Reading addict 2014

I've got a library copy of Gone with the Wind, a quart of milk, and all these cookies. Wow! What an orgy!

-Jacqueline Susann

I set my reading goal at 18 books this year. I set it low on purpose because in my mind rereading old favorites doesn't count in the goal, and it has been too long since I revisited The Belgariad. The problem is that I have so many books in my Goodreads to-read queue, and there are so many that my friends keep recommending, that I feel guilty not getting to all the new (to me) options as quickly as possible. So, I've been plowing through books, especially since I finally finished the fifth book in the Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones series (I am now one of the hoard frustrated that the next one is taking so long -- cliffhanger city). I really wanted this to be the summer I FINALLY read a few of The Wizard of Oz books, but I haven't had a chance. It's been difficult to sort out the priorities outside of library books first and eBooks last (those eBooks are piling up, but reading a screen isn't as fun as reading a book).

So far, I have read 23 books; 10 since the beginning of June. Crazy, right? We have quite a bit of 2014 left! I reset the official goal to 30, but I'm pretty sure I'll exceed that, too, especially if I manage to fit in The Belgariad (which includes 12 books). I'm not complaining -- I love to read more than just about anything. That's the main reason I was an English major in college. There is so much I want to read and not enough time. The photo at the right illustrates my reading list as of three weeks ago. Since then, I have finished Divergent and Stardust, added Insurgent, and have The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on hold waiting for me at the library. I think it's time I stop putting things on hold; they all seem to come available at the same time no matter the estimated wait time! I hope I can finish all that before they're due back :P*

THEN, I will read a couple or more of the Wizard of Oz series, and hopefully then I'll have a month or two for The Belgariad. I am liking this plan. If it takes me through January, so be it.

Of course, rehearsals are disrupting my reading time. I usually like to read before I go to bed, but I've been getting to bed later than I'm used to and I am tired. I'll have to start lugging the physical copies around with me and reading at dinner before I head to rehearsal. Yay! I love this alternative even if some of the books are rather substantial.

Next year, among my other reading goals, I want to actually read all of the Harry Potter novels again. I listen to the audio version almost every year, but it isn't quite the same despite Jim Dale's delightful interpretation. There's something about holding the books in my hands, turning the pages, seeing the fonts, thrilling when each character's name appears in the story for the first time, musing over the illustrations on the chapter pages, and reading passages out loud with my own wacky accents.

And at some point, I also want to reread The Lord of the Rings. I don't remember the last time I did that. Has it been 10 years already?

Meanwhile, please don't be offended if it takes me a while (like, a year) to get to something you recommend and love. It's nothing personal, I just have a lot on my list already. Oh, and I have a life to lead as well. After all, a life lived only for that which I find in books is kind of sad, no matter how enjoyable the books may be ;)

Have you read anything you liked this year? Something new, or something you've read before and had forgotten how wonderful it is?

Happy reading, my friends!

*Since I own them, it's taking me a while to finish The Elements of Style and The Book of Mormon. Actually, I own multiple copies of both 'cause they are definitely worth reading over and over and over. I read in The Book of Mormon every day. Whenever I finish I just start over again. I learn so much each time!

Personal Trainer food

Almost as soon as I posted my "I've been exercising regularly" post, I stopped exercising regularly. There were several factors involved, but the main one was that I was frustrated that I wasn't seeing physical results. I know, I know, the goal was supposed to be consistency, and I was so good for so long! I continue to enjoy exercising and make time most days to do it even though it's become much harder/impossible lately to make myself get up early.

It's just... my clothes still don't fit, and I still don't want to purchase new clothes. If exercise alone isn't helping me out, I have to resort to drastic measures:

I'm starting a diet.

Ugh, I hate the word DIET. It implies starving myself and doing something that will only work short term. For old Megan that might be true, but for new "I exercise now" Megan, my hope is that the diet will jump-start my weight loss, and then I'll be able to maintain through exercise when the diet ends... or maybe I'll like the meal plan so much I'll keep doing the diet, too. We'll see. Past experience informs me that I am generally successful at losing weight when I diet strictly, so it's time I give in.

As luck would have it, a few weeks ago Groupon ran a deal for a meal plan called Personal Trainer Food*. I had never heard of it, and it is more expensive than I would have liked, but there are several things I like about it:

1. They prepare the food for me and mail it to me packed in dry ice. The plan I purchased includes 56 entrees and 56 veggie options. All I have to do is keep it frozen until meal time, and then grab one entree and one veggie and heat them up. Since rehearsals significantly cut down my food prep time, the ease of this program will help me eat healthy for at least the first four weeks of rehearsal. I take care of my own breakfast, but it isn't that big a deal to fry up some bacon and eggs.
2. The testimonials assure me the food tastes good. This is important when I'm giving up carbs and sugar. I don't want to not look forward to mealtimes or feel sorry for myself when I see people eating things I enjoy... I shouldn't love food as much as I do. I prefer dieting not to be complete torture.
3. There are a LOT of varieties of foods in the prepared packages. See #2.

   

   Chicken cheddar sausage
   and assorted veggies.
   I put the pen in the picture
   to illustrate the portion size.

4. It isn't a "counting calorie" diet. I can eat unlimited meats, veggies, cheeses, and whatever else is allowed. I'm just choosing not to eat the sugar-filled and processed stuff.
5. I can drink Diet Coke. I know, I know, I KNOW Diet Coke is bad for me because of the aspartame, and I don't usually drink much. But with this diet I'm not even supposed to eat sugar-free candy, so being able to have something sweet at lunch is something of a life saver.
6. It's four weeks instead of two. This presented me with a bit of a problem trying to time things right, but, sadly, there is no right time for something like this, so I'm just going to do the best I can in spite of Salt Lake Comic Con and my upcoming birthday. But, being strict longer means I'll hopefully lose more faster, right? And since it's also tasty food it doesn't feel like a punishment.

So, I bit the bullet and spent a wad of cash that is probably still less than I'd normally pay for a month's worth of groceries plus eating out. My freezer is now jam-packed with bags of food. I took "before" photos of myself in my underwear (which no one but me may see), and also this photo in a dress to hopefully help illustrate how much I will lose by the end:

Before: I can pinch not quite an inch of the dress at my waist.

 So far, pretty good. I ate a waffle with syrup and some eggs and yogurt Sunday morning, and then went on a liquid diet for the next 28 hours (the diet recommends 24-48 hours to shrink your stomach a bit), and have been eating the packages since lunch on Monday. I was very surprised at how flavorful the meals have been thus far. They are also decent portion sizes. I don't finish and wish there were more. I am grateful. I've missed the sugar and carbs a little, but I was pleased when on Tuesday a friend offered me some delicious-smelling zucchini bread and I didn't feel at all regretful about saying "No, thank you."

Caliente chicken chunks and lima beans.

To all those who say to me "You are skinny! You don't need to lose weight!" I thank you for your compliment, and respectfully say "Shut up." I know what I look like at my best, and this is not it. I want to fit into my clothes again. That's it. I'm not even weighing myself this time. I just want to fit into my blue skinny jeans and wear some of my cuter dresses before summer is over. I want to stop watching the ridge fill in between my stomach and torso bulges. I want to look as skinny as I picture myself to be. This is NOT crazy thin -- I like food too much to maintain that for long, as evidenced by the last diet. I just want to get back to where I was about last year at this time (better yet, two years ago). The fact that last year at this time was my "fat" weight ten years ago is irrelevant ;) I don't think it's an unreasonable goal.

I fear that I won't lose much. My body is getting older and isn't responding the way it has in the past. On the other hand, part of the Personal Trainer Food plan requirements is that I exercise seven days a week, so that should help and also get me back in the habit. I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

Thanks in advance for being supportive and for not encouraging me to cheat. I paid quite a bit for this, and I don't want to cheat myself by not seeing it through. Otherwise, I'll never know what might have been. I'm happy with my choice. I want to see it through.

I suppose it's only fair that I let you know in the end how it goes. Stay tuned for a report and some "after" photos in September.

*Full disclosure: If you purchase your own plan using the $50 off deal on the Personal Trainer Food link I used, I get $50 off as well.

**UPDATE: Here is the link to the results post (It's a positive review!)

Zonks and Breezy ask questions

My nieces are starting to notice and ask questions about the world around them. They see that people outside of their family do things differently, and they want to know why. Sometimes the questions are a little impertinent, but they are always honest.

One of my favorite conversations of late happened during family dinner last week. My mom (Grammy), my brother David, Breezy, Zonks, and I were all sitting together at one end of the table:

Me: Thanks, Mom.
Zonks: You just called Grammy "Mom." Is she your mom?
Me: Yep.
Zonks: She's daddy's mom, too.
Me: Yes, she is. Who else's mom is she?
Zonks: (Thinking about it) David?
David and Me: Yes.
Zonks: Is she Heidi's Mom?
Me: No, but she is Heidi's husband's mom.
Zonks: Aaron?
Me: Yes. Who else?
Breezy: (She has been listening in) Peter?
Me: Yes, she's Peter's mom, too! So, if David and I have the same mom, what does that make us?
Zonks: (Looks a little confused)
Me: David is my...?
Zonks: (Tentatively) Brother?
Me: Yes! Just like the G-unit is your brother!
Zonks: (Turns to David) Why do you have a beard?

Hahaha! I love her logic! We beat that conversation to death, so she changed the subject. Or she simply wanted to know. David answered her question about the beard in a manner Zonks apparently thought satisfactory, and then turned back to me.

Zonks: Did you know that some mommies have fur on their shoulders (she indicates her armpit) and they shave it off so their shoulders are smooth?
Me: I did know that.
Zonks: Do you shave your shoulders?
Me: Yes.
Zonks: Can I see?
Me: (Giggling) Yes. (I show her my armpit, and she feels the skin)
Zonks: (Awed) So much hair is gone.

Awesome, right?

Other questions they have asked me include:

• When did you move away from Grammy and Boppa's house?
• Why do you live by yourself? Can I come to your house?
• Why aren't you married?
• When are you going to get married?
• Where is your husband?
• Are you going to have a baby?

I wish I knew the answers to those last four!

These little girls are wonderful. I love that they are growing and curious and that they trust me enough to ask questions and accept my answers -- however simple or foreign -- as truth. I am lucky and grateful to have them in my life!

Memes that make me giggle: Chief Wiggum's slip of the tongue

"Bake him away toys" is one of my favorite ever lines from The Simpsons. I quote it a lot, and then I always giggle, regardless of whether anyone else gets it. Maybe next time you will and we can laugh together :)

Happy Monday!

Hot in July

Oh, July. The temperature was so ridiculously hot, the people I spent time with were cool, I attended the world's first Fantasy Con, and I ate a lot of junk food. It was a good month. Here are some highlights:

Independence Day

The celebration of our Nation was almost as fun as the celebration of my grandmother's birthday. She is now 92, and doesn't look a day over 75. She's younger, classier, prettier, and more fun than Betty White, and as cool and confident as Maggie Smith. I sure do love this lady, and so do all of the progeny that gathered to wish her a happy birthday!!

Gram doesn't smile like this unless she's laughing, yet I always picture her this way in my mind.
Kim's expression is a bit unfortunate ;)

After the party, we enjoyed a Peter Breinholt concert (some of us enjoyed the music more than others) and fireworks at Holladay Park. Aaron and Heidi saved a section big enough for the whole group!

The fireworks would have been better if the musical accompaniment choices hadn't been so bad. They played "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Music of the Night" one after another, and concluded with Katy Perry's "Firework." Pretty songs, but not suited to the occasion. They also played "Born in the USA" and a tribute to all of the branches of military service, but we wished for more Sousa, and "Comin' to America." Remind us how proud we are to be Americans, darn it!

Monkey's blessing

My best friend's little boy was given a blessing by his grandfather. There was such a beautiful spirit during that blessing, and it was awesome to see Kate and Brandon surrounded by the people they love the most. I'm happy to celebrate any event with them any time!

I love this dear little family. Monkey is a perfect addition.
He's a sweetheart!

Besties!

Free food

My pocketbook was very, very grateful for a couple of occasions wherein I did not have to pay for food.

July 11 was Free Slurpee Day at 7-11 and Cow Appreciation Day at Chik-fil-A.

My office provides breakfast for the employees once every month.
This time, it was crepes, fruit, hash browns, and muffins.
The silly putty was a nice (non-edible) surprise; it changes colors the longer I play with it :)

Outdoor events

I love going to Bees games. I hadn't been in years, so I was glad when Sylinda wanted to come with me to a Ward activity.
This handsome mascot gave her quite a fright when it quietly sat next to her and then tapped her on the shoulder.

Lovely Syl and me

Lunch at Bruges Waffles and Frites with Gina (not pictured, sadly). The company was terrific, and this "waffle monster" turned out to be an ice cream sandwich, with strawberries, chocolate, and spekuloos. I regret nothing! 

Midvale Arts Council's modern re-telling of Into the Woods was delightful. I'm sorry for you if you missed it.

I attended a Pioneer Day celebration pageant that was also a fundraiser to buy hearing aids for the hearing impaired. Before the show, they had some skydivers drop in. It was very, very cool.
I still am not interested in skydiving ;)

Miscellaneous

Another big product release at work. This schedule changed a lot. At least the delays weren't my fault!

I've been experimenting with wearing my hair up. I felt rather pretty when I auditioned for Jekyll and Hyde.
That's always a nice feeling.

Play Your Part at Hale Centre Theatre

Since I volunteered a few years ago, the aforementioned Syl asked if I would be willing to help her again at a fundraiser for Parkinson's disease research, and of course I said "Yes." I helped oversee the silent auction for a few hours, then ate some of the banquet leftovers and watched most of Mary Poppins (all ticket sales that night were donated as part of the fundraiser). 

Melanie's face behind me kills me. Too funny!

The lovely Michelle Blake as Winifred Banks

Syl and I with Mary Poppins and Bert.
Thanks for humoring me, Syl. I know you'd had a long night!

On to August. Still a little bit of vacationing, outdoor theatre, and summer-ness to wring out of this wonderful weather. Speaking of which, I haven't been swimming yet -- what is wrong with me?! Better do that this week before rehearsals get going...

What do you have planned for the rest of your summer vacation?

My theatre break/unlucky audition streak is at an end

I have been unlucky in my auditions this summer. Sure, I was choosy about the shows I auditioned for and the roles I would accept in said shows. I also never felt like I nailed the callbacks the way I hoped I would (in some cases I wasn't even called back, though I was for She Loves Me at Hale which was definitely a win). I'd see the final cast lists and think, "Yep, those people will be great. I see now why I wasn't a fit." After four failed auditions, I had to start reminding myself that in baseball, you still have a good batting average even if you only hit the ball in one out of every 10 at bats. Why shouldn't that be true in theatre, too? Some people have a waaaaaaaay smaller average (if I was trying to be professional, I would probably be one of those people). I also remind myself that I'm still talented; so much about theatre and casting is subjective. I can only do my best and cross my fingers it will work out. I don't know anyone who has been cast in every show they've ever auditioned for, unless they only audition for roles they know they'll get or they don't audition very often. Still, it's nice to be chosen to be part of a show I want to be a part of.

Anyway, my strike-out streak has ended: I accepted an ensemble role yesterday in Jekyll and Hyde at CenterPoint Legacy Theatre! The play will run September 29 - October 26, and I'll perform on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (except for the 4th and 7th). Woot!

Fun details about the auditions and call backs:

Callback selfie!
(Fun fact: every person in this selfie was cast in the show.)

• I've been working with a voice teacher all summer to prepare for this audition. She helped me choose the song and learn how to best use my voice to present it. I give a huge chunk of the credit to her for my success. I don't remember the last time I nailed an audition the way I did this one!
• I was called back for Lady Beaconsfield. This is the character description: "Member of the Board of Governors. Uptight and Outspoken Socialite. Age 45-65." I was more than a little surprised at the opportunity, but I had a blast reading lines as an unpleasant snob, singing crazy high notes while snarling, and faking death by strangulation (which earned a laugh since I was dying in a group and took the most time to finish). It would have been a fun role. I am simultaneously disappointed I didn't get it and curious to see what else is in store since the production team now knows I'm up for anything.
• Speaking of being up for anything, everyone considered for ensemble (the background characters who support the leads and usually do more dancing and singing than the main characters) had to sing the beginning of "Facade." Since there were two phrases in the selection, they asked us to show off our range and sing the first like a street urchin, and the second like a proper Victorian lady. I was nervous because they didn't mention this until after we'd all practiced together, so I'd be winging it. Regardless, threw myself into it and I felt pretty good about the transition from urchin to lady. Well, after I sang, the music director crowed, "Thank you! That was great! Extra points for being extra ugly!" Everyone applauded and one of my friends gave me a high five :D Nobody else got that particular reaction. Success!

I'm excited to meet the cast and start learning the music. I'll keep you posted on details when opening night gets closer. It'll be a cool way to put yourself in a Halloween mood!

Also, my being cast means I was cast in one show out of five auditions (since the last play I was in). Those are darn good odds. Someone get me a baseball bat!