How to meet a man while you do your laundry...

So, like most NYers, I have the regular opportunity of doing my laundry in a public location. Fortunately, our apartment building has a laundry room in the basement. This is especially convenient, since I normally let my laundry go as long as possible--thus, I am often wearing my last remaining clean "outfit" when I do my laundry. This outfit is often composed of mismatching, ill-fitting articles of clothing that happen to be too ugly to wear on any other day.

Last Friday was no different. I was preparing to leave town for the weekend, and I needed to get a few things done before I left. Since I didn't have to work until the afternoon, it seemed like a prime time to finish some laundry. I went downstairs in all my "laundry outfit" glory--baggy capri sweat pants, yellow (did I mention that yellow is a horrible color on me) t-shirt with paint on it and the neck cut out, glasses, no make-up, and a really "special" hairdo somehow piled on top of my head. Basically, I looked worse than when I rolled out of bed that morning.

As I put my clothing into the dryer, a very handsome man walks into the laundry room. He's putting his clothes into the washers. We talk briefly, and then I go upstairs. Being the dork that I am, I didn't think to change before I went back downstairs--I was busy getting some work done! I went back down to grab my dry laundry (still in my awesome outfit, and sweating because it was already really hot and muggy). As I'm pulling my clothing out of the dryers, in walks the hot guy to change his stuff to the dryers. For some reason we start chatting... and we continue to chat... and we chat some more. This whole time, I'm sweating profusely because I am holding the sack with my fresh-out-of-the-dryer clothing. Then he asked me if I wanted to grab coffee with him. Huh?! Really?! (I didn't say those things, but I thought them)

At this point I realized that he was flirting with me--yes, I can be fairly clueless. So, I looked at myself, looked back at him, and said, "umm, sure...if I can change first, then yeah." I know--I'm so eloquent. Anyway, he says he'll meet me out front in 10 min. I run inside, change, put in my contacts, stick my hair back (since it iis hopeless), and somehow make myself presentable enough to go back outside (still without make-up).

We went to "coffee," though I stuck to my good ole' cranberry juice. We had a really great time, and only stopped because I had to go to work. He walked me back to the laundry room, and asked if I'd like to go do something with him this week. Of course, I said yes... and tonight's date was great!

So, I have no idea if this will go anywhere. He knows I'm LDS, and that I'm active in the church. We'll see what happens. If nothing else, it's a great story!!! So the moral is:
Be careful what you wear on laundry day--you can never be sure who you will meet.

Hugs,
Jamie

Vegas for the Summer!

So, the big news for the moment is that I will be in Vegas for the summer. I fly out on June 26th and come back mid/late August. I will be living with my Aunt Sondee (she's a rockstar--no really, she is!)

I am soooo excited to be so close to everyone at home.

See you all soon!

p.s. I promise to put up something about my most recent NYC adventures soon! hugs

This week in free tickets...

One of the benefits of living in New York City and working in theatre is that I randomly end up with comp tickets on a semi-normal basis. The last few weeks have been particularly full. However, this week I was only planning on seeing one show and ended up seeing two shows at the last minute. What a blast! So, here are my reviews of what I saw this week:

MONDAY
Bernadette Peters Live at the Minskoff Theatre
Monday evening I finished work and headed out the door. As I checked my phone, I noticed that I had a message from a friend asking me to babysit. However, when I called, they were already set and asked if I wanted to go with them to see Bernadette Peters in concert (free ticket, of course). It was BRILLIANT! She is amazing. Her voice has never been what you would call pretty. If you listen to a recording of her, you won't understand how anyone can love her so much. BUT she is a brilliant actress and amazing performer! When she sang "Fever," you could feel the temperature of the theatre rise. FANTASTIC! I could go on and on about her, but suffice it to say that I was in the presence of a Real Broadway Mega-Star and Diva (not to mention Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents, Mary Tyler Moore, Hugh Jackman, Daniel Craig, assorted other TV, movie, and Broadway stars).

THURSDAY
Wishful Drinking
This show was planned ahead. I work for Roundabout Theatre Company, and it is one of our shows. All I can say is... Carrie Fischer and all her baggage--it was HILARIOUS and very sad all wrapped into one. I came away still giggling from her show and praying with gratitude for my family and life. That woman is fabulous and quite the comedian. And the segment about "Hollywood Inbreeding" was...I can't think of a word that captures it...but it was crazy.

FRIDAY
Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular
Another surprise for me. I got a call from a friend I'd met the night before asking if I'd like to go. He works for the LDS Public and International Affairs office, and so I ended up sitting next to the Argentinian Ambassador.
So...Holy Cow, giant show!!! I didn't realize that shows this ginormous still existed. That place is crazy. And the budget on the show has to be astronomical. The only time I have seen a hall that large was when I've gone to the Met Opera. The Rockettes are amazing, but I am glad I am not one of them. The singers were great. Santa was lovely. What surprised me most was that the whole last part was the telling of birth of Christ--camels, sheep, angel, donkey and all. It was surprising and gratifying that such a commercial, mainstream show would remember the true reason why we have Christmas (even with glitz).

Well, that's it for this week. I'm going to see Mary Poppins again on Monday. [insert evil scientist laugh--"Mwah hahaha!"--here] I love my work!

Good News!

So, I know that I've done a horrible job blogging and I owe everyone (yes, you too mom) a ton of pictures from this summer and the beginning of this fall. I will try to repent and get on that before this month is out. However, I wanted to share this good news first.

In case you didn't know, my work in New York is contract based. I am what is called a Teaching Artist for three different theatre companies here in the city (Disney on Broadway, Roundabout Theatre Co, and Queens Theatre in the Park). Well, because the work is contract based, you're always looking to hire on with another company to expand your possible work base. That leads to today...

Today, I auditioned for a program called Dancing Classrooms. If you've seen "Mad Hot Ballroom" or "Take the Lead," then you've seen the movies on this program. If you haven't seen them, you may want to rent one of them and see what it's about. "Why?" you may ask... because I got the job, and I'm super excited. This group is different than my other Teaching Artist jobs, because it is ballroom dance based instead of theatre. I'm super excited! Ballroom has been a love of mine since BYU, and I've wanted to be part of this program since I saw "Mad Hot Ballroom."

Well, now it's off to bed. I have to be up early in the morning to work out. I started the 90 day P90X Challenge. I'll let you know how it goes. Rock on!

Just keep swimming...

Do you ever have those times when you feel like you just can't get control on things? You know, like when you thought you had everything important under control, and then it just seems to slip through your fingers without you realizing it until it's gone. That's how I feel right now. It's hard not to get discouraged when that happens. But we get up and keep going. So, tonight, I'm going to read my scriptures, drink some warm yumminess, and get a good night's rest. Tomorrow, I will get up (literally and figuratively) and figure it out again. Yeah, that sounds good. :D

*hugs*

Jamie's Life Lessons...Reality Show Style

So, my birthday is tomorrow, and I'm musing on the many things that I've learned this past year. But the question is, what was the most important thing I learned this year? If this was a reality show, I would just list the top 12 (or 13) things and then I'd let you vote on which was number 1. Hmm, I kind of like that idea...

I like it so much that I'm going to do it! That's right! So here are the rules, 1) read; 2) comment with your vote; 3) remember that I love you!

Here it goes.

Jamie's Life Lessons during her 27th (or something like that) year:

1. It's possible to date like a guy while still being a feminine lady

2. I'm dang good at what I do, and I have no reason to be afraid of working with my peers

3. Guitar Hero World Tour is a lot of fun to play, but gets lame when there are a bunch of guys that take over the game controls

4. Substitute Motherhood is way more difficult and rewarding than anything else I've ever done

5. I can play the piano and conduct a band for a 60 minute rock musical with only a few days notice

6. Boker Tov means "Good Morning" and Lila Tov means "Good Evening"-- and I need to learn Hebrew

7. I really love working in education and really hate working in marketing

8. People sell/buy a pair of jeans for over $200

9. In order to increase my income, I need to start performing again

10. The professional theatre world is like a Disney ride--it's a small, small world

11. I am neither a republican nor a democrat. I am an American

12. It can rain, snow, and be warm & sunny all within the same week in NYC

13. I can get even pastier (whiter and paler) than I already was, but I still tan very well

14. The Lord is keenly aware of me and regularly performs miracles in my life

Some friends threw me an early Birthday Party on Sunday.

I love you all! May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Fun Times and Good Friends in the Last Week of February

Life is pretty good. In fact, I'm in a constant state of feeling overwhelmed by the many blessings that the Lord has poured out upon me. I am so grateful for how wonderful my day-to-day life seems to be. However, some weeks are even better than average. Last week was definitely one of those.



MONDAY: The week started off super well with a large gathering (Stake FHE--see "Cookies" to hear a little more about that adventure) and a movie (I saw Push. Has anyone else seen that yet? I don't think I would have gone by myself, but it was my friend Tessa's birthday).



TUESDAY: The next day I had work (which is always good) and then, on the way home, I helped an old friend, Shawna, pack up her apartment. It was so nice that we got to chat and catch-up. I ended up inheriting 6 new purses, cleaning supplies, and a bunch of brand new make-up from Victoria's Secret (she didn't want to stick it in storage). It was like Christmas all over again!



WEDNESDAY: American Idol! I watched it at my friend's house just so I could see my cute cousin (Kai Kalama) perform. He did well, though he didn't make it to the Top 12. I had to stay up late so that I could vote for him (my cell phone is a CA number, and the voting system is somehow related to your time zone. Yawn!). It was awesome seeing someone I love and adore on national television.



THURSDAY: Rachel Ray Show! Yes, so I went to a taping of the Rachel Ray show. It was fun. By the end of the taping, I was hungry and ready to go, but I definitely enjoyed myself while I was there. Jeff Foxworthy was one of the guests and Tom Allen (from the Food Network?) was the other guest. During the real life spot (whatever that is when they do a spot on viewers and their real life challenges), I was sitting next to the three guests. So, I should definitely be in the shot. Other fun times from that day include a visit to Grand Central Station, Hip Hop Class, and going to Cafe Lalo (anyone seen You've Got Mail?) to meet up with my friend, Kevin. Since he was staying with us for the weekend, he treated my roomies and I to dinner and dessert. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much. We were all so tired and loopy (especially Kevin with his 2 hours of sleep), and it was like being back in Provo... but cooler since it was NYC. :)



**Okay, I need to take a moment to mention that Kevin is one of my dearest friend's from BYU, but we haven't actually seen each other since his wedding reception. To give you an idea of how long ago that was, his wife is currently pregnant with their 2nd child and they waited a bit to start having kids. He was staying with us for a few days while he hit some auditions and met with work associates. Thus, he's mentioned for the next few days, though there is obviously no romantic interest since he's happily married**



FRIDAY: First, it's important to note that the weather was AWESOME! I didn't wear a coat at all (day or night). Woohoo! So, Kevin's friend, Nicole, is currently playing Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway. Though we'd both seen it before, Kevin felt like he should see it again, and didn't really want to go alone. So, we played the lottery and won (I know--I love my luck!). Since we... okay... he won, I met him in the Theatre District after work so we could grab dinner. While in that area, I ran into a bunch of friends, including my friend Daniel with whom I did a show in San Diego. Crazy! NYC is seriously the biggest small town I know. Anyway, Wicked was very good (though there was one character with pitch problems--NOT Elphaba or Glinda) and we went backstage after the show to chat with Nicole. She is super sweet! After we left the theatre, we went to Serendipity and put ourselves into serious sugar highs. No wonder we stayed up talking til 3 am.



SATURDAY: Saturday I had a stake meeting (very inspiring and informative) and then came home to get a bunch of work done. Then, I got all gussied up and went to our Stake Speed Dating Event. Yes, you read me right. I went Speed Dating. I only went because I promised my roommates and friends that I would go, and I LOVED IT! There were 115 guys and 115 girls. It was sooooo fun! I don't know if anything dating-wise will come of it, but it was great to meet so many new people. After we (my roommates and me) got home, we stayed up til 2 telling Kevin our speed dating adventures and laughing our tails off...again.



Well, I think that's where my tale of February ends. Sunday started a new month (Hurray for March!), and a brand new week of adventures. I am grateful for extra fun weeks. It was exactly the stress relief I needed and that I've been praying for.

Cookies

So, lately I've been working on acting more like a guy... Let me explain. You see, I have been listening to these relationship tapes that have really struck a chord in me. Also, I saw the movie He's Just Not That Into You on the same day that I began the tapes. All of these have made me think that I need to change my dating style. Soooo, I'm trying to act more like a guy in the dating area of my life. You know--like actually "date" instead of doing the women thing of "forming relationships" with men that have no real attachment to me. I mean, let's be honest--How many of my guy friends can I fall in love with without them liking me back "in that way" before I get it? So far, dating like a "guy" has been fairly successful and rather enjoyable. I like dating, and it definitely takes the pressure off when I'm not expecting a boyfriend, eternal marriage, and kids after he takes me out the first time.

So, this leads me to last night. I went to a big singles' gathering, and I was having tons of fun. I was working the room a little bit, and enjoying myself immensely. I talked with lots of guys, and definitely got hit on. I made new friends (guy and girl) and formed tentative future plans with a few without being over-bearing. You think I would have left feeling pretty good. The only problem is that somehow I got talked into making a guy cookies. Somehow I got caught in one of those single man traps! How did he do it? How did he throw off my non-attachment, come and get me energy and talk me into making him cookies? The worst part is that I'm pretty sure that it was my fault and that I totally set myself up for this. Where was my "inner guy?!" My girl instinct totally kicked out the "guy" and took over.

Once again, like many a good female, I've been committed to give something to a man without him doing much in return. And as one of my favorite religion teachers always said "why would any guy buy the cow if he can get the milk for free?"

Joys of Being a Substitute Mommy

So, I wrote this blog last week, but it got erased. Then, I got sick, so I never rewrote the entry. But now, here I am--grateful for the opportunity to rewrite and, hopefully, improve upon what I wrote earlier.

As I mentioned in one of my previous entries, I had been asked by some friends to babysit their three children while they were out of town for a week. Since I adore the children, I was more than happy to agree to watch them. This babysitting adventure took place from 1/16 to 1/24, and I have definitely had my eyes opened. I could list the challenges of being a single mom to three children under the age of 5 (Maragaret is 5, Cole is 3 1/2, and Stella is 11 mo.) in NYC, but I think I have plenty of friends that have a greater and deeper understanding of these trials than I do. What I would like to list, though, are a few of the joys of being a substitute mommy for such delightful children. As you read it, please note that the parents took months preparing the chldren, and telling them I was going to be the mommy for the week (I was the sub). The parents have not really referred to me as a "babysitter" so, I believe I have had a unique experience.

Here it goes!

• I discovered that I really llike to be called "mom." What a sweet title!
• I discovered the joys of "bedtime." I love that time
• Somewhere along the line, I realized that I could accomplish and was alright with all the crazy mommy stuff
• Relief Society sisterhood. My testimony of the importance of the Relief Society has increased 10-fold. I don't know how single mothers are able to do it without RS
• Being able to relate to friends who've entered the motherhood stage of life in a way I've never been able to before.
• Making new friends because their kids are friends with "my" kids. There are some truly amazing mothers here in the city.
• Play groups are fun! It is fun to watch kids play with each other and to get in on the fun yourself
• Late night feedings for the baby. I'm not good at getting up in the middle of the night, but there is nothing as sweet as a little baby snuggled up in your arms
• Cuddle time with Cole. He is a typical 3-yr old boy and he doesn't like to cuddle. However, one night he got up in the middle of the night and decided to curl up on the couch. I joined him, and it was the only chance to sit and cuddle with him without any kind of fight. It was a peaceful and a precious moment.
• Having plenty of time to think of someone besides myself
• Hugs and kisses goodnight
• Family prayer
• Family Home Evening (I love that Margaret and Cole reminded me to have it)
• Kids being excited about what you made for dinner
• Ordering in. Sometimes that's the only way to keep sane
• Bath time. It's kind of a pain, but I think it's a lot of fun.
• Excitement over the small things
• There's nothing that warms the heart quite like a when a pair of big eyes in a small face light up because they've seen you.
• I love that the Cole still prays for me every night (his mom told me), Margaret still runs to show me what she's made at church, and Stella still reaches for me and cuddles (though she easily goes back to her mom)

I'm glad for this chance and challenge. It was an opportunity and I am so grateful that I took advantage of it. I look forward to when I get to be the mother to my children.

Thank you to all of you moms!!! You are amazing women! Thank you for sharing your kids with those of us that aren't!!! They are precious. Most of all, thanks to the amazing mothers in my life--especially my mom and step-mom. Loves to you all!

A night at the Opera

So, I know that it is technically Feb 1, but I still haven't gone to bed, so I am going to consider this a blog update for January. Hopefully, there will be more tomorrow, but since I am already behind, I thought I would give a quick update about the date I was on tonight.

I went with my home teacher (that's basically a male member of my church who visits once a month to share a message and offer any help I need), Adam, to see Orpheus and Eurydice at the Metropolitan Opera. Now, I don't normally date my home teacher (one of those unspoken rules), but I've known Adam for a couple of years now, and he's a great guy, so I thought...sure! He'd originally asked me to go to dinner with him on Monday of this past week. Of course, that was the day I awoke uber sick with the fever and chills (poor guy had to come over and give me a blessing when he was going to be taking me out). So, we rescheduled.

The music was beautiful. The mezzo playing Orpheus (yes, this means a girl was playing a boy. It's an opera thing, sometimes) was fabulous! Adam says he's seen her do other things where she is even better. The orchestrations were lovely. That's about where the good stuff ends. The costumes and set looked like they were comprised of whatever happened to be lying around the shop. The lighting wasn't too bad, and actually had some great moments. The choreography (there is always a core of dancers in a traditional opera) was awful. It was painful to watch at times, but there was a redeeming scene (but only one). However, it was a good learning experience and reminder of what my job is as a choreographer. Gratefully, as I said earlier, the music was beautiful and my company was great, so I really did enjoy most of the opera.

After we left, we were re-introduced to the freezing night air, so Adam suggested we get hot chocolate. I, of course, jumped on that idea. We went to a gelato place on 74th st and Broadway. I know--who has hot chocolate at a gelato place, right?! Well, apparently the Upper West Side does. I had a taste of the milk chocolate, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven by way of Paris. It was the most amazing hot chocolate (what an insufficient title) I've had since I was in Europe. I ended up getting a Hazelnut Hot Chocolate with whipped cream. It was so rich, and the cream was so thick, that they gave me a spoon to help me drink it. Adam got the pear and chestnut gelato. I tried some of his pear, and it was delicious!

As we walked back to the subway, Adam introduced me to one of the many gourmet grocery stores in Manhattan, and he pointed out the best places to get chocolate in the area (he's quite the chocolate connesiour). The ride home on the subway was long (the NYC subway on the weekends is always ridiculous), but we had a good conversation.

I had a good time. I only coughed a few times, and it was all induced from postnasal drip, and not some other nasty phlegm. I looked human again (it's been a tough week as far as looking presentable). And I got to know my friend a little better. I had fun! Hopefully, we'll do it again.

Alright, I better go to bed now since church starts in 7 1/2 hours. Hee hee hee.

There's No Place like Home for the Holidays

I'm home. Back in CA and loving it. The last week before I came home was super busy and NYC got a nice little dousing of snow. Luckily, it cleared up and I was able to get in the sky before the Big Apple got hit again.



My only thought about the trip is that the airlines are getting ridiculous. I flew out to CA on US Airways. Not only do they charge for checking a bag, but they also charge for any snack or drink (including water). Considering the dangers of dehydration while flying, I find this to be negligent behavior.



Okay, that's all the complaining I'm going to do. I'm off to enjoy the fam.



Merry Christmas, everyone!

Parties, Playtime, and Good News

Hello my lovelies!

Well, I am up much too late and have to awake much too early. However, it is Sunday and it's been a busy week. So here's a quick update of the fun for this week.

Work:
* I got hired with Disney Theatricals as part of their Education Department as one of the Teaching Artists. Translation: I teach musical theatre for Disney now. Good times!
* One of the State Assemblywomen might come to see one of my classes this week (this is a class that I'm currently teaching with Roundabout Theatre Co)
* I got offered another contract for the Jewish Summer Camp that I worked with this last summer. Yep, I'm going back. Kosher Cafeteria food--here I come!
* Worked my last day (until January) for the swim school. :)

Parties:
* I just got home from a Charlie Brown Christmas Party at the Herrick's apt. It was a blast! It was really nice spending time with friends that I don't get to see as often as I like. The Herricks are great friends that I kind of know from BYU and better know from living here in NYC. I'm babysitting their kids for a week in January--which will be fun!
* Last night I to our Ward Christmas Party. It was a Christmas Cabaret and it was tons of fun! I was asked to perform Santa Baby. I did...in front of the bishop...I still have my recommend.
* After the ward shindig, I went to a Stake Singles Sub-for-Santa event. It was great! Unfortunately, I wrapped only one gift before I ran into a friend I haven't seen in a long time. After that, I got caught up in conversation and made two new friends. It was also very fun! And I helped a little bit again afterwards
* After the Sub-for-Santa (I know! This is ridiculous, huh?!), I went to a friend's Christmas Party (called Moose Mugs and Egg Nog). It was almost the biggest apartment party I've been to since I've been here. It was fun! Lots of good food, good music, and new friends. Also, there was a photo booth.
* Friday night, there was a going away party for my friend Jodi. She just finished grad school at Columbia and is getting ready to move back to AZ. I'll miss her, but I'm excited for her.

Other Good News:
* Miracles! Everywhere miracles! And blessings!
* The weather is still surprisingly warm.
* The youth that I work with are awesome!!!
* I've got my ticket to CA for the holidays and I fly out on Friday. HURRAY!!!

I love and miss you all!!!

My Family Rocks!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my family. My family is amazing! In fact, I have a hard time understanding how I got lucky enough to be part of such an awesome family. We're not perfect, but we are strong and happy. So, in response to my wonderful family situation, I am dedicating this week's blog to reasons why I love my family. This list refers to both immediate and extended family, unless noted otherwise.

1. We are hilarious!
2. They love me
3. They call me out if I'm acting like a jerk or idiot
4. They bring me real mexican food from Yuma
5. My sisters (and sis-in-law) call me on the phone and send me messages
6. My brothers keep me safe
7. My cousins keep me sane
8. We don't argue as much as we did when we were younger
9. We laugh together (always have, always will)
10. We are grateful for every opportunity to get together
11. We make cute babies (obviously, I am not yet to this point in my life, but I trust that my babies will be cute too ;) )
12. We help each other when life gets tough
13. We pray for each other
14. We remind each other to be better than we are
15. We give each other a reason to strive for celestial glory
16. My grandparents are amazing (I've been lucky enough to have 8)
17. We sing together
18. Katey brings me Stephen's Hot Chocolate from Utah (did I mention that I'm almost out?)
19. My family is talented
20. My Dad still checks my muscle tone in my arms and legs. I love it! It makes me feel like a little kid again, and it motivates me to keep up my exercise
21. We like to play and do silly things together
22. We tell each other that we love each other
23. My niece is always excited to see me. She jumps up and down--it makes me feel special
24. It's difficult to say goodbye to my family, but we still smile when saying goodbye so that the other person won't feel worse (even Mom is getting better at this, though I know it breaks her heart every time one of us leaves)
25. I always learn something new because of my family
26. My dad is my hero
27. My mom is my best friend and advocate
28. My step dad makes me feel safe
29. My step mom makes me feel inspired and special
30. I can be anywhere and in any situation with Kyle, and I know that I'll be safe
31. Melissa is fun and style wrapped into a loving package
32. Leilani is more wise than she knows and is a great example of motherhood
33. Mike is brilliant and has let me lovingly torture him since before he became my brother
34. Katey is my "mini" who has passed me up in so many ways
35. My in-laws have only made my family richer. For the most part, my siblings have had good taste in spouses.
36. So, you remember those cute kids? Yeah--they rock (this includes my cousins' kids, too)!
37. As my niece says, "cousins are way better than just friends"
38. My brother, the Marine, will sing if I play the piano
39. Singing with my sisters is always fun. We sound amazing together and we laugh when someone messes up (but without stopping, of course)
40. Anywhere I go, I will find a family member nearby
41. They're my favorite!
42. We share the eternal perspective of the gospel and the Plan of Happiness
43. Culture out the whazoo! Hawaiian, Mexican, Californian, Bicknellan, McDonaldFarmin
44. The cabin!!!
45. I look nothing like my first cousins--I get a kick out of that
46. Because of the women in my family, I've now read all of the Twilight series
47. Because of the men in my family, I know a lot about James Bond and art
48. My family understands my addiction to and obsession with the water and water sports
49. There's no place like home
50. We're together for eternity

I'm thankful for...

(in no particular order--and with

Thanksgiving Day pictures interspersed)

1. My family: I could be way more specific, but that would be a whole other list. If you want me to write this list, tell me, and I will happily do so. After all, my family is one of my favorite subject matters

2. The Plan of Happiness and other gospel subjects

3. My testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

4. The ability to look at other perspectives

5. Thanksgiving dinner

6. Thanksgiving leftovers

7. Pie (also thankful that the crust on my pie turned out so well)

8. Subway rides

9. Subway books

10. Sudoku

11. The jazz playlist on my ipod

12. Jobs that I love

13. Jobs that pay

14. Jobs that I love that also pay

15. Tithing

16. Friends

17. Friends who spoil me

18. Bad dates that remind how much I appreciate friends that spoil me

19. Libraries

20. Book Stores

21. Clean Bathrooms

22. Laughter

23. Dancing

24. Cameras

25. Photoshop

26. The view from my living room windows

27. The view of downtown from my door step

28. Living near a body of water

29. Swimming pool access

30. Exercise

31. Singing without reservation

32. Teachers

33. Coaches

34. Answers to prayers

35. Miracles

36. Babies

37. Children

38. Teenagers

39. People and their variety of backgrounds

40. Flowers

41. Seasons

42. Rain

43. Sunshine

44. New snow

45. Boots

46. Hot Chocolate

47. A very warm apartment

48. Parades

49. Church callings

50. The Holiday Season

Subway Weekends

For anyone who lives or has lived in NYC, you know what subway adventures occur during the weekends. Today, I realized how very much I hate the subway on weekends. The trains aren't running all the way to where I live. So, we have to take a stupid shuttle bus that takes forever. The express trains run local--the local trains run express. Basically, madness and mayhem ensue throughout the entire NYC Metro system. Consequently, traveling anywhere in the city takes twice as long. HOURS!!!

Okay, I just had to get that off my chest. I'm still extremely fond of New York, and I'm so grateful for the time to read while I ride the subway (on weekdays). It's been wonderful being back these last two weeks. I'm in awe of the talented people I am surrounded by, and the amazing projects and companies that I get to work with. Hmm, maybe the subway is worth it... barely.

I love and miss you all!

Finally!

So, I have my new computer. It arrived this morning, and I am so glad! Of course, it means that the rest of my day will be spent trying to get all the things done that I haven't been able to do since my other computer went caput. Oh well! Maybe I can now figure out how to make my blog more exciting. Wish me luck!

Jamie's Summer Adventures, Part 1

This summer, I spent 7 1/2 weeks working for a Jewish youth camp. I was directing/choreographing a couple of shows for them; and I was also directing/coordinating the technical aspects of the productions. Suffice it to say that it was a stressful, busy, and very rewarding experience. Apparently, all the years of LDS Girl's Camp has prepared me for the mountain experience.

Ha, ha, ha--that makes it sound like I was roughing it. To be honest, it was really rather nice. If you have seen the original Parent Trap, you may recall that the sisters meet at a sleep away camp. This is like that. We had cabins, a dining hall, computers, and a huge staff to work with the many kids. Also, the campers had the option to play on sports teams, attend science classes, create a movie, build rockets, paint pictures, throw clay, make jewelry, go to the lake, or participate in other activites. Obviously, since I was there, they could also be in a play. Our theatre was a converted Barn, and was aptly named, The Barn Theatre.

The first play was The Wiz. This is a funky version of The Wizard of Oz. It was a blast. My tech kids were awesome, and I felt comfortable putting many of them in leadership positions. My cast was talented and super cute. I had a group of fabulous dancers, and my Toto was a talented dancer AND gymnast. We also ordered a smoke machine and used the huge TV (the TV lived in the Barn) for visual effects. It was so fun! I learned a lot with this show, and I feel sorry that the campers had to be my guinea pigs. However, we all survived unscathed (mostly), and I closed that show feeling good about what we accomlished. I also enjoyed my own cleverness as we wrote lines in for certain characters--ha! I'm so funny. Writing may be one of my hidden talents.

The second show was Footloose. Now, Kevin Bacon's career took a huge shift when he took on the movie version of this story; and so many of the songs and dance moves are looked to as the quintessential examples of 80's Pop Culture. So tackling this show was very intimidating to me...especially when I realized I would be playing most of the accompaniment on the piano for every show. Gratefully, the guitar teacher put together a band that played 5 numbers during the show. They were so fun to work with. We had a velcro curtain that exposed the rest of the stage partway through the opener, and our Costume Crew Chief agreed to dress up like a boy and play Cowboy Bob. The cast was FABULOUS! I just adore these kids. They are on the verge of young adulthood. There were show-mances and break-ups. I think these youth have more opinions, theories, and ideals about love than I do. Good times!

The show was great, of course, and the response was very positive. We incorporated a lot of "firsts" in this show (a live band, a kiss, not taking out the Christian church element, etc). It was most refreshing!

Well, I guess that's all for now. Later I will post other things that I did this year. Have a beautiful Sunday!

Peer Pressure & Reasoning

Well, some of you may wonder why I am blogging. I'd like to give an intelligent and thoughtful answer. However, the real answer is "peer pressure." Everyone in my family is doing it (blogging). Even my parents have started blogs. So, I decided to join the crowd.

Also, I realize that there are people who want to know what I am up to, but I am never able to keep up on the emails and letters. I thought this might be a fun way to keep everyone up to date on my many adventures.

Now I have a blog. I think this will be fun!