Amy the Doggy

In case y'all haven't noticed: I feel like this dog looks.

I am not a complainer. I try to find the best in every situation. I CHOOSE to be happy in all aspects of my life. HOWEVER- somehow, in the last few weeks, my cheerful attitude and zest for life has been seriously sucked out. I need change, and I can feel that.

There's nothing more sad than hating what you love- And this is the just position I found myself in for the first time ever this week. It's awful.

DISCLAIMER: This post has NOTHING to do with my personal life. FYI my PERSONAL life is GREAT and I can't say enough about how blessed I am. This post is in direct relation to my life as a professional...


Continuing on: It used to be that at the end of my work week I would get a little cranky and feel like I was losing my mind a bit. (Beourguestbeourguestyourcommandisourrequestitsbeenyearssincewevehadanybodyhereandwereobsessed...) But about a month ago I began feeling like Monday picked up right where Friday left off. I've tried, for this last month, to buoy myself up and keep myself going, but nothing has worked. All of these feelings climaxed this week with a breakdown. I had a breakdown. That's something I haven't really experienced since my third semester at BYU. But there I was, five minutes till show- only my SECOND one of the week, sobbing because I did not want to go on stage. It was more than "not wanting" to go. I was just plain gut wrenchingly miserable.

I thrive off my time on stage. It's part of who I am. And yet I'm back stage, genuinely so SAD that I can no longer control myself, wishing I were anywhere but here.

Yep, something is wrong, in the life of a performer, when all the joy of what you do has been sucked out of you. When you begin to HATE what you LOVE.

Thankfully, I have been VERY blessed by my Heavenly Father since Monday. I still feel the same, but somehow the ache has been dulled a bit. I am so so grateful for that.



Dunno why I felt the need to share this. But I guess I just NEEDED to.

What's going to happen? I dunno. I am contracted till February. BUT the wind might just be blowing in a direction that will facilitate the change I so desperately need. Things are changing in the life of a certain significant other as well. Sooooooooooooooooo we'll see. And someday I will disclose info. Ha ha.


AGAIN!!!

DISCLAIMER: This post has NOTHING to do with my personal life. FYI my PERSONAL life is GREAT and I can't say enough about how blessed I am. This post is directly in relation to my life as a professional...

IN THE MEANTIME:

I need some sunshine. So here goes:

1. Today I got lots of cute video of my niece. My mom babysits that fabulous baby on Thursdays and sends me video via cell phone all day. It makes me so happy. She's so big.

2. I like "Tracking the Tropics." It's cool. This is one of my favorite sites lately: http://www.wesh.com/hurricanetracker/index.html

3. I'm on week 5 of "The Biggest Loser- Cardio Max" video. I feel stronger and it's awesome! How're the rest of y'all holding up?

4. In one week the Boy and I have been together for ONE YEAR. Wahoo us!

5. I love kitties.

6. Tomorrow, on my regularly scheduled five show day, I only have to do three shows! Yippee! And then my weekend begins!

7. On that note: I LOVE THE WEEKEND!!!! I live for the weekend. I get to relax and go to church!

8. The clouds here in FL are so pretty. I love my drive to work in the morning when it's sunny with big poofy clouds. It was a beautiful morning! :-)

9. In three and a half weeks I get to come to UTAH!!! Yay for friends and family. I so need y'all right now!

10. My new cell phone is great. And I don't ever take it in the bathroom with me... yes, I have learned my lesson.

11. The pasta bowl at Olive Garden is delightful. I have done it twice this week... uh hem...

12. We reinstated OFFICE NIGHT last night!!! Me, Chuck, Andrea, Adam, Rita, and Mark loved re-watching the beginning of season 4.

13. I still really love my little black Shabby Apple dress. It brings happiness to my little life!

14. We got a new flat screen TV at the stage. Such a minor thing brings such happiness to dancers!

15. I really love oatmeal. I eat it every morning and get harassed for it, but I seriously love it. And bananas. I love those too.

16. I also love candy, but I am learning to control myself when it comes to sugary goodness.

17. I'm learning and growing. So I'm on track in life. :-)

Thoughts of a Saturday Morning

Eating dinner in my bedroom on a Sunday afternoon... that's about the height of excitement in my life right now. Ha. But hey- at least I have a really fantastic dress on. :-)

OK- so here are AMY'S THOUGHTS ON A SATURDAY MORNING:

I was seriously disappointed in tropical storm Fay. I don't want to be insensitive here because I know that hurricanes are scary and dangerous things and they have really ruined the lives of some people, but can't a girl from the desert experience SOMETHING tropical-like while she's in FL?? I tell ya, we have worse rain EVERY day at 4 PM here in Orlando than what Fay brought to us. The only difference is that it drizzled for a few days, whereas normally it DOWNPOURS for about a half hour and then clears out. Anyway, there were obviously other areas that were REALLY effected, but here at Disney, Fay was a huge disappointment. Hmph. Now we have Hanna to watch out for... and as long as she doesn't hurt my friends, house, or car, I wouldn't complain about seeing her... (Am I just asking for a lightening bolt or WHAT??? Sheesh...)

Anyway... here are some pics of what I saw of Fay. Tourists are DUMB. Hello folks, big tropical storm predicted for today's weather... "Let's go to Disneyworld!" Here they all are- poncho-ed out.


This was the coolest part of Fay. The night the storm was the worst, the sky was this crazy purple orangey color that I have never seen. Eerie!


The Davelines are here! Yippee! Many of you know my friends Adam and Andrea Daveline. They are rehearsing for Finding Nemo right now and came to see the show on Thursday. I am so so happy to have them here! YAY!


Uh hem... THIS is what I am SUPER excited for:


Yes my friends, The Office returns in just three weeks. I basically can't stand the wait. OFFICE NIGHT IS BACK IN SESSION!!!! (COME BACK ANDREW AND KRISTI!!!!)

I am also happy to announce that Olive Garden is featuring, once again, and for a limited time only, The Never Ending Pasta Bowl. I have greatly reduced the amount of times I eat out in a month, and because of this, I am allowing myself to indulge. Yummy.

I'm on week 4 of The Biggest Loser Workout. It still works. I'm telling you, try it.

In four weeks and two days I get my vacation to Utah. THANK HEAVEN. I really, REALLY, can not wait! I desperately need a break.

Let's see, what else? Hmmmmmm. Nope, I got nothin'.

Except: Thank heaven for Saturdays!!!!

Sunday Sunshine

Can't lie... it was a pretty rough week. OK- HONESTLY it was NOT terrible- my life here is so simple and carefree that nothing could really make it TERRIBLE. BUT I just had a tough time with the monotony that comes with my work. In so many ways I feel like I am suffocating artistically... I HATE that feeling. Right now I would do anything to be in rehearsals for a full length, fabulous musical. Sigh. Anyway, this week I just felt like at any moment I was going to lose my mind. Apparently it's time for a vacation. The next six weeks can't go by fast enough...

Anyway- the happies of my week included:

* Church- I love church. I needed it so badly today, and I am so thankful that for three hours a week I can go to church and feel the spirit, strengthen my testimony, and gear myself up for the week to come. Today we had a beautiful lesson on modern day revelation and the prophet. I was reminded how amazing it was, at this last conference, to witness the solemn assembly as we sustained President Thomas S. Monson as the president of the Church. What an incredible experience.

* All week I've been nibbling on the leftover frosting and Teddy Grahams from last week's road trip. YUMMY! Not GOOD for me, but it sure is delicious!

* Biggest Loser workout video progress: Tomorrow begins week #3. As one reader says, "it will kick your trash." (I agree) Ha ha. I am nervous to add on another ten minutes tomorrow. But BRING IT ON!

* Chuck is in the other room arguing with my roommate about Disney stuff... it has become a Sunday tradition. How great is it that he is so passionate about what he does? I just sit back here and blog... hee hee.

* I thoroughly cleaned my room yesterday. Ah- I love the little haven that is my bedroom. I want my house to be as great as my bedroom. Yeah.

TANGENT:

* Chuck wants to change out of his Sunday clothes. But as he says, "Not in front of yooooou."

Back to happies...

* SOPHIE CAME HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL!!! She looks as good as new... except for the greasy man fingerprints that the workers left on her interior. Hmph. But I love my Sophie. For the almost two weeks that she was being operated on, I had a lovely Toyota 4Runner named Johnny. I was a soccer mom without the soccer or the mom. (Chuck is now done arguing with my roommate and told me that this part about Sophie sounds really wrong... but duh, everyone on here knows Sophie is my car...)

* Chuck wants a kitty REALLY bad now. I have convinced him by making him watch these videos over and over again.








* The trees outside my bedroom window look pretty right now.

* I did all my laundry yesterday. It took all day long. but now everything is so clean! I love the smell of fresh laundry.

* Have I ever expressed on here how much I LOVE Target? What a great store!

* The LHS '98 reunion was this weekend and I saw some pictures thanks to Amber. How crazy it is to see some of these folks ten years later. Some have not changed at all, but others... well, others have a little less hair. Ha ha.

* Tomorrow begins a new week. I'm almost recharged enough to start it. :-)

The Blessed Golden Age

Today I'm obsessed with Golden Age musicals. Actually, I'm ALWAYS obsessed with them, but this week I downloaded the new South Pacific cast recording and yeah- it just reminded me how there is NOTHING like good, classic musical theatre. I ADORE it.

I'm not saying that we don't have good stuff nowadays, but honestly, I just don't get the same feelings as I do with the classics. THAT is the stuff that inspires me. I'm getting really annoyed with the latest Broadway trend of "let's make this movie into a musical!"- I mean really, do we REALLY need SHREK THE MUSICAL? Bah. It was a good movie. Leave it that way.

On the other hand, I WANTED to hate Legally Blonde, but I just couldn't do it... I loved the dang thing...

On that note: I am SUPER excited for this coming Broadway season of revivals: Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, and Brigadoon. NYC here I come.

Thank heaven for the Golden Era of American musical theatre!!! Let's just name a few that I love to get my point across: (For no reason- I'm just relaxing on a Saturday night... and in no particular order...)

Oklahoma!
Carousel
Guys and Dolls
She Loves Me
South Pacific
The King and I
My Fair Lady
Camelot
Brigadoon
Damn Yankees
The Music Man
Gypsy
Hello Dolly
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (actually was originally a film...)
West Side Story
Oliver!

The list goes on and on. Sigh. I love it.

The Armadillo in My Yard

I am reminded of my 4th grade curriculum reading book...

This afternoon I went outside to the mailbox and found an armadillo crawling under my bedroom window. I think I'll call him Rusty. Normally all I ever see here in Orlando are smashed relatives of Rusty, but today I was fortunate to find myself a little living armadillo.

Staying Up Too Late

I am obsessed with the Olympics. Every night, for the last week, I have laid down in my bed with the intention of watching, oh, ten minutes of Olympic coverage, and what happens??? Two hours later I'm propped up by all my pillows nail biting as the results come to pass. Is anyone else suffering from a lack of sleep due to the performances of these amazing athletes?!?!?!?

My New Hobby

I have enjoyed watching for hurricanes this summer. Maybe it's cuz I'm a little hick girl from the desert, but wow- these things fascinate me. There's a chance that Fay is coming our way next week. We'll see!

Nerd.

Irritation

I've been meaning to write about this all week:

You know what drives me crazy??? Cops who misuse their authority. SERIOUSLY. It drives me CRAZY, and it happened TWICE during our road trip last week. Within a few hours, two police officers flipped on their sirens and flashing lights just to go through a red light. The second they got through the intersection, off went the emergency signals. IT REALLY REALLY IRRITATES ME. (And most of you know that irritating me takes a lot of effort...) BAH!

Mystery Poster... (Who I'll probably feel stupid about not knowing who you are...)

So I have a comment from "Ambrosia" on one of my posts below. Who arrrre you? I tried to go to your blog but it's private, so now I have no idea. Share. ;-)

Sonday Sunshine

I didn't do a Sunday Sunshine post last night cuz I'd already posted twice... so welcome to this morning's "Sonday Sunshine."

* HAPPIEST NEWS OF THE WEEK: I bought a plane ticket to come home for TWO, yes, TWO weeks in October. Chuck and I are actually going to Utah at the SAME time for the FIRST time. He's only staying for the first week, but I will be there till the 14th and CAN NOT wait! I can't believe that October is less than two months away. Oh! And I get to go to Conference! It's been years... so again, I'm VERY excited! Yippee for me!

* Frosting and graham crackers are so super yummy. So super terrible for you but SO super duper yummy.

* My Relief Society lesson this month is on Dallin H. Oaks' "Testimony" talk from April '08 conference. SUCH a great talk. I'm excited to study, ponder, and teach this for Relief Society in a few weeks.

* I am working on putting my audition book back together. I am SO out of practice when it comes to auditions. Sad. I need to get back into it cuz ya know... I'm definitely not staying here forever. Ha ha.

* Just now the Today Show mentioned Hong Kong. Sigh. I don't miss the food or the humidity OR the pollution, but I sure miss the people there. I had such a wonderful ward family and amazing cast members.

* My toilet swimming phone passed away this weekend. As many of you might remember, my phone is somewhat of a kamikaze when it comes to the toilet. It loves the toilet. It's been there TWICE. I was able to keep bringing it back to life by putting it in a Gladware container with rice, but on Saturday morning is was done- FOUR MONTHS short of me being eligible for my upgrade. Sigh. Oh well! The SUNSHINE of it all is that it lasted WAY longer than I ever expected it to, AND I am getting a new PURPLE phone. It's pretty. Fed Ex will bring it by Wednesday. Thank you, Verizon.

* I've been reading "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff." That is SUCH an excellent book! I'm pretty chill anyway, but there are things in that book that just jump out from the page, "THAT IS YOU!" Great stuff.

* Sophie will be back from the hospital sometime this week. Yay. I miss my Sophie.

And now it's time to get on with my week. Off I go to work out with Bob. (See my "I Have a Testimony of..." blog below for details. :-)

Time for a Road Trip, a Road Trip, a Road Trip!

I haven't road tripped once since I came to Florida. Granted, driving across the country to get here a year ago was enough to hold me over for a long long time, BUT- after realizing that Chuck and I have never taken a road trip together (a MUST in Mormon dating... HA HA), yesterday was the day. We drove three hours each way, yes, SIX HOURS folks... WHY? Because in a place called Fort Myers, where Biff and Brett lived for about a month, there is a Red Robin Restaurant. Yes my friends, I road tripped to get to a chain burger joint. And BOY was it worth it!!! Have I ever mentioned that I love eating out?

The day began with the regular road tripping car full of treats. Teddy Grahams, Cheezits, fruit, graham crackers with frosting... lots of JUNK, some rain, and a few hours after leaving Orlando, we ARRIVED at...

OK- so y'all need to help me- In Utah, it's Red Robin- America's Gourmet Burgers.... but is the "& Spirits" part of the title in the Beehive State? I don't think so... someone do the research and get back to me.

So off we went to Sanibel Island...



This is the Island of Tacky Mailboxes...

And tacky, but charming little shops...


We visited the beach...






Oh, and we must document the food consumed...








Oh... and did I mention that we didn't eat at Red Robin just once? Maybe we ate there for lunch and dinner... :-)

And the winner of RANDOMNESS in Fort Myers:


Take a road trip my friends. They're just so much fun.

I Have a Testimony of...

WOW. Y'all wanna lose some pounds and/or tone up. $9.96 at Wal-Mart my friends. All you need is this video and a couple hand weights of your desired weight. I sound like an infomercial... but I believe in this video. Yup. There's a six week program and yeah- amazing. That's all. :-) I am retarded. But at least I'm fun.

Oh How I Miss My MDT Friends...

Ah, Jeff Stevens. This morning on Facebook he mentioned these videos he'd posted on YouTube. I miss the crazies. Sigh.

Sunday Sunshine

Not gonna lie- the monotony of my job has been eating away at me the last few weeks. I work hard to keep a positive outlook and attitude, but there are some days where I honestly just might lose my mind if I hear a certain "come to dinner!" song again. Shake it off, Amy... the weekend always comes. :-)

It's been SUCH a wonderful and relaxing weekend. I needed it desperately.

Anyway- so here's my happiness of today and the past week:


* I've had a wonderful experience in sharing the gospel in the past couple weeks. I feel so lucky to be able to share what I know with the people around me.

* We had the most beautiful rainfall today as Chuck and I drove home from Break the Fast. It wasn't the regular downpour that we experience every day around 4 PM here in FL, but just a light, soothing type rain. I LOVED it!

* I found the blog of my dear high school (and junior high) friends April and Dustin today. I lost contact with them back in 2002 and found them as I searched the LHS '98 blog. Good stuff there on that blog. Geez, next year it will be my Class of '99 doing something like that. Has it really almost been TEN YEARS? I remember when I couldn't even REMEMBER ten years ago... now I remember it like it was yesterday. Does that mean I'm getting old?

* I have been cast in Disney's 20+ awards show again this year. Knowing this really made my week! I love doing events outside of Roaring Monster Land.

* Sophie's going to the car hospital tomorrow. I get a rental. I think I'll go road tripping on their mileage. :-)

* Today I made a pretty darn good pasta salad for Break the Fast. And last night I made some good spaghetti and steamed green beans. Yummy. I am getting good at being domestic.

* Chuck puts up with me acting like an idiot. He's so nice. Now see, to most of you "acting like an idiot" would mean that I am acting hormonal, irrational, mean, PMSey, yada yada yada... NO, for :-) I'm thankful that I can bring childlike wonder back into his life. Ha ha. Anyway, I always write about the silly things he does (he did wear my high heels today...), but I fail to mention all the things I put HIM through. And I will continue to fail mentioning them... hee hee.

* Season 5 of The Office starts in only a month and a half and a little bit! So what if it's closer to two months.... I AM EXCITED. The plan is to reinstate Office night here at my house at the beginning of September, re watch Season 4, and be ready and waiting with pizza in hand when Season 5 starts on SEPTEMBER 25. And because I like spoilers:

http://www.officetally.com/the-office-season-5-spoilers

* Chuck sent his portfolio to a Mouse park in a foreign land where I used to work. That could be fun...

* I went swimming Saturday morning. Me, alone.... it was WONDERFUL. I love my pool.

* Shabby Apple's fall line is now on their website. I still like my Antiqued dress the best. :-)

* A few weeks ago I found these new pen-like SHARPIES. I LOVE Sharpies and now they have good pen-like ones for journal writing! YAY!

*My cousin Bryce gets married on Tuesday. Who ever thought my kid cousin would get married before me? Thoughts like this seem to happen a lot in my life lately. Hee.

* And last but not least- 52 weeks ago today I walked into the Buena Vista Ward here in Florida and Chuck decided to be in like with me. Ha ha ha.


Happy August to y'all!!!

Happy One Year to Me!

Today marks

ONE YEAR

of my working for Walt Disney World!

My contract started July 29 last year (even though I didn't really start in show for a few weeks later) . How crazy fast time goes. I really can't even comprehend that all that was a year ago, and honestly, it puts in perspective for me how short a year really is. When I was a kid a year seemed like an eternity, and now it seems like nothing at all. I never expected to stay here as long as I have... so YAY for me!

My Birfday!

What a FANTASTIC 27th birthday I had. Thanks to EVERYONE for the phone calls, the Facebook messages and blog comments, the letters in the mail- EVERYTHING. I honestly feel so blessed to have so many people that I know love and care about me. That was the very best part of my birthday- hearing from all of you. I really have no words to thank you enough for making my birthday special.

The celebrations started the day before when I got to work and found the cute cupcakes made by Kristen... the girl is a domestic diva. Love it. I did five shows, and then Chuck humored me and we went to see.........

I have a sentimental attachment to this show- even though I've never actually seen the Broadway production. My Grandma Colleen saw the show in San Francisco before it's Broadway opening, and I tell you, the woman was OBSESSED for MONTHS. I can't tell you how many times, as I did my weekly cleaning of her house, that I would find her in the living room dancing to the cast recording. Honestly, it's such a silly show- dumb story, cheesy way of tying a bunch of ABBA songs together, but I LOVED it. It's one of those movies that really just lets you forget about everything going on in your life and ENJOY. It's light and fun, Pierce Brosnan SINGS (HA HA HA!), and GOSH it makes you love your girlfriends!!! I'd forgotten how fun it is to sit around and act like idiots and giggle with all the girls. Women truly share a bond that men have no comprehension of. * SENTIMENT *

After the movie I came home and found THIS:

I have a cute boyfriend and roommates. I fell asleep that night with the streamers on my fan singing me to sleep. I felt like a little girl on Christmas Eve! Sometimes I am such a kid...

Morning came! PRESENTS!

And of course I had to eat out... Cracker Barrel for breakfast!

AND Cheesecake Factory for dinner with the roomies and friends!!!

Lindsey's card to me. So funny!

My roommates make fun of me for eating oatmeal every day. Hee hee! THANKS JENNLYN!

Lindsey standing as we all sit down to eat... the poor girl has a back injury that won't allow her to do... well, anything really. BUT she ended up sitting down for most of the meal after this! YAY for milestones!!

Anyone want a CLUB SANDWICH????


Adam's Peanut Butter Cheesecake... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

Such good times.

The Girls

Me with Chuck's roommates John and Brandon

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!
I also got to do some great shopping with money from Chuck, my mom, and dad. THANK YOU!! Aaaaaaaaaaand there's technically more birthday stuff today. We never ate my cake because we were so stuffed from the food we'd been pigging out on all day! YAY BIRTHDAY!

Oh... AND this was the highlight of the day:



Chuck hates cats. I LOVE them. I'm sure we've discussed this on the blog before. ANYWAY- so he got me this card, and then when we met up with his roommates they'd got me the same thing. Now I have two meowing kitty cards to drive him crazy!!!! (Evil giggle...)