Because guess what? It’s pretty much impossible to do a show when you have 3+ jobs. I realized the impossibility of it all after last week practically had me breaking at the seams a little bit.

About 25-30 hours at ABC 4 between Wednesday and Friday. Five hours max for Park City TV on Mondays and Tuesdays, with up to 2 hours a day between Wednesday and Friday. I fit in time for Sinclair when I can either make the trip to SLC or steal away to Starbucks for a couple hours. Then the “+” is the extraneous help I lend to an awesome woman who owns her own real estate/staging business which could be a couple hours a week.

Busy doesn’t even begin to cover it. Heck, I’m struggling with my Project 365 on Something Write but I’m persevering since I really want to succeed in continuing that project for a year. It’s a wonder that I even had a down moment tonight.

There is an upside to all this busy-ness though, I promise.

I’m absolutely loving my jobs! ABC 4 has me running cameras and helping produce the evening shows. Not to mention the fact that I’m in love with the crew here. Everyone is just amazing. There are definitely stressful moments and too many pizzas ordered, but I genuinely enjoy what I’m doing.

PCTV is also very fun, despite the 6 am shift on Mondays and Tuesdays (hello, coffee!). And again, I really like the people I’m working with. Biggest perk is that my internship is mostly about helping keep the website and blog updated as close to daily as possible. Lots of writing? Hells yes, I can do that!

Weekends are almost free from work if I’m not behind on Sinclair stuff. But those are usually jam packed too with Pole Fitness, Zumba, church and what not. However, with the Sundance Film Festival, this weekend is looking pretty intense. Let’s see if I can keep my head. ;)

But you see my point? There is no way I can manage even trying to do a show right now. So no point in getting my hopes up in getting cast right?

Right…

If I wasn’t loving my work right now, I’d probably fall apart … so I’m good. The perfect distraction.

On another upside, more songwriting is going on behind the wings (aka: late at night) so hopefully I can produce another full song here in the near future. It’s amazing what emotional trauma (that I’m not going to delve into just yet… give it a few months) can set off creatively (again, see Something Write).

What are your thoughts on staying busy?

So today– finish up my blog work for Park City TV around 2-ish. Low and behold, that’s the last productive thing I’ve done all day. I mean besides finishing Catching Fire (and now aching to pick up Mockingjay, but a girl needs to get a grip on at least something).

Wanna know what derailed me? Odds are if you are reading this, you may already have a hint.

Yep, you got it. #BiSC. Bloggers in Sin City. AKA: The Most Amazing Weekend Known to Both Mankind and the Animal Kingdom.

Today was registration day! I remember last year when I literally made the decision to go on a whim and it turned out to be one of the very best decisions I made in 2011. Undoubtedly one of the best weekends of my life!

With my new job stuff this year, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to go this year. Over the weekend I asked my boss since I’m asking super-ahead-of-time if this trip would be doable. He said it could totally be fine! Cue screaming like a school girl.

So I charged my MasterCard with the registration fee, promptly hid the little piece of plastic among my books so I can’t use it, and filled out the form just so I can say this… I’M GOING BACK TO BISC!  I have the button in my sidebar to prove it!

Since I’ve registered, practically all my thoughts are going around like this in my brain: Who’s coming back? YAY we get to do Sin City all over again together! Oh, who’s that girl? She’s new; she seems awesome. Let’s be friends! Man… I wonder how long it will take for me to pay this off. Eh, not long since I have 4 PT jobs–oh, wait there’s a free BiSC giveaway??!! Why shouldn’t I read all the bios on the BiSC website? It’s like getting to know these people (plus new ones!) all over again! I mean, when else would I get time? Seriously? Ooh, my gosh. There are new guys coming too! How exciting! Gosh, everyone is/seems SO cool. I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL MAY!

Do you want to know what would be even cooler? Getting to attend for free! Paper’d, a kickass iPhone design app due to be released next month, is sponsoring a free BiSC experience to one of the 60 bloggers who have registered to attend. I’ve been on the email list for Paper’d for months now because it is the baby of the people behind Shatterboxx and they are pretty much the best web designers ever. I’m in love with the websites that they’ve Shatterboxxed (and I can’t wait to do that with my iPhone). So seriously… how can I not enter for a chance at this awesome giveaway? ;)

Now that I’m all BiSC-ed out (actually, not really but it’s a lot less absorbing now), I can finish getting some work done. That is, if I can keep myself away from Mockingjay… seriously why do I get so addicted to books?!

Wishing happy heart boners for all!

It’s not very often that I stop and say to myself, “Today is a good day!”

It’s not that I don’t have good days (I do since I’m naturally an optimistic person). But because of certain things going on in my life since December, I haven’t had a particularly good day in a while. There have been good moments (some amazing) but most days have been just… meh. Let’s just say, it feels like it’s been forever since my last amazing day.

Today isn’t even over yet…  and I’ve stopped what I’m doing to say that sentence about 10 times. Even in the bathroom mirror. Hello, perma-smile on my face! How often is it that so many good things get compacted into one day?

Why Today is a Good Day

• Had a blast at Park City TV this morning, eating delicious bratwurst and getting to run the camera.
• Washed the rental.
• There were mushrooms at my office’s dining room salad bar (when they were absent last week)! My fave! Plus the rolls were fresh and warm.
• Finished a lot of work despite getting up at 5:45 am to a lukewarm shower.
• I get to pick up my pole (Christmas present) today!
• I’m about to leave for Pole Fitness too…
• Getting my nails all done up tonight with a Christmas gift card.
• Totally planning on Cafe Rio for dinner. Chicken salad for me while I read Catching Fire (unless someone wants to join me–text or email mikshorty {at} gmail if interested).
• And I just received word that my car is now at the paint-job stage so she should be done by the end of the week!

See? Those are not only good things, but excellent things! This is why I believe in karma. =)

Won’t lie… This good day was definitely needed. I kind of hope all this goodness continues. For example, I could use some good news on the love front ifyouknowwhatImean… so if some kind of karmic cosmos stuff could help out with that, that would be awesome! ;)

—

An update from my last post:

I am going to audition for Chicago on Sunday. I emailed the lady conducting the auditions and she said to audition anyway then see if the director would work with my schedule (should he find me suitable for a role). Wish me luck!

Oh, and I’ve decided to do Project 365 on Something Write – a poem, quote, bit of a story or anecdote every day. I started a few days ago, but I didn’t really announce it. That blog already gaining popularity, faster than MikShorty did in the beginning, so make sure to check it out!

What is the best thing about your day today?

Alas, I have picked up two new part-time jobs.

1. My production assistant slot at ABC 4 News that I just started on Wednesday (and am completely loving!).
2. And my internship with Park City TV which virtually starts next week but I’m already doing work for them from home since my audition week was just that stellar.

But of course, I just have to hear about local auditions for Chicago as soon as my daily schedule goes into intense mode. What musical theater girl wouldn’t die to be in that show? Seriously… Velma would be a killer role to play, just saying.

Without thinking, I signed up for an audition time a couple weeks away on Tuesday night. Remember how I started work at ABC 4 on Wednesday? I quickly realized my mistake. How can I do a show where the rehearsals will likely be in the evenings and I work more than 3 evenings a week?

Just give me a sign that says, “I’m Stupid”. Yep, I’m pulling the Bill Engvall card because… yeah, that’s how I feel right now.

Now I can’t decide if I should email the lady back and say that I misjudged my schedule or audition for the experience anyway. I’d hate to make the show and then have to say no because of work. Somehow, I don’t think that would be fair to the directors. But I still really want to audition to see if I can make it! Gah… such a tough choice.

What would you do?

Maybe, for the time being, I should just stick to songwriting and my WIP stories on my downtime.

December was…

Emotional.

The last of Thoroughly Modern Millie rehearsals. Awesome opening and closing night cast parties. Dressing room dance parties. Killer dresses. Washing 2 pounds of hair spray out of my hair for days (not to mention the layers and layers of makeup). Documenting the wonderful hairstyles my wonderful friend Ryon made with my hair. Doing a scene all while either being poked by a safety pin or with only one earring. Silently cracking up backstage because of the hilarity on stage. Hearing that I should be making it big from a big PR guy (why can’t a guy hook a girl up?!). A man confessing his love for me after one show. Making friends with the adorable stage hands who brought me Reese Sticks during intermission. Humongous family cheers that made my day–love them! A fantastic run of a fun show with a cast that I fell in love with. Performing!!!

Hilarious moments at our Christmas party. No cavities. Over thinking. Cold sores again. Crooning dog. Ice cream dates with adorable surprises. Soul sisters!Attending a Pagan Yule ritual (so cool!) while trying not to hack up a lung (not so cool… stupid cats). In too deep. Sporadic Christmas shopping. Sub for Santas. Donating every chance I got. New things!

The return of my Double Whammy Saturdays (Pole Fitness & Zumba). Singing duets with awesome friends. Late night chats. New rockin‘ Zumba classes closer to home! Pretty red nails that last! Discovering that I’m most productive at coffee houses. Lots of poems. Happy weight again!

Owning my online identity. Learning and excelling at using a curling iron on myself! Fun audition week at Park City TV to be an intern. Job offer from ABC 4! One kiss to add to the top of the memorable list (should I do an update? that post was a while ago and lots of kissing has happened since)…

Flying down to Vegas for Christmas with my dad. Too much sleep. Too much relaxing. Way too much food. A poolside Zumba sesh. Playing with my puppies. Being introduced to DragonVale. Becoming addicted to DragonVale. Reading The Hunger Games, The Cloud Prophet Series and The Accidental Billionaires. Watching A Christmas Story for the first time. A Venetian Christmas outing. Seeing The Darkest Hour with Vegas buddies.

Fender-benders and flat tires. A kick-ass replacement for Akasha while she gets fixed. Broken Macbook charger. Strange coughing attacks. Inspiration for a new story. Magic in the snow. A private midnight tour of a 5-diamond resort. Awesome recording and mixing times on my newest cover!

Giving my soul sister the courage to get her New Year’s kiss from a stranger. Saying goodbye to 2011. Throwing snow confetti on people while screaming “Happy New Year!”

*   *  *

Blips of…
July ~ August ~ September ~ October ~ November

2011 seemed to be the year of big things and big changes all around (my friend Caryn included a great list of the big news that hit this year in her 2011 recap post) It was also rather impulsive in a few respects.

Let’s see… what happened this year?

~  My step-brother and my best friend got married. Oh, and my adorable baby niece was born too. =)

~  I finished writing not only one but three plays. Varying in lengths, granted. But still… One full-length play was in there and that is definitely something worth celebrating in my book.

~  That college degree I worked on for four years was completed. Yep. I’m a college grad. That means you gotta do what I tell you! Just kidding, but definitely empowering.

~  The most fun weekend of my life at Bloggers in Sin City. A completely impulsive decision to go with absolutely no idea how it would turn out, and I was blown away by the wonderful bloggers/friends that I got to tear apart Vegas with all while experiencing some sweet VIP treatment.

~  I got to experience the world of broadcast journalism with my summer internship at ABC 4 News… and they have extended a job offer for me to be a production assistant. I start this coming week (and my horoscope totally predicted this one dead on… blew me away). =)

~  Auditions for The Voice turned out to be a phenomenal experience.

~  My family and I moved to Park City. Luckily I have an electronically heated blanket for my bed or I’d likely be a popsicle right now.

~  A pool of water washed away any of my previous “sins” when I got baptized.

~  Akasha, my beautiful baby 2012 Subaru Legacy (who is currently in the shop since someone rear-ended me this week), joined my family in November.

~  I got the opportunity to perform in a musical for the first time in nearly 5 years. There I made some amazing friends and even a soul sister. There really is nothing like being in a show!

~  Last and certainly not least, but I fell in love. A couple times actually. The love affair with my body fully hit me back in the spring… as for the other “fall”, it took me by surprise and it’s been the biggest roller coaster I’ve ever experienced. Who knows if anything will really come of it? Only time will tell really. Fingers crossed for good things though. ;)

Not a shabby list, all things considered. So many emotions fill these past 365 days… I can’t even list them all. Thinking about listing the names of the books I read this year seems daunting too. I read a butt-load of books this year amidst everything else! The Kindle app makes it so easy…

—

Quick! Onto bloggy 2011 stuff before I start going off on books!

Top 5 Most Popular Posts in 2011

• Some Fictional Reading ~ Gargoyle
• The Grobes Experience (where I met Josh Groban)
• You Found Me How?
• One BiSC of a Weekend!
• The Voice Audition

My Top 5 Favorite Posts (aside from those listed above)

• I’m in Love
• What’s Wrong in the World
• Grains of Golden Sand
• A Wedding of a Weekend
• Addict @ <3

—

Life goes on and 2012 is just waiting for us to hold on tight before it heads off like those fireworks we’ll all see shooting across the sky tonight.

For me, 2011 was the year of new territory, taking the plunge and embracing everything for all it’s worth.

* * *

What was the best thing about 2011 for you?

Last night, quite simply, sucked.

So there I was on my way to the bank after work. The cars in front of me slow down. Nothing new. I slow to a stop and look up at my rear-view window.

That car is coming in much too fast, I think. Just a second later, I notice the change in the guys face as he’s realized that the line of rush hour traffic in front of him is at a stop.

Oh, shit, is all I can think before…

CRUNCH!

Yeah… my brand new baby car that I haven’t owned for more than two months received a rear-end beating. I wasn’t hurt in the crash (as far as I can tell) but… my poor baby!

Approximately $3700 in damage... lovely.

The guy who hit me? His whole front end was pretty crunched up. He couldn’t even move it out of the way so he blocked traffic. It was leaking some kind of fluid… a lot of it. Cops were called, insurances were swapped, and I froze my toes off since I was in my work shoes which have no insulation.

Plus my heart was falling apart! I can’t stand seeing my baby Akasha in such pain! And after her little flat tire two weeks ago (not to mention the tire blow-up I experienced in August), this just wasn’t kosher car karma for me. I better have excellent car karma in the next year because… yeah, this was just awful.

Mom came to the rescue though, followed me drive Akasha–complete with bungee cord in place to hold that flapping side in–to my grandparents house (all while sobbing like a little girl the whole way since I refused to cry in front of a cop) for the sake of ease to get it fixed faster, and then drove me to some much-needed Zumba. It was quite the sensation when I started dancing and my spine popped from top to bottom. I felt a little better afterwards, but Mom said I looked stressed throughout the whole class. Why do you think that was? Hmmmm?! Just look at that picture!!! *cries*

Oh, and about 50 yards behind our crash, another rear-ending occurred at some point after ours. We learned that when I drove to my grandma’s house. Seriously, people? Are people driving through their Christmas coma state or what?

Takeaway Lesson for the Day:
PAY ATTENTION while driving. Be present and aware of what’s going on around and in front of you. And for God’s sake, don’t text and drive. Don’t GPS and drive. Don’t… just don’t mess with any device other than your steering wheel and/or shifting stick while driving. Oh, and don’t drink or smoke and drive. Then you’re just asking for much more trouble (and probably a night in jail).

Well, let’s suffice it to say that I didn’t make it to the bank like I planned and I have to have a rental car for the next few days once the approval from the guy’s insurance goes through.

Wishing you all good car karma!

The run of Thoroughly Modern Millie is going great, a few minor hiccups here and there but nothing un-fixable. It really is a great cast and I’ve loved every minute with them! I’m going to be very sad when we close the show on Thursday…

Last week was my “trial” week at Park City TV to see if I want to intern there and to see if any of my skills would particularly help them. They really want me to come help blog and gather news stories, but I first need to speak to Workforce Services or something in order to see if that’s a possibility. Getting up at 5:45 am after not getting home til late after TMM wasn’t the smartest move, but it was a good time learning the ropes of the Mountain Morning Show and getting to blog for them for a few days.

And I will have a new part-time job come the New Year… more on that later. ;)

If you haven’t noticed yet, I have decided to go with my real name for my Twitter handle! Now that that battle is done, I feel much better.

On the creative writing side, sometimes words find me and they want to be shared, but this blog doesn’t seem like the “write” place for it. So I made Something Write as my special creative blog zone! Check it out!

And can ya’ll believe that Christmas is just around the corner, not even a week away? My only thought is, “Oh, crap, I’m nowhere near done with Christmas shopping.” Yeah… no idea what to get certain people. Christmas shopping is hard especially when your schedule is cram-packed so there is little to no time to really shop! I have no idea how I’m going to manage that this week.

How’s all of your holiday stuff going? Have you hit the roof or guzzled the egg nog yet? ;)

Something that has been said to me a couple times over the course of Thoroughly Modern Millie by a couple cast members… 

We’re going to kill you and then steal your voice box.

Gee, thanks guys. :P

-

Backstage getting ready…

Me: Bra swap time!
Christin:  At least bra swap is better than Wife Swap.

—

Remember how I lost one of my ear phone covers?

Bro:  I thought you lost that side of your ear phones…
Me:  I did, so I replaced it with a large one but it hurts when I put it in all the way.

—

Whenever my mom announces that I’m doing a play to someone…

Mom:  She’s doing Flogging Molly!

—

At the Christmas party at my house a couple weeks ago.
Showing my mom’s ginormous closet off to my friends…

Carlos:  It’s like a mini-Sex and the City closet!

Carlos:  Are angels coming down?
Me:  Oh, there’s music throughout the house.
Brandi:  The closet is pretty heavenly.

-

My mom is a master at making martinis, but the thing is… they are insanely strong albeit insanely delicious.

Carlos:  Think of it as being 90% chocolate and 10% alcohol.
Brandi:  It’s so totally not, but we can say that. ;)

-

On me not drinking…

Carlos:  It’s like living in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory but not eating the chocolate!

Brandi:  It’s not very Mormon of you to be having fun when when you should be married with kids.
Me:  Eff that!
Brandi:  That’s my girl…

-

And the random conversations…

Brandi:  I love killing zombies! I’m so ready for the zombie apocalypse. When it comes, we are going to the Costco on 56th and State since they sell guns, ammo and they have a shit-load supply of water and food. Basically we could lock the doors and stay in there. We’d just have to guard the front door.

-

Brandi:  I would marry a guy just for his last name.

-

Brandi:  The Kardashian’s are famous because their father got OJ off and Kim got Ray-J off.

-

It’s not the size, it’s how they navigate.

—

Office Chatter
After hearing about the recent shooting at Virginia Tech at work…

Me:  I saw a tweet about someone not wanting to go to Virginia Tech because it seemed like killing was their job.
Bro:  That’s what happens when it’s legal to marry your first cousin.

-

Me:  We’re taking about how in some states it’s legal for you to marry your cousin.
CoWorker:  Austin (my bro), I thought we had already discussed this and you’re back to it?

—

Zach:  How are you doing today?
Me:  Just another day in paradise. You?
Zach:  Another day with parasites.

*   *   *

Thanks for tuning into Saying Saturday!

Cold sores. Usually they plague me when the weather is shifting, mostly from fall to winter and winter to spring. It’s genetic; they have hit me ever since I was a kid. Unfortunately, ever since October, I’ve suffered 3 cold sores about two weeks apart. One just sprung up two nights ago and I couldn’t help thinking, “This is NOT normal to get them this often!” So I started thinking of reasons why this could be happening…

I realized that I never changed my toothbrush head from my first cold sore, so I figured that could be a culprit. My chapsticks and such may need a shave off the top too to prevent them holding onto the bacteria. A couple things to fix and I should be good to go, right?

While I’ve been concentrating on the physical things to fix to ensure this pattern of cold sores comes to a stop, my mom said, “Cold sores happen when you’re stressed.”

That never even crossed my mind. As I started to think about it, I didn’t think I was that stressed but apparently, my body has been so it’s manifesting that in this nasty pattern.

Ever since I got busy with the play I’m starring in October, I haven’t been working out consistently. Mostly it’s just been the minimal dancing I do in the show and maybe a few pushups here and there… Here’s the thing: workouts are my ultimate stress-buster.

This morning, I finally had a morning off of rehearsal (since we open tonight! YAY! Get tickets here.) so my mom and I went to Pole Fitness (which I haven’t done since October 11… ugh, too long!), got our rear ends kicked really good then went to Zumba. It felt so wonderful to just bust out for my first Double Whammy Saturday (as I like to call them) since September! My heart clearly loved me because it throbbed in my throat for much of it–amazeballs, seriously.

As we drove home, I realized how revitalized and free I felt from those two hours of heart-pumping goodness. I thought I was happy and stress-free, but this morning really proved me wrong. I haven’t felt this good in months!

I feel like I can take on the world!

The bottom line?  I need my workouts. They really do keep me sane and stress-free. And hopefully, cold sore-free too… Damn things totally kill my mojo.