Fall Fell

Hi There. Long time no write. I know, I know. I definitely let my promise go. Fall fell hard on me and I let it be a good excuse not to write for a bit. I think things are getting back on an okay track so hopefully I can get back to writing on a regular basis.

I have decided to downgrade my novel to a short story and then eventually bring it back to a novel. If I can start small, then I can go big. I think I might start with the paragraph I wrote in the middle of the night when we had those mysterious beeps that we never located the source. I think it might be better throw the reader into the universe at first instead of carefully illustrating each detail. It is much easier for me to get hooked up in those details and distracted from getting much on paper/computer. If it can start once the catalyst action has already occurred and flash back to it for our back story, it just might do the trick. I should go look at my Steven King short horror story books I have and get a little more inspiration about the timing of the elements I want to include.

This week is also Tattoo week! Friday is T-Day ;) I am excited but nerves are creeping in too. I made a playlist of my favorite albums to try and keep me relaxed and calm. We shall see!

Fall is finally here!

What a crazy week last week. Jeremy is officially a college graduate! I'm super proud of him and he is already full steam ahead on the job hunt. We've got a week and then it's island time. So excited to get away, especially with my love.

On Saturday I went with my parents and a good friend to see Book of Mormon at the Pantages. It was fun to see the show again spend time with my friend. We've been friends since kindergarten.

Saturday was also the first day of Fall! I've already proclaimed my love for this season but I celebrated tonight by making some pumpkin pie bites and a pumpkin pie. This was my first pie! It's almost done and the bites taste great. Between that, some yummy coffee and my snugly dog, this is a good start to Fall!

Oh, also, I have my appointment for my tattoo! Can't wait!

Quiet Time

It has been a little quiet on here. Sorry for that. This is probably the busiest time in a while so I am might not be keeping my promise to myself for a little bit. I wrote a few sentences of my novel on Saturday!! It wasn't much but I did something! I'm officially on the road, I've graduated from research to actual writing. Now if I can only keep it up. That's the trick isn't it! I'll continue, I know that. But because of the busy schedule, I probably won't do as much as I should. I just have to keep the motivation and the ideas rolling around. I'll keep you posted!

Counting the days

We are so close. Jeremy is almost done! Which means, it's Hawaii time! I am so ready for the break even though I can't believe it is coming so fast. I made Rowdie's appointment for daycare while we are gone. I'm a sad momma. I know he'll have a blast with the other doggies. I have to remember what Jeremy told me, it's like he is have a sleepover with his friends while we are gone. My dad is going to try and come by to visit him while we're gone too. 

I am ready to let go and have some time with my honey. We've had such nice times with each other in Hawaii so I know this will be a much needed break for each other. I am ready for my lava flow drink and a walk on the beach in the waves. I'm one lucky girl.

Shanelapalooza

This is my week. It is NY Fashion Week and this week kicks of the season premieres of the Fall TV. Seriously, this is my version of the Olypmics, football season and Summer blockbuster season combined.

Having the amazing opportunity to go to Fall NYFW last February, I feel even more connected the the event than before. I was able to kick it off with FNO as you know and I have been watching some of the shows online. They are beautiful but I am so glad that I got to see the Fall collections. There was something more dramatic about it, but you already know I'm obsessed with Fall.

Tonight, I have Face Off, The New Normal and Parenthood. I also have Glee this week too. I am so excited for these shows. I'm so excited that I am going to end this and watch my shows!

Feeling more refreshed

Well I took a breather from the blog this weekend. Slightly unintentional, slightly intentional. I got some good sleep and rest. I did battle with a pattern for a skirt that I was making. I finally got it settled but boy was that more work than it should have been.

I got to help Jeremy a bit and I went and help with Chapman sorority recruitment bid delivery. It was great to see the girls and their new members united. No matter what some say about sororities, I love mine and I am so happy I get to help advise the girls.

Jeremy officially finished one of his classes. Only three to go! Two weeks! Insanity! It has been so long in the making but now it is here.

Let's do this people.

FNO

I went to Fashion Night Out with my mom tonight. It was fun to go to another fashion event with her. However it will forever be hard to beat New York Fashion Week and front seats to the shows. We saw gorgeous jewels from Mikimoto where a silhouette artist cut my silhouette out of paper while I sat. Cool freebie from the evening. The other fun thing of the night was trying on a fierce short trench jacket at Burberry. They were taking pictures for their website www.artofthetrench.com and I got my picture taken in the fab jacket. Now if I only had an extra $2k lying around, it would be hanging in my closet as we speak. I totally guessed the price too. I know my designer wear. I wish there was a Price is Right show for designer fashion because I could probably win it all. We also went into Oscar De La Renta for the first time. I have been trying to go into each designer store at least once at South Coast Plaza. I started that with my friend Dagian when we were in high school.

I then came home and watched Project Runway. There was a two piece collection challenge and the winning teams looks were hot. I would have worn all of them.

Sigh, I love fashion.

Brainstorming

Tonight I've been able to help brainstorm and read through Jeremy's portfolio. His work is very good and it was nice to take a look. I enjoy helping him brainstorm so I am glad I got the chance to help brainstorm for his booth layout and how to display his work.

I feel like I can be good at research. I don't know if that is true or if I am just lucky sometimes. I was able to find everything I wanted to use for our wedding from research on my own and for various other things since. It's like a scavenger hunt. When I have a mission, I enjoy the quest to find it.

Well, I am off to find a table!

Face Off

Tonight I am watching my latest episode of Face Off. I really enjoy this show because I am fascinated with theatrical and movie makeup. I loved learning about it when I took a teen class at SCR (South Coast Repertory) and I took a theatrical makeup class. I have always loved creating a new persona, a different character. Makeup is a great way to change some one's look without a huge effort some times. I wish I had more opportunities to use some theatrical makeup techniques. I helped with makeup on a film I was the production manager on in film school. I also helped a friend prank some other friends by putting big bruises on him. I love creating that illusion. I think that is why I like Halloween. It give me an excuse to try something new. I made myself a construction site victim and my husband a ghostly cowboy just to open the door for treat or treaters and we dated. I need to find something new to try to satisfy that urge to create a creature.

My Television Holiday Weekend

Happy Labor Day!

I spent this weekend getting some things done around my house, vegging and hanging with family. I also watched a lot of TV marathons. As I mentioned before Doctor Who started the next series (season) on Saturday. They showed the last two series leading up to the new one over Friday and Saturday. I watched a little on Friday but it was pretty much on all day on Saturday. I am full of Doctor Who. The new episode was good and gave a surprise peak **Spoilers** of the new companion that will be joining the Doctor around the Christmas special. I think she is an intriguing character that could challenge the Doctor depending on the timeframe in which he finds her again. 

Yesterday, I got out into the fresh air and spent the day with my parents. We saw Hit & Run with Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell. I really enjoyed it. But back to the TV.

Today I had two marathons I caught. The first was a rerun of last season's Ru Paul's Drag Race. I've already seen it but I enjoy the antics, the hair and the clothes. After awhile I looked to see what else was on and I found a Saved By The Bell marathon. Now that's what I'm talking about. I love me some Zach Morris and Kelly Kapowski. I love the classic episodes like the oil strike in the football field. The zit cream Zach sells to get closer to Kelly. Zach gets a 1502 on his SATs. I love the charismatic misdeeds of Zach in the interest of good. I'll never get tired of that show. 

Fashion Smashion

Another reason I like Fall is that I get to wear some of my Fall clothes. It (eventually) gets cooler and I can pull out my sweaters, jeans, boots and coats. There is also the vests, new wool shorts I got last year, tights, and hats. I love fashion. I get an idea of something I'd like to wear or recreate from something I've seen and I usually try and figure out a way to do so.

My latest quest was to find a button down shirt I can wear a bow tie with. I had success and got to wear it to work this week. I am excited to find other bow ties or make them and wear it the rest of Fall. I also want to find some cute boot socks/toppers. I've seen such cute pictures of a little skirt, tights and cute boot socks popping up over the top of boots.

I think I am lucky that my birthday is in the Fall and that I love Fall clothes. I own more jackets and coats than a So Cal girl should. My downstairs coat closet looks like a coat check somewhere much more cold than here. I still find times to wear them though and I always manage to get one more each year (if not more...).

Today I plan on going through my closet again. I try to get to it two to three times a year. I have to in order to fit everything in, but it is good to start fresh and make room for new fun things.

Doctor Who

Sorry for no entry yesterday. I was resting after getting a filing done. Thank goodness I got that over with.

The new series (Brits call it series instead of seasons) of Doctor Who starts in two days. They have been releasing a mini web series daily since Monday leading up to Saturday. They are wonderful little tidbits. My friend also just watch the entire second half of series 6 today. She sent me her commentary and I could reminisce about the episodes. It also reminded me I need to watch at least the last one Saturday afternoon.

I really need to a better entry about my love of Doctor Who but this will be a little taste. I am sure I will have more to talk about after Saturday!

Girl Time

I just had a nice dinner with two of my cousins. It was nice to spend some girl time together. I have really been enjoying getting close to my cousins now that we're adults. Plus, every girl needs some girl time.

It is usually around this time that I miss one of my dear friends the most. My friend lives out of state and has since we graduated high school. We've maintained our relationship over school breaks, visits to each other's homes, texts and phone calls. She gets me in a way that not all of my friends (though I love them so much) do. I wish we could just hop in a car and grab coffee or go on impromptu adventures.

We'll have to maintain on those texts and phone calls for now. Maybe someday we will be in the same state again. And if not, we'll have to get started Facetiming!

Spooky Story

I really want to write something creative and fictional but I am not finding a place to start at the moment. I need to try and write earlier in the day. I think that would help.

Maybe I'll write a little Halloween story. I am a Fall person as I've previously said. I know that isn't something most Southern Californian residents admit seeing as we don't really have "real" Fall. But Fall holds some of my favorite things: My birthday, Halloween, pumpkin carving, pumpkin flavored things (bread, drinks, etc), that Christmas is around the corner....

I have always loved Halloween. I have always having an excuse to dress up. There was one Halloween when I was probably 9 that I wore a costume to school but I decided that I wanted to wear something different for trick or treating. I completely changed and put together a different costume. I am sure my mom loved spending money on the costume for me to not wear it all day.

To this day, it isn't hard to give me an excuse to dress up. I wore a bow tie to work today. I liked it. I think I have my idea for my work costume for Halloween already too, but it might change. It usually does.

Now I think I'll start working on ideas for a Halloween short story!

On a Sunday night...

Well next week is starting whether I want it to or not. It's going to be busy and I'm not looking forward to everything in store for the week but there are some glimpses of good to look forward to. That is what Sunday night is about. The dread versus the hope. Well I am going to snuggle with my pup and try and focus on the hope for that is what I will remember longer.

Hanging on

Well I missed yesterday so I was determined to write today. I made it spin again this morning. It was a bit harder than last week but I am finding a small groove. I think if I can try adding something I couldn't do the week before, I will be on a good course for a bit.

I also went to Gold Rush Tattoo to investigate setting up an appointment. No appointment today but I did get some information to help me tweak my idea for the design. I was a little befuddled about what to do for a little bit, but my friend Jenna, had a great solution that I think will capture what I want, the size and way I want it.

So tomorrow I have to really buckle down and get some have-tos done. I can do it!

Motivation

I feel my motivation starting to wane. I know I am just having a funky week, but it is a little hard to kick. I can't seem to pinpoint something to jumpstart me out of it. I think I am feeling overwhelmed by my have-tos that I want to do nothing at all. I promise myself that by the end of the weekend that I'll get my closet cleaned out again and organized, or at least on a good road towards that. Next on my list, I think will be floors. The downstairs needs a sweep/vacuum desperately. And dishes. And... see, this is my vicious cycle.

I fee like painting too. I don't know what to paint but I feel like that's a weekend project and the weather has been so icky I haven't wanted to sit outside to do some. I think excuses are the name of the game. I've been so good about moving forward on some of my goals, maybe I just out of shape with my goal meeting skills. Am I that not used to getting things done that I've set goals for so I feel like that they must make up for the ones I haven't made good on yet? Maybe.

Well hopefully I can fling this funk soon. I'll keep you posted.

Hello

Hi there. My brain is a bit tired but I needed to write today. :) more to come later!

Rowdie

My husband and I have a dog named Rowdie. We adopted him two years ago this last Monday. He is fantastic. He's cuddling with my right now even though its 81 degrees in the house. He can be a pain and needs some more training but he has brought a ton of joy to us over the last two years. He always looks funny, either goofy or pathetic. He follows us everywhere and just wants to be touching one or both of us! He usually knows when I need a kiss or a snuggle. He also knows just when to surprise attack us with a smelly fart. He does a great impression of Justin Timerlake singing "Cry me a river..." I love our little man. Happy adopt-a-verary Rowdie!

I'm Just A Broadway Baby

I just got home from a preview of the Sergstrom Performing Arts Center's 2012-2013 season. It looks like it will be a good season. I love Broadway, I always have. I took vocal lessons a little girl, learning to sing the song from the title of my blog and others. I also learned about Broadwy's brightest, at the time, Andrew Llyod Webber. I told my mom, probably around 3-4 years old, that when I move to New York City someday to not be sad because I'd send her a postcard.

While my aspirations changed, I never will give up the dream of performing Broadway greats on stage. It always captures my imagination and I can't help but pick out what part I'd dream to play after the lights come up.

I've had the good fortune of seeing one of the shows on Broadway this last February, Sister Act. It's a great show and I am excited to see it again. They are also bringing WarHorse. It looks amazing. They brought out the main puppet horse, Joey. It was so beautiful and moving. So innovative and creative. I'm excited about seeing the whole thing.

I'll have to pull out some of my soundtracks to get in the mood! Come along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway....