BUSY!!: Wicked, London, Budget, Red Riding Hood & chop

http://www.wickedthemusical.com/page.php#

Today was full of awesomeness. Amber decided on our Wicked tickets and we finally booked them for the night before the big trip to Ontario for her wedding. We even convinced her fiance to come with us, and Mom and Ethan can too, because they will be in town to fly out the next day. Perfect. If you Calgary types haven't booked yet, come the same night as us and we will all have a blast. And if you don't know yet, this is not one you should miss. Amber also cut my formerly super-dry hair (thank you). I love having a sister with skills. And gave me a spring door wreath, which she made. More skills. Then we talked the boys into going to Red Riding Hood because the trailers looked cool. YYUUUUCK! But we had fun making fun of it. Can someone please explain to me how a bunch of people living a rustic life in the snowy wilderness are so beautiful and why they don't wear coats? Oh, because if you wear coats, you can't see flesh. And where did they get all that hair gel? And how do they have such impeccable oral hygeine? Grr...it bugs me because I was hoping this would be one of those cool, "what if this fairy tale were real" movies, and it was definitely not. How Gary Oldman and Julie Christie got involved, I will never know. Maybe they had gambling debts to pay off. To add to the hilariousness of this was the two LARGE groups of females over forty, who were glued to the screen. Are these the women who read Danielle Steele? Not that there's anything wrong with that... After the movie we went to "chop", which I have been to twice before and have had impeccable service and food. So I talked Matt, Joe and Ambi into going, instead of going where we usually go. Well the food was a disaster (the boys' steaks were RAW and my halibut was WAY overcooked) and the service was below what I would expect at a PUB, never mind an upscale steakhouse. The good thing is, we each got a free drink, free dessert, and a free entree for "next time" out of it. So management did try to make up for it. Maybe Sunday afternoon is when they train newbies, I don't know. But we had lots of fun criticizing the cooking too (don't order the crab) and for ONCE Amber got the best meal! She usually gets the bad meal, if there is one. Then I booked our minivan for our London, Ontario family extravaganza, which was the last piece of the puzzle for the wedding trip. At the same time, made play dates with some girlfriends, so all-in-all, today was fun and relaxing, and vacationy, despite the snow.

Inception & Moving Day

There are days that just make you think. About everything. And I already have that problem...thinking too much. Most people know that about me.
I finally finished watching Inception tonight. YUUUUUCK. I appreciate how brilliant it is, but I must be the only person on earth who HATES that movie. Like I needed to question reality MORE than I already do. Not to mention that it gets so LONG and BORING. And I don't give a damn about a single character, so I don't care what happens to them. No thank you.

The other thing that happened today was helping Mom and Ethan move. It is not that I mind this in the least. I love them so much and loved being able to help out. But every time I help with a move, I think about my reality. And basically I want to immediately go straight home, sell almost everything I own, and....what....I don't know. Just not have so many THINGS. Run away. I get overwhelmed by this every few months. I am just this way, and I have come to accept it, though have not totally learned how to live with it. I sometimes feel trapped by "stuff". I would like Carrie Bradshaw's apartment. 500 square feet, a huge closet full of beautiful clothes, a great bed, books, computer, and that's it. With a huge window overlooking a totally quaint street with bakeries and book shops and record stores. And a phone that is always ringing. Just a small home base where I can hang my hat in between adventures.

This makes me sound totally ungrateful, and I don't mean to. Sometimes I just want things to be simple. Plus, I know I am a little gypsy girl...always wanting to be loved, but always wanting to be free and roaming. "Stuff" just doesn't always jive with the gypsy parts of me.

Wow, I am complicated. Thanks for being my friend. It must be exhausting.

What's New?

Sometimes I feel like I have so much to blog about, and other times, I feel like the most uninteresting person on the planet because I "got nothin'", except things that are too diary-ish to blog about. And I am supposed to focus on BIG, not whine, but whining is so much FUNNIER.

Like Wednesday when I walked Scoop in the afternoon. I stepped down into what I thought was four inches of snow, and turned out to be literally UP TO MY KNEES in freezing cold ice water, cleverly disguised by two inches of snow. I was stuck, and panicked, and just kept going to where I knew a sidewalk existed in the park, but by the time I got there I was soaked through from the knees down in ice water, and then had to hobble home with the crazy mutt as fast as I could. I have to confess, I was crying by the time I got to the house to peel off my boots, socks, and jeans. Now is that a positive story? No. But looking back, is it hilariously lame? You bet. It is practically a Chaplin moment, it is so absurd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh0qDWzjnGs&feature=related

Someone truly hilarious, whose books and comedy I mostly love, now there is something to talk about. Chelsea Handler is beautiful, voted one of the 99 sexiest women in the world, totally naughty, and makes me laugh and laugh and laugh. I have been re-reading "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" while on the treadmill and it makes time fly. She is exactly eight months older than me, and I feel like she is the older, brasher sister I never had. And Tijuana comes up in this interview, which is so weird because I just dreamed about it last night. She is a little out there, but I admire her so much for just telling the truth as it occurs to her. And did I mention she makes my laugh?

Sam Tsui, Ethan, youtube

First things first: I kicked Matt's ASS at Playstation Tennis for hours tonight. Over and over again. This was monumental because I am CRAP at video games and can't play them. Ever. I am so pleased with myself. He won one match. I owned the rest. And then he practiced for a very long time while I went away and did other stuff. So it will never happen again. Oh well.

Now, down to business...I was getting a little carried away on facebook, so decided to switch to here. Blogs are so funny and absurd. I quote from the source of my last blog, Phantom:

This isn't a diary...not in the accepted sense of the term. I've no intention of sitting down dutifully each day to record tedious details of what I had for breakfast, which gown I ordered from my seamstress and who said what to who in the course of rehearsals. It's surely the height of vanity to assume anyone will want to read about your petty, unimportant life...I don't want anyone to read this document ever, for if they do I'll surely be locked up...

So Ethan (my 17-year-old brother) just comes along with little gems from time to time, out of no where that change my world. Ever since he was a baby we have had this surreal connection, and it has always continued. Age is a funny thing. He is 16 years younger than me, but one of my best friends, and one of the few people that I can talk to without any protective bricks blocking the most eccentric aspects of my personality. We just let it all hang out. So he sends me a youtube song, and I send him one, and he sends me this kid's cover of it, which blows me away. I started going gaga (no pun intended) on facebook, and hate those over-posters, so brought the overflow to the blog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_IWRuryzaY&feature=relmfu

What was the world like before MASHUPS? I remember. It was cold and dark and lonely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIoSTbPt_PI&feature=related

Okay, this one is Don't Stop Believing and the kid does all the parts! Apparently he auditioned for Glee and didn't make it. Why? Cause he's better than four of them together? I think so...And this is a Glee fan speaking!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQYmSfLAbJ8&feature=related

This is For Good from Wicked, which I notice people on youtube think should be a grad song WHICH I have been saying for YEARS. I suggest listening to it, but not watching because Nick's making out with the mic is a bit much. A little over the top emotionally but sounds cool. Close your eyes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QqAVFwGwaI

Imagine: dedicated to victims of Jan 8 Arizona shooting. Gorgeous. Do you EVER get sick of listening to Imagine?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdMZAeIfM94&feature=related

This one has great acappella instrumental vocals, too.

Ethan just asked me to spread the "No Autotune" message again. Sam doesn't use autotune. Vital to Ethan's appreciation of him as an artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBF-_WMY8HU&feature=relmfu

And then, there is this whole war between Kurt and Jake, whoever they are. They battle it out playing music on weird, wild, wonderful, and silly instruments. There is a whole series of them. This one is Moonlight Sonata on CROCKenspiel. Too funny.

This is a problem. If no one hears from me for a week, send someone to pry me away from youtube. All these years I have kept away from it, only occasionally clicking on peoples' recommendations. Why? Because I knew I would have a problem. Back away, Karie. Just back away!!

Books That Are Old Friends

There are readers, and then there are readers, and then there are READERS. I think I am the middle one. I used to think I was the bolded-type version, but have since realized I am not. The bold type is reserved for people who will read anything and everything they can get their hands on, including philosophical rants, biographies of every important political figure who has ever lived, and anything else that they feel may add to their personal knowledge of the world. I am not that type. Nor am I the type who is content to read the paper, whatever is on the Oprah recommended list, and Cosmo.

I am somewhere in the middle. I love to lose myself in a really great book, that sweeps me away into another time, place, or life. Even as a little girl I loved this type of escapist fiction, that could completely capture my imagination so that I felt that I was not just walking in someone else's shoes, but breathing their air. And then, when I have found these gems, I return to them at times to experience the ecstacy again.

I got all caught up watching Michael Crawford on youtube last weekend and decided to reread Phantom. I believe my cousin introduced me to this book, right after I saw the musical and read Gaston Lereux's work. He was always passing me good books then - we were both at a time in our lives when we had lots of leisurely hours available to us, to pour over novels, or stay up all night absorbing page after gripping page.

Written by Susan Kay, the historical novelist who also wrote Legacy (historical fiction about the life of Elizabeth I), it is a much more expansive and personal story than the one told by Lereux, or any film or theatrical version of the story. It tracks the Phantom character (Erik) through the eyes and minds of various other characters, including his mother, and his mentor. It tells an addicting tale of how this man became who he was by the time he reached the point at which we usually meet him, in other versions of the story.

Loving it again...highly recommend it...so dark, and brutal, and beautiful.

Little Old My Fair Ladies

A girl in the drama program at my school is currently in a production of My Fair Lady at St. Peter's Anglican Church. They are great neighbours to our school as well, so between wanting to support the student and wanting to foster a good relationship with the church and St. Peter's Players, off I went tonight to the show.
Before I say too much, I should preface this by saying that my mom FORCED me to watch MFL on film in my tweens (so about 3 years ago...j/k), though I protested loudly. Of course, I instantly fell in love with it, just like when she forced me to watch Camelot. A lot of people are in love with MFL, and Audrey Hepburn, so I must say that it is one of those musicals that I would never want to tackle because it is so beloved.
That being said, the St. Peter's Players did a great job tonight. I thought many of the performances were outstanding, considering how challenging a script it is. I don't really want to review the show though. I want to mention the AUDIENCE.
Oh my annoying goodness.
So, I seem to draw people to me in dark public spaces that like to be as grating as possible. At the movies, at plays, at concerts, whatever. This happens because of the energy that I put into CARING about audience behaviour, which is a lot. If I didn't care, it wouldn't happen to me. I know this.
Needless to say, yet again I got some goodies. Four very sweet-looking and charming-acting little older ladies sat behind me tonight. At first I found them adorable as I eavesdropped on their pre-show banter. They all had UK accents of varying sorts (who doesn't love that?) and seemed to be great friends.
Then the show started.
I knew there would be trouble when they started talking about the actors and how they looked, and who was funny, and so on. Then that died down, and the first Eliza Doolittle number came along. "All I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air..."
Well, let me tell you, all I wanted was some duct tape for the mouths of four little old ladies, who BEGAN TO SING ALONG. I tried to breathe through it. The song ended, then they were pretty well behaved again until the next Eliza song came along. By the time we got to "I Could Have Danced All Night", I had accepted my fate.
I respect that they love the show. I love the show. I love a lot of shows. I can sing along in my head, in fact, I can recite the lines to several, but that's where it stays. IN MY HEAD. I cannot tell you the strength of will it took not to shush them. I am super proud of myself for not doing it, but it took pounds of patience, I can tell you.
Please, please, please people, do not sing along, talk about the costumes through all of the major production numbers, open twizzlers during intense love scenes, commentate throughout the entire show on every action taken by every character, or do any of the other super annoying audience behaviours that make me want to push eject on your seat, and watch with glee as you are cannoned into the air, never to be heard from again. Please. Musical theatre is lots of fun. If you want to sing along, rent it on video and WATCH IT AT HOME. The rest of us totally appreciate it. Cheers!

Nanton Adventures

My mom called me earlier and asked if I wanted to meet for lunch and a walk. She would drive north from Lethbridge and I would drive south from Calgary to Nanton. I suggested bringing our dogs to get them an extra shot of the outdoors too. Great plan, right?

Until about 30 minutes out of Calgary my BRAND NEW PASSENGER REAR TIRE GOES FLAT. Okay, this sucks, but I try to remain calm and call AMA. I get a recording which states I can either stay on HOLD on my cell phone, or they will call me back in 33 minutes. 33 minutes! I am in the shoulder of the highway with my dog! So have to swallow my pride and call Matt. After some convincing he agreed to be my knight in shiny KIA, came out and changed to the spare. Just when he arrives, AMA calls to say it will be about an HOUR! THere is no blizzard, like what is the deal?? I say ok, just in case we can't do the tire change ourselves for some reason. I hang up, Matt's done, and I am on my way down the road, now only capable of driving 90 the rest of the way. Over the next 20 minutes, AMA calls repeatedly and I try to figure out how to cancel the truck order. It got so silly that I finally talked to a manager and said, "You know, trying to get ahold of you guys is a gong show." Do you know they suggest that to cancel a truck order, you email them? Yah, I am going to send a freaking email from the shoulder of Hwy 2. Seems like a great little plan.

Anyway, finally did make it to Nanton. Wanted to show you a pic of the Wild Thyme Cafe where mom and I had lunch, but can't find one anywhere, nor do they have a web site. Someone needs to help with that: web designers out there get to it! It was pretty decent foodwise, and we even found a park for our walk and chat. Then putted back home on my sad little spare tire. Life is always an adventure. :)

Waterslides & Heaven

For a few moments as I was flipping channels, I saw "My Girl" on one of those movie channels. At the beginning the little cutie describes heaven. For her, there are white ponies and friends. I had a sudden flashback, and remembered something.

I remember being on vacation with my parents. At the time, and to this day, I was in love with water. Loved to swim, and just be IN water, like a mermaid. That's what they called me. Anyway, I suddenly remembered the day that I SERIOUSLY said to my mother, "If there are no waterslides in heaven, I don't want to go there. There must be, don't you think?"

I just love the feeling of anticipation at the top of the slide, the adrenaline rush as I go down, and the sensation of the water hitting my flesh when I plunge in at the end. That is HEAVEN.

Sir Laurence Olivier & Wuthering Heights

I just caught the end of Wuthering Heights on TCM, and as usual, sobbed like a little girl who has scraped her knee. I read Wuthering Heights as a young girl, and it was one of the first books that I couldn't read straight through. It is just so brutal. The movie of course, is a completely different entity, and while Merle Oberon is okay, and David Niven is his charming self, the real jewel in the 1939 film is Olivier. First of all, I can't think of a single current "movie star" that can touch him in looks or raw (very trained, actually) talent. He moves through the film with such harsh beauty and fiery vengeance. He is just the epitome of a character actor. I could watch him light up the screen for hours, and he maintained that not just in his beautiful youth, but all throughout his career. Even as an old man, he posessed a presence that you could not tear your eyes from. Pair that with Charlotte Bronte's gut-wrenching lines ("How can I live without my life? How can I die without my soul?" Come on, does melodrama get any better than that? Uh, no.) and you have a film that rips you into pieces every single time. Love it. LOVE IT!!

Party Experiments

There is a reason why it's never a good idea to make a new recipe for a party, without trying it first. Today I bought beverages and food for my teacher party. I decided to try the ratatouille recipe that I was planning to make, just to be sure. All I can say is YYYUUUCCCKKK. Okay, it was not exactly yuck. But it is like...a side dish. It is sauteed and stewed vegetables, for goodness sakes, and I don't know about you, but thyme, basil, and cayenne is the most BORING flavour combination on the face of the earth. It is not simple enough to be elegant and not difficult enough to provide complex dynamics. Pass me the curry!! I honestly can't figure out what the big fuss is over ratatouille. It's like poor person's stew. Blech. So, while plans for all the other food are finalized, the main dish is still up in the air. My new plan is to do an elegant and grown-up version of sloppy joes. Chilis, honey, mustard, hot peppers...NOW we are talking about flavour I can get behind. 7 different beans, and lots of cheese...mmmm...and I am thinking of wraps instead of buns. Keep the bread down, and also easier to eat than a traditional sloppy joe.

I also gave Matthew several options for the "Signature" Party Drink, including Sidecar, Painkiller, and complex Scotch melanges. He CHOSE a traditional bellini, so I bought the Italian version of champagne - Prosecco - and apricot Brandy. Just trying a little tiny one now, and mmmm....I think it would be divine over shaved ice, so that is the plan. The photo above is Paris Hilton's new ad campaign for a Prosecco that is in a CAN (the Italian winemakers of the past are rolling over in their graves). Say what you will about her, but a steady diet of pills, water, air, and cocaine clearly has its benefits.

Commentary on Valentine's Day

I know that Valentine's Day is a completely made-up holiday, but I have always loved it. I appreciate that it falls in February, which is an otherwise dreary month if you live in Calgary. It's cold and you know that there are still seven official weeks of winter left, but could be more like twelve. Blech.

But then we have this cute, goofy little day stuck in there somewhere, associated with the bright and beautiful colour RED, and (my personal favourite part) roses, and it just perks up the whole month. Plus, you can use it to send really cheesy sentiments, not just to that one particular person, but all your friends, colleagues, or family members who have the temperament to tolerate such unabashed giddiness. One should always look for opportunities to send their friends cards with images of cherubim, lace, toile, and like Ralph says on the Simpsons's, cards that ask you to Choo-Choo-Choose Me. Or, if you are determined to go the other way, you can have an equally great time bashing V-Day in the form of a gathering, party, or etc. Although I have NEVER heard of an Anti-Valentine's Day Party anywhere near as raging as the one in the actual movie.

Love it or hate it, it's just one more reason to have a little more fun in life.

Karie's B.I.G. Project: Weird

Karie's B.I.G. Project: Weird: "So I had a great Friday night, but an average Saturday and awful Sunday. Then today got better again, so life is crazy, as always. Matt a..."

Weird

So I had a great Friday night, but an average Saturday and awful Sunday. Then today got better again, so life is crazy, as always. Matt and I have been working on the project of our house. There are only so many ways to make blue carpet look good. We updated everything else from its original 1982 styling, but really, have never been able to bite the flooring bullet when we could go to Costa Rica, or Dominican, or Mexico, or even Canmore, instead.

The last big party we had was in the summer and we built two sundecks, relandscaped the yard, and bought patio furniture. This time we are not going that crazy, but we are cleaning carpets, washing walls, etc (Matt is actually). While Matt does that, I go out. I came home at 3:30 today to get work done, and what do you think really happened? I lasted 2 hours. And it is -30!! Scott kindly agreed to come with me and we went to IKEA first for a new coffeetable and mass-produced art (which I love, btw). Then we did the Costco wander and I priced out chicken wings for the big night. When I came home we had to go the usual rounds over furtniture placement, because Matt likes to line the walls with it, and I think something a little more 3D is in order. Anway, we found something that works for both of us (I got my way), but I still didn't get my school work done. Oh well. That's what morning and pressure are for. Sweet dreams.

PS: Disactivated facebook for now due to numerous problems. Will let you know when I have an account again, and how to find me.

F************!

This day of photos was a hilarious summer day. Matt kept taking my picture without telling me, and I was being Melodramatic Karie, so there are 10 - 12 really humiliating pics on my computer of me being Karie. Click click click. Anyway...

...I have decided to reduce the frequency of the F-bomb in my life. It is becoming REDICULOUSLY COMMON. Okay, when one uses it as a verb (action word), it stands very nicely for action, and everyone likes the noun. It is the F word used as an adjective in casual or professional or friendly conversation that is really starting to annoy me. We use it in place of every other adjective. We are getting just like the Brits. Okay, the point is that I am making a point of using the F word way less, like not in the outside world at all. If you catch me saying it, correct me. Several examples are included below. The F word has been replaced by this:

1. What the ___________? means: I do not understand this situation. Please explain.

2. This is _____ed. means: This is really disappointing and a little surprising.

3. She/He is so ______ing hot! means: She/He is so deliciously hot!

4. My ____ing shoelaces suck! means: Mom, I am not prepared to buy my own shoelaces or deal with my life out there in the real world. Save me. Pay for my shoelaces. Help.

And continue on thusly, filling in the blanks with more descriptive words.. Feel free to submit on facebook or here, your own replacements for the F bomb, to help me stop saying it. It's not cute. But prominent and addictive, yup.

Party Food: Convention Kick-off

Calgary Teachers Convention: Also Known As: Calgary Stampede Craziness for Teachers Only and Stuffed Into Two and a Half Days Instead of Ten. And in Winter. And the only animals are the teachers. Anyway...

How much do I love party planning? So much that I always go WAY over the top. Occasionally in the past I have required sedatives when the moment finally arrives after days of careful preparation and meticulous planning. Okay, so this time I am going to have FUN. I am planning a party for TEACHERS the night before convention starts (a Wednesday) and using this to document my plans as they change. A large number of people are invited, but knowing teachers, I have found there are three types of attendees:

1. Those who come right at the beginning because they have to get home, but don't want to miss out. They stay one - two hours. Thus it is essential to start the party immediately after school. Wednesday is perfect for me, because I will have a prep at the end of the day, so will have lots of lead time to get home and do last-minute prep.

2. Those who come after they have done other adult duties. They arrive around 6 - 7 and stay anywhere from 30 minutes to all night.

3. Those who arrive 30 - 60 minutes after the party starts and tuck in for the night, usually departing around the time that Canada AM starts...in other words, tomorrow.

Based on these factors, it is essential to have food that lasts, without being stuck cooking all night. I love intricate recipes, but I reserve those for small dinner parties, where presentation is more appreciated. Also essential for me is a balance of vegetarian (that doesn't seem like it) and meat dishes. Here is my plan for now:

My theme is Western European Fusion

-Crudites with Spinach and/or Artichoke Dip, served hot. I need to work on this one. Love hot dips. Feel that spinach and artichokes are both too 2002. So over. Ooo! Maybe salmon with green onion, as made by Amber the Fabulous as one option, and another dip that is vegetarian...
-Red Pepper Hummus with dippers. Love the red pepper for COLOUR!!
-Anipasti w/ Focaccia (beans, prawns, sardines, olives, artichoke hearts, figs, soft mozza, thin sliced sausage)
-Ratatouille (a hot, hearty, vegetarian dish for those who are staying over the dinner hour and beyond). This can stay on a low heat for DAYS, never mind hours, and still be delicious.
-Chicken Drumettes, as requested by Scott, John, and Suzana
-Meatballs with Gravy...hmm...need a twist on this one, too. Lamb instead of Beef?? Maybe... with a garlic gravy, greek-style. Mmm...lamb...
-Cold herbed couscous OR quinoa salad (useful for soaking up gravy and ratatouille sauces).
-Desserts: While I love to bake, I may cheat and go to the European bakery by Scarlett, because they have the coolest little yummy tidbits.

Okay, next hurdle is the drink menu. If anyone wants to email me ideas, go for it. Obviously, lots of non-alcoholic options because NO teachers drink. In addition to the usual alcohol proferrings, I would like to create one signature drink for this party. It's sort of my thing. Like the night I made Cloudy Skies...but need to stick with my European Fusion theme.