I bought a capo for my guitar when I was in New York. I wasn't planning on it, but somehow I ended up walking along W. 48th Street and noticed all these music shops! So I stopped in a couple. The first one was busy and I didn't know where to find the capos, but the second one was great. A guy behind the counter asked if he could help me, and he was very nice. He explained the different capos and recommended the one that I ended up buying (it wasn't the most expensive, so that was also nice).
So yay! From this one instrumental addition, I have found new musical inspiration. I think a key change has done me good!!!
Sunday, May 28, 2006
I originally posted this on MySpace
MySpace blog entry entitled: "I heard the people sing!"
Raise your hand if you got the reference right away! Anybody? Anybody? Well, I don't expect you to, really... unless you're Katherine or Leanna, in which case, you had a head's up.
That's right, I saw Les Miserables today! Last night, I asked Katherine, Leanna and Cindi if I should. (I just needed some convincing. It turns out that purchasing a ticket to Les Miz in Seattle cost me more than I spent on any one Broadway show last week.) They all said yes, like it was a no-brainer. I couldn't have asked three better people to tell me what I wanted to hear, when I wanted to hear it. LOL.
The matinee performance was great. One of the best -- if not the best -- performances of Les Miz I've seen. Leanna told me to watch for how well the cast worked together, so I did and I was very impressed. Jason Kraack went on as Jean Valjean instead of Randal Keith. No matter! My first JVJ was an understudy... Hehehe. Gregory Calvin Stone, if you're reading this, hi! (To everyone else, Greg's the one who left the cool comment about pimping out my profile.)
I'm so glad I got to see Daniel Bogart as Marius. I was rather curious to hear him after seeing his older brother Matt play Chris in Miss Saigon and the "Tell My Father" soldier in The Civil War.
Rant and raves:
A rave for Jason Kraack's performance. He rocked!
A rant for some of my fellow audience members. Too many coughed during "On My Own" and "A Little Fall of Rain." Seriously, people. I know some of you can't help it, but at least try to keep it down. Muffle it if you have to. There's nothing like a good hack to ruin a tender moment.
A rave for the entire cast. I really did enjoy this performance. Thanks for waving after your final bow.
A rave for the ending to "A Little Fall of Rain." Actually, I don't know if I should call it a rave. It was just a heartwrenching moment when Melissa Lyons' Eponine closes her eyes and puckers her lips for a kiss while Daniel Bogart's Marius looks down and holds Eponine but doesn't kiss her. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Poor Ep. And then she dies. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
A rave for Claude-Michel Schonberg's gorgeous music. I hadn't heard it in a while.
Raise your hand if you got the reference right away! Anybody? Anybody? Well, I don't expect you to, really... unless you're Katherine or Leanna, in which case, you had a head's up.
That's right, I saw Les Miserables today! Last night, I asked Katherine, Leanna and Cindi if I should. (I just needed some convincing. It turns out that purchasing a ticket to Les Miz in Seattle cost me more than I spent on any one Broadway show last week.) They all said yes, like it was a no-brainer. I couldn't have asked three better people to tell me what I wanted to hear, when I wanted to hear it. LOL.
The matinee performance was great. One of the best -- if not the best -- performances of Les Miz I've seen. Leanna told me to watch for how well the cast worked together, so I did and I was very impressed. Jason Kraack went on as Jean Valjean instead of Randal Keith. No matter! My first JVJ was an understudy... Hehehe. Gregory Calvin Stone, if you're reading this, hi! (To everyone else, Greg's the one who left the cool comment about pimping out my profile.)
I'm so glad I got to see Daniel Bogart as Marius. I was rather curious to hear him after seeing his older brother Matt play Chris in Miss Saigon and the "Tell My Father" soldier in The Civil War.
Rant and raves:
A rave for Jason Kraack's performance. He rocked!
A rant for some of my fellow audience members. Too many coughed during "On My Own" and "A Little Fall of Rain." Seriously, people. I know some of you can't help it, but at least try to keep it down. Muffle it if you have to. There's nothing like a good hack to ruin a tender moment.
A rave for the entire cast. I really did enjoy this performance. Thanks for waving after your final bow.
A rave for the ending to "A Little Fall of Rain." Actually, I don't know if I should call it a rave. It was just a heartwrenching moment when Melissa Lyons' Eponine closes her eyes and puckers her lips for a kiss while Daniel Bogart's Marius looks down and holds Eponine but doesn't kiss her. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Poor Ep. And then she dies. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
A rave for Claude-Michel Schonberg's gorgeous music. I hadn't heard it in a while.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
The fascination with bobbleheads continues...
This video is hilarious. "Do we look the same?" Watch it, watch it now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47yzhI_3xI4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47yzhI_3xI4
Friday, May 26, 2006
Can't. Stop. Blogging.
Oh, Blogger. You are my original blog. Sorry to neglect you at times.
I can't help it. I'm addicted to MySpace, and that's where I write now mostly. Some entries are public, but the majority of my entries are viewable only to my friends. Hehehe. If nothing else, that's why you should join MySpace. You know you want to!
Unless you are Mom and Dad, in which case, that would be too weird if you were on MySpace. :) I suppose you could, but again, that would be too weird.
I can't help it. I'm addicted to MySpace, and that's where I write now mostly. Some entries are public, but the majority of my entries are viewable only to my friends. Hehehe. If nothing else, that's why you should join MySpace. You know you want to!
Unless you are Mom and Dad, in which case, that would be too weird if you were on MySpace. :) I suppose you could, but again, that would be too weird.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Just My Luck
Ooh, I love double meanings.
(Hellooooooo from New York Cit-tay!)
I tried the RENT lottery for the very first time this evening. No dice. There were so many people who didn't get tickets, but at least we could share in our loser disappointment. I didn't stick around to buy $45 tickets (yes, they were discount tickets, but no thanks).
I stopped by TKTS, but I wasn't interested in seeing Festen (a play, which I just read is closing May 20, the producers announced it today) and Chicago. Mondays are dark for most Broadway shows. (Man, I wish Miss Saigon were still around; it played on Mondays).
Before I entered the lottery, I created a Plan B. After eating dinner, I executed the plan. I went to the AMC Theater on 42nd Street. There's a Loews across the street, but the AMC had better choices. In fact, I would have picked Akeelah and the Bee, but the movie wasn't going to start for another hour.
My choice? Just My Luck. Starring Lindsay Lohan and... hold on, I'll remember... Chris Pine. Easy on the eyes, that one. :) The movie was cheesy and predictable but just the right amount of cheese and the kind of predictability that goes down smoothly. I liked it well enough. It rains on the main characters throughout the movie, and I felt really happy I decided to take one of Anna's umbrellas with me because it rained when I got out of the theater!
Oh, I enjoyed watching the movie with a New York audience. They laughed hard at things that were outrageously cheesy, and I was laughing right along with them. Oh, and it was fun because the movie takes place in New York and even features the new Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, which I happened to walk by earlier today. :)
On another note, wish me luck for the next three days! Not luck in the sense of winning the RENT lottery or having things magically work out Hollywood-style. Wish me luck in the sense of sending positive vibes that my informational interviews are mutually beneficial and productive for me and the companies I'm visiting. Thanks!
(No time to edit any and all mistakes!)
(Hellooooooo from New York Cit-tay!)
I tried the RENT lottery for the very first time this evening. No dice. There were so many people who didn't get tickets, but at least we could share in our loser disappointment. I didn't stick around to buy $45 tickets (yes, they were discount tickets, but no thanks).
I stopped by TKTS, but I wasn't interested in seeing Festen (a play, which I just read is closing May 20, the producers announced it today) and Chicago. Mondays are dark for most Broadway shows. (Man, I wish Miss Saigon were still around; it played on Mondays).
Before I entered the lottery, I created a Plan B. After eating dinner, I executed the plan. I went to the AMC Theater on 42nd Street. There's a Loews across the street, but the AMC had better choices. In fact, I would have picked Akeelah and the Bee, but the movie wasn't going to start for another hour.
My choice? Just My Luck. Starring Lindsay Lohan and... hold on, I'll remember... Chris Pine. Easy on the eyes, that one. :) The movie was cheesy and predictable but just the right amount of cheese and the kind of predictability that goes down smoothly. I liked it well enough. It rains on the main characters throughout the movie, and I felt really happy I decided to take one of Anna's umbrellas with me because it rained when I got out of the theater!
Oh, I enjoyed watching the movie with a New York audience. They laughed hard at things that were outrageously cheesy, and I was laughing right along with them. Oh, and it was fun because the movie takes place in New York and even features the new Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, which I happened to walk by earlier today. :)
On another note, wish me luck for the next three days! Not luck in the sense of winning the RENT lottery or having things magically work out Hollywood-style. Wish me luck in the sense of sending positive vibes that my informational interviews are mutually beneficial and productive for me and the companies I'm visiting. Thanks!
(No time to edit any and all mistakes!)
Saturday, May 13, 2006
There are officially too many shows I want to see
So many shows, so little time. Notice I said shows. That word encompasses Broadway musicals, Broadway plays (yes, plays!!), and Off-Broadway musicals.
I'm having a hard time deciding what I want to see, given my budget and the primary focus of my trip (informational interviews). Really, I will not have this problem when I actually live in New York. :))
The narrowed list (which is still quite long):
Avenue Q
Hairspray
Lestat
Tarzan
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Wedding Singer
Wicked
Awake and Sing!
Barefoot in the Park
Doubt
The History Boys
Three Days of Rain
Forbidden Broadway: SVU
Altar Boyz
Avenue Q and Wicked are my staples. If I can see one of the two, then great. *sigh* No more student discounts for me. That's a bummer. I'm going to try the Avenue Q lottery, which doesn't have a student restriction.
I just read on Playbill.com that Tarzan will be on Good Morning America on Monday. I wonder if I should wander down there at 8 in the morning. Yikes, that sounds really early (5 a.m. Pacific).
Would be cool to see Sutton Foster in The Drowsy Chaperone. I keep thinking that this is another Thoroughly Modern Millie. I want to see it and I want to be proven wrong. I really do on both counts. This show has a lottery too, but the drawing doesn't take place until an hour before the show starts. That's cutting it close. Althooooough, the TKTS booth has temporarily moved near the Marquis because Duffy Square is undergoing renovation.
OK. The Wedding Singer is a must. :) If I can, I will go.
Anna said she want to see Wicked. Would be fun to go together! We don't have tickets in hand, so that may be a long shot, but I'd love to see it again.
Surprisingly, I am interested in several plays (i.e., the talkies that do not break into song [I just made that up]). I can't remember when I've ever been interested in so many plays in one season. Barefoot in the Park has a discount. I may use that, but musicals are always number one in my book. Then there's Three Days of Rain with Julia Roberts, but -- more importantly -- Bradley Cooper (lol, I was about to type Will Tippin) and Paul Rudd!!! I wonder if tickets are even available. And by tickets, I mean inexpensive ones.
Then there are the Off-Broadway shows. I didn't list it, but I would love to see I Love You Because... It's playing down in Greenwich Village, I think. I have no idea how to find my way around there (too bad Alexa's not around!), so I'll have to pass. But Forbidden Broadway would be great. I love the hilarious parodies, and you get a Broadway-musical sampler all in one show. :) Then there's Altar Boyz, which Mom and Dad saw.
Ah, I'm so excited for New York. I leave in a little over 24 hours. OOOOOPS. I better go! Need to pack and continue preparing for the interviews.
If you're reading this, then wow. Wish me luck!!!
EDIT: D'oh! Well, I should be too upset. Strike Forbidden Broadway off the list. Really, it is forbidden. It's not playing on Broadway right now 'cause it's visiting San Diego. Oh well. Okay, what else can I eliminate?
I'm having a hard time deciding what I want to see, given my budget and the primary focus of my trip (informational interviews). Really, I will not have this problem when I actually live in New York. :))
The narrowed list (which is still quite long):
Avenue Q
Hairspray
Lestat
Tarzan
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Wedding Singer
Wicked
Awake and Sing!
Barefoot in the Park
Doubt
The History Boys
Three Days of Rain
Forbidden Broadway: SVU
Altar Boyz
Avenue Q and Wicked are my staples. If I can see one of the two, then great. *sigh* No more student discounts for me. That's a bummer. I'm going to try the Avenue Q lottery, which doesn't have a student restriction.
I just read on Playbill.com that Tarzan will be on Good Morning America on Monday. I wonder if I should wander down there at 8 in the morning. Yikes, that sounds really early (5 a.m. Pacific).
Would be cool to see Sutton Foster in The Drowsy Chaperone. I keep thinking that this is another Thoroughly Modern Millie. I want to see it and I want to be proven wrong. I really do on both counts. This show has a lottery too, but the drawing doesn't take place until an hour before the show starts. That's cutting it close. Althooooough, the TKTS booth has temporarily moved near the Marquis because Duffy Square is undergoing renovation.
OK. The Wedding Singer is a must. :) If I can, I will go.
Anna said she want to see Wicked. Would be fun to go together! We don't have tickets in hand, so that may be a long shot, but I'd love to see it again.
Surprisingly, I am interested in several plays (i.e., the talkies that do not break into song [I just made that up]). I can't remember when I've ever been interested in so many plays in one season. Barefoot in the Park has a discount. I may use that, but musicals are always number one in my book. Then there's Three Days of Rain with Julia Roberts, but -- more importantly -- Bradley Cooper (lol, I was about to type Will Tippin) and Paul Rudd!!! I wonder if tickets are even available. And by tickets, I mean inexpensive ones.
Then there are the Off-Broadway shows. I didn't list it, but I would love to see I Love You Because... It's playing down in Greenwich Village, I think. I have no idea how to find my way around there (too bad Alexa's not around!), so I'll have to pass. But Forbidden Broadway would be great. I love the hilarious parodies, and you get a Broadway-musical sampler all in one show. :) Then there's Altar Boyz, which Mom and Dad saw.
Ah, I'm so excited for New York. I leave in a little over 24 hours. OOOOOPS. I better go! Need to pack and continue preparing for the interviews.
If you're reading this, then wow. Wish me luck!!!
EDIT: D'oh! Well, I should be too upset. Strike Forbidden Broadway off the list. Really, it is forbidden. It's not playing on Broadway right now 'cause it's visiting San Diego. Oh well. Okay, what else can I eliminate?
Thursday, May 11, 2006
"I've seen your face before."
For all you non-musical folks, that's a line from Les Miz. And it's playing on repeat in my head.
I went to dinner at Blue C Sushi with my friend Jennifer. Good food, good company, good time to catch up! We had a class together during my last quarter in college.
Before we entered the restaurant, I saw this man walking with what appeared to be his family (you can never tell, but that's what I assumed). And for the life of me, I cannot place his name and why or from where I know him. It's driving me crazy! Think, Allison, think!
He looked so familiar. This is going to bug me. I hope that it will just click when I least expect it. For now, I'm just annoyed that I can't connect a name to his face.
The drive down Mercer St. was horrendous. I waited forever and ever to get on I-5. At least I got to spend some time on the Ave. before picking up Jen at her apartment. I bought a few items at University Bookstore and couldn't pass up the opportunity to get a drink at Yunnie's. Not a bubble tea this time. Peach and mango milkshake. Yum.
OK, still can't figure out who the man is. Dagnabbit! Not a teacher. Not an actor. Not a tech support guy. Maybe a tech support guy? No, I don't think so. ARGH. OK, I'm going to post this and move on. SOOOO many things to do in preparation for my trip, and I have to work tomorrow. YIKES.
EDIT: It's 11:12 p.m. I think I just figured out who the man was. Of course, I can't be certain. Interesting. Yeah, I think I know who it was. :) Phew!
I went to dinner at Blue C Sushi with my friend Jennifer. Good food, good company, good time to catch up! We had a class together during my last quarter in college.
Before we entered the restaurant, I saw this man walking with what appeared to be his family (you can never tell, but that's what I assumed). And for the life of me, I cannot place his name and why or from where I know him. It's driving me crazy! Think, Allison, think!
He looked so familiar. This is going to bug me. I hope that it will just click when I least expect it. For now, I'm just annoyed that I can't connect a name to his face.
The drive down Mercer St. was horrendous. I waited forever and ever to get on I-5. At least I got to spend some time on the Ave. before picking up Jen at her apartment. I bought a few items at University Bookstore and couldn't pass up the opportunity to get a drink at Yunnie's. Not a bubble tea this time. Peach and mango milkshake. Yum.
OK, still can't figure out who the man is. Dagnabbit! Not a teacher. Not an actor. Not a tech support guy. Maybe a tech support guy? No, I don't think so. ARGH. OK, I'm going to post this and move on. SOOOO many things to do in preparation for my trip, and I have to work tomorrow. YIKES.
EDIT: It's 11:12 p.m. I think I just figured out who the man was. Of course, I can't be certain. Interesting. Yeah, I think I know who it was. :) Phew!
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Oops
I was going to come out of the American Idol woodwork and vote last night, but I completely forgot about it!
Elliot is da man! He is the underdog, and he does NOT deserve to go home after last night's performances. Based on last night, it was Katharine. Or Taylor. But NOT Elliot. Do not let me down, AI voters.
I still miss Mandisa.
Elliot is da man! He is the underdog, and he does NOT deserve to go home after last night's performances. Based on last night, it was Katharine. Or Taylor. But NOT Elliot. Do not let me down, AI voters.
I still miss Mandisa.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Random thoughts... some new, some old
I just have to type this all out:
- I'm addicted to MySpace.
- I posted 4 blog entries on MySpace in two days, and Katherine pointed it out. LOL!
- I'm excited for New York!
- I need to do a lot more preparation for the trip!
- Work is going well.
- I will be sad if What About Brian doesn't return to ABC's fall lineup.
- Yes, there were only five episodes of What About Brian.
- I'm dying to write another song, but I haven't been able to find the time.
- I think I did something to my iPod. The << (rewind) sign is stuck on my screen. Everything else still works, but still!
- It's my third-grade teacher's birthday today, and I will never be able to forget it for some reason! That's my memory doin' it's thang.
- I'm still mad at M:I3 for letting me down. I'm not mad at J.J. Abrams or anything. Just mad at the movie for making my HSX port take a major dip.
- I think I should change my blog layout again because -- despite my love for the color gray -- the words on the right column are hurting my eyes.
- I'm typing myself to sleep. Hope y'all didn't think this was boring.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
LOST lottery numbers
Hurley's winning numbers: 4 8 15 16 23 47
The May 6, 2006 Washington lottery numbers: 4 8 23 24 42 47
Four for six. Not bad! If you played the numbers from LOST for yesterday's drawing, you could have won $30. :)
I, on the other hand, gambled $15 on Jackpot Party and more than tripled it. Woohoo!
The May 6, 2006 Washington lottery numbers: 4 8 23 24 42 47
Four for six. Not bad! If you played the numbers from LOST for yesterday's drawing, you could have won $30. :)
I, on the other hand, gambled $15 on Jackpot Party and more than tripled it. Woohoo!
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Boo Who!
When I was at Seattle Center yesterday, I picked up a Theater Puget Sound brochure and looked at it. I came across the entry for The Who's Tommy. Oh NO! I freakin' missed it! April 9-30 at UW. UW doesn't put a musical on every year, and I loved when they did She Loves Me--a musical written by the same team that did Fiddler on the Roof. I had planned on seeing The Who's Tommy and was excited to learn about it last year. That's what you get for not staying connected to your alma mater's music and drama programs. ARGH.