8 Things I Did on New Year’s Weekend

1.) Baked white chocolate cranberry/cherry cookies with the help of my new Kitchen Aid Mixer

After a lively debate via comments and suggestions to moi, I have declared a name for my lovely new, knight-in-shining-armor Kitchen Aid mixer…and that name is Lancelot.

Bob came up for such a name, and expertly defended his idea:

“I’m going to go with the obvious and say that you should name your fabulous mixer…Drum Roll Please….Lancelot! Lance rhymes with dance and celot looks like it rhymes with zealot. If I had a mixer that is what I would be. A dancing zealot. Whirling and twirling and dancing and singing and baking cookies galore. My kitchen would be a Broadway musical.”

Of course, every knight needs a full title.  Fellow blogger Pegoleg also suggested a moniker of “Sir Mix-A-Lot”, so, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen:  please welcome Sir Lancelot Mix-A-Lot to the family.

2.) Travelled to Pottery Barn (no, an ACTUAL pottery barn…full of pots)

My highlight of New Year’s Eve Day was a trip out to a local potter’s warehouse, which comprised 3 floors of pots, pots, and more pots.  Most of his wares ranged somewhere between $100 and $400, so I settled on a nice, single flower vase for about $20.  And a $7 magnet.  I’m a big spender.

3.) Sang and played oboe in a New Year’s Eve Broadway Gala

At our local playhouse, there is a traditional New Year’s Eve Gala held every year.  For the 2010-2011 crossover event, they presented a concert full of Broadway music, presenting over 100 performers who were all volunteer.  The event featured a full orchestra and a 70-member chorus, as well as several individual soloists.

I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off between the hours of 6-10 PM.  I had served as vocal director for this event, guiding the chorus with their material, and also subsequently became a member of their ranks come showtime.  I also played my oboe in the orchestra (correction, I squawked on my oboe in the orchestra), and I was lucky enough to have a vocal solo as well.

If anyone is familiar with musical theatre, a few of the pieces presented in the show included West Side Story Highlights, Phantom of the Opera Medley, “Agony” from Into the Woods, “I Know Where I’ve Been” from Hairspray, and my song, “Astonishing”, from Little Women.

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“The Soup”: December 10th

One of my favorite TV shows is E!’s The Soup, hosted by one of my favorite comedians, Joel McHale (@joelmchale).  After viewing this Friday, I just had to share a few snippets from the show.  My favorite parts feature Oprah being humbled, Hasselfhoff being cancelled, and a precocious 8-year-old dancing in front of a live Today Show audience.  I salute you, Mr. McHale.  Thank you for consistently making me spew Diet Cherry Coke through my nose.

Thanksgiving-Palooza: Part 5…Finishing the Leftovers

You know Thanksgiving-Palooza is coming to a close when your “Thanksgiving Hoagie” ingredients are dwindling away:

1 sandwich bun

3 slices turkey meat

2 scoops stuffing

1 dollop cranberry sauce

1 tbsp mayo

Lettuce and Tomatoes

Or, in Lehman’s terms: the leftovers are gone and Thanksgiving is over…yes, you may shed a collective Internet tear here.

To put the stuffing sandwiches and cranberry-turkey-sweet potato milkshakes to bed (don’t ask), I will close out my first annual Thanksgiving-Palooza with an official top-ten list of things I am grateful for this holiday season.  And no…the Thanksgiving Hoagie is not one of those things, although it’s now an intrinsic staple to my diet.

Aunt Bethany’s Thanksgiving-Palooza Gratitude List 2010

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Reasons Why I’m Still Kicking

10. I am grateful to have stumbled upon WordPress.com nearly a month ago and discovered the world of Blogging.  Since that time, I’ve uncovered a new world of creative expression that has changed me as a person, as a writer, and as a friend.  I am equally as grateful for the online contacts I’ve made through the process, especially The Edmonton Tourist, Ferabeth, SisterMerryHeliish, Chase MacFadden, and Uncle Lewis, to name a few.  Blogging is now a part of my life now, and I’m uber-excited to see where it leads.