Sunday, March 30, 2008

Long day yesterday, but even better than I had expected!

After getting home around 12:30 am, I was too keyed up to sleep right away. I think I fell asleep around 1:30 or 2.

Anyway, yesterday afternoon, we had our first rehearsal of the year for Have Court, Will Travel. I say rehearsal, but besides reviewing the dances, it was mostly a meeting about what changes we are going to make this year, what new shows we are adding (I'll get back to that in a sec), and what we are going to do at Dubuque (if we get to go - crossing fingers!). All that and about about 15 minutes of us all talking over each other because we were so happy to see each other again!

So, the big news for DMRF for this year is the addition of two shows: The Royal Wedding (which will replace the coronation), and something we have dubbed The Fashion Show, which will be the ladies' equivalent to the men's weapons talk (which is always our most heavily attended show).

I am really excited for both of these shows, but even more excited about the Fashion Show because....

I get to work on it! Hollie (the Duchess of Kent) and I are putting together the research and clothing, and with the help of our Queen, write this show. L even told us that this was our show! We will be dressing a lady in waiting from the smock and corset out. And since this particular lady is new, we will be sewing every stitch of this new garb, and will make it as historically accurate as we can possibly get. No theatrical shortcuts whatsoever. We will also dispel some myths of renaissance life, like the myth that they seldom bathed (maybe not in a full tub of water, but most of the middle and upper classes washed every day). I think we can really pack a lot of information about renaissance clothing and day to day life into this show.

I'm so excited!!!!!

Anyway, Hollie and I figured out that we have nine separate pieces of clothing to make for this demonstration. We set a general schedule, and will be meeting a bunch to work on this stuff over the next couple of months.

In addition, I will also be making garb for another court member, plus my son once he's done growing a bit more (I never start his garb until July, or I run the risk that he will have grown out of it!).

Anyway, more on all of this later, as we start working.

I am going to have a great summer!!!!!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Way too many things to do today...

But I still slept in for the first time in a month. Now I have to get my behind off the couch and get busy. It's going to be a pretty good day, if I can get things done as planned. :)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Byers, and Frohike, and Langly, oh my!

Okay, so I have a small Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi problem. It used to be a straight Dt. Pepsi problem, until last May, when I was forcefully reminded of the negative health benefits of caffeine on someone with high blood pressure and a history of stroke in the family.

So anyway, I have a flavored, carbonated water addiction.

This addiction has translated into a ton of those yellow bottle caps (orange if you buy it from a convenience story or soda machine) with the Pepsi points codes. I have been accumulating points and have entered 115 codes (and have another 25 caps waiting to be entered once I get really bored).

If you are unfamiliar with the Pepsi Stuff promotion, head on over to the Pepsi Stuff site for details. You can get free MP3 downloads, TV downloads, CDs, DVDs, and assorted crap electronics by collecting points. Free stuff is good.

So, awhile ago, I had earned enough points to get a DVD. And in the list of available DVDs, I spotted a blast from the not-so-distant past: "The Lone Gunmen: The Complete Series". I just had to get it! I had forgotten about this show, which is weird considering how avidly I watched it, and how terrible I felt when they canceled it (everything I like gets canceled).

The DVD arrived today, and I had the pleasure of introducing my son to yet another geek classic. :) He loved it! So, between working our way through the entire Star Trek Next Generation DVDs (Net Flix), season 3 of Battlestar Galactica (massive marathon necessary this weekend in prep for next Friday!), and now The Lone Gunmen, we're set for awhile.

8 days to season 4 of BSG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Keep feeling like I am forgetting something...

1. Laundry - Check
2. Wipe off counters - check
3. dishwasher loaded - check (not full yet, so can't run it)
4. crochet for 20 minutes - check +
5. Groceries - check (bought and put away)
6. Diet - still on track, but getting harder. Damn restaurant commercials.

And yes, I did not forget about taxes, I'm just feeling allergic to math right now...

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

CBS you suck.

Just watched the last episode of Jericho, and I cannot believe that CBS is so stupid as to cancel it.

This literally was the last show on network TV that I watched regularly, besides the news.

Every other commercial during Jericho was for shows that are finally starting up after the end of the writers strike.

Every single commercial was indistinguishable from every other commercial. Only the characters are different. This is what we have to look forward to. And reality shows...

Sorry. I'm done with you.

Please, SciFi, please buy Jericho! We can't be left hanging like this.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Seriously meant to blog more this past week...

Spent another day sick at home. Friday, I barely made it to lunch, and had only gone in because I needed to cover the lab because the lab monitor was sick. Got home, slept for four hours straight. Fever never hit above 99°F, and was gone by morning.

Saturday morning, my stomach felt fairly normal, but I had the hardest time concentrating on what I needed to do to get ready to go to my parents' house for the weekend. I finally made myself sit down and eat a snack around 11, just before hopping in the shower (did laundry and packed all morning). Had to take my son to get a haircut, and to pick up the Easter candy. Felt fine the rest of the weekend.

And then, this morning, I woke up with body aches, icky stomach, chills, and a low-grade fever again! Of course, we had nearly no food in the house, because I didn't do the shopping this weekend. I dragged myself to the store around 11:30, and it was a huge mistake. I really couldn't sleep either, so I am worn out.

So far, the fever appears to be gone, but I still feel achy. I started to get restless around 7:30, so I pulled out some crochet that has been long overdue for attention. I struggled for awhile with the way I was attaching the second row of loops, then had the a-ha moment that finally made everything go faster. I ripped out the ten inches of the second row, and started over. I finished the second row in less than an hour, where it had taken me well more than an hour to get the ten inches done (40 inch strip of crochet, tiniest thread and hook I've ever used).

The only problem with crochet is that for every hour I do it, it is as hard on my hands as 3 hours of hand sewing or beading. I am all over the place with my typing right now, as my fingers just do not want to move normally. I tend to try to keep crochet time limited, and never when I also have to do hand sewing or cutting out pattern pieces or fabric. This piece should be finished in a couple of days, though, even with limited time. I just want it finished, as it is for someone else.

Okay, there is the rambling post of the week... I may have time to post tomorrow night, if I am not upset by the very last episode of Jericho...

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Diet Progress

Things are going pretty well with the diet. I was a little disappointed in my supper choice tonight, and couldn't finish it. Then, I thought I would try the baked Doritos and salsa, because I was still hungry, and I have been craving it for the last couple of days.

Baked Doritos = gag.

Over that craving.

So far, 11 pounds lost, mainly due to the fact that my parents keep cramming good food down my mouth on the weekends. :) Oh well. :)

Anyway, still have the determination to lose this weight once and for all.

Thank God baked doritos don't taste even half as good as regular....

Monday, March 17, 2008

This is what happens when I get bored.

(cross-posted from my renspace account)

I was bored the other night, and decided to try my hand at making a necklace to wear with my noble garb. I had bought red glass beads, "gold" metal beads, and spared a few 8 mm glass pearls from my collection. The tear shaped pearls are from a Christmas ornament from Hobby Lobby (plastic. unfortunately). I used beading wire as a base. I love how this turned out, and my son thinks I need to make more and sell them. About the only problem with that would be that I can't seem to find glass pearls in the tear drop shape, and these would end up being fairly expensive. It has a nice weight to it. I think I'll be redoing my girdle belt with the wire instead of beading thread.

Anyway, let me know what you think!


Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Spring is a beautiful thing

It's days like this that give me hope that spring will actually arrive, winter will end, I will lose forty pounds without being hungry, find eternal happiness, and live happily ever after.

Well, the first two, anyway...

It got up into the 50s today. Squee!!!! The entire week looks good so far, including the weekend. This winter has been awful, and I am overcome with spring fever now that it looks like it might be winding down.

I'm cautiously optimistic in hoping that we won't end up with a late spring snow storm/ice storm/tornadoes, etc. Of course, this is Iowa, so we'll probably get all three next week...

Of course, I am also in a good mood, as we will be starting Royal Court rehearsals soon, and got a little information about bookings for this season. We have two solid bookings, and one that we just found out about today (doing a happy dance! Once it's booked for sure, I'll share!).

Things are looking up!

Friday, March 07, 2008

Fiasco of an afternoon...

My son was absent from school yesterday due to illness. This afternoon, when he called me after getting home from school, he was really upset.

Basically, when he opened his locker this morning, his textbooks were missing.

The 8th graders basically have only two real textbooks (don't even get me started on that subject) - American History, and Science. Both were missing.

His teachers were no help, basically told him the books hadn't been left in their rooms, and told him that he had to find them himself. Eventually, he found the American History book on the top of his row of lockers, which was NOT where he had left it (in a padlocked locker). He couldn't find his science book.

So, after telling me this, I called the school to find out what we could do. That was another exercise in futility. The school's phone system is completely messed up. I managed to leave a message with the dean of students, but couldn't get through again. Finally, I left work early, picked up my son, and went to the school.

We met one of his teachers while we were looking in their work room (where all found textbooks are supposed to be returned). We didn't find his book in the room, and the teacher kept telling Ian that he shouldn't have left his books on top of his locker, because people will take them. We kept trying to explain that he never leaves his books out of his locker, and that I was concerned because it meant someone else might have his combination. Just didn't seem to get that this was a real problem.

After some searching, we finally managed to find his science book on top of lockers in another wing of the school. Went back and told the teacher we had found it, and where exactly we had found it. Turns out, that row of lockers belongs to some troublemakers who give my son a hard time.

What a mess, but at least we found his books....

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Pizza Quiz




What Your Pizza Reveals



People may tell you that you have a small appetite... but you aren't under eating. You just aren't a pig.

You consider pizza to be bread... very good bread. You fit in best in the Midwest part of the US.
You like food that's traditional and well crafted. You aren't impressed with "gourmet" foods.

You are dependable, loyal, and conservative with your choices.

You are definitely unique and artistically inclined. You should consider traveling to Prague.

The stereotype that best fits you is geek. You're the type most likely to order pizza to avoid leaving your computer.



Very short quiz... Kind of interesting.

Damn, I want pizza now...