Remember me?

Ghost Town with Ricky Gervais & Tea Leoni & Greg Kinnear. Good Film. Watch it.

Watched some of the Third Mummy. ho hum. slept through a lot of it. And I even really like the main guy whose name escapes me right now.

I've been on Facebook. Hello, my name is Carrie and I'm a Facebook Addict. I even got my dad on there. (Hi Dad)

I keep meaning to post pictures... himself has been very very busy building a huge shed in the back yard -- it is 3/4 the way done -- most of the walls, the floor and a temporary roof, along with a door and a ramp are complete. Even some painting has been done.

Work has been busy -- chorus had retreat last weekend and 8 hours singing on saturday (which followed 3 hours the friday night before), followed by some light drinking and merriment at a piano bar... and I even made it to church on Sunday!! It was a great weekend but I'm spent.

And it is now late and I have a long week before I get to go scrapping in Bisbee for two nights and a couple days... very excited about that!!!

I haven't forgotten about my 4 readers... 3 of whom have caved and joined FB... I'm tellin' ya -- I've found people I love whom I lost track of and it is so cool to see pictures of them and their families!!

Kinda Spooky!!

You are a Doris -- "I must help others."

Dorises are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.
• * Share fun times with me.
• * Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.
• * Let me know that I am important and special to you.
• * Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.

In Intimate Relationships

• * Reassure me that I am interesting to you.
• * Reassure me often that you love me.
• * Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.
  

What I Like About Being a Doris

• * being able to relate easily to people and to make friends
• * knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better
• * being generous, caring, and warm
• * being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings
• * being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor
  

What's Hard About Being a Doris

• * not being able to say no
• * having low self-esteem
• * feeling drained from overdoing for others
• * not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish
• * criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should
• * being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tume in to them
• * working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings

Dorises as Children Often

• * are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism
• * try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding
• * are outwardly compliant
• * are popular or try to be popular with other children
• * act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention
• * are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted Dorises), or quiet and shy (the more introverted Dorises)
  

Dorises as Parents

• * are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)
• * are often playful with their children
• * wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"
• * can become fiercely protective

I found this quiz from Partake in Happy Hour's blog *waves* ~ and it is pretty cool. You can take it too:

http://www.helloquizzy.com/tests/are-you-a-jackie-or-a-marilyn-or-someone-else-mad-menera-female-icon-quiz

Thanks A @ Happy Hour!

More Movies!

So ~ last night we watched "88 Minutes" with Al Pacino -- I thought it was excellent! We then watched "Mamma Mia!" and I loved it! I really would like to see it live ~ but have to say Meryl Streep was terrific... thought Colin Firth probably should have been more featured in the singing, he has quite the nice voice... I love Pierce Brosnan, and he did an admiral job; but watching him sing made me uncomfortable because he looked so ill at ease for most of his stuff.

Had a really good conversation with my dad last night, which was something I needed. I read about people who are screwed up because their fathers are emotionally distant... my dad and I are so intune with each other it is kinda spooky ~ and he definitely is the polar opposite of emotionally distant! So ~ Love You Dad... oh so much :D.

Today I loaded up a bunch of photos onto facebook... for my two expat buddies (you know who you are) ... well, I just encourage you again -- in the light of the new year... to seriously consider being on FB. It is faster than blogging, easier... and in real time -- you can have the page up while doing other things... go away then come back and read your friend's updates and it is cool. Of course, it is a time vortex, which will suck away your time... but time-schwime, right?

I've updated my barbershop music database (yes, as exciting as it sounds *Yawn!*), and my barbershop audio database... our quartet gathering this weekend will be a music choosing and image discussion meeting, with maybe a little singing thrown in for good measure.

I have the craft class tomorrow and haven't done one. single. thing. And I'm here, bloggin like I have time (!!) It's gonna be a long night...

New Year's 2009

We watched "Burn After Reading" ~ a Coen brothers movie with Frances McDormand, George Clooney, John Malkovich & Brad Pitt. It was good, but we kept waiting for the funny. It is exhausting, waiting for the funny. Then we watched "And Then She Found Me" with Helen Hunt, Matthew Broderick, Bette Midler & Colin Firth... I thought it was really really good. Started me crying though, and I haven't stopped.

Not an auspicious way to bring in the new year.

For tomorrow I got "Mamma Mia" and "88 Minutes" with Al Pacino... and by accident got one himself has already seen.

We had an outside fire, I did a really tasty cheese fondue with salami, bread, and since I'm trying to cut back on my wheat intake I tried lightly salted rice cakes & sour cream and onion mini rice cakes, which were pretty darn good! I made a couple of Shandy's for us (yum), and at midnight we had Bailey's over ice (mine with some half-n-half in it...mmmmmmm).

I'm still up, and have lots on my mind -- some good, some not so good. Say some prayers, send some good vibes :D

Happy 2009 to us all, and may the future be full of hope, blessings, confidence, honor, integrity, humor & harmony!!

The Year Ahead

Based upon the last post ~ I decided that I really want 2009 to be the year I keep in touch. Send Birthday Cards, send Thank You Cards, send Thinking Of You Cards, Anniversary Cards, and if I don't get a card in the mail to call or email or facebook...!

And then the usual:

Lose Weight
Save Money
Do house work for 15 minutes a day (minimum)
Sing every day
Learn all my music
exercise 15 minutes every day (i.e., walk the dog)
Seriously exercise an hour 3 to 4 times a week
Go to bed before 10pm
Get up between 5 and 5:30 am
Spend less time watching television (need to be more specific... how about - watch my shows on Sunday afternoons when I'm home)
Limit my time spent online
Plan for Christmas every month (making cards & gifts)
Do it whether I feel like it or not!
Have a meal plan (to save money on the grocery bill)
grow 3 herbs in pots AND keep them alive (mint, basil, rosemary)
Stick to the Plan (keep focused whether I feel like it or not!)
Read my bible every day
Keep my prayer list and use it every day
Be grateful. Every. Single. Day.
Write in my journal (sorry blog world, some things I do keep private ;-) weekly

To me most of these are LIFE changes, not new year resolutions -- so, more of a "New Life Resolution" rather than new and/or temporary. This past year I got the exercise trainer, and just need to get back into the habit... which means getting to work early to leave on time... which means going to bed at a reasonable hour so I can get the unpleasant things out of the way (exercise & housework) in the early morning and still have time to do the things I enjoy (bible study, journaling, blogging, emails, keeping in touch) so that after the exercise in the afternoon I have the energy and time to craft (make cards & scrapbook), work on what my goals are for the yard, work on the music and goals with quartet & chorus, cook an evening meal and still spend some time with my amazing hubby.

Christmas Eve 2008

I have to say this Christmas has been very weird.

No tree (a first for me) up. Not a single house decoration out.
Haven't sent or given a card... some work people got some ornaments, and that's it.
Himself and I aren't giving gifts to each other, but we need to give gifts to others...

Mom loved her Heritage album -- and her necklace, and her CD (which will also be sent to Dad after the Christmas rush...)! L appreciated his camouflage rifle bar-b-que lighter. I've not deposited Christmas checks from MIL, and the house is a mess. It just feels incomplete - and I think this feeling is because of all the 'unfinished projects' at work.

I started out with a plan, and good intentions, but sitting in front of the boob-tube increased the feelings of "don't feel like it" - along with the messy house, kitchen, craft room and what feels like my life in general. Doing everything based on how I feel is very dangerous indeed - and is a habit that needs to change.

I'm in a weird place... and I hope everyone is having a more peaceful holiday than I seem to be bringing upon myself .

Catching Up With Photos

These are the "Pebber Nodder" Danish Christmas Cookies ~
recipe to follow... (these are the ones that call for white pepper in the
recipe -- and so far have been a favorite of all who have tried it)
I know they're not much to look at ~ but they're good!


These are the "Cookies in a Jar" Orange-flavored Cranberries & White Chocolate chips.
YUM! (Recipe to follow)



These are "Grandma's Ginger Snaps" or something like that -- very very good!
crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside! One of my favorites!
(you'll see evidence of the white pepper for the other cookies on the counter - ignore the dirty stovetop...)


These are the Holiday Cards we made in the Craft Class in November --
I don't have a picture (yet) of the snowflake ornaments...

I remembered this morning that my new computer at work has a multi-card reader
built into the base... and I can transfer photos from my camera card to my thumb-drive
and take those home and download via USB. YAY!

More photos coming... but wanted to prove that I've done a FEW of the many cookies to bake ... more cookies (and recipes) coming soon!

Christmas in Cave Creek

Drove up to have Christmas with mom and step-dad for this weekend... brought the Heritage Album I've been doing for mom... and I was right, some of the photos in this book of her at toddler and younger age she's never seen before. I couldn't wait to give it to her -- so last night at 11pm I said, "I can't wait" and gave it to her -- and we'll go over to her oldest sister tomorrow to verify locations and dates... Feeling very happy that I did it and it is done!!

I also gave her a cappella company's "Praise and Harmony" CD -- choral singing of a cappella hymn favorites. She's loving it :D She put it on the stereo and music is filling the house. I've been drinking flavored coffee, reading book 4 of the Jan Caron "Mitford" series, eating delicious coffee cake, listening to great music and just hangin' with mom. It is good.

I have one more thing for her -- my friend and co-worker (Artisitic Director of TGC) is from Colombia, and her mother is up here visiting for the holidays -- and her mother (who speaks very very little English) makes these incredible one-of-a-kind and unique necklaces. Last year my friend wore one every so often and said her mother had left some with her to sell, but she never remembered to bring them to me at work... well, last Thursday her mom brought at least a dozen necklaces to our Staff Holiday Lunch Party and I bought 3!! Yikes!! One for me, one for mom, and one for awesome aunt M. who bought me lots of great baking things at Target for my b/day and Christmas.

I have a lighter in the shape of a camaflouge rifle for step-dad.

Do I need to say anymore on that?

I think I want to make some more ornaments... still can't get photos off my camera without going to Walgreens, so photos of the really fun and festive ornaments I made for work peeps (until 1am Wednesday night/Thursday morning -- just in time for the 11am work party... nope, not a procrastinator, not me?!!).

Peace!

Monday's Thoughts

So ~ I got almost all the components of mom's gift done ~ one more thing to do, which will take about an hour. I'll go over to T's tonight and finish. Didn't get a single ornament done.
* * * * *
When I got home last night (around 9pm) ~ himself starts out with, "Well! Let me tell you about YOUR dog!" and proceeded to tell me that while he was out, the 8 x 8 Corningware dish that held "Bill's Magic Cookie Bars" (or, what was left of BMCBs... about one 1/2-inch row of graham cracker/chocolate chip/coconut/evaporated milk gooey goodness...) was broken, there was crockery all over the house, and blood on the kitchen tile... apparently licking broken glass isn't enough to deter my determined dog from licking and eating anything... no blood left on him by the time himself had returned home from Lowe's -- but Rascal was i.n.s.a.n.e. from the sugar rush and wouldn't calm down... other than being super hyper he wasn't injured, nor did the chocolate seem to adversely affect him.

We started watching "Hancock" (the reluctant anti-hero superhero with Will Smith, Jason Bateman & Charlize Theron) -- which was a much better movie than I anticipated ~ Will Smith is just a good actor, and there was quite a bit of comedy in the movie too. Anyhoo - in the middle of the movie himself took the dog for a 15-20 minute walk because Rascal was so hyper. Then we did the "Run Down The Hall and Jump on Our Bed As Fast As You Can, Then Jump Off and Run Down the Hall Just to Do It All Again" game for a few laps, which seemed to tire him out... but holy cow!!
* * * * *
This weekend we also watched "Chronicles of Narnia ~ Prince Caspian" ~ which was excellent also. I read that entire series but didn't remember a single thing except the part when Lucy sees Aslan but no one believes her and they should travel one way but go another and end up going back and taking the original what-seemed-impossible-but-isn't path...

Some violence... but without being bloody, gory and gratuituous... nobody naked... nobody swearing, although there might have been one "hell" -- yet great special effects and general excellent movie making!! It's amazing what a good story can do, eh?
* * * * *
We have Christmas lights up in the front of the house, a new front trellis fence with one gate done and another being built (another Rascal-proofing measure), but still don't have the Christmas tree up. At this rate when it goes up it probably won't come down until around Valentines Day. *sigh*

'Tis The Season!

The concert is over... it was beautiful as usual! Our parent volunteers who co-ordinate the entire thing are awesome. My work is all the run up to the actual day... on the day I bring the money for change for the box office & flowers; and I bring the programs... then I sit around and chat to the fun parents... mollify the uncool parents... and stand around looking official... letting everyone see that Staff is at least a presence. I also watch the box office during the show ~ because we often have quite a few latecomers -- even in the 2nd half!
* * * * *
So -- I got up at 10:30 am yesterday and made my list for CRAFT DAY at T's:

Goal #1: Finish Mom's Christmas Present. I don't think she remembers to read this blog very often (or else I'd have more embarrassing comments ;-), but just in case... I got half done Friday night (very very pleased with myself!) and think I can knock the rest out today.

Goal #2: 25 ornaments made. This may be a little optimistic... but whatever.

To Take (In my HUGE black rolling suitcase, no less):

• Plain Glass Ornaments (to decorate) check
• Beading Supplies check
• Bewjeweller & crystals check
• Hot Glue Gun check
• Quick Cutz Die Cut tool & Dies check

In my other rolling cart:

• Some scrapbooking embellishments check
• Embossing Gun, poweders and ink check
• Glitter & Aleen's Craft Glue check
• 3 different kinds of hole punches check
• The stamps I use to decorate the glass ornaments check
• Scrapbook Paper to stamp on ... still looking at what I have... may need a Michael's run
• Cotton Swabs & styrofoam bowls to hold the glue check
• Fancy Scissors check
• Personal Trimmer check
• Adhesive Options: Zig Pens (2), Tombo mono-glue runner (2), Xyron "X", Zots (3 sizes), Double sided mounting tape, -- plus the aforementioned hot glue & Aleen's Craft Glue, Pop-dots (3 different varietes!)
• Tulle Net (for ribbons on cards) check
• All My Ribbon (2 containers full) check
• Colored Pencils check
• Stamp cleaning Supplies check
• brushes for watercolor pencils check
• Sponges for stamping check
• Extension cord -- cuz they always come in handy!
  

I still don't have packed:

• Watercolor Pencils
• Chalks & hairspray (to "set" the chalk with)
• cardstock - plain and colored

You would think, after this list... that my craft room and supplies would be empty. But no.

It is hard for me to stay focused on the one task at hand. I've got a few ideas for the ornaments -- but really should stick with one or two at the most...! I also want to make little tags for each ornament with the person's name and year on it -- I have the tag-maker (a brand new punch from CM!) now, which I'm looking forward to trying out.

Oh the obsession...

I still want to make the circle/triangle paper ornaments again, cuz T bought a Sizzix die that cuts and scores the circles -- which will save MOUNTAINS of time to make them!
* * * * *
I won't have time today to post the recipes or photos of the cookies -- but on Thursday night I made "Bill's Magic Cookie Bars" and "Raspberry Oatmeal Bars" -- I forgot the flour in the raspberry bars. They look funny but taste good! the 'magic' cookie bars need some modification before they get given away to anyone ~ but they taste yum-mmmeee!!

So -- I've made 7 cookies (8 if you count the 'bark') in the '25 days of Christmas Cookies' so far... with the concert over I should have the energy to do a few more this week. The weekend will be at mom's ~ and she may be up for doing some of the roll-out cookies... I'll bring up my new awesome non-stick rolling pin! :D

Happy Crafting & Cookie Cooking to all....

Crazy Busy

Hectic & Busy... but a good time.

I've not been sleeping all that well ~ too much to do and not enough time in which to do it!!

But... I'm in a new quartet - so a Big WhOO HOOoooo!!!

We sang on Sunday up in the Phoenix area, and had the 'lay your cards out on the table' talk and rang quite a few chords... and ate some Christmas cookies! They all want the recipes - which is a good sign.
* * * * *
I haven't made any cookies since the Cookies-In-A-Jar recipe - which is delicious... so I can now safely give away this as a gift, now that I've tried the recipe!

I've been home too late to be in the mood to bake -- I would have started a batch tonight at 9pm, but have to get up at way-too-early to go to way-too-far-away work Board Meeting -- and don't have any of the fru fru niceties that I wanted to have for a few of the folks -- but I'm hoping to take care of that this weekend at the CRAFT DAY on Sunday afternoon with my pal T.

Saturday I also hope to bake bake bake and get the things I want to make organized to take to her place.
* * * * *
Friday is a crop, and I'm bringing my new (I still say new, but she's been there 6 months!) office assistant, who scraps a little, but needs to be introduced to the obsession...

And I made plans to craft later on in the month with one of the moms who is a friend from work... so that will be fun too.
* * * * *
I've still not got the tree up (which makes me bummed) and not sure when it will get up -- maybe Saturday... but only if we move some furniture around -- right now we don't have the room.
* * * * *
Went to my chorus' show on Saturday afternoon - it was really good! Spent the morning with my Aunt M ~ we went to breakfast at the Good Egg (yum) and I filled her in on the drama of last year's birthday story... and then she took me shopping -- I wanted some baking supplies so we went to Target and got some good stuff.

One of the reasons I've procrastinated baking is that I don't have the room to do any rolling of any kind... so tonight I went to the dollar store and got a holiday plastic table cover, and will use it to cover the dining table and do my rolling out there.

I do need to do some serious clearing of that flat space, however, first.

After the show we went to dinner with mom and "mom 2" - another "M" -- to a restaurant I've been wanting to try for awhile, but the wait is always ridiculous... so going at 4pm on a Saturday would be a good time to avoid the crowd. Oregano's is very good, with HUGE portions at extremely reasonable prices ~ my 4-cheese pasta was a bit on the dry side, but very tasty... and it came in a baked bread bowl, which was cool!
* * * * *
Well, time to snooze -- these mornings are cold and dark!

25 Days of Cookies... Decided

I've found the 25 + 1 cookie recipes to try... in no particular order of preference:

1. Pecan Sandies
2. Chocolate Chip Kisses (Meringues)
3. Millionaires Shortbread
4. Easy Decadent Truffles
5. Raspberry Oatmeal Cookie Bars
6. Highland Toffee
7. Frosted Banana Bars
8. Grandma's Gingersnap Cookies
9. Chocolate Brittle Surprise *made these last night
10. Apricot Tea Cookies
11. Bill's Magic Cookie Bars
12. Lemon-Lime Crackle Cookies
13. Chocolate Crinkles
14. Dora's Christmas Cookies (to decorate)
15. Spiced Gingerbread Men (to decorate)
16. Eggnog Cookies
17. Lemon Square Bars
18. Big Soft Ginger Snap Cookies
19. Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti
20. Delicious Christmas Cookies (Graham Crackers & Coconut)
21. English Tea Cakes
22. Peppermint Kisses (Meringues)
23. Chow Mein Noodle Cookies (aka "Bird's Nests")
24. Frosted Butter Pecan Cookies
25. Pebber Nodder (Danish Christmas Cookies)
26. Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

I've printed out the recipes (all but one came from All Recipes.com) and I plan to photograph and post (plus review on the All Recipes site) my success (and failures). I need to take a photo of the Chocolate Brittle Surprise... which is very very easy, satisfies the sweet tooth and can be flexible with the ingredients (always a bonus when you're dying for sweet and don't have much in the house!) It is fast, no fuss, no candy thermometers (another plus) -- doesn't look terribly festive for a cookie exchange or a gift of cookies to give away, but I like it. One of the reviews referred to it as "Bark" - which it kinda is like... (not woody, however ;-) Himself didn't seem to be a big fan, but hey - more for me!!

I'm thinking (really, worrying) now about realistic storage and presentation -- and while ziplock bags do wonders, am wondering what the best solution will be in keeping the cookies until it is time to give them away. If I could clear off one small section of counter next to the stove, that would be the perfect place for ziplock bags and/or Ziplock Storage Containers...

I had the kitchen clean yesterday -- now it is a mess again -- I did make some awesome Turkey Soup, however!! Not the healthiest after-much-turkey-what-do-I-do-with-the-leftovers soup, but extremely yummy.

I so don't want to work -- I just want to stay home and clean my house and get ready for Christmas!! (whine whine)

Great Times ~ Great Friends

Yesterday was a really great Thanksgiving at one of my good friends' parents home. Their In-laws were there from Washington state... kids were around... there were dogs... and football... and much fun was had at my friend's expense... and her sister enjoyed having someone else to pick on her with...

The food was good. The day was cool (for a change -- fall like, instead of Indian Summer/Hotter than it should be ;-)... and we have so much to be thankful for.

* * * * * * *
I want to do a 25 Days of Christmas Cookies -- experimenting with Biscotti, shortbread, cookies I've never made before...and then give them as gifts in decorated bags with hand-crafted Christmas Cards. A noble goal.

I figure finding 25 (or more) cookie recipes to attempt shouldn't be hard -- the hard part will be narrowing them down! Ziplock bags and wax paper should keep them fresh in the freezer until it is time to give them away. I've started the list of people I want to give them to, and dates to have them done by in order to get them to those people before I stop seeing them before Christmas...

This project should help me keep my kitchen clean because I hate cooking (especially baking, for some reason) in a dirty kitchen.

At the same time, I want to put together in a much more organized fashion, my own cookbook of recipes that we've tried and liked and that I should make more often. I have a binder of recipes that look good that I want to try -- some of which I have done with much success... but organizing a recipe book is a bit daunting -- categorizing dishes that could be "main" or "side" or even "Appetizer" -- my few attempts at getting it organized have seen me become incredibly overwhelmed, and just get up and leave the table (in search of food to placate my feelings of disorganization and lack of self discipline for not finishing what I start), and then leave the PILES of papers, recipes, binders, pens, notecards etc... on the dining table; which then makes me feel even WORSE about the lack of organization, self-discipline etc...

Right now I'm making Turkey soup from the Turkey Carcass -- my first time, really... I want to try homemade noodles for it -- but not sure I have enough room in my kitchen to roll them out.

* * * * * * *
I watched the last half of the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Special last night, and then another Charlie Brown Mayflower Special that I'd never seen before. I like the Charlie Brown Holiday specials a lot! I wish we had "The Snowman" (A British Holiday animated no-words-just-music special over here...) to watch. I hope to get to watch some of my faves... I need to find out from the website what the schedule(s) will be.

20th Anniversary of my 21st Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday... it was pretty quiet... himself got me a 22-inch flatscreen monitor for my 'puter (Yay Himself!!)... Dad gave me money & a cool book "Then Sings My Soul" - 150 Christmas, Easter and All-Time Favorite Hymn Stories... Mom bought me a pair of shoes... 2nd mom gave me a $25 Gift Card for Michael's Crafts... ex-step-mom (who really is still very mom-like) gave me a watercolor of a sunset she painted herself... very cool... and a couple cards, and a neat bag 'o gifts from one of the cool moms at work with musical motif things.

We ordered pizza last night and watched tv -- and that was about it. I'm making a cheesecake for Thanksgiving tomorrow (since I don't like Pumpkin Pie)... actually ~ give me a plate of mashed potatoes & cheesecake and I'm thankful!! :D

I'm once again burned out/bored at work... same stuff, different day -- and then I feel bad about feeling that way.

But I'm excited about a possible new quartet -- as my friend says, "eager to pursue" it and see what happens!!

Obsessed -- sometimes (long)

So -- Sweet Adelines International Convention happened November 4 - 8 (I started this post on the last day of the convention, November 8th while watching the chorus finals) in Honolulu Hawaii. The organization started broadcasting live over the internet a few years ago -- so somewhere in the range of 3,000 women worldwide watched the contest...

Wednesday (November 5th) was Quartet Semi-finals
All the winning quartets from 35 regions around the world in one place to compete - plus 4 or 5 "wildcard" quartets. [Wildcard quartets have the top 5 scores worldwide -- but who didn't win their region -- some regions have some really high-scoring quartets. The Wildcard aspect came about because in some regions the same quartets (and choruses) kept winning... but that region's second place quartet score was higher than many of the winning quartet in other regions.]

Because the 15 top-scoring quartets at international contest do not have to re-compete in their regional contests the next year in order to compete at the international level again, in theory the quartet contest could be 35 + 5 + 15 quartets -- each singing no more than 6 minutes each = 55 quartets. This year there were 50 competitors. That is a minimum of 300 minutes. It takes judges between 5 and 15 minutes to score between competitors... so this is a MARATHON of singing.

The director of my chorus (Tucson Desert Harmony), Dayle Ann Cook, is the Lead (singer) of SparX quartet -- and they made the top 10 quartets -- enabling them to move on to the Finals (which was yesterday). Our region (Region 21 is S. California, Arizona, New Mexico & El Paso TX) had two quartets competing in the finals... SparX, and Affinity - the members of which are another post.

Barbershop singing has a PR problem... if you don't know firsthand, then you think singing barbershop is 4 (old) guys with waxed handlebar mustaches and striped vests with straw hats singing "Goodbye You Coney Island Baby." Singing 4-part a cappella harmony is actually quite hip today! This ain't your grandpa's barbershop, baby!!

CARA - Contemporary A cappella Recording Award (Sponsored by CASA - Contemporary a cappella Society) they have a barbershop category in the contest! CASA is hip, its funky, it has cool young people! There are colleges & universities out there that young people choose because of the a cappella extracurriculars! I'm tellin' ya it is COOL!

Sweet Adelines is one of the most dynamic, supportive and organized women's organizations that exist today. With Vocal Education as a core belief, and hundreds of amazing vocal teachers, educators, and women who exemplify that really -- we can be whoever we want to be -- it is a shame it has to fight such an old-fashioned image. It encompasses women of all ages, sizes, backgrounds and abilities... with the goal of constant "Lock and Ring" in singing -- creating an audible "fifth voice" -- a note that is heard above the highest note being actually sung. Music is such a beautiful marriage of Left and Right brained talents -- the art and science a perfect blend!

Real Women. Real Harmony. Real Fun

This Organization offers constant education regarding singing, leading, strategic planning, marketing & team management -- by women who are successful in their non-singing lives in these areas. Opportunties to develop just about any skill you can think of exist and all you have to do is sign up ... and of course, pay $!

Singing is good for your health. My personal motto is, "Everyone can sing, not everyone has to listen!" Singing in a group creates an energy that spills over into your life, and, to be simple -- just plain makes you feel better about yourself and your life. Getting to chorus after a long (and sometimes crappy) day at work is sometimes the hardest thing to do -- but wow -- afterwards I feel energized, enthusiastic, optimistic and happy.

As we age, singing helps in all sorts of ways... an excerpt from the linked article above says this about singing and seniors:

Singing, particularly in a chorus, seems to benefit the elderly particularly well. As part of a three-year study examining how singing affects the health of those 55 and older, a Senior Singers Chorale was formed by the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C.

The seniors involved in the chorale (as well as seniors involved in two separate arts groups involving writing and painting) showed significant health improvements compared to those in the control groups. Specifically, the arts groups reported an average of:

• 30 fewer doctor visits

• Fewer eyesight problems

• Less incidence of depression

• Less need for medication

• Fewer falls and other injuries

Even lead researcher Dr. Gene D. Cohen, director of the Center on Aging, Health, and Humanities at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., was surprised at how big of an effect the seniors' arts participation had on their health.

"My surprise was not a factor of whether the intervention would work, but how big an effect it would have at an advanced age," said Cohen. "The average age of all the subjects was 80. This is higher than life expectancy, so, realistically, if an effect were to be achieved, one would ordinarily expect to see less decline in the intervention group compared to the control. The fact that there was so much improvement in many areas was the surprise factor."

The seniors themselves also noticed health improvements, said Jeanne Kelly, director of the Levine School of Music, Arlington Campus, who led the choral group. The seniors reported:

• Feeling better both in daily life and while singing

• Their everyday voice quality was better

• The tone of their speaking voice did not seem to age as much

• Easier breathing

• Better posture

America, Get Singing!! Belt it out and Feel Good about it!

I have more to say on the subject, but this is a LONG post!

Long Time Not Here...

I'm woefully behind in blogging...

I got back from my voonderbar week away -- and hit the ground running with prepping for the TGC Rummage Sale.

I hate the Rummage Sale.

In case I'm not clear - the Rummage Sale and everything it is associated with... -- is detestable.

I enjoy going to other folks' rummage sales... yard sales... etc... It gives a peek into how strange people live (and by strange I mean unknown... and sometimes weird).

Last year we made $3,000 on the Rummage Sale and for all the agonizing over the lack of help sorting and pricing through the donations that over 100 families dropped off (that is a lot of trash... er -- treasure!!) -- fretting over how many volunteers were actually going to be there to help on the day -- struggling with l i f t i n g and c a r r y i n g -- two things which are truly truly odious to me... I figure $3,000 was barely worth it.

Yesterday we'd only made $1,500 -- which really sucks cuz we were more organized, had done more pre-advertising... had our girls promoting on a local radio station the Friday morning before it starting... had signs out... and in the economy we're in one would think we were in a position to do better. But no.

It will be over today. And for that I'm grateful. And in case you're worried that my feelings are not known amongst my workmates -- please do not be worried.

* * * * *

As for my terrifically fantastic vacation -- I scrapped over 50 pages in total -- 25+ for my sister (with some pages done from said sister and step-mom); and 25 pages of my good friend D's 40th surprise party (he turns 42 in February). I still have the random life photos to put on the pages for D's second album... but the party is done done done.

Seeing family was great -- as always. It was a huge bummer himself couldn't come with me :-(
and he was missed big-time by my family. We played Taboo and Catch Phrase and Clue... ate obscenely (though not as bad as it could have been), and I did a lot of laying around -- oh, and did I mention scrapbooking?

We went to Sea World in San Diego -- and I haven't shared with the world the results of my doctor's visit the Friday before I left -- I came away with the knowledge that my knee issues aren't just because seats are too low... my knee cap is sliding out of its groove -- my sis gave me some exercises to help with it -- and walking helps a lot. I mention it now because walking 600+ acres of sea world wiped me out. I mean, I was done by the time we had walked from the car to the entrance... which is so very pathetic and didn't help me feel good about myself. I got some good pics, but still have to get them off my photo card at the drugstore -- card reader at home isn't wanting to play.

I also came away from the Dr. with high blood pressure medicine (I blame the job -- NOT that I'm way overweight and don't exercise --NNOOooooo.... those two things have nothing to do with it!! ;-) -- some happy pills (which I'm extremely happy to have), and two other things that I won't share with the world, but suffice to say that these are things that never crossed my mind in my 20's & 30's. bleh -- I say BLEH to aging ungracefully (disgracefully??).

After seeing family, I went up the mountain 7,650 feet to Big Bear to scrap with 38 other women for 3 days. I've never done this kind of thing before (not that I haven't wanted to!), and it is so worth saving money and doing 3 times a year! I got so much done, had tons o' fun and I was relaxed and truly vacationing... usually I'm scrambling seeing and doing as much as I can when I go away -- and this was just a really really wonderful chance to unwind and be lazy but still get stuff done!

And I was blissfully chilled - cold even! The weather was gorgeous - warm in the sun, cool in the shade, a beautiful breeze... the hotel was kinda cheesy but very comfortable and the staff was friendly and the food was (mostly) very tasty.

T and I are planning to plan a local (but still 'away') scrapping weekend -- I'm muchly looking forward to it!

Craft Class - October 2008

Craft Class Toilet Roll Napkin Rings

(Try to ignore the distracting mess of my desk...)

Voting in Arizona -- morphing to ranting about poorly designed websites

Beware a whiny, whiny rant.... with some valid points :-)

Today's the deadline to make sure you're registered to vote in the upcoming General Election.

Of course, we moved in October last year -- and I just today changed my address via
ServiceArizona's EZVOTER.

It (meaning the EZVOTER website and its services) wasn't advertised in the paper, on the radio or tv that it could be this easy (to change your address or party affiliation online). But I remember seeing the option when I changed my driver's license address (online) a few months ago... and I totally meant to go back, but didn't write it down, so of course, forgot that it was that easy.

But, as it has been publicized last week on my radio station, and on the news Friday night -- that today is the deadline, I dutifully went online with a vague memory of knowing it could be easy... a couple weeks ago -- rather than having to go to a (gasp) building (horror!) during business hours (oh the inconvenience...!) to the police station, the voter place, the library etc... and for whatever reason (like maybe it was too late at night for me to be coherent using a search engine), I couldn't find the right websites. All I got was Pima County blah blah blah.

Well -- THIS is the site I was looking for... easy-peasy lemon-squeezy! Easy, intuitive, informative! So thank you Jan Brewer, Secretary of State in Arizona!! No thanks to Pima County... where this page gives nothing simple or easy -- very small and hard to read if you're over 50 -- and I just noticed the small link with absolutely no explanation for EZ VOTER at the very bottom of the page.

[pet peeve: if you don't know........., you don't know to ask. Put another way -- if you aren't aware that there is more information to be had, and you don't know enough about what it is you're doing and/or how to do it... sometimes you don't have a question -- because: you do not know that you don't know... make sense? I'll talk about Benidorm and travel brochures for package holidays in the UK in another post!!]

*Make the connection in my seemingly unconnected pet peeve and stupid web page-- if you don't know EZ Voter exists, you don't know what you're looking for, and there isn't a simple wee explanation that says something like "Change your address or party affiliation online with EZ VOTER" -- I know I sound like a big whining baby -- and perhaps I am -- but seriously, why go to the bother of putting the link on the page without some kind of publicity about what it does. I'm sure the employees in the Pima County Recorder's office do NOT mind if LESS people call them or come into their office...!*

Which brings to me to a general pet peeve about badly designed, user-unfriendly websites... Don't these people know that if we're looking to do something online we want it spoon-fed to us? (DUH!!) Don't they know we can't be arsed to look it up, drive anywhere, pick up the stinkin' phone.... puh-leeze!! If I wanted to work at it I wouldn't be sitting in my underwear, drinking coffee and eating my breakfast bagel while doing serious work ;-) !!

This website does a valuable, wonderful service and I truly believe in it's mission, cause, the people who work there etc.. but Oh. My. Stars. what a nightmare to navigate. [Of course, I just went there to get the link and it is under construction. hrmph. we'll see....! ;-) ]

All that to say -- I'm quite relieved that I am now legally registered to vote -- because folks, it's gonna be close!

Technology Today

So... after our van was attempted to be stolen (just no good grammar way to write that thought when I'm in a hurry), we had to get the starter mechanism repaired. And there is a computer chip that has to connect with the ignition key (van key) in order for the van to go.

Well -- himself's key is all fine and good.

Mine... not so much. So this morning I had 15 minutes I'll never get back -- thinking the van was broken forever in a weird way that wasn't the battery or that anything was really *wrong* with the van -- when, in fact, I was just using the wrong van key.

My key opens the doors too. It just doesn't make the van go.

Who would think that changing keys (which you think are exactly the same, when in fact they are not), would make the van go.

I tell you -- not such simple times we live in, ya know.

- - - - -
so, now I'm off to teach seniors how to make napkin rings with toilet paper tubes.

I know you want one.

Paul Newman

Hollywood has lost another class act.