I totally tried out for Broadway today and the lady totally had me stay after and sing an extra song....AAAAHAHAHAHA!! It was amazing. I have to go to bed so I can't write anymore. But this is a momentous day-
Val's first B-way audition.....wow!!
xoxox- love you all!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Funnies for the week
EVERY WEEK without fail my Uncle Tim sends me an email full of funny jokes. I always appreciate the laughter that he brings to everyone's life, not just my own. I figure that ALL of you can benefit too, so granted that these are not my own research, I still thought I'd copy and paste the love. Enjoy!
The new Treasury Secretary nominee, Timothy Geithner, has come up with a plan to lower taxes. Don’t pay them! – Jay Leno
Last night, Larry King interviewed President Bush, and Bush told him, "My favorite color is blue and I love enchiladas." Unfortunately, Bush was answering the question, "What was your greatest achievement as President?" – Conan
Paris Hilton has bought a pink customized Bentley based on the Barbie dream car she played with as a girl. She said she always wanted to be like Barbie when she grew up. How embarrassing ... for Barbie. – Jay
Because of the bad U.S. economy, many Broadway producers have started taking their musicals to China. In a related story, the entire cast of "Cats" has been eaten. – Conan
Happy Laughter
The new Treasury Secretary nominee, Timothy Geithner, has come up with a plan to lower taxes. Don’t pay them! – Jay Leno
Last night, Larry King interviewed President Bush, and Bush told him, "My favorite color is blue and I love enchiladas." Unfortunately, Bush was answering the question, "What was your greatest achievement as President?" – Conan
Paris Hilton has bought a pink customized Bentley based on the Barbie dream car she played with as a girl. She said she always wanted to be like Barbie when she grew up. How embarrassing ... for Barbie. – Jay
Because of the bad U.S. economy, many Broadway producers have started taking their musicals to China. In a related story, the entire cast of "Cats" has been eaten. – Conan
Happy Laughter
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Greatest Principle...
While pondering the beauties of the gospel one day, recently, I was thinking about missionary work and how great it would be if everyone you knew just walked up and asked you "what's the most important thing you ever learned. If you had one last life lesson to share with the world what would it be?" because then you could just tell them how great Christ is. And then I thought, "wow, what a great thing to ask people who are TOTALLY different from you." So I decided that would be my soul searcher for the semester. But even though it's something they'd say to the world I'm paraphrasing so I'll keep it anonoymous- with initials so I can at least remember. Here's the first two so far
C. J. A. 1/16/09:
I've come to realize something about people, and I first noticed it on my mission. That people, wherever they are in their progression, have infinite potential to go in a good direction, and infinite potential to go in a bad direction. It is amazing how far, and how quickly one person can progress when they humbly seek the direction of Heavenly Father.
M. W. 1/17/09
I would want everyone to know that Jesus Christ IS who He SAYS He is. And that He can and does do everything He says He can. I think that's the most important thing really.
Isn't that cool! I feel like it's a great way to open up a deep conversation and get to know what it is that really matters to a person. What's the greatest thing YOU'VE ever learned- what would you share with the whole world if you had the chance?
C. J. A. 1/16/09:
I've come to realize something about people, and I first noticed it on my mission. That people, wherever they are in their progression, have infinite potential to go in a good direction, and infinite potential to go in a bad direction. It is amazing how far, and how quickly one person can progress when they humbly seek the direction of Heavenly Father.
M. W. 1/17/09
I would want everyone to know that Jesus Christ IS who He SAYS He is. And that He can and does do everything He says He can. I think that's the most important thing really.
Isn't that cool! I feel like it's a great way to open up a deep conversation and get to know what it is that really matters to a person. What's the greatest thing YOU'VE ever learned- what would you share with the whole world if you had the chance?
Monday, January 12, 2009
Record
Tonight I recorded four songs- eek! I'm not going to put them up or anything because Adam still needs to mix them and everything. But its great to finally have some of these DOWN!
Songs recorded:
-The Mountain ... :S (not my best performance)
-Plaster man
-Travelin' Salesman
-Not So Bad
woo hoo!!! It's a big day!
Songs recorded:
-The Mountain ... :S (not my best performance)
-Plaster man
-Travelin' Salesman
-Not So Bad
woo hoo!!! It's a big day!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Tag
Neal Tagged me with this on face book a while ago and I just happen to feel like doing it now so...here goes.
16 interesting facts about me. Then I tag 16 people. If you're tagged then you have to tag the person who tagged you because the whole point is that you both want to know more about each other.
1- I have a secret desire to dread my hair and get way into extreme sports and kick boxing. I would also pierce my nose and stop shaving my legs and armpits...just cuz it's cool and earthy. Hard Core granola.
2-When I was about 7 or 8 I was playing at my neighbor Carol's house. While we were in her big sister's room I turned my head, picked my nose and ate it (I was 7!). Her older sister clearly saw what I was doing despite my nonchalant effort to hide an action that I knew everyone else did. She proceeded to taunt me with my first nick name: Booger Queen. Now I'd like to say that it was all a very funny joke and that it didn't spread to all the neighborhood children- but alas that is not the case. I'm a very confident person but I still get upset about that if anyone brings it up.
3-When I was in 8th grade I read a self help book by Steven R. Covey that LITERALLY changed my entire life. I would not be a happy person were it not for his help. 7 habits- I still read it from time to time when I get confused about why my life is out of balance.
4-I play the Harp. Not everyone knows that. I started some 13 years ago...:O. That's a lot I'm getting old. I really love it though. I miss it when I'm at school and I get blisters when I come home cuz I'll play for hours at a time and then have to wait a while to play again cuz my fingers hurt.
5- I have OCD- very mild but it's true. I've never talked to a therapist about it though because all my siblings have it too and there counsel has sufficed so far. I love them so much :).
6-I really really struggle with organization and punctuality and am very sensitive to criticism in either of these areas. But I don't make excuses for myself. I can accept the responsibility for being late for no good reason. Or for totally forgetting we had an assignment due (AHHHH!). Although I have made progress over the years it's hard to talk about (steer clear from this subject if you want to avoid making me cry....jk....but really).
7-I love John Mayer. He's just awesome. I love his lyrics more than his music, though I do love his music as well. But the WORDS are incredible. He has a way of capturing the universal part of an experience so when you hear the lyric you think "ya! That's exactly how I feel about it, but I just didn't have the words." I also love him because he's a poet and artsy without being unreachable. Meaning: he's not so artsy fartsy that you have to sit and dissect his lyrics for hours only to find that you can remotely relate them to one feeling you had in a really odd situation kind of...not that that kind of music doesn't have its place in a playlist you never listen to...but I prefer things that resonate more fully.
8-I also really love star wars. It spawned from my brothers loving it. When we were little they would watch them over and over several times a day. At the time I resented the fact that i didn't have any authority to watch Thomasina instead, but after time I grew to absolutely LOVE it because it was connected to what it felt like for Valerie to be a kid. I know a lot about it - not everything but a lot.
9- Sometimes I use my knowledge of star wars on dates to let the guy know that I'm "cool".... hahaha.
10-My first boyfriend was a fellow ninth grader from the other Jr. High in my district. He was the infamous druggy. Before you all get worried for my ninth grade self I'll have you know that we only saw each other in person 3 times. We held hands on the second in-person-encounter. All other communication was done on instant messenger and over the phone.
11-I have a stuffed animal Curious George that I sleep with when I'm particularly cuddly or upset. I love that little guy. What's funny is that I never slept with him when I was little. I played with him all growing up but I didn't go to him for comfort until I was 15 or 16. Funny how the things that weren't a big deal to us when we were little become a big deal when we start wishing we were little again.
12-I'm very very competitive- I'm also working on it.
13- My favorite picture in the whole world is one of me and my dad. I'm about 4 years old and I'm wearing a white ruffly shirt and a dark green plaid jumper, white tights and black patten leather church shoes. My dad is wearing a shirt and tie, he's really thin and has a mustache. I'm sitting on his ginormous drawing desk that slants at about a 45 degree angle. I'm facing him. He's sitting in the stool facing me. I'm looking very intently at a calculator in his hands as he shows it to me for the first time. Of course he explained it pretty thoroughly but all that registered was, "o, you press buttons and the numbers change.......COOL!" It's a really cute picture. I guess my mom must have taken it- I've never thought about that before.
14-When I was 3 I used to curl up on the bathroom floor while my mom showered. It's a carpetted bathroom, and my mom would lay a towel down by the shower door before she got in so she wouldn't soak the carpet when she got out. So it was soft to lay on, and the shower made the room warm, and I knew my mommy was there. Sometimes when I'm home and I'm really tired or just want to be comforted I'll lay a towel on the bathroom floor and turn the shower on and just lay there. I should tell my mom that.
15-My first year away from home was the most difficult year OF MY LIFE. I would not change it, but I would not ever ever ever do it again.
16-Someday when I'm rich and famous (gag me) I'm going to open a venue and name it "Val's" (original right?). It will have a huge stage, a huge dance floor, and a HUGE staircase at the other end that leads to the second floor that wraps around as a balcony looking down on the dance floor. This balcony will be restaurant. I'll have concerts on week nights and a swing/ latin dancing band on the weekends. There will be also be a floor show specifically designed to give performers work while they're in between other shows. On the floor above they'll be a jazz lounge called "the loft" and we'll serve incredible non-alcoholic beverages. We'll have a black box theater in the basement and an out door stage and dance floor to showcase local talent. I'll perform sometimes but mostly get to know people who come. My incredibly hansome and supportive husband will help me run the business and we'll grow old running the most loving and welcoming venue in the country. We will not be open on Sunday, except to broadcast firesides and general conference for the local Latter Day Saints, missionaries and investigators ;).
Tag-
Kelly Brown
Ellen Larsen
Lindsey Irion
Lauren Wood
Sharesa Larsen
Lauren Rule
Julie Stoddard
Kendra Larsen
Adam Ruben
Ryan Holdaway
John Mayer (he he)
Julia Childs
Uncle Tim Brown
Dani Talbot
Neal Cook
Elizabeth Larsen
Amanda Malyar
16 interesting facts about me. Then I tag 16 people. If you're tagged then you have to tag the person who tagged you because the whole point is that you both want to know more about each other.
1- I have a secret desire to dread my hair and get way into extreme sports and kick boxing. I would also pierce my nose and stop shaving my legs and armpits...just cuz it's cool and earthy. Hard Core granola.
2-When I was about 7 or 8 I was playing at my neighbor Carol's house. While we were in her big sister's room I turned my head, picked my nose and ate it (I was 7!). Her older sister clearly saw what I was doing despite my nonchalant effort to hide an action that I knew everyone else did. She proceeded to taunt me with my first nick name: Booger Queen. Now I'd like to say that it was all a very funny joke and that it didn't spread to all the neighborhood children- but alas that is not the case. I'm a very confident person but I still get upset about that if anyone brings it up.
3-When I was in 8th grade I read a self help book by Steven R. Covey that LITERALLY changed my entire life. I would not be a happy person were it not for his help. 7 habits- I still read it from time to time when I get confused about why my life is out of balance.
4-I play the Harp. Not everyone knows that. I started some 13 years ago...:O. That's a lot I'm getting old. I really love it though. I miss it when I'm at school and I get blisters when I come home cuz I'll play for hours at a time and then have to wait a while to play again cuz my fingers hurt.
5- I have OCD- very mild but it's true. I've never talked to a therapist about it though because all my siblings have it too and there counsel has sufficed so far. I love them so much :).
6-I really really struggle with organization and punctuality and am very sensitive to criticism in either of these areas. But I don't make excuses for myself. I can accept the responsibility for being late for no good reason. Or for totally forgetting we had an assignment due (AHHHH!). Although I have made progress over the years it's hard to talk about (steer clear from this subject if you want to avoid making me cry....jk....but really).
7-I love John Mayer. He's just awesome. I love his lyrics more than his music, though I do love his music as well. But the WORDS are incredible. He has a way of capturing the universal part of an experience so when you hear the lyric you think "ya! That's exactly how I feel about it, but I just didn't have the words." I also love him because he's a poet and artsy without being unreachable. Meaning: he's not so artsy fartsy that you have to sit and dissect his lyrics for hours only to find that you can remotely relate them to one feeling you had in a really odd situation kind of...not that that kind of music doesn't have its place in a playlist you never listen to...but I prefer things that resonate more fully.
8-I also really love star wars. It spawned from my brothers loving it. When we were little they would watch them over and over several times a day. At the time I resented the fact that i didn't have any authority to watch Thomasina instead, but after time I grew to absolutely LOVE it because it was connected to what it felt like for Valerie to be a kid. I know a lot about it - not everything but a lot.
9- Sometimes I use my knowledge of star wars on dates to let the guy know that I'm "cool".... hahaha.
10-My first boyfriend was a fellow ninth grader from the other Jr. High in my district. He was the infamous druggy. Before you all get worried for my ninth grade self I'll have you know that we only saw each other in person 3 times. We held hands on the second in-person-encounter. All other communication was done on instant messenger and over the phone.
11-I have a stuffed animal Curious George that I sleep with when I'm particularly cuddly or upset. I love that little guy. What's funny is that I never slept with him when I was little. I played with him all growing up but I didn't go to him for comfort until I was 15 or 16. Funny how the things that weren't a big deal to us when we were little become a big deal when we start wishing we were little again.
12-I'm very very competitive- I'm also working on it.
13- My favorite picture in the whole world is one of me and my dad. I'm about 4 years old and I'm wearing a white ruffly shirt and a dark green plaid jumper, white tights and black patten leather church shoes. My dad is wearing a shirt and tie, he's really thin and has a mustache. I'm sitting on his ginormous drawing desk that slants at about a 45 degree angle. I'm facing him. He's sitting in the stool facing me. I'm looking very intently at a calculator in his hands as he shows it to me for the first time. Of course he explained it pretty thoroughly but all that registered was, "o, you press buttons and the numbers change.......COOL!" It's a really cute picture. I guess my mom must have taken it- I've never thought about that before.
14-When I was 3 I used to curl up on the bathroom floor while my mom showered. It's a carpetted bathroom, and my mom would lay a towel down by the shower door before she got in so she wouldn't soak the carpet when she got out. So it was soft to lay on, and the shower made the room warm, and I knew my mommy was there. Sometimes when I'm home and I'm really tired or just want to be comforted I'll lay a towel on the bathroom floor and turn the shower on and just lay there. I should tell my mom that.
15-My first year away from home was the most difficult year OF MY LIFE. I would not change it, but I would not ever ever ever do it again.
16-Someday when I'm rich and famous (gag me) I'm going to open a venue and name it "Val's" (original right?). It will have a huge stage, a huge dance floor, and a HUGE staircase at the other end that leads to the second floor that wraps around as a balcony looking down on the dance floor. This balcony will be restaurant. I'll have concerts on week nights and a swing/ latin dancing band on the weekends. There will be also be a floor show specifically designed to give performers work while they're in between other shows. On the floor above they'll be a jazz lounge called "the loft" and we'll serve incredible non-alcoholic beverages. We'll have a black box theater in the basement and an out door stage and dance floor to showcase local talent. I'll perform sometimes but mostly get to know people who come. My incredibly hansome and supportive husband will help me run the business and we'll grow old running the most loving and welcoming venue in the country. We will not be open on Sunday, except to broadcast firesides and general conference for the local Latter Day Saints, missionaries and investigators ;).
Tag-
Kelly Brown
Ellen Larsen
Lindsey Irion
Lauren Wood
Sharesa Larsen
Lauren Rule
Julie Stoddard
Kendra Larsen
Adam Ruben
Ryan Holdaway
John Mayer (he he)
Julia Childs
Uncle Tim Brown
Dani Talbot
Neal Cook
Elizabeth Larsen
Amanda Malyar
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Kung Fu Panda..
....Is amazingly funny and surprisingly inspiring. I watched it tonight for the first time and I'm definitely a fan :).
Monday, January 5, 2009
A new year, a new semester- yessssssss
To all my friends:
Thank you for being so fabulous and so much fun. I've seen so many people over this break that I absolutely missed to pieces ( I even rekindled a little crush, but don't ask). I got to talk to dear friends from school and work that I'm not with right now but who influence me for the better no matter where they are. Thanks for being there and loving me.
To my class mates:
I love you all. We are so different, I don't understand you and I'm sure there's a lot about me that raises your eyebrow. But whatever else happens know that I love you and I pray to be able to relate to you even through our differences and shortcomings. I'm trying so hard to show you that I care. Please don't be afraid of me, forgive me and give me the benefit of the doubt whenever possible- I'm a mess most of the time.
To my teachers:
I promise to be better, to not judge my class mates or myself, to be honest about my limitations, and soft spoken in my disagreement. Know that I love the art for the fulfillment and enlightenment it can bring to its audience and that my goal is to bring light and knowledge, not to discourage and defame. I am convicted in the things I will and will not do and do not draw those lines lightly or without hours of meditation, study and prayer. I love each of you for the effort that you have put in to all your students, that you have put in to me. I'm sorry for being a sass this semester- I'll be better.
To my family:
Wow. I sure owe you guys one. In every way. You keep me in check, you love me always, you put up and even have grown to love my weirdness. You let me stay at your house whenever I feel like it, make amazing picture slideshows that make me love life more than I could say, ask me for advice just so I'll feel smart, love my nieces and nephews, pay for my school, give me kisses and I love yous and big 'ol hugs. You help me see that the gospel is where it's at and remind me that I know of it's truth way down in my soul, to a degree that I cannot ever deny it. And you need me too, which is wonderful.
wow- that's a lot to think about. Sorry that sounds so serious. I get carried away but I'm really excited for a new beginning. I've had a great semester but I know this one will be even greater!! I'm so excited!! yay. Here's to a happy new year! Good luck with all your resolutions!!
Thank you for being so fabulous and so much fun. I've seen so many people over this break that I absolutely missed to pieces ( I even rekindled a little crush, but don't ask). I got to talk to dear friends from school and work that I'm not with right now but who influence me for the better no matter where they are. Thanks for being there and loving me.
To my class mates:
I love you all. We are so different, I don't understand you and I'm sure there's a lot about me that raises your eyebrow. But whatever else happens know that I love you and I pray to be able to relate to you even through our differences and shortcomings. I'm trying so hard to show you that I care. Please don't be afraid of me, forgive me and give me the benefit of the doubt whenever possible- I'm a mess most of the time.
To my teachers:
I promise to be better, to not judge my class mates or myself, to be honest about my limitations, and soft spoken in my disagreement. Know that I love the art for the fulfillment and enlightenment it can bring to its audience and that my goal is to bring light and knowledge, not to discourage and defame. I am convicted in the things I will and will not do and do not draw those lines lightly or without hours of meditation, study and prayer. I love each of you for the effort that you have put in to all your students, that you have put in to me. I'm sorry for being a sass this semester- I'll be better.
To my family:
Wow. I sure owe you guys one. In every way. You keep me in check, you love me always, you put up and even have grown to love my weirdness. You let me stay at your house whenever I feel like it, make amazing picture slideshows that make me love life more than I could say, ask me for advice just so I'll feel smart, love my nieces and nephews, pay for my school, give me kisses and I love yous and big 'ol hugs. You help me see that the gospel is where it's at and remind me that I know of it's truth way down in my soul, to a degree that I cannot ever deny it. And you need me too, which is wonderful.
wow- that's a lot to think about. Sorry that sounds so serious. I get carried away but I'm really excited for a new beginning. I've had a great semester but I know this one will be even greater!! I'm so excited!! yay. Here's to a happy new year! Good luck with all your resolutions!!
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