Sunday, May 25, 2014

Oh wait. Now you have ice cream.

15mo old N loves his mom the most, to the point of complaining when I was pushing the stroller and his mom was walking next to me, still in his line of sight.  When we sat to hear Indian Summer Jars' set, he skirted me to hang out with Big Frog. 

But when I had ice cream, he was craning precariously forward out of his mom's arms towards me, and I let him. And I shared my ice cream.  After all,

"I'm not above buying his affections with ice cream."

That lasted exactly one cone (of vanilla with raspberry swirl & cashews, SOOOO good) and he was back to resisting me.  But I'll take what I can get.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Showmanship

The show must go on!

After changing guitars mid-song during an SK on keyboard piece:

SB (to DF): Can you change my string while we sing the acapella piece? 

SK: We planned for this.   We really have an acapella next. 

God has a sense of humor.  Since arriving at the Fairegrounds, I've managed to break both my sandal and my sunglasses, completely unrelated material failures.   And in another act, AB was singing about building a relationship and got exactly to the line "I love you"... followed by sudden, unexpected silence, for want of a 9volt.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Company Incentives

Are you going on the trip of a lifetime? Or are you going on a lifetime of trips? ~Jim Kocher

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

The Chief End of Man

The absolute best life we could possibly live is not one in which we are focused on becoming happy and fulfilled but on pleasing God.   The mystery of all this is that as we live to please God we will be happy and fulfilled.      ~Leslie Vernick, How to Act Right when [Others] Act Wrong

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Priorities?

Big Frog got a new tablet today. (It's a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. It is nicer and newer than Middle Frog's tablet.)

Middle Frog had to forcibly restrain herself from opening the package. Middle Frog loves gifties. Even when they're not for her. And honestly, this was a purchase mutually agreed-upon, and not in recognition of an event. But it came in the mail in a box to be opened. That makes it a giftie.

Big Frog got home at almost-11p and, despite knowing he had a giftie waiting for him, was ready to turn in. When Middle Frog goaded him into opening the box, he got excited, and told her,

Who has two thumbs and free XM Radio?

Well, Big Frog does. XM wrote him about it last week and it kicked in today. And Big Frog? He's a really cool frog. But wow, he would make a lousy Middle Frog! (If there was any doubt, she also would be a lousy Big Frog.)

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Tapalicious! (show quotes)

Compilation started once we got into all-level rehearsals, continued thru full-cast rehearsals, up thru morning of and the show itself. Blog post published after the show.)

  • Shake your heinie! ~LuAnne (about the opening number)
  • Clumpier clumps. ~me
  • Can anyone do the splits? ~Vicki
  • I saw "orange hats" on the costume list and was ehh about it. But now that I see sequinned orange hats WITH LEDs, I have some serious hat envy. ~me
  • Nowhere else I'd rather be than making some noise with my friends and my feet. ~Becky
  • It blinks!  I have a blinky hat!  ~me
  • It sparkles.  And there's a surprise.   You might need to buy your own hat.  ~me (email to my sequin junkie)
  • One more mistake I won't make in the show.
  • I'm not aiming for perfect, my goal is immediately getting back in.  I can recover in two beats!
  • I just want to say that my baby tapped onstage for the first time.  I think you should be the finale.  ~Vicki
  • You guys rocked it!  The men are going to steal the show!
  • Ladies, I have done the unthinkable.  But now I can wear my black & whites.
  • So what are we going to talk about, ladies?  World peace?  ...I'm a nurse, I can talk about poop for days.
  • "There are no 4s."  "What?"
  • I've figured out what the walkons are for - so I'm not worried about the dance - the dance is easy!
  • "Shoulda brought some Windex."  "Things I didn't think of when I left the house this morning."
  • Raise the roof... raise the roof!  Windshield washer... windshield washer! 
  • "I like your hair!"  "You, too, may have it!"
  • (overheard backstage) I texted my husband: "I'll be the one in red."
  • Help!  Can you untie my shoes?  I'm in the NEXT NUMBER!
  • (running down the hall) I'm onstage NOWWWWWWW!
  • I guess sequins anonymous isn't very anonymous.  




Friday, May 16, 2014

Get out of the car, Chuck!

Mashable + Zachary Levi + Bert from Sesame Street created a delightful music video encouraging people to go outdoors!
Bees are always buzzing 'bout the flowers they have seen.
And every tree is trending,
I don't miss my little screen.


By the way, if you're thinking to yourself, "I didn't know Zach sang," think of this: Even if you didn't know he led the Buy Morons in song between takes on the set of Chuck, he sang on Tangled! In fact, if Big Frog and I got to choose, we would cast him as Harold Hill when The Music Man is televised live. We think he'd be a good fit for that kind of flim-flam. (He's just a bang-beat, bell-ringing, big haul, great-go, neck-or-nothing, rip-roaring, every-time-a-bull's-eye salesman.)

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

What if? Sea level

If the polar ice caps melt & the seas actually rise 10 feet, does that mean what's sea level now becomes below sea level?  Will the zero point be submerged under untold gallons of newly-risen ocean? Or will sea level be at sea level, but 10 feet higher than it had been?  The latter makes more sense to me, until you realize that every mountain, town, & scenic outlook would need new elevation measurements & signage.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Fireworks-eye view of fireworks

A GoPro on a quadcopter drone flies thru the fireworks! source: Twistedsifter.com

Thanks to Gray for the find!

Asian Americans on TV

Quick, name an Asian-American on TV nowadays.

There's Lucy Liu on Elementary, and one doctor on Grey's Anatomy...

That's where I max out, off the top of my head.

I assume Hawaii 5-0 has some...does it?

Fresh off the Boat, currently in production, could be a game-changer: the first tv series focused on an Asian-American family in twenty years. 

Here's some background info about the book and a read-it-now (yes you; we'll wait) article about the show written by a WSJ columnist, Jeff Yang, who happens to be the actual dad of the show's 10yo lead. Go. Read. Now.

“What’s special about this show is its uniquely Asian American sensibility... These are characters that are fully American while still reflecting the particular quirks and experiences of Americans of Asian descent. Finally, we get the chance to laugh with the characters, not at them. And I think this show is hip enough that it will attract non-Asians.”

Not-so-tangentially, Other Lisa Yee responded to The Guardian's call of We Need Diverse Books and posted recently about Race & Writing, in which she included this picture:

I, for one, am looking forward to seeing more people who look like me onscreen.

Tap Pups on Daybreak (abc27)


source: Brian Riordan

Brett & James visit the Tap Pups Studio (transcript available here)
abc27 WHTM

Vicki & Brian visit the abc27 studio
abc27 WHTM

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Broadway road trip?

"I went to see The Music Man again today," started Vicki.

Some unstated responses from the class include:

  • I didn't know it was in town.
  • Oh, that would explain why Brian's car is outside, you must have gone up to New York.
  • Matthew Broderick. Enhhhhhh. He's no Robert Preston. (This was mine.)

"So now the second set of slap-heel-heels are back in," Vicki continued.

As it turns out, the music for TAPALICIOUS is coming together, Vicki spent the day with her sound guy, and there will not be 76 trombones at the Spring Show, nor 110 cornets right behind.


Come see us! The show is going to be amazing and super fun! Come prepared to clap and sing along, tap your toes, and thoroughly enjoy your evening of song! Maybe you'll even be so inspired you sign up to join us in summer session and beyond!

Sunday, May 4, 2014

May the Fourth be with you.

And also with you.

My favorite finds:

Also, for reference, my Star Wars Day post from last year.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Don't miss your word!

Beth Moore in Hershey

  • God wants to speak to me here and now!!
    That person you brought with you, you brought them, now leave them here and let God talk to them.
    You focus for YOU. don't miss your word!
  • weekend premise: A period of 40 days has a loooooong and POTENT history in Scripture.
  • In each 40-day theme: revelation-observation-temptation-commission
    ROTC - (source: wikimedia) - Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God
  • If Jesus is giving it, I want ALL OF IT
  • How are we looking at the land around us? sAk God to give us eyes to observe the sphere of influence he has given us as ready for harvest.
  • In spiritual terms, WHO we see (revelation) dictates HOW we see (observation).
  • COME AND DO MARVELS AMONG US!
    And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord , for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you. Exodus 34:10 ESV
    GOD HAS AN AWESOME THING TO DO WITH ME!

  • Jesus is saying, "I get it. Now let me get you out of it."
  • In spiritual terms, WHO (revelation) we see dictates HOW (observation) we see
    And when we're tested (temptation), what we'll do (commission).
  • Who is my Goliath?
    What is my Goliath?
    What have I got going on my battlefield right now?
    We are in the Giant Center and we expect to hear 10,000 THUDs
  • We look up at the sky and see stars...
    Angels look down at a dark earth, a kingdom of darkness, and the pinpoints of light they see are US! (Colossians 1:11-14, Philippians 2:14-15)
  • The gospel is most appealing when we find ourselves the most appalling.
  • What is Jesus going to get you started on?
  • God gives with limitless measure!
  • We live by the same grace that saved us!
  • May God be so faithful that you make the enemy sorry he ever messed with you!

Praise God for 38 new sisters in Christ who came forward today!

And pray it forward -- Beth Moore will be in Spokane, Washington in 2 weeks. Pray for Beth and Travis and the team and every single attendee. God is at work!