Amanda Says, "Never Fear"

So, during this contest, I was really not "present" which is what I like to do when I am onstage and competing. (I love to compete!) But I was so thrown off by the song being in the wrong key, that I totally missed the second song. I was even a little worried that I didn't do any of the choreography because I couldn't remember a thing (other than, "oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, we're too high, we're too high, in the wrong key, oh my gosh") Apparently, my body went on autopilot and I sang the whole song WITH choreo! I saw the DVD Monday to prove it! Actually, I have stood in the same place for eleven years, which is right, smack dab on the end of the risers where no one can see me. When we watched the DVD, I was off the screen and on the wall and I had to stand up and watch the little DVD player instead so I could see myself. But being on the wall was better than the show last year because I was in the shadows the whole time. I wasn't even lit up!

Evidence:
(Yes, that's me, the very last one on the right at the very top, IN THE SHADOWS!)

More evidence:
(More me in the shadows, no wonder I need therapy!)

I even went on facebook and tagged my(shadowloving)self

Amanda Describes the Transformation of a Sweet Adeline

Hi everyone!

I just got back from Covington, KY and my eleventh region 4 Sweet Adeline contest! We placed fourth, yea!

I amused myself by taking pictures to share with you about how one transforms herself into a Sweet Adeline.

Step 1: Plain Amanda

















Step 2: Putting on the spackle (I mean make-up); notice the difference between my face color and my neck color. Yikes!















Step 3: Made up Amanda
















Step 4: (Hair substep 1: this thing is complicated, isn't it?) Curl hair (I've always had a little orphan Annie/ Shirley Temple complex, can you tell?)



























Step 5: Brush out curls, pin and go! (This is my, "let's get ready to rumble/ bring it" face)

























Step 6: Find 70 other people dressed EXACTLY like you (scaring numerous, unsuspecting hotel guests in the process) and wait in the lobby















Steps 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14: Ride on bus; load into freight elevator; warm-up; wait in hall/ go to the bathroom; wait backstage/ apply vaseline to teeth (so they don't stick!); PERFORM! (second song in wrong key, threw me off the whole time. Did I do any of my choreo?); wait for results (when they say 10 minute intermission, they mean 45); have Mary Ellen bestow you with a fourth place medal.

(By the way, somewhere around 13.5, there was this strange pie plate/ Star Wars thing going on which I didn't participate in, but liked watching, but was also a little spooked out like I was in the Twilight Zone)

Step 15: Strip off make-up and outfit and kiss your medal. Another year of competition done!
























Step 16: Free happy hour, dinner and fun with BEST CHORUS EVER!!!

Amanda Loves Kristen

I just love Kristen Chenoweth! Here are some great songs:

Glitter and Be Gay from Candide (if you watch just one, watch this one!)

Taylor the Latte Boy

The Girl in 14G

Kristen Plays a Prank on the Ellen Show

More Random Thoughts From Amanda

Here are some random thoughts rolling around my brain:

1. All last week, I had to go to work and see that my neighbors were on break. Now it is my turn to stay home. Mwa ha ha (evil laugh).

2. My cats would like to read my blog if their brains were bigger than golf balls.

3. I talk about my cats way too much.

4. My friend, Tiffany, (who is a loyal reader:) is coming to Columbus this weekend from Cincinnati and I am going to be in Cincinnati. Isn't ironic (don't you think?)

Amanda Sees the Stragnest Things

I am way too observant for my own good. Must be the ADD/OCD thing. (By the way, my friend Stephanie told me a good one. A bumper sticker that reads something like, "I have CDO (OCD in alphabetical order) the way it should be!")

Anyway, I had a professional day today, which meant getting to school by 8:00 AM, which, translated in "Amanda Hates the Morning Hours" lingo means "Wake up as late as possible and get breakfast to go."

So, I drove by Tim Hortons (I'm a recovering Tim Hortons Addict by the way, I guess I fell off the wagon) to grab some Timbits to take for everyone. I was pulling away from the window and around the building to the exit. This is one of those Tim Hortons that shares a building with a Wendy's. (Is Wedny's plural? Or do we just make it plural like "Krogers," "Meijers" or "Wal-Marts?" Just kiddnig on that last one, but I do know people say it.) As I was pulling around to the Wendy's side of the building, there was a guy standing in the drive through lane power washing the road (this is a guess, I was a little bit distracted trying not to hit him that I didn't get a good look). Luckily, I wasn't heading for the Wendy's drive through, so I wasn't really close to him as I came around the corner. But, right behind me, there was this person who apparantly needed Wendy's badly, and came around the corner really fast. In my rearview mirror, I saw this quick movement. It was the road washer guy jumping out of the way of the oncoming vehicle!

Seriously, why do I notice these things?

Amanda Keeps Talking About Nail Polish

I was thinking about the OPI site and how they never seem to have my coloring (like when you are choosing your skin tone when "trying on" the different shades). They never have a Chinese hand! :) So, I went to the Taiwan OPI site thinking, "Now, they will have a Chinese hand!" But it was all in a different language. Ah! I can never win!

Amanda Is Lazy

So I was looking at my friend Megan's blog (My Single View) where she shows her toes and her pedicure. I thought about taking a picture of my toes (cause my feet are way cuter!;) but then I felt too lazy to walk upstairs to get the camera and then load the pictures onto my computer. Lazy, lazy, lazy! Maybe another time.

Anyway, I was thinking about my toe nails and about OPI nail polish colors. You know, with the really cute names. Then I was thinking about the color I got which was called "Dutch Tulips." So I went on the site and looked up "Dutch Tulips" and it looks nothing like my toes! But I did find some interesting things. You can pick any color and see it on "your hand." This is sure to provide you with hours of entertainment when you should be doing something more productive like cleaning the toilets or vacuuming the carpets. Go try it yourself.

Also, there is a Taiwan OPI store! Of course!