stop and think about what I must normally look like when I go to work. So I've decided to make more of an effort in that respect. Maybe I'll go shopping some more. I really do need new clothes, and having new things to wear always makes me feel like putting on a face and taking some time to really fix my hair rather than just brushing it.

Anyway, that's what's been going on!

I'm going to try to do better

I promise I'll try to write more here. I know I've been slacking lately. It sort of feels like I never have free time anymore, but it's not a bad thing. It's actually a pretty good thing, for the most part. So here's a quick update on what's been going on...

Work is going well. The freight train that is the Annual Gourmet Chef Challenge is moving right along at a frightening speed and is actually going well. Since it is our only annual fundraiser at this time, I always feel so much pressure for it to go well. It always does, and the worst thing that has happened since I have been involved with the event was last year when we ran out of napkins, but since it was pretty much the end of the night anyway, it wasn't a disaster on a major scale. I did make a note to order more napkins this year, just in case. I've written four grants in the last few weeks, which is some kind of record. I hope we get most of them, because the sheer volume of grants I'm writing lately is sure to bring down my ratio, unless we get all of them (which is very unlikely, of course!) I have a contract to do tomorrow, and several other priority projects, so this week is going to be interesting.

I've been looking at property and houses lately. Real estate is insane around here. They are asking completely crazy amounts of money for the smallest places that are literally crumbling. The standard of living is supposed to be lower here, so what gives? Salaries are much, much lower than they are in other places, but housing is higher than median wages can support. And all the while, the farmland is being turned into subdivisions with expensive homes that nobody is buying. The market is flooded with houses, when just a year and a half ago the market was flooded with people looking for houses. I think the developers counted on the Katrina victims just staying around and putting down roots here, but they are all going back home now and there are vacant homes everywhere. Of course, they wouldn't be vacant if they were reasonably priced! It's insane. So it's back to the idea of an apartment closer to work, if I can find a good one. Wish me luck... it hasn't been an easy search.

Play rehearsals are still going well. I think I made a breakthrough with the character, thanks to some great advice from the director. She's amazing, and so is the cast. It's so much fun seeing all the pieces turn into a coherent story, to see these crazy characters come to life. It's one of the things I love about being in plays. I also love getting to know the other cast members, and today I got a chance to talk the actress who is playing the lead. We were both early for rehearsal, so we sat down and talked for awhile. It was nice. I'd love to do that with each one of the cast members, as well as the director and the stage manager. Of course, it probably won't happen, since we are all working so hard to learn the play and everything, but maybe we will get a chance to talk at the cast party... lol...

Writing is also still moving along at a nice pace. I've done some additional work on "Under the Magnolia Tree" and am working on a couple of ideas for "Deadly Council" as well as the second (currently untitled) Deadlines book. I have all these ideas zooming around in my head, including something inspired by a dream I had the other night. I'm not sure if it'll work, but it was an interesting dream that I think might make an interesting story. If I can make it work. I'm also trying to think about Script Frenzy and whether or not I am going to participate. I really want to, but I've never written a screenplay before and I'm not sure I want to learn by doing a one month challenge, you know? Of course, some would say it's the best way to learn...

I'm thinking about taking ballroom dancing lessons. I don't know why, but it sounds like fun. I'll post updates on that when I decide when and where I am going to do it. I guess it would help if I had a partner to dance with, but maybe I can find one when I get there. Hopefully...

Well anyway, it's after 11 p.m. and I have work tomorrow, so I should wrap this up.

10 years ago...

Josh had this on his myspace and I thought it was funny, so here goes...

10 Years Ago

1.) How old were you? 20
2.) Where did you go to school? University of Mobile
3.) Where did you work? Thomas Hospital
4.) Where did you live? Mobile
5.) Where did you hang out? Bowling alley (not by choice, Wayne loved bowling and I went along for the ride)
6.) Did you wear glasses? Contacts
7.) Who was your best friend? Rhea (Chris and I fell out of touch during this time)
8.) How many tattoos did you have? none
9.) How many piercings did you have? Does one in each ear count as two? (lol)
10.) What car did you drive? 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier
11.) Had you been to a real party? Sure
12.) Had your heart broken? Of course
13.) Single/Taken/Married/Divorced/Bitter: Married to Wayne (mistake!)

5 years ago

1.) How old were you? 25
2.) Where did you go to school? University of South Alabama
3.) Where did you work? managing editor of The Vanguard (student newspaper)
4.) Where did you live? Fairhope
5.) Where did you hang out? Movies, clubs in Mobile
6.) Did you wear glasses? still contacts
7.) Who was your best friend? Rhea and Chris
8.) Who was your crush? none I can think of
9.) How many tattoos did you have? still none
10.) How many piercings did you have? still just the ears
11) What car did you drive? 2000 Dodge Neon
12.) Had you had your heart broken? not since the divorce
13.) Single/Taken/Married/Divorced/Bitter: Single and happy about it


**March 2007**

1.) How old are you? 30
2.) Where do you work? Bay Area Food Bank (I absolutely love my job!)
3.) Where do you live? Fairhope
4.) Do you wear glasses? considering Lasik surgery to get rid of the contacts!
5.) Who's your best friend? Rhea and Chris (of course!)
6.) Do you talk to your old friends? I've just recently connected with several old friends and it's great to catch up with them!
7.) How many piercings? Still just the earlobes (I'm boring!)
8.) How many tattoos do you have? Still none.
9.) What kind of car do you have? 2006 Honda Civic (I love my car!)
10.) Has your heart been broken? Yes, but it has healed and I don't stress about relationships anymore. There's no reason to do that!
11.) Single/Taken/Married/Divorced/Bitter? Single and loving every minute of it, but I am also finally ready for a good relationship too. I figure if it happens, it happens. If not, that's okay too.

Act One is blocked!

Last night we finished blocking Act One! It's so exciting! I had forgotten how much fun it is to be a part of a play, to start getting to know your fellow actors and the characters they play, to begin to become a team working toward one common goal. I love my fellow actors and everyone else involved with this play. The director is amazing! I hope I get to work with her again. She has so much energy and enthusiasm for the script. She laughs out loud at particularly funny lines during rehearsals and is really focused on what will bring out better performances from the group. It has been such a great experience so far. The last scene in Act One is so crazy, I can't wait until it all gels and we see what it's really going to look like. It was already starting to look pretty good last night, which is amazing considering it was the first time we went through it.

So that's going well. Tomorrow night I'm going with some friends to this cool thing called "24 hour theatre" where they write, rehearse, and perform 5 one-act plays in 24 hours. I can't wait to see what comes out of that! I'm not participating this year, but if it looks like fun, I'll probably do it next year!

I didn't write yesterday, but I plan to really concentrate on that over the weekend. I'm also going to try to learn all of Act One of the play over the weekend so that I don't have to keep the script in my hand. I really want to go off book as soon as possible so I can concentrate on my movements and everything. It's a good thing I don't have a lot planned, because between writing, memorizing lines, going to the 24 hour theatre thing, and laundry, I'm pretty much booked solid! Not to mention church on Sunday and the time I'll spend with my nephew tomorrow morning. He turned 11 a few days ago and I'm going to take his birthday present to him tomorrow. It's a computer desk and a rolling chair. I just recently gave him my old computer, and they just moved into a new house where he has a bigger room, so I figured it was time for him to have a proper space for it. He is going to love it! (he's not spoiled or anything, I promise!) So busy, busy weekend in store...

oops... it's been a week!

I know, I know... It's been a week since I've posted. Sorry about that! I do try to post every day, but sometimes it doesn't happen. But the good news is, I've been keeping busy and having a great time doing it! The play is going great! We had our first read through last week, and our first real rehearsal last night. We blocked several of my scenes and I can already tell that it's going to be so much fun to play this role. I had some thoughts about my character during a read through over the weekend, and when I brought them up to the director, she hugged me. She said she loved that her actors were really thinking about their characters and she encouraged more thought and more involvement in the process, which is great.

I haven't stopped writing, just in case anyone is wondering. I went back to Deadly Council for a little while because I had some insight into what was going on there, so I wrote a little on it over the past few days. I've also done some work on Under the Magnolia Tree, because it needs a lot of work! I started on a short story, but I stopped working on it because it didn't seem to be going anywhere. I might pick it up again, but I'd rather work on something that has a clear direction than something that doesn't, at this point. Especially since I have no idea what market this short story might be right for, and I know exactly where I'll be sending the novels when they are finished. Well, I know a lot of places I'll be sending them! So that's where the writing stands at this point. I'm also still working on editing Summer's Blossom. There's so much to do with it! I think the rejection made me feel less confident in the story and now I'm trying to fix what might be wrong, but I'm not sure that's the best way to do it either. I mean, they didn't even read the story, just the synopsis, so maybe if I send it back with some sample chapters (all edited and polished, of course!) they will give a more favorable response. They did, after all, say that they liked the concept.

So anyway, that's what I've been up to lately. Oh, and I went to the eye doctor Monday. One eye has gotten worse and the other has stayed the same, so I had to get a new prescription for my contacts. No problems other than that, though, so that's good. I got a new brand of lenses too, and they feel great! In fact, they feel like nothing at all, which is what you want contacts to feel like. I thought about getting colored ones, but decided against it. A blue-eyed me wouldn't look right. Besides, I like how my hazel eyes change color according to what I wear. I'd miss that if I had colored lenses.

Tonight they are blocking scenes I'm not in, so I'm going to do laundry. One thing about being involved in a play is that you have to schedule the stuff you have to do around rehearsals. I don't mind at all, though, because I'm loving this return to the stage!