Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Sunny With a Chance of Blerg!

Blerg! I have been sucking it up lately friends by not posting. Unfortunately for me life was kicking my butt this round. I've been uber busy lately: stage managing a play, working, applying for certain things, Improv class, interning, helping my sister with her wedding, swimming, thinking about Joe & I getting married, a new group my friend is starting here in LA for actors, dealing with my sister needing ovarian surgery, and still sick to boot! Needless to say it's been a bit of a busy time and I've been thrown a few curve balls like my tire popping on the highway, some finance issues, and very trouble-seeking 2 year old pup! Please bear with me through these, er, growing pains. I am still trying to wrap my head around some things and get my schedule working. Here is some brief stuff to catch up our schedule:

Colonel Mustard Monday:
"I'm still living the good life! I turned 2 in January and mom says I can be "terrible 2" sometimes but I like to think of it as "terrific 2"! Like today, I chewed and chewed and played and slept and had some treats and snuggles and now am back to chewing my dental dino. Can't beat that!"





TCM Tuesday:
To satisfy your need of classic film I give you...


It's showing tonight on TCM at 11:45pm. Here be your quickie synopsis:
Set in July 1912, a traveling salesman, "Professor" Harold Hill (Robert Preston), arrives in River City, Iowa, via train. Intrigued by the challenge of swindling the famously stubborn natives of Iowa as talked about by fellow traveling salesmen. He is a traveling "band instructor". Professor Hill plans to con the citizens of River City into paying him to create a boys' marching band, including instruments, uniforms, and music instruction. Once he has collected the money and the instruments and uniforms have arrived, he will hop the next train out of town leaving them without their money or a band.

With help from his associate Marcellus Washburn (Buddy Hackett), who is now living in River City and is the only one who knows Hill's real name, "Gregory"; Hill incites mass concern among the citizens of River City that their young boys are being seduced into a world of sin and vice by the new pool table in town. Hill convinces them that a boys' marching band is the only way to keep the boys of the town pure and out of trouble, and begins collecting their money.

Hill anticipates the town's librarian and piano instructor Marian (Shirley Jones), will attempt to discredit him, so he sets out to seduce her into silence. Also in opposition to Hill is the town's Mayor Shinn (Paul Ford) & his wife Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn (Hermione Gingold). Meanwhile, Hill attempts to win the heart of Marian, who has an extreme distrust of men and him in particular. His charms have little effect upon her until he wins the admiration of both her mother (Pert Kelton) and her withdrawn and unhappy younger brother Winthrop (Ron Howard). Marian falls in love with Hill, and hides evidence she has that proves he is a fraud.

The band's instruments arrive and Hill tells the boys to learn to play via the "Think System," in which they simply have to think of a tune over and over and will know how to play it without ever touching their instruments. In the meantime, Marian is falling more in love with Harold. Hill's con is nearly complete; all he has to do is collect the rest of the instrument and uniform money, and he can disappear.

He is about to leave town when a disgruntled anvil salesman who had been run out of Brighton, Illinois in a backlash to Hill's having conned the townspeople there comes to River City and exposes Hill and his plans. Chased by an angry mob of River City citizens (and pressed to leave town by Marcellus and Marian) Hill realizes that he is in love with Marian and can't leave. He is captured by the mob and brought before a town meeting to be tarred and feathered. Hill is saved by the boys' band who "play" their own instruments (very poorly). Hill remains in River City and there is a huge parade and fanfare!

Enjoy this delightful musical tonight! :)

Good for the World Wednesdays:
I want to introduce you all to 2 things today. The first being my new favorite go to quick lunch--salad wraps! I know, so simple and everyone knows how to make their own version of one but I am currently obsessed so deal with it. Joe made me blackened tempeh and it's wrapped up with baby greens, scallion, carrot, mushroom, chickpeas, and a hummus salad dressing. We've been snacking on this like whoa! The second thing I want to share is one of my very favorite advocacy groups Farm Sanctuary. They constantly have ways of adopting a farm animal that's been rescued, educational articles, petitions to stand up for animal rights, everything really to help provide an actual sanctuary for farm animals everywhere. I want to adopt everything (I specifically loved their turkeys at "Friendsgiving" and wanted to adopt all of those lil guys) and hope you join me in loving everything they do!

Okay tomorrow I shall try and post about the theatre I am involved with for your Thursday enjoyment! Thanks chickens and see you soon. Promise!