InstagRandomness

I am so tired.

I mean, I am flat-out, fall-on-your-face, dear-God-I-should-not-be-driving exhausted. Poor Thomas is, too. I'd like to blame it all on the time change, but we've been burning the candle at both ends for so long now, this was bound to happen. At this point, I'm sitting upright. Please don't ask any more of me...and pass the coffee. Thank you.

Now, for your viewing entertainment, I give you: Random Instagram Photos! InstagRandomness, if you will. If you enjoy these, you can follow me @adorablenapalm. I don't have a hashtag (I'm not hip with all this newfangled social media hullaballoo. In my day, I had to dial-up to get to the world wide web. I had to wait for a connection and listen to a whole lotta screeching, just so I could reach America Online. Also, I'm apparently 106 years old now.) but I am always open to suggestions.

And now, the InstagRandomness!

Considering the March ipsy bags have already started arriving, I should probably show you a picture of the February bag. I actually took about two-dozen photos, with close-ups, swatches...the whole nine yards...and they all turned out orange. All of them. This was the best one of the bunch.

My bag contained Zoya nail polish in Odette, City Color Be Matte blush in Fresh Melon, Tini Beauty Eyetini in Spiced Rum, POP Beauty lip gloss in Peony Petal, and a Nume hair mask. The bag was a very cute hot pink with pink leopard lining.

Briefly, the Zoya is a lovely plum cream. For me, the name Odette conjurs up visions of soft white feathers, but this is beautiful, just the same. The blush is ginormous, crazy pigmented, and the perfect Spring-y coral. It's sitting in my current rotation. The Eyetini is fabulous. It's a rich bronze cream that applies easily, blends well, and reminds me a lot of my favorite MAC eyeshadow, Woodwinked. I lucked out with the POP Beauty lip gloss. It seems that several subscribers had issues with a gasoline-like smell, but mine is fine, so far. The rubber cap does have a distinct rubber odor, but that's to be expected. The gloss itself is more like a liquid lipstick. It's opaque, a pretty orange-leaning pink, and stays on fairly well. It's not my favorite thing, but I've worn it quite a bit. Lastly, the Nume hair mask conditions nicely and smells of Patchouli (to me, anyway). All in all, February was a very good bag month.

Now, if you've been reading this blog for any length of time, then you probably have noticed my complaining about the renovations we're doing to our sunroom. Well, folks, here's a sneak peek:

The walls are Orange Spice (or Spiced Orange? I can't remember) from the Better Homes and Gardens collection at Walmart. The door is Tierra Brown from the same line. The blue is painter's tape, and I'd better get used to it, because it has embedded itself into the walls and glass. Yay.

The floor is mostly done, now (just a few more planks. Thank God), but here's a shot of the new floor going over the old laminate tile.

I am in love with this floor. The wooden planks are actually stick-down vinyl tile! You can cut it with scissors (and I have...oh boy, have I ever). The brand is Style Selections in Antique Woodland Oak, and Thomas and I found it at Lowe's. If I hadn't put it down myself, I'd never believe it was stick-down tile. It even feels like real wood. Ah-maze-ing!

This little "weekend project" has been going on for a solid month and a half. Of course, we did take one weekend off to go to the brand-new Pensacon convention in Pensacola. Remember, this was the first year EVER of this con. First. Year. Now, look at the vendor floor:

Holy hordes of people, Batman! There were eleven thousand attendees on Saturday. Not over the course of the weekend. Saturday. That's nuts. And awesome. We were there Saturday and Sunday, and had an absolute blast. I got to see Axel from The Walking Dead, and nearly bumped into Nicholas Brendon in a hallway. It was magical. If you get a chance, read the article I linked to and join me in being highly impressed with this fledgling con.

In addition to celeb-spotting and souvenier shopping, Thomas got to participate in a panel on Indie Filmmaking. I sat in the front row and grinned like an idiot while snapping pictures. I'm so proud of him. There were six other highly accomplished speakers, and we were so honored to have Fighting Owl counted among their work.

So, this happened...

I kind of love him. He sits in our office/studio, next to a shadow box filled with zombie faces. That seems fitting. My voice students haven't had a chance to meet him, yet, so I'll have to let you know how that goes. The dog likes him. He also likes the Krampus. However, Batman is not allowed anywhere near him. The chihuahua may not be the best judge of character...

Speaking of Ronnie, I leave you with a visual representation of the word "spoiled":

I love that little face. Both those faces, actually. :)

While I Was Out: Random Phone Pictures Edition!

As any of you who have been following for a while know, things are never quite "normal" at my house. For crying out loud, this happened in my backyard:

Krampus Peek-a-Boo! I see you!

That's my sweet, adorable hubby, by the way. He was the stunt double for our creature actor. Truth be told, though, I think he just wanted an excuse to run around the backyard and scare people. 

Now, that was back in...February? I think? Anyway, things are still bonkers around the Smith crib (see? I'm hip and with it), which is one reason I've been MIA so much around here. I thought, for fun, I'd sift through my camera phone pics and see what popped up. Maybe they'll better illustrate the weird.

So, we made a mascot head. This is (just the head) of Punchy the Fighting Owl. The rest of the costume is still in progress, but the hard part is done. In case you're wondering, we made the body out of insulation foam and a hard hat, the eyes out of layers of screen door mesh and acrylic paint, and the whole thing is covered in polyfill, felt, and furry cloth. Oh--and about 612 hot glue sticks. We ended up sort of making the whole thing up as we went along, but the inspiration for the design came from this Instructable.

No. I did not make my own DIY Redneck Wine Glass (sold in other stores for $15.99, apparently). We're in pre-production for a couple of shorts, so my "grocery" lists are a little...funky. I had to run into Dollar Tree to look for a laser pointer, a car phone charger, some rubber snakes, glass stones, paint supplies, and a fake goldfish. (Oddly enough, the hardest to find item on that list has been the bag of rubber snakes.) I saw this set-up and couldn't resist snapping a picture. Then, I went home and glued (no kidding) 436 amber rhinestones onto leopard material.

I know I've mentioned it about a gazillion times on here, but Thomas and I have been working really hard to clean up our backyard. Because we're gluttons for punishment, we decided to add a water feature to this strange little random patch of dirt that lay in the middle of a rockwork embankment. Here it is at the OMG-I'm-almost-finished-with-this-bleepidy-bleep-bleep-thing-and-I-ran-out-of-rock-! stage. It's finished now, though, so I'll have to take a picture and let you guys see it in all it's waterfall-y glory.

Good Lord, we need to power wash the courtyard! Here's Thomas, doing his best Vanna White impression to show off the piece de resistance in our backyard makeover: the movie screen. It was a DIY project, made from movie screen material bought off of Amazon, and some lightweight wood pieces from Lowe's. It took about five minutes to screw together the wooden frame, and then the fabric is just stretched over it and stapled. We've hung it onto a couple of fence posts using picture hanging hooks, and the screen lives indoors when not in use.

And, because I've just been so bored, I decided to completely renovate my closet. This is still at the "in progress" stage. I've still got a ways to go on organizing, and then I have to empty it all out and paint. Expect a blog post on this when it's done...if it's done...

And, most exciting of all, I took the puppy to the vet. Trust me, he wasn't anywhere near as happy as he looks.

There's a lot of really cool stuff coming up in the next few weeks. Fighting Owl Films is doing a panel at Pensacola Paracon, and then Thomas and I are (most likely) going to the Sidewalk Moving Pictures Festival. Our short, C.U.P.I.D., was accepted, so if you're in the area in August, you should go check it (and the rest of the festival--should be awesome) out. 

Have a great Monday, y'all!

Life With the Smiths (Or, I Really Need a Vacation)

I was flipping through the pictures on my phone today (read: I was bored), and came to the realization that Thomas and I are really weird. Also, I take pictures of the most random things. For example:

This picture was taken in July. July. Also, it's toast. Look closely. I assure you, that is toast, cut into a gingerbread man shape, slathered with icing, and dusted with sprinkles. We needed to shoot the poster image for Night of the Krampus, and I didn't have any cookie mix in the house. Oops. So, I improvised. And photographed it. For some unknown reason.

This is my kitchen backsplash. Thomas and I went through bloody heck to put this thing up, so I'm as proud of it as some folks are their antique cars. First, we had to pick out the tile, which was, of course, out of stock. Then we stalked the home improvement store a week or so until we could buy it, and then--and only then--were informed that it wasn't the sticky back, self-adhering type, but it was twice the price we thought it would be. There was grout involved. We ran out halfway through. Thomas threatened to divorce me four times. I threatened to kill him twice. A fun time was had by all. It looks fantastic now that it's all up. Of course, now the countertops look awful...

Thomas decided to be Batman for Halloween. This is the best picture I have of him in his costume, because the "professional quality" rental had to be held onto his body with duct tape and prayer. Indoor lighting was not its friend. In the dark, though, he looked amazing, and even had trick-or-treaters' parents asking for pictures with him. He had a blast, and talked like Christian Bale for about a week before and after.

It's a flying elf!!!! I love this picture! During the Night of the Krampus shoot, I snapped a few in-production photos, and this was a complete accident. The little boy jumped from the stairs to the ground, and somehow the stars aligned and I got this shot that naturally looks photoshopped. He's so clear, and the background is so fuzzy, and he looks like he's hovering in mid-air. Plus, the face is fantastic. Love, love, love.

Everyone should have a Herbie. Nothing says, "Fun times!" like a narcissistic skeleton torso in a plaid blazer and beret. Why, I keep one Herbie in the guest room closet, and another in a storage locker, just to be sure I'm never without the arrogant little so-and-so! Here he is with Soren, after we finished a shoot. Soren still has on his makeup, and we were all a little punchy. Herbie, of course, was a total diva throughout the entire day.

This is what happens when you watch too many Jurassic Park special features in a row. We had just watched a featurette on how they created the scene with the velociraptors in the kitchen, when I decided I needed a snack. This greeted me, and I darn near fell on the floor laughing. It's like Ronnie's little stuffed dinosaur wanted to imitate the movie, and failed epically. Still cracks me up. (Can't you just hear his sad little baby Rawr?)

Speaking of Ronnie, here he is sword fighting with Thomas. We make our own fun, y'all.

Thanks for joining me on this little journey into my weird life. This is what happens when you're trying to finish one film and promote another while trying to buy a house during Holy week (and you work for a Catholic church). I'm approaching delirium. Have a great day, and I'll see you tomorrow!

Taking Pictures Of a Dog Is Hard, Y'all

(ed. note: How's that for a post title? Took minutes of thought. Minutes, I tell you.)

Today's post is more of a public service announcement. With Spring now upon us (and the weather...well, as my mother puts it, it's not "being its best self"), Hurricane season is just around the corner, and God only knows how it's going to go this year. Oh, goody. If you have pets, please remember to take photos of them. In the event you're separated, a current photo greatly increases your chances of being reunited. /end of preachiness.

Last year was our first year with Ronnie, the wonder chihuahua, and as first-time puppy parents, we wanted to make sure we were completely prepared in the case of a storm. Thomas and I scoured the interwebs, read every Facebook post on the subject, and kind of drove ourselves crazy trying to make sure that little Ron Ron would never know a moment's discomfort. For those of you who haven't seen us around our little dude, he's spoiled and has us completely whipped. It's the eyes. And the ears. Man, I can't say no to those little ears. Could you?

Just take it! Whatever it is you want, just take it!

Now, I take a lot of pictures of my tiny guy (Lord, how bad are we going to be when we have a human child?), but they're generally silly pictures of him sleeping in a weird spot or wearing something ridiculous (he has a shark costume...). I'm pretty sure those weren't the kind of pictures that the news anchors meant when they said I needed a current photo of my dog. They are, on the other hand, the kind of pictures that make awesome screensavers.

"I'M A SHARK!!!"



So, with that, I set out to take a really good, really normal, photo of the Ronniebutt:

"DID YOU HEAR THAT?"

"SHLURRRP!"

"AAAHCHOOO!"

"SERIOUSLY, DID YOU HEAR THAT?!"

"OH. HI. WHAT?"

"MODELING IS SO HARD.  NIGHT NIGHT."

Oh well, I'll try again this year.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and the Occasional Treat

My puppy thinks he's Superman.

I'm perfectly fine with that. When Thomas puts this little costume on Ronnie, the dog's entire demeanor changes. He stands up a little straighter. His ears perk up a little higher. He is SuperRonnie, the Magnificent.

I love my dog.

Happy Halloween to all of our furry little friends! If you're thinking of taking your pet trick-or-treating, here's a really helpful, informative article you might want to read first. Ronnie's going with us--no question!--but he's probably going to spend the evening watching over the city from the safety of Thomas'--I mean, Batman's loving arms. Oh, yes, there will be pictures.

Theme Park Makeup, Part Trois

*Ed. Note: This is the third in a multi-part series. The first two can be found here and here. 

Well, we're still waiting on the still-tropical storm, and everything's closed, so I thought I'd post a quick "this would work on water rides" theme park look. I put it on to withstand torrential rains (in case I have to get out in it), so it should be able to handle Universal's Jurassic Park flume. You know, theoretically. Nothing is going to be totally waterproof, but maybe you won't have to run to the ladies' room, bypassing GO and $200, to wash off the raccoon eyes.

Oooh! It's so fuzzy I'm gonna die!!!!  This is the only snapshot I got before realizing the rain had started and the puppy was still playing outside. Seconds after this photo, I dropped the cell phone, and ran like heck to let in a dripping chihuahua, who proceeded to shake all over the living room, and run me all over the house to get his wet T-shirt off of him, then refused to let me put a dry one on him until after I'd let him pick it out first. Yes, he had to choose his own shirt. It has the Avengers logo on it. I'm proud.

Anyhoo, here's what I used:

Too Faced Beauty Balm
Benefit Boi-ing concealer
Benefit Creaseless Cream eye shadow in Sippin' 'n' Dippin' (lid and crease)
Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil in Rehab (crease and lower lash line)
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero (upper lash line)
WATERPROOF MASCARA--I still don't have one. I can't decide!!! Anyone have a favorite to recommend?
MAC Cream Color Base in Virgin Isle (applied to cheeks with Real Techniques stippling brush)
Benefit Watt's Up highlighter (brows, inner corners, and cheek bones)
E.L.F. Brow Kit in Medium
Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart
Rimmel Stay Matte powder (just to set concealer and maybe T-zone, if you think you need it)

I used my fingers for everything but the blush, brows, and powder. This is, really, a very travel-friendly look. There are eleven products, but they're all very small, and I threw this look together in less than ten minutes. Honestly, I didn't time it, but it was probably more like five minutes. The most difficult part was deciding which products to use.

Now, you've probably noticed that all of these park looks have been neutral. Keep on the look-out for a very colorful post coming up soon!

UPDATE! Kissing Cousins: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain VS. Tarte LipSurgence

Thanks for bearing with me on Friday. I'm much better now. Of course, my sweet little Ronnie got a spider bite on his eye at 4:00 this morning, sending us to the Pet ER in a blinding thunderstorm, then back home for zero sleep before we had to be up for work, so I'm still a bit loopy. The puppy is fine and dandy, dandy and fine, but I'm zonked. I actually confused my acid reflux medicine with the sugar spoon this morning, and deliberately plopped the pill into my coffee. Couldn't fish it out, so I drank my Zantac, and you know what? Coffee sweetened with reflux meds tastes absolutely terrible. Oh well.

Anyhoo, I did manage to snag a couple of those Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in Honey and Sweetheart, so I was able to see how they compare to the Tarte LipSurgence. I haven't tried the Clinique Chubby Sticks, so I don't know how similar they are. I'm sorry.

To start with, I only wanted the Honey, which is a pretty rosy nude. Then I saw that Walgreen's had them buy one get one 50% off, so I snapped up Sweetheart, too, since it looked very similar in color to my Tarte Enchanted. I figured I could really compare them that way. However, when I got home, I realized that the colors were quite a bit off from each other. Since I've not really had much of a call to wear hot pink this weekend, this review is mainly based off of Honey.

Pretty Packaging.
I also noticed that the Revlon is larger than the Tarte. Thought I'd throw that out there, too.

The packaging is very similar. The color of the stick is the color of the balm; both are retractable, but the Revlon has a pretty silver-toned twister, and the Tarte has a pretty silver-toned cap. The balm itself...well, there's really no comparison. The Tarte is much more transluscent, and feels more like a solid gel than the crayon-like texture of the Revlon. Both are highly pigmented, but the Tarte's pigmentation is just a little bit better, and much truer. Both felt very moisturizing, had lovely mint flavors, and proved to be long-lasting, but the Revlon does feather and slide more than the Tarte. Of course, the price points are wildly different, as well. Tarte will run you a steep $24, while the Revlon is just $8.99.

Swatch of Honey.

Here's the thing: I really like the Revlon. A lot. I've worn Honey almost exclusively this weekend, and loved the way it looked and felt. It's a great product. It's just not as great as the Tarte. It's also not anywhere as expensive, either. I just don't want anyone to get this thinking they're getting the exact same product for a third of the price. They're also not getting a cheap copy, either. The two products are similar, but they're not the same. As I remarked earlier, the Tarte is more of a gel stain, and the Revlon is more of a crayon balm. Again, both are wonderful products, but they are not the same.



Me, wearing Honey.
No, the funky angle doesn't mean I'm going through an art photography phase. I just can't shoot worth a flip.

Bottom line, if you're looking for a moisturizing stay-put stain and have the extra money, go with the Tarte. If you just want long-lasting, lightweight color, save yourself a lot of money and go with the Revlon.

Final Verdict (not as a comparison): 8 out of 10. Keep one on hand this Summer.

Hair Of the Dog--Er, Ghost

Author's Note: Before we go any further, please bear in mind that Thomas and I have made two films that were outright ghost stories. Together, we have lived in a haunted apartment, and before we were married, I lived in a haunted house. I have been chased by a shadow, watched objects fly across rooms, and seen the unexplainable. In other words: I am not a wuss.

I am not a wuss. That was the mantra I chanted continuously last night, as I lay awake in bed, thankful for the soft glow of the muted television. I am not a wuss, I firmly stated as I turned on every light in the bedroom so I could make my way to the bathroom. I am not a wuss, I defiantly screamed in my head as I curled up even closer to my sweet, loving, and now sleep deprived Thomas. I AM NOT A WUSS!!!

I am, clearly, a wuss.

I adore a good ghost story, so last night, Thomas and I rented The Woman In Black, starring Harry Potter, himself, Daniel Radcliffe. We'd seen the trailers and read the reviews, and both of us were under the impression that it was atmospheric and creepy, but not overly scary. It's PG-13, for crying out loud. How scary could it be?

I had to remind myself to breathe, that's how scary. Then, I looked over at Thomas, and all I could see was the top of his head and two little eyes peering out from beneath a blanket. Heck, even the puppy was completely invested. He only hopped out of my lap once during the movie, and that was only long enough to grab one of his stuffed animals. After that, he was right back on top of me, snuggling with Dinosaur, eyes wide as saucers as he stared intently at the screen. That, folks, is the very definition of "riveting".

Neither one of us slept last night. The puppy slept like a freaking log, but Thomas and I were both wide-eyed. Today, I have been determined to learn as much as possible about the movie, as well as the many other incarnations of the original story. To me, it seemed like taking another shot to fend off a hangover. Did you know that the original story was not a folktale, as I'd been told, but was actually written in 1983? Or, that there was a television movie made in 1989, starring the actor who played James Potter, in the same role as Daniel Radcliffe? There's even a West End stage play that's been running continuously since 1989! And you know what? They're all creepy as heck!! All I've done is scare myself more! Awesome...*sigh*

Maybe not all of my research is for naught, though? If you're into cosplay and have a spare $102.99, then have I got a kickin' costume for you. Just think of all the people you could freak out during panels!

Photo Credit: Milanoo

In Case of Zombie Uprising...Oh, Just Shoot Me.

So...I would not fare well in a zombie apocalypse. Nope.

Seriously.

Let me just fill you in on my day, thus far. Last night, my darling, adorable, precious, angel of a puppy decided that sleep was for the weak and kept us up all night crying. Why was he crying, you ask? Was he sick? Was he in pain? Did he have to go to the bathroom? No, to all of those. He cried because after Thomas tucked him into his little memory foam bed in his specially-designed pup tent, and wrapped him in his very own fleece blankie, and put his most favoritest stuffed dinosaur next to him so they could cuddle, as they are wont to do...the blankie fell off. This made him slightly less comfortable than he had been, therefore, rather than burrow back down under the blankie, as he's done a million times, he decided to cry...and cry...and cry...until someone (Thomas) put the blankie back on him.

Then it fell off again. Lather, rinse, repeat. All. Night. Long.

I am sleepy.

My coffee pot, thankfully, decided to work this morning, so at least I was able to force a little caffeine down my throat while I got ready to head off to the doctor's office for my yearly checkup. I stumbled around, had difficulty standing, and basically felt and acted like I'd already turned into a "walker", but still managed to curl my hair, fix my face, and throw together a halfway decent outfit. Heck, my shoes matched each other, if not the rest of the ensemble. I takes my victories where I can gets 'em.

Anyhoo, I got the dog situated for the day, took care of the parakeet, and somehow managed to arrive at the doc's office early. Not just "on time", but actually a few minutes ahead of schedule. However, I picked a busy morning in the middle of flu season, so I didn't get to see the doc for quite a while. No matter. I didn't let it bother me in the least. I calmly contacted my office to let them know I'd be a little late, and when the doc (God bless her, she's slammed and still the sweetest lady ever) took my blood pressure, I was A-OK.

When I left the office, I decided to grab lunch at my favorite little deli (which is in my building), so I headed straight to work. I was cool. I was calm. I was collected. I was the walrus (coo-coo-kachoo)...

...then I nearly wrecked the car because I saw a spider crawl on the window. For about a mile and a half, I drove with both feet together for fear the evil spider might get me. Each time he popped out of his hiding place, I jumped, forcing both feet onto the pedal, and causing the wheel to jerk in whichever direction my body spasmed. It's a freaking miracle of Biblical proportions I didn't hit anyone. I ended up pulling over into a gas station and scouring the car for that little multi-legged so-and-so. I never did find him. He's still there, and I have to get home somehow. I'm hoping the heat from the inside of the car will fry him.

So, yeah. I can handle sleep deprivation, scheduling, stress, and all kinds of pressure, but the eensy-weensy spider scares the bejeesus out of me. In the event of a zombie uprising, do us all a favor and put me down. That is all.

Oh--no, it's not! Thomas found these, so for your viewing pleasure, here is a collection of some of the web's very best The Walking Dead memes. Please note: the language is on the salty side, so it may not be totally safe for work. They are pretty darn funny, though.

He's a Chihuahua/Spiderman Mix.



Photo Credit (All): PetSmart



I have a new puppy; a lolling, sweet, angelic, loving and affectionate little furball, who, for some reason, licks the backs of my calves and melts my heart.

Thomas has a new toy.

The two boys wrestle with Zebra and Rex (respectively, a once-stuffed zebra which now resembles an old sock, and a growling plush dinosaur), chase the laser pointer, and fight over who gets to snuggle with me on the couch (I like that game). Thomas calls Ronnie "Little Dude", and they are the bestest buddies ever.

So, of course, pup-pup is spoiled rotten. As he should be.

On our most recent trip to PetSmart (minus Little Dude. We have a budget. Bringing him would kill it), we stumbled upon a new collection of doggie products...from Marvel.

Oh. Dear. God.

There were chew toys, pull toys, stuffed toys, frisbees, bandannas, t-shirts...the works, and all emblazoned with superheroes. Thank Heavens none of the shirts in stock were Ronnie's size, because we'd be broke. I did consider bringing home a Spiderman pull toy, but it seemed too big for his mouth. Actually, I'd say that, in general, the toys seemed to be better suited for larger dogs. The stuffed animals were okay for smaller pets, but most of the other items seemed too large for our little fella to comfortable hold on to.

The prices were also a little steep, but that's to be expected for a limited-time, licensed line. Frisbees start at $3. Tennis balls run $5, with other toys in the $8-$10 range. Bandannas are $8, and a t-shirt will set you back $15. They do run sales, though, and one appears to be going on now. Some items are in-store only.

We ended up settling for a 99-cent store-brand frisbee and a sale sweatshirt (he gets cold...who knew, with all that fur?), but, for a larger dog, this line sure is super-adorable.

While I Was Out: Movie Musicals and My Very Own Weasley

I'm sorry to have run out on you guys like that. Since I disappeared for a couple of days, why not have another installment of....

WHILE I WAS OUT!!!!!

So, to start out, I had an audition on Monday and a shoot on Tuesday, and I am STOKED!! I have no idea if I got the job from Monday, so let's skip past that, shall we? Tuesday I got to hang out with ACE Hardware's Lou Manfredini and learn all about maintaining my home. And learn I did. I'm going home and brushing all the leaves off my air-conditioner, right now. I had a fantastic time, and really appreciate getting to be a part of their project.

Photo Credit: Broadway World

Tuesday night, Thomas and I had tickets to see the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies. It was a recording of a live theatrical production out of Melbourne, Austrailia, and was showing in one of the local movie theatres. Frankly, I'd been hearing rumors about this sequel since I was a kid, and as a "phan" of the original (I wrote a freaking term paper on it in high school, and one of the highlights of my life was getting to sing for a vocal coach who worked with Webber's Really Useful Company, and having him say I sounded like a young Sarah Brightman. I could have died happy right there. I've seen the show twice--touring and Broadway--and have performed pretty much the whole score in pieces over the course of my career, such as it is. You might say I like the show), I was terrified. See, none of those rumors had ever been particularly good. Plus, the reviews of the London production had been...well, let's just say they weren't very nice. Luckily, the Melbourne production was completely overhauled and completely gorgeous. The singers were phenomenal, the sets and costumes visually striking, and the plot and characters much more complex and mature than the original. It was also nice to see the Phantom and Raoul have a real, honest-to-God, gentlemen's argument, sans weaponry. Watching those two let each other have it verbally and on even footing was downright cathartic. This is also one of Webber's finest scores to date, and some of the most emotionally moving music I've had the pleasure of hearing. It's not a perfect show--there are one or two character/plot issues that, if you know the original, might be a little jarring and will definitely spark debate--but it works both as a sequel and a stand-alone. If you leave without tears or chills, there's something wrong with you. The DVD is set to release on May 29th, and is already available for pre-order on Amazon. I highly recommend it.

The biggest news, though, is that we got a puppy!! Okay, so he's a year and a half old, so not really a puppy. He's tiny and sweet, so it counts.

His name is Ronnie, and he's part chihuahua, part angel. Ronnie's already house-broken, understands (and occasionally acknowledges) the word "no", and loves to snuggle and play with his toy zebra. I adore this little guy. In case you're wondering, he came with the name, but since he kind of ginger-y (though you can't tell in the picture, darn it!) we decided he must be part Weasley and kept it. He also has a little white spot on the back of his head, shaped like a lightning bolt. It was meant to be.

So, that's where I've been. How 'bout you? Let me know what you've been up to in the comments.