Phantom

Long day. Too long. I was glad when my New for the day finally came around.

I've been to Phantom of the Opera on Broadway in New York, and it was AMAZING! Well, tonight I got to experience how a high school performed the play.

E.C. Glass always does a great job with plays, mainly because they always have the money and the great auditorium. All the old people of Lynchburg love to help support them and always give them a butt load of money. They also have the advantage of having the Virginia School of the Arts there too, which means dancers.

Now if you didn't know, I went to the rival high school, Heritage. It's just better over there in number one big orange country. Students are all middle class and can all relate to each other. At Glass, you're either super rich or super poor. They have issues.

When it came to theatre at Glass, it was all about competition. They are all hard core! At Heritage, we were always just one big happy family, and we had killer plays as well!

Well anyways, we arrive early to get good seats because their shows always sold out so we knew there would be a lot of people there. We got there at 6:40 and the doors didn't open until 7, so we just stood there waiting in this huge crowd. Oh, by the way, it was me, my mom, my sister Emily and Audrey who went.

When they opened the doors it was a mad rush to get good seats! Emily was in one place and I was in another. We both found seats but mine were better:) It finally started after it felt like an eternity, even though I was in good company.

It was beautiful. The sets were beautiful and their voices were beautiful. Everything ran so smoothly and all of their special effects were great. My favorite effect was when the Phantom has Christine in the boat and he's rowing her, and there was mist that looked like water and they were in this boat that was just flowing across the stage and candle things popped up everywhere! It was just like Broadway.

At one point in the play, during the Masquerade song, my mom whispered in my ear,

"The costumes are all so beautiful!"

"The costumes are so hideous."

Each one of their voices was amazing, I loved Christine's voice and the Phantom's voice was so good too! The main cast had split roles as well so I hope I got the good people! They only thing I would've changed was their acting could have been better. It wasn't bad, it was actually very good, but it wasn't great and I felt like they could've done great.

Anyways, I give this play two thumbs up! We already have our tickets to see Liberty perform it as well so we'll see who does the better job and I'll have seen the Phantom on Broadway and college and high school. What an accomplishment!

Psalm 39:6
“Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.I wanted to die, it was too funny! And I nodded at her. And then a second later Audrey whispers in my other ear,

Energy?

My New today was a little disappointing...

I see it every time I go into the gas station; I see all the annoying commercials, so I guess it's time to try it.

5 Hour Energy. You've seen it. It’s the little orange bottle with the running person on it. Now I'm not much for energy drinks at all, I hate the taste and I just think they are so bad for you (but I do like coffee:). But this drink was supposedly different, "healthy" or something. I've always wanted to try it, so I decide to take the plunge. I have been super tired recently; I could use that extra boost for the rest of the day.

I walk next door to the gas station from my work, and I find it where it always is. Next to the register. I got the berry flavor, it was either that or grape or orange, I like a lil mix of everything:) It was $3.06 for that little thing! Geez louis, this thing better be good.

I go back to work and I sit at my front desk. I read the label first before I open it. It says for just some energy drink to only drink half the bottle and for max energy, drink the whole thing. And I should not drink more than two in one day. Like I could afford that anyways...

So I open it and take the first sip. It was weird. It tasted citrusy and bubbly and strong, it made my jaws tingle. I could only take little sips at a time. It was such a little bottle, but it took me a long time to drink it!

And then I wait. And wait. And wait. The bottle said it was supposed to take effect immediately. I still felt tired. Maybe it gave me some energy I didn't realize, but I didn't ever notice.

I give this thing thumbs down.


Job 6:20
They are distressed, because they had been confident; they arrive there, only to be disappointed.

Inch Worms and Animals

I was quite the helper today with my new!

After I got off of work I didn't have any plans for the rest of the evening so I decided to clean my room. It was probably the worst it's ever been in it's whole life! I honestly don't know how is got that messy, it just did:) So I put Pandora on and went to work!

I ran out of hangers real fast... I have a lot of clothes and I don't wear a lot of them, but I don't have the heart to give them away! I just always feel like at some point I'll need them.

While I was cleaning, my roommate was talking to me and she started freaking out, like she always does, because she had a bulletin board she needed to put up tomorrow but she decided that tonight would be a better time for some reason. And when she gets something in her head, she cannot get it out and she worries about it to death. So she definitely wanted to put it up tonight, but she didn't have anyone to help her. She was waiting for our other roommate to get home so she could ask her. What am I? Chopped liver?

"Why don't you ask me?" says I.

"Well I just figured you wouldn't want to," Michelle's says.

How rude! Do I not seem like the helping kind of person? I mean I went to Africa to help the poor orphan children there, I'd help her put up her bulletin board if she asked.

"Well, will you help me then? She asks.

"Yes, I'll help you Michelle," says I. Haha, she is so funny. And I have never put a bulletin board up before so this would be my new!

It's about nine-thirty at night and we set out for Liberty. We also decide that bringing Jack, my puppy, was a good idea. When we get there she sets all of her stuff out and we get to work! She is so organized too, everything was separated and in its own little baggies.

The background was yellow and she had little plastic vines to go around the boarder. Her theme was jungle, because she was mimicking the book about how the inch worm measures all the animal's backs in the jungle so he could make it out alive. It was super cute! She had three different animals and she had made little inch worms on paper clips(and before she made them scrunch up I argued with her about how much they looked like little sperm) that could be used to measure the back of the animals. She also had numbers that could be velcroed underneath the animal to show how many inches that animal was.

I stapled all of the letters on the board! It was a job, but between the two of us we got it done in about 45 minutes. It looked great! And for all my help she bought my McDonald's on the way home! It was so nice, I got a hot fudge chocolate sundae with extra hot fudge:)

So whenever you get the chance, help a future teacher put up a bulletin board, they're going to be teaching your future kids for goodness sake! It's the least you can do.


Proverbs 5:13
I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.

One Hour Massage

Today's New was probably one of my favorite news by far! As you can already tell from the title of this post, I did in fact get an hour massage today! Please don't think I would just waste a lot of money like that, you have to listen to the events surrounding today's new. And it all started three years ago...

I was in my junior year of high school and it was about 2 A.M. We were at after prom and quite ready to go home. But of course the school likes to wait until the last second to give door prizes out because they don't want us all running off and getting drunk and making babies. So of course I stay because any chance I get at something free I take!

They finally call my name and I go up and grab one of the bags that are lined up across the stage area. Inside is a bunch a useless coupons, but one good thing, a twenty-five dollar gift card to New London Steakhouse. That's not too shabby, it wasn't the iPod but it was still something. Well, only one table over this guy I knew won a gift certificate for an hour massage and I am all about massages! So I ask if he wants to trade and he certainly does, because apparently an hour massage is a girlie thing to do. I was very happy with myself that night.

But as the days went on I kept looking at that gift card and doubting my decision. The massage was supposed to be at this place called The Palor and it was downtown. Well it sounded very sketchy to me because I had never heard of it. I kept imagining this old man Barber shop with a little room in the back with a table in it. So I decided the best thing to do would be to shove it in my desk drawer.

Over the years I would find it again and put it back and then find it again. Well, one of those "agains" happened last week. I was looking through my drawers and I come across this certificate, and there is no expiration date on it! I couldn't believe my luck! So I decide to finally use it.

My massage was today at 4:30 and I had been anticipating it all week. I absolutely love massages and back scratches. I melt like puddy any time anyone does that to me. And it turns out that The Parlor downtown is one of the nicest places to go and get a massage.

I walk at 4:30 on the dot. I announce myself to the receptionist lady and my masseuse is standing right next to her. We shake hands and she ushers me into a room. The lights are dimmed down and she tells me to strip down to what I feel comfortable and lay on the table with the blanket on. I decide leaving the underwear on would be the best bet. When I take my stockings off I realize that I forgot to shave. Oops. Oh, well I guess she'll just have to deal with my stubbly legs.

When she started the massage, my head was first. As soon as she started I just wanted to laugh, I don't know why, it all just struck me as funny. But I got a grip of myself and closed my eyes and relaxed. It was amazing. I soaked up every second of it. She did my shoulders and neck and arms and then feet, oh the feet! That was so so good. Then she did my stubbly legs and then I turned on my stomach and she did the back of both of my legs and then my back. I can't believe I actually got an hour massage. It was surreal.

It was like she was reading my mind too! When she was doing something I would think to myself, I wish she would use her thumbs, and the next thing I knew, she was! Oh my goodness, it was so fantastic!

And when I walked out I gave her a tip and acted like I was rich and saying I'd be back and probably bring my mom back for a day at the spa there. Oh it was fun!

If you ever get the chance to get a massage, do it! Even if you have to pay for it yourself, it is worth it! Maybe I'll make it a routine:)

Job 7:13
When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint

The Pink Octopus Necklace

Well, my New for the day was certainly on accident that's for sure.

I have a research paper due in two days and I totally had forgotten about it. Great. But it's only got to be 4 pages, which isn't too terrible. So when I finally get started, I decide on the topic of  "Show how a certain social aspect (music, philosophy & etc.) in history influenced fashions." I decide to talk about Hippies and how music influenced their fashion choices among other things. Seems easy enough.

After finding a couple of sources I decide to reward myself by browsing EBay. I just love EBay so much! Anything you can possibly want is up on there! Except for plaid jackets, they are impossible to find! Anyway, I was recently introduced to the designer Betsey Johnson; she makes really cute girlie girl things with a punk twist. Her line runs all the way from puffy dresses to shoes and jewelry. So I start browsing her stuff.

I have a real fetish for rings and other jewerly so I browse those things and then I switch the viewer to look at things that are "time ending soonest." And the first thing that comes up is this pink octopus necklace and there's only a minute left to bid and it looks as though I can get it for only a dollar! Well I placed the bid with 30 seconds left on the item. I have absolutely no idea what I was thinking. It was a huge pink octopus necklace for goodness sakes! When I impulse buy I usually have someone in mind, and I guess I figured in that 5 seconds that there has got to be someone I know that would like to have this pink octopus necklace. But now, when I actually think about it, I can't think of a soul. And the worst part is, I got so excited that this thing was only a dollar that I forgot to look at the shipping, $8.99. Fantastic! I'm paying about ten bucks for something I don't even really like in the first place. I trusted you EBay! How dare you.

So if you see me across the way with something pink that takes up half my chest and has eight tentacles, just know I put it there on purpose. I have to get my money’s worth somehow, even if it only causes staring and laughing, at least I brightened your day with a silly sea creature around my neck.

Psalm 148:7
Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths

Mexican Food & Wedding Hair

I know what you all are thinking. I have forgotten all about my New project because I haven't posted in two days. Well you are wrong! I have been busy busy busy. Then I lay down in my bed at night or I fell asleep before I could pull my computer out. I will try my best to not let it happen again. I am ashamed and embarrassed.

Even though I haven't been posting I haven't forgotten about my project at all. Let me fill you in on the past two days.

There has been quite the slow spell these days at the salon where I work. Saturdays are usually the busiest days we have and it was slooow. Carolyn (one of the owners) says it's because it's tax season and people don't want to go out and spend money on their hair right now. Well whatever the reason, it was slow and boring. Then I got a text from my friend/ex-roommate Jessie, inviting me and Jacob to her house for dinner and a movie with her and her husband Pili. I have gotten these invitations from her before, not many but a few and have always declined. I don't know why. I guess I was either busy or I just didn't feel like walking across the street to her house. But tonight I decided to accept the invitation with zeal! I did warn her though not to make anything too spicy, she reassured me I would be just fine. Her and her husband pretty much only eat Mexican food because she is fluent in Spanish and her husband is from Honduras and that’s all they like.

She invites all my roommates as well (she used to lived in the house with us), but I'm the only one that goes, so I'm under the impression that we were the only ones invited so I don't mind looking like a bum to walk across the street and have dinner with them. Well I was certainly wrong. Someone answered the door who I have never seen before and didn’t speak that good of English, and then there was another guy there I didn't know, along with two other girls who showed up as well.

Well I was a little embarrassed of my appearance, I had a Coca-Cola t-shirt on with gray leggings and red legwarmers and boots and a sweater thing. And my hair was dirty. Good first impression:) I was just really glad that Jacob was with me.

Jessie wasn't there yet because she went to Kroger to get the meat she forgot. Oh Jessie. I expect nothing less:) She has never been keen to the kitchen, but she is learning, or so she says. So we made small talk, very small talk with Pili, he doesn't speak the best english either but he is very nice.

We are having quesadillas! It was actually really very good! There was a flat hard shell on the bottom and then mountained on top was meat and veggies and cheese. I decided the best way to eat it would be to break up the chip and eat it with the fork, but apparently that was not the right way. Everyone else was picking up the whole chip with that huge mountain of food on top and taking bites. It did not look safe. It looked like the food was about to fall into their eyeballs. I asked Jessie for a fork. And it turns out my way was the best because about half of them got forks too. I was the only one who had seconds! I was proud of myself.

After chit chatting for a while, they started the movie, but me and Jacob decided it was time to go. We said our Thank you's and Goodbye's and left. It was a lot of fun! Jessie is always fun to hang out with, she is hilarious. I have to share one of my favorite Jessie moments with you.

It was last year and Jessie was actually my prayer leader. Our hall had some combined prayer thing in another building on campus and I had driven my car there because I didn't want to walk. Afterwards I told Jessie I'd give her a ride back. I drive a little white Honda Delsol. It's a tiny little two seater. She had never seen my car before and she comments she thinks it's so cute and she likes it and then she says,

 "So does it cost less because it only has two seats?"

"Um, no..." says I.

And then I start laughing so hard, it was so funny! She is always just silly like that.

There ends my New for Saturday, it's always great to be a guest in someone's house, even if they aren't very experienced at it:)

Acts 14:17
Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

My Sunday was actually very different. It was the Bridal Expo at Liberty that our Salon was doing. I was going to wear the wedding dress I had been fitted for at Celebration and be a model! How exciting. When I got there I didn’t have any make up on because I didn’t know if she wanted to do it for me. She said she didn’t care so I just decided to do it myself. While I was in the bathroom I had apparently missed all the drama! So apparently, the Celebration lady came over to talk to my boss about the show. Tonda explained she was going to talk about our hair and how it was done, and The Celebration lady could talk about her dresses and her business. Well that lady about had a cow. She said she didn’t know she had to talk and Kim (the lady who is in charge) didn’t tell them anything and never gave them enough information and blah blah. Well, let me just tell you, this lady knew. She was just bitter against Kim because she took over this venue that she had wanted. She was trying to spite her in any way possible. And she said we couldn’t use her dresses anymore! I was so sad! My dress was so pretty. And we were all in a panic trying to find some wedding dresses for our show.

After a while of scrabbling around, we found two dresses. Mine was not very pretty. I was disappointed but oh well, at least we had one.

While we were waiting for the show, we walked around to all the other booths and boy were there a lot of samples! I ate a lot. I should come to these things more often! If not just to eat lunch.

We went back to our booth and I got my hair did. Lorik did my hair and she is the queen of undoes! It looked beautiful, the back had some weaving and I had some curls and she put jewels in my hair that looked like I had a crown.

When I went to put the dress on, it was WAY too big. It looked dreadful. We didn’t know what to do! Then Tonda yelled for Lorik to come in and fix it! She’s a seamstress, pretty much a jack of all trades. She put safety pins all the way up the back of the dress and it fit perfectly. And you couldn’t even tell!

The actual show went…alright. We didn’t really know what was going on because we never practiced and didn’t really know the order. But after all was said and done and after all the chaos, I thought we did pretty well, it wasn’t a disaster…

Joshua 24:20
If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”

Having the Pilot Back

                                           (Lego Pilot)

It's super late and I am so so very tired, therefore this post isn't going to be super long and there may be a few miss spellings along the way. I ask you to forgive me in advance!

I woke up at 3:17 A.M. this morning. Why you ask? Well today I got off work and skipped school so I could FINALLY go and get my boyfriend back from the Army! He's been away from me for almost 7 months and today he graduated from AIT(advanced individual training) for black hawk mechanic. Which is the last step until he goes to flight school in Alabama. He will be in Lynchburg until almost the end of the year! It is going to be SO so nice. I think people were starting to think I was just making this guy up!

This was definitely a great New today that will lead to a new part of my life where I'll actually have someone to do things with and follow me around everywhere, like a little puppy, but he hates when I say that haha. Even though we are both so very broke, we are going to be creative and think of new things to do.

I also attended the Coffeehouse tonight. You know, it's the talent show that Liberty University puts on and bands play and people dance and they play videos that people make, and I made this awesome video and they did NOT pick mine to be in it. I was bitter. I had to go see what videos they picked instead of mine. I was biased but I have to admit, all of them were pretty good. It made me mad. Mine could have still fit in there somewhere. Oh well. Life goes on, whining about it won't help any.

Lesson from today's new? I am ready to have some fun adventures with my boyfriend Jacob and I will stop whining! Amen.

Numbers 14:27
“How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.