Welcome to Ave. Q

So guess what I did this evening. I went with my friend, Sara, to see the Broadway musical, Ave Q at the National Theatre. Why ever would I do such a thing? Well, here's how it happened. Sara introduced the music from the show to me last Thanksgiving. At first I was a bit skeptical about it, but quickly found myself laughing nearly to tears. After hearing the music, it got stuck in my head, and I really wanted to see the show. I made two trips to NY in the meantime and the first time it was sold out. The second, we couldn't agree on what to see (a.k.a. the others wouldn't agree that they indeed wanted to see what I wanted to see), so we saw nothing. I ended up buying the music and and found myself singing along more than once.

As it turns out, the show is traveling now, and it is making a brief stint here in DC. Since Sara has a B-day coming up, she guilted me into going to the show too--she didn't have to twist my arm all that hard though. I must say it was well worth it. I mean, who couldn't love a show that has puppets and deals with 20 something people (people like me) dealing with issues of life like racism, finding your purpose in life, dating and relationships, job seeking and internet porn (in song form no less)? Here is a clip of one of my favorite songs in the show, Everyone's A Little Bit Racist"(sorry it's a bit bumpy and the sound isn't great, but I didn't film it. It's a lot better in person):

I hope you enjoyed that.

Here are a couple of photos.

Inside the National Theatre

From the balcony by our seats

Poster at the theatre after the show

No, I don't claim to be a theater aficionado, however, I would have to say that Ave Q is one of the best plays that I have seen. It's a lot of fun. PG-13 rated for sure, but in my humble opinion, it's well worth the money. If anyone here in the DC area has a chance, I would recommend that you check it out (or find out if it's going to your area and see it there). There's about a week and a half left here.

Happy Birthday to Kade!!!

This is my Kade friend. Also pictured with the two of us is Kade's dear mother, Brenda. The picture is from a recent trip the two of them made to visit me in the District of Columbia.

It was 27 years ago today that Dear Brenda expelled Kade from her uterus. The world has been filled with joy ever since. It was 13 or so years later that I met Kade. We have been friends since then, but he's been my best-good friend since our Junior year in high school.

On my birthday, Kade sent me 26 text messages giving "26 Reasons Why We Love Darin" citing my quirks, fun/crazy memories etc. I will now attempt to do the same on my blog. So, to many of you, these won't make a lick o' sense, but here they are:

1).--He has the intelligence of...maybe an orangutan, perhaps

2).--He would rival A-nette Willie in any beauty contest, except the swim-suit competition, of course

3).--Our "put-up" list for Angelar (the previous two came from this list only modified for Kade)

4).--Jane Eyre, oh how I love that book because of Kade, maybe one day I'll read it all the way through

5).--Hello, I'm Kitty

6).--Duchess and Matza Ball

7).--The Bird Refuge--and yes, you can see the light from a mile away

8).--The overpass, and those unfortunate people with the sun-roof--boy Brigham City was boring

9).--This is hard, does there have to be 27?

10).--Denny's, the nachos, pico de gallo, and Ericka, lovely Ericka--she should go to Dillards and be fitted

11).--Billy-Bob and Nayloni and the most-foul odor I had smelled in my life

12).--The amazing techno-colored dream...(well you know the rest, Kade)

13).--The Brigham City Cemetery at night

14).--The cow lot in Nebraska with the new reigning champ of most-foul odor that I have ever smelled.

15).--Why Miss Scarlet, he's dead!! Oh and the pillow fluff and puking in the sink

16).--He types fast

17).--He reads even faster

18).--The unfortunate BenGay incident--didn't even happen to him, or to me, but hearing him laugh while I was explaining it, brought me to tears.

19).--The sweet Maddox outfit, and accompanying stories/accidents

20).--Oh, uh!

21).--He can find the greatest bargains, except for when it comes to Thanksgiving dinners

22).--Who gets Mono twice? That, and who has to have the same knee surgery three times?

23).--MWIDTM/Griz an MWINA (thanks pal!!)

24).--"Hi, can we get a menu?" "For here?"

25).--"I can't explain why I've become Miss Chatelaine"

26).--Cub river and "Not an inch"

27).--He's a great friend and has shown his loyalty many times. He listens to my problems and offers great advice, as well as keeps my ego in check. I'm lucky to count him as a friend.

Things That Must Go!! (11-26-2007)

I need to make another post for November 26 (you'll find out why shortly), so I'll keep this short.

1). People using "thx" instead of typing "thanks" in an email--I have, on occasion, used this, but have always wondered why I didn't type out the whole word, which would have taken about the same amount of time. My boss does it all the time, and of course, I won't correct her, but I shan't use it anymore.
2). Bluetooth Earpieces--People who use these look ridiculous, and they never take them off. It is a sad person who absolutely must be connected at all times. Handy for driving, maybe so, but is it really that hard to be normal and hold your phone to your head while you're walking through Target? I don't think so.
3). "Head On, Apply Directly to the Forehead"--Enough said!!
4). Drivers who will tail right behind you, and when you get over, they don't pass you--I just got back from a 4 1/2 hr. drive to Raleigh, NC. There are a number of pet peeves from driving but this one really got my goat on this trip. If you're gonna be a jerk and nearly plow into my rear end, have the decency to pass me so that I can at least give you the look.
5). LOL--I suppose this could go along with number one, but there are a number of things that bug me about the way people communicate electronically. I have never been a fan of the LOL. I opt to say "that's funny." I just have a hard time believing that people really laugh out loud at some of my lame jokes. I do, however enjoy the ROTFL or LMAO even if I don't picture someone rolling on the floor laughing, or laughing his or her ass off. So, in my humble opinion, LOL should go.

Just for fun

Thank you Cammie Jan. Oh, and here is this too:

On Being Grateful

I am a whiner, I complain about practically everything. However, this being Thanksgiving and all, I think I will take a moment or two to mention a few things for which I am grateful, trying my best to look for the positive, and not focus on the negative. I expect this to be a short post :^)

Family--the people in your life over whom you have absolutely no control, but the ones you're with more than anything. Though we in my family are a weird lot sometimes--okay a lot of times--I wouldn't pick anybody else to have for my family. My parents didn't do shabby a job of raising me, and they have always supported me in what I do--even if they are a little naggy. My sisters each offer something different and special, and each of them has a cute family with some of the funnest, most-adorable kids around. I love (I don't like to use that word a lot, but it's true) them all.
God and Church--I don't know where I would be with out the basis of faith that I have in my life. I know that without God's blessings in my life, I would truly have very little. Also with my church, I had an instant family when I moved 2500 miles away from my own family. This is far too al-encompassing for me to try to explain the gratitude I do have, so I will leave it at that.
Friends--I have been very lucky in life to be able to make good friends. I have two of the best friends in my two very-best friends, Kade and Cammie Jan. We have been good buddies through thick and thin. They are two of the most amazing people, whom I can trust with anything, and with whom I am not afraid to absolutely be myself. I know can do anything, no matter how stupid, and they will still accept me. I have become friends with a lot of great people where I live now. There are some very amazing people, with whom I hope my friendships continue to grow from here on out. To any of my friends, thank you. You all are great.
My iPod--that and my daily podcasts of Radio From Hell. They make my workday much more tolerable.
My job--That I have one and that I enjoy the people with whom I work. Sometimes I start to hate it, but I am always reminded that I like my job when I go over to the office with the people whom I support in my group work.
Ben and Jerry--They make the best ice cream--well them and Maggie Moos--personal favorites from B&J are Brownie Batter and Cinnamon Roll (or Bun), and from Maggie Moos is Better Batter Cake Carnival--try them and you'll fall in love.
So that's a short list, but there is much more for which I am grateful, but now, the aforementioned Cammie Jan has landed at the airport here in Raleigh and kade and I must go pick her up.

Fire!! Part Two

So, today at work we are having the annual Thanksgiving pot-luck. This is not held at our corporate office, but rather at our Virginia Square (OVS) office, where I started out, and enjoy visiting from time to time. Since I was bringing funeral potatoes (per request, mind you), I decided to drive in and spend the day at OVS rather than ride metro to Rosslyn with said potatoes, then have to trapse them back again.
I get here, make my rounds, and am getting settled in, what what to my wonderin eyes should appear than flashing lights on all of the fire alarms and the most obnoxious chirping sound coming from them. Luckily I am on the third floor here rather than the 31st.
I guess this means that I'm not due for another fire drill for some time now. In my humble opinion, fire drills can be fun, but there is a toss-up between where they are more fun. At corporate, you have to go down 31 flights of stairs, but you hear the soothing voice of a talking fire alarm. At OVS, you only have one-tenth of the stairs, but you nearly go deaf from the blairing, shrill chirps emitted from fire alarms. But in both, the give you a few minutes out of the office.

Things that Must Go!! (11-19-2007)

Hi all,

I've been out of town on travel for the past week (I'll write about that soon), and as such didn't blog much. However, I am back now, and would feel terribly amiss if I skipped out on my only weekly feature on it's third week. So here goes, the following must go:
1). Christmas music before Thanksgiving (FYI this was on my list before I heard Radio From Hell's)--It's bad enough that we are innundated by the stuff for the whole month of December. Now, it seems that Christmas music is being played earlier and earlier. The day after Halloween does not signify the offical beginning of the Christmas season. The thirty or so days from Thanksgiving to Christmas are plenty of days to celebrate. Maybe I am jaded from working in retail for four Christmases, but I do believe this over-abundance of Yule-tide joy must go.
2). People who still drive around with Bush/Cheney '04 stickers on their cars. I can understand the Kerry-Edwards folks a little more 'cause it's not hard to wonder how things could have gone differently in the past three years but they should get over it too. However, the people who were proud Bush supporters last election who don't at least question him enough to remove the stickers from their cars must be oblivious to what has happened to this country over the past seven years. If you can't get rid of that sticker, you #1, should pull your head out of the sand, and #2 you must go.
3). The watery juice on mustard and ketchup. I've heard it referred to Condirrhea. Eww. It's gross. I don't think that I should have to shake up the bottle to not have a soggy sandwich or hamburger. There must be someone out there who can invent something to rid the world of this nasty stuff.
4). People who come to the door, and rather than knock, say "knock-knock"--Just knock on the bloody door. It never really bothered my until my office neighbor pointed it out. Now it drives me nuts, and as such, it must go.
5). Men who wear baseball caps with business suits. I never noticed this in Utah, but now, everyday, on my ride to work on the Metro, I see multiple men in business suits heading into the District. When I see one of these guys with a ball cap on, I just want to rip it off and throw it out the door. I don't really know why, but I don't like it. I think these guys look like weenies, as such they must go.