15 of my favorite feelings

The vlogbrothers are two brothers -- Hank Green and John Green (the author of The Fault in Our Stars) -- who each post a video blog once a week to keep in touch and discuss what is on their minds. Hank and John are both nerdy and socio-concious. Their posts vary from being extremely insightful to wonderfully silly. Their motto is "Don't forget to be awesome" or DFTBA!

I like their videos a lot.

Hank posted a video with a list of what he calls his "15 favorite feelings" and it made me smile 'cause, yeah, I like these things, too!!


And now I am inspired to write my own list. (Forgive me if I steal from Hank a little.) In no particular order:

1. Hugging or cuddling a small child.
2. Fitting back into clothes I once outgrew. (As Bette Midler's character says in The First Wives' Club, "It's better than new!")
3. Not wanting to work out and doing it anyway.
4. Throwing together a bunch of somewhat random ingredients with no recipe and coming away with a surprisingly tasty meal.
5. A friend I admire and value telling me he/she admires and values me.
6. A sincere "Thank you."
7. Finishing a story (I get interrupted a lot).
8. Finally getting a "Yes" after a ton of "Nos."
9. A text or phone call from out of the blue.
10. Vacuum lines in my carpet at home.
11. Finishing a good book.
12. Each check mark on a list.
13. In-depth conversations about nerdy things like superheroes, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc.
14. Lying in bed in the morning and not having to get up right away.
15. Leaving work on Friday in anticipation of a fun weekend with great people.

What are some of your favorite feelings?

DFTBA and Happy Friday!

The Force is strong with this one

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released in movie theaters at the end of this year. I love the original trilogy so much that I haven't had the heart to get really excited about this new one. I want it to be great. It wouldn't change how I feel about the originals, but -- especially when they're going to the effort of bringing back original stars like Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Anthony Daniels -- I don't want those characters ruined! If this is the definitive version of what happened to these characters after Return of the Jedi, it has to be a story worth telling and it has to honor the reasons why Star Wars became so beloved in the first place.

Happily, if this trailer is any indication, it will:


The music, the special effects, the nods to classic moments, and, of course, Han and Chewbacca at the end looking as bass-a$$ as ever. This is a great trailer. I cried and I cheered and I felt hope flower within me.

After such a satisfying reimagining of the Star Trek franchise, I suppose I trust JJ Abrams more than most to uphold the essence of Star Wars. It looks beautiful. It looks exciting. It won't be bogged down with pre-existing future events the way the prequel movies were -- there are so many possibilities! It helps that I adore actors Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis (I hope he isn't all CGI'd in this one), and Domhnall Gleeson. Fingers crossed that George Lucas's baby is in good hands.

I have a good feeling about this.

Bert and Zachary Levi on a lovely, sunny day

It's finally starting to feel like SPRING, and Zachary Levi and Sesame Street's Bert think you should go outside.
Posted by Mashable on Monday, April 6, 2015

It's finally starting to feel like SPRING, and Zachary Levi and Sesame Street's Bert think you should go outside.
Posted by Mashable on Monday, April 6, 2015

"Sugar" trombone arrangement

Happy Friday, my sweeties!

It feels like Christmas!

In celebration of my last day of work for the rest of 2014, here is an adorable rendition of a song from my favorite version of A Christmas Carol: The Muppet Christmas Carol.


Only seven more sleeps until Christmas! Are you ready?

Like a zombie?

This is one of my favorite commercials, so I'm sharing partly to keep track of it. The actress played Jane in The Lizzie Bennett Diaries and I love her un-phased delivery here!


Happy Friday!

Little girls Let it Go

I'm sure a lot of you have seen this video of two year-olds singing Frozen's "Let It Go." If not, watch it now:

I laughed. I cried. I hope they continue to sing with this passion for the rest of their lives.

I love little girls. This video makes me wonder if I was ever this unconcerned with being perfect, just living in the moment and feeling free and happy. I hope so.

Happy Friday!

Hobbit-related videos

In honor of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug coming out in theaters today, I present you with these brilliant videos. Enjoy!

"Gollum" from the Draw My Life series


"Lord of the Crumbs" by Sesame Street


Honest Trailer's treatment of the first Hobbit movie (which is pretty accurate, as usual, but I liked the second half of the movie a lot 'cause Gollum makes everything better):


And just for fun (because it delights me more than it reasonably should):


Happy Friday!

*Updated* Happy Friday videos

A few videos from this week (mostly today) that made me laugh.

Happy Friday!

Tina Fey and Amy Pohler promo for the Golden Globes (for all my singer friends!)

Benedict Cumberbatch reads R. Kelly's "Genius." I cannot stop laughing!


This isn't a funny one, but I completely love hearing Idina Menzel sing "Let it Go" from Frozen. Her voice and this animation are amazing!!

Post by Walt Disney Animation Studios.

I can't believe I forgot to include this gem pieced together with clips from Star Trek: The Next Generation!

.

Recognize these carolers?

Now that Santa has appeared at the Macey's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Thanksgiving is over, we can officially start celebrating Christmas. Thank goodness, too, 'cause I've been storing this little gem for awhile:


Why, yes, that is teenaged Lea Thompson and Elisabeth Shue, and pre-teen Sarah Michelle Gellar singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" for Burger King!

Your day just got a little bit better didn't it? I thought so!

Happy Friday!

Just life

My last play closed July 8, which means that I have not been in a show for four months.

(Huh, it feels longer than that.)

I've auditioned for a few, but for various reasons they didn't work out. I have no idea what I'll do next theatre-wise.

And I'm ok with that.

At this point, I'm not even looking at this lovely time as a "break from theatre." Sure, I was tired after my last show, but if a great opportunity had come along (and my ankle had healed more quickly) I would have snatched it. Technically I'm "in between shows" right now, but it doesn't feel that way.

I'm just living my life.

The comments I get when people ask what show I'm involved in and I say I'm not doing one are pretty funny. Actually, a lot of people don't know what to say after that -- my love of performing is the big thing most of my acquaintances know/remember about me and it's fairly easy to talk about. One girl even remarked, "I don't think I've ever known you not to be in a show!" (This tells me she and I apparently don't talk very much. I know I did five plays from summer 2012 through summer 2013, but there were pockets of time when I wasn't in a play.) Then again, I was a little annoyed when a guy I met online asked what my hobbies are outside of theatre. Obviously, that guy hasn't spent much time with theatre folks because when we ARE in a show, it eats up a TON of time; I suddenly felt lame and judged for not also sky diving once a month and drawing in charcoal and having other cool hobbies...but I digress...

I feel pretty lame in general when people ask what I've been up to lately. I say "I'm busy all the time, but not with anything specific." It's true!

I'll say it again: I'm just living life.

It's fun!

Here's a list of some of that non-specific stuff I've been up to:

• Working (granted, I do this year-round)
• Hanging out with family
• Exercising -- I miss taking walks after work before the sun goes down. It's too dark now! :P
• Going to movies
• Staying caught up with my t.v. shows (oddly, a third of the shows I watch are on Thursday -- it takes all weekend to catch up)
• Reading (not as often as I'd like)
• Calling friends on the phone
• Going out to dinner
• Dating (also not as often as I'd like)
• Sleeping in and/or taking naps on weekends :D
• Attending various religious and secular classes
• Going on vacation (it's time I start planning another one)
• Seeing plays
• Seeing (and hearing) concerts
• Making dinner at home
• Trying -- and failing -- not to spend money
• Sitting by myself at home in the evening doing absolutely nothing useful or responsible

In short: all of the activities I neglect when I'm in a show! And you know what? I'm not bored. I'm happy. It's rather nice to have evenings where someone asks if I'm free last-minute and I actually am!

I'll likely do another play in the nearish future, once I find one I'm really excited about and convince them they need me in it. Right now, I'm content to do absolutely everything else.

What have you been up to lately?

P.S. I did not audition for Les Miserables at Hale Centre Theatre this week, simply because I don't love the show enough to risk the (very, very slim) possibility of being cast and then tied up with it for the next 5 months. It HAS been very entertaining to read the experiences my friends have been having, though!

P.P.S.


Happy Friday!

Video: The Origin of Love

My friend Dennis created this video. He invited a bunch of his friends, including me, to submit photos of ourselves*, and asked that we hold up an 8x12 inch piece of paper so he could add words to it.

I admit, I had no idea what the finished product would be.

This is so beautiful. I hope that you watch, and I hope that you tell someone today that you love them.


I love YOU! Happy November!

*True to form, I sent in my photo on the very last day of the deadline, because I could never remember to get a photo when I was around anyone. I meant to while I was in Disneyland... whoops! Thanks, Larissa, for coming over especially to snap my photo for me!

*Updated* Bouquets=a billion. Megan=0

Kristen and Nichole are both safely and happily married, and I enjoyed both parties quite a lot. I had intended to sit out the bouquet toss for both, but when the time came at Nichole's reception, I realized that I was one of very few single gals there. So, I sucked it up and stood in the small group.

You guys, it should have been mine! It was in my hands -- I grabbed a handful of flowers in my left hand -- but one of Nichole's roommates swooped in and grabbed it and ran out of my reach. I was shocked... and maybe a little mad. I couldn't help but throw the handful of flowers at the lucky girl! The video is pretty funny; I don't come out looking very ladylike :P Oh, well!

Story of my life: I have never caught a bouquet at a wedding. I have been SO CLOSE a dozen times, but it's always been nicked by someone else. The girl who caught it this time has caught 44 bouquets. She obviously wanted it more than I, so I guess the better woman won.

This is what I posted on Facebook. I like the way I phrased it:

Tonight I had yet another bouquet grabbed out of my hands. At least I grabbed enough that I had something to throw at the usurper! Oh, well. Guess I'll need to make my luck some other way ;-) #nicholeanddrew #whyiamstillsingle #neverabridesmaidorabride

If that girl has caught 44 bouquets and is still single, I guess that means it doesn't actually work ;) That makes me feel a little less cheated!

The end of the story is that Nichole and her new husband Drew stopped by my house the next evening and gave me a consolation bouquet. How nice is that?! Way better than if I'd caught it initially. Plus, now I have a much better story, right?

Aren't they beautiful couples? I'm so happy for all of them!!

Kristen and Scott

(My camera/phone died during the reception, so I hope other people post their photos soon.

*cough*Nancy*cough*)

Kristen looks great, but who is the weirdo in the back
with a "this caddy is heavier than I thought" face?!

The Groom and Groomsmen and Kristen's Bridesman all had lego
superheros in their boutonnieres. Such a neat touch!

My job: to make sure the bride and groom were hydrated :D
(Also, how cute is that mailbox? I'm sure Kristen got the idea from Up.
I love it!)

Nichole and Drew

Larissa's face cracks me up in this one!

This is my "why does someone always interrupt when I ask for a photo?!" face!!

Quick Wits buddies

Can't wait to find out who gets married next... I have a few suspicions, but I'm keeping my mouth shut until proposals are extended and accepted ;-)

Congratulations, Kristen and Scott, and Nichole and Drew! I hope to be as happily matched as you are someday!

*Updated!* This is Halloween

I say this every year, but someday I want
to dress up as the Sanderson sisters.
I call Sarah! "Amuck! Amuck! Amuck!"

It's that time of year when the leaves start turning red, brown, and yellow, the air grows colder, candy dominates grocery stores, little kids start telling you what they want to be for Halloween, and I pull out my two favorite Halloween movies!

Admittedly, I haven't actually watched Hocus Pocus or Nightmare Before Christmas yet this year, but I think this is the week I will. They are just too much fun, and just creepy enough to get me in the holiday mood, but not so creepy I'll be up all night for fear of falling asleep (have I mentioned that I don't like horror films?). My nephew saw Hocus Pocus for the first time this weekend and spent some time on Sunday quoting and recapping it for me. Haha! Hooray!

Hey! I just realize that's the twentieth anniversary for both of these movies. That's crazy!! I'm glad they've both stood the test of time.

Meanwhile, I love, love, love this rendition of "This is Halloween" from Nightmare Before Christmas, sung by Disneyland's Dapper Dans barbershop quartet. Everything about it is perfect. Hope you like it, too!

(Did you know that the Dapper Dans are equity actors? Now you do!)

*Updated 10-8* I can't resist sharing this interpretation as well. Nick Pitera has some wonderful videos and this is now one of my favorites!


Happy Monday!

Stand by Me

I might have posted this video before, but I think it's time to share it again. All these people from all over the world combining their unique styles to produce this gorgeous sound and inspire others. I love it.


Happy Friday!

Disney prince boy band

I want this to be real so I can buy the CD!


Happy Friday!

Tony talk

The Tony Awards were on Sunday, and I must say that Broadway's big event was smashing this year! Far more entertaining than the most recent Oscars or Emmys (arguably better than the Golden Globes, though I love me some Amy Poehler and Tina Fey).

Neil Patrick Harris hosted for the fourth time, and his opening number topped them all. This guy's got skills, and his writers are brilliant.

Note: How long do you think it took him to nail that "jump through the hoop" move? There is no doubt in my mind that NPH takes this gig seriously and rehearses 'til everything is perfect.

Also, this made me laugh really hard, and made me even more sad that Go On and Smash were cancelled.


Thanks so much, Larissa and Rob, for inviting me to your Tony party. It was fun to watch with theater-loving friends, start to finish, especially friends who have actually seen the shows on Broadway -- lucky! I'm really hoping to get out to NYC sometime this year to see Cinderella, Pippin, Matilda, Newsies, and Once (as a Doctor Who fan, I hope I don't miss seeing Arthur Darville!). It would also be fun to see Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, if the original cast is still playing. So many good things going on right now.

Just for fun, because I am still lobbying for NPH and Hugh Jackman to co-host sometime:

A waterlogged washcloth in zero gravity

Space and space travel have always been fascinating to me. Back in my 4th grade class, I was the go-to girl for space trivia (sadly, a lot of it is gone now). I'm still a big fan of the free exhibits at the Clark Planetarium. I'm pretty sure that's where my love of science fiction comes from (well, that, and my love for well-told stories). 

So when I saw this, I completely geeked out. It's pretty much the coolest thing I've seen all week:

Happy Friday!

How did he survive?!!

If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week.

- Charles Darwin

My question is: How in the world did Darwin ever survive without listening to music every day, let alone every week?! I guess it was harder to come by then, and he had other priorities. I couldn't do it. If I don't sing every day, my cheerfulness wanes. I may not notice it, but it does. Music is a necessity in my life.

Happy Friday, my friends! Here's something totally random to brighten this rainy day!

That John Williams sure is prolific, isn't he?

By the way, is any one seeing Jurassic Park this weekend? May I come?

Who will love them as they are?

Me! Me! I will love you!

Wow. Seriously? Who can sing this well that high?!!

For a video of the original rendition, click here.

Happy Friday, my friends. I love YOU!