Tonys '07

Whew!

That’s all I can say after a whirlwind weekend in the Big Apple. What a trip, what a city! You’ve heard me rave about NYC before but I can’t go there and not feel like I have to share things we did and saw.

I went there for the TONY Awards… and to see shows, of course. Mark, my hub, is very skilled with a video camera and he was willing to shoot behind-the-scenes with the TONYs and what it’s like to go there as a press person. Very fun. You can check it out below.

Friday on the island of Manhattan, we ate breakfast, put on our walking shoes and walked all over the island. From Central Park down to Greenwich Village – which is quite a hike. We saw everything from sunbathers, the requisite yellow cabs, a Hari Krishna parade and a cat taking a nap in a store window. OH! We stumbled across a great maternity store and found quite a few – affordable – shirts and jeans and what not. Even Mark hung in there and was super patient and helpful – what a guy!

We saw Legally Blonde – loved it!
Curtains – Really loved it!
LoveMusik – Liked it… interesting
Grey Gardens – Not so much.

In between, we ate great meals, people watched and – my ultimate goal – tried not to look like tourists…. Though we always do. Alas…

I love it any time I can make a trip to The Big Apple. It’s an incredible city! Stay tuned for more updates, and more on the TONY Awards. Including: Mispronouncing a few names (not a good idea), and Conan O’ Brien’s Triumph The Insult Comic Dog. UGH!

Parking Lot Pennies

I felt like a poor girl.

I felt like a bag lady.

How could I be stooping to this low?

Is anyone looking at me?

I need to hurry!
But geez… what would you do?

I pulled into the parking lot yesterday to meet a friend for lunch. As I get out of my car, I see this:


So I ask you: What would you do? Was I really that ridiculous to decide to pick up the pennies?

I worried first that the pennies would be stuck to the ground and that someone was hiding nearby to laugh at the poor girl who needs money so badly she’ll pick up pennies. Then as they lifted easily off the parking lot, I worried that I might still be in view of the window or something and was providing someone with ample lunchtime amusement.

But today, I’m 62 cents richer! I picked up 62 pennies yesterday. Now I know all of you would bend over to pick up two quarters, a dime and perhaps the remaining two pennies… or perhaps not.

What’s the stigma with pennies? They still spend, right? Perhaps it’s because they’re not as convenient. I’ve realized that now that I’ve picked up an extra 62 cents, I don’t know where to spend it. No one seems to want pennies. I’m sure you’ve felt the look of “COME ON ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!” from cashiers when you’ve reached in your pocket and pulled out pennies.

But I like them. I’ve decided they ARE worth my time. And in 30 seconds, I earned 62 cents and the knowledge that tires look a little bald (something that’ll require more that 62 cents.)

Today this bag lady will find something to spend her new fortune on. (Though I still hope nobody saw me ;)

Star Wars

I found myself transported to a time long ago in a galaxy far, far away. We had a friend over on Saturday night and the two boys decided Star Wars Trivial Pursuit was the best way to spend our time. Soundtrack playing, Darth Vader noises being made by the men, we began…

Imagine, if you will: Mark – My Star Wars Nerd of a husband. Scot – Our Star Wars Nerd of a friend and me…. Not a Star Wars nerd at all. We were going head-to-head; every man for himself; dog eat dog, Jedis vs. the dark side. But I surely didn’t imagine that they would hold me to the same stringent rules that they had to follow… I mean COME ON!!! Should Mark REALLY get to roll EVERY time he answered correctly?! And shouldn’t I get a bonus of some sort for knowing Tatooine is desolate?

It started with my buddy R2D2 giving me a little help by ‘letting’ me roll 7s while others could only roll 6s. This seemed to cause a stir, but hey… R2 beeped it so.

Scot read me a question about Elephants feet being used as the feet for what creature? Well I had no idea, but Scot helped me ‘ It starts with a B,’ which didn’t seem to bother anyone until I said “Banthas!” Well, that got Mark riled up and Scot vowing no more help to those less fortunate. Heartless.

Bear in mind I suffered through many agonizing minutes while the boys took their turns – discussing Echo Station 3T8, the good and bad of planets Alderaan, Yavin, and Dagobah and dialogue. Something like “Han Ma-bookie.” Yes… that was actually said and Mark seemed to know what it meant (frightening!)

When it was finally my turn, Leia landed on a pink-pie square, though she looked more intent on taking her own life. The question: Who nodded to a disguised Leia at Jabba’s Palace. I pause, think of the scene, Mark and Scot smirk. Imagine their surprise when I say, “Boba Fett.” Then everyone was riled up that R2 helped me land on that square to begin with. Seriously boys? Do you really expect me to play with the same expertise as you? Are we not interested in a LITTLE bit of equality?

I finessed a few more pies by knowing CP30 was in the trash compactor, the name of the Sarlacc Pit, and that Ewoks appear in Return of the Jedi (much to the chagrin of Star Wars purists). But who knew Mos Eisley was a spaceport? Or Mace Windu a person… sound like planets and weapons to me.

Nevertheless, Mark won the game with a question so egregiously simple I can hardly type it here:
Who did the voice of Darth Vader? WHAT?!?!?!?! Can that REALLY even be a question? How annoying that Mark walked away with the game by knowing the great James Earl Jones uttered those famous words “Luke, I am your father.” Come on!!

Here are my proposed new rules for Star Wars Trivial Pursuit when playing with Non-Star Wars Geeks:
Star Wars Geeks (hereby known as SWG) are only allowed to roll (or push R2’s head) 3 times. Period. Then it’s someone else’s turn.
Non-SWGs get to continue to push R2’s head as long as they continue to know answers (trust me, this is still very fair – we don’t know that many answers!)
Someone should be deemed the SW judge and decide if certain questions are too easy for a true die-hard SWG.
Non-SWGs get R2’s help to roll 7 spaces.
Lastly, when a non SWG gets a correct answer – without any help – there needs to be significant rejoicing!!

May the force be with you! (Perhaps that’ll be Mark’s next game-winning question!)

**This was the longest spell-check I have ever sat through. All these silly Star Wars names**

Grandma

I lost my sweet Grandma today

She had a hip surgery. I don’t think there were any complications…. I just think she didn’t have the will to go on. My Grandpa passed away a few years ago and she’s wanted to be with him ever since. There is some comfort in that.

I’ve been so fortunate in my life that I’ve known all of my grandparents well. We’ve lived nearby and I was able to spend a lot of time with them. In the past 5 years I’ve lost 3 of them. Again, I’m lucky that they’ve lived such long, healthy lives. I’ve not had to watch them suffer through disease, Alzheimer’s or anything. They’ve all been clear, lucid and capable up until the end.

It leaves me to think….

As I stood at my Grandma’s side, holding her hand, hoping she would wake long enough to see I was there, I looked at the family pictures that surrounded her bed. Her newest great granddaughter (my niece), her grandson’s wedding announcement, notes written in the hand of a 6 year old, and the picture of her with grandpa…. What a legacy. She leaves behind a big, wonderful, loving, supportive, loyal family that I’m so happy and blessed to be part of.

I wonder, what will my legacy be? Will so many smiling faces surround me? Will Mark and I have logged 60 ¾ years together? Will I see any great grandkids?

Then of course, I’m left to reflect… Did I visit often enough? No. Not at all. I did try and we’d have nice visits. I liked getting her to talk about how she met Grandpa. How they’d only know each other so briefly and she moved off to Texas to marry the serviceman who asked her to move and “keep house” for him.

It’s strange to me that when I’m my parents’ age, I’ll have gone 30 years without seeing my wonderful grandparents. Do you start to forget what they look like? Do you forget that Grandma always had cookies in the cookie jar? Do you forget how Grandpa would cut up watermelon for everyone? Do you forget that Grandma loved to crochet and we’d all run around in slippers she made for us that looked like tennis shoes?

How can I make sure I don’t? How do I make sure I remember my Grandma the way she was and not the way I last saw her, so thin, weak and asleep?

My Grandma was the happiest person I’ve known. Always a cheery disposition, never a cross word and always a glint in her eye… always smiling. She had a tremendous love for her family and could readily recite how many kids, grandkids and great grandkids she had and also tell you their birthdays. We always got a card from grandma on our birthday (usually with $5) and a phone call – a phone call that would begin with her singing “Happy Birthday to you!” Grandma loved celebrations, birthdays, anniversaries any reason for a gathering.

Grandpa was the “most wonderful man anyone could ever ask for” her sons were the “most wonderful sons anyone could ever ask for” and her home was “the most wonderful home anyone could ever ask for – why would you want to go anywhere else?”

Many wonderful memories of grandma’s house fill my head. I wonder if I’ll ever go in the house again. Her famous picture-wall, the sheer closet (we dressed up in her left –over sheer fabric when we were little), the cookie jar, the plants, haunted houses we grandkids made as kids, a few sleepovers on the sofa pull-out which I thought was the fanciest thing I’d ever seen, desserts on Sunday nights, fresh plums, the “C” nursery and most of all, a gathering place for my family. A place to see my aunts, uncles and my cousins every Sunday night – what a treat!

I love and will miss Grandma. But knowing she is with Grandpa makes it easier – I’m sure she’s scolding him for leaving her. And I know they are sitting on the love seat, watching Matlock and holding hands.

Chenoweth

Ah…. The thrill of meeting a Broadway star at the stage door!! Especially one the caliber of Kristin Chenoweth!!

My very good friend Matt and I did just that after seeing the start light up the stage in The Apple Tree. In which she was smashing, by the way.

The guy told us she would “not be posing for pictures and have your playbills ready!” So Matt and I devised a scheme: “Okay… when she signs your playbill, stand close to her and I’ll get your picture and when she signs mine, you get a good picture of me!”

The plan was set and we were giddy! We got closer to the front and then it was time.

Here is the great photo I took of Matt with Krisitn. Isn’t it great? Look how smiley they both are! They look like old friends – not to mention a great shot of the playbill too!!

Now, here is the picture my good friend took of me!


What?… can’t find me?…. Look for the light blue coat.

Thanks matt!

P.S. I gotta believe Ms Chenoweth wouldn’t be very thrilled with this picture either!

Shredding

Shredding!… is that how the young, hip ones say it?

My sweet uncle (the same who tried to teach me to swim…. If you’ve read my past entries) is a ski instructor at Brighton Ski Resort. He’d been begging us girls to come up and take a snowboarding lesson.

Well, Saturday night 5pm was the night.

I broke out my mostly unused snow gear and headed up the canyon. As I sang along with my Dreamgirls CD, I noticed all the cars coming out of the canyon were filled with people smiling. Knit caps still on, noses still red and big, big smiles.

At the top of Big Cottonwood canyon, Brighton looked like Planet Hoth (a Star Wars reference for my cute husband Mark who, by the way tells me there are also Wampas and Taun-Tauns there – luckily none of which were at Brighton).

So we began. First learning how to dress properly, neck cover over hat, goggles over all of it, how to put our ski pass on (the sticker covers the hole) and how to put on those boots – almost a workout in itself. Then we figured out if we rode “Goofy” or “Fakey” – which is essentially which foot you prefer in front (Hey… I didn’t make up the names).

I fell over as soon as I tried moving AT ALL with the board attached. That would be the first of many. Ever notice how teachers move you ahead just a skosh before you’d like to? Anyway, up we go on the ski lift. We had learned to stop so that was my main weapon in my arsenal – but when all else fails… fall back on my butt! My sis rode up with Uncle Drew and I was stuck riding alone (the bummer of being older). The top of the lift was ahead, I repeated the things my Uncle had told me “Board straight, straighten back leg. Board straight, straighten back leg” I prepared… Then, PHOOFMP! There I lay… face down arms outstretched, in a position that would come to be known as the “Superman Sprawl.”

I did pretty well coming down the mountainside using my toes up technique and essentially keeping my board perfectly parallel to the bottom of the mountain (therefore controlling my speed). I’ll never be one to want to ride in the fast lane… just the leisurely cruising lane.

All in all, my Uncle was impressed with how quickly my sis and I picked it up. We’re okay… not great. Not even proficient. Of the 5 times we took the chair lift, I fell 3 of those. I’m chuckling to myself now at what it must be like to work at the top of a chair lift on a beginners slope. Laughs-a-plenty I’m sure.

There were moments I’d be wallering around on the snow, that I thought “Boy, I’m glad I didn’t learn this on a first date!” (girls there’s a lesson to be learned!)

But, gosh it’s fun!! For the few moments I felt pseudo-in control and was able to feel the movement down the hill, just a thrill. Not to mention being able to enjoy our glorious mountains, which are just breathtaking.

So today, I have a few bruises and many, many sore muscles. I feel like I move a bit like the tin man from the Wizard Of Oz – I just need a little can of oil.

Thank you, Uncle Drew for your patience and wonderful teaching. And thanks to my sis who fell at least as many times as I did!

Thanksgiving Resolutions

My jeans are really tight this morning… yours? I hope you’re in the same boat I’m in. It’s awful, isn’t it? That post-Thanksgiving bloat?

Anyway, it was a lovely day filled with family and great food.

Much to my dismay, however, was the one-upmanship happening at the ol’ Hansen house on Thanksgiving. I was assigned rolls and, as an afterthought, an appetizer. I thought I went above and beyond by getting REAL bakery rolls (thanks Baker Bill!) And I brought not one but TWO dips for an appetizer (thanks, CostCo!)

So, theoretically, we should have arrived at Mom’s early to serve up the appetizer. Well, imagine my dismay when I arrive exactly at the designated time (therefore rendering my fancy shmancy dips useless.) There, in the kitchen, the most beautiful yams were being pulled out of the oven. Beautiful coconut crusted, very appetizing yams. Done by my little sister!! What?!?!?!? When she was not testing the doneness of said yams, she was slicing and dicing the apples that were going in her gourmet stuffing which sat next to the bowl of fresh homemade cranberry sauce that she also made.

Yikes! I’ve been outdone – by my LITTLE sister! How lame I must be. There I am - a grown adult and all I had to offer were the rolls that somebody else made. What a sorry state I am. My older sis always contributes a fabulous tasty dish… The family enjoyed teasing me about the different ‘contributions.’ (Though I maintain, no one bothered my bro, who only contributed Cool Whip.)

Is there such thing as a Thanksgiving Resolution? If not, there should be.

I hereby resolve:

1. To learn a new dish or two – something OTHER than cookies.
2. Show up at Thanksgiving with a little more than I was asked to bring.
3. Figure out a treat NOW to show the young-‘uns how it’s done at the summer BBQ.