Murder, you say?

Kim, Anna and I "clowning" around.

So, I'm preparing for my last performance with Village Players, and I'm very sad. I've been performing with VP since 2005, starting with Cinderella. My final performance will be our Mystery Dinner Theater ("MDT") presentation of Bubbles the Clown's Last Giggle by  the Village Players' own Mike Mondl. Mike was also my director in Cinderella.

I've attached pics of us girl clowns playing around with our makeup. I never realized how hard clown makeup is to put on. It's such a pain. And it itches, but it is so worth it. My role as Pinkie the clown is one unlike any of my others. And we have a wonderful cast. I am so grateful my last play will be with some of my favorite people.  I'd like to thank a few.

Pam, el capitán, is our director. The MDT was originally scheduled for last fall, but our venue closed down, so we had to cancel. Then I had to go and find another job out of state. As soon as I told Pam, she went to work and made arrangements for us to do the show. She even worked around my surgery. Thanks to Pam for being so accommodating to me.



Kim, Anna and I mugging for the camera.

 Tom was one of my first VP friends. He was the King in Cinderella. He befriended me all tose years ago, and remains the director who gave me the chance to get out of my comfort zone and sing in 1940s Radio Hour.  My stint as Geneva Lee Brown (the Ella Fitzgerald - like club singer) was the scariest role I've ever played. Who would have thought of me singing on stage in a musical? Not me. I still get the shakes when I do karaoke. My only regret about the show is no one in my family saw me perform. Thanks to Tom form giving the chance and confidence to sing in public. Heck, you boosted my confidence period.

Anna with the chicken.

Finally, I would like to talk about Anna. I miss Emily, Dylan and Cole. So much. I regret that because I took the job here in Arkansas, I have missed the older two growing up. Cole is quite there yet, but Emily and Dylan are 18, graduating from HS and preparing for college. They are adults now, and I didn't get to be there for the fun times. In walks Anna, at the Fiddler on the Roof auditions in 2008. She was so adorable. I adopted Anna for my "replacement" Emily. Anna could never replace Emily, but she did help fill a void that was left inside me by leaving Ennis. I've watched her grow up. She is now a very mature 16 year-old. I am so glad I have the chance to do one last show with her. Thank you, Anna, for brightening my life. Your vivacity, good attitude and humor have been a welcome addition to my time in NWA. I will miss you.

I will miss performing with my friends, but for now we are having a blast. The MDT will be held Friday, April 1st, and Friday, April 8th, at the Bella Vista Country Club. Please see the VP website at http://www.bvvillageplayers.org/ for tickets ot more information.

I know I'm not really a pretty clown, but I will be a funny one.

First Day Back

So I finally went back to work today after three long weeks out of the office. My return was really anticlimatic. My boss was sure glad to see me, though.

I planned on reviewing resumes as soon as I got into the office this morning. That did not happen as planned. It seems that while I was out of the office on LOA, they deactivated my account so I couldn't access the GRS (global recruiting system). Our HR group had to reactivate me before I review resumes. It takes an overnight update to put me back into the system. What a pain the bobo. Oh well, tomorrow IS another day. I guess I will start searching for my replacement tomorrow. The sad thing is that my boss, and my boss' boss both asked me about reviewing. It is will be my project. I hope to set up interviews early next week if we have some good people. I really want someone lined up before I leave.

Instead I had to spend my morning getting reactivated and attempting to correct the mess that has been my pay for the past three weeks. Really, it is really so difficult to get time right? I said sick time, personal time, vacation time - in that order. How did they end up using vacation time, leaving personal time and sick time? And the time wasn't even right. Too much time one week and not enough time the next. As a wise friend of mine said today, "Do they not realize they are messing with peoples lives?" I think no. Another co-worker was shorted 15 hours this week too.

Alas, I must go to sleep. I have rehearsal tonight and I'm beat. Mystery Dinner Theater Friday April 1st and April 8th at the Bella Vista Country Club. Ask me about it if you are interested. It is a really funny show, and I get to play a clown.

Until next time -- Laura

Where to live???

It is hard enough to find a new home when you are familiar with an area. Think about how hard it is moving to a new town. I'm moving to the seventh largest city in the U.S. according to the 2010 Census. A population of approximately 1.3 million. I live in a Rogers, AR a city with about 55,000 people. Benton County has a population of about 220,000. I'm at a lost on how to find a new place, but I'm running out of time.

I'm lucky that I at least have friends in San Antonio who are helping me. The problem is, the only thing they all agree on is I shouldn't live near Lackland AFB or anywhere on the south side of town. I've had people tell me to live on the northeast side, northwest, Stone Oak, Alamo Heights, North Central, Northside school district, inside of 1604, outside of 1604. I've had people tell me to stay away from the north, south, east and west. It's all very confusing.

I spent today coming up with a list of things that are important to me. I'm going to put these on a chart and compare them. Only apartments I think I can afford will go on the list. Safety is my first priority. Number one, numero uno (I need to brush up on my conversational Spanish - Como esta usted?). I also would really like a washer/dryer in unit. That is normal in AR, not as common in SA. I want it to be nice - I refuse to downgrade at this point. I've upgrade everything in my life, why not my living space? I figure I should be paying more in SA than I pay here. According to some random website my boss showed me to try to talk me out of taking my new job, cost of of living is about 23% higher than here. I say I will save so much on taxes, I can afford to pay more. I want it gated, with good parking, in a good neighborhood, not too far from work (the average seems to be 20 to 25 minutes), and with some amenities.

I have a list now by size, price, commute time, miles from work, and w/d. I will compare them and narrow done. I'll call and ask questions, run my lists by a few friends, and I will be armed and ready to go looking on April 15th. I can't wait to get down there, but really -- I have to find a place to live.

Recovery

I am two weeks out from my surgery. If you are reading this you most likely know what surgery I had. I had a total laproscopic hysterectomy and a bilateral oophorectomy.You might not actually know about the second part. I am slightly traumatized by it.

I've known I would probably need this surgery since I was diagnosed with endometriosis on February 23, 2000. I knew I probably wouldn't ever be able to have kids of my own, now that is official. It has been a long, very painful journey. A journey I'm glad to say will be over soon.

Most of the pain is gone, I just need to police myself to make sure I don't backtrack. At this point I can only lift five pounds. I need someone to take me shopping and carry my groceries. I can't lift up the bag of my cats' food to feed them, or put litter in their litter box. I'm pretty helpless right now. Please excuse me if I'm  cross or if I yell (or even hang up on you). I wasn't prepared for full blown menopause at my age. I also don't like being helpless or bored.

I know people do not know what to say to me right now. I'm sure there are lots of people feeling pity for me. I feel sorry for me a little too, if that is possible. But unless you are a woman under 40 with no children, who just got castrated, please do not say to me you know how I feel. You don't and you never will.

There are things you need to know about me right now. Please know I'm ok. Mostly. I cry...sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. I miss my mom so much, especially right now. I'm scared to death about my dad. I'm nervous about my new job. Scared to move to such a big place. Sad about the loss of my ovaries. Angry about being in menopause. Basically I've got a lot of emotions swirling around in me. I'm a little erratic and unstable. But know this, too...I'm also stronger than I've ever been. I'm starting a new life soon, and I'm ready.

Have a great day!!!

Welcome to my blog...

So a few weeks ago a friend of mine suggested I start a blog. I've had a few people say they watch my status updates on facebook to discover what crazy thing I will say next, or what I will rant on any particular day. I'd like to think I don't rant all the time, but I seem to be the type of person things happen to, or around. Sometimes I have good observations, and ask my friends, I give pretty darn good advice.

I will not guarantee this blog will be grammatically correct. I'm pretty good, but when I rant, I sometimes forget. Sometimes my entries might be sad, sometimes funny, and sometimes neither. I am getting ready to move back to Texas, so I have adventures coming soon. I do have a funny cat, so the adventures of Jax and Jessie might be included here. 

So welcome to my blog, I hope you enjoy.