Ang’s Rants and Raves

Sometimes I can’t believe I get paid to have fun.  Today was a riot.  I was Princess Fiona and it was a huge hit with the kids.  I had to run around all day and take pics for the website of all the halloween parties.  Boy did I miss out when I was a kid, since everything was “devilish” so we couldn’t do anything with halloween….these kids get to play pin the nose on the pumpkin, ghost bowling, making halloween necklaces, it was awesome! I got soooo many treats from the kids, a pumpkin tea light candle, a box of godiva chocolates, (i thought of amy:)., bat pencils, it was awesome! The kids wanted their pic taken with “fiona” as well… Tracey, excuse me, “Tracalicious” what he likes to be called was dressed up like Robin (see below)

By the end of the day, my feet were tired and I still have to hand out candy tonight!!!! At the end of the day, Zachary (skeleton) says “So, now tell me Fiona, how do you feel about Shrek living in a swamp?” and I told him I was an ogre and he said “you can do better, I don’t live in a swamp!”.  (here is me and my friend Zach)

ahhhhhhh now i just need a good bubble bath, veg and watch Charlie Brown Pumpkin movie!

Yesterday was a weird day as it was.  I wasn’t feeling good after I ate lunch and thought maybe the kids got me sick with the flu.  I was really tired too and still wasn’t feeling the tori concert last night.

On the way to the Tori show was really strange as well. Steve and I had a strange conversation about life which got me more in this low key, sad, weird mood.  It got me more when we got to the Fox Theatre. It’s always a weird time of year for me in October because of the 10 year anniversary coming up, and there are moments when I just break down and cry.  But this was the first time in public it has ever happened.  Steve was reminising about past shows, how I was 17 when I first saw her, now I’m 30 and about to see her with a ring on my finger.  I got this huge rush that I just wanted to start crying.  About 5 minutes later, I felt like crawling out of my skin and feeling really clausterphobic. 

I haven’t been following this tour–set lists, what she brings to the stage, reading fan forums, etc.  There was two girls talking literally almost on top of Steve about how they are seeing 9 shows this tour (damn, thats almost 900$) and how they met tori at the meet and greet and how she requested Sister Janet and Black Dove.  The way I use to be just completely got over me.  It was weird.  I’m glad I had that for a long time in my life, but thats just not who I am anymore.

The show started off and Tori came out as Santa.  Ugh.  My least favorite “girl” on this CD.  Right away, I had this like chip on my shoulder, like “Ok Tori, you better blow me away or I’m done”. In Detroit, Amy and I always say that tori tends to play her “greatest hits” in D-town.  Every “single” from the CD’s.  Guess what?? We weren’t let down again.  I literally am SICK to death of Crucify, Cornflake Girl, Silent, Spark, Precious Things, Sorta Fairytale… oh thats right, these are all the songs she always opened with or ended with at EVERY show.  At that time I didn’t mind, because something awesome would always come out in between that made it worth hearing. During the show she ususually sings a few songs with just her and her piano…and there she was, she had sheet music because she couldn’t remember two of her songs from Under the Pink!! Usually when you see sheet music, she pops out a cover song or a “rarity” that hasn’t hardly been played…but then when it was two songs she’s played a lot….Ugh..

Now here I am.  Hearing the new songs, which were OK, but I just didn’t get those chills going up my spine at any song tonight.  We were in fifth row, so I could see everything.  I didn’t like the wigs she had on, they covered most of her face (steve and i joke we think she must be bald now), she came out in this green marshen jumpsuit thing that looked terrible, and rarely even spoke the whole show.

Finally it was finished and I was just in an awful mood.  I told Steve after the last song, that was it.  That would be my last Tori show.  I’m OK with it.  I felt like grieving because I just lost a friend, but at the same time, I”ve changed, she’s changed, its just the way things go in life.  I’m grateful that I saw her in 1994 when nobody ever heard of her, and she sang her songs almost in a “state” where she got so into them, she would drool on the microphone and belt out the songs from her heart and sometimes even cry while she sang the songs, would push her voice, and shit would just come out from nowhere and blow you away.  1996 when she use to do the little cornflake girl dance that would make me not mind hearing it for the 100th time, or my favorite tour 1998 where she ROCKED.  When the entire audience would be dancing and pushing and shoving.  I even remember 2003 when when Take to the Sky rocked and she’d pull out “I feel the earth move” in the middle of it. SHIT!! Now, in the last two tours, she’s taken the “I’m a mom” now angle and 1) I can’t relate, and 2) the songs are just boring to me.  Ther’es no guts anymore, everything seem safe.  She doesn’t even seem to be enjoying herself on stage either, and guess what? I’m not enjoying being there anymore.

Steve made a good point. I”m not the only one.  When I looked around the Fox last night, the balcony only had about 3-4 rows of people.  Before, Tori could sell out the fox and played another show the SAME night back to back… now when I’m ready to sell all my tori collectibles that use to be worth a TON of money, aren’t going for even 9.99 on ebay.. that REALLY bums me out… but it looks like she’s lost a lot of ppl in the end….

I’ll probably still buy her new CD’s when it comes out (then again i never bought the beekeeper), but as for shows, last night was my last one. It’s been a good 13 year run, and its time to let other people enjoy her the way I did for so long.  

I’m not sad in that “this is my life now” where I sit on my butt and do nothing.  I’m still geeked about Tegan and Sara and share that same “toriness” in seeing them rock out. I saw them on MTV a lot lately and got excited about it… in some weird way it does feel like I just broke up with someone last night and now this morning as I wake up, its a new day, and I’m ok with letting Tori go.

 

It’s been a long week and I’m exhausted…. lots going on at school for the holidays, and I’m wooped!  Just got done working on the website and i’m really proud of it :)… I’m going to try and meet with Kevin next week and see if he can get anything else on it to make it look sweet!  I really want the “who’s who at harvest” tho do look different..check it!!

http://webportal.salineschools.com/schools/harvest/Pages/default.aspx

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I got a ton of suggestions from the allergist how to help with my allergy problems….so i started pitching stuff.  I am embarassed to say that after looking under the bathroom rug, no wonder I can’t breathe anymore these days.. in the basket it went! all of my bath mats i’ve had for years, are now in the trash!  I also realized we’ve had our comforter a year and a half now and never had it dry cleaned.. Ugh an unexpected expense now, but I put my old comforter out and guess what? I slept through the night with NO nasal congestion…huh.

Anyway, haven’t moved any further on the plans for the wedding.  It’s weird, but I always thought this would be a “fun” time, but its really more depressing than anything.  We both have been cutting costs left and right and one of those is netflix, which bums me out that not only do i have to stay home all the time, now i have nothing to watch! as well as we stopped eating…literally.  i didn’t have dinner last night becuase I’m so broke!! 

My grandparents and uncle are starting to convince my mom that any morsal of money she was going to try and give to us is not an “obligation”… after last night I’m literally wanting to say screw it and just go over to the court house and do it there… its just not worth it anymore.  Screw a reception, its just too much money..  whats even worse is how bummed out i am about everything. 

Anyway, on a happier note :).  I pulled a tooth today.  It was super gross, and I hope I never have to do it again.  It was a weird feeling more so than the “grossness”… the kid was happy he was getting money and I was happy i didn’t get blood all over the place…

good ole october weather.. its only 5:20 and its dark out!!!

I’m allergic to every mold there is out there and dust mites which is why I keep getting “sick!”.  .

New inhaler meds.
Allergy shots start in two weeks, 80% success rate

I’m not allergic to my cat (thank god)

Yesterday, for the first time I actually felt “grown up”.  We went to Saginaw to go to Trillium to check out prices there. I loved the food at the wedding I was at in September, and everyone knows how picky I am, I ate most of the meal there! The prices are decent… I think my mom is getting OK with the idea that we want to have beer and wine there.  Get a keg and pay by the bottle for wine and thats it! When its gone, its gone

Anyway, afterwards we went to the temple theatre to see jewel.  I can’t remember the last time I walked downtown. Flashbacks of hockey were coming at me left and right.  Walking down Washington was really surreal.  even more so when here I am, 10 years later from walking downtown with planning a wedding, having Steve there, and of all places, going to see Jewel IN Saginaw.  10 years ago I bought my first guitar and “you were meant for me” was the first song I learned from Kristi.  It really was good memories which was nice.  not “i miss those days” but really like “wow that was really fun times”.  The temple theatre is AMAZING.. .gorgeous.  I’d go Gwenn style and get married there if we were having a ceremoy bcuz its just so pretty.  (gwenn is getting married at the gem theatre in detroit).

We saw an ad for the ballrooms and they are unbelievable.  I called today and WAY over price range….but of course, Mom was throwing fits (when does she now?) that its downtown–unsafe, and very unsafe for elderly people to go there.  It was crappy…when I called they said guests take a shuttle bus from the GM tower…huh??? that is kinda stupid.

Jewel was really good.  Aside from the asthma attack I had during it, I was able to use my inhaler as a song ended and people were clapping.  I  had been on a caffine high all day because it does stop an asthma/coughing/wheezing attack for me, and drank more pop in an entire day than I really swear I ever have.  Then I slept about 4 hours since the caffine crash left me so tired, yet extreme insomnia.

I got another dr. recommendation and have an allergist appointment on monday.  I can’t wait.  I think this will be a life changing appointment for me.  I think I need to start getting allergy shots because this sinus thing is just out of control.  I have been sick since May at a constant rate—all drainage and post-nasal drip.  I have asthma attacks more than I ever have, and its just time.  The custodian said that his son is a completely different person since he’s gone and I’m hoping that its true for me as well.  

Anyway, this is a long blog! This weather is so strange, I just want to get my robe on, grab my netflix movies and just veg on the couch the entire night! 

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I’ve been fighting a cold since Sunday, taking more vitamin C and zinc, and thought I was beating it until I woke up this morning with not being able to breathe…ugh!  Finally made an appointment w/the allergist but I can’t get in until January 4th…

I had two asthma attacks this morning which luckily the school nurse was here today and she told my chest was tight and doesn’t think my inhalers are doing the trick and that I need to get a different stronger steroid.  I have now become my Father with his horrible allergies and asthma.  Ugh!!! and just when I started to get good at working out!

Anyway, I’ve decided that I need to take on a part-time job to save money for our wedding and get out of debt…I definately don’t want to do retail again and was trying to think of what I could do, and realized duh! i could babysit…500 kids at my school I bet someone needs a sitter…. so I let the PTA know and they are going to spread the word! I talked to Brienne and I could make $10-13.00 an hour! Even if I got two four hour night jobs a week, thats HUGE!!

I’ve only got two more discs of Six Feet under and I”m done….I don’t know what I’m going to start watching after this..any suggestions???

I had dinner with Gwenn on Friday night, and she is also planning her wedding for next August.  I knew that things were expensive, but my goodness! its insane!!!  Just for some of my jaw dropping moments:

Photographer, $2,500-$4,000
Cake $600, plus $1.50 each slice to cut the cake
Invitations for 150:  $2,500
and the kicker….$20.00 MORE a head for alcohol!!!! are you kidding me??

Right now we have 180 on the guest list… we have to cut it down… I can live without a cake, just have a friend take some pictures, and try to make my own invitations (but yet that can still get costly). My fam and his fam don’t drink, so we are trying to figure out what to do…justin said he can hook us up with wine, but i’m not sure if we can do that… or just have a cash bar….decisions decisions…. 

Looks like Saginaw will be the location since it’ll be convienient….

Europe has been a bust as we have taken all day today (sunday) to research getting married…its just going to be too much of a headache… you get married by someone who doesn’t speak English, adn there are a lot of rules there as well…. so its back to New Zealand….

My aunt has been cooresponding with me and trying to get us to Aussie instead….. Steve’s parents are in if we go there, so we might just end up doing that since he also has family there and that way I’d have at least my mom’s brother and sister in law there to represent me :)… and my aunt is so completely geeked about it all, its kinda nice to have a standin mom anyway!!!

So girls…. what are you rooting for? NZ or Down Under?
Here are the links we found:
http://www.theweddingcompany.co.nz/nz-wedding-gallery/justine-geoffrey/01.html

http://www.australianwedding.com/cairns-rainforest
(scroll all the way down)

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Well its a rainy, cold night here at home and so I decided that I was bored at this moment and thought I’d blog. I’ve been watching episodes of Six Feet Under and on Season 4 now…

My job has had its ups and downs… the mostly downs are from others and not the kids so it makes it tolerable.  I had a great day and fun day at work. I was the mystery reader for the kids and they had to guess who was coming to class.  I got to read them a story and they got to ask me questions when I was done, mostly “whats your favorite color” and “whats your favorite animal”, etc.  The best part.  They “thanked” me for reading to them.  They make their hands in a T and then make their hands like a firecracker and shoot up to the sky and make firecracker noises.  It was really a day i’d remember working there.  I decided that if I wanted to be a teacher, I’d definately teach 2nd grade. I think that would be the most fun!!! 3 and 4 are taking MEAP right now which is so much pressure on those kids these days!

oh! For those of you  who don’t know, I’m not working at an elementary school in Saline, MI as an Admin. Asst.  I really love my job and dont’ even mind when sundays come along and I have to work the next day!!!!!

I also got a “family membership” for F and I at the rec center yesterday.  A perk, a wonderful discount… only $14.00 a month to work out there… guilt free for me if I don’t go every single day and the fun part of adding F, to my account. weird.  I”m so used to typing BF that its weird to drop the B now. huh,

Anyway, so as my mother has put it, I’m now starting to become a kid all over again.  I broke down and bought some crocs to wear to school and they are VERY comfy I must admit. I bought the brown mary jane’s, and got a few jibbitz, a turtle and a kitty print.  Haven’t seen them? go to www.jibbitz.com and check it out!!!

I also have been introduced to webkinz.  I checked that out online tonight too…and bought my princess fiona outfit for halloween.  Oh, I can’t wait.  I’ve had three girls give me hugs everyday on their way into class and the boys constantly comment on my star wars potato heads.  I recently added “trick or tator” and he is the CUTEST thing ever as a little ghost!!!

Other than that, I’m spending my days working on the website and getting back into my html coding for it… other than that there isn’t much to report.  We are now starting to talk about where we’d like to get married, but trying to figure out HOW is the question. We are looking at Italy, but apparently it is against the law to get married in Italy outdoors??? Still looking into that. It looks like he can get the month of July off so we are hoping to travel the entire time wherever we end up going… early to mid August is now floating around for a reception, and the odds are we’ll have one in saginaw….i think it’ll work out the best having it there. Does anyone out there have any ideas for reception halls??  Besides the big ones that will cost a lot of dough.. especially since there is no help of funds coming from anywhere

The good news is that my mom is finally talking to me about getting married, as two weeks ago she was unable to even do that. She is very unhappy because my Dad isn’t around and has been making life very difficult on me.    We are arguing of course, which is nothing new because she has no money and likes to bring it up about every 5 minutes!!! 

 I also have been researching some healthy foods online and debating on joining weight watchers just for some recipe ideas to try and get in tip top form for next year and starting now!! Mindy gave me some great ideas for new work out info/magazines so it got me pumped up too! 

F is in the other room putting up a bookshelf we got from Grandma so I can try to free up some room for more shelving space for clothes…. =)  I’m looking forward to the cooler weather… the summer gets SOOOOOOO busy that once its cold, I live for the “do nothing “weekends of vegging and doing puzzles and watching movies… especially since we got to start spending a lot less to afford to go somewhere next summer!!

Well thats it… nothing else to report.