But who's counting? Oh, wait.

It's been a year and I'm starting over. I don't need to think about last year. I don't need to go back and review all what I was thinking and feeling and blogging. I'm not gonna lie, it's hard not to see that time as a waste or a failure. I guess I can only say that I learned. I suppose that is what is important.

I feel that my heart is finally my own again and my standards are higher than before. I have a better idea of what I want in a man, although I'm afraid that he doesn't exist.

It's like what I tell Jessica... It's just me, Watson and my imaginary boyfriends up here in little Sumner. And she laughs. But she knows what I mean.
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I know that I am a strong, confident woman who is not perfect. I know I can't do everything by myself, although I often insist that I can. I've gotten over the idea that just because one relationship ended does not mean that I am unlovable or not attractive. It's just a matter of time. I just keep reminding myself that it has to be in God's time, not mine.

*sigh*

An update inclulded a breif blip on Doctor Who and Twilight

Ack.... It's been ages since I've blogged... Sorry!

I'm just pluggin' away. Remember the cold I mentioned Thursday November, 5th? Well, I still have it. The week after the musical my chest became full of disgusting gunk and I lost my voice... Which made teaching MUSIC CLASS really difficult. Luckily it was a short week and I survived. My voice is back now... But I have a ridiculous stuffy nose and I *still* have a cough. I had to buy yet another box of tissues because the one I bought yesterday (even though they were Puffs) made my nose sore because I had to blow it so much.

Also, after almost 3 months of searching I found a second job! *whew* I was really getting worried. It's a waitressing job, on Friday and Saturday nights at a little locally owned restaurant in a nearby town. This past Friday was my first night and it went really well. It's just a manner of learning different procedures and memorizing the menu. But it's not hard at all. I had one table ask me if I'd gone to school for restaurant management and they didn't believe that it was only my second night. (Previous waitress experience FTW!) So hopefully the money I earn from that will help me start to pay of those pesky pesky student loans. (Btw, I found the job through an ad in the paper... How lucky was that?)

Watson is doing well. I took him to my Uncle Greg S.'s last week for a check-up and to get neutered. (I have two Uncle Gregs on my Dad's side... Just to clarify.) Watson is a little over 3 months now and weighs about 4 pounds. He fell in the bath again Friday night. Which makes Bath:3 Toilet 1 Watson: 0. He's doing really well though. He's very cuddly and likes to lay in my lap whenever I'm at my computer.

Going to Iowa City last weekend was a lot of fun! I was there longer, so I got to see everyone! Grandma was babysitting some of my cousins, so Friday night Grandpa and I ordered pizza and then I went with my Uncle Doug to a play rehearsal that he was directing with the help of my cousins Katie and Anna, their younger brothers John and Paul were in the play. Afterwords I went to their house and got to see my Aunt Nancy and meet their dog Kipper. Evidently he's kind of crazy, but he was pretty quiet when I was there, just chewing on a bone.

Saturday I went shopping at Coral Ridge Mall with my cousin Marie. She helped me pick out some really nice clothes. (On our way to the mall we saw a rainbow!) I got a pants suit for $30 at Kohl's and I was really excited. I also found some nice tops at Kohl's, Old Navy and Maurices. Afterwards we went back to her house and she made 18 dozen monster cookies with her friend Liz... And they were really good! They gave me a plate of them. :-) The kitchen was kind of chaotic, so I watched the rest of the Hawkeye vs. Ohio State game with my Uncle Greg S. What a game! It was so good!

Sunday I went to mass and was very amused by one of my little cousins who insisted on wearing her dress backwards and was wearing rubber rainboots with it. It was cute. :-) After church I stopped at my Uncle Greg H and Aunt Marcy's house and had lunch with them. Then I went to my Uncle Tom and Aunt Melissa's where I played checkers with my cousin Kolbe and lost! But it was a good game. :-) I also got to see their dog, Daisy. My Aunt Melissa says that Daisy is the only one in their family that will do what he says. (LOL!) Then I swung back to my Uncle Greg S and Aunt Aunt Val's and picked up Watson. Finally I stopped by Uncle Doug's again to say good-bye and then went back to Grandma and Grandpa's. I got to eat some of Grandma's yummy hamburgers. :-)

I made it back home about 6pm, no problems. Watson was glad to be back. :-)

This morning after church I made a delicious Sunday morning feast! I made hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon. And of course a cup of PG tips to go with it. Everything turned out great! It was so good! :-)

Today Rachel D. and I are going to see New Moon. :-D We are both excited! I got an awesome voicemail from Jessica on Friday.... She went to the midnight premiere and said it was great! The voicemail was awesome in the fact that it was rambly and very much Jessica and I could tell that she really liked the movie and at the same time, was really tired.

Tonight I have a bell choir performance at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. It should go really well... I play C and D on the treble staff. And sometimes C#.

I have my first concert of my teaching career on December 3rd! It is coming up really close! It will be kindergarten through 5th grade... In total, about 203 students. And we have about 2 class days left to practice for it. Ahhhhhh! :-O 5th grade band will be playing too. It will be nice when it is over... Then I can breathe...

Oh! OH OH! OH MY GOSH! DOCTOR WHO! The latest special, The Waters of Mars..... SO GOOD AND SO CREEPY!!!! I watched it at school after the school day was done because I didn't want to watch it at home by myself! Really, that special was really well done, I thought... But now there's only ONE left and he'll regenerate!!! :-( :-( :-( There will be much muchly much much fangirly tears. It's airing on BBC America in December... But I'll still be here in Sumner, and I would feel weird watching it at Jessica's house... Because I know I will cry and Jessica won't be there because she will be in China, and her parents would probably be weirded out.

This week is only a half week at school. I'm coming home to Clear Lake on Wednesday! :-D YAYAYAYAY! It will be fun!

Okay, I think that's a good enough update for now... I need to take some more phenylephrine. My ears are getting plugged up. And then I'm off to see New Moon! w00t! Go Team Edward! And if there is ANYONE around me on their cellphone, or reciting the movie as it's playing I will punch them in the face.

Some things I learned from Seussical...

That I actually DO know how to do make-up, even though make-up is really all about experimentation.

I have gained "coolness" points for knowing about Call of Duty and Nazi Zombies, how to play the card game Egyptian Rat Screw and being able to quote Harry Potter and a various array of Disney movies at the drop of a hat and rocking at Apples to Apples.

Being able to sew both by hand and with a machine came in handy more than I ever thought it would.

Being the assistant director also sometimes means you're part of the pit, providing sound effects and turning pages for the piano player.

Students will almost always rise to the occasion, but not necessarily when you want them to.

Sometimes you just have to be mean to get the point across.

But more often than not, just let frustrations slide and don't be afraid to laugh.

Very often you will have to dance and move and look like a goof to get other people to do the same.

Usually, it's easier to look sad and upset for long periods of time than happy for a 5 minute scene.

Let students have the chance to tell you that something isn't working.

No talking backstage is a MUST!

Making lists of props, scenes, blackouts, costumes and choreography will help you in the long run.

Student cellphones are banned during the show and belong in the cellphone bucket. Plus they mess up the wireless mics.

Unfortunately rude people in the audience will still use them no matter how cute and Seuss-like your pre-show cellphone announcement is.

Where an actor is looking and directing their line can either make a scene really awkward or perfect.

If your line is supposed to rhyme, it's harder to improvise if you can't remember what you're supposed to say.

5 reprises of the same song can get confusing!

AND

Don't ever forget or underestimate power of the willing suspension of disbelief!
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The show last night was fantastic! There was dancing! There was lots of singing! The crowd was really responsive and everyone had a wonderful time! Well done everyone!

A blog in a series of numbers.

1. I think I am getting a cold. I can *feel* it. In my throat. It doesn't help that I sang an entire musical today. I am exhausted. Tonight I made a frozen pizza. Watched Dr. Horrible and then dozed off.

2. Watson fell into the bath again. This is the second time this has happened, not counting the time I threw him in after he jumped into the toilet. I have a picture which I will upload later. This makes Watson: 0 Bath water: 2 Toilet: 1

3. This is an ad that Facebook decided to show me just a moment ago:
















Double Wartburg Track and Field mate?!


4. Seussical the Musical is this weekend! Here's some pictures that were posted on the event on Facebook. The students have worked so hard to put this on! Miss Bailey and I are so proud of them!


















"Biggest Blame Fool" (Wickersham Brothers, Horton the Elephant, Sour Kangaroo, and Bird Girls)



















"Anything's Possible" (Cat in the Hat and Jojo.)


























"The Circus McGurkus"
(The Cat in the Hat)


5. I bought Watson a chew-toy thing so he will maybe leave my hands and shoes alone... And it's a little rooster that makes a cockadoodledoo sound whenever it moves. I am beginning to regret my purchase. It's starting to feel like A.) I've somehow moved to a farm and it's perpetually morning. Or B.) Peter Pan has moved into my house somewhere....



Okay, that's all! I'm off to sleep and fight this cold!

In which something I wrote is mentioned by a minor YouTube celebrity...

Okay, so I follow this guy named Alex Day on YouTube, because he makes some pretty funny videos, he's a Nerdfighter, and he happens to be the guy who started Time Lord Rock. He's part of a band called Chameleon Circuit.

Last week he made this video:



In which he talked about Nerdfighter personal ads. And I thought. Okay, I'll post a comment. Just for fun! :-) Why not?

So I did:
















If you don't want to click on the picture, this is what I wrote:

Nerdy day-dreamer is bored with ordinary life looking for that special someone to help make her life extraordinary. Must be willing to do crazy, adventurous things that vary from building forts in the living room, learning how to make homemade rootbeer and reenacting scenes from Lord of the Rings while hiking in the country. If you love STAR WARS, Harry Potter and Doctor Who we will get along great! Must enjoy an eclectic selection of music, Broadway, live theatre and unintentional awkwardness.

Yesterday, Alex made this video:



And I was just watching, thinking that all of those were cute, and awesome and funny... AND THEN HE READS PART OF MINE! Out of the 2,017 comments, he picks part of the ad that I came up with to read! Which I think, is pretty freaking cool! (I'm at 1:16, just FYI.)

Ha. :-) That made me really happy, and nerdy and excited. I told Rachel V. I could make a really good Patronus right now, and she said yeah, or I would be able to fly. :-)