Whether the weather is cold...

Greetings! It's Sunday! Normally I would be bummed because it would mean the weekend is coming to a close, but, if things go according to plan, it's going to be snowy and icy and we won't have to go to work tomorrow.

It has been a theatre-filled weekend. Yesterday I worked the box office for the kids' show. I performed last night and it was fun. I played Conducted Rap, Sounds Like a Song/Rap, Foreign-Dubbing (as a dubber), Sit Stand Lean Oscar, Buzzer Courtroom (Barbara as the bailiff), and Musical Styles. It was sold out!

Friday night I went out with some work friends (KQ and SS) and we stayed out entirely too late. I had a lot of fun, though. I messed up my sleeping routine, so that's another reason I'm voting for snow.

What else? I'm going to an apprentice celebration tonight. It should be fun!

Roaaaura

Daaaaaang, it's been a while. Tell me the last time I didn't start off by saying something like that.

Well, Wednesday I took my car to Nissan to get the brakes checked out because they were making unusual noises. Basically, the dude gave me a paper explaining that Nissan brakes sometimes make unusual noises. So, I guess that resolves that ... unless my brakes go out. KNOCK ON WOOD!

Wednesday afternoon we had a university-wide marketing/communications meeting and holiday celebration. We went bowling at the new mini-alley they opened at an on-campus hotel. I was hesitant to bowl because my SC joint was hurting, so I drank a beer before bowling. Self-medication. Then, I got children's-sized shoes with Velcro on them. Then, between addressing comments that the bowling ball was bigger than me, I proceeded to bowl an 83, which is pretty phenomenal for me.

I performed some improvisational comedy on Thursday night, so that was fun. One of the cast members got sick, so we had a last-minute substitution in the form of TO. I played Conducted Rap (rapping about Mexican food... how appropriate), Buzzer Interview, Repeat Scene Direction (gansta, paranoid valley girl), Sit Stand Lean Oscar, Meet the Experts (Barbara on travel), and Musical Styles (80s Rock, Jazz, R&B, and Southern Rock). We had a lot of fun, and I was excited to have some friends in the audience.

Yesterday I had to go into the office because it was an office clean-up day. After getting my Eggnog Latte, I headed to work. When I was almost to work, it happened ... I started to see the 'aura.' I was seeing a lot of ripples and it was getting progressively worse. I made it to the office and then hunted down someone with Excedrin Migraine. I took pills and borrowed some sunglasses, but I was pretty much down for the count. I tried eating lunch and started to get nauseous, so I came home. We were getting off early anyway because we had our holiday party last night, but I missed that, too. Oh well. I had a great nap, and that helped a little. Then I slept 12 hours last night, so I'm hopeful that it's gone.

I'm about to go to the gym. YEAAAAAAH!

Have a satisfying Saturday!

Toes in the sand

Hi! I am writing from the beach - Cape San Blas. I'm down here with my mom and aunt and am enjoying myself. This is a true escape. We have nothing planned. Yeah, we've only got about 24 hours left, but it's nice not to have anything on the agenda.

Before I forget, Thursday night's show was a blast! I played Sounds Like a Song/Rap, 1-2-3, Helping Hands Oscar, Buzzer Talk Show (BB), and Musical Styles. It was fun to be on stage simply having a blast. There were many points in the show when I was just having so much fun that it was next to impossible not to laugh. I had some fun friends in the audience, too, so it was an all-around good time. Yeehaw!

I've started my new inhaled antibiotic and, while I have to do it three times a day, I feel like it's going to work. Good things ahead!

Well, I'm a lucky girl. I know a lot of awesome people. Thank you all for being fantastic!

Get a life!

Oohhhhhhhh MAN! I just got home from performing not too long ago. It was a really small crowd (Memorial Day), but it was fun. I had a good time! I played Buzzer Debate (Barbara Buchanan), Sounds Like a Song/Rap, Remote Control, Script in Hand (off book), and Musical Styles. The show was a lot of fun. I was out in the cafe afterwards and this dude came up and made some crack about how I should get singing lessons. He should be glad it took me a second to process what he said or I would have made a sassy remark back to him. I could name about 30 or 58 comebacks I've already thought of, but I'll keep them to myself. He was laughing when he said it so I think he was being Mr. I-Think-I-Need-To-Be-Funny-Because-I'm-At-A-Comedy-Theater and didn't mean any ill-will. Either way, he was dressed like a farmer.

I went to the gym for a hot second this morning. I should have done something more vigorous, but whatever. I was tired. I'll make up for it tomorrow.

Well, I almost got nailed by a cop car tonight, so that was exhilarating. Some cops were all pulled over with their lights on stopping these two guys walking and carrying what looked to be liquor store bags. One cop passed by the incident and then decided to make a right turn from the inside lane when I was in the far right lane. I literally had to slam on the brakes and barely missed him. My left hand reached up to honk out of instinct, but (like my car) my hand came to a screeching halt because I can't imagine a cop enjoying being honked at in front of all of his friends. My heart was pounding the rest of the way home because it was so close.

I had Willy's steak nachos with a friend today. Oh my heavens.

I can't tell yet who's going to with the bathing suit race - me or Victoria's Secret. They haven't shipped yet, so I'm still on the fence about whether or not I'll have them in time for the trip. This is called living life on the edge, children!

What else? I went to a three-hour training session today and about gouged my eyeballs out. The content itself wasn't horrendous, but sometimes things click too quickly for me to stay focused.

Big weekend ahead. I'm so excited for the holiday weekend. I hope we get out of work early tomorrow. I'll be telecommuting anyway, but it would be nice to have that surprise.

Un un un un undo it

Hi!!!!!!!!! I am CRAZY!

Let me tell you why I'm worn down... Literally since last Wednesday I haven't had ANY TIME TO CHILL! Show last Thursday, work Friday day and night, work Saturday day, show Saturday night, work Sunday day and night, work Monday from 5:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., work Tuesday day, benefit show Tuesday night, work Wednesday, retirement party late afternoon, rehearsal Wednesday night, work Thursday day, show Thursday night. I am exhausted from simply typing that.

I pretty much had a breakdown at work due to sleep and hunger deprivation. I am feeling better right now. I am about to work for a bit (yes, it's midnight) with aspirations of not working AT ALL tomorrow. I planned all week to take some comp time on Friday and then today was one of those putting-out-fires-left-and-right kinda days, making it next to impossible to get that break on which I hung my hopes. DRAMATIC!

Tonight's show was fun. It was my first five-person show. I was in Conducted Orchestra, Buzzer, Meet the Experts (Magic - Barbara Buchanan), Foreign-Dubbed Soap Opera (on stage), Remote Control Styles, and Musical Styles (Country Ballad, 90s Boy Band, R&B, Opera, Rap). Tonight was a lot of fun and the crowd was great, too! I think being very sleepy (yet energized) helps with improv because it makes it next to impossible to overthink anything. Barbara was so absurd tonight. I need to come up with a new character.

GUESS WHAT!!!!!! Drew's Crew is my favorite. Online we are sitting at $18,596. However, I recently got a $50 donation that isn't in the total yet, AND one of my friends had a charity trivia night tonight and raised $340! Add that all together and I think we're sitting pretty at $18,986. Can you even believe it? I said CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! I will raise that $1,014 by the walk time and nobody will stop me. I'm not sure how I plan to do it, but it will be done.

I had an exciting morning! I turned in some money at the CF Foundation. While I was there I finagled my way into a coffee run in exchange for a donation. It was a great deal! Everyone was a winner! Then, when I got to work, I was blown away by a BIG OL' $500 DONATION. Holy heavens! The world is great!

What else? I wish I had a dog. When I see little dogs on the street and dangling their heads out of cars, I want one so badly.

Umm, tomorrow is going to be a great day of relaxation and donation.

I keep getting into a good workout routine and then dropping it like a bad habit. Tomorrow I think I will do some evaluating of a way to make my life a bit more balanced in general. I need my friend back from Israel so we can have a LIFE session. Perhaps I will have to do it as an individual.

Night, y'all.

Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, boy

I just got home from performing in my first Saturday night show EVER. It was fun! The audience was kinda quiet for being as big as it was, but I was happy with the show. I played Stereotypes (one short scene - Rednecks), Styles, Buzzer, Emo Interview (changing), and Meet the Experts (Barbara Buchanan). In Meet the Experts, we ended up being experts in self-defense, which was perfect for Barbara. There were some really nice patrons in the cafe after the show and we even got pictures together. Oh - and the emcee (Eric) asked if I minded if he gave a plug for the CF benefit during the show. When we were walking off from Meet the Experts, he asked me to wait, so I stood up there for the plug wearing an absolutely ridiculous outfit. People are probably afraid to attend after all of Barbara's talk of guns and violence!

I've been coughing a ton today. Something in the air just isn't working for me these last few days, and it didn't help that I was outside for a decent chunk of the day. Working the block party wasn't bad at all. The time went by pretty quickly, but I've been having some sinus issues ever since. Oh lordy!

Tomorrow I don't think I have to be to work until 1:00 p.m., so I plan to sleep to my little heart's content. I was going to try to work out today between the block party and call time, but I was just so exhausted that I was afraid to use the energy exercising. I want to get up and exercise tomorrow, though, which should be feasible given the late start to the day.

Hmm... I'm kind of running out of things to say. I'm just overwhelmed with what the next few days look like. It's tough because I feel like I shouldn't even sleep since I'm so short on time. However, I am also very tired and feel like I could sleep for 24 hours. Decisions, decisions. I've just gotta wake up focused so I can get stuff done. In addition to working all of this weekend's events, I also have a lot of work to get done on Monday, so I'm not even going to get to take the afternoon off like everyone else. Well, I guess I should stop complaining and get some sleep. NIGHT!!!!!!

RA RA RA RA RAAAAAA

WOW! It's late.

Well, tonight was the night - Drewby Doo's Mainstage Debut. (I realize that was annoying, but I couldn't not say it when it just crossed my mind.) I headed down to the theatre with plenty of time given all of Atlanta's festivities. I left 1 hour and 45 minutes before I needed to arrive to allot time to go to the grocery store and fight Friday traffic on top of Braves traffic, Freaknik traffic, festival traffic, etc. Congratulations to me for going to the grocery store AND getting to Midtown with 1 hour and 15 minutes until call time. That's record time for any day. Period.

So, I ended up going to Starbucks instead. Ironically, before all was said and done, half of tonight's cast members and the house manager were sitting at a table chatting. I'm not exactly sure if people were also surprised by how little traffic there was, if this is routine for some folks, etc., but it sure was an unexpected and almost surreal way to start the night. It was nice to sit around and talk instead of re-reading everything I've ever written in my notebook.

Tonight I played: Stereotypes, Repeat Scene Direction (paranoid, claustrophobic, pregnant), Senior Class President Buzzer Debate (a younger Barbara - Barb), and ABC (starting in the middle). All in all, I had a lot of fun. I was headier than I'd liked to have been, but it was hard not to treat it as something special because... IT WAS! I am feeling an entire series of post-show emotions, but my main feeling is 'thankful.' I am really happy that I got the experience. Oh, and a special shout-out to all of my wonderful friends who were there (in many senses of the word) for me tonight. After 'thankful,' I feel very motivated. I want to absorb everything I possibly can. I mean, I'm even excited about having to work my shift tomorrow, despite it being my sixth day there this week. I'm excited to watch and learn more.

I forgot to drop some big news yesterday (Thursday) - We booked flights to the Dominican Republic! I can't believe I'm going on a real, all-out vacation. I have never done this for myself... this splurging-type thing for a vacation. It is now official, and I'm excited to pamper myself!

Speaking of pampering, tomorrow I am getting my hair done - highlights and a cut. It will be a nice start to the day. After my new hair and before my double at the theatre, I bet I'll end up napping! I'm excited to get all freshened up and rejuvenated hair-wise.

I know there's a lot more to say... I have the post-show chatties. However, I realize it's after 2:00 a.m., and I need to rest my little head on a pillow.

Do you hear what I heaaaaar?

A child, a child. That title was inspired by a blog I just read. (Yes, you.) I misread the title and started singing that song.

It seems like it's been forever, but I know it hasn't. I'm just being overly dramatic.

Well, Thursday was a pretty good day! However, it started off a bit dicey (that's a pun, but you don't know it yet). I stopped by my sister's place on the way to work to pick up a shirt she was handing down to me. On the way out of her door, the storm door (the technical term - one of those glass doors outside of the front door) attacked my ankle. I wish I could convey the extent of the pain in words, but I don't know that I can. I was afraid to look at it because it was hurting so bad, but surprisingly the actual wound doesn't do it justice. Neither does this picture because it's one of those awkward injuries where it breaks the skin in a way that stings and what not. It kind of skipped a chunk and then actually bled on the back of my heel. It's so sore! Hey - Look at my lil vest machine down there! Aren't my sheets cute with the asterisks? That's a hard word to say.


It's about three inches of ouch. The jaggedness should illustrate PAIN.

Also on Thursday, my mom and I went out to lunch at my favorite Mexican place of all time (I think) - Monterrey on LaVista. Man, it was incredible! I had two grilled steak quesadillas. That's the first time I've ever broken my improv show tradition of having Willy's for lunch. It was so good and I didn't notice it affecting my performance.

That's the perfect segue to mention Thursday's show! I played Sounds Like a Song, ABC Buzzer, Narration Switch (started off-stage), and Confessions (as Barbara Buchanan). The show was a lot of fun and the audience was very participatory, which is awesome! I had fun with all of the games, especially ABC Buzzer. That's always been a favorite of mine! It's fun having to blurt out a new word in a split-second, and we got to do it many times! I could have been much better at Confessions, but I thought it went well for a game I'd never played. I had a good ol' time, and had some friends and family come check it out!

Today was pretty low-key. I worked from home, and then grabbed dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with my neighbor before heading to my crew shift. I was doing suggestions tonight. Although I've enjoyed my weekends off from volunteering, it was fun to be back and see a show! And guess what .... DRUMROLL ............

I saw my first proposal tonight! A guy had coordinated with the emcee to incorporate their proposal into the show. Man, I felt so special all night for knowing the secret, even though all of us did. On the last scene of the night, the emcee got volunteers and they came up on stage. The guy was so nervous and his voice was shaking and he asked his girlfriend to marry him. It was really sweet! I'd slap anyone in the face who did that to me, but hopefully he knows her well enough to know that she'd like that... Well, she said yes!

That's about all. I just read an AJC article about Roethlisberger being innocent in an assault accusation and it referred to him as a 'pro-bowler.' I was like, 'No he's not; he's a pro football player.' Then I realized there's something called the pro bowl...

I'm WAY excited about tomorrow. I have no plans in any form or fashion! And I am NOT setting an alarm!!!!

Drew's Crew is at $8,532 online!

'Roid rage. ROOOOAAAAAR!

Hey y'all!

As you can probably assume from the title of this post, I got started on steroids today. I am really relieved because I think this is exactly what I need to get my breathing under control right now. I'm on a certain dose for five days, and then will wean off of it over 10 days if it works over the five days. I truly already feel better. I am also pretty hyperactive, but I'm tired at the same time, so I'm not sure how that works. I do wish I could have this energy all of the time.

Tonight's show was a lot of fun. The audience wasn't the biggest its ever been, but they were enthusiastic and seemed to have a good time. I had many wonderful friends and family members supporting me, so it felt awesome. Because it's my post-show ritual, I will recount the games I played... Tonight I was in Touch Collaborative Monologue (New!), Emo Interview (changer), Helping Hands Oscar (New!), Buzzer Talk Show (New!) and Musical Styles. Thanks to these 'roids, I was high-energy throughout the whole thing, which is usually the toughest part for me. Everyone was just really positive and went out there and had fun!

I decided to do a new character tonight - Barbara Buchanan. I figured there wasn't any night better than a night where I felt invincible due to medication; I was glad I went out on the limb. It was fun to try a character that was completely outrageous for a change. I tend to create characters that are 'me' with a twist. It was fun to step way outside of the box.

This morning I had set my alarm as though I was going to exercise before work. However, I ended up oversleeping by nearly an hour and a half. I was going to get up at quarter til 6:00 a.m. so that I could exercise before work. However, I heard a car honk outside and was like, "Who is honking at this hour?" Then, I looked at my phone and saw that it was 7:02 a.m. and I was supposed to leave in 40 minutes. Soooo, it was a quick morning and I threw show stuff together without rhyme or reason. Oh well, perhaps tomorrow I'll make it to the gym. And 'roid rage!

Tomorrow I'll be going into work in the afternoon because I need to be there for an appointment. I'm going to work from home probably up until lunchtime and then head over to gear up for a 3:00 p.m. meeting. After that's done, I'll probably head back to try to beat traffic on a Friday afternoon. Plus, I'm meeting a friend for dinner!

My team almost hit $5K today, so I'm pretty pumped! I got a new walker, too!

Well, Steroid Magee is headed to bed. NIGHT!