I am back from California which was surprising and amazing at the same time.  I really learned more about people that I had previously misjudged.  I should just learn that my snap judgements are usually always wrong and I should never trust them.  I gained a whole new appreciation for the Dean and realized that he is quite possibly one of the coolest people I have ever known!  This entry would be a week long if I went into every detail of the week in California so I am just going to mention my favorite parts...

     - riding on a stagecoach as Miss America's stand-in for the Rose Parade

     - taking amazing pictures on the beach in Santa Monica

     - having dinner while looking at the ocean at Duke's of Malibu

     - watching Jen do her "Tyra" and Lytanya do her "Highschool Musical" choreography in our room

     - looking around when I was tired in Parade rehearsals and realizing that "hey there are mountains around me and I'm in paradise!

     - lunch at the Ritz Carlton (it was ridiculous)

     Now I am coming to the realization that, gross I have school tomorrow.  Which means company auditions, leveling, barforama.  Oy vey. 

     Holy cow, I really didn't think I was going to live through finals, all I have left now is tap leveling this morning!  I have been going on less than 3 hours a night for the week, but besides that I am feeling great.  After my last Rose Bowl rehearsal of the weekend I will get to fly home for a week and experience my first Christmas without my brother.  That will be strange, but I plan to keep myself so busy that I just don't have time to think about it.

     Last night was my annual Christmas party with my group of girls.  It was funny as usual, and our friend Chelsea who left after our sophmore year came!  It was hard to believe that this was our last Christmas party together...

     The Christmas Show went well, and while Im sad that my double is hurt and couldn't do the show, I actually kind of enjoyed performing Soldiers every show.  My parents came down with Phantom to see the show and it was nice just to hang out with them.  Ok, guess Im done for now, hope everyone has a Merry Whatever-it-is-you-celebrate.

Thankful

     I have A LOT to give thanks for this holiday season.  Let's start with the most recent, which would be the fact that I have time to write this entry this morning because for the first time in 4 years OCU has a snow day!!!!!  It would not be an exaggeration to say that I went ape sh** last night when I found out!  Secondly, I have family that i have so much fun with that they are like friends, and friends who I am so comfortable around they are like family...it's a good thing.  I absolutely cannot wait for my brother's wedding in August.  I don't think I could dislike my soon to be sister-in-law if I wanted to.  They are the perfect match and always have so much fun together doing the most mundane chores, like packing a suitcase.  They have the kind of relationship I think every person dreams of acquiring for themself.    

     In October I got the chance to fly home and totally surprise my Mom.  That was fun, she was shocked to say the least.  I also got to see my new house which  I really love.  Except of course for the fact that the walls of my room are NEON pink.  A year ago this would have been a great thing, but I'm kind of all pinked out because of last year. 

     Thanksgiving at home was a good one, except for it was my first without Grandpa Dee.  My brother went to visit him and came back pretty upset about it.  Grandpa of course had no idea who my brother was and I guess just said some things that were sad.  I don't think I'll ever be able to visit him.  Probably the next time I see him will be at his funeral.  I would prefer to remember him as he was, rather than this shell of his former self that he is now.  It's like one of those pod people.  Alzheimer's is really one of the most scary diseases I have ever experienced.  In the early stages the victim understands what is happening to their memory and can't do anything about it.  I remember when he started to get bad,  and after Dad left from a visit they say my Grandpa said, "I can't even remember my own son", and sat and cried.   To top of the fun, my Grandma on the other side has it now too...I really just want to cover my eyes and run away.  I realize that in a way I am turning my back on my family, but I just can't deal with it any other way.   So I guess out of this horrible thing, my positive is that I know that their are scientists who are working every day to find a cure that will save other's from this fate someday.

      Whew, I did not mean to get that heavy....but on a lighter note X-mas is right around the corner and so is California!  I challenge everyone who reads this to take a moment and make a difference in someone's day somehow.  It's been my own personal goal this year to become a more sefless person, so if you need a favor, now is a really good time to ask me!

  "This is what it means to be held, how it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life, and you survive.  This is what it means to be loved and to know that the promise was that when everything fell, we'd be held."   Christa Wells (sung by Natalie Grant) 

Homecoming- stick a fork in it, it's done!

     So incredibly happy that Homecoming is dunzo...last one ever.  I was really happy with the way things turned out though, the Gamma Phi Beta's did well...as did everyone else.  Im gunna have to say that my favorite lip sync goes to Kappa Sigma.  While it's not fair, boys dancing around and singing are ALWAYS going to be funnier than girls doing the same, it's just a fact.  I'm pretty sure though, that this year the Gamma Phi's held our awkwardly long pose the longest ever...it was pretty great.  So happy for our girl Erin the Homecoming Queen!  I would have to say my favorite parts of Homecoming were Stacy and I at the house jumping on trampolines like 5 year olds at 6 in the morning, and getting our pretty PR shirts!  So so so much better than a t-shirt, (anyone who knows me knows I do not ever wear big t-shirts).  Everyone looked really sharp!

     This upcoming week is going to be a killer.  Contracts test tomorrow, Act 1 costume run with dances I haven't even thought about in weeks and weeks, re-learning Sing Sing Sing during my only break during the day...but no complaining, everything is going to be great if I just keep myself organized!   To top it off this week is Gamma Phi Beta I-Week.  Sadly, I will not be present for Initiation because of a surprise I can't talk about quite yet in case the wrong person reads this! 

     Thats about it for now, so as my pretty little Steppie would say: I'm out like a fat kid in dodgeball!