Hi, My Name Is Kim!

That is what they say when you visit AA or NA. Well they need to come up with TRA (Tootsie Roll Anonymous). I am addicted to flavored tootsie rolls. Not the chocolate type but the flavored type. OMG! I can really, no lie, eat a whole bag at one sitting. I have to make myself stop eating them.

A friend of mine went and bought a bag and placed some on her desk at work. I had ate two before I knew it. She told me to get all that I wanted. Not sure if she knew I would get the whole dish if I could. So to save hers, I went that evening and bought my own bag (only $1.00). I ate four before I got home. Then ate two more later on. The next morning I took them to work and ate three or four more.
I am trying to space them out, so I will not eat them up so soon.

Pride and Prejudice #5

The play is over :(

The Bennet Family

I really have mixed emotions about it. For one, I am glad to be able to rest. Go home and do nothing. Actually watch television and go to bed at 9:00 p.m. Have time to clean house, spend time with Chris and Bear. Chris has been so patient during this whole process. :) He was the first one I talked to about this, because I wanted to make sure we were on the same page. He has done laundry and fixed his own supper. God love him! Bear just knows that I have not been at home that much. Everyday when I get home I go and check on him, so he is going to be glad I am done with the play. He actually has someone to protect now.

On the other hand, I am sad that it is over. It has been a small routine for the past three weeks. I am going to miss everyone and just being at the theatre. I am going to miss putting on my costume, doing my hair (thanks Sherrie), and putting on gobs of makeup. It is just something unique that is hard to explain unless you have done it before. Friendships have been made and experiences have been had.

Last night was our last performance. It was at 2:00 p.m. After the show we had some more pictures to take (one big group picture and a couple of individual scene pictures). Then we had to clean up and get the theatre ready for the next play. My job was to gather costumes and make sure they were all in one place. One fun thing that is done (I assume at every play) is all cast and crew put their hand print on the wall of the theatre backstage.

Mine is on the bottom left, straight down from the "r" in pride.

Our photographer said it would be around 2-3 weeks before pictures are done. So, I am going to hold off until she gets them done. I don't want to do anything illegal!

Pride & Prejudice #4

Wow, I made it through my first three performances! Four more to go. This has been a fun but exhausting experience.
Friday was our first performance in front of a paying audience. It was for the patrons. My question is, who in their right mind lets the important people come the first night? They should come to like the third for fourth performance. Let us get warmed up! But anyway, we had a patron party afterwards. All I wanted to do was go home and go to sleep, but guess what....they had wine! I was not about to miss that. So I stayed for about 30 minutes and some food and wine. I would have stayed longer, but I was tired and really didn't know anybody but the cast and crew of the play.
Kim and Sherrie gave me three beautiful pink roses. Sherrie has been doing my hair for me during the week. They called me into the bathroom at work and had them waiting for me there.

Saturday, Chris, Joyce, Danny, Miranda, Sterling, Ashley and William all came to the performance. I was so glad that Ashley got to see it, even though she might not have understood everything. Chris said she was waving at me. Wish I could have seen her.

Sunday, Chris, Mom, Dad, Mawmaw, Aunt Amy, Aunt Mary, Terry, Amy, Triston and Brody all came to the performance. We went out to eat at Top O' The River afterwards.

I still get called to speak louder. Look....I am a soft spoken person...this is pretty much not going to change, unless you make me mad. I have had to move my mic to my cheek. I previously had it pinned to my costume in the front. At least I am not the only one who needs to speak louder.
I am tired, tired, and tired...did I say I am tired? This past week has been rough. Working from 8:30 - 5:00...play from 6:15-9:30. Plus it takes about 30 minutes to drive to the theatre, so I have not had much time to rest. I did take four hours off from work Wednesday, but it was spent catching up on household duties.
This week we had Monday-Wednesday off. Which I did nothing those three nights, but lay on the couch and watch TV. I have really missed the couch! The play starts again tonight and goes through Sunday. Kim, Dylan and Sherrie are coming tonight and a couple of others from work are coming Saturday night. I told Chris he didn't have to come every night, since he has seen it twice already.
I will be so glad when we can get pictures from our photographer. I promise to post several of them.
Here are some gifts I received on opening night.

The pillow was made by a cast member and her mom (I believe). It has a small book on the front with my stage name (Mary). On the back it has P&P and the date.

1 Corinthians 13:13

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love”

(1 Corinthians 13:13, NKJV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

In our culture today, so many people are confused about what love is. We love pizza, movies and sports, but we also love our family or spouse. If we look to the Word of God, we see God’s definition of love. First Corinthians 13 tells us that “love is patient and kind. It does not envy, nor boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It does not seek its own way, is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not rejoice in evil, but rejoices in the truth. Love believes, hopes and endures. Love never fails.” This is how God responds to us, and this is how we should respond to the people in our lives — with patience, kindness, hope, humility and love. Scripture tells us that God is love, and His character never changes! Today and every day, know that God loves you with an everlasting love. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is for you and has a good plan for you. Receive His perfect love today and let Him transform you from the inside out. His love is the greatest love and will last throughout all eternity!

I thought I would share this today, since it is Valentine's Day. Today I am wearing a heart shaped necklace and ring and also the pearl and diamond earrings Chris gave me for Valentine's Day a couple of years ago. Thought I would get in the spirit a little!

One of the things about the above writing that sticks out to me is the part stating..." love keeps no record of wrongs." We have to start forgiving each other and moving on. Does that mean that we will forget what has happened...No, but we must make amends with one another. Look at what we have and continue to do too Jesus Christ and he still loves us! Is that not great?! So we should show that example to others. I have recently read an article about a mother who lost her son in a shooting. He was young when he passed away. A life which was taken to soon. She did have heartache and continues too. But right now she has forgiven the guy who shot her son and is living next door to him. They see each other on a daily basis and she cooks for him and no neither is in prison.
Now think about that...could you do what she did? I don't think I ever could.

I know that not everyone is going to be a friend. But we can't sit and hold a grudge against someone just because they hurt our feelings. That is holding us back from being happy. Forgive and move on!

Being responsible

If you want to know what is wrong with children and young adults today...just look at how they are/were raised. After this weekend, I am in shock! I guess I should not be, but I am. When I say young adults I mean teenagers.

To me as an adult, there are certain things you need to keep quite about while in front of them (children/young adults). Two things I heard this weekend being talked about.
•Sex Life
•Being Drunk

Sex Life: I mean really, who cares about yours! If it is that important to talk about, you might need to talk to a sex therapist. That is something that you should keep private. If you want to talk about it to your friends, please do it respectfully and in a private place.
Being Drunk: Just shows how classy you are! I don't believe that drinking is bad, and what you do is your business, but don't sit in front of children/teenagers and talk about where you ended up and what you did while you were intoxicated. It is not setting a good example.

I know children/teenagers will learn about this stuff from friends, but still it is just not adult like....to me anyways.

While I am on my soap box, let me tell you one more thing that irks me.
 MEN WHO ARE NOT RESPECTFUL OF WOMEN!!!!
I have had the pleasure of getting to know a young man over the past couple of months. His name will be withheld. He seems like a very respectful man and I am sure he is. But we were inline to pick something up and he didn't stop and let me go first. Now I am not saying this just because it is me, but because I am a woman. I believe with all my heart that men should be raised to respect women....REGARDLESS and if the Lord blesses me with a boy...I will try with all my heart to teach him this.
One of those things is letting women go first...whether it is walking through a door, sitting down or whatever the case.

Ok, I am over it!

Should I????

I have been thinking about going back to college and actually getting a degree that I can use. Not one that I just think is fun. I have done this before, where I get on these kicks and think it will be easy and then I change my mind.

So here are my choices:
Medical Coding
I have looked at Snead State and they offer a degree in that field. The only problem is that not all the classes are online. Since I have to work that is a problem, unless I could take the classes at night. One of the classes is only four days for the whole semester, so it would be no problem.
X-Ray
This seems fun and interesting. I have heard good and bad things about this. I think I would like the medical field part of it. Not sure I could withstand all the blood and smells.
Court Reporter
Since my degree is in Criminal Justice, I thought this would be my best way to go. But I really don't know about it...you have to learn shorthand. I looked it up and shorthand is a whole new language. I do fine saying and writing English! Why do I need another language to get me more confused?!

So I really don't know which way to go or what to do. I just know that I don't want to be doing what I am doing now, for the rest of my life.

Pride & Prejudice #3

It's getting closer...9 days and counting! Wow, where did the time go? I will tell you where it went...PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, REHEARSAL, REHEARSAL, REHEARSAL!!!!!
I wanted something to keep me busy, so I got it!

Mary Bennet

All kidding aside, I have really enjoyed this. I would love to do another play, just need to find one that I can fit into. I would love to do Grease, so I will be on the outlook for it.

So what has been going on with the play:

•We are currently rehearsing Tuesday-Friday 6-9, doing the whole show. This is our second week of that schedule. This weekend we have rehearsal on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Our director said if we do good this week, we can skip rehearsal on Sunday.

•Costumes are getting finished. We were asked to wear each night our costumes and shoes that we will be wearing so we can get used to wearing them. I am really excited about this part, because I love to dress up in character. It makes it more real and helps me get into character. My only problem are my shoes, they hurt my feet. I am not a high heel type of person (bad feet).

•I believe today we start using mics, not sure.

•Started doing circle at 6:30 p.m. Different but...I will deal with it :)

•We ordered t-shirts - $15. They are white and long sleeve.

•Received our poster.

•Articles have been printed in local newspapers and aired on tv and radio.

•Finally got tickets for our families. I believe there are going to be 13 family members coming. Yay! 

Co-workers have started getting their tickets.

•I made an invitation. Only mailed out one :( I wanted to do more, but didn't have the time to get them printed like I wanted.

•Taken more pictures. I love to save everything (pictures, newspaper articles, emails, etc).