Where to Start

So much going on (upcoming Disneyland trip, sick daughter story involving vomiting and peanut butter, Fiddler on the Roof antics, tv and theatre updates)- but I want to go read the new Fablehaven book so this will just have to suffice:


This says more than I ever could.

Riverton High Contest

In honor of the Broadway tour of Legally Blonde coming to Salt Lake City at the end of March, the Broadway tour and KUTV news are holding a high school competition where students perform a number and people get to vote for them (they're also judged by professionals). My MDT students have a number uploaded, so between now and March 14th, go to this website, register (name, email and phone number) and go to video #4 and vote for my students. You can vote once a day- a lot of the videos are really fun- but vote for us!

Prop Shopping

So I went to DI yesterday to buy props for my region play. I'm doing a play based on Greek mythology so I needed a bunch of dolls for the girls in the show to portray the Sirens and Furies.

Did you know that DI removes the clothing off Barbie dolls? Well they do. There I am, standing in the middle of the toy aisle with children running all around me picking up various nude Barbie dolls and trying to examine them while trying to emanate non-threatening vibes ("I am not a pervert. I am not a pervert.") After I found the perfect 12 dolls (and a big pink plush snake which will be used to kill Eurydice), I walked up to checkout. There I am, a 34 year old man with a big scary beard holding a 6 foot pink plush snake and 12 completely naked Barbie dolls. A little girl looked at me and whispered to her dad asking why I was holding 12 Barbies. He didn't answer, but he subtly shifted himself and his daughter away from me.

To top off the embarrassment, my debit card magnetic strip would not be read- so I was at the register for what felt like 8 hours with the pile of naked dolls (not yet bagged) in a plastic heap in front of me as the clerk gave me accusatory eyes. I quickly escaped to my vehicle and drove away quickly- still feeling somehow ashamed for what I had done.

Why I Haven't Posted Recently...

#1- I've been fiddling my brains out at Hale Center Theatre. I'm in the Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday cast and it's a great show (but long. very very long). I'm also doing a lot of Monday shows for my double. On Saturday when I do the 4:00pm show, before the end of the show we have to start setting up for the next show at 7:30pm. There's a very quick turnover.

Fun story- I did the show Monday night and I left stage the same time I always do at the end of Act 1 (with 4 other people). I was talking to them in the green room when one of the Russians ran on and told me my microphone had been left on after I left. Right after someone gets knocked out with a bottle, there was silence on stage- except for everyone hearing me talk about what happened Saturday night at the show. Luckily I wasn't in the bathroom and I'm not a swearing sort of person. Come see the show- if you can get tickets. They just added 7 4:00pm matinees because it's been selling out.

#2- Connected to Fiddler, I've been sore because during the dream scene I wear a huge 75 pound fake head of Teyve's daughter on top of my own head. It needs to be seen to be believed. The 4 of us that have to wear them affectionally call them the damn bobble heads.

#3- I've taken students to The BYU Young Ambassadors Show (with Millie. That was interesting) and 12 Angry Men while also supervising the set for our high school play of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940- which turned out great. We also went with our friends the Coxes to see the Broadway tour of Avenue Q- which was great as well.

#4- My school district is in uproar and dissarray. Hopefully I still have a job next year- (and if I do have a job, I will be teaching one more class with out being compensated).

***Beard Update 2010***

We are at the phase I like to call Adam Pontipee after Millie has kicked him out of the house.

(33) Years of Jackie

33 Reasons why Everyone (esp. me) loves Jackie:

1. She first caught my eye dressed in full makeup as a porcupine.

2. Her face cannot tell a lie.

3. She doesn't realize how funny she actually is- which makes her even funnier.

4. She can win my students hearts by singing on a bus the complete lyrics to Ice Ice Baby.

5. She is now queen of couponing. Bordering on obsessive. She'll get me deodorant for $.30- and her big birthday gift was a Sunday subscription to 2 papers for more coupons.

6. She'll Wii sword fight with Millie.

7. She tells our daughters that their beautiful AND smart.

8. For the most part, we like the same shows on tv.

9. I introduced her to the joys of shrimp cocktail on our honeymoon- and she's liked it ever since.

10. She was not scared off when she first met my family in Nov. of 1999- she even sat by Nate in the car as he sang Shake your Bon Bon by Ricky Martin a hundred times in a row.

11. She liked to read.

12. She's not just an eternal companion- she's an eternal chaperone.

13. She's a great performer- she doesn't do it often- like Hailey's Comet, you have to catch it quick.

14. She introduced me to the world of NPR.

15. She plays the piano.

16. She used to hate to cook. Now she still hates it, but she can make gourmet recipes.

17. She doesn't like to drink milk- which leaves more for me.

18. She addicted to Diet Coke/Pepsi/whatever she has a coupon for.

19. She'll come and coach my MDT students- and they'll listen to her over me.

20. She's obsessed with lawn maintenance.

21. She's obsessed with recycling.

22. She's obsessed with not owning animals. I tried to get her to read All Creatures Great and Small. Didn't work.

23. She gets car/bus/air sick really easily. (There was vomiting on our honeymoon. and on a school bus trip to Cedar City).

24. While not crazy about cake, she does enjoy other desserts.

25. Periodically her jaw will dislocate in her sleep.

26. She looks good with blond, brown, long or short hair.

27. Some days she wants to be a large African American woman with a voice to match.

28. She still owns clothes from high school.

29. She can get along/talk to ANYONE. Unless their kind of famous. Then she won't speak.

30. She loves me and Millie and Ellis- even after one of us wets their pants on the carpet (not saying who...)

31. She'll be the first to admit that some days just need Cafe Rio.

32. She's multi-talented, beautiful and smart.

33. Here's to many more birthdays- because, as she has cross-stitched on a pillow- I have to die first.

Happy Birthday!

Beard Watch 2010

When I was a lad (well, a teenage lad) I used to sneak peaks of the book The Joy of Sex at our local library. The pictures were somewhat scary because it was from the late 70's and the couple were scary (and hairy). Looking at myself in the mirror this morning, I realized that my Fiddler beard makes me look like the guy from The Joy of Sex book (and since no haircuts are allowed, the hair is gonna look like him pretty soon too):

So that's what my beard looks like.

A scary hippie from a how-to sex manual from the 70's.

I Wish Our Ward Choir Was Like...

Words cannot describe this- but I promise you if you watch all the way through, you will get a sneak peak of what the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has up their sleeve for a future performance. PLEASE WATCH ALL THE WAY THROUGH- it's worth it.