Dear Sam,

I feel like I know you so well! It has been a wonderful week of getting to know you. I loved every minute of "Tia Time" with you. I'll try to hold it together until I get on the airplane before I cry like a baby myself because I miss you so much. You already hold a big part of my heart, and I'll always carry yours in mine, my dear nephew. You are precious, and I love you.

Come visit me real soon, okay?

xoxo,
Tia

Dear Hubs,

I've had a good time in Texas, but I can't wait to be back at home with my honey.

See you real sooooooon!

xoxo,

Me

"Z" is for Catching Zzzz's

It's been a wonderful week of auntie/nephew bonding. I don't just love him--I'm absolutely in love with him! Sam's dad downloaded some white noise to help him sleep at night. It is the sounds of the womb, which is a general sloshing noise along with the mom's heartbeat. It works for Sam!

"Y" is for Yummy

I am completely captivated by the sweet adorableness of my tiny nephew. He's such a kissable cuddle nugget! How could I resist this sweet face?

This photos is proof that my sister will be a wonderful mother. Sam wasn't wild about having his sponge bath because he got a little chilly. But Jilly took it all in stride. Why get overly concerned with a few little fusses when you can have a good sense of humor and enjoy every moment? I admire that about her.

Sam has cute baby buns!

Nana loves to snuggle with Sammy!

I just LOVE this photo of Jilly and Sam on the day he turned two weeks old. He's like, "Hello, it's bright outside, people!" Isn't he a cute little muffin?! I'm in love.

"X" is for "X-Ray"

I had a dental appointment last week, and I have to say that I was surprised that they wanted to take x-rays when they had taken them only 6 months ago at my last visit. Apparently, it is now the standard practice at this dental office to x-ray every 6 months.

Does that not sit well with anyone else?

Growing up, once a year x-rays were taken as a standard practice, and uncomfortable as they were, I did it. However, as I got older and my dermatologist noted what sensitive skin I have, he recommended that I get as little radiation as possible, from the sun and also from x-rays. X-rays can also do damage to sun-sensitive skin. So I've made it my practice since then only to have my mouth x-rayed when absolutely necessary.

Six months ago, I had two fillings, so I went ahead and let them x-ray me today. When I expressed my concern to the dental hygienist, she told me that the amount of radiation I get from an x-ray is less than I get watching television and similar to what I would get standing in front of the microwave oven. The thing is that I am one of those people who leaves the kitchen when I run the microwave because I don't know what is being released in the way of radiation. My big question, though, is this: If getting my mouth x-rayed is no more dangerous than being in the same room with my television on, why in the world do they feel the need to throw a lead covering on me, tell me to keep my hands under it, to be sure to close my eyes, and then they leave the room to take the picture.

People, something isn't adding up. And next time, I'm not going to forgo the x-rays all together. I am a big believer in listening to the doctors, but I'm an even bigger believer in listening to my body and to myself. I didn't feel good about having my mouth x-rayed today, even though I let it happen. Next time? I'm stating what I want and I won't be swayed by some kind of logic that just doesn't add up.

"W" is for Weed Eater

Hubs and I live in a condo with a little postage stamp backyard. My Texas friends with lawns to mow will want to spit on me when I say this, but here I go: Because it only rains here during the wintertime and the grass only grows in the spring, we only have to cut our grass once a year. As in ONE TIME A YEAR. 

During our first spring together when we were dating, Hubs let the grass get really long. (I like to think he was distracted by me!) Finally seeing that he had a weed eater in his garage, I offered to cut the grass for him. His response: Never come between a man and his power tools. 

I guess marriage changes things...well, some things. Now that we are married, he still lets the grass get really long.* (I still like to think he's distracted by me!) But this year when I offered to cut it, he was all "Sure!". 

Maybe he realized that he should never let a power tool come between his woman and him! ;)

*In Hubs' defense, he's no slacker! He's our family accountant, our family chef, and he even cleans the bathrooms!  Yea, Hubs! I LOVE YOU! (I miss you, too, but cuddles with this one help a lot...)

"V" is for Very, Very Cute

I have been in Texas for my first 24 hours now, and all I can say is that I LOVE little Sam! He is so cute! I just hold him and stare at him and take picture after picture.

Oh my goodness! My mom and sister are cracking up right now because Sam just pooted a loud one--the little guy is a champion pooper, too!

I just love being an aunt. My sister and bro-in-law are great parents and they are very sweet to let Nana (my mom) and I hold him as much as we do. The little guy has barely spent any time in his crib since my arrival because I just love holding a sleeping baby.

I'll be posting photos in the next few days. He is truly a beautiful baby. Tia's not too biased about that!  :)

"U" is for Understanding Hannah Montana

I am huge fans of internet sensations Rhett and Link, who have made hundreds of original and hilarious songs. This one is their latest..."Hannah Montana: Cliff Notes for Parents".

If you'd like to see more of their songs, check out their website:

www.rhettandlink.com

"T" is for Tia is going to Texas!

Yes!  I'm going to Texas for a week of bonding with my sweet nephew! You know I'll be taking pictures like mad of his adorable cuteness and posting them right here for you to see. 

"S" is for Smiling Snuggle Bug

We all know that Sam has been a champion smiler since he was in utero....

...but he's been showing off a little in the outside world, too.

He's also a champion snuggler.  He likes snuggling with his Mom....

He likes snuggling with his Grandma...

And he likes to take naps on his Dad's chest while he watches hockey.  It's a male bonding sort of thing.

I hope he'll like to snuggle with Tia, too, because I'm coming for a visit real soon!

"R" is for Rollerblades!

I have always loved roller skating. I remember the kind I had when I was really little. Plastic things that I strapped on over my sneakers. Then I graduated to white leather lace-ups. Then I got the groovy sneaker skates with a toe stop. Finally, my junior year in high school, I got rollerblades!  I LOVED them and skated on them for about a decade. I went through several sets of wheels and ball bearings with them. And then, about 2 and a half years ago, I lost them. They just disappeared, and I have no idea where they went. 

I really missed them because they are such a fun form of exercise, so for Christmas, I asked for a gift card to Sports Authority (thanks, Mom!). Finally, on Friday, I went and used my gift card to buy myself a new pair. They are so cute...light gray with lavender accents.

Thank you, Mom, for my new skates!  :)  I look forward to integrating rollerblading back into my exercise regime again. It's hard to find a good place to go in my urban So Cal neighborhood, but I'm thinking that Saturdays on the boardwalk at the beach sound just about perfect!

"Q" is for Questioning the Orthodoxy

Hubs and I went to see the documentary EXPELLED tonight with some friends. We all found it to be really thought-provoking, and we enjoyed a good discussion about it afterward.

Ben Stein produced the documentary when he started hearing about scientists being black balled by their scientific communities for daring to openly question Darwinism.

It is an important film about the state of academic freedom in America and how it is currently being threatened. The stories that some of the scientists told were both frightening and sad.

I might also add that this film is not a Christian manifesto against Darwinism. Ben Stein himself is Jewish, and the scientists he interviewed are have varied religious views.

I highly recommend the film. Go see it with some friends and then have a good discussion about it afterward!

"P" is for Parenting a Precious Baby

My sister and bro-in-law are enjoying being parents to their precious one week old, Sam. 

Look how tiny he is with his Dad's hand on his back!

Baby's first bath.

Look who's a precious nugget!

"O" is for Obesession

I think Hubs and I officially achieved "old married couple" status over the Christmas holidays when we realized our mutual love for Scrabble. We haven't stopped playing since--at least once a week, but often more than that!

Scrabble trivia: Did you know that 1 in 3 American families owns a Scrabble game?

"N" is for Nice

Wow.  I have some awesome friends in the blogosphere (and in real life, too!)

If I was bummed when I wrote yesterday's post, I am certainly feeling affirmed writing this one. I am continually amazed at the support and sense of community I have found through blogging, and this is a perfect example. It is such a joy to have you all out there on the other side of your computer screen reading about my life and sending your support and love right back to me. If I ever am having a bad day in the future, I will come back and read the wonderful comments you all left me on yesterday's post.

Thank you so much, each and every one of you. You really brightened my day with your outpouring of kindness.

I was really struck by how many of you identified so much with how I was feeling. It made me feel better to know that I wasn't the only one, so since so many of us are feeling the same way, I thought you might like to read a compilation of some of the things you said:

• I totally identify with what you're saying. I feel that way a lot too. Maybe it's just the artist in you. Let's not fit in together!
  
• I understand it all too well. I hope you feel better soon...and I would also like to "not fit in together" 
  
• i've felt a lot like you--oYYyyy that horrible awkward jr high feeling! it sometimes makes me want to just hide away and feel sorry for my different-silly-dorky self, ya know? it frustrates me because i feel like others arent looking for friends to make a commitment to--only people who join their cliques on an as-need basis, if you know what i mean. even sometimes with the blogosphere i feel that way, too--like i'm just a huge goofball that still cant even fit in there!
  
• I think most people feel similar, they just fake it most of the time.We Americans like to stay busy and avoid real community most of the time.
  
• I agree with those who say that I think most people feel that way. I know I feel like a huge dork most of the time. And remember, those who are totally 'cool' work very hard at it, and it's a lot of effort that could be better spent being who they are.
  
• I feel like I don't fit in ALL the time. It used to bother me, but now I like it because it means that I am truly unique.
  
• Of course, that's coming from me, a person who hasn't fit in since the day I was born.
  
• I think we all have days like these. God made you just the way you are and you fit right in with HIM. That's all that matters.
  
• I totally understand where you're coming from :)
  
• I learned alot about myself in NYC and much of that has to do with my dorky, weird, misunderstood self.
  
• We all feel disconnected from time to time.
  
• i TOTALLY understand where you're coming from.
  

All I can say is thank you for your empathy. I treasure the uniqueness that each one of you brings to my life. "Cookie cutter cool" isn't nearly as delicious as a beautiful mosaic of uniqueness and quirks!

Have a beautiful day!

"M" is for Misunderstood

I am feeling so out of sorts. I'm just feeling very dorky and weird and generally misunderstood--a lot like I felt from grades 6-9. Fitting in has never come very easily for me. While I think people find me likable, I'm not sure that many find me particularly cool. I've never really been part of the "in" crowd, and generally I've been okay with that. Uniqueness trumps popularity any day! It's just so hard, though, when I don't feel like I fit well in my own culture.

I've never really thought of myself as an old soul, but sometimes I feel as if I was born into an age that I'm not as well suited for as another time. Maybe it's just that my own drum beat doesn't resonate in general with the drum beat of most Americans or of most people in my age group. I don't know. All I know is that today I tried to take a bold step in a group context and I feel like I've fallen flat.

I'm remembering my year in Spain and how easily I meshed with the culture there. Sure, there were challenges...big ones. But in just one year, I made some of the closest friends I have. Friends who love me and think I'm the coolest girl ever. Friends who see my heart and love it. Friendships here in the States have been harder for me to come by.

It's been a long time since I've felt such acute pain over my not-fitting-in-ness. But today I feel it and it really hurts. I know it will get better, but today, I just feel melancholically odd.

(written on 4/14/08)

"L" is for Love

There's nothing like a mother's love...

"K" is for Knight

I first posted this short story on November 8, 2006. I wrote it during a time when I knew my feelings were getting really invested in my relationship with eSuitor (now affectionately called "Hubs" on this blog). I am so glad we made it across the river together. Our courtship was a wonderful adventure, and our marriage has been a sweet, sweet blessing. Thanks for being such a trustworthy and loving knight!

Halfway There...A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time there lived a princess. We’ll call her Tracy because…why not? Princess Tracy lived in the State of Singleness. No one in Singleness was married, because they were, well, single. Many people living in Singleness tried to escape that State as soon as possible. However Princess Tracy wasn’t in a huge hurry to leave Singleness. She enjoyed her life there. It was, after all, the State where she was born. She’d lived there all her life, and sometimes, she secretly pitied her friends who fled the State of Singleness at a young age. Living in Singleness, after all, had its advantages, and by lingering there, it had afforded the princess many opportunities to grow and learn, to travel, and most importantly to know herself well.

During her years living in the State of Singleness, the princess saw many of her friends move away. While she was a little sad to be left behind each time one of them left, she was always happy for them, and wished them well on their journey as they crossed the river. You see, the State of Singleness is bordered by the State of Marriage. They are separated by the rushing and dangerous River Courtship. All anyone from Singleness had to do in order to move away was find another person from Singleness that they really loved, and they then had to cross the raging River Courtship together. Couples from Singleness crossed the River Courtship in any number of ways. Some rented speedboats and jetted across it so quickly that they really missed the beauty of the journey. Sometimes those couples would walk along the banks of the river and wonder why they didn’t tarry there longer. Others jumped on a raft and rode the rapids of the River Courtship for years and years. Usually, that got old and they would get motion sickness, and eventually make their way to the banks of the State of Marriage a little bedraggled from the long journey, but happily refreshed by their newfound citizenship. Occasionally, a couple would fancy themselves good swimmers and they would brave the dangerous waters without anything to keep them afloat. That was such a hit-or-miss method (the currents of the River Courtship are very strong) that most couples avoided it altogether, as the outcome was never certain. Usually, the couple would arrive on the shore of one State or the other choking up water that had gone down the wrong pipe.

The most sure-fire way to make it across the River Courtship was via Dating Bridge. Dating Bridge was the route most of Princess Tracy’s friends had taken in their journey from The State of Singleness to The State of Marriage. It seemed the safest bet for most of the couples leaving Singleness, because it had several checkpoints along the way--checkpoints that included phone dates, coffee dates, dates to meet friends, dates to meet family members, dates together, and even dates apart to check in with oneself along the journey. The interesting thing about Dating Bridge, though, is that it is a bridge without guarantees. Princess Tracy was perplexed by the number of times she and so many others from the State of Singleness had begun journeys across Dating Bridge only to find at one of the checkpoints that a big red flag would begin waving as a sign appeared reading, “Proceed with extreme caution. Recommendation: Return to the State of Singleness ASAP.”

One day, the princess met a handsome knight. We’ll call him Sir Suitor because…why not? He was blonde and tall with blue eyes and broad shoulders. He was, in the words of the princess, “totally yummy”. In addition to his impressive physical attributes, the knight had a warm and noble heart. It was a heart of integrity and character. A heart that Princess Tracy believed she could trust. As the princess got to know the knight, she was so taken by him that she found herself thinking with more and more confidence that she would be willing to leave the State of Singleness and cross the dangerous River Courtship with Sir Suitor. One lovely Saturday, Sir Suitor surprised the princess with a kiss and asked her to be his girlfriend. In a pleased daze, the princess obliged the knight, and with that, they began their journey across Dating Bridge. They passed the initial checkpoints in flying colors. Dinner dates and coffee dates and phone dates every night only confirmed for the couple that their feelings for each other were true. Other dates with friends and family further confirmed what the couple felt deep in their hearts. The couple even took some time to be apart for three weeks, and their conclusion was the same. This was love, and they both knew it.

One crisp autumn day, the couple was strolling across Dating Bridge hand-in-hand, when they stopped to take in the view. The waters of the River Courtship sparkled below, reflecting the sun’s happy rays. Suddenly all was quiet. As Sir Suitor and the princess looked around, they realized that they were halfway across the bridge. They smiled at each other as their stomachs did mini flip-flops. They talked about how far they had come in the short time they had known each other. They marveled at how close they had grown. Neither had made it this far across the bridge without red flags waving, sirens blaring, or loved ones shouting “Beware!”. They only felt peace. They talked and confessed that they both wanted to continue on their journey to the State of Marriage, and they continued across the bridge.

After only a few more steps, the architecture of the bridge changed. The first half of the bridge was wide and paved, and pretty easy to cross. But now the bridge grew narrower. For a while, the two could still walk side-by-side, but soon Dating Bridge was single file with no railings. Sir Suitor walked in front of the princess, making sure each step was safe and offering his hand to steady her. Once or twice the princess looked down and shuddered because the raging waters were so far below. She had fallen from the bridge once before, and she closed her eyes tight, trying not to remember. Sir Suitor whispered to the princess in his loving and steady voice, “Open your eyes, sweet princess. It’s going to be okay.” She opened them, and looked at her knight, and she tried not to be scared. After taking a few more steps, the sidewalk narrowed into a tightrope. It seemed that the rest of the couple’s journey to the State of Marriage would be riskiest part of all. “Can’t we zoom across this last part like a zip line?” the frightened princess asked her knight. Sir Suitor replied with his steady gaze, “The journey cannot be rushed.” The princess insisted that there must be some way. The sound of the threatening waters below taunted her. Sir Suitor heard the sound of the river, too. The knight and the princess looked each other square in the eye. Both knew that the tightrope was a kind of a test. Only the knight knew that time spent on the tightrope, steadily moving closer and closer to the shore was the safest way to arrive on the banks of the State of Marriage. Princess Tracy was skeptical, but she loved Sir Suitor. And she trusted him. Both trusted in the King, who ruled over both States with great care. They knew that it was really His loving hand that had sustained them on their journey all along, and that only His hand would bring them safely to their new home.

A Letter to Samuel

Dear Samuel,

You are just a little five pound three ounce nugget right now, and we haven't officially met yet. I did talk to you when you were still inside your mommy, but I don't know if you could hear me very well. Still, it would be cool if there were something familiar about my voice when we meet face to face. (I'll be the one forever talking to you in baby talk. It might get old after awhile, but you'll adjust to it, just like Hubs has.)  :)

Yesterday, when you were born, your daddy took a picture of you on his cell phone and sent it out for us to see.  As soon as I saw your adorable scrunched up little face, I got all teary. You are such a little miracle. 

I talked to your mommy shortly after you were born. She said that you are so cute and sounded so content and proud. She asked me to call our dad to tell him about your arrival, since she was pretty tired from giving birth to you and groggy from the drugs. He couldn't have been happier. You made him a grandpa, after all! We have known for years that he wants to be called "Bronco" by his grandchildren. He was a rodeo cowboy and rode bucking bulls, and he still lives the cowboy life on a ranch in Texas. So I think it is particularly fitting that your middle name is Colt.

Your grandma called me after she saw you yesterday and said you are just perfect! She talked about how small you are, since you arrived early, and said that you have flawless baby skin. She said your dad is such a natural with you and that he already bought you a little Texas A&M hat. Sam, I'm afraid that you are going to be an Aggie, whether or not you want to be. Just know that if you ever have an urge to break free and go to Bear Country, you have my full support! ;)

Your dad sent out a wonderful letter to friends in an e-mail announcing your arrival. He said that you were named after two very special men in his life, both named Sam. And said, "We named him Colt because we're in Texas by God." 'Nuff said.  I think you have the coolest name ever!

I am so happy to be your Tia, and I can't wait to have some auntie/nephew bonding in a couple weeks when I come to visit you! Until then, enjoy your first days on this planet knowing that you are dearly loved by so many people. One of those people is me, and I am privileged to be part of your life's journey.

Love and kisses,

Tia Tracy

"J" is for Jilly had a baby boy!

I don't even know his name yet, but here are a few photos taken from the operating room. He was born by c-section at 10:54 am CST. 19 inches. 5 pounds, 3 ounces. Isn't it a miracle? So brand new!

"For you created me in my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well."

-Psalm 139

Praise the Lord for the newest member of our family!

"J" is for This "Just" In

Okay, so today is a double post. (See other post below). 

This just in: I just got off the phone with my sister, and she is going to have her baby today by c-section! Yesterday, she went to her regular check-up, and the doctor said she was showing signs of pre-eclampsia. She spent the past 24 hours in the hospital, and the decision was made this morning to do a c-section in about two hours!  Please pray for the safety of both mom and baby.

Jilly and Gardy are gonna be a Mommy and Daddy today!  Yea!

"J" is for "Josey tagged me for this meme..."

Josey at Stayin' Silly, Livin' Lucky tagged me for this Five Things Meme which I actually wrote last week.

What was I doing 10 years ago - 1998

1. Living in New York City

2. Going to acting school

3. Getting ready to graduate (I'm going to my 10 year reunion in May!!!)

4. Dating my first real boyfriend and on the verge of my first tremendous heart break

5. Living in a women's resident in Gramercy Park. Think Bosom Buddies sans cross-dressers.

Five things on my to-do list today

1. Rehearse

2. Get in hair and makeup

3. Costume

4. Shoot the film

5. Feel really thankful and satisfied that I just lived my ideal day in Los Angeles!

Snacks I enjoy

1. Sugar-free Fudgesicles

2. Cottage cheese with sugar-free jello

3. Peanut butter flavored frozen yogurt (FRO YO!) with hot fudge brownie topping

4. Blue Bell Ice Cream

5. The most perfect cookie -- Samoas (saving the best for last!)

Things I would do if I were a billionaire

1. Give some of it away

2. Fund my own film with a great part written for me.  :)  My favorite play I was ever in was called Peg O' My Heart (Hi, Bridget!...She played "Peg". I got to play her snooty British cousin, Ethel.) I always thought that would make a GREAT movie!

3. Fund my friend Todd's film Steadfast. It is a western that he has had written for years. He just needs the funding to make it.

4. Buy a house.

5. Travel with Hubs all over the world. Our trip would start in Spain during the month of October.  We'd wander through Western Europe for a while, then move on to Eastern Europe. From there, we'd go to Israel and then Japan and Thailand. Then the Far East and down to Australia and New Zealand. Once back in the USA, we'd do an Alaskan cruise and then a road trip through all of the continental United States.

Five of my bad habits

1. I can be lazy.

2. Procrastination.

3. Being fearful of things that don't deserve my fear.

4. Two acting teachers have told me that I smile too much during my acting scenes. The truth is that I have a huge smile and I look like I'm smiling even when I'm not. Plus, I have a pretty bubbly personality. It works for real life, but I have to be aware of it when I'm acting...especially in dramatic scenes.

5. Major daydreamer.

Five places I have lived

1. San Antonio, TX

2. Houston, TX

3. New York City

4. Zaragoza, Spain

5. Los Angeles, CA

Five jobs I've had

1. Waitress

2. Secretary...er, Administrative Assistant

3. Actress

4. Peer Counselor

5. Compliance Specialist (hahahahahahahaha...I still can't believe I had a job with that title! Anyone who knows me at all would never envision me in a job that includes the word "compliance")

What I'd like to be doing in ten years

1. Still happy being a wife to Hubs.

2. Mother of 2 or 3 kids.

3. Acting in a wildly successful sitcom.

4. Traveling to fun places.

5. Attending my new neice or nephew's tenth birthday party.  :)

"I" is for Ice Cream

Yesterday, I told Hubs that I was having a major craving for ice cream--chocolate chip cookie dough...mmmm. Then Jelly Jules went and wrote a post about ice cream, and that pretty much sealed the deal for me. A few hours after lunch, I announced that the train to Baskin Robbins would be leaving shortly if anyone wanted to join me. No answer from Hubs, which I assumed meant "no thanks" in manguage (the international language of males). However, when I said "good-bye", he asked where I was going. Come to find out, "Where are you going?" is manguage for "I want to come, too!"

So, Hubs and I had a mid-afternoon date to Baskies! Yea!  We each had two scoops! I had one scoop of Baseball Nut and one of Pralines'n Cream. He had one scoop of Peanut Butter'n Chocolate and one of Makin' Cookies.

The result?  

Sweet tooth: Utterly Satisified!

"H" is for Husband

You're gentle, but not passive.

You're strong, but don't force your way.

You're sweet, but not saccharine.

You're intelligent, but not proud.

You're loving, but not smothering.

You're kind, but not a doormat.

You're trusting, and also trustworthy.

You're my lover, and also my friend.

You're my dream-come-true, and so much more.

You're my husband, my treasure, my love.

"G" is for Gentle Glow

You may have seen this post where I showed the Christmas tree skirt that I made a few years ago from my late stepdad's neckties. Well, we saved the skinny ends of the ties, and I decided to make a lampshade with them. Here is the result! Because the ties make the shade opaque, not a lot of light gets through it, so it gives a gentle glow, which is fitting.

John, too, had a gentle glow. He was warm and accepting--an easy going guy who spoiled us with his love. We miss him dearly, and I'm glad that we have little tangible reminders of him like these around to keep his memory alive.

"F" is for the Forties

I had a great day of shooting on Sunday. Here is a photo taken of me in my costume, hair and makeup. I just love the 40s! I think I'm going to keep this dress, which I found at a thrift store, and wear it out swing dancing with Hubs.

"E" is for Exultant!

My Exultant Moment

I'm so excited because I've been rehearsing for a film I'm doing, and shooting starts today. As I was running out to my car during rehearsal yesterday to feed the meter (Doesn't that sound so urban?), I was overcome with joy and thanks and praise to God. Thank You, God! Today is a day that I'm not just chasing my dream, I'm living it! Today I get to be an actress. Today, I am fulfilling my calling. And how full-filling it is!

Jilly's Exultant Moment

My sister is expecting a baby in less than three weeks. She has had a pretty ideal pregnancy, but lately, because the baby is getting so much bigger, she has been very uncomfortable--especially at night. A couple nights ago, she couldn't sleep at all. Finally, she woke her husband up at 5:45 am just so she didn't have to be alone in her misery.  Poor Jilly! At her doctor visit Thursday, he prescribed something to help her sleep. Jilly called my mom this morning absolutely gleeful that she finally got a good night's rest!

I guess my point in all this is that it's the little things--life's sweet moments (like walking to feed the meter)--that are filled with wonder and reason for thanks and praise.

"D" is for Daisies

On Sunday, Hubs came home from the grocery story with these little beauties--just a little love gift. That made me feel as happy and bright as the color of these gerbera! Aren't they the cheeriest?

"C" is for Comments

One of my favorite things about blogging is the feedback (read: love, support, critique...) I get from my readers in the comments section. Several of you have told me that you would like to leave me a comment, but that it is too confusing. Admittedly, it looks confusing, but it is actually pretty simple.

Here is a quick primer on how to comment with ease:

1.) Click on "comments" at the bottom of the post.

2.) A comment box will pop up on your screen.

3.) Write your comment in the space provided.

4.) You will see some scrambled up letters and a box under it that says "word verification". All you have to do is type the letters you see in the box. I know it's a pain, but it is keeps me from getting ridiculously annoying comment SPAM.

5.) Where it says "Choose an Identity", click on the dot next to "Name/URL".

6.) Type your name or nickname in the "Name" box. You can leave the "URL" box blank.

7.) Click "Publish Your Comment".

See?  Easy-peasy!  Now give it a try and show me some comment love!

"B" is for Bride

I absolutely LOVED being a bride, so I was thrilled when someone told me that according to the rules of ettiquette, I would be considered a bride for an entire year after my wedding.  Of course, it was even better news when Hubs told me that he would consider me his bride for the rest of our lives--woo hoo! Does that mean I can take out my dress and wear it around the house whenever I want to?

Anyway, I'm totally milking my one year of "brideness" for all it's worth. So when my dear friend Jen Disney had the BRILLIANT idea that my winter wedding dress should be photographed in the SNOW, I said, "Hubs, call the Men's Warehouse! You're going to be a groom again!" Jen took some awesome photos of us in the mountains of California, as well as some lovely photos in picturesque Claremont.  It was so much fun for me to wear my dress again!  

Here are some of my favorites. See her favorites on her awesome photography blog.

"A" is for Actress

It's been quite a while since I've written anything about my acting career, and that is because (quite frankly) it was slow going around here for a while. The writers' strike slowed things down quite a bit, and I had the hardest time even getting an audition. To be resourceful, I borrowed a friend's camera and made these three videos.

Thankfully, the strike came to an end, and things have been picking up! I also have a new commercial agent, who has been sending me out on more auditions.  I am really content right now because in the last two weeks, I've had four auditions!  Two were for commercials and two were for film/tv work. On Saturday, I auditioned for a USC student film, and got cast! Hopefully, it will result in some good material to use for my reel. I'm excited about the part--a 1940s ballroom dancer. Cool, huh?

The film I shot over a year ago (The Chronicles of Hernia) is due to be released in May or June. I'm also super-excited about being involved in the shaping of a television pilot, which I will also get to act in. We will likely shoot it in June or July. I am really so thankful for these opportunities. 

By the way, you might notice that I titled this post "A" is for Actress (as opposed to Actor).  I've noticed here in Los Angeles that both men and women are referred to as "actors" here. Part of me likes that (probably the feminist part that enjoys equality among the sexes). About 10 years ago when I was living in New York, I used to refer to myself as an actor, too. For some reason, I thought "actress" sounded like a diminished form of the word "actor".  But now my pendulum is swinging the other way, and I'm back on the actress train.  It just sounds so old school, in the best way possible. I've come to see the feminine form of the word not as inferior or sissy-ish. Just set apart and distinctly feminine.  And while I am definitely pro-equality among men and women, I also enjoy celebrating the differences!

April is a Month of Letters!

Dear Reader,

You might remember that November is NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), in which participating bloggers write a post every day for that month. Well, the organizer of NaBloPoMo has arranged a blogger challenge for every month of the year. Essentially, you can choose to make any month NaBloPoMo, and each month has a different theme.

I'm choosing to participate during the month of April. The theme is "letters". I've decided to write a different post for each of the 26 letters of the alphabet, and for the remaining 4 days of the month (one of which would be today), I will write a letter of some kind.

I'm looking forward to a fun month of blogging, and hope that this challenge will help uncork my creativity a bit more!

Warmly,

Starshine