Beauty and The Beast and My Adventure in Down Town Tulsa

My wedding to the "boyfriend" with
Peanut as the flowergirl

In 1991, Beauty and The Beast was released at the movie theater and I took my then 3 year old niece, Peanut, to see it on an Aunt/Niece Day.  She sat on my lap throughout the entire movie and at the end, when the Beast dies, we both bawled.  She turned to me and said "Aunt Sissy, it's so sad!"  That  year, she had a Beauty and The Beast birthday party and I bought her a stuffed Beast from the Disney Store. For ever after, when I hear the theme song, I think of my Peanut.  Such great memories.  Now, 20 years later, I got an email from the Tulsa PAC telling me that Beauty and The Beast Musical was coming to Tulsa!  So I took my now grown Peanut, as well as my daughter, to see it.  It was fabulous! The music and the costumes and the set were everything I was hoping they would be! Absolutely magical!  It looked like the storybook came to life up on the stage.  At the end, when the Beast dies, I wasn't breathing...and, yeah, I was crying. :)  Another priceless memory with my Peanut and this time, my daughter. 

Our "adventure" began with driving to Tulsa and eating dinner at The Olive Garden.  We were only about 14 miles from the resturant to the PAC, according the the GPS on my iPhone, so I wasn't very worried about making it on time.  Until I actually GOT downtown.  It seems that Sugarland was in concert at The BOK that night, and that's pretty much in the same area as the PAC.  Some of the streets were blocked off, the traffic was HORRIBLE, and the 2 policeman I stopped and asked directions from were useless. I was getting frustrated and worried that we'd miss the show.  Finally, my 15 year old daughter took my iPhone, pulled up the GPS and started giving me driving directions from the back seat.  I started listening to her, because, after all, I had screwed this up about as much as I could on my own.  Street by street, she guided us straight to the PAC and we found parking RIGHT across the street!  She saved the night!. When the show was over, she repeated the directions in reverse and got us back on the BA Expressway in no time at all.  I told her later that she could never use the excuse "I got lost" if she was late for curfew. :)  When my bestest friend, Cara, heard this story, she reminded me of the time I had tried to drive in downtown Tulsa to see my boyfriend at TCC one day.  I called her when I got back home, (no cell phones in the 80's) crying.  I had apparently driven around, lost in all the one way streets, for 4 hours!  She got a big laugh out of that.  I have NO memory of that day whatsoever.  I guess my pride blocked it out.  Too bad I didn't have that cool iPhone with GPS on it  back then!!!

Weight Watcher 1 point snack idea

In December, I joined Weight Watchers.  I'm down 16.4 pounds, and I'm not finished yet.  The new  Points Plus program is WONDERFUL and it makes it so much easier to follow and to lose,  as long as you write down what you eat and keep track of your points. I even lost weight during CHRISTMAS break and never once felt left out or deprived!  I found this recipe yesterday on the Weight Watchers website and tried it out.  Then I hid them so I would have something to snack on.  My kids loved them.  (which is why I hid them!!)  Sometimes, it's okay to be selfish. :)  2 crisps are1 Points Plus

Parmesan Cheese Crisps

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place scant tablepoons of grated Parmesan cheese on the paper and gently flatten. (I used a small soup spoon)  Sprinkle with chives, parsley and pepper.  I also sprinkled a little bit of onion powder on them.  Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 6 minutes, until the edges are brown. I think it would be fun to substitute other herbs for different flavors, or just leave the cheese plain.  They are great, crisp snacks or you can eat them with soup. 

Carpe diem'

Music Festival Update

I did it.  I went to the Ponca City Music Festival and I played the piano for a judge. I walked into the church, where the festival was being held, and a nice lady said to me "Do you have a piano or vocal student?"  I looked at her and said "I'M the student."  Her eyes flew wide open and she said "WONDERFUL!"  As it turns out, I was the ONLY adult playing in the Festival.  Add that to the fact that I was also the FIRST adult to play in the Festival.  I"m so glad I didn't know this at the time.  I would have run back to my car without even seeing the piano.  When it was finally my turn to play, I walked into that room, took one look at the baby grand piano sitting there and my heart started racing.  I have ALWAYS wanted to play a baby grand piano!  I am pretty sure I was actually drooling when I sat down on the bench.  And when I touched the keys, OMG!  It sounded GORGEOUS!  All I wanted to do was sit and play around for hours. But, I don't think the other people waiting to play would have appreciated it. 

 So I played for the judge...a stranger I didn't know. Yes, I was nervous. Yes, I messed up a little.  Yes, I had to start over.  BUT!  I was NOT forbidden to ever play again, nor did they send someone to take my piano away from me.  I faced a fear and I conquered it. The Superior score I got for playing was a nice touch, too. :)

Opening Night!

I need to have a tshirt printed that says "I survived Opening Night!"  After weeks of practice, Town and Gown opened The Odd Couple, Female Version last week.  I was a little nervous all day, but nothing too out of the ordinary.  Until I was standing backstage waiting for my cue.  The mild butterflies I had all day long had morphed into bald eagles.  By the time I stepped out and sat down at the table, my heart was racing and I didn't have a single drop of spit left in my mouth!  I was seriously scared.  There were actual PEOPLE in the audience and my mouth was so dry, my tongue was stuck to the roof of it!  I knew my lines...I just wasn't going to be able to say them.  And then.... we got our first laugh and I wasn't scared anymore!  The audience was having a good time!  They were laughing in all the right places and at times, it was all I could do not to laugh right along with them.  It was truly an incredible feeling...like I really HAD been drinking cough syrup! I can't WAIT to get back out there this week!!

The Odd Couple--Female Version

Back in December, I finally got up enough courage to try out for a part in a play, and I got one!  Rehearsals for The Odd Couple, Female Version, with the Town and Gown Theater in Stillwater, began January 3rd.  Today, we are only 5 rehearsals away from  opening night and I have butterflies the size of vultures in my stomach! Am I REALLY going to DO this? I can't believe how quickly it's gone by.

I have to admit, the biggest reason behind this adventure is that piano contest coming up on February 12th that I've mentioned before.  I had such a fear of playing for people, besides my family, that I thought maybe doing a play would help me overcome it.  I was right....I've been so busy with play practice that I'm not even WORRIED about the piano contest!  I have my music memorized and almost polished to perfection.  As for the play, I am having the best time!  It's been years since I've done this....and  I had forgotten how much fun it is to get wrapped up in another world and pretend to be someone else. :)  The play really is the thing!

Carpe' diem

Happy New Year

It's 2011, just in case you haven't been paying attention.  According to the Myan Calendar, we only have one year left before the world explodes.  Do you think Ben Affleck will save us?  Or should we put our money on Vin Diesel?

All kidding aside, I have some big plans for 2011.  I will be 47 in May, 3 years from 50, so I've decided it's time for me to have some fun!  I make my stage debut in February with the Town & Gown Theater's production of The Odd Couple, Female Version.  I am excited and scared to death!  It's been years since I've been in a play. Play practice began last night, and will pretty much rule my life until the production.  That's okay.  Also in February, I will play the piano at the Federation Music Festival in Ponca City.  I will play two memorized pieces for a judge.  I'm excited and scared to death about this, too!  We are also planning a family vacation to South Carolina in July.  We want to drive the coast of SC and see all that we can see!!  We will also have a new licensed driver in the house so she will get to drive along the coast, too!

 I can't see into the future, so I don't  know how 2011 is going to turn out.  I only know that I plan to make the most of it!  I hope you make the most out of your new year, also!!

Vampires Suck

Okay, my Twilight Girlfriends and I had talked about going to see this movie together, just to maybe help us get through the year until Breaking Dawn is released.  We never did get around to it, and it's a good thing we didn't.  My Twilight Daughter and I rented and watched it last night and I have to say, that was the worst movie either of us has EVER seen.  We expected comedy, but nothing was funny.  Dont waste your money or your time on this one, folks, no matter how big a Twihard you are.  I give it a minus 5 on the Melscale. Worthless.