Impatience

We're at less than a month until the wedding and it's all going to happen very quickly, so they say. I'm actually quite conflicted. While want time to hurry up so we can get married and enjoy the day and escape on the honeymoon, I also want to be mellow, relax, and enjoy the next 26 days to relish this experience and hold onto the "fiancee" title and the joys of being a bride.

But then, I realize I have some fun surprises in store for B and he has some for me (so he says! eek!) and I think "screw the experience! Bring on May 25th NOW!"

I feel rather schizzophrenic about the whole thing, actually.

You know what I'd like to do? A very fast, high-pitched fast forward to the wedding weekend and then, at its highest moment, when I'm at the point of marital bliss on the wedding day and I take a look around and see all of our people with us and fun surprises and an extremely handsome groom, I want to be able to do this:

The Force was With Me

Today, I was a couch potato. B and I spent our Sunday sharing our living room with 4 of our friends, experiencing a monumental moment: My first STAR WARS viewing.

Yep, you heard me. In all my almost-25 years of living, I've managed to get away without seeing any of the STAR WARS movies. B knew this early on in our relationship, but I think he had a panic attack when he realized that he's about to marry a girl who's not too privy to the ways of the Jedi. Apparently, that's unacceptable.

So, we made a date with fellow friends who wanted to witness this event and brought in a bunch of food and watched all three original episodes (so IV, V, and VI which is kind of stupid to me that it's all out of order) from about noon til 7:00 p.m. with food breaks and um, explanation breaks included.

Yes, explanation breaks. The rules were very clear. I was only allowed to ask two questions that needed pausing to further explicate per film. If I exceeded this amount, I was not allowed to eat the rest of the food (and boy did we have a lot of yumminess strewn about the coffee table). I did a pretty good job of keeping to my limit! I got made fun of a lot for the questions I did ask, but it's okay. I'm used to it!

So what did I think? Eh. Yeah. If I'd never seen any of these movies, I wouldn't be missing the key to life or anything. I guess it was entertaining. Its just hard for me to get on board with aliens and lasers and ships with endless amounts of room to run around and have fights. The movies were pretty choppy and left a lot of details to be figured out, but I'm also a much more specific movie-lover. I pretty much only like "realistic" movies that cover real life issues and people. LIFE AS A HOUSE, SIDEWAYS, GARDEN STATE, SPANGLISH, THE UPSIDE OF ANGER... these are the flicks that really "wow" me. But, STAR WARS is an experience and a rite of passage and I'm glad I now know what all the hubbub is about. It's such a huge part of pop culture, I can finally feel like I'm part of the joke. And the Star Tours ride at Disneyland is no longer a fun, jolty movie-ride. I guess I get it. Now it's time to pop in SPACEBALLS for a whole new understanding of Mel Brooks's world. All in all, it was a fun day and I enjoyed hanging out with our friends.

I'm prepared for the next movie intervention. I'm sure it will be for BACK TO THE FUTURE and the 80s Brat Pack flicks. Yup, that's right. You heard me. What can I say? I guess I'm a traitor to my generation.

Ok, that last line-- can you name what THAT tidbit is from? It's a '90s flick which means a) I've seen it and b) I LOVE it! I guess being a child of the '80s doesn't mean being a movie-lover of the '80s. Ouch, that was way harsh Tai.

We're Good Luck Charms!

Tonight was my first Dodger game of the season and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the new developments on the field level.

I picked up the tickets at my parents' house yesterday and today we headed out to Chavez Ravine in enough time to scarf down some food in the new Baseline Box Club before the game. I've been to the Dugout Club several times and heard it would be a junior version of that. They weren't kidding! It was like the Dugout Club had a baby and its name is Baseline Box Club! Good food, very "El Ay" atmosphere, and a VIP feeling.

Tonight, the club served grilled veggies (delish!), mashed potatoes (ya know, just mashed potatoes) and rosemary chicken (wasn't that good and it's pretty hard to mess up chicken for me). I always love the Caesar salad down in the Dugout Club so I was glad to see that the Baseline Club includes that in their salad soiree. I managed to eat pretty healthy tonight, just biting off a taste of B's spicy Louisiana sausage dog and savoring a chocolate fro yo from the softserve machine.

The best part is the endless sodas and bottled water on top of all this food -- all for free! (well, not "FREE." I mean, I guess it's all paid for up front with the ridiculous ticket price, but you end up not handling cash during the game and that feels pretty cool).  THANKS DAD!!!!

We made it down to our seats to see the Team USA Softball team being honored. Normally I'd shrug in a whoop-de-do way, but Jennie Finch and Alicia Hallowell were there, and they are Wildcat Softball players so I had to give them a few GO CATS cheers. I used to work out with Jennie in the NCAA fitness center (she glowed and looked refreshed and healthy while I was drenched and splotchy like a beast) and knew she'd go on to be famous -- and now she's an Olympian. That's pretty cool. And then there's me, the splotchy beast -- an ex college mascot who sells textbooks for a living.

This post is supposed to be about the Dodgers, not the UofA Wildcats -- sorry!

Anyway, back in the box, we sat and chowed down on peanuts that we brought with us from the Club. I kinda felt sorry for the vendors selling bags of $6 peanuts in the baseline box area -- are people really going to buy items from them anymore now that they have the all-you-can-eat "free" food in the Club??

We watched some of the players give autographs. And by watched, I mean DROOLED because Andre Ethier was directly in front of us and I think he's just a dreamboat.

And then it was gametime! This is us, excited to be at our first game of the season together:

We hadn't exactly been performing well in the past few weeks (I say "we" like B and I are out on the field striking out and dropping balls, but we're such Dodger fans, we have to refer to ourselves like we're wearing numbers in the dugout) so I was there for the food and the possibility of making it on the Kiss Cam (sponsored by Smashbox). I had little to no expectations that anything good would happen.

That's a good thing; I was pleasantly surprised. We all were! The first inning saw some action for us and we were in a great mood by the 7th as we (again, with the "we") leading a sizeable lead over the D-Backs (who I hate very much).

We were in such a good mood, I decided to document our 7th Inning Stretch. I must say, B and I usually are rockstars and harmonize and everything, but it's been months since our last go at The Stretch that we were -- okay, I was -- a little shaky. In fact, I effed up the end. But here you go, for your listening (un)enjoyment:

Needless to say, it was an exciting game as the Dodgers continued to steal, get on and run the bases and the D-Backs continued to drop stupid balls in centerfield. Beautiful. We even got to witness Saito's very first at-bat in the major leagues ... EVER. He didn't swing and he looked like he'd never seen a bat before. I swear he was trying to read a manual, tap tap, and ask "is this thing on?" Okay, so he didn't produce anything, but he did save the game and we walked out of there with a 8 to 3 win!

Good game Dodgers and I'd like to think that B and I were your good luck charms, taking you to a win that's hopefully the start of many more.

My First Tag on the Blog Playground!

My pretty, Southern, newlywed friend Jordana tagged me in a Quirky Survey and now I get to answer! I love these things. I don't know if it's the idea of self promotion or finding a new way to discover my own personality, but I definitely don't shy up at the opportunity to complete these. Apparently I'm supposed to tag others, but we have all the same Blog BFFs so the only one I can think to tag is my soon-to-be Mister! B, be a good almost-husband and go do this on your blog!

 

1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules in your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged.

So, quirks and all, here's ME

1. I'm obsessed with washing my hands and that continuous clean feeling. Like clockwork, I will get up from my chair at a restaurant after flipping through a menu and go wash my hands. If I'm running errands all day, I'll stop to wash my hands in the middle because I can't stand when they are warm and swollen with that dirty feeling. You should see me do my Bathroom Ballet. I manage to do my thing, wash my hands and exit without touching a single thing.

2. I can't stand certain noises. Whistling, tapping on things (but not tap dancing), other nose or mouth sounds all drive me up a wall. Especially when I'm concentrating, I will go nuts. When I took the PSAT in 10th grade, this strange kid sat behind me and he had a nose whistle that sounded like a fog horn compared to the silent room full of concentrating brains. I blame him for my poor results. Also, people at the theater kill me. Just because you have a program in your hand doesn't mean you have to flip the pages or slap it on your lap in rhythm with the music. People can hear you. I can hear you.

3. I don't like air blasting in my car unless I just got in and it's really hot. This usually only happens in the summertime. This is because the air blast will dry up my contact lenses and well, that's just not good while I'm driving. So, I prefer a stuffier/still air car, especially when I'm at the helm. This causes quite an exchange between B and me.

4. I haven't seen a lot of movies. I mean, I have. But, all these "classic" movies that makes everyone gawk at me for having gone all these years without seeing remain absent from my film experience. For example, B is strapping me down next week to make me watch the original Star Wars trilogy. I'm also a traitor to my generation as I typically don't have any desire to see any Molly Ringwald movies or any other '80s must-sees.  And when it comes to fantasy/sci-fi/ridiculous adventure types (no LOTR for me and flicks like Independence Day, and most Harrison Ford films, including all Indianas), I have zero desire to see them. I guess I like real-life, smart, very possible movies. For example, I'd much rather watch The Upside of Anger or Spanglish or Sideways than sit through a bunch of aliens fighting with lava lamps or whatever. It's fine. I'll report back next week after I get acquainted with Chewbacca and the other guys from Star Tours.

5. I can do princess voices. I have this fantasy dream of being a voiceover artist. I mean, I can do more than princess voices, but it's my favorite one. I love doing vocal imitations of people -- celebrity or common -- and nothing would please me more than to be in a recording booth and creating a character. I remember I used to watch Disney's Cinderella as a kid all the time and walk around talking like her. I would even respond to my mom looking down and saying "yes, Stepmother." Yeah, my parents aren't divorced.

6. My iPod is pretty lame. I mean, it's pink and cute and engraved with a quote from Wicked courtesy of B, but that says it all. I have like 3 mainstream albums in there. The rest is all showtunes. My iPod is not the one we grab when we get in the car on our way for a night out of partying. No one wants to get in the mood for some adult beverages to the tune of "There's No Business Like Show Business." Oh well!

 

So, like I said, I tag B!

Really In Depth Movie Review

Just came back from seeing Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I liked it. Entertaining. Celebrity cheat.

No joke. If Paul Rudd shows up under the chuppah on the wedding day, I MAY have to reconsider. It's really true love between us.

He just doesn't know it yet.

Anyway, he had a (not big enough) role in Marshall and made the movie for me. I mean, the speakers on the theater could have gone on the fritz and the rest of the film could have sizzled, and I could've seen Jason Segal's penis 24.5 more times, but as long as I could look at that face....

 

Oh that face.

Love Knots

I joined the Knot when I got engaged because I heard about it through a friend. I figured I'd dive right in and learn everything wedding! I imagined I'd participate on the message boards that are about dresses, etiquette, honeymoons and all the other national boards that are themed to certain topics.

 

And then I met the L.A. Board.

 

And I never even clicked on a national board again.

 

These L.A. girls get it. They are fun and sassy and they have produced some very inspirational weddings. What became a resource became an addiction and what became an addiction became a cluster of friendships that seem too pure and sincere to have been derived from ... THE INTERNET! <gasp!>

I've never left the L.A. Board since. Nothing feels better than to get confirmation about a vendor's practices via reviews from REAL PEOPLE. It's so reassuring to see other planning brides thinking about some of the same concepts and ideas. I am happy knowing that I am accepted and I completely enjoy helping out a fella bride in need.

I never really understood how a message board could ever be such a rock during a time of need. I do now and I am so happy to have discovered it 13 months ago.

MOH-Mania

I just feel like publicly declaring that MOH Annie is the kindest, funniest, most generous and fabulous maid of honor and friend a gal could ever ask for. I could not be more obsessed with another female human being! How did I get so lucky to finally find a girlfriend like her?!

Look how much fun we have!

Every woman should have a friend like Annie! To all you Annie-types out there: Thank you for keeping your friends on track and making sure their dreams and wishes come true.

Computer Crash and Burn

I tapped the touch pad. I frantically pressed the ENTER button. I glided my fingers along random keys. Nothing. Blank. Black.

This is when I would be freaking out, screaming a potpourri of swear words and considering throwing my computer out the window. That is, that's what I would do if this was MY computer; my PERSONAL computer.

Fortunately, my POS work laptop (in this case, POS is the brand name for Piece Of Shit) is the one that's PMSing, so the only form of grieving I can muster up is to shrug my shoulders and mutter a pathetic "well, that sucks" under my breath, and then go about all the other zillion things on my mind.

Alas, the help desk at my company's east coast headquarters declared that my most prized sales tool, my Toshiba tablet, must be shipped across country for further inspection leaving me without a work computer. Can't do much selling when you don't have your most prized sales tool, eh? So I called my boss, sounded really "sad," and he said "Well! I guess that means you're off the hook for a few days. Enjoy your time off." SA-WEEEEEET!

Free vacation/guilt-free hooky days are my favorite. I sincerely hope I didn't lose everything on my hard drive, though, because that really would suck.

Hmm... what should I do on Day 2 of Free Hooky?

La di da da da

It's 12:30 am on Monday morning. B and I JUST got home from Newport Beach where we made like Vince and Owen and crashed a wedding! We didn't eat the food, we didn't pick up the bride and groom... we watched our band play! And let me declare: they rule!!

All 7 members (and the sound guy) were in tip-top shape and it was fun to watch them interact and play a million different instruments. The song selection was awesome and everyone looked to be having a wonderful time. We froze our tushies off as we stood outside on the beach behind the "bandstand" and took it all in, but we didn't care because we "danced" (read: we knee bounced) and smiled. The lead singer, Mark, has quite a personality and will definitely make the event entertaining.

B and I are so, so, so excited to hear Word of Mouth play at OUR wedding in, oh, 47 days!

I'm Here to Please the People

By popular (i.e., 2 people's) demand...

 

My Top 20 Musicals:

20. The Apple Tree

19. Oklahoma!  

18. Mamma Mia

17. The Producers

16. Into the Woods

15. A Little Night Music

14. Jersey Boys

13. Ragtime

12. Phantom of the Opera

11. 42nd Street

10. West Side Story

9. Little Shop of Horrors

8. Hairspray

7. Miss Saigon

6. The Drowsy Chaperone

5. Thoroughly Modern Millie

4. Rent

3. Les Miserables

2. Wicked

1. Avenue Q

 

THIS WAS THE HARDEST THING I'VE EVER HAD TO DO.

Here's the scoop on this list. Believe it or not, this is the first time I've ever put a list like this together. I've never really wanted to for fear of hurting a particular musical's feelings (yes, they have FEELINGS). I'm still not sure this is 100% correct either. However, this list is based on

a) musicals I've SEEN (because there are  slew of shows I love whose cast recordings I only know).

b) the sentimentality behind each show. For example, I'm sure you thought it would be a slam dunk that Wicked would be #1 huh? Well, yes, I'm obsessed with it and I've seen it 8 times, but Avenue Q has so much personal background to it and it's THE show that bonded B and me together. It's just special and cute and fun and clever and has a phenomenal message and score).

c) the "genius" of the show's lyrics/music. In the case of Into the Woods (16), I'm praising Stephen Sondheim's freakish ability to make words work against an anti-melodic sound with a story that's absurd. Not surprisingly, this is what gets A Little Night Music (15) into my top 20. While the story is sweet with a fun and witty love triangle as its twist, the whole show is set in 3/4 time and waltzes its way from beginning to end, only repeating musical themes for characterization and story continuity. Otherwise, it's pure genius the way that Sondheim (again) weaves humor, music and the entire thesaurus into one very entertaining 2-hour side-splitting, sophisticated piece. I respect "genius." This happens in the case of Ragtime (13) and Little Shop of Horrors (9), too. I must also add that that's how The Producers (17) made it onto my list. I wasn't necessarily blown away by the show like the critics were (I did not see the original cast, but a touring cast in Phoenix during college). I mean, it was entertaining and I enjoyed it, but what gets me is that Mel Brooks wrote his own lyrics to the hums that he created in his head. Mel Brook is a smart man and he's only just a little bit funny (sarcasm! He's super funny!). All you have to do is write shit like "Don't be stupid/Be a smarty/Come and join the Nazi party" and you get a spot in  a Jew's Top 20. It's just too good.

d) spectacle. Big, monumental shows that have broken the mold for theatrical process also have spots on here. Consequently, they may not be known for their Sondheim-like genius or Ahrens & Flaherty-like variety (a la Ragtime (13), which has a multitude of songs and sounds, mostly because they're supposed to represent different kinds of people and their cultures during after the turn of the 20th century), but these shows have paved the way for bigger, flashier and, well, $$$-er shows to come. And, at the same time, it WORKS! There are shows that are big and flashy and expensive that are also bad. So, in the case of 12, 7 and 3, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon and Les Miserables have their gimmicks that wowed critics and audiences (the falling chandelier, boat and big elaborate sets; the helicopter; the revolving turn-table stage), and have also influenced the way that theater is presented on stages world wide. This is respectable for sure.

Okay, so this is my list. It's an ongoing list that can be revised and I'm probably even missing some obvious stuff. It's also hard not to include shows that I've been in that are near and dear to my heart just for those purposes (Barnum, Joseph...Dreamcoat), but in the cruel, cruel world of musical theater, thousands are vying for spots and only handfuls get them and my list is no different.

Curtain.

Todd you so!

So, it turns out, I CAN be surprised! I actually liked SWEENEY TODD. I stand by my assumptions that it would be dark and insane, but it was an enjoyable evening. I still don't think the overall show is in my Top 20 (yes, I have a Top 20. Shush.), but the John Doyle-directed production was a fascinating concept. The actors on stage did a phenomenal job acting their parts, playing their musical instruments as IF they were extensions of their bodies (therefore, the way, form and vigor with which the music was played reflected the character's current position), and conveying all parts of London on a very minimal set. The use of the coffin as a restaurant bar, window sill, judge's chamber, barber station and the very symbol itself was absolutely brilliant. The colors on the stage and on the actors were black and white with obvious hints of red, while the lighting designer did the rest of the work to portray moods, times and places. It was just really, really good.

It also didn't make it less entertaining that on our way to our seats, B and I literally ran into our theater company's producer and her director boyfriend. We had a nice time chatting with them and ended up sitting with them. They are very entertaining people with a lot to say, so we enjoy soaking it up and getting to know them better. They adore B because, well, he's a good looking tenor who makes the perfect love hero in pretty much every musical. Me, I'm a dime a dozen ensemble girl, but they like me anyway (probably cuz I'm attached to that good looking tenor). Either way, they definitely add some, shall we say, pizzazz to any experience.

The next show we see is MY FAIR LADY in a couple weeks as the next part of the Ahmanson season. It's funny how we don't go for months and then we go twice in one month. I'll tell ya what we won't be doing next time: eating at Pinot Grill in the courtyard of the Music Center. The food was mediocre. That's okay, we were hungry and were close to eating our own feet. However, dear restaurateurs, you can't make mediocre food, serve it on plastic plates, not even serve tap water, and still charge  $27 for the average meal. You just can't. Oh, wait, yes you can. You are the only restaurant conveniently placed anywhere near the theater. Damn gougers. We totally fell for it, but no more! We can't be swept off our feet by your pretty twinkle lights and romantic outdoor setting! No no, we shall resist you! Plus, our food got cold instantly which is what happens with alfresco dining. Oh well, you live you learn.

When in doubt, bullet it out

Meaning, I am doubtful I have time to write much, so bullet points are my friends...

 

• Weighed envelopes, bought stamps and applied postage on wedding invitations today! They are 108 licks away from mailbox time! Message to mail carriers around the world: You screw up my invitations, you die.
• MOH Annie cleaned out her closet. MOH Annie has lots of really nice clothes that I've drooled over  (ew, not physically). MOH Annie gave me first dibs. Ali has all new wardrobe. "Hi, Ted Baker, nice to see you in my closet. Oh, Mr. Perse, I LOVE your soft T-shirts. Why, hello there Billy Blues! You make my bum look decent!"
• B just got home and we're about to drive down to the Ahmanson to go see SWEENEY TODD. Never seen the show OR the movie (I know. Alert the presses). But it's Sondheim, so that means a) it will be brilliant and b) my head will hurt at the end of the night because he's insane in the membrane (insane in the brain!). Also, the idea of a barber who cuts up people to put into meat pies... ya know, not my thing, but it's part of the season subscription and apparently, this production on Broadway was fantastic, so I'm going in with an open mind.
• Oh, it's almost FRIDAY! Woo hoo! Got some fun things going on this weekend. More to report later!

Invitations are stuffed!

We are one step closer to wedding official-ness here at Bride & Groom Home Base! B and I spent the night stuffing our envelopes (after stuffing our faces; holy moly, have you tried the Bertoli bags of pasta dishes found in your frozen food section of your grocery store? Do not walk - RUN - and buy these mothas. Yes, I just said mothas. That's how content I am with this food purchase, that I am using urban slang. About an Italian dish. They have gangs in Italy.) and completing the whole invitation suite, which is now ready to be mailed out! Woo hoo!

The only thing left to do is a) notify that the  calligrapher that one name is spelled incorrectly -- I can't really blame the lady; a name like Alioto became Alloto so she just misread the dot on the "i" and took it for an "l" and b) go to the post office and have these bad boys weighed so I don't end up with inconsistent weights and the invitations have to all be restamped. Happened to this chick on The Knot and it reaffirms my hatred for the USPS. I swear, when I become a zillionaire, I am going to FedEx everything and avoid the PO like the plague. They eff up so much stuff, it's scary!! I swear, one invite gets lost or torn and heads are gonna roll. AliGoesPOSTAL. That'll be my new name.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of venting about the USPS, can I just say THANK YOU for changing the rates of stamps like 3 days after my RSVP deadline. This really isn't too much of a big deal on paper, but from what I understand, there is such thing as stragglers and I have to put these ugly things on my reply card envelopes JUST IN CASE some lazy mofo (what is with my vocabulary tonight?!) doesn't get the SASE out by May 12th and it never arrives because the USPS won't just throw me a bone and deliver the mail anyway and the RSPV goes unrecognized. So, no pretty flowers or cute stamps for my RSVP cards. Nope. Got a stupid ugly doody-brown cracked bell on the sticky stamp. B called me unpatriotic when I complained about this earlier. So, for the record, I love my country very much. I just do not appreciate the aesthetics of the Forever Stamps as part of my wedding invitation suite. Pretty Crane letterpressed paper and doody-brown Liberty Bells are not friends. Hey, if this is my one Bridezilla moment, I am doing a-okay!