WICKED!!

The Broadway play WICKED is in Portland for 3 weeks. Tonight I surprised my mom, who is in town visiting for the week, with tickets for her birthday. Her birthday isn't until the 28th of April, but who cares! It was SOOOO SOOOO great! We've seen it in San Diego and Los Angeles already and we've just put New York on our "bucket list". I'm amazed at people who can sing like that, not to mention the ability to get up in front of people and act. My face is turning red just thinking about it. The musical was so great! If you haven't seen it yet - you really should. As my friend Amber describes it, "it's a great message that really shows you there are two sides to every story".

There is a song just before intermission that seriously gets me every time. Tonight was no different. The song is called Defying Gravity. Check it out here if you want even the smallest taste of how amazing this show is. Or better yet - just go see it when the Off-Broadway comes to your town (or anything even remotely close to your town!)

Bollywood Dance Class!

My love of classes that lead no where close to finishing my college education continues. Tonight it was a Bollywood Dance Class that my friends Cheryl & Amber signed up for with me. We walked into the studio downtown not really knowing what to expect. When we saw people coming out from the previous class with shawls on their heads and talking about "really connecting with their bodies" we thought we might have met our match and been way too far out of our comfort level. And then we met our instructor. Seriously SO SO SO much fun. I felt very welcomed and comfortable. He was great! It was a really great work out and we, of course, got a lot of laughing in. If you're unfamiliar about what Bollywood dance is, it originated from the film industry in India. I'm adding in a clip of one of the seasons of So You Think You Can Dance, but you should expect that we looked a lot like this tonight! (sarcasm)

Walk On

I sometimes forget how much I love music. As I've gotten older I've realized I'm less reliant on music than I used to be. Back in high school, then college, and probably MOST of my 20's I had music on all the time. Getting ready, at work, in the car (okay that one will never go away). I've found solace in silence these days. I love the quiet times when my brain gets to work uninhibited, away from distraction and noise. I find the times I do have music on, and I'm really seeking out music it's for deeper meaning. Today as I was going about unpacking a box, I finally found my iPod. It's been 5.5 month since I moved and I hadn't found it yet. I knew it was somewhere - just not sure where, and I've had my iPhone to keep me occupied in music when the mood hits. I've probably heard this song a zillion times, and today - in the quiet of my home did it hit me and something called my name. The Weepies "Can't Go Back Now". Lately in the quiet I think about my life. While I wouldn't change a thing of what's brought me to this point, I realize it's taken an entirely different turn that I would have thought 15 years ago. Not better. Not worse. Just different. Today this song was exactly what I needed to hear to squelch any doubts that I've made the wrong choice at some of those forks in the road.

Take a listen won't you:

"Can't Go Back Now" - The Weepies

Yesterday when you were young
Everything you needed done was done for you
Now you do it on your own
But you find you're all alone, what can you do?

You and me walk on, walk on, walk on
'Cause you can't go back now

You know there will be days
When you're so tired
That you can't take another step
The night will have no stars
And you'll think you've gone as far
As you will ever get

You and me wak on, walk on, walk on
'Cause you can't go back now

And yeah, yeah, you go where you want to go
Yeah, yeah, be what you want to be
If you ever turn around, you'll see me

I can't really say
Why everybody wishes they were somewhere else
But in the end, the only steps that matter
Are the ones you take all by yourself

You and me walk on, walk on, walk on
Yeah, you and me walk on, walk on, walk on
'Cause you can't go back now
Walk on, walk on, walk on
You can't go back now

Life

I haven't blogged in awhile because I haven't felt all that clever lately. I've been busy with work, and just busy being.

On Leap Day this year, I spent the evening with people I've known for a very long time, laughing and talking about a guy we know called Derek Moore. He passed away last week. For as much as I hadn't seen him in a very long time, or considered him a close personal friend, I spent a lot of work time with him when I was much younger, his death has shook me to the core. Sometimes work "families" are a powerful thing. This is certainly the case of my very first job at Norwest Financial. Most of the people I worked with all still keep in contact, though for me it's mostly through Facebook these days. Most of them actually all still work together, which I absolutely love. Derek was a great guy. He was kind. He was really really funny. He was only 33 years old. He will be missed.

I've spent the past week reflecting on my own life and how much of my time is wasted. I need to regain some drive in my own life and seek out goals, and fun, and adventure. Now, if you asked me what I'm up to - I'm most likely to say something about work. BORING!! Seriously I feel like I've lost the fun side of my life somewhere along the path of this growing up nonsense. I plan to re-discover it again. Even if it's simple things at first. I plan to use Derek's passing as a wake up call to live. Even if you didn't know Derek, and you need a reason to do something similar...let this be that reason. Life is certainly too short to not enjoy what you're doing, where you're doing it, and who you're doing it with. Tell people you love them often. You just never know.

Painting Project numero Uno

This weekend I spent the money my parents sent me for my birthday to buy painting supplies. In my head I was going to finish the entire house - when in reality I've still got a tiny bit left of my master bathroom. Painting the ceiling is the added bonus I get to look forward to in this house. The ENTIRE (seriously - entire) house is tan. It's not a horrible tan - it's just too much tan. I never thought I would long for the days of white walls like in every apartment I've ever lived in. But at least that would mean the ceiling was white/already painted. I still have one coat left of the new colour before I can hang the shower rod. I'm very excited and feeling quite handy. I could get used to this handy work around the casa type thing.
















Before / After

The sweetest boy you ever did meet

Tonight I was telling Trent about the family that our department "adopted" for Christmas. I was telling him about how the family couldn't afford Christmas presents and how in this family they had a little boy that is 5 and he had asked for Star Wars action figures. When I went to the store to buy him some, I picked out General Grevious - which is Trent's absolute favourite! I told him I and wrapped it all up to give to him so he could open it on Christmas. A few minutes later, he comes over to me with this six-year-old-self-wrapped-package. In this package, he tells me, is one of his own Star Wars figures (used of course) that he wanted to give the little boy too.

How does that not just melt your heart?! He's such a sweet boy.

As I was leaving, he said- "if you wait a second, maybe I could give you like 5 nickels you could give to him too". Man I love that little buddy. He's got such a good heart. Really makes you prioritize your life and the example you set for others.

Girls' Weekend!

This past long weekend (for us anyway) was super fun! Kristi and Melissa came to visit me in my new CASA! It was so much fun to see them both and I'm very grateful to their husbands who watched the kiddos so they could get a much deserved break away!

Friday night I picked up Kristi at the airport. We came back to the house to get things settled and give the tour. Then we went to dinner at Porque No? Kristi wanted something Portland-y and this was in my old neighborhood, so we went there. It was delicious! She had a long day flying from Atlanta, so after some chit chat I let her get some sleep :)

Saturday morning, after Kristi was awakened by the rooster in my neighborhood (UGH - somebody please come on a rooster hunt with me....) we picked up Melissa at the airport. Funny enough one of our old friends from college days Holly was at the airport getting on Melissa's plane as she was getting off. Very very small world. We dropped Melissa's bags off at the house and headed out to the outlet mall in Woodburn, OR (about 30 min South of Portland). Taking advantage of tax free shopping (as if we needed the excuse). It was SUPER busy, but we all found some things we couldn't live without. On the way back, after a very tiring shopping excursion - we decided to catch a movie. We hit up the Bagdad Theatre for a showing of Crazy, Stupid Love. It was a pretty good movie and then for some pizza at APizza Scholls. Then home to bed! We were tired girls!

Sunday morning we kicked it off right with a ritual provided by Melissa (of course). Seriously I could never get sick of those things. Then we headed downtown for some breakfast at Voodoo Doughnut. At about 9:30am there was a line for about 25 minutes out the door. Crazy. But really fun to see all the junk people are willing to put on a doughnut. Of course - the non-adventurous eater I am - opted for the Plain cake one with chocolate frosting. I only went for the non-glaze option because I thought they would make fun of me. Next we had appointments for massage and facial at Spa Sasse. It was pretty nice to just relax and be pampered for a good chunk of the day. I probably wouldn't go there again, but it was fine. Then we walked around Saturday Market for a bit and ate lunch out of a food cart which are all the rage here in Portland. There was definitely no let-down in the people watching category today. Then we had to drop Kristi back to the airport so she could get home to her family. Melissa and I mostly hung out talking that night and just enjoyed catching up. We had already had quite the eventful weekend!

Monday we went to the mall in Clackamas to see Footloose - and while we were there actually got manicures and pedicures! Man it was a fun, pamper-filled weekend! I was sad to drop Melissa off too at the airport Monday afternoon but I'm sure they were both very excited to get home to their families! I know it's a lot to be away from the cute munchkins for too long - and I'm so grateful they were able to come for a visit! We were already planning our yearly Girls Weekend for next year! I can't wait! Love those girls!