20 Years in the Making...A Dream Come True!

It all started when my friends and I heard there was a secret, private CD Listening party for the New Kids in an undisclosed location in L.A. "What?! How can we get in?!?" We found the contests to enter with XM and KIIS FM, we entered, but none of us won. Ah, the luck! But we weren't gonna let that get us down; Oh no! Information came to us as to where the winners were staying, and they were leaving on a bus by 3:15pm.

My friends, Shala and Brenda met me at Hollywood and Highland Center for a quick slice of pizza, then off to the Renaissance Hotel we went! Groups of girls filled the lobby; a majority with wristbands (those on the list), and a handful without. Information was tight, but WE hung tight (or should I say "hung tough"? ;-)) to find out what we could, and even to try our luck in finding out if we could get on the bus if there was room. No go on that one! "This is a *private* party" we were told...as if we didn't know. Shala ran into someone that she knew, though (the beginning of a regular occurrence for the evening), and this girl - Alicia - got a head start out in following one of the buses, and kept us up to date with texts as to where the bus was going. As back up, Shala and I spied on the last incoming bus and took note of the bus number (52). I won't even mention that Shala tried to push some binoculars on me to get the license plate number! I refused it, though. ;-)

When we finally hit the road, Alicia texted letting us know that the venue was on the corner of Sunset and Wilcox. Ooh, that much closer in our mission! ...of course, we ended up going the wrong way on Sunset. It was all good, and we weren't worried about it. Alicia texted us with the exact venue of S.I.R. (Studio Instrument Rentals), and I KNEW Andrew and his brother Chris would know how to direct us. Alicia also added that we better hurry. She and her friend were in the doors! Texting both Chris and Andrew, Chris wrote first and confirmed that yes, S.I.R. was on Sunset and Wilcox. And so, we found it! Hooray! We hurried our little selves down the street, and we could hear the music through the closed side doors ...What should happen but we get to the front door, and it's locked!!! A guy came to the door, about to open it for us, when, ever so abruptly, he turned around and walked away. Boooo!!!

Plan B - we headed to the door where we could hear them best. The door right next to the stage! The door that had a PEE-stained smell surrounding it, but we kept our ears peeled to the door...and even slid a note under reading "Hey guys, You have 3 fans standing outside this door - locked out!!! Please let us in to join the party! WE LOVE YOU!!! Charlene, Shala, and Brenda" Oh yeah. As you can imagine, nothing came from that. ha!

Brenda tried a couple of times to talk to the guy at the front door. Asking if he would let us in, and that we have friends in there without wristbands who were able to get in. He said "sorry, if you were here 5 to 10 minutes ago, you would've gotten in; but my boss already said 'no,' and if I let you in, she would get really pissed." Dang! Well, we went to listen by the door for another few minutes, and I gotta say, that their new music sounds awesome!!! "Full Service," which they sing with New Edition ROCKS!!! And a song they do with Lady Gaga of The Pussycat Dolls is HOT!!! And yes, we were dancing and cheering from outside the door, on the sidewalk. We headed back to the front door when the concert sounded over, and we heard the guys saying that they were gonna go out into the audience.

The front door guy kind of just gave us a look, then ignored us. Shala scoped around the building to see if there might be another door the guys might exit. Brenda and I joined her a minute later and approached two S.I.R. guards. We told them our pitiful story and asked if one of them, if he were us, where would he stay to wait for the New Kids. He thought about it a moment and said "Why don't you go through the gate and see how far you can get?" We looked back at the gate, puzzled, and said "But...the gate is closed..." His thumb reached for a button, and he said "Doesn't look closed to me..." We looked back and the gate was opening! We silently said "thank you!" and walked right in...looking like we belong. ;-)

When we got inside, a guy at the desk asked if he could help us. Brenda told him that we were let in. The guy asked "for???" Brenda whispered "New Kids on the Block." The guy had us follow him, and he led us right up front...to the front door guy. "These girls are here for New Kids on the Block," he said. The front door guy replied "Have at it! It's not in MY hands!" We walked right into the party! We immediately saw the guys about 20 ft. in front of us, doing an interview for E! Not much later, were we shooed away because we didn't have purple wristbands (they had dibs on meeting the guys first). Okay...whatev...chill, woman! We weren't in line...simply admiring.

We mingled, and Shala ran into a million people she knew or who knew her. We met some nice folks and some um - questionable ones. And Brenda recognized someone, who she couldn't place. Shala took the liberty of going up to the guy and asking who he was, despite our protests ("no! no! noooo!!! ...oh my gosh..." ~ and hiding our faces NOW!). It was Manny from Manny-on-the-Streets from KIIS FM. He had MC-ed the show that night, and Brenda had seen at some sort of event at some point, which was why she recognized him!As more fans left, and we got closer and closer to the guys, plans were made as to how we would handle photos on each of our cameras. It turned out that there were a couple of women from Interscope Records taking pics for the fans, and holding on to their purses. We each got our time with the guys, and I let Shala and Brenda go first. They have great stories! Jon remembered meeting Shala at Mel's Diner a couple of months ago after their House of Blues show. Joe thought it was "very special" to meet Shala, and Donnie "needed the love" from Shala. haha...he grabbed her arm, as she was turning around to take the picture, and he wouldn't let go.

Brenda told the guys that she had waited 20 yrs. for this, and she was going to take her time with it. Donnie told her "You do whatever you need..." Brenda asked if she could have a kiss, and she got one! Half on the lips, half on the cheek. She also got a kiss on the cheek from Jon. I wonder if he also remembered her from Mel's Diner. Hmmm...

My story...whew! I went in and was gonna start with a Donnie hug...however, both Danny AND Donnie were coming at me with open arms at the same time!!! Oh, who to hug first?!? I couldn't decide, so I hugged them both at the same time. haha! And I said/squealed "I am SO HAPPY to meet you guys!!!" As I turned towards Jordan and said "Hi Jordan!," Danny said "Look at that smile!!!" ;-D heehee! So glad to know that Invisalign did a world of good for me! Then I went to Jon and said "Hi Jon!!!," gave him a hug, and oh my goodness, he gives good hugs!!! And finally, I turned to Joe ~ and one of the guys, probably Donnie said "Don't forget about Joe!" And I said "Oh, of course not!!! Hi Joe! :-)" And then it was picture time!!! eeee! I was shaking! I got my arm around Joe, and as he was wrapping his arm around me, he was saying SOMETHING, but I have no idea what he said. I know I giggled...and the comment wasn't towards me; I have NO IDEA what he said! After the picture was taken, I don't even remember what I did or if I said "thanks" or "bye"...I know I went for my camera, my purse, and was looking for Shala and Brenda. But did I say anything to the guys? I have no clue!

Post show...we decided to visit the security guard who opened the gate for us to thank him. Unfortunately, he wasn't there, but a few fans were. We saw Joe come out and get into his Lexus SUV, but he didn't exit at that gate, he drove in the opposite direction. Next, Jon and Jordan came out. The three of us went around the building, as we realized that none of them would be exiting there. Jon and Jordan pulled out and took a right onto the street. We kept walking (in their direction). I didn't know if we were going to wave or not, but by the time Brenda looked at me, and I looked at her, I was also looking right at Jordan...and Jordan was looking at me. So, we had no choice but to wave to the Knight brothers! Eeee!

And before I could get too in the moment, I recognized two people coming out of one of the buildings ahead of us. It was Allan Hunt (my director from "Oliver!" last summer) and his girlfriend ~ her name escapes me, but she was in the show with us. Of course, I stopped to talk them. hehe, the "cool" factor was that Jonathon and Jordan were still waiting for the light to turn green, so if they were looking at us (and of course, they had to be ;-)), they saw that I "know people." hehe...I have a life outside of stalking them! So, while I was talking to Allan, his girlfriend, and a friend of theirs, I couldn't help but be distracted. I was still in shock from the entire day, just seeing Jordan and Jon, and wondering where Brenda and Shala were going! They started to walk off, and I wondered if they were going to talk to Jordan and Jon! They stopped, though, and I later found out that they saw Danny drive out, and they were going to go to his car. They didn't want to leave me behind.

The closer for our night was blaring New Kids "No More Games" Remix as we drove to Mel's Diner. We relived our experience, and at the end of dinner, Brenda drove Shala and me back to Hollywood and Highland and dropped us off. Before Shala and I left, though, we HAD to stop for Coldstone ice cream! I drove Shala back home to Irvine, and thus ended our night!

However, the story does not stop there...oh no. This afternoon, while I uploaded my New Kids pics on MySpace and Facebook, I sent comments to Joe and Danny, thanking them for last night and how great it was to meet them. I thanked Danny for his comment on my smile, that I just couldn't stop grinning, and I don't even remember if I said "bye" or "thanks" when it was all over ~ haha. About 30 min. to an hour later, I checked my email...I had two new myspace messages from Shannon, and a new message from Danny Wood. ?!? WHAT?!? I checked the message, and Danny said "It was nice to meet you, too. Sorry it was so fast. I live in Studio City, too." Quick, short, simple. Okay...but WHAT?!? DANNY WOOD wrote me?!? Could this get anymore surreal?!?

Only-Child Instincts

God, I've been feeling so out of it. So ostracised. I feel every where I turn, every situation I'm in (minus being with Andrew), I'm the only one standing. Everyone seems to desert me as soon as other people, other friends (or what's above acquaintances?) show up, they gravitates towards them and away from me. I'm alone. All alone. No, I don't really want pity. I have enough for myself at the moment (haha!).

Is it the changes in me? The rediscovery of my true self that is driving people away? It's not like I'm broadcasting these changes to the world, but perhaps it's the hint that I just don't fit that mold, that "idea" they have of me. I've already been written off by someone who swore up and down they'd always be there for me, but in all honesty, they were toxic to me. It doesn't discount the fact that it hurt in that moment.

While some of my friends seem to be deserting me, I know they'll tell me that I can count on them, but I still feel that there's a part of me that needs to rely on my only-child instincts of being able to be by myself.

I am Elphaba

This past Thursday, I participated in a student project for a music video shoot of Wicked's "Popular." I was most ecstatic to be cast as Elphaba, and even more pleasantly surprised to discover what an amazing job the production team did with the project! Take note that it was all lip-synced, but the team built the set, shot with 3 studio cameras simultaneously, and all the cuts were taken LIVE. In other words, no edits were made after the shoot.

The experience was fabulous, and I sincerely hope to work with everyone again! There IS the chance of doing another "Wicked" video! hehe... :-)

NKOTB - House of Blues Concert

This video was shot by my new friend, Erica...and the hand you see swinging away in front of the camera does belong to me! ;-) A few "whoo's" are from me (with the exception of the SHRILLY "whoo"). And if you listen closely, you can kinda hear me singing "The Right Stuff."

UPDATE (6/8/08): An extended video shot by people.com is on NKOTB's site ~ with quite a few shots of the audience on my side ~ so, yup, you'll see me with the slap-happy grin! www.nkotb.com/media ~ the video title is "House of Blues - Los Angeles" (although, fair warning...they could change the title; it just happened as I was double checking it). :-)

UPDATE (8/16/08): Here it is! :-)

20 Glorious Minutes

The Intro...
Last night, I relived my childhood, and I believe my 12 year old self would say this was the coolest experience EVER!!! My present self was just as enthusiastic. OMG! New Kids on the Block are BACK and better than ever!!! As my music tastes have grown (yet still enjoys the fun, poppy days of NKOTB), New Kids have grown with it AND kept the fun in their music!

Last Thursday, I received an email alerting me that this was my chance to see New Kids on the Block's final rehearsal at the House of Blues before their Today Show appearance. They were only allowing 200 people into the club, and it was on a "first come, first serve" basis. Some fan club members (including myself) would tend to disagree. Friends of ours who had RSVPed within minutes of our RSVPs were denied, and we got on the list. Sadly, my friend, Wendy, did not get in. I received my confirmation email around 10:20pm Monday night ~ omg, omg, omg, omg! When I saw Andrew later and told him the news, I couldn't help but jump up and down (and being an ex-cheerleader, these were HIGH jumps)! There was much buzz going around on the New Kids message boards of who was going, who wasn't, and a lot of us were going solo ~ only meaning that a lot of us would be making new friends. ;-)

All dolled up and somewhere to go
I arrived at the House of Blues around 5pm (fortunately, finding a very close spot to the venue for my MINI where I wasn't ticketed or towed). Knowing that the doors were opening at 6:30, I suspected a line to be wrapped around the building; people getting there super early to claim their spot. I mean, heck, girls are already camping out in NYC for the guys' performance on Friday! To my surprise, the line wasn't long at all!

Driving through Hollywood to the club and while standing in line, yes, I was very excited to see my childhood idols, but I had NO IDEA how I would react once they were out on stage. How scream-y would I get? Well, I had to wait 3.5 hrs. to find out.

I started chatting with a few girls behind me ~ a couple of them who had come by themselves. Thank God I didn't keep to myself (not that I planned to), especially when I decided to head back to my car to drop off my phone (cell phones and cameras weren't allowed inside HOB), they started to check people in and get them lined up by the door! When I headed back, the line was moving ~ "crap!!!" I ran up the hill to catch up and look for my new friends. I found three of them, and fortunately, didn't piss off the girls I got in front of. While they were checking us in, checking bags, and giving us our million and one wristbands, I found out that they were only letting the first 50 confirmed fan club members to the orchestra/mosh pit. The guy wrapped the wristband on me and said "You'll get to see Joey McIntyre in all his glory!" How did he know Joe was my favorite?! ;-)

As I fell in line (again), I saw my new friend RIGHT AT THE DOOR!!! She waved me over, so I ran up and told the other girls that I was headed up there. My new friend was suddenly excited and talkative. Her name was Erica. Another girl in front of us had a sign that read "Thanks for the last 20 years!!!" on one side (don't remember what it said on the other), and she said "Oh my gosh! I'm SO excited for US!!! ALL of us!!!" They opened the doors, and we scurried inside.

6:30: Inside the House of Blues
I couldn't believe it. We had our choice of where we wanted to stand...for a New Kids concert!!! You better believe it, I was right up at the stage!!! I had the chance to be front and center where the stage jutted out to a short catwalk, but I had a feeling that they would coming over more to the corners/sides (of the catwalk and end of the main stage). And so, I split the difference (haha), then wished that I did go front and center ~ ah, it was all good.

So...we had another 1.5 hrs. to wait...which turned into a little over 2 hrs. Erica and I chatted, ordered some Coronas (drinking at a New Kids concert?!), and shared stories of how people currently in our lives are calling us "dorks" (which we proudly live up to). Soon, a girl came up behind us, and apologized in advance if she screams and blows our ears out. We got to talking to her, and she was excited as can be to see the guys. I believe she said it was her first New Kids concert!

Passing time...and I chatted with another girl behind me. She pointed out that Lance Bass (from N*SYNC) was there, on the mezzanine level, directly in front of us. This happened to make a previous event make sense. Earlier, a group of girls screamed in unison: "We love you, Lance!!!" My first thought was "Uhh...wrong concert..."

To entertain ourselves, we tried to get a group sing-along together singing "The Right Stuff." We hoped for the entire mosh pit to do it - even getting the attention of the girl with the poster to get her side going - but we weren't very successful. We did, however, entertain the videographer so much that he began filming us. How funny if we end up on some NKOTB Reunited DVD one day!

Finally, 8:35 or 8:40pm arrives, and a DJ from KISS FM comes on stage asking if "we're ready" (oh, we've BEEN ready!), says the guys will be out in a few minutes, and they roll a video. The video, while hard to hear (because everyone was screaming at each and every new shot), had interviews with the guys, showed them at Donnie's house - which Joe claimed to be their "frat house" - showed them in the studio, showed them playing ping pong in their downtime, and more ping pong, and yes, more ping pong. They showed them with their kids (Donnie's and Danny's), and Joe's new baby boy (awww!!!).

The Show...er, *rehearsal*
As soon as the video was over, the screen went up, the curtains open, and there they were! They started with a medley of their old songs, "Step by Step," "The Right Stuff," "Hanging Tough," and "Please Don't Girl." Mixed into that medley was the instrumental of one of their new songs, "Click Click Click." And yes, they danced. They still got it (the right stuff)! ;-) The great thing about their choreography was that alternated sides, giving equal time to all the fans. ;-) Next, they did their new single, "Summertime." Hot, hot, hot! Backup dancers also came out, and while they were good, New Kids seriously do NOT need backup dancers. The guys stepped off stage, and came back with a baby grand piano. Joe claimed it to be "the world's smallest baby grand piano," and it was really was ridiculously small! In the midst of all this, one of the girls I had talked to (who was front and center), handed a note to Donnie. And while she asked him not to read it out loud, he - of course - did! The note read that she and her husband had talked and agreed to one "freebie," would Donnie be hers? Joe said that he and his wife were working on the same sort of deal. ;-) haha... Leading into the next song, Donnie let us know that because ticket sales went so well on the east coast, they would be performing here in L.A. either late next summer or early fall. Well, of course! I don' t know why people were worried that they wouldn't come here. Apparently, they never came here for the Face the Music tour in 1994. So, their final song (with Jordan playing the world's smallest baby grand piano) was "Tonight." Perfect! Donnie took the girl's poster of "Thanks for the last 20 years!!!," held it up, the crowd cheered, set it next to the piano, the guys waved goodbye, and the curtain closed on the sign. As many times we chanted "Encore," "We want more!," and "New Kids! New Kids! New Kids!," that was really it. A glorious 20 minutes.

My personal fun highlights
I touched Donnie's shoe and legs twice. I touched Joe's shoe and leg once, and got a hold of his hand (and pinky) as he was going by touching our hands. Erica got 32 seconds of video footage until the security guard told her to put it away. We emailed today, and she told me that she just has to upload it, and she'll send me the link. I can't wait! :-) One of the girls I talked to went out to eat at Mel's Diner after the show and met Jon!!! He went up to their table to thank them for coming to the show and for their support, and she got her picture taken with him. One of Erica's friends actually hung out at HOB after the show and met Danny! I don't know WHY we didn't think of hanging around longer...darn it! I think just being that close to the stage and touching the guys overwhelmed me that much that I couldn't think there'd could be anything more!!! Also, the security guard said that the guys would probably hang out for a bit backstage, then go home...which I could totally see happening since I had been on the road with Andrew a few times, and I know that's what George Duke and his guys do! BUT if I had remembered the Buble shows at all, I would've known that it could be anything BUT! Oh well...

I had SUCH an amazing time and feel SO lucky to have been a part of that special event. I'm so happy to have met some really cool girls, too. It was a warm and inviting atmosphere. It's really awesome of the guys to do this for their fans. A free event for such a small, intimate crowd...when is that gonna ever happen again? The next time I see them, it will be in a huge stadium! I can only wish and hope to get seats where I won't have to use binoculars to see them!

Ahh...a memory I will cherish forever. :-)

meet mark. :)

My new job (that I gave myself ;-))! Please visit, shop, and have fun!!! And feel free to ask me any questions.

www.mymarkstore.com/cmcdonald

A Milestone and Some Updates

Another milestone has been made in my esthetician world. I reached 100 hrs. this past Monday and will now be doing facials on friends starting tomorrow with Andrew! Before this was approved by my instructor, I had to do a "practical" (a facial on one of my classmates) for her. My classmate said that it was the best facial she had received since being at the school ~ others either gave too much pressure or too little; mine was "Just perfect!" So, here's to moving on and growing! :-)

And speaking of growing, I've also reached a point where I'm exploring my spirituality. No worries ~ I won't be shoving any discovered spirituality down anyone's throat ;-), but it's been preoccupying my life so much recently that my blog update wouldn't be complete without mentioning it. And by the time I find where my spiritual center or church is, I don't want it to seemingly "come out of the blue." (insert friends' thoughts: "When did Charlene become spiritual?") I grew up Catholic, and while it is the base of what I know about God and spirituality, I want and need to find a place or a core of spirituality that rings true to me. I know that I will still be keeping some Catholic faith in me; kinda hard to just throw it away when I used to go to mass every weekend, CCD once every week, then went to 4 years of Catholic school. The church is a place where I will find comfort and solitude from time to time because of its familiarity...but at the same time, it's not where I would like to go every week.

My latest at-home project has been a patio garden! I've never had much of a green thumb with indoor plants, but I was inspired to create a nice flower bed mounted on my patio wall. In my humble opinion, it's quite beautiful; I love having something to take care of, and I got a cute fairy angel statue to "watch over" my flowers. ;-)

16 Hours Down...584 to go!

Well, my first week of esthetician school is complete (minus one day)! I already feel like I've come a long way since Day 1, even if it hasn't been a lot of practical (hands-on) education. I was warned that my first day would be confusing and kind of a shock for me. There were people in my class at all different levels. Some had completed 200 hours, some had completed 500 hours (a total of 600 hours is needed to graduate). So, when I walked in, three girls were practicing for their state board exam, giving facials and doing make-up for fellow classmates. Everyone basically sat in silence. After our 30 minute break, the instructor did a demonstration on a chemical treatment using an electronic machine and an orange (the Vitamin C diminishes hyperpigmentation ;-)). A plethora of scientific terms were being thrown out, and I didn't know how much I was supposed to remember/learn/absorb. I was sure that I shouldn't worry about it too much, but at the same time, I didn't want to make assumptions...because you know about "assuming" and all. Same thoughts crossed my mind, when our instructor showed us a video on skin analysis..."should I be taking notes? How much do I need to be absorbing?" I came home overwhelmed and utterly baffled, wondering how it was going to get easier.

Between Wednesday and today, however, things have greatly changed. Wednesday was a super easy day, where I basically did nothing the first half of class (perhaps got rules and regulations - oh, and a tour of the school), and the second half, I received a facial. This gave me the chance to get to know a couple more people. Yesterday, another new student came in; she was a little shy, but very eager. We talked a bit, and it was nice to know that we were on the same page as far as our excitement towards the program (she didn't return tonight, so I hope she didn't change her mind). More conversations also happened towards the end of the night, where a few more classmates discovered my age ~ as always, shock and amazement followed. I was feeling good as I left, since I was starting to get comfortable with everyone. Then today, while I chatted with even more gals, I also had my first practical! Sanitation and disinfection. Aww yeah. My esthetician tools will be clean, ya'll (by state board regulations)! The night ended with a back facial...ahhhh... :-D

Having the opportunity to observe the other groups working on their practicals ~ whether it be on a mannequin head, classmates, or actual clients has really made me look forward to learning and practicing. I'm thinking more and more that it will be fun and satisfactory to work on clients, make 'em pretty with facials, waxing, and/or make-up. Make-up was my original route, but now I think, along with that, I'll be excited to offer other esthetician services, as well. :-)

Visiting My Past

Happy New Year!

A 2-week holiday vacation was just what I needed to release the stresses of work, acting classes, and being sick for 5 weeks.

It all started with a trip home to Richmond - and a ride home with my best gal pal, Sharon. As always, it was so wonderful to see her cheery face and catch up, but as I'm sure she would agree, what would've made the road trip 20 times better is if (a) there were a Cosi near BWI where we could've gabbed over a couple TBM Melts, (b) if we had the Legally Blonde CD to sing along to, and (c) if we had more time!

Being at home this year felt so much different than any other time I had been there. Previous times, I always felt as though I were hiding my true self from my parents. They had a sense of me, but I never completely kept myself open to them. Having that "wall" down made being at home so much more comfortable.

Two days after Christmas, Andrew drove down and we headed to Blacksburg to visit our alma mater. Neither of us had been to Virginia Tech in about 4 years. While the town is growing (with a 4-story building and parking garage...very strange), it was still very familiar and it was almost as though no time had passed at all. It poured down rain through our stay, so sadly, we couldn't enjoy a leisurely walk around campus and downtown Blacksburg as hoped. In the four years since we were last on campus, an Alumni Center & Inn were built. There was no question we had to pop by - seeing that every alumni magazine sent to us has either an artist's sketch or a photograph of the building. Inside, there were rooms like opened time capsules filled with the memorabilia of Va Tech's past.

Our short stays at my old home in Richmond and at Andrew's sister's new home in Maryland were cozy ~ the cherry on top for our Christmases. Then it was on a train to NYC for New Year's! We arrived on Dec. 31st, checked into our hotel, and started our NYC adventure with a late lunch/early dinner at - where else - a deli called Ess-a-bagel! Mmm...there's nothing like a New York bagel! We then got ready for the evening and met up with my friend, Leann, her hubby and friends at Sequoia in South Street Seaport. Despite it being ridiculously loud (which lead to all of us screaming "what?!?" anytime any of us talked), and some drunk dude trying to pick a fight with Andrew, it was a good time. A bit different than what I expected, but New Year's always ends up being one of those holidays where no one can expect too much with the possibility of being disappointed. Where I became disappointed was New Year's Day. We were stuck in the hotel (except for when we went out for lunch) all day because my hangover would NOT go away. Frickin' kamikazes! Tears literally came out of my eyes that evening because Andrew and I would not get to go ice skating on Rockefeller Center. And he wanted to do this 10% more than I did. One positive out of the day is at least our room at The W was cozy (or should I say, S'Wonderful?) with a satiny comforter and of course, down feathered pillows! mmm...I MUST get a satin comforter!!!

Day 2 in NYC ~ I was feeling so much better! I got up at 8:45am to start our day and solidified my lunch/coffee plans with Randy and Jamie. Andrew and I had a small breakfast of pumpkin loaf slices from Starbucks, then headed to Central Park for a carriage ride! Despite it being 18 degrees, we kept warm with the huge, thick blanket provided in the carriage, our big coats and head/ear warmers (I have no idea what they're actually called!). Serendipitously, we ended up across the street from the new Apple store. So, the Apple geeks that we are (him more than me ;-)), ran over there after we got off the carriage. Then it was time to head to Cosi for lunch/coffee. Along the way, though, we HAD to stop by the World of Disney store! It took every fiber of my being not to buy Christmas items that were on sale, and not to poke around in every crevice of the store. But we had to make it to our lunch on time, and we had about 10 blocks to walk.

I was so happy to be back in a Cosi and eating my TBM Melt...which I was able to influence onto both Randy and Andrew. ;-) Jamie came in later, thus avoiding the peer pressure. As always, it was great to see the two of them; and again, I wish there was more time. It's so sad to think of the time that I spent with each of my friends in the past. I used to live in the same town as all of them, and hanging out was a norm. Now, not so much, and I wish that I still had that time with all of them.

Jamie took us back to the old apt., and I was in shock at how much cleaner the place was! It had been like that only once while I was living there...when we were looking for a new roommate. ;-)

The evening began with dinner at Serendipity and naturally, their infamous frozen hot chocolate. Yum yum! Followed by making our way to the Theatre District for a performance of Legally Blonde at The Palace Theatre. The temperature had dropped!!! or at least, it certainly felt that way with the sun down and possibly the winds picking up. After snapping a few pics in Times Square, we were happy to get into the theatre and settle into our seats. To our surprise, the people sitting next to us were a father and daughter who sat next to us at Serendipity! The show is still fantastic, and afterwards, we headed to Rockefeller Center...but not before running into the stage door and finding the actors coming out to sign autographs...including Laura Bell Bundy, who plays Elle Woods (or Woods, Elle ;-)). My favorite among the actors to come out was Michael Rupert, who plays Prof. Callahan. Love him ~ he has such a classic stage presence! After paparazzi photos and autographs, onto Rockefeller Center it was...in the freezing cold night air. We saw the new tree, got our picture taken a couple of times (sadly, did not get the perfect shot), watched the ice skaters and wondered how they could do it in this weather. Then it was back to our S'Wonderful room (yes, that's what The W calls it).

Day 3 ~ ooh, even colder. 12 degrees. We found a place for breakfast and tried to avoid the random ice patches on the ground. We had hoped to make to The Village for some coffee and hanging out...but alas, it was just too cold. I don't know. I think I could've handled it. All it took was walk around just a little, find a cafe, chill (not literally), get some coffee, and people watch. We would've been inside a warm building. Ah well. We instead, hung out in The W lobby in front of the fire until we had to grab a cab to the airport.

Thus ends our holiday vacation.

Now I'm back home, back to acting classes, and waiting for work to come in. I'm slowly coming out of my vacation coma.

A Happy New Year to all...and to all a good night.

All's Quiet on the Western Front

This past week of being sick has brought on a sense of loneliness. Missing a week of work and two days of class, not spending the usual quality time with my boyfriend, and not seeing my phone light up with a call or text message today, nor seeing my email filter in any friendly emails or even junk mail - I all of a sudden feel isolated from my "norm."

The one half of my acting class that I was close to feels further from me, and it's such a different vibe compared to Boot Camp 1. The new people of BC2, interacting with them, and having them have no idea of who I really am - mixed with the BC1-ers who DO know me. I can't even put all my energy into getting to know and getting comfortable with the new people because all of my energy has been sucked away from me by this cold/bronchitis infection/whatever I have. Being among the people in BC2 is such a foreign feeling.

Work...even though I'm still drained and sick and have a fever that's up and down, I still have to go to work to pay for the upcoming holidays/trips/...and well, classes! Can't afford to take off more days unless I'm on my deathbed. That's a depressing thought.

So, again, that leaves no time for my guy. I most likely won't have quality time with him till we head east. That's right ~ not even the weekend because I'll be working. Gotta love it. Life.

Hate this feeling of isolation.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

So, despite the fact that I'm sick with a cold and slight fever and missing two nights of Actors' Boot Camp 2 (and it's the first week), I'm still enjoying my time at home and the season. I know it's not even December yet, but it officially felt like the holidays as soon as Andrew and I made our 2-week holiday plan...and then made our way to the holiday-decorated Disneyland! It was a fabulously magical trip! ;-) And on Thanksgiving Day, we even started talking Christmas gifts for our families. The Saturday after Thanksgiving, while Christmas music rang through my living room and the scents of Gingerbread and Cranberry Orange candles filled the atmostphere, my tree went up. It was the first time in 3 years! So yeah, I'm in a holiday-y mood more than usual. And once again, I love that there's a chill in the air (especially in the mornings and nights) to really make it feel like the holidays!

Thanksgiving was a good time. We went to Andrew's brother's place, and his sister came down from Santa Barbara. I have to say that while I haven't been able to spend Thanksgiving or my birthday with my family in two years, I feel very lucky to have Andrew's siblings welcome me in.

The first two days of Actors' Boot Camp 2 were...good, to say the least...and interesting. I'm just so happy to have half of my Boot Camp 1 class with me. Otherwise, I would feel so out of place. The rest of the class seems nice enough, but it's obviously not the same. We (my BC1 peeps) were lucky to have grown so close within just the first night of BC1. What I've found interesting is that the Technique teacher we loved so much in BC1, the "new" people in BC2 hated him with a passion! The dynamics of our group gelled with him better, I guess.

And other than that, little by little, I'm becoming a grown up. LOL. Cleaning up my apartment, clearing out old papers dating back to 2005 (yeah), getting organized, and hey - I actually cooked two dishes within a week! I tried out a squash soup and a cauliflower casserole (for Thanksgiving dinner). Both turned out quite good. :-) And in the new year, Andrew will be building me a wrap-around bench with storage for my dining room! At that time, I can say "bring on the housewarming party!" One step at a time.

Right now I need to take care of my seasonal cold... *cough cough*

Thought for the Evening...

While I'm enjoying Actors Boot Camp more than I ever imagined, it makes me sad that I can find no time to keep up with my apartment (Andrew's place puts mine to shame right now!), keep up with my mail (especially - um - clearing out the old stuff from Arlington, Va), do grocery shopping, or spend real good hang out time with my boyfriend. It makes me think...when I become a full time working actor, I'm going to need a maid and a personal assistant. Hell, bring it on now!

I can't f***in' talk to you anymore

I'm sorry. I can't fuckin' talk to you anymore. You know, in the beginning, I thought you might be a pretty cool guy. A sick sense of humor and a little long-winded, but possibly a good person - a like-able person.

Now after two weeks of seeing your face, hearing your voice, hearing your narrow minded, hard headed opinions, I can't fuckin' talk to you anymore.

You're fuckin' lazy, you don't do your work, you don't care about our ensemble, what the fuck are you doing here?!

On a personal note, don't fuckin' criticize what I love and tell me I should go to Asia, don't fuckin' be a pessismist - rooting for the villain all the time? what the fuck is that? Especially in love! Rooting for the guy to slam the door on a girl who's in love? Um, aren't you married?! Aren't you Spanish or Latino or something? Or is THAT it? You're living up to the stereotype. Ohh, the "Latin Lover." Whatever dude.

Fucker. I don't know where you're coming from, but it's not from a positive place. Stay out of my face for the next two weeks. I really can't talk to you anymore.

Sleepy and My Birthday Update

Sleepiness...

Writing while I'm sleepy is not typical of me, I'm gonna do it now...cuz I just wanted to say how happy I am. My birthday was two days ago, and I've never received such an outpour of birthday wishes ~ facebook messages, myspace messages, emails, e-cards, text messages, phone calls. It was so wonderful to feel so loved and remembered by everyone I care about. On top of all that, Andrew and his brother and sister were so sweet to treat me to dinner this past Saturday. Going to see "Wicked" Sunday night was fabulous, our seats were fantastic, and I was thrilled to see Megan Hilty in the role of G(a)linda again! And to meet her, get her pic and autograph! YAY!!! Then Disneyland ON my birthday...can it get any better??? ...oh, yes, it can!!! Overnight stay at Disney next month!!! Just a little birthday extension... ;-)

Okay...sleep time...zzzzzzzz...

Baby SULLY has arrived!!!

I got my MINI (yes, named Sully) this past Wednesday!!! Full update with pics to come! ...and YES, I LOVE it!!!

MINI Update

I know...you care SO much...thank you! :-) hehe... Well, as I slowly infiltrate my friends' minds with my squeaky "MINI!!!" voice, here is my update.

My MINI is in transport!!!















"Though still adjusting a bit to its sea-wheels, your new MINI wants you to know that so far the cruise has actually been a blast - great buffets and lots of partying with its brothers. But still, your MINI can't wait to dock, hit the road, and chew up solid ground again."

HOORAY!!! 3 more weeks... :-)

*general frustration...as I had googled MINI info weeks ago concerning the production process, I found a blog that gave me everything I needed to know, including websites to track the ship carrier with my MINI. Sadly, I can't find the ship carrying my MINI, as none of the dates listed line up with the day my MINI was loaded onto the carrier. Guess I'll have to sit in the dark waiting for the 21 to 25 (now LESS) days to pass and to get the call from my dealer saying my MINI has arrived!

Excitement in the Air...

My MINI (Sully) is real now!!! No longer is it just words and options and packages listed on a page. He's built, been test driven, and now waiting for a ship to pick him up in Southampton, England and bring him to me here in California! Lucky guy...he's going to get to take a 22-day cruise! ;-)

Check out the cute message on the Order Tracking page:

For those without a magnifying glass, it reads: "Congratulations! Your healthy and handsome new MINI has been built. A wee bit heavy for any stork, your MINI will now be loaded onto a ship to make its way across the pond. At night, we're sure it'll be dreaming of tearing through twisty turns with aplomb and glee."

HOORAY!!!

Another NYC Buble Story

It feels like it's been quite a while since I've had one of these and before my brain gets filled with the latest Harry Potter readings, I thought I'd project my NYC and Buble memories to this blog.

I arrived in NYC on the first day of Buble's 3-night show at Radio City Music Hall. It was very strange to be back on the east coast, sitting in New York traffic, remembering exits and the Triboro Bridge, and relating them to my commute from Lifetime. It felt like so long ago and so familiar, yet *I* was out of place with my sunny, cheery California attitude. Ringing in my ear is something I said while living in the city: "I feel like I've been misplaced." It rang truer than ever last week.

Upon arriving at my old apt. on W. 129th St., I was greeted by the new roommate, Shamisha (?) and one of my old roommates, Jen. We hung out in the living room watching ABC Family and The Disney Channel ~ quite unusual compared to the last time I was there when there was no AC and the TV was not hooked up. I had a chance to get to know Shamisha a bit when we made a trip to CVS and McDonald's, and I found out that she's actually from California ~ the Bay area. Really nice girl. Stephanie (my friend who took over my room and is now moving back to FL) came home just as I was about to get ready for the concert. She looked fabulous, and we got ready for the unpredictable night ahead.

To gloss over the show...it was okay. I'm not sure if we just weren't that into it because we're not that familiar with his newest CD (with the exception of the standards) or if it just wasn't the best show/best music compared to past shows. The set wasn't the greatest, he had cheesy projections, and way too many lights, along with his "MB" insignia.

Waiting by the stage door was awkward as always. We didn't want to stand too close to the Buble fans. The guys trickled out, and one by one, they came over to say "hi" ~ Justin, Alan and his girlfriend, Nick (after Stephanie spotted Jen for me - Jen didn't even recognize me!), and Bryan Lipps. Jen mentioned the guys were talking about going to this bar/restaurant, and soon after, Justin and Alan invited us/asked if we were going. We decided to go and headed over after a bit.

The bar wasn't crowded at all ~ always love that! And the first person we saw was Justin. We went over to say "hello" and Stephanie bolted for the bathroom. I turned my head, and who should I see but Mark! We said "hello" and "how are you dooooiiing?!?" and caught up...my words rapidly came out from nerves. (Getting in my head too much ~ I have no idea how much these guys talk about us [when we come in the picture], how they actually view us, are we actually welcomed...especially now that I'm no longer single.) The conversation with Mark and me was good ~ not too little, not too much.

We met the two new guitar players ~ Dino and Robert. Dino seemed a bit cocky and was pretty much interrogating us as to HOW we know the guys. Were we Buble fans or not? Robert was nice, however, Stephanie and I recently found out that he used what he (apparently) considers a "line" on both of us individually. Craig showed up and gave us all awkward, quirky hugs, then retreated to the bar with who I guessed was his girlfriend.

Justin, Alan, and his girlfriend, Linette made their rounds to chat with us (keep in mind, Steph and I sat at one table the entire evening). After an hour or more, Craig came around to say "hello" and catch up. His girlfriend stood behind him, not saying a word, even as I made eye contact with her and tried to include her in the conversation. Craig finally introduced her to me; not as his girlfriend, but simply as "Nina." He and I talked about the show, and then he said "Oh, I hear you're in love..." And I was like "yeah..." and with a forced smile, he said "Aww...that's good." He then invited me to his "Craig Polasko Memorial Birthday Celebration" (um yeah. An example of his quirkiness). Memorial because it's his 30th. Right. Anyway, they're having it at Alan's house while they're here in L.A. Alan and Linette invited me, as well. Should be a good time, and also answers my question of "Am I actually welcomed in this group?"

Notables for the evening:

• Steph and I have "nice toes"
• Steph, Linette, and I did blow job shots with hands ~ I don't know how people REALLY expect girls to do it sans hands.
• I'm "alluring"
• "I have a boyfriend" can somehow be misconstrued as "I have to go to bed."

The rest of my week in bullet-form :-)
WEDNESDAY

• Slept in since we were out till 5am and had a late lunch with Stephanie (mmm wonderful gnocchi)

• Saw an awesome MINI Cooper billboard (for those not completely up-to-date on my life, I placed an order for a MINI Cooper-S (not a convertible :-() two weeks ago. I now have 6-8 weeks to wait till it comes in!!! Pic of the car I built to be uploaded to the sidebar soon if it hasn't been so already. :-D

• Attempted to meet with Randy for dinner, but the 2-3 going uptown and downtown wasn't running!
• It was ridiculously hot and humid...thus leading to hanging out at the apt. for the rest of the night

THURSDAY

• Jamie and I met up with Randy for Broadway in the Park (ridiculously hot again!), but awesome music!
• Lea Solonga performed!

• Randy and I met for dinner several hours later (yummy thai!)
• Last sort-of hanging out with Steph and Jamie since I wouldn't see them before I left the next day

FRIDAY

• Harry Potter ALL DAY - with the exception of packing, commuting to JFK and standing in line to change flights.

Unappreciated

"Oy with the poodles already!" And if you don't know the quote, I'm not going to explain.

I'm so fed up. What's the point in making me feel like the dumbest QCer in the facility and completely micromanaging me after not giving me work for a week?! Really, is it necessary to post on our work-public schedule that I better be on time - as though I come strolling in ridiculously late every day?! With the laidback clock-in time to be flexible between 9am and 9:30am, I know I've come in between 9:15am and 9:30am ~ only occasionally 10am, including this past Wednesday. So that - what - forever marks me as the ditzy, late employee?! Because gee, just in case I missed it on the schedule, I better get a text at 7:15am to say "You're at the office at 9am today." That's right. TWO f@#*ing "reminders"! Hmm - I don't ever remember texting him asking if I needed to come in (due to the schedule being unaccessible online) ~ which, in the past, has been the only time that he would text me about coming into the office. For that, he deserves my snarky reply of "Thanks, I saw the schedule."

Un-frickin'-believable - Unnecessary!!!

Why can't I find a workplace where I can just be happy?

One year, One month, and One day

Well, since I was unable to have a One year, One month, and One day party (celebrating the time I've been in L.A.), I figured a blog was in order.

To think back to the time I was in New York, or a more drastic comparison - to when I was in Arlington, I would have never imagined how much I truly am going for my dream today. To hear myself update my friends and family of what I'm up to, it's such a foreign concept compared to my life in Arlington. What was I doing there? I would've had SUCH a different life if I had stayed in the D.C. area. Editing at Discovery. Sure, maybe it would've been cool, but there still would've been that longing in me that there was something more. LOL ~ and maybe I still would've come out here thinking that I'll edit in Hollywood and somehow be gripped by an invisible "force" into the acting world. LOL

I am truly grateful to be here in California ~ a place I've wanted to be since I was very little! Everything seems to have and continues to fall in place. Who'd have thought that last July 4th, I would've met the very sweet wife of a Days actor (of course, followed by meeting her husband); the very day that I dropped off my application to my apartment, which is managed by someone who is friends with one of the Days producers, and is now going to help me get on the show (!?!). Apart from that, who would've known that my very first consultant at AIA Studios is still in touch with me today (after I'm on my third consultant) and is now my coach and helping me in tremendous ways with my career path.

From one class to another, auditions here and there for student films and for agents, with each one, I feel my talent growing and emerging, with my last audited class having the instructor (an old soap star, himself) claiming that he really liked what I did, thought I was a talented actress, and "covered" well (haha) - in a good way, but he saw there was more just shimmering on the surface, and he wants to work with me to bring it out.

It's such a different life than what I had imagined it would be one year, one month, and one day ago. ;-) I never knew I could be so committed...but being in this environment, there's so much direct and indirect support. I love having a creative boyfriend; it definitely doesn't hurt! He continuously inspires me, and he's interested and supportive of what I do everyday.

Visiting over a year ago, I didn't completely understand when someone told me that it really is an inspirational place ~ everywhere you go, you hear industry people talking; it's constant creative stimulation. It's exactly what I need to keep me on path and follow my dream!