RELAXIN'.

Had a great Christmas Day with the family, complete with my annual Christmas Day Run up at Sawyer Camp Trail and a delicious dinner in San Francisco at my Aunt's house with all the wee cousins. There is something so great about having kids around at Christmastime, and it is even better when you are old enough to drink champagne when said children start getting a little wired and out of control. And, when you can leave and go home to your house where it is quiet and you can watch Liza Minnelli on the television.

I love champagne. And I love me some Liza.

After a morning filled with coffee and a yummy breakfast with the Mom and the Sister, I will run, go to the movies, and head up to SF to my friend's annual Boxing Day Crawdad Races. Yes, you read that correctly.

Crawdad Races.

As you can see, it is a high class affair.

Dresses, ties, slacks, sweater vests, and racing Daddios.

I can be seen talking to my friend, Santa Graham. I believe this shot is from 2006?

It truly is spectacular and one year my 'dad (Prince Valiant) was the winner!! I will report back with the results from the '09 races. I'm sure there will be some intense face-offs, like in years past.

MERRY MERRY.

Happy holidays, everyone.

I have thoroughly been enjoying my time at home (hence the light blogging) and am looking forward to it continuing for the next week!

Merry Whatever-It-Is-You-Celebrate!!!

I WAS RUNNING ERRANDS.

And saw this place:

They are really taking Christmas seriously.

STILL SLEEPING.

I have been doing a REALLY good job at sleeping since I've been home. I mean, I would give myself an A+ and put myself on the Honor Roll right at the top. And then I would be president of the Honor Roll Nap Club.

Or whatever.

Anyways, I did go for a run yesterday and it was GORGEOUS outside and then had dinner with one of my buds I went middle school through high school with. He is now back teaching at our high school and we both find it extremely tripppppy.

I realized I never really gave an official review of Up In The Air:

I really, really liked it. It is extremely subtle, simple, and not what I thought it was going to be. But, I love it when movies are like that - when you have an idea of the general vibe from the trailer but then it steers you in another (good) direction that you didn't quite expect.

This movie is cast unbelievably well, so kudos to you miss-casting-director-whose-name-I-can't-find-on-the-google-machine-right-now. You did great!

Jason Bateman:

I have always loved you and will always love you. In my mind, you literally can do no wrong. You are one of my top loves and I still cry out with pain every time I realize that Arrested Development is no longer on the air because that means I can never be on it and portray your love interest.

*Insert sound of pain here*

I digress.

J'Batey is a deliciously funny fellow in this movie, he cracks my sh*t up, he is slightly schloozy (new word meaning a combo of both sleazy and schmoozey even though I just made up schmoozey, too) and he makes what could have been a throw-away role a definite keeper.

MISS ANNA KENDRICK

(yes, you get all caps here)

You rule.

You are two years younger than me, yet you have already been nominated for a Tony (when you were 12 for High Society), then you were in the hilarious movie Camp which only like 5 people saw and I was one of them and I loved it, and now you turn up and do this. I could really hate you for it, but that is impossible because you are so freaking good.

Anna shoves it right back in George's face, which is not an easy task to do, but she isn't all shovey about it; it doesn't appear to take the effort of said shove. The girl is ON. There are moments where she could have been extremely annoying and instead she is riotous in an honest, subdued, extremely earnest and endearing way. I lurved her. We are really going to be friends someday.

I can feel it.

So: go see it. It is mellow, but thoughtful, moving, and funny.

Woooot.

P.S. Oh, and Georgie? You were great, too. Very honest, sweet, sad, and yes - even though you're getting up there you are still a fox. And, you wear pants really, really well.

HOME SWEET HOME.

I am back in California and have been doing a lot of eating, sleeping, eating and sleeping. My first night home I took a looooong bath, went to bed at 8:00pm and woke up at 9:30am.

Tired? Guess I was.

Yesterday consisted of lounging around, going to the gym, getting a facial, and going to the movies and dinner with my Mom. Saw Up In The Air and LOVED it.

Today was full of lunch with my aunt in San Francisco and now I am going to take a nap. I feel like I'm coming down with a cold, so I need to rest up for the rest of my vacation. Lounging around takes a lot out of you...

COUNTDOWN: ONE DAY.

Today is my last day in the city before I head back to California, and it is going to be a busy one. Visiting a friend in the hospital, packing, errands, last minute band practice and our final Rooftops show of 2009!

If you're free, head over to Banjo Jim's at 8:30pm and come check us out. We might even be playing a tune suited to the season...

Hope to see you there!

THIS ONE IS FOR MY MOM.

Diddy Wants To Be Obama's Son

Rap mogul and businessman Sean 'Diddy' Combs wants to be adopted by U.S. President Barack Obama.

The hitmaker feels partly responsible for getting Obama elected because he thinks hip-hop played a big role in his political success - and he'd love to be part of America's first family.

He tells Playboy magazine, "I think we are probably responsible for (Barack) Obama being in office, yes. If nobody else is gonna say it, then I'm gonna say it. The confidence, the swagger we instilled in our communities made that possible.

"I met him (Obama) twice... If God said I could pick one person to be my father, I'd want to be Sean Combs Obama. That's how dope he is. I hope he reads this interview and adopts me.

"I wouldn't even need to be in the will. I got my own money."

Sanchez: I know you're jealous of that phone.

ONLY IN NEW YORK.

Last night I met up with a friend from San Francisco who has recently relocated to Brooklyn. I was pretty exhausted, as it has been a little nutty lately with work, a friend in the hospital, auditions, band practice, and getting ready to go back to CA, but we had a great time catching up. It was crazy to think about when I first moved here, all the things that were swarming around in my head upon arrival, and how completely excited I was. A little over a year later, I still am so happy to be here...And now we can add this to list of why:

We left the bar and were walking back to the train when all of the sudden I saw a tall, skinny, very familiar looking gentleman standing outside a bar smoking a cigarette.

It was Justin Townes Earle.

Insert squeal here.

And, of course, me being me, I walked right up to him and told him that I absolutely loved his music. In his charming little drawl, he thanked me and then said that he was playing a show inside in 10 minutes for free if I would like to go.

WOULD I LIKE TO GO SEE A GENIUS PLAY FOR FREE?

You know the answer. I proceeded to march right inside and called Sanchez who introduced me to JTE in the first place. Then, I was treated to an amazing show of Justin and his guitar for about 40 minutes and he blew my mind. There were only about 40 people in the entire place and it was, well, incredible.

Didn’t make it to bed until about 1:00am and my eyes are beyond bleary today, but it was so, so, so worth it.

I have seen famous people, I have talked to famous people, I’m famous (in my own mind and I’m really big in Japan) and I don’t get weird. But this time, I must admit that I got a little weird. My brain kept going, “Oh my. Oh my. Oooooooh myyyyyyyyyyy waaaaahahahaaa.” The only other time this has happened to me was when I saw the brilliant author, Anne Lamott, walking across the street in San Francisco and I almost ran her over because I was driving, she was walking, and I couldn’t stop staring at her.

Oh, and he’s my neighbor and I invited him to my band’s show on Monday.

I am a grade-A loser.

IT ISN'T SNOWING.

KEEP THIS.

I've been searching for a good travel mug for awhile and, since it has been getting chilly lately and I have been craving warm beverages, I started doing some research. I recently read up on the Keep Cup.

It is the first barista standard reusable coffee cup, meaning it matches exactly to coffee cup sizes and conveniently fits under the machines they use. They are made of recyclable polypropylene #5 and are microwaveable, dishwasher safe.

And, they come in different sizes and fun colors.

And, they're from Australia!

Crikey, I likey!

ONE WEEK.

I really can't wait. I miss my Mom.

CHECK OUT MY PRETZELS.

WHOARETHA!

We all know my girl Aretha really knows how to rock some serious outfits, especially when it comes to the head gear:

And, last night, she did not disappoint at the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. Blending Eskimos with Sea Lions, she fashioned this whopper of a statement:

Hot damn I love this woman.

STOP! POLICE!

'Steven Seagal: Lawman' full of possibilities
Tim Goodman

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

You can be excused for thinking that "Steven Seagal: Lawman" is another in the action movie star's canon of B-movies. You know, the kind of film where breaking bones with martial arts and aiming to kill (and succeeding) are part of the script.

But for most people, finding out that Seagal has been a real-life deputy for nearly 20 years in the Jefferson Parish sheriff's office in Louisiana might come as a mind-rattling shock. The beefy tough guy is not just a martial arts expert who has helped train officers while being a member of their force, he's also an expert marksman who has worked with the parish's SWAT team.

Tonight at 10, you can see him in uniform as A&E presents a "Cops"-style reality series called "Steven Seagal: Lawman." What makes this series so compelling is the fact that so few people knew Seagal was doing this - and that the actor never used it for publicity even when his career could have used a boost.

So, why now? Here's what Seagal said in the A&E press notes: "I've been working as an officer in Jefferson Parish for two decades under most people's radar. I've decided to work with A&E on this series now because I believe it's important to show the nation all the positive work being accomplished here in Louisiana - to see the passion and commitment that comes from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in this post-Katrina environment."

Seagal has also noted that after Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana police forces have lost officers and the series might be a way to interest recruits. He certainly makes a compelling case for doing good while also tapping into what has made him an action movie star - he looks like a bad-ass in his uniform. Seagal looks as if he means business - and in a succession of crimes-in-progress scenarios he certainly does. And though he doesn't appear to be the most fleet of foot - nobody in the five-officer team he's a part of looks especially quick, in fact - you definitely don't want to let him catch you.

As the television season enters a holiday lull, there's no telling how well a show like "Steven Seagal: Lawman" will do, but the bet here is pretty well, if for nothing else the curiosity factor.
How Seagal kept his second career "under the radar" is pretty impressive.

And it brings to mind all kinds of what-if possibilities that might have TV industry types salivating. Think about how cool these would be:

"Simon Cowell: Auto Executive." Sure, the testy and judgmental "American Idol" host doesn't need the money, but think about how he could help reshape a moribund industry. "It's a crossover? Well you've crossed over the line on taste, I'm afraid. It would be ugly as a truck, but it's hideous as a family car. Is your idea to ridicule the American public? Drive it away from me before I vomit, and come back with something we can sell. And if I see a plastic dash masquerading as walnut, you'll be fired."

"Gordon Ramsay: Governor." Any state would work, but California might be the best place for him (once he gains citizenship, naturally). Where Arnold Schwarzenegger is all puffed-up bluster and promised a nonpolitical style of leadership, Ramsay would simply yell at the top of his lungs every day and drop f-bombs all over the place. Every night he'd be the lead item on the news, berating lawmakers and lobbyists and telling journalists (and voters) to bleep and bleep-bleep-bleep and if they didn't like that they could bleep themselves or bleep-bleep, bleep-bleep until someone cared.

"Oprah: Queen." Why not? It's a ceremonial title and if no one told her that, she could probably do a lot of good while making people hug and cry. And read.

"George Clooney: Bartender." Certainly not as action-packed as "Steven Seagal: Lawman," but come on - he'd be the world's best bartender. Everybody would want to talk to him. He's got that warm, understanding smile. And everyone would want to be his friend. Plus, the stories from the barstool would make the show careen through comedy and tragedy.

Who knows? Maybe there are other celebrities out there keeping their hobbies and second careers "under the radar." In the meantime, if you're in Louisiana and somebody familiar pulls you over, do not make any quick moves. And don't ask him for his autograph, either.

IT'S DECEMBER.

Song of the first December day:

COUNTDOWN TO HOME ALREADY.

I came back to the Hattan of Mans late Saturday afternoon and returned to an entirely different city. The trees are on sale, the wreaths are out, and apparently Christmas has arrived.

I have written a poem about it:

HOLIDAY CONUNDRUM.

The Christmas trees are on sale in my hood.

I'm pondering if buying one I should.

One that is tall? One that is fat? Spending 45 dollars I'll never get back?

A good thing about the green tree

Is that it don't smell like pee pee

Which is the normal sort of scent

Lingering in the East V.

What to do, what to do...

At least my town doesn't smell like poo.

I spent all day Sunday cleaning, organizing, cooking, cleaning some more, and getting myself all pulled together. I have to lock it down because I only have a few weeks left before I head back to California for the holidays and there is a lot on the calendar!

Thanksgiving was absolutely splendid. I will wait to write more once I get some pictures, but let's just say that I had delicious food and definitely laughed my face off. I am so lucky to have such great family and friends; the only downer was that my Mom was all the way out in California :(.........

That was me weeping.

Anyhoo, I hope you all had great holidays and I also hope we find out what is up with Tizzy Woods and his crash, pronto. I mean, what is up with that?!

I NEED TO LIVE HERE.

I am totally obsessed with these people's upstate NY country home. It is the perfect balance of simplicity and funk.

It is just my style.

I need it.

You can read more about these super cool folks and see more pictures of their house here. Husband is a photographer, wife is an artist.

Duh.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Adam Sandler - The Thanksgiving Song

HAPPY (ALMOST) THANKSGIVING!

Today I have an audition in the morning, work, and then I am running off to Grand Central to take the train up north for my most favorite holiday of the year. I will laugh my brains out, sleep, play football, and eat the sweet potato/apple dish Ol El makes that I dream about constantly.

I will leave Manhattan looking like this:

And come back looking like this:

Let the games begin. I hope you all have wonderful a Thanskgiving!!

I LOVE THIS.

HOLIDAY HAM IN THE FACE.

Life is dangerous, particularly around the holiday season. These days you never know when you're going to get slapped in the face by a huge hunk of meat. And I'm not talking about Mark Paul Gosselar. I'm talking about ham.

For example, Paula Deen got nailed by one.

She is such a trooper. Be careful, guys.

HAPPY EARLY THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS, MOM.

Mom!

Diddy is coming out with a new line of perfumes and they are called:

I AM KING
and
UNFORGIVABLE.

Say hello to your stocking stuffers.

OH LORDY I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS.

They thought this guy was in a coma for 20 + years but really he was just paralyzed and couldn't speak out loud.

MY WORST NIGHTMARE.

Article here.

Belgian says he was alert but mute for 23 years

By RAF CASERT, Associated Press Writer

Monday, November 23, 2009

For 23 torturous years, Rom Houben says he lay trapped in his paralyzed body, aware of what was going on around him but unable to tell anyone or even cry out.

The car-crash victim had been diagnosed as being in a vegetative state but appears to have been conscious the whole time. An expert using a specialized type of brain scan that was not available in the 1980s finally realized it, and unlocked Houben's mind again.

The 46-year-old Houben is now communicating with one finger and a special touchscreen on his wheelchair.

"Powerlessness. Utter powerlessness. At first I was angry, then I learned to live with it," he said, punching the message into the screen during an interview with the Belgian RTBF network, aired Monday. He has called his rescue his "renaissance."

Over the years, Houben's family refused to accept the word of his doctors, firmly believing their son knew what was happening around him, and gave no thought to letting him die, said his mother, Fina. She was vindicated when the breakthrough came.

"At that moment, you think, `Oh, my God. See, now you know.' I was always convinced," she said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

The discovery took place three years ago but only recently came to light, after publication of a study on the misdiagnosis of people with consciousness disorders.

While a 23-year error is highly unusual, the wrong diagnosis of patients with consciousness disorders is far too common, according to the study, led by Steven Laureys of Belgium's Coma Science Group.

"Despite the importance of diagnostic accuracy, the rate of misdiagnosis of vegetative state has not substantially changed in the past 15 years," the study said. Back then, studies found that "up to 43 percent of patients with disorders of consciousness are erroneously assigned a diagnosis of vegetative state."

The issue is fraught with difficult medical and ethical questions. Patients diagnosed as being in a vegetative state with no hope of recovery are sometimes allowed to die, as was done in 2005 with Terri Schiavo, the severely brain-damaged Florida woman at the center of the biggest right-to-die case in U.S. history. Her feeding tube was removed.

"It makes you think. There is still a lot of work to be done" to better diagnose such disorders, said Caroline Schnakers of the Coma Science Group.

Houben was injured in an auto accident in 1983 when he was 20. Doctors said he fell into a coma at first, then went into a vegetative state.

A coma is a state of unconsciousness in which the eyes are closed and the patient cannot be roused. A vegetative state is a condition in which the eyes are open and can move, and the patient has periods of sleep and periods of wakefulness, but remains unconscious and cannot reason or respond.

During Houben's two lost decades, his eyesight was poor, but the experts say he could hear doctors, nurses and visitors to his bedside, and feel the touch of a relative. He says that during that time, he heard his father had died, but he was unable to show any emotion.

Over the years, Houben's skeptical mother took him to the United States five times for tests. More searching got her in touch with Laureys, who put Houben through a PET scan.

"We saw his brain was almost normal," said neuropsychologist Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, who has worked with Houben for three years.

The family and doctors then began trying to establish communication. A breakthrough came when he was able to indicate yes or no by slightly moving his foot to push a computer device placed there by Laureys' team. Then came the spelling of words using the touchscreen.

Houben's condition has since been diagnosed as a form of "locked-in syndrome," in which people are unable to speak or move but can think and reason.

"You have to imagine yourself lying in bed wanting to speak and move but unable to do so — while in your head you are OK," Vanhaudenhuyse said. "It was extremely difficult for him and he showed a lot of anger, which is normal since he was very frustrated."

With so much to say after suffering for so long in silence, Houben has started writing a book.

"He lives from day to day," his 73-year-old mother said. "He can be funny and happy," but is also given to black humor.

Recently he went to his father's grave for the planting of a tree.

"A letter he wrote was lowered into the grave through a tube," his mother said. "He closed his eyes for half an hour, because he cannot cry."

There is little hope that Houben's physical condition will get better, but his mother said she refuses to give up: "We continue to search and search. For 26 years already."

FIRST DAY.

Had my first day of work (yes! work!) today with a woman who is very famous for designing these:

I'm not even close to getting married, but I gotta tell you that I would like to have this one.

Or this one:

The woman is a genius. And, I'm pooped.

EDWARD SHARPE AND THE TWO GIRLS WITH BIG HAIR AND BAGS.

Last night I was treated to the delicious sounds of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros at Bowery Ballroom. I had never been there and I had a total and complete blast. I must say that the band put on one helluva show and, even though their set was short, it was fantastic. They sounded wonderful and although they are kind of loose and all over the place, they did an excellent job of not allowing that to compromise their musicality. They were on it, the energy was high, and Jade even had on a bra.

It was stellar.

I was standing there next to Sanchez and all of the sudden the room went black, I was disoriented, and my face was covered with all of this scratchy darkness. Did the power go out? Was there an explosion? Was I having a near death experience?

NO.

I was being attacked. By the hair of the girl who shoved herself in front of me. Her hair was so freaking huge that she could have smuggled in a pug, a birthday cake, and a blow torch underneath it and no one would have noticed. I have never seen anything like it.

Once I emerged from the forest of no light and re-oriented myself, the girl turned around and gave ME the stink eye.

???!??!??!?!??

I was not amused. Then, at one point, after I made a comment to Sanchez, Big Hair turned around and the following exchange occurred:

BH:"Is there a problem with my hair?"

Me: "Well, it is kind of repeatedly hitting me in the face."

BH: "Well, you could just step back."

Me: "I kind of already did that..."

BH: "Then you know what to do."

Me: "That doesn't make any sense..."

Hilarity. The lights really went out (like the real lights, not the figurative lights of life that were taken from me when I was buried alive) and her wastey waif friend scuttled off to buy another drink at the bar.

Oh joy.

The concert started rockin, and so did Big Hair.

Later on, her sloppy friend came back with her GIANT bag and she proceeded to drape her GIANT coat over the side of her GIANT bag creating a GIANT pile of insanity. She also began to dance around like a moron and was whipping herself all over the crowded floor like a drunken grasshopper. At one point, her bag nailed the guy behind her in the junk and he was not amused. When he said, "Ouch!" she turned around and asked, "What's YOUR problem?"

The guy was more polite than I would have been. He just gave her a look of total disapproval. I would have been like, "HEY! You just nailed me in my BABYMAKER."

Finally, Drunken Grasshopper and Big Hair were dancing so violently that we were all almost knocked over and everyone hated them. DGH was trying to grab me to move me in front of her to which I responded, "Do not touch me" and BH came over and was like, "Let's all chill out and have a great time."

She proceeded to dance like a beast, whipping everyone within a 10 mile radius with her hair. I think my retina is permanently scratched. I may need surgery.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

If you are going to be in a public place and you have really big hair, or a really big bag, please keep it under control. You are a potential danger to those around you. They say "Safety First" for a reason, so please pay attention, put your hair in a bun, and leave your big a** bag at home.

RAY IS A MAINAH.

I've always enjoyed the tunes of Ray Lamontagne and I just found out he used to live in Lewiston, Maine - where I went to college! Woot!

I'm digging this one...

I'M BACK.

I took the train up to Albany this weekend for my dear friend's wedding, and I must say that it was so, so nice to sit for 3 hours and look out the window at all of the changing leaves (that haven't fallen off yet). The route up there follows the river the entire way and it was such a nice break from the craziness of the city.

But, the best part of the weekend was seeing Miss EE looking so beautiful and so happy. Congrats to the wonderful couple!

Tomorrow night, Sanchez and I are going to see everybody's favorite crazy hippies:

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros!!

I can't wait!

ALSO.

It is very windy right now.

2 HUGE THINGS.

1. This is happening:

James Taylor and Carole King are going back on tour together.

I have officially lost my mind and if I do not get a ticket to this show, I will stand outside the stage door until they let me in. I can't even begin to tell you how much these two have influenced my life. I used to listen to Carole's Live at Carnegie Hall album on repeat and play the medley track of her singing with James Taylor over, and over, and over, and over.

I've already seen James live with my Mom, one of the best concerts ever, but I've never seen Carole. Before the show started, I leaned over to my Mom and said, "Wouldn't it be so great if Carole King came out right now?"

2010 can't come soon enough.

2. I just saw Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker at Playwrights Horizons.

It is the best play I've seen since the Norman Conquests and I fell head over heels in love with this playwright. She is 28, people!!! 28!!!! You are making a very bad choice if you do not buy a ticket to this play before it closes. They're already on their second extension, it closes on November 21st, and there are discounted tickets available. The writing is fantastic, the actors are the definition of ensemble, it is moving, riotous, quirky, and simple.

Go, go, go.

FIVE YEAR OLD FREE DANCE.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many countless hours I spent as a kid putting music on and just dancing around. As I've gotten older, I've continued this practice when I am home and I find it to be an excellent cure for just about anything.

Today was just a weird day, it was cold, I was stuck in an office all day and came home and still had to do a ton of work. So I decided to flail around and share it all with you. I hope it brings you joy and I hope it inspires you to do the same.

We have a new feature here on the blog:

FIVE YEAR OLD FREE DANCE.

Y'all ready for this?

Please feel free to submit song suggestions.

THAT DIDN'T HELP MY CHI.

I went to a yoga class at my gym today. I hadn't been to yoga in a really long time, I felt the need to be stretched out since I've been running a lot lately, and I was ready for a little bit of quiet, too.

I got stretched out and it was a pretty good class, with the exception of the fellow who decided to limber up next to me and breathe, really loudly, the entire time.

This is what he was doing:

I did not find it amusing.

WEDDINGS, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AREPAS, AND RACISM.

This weekend was filled with so many great things.

1. I finished writing my pilot episode (whew).

2. I got to see my friend Parmersan. I've known her since I was 12, and even though I only got to hang out with her for a small while, it was still great. She always cracks me up.

3. I also saw Parmersan's younger sister, who apparently is not in 3rd grade anymore. Unbeknownst to me, as Parmersan and myself were getting older, so was Parm v.2.0. She is basically a WOMAN now with a REAL JOB and I can't really handle it. She is still supposed to be in the lower school! She is not supposed to be hip and living in New York! It's bad for my psyche.

4. I went back to my favorite arepa place (Caracas Arepa) with Wrenndolyn and some other good buddies. They have the best secret sauce. Nobody knows what is in it - they don't even tell the wait staff - and every time I go I swear I am going to steal one and put in my purse to take home, but I never do. They have a place in Brooklyn and another 4 blocks from my apartment. DELICIOUS.

5. My banjo player got married yesterday! It was gorgeous out, the ceremony was absolutely beautiful, I cried multiple times, and I am so happy for the two of them. They are a great pair and I was honored to be able to attend (and sing!) on their big day.

6. After the wedding, I ran down to the Neil Simon theatre where, thanks to Miz Millah, I was able to see the new revival of Ragtime on the big Broadway. It was a visually stunning production with some powerhouse performances. Every song in that show is like an anthem...very rousing, lots of songs about America and dreams. I wept a few times and the orchestra was off the hook. No one can deny the uplifting, jaw-dropping feeling of heavenly awe that comes when you are gifted the sounds of 28 top-notch musicians playing together. It is heaven. It is other-worldly. And I lurved every second of it. Can you imagine getting to sing to that 8 shows a week?!!?!???? Stellar.

'TIS THE SEASON.

Oh, I thought it was time to bring this back. I love this video - IT SLAYS ME - and since we're getting close to the holidays...

FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE.

"Fresno County authorities have arrested a man they say broke into the home of two farm-workers, rubbed one with spices and whacked the other with a sausage before fleeing."

BITTEN BY THE BUBLE.

I just had to come clean; I could not keep this a secret anymore. It is official. I have been bitten by the Buble bug. I cannot help it, but I really like this song.

So much so that I danced around in my undies post shower to it. I have a major soft spot for poppy piano lines mixed with a big, fatty horn section.

One thing: Is it just me or does he have on some seriously light pink lipstick here? It is a lovely spring color.

P.S. I like writing his name without the accent on the "e" because then you can pronounce it "Booble" which I find very amusing.

OMG.

Netflix has Pippi Longstocking on Instant View.

Meaning I am watching it RIGHT NOW.

I AM IN HEAVEN.

THANK YOU AND GOODNIGHT.

A huge thank you to the folks at Banjo Jim's for hosting us last night. We had an absolutely wonderful time and are hoping to play there again soon!!

The absolutely wonderful time also made it slightly difficult for me to wake up this morning and go work...Like, a lot slightly. But, alas, I rallied and made it through the day.

Just got home and all I can say is thank god for Netflix, tea, and the Magnolia cupcakes my roomie stole from work the other day. I am caving in and eating one of those suckers tonight and am anticipating a bedtime of about 9:00pm, seeing as it is currently 5:30pm but it feels like midnight.

Hoooooweeeee.

ROOFTOPS TONIGHT!

If you have nothing to do tonight, come on over to Banjo Jim's in the East Village to hear us play. We'll be going on sometime around 10:30 or 11:00pm and it promises to be a good time!

MONDAYWHATDAYIZIT?

Wow.

Apparently it is only Monday but I feel like 90 million things have already happened so logically it should be 2 Fridays from this Friday.

Ya got me?

Today consisted of running a bajillion errands, writing, working, rehearsing, working, running to a play reading, and more. But, I got to see some great theatre friends from my reading back in August and good things are a-brewing (a seasonally appropriate description, I think...witches brew, yada yada yada).

The weather here is finally starting to really feel like fall and the leaves outside of my window are yellow, which is quite a nice thing to wake up to in the morning. I am in the midst of writing the pilot for this series I am working on and finally, tonight, I came up with some ideas. I realized that I come up with my best ideas when I am quiet and staring at people. Not in a creepy way, but ideas somehow manage to pop into my head when I am sitting around, looking at life, and looking at folks who are around. Because, people are hilarious. People do absolutely weird stuff right and left and staring into space while people are doing wacky things is the best environment for spontaneous combustion.

So if you see me sitting in a park or in a coffee shop looking like a space case who is staring at people, I am probably coming up with something that is totally LIKE WHOA.

Also, to wrap up the Ween of the Hallow, I would like you to know that I was balloon boy for Halloween. I carried around a balloon and a plastic tupperware container that I pretended to barf into whenever anyone asked who I was.

Sorry, Falcon.

COUGHING UP PLANETS.

After sleeping for 12+ hours last night, I woke up this morning with a little bit of a cold. My brain was rawwwther foggy today with a scratchy throat and a low grade fever. So, I did not leave my apartment at all and instead drank copious amounts of Theraflu (WHAT is in that stuff that makes it taste so good?!!?) and totally re-organized my closet.

My "sick day" was actually extremely productive.

Now, I am sitting in bed with a cup of hot chocolate and am about to watch the new version of Grey Gardens. I am thoroughly obsessed with the original documentary, so I am going into this one with a skeptical eye. I am hoping it is good, although I don't know if anyone can beat Christine Ebersole as Little Edie. That woman's performance was frighteningly accurate. Talk about channeling...

I will leave you all with a little "gardening" video my roommate and I made. This was from the day she received her Halloween costume pieces in the mail...Genius.

HAPPY WEEN OF THE HALLOW!

I hope you all have a very safe and happy Halloween!!! Roar!!!

I really miss my pumpkin flashlight...that thing was rockin.

FOR SARAHSOUTH RE: BIRTHDAY GYMMMASTICS.

A portion of the email exchange between my sister and me regarding the Birthday video she sent:

Me:
YOU DO REALIZE YOURS IS A DUDE? I CAN SEE YOUR JUNK!

The Sister:
Yes. Since it is your birthday I felt you should get to be the girl.

BIRTHDAY ROUND UP PART ONE.

From my sister...

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED.

I mean, really. I have had the loveliest of birthdays and every year it just gets better and better...

Today consisted of delicious eats all day long, ridiculously wonderful people, celebs, mani-pedis, birth stories, catholic greeting cards, a donkey, and an animated video involving gymnastics.

I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!?!?

Will write more tomorrow with the full blown re-cap, but all I can say is a giant
THANK YOU
to every single person who made my birthday so special. I am the luck-luck-luckiest person on the planet, I feel so damn loved, and I love each and every one of you back. I don't know what I did to deserve such stellar friends and family.

HAPPY DAY TO YOU ALL.

MY FELLOW BIRTHDAY SHARERS I FOUND ON GOOGLE.

Roy!

Leif!

Roberto!

Brady!

Teddy!

Sylvia!

Dylan Thomas!

Marla!

Emily Post!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!

I LOVE BIRTHDAYS!!!!

I AM SO GLAD I'M ALIVE AND SO GLAD MY MOM MANAGED TO DELIVER ALL 10 POUNDS OF ME!

This past weekend I had my birthday party, and oh what a party it was. The theme was "Bat Mitzvah Disco" and it was seriously hoppin'. I'd always wanted a Bat Mitzvah seeing as almost all of my friends in middle school were Jewish, and every weekend I won the limbo contest at someone's soiree, so I decided to have one of my own...in 2009.

Bat Mitzvah.

Cool cats.

Arm wrestling with my cousin.

Dancin'. Dancin'. Dancin'.

Mazel Tov to Me!!

Major thanks to everyone who came out for my partay and made it a stellar event; I really do have the best group of homies a girl could ask for. After the dance-doodle fest in my apartment, some of us continued the night out at a bar shakin' to the juke box sounds of folks from the days of yore.

LOVE that expression.

Anyways, on our way home (at 4:00am) a bagel truck was making it's morning delivery. I hollahed to the guy in the truck, "Hey! It is my Bat Mitzvah! Can I have a bagel?"

And guess what?

Dude gave me a bag and let me take not one, but about 10 bagels!!!

We hugged because I was so overwhelmed by his generosity.

So, happy birthday to me, happy day to everyone in the world, we are all lucky to be here and I feel lucky to be embarking on yet another wild and crazy year.

And thanks, Mom, for dealing with a 10-pounder!!!!